Chapter 4 : Unexpected Faces

It was the next day before the trains were finally arriving in Germany. All the tributes were awoken by their escorts and told to prepare to go inside and be in possession of their token that they would be taking with them into the arena. It wasn't long before the tributes were hustled out after breakfast and into the prep area where they were surrendered to their prep teams so they could get them ready. It wasn't long before the sounds of gasps of pain and discomfort were being heard.

"I think you took off a whole bleeding layer of skin, lady!" Sophia snapped at one of her prep team members. She hadn't been introduced with them quite yet to be able to call them by name. All she knew was the removal of that wax strip hurt like no other. She had to remain laying down but this prepping felt more like torture.

"I'm sorry but it has to be done." The woman told her with a kind voice. "If it's any consolation, my name is Katerina." She told Sophia kindly. Katerina had violent pink hair but soft blue eyes, almost the color of the sky at midday. "Now, this next one is going to hurt but after it, we only have one more to go so I'll try to go fast." Katerina told Sophia honestly before she pulled one off and quickly did the other. "All done."

Sophia nodded. She had been completely stripped of the hair on her arms, legs, torso, underarms, and parts of her eyebrows. She didn't think that she had much hair but apparently she had enough for them to rip off. "So, is this everything?" Sophia asked. Her skin was red from the irritation of the waxing.

"Almost. Isis will be taking you back to your bath to soothe your skin and William will be helping us to finish getting you ready so that you can meet your stylist." Katerina told her and gave an encouraging smile. "Nobody will be able to recognize you when she gets done with you. You'll look completely like a new creature."

Sophia frowned a little. "That's what I'm afraid of." She told Katerina with a small frown. "I still wanna be me...yet I want to be unforgettable. I want them to remember my face." She explained to her honestly.

Katerina gave Sophia a gentle smile. "Sounds like you have a special boy that you really want to not forget you." She told her and began to lead her towards the bath area. "Trust me. You're so beautiful that if this causes him to not remember you, then you weren't that special to him." Katerina said before handing her off to Isis. "I'll see you in a moment."

Sophia nodded as Isis helped her into the bath. Isis had white hair that offset her amber eyes. Isis gently began to rub in a moisturizing bath gel to Sophia's angry pink skin. Sophia looked at her curiously. "Is your hair naturally like that?" She asked.

Isis smiled gently. "Yeah, I was born this way. My mother used to say that it was because a moon spirit blessed me when I was a baby but I'm just not sure." She told Sophia honestly. "It catches people's eyes a lot, not unlike your blonde hair, I'm sure."

Sophia shrugged. "Well, it's not quite as striking as your hair." She told Isis honestly. Sophia chuckled softly. "It's so weird, to be sitting here talking about hair at a time like this."

Isis looked at Sophia and put a hand on her shoulder in a comforting way. "Well, maybe when you talk about something natural, it makes you less nervous and worried." She offered her explanation before looking at the girl. "Well, you're done with your bath and you're already starting to turn a normal color so I think you're ready for a last look over and then we can send you to your stylist." She told Sophia honestly, helping her dry off and put on her robe.

Sophia looked at Isis. "When will I get to see Yosuke, the other tribute?" She asked her curiously.

"Don't worry, honey. You'll see him right before the chariot ride, after we're finished getting you ready." Isis told her and chuckled softly. "Now, let's go get you to your stylist."

A few rooms over, Emy was finally getting ready to meet her stylist. She walked into the next room, her robe wrapped tightly around herself, when a man came into her vision. He didn't look as threatening as the Aurors. He actually looked genuinely nice. He had light brown hair and the most piercing gray eyes. His skin was pretty fair and it made Emy look even more tan than she was.

The stylist walked up to her and smiled. "My name is Nathaniel." He introduced himself to her and saw her apprehension. "It's alright, Emyrillis. I won't hurt you. I'm your stylist and I just need to get a sense of you to make sure what to do with you." Nathaniel told her and looked her over quickly. "Well, you've got some of the smallest stature that I've worked with for a while." Nathaniel commented before looking over her face. "Your eyes are a gray-blue, I'll try to bring that out. I'm just glad that the costume will hopefully make you look fierce." He told her.

Emy looked at Nathaniel's face. "But I am fierce. Small...but fierce." She told him. "And please don't call me Emyrillis. Emy will do."

Nathaniel smiled and nodded. "I know. You've just gotta make sure to keep that mentality and you've also got to remember how you appear on the outside too. You're small but you're not going to be ruled out early on." He said and his eyes met hers. "I want to make sure that they remember you. You're not just some girl but you're a fighter and you're going to try to win this, Emy." He told her honestly. "So, want to eat some lunch and then we'll get you fitted?" He asked her.

Emy nodded. "I am pretty hungry." She admitted and the two sat across from one another on the couches as lunch appeared on the table. They both began to eat soon after.

The silence was pretty thick as the two ate for a moment together. Nathaniel then looked up at Emy. "You must think that all this is pretty barbaric, don't you?" He asked her and Emy looked up from her lunch with a questioning glance. "The idea of the games and everything."

Emy nodded quietly. "I think that it is but I came to protect someone that I care about a lot. So...spending my time decrying the brutality of such an event is a luxury that I can't exactly afford." She told Nathaniel honestly. "Why are you involved?" She asked.

Nathaniel looked away a minute before looking back at Emy. "It's something that I'm used to." He admitted to her. "I come from a place called the Capitol in country called Panem in a future alternative universe to yours. A lot of people left there and came to your time and universe to get away from it. We arrived roughly 20 years ago and people continue to come here even today. It's kind of an underground operation that we worked out with some of your leaders. For a lot of us, it was too hard to remain there after the war." He admitted.

Emy looked at Nathaniel and could tell that he had seen a lot of things that she would probably never see. Suddenly, she wanted to know more. Emy felt that he knew things that might help them. "Nathaniel, did you guys have something similar to these 'Survival Games'?" She asked him. "Please, if you know anything, can you help me?"

Nathaniel looked around a moment. "Come with me." He told her, appearing to change subjects. "Let's go get you fitted." He said and lead her to the fitting room where there were no cameras or Aurors or anything. He took a deep breath. "Are you sure you want to hear this?" He asked, his eyes searching hers for a brief moment.

Emy nodded. "Of course. I need to know these things. If you know anything, it might help me to get through this that we have here." She told him.

Nathaniel looked at her a moment before sighing. "Okay, I'm going to work on your costume and I'll tell you everything that I know." He told her and got out the outfit, having Emy put it on.

Looking at the costume with some confusion, Emy began to put the costume dress and noticed how the fiery crimson red on top flowed down into a yellow and red hem lining, causing a shimmer effect at the bottom that looked like a fire. The sleeves from half-way above the elbow to her wrists were made of a see-through material, flecked in swipes of red red and yellow paint that shimmered in the light. The dress trailed down to below her knees and then, underneath it and all the way to her ankles was the same see-through material with the same paint swipe colors. As Emy slipped on the red, sheer top fabric, ballet style flats, she looked in the mirror and was almost shocked. She appeared to be on fire and when she shifted, everything about her shimmered.

Nathaniel smiled. "It fits you better that I could have imagined." He told her and looked her over. "You don't need any adjustments and I guarantee that they won't forget you. There's a little more to add to this but we'll save it until after we talk." He told her honestly.

Emy nodded before she sat down in one of the provided chairs. "So, did anything like this ever happen in Panem? This can't be the only time it has ever occurred." She questioned him.

Nathaniel settled into a chair and nodded. "Something exactly like this happened in Panem. It happened for 75 years straight." He told her honestly and folded his hands together in his lap. "You see, we had an even called The Hunger Games. It happened after the Capitol squashed a rebellion of our 13 districts by seemingly destroying the 13th district. They created a Treaty of Treason and every year, each district had a drawing where 1 girl and 1 boy were chosen to represent the districts. So ever year we had 24 tributes, except during the Second Quarter Quell in the year of the 50th Hunger Games and then there were 48 tributes, 4 from each district. Every 25 years was a special games, called the Quarter Quells, and there would be a special twist to the games. For the first quell, the tributes were voted on by their district members and the second quell, as I said, had two extra tributes from each district. But every year, the rule was the same. Only one tribute comes out alive." He explained to her. "Then, during the 74th, there were two winners when Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, both from District 12, nearly committed suicide to come out alive together."

As she listened, Emy was surprised. She couldn't imagine a place that did this every year when just going through it this year was terrifying enough. "So what happened during the 75th games? It would've been the Third Quarter Quell, correct?" Emy questioned.

Nathaniel nodded. "It was the Third Quarter Quell and what happened was that instead of new tributes, the Capital stated that victors would be chosen and they would compete. The President at the time, President Snow, was mad that Katniss and Peeta had acted in such defiance and caused rebellions to begin across Panem. So he tried to squash the rebellions by trying to be rid of the two supposed icons. On the third day, however, in the 24th hour, the resistance, led by the supposedly defunct District 13, worked with several individuals and destroyed the barrier, allowing them to collect 3 of the 6 tributes that were left by that point but the Capital kidnapped the other 3 and some others. After that, there was a war and Snow was removed from power. However, we stopped hosting the Hunger Games because we saw them as a symbol of the Capitol's heartlessness." He explained to her and sighed. "I just hope there is something to save you kids. This isn't really the first year of these games but it is the first year that such a vast amount of people is involved. I just hope it ends after this." He told Emy honestly. "I don't want to see you die."

Emy gave Nathaniel a small smile. "Thank you so much for telling me all this." She told him and nodded. "I won't die. I'll do everything in my power to stay alive." She admitted to him and thought a moment. "Is there anyone that may have come from Panem or that may have children from there that I ought to watch for?" She asked him, hoping that he would tell her.

Nathaniel looked at her and nodded. "I'm afraid that there is at least one competitor that has knowledge that greatly eclipses yours, if not two. The girl tribute from Durmstrang is a daughter of a former resident of District Twelve. If she offers to form an alliance with you, I suggest that you take it. She doesn't look as strong or as brutal as the others but she knows more than she seems to. Her name is Evani." He told Emy honestly. "I'm only telling you this because it's more common knowledge than anything and I want to help you in whatever small way that I can."

"Thank you." Emy told Nathaniel honestly and looked in the mirror. "I'm glad that I got placed with such a great stylist as you." She told him honestly.

"Well, you're not done yet." Nathaniel reminded her and got her to sit in a chair as he carefully applied some makeup and a headpiece made of gold that had a strange flowing feeling to it. Nathaniel carefully styled her hair into wavy flowing tresses. "There." He said and had her look in the mirror.

Emy smiled as she looked at herself and she was almost in shock. "Oh wow." She said, trying to remember the person she saw in the mirror. "I look incredible. Thank you so much. But isn't Gold supposed to be solid?" She questioned.

Nathaniel grinned. "Gold is pretty solid but with a little use of magic, we can make it into a liquid-type state that lets the magic make it flow. No one will second guess either of you." He told Emy honestly.

"Both of us?"

"Well, both you and Jamie are dressed in complimentary outfits for your chariot ride. No one will take their eyes off of you, I promise." Nathaniel told her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You'll be known as the Girl on Fire...like Katniss. I only hope that you can firebrand a rebellion like she did once." Nathaniel told her quietly and then had a thought. "Oh! I've got to go get something to finish your costume. Just head up the stairs and you'll meet with Jamie. I'll meet with you both up there." He reassured her before rushing out.

Emy tilted her head slightly as she watched Nathaniel leave. "Uhm...okay." She said and began up the stairs. She thought about what he had mentioned to her about Panem and the Hunger Games. Was that really what this was going to be like? Would someone else come into the picture to save them from this barbaric games? Emy wasn't sure but she really hoped so. All she could think was that she wanted to get back to Hogwarts to Matthew, Aly, Eli, and Lemuel. What had she gotten herself into? Or, more likely, what had she saved Aly from?

Finally, all the tributes were starting to be taken to their chariots so that they would be settled into them by the time that they would be moving towards the square where they would hear a well thought out speech by the leader of this group that lived in almost another world from everyone else.

Emy was getting into her chariot and looked at Nathaniel. "Are you sure that lighting the headpiece on fire is going to be safe?" She questioned him as she looked at Jamie, who seemed to agree with her nervous sentiment.

Nathaniel nodded. "Of course. It's a magical fire. Not Fiendfyre, of course, but a fire that won't burn you guys or your clothes or anything. Synthetic fire, I should say." He reassured Emy. "It'll come from the headpiece and become like a cape of sorts. No one will miss you two."

Jamie looked at his stylist, Charisma. "He's not lying, right?" He asked her for reassurance.

Charisma nodded. "He's telling the truth. You'll be alright." She reassured him. "Trust us, it will make you both unforgettable."

Emy nodded as Nathaniel carefully lit each of their headpieces and smiled. "Astounding. It looks fantastic." Nathaniel commented. "Now go ahead and get ready in your chariots." He told them as he helped Emy into hers and Charisma made sure that Jamie got up into his alright. "Be strong." He told them quietly.

As the parade line got into position and began to move forward, the many looks of each set of tributes would be displayed on a large banner-like screens, outside of the solid gates that were yet to open. There was also the sound of commentary floating through the air. It seemed like a celebration, almost.

"Here we are to celebrate the 3rd Annual Survival Games! Now, for our commentator, Lark Obsidian, who will be giving the expert opinion about all the tributes' costumes for the chariot rides. Lark?" A voice questioned.

Lark was a man who appeared to be in his late thirties. He had vivid orange hair and light brown eyes. He was barely visible to the tributes except that his hair was too hard to miss, even from a ways down the street. "Thank you for that lovely introduction. It appears that the gates are about to open so soon we'll be seeing all the tributes from the schools. Ah! Here they are." He stated loudly as the crowd turned to watch the chariots begin into the streets.

"First, as you'll notice, we have the two tributes from the Elysian Academy. Their stylists apparently decided to reflect on Greek culture. Melissa Barrister, the female tribute, is dressed in a light indigo blue chiton that barely passes her knees, a take on the Spartan tradition. Ptolemy Dusk, the male tribute, is dressed in a similar chiton but his has a cloak of sorts over it, dyed in the same indigo shade as his female counterpart's. Atop their heads is a golden laurel crown of sorts and it really makes them shine, especially with the gold color reflecting from Melissa's stunning dark blue hair!" Lark commented on the first pair.

Melissa smiled up at the crowd and waved at a few. For a girl of only 14 and being in her 4th year of school, she appeared pleasantly pleased at the cheering. Ptolemy stood with confidence, being 17 and in the end of his 7th year of schooling. He spared some glances to the crowd and gave a few flirtatious winks to some of the girls, causing them to turn red and smile uncontrollably.

"Next we see the tributes from Durmstrang Institute. Their stylists have really outdone themselves with this nod to the uniform color of the students. Evani Hawthorne, the female tribute, is dressed in a blood red dress with a beautiful silver scarf over her shoulders. Donevon Krum, the make tribute, is wearing what appears to be a blood red dress shirt with silver colored slacks. On their heads, they both appear to be wearing a silver circlet style of crown. Evani's appears to be a nod to Celtic style for females and Donevon's looks very similar to our very own victor crown. Guess the stylists were wanting to create a vision for all the viewers!" Lark said with a small smile.

Evani smiled slightly, trying to be sweet as she caught a rose from a spectator and blew them a kiss, watching some try to catch the kiss. She and Donevon were both 16, 6th years, but she appeared to be trying to appeal to the crowd. Donevon attempted to look pleasant enough as he saw a few girls swoon. He was good-looking but he seemed a bit distracted by his own thoughts as he tried to smile a little and wave.

"Next, we have the Ravenclaw House tributes from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which has eight students in the games for its first year! Sophia Astrid, the female tribute, is looking positively deadly in a black button up t-shirt and tight black slacks. Over all that, she's wearing a light blue cloak that is designed with many intricate patterns of what appears to become bronze wings. Yosuke Kino, the male tribute, is wearing an identical outfit and appears to be sharing glances with Sophia. I wonder what the stylists still have planned?" Lark questioned, not missing hardly any detail.

Sophia shared a smile with Yosuke as the pair pulled their hoods over their heads, the bronze designs suddenly becoming eagle wings from that back of their cloaks. Sophia smiled as she pulled her hood back and saw the crowd cheering ecstatically and she carefully caught a blue rose, giving a smile to the thrower. Yosuke was grinning when he pulled his down as he winked at a group of females.

The tributes from Washington State School of Magic passed without much appraise. Bianca Archer, 16 and a 6th year student, received some kind comments about her tan colored dress while Preston Whitlock, 17 and a 7th year student, received remarks about his obvious stronger build and his stylist's choice of dark brown slacks with a tan, sleeveless button up shirt. The Appalachian Academy of Magic tributes also passed by and were given nice comments about their more reserved style. Felicity Evans was dressed in a simple dark brown blazer with a black tank-top underneath and black slacks. Her fellow tribute, Tristan Coal, was dressed in a similar outfit. They were one of the youngest groups, both of them being about 13-years-old and 3rd years.

"Now we have the Slytherin House tributes from Hogwarts! The school never seems to fail to impress, that's for sure!" Lark stated brightly. "Jerika Astrid appears to be wearing a green snakeskin leather dress that makes her look like a bombshell. Caleb Porter is also wearing a suit made of similar material and they both what appears to be a silver snake made out of some other material over their shoulders. The crowd is definitely loving this!" He said.

Jerika was managing to really catch the eyes of many of the audience. For being the youngest female tribute, she wasn't letting the others take all the glory. Caleb was smiling brightly and doing his best to show himself as a likeable guy. They were definitely catching plenty of attention.

Following right behind was the Salem Institute. Tessa Wesson, 15 and a 5th year, was wearing a classy silver outfit that glittered and shone as she moved. Zephyr Selt, 18 and a 7th year, was wearing a similar outfit and both caught eyes as they glittered their way down the avenue, really bringing a lot of shine. The Beauxbatons tributes weren't far behind and their stylists brought out a lot from their school colors. Fennel Dyer, who was stated to be 15 and a 5th year, was dressed in a lacy powder blue dress that flowed down to her ankles, being tasteful yet showing some of her more prominent features, like her stronger arms and calves. Xavier Barrister, 16 and a 6th year student, however, was dressed with a powder blue satin-like material fashioned like a set of regular dress robes that displayed the Beauxbatons emblem prominently on the back in silver.

Not far behind was the Cherry Blossom Institute tributes. Their stylists had obviously decided to play on the name and location. Dawn Primrose, the 17 year old female who was in her 7th year, was in a one-shoulder dress that was decorated in the light pink cherry blossoms and was a pale pink in color. Her male counterpart, Nils Aster, was only 14 and a 4th year. He was dressed in a similar colored outfit, situated more like a toga to compliment Dawn's off-the-shoulder dress. His outfit featured a belt of the cherry blossoms as well as a laurel wreath inspired cherry blossom headpiece for both of them.

"Next, we see Hufflepuff House from Hogwarts and it appears that they are really doing a throwback to the Triwizard Tournament outfits. Philip Diggory has on a shirt that really replicates the one worn by Cedric Diggory, perhaps a relative? He also has on black pants with yellow stripes down both sides that let the yellow really come out. Tara Bones is dressed in a similar shirt and pants while the pair also has on the trademark yellow robes of the Quidditch teams. Perhaps the stylists were trying to echo back to a sense of old pride and honor with these wonderful throwbacks?" Lark suggested brightly.

Philip was giving a small smile to the crowd as he waved at many of the cheering attendants. He was 15 and a 5th year but he still had high hopes to come out of this with a win, not wanting to have his family bury another teenager like they did so many years ago. Tara Bones was looking up at the crowd with a determined but slightly timid look. She was only 14 and in her 4th year but even she wanted to live through these wicked games just to go home.

Next passed the Australian School of Magic and they were dressed in a very safari-like manner. Electra Border, the oldest female tribute at the age of 18 and in her 7th year, was wearing a fitted khaki button up shirt and shorts that were below the knees. Mateo Cail, only 14-years-old and in his 4th year, was dressed in a similar outfit but with pants instead of shorts. Both of them appeared pretty strong and fit, a trait pretty common with most of the older tributes.

"Finally, we have the Gryffindor House tributes from Hogwarts. And they appear to be on fire! Apparently, the stylists have fixed them up with what appears to be a golden headpiece that has fire flowing down it! Emyrillis Steele is in a crimson red dress that goes to her knees and as it travels down, there's flecks of gold in it that appear to be like a flicker of fire, obviously a nod to house colors. She also appears to have a thin material on her arms and legs that gives the impression of more fire. Jamie Potter appears to have on dress robes that compliment with the red and that have a lot of gold designs emblazoned on the sleeves and on the pants. Make it no question that these two tributes won't be forgotten!" Lark announced with a sense of excitement.

As all the tributes reached the Tribute Circle, they arranged themselves in front of a high balcony as the cameras soon focused on the area. After a moment, a figured stepped out from the doorway and there was no question that it was the leader as the crowd cheered but a sense of dread traveled through several of the tributes. They knew that face from pictures and stories they'd been told when they were younger. Only now did they come face to face with a very dangerous enemy that they had yet to lay eyes upon themselves...excluding Sophia who had met the individuals many years before.

"Let us now welcome our leader, Minister Alyson Barrister, as she gives the opening welcome for our tributes!" Lark announced proudly before allowing Alyson to go ahead with her speech.

"I welcome you all to the Third Annual Survival Games. To the tributes, you receive a special welcome as your courage and bravery has brought you all here." Alyson stated, her green eyes looking over the tributes cautiously. "I hope that you will all represent your schools well and I would last of all like to wish you all a Happy Survival Games. May the odds be ever in your favor when you enter the arena." She announced, kindly waving at the crowd as she pushed back her blonde hair and gave a sickeningly sweet smile to the tributes.

After the speech, the tributes' chariots disappeared into the bottom area of the Training Center, where they would stay as they prepared before entering the arena. As the tributes entered the Training Center, they were bustled up to their rooms in the elevator where many of their escorts and mentors were waiting on them to watch the recap of the parade and to talk about what had just transpired. The games definitely just earned themselves a new twist of danger.

Author's Note : Whew! What a chapter! Sorry that I haven't gotten this out for a while but it's taken a while with making sure that I got some pretty decent costumes as well as figuring out a particular order. Hopefully, in the next chapter, there'll be a little more excitement. Don't forget to review! :)