First chapter of the 77th Annual Hunger Games. Are you excited for this? It's going to be a bumpy ride and I hope you will stick to this story as it will be a long one. Enjoy it my friends and leave me reviews after the first taste. Happy Hunger Games! And May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!

District 12: Hayley Marshall

The Day Before The Reaping

"They did this every year, something inexplicably wrong and terrifying but amusing and pleasant to them. The Capitol, the wealthy one in Panem, leading and ruling the twelve poorer districts. Because of our history with them…each year…we all must pay the price." I whispered, rubbing her chin as she looked in that store. There was almost nothing left to buy. People here believed that after the second rebellion, led by none other than our savior, Katniss Everdeen, things would end. We were wrong, just like we were wrong 77 years ago, when this competition first started for the districts of Panem. This is where we were staying. District 12, the one where food and supplies were hard to find.

"Hayley! I like this one!" My little sister, who was only 10, Lucy called out to me, staring up at me with the set of gorgeous emerald green eyes that matched mine…and our mother's. She was twirling in front of me with a second hand dress she found, a very cheap one, but to her, it looked like the most stunning dress you could ever find. It looked the same way to me. I smiled at her enthusiasm and twirled her as well. I loved Lucy with all my heart. I couldn't imagine life without her. My little brother, who was now 12, Jake came to us with ragged clothing on. He looked into his pocket for a couple of coins, but he didn't have any.

He wanted so desperately to buy something, anything that would make him feel better about himself but there was nothing. It's true that Lucy and I were closer as sister, girls and Jake felt left out sometimes. I did my best, as the one nourishing and taking care of the last part of my family, to try and make him fit in. "I have a couple left, Jake, if you want." I whispered and looked down at my also ragged clothes and pulled out of my pocket six coins and handed them to him. Jake just shook his head no. This is what I loved about Jake. He was too modest and he understood how poor our family was. He couldn't be selfish as to take those coins that could be used for food and water, instead of some toys he wanted to play with. I hugged him, sadly in return.

"I think that next week, I am going to get some more than what they are actually paying me. You can have that toy if you want then." I told him and Jake just shook his head. "No. Forget the damn toy. I just want us to stop suffering." Jake was very mature for his age, something that he picked up from our father, I was guessing because our mother didn't have it in her to ever act like a mature adult. I acted the same way as Jake. Lucy was the one who was most like our mother. Remember how I said that I was the one nourishing and taking care of our family? That was the truth and not because our mother had passed away or was too ill to do anything to provide for us. It was something else.

Our mother abandoned us when I was 12, unable to provide for us and scared of the annual reaping in which each district chose its tributes. She wanted to stop caring about us completely, hoping that if either one of us got picked and had to fight in those games, and our death would bring her less suffering. She had enough of that. Our dad abandoned us for good when Lucy was born. Yes, I was talking about the annual reaping of The Hunger Games. I had survived 4 of them until now. My name had not been extracted from that bowl and I had 3 more years of luck if I was to survive and get back to my life." Lucy got back into her regular clothes and put the dress away.

"Hayley, do we have money for this?" she asked me with that angelic face of hers. I couldn't turn her down. I was about to tell her that we would buy it, even though that would cut us loose of the food I could have bought for us tomorrow, but Jake stepped up with anger in his eyes. "You think that we should waste our money on that stupid dress of yours? It's not worth it, Lucy! We barely have money to eat. Hayley is the youngest one working in a coalmine and you think as to be so selfish as to spend her good money on that dress?" Jake was being mean to Lucy, as he always has and I was the one who had to maintain them. "Jake, stop it!" I told him and he looked at me with an apology written across his face.

"But you know it's true, Hayley. We have to work even harder now." I nodded and pulled him in a hug. What Jake had said about me was true. I was the youngest coalminer in District 12. Before the rebellion, women weren't allowed to work at all as coalminers. They left that to the strongest men and children under 18 weren't allowed to work at all, but that also changed 2 years ago. I was put to work as punishment for the second rebellion to which I had participated and I was glad. Since our mother abandoned us, without money, food or shelter and just disappeared, I had to make my own living, not just for me but for Jake and Lucy too.

We had been on our own for 4 years. I was getting worried about our mother, who I believed had moved to another district, but that was something illegal to do right now. Before, it was okay, but since the Third Quarter Quell of The Hunger Games, a lot of things were changed by President Snow and the Capitol.

Lucy was given a hug by me too when we suddenly heard the call of the manager of the store. "If you are not going to buy anything, get out! No one wants you here!" he yelled out. People have stopped being as nice as they were years ago. Everyone was scared, even more hungry and frightened as The Hunger Games continued. I gave that man a death glare as he continued looking at me with hate. "Go on, out! And if you continue behaving like that, maybe you'll not be allowed to come into this store ever again!" he was yelling as Jake turned his palms into fists and was ready to give that man a good punch. I pulled him away from that man and out of the store before he could strike him. Jake may be young, but people should know better than to mess with him when he was angry. "Let's go now, Lucy. Come on!" I told her and kept her to my side as she was longing for that pretty dress. Her blonde hair was tied to her back with a white bow. Her hair was our father's. Our mother was brunette and Jake and I inherited it.

It was in Mom's best interest to teach us a couple of things and she has taught us a lot, but not as much as we needed. We needed more than just her words of support. We needed serious help. We got to know the father who left us when Lucy was born from our mother who told us great stories about Jack Marshall. He met Annabelle Dawson at a young age and the two fell in love, got married and had us three. I kept thinking how lucky my parents had been to have been kept away from The Hunger Games and not have been selected those years when they were young. My mother used to tell me it was petrifying to wait for the announcement. She told me that your heart stops and starts beating again when they finally call out a name. She told me of people that were selected and had almost forgotten their names in shock.

"You must always be prepared for what's to come. No matter what happens, you have to face the probability that you can be selected as one of your district's tributes for The Hunger Games." Annabelle used to tell me when I was little and she was right. Those days when I sat in the crowd after they took a small sample of my blood, by pricking my finger, thinking that any second, they could say my name. And my life would pretty much be over because if you are chosen, you know for sure that you are never going to see your family again, whether you win or you die in the arena. "Hayley." I snapped out of my thoughts as I looked down at Lucy who was calling me. "Yes?" I said to her and she wrapped her arms around me. "What do we have for dinner tonight?" she asked and Jake rolled his eyes at her question. It couldn't have been much and it hated me to say it. "Bread, Luce. Just loafs of breed." I said with tears in my eyes.

District 2: Niklaus Mikaelson

The Day Before The Reaping

"Rebekah, what's for dinner? I'm starving!" I exclaimed as soon as I came into my house after the last day of training for me. I put down my equipment and rubbed my fingers together. "Nik, are you home?" Rebekah called out to me from the kitchen. "No, you don't say!" I exclaimed back, sarcastically. "Shut up and clean yourself up before dinner. You know that Father doesn't like it when you reek of mud and sweat!" I rolled my eyes at her proposal but somehow knew that she was looking out for my best interest.

There were a lot of us in the family. Mikael Mikaelson was my father, a great warrior for our district and won The Hunger Games when he was 18. He told me how he slaughtered all of them. But Rebekah and I both knew that year that my father won was the year that the poorest selections were made. Most of the tributes were 12 and 13, while my father was always ruthless and cunning, he was able to slaughter all of them and live until the end. He kept his crown in his room that he was given by the Capitol as a reminder of how proud he has made this family. He met Esther, my mother, after he won and they got married somehow. That was when our family began to grow. Elijah, my 18 year old brother was born first, I was born second, 17 now while Kol and Rebekah are twins, both 16. Esther and Mikael never got along and the time had come when Esther chose to leave District 2 and move to District 1, who was just as rich as District 2, our home, but at least she was away from Father. We barely spoke since then. She took Elijah and Kol with her while Rebekah and I remained with Mikael here.

I washed my hands and my face with frustration. "Might as well take a whole bloody shower." I mumbled and looked at my bows and arrows, as well as the swords that Father bought for my training. Mikael had pretty much disowned Elijah and Kol after they left with Mother and now, he was looking onto me and Rebekah to get in The Hunger Games and win the bloody thing, to prove that our district is rich for a reason, it has the most powerful people, as well as District 1, in comparison to other districts. I saw the state in which other districts were and I was thankful for being here, with a father that even though was strict, he provided a lot for us.

"Dinner's ready!" Rebekah called out from the kitchen and she finally told me what I had been asking for all along. "If anyone wants to know what we're having, it's steak and French fries, and if anyone is really hungry, spaghetti with fruits and chocolate muffins for desert!" Rebekah explained and I knew was most likely talking to me. I cared for Rebekah a lot, the one I cared for the most in my family and I knew that the feeling was mutual. Our father, after all the beatings he gave me as a kid, teaching me how to "be a man" in his opinion, I could never really learn to love but to accept. Our mother was just as strict, but at least she didn't like to beat up her children and sometimes I wished, she would have taken me with her to District 1, but I couldn't leave Rebekah with Mikael. Now, even if I wanted to switch districts, I couldn't. No one was allowed anymore thanks to that rebellion in the 75th Hunger Games.

I heard a growl and a door slam and I knew that Father was out of his room and gone to the kitchen. I had to hurry up. He also didn't like when I was late for dinner. "Niklaus!" I heard him call out and I finally, pulled some regular clothes on and met my sister and my father in the kitchen. We all sat down, said grace and then we started eating all of the delicious food on the table. I ate like an animal as Rebekah giggled and ate her own food seriously. Mikael was looking at me out of the corner of his eye as I ate. "You've grown quite an appetite. I suppose that training is really paying off, doesn't it? You know what you must do tomorrow at the annual reaping, Niklaus." I stopped eating as soon as he said that. Yes, I had been on a training program, an illegal training program for The Hunger Games ever since I was born, along with my brothers and my sister. Mikael paid all these years for us to be fully trained. "Father, I don't want to volunteer this year."

"And why the hell not. I'll wait for next year when I'm 18, just like you." "Oh no you're not! Elijah is going to volunteer this year at the reaping for District 1 and I want you to show him and your mother up. There is no way that I am waiting until next year for you to compete. You are competing this year against your brother and that is final!" There were a couple more moments when I heard him again. "This year, you must do it! You're 17, boy! You ain't got more than two chances for this. Make this family proud for once, like your brother, Elijah wants to." "Elijah betrayed our district and moved to another. How is that pleasing the family?" I argued with him. "I have invested good money in your training when you were kids and your training has paid off. This year, no matter who is chosen, you must volunteer, as your brother will!" Mikael demanded. It was best as to not cross him.

I rolled my eyes. It wasn't like I was scared or anything. I was just hoping that I would get a little more time to myself before I enter the arena to make the Mikaelson name proud. Mikael had reached the Capitol and had been working for them for a long time, ever since he won The Hunger Games and that's how we were so rich; we didn't know what to do with all the money, except invest it in our training to continue the generation of victors. I smirked as I thought about me going out there and showing Elijah up, slaughtering anyone who got in my way. I wasn't the sentimental kind of guy, I never was so I really didn't care for Elijah that much as to not murder him out there. For Rebekah though, I did care a lot and I didn't want her to be forced to volunteer as I was, or even worse, picked. I knew she was a good fighter but I didn't think that as a girl she would have much chances of winning. I never mentioned that in front of her because I knew how mad she would turn out to be.

"Father, about me…" Rebekah began but Mikael cut her off as he ate. "You keep training there, Rebekah. I will not ask you to volunteer this year. I want you to become your strongest to face your brother Kol in the arena when the time is right." he told her and Rebekah gulped. Even though I was her closest sibling, there was something about twins that I could never really understand, they had a special bond and I didn't think Rebekah would ever feel comfortable with cutting Kol down with her sword. But right now, she was more worried about something else. I could see it in her eyes. "Father, why if I get picked?" Mikael just shrugged. "That's too bad; you would have had 2 more years of training." "But it wouldn't be my fault!" she snapped and Mikael eyed her. "I never said that. Calm down and eat your meal, Rebekah!" I looked at the two of them and thought about defending Rebekah, but it was best to stay quiet.

Rebekah was sitting in the balcony, after dinner. We were up high and our district had amazing colors and lights. We are absolutely rich and there was no one that could do anything about that. That is why I loved my life, because I was one of the lucky ones. The same couldn't be said about Rebekah who was obsessed with the poorest districts 10, 11 and 12. "Sometimes I feel like we should be helping them. It is not their fault they're poor." she whispered and I rolled my eyes. "Yes, it is. We worked hard to achieve what we have. They didn't do a God damn thing and chose to create rebellions." I groaned when I thought about the last two years and what had become of this nation. "That girl on fire destroyed it all."

I used to be telling myself and I knew District 12 to be a bad influence on others. Whoever their tributes were this year, if I were to volunteer, I sure as hell would mark them as first to go down on my list to show that Girl on Fire up that her "successors" aren't the greatest warriors you can meet. Our district had produced the greatest warriors and I was going to avenge the two tributes that died on the 74th year she participated. I was going to show them all what a great tribute I was going to be!

"Go to sleep, Rebekah!" Mikael called out from the living room as he watched the news on the Hunger Games reaping that would be the next day. "Do you think I can sleep? Just the thought of that witch picking my name from the bowl makes me shiver. Aren't you the least bit nervous?" Rebekah asked me with jealousy as she saw that it didn't affect me half as much as it affected her. "No. I am supposed to volunteer tomorrow anyway, remember? Papa's orders." I told her and got to my room without another word but then I heard my father from the other room, "Niklaus, come here! I need to speak to you." I groaned as I recalled that Father was going to give me another one of his speeches about how he won The Hunger Games. "It's not an option, boy! Get over here right now!" I got out of the room as fast as I could.

He was sitting on the couch and watching the reaping from the year he had won The Hunger Games. He was grinning like a maniac as the people of Panem saw him as their victor. That was very impressive. I wanted that just as much as anyone from this district while other poorer districts, I knew were trying to avoid competing in these games. "I just wanted you to see what you are in for once you won The Hunger Games. You are not making your name proud but your district proud as well. You will share all the fame and riches with your family as I have. You will have a wife and money and more heirs to produce." "What does this have to do with getting a wife, Father?" "Once you win, you become the one any woman wants, therefore gives you the chance to pick the best one to produce you Mikaelson heirs." He smirked. "Yeah, sure. Look at you and Mom." I said and I immediately regretted having said it. "To bed at once, boy! You need to be well rested for tomorrow!" Mikael ordered and I did what he said.

District 12: Hayley Marshall

At Dinner Before Reaping

I could barely munch on the own bread that I had managed to get from the store with the money we had. We shared it between us as brothers and ate it piece by piece. "I don't know what you did this time, Hayley, but this is very good." Jake complimented and I shrugged. "I got a pretty good deal at that bakery. The owner knows me and I think he has started to take a liking to me. I just used that to my advantage." I told him and Lucy smiled. "You are very beautiful, Hayley." she said and I smiled back at her. "You are the most beautiful, Luce, don't forget that." We ate in silence after that and little did I know that The Hunger Games was in everyone's minds right now. The Hunger Games. What would happen tomorrow? It would be Jake's first reaping. I would have to let him know on what to do and what he shouldn't be doing while there. Each one's action reflects the district since the new laws were enforced two years ago. People from the Capitol who were the ones "feeding" us had made the rules stricter since the 75th Annual Hunger Games. Everything wrong one did, reflected badly on the rest of us.

Jake had suddenly stopped eating the loaf of bread that belonged to him and stared at it in anger. Lucy stopped eating her loaf of bread too and looked over at him, wondering what was wrong with him. I thought that he was about to complain about how little we had to put on the table, but I knew that Jake was too generous for that kind of stuff and he was too selfless and understanding, for a boy his own ago. He wouldn't, but still, he looked at the loaf of bread like it was the devil himself. It got me worried. "Eat your food. That's the last good meal you'll get to eat for the week." I let him know.

"I am not hungry. It's not fair! Why does this happen every year?" he responded and suddenly, I knew what he was talking about. Just then, I heard Lucy drop her loaf of bread and cry out "I don't want to be picked when I am 12!" I put my hand on Jake's and he looked at me in the eyes. "We're going to be fine, Jake. We are going to get through this together. Just remember that this being your first year, your name is only put in there once. The chances of you getting picked are slim to none, you have nothing to worry about. I promise that you don't. They're not going to pick you, okay?"

Jake finally settled down and we continued eating. Then, I started thinking about myself. I knew how many times my name would be put in that bowl, after the many things I have managed to steal for my brother and sister to eat, the things I had stolen from the Capitol and I was entered more than once in that bowl. I guess that odds aren't exactly in my favor but they will be for Jake, I knew it. I got up from the table and went to wash up, putting on a long and white shirt and getting under the covers as Jake and Lucy got under theirs. Neither one of us could sleep. "Hayley." Lucy murmured and I shushed her. "Let's just go to sleep, guys. I don't want anyone to continue thinking about tomorrow. Everything is going to be fine. I will make everything fine, I promise."

I heard them move in their beds and then heard Jake's voice. "Hayley?" "Yes." I whispered. "You're the greatest big sister in the world. I never want to lose you." I smiled at that comment. "And you're the best smaller brother one could ever have. We won't lose each other. We'll always be together. All three of us." I held deeply onto that hope.

A/N: That's it for now, folks. Leave me reviews and tell me how you liked the first chapter. I am dying to know to be honest. This is the first time I have done this kind of fanfiction, and I love The Hunger Games very much which is why I can't resist. So, who do you think will be chosen as tributes from District 12 and from District 2?