A/N: Thank You to everyone who left reviews, started following, favorite and sent in tributes after the first reaping! It really is what makes authors want to keep writing, so please continue to R&R and submit and all that other wonderful stuff! As of writing this, the D3 male (reserved but I will take more than one application), the D5 male, both from 7, and the D8 female are in dire need of a name! So please submit and continue to read, but for now here is…the District Two Reaping!
Nero Lepidus
District Two- Male
Courtesy of BarkWoofBark
"Mom! The Reaping is in two hours and Nero is still asleep!" I can hear Cassia's annoying voice floating up from downstairs. Groaning, I force myself to rise from the comfy down bed and stop in front of the mirror.
"Mom!" Cassia whines again.
"I'm up!" I shout loud enough to make some of the things in my room wobble with the uncertainty of whether or not they're going to crash to the ground. Steadying myself on the dresser, being a bit dizzy after having rising too fast, I gaze at my reflection.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those district two guys that thinks he's the hottest thing since who knows what, but I'm not ashamed to say that I'm pretty good looking. Everyone I know calls me by the pseudonym "Golden Boy" and I don't really mind it. My buttery blonde hair graces the tops of my eyebrows, and my eyes are borderline golden. I slip on a sleeveless grey shirt and make my way down the stairs, falling victim to the glaring eyes of my mother.
"Nero, it is Reaping Day! Cassia was up hours ago, she helped mend that dress I tore last week, and she even got training in Nero, training!"
My mother is more inclined to harbor her prejudices against me, because unlike Cassia, I'm not a suck-up to our parents, I could really care less. I have more important things to think about, and I've certainly trained enough to where a few extras hours before the reaping isn't going to make or break me in the arena.
"Give the boy a break Tulia," the booming voice of my father bounces into the room from the front door. "He's eighteen, last year eligible for the ol' reaping bowl isn't that right?"
My father Felix however, does not favor Cassia, but me. I help him out with the huge market he runs, and we're basically the same person. Like my father, I value pride and courage in others, and we're both pretty sharp with our minds. As opposed to my brute of a sister, I would much rather trick a bumbling tribute into a well-designed trap or sneak up behind them.
"Well Felix, it seems like you've got the boy's life all figured out, so I'll just let you keep the reins," My mother's words strike my father like a whip, he hates when my mother divides the parental roles.
After breakfast, Cassia decides to do some more training, but I have a different idea. As I cross the threshold from the hallway to my room, Diana, our giant golden retriever, is stretched out on my bed.
"Hey, Di!" I whisper in her ear.
Alarmed, she bolts out of the bed and onto the floor, scrambling around she barks out of surprise and looks up at me disapprovingly. Yeah, Diana can give you a disapproving look. Laughing, I lay back down on the bed and Diana hops up next to me. She lays her big shaggy head on my chest and lets out something between a whine and a sigh.
It's my last chance to be reaped, it's not like my parents are pressuring me into entering the games, and although I've trained my whole life, I'm not going to run up and shove others out of the way to volunteer.
I can hear Cassia coming up the stairs and she appears in my doorway, with a devilish grin on her face.
"I beat your time in the course downstairs," she says with triumph.
"Congratulations, I stopped using that thing last summer, I train at the complex now," I shoot back.
"Why are you so mean to me?" Cassia pouts sarcastically.
"Get over it," I say with indifference.
She turns to leave, and I notice it, like I do every time. Cassia shoots me a glance, laced with fury and hate. I don't know what I ever did to her, but she views me as a rival, not a brother. Sure, I don't love her to death, but I don't want to hold a knife to her throat. It puts me on edge most nights, not knowing if she'll creep in my room and slit my throat. But she doesn't, and I think she's saving her pent up wrath for another occasion, although I have no clue what that would be.
Patting Diana on the head goodbye, the four of us make our way to the middle of the district, where the reaping will take place. I don't even flinch when my blood sample is taken, and make my way over to the eighteen-year old section. Several girls giggle and look at me with hungry eyes, and I return their glances with a kiss and a wink. They burst into a fit of giggles and submerge themselves in another session of the gossip bowl.
I say hello to the boys in my section closest to me, I'm pretty much friendly with everyone. Cracking a few jokes as we wait for Mayor Blurshill to take the stage, I'm completely content with my surroundings. The slightly pudgy old man approaches the podium and begins the annual boring spiel about the revolution and the Dark Days.
Our district escort, Viola Plath, methodically places one heeled foot in front of the other as she makes her way to the podium. She and Mayor Blurshill shake hands and she beams down at the crowd.
"Welcome District Two, to the 49th reaping for the Hunger Games!"
Cheers rise up from the crowd, the games being a symbol of honor and strength to District Two. Viola calms down the crowd with a wave of her hand and sends out another white smile.
"Well, the time has come, let's shake things up this year and go with the boys first, shall we?" She makes it seem like that makes the event more entertaining, but it doesn't.
Her genetically dyed light blue fingers dive into the bowl and she holds up the slip of paper for all to see. Opening it with ease, she unfolds the slip and purses her lips before she reads the name, probably discerning how to pronounce it. Her lips unfold and with a solid smile she reads out the name.
"Nero Lepidus!"
Me shall called me, of all people in this square. After taking a moment to register the words that had escaped Viola's mouth I shoulder my way up to the stage.
"Any volunteers?" She questions with a raised aqua eyebrow.
The regular surge of boys begins to break forward but I silence the wave with a curt but firm, "No."
They stop in their tracks and a few still have the audacity to continue, but not after the menacing glare I throw their way. I'm good with creating a number of facades, I pull out my threatening one, making the would-be volunteers return to their places.
"Well, that was, interesting," Viola laughs and sashays over to the girls bowl.
"Aurora Hyacinth!" she calls out to the crowd.
A small girl, barely thirteen, freezes in her place and a woman, her mother, screams out in pain. Her daughter is being ripped right out from underneath and she collapses to the ground, choking on the sobs that are emitting from her throat. The Peacekeepers wheel Aurora up to the stage and Viola sizes her up and down and then turns to the crowd.
"Any volunteers?"
An expression of horror creeps across my stunned face as I see a figure dart up to the stage. Faster than any of the girls who could have hoped to take Aurora's place, this one in particular makes it there before any of them registered the thought.
"And what is your name?" Viola probes.
"Cassia Lepidus," the girl responds with a sadistic sense of glee.
My mother and father, the first to register what has just occurred, scream and shout for their children.
"No!" my mother shrieks, "My babies, my children…oh no, oh God," she collapses to the ground and my father rushes to her side.
That is the last image I have from District Two before Cassia and I are carted into the Justice Building by the stalwart peacekeepers.
I can't bear to look at Cassia, she wants me to, but I can't. We are taken to our separate holding rooms and I wait for about a minute until my father bursts into the room.
"I could have dealt with the fact that my strong and beautiful son was taken, I could have put faith in you to win this and return to me, but…" he chokes on his words.
"She's a monster," he definitively stammers about his own daughter.
"She's always seen me as a rival, but this…" I begin to break down as well.
The Peacekeeper knocks on the door and my dad unfastens the worn leather cuff that rests on his wrist. Clasping it onto mine, I read the name stamped into the face of it.
Lepidus.
Looking into my eyes, he pats my shoulder with his strong hands and embraces me.
"I love you son," he starts, "Do me a favor while you're in their?"
"Sure dad," I reply.
"Kill her."
His words stun me, and as he is taken away by the Peacekeeper at the door I know where my mother is.
She is with Cassia, telling her the same exact thing.
Cassia Lepidus
District Two- Female
Courtesy of BarkWoofBark
"Mom! The Reaping is in two hours and Nero is still asleep!" I yell as I finish up sewing together the torn hem of my mother's dress.
"Mom!" I shout once more after receiving no reply and to my satisfaction I can hear Nero call from his bedroom, "I'm up!"
A smile on my face, I saunter into the sewing room, where my mother is busy arranging textiles by color in one of her many shelves of materials.
"Cassia dear," she beams upon my entrance, "You fixed my dress, how sweet of you."
I don't have the patience for sewing; it serves no purpose, but if it helps get me deeper into my mother's good graces, then count me in. I deposit the silky gown on the table next to my mother and she holds it up and looks it up and down with pride.
"Good as new darling," she chimes. As if on cue, I can hear Nero trudging down the stairs and with unmatched celerity by anyone in district two, I run into the kitchen and drag my mother with me.
"Cassia!" she complains but I don't care. We arrive in the kitchen just as soon as Nero comes into view and I dig my elbow into my mother's side. With a huff and a smoothing of her blouse, she raises a finger in a half-hearted scold.
"Nero, it is Reaping Day! Cassia was up hours ago, she helped mend that dress I tore last week, and she even got training in Nero, training!" She scolds with a histrionic wag of her outstretched finger. To my delight, an annoyed look lights itself onto Nero's face and he looks at me with contempt. My mother carries herself over to the counter and passes out bowls of fruit, primarily for me because I intend to get some training in before the reaping.
When everything seems to be going perfectly, my father bounds into the kitchen through the front door, earlier than expected.
"Give the boy a break Tulia," the booming voice of my father bounces into the room from the front door. "He's eighteen, last year eligible for the ol 'reaping bowl isn't that right?"
"I need a break, I'm the only one around here who takes training seriously," I mutter under my breath. Nero shoots me a quizzical look and I glare into his dumb golden eyes. I wolf down my breakfast and drop the bowl in the sink, leaving it for my mother to clean. I give Nero one last look of disdain and return to the training room my father had built for Nero and I when we were younger. I can here Nero returning to his room and my heart quickens. I can't believe he doesn't want to squeeze in a few more hours of training before the reaping.
Positioning myself at the start of the course, I break into a sprint and leap into the air. I reach for the rope dangling from the ceiling and with a jerk on my shoulder, I am on. Swinging to the next rope is no problem and I continue along the path until I reach a raised platform. Jumping off I break my fall with a roll and pick up the bow and arrow lying next to me with speed. I shoot the series of targets in a matter of seconds and grab onto the zip line that carries me down to the next trial. There is a series of tires on the ground and I volley my feet back and forth between and let out a huff of breath as I continue on to my next challenge. Four dummies spring up from out of the ground and I thrust the sword off its podium, into my hand, and then through the necks of all four dummies with a stunning whirl. I run, pumping my legs faster and urging them to continue. I reach the end of the course with a triumphant whoop and check the timer.
I don't care what the time is, as long as it's under Nero's. For the first time it is, by three seconds. I let out an excited and dark cackle, filling the room with my unparalleled glee. I am stronger than Nero, I am faster than Nero. I can beat him.
With my newfound sense of dominance in hand, I carry myself up to his room with a look of shadowy heroism on my face.
"I beat your time in the course downstairs," I say jovially.
"Congratulations, I stopped using that thing last summer, I train at the complex now," he acts unmoved.
"Why are you so mean to me?" I whine with sarcasm thick in my tone.
"Get over it," he snorts.
Whirling on my heels, I almost bump into my mother.
"Cassia, we need to talk," she sounds alarmed.
Following her into my room, she lays out a brilliant red dress on the bed. It sparkles with jewels encrusted down its side and the folds are elegant, joining in one scarlet swoop over the breast area.
"Mom, I can't run in that," I complain.
I tie my dirty blonde hair into a ponytail and stare into the mirror as my mother looks me up and down.
"You've got my hands tied dear," she speaks with lamentation in her tone.
"It's for the best mother," I say.
"He's my son you know," she says, her voice rising.
"And I am your daughter," I snap.
She sighs and leaves the room; a look of regret is painted across her face.
I brush down my sides and smile at my lithe figure; I walk down the stairs and reach for the doorknob when my father stops me.
"Cassia, I thought we would go together, and where is that beautiful dress your mother picked out for you?" he asks.
I groan, wanting to meet up with my boyfriend Markus. He's two years older than me and incredibly attractive. He has these piercing blue eyes that melt my heart. He's my weakness, and I love it.
"Fine, dad," I pout.
With an unsatisfied look he beckons for Nero and we leave the house as a dysfunctional little group. I don't want to be anywhere near Nero, not after he brushed off my triumph over him like it was nothing. I don't want to be near my father, he's a fool. My mother's having doubts about me now, so I decide in my head exactly what I'm going to do.
Reaching the square, I get my blood prick over with and traipse over to Markus, who is standing just outside of the eighteen-year old section. I give him a kiss and he wraps his around me.
"Hey there gorgeous," he coos.
I rub his chest and smile, taking my hand back to my side and winking at him as I make my way over to the eighteen-year old section for girls. I watch as Nero and Markus greet each other and my eyes follow Nero to where he joins a group of boys he talks with at school. A dark smile creeps across my face, and I can't wait to put my plan in action.
Mayor Blurshill goes on and on about the Treaty of Treason and whatnot so I find myself staring up into the clouds, bouncing on the heels of my shoes. My mind is completely absent during our escort's welcome and I regain focus when she lets out the satisfying sentence that she will pick from the boys reaping bowl first.
"Nero Lepidus!" she calls, executing each syllable perfectly.
Stunned, my idiot of a twin makes his way of the stage and stands next to Viola. She struts over to the girls bowl and calls the lucky soul that I'll be saving.
"Aurora Hyacinth!" Viola announces.
The girl's mother's screams can be heard all around the square and I tune out her grievance. I ready myself and like the gun before a race, Viola prompts.
"Any Volunteers?"
I'm off, a blur of speed. I reach the stage before anyone can register what's going on and shout my name for all to hear when Viola asks me what it is.
"Cassia Lepidus!"
I guess she thought I wouldn't do it, because my mother crumbles to the ground in a cacophony of tears. She knew what was going to happen, so I don't see what she's all that upset over. The Peacekeepers take us into the Justice Building after Viola signs off the reaping with the signature,
"Your tributes for the 49th annual Hunger Games! Nero and Cassia Lepidus!" The shock still evident on her face that I volunteered to fight my brother to the death.
Nero won't look at me as we are guided down the hall of the Justice Building into our respective waiting rooms. I cast a look of victory at him the entire time and can only think of what is running through his mind. This is going to be so much fun.
Markus beats my mother to the room and slaps me across the face.
"What the hell Cassia?" he shouts.
I grab his wrist and wrench it behind his back, and slam him up against the wall.
"Hit me again," I rub my hand around the zipper of his pants, "And I'll rip it off."
I back away and he looks up at me unforgivingly, "I know it's your dream to compete Cassia, but when your own brother is reaped I thought you would give it up. I knew you would volunteer, being your last year and all, but I stopped thinking that after his name was called. I…can't believe you."
He leaves, presumably for good, and I don't really care. I told myself I would push through every misfortune that came across me when I put this plan in action, and I don't intend to back out now.
My mother is next, tears fresh on her face.
"I did this for you, I did this…" she sobs.
"You did good mother," I praise, as if she were a pupil.
She sinks to the floor again and I tell her to get up, with little real emotion she unclasps the brooch that she is wearing. A brilliant green gemstone encrusted with the capitol letter L, she fastens it to me and looks into my eyes.
"Be brave," she says in a plaintive voice.
She departs and I can only laugh. I did it, I actually threw my own brother into the games and now I am by his side. But he will fall, by my hand, I can assure that. A week before the reaping, I went to the training complex that Nero loves so much, and I had a private meeting with his instructor, Orion Zultsbee. Orion is a previous victor, so he'll be here, alongside the others, to mentor my brother and I.
I placed a knife to Orion's throat, and told him that if he didn't make sure that every name in that bowl was Nero Lepidus, I would gut him and his family like pigs. He didn't take me seriously at first, being a killer himself. So, I stabbed the knife into his hand. He told my mother, so I threatened her too, and together my mother and Orion rigged the ballots for the boys bowl. No one knew, not Viola, not Blurshill, not President Snow. It's the coincidence of the century.
I don't really know when my rivalry with Nero started, I think it was because everyone loves him, they call him 'Golden Boy' and treat him like a hotshot. No one gave me that attention, no one nicknamed me anything haughty and respectable. I would cry, almost every night, pleading that Nero would fall from his pedestal, but he never did. So I decided to knock him off myself, metaphorically and literally.
The Peacekeeper comes to get me and I walk out into the hallway, wrenching myself free from his guiding grip. I assure him that I'm not going anywhere and make my way to the train that awaits us. I see Orion and Nymue, I think her name is, at least I know she's another mentor, talking in the cart and I wave at Orion. He sees me and I swear he shudders. I am in control.
Nero is wheeled out next to me by a Peacekeeper and this time we make eye contact. He looks at me, tears covering his face and disbelief pouring out of his gaping mouth.
"Ladies first," I laugh and step onto the train before him.
He walks forward, and stumbles, and I laugh to myself.
The 49th annual Hunger Games will belong to me.