I would like to thank Beatlesbasketball, Twihardlover4, cktoo, EighthOracle, A, Girl with a name, The Flying Dolphin of Love,To lazy to login (lol), m, and for reviewing. (Sorry if some names didn't come out…)
BTW this story is mainly based on the first book of the Hunger Games. There are references from the first book, but they are changed around a bit…the main events may also be a bit jumbled around, but I tried.
I also found out that Taylor Swift has a song on the Hunger Games Soundtrack called
The Meeting
KPOV (Katniss)
I was now being styled to be presented to the public. The main stylist, Cinna, said that he wanted a look that stood out, something nobody has ever seen before, something that would make people remember me.
Once he was done, I was dressed in black from head to toe. "Cinna, no offense, but I don't see how this is a look that stands out," I told him truthfully.
"Wait until you get out there, sweetie. There's going to be a big surprise." He winked at me and walked off, leaving me with a confused look stuck on my face.
More people came up to me to escort me out to the train. This was when they were going to officially present Peeta and me to the district. Cinna and I started going to the train. We were now at the Capitol—the people who host the Hunger Games. Cinna and I sat down, leaving the train doors open for Peeta and his stylist. We are going to see who our mentor will be before we leave for the ceremony.
PPOV (Peeta)
Portia was working on my outfit diligently. When she was done, I was dressed in a skin tight black suit. All that was there was black material. "Portia, I hate to sound rude, but how is this supposed to make me stand out?"
"Just wait, Peeta. You'll see when you get there." She did some final touches before looking me up and down. "There. All finished. Now let's get out to the train where Katniss and Cinna are waiting."
We walked to the train where I saw Katniss—dressed exactly like me, looking as beautiful as ever—and who I am assuming was Cinna. They nodded to me in greeting as Cinna began to go over the plan. "When you two walk into the ceremony, I want you to hold hands and act as though you are incredibly close. This is going to get you some sponsors for the Games. Also, try to make friends with the other districts, especially District 10. They are the district with the Uniter. If you get on their good side, you can team up and go against the Capitol with them. Together, you might be able to stop the Hunger Games once and for all."
"So, if things go well, there can be more than one winner this year?" Katniss asked. Cinna and Portia just nodded.
CPOV (Chloe)
Valentina was dressing me, the tears never ending. Once she was done, I embraced her tightly, letting her tears drip onto my exposed shoulder. She turned me around to face the full body mirror. Apparently our theme this year is 'cats' since we are the stereotypes of cats, especially me with the whole nine lives thing.
I was wearing a short furry skirt, a blouse with the sleeves cut to the wrist with patches of fur across it. She gave me a diamond necklace with a number "9" charm hanging from it. She gave me a pair of flats with little tuffs of fur on top. They were still comfortable enough for me to run in though. Finally, she put a furry headband in my hair with kitty ears on it. She slid eight rings on my fingers, each with a golden number on it. After deciding a little more, she took off the one and the two that were on my thumbs, resembling my first two lives. Now, on my left hand, there were the rings, four, six, and eight, and on my right were the rings, three, five, and seven. I could see in her eyes that it hurt to take those two rings off. "Valentina, I will be fine. I have a bigger advantage over the others. I have seven lives left. That's seven chances to fight. I can do this."
"Can I be 100 percent honest with you, Chloe?"
I nodded.
"I am not scared for you. I am scared for Alek. I love him like my son, like I love you as my daughter. I know you will do great, but I know how much Alek is in love with you. He will kill anyone who tries to hurt you in that arena. If…something happens to him…it will ultimately hurt you in the end. He is your soul protector, and your soul mate. A part of him lies within you and vice versa."
"What do you mean he is my soul mate? When was this determined?"
Silently, she walked over to a bookcase in the room and pulled out the prophecy she showed me a couple years ago when I fully transformed. "It says so in here. The Uniter's main protection will have an unbreakable bond. If Alek…dies…in the arena, you will lose a life. Each of your lives represents someone close to you. That's why, not long after your father died, the Order stabbed you. It was fate. Then, not long after your mother died, they tossed you off of that building. That was destiny. Al nine of your lives are based on someone close to you. Like if Jasmine, Alek, Brian, Jesse, Amy, Paul, or I die, you will lose a life, or if you lose a life, one of these people will die."
A look of confusion passed over my face. "You know about Amy and Paul?"
She nodded. "I saw you when you first met them. Alek was with me. He approves of it but I do not. I will, however, accept it."
"Thank you, Valentina. I appreciate it, and as a matter of fact, I am going to meet up with them in a few minutes. I have to tell them the news," I said sullenly. "You can do my hair when I come back. It'll only get messed up when I run anyway." I took the kitty ears off my head, placing them on the vanity. I grabbed the trench coat from the chair, wrapped it around my body, hiding my clothes from the public.
"Be back in an hour."
I nodded and ran to the door. I dashed from the building and darted towards the forest surrounding our district. On my way there, I ran into a muscular chest. I looked up to see the gorgeous face of, "Alek."
"Hello, Chloe," he said with that alluring accent. "Going to see the humans?" It seemed as though he didn't like the thought of this at all.
I slowly nodded and said, "I'm sorry if you have a problem with that but their two of my best—"
"Chloe! I'm just messing with you. I don't have any problem with it at all."
I smiled gratefully at him and reached up to kiss his cheek. At the last second, he turned his head so his lips landed on mine. I froze in shock but quickly responded. We were both kissing each other hungrily. Once we pulled apart, I whispered, "Now I really wish we were staying here."
"Me too," he said, kissing me again. We were getting into it when we heard a twig snap in the woods, causing us to break apart and whip our heads in that direction. I could vaguely see Amy poking her head out along with the neck of her guitar and Paul's head slowly emerging next to her. I lightly grasped Alek's hand and brought him towards the woods.
Once we were secluded by the brush of the woods, Amy pounced on me with questions. "How did the reaping go? Are you safe? Who is this boy? Is he the Alek you keep talking about? Are you guys dating?" She was bouncing with excitement by now. I decided to answer her questions in reverse order.
I rested my hands on her shoulders to keep her in place and said, "I don't know if we are dating yet. Yes, this is Alek. He's my main protector. I'm sort of…kind of…safe. Alek and I were chosen in the reaping." I felt Alek's grip tighten around mine with those last two answers.
Amy's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "They're sending off the Uniter?" she asked incredulously as if it was impossible for the Uniter to be sacrificed.
"Actually, I volunteered. My best friend was going to be taken from her mother and I wouldn't be able to live knowing that I could do something, so I took her place. What about you two? How did your reaping go?"
"We're safe but our close friends, Katniss and Peeta were drawn." A loose tear raced down her cheek. Paul brushed it away and pulled her closer. They are a cute couple. "I just can't believe my two best friends and Paul's best friend are going. That means only one friend will come back." Her tears were flowing like a river now and so were mine. We buried our faces into our boyfriends' chests. Hmm, is Alek my boyfriend? He kissed the top of my head and stroked my hair comfortingly.
He tilted my head and lightly placed his lips on mine. When we pulled away, Amy was squealing at us saying how cute we were. "And you're gonna tell me that you aren't dating?"
"Our first kiss happened two minutes ago," I said emotionlessly.
Alek wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. He kissed my neck and whispered, "I think it's safe to say you're my girlfriend." He nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck, his breath sending chills down my spine. I blushed, causing him to smirk against my skin.
"Any new songs, Ames?" I said, eying her guitar, trying to change the subject.
"Yeah, I was going to play it for Kat tonight after the ceremonies, when we say goodbye to tributes from our district. I wanted to run it by you real quick."
I nodded for her to continue as she took her place on a stump nearby. I was excited to hear her sing. She never sang for me before. She started to gently strum the chords. She opened her mouth to sing, revealing a beautiful voice.
I remember tears streaming down your face Just close your eyes Don't you dare look out your Just close your eyes Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, Just close your eyes Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
[ Lyrics from: .com/lyrics/t/taylor_swift/safe_and_ ]
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone
Gone
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound
Ooh, ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh,
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Oohhh.
"Amy, that was beautiful. Katniss will love it." I hugged her again, tears running down my cheeks.
I felt one of Alek's strong arms wrap around my waist as he pulled me away from my human friend. I sent him a questioning glare as he said, "We have to go to the train soon."
We had half an hour left though. I could tell in his voice that it was more urgent than that.
At my disbelieving look, he sighed and said, "I can hear the Order coming. If they see us talking to humans, they're going to kill all of us." The Order is the group of humans who love the idea that humans are separated from the species and vice versa. Any humans seen with a different species will be killed along with the other creatures. Since it is my job to join together the districts, the Order is after me the most. They want to get rid of my nine lives so the districts will remain in solitude.
All of our eyes widened as we began to run in different directions towards our districts. When we were almost through the trees, the Order intercepted our path. "You weren't interacting with our humans, now were you?" the leader asked, slowly and threateningly.