彡 Annie Lue- a district girl becomes friends with someone that is too much like herself. When the plinth prize is announced to be awarded a different way than before, Annie starts to wonder. Is she gonna make her tribute survive, or is she gonna mak...
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Annie Lue gazed around the room looking for her friend. Once she spotted him she said, "Sejanus!" The boy turned to her direction and smiled. He waved her over before making his way towards Arachne and some other students. None of them felt welcomed as they joined their small circle.
"Sejanus, you made it to the reaping for once." Festus commented. "And you made it to graduation, Festus. We're both shocked." Sejanus shot back, a subtle smirk on his face. Annie looked up at him and smiled softly instead of laughing.
Arachne looked rolled her eyes slightly. "Spill it. Who won the prize?" she asked.
"Oh no, I'm not going to ruin my father's big day. No one actually likes him, but they do love his money" Sejanus scoffed looking at everyone standing in the circle. "You know what it's like, don't you Arachne?" he raised a brow. Annie let out a short snort but looked down.
"Funny" Arachne mumbled, giving them both a look. Soon later everyone was getting seated. Coriolanus sat next to Sejanus and then Annie on his side. Sejanus muttered something lowly to both his friends who sat next to him. Confusion filled them both.
There was no prize anymore.
Annie was about to question Sejanus with his statement but was cut off by Dr. Gaul's laughter ringing through the speakers. Her back bent just slightly for her mouth to reach the microphone.
"How tantalizing to see all your shining, young faces on this auspicious day. I am Dr. Volumnia Gaul, your humble head gamemaker, in charge of the War Department and all its affiliated conserves. I've broken free of my laboratory today to examine you, the leaders of the next generation. I won't be around forever after all." the woman laughed again.
Annie furrowed her brows, feeling uncomfortable just by the woman's presence. "And now, to that end, I am honored to introduce to you the creator of the Hunger Games themselves, Dean Casca Highbottom." Dr. Gaul ended her speech.
Everyone turned in their seats. Trying to get a sight of Highbottom. He stood in the back, facing none of the students. Highbottom loudly cleared his throat. "Select students, faculty," he spun around finally facing everyone.
"And of course, Dr. Gaul. I have summoned you all here today for the 10th annual Reaping ceremony, in which we choose two children from each district and throw them into the Capitol arena to fight to the death in the Hunger Games." he pointed his finger to the two-colored eyed woman on the stage.
"I can't believe they still allow him to speak publicly." Annie could hear Clemensia mutter to Coriolanus. And Annie did agree. Highbottom wasn't always completely a stable person.
"And here sit our own 24 top prospects, all waiting to hear the results of hard work in this prestigious institution, eager to learn who's won that Plinth prize no doubt." Highbottom pointed all around at the students, but soon his smile shifted to a frown.
"In a golden future, however, I am here to tell you that there has been a change this year, one final assignment to prove your worth because the esteemed citizens of the Capitol have grown bored of the games and simply aren't watching anymore, and if the games are to continue at all, there must be an audience. So, head gamemaker Dr. Gaul has stepped in to... incentivize patriotic values with her own unique flare, starting with you. The Plinth prize will no longer be determined by who has the best grades." he took pauses in between, rethinking how to word himself.
People protested in the crowd. Everyone was in disagreement. "Excuse me?" Arachne said. "But by who is the best mentor in the Hunger Games." The students stopped their protest but instead started whispering to each other.
"This is a brand new role. As the Reaping progresses live, I will allocate each district tribute a Capitol mentor, behind the scenes, one who must... persuade them to perform for the cameras." Annie stared at her hands. She fiddled with her bracelets thinking over what was just said.
So she only had to make the tribute perform? Not survive?
Annie thought it was stupid. She didn't need the prize. She want her tribute to live and that's what she'll make them do. "Obviously the best mentor will be one whose tribute wins the games," Festus commented, and some nodded in agreement.
"What if I get a pathetic runt girl from one of the poor districts, like eight or twelve?" Arachne scoffed. "They're just gonna die in two minutes, like they did last year and the year before." She looked frustrated and angry.
"Your role is to turn these children into spectacles, Ms. Crane, not survivors," Higbottom sighed softly. "Victory in the games is only one of our considerations. Your entire future rests on this last project." he declared, finished with his speech.
But arubtly he turned around. "Oh, and I must tell you that anyone caught cheating to give their tributes an unfair advantage..." he said while chuckling lowly. "Will just have no future at all."
"Oh, and here we go." Highbottom announced as the screens flickered to life. He ran to the steps in front of Coriolanus and Sejanus and sat down with their feet.
"Let the reaping ceremony begin!"
Annie watched the screen closely. She focused on everyone's name and district. When Sejanus tensed up beside her she turned her attention away from the screen. He had gotten the boy from his own district. Annie sympathetically reached her hand over for his, which he accepted.
Coriolanus made a comment that made Annie glare at the boy. "You got the pick of the litter." he whispered. "You forget, I'm part of that litter." Sejanus was on the verge of tears as he sat there watching Marcus, the district two boy fade away from the screen.
This time, Annie didn't focus much back on the screen. Now she was anxious.
What if she got someone from her district?
"District seven, boy, goes to Annie Lue." a voice announced loudly into the microphone. Annie stared up. At the boy with a hat. Luckily she didn't get someone from her own district, but her heart cracked when she looked over at the district seven girl with tears streaming down and a pained look on her face. She read her name was Lamina, and that Annie's tribute was named Treech. They both soon faded just as Marcus did.
The reaping continued and all different things rushed through Annie's mind. She didn't even focus when all the students laughed at something the district twelve girl did. She wanted to leave. And she did, as soon as the reaping was over.
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୨୧AUTHORS NOTE୨୧ hello and thank you for reading this! please don't be a quiet reader, I really love when you comment! I will try my best to update this story often so you don't have to wait too long.
