Chapter Text
-Panache Barker!- Calls out Juvenia, and my gaze shoots immediately to Palladium, who looks away from me.
Wait, I was supposed to volunteer, I’m a Barker, I can't be reaped like any other outlier!
There’s much that I can't do about this, so before anyone is able to shout out his name to take my place, I step out into the aisle, waving to the crowd. Their faces are a reflection of pure disbelief, especially the people standing at the outskirts of the crowd, the families of the people in the Reaping Pool.
Not everybody can count in Victory being in their own blood, so why does Palladium look so…scared? Isn’t he proud of me? Is he afraid that I’ll overshadow him as a Victor? That I’ll be more popular with Capitol Citizens than he is?
As I climb up the steps of the Justice Building, I realise that our names will be associated with one another forever: The two siblings Victors from District 1, Palladium and Panache Barker.
I’m always going to be Panache Barker, the little brother of Palladium Barker, Victor of the 46th Annual Hunger Games, never Panache Barker, Victor of the 2nd Quarter Quell.
I can only hope that the Victory Tour posters aren’t some corny shit that focuses only on how I’m following Palladium in every single thing I do, like I’m some sort of extension of my brother that just happens to have another name.
I gaze down at my overall: it once belonged to Palladium, then it was handed to me when my mom decided that I was tall enough.
The sleeves of the shirt are too short, so I had to roll them up to my elbows, and the pants barely reach my ankles, but I have to make it work, since the other option is to roll to the Reaping in my underwear, even that has its perks, though: It’d show my muscles even better.
That somehow, makes me want to stand straighter and look at these people in the square, all of them, and make sure that they know that I’m going to be better than Palladium was.
But what if I’m not?
What if I don’t even make it out alive?
I push those thoughts away, I can’t allow myself to think about it, I don’t want to disassociate myself entirely from here.
In District 1, boys are always called out first, and I make a small smirk appear on my face: whoever will be called out next, is doomed.
-And the next lucky gentleman is Loupe Quill!- The boy that gets out from the 16 year old pen has his eyes opened to the widest, almost as if he can't believe that he has been picked, but I can see that he’s trying his best to appear tough.
He meets my gaze as he climbs up the steps, and I see utter fear in his eyes, this boy’s a terrible actor, I hope that his skills with some kind of weapon are better, because I don’t want a wimpy in my alliance, District 1 cannot be represented by a guy like him!
My District Partner straightens his back as he stands next to me, only an inch or so shorter, but he’s just as sturdy as I am.
-Meanwhile, your first lady is Carat Harper!- Loupe lets a small sound escape from his lips, barely enough for me to hear it, and I can't help but wonder if he knows her. For a second, I imagine going into the Games with Alice Bitterback, a girl who I’ve known since I was 5.
We can’t say that Carat is my type, but she can’t be described as ugly either: her straight black hair falls over her shoulder in a nice manner and she has a doe-like look in her eyes that makes you wonder what she’s thinking about—she’s not sad, but also not happy. Completely neutral.
She takes place next to me and I feel her tensing up, her fingers desperately fidgeting with her bracelet, which is made in gold, and I wonder if it’s real or not: even though I think it’s highly unlikely, since only a few rich people can afford it, she just probably bought it at the black market in Olimpia.
After Palladium came back from the Capitol these past 4 years, he always is as full of jewelry as the Hump’s shop, and it’s something pretty rare to see in District 1, even if we’re supposed to be the richest District. I can’t imagine how the rest of Panem—without counting Capitol City—is doing.
-The fourth and last tribute for District 1 in the 50th Hunger Games is Silka Sharp!- The girl that steps out of the 17 year old section is what Palladium and the others call “Victor Material”, and on top of that, she looks a lot like Portentia, the Valkirye: both stand at over 6 feet tall, have muscular limbs, green eyes and blonde hair, along with a pretty face that the Capitol will adore.
Turquoise once told me that this is where our strength lies: we’re the charmers, those that fascinate the average sponsors, those who give the Capitol a good show and make the Games interesting, and by doing that, the Government allows us to train our tributes.
Our first Victor, Jacquard Lions, after stealing half of Capitol City’s hearts and giving them a good show in 16 ADD, decided to found the first Training Center in Kristalie with his Victor’s income. So did the Victors that came after him until every city in 1 had it, and now we’re the best District in the Games, with a lot of Victors and sponsors at our feet.
It’s kind of unfair to basically all the other Districts, but the strongest ones swim, the others just stay afloat.
-Panache, Loupe, Carat and Silka will represent District 1 in the 50th Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!- Beams Juvenia before the camera goes off, and we’re escorted down stage.
That’s when I see the other Victors, and they do not seem proud, nor happy for me, they only look like they’ve been stabbed in the guts and left to bleed out on the ground: their faces are all pale and when my eyes meet Palladium’s, I notice that my brother’s are swollen with tears, as one rolls down his cheek as he stares back at me.
Whatever me being reaped means, I don’t think it’s something good.