AN – I don't like splattering the top of every chapter about not owning anything, support the official release however I did forget to mention one thing. I don't have a beta, rereading it myself and I too saw some grammatical mistakes. With those out of the way please enjoy, reviews are nice to hear what people think.
The first thing the doctors had done to Peeta was erase his memories and implant new ones. As long as the new persona was used the older memories would go away over time. Once Peeta was completely well again he was taken to District One by Snow's personal guards and given to a family who ran an art studio for Capital Events. A mother and father who lost their son to an accident gladly accepted the confused young man and named him Azura after the color of his eyes. At seventeen returning to school seemed like a waste so instead he painted for his family while being thrust into the school for Careers. Three months before the 75th Hunger Games were announced he was told that he would be picked to go into the games. Knowing that this devastated his parents he was determined to win taking to wrestling as if he had done it before.
At eighteen it would be the last time he was eligible for the Hunger Games so at lunch when he sat among the other hopefuls he wasn't really listening until he was pushed, playfully by a girl with brown hair tied in two braids named Topaz after the gems her family used.
"So Azura, last chance, do you think you'll make it to the games?" she asked with a smile, popping some bread into her mouth. Azura was told not to tell anyone about his entry so he shrugged.
"As much as anyone else our ages I guess."
"Are you ready? You'll have to kill one of us as well, since there's only one winner." Azura shrugged again noncommittal.
"Almost had two last year," said the boy across from them, Atlas, "That bitch from twelve who killed Glimmer and Marvel was so lucky to have Lover Boy there with her. No way would she have survived without him."
"Yeah right, he was a gimp and a liability," Topaz said with a sneer. Azura couldn't remember the last games due to an accident he luckily survived.
"Yeah but she was his weakness, that kid wasn't going to let anyone kill her. The best bodyguard in the arena, even killed himself for her. I might like the chick I go in with but when it comes down to it, I'll kill any one here for the title of Victor."
"His name was Peeta," Azura said.
"Yeah what kind of name is that?"
"What kind of name is Topaz?" Atlas asked with a wicked smile, "We don't get to pick our names. I bet Az here would want a different name as well, right?"
"Nah, Azura is good enough. My teachers told me that they couldn't forget my name thanks to my eyes. If I ever go in I guess that will help me net some sponsors."
The conversation turned to the Quarter Quell and to Haymitch and Blaze, the victors of the first and second quells. Another smart kid from twelve and a lucky one from Two. Blaze's family demanded that he become one of those voted to prove their loyalty to the Capitol. Since most of the tributes had been weak Blaze became the Victor easily enough but he died of old age before Haymitch won against double the amount of killers. Thoughts then went to what this Quell would be and how it was going to be different continued throughout the cafeteria making Azura go silent as he knew what would be happening.
When the Victory Tour came through District One Azura didn't crowd to see the latest Victor, instead he continued to train having no interest on the Girl on Fire, which came from that entrance of hers at the last games and half of the star crossed lovers. There was also the teasing, because if you squinted he did resemble Peeta Mellark. However unlike the boy who died for the one he loved Azura couldn't care less about the young woman. Watching the recaps on TV he didn't find her to be very pretty and closed off. Maybe after the games, if he survives, he'll start looking at girls in the interest of having a family. Until then though he could only train because he loved his adoptive parents and didn't want them to go through the loss of another child.
It was another month before the Quarter Quell was announced and Azura didn't need to feel like he was keeping a secret from the others. Sitting on the ground in front of the couch where his mother and father were they watched the announcement. Knowing what was happening Azura sketched while his mother sewed trying to not think about things. They knew like Azura had known however it wouldn't make the blow any less powerful. Suddenly the logo of the Capitol vanish and President Snow is reading from a card.
"For the first Quarter Quell the districts were informed that they had to vote for the children who would become tributes and the first Victor was Blaze Char who passed away twenty six years ago. The second Quarter Quell required the districts to provide two of each gender in remembrance of how for each one rebel child killed two Capitol children died. The Victor is Haymitch Abernathy from District Twelve. Now for the third Quarter Quell to show that all the Districts were responsible for the deaths that came from the rebellion and to show that no one district is held above another all twenty four tributes will be selected from the districts known in the games as the careers. Twenty-four children from districts one, two, three and four will enter the Quarter Quell. May the odds forever be in your favor." With that the logo returned and the music swelled. Heading up to the roof where his parents let him paint alone Azura looked at the night sky. The selection would be next month then the games would begin and he would be forced to kill twenty three other people that he trained with. Closing his eyes he let himself fall asleep.
The training center was all in a buzz, everyone was excited that they would get to be in the Hunger Games, that there was more chances. Three female and three males tributes from each of the districts would be going in and for once it would be an all out war with no weaker tributes to test their mettle against. Topaz sat down with Azura the day before the drawing and asked Azura that if she was in the final eight with him to come fight her one on one. It would be a great show and she wanted to test herself against the best the district could offer. With a nod Azura agreed and sadly hoped she'd die before it came to that. Later he was the third tribute called from District one, along with Topaz and Atlas. There was another thirteen year old named Adonis who was called on. The other two girls were actually twins, Lace and Taff. Though close there was a rivalry between the pair. Since there was so many tributes the trains were divided into gender, males on one and females on the other and even though it was just four districts represented all the mentors would be there. Azura hoped that even though he was called third that didn't mean that one of the victors from eleven or twelve mentored him. He wanted Gloss to mentor him or at least Finnick so he could learn better how to swim, hell even Johanna was preferred over Haymitch or Katniss. They would meet the mentors upon arrival and spend the day with them before the tribute parade so until then all he could do was wait and hope.
Lace was his training partner, though he knew that any chance she had she would go back to Taff. Azura didn't care, he wanted to be trained separately and against all of his prayers they were set up with the victors of District Twelve. At least Haymitch won the last Quell so he might prove a little useful but then there was Katniss who just stared at him so hard he was worried she'd break something in her little mind. Even though twelve's designer was brilliant last year Azura was happy to hear his prep team came from One. Sitting at the table as decadent food was brought out Azura ate slowly as Lace was less composed. Finally after he finished his steak he slammed the fork into the table causing everyone to jump a little.
"What the fuck is your problem?" he shouted at Katniss, "Ever since I entered the training tower you've been gawking at me like a retarded pup that needs to be put down." Katniss' eyes went cold as she started to spit some line back at him when he punched the table again. "No I don't care. I know I look like your stupid dead boyfriend who killed himself to let someone like you survive but I'm not him. I'm from District One, born and raised there. I have no idea who you are aside from what the recaps of the games last year told us. Scored an Eleven for that bow and arrow trick of yours and the good news is you're not my mentor but I don't think I can stand the though of you staring at me the entire time I'm here." Standing he threw his napkin on the table because unlike these savages he had manners taught to him by his mother. "Lace I hope Ms. Everdeen here stops acting like a dolt around me enough to give you sound advice and if not let me know and I'll mentor you myself." With that he stormed off to his room leaving the victors from twelve stunned as Lace snorted into her dinner.