This is the second part of a double update, so make sure to check out last chapter for the last of the intros! Also, CW: Language and undertones of suicide ideation

A single moment can maintain the status quo but can also change one's life forever.

A single slip of paper or a single phrase can seal one's fate.

The Capitol demanded twenty-four tributes, twenty-four souls to send to the slaughter.

Twenty-four souls who would have been spared had it not been for a single moment.

Safira Altin shocked all of District One when she volunteered instead of Label Clark. Murmurs and gasps erupted from the crowd as the district watched this rogue take the stage. Was it a coincidence that Label looked relieved when Safira stole the spotlight right from underneath her? Perhaps Label was persuaded to give up the spot, or perhaps her heart wasn't in it. Either way, it seemed that one destiny lost was another's gain.

Caden Asher couldn't care less that his district partner was not who he expected. What mattered was that he was there, on that stage, with the eyes of the country upon him. A crooked smile graced his face as he introduced himself to the world. That smile grew wider as his family cheered loudly. He had proven himself to them, and to his district. Now, he had to prove himself to the world, and there was no doubt in his mind that he would be the last one standing.

Macha Callaghan's face was confident but stoic when she raised her hand and claimed what was rightfully hers. The pressure should have been great, with not only her own life on the line, but her family name along with it, but Macha felt no pressure, only the desire to be great. She was calm, and in control. Already, the people were intrigued by her. The girl of many faces had only shown one facet of who she was, but she had just as much to learn about herself as the people.

Zhenya Katolin felt no excitement, or exhilaration, or any sort of extreme way. He felt at peace when he climbed those fateful steps. He felt like the whole world was his oyster. Finally, the freedom he craved was just around the corner. He could be himself, find the life he wanted so badly, and most importantly, he had the chance to learn what love was like, true, requited love. So, when Zhenya introduced himself to the world, he did so with his head held high.

Cordelia Simmons froze when she heard her name get called. Only one question echoed in her mind. "How?" She never took tesserae. She only had four slips of paper in that bowl. The odds of this happening were so low that the fact that it almost seemed illogical. She tried to think of how she wanted to handle this. Did she want to appear weak? Confident? Before she could come to a decision, someone pushed her forward, and she squeaked with shock. Her face turned bright red as she allowed herself to be escorted onto that dreaded stage, staring into nothing as she tried to analyze the impossible.

Rhys Marcel wanted to laugh, and he did, because it was the only thing he could think of doing. This got him some odd stares as he stepped out towards the waiting peacekeepers and was walked to the stage. When he was pushed into the spotlight, he simply gave a confident smile. He didn't look the least bit worried about what was about to happen. He certainly didn't feel worried. Rhys would later realize that it was the shock. It just hadn't sunk in yet.

Becket Hyde didn't feel vindicated when she took the place of a twelve-year old girl, only felt a heavy sense of duty as she confidently climbed the steps after volunteering. She had no idea what awaited her, who her allies were, how much blood she would have to spill in order to make it home. The crowd cheered for her when she introduced herself to the world. Becket was on a mission, and while she knew she couldn't rest until that mission was complete, she learned in that moment, that her district loved and cared for her just as much as she did them. It made her smile, and nearly brought a tear to her eyes.

Lucian Visser knew what he had to do when the escort asked for volunteers. This was his chance, to repay the Gym for the structure they gave him, to be able to get a lifetime of riches that would allow his mother to spend how she pleased without ripping the food from his siblings' mouth, to be able to better support his friends and family, and most importantly, to prove that his father was wrong to abandon him. This was his chance, and he would not squander it.

Leonie Everett felt a spark of fear when her name was called, but she quickly extinguished it. After all, the Hunger Games began the moment that slip was pulled from the glass bowl. As Leonie climbed those steps, she allowed a sense of calm to wash over her. It was the perfect in-between. She couldn't break down, but she couldn't afford to look to confident either. What she did do, however, was place a hand on her hip and send an enigmatic smile to the camera, biting her lip every so often. She could already picture the cameras focused on her rather than her district partner.

Vaughn Burchell tried his best to appear annoyed, even though the terror was rising in him and rising quickly. Of course this happened. Of course, he was pulled from the bowl before he could win back Oriane. He wondered if she would at least say goodbye to him, but deep down he knew she wouldn't. Perhaps when he made it home, she would finally come crawling back. Perhaps once she realized he could give her anything she wanted, she would forgive him.

Viorica McCoy was furious. Her hands clenched into tight fists, and it took everything in her power not to lash out and scream. Her fists shook and her face turned red as she stormed towards the waiting peacekeepers. She probably would have stormed past them had they not closed in just enough to prevent her from doing so. When she made it on stage, she immediately snatched the microphone from the escort and screamed to the world. "Fuck you! Fuck all of you!"

Hendrix Conestoga's eyes went wide at Viorica McCoy's outburst. His eyes went even wider when his own name was called. He could hear his family screaming and sobbing as he was led to the stage. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. Hendrix Conestoga was a brave adventurer. Brave adventurers did not cry, even if he was about to go on his biggest adventure yet. But this was no bookwrym, or troll guarding a bridge. This was an adventure that Hendrix wasn't sure he'd return from.

Ebony Warwick shifted in her itchy prison uniform as she debated whether or not she wanted to volunteer or not. Did she want to risk dying like her uncle or face certain death by firing squad for a murder she wasn't sure she meant to commit? The decision was made for her when the escort called her name. Ebony laughed. She laughed so hard she almost cried at just how ironic the whole thing was. The country probably thought she was crazy, the second coming of Belladonna Harper. Perhaps they were right.

Gideon Holland was outraged. He had done so much good in his life. He was cleaning up District Seven, and as a whole, Panem. He was ridding the world of evil, and this was how fate repaid him? The world considered him to be so evil that it was his name that was called? The only thing that bothered him more than that, was the fact that now, there would be no justice for the scum who harmed his sister and her unborn child. He trembled on stage, trying not to cry at how unfair it all was.

Blanca Bolero let out a small shriek. She could hear Mae gasp with horror and cling to her even tighter. Blanca could feel the tears well up in her eyes as she detached herself from her friend and made her way towards the waiting peacekeepers. Those tears streamed silently down her face when no one volunteered for her. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to leave her friends, her birds, her life behind. Though, perhaps there was a silver lining to all this. Perhaps, this was her chance to truly become the forest nymph she knew herself to be.

Jann Cotton was ready. Years of preparing for this very moment were about to pay off. He had spent the last several days wondering how he was going to make his grand entrance, how he would say the words that had been spoken so many times before by so few here in District Eight. As he was quickly walking away from a television shop broadcasting a rerun of the Sixty-Sixth Hunger Games, he remembered the victor and realized what that grand entrance would be. He didn't give the escort a chance to call out the name. He simply raised his hand. "I volunteer as tribute!"

Tilly Mayfield frowned. She took a deep breath, shook her head in disbelief, and made her way to the aisle. She didn't want this. She didn't want to be the one called. She didn't want to die, but she knew she had to be brave, if not for herself than for her family and friends. So, when she stood on that stage with the eyes of the nation upon her, she managed to put on a brave but watery smile.

Hyacinth Fluss was on the verge of hyperventilating when they loaded him into one of the trucks that transported the residents of his small town to the Reaping. He truly had no idea what he was getting into. He had no idea at all. What he did know, however, was whatever awaited him, it was certainly a lot better than what awaited him if he stayed in District Nine. He didn't wait for the escort to call a name. Panic overtook him before he could follow what little protocol he knew.

Dawn Maconson let out a furious growl as her name was called. She was beyond furious, because of course this happened. Of course, her last Reaping would take her, right when her life was just about to begin. Of course, Dawn didn't want to make everyone scared of her just yet, so she took a deep breath and began that long walk to the stage. As she walked, a small part of her wondered if this was justice for what she did. She wasn't sure why, but she carefully took the microphone and simply said, "It should have been her who died instead of me. This is what I get, I guess." It was cryptic, creepy, and Dawn wasn't entirely sure why she said it, but it needed to be said.

Hoover Galloway hung his head, completely and utterly defeated. How weak he must have looked to the spectators as he limped towards the stage. He wanted to cry when he heard passed where the thirteen year old girls stood, and he could hear Dally sobbing into her friend's shoulder, the same friend Hoover had a crush on. He only looked up at the crowd when the escort gently encouraged him to do so. There was a small comfort to all of this: perhaps now his family would no longer have to be burdened by him.

Tal Comgan wanted to laugh. This was just her luck. First, the universe left her friendless. Now, it couldn't help but kicking her while she was down. She scrambled to find a bright side to all of this, and it didn't take long for her to find one. This was her chance to find new friends, to define herself anew. This was her chance to begin a new life. All she had to do was survive. How could she not rush into this chance full force?

Florin Cassia was horrified. This was his worst nightmare, the worst thing that could possibly happen made all too real. He was not a fighter, far from it. He was a lover, who preferred words over fists and love over violence. He didn't know how he was getting out of this one, but what he did know was that he couldn't afford to let himself be singled out. He knew he couldn't let himself appear weak. That would only put a target on his back. He fought to keep it together, waiting for the moment when he was alone on the train when he could let it all out.

Amoransia Pitch gasped when she heard Effie Trinket call Minuet. It was so unfair. Minuet was so sweet, so kind, and so undeserving of this fate. The Games would destroy Minuet, long before they killed her, and once again, Ansi saw herself wondering if this was fate mocking her. Marin, the boy she loved so much, was so happy now. What right did they have to take that from him? Minuet had so much to live for. Ansi had little left. She loved Marin deeply, and it was this love that drove her to raise her hand, and for the third time in four possible years, District Twelve had yet another volunteer.

Cole Beckham cursed his luck. He was not necessarily worried for himself. While he was terrified for his own life, all he could think about was his family. Who would care for them now with him gone? How would they survive? He tried to appear tough, tried to stay calm, but he knew that question would haunt him for quite possibly the rest of his life.

Over the course of a single day, twenty-four children are sent hurtling towards their destiny.

Twenty-four souls are ripped from their homes and into the great unknown.

Only one will reverse the journey, but that single soul would never be the same.

Hope you enjoyed that little Reaping interlude! The next chapter will probably be from the POVs of Puer, Augustus, and Kaia as they prepare for the Games! Then, we'll start with the goodbyes! See you then!