Here we go again.
Yao's expression was one of despair, I could easily see him trying to withstand tears. I tried to open my mouth but I couldn't. I could only watch as the brown haired boy walked solemnly up to where I stood.
I'm sorry. I mouth as he comes near, the look in his eyes says I am forgiven, but I could never forgive myself. How can I? I had just put the only person I liked in jeopardy.
Yao holds strong as the camera screen shoots us both, before some Peacekeepers, god forsaken peacekeepers, take us away.
Soon enough I'm shoved into one of the nicest rooms I've ever been in.
It had silk carpets and a small chair with a velvet cushion in it, I know silk and velvet because my mother was wearing a silk shirt with velvet lining the last time I saw her, the day she died.
It's not like I have many loved ones to say Syonara to, maybe Kuro will show up? I doubt it, but the door makes me jump as it opens.
"Listen Chrysanthemum, sorry that you got called." It was Kuro, one of the few others who knew our family's language, and my name's meaning, Chrysanthemum, why Mother picked it, I'll never know, maybe I can ask her, once I'm gone that is.
"Oh, you are?" His name means light, and as of now I can't think of a more appropriate name. I look down. "Why do you care?"
I nearly have a heart attack as arms wrap around me.
"Because like it or not, we're still family." I look up into his face and am shocked when I discover he's smiling. Kuro only smiles at someone if he's pitying them, but this... this is a genuine smile.
"Hai, we are." I look at him for a minute.
Kuro takes a small silver pin from his collar. It was a beautiful Chrysanthemum, blossoming with life, there was a sun behind it, seeming to make the Chrysanthemum glow.
"Wear this will you?" He asks, putting the pin in my Palm and closing my fingers around it.
"Hai, if you keep the language going?" I make a final request.
"Without a doubt." He replies, nodding. When the peacekeeper signals that our time is up, he looks at me a final time. "Watashi wa, anata o aishiteimasu Cuz."
I know the words, he said 'I love you.' He's probably going to get himself killed for saying that.
I refuse to let myself cry. There are cameras again, here at the train station.
I walk onto the train, barely catching my face in the television up on the wall, I look unamused. Thank god.
As the train's doors close behind Yao, we're each shown to our rooms. Alone, I sink to the ground and cry silently, my body wracked with sobs, I blink and straighten up, after taking a shower, I don a white shirt and pants, at the bottom of the pant legs is a gold ring, there are two rings around the bottom of the sleeves of the shirt, and the ring farthest from my hand has a golden diamond, the are six buttons on the shirt, and soon enough Mitchell comes in to tell me it's time for dinner.
When I arrive at the table Misaki and Yao are already there, Mitchell sits down after me.
Yao gives me a polite nod, as the food comes out, we both dig in, living in the poorer part of our District, we had never had such good food.
As the T.V. flicks on our eyes are instantly trained on it.
I watch as District 10's Reaping appears on the screen, we've missed our's, thank god. I watch as small boy is shoved onto the stage, feeling slight pity, before I shudder as a platinum blonde walks up, she has a cute blue dress and white apron, and a small little bow on the top of her head. She looks... happy.
The girl has a cute smile on her face as she shakes the nervous boy's hand. I shiver, feeling sympathy for the poor boy once more. I can easily tell that girl is competition, bad competition.
Soon enough I'm back in my room, and I spot a small silver glint on the dresser, I go to look at it, and I smile softly as I see the pin Kuro had given me. I grab it, and pin it onto my collar, where Kuro had it before.
The train stops, picking up the next tributes I bet. I realize I had left my door open, as I turn around I see the platinum blonde walk past, she glances my way, our eyes lock for a second, and I see a look of cold glee in their icy depths.
Once she's out of site I walk to my door and slam it shut. Once I hear the click I bang my head on the brown planks, yes closed, I bite my lip until I taste blood, I didn't want to be here. I didn't want Yao to be here.
And I sure as hell didn't want to face little Miss DeathGaze over there.
I start walking around my room as I watch the sun set, then I lay on the bed, it's softness instantly lulling me into a calm quiet sleep.
The next day I am sitting at the breakfast table and talking to Yao and Misaki, Misaki is looking at me with a harshness, she is lucky, living up there in the better part of our District. I know she still likes me, we're family.
So, lucky me, my link to sponsors, the difference between my life and death, is my aunt.
We're having pancakes for dinner, a luxury I've only had once, when my mother brought it home from work, it is wonderfully good, and by the time Yao and I are finished, it's easy to see that we're stuffed.
"I'll leave you three to bond!" Mitchell gives us a flashy smile and exits, what goes through his mind, I will never know.
"Listen, I know you can both fight, I've taught the two of you at different points in your lives, now, hand to hand combat won't get you far. Knives and bows will."
As the train halts Misaki spares us a small smile.
"Good luck, I'll leave you to the stylists." She leaves without looking back.
Yao and I are split apart as we go to the different stylists, my prep team does little work, and soon the stylist comes in, she has long honey gold hair, a small amount of baby blue eyeliner that really brings out her aqua eyes, and pale skin.
"Hello." She says in a voice so silky soft that you'd never expect it to come from a person in the Capitol.
"So, technology, hm." She observes my clothes off to the side. "I think what you're wearing now will be just fine!" She pauses. "Forgive me, my name is Acenia."
I watch as Acenia just gets me back in my original clothing, thanking myself for a somewhat normal stylist.
"My partner Ayano was tasked with styling your friend Yao, and I'm sure she feels the same, we just want to capture you for you, none of that flashy stuff."
Maybe less sponsors, but I can roll with this.
And I'm taken out to the ceremony.
On the chariot Yao and I hold hands, as that's all my personal space can stand, I put on a winning smile, trying not to die, our horses are white, spray painted silver and blue with all sorts of lines resembling a circuit board, and I can here people calling out our names, they actually like the people they see, looking at the T.V, I'm surprised to say we look amazing, my white outfit glowing and illuminating my face in the sunlight, and Yao's red kimono flashing a rosy hue, we provide the perfect contact to each other. Hopefully at least one sponsor will take us on.
Someone throws a Chrysanthemum at me, and I gasp, picking it up and clutching it to my chest with my free hand, I vaguely wonder what's going on at home.
Is Kuro all right? What about Akemi? I do care about him, even if I was slightly cruel.
As the Twelve Chariots circle the city circle I sigh, maybe everything will be all right, maybe, just maybe, I will end up alive, and maybe Yao will too.
As I watch the sun set, and clutch the Chrysanthemum to my chest a faint silver glow from my collar gives me hope.
Maybe, just maybe it'll be all right.
Will it though? I hope so.
We'll find out, won't we!
