The Hunger Games: The Cry of Temperance

[TR] Districts 1 through 4

District 1, Panem

The herds of children, dressed in gowns of cashmere and dress shirts of satin, settled along the crowd. Chattering amongst themselves like schoolchildren during a lunch block, their eyes everywhere but the silver screen that indulged the top of their eyes.

Soon enough, chatter dispersed once the triumphal horns had rang its curtain call— using the signature call that the Capitol typically used for every announcement, call, and especially each year's reaping ceremony.

The mayor, spoke up gradually with utmost cheer, and big smile plastered across her face as she stood sturdily in her waistcoat, dazzled with rhinestones and its rich silk that emphasized her from the rest. What made her distinguishable was the pin that parted her hair aside from its center, her eyes looking up and down almost aimlessly as she was ready to announce the results of this year's most fortunate victims.

But before she could even speak—

"I volunteer! Me, me, me!" A sickly voice had spoken out, a shrill of raspy yet pitched tone had struck the silence behind the crowd around him.

The crowd parted— as people started "aww'ing" and "boo'ing."

He stood, upfront, hands on his waist as he stood in a white faux fur coat, the hem and the outline that stood over his white linen undershirt— buttons almost as beautiful as the rhinestones the mayor posed.

His crystalline, almost aquamarine, irises had lit up as he clenched his fist in a triumph, once he started running up the stage— stepping up as he looked up at the mayor, moving a cocoa-ridden lock away from his face.

"Now, who may you be?" The mayor asked, moving the microphone up to his face.

"B—" He raised his voice as the intercom rang, everyone covering their ears before he tapped it again, speaking quieter as his excitement rang throughout the roof. "Beau Opulanche."

"Beau Opu.."

"Lanche. Like avalanche—"

"Very, very nice. Everyone, give it up for our male tribute— Beau Opulanche!"

The crowd stood in disarray, slowly clapping out of disappointment as other male children had stood there, their eyes rolled to the skies while others whispered in annoyance to each other.

"Now, for our female tribute.."

She looked into the bowl, before peeking out of the corner of her eye— none of the female tributes were volunteering, most likely because there hadn't been a female victor unlike the male from the 12th who had won his Games.

She slowly raised her hand from the bowl, the paper unwrapped graciously as its flaps spread side to side.

"Charloette Valentine!"

The crowd moved once they heard the sound of shuffling— as they heard someone trying to move against the current!

A girl, who couldn't have been older than fifteen, was trying to move past the children— as she was pushing others away, thrashing about as panic struck her eyes— just before she felt someone grip her wrists— pushing them together as she shook her head, her legs thrashing— almost collapsing to the ground as she caught herself.

Her almost salmon-like eyes had constricted, as she shook her head— screaming at the Peacekeepers, but stopping once she stepped on the first one— the Mayor getting a better look at her as she kept a falsehood of a smile on.

The girl was dressed in a white vest, with a black hem, that was made of the softest wool, maybe even cashmere, covering her blackened undershirt— the buttons like jewels— much higher quality than Beau's but so much less flashy than his. A ribbon was tied up to the front of her collar, and a pink tourmaline holding it together. Her skirt was brought to her knees, with stripes of white and black together, as she looked across back at the mayor.