District 1

The teens and children hurdled in the group. Yvonne pushed her hair over her shoulder as Saralynn Topdan rumaged her hand around in the bowl. Her name had never been picked , in all these years she's sat here , but today she didn't know. It's been like that every year since she was twelve. She was nervous but she wouldn't show it.

Then, Saralynn removed her hand and pushed a navy blue curl out of her face. "Yvonne Quinton." She said and Yvonne stopped breathing for a split second. The girls around her stared at her as she pushed her way through them and made her way up to the stage. Saralynn smiled at her as she waved at the crowd.

She then placed her hand in the male bowl and pulled it out. "Jonathon Poshov." 

The brunet looked up as the boys around him stared. "I've waited for this shit." He muttered and walked up to the stage, standing directly next to Yvonne. She reached her hand out and he held it. Neither can say why they did it.

Maybe it was to calm their nerves, maybe it was so the capitol would like them more and they'd get more sponsors. Who's to say?

-
District 2

Liam Edales. Everyone in District 2 knew him. He'd been coming here since the first Hunger Games. He was in his early seventies and probably wasn't going anywhere until he died. He soon removed his hand from the bowl and read the name. "Audrey Daae. Congratulations." Audrey didn't wait. She just walked up to the stage because why bother wasting anytime? It was arbitrary. She walked slowly and carefully up to the stage, lifting up her pastel yellow dress ever so slightly.

She stopped at the stage and turned to face the crowd and as Liam was about to reach his hand into the male bowl a boy called out "I volunteer! I volunteer as a tribute!" Just like his parents had instructed him to. He was eighteen, this was his last chance, his parents told him as such. He had been raised for the Hunger Games.

"What's your name, lad?" Liam asked as the brunet boy made his way to the stage. "Hugo Martinez." He said. He walked up to the stage and he and Audrey looked at each other. Both had fear in there eyes.

"Congratulations to Hugo and Audrey!"

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District 3

Miriam Windbeam pulled out the paper and lifted her head, a teasingly horrible smile on her face. "Georgia Copeland." She said. The girls all looked at the enby they now knew as Clover. Clover could scarcely breathe. Same for their girlfriend, Aurora. "No, no, Clo..." Aurora said, but she was barely audible. Just as Clover had finagled their way out of the crowd, they hear yelling behind them. 

"I volunteer as tribute! Just let them go!" Aurora screamed, rushing in front of Clover. "Very well then. What's your name?" Miriam asked. Clover stared at their girlfriend, completely shocked as they were pushed back into the crowd of girls.

"Aurora. Matthews. Aurora Matthews." She replied. "Oh, you're the beauty queen right? Last years male tribute wouldn't stop talking about you." Miriam laughed to herself as if it was a joke. Harry Miller had been a classmate and friendly acquaintance of hers and before he left, confessed his love to her. She didn't like him back and she told him that, which he was fine with. He had just wanted to get it off his chest. 

Harry didn't even make it past the first day.

"That's me." Aurora said, her voice quiet and mournful. She took her place on the stage. Being on stages wasn't anything unusual for her after all. It's just how different the circumstances were.

"Now for the boys it's-" Miriam stuck her hand in and pulled out a piece of paper.  "Alexei Belova." She finished and every boy turned to him as he walked to the stage. From the stage, he could see his younger sister , Natalia , waving to him. He waved back.

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District 4

Janie Laneston pulled out the paper and walked back and forth. Back and forth. She did this every single goddamn year. Back and forth until she stopped in the center of the stage, pushing her bright pink box braids over her shoulder. "Darling Aubert-Blanc." She said in an excited tone. Darling looked at their older sister , Featherling , who stood right next to them. Featherling gave Darling's hand a squeeze. The blonde stared at her sister for a moment before walking up to the stage.

Darling had no words. All she could do was move her eyes around the crowd. Then Janie put her hand in the male bowl and did her back and forth thing.

"Gregory Jones." She said. Greg had been twiddling with a letter from his boyfriend , Jonny Poshov. They were from different districts but corresponded using a chatroom which eventually turned into them sending letters. Greg kept silent as he put the letter in his pocket and made his way towards the stage. He looked behind him to see his moms standing near the stage. He gave them a boyish smile, hoping that would provide some comfort to this bleak situation.

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District 5

Maeve Genson walked on the tips of her ballet shoes as she was about to read off the name. "Jordan Taylor." She said and Jordan let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't Valerie. Valerie had been holding onto Jordan's arm and when hr name was said, she held even tighter. Before walking away, Jordan looked at her sister. "I promise you, Val, I will come back." She said before her sister let go and Jordan walked -or more so strutted- onto the stage, her purple dress swaying like she did.

"Now for the boys!" Maeve said, spinning over to the bowl and pulling out a name. As she spun back to the center, she damn near kicked Jordan. "Henry Cohen." She said and all eyes turned towards Brendan. He knew this day was coming. So he pushed through the crowd and walked up to the stage, not saying anything. All he did was look at his cousin , Kate , as he stepped onto the stage.

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District 6

Charley could feel her heartbeat speeding up. It was all over her body. She only had two more chances to be called on and if this wasn't it, she'd probably be fine next year too. But you see, God's funny like that. Or he's just an asshole like that. Either or, really. Orlando Milesman lifted the paper above his head and turned his head up to read it.

"Charlotte Black." He said in a sing-song voice. Charley inhaled as her two friends looked to her. What did she do now? She felt scared and she felt awkward. Charley clutched the skirt of her pastel green dress. She couldn't move.

"Come on, move it." Two gaurds came over to pull her up to the stage. Once there, she looked over at her family. Well, adoptive family, but they'd raised since she was a newborn so family. She could see the sorrow on their faces, which made Charley damn near break down into tears.

Just like Peter Parker, Charley didn't wanna go.

Before she could really process what was happening, Orlando read the boy's name. "Nathaniel Wagner." He said, strangely gleefully. Nathan looked at his brother , Lewis , who looked like he was about to panic. "See ya, Lu." He said, ruffling his brother's hair and walked away.

Nathan took his place next to Charley. He could tell she was about to cry, but he had no idea what to say so he said nothing.

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District 7

Cat twirled the black side of their hair around their hand. They could care less whether they were picked or not. Their father they had loved so dearly had died just a few months ago, their mother was out of the picture and they had no siblings. They had nothing aside from a fighting technique and a love of music. They could care less what happened to them.

Thankfully , the stars would align in their favor , and Marielle Danmay would pick them for the female tribute. "Catalina Perez." They heard their name and wasted no time getting to the stage. The sooner they were up there, the sooner they would call the male tribute and the sooner Cat could give less fucks.

The second they stepped onto that stage, they could hear a boy behind them call out. "I volunteer as the male tribute!" He screamed. Rocco Wright. Everyone knew him. He was a career tribute. Marielle gestured to the stage and Rocco walked up.

Cat and Rocco looked at one another. They didn't exchange knowing looks, just looks.

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District 8

Cornelius Winterday tapped his foot on the stage. "And our lovely lady is..." He pulled out the paper. "Christine Sinclair." 

Chrissy froze for a moment and turned towards her sister, Brooke. "You'll be fine, Chrissy. Just go." Is all the sixteen year old said to the blonde. She could hear the fear in her older sister's voice. Chrissy's blood ran cold and it didn't take long before she heard a now painfully familiar voice behind her screaming her name.

"Chrissy! Chrissy! Chrissy!" Her mother ran over to her. "Mom!" She turned around but she knew better than to run to her mom. Chrissy held on to the sides of her bright blue skirt. Before Sophie could even get close to her daughter, guards were stopping her, as was Brooke. "No! Let me get to my daughter!" The guards held her back. "Mom, please! We'll get to say goodbye to Chrissy if you just wait!" Brooke said, hoping that would help and it surprisingly did. Sophie relaxed but kept that heartbroken look on her face as Chrissy turned back around and to the stage.

"Well, that was a situation." Cornelius laughed like this was the middle of a restaurant and Sophie was a Karen and not a mom freaking out over her literal teenager being sent to her death. 

"And our gentleman is..." He pulled out a paper from the bowl. "Felix Carter."

Alex smiled to himself and then pushed through everyone else. He said nothing, only went to go stand next to Chrissy.

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District 9

Trixie stood in between her girlfriend and cousin, Katelyn and Evie. She had very recently gotten free-only just two years ago-she couldn't be taken again so soon. But, unfortunately, the stars were not to align in their favor.

"Beatrice Graves." Alessandra Summernight said and Evie and Katelyn looked at her. She thought for a split second that maybe they'd volunteer for her. But no.

All Katelyn did was whisper "I love you." Before letting go of Trixie's hand. So, Trixie walked up to the stage, nearly tripping as she did. "Next up is...Jared Vicro Baxter." She called out and all male eyes turned to the demiboy with glasses.

He inhaled and exhaled, scared as shit. He walked up to the stage and stood next to Trixie. "Hey, you'll be fine, okay?" He whispered to her , trying to be comforting. All she did was give a stiff nod.

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District 10

Dinah Mittlesteen pushed her light green hair off her shoulders as she read the girl's name. She did a little spin, making her magenta skirt spin beautiful around her. "Avery Abbot." Dinah said, stopping her spin. The fourteen year old could feel her head start spinning faster than Dinah's dress. But what was she supposed to do about it? She bit her tongue and smiled up at her older sister. She then walked away. "Mhm, nope." Eden grabbed Avery's shoulders and pulled her back. "I will be taking Avery's place as the female tribute." She said. She didn't yell, nor did she make any huge show of it. 

Now, Eden wasn't a big 'self-sacrifice' kinda gal but she honestly could give less of a fuck about any kind of consistency when it came to Avery. "And what is your name, hon?" Dinah asked. "Eden Abott." She replied. "Oh, so your sisters? Isn't that sweet?" 

Eden nodded before smiling back at her sister and walking back to Dinah. "Felix Solemer." She said, not even pulling out any paper. "Due to a crime I can't mention, he's going to be in the games whether he likes it or not."

All eyes turned towards Felix , or Twiz , as everyone knew what had happened. It had been the talk for weeks. And with a head held low, he walked to the stage. He let them stare. I mean, even if he had been chosen under normal circumstances, people would've stared anyway.

He kept it's distance as best he could from Eden.

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District 11

Anastasia Purplewall pushed her long, ass-length, purple hair onto her front side. She dug around through the female tribute bowl and read the name. "Charlotte Tyler Jones." She said, throwing purple glitter in the air. That was Anastasia's entire brand; purple. Char looked around but there was nothing to be done and so, the fourteen year old slowly and painstakingly made their way up to the stage as a thousand eyes stared at their back.

Steve opened his mouth, to call out that they volunteered and would take Char's place but they quickly realized it was pointless. He could volunteer, sure, but he couldn't take Char's place. They wanted to wait and see what would happen, if they'd even have to volunteer to be with their best friend of two years.

So he watched as Anastasia's hand reached in the bowl to pick the next victim. Thankfully, the stars would align in his favor. Kinda. "Steven Noah Rayleigh." Anastasia threw the glitter again. Steve smiled this time. Sure, he was terrified to go to the Hunger Games and die, but at least now, he'd be dying alongside his best friend.

He pushed through the boys and took his place right next to Char on the stage. The two exchanged joking smiles with one another.

"I mean hey, it's not like either of us has an S/O, so dying with you is the next best choice." Char said and Steve laughed.

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District 12

Ah, the final and poorest district. Artemis Trinket pulled out the paper and prepared to read it. "Lila Carter. If you can come up." She said, gleefully. Lila pushed her purple hair out of her face and looked around at her friends. Or, the girls around her. She was really only friends with one of them (Macey Winston) and Lila knew damn well that a twelve year old was not going to take her place.

So she sucked it up like a buttercup and walked to the stage. Her button down red floral dress felt like it was touching every inch of her skin. She felt uncomfortable in more ways than one.

Then it was the boys turn and Artemis reached in her hand to pick Satan's next plaything. "Miles O'Malley?" She said and then Lila's heart stopped. She knew Miles. Well, Macey did and she told Lila about him. Miles was only a year younger than Macey, thirteen, and it broke Lila's heart to see this scrawny, curly-haired kid walk out with a million eyes on him.

But nobody tried to take his place either. Nope, everyone remained silent as the child took his place next to the other child.

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