Hello, loyal readers! So, I'm trying to get messages out to all of my SYOT people so they know the story isn't abandoned, but I imagine ou all know how that is turning out with the combined obstacles of my scattered brain, and the sheer amount of people I have with tributes. SOoo, yeah, I'm trying though so I'm hoping eeryone will have foundme again by the time I start posting readings!

Enjoy!

District 2

"District2: Masonary, another well known career district. This District has produced the most victors in the past, although it seems to have reached a stand-still as it has not seen a victor since the 89th Hunger Games, 10 years ago. Perhaps I will meet the District 2 dweller who will bring the glory of the games back to their district."

With a click of the button the recorder was off. Kat stepped into the train station met by an appropriate amount of cheering. However, the people of District 2 did not welcome her with the same vigor had the people of District 1. There was no excited screams, bouncing children and teens, and even a few adults. No jutting hands hoping she would honor them by brushing up against their hand. Instead she was met by sullen faces that shouted only to please the Capital. Children in the front of the crowd eyeing her skeptically, and keeping their hands firmly by their sides, or raised to their faces.

Kat quickly made it into the streets of the district and looked around at the tall dark buildings that lined the streets. Though, admittedly, not as grand as the buildings of District 1, they still were brilliant to gaze upon. Tall buildings made of bricks painted deep shades of crimson and black. They reached high and came to a sharp point as though they wished to pierce the light blue that strongly contradicted the dark nature they intended to bring upon the district. Kat knew this was only the center of it all. Villages surrounded this part of the District, scattered across the mountain. She also planned to visit some of these, but for today the center would have to do.

"Not as grand as the Capital or District 1 is it?"

Kat gave a start and whipped around to find a girl a few years older than herself. The girl smiled at her, "but it suits my fancy just fine personally."

"It's incredible," Kat told the girl. She allowed her eyes to sweep over this girl. Kat placed her at maybe sixteen, tall and thin. Not lack of nutrition thin like from other districts, but more like fit thin. Long arms that showed muscle if she gave the slightest flex, and long legs as well, that had meat on them, but it defiantly wasn't unused meat. The skin was wrapped tightly around the muscle, which was the only thing there to wrap around, except maybe the bone. The girl had jet black hair that was soaked and pulled back in a messy bun that was all but fallen down all together. None of this was what attracted Kat's attention. The girl stared at her with eyes of the purest amber that seemed to glow.

"There's another Capital here," the girl told her in a sharp voice, as though she had not heard what Kat had said. "Your age, fire colored hair, arrogant attitude, which is very annoying by the way. He's been harassing the younger girls since he got here. You should talk to him, you know Capital-to-Capital." There was an edge to her voice that made Kat suspicious. Her suspicion was confirmed when the girl gave her a look that rang a warning as clear as a bell, if it had to come down to Capital-to-District 2, there would be more than talking.

Kat didn't have to think about who this boy may be. "I'll deal with it," she assured the girl. The District 2 nodded and then was gone as quick as she had come. Kat waited a moment to be sure she had really gone, then kicked a rock in frustration. "Slader!" she growled angrily in a voice not loud enough to be understood, for it was not for the ears of anyone.

She then began in a random direction, occasionally stopping someone to ask if they had seen him. Most nodded with annoyed glares and pointed her in another direction. Eventually, she came upon the street where she found the boy leaned against the black-painted bricks of a wall, talking to a blond girl who looked like she wished to be anywhere else but there. Kat began to stomp over and the noise caught Slader's attention. He look her way and dark brown met dark blue with a deadly clash and everyone on the surrounding streets could sense trouble in that glare. The blond girl took the time to slip off a ways, but hung close enough to watch what was to come with interest.

Kat reached Slader and took a firm hold on the collar of his black shirt, dragging him into the nearest alley, ignoring his chocked protests. Once in the alley, she turned him around to face her and shoved him roughly into the wall. "I'm not here five minutes and the first thing I hear is that you've been harassing the girls of the District all day," she snapped at him.

"Calm down, Lina, I-"

"Do not call me Lina," she snarled giving him a firm kick to the shin for emphasis.

Slader bit his lip in an obvious attempt not to cry out. "I wasn't harassing anyone," he told her, reaching down absently to give his shin a tender rub. "I was only talking to them."

"Whatever, Slader, I know you," she replied with a huff. Then suddenly a thought struck her. "What are you even doing here?"

Slader looked grim. "President Snow was debating on whether or not to send company with you so you don't get lonely. Apparently 'I agree she may need company' is the equivalent to 'I'll go keep her company'." He crossed his arms to emphasize his distaste and added, "I was dragged here against my will."

Kat huffed again. "Come on, if your gonna be here I'm not gonna let you go around ticking off locals. You do remember which District we're in don't you? District 2, producing some of some of the most deadly and insane tributes in the Games?"

Slader rolled his eyes at her. "They won't do anything to me. I'm to important. They would get into to much trouble."

"It wouldn't stop me," Kat grumbled. "Come on, I wanna get started on interviews."

She turned on her heel and stalked away. Slader waited a moment, then reluctantly followed after her. "So where are we going?"

"I wanna go meet the Mayor," Kat told him.

Slader grinned. "Excellent, I heard the Mayor's daughter is a sight for sour eyes," he said, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

Kat paused long enough to smack the back of his head. "No, Slader."

"What?" Slader whined, rubbing his head sorely. "I was only joking!"

"Whatever."

"I was!"

Within five minutes, which was filled with arguing, they reached the Mayor's home. It was a broad brick building painted to match its surroundings. The top was flat unlike the rest and door seemed to be made of thick steel. Slader raised his eyebrows at the sight. Kat shrugged and rang the doorbell. In a matter of moments the door swung open and Kat gave a start as she met amber eyes.

The girl she had met at her arrival stood staring down at her. The girl gave an annoyed glance at Slader, who was gaping at her, looking as surprised as Kat felt. "Hello," the girl greeted sorely.

Kat gave herself a shake and put on a smile. "Hello, your the girl who told me about him," she jerked her head at Slader, still staring open mouthed. "I don't believe I properly introduced myself, I'm-"

"Katalina Snow. Great-Granddaughter of President Snow, Capital's Sweetheart. Yeah, I know who you are. I'm Brigid, Daughter of District 2's Mayor. Who's he?" She nodded towards Slader.

"That's Slader Gorge, Son of the Head Gamemaker. President Snow sent him here to keep me company," Kat told her bitterly.

The girl nodded, "Are you here to talk to my father, then?"

"Yes actually," Kat nodded.

"Follow me, then," Brigid told her gesturing for them to follow as she turned to walk deeper into the home. Kat followed and Slader took a few quick steps to catch up.

"Her eyes," he whispered in Kat's ear.

Kat elbowed him and jerked her head in the girl's direction, telling him not to talk about it around her. A bark of amused laughter came from ahead of them. Brigid turned around to look at them. "What about my eyes?" She asked. "I know they're odd for district people but I figured a Capital kid would find them normal."

Slader looked taken aback, "Nobody in the Capital has eyes like that."

"Really?" she asked. "Of all the things you do to your eyes you don't have amber?"

"No," Slader grumbled.

"Odd," Brigid mused.

They came to a door and Brigid paused and gave it three sharp knocks. There was a pause then, "What, Brigid?"

"Kat Snow is here to talk to you."

There was the sound of fumbling on the other side of the door, then the door swung open. A tall muscular man with nearly black eyes was standing in the doorway. His eyes looked down and give a spark as they fall on Kat. "Well, well, what do ya know?" he said cheerfully in a gruff voice. "It really is you. I thought my daughter was playing tricks on me."

Kat smiled reassuring. "No I'm really here."

"Well, come on in. Brigid why don't you go down to the kitchen and get some snacks and drinks for our guests?" Brigid nodded and turned to head in another direction. The mayor lead them into the room, a high-ceilinged room with a slightly rounded off shape to it. The room was a dark brown color, which didn't help the fact that the lights were dim and only one window shone light into the room. Pictures of Hunger Games victors lined the walls, more than Kat cared to count. She found one of Enobaria right after her famous act of ripping out a tribute's throat. She was hunched over the body on her hands and knees, her teeth bared and stained red while the content of the throat still stuck out from between her teeth. Her eyes had a crazed look to them and blood was trickling down her chin and dripping down to fall upon the dead tribute. Kat almost lost the content of her stomach, as though she had suddenly been forced to down a glass of Reflux.(1)

Quickly composing herself, Kat managed to get out, "District 1 didn't have pictures of there victors. It's interesting." Well it wasn't a lie at least.

"Yes," the man said, nodding thoughtfully. "We like to remember those who bring us honor. I wish someone would allow me to put a new face on the wall by winning," he added bitterly.

Kat nodded while Slader looked sick, his eyes trying to avoid looking at Enobaria's photo. However, it wasn't the only gruesome picture there. "It must be difficult not having a victor in ten years. District 2 was very famous for its number of Victors in the past, or so I've heard anyways."

"Yes we were, indeed," he nodded.

Kat reached into her pocket and silently clicked on her recorder. "So how long have you been in charge of the District?"

"Oh, its been a while," he said, "Twenty-five years to be exact. My first year in charge was the year of the third Quarter Quell."

"Are you excited to see a second?" she wondered.

"Of course," the mayor told her. "I can't wait to see the twist they add to this year."

Kat was preparing to ask another question, when the door swung open unannounced. This startled Kat, she had expected an interrupter to knock as Brigid had. She half-expected the intruder to be Brigid herself, sporting a tray of food and cups of hot tea. The girl who came in was certainly not Brigid, however. Brigid had been tall and muscular, but otherwise a rather plain look to her. This girl was the complete opposite. She didn't even appear to be a District 2 girl. When Kat laid eyes upon her, she was immediately reminded of District 1. She was a small girl, with darkly tanned skin and nearly black eyes that swept the room in a manner that seemed to imply that she owned everything in it. Her hair was blacker than pitch dark and was in a bundle of tight curls, each immaculately placed and hardly daring to bounce out of its assigned spot. She swept in grandly, her deep red dress flowing around her in an elegant wave.

"Father," she said, her chin up. She held herself in a manner that suggested she thought she was the most important person in the world and she expected to be treated so. "I heard Kat Snow was here!" Her dark eyes fell on the Capital girl and then on her companion. "And the son of the Head Gamemaker!" She swept across the room and sat across from the boy. "Oh you must tell me what your father plans for this year's arena!"

"Lalita-"

"Father, can't you see I'm trying to talk?" the girl asked in a commanding voice that caused her father to go silent. "Well?" she said expectantly, looking at Slader.

Slader rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "My dad doesn't talk to me about the before game preparations," he admitted.

"He's not allowed to," Kat added.

Lalita's dark eyes drifted to her then, "Do you know anything, then?"

"No," Kat told her.

"Well that stinks. What are you two doing here?"

"Interviews," Kat replied quietly, running a finger lightly over the recorder and considering turning it off.

"Oh! Interview me!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Kat looked sideways at Slader who shrugged. "Alright then."

~One week later~

"Slader!" Kat shouted sharply. Slader, who had been leaned against a wall flirting with the one girl who didn't seem annoyed about it. They had left the central part of the district and were exploring the surrounding villages. Kat, who had been interviewing an older, broad-shouldered boy, was ready to move on down the street and found herself annoyed at his messing around.

He took his time coming over, much to Kat's frustration, and when he finally reached her, he asked, "So where we are going next?"

"I don't know," Kat told him. "Just going until we find someone interesting, I guess."

Slader rolled his eyes. "You haven't even asked the most important people yet, Snow," he told her.

"Really and who would they be? I've interviewed the Mayor and his daughters, I've interviewed the victors-"

"But what about the families of the people who lost relatives in the games?"

Kat paused and looked at him thoughtfully. "I suppose you have a point," Kat said. "But how are we supposed to find families of the fallen?"

"Look," Slader replied matter-of-factly. He then stopped a passerby. "Excuse me, do you know where any family members of fallen Hunger games participants are?"

The man looked at him thoughtfully for moment, "Yes, actually, my neighbor is the twin sister of Clove, from the 74th Hunger Games, why?"

"We were just curious, thanks for your time," Slader thanked him and the man moved on without a second glance. "See?" He asked looking at Kat victoriously.

Kat gave an annoyed glare. "Slader."

"What," he whined, upset that she didn't seem to have excepted his idea.

"You didn't ask for directions to the house," she told him. Slader frowned then blushed a crimson color.

"Oh."

Kat rolled her eyes at him. "Come on," she said, gabbing his arm and dragging him off. After much time spent asking around, they finally found the home they needed, Kat tapped the wooden door with her knuckles a few times and the door quickly swung open.

"Cane, you're," she paused and frowned at her visitors, "...not...Cane."

"Um, hello," Kat said brightly, "I'm Kat Snow and this is my...uh...company," she still hadn't figured out how to refer to Slader since he definitely was not her friend, "Slader Gorge."

"Kat Snow?" the woman raised an eyebrow at the two. "As in the President's Great-Granddaughter, Kat Snow?"

"Yes that's me. If you don't mind, I'm performing interviews her in the District and I would like to hear from the family member of a...um... fallen-"

"You want to interview me about my sister's Games?"

"Yes," she replied dropping her voice.

The woman stepped aside and let them in, calling for someone to bring something to drink. She led them into the living room and they took a seat. "So, what's your name then?"

"Clara," the woman told them.

"I heard your relation to Clove was that you were twins. Is that true?"

"Yes, I was her twin sister."

"So, had your sister always wanted to participate in the Hunger Games?"

She nodded slowly, then laughed at an untold joke, "Oh you should have seen her when we were little. She decided to throw knives after she was a District 9 boy, of all people, doing it. Our mother had to lock the knives away so she wouldn't get her hands on them and hurt someone." Another laugh. "She used to bet Cato that she could kill someone faster with her knives than he could with his sword."

"She knew Cato as a kid?" Kat wondered.

"Sure," Clara replied. "They used to train together, I mean, uh, dream about the games together." Clara blushed as she realized she had said to much.

Kat pretended she hadn't noticed. "How did you feel when she volunteered that year."

"I was scared for her, I guess, deep down," the laugh she gave this time was dry. "But you should have seen her. She was so sure of herself. So confident she would win. You couldn't help but believe her. I always figured if she didn't come back it would be because it came down to her and Cato. Cato was always so much stronger than her." Her eye were turning glassy with tears. "Then they announced that two tributes from the same District could win. I was so happy. Her only threat was no longer a threat." She glared angrily at the wall. "I should have given the boy from District 11 more thought. Mother always told her not to play with her food, why couldn't she have just stabbed the District 12 girl and been done? Then Thresh would have left her alone, she may have even been able to kill him, too." Tears were streaming down her face. She sniffled. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Kat said.

"It just isn't fair, you know?" Clara said. "She was supposed to come home. Seeing her head bashed in with the rock, it was the most terrible thing I've ever watched."

"At least your sister wasn't mutilated by mutts all night, until the District 12 girl finally took pity," came a sore voice. Clara looked to the door as did the two Capitals. In the doorway was a new woman with sandy blond hair leaning against the door frame. Kat's breath caught, she looked like a female version of Cato. "My brother suffered. Your sister had a quick death. It was merciful enough."

"I know, but it still hurts."

"It always does," the new woman told her.