Mini-Arena Reaping

[etcircenses]

Who| All Tributes, mentors, stylists, escorts, and some citizens.
What| The mini-arena reaping.
Where| The grand foyer of the Tribute Center.
When| 7pm Thursday (11/6). Please note: This log is forward dated by one week.
Warnings/Notes| Unhappy tributes.

At approximately 5pm Thursday, all of the Tributes were notified that their presence would be required at a mandatory meeting in the grand foyer of the Tribute Center. It was to be a formal occasion, and all of the stylists were instructed to dress their Tributes in their autumn best. At 8pm, Peacekeepers arrived at each floor to escort the Tributes down to the foyer, which had been decorated in a playful, nostalgic manner. The Tributes were seated at one of twelve large, numbered tables, though they were told they could mingle, dance, or help themselves to as much punch as they'd like. By all appearances, this little fete was nothing more than a typical, if somewhat bizarre Capitol celebration.

[ooc notes: General arena information can be found here. If you would like for your adult character to react violently/riot after the reaping, you must comment to this post.]

Comments

Pre-Reaping Festivities & Dancing

[etcircenses]

If you couldn't already tell, the theme of the evening is a high school dance. The Tributes are encouraged to dance and partake in the light snacks and beverages. There's even a large crystal punch bowl with some delightful fruit punch for everyone to drink.

Eponine OTA

[gardienne]

Eponine manages to actually look quite elegant in an almost-fierce kind of way by the time her stylist is done with her. With her hair so severely scraped back, her brand is on clear show, but Eponine, honestly, is proud of the burn now. She doesn't mind at all. She actually quite likes the dress as well, though she had said nothing to the stylist who squeezed and sewed her into it.

She stands slightly apart from the crowd, watching the dance floor longingly, though quite certain that nobody now will ask her to dance. Is this really what balls were like? Or no - what is the word they use? A school prom? She drinks her tumbler of juice ladled from the crystal bowl and watches the dancers twirling.

Megan Gwynn | OTA

[soultospare]

Megan is a vision of cotton candy perfection, pink from head to toe. Edna Mode has outdone herself tonight, and Megan is prepared to have a good time and not look this chance to have a fun in the mouth. After all, if what everyone was saying was true, the good times could come crashing down around them at anytime.

She was the first one out on the dance floor, twirling around like there's no tomorrow, wings fluttering along to the music. If there was fun to be had, dammit, Megan was gonna have it in spades!

OTA

[belongsontv]

A prom being the theme initially just tickles Milla. With how opulent and grand almost everything was about this place, she didn't quite expect anything so familiar. Whilst she herself never attended a prom, Milla knows enough from watching American TV. Milla really should have guessed from her chosen dress alongside her white elbow length gloves and golden heels what the theme was.

Milla's comfortably situated herself by the food table for now, cup of punch in hand. She's content to just relax for now and look around. There are so many people in the Tribute Center she hasn't met yet. She mentally makes it a point to at least get to know a handful more of them before the night is through.

OTA

[bravelyplucked]

Torin is at least used to this sort of thing. He's relatively comfortable, seeing as how he exchanged words with his stylist and ended up in the sort of white suit he favors anyway. He's keeping an eye out for potential sponsors--were there any here, or was it all Tributes and mentors?--and his new District 2 charges, and he's moving through the throng of partygoers with a practiced sort of ease. He's carrying around a cup of punch, but he's not drinking it. It's a party prop, nothing more, nothing less.

Gary OTA

[a_minute_younger]

It wasn't too long ago that Gary went to his actual senior prom, so the theme is, to him, more than a little familiar. Dressed in a pressed, frilled but relatively plain red suit, he easily falls into the motions of typical formal function etiquette; mingling by the drinks, hopping between open seats at the long tables, and dancing. As usual, Gary is an enthusiastic but terrible dancer--observing and mimicking Milla has apparently only made things worse--so if he's not complimenting someone's dress or laughing his way into a group's conversation, he'll more than likely be asking those on the fringes of the dance floor to join him.

His unlucky suitors (no gender is safe) will get an exaggerated bow, an extended hand and a wide smile, possibly an unprompted waggle of his brow if he's feeling particularly confident. "May I have the pleasure of your company?"

Molotov OTA

[molotov]

The Capitol might want mingling and happiness (or awkward puberty, if this theme is anything to go by), but Molotov looks positively dour. This is mostly due to the returned incompetence of the District 6 Stylists; she looks terrible in pink to start with, but the neon pink of the print (and her shoes, and makeup, and hairpiece) clashes angrily with her hair and complexion.

She sits huffily at her table, sneaking a small bottle of vodka from the selection stored in her bra to dump into her glass of punch. That's the only way she can see getting through this thing: drunk as hell.

The Reaping

[etcircenses]

Nothing seemed exceptional about it until Tribute Comfort and Care Administrator Jennifer Blackwood appeared at the top of the stairs, a Peacekeeper at either side of her. Normally poised under pressure, her expression seems haunted as she stood before the room, microphone in hand. As the crowd went silent, she spoke.

"Good evening, Tributes and welcome to our first annual Tribute Homecoming dance. This ancient tradition extends back hundreds of years and culminates with the crowning of a Homecoming King and Queen. To determine the King and Queen, the Capitol has arranged for a special shortened session of the Hunger Games. The Gamemakers have asked me to thank one Tribute in particular for providing the inspiration for this round of the Games. Please put your hands together in gratitude of Sandy Marko. These Games are for you, Sandy." Jennifer paused, pursing her lips, expecting and receiving nothing but silence. "Ahem. The following Tributes have been nominated for the Homecoming Court and will be participating in the Games, beginning at midnight. When I read your name, please join me here at the top of the stairs."

Several assistants joined Jennifer then, with embroidered sashes which either say "Prince" or "Princess" on them. Several more were holding rhinestone tiaras and plastic crowns. Around the room, dozens more uniformed Peacekeepers entered and are standing guard. Jennifer fished her hands into the ceremonial fishbowl and began to read out names.

"Zuko of District One. Vriska Serket of District Four. Anakin Skywalker of District Twelve. Clementine of District Six. Aang of District Four. Dave Strider of District Nine. Nico di Angelo of District Two. Pruna of District Twelve. Jake Chambers of District One. Eridan Ampora of District Eleven. Hotaru Tomoe of District Seven. Kankri Vantas of District Five. Homura Akemi of District Seven. Kenny McCommick of District Ten. Megan Gwynn of District One. Terezi Pyrope of District Three. Hubert Oswell of District Nine. Sabriel of District Ten. Felicity Worthington of District Two. Ruffnut Thorston of District Seven. Davesprite of District Eleven. Belle of District Six. Sollux Captor of District Nine. Raphael of District Four. Feferi Peixes of District One. The Initiate of District Five. Punchy of District 6. Ellie of District One. Loki Laufeyson of District Two. Éponine Thenardier of District Three. Gary Epps of District Eleven. Korra of District Ten. Justin Law of District Seven. Diana Ladris of District Five. Leonardo of District Nine. Anna of Arendelle of District Four. Beth Greene of District Seven. Colette of District Nine." Jennifer paused, then drew one last slip from the bowl. "And lastly, Sandy Marko of District Twelve. Please join me on the stairs, everyone. Congratulations, Tributes, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

Those who did not vacate their seats quickly found the Peacekeepers there to speed along the process. Each Tribute was crowned and posed by the assistance for photographs. They all stood there a moment before it became abundantly clear that there was something different about this batch of Tributes: they were all children. In fact, every child had been snatched away from the adult Tributes and was now presently being escorted out of the foyer with the armed guards, leaving the remaining adults to pick up the pieces. They didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

Adults React!

[etcircenses]

As the children are led away, the adults are left in the foyer, cameras pointed at them, reporters hoping to film their reactions. Whether they react with violence, sorrow, or act like everything is normal is up in the air. Have at it, kids!

[note: If you'd like your character to react in a way that would get them arrested and participate in the Capitol viewing special, please respond to this post.]

Jennifer Blackwood ; open

[milieus]

Though she couldn't let it show, Jennifer was absolutely distraught. Sure, she'd participated in reapings before, back when she was an escort for District Nine, and later for District Two. But reaping forty children at once? That was barbaric. That was cruel.

Then again, though, was it any crueler than reaping one hundred people every three months?

As the children were led away, Jennifer was left at the top of the stairs all alone, staring down at the horrified faces in the crowd. She wasn't excited about having to face them all now. Her evening was likely about to get a lot worse.

Azula OTA

[burnedbrighter]

For the first time in the months since Azula had been bed ridden with plague...she feels sick to her stomach.

Having been born and raised in this world the sight of children being led to their doom is nothing new to her. In fact there was a time in her life when she relished the opportunity to be one of this special chosen few who could fight for the honor of their district and uphold the traditions of her people.

Now though the gloomy cloud hanging over the heads of these tributes was too much even for her. Diana and Kankri were led away before she could even offer them any last minute advice or encouragement.

And perhaps Azula had imagined it, but the look Diana had shot her when she was led away...was it betrayal? Was it disappointment? Hadn't they both made their peace with the fact that Azula couldn't stop Diana from being sent back to the arena unless Diana was a citizen?

So why did she feel so guilty?

Tonight she is sure she won't be able to sleep without the aid of that little bottle of pills in her night stand. Her bed always felt colder and too big without Diana to share it with her.

Not to mention this was yet another reminder for Azula that she was dating a Teenager while she herself was a grown woman.

Harley Quinn OTA

[revvinguptheharley]

On the one hand...this was terrible and everyone knew it.

On the other hand...it would make for some great TV!

Harley counted on her fingers as the crowd settled into their reactions "Leo, Hubert, Dave, Sollux, and who? Colette? Since when do we have a Colette?" She drew out a tablet from one of the pockets of her doctors coat (Festively decorated with straw making her look more like she was wearing a coat of scarecrow insides) and she checked the list.

"Well I'll be damned, we got a new tribute and never even met her." She remarked to no one in particular. After a moment she realized that she was one of the few people not expressing anger at this and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Booooooo!"

That was the extent of her rebellion. Despite loving a good riot Harley wasn't about to kick one off for something as common as forcing kids to fight to the death. Around here that was just another day really.

For once in a very rare while, Harley was thinking about the long game.

With her booing out of the way she pocketed her tablet and scanned the room for people who might need a talk. After all most of her district may be involved in this arena but there were still a few lingering around, not to mention her friends.

OTA! (Joel's gettin' arrested)

[aintyourdad]

Joel has seen and done a lot of terrible shit in his life - he would never deny it. He would never claim to be a good man, a saint, or even particularly decent. Morality just gets you killed.

But he's also not a psychopath. He's a man with feelings, still, no matter how hard he tries to deny them or prevent them from forming in the first place.

All he knows right now is that they're taking Ellie away from him, again, and she might not come back. They're taking Clem, too. All the kids.

"You sick fucks," he growls, the slow-burning rage bubbling to the surface. "How many more times are you gonna do this, huh? Do you get off on it? On watching little kids torture each other?"

Re: Adults React!

[hit_girl_mindy]

She wasn't an adult, obviously, but she was also not included with the kids, being a mentor. It didn't mean she wasn't flipping out silently right now, seeing her FRIENDS, all the kids she'd gotten to know and care about, throw under the bus. Aang, Zuko, Korra, Clementine, Ellie, Hotaru.

And then Sandy. Why were they including her with all of this? Why HER specifically? It made her nervous. Did they know?

She cleared her throat, rubbing her temple. "Now I need a drink."

Jessica Wakefield ; open

[confidentially]

The moment Jennifer took to the top of the staircase to make her speech, Jessica knew it wouldn't be good. The sick, sinking feeling in her chest only got tighter and more overwhelming as the reaping wore on, and one by one the children were led away. It was panic, sheer panic, mingling with the horrible memories of her own reaping when she was just a kid.

"No... no." Her voice is soft, barely carrying above the din. "They can't do this. I can't do this anymore!" She didn't lash out. She didn't scream. But she was shaking with rage at her table, staring at the stairs as Eponine and Terezi were led off by the Peacekeepers.

For Albert and Jet

[celebrityskinned]

She's shaking so hard that she spills punch all down the front of her dress and doesn't care. After a moment she stops trying to force her trembling hands into getting the punch in the cup and just chugs from one of the plastic bottles itself. The red beverage soaking her clothes looks like the cartoon approximation of blood, and anyone who's been in the Arena will know from brutal memory that it isn't real.

Kids shouldn't have to be able to tell blood from punch, she thinks. They should still be scared by fog machines and ketchup.

Were she in her old body, she would explode right now. She would destroy this entire building less out of rage than simply because her heart could no longer be contained. But now she's in a frail human form. Now she's weak, useless, and the message burned into her face stands to remind her that acting out would only put Kankri and Ellie at worse risk. Joly, too, now that he's been arrested, and somehow she was still reeling too hard to come to his aid.

She's going to have the last people she's let into her heart taken away from her. She feels crumpled, a paper lantern with a hole punched through it and discarded along the sidewalk. She feels blind. The lights are too bright as she keels towards the table. She's helpless to save any of them, to provide them even the comfort of knowing things will be cared for here.

The only way she can envision to cope is to stop feeling entirely.

She's downed seven cups of the alcoholic punch by the time Albert and Jet find her. She sits with her back against a wall, rubbing her temple with one hand, staring vacantly as she starts on her eighth.

Milla Vodello - OTA

[belongsontv]

All Milla can really do is numbly watch the children be lead away. Her heart is caught in her throat and she simply clutches at the front of her dress, nearly popping off a few sequined patterns with the resulting death grip. Her act cracks at the edges considerably as she tries to rationalize.

The Brazilian woman just feels sick, but what can she do? Milla forces herself towards her districts table, dropping heavily into a chair. She just closes her eyes, taking in slow calming breaths.

For Albert

[metalicarus]

It was quickly clear to him what the trend was as the names kept being announced and, of course, they announced Clementine's name fairly quickly. That started the spark of anger and quickly breathed it to life into a full flame. Clem had been in the last mini-arena games and she had won but they'd cheated her out of it. Now they were going to drag her into another one for the hell of it? He couldn't stand it.

That fiery anger heated his skin and threatened to burn himself and every Capitolite he set his eyes on up. It wasn't until Felicity's name came up that Jet stood, that fire rushing through his head and spurring him to move. He had to stop this, stop them from taking Clem and Fee, the girls who might as well be his sisters.

They were going to take them off and make them fight other kids, maybe even each other and he couldn't do anything about it...but he couldn't sit around and watch either. Maybe if he caused a big enough scene they'd get distracted or forget who was picked or--whatever! Anything would work. It was with this thought that he took a step forward, intent on walking up to the nearest peacekeeper and socking him in the face.

For Steve and Sam

[tookthewheel]

At first he's fine. They're calling the names, it's another game and he's thinking primarily of them not to call Steve's name or not to call Steve without Bucky but then he starts to notice with the same growing realisation the rest of the room has that the only people being called up onto the stage are eighteen or under.

He's still fine then, or so he thinks, watching child after child being called up to the stage. Dimly, Bucky registers a growing disconnect to his body while he watches with a growing horror welling up inside him and his fists clenching tight underneath the table.

It's not until the children disappear from sight that he snaps.

Not unprecedented, at least not by HYDRA. There was a reason they kept armed men in a room with him at all times when he was out of the ice, it was for moments like these, when even their highly-trained pet assassin couldn't bear whatever it was they were inflicting on him.

With no sort of plan in mind but to get through to where they'd taken the children Aang he's standing up from his chair and moving swiftly towards the stage, checking the knife that's up his left sleeve and prioritising what order to take down the Peacekeeper guards. Everything else is a blur.

Nitou, OTA, dude's getting arrested at some point

[infinitemayonnaise]

"What the..." Nitou is standing there in his prom getup, and he's clenching his ever-present mayo bottle so hard, it's just sort of squirting mayo upward at nothing. It was just the kids! They were just taking the kids! He's getting mayo everywhere in a tiny mayo volcano of anger, and, more importantly, he's starting to look pretty angry. Like he might do something.

Nill; open

[reassures]

It's not so bad when they start calling out the names. It feels like she's been slapped when the first name that they call is someone that she actually knows, and her chest tightens when the forth person is someone that she wanted to protect, and her eyes burn when they get to the seventh child, but no tears fall from her eyes. It's miserable and it's awful, but Nill figures this is just how the arenas work. They call them all out like it's actually some kind of a game instead of just throwing them in; she just thinks it's a publicity thing. Something to keep the viewers entertained. And there are so many children here.

It isn't until they reach the 12th name that Nill realizes they're only calling children, and the horror spreads in her stomach and chest like wildfire, until she can only barely breathe past it, the flame growing with every name called, every face that slips out of sight. The only people taken are children. The only people competing are children.

It's one of the worst things that Nill has never seen, but she manages to sit still, to watch. She lasts until they get to the 26th child's name, and Nill freezes in her seat, eyes wide, staring at the latest tribute. Her gaze darts between him and the other children she's seen, and she mouths out a single word: No. No. No, no, no. They've got it wrong. They have to have gotten it wrong, because the 26th name isn't a child, can't be a child, even though someone had just called his name. But he must be, and she had never realized.

Her ears ring. Nill sinks back down, head hung, and she doesn't look up at the tributes again, fingers fisted in the fabric of her skirt. She stays that way until they call the second to last name, when Nill finally puts her face in her hands, though she still doesn't cry.

After the reaping is over, Nill can be found found pacing for the entire rest of their time in the prom, her dress considerably more fitting than the last one she wore to an event like this, but it barely means anything to her at this point.

But let's be honest now. How many of you actually thought Nill was an adult?

Clara Murphy; ota

[seestheman]

Clara can't help but sit in horror as the names are read off. It's around the time that Jennifer gets to Aang of District Four that Clara starts to realize what's going on, just in time to hear Dave's name read out. The children. They're going after the children.

It takes a while for that to sink in. Logically, she knows that this is what the Hunger Games were like before they were brought here, but it's one thing to know and a totally different thing to have them call up the children she knows or has seen around. The children she lives with (and suddenly feels incredibly guilty for not teaching a damn thing to in the cases of Kenny and Korra, considering she's supposed to be their mentor).

It hits her that she should go to Rose and Bro or Steve and Tony or Joel since they all probably understand and probably could use the support as much as she does. But instead she just sits, staring as the kids are escorted away before they can be wished good luck or at the very least say goodbye.

Closed to Natasha and Tony

[honeyibrokeharlem]

Bruce is a genius. He's studied Panem's history, and surrounded by a 'prom party' theme as they are, it doesn't take too many names before he realizes what they're doing.

He feels everything seize up. His mind goes blank. He stares at the rows and rows of children, some he recognizes _Clementine and some he doesn't, and he hears his heart beating. Louder and louder, pounding in his ears, and a familiar roar consumes his head.

His expression twists. It becomes dark. It becomes a face that's usually only worn by something green and violent.

He doesn't know what he's doing. He doesn't care. The moment the children disappear, he's on his feet, walking towards the Peacekeepers. His hands are fists and his mind is nothing but rage.

Nick | open

[fuckitall]

Nick hates listening to drawn out speeches. The only time he does is when he is forced to and this occasion is no exception. He's leaning back against his chair with a lazy posture, one leg over the other under the table while he has his gaze towards the stairs but keeps his attention elsewhere. The moment he had been dreading has finally arrived and all he can do is hope that none of the names called are ones he would recognize.

His heart soon sinks though, the moment he hears Clementine's name. As more and more names were called, he sits up from his chair as he frantically scanned his eyes for Luke as if hoping his friend already hatched some plan to stop this but all he finds is a sense of helplessness.

He sees Beth along the line up too - fuck, they're all just kids and soon taken away. It takes what little self-control Nick has to only slam his fist against the table. "Fuck!" He feels a peacekeeper's eyes on him and he turns to greet him with his own burning glare, "The fuck you lookin' at?"

Kids React!

[etcircenses]

Once taken from the reaping, given no chance to say goodbye to those left behind, all the children will be brought to a Capitol Preschool Daycare Center. Here, they will be debriefed for the arena, with the ticket system explained and elaborated on, including Sandy's ticket value. Once done, tributes will be made to stay here for the night, completely locked in with peacekeepers guarding the outside.

The room is exactly what could be expected of a pre-school, full of plastic "fischermen four" furniture and "playlearn" kitchen sets with plastic food. The wall are covered in the colorful art of children who'd been told beforehand that their heroes (and those dastardly rebellious baddies, often depicted dead with the child-artist standing victorious instead) would soon be borrowing their classroom.

There are beds, yes, but not good ones. All the plastic beds are the exact same size and the exact same amount of uncomfortable. Naturally, they're not designed for teenagers at all. The tributes will all be sleeping together in this room before their fight to the death. Don't let the cot-bugs bite...

Eponine - OTA

[gardienne]

It's the drawings that catch Eponine's eyes more than anything. She ignores the strange room, and the even more strange furniture, dismissing it all as just what the Capitol does. But the drawings... there are rather a few of her... dying in quite bloody manners. She pulls one from the wall, looking carefully at her crayoned self slumped dead on the floor with a pool of bright red scribble about her and what quite looked like, on first sight, crosses sticking out of her back. She decides that they're supposed to be swords. More disturbing is the black scribble on her cheek - her brand. The real Eponine strokes her fingers over her burn, and hastily folds the picture and shoves it down the neckline of her dress, and turns away from the wall. She doesn't want to look any more.

She turns to survey the rest of the room. Honestly, this all feels like a horrendous dream. She just wants to go home.