_____________ AVERY'S PARADE _____________ Avery breathed deeply, trying to keep his racing heart from jumping out of his chest. Despite his fear, he was fascinated by the beauty the capitol had managed to cook up for their parade. The shadows of his fellow tributes danced on the walls, the lights illuminating their silhouettes with a colorful hue. His eyes lingered on their bright eyes, capturing the dancing glow of their glowsticks as their carriage moved through the dark tunnel. He closed his eyes, trying to breath in every delicate second of this magical moment. Maybe the last bit of magic he'll ever see. But then, he felt something sweep against his shoulders. He opened his eyes to curtains draping his shoulders, before his carriage pulled through the scarlet fabric and he gasped. The street was lit up with light. No, not just light, Avery thought. Holograms. The crowd cheered as he paraded through the streets, and light danced in his eyes as he watched the avatars bound up to the chariots, begging for attention. Avery breathed in and out, standing up a little straighter as he felt weight lift off his shoulders. He threw smiles to the screaming crowd, shyly at first, until he was beaming happily at as many holograms as he could. He stood up, his extravagant costume falling like water over the edge. the thousands of tiny crystals captured the light, sending flickering shadows across the streets. He spun in a slow circle, the peacock-like tail sweeping majestically behind him. He smiled and sat down, his oversized headpiece jangling on his head. He decided not to make any more showy moves after he caught a few glances from the other tributes. He didn't want to seem like a poser. Then, Avery felt eyes on his back. He looked over his shoulder to see a cat wearing a crest atop their head, their pencil moving seemingly at the speed of light as they scribbled into a notepad. He hoped the tributes' show was pleasing. As he saw the curtains approaching, Avery decided that now was the time. His stylist had made his amazing costume with a special feature in mind, and now, he knew, was the time to use it. The curtains inched closer, and Avery stood up, one last time in front of the crowd. He raised his head, and his extravagant tail fanned out behind him, revealing a dazzling array of crystals and color capturing tiny fragments of light in their midst. The crowd went mad. Avery smiled wholeheartedly one last time, trying to savor every last moment of being loved so candidly. Then the curtains swept his back, and the parade was over. As the lights dimmed around him and he hopped tiredly out of his carriage, all he could hope was that his performance had been pleasing. That was not a short excerpt, I'm so sorry! Art: Story:
I hope you like the costume! Sorry if the art is a little sloppy, I wasn't in a good art mood and feathers are HARD!
