Chapter 3-The capitol, the competition and The Parade
Cato's POV
Once outside camera's instantly start flashing at us, all wanting a picture of the tributes from District 2. Clove and I smile menacingly, may as well let everyone know we're not to be messed with. Enobaria comes up behind us and smiles calmly; doubling the amount of photos taken.
"Miss Clove! Miss Enobaria! Do you really think they'll be a winner from two this year?"
"My dear reporters, I don't think, I know." Says Enobaria with a small smile showing off her deadly, sharpened, golden teeth and guides both of us toward the building in which we will be saying, dismissing all questions directed at us with "Wait for the interviews." Once in the lobby peacekeepers come and dismiss the reporters, slamming the doors behind us allowing us to walk to the elevator in peace. Enobaria practically pushes us into the elevator and our escort quickly pushes the number 2 button. There are 13 floors in this building, including the ground floor. The floors each represent each district, district 1 lives on the district 1 floor, we live on the second floor, all the way up to 12, and then there's the roof, though no-one really ever goes there though I've hard stories about tributes, usually from poorer districts, trying to jump off unable to wait for their death though there's a force field which throws them back.
The elevator doors open and we're immediately met by a room which is everything like any other capitol house, except the wall, the walls are a bland grey, the exact same shade as our training room back home.
"No doubt you recognise the wall colour. Even in this apartment of luxury you must remember that this is no holiday, you will go into that arena and you will kill. Should you forget this all furniture will be replaced with that of back home in our training centre, Understood?"
Both Clove and I nod, this is no time to forget whilst we're here. "How much longer."
"Two hours, then the competition will be shown. Go wash, redress and return for dinner. Afterwards the television will be shown and your opponents will be shown. Now go."
Clove's POV
At Enobaria's words I quickly go off to my room, like the main room, the walls here are also a bland grey; it's as if we never left. I quickly pull of my clothes and step into a scalding hot shower; I need to make sure I'm fully awake when I see my competition.
After what feels like half an hour I step out and dress, pulling my hair back up into a high ponytail and then place my hand against the wall. Instantly hot air is blown up from the floor, drying me completely and stopping my hair from dripping down my back. I step out of my room and go back down the hall where Enobaria is already waiting, as is Cato, our escort is nowhere to be seen, probably out seeing friend or something stupid.
We eat in silence and then go to the sofa where we turn on the television and wait. 40 minutes until the reaping recaps.
Time seems to stand still and Cato and I glare menacingly at the television, as if commanding it to show us who we have to kill, who we have to finish and destroy.
A notebook is chucked at the pair of us, looking down I see it already has headings along the top:
1-Potential allies, 2-Weaklings/Bloodbath, 3-Threats.
"Pay attention and write under the headings. No excuses."
3, 2, 1.
"Hello everybody! This is Ceasar Flickerman here and I am proud to announce that all of this year's tributes have now been picked! This is now the 74th Hunger Games and I am so, so happy to announce that we are about to show the recaps of all of the reapings! So, without further ado, let us begin!" The screen shifts and the caption 'District one' Flashes across the bottom.
The girl tributes name is Glimmer; she is wearing an extravagant dress and has long, gorgeous, shiny blonde hair flowing down her back. Even though she looks like an idiot, she's from district one… so I list her under 'potential allies'. I do the same for the boy, Marvel, he seems no way near as threatening as Cato but I know he'll be useful, besides, there's always a career pack and its tradition for one and two to stick together, for a while at least.
Then district two comes up, I hate to admit that I look like a complete idiot when I don't respond to my own name being called though, as I suspected, my comment about 'not needing to pay attention' seems to convince everyone (or at least the commentators) that I shouldn't be underestimated. When Cato comes up I can't help but realise that even though I've only seen 2 other tributes, we're probably going to be the most terrifying, both of us look out at the crowd with the exact same 'don't mess with us' look, which we know everyone will recognise.
The two from district three look like the usual brainiacs, no surprise there but other than that nothing seems special about them, both of them I list under bloodbath.
I pay attention for four, they usually are the other career district, and I see Cato seem to 'switch on' a bit more as well, though I can't help but admit I'm disappointed. The girl at least seems to know what she's doing but the boy seems as though he's going to be hopeless. I'm pretty sure those from district four don't actually train for the games like our district and district one do
After that I don't seem to pay too much attention, now that the career districts have passed. There are a couple of sneaky looking people, a girl from five whose name I pay no attention to, and a 12 year old from 11. The boy from 11 is the only other person I properly pay attention to. He's tall, dark, and incredibly muscly, I instantly write 'Boy-11' on my allies list.
Then 12 comes on, thank god, I'm glad it's nearly over. I hear the escort, who truly looks like a typical Capitol moron, calmly clear her throat and speak the name 'Primrose…' something. People seem to look uneasy so I quickly smirk, it must be a 12 year old to get that reaction. I go to write down '12-girl' on bloodbath, when I hear the words 'I volunteer!' emitting from the screen. A volunteer… from 12? I look to Enobaria and see she too has leaned forward slightly. A slightly shocked looking dark haired girl, probably 16 or 17, I don't know, walks up to the stage, a long braid going down her back and over her shoulder.
"And what's your name dear?"
"K-Katniss. Katniss Everdeen."
"Oh so you were that little girls sister?"
"Yes."
Ah. So that's why she volunteered. Though to be honest, it doesn't matter, she's a 12 for pity's sake, either way she's doomed.
The Boy then comes on, P… something, whatever he's a 12 so he's going to be a bloodbath of course. To be honest it was stupid that the Katniss girl volunteered, her sister will probably only get reaped in a few more years anyway 'Oh it's the girl whose sister volunteered for her and then died in the bloodbath!' That would interest people I suppose. Oh well, her death was only postponed.
Enobaria quickly flicks off the television and makes us go through our lists together. Cato has roughly the same as me yet Enobaria is a little different. She has Thresh under 'Threats' instead of Allies.
"Huh? Why's he a threat?"
"Firstly… everyone is a threat, but he is a threat because I will be highly surprised if he allies with you, districts 10 through to 12 never like to mix with careers simply due to their foolish pride. He is a threat and you must make him a target, though you should try to form an alliance with him if possible. Now go to bed, tomorrow is the parade and your prep team will be preparing you throughout the whole of tomorrow."
Shit. A whole day with the prep teams… I've heard from previous victors what it's like there. Living hell. No complaining, it'll only become worse, no sounds of protest are to be heard whatsoever. Great… I look to Cato with a look of dread and he simply looks back as if in pain at the mere idea. Against a man twice his side equipped with a sword he is fearless, yet go towards him with a make-up back and you'll be lucky if he stays long enough for you to even open it.
Cato's POV
"Ah!" Goddamit, what is it with this prep team and stripping nearly every unwanted hair from my body. What was wrong with my eyebrows for goodness sake? And then there's the make-up, why, why must I wear makeup? Firstly, I'm a guy. Get it? Boy, Man, Bloke, person of the male goddam gender for goodness sake. I volunteered to kill some tributes and gain honour for my district not to be all made and dressed up like a little girl's toy doll!
"Oh he looks marvellous!"
"Doesn't he?" Oh yeah? Guess what, he doesn't care!
"Oh he's coming! Shush ladies!" And then I hear it. The gentle footsteps coming closer, and closer, and then he comes in. My eyes widen in what I have to say is shock, how can anyone dress like… like that! He's wearing a shining orange suit with a glittering silver belt, with flashing lights (seriously?), and jet black ankle high boots which are hidden slightly below his vibrant trousers. He pushes his hand through his shining blonde hair, sorry, wig, and then gives a winning smile to my prep team who practically feint. Pathetic.
"So… You're Cato from District 2."
"Indeed." Any other tributes in here?
"Well then Cato, I will be your stylist throughout these games, my name is Iruck." Iruck… wha-?
"Nice to meet you…" Not, forcing myself to not speak sarcastically may be the death of me at this rate. He looks me over calmly, my prep team standing back and giggling insanely throughout, dumb capitolites. After around 5 minutes he finally announces it's time to see my outfit for the Parade.
He leaves the room for about a minute then comes back with a jet black bag hanging from a coat hanger. He quickly unzips it and shows me what I'll be wearing, and I have to admit I'm impressed. It reminds me of a gladiator's, no, a god's, war outfit. It's a mixture of gold and bronze, with a gleaming helmet with wings coming from either side. Hmm… this could be interesting.
Clove comes towards me wearing a menacing smile upon her lips. She too is dressed like me, like a warrior, as if nothing can touch us and the other tributes know it. I look around determinedly, as instructed, though I would have done anyway, and see others looking at me in fear, as they should. I continue looking around, I sigh at district 7, shame they don't look like trees, and it would have been nice to have a decent reason to laugh at them. Yet, when I spot district 12 and get slightly confused. They're matching, but they're not wearing anything that looks like something to resemble coal, except that its black, what's going on? I see them listening intently to one of their stylists, he looks surprisingly normal, except for his eye liner and earring. Oh well, its district 12, it won't be anything exciting.
"Cato."
"Clove."
"Let's do this then shall we?" I smirk at her and help her up onto the chariot, before clambering up myself. The huge doors open, lights shine upon us, and district one, covered in glitter, is pulled out by its own marvellous horses.
5. 4. 3. 2. 1. We're off.
Immediately both our ears are met with cheers and shouts and Clove and I simply look ahead proudly a triumphant smile on both of our faces as if we've already won. Already I hear people shouting and calling our names and then I hear more names, district 3 and 4 must be out by now. Most of the districts are out now, riding towards the balcony where the president sits, waiting to address all of Panem. We pull in by district 1 and then we hear it. The screams, the shouts, all calling for 12. Wait… 12?! Instantly I spin around, Clove too, and then we see it. A ball of fire as district 12 comes out, being pulled elegantly by their horses, their suits ablaze. I look to the screens and see that their attention is focused solely on the boy and girl as well. And then, to top it all, they clasp their hands together and hold them high above their heads, their faces looking straight ahead, ignoring all the shouts and cheers as if they're above them all. It's as though my world has gone upside down, they should be cheering us like that, and not these… these district 12 bastards!
I grab Clove's arm and turn her around, no point showing everyone we're annoyed whilst potential sponsors are watching. Clove opens her mouth but I grip her arm tighter to shut her up. Right now I feel like if I speak I'll simply start shouting and the games will start right here, right now, and will be unable to wait for that arena.
The president gives his speech, and we're being pulled back, back to our stylists, back to where we can be taken to our own floor where both of us can finally let our emotions out.
"I'm going to kill her!" Clove storms in and instantly punches one of the chairs, causing it to collapse in a heap as a mere pile of wood.
"Did you know about this Enobaria?!" I shout, instantly finding her by the television. She seems furious too, her nails stuffed with what she must have scratches away from the sofa in her fury.
"Of course I didn't know. Bastards… stealing the spotlight like that!"
Hmph, so now I don't even have a reason to be mad at her, though Clove apparently does. "Well you're the goddam mentor! You should find out these things! We should have been the ones they were shouting for-"
"YOU WERE!"
"Only until those twats came out! I'll kill them! I will bloody kill them!" She storms off to her room and I quickly follow her, my own blood boiling with rage. How dare they take the stage and make everyone forget about us. Bastards!
I walk into her room and find Clove already punching her pillow silly when she sees me she instantly breaks down in tears. I look at her shocked, all my anger forgotten. "C-Clove?"
"We're doomed! They'll get all the sponsors and we won't get anything and in the arena what if we g-get poisoned or bitten of the gamemakers do something and without sponsors we won't get medicine to help us because 12 will have all the mentors and-"
Instinctively I wrap my arms around her, protecting her, like a friend would, like a brother would, instantly silencing her quickened speech. "Calm down… we'll get sponsors; they won't live long enough to get any"
"R-Really?"
"I promise Clove."
"They're dead… we'll kill them. Right?"
"Right." I pull back and hold out my hand to her and we shake, confirming our deal, confirming district 12's downfall. I smile at her, a matching, menacing look plastered on both of our faces as we know what we're going to do. I get up, and go, smirking, and it's only when I close the door that I realise… something…
I just hugged Clove, and I've never hugged her before, but… it felt right. Pushing the thought out of my mind, I quickly make my way to my own room, thoughts of how I am going to demolish 12 lingering in my wake.
Watch out district 12, you don't have long left to live.
Okay yeah so so soooo sorry that I didn't put this up for ages, my teachers at school decided to pull an 'essay week' on me so i've literally been working so hard just to get all my work done and barely had time to do any fanfiction writing. Sorry to keep you waiting, and hopefully I should be able to update more frequently, or at least every weekend :D Okay so i hope you enjoyed it and now I'm going to work on chapter 4.
Thanks for reading! And thanks to 'AnItalianDuck' for reviewing before, keep up the reviews guys! love you all ^_^ xx
