IN WHICH...

The 25th Hunger Games rolls around. This time, there's a twist. The districts have to vote for their tributes instead of reaping them by a lottery. How will the districts choose who they send to the slaughter?

Fingers crossed it won't be you.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

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CATALINA BAIRD【 D.8 】

⠀Today, there's an air of grimness. An air that always comes with the annual Reapings.

⠀The camera crews, perched like buzzards on rooftops, only add to the effect.

⠀There are more than usual.

⠀In past years, I've counted twenty cameramen.

⠀Now, there are fifty.

⠀Almost like they're expecting something big to happen.

⠀I don't like that.

⠀I steel my spine and I start to file in with the rest of the possible Tributes. Everyone from ages twelve to eighteen is in the front while everyone else is in the back with a long velvet rope separating them from us.

⠀I find myself standing in a row of sixteen girls. We all exchange terse looks and then focus our attention on the temporary stage that is set up before the Justice Building. It holds two chairs, a podium, and two large glass balls, one for the boys and one for the girls.

⠀I stare at the paper slips in the girls' ball.

⠀Fifty-nine of them have Catalina Covey written on them in careful handwriting.

⠀The last name Covey is there because it's the name on every Panem database with my DNA——per my mother's decision. She didn't stick around long enough to tell me why.

⠀The fifty-nine paper slips are there because of how many tesserae I've requested.

⠀I tear my eyes away from the glass ball when the Justice Building's doors creak open, sounding like a bomb the way everyone quiets down.

⠀Mayor Vale steps out, followed by Wren Stone, District 8's escort, fresh from the Capitol with her unsettling white grin, short, bright pink hair, and neon green pantsuit.

⠀At the stroke of two from the town clock, Wren Stone clears her throat and steps toward the microphone at the very center of the stage.

⠀She taps the microphone to make sure it's working and, when the tap reverberates through the square, she smiles and leans in, "Welcome, District Eight!"

⠀Nobody says anything.

⠀She doesn't seem very fazed, though, "Happy Hunger Games. And, may the odds be ever in your favor. Especially, this time around," She ends that with a wink that has goosebumps running across my skin and sets off small murmuring in the crowd.

⠀What does she mean this time around?

⠀She claps her hands, getting everybody's attention, "Now, before we begin. We have a very special film."

⠀I take a deep breath as the big television above her plays a of video President Snow.

⠀It's been the same since he was elected at age 24. He's 33 now, I think.

⠀He tells of the history of Panem and how it came to be.

⠀The video starts to end, and I perk up slightly.

⠀Might as well get this Reaping over with.

⠀Just as the video ends, another pops up.

⠀What the fuck? That's never happened before.

⠀Small murmurs of confusion travel through the square, and I look over at Wren Stone, who looks the happiest I've ever seen her.

⠀The video loads, and in this one, President Snow is in his office, his hands crossed over his desk with a serious expression, "Ladies and gentlemen of Panem."

⠀Everyone goes deathly silent.

⠀"Today marks a momentous occasion in the history of our great nation. As we gather here, united in the spirit of unity and cooperation, we embark on a new chapter in the saga of the Hunger Games. The 25th Hunger Games, a special edition unlike any we have witnessed before."

⠀I can practically feel everyone tense around me.

⠀"In this Quell, we, the Capitol, have chosen to grant the districts a unique privilege——the power to select their own tributes," The crowd draws in a collective breath.

⠀"This decision was not made lightly, but rather with the belief that the time has come for the districts to be active participants in the fate of their own children," Snow adds, and the entire square erupts into cries of outrage and fear.

⠀I sway slightly, tripping on my own feet. I catch myself, though, and inhale quick breaths.

⠀Are we supposed to choose who we send to die?

⠀I blink slowly and pay attention to the video despite my heartbeats drowning out most of it, "——each district. May this 25th Hunger Games be a celebration of the unbreakable bond between the Capitol and its districts. Let it be a demonstration of the strength that lies in our collective will and the resilience of our shared identity as citizens of Panem."

⠀After a moment, Snow leans into the camera, "And there is no volunteering this year."

⠀He leans back and smiles for the first time. It's pretty, but it's also cynical, "May the odds be ever in your favor."

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▶ Most characters from The Hunger Games (75th) are not alive yet! Not even Haymitch, so keep that in mind!

▶ Keep in mind the Districts' job specialization as that can influence your character's personalities and how they're viewed by society!

▶ Based on your character(s)'s strengths and weaknesses, I may add useful (or harmful) tools on the islands or in the Cornucopia.

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▶ The arena consists of a series of floating islands suspended above a vast chasm. Tributes must navigate between islands using ropes, bridges, or other makeshift methods. (May be bad for someone who isn't so athletic or fast, seeing as these might break???? Depends on how the Gamemakes are feeling.)

▶ Some islands may have valuable resources, while others pose dangers like traps or aggressive muttations (yes, muttations, like genetically modified animals).

▶ Speaking of muttations, airborne predators, such as large birds or winged muttations, may attack tributes. Some islands might have hidden traps activated by pressure-sensitive mechanisms. (I didn't tell you that.)

▶ Each island holds different resources, such as freshwater springs, edible plants, and wildlife. Tributes must carefully navigate the network of islands to gather essential supplies for survival. (Beware, some may be poisonous *cough* Foxface *cough*.)

▶ Tributes face the constant challenge of traversing the open sky between islands. Unstable weather conditions, gusts of wind, and the potential collapse of bridges add to the difficulty. Falling from a high altitude is a serious threat. (You will die. That's the threat.)

▶ The islands are diverse in size and shape, ranging from small platforms to larger landmasses. (Like this ass. I'm not joking, she changes her shape depending on the day.)

▶ The arena undergoes a dynamic day-night cycle, affecting both visibility and temperature. Tributes must adapt their strategies based on the time of day, as some islands may become more dangerous at night. (Who said that?)

▶ Designated safe zones on certain islands provide temporary refuge for tributes. These zones may contain valuable resources or be protected from some arena events. However, staying in one place for too long risks detection by other tributes. (Or the Gamemakers.)

▶ Periodic events initiated by the Gamemakers can alter the landscape. Islands might drift or rotate, changing the layout of the arena. Sudden storms or shifts in atmospheric conditions could introduce new challenges. (The island may tilt or a section may break off, beware.)

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❝ I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WIN THIS. ❞

▏FULL NAME ➔ Catalina Luciana Baird
▏PREFERRED NAME ➔ Cat
▏NICKNAMES ➔ Cat, Lina, Lucy, Little Bird
▏AGE ➔ 16
▏GENDER/PRONOUNS ➔ SHE/HER
▏SEXUALITY ➔ Lesbian
▏LOVE INTEREST ➔ Willow Everdeen

▏FACECLAIM ➔ Isabel Merced/Moner

▏PERSONALITY ➔ Cat is very outgoing and likable. She gives her food rations to others, she volunteers to take over other's shifts at bakeries and boutiques, and she sings to those who are dying at the local hospital. However, as she says, "Don't mistake my kindness for weakness", she shows others that she cannot be bullied.

▏BACKSTORY ➔ According to the Covey in District 8, they found Cat in a wrapped blanket with a stack of letters beside her. She was around two months old, and each letter was assigned for every occasion leading up to her 18th birthday.

▏LIKES ➔ Sewing, singing, and writing.
▏DISLIKES ➔ Running too much,

▏STRENGTHS ➔ Has handled ropes in the past. Can sew with simple needles and threads.
▏WEAKNESSES ➔ Cannot run too much (She has flat feet). Cannot swim.

▏OPINION ON THE HUNGER GAMES ➔ She thinks that it's cruel, but that things may be worse without them.

▏WEAPONRY SKILLS ➔ Chains and Knives

▏ALLIES ➔ Cat wouldn't have allies until she sees it as an absolute necessity. For example, if someone were close to killing her, she'd give a small piece of information that tells the other Tribute that they need her.

▏STRATEGY ➔ Stay away from others for as long as possible, and defend your territory.

▏CORNUCOPIA ➔ No, she'll run to another island and then come back to the Cornucopia to see if there's anything left.

▏INJURY ➔ She'd get mad at herself, but then she would remember her mother's words (When you fall down, stand taller), and she would get back up.

▏BETRAYAL ➔ She's not likely to betray anyone unless they're a threat to Will.

▏TESSERAE ➔ 55 times.

▏DEATH ➔ She's most likely to die by sacrificing herself for Willow or not being fast enough.

▏VOTED ➔ President Snow found out that she's been giving some of her tesserae to others in her district, so he rigs the vote to force her into the games.

▏~5 CHARACTER FACTS ➔ She makes dresses for younger children and pregnant women. She broke her right pinky finger once when she tried to climb a tree to get her neighbor's cat, now she has no feeling in the finger. She writes back to her mom, hoping one day that she'll come back to read them.

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❝ DESPITE WHAT YOU THINK, I CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT KILLING PEOPLE. ❞

▏FULL NAME ➔ Willow Everdeen
▏PREFERRED NAME ➔ Will
▏NICKNAMES ➔ Will
▏AGE ➔ 15
▏GENDER/PRONOUNS ➔ SHE/HER
▏SEXUALITY ➔ Bisexual
▏LOVE INTEREST ➔ Cat Baird

▏FACECLAIM ➔ Sadie Sink

▏PERSONALITY ➔ Will is sweet and giving. Too giving, some might say. She would give her food to others, even when she was hungry.

▏BACKSTORY ➔ When Will was four, her parents died, so her brother, Lark Everdeen, had to take care of her. He dropped out of school to take care of her, and she tried her hardest to make up for it by working at bakeries and giving animals to the Peacemakers to get food or money.

▏LIKES ➔ Baking, dancing, and gardening
▏DISLIKES ➔ Violence, blood

▏STRENGTHS ➔ Fast, agile, climbing (typically rocks), cartography
▏WEAKNESSES ➔ Can't hurt people. Injured shoulder before the Games. Emotional vulnerability. Can't handle strong hits to the head since she's anemic.

▏OPINION ON THE HUNGER GAMES ➔ She thinks that it's inhumane and that Crassus Snow (the person who created the Hunger Games) is a heartless human being.

▏WEAPONRY SKILLS ➔ Bo Staffs

▏ALLIES ➔ Yes. She would have allies, and give them tips on how to survive.

▏STRATEGY ➔ Stay away from people who've shown that they're ruthless, but help those younger than her.

▏CORNUCOPIA ➔ No, she would go to another island and hope that she finds something useful there.

▏INJURY ➔ She'd try to fight the pain, but if there's too much blood, she'd focus on that more for a while.

▏BETRAYAL ➔ Not likely. She'd never betray anyone.

▏TESSERAE ➔ 0

▏DEATH ➔ She's most likely to die from serious blood loss or due to her inability to hurt someone.

▏VOTED ➔ Everyone hates her brother, Lark Everdeen (he ratted out a few people to the Peacekeepers to get his sister iron pills), but he turned 19, so they chose her to get to Lark.

▏~5 CHARACTER FACTS ➔ Will uses Bo Staffs to dance, but she finds out that they can be a weapon. She works at the Mellark Bakery in District 12.

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▶ You can apply as many times as you want for as many districts as you want!

▶ Keep in mind that I can only accept one character for Districts 8 and 12, and they both have to be boys.

▶ Diversity is ideal, but whatever is best for your character! I do prefer someone with screencaps so I can include them on the cover! (This shouldn't be hard.)

▶ For weaknesses, I did get stuck, so I googled Jumanji's weaknesses and strengths for the characters (which is where I got cartography). So feel free to use Google and other resources!

APPLICATIONS DUE DECEMBER 7
11:59 P.M. EST

blank application form
(do not apply here, apply in the Districts.)

DISTRICT 1【 LUXURY ITEMS 】

DISTRICT 2【 MASONRY AND WEAPONRY 】

DISTRICT 3【 ELECTRONICS AND TECHNOLOGY 】

DISTRICT 4【 FISHING 】

DISTRICT 5【 POWER AND ENERGY 】

DISTRICT 6【 TRANSPORTATION 】

DISTRICT 7【 LUMBER 】

DISTRICT 8【 TEXTILES 】

DISTRICT 9【 GRAIN 】

DISTRICT 10【 LIVESTOCK 】

DISTRICT 11【 AGRICULTURE 】

DISTRICT 12【 COAL MINING 】

NOTE: Because I feel bad killing someone off when the game starts, nobody will be dying in the Cornucopia! I'm making it so that the Cornucopia is on a smaller island that's easy to get to, but has many resources spread out! (Someone will get hurt, though.)

Apologies for so many questions, but I want to do this fic and all your characters justice! (If you do not get picked, I will turn your character into a mentor, a Gamemaker, or ask if you'd like me to put your character into my 50th Hunger Games Apply Fic that features Haymitch.)

ANY QUESTIONS GO HERE!

love, brie 🤍