Deverin Aldous-16(D4F)

"I just hate that I have to rely on luck to be a tribute. I mean I've spent the last eight years training for the honor of being a Hunger Games volunteer and now that's not possible. It's just so unfair that someone that doesn't want the honor or the responsibility of representing our district is going to receive it while someone like me is denied it."

I honestly can't count how many times in the last week Costa has led us down this same well-beaten path but it has to be in the mid hundreds at the lowest. I mean I understand that she upset and even though I don't share her infatuation with the Games and the honor they supposedly bring I still understand how frustrating it's got to be to work so hard for something only to have it taken away. I've spent my whole life wanting something that I can call my own and while I was never able to find the solace and happiness in the idea of the Games that she did I kind of understand how unfair it must seem to her that after all the hard work she's put in and all the money her parents sunk into her training she'll never have the chance to volunteer like she's always dreamed.

"You still have three chances to be selected the normal way, and there's no guarantee that the President will keep the volunteering moratorium in place after this year anyway."

"That's easy for you to say considering you never wanted to volunteer in the first place. It's a completely different story to have the one thing you've worked towards all your life taken away just as you get close to attaining it."

"You're being a little overdramatic, you still have a chance to compete in the Hunger Games and become a victor just like you've always wanted Costa. You're just going to need a little more luck than you'd originally planned."

"I shouldn't need luck, though, I'm the best fighter in my age group on top of being one of the fastest and smartest and if the rules hadn't been unfairly changed for whatever stupid reason the President used to justify it I'd be a shoo-in to be selected to volunteer in the next couple of years."

This is one of the things I really love about Costa; she's always up for a friendly argument. A part of me would love nothing more than to sit here and hash this out with her until she finally comes around and sees this from my point of view but I'm not sure we have the time. After all the majority of the points I can make she's already brushed aside as insignificant and the harder I push them the more likely it is that this ends up as a real argument instead of a friendly one or a legitimate fight and that's something I don't necessarily feel like doing right now. The only problem is I'm not exactly in the mood to concede the point either.

Fortunately I'm saved from having to make a decision on way or the other as a loud banging on Costa's front door forces her to get up and by the time she comes back with our friends Auster and Ula following behind the tension and angst that had filled the room just a few seconds earlier has largely dissipated.

"See Deverin I told you I'd be able to get Ula ready and up here before you could Costa. Now, what was it we were playing for again?"

Leave it to Auster to find a way to make a joke like that despite the obvious fact that I gave him the easier task by far. I mean Costa has been on one lately about the Games so anyone with a brain would have expected it to be easier to get Ula, who talked for the better part of the last week has been focused almost exclusively on the cave diving trip we've got planned for later today up and moving with a purpose than Costa.

"I don't recall betting anything on it. I do recall you talking about how easy it is for someone with as much 'life experience' as you have to accomplish things quickly and with little disruption but that's about it."

"For crying out loud we don't have time for this nonsense. Costa hurry and finish getting ready so we can get this stupid reaping over with and get down to more enjoyable business. Deverin you and your future husband can go make out or whatever it is you do until she's ready to go and save the bickering about age and wisdom for when the two of you are alone."

"For the last time, Auster is not my future husband. He's a very good friend and that's the end of it."

"Auster you've got a lot of work ahead of you to turn this one into a respectable wife. My condolences."

"Ula, shouldn't you be helping Costa finish getting ready or something?"

"Aww now I get it, you want me to leave the room so you can put the moves on your girlfriend without having to perform in front of an audience."

"Maybe, or it could be that if we're late to the reaping we can kiss our plan to go cave diving goodbye. After all, it's going to be hard to do it if we're stuck listening to the mayor's lecture about the importance of being on time to a Capitol event. Last years was pretty boring and I can't imagine he'd be pleased to see us returning for a second straight year."

"You're probably right…..Fine, I'll go light a fire under her but that doesn't mean the two of you are off the hook. Eventually, we're going to need to have a serious talk about your guy's wedding plans."

She offers the two of us a playfully suggestive smirk before darting up the stairs towards Costa's bedroom stopping just long enough to offer me a kissy face and a wink before disappearing around the corner and out of sight. That leaves just Auster and me waiting in a surprisingly awkward silence while the two of them argue about the importance of appearance and color coordination. After a few seconds the tension starts to get unbearable and despite my best effort not to I quickly find myself fidgeting with the frayed corner of the blanket on Costa's couch.

At first I'm just trying to clean up the edge so that all the frayed pieces are the same length but after successfully snapping the first few strands at roughly the appropriate length I tug a little too hard on one and before I realize what I've done A huge string of thread maybe a foot or so in length is hanging in midair between my fingers and the blanket.

"Oh boy, you're in trouble now."

"Shut up, it's not that big a deal."

"Maybe not to you but once you mature as much as Costa, Ula and I have you start to appreciate the value of old things like this blanket."

"You're nine months older than me Auster and Costa's a week younger."

"Maybe so but maturity and wisdom strike everybody at different times and in different ways. Just because you're still using your youth to cling to childhood doesn't mean she is."

Sometimes I wonder how and why I'm so willing to put up with his crap all the time. I mean sometimes he can be such an annoying pest that I want to punch him and then in the blink of an eye be the same carefree little troublemaker that's lived next door and been my friend for six years. I'm not sure how he does it but it's really frustrating, or fun and challenging depending on his mood and mine.

Fortunately I'm saved from having to think of an appropriate comeback to his last taunt as a loud bang and a string of surprisingly advanced curse words signal the return of Ula and Costa, however I neglect to remember that I'm holding what now seems like half a blanket worth of string in my hand until a gentle nudge and a nod from Auster reminds me. Luckily I'm able to snap the string off and shove it in my pocket and replace the blanket on the couch in a way that hides my handwork mere moments before the two of them bound down the stairs and out the door with a yell for us to keep up.

Auster offers me a crooked grin and a wink before taking off after them at a sprint with me hot on his heels. As the four of us race off towards the town square and the gloom of the reaping being held there I can't help but let my mind wander towards the fun and adventure that awaits us after it's done and as a gust of wind pushes the smell of the sea into my face I can't help but smile.


Docker Henderson-18(D4M)

I can't stand being around all these stupid people. I mean who honestly cares how dapper your little boy looks or how pretty your princess is with yellow flowers in her hair? The pain of having to listen to so many people fawning and bawling over these little twerps is the single worst thing about the reapings. It's only saving grace is kind of funny when one of the sweet and precious little shits gets reaped; the look of pure terror in their eyes and the way they shake is delicious. Unfortunately, there's always someone waiting in the wings to swoop in and volunteer to save them from the horrors of the arena and deprive me of the chance to watch them get mutilated on t.v.

That's one good thing about this rule the President decided to carry over from last year that prevents volunteering. Now I get the exquisite pleasure of listening to all the whiny little shits that are distraught over losing their chance to volunteer and 'bring glory to their district' and I get the enjoyment of possibly seeing one of these self-riotous little squirts having their head split open in the arena. Now if they could just find a way to make these moronic peacekeepers move faster when checking us in everything would be perfect.

"Can I get your name please son?"

The question honestly takes me by surprise partially because I was lost I thought and partially because I didn't think I was anywhere near the front of the line let alone the next person. Still I can't afford to look timid or even the slightest bit thrown off by anyone least of all a puny little peacekeeper with more hair jetting out of his ears than on top of his massive head.

"What did you say to me, old man?"

Part of me expects him to cower in fear or at the very least for his wispy old voice to notch up a couple of levels but to my extreme surprise he simply lays his blood scanner on top of his book in the center of the table and looks up at me with a calm eyes and a passive demeanor.

"Look I don't have time for you to sit here and play the macho card and we both know you're not nearly stupid enough to actually lay hands on me so why don't you just cut the shit and give me your name."

"What makes you think I won't lay you out right here in front of everyone?"

"The fact that if you were going to you'd have done it instead of talking about it; now give me your damn name."

I have to hand it to this guy he's a brave one, not all that smart but definitely brave. He didn't even go for the normal peacekeeper cliché of 'you'll be dead before you hit the floor' or anything like that, I guess the man's earned a modicum of my respect, for now at least.

"Docker Henderson, my name is Docker Henderson."

I watch with mild interest as he quickly flips through the pages of his book before stopping on the page with a large H at the top and row after row of names printed below. His eyes dart back and forth across the page for a couple of seconds until he finds my name, once the hard part's done he quickly scoops up a small needle and a tiny square of gauze before sticking out his hand and motioning for me to do the same.

"Give me your hand."

I stick my hand out and he grabs it and holds it in a surprisingly firm grip as he carefully lines the needle up with the meaty portion of my right index finger before pressing the small plunger in and sending a delightful little sting shooting into my body. He quickly tosses the needle into a small red bin before squeezing the prick site just hard enough to force a little dollop of blood to seep out and start to run down my finger. He quickly presses my finger into the empty box next to my name and allows the blood to soak into the page for a few seconds before pulling it away and releasing my hand in one smooth motion.

He hands me the little gauze pad before scooping up his scanner and pressing a few buttons and leveling it at the blood smear he just took from me. A few seconds later a quiet pinging sound emanates from the machine and he waves me through before turning his attention to the petrified twelve-year-old girl behind me.

I slowly make my way through the mass of kids standing in variously sized groups talking amongst themselves and towards the back of the square where the other eighteen-year-olds are being corralled into place by the peacekeepers. One particularly touchy one is pushing kids left and right out of the aisle way but he gives me a surprisingly wide berth as I shoulder through a group of well-dressed career types and plant myself firmly in place leaning against the marble bust of one of our previous victors.

I've just got myself positioned and relatively comfortable leaning against the statue when the first notes of the anthem start to ring out from the speakers as the Mayor struts out on stage in an ungodly looking sea green dress. As she approaches the podium I direct half my attention towards her and settle in for a long and boring afternoon. At least I'll have the fun of watching some squealing little punk gets reaped, then at least my day won't be a total loss.


Inala Ivory(District 4 Escort)

I can't wait to get out of this….barbaric excuse for a place and back to the Capitol. I mean really how can an entire district smell like rotten fish and damp animals, I mean do they even have animals that live outside of the water let alone inside every nook and cranny of the entire town? Then again maybe I shouldn't complain after all I could be stuck escorting for that soot filled pit dwellers in Twelve or the sewer rats in Nine. At least the District Four know how to clean themselves and their city up in a presentable way and even if they can't hide the smell I guess they deserve some credit for managing that much.

"Now it's my pleasure to introduce the Capitol escort for District Four the ravishing Inala Ivory!"

On the first letter of my last name, the guards throw open the doors to the Justice Center and I flutter out with as big a smile as I can manage even as the smell that I've come to associate with the district assaults my nostrils and causes my eyes to water. I quickly blink the tears out of my eyes as I cross the stage in a few long but elegant strides before shaking the Mayor's hand and offering her a small peck on each cheek. Once the formalities are out-of-the-way I take my place at the podium and stare out at the assembled gaggle of children stretching out before me.

"Welcome everyone welcome, as the mayor said my name is Inala Ivory and it is my honor to once again be assigned to act as the official Capitol Escort for the tributes of District Four to the One Hundred and Fourth Annual Hunger Games. Now I'm sure all of you are as anxious as I am to get the festivities started so let's get right to it, as always we'll start with the girls."

I offer up a jovial smile in the general direction of one of the cameras as I quickly saunter over to the bright pink bowl that's filled almost to the top with bright pink slips of paper. Dipping my hand inside I run my fingers over a total of six slips before snatching up the seventh and hurrying back to the podium. Once I'm back in front of the microphone I quickly unfold the paper and read the name a couple of times to myself to ensure I don't butcher it to terrible before leaning down and announcing the name in as clear and excited a voice as I can manage.

"The female tribute will be….Deverin Aldous!"

I quickly turn my attention to the center of the mass of girls standing to my left as the soft murmur that accompanied my announcement starts to grow in volume as every girl in the square not named Deverin starts to look around anxiously for the lucky girl that's been selected to compete. However as the seconds tick by I start to worry that I might have ended up picking a little coward instead of the mighty lion I was hoping for but before I can call out the name a second time a small pathway starts to appear and out of that appears Ms. Aldous.

My initial impression of her is that I'm not all that impressed; I mean she's attractive enough I suppose but she's not nearly the goddess type I've come to expect from the girls out here and her shoulder length blonde hair is an absolute train wreck. Her slender build and slightly above average height help draw some of the focus away from it but not nearly enough for my liking.

However, my first impressions have been off before so I try to get a read on her as she walks up on stage and while for the most part she seems confident I do manage to catch sight of a momentary scowl on her face that serves to dampen my spirit a little. It seems like she's a little upset to have been selected and while her surprisingly gorgeous grey-green eyes seems to scream confidence that ever so brief scowl is the one thing I'm focused on.

"Welcome, Ms. Aldous it's a pleasure to meet you."

"The feeling is mutual and I'd just like to say it's a real honor to be up here and to be the one selected to shoulder the burden of representing District Four before the rest of the nation."

"Well you certainly are a dutiful and lovely young lady but you won't have to shoulder that burden alone, let's find out which lucky young man will have the privilege of sharing the spotlight with you."

I quickly saunter my way over to the light blue bowl filled with boys names and repeat my selection process from earlier but a nagging little voice in the back of my head convinces me to go one more so I bypass the seventh slip and snatch up the eighth before returning to the podium as quickly as I can while remaining regal and dignified. I quickly unfold the slip and study the name diligently just like last time before reading it into the microphone.

"The male tribute will be….Docker Henderson!"

This time, I'm not left wondering where my new tribute is hiding because before I even finish reading the name a massive brute of a man starts walking towards the stage with a calm demeanor and a sense of purpose. I give him a quick once over as he walks up and I'm immediately taken aback by just how tall he is, I mean I've seen my share of tall tributes before but this Docker looks to be maybe half a head or more taller than any of them and while his lightly bronzed skin and neatly trimmed brownish-blonde hair looks incredibly appealing his cold grey eyes seem to be stuck in a perpetual scowl that does a lot to detract from his appeal.

"Well it looks like we struck gold everyone, Mr. Henderson here is the very picture of intimidating and just exudes confidence and power. I'd wager that if you're not the man to beat in the games this year you'll absolutely be a favorite."

"Thank you."

"Is….Is that it?"

He doesn't even bother to answer my question verbally opting instead to offer up a simple nod before quietly moving to take his place next to his new district partner in the center of the stage leaving me standing there holding the microphone out like a fool.

"Well there you have it Docker is the strong and silent type while Deverin is the cute and dutiful little spitfire. I don't think the other tributes are going to know what hit them so let's have a big round of applause for District Four's newest champions Deverin Aldous and Docker Henderson!"


Deverin Aldous-16(D4F)

"I can't believe this, it's just…..It's just so…..Stupid. I'm the one who's always wanted this and now you get to live my dream while I'm stuck back here."

"Believe me, Costa if I could trade places with you I wouldn't have to think twice about it. But unfortunately I'm stuck so I guess I'll just have to make the best of a bad situation and hope for the best."

"Hoping for the best is so not how you operate and you know it. Now what I would do is find a way to hook up with that ass of a district partner you've got and a couple of other powerhouses and just let them run the table while you sit back and reap the benefits of your association with them."

"That'll only work for so long, though, what happens when my allies get tired of me not pulling my own weight and decide to cut me loose or just outright kill me?"

"The key to that is learning how to always place yourself in the action without having to actually risk anything. The appearance of your usefulness and ruthlessness is what's going to insulate you against attack, at least until the alliance has run its course and you have to move on that is."

"You see that's the thing, I'm not sure when that is or if I have it in me to do any of that. I stopped training and sought a different path in life because the games never interested me and I didn't want to be responsible for shouldering the expectations of the entire district."

"Well news flash you're kind of screwed there so you better get right with what you have to do real fast or this is going to turn out badly for you."

I know she's right hell Ula and Auster said basically the same thing in a more roundabout way, but I'm still not sure I can handle all this. I've never wanted the responsibility of representing Four in the Capitol and I sure as hell don't want to be in a fight for my life with other people who do or who might need to win the games for other reasons. I don't have those ulterior motives or underlying problems to grapple with and that puts me at a distinct disadvantage among the other people like me that don't want to be there while my lack of refined training and marketable or flashy skills might with the careers.

She rambles on for a little while longer and while I do her the courtesy of listing I never responded or offer my own input and after a few minutes of being the only active participant in the conversation she wraps me in a big hug and slips out of the room to let me think. That goes pretty well for all of about two minutes before the door opens and my dad comes in pushing my little brothers over the shag carpet in his wheelchair.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Your brother and I came to say goodbye sweetheart."

"That's not what I meant I was asking why you were here instead of at Kielan's physical therapy session?"

"Going to therapy isn't going to help me grow my leg back so it's not worth going and not seeing you before you leave."

I feel tears start to seep out of the corner of my eyes as I stare down into the eyes of my little brother and for a brief moment I can almost see the mischievous little boy he was before the ocean claimed his leg. I push myself up off the couch I'd been sitting on and start across the room towards them when the door suddenly slips open and the one person I never expected to see walks in with sweat pouring down her face.

"Mom what the….What are you doing here?"

The look in my mom's eyes says she's just as surprised to be here as I am to see her and after the less than cordial terms that she parted with us on that shouldn't be a surprise. After all, it's not every day someone who's supposed to love their children unconditionally like a mom decides she can't take the pressure or challenges of having a crippled son and up and leaves her whole family.

"I….I figured your dad and brother would have already been done saying goodbye and I wanted to see my little girl before she left so I…."

She never finishes as the words get stuck in her throat so instead she simply darts across the room and wraps me in a tight hug. She holds me like this for almost a minute before breaking it and pressing something small and slightly warm into my hand. Once she's done she quickly slips out of the room without another word.

My knees turn to jello and I quickly fall to the ground as they prove to be unable to support my weight. As my dad rushes to my side and my brother looks on with worry I stare down at the little trinket my mom gave me and I can't help but smile. The little bottle is filled with sandy water and a couple of small sea shells with a string on top so I can wear it as a necklace. Looking down at the little snapshot of beauty my mom gave me and basking in the warmth of the love of my family I finally find that little thing that gives me an edge, the thing that gives me a reason to fight, home.


Docker Henderson-18(D4M)

No one has stopped by to say goodbye to me and considering I don't have any family or friends that's probably a good thing. After all the more alone time I have the further my head start is on the planning and preparation stage and while all the other tributes are crying and blubbering about how unfair all of this is and wasting their time trying to reassure their families that they'll be alright I get to start planning for the real test.

That's proven to be the most constructive thing on my mind anyway and while I'd probably have more fun thinking about just about anything other than game strategy it's probably a good thing to do. I mean I have a fairly good idea of what I need to do as it is but it's trying to decide on allies that's giving me the most trouble. I may not be the smartest individual around but I do know that despite how intimidating I can be there's no way I'm going to win without allies but I'm not interested in carrying other tributes along either.

In a normal year this would be easy as I'd just use my strength and intimidating appearance to catch on with the careers and that would be the end of it but with the stupid rule twist our bitch of a President instituted I have just as much chance of finding capable and well-trained allies coming out of District Eleven as I do One or Two and the only thing I can be completely sure of right now is my partner Deverin.

In reality, she's more of a wildcard than a legitimately solid ally but with the level of uncertainty surrounding all the other tributes, it's probably a good idea for me to lock in an alliance with her sooner rather than later. At the very least she can serve as an attraction for the sponsors that always seem to flock towards the career girls and if she happens to prove useful in other ways then that's a bonus. In the end all she and any other ally I might end up with is going to end up as a sacrificial lamb so as long as they bring something of worth to the table I'll be in a good place.

With my mind firmly set on what I need to do going forward, I settle in and decide to spend my last few minutes in Four relaxing. After all, there's no rule against enjoying what the Capitol has to offer so I might as well get a head start on that too.


Hudson Levanten-15(D9M)

Days like this are always the hardest for me to get through, I mean everyone is already so uptight and on edge that any little thing sets them off. If my big brother Brayden was still here he'd know how to loosen everyone up and it wouldn't be so bad, but he's not. I think that's the other thing that makes days like today especially hard to get through and despite having five years to get over his death and adjust to life without him I still haven't quite figured everything out. I mean I've gotten pretty good at knowing what to do most of the time but I still haven't mastered how to make everyone smile and be happy during the troubling times and no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to figure out why.

Then again today is an exceptionally nice looking day and while the brightness of the sun suggests that we're in for an extremely hot and muggy afternoon and evening right now the temperature is just about perfect. The sun is shining the birds are singing and despite the general gloominess, Reaping Day brings I can't help but feel that today might just end up being a pretty good day.

However in order for me to enjoy said good day I need to get up and while the fact that I can hear the sweet sizzle of meat being cooked downstairs plays a relatively large part in my desire to get up I also know that the longer I lay in bed the more likely I am to be late for the reaping and while I've always enjoyed the thrill of being the last one to show for most things this isn't one of them, not after what happened a couple of years ago. I mean they held the reaping during a brief window in the middle of a torrential downpour did they honestly expect thirteen year old me to swim across the small river that divided the center of town from the rest of the district?

I quickly bury the terrible memories of that day and slip out of bed and bound across the surprisingly cool floor to my dresser where I scoop up a clean pair of gray slacks that once belonged to Brayden and a dark green button up shirt. I quickly slip into my oversized clothes and slip on my best pair of shoes before running my fingers through the knotted mess that my hair seems to turn into every night in a mostly futile effort to tussle it in a way that gives the impression that I did something with it other than rolling out of bed. After that, I give myself a quick once-over in the mirror before slipping out of my room and sliding down the ladder into the main room of the little shack I share with my mom.

"I was wondering if you were planning on getting up yourself or if you were going to force me to wake you up myself. I'm pleased to see you chose to do it yourself."

"For your information, I woke up precisely when I planned to."

"Well in the future try planning to wake up a little earlier on Reaping Day."

"I feel like this is the perfect time to be getting up, though."

"Trust me waking up at five till ten when the Reaping starts at eleven isn't a good idea. Especially not when you know we have a twenty-minute walk to the square ahead of us. Now eat your breakfast so we can get a move on."

She pushes a plate of potato cakes and some kind of meat in front of me and motions for me to sit as she does so herself as she takes a small nibble off the corner of a piece of thoroughly burnt toast. As my eyes dart back and forth between the small feast she's prepared for me and the scorched piece of bread she's eating I can't help but feel a little guilty that she's not eating as well as I am but my ravenous hunger quickly gets the better of me and before I can stop myself I've scarfed down all but the fat trimmings that moments ago surrounded my meat. As I stare down at my now empty plate and back at her I feel my heart sink at the fact that I couldn't control myself long enough to share my food with her, after all, that's exactly the kind of thing Brayden would have done for either of us and now that he's gone it's my job to look out for her like he did for me.

Wiping the grease and potato remnants off my face with a rag I smile up at her as I place my plate in the little tub next to the sink and move to start running water to wash it when she places a loving hand on my shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze before pulling me away and towards the door.

"I appreciate the offer dear but we don't have time to do the dishes right now. If you're still up to help out later though I could use a little help clearing out some of this clutter and cleaning up the house."

I offer her an affirmative smile as she wraps me in a warm and loving hug while planting a series of soft kisses on my forehead. As she stands there holding and kissing me I feel the distinctive pitter patter of tears falling on the top of my head but by the time she ends the hug and I get a clear look at her face the crying has stopped and the only sign that it had happened at all is the puffy redness it left behind under her eyes. As the two of us exit our little home and start towards the center of town I decide to sneak back home after the reaping before she can get there so I can get a head start on cleaning, I mean it may not be much but it's something small that I know I can do that will make her smile and in the end making my mom smile on a day when it's a struggle for me to smile is the best way I can think of to spend a day.


Briar Sycamore-12(D9F)

I absolutely love getting to spend time at my friend's' houses; it's just so nice to get to experience the finer things life has to offer like hot running water, plentiful food, and beautiful clothes. I think the clothes are probably my favorite part of having such well-off friends, I mean the clothes in Shay's closet probably cost more than everything my family owns, granted that's not saying much when you're part of one of the poorest if not the poorest family in an incredibly impoverished place like District Nine but the truth of it all is just as valid regardless.

Being poor has always been a major embarrassment for me and while my mom and dad have always said that it's better to be grateful and content with what you have instead of pining and longing for what you don't but I don't think either of them realize how hard it is to be accepted socially when your worth is literally lower than that of an animal. I mean how is it fair that despite being twelve I already have to work a five-hour shift just so I can afford to dress myself with a modicum of respect and class?

Then again it's really not my parent's fault that we're poor, I mean they already work thirteen to fourteen hour days six days a week with a half shift on Sunday. One of them is always out of the house and more often than not both of them are gone and it's all in an effort to make sure my little brothers and I have enough to survive. I mean they obviously care about all of us and it's kind of upsetting to me at times that I'm so negative and unappreciative of all that they do.

"So what do you think Briar should I go with the faux emerald or the faux ruby?"

"Huh?"

"My neckless, I asked you which stone you think goes better with my dress. Have you not been listening?"

"Sorry, Shae I guess my mind was wandering again. So which dress are you asking about?"

"The same tan one we've been talking about for over an hour. Did your daydreaming include a stop at a place where you get your memory erased too?"

"No, I was just giving you a chance to change your mind and pick something a little less hideous."

"This coming from the girl who wears the same three outfits all the time. Honestly if I didn't know you better I'd think you were poor in addition to your terrible taste in clothes."

See it's things like this that make it hard for me to really feel sorry for my parents. I mean it's bad enough that they don't seem to care how Rhode and Talon dress and that they take such little pride in their own appearance but when their lack of ability to provide me with an adequate amount of decent and semi-stylish clothing is just going too far. I mean I have to buy my own clothes and with how little I make as a harvester all I can afford is the 'high class' stuff off the discount racks and while I've done a fairly decent job of making what I buy look good it's an uphill battle that I'm consistently losing as the already thoroughly used fabric can't stand up to the level of alteration required for me to pass it off as expensive.

"Hello, Briar! Are you off in la la land again or were you trying to think of some justification as to why your fashion sense is as atrocious as it is?"

"Neither, I was just trying to stop myself from hurting your incredibly sensitive and tender feelings by pointing out how often the clothing you wear makes Andromeda and I barf or how every time Melanie and I see your atrocious hairstyles we have to force ourselves not to laugh in your face."

That was uncalled for, I mean she can be an ass sometimes but maybe I took it a little too far. What I said was pretty uncalled for given the circumstances and…..No, she definitely deserved it. I mean where does she get off calling my fashion sense into question when she's too stupid to realize that her ruby necklace is far too richly colored to go with her tan dress? I mean really how hard is it to look at the brightness and hue of the emerald and realize that it compliments her appearance and the color of the dress a thousand times better than that blood-red ruby?

"Also to answer your earlier question wear the emerald, the ruby's too dark it'll clash with your skin and the soft color of the dress. Now hurry up and get ready so we can meet the others and get to the Reaping."

"Ok, first off we're going to have a serious talk later about what you just said. Secondly, there's no need to get anxious about leaving. My daddy hasn't left yet and I know for a fact that they're not going to start the stupid Reaping without the Mayor so there's no need to rush."

"I don't know about that. Wouldn't it look better for the Mayor's only child to show up early for the Reaping than to slid in at the last-minute? I mean I'm obviously not the 'social expert' you are but wouldn't being one of the last to arrive at such an important event make you look….Bad?"

She still looks skeptical but I can tell that at the very least I've planted the seeds of doubt in her head that not being early to the Reaping is a bad thing and while it might very well be making her seem like the one that's excited and slightly flustered about it can only play to my advantage in the future.

"I don't think my not arriving exceedingly early will be looked at one way or another."

Crap….

"However, it might be a good idea to at least start heading that way. In case my dad takes the direct route instead of the scenic one he prefers on normal days."

Hmm well, this certainly didn't turn out exactly like I was hoping but it might have gone as well as I should expect. I mean at the very least she's concerned enough about her image that she wants to be seen as trying to at least be on time and with a little prodding and a few whispers it won't be hard to plant the idea in everyone's minds that she's in love with the games secretly hoping to get reaped and in a place as hard hit by and disdainful of the Games as Nine that's as good as a death knell to her popularity. I just have to get through today and the seeds of my continued ascent towards the top of the social ladder will be sown. I just wish Melanie and Andromeda were half as easy to manipulate as Shay is.


Hyperia Harrowmont(District 9 Escort)

Being an Escort is so much more fun when you're the talk of the town and not just the unfortunate sod that got saddled with the most pathetic district in Panem. I've been doing this for twenty years and I've been stuck in District Nine that entire time and so far I've escorted forty tributes to the Capitol and a grand total of three have made it into the top ten and only two have finished in the top three. I mean I was fortunate enough to have Kimma win the year before last but any hopes I had of escorting an outer district dynasty was obliterated almost as easily as the two pathetic tributes I got saddled with last year.

I'd like to have high hopes for today but if I've learned one thing as an escort it's that every time you hope and let your expectations rise just a modicum above what they should be the universe has a habit of slapping you back down and laughing while it does. Fortunately, I can usually tell if there's a reason to be optimistic about three seconds after I see my tributes and with the obvious exception of Kimma who I wrote off as a blood bath death only to have her surge to the crown I've been right more often than not.

Taking a deep breath and trying to look as excited to be here as I can I walk towards the massive rosewood doors that swing open at my approach and out onto the stage just as Kimma and Oatis are taking their seats. I offer both of them a small smile which they return in kind before gliding over to the mayor and receiving a rather awkward and slightly too touchy hug. I'm able to keep myself focused however and as soon as he back away and takes his seat next to the victors I'm free to approach the podium and get this painfully dull and often disappointing charade started.

"Thank you Mr. Mayor for that wonderful and heartfelt welcome, hello Kimma, hello Oatis and most importantly hello citizens of District Nine; as you all know I'm Hyperia Harrowmont and it's my honor to be back here once again to serve as the Capitol Escort for this great district as we embark on yet another Hunger Games. Now I'm sure all of you are looking forward to finding out which courageous young man and woman will be representing you in this year's Games so let's get right to it shall we."

I quickly make my way over to the bright pink bowl of girls names and after posing for a couple pictures for the Capitol papers I dip my hand inside and swirl it and the papers around for a bit. In reality, this is all for show as I scooped up the first paper I touched but it's apparently imperative that the Capitol audience gets a good aerial view of the 'happy' children gathered and 'hoping' to be 'honored' and 'lucky' enough to have their name drawn by me. After about twenty or so seconds of swirling the papers about I pull my hand with the slip clutched in my fingers in a triumphant manner before quickly retaking my place at the podium and announcing the name, I've picked.

"The female tribute from District Nine will be….Briar Sycamore!"

It takes all of about half a second for the first murmurs of wonder to rise up but in addition to those which are a fairly normal occurrence a small course of giggling rises up from the front of the crowd. I quickly scan the area to see what's causing it and to my general horror I see an obviously malnourished olive-skinned little girl with long black hair crying her eyes out while three other girls point and laugh at her.

Part of me is hoping that this girl is friends with or related to Briar but deep down I'm almost sure that she is, in fact, Briar and sure enough a few seconds later she shoulders past the giggling girls and out into the aisle way. Seeing as she's already right next to the stage it only takes a few seconds for her to be standing beside me and despite my disappointment at getting saddled with a crying twelve-year-old I slap on a smile and dive right into the questions.

"Welcome, Briar, now before we get started I'd like to be the first to thank you for your selflessness and courage. Being a tribute is one of the noblest and selfless things a person can be and I'm sure you'll do me your mentors and your district proud."

I offer her the microphone but she simply stands there and stares off into the crowd as tears continue to stream down her face. I give her foot a little nudge with mine in an effort to get her to talk but it's no use so I guess I'll just have to improvise.

"The poor girl is so excited she's speechless. Well don't worry Briar I can seem a bit overwhelming at first but after you've had time to process everything you'll see just how much fun all of this can be. Now let's have a big round of applause for our female tribute Briar Sycamore!"

The crowd offers up an extremely uninspired smattering of applause that's almost drowned out by the continued laughter of the girls in the front row. Regardless I still have a job to so I might as well do it and get the hard part over with.

"Now for the boys."

I head to the opposite side of the stage and quickly dip my hand into the bright blue reaping bowl before repeating the same pointless charade as before of swirling my hand and the papers about a bit despite already having picked one out before returning to the podium to reveal who's been chosen as Briar's partner.

"The male tribute from District Nine will be….Hudson Levanten!"

This time, there's no giggling or otherwise noticeable reaction to the name outside of the normal inquisitive murmuring and after a few seconds, the children in the middle of the square start to shift around and open a path for a relatively short ebony skinned boy to walk out of. Outside of his skin, the first thing I notice about him is that much like his female counterpart he's obviously underfed and while his curly brown hair and beautiful brown eyes compliment his amazingly infectious smile pretty well I can't shake the feeling that he's not going to last long.

"Well now look at this handsome young man. Hudson you're going to have the Capitol women eating out of the palm of your hand mark my words."

"Thank you Hyperia and I'm looking forward to seeing all the wonders and beautiful sights the Capitol has to offer. Thank you for giving me this chance to see it and the honor of representing my district."

"Well, you're very welcome my dear. Now District Nine let's have a big hand for your tributes Briar Sycamore and Hudson Levanten!"


Hudson Levanten-15(D9M)

"Just keep your head down and stay out of trouble and you'll be ok."

"Mom I….I don't think that's how you're supposed to do it."

"Listen to me Hudson the only people and I mean literally the only people who care how you play the game are watching on tv in the Capitol and I don't care what they think about you. I'd rather have a living victor son that's branded a coward in the Capitol than another dead son. I already lost your brother and I refuse to lose you."

"This is a little different than what happened to Brayden mom."

"You're right, I wasn't able to see that he was fighting the demons inside his soul and because of that I wasn't able to help him. I will live the rest of my days carrying the pain of that failure around with me and that's what I deserve, but this is a different time, a different place and I'd never be able to live with myself if I didn't at least try to save you."

I'm not entirely sure what to say right now let alone what to do. I mean this far too serious a time to be funny but at the same time, I've never been good at offering real comfort either and considering the situation I'm almost positive that anything I say would fall far short of doing any good anyway.

"I wish Brayden was here."

"I know sweetie, I do too. Not a day goes by that I don't wish that he was still here, that I could see his smile or hear his laugh again….But he's not gone as long as the two of us are together. As long as we keep his memory and spirit alive in our hearts he'll always be with us. That's why you need to survive, that's why you have to survive."

"Mom I…."

"Promise me, Hudson. Promise me you'll work hard, promise me you'll look for people you can trust and rely on to help you get through this. Promise me you won't do anything reckless or foolhardy just to impress someone or prove you belong. Promise me you'll play smart and think things through before making a choice, promise me, please."

I still don't think that's how you're supposed to play the game. I mean no one remembers the people who won the games by playing it safe and laying low but everyone remembers those who didn't. If I want to have a real chance of winning this I need to prove to everyone in the Capitol, sponsor and tribute alike that I'm a force to be reckoned with, that I'm cut from the same cloth as victors like Finnick, Brutus, and Gloss, not Oatis and Kimma and deep down my mom knows that just as well as I do and that's why I won't promise her that I'll do those things.

Instead, I simply throw my arms around her and wrap her in a massive hug and that's how we spend the last of our time together, holding each other as if we're the only thing either of us has in this whole world. This is the only way I can do what I have to do without having the guilt of lying to my mom, and even though she'll probably be a little mad at first once I win she'll understand that I did the right thing.


Briar Sycamore-12(D9F)

I can't believe this is how it's going to end. After all the awful things I've thought and said about my family, I'm going to be marched off to the Capitol to die without ever having a chance to take any of it back, I'm going to die without having the chance to undue the damage I've done.

"Sweetheart I know this must seem scary but your father and me, we want you to know we love you very much. We're behind you one hundred percent and so are Talon and Rhode."

She turns her gaze towards the corner of the room where my dad is doing everything he can to keep my little brothers occupied in an effort to keep them from tearing the room apart. As I look at their childish faces and bask in the warmth of their naive and perfect little laughs as my dad tries to keep them contained to the area I feel the first hints of a smile trying to crack through the gloomy facade that's currently etched on my face. However even the purity and happiness of my brothers isn't enough to draw me back and mask the pain and guilt I feel for how I've treated my family and even though I don't have a whole lot of time left to make it up to them I do know one thing I can do to ease the burden of losing me just a little bit.

"Mom I….I need to tell you something. Something that's not exactly easy for me to say."

"What is it, my darling girl?"

"I….I have a little money stashed away in my room that I….That I want you to have."

"That's, very thoughtful of you dear. But where did it come from?"

"I….It's from my hobby. The matching bracelets that I made us for your birthday. I've been looking for more little stones and when I find some I….I make more bracelets in different designs and patterns to sell for extra money. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you."

"Dear I don't care that you were doing it, and I'm touched that you're willing to share it with us."

She wraps me in a tender and loving hug and within a few seconds, she's crying softly into my hair. Her sobbing attracts the attention of my dad and brothers and within a few seconds the three of them join in and the five of us sit there enjoying the strength we're able to draw from one another's presence. However despite this moment of love and acceptance I can't help but hate myself for not telling my mom the whole truth, I mean it's not like it's going to matter in a couple of days that I was working as a harvester in addition to selling the chintzy jewelry but I still couldn't bring myself to admit it to her. I guess I can add apologizing for that to the list of things I'm going to have to survive the games and make it back home in order to truly make it right. I just hope my reasons to live and fight prove to be enough to overcome my disadvantages because if they're not I'm going to die one incredibly unfulfilled little girl and I don't think I'll be able to tolerate that.


A/N: First I'd like to extend my gratitude to Jabber Blabber Ink, Ares the War God, We're All Okay, and starrymidnight16 for sending in Deverin, Docker, Hudson and Briar.

So I've noticed in the reviews a couple requests to be more descriptive of how the tributes look and to flesh out their personalities a little bit more so I decided to toy with the format a little and introduce the Escort POV to describe both tributes a bit better and doing so allowed me to change up a little more and delve into the personalities of the tributes because I wasn't dedicating huge swaths of one or more of their POV's to the reapings themselves. So in addition to asking what you think of the 4 amazing tributes we just met I'm curious as to what you think of the adjusted format and whether you prefer it or the other one?

Other than that please review and let me know what you think and I'll be looking for all of your smiling faces this weekend for the next update :D