(TW in Lizzie's P.O.V for mentions of abuse/rape)

Chip Chronos, 134th Hunger Games Victor P.O.V:

I used to love the darkness.

Younger kids often told their parents about the dark. They would tell with tears in their eyes that something lurked beyond it. Something with big, glowing eyes, sharpened white teeth, and claws that were half the size of their bodies. How they howled their names before trying to swallow them whole.

Parents, being regular parents would do all they can to coddle them, protect them from whatever monsters they said existed in their closets or under their beds...sometimes outside their windows if they were lucky to be next to any trees. Some would tell their kids their fears are unfounded. They pull the curtains of darkness away with light, showing their children the reality behind the monsters they thought they saw.

Hell, compared to ordinary life in 3, darkness was only a smaller fear within the bigger Picture of Panem.

Not to me. Never to me.

When someone asked me if I was afraid of the dark, I'd laugh in their face and spout what I learned from its mysteries. Some thought I was going mad with how quick I was talking, not to mention in excitement on the topic.

But it was true.

Darkness to me was filled with wonder, thinking of the unknown and what lied beyond it. When I was 7 I dreamed about exploring the darkness, talking to the creatures and going on adventures with them. When I hit reaping age I dreamed of the dark skies beyond 3's smog and the stars beyond it. Capitol TV would always mention the shine of dresses and jewelry being like the glittering dots in the sky...

Drawings of my interpretation of the darkness would lay cluttered on the floor of my room; a few, ragged books talking about space and the planets would line my desk, and sometimes I would fall asleep with one ontop of my face. I even went so far as to save money for a telescope. Capitol grade, one that was able to look at the sky through the smog filled sky and even the clouds.

The darkness was on old friend to me. It stayed with me for so long. And yet...all it does is hurt. It showed me that the monsters were real.

It started to darken when I was reaped for the Games. It was pure darkness in the arena. The darkness showed its claws when it tore my ally, Rickett, to pieces. It darkened when I had to put him out of his misery...It howled as it helped the Careers murder the boy from 8, Lume, from the shadows. It bore its fangs when it swallowed my district partner, Veila, whole. Its blood was shed when I stabbed it through the heart with Rickett's sword. It was supposed to vanish when I killed the girl from 11, earning my place as Victor, but...

It would not leave me.

It shrouded over the Capitol's written speech and my voice. It's inky cloud loomed over all of the tribute's families. Their friends. Their ghosts...

Storm clouds rolled in at the President's Manor Party. Thunder sounded in Eter's whispers to me. Its whispers and bloody visions made me scream in my slumber.

Rickett. Lume. Veila. Cherub.

The lights in my room are always kept on, now. Gidget's soothing whispers help me calm down when my parent's words do nothing.

My older brother reminds me of Rickett and the monsters the shadows hid.

The books are scattered now. They remind me of Cherub's eyes going dim when I killed her.

The drawings are ripped apart; Veila...she loved to draw. Wanted to draw District 3 with color.

The stars, the darkness...when I think of them now...

I think of the monsters and the dead they claimed.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Walker, Victor of the 130th Hunger Games P.O.V:

When there is darkness, there is light. That is what my mother always says.

Even in darkness, where my body would remember it the most. Where every bruise and scar chilled me to the bone, or when my father's jeers rang through my ears. Even when he hid my screams and did unspeakable things with his hands, it was all in darkness.

My mother, dressed in almost an equal amount of scars, taught me how to protect my light. Through the pain she taught me how to defend myself, to share kindness while keeping the light in my eyes, in my smile.

And I tried. And tried. And tried again...every time I tried I was left with more bruises, more blood spilled. No one to reach out to, and no to reach out to me...I try to be kind, but how do I do so when no one heeds my cries for help?

On and on these thoughts spiraled until I met Harper. Even in my dimming heart, she stood to defend it. She was kind when no one else was, and she got me out of the house more times than I could count...and away from my father.

Then the reaping came. Harper was picked to go...but I volunteered in her place. Her light was brighter than mine, she should be the one to stay I thought. Her tears said otherwise, and my mother's words echoed in her voice: "Protect your light!"

My heart kept dimming at my escort avoiding me like the plague in favor of my District Partner, Devon...our mentor leaving us mentor-less while she was in the hospital...and being seen as the weakest with my 3.

I was scared...I wanted to keep my promise...but was I meant to be snuffed out here?

I thought I would be...

Until I didn't.

I never did.

Devon died in the bloodbath. In my tears, Novis, the girl from 5, reached out to me for an alliance. She reminded me so much of Harper that I thought, when she took her last breaths it was her dying when she made me promise to let my light burn bright.

She...she was enough...I had enough.

...Enough.

Ray's hands were around my neck. My light blazed, kicking him where the light wouldn't shine before I stabbed him in the neck.

Enough.

Pieces of Danielle's body flew everywhere when she triggered the trap Novis and I set up...my light shined with tears, knowing Novis had been avenged.

ENOUGH.

I watched the forest's light around me glow, watching as Sephyr's intimidating form crumpled from the bolt to his head.

ENOUGH!

My father was executed for abuse when I returned. My mother and I healed our bruises, started a garden full of colorful flowers. Harper's smile shined even brighter as we reunited, tears of light falling. And...I found someone I loved. I thought I loved.

The person I thought I loved turned my body sordid. But the light in my heart wouldn't fade that easily. It wasn't the past. I had my mother, my Harper, my fellow Victors.

The last time I saw him alive was with him in a prison cell, his cold glare meeting my shining gaze.

"I may be pregnant because of you, but they will never be yours."

These days, mine and Harper's room is warm, the darkness filled with our loving whispers, thinking of possible baby names and reminiscing on how far we've come.

Even in the darkness of the Games, of death, nightmares, and the like...I make sure to keep my light going.

...

And here we have a glimpse of 2 of the Victors for this story, Chip (made by the both of us) and Lizzie (who belongs to Gomex)! They will also be serving as 2 of the mentors for District 3 and District 10 ^^

We also have a bit of an update regarding Tribute Submissions:

1: know I said that we would be reveal the cast list on the 2nd buuut, well, we only got 7 forms . Due to this, we decided to let people send in tributes forms for this story until we have 3-4 auditions for each spot at max!

2:After a bit of discussion, we have decided that for each author, there is a chance for more than 1 character to be accepted into the roster (so 2 tributes at max).

And 3: If your tribute gets accepted to this story, DO NOT send in your tribute to another story while Cirque Du Mort is active! If we find out you did this, that tribute will not only not win the Games but they will be labeled as a BLOODBATH tribute :X

Now without further ado, see you next time, and May The Odds be Ever In Your Favor!

-SakuraDreamerz & Gomex