Juki Kearne, 18

District 8 Male

Two weeks before the Reaping

The store was particularly busy today, by the sounds of it from the repair room anyways. It didn't bother or matter to Juki all that much, he was more concerned with getting the indigo embroidery on this yellow, very detailed antique dress correct and matching with the rest of the dress, like how it should have looked when it was first made. With nimble and almost disproportionately dainty fingers, he carefully made progress with the embroidery, all the chatter and buzz blending into the background as he silently worked.

Juki preferred to be in his own company, finding it was peaceful and quiet, there was no worry about what others thought. Though he didn't really care what others really thought of him either, he didn't let things like that get to him. What he did care about was doing a good job at his work, and making sure that all the details, even the tiniest of stitching, sewing or embroidery, were done correctly and to the standard that was expected of him in this store.

Juki's younger sister, Singer, was already an expert at sewing despite her young age. Their mother and many of their customers who saw her work referred to her as a prodigy, which she was. She sat beside her brother, which was a little unusual as she usually worked out front or in another room, working in silence on a smaller piece, a very over the top and fancy outfit that was clearly meant for a child a little younger than her. The customer who had brought this in had explained it was a family heirloom and that it was priceless but needed to be rejuvenated as it was looking worn down, and a family like theirs couldn't have such a thing. A majority of their customers came from the Capitol, on a journey for the best quality and service from the districts, as the few antique clothing shops that were in the Capitol didn't do as nice a job, that's the usual kind of comment Juki usually heard from their Capitolite customers.

Over the sound of his mother advising a customer on some sort of clothing, as they sold pieces, as well as repaired, he heard the familiar voice of one of their most frequent customers.

"Oh Janome, Morrow, I'm so glad you're working today! I do love to see my two favourite workers in all of District Eight!" She said with delight.

"Calphurnia, what a pleasure to see you here again! How is your sister back home, was the dress to her liking?" Morrow questioned.

"She adored it, she said it was the most fashionable item of clothing she had seen in years, so she deemed it the best birthday gift out all of them. I couldn't have done it without the aid of my wonderful little helper!" Calphurnia squeaked with delight, followed by the sound of hands clapping together.

"You must be incredibly busy with the Games coming up so soon! Everyone wants to look their best after all, though we all know who will be." Juki could hear the wink from here, it was impossible to not hear Calphurnia speaking from the room he sat in.

"We are, it's been pretty crazy seeing all the new people coming in and looking for repairs and new outfits! Yours is still my favourite though, the design on it will, mixed with the white and orange of your wig stand out of the crowd for sure!" His younger brother, Janome answered, sounding as if he was bursting with joy and excitement.

"Oh you little sweetheart, you always know what to say!" She said, obviously adoring the flattery simply from the tone of her voice. "So, tell me Janome, are you excited for the Reaping? It is your first year after all, I'm sure there must be all sorts flying around in that head of yours."

Janome let out a little bit of nervous laughter but replied with a cheery tone.

"A little, it's a bit scary being in for the chance of being in the Hunger Games but my name is only in there once, so I'm probably not very likely to get reaped."

"Well, if you do get the honour of being chosen, now or in the future, you can count on at least having one person to sponsor you! Though with your handsome face, I'm sure all the boys and girls will be after you!"

There was more laughter, the loudest being Calphurnia. This was their usual banter, Calphurnia adored his brother, she loved getting to chat about all the different kinds of fashion and styles the people of the Capitol had, as well as what suited her best and made her stand out above the crowd.

"It's Juki's last year too, so it's a pretty big deal for both of us. One starting and one finishing, Singer's got a few years left though!"

"Why don't we hear what they have to say about all this excitement for themselves, hm? Go bring them out, I'm sure they need a little break from their work anyways!"

There were more footsteps, this time approaching the room, and Janome appeared in the doorway, a welcoming smile on his face.

"Calphurnia's here, she wants to talk to you guys, c'mon!"

Singer looked up from her work, a little hesitant to move but after a moment or two, set down her piece carefully and looked to Juki, holding out her hand for him. She was shy and it took a little bit of effort, but she would eventually come out of her shell and chat with people when she was out front with their mother.

Juki smiled softly at her and placed his own article of clothing down before standing up and taking her hand, slowly walking out to the front of the store, with Janome leading the way.

Once they passed through the doorway, they were greeted with the sight of their father and Calphurnia chatting away, though once all three children were within view, Calphurnia's eyes lit up with delight.

The Capitolite woman loved all kinds of different colours and variations of outfits, she usually bought a new one from here once or twice a week, but her favourite colour to wear and the one she sported the most often was orange, all the different shades of it. Her hair was short and extremely curly, the colour a pale orange. Her skin was as pale as a sheet of paper and she had bronze contacts in with over-the-top makeup applied, which always disturbed Juki a little bit as he was completely different and far less complex with dark hair, tan skin and deep brown eyes. Calphurnia usually wore heels, but despite this, Juki towered over her, like he did with everyone else.

"Juki and Singer, aren't you two just as cute as buttons! Janome tells me this is your last year being eligible for the Reaping, Juki, how exciting! No last-minute decision to volunteer for the Games, is there?" She asked, almost hinting at the idea that he should.

"Not really." Juki replied slowly, after a moment to take in what she had said.

"Well, I'll keep my eye out just in case you change your my, dear! You look much younger than eighteen anyways, so people are probably shocked this is your last year!" She laughed again, though Juki remained silent. He didn't dislike Calphurnia, he just simply had nothing else to say.

"And Singer, ah darling, you're getting bigger every day! The Capitol would love you, you're a gorgeous child, and so quiet and proper! I have a little surprise for you today." She winked and dug into the hidden pocket of her dress, pulling out a lollipop and some other hard sweets, offering them to the young girl.

Singer grinned, eyes wide despite constantly getting little treats like this from the woman. She approached her, taking the treats and pocketing them, thanking her quietly in return before standing by her father.

"Juki, come with me for a moment, I want to talk to you about something." Calphurnia said, stepping aside and closer towards one of the clothing rails, smiling brightly at him.

Juki stepped towards her, his face and thoughts as neutral as always, though he was unsure of what exactly she wanted to talk about with him and not his brother.

"What is it?" He asked outright, getting directly to the point.

"Well… I just wanted to have a little chat about your brother. It's his first year so he is bound to be a bit nervous about the Reaping, like he said. Look after him, won't you? Make sure he doesn't volunteer this year, we all know how it ends for those as young as him." There was a genuine look of concern and a hint of anxiety in her eyes.

"I already do." Juki replied to her, glancing back at his younger sibling, who was chatting away with their father but had his eyes on them. They caught each other's gaze and Juki felt a small smile tug at his lips before he turned his gaze back to Calphurnia. "I will, though. I'll look after him and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. But I think he's pretty happy with his life here. We all are."

"Wonderful! How lucky he is to have such a strong and caring brother." Calphurnia beamed at him, gently placing a well-manicured hand on his upper arm. "Make sure he watches out for your sister too, like you're watching out for him, when she comes of age."

Juki nodded and a silence fell upon the pair, one he didn't feel the need to break, 'in true Juki fashion' as his brother would say.

After a few moments, Calphurnia cleared her throat, patted Juki's arm, and gestured for him to follow her as she returned to the till that Janome and their father remained.

Juki didn't really understand the intensity or thoughts the Capitolites had surrounding the Hunger Games, he didn't like them to begin with, but maybe it was just how they were raised to think.

In all the years that Calphurnia had been their loyal customer, in all the weeks and months she came to the store in search of something unique, he had never seen that look of worry and anxiety in her. It made him feel something foreign, something he rarely felt in his day-to-day life.

It made Juki feel worried.


Clydesdale 'Clyde' Decker, 13

District 10 Male

The day before the Reaping

It was a foggy evening, with mist lingering over the many farms and fields within District Ten as the sun set. But whenever the evening was misty, the next day would always be shining, the sun splitting the rocks. That's just how it was in Ten.

Clyde often found himself bored of the same surroundings, with the same people, day in and day out. It was hard not to become a little sick of things like that as a teenager, he wanted to do something that would give him a thrill, excite him, and change things up from the usual tending to the animals and livestock.

Clyde had dragged his best friend, Fionna, out of her home after convincing her to join him to explore an abandoned farm he had discovered on the outskirts of Ten. He would have brought her during the day, but there was a thrill about the thought of the darkness slowly engulfing them, their sole source of light coming from two flashlights they were bringing along.

"This place better not be haunted, Clyde. Or the next ghost that will be living there is yours!" Fionna told him, a wide grin on her face as she playfully shoved him with her shoulder.

"Awh, is someone a lil' scared of the dark?" He teased, already beginning plans in his mind to try and scare her at the farm.

"Oh, shut up! You used to scream every time someone turned off the lights when you were younger!" Fionna retaliated.

"I was like nine, big difference between that and fifteen!"

"Maybe I'm just sensible about the dangers of shit like this, considering, y'know, girls tend to be more mature than boys."

"Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that!"

The pair made their journey towards the abandoned farm, the evening slowly getting darker and darker. To pass the time, like they always did if they were bored, Fionna read out a list she kept of all the good and bad things that happened to Clyde, he had told her everything he knew about since after all, she was his best friend and he trusted her.

That was something that had just naturally come along with Clyde's existence. Good luck and bad luck. It started from the day he was born, his mother went into early labour and gave birth to him in a field where they kept their horses, the only assistance and company she had being a fifteen-year-old farm hand. A doctor and Clyde's father reached her not soon after and by the time they had, little Clydesdale was fast asleep in his mother's arms.

Ever since then, his life had been filled with good and bad luck, an endless cycle that was on repeat, seemingly never-ending.

"Age five. Good luck: You found a ring on the ground that turned out to be the mayor's, gave it to your mom and returned it, getting two weeks' worth of food in return. Bad luck: Your family got food poisoning from it, nearly killing all of you." His friend read out, even though Clyde knew almost all the list off by heart at this point.

"Age eight. Good luck: Your family got a boost in sales with livestock and their fields, so they bought you a horse of your own to look after and care for. Bad luck: It bucked you off, you fell and broke your left arm."

He still remembered it, that stupid horse was so feisty and excitable over anything, at the most random of moments and after that, his mother took over caring for the animal since Clyde wasn't exactly fond of her after that.

"Age twelve. Good luck: You were offered a job at one of the slaughterhouses over by the west of Ten, with decent pay. Bad luck: The next day, a bull went rogue and, sadly, killed your father."

It was blunt and to the point, but by then, and even still now, it didn't surprise Clyde. That was just how his life had always been. He had become used to that kind of life, so his father's death didn't sting as much as he had initially thought it would.

He was both the luckiest and unluckiest person in District Ten.

"We're here." Clyde told Fionna, and she shut the notebook and swiftly tucked it back into her jacket.

The pair flicked on their flashlights and began to walk down a dirt road towards the abandoned farm Clyde had been talking to her about. From a distance, it looked like any other farm. A barn, fields surrounding it, and an old house, all somewhat normal in the dark. But as the two got closer, the disrepair and overgrown state of the house became more apparent and noticeable, which sent a rush through Clyde. Who knows what they could find or see here?

They approached the house, Fionna more cautiously than her friend, and Clyde pushed open the door to the house, letting it slowly drift open and loudly creek while doing so. Clyde grinned at Fionna, shining a light in the entrance, and gesturing for her to a walk forwards.

"No way. Your idea, you go in first." She said, her voice a little shaky, her demeanour a little tense. It was hilarious getting to see her so worked up over something so small as this.

He shrugged, chuckling to himself and entering the room, shining the flashlight around as he investigated. It was what appeared to be a living room, though it was just as disused as the out of the house was. There was dust on everything, and footprints on the wooden floor from many kinds of animals that had wandered into the house at some point. In the next room, he could hear something.

Tap. Tap tap tap.

It sounded like something hitting metal. Clyde walked ahead to the next room, into what appeared to be the kitchen, with Fionna in tow. The tapping continued in an irregular fashion and as the light shone around the room and they entered, there was sudden movement to their right and Fionna let out a scream, jumping backwards. Clyde jumped too, feeling adrenaline rush through him as he was taken by surprise, but as he quickly shone the light on what had moved, he realized what it was as it flapped out the window through the broken glass.

It was a crow.

Clyde couldn't help but burst out in a fit of laughter, not only at himself, but at just how frightened Fionna's scream had been.

Fionna went scarlet and poked Clyde with her flashlight in an attempt to get him to stop laughing.

"Oh shut up, you almost screamed too!" She tried to justify as she stepped forwards, looking around the kitchen and in the cabinets.

Clyde calmed himself down and began looking around the room too, though he would still giggle to himself every few minutes. He glanced around, looking over where he had heard the crow tapping and a glint caught his eye, something shiny, unusual for a house like this. He approached the glint and squatted down, shining the light on the spot it was coming from. His eyes widened as he reached down, picking up a dainty silver necklace with a small ruby in the middle of it.

"Holy shit…" He muttered, inspecting it as he heard Fionna inhale sharply for a moment.

"What, what is it!?" She turned around quickly, in a panic before the light found its way to Clyde and he rolled his eyes at her. He wasn't even trying to rile her up, and she was already getting super jumpy.

He held up the necklace with a smug smile on his face, standing up.

"Extra cash, that's what! There's a ruby in this, it might be from somewhere like District One or Two! It's small, but I could probably get a whole weeks' worth of food out of this for me and my mom! And then we can save the money for more ghost hunting." He added that last part for fun, winking at his friend as she sighed and approached him, shaking her head at him in the process.

"I guess that's another stroke of good luck to go down on the list. I'm starting to wonder how much luck one person can have in their life, be it good or bad!" She said, whipping out a pencil and the notebook once more, handing him the flashlight so she could write down her best friend's newest achievement.

As he watched her make note, Clyde couldn't help but feel a little bit of unease, which was unusual for him. He knew it that this was good luck, but he knew how it worked by now. Something bad would happen. It might just be that the prices in the market went up tomorrow, or maybe it would be something far more severe. He didn't know, he would never know until it happened, so he brushed off the feeling and returned to searching the farm with Fionna.

But he couldn't stop himself from sensing that lingering unease hovering over him.

Something bad was going to happen, he just had no idea how horrible it was going to be.


A/N: My dudes, we are officially done with the intros! :D Thank you to the wonderful goldie031 for the wonderful Juki and BeeBoo15 for Clyde!

All the tributes have now been introduced and we can finally get along with the pre-Games chapters, which I'm especially looking forward to having all the kids interact with each other! I'm so excited to get into the thick of things and next thing you know, it'll be the Games section!

Thank you to all who have read up until this point and thank you for the reviews and support, v much appreciated and really helps keep me motivated!

Now that everyone has been introduced, let me know what you thought of them of them all! Who do you like, who do you not like? Tell me everything! :)

With that, that's about all I have to say, so I will see you all soon in the next chapter!