AUTHOR'S NOTES: Welcome to the 74th Annual Hunger Games! This fic was originally written back in 2014, but in honour of me also posting it over on AO3, I've given it a little touch-up or two (Feb 2020), and so if anyone still reads this one, stay tuned every Tuesday for weekly revisions to each chapter. The story remains the same, but wuill get a little more fleshing out as we go.
That said, This fic takes place in the same AU that my work "The Victors' Chronicles" takes place in, where Katniss never volunteered for Prim. This fic both shows what happened and why, and then goes into detail about how the games went without Katniss as the literal game-changer that she was. This fic was originally written and posted on FFN back in 2014, but I've gone and spiced it up a little, while keeping the overall premise the same. Some events may play out similar to the books, but there's going to be enough differences to keep things interesting, while also showing a human side to some of the more dangerous characters of the 74th Hunger Games.
Happy Reading!

PART I: THE TRIBUTES

CHAPTER 1

For the 74th time in Panem's history, the Capitol and the twelve districts of Panem celebrated what was colloquially known as "Reaping Day". Perhaps 'celebrate' might have been too strong of a word in some cases. For 23 boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18, this was essentially a condemnation to death. For districts like 1 and 2, where there were around a dozen victors, the levels of confidence exuded were much higher than in the likes of Districts like 12, 9, or 10, which only had 2 (Districts 12 and 9) or 3 (District 10) victors in these last 73 years. Other districts that fared somewhat better, such as '5 or '11 (both of which had 6 victors thus far) did not share the same enthusiasm of sending their kids to their deaths the way District 1 and District 2 did.

But, there was a reason that District 1 and District 2 were called 'Career Districts". They trained boys and girls for the Hunger Games, essentially making it their careers. While the ethics behind this practice were debatable, even the Capitol turned a blind eye to it; rather enjoying that there were enthusiastic tributes that would keep the games interesting. In almost any of the other districts, volunteering was considered suicide, and thus was very rare in some cases, and virtually nonexistent in others.

Thus it was, when 18-year-old Thresh Dakara and 12-year-old Rue Keniye were picked as District 11's tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games, there was a somber silence that hung over the crowd which was almost enough to create awkward tension. Instead of applauding the way the escorts all customarily requested (this was more protocol rather than anything though; for none in Districts 6-12 would ever cheer the death of their own), many people raised their hands in a 3-fingered salute. It had originated in District 12, but over the last few years, some closeness between tributes from '11 and '12 had allowed the sign to be shared between the two more freely.

There was a moment of resounding silence once again as the two tributes were escorted inside the Justice Building. Thresh and Rue were acquainted with each other, both of them working different parts of the fields and orchards around the district, but neither one was very talkative: Rue mostly just sang or whistled, while Thresh was the type to state or answer things in as few words as possible.

There was an hour between the reaping and when the tributes would be carted off to the trains and subsequently shipped off to the Capitol to begin the end of their lives. Thresh and Rue's families only took about half of that, and then a few friends came in to say their goodbyes. Thresh and Rue actually spent the last 10 minutes or so of this time together, looking each other over without a word.

It was like there was a certain level of understanding that appeared between these two that was so masterfully understood that neither one felt the need to speak. Maybe they were misreading each other entirely. Maybe they were operating on identical wavelengths. The Peacekeepers that came to escort them to the transports were slightly skeptical to see the two tributes sitting across from each other, their arms crossed. Rue's little legs didn't even touch the ground until she hopped up. But, such was how things were.

Rue Keniye was not the only 12-year-old with unfortunate luck, however. A district away in the square of District 12, Primrose Everdeen was called to the stage. To the surprise of everyone present, one of the other girls exploded, pushing her way through the crowds to approach the stage. While her initial intention had been to volunteer in Primrose's place, Katniss Everdeen got particularly rough with the Peacekeepers that tried to restrain her, even going as far as using her elbows, knees, and at one point, even biting one's shoulder.

"NO!" she bellowed again, "Gerroff… Lemme… I volunteer! Let me take her place! I volunteer as tribute!"

But whether it was because the Peacekeepers had had enough of this belligerent young woman or if she had already broken enough rules and protocol to require it, she was escorted into the justice building, literally kicking and screaming. If not for the tenseness of the situation and the rather horrified look on little Primrose's face, the situation might have been almost comical, considering that even after the Justice Building doors had shut, there was a loud banging noise and a scuffle, as well as a sharp yell that clearly belonged to Katniss. It ultimately took sedatives, ropes around her hands and ankles as they put her in a chair, and a cloth around her mouth to finally subdue the enraged teen, and even then, she was still fuming as she sat there immobilized.

"Well," Escort Effie Trinket tried to diffuse the situation, "that was certainly quite an incident… Now… for the boys…"

The male tribute from District 12 that year was a strapping young man by the name of Peeta Mellark. Similar to in District 11, there was silence after the names were recited, and most of the crowd raised their hands in a somber salute. Katniss was given permission to say goodbye to her sister, although there were angry red marks around her wrists and on her ankles just above her shoes, as well as a fierce cut on her right cheek that was still bleeding. Nothing she tried could get the Peacekeepers or officiators to allow her to switch places with Primrose at this point, however.

Across the country in District 1, virtually the opposite was the case. Instead of people fearing their name would get picked, there were dozens of boys and girls lined up raring to volunteer. There were so many of them that it was basically a scramble for the stage where the potential tributes brawled their way to the front. There were no real rules about this, but few ever spent much time trying to beat someone down, as that was precious time that they could be scrambling for the stage instead. This year's picks were a lanky boy named Marvel and a slender, attractive lady named Glimmer. While both of them almost seemed a bit airheaded like their escort (being an airhead was part of an escort's job description though), they clearly had some ability to back themselves up considering that they had outdone the other boys and girls of District 1.

District 2 was almost identical to District 1 except perhaps a bit more vicious. From the stage, their bubbly escort Athena was mustering the tributes together in preparation for the race to the stage. The boys and girls were beginning to split up into their respective groups, but that didn't stop a few from passing a few words to each other before the split.

"If you don't win this year, Cato, I'm going to have no choice but to mock you," a smaller girl teased. "It's your last year, so it's now or never."

"There'll be more than a few black eyes by the time I reach that stage," Cato insisted, "and what about you, Clove? Are you in it to win it?"

"If I wasn't," the girl named Clove retorted, "I wouldn't be here." Before she could say much more, the two of them parted ways, although exchanged glances as Clove and the other girls got into position.

The scramble to the stage was about as chaotic as one might assume, with brawls breaking out between some of Panem's strongest children as they raced and battled to become this year's tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. After a few moments of zigzagging through other girls and striking a few others with alarming precision, Clove flipped up onto the stage and was named the female tribute for District 2, despite a few aggressive attacks on her fellow would-be tributes. She got an approving nod from Elroy and Enobaria, the current pair of mentors for District 2 that year. Technically only one victor was required to mentor tributes, although many from District 2 took pride in having a 2nd victor there to bolster their egos.

Clove's eyes returned to the group of boys who were now preparing to fight to the stage. Many of them were fairly gigantic, and so singling out Cato was not very easy at first. However, it was clear which one was vicious enough to be Cato once they were in action. He was pushing and shoving and punching his way past the others, before clambering up to the stage, raising his arms triumphantly and giving a battle yell as if to proclaim his victory.

Athena did not seem to mind any of this, and neither did any of District 2, and so once Cato and Clove were perched atop the stage, she made the announcement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Our tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games: Cato Torino and Clove Kazera!"

In this district there actually was some cheering and chanting. There was a lot of district pride in District 2, and Clove and Cato egged it on by shouting and throwing their hands into the air.

Even in these districts though, the tributes were allowed to say their final goodbyes, and so they had the same hour of time inside the District 2 Justice Building where their parents, friends, or siblings would show up (if they wished to) to bid their son, daughter, brother, or sister goodbye. Only two relatives showed up—Cato's mother and father. Clove's parents were alive, but had not chosen to show up; and her older sister Chive was serving as a Peacekeeper out in the fringes of District 12. She had not, however, been involved in the altercation with Katniss Everdeen.

It very subtly bothered Clove that her parents hadn't even showed up to congratulate her—or even show up to the reaping at all. Watching the reaping was mandatory by Capitol Law, but that was what television was for unless you were between the ages of 12 and 18.

Clove flipped a coin between her fingers as she idled her time while she overheard Cato say his goodbyes. It didn't bother her, per se, that her parents were not even interested in their own daughter to see her realize what was surely her finest achievement, but… okay, maybe it irked her just a little. Cato's parents seemed so affectionate and proud of their young man who was going to bring them and their district honor and glory, and perhaps even fame. Cato Torino was certainly a valid threat, and he would surely have very high odds.

Clove sighed softly, making it sound like she was simply disinterested, and waited for the Peacekeepers to escort them to the trains. In a way it really was a drag, waiting for this hour to pass where no one came to say goodbye. The few friends Clove had from the training academies that came to say goodbye only took about a total of 15 minutes, leaving 45 minutes for her to memorize every stitch and detail of her vest, blouse, skirt, and shoes. The designs on the walls didn't interest her half as much, and she wished that she had a knife to play with or something, but she settled for studying the scuff marks on her vest, skirt, and sleeves from when she had gotten into fights with other would-be volunteers.

Unlike in other districts, the Peacekeepers in District 2 were fairly friendly about informing the tributes their time was up, knowing that volunteer tributes were not about to try and make a break for it or cause a scene or anything, and unsurprisingly, Cato and Clove both went with them without any incident.

They were joined by Athena when they boarded the train, her excited rambling going over their heads as they sat down, still looking a bit roughed up from the brawling they had done on the way to the District Stage. Despite their significant difference in height, both of them were smirking contentedly as they silently got comfortable and the train pulled out of the District 2 station.

"Here we are then, Cato," Clove smirked at her partner. "Nicely done."
"Nicely done yourself," Cato fist-bumped the smaller girl, "nice vest, by the way."

"You like it?" She beamed, "I figured I'd look cute one last time before I start dressing like the psychopathic murderer I was always meant to be."
"May the odds be ever in your favour," Cato teased. Clove simply laughed.

Cato Torino and Clove Kazera knew full well what they were getting into, and had no regrets. They had been training their whole lives for this moment, and now it was time to prove their worth, as they entered the 74th Annual Hunger Games in a dangerously high-risk, high-return endeavor for honour and courage, where winning meant fame and fortune; while losing…

…losing meant certain death.