Author's Note:

Hey guys! First I want to thank all of you so so so much for sending in all your characters; I promise I will try my very best to do justice to all of them. For everyone new to the scene who may still be interested, though - I am still accepting tributes from DIstricts 9 and 13 - one from each. Both must be male, and over the age of fifteen. To the tributes I have now - you will have a say to what happens to you (alliances, romances, etc.), but more info on that later.

Enjoy the chapter! :)

Semper Fi
"Always Faithful"
a Hunger Games (© Suzanne Collins) fanfiction

Chapter One
Happy Liberation Day!

Opening Song: "The Ruler and the Killer" - Kid Cudi

The large steel doors to the office slide open as the decorated general saunters through. All he has with him is a simple manila folder, but he holds it guardedly, as though afraid of losing it. The individual he approaches at the desk is an older woman, perhaps in her late fifties, but despite her age she sits with dignity and authority. "President Mala," the general greets, extending his arm to hand her the folder.

"It's that time of year again, is it?" she asks, sighing heavily as she takes the important documents. The president of Unified Panem sifts through the papers, her eyes narrowing as she scans them. Eventually, she shuts the folder and tosses it onto the mahogany desk, not wanting to bother with it any longer. Instead, she picks up her before abandoned cigarette and raises it to her lips. "Did a messenger come with the papers this time?"

He shakes his head. "No. As usual, it came in the mail. I don't think anyone on Lemnos actually wants to leave, no matter how much they complain about it."

She laughs, though it's humorless. "They're living in extravagance on that little island of theirs - probably better than most of the people living here. What do they have to complain about?" The question is rhetorical, as both of them already know the answer. The silence that settles over them is uncomfortable, unsettling even. "In any case - give me a little bit to go over the papers in detail. I'm sure everything's the same, just the usual whining, but you can't be too careful with these kinds of things."

He nods and inches towards the door, knowing that she prefers solitude when working. "Alright. Is there anything else you needed?"

She opens her mouth with a negative reply, but she pauses. "Actually, get the cleaning crew in here and ask them to wipe everything down. I hate the smell of roses."

"Why don't you wear something nice today?"

Riley stops observing herself in the mirror when she hears her mother's voice. She looks down at the pretty pink dress she is holding against her body, but drops it when she sees the unimpressed expression her mother is wearing. "I thought this was something nice," she says calmly, trying not to let the hurt reflect in her voice.

Her mother tuts disappointedly as she peels the dress away and lays it down on the bed. "I bought you a new dress." Before Riley can even protest, a satin red dress is being held up to her, along with a matching diamond necklace. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see boxes of jewels as well. "Today's a day for celebration! You should look as beautiful as you can."

"Thanks, Mom," she mumbles, her hazel eyes drifting towards the discarded pink dress. "Um, we're all still going to dinner tonight, right? You, me, and Dad?"

Margret tries to look crestfallen, but Riley has seen that face too many times to feel any real disappointment. She's too used to being stood up by her own parents. "Oh, I'm sorry, hun, but your father and I are going to be very busy tonight. Perhaps another time." She pats her on the head - doesn't even give her a hug or a kiss - and leaves, with her expensive blue skirt flowing around her.

"Yeah, maybe another time," she echoes, though Margret is long gone by now. She admires the soft red fabric and the way the diamonds shine in the light, but when she looks up, she sees that she is scowling. Shaking her head, she clears her upset thoughts before slipping into her new outfit - the fifth one that week - and heading out. As her mother said, today is a celebration, and she is going to celebrate, with or without her parents.

Just as she steps onto the street, someone grabs her by the arm, twirling her around. "Oh my God, what are you- Rachel!" She grins when she sees her friend, who's accompanied by a group of people from the academy.

"Well, don't you look fancy," Rachel praises, openly admiring the expensive clothing. "Another gift from your dad?"

"And Mom," she answers curtly, and Rachel nods, understanding.

"Happy Liberation Day!" An arm wraps around her shoulders, drawing her in against a thin body. When she looks up with a scowl (parts of her hair are now tangled in the diamond necklace), she sees a pair of bright green eyes. "Hey, you look nice. I like your dress."

"Thanks, Mattheo," she says, pushing him away to escape his grasp. She eyes him from head to toe and allows a small grin to grace her lips. "You're looking pretty fashionable yourself." For emphasis, she gives the navy blazer he's wearing a light tug. He looks proud, probably because he's the best dressed male in the group, and grins.

Before anyone can say anything else, a brunette forces her way through the crowd, trying to get everyone's attention. "Hey, c'mon, let's go! We're gonna lose all the good spots if we don't go now," she insists, practically jumping.

"Calm down, Terra," Mattheo laughs, ruffling her hair teasingly.

She scowls, slapping his hands away from the dark ringlets. "We should go to the front, though, or else we won't be able to see anything. C'mooon, all the little kids are gonna get the best spots and then we'll be standing in the back. Don't say I didn't tell you so."

While Mattheo snickers, Riley smiles appreciatively and walks forward with the girl from District 1. "Terra has a point. The parade's gonna start soon anyway, and I don't want to stand in the back. Come on."

The group of teenagers meld in with the growing crowd, which is shifting excitedly towards the center of the city. Today is a very special day: it is the Centennial Anniversary of the Liberation by the Mockingjay, Katniss Everdeen. Every year, the citizens of Unified Panem gather to celebrate in the square of what was once the Capitol. The President delivers a speech, then festivities ensue, including a parade, a replay of scenes from the life of the Girl on Fire, and games and prizes. As it is an annual holiday, most people take off work - including the students of the nearby academy.

One such student groans as she leans against the railing at the front of the crowd, trying to put some distance between herself and the people around her. "Ugh, I'm glad we came here early enough, but sometimes being in the front sucks," she whines, blowing a wisp of platinum blonde hair out of her face.

The tanned female beside her smirks in amusement as she folds her arms across her chest. "I told you we should have stood in the back. I mean, look at poor Zook; he looks like he's gonna suffocate."

"Yeah, you're hilarious, Lana," the dark-haired boy returns, his lanky body nearly curling over the railing from being pushed against it so hard. "The only way I could be more uncomfortable is by wearing a slinky clubbing dress."

A large frown mars her face, and somehow she manages to punch him in the arm. "I look hot," she says confidently, in a tone that refuses to be questioned.

Zook rolls his eyes, unimpressed nevertheless. "Oi, Dolly, how're you holding up over there?"

"Don't call me that," the first girl snaps testily. She opens her mouth, ready to shoot an insult at her classmate, but a round of 'sssh's sound around them as President Mala steps onto the stage. Dahlia slinks back into the crowd, mildly embarrassed, and looks up at the woman with reverence.

"Another year, another Liberation Day," are the first words to come from the aging woman's mouth. She does not look tired or bored, though - contrarily, she smiles at the crowd genuinely, and they cheer in reply. "It's almost hard to believe, isn't it, that a hundred years ago Unified Panem was such a different place. Districts weren't allowed to communicate with another, the Capitol and President Snow-" (the mere mention of his name brings on an onslaught of boos), "- ruled over Panem with oppression and corruption, and-" She pauses, and for a moment appears to be distraught. She shakes her head, clears her thoughts. "But it all came to an end. She forever stands a reminder that all it takes is one person to stand up to oppression. It takes only one person to spark a revolution."

The large screen behind President Mala flickers, and the first image that pops up is a recording of the Girl on Fire, dressed in her Mockingjay costume. She is standing in front of a burning building in District 8, and the resolve in her eyes strikes the crowd, even one hundred years later. Everyone is screaming when the short film ends, everyone is chanting Katniss, Katniss, Katniss. President Mala steps back up to the podium and grins. "Happy Liberation Day, everyone!"

Thousands of miles away, in a region that used to belong strictly to coal miners, a young woman combs through her sister's hair with an old comb that used to belong to her mother. She hums softly, a song without a title, as she pulls the teeth through brown tresses. "There," she says finally, putting down the instrument. "Don't you look pretty?" Dove turns around and grins brightly at her red-haired sibling, who smiles softly in reply.

"Can we turn on the TV?" she requests. "The parade's gonna start soon, I think."

"Yeah, go ahead." She watches as her little sister skips to the small TV they have in their living room. The little girl watches with large eyes as the flaming float crawls from one end of the screen to the other. "Do you know where Serena and Tuck are? They were supposed to be home half an hour ago."

"With Thistle, I think," Dove answers, refusing to take her eyes off the screen.

Rain frowns at the mention of the dark-haired boy. "With the kid who almost got kicked out of the academy because he was screwing around? Great choice of friends, Serena," she grumbles the latter comment under her breath. The neighborhood troublemaker is not someone she wants her siblings spending too much time around, but she figures there isn't much she can do about it. She's only home for the weekend; after that, it's back to the academy. "Hey, have you guys been getting all your vegetables and protein?" she inquires as she sorts through the fridge, which is nearly empty.

"Yeah, Stephan buys fresh stuff every day." Stephan is their next door neighbor and Rain's closest friend. While she's away at school, he takes care of her siblings. "Sometimes he takes all of us hunting with him, but it's usually just Kyle. They say girls make too much noise and Tuck's not all that good at shooting anyway." She wrinkles her nose a bit, but it's obvious she doesn't mind staying indoors, away from the woods and game.

Rain takes a seat beside her youngest sister and joins her in watching the Liberation Day parade. She doesn't care too much for President Mala, so she usually tunes out her speeches, but the parade is always breath taking.

"I wish I could'a met Katniss," Dove says wistfully as the girl in the black suit (representative of the Mockingjay) is set on fire. "She was really brave."

Rain smiles because she remembers how much she looked up to Katniss Everdeen as a child. "She was from District 12, you know, her and Peeta Mellark. They're the reason why the Capitol don't rule over us anymore; they're the reason why we're free. If it weren't for them, Unified Panem wouldn't be the way it is now."

Dove's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "But sometimes I see you get really mad. I thought you said you didn't like it."

She frowns for a moment, unsure of how to explain it. "Sometimes it's hard. And it's not that I don't like our nation - it's the president I don't really like."

"Why?"

"Because, even after all the revolutions and the changes and reforms, everything is still so unfair. There's still a hierarchy, and that's exactly what Katniss was fighting against. Life is good here, better than it used to be - but it should be better, Dove," she elaborates, stroking back her sister's hair. "The closer you get to the center of the country, the better it is. Life out here is still significantly poorer than everyone else, and a hundred years later we're still fighting for equality."

Dove blinks blankly, but Rain can tell she is trying to understand. She laughs softly before leaning in to press an affectionate kiss against her forehead. "Just enjoy the parade. I'm gonna talk to Stephan and give him some money for next week." Dove nods and waves to her sister, who leaves with a wave.

On the screen, a flight of mockingjays are released.

Even on this day of celebration, there are those who hide away. Korra Blackthorne sits alone in her room, with her back up against the wall and her legs crossed as she sits on her bed. Her wrist flicks - a knife embeds itself into the center of a dart board. The process repeats, over and over again, until there is no room left on the board. She hears the shouts and cries from outside, but she tries her best to ignore them; she's always been good at blocking out the rest of the world.

The door to her room slams open, and the loud noise is accompanied by more excessive shouting and cheering. The dark-haired female who walks in reels back upon spotting her on the bed and apologizes quickly. "Oh my gosh, Korra, I'm so sorry," she says quickly. "I didn't know you were in here."

The brunette shrugs nonchalantly. "It's alright." Her eyes dart to the two people behind her roommate, both of whom are standing behind her as though using her for protection. "Aren't you guys out enjoying the celebration?"

"I just came by to grab my purse," Rea explains, reaching under her bed to grab the item. "Why aren't you out?" Though she asks the question, they both know the answer.

She's just being polite, though, and Korra likes her roommate, so she doesn't reply sarcastically like she normally would. "I guess I'm not really up for going outside," she says civilly. "Too many people in a small place - I get claustrophobic, you know?"

Rea bobs her head in understanding. They both know Korra isn't a very social individual anyway, but she's not one to openly judge someone based on their preferences. "Well, once the crowd clears, you should take a look. There's a lot of free food."

"Yeah. I'll think about it."

They sit in an awkward silence for a couple of moments, until the tall boy behind Rea clears his throat loudly. "Oh, right, well, we better get going. See you later, Korra!"

She barely has time to raise her hand before the trio is gone, once again bellowing as they parade down the hall. She can't help herself from muttering, "Idiots," before she hurls the final knife at the board. The target falls to the tile floor with a heavy 'clunk.'

Despite being advertised as a family-friendly place, the streets of the former Capitol often aren't very safe during Liberation Day. There are so many people packed into one place that it's difficult to keep track of oneself, let alone others. For the younger generation of Unified Panem, this day is either a test of courage or something to stay clear of.

"This isn't a good idea," a boy from District 3 announces solemnly as he folds his arms across his chest. "You can't even see through the crowd; you'll all get eaten up by the crowd and I'll get in trouble because I'm in charge."

"Don't get your panties all up in a twist, Oliver," the girl beside him snorts, slapping him on the back harshly. "We're just here to have some fun. Besides, Liberation Day is for everyone. Why does the cut off age have to be fifteen?"

Oliver rolls his eyes at the pout on River's face. "Because people are usually taller than 5' 1" at fifteen, which means they won't drown in the crowd. Fourteen, too, I guess, but you just got unlucky." He barely manages to block the punch she delivers in his direction.

"Whatever, I'm not scared!" declares the fiery girl from District 11. "Bring it on!"

"Calm down, Ruby," Drizzle sighs, running her fingers through her multi-colored hair. "Look, I can't tell you guys what to do, but all I'm saying is that we're all gonna get into a lot of trouble if Altair, Luke, and Hawk come back and all of us are gone."

"Well, it's not as though the three of them should be missing anyway," comments Joel, who's been silent during the entire gathering. "I thought babysitting implied actually being present."

Ruby rolls her eyes. "I wouldn't wanna babysit us either. I'd wanna have fun - which is what Liberation Day is about."

Oliver raises an eyebrow. "Actually, it's not. It's about Katniss Everdeen and-"

"Ugh, I don't care! Today we have school off, remember?" she retorts, raising her nose. "It's not even like we're gonna be gone for that long. We're just gonna look around and have some fun. We'll be back before they even notice we're missing."

River and Ruby ogle up at him with wide, puppy dog eyes. He feels his cold face crack, and he gives in with a sigh, much to their delight. "Alright - but just a half hour, okay? And don't-" Before he can finish his sentence, the two run off, disappearing into the crowd. "Wait, hold on!" he shouts, chasing after them.

Drizzle and Joel exchange a look. "Better safe than sorry," Joel says for both of them as they take a seat on the bench. She silently bobs her head in agreement before pulling out her personal copy of History of Panem.

Moments later, a strawberry blonde walks into the lobby, a look of confusion written on her features. Oralee Roshan looks at the lonely duo. "Drizzle, Joel - where are the others?"

Joel shrugs as he kicks his legs back and forth. "Got lost in the crowd."

Sighing, she slaps a hand to her forehead. "It was Ruby and River again, wasn't it? Oh man, Luke and the others are gonna have a field day. Okay, the two of you stay here - I'll be right back. I'm gonna go look for them, so don't wander away, alright?"

Drizzle snorts as Oralee disappears through the glass doors. "As if."

Lorea Carnet clings to her brother's arm as he casually weaves through the crowd, waving and smiling at people he recognizes. "You might rip off my arm if you hold on any tighter," Lewis teases good-naturedly, but she shoots him a dark look anyway. "C'mon, Lorea, we're supposed to be having fun. How often does it happen that we get a day off from classes?" He decides against mentioning that he also has a date with his girlfriend, who has become more irritated with how much time he's been spending with his sister and other friends.

"I don't even want to be here," she grumbles, just loud enough for him to hear.

He frowns and begins to scold her, when an auburn-haired girl walks right into him, nearly knocking him off his feet. "Woah! Oh, hey, Allegra. Didn't expect to see you here." Though he smiles amiably, her face remains impassive - a mirror image of Lorea's expression. He clears his throat, hoping that it will get rid of the increasingly awkward atmosphere. It doesn't. "Ah, uh, Happy Liberation Day!"

"Yeah, you, too," she returns, though there's no emotion behind it. She and Lorea connect gazes, and there's shared disdain. She tears her eyes away before heading off. "See you later, Lewis." He waves after her, even though he knows she doesn't see (or care, mostly likely).

"I don't like her," Lorea states bluntly.

He scratches his neck uncomfortably, because though he may not be a big fan of the girl from District 13, either, he feels that voicing that opinion (in public, no less) is inappropriate. "She's just not a very social person." His sister almost laughs, because she's not sure if he's talking about her or Allegra Grimstone. "Oh, look - there's Lila and her friends. It's crazy how different she and Allegra are; they're both from the same district, you know."

She observes the girl and her friends emotionlessly, though she almost admires how loud such a small group can be, especially with such a large crowd around them. Most of her is just annoyed, though. "I don't like her, either," she says, finding the redhead to be too garish for her tastes. "I don't know how someone from 13 can be so… obnoxious."

"She always seemed like fun to me," Lewis admits honestly, smiling ever-so-slightly.

"Yes, well, you're just friends with everyone, aren't you?" Though it comes out as an insult, Lewis takes it as a compliment and grins anyway. Lorea, slightly irritated, folds her arms. "There's that weirdo Nyle."

"You really shouldn't talk about your upperclassmen like that," Lewis scolds. "He's a nice guy if you talk to him; he's just a little misunderstood is all." She snorts loudly because now he sounds like one of the many anti-bullying talkers the academy has come in every year. "He's with Jorden, too. They both get along, I hear… Ah, and there's Cole. I don't know much about him, though. I heard he spends most of his time in the gym."

"Ooo, a jock," she croons sarcastically.

"Not quite," he laughs. "I heard his family life isn't all that great, so it's probably how he gets his mind off things." Before he can explain anything or anyone else, an auburn-haired girl runs up to them wearing a white grin. "Hey Mykal!" he greets, her cheerfulness contagious.

"Hey Lewis, Lorea," she replies, even though the latter pays her no heed. "You guys enjoying the festival?"

He nods affirmatively. "Yeah, I love this time of year. It's always nice to see everyone get together and celebrate such a great thing. What about you?"

"Same, same," Mykal chirps, bouncing from one foot to the other. "Actually, I'm looking for Kate Abner. I invited her to hang out, but she's super quiet, so I think she just might be hiding from me…"

"Isn't that her?" Lorea asks, still managing to sound disinterested, as she points in the direction of a girl with tangled hair.

"Oh, yup, that's her! Thanks, Lorea! I'll see you guys around." She waves to the brother and sister duo before running off in the direction Lorea pointed.

Lewis waves in return, grinning from ear to ear. "I love this time of year," he repeats, clearly affected by the cheerful fervor around him.

She gives him a deadpan look. "Yeah, it's great," she states glumly before walking off.

While everyone else celebrates and cheers and parades, one girl kneels, alone, before two tombstones. The stones are plain, save for the names carved into them, with fresh flowers laid before them. The young blonde finishes her prayer and leans back on the legs folded underneath her. It is just her in this cemetery, for today is a day of celebration, not mourning.

"Sorry Stark couldn't make it," she whispers, her lips pressing into a frown. "He wanted to, but I told him to have fun with his friends. It's Liberation Day, you know. For everyone else, it's such a big deal because of the rebellion - the one that worked, I mean. But they don't even know." The fists at her side shake in silent fury. "They're trying to make us forget - the President and the government and all of them. They got rid of the Capitol, but… I don't know if this is any better. Everyone says that the rebellion was a good thing, that President Snow was tyrant and now we're better off. But maybe there's no such thing as a perfect government."

Skyloh runs her thumb over the letters in the stone. 'HEMMINGTON' is written on both slabs, underneath the first names. "They still say it was an accident, that they didn't mean to kill you, that they mistook you for criminals." She shakes her head, and she doesn't realize she's crying until she sees the dark spots in the dirt. "They say it was for security, but…"

In one of her clenched hands in a crumbled piece of paper. On it are three words that should no longer exist.

From the treaty of the treason: In penance for their uprising, each district shall offer up a male and female between the ages of 12 and 18 at a public "Reaping." These Tributes shall be delivered to the custody of the Capitol. And then transferred to a public arena where they will Fight to the Death until a lone victor remains. Henceforth and forevermore this pageant shall be known as the Hunger Games.

Closing Song: "Stripped" - Shiny Toy Guns

Wow, I'm so sorry if this seemed super boring, haha. There is some really important information in all this, though, so make sure you read through it all. I wanted to include all the characters I got, even if it's just mentioning them. I promise each character will be more fleshed out as the story progresses, though!

Remember that reviews will directly affect your tributes sponsors, and you will definitely get more kudos if you leave a real review (rather than just "good job" or "update"). The action will start soon, so don't slack off now! I promise everything will get exciting in the next two chapters. :)

Hope to hear from all of you soon!