Hey, everyone! I apologize for the delay on this chapter, I've been sort of pre-occupied as of late; my great-grandmother recently passed away, and I had to attend her funeral and meet with the family to cheer one another up on a weekly basis or so. I kind of got bummed out after I found out, even though we weren't too close, so forgive me, please.
The Presidential Mansion
12:25 AM
"The girl doesn't seem like anything important." Quipped President Aria. "I'd say she's Bloodbath fodder. However, the male...his name sounds rather familiar."
"H-his twin was reaped for District 4, madam." Peter quickly explained, taking control of the television. "They share the same last name, Naggia."
"Oh." Said Aria softly, as she sipped her wine. "How interesting. A brother and sister duo. They'll make for a great show. Much more interesting than those lifeless bags of bones from District 3, wise decision skipping that pair...Peter?"
"Yes, madam?" The loyal servant answered.
"Bring up a holographic conference with Gamemaker Tolius as soon as possible. There are some matters I'd like to discuss with her."
"Of course, ma'am. I'll go fetch the projector." Peter strode towards the heavy oaken doors, leading to the maze-like halls of the mansion.
"Oh, Peter, before you go?"
He spun around to face President Aria at once.
"Yes, ma'am?"
She raised her crystalline chalice, finishing off the final dregs that sat in the bottom of the cup.
"Another glass of wine, please."
Oceanus Dock
District 4 Male
Age: 16
6:00 AM
A young man sits at an oaken dinner table, dressed in his best blue suit and tie. The morning light shines faintly through grime-coated windows, and the nearby sound of the ocean is calming to him. It's a sound he's heard all his life, alongside the cheery chirps and squeaks of dolphins frolicking through the sea.
Suddenly, the door to the house burst open, and a man in a woman strode inside, working together to haul in the biggest dogfish Oceanus had ever seen. It appeared to be dead, judging by the limpness of the body and the two bloodied holes in the sides.
"Good morning, Oceanus!" Called Oceanus's mother, as she and her husband maneuvered the prize towards the kitchen counter. "Happy reaping day!"
"Hey mom, hey dad. What's the dogfish for?"
"Well, your mom and I decided that tonight we'd make ourselves a treat." Mr. Dock slid the beast onto the counter, wiping his hands on his pants and striding over to his son as Mrs. Dock began to prepare a lemon juice marinate. "You know, considering that tonight our son is leaving for the Capitol." He ruffled Oceanus's chestnut hair affectionately.
"Aw, thanks, dad. Just wish I could have some of that dogfish." He smacked his lips. "Never tried any of those before."
Mr. Dock chuckled. "Well, don't worry. When you come back, there'll be a piping hot plate of dogfish, waiting for you right here." He slid his finger against the wood grain of the table.
"Triton!" Called Mrs. Dock from the kitchen. "Come help me squeeze the lemons."
"Be right there!" Giving his son a final pat on the shoulder, Mr. Dock left to assist his wife, leaving Oceanus alone.
Once he was gone, Oceanus fished around his neck for the thin metal chain hidden beneath his shirt, and quickly pulled it out into his palm. It was a necklace, featuring a polished little seashell in place of the usual medallion; his token. He'd received it that morning, shortly before his parents left to fetch their dinner for tonight.
"Here, Oceanus." Mrs. Dock had said, placing the cold metal chain in her son's palm. "This is your token. Pretty, huh?"
Oceanus had admired the orange and white stripes that ran up the little shell, and thanked his mother profusely. But now, he wondered where the little shell had come from, and what significance it held. What about the shell made it worthy to become his token?
"Oceanus, your ready to go?" Mrs. Dock asked, as she set the dogfish on the counter. It was sitting in a marinate of bright yellow lemon juice, a sight that made Oceanus's mouth water. He wished he would be there to enjoy it.
Mrs. Dock followed her son's wide-eyed gaze and smiled.
"Yes, I know, the dogfish looks delicious, but we'll catch another for you when you get back home." She strode over from the kitchen, planting a kiss on her son's cheek. "God, you're getting so big."
"Awh, mom." He blushed, and suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it, don't worry." Oceanus hurried open to the door and swung it open, finding a familiar figure standing there; a tall, brown-haired boy with a tanned complexion, whom Oceanus immediately recognized.
"Finn! Hey!"
"What's up, Oceanus?" Finn wrapped his arms around his best friend in a tight hug, and Oceanus couldn't help but blush; he'd had feelings for Finn for years now, which had thankfully gone unnoticed. "I heard you were going to volunteer!"
"Yep, it's true!" He puffed up his chest proudly. "I'm gonna become a Victor."
"That's awesome! Don't forget me when you become famous, though." Finn winked and gave Oceanus a light shove, causing the two to break into laughter. "Anyways, my folks said I could walk to the reaping with you guys...is that cool?"
"Of course, dude!"
A mischievous smile slithered across Finn's face, and Oceanus's eyes immediately went wide. Finn seized his best friend's arm and dragged him outside, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible.
He leaned in close, his hot breath tickling the shell of Oceanus's ear.
"Then, let's go ahead of the rest." His grip tightened slightly. "Just you and me."
-15 Minutes Later-
"Say, Oceanus, will you let me move into your fancy house in the Victor's Square once you come back?" Asked Finn with a smirk.
Oceanus coughed and glanced to the side so as to conceal the bright red blush that still plagued his face.
"Y-yeah." He coughed. "Yeah, of course. Being roomies would be fun."
For the past fifteen minutes, Finn had been bombarding Oceanus with sly, slightly risqué questions that did nothing to aid in Oceanus's desperate efforts to hide his reddened cheeks. Whether he was doing this on purpose, Oceanus had no idea, but he prayed the awkward torment would cease soon.
"Hm...roomies." Finn mulled over the flavor of the word. "You know what, that sounds like a good idea. I'm going to love having someone as big and strong as you living with me."
"...Why, exactly?" A flurry of images swarmed to the surface of Oceanus's mind, which he quickly subdued with a giveaway blush.
Finn slumped against Oceanus's shoulder, a faint smolder gracing his face. Oceanus couldn't deny that he was handsome, so handsome in fact that Oceanus himself soubted his appearance when in the presence of Finn. And Oceanus was no commoner; he was often praised for his chiseled jawline and finely made facial features.
"To kill the spiders, of course!" A grin replaced the smirk, and Finn straightened himself up. They give me the creeps."
Oceanus could detect no note of a deeper meaning to this statement, which both relieved and slightly disappointed him. He felt his blush dissipate at once, and an unknown stress he'd had in his spine released itself.
"You're seriously still scared of spiders?" Oceanus snorted. "They're just bugs."
"But they're bugs with eight legs and the ability to kill." Finn shivered. "And humans swallow about 20 per year in their sleep..."
"Eh, that's okay. I didn't need to sleep anyways."
At this point, the two had made their way to the Square, which was of course packed with District 4 citizens all in their finest garb. The boys managed to meander inside with ease, pausing for a moment to drink in their surroundings.
"You didn't see my parents, huh, Finn?"
He shook his head. "They're probably behind us still. It's fine, though. The reaping doesn't start until-"
A voice boomed out from over an enormous, unseen speaker.
"All children between the ages of twelve and eighteen, please make your way to the designated sections of the crowd. The readings shall commence in ten minutes."
"There, ten minutes. They'll be here by then."
"But what if they-"
"Don't worry about it!" Finn seized Oceanus's arm in a vice-like grip, toting him towards one of the various bloodtesting stations scattered far before the stage. "Come on! We don't wanna be late!"
Though Oceanus expected it, Finn didn't reattempt his sky banter during the waiting period. Rather, he struck up a casual conversation regarding the weather and various political happenings, which Oceanus happily partook in.
"-died a few weeks ago, didn't he? That means his children are next in line, but last I checked they both made it very clear they wanted nothing to do with the presidency. They've got a daughter though, I forget her name-oh, my bad, here's my arm-anyways, she might be the one to take his place, unless-ouch!-one of her parents decides to step up..." Finn babbled, gently rubbing his arm where the blood had been withdrawn.
"Eh, we'll find out who's claimed the position once I get my crown. Ouch!" Oceanus jerked his thumb away from the harsh paper, wincing at the bloodied print he'd left. A woman scanned the said print with some sort of Capitol device, then ushered Oceanus behind her.
"Oh, you and your crown." Clucked Finn.
"What, you're not happy for me?" Frowned Oceanus.
"Of course I am!" He exclaimed. "It's just...the arena is dangerous, y'know? Twenty-three people are going to die there..."
"And I'm going to be the one that survives!"
"I know, I know!" Finn defended himself, wide-eyed, as he and Oceanus settled into a spot wedged between two boys of the same age in the audience. "Believe me, I know your capabilities. I'm just...worried about you, is all."
"Worried about me? Do you think I'm going to die?"
"No, that's not what I mean. I don't think you're 'weak' or anything, I just..." He sighed. "Nevermind."
"No, I want to know what you meant!" Oceanus persisted, only to be cut-off by a booming voice from onstage.
"Hello, District 4! This is Iridesca Floundt, coming to you all the way from the Capitol!" The escort was just as she'd been in the years prior; oddly dressed, heavily makeup-ed, and glistening from the heavy amounts of plastic where her flesh and skin should've been. "Can I get a cheer?"
Iridesca quickly found that this year's lot was much more civilized than the last. Rather than bursting into animalistic screeches and hoots, the audience politely applauded to her requests. A smile spread across her face, for she knew this was going to be easy.
"Well! Let's get started then, shall we?" She cooed. "As usual...ladies first." Despite their unrelenting efforts, Iridesca's high heels did nothing to stagger her movements, and she meandered to the crystalline bowl with ease.
For a moment or two, she searched around the bowl, finely-manicured hands flipping and twirling like dancers. At last, the fateful slip of paper was plucked from its place, and Iridesca hummed with satisfaction.
"Here we are, the little dickens was caught at last. Are you ready for the first lucky tribute?" Iridesca did not wait for a response, for she too found herself brimming with anticipation, and so the words suddenly flew from her lips:
"Sky Naggia."
A quiet young lady quickly made herself known in the crowd. She was stunningly beautiful, in the way that her soft black waves tumbled about her shoulders, and in the manner that her silver eyes flitted about. With her plump reddened lips, she could easily be mistaken for a princess.
Sky did not fight, much to her escort's pleasure. Rather, she walked up to the stage with a casual way of holding herself, as though today were just as common as any other. The only sounds that could be heard as she took her place were the whistling of the winds overhead and the distant chatter of local seagulls.
"Ah, there you are, you pretty thing!" Praised Iridesca. "Ready for our male tribute?"
Sky did not respond.
"Black hair." Observed Finn, quieted greatly by the tension between Oceanus and himself. "How did that happen?"
Oceanus shrugged in response. "Never seen her around school." He silenced himself once he caught sight of Iridesca's well-practiced hands fishing around the second bowl, eagerly anticipating his moment of glory.
"Hm, who do we have here..." The escort clucked her painted lips. "...Iyam Abich?"
"I volunteer!" Proclaimed Oceanus, who lingered in his place for a moment to drink in the stares sent his way. For a second, his gaze entertained with Finn's, who had the oddest expression of awe and blankness upon his face. He didn't quite understand this, but Oceanus didn't let that ruin his moment in the spotlight. Slowly, so as to draw himself some more onlookers, Oceanus swaggered up the stage steps and took his place next to Iridesca.
"We seem to have a volunteer!" She chimed, eyeing him up and down. "What's your name?"
"Oceanus Dock! But in a few weeks, you'll be calling me...the sole survivor!" This was said so loudly that the speakers overhead hissed, and many audience members clutched their ears so as to cover them.
"Oh my!" Iridesca grinned. "Confident, aren't we? Well, ladies and gentlemen, here they are...this year's District 4 tributes!"
The applause that followed suit filled Oceanus like a sweet drink. All around him, people were clapping, showing their admiration and their trust in him to bring pride to their home. These people were his fans, his admirers, his followers...and the attention, he loved it all.
However, his peak of glory soon crested as Oceanus was hurriedly shoved offstage by a seemingly armed peacekeeper, and then pushed into a well-decorated room backstage. In a matter of moments, the rest of the Dock family joined him, each one them wrapping him in a warm hug.
"Ah! Mom, dad, please! You're wrinkling the suit!"
"My apologies, Oceanus." Smiled his mother as she swiftly pulled away, her husband following suit. "We're just...so proud of you!"
"I'm quite proud of myself too, to be frank." His eyes flitted about. "Where's Finn?"
"I'm not sure." Answered Mr. Dock. "I didn't see him come up here."
Oceanus's heart dropped slightly. "You don't think he's gonna come say goodbye?"
"Well, it's not really goodbye, is it?" Mrs. Dock pointed out. "You'll be seeing him again in a matter of weeks."
"Oh, right. Thanks mom."
A light suddenly reflected against the metal chain of Oceanus's necklace, which caught Mrs. Dock's attention.
"Oh! Your necklace..." Her thin fingers wrapped themselves around the chain and clasped it tightly. "I never told you what makes it so special, did I?"
"No, mother. What is it?" Oceanus's voice quivered like the plucked strings of a violin, as he strained his ears to pick up the words his mother was about to utter.
"This necklace..." She sighed, gently sliding her hands down to discover the crevices that lay in the tiny folds of the seashell pendant. "Before, it was a simple item for sale at the local market. A copy of many others. But this necklace...though it may look like all the rest, this is no ordinary accessory. You know why?"
"No, mother." Oceanus wet his lips. "Why?"
"This necklace, it's special because it's going to belong to a Victor."
The words reverberated slightly around the confined area, and at last Oceanus's mother allowed the chain to slip from between her gentle fingers, the shell coming to rest directly over Oceanus's heart.
Mr. Dock placed a beefy hand on his wife's shoulder, gazing at his child with pride.
"We're proud of you, son. See you in a few weeks." With a final exchanging of smiles, the husband and wife left the lavishly decorated room in silence.
Oceanus's ego had been enlarged before, but now he was quite sure it bore stretch marks. Plopping himself down into a puffy armchair, he allowed his eyes to shut so he may fantasize the wonders of his future; money, jewels, fame...and not to mention, his own name etched in the historical records of every Victor that ever was. His name, next to those of the greats!
The daydream was cut short when the little door suddenly slammed open. For a split second, Oceanus expected there to be an ensemble of peacekeepers there to escort him to the train, but the person that was standing there was a much more pleasant surprise.
"Finn!" Oceanus cried, as his best friend hurriedly made his way to the armchair in which Oceanus sat. "You didn't show up, I thought-"
His words were stopped by a pair of lips.
The sensation was unusual; warm, soft pressure against Oceanus's own mouth, the gentle brushes of Finn's hair against Oceanus's forehead, and the unseen forces that forced both of the boys' eyes shut in the moment.
It was over far too soon. Finn pulled himself away, a sudden expression of seriousness etched in every facial feature. He and Oceanus, who had grown speechless, were merely inches away.
"Hey," Finn's voice was low and husky. "Don't die." He took one final glance into Oceanus's deep brown eyes, before leaping up and sprinting back out the door from which he'd came.
Oceanus was stunned. Simply stunned. Had Finn known about his feelings this entire time? Was that his form of a parting gift? Did he not believe that Oceanus could make it out of the arena alive? While he may not have known the answers to these questions, Oceanus was sure of one thing; if someone had the potential to shut down such a powerful fantasy, to put out an overwhelming sense of confidence as easily as if it were a dampened match, and with a mere kiss...then, Oceanus knew he'd definitely chosen the right boy to fall for.
Sky Naggia
Age: 14
District 4 Female
6:00 AM
The little fishing hook sat propped up against a large rock, its line cast far into the blue waters of the ocean. With every wave to hit the shore, the line swayed in time, but was never tugged nor yanked by any clueless fish. All it seemed to do was drag along the sand and allow itself to float. Sky had been watching it for hours now.
"Ey, Sky!" From a scraggly-looking beach house along the shore, a woman's voice rang out. "What're ya doing? Use your spear, ya dope!"
The weapon sat directly to the right of Sky, who was lounging tiredly in a warm patch of sand. She didn't want to use the spear, no, she'd much rather sit in the sand and allow the sun to seep into her skin. Yet she knew that Mistress Tarea would punish her if she did not obey, so Sky reluctantly took the wooden shaft in her hand and tiptoed into the warm waves until she was ankle-deep.
Sea life was all around her. About seven feet away was a sudden drop into a reef-like forest, where kelp grew and colorful fish swam about merrily. For some odd reason, they'd resisted the allure of Sky's fishing bait, which meant she was now forced to take matters into her own hands.
The spear was delicately poised in Sky's hand as her silver eyes grazed over the waters beneath her, alike to a hungry cat. In the reefs below his hundreds of fat orange fish, drifting from coral to coral. The young girl set her eyes on one, tracking its movements carefully...the waving of the fins, the flexibility of its body, the rhythmatic opening and closing of the gills...
Sky's sleek weapon cut through the water like a knife, and in mere seconds it was wriggling about, flashes of orange cascading around the sea floor. Though Sky was particularly skilled in the art of spearing, she never enjoyed watching the fish struggle after being pierced. What kind of person would?
"Sky!" Screeched the same voice from the house. "What are ye doing?"
"Just spearing, Mistress Tarea." Replied Sky in a monotonous voice.
"Good!" She replied. "Maybe ye can finally be useful! Don't just stand there, twit, get moving!"
After the years of living in District 4, and many life-or-death encounters with sea predators of all kinds, nothing scared Sky quite as much as the voice of Mistress Tarea. Within her tone, she held a rough sort of anger, and a promise of physical violence to anyone who should displease her. Naturally, this pushed Sky to obey her orders, and she leapt into the waves at once.
Bubbles clouded her vision for a moment, and she paused to let them fade away before kicking down towards her spear. It was lodged between a stone and a particularly large piece of coral, and sure enough the orange fish lay pierced on the end, limp as a wet sock. Creating waves of her own as she went, Sky carefully slid the prize off the tip of the spear, clutching it between her fingers as she kicked her way back up to the surface. Unexpectedly, Mistress Tarea stood at the shore, peering into the water to see where she'd gone.
"H'lo, Mistress Tarea!" Exclaimed Sky as she burst from the waters, casting droplets all over her Mistress's.
"Agh, Sky, look what ya done to me dress!" Mistress Tarea gestured to the soiled hem of her gown. "Get out of the water!"
Sky shrugged and pulled herself onto land, sand instantly sticking to her wet clothes and hair. Mistress Tarea clucked her tongue impatiently at this and seized Sky's arm, tugging her to her feet rather roughly.
"Look at ye...yer a sandy mess." She looked Sky up and down, who looked as limo and lifeless as a doll in her firm grasp.
"Tch." Mistress Tarea threw Sky back onto the sand, receiving little protest in response. "I expect ye to be washed up and presentable fer the reaping in a half hour. And," She slid the little fish off the edge of Sky's spear, which lay discarded in the sand. "I expect more from you than just a tiny little runt of a fish. I'd say I deserve it, considering the hospitality I offered you when no one else did."
Still, no response from Sky.
"Stupid bitch." Hissed the Mistress, who kicked an ample amount of sand over her adoptive child before heading back inside.
What she didn't know was that her words had no effect on Sky anymore. After years of cruelty and abuse (both in physical and verbal form) Sky had built up a sort-of wall against Mistress Tarea's antagonizing behavior. It's what she had to do, when she lived with a woman who told her she was nothing everyday. If she hadn't done so, she'd be nothing but a shell of her former self.
But if she was lying there in the sand, unaffected by the grains seeping INBETWEEN the folds of her clothing and the tide rolling in to wash her up, feeling nothing but absolute blankness in the body that once exuberated hope sand jubilance...was she truly living?
- 45 Minutes Later -
"Ah, there ye are." Snorted the Mistress, who was gathering her things. "It's quite surprising to see ye lookin' presentable."
Sky had just emerged from her poor excuse of a bedroom, where she'd donned one of the few articles of clothing that survived her transfer to District 4; an old black frock, with scuffed up shoes to match. Her hair had been dried to the best of her ability, and tied back with a bit of black cloth in a rather droopy ribbon.
"Thank you, Mistress Tarea." Replied Sky, in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Yer welcome." Replied the Mistress, in a rather flat way of saying so. "Now, on to the reaping."
During the walk to the square, Sky was forced to walk arm-in-arm with her Mistress, which earned her plenty of stares from passerby. Mistress Tarea insisted it was just for 'Sky's own safety', but she knew this was a lie; Sky's safety was likely the very last thing on Mistress Tarea's list of priorities. Why would she ever show love towards a child she treated as a slave?
Once the odd pair arrived, Misstress Tarea said no further words to her adoptive daughter, simply yanking her arm away and trotting off in her overexaggerated high heels.
That was fine. Sky didn't care anyways.
While Sky waited to have her blood tested, she stood as silent and still as a soldier, despite the sweat pooling under the thick fabric of her frock. A few of the girls ahead of Sky in the line could easily be heard discussing her mannerisms, and what poor choices she made in terms of fashion.
That was fine. Sky didn't care anyways.
As Sky later took her place in the audience, she couldn't help but notice that the girls to her left and right had made it a priority to step away from her, as though she were carrying some sort of disease that they must not catch. She had no friends to call her own.
That was fine. Sky didn't care anyways.
"Hello, District 4!" Chimed an oddly cheerful voice from onstage. "My name is Iridesca Floundt, coming to you all the way from the Capitol! Can I get a cheer?"
The audience responded with a simple yet enthusiastic round of applause, free of any obnoxious hoots and chants.
"Well! Let's get started then, shall we?" Said Iridesca. "Ladies first!"
For a moment, Sky recalled the basic plan that her brother had proposed to her by mail, and silently prayed that he hadn't gone through with it. Volunteering for the games was a death sentence, and Sky wasn't worth the risk. If anyone was going to head into the arena, it should be-
"Sky Naggia."
The shock only lasted for a second or two. Then, Sky fully grasped the reality of her current situation, and something she'd thought she'd lost ballooned inside of her...
She did not fight. Rather, Sky straightened her spine and walked elegantly down the aisles of staring children, and up to the stage. For the first time in months, Sky felt a true, pure emotion bubbling up inside...joy.
"Ah, there you are, you pretty little thing!" Praised Iridesca, who was admiring the sleek shininess of Sky's black hair. "Ready for our male tribute?"
Sky didn't respond, too busy absorbing the joy that flowed within her. Here she was, up on the stage, ready to leave for the Capitol! Though her face showed an expression of stillness, Sky was bursting with jubilance on the inside. She finally had the chance to compete and earn money for herself and her brother, so that they may finally live a good life and be together once more. God, it's been years since she'd seen him...the day that she was picked up by Peacekeepers, and towed away to be with Mistress Tarea. To this day, she still had no idea why her brother hadn't joined her in the cross-district transfer, but she was quite grateful now that he'd been left behind; anyone would rather be lonely and poverted than living with the dreadful Mistress.
She was so deep in thought that Sky gave a little jump at the sensation of a circle of metal against her back. It was a peacekeeper, pressing the barrel of their handgun between Sky's shoulders.
"Off the stage, little girl." He said gruffly, to which Sky quickly obeyed. The peacekeeper continuously held the gun to her back until Sky was brought into a quiet little room, filled with armchairs and love seats. Only then did he relinquish his force, as he left Sky in the room and closed the door sharply behind him.
Fear was the last emotion Sky felt in this moment. No, she was not afraid...she was happy. Grateful. Relieved. Finally, she would be able to escape the watching eyes of Mistress Tarea and be her own person, if only for a few weeks. And she would be given the opportunity to create a better life for herself and her brother. Argus...she could picture him so clearly now, his messy hair and the odd way he used to smile. He and Sky were closer than ever after the death of their parents, and she missed him dearly. A few months after living with Mistress Tarea had convinced Sky that she would never see him again, so she forbade herself to think of him to avoid any emotional weakness. But now...all she had to do was win these games.
Argus. She was going to see Argus.
For the first time in years, Sky's redenned lips curved themselves into a smile.
Hey, everyone! I apologize again for the wait. Also, if any of the tribute seem undeveloped, don't worry; the trip to the Capitol and the weeks following will give lots of opportunities for character development.
See you soon!