Author's Note
I do not own the Hunger Games.
(See end of chapter for some submission info)
District One
Daisy Jetson-Brie, 15
"All systems can be hacked. You just need the right tools."
Daisy still heard those words sometimes.
That, and, "We can show them the pain we feel."
She hadn't known what they meant at the time. Glory was a friend, and he'd told her Temo was a friend of his, they'd just needed a place to stay. Daisy hadn't thought twice.
Four months later, and Temo had been on the television broadcast being sent to every screen in the District. Every screen in Panem, according to the information sent out with the broadcast.
If she'd asked them that night what they meant, could she have stopped what happened?
If she'd told the Peacekeepers, would it have made a difference?
Daisy tried not to think about it, but at night when she had nothing else to do, the memories always came back.
She bathed quickly and pulled on an old dress, blue with white flowers. Daisies. Like her name. A funny name for District One, where all her classmates were called things like, 'Shimmer' and 'Mirage' and 'Hero,' but her parents didn't care. Daisy found them in the kitchen, with a bowl of porridge in front of her place.
"Morning," Daisy called, taking her chair.
"Morning, honey. Did you sleep well?" asked her mom.
Daisy shrugged.
"Was it the nightmares again?"
She sighed and nodded, picking up her spoon.
"It's time we had a little payback."
"What that boy did… You know it wasn't your fault," said her father.
"I know. But it feels like it was. And I know the kids that died were Capitolites, but I don't understand why we can't just all get along. They didn't need to die! Those girls, they were my age!"
"We can't tell you how to feel, or what to do. But you have to remember that you're not responsible for the actions of others."
Daisy finished her breakfast and fetched her coat. "I'm going out."
"Where are you going?"
"Estelle and Angel are going shopping, they invited me along."
They had been neighbours since Daisy was born, and were the closest thing she had to friends, though even they called her weird. Everyone in District One laughed at their lifestyle.
"Well, have a good time! And Daisy?"
She paused and turned to her mom.
"Try to stop thinking about it."
District Eleven
Dove Greenling, 14
District Eleven was cooking in the burning sun, even this early in the morning. Those working the morning shifts were already heading out to the orchards, hoping to get their hours in before it got too unbearably hot to work, though the foremen would likely always find something else for idle hands to do.
Dove stretched out on his threadbare mattress and listened to the silence of his house.
It was too late in the morning for his parents to still be in bed. They must have already left for work.
Dove sighed and pushed himself to his feet. It wasn't that he wanted a fuss, or a party or anything, but the best birthday present he could have got would have been seeing his parents in the morning before they left.
He ran a hand through his dark curls before opening the door to his little room. Through the open kitchen door, he could see Ava was cooking something in a saucepan, wearing an old blue dress that was too small for her now.
He wandered over to her. She shooed him away. "Go on and sit down."
He sank to the floor, stretching his legs out. "Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"
"It's your birthday, isn't it? Congrats on turning fourteen, by the way."
"Thanks. Mom and dad already go to work?"
"It's hot." Ava poured the contents of the pan into two bowls and handed him one. Porridge, but real, actual stuff, not the thin, tesserae stuff.
"Where'd you get this?"
They hadn't had real porridge in over a year, not since the prices went up.
"Down at the market. They were selling it cheap."
Dove gulped down his porridge and licked the bowl clean.
"Are you a boy or an animal?" Ava asked.
"Named for an animal."
"Smartass." She collected the bowls and dumped them in the sink before opening the cupboard they kept the clean bowls in and lifting out a parcel wrapped in brown paper. "Here, I got you something."
"You didn't have to do that."
She dropped it in front of him. "Just because mom and dad aren't here doesn't mean you can't have a birthday. Go on, open it!"
He tugged at the brown string holding the parcel together before ripping into the paper and pulling it away from the bundle within.
It was a soft, long sleeved green shirt, neatly folded up.
"You're starting to grow out of your clothes," Ava said. That was true. He had finally started to hit a growth spurt – at long last – and might be the same height as her soon.
"Yeah. I didn't want to bother mom and dad for anything new."
They already worked so hard just to put food on the table. Sometimes it felt like they lived alone, their own tiny family of just the two of them.
"Yeah, I figured. Well, enjoy."
Dove fingered the material of the new shirt. "Thanks."
Author's Note
Submissions are still open! If you're interested, this is a breakdown of the submissions I've received so far, and what hasn't been submitted. (This can also be found on my profile and will be updated as submissions come in)
Accepted Focus Tributes: 4
Remaining slots: Maximum of 4
Accepted Non-Focus Tributes: 7
Remaining slots: Maximum of 9
(Important Note: Due to the way I'm planning out this fic, there is a very high possibility a tribute could be accepted as non-focus and later be upgraded as tributes die and more pov slots open. This is already what's planned for several of the accepted non-focus tributes.)
Submissions by Gender
Girls submitted: 6
Girls reserved: 2
Boys submitted: 5
Boys reserved: 0
Submissions by District
District One: 1
District Two: 0
District Three: 1
District Four: 1
District Five: 1
District Six: 0 [1 Reserved]
District Seven: 0
District Eight: 1
District Nine: 0 [1 Reserved]
District Ten: [closed]
District Eleven: 0
District Twelve: 3
Submissions by age:
12: 0
13: 2
14: 0
15: 2
16: 4
17: 2
18: 1
Requests
I have enough:
-16yos. This isn't to say I wouldn't accept another 1 or 2, but I'd prefer a 17/18 year old if you want to submit an older tribute.
I could do with:
-'Rebel' kids. I have surprisingly few of these. Remember, these don't have to be directly rebels themselves (and probably won't be, at their age). They might have a relative who is, or a friend or acquaintance, or even regularly visit a business owned by a rebel sympathiser.
-'Rigged' kids. I have a couple of these, but remember, a kid doesn't have to be a rebel to be rigged in. They could be a target for other reasons, for example: criminals, trouble-stirrers, or even just happened to annoy the wrong person. Be creative!
Tributes from Districts Seven and Eleven. (Plot-wise, while I would accept a tribute from Two, I don't mind not having any)
I don't have many:
-Surprisingly, careers, though plot-wise I'm ok with this. Just thought I'd mention it in case anyone does want to submit one.