AUTHOR'S NOTES: Welcome one, welcome all, to the 94th Annual Hunger Games! This is the 4th volume of my "Fire Without a Spark" series, so be sure to check out the other stories in the series if you enjoy this one. This series focuses on what Panem was like if Katniss had never volunteered for Prim, and thus the 2nd rebellion had never happened. It's been ages since I've done one of these, but the next 'trilogy' of the series is now officially in the works. Like the other stories in this series, the 1st chapter is something of a prologue picking up where the last one left off, so if you want to skip ahead and read the story without worrying about "Fire Without a Spark" continuity, feel free to skip to chapter 2. Otherwise... Enjoy.

PART I: INNOCENCE LOST

CHAPTER 1: The Games Continue

While some might think that the Victor Village of District 2 was full of gung-ho career tributes that had won the games through their devotion to the Capitol, those who actually lived there knew better, and were among some of District 2's most dangerous and rebellious individuals. Some were more vehement about it than others, but of the 17 victors that had or currently inhabited the place, none of them had very strong positive feelings towards their oppressors.

The latest victor, a freckled girl by the name of Korra Francisco, had become notorious among the victors, both for her method of winning the 'games, and for her general attitude towards the Capitol and Panem in general. She was exactly the kind of leader and revolutionary that a rebellion would need in order to take off. The problem then was that even a leader of her caliber could not revolutionize the 12 remaining districts of Panem all on her own.

A passionate woman who took her role and responsibilities very seriously, Korra's reputation might have come off to some as rather off-putting or even intimidating because of the authority she exuded and commanded. However, getting to know her revealed a few simple but reassuring truths: She displayed humility in her actions, and at the end of the day, she openly admitted that she was still just a kid.

Reaping day didn't really mean much in a district so full of volunteers that boys and girls fought each other to get to the stage where escort Delun Frost waited to announce their names. They had no need for a lottery like any of the other districts (apart from District 1 of course). As such, the victors (who also served as mentors) often made bets with one another based on who looked promising from the various academies around the district. Other times they simply put their bets on a few rounds of cards.

"You ready for the mentoring life?" Clove quipped, "because unless you decide to chicken out, you and Amy are the ones going to the Capitol this time. You've finally ousted me without having to force Katsuo or Kaede back on the train."
"I couldn't do that to them, the poor souls…" Korra frowned, "and I'm going to miss you too, Clove."

"I would have said that I was surprised that my time as mentor alongside the great Clove Kazera was so short," Amy quipped, "But I did promise Caesar during my interview a couple years back that I would not only win the games, but that I would bring home a victor the year after."
"Glad to know I was just a pawn in your operation," Korra elbowed the much smaller girl. "but in all seriousness, I'm ready to be a mentor."
"That doesn't surprise me at all, Francisco," Clove teased as she drew another card, "I'm not saying we can get a revolution going tomorrow night, but you're a natural-born leader. People don't call you Mockingjay for nothing."

"I don't think the other tributes are going to let us win three years in a row…" Korra admitted, "But whoever reaches that stage, I'll do my best to bring one of them home."

"That's the spirit," Amy smirked. "you'll do just fine, kid." Even now Korra found it ironic and yet somehow fitting that Amy called her 'kid', despite her being two years Amy's senior.

"I frankly never doubted you," Clove reassured her, "you've got the skills to be a better mentor than I am, and you know just how big of an arrogant prick I always am."

"What makes you say that?" Korra tilted her head as Amy picked up another card.

"Because sometimes, it's not about winning," Clove explained, "sometimes it's about the impact you leave on the games. Look at those tributes from District 12—those really dark-skinned ones that put paint on their faces and bodies and all that. None of the victors from there have been painted, but you can pretty much guarantee that everyone remembers them."

"So what you're saying is…" Korra began as she waited for Clove to finish her sentence. She had a shrewd idea where the older girl was going with this.

"Sometimes, winning the games is not how you live forever." Clove finished, laying down a perfect hand, "Cato Salazar, Vex Greenwood, Marcus Romero, Chel Colorado, Vivian Nelson, Sacagawea Kwan… people like that aren't about to be forgotten any time soon."

"As lovely as reminiscing about district heroes might be," Amy interrupted them, "I think the ceremony's getting ready to start, and so if at least one of us doesn't want to get dragged by our hair out to the stage to help oversee it, we best be getting down there."

"Well shit if I'm going to sit around and collect dust while you all have the fun." Clove stood up, "I'm going with you whether you like it or not."

Neither Amy nor Korra seemed to mind this change of plans, and so Clove accompanied them down to the reaping stage, where they saw dozens of boys and girls lined up and raring to race each other to the stage. It was always a rather interesting sight to behold, because it was more than just a running race, and rare was the year when less than half a dozen fights broke out between potential tributes.

Clove threw an approving smirk to those around her, glancing at two massive statues that stood on either side of the stage: Marcus Romero, the male tribute from the 92nd Hunger Games that had been Amy's strongest and most competent ally; and Chel Colorado, the female tribute from the 91st Hunger Games that had helped lead little Ava Togisala to victory. She also had statues of her own partner Cato, as well as a statue of a woman named Vivian Nelson, a heroic District 1 girl from the 93rd Hunger Games. Clove was one of the finest masons and sculptors on Panem, and her talent showed. Korra and Amy also knew that she was an extremely dangerous fighter, and as such, they hoped that the tributes they would be mentoring this year would have the strength, skills, and smarts to potentially enable one of them to return home as another victor.

The tall, slender young woman that reached the stage first after the girls had all lined up and awaited their cue gave her name as Gabriela Sanchez. The male tribute was almost equally surprising, for instead of the usual hulking boy or athletic tribute, a similarly slender young man joined Gabriela on the stage, introducing himself to Delun as Nazir Mateaki.

Amy and Korra remained silent, seated, and with their arms crossed, but their eyes were moving as they sized up their tributes for the year. They were not worried about performance, for they hardly needed to put their hopes on chance that tributes who spent years training at academies designed specifically for the Hunger Games, would perform poorly in games they spent their lives training for. District 2 always did well in the games, both in training scores and in placement and kill counts.

=District 11, around the same time...=

While they weren't exactly notorious for producing volunteers the way their brethren in District 1 and District 2 were, District 11 was respected for their pool of victors, trailing only behind the two career districts, and District 5 in terms of numbers. These tributes usually scored high and performed well, and this year seemed to be no exception.

The escort picked a name out of a bowl, as was standard protocol in the ten non-career districts, and a moment later, out came a girl's name:

"Xandra Kanosh!"

A hardy, stocky girl trudged forward, stumping up the few steps to join the escort at the stage. Her eyes glanced out among the crowds to analyze her competition—or more accurately, who her most likely first ally would be. While they had some years where their tributes didn't get along (as did any district), the tributes of District 11 often teamed up with one another and wreaked havoc. Xandra hoped that this would be the case this year, especially with her own life on the line.

"Kilon Sotega!"

A slightly slenderer boy stepped up to join Xandra, although his bare arms betrayed an athletic build similar to his partner except likely a bit speedier in exchange for strength. Like most tributes from District 11, there was hardly any noise after their names had been publicly announced to the rest of Panem, and they crossed their arms in stoic silence as the rest of their district raised their arms in a three-fingered salute to show solidarity. Originally from District 12, this salute had become very popular in District 11 because of the similar way the two districts thought: two rural, rebellious districts wrought with poverty and starvation and a rather clear dislike for the Capitol and the richer, more loyal districts. One thing was clear as the two tributes were escorted into the Justice Building to say their final goodbyes: even if neither of them came home alive, they were going to do a great deal to prevent themselves from being forgotten. The career tributes were not the only ones that could be memorable—and District 11 wanted to refresh Panem's memory in that regard.