Jonathan Colton, 15

District 12 Male

It was on rainy days like these that I missed my mom the most. She loved the rain. We'd go outside together and play in the puddles and catch raindrops on our tongues while my dad watched through the window and laughed at our antics. She died eight years ago, and our family had healed, but I knew I would never stop missing her.

"Feeling nostalgic today?" my friend Jada asked. We were hanging out near the Hob, under the cover of an old oak. Dirk and Rosa were supposed to be meeting with us soon.

"A little," I said with a shrug. "It's just dumb that mom would have been fine if we lived somewhere else. The Capitol doesn't care if we live or die. If we were there, she'd be with us!" My voice rose as I spoke and Jada gave me a worried look.

"It's a good thing we're in 12," she said. "Otherwise you'd be in big trouble for saying that."

I rolled my eyes, but I knew she was right. The Peacekeepers in 12 were much more lenient than anywhere else, but I knew we still shouldn't take it for granted. My younger brother Jay played a dumb prank once and got into heaps of trouble. It wasn't his idea; Jay would go along with almost anything. But it was scary for the rest of us. I don't know how my dad would handle it if he lost another family member.

That was why he tried to prepare me, Jay, and Jason for the Hunger Games. We couldn't do much, but with the amount of tesserae I took, it was highly possible I'd be reaped. And he wanted me to be ready. I understood it, but I knew I could never kill someone. I knew the pain of losing someone too well. Still, I shouldn't be too worried. There were older Seam kids with way more tesserae than I had. I'd be fine.

"Jonathan!" someone shouted, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Dirk running towards us, a battered umbrella over his head. His twin sister Rosa followed behind, her hair getting soaked by the rain.

"Hey Dirk," I said, giving my best friend a slap on the back. "What's up?"

"Did you hear?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Hear what?"

"You got the part!"

My eyes widened. At the end of the school year, I tried out for a part in the play that we'd put on in the fall. I hadn't realized the cast list had been posted already.

"Congratulations," Rosa said, shooting me a warm smile. My cheeks flushed as I thanked her, and flushed more when I learned she'd be in the play too. My crush on Rosa was probably pretty obvious, but according to Jada, she had no idea. Hopefully Dirk didn't either, or I'd never hear the end of it.

"So, now that we're all here, shall we go inside? Get some soup?" Jada proposed.

"Sounds good to me," Dirk said. I glanced out at the rain one more time before following my friends into the Hob.

Beria Campbell, 17

District 12 Female

Lou was afraid, and rightfully so. Reaping day was always hard on our family. Before I was even eligible, my mom and eldest brother were publicly executed. Patrick, my second eldest brother, was hanged on my first year. And all because we wanted better working conditions for our miners.

I sat on the couch in my grandmother's house, holding Lou's hand. He was breathing a little too hard, clearly on the verge of a panic attack. Livia was much better at comforting him than I was, but she didn't live with us anymore. As soon as she was 18, she left the house and got married. Part of me was upset. Part of me understood.

"Lou, it will be okay," I told him. "We are warriors. We will persevere." It was true, in a way. Our family was descended from a long line of Scottish warriors of the Clan Campbell. Grandma Una even had a pin with our family crest. We'd always kept our legacy alive, and I truly believed the fighting spirit of our ancestors was helping us.

"I'm still scared," Lou admitted. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay," Grandma Una said before I could speak. "Fear is natural. Courage isn't the absence of fear, but the triumph over it."

I pulled Lou against my side, giving him a quick hug.

"See?" I told him. "It will be fine." He nodded.

It was frustrating though, knowing I'd have to watch our escort prance all over the stage where three of my family members died. When my dad, the former mayor of district 12, passed in his sleep, our mom was suspicious of foul play. While it was never confirmed, she and Bran gave their lives trying to bring justice. I wanted to be that brave.

Strangely, the event didn't bother me as much as it did Lou and Livia. I must have been horrified and heartbroken, but the memory of their deaths just felt mildly sad. My emotions had always been turned down like that though. Grandma Una said some people just felt things differently, and I was inclined to believe she was right. She usually was.

"Now for some good news," Grandma Una said, sitting down in an armchair. "Livia's check-up went well. Her baby is healthy and so is she."

I smiled, as did Lou. Our sister was expecting her first child with her husband, the son of the new mayor. Lysander was a good man, but he wasn't as bright as Livia was. I squeezed Lou one more time.

"You're going to be an uncle!" He grinned and nodded.

Grandma Una went to make lunch and Lou went to join her, leaving me alone in the living room. I got up, walking over to the portrait that hung on the wall. It was of Grandma Una as a younger woman, with my dad. She was my paternal grandmother, and the last living parental figure I had. We briefly lived with my other grandmother, but she passed away a few months after Patrick was hanged. Livia, Lou, Grandma Una and I were all that was left of Clan Campbell. But a new life was coming.

Echo Lin, 63

District 12 Victor of the 13th Hunger Games

Ah, reaping day. Haymitch was drunk again, and Mayor Norcin was currently lecturing him about etiquette and public appearances. The poor kid was only 24, and was already a raging alcoholic. Still, he'd lost more than I had in the Games, so I could understand it even though I didn't approve of it.

"Don't you have to be onstage?" I finally said, cutting off Mayor Norcin's lecture. He frowned at me, but left with one more stern glance at Haymitch.

"Thanks," the blonde boy said with a hiccup. "But I had it covered."

"Sure you did," I said coolly. Then I reached out and straightened his collar, despite his protests. Then we walked out onto the stage and took our seats.

Our perky escort, Ajax Bloome, bounded onto the stage, a big smile on his face. He was wearing a canary-yellow suit that stood out starkly against the bleak background of our district. He waved excitedly as he walked to the microphone.

"Helloooo District 12!" he cried. "I am so excited to be back! Let's get this party started with an inspiring video all the way from the Capitol!" He pressed a button and the screen above us began to play the same old video I'd seen since before the first Quarter Quell. I practically had it memorized by now.

Once it was over, Mayor Norcin read the Treaty of Treason, another piece I'd memorized, before handing the microphone back over to Ajax. He thanked the mayor before walking over the girl's bowl.

"Shall we select our lovely lady first?" he asked. No response. But it didn't faze him in the slightest. He just plunged a perfectly-manicured hand in and drew a name,

"Beria Campbell!"

Murmurs rippled through the crowd, and the mayor's face went pale. The Campbell family was well-known, and their oldest living child was married to the mayor's son. I hadn't personally met Beria, but I knew of her. And now she was my mentee.

A pale girl with freckled skin and thickly-braided red hair came up to the stage. A smile was plastered to her face, but I could see the anger and fear in her big gray eyes. Still, her smile did not waver as she came to stand beside Ajax.

"Welcome, young lady," he said. "Now, let's find you a district partner!"

At the other bowl, he took his time selecting a slip. It felt like ages before he finally chose and unfolded one.

"Jonathan Colton!"

A boy in the 15-year-olds section cursed loudly. He was of average height, with chestnut hair and friendly-looking features. But right now his lips were pursed with frustration as he walked briskly to the stage.

Standing beside Beria, he begrudgingly held out his hand. She shook it firmly, and Ajax announced their names.

"Panem, I give you your District 12 tributes: Beria Campbell and Jonathan Colton!"

Hey everyone! Here is the next chapter! Thank you to Carlpopa707 for Beria and AmericanPi for Jonathan. I love these two :)

Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this pair! Also, I know I used Lucy Gray in Ashes, but I'm ignoring that and using my original victor, Echo. I hope you like her sass. And let me know who your favorite tribute is so far! I'm very curious.

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona