District One Reaping

[Elletnah™ The JabberJay]

District 1 was buzzing with sounds echoing across the streets. Everyone was ready for the games and those who weren't were often unnoticed in the mass crowd of excitement and hopes. The mayor stepped forth upon the stage, watching as the crowd began to file in. He stood above them and spoke into the speaker, watched by all below him, just waiting for the yearly speech stated by him each and every year.

"People of district 1, Welcome to the 28th annual Hunger Games!" His speech flowed mindlessly from his mouth as he spoke of the history of Panem, Of the Dark Ages and the war, why the games were so important.

"And so it is now decreed that each district is to give as payment two tributes, a male and female, from the age of 12 to 18 as competitors in a yearly Hunger Games." The mayor finished his speech, accompanied by a handful of applause as he sat down, soon eagerly replaced by Favora Everheart, District 1's Capitol Escort for the last 10 years.

Favora Spoke out as she took out a single slip from the first ball. Our female tribute is.." Her voice squealed with excitement as she unfolded the small piece of paper, holding within it a single name..

"Poppy Redbird!"

With a giggle, Favora moved over to the second ball, the one containing the male tributes names as Poppy walked to the podium.

"And our male tribute.." Her pale hands reached in as she gently straightened her bright pink wig and matching dress with her spare hand. She pulled out a single slip and with a grin, read out the male tribute's name.

"Lawson Faulkner!"

With a burst of clapping from Favora, she giggled her annoying giggle once more. "Well, there we have it people of Panem! Our two Tributes of this years Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in their favor!" With a grin, she gestured to the two of them as the cameras zoomed in on them. Eyeing up the animals for this years slaughter fest. Boy, was this gonna be fun.

[Draco Malfoy]

Poppy felt her stomach drop as her name was called. The mayor had a look a disappointment when he realized who the moniker belonged to. She swallowed the lump in her throat as questions arose in her mind. Had they done something that the Capital would be angry about? She'd done exactly what she was suppose to do; keeping her distance with the occasional meeting of eyes, or the small hellos passed between her and Onyx at the Smith. Somewhere in the past year they had screwed up though. Big time. But the question was where?

Poppy guessed that the look of disappointment on the mayors face was more of that emotion that said he was sad to see her go. She remembered him from the whore house. He wasn't the richest guy but when he could afford her, he paid well. She swallowed and held her head proudly as she walks up those steps of the stage. Her small hands gripped the cream dress she had been wearing as her heels clicked softly on the ground as she walked, giving a brief nod to the mayor. She could hear the whispers of anger in the crowd.

She's too skinny...

Has she even had any training? I've never seen her at the training camp before...

Why the hell would they let a whore get reaped..?

She'll bring shame on the district...

Poppy felt a wave of defiance scorch through her like the fires from heaven themselves. She felt herself grin without sanity as she flipped off the crowd, her slim middle fingers standing erect above all else. Hell, she was already dead. What else could the Capital do? Her voice held strong as she spoke into the microphone. "I accept the role as tribute."

[Deleted]

Glint was almost as aghast as she was when the games began. Poppy was one of the people that Onyx would lose if they (Glint and Onyx) had screwed up somewhere. She guessed it was a reminder. Glint had nothing to do but watch the girl strut onto the stage. She seemed proud, but the crows had other opinions. Glint agreed with one of the comments though, she was too skinny. She gave out a sigh, if this girl died Onyx would be... furious. He might just ruin everything they had going.

Poppy was mad now though. She gave the bird to all of Panem, can't say that about most tributes. Her fiery personality might just save her later on. And she would be well funded. Glint would have her sister do all of the transactions, but Onyx and her would make sure this girl was armed to the teeth and well prepared. Glint shewed a small snicker, nothing that anyone could see far away, but she was certain that there was one person who would, Raphael.

[Fox.]

Onyx, dressed in the suit he had from when he came off the train back home, stared silently at the crowd. His eyes watched with the predatory gaze they always had when he had been given the chance. He wanted to murder something, and well, giving it off at this point may have looked simply as to teach the ones he was about to mentor to murder things. The expression was rather animalistic in some ways, but he was rather content looking throughout it all until they got to the names.

His expression faltered when he heard Poppy's name. He had to force himself to remain sitting as his hand drifted to the bottom of his seat, gripping it until the knuckles were white. A lump formed in his throat out of anger. Onyx looked at Glint and simply shook his head with an apologetic look in his eyes. He rose from his seat without a word. His gaze locked on the male briefly, looking him over, but that was it. He turned after his examination and walked with what dignity he could muster into the Justice Center - threatening the Peace Keepers almost silently in the process.

Onyx simply continued to walk through the big hall. He moved on until he reached to where the train would be waiting for him and the rest of the people from District 1 would be waiting to be picked up. He sunk down in the bench and closed his eyes. What in the hell was he going to do now?

[Elletnah™ The JabberJay]

Seema Gevira
District One

Seema had every intention of volunteering despite what her father said. She actual didn't plan on telling him, he would always say the same thing. You are too young, you're my only daughter, blah blah blah blah blah. He was such a hypocrite, he had taught her from a young age that fame and glory of winning the games was all that matter and he seemed surprised that that was what she wanted.
Rising early the day of the Reaping Seema eased her self into the rose scented bath water she had drawn for herself and sat back to relax. After an hour, her tub had a heat beneath the porcelain to keep it at the perfect temperature, she drug her self out of the tub and wrapped herself in a soft terry cloth robe. Sitting at her vanity she carefully arranged her long dark blonde hair into a style she had seen last year at the reaping and lightly dusted some makeup on her face. Satisfied with the results Seema padded downstairs to eat the traditional breakfast with her father before finishing dressing and head down to the square for the moment of truth.
After a rather quiet breakfast Seema went upstairs to change into the beautiful dress she had bought just last week for the occasion. Looking around her neatly organized room Seema smiled, she had been careful to clean and organize her room while her father was at work so when she came home, whether on the victor train or a coffin, it wouldn't be that difficult to clean up and move.
Seema carefully steped into her dress, zipping up the back of course, and stepped into the pretty shoes she got to go with the dress. Making some final adjustments Seema steped out into the hall and smiled when she saw her father smartly dressed in his best. Seems smiled and rearranged his tie getting it just right, she wasn't going to have her father looking like a bum on her big day.
Seema linked arms with her father and they climbed into the waiting car to take them into the district square, at the check point Seema climbed out and kissed her father on the cheek before presenting herself to the peace keepers to be tallied and ushered to her designated spot among the other sixteen year olds. The waiting is what got to her the most she almost wished she had gotten there a little later so she wouldn't have to stand as long but she wanted a good spot and achy feet wasn't going to keep her from that.
After what felt like an eternity the escort approached the microphone and got on with what they were all there for, the reaping.
The woman approached the girls bowl and the whole of district one held their breath as she unfolded the paper and read off the name, "Poppy Redbird." Seema's mouth fell open. She was the prostitute of the district, underfed and untrained. Her shock increased when the igorant little girl flipped her middle finger for the whole of the country and accepted her spot as tribute. Seema was fuming, all her carefully laid plans were ruined, but all was not lost. A green clad assistant hurriedly handed the phone to the escort before she could draw the boys name and over the roar of the crowd you could barely hear, "Yes, I understand sir, it will be handled." This had never happened before and Seema was curious.
Favora approached the microphone and smiled sadly at Poppy, "I'm sorry child but due to recent information that I have learned you have been deemed mentally unfit to participate in the games as determined by the head game maker Mr. Rickson." She said nodding to a peacekeeper to escort her off the stage.
"Do we have a brave soul to volunteer for the unfortunate?" Favora asked the crowd brightly.
"Yes." Seema said loudly, "I volunteer as tribute." She said stepping into the aisle and smiling cockily at the camera.

[Fox.]

"And myself. I volunteer as tribute." Antony's voice rang out clearly as he stepped out into the aisle not far from where Seema stood. He was dressed in a very nice white suit with a powdered blue neck tie. The suit seemed to fit rather snuggly as he began his walk up to the stage to take the other boy's place.

His heart was pounding since he was genuinely excited to be trying foe glory when he had little else to set him apart from the rest of District One. H may have been just an average boy, but Antony had planned and trained for this moment. He had wanted to go in with Seema before it was to late for him to volunteer anymore.

As he stepped onto the stage with Seema and the rest, he bowed his head respectfully towards the mentors and turned to face the audience with a wide smile. He offered his hand to Seema to shake hers without being asked. Good looks and a show bringer may be easier than most to sell.