AUTHOR'S NOTE 10/20/2013: Hi everyone! I promise I have not vanished, but I cannot write anything on here till after this week at the earliest. I have a huge white paper (scientific research paper from heck) due this thursday...so hopefully after that my crazy college life will slow down a bit to pump out a few chapters. So please bare with my my awesome readers, because I love y'all!

Riana Jansen | 18 | District 1

A burning piece of beam from the roof hit the ground just feet in front of the girl. Quickly, Riana raised her hands over her face and yelped as she jumped backwards, trying to not let the sparks hit her. Just beyond the fire, she could see people she knew, people who should be running to help her. Instead, they stood in the distance staring at her as if this was her fault.

Why aren't they helping! What did I do? She thought to herself as she took a few steps back, seeing an opening in the flames near Izumo. Riana took a deep breath before she pushed off with her right leg and shot forward, hoping that Izumo wasn't like the others and would reach out to pull her to safety. Riana chanced a quick glance at the roof to see a large section of it come plummeting down towards her. The girl turned her gaze to Izumo, her leaf green eyes practically begging him to take her extended hand and pull her to his chest, just as he always did.

When he didn't, Riana knew without a doubt that her chance was gone. Just as the roof was about to land on her, the 18 year old girl shot up in bed and looked around wildly. After making sure there were no flames or assuming glairs of her family she sighed and let herself lie back on the pillow.

"Riana! You have thirty minutes to get to the Reaping! Hurry up!" Riana's father's voice trailed up the stairs of their home. Since her father was a victor, they lived in a large luxurious home that made most of the homes in her district seem small. Riana groaned and shifted glancing around her room as she rolled over and turned to look at Izumo who was sleeping soundly beside her.

With the gentleness that only Izumo saw, Riana brushed his cheek and smiled at him. The dream still made her stomach turn upside down but now that she was awake, Riana knew without a doubt that if that really happened Izumo would come running. With another brush at his cheek, the woman turned and took her feet off the bed before she stood and headed for her closet.

It didn't take Riana long to figure out what she was going to wear. This year is going to be different…my last year to be in the Reaping. Even if I wont volunteer it doesn't mean that I don't have to go out with a bang. She thought as she pulled the hanger out that held a form fitting black dress that her father had given her the last time an important person from the capital had come and visited her father. Now at least she would put it to good use. She didn't care what the others really thought of her, but she felt daring today. After that dream, she wanted to show the world who she was, not caring that they saw the burn scars running down her back and shoulders. All she wanted was for them to see her for herself.

Twenty minutes was up quicker than Riana had even imagined, but as she walked out of the bathroom, a nice dressed Izumo who raised an eyebrow at her clothing greeted her. "New fashion statement Ria?" He whispered and gave her a longing look before smiling and reaching for her hand. He led her through her house and outside, automatically heading for the justice building. Riana glanced over at her boyfriend and then back at the road in front of them. He was already beyond the years of being reaped and if Riana made it through this drawing then she could go on with her life. Make a family with the handsome man who was standing beside her. They'd make a mark on their district. Not from killing children in the games but by doing something they loved.

Even Riana knew that this was almost too good to be true, but she pushed that thought past her mind as she kissed Izumo gently on the cheek and stood in line to be signed in. She'd stood in this line exactly five times, now was her sixth. Most of her years at the Reaping where fine, mostly just standing to the side as she watched all the Career's race for the front. Technically, Riana was a Career. Her father had trained her but she never had the want to just kill for no reason. There was only one year that had made a mark in her mind though. She had been thirteen when her name had been pulled from the bowl. A little girl standing with her flaming red hair in two pigtails had watched as everyone around her started to step back. It wasn't until a girl yelled out that she wanted to volunteer that Riana knew she was safe.

Years later, Riana now knew that somehow the girl, Gamma, had only volunteered because she had a debt to pay. What dept, Riana had no idea, but the girl did know that she needed to do something in return…even if Gamma's older brother was the reason for her scars.

Riana was pulled from her memories when a Peacekeeper took her hand and pricked her finger gently. "Riana Jansen, you're checked in." The man said without even looking from the packet in front of him. Sighing, Riana ran her fingers over the form fitting black gown and walked towards the section with the other eighteen year old girls. Riana raised her eyebrow as some of the girls her age stepped away from her, but all she did was brush it off as she scanned the area for where Izumo was standing and what everyone else was doing.

Before Riana could find her man, the Escort stepped on stage and spoke in a bubbly voice before stepping off of the platform to let the video play. After seeing the video for so many years, Riana turned her gaze to the green haired woman who stood off in the corner waiting for the video to turn off. She had a large smile on her face and her skin had an odd blue tint to it but then again she was a Capitalite so it wasn't too odd for them.

When the video ended, Riana watched as the Escort woman walked back onstage and smiled as she ran her fingers through her green hair. "Aren't you all excited! Now, just like always the ladies shall go first! Who shall be our lucky woman who will be representing this luxurious district in the 74th hunger games!" The woman giggled at her own joke and reached into the jar fishing for a name. When she brought her hand out of the jar, she cleared her throat and put her mouth closer to the microphone. "Gracelyn Daweson!"

Riana felt her jaw drop at the name, she recognized it, from the name that was said on the stage after Gamma had taken her spot in the hunger games. Gamma Dawesome…Gracelyn Daweson. The woman threw together the two names and looked to find a little girl growing paler and paler by the second as her friends stepped away from her.

The gilt from the dream slammed into Riana's gut as she watched the little girl. Ever since Gamma's brother had tried to kill her she could never figure out why her dreams always had her friends and family looking at her and letting her die with an accusatory look on their face. I can repay the Daweson family…I can make it back and besides it'd be fun…Izumo would be here when I get back. She thought as she turned and took long steps towards the center isle, surprised that no one else had moved but she just smiled real big and walked towards the stage. "I volunteer as tribute!"

Tiberius Glowgate | 17 | District 1

Tiberius stood among the seventeen year old boys, this year wasn't any different than any of the other years. Some kids stood around with large eyed looks on their faces while others stood with a smirk, debating on whether they were going to run forward when a name was called. Inwardly, Tiberius still hadn't decided himself.

Years ago, when Tiberius was just a kid, his oldest brother won in the games. Since then his father had been obsessed with family glory. So much that he pushed William, the middle brother, into training and volunteering for the games. That year had been the worst for Tiberius. Will and he had always been the closets, since both of them had always lived under their brothers shadow, they just stuck together. Though during the games, his brother had died by the hands of his allies. Instead of Mr. Glowgate backing off and enjoying what glory his family did have he continued to push Tiberius even harder to become the best career in their district.

Now, the short brown haired boy stood there watching as the District 1 Escort, Fansey, pulled the girls name out of the bowl and read it aloud. What surprised Tiberius the most was how there wasn't the normal rush of females to become the next tribute, instead silence beckoned as the person who was chosen stood in unbelieving silence. Tiberius smirked a bit, he might as well go…if anything he can help protect whoever the little kid was and save another boy from the fate his brother had.

Then someone seemed to move further back from Tiberius on the females' side. Soon a long crazy red haired girl was standing in the center walkway. When the yelled that she volunteered, Tiberius frowned and watched her, he recognized her from the gym but she wasn't a regular. Why in the world would she volunteer? Tiberius shook his head and sighed; now he really needed too. This girl was doing this for some reason and his curiosity and want to protect others was dragging him to volunteer himself.

The girl got to the stage and said her name to the audience, Riana…he'd heard that name, her father was a victor wasn't he? She lived pretty close to him then so that was why he recognized her.

It wasn't long after that when Fansey walked towards the boys bowl and grinned widely as she put her hand in the jar. Her slim hand pulling out a piece of paper as she walked towards the microphone again.

"Now for the boy tribute…Royce Terance!" Tiberius stood tall among most of those his age so he was able to see the little boys scooting away from a child who probably was having his first year at the Reaping. I'll save you little guy. Tiberius thought as he hurried to the middle with a few more guys from behind him. With a smirk, Tiberius took off running towards the stage. He heard shouts and angry sound behind him but the brown haired boy knew he had the upper hand.

His feet hit the steps at a run and after three more steps he was standing up on the stage looking as regale as ever. "Young man! Thank you for volunteering! Now what is your name?" She asked as she smiled and put the microphone in front of his face.

"Tiberius Glowgate." He said with a dazzling smile as he turned to the crowd in front of him. So many looked like they were excited to not be picked, but Tiberius had pity for them. They were his fellow district mates, but what would they ever be able to do now to bring their family glory? Inwardly Tiberius knew they were the lucky ones and he was the one to feel sorry for but he kept showing it and looked for his father who was nowhere to be found.

The new tribute glanced down at his white silk shirt and black pants as he gathered himself. His father would come to the goodbyes. Everyone's family came to that, why would he miss that even if he did miss the reaping. Fansey lead the two new tributes towards the Justice Building. As they walked, Tiberius couldn't help but give Riana a sideways glance. He'd never talked to her let alone think he'd be going into the games with her. It was odd but he knew that he had to do something, which would probably be talking to her once they were on the train ride to the capital.

Tiberius shrugged it off and brushed his somewhat short hair off his forehead as he walked into a small room and sat on a chair. Waiting for his family…waiting for the proud look on his father's face that he'd decided to volunteer.

The air in the room was full with tension as he sat there, trying to look elegant and not worried at all. However, when the door opened and his family started to file in, Tiberius stood up and smiled at his oldest brother and his mother as they walked in. The boy turned his blue eyes to the door as it started to close and felt his face drop without meaning too. "Where...Where is Dad?" He asked as he turned his gaze to his brothers and then his mothers.

Neither answered but his mother wrapped her arms around her son tightly. "He was busy son…he said he'd see you when you get back…but me and your brother had to come see you off. Besides, it's bad luck to leave home without your family telling you to stay safe and a mothers hug." She said with a smile and squeezed him tightly, which Tiberius couldn't help but give her a tight embrace back and kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, I'll hurry home as soon as I can." Tiberius said and sat back down. His stomach had hit the floor the minute that his father hadn't walked into the room but he didn't want to disappoint his mother with being upset so he just grinned at the two of them.

His brother walked up held his hand out like he wanted to hand it to Tiberius. "What is it?" He asked and held his hand out to his brother who dropped a silver ring into his hand. The tribute tilted his head slightly and then looked over at his mother. "I forgot all about this, thank you for bringing it … I promise to come back alright?" He said with a grin and glanced back at the door as it opened.

"Your times up!" The peacekeeper said as he waited for Tiberius' brother and mother to stand up. Quickly before she would be dragged out, Tiberius' mother wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Come back to us…" She said quickly before she left the room with her other son.

Tiberius sat down with a grown and sighed as he looked at the now closed door. He'd come home…bring glory and actually make him pay attention to his youngest son.