As it Was | Hange x Reader

Chapter 8: The Ceremony

"Are you sure?" Pieck stared at (Y/N) with wide eyes, surprise evident in her facial features.

"Yes," (Y/N) smiled. The time had come for her to choose her team. Every Brain Games participant was allowed a team of 2 members that would help them with their research project. And now that she had been selected...well, she had to start preparing. Pieck had been extremely excited when (Y/N) had told her about her acceptance email. And now, she was asking Pieck to be part of her research team.

"You're a hundred percent serious?" Pieck gaped. "You want me to help you with your project?"

"Of course. You're smart, and my friend," (Y/N) mentioned. Sasha and Mikasa didn't have the same major as her, therefore they wouldn't have been able to assist her. But Pieck. Pieck was studying the same exact thing.

"I—(Y/N)," Pieck blinked. "Of course! Of course, I'd be more than happy to help, if you're willing to have me!"

"Great, that settles it!" (Y/N) beamed. "You could always ask Yelena if she'd like to join us too—I know you two are close, and she'll get a chance to still be on the Brain Games."

"Thanks," Pieck said softly. "Really, (Y/N), thank you. I know Yelena is going to be ecstatic when she hears this."

The tall blonde...being ecstatic over anything? That sounded like a reach. But still, she was happy to know that her new friends seemed to be excited being part of her team. Now that she had established her partners, all she had to do now was attend the selection event that would be thrown for all the participants. Luckily, it was only a two-hour drive there. She would have to arrive at 9 am, her team and sponsor in tow.

Her sponsor. Dr. Shadis. She still had to tell him! At the thought of telling him the good news, (Y/N) felt her heart rate pick up. He would be proud. Despite his rough exterior, she knew deep down that Dr. Shadis would be proud of her. Unlike a different man she knew.

So, what if you got accepted? You still have to win. This means nothing.

You shouldn't have asked Pieck and Yelena to be on your team. They're not smart enough.

Do you really think you're good enough to win the Brain Games? Out of hundreds of participants, you really think you got a chance?

(Y/N) let out a sigh. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed as if she would be plagued by her father's voice for the rest of her life. It had been almost four years since she had last seen him. The same amount of time she'd gone by without seeing Hange. Slowly, her excitement began to ebb away, being replaced by nostalgia and hurt.

She was doing it to herself again. Letting herself get all caught up over nothing. (Y/N) straightened in her seat, trying to pay attention to what Pieck had been saying. She needed to stop catastrophizing. She needed to focus. The thoughts could wait. Right now, she would chance after her dream.

--

The ceremony for the brain game participants was bigger than (Y/N) had anticipated. She, along with Pieck and Yelena, had taken the train to head up to the building the ceremony would be taking place. Dr. Shadis had stated he'd join them at the location (yes, he had been incredibly proud of (Y/N) when she had told him the news). The building had two news vans parked outside, and she spotted at least one cameraman filming a well-dressed woman speak and gesture to the building. The building itself was full of participants and their teams, the air buzzing with excitement and energy. The actual ceremony would involve a guest speaking going over the details of the Brain Games, along with saying every single name of the participant.

(Y/N) was stoked. She was buzzing with excitement. Her phone was also buzzing with texts from Sasha every five minutes. Everything felt more real at the ceremony. She was going to participate in a very well-known competition. She couldn't believe it.