"Ryubami Yoruha."

The decision comes as a shock for everyone, not just Yoruha and her family. Murmurs of dissent rise up from the crowd, quickly hushed as Yoruha rises from her seat. A shrine maiden, a peaceful family, never done anything wrong, just wanted to keep their religion alive - because it was one of the only things left from the old days by the government.

It's not fair, the whispers hiss around her. They never deserved this, never deserved any of what's happened to them. She's barely of age.

And they're right, it's not fair. But the Hunger Games are not fair, and Yoruha will not go down like a coward. What will they expect from a shrine maiden? Nothing. Then she is no longer one. Instead, she will be a samurai, a warrior, and she will fall with blood on her hands, fighting until the last breath.

"Congratulations," the mentor, a tall woman with wavy hair, says, extending a hand. "The Ryubami daughter, huh?" Her eyes roam up and down Yoruha's body, assessing her qualities. "Well, we'll have to train you, that's for sure."

"Any volunteers?" the mayor asks, and one hand rises into the air. "Come forward and state your name."

The girl who comes forward has blond hair down to her shoulders and a wicked smile. "Minatozaki Sana," she sings, easily hopping up the steps. "Nineteen."

It takes Yoruha a moment to realize that she's given her age, not her seat number or anything like that. The mayor looks at the mentor, at Yoruha.

"Per District 4's volunteer guidelines, the Reaped tribute may willingly give up her place to the volunteer, or she may choose to keep her position. Ryubami Yoruha, your decision?

She knows what her answer should be. It should be yes, and then she can go home and pretend like nothing's happened, fish with Takuya and sweep with her grandmother. Her answer should be yes; she should let the beautiful girl with the cruel smile take her place and die for her and go home and live out the rest of her life.

But Yoruha plays by honor. If she backs down now, no one will blame her, but Yoruha will blame herself. If Sana dies, it will have been her fault. And in any case, it's not like she can ever step away from a challenge.

"I'll stay," Yoruha says, looking the girl in the eyes. Sana raises her eyebrows in mild surprise, grins again, and bounds back offstage with a small bow. "I'll go to the Games."

A gasp ripples across the crowd, but the mentor dips her head with a smile. "Well," she says softly, "you and I are going to get along just fine."

Then, all of a sudden, Yoruha's being pulled into the Justice Building, locked into a room, and left there. What for, to die? No, probably not. She'll have plenty of time for that later.

The answer is revealed when Takuya and Grandmother burst into the room, Takuya with his arms out and Grandmother with tears streaming down her face. Wordlessly, Yoruha pulls both of them into a tight embrace, and they stay like that for a brief second before Takuya pulls away again.

"You'll have to hope for the sea," he says in anguish, looking into her eyes. "Or at least water of some sort. But even if they throw you into a desert, you have to find water. It's the only way you'll have an advantage over them."

His words tumble out, quick and breathless, and Yoruha nods, holding tightly onto her Grandmother's hand. "I know. I'll, I don't know, I'll make a net or fishing line or something."

Takuya nods, eyes misty. "Good," he says, choking up. "Good."

And then they spend the rest of their time locked in embrace. When the Peacekeepers come for them, Grandmother presses a small object into Yoruha's hand.

"They let you take one thing," she says, hands trembling. "One thing from home."

The pin is made of pearl, shaped into a delicate white flower. "Yoruha," she whispers, running her fingers over the fine edges. "For me."

"Yes." Grandmother can't stop crying, and though Yoruha's been trying not to, her tears begin flowing as well. "The night flower."

And then it's over all too quickly, and Takuya and Grandmother are being dragged away, and Yoruha breaks composure and lunges after them screaming, and all she can hear is 'I love you, Hana, you have to make it, you have to, I love you', and then silence.

teehee uwu. i've been packing a lot and i didn't think i'd need so much stuff but i do??? like i literally have 3 boxes and two suitcases and a backpack and still more. to be fair i've only packed one suitcase and three boxes uwu. 

also yeah i didn't know how the volunteering worked in the career districts so i made them up lmao. the rest of the districts' volunteering is normal i guess. also do any of yall follow 'i wanna hear your song'? i've also been busy rereading FMA i hate myself lmao