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"To remind The Districts that skill is nothing more than your upbringing, twenty-four tributes will be reaped this year alongside The Tributes for the Twenty-Fifth Hunger Games. These children will then be escorted to The Capitol where they will spend the next ten years training until the time where the top twelve Tributes shall be placed in an arena until only one comes out,"-President Howlett, 0025

Coriolanus awoke to a small tapping on the large, wooden door of his bedroom. He sat up for a few moments, the tapping continued, then sighed, slamming his head into to his soft, silk pillow. He allowed his face to sink into the fabric, grunting as he did so. The tapping continued for a few more moments until it ceased, leaving the boy in silence. Coriolanus lifted his head slightly, his blue eyes drifting to the light that seemed to claw its way under his door. Just then, a shadow blocked out the light, four small fingers wriggling through the gap.

"Coriolanus, come play," his sister, Amaryllis whispered, her long, manicured nails scraping at the carpet. Coriolanus rolled over, facing away from the door, pouting slightly.

"I don't play games," he mumbled, "I am tired,"

Amaryllis huffed, "but you promised!" the younger girl cried, slamming her hand into the floor.

"Fine!" the boy whined back, kicking the thick blanket off his legs and shuffling towards the door.

Amaryllis smiled, standing up and waiting for the door to open. When it did, her older brother squinted at the bright light. His face was wrinkled as he attempted an angered face but succeeded in nothing but seeming cute. The siblings were not that different in looks, both sported curly, light brown hair with piercing blue eyes and tanned skin. However, personality was were the two separated. Coriolanus was competitive and serious, never taking anything for less than he wanted. Amaryllis, on the other hand, was a bright and bouncy girl who lived life to the full. Although, she shared her brother's competitive streak.

The dark haired girl giggled as she held her hand out, her older brother taking it with frustration. The young girl didn't seem to notice though, her blue eyes lighting up with excitement as she took off down the hall, dragging her brother along with her. Coriolanus sighed deeply as he dragged his feet on the floor, shuffling along behind his four-year-old sister.

She leads him down the staircase after staircase of the three-story house, their feet quietly padding down the steps until they came to the doors of the ball room. Amaryllis stopped, pulling free of her brother's grip and turning to smile at him. Her older brother studied her face, her thin lips curled into a smile and her eyes closed as she rocked back and forth on the heels of her feet. She could be cute, he guessed but overall, she was annoying.

"I spent all night making it!" she giggled, placing her hands behind her back.

"Open the door then," he sighed, running his hand through his curly brown locks. His little sister seemed hurt for a moment before quickly regaining her smile and turning to open the doors.

With a woosh, the doors opened, moon light reflecting off the polished marble floor. The room was dark and gloomy, the grand, golden room looked rather frightening in the dark. In the centre was a small tent that was brightly lit from the inside. Coriolanus let out a groan as he watched his little sister run across the floor, one of her bunny slippers flying off her foot.

She looked over her shoulder at him, letting out a little giggle as she turned to open the tent. Coriolanus Begrudgingly flowed suit, his head low as he took as much time as he could to reach his sister's tent. Halfway there, his sister poked her head out and with a little tease, he started to pick up the pace.

Once he reached the tent, he took a few seconds to study his sister's new toy. It was square in shape and the waterproof fabric was a deep green. The bottom was almost like a black gloss but also waterproof. Coriolanus followed the tent around, running his hand along the surface, his eyes scanning it up and down. He continued his sweep until he came to a large gash in the back of the tent that had been crudely covered up with staples and a butterfly blanket. He frowned as Amaryllis ran around the side, hugging her big brother's legs.

"You got this from that charity auction, didn't you," he said, his eyes still taking in every aspect of the torn fabric. Amaryllis looked up at him, then away, hugging him tighter.

"Well, dad got it for me," she mumbled like she expected him to tell her off.

"I thought you didn't like the Games-"

"I don't!" his sister stopped him, burying her head in his thigh. "They are scary,"

Yet you still buy a tent a tribute died in. That's what Coriolanus wanted to say but he understood his little sister's fear. For now, The Hunger Games were a terrifying show but soon, she would grow to love them like the rest of her people. She was right to fear them. He understood how sick and twisted they were, at one time, he wanted to stop them. Then, he understood their true meaning and the power they held over people. He came to love them but it would be laughable for him to expect Amaryllis to see them as anything else but a living nightmare.

"Well, at least you fixed it, my dear," he said softly, a reassuring smile spreading across his lips. Amaryllis looked at the badly patched hole and smiled.

"Yeah...I did a good job...didn't I?" she said with a smile, looking up at her brothers fake one and feeling reassured once more. "I love you Coriolanus," she sighed, hugging her brother so tightly around his waist, he became slightly breathless.

"I love you too," he sighed, running his hand through her thick, brown hair.

Nineteen Years Later…

"Presidential candidate, Ares Marina was found dead last night after drinking an unknown substance. Foul play is not suspected,"

"They are dropping like fly's this year," Coriolanus chuckled as he straightened his bow in front of the mirror.

"Yes, sir," his stylist said with a wide smile, his yellow, snake-like eyes looking at his crisp white suit. Amaryllis just hummed in reply, her blue eyes trained on the screen. Her brother looked at himself in the mirror, striking different poses he might be photographed in to see how his suit looked.

Now, in his prime, he was very different from the bored looking boy he was nineteen years before. His brown hair was now crimson red and slicked back, adorned with a well trimmed, red beard. His thin lips now looked like something out of a horror movie thanks to years of surgery to make them plump and stretched into a wide, constant smile. The only remnants of his past self were his ice blue eyes and even those were starting to bore him.

He glanced over to his stylist, Morice, and then to his reflection, his smile becoming wider.

"Amaryllis," he called over to blue-haired sister who jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. "I think I should take some style advice from Morice here, I really do love his eyes," he seethed, almost like he was taunting his sister. However, what would have made people feel very uneasy, she knew was just the way her older brother spoke.

"And what, look like a snake?" she raised and eyebrow at her brother who laughed at her reaction, almost as if she was missing a crucial point in his plan.

"It is better than looking like puppy, is it not?" he laughed, Morice looking slightly uneasy next to the presidential candidate. Amaryllis gave a shrug, knowing she was not one to nitpick at body modifications. Her body was covered head to toe in bright tattoo's, inked by the greatest artist in panem. That coupled with her straight blue hair, she was in no way to mock her brother's choices in that department. Not by his standards anyway.

"Hm, but are you willing to take advice from a stylist-"

"Morice is the best in Panem, little sister, if anyone knows style, it is him...I mean, look at this suit!" Morice smiled shyly, turning his gaze away from Amaryllis.

"White is by far the purest colour, everyone votes for white," Morice said proudly. Coriolanus patted him on the back, turning back to his sister with a victorious look in his eyes.

"True, but will anyone want to vote for a snake?"

"They will have no other choice, my dear," he and his sister held eye contact for a moment before Amaryllis broke it, standing up and walking away from her brother.

"I understand, brother," she sighed, walking over to the liquor table and pouring herself a drink. "Just, please, don't do anything until the Games have finished. They almost got canceled after the president's death, it won't take much for them to cancel it completely," the blue haired girl lifted the glass of gin to her lips and took a sip.

Ten years ago, Amaryllis watched twenty-four children, ranging from five to seven years, reaped and taken to The Capitol. She had spent ten years of her life, watching them train and cause drama on a reality show and she wanted nothing more than to see who would finally win. The idea that she might never get her ending if her brother slipped up, angered her. More than losing did.

Coriolanus chuckled, "I remembered when you were frightened of the Games-"

"All children are frightened of the Games, even you," Amaryllis jumped in, narrowing her eyes at her brother. Coriolanus sized up his sister for a few seconds before completely disregarding the idea. When it came to brains, he had received the lion's share but when it came to brute strength, even he was useless. Amaryllis was a trainer for a living, she could beat him in a fight even with his best strategy. No, he was a thinker rather than a fighter.

"Ah yes, but being frightened is normal, finding joy in it is what you should be worried about,"

This is my third SYOT and fourth SYOC type story. My second SYOT (Hell Island-25th Hunger Games) is two chapters away from the bloodbath, my first story 24 to Life: 24th Hunger Games is complete. My SYOC is ongoing and currently on it's first "reaping". I have had this idea for a while, it was going to be my second SYOT but I decided to put it on the back burner for a while until my writing had improved. I personally think it has so I thought it was time. It is also my first Third person story.

Overview of the twist:

During the announcement of the twist ten years ago, President Howlett shocked the nation by announcing a twist that would take ten years to come into effect. An outraged public forced her to pick another twist. She kept the first one seeing as it would not really affect anyone for many years.

This is what the first twist means.

During the 25th Hunger Games, not long after the victor was announced, The Capitol asked for citizens of the District to volunteer children, who were between five and seven years old, in return for money. The chosen children were then placed through multiple exercise to determine the best female and male child. Those children were then escorted to the Capitol, their families being rewarded with money until their child's death.

Once in The Capitol, they were treated like a victor, everyone and everything was theirs. However, in return, they must take part in training six days a week to a strict Peacekeeper training program for ten years.

Three years of living in the Capitol, the children were evaluated by Gamemakers and assigned a 'Warrior Pair'. The tributes were given a skill that would serve them in the Arena. There were twelve skills up for grabs and were given to the tributes based on their performance in the session with The Gamemakers. Two tributes were placed in each category, gender and District did not apply. These pairs will be forced to work together in training and inside the Arena. No other alliances are permitted. In the sad event that a pair gets separated, the other will have to spend their time in the Arena, alone.

Alongside this, they have been part of a reality TV show about their lives since they arrived in The Capitol. The show is on five days a week and follows their day to day life although most of it is staged. They were also forced to pick a talent when they arrived and have been forced to take it up as a hobby, much like the Victors.

Failure to comply to any of this results in an unthinkable punishment.

The night before The Arena, the people of The Capitol will vote for their top twelve tributes. Those who win the vote will go onto The Arena, the losers face something far more horrifying (what this is will be a surprise).

Things you need to know:

-The children are all fifteen to seventeen depending on how old they were when they were chosen.

-They have lived the life of a wealthy celebrity since they were five/six/seven so they have not been without for ten years.

-NOT every parent is abusive. It was a large sum of money by lower District standards. Little by Capital standards, a lifeline for The Districts.

-These children are trained killers, far more skilled than the Careers. There will be no fifteen year olds who don't know how to use a sword and be so weak they snap if the wind changes. They might not be the strongest tribute but they will still be strong. This means that even children from District Twelve are strong.

-This is not canon but it is set in the same universe as Hell Island and 24 to Life. You don't have to read those stories to understand this one. However, I would suggest checking out the victor list in Hell Island. There is still ten victors to add but it will give you an idea.

-This is not first come, first served. I need certain characters for what I have planned. Feel free to submit as many as you like and I will try to make sure everyone gets at least one tribute in the story.

The deadline is until I reach the final ten in Hell Island so you have a lot of time (or until I get enough submissions). I will let you know in advance in the case of the latter.

All I have to say is good luck, the form and more info is in my profile.

-Robin.