Fiore's Games

The Reaping

District 12 was a small, grimy district, coated in black coal dust. Most of the district was in poverty. It was the least cared for, the most forgotten. Only one woman had won the games from this district, years ago. This is where levy McGarden was born and raised. Now 17, her name was in the bowls at least 20 times. She applied for the extra grain and oil every year, sometimes two times a year. Her two brothers, Jet and Droy, were her only family. They both were 18 now, fraternal twins. Their father died in a mining accident five years ago, their mother died of sickness two years ago. This was the last year their names would be in the bowls. The extra grain and oil was for them, but Levy had a pure heart and wanted to give to everyone. She often helped out the less fortunate around her side of town. Today was the day of the year everyone dreaded. It was the Reaping Day.

Her brothers left through the fence to hunt. It was against the rules to do so, but they did it anyways. The Peacekeepers never cared, often they were the ones who would trade with them for other things. Levy was off to the town center, or as close as she could get now. That's where they set up for the Reaping, so it was closed off to the public for now. Her best friend Lucy said she would meet her here so they could spend the day together. The bluenette looked around for her blonde friend, her golden eyes scanning the people around her. They stopped for a moment on a man with a fair amount of muscles and a mess of black hair tied back. He lived here in District 12. To her memory, his name was Gajeel. He must have been enlisted to help set up all the equipment for the day in the town center. His red eyes passed over her for a moment and she looked away, spotting Lucy.

"Hey Lev!" Lucy smiled brightly as she approached her friend. Her blonde hair was tied back, well kept and clean. Her outfit was nicer than most in the District, because she was the daughter of the mayor. She was exempt from Reaping, but she couldn't stand to see her people and friends in poverty. Last year, she finally applied for the extra food, giving it out much like Levy. Her name was only in the bowls maybe five times this year. She also didn't see it as fair that she was exempt from this death game. "Is this what you're wearing for today?" She asked, hugging Levy.

Levy was dressed in an orange outfit, a dress. The orange was long dulled, but Levy still loved it. Her blue hair was pushed back with a headband she made herself out of scraps of fabric. It was a mess of colors. "Yes, it is. It's one of the nicer things I have. Let's go visit the Hob. My brothers may be there to trade." She offered with a smile. Lucy agreed and off they went.

The Hob was an old building absolutely coated in mine dust. It was a black market building. Peacekeepers often traded inside, even though it was technically black market. They didn't care. So long as no one was murdered or the rules seriously broken, they never cared. There was an older woman who served soup. If you brought her food to add, you would get a free bowl of the soup. The girls stopped by a stand with a mismatch of objects. Levy pulled out a few coins, handing them over. "I'll take the roll of string, and four buttons." She explained. Some of her clothes could use a touch up. The woman running the stand handed them over with a kind smile.

Lucy picked up a golden pin with a weird bird-like symbol on it. "What kind of bird is this?" She asked curiously.

"It isn't any type of bird. It's jus' a symbol." The woman sighed. "Take it. You pay attention to us, which is more than your father does."

"Oh, no, I couldn't just take this! Here." Lucy removed a hair pin she had with some sparkling (but fake) gems on it and gave it to the woman in exchange for the pin.

"Thank you, dearie." She smiled a toothy smile, revealing some missing teeth. With Levy's help, Lucy pinned it to her shirt with a smile. The girls spent a couple more hours there, running into Jet and Droy at some point. They were trading what meat they had hunted, as well as edible plants they had found. The Hob closed down just before everyone was due in the town center for the Reaping. The four walked together, the boys splitting off to go stand with the boys their age. Lucy and Levy were both the same age, so they could stand together. They both had their fingers pricked to 'check in' with the Capitol's people. The blue haired girl glanced at her friend, a small smile of nervousness on her lips.

Lucy reached over and grasped Levy's hand, squeezing her hand lightly. "Hello, District 12! Welcome to the Reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games!" A tall woman with golden brown hair said in a very cheerful voice. Her outfit was a green, skintight dress with a thick purple stripe running down the center. She had on leggings as well, and thin glasses perched on her nose. She was a pretty woman, Levy decided. "My name is Evergreen, and I am from the Capitol." As if that wasn't obvious. "As you all know, to start off the Reaping, we watch a special video by our own President Hades!" The screens above the stage faded away from the symbol of their district and played the same video every year. About the rebellion, the obliteration of District 13, the creation of the Hunger Games. Eventually it faded out. Behind the Capitol woman, a short, old man with a mustache and rather eccentric outfit snorted in the short silence, taking a swig from a mug in his hand. "What a wonderful video. Now, ladies first." She sauntered over to the large, glass bowl full of paper slips for the girls. "May the odds be ever in your favor!" Her voice was very cheerful as she delicately plucked a folded up paper from the middle of the throng. She opened it carefully, and Levy squeezed Lucy's hand tightly.

"Levy McGarden!"