Okay, so this is chapter 2 of the Blood of a Rose, since I finished The Many Shades Of Cream, I decided to continue this, because I have left you too wait FAR too long.

Disclaimer: I do no own The Hunger Games or Sonic!

The Blood Of A Rose

Chapter 2: May the odds be ever in your favour.

I stood, stock still. Too stunned for words. It reminds me of a time when I was sitting on the branch of a tree, waiting for the games too pass, when I fell asleep, and fell. The impact had taken my breathe away, litterally, and I lay there, struggling to inhale.

And there she is, all the blood gone from her face, fists clenched tightly at her side, as she takes slow, small steps towards the looming stage. The back of her blouse un-tucked.

"Cream!"I yell, and the crowd moves out of the way, allowing me to pass, but I don't stop to thank them, instead, I grab Cream's left arm, and pull her behind me, all the while yelling, "I volunteer!"

"Fantastic!" Tikal exclaims, clapping her hands together happily, but then, an expression that I cannot recognise, crosses her features. "But I believe there's a small matter of introducing the reaping winner and then asking for volunteers, and if one does come forth then we, um…" she trails off, unsure herself.

"Just let the girl come forward." The mayor orders, I don't think he knows me, but there is some recognition in his voice, maybe he knows I'm somewhat aquainted with his daughter? But I can't further investigate the matter, as Cream is screaming behind me, begging me not to go. She has quite a strong hold, I'll give her that.

"No Amy! Please!" She cries.

"Cream, let go." I say, harshly.

When I no longer feel Creams arms circled around my waist, I turn and see that Knuckles has lifted Cream off the ground, and she's thrashing about in his arms, but it's no use, no one can break Knuckles death grip, the echidna is well known for his strength.

"Off you go, Ames." He says, in a voice that I know he is trying to keep steady, and he walks off with Cream in his arms, carrying her back to mother. Knuckles was never really that good at dealing with 'feelings', but I can see that he is attempting to calm the sobbing child in his arms. I turn back around, unable to look at the face of my sister anymore, and climb the steps. Only to be greeted by the over-enthusiastic orange echidna, her cheesey smile and attitude towards the hunger games sickens me, to say the least.

"Thats the spirit of the games! What's your name dear?" she asks me, flashing another one of her stupid smiles. Even in my distressed state, I still try my best not to roll my eyes, and instead I swallow the lump that was brewing in my throat.

"I bet my quills that was your sister. Don't want her to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody! Let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" The tears almost start to pour down my muzzle. As strange as it may sound, for the first time in my life, Nack the Weasal saves me...from embarrassement. He staggers across the stage, throwing an arm around me.

"Feisty! I like this one!" He slurrs, his breathe smells heavily of alcohol, and it takes all my might not too slap him there and then, but I don't want to give my self a bad rep, because there goes my sponsers, and if I plan on surviving, I'm going to need those sponsers.

He releases me, and staggers forward, only this time to plummet off the stage and knocks himself unconscious.

...

The weasal is quickly removed from the scene, and Tikal attempts to get this train wreck back on track. "And now, the boys!" She zips across the stage, over to he other glass ball, and I pray for Knuckles safety.

"Sonic the hedgehog!"

My eyes widen in shock. Oh no. It couldn't be? Could it? But I see the familiar dark blue quills bop up and down through the crowd. Slowly, which is odd for him. but, then again, who in there right mind would be in a rush to get killed?

You see, the thing is, in these past four years, I haven't spoken to Sonic since they day we were all in these stupid districts. We were seperated from everyone we knew, and only a few of us were kept together, by luck of course. I guess I partly blamed Sonic for everything that happened all those years ago, because it was his idea to get involved with the rebellion. I am perfectly aware of the fact he was just trying to help, I guess I couldn't help but think it was all his fault.

I watch him as he makes his way to the stage, since the last time I saw him, or rather, the last time I paid attention to him, he had grown a good couple of inches or so, his fur was still dark blue in colour, but it was quite shaggy. Then again, so was mine, not to mention everyone else's, so I was in no position to judge.

His face remains emotionless, but I recognise the fear in his eyes, that was rarely seen, by anyone. I don't have a thing for him anymore, we're not even friends. The only time we interacted during our time in the district was a couple of years back. But he's probably forgotten, he never really had the best memory, epscially when it came to me. My father had died three months earlier, in a mine accident. The district gave us a small amount of money because of this. To cover about a month of grieving, then my mother was expected to get a job. Only she didn't.

No matter how much Cream pleaded, or how much I yelled, she just sat there, eyes fixed on some point in the distance. When I was twelve, and Cream was only eight, so I took over as head of the family. I tried my best to buy food and cook it, but soon enough we were out of money again.

And this is how I encountered Sonic.

It was a cold afternoon, and rain was falling by the gallons, and I had spent my day raiding bins in the district. But all the bins I came across were empty. I gave up when the bakers wife shouted at me, and I feared she would call the peace keepers on me. So, I went for a walk, in search for food, until I became tired, so I took shelter under an old apple tree.

A familiar flash of blue rushed past me, and I froze, so did it too. And in it's place stood the all too familiar blue hedgehog, in his arms, he carried many loafs of bread. I began to wonder how he paid for them. Our gazes remained locked for what seemed like forever, his emerald green pierced my skin, and stared right into my soul, oddly enough though, I couldn't look away.

Before I knew it, two loafs of bread was sent my way and he was gone in the blink of an eye, I took them without hesitation, and with the strength I had left, I ran home and we ate an entire loaf, slice, by slice. Enjoying every second of it.

At school, I found him staring at me from across the schoolyard, but as soon as I looked at him, he turned away and continued his conversation with his 'friends'. I should have thanked him, but I couldn't bring my self round to do so. Call me ungrateful, I know. It's weird to think that I will be fighting him in the hunger games, and even if I wanted to thank him, I don't think it will be sincere of me to do it while I'm trying to kill him.

The mayor finishes Treaty of Reason, and tells me and Sonic to shake hands. Sonic's large gloved hands are warm against my petite one's. He gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, and looks me right in the eye. But I'm the one to turn away this time, unable to look at him. Things are still going to be awkward between us, no matter what. We turn back to face the crowd as the anthem of Floating Island plays.