The 501st Hunger Games

Hey hey!! This is my attempt at writing my own games using my OWN tributes that I'll make pages for and everything! I'll be in entire control of alliances, the tributes strength and weaknesses, everything! So I hope some of you enjoy reading and even if you don't, have a great day!

Intro
After the drama that was The 500th Hunger Games with rumors of a rebellion taking place within the games themselves, President Dell has taken matters into his own hands this year. From public executions to those who were believed to be rebels, to The Capitol being subject to reaping tributes as well, President Dell has sworn to eliminate any possibility of a Third Rebellion. He claims this years games to be a dagger in the heart of any uprising, and swears death to anyone who questions his decisions. And despite numerous efforts to calm his anger from his friends and family, he seems to be at a constant high level of rage that could spell trouble for the 13 districts.

District One: Astrid Bella
"Astrid! Any time now!" My father yells from downstairs, no doubt upset that we won't be one of the first ones at the reaping. He's well respected as one of the top peacekeepers, with connections to the Capitol as well. He has a reputation to uphold, which leads to high expectations for me. I sit in my desk chair, staring at myself in the mirror in front of me with my mother helping me put my hair up the way I like it.

"We'll be down soon!" My mom yells back, giving me a comforting smile, knowing how dad's high expectations have an effect on me.

She's always been there for me, after every academy training session, every rant from my father about how I need to be doing more and working harder, every Games where my family and I rewatch them and he gives us pointers on what we should or shouldn't be doing. My little brother, Curtis, has always been a better athlete and therefor he gets less attention from my father. He thinks he doesn't need the push that I need, but he doesn't know the two extra hours I've been spending training for the past year.

My train of thought is interrupted as my mom finishes up with my hair and kisses my head before headed downstairs. I stand up and take one last look at myself.

"Looks like a victor", I say to myself before heading downstairs to join my parents and little brother.

My dad is already at the door waiting rather impatiently, an annoyed look on his face as he sees me come down the stairs and join the rest of my family. Curtis gives me a hug, he's too young to go to the reaping, only ten, and yet he's probably hungrier to get into the games more than anyone I've ever met. Besides me, of course.

We head out to the square, and as I expected there's already a majority of the district here. Mom gives me a quick hug before walking to her section, leaving my dad and me to talk. It's a talk I knew was coming all year, where he tells me how I need to wait another year to be even more prepared, blah blah blah. I don't care what he says, I've been training harder than anyone else, this is MY year to volunteer.

He puts his hand on my shoulder and I'm shocked at what I see in his eyes......tears! I can't remember the last time he showed any emotion other than anger and frustration. The sudden emotional moment has me wondering what he's about to say.

"Listen Astrid...I uh, I wanted you to know how proud I am of you."

I think I let out an audible gasp because he notices my look of surprise and pulls me in for a long hug.

Then he whispers very closely, "I know you want to volunteer.....I think you're ready..", I'm shocked. He's proud of me? He's okay with me volunteering early? Is this man even my father??

"Listen, we don't have a lot of time before the reaping, I know you can do this. Just follow your training, what you were taught, and remember EVERYTHING we went over these past years, okay? You'll win and bring pride to this family...I know you will."

Now my own eyes swell with tears and I squeeze him in for a tighter hug, "Thank you."

A few of his peacekeeper friends come to alert us that it's time for the reaping to start, so we need to get moving. We pull away from the hug and he walks somberly away, wiping his tears off his cheeks. I do the same and head to get my blood taken.

By the time everyone is in place, our escort comes out, and announces this years Hunger Games before we watch some sappy promotional trailer with previous Games top kills and victors as a sort of highlight reel. Normal reaping stuff. What's not normal reaping stuff is our most recent victor on stage surrounded by peacekeepers. Does he really need the protection? District One hasn't had a trace of any rebels in over a century, and we were all taught in school how THEY were the enemy. The Capitol was simply defending itself. But why the security? Before I can answer my own question our escort begins talking again.

"Before we get to this years reaping, we have a word from the capitol! Everyone, please give a warm welcome to to the Victor of the 498th Hunger Games, from our very own District One, Dusk Hallows!"

He's met with a ROAR of applause, and it's well deserved. Probably the best tribute in the past decade from ANY district. Won his Games by leading the Careers through thick and thin, until there were 5 tributes left. With him as the only Career, he received MASSIVE love from sponsors, and was gifted with armor, medicine, and the deadliest weapon you could give him, a Longsword. After that, it was game over as he single-handedly laid waste to the rest of the tributes over the next two days.

He taps the microphone a few times before giving the crowd a charming smile, flashing his perfect pearly white teeth.

"WHO'S READY FOR SOME HUNGER GAMES?!", his question is met with an even louder roar of approval, and he gives a loud laugh as he raises his arms in the air. He knows how to win over a crowd I'll give him that.

"Now this year, it appears that I will be taking over duties as your escort, as orders from the President himself! I know this might come as a surprise and an unexpected one at that, but I hope you will embrace this change and we can move forward with these reapings!".

If there was any doubt the crowd wouldn't love it, that doubt was surely washed away by the celebration from the crowd. Which had gotten so loud I couldn't hear him as he walked over to the first bowl of names. As he reaches his hand down, I notice a redhead girl to my left begin to walk out of line, surely trying to catch everyone off guard and make sure she's the first one to volunteer! Not on my watch!!

I wait until she's walked past me, and she begins to raise her hand. As she does, I grab her arm and stretch it far behind her back, causing her to lean forward to avoid surely breaking it.

She yelps out in pain, and I toss her to the ground back to where she was originally standing before running up to the stage myself.

"I volunteer!!", I shout before Dusk has his chance to announce the name in his hand. The whole district looks at me, and I get a round of applause as I make my way up to the stage and stand next to Dusk while smiling at the crowd.

"And your name, brave madam?", Dusk asks while pointing the microphone to my face.

"Astrid Bella. The next victor from District One!", I made sure to add that last part in there, my dad drilled it into my brain that leaving a good impression on your district was always key to becoming a fan favorite. And fan favorites always get the sponsors. Sponsors give you deadly weapons to kill your enemies with. Ergo, being a fan favorite will make your chances of winning skyrocket.

My planned confident statement proves to be valuable as the crowd gives me their sign of approval that I'll do right by the district. I look for my father and find him smiling proudly, the first time I've ever seen him look proud of me in his life. I'm interrupted as Dusk pulls out the boy tribute name.

Before he has a chance to say anything, a loud voice announces themselves to the crowd and runs up to the stage, much more excited and less composed than I was. Typical. Too blinded by his eagerness to win to know how to remain calm and act like you've been there before.

As he approaches I get a better look at him. He's taller than me, by about half a foot, he's not muscular by any means but he's built and obviously athletic. His jet black hair is combed over to the side, and bounces wildly as he gets to the stage. Dusk doesn't have a chance to ask the boys name before he grabs the microphone.

"My name is Mark Price! And I am going to represent District One with honor and pride!", much to my surprise he receives almost the same positive reception that I did, only slightly less loud and a few death glares from the 18 year olds who missed their chance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this years tributes! Astrid Bella and Mark Price!". The crowd erupts in the loudest round of cheers so far, and me and Mark turn to shake hands. He's strong, but his brown eyes show that he's charming and he flashes me a smile that I return with one of my own. He's a good kid, and I'm sure we'll get along great! Just as long as he doesn't get any bright ideas.

The peacekeepers escort us back stage, and Dusk riles up the crowd to an even louder octane as we walk away.