The Reaping Concludes: Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny are District 12's Tributes

A cloud of smoke with various limbs, weapons, and expletives cleverly censored out using "$", "#" and of course "*" flew out for several seconds after a skirmish between the Peacekeepers and Daffy Duck took place.

This morning's annual Reaping was suspected to be like any other, except this year the district saw its first volunteer tribute in several decades. Daffy Duck yelled his volunteer declaration through a megaphone, which was not permitted to be on grounds, and looked enough like a gun that he was tackled immediately. Following the events of the kerfuffle, as an on-the-floor spokesperson for TNR, I was able to catch a ride to the Capitol with the tribute Daffy Duck and his far more noteworthy co-tribute Bugs Bunny, and hear them out before the games began.

The first thing you notice about Daffy Duck is that he is not especially brave, more than he is impulsive and quick to anger. When Porky Pig's name was called first, all eyes were on him. He was dressed the same as always, like a British schoolboy with short shorts and a bandana around his neck. He had an easel set up and was finger painting a butterfly fluttering near him. The way Daffy saw it, Porky's innocence was not deserving of the leading man's role, and had to claim the role of being tribute for himself. He also commented, "That naive pig would've been stuffed in the face with an apple and spitroasted over a fire the second he stepped foot in that arena. Now, get back to fanning me with your little notebook and keep calling me brave.” I shared that with Porky, who informed me Daffy succeeded in injuring Porky on such a frequent basis, that he was relieved Daffy and him will never share common ground again and that Daffy would be slaughtered.

Bugs Bunny on the other hand, is incredibly charismatic and makes Daffy's lunacy tolerable and perhaps even affable. I watched Bugs bond with their shared mentor Yosemite Sam, a rough-around-the-edges, also quick to anger, alcoholic. Bugs asked simple questions about survival, and when Yosemite failed to answer, Daffy stuck a knife in a mahogany table in an attempt to maim him. Yosemite spit up moonshine onto Daffy and set him on fire while telling Bugs that the only way to survive is by having the tools to do so, and to get those tools from people who liked him. The train pulled up to the Capitol, Bugs fluttered his eyelids, and kissed the window between him and the crowd, immediately winning them over. He gestured for Daffy to do the same, he didn't. With the two standing next to each other, Bugs Bunny and the duck on fire, District 12 did not look so hopeless after all.

District 12 has long been the underdog in these games, and with Careers from the richer districts featuring apex predators such as Tasmanian Devil and Elmer Fudd, 12's humble tributes are an idiot's idea of a worthy match. Despite Daffy being a fiery wildcard and Bugs seemingly only bringing likeability to the table, the unlikeliness of these two tributes feels different, and somewhat hopeful. That's all, folks!