I'm still crying as Peacekeepers escort me into a fancy room in the Justice Building. This is where I'll have an hour to say goodbye to my loved ones before going into the Hunger Games. I can't believe that this will be the last I see of my family and friends. I'm only thirteen. This isn't fair.

I plop down onto one of the couches and use a tissue to wipe away my tears. The door to the room opens, and my family scrambles in. Mom wraps me in a big hug. I hug her back as Dad sits on my other side and hugs me as well. Kazue, Yuuma, and Yuuta join in on our parents' other sides.

For a while we just sob into each other's shoulders. Then Mom grabs me by the shoulder, with her other hand caressing my face.

"Mizuki, don't ever give up," she says, staring intently into my eyes. "You're strong, smart, and brave. You can do it. You can win these Games and come home."

"I-I'll do my best," I say, nodding.

"I want you to know that no matter what happens, we love you and we're proud of you," Dad says from behind me, and I turn to face him. He grabs my hands with his. "Promise you'll do everything you can to win?"

"I promise Dad," I say, fresh tears springing to my eyes. "I promise, everyone."

"You can do it, Mizuki!" Yuuta exclaims, wriggling away from his spot on the couch and climbing onto my lap. "I'll miss you a lot if you die though."

"I'll miss you too," Yuuma says. "But if you come back we'll be rich, right?"

"I don't care about being rich," Kazue sobs, kneeling in front of me and grabbing my hands. "Mizuki, I just want you to win and come home to me. Come home to us. I know that you can do it. You've always had such a fire in you and the Games aren't going to put it out."

"I know," I say, leaning forward to hug my big sister. "I promise I'll do my very best to win."

"Stick with Vitya," Dad instructs. "He's going to be one of the strongest tributes in these Games, and he'll have the District loyalty to not turn his back on you. He'll be a good ally to have on your side."

"I agree," Mom says. "It'll be a good idea to not have to face him as your final opponent, but for the early stages of the Games you can definitely stick with him."

"So I should join the Career Pack with him?" I ask. I frown. "I've barely trained though. I'll be the weakest member for sure, and that's if they even let me in."

"I don't think the other Careers will say no to a trained volunteer from Two," Mom says. "And if they do, please promise me you won't go into this alone, Mizuki."

"I won't," I say. "I know that I'll need allies to help me through the Games. You're right, Vitya is a good place to start."

"And if things don't work out with Vitya and the Careers, you'll find other allies, right?" Kazue says.

"Of course," I say. "I'll train as much as I can, too."

"Maybe you can learn a few skills that make use of your smaller size," Dad suggests. "Maybe climbing? That could be a good idea. If there are trees in your Arena, you can stay in the treetops for safety."

"I'm not sure if there will be trees," I say, "but that's definitely a good idea."

"I still can't believe this is happening," Mom frets, hugging me tightly. "But all we can do is look forward now. Mizuki, you can do it. We love you and believe in you."

"I love you too, Mom," I say, hugging her back and crying into her shoulder. "I love all of you and I will do my best to come home to you."

Even with the odds stacked against me, I know I will try.

A/N: Updates will probably be slow as I work through school, life, and my mental health issues, but I still fully intend on finishing this story.

Chapter Question: What do you think Mizuki's strategy will be for these Games?