District One

Sheen de Halloran

The Peacekeepers leave me alone in one of the small dark rooms of the Justice Building. I sigh in frustration. I don't care about the goodbyes. The only thing that matters is the Games - and the Victory. Why can't the action just start already?

My father walks into the room, the cold and serious look in his eyes focused on me. As he approaches me, I stay silent. If I begin talking too soon, he'll think I'm nervous. I'm not nervous - I'm anxious for the Games to begin.

"Everyone knows you can kill," my father says eventually. "You killed your sister." I nod. "You have no regrets." I nod again.

"What's your point? Don't you have any advice?" I snap.

"I'm not giving you any advice now. This is the Games. Now it's up to you to remember what you've been taught."

"Well..."

"I believe, Sheen, that you might not only be a Victor, but a very rare Victor. One of the few Victors to be happy with their win. The Games are more complicated then they seem. Memories never leave you alone. But you, Sheen, have no guilt. You could be one of the few Victors to escape the Games with their sanity." With that, the Peacekeepers whisk my father away.

No one else comes to visit me.

Sparkle Starlet

I wasn't sure if my sister and I would be separated for Goodbyes, but apparently they're leaving sibling sets together, so Shimmer and I sit side by side.

"You excited?" She asks as we wait for our guests to arrive.

"Excited?" I smile. "I'm thrilled!"

"Me too," Shimmer smiles, her silver clothes sparkling. "I've been waiting for this day-"

"Forever!" I pipe up and finish with her. We giggle. "Jinx."

The door creaks open and our dad, the mayor, runs in beside our doting mom. "I'm so proud of both of you!" our father exclaims. "Look at our girls! Little tributes!"

"We're Victors dad," we say together, and start laughing.

"Of course! Victors! You've trained so hard. You'll be the ones to bring my District honor!" My dad tears up a little, smiling at us, his little gems.

Our mom, tears running down her face, runs to us. "Good luck," she says quietly, trying to hide her crying. "We'll see you in a month!"

"Get in the career pack girls," Dad says seriously. "Wow them when you get a twelve in training!"

"A twelve?" Shimmer laughs, as if the idea is ridiculous. "We're getting thirteens!"

Shimmer is right. We're amazing. They'll have to invent a new score for us!

"Times up," a Peacekeeper walks back to us. "I mean, Mayor, sir." He adds skittishly upon remembering who he is dealing with. My parents back away to leave.

Just as they exit the door, my mom begins to sob. "May the odds be ever in your favor!" She calls before leaving us alone.

District Two

Vince Carlisle

"Ha! I win!" I shout as I knock my brother's hand down. He growls and looks away. For the past minute, we've been arm wrestling in the Justice Building goodbye room, waiting for someone. Saber scowls at me just as the door opens. Our mom and dad walk in, acting calm.

"So boys," our Dad smiles. "Was it worth it? Are you happy to be here?"

"No dad, we're ready to start crying like a little girl from District Twelve," I say sarcastically.

Saber ignores my comment and answers dad. "I'm so excited! Vince and I will kill everyone who gets near us. Except the careers. We'll save them for last."

"Dad, I'll have the highest kill count on record," I say casually, rolling my eyes at Saber.

"You?" Saber glares at me.

"Yes me!" I snap. "You couldn't even win arm wrestling!" We glare at each other for a moment, an unpleasant feeling settling in the room.

"Well, before you two kill each other, I'd like to talk to Saber," my mom says in her usual rigid voice. Saber smiles slyly at me, obviously proud to be getting extra attention. I ignore Saber. Being mommy's boy is nothing to be proud of. Saber and Mom disappear to a corner of a room where I can't hear them. Dad stares at me, not seeming to care that he's not giving any advice to his departing son.

"Times up!" a Peacekeeper shouts. Mom and Saber come back to us.

"Bye," Mom kisses me on top of my head and calmly leaves. Dad gives a small wave and follows her. Saber and I are alone again. I wait for a moment to leave the room, thinking that my goodbyes were over, when the door swings open again.

"Vince! Saber! Are you ready? Are you ready?" Our eleven year old brother Blade runs into the room, bouncing with joy.

"Of course we're ready!" Saber smiles. I scoff. Why is this obnoxious kid here?

"Blade," I say, "why'd you come in alone?"

"'Cause I want to, that's why. I want you to tell me all about the Games! You're gonna kill everyone, right?"

"Everybody," I grin.

"Do you think I'll be able to volunteer? Next year?"

"That wouldn't be allowed," Saber shrugs. "You'll have to wait-"

"But with you two as brothers! You'll be the cruelest Victors ever! They'll have to let me go!"

"Keep dreaming," I smirk.

Blade ignores me and begins to bounce up and down. "Can you mention me in the interviews?"

"And what an annoying brat you are?"

"No! About how I'm the toughest brother around!"

"Toughest?" Saber smile. "Really?" He dives at Blade and they begin a tickle war, rolling across the floor.

"Times up!" the Peacekeeper shouts again. Blade hops up and waves goodbye. Still smiling, he leaves the room. Good. I'm tired of this Capitol build up. When will the Games begin?

Kas Thorn

Kat glares at the wall, her arms crossed. Kels is glaring at Kat, sizing her up with those cold eyes of hers. "What are you so angry about?" Kels snarls at Kat. Kat ignores her and pulls out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket. I step back. I knew Kat partied, but I guess I never considered how far, exactly, she went. Kat pulled out a cigarette and lit it, before shoving the putrid smelling rod into her mouth. Kels scoffs at Kat, as if lighting the cigarette was an insult specially aimed at her. "You think that you're so much better than me!"

Kat casually slid her cigarette out of her mouth, "No. I just hate you."

"Why? Why do you hate me? I'm doing you a favor!"

"Kels, you're sending me to my death. I'm handling this pretty well."

"I can't beleive you don't understand the opportunity I'm giving you! You know what? It's okay. I hate you too. And don't forget what I said. I will kill you-"

At that moment, the door swung open. Mom and Dad walked in, serious expressions on their faces. Mom looked at Kels and me and smiled, but soon her grin faltered. "Kat. Get the cigarette out. Of. Your. Mouth. Now!"

Kat looked up at Mom and rolled her eyes. "No."

"What?"

"No. I don't have to take anything from you anymore. No."

"Oh. I see how it is," Mom smirked and turned away.

"So Kas, you must be excited!"

Me? Well, no, I'm terrified. But I can't let anyone know. This is what the rest of my life will be like. I am a heartless career.

For the rest of the Goodbye, no one talked to Kat. She stood in a corner and smoked. I wanted to say something, anything to comfort her, but I can't. If I want to live, I can't sympathize for Kat. At all.

District Three

Shenji Huang

"Because all three of you are in th same family, you'll be doing Goodbyes together," a Peacekeeper ushered us into a dark room. I sigh with relief. If this is really happening, which it somehow is, I don't want Bayon to be separated from me. Kenji continued to stand with his arms crossed, not smiling or frowning. Bayon was beginning to fret, nervously tugging at her hair.

The door, dusty and wooden, creaks open. "Bayon?" our mom peeks into the room. "Shenji! Kenji! My babies!" She runs forward and hugs me, tears streaming down her face. "You'll make it, you can win," she tries to control her shaking.

I begin to nod when a thought rises to my mind. Kenji and I are one tribute, and Bayon is another. We can't - no, can we? The troubling concept sinks deeper into my mind. We can't all win!

I think Bayon realized the same thing because at that moment, she falls to her knees. I crouch beside her, ready to wipe her tears, only to see she isn't crying. "You have to be the Victor," she says with a fierce intensity.

"No! Bayon-"

"Yes. You and Kenji both. There are two of you, one of me. You can be the Victors."

"But you-"

"What? I'm a girl? I'm ready to face this but you have to win. Here me? No choice."

I plan on objecting, but I can't find what to say. I slowly nod.

I look up to see my mom, still sobbing. Dad is standing behind her, patting her shoulder. I didn't even notice when he entered.

"Find water, okay?" He says. "As long as you have water you can live. Water."

Bayon stands up. "We'll be sure to do that. Just watch. You'll be proud to see us drinking at the only spring in this God forsaken arena."

"I know you will."

"Times up!"

Mom and Dad slowly leave the room. Bayon and I wave. Kenji nods in their direction, but his expression is a tight scowl. It scares me. He loves me, right? He wouldn't kill Bayon, but would he kill me? So unpredictable... Just like the Games to come.

District Four

Luant Sarvor

As we stand behind the closed doors of the Justice Building, I try to push my nightmare out of my mind. My friend has been dead for a while now. There is no point in grieving.

Despite my desperate attempts to forget about him, this just doesn't feel right. Dante should be visiting me at the Goodbyes. I should be allowed to see my best friend before I enter the Hunger Games.

Farley is pacing, not out of nerves, but out of excitement. "When will they realize that the goodbyes are stupid?" he says to himself. "I want action!"

The door swings open and, to my surprise, Milo walks in. He and I had been pretty close before the shark attack. Now, now we hardly saw each other. I train now. That's all I do. I don't allow myself to have any friends, or participate in any of the idiotic teenager activities I used to be a part of. Milo and I hadn't spoken in what feels like forever.

"Hey Luant," Milo smiles. He walks up to my side.

"What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"I figured I'd say Goodbye to you one last time."

"You don't think I'm coming back?"

"I'm not saying that. You sure train enough to be Victor," Milo says quickly. "But, ever since Dante, you know, passed away, you haven't been the goofy old Luant I was friends with. You've been serious and obsessed with your training. Every once and a while, you'll say something to me that reminds me of how you used to be. Then you're serious again. After the Games, and I know this as a fact, the old Luant will be dead. You may come out of the Arena alive, but you'll be even more stern than you are now. I came to say bye to my old friend before he's gone forever."

"Milo, I don't have time for jokes now. I'm heading into the Arena!"

"Sorry then. I didn't mean to be an annoyance. But old Luant would have enjoyed this. I guess I should have said goodbye earlier." Milo turns away and strides out of the room. Somehow, I feel hollow. Maybe I should have at least tried to tease him. Maybe, I should of smiled.

At that moment, the door opens again. My mom and dad run in. They beam proudly at my brother and I. Farley begins to talk to them, but I can't really hear anything. What am I feeling? Guilt? I'm going into the Hunger Games! This is no time for me to feel guilty. No matter what happens, I have to be emotionless. And I'll prove to Milo that I can make it out alive.

Destiny Fae

Astrid is nervous, I can tell. Although only by ten months, she is my younger sister. I should do something to comfort her. I take a deep breath and reach for her hand. She looks at me for a moment before holding my hand too.

"It's okay to be nervous," I tell her.

"I'm not nervous! I'm just, thinking."

"What about?"

"You want to know the truth?"

"Of course!"

"Dad."

That quiets me. I think about Dad all the time. What was so different now? Was she hoping he could be at the Goodbyes with us?

Astid begins to talk again, "In the Arena, Destiny, I obviously want to win. Otherwise Mom will most likely commit suicide. But I can't help but wonder, if I die-"

"Don't think like that!"

"Just hear me out. Do you think that, if I die, I could see Dad?"

"Astrid! That's a horrid thought!"

"What's so horrid about it? Death won't be so bad if I can be with Dad again."

"Astrid, no. We have to be Victors. For Mom! And Dad wouldn't want us dead."

A loud creak tells me that the door is opening. Mom walks in, smiling at us. "So nice to see you before you become celebrities!" Mom smiles. "Your father should be here, I don't know why he's taking so long. He'll want to see his daughters before they become Victors!"

Astrid tenses. "Mom. Leave. Right now."

"What?" I snap my head towards Astrid.

"I told Mom to get out. I won't put up with this. Not before the Arena."

"But she's our Mom! We can't leave without saying Goodbye."

Mom stares at both of us, her eyes wide with confusion.

"I want her out. Now."

I want to tell Astrid no, but I can't find it in me. I run to Mom and wrap her tightly in a hug. "I love you," I whisper to her. She blinks at me, tears in her eyes.

"I love you too Mom," Astrid says quietly. "Now get out."

Mom slowly gets up and leaves Astrid and I to wait alone.

AN

Hey everybody! Sorry the update took so long. I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter. Thank you to all of my reviewers! Every review is appreciated, so please review, review, review! Thanks also for all of the favorites and follows!

All right, just to make this clear, I do not encourage teen smoking, or smoking at any age. Smoking is terrible for your body, as I'm sure you've heard before. However, in this chapter, Kat smokes. This is because it was a part of the tribute's form, and I thought it fit her character well. I don't encourage smoking any more than I encourage children fighting to the death.

Please vote on the fan favorite poll! The poll is a determining in factor in who will be Victor. I have narrowed my Victor options down to two tributes, based on a checklist of criteria that these tributes had to meet, and whichever tribute gets more votes will be Victor.

Also, there is a 24 Authors 24 Tributes collaboration open by FireflyLlama. Check out the forum if you're interested. FireflyLlama has the link on her profile.

Lastly, I'm a beta now! If you would like me to beta one of your stories, PM me!

Again, thanks for reading, and please follow, favorite, and review!

"I always channel my emotions into my work. That way I won't hurt anyone else but myself."

~Oceane