Hetalia Hunger Games
The day of the reaping dawns upon 12 unfortunate countries,13 unfortunate tributes. Each country was preparing for the reaping in all different ways. Some by spending the last few minutes before the reaping with their families, others trading in case this ended badly and food became even more scarce… Everyone was to be gathered and a tribute from each country would be selected. Stood is bundled up lines, in their best clothes the people of the world awaited with baited breath to see who the unlucky soul would be, the unfortunate tributes chosen to fight to the death. First up was Italy…
The reaping in the country shaped like a boot had already begun. Crowds huddled together in scruffy lines of males and females, children of all ages were herded into their own separate lines. The atmosphere was so thick with tension and unrest that you could have easily choked on it. The traces of the previous day's hard work were scrubbed from the citizens of Italy. Their worn out, broken faces were fresh and clean but their blank faces remained unreadable, no one dared to speak, but even if they did what could be said? Everything will be alright? Don't worry? No matter what they could have said nothing would reassure them. The only hints of emotion were the cries of tiny children who had gotten themselves lost in the chaos of the crowds.
The silence was deafening until suddenly a huge TV screen lit up as it was wheeled onto a set-up stage before the crowds, by four overly dressed up people from the capitol. White suits, covered faces… Disgusting.
The anthem of the hunger games rang out from the speakers besides the TV, silencing the almost reassuring twittering of some nearby birds. The anthem finished and a tall lady with a powdered white face, bright red lips and curly pink hair faced the crowd. Her eyes gleamed as her hands rested on a microphone and she began to speak. "Hello everyone! And welcome to this year's annual Hunger Games!" she paused for applause whilst re-adjusting her pink curls which the crowds could plainly see by now was just a false wig. When no applause met her icy words she swallowed and plastered a fake smile on her bright red lips, before continuing with the words everyone was dreading.
"Well let's begin by choosing North and South Italy's tributes for this year's Hunger Games!" she concluded dipping her hands into the bowl full of names. "Oh and may the odds be ever in your favour!" she cried out having forgotten her almost sick joke-like phrase and pulled the first folded paper from the bowl. The paper unfolded and…
"Feliciano Vargas!" The pink haired Hunger Games spokesperson yelled, her voice rising to a shrill shriek. At first no one moved, and then slowly a crowd to the left of the set-up stage parted, revealing a rather timid looking Italian boy with reddish/auburn hair, a curl sticking out distinctively to the side of his head. His eyes were wide and his mouth was set into a thin line. The women impatiently walked off the stage, her heels clattering and grabbed the boy by the arm when he seemed too frozen with shock to move, and dragged him onto the stage, whirling him around to face the front. "Smile dearie!" She whispered before turning to the dishealved, glum faced of the citizens in the crowd. "I present to you this year's tribute for Northern Italy!" She announced holding Feliciano's arm up like he had won a boxing match. He instantly pulled his arm down, shaking violently and with a shaky breath he called out to the crowd one soft word. "Romano!" No answer… "Romano! Fratello answer me!" Feliciano cried desperately. He had to see his brother; he needed to speak to him. A goodbye just one…
Unfortunately for his brother, Romano was already having inner turmoil and in seconds he had nodded at a capitol guard who lead him to the front where he climbed up besides his brother. "I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!" The silence deepened and the women nodded. "For your brother?" Romano takes a breath and nods. "Well which part of Italy are you from?" Romano's eyes widen and his breath hitches in his throat before he answers… "Southern Italy" The women smile widened and she holds Romano's arm up. "Well then I give you both North and South Italy's tributes for this year!" "Fratello no! No! No!" Feliciano yells tears brimming in his hazel eyes. "NO ROMANO!" "Feliciano shut up!" The older twin yells clenching his fists. "I'm doing this for you! I will protect you…" The capitol guards began to file out grabbing a hold of both of the Italian twins and began tugging them towards the capitol…toward their doom…
The reaping's happened almost identically in every country first Italy the England the America… One after the other the capitol collected their tributes. The same sad faces… The same choking silence... the same women and her shrill voice… the same outcomes… When would it all end?
England…
"Arthur Kirkland!" Effie, the curly capitol spokesperson called out once again to the small crowd within England. Arthur stepped forwards walking slowly towards the stage his messy blonde hair falling in his face and covering his crazy caterpillar like eyebrows. He hid a wand up his green army uniform however it was quickly seen and confiscated. 'Damn' the green-eyed tribute thought as he sighed and waved to his fellow citizens. 'I'll have to go about this the hard way…'
America…
"Alfred Jones!" Effie shouted after pulling another folded crisp piece of paper from the round bowl. She narrowed her eyes and looked around for the tribute, in seconds the crowd had parted and a thin yet muscular guy with blue eyes walked confidently up to the stage and shook her hand with force. "HAHA! This is a job for the hero!" He yelled grin lighting up his face before he took what looked like a really old cheese burger from his pocket and ate it quickly. "Saving my strength ya see" He informed Effie and shook her hand, grease getting all over her. "I see" She replied wiping her hand disgusted and signalled for the guards to begin to take him away.
Canada…
Three groups of Canadian citizens gathered in their town centre around a fountain awaiting their reaping. They knew at least three other countries had already been chosen and they were nervous, their anxiety showing on their faces. Usually the citizens would remain quiet but idle chatter rang amongst them. Not long after Effie strode onto the stage waving a microphone around and yelling out her horrible words yet again. This time a less obnoxious tribute was selected. "Matthew Williams!"
The second group of citizens shuffled around to let a medium sized male with blond hair a curl sticking out of his head make his way to the front. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and tightened his grip of a pet polar bear. A capitol guard met him halfway telling him he needs to take the bear to which Matthew sighs and tells the bear to "be good" and the bear responds with "who are you?." Matthew shakes his head and steps up to the stage leaving the bear to be given to another citizen. "Who am I? I guess I'm your tribute…" He sighs and does a slight bow making Effie laugh and walk him to the train awaiting them.
China…
"Yao Wang! Effie called out having already drawn a slip from the glass bowl. A man sitting to the side under the shade of an old building look up his expression unreadable. He nodded and pushed his long black hair tied in a ponytail, to the other side of his head and made his way to the stage. He wasn't obnoxious but he was proud of his country so as he shook Effie's hand rather unwillingly he began to formulate a way to win. He had to do it for his country because like all the others it was suffering from poverty and to win the hunger games meant that the winning country had their future secured. The country would be showered with food and money… he had to do this for his country's sake! With that Yao began to walk to the train. "For China."
Russia…
Effie paced on the stage restlessly. "I don't know what to do when a tribute isn't present…" Effie had called out a name and the tribute didn't appear and no one knew where he was. The Russian crowds began to chatter absently and whisper in hushed voices and the panicked Effie ordered guards to go look for the tribute. "That won't be necessary" A voice called out from behind the stage and a very tall male with light coloured hair and violet eyes stepped out. "I believe my name was called da?" Effie sighed as he revealed himself and let the guards pull him onto the stage. "Next time this country's tribute will be present!" She warned her voice becoming hostile. The crowds all nodded slightly in fear of the power she possessed through the capitol. He grinned an evil yet oddly assuring smile and started walking to the train. Effie frowned at that smile. 'May god help the other tributes…'
Spain…
"Ah Spain! Now this country I like and I know you've had a few wins as well" Effie congratulated the crowds fathered in Spain. More glum faces…all except one who was smiling and busy eating a tomato he had managed to salvage from a rotting tomato patch. All their food was going so he had to savour this tomato. In fact he was savouring it so much he didn't hear his name being called until the third time when a fellow citizen nudged him. "Oi you've been chosen Antonio… hermano…" The girl with the exact same shade of green eyes whispered tearfully. Antonio looked to the stage and back at her but kept his smile. "Okay Hermana don't cry si? I promise I won't lose…" He promised but it felt shallow. With that he stood and made his way straight to the train not stopping to shake hands with Effie. She minded greatly but who cared what she thought.
More and More tributes were drawn, selected and sent to the train departing to the capitol.
From Germany a tall blonde haired male called Ludwig was selected. He was one of the careers and he was bred to fight however he had one weakness and that weakness was waiting for him back on the train with a bowl of pasta…
From Prussia a proud and idiotic at times albino male with red eyes and white/silver hair was chosen to be a tribute. His name was Gilbert; this guy had no problem fighting as like Ludwig he was also a career. Fighting was in his blood however he knew one of his friends had been chosen and like family that would kill him inside to fight him… Little did he know his brother had also been chosen…
From Belarus a strong independent young women named "Natalia" had been chosen. She knew her strengths and weaknesses; she was determined and wouldn't fail easily. She too was a career but naturally this was a trait and nothing more. She would win with or without being bred for this.
From Hungary after three careers were chosen another tributes name was pulled from the bowl. She wasn't a career. But she did have some fantastic frying pan skills both in the kitchen and in combat. She loved her country and after pulling herself free from her distressed fiancée "Roderich" she made her way to the train with one thought in her mind "Try your best Elizabeta"
Finally in from France a flirty character had been chosen. Francais. He unfortunately wasn't very courageous at all and his people knew he may not win however as he bravely stood on the stage flirting with Effie, they realised he could only try his best. I mean after all this was the Hunger Games and there's only one winner right?..
Thanks for reading, review and I'll upload the second part soon, the train journey meeting everyone and the parade… maybe even some training… -Princessofsouls