Eulalia Pheme

Member of the Society Of Escorts

31 December, Year 168

"It's the day, folks! The thirtieth annual Escort Reaping!"

As much as I want to thunderously applaud Ellington Trinket-McGillivray, the Senior Escort to end all Senior Escorts, I clap daintily, like a lady. Like an escort. I've worked hard for this position and it might just be my name coming out of that ball today.

I joined the Society as soon as I could, when I first graduated high school. I did want to go to finishing school, but the appeal of being an Escort was too big. Who wouldn't want to travel around the Capitol and maybe even the districts, serving Panem and looking capital-F Fabulous while doing it?

I mean, it's certainly better than being a Peacekeeper.

But I suppose some people just aren't cut out for escorting. There was one escort wannabe who walked like a RebelDroid in one of those Captain Capitol movies. And one who acted like a District Twelve miner who'd never seen a roast duck in his life.

"Now, before we begin, I'd like to say a few words for newcomers about the Escort Reaping," Ellington continues, "This is the first time we're being aired on Hello Capitol, after all. Good morning, Panem!"

The crowd claps daintily too, cheering out encouragements approved by the Escort Handbook. As much fun as it would be, the Escort Society is not just tea and cupcakes. It's being the very best Capitol citizen you can be, and maybe even being rewarded with the chance to see the Hunger Games up close. And everyone knows this.

"So, we've been doing this for a while now to add a little more excitement to the Hunger Games! President Rogers, Panem rest his soul, allowed us to do this thirty years ago, and, well, look where we are now! The rules are simple. Any member of the Society of Escorts may enter their name into the Reaping. Tesserae is earnt by doing your job particularly well up until a week before the Reaping. Then, the other Senior Escorts and I pick fifty escorts for the final draw, whose names will be kept secret."

I smile. Being an escort is quite fun. We've expanded from just doing the Games to being all over the Capitol, promoting things, starring in advertisements, assisting at social events, it's all rather fun. I know I've got a lot of brownie points with the Seniors with the elegant way I handled the Naiad Maybel situation. That's still being talked about six months later, and poor Naiad will never be able to show her face at any event worth anything. I know she's dying to be at the Reaping today, and I don't blame her. It's the most exciting thing an escort can dream of.

"Now, let's get started!" cheers Ellington. He's ineligible, being a Senior, but in his glory days he was the best escort around. Hence why he's drawing the names. "And may the odds be ever in your favour! District One, district of luxury! The lucky escort is… Fidelian Fanning!"

Lian runs to the stage happily. I've seen him at a few meetings, he seems cool. And District One is one of the best places an escort can be, with all those jewels and stuff. Maybe I'll escort there some day and one of the pretty volunteers can give me a diamond.

"District Two, district of masonry! Their escort this year is… Calliope Rose!"

Callie seems excited too. The Two tributes are always excited and happy. Those tributes are the most fun to watch.

It continues this way for quite some time, with Meleri Lavana being reaped for Three and Rainbow Love being reaped for Four. I don't know any of them personally, but I do quite like Rainbow's suit. It looks to be a Lace Greensberg original.

"District Five, district of energy! The lucky escort is… Euterpe Fraser!"

My heart skips a beat as Euterpe calmly walks to the stage. She's a friend of mine, and I'm usually paired with her for escort workshops. However, I don't really know her that well yet. I'll ask her to tea if I get reaped.

"District Six, district of transport! Their escort is… Eulalia Pheme!"

I guess I should book that café then.

Ohmygoshohmygoshyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! I've been REAPED! Yay!

This is the greatest day of my life. Truly. Even better than that day in high school when that cute boy ripped the principal's wig off. My dream's finally become true. Reaping is an amazing experience. I wouldn't give it up for Panem.

I walk to the stage, making sure to follow the Etiquette Rules set by the instructors in my fourth year. We can't have an escort tripping over themselves, now can we? Ohmygoshthisisreallyhappening!

I shake Ellington's hand with a ladylike smile, and take a seat on a chair marked Six. Right next to Euterpe.

Soon, I'm joined by Tiburon Wayke, who was drawn for Seven but I know he really wanted Four, and then Rhine Stevens for Eight. Goldine Sherbet is reaped for Nine, and Quinn Concordia for Ten. The ceremony concludes with Ryllia Macintosh for Eleven and Fire Blitzon for Twelve. I can see the disappointed faces in the crowds of my escort buddies. I don't blame them.

"People of Panem, these are a few of the best escorts we have to offer," exclaims Ellington to the cheering crowd, "And I'm positive that they will represent their assigned districts with pride."

Oh, we will. Sure, it might be a little easier for Lian and Callie, but I can make this work. Six is cute. All model trains and rolling hills, probably. Full of little cute people who paint pretty pictures and are constantly happy. One might even be able to call Six picturesque.

I catch Euterpe's eye, and smile. She tucks a strand long, midnight blue hair behind her ear, and smiles back. She's not wearing any lipstick, she's one of those lucky ducks who have a perfect natural smile. Her black dress twinkles in the lights of the stage, it's a little dark for an occasion like this, but it looks good on her.

I bet escorting will look just as good.

Penina Galena

Victor of the 157th Hunger Games

1 January, Year 169

The Victor's Fine Wine Banquet was wild last night. Many of my fellow Victors had a little too much fine wine. They laughed at me for not drinking. I laughed at them this morning when they complained about their hangovers.

The show must go on, motherfuckers.

I've heard the rumours about me. Penina's an evil bitch! Penina once killed a man for looking at them funny! Oh, Penina was sixteen, and killed seven in their games! First of all, I killed nine. Watch the tapes, dumbass. I suppose all my male victims did look at me oddly. With fear, perhaps. But I won't dispute the face that I'm an evil bitch. It's kind of my whole angle. And I don't care about them.

Even our oldest victor, Adulaia Addison, is out cold. She always was one for liquor. Sweet Panem, I watched the tapes, and the look on her face was priceless when she realised her arena was a vineyard. But my arena, with that sparkling river and emerald hills and towering mountains and colourful tents, was way cooler.

But that's irrelevant. The point is, Laia's likely going to be unconscious for the next few hours. That's just the way she drinks. And goodness knows I'm the best One mentor but she still tells me absolutely nothing. I'm the Deadly Dandelion-Haired Dagger-Wielding Demigirl Demigod, for Panem's sake! Don't keep stuff from me!

So I'm not hesitating. Not today. Laia will never know. I fish a piece of intricately folded paper out of her pocket, and opening it up. It's all scribbly, and I don't recognise the handwriting. Mentors for the 169th Games. This should be interesting.

My name's up first. Of course it is. I'm the only victor that isn't washed-up or incompetent. The Academy girl we have our eye on seems like a capable enough tribute. Chrysaor Aurell is the male mentor. It seems like he won only yesterday, but his Golden Warrior days are already far behind him.

Oh my gosh. It's the entire list. Every mentor for every district. My eyes light up. I've hit the motherload.

I'm pleased to see that Saber Kent's going to be mentoring the District Two girl. She's one of the few Victor I know who knows how to really live. Everyone else just survives. We won back to back Games, and we became fast friends at her Victory Tour. She's my best friend and we're going to raise hell in the Capitol. Her partner is Aristaios Tiber. How very boring.

I'll admit to wanting to party with Annanova Peters. She seems pretty cool, but Careers don't associate with the Districts. And I don't think they like us trained kids either. Her partner's some sad sob who won a Games several years earlier with nerdy stuff. Sure, that's how Anna won, but at least she did it with style.

I hang out with Keto Jenkins sometimes. He's okay, he's fun and all but not as awesome to be around as Saber. Plus his hair is a sad mop of black, kind of like a brooding teenager. That said, if he asks me to hit a Capitol pub, I'll oblige and drag Saber along. Sharing the fun around and drinking more responsibly than Adulaia fucking Addison. Misty, with her famously beautiful brown skin and black hair, is a little too responsible for my liking, but occasionally she'll let loose.

The Five boy is beneath me. Tillie Mercier was good in her games, but is an utter bore to hang out with. She has boring brown hair and boring brown eyes. I don't know if you've picked this up, but I find her boring.

You'd think the Six mentors would be more fun considering the district's booming drug production, but no, they have to be uptight and strict. I bet they tell their tributes to run away from the Cornucopia and tuck themselves into bed with a glass of warm milk at six thirty.

District Seven is interesting. Demeter's legendary, her games were right before mine. She was the first ever Seven career, the girl with hair as white as snow and an axe almost as sharp and well used as my wit. The first ever Seven tribute that didn't suck. But she doesn't like me for whatever reason. The male mentor is some guy who was before Demeter's games. He's old, he's sad, he's everything I never want to be.

Eight and Nine are unremarkable. I suppose I shouldn't expect too much from Sweatshop City and the Grain Gang. Ten almost falls into this category, but I did challenge Fleecy Malley to a sword fight once. They did pretty well, I guess. Eleven and Twelve are boring too.

What a list. I suppose I should put it back in Adulaia's pocket, but that's no fun. I toss it out the window and watch the wind carry it away. That's too deep for me.

I'll get some more dye, my signature bright yellow of course, and bleach that away. No one wants to go skin deep. I don't want to go back before the Games. Volunteering was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I was an excited squirt, sixteen years old, and yet I still had the sense to make the most of my Games.

Annanova raged. Demeter stood stony-faced. Tillie cried. Fleecy fainted. Even Saber volunteered with a lack of any excitement. But I knew what I was going in for. And the country loved me as soon as I first dyed my hair and strutted onto the stage in my sparkly tuxedo. None of those munchkins from the Outer Districts even stood a chance.

Volunteering for the Hunger Games was an amazing experience, and I wouldn't give it up for Panem.

ack Penina's last bit was really horrible but ok

I only have five submissions so far! If anyone's willing to submit, it'll be greatly appreciated. I have a lot planned for this story, and I can't get it off the ground without your help. With that said, what are your thoughts on Eulalia and Penina? Note that Penina is not a reliable narrator so if anyone wants the mentor list, PM me. I got a bit headcanon-y with the Escorts, but I think this would be a thing they would do.

Please leave a review if you have the time! It makes my day to see reviews and submissions for something I've worked extremely hard on.

Stay cool,

Reed