Hello and thank you for choosing to read this story! To be clear, it is a Cato/OC and may be a slowburn, oops? Hahaha! Anyways, let's get some things straight before we dive in (haha, district 4 humor).

First off: I have based a few little things in the District 4 culture off of the Hawaiian culture (I am not a native hawaiian nor do I live there, however I thought it would be a great idea to base the culture off of an existing one.) This means that I am getting a lot of my information from the internet, which brings up my main point: if you have any problems with portrayals or want me to consider adding something in, or just have some tips based off your knowledge (especially if you're a native or have lived there before) then please feel free! I would love to hear suggestions, and if you have any criticisms let me know - just don't be mean omg I'm sensitive ok.

Which brings us to number two: my main OC is a POC - a person of color. This also means that her family is, and honestly anyone else that I add in might or might not be. If you are uncomfortable with this….I guess this is goodbye? Feel free to exit out of your browser and never come back. She and her family are going to be descended from Pacific Islanders/Native Hawaiians who migrated to the mainland of the U.S. at the wrong time apparently because Panem took over and now they're screwed it would seem. Again, if you are part or full Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, I would love to hear about how I can incorporate other aspects of your culture into this story. I want my OC and everyone else in her district to have cultural roots, as this will play a role in their loyalty to her rather than the Capitol. This is not me singling out a specific culture, I just feel like it goes well with the specific district I choose for her to be in.

Third: I'm gonna let you guys know this now, and not keep you worried the entire time about this specific piece of info….I am ABSOLUTELY NOT KILLING FINNICK. That man is staying well and alive, I'll kill LITERALLY anyone else. Go ahead, give me ideas, I'm open, just leave Finnick alone.

Fourth: a couple things - along with Finnick being alive - will be changed….yeah sorry don't complain about that, I just feel like it allows me to focus solely on my character more, as well as add a level of surprise and mystery to the story, I won't tell you anymore spoilers about what I am going to do, so you'll have to read to find out.

Numero Five: There may be adult content and strong language in this story, I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, this is your warning. There won't be too strong of adult content and I will put a warning at the beginning of the chapter for all of you for that, however I won't for cursing because that's pointless, there probably will be at least a curse word in each chapter. I have a potty mouth, sue me. But I'll try to keep it toned down. Let's be real though, it's the Hunger Games, who wouldn't be cursing ridiculous amounts with everyone trying to kill them?

That is all I think, if anything comes up, hey I'll let you know! Onto the story! Enjoy!

I have a dream

I hope it will come true

That you're here with me

And I am here with you

I wish that the earth, sea, and the sky up above

Will send me someone to lava

Giggles immerse the room as the two toddlers cuddled into each side of me beg me to sing their favorite song again.

"Sweetheart," my mother's voice rings from outside of my room, "Have you seen the twins, they're not in their-" She breathes a sigh of relief when she enters my room to see Luana and Koa in my bed with me.

"They slept in here last night, nightmares I guess." Last night the two of them came into my room rambling about monsters under their beds and outside their window, threatening to steal them away in the dead of night. Even though I knew they were full of it I let them stay with me, because I knew the truth. Today was reaping day, my last one before I was free from the Capitol's games; Luana and Koa knew this, and they were afraid that last night might be one of the last moments they would be able to spend with me.

"Akela's shoes are at the door, did he-" my mom starts to say before a groan from on the floor stops her.

"On the floor." I laugh. Akela normally stayed at Finnick Odair's house in the Victor's Village, but last night he snuck into the house and stayed with the twins and I; unfortunately, he had to sleep on the floor, as my bed was not big enough to accommodate one girl, two small children, and him.

"Hello sweetheart." Our mother smiled and lightly ruffled his hair as he sat up. "I made some breakfast, it's not a lot, but I was able to whip something up. Everyone to the kitchen, let's go." Akela was up and running down the hallway before my mother could finish the word 'breakfast.' The twins followed my mother, giggling all the way, and for a moment I was jealous of them. I wish I could be like them, I normally was, but not today. Not today.

One day Luana and Koa were going to have to go through this too. One day they would wake up terrified at the fact that it could be their last few days alive. One day they would walk to the Justice Hall where the reapings are held, and be faced with the horrifying idea that if both of them were chosen, they would either have to fight each other or watch their own sibling, their own twin - the very own person they shared a womb with - die.

I would know. Akela and I are only two years apart, we experienced the same fear every reaping we were both a part of. Fortunately for us, we were never both picked, and now that Akela is 21 he no longer has any chances of being thrown in an arena only to have to kill a bunch of other kids or die trying.

One more year. I tell myself. I turned 19 before the next reaping, all I had to do was make it one more time. How mad was it that one moment, only a few split seconds could determine whether your life, something that might've been meant to last decades more, was going to be cut short - and all because a government decided to take out its anger over a justifiable rebellion on kids who had nothing to do with it in the first place.

Eventually I made my way to the kitchen where all of my sibling were sat around the table, along with my mother and, unsurprisingly, Annie Cresta. Annie was another victor, and someone I knew through my brother, who had went to school and become good friends with her before she had been reaped. My brother was devastated as he watched one of his best friends walk up the stage, and then later fight for her life in the arena. She was how he had met Finnick. At first, Finnick wasn't the biggest fan of Annie having another male friend, which was how we all found out that Finn was crushing on the girl; but when he found out that my brother was more into him than Annie, he was more than accepting of their friendship. I had studied physical and mental illnesses from the start of a very young age, albeit, I had only ever really studied them in animals, however it helped a lot with being around Annie after the games. She wasn't mad per say, she was undergoing severe trauma, a normal response to something she had gone through, she was just expressing it in a way that was different from previous and other victors. I can't say I wouldn't be the same way if I were to see what she had seen, lived through what she had lived through; how would I live with myself afterwards? What would make me so much better than everyone else in that arena that would justify me winning over them?

"When you come back this afternoon I need you're help at the sanctuary, Akoni only ever works well with you it seems, and he hasn't been swimming enough lately for us to send him back." In a way, I liked that my mom was talking to me like I would definitely be coming home later that day, it made me feel safer, like I was definitely going to survive the reaping.

"Ok, no problem. Annie, you're welcome to come if you'd like." My parents started working at the animal sanctuary on the south side of District 4 when they were young, that's how they had actually met and fallen in love. My dad died shortly after the twins were born, none of us know how, and Akela and I refuse to ask mom, bringing it up only makes her upset, and last time we asked her she broke down crying while only being able to mumble the words 'I don't understand' over and over again. While they didn't own the sanctuary - that would be the Capitol that officially does - they were basically the main bosses there; however when dad died, mom took over all the responsibility.

The reason there was an animal sanctuary in District 4 was because the Capitol liked to house animals to either study - probably in order to get ideas for mutations for the games - or to sell to people who liked to say they owned exotic sea animals or, even worse, eat them, or the Capitol will sometimes use them to put on shows and will allow the people to pay to swim with them or touch them or even just catch a glimpse of them. It's all about entertainment and money for President Snow. We usually try and rehabilitate animals that we catch that are injured from our boats or other animal attacks and etcetera and then send them back into the ocean, but unfortunately that isn't always the case and the Capitol gets ahold of them before we can send them back or hide them away. Sometimes the animals living in the Capitol get hurt and they're sent to District 4 in order to be "fixed" and then shipped off once again to the Capitol. It's sickening to all of us here in 4; growing up on the ocean and on boats puts everything into perspective I guess, we share our home - the ocean - with these animals, to see them being used for entertainment, or to see them being slaughtered without any regard...it's a constant reminder that we as a district share more in common with the animals than just a habitat.

Akoni is a dolphin that was being rehabilitated, he had been there 4 months and didn't seem to be making much progress. It's seen a lot with animals that the Capitol sends to us; Akoni was getting sick and wasn't getting better, and now it seemed like he was becoming depressed.

Maybe he subconsciously knew my reaping day was coming up and realized his best friend might be leaving him and never coming back.

Too morbid, think better thoughts.

My name is not going to be called. I am going to come home today, I am going to see Akoni later this afternoon, I am going to celebrate never seeing an arena up close, I am going to have my mother tuck me into bed, and I am going to live out the rest of my life in District 4 and die peacefully a long long time from now.

Breakfast ends way too early and before I know it, I'm washed off and changed into the same outfit I wore to last years reaping. My mother and father - when he was still alive- never let any of us take out any tesserae, only ever allowing us to pick up little jobs here and there for extra money; honestly, I'm thankful looking back, it makes me feel better about the reaping every year, knowing that my name isn't in there any more times than it needs to be.

As we reach the center of the district, Luana and Koa attack me first, kissing me all over my face and squeezing the air out of me with their endless hugs. It takes a while for my mother to get them to let me go so that I can make my way to the Justice Building. She brushes my hair behind my ears and kisses both of my cheeks. "I love you." She whispers. Next is Akela, he's standing there trying to smile as best he can, even though I knew he was probably just as scared as I was. "I'll see you later." He tells me and kisses my forehead, lingering for a couple of seconds before finally letting me go.

"Love you guys." I try to hold back the tears filling my eyes.

"Love you too." Akela and my mom wave at me.

The twins look like they're about to cry too, which is why I know I have to be strong. "Lava you!"

I laugh through the pain. "Lava you too kiddos!" And with that I turn and walk to my possible death.

Too morbid, too morbid.

I walk into the group of 18 year old girls after going through regular procedure. I look around to see if I can see my family standing far off, and I can just make out Akela's dark head of hair standing taller amongst neighbors and strangers.

My attention is drawn to the stage in front of all of us where Effie Trinket stands in all her Capitol gettup glory. She used to be the escort for District 12 until she was moved, probably requesting a somewhat wealthier and less dreary district. "Welcome, welcome…"

I zone out after that, waiting until the same video they put on every year that talks about the past rebellion and reasoning for the games is turned on. I watch, but I don't really listen. Not until Effie says the words the make my heart stop every year.

"Now it's time, for the moment we've all been waiting for, to see who will bring honor to District 4 by becoming this year's tributes." She smiles as all of our hearts simultaneously drop. "Let's change it up this year, shall we? Boys first!" Her hand reaches into the bowl on her right side, prolonging her search for what she, I'm guessing, deems the perfect slip of paper to pull. She pulls one out eventually and waddles over to the microphone before opening the slip and reading the name of the unlucky boy. "Kai Herring."

I know him. He's older, 17 years old, and my heart breaks when I hear his mother gasp and his little sister start crying from the crowds. He doesn't seem to act phased as he makes his way up the stairs and onto the stage. His eyes are void of any emotion, but I notice where his gaze is at, right on his mom and sister.

"Very nice," Effie's voice falters a little, and I can almost make out a break in her Capitol-like demeanor. But she quickly moves onto the other side of the stage, where the bowl with all of the girl names sits. "Moving on to the girls!"

She does the same thing as she did with the boys, taking her time, and prolonging our stress.

I can feel my heart squeezing as she pulls out a slip and makes her way back to center stage.

Everyone is completely silent, until Effie finally announces the name.

And it's not me.

"Lilinoe Mako."

"No!" There's a scream from the crowds, a dark skinned man comes bounding through only to be stopped by Peacekeepers.

I know that name. I think. My brain works to think of how, and it hits me all at once when I see a small girl walk out of the 12 year old group. Oh god, Lili.

Her parents were fishermen, and really good ones at that. They owned a couple of boats, and were actually pretty well off in terms of money. Earlier this year, on a trip gone wrong, Lilinoe's mother and father were caught in a bad storm that demolished the boat. Search parties were sent out the next morning when the storm finally calmed, I was a part of them. They found her father washed up on a small sandbar, but they never found her mother.

The sea gives, but it also takes. That's what he said at her funeral. He had lost his wife, and now he was losing his daughter...all in less than a year.

"Please! She's all I have left! Please, don't take my daughter! Don't take her too! Someone, please!"

I had no idea that my feet were moving until I was standing in the middle of the opening, where everyone could see me.

"I volunteer!"

"Kalani!" Out of all the people I would expect to scream my name, I was surprised to see it was Finnick. Finnick, who was usually calm and collected; Finnick, who I went to when I was having trouble because I knew he'd know what to do; Finnick, who never showed any emotion other than amusement and confidence; Finnick, who now just looked lost and confused.

"Dad!" I watch Lilinoe run to her dad behind me and hug him with all the strength she possessed in her little body. And I knew I wouldn't regret what I had done.

I turned back to the stage and stared at Finnick as I walked up the stairs. When I get to the top and freeze because standing there is, "Annie." I whisper. I completely forgot she'd been sitting off to the side. She runs into my arms only to be ripped off by Finnick seconds later, who is trying to calm her down and most likely keep her from having a panic attack in front of everyone.

I stand next to Kai, and instead of shaking hands I pull him into a warm hug which he returns. We pull apart and look out into the sea of other kids.

"And what is your name, darling?" I'm asked by our escort.

"Kalani Maverick." I speak into the microphone she shoves in my face.

Effie goes to speak again but is interrupted.

"Mahalo!" A broken voice yells. And I know it's the same voice of Lilinoe's father. "Mahalo!" He says again, stronger this time. I look over at him. His body is still and he is no longer speaking, but I can see it in his eyes, the gratitude, the apology, the love. I may be giving away my life, put I was allowing his daughter to keep her's. Like the sea, I can give, give his daughter another year - and maybe even her entire life - with him, but there can be no give without a take.

"Mahalo." He says again.

And before I know it there a more voices saying the word, and then yelling it, and then screaming it.

The voices eventually die down, and the Peacekeepers begin to usher Kai and me away from the stage and into the actual Justice Building.

I don't turn around, I don't want to look at anyone, because I know if I do I'll probably bust into tears. But then I hear it, a small voice, a young girl, the one I was keeping alive by sacrificing myself. "Aloha, Kalani!" I can't help but turn around and stare directly into her dark brown eyes. Aloha is a word taken seriously in our district, something that shows love and compassion, it's a strong word, and we only use it when we really mean it. "Aloha." I mouth to her, and finally turn away for good.

Ahhhh! Do you hate me? Was it good? Was the culture depicted correctly or should I fix something, or maybe just delete myself off the internet? Leave a review, let me know, I would be happy to get feedback! Also, if you feel a review might not get you anywhere or is a little to public, you can always PM me, that's totally cool and we can speak (or type I guess) there! I will try and get another chapter up as soon as possible, until then…

xoxo