Onward, my good readers! Carry on with the Victory Tour of Scarlet Wolfe. What else can she fuck up? 

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Take care and stay safe!~CANGEL

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District 11

Scarlet Wolfe

     When Scarlet had stepped on the stage of District 11, she was prepared to be hated. Once more she was forced to face the families of the fallen tributes. She saw the male's face, Valerio standing proud with crossed arms on the screen hanging above the crowd. And she also saw him lifeless on the metal floor of the cornucopia shelter with her dagger planted deep into his chest, his blood staining the metal and making it slick in her head.

     Had his body burned in the fire she caused?

     When his body had been returned to District 11, was it even recognizable to his loved ones? The mother and father's faces were streaked with tears they couldn't hold back as they tried to offer comfort to the two little ones clinging to their mother's legs. Had they been able to say a final good-bye to their lost child?

     Scarlet forced herself to look away from the male tribute and look at the female one. Heaven. Scarlet hadn't killed her. She would have, if she had come across the 16-year-old girl. But it had been Wolver to kill her, slicing her throat open with a blade he had hidden in his pants. The pack that she had found, had indeed been the female tributes. The berries that Scarlet had enjoyed and utilized as her last meal had been foraged by the girl from District 11.

     She stood in the center of the stage of District 11 and wondered if the people watching were wondering what would come out of her mouth.

     The people of District 11 were mostly dark skinned and brown eyed. So completely opposite of District 14. Even though it between summer and winter, the heat surrounded her like a blanket, nearly suffocating her, making the mask strapped around her face even more unbearable. The sun blazed down on her sweat coated skin, making her tired and lethargic.

     They toiled and worked under this ferocious sun day after day. How they must have been in for a shock entering into the Arena. The girl who had lasted until day 3, earned a marginal amount of respect from Scarlet. Though she hadn't done anything particularly noteworthy, perhaps lasting as long as she had was noteworthy enough? If the environments had been reversed, would Scarlet have even stood a chance? Even now, the air was thick and hot and made it hard to breath, let alone move with any real vigor.

     "District 11, my greetings and my thanks for the warm welcome." She said into the microphone, sure her voice was steady and calm, even as her fingers clutched a different card placed in her hands by an infuriated Penelope Bright. A card filled with a different lie she was expected to say. "Today—" something bumped against her toe, drawing her attention downwards.

     A fruit.

     What did they call it?

     She had had one on the train to the Capitol... Penelope had explained all the foods and drinks to Crimson and her, treating them as if they were savages and barbarians with no knowledge or manners. To her credit, neither Scarlet nor Crimson had ever had a fruit before. It was rare that they were able to obtain meat in district 14 as a poor families slaughter-children.

     She picked up the red colored fruit, the outside was smooth under her fingertips. She frowned as she searched her memories...

     An apple!

     Her lips curved upward, safely hidden beneath the metal wolf mask, as she stood. Her movements halted as her gaze landed on a little boy no older than four who had wandered up onto the stage. Where were his parents?

     She tilted her head to the side as she stared at the small boy who was mostly naked. She didn't blame him. If she lived here in the constant heat, she probably would wear as little clothing as possible.

     He reached upwards towards her, his little fingers grabbing into the air. She bent down further.

    "Mine." He said. Still grabbing into the air. She looked down at the apple in her hand. Did he want this apple? Was it his?

      Confusion filled her, but she wasn't going to argue with a four-year-old over an apple. Scarlet handed the boy the apple, her black and pointed nails brushing against his smooth baby skin.

     His chubby little fingers grabbed the apple from her, a big smile on his face and he pressed his little white teeth to the red skin of the apple. Juice dripped from his chin, his eyes squeezed shut in bliss. She stood up after a moment or two, turning her attention away from the child.

     They seemed to be holding their breathes in baited silence as they watched to see how she would react to the child at her feet. They were probably wondering if she would kill him or shove him off the stage too. She wanted to scream at them that she wasn't that kind of monster. That she hadn't meant to shove Haymitch off the stage and that if he hadn't been so drunk or so obstinate, that he wouldn't've fallen regardless of her little shove.

     But she didn't. Scarlet patted the child's head with her hands, his hair was rough and coarse against her palm. The child looked up at her with his giddy little smile on his face, still blissfully snacking on the sweet treat completely unaware of who he was near and what she was capable of. When would he lose the innocence that shined from his eyes? When would he lose the trusting nature that he carried?

     "I will not apologize, nor will I ever regret." She said to all of District 11. She met the eyes of each of the family members left standing on the stage. "Neither will I ever forget."

     Scarlet turned away from the silent crowd of District 11 and headed to the back door that separated the district 11 train station from the stage.

     Before she left, the Mayor approached, holding a basket of apples in his arms. She glanced back at the boy who was stuffing his mouth with the remainders of the apple she'd gifted to him.

     The Mayor handed the basket over to her. The large basket was filled to brim with red colored apples. It's heavier than she thought it would be and with the heels she's strapped into, she wondered if she was about to mimic the drunken Victor of District 12 and fall off the stage of District 11.

     The boy came running over just then, grabbing the pant leg of the Mayor's nice clothes with his sticky hands. He didn't get frustrated or angry, but raised a brow at the boy, before pulling him up in his arms.

     "This is my son, Vine. He escaped his mother. I apologize on his behalf."

     Vine reached out to Scarlet, probably in search of another sweet treat, but the Mayor held him back, keeping the boy close to his chest with his arms braced around the boy's small body. Protecting him. If only the Mayor could protect the boy from the dangers around him. Scarlet wished it were possible. But she knew it wasn't. And she knew that the sooner the boy learned, the better off he would be.

     Scarlet placed the basket of apples on the ground, grabbing one from the top.

     "I have all I need, and this is all I want. Take the rest and give it to the families that hurt today."

     "Thank you."

     "Don't thank me." Scarlet responded in a quiet voice, looking the older and taller man in the eye. "I won't ever regret that the blood of the 25 other tributes that stained the Arena this year. And I won't ever regret the blood of any District 11 tribute being spilt in the future."

     Her words were cruel perhaps, far beyond what she should say to the older man, but it was the truth. While she wouldn't cheer for any death or take pleasure in their pain, she would be in charge of getting tributes from District 14 home in the future. She could have no room for softness or mercy or pity or regret. And neither should they.

     The Mayor's eyes darken at her words, but he bows his head, child in hand, in deference to her status. Even if he didn't want to, there were cameras and thousands of eyes watching them. He had to put on an act too.

     "Take care of your son, Mayor, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

     Scarlet said as she brushed past him, leaving the stage of District 11, ready to board the train and continue with her journey.

     Scarlet Wolfe sat on the chair by the window of the train, carefully removing the wolf mask for the first time since it had been placed against her face. She lifted the red apple to her lips with her mouth watering in anticipation. Her teeth bit down, through the red skin and white flesh of the fruit and sweetness flooded her mouth.

     She hummed her appreciation quietly as she took another bite.

     The little boy was not exaggerating in his reaction to the sweetness.

     It was a damned good apple.

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Guys... It was a good apple, okay?

Vote if you enjoyed!

Stay safe and take care!~ CANGEL