The Capitol Games

The mentor´s assignment

After the reaping, the avox who took my blood guided us to the mansion, where we were supposed to meet our families to say goodbye. There, standing in front of the door, was mine.

"How could you?" Tigris hissed at me, crying.

"I won´t forgive you if you don´t come back, little lady" Effie said, hugging me tight. "Please, come back" she sobbed, and Tigris joined the hug.

"Three minutes, people" my dad said, and they let me go. He took me apart and said "You know what you throw yourself into? Hell. Pure hell. I just hope you don´t get burned. So, having said that," he took a necklace out of his pocket and handed it to me. "It was your mom´s. She used it in the arena as a weapon".

"How can this be a weapon?" I ask, trying to open the locket, and when I do, there´s only a mirror and a picture of him. "This can´t be a weapon".

"Well, the mirror can be very useful and the picture will remind you what you´re fighting for" he said, padding my pink wig, "me. You are fighting to get back to me, because you can´t leave me or Effie alone. We need you, Lulu".

I hug him even more tight than Effie did to me, and I don´t want to let go, but Johana is there to remind us that our time´s up.

"Don´t trust anyone" my father told me, still holding my hand. "Don´t let them get under your skin".

After all the families are out of the mansion, a new group of people gets in, and I can recognize some of them by the news about the rebellion. Thirteen, one for each district.

"As you know, tributes have mentors" Johana explained. "District 13´s mentor is Thom Nighting".

Thereza and Jonathan joins Thom, and Johana continues to name the mentors.

"District 2…" I raised my head, expecting it to be 'almost uncle' Haymitch or my beloved Katniss…even Peeta would be alright, but I realize none of them is here. "Gale Hawthorne".

Katniss´ cousin! So I´m not so lost after all. August and I stand beside Gael, and when the mentor´s assignment is over, he takes up upstairs to a room where there´s a couple of couches and a tea service.

"Welcome to the Capitol Games" he says, while we take a seat and August starts eating cream filled cookies. I give him a daring look, because I swear if I hear 'Capitol Games' once again, I´ll hit someone. "Yeah, I know the situation doesn´t seem so good, specially for both of you coming from famous families, but we can handle it. And hopefully, one of you will leave the arena alive".

Then, he starts telling us the story of the past district two tributes, and I can barely keep myself from crying when he said his name.

"He died with some pried because he wanted to be killed" Gael explained, "so in case you find yourself in that kind of 'non-scape situation', you should do the same. Apparently, that makes the audience love you".

At some point, I surrender to the temptation of eating all the cookies August has left on the plate, because since the rebels took over the Capitol there hasn´t been much food in my belly.

"Tonight, we are going to have dinner with the sponsors, that basically are the influential people of the districts. Katniss, Peeta, Annie, Polux, Johana, Cressida, Plutarch…a lot of people is coming. You should look your best, even if I guess you already do" he laughed, giving me a head to toe look. "The point with this dinner is to give you the opportunity to get as many sponsors as you can, and that is completely up to you, guys".

"Will you be there?" I ask, with my mouth full.

"Of course".

"And do you count as a sponsor?"

"I´m the one who decides when to send the parachutes, if that´s what you mean".

"So first, we have to get you" I said, right after the cookies plate is empty.

"You don´t have to get me, Lullaby, I´m already you ally" and then, he looked at August "I´m an ally for both of you. And I will do whatever I can to get you out of the arena".

"Who will you pick, then? Because there can only be one winner" I muttered, drinking a cup of tea.

"I pick August" Gael said, frowning.

Interesting, so the Katniss-like act doesn´t work with him.

We both look at August, but the kid is too concentrate in his own thoughts to notice us.

"All I know" he said, "is that I want you, Lullaby, as my ally, because you have a really bad temper, and that always helps".

"I do not have a bad temper!" I yelled, but then, I kept my attention fixed on my cup because I just had proven him right.

"If you say so" Gael laughed again, and even August smiled. "Do you have any question, guys?"

"When will we start training?" August asked.

"Tomorrow. First we will have some meetings, parties…nothing you aren´t familiar with. Any other doubt?" He looked at me, and I can swear he sees the engines in my mind working. "Lullaby?"

"How is an arena like?"

"I can´t tell you what´s going to be like this year…." He starts, but I cut him.

"No, I wonder…how is an arena like?"

He stared at me with a question mark all over his face.

"Haven´t you seen 'The Hunger Games' before?" August asks me.

"They scare me to death" I explained. "I´ve lost two of the most important people in my life to the games".

"Then, what the fuck are we going to do with you? August yelled, spilling a bit of tea on the carpet. "You know what? Forget it, I don´t want you as an ally anymore".

I looked at Gale and discovered he was still staring at me. So that´s what gets his attention, the Peeta-alike act.

"I will help you" he said, "I have to. Meet me tonight at this room. I will bring a TV and we´ll watch the games and take notes".

"What about me?" August asked.

"Watch your own back until I finish with her".

With this, our meeting reaches the end, and I can be sure I´m doing exactly what my father told me to do.