[D2] The Reaping

[aya]

The escort of the district stepped out onto the stage, a smile plastered across his face as he stared into the cameras that surrounded it. It was time once again to choose two children to compete in the Hunger Games, and it was his job to do so.

"It is time," he said as he stood over the impatient people of the District, "To once again send two of our own children to the Capitol to compete in the Hunger Games. Let us begin the Reaping!"

He did not look to see the reaction of his district before reaching into the glass ball that held the names of the female children. "Ladies first," he announced, pulling out a slip of paper. He unfolded it and read out to the crowd, "Astrid Shaw!" He then reached into the other ball. "Andesite Obsidian!"

OOC- RPing is allowed. If you wish to volunteer, let the tribute post first either accepting or stepping down from their place for volunteers, and then post. If the tribute doesn't reply by Tuesday, February 2nd, a staff member will post saying that volunteering is open. Please do not post until you see this staff message. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

Tributes, please do not make your acceptance or denial of your spot in character; instead, please leave an ooc note at the end of your post stating whether they accept or are stepping down for volunteers.

Also, and this is really important: If you have been selected as a tribute and plan on going into the arena, we HIGHLY SUGGEST you take some RP Tutoring lessons ASAP. It doesn't matter what level RPer you are; everyone can use a little help. RPing a tribute is a privilege; if you're not going to put the time and effort into making your posts the best they can be then you can count yourself among the dead.. It's not a requirement, but please please please just consider the lessons. They'll help even the most advanced RPer.

[kap]

Andesite Obsidian 455 Words OOC: Andy accepts his position as tribute!

Andy certainly wasn't delaying in the morning when he knew it was reaping day. He got ready for the reaping as quickly as possible, and headed out the door to be there not just on time, but early. As he arrived, he could see the many people gathered there. Despite his desire to get picked or to volunteer, he doubted it would happen. After all, he didn't plan on volunteering until he was eighteen, and his odds otherwise as a fourteen year old were rather slim. He observed as the escort of District Two walked on to the stage. As the joyous looking man stepped out, everything dropped silent, despite the impatience of everyone waiting. The man announced that it was time to begin the reaping, and to select two of the children of the district to compete in the Hunger Games. Andy could feel his heart pounding greatly with excitement. He wanted in these games, and he was sure that if he was picked, he would be able to make Flynn proud of him if he came back as the victor. The escort began by picking the name of the female tribute, Astrid Shaw. Andy hadn't heard the name before, but was hoping that she would be a good person to compete against if he joined her in the arena. He was sure that any sort of fight with any of the tributes would be rather thrilling to him. When the escort reached into the other ball, it dropped silent again and he read the name aloud. Andy never actually expected this to happen at his age. "Andesite Obsidian!" the escort had announced. Heads turned towards Andy and he knew just then that his hard work training as a career and a member of Flynn's gang would have to pay off at this point. He was excited and adrenaline was rushing through his veins as he headed up to the stage to accept his position as tribute. He had a confident look on his face, complete with a confident smile. He was prepared, whether he was to live or not in these games. He would be saying goodbye to Flynn soon, he knew that. He wasn't sure how well that would turn out, but he knew that it would probably consist of something to the effect of 'You better win, or I'll hurt the other kids as punishment'. Honestly, something like that wouldn't surprise him. He was ready for these games, that was for sure. It didn't matter what sort of threat Flynn gave him. Andy would be putting in his best no matter what, and even if he didn't win, he shouldn't have to be concerned about what happened to the other kids.

template by Sammy @ Adox 2.0

[ali]

Astrid Shaw {district two tribute}

.:: You're dripping like a saturated sunrise You're spilling like an overflowing sink You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink ::.

Astird found herself in a world of bright vibrancy, that it was almost blinding. It was an explosion of colour, pinks, yellows, golds, whites, rays of light which sprinkled in front of her vision as her eyes fluttered open. Suddenly there were sounds and felt as if the stars were singing to her all at once; like the sun was calling her name repeatedly above the noise of bird song and peppered footprints. She felt as if she were drowning in the emotion that the burst of life brought with it, all she could see was bright light, silvers, golds, and all she could here were whispers and twittering tweet of the little song bird. With a simple blink, a fluttering glimpse of darkness, the light and the noise was gone. Things softened, the reality around her, once so stark and bright, melted at the touch of her sight and things began to fall into place; yet she felt as if she was not quite there, she felt as if she were still watching from afar, that she were just a ghost watching a blonde petite girl, dazed from day dreams she weren’t quite sure were real. Another blink and everything was almost quiet, except for that twittering tweet of the little song bird. Her brow furrowed, feeling a grip on her arm, and her blue eyes casted her gaze over the spiteful woman who walked beside her. Her mother's ruby lips were curled into a snarl, the look she wore was more than distasteful. Astrid could tell that she was unimpressed with the dress she had chosen to wear, or perhaps more the fact that Astrid had thrown the pretty pastel pink one, with frills and ribbons and curling skirt, against the wall in a sudden fit of rage that she did not want to wear pink. The girl had screamed and screeched, only for a moment, before the rage had subsided and she had put her foot down to inform her mother that she would not wear pink. The elder woman glanced at her, giving her the once over with her cold grey eyes, a scowl pressed on her face. The glare she was giving Astrid would have made anyone sane look down in shame or simply glance away to break that burning eye contact the woman made with narrowed eyes and snarling lip, but Astrid was not sane; at least that is what the Doctors had told her mother. Astrid simply returned the look was blank, canvas of a face, void of emotion and simple confusion. There had been a time, perhaps where the woman with a soured face and stark blonde hair would have smiled but the girl scarcely remembered her mother's smile. Do you even smile? she asked herself as she rolled her head to the side, watching her mother walk beside her. Her father had told her that her mother had smiled, that she had a very beautiful smile but Astrid did not remember seeing it. Astrid was a burden to her mother and she could see it in her eyes as the woman huffed in frustration and parted from her as they reached the square; Astrid was like a bird who could not fly, she had wings yet they would not spread and take to the wind like everyone elses did. The girl did not sigh as her mother parted from her without so much as a goodbye or a good luck but it did not bother Astrid too much. Nothing really did these days, it was the sickness that did it to her apparently. There were some days where she felt nothing at all, and then there were days where she felt as if every emotion was a knife pressing into her back, slowly, softly, cutting her flesh with ease. Those were the worst days, for anyone else, but the days where Astrid felt as if she were a cage to herself, those were the worst for her. Astrid watched her father accompany her mother, but she did not smile back when he smiled at her. The blonde turned, her delicate fingers gripping at her blue skirt as she walked into the crowd of girls her own age. She walked a she were a ballerina, but an ungraceful one at that. She stood on the tips of her toes- like a ballerina- and each step was precise- like a ballerina- but there was something gangley and disjointed about the girls gait that made her appear almost drunk; but Astrid knew she could not drink, her medicine would not allow it. She tiptoed carefully until she found that she could not move forward anymore; so instead she shuffled awkwardly in her place, her fingers twitching at her sides as she watched the Escort take to the stage. The blue eyed girls watched him closely. He looked rather funny, she thought, and she couldn’t quite tell if he was a he at all or if he was infact a she. This question hovered in her mind for a long moment. Then the girl's face brightened as her mind began to race, almost losing herself in them as they jumped from one thought to another and then another, the thoughts were racing one another. Trying to see who would come out on top, trying to see who was the best of the best; but Astrid could not let one just win! She needed to know- “Astrid Shaw!” OH her mind suddenly slammed to a halt, the race froze indefinitely as her name echoed over the speakers that surrounded her. The voice should have been loud but it sounded almost barely louder than a whisper to her, it was almost as if someone had tried to shout her name but it had been lost on the edge of a gale wind; the noise fell away as quickly as it had reached her ears. It echoed away until only silence was left, a cold and unsettling feeling of such that it made Astrid shift slightly patting down her dress as she walked to the stage as her mind tried to establish what she should be feeling… “Hah...Ha...Haha!” Then the silence was broken with a laugh. Astrid’s chest heaved as she let out the first laugh, a giggle, soft and gentle but soon turned into a loud and obnoxious chuckle accompanied by snorts. The blonde clamped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to stop the laughter but soon her hands had dropped to clutch her stomach which began to ache with the obsessive, repetitive laughter which spewed from the girls mouth. Astrid apparently found it very amusing she was about to face almost certain death. Yet then, after a moment, she felt the tears sting her eyes and those chuckles turn into heaving sobs. She looked out to the crowd, in hopes to find her parents there but all she saw was death. Even in the light, she felt as if she were shrouded in the dark.

Astrid Shaw accepts her place as District 2 Female Tribute