This is my new Hunger Games fanfiction. Like everyone else who will ever post a fanfiction on this site I do NOT own the Hunger Games or any of the character mentioned in the book series. This fanfiction will contain spoilers to my other story 'The 80th Hunger Games' but you don't need to read it to understand the story. Just in case you don't want to read that story the universe is just that Peeta was never reaped but Katniss still won the games. All of the tributes are based off people in my school so if people in my school are reading, enjoy reading about yourself fighting to the death ;)
Elise's POV
A sound of ringing stops my dreaming and brings me back to my bedroom. I quickly turn off the alarm on my bedside table and sit up in bed. It takes me a second to remember what day it is, the reaping. The day that all trainees long for, but before the televised show the volunteers are announced at the training centre. I'm only fifteen so my chance of being chosen are slim but all trainees over the age of fourteen are required to attend. I get out of my bed and make my way to my wardrobe and take out my usual training clothes. The red short sleeved top and grey shorts will be suitable until the reaping. I grab my hair brush from the bedside table and begin to brush my golden brown hair before tying it back in a ponytail. I exit my red and walk down the stairs into the kitchen. Neither of my parents are there so I suspect that they're still in bed. I grab a muffin from the bed in and go out the back door. The warm summer breeze hits me as I walk to the training centre. It's on the edge of the main district just before the path to Victor's Village. When I arrive I hear someone yell, "Elise!" I turn to see my friend Sapphire wearing similar clothes and her long frizzy hair in large pigtails. "Elise, you looking forward to the announcement?" She asks with obvious excitement in her voice.
"Yes," I answer, "but it's not as if we're going to be chosen." She looks at me doubtfully, as if she didn't agree with my last statement. It's true, thought we may be top of our class in our best weapons we're still fifteen and the likeliness of anyone under sixteen being chosen is next to nothing. "I mean they're going to chose the older people, the ones who have a chance to win."
"So," Sapphire says, "That thirteen year old from eleven won last year, her chances were as low as anyone's." I bite my lip, she's right if I be betting on anyone winning last year it wouldn't have been her. She was small, weak and looked as if she hadn't eaten well ever in her life, yet she still managed to win her games. I sigh knowing that Sapphire isn't going to give up, and anyway it could happen I guess.
"Whatever, let just go inside," I say, we still have around half an hour training time, plus if Sapphire's right we're going to need as much training as possible. I reach my locker in the centre and enter the combination to get my katana from it. I lock it and go to enter the training room. I go to the dueling station where another trainee is waiting for a fighting partner. He's younger than me but agrees to fight. I fight him in till a voice over the speaker says,
"Can over trainees fourteen or over please report to the main train hall right away." I say goodbye to the boy who turns out to be only thirteen and begin to make my way to the hall. When I get there the hall is already quite packed, most of the trainees in the room still holding the weapons that they were training with. After about five minutes of waiting Diamond Melo, the victor of the 78th Hunger Games, walks on the stage. Her platinum blonde hair down to her waist and holding two golden cards in her hands. She walks up to the microphone and begins the speech that each trainee pins their hopes on. "Welcome trainees to the choosing of the volunteers for the 81st Annual Hunger Games." The tension in the crowd thickens more than the reaping, at the reaping half the district knows who's going in, here everyone is waiting for the announcement just in case it's them. "First of all the boy who will given the honour of volunteering for the eighty-first annual Hunger Games is," she opens the first of the cards and reads the name, "Ross Ford." A sixteen year old boy steps out the crowd, short dark hair and quite pale skin. Yet he's strong and looks condent. Cheer fill the crowd congratulating the newest tribute to the games. When we all quiet down Diamond moves on the next card, "Now the female volunteer is," she begins to open the card. I can hear my heartbeat, is today my day? As her mouth reopens the tension in the room could be cut with a knife. "Elise Churm!"
Ross' POV
The girl who was called surprises me, she's just fifteen and holds a katana in her hand. She looked shocked, most likely expecting an older trainee to be chosen. I didn't even expect to be chosen with so many seventeen and eighteen year olds training this year. Maybe the district wanted to prove itself after the victor last year. A thirteen year old is a new record for the youngest victor even beating the old record of Finnick Odair from District Four. The girl reaches the stage and stands next to me. Cheering comes from many of the fourteen and fifteen year olds and all but the eighteen years olds are at least clapping. A thirteen year old comes onto the stage holds a golden sash and tie, the mark of a volunteer. "Trainees, your volunteers," Diamond says as we are handed our item. Ripples of cheers go throughout the crowd, well from everyone but the eighteen year olds, this was their last chance. When we are released from the ceremony we have an hour till the Reaping. I rush home, this has been the moment I've been training for is finally here. When I get to my house my dad is in the living room. His eyes glaze over me for a second. I rush up the stairs to bedroom to find my outfit for the reaping laying on my bed. A simple shirt and black pants. A tie also lies on the bed but I don't need that. I put on my reaping outfit and the golden tie. I go over to bed, this is the last time I'll see this bedroom when I come back I'll be living in Victor's Village. I take a small wooden box from my bedside table, I've had it since I was five years old and I can't think of anything else to be my token.
"Ross," I hear my mum call from downstairs, "It's time to go to the reaping." I rush down the stairs, this is one reaping I can't be late for. She notices the tie the moment she sees me and her eyes open wide in shock. "Ross is that?" I nod, not quite sure if she's pleased or not. She hugs me and calls my dad who too is shocked yet happy that I've got in. We begin to go to the town square for the reaping. I check in as soon as we get there, entering the sixteen year old section where I'm greeted by my friend Tag.
"Congrats Ross, remember me when you come back," he says laughing knowing that I will anyway.
"Course I will, but let's get the reaping over with first," I say, seeing the Mayor exit the Justice Building. After the Mayor comes Diamond and Lincoln this year's mentors. Finally Tiffany Yashar our escort comes onto the stage, her pale skin looks tanned compared to her white hair and grey eyes. She wears heavy eyeliner and deep red lipstick as well as several silver necklaces. On top of her head is a small black hat with lace and ribbon. Her clothing is completely white, with a kind of coat is an outter to a jeweled dress. She goes to sit down along with Diamond and Lincoln as the Mayor goes to read the treaty of treason and the list of victors. It takes ten minutes to do list due to the long list of victors. He finally introduces Tiffany and the moment that everyone waits for each year is finally here.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen of District One to the reaping for the Eighty-First Annual Hunger Games," she says in her Capitol accent, "Ladies first." She walks up to the girls' bowl, putting her hand into the glass bowl and picking out a slip. She picks out a piece of paper and opens it. The name is barely heard above the sound of Elise shouting,
"I volunteer!" She comes out of the fifteen year old section, she's wearing a black flowing dress with the golden sash like a belt. She goes to the stage where she is greeted by Tiffany. "So what's your name daring?" Elise smiles confidently before answering,
"Elise Churm." Tiffany seems to like her confident but doesn't stop the show for it.
"And how old are you sweetheart?" She asks Elise, I'm guessing Elise doesn't really like these pet names but doesn't react to it, knowing that this could be her first chance to sponsors.
"I'm fifteen," she says, Tiffany nods in approval of a younger volunteer but quickly moves on.
"Let's have a round of applause for our newest tribute, Elise Churm." Claps and cheers fill the crowd, much of it from the younger members of the crowd excited to know that a younger trainee is getting the chance to be in the games. "Now for the boys," Tiffany says moving to the next bowl. She puts her hand in again and pulls the next piece of paper out quickly. She knows that the card doesn't really matter. When she opens it, I like Elise don't give her chance to finish the name before shouting,
"I volunteer!"
Elise's POV
He comes out of the sixteen year old section confidently and runs to the stage. Tiffany like always was expecting a volunteer so doesn't waste time.
"So what's your name?" She says, without using silly pet names like she did for me. Ross seems to be happy of this fact and quickly answers her.
"Ross Ford." He says, like me smiling he knows as well as I do that all of the future sponsors will be watching. Tiffany as always doesn't know what section contains which children and therefore asks,
"So how old are you Ross?" Ross grins again, he's enjoying not being called stupid pet names more than I hated getting called them.
"I'm sixteen." He says, he doesn't get as good a response from Tiffany, but still gets a smile.
"Well how about another round of applause for our male tribute Ross Ford," cheers and claps fill the crowd again, though it looks as if most of the eighteen year olds are remaining silent, this should have been their year. Even I know that I wouldn't have been chosen if it wasn't for last years victor being so young. "Now shake hands," Tiffany says. I put my hand out and Ross grips it shaking it. We're in this together until one of us gets out of the arena, it's best to be friends I guess. "Ladies and gentlemen, the tributes of District One. Elise Churm and Ross Ford." Claps and cheers come from the crowd while we are escorted into the Justice Building. Ross and I are taken to two rooms across from each other. The room is luxury, well I guess that's to be expected for the luxury district. I sit on the white sofa and wait for my visitors to come. My parents come first full of advice. I block most of it out, it's nothing I hadn't heard from the trainers before. I come back to earth when my dad hands me something. A pendent on a golden chain. The pendent is a heart made from a black gem, a melanite I think.
"Take it as your token okay," I nod taking it, they must have spend ages making this. I put it on and block them out again. When a peacekeeper comes in they exit quickly, it's only a few more minutes until Sapphire comes in. She hugs me, a gesture which I return. I'm not usually a hug person but today isn't a usual day.
"I guess you were wrong earlier," she says with a grin, her own way to say I told you so. I laugh along with her through because in the end it's my gain to compete in the games.
"I guess so, but if it means I'm in then I'm fine with it." We laugh again, we've been so focused on training for the past few months that we've barely had time to just hang out and laugh. "I'll come back rich and famous, I'll win for us." I say, Sapphire smiles knowing that I can win.
"Then you can mentor me and I'll win too." I grin at her, but the moment is destroyed by a peacekeeper busting into the room and forcing her to leave. I wait just in case another visitor comes, but no one does I'm totally for the start of my journey I'm alone.
Ross' POV
I wait in the room for my parents to come but surprisingly Tag comes in first. He's grinning widely, not the least bit upset that I got in and not him.
"You're going to win and be the victor right," he says, I don't know why he's doubting be, maybe because our District pair was taken down so easily last year. But I laugh, knowing there's no way I would be taken down so easily, this is the moment I've trained hard for the past eight years of my life.
"Of course I am Tag, why planning on taking my stuff if I die?" I say laughing, Tag laughs to, I doubt he was planning anything like that though he probably would get my stuff if I died in the games.
"Course not I'm just worried, people can be taken down no matter how strong they are. Look at the careers from last year, not many went down fighting." When he says this I take a second to think, it's true the only career that really went down with a fight is the girl from four who made it to the final two before she was taken down by Autumn from eleven. I look at him, at least he's turned up to say goodbye, who knows where my parents are.
"Do you know where they are by the way?" I ask if anyone knows where my parents are right now it's Tag. He thinks for a second before answering, making me give up hope of any more visitors after he leaves.
"Oh yeah, they had to rush to do something, didn't say what." His answer makes me sigh, they can't even say no so they can visit their son before he leaves for the Capitol. I guess they never really payed attention to me, they only let me train because it could bring fortune if I win the games. After this they're not getting any of it, when I come back from the games they're not getting any of the money. As Tag is forced to leave I begin the time of being alone that will continue when I get home so I never can get disapointed by my parents again.
So that was the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed I'll be updating this as quickly as possible, but I've made a deal that until my other story has finished I can only post chapter of this story along with chapters of that. Just a way to make myself finish the story without my friend Foxface161 killing all of Panem. I'm not lying she would end it that way. Hope you enjoyed and will continue reading.
(=^・ェ・^=)
