Why?
Why. The only word that rung Rainbow's ears whenever the memory passed her mind. Discord had once again betrayed us, by us she meant all of Equestria. The King of Chaos had now claimed the yearly horrid. The hunger games. At first everypony was confused, of course, but the explanation by the beloved princess changed the way ponies looked at the world. Once peaceful, the earth gave in to what the future had to offer, and bought war with it. War. The word almost all of ponyville feared, for it meant death. No longer will freedom be with, each part of Equestria had been divided into twelve districts.
Rarity was elected to draw and design the costumes for District 12, ponyville. Twilight was going to be with the princesses, in her castle. Discord took over Princess Celestia's castle.
"I still cannot believe he came up with that yearly thing."
Fluttershy said as the alicorn kept walking back and forth.
"And to think he trusted us....that we trusted him."
Rarity said stroking the scared Sweetie Belle's mane. They were at the castle after the speech was given. Not only had they prepared, but they were filled with worry. For they had to worry about their sisters, and the other little fillies that may be picked. Scootaloo stared at her sister's magenta eyes. Seriousness, anger, and disappoint filled every detail. Scootaloo let out a sob as she dug her head into her idol's chest, not only will she might see one of them go, she will see them fight their way to victory in live television.
"Scoots? What's wrong?"
"I don't want to die...I don't want any of you t-to die!"
Rainbow pushed Scootaloo away, grabbing her shoulders with her hooves, looking straight into my little sister's eyes.
"Scoots, listen to me....neither of us will be entered to fight against anypony. Your name was only entered once, ours? Four, not a big deal."
"B-but what if it happens?"
Rainbow Dash looked into those eyes, she shook her head no, and grabbed her sister into a hug. What if one of them gets chosen? Will they survive? For loyalty she might volunteer, but that will only make it worse for both her friends and family. She shook her mind off the suggestion and decided to just wish whatever other pony luck, like the rest. If only she could do that.
"Ah still cannot believe they wouldn't let AppleBloom come with us..."
Applejack said with sadness filled in her voice. Rarity turned her head directly at the sad looking Applejack with worry.
"What do you mean? Isn't she with granny smith?"
"She is, but they were in Manehattan when it happened. They got claimed residents of District eleven. Luckily, Babs Seed and her family are there so Granny and AppleBloom got somewhere to live."
"Well I wish them good luck..Luckily Big Mac is with you.."
"Thanks..."
"Tomorrow is the reaping, we should get some rest now. It's close to midnight, tomorrow we all wake up early, dress up, and go straight to where we meet for the reaping."
Twilight said as she finally walked straight to her bedroom being followed by the rest to their guest rooms. Scootaloo made a turn to her right heading to a hollow guest room before being grabbed on the shoulder. The little Pegasus turned around to see Rainbow looking at her with a smile. Scootaloo turned again following her own sister to a guest room to share. One bed. Two mares.
"Where is the other bed?"
"We'll share. We are sisters after all Scoots."
Scootaloo smiled as she walked over to the medium sized bed, as the cyan Pegasus snuggled under the covers. With a climb, Scootaloo made it to the top of the bed, faced her left and went under the covers. Silence filled the air, through the little opening of the curtain she can see the moonlight striking in. Thank Luna for the lovely night. 'She must've thought of those who might be chosen.'
'Will I be chosen? If so, who would volunteer.. For me?...No. I can't pay to think like this, Dash said none of us will be chosen and we will be fine. Then, why do I get this feeling my name will be picked out of those hundreds of names-'
"Scoots?"
The little Pegasus lets out a little shriek before replying to her sister.
"Yeah Rainbow?"
"Do you want to...you know, snuggle with me?"
Scootaloo turned around to meet those magenta eyes again, which sparkled in the moonlight. She smiled.
"Sure!"
Scootaloo wriggled closer to her sister and hugged her. Rainbow Dash did the same as she rest her head above Scootaloo's head. Both smiled.
"Don't worry too much about the reaping tomorrow. It is just a little ceremony where ponies get chosen, and Trust me you are not one of them."
"Thanks...I'm sure you will not get chosen either..."
"Yeah....Also, don't freak out if I'm not here in the morning, I might be outside early to meet Soarin before the reaping starts."
"Okay....I won't."
Rainbow gave a satisfied sigh and drifted to sleep. Night shall fall before the morning, but time will pass like nothing. The hunger games really near, and not so exciting. Will we be chosen?
{°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°}
"NOOO!!"
Scootaloo yelled as she opened her eyes to see her sister jump in surprise. Rainbow looked at Scootaloo, her heart thumping fast.
"Scootaloo! W-what is wrong?"
"The reaping- I had a nightmare! They c-chose my name!"
"Calm down...calm down.."
Rainbow Dash said as she laid Scootaloo on her back, her head on the pillow. Scootaloo took in deep breaths, trying to calm down after her nightmare. The cyan Pegasus gave her a little smile as she sat down next to the scared little Pegasus.
"I guess you were really worried."
"Yeah...i-im sorry.."
"No need to be sorry..."
Rainbow said as she looked at the alarm clock on her right side which rested on a little table. 7:32 a.m. Soarin.
"Remember what I told you about meeting Soarin?"
Scootaloo nodded.
"Well, I'm gonna go take a quick shower, grab my things, and head out okay? If you have anymore nightmares go to Twilight, okay?"
"Okay. See you later."
The cyan Pegasus nodded and climbed out if bed. Turning the shower knob, she stepped inside, and let the water hit her body. The warm drops felt great after all the worry going on.
Out of the shower, she dried herself off, and headed out the bathroom.
'Grabbed everything I needed? Check.'
Dash made her way to Scootaloo and gave her a light kiss on the forehead, before trotting to the everfree forest.
{•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•}
"Hey, Rainboom."
Soarin said as he walked up to Rainbow with a smile. Rainboom. Soarin has called her 'Rainboom' ever since he met her at the everfree forest once. Rainbow was in her zone as she aimed at a squirrel from afar. Not only was she practicing but she was hunting for her poor family in cloudsdale. Shoot! Nothing. The squirrel scramed right before the arrow can shoot its head. Rainbow sighed as she ventured a little further into the forest until she noticed a trapped dead animal, a squirrel!
'How?- I need it. I need it for them!'
Rainbow climbed up the tree as she made it to the trunk where the dead trapped squirrel was in. She stretched her hoof to unatach it from the trunk until she heard a voice holler, "Stop! Don't do it!"
Rainbow jumped as she looked down to see a light baby blue Pegasus with dark blue hair, Soarin. Of course she hadn't known him yet but he looked a little familiar, plus he looked about the same age.
"Why not?"
"Because...it's a trap. I caught it myself."
"Pretty neat for a youngster like you."
"Hey, I'm 12, okay?"
"I'm 11."
Soarin smirked a little as he looked up to the a bit shy Pegasus, "What's your name?"
"M-my name?"
"Yeah, oh, I'm Soarin."
"I-I'm....Rainbow Dash."
Her voice was barely clear as she said her name confusing Soarin a bit. But it looked like he understood although he heard wrong.
"Well, nice to meet you, Rainboom Dash!"
"It's Rainbow..."
"Oh! Sorry...Rainboom."
"My name isn't Rainboom, Soarin!" Rainbow said with a giggle as Soarin nodded.
"I know! It's just a nickname ya know? Hey, wanna be friends?"
"Sure! I come here in the forest almost everyday! How about you?"
"Same! Hey, nice bow."
"Thanks, m-my dad made it..."
"Oh cool! Can't wait to meet your dad soon."
"You can't..."
Rainbow said as she started climbing down the tree since her left wing had been sprained during one of her stunts.
"Why not?"
"He's....d-dead..."
"Oh...I'm sorry."
"I-it's okay..."
Soarin smiled as he hugged the rainbow maned pegasus. She hugged back letting out only a single tear and smiled.
-
"Celestia, Soarin! I had him."
"What were you going to even do with a deer?"
"I was going to trade it at the hob, ya know. It's the first one I've seen in a year."
"Well, good luck next time."
"Hm."
-
"So, earlier...been getting ready for the reaping?"
"Well, I went to the Hob., traded in some stuff, and brought some food."
"Oh good!"
Soarin half smiled as he pulled out a piece of bread from his pack.
"Happy hunger games."
Rainbow's mouth agaped as she grabbed the piece of bread, opened it, and smelled it. Fresh.
"It's fresh?"
"Mhm."
"This is great!"
"May the odds."
"Be ever in your favor!"
They giggled as Rainbow ate the piece of bread.
"You know..."
"What?"
"We can just...take off into the woods, be free."
"They'd catch us. Who would you even take?"
"Us. Our family...My cousins."
"..."
"..."
"I'm never having kids."
"Hm. Well, what if someday you do? You'd just stand there in the crowds and watch them die?"
"No. That's why I won't have any."
"...Well, I'm gonna go get ready. See you at the reaping, Rainboom, good luck."
"Good luck to you too..."
The reaping. Rainbow got up, packed her things, and made her way to the hob galloping.
{°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°}
"Thank you."
An old mare said as she traded with Rainbow Dash, whom was standing right in front of her stand. Rainbow's eyes casted to the left, looking at a bag full of metal, pins, goodies. Scoots.
The pegasus grabbed a pin, it was golden, shiny. A phoenix was sculpted on the front, holding an arrow. Good luck? Good enough for Scootaloo. She held up the pin.
"How much?"
The old mare shook her head a little with a smile, "Free. You keep it."
Rainbow smiled back, "Thank you."
"Happy Equestria Games.."
"You, too."
With that Rainbow galloped her way to the castle, with her pin on her bag. She was going to get ready with Scootaloo at her side, ready for the Equestria Games.