64th Reaping [D9]

A little Akasha Labbinac sits on her mother’s lap listening to her soft humming. The day before the Reaping, momma would always bathe her and her brothers in sweet smelling water. It would soothe Akasha to the point where she would only have sweet dreams. The dreams that included her family and her running around and playing silly little games with Muskox and Dhaval and daddy. She enjoyed it when momma sang her to sleep too. It was a quiet type of singing without opening her mouth. She had called in humming, but Akasha knew it was singing. She knew what it was and knew that it was going to be the most lovely thing that she had ever heard. Occasionally daddy would join in too and that made her even more sleepier. His deep voice echoing in the confines of her tiny little mind. She was safe at home with her parents and her brothers. She loved them all so dearly.

Akasha had been staring at her brothers forever by now. She knew that this was the year. She simply had that feeling. She had hopes that Dhaval felt it too, but she wasn’t sure. She didn’t know which one of them would be leaving, but she knew that her small little family was going to break apart and die. Whichever of them left was going to quietly die in the hearts of the other two. She simply knew that for a fact. It was tonight that she had agreed to let her brothers carry her to sleep, and send her off to the world of dreams. She had quietly hummed to them as their mother did, which eventually ended with Dhaval humming with her. Putting the youngest of the three to sleep, and sealing away those precious moments the three had together. Eventually Dhaval and Akasha both fell asleep too. After all, when they woke up everything would be all one big blur.

“Happy 9th Birthday Sweetie!” The first thing that came into view was her face. Her mother’s beautiful face, so soft and loving despite being hidden behind wrinkles. She had everything ready and set out. Her father was faintly smiling at her and stood behind Muskox and Dhaval. Both of them smiling widely with a few teeth missing each. It brought a smile and a giggle to her own lips. Birthdays always made her happy. Knowing that they were alive to celebrate another year and to be around family who loved each other. Despite not getting much she knew that she and her brothers had something that many people might not have and that was a family. A family to laugh and cry with and be with. A family that held each other in times of great despair and fear. She knew that they would always be there for her.

Waking up was harder to do than expected. She didn’t want to leave the warm comfort of being in her brother’s arms. She didn’t want to see either one of them go. She never wanted that to come true. Instead she woke to find Muskox out of bed and lounging about their tent. She gave him a small smile and a loving look. She figured one of the guys would go hunting in the morning. The blood on his nice clean shirt, she smiled even more. She carefully got out from underneath the covers - making sure not to wake Dhaval - and walked over to kiss Muskox on top of head. She, then ruffled the top of his head. It was her turn to get ready. She knew exactly what she was going to wear to the Reaping. If her senses were right, she had the perfect outfit set out and ready. She went back to her own tent and pulled out her outfit.

There it was, laying on Akasha’s bed. The long white flowing gown, appearing so untainted and clean. She smiled endlessly at it. It was gorgeous, and her mother owned it. The fabric felt wonderful, so different from her other clothes. It was something that she longed to own for most of her own life. It was a treasure that she knew she had to earn in her own way.

However, she glanced over at the bedside table and found a note sitting there waiting for her. She stared at her name on the outside before opening it up. She pulled out a piece of paper, with a letter addressed to her from her mother. She quickly read her mother’s cursive and smiled endlessly. The dress was hers to own. It was finally hers to own. She smiled and looked over at her door to find her mother leaning in her doorway smiling. Akasha giggled and walked over to her mother, cherishing that very moment. Burying her head into her mother’s stomach. She couldn’t stop smiling.

“Thank you so much mommy. I love you”

“You’re welcome angel. I love you too.”

Little did Akasha know that her mother was crying, softly and noiselessly. Her little girl was growing up, and she knew that her little girl was going to be so amazing and go above her own limits. She was going to survive. She would live to find her own family and have children. She was going to live.

After all of those years the dress still seemed to magical and perfect. Akasha smiled at the dress, and carefully checked it over for any major tears or blemishes. She could only hope that the dress would fit and stay on, or else she would need to wear something else and that was something she didn’t really want to do. She wanted to wear this dress because it was her mother’s. It helped her remember why she was still here and still alive. To remind her to be happy with what she had and to take care of it. To take care of Dhaval and Muskox. Cherish every moment while she still could.

Carefully slipping off her current clothing and putting the dress on; along with a pair of white flats. In all reality, it fit perfectly. The very first thing she did in the dress was spin. She spun herself and watched her dress flair up so elegantly. She was a real princess, just like her mother had wished her to be. She would be a broken princess though. Despite her brothers being there to tend to her needs and take care of her. She knew that maybe her parents would approve, but she was broken. She was broken and possibly may never be fixed.

Quietly, she walked out of her tent, holding up her own dress and making sure not to have it drag on the ground. She looked around the camp as she heard the other Outsiders mumbling, none of them looked as good as her, and it was making her slightly nervous. She typically wasn’t the type to get nervous, but to have them murmur and whisper about her. It put her in a position of unease. Most of them knew she isn’t an innocent girl, and that she would more or less kill any of them, but to see her like she was. A young lady clad in white, waiting for her groom at the end of the aisle. Waiting to see her own groom, to know whom she was going to marry. She let out a deep sigh when walking into Dhaval’s tent. The tend that they had all agreed to sleep in for the night.

When she entered, she was greeted by Dhaval’s shirtless back. Looking away she blushed and smiled. His scars on his back, and seeing him without his shirt brought her back memories of how he helped her train and be more sneaky. He aided her and she aided him. Ever since the last Reaping they had grown together, and she knew that it might’ve been a bad decision to open up more. But she knew that she had to cherish what she had in the moment. She told herself that she would. She promised her parents that she would.

Within the next few moments, Dhaval turned around and caught his first glance at Akasha. She wore their mother’s wedding dress; accompanied by a faint smile. The smile that had graced her lips as a little girl from before the days that she scavenged for food or for sex. She was at peace and calm without a worry showing, but deep inside she was slightly worried what cards fate would deal to them. The worry was toned down when a smirk grew on Dhaval’s face.

“You look nice”

“As do you two. I have one place to go to before the Reaping. It will be less than a half hour. You can come with me or not.”

Akasha made her way back out of the tent and headed out of the Outsider’s camp. When the thought that this might be the last time that she got to see the camp, or any of the Outsiders in the camp. She paused right before leaving and looked back, taking it all in. As she did so she closed her eyes and smiled before saying a goodbye. When she opened her eyes again, Dhaval was beside her faintly smiling.

Before she even knew it she was at her destination, a hill with two tombstones sticking out of the ground. Mother and Father. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe as well as she could and she fought back tears. They didn’t need to see her like this, nobody did. Not even Dhaval or Muskox. She knew that they would be proud to see her wearing her dress as she did. With a smile on her face. The dress helped her remember them along with a few pictures and other small things that they owned. Whatever happened though she would always remember her family and hold them close. As close as she could.

Quietly and cautiously she moved closer to the two tombstones and sat in between them. A moment of silence passes as she bowed her head in respect for her parents, and another moment passes before she looked back at Dhaval. She sent him a sorrowful look before looking back to the tombstones of her parents. The two people who brought her into this world. The two people that she loved most in the whole world. Now they were replaced by two more people. The same two people who shared her blood. The two people that she knew as her brothers.

“Hi mom....dad. I love you both. I miss you too,” her timid voice cracking slightly, “Today’s the Reaping...Wish Muskox, Dhaval, and me luck....I’m scared and worried but I’m not going to show it. I know that whatever happens all three of us will be fine. It’s just another Hunger Games right? It’s nothing that won’t stop us. We’re strong and brave. We will stand up against whatever is in our way. Hope life is good wherever you are. I wish you were here. All three of us have been getting along better than usual. I have to go now mom, dad. I love you both so much. I miss you lots. I’ll be back eventually. For now it’s a Farewell.”

By the end, Akasha was quivering and shaking. The gut instinct was such a horrible horrible thing. Akasha was holding in her tears, and she gently leaned in to kiss and caress both of the tombstones. She glanced over at Dhaval to see his expression, only to find him expressionless as usual. She took her time to calm down, stood up, and brushed the dirt off of her dress before heading over to Dhaval. She briefly looked back to read the inscriptions on the tombstones of her parents. Loving Mother, Wife, Friend, and Sister “Goodbye mom” Loving Father, Husband, Friend, and Brother “Goodbye dad. Love you both. Miss you dearly.”

“I’m ready to go now, Devil.” She gave him a small smile and intertwined their arms. They made their way to the District Center. To be checked, admitted, and sorted. Akasha gave her brother a quick peck on the cheek before they left each other and went in their respective areas. All that was left now was to wait until the names were called. She looked around at all of the other 18 year old girls in the district. There weren’t as many and that made Akasha worry a touch more. She had to hold onto hope that Dhaval and Muskox wasn’t chosen. She had to keep on hoping that they would be safe for another year, because if they were Reaping it would rip her apart and destroy her.

“It is time,” Akasha took in a deep shaky breath before glancing around at the other girls, “To once again send two of our own children to the Capitol to compete in the Hunger Games. Let us begin the Reaping.”

Akasha attempted to calm herself and mostly succeeded, but her heart was still racing and she felt like she may pass out. She had to keep a positive aspect on things. Muskox and Dhaval knew how to fight. They knew how to kill others. They were strong and would get far, if not come home to herself. All she wanted at the current moment was to hide in Dhaval’s grip, or to cling to Muskox. Despite them being younger they were more mature than her. They were the ones holding up their family. Akasha was only there to hold them back.

“Ladies first!” The escort reached into the glass ball that held all of the females, thousands of pieces of paper in that glass ball alone. After staring at his lips, she finally realized what had happened and whose name he called out. “Akasha Labinnac!”

Akasha froze and felt her heart drop. This isn’t real. This can’t be real. It’s all a nightmare. She looked around at the other girls only to find them staring at her, and even some nudging her to the pathway that leads to the stage. The stage that represented the Hunger Games and her oncoming death. That’s what it represented, and she didn’t like it. She was strong and able to fight, but her brothers were much stronger. They had killed more than she did. She did her fair share of hunting and killing others, but she wasn’t ready for something as massive as the Hunger Games. No matter how much she trained with Dhaval or hunted with them. She would never truly be no matter what she did at home.

Slowly, her feet carried her up towards the stage. Walking her down the aisle in her mother’s wedding gown. Moving towards her groom. The groom that was hidden. The groom that was to walk her into death. Her moving was slow and she looked around at all of those eyes on her. The eyes that thanked her and appreciated her for doing such a thing. She smiled faintly and kept it there. She had to put on a good face for all of those sponsors out there. She needed to survive; she needed to come home to her parents and Dhaval and Muskox. She needed to come home to Sebastian, Zanita, and Kovu. She needed to come home to her family.

As Akasha made her way onto the stage she quickly scanned the sections for her family. She knew for a fact that Dhaval and Muskox are together. While Sebastian would be in the 18 year old Male section. Zanita would be in the same section as herself. Kovu would be mixed in with her brothers. She knew where they all would be, and she was so lost and confused. Her life had been flipped and she didn’t know which direction was which anymore.

Eventually she found Dhaval and Muskox. The look alone in their eyes terrified her to the bone. Her heart was slowly being broken and torn away from her. Their looks broke her and she couldn’t speak, much less breath. The faces that they wore. She quickly looked away from them knowing that eventually she would have to face them in the Justice Building. Instead she looked over in Sebastian’s direction, hoping that her leader would have a more reassuring look for her. After looking she saw that his was but she still could see a slight look of terror in his face. Instead of looking for everyone else she turned her attention to her escort who had just finished pulling out a boy’s name.

“Jabber Jay”

The sea of boys parted for him, and he hesitated as Akasha did briefly, but she had moved sooner than he did. A boy whom she did not know, shoved Jay into the dirt. She frowned and found herself glaring at that boy who shoved him. For Jay was the only person who would go into this with her from District Nine. The district that she knew would be long gone when she returned. Her perspective of her home would shift whether she liked it or not. She may come home dead or alive. Either way she was going to go through with this. She was going to live on: with her parents or her brothers she had no clue which.