Eden Skies:
Like most boys his age, Eden was woken up by his alarm the morning of the reaping. Unlike most boys his alarm was beeping in his arm.
"Eden! Turn off your alarm!"
"Yes mom, he grumbled as he got out of bed. As soon as he stood directly up the beeping in his chip stopped. It had been programmed so that when the user stood straight up it would turn off as the assumption was that they would be fully awake when they stood up.
As Eden moved towards the shower he looked at the chip underneath his wrist and the accompanying scar. He sighed at all the annoyances the scar caused him.
Later Eden was free of his home and was walking to Astro's house. Astro had been a friend to Eden ever since his mother and father had been transferred from District 3 to 6. He was too young to really remember District 3 but he parents, his father especially, always complained about how it was nicer than District 6 in almost every way.
Soon enough he was getting his hair ruffled by his best friend. "How's my Edenpoo doing?" He cooed.
"Haha Astro get off! You know I don't like to have my hair ruffled." Jon had arrived at Astro's house at just that moment. He wasn't as close to Eden as Astro was but together they were the three amigos.
The three winded through side streets as they made their way to the square, Jon and Astro joking while Eden mostly listened and made the occasional crack or laughed.
When they arrived at the reaping Eden started to get nervous. He didn't like the stares that he got from the peacekeepers and the adults that weren't completely aware of his parent's experiments. To them he seemed like some sort of Frankenstein monster, crisscrossed with mysterious scars on his body. His parents work had huge implications, but mainly for the Capitol where they could afford it. And that was why Eden was one of their subjects, because funding from District 6 was nearly impossible to come by.
These thoughts weighed heavily on Eden's mind, like they did every day but especially today because he had to spend time around adults he did not know.
Jon kept cracking jokes, obvious to the stares the trio were getting. Astro on the other hand put his hand around Eden's shoulder and leaned close to him. "It's gonna be alright bud, they don't know how great you are."
Eden didn't think he was that great. He was only a boy with chips in him, nothing special.
Cally Hart:
She clicked her tongue, impatient that the reapings had not started yet. The entire district had been assembled and waiting for at least 10 minutes by now. And yet, no escort was appearing in some bright colorful garb that was not functional at all.
Her agitation was due to the fact that this was her twin brothers last reaping and for her family that meant that two of her siblings would officially live into adult hood. The thought made her happy even though they never saw eye to eye on most things.
Little spitfire they called her, both due to her fiery red hair, as well as her fierce personally. She had been known to get in more than one argument at school in which she ended giving the other tribute a harsh tongue-lashing.
"Hey Cally are you ok?" Cally turned and faced her classmate Vee.
Cally smiled at Vee and replied, "Yeah as good as I can be on a reaping day just a bit annoyed that they haven't started yet you know?"
Vee peered curiously at Cally, "Why would you want to hurry it up, I say stall it as long as possible."
Cally rolled her eyes. "Well no one wants to hear that opinion Vee." She flipped her red hair as she spoke. "Go give your stupid thoughts to someone else." Cally went so far as to move away from the girl so that she didn't have to argue about her obviously smarter beliefs.
"Good Morning District 6!" Their new escort did obviously not expect the silence that greeted him. "Now now then, lets try that again! Good Morning District 6!" There were a few mumbled responses but none that sounded genuine. "Now that wasn't so hard was it!" He said this with a mocking baby voice and a pouty lip. Cally decided that she immediately didn't like this escort, as he seemed to over exaggerate everything.
After the video their escort moved to the front of the stage. "Now then, I realized that I never gave my name! I am Corbinus a native of the Capitol and am honored to be here in District 6! Now then in honor of my first year as your dedicated escort I think I'll shake things up by picking the boys first!"
Corbinus picked a name and walked back to the main microphone. "Is there a Eden Skies in the house? Please come on stage young man, you have been selected for the honor to represent District 6!"
Cally stood on the tips of her toes to try to see the blond boy that was walking up onto the stage. Most kids in the district knew Eden even if they had never spoke to him. He was the strange boy with scars on his face, arms, and legs, each one indicating a chip that was inserted into his body by his crazy parents.
When he climbed the stage he had a small smile that did not reach his eyes. His smile was geared towards someone in the crowd. What a fool, Cally though, smiling for his own death like some idiot.
Eden Skies:
Eden stood on stage, hands in his pockets. He was happy that his friends didn't get reaped. He was surprised, he supposed he should be sad, after all he had such low odds that the would win, yet here he was somewhat happy that Astro and Jon had not been reaped into the Hunger Games.
Corbinus piped up again, "Very good Eden, look at that a tribute excited to be reaped for the games." At his words Eden's smile faltered. "Nope that won't do, show them your smile Eden." Eden shyly smiled and looked at the nearest camera. He even felt confident enough to wink at the camera.
He had never felt like this before. Where people wanted to look at him, he felt special, not the bad kind of special were people whispered about him, but a good feeling like he was glowing. Eden continued to smile as Corbinus sashayed over to the girls reaping bowl. With a flourish he pulled a slip from the top of the bowl.
"And now the lovely female that will be joining our handsome Eden on stage will be Miss Cally Hart!"
A red haired girl, fists clenched at her sides, started walking briskly up the aisle. She had eyes on no one but Eden himself. He returned her stare with a nervous smile.
When she climbed onto the stage Cally stood next to Corbinus who leaned over to her, "Well then my dear, how about you give the Capitol a lovely smile like your partner Eden?" Cally glared at Eden as if it was his fault that their escort had told her to smile.
When Corbinus realized that he wouldn't get Cally to smile his own smile faded and he said tritely, "shake hands then tributes." The two tributes shook hands and Eden could swear that Cally was trying to crush his hand. Corbinus stepped between the two and held up both of their hands, "May I present to you the district 6 tributes and hopefully the future victor of the 76th Hunger Games!"
That made Eden grin from ear to ear. What if he was the victor, everyone in the nation would want to see him. Thought made Eden even happier.
Cally Hart:
"Oh sweetheart I'm so sorry." Cally's mom rushed to her in a hug.
"Mom, I'll be fine. I can win, I'm going to come home I know it." Her words only seemed to cause her mother to cry even harder into Cally's shoulder. Her brothers, Beck and Avis along with her father were looking at her shocked. Beck's jaw was wide open.
"Beck don't look at me like that. The games are all about heart. I have the heart. I can go the distance. I will win."
Her family looked on sadly, finally her mother put on an almost pitying smile. "Of course you can win sweetheart, I know that you can." Her mom sat down next to her and pulled something small out of her pocket. "Here sweetie, bring this as your token, keep it as a piece of us that you'll have."
Cally grinned haughtily. "Thanks mom but you don't really think I need that, after all I'll see you in a few weeks."
"Please Cally, listen to your mother and take it." Her father had gotten down on one knee and was begging his daughter with tears in his eyes.
Cally trying not to cry herself looked at her father and nodded her head firmly.
First chapter after the update! Let me know what you think of these tributes in the reviews.
Whose your favorite out of all the tributes so far between 1-6? Least Favorites? Let me know below! Halfway done reapings!
