Chapter 10: The Hunger Games
Cassandra and Katniss Everdeen were secretly hunting deer in the restricted area. Suddenly they spotted one. Katniss drew her bow and fired, but missed. Cassandra drew hers and shot it right between the eyes.
"Go ahead, you take it. You can tell Gale you shot it, honesty is the least important Element."
"Gale will think I'm really cool!" gushed Katniss, "thank you so much, Cassandra!"
"Think nothing of it. Oh and here, I have a gift for you." She gave Katniss the mockingjay pin.
"GASP, it's beautiful. Is this for me?"
"Yes, I think it represents your spirit."
"You are so deep." said Katniss admiringly.
Then, Effie came and drew names for the tributes, "The female tribute is... Primrose Everdeen."
"Oh no" said Katniss, "that is my sister and I don't want her to be tributed. What should we do?"
"I got this" said Cassandra. She stepped up and addressed the crowd, "Take me instead. I volunteer as District Twelve's female tribute!"
"Cassandra you can't!" exclaimed Katniss
"Somepony has to protect the young ones. You stay safe while I'm gone. Trust me, I will come back."
*****
They rode the train to Capital City, and on the train ride, Cassandra gave Haymitch a lecture on binge drinking. He vowed to change his ways. She also proposed running away from the Cournocopia instead of towards it
"That's a genius idea, Cassandra" said Haymitch, "it's like you don't even need my help." She didn't, but decided to keep that to herself, lest he fall back off the wagon. Next it was time for the parade, and while most of the tributes needed fancy costumes to get noticed, Cassandra's natural beauty was enough to amaze the crowd on its own. Cassandra got a training score of 99, and all the sponsors wanted her, but she told them to distribute themselves amongst the other tributes, because she was really humble.
Finally, it was time for the games to start. The tributes were raised up onto their platforms, and the countdown began. The wise and daring Cassanrda avoided the bloodbath and let the other fools kill each other over supplies from the Cornucopia. She hurried into the woods and hid.
"Hi Cassandra!"
Cassandra turned around to see the Mane 6. It was Pinkie who had spoken.
"Why are you here?" demanded Cassandra, "It's much too dangerous!"
"We snuck in to help you." said Twilight.
"Well you're not helping me" said Cassandra harshly, "I already have one dead weight to carry around." she glared at Peeta.
"Sorry" he muttered. Cassandra picked up Rarity and threw her into the brush headfirst. Her horn gored out a tribute who was lying in wait for an ambush. Rarity fainted because she had weak constitution for things like blood, proving that Cassandra was right about them being unfit to be there.
"Hey where's Fluttershy?" said Cassandra.
"Foxface stole her." said Twilight.
"Fuck."
"Yes m'am" said Rainbow Dash.
*****
The sun had set. The ponies and Peeta were walking along cautiously, when Cassandra stopped abruptly.
"What's the matter?" asked Twilight, who couldn't tell what the matter was because she was inexperienced with the outdoors.
"Muttations" said Cassandra, "and they're close. We have to get out of here"
"Muttons?" said Applejack, "why ah got plenty of 'em back on th' farm and they ain't scary."
"What?" said Cassandra, unable to comprehend that amount of imperceptiveness, "look just trust me, we don't want to stick around." Indeed, the feral beasts were getting closer.
"But look Cassandra" objected Applejack, "they're just a bunch o' dogies. Here pup!" Cassandra yanked her out of the way just in time. Far away, Thresh got eaten by the wolves, conveniently saving them from having to kill the only tribute who was both threatening and not evil. That morning, they ran into Rue, and the kind and compassionate Cassandra saved her from an attacking tribute. It was awkward though, because they knew one would have to kill the other eventually
Twilight said, "Rue, I recommend hemlock poisoning, it's one of the least painful ways to go. If you have some moral objection to suicide, one of us could press a pillow over your face while you're asleep, and you wouldn't feel a thing."
"Twilight, for god's sake" scolded Cassandra, "while you do have a point, those are not the kinds of things you just say out loud, you really need to work on your social skills."
Hey look y'all! A free apple!" called Applejack. She pointed to an apple that was dangling from a piece of string. She galloped towards it before Cassandra could stop her. Applejack yanked down on the apple, which released a spike trap that killed her instantly.
"What the what?" exclaimed Peeta, "Snatch-n-Grab just stole some of my berries!" About a minute later a cannon rang out, and they found Foxface dead on the ground, for she had pulroined a peck of poisonous peppers from Peeta.
"Nice acting Peeta" lauded Cassandra, "pretending like you didn't know the nightlock berries were poisonous."
"Yes that's right, I was just acting." said Peeta, his eyes shifting nervously. Fluttershy was happy to see him, her favorite humans were adult males.
"What are we going to do about the mean people from Districts 1 and 2?" she asked.
"Well, I think my sponsor should have the answer right about... now." said Cassandra. At that moment a silver capsule arrived, and inside was a set of machine guns. They each took one and rolled out in search of some tribute blood. Cassandra, being much more advanced in marksmanhip than the rest of them, led the charge, and seluthed out the victims. They blasted each one full of holes, until Peeta, Rue and the ponies were all that remained.
"New plan, we're getting out of here" said Cassandra. She flew up into the air and collided with the force field, but it was no match for her power level, and she shattered it effortlessly, allowing the rest to follow her out. Cassandra went to the Capitol and gave the President a lesson in friendship. He promised to look out for his people, and he learned that it's cruel to make them kill each other for people's amusement.
"Well that's all fine and dandy" said Peeta, "but the most important problem hasn't been resolved, the love triangle with me and Katniss."
"Ugh do I have to do everything around here?" groaned Cassandra. She did. "Peeta, you wouldn't know a potential love interest if she stripped for you in an elevator."
"I don't follow."
"Johanna."
"Thanks Cassandra! You are a really good friend."