Of all the Career Districts, District Four is the one known for having the most relaxed Career tributes. They're Career tributes but they're not outlandish. Could their relaxation come from the seas that fill this District? Research in other Districts claim so and there seems to be no other logical solution. That could also explain why people aren't always itching to volunteer. That's not to say people don't volunteer because some do, it is just if one is reaped, they're not guaranteed to have a volunteer.
Laida Otup sits along one of the many shorelines in District Four. Her long dirty blonde flaps in the wind as she sits there, eyes close, breathing even. She always liked sitting by the shoreline, and the way the water would sometimes lick her feet with each tidal wave. The water was always cold at first but after a while her feet would grow accustom to it. Whenever she was irritated, angered, frustrated, or depressed, she would come to the same shoreline, sit on the sand, and close her eyes. The waves beneath her would always have the power to cleanse her free of such thoughts and feelings.
Today she is filled with stress, so she came to her ocean and took her usual seat. She always did this every year on the same day that you either loved or hated. For her, she was indifferent. She didn't straight up hate the Games, but she didn't love it either. If she were to go into the Games, she believes she could go far in them with her allies. She's experienced in healing with her father being the District's top doctor. Everything she knows is from him and she doesn't regret a moment of going to work with him when she was a little girl.
Laida sighs as she realizes that eventually she needs to get up and head to the Reaping or else a militia of Peacekeepers would be after her for not having a valid excuse for not showing up. Brushing off any sand on her legs and backside, her mind began to wonder. She wondered if today would be the day where it all spiraled down and she would be reaped. She was hoping she wouldn't be Reaped, but if she were she would man up and deal with it like the mature seventeen year-old she was.
As she was walking back to her house, she notices her brother, Dalton, sitting against a building reading one of his beloved history books probably about North America. There weren't that many books left in Panem with any mentions of North America, but somehow her brother was able to get his hands on one. Actually, he had quite the collection. He reread each book to unhealthy extents but still refused to become bored by them. Instead, he was a genius on the topics. It was because of this obsession that deemed Dalton the social outcast of District Four. He was insistent that books were better than friends because books can't hurt you. To try and get him to be more social, Laida would take a book and start playfully whacking him saying that books can indeed hurt you. He would just glare at her, snatch his book out of her hand, and walk away.
"Hey Dalton, what are you doing there?" Laida asked. She already knew that he was reading, but, being the good sister she was, she still asked him.
"I'm reading about this place called New York. It sounds like such a lovely place, Laida. There was something called Broadway where people would go onstage and act out stories and sing and dance and it just sounds phenomenal! There was also a giant green statue of a woman there who stands holding a golden torch and a book. Here's a picture. Take a look Laida," Dalton rambled.
Wanting to please her brother, she sat down next to him and looked inside the old book. On the page was an entirely green woman which did look magnificent and made Laida want to go back in time to visit it herself. She smiled at bit at the picture before looking back at her brother.
"It's beautiful Dalton. How long have you been out here?" Laida asked.
"Not too long. Father said to go outside, get some fresh air, and make some friends. He didn't see me smuggle my book out though," he smirked to himself with pride.
"What do you say to going inside and getting ready for the day before us?"
"I'd say that I would be more than happy to get out of the sun."
Danail Vona, the boy of the sea. A boy with muscles as strong as the waves that swept you off your feet when standing in the ocean. Eyes as deep as the oceans surrounding his District. A smile as soft as the sand beneath your bare feet. Everything about Danial "Danny" Vona screamed District Four and Career tribute. Especially if one were to watch him right now.
"Hey Danny, bet ya I could run to the ocean faster than you!" Neffari, Danail's best friend, challenged.
"Is that so?" Danail shot back.
"One-freaking-hundred percent," Neffari gave his friend a wicked smile.
"Are you willing to put that theory into action?"
"If you're willing to lose, then yes I am."
"Okay little man, let's see you try." Neffari glared at Danail. He was only two inches shorter than his friend, but that didn't mean he was slower. Now Neffari was even more determined to beat his friend. Tucking his long blonde hair out of his face, Neffari went to go stand near what their starting line would be: the edge of a building.
"On the count of three?" Danail asked. Neffari nodded his head.
"One..." Danail started off.
"Two..." Neffari added.
"Three!" they shouted in unison. The two boys took off. Both were equal in strength and speed, but with a little push, one could defeat the other. Turning around corners, buildings, and crates, the two were sprinting as fast as they could to the ocean. The blue was so close and the two were neck and neck. Just a little more, Danail encouraged himself. The two were running on sand now which slowed them down, but not enough to stop running. Danail sprinted into the water and smiled to himself. He had won!
His prize wasn't bragging rights though. His prize was being shoved into the ocean by Neffari. Both collapsed into the ocean, laughing. Sand now filled their shoes, water in their clothes, seaweed in their hair. They both looked like a hot mess and they couldn't help but laugh. Even at seventeen, they couldn't help showing some immaturity every once and a while.
"Aw man, I'm going to miss this when you're gone," Neffari commented after their laughter has ceased.
"Why would I leave?" Danail asked pretending not to realize that he knew what Neffari was talking about.
"Don't screw with me Danny. We all know you're going to volunteer this year. Why else would you go all psycho-training this year? C'mon Danny, I may not be smart, but I'm not dumb either. You aren't exactly good at hiding your passions," Neffari replied,"Still can't believe you're going into those fucking Games. That's crazy, Danny."
"I know it is, but I have to support my family! If I win, do you realize how much better off we'd be? Maybe then I won't be a disgrace to them," Danail trailed off.
"And if you don't make it out? What happens then? You're family struggles to get by even more?"
"Then you'll be out there to help them. Don't make up shit, Nef. You would do the same thing. Heck, you are doing the same thing when you're eighteen. That's next year buddy! Both of us can't be in the arena at the same time. This is my time. Yours is next year. So don't give me this shit."
"Well then at least take this." It was a leather bracelet. "Who knows if I'll even get to say goodbye."
"I'm not gone yet."
Laida wondered if she would happen to run in to either of her parents before the Reaping. Her mother was a wedding planner and was currently at the Capital planning some big wedding. She was suppose to be back today for the Reaping in case one of her children were Reaped, but, big surprise, she wasn't here. And her father, as strict as he may be, was loving and considerate. He always came to the Reapings in case Laida or Dalton got Reaped, but today Laida couldn't find him. She assumed he was stuck at work helping someone out like he always was. He took his work seriously, but family was always his top priority. Today it must have been bumped down to second priority.
She pushes away the thoughts of her parents and wraps a protective arm around her slightly shorter brother. He's safe, he's here, and that's all Laida needs. But today, right now, she can't protect him. She managed last year, so she'll manage this year. She puts on her brave face before parting with Dalton, promising to catch up with him after the Reaping.
"May I have your arm Miss?" a masculine voice asks her.
"Sure," she sticks out her arm and visibly winces as pain shoots through her arm for a split second.
"Next!"
Laida hurries away and goes to the other seventeen year-old girls in District Four. She looks around her and watches as Dalton takes his place in the thirteen year-old boys section. She feels a tap on her shoulder and turns to look at who it may be. It's a girl Laida has never seen nor talked to before, but she shakes her head at Laida before using her slim finger to point at the stage.
"What?" Laida hisses.
'It's starting you idiot!" the girl whispers back. That's when it clicks to Laida where she was pointing. She sheepishly ducks her head and looks up at the stage after a moment of sulking.
"Welcome, welcome to the District Four Reaping for the 34th Annual Hunger Games! I hope you all are as excited as I am!" A short, pudgy man in a shiny blue suit with green accents speckled around is the District escort this year. His white hair is curled and placed in awkward directions atop his head. Not to mention his lips are a shade of blue that matches his outfit rater perfectly.
The video starts playing in the back ground. Laida couldn't even hear the beginning of "Years ago, in a land once called North America..." because she was too distracted by the Man in the Blue Suit. She begins to wonder if he purposely dressed like that to look like the ocean or if he dressed like that just because it's the newest Capital trend, or so she assumed. They always had weird trends regarding fashion in the Capital. She never quite understood it, but if that's what they liked, that's what they liked and she couldn't do anything about it.
"Laida Otup? Where are you?" the Man in the Blue Suit asked, dramatically looking high and low for her. Laida hadn't even registered that her name was being called on stage until she was given a shove by the girl next to her. Laida realized she had to go on stage now or else she'd be carried up there by one of the Peacekeepers that heavily guarded each District.
"Ah here you! Took you long enough Miss Ladle Atup," the Man in the Blue Suit smiled warmly at her.
"It's, uh, Laida Otup,' she corrected.
'That's what I said. Moving on! Boys, I hope you're all paying attention!"
Danail was definitely paying attention. If he wasn't, he'd miss his opportunity to volunteer. The boys in District Four were always more excited to volunteer than the girls were. Why it was that way, no one really knew, but it was what it was.
Danail eagerly looked at the bowl that the Man in the Blue Suit was messing with. His green gloved hand eventually retreated from the bowl holding a white slip that was very easy to see against his green hands. Opening it and scrunching up his face slightly, the Man in the Blue Suit began to read the male tribute's name.
"Aquis Bestiis!"
Before the poor twelve year-old could even make a move to go to the stage next to Laida, Danail called out in his deep voice,"I volunteer!"
He walked with confidence and only slight terror to the elevated flooring where Laida and the Man in the Blue Suit stood. A sense of accomplishment filled his chest as he realized that he was able to volunteer before anyone else could say different. A smirk grew over his lips. Oh yes, Danail was ready for these Games, and he was ready to take on the enemies, defy the Capital, win the Games, and make his family proud.
When he was on the stage, he was asked what his name was and in a strong voice responded with,"Danail Vona."
"Excellent! Let's give our hands to these two tributes!" the Man in the Blue Suit started laughing with glee which was a bit creepy to the audience but they clapped anyways.
At that moment, Laida realized that she became victim to her beautiful sea. The strong waves that would calm her turned into a hurricane and pulled her into the storm. Would she ever she the eye of the storm? Or would she forever be lost at sea? Danail on the other hand was realizing that he was the wave, the storm. He would be the one to knock the Capital off of their feet like the waves. He would take them underwater and drown their stupid Games. Once he won, he would do this.
The Capital wasn't ready for the storm to come. The storm called the 34th Hunger Games.
And here's the last of the Career tributes! Despite, my "slight" complaints about similarities early on, I must say that the submitters for them did give me a lot of wiggle room. And it's just occurring to me now just how different they all, so thank you Career-submitters!
So I have only a few minutes to type an Author's Note out, so I'm going to keep it brief and only say one last thing: I'm updating each Reaping one at a time instead of a spam not because I'm afraid of criticism but because I feel like people read my chapters if I don't upload 20 at once and it gives people time to actually review and such. There was some controversy over that recently, so I just want to clarify that. I'm 100% open to criticism, it's just not many of you are so I just go with it.
Okay so I'm going to end that there. I'll be writing some mro over the weekend so expect another update soon!
De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum ("Of two evils, the lesser one is always to be chosen")