Hokay so here is the first of 12 Reaping chapters to come! Enjoy :)
Fibbi Luxius POV
"Come on Rex, Fight like a man!" My dad shouts. He's currently training my 13 year old brother to be a career. Rex ducks and dodges a right hook, then spins around and delivers a swift roundhouse to my dad's kidney. Suffice to say he calls for a time-out after that.
Rex grabs his water bottle and runs over to where Michaela –our sister – and I are sitting watching the show. "Did you like that one Mickey?" He asks. I smile and give him a light swack on the back of the head while our 14 year old sister scolds him.
"You know you have to be careful with Dad, he's not as strong as he used to be and you get stronger by the day."
I leave the two to their little argument and head off by myself. The Reapings are today, and I've decided that I want to volunteer. I just want to prove to my parents that I have the potential, just like Rex. My parents have refused to train me for years, saying I was a disappointment and a failure; 'flawed'. Thankfully the three of us kids disagreed and I've been secretly taking lessons with Rex while Mickey distracts mum and dad. I'll watch one of his training sessions and then Rex will show me how to do the movements later that night. It's not a perfect system, but it does the job. I wouldn't call myself a master of any one skill, but rather a Jack-of-all-trades
My parents decided pretty early on in my childhood that I was 'slow'. Since i still had to go to school they put me in a class full of people with learning disabilities so I wouldn't embarrass them by being around the 'normal kids'. Even though i didn't have the opportunity to learn much, one good thing did come out of that class. That's when i met my best friend Neon. He was a couple of years older than me, but he was deaf so he had trouble picking up things in class, hence why he was with us younger kids. He was bullied a lot for being deaf, but he was a little on the scrawny side so he wasn't able to protect himself. One day i saw one of his bullies pour milk all over his clothes in the cafeteria. That's when I snapped. The kid had his arm in a cast for 3 months, and the school had to bolt the tables to the floor for 'safety reasons'. What can i say; when i get angry i get really really angry.
Hanging out with Neon was hard at first until he slowly began to teach me sign language so we could communicate. Now I interpret what the teachers are saying for him in class and we both get straight A's. Despite everything my teacher's tell my parent's they still can't believe that am smart or capable at all, even now that I'm 17. That's why I'm going to volunteer; I'll show them all that I'm worth something. I can do this, I'll prove them all wrong and they'll see once and for all. I will make them proud. Maybe then they'll understand.
I see Neon across the street and wave to him. He comes over at a run with a big grin on his face.
'What's got you so happy?' I sign.
'Nothing. Why? Do I need a reason to be happy?' he signs back
'Nah, but you should be happy for me. I'm gonna volunteer this year.'
He turns around and places a hand firmly on my chest, signing furiously with his other one. 'What the hell are you thinking? You won't survive one day in that arena'
'C'mon not you too' I sign as I push him away. 'Out of everyone's your support is the one I need the most right now. You're the only person who understands me. Plus you know what my family's like; I need to prove myself to my parents.'
He pokes a finger in my chest hard enough to bruise. 'You don't need to prove yourself to anyone but yourself'.
I have to agree with him. But that's what this is about too. All my life I've been told I can't do certain things because I'm different, slow, retarded. This is my chance to prove to them and myself that I can do those things that everyone else can do too. I think he sees the determination in my eyes because he sighs and steps back. 'Thank you' I sign to him, and he nods in reply. He's probably the one person who can actually understand the emotions I'm feeling right now.
We walk together to the Reapings, but we have to get there early. I want to be as close to the front of the stage as possible so that no-one can argue that I haven't volunteered. We wait silently as the rest of the crowd pours in. You can see the excitement on everyone's face. I've never been able to hide my emotions well, but for once my expression is a match for everyone else's. I'm excited for these games. It's time for me to show everyone what I'm made of.
Finally the time comes when the male tribute is called. The escort barely finishes calling his name before I jump up onto the podium. Everyone is shocked. I see people point and stare, but I don't care. I'm officially a tribute now; and it's my time to shine.
Emilia Escot POV
"Emilia! Can you please give me a hand here dear?" My mother Sophia calls from her studio. She sews for the upper class of our district. Anything from attaching a button to a damaged outfit, to creating large draping silks for ballrooms. It's a very boutique operation.
I help her feed the satin through the sewing machine. This just happens to be an extra long piece so of course my mother can't do it on her own. One stitch awry and she would have to ditch the fabric and start again. Her clients pay handsomely for handmade perfection, and my mother always delivers no matter the cost. I'm much the same.
I think to myself that I really have nothing to complain about in this life of mine. I have everything that I could ever dream of. Not that I'm spoiled or anything, my parents have always taught me and my younger sister Lilyella that everything has a value and comes at a cost. But the really important things in life, like family and friends, I have. It's a nice thought.
As if she knew i was thinking about her my sister comes barging into my mother's studio, almost disturbing the delicate sewing machine. "Hey Emilia, i was wondering if you could walk me to the Reapings today. Mummy's working and Daddy's still at the factory."
Our father Thomas works in a factory that refines the wool purchased from district 10 into high quality cloth for either re-sale or to be made into something else. It isn't the best job in the world but dad seems to enjoy it.
"Sure thing Lil" I reply with a smile. "Just as soon as mum and I finish up here." Lilyella was named after my maternal grandmother Lily, and my paternal grandmother Ella, both of which were past victors.
Lily squeals with delight and skips out in excitement. The Reapings of District 1 are a celebration more than the dismal affair that some of the other districts make it and Lilyella loves all the lights and decorations. Almost everyone here has trained and prepared for years in order for the opportunity to compete in the Hunger Games. I myself have done a bit of hunting, a favourite pastime of mine. My parents have never been the type to push me to train though. Maybe it's because both their mother's survived the Games and they were raised listening to the horror stories.
It's not long before the sewing is done and my mother thanks me for my help. I flash her one of my brilliant smiles that light up my silver eyes and tell her that it honesty was no trouble at all. I run up the stairs two at a time and grab a jacket before meeting Lil in the Lounge room. "You ready Lil?" I ask my sister, who looks like she's about to explode with impatience.
She nods her head vigorously and grabs my hand, almost painfully dragging me out of the house in her excitement. "I don't want to miss it!" she squeals in delight. A few of Lily's friends meet us along the way and trail after me. It's not an unusual sight around District 1; little kids following me around. When I have free time I like to play games with the kids, sing to them, and even tell them stories. They just love all the attention. Don't get me wrong, it's not just kids that I hang out with. I have my own little circle of friends but sometimes they can get on my nerves. The boys are always competing to see who's strongest while the girls are always competing to see who has the most expensive outfit. After a while it can get a little tedious. That why I like the kids so much. They are innocent and not concerned with appearances, they just want to enjoy life, just like I do.
Lilyella is quite possibly my favourite person in the world. She's cute as hell, but also gets excited about the smallest thing. She once found a bottle cap on the side of the road and brought it back home, treating it as if it was worth thousands of dollars. She ended up using it to 'buy' an extra helping of dinner that night.
Our little entourage makes its way ever so slowly to the Reaping as the children admire the flashing lights that people hang from their balconies. By the time we get to the podium the square is half-full of screaming audience members. I let my sister go off with her friends as I make my way over to the other 17 year olds. It's not long before area fills up with people, it almost a struggle to see up on the podium. The escort comes out and begins her usual spiel about the hunger games and their glorious tradition throughout history. It seems to get some of the kids around me really excited, but I'm not really effected. Finally she ends her little speech and it comes time to choose the tribute's for this year. My good friend Brock Onyx is called up, and I'm excited for him, he deserves the opportunity. But before I can cheer another boy leaps up on stage to take Brock's place. I can tell the whole audience is stunned. Not only at the suddenness, but the fact that Brock had been training his whole life for these games and everyone knew it. He turns 19 in a month so this was going to be his last Reaping. Our escort goes on as if nothing has happened. I recognise the boy though. He's in my year level at school, but in the 'foundation' class. I've never spoken to him but I've never seen him training or anything like that. He looks determined, but I'm pretty sure he just lost all chances at sponsorship from anyone in District 1 for taking Brock's place.
I'm too distracted by this newcomer that I only just hear the female tribute's name being called. "Lilyella Escot!"
I can't breathe. This cannot be happening. I look over and see my little sister with tears in her eyes. She never dreamed that she could get Reaped, and now that she has she's lost all of her innocence. I can't let that happen to her. I could never stand to see her get hurt. Before Lilyella takes even one step I'm running up to the podium shouting "I volunteer! I volunteer!"
I'll win for you Lilyella, I promise.
This is actually one of my shorter Reapings :P
By the way, just as a general rule, if i ever present your tribute in a way that you don't like or you feel is unjustified, or i just plain screw them over completely then feel free to PM me and i will try to stick closer to what your tribute should be like.
That is of course unless because i didn't write your character the way you feel they should have been it resulted in their death... Really sorry if that happens, and i'll try my hardest for that not to happen, but obviously there's no way to come back from that if it does :P
