A/N: Before we get started, I wanted to list the trigger warnings for ALL of the intros now. I know the importance of the warnings, but would like to keep part of each intro a surprise by not revealing the trigger for the specific chapter. So if you wish to be warned about which tribute has any of the following warnings, please send me a PM and I will let you know.
Triggers: Abuse (physical, emotional, mental), sexual assault, homophobia, transphobia, strong dysphoria, sexism, and strong sexual content.
Chapter 1:
Rodrick Tang, 18, District One
One Month Before The Reaping
Rodrick knew exactly what he was going to say to them when they showed up. He had rehearsed it for a week now and his mother approved. If she approved, surely he wasn't going to mess this up. One last final test to prove to her and himself that he can go into the Games and won't hesitate to do exactly what needs to get done.
But he had expected to have more time before they showed up at the house.
It's all planned out. All he has to do is keep his emotions in check and he will get through this just fine. So Rodrick fakes surprise as he opens the front door and finds two Peacekeepers standing there, one holding a small pocketbook and pen, ready to take down whatever Rodrick has to say. "Officer Hendrik."
"Rodrick Tang," he answers, holding out his hand politely to shake their hands in greeting. After all, he's expected to be a model citizen since he will be representing the District in the Games.
Hendrik shakes his hand as the other Peacekeeper looks up from their notes. "Tang? I've heard about you, kid. You're volunteering, right? With that Nadal girl."
"Tiv. And yes, I am," Rodrick tells them. "But I wouldn't root for Tiv since I'm going to win over her."
"Ah nice, you are lucky kid," the Peacekeeper points at him with their pen. "I tried to get picked three years ago. Came in fifth place overall."
Hendrik clears his throat as he glances back, "Cary."
"Yes, sorry sir," Cary nods their head, realizing they were getting off track. "The call."
Hendrik nods at them before turning back to Rodrick. "Still new on the job. Anyways, kid, we got a call that someone heard screaming coming from here."
"Screaming?" Rodrick asks carefully, keeping his face clear of emotions. "Ohhh, this is a big misunderstanding."
"Please, tell us how," Hendrik says as he crosses his arms at Rodrick.
"Of course," Rodrick tells him before stepping to the side and gesturing inside, all part of the plan to make himself look innocent. "You can come in, if you would like."
"That's alright. If this really is a misunderstanding, this shouldn't take long."
Rodrick pauses for a moment, not having rehearsed the plan going this way in his head, but soon nods his head, refusing to let them know he is bothered. After all, his mother has always taught him to stay adaptive to the situation. "Very well. But I'm afraid you're going to realize soon that your time could have been spent elsewhere."
"Well right now it seems like you're adding to that time," Hendrik tells him, arms crossed as he stares at Rodrick.
"My apologies," Rodrick answers, even if he's not apologetic. But with Hendrik staring at him through that cold, blank mask, a bead of sweat starts to form on the back of his neck that the Peacekeeper can see right through him. But Rodrick quickly pushes down the bubble of guilt forming in his stomach, refusing to let his emotions get in the way of this. This is the ultimate test to show himself and his mother that he's ready for the Games. "So you see, Mr. Fisher has been out of town for a couple weeks for business. He's our neighbor and asked if I could watch the house for him while he's away."
There was no business trip for Mr. Fisher. That crotchety old man rarely left his house. And he most definitely wouldn't have asked Rodrick to watch the house, even if he had gone away for business. Rodrick had carefully picked the day that he was going to visit Mr. Fisher, and carefully picked Mr. Fisher for this reason exactly.
"So I have been stopping by every other day just to make sure everything is safe and to water his plants. He doesn't have kids so he cares for his plants like he would children."
It was a Tuesday evening, after Rodrick had finished up his training for the day in the Academy. It would have been suspicious if he was there in the morning or afternoon, but evening? Totally reasonable. But his training wasn't done for the day, just because he was done at the Academy. He had the biggest part of his training left to do today.
"I dropped my training stuff off at home first before coming over here right away because I knew if I started doing other things, I wouldn't want to leave. And I don't want to say I was going to take care of Mr. Fisher's plants and not, you know?"
Rodrick had stopped home first after training to grab supplies and walked over to Mr. Fisher's house, carefully concealing what he was bringing with him in the pocket of his coat and his backpack. Thankfully, it was a cold May day, giving him the perfect excuse to wear the jacket without getting questioned. He knocked on the door three times and waited a couple seconds before trying the handle. When it opened right away, Rodrick held back a smirk as he glanced around, before entering the house quietly.
"So I let myself in with the key Mr. Fisher let me borrow while he's away," Rodrick says as he pulls the key out of his pocket and dangles it, adding further evidence to his cover. "And went about my business."
Rodrick slowly walked into the house and began looking through some of the doorways for where Mr. Fisher could be. He paused for a moment to take a few deep breaths and calm the pit of nerves forming in his stomach. He had no reason to be nervous about this. Emotions would just get in the way of what he has to do. That's what his mother has always told him.
"I started with the kitchen – the herbs Mr. Fisher uses for cooking are his most valued, so I always check them first. Then made my way to the dining room and the living room."
Once his nerves were suppressed, Rodrick continued through the house until he started to hear the faint sounds of the television playing the daily news. He reached into his jacket as he approached the room and hesitated in the doorway, staring at the back of old man's head as he sat in the old armchair, facing the television. Now that it was about to happen, the nerves skyrocketed in him, much to his annoyance. Why can't he just keep his emotions down like his mother has always told him to do? If he can't do it now, how will he ever do it in the Games? He had to do this. He had to prove to himself and his mother that he can win the Games. After everything she had done for him…he needed to do this.
"And when I got to the living room, I got spooked by something scurrying across the floor."
"You got scared by a tiny animal?" Hendrik asks him, his voice not quite sounding too full of belief. "And you're going to volunteer for the Games?"
"Anyone would get spooked by something they didn't expect to be there," Rodrick answers as calmly as possible, but Hendrik questioning him has started to make him a little anxious that they can see right through him. "The rat had creepy little eyes and it spooked me. I scream loudly when I get spooked, so you see, that was probably the scream that the neighbors heard."
There was a reason that Rodrick had chosen Mr. Fisher. Something about that creepy vulture eye of his, the one not covered by an eyepatch, had always unnerved him. He felt like he could always feel it following him as he walked by Mr. Fisher's house. That and the lack of people who cared about this sorry old man's existence.
Yet Rodrick hesitated in the doorway for several minutes, his stupid emotions getting the better of him. This reason was why Rodrick came up with this plan. He didn't want to find out in the middle of a life or death situation in the Games that his emotions would get the better of him and he wouldn't kill when it absolutely mattered. If he couldn't do this now… But as he pictured the disappointment from his mother if he didn't do this after she approved of this plan, Rodrick stepped into the room. He refused to disappoint her after all she has done for him over the years. Mr. Fisher turned at the sound of footsteps approaching him and let out a scream right as Rodrick drove his knife through that vulture eye, filled immediately with satisfaction that the eye would no longer unnerve him.
"So you see, sir, this is all a big misunderstanding," Rodrick gives a fake laugh, all part of the plan in his cover up story. But as he stands there, a breeze goes through the house and Rodrick's smile falters as he smells some of the bleach he used to clean up the blood. It's an unnatural scent and with it, it brings guilt that he did something terrible.
Rodrick had thrown up at the blood splattering him on the face, not expecting it to feel so…so warm. But as Mr. Fisher's screams died down, guilt was starting to fill Rodrick. He just murdered an old man, right in his home… But he wasn't an innocent man. He was always staring at Rodrick with that vulture eye like he knew what Rodrick was planning. No one was going to miss him. And Rodrick needed to know he could kill and get away unscathed before the Games.
"Did we really get called here because this guy screamed over a rat?" Cary asks Hendrik, not doing anything to hid the exasperation in their voice. "Here I was thinking I was finally going to be involved in some exciting murder mystery case."
"Quiet, Cary," Hendrik turns back to scold them. "We're in District One. Most of the cases aren't going to be murders."
Rodrick lets out a nervous laugh at the mention of murders as Hendrik turns back to look at him. He can picture clearly in his mind the smell of the blood from Mr. Fisher as he lay there dying before Rodrick started to hide the body under the floor boards. He had thrown up a little in his mouth when he had to dismember his legs to make the body fit. He wasn't sure if he was going to be able to do that in the arena…but hopefully he won't have to. All he'll have to do is stab people, just like he did to Mr. Fisher…right?
"No murders here, nope. Just a boy scared by a rat. Nothing to be concerned about," Rodrick says quickly, growing nervous under the blank gaze of the Peacekeepers.
Hendrik continues to stare at Rodrick for long, anxious seconds, making him start to be certain that he knows. He knows that Rodrick didn't come here just to water some plants. He must see some blood on Rodrick that he missed when cleaning up or can smell the blood and chemicals in the house. His lie wasn't good enough. They know. They know he killed a mostly innocent man and he's trying to cover it up. "Do you know when Mr. Fisher will return?"
Never. He's never going to return and it is Rodrick's fault. What if he does have a family that comes looking? "I think," Rodrick starts stumbling over his words as the guilt in him stops him from being able to think rationally and remember his story. "Be-before…he should be back before-"
The Peacekeepers stare at him as he starts stuttering, and Rodrick knows they know he is guilty.
"I killed him," Rodrick blurts out as the guilt in him becomes too much. Hendrik immediately moves into action, pressing Rodrick against the wall and holding onto his hands to stop him from hurting them. But he won't. He already proved to himself that he couldn't do it. He couldn't push aside the guilt to focus on what has to be done. And once he lets the guilt get the better of him, there's no chance of him staying rational and stopping the emotion from controlling him. "I killed him to prove to myself that I could kill in the arena and get out unscathed. But I can't. I can't kill without guilt, as much as I tried."
He's a failure. He knew he hadn't believed that he was truly ready to go into the arena and win. He couldn't be that cold person his mother has done her best to raise him to be. He couldn't shut his emotions down like she always told him to do. He knew his guilt would get the better of him. And now, instead of being the chosen volunteer, he's going to rot in a prison cell for the rest of his life.
The rest of the evening passes in a blur as Rodrick is dragged to the prison. He doesn't struggle against them, knowing this is his punishment for not being good enough.
Only one person came to see him in jail, and she only came by once. His mother stared at him with such disdain in her gaze, and Rodrick was filled with immense guilt that he had let her down. That he was too weak to do what he said he would do.
"I'm disappointed in you."
That was the only thing she said to him and Rodrick knew that was the last time he was ever going to see her again, unless he found some way to prove to her he wasn't going to disappoint her like everyone else in her life. And knowing he would have to live for the rest of the life rotting away in this jail cell with the knowledge that he is just another person that has let his mother down…he can't do that.
Somehow, he has to find a way to still go into the Games and prove he can win.
Sextia Quirinus, Escort for District One
Sextia used to be able to make herself pretend that she wasn't bored with this job anymore, but after over ten years of being stuck with the miserable District scum, she can't pretend anymore that she isn't miserable here. She doesn't understand how she hasn't been moved up to the Gamemaker team yet. But no one has helped her get there. No one is helping her at all. Her loneliness she'll hide to these peasants. But her disdain? No way.
"Hello, or whatever," Sextia waves her hand at the crowd, scowl on her face as she stares down at the boring people of One. "Let's just get going with this so I can get out of this trash place sooner and back to the Capitol."
Sextia stares over at the first glass ball full of names, her hands on her hips, and contemplating the point of even picking one of the names. It never matters what miserable person she picks. "You know what? Screw it, I'm not picking a name. Someone is just going to volunteer so I'm not going to waste my time. So whoever is going to volunteer, just do it now."
The crowd looks a little confused for a moment, before a raspy voice calls out confidently above them. The girl who called out also towers above them as she pushes through the front of the crowd, dazzling smile on her face as she adjusts her floral print dress and pushes up the sleeves of her cardigan before taking to the stage. Her tall heels are loud on the stairs and when she reaches the top and stands next to Sextia, she towers completely over the old escort as she leans down to the microphone. "Nativity Nadal, but you can call me Tiv!"
She steps back, hiccupping a little bit, as Sextia looks her up and down. "Didn't know District One was choosing giraffes to volunteer."
"What did you say?" Tiv says as she reaches down towards her shoes, but Emilio jumps forward and grabs onto her arm, whispering something to her that makes her stop trying to take off her shoe.
Sextia sneers at her as Tiv smooths out her straightened black hair before crossing her arms at the escort. "Pathetic," Sextia mutters to herself. "Now the other volunteer, get on up here!"
"I volunteer!" A cool voice calls out, just before a second person also calls out those two words, and commotion breaks out in the crowd as the two boys race to be the first one up on the stage, per the rules or whatever the hell District One does in this rare situation. The first boy to break through the crowd is running towards the stairs before the second boy, wearing a prison jumpsuit and getting followed by Peacekeepers, tackles him to the ground. The prisoner starts beating the other boy over the head with his handcuffs, until one of the victors stands up and calls down to him, stopping him before he beats the boy to death. Which is to Sextia's disappointment, because at least that would have made these boring Reapings a bit less dull.
"Rodrick, stop!"
Rodrick looks up at the sound of his name being called and finds Thetis at the edge of the stage, looking down at him with her arms crossed. He is still holding down the other boy as he lays there bleeding, trying futilely to fight Rodrick off of him. "Yes, Thetis?"
"Stop beating Jaime, you've already done enough damage murdering someone before the Reaping," Thetis tells him and Rodrick slowly looks down at the other boy, before the Peacekeepers pull him off of Jaime. They look up at the victor, waiting for her decision on what to do with Rodrick, and she pinches the bridge of her nose as she takes her time thinking. "What the hell am I supposed to do now that the second chosen volunteer is out of commission?"
"I can go!" A voice calls out from the crowd and Rodrick turns to glare over at them.
"No way in hell, Devon," Thetis calls out to the boy. "I'm not letting you embarrass our District. Just…everyone let me think for a moment."
"Let me volunteer," Rodrick tells her, voice cold and emotionless as he steps around Jaime as one of his friends comes forward to help him up, not giving the boy he just beat a second glance. "You chose me first for a reason. Let me prove myself."
"Why can things never go to plan?" Thetis mutters to herself before she stares down at him for a few long seconds, before turning back to the victors on the stage with her. "Who's mentoring him?"
A few of the victors quickly shake their heads as Rodrick takes to the stage, looking cold and determined. "You're making the right choice, Thetis."
"I'll wait and make that decision for myself," Thetis says sharply back to him, still not looking too pleased about this. "And someone unhandcuff him, he's not much good to us like this. And who the hell is going to mentor him?"
The victors are silent for a long moment before one finally sighs and slowly raises her hand. "I'll do it," Dracana says and the others trained victors give her varying looks of disgust, even all these years after her victory.
"So, a murderer is the best you have to offer?" Sextia asks District One.
"Yes, someone who has proven before that they can do what is necessary to win the Games," Rodrick answers her as he rubs his wrists now that they are free of handcuffs. "Rodrick Tang," he tells the crowd. "Remember that name. It's going to be the name of your next victor."
There we have it, our first intro! Big thank yous to AmericanPi for Rodrick, CelticGames4 for Tiv, and santiago. poncini20 for Sextia! So as you can see, I went for a bit of a different style with writing Rodrick's POV, but I think the in story flashbacks were the best way to show the difference between his cover up story and what actually went down! As for Tiv, I've decided that we're going to see all the non-featured tributes for the first time in a POV from each of the featured tributes for the train rides. It's too hard to work some of these tributes into the intros for the featured tributes, so we'll see all of them later! And I know these intros are shorter than the Wayward ones were, but I just don't think I can keep up consistent quality at that length for all eleven intros, and that isn't fair to the submitters.
So as always, I would love to hear your thoughts about Rodrick! I know his intro was pretty backstory heavy, but it was necessary. We're going to see a lot more of his personality as we get into the pre-Games stuff. And honestly, a lot of the tributes are not very good like Rodrick so buckle up, it's going to be quite the dark story.
And it is that time once again to start up the Random Questions for each chapter! These will give you an additional five (5) sponsor points with your review! Sometimes they're related to the chapter, sometimes they're whatever random question pops into my head lol.
RQ#1: Well, since it's October (best month of the year, but I'm a little biased because birthday month), what's your favorite kind of candy?
Also I will be updating the blog with each intro with the newly introduced tributes. That way we can keep some info secret about some of the tributes, like if anyone volunteers unexpectedly. So D1 will be up soon! Probably by time you get to this point reading lol.
Next update is going to be a little bit, but I can give you an exact date: November 3rd. If you're wondering why, just look at the submitter and what I did with the D5 intros in Senseless last year lol XD So I will see you all then!
