I feel like somepony just hit me hard in the chest, and I can't move or breathe. Why? Why me? What did I do to deserve this? It's not like my name being chosen was impossible, but it was definitely unlikely!
"Maple Leaf," Frilly Lace says again, sealing my fate. "Maple Leaf, whoever you are, please come up and introduce yourself!"
As the crowd parts, some of them knowing who I am, I can't help but be disgusted by Frilly Lace. How can she be upbeat and excitable when she's sending fillies and colts to be slaughtered? Doesn't she have any sense of compassion?
"Ahem, would the filly named Maple Leaf come on up to the stage," she snorts, starting to get annoyed. I feel my hooves starting to move, one slow step in front of another. I climb the stairs and stand on the stage, looking out at the crowd of thousands. The only sound I hear is the wind whistling through the air. No volunteers. Nopony ever volunteers in District 12. The eyes of the thousands of ponies bore into me, judging me, probably assuming I'll be one of the first to die. I see Treetop all the way in the back. I can't make out his expression from here, but I know that he's devastated. No, worse than devastated. He's going through his own personal nightmare right now. Whatever I'm feeling, he's feeling a thousand times worse.
"Alright everypony, let's give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!" Frilly squeals, and the ponies all slowly clap, not taking their eyes off of me. Nopony really knows me. Nopony is going to grieve for me. Except my brother. He'll be all alone now...
Just then, Appleseed, District 12's only surviving victor, comes galloping onto the stage. He's late, as always. He has a white coat and a dark brown mane streaked with red. His cutie mark is missing; his flank was mangled in the Games.
"Sorry I'm late," Appleseed whispers rather loudly to the mayor and Frilly Lace. The former nods in forgiveness, but the latter just gives out a little "Hmph!" Then, Appleseed gazes at me. He's staring at me now, but not into my eyes. More like he's staring at my mane...at my horn. Oh, no...did I not do a good enough job at hiding it? I raise my hoof to touch my mane, but Appleseed gives an almost imperceptible shake of his head. I guess nopony can see my horn...but how can he?
Frilly Lace's obnoxious voice pierces my thoughts. "Now it's time to choose a colt tribute!" She walks from the podium to the glass ball with the stallions' names. I don't really care who gets picked. The only stallion I care for is Treetop, and he's too old for his name to be in.
Frilly picks out a name. That's weird...she took a much shorter time picking a colt than a filly. I'm probably just imagining it, though.
"And our colt tribute for the nine hundred ninety-ninth Equestria Games is...Pokeweed!"
I scan the crowd and find one colt who's walking forward, shock and despair written all over his face. As he scales the steps and stands next to me, I get a better look at him. He's a twelve-year-old, without a doubt. In fact, he looks younger than twelve. Pokeweed is a small, skinny pegasus with a green coat and a short, black-and-magenta mane, and doesn't even have his cutie mark yet. He's trembling in fear, and I can see tears pour out of his big, emerald eyes. I've changed my mind...I do care who gets picked. I'm threatening to tear up, too. But I force myself not to cry. There are cameras everywhere, and if the millions of ponies watching this right now see me break down, then they'll think I'm weak and helpless. Then nopony will bet sponsor money on me. So I harden my features into an indifferent mask. But on the inside, I'm weeping.
"Go on, you two. Shake hooves!" Frilly says with a huge smile. I've decided that I don't like her. I offer my hoof tentatively toward Pokeweed, and he shakes it, sobs racking his puny frame. He probably has a family, has friends that'll mourn for him...No. I have to stop thinking like that. If I want to stand a chance at winning the Equestria Games--hypothetically, I'm not exactly feeling very confident--then Pokeweed will have to die. There's no way around it. There can only be one winner of the Equestria Games.
The Equestria anthem plays. I can't stand the anthem. It spouts stuff like, "fulfilling your destiny" and "you've come such a long, long way." It's sung by President Celestia, who has a seductive, almost hypnotic voice. I swear that anthem is brain-washing the citizens of the districts.
As soon as the anthem ends, a large group of white-armored Peacekeepers escorts us to the Justice Building, an old, creaky wooden tower. It used to be the city hall of Ponyville centuries ago. Did I say "escort?" I meant that they ushered us harshly and quickly across town, not hesitating to whack us with their batons if we slowed down.
I'm forced into a large room, and the door is slammed shut behind me. This is the time where I'll get to say good-bye to my loved ones...I can't cry. I can't cry. I can't cry. I sit down on one of the plush benches in the room, running my hooves repeatedly over the soft fabric to calm myself.
The door opens a crack. I brace myself for the wave of despair I'll feel when seeing my brother, but I'm surprised when two ponies, a mare and a stallion whom I don't recognize walk in. No...I do know them. Those are the ponies who run the apothecary in District 12. I've heard rumors that they go out into the Everfree Forest every day to gather the herbs they use to make their medicines. I've never been into the Everfree, although Treetop has gone on occasion. It's not as if you can't get into the forest; the chain-link fence is harmless and riddled with holes that make it easy to sneak in and out. But the monsters that lurk in that forest scare everypony away, including me.
The mare is a pegasus with a brown coat and a black-and-magenta mane, and emerald eyes. The stallion has a pea-green coat and a darker green mane. I don't know why I care about their appearance, but then it strikes me: They must be Pokeweed's parents. Why are they visiting me? Shouldn't they be seeing their son?
The stallion clears his throat. "Hello...Maple Leaf, was it?"
I nod.
"I...I'm sorry to trouble you like this. I understand that you must have other ponies you want to see," he says. His wife isn't saying a word; she's too busy sobbing into a handkerchief.
"It's fine," I murmur.
The two of them step over to my bench. "...Mind if we sit down?"
"Whatever floats your boat," I sigh. The stallion and the mare sit down next to me.
"I'm sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Evergreen, and this is my wife Sparrow Wing. Our son...is Pokeweed." Evergreen ducks his head, and I spot a couple tears drop out of his eyes, staining the fancy carpet.
"I can tell," I say dismissively. I hate sounding so indifferent, but if I have to choose between teary eyes and apathy, I'd always take the latter.
Evergreen nods slowly. "Well...um, we hate to ask you this, and we understand that you'll probably refuse--"
"Please protect our son!" Sparrow Wing interrupts, raising her head so that her tear-stained, green eyes are on level with mine.
"Protect your son?" I repeat in disbelief.
"No...well, I mean, sort of," Evergreen stammers. "Pokeweed is convinced that he's going to die. He told us this morning that he'd never stand a chance in the Games. We want you to, erm, make sure he stays safe. Ally with him, I guess."
I feel a knot of guilt form in my chest as I speak my next words, "I'm sorry, but I can't assure your son's safety."
"W-we know. We knew you would say that," Evergreen whispers. He stands up to leave, but his wife stops him.
Sparrow Wing comes over and gets in my face. "Please help him. He needs comfort from somepony, and we won't be there for him anymore."
I find myself glaring at her. "What's in it for me? Why should I be tethered to a helpless twelve-year-old?" Sparrow and her husband wince, and the knot of guilt only tightens more. I'm beginning to worry that this aloof cover is replacing my true personality.
Sparrow smiles a bit. "Our son ventures into the Everfree Forest by himself everyday. He knows what plants are edible or not, how to start a fire, and even how to ward off monsters. He'll be a huge help to you if you ally with him."
I feel my jaw hanging open, and I quickly close it. "I'll consider helping him," I say deliberately.
"Thank you...thank you so much," Evergreen says, wiping tears from his eyes. And with that, Evergreen and Sparrow exit the room, leaving me feeling shameful and excited at the same time. Pokeweed could be a huge help to me, but I don't think I can cope with the responsibility of watching over somepony.
The door opens again, and as soon as Treetop walks in, I gallop up to him and give him the biggest hug I've ever given anypony in my whole life.
"Whoa, there, Firespell," he says, still trying to seem happy for my sake. But I can tell from his red, puffy eyes that he's been crying.
"I swear...you're just calling me 'Firespell' to spite me now," I giggle, feeling oddly giddy. Well, why not? Just like being cold before, it's either this or crying.
"You seem upbeat," Treetop cracks.
"Trust me, I'm not. I'm gonna die."
"You're not gonna die."
"Yes, I am."
"You're not."
"Am."
"Not."
"Am!"
"Not!"
"Am!" We both smile at each other weakly. We're arguing just like normal siblings would. Like we would before our parents died. After they were gone, we stopped fighting and became inseparable.
"You're gonna be fine, Sis," Treetop says, reaching out with his strong hooves and swinging me on top of his back, just like he would when I was a filly. I nestle my head into his thick, green curls, inhaling the fresh, piney smell he's contracted from years of working on the apple orchards. This will probably be the last time I can be with him.
"Be serious, Treetop," I sigh. "I can't win this. Just promise that you'll live on without me, okay?"
"I promise," he says sincerely. "But don't count yourself out," he pats me on the head, his hoof brushing against my horn. My magic.
"You know that's illegal," I whisper, keeping my voice as quiet as possible. This room is probably bugged. "Even if I win, they'll just execute me." Or execute you, I think.
Treetop takes a deep breath, and I can tell he's holding back tears. I feel a rush of gratefulness. If he cries, I'll be sure to cry as well. This is why Treetop is such a great brother: he always understands me and my motives.
"Just try, Firespell. You have to try," he says, his voice strained. "I promised that I'd live on without you, but you have to promise me that you'll try."
"Of course." I embrace him once more, taking these last few moments we have to feel my brother, to be with him, two perfect puzzle pieces fitting together.
The Peacekeepers are here again. "Get out," they command Treetop.
"Just hold on," Treetop growls. In response, the Peacekeepers grab him.
"I love you!" I howl.
"I love you, too!" he returns, giving me a half-smile as they drag him outside, the door slamming shut behind them.
I've never felt so lonely.