Prologue 1: Legacy Lives On In Me

Pandora Striker
Victor of the 149th Hunger Games, 15

Pandora Striker had won her Games - the 149th - at the tender age of 14. She hadn't won her Games by brute strength, experience, strategy, training, etcetera - most unlike a typical tribute from 2 - but through her curiosity and sheer determination to succeed, despite how her district had left her for the wolves - literally at that, what with the wolf mutts that tore the head off of the male 9.

The other, much older, much more experienced, much more trained Careers had barely taken a look at her before deeming she wouldn't make it out of the Bloodbath, and when she proved to have the skills to, and afterwards successfully survived the Bloodbath with a kill to her name, it didn't take much for her perfect district partner to actively hunt her down. In all honesty, screw 2, in all its "glory". It's just another puppet of the Capitol.

Her Games had lasted no more than a week, and she had returned home, Victorious, with three kills to her name, yet still very much trapped in the arena.

Which brings her here, by tradition, obligated to mentor the next tribute and guide them to not die, returning home safe and sound. District 2's training centre is packed, as expected and not quite as per usual, everyone eager to hear the Quell Twist. Maybe less eager, and more hopeful that it will increase (for those behind on the list)/maintain (for those at the top of the list) their chances of being the chosen volunteer.

Pandora wonders, much like her namesake, if it's different in other districts - if they hope it reduces their chances of being Reaped instead. Then she tries her best to stop. Curiosity killed the cat, after all. It's part of what caused her to be rigged into the Games without a volunteer to take her place. Couldn't keep quiet and go with the flow, couldn't listen to what the trainers had to say, couldn't keep her head down and slip through the cracks. Sometimes, she wonders which of her many enemies were the ones that rigged her in.

Her Games had been won alone - no one to ally the "hated one", "outlying Career", "what if she's just like the others and stabs you in the back the moment she can?" She had no allies to speak of, no experience with the Careers, nothing. When she heads off to mentor her first - and likely only - tribute, she'll, similarly likely, doom them to a quick death. Maybe she'll pass them off to Polo. He'll do a way better job than her. Then she'll never have to mentor again, and can just live her life in a corner.

There's a buzz around her, everyone - mentor, Victor, potential tribute - talking. The other Victors are excited - too much for her, and she's not even remotely near communicating with them. They don't talk to her anyway - no need for them to mar their reputations.

Perhaps the only company she has worth keeping is Phyllis, the Victor from 7, who won her Games just about 2 years before her own. Phyllis is nice enough, from what she understood during her Victory Tour. They're both about the same age too. If nothing else, Phyllis copes well enough, better than Pandora, obviously. Maybe Pandora will mentor again, just to see Phyllis more often.

Pandora's attention is drawn back to the large screen at the front of the hall, as the current President of Panem, President Evangeline Silver, starts listing off the past Quells. Everyone here in 2 can list them by heart, but Pandora listens anyway.

"On the twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it." The image on screen divides itself into half, and the one not showing President Silver plays a quick recap on the Reapings of the Victor that year.

"On the fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen, every district was required to send twice as many tributes." The previous recap of the 25th Games changes to one of the 50th, a quick scene of the Victor's Victory Tour.

"On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes were reaped from their existing pool of victors." This is the first time these Games are truly mentioned in a long while, the Mockingjay's Rebellion falling to pieces the moment their figurehead died in the Bloodbath, the other rebels dying off just as quickly, leaving none other that District 2's Enobaria to return back home once more. There's a scene of Enobaria's brutal victory, the other tribute lying on the ground in front of her, blood gushing from his throat. The Rebellion is only ever thought about, or discussed in low voices at small gatherings.

"On the hundredth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that everyone, regardless of their age, suffered in the Dark Days, the tributes for this Games will be reaped from all age groups." The Victor that year had years of advantage over some other tributes, and had a clean sweep to Victory, returning to District 2 within a week.

"On the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder that the rebels initiated violence, every tribute was a volunteer, and the Reapings did not proceed without one." These Reapings were over in seconds in the Career districts, but took way longer to proceed in the outer ones. There's a quick shot of the Victor from 4, who would be mentoring this year too, apparently.

Finally, President Silver picks up the envelope with the neatly written cursive "CL" on it, and unfolds the yellowed paper gently. "This year, on the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder that the rebels caused everyone to suffer from the loss of family members during the Dark Days, all tributes will be a sibling of a previous tribute."

And Pandora chokes out a sigh of relief, because she has no siblings, let alone any of Reaping age. There's no way this Quell is going to affect her in many ways, no more than a normal Games.

Then she wonders if Phyllis has any siblings and prays for their safety.

(All the way back in District 7, Phyllis Leif spends the day comforting her many siblings, one, two, three, four. Only the youngest isn't of age. The odds are far from in their favour.)

(A/N: Okay. Yay. I'll have a tribute list in the next "Prologue" and on my profile. And well, the form's a bit long, I suppose. But first! Rules!

1. The typical, PM only, no review submissions.
2. Tributes are allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis, the back-up district part is for me to allocate districts if that slot was taken and you submitted before I could update the list.
3. There's no deadline since it's first-come-first-serve.
4. Please be at least somewhat detailed, so I can write your character somewhat decently. (It also increases your chances of living past the bloodbath!)
5. Reviews are appreciated, but not necessary - though if I call for check-ins, I would very much appreciate if you responded.
6. Please submit with the title as [Name], [Gender], [District].

Mhm, the rules will be on my profile as well, along with the form (because you can copy-paste from there, unlike here) and well... As I said, the next chapter will be another "Prologue" with the list of tributes, and after that, I'll move on to the introductions for whatever tributes I have on hand. Well... Let's see how this goes!

I know the twist is a bit common, but this... well... Let's just say that I didn't want to have to world-build for mentors and such.)