Shark Plushy (Enobaria X F.OC)

Reaping II

Bera sat in front of the TV, alone.

Valerius was still in bed from the heavy punishment he got.

It was a quarter quell, which meant Snow would announce the rules on the day of the reaping.

Which also meant Bera was stuck to the TV, watching to static before finally the Capitol's logo came on screen.

She was angry, really angry, her district suffered so many casualties already, just how many people had died already? A quarter? A third? Half? They ravaged her district to dust and they expected them to happily keep on working?

She couldn't walk from the victor's village to the the mayor's office without seeing either a corpse, rubble or still smoking buildings.

Did Snow think they'd remain docile now?

No. No, anger lingered in the air, only one spark was needed for 8 to once again explode into a blood fight.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Panem as a whole." The president came on the screen, talking from his podium in the grand theater where the carriages dragging the tributes to their death paraded through.

She squeezed on her own hands.

"Today is the dawn on the 75th Hunger Games." Disgusting cheering filtered through the speakers as the screen showed the cheering crowd in full before going back to Snow.

Time to play your pawns correctly as Bera is ready for blood.

"As we know each 25 years we hold a quarter quell to keep the memories of the games fresh in the mind of the new generation."

"You already do that each year." She grumbled to herself, leg bouncing, come one Snow, announce how you'll get rid of Bera, tell her so she has known for a long time that you'll use the quell to get ride of her.

"And as today the 75th will start, I will announce the rule."

"Get to it already."

"The tributes this year... Are to be reaped... From the existing pool of victors!"

"You son of a bitch!!" She hurled the coffee table itself at the TV, the electronic thing coming crashing down loudly as the table smacked on the ground but the speakers still worked, tho grainy, despite the screen being smashed in.

"Every victor, no matter the age or current health status will be required to head to the reaping."

"YOU BASTARD!! YOU ABSOLUTE BASTARD!!" It felt like her vocal cords would explode under the strain of her screaming her lungs out.

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Three.

The three victors of district 8 stood on the platform already.

Their gazes on the crowd of 8, silent and even more then for any other reapings, aware of the injustice the victors were faced with.

Woof: with barely hidden confusion and fear as his deteriorated mind had trouble understanding while knowing all too well what was to come, his hands shaking, deep terror boiling up inside of himself.

Cecelia: with tears streaming down her face, wailing of the youngest of her children in the arms of their father too much, she didn't dare to look at them or the rest of her fake confidence would shatter and she'd collapse right this moment.

Bera: Standing tall, hands grabbing each other behind her, her ever lasting anger to the Capitol and life itself on her face. Jaw set square. Having accepted her fate and ready to show how this was the worst choice Snow could have ever done.

"Welcome district 8." Even V's voice was somber, trying but pitifully failing to smile through it like she always did, it looked like the crooked smile someone pulls before they start sobbing their heart out. Her dress glittery but black. "We gather here." She took a deep breath, eyes closed for a moment, blinking quickly. "For the 75th games, yay..." That yay dripped with unsaid tears and that clapping, like the one of a dying man.

"This year I was asked to start with the boys..." Of course, Snow would want the suspense to last, her shaky hands grabbed the one name in the bowl. "Woof."

Once again, the barest of weakest claps as the confused old man stepped forwards at his name being called.

"Now... Now for the girls..."

Bera never thought she'd learnt to like V when she met her in the 66th but surprisingly, she learnt to care for the woman in her own way, still not liking some of her hideous outfits, but still liking her as a person.

"Cecelia."

Bera was surprised before smiling at herself, Snow is clever, way to clever. He could have rigged the pull to pull Bera's name but--

"I volunteer as tribute."

-It would have not ended with her in the games.

"Bera!" Cecelia grabbed the wrist of her not lifted arm, whisper yelling.

"Let go." She freed herself, stepping forth with an angry tho shit eating grin. "Protect them, you kids need you and someone's got to check up on Valerius sometimes." She whispered through the smile. 

If Bera was pulled, because of Cecelia's maternal instincts and how much she had tried to protect her all these years, that woman would have volunteered for here even if crying because she knew she'd die.

But pulling Cecelia ensured that Bera volunteered, Bera knew that, Snow knew that.

She knew her chances were better then Cecelia, she would have volunteered each and every single time. Bera doesn't have a family but the older victor does.

"We have our tributes ladies and gentlemen... Bera Helfir and Woof. (I don't know if they had last names) Please, do wish them luck and let the odds be ever in their favor."

"Bastard!!" A scream came from the crowd and it exploded in anger, the people trying to run down the peacekeepers, trying to rip their victors away from their hold, trying to fight for them.

But nothing could be done, none of their grasping hands could reach them.

None of their strength you break through.

District 8 watched helplessly how all their victors were taken from them and they could do nothing to stop this.