The Hunger Games: Fight To Survive (HTTYD/Animation Crossover AU)

Final Goodbyes

My eyes bulged out. All signs of breathing left my system. All sense of movement disappeared. All my nerves became numb. Just like Astrid, some of the boys even turned around to look straight at me, snaking me out. Everything I feared, everything I hoped would never happen in my lifetime was destroyed in an instant. From the simple hearing of my name, my fate was sealed.

I was going to The Hunger Games. And I was going to die there.

"Hello? Hiccup Haddock?" Somehow, I heard my name being called again, despite the rush of blood in my ears blocking all sound. From my peripheral, I noticed some Peacekeepers beginning to look around, clearly trying to find me. That miraculously brought sense to my legs and against my absolute will, I left the comfort of my spot.

"Ah, there you are!" Mala gleefully declared, gesturing me to walk faster. Peacekeepers surrounded me and my body mindlessly obeyed; I had no control over myself. My breathing began to pick up heavily and my body shook violently. I wanted to stop moving. I wanted to find some way to get away, even if it led to my death quicker. But alas, I soon found myself on the stage, looking down at many relieved faces in the crowd, which only fuelled my rapid breathing. I was sure I looked like a wreak on live TV, but I never cared, so why start now.

"And there we have it! Our tributes for the 95th Annual Hunger Games!" Mala cheered as she clapped. That was the only moment where everyone else clapped along with her, vaguely joining her in the anticipation. For the umpteenth time, my heart rate shot up like never before. To me, it was like they were clapping for my inevitable doom.

"Now our tributes may shake hands." Once again, my body went on auto mode as I turned to Astrid and shake her hand. I didn't face her, and I didn't even feel her hands around mine.

"Good luck to the both of you, and may the odds be ever in your favour!" I bit my lower lip at the phrase. If the odds were in my favour, then I shouldn't have been picked, even with an extra name. Or maybe that was the reason why I was picked. Maybe Dad was right in not wanting me to take Tesserae. But then, Astrid shouldn't have been picked either as her name was in there less times than me.

This was why I hated that phrase.

My thoughts were going a million miles a minute that I didn't feel the hand of Mala on my back, leading us into the Hall of Justice, before a Peacekeeper took over. I could barely keep up with my breathing, feeling my throat clogging up and my vision turning blurry. I didn't know where I was going, but soon I felt a shove on my back.

"You have 1 hour to have your final goodbyes." I barely heard the Peacekeeper say before hearing a door close. At that moment, I fell to my knees hard and barely managed to bring my arms in front to stop myself from falling entirely.

My breaths were deep and audible, and yet I couldn't breathe. There wasn't any oxygen entering my system, like I could pass out. I clamped against my chest as I felt pain surging through me.

I was picked. The odds were not in my favour. I wasn't the strongest. I was weak. I was going to fail. I wasn't going to make it. I was stuck. The fire was raging. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't breathe.

Suddenly, large hands cupped around my shoulders. I jolted up, but my vision was so blurred that all I saw was a merge of red and orange. I couldn't hear clearly nor think. Their voice was muffled but I couldn't respond.

"...the... cup, please. Hiccup, can you hear me?"

Miraculously, the voice finally broke through and I instantly recognised the voice. Even with my chest squeezing the life out of me and blocking my breathing, I managed to nod in response.

I heard a sigh of relief, the hands moving to gently cup my face. "OK, good. Breathe with me son, OK?" He took one of my hands, placing it over his chest before beginning to inhale and exhale deeply and slowly. I tried copying him, but just that simple act became challenging, prompting me to cough heavily from it.