After that emotional reaping, we head to the beautiful waters of District 4, for their reaping. May the odds be ever in your favor.

District 4 Reaping

Noel Tarantino's POV

I stared out over the turquoise water, wishing that I could dive in and let the water wash away all the stress of the reaping. However no one is allowed in the water on reaping day in District 4, they want everyone to be prepared for the day ahead.

Noel, are you here?" My step father; Julius, asked, scanning the beach, looking for me. I stood up and waved to him, he walked over to join me. We looked out together over the crystal clear waters and I hugged him. He may be my step father but he, and my best friend Izzy, are the only family I have left since my mom and little brother died of plague many years ago.

"Are you ready to go?" Julius asked me softly, I nodded, knowing that I couldn't put it off any longer. We walked back to our small house in silence.

When we got inside, I raced to my tiny room to get changed. I pulled on my light pink sundress with the ruffles but I noticed it was worn and slightly dirty, well I guess that's what happens when you wear the same dress every year.

I glanced in the mirror; a short 14 year old girl with blond hair to her elbows, medium brown eyes and a round face, wearing a light pink sundress blinked back at me. I heard a knock on the door and ran to open it. It was Izzy; he has blond hair that is always falling in his eyes, and eyes that are the color of the ocean. Izzy towers over me but I'm only 5 feet tall, everyone towers over me.

"Let's go, No." I laughed at the nickname, I grabbed his hand and we walked, hand in hand to the Justice Building.

"What if you get reaped Izzy?" I asked him.

"Then I'll go, and I'll fight." He replied.

"What about Marina?" I asked him, Marina was the girl he is in love with. I sighed at the thought.

"She'll have to get on without me." He said, stony-faced and grim.

A bright turquoise ball, bounced out onto the stage; our Escort, Liberty Finch. She was rotund with turquoise skin and was wearing a hideous blue garment that squeezed her upper and made her bubble over it like a waterfall.

I glanced at Izzy, he was holding back laughter.

"Ladies and gentlemen of District 4, welcome to the 150th Annual Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favor." She trilled with her odd Capitol accent. "Before we may proceed with the reaping we must all turn our gaze to the viewing screens and observe a video created by the Capitol."

I stared at the screen in horror as they replayed events from the rebellion, previous Hunger Games, and listened to the narrator telling us about the history of the games and why it continues to this day.

Finally the seal of Panem showed up and the screen went black, the reaping was about to begin. I glanced at Izzy; he was staring at Liberty Finch. The sun hit his face and made his jawline even more pronounced; I sighed then looked at Liberty Finch.

"Let's get to it then, girls first, as always." She bounced over to the young girl that stood holding one of the reaping balls. She reached into the ball and her pudgy fingers circled over the slips of paper in the ball. She tug into the papers and pulled one out, she held it in between her fingers as she bounced back to the microphone. She popped the seal and read the name of the poor girl who was going to be force to fight to her death.

"Noel Tarantino." My heart stopped, and then thudded again. I shuddered, and then square my shoulders, this was District 4, tons of trained girls were dying to be in the Hunger Games, and surely one of them would volunteer. The silence stretched out as I realized what was truly happening; I was going to the arena. Izzy's words echoed in my head. Then I'll go and I'll fight. That's what I will do, I will go and I will fight.

I walked up onto the stage and looked out across the crowd searching for Julius. I found him and my heart broke; he was struggling not to cry. He had lost his wife, his son, and now he was going to lose me.

Barr Al'Thor's POV

I had return from another vigorous training session; I knew it would be my last. It's my time to go to the arena, it's my time for the honor, its' my time to kill.

I entered the plaza outside of District 4's Justice Building. I took a deep breath of salty, sea air and drew myself up to my full height of; 5'11". My best friend Horatio walked over to me.

"Hey buddy, what's on your mind?" he said, and then he tripped over his feet.

"How goddamn coordinated you are." I said laughing as I helped him to his feet, "Seems like a good crop this year though." I looked thoughtfully around at the crowd that was beginning to gather.

"Yeah," he looked around too, "We should go and sign in." I groaned but I knew he was right.

After we signed in and were standing, crowded in with the other 17 year old boys, Horatio looked at me and asked the question that I didn't want to hear.

"How's Rayenne?"

"Nobody thinks she can survive but I know she has to." The pain in my throat made it hard to speak so I crossed my fingers and prayed that the reaping would start soon.

Our escort finally entered the stage and started talking but my mind was occupied with something else.

*Flashback*

Rayenne and I were playing just outside of our rooms when Rayenne jumped up.

"You cheated!" she exclaimed playfully.

"I did not, you just don't like the fact that I'm winning." I laughed. She was the only one who could make me laugh genuinely, Horatio doesn't count.

She shoved me playfully, I growled and chased her around the upper level of our house, I caught up to her at the stairs and I shoved her back. She tumbled down the stairs and I heard her head hit the wall. I yelled for my dad to come help me.

He scooped up her small, prone, limp body into his arms and brought her to the clinic. When he got home he asked how it all happened.

"We were playing around and she tripped and fell down the stairs." I said, worried about Rayenne and guilty that it was my entire fault.

I snapped back to the present just in time to watch a small girl walk up onto the stage. She reminded me of Rayenne. I had gotten our father's black hair, dark skin and black eyes, but Rayenne had gotten our mother's tanned skin, blond hair and brown eyes.

"Now for the strong, young male tribute that will be representing District 4 in this year's Hunger Games." Liberty Finch started towards the male reaping ball, but I stepped out.

"I volunteer." I said loudly, Liberty Finch beamed down at me.

"Well come up here then." She said impatiently. I smirked and sauntered up onto the stage.

When I shook hands with the other tribute, Noel Tarantino, I winked at her. She looked startled then glared at me. I knew that I would have to kill her early in the arena or at least arrange for her to die tragically. It's bad form to kill your district partner.

I hope you liked it! I feel sort of bad for Barr. Poor Rayenne.

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