Sorry for the small inconvenience of my story being removed! Thankfully, I am back up and at it, and hoping that none of my stories will ever be removed again. Anyway, here is the next chapter, so please enjoy!
Also, for anyone who hasn't checked it out, I have a oneshot that looks pretty lonely compared to this story. So, I'm proposing a deal. Anyone who reads and reviews said oneshot will receive a read and review on any story of theirs, or a pm in thanks if none of your stories are on topics that I know anything about. Thank you!
Aurora Austriallis, Capitolite (diary entry 2.3)
SO, after my diary got deleted by a virus on my computer and I was able to use my backup documents to restore everything, I watched the District 2 Reapings. I needed some relaxation. The reason I chose the District 2 Reapings?
Simple. District 2 is the ultimate District when it comes to Reapings. Everything is so orderly, neat, controlled, and calming. The Capitol, although more glorious than any District, is still filled with its hustle and bustle - that's why I actually like the Districts' scenery better than that of the Capitol. Visiting District 2 always has a calming effect on me, so when I'm stressed I watch District 2 Reapings from over the years. Afterwards, I am always very relaxed, and I can think clearly again.
ANYWAYS, District 2 was just as interesting as usual. The Escort (one of my best friends since, like, we had the same semi-private style tutor together), Lyric Utrymme, was dressed in an absolutely sensible outfit. Instead of the wacky, weird costumes that most Escorts wear, Lyric had on a deep burgundy pencil skirt that came to just below her knees, and a pure white blouse that had ruffles down the front. Her blouse was tightly fitted, and it showed off her short, wiry, curvy body to her advantage. Lyric was sitting next to the previous Victors. She was chatting quietly with Mercy Keen, the Victor from last years' games. I've always found Mercy's name quite interesting- Mercy. The name conjures an image of someone meek and afraid, and she was the absolute opposite of that at the end of her Games.
Her Arena was set in a re-creation of Madagascar, complete with flesh-eating lemurs who tore Tributes apart, snarled, hunted, and were extremely protective of their territory. Anyway, the whole Career pack, oddly enough, kept together till the final five. The only surviving Tributes were the pair from District 1, the female from District 4, Mercy, and a Tribute from Six. The Careers, after killing the District 6 male one night, decided that they would sleep as a group for just once more. In the morning, they would fight to decide who would have the honor of winning and killing the girl from Six. Sadly, we never got to see that final fight. Mercy had already captured the girl from Six and had her bound and gagged in the rock pile nearby.
After everyone was asleep, Mercy carefully lined the rest of the Careers up till their heads were in a straight, equal line. Taking her katana, Mercy chopped off the heads of all three Careers in one blow. The next morning, Mercy tied the only remaining tribute to the Cornucopia and killed her with an old technique called "ling-chi" - a Chinese process that involved making a series of cuts on the victim until they bled out. She made sure to give the audience a good show, and was well rewarded for it. I hear that the President Vandara actually promised that Mercy's younger siblings, Passion (female) and Pride (male), would never be in the Reaping. ANYWAYS! Back to the MAIN TOPIC!
Right after the Mayor (also dressed in a deep burgundy suit, with a white tie- hmmm, they must have communicated beforehand) read the Treaty of Treason, Lyric stepped up to the stage, shook the Mayor's white-gloved hand, and minced her way up to the microphone.
"Ah, ladies and gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Possible Tributes! How can I say how nice it is to get back to this lovely District? Oh, wait... I know! The Capitol is absolutely gorgeous, but always, right about a week before the glorious Games, I get this... itch to escape the wondrous hustle and bustle of the Capitol! That's why, whenever it's finally time for me to board the train to come and perform this honor called the Reapings, I am so glad to get out here to District 2!
Anyways, I should probably start the Reapings, so we can see just which daring young people will volunteer!"
With this last statement, Lyric plunged her hand into the Reaping bowl -it was shaped like a bridge again, so I'm certain that the Arena has a city theme. Dramatically swirling her hand around the bridge-bowl, she pulled out three slips of paper. Lyric theatrically, slowly, allowed the two outer slips to fall to the bowl again, leaving only the center slip between her fingertips. Opening the slip was just as overdramatic, and even though I knew that the name on the slip would most likely not be the same as the name of the Tribute actually going into the Arena, I was on the edge of my couch. Finally, Lyric read the name. "Mirianna Velkoulter!"
A tall, thin girl sauntered out of the center of the girl's side of the barrier. Her thick, smooth hair was a deep red, and it had bleached white tips, which I really liked; the overall effect was very sophisticated. The redhead was wearing a pure white dress, unless you counted the skirt. The hem came to just below her knees, but that wasn't what caught my eye - the interesting detail about her dress was that it was dyed a deep red at the bottom and gradually grew lighter the nearer to the waist you looked. It was the exact opposite of her hair.
As soon as the redhead stood in the middle of the aisle, she looked up at the stage and stated clearly, "I volunteer in place of Mirianna Velkoulter. Does anyone wish to challenge me?"
No-one spoke. "Good," stated the redhead. Then she continued her slow saunter (the swaying of her hips did nothing but favor her perfect hourglass shape) all the way up to the stage, up the stairs, and to the Escort. Here she stopped and waited for Lyric to ask her how old she was, and what her name was. Lyric, the Escort for the last seven years, was not startled by this teenage girl. She looked at the redhead and asked the awaited questions. "What's your name? How old are you?"
The redhead was all too happy to answer these questions. "My name," she drawled, "Is Candle. Candle Saunteir, and I am fifteen."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Candle. You don't mind if we pull the cameras off of you just long enough to find our male tribute, do you?"
"Not at all, Lyric. Please, do proceed with the utmost haste: I want to meet my opponent!"
I will upload the rest of this chapter later, because I haven't done it yet. The only reason you are getting only half of the chapter is because I feel really bad about not updating in a LOOOONG while.
Oh, and Lya200, I believe that I know how to remove reviews. Just to make sure, please post a non-tribute post that I will attempt to delete. If I cannot delete said review, do not send in your tributes yet.
