Ello peeps ! I'm Laurel and this is my first FanFic! I love ( emphasis on love) the book The Hunger Games So, naturally, I decided to do my first FanFic on it. I do apologize in advance for errors & typos. Disclaimer : this wonderful world belongs to Suzanne Collins along with some characters ( Katniss, Peeta, ect. ) This book is basically a parallel universe where Katniss dies before she leads the rebellion.
11 years ago Katniss Everdeen selflessly volunteered as tribute to save her sister.
11 years ago Katniss Everdeen won the Hunger Games and started a rebellion.
11 years ago President Snow killed Katniss and destroyed the rebellion.
Ladies and gentlemen, let the 84th annual Hunger Games begin!
xXx
Kota
My heart pounds in my chest, cold sweat coating me.
The dogs, huge, ragged beasts, come at me from all sides, sharp teeth ripping at my flesh.
I turn only to see snapping jaws and blood coated teeth.
I hear a little girl faintly calling my name.
" Kota!"
The sound grows louder, drowning out the growls of the dogs.
" KOTA!"
I snap awake instantly, my eyes popping open and I gasp for breath, clutching the sides of the small bed that I lay in. " Kota wake up!", says the voice and I turn to see my little sister, JJ, looking at me with wide blue eyes. " You were screaming," JJ says, brushing a strand of jet black hair behind one elfish ear.
" What time is it?", I mumble, sinking back into my bed, body limp
" Momma says its time to get ready," JJ says " Its reaping day in case you forgot," she adds and I turn and really look at her. JJ has on a deep blue dress that matches her eyes. The dress is plain with only a few buttons and it's simple but beautiful on her. I then, also notice that her hair is in a tight bun on her head.
" You look really beautiful JJ," I comment as I sit up and she glances at the beat up dresser in the corner " You will too," JJ replys before walking out of my small room to give me some privacy to dress.
I walk over to the dresser and open the top drawer, wincing at the loud squeak it makes. Inside, tucked carefully into the center is a deep blue gown.
" wow," I mutter as I pull it out slowly, the dress unfolding into a gorgeous masterpiece that probably cost at least 3 meals.
I put it on and then look into the piece of glass my mom had found in a trash dump from the Capital. I gasp with surprise and wonder at my reflection, the gown fitting perfectly.
The gown was more of a dress really, It went about a few inches below my knees and billowed around in the wind instead of fitting snugly. The dress had lacy embroideries along the edges and a single button on the back, I instantly loved it.
After brushing my long, jet black hair out and pinning it up so it was in a bun like JJ's I walked out of my room and into the kitchen where JJ and my mother are.
" oh my little girl! Growing up so fast! ", My mother says, wrapping her arms delicately around me. " oh you all are just so pretty and grown up," My mother says, wiping a tear from her eyes. " yadda yadda... Can we eat now?" JJ asks, dodging a kiss from Mother.
" of course, food's on the table.. Don't get anything on you!" Mother says, giving JJ one last kiss on the head before she returns to her room/work room to work on more dresses.
" I CALL THE CHEESE BUN!", JJ shouts, dashing to the small dusty brown table where a cheese bun, one block of cheese, three strawberries and jerky lay.
" You can have it..", I murmur to her, slyly, as I grab a strawberry and shovel it into my mouth, the sweet taste making me groan in pleasure as I eat it, leaves and all.
" Ohhh this is good! ", JJ says, nibbling delicately on the cheese bun before giving up and wolfing it down, crumbs spraying from her mouth.
" Watch it! We don't want to attract vermin!", I yelp, remembering when JJ accidentally dropped a crate with grain in it and the little that had spilled out had led rats into our house.
" That happened one time! " JJ mutters " and besides.. I'm way more carful now", she says but sweeps up the crumbs anyway.
I pop another strawberry in, relishing the sweet juice before my thoughts take me back to the reaping. A small stab of panic shoots through me but I shove it back down. What are the chances really that I'll get taken? Big..a small voice says in the back of my mind and suddenly I don't feel very hungry anymore.
" You ok?", JJ asks, concern tinging her voice " You look really pale,"
" I'm fine... Just nervous ", I mumble, plastering a smile on my face " I'm going see if mother needs help ", I add before walking quickly to where my mother was working.
" Hey.. I was uh wondering of you wanted any help?", I ask as I enter the small room, carefully avoiding the cluttered piles of yarn.
" Hmm?... And there!" My mother mutters and then looks up at me, a thin needle sticking between her teeth with a string attached to it, her hands filled with a silky looking fabric. " What was that sweetie?", She asks, sweeping a stray hair back from her face.
" Is there anything I can do to help you?", I ask, clasping my hands behind my back.
" Well actually I just finished.. We need to leave soon so the peacekeepers don't have a reason to harass us," My mother says, folding the cloth and putting the needle in a ratty puffball. " And I still need to get freshened up," She adds, smiling, as she walked over to a dresser in the corner and pulled out an identical matching dress to JJ's.
" Er.. Me and JJ will wait for you in the kitchen," I tell her before backing out of the room and wandering over to the kitchen.
I walk in with a sigh, rubbing my arm as JJ flops on the ragged and beat up couch, each of us in our own little world, waiting in nervous anticipation for the reaping to begin.
Time passes. I'm not sure how much but soon me and JJ are jolted out of our panicked thoughts when Mother enters the room.
She's naturally beautiful, long silky black hair, gorgeous blue eyes and a thousand watt smile to top it off but now.. She's a knockout.
" OMG Mom! You look AMAZING! ", JJ gushes, giving her a huge smile.
Me? I simply stare, suddenly feeling very self conscious all of a sudden. JJ then elbows me in the side. Hard.
" I... wow... Who are you and what have you done my mother?!" I mock gasp, throwing up my hands as if she was blinding " I have never set eyes apon a creature as beautiful as you!" I say in pretend awe.
" You dork," JJ says snickering as mother laughs " You know... I bet you might be able to get a job at acting!" Mother says, patting me on the back.
" Whoops.. We'd better get a move on.. We're a few minutes late," JJ says, opening the door and I get a glimpse of a white peacekeeper uniform over the village ridge, herding a group of teens my age with them to the reaping.
" Come along," Mother says briskly, sashaying out the door, me and JJ trailing behind her like duckings following their mother.
The dusty road is almost empty, beat up shacks on one side, the supposedly electric fence that divides twelve from the forest on the other.
After walking for a bit in silence we start to hear the rumble of many people talking in a small area.
The closer we get the louder the sound and soon the roar of people talking is like thunder overhead.
" STAY CLOSE TO ME!", Mother says, having to yell to be heard above the roar of people.
Mother starts forward and gets in the registration line, the line shrinking until only mother is left to sign. She jolts down our names Kathryn Bane, Jezebel Bane and Dakota Bane.
My name, Dakota Bane, goes into the eligible tribute column with JJ's and Mother's name goes into the senior observer box.
Next, She writes down how many times our names with go into the ball.
This year my name will go in twenty times so JJ won't have to apply for a tessera on her second reaping.
Mother finishes writing down the fact that I have signed up to get a tessera for me, JJ and mother then with one last hug to each of us, she let's the peacekeepers lead us away at different sections, JJ going to the younger section and I go to the older section.
The mayor tells us the same stupid story he does every year, the story about how Panem rose to become the capital and all that crap about the Hunger Games being the only way to keep peace.
I sigh like I do every year when the mayor finishes and the one surviving mentor walks onto the stage, his cold blue eyes watching everyone with an intense glare.
I look, my heart rabbiting in my chest, panic crawling through my veins as I stare up at the glass ball with thousands of paper scraps in it. Somewhere in there are twenty pieces of paper that read Dakota Bane.
Effie Trinket the walks out onto the stage her costume,this year, a brilliant purple with blue embroideries.
As cheerful and bubbly as ever, Effie Trinket prances up to the podium on her ridiculously high, purple high heels and gives her signature " Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor "
She steps up to the glass ball for girls and as she does every year " Ladies first!"
My heart is pounding... Suddenly it just seems so much more real.
Effie reaches in, prods around a bit then selects a name at random.
She opens her mouth and dread coils in my stomach.
" And this year's girl tribute is.."
" Dakota Bane "
xXx
Seth
One hour earlier
" Oh man he's gonna kill us "
Almost instantly in response to the voice my hands shoot up in the direction of who talked, my big hands wrapping around the person and within seconds I had them in a headlock.
I blink my eyes open, the corners still crusty with sleep in a bit of a panic before I realize I'm the one who has the guy in headlock.
" Holy crap you're fast!" the guy I'd had in headlock says in a bit of a fanboy way after I release him.
" That's me..." I mutter, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I turn slightly in bed, the silken sheets rustling slightly only to see another person sitting on the edge of my bed.
" Why are you guys here?" I ask suspiciously, wondering if my dad had set up a meeting at the wrong time.
" We're here get you ready for the reaping ceremony," the one on the edge of the bed says dryly, shifting uneasily.
" Reaping ceremony? But that's not for another... What the hell?! I was supposed to be woken FIVE HOURS EARLIER!" I yell as I twisted in bed to get a good look at the clock by my bed.
" Well your father said..."
" I DON'T CARE WHAT MY FATHER SAID! I SAID I WANTED TO BE WOKEN AT SEVEN! " I holler, hot rage filling me up.
Normally I wouldn't get this aggravated over a small thing like this but lately my father had take it upon himself to control everything I do from who I am allowed to be friends to with to even what men's room I'm supposed to use.
" I told you so," the one on the edge of the bed says getting off the bed and backs away.
" I... Er... Uh... Please don't kill me," the one who I'd had in headlock squeaks in terror and backs away before darting out the door.
" Well then I guess I'm going solo for the job of dressing you like a poppet," the guy who still stayed, muttered before turning to my closet and pulls out a tuxedo. " Your Father requests that you wear this" the guy says, holding it out.
" I think I'll pass... " I say, standing up and I walk over to the clothes I had laid out the night before and I pull out a muscle shirt and sweat pants, already with my favorite green hoodie.
" I'm sorry but this is really more of an order," The guy says calmly, a small taunting smile on his face.
" Tell Father to get out of my personal life and stop telling me what to do," I growl, tugging on my shirt and sweat pants.
" Well then.. I tried.. GUARDS!" the man yells and I pause in pulling on my hoodie and charge him, knocking him to the ground, rearing back to punch him but the guards arrive, each one holding a cloudy white liquid which I assume are sedatives.
I turn and whip around knocking out at least one guard before a sharp prick on my arm alerts me that I got sedated. The numbing feeling spreads and then the world tips sideways into darkness.
I wake up on a rough material that definitely isn't my bed.
" Ah, our pretty boy awakes " a voice says sarcastically and I manage to identify as the one who stayed after the one I'd had in headlock ran.
I groan, noticing the stiffness in the Material of my clothes that was so much unlike my training clothes.
" Let me guess. My hair us gelled to perfection, I'm wearing a tux and a bow and black designer shoes," I mutter, feeling the plastic like hair on my scalp and stiff leather shoes clinging to my feet.
" Wow on first try to! He's smart and Handsome," The voice snarks
" Yay! Bravo you succeed in sedating me with at least 5 highly trained guards! Wahoo! Do you want a medal for that?" I snark back sarcastically, trying to ignore the worst headache in history raging across my forehead.
I sigh, rubbing my forehead as I open my eyes only to realize I'm already at the reaping ceremony and also sitting on a feed bag.
"You feel ready to obey now?" the man asks and I nod, groaning as the headache increases
" Take this then follow me," the guy then says and I take a small shot from him, inject it into my arm and the headache then, disappears almost immediately.
I get up, dusting the little dusty flakes off my pants before walking hurriedly after him, my long strides catching up to him in no time.
I get there just as a the peacekeeper was about to shut down the registration stand.
I can hear the mayor giving the speech about Panem.. Looks like I missed it this year.
" STOP! ", The guy with me yells, one arm outstretched as if to grab the man and stop him.
" Your name?" the peacekeeper sighs, getting a pen out.
" Cody Evans but I am a senior observer," Cody says hurriedly " This is Seth Vervain, an eligible tribute," Cody says then leans in " He's the tribute,"
" Ah..." The peacekeeper says then jots down our names and puts them in the correct columns.
" Follow me please Mr. Vervain," A guard says, coming out of the shadows and I quickly follow him, eager to get away from Cody.
We arrive in a huge space that's filled with thousands of people.
I go and stand in the eligible tribute section.
The mentors file out single file and then stand in the back as Effie Trinket comes onto the stage.
As always her uniform is ridiculous, all frilly edges and lace trim.
She walks up to the podium on her ankle breaking heels then gives us her famous " Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor,"
Then goes over the girls ball and says " Ladies first!" in her bubbly capital accent and digs around before selection one and pulling it out.
" And this year's girl tribute issss,"
" AMY BASKOUSI," Effie says but it comes out very loud.
Everyone cheers and claps a brown haired girl on the back, congratulating her as she goes to the podium.
" And now for this year's boy tribute.."
" JAK-"
" I VOLUNTEER!" I yells and Effie smiles " Your name? "
" Seth Vervain "