Hey guys! The first reapings. I apologize for how long it took, I was gone for a few days. I need two District 2 tributes before I can write the next (obviously) so keep submitting (My limit for one person is 4). Todays tributes are Brooke Armana submitted by Katnissfire87654 and Flint Rye submitted by Bluebird1125. Thank you both for your wonderful submissions
Brooke Armana
"Brooke, darling, it's time to get up." her mother, Rosa Armana, shakes her awake a big smile on her face. Sun is streaming through her curtains and she can hear the sizzle of bacon from downstairs which means her uncle is cooking breakfast for them. "Your outfit is on the dresser so hurry and get ready."
Brooke can hardly contain her excitement and leaps out of bed to grab her outfit. A blue tank top and a flowy skirt, it's not much but it looks good on her complimenting her thin (though hardly stickish) frame and dark skin. She pulls a brush through her hair, which is quite an ordeal because it's so long and thick. The brush is a tangle of black hair by the time she's done. And the bacon's done, so she heads downstairs to the kitchen. Turning back quickly to retrieve her locket which she almost forgot in the excitement. If all goes according to plan today, it will be her token.
She moves quietly across the tiled floor to practice sneaking up on people, like her brother Chris who is standing just down the hallway, she walks stealthily, almost feline in how she moves her body extending her leg carefully, avoiding the one squeaky square, and inching forward to where he is leaning on the Post at the top of the stairs calling down to their mother. She slinks forward and then nearly 6 feet away pounces on him from behind. She'd be worried about him tumbling down the stairs but he is so large that the hit barely sways him though he shouts in shock. She wraps her legs around his midsection and puts him in a headlock.
"The HELL Brooke!" he yells wrestling her arms.
"Brooke Armana is mere seconds away from claiming victory" she yells in her best announcer voice as he pretends to struggle against her. "Chris Armana stands no chance against her sneak attack" she pretends to pull out a dagger from her bag. "And she slits his throat she's done it, the cannon sounds and Brooke Armana is the victor of the 79th annual HUNGER GAMES!" she yells laughing.
He grabs her from behind and flips her over his head placing her on the step in front of him.
"Hey sis what the hell was that for?" but he's laughing too.
"Just practicing" she responds and mimes cleaning her "dagger" on her shirt "You'd better hope it's not for real."
He pushes past her down the stairs "I can't believe you are 18 years old and you still do that." he sounds exasperated "I grew out of that, long before I was your age." she snorts, "Anyways, what are you forgetting today is?"
She pretends to puzzle over it for a while adding in little "Hmmm"s and "Ummm"s for effect. "The day that all of Panem gets introduced to my awesome?" she plays.
"Guess again"
"Oh!" she rushes down the stairs and into the kitchen where her uncle stands at the oven flipping pancakes and her parents are at the table drinking coffee. "Happy anniversary!" she shouts and kisses them both on the cheek. Her father smiles his beard prickled smile at her mother.
Chris walks into the room behind her. "Something else Brookie" he uses her least favorite nickname.
"Oh yeeeeah." she says "Happy birthday to you too." she says it like it's nothing and he shoves her in the arm playfully. "Only joking, Happy Birthday to you!" she sings in her awful soprano "Happy Birthday TOOOOOOOOOO YOOOOOO-" he cuts her off by putting her in a headlock which she twists out of easily.
"So where's my present?" he asks loading up on eggs, pancakes, and bacon.
She follows suit, piling food onto her plate and kisses her uncle good morning. "Your present is getting to see your AMAZING little sister on the big stage ready to get on a train to the Capitol." she begins to shove food in her mouth at a pace that would suggest someone much hungrier than her.
Her uncle laughs "Slow down child, you will have plenty of time to eat on the train." her pace decreases by only a tiny amount. She just too excited to slow down, within minutes her plate is empty and she puts it in the sink.
She turns back to Chris "No, it's this." she pulls out a box and hands it to him. Inside is a tiny gold loop It doesn't look like much, but Chris is an inspector at the gems and precious metals department, he can see the tiny details inlaid in the ring. "I had it made for you" she continues "for your ear, to replace the tarnished one you wear."
"I love it Brookie" he says, admiring it.
"Oh and Mum and Dad." she pulls out another box from her satchel "This is for you, I painted it myself" its a bowl that she painted tiny delicate flowers on during her lunch breaks at work. it was one of the best things she had ever done. Which was saying something considering that she painted most of the porcelain gravy boats.
Her parents give her more kisses. And she notices an annoyed look on Chris's face.
"What is it Chris?" she asks
"What is what?"
"You look bothered, what is it?" she says again.
"Nothing." too quickly.
"No, spit it out Chris, what the hell is wrong?" she stares at him.
"Just that... " he almost tries to hold back. But he's never been good at that. "It's my birthday but all anyone is going to think of today is you. And I knew that was going to happen but it stinks that you just act all perfect." his voice rises "But you have to go be the perfect tribute daughter and run up and make sure that my day is not special."
She knew something like this was coming. The two of them can't get a morning of peace, and she can't help but retort.
"I'm so sorry that your birthday was so badly timed but that wasn't my fault." she is nearly shouting.
Her father interjects. "You two, we will NOT be having fights today. It is too good of a day for that." Brooke starts to shovel the food in her mouth just as quickly as before and clears her plate.
"I'm gonna go meet Markus and walk to the square okay Mama Papa?" she says after finishing. Hurriedly grabbing her bag and standing by the door.
"Okay sweetie" her mother smiles "You'll do us well on stage mija." she uses her old Spanish words which makes Brooke feel good about herself, Mama never uses mija unless she's really happy.
He father grabs her hand, "We're so proud of you sweet heart, get up there quickly before the other girls can" she kisses him on the cheek again and feels his prickle, the familiar poke of his beard "We'll see you in the Justice Building" She sees Chris's face again, and feels bad. It is his birthday after all, but he's not being all too nice either.
And with that she leaves and runs out of the house to find her boyfriend. She spots him waiting for her on the fence outside her house, he's tall and sort of dark like her but much stronger, she jumps into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck and giving him a kiss.
He puts his hand around her waist and they start walking to the square (even though the reaping and subsequent volunteering won't start for another hour.
"So, are you excited?" he squeezes her side. She nods vigorously.
"I've been training for ten years for this." she says "I can hardly believe that it's today."
He smiles, "Well you look lovely." she feels heat in her cheeks. Even the simplest words from Markus makes her blush.
There is a comfortable silence for a little while walking down the concrete paved road into town. They sit down on a bench about 3 blocks from the town square and he puts an arm around her shoulders, as the lazy traffic flows past. Nobody is buying though, not on reaping day. Peacekeepers stroll in pairs and she can see the tower of the Justice Building peeking up over the shops.
From her peripheral vision she can tell that Markus is looking at her, can feel his eyes on her and looks back.
"Are you sure about this?" he asks quietly.
"Volunteering?" she clarifies.
"Yes." his eyes search her face. "I know you've been training but... you understand right? You might die."
She nods "I know, but I think I can do it." she tries to smile "And I wouldn't leave you here by yourself. Who would tell you to change your clothes?" she laughs and smiles too but it doesn't reach his eyes. "I will do my best I promise." she tries to lighten him up, "But you'd better promise not to talk to Marcell while I'm gone." Marcell was a girl who Brooke hated, and one who was in love with Markus.
"I know you will." he wraps his other arm around her and pulls her closer and he chuckles "And I promise I won't, talk to her I mean". They stay like that for some time, she doesn't know though it's been a while judging from the suns new position. Nearly noon. She is about to get up when, from across the street she hears a familiar voice shout.
"C'mon you guys get a room." sounding comically exasperated. Brooke looks up to see her two best friends, Brynn (Tall exotic and beautiful with dark brown hair and really long legs) and Daisy (Shorter, with long blonde hair and very pale skin), coming to meet them. She straightens up and walks to meet them giving each of them a hug. Brynn was the one yelling at her.
"Oh my GOD," Daisy is her usual happy self "You must be so EXCITED" of course, in Daisy's mind, you should be excited about everything. "I can't believe I'm going to be friends with a winner!" she clapped her hands.
"Awwww, that's so sweet." Brooke responds. Brynn checks her gold plated watch.
"We have to go and sign in." she gives Brooke a wink "You two hurry up"
"We can wait!" Daisy says, oblivious as ever.
"No we can't" Brynn grabs the other girls arm and pulls her down the road.
Markus stands up and faces Brooke, "You're gonna do so well I know you will, I'll try and sneak in to see you off, tell them I'm one of your cousins,"
"Maybe not." she gets a devilish glint in her eye. "I wouldn't do this to my cousin." and she kisses him on the lips hoping to god it's not her last. Then they walk hand in hand, down to the square.
They wait in the crowd of 18 year old girls, Daisy, Brynn and Brooke all together. The escort gets up on stage gives her speech a long line of victors stretching behind her, almost filling the stage. The oldest is past 100, the youngest is 13 (last years victor) Though nobody really pays attention to what the woman is saying, too distracted by her hair that might literally be made of gold, until at last.
"Well, time to find out this years District 1 tributes." which is met with a huge roar of the crowd. "And maybe our TWO victors. Ladies first."
Brooke waits. She is in the best spot, right in front of the line, right next to the stage. But there will be a rush when the name is called. Time slows, they wait...
"Diamond Artor!" the speaker calls and is drowned out by the massive wave of "I Volunteer"s that follow. Brooke rushes up under the dividers, up the stairs and knows, she's the first. And runs to the microphone. But some girls haven't seen that she got there and are still fighting to reach the stage. It takes three Peacekeepers to settle them down, and one girl walks away with what is definitely a broken nose.
"And you are lovely volunteer" the gold haired woman says, trying to get everyone back on track "What is your name?"
"Brooke Armana." she says, without hesitation.
"Well Brooke, why don't we find out who your teammate will be?" she reaches into the bin and pulls out a boy named Denim who is immediately replaced by another boy named Flint, she knows of him, he's only a year younger than her. Tall and handsome and, from what she has heard, a massive flirt. He keeps trying to catch her eye, though only succeeds once and winks at her, She rolls her eyes the speaker calls. "These are your two Tributes of DISTRICT 1." and the crowd roars as they are led away. Flint plays the crowd holding his hands over his head like he's already a champion and pointing into the crowd at someone (Brooke doesn't know who)
Her mother and father come in, followed by Chris.
"Markus?"
"Afraid not mija." her mother says. "Good job sweetie. You're going to do so well." they hug tightly.
"Just be smart and stick with that Flint kid." her father. And gives her a kiss, she feels his beard and wonders if it's the last time.
Then it's her brother enveloping her in his big arms, making her feel like a child again (even though they fight a lot, at a moment like this they both need a hug). And for a moment, she is frightened, can feel the terror rise in her chest because now, there was no turning back. Tears prick her eyes but she buried them in her brother's arms and fights them away only resurfacing when she knows her face is clear and that she has a smile plastered on her face.
"See you soon." She says in her best most chipper voice, "And... um... happy birthday!" a Peacekeeper enters and she follows. Only once out does she remember her locket. The little heart with her family and true love inside. She grabs it and clutches to her chest. "God keep me safe" she prays quietly "I'm not ready to go yet."
Everything went according to plan.
Flint Rye
He's crouching behind a rock, there is a crunch of dirt further away, and he peeks up from behind the rock, trees obscure the walker, correction walkers (there are two) from view. He holds an axe in his hands, two daggers in his belt, a backpack with a sword and supplies.
Then he sneezes.
Swearing under his breath he pops his head up again. The walkers are running toward him, the male is in front, cursing at him and raising a sword high.
He stands and chucks the axe into one of the tributes, district 4 maybe, it embeds itself into his chest and he falls to the ground. Then the girl is racing toward him, and he raises a second axe. Only to be stopped by "But I can't hit a girl" then she is on him her sword coming up, raising high and plummeting back toward his skull about to sink in….
Flint wakes up, the same dream has been haunting him for months, from the moment he decided that he would be tribute. Taking out the boy, and being killed by the girl. What's worse, it's always a sneeze that gets him caught. And did he mention, he gets killed by a girl! It's almost insulting that his brain self would have him die in such an un glorious manner, and have him die at all for that matter.
Not that it matters anyways, it's only a dream. And yes, he will be in the arena soon enough and maybe he could die. But there isn't really a likelihood of that. He's been training for years, he likes to brag to whomever will listen that he started training 17 years ago, when he was less than a year old. This is of course, not true, but that isn't the point.
The morning routine is as usual, brush his teeth, gel up his hair into spikes, as usual, change into his reaping outfit which is jeans and a t-shirt because he honestly doesn't care what people think of how he dresses. He goes downstairs to eat breakfast and says hello to his mother who barely looks up from the television set, which is set on the capitol where the Caesar Flickerman is analyzing the previous night's announcement of potential dual winners. An idea he loves, and at least partially understands. Romance makes good television, and he is certainly willing to supply it.
From the courtyard outside he can hear grunting. The door swings behind him as he heads into the grass where his sister Lina is practicing with a bow on one of the many targets set up around the square area. He calls to her from the door.
"Why are you practicing" he begins to walk over "You aren't going to be in the games Lina."
She scowls at him "What makes you so sure?" she says brushing a strand of blond hair out of her eyes.
"Well for one you are only 14," he says and picks up an axe from the weapon rack. "And second," he hurls it at a dummy with deadly accuracy "You are my little sister and I would never let you do that."
She groans "You're SOOO overprotective." then she gives him a whack in the chest "And you're volunteering you little hypocrite."
What does that even mean? Flint doesn't much care, he doesn't really pay attention to insults. He also isn't good with words, unless they're pickup lines.
The rest of the morning is practice, the last bit he has before the training room, he doesn't have much left to hone, but it never hurts. He wants all of the other tributes to see him as a force to be reckoned with, and the other careers to see him as a strong ally.
Then all at once it is 10:00 and he runs to meet his friend Leo at the square. It is an annual tradition they have, to sit out and watch the girls who are all dressed up taking note of which ones they want to date next. This year it is made different by the fact that he is dead set on going, which meant he could have any girl he wanted when he came back. Not that he can't anyways. He is naturally attractive and isn't afraid to flaunt it which earned him the nickname "Flint the Flirt" a title he is perfectly alright with.
Leo is late, as per usual, but they sit on a fence and watch as the girls pass, barely hiding it. They love him anyways, and Flint swears he catches a few of them swooning, like a legit swoon. And other girls simply show off a bit under his gaze.
All is going well until Ruby Mallor appears. She is gorgeous (tanned skin and long strawberry blond hair) and his year at school, possibly the only girl who won't go out with him. He has been pursuing her for years (even when one of them had a boyfriend or girlfriend) but she always slipped away.
He whistles at her in a bright red dress that goes true to her name. She glares at him "Don't whistle at me you scumbag" she snaps.
He raises an eyebrow "Oh you'll come around eventually baby." he gives her a wink. Any other normal girl would have fallen at his feet and be begging him to go out, Ruby just scoffs.
"What makes you think that I'd ever go out with you?" she taunts hands on hips beginning to walk away. By now some school friends have gathered around and are giggling. He sees many girls look jealously at Ruby.
"Baby, I'm gonna win these games." Flint calls "And I'm gonna win 'em for you, then you have to say yes."
She just flounces away, infuriating as ever. Leo elbows him in the side "Rejected." he whispers. Which earns him a hard elbow in the side.
"Only for now." Flint responds with a knowing smile. "Let's go check in." they do, he gets scanned by a woman with a pretty face and flashes a smile at her, she starts to blush. He does seem to have that power over women.
Once they enter the square they are filed into rows based on age and gender. Leo is younger for the grade, so he ends up in the 16 slot. Flint follows the rest of the 17 year olds into their area. The square is alive with excitement over the reaping. A time for celebration in their district. He mostly just wants to be done with it; get to a point where he can't turn back, his biggest fear is that he freezes up. But that's not a big worry, he never freezes up with girls and, well what's the difference really?
There is actually quite a large difference, but he prefers to think of it like they are the same.
The escort speech is just as long and boring as any other year. His anticipation just seems to make it longer. They finally pick the girls. He barely registers the name of his would-be partner when about a dozen more girls push through to get on stage. The victor is a girl named Brooke, and he is perfectly happy with that. She is hot in his opinion.
Now she's at the boys sinking a hand deep into the sphere of tickets, plucking one out and unfolding it, too slowly.
"Denim Garon!" she shouts and Flint's voice raises with "I volunteer!" he runs to the stage sprinting full out not bothering with the stairs and leaping right onto the front earning some laughter. But he's first on stage, he's the volunteer.
The escort looks at him and puts him on the microphone "And what is your name son?"
"Flint Rye." he starts to look in the crowd for one person, red a flash of red. Ruby, he makes eye contact raises his eyebrows and she looks away. Then he looks to his partner. She is pretty shorter than him by about two inches, long dark hair, distinctly foreign. She looks back at him for only a moment and he winks. Good impressions, especially for a beautiful woman like her. She doesn't seemed phased however.
The Peacekeepers are leading them off. He starts to rile up the crowd, no need not to get in a few likeable points in now.
They are led into thee Justice building. Separate rooms and he waits for the inevitable goodbyes. His parents and sister enter his mother and father not looking heart-broken. Which he was expecting. But they don't look particularly ecstatic either. He thinks they probably don't want to be too sad to see him die. Maybe he understands it. But he gives his sister a hug, at least she looks genuinely sad.
"You will win." she pokes him "You will I know it." he smiles at her. His favorite little sister.
"I will sis, I will." he nods and gives he a hug.
The Peacekeeper is back and pulls him out. Only then does he realize, he has not said goodbye to his parents. He also realizes that he doesn't care.