Fire is catching
The Hunger Games featuring Fairy Tail
Chapter 1
"As always, Ladys first", the blue haired escort of District 8 says and dramatically runs her fingers over the different slips of paper, each having a name written on it. One of those girls will have to be a tribute in the 71st Hunger Games, fighting against 23 other tributes, till the "one and only" victor remains. The escort grabs one slip of paper, takes it out of the big glass bowl and I hold my breath. "This year's female tribute of District 8 is…." she gives every girl in the square a brief dramatic look, just to scare them a little, "Lucy Heartfilia"
I wake up bathed in sweat "No, noooooooooo"
I scream until I come back to my senses and realize it was just another nightmare. I get up, breathing heavily, the shock still sitting in my bones. Shouldn't I be used to it by now? I'm 17 years old, so I've experienced several reapings and my name was obviously never drawn. Still I saw friends go into the arena and never coming back and the fear that I'll have to be in the games overwhelms me every single time the reaping draws nearer. I sigh heavily; the odds are in my favor after all.
My name is Lucy Heartfilia and I live in district 8, Panem. My father is the mayor of district 8, so our family is pretty wealthy, at least as wealthy as you can be in district 8. I've never had to suffer from anything like starvation and I have the huge privilege of having access to magic power.
Magic is something really rare in district 8 and all other districts, except in district 1 and 2. In the capitol, they have an overflow of magic. Every single citizen of the capitol uses magic or at least magical items whereas in the districts most of the people have to live without it. Only some privileged children like me have the chance of gaining magic power. I've heard that some district children are born with magic power in them, but they simply don't get the chance to develop it, so they remain untrained, like a rough diamond that never gets sharpened.
Also I don't have to work in the huge textile factories like most children that are my age have to and I have never signed up for tesserae, another privilege of being the mayor's daughter.
I stand up and get dressed, putting on one of the beautiful dresses my mother used to wear. My mother… every time I think of her my chest aches like somebody just ripped out my heart. She was such a beautiful woman, adored by everyone until she became very ill. Even the capitol's healing magic, or at least the available and affordable one, couldn't save her. So I had watched her die, slowly, suffering so much pain and I couldn't help her. It's because of her that I can use magic. She was a great Celestial Mage with a lot of powerful spirits and I inherited them all. I didn't dare to summon them in the first place, but as time went by, I became curious and so I have become a Stellar Spirit Mage just like her, although I'm not nearly as powerful as she was. I do my best though, trying to stand up to her and make her proud.
I run my fingers over the soft silk for which district 8 is famous for. The dress is made out of a light blue fabric, beautiful white ribbons and bows all over it. It fits me perfectly and as I look at myself in the mirror I can see a part of my mother. We've got the same blond hair and… I shake myself, no time for thoughts like that. It`s reaping day. There is lots of work to do.
As I get downstairs I see my father caught up in his work again, like always. We don't talk a lot, but that's all right.
"Good morning Miss Lucy", Jack, our loyal servant says, "Breakfast is prepared".
"Thank you Jack, but I'm not hungry. I'll eat after the reaping. Now let's go to town and do some shopping for the feast today, ok?" I say and push myself to smile.
Jack knows how afraid I am, I never eat before the reaping. I get out of our house and make my way downtown, walk past the baker until I reach the rag.
It's the name of the market where the workers of the factory trade with each other for a very low price, because they can't afford the shop prices. I obviously go here because I simply want to support the workers a little and not because I'm too poor to buy expensive food.
It's not a lot, but it's all I can do. I walk towards the vegetable stand, where Mary waits for me. She´s only 20 years old and very thin, her hands all red and sore from the sewing and she has the permanent smell of chemicals on her. I feel so sorry for her and the others. I know that some of the workers hate me for being rich, but most of them are really friendly to me and welcome me.
"Hey Lucy, you look terrible! Did you see a ghost?", she teases me.
"Yeah… I saw the reaping day ghost. He scared the crap out of me. You look wonderful Mary, as usual" and I really mean the words.
Mary may be burned out from work, but she's beautiful.
Mary chuckles: "Same as usual Miss Heartfilia?"
"Yes of course and stop calling me like that".
"Okay then it's 5 bucks".
I reach for my money, grab 50 bucks and give them to Mary. "I don't want anything back and don't you dare to complain"
I grin and Mary looks at me with wide eyes, this amount of money is probably enough to keep her and her family alive for several weeks.
"Thank you Miss Lucy…thank you so much", she says and hugs me tightly, "I will pray that you won't be chosen as a tribute. A good person like you doesn't deserve it."
"Nobody deserves it Mary", I whisper, aware of the peacekeepers that surround the rag.
After finishing my groceries (I bought way too many, again) I go back home and start preparing a meal.
"Miss Lucy?"
Before Jack even says it I know that it's time to go. To go to the reaping. My hands start to shake but I try to calm myself down. The odds are in my favor. I have entered only seven times, that's not much at all. The odds are in my favor.
"Okay then… let's go".
My dad and I walk to the square in silence and get separated soon. He gives me a hug and then goes to the stage where he will have to give a speech.
I get in line with all the other girls, so many familiar faces and they all look terrified. I go to find my place and stand there all stiff. Let it be over soon please.
Our escort gets on the stage, her hair a light green color this year and she's wearing a dress that makes her look like a gigantic flower ball. She looks ridiculous, like always.
Miranda, that's her name, says the same words like every year, trying to be cheerful like this was the best day of our lives. We all just ignore her and I try to focus on one point to prevent myself from freaking out. A magic screen appears and the stupid movie is shown, which almost makes me puke. And then the reaping comes.
"As always…, ladies first!" Miranda yells and lets her hand glide over the different slips of paper.
This stupid hand will decide over the future life of one of us. She grabs one of the little cards and reads out the name written on it.
"This year's female tribute is….", she smiles widely at the crowd, "Emilia Johnson!"