Thank you to those of you who reviewed the last chapter. I love hearing your opinions on the chapters. Additionally, there are still many tribute spots next, including in District 3 (which I must have two tributes for in order to write the next chapter). Otherwise please enjoy District 2!

District 2 Reaping

Ariadne Landers (18)

"There, just like a real lady." My mother steps back to admire her handiwork. The deep blue dress hugs my curves, accentuating my clavicle and bringing out the color of my eyes. My mother reaches forward to adjust the neckline, but I swat her hands away.

"That's enough, thank you." I ignore the look of hurt on her face. "Don't forget to find a spot where the cameras can see you." While the capitol usually doesn't care much about tributes families this early in the process—they save those interviews for the final eight—I know it will still look good if we can present a united front.

"Are you sure you want to do this Ari? It's not to late to back out." There are tears in my mother's eyes, and her voice reeks of desperation. "I could call the trainers, I'm sure they'd be able to fill the spot."

I fight the urge to laugh. What a stupid idea: backing out now. I haven't trained for ten years of my life to throw it all away on my mother's last-minute nerves. Especially when her fears are completely ungrounded. Afterall, they picked me for a reason.

Still I give her a reassuring hug. "It will be fine. I'll be the most qualified tribute in that arena."

She still looks concerned, but she doesn't press the issue. "Well then, you'd better come say goodbye to your brothers and sisters."

Facing the full attention of my family is the last thing I'd like to be doing right now, much better to spend my last hours in peace and quiet so I can mentally prepare. However, the look in her eyes tells me that this is not optional so I follow her out of my room and down the stairs into the entryway of our home.

Troy, Percival, and Noemi all work in the local administration, jobs procured for them by my father, and therefore aren't home today. Even on Reaping Day the district must continue to run smoothly. In time I'm sure Adonis, who is only a year older than me, will join them. But for now he helps my mother around the house as he studies for the local government entrance exams.

Of the eight of us, only Wolf, Carys, and I are still eligible for the Reaping. They're waiting for us in the hall. Just looking at them I can tell at once that my mother had a hand in choosing their reaping outfits: matching blue dress shirts.

"Ariadne!" Carys, who is only 12 beams and hops up and down excitedly. "Are you nervous? You must be so excited though. I wish I could see the Capitol!"

"She's just excited to show how much better District 2 is than the rest of Panem. Did you know that District 2 has the most Victors of any District?" Wolf puffs out his chest importantly. He's recently become fascinated in the history of our district and delights in telling anyone who will listen about District 2's superiority to the others, excluding the Capitol of course.

"Everyone knows that Wolf." I can't help by roll my eyes. He's right of course, but really does anyone need a lecture to see that 2 is better than those peasants in 9, 11, and 12? Our prowess in the games is evidence enough.

Only Adonis is quiet. Of all my many siblings he's the easiest to be around, asking the least questions and making the least fuss of himself. He smirks to himself as Wolf launches into a list of all of District 2's illustrious victors.

"That's enough now." My mother hushes him with a stern look. She corrals the lot of us into the living room and produces a sleek black camera.

"I want a picture of all of you." I fight the urge to scream as she takes to positioning us all around one of the plush cream sofas. I should be preparing, not posing for family portraits.

"1, 2, 3, smile!" I plaster my face with my biggest grin. The camera flashes blindingly and I blink. "Again!" She takes six or seven more, until my face aches from smiling. Finally the torment ends and I snap out of my staged position.

I wait until my mother is preoccupied by showing the picture to everyone to make my escape. Quick as I can I slip out the front door and dash down the little brick path that leads from our door to the street beyond.

I inhale the fresh summer air and let out a sigh of relief. I love my family, but the noise, the constant posing and preening, the expectation to be prim and perfect, it's all overwhelming. I'm sure anyone who grew up with seven siblings could agree. At least they've trained me to be a good actress. It's a skill I know will come in handy in the Games.

The streets of District 2 are largely deserted at this time in the morning. Most people are either putting on the final preparations at home, or else already congregated in front of the Justice building. In the evening that will all change as everyone celebrates the beginning of this year's Hunger Games and watches the reaping recaps. Of course, I'll be miles away from here by now, but I still savor the quiet. Heavens knows I'm not likely to get much of it in the capitol.

I pass the Ivenkoap's house on my way towards the center of town, with its perfectly manicured garden and shiny bronze door knocker. The windows are dark, the flag affixed to the front door flutters gently in the breeze. I suppose they must all already be in the square. Mr. Ivenkoap will of course be managing enforcement as head peacekeeper and I suppose his wife will want to get a good spot to watch her son volunteer.

I don't know Daruis well, regrettable as he'll soon be my greatest ally in the arena. A hulking boy, we never had many classes together in the academy. Even in basics—which everyone takes together—he had stuck close to his gang of thugs. I had known his twin sister though. We'd taken a medical class together as well as an introductory course on knifework. A sweet girl, opposite in every way to her solemn, serious brother. It had been such a tragedy when she died in that barrack fire a year later.

The closer I get to the center of town the more people throng the streets, pressing together between the tall stone buildings. Screens have been set up on street corners so that those not lucky enough to make it into the central square can still watch the event in live time.

I hesitate in the mouth of one of the alleyways. In the square beyond every twelve through eighteen year old in district 2 is queued up for sin in, or else already milling around in the roped off area in front of the Justice Building. Even from this far away I can make out the stage with its two glass bowls.

I take a deep breath. Time for the show to begin. I plaster a smile on my face and step out into the bright sunlight of the square.

Darius Ivenkoap (18)

District 2 is never more beautiful than it is on Reaping Day. I glance around the central square, taking in the fresh paint, carefully trimmed hedges, and celebratory banners which adorn the fronts of the blocky stone buildings. The flag of Panem hangs from every building, beneath it the smaller pennant of District 2.

My heart surges with pride. I will be representing all this.

The people too are in a celebratory mood. Boy and girls decked out in their best clothes wait patiently to sign in while their parents lean in eagerly all around the roped off area. A few of the younger kids look scared, but for the most part everyone is excited. Behind me a cluster of girls gossips loudly about whether or not District 4 will have any volunteers this year, and in front of me two boys are placing bets on who will be first to volunteer for our spots. Afterall, its not every year that the academy candidate makes it to the stage first.

The sun is scorching today. A bead of sweat runs down the back of my neck.

A tall girl in a pink dress a few places a head of me catches my eye. With her brown hair and slender frame, she could almost have been Trey. For a moment my heart aches for my sister. Then the girl turns to say something to the dark-haired girl standing behind her and the illusion is shattered. My left hand subconsciously rises to massage the burn marks on my right arm.

The brunette who was talking to the girl in pink catches my eye and smiles widely. I nod in recognition. Ariadne will be my district partner for the next weeks. She's clearly dolled up for the event: in a figuring hugging dark blue dress that sure to make her earn her a few sponsors right off the bat.

The line shuffles forward until I find myself at the desk where the Peacekeepers are checking us all in. I recognize almost all of them instantly.

"Hey there Darius." I stop in front of a tall wiry man with a ruddy face.

"Hey Marcus." I hold out my hand so that he can prick my finger.

He stamps a bit of blood under my name and scans it on a hand held reader. "Heard you're going in this year."

"Yeah." I grin at him. "So don't go betting on anyone else this year."

Marcus laughs. "Wouldn't dream of it. You know the boys and I have got your back. We'll be rooting for you." He waves me on through into the pen where teenagers, aged twelve through eighteen are milling around.

I file into the reaping pen and look around for my friends. Someone grabs at my arm and I start before realizing its only Ariadne.

"Hi Darius." She flicks a lock of dark curly hair out of her face.

"Ariadne." I nod slightly disconcerted. She's never been exactly friendly to me at the academy.

"Ready for the big event?" Ariadne's smile is stunning, but I can help but notice that the warmth of it never reaches her eyes.

I shrug. "It's what we've trained for." I suppose that's true enough. It certainly is for Ariadne. The truth is I don't need to volunteer, had never even planned on it. My future has been laid out for me since the moment my real mother abandoned me on the head peacekeepers doorstep. First academy training, then an appointment to the Peacekeepers, maybe a few years spent enforcing the law in the outer districts before finally returning to 2 to take my adopted father's place.

But then the trainers had put my name forward as top pick for this year and everything had changed. It would have been easy to reject their offer. No one could make me volunteer, and sure some other academy rat would've jumped at the chance. Still my father always says that, "In this family we live with honor." And what could be more honorable than representing District 2?

"True." Ariadne laughs prettily, "Well, I'll look forward to seeing you after, Darius. Goodluck!" She slips off into the crowd without a backwards glance. I watch her go before making my way to where my friends are waiting among the other eighteen-year-old boys. They let out a few whoops as I take my place among them.

"There he is! There's District 2's next victor!" Julius high fives me

Romulus grins and thumps me on the back. "I'll be betting on you for sure."

"Not Ariadne?" He's had a crush on her for years now, not that she's ever looked twice at him.

He laughs. "That girl might have a banging body, but at the end of day she'll be cannon fodder for sure." Romulus taps the side of his head knowingly. "No brains in that pretty little head."

I shrug. He'd know better than I would. They used to train spears together, and I've never been partial to the weapon.

"Don't forget about all of us when you get to the capitol, you hear?" Julian frown in mock seriousness.

"Like I could ever forget you Jules." I laugh, "The smell alone lingers for days." They all laugh at that and Julian pretends to punch me. Despite the joke I doubt I'll forget any of them any time soon. Julian, Remus, Antony and I, we've been inseparable since our first days at the training academy. We've trained together, drank together, and gotten in more than our fair share of scrapes together. Soon they'll all be heading out too, assigned to various districts in the Peacekeeping force, but I know that despite any distance they'll have my back.

We all fall quiet as our district escort mounts the stage. A short little man with scarlet hair and permanently surprised expression, Drusus replaced our former escort only last year. He excitedly introduces himself to the crowd and proceeds to pull the first slip from the girls reaping ball. The crowd holds its breath, waiting for the inevitable volunteer.

They don't have to wait long. In no time at all Ariadne sashays up onto the stage, beaming at the audience. When Drusus asks for her name she winks at the cameras, "Ariadne Landers." I'm sure men in the capitol, and maybe even some women, are swooning.

The boys come next. Drusus pulls a slip from the bowl triumphantly and reads out the name: Casius Blaze. But the cameras don' even have time to focus on the fortunate boy before I'm shoving my way forward.

"I volunteer!" I push my way through to the front of the crowd and jog up the steps.

"Another volunteer! What an exciting day!" Drusus is practically beside himself, "And what's your name young man?"

"Darius Ivenkoap." There are cheers from my friends as well as some of the peacekeepers gathered around the square. Ariadne and I shake hands as is customary, then turn to face the square. The cameras whirr and flash.

"Ladies and gentlemen I give you the tributes for District 2!"