Emerald Altz

District Two Female

Emerald just kept her grip as she felt the knife nearly slide out of her hands. Her opponent, a small girl, light on her feet, tried to dart back as Emerald reached for her wrist, but she wasn't fast enough. Emerald pulled her forward and slammed her knee up into the girl's chest. Her opponent fell back, but quickly pushed herself back on to her feet.

The trainer's whistle blew. "That's time up you two."

Emerald stepped back from the sparring area, as did her opponent. The two girls exchanged a quick nod, and then the girl disappeared. If Emerald was honest, she didn't know the name of her opponent, some girl a year younger than her. She didn't quite know why they'd been fighting, if she was honest. They were meant to be being assessed on their skills to be chosen as a volunteer.

"Emerald." Emerald turned to see Ally, her best friend, had appeared behind her. "The centre will close soon. You should meet up with me and Val by the park once you're done."

"Sure." Emerald nodded and watched as Ally walked off to join a different group of students.

When District Two announced their tributes the next morning, Emerald was sure she'd be one of them. Nobody else cared as much as she did, no one else had her skill. In fact, as a child she had known. When she first started training, she knew. And she never stopped. Her family had never stopped, even during the rebellion, even when people didn't know if the Games would continue.

She was approached by the Head Trainer, who simply said "Miss Altz, would you mind coming to my office for a minute."

"Of course!" Emerald began to follow him through the training centre, to where she knew she would get what she had always wanted.


When they arrived at the office, there was already someone waiting for them. Emerald recognised him immediately - Blaze Pyrite, the strongest student in her class.

This was it then.

"Sit down, please, Emerald." Emerald sat.

"Now," said the Head Trainer, "as I am sure you are both aware, we will announce our choices for the volunteers tomorrow. However, we find it is best to inform the volunteers the evening before. Which, I'm sure you've worked out, is what I am currently doing. You two have been chosen for this year's Hunger Games. Please make sure to rest and do not let your skills lessen before you leave."

Emerald found herself grinning, so extremely happy that she had made it. She had made it! Next to her, Blaze's reaction was less extreme, but still pleased.

"This information does not leave this room until the announcement tomorrow morning, understood?" Both Blaze and Emerald began to agree. "Then you are dismissed."


Outside in the June heat, Emerald found Ally, Terce and Harmonia in the small grassy area known as the park. On the edge of District Two's largest town, the park had become a favourite hangout spot for a lot of the Academy's students. This evening, a large number of them had gathered in a celebration of the next morning's announcement.

As the group looked for a tree to sit under, they passed several groups of gossiping teenagers, discussing who they thought would be chosen.

"So who do you think it will be?" Terce asked, his voice low.

"Maybe Ajax Cornellan? He's really good with a spear." suggested Harmonia.

"No! It'll be Cadmus Prentis." Ally's voice showed complete certainty.

"Cadmus? Really? You can't have spent much time around him recently." Emerald chimed in.

"What about Blaze?" Terce asked.

"Him? I mean he's strong, I'll give him that." Ally agreed.

"Not that smart though." Harmonia commented.

"He's smart enough." said Terce.

"I can see him being chosen, if I'm honest." Emerald said. It was weird commenting on something she wasn't allowed to tell them. Well. She wanted to tell them beforehand, but they needed to be away from people, in case someone found out she'd told them. She didn't want to get in trouble with the Head Trainer before she was announced as volunteer. It would make it a lot easier for her to be removed, after all.

"What about the girl? Maybe Jada?" Ally switched the conversation to a different topic. There was only so much speculation that could be had in one evening, and eventually more pressing matters appeared, such as when they would next have time to meet outside of training centre activities. In the run up to the Games, most people would be training hard, even if they weren't chosen, in case something happened to put one of the volunteers which meant they couldn't compete. It was unlikely, but everyone wanted the chance if it happened.

As the evening continued, people left for parties and home, and Emerald and her friends headed for one of the quiet clearings in the woods that bordered the park. They had found it a few years ago, and decided it was a perfect place for them to be alone. It had a small stream running past it, and in the summer, when the heat began to get to them, there was always the opportunity to throw it's water at each other, playing like children.

Being in the training centre could take that from you far too soon.


Cezar Cununa

District One Male

"Well, I'm glad I was able to help you."

Cezar thanked Mr Clade before heading home for the day. The arrangements for the Lunins' wedding were nearly done, and Cezar found himself half disappointed and half relieved. Sure it was hard and tiring, but the satisfaction was always worth it. Cezar was glad District One was still able to afford these types of things despite their loss of Capitol support, glad his life had put him somewhere so much better than other places.

As he entered his home, he found his mother in their small kitchen making a cup of tea. The luxury items that were rarely available in Cezar's childhood slowly making their way back into life in District One.

"How was the appointment?" she asked him.

"Good. We managed to find the perfect combination of flowers. I'm sure the Lunins will love it." he replied. His mother nodded in approval.

"I'm proud you're doing so well with this, given it's your first month."

"I learnt it all from you." he told her, and she smiled.

"Mum, when is Cezar getting- Oh! Cezar, you're here. It feels like we haven't seen each other in months!" Cezar's sister appeared in the kitchen, quickly pulling him into a hug. It had, in reality, been only a few days since Adriana had last visited, but Cezar could agree with her sentiment.

"It's good to see you too! I've missed you being in this house." This conversation was repeated almost every time Adrianna had visited since she'd begun living with Fortune, her now-husband.

"I brought some of the soup I made last time with me." Adrianna told him.

"Well bring that in here, and then let's take this into the other room shall we. It's a little cramped in here." Cezar's mum broke in, and the two siblings broke apart.


"So I told him that it wasn't worth arguing about, but he kept on telling me that I need to feed my cats. And you know that I don't have cats, so I don't know why he thought that." As the evening went on, the family had gathered in the main room of their house, sharing an evening meal of bread and the soup Adrianna had made.

Cezar found it strange that within a year there'd be a baby crawling around at these gatherings, and that it would be his niece or nephew. It didn't quite feel real how lucky his sister was. But they were lucky. They were lucky to live in District One, they were lucky to be well off, they were lucky to have such a wonderful family.

"Maybe there's one that roams around your street and he thinks it yours." Cezar's father suggested.

"Yeah, maybe." Adrianna didn't sound convinced.

"Well it's good that he cares, isn't it?" Cezar pointed out.

Adrianna smiled. "Yeah, that's true. Maybe I'll ask him about it."

"And have him come after you every time he's worried about something? I wouldn't suggest it." joked their father.

"I don't know, it gives you a better chance of you getting help from your neighbours though." his mother countered. There was some nodding, and the room settled into comfortable silence. There was something peaceful about the family being together. Something comforting. Something that made him hope it would stay this peaceful forever. And even if it didn't, it would always be this new form of wonderful.


A/N

Hi all! This chapter is a little late than I said. Oops. These are our first two tributes, with huge thanks to dandelioninthespring16 for Emerald and QueenOfMorning37 for Cezar. I'll have another chapter out in a couple of weeks.

SnowSymphony