Chapter Two: Goodbye, District 1

Lucy was too shocked to move, she couldn't do anything. If it wasn't for Gaze trying to pull her back to her senses and The Peacekeeper walking towards her and about to drag her forward she could have been dead. 

The Peacekeeper picked her up and dragged her out of the crowd and began dragging towards the stage. 

"NO!" Lucy yelled when she had found her voice. "NO! PLEASE! NO!" She screamed, her voice rang through the town square as other girl's wore smug faces, some even laughed. But nobody volunteered, not even Glimmer. 

And as Lucy screamed, a voice chorused with her's. He was screaming the same words and he had even got out his roped area and was trying to protect Lucy from the Peacekeeper. He dragged her away but he was pulled back and Lucy was torn from his grip. 

"I VOLUNTEER!" Marvel yelled in the most ferocious tone that Lucy had never heard before as he pulled away from The Peacekeeper. "I volunteer as tribute!" 

"Well, well, well! A volunteer!" Kathleen laughed but then her smile dropped. "I'm ever so sorry, my dear, but you aren't female. You'll have to wait for a male name to be pulled out..." 

Lucy tearfully looked up at her father who shook his head, he was almost saying that he couldn't help her. The Peacekeeper kept a firm hold on her, even when they were on the stage. Kathleen almost skipped towards the boy's reaping bowl as Marvel was shoved back into the roped off area, where he belonged. 

"Now for the male tribute!" Kathleen sung. She dipped her hand into the bowl and took out a name. "Coil Lukein!" 

A boy in spiffing clothes began to walk up to the stage but Marvel once again emerged from his roped off area, the Peacekeepers were suddenly even more alert as Marvel stood there and Lucy stared at him. 

"I volunteer as tribute," he said, this time more miserably. Marvel past Coil who pouted and was shoved back in the crowd by a Peacekeeper.

Marvel walked up to the stage but no Peacekeeper's accompanied him, he walked up to the stage alone. He mounted the steps and made his way up quickly before Kathleen dragged him over to the microphone. 

"Now, what's your name, young man?" Kathleen beamed at him. 

"Marvel Sanford," Marvel muttered in the most plain tone he could manage. As Kathleen stood by the microphone, Marvel walked towards Lucy. All the cameras followed him as he opened his arms and gave her a hug. "I've got your back." He whispered gently in her ear. 

"And here they are, the District 1 tributes for the 74th Hunger Games, Lucy Dime and Marvel Sanford!" Kathleen announced as people started to clap, Lucy singled her mother out of the parents watching. Her mother grinned and made a motion for her to keep her chin up but she didn't. She just hid herself in Marvel's arms.

Kathleen forced Lucy and Marvel out of their embrace and lead the two into the Justice building behind them and a Peacekeeper dragged each of them into separate rooms. 

Lucy yelled at the Peacekeeper and tried to free herself so she could find her mother, even though if she was patient her mother would come and visit her for the last time. She didn't stand a chance in the games, she'd probably be killed by a District 12 tribute. 

Even though she hated to admit it, she wanted her mother more than ever now. 

"Calm yourself," The Peacekeeper hissed as he threw her into the room next to Marvel's and she landed squarely on the floor and even when The Peacekeeper had left, she stayed on the floor, ignoring the chair just next to her. She didn't have the will to move, all she did was sob on the floor.

"You have three minuets," The Peacekeeper said as he opened the door again and she heard her mother's heels clunking against the floor, she looked at her shoes and behind her she saw her father. 

"Mum?" Lucy asked, her throat dry. The next thing she knew, she was being lifted up by her mother and when she was upright, Lucy collapsed in her arms. "Where's Gaze?"

"Oh, Lace! Never mind Gaze! How could it be you! Your name was only in there five times!" Lucy's mother wept. "And I have a bone to pick with you, madam!"

"I'll clean my room if I make it out alive," Lucy promised, her voice full of truth. "I promise! I promise I will!" 

"When Kathleen called out the name it was 'Lucy' and not Lace. Your name isn't Lucy! You've got to get out of here! Come now — " her mother was about to take her hand when she snatched it away. 

"My name is Lucy, I changed my name and whether you like it or not it's staying that way." 

"But the name Lucy is so common! It's so...ugh..." 

"I want to be called Lucy, not Lace it's pathetic." 

"Very well, 'Lucy'," her mother pouted and crossed her arms, she looked away from her daughter as Lucy's father stepped forward. 

"Lace — sorry, I mean, Lucy. Listen to me and listen good." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "When you get into the training centre, pretend you're weak — " 

"That won't be hard..." Lucy murmured.

" — and drop every weapon. You don't want to show the other tributes your strength, but when you have your separate sessions with the Gamemaker's you show them what you're made of. Get a good score. When in your interview, act sweet and innocent, you'll get sponsors, Gloss will get you them, he'll be your mentor. And most importantly, when in the games you kill off every damn tribute there. I know you can do it, I have faith in you." 

"B-But...what about Marvel? I can't kill him!" 

"Let another tribute kill him, if not you will kill him if you want to come home."

"But I don't belong here! All you're interested in is being the Mayor of District 1 and all mother's interested in is her beauty products! I don't like it here!" 

Lucy's mother gasped and her father had to keep calm and continue. "We want you to come back, and if you do, we'll change for you. I hate to admit it but we're not really a family anymore — " and before he could say anything else, a Peacekeeper rushed in and dragged her mother and father out and Lucy was left to sit on the chair. And that was when she knew for sure. 

Her time was up in this world. 

*      *      * 

Once Lucy and Marvel as well as Kathleen and Gloss had safely boarded the Capitol train that would take them even closer to where they would compete for the victors title, they made their way into the 'living room' and were greeted by Gloss, a past victor and mentor. 

"Lucy, Marvel!" Gloss beamed, shaking their hands. "Great to see you two!" If Lucy was honest, she thought Gloss was a really nice man who had a lot of experience in the games and if she was going to at least attempt winning, Gloss would have the tips. 

"Hi," Lucy smiled back nervously. 

"The reaping was absolutely terrible this year...who'd have thought they'd of chosen the Mayor's daughter!" Gloss glared at Kathleen who was applying some make-up, Lucy immediately hated her, she reminded her of her mother. "And how heroic it was of Marvel, I'm guessing you two are going out — " 

"We're best friends," Marvel interrupted. "And have been for a long while. We're not letting these stupid games tear us apart." 

"Nice idea...oh, don't make yourselves too comfy because we'll be in the Capitol soon. It doesn't take long to get there but by all means explore. Get all the freedom you can." 

"I'm not going exploring," Lucy sighed and plopped herself down on a chair. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm sorry, but you're going to the Capitol," Kathleen rolled her eyes as she put her make-up away and straightened her wig. "You were chosen in the reaping and that's where you're off to." 

"Kathleen," Gloss growled and Kathleen exited the room without another word. 

"I'm going to go...explore, I'll speak to you in a little while." Marvel smiled and led himself out. 

Lucy looked up at Gloss and he gave her a welcoming smile as he sat down next to her. "You don't want to be here, do you?" 

"No, I don't want to be here. But I don't want to go to District 1, I'd prefer to be in District 12!" Lucy sobbed. 

"Oh, you belong in District 1 alright! You're the Mayor's daughter!" He said, making the situation good when it really wasn't. "If I'm honest, I think Lucy is better than Lace. Good name change." 

"I'm glad you like it, my parents don't. They said it's too plain, I mean you've got names like Glimmer, Marvel and Cashmere. I had one of those sort of names but I changed it because I hated it, I think my new name suits me better." 

"You know, Lucy, you're the first District 1 tribute I've met who isn't enthusiastic about these games. And it concerns me almost, well it doesn't concern me it actually makes me glad that we've got a sensible tribute." 

"A sensible tribute who'll die in the bloodbath, that's where I'll die. But if I'm lucky I'll die on the second day. My body will be shipped back to District 1, or what's left of it at least, and my parents might cry but won't be sad for long..." 

"I've never thought bad of the Mayor until this day," Gloss shook his head. "I'll tell you what, I'll get you trained up and make you a Career tribute...how does that sound? Then maybe you'll become the next victor!" 

"Even if I do become a victor, life won't be the same without my best friend. Marvel's a really great friend...I really don't understand why everyone assumes we're going out. It hurts my feelings when the girl's at school tease me, my only friend's are Glimmer and Marvel." 

"People mock what they don't understand." Gloss said wisely just as Marvel walked in, back from his little trip of the train. "Ah, Marvel, back are we? Find anything interesting?" 

"Nothing apart from Kathleen screaming at me when I saw her applying yet more make-up in her room. How much make-up do you need?" Marvel rolled his eyes. 

"Trust me, my mum would put the amount of make-up she's got to shame," Lucy laughed stiffly. 

"Well, who fancies some lunch?" Gloss asked as Kathleen walked in. 

"I do!" Marvel almost leapt up, Lucy stared at him dumbstruck. It felt like she'd only just had breakfast, so how could she manage lunch?

"Alright, follow me then! The avox's have already prepared you some lunch," Kathleen beams and walks straight ahead, Marvel following along behind hungrily. 

Gloss got up abruptly. "You coming?" 

"I'll come but I'm not promising that I'll eat anything..." 

"Just try it, you might like Capitol food." 

Gloss held out a hand to her and Lucy took it gladly, they walked to where all the food was laid out to them on the table. Kathleen and Gloss sat at the heads of the table, whereas Lucy and Marvel sat on the other two places available. 

"Take what you want, eat what you want. It's all Capitol food and it's all most definetly fantastic!" Kathleen said as she began filling her own plate. Lucy glanced over to Marvel's plate and saw it was already sky high...

"Kathleen," Lucy spoke up, not even looking at the food. "What did you say about avox's preparing our food? Well, what I mean to say is. What exactly are avox's?" 

"Avox's are wrong-doers who have their tongue's cut out and are made to serve people in the Capitol, but today you are an exception as you are the tributes." Kathleen gestured to the two people with their heads bowed standing not so far away from her. Lucy noticed that they took the extra effort to swallow. "Now would you eat something? The food isn't going to eat itself." 

Lucy reached out and filled her plate with a few things and ate them in silence as Gloss and Marvel spoke to each other through moutful's of food. If she was at home, she would have found this disgusting (Kathleen obviously did because of the faces she was pulling) but she could understand why Gloss and Marvel were acting this way, the Capitol food was delicious. 

Before long, the food was devoured and everyone seemed to perk up a bit as they made their way into another room with sofas and a massive television screen to watch the replay of the reapings from every District. 

"Better find out who we'll ally up with and who we'll kill, eh?" Marvel said to Lucy as they sat down next to each other. 

"I don't think I want to kill anyone," Lucy sighed as the replay of District 1's reaping was put on by Gloss. 

She could barely watch it. 

It was terrible watching her body sieze up and being carried out of the roped off area by a Peacekeeper as well as her crying, Lucy bet she was the only District 1 tribute in history to have cried when they'd been chosen as a tribute. Next, Marvel rushed out of his roped off area and tried to volunteer but Kathleen wouldn't allow it. 

After the replay of District 1's reaping, Lucy opened her eyes to find out who she'd be allying up with in District 2; Clove and Cato. They seemed like the best allies to have, Cato had a lot of muscle yet Clove looked like she'd be very vicious and have no remorse when she was killing tributes. 

"They look like good allies to me," Lucy said just as District 2's reaping was over and it moved onto District 3's reaping. 

"Oh no, here comes the technology District. Shameful..." Marvel snorted. "Unless they're good at keeping supplies away from the other tributes, they can join us Careers. If not, I'll kill them in the bloodbath." 

The Capitol escort for District 3 made her way to the reaping bowl for the girl's and pulled out a name. A girl got chosen but instead a girl named Rookie stepped forward and volunteered. She made her way up to the stage and stood there, her face expressionless. 

"Cheerful," Gloss said out of the blue as he sipped his wine that an avox had poured out for him only moments ago. 

The male tribute was chosen for District 3 and the reaping ended. It went on like this for a while, Lucy couldn't be bothered to watch anymore and neither could Marvel. They didn't need to pay attention to the tributes they would kill. 

"Well, looks like we've arrived in the Capitol...why don't you two open the blinds and wave to your Capitol people?" Gloss suggested, Marvel and Lucy stood up and stood by the window. 

Marvel pulled up the blinds, and sure enough a crowd of Capitol people were cheering their names. Lucy looked at Marvel and he looked back. 

"They're cheering f-for us?" Lucy whispered. 

"Seems like it, do you know anyone else called Lucy and Marvel?" He asked as he began to wave at the people of the Capitol. 

"Not at all..." she whispered as she waved back, feeling a little bit more confident about The Hunger Games. 

"Come on you two! Lets go get you prettied up for your chariot!" Kathleen called. The screams got louder as she opened the door and led the two out. 

They were blinded by flashes as they disembarked and tried desperately to be nice, if they were going to get sponsors they had to be nice. 

But there was no telling who'd be the favourite District 1 tribute.