District 9

Brandi Greenwich, (54), Victor of the 37th Hunger Games

Brandi's going back, and she knows it.

Over the years, District 9 has brought home five Victors. Unfortunately, District 9 has only one living female Victor, only one total. Brandi Greenwich is that one living female Victor. Every single time Brandi's tried to bring another one back, no matter how hard she tries, it never works out. She is grateful, however, for the two male Victors she has assisted in bringing home. Brandi sees her two Victors as sons, but at the same time, she's always wished that she could bring a female Victor home to see as a daughter.

While waiting for her name to inevitably be called, Brandi's mind wanders to the thought of her wife, who's likely in District 2's District Square, doing the exact same thing right about now. Juneau Lacerius-Greenwich is also a Victor, having won two years after Brandi. She vaguely knows of Enobaria's plan to volunteer for the Quell, so Brandi isn't overly worried about Juneau's well-being. Right now her focus is on her two adult children out in the crowd, having to watch their mother in the arena once more.

"Brandi Greenwich!"

When Brandi mounts the stage, three things run through her mind.

One: I hope that Juneau and the kids will be okay without me. I'll try to make it home, but there are obviously no guarantees. They'll be fine. They're strong. Two: I wonder which of the boys will be joining me. My old Mentor? Or one of the tributes that I brought home? Three: Whatever the case, I hope there'll be something good to drink on the train.

And with Brandi coming from District 9, there always was something good to drink on the train. Neither her Mentors nor her District Partner were very happy later that night, when they had to give her a pill to reduce the effects of intoxication before Chariot prep.

Brandon Cormack, (22), Victor of the Ancillary 68th Hunger Games

Brandon is boiling.

District 9 has a very bipolar sort of climate. Frigid, snowy winters, and sweltering summers. This particular day falls under the latter category, and it's not exactly helping calm Brandon's nerves. On the outside, the young Ancillary Victor seems calm, cool, and collected. In fact, Caesar and Claudius even go so far as to call the young man "coolly stoic". But in truth, on the inside, he's just as terrified as he was the first time - when he was Reaped for the 62nd Hunger Games.

See, in the 62nd Games, Brandon was killed by Enobaria of District 2, the eventual Victor of those Games. Then, as per the rules of an Ancillary Games, Brandon's name was pulled out of the Reaping Ball once more for the Ancillary 68th Hunger Games six and a half years later. Utilizing the small sample of DNA collected post-mortem in the Hovercraft, as well as top-notch medical technology, Brandon was hereby cloned. After he won the Games, no longer identified as a fallen tribute but as a Victor, Brandon's corpse from the 62nd Games was left in place for all to visit. Seeing yourself - our what used to be yourself, or maybe the original you... whatever - in a graveyard is quite unsettling to say the least. The same thing happened with the six Ancillary Victors before him, as well as the two after him... thus far.

District 9 has three living male Victors. Brandon cares very much for the two men who were his old Mentors - one of whom was his Mentor twice - and would be devastated to see either of them, or Brandi, go back into the arena. However, Brandon doesn't want to go back either, and if he has to, he's not sure that he'll make it.

He's already lost once. Why not this time? Though Brandon has to keep reminding himself that he recovered from that loss with a win.

"Brandon Cormack!"

And just like that, Brandon's back up on that stage. As the young Victor stands onstage taking deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating, Demetrius Winthrop is assigned to be his Mentor for the third time in a row.

A/N: As promised, here's District 9's pair, Brandi and Brandon. I hope that I've added some good character to the two of them. Thoughts on these two?

This is our new longest chapter yet. I plan to keep all of these under 1,300 words, however, as these are intended to be short. Anyways, I hope to see you tomorrow in the Livestock District, District 10!

Until next time.

-Bo