Juniper Triton- District Four male (18)

Juniper Triton wasn't worth talking about. He was boring and mousy and he had no friends because he was a stupid orphan and no one liked him. But everyone loved Jackie the Merman.

When I was Jackie, colored lights carved beams through the tank I swam in. They glittered off the scales of my dark green tail and left motes of dust and debris dancing multicolored in my wake. The painted lines on my arms glowed under the otherwise invisible blacklight. They made me look exotic and otherworldly. No one needed to know that when I wiped off the paint, the horizontal lines on my forearm were still there.

The trident in my hand was part of my act but I wasn't doing a show as I darted forth under the water. I was playing a different role. Anyone who wanted to be selected as volunteer had to act the part. Acting required not just emotional skills but sometimes physical ones as well. To be a mermaid I had to look alluring and mysterious but I also had to hold my breath for more than a minute and make swimming look as easy as floating. To be a career I had to project an aura of confidence and ruthlessness. That could be faked, but weapons skills couldn't.

My biggest hope was that the Arena had something to do with water. I couldn't hope that it would be underwater, since that had already happened once and was insane enough just that one time. But of course the Arena would have some water. People kind of needed water to live. Whatever river, or lake, or ocean, or tank served as the Arena's water source, it would be my domain. Like a kelpie of yore I would be lurking to slay anyone who needed water. And everyone needed water.

Roles upon roles upon roles. The mermaid wasn't me and the Career wasn't either. I didn't really want to go into the Games and kill people. I wanted someone else to not go into the Games. I knew the Academy wanted to pick Valentino Speck. Valentino wouldn't have been at the Academy if he'd gotten the job he wanted. But the circus had only had one opening. So Valentino was a volunteer and I was a merman who owed it to him to give him back his life.

It scared me sometimes how easily I could slip into a role that I knew wasn't me. When I held the triton and thought of the Arena I became ready to kill. I knew I could kill. I wasn't the shrinking violet I was by nature. I was a fighter who could envision where my triton would sink into a vital area and pull the life out of a body when I pulled it out. Maybe it was because I never had friends. It was easy for me to imagine killing someone because I'd never connected to the humanity in another person. They were all just distant beings that came and went from my life. The only one I'd ever gotten close to was Valentino. I hadn't seen him in years but still I was willing to die for him. I guess that meant if I ever did make a friend, I'd be a good one.

Maybe I'll make some friends in the Capitol. It sounded weird but it would kind of be easier. We'd all know it was temporary. We could make temporary friendships precisely because they wouldn't last. The vulnerability would be erased by the knowledge that in a few days either we'd be dead or our friend would. "Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead". You might as well tell a secret in the Capitol. Dead men don't tell tales.

Talise Cicero, District Four female- 16

People were always surprised to find out we had to put in an application to be the year's volunteer. It wasn't the main deciding factor, of course. The decision was largely made based on physical prowess and Academy standings. But some things couldn't be observed in an Academy setting. Mental and spiritual, for lack of a better word, factors played a big part as well. So while a strong fighter could half-ass the application and still get picked, it paid to take it seriously and do your best.

RATE YOURSELF OUT OF THE CURRENT POPULATION OF POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS:

The questionnaire listed percentiles in increments of 10%. The obvious pick to look confident but modest was 70th percentile and the obvious "confident Career" pick was 99th percentile. I marked myself down as 90th percentile without much thought. It wasn't even a brag about myself. We just had a sad crop this year. That was why a 16-year-old even had a chance.

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD YOU KILL YOUR DISTRICT PARTNER?

I lied like a rug. "Never! If I can't win I have to make sure it still comes back to Four!" Sometimes you don't say the right answer to a test question. You say what the teacher want to hear.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST WEAKNESS IN ACADEMY TRAINING?

Yikes, tricky question. I had plenty of things I could say about trainers or traditions but this needed to be something practical. I wrote my answer quickly as it came to mind. "The Academy teaches students how to do things "correctly". That's a great foundation but in the Arena things are going to be chaotic. We need more practice on doing what's practical, not what's correct."

WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST NECESSARY FACTOR FOR VICTORY?

Bam, one and done. "Adaptability"

WHY DO YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE GAMES? 150-300 WORDS.

This was probably what took most people the longest. I'd anticipated the question so I had a few things in mind. I started jotting them down to see if they fit the word length.

I'm gonna be really honest with you. I'm in this for the money. I joined the Academy knowing the top students got stipends. I know if I get picked that my family will get money while I'm gone and if I die I get a pension. That probably makes it sound like I don't care if I win, which isn't the case. I do want to win, both since I don't want to die and also because if I win I get tons of money, which I can use to buy a boat for my family since ours was repossessed. So you know I'll do my best because the longer I last the bigger pension my family gets.

I counted the words, rolled my eyes, and got to work splitting every contraction into two words.

Vera Busattil, District Four mentor

What happens when you're the weird half-Victor? You get stuck with secretary duties.

OFFICIAL ACADEMY DOCUMENT: 66th HUNGER GAMES VOLUNTEER SELECTIONS

MALE: VALENTINO SPECK

Valentino's prowess with spears and javelins makes him a double threat for both close and ranged combat. He demonstrated drive and ferocity all throughout his Academy time and comes with letters of recommendation from three instructors. His physical fitness is outstanding. We are highly confident he will win the Games barring unexpected mishaps.

FEMALE: TALISE CICERO

The unfortunate narcotics scandal that sidelined multiple front-runners has forced us to consider other factors. Talise's application highlighted her teamwork and loyalty. She will be a helpful ally and shield for Valentino, allowing him to get farther without injury. Her assistance and sacrifice will be a great assistance to his victory.

Juniper: Cuban descent, wavy shoulder-length hair, handsome

Talise: Native American descent, with frizzy, dark black hair cropped short. She has coffee-brown eyes and has a stubby nose and has a crooked smile with a missing front tooth. She has olive-dark skin and is five feet and two inches. She's built strongly and is shaped like an endomorph/mesomorph but is thin for her body-type

At last that's everyone! I think it took longer to get through the Reapings than it will to write the entire rest of the story. But anyway now I can go full steam ahead!