Hearst's Parade D7 | All That Glitters

Instructions

The gleaming of the carriage sang a sickly sort of pricelessness. Blinding gold and silver, like twirling white flowers in a field of dull orange. Diamonds as he'd never seen before embedded in deep russet-swirled mahogany. A extravagant vanity table studded with treasures from the Seven Seas, worth more than a simple District Seven cat like Hearst could ever afford. The sundown-hued tom scoffed as a glittering green garment fell over his shoulders as if he were some sort of statue. /A million cats would die to wear clothes like yours!/ they had said. /We'll dress and drape you with treasures!/ Hah! Treasures? Where? In all his life, Hearst only knew one treasure, and all these jewels could never, ever compare to Hearst's greatest treasure of all- the one he'd lost so foolishly, so clumsily, before his reaping, before the Capitol, before it all. A treasure he stored in the deepest depths of his abyssal heart, conjured by only the singular ray of blinding light in his life. Clover. Clover, who shone brighter than all that glittered in the room with a smile like the sun and eyes that carried the clear blue skies. Clover, Clover, Clover. /His/ Clover. "Clover..." Hearst mumbled resignedly to himself as a rose-touched brooch drew blood after finding itself shoved roughly driven into the bulky cat's chest fur. The pain he felt was nothing compared to his ex-girlfriend's vicious words when they'd parted ways a day before the reaping. "Clover..." Hearst repeated, burning her name into his memory as a white velvet sash was draped along his back. He tucked a rolled piece of tea-stained paper into the pocket of the sash and smiled nostalgically, remembering the words on the page; his first precious love letter to her and a irreplaceable confession. "You must not want to see me right now. But all I want is to see you." She must've been so beautiful just about right now. Star-touched, moon-spun, sun-blessed, dressed in silks and satins and fabrics he could never afford to buy her back in their courtship days. Looking back, there were only two things Hearst bought that he'd deemed worthy of such a radiant being as Clover herself. One of the things was of a more material value: a near-wilted rose encased in a mahogany box he'd stolen from the marketplace, of great penultimance. The most valuable thing was Hearst's very own heart, which she'd coveted for herself the day they met. And while Hearst of District Seven had always known himself as a simple tom, he suddenly felt inclined to give himself all away. Usually, if there was nothing to gain, there was nothing to lose. The russet-painted cat never minded his inability to enjoy such lavish treasures. Never the big things, only the simple gifts he could afford, like a penny-sized ember of wood that formed his necklace. That was all before he met Clover. For his beloved, he'd give her everything; he'd lay down it all. All the glitter in the world- his skin, his soul, his life. The moment he'd inscribed their names on his necklace, he'd sold his heart to her without a chance of refund. Truly, he'd die if she did. And now, they were both here in the Hunger Games, which meant, by that logic, Hearst was already died, like how he'd already died the day she broke up with him. As the tributes lined themselves up, or found themselves shoved into line like soldiers into their positions, Hearst caught Clover's eye and something in his veins flickered. It was as if all the gold, silver, and diamond coalesced into one glittering being before him. /Beautiful/, he wanted to say. /The most beautiful in the whole wide world./ But before Hearst could say the word, it was time. --- The heavy, sparkling garments sank down against his pelt as he stepped onto the District Seven carriage. Hearst couldn't look at Clover. He just couldn't. If he did, he'd lose track of the present moment and faint from her gleaming. From the back of the cheering crowd to the wealthy-looking Capitol cats surveying the aisle from the front, the ghost of a dauntless, impenetrable shield nipped at his throat. Why did these /shallow/ cats matter? They weren't his beloved. Ah, Hearst couldn't wait for this to be over. He sighed, then closed his eyes. Then, he did what any simple tom would do. Hearst imagined all the faces in the crowd as Clover- a million dearly beloved Clovers he would win over for the first time. So when his eyes opened, the russet cat's resigned face transformed into a handsome smile under the most charming of personas. "From District Seven!" he exclaimed, winking at the cheering crowd. From within his cotton-lined cloak, he pulled out a neat bundle of jeweled roses, blowing them in the air and watching them cascade down like confetti. A glittering green fog materialized in the air as he twirled his cloak with ease. "Remember my name- Hearst- here to steal your heart and leave you shouting my praise!" [ cont.]