This chapter takes place a few months before the reapings. It focuses on our female tribute from District 4, Liviana is a little complicated, so she's getting her own chapter so I can explain her.

Some chapters will have multiple pov's while others will only have 1, it depends on how much information I need to get to you. This chapter only has one pov.

Chapter 2: To Live A Good Life

Liviana Faustus, District 4

The odor in the air stank of blood and guts. It would have driven a lesser person in sane, would have made him or her vomit.

But not Liviana, she was used to it. Had grown up breathing in blood and guts for most of her life. Six years to be exact. So maybe not most of her life, she was seventeen, but a good chunk of it.

There was movement to her left, she grinned as she jumped into the air, twirled midflight and then landed on her feet. She threw a fist in into the air, it was dark, but she knew that she had aimed correctly. Her fist connected with bones. Her victim grunted and returned the blow. Liviana ducked, missing it by inches. She kicked and hit her opponents shin.

He went down with a grunt.

The lights in the arena went on, and Liviana grinned down at Seth. He glared up at her.

"Okay, that's enough for now," Julia called from the doorway of the tavern. "I think Liv won that one."

"What are you talking about? I clearly won that fight," Seth spoke up Liviana put out her hand to help him up. He grabbed it and pulled himself to his feet. "Good fight Liv, you're getting better."

Liviana tilted her head to the side and lowered her eyes. It was her classic glare, one that could make even the manliest of men shake in his boots.

"Right, just kidding, you're one of the best Gladiators we have," Seth said as they left the arena and went into the empty tavern.

Julia went to her spot behind the bar and filled three mugs.

"Here's your coke," Julia said, sliding the mug down the bar to Liviana. She took it and gulped it down.

Julia and Seth each had beer in theirs, but not Liviana, she didn't drink. Her mother was always drunk as a skunk, it had turned Liviana off of anything alcoholic for the rest of her life.

"There's going to be a huge fight tonight in the arena, Iron Hand is competing, are you in?" Julia asked as the three of them sat in the tavern. Liviana half expected the door to open and her mother to wander in, but Oliviana was still hung-over from the night before.

"Iron Hand?" Seth said in awe, "but he hasn't competed in years."

"What's the pool up to?" Liviana asked as she grabbed the darts that were sitting in front of her and aimed at the board across the room. She hit the middle dead on.

"Quite a bit," Julia admitted, "enough to pay your rent for three months."

Liviana's face lit up. That money would be very helpful. She had grown up in the poorest section of District 4, and was constantly struggling to put food on the table. Because everyone knew that her mother wasn't capable of doing it.

Liviana was a fighter in the dark and illegal world of gladiator combat. District 4 was filled with people who trained to become killers. Arenas littered the shadier parts of 4 where the residents fought mutts and even other people, often to the death. Gladiator arenas were popular ways to make money. And since Liviana's family badly needed the money, she decided to become a fighter.

She was one of the youngest to ever join the world of gladiators. At only eleven, she was small, but determined.

"I have career training tonight," Liviana said, "but I sure could use that money." She had climbed through the ranks of gladiators, had proved everyone wrong, and had been targeted as a good candidate for professional career training.

She sighed, she hated being faced with dilemmas. As much as she loved her career training, she loved money even more. But she knew that if she volunteered for the Games, that she would win, and then she would be on the fast track to fame and fortune.

"It's Iron Hand, you have to enter," Seth pleaded with her. He knew that he wasn't good enough to beat Iron Hand, but Liviana was, she was probably the only one who had a decent shot at winning. "You can beat him, you're good enough," he observed, a hint of jealousy in his voice. He hadn't been training for the games as long as Liviana, she was a natural fighter, the best student in training. The one destined to succeed.

"Put my name down," she told Julia, jumping off of the stool and leaving the tavern. She headed off to training, maybe if she went early and got in her hours, she could still make it to the arena for the fight. There was no way she was going to pass up the opportunity to fight Iron Hand.

She sprinted through the streets, ignoring the others that were out and about. She nearly plowed into a girl with long blonde hair.

"Hi Liv," Lindi said cheerfully, she brought the stroller to a halt and smiled at Liviana brightly.

Lindi was a nice girl, too nice, and she irritated the shit out of Liviana.

"Have you met my daughter yet?" Lindi asked, reaching into the stroller and lifted an extremely tiny infant into her arms. "This is Louisa Lynne Kinsli, isn't she adorable."

Louisa Lynne Kinsli was many things, adorable wasn't one of them. Liviana didn't find babies cute in the least bit. She thought they were wrinkly and smelly and all they did was cry and poop.

"Something like that," Liviana replied back, turning her back on Lindi and the thing that was supposedly a baby. She left without another word. She didn't hear Lindi sigh and say something to Louisa.

Liviana was close to the ocean, she could smell the salt in the air, feel the breeze on her skin. She passed the dock and saw the fishing boats, most of them were headed in for the day, their catch of the day proudly displayed on the scales.

If she won the fight tonight, she was going to buy the biggest fish that was caught today.

Career training was held in the abandoned warehouses by the ocean, children weren't supposed to train for the Games, but they did anyway.

There were only a handful of others in the building. Most of the instructors were winners of past games. Louka was not one of them though. He spent most of his time fishing and playing with his new baby. He hadn't even stepped foot in the training center, even though he had been asked several times.

"Ah, Liv, welcome, you're early," Hempy said as he jumped in the air and kicked April in her chest. April went down like a sack of potatoes, but just like when falling off a horse, she got right back up and punched Hempy in his jaw.

April was only thirteen, but she was already showing promise. Liviana remembered when she was thirteen, when she sowed promise.

Now she was just waiting for the day of the reaping to come, so she could volunteer. Because she was ready.

"Take over, show April how it's done," Hempy said.

Liviana smiled, a real smile, which was extremely rare for her. She took a step back before running forward, launching into the air and meeting April halfway. April kicked, Liviana grabbed her foot and twisted. April's face screwed up in pain, but she managed to get a punch in.

This was the best way to train for the games, to fight other children. April was good, but Liviana was better.

April was pinned down within two minutes. Last time Liviana had fought April, the younger girl was pinned down in thirty seconds. April was learning.

Liviana nodded down at April and then went over to Hempy.

"Did you hear Iron Hand is going to be fighting at the tavern?" He asked her.

She nodded, "yes, that's why I'm here early."

"Figured as much," he smiled at her, she didn't return the motion. She was not a smiler. "Good, now go show Bex and Helio how to use a knife."

She made a face. She hated when she had to show the younger children how to use basic weapons. She wanted to fight, kick, punch, win. Not teach.

But Hempy said the best student also needed to know how to teach, needed to know compassion. He said that knowledge needed to be passed on, that knowledge should never die.

So she swallowed her anger, very difficult for her to do, and she went over to where Bex and Helio were staring longingly at the blades.

Liviana helped them pick out knives and then explained the basics to them. She was not a patient person, she was never going to have children, they were annoying and always had snot running down their noses.

After she taught the brats that it was down the street, not across, she left the training warehouse and went back to the tavern. When she had left, only Seth and Julia had been there. Now it was hopping, she had to push herself through the thicket of bodies. She knocked on the door to the arena. Two quick raps, a pause and then another knock. The door opened and Liviana pushed herself in.

Her name was already written on the board, she was fighting gladiator Trekk Nonsense. Perfect. She had already beaten him twice before. She had that fight in the bag. She needed to win three fights before she would have the opportunity to go up against Iron Hand.

She needed that fight, she needed the money. And Liviana always got what she wanted.

"You ready?" Seth asked as he appeared by her elbow almost magically.

"She was born ready," Julia answered for her.

Liviana squared her shoulders and entered the arena. It was on.

Trekk Nonsense grinned at her, she glared at him. Three, two, one, go. Punch, kick, hit, slam, punch. Fall, jump, move. Up, down, over. Don't blink, keep eyes on the prize.

She jumped and twisted, kicking him in his chest and sending him spiraling down to the ground. Count down from ten. He didn't budge.

First one down. Two more to go before she faced Iron Hand.

She could already taste the coins clinking in her hands.

Seth handed her a glass of water, and she watched the other fights, wondering who she would be up against next. Tall won the fight against Seedy. Her next victim.

Tall was simple enough to beat, he wasn't quick on his feet like she was, and she had him down on the ground in less then three minutes. Two down, one more to go before Iron Hand.

The crowd loved her. She was a favorite to win. She had been the best for awhile. The only one she still couldn't beat was Hempy himself. He rarely fought in the arena though.

Liviana ignored the others as she watched the next Canon beat Alice to a pulp.

Canon, a difficult opponent, but nothing she couldn't handle.

She had him pinned, but he wrestled out of her grip. She blocked out all the outside noise as she kept her eyes on Canon. Well, the upper parts of him.

He grabbed her right arm and twisted it behind her back. It was painful but she didn't wince. There was no pain allowed in the Games. She couldn't show pain or fear. Just determination.

She felt herself falling, and was soon on the hard ground of the arena. She tried to stand up, but couldn't. She struggled against Canon, but he just grinned down at her and gave her a wink. Filthy pig.

She had lost. Canon had won, he would be the one facing Iron Hand.

She reluctantly shook his hand and strode over to Julia and Seth.

They gave her sympathetic glances. Julia even made a movement to hug her. Liviana shrugged away from it. No touchy feely stuff for her.

Canon got the honor of fighting Iron Hand, Liviana watched the fight, knowing that she could have done better. Canon failed in his quest to bring down Iron Hand though.

Liviana noticed ten mistakes on Canon's part, Canon could have won if he hadn't of made those mistakes.

She was too good to make mistakes. In a few months, she was going to volunteer for the Games. She was going to put all of her training to use.

And she was going to win.

To live a good life, one needed money.

Trivia Question: Which tribute had the most kills in "Fear"?

Previous Trivia Answer: Thorn sang the Monster Mash on the train. (that's my favorite Halloween song ever!)

Reviews tickle me silly!

~*Misty*~