A Rebellious Spirit | Book III

Chapter Eighteen | The Tribute Parade

The cafeteria in District Thirteen was packed full. Very few people had left after the Favorite Reaping had been aired. President Coin had given Dylans' family a pass on all work as long as they helped with cleaning the cafeteria that night after the parade. Even though it was their night to to go hunting, Quinten and Dylan stayed in the cafeteria with their father and watched the broadcast. At first Dylan didn't think much of it. Until she saw the look on her father's face the moment Quinn and Orion appeared on the chariot.

Dylan hadn't gotten along with Quinn, she didn't put forth the effort to get to know her and Quinn hadn't put forth any effort either. Otto always said that it was simply because she had been through so much, she had become numb and any social skills she once had, were now dysfunctional because she was so guarded. Once, while Quinn was off with Otto, Orion had eaten lunch with Dylan and Quinten. When they had arrived to Thirteen, Quinn was always with Orion. They were close, but Orion said it hadn't always been like that. Quinn had only left Four with him because she hadn't wanted to be a mentor. It was almost like Quinn just couldn't see eye-to-eye with someone, like she just couldn't understand them unless they went through some traumatic experience together or were on the same level and saw things the same.

Besides the fact that she had virtually no social skills, she had a good reason to have no skills. She had lost everything. Her parents, her brother, her sister, the orphans in Four she had called family, then when she found family and someone her age she was related to-- Dylan hadn't even tried to understand her. And now, seeing her in another tribute parade, she was regretting it. Quinn had been through so much, and Dylan had even gotten mad at her when she quit training and weapon handling class-- but if there was anyone in Thirteen who hadn't needed it, it was Quinn.

"You okay?" Quinten asked, elbowing her gently.

Dylan nodded quickly, "Yeah...just..." she drifted off and glanced at their father who had moved to a table closer to the screen. "What about dad?"

Quinten looked at their father. He was leaning to the side, he rested his head on his hand. His fingers were tangled in his hair and he looked like he was sitting so still-- like he was trying really hard to not look away. Like he was trying to take in Quinn's appearance before she was in the arena.

"He'll pull through." he said quietly, "It's just...weird...Coin said that they would be back by now."

"Coin says a lot of things." Dylan scowled, "And now look, Snow's punishing them for even being here even though they did everything he told them to." she said in a hissing whisper as she motioned to the projection.

"Look!"

A woman from the other side of the large pillar exclaimed. Everyone assumed she was talking about the parade. So they all looked closely, at first it was a wide shot, and then the screen split in half to show Caesar Flickerman and another man.

"What is that?" Caesar asked, "On the back of the Capitol Favorites..." he asked, looking at the image almost confused, "Is that?" he paused again, and then a gleeful grin spread across his face, "Look's like our pearl wanted to sport her old token even though it belongs to Ms. Everdeen!" he beamed.

Sure enough the screen changed to be closer to Quinn and Orion. While they both waved, as the made the final circle in front of President Snow, on their backs was a flaming shape of the Mockingjay pin. The pin that Katniss Everdeen had made famous in her games, a shape that rebels had officially adopted as their symbol. The cafeteria erupted with clapping and cheers. Each district had a theme, but they were representing any District, they were simply favorites-- and they were representing the rebels.