The words, those two simple words, my sister's name, made me feel like all the breath in my body had been pushed out by a punch to the gut. Jade's face was cold and composed, although it usually was. I could tell the fear and despair I felt was reflected on mine.
But truth be told it wasn't as much for my sister as it was her baby. My niece or nephew. Jade could survive anything anyone threw at her, even the Justice Games. She always could. But the baby... he or she was completely defenseless. A nasty blow to the stomach, starvation or dehydration, even the stress of a certain situation could cause a miscarriage.
Jade was walking up to the stage. I was only half aware that I was running up to her. I was a little less than half aware that I was calling out "Jade!", in a high-pitched kind of voice.
I was fully aware when I walked in front of Jade and say "I volunteer as tribute."
I can hear gasps from all around me. There probably hasn't been a District Twelve tribute volunteer in... ever. Definetely not in any Games I remember watching.
The rule goes that when a tribute's name has been called, some other eligible person can come up and take their place. Now, in the higher up Districts, where winning the Games is an extreme honor, volunteers come out of the woodwork.
But not in the lower Districts. And never ever in District Twelve.
"Wonderful!" Queen Bee says in her cold monotone. "But there are proper channels to go through when volunteering. Uh, Mr. Wayne?"
"Does it matter?" Bruce says, both he and Selina clearly disturbed to see me, me, the girl their oldest son runs around the District with. The girl who sometimes comes over to their big house to do nothing more than sit in Dick's company. "Let her come forward if it's what she wants."
"No!" That comes from Jade, who turns me around to face her, so she can tell me how pointless it was to volunteer for her. I'm surprised to see the tear tracks running down her face. And then there's Roy, who's pulling her away, and telling me to go on up. Let me just say it takes a lot to make me move up onto the stage
"Marvelous!" says Queen Bee, clearly happy to see the pain and shock this has caused. "And what's your name dear?"
"Artemis-" My voice comes out kinda squeaky, so I stop, swallow and try again. "Artemis Crock", I say, managing to put some nerve into my voice so that it doesn't come out as a squeak this time.
"And I'll just bet that was your sister just now! Well, come along then everyone! Give a big round of applause to District Twelve's newest tribute." says Queen Bee.
No one claps. Maybe it's because they know me from around Gotham, the black market that's set up in several abandoned coal warehouses. Maybe it's because they know Jade or Roy, who I can see are standing far in the back, Roy's arms wrapped tightly around Jade, who's back is turned to me, her shoulders clearly shaking.
Then the people do the unexpected. Every person holds two fingers of their right hand, like they're making a two or one of those olld peace signs, to their lips and then hold them out to me. This is a very old, almost forgotten tradition, almost always seen at funerals. It means respect, it means love, it means goodbye to someone you love.
At this time Oliver Queen decides to congratulate me, staggering across the stage, Dinah not to far behind. "I like you!" He's shouting, throwing one arm across my shoulders and breathing alcohol fumes all over me. "Your probably going to die in a week, but I still like you!"
It takes her some doing, but Dinah finally pulls her husband away from me and off the stage, to the obvious happiness of Queen Bee.
"And now it's time for the boys!" Clearly happy at the turn of events, Queen Bee has a smile on her face the whole time she's digging around in the names. "Kaldur'ahm."