Tully stood slightly off to the side, away from the other tributes that milled about, talking in loud, excited voices. He wasn't excited and he didn't want to make any friends. Making friends was the last thing he wanted to do, considering where all of them would end up. So he leaned against the wall, eyes half-closed, waiting until he actually had to do something to, well, do something. There was no use in getting nervous.

"Pretty good costumes, huh?"

He opened his eyes to see his district partner, Livia, standing in front of him.

He shrugged. They were adequate, he supposed, but clothes had never been an important part of his life, and they were certainly the least of his worries at the moment. Whatever their stylist wanted to do was fine with him. He was glad that Livia was happy with them, since girls seemed to spend a lot more time on their appearance, but other than that, he could've cared less.

"Oh, come on," she said. "Don't tell me you're not at least a little bit happy about them."

"I won't," Tully said. He closed his eyes again.

"They're gorgeous," she gushed. "I mean, where on earth did Portia find black diamonds, of all things. I tell you, it's genius. All those other years our tributes have been dressed in those awful coal miner costumes, stuff like that, but this year, everyone will remember us." She giggled a little and Tully heard the slight swish of her costume as she walked off.

He shifted uncomfortably.

Underneath all of Livia's gushing and giggling, there was something else.

He couldn't put a finger on it, but it made him wary. Unsure.

Probably the type to go wild when the gong sounds.

Not that it mattered to him. In fact, if anyone was going to win, he'd want it to be her, since her winning would mean food and riches for District 12 for an entire year. He had no illusions about his chances of winning. They were nothing. Neither he nor Livia had a mentor, which meant getting sponsors would be next to impossible. Well, Livia was certainly pretty enough to grab one or two but him? Wasn't happening. Who in their right mind would sponsor someone like him?

A voice called out across the holding pen. "Two minutes, tributes!"

Tully opened his eyes and saw all the other tributes hopping into their chariots, making sure their costumes weren't caught in the spokes or underneath the main body, and steadying themselves for what would literally be the ride of a lifetime. He pushed himself off the wall he leaned against and sauntered over to his and Livia's chariot. Portia was already there, gesturing wildly with her hand to get them in line.

With a little hop, both of them were up and steadied in the chariot.

"Smiles," Portia reminded them. "They'll love you."

The gates burst open and District 1's chariot slid neatly out, followed closely by 2, 3, and so on. Tully tensed up ever so slightly, and gripped the side of his chariot. He saw District 6's chariot leaving out of the corner of his eye, only it wasn't really a chariot. There were no horses, and the chariot was hovering slightly above the ground, and it was only when he remembered that District 6 was transportation that he understood.

Then their chariot started moving.

He took a deep breath and waited for the light that would burst upon them.

:::::

At the head of the parade, Hitch felt fabulous.

His costume was a bit stiff, owing to the amount of jewels that his stylist had fastened on the front – it was literally dripping with the gems – but other than that, it was one of the best moments of his life. The screams from the crowd, the bright lights on either side of the chariot runway, and the heady scents and smells breaking through the air all combined to give him an unforgettable experience.

Gigantic screens showed the tribute's progress, and even though he was in the very front, he could see all the others come out one by one. District 2 was impressive enough, dressed in a shimmering fabric that resembled granite, with headpieces of what looked like tooled rock. Right behind them, District 3 sparkled with costumes that appeared to be made entirely out of wires, meshed together tastefully.

Hitch was distracted from the next few by the pulsating anthem and increased screaming of the crowd as more and more tributes joined the parade. He closed his eyes for just a moment, to drink the occasion in with his other senses and emerged with a grin on his face. No matter what came afterwards, this moment was worth it.

He was finally someone in the world of Panem.

:::::

Right before the parade, Dietrich's stylist had explained to him that, while he would only be wearing a simple black tunic, his chariot would be the real tour de force. "District 6 is all about transportation," she'd said. "Why dress you up in some ridiculous costume, when we can transform the vehicle you'll be riding in? It'll add a nice touch of rebellion, since I don't believe something like this has ever been done before."

How appropriate.

Dietrich was sure that his mentor, Shaft, had told the stylist that the angle he'd be playing up this time was 'the rebel', but it was still ironic. A hovercraft chariot instead of horse-drawn might not be the boldest statement against the Capitol, but it heartened Dietrich anyway. And ever since he'd arrived in the Capitol, the slightest bit of rebellious encouragement had boosted his spirits in the way nothing else could.

Now, in the parade, the shouts of the crowd reached a feverish pitch as his chariot came into view.

Good. They'll be watching me more closely now.

Hopefully, 'they' would include the districts as well.