Though now she lived in the districts, she was capitol born. She knew all of his hardships and never looked at him any differently. She handled him with such gentleness, and kindness. She was a rare bird, His Nightingale. Just like he had been for h...
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The District 12. A girl? This had to be some kind of a joke. There couldn't possibly be a bigger slap in the face?
District 12, was not only the smallest district, but it was also known as the Joke District, with its stunted, physically and mentally weak kids that passed in the first five minutes or so, and not only that... but A Girl? He wasn't exactly saying a girl couldn't win this thing, but he also thought the Hunger Games were largely based on rough force, and genetically girls are naturally smaller than boys and at a huge disadvantage.
Coriolanus knew he wasn't Dean Highbottom's favorite, but he didn't expect him to humiliate him like this. In Public of all places. This was a clear punch to the gut. To show him how the Snows were fading into insignificance.
Most of the other students had gotten out of their seats and began chatting among themselves. He knew he should go join them and act like everything is fine but he felt his cheeks burn a bright scarlet red as he tried to compose himself. The most he could manage was to turn his head to the right, where Sejanus remained seated next him. Coriolanus was about to congratulate him on his tribute but stopped at the misery written on his face.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "Aren't you happy? District 2, the boy, that's the pick of the litter."
"You forget. I'm part of that litter," said Sejanus hoarsely.
Coriolanus let that sink in. So ten years in the Capitol with the privileged life it provided and it all had all been wasted on Sejanus. He still thought of himself as a district citizen. Utter nonsense.
As the audience settled into their seats at the back of the dais, the curtains parted slowly revealing a floor-to-ceiling screen. The reaping aired live from each district, moving from the east coast to the west, and was broadcast around the country. That meant District 12 would kick off the day. Everyone rose as the seal of Panem filled the screen, accompanied by the Capitol anthem.
Gem of Panem,
Mighty city,
Through the ages, you shine anew.
As he sang he could hear some of the students messing up some of the words, but Coriolanus, who had heard his grandmother butcher it daily for years, sang all three verses in a forceful voice, getting a few nods of approval. It was pathetic yes, but he needed every drop of approval he could get.
The seal dissolved to show President Ravinstill, his hair streaked with silver, dressed in his prewar military uniform as a reminder that he'd been controlling the districts long before the Dark Days of the rebellion. After making a few announcements the Gamemakers cut to the bleak square of District 12, where a temporary stage, now lined with Peacekeepers, had been erected before the Justice Building.
There showed Mayor Lipp, a freckled man in a hopelessly outdated suit, digging his hand deeply in the bag too his left, pulling out a slip of paper, barely glancing at it, he spoke, "The District Twelve girl tribute is, Juniper Eliora Gael," he said into a mic.
