Three Months before the 127th annual reaping

-Coda Fukai, District 8-

Coda was so happy when school was over. It was finally Friday. The week had taken absolutely forever to pass by, and Coda was more than content to leave as soon as the last bell rang, despite what his teachers said about how "I dismiss you, not the bell." That was ridiculous to Coda. The bell defined when classes switched, if the teacher ran out of time to do what they wanted to, that was on them, not the students, who would inevitably set their next teacher behind by being late to their class, and so on.

Coda was ready to get home and blow off steam that weekend, not even thinking about school. Those were the two best days of the whole damn week. The only good days, that weren't wasted by sitting in a prison-like building being lectured at about useless things.

Coda stopped by his locker to strategically fill his backpack. Mom would surely yell at him if she caught wind of how light his backpack was, but if he made it heavy at least she would think he was doing his homework. It wasn't worth another of her stupid lectures about school and education and all the shit.

Coda met up with his younger brother, Kousuke, in their normal meeting spot.

"There you are!" Kousuke said, smiling when he saw his older brother. "What took so long? Did Mr. McGregor keep you late again?!"

"He's nasty," Coda said. "The bell doesn't dismiss you!" Koda said, in a deep gruff voice that sounded exactly like his teacher's. "Fucking Capitol-loving scum," he added, scowling.

Kousuke punched his brother's arm. "Shut up about that, would you," he said, giving a nervous glance around. "You have to be careful when you say things like that."

"I don't care, I'll say what I want, nobody can stop me," Coda said simply, as the two started walking home.

"Well I care," Kousuke said. "You can get in serious trouble for saying stuff like that."

"Ah, but I haven't," Coda said.

"If you keep being so reckless, you will."

"If I get caught, then I deserve it," Coda said simply. Kousuke sighed, but the rest of the walk home was silent.

When the boys got home, Mom was there to meet them.

"Hi boys," she said. "How was your day at school."

"Same as usual," Kousuke said, and Coda nodded in agreement. That was true.

"Blaise called this afternoon," she said. "He seems like he's really thriving. He said that University in District Three is the best opportunity he's ever had, and he's enjoying every second of it. Doesn't that sound nice?"

"If you have the chops to get there," Kousuke said.

"Both of you do have what it takes, if you would only apply yourselves. And you know it." She gave Coda a very pointed look which made him even angrier than he already was.

"He called and I missed it?" Coda asked. All because he was at stupid fucking patriotic Capitol school.

"Well he has a night class this semester, Coda, so he can't call at night when you're home."

Coda didn't really care what she had to say. If he had only been home, just so he could hear his older brother's voice again. It had been so quiet and lonely since he left, and the one chance Coda had to talk to him was taken away, all because he had to go and waste his life away going to school.

"Did you tell him to call again?" Coda asked. Surely his brother wouldn't forget him all because of University.

"He has his own life now, and some intense schoolwork," Mom said matter-of-factly. "He said he misses you both and that he loves you."

That wasn't enough for Coda, who was seething. If only he had just left and went home to pick up that phone. Sure, Coda always knew that Blaise was destined for the greatness of school in District Three, and inheriting the largest textile factory in the District from his father. But Coda never thought that Blaise would just leave him hanging like that.

"You know Coda, you could join him there in four years, when you're eighteen. You just have to get serious about-"

"Don't waste oxygen with that again," Coda said, scowling. "He'll be graduated and back home by then anyways."

"Coda Fukai!" his mother yelled, and he knew that he made her angry. Well, that would make two of them. Coda went straight to his room, not in the mood to have another screaming match with her. He slammed the door to his room to try and block out the sounds of her yelling voice. He had enough of that for one day. How could Blaise do that to him!? They were best friends before he left, and now Coda was here without him while he was having the time of his life doing whatever it was he was doing over at District Three. Coda paced around his room angrily, letting the thoughts flow and not trying to block them out.

He was interrupted by a knock on the door. When he opened it, Kousuke was on the other side.

"What?" Coda asked, sighing.

"I wish you and Mom wouldn't fight like that. Can't you just let it go?"

"Let it go? No, I can't just let it go. That's not what Gunther or Wyatt would do." Coda admired how his friends took control of their problems. They never let anything get to them, they were always in charge of whatever they did. Coda just wanted to be like them. They were everything that Coda wanted to become, they were cool, they were tough, super strong, and they didn't give a damn about anything.

"I don't think you should be so rash…"

"I'm not being rash," Coda said. "Today I'm going to finally unveil a master plan I've been working on."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"I've thought it through, though. But I can't do it alone. I'm going to need a partner in crime. My partner in crime." Coda looked up at his brother and smiled.

"You know I don't like to get wrapped up in this kind of thing."

"It's a masterpiece though." Coda showed him the cans of spray paint he'd bought. Money wasn't a problem for him. "We'll give the Capitol a giant fuck you. Literally."

Kousuke looked at the plan and gasped. "Are you crazy?! A middle finger on the Justice Building!?"

"I know, it's crazy, but I planned it all out perfectly."

"I don't think this is a good idea…" Kousuke said uneasily.

"If you don't want to do it, I'll just get Gunther to do it. He'd be down to help me." Coda was bluffing, but Kousuke didn't have to know that. In fact, Coda didn't even know where Gunther lived, and didn't have a way to contact him other than hoping he would be in the alleyway where he likes to go to shoot up.

Kousuke bit his lip, and Coda knew he got his brother right where he wanted him. "Fine. But I'm not painting, I'll just look out to make sure you don't get in trouble."

"That's the spirit!" Coda said, grinning. "We'll leave at 2:03 A.M. on the dot."

It was going to be the best Friday night ever.

.

Each stroke was invigorating. It felt like Coda would be young forever where he was. He couldn't possibly be taken down at this point.

The feeling of this much control, knowing that people were going to see this and wonder who did it, wonder who had the guts to make a statement, made him feel alive. Everyone would know who he was, but nobody would know his real identity. Peacekeepers would hate him, District citizens would be in awe of him, and he would forever be known as a faceless crusader.

"Are you almost done?" Kousuke asked, snapping Coda out of his fantasy.

"Yes, Kousuke, just give me another few minutes. You can barely tell what it is from that far away." Coda made another line before the can flipped funnily and slid out of his hand. Coda sighed and reached down to get it. He probably should have practiced what he was going to do more, but there were no worries. The Peacekeepers were patrolling other places, not here, or they were asleep. Friday nights, the Peacekeepers liked to drink, they were all passed out and sleeping peacefully.

"Coda!" Kousuke whispered.

"What?" Coda asked, rolling his eyes.

"I hear something," Kousuke said, sounding worried.

"Just a few more strokes, you're just paranoid," Coda said. "It was just a wild animal."

Coda made another stroke when Kousuke yelled. "Coda!"

"Kousuke, what?!" Coda turned around and his heart picked up when he saw the white figures approaching them. "We gotta go."

Koda dropped the cans and grabbed his brother by the hand. He didn't know where they were going to go, but he knew they had to get away from there. There was no other option.

He could hear his brother breathing heavily behind him, either from fear or winded from the running, but he couldn't let him stop now. They had to get far away, and the Peacekeepers were still on their tracks. He kept plowing forward, not taking the time to slow down by looking behind him. If he made one mistake, they would be caught, and then they would be hurt.

Coda saw an abandoned factory and took off running towards it. He didn't know where he was, but that didn't matter. He would help them find their way home once he was sure the threat was gone.

They ran inside the factory and Coda went deep into the dark, rusty infrastructure, where he found a small cove where a machine had once been to hide. Once they were sure they were hidden, both of them collapsed, gasping for air from the run. Kousuke was trembling, but scowling at Coda.

Before long, the boys heard loud voices outside.

"They're going to find us," Kousuke said angrily, glaring up at his brother.

"We're well-hidden," Coda whispered harshly. "If you keep talking so loud, they're going to find us, so shut up."

"We should just go out there and turn ourselves in," Kousuke said quietly, still scowling and catching his breath. "If we do that, we'll get punished, but if they find us in here, we'll be killed for sure."

"They're not going to find us," Coda said. "Don't you trust me?"

"Well you said this would be perfectly safe, and look where we are now."

"Just relax and stop talking already. You're ruining the fun of it."

"This is fun!?" Kousuke asked, and Coda winced at how loud he said it.

"It's the thrill of it," Coda whispered. "Now stay low and shut up, we're going to get caught if you keep that up."

"That's it, I'm going to turn us in," Kousuke said, getting up.

Coda grabbed him by the shirt. "Like hell you are!"

"Let me go," Kousuke said, which Coda did. "It's time you take responsibility for what you did. Now are you coming or not?"

"Kousuke you don't move!" Coda felt nothing but hot rage rising up to his throat. Kousuke didn't stop, and Coda knew that he was going to ruin everything. He had to show his brother that he was serious.

Coda swiveled on his foot. "I said don't move!" with the last word, Coda brought his fist back and punched the wall with all his might. It was all he could do to keep from tackling his brother in place.

Kousuke turned around at the noise, but even after Coda's throbbing fist was back at his side, the cracking sounds continued.

"Coda, we need to-" Kousuke's statement was cut off by the wall collapsing, the foundations of the cove they'd found themselves in cracking until they were cascading down on both boys. Coda was forcefully sent to the ground, a strong pain erupting in his leg that made him scream. He tried to move frantically, but his leg was caught under a long wooden beam. "Kousuke!" Coda shouted, but his brother was crying out and not listening.

Coda struggled some more, but the pain in his leg soon made his entire body white hot, until it came up to his head and it was too much to take. His white-hot pain soon turned into black nothingness as Coda gave up fighting it and passed out on the ground.

.

Coda felt terrible when he woke up. It was like he was underwater, everything blurry and confusing.

He slowly blinked a few times to figure out where he was. The hospital room came into focus. Slowly, the memories came back to him of what had happened. Coda felt a wave of regret crash over him. Why had he done that?!

He looked to see his leg, covered in bandages. Wait… Where was it? Coda looked up, to see it in a sling, but there was no sling. He looked on his bed, but there was no leg. He desperately tried to move his leg, but there was nothing. Coda patted the bed where his leg should have been frantically. No leg.

"My leg," he said, quickly grabbing the nurse's shirt. "Where is my leg?"

The nurse sounded like she was talking in slow-motion. Everything was in slow motion. "We couldn't save your leg honey," she said. "We had to amputate it."

Coda stared at the empty bed in shock and misery. What would he do without his leg?! How would he even function!?

Coda was surprised when he heard the door open and his parents came in. They were the last people he wanted to see after this. Weren't his friends going to visit him? Surely they would think this was a pretty nasty but cool story…Surely they would come as soon as they heard, right? They were his friends.

"Oh Coda, I'm so glad you're awake." Something about his mother had changed, he could see it. But he didn't care. After all that misery she'd put him through.

"Hi," he said, not in the mood to talk. He perked up when he saw his brother in the doorway. He was on his feet, and though he looked pale and had cuts and bruises on his body, he still had all his limbs. "Kousuke," he said. "Are you okay?"

His brother's face went into a scowl. "Concussion and a broken arm."

"Oh, I'm glad to hear you're okay."

"I'm not okay," Kousuke said bitterly. "This is all your fault. I should have known better."

"Kousuke-" Coda had to sit and watch as his little brother turned away from him and walked out of the room, to his own room without his own brother there. His heart sunk to the pit of his stomach. At least Gunner and Wyatt would visit…

"Thankfully, those particular Peacekeepers were easily bribed," Dad said with a sigh.

"Everything is going to be okay," Mom said quietly. "We've bought you a prosthetic, it should be coming in a few days."

Coda couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A prosthetic?"

"You'll be able to go about with your normal life soon."

Coda stared at the ghost leg. "I. I'm still exhausted. I think I'm going to go back to sleep."

"Okay honey," Mom said.

"I'm glad you're alright," Dad said. They left.

Coda had a feeling that his so-called friends weren't going to visit him after all. Now he was basically useless to them, useless to anyone because he couldn't even walk right!

In the darkness of his hospital room, Coda did something he hadn't done in years.

All alone, with nothing left in front of him, no one left to care about him, Coda sat in the dark hospital room and cried.

~.~.

Two months and Two Weeks before the 127th annual reaping

-Harleigh Noheg, District 6-

Harleigh couldn't let anyone see her here.

She had to be sure that she wasn't figured out, or else. She had to get in here quickly, and slip out undetected. It wasn't easy, but Harleigh's strong suit was fitting in with crowds. She wasn't a particularly suspicious-looking girl, normal in almost every form of the word. She wasn't super pretty, nor was she super strong, nor was she extraordinary in any particular way. Most people didn't even know who she was. And the people that did usually knew her as Davidson's sister. That was fine with Harleigh, though. She had no real desire to be known or the center of attention. In fact, there was nothing she hated more.

The easier she could slip in and out of here, the better it would be. She didn't want to run into anybody she knew, that would be like suicide. She just had to continue to keep her head down.

Harleigh took a deep breath before she stepped into the store. She kept her head down as she scaled the aisles looking for what she wanted. If anyone saw her here, saw her in this particular aisle, they would definitely be suspicious. They would wonder what business a girl like her has in those aisles. And that wouldn't be good for Harleigh, because she knows how quickly gossip spreads.

Harleigh skims through the objects, looking for the one that would fit the job best. There were so many options, many of which Harleigh didn't understand. Why had she been sent out for this? She didn't want to get it wrong.

Hurry up and pick something Harleigh, she told herself. The longer she was here, the more likely it would be that she would be caught. And the last thing she wanted was for gossip to be spread about her.

Steeling herself, Harleigh quickly reached out and made a choice. Maybe it would be right, maybe it would be wrong, but she was just doing the best that she could. Harleigh hurried out of there, over to the register, which was run by a familiar face to Harleigh, but a person that didn't know who she was at all.

She only knew Cullen Fidler because he was a Victor's brother, and so often on TV. Harleigh didn't know what he was doing here, but he would be helpful to her as part of the mission. He must have been working a summer job or something, because Harleigh hadn't seen him around here before.

He quickly put the price into the cash register. "Would you like a black bag for this?" he asked her quietly. Harleigh wordlessly nodded. He bagged up her purchase and put the numbers into the cash register. Harleigh put the cash in his hands, exact change. As he was counting to be sure she didn't slight him, Harleigh took the bag and hurried out of the store quickly. She checked behind her to be sure nobody was watching or following her.

She hurried away from the store and, once she was far enough away, took a small sigh of relief. She resumed her normal pace, just another face in the bustling streets of District Six's avenue of stores that surrounded the Justice Building. It was a beautiful day and many of the kids were off for the weekend and bustling around the various stores. It made it far easier for Harleigh to fit in with the crowd, a young crowd.

Harleigh still had a little while to go before she was in the clear, though. She could have chosen to take the bus, but that might be too risky. Too many people all in one place. Harleigh knew the long way, the more secluded way. It might take a little longer to get there, but that didn't matter to Harleigh. In fact, she rather liked the time to herself. She could let loose and unwind a little bit. There was something calming about being alone to Harleigh, and she would enjoy the time alone while she could.

Harleigh held the black bag in one hand and nervously held the bicycle charm on her necklace in the other as she walked. Her mind was content and still, her thoughts settled down. She was worried that she would continue to be nervous the entire walk back, worried about getting caught, worried about what would happen if she couldn't manage to sneak it into the building without getting noticed… But she felt content with her choice and knew that she could make a distraction if she really had to. That wouldn't be a problem. Or so she hoped. She just kept focused on the present as she walked. The warm weather, the nice breeze on her face that flipped her hair slightly. The weather really couldn't be better than this. As much as she was frantic about the mission, at least the weather was nice.

Suddenly, Harleigh heard a rustle in the bushes that made her jump. She turned around quickly, looking behind her. Nothing. Must have just been the wind. Harleigh kept walking, but now felt more on-edge. She walked just a little bit faster than before, anxious to get to safety. She just had to remember how unassuming she looked. Nobody would think anything of her, just a young teen girl walking home with something nice she'd bought from the store. She slowed her pace to not look suspicious.

When Harleigh saw the familiar building, she picked up the pace. She was so close now, she could taste the success. She stopped at the door, staying hidden, trying to peek in to see if anyone was around to see. Upon seeing no one, Harleigh slowly opened the door. The door betrayed her with a loud creak, but heard no approaching footsteps. Harleigh slowly closed the door, making sure it was latched in place. Harleigh snuck from room to room, looking for any activity. Harleigh heard some activity, but by the time she did, she was already home free.

Relieved, Harleigh collapsed on the floor of her bedroom. Now nobody would know that she'd forgotten about Nana's birthday.

She opened the bag and pulled out the lavender spool of yarn that Nana would use for her crocheting. She wasn't sure what color Nana was running low on, but that would work. And thankfully, no one from her class had seen her shopping in the knitting aisle. That would have been embarrassing. Harleigh had no interest in knitting or doing anything of the sort.

And Davidson was none the wiser. Her twin brother was so loving and thoughtful, he'd definitely remembered, and Harleigh didn't want to look bad by forgetting. Although she didn't always see eye-to-eye with her Nana, she appreciated that Nana would take in a pair of lost orphans whose parents were gone from the face of the earth and raise them on her own at the young age of twenty. Harleigh knew that even though Nana didn't always agree with her, that she was a strong woman that Harleigh appreciated.

Harleigh's family was just barely scraping by, so there was really no wrapping paper to spare. Luckily, the store provided black bags to use to obscure gifts that people bought so that they could still have the experience of not knowing what their presents were. And, even though the back way sometimes concealed thieves, Harleigh would have rather gone that way and had some time to herself than risk seeing one of Davidson's friends that would let it spill that she was out shopping, which would prompt him to ask her why she was out and then she would have to tell him she forgot… Thankfully it was all just fine. Thieves were seen very rarely, anyways.

Harleigh took a second to wrap the yarn in the black bag and tie it off so that Nana would have to work to open the presents. It at least somewhat resembled wrapping paper.

Once Harleigh was satisfied with the look of her present, she could relax. Her outing was a success, and no one would be the wiser that she forgot. If only she'd remembered earlier, she could have ordered some cookies or something for her Nana. District Six was still enjoying a bit of a high after they had a Victor two years ago, so cookies were a possibility.

Nana had gotten cookies to celebrate Harleigh and Davidson's birthday last year, and it was one of the best days of Harleigh's life. She heard her brother telling his friends at school about it the next day. He told them just about everything. It was nice for him that he had that group, even if Harleigh didn't, she didn't want a big group of people. All she needed was her brother. They were one in the same, both of them orphans that were raised by a single Nana, with parents that didn't give a damn about the twins they were leaving behind. Most of what Harleigh felt, she didn't have to explain to him, because he already knew and understood it. He felt it too.

Harleigh took her present out to the kitchen, where Nana was now up and making breakfast for Davidson, who was cheerfully sitting at the table.

"Good morning Harleigh," Nana said.

Harleigh put her present up on the table at Nana's spot, where Davidson's gift was also waiting for her. "Happy birthday," she said.

"Oh, for me? You shouldn't have, honey. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Harleigh smiled a little bit, hoping that Nana would like the gift.

"You're just in time for breakfast," Nana said, serving each twin and herself two pieces of toast, some with peanut butter and some with jam, depending on the person's preference.

"That looks good," Davidson said cheerfully.

He was always that way. Harleigh certainly appreciated the nice breakfast, but that didn't change the fact that it was the same thing they had been eating for breakfast for the past two years, almost. It was a good breakfast, but nothing to get so excited about.

"Thank you Davidson," Nana said, taking a seat at her spot.

"Are you going to open your presents now?" Davidson asked, tapping his feet excitedly.

"Would you like me to?" she asked, smiling and taking a bite of toast.

"You can wait until you're ready to," he said, but still looked excited.

"Well I'll start with yours first," Nana said, taking Davidson's gift and tearing open the bag to look inside. "Oh, this is wonderful!" Harleigh realized that she had chosen the wrong color as Nana pulled the lavender spool of yarn from the bag from Davidson. "What a pretty color. Thank you so much Davidson."

Davidson smiled. "You're welcome."

Oh no.

Nana reached for Harleigh's gift, and the girl knew it was too late now. She watched as Nana ripped open the bag and pulled out the (other) lavender spool of yarn from Harleigh. At the sight, Nana laughed. "Well would you look at that!" she said, smiling.

"Woah, what do you know?" Davidson said, grinning at Harleigh. "Great minds think alike, I guess!"

"Yeah, I guess so," Harleigh said. She couldn't help but feel disappointed that she'd picked the same color as her brother.

"Thank you. I was running out of lavender, but now I will have plenty to work with!"

"I guess we should have collaborated to make sure we didn't get the same thing," Harleigh said.

"We should have," Davidson said. "It's a twin thing I guess."

"Well, it gave your Nana a great tickle," she said. "And yarn doesn't expire, thankfully, so I'll be well-endowed with lavender yarn for a good long while."

Davidson laughed at that, and that got a small smile out of Harleigh. She was right, thankfully it wouldn't expire. And thankfully, Nana crocheted often, and would use it up somehow.

"Your friends must think I'm an old lady, a Nana that crochets for fun," she said. "I'm not even forty yet, though, so don't think I'm that old!"

"My friends know you're not old," Davidson said. "They've seen you!"

"Well I hope I'm not showing my age yet," Nana teased, ruffling his curly dark hair on her way past to rinse off the dishes.

"Definitely not!" Davidson said cheerfully. "My friends always say that we all look like a family."

"Well of course we do, because we are one. People can see the love we have," Nana said.

"No, they mean appearance-wise," Davidson said. It was uncanny how she looked like the twins, after all.

Davidson always said how much he wished that Nana was actually their mother. That they were living with one of their blood parents all along. Maybe they would know their father, they could meet them, Davidson always talked about how badly he wanted that. But Harleigh knew it couldn't be true. Physical appearance, especially those that are so typical like their own. Harleigh always told him: if Nana was our mother, why would she not just raise us as a single mother and have us call her Mom? Not to mention, you could go through downtown District Six and find at least five other people that look like us that we could call our mother. Maybe we even look like our dad, which adds the total to far more than five. It just didn't make sense for that to be true. Even assuming that Nana was their biological mother, there was obviously a reason why their father wasn't there. Davidson would want to know about him, even if it hurt.

Harleigh, unlike her twin, had no desire. She didn't want to know about her parents. She just didn't see the point in it. Her parents were gone. They were as good as dead to her. They weren't here. They didn't want the twins to know them as their parents. As far as Harleigh was concerned, she had no parents, nor would she ever. She had her brother and her Nana, and that was how the world was. And they were all that Harleigh needed. She couldn't ask for anything more.

"Yes, we all look good together."

"Are you sure you know nothing about our mother, Nana?"

Harleigh sighed at the question. She knew that it made Nana feel bad because she truly knew nothing and felt terrible that she didn't have anything to tell them. Harleigh loved her brother and wanted him to be happy, but this was an impossible way to get there.

"Davidson…" Nana sat back down across from the twins. "You know that I wish I could tell you anything about your parents. I really wish I had the answers for you." She looked sad. Harleigh gave her brother a pointed look, which meant to not push it. After all, today was her birthday, and she didn't need to be thinking about this today.

"I know," he said quietly. "I'm sorry. I just hope…"

"She doesn't have to be related to us by blood," Harleigh said. "She's still our Nana, and love is what makes a family. It doesn't matter who banged who that brought us into the world, because our father and mother obviously don't give a damn about us, and they never did because we don't even know them. But today is about Nana, our real family. Let's appreciate her today."

Davidson smiled. "You're right, Harleigh. I'm sorry Nana. I didn't mean to make you upset."

Nana smiled, but still looked pained. "That's alright honey. It's really not a problem."

"Let's do something fun today," Davidson said. Harleigh smiled. It had been a while since she had a day with her brother all to herself, without his friends in the picture. As selfish as she knew it was, she was really looking forward to it.

"Sounds great to me!" Nana said.

"Me three," Harleigh said, smiling.

~.~.

A/N: Back with another update! So this one is going to be different about this chapter. Usually, I post tribute drawings as soon as the chapter is up, but because Harleigh's submitter is set to go to camp on Sunday and I wanted to get this out ASAP for her to read before she's packing and getting ready to go! So the drawings will be posted probably either tonight or tomorrow, so watch out for those at a later time.

Hope you liked this chapter! These tributes were both fun to write and they came to me really easily. I realize that I've forgotten to say who submitted which character in the chapters, but youc an see that on the blog or on the tribute list if you're curious.

Chapter Question is the same as always. Thoughts of both tributes, and if one of them was yours, how did I do?

See you hopefully soon with the next set of intros! Only four more chapters of them to go!