A/N: I've only just realised I never wrote the actual reapings for the D3 tributes so I'm going to put them in with four at the end of this chapter. Opps.
District Four's Halcyone 'Cy' Morris' POV:
"Are you really sure about this?" Dorian asks me as we watch the sun set over the sea from the roof of a house.
"I've never been so sure of anything" I reply, he sighs and looks out to sea saying nothing more. Dorian is the second person I've told about my plan to volunteer after Marena and he certainly looks less keen on the idea than she had. I don't think I've ever seen the tough victor smile before but the ends of her mouth defiantly lifted when I told her that I was planning on entering the games this year.
"We haven't had a male volunteer win since Roman Pike" Dorian tells me eventually "Nemo and Salton were reaped."
"So I've been training, I know what I'm doing"
"So did Gunnar" Dorian replies
"Shut up" I snap back standing up on the flat room and judging the gap between this house and the next, the jump seems easy enough so without another word I take a few steps back before flinging myself between the houses. The moment when I'm in the air flying between roofs causes my heart to beat quickly and my mind to clear for a glorious second before I come crashing back to another roof top. I smile and turn around to see Dorian watching me; "Did you see that?" I call, all anger towards my friend gone in an instant.
"My turn" he grins and copies my leap between the houses, making a perfect landing of his own.
"Race you back to the beach" I call looking over the maze of flat roofs and balconies that separate us from the beach.
Dorian doesn't reply just simply starts leaping choosing to take an easy route, I scan the roofs for a moment before deciding not to follow him. Instead I choose a harder jump and a longer route, moving quickly though I fly through the houses.
The race is over quickly and I make the final leap from the fence of a house onto the warm sand before looking up and watching Dorian finish. "I don't know how you do it" he says catching his breath as he shakes his head in astonishment.
"Practice" I say as I smack him on the back with a laugh "and my superior skills obviously"
"Obviously" Dorian laughs as he looks up at the darkening sky "crap I'm gonna miss my curfew if I don't run" he sighs "Mom will throw a fit if I'm late back again to look after the little ones."
"Just tell her to stuff it" I say "Can't Kaylyn look after the babies now she's Twelve?" I scowl in annoyance; Dorian always seems to vanish just as we're having fun leaving me alone as per usual.
"Sorry mate, you know my Mom" he says with a little shrug "see you at school tomorrow?"
"yeah see you" I say as he disappears up a small cobbled street towards home. With a little growl of annoyance I pick up a stone and fling it into the sea, watching as it sinks with a large splash. I don't really want to go home yet but it is getting dark and there isn't much moonlight to see by so I start the short walk along the beach dragging my feet as I go.
Finding home isn't too hard really, it's the brightest house along the beach situated right next to the illuminated justice centre. Getting closer I see that Ruben the man they caught poaching yesterday has finally become unconscious hanging in the stocks. I keep my distance from the peacekeepers guarding him but they still spot me.
"You're out late Morris" one of them calls, it's Aaren one of our longest serving peacekeepers, I've known him since I was a baby he's a good friend of Dad's which therefore means he's probably spying on me for him.
"Just heading home now sir" I smile "Got a bit distracted at training."
Aaren's companion laughs, I recognise him as one of the newer peacekeepers who only moved here from Two about a year ago. He's about twenty years old and has the look of someone who really wished he was allowed to kill people in the Games. "There's no point in that boy" he tells me "kids from Four can't beat those from Two." He laughs loudly.
"Oh be nice to the locals Pontius" Aaren says "You'd better run along now boy or you're Pa will be looking for you."
"Yes Sir" I smile throwing a little salute for good measure.
Arriving at the mayor's mansion which some would say I was lucky enough to call home I slip in through the front door and begin to untie my shoes, keeping an eye out for my family as I do so. I hope that Father is in a meeting and Mother anywhere but here as I'm really not in the mood to deal with them right now. The odds aren't in my favour however and as I slip my shoes into their correct place my father steps out of his study.
"Good you're home" he says "I wanted to talk to you over dinner, where were you?" he asks this question in his usual angry tone as if being anywhere except the exact place he wanted me to be was a grave crime.
"I ate with Dorian at the market" I tell him.
"You should really return home for meals" he says "I could have had dignitaries from the Capitol visiting and they will need to meet you too"
"But you didn't did you" I mutter
"What was that boy!"
"I just mean that you didn't have any dignitaries here did you and even if you did I don't really see why I have to be here!"
"You have to be here boy because I say so!" he rages at me "And I am the master of this house and this District so what I say is final!" he lifts his hand and strikes me across the face, it's a common reaction for when he's tired of arguing with me and I flinch from the pain before straightening up.
"I'm going to my room" I tell him before striding up the stairs, reaching my prison of a room I slam the door and pull the lock into place. Turning to face my mirror I run a finger over the red mark blooming on my cheek, all I can focus on is my anger for my father and what I can do to pay him back for his cruelty.
The Hunger Games, three words that kept returning to me as I admire my growing bruise. If I were to win Father could never touch me again, but if I didn't well then I'd be safe from him forever. Dorian would miss me of course and Mother would probably cry but what could it hurt to try?
I turn from the mirror and look out of my window; from here I can see over Ruben and the peacekeepers in the square and out to sea. When I went to the games I'd probably never see the sea again, unless I was lucky enough to have a beach themed arena. Even then I know I'd never get chance to enjoy it, to run with Dorian along the beach to skim stones and climb the cliffs without a care.
Oh who was a kidding, I'm nowhere near brave enough to stand on that stage by choice, sure Marena would be mad but she had her golden girl Lysandra to mentor and would probably be happy to see me die quickly just to spite my father.
I won't do it I decide, I won't volunteer. I'm only fifteen, there's time for my life to improve yet I know there is and the Games will always be there again in one or two years time if it all gets too much.
District Four's Lysandra Seldin's POV:
I hold my head up high as Roman's eyes work their way around my body "good physique" he muses "tall too, not overly attractive though, can you fight girl?"
"Yes sir" I nod "Marena has trained me well in hand-to-hand, close range and long range weapons"
"Which is your best?" he asks
"The sword sir"
"A good weapon" he says "I fought with a trident myself, I knew the capitol would enjoy that."
"I know the trident too Sir" I respond "and throwing knives."
"A good range of skills, and you're confident" Roman looks over to Marena and nods "She'll do" he says which I take as a great complement.
"At ease Lysandra" Marena says and I relax my stance
"I'll do you both and my District proud" I tell them
"We sure do need a bit more of that" Roman says "Now what of your male Marena, I'd like to meet him too."
"Cy isn't strong enough" I tell them "You're wasting your time on him"
"I'll be the judge of that" Roman says
"I haven't seen Cy since he told me of his intentions" Marena says "It is possible he changed his mind, he is a young impulsive boy after all"
"Then we shall go on the assumption that there will be a reaped male then" Roman says, "All attention can be given to Lysandra" I smile at the excitement of being the main focus of these two great victors, I'm guaranteed a win with them on my team.
"Head home now Lysandra" Marena tells me "I expect to see you early morning tomorrow, there's no need for you to attend school now"
I salute the pair and head out of the small centre where rounding a corner I spot my brother Gill waiting for me. He matches my step as I storm past him and continue on the route home "I saw Roman and Marena heading over" he tells me "I wanted to check you were okay"
"Why wouldn't I be" I scoff
"Because they might talk you into doing something stupid"
"I'm volunteering for the games Gill, and no they didn't talk me into it. It was my decision"
"But why!" he protests "Is you life worth so little to you?"
"What life is that?" I say "A life stuck on this beach stinking of fish from the cannery every day. I'd rather go out in a bang in the arena than starve to death here"
"You're a fool Sis" he sighs "there's so much to life that you'll miss out on, finding a true love, having children" he goes all droopy eyed and I know he's thinking of his latest girlfriend Thea, she was apparently the one, but then again so were the last three so I'm not holding out much hope for them.
"Watching them suffer the reapings every year, yeah I'm good thanks" I tell him.
"Mom and Dad won't like this" he tells me "They will say you need to focus on your studies and then you'll get a good job."
"Yawn" I reply, as we turn the corner to our own street, looking up at our little white washed house I see Mom stood outside talking to a neighbour and her little boy.
"It'll kill her when you do it" Gill tells me.
"Then she'll celebrate with the rest of you when I win" I tell him "You're not changing my mind Gill, please stop trying."
"Never. I'll never stop trying to save my little sisters life. If you do decide that the games are right then I'll use every penny I can find to keep you alive in there and I'll never give up on you."
I look over to him and see the strength in his face, I understand suddenly why he never volunteered for training when given the chance. He had too much love in him, too much compassion. I it seemed was born without that trait that the rest of my family had, I was more calculating and realistic while they just dreamt and loved their lives away.
I wasn't going to enter the games on a whim or a moment of weakness I knew that, this was not a decision I'd made lightly. I knew it was my role in life to become a tribute, to save the life of the more deserving reaped child and to enter that arena and see what the odds threw at me.
Head Gamemaker's Otho Whites POV:
I see nothing of interest in the family rooms of District Two, proud parents congratulate strong tributes and friends boast of their pride while lovers steal a final kiss, all very tragic.
The windy and cold District Three appears next on my screen and I watch as Elvio Bumble reaches for the female tributes first "Tek Kilo" he calls loudly, a petite young girl steps slowly up to the stage, she's keeping her composure as she glances around the crowd that silently watch her.
Stepping up to the stage she looks up at Elvio as if pleading him to change his mind but the excitable escort ruffles her hair and moves onto the second bowl.
"And for the boys" he smiles reaching into the bowl "Symion Error" he calls with a little chuckle at the strange name. Symion is a tall boy aged about seventeen he has scraggly red hair and steps slowly towards stage with a slight limp in his left foot.
"I volunteer as tribute" the call comes out of no-where and the cameras struggle to find where it came from. After a moment a tall blonde boy steps into the centre aisle and looks up at the stage.
"What what" Symion stutters.
"I'm going to enter the games" the boy says again as he passes Symion and makes this way confidently up the stairs. The crowd murmur to one another in shocked tones and the boy confidently introduces himself as Mac Dalton to Elvio who directs him to shake hands with Tek.
The camera cuts to the studio as I watch the tributes enter their respective rooms to say farewell. The girl only has one visitor a slightly older boy, they talk quietly for a while before he leaves her alone with her thoughts. The boy has several groups of visitors, his family come first begging to know why he volunteered, why he wanted to 'throw his life away', he tells them nothing though. The second group are two young men who talk intently with him for a while on survival techniques and how 'not to go out too soon' he thanks them both for helping him and they have a relatively calm goodbye, as the main feed turns over to District Four one more visitor comes to see Mac. The man is older than the other two boys, he seems to be closer to my age, a grandfather perhaps? But there is no love between the two, the man simply shakes Mac's hand and passes him a watch. I make a note to get some detailed information on the watch before reverting my attention to District Four.
Over in Four Roxanna has finished trying to excite the crowd and has stepped over to the first bowl. "Ladies first" she calls as she reaches into it. She removes a slip from deep down after having a little dig and opens it slowly.
"Siana Mitchell" she calls clearly and loudly and a girl steps out from the centre of the crowd, she's a medium height with fair features, curly brown hair and a tanned complexion, I can see her really looking the part in my arena.
"I volunteer as tribute" yet again we seem to have a volunteer, from the front of the crowd a tall muscular girl emerges and steps up to stage before giving a respectful nod to Marena and Roman. Ah a trainee, I think. Didn't think Four had many of them left.
"Lysandra Seldin" she tells Roxanna "I'm ready for the games"
"Excelent" Cries Roxanna, "Let's find you a lucky partner Lysandra"
She steps over to the male bowl and picks a slip from near the top "Halcyone Morris" she calls. With those two words the district seems to descend into chaos, there is a scream from a woman up on stage and the mayor storms forward, as the crowd begin to shout and cheer.
"What is the meaning of this" he cries "Did we not have a deal!?"
Down in the pit of children a blonde boy has stepped forward "Father be calm" he says calmly "I will take my place in the games" he speaks with confidence but I can see his fear in the way he walks with a small shake.
"Nice to see you up here" Lysandra says as she shakes his hand "Isn't fate interesting"
The camera cuts to the studio while I keep my eyes fixed to the live feed where the Mayor hasn't calmed down "Sir I don't want to have to restrain you but I will" calls an older sounding peacekeeper as Roxanna shuffles the pair of tributes into the justice centre.
The interior feeds show family and friends visit the girl while the boy sits alone as his father continues to argue with the capitol officials until the peacekeeper finally has to knock him unconscious.
A/N2: thanks to PenMagic for Cy and Infamouskal420 for Lysandra, hope you liked their introductions.
The Answer to the question in the last chapter was 150... why? ... because CL is the roman numeral for 150 and I pictured the band to be formed in the 150th year of the games. Maybe it was a little too hard thinking about it...
