TW: Abusive parental relationship in Meridian's pov and mentions of child abuse in Romulus's pov.
Meridian Birdie, 18
August 12th, 2425
Two years prior to the games
District Five
Dawning Avenue
Meridian's eyes flutter gently open to the sound of hushed chatter outside on the narrow street below. He half expected himself to be staring at the bright, white, ceiling of their father's home.
(Every morning Meridian would arise into a large, expansive room, lined with pictures of their forefathers in golden frames.)
(But for all the luxury, the room was empty with only prestige, no love.)
(Then his father would growl his name from below like a sergeant, and Meridian would do as commanded.)
However, over the last two months, Meridian has found themself somewhere entirely unfamiliar. Everything about Dawning Avenue is new to Meridian. The room that he wakes up in every morning is the tiny, dim, guest bedroom - upstairs in the corner of the house. The humble guest bedroom has no decorated ceilings, golden frames, or grand pictures of ancestors. There are no chandeliers with dozens of lights or servants.
No. Instead, Meridian would wake on an old mattress, taking up half the length of the room. Next to the mattress would be a simple candle amongst the cobwebs that casts a dim but warm and tender light in the evenings.
When Meridian was first shown to their bedroom by the Amatores, he didn't know what to say. He'd never seen anything quite like it.
(But then, when does he ever know what to say without his father around to command him?)
Meridian had never seen anyone outside of their father's three-story compound. But the citizens of Dawning Avenue had seemed so… happy and welcoming. Nobody is welcoming without a cost, nobody is nice to you without a prize attached to it, right?
(Their father's words play in their head like a broken record on repeat.)
"Meridian!" A familiar voice calls from below. It's Day Amatore, the oldest of the Amatore sisters.
Next, footsteps come bounding up the stairs. "Come on, sleepy head. Breakfast is served," her voice beams.
Meridian rubs his eyes and leaps up out of his covers, quickly pulling on his rugged pants and torn shirt which their father plastered on them as a disguise for a homeless kid.
Meridian yawns, giving his curly, brown hair a quick comb whilst staring into a mirror. His clear, crystal blue eyes stare back at him, yet they look empty like it's someone else looking back. Then, they pace towards the door but upon opening it, they jump back and clasp their hand over their heart.
Day is waiting at the door with a bright smile extending across their face, and it radiates into Meridian's chest. The boy even manages a slight smile back.
Day tugs at his shoulder. "Come on, come on we've been waiting," she exclaims excitedly, then they punch their friend on the shoulder.
Meridian's eyes fall to the floor, and he fiddles awkwardly with his hands. "Yeah, ok," he mutters, almost mechanically.
Day playfully rolls their eyes. "You've been here for two months now, yet sometimes you act like you don't know me at all," she says with a chuckle.
"You know… living out on the street, everyone was out to get you," Meridian stutters in response.
Amatore's light eyes turn to sympathy, and she takes her guest by the hands and drags him downstairs. Meridian limply stumbles after her, like a doll being played with by a child - containing no will of its own.
The scents of warm stew infect Meridian's nose, and suddenly they feel content.
(Content is not a feeling they'd ever felt before. So, he had no idea what it truly meant until now. Before that, it was just a word. But, over the last two months, they've begun to grow used to the feeling. Something their father told them not to do.)
The pair stumble over various pots and pans scattered across the narrow hallway. Meridian squeezes past the leaves of a tall plant to find himself in a dusty, compact kitchen. Their eyes travel around the kitchen between the seemingly organized chaos.
Day's parents hurriedly place pots of stew on the table for the neighbours whilst wiping sweat from their foreheads.
Daisy and Vermillion Amatore - Day's parents. The makeshift mayors of Dawning Avenue. They fight hard to make sure their community is safe, and sometimes that means hosting breakfasts for the entire neighbourhood. Meridian has met more people at Dawning Avenue than in their entire life up to this point.
"Sit," Day's mother says, whilst wrestling a pan off of a toddler's head. Day drags Meridian onto the wooden dining table in the centre of the kitchen.
Several more people pile into the kitchen causing Meridian's heart to spike with adrenaline again. Lucky and Ava Amatore - Day's younger sisters. They smile at Day and take a seat opposite. Day's friends then follow in single file - Poppy, Mazie, and Trix. "Hey, Day!" They all say in unison.
Finally, Crazy Crane strolls into the room with their hands in their pockets. Their face contorts into their usual scowl as soon as Meridian enters their field of vision. "Hey, Day," they mutter. Then their eyes shift to her parents. "Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Amatore."
They take a seat directly opposite Meridian, keeping their eyes fixed on the outsider, even as they spoon portions of the stew into their bowl.
Meridian gulps and glances at Day - unsure of what to say. Day places her spoon down in her bowl, letting out a deep sigh. "Guys… please try to be friendly with Meridian, it can't have been easy out there on the streets."
"So he claims," Crazy Crane chimes in, under a mouthful of food.
Meridian's entire body tenses up, and they anxiously clench their fists. Crazy Crane's eyes zone in on Meridian's now twitching hand then back to their eyes like they are superglued to him.
"Sorry… there's just no way we can trust another outsider," Trix suddenly pipes up, and everyone's attention moves off of Meridian.
"Those damn energy companies have eyes everywhere," Day's father adds, as he wipes clean a plate. "If they have it their way then the entirety of Dawning Avenue will be Bulldozed to the ground, and us with it."
Sweat has now collected all over Meridian's forehead, and their heart is racing.
"I caught the last one snooping around in my file cabinets, tryin' to find a reason to get us all evicted," an elderly woman adds from the corner of the room. "They won't stop until they have their dam."
"Their damn dam," Poppy says with a chuckle.
Then Day's father moves so he's standing directly in line with Meridian and Day, furrowing his eyebrows in a serious expression. "So you see Meridian, we have good reason to be fearful. Ever since the Monroe crime family collapsed, we've built this place from the ground up, and given the citizens a safe haven. So…" he looks Meridian dead in the eyes now. "There's no way we'll let anyone take it from us."
The room is suddenly enveloped in an awkward silence, as the citizens of Dawning Avenue's eyes move between Meridian and Day's father, like an audience watching a play.
Moments later, the tension is shattered by a chuckle from Day's mother. "Come on now, give our guest a break," she says, playfully rubbing Meridian's hair. "They've been with us for two months, and given us no reason to suspect anything."
Meridian takes a deep breath. "Yeah I'm… "
(Their father taught them how to lie, but it's never something that comes naturally to them.)
"I'm not one of these spy's you're talkin' about… I-I promise," he says, glancing between the people at the table.
"See! Nothing to be afraid of!" Day smiles. Her eyes are bright, and full of life as always.
Day's friends all stand up, thanking her parents for the food. "We're gonna go to the market, wanna come, Day?" Mazie exclaims, excitedly.
"Sure! Can Meridian come?"
The friends drop their smiles, glancing at each other. "Urm… fine."
Meridian's heart tightens, as a shadow has crept over it. He knows deep down that they are right to not trust him. They all look so happy, and innocent. What have they done to deserve to lose their homes? But, Meridian's father is never wrong, is he? Their mission has to be more important than Dawning Avenue, or any of these people.
"I-It's alright, I won't go if it's gonna cause a problem," Meridian stutters, staring down at their hands, and fiddling with them again.
"I won't hear about it! It'll be fun!" Day insists.
So, Meridian also thanks Day's parents with a bow, and soon he finds himself trailing Day and her friends between the bustling, congested market streets, slipping between the citizens of Dawning Avenue, to not lose sight of Day and their friends.
Suddenly, a hand yanks at his shoulder under one of the market stalls, and he clasps his heart in surprise. But it's just Day, with their usual warming smile on. "Don't take what my friends said to heart," they say. "I've… I've got something to show you later, something hidden in Dawning Avenue… I'm not supposed to show you but you just have to see it!"
Meridian gulps but forces a smile. Could this be it? Could this be what they've been after all this time? If they can prove that Dawning Avenue is doing something illegal then they can finally build the Dam, and Fly High Energy Company will have the government seal that their father craves… or Meridian craves.
But he can't do that to these people, can he? Not after they've shown him so much kindness. But no amount of kindness comes without a price. Right?
That evening, under the radiating summer night air, Meridian, and Day scamper through a slim dark alley with Day dragging her friend along by the hand in their usual manner.
A fresh, beautiful aroma suddenly rushes into Meridian's nostrils. It's a scent that they'd never experienced before. Scents of homegrown fruits and vegetables. When the pair crawl out of the alley, Meridian freezes in front of the river by the edge of Dawning Avenue.
"This is it! The community gardens!" Day exclaims, holding their hands out. "The others told me not to show you, but maybe if they know you will keep this secret… then they'll finally trust you, as I do."
They are in a huge, dome greenhouse surrounded almost entirely by greenery. Insects buzz around their ears, indoor lights reflect down on the river, and now Day's eyes are sparkling too as they smile back at Meridian. He's never felt such peace in his life.
Meridian is speechless. They mutter something incomprehensible under their breath as they move closer to Day, and she takes him by the hands. But then, his eyes turn to the various fruits, and vegetables being grown around him in the soil. This is it. For two months this is what Meridian has been searching for. It's illegal to grow your own food under Capitol law. The citizens of Dawning Avenue will be evicted. Fly High will be the leading energy company. His father will finally be proud. They'll have everything they ever wanted. It's what they wanted, right?
But as he stares into Day's eyes, a small part of Meridian's heart is tugging at them. They think it's telling them not to report the community garden to their father, but why?
Twenty-four hours later…
Meridian gulps, as he's escorted across his father's vast golf field. Sweat begins dripping down his head and onto his clothes. He's not sure if it's from the afternoon heat or the fact that he hasn't seen his father's scornful eyes for two months.
The back of his father comes into view near the center of the golf course. The middle-aged man is dressed in a smart grey suit as always, despite the heat. He has a golf club resting on his shoulder.
Meridian halts behind him like a soldier, their two bodyguards doing the same. They make sure to wait for their father to have his shot before they dare to speak to him.
Prime Birdie lines his club up neatly with the ball before striking; then placing his hand above his eyes to observe it sailing through the air.
Birdie clears his throat. "Father."
His father turns and wipes the sweat off from under his greying hair. "I take it you come bearing good news, wouldn't want to ruin your father's game, now would you?"
"I…" Meridian's voice is meek. He could lie. He could save the citizens of Dawning Avenue, and face his father's wrath but… he was born as a limb to the company, and to carry out his father's will.
Prime raises his eyebrows. "Well… spit it out."
"I found something… they," they pause. "They're growing their own food… they… it will be enough for us to get them out…"
Meridian's words keep trailing until his father raises his hand to stop him. A smirk lines the man's face, and he moves off to where his ball landed to take another swing. After his shot, he slings the golf club over his shoulder again and shifts back to Meridian. "You do realize that it's your word against theirs, at the moment. You'll need to gather evidence," he says.
"Y-you… you mean I'll have to go back in?"
Meridian's father watches them for a moment, squinting his eyes so hard that Meridian feels them burn through his.
"It's not a weakness, is it? Don't tell me you've come to care about those people. They are nothing but cockroaches on the floor that need to be removed."
"It's not a weakness," Meridian repeats, robotically.
"So, can I trust you to do what must be done?"
Meridian's head sinks down and they nod. "Yes."
His father leans in and places his hand against his ear. "Yes, what?"
"Yes, Sir."
One month later.
Meridian's throat tightens hard as Dawning Avenue collapses before his eyes under the bulldozers. The citizens were all evicted weeks ago after they brought evidence of the illegal food growing to the Peacekeepers.
Prime Birdie stands in front of him with his hands casually on his hips, and a grin plastered on his face. He takes a sip of his coffee, turning back to Meridian and patting him on the shoulder. "Ya did good."
And that was all he said before he left to meet with the mayor.
Meridian takes a deep breath and swallows back their guilt. "It's not a weakness," they repeat to themself.
Landon Singa, 17
June 18th, 2427
Two days before the Reapings
District One
A light purple hue stretches across the skyline in the form of clouds, as the sun slips lower and lower, almost touching the rooftops of the most compact neighborhood in District One.
Landon leaps and bounds between the houses like an acrobat. His long chestnut hair, which matches the many freckles on his face, waves in the wind as he skips over the gaps between the stone roofs - never stopping to catch a breath. Normally, Landon ties his hair in a bun but during his roof-jumping antics, he prefers to let it hang free - as free as his heart feels at this moment.
(It's one of the only times he can feel free - when his mother isn't constantly questioning his every move, and creating rigid plans for him and when his father's glare isn't constantly following him around and judging him, trapping him like a bird in a cage.)
At this moment he is free because there is no plan. He's taking life like each rooftop - there's no way of knowing what the next rooftop has in store, but it doesn't matter. What matters is he's free.
A few roofs away, a boy and a girl trail behind Landon - his best friends. Landon doesn't take his eyes off the boy, as his hair also waves in the chilly air, and the red, evening sun shines behind him. His name is Akello but everyone simply calls him Kel. Landon and Kel have shared a tight bond since they were eight years old. However, it's only recently that Landon has realized that Kel's eyes make his heart skip a beat. If Kel is Landon's voice of reason, then Landon is Kel's sense of fun.
The girl, Sidney, comes to a halt just after Kel. She holds her lungs, and crouches down on the roof, gasping for air.
"Ready for our next adventure?" Landon questions, sending a wink at both his friends.
Kel and Sidney have barely even recuperated before Landon is already eyeing an old, rusty radio tower that is attached to the roof that they are standing on. The restless boy begins sliding his hands across the metal frame - already calculating the best route to climb up it.
A deep sigh escapes Sidney's lungs. "C'mon Landon… you can't be serious…"
Landon turns back to her with a cheeky grin. "Need I remind you what the three of us agreed all those years back?" He then glances at Kel. "Never let others decide who we are and…"
"Never let fear stop us," his friends repeat in sync - almost like they are reciting a script.
Then Landon turns back and begins scaling up the radio tower, one hand after the other. "Just follow my lead and you'll be fine," he calls down.
"But… but what if we slip or something?" Sidney apprehensively calls back.
"A possibility, yeah, but you won't know it until you're tumbling to the ground… so why worry about it?!" Landon responds.
"Very reassuring…" Sidney mutters, sarcastically.
As the sun is inching behind the roofs of District One, Landon hauls himself up to the top, followed closely by Sidney and Kel. They begin chuckling amongst each other as always, perching on the edge of the radio tower, and staring out towards the dipping sun.
Landon takes a deep breath. The tops of the roofs are now shining like a ruby in the crimson light. It offers the district a last bit of life before it returns in the morning.
"So… it turns out the trick was not looking down," Sidney chuckles, nervously.
Landon chuckles back but as he turns to his right, he notices that Kel is silent.
"Whatcha thinkin'?" Landon asks playfully.
The other young man sighs deeply. "I know you're the selected volunteer… but you don't have to do it… this, right now, could go on forever."
"Nothing goes on forever," Landon retorts. "My parents signed me up to the academy to get me to fall in line but actually, it's my path to freedom. Freedom from them and their… plans."
"But you could die!" Kel shoots back in a broken and teary voice.
Landon shrugs. "It's like I said, you don't know you'll hit the ground until you're tumbling towards it, so why worry?"
"The academy didn't choose me for no reason… don't worry, I'll be fine guys."
But then, Landon shakes his head and slings his arms around his friend's shoulders on either side of him. "But right now, none of those matters. All that matters is the here and now, and at this moment, I'm here with my two best friends in the whole world, and we're enjoying the sunset together." His eyes move between theirs. "Remember, a moment only lasts once, so enjoy it for what it is."
And with that, the three companions sit in silence together, staring out over their district. They huddle their heads together and live the moment.
But the serenity can't last for long, not before Landon's mind has already moved onto something else.
"Anyone fancy basketball?
"Basketball?" Kel inquiries, furrowing his eyebrows.
Landon nods. "I know a court not too far from here, you still have your ball, right?"
The three friends then begin to descend the tower. Landon is for once checking to see where he places his feet as the darkness slowly creeps between the houses in a blanket of black.
Landon is in front as always. He places his left foot on the window frame then his right on the top of the doorframe just below before he hops off the house and elegantly lands on his feet. Sidney and Kel follow suit, although more cautiously.
Landon peers to his left down an empty, narrow street. "This way!" He exclaims, tying his hair up in a bun again.
The thrill seeker and his friends jog through the alleyway, and Landon almost trips on some trash on the ground. Landon did not grow up in the poorer parts of District One, but he knows the streets well. His parents always told him to stay away from these parts because it's "dangerous". So, Landon did the exact opposite.
"We're here!" Landon announces as they slip out of the alleyway.
Truthfully, Landon didn't know if he was even heading down the right alleyway. He was only fifty percent sure. All he knew is that whatever lay on the other side would be cool.
A large, wired, metal fence lies in front of them, extending up at least five meters. On the other side is a run-down basketball court with one of the nets practically hanging off. It wasn't that bad the last time Landon was here. It'll do - he thinks to himself.
They begin hauling themselves up the metal fence - which seems like child's play compared to the radio tower. Before they know it, they are already descending on the other side and bouncing the basketball between each other. Landon's career training gives him an athletic edge over his two friends. So, he suggests one versus two - Landon vs both his friends. This proposal garnered an expected eyeroll from Sidney and Kel, but eventually, they agreed.
The scores turned out pretty even in the end, with Kel and Sidney taking advantage of their ability to pass between each other.
The three of them are chuckling amongst themselves as usual - right up until the sunlight has completely vanished and is replaced by a misty, dim shadow.
But unfortunately, their fun doesn't last long. Footsteps approach on the pavement around them, sounding like an angry stampede, and rowdy chatter can be heard not long after. The metal fence rattles, and a group of youths begin thudding on the pavement around them. Their music fills the courtyard. They begin circling the trio, sneering, and snickering amongst themselves. It's hard to make them out in the dark but there has to be at least half a dozen of them.
Landon turns to see Kel, and Sidney already slinging their bags over their backs to skedaddle. But, Landon grabs Kel's wrist to stop him. The career turns back to the mob, grinning ear to ear. "Is there a problem?" He asks.
A tall, lean boy steps forward, and scans Landon head to toe then grits his teeth. "You three aren't from around here. This is our turf."
Landon waves his hand across his nose from the stench of alcohol from the boy's breath. "Yeah, well we were here first. So deal with it."
Kel tugs at Landon's arm. "Landon, we should walk away from this," he mutters.
"I don't start fights," Landon rebuts. "But I sure as hell finish them," he says, turning back to face the gang.
But by now, they are being circled by five other teenagers. The leader smirks and cracks his knuckles. "You may not have noticed but the numbers aren't exactly even," he says.
Landon smirks back in response. "Well then go get some more guys and then it might be."
That comment was the last straw. The leader of the gang clenches his fist before swinging directly at Landon's head, however, Landon's career instincts kick in! He ducks underneath the swing and lands his own right hook on the boy, followed by an elbow! The leader crumples like a ragdoll, hitting the pavement with a thud!
The other gang members' eyes widen instantly. Landon knocked that guy out before they even knew what was happening. This doesn't stop them from setting upon Landon like wolves on a deer. Landon gets a few more punches and kicks in but also receives a nasty right cross to the eye!
Clutching his eye, Landon scampers away with Kel and Sidney, and he can't help but laugh at the situation as they clamber up the metal fence together.
"You fucking careers! You think you own the entire place!" One of the youths yells as the three of them charge away into the night.
"I never know what kind of adventures our nights will turn into," Landon chuckles.
"I'm glad you find it so funny," Sidney shoots back.
Landon escorts Kel, and Sidney back to their homes before even thinking about returning to his. If he gets his friends into trouble, then he makes sure to get them out of it.
If Landon had any sense of time, to begin with, he's completely lost it by the time he arrives outside of his house. A deep yawn escapes from his mouth - so it must be late.
He rattles his keys into the lock before gently nudging the door open. Upon entering, the boy peeks his eyes around the corridor. All the lights are off; everyone must be in bed already.
But as Landon turns into the kitchen, there is a middle-aged woman leaning against the worktop with her arms folded and her brown eyes glaring into Landon's soul. The boy begins fiddling with his hair ties nervously. Despite her small stature, she makes him feel like a mouse in the corner of the room. Well, at least a mouse is free to do as it pleases - he thinks.
No, he's nothing but a mouse in a mousetrap.
"Is this a joke?" His mother asks calmly but with venom in her voice.
Landon quickly covers his bruised eye with his hand and skips past her to grab a glass from the cupboard. "Maybe," he answers.
"I gave you explicit instructions: train from two till five then come home for an early night." His mother observes him and leans in. "Did you do any training at all?"
Landon doesn't answer at first, he simply gulps down his glass of water.
"I was going to… I just ended up fuckin' around in the end, ya know?"
His mother suddenly turns red. "That's it! Do you not realize it's your reaping ceremony in two days?! You're grounded for the whole day tomorrow!"
Landon places his glass down and rolls his eyes. "Yes, boss," he answers, saluting like a soldier to mock his mother.
Then, he rushes upstairs, slamming his door and throwing himself down on his covers. In two days he will be out of this mousetrap.
He's not volunteering for his mother. He knows she only signed him up to improve her family's station. No, he's volunteering for himself. When he wins, he'll reinvent himself and never have to see his parents again.
Romulus Ryker, 18
June 20th, 2427
Day of the Reapings
District Two
Romulus clenches his hands around the rails of the locker room in his academy. He stares down at his knuckles, they are bruised a dark purple and still have dry blood stuck to them like paint, after the incident a few days ago. He doesn't really remember how many days ago it was - the days have been a blur ever since that night.
But, when the young career takes a deep breath through his lungs and his brown eyes lock onto his reflection in the mirror, his heart is re-filled with hope. He raises an eyebrow, smirking at his strong jawline. They are going to love him. He'll make the perfect career.
Moving quickly, he changes out of his bloodied white shirt into a tight training shirt from the academy. His muscles protrude naturally from under his shirt, so he flexes them in the mirror. Finally, he wraps his bruised hands in a black cloth hand wrap before heading out of the locker room, and onto the training mat.
It's early in the morning, and this solo training session is only really to distract his mind from what he's about to do today. That's what it's always been - a distraction. A distraction from his father's endless tauntings, from his endless judgment for not behaving as he's expected, and a distraction from his endless beatings.
Romulus spends the first twenty minutes smashing his fists against a heavy bag, his strikes begin precise but unbeknownst to him they soon become more reckless, and uncontrolled until he is swinging wildly like an angry bear while gritting his teeth.
Eventually, when he finds himself panting from exhaustion, and the bones on his hands aching, he relaxes; collecting a towel in his hand and then wiping it gently across his sweat-filled forehead.
A deep sigh courses through his lungs. He can't lose control like that again, not in the arena - where his life depends on it.
Suddenly, Romulus's attention is diverted by the sound of the door swinging open, and he's facing the selected male volunteer for District Two this year - Cassius Moraine. The blond-haired boy strolls in with his training bag around his shoulder. He freezes and his eyes widen at the sight of Romulus. "Sup, Rom," he says, dropping his bag.
Romulus sends him a cheerful smile before they embrace each other in a hug. Cassius still stands above Romulus's 5'11 frame, but the two of them have mutual respect for the other's abilities.
"Honestly, after what… happened the other day, I didn't know if I'd see you again," says Cassius.
Romulus shrugs and turns away towards the weapons rack. He retrieves a polished, prestigious-looking sword from the very end of the rack before giving it a twirl in his hand.
"Ya know, I'll always have your back, right bro?" Cassius continues.
But Romulus can say nothing back. He can't say the same for Cassius because he's about to volunteer in his place, and he's sure Cassius will never so much as look him in the eyes ever again. Cassius narrowly beat him for the first-place spot. Although, unlike in District One, rogue volunteering hasn't yet been outlawed.
What other options does Romulus have? How else will he escape his father? His father is a Peacekeeper and a high-ranking one at that - he could have his son imprisoned if he really wanted. Romulus half expects him to.
But, as he looks into his best friend's eyes, he can feel his throat tightening. Cassius had been one of the people he could run to after one of his father's outbursts, the one person that's been there for him. So, he might as well savour their last moments of friendship.
Romulus sends Cassius a cheeky smile and raises his eyebrows. "Fancy one final bout?" He suggests.
Cassius grins back before selecting his own sword. "An opportunity to give you one last ass-kicking before my glory days? Sure."
"In your dreams," Romulus laughs back.
In one fluid motion, Romulus lunges at Cassius, ferociously slashing his dummy sword at his friend's head!
Cassius ducks underneath, and quickly thrusts his own sword towards Romulus's gut. But Romulus has his eyes on his friend's movements the entire time and is fast to slip back to avoid the end of the sword.
Romulus circles the taller boy, and twirls his sword around again, smirking. "You'll never get me that easy," he says casually.
This time, Cassius is the one to charge. Gritting his teeth, he slashes wildly at Romulus with both hands. Each attack is like a tsunami of endless strikes, and suddenly, Romulus is disarmed. He glances down at his sword clattering on the mat, and then rapidly backs up from his opponent.
Cassius has a victorious smile on his face but it soon disappears when Romulus gives him a cocky smile in return.
With victory in his sight, Cassius throws himself at his unarmed career-mate. However, this time his attacks are sloppy and less precise. Romulus capitalizes on this and plants his heel into Cassius's knuckle - forcing the other boy to also drop his sword.
Cassius hisses in frustration and is all of a sudden out of control. He dives into Romulus, seizing him by the legs, and then slamming him on the mat in a double-leg takedown. However, Romulus has spent countless hours of his life in the combat room, preparing for this exact situation. Training was all he had. It was the only freedom from his family, from his father.
So, as Cassius comes crashing down on top of him with all his weight, Romulus traps his opponent with his legs before wrapping them around Cassius's neck. He begins strangling his friend - in a move known as a triangle choke. Romulus grits his teeth, crushing his legs together tighter until Cassius has gone redder than a cherry, and is forced to tap out.
(Tapping his hand on the floor as a way of conceding defeat.)
Sweating and breathing heavily, Romulus releases his friend and offers his hand out to help him back up. "One last ass-kicking, huh?" Romulus teases.
"Shut up," Cassius responds, giving him a friendly thump on the shoulder.
Romulus had to do that. He had to prove to himself why it should be him, not Cassius. But is skill alone the only reason it should be Romulus?
The thought haunts Romulus like a ghost in the corner of the room as he showers off after his training session. He's seen many careers in the past try and fail to be the honorable victor. If his father doesn't love him then then The Capitol has to… Panem has to.
Once he's dried off, he returns to his pants, and blood-stained t-shirt, which he's been wearing since the incident. His mind was in such a flush of anger that night, that he forgot to take a change of clothes.
He slings his bag around his back, exits the training academy, and heads out under the red rays of the morning sun, across the suburbs to his friend's house - where he's been crashing over the last few days.
He turns the spare key, which his other friend gave him, in the lock and heads inside. He dumps his bag down on the sofa. A sofa which he has called his bed over the last few days. It is messy, with the cover strewn in a heap on the carpet, and several dirty plates scattered around the place. He peers around the living room until his eyes land on the kitchen. Might as well have a quick bite to eat before my big moment - he thinks to himself.
As he crunches on the toast, he does his best to ignore the fact that in reality, he has no appetite due to his stomach being tight with nerves.
Before the boy's thoughts can drift away, he's startled by a voice from the kitchen door. "You're not wearing that to the reaping, are you?" Felix chuckles, glancing at the blood on Romulus's shirt.
Romulus relaxes and chuckles back. "Well… what else am I supposed to wear?"
"I'll get you one of my dad's smart shirts."
Felix's voice is calming and gentle like a wise, old sage. If Romulus was to come to anyone for advice over the last two years - then it would have been Felix.
Romulus leans his back against the kitchen side, inhales, and rubs his hands over his eyes before staring down at his bloodied white shirt, and bruised knuckles. "Do you really think I'm the right one for this?" He asks, taking a more serious tone.
"Hell yeah, you are!" Felix exclaims.
The other young man then moves closer to Romulus and rubs his hand rub on his shoulder. "You deserve this!" He continues. "You were robbed, if anything. You've consistently been the top performer at the academy for years!" Cassius then raises his eyebrows and points to Romules's chest. "You're the real deal!"
This gets a slight smile out of Romulus once again, but it is only brief. "What about…" he pauses. "What about the incident?"
"Are you serious?" His friend retorts, and Romulus looks him dead in the eyes.
"I lost count of the number of times you came knocking on my door with bruises on your face from living with that pig of a Peacekeeper. He was hitting your sister… anyone in your shoes would have reacted the same. In my opinion, he got off easy," Felix reassures him.
Felix then jogs upstairs and returns with one of his father's smart, check shirts. He tosses the shirt, and Romulus catches it elegantly in one hand.
"Trust me, they're gonna love you," Felix says, as Romulus changes into the smarter shirt.
Romulus lifts his head up confidently. "You will look after my sister while I'm gone, right?"
Felix nods.
Romulus's little sister was the only good thing about his home life. He had never hit back against his father up until a few days ago, even after all the beatings he received. But the moment he saw that man hit his sister, he lost control.
Two Hours Later
A vast field stretches far in front of Romulus's eyes, leading all the way to the grand Justice Building of District Two. The green of the field is blocked out by the citizens of Two, cheering and clapping, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their two new champions.
Romulus's ears are blasted by the sound of a trumpet parade at the front of the field. Peacekeeper presence is heavy, mostly to keep the roaring crowds in check.
But the sounds of the ceremony are like audible wallpaper to Romulus; his eyes flicker nervously around the edges of the field for any sign of his father among the Peacekeepers. But then his fists clench together, and he remembers. He beat the man to a pulp only days ago, what's he to be afraid of? Felix's words echo through his mind "You're the real deal."
And when the trumpets die down, when the escort has finished her speech, and Meridia Steel has volunteered as his district partner, that is when the feeling of freedom engulfs Romulus like a fresh summer breeze. He's been living in fear his entire life - no longer. His father didn't love him but Panem will. What other choice does he have?
So, when everyone is ready to welcome Cassius Moraine, and the words "I volunteer," leave Romulus's mouth, there is a mix of stunned silence and muttering in the crowds. The cheering and roaring suddenly ceases.
Romulus ignites the charm within him and jogs ecstatically to the front, high-fiving his district partner before shaking his escort's hand. He gives his hair a flick and waves to the crowd. Meridia watches him closely the entire time, seemingly unsure of what to make of her unexpected District partner.
Standing next to Meridia is another young woman - Tatiana Emery, clapping along as well but with a neutral expression. Much about her time as an undercover agent has been kept under wraps by President Storm. Now, she's been assigned as one of District Two's mentors.
He knows Cassius is staring into his soul right now with a piercing venom of anger and betrayal. So, Romulus doesn't look towards the other careers; he simply smiles and waves at District Two and the whole of Panem, and after a few moments he can feel it reciprocated. He receives smiles, waves, and even a few whistles back. He can always call upon his charm when needed.
In District Two, it has become a recent custom to have a mini-interview with the two novelle volunteers. Thus, Romulus breathes in and retains his charming yet humble smile for the crowd, a smile that earns him a few more whistles and cheers.
A metal stool is hurriedly brought for him to sit on, and one for the escort, opposite him. She is not like a lot of escorts in the past with only a very plain attire and combed brunette hair.
His interviewer begins flicking through some papers which have been handed to her in the last few moments. "Romulus Ryker - out-performed all other trainers until the age of 15 when you were moved to the highest class in the academy and remained on top," she announces, her eyes moving between the pages.
She then places the paper on her lap and turns back to the career. "But my main question to you Romulus is: why did you volunteer?"
Romulus laughs jovially. "I could give you the old "to bring honor to my district speech". He pauses and turns to face the audience. "But in truth, there has been a lot of uncertainty and chaos over the last few years and I think you all deserve a bit of hope and someone to cheer for, and that's what I want to be."
Romulus finds his voice is full of confidence. So much so that even he would have believed those words were true. Even so, the crowd is now roaring once again and chanting his name. His heart is finally filled with warmth. He waves and smiles at them, genuinely this time. They do love him. He volunteered to escape his father's wrath and to finally be in control of his own fate - not just some heir to his grandfather's business. But now, he can see it. Felix was right. This is what he was born to do, to give his district the hope they deserve.
Romulus glances down at Felix fleetingly. His friend is in the front row, smiling and clapping enthusiastically for him.
The Escort stands up with him and lifts his hand in the air. "Please welcome the first of your new champions for District Two: Romulus Ryker!"
Romulus's past is behind him. Now he is born again.
Hi! Welcome to our 5th round of interviews. Thank you to Human Wiki for Meridian, Daydreamer for Landon and OHGD for Romulus! See you next time!