Hunger Games AU - Vincent Valentine & Kasumi Toshiko - Themetalmechanic
Vincent dreaded the reaping just as anyone else did. His name, entered five times, was one of the ones most likely to be chosen. It felt as though the queue he'd been standing in had been like that for hours and as he leaned to his right to look at the registration desk he realised the delay was due to a girl having tried to escape. It didn't take one long to figure out why she'd done so - her name must have been put in more times than she could count. She didn't get very far in her attempt, though, as the guards caught her a few seconds after she'd tried to flee. Despite the scene the incident had caused, no-one reacted. All of them knew better. Interference was an offence punishable by death; a price none of them were willing to pay.
The queue inched forward, with him now being third in the row. He watched as the individuals before them extended their hands, though other than that he could see nothing. Before long, it was his turn. He knew precisely what to expect and thus turned himself around to offer them his flesh hand for registration. He felt pressure being applied to the tip of his finger and he was soon urged to press on. He didn't argue. Though making his way through the crowd was hard, he finally made it to the row furthest away from the stage and stood there until the event started. He could see everything clearly despite the distance separating him and the stage and, to be perfectly honest, he wanted nothing more than to turn around and leave. He knew he couldn't, but a man could always dream. It was the music blaring through the telescreen that pulled him out of his thoughts, and his eyes ( a deep crimson ) fell upon the letters at the bottom. It was the video they usually played prior to the reaping, and were he to have had the choice then he would have opted out of hearing it. Not only was it repetitive, but it was historically wrong. Their acts against the capitol had been a rebellion - one they, the rich, had started with their degrading was.
He'd turn away. His eyes scanned those standing idly on stage. He recognised most of them, the only exception being the guards that came along for protection. They were the only ones he hadn't been acquainted with. He never would be, he realised, what with them constantly wearing masks to hide their identity. He wondered why. Perhaps they knew that the second those masks were removed, they were nothing more than slaves to the capitol. Did the enjoy keeping everyone else in control? Did the like carrying out the Capitol's dirty work? His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heels clicking against the stage.
It was time to announce the tributes.