Four chapters in and i must say i am feeling very proud for my second HG mutlichapter verse fic. Thanks to all the support from all the readers and reviewers out there. Everyone who has Favorited or alerted this thanks so much if you could drop a review or feedback message that would be awesome. Heads up unlike in Career of 12 in which Peeta and Clove had a close relationship this fic is going in the opposite direction and I have decided that I'll be making Glimmer and Peeta the closer out of the careers-along with Cato of course ;). Oh Just a Heads up the two capitol twins Solange and Jerico that come up in this fic really do have names meaning Sun and moon.
A/N-SHOut Outs!
Sadly only five shoutouts this time-Come on readers review and you'll get one too!
Lady Luna Riddle- My wonderfully loyal reader gotta say always a pleasure to see your name on my review board. Don't worry about your obsession i spent ages finding names that would have the best impact on the characters. Glad your enjoying my character portrayal for this fic and hope you enjoy the rest of it.
Shinigami- I haven't decided if Peeta has had any other relationships before, I'm going to go with negative because he is the outsider of the district and many people avoided him because of his relationships with the peacekeepers, not to say he hasn't thought of others in a sexual/romantic way I just don't believe he would have been able to really get attached to anyone if no one gave him the chance.
Through Darkness and Light- Peeta's Wolf is the European Timber wolf but Cato's Daemon is just the regular Gray Wolf. Peeta's daemon species is known for being ferocious but very loyal to there family: the most out of all wolf species while Cato's is the strongest out of the species and most dominant.
GleekWithHeart-Trust me it's all for my fans I just keep you all in mine as i write and try to put what you'd enjoy in my work. Glad you enjoyed the double daemon pairing but they are different they aren't just both wolves. they are different species of wolf-had to change it up a little ;)
The Few And Proud Marines-Aww Thank you I do try hard to make even the minor characters have some kind of impact on the story. Hoep you enjoy the rest of the fic.
Peeta's P.O.V
It was strange waking up in the lavish room that the train had provided me with but not unwelcome, it was a lot better than the small hard bed that I had back in twelve although I felt a little lost in the large king mattress I had been given because with me in the bed with Oclan curled up by my side I still had room for two full grown men to lay down beside me and I would still have room. I could tell that Oclan was a little confused as well because he shot me a look that told me how uncomfortable he really was, so when the two of us clambered off the bed and made out way into the bathroom I knew that he was just as relieved as I was.
Undressing from the clothes Cray had given me the day before I sigh when I look at my harden body staring back at me and then step into the shower and quickly turn the hot water on and scrub myself clean, I didn't even think about trying to fiddle with the instruments so I just used the bar of soap they had supplied and shut the water off once I was done. Using the large fluffy towels to dry myself I tie the towel around my waist and walk out into the room and began rifling through the draws for something to where while I grinned at Oclan who was once again curled up on the bed looking more content I had ever seen him look.
"Comfy there are you buddy?" I asked as I pulled out a black button up shirt with gold trimming and black pants so that I would match Oclan's fur.
That was something I found most people did with their clothing, most of the time they tried to match their daemon as much as possible and with the clothes available I knew I would have to wear them. Of course there was the fact that I would be arriving in the capitol soon and I wanted to make a good impression: the best I could, because while I knew the Hunger Games were about the death and glory of violence I also knew they were games which the tribute who played it the best often lived and survived to be the victor. Once I was dressed ad had covered my hair with the towel rubbing at it gently to try and get it as dry as possible I turned to my sleepy daemon who was showing his more nocturnal side this morning not wanting to return to the land of wakefulness straight away.
Picking up a large brush that I had seen Cray use on his own Daemon before I sat next to Oclan and pulled his head onto my lap and began to run the brush through his fur making him hum happily at the gentle motion "We've got to stay strong" I say softly as I begin to brush out a knot in Oclan's right flank.
"That we do" Oclan muttered and then nudged me arm making me stop brushing and looked into my eyes his own gaze turning into a warm amber making my own smile turn less frightened and more warm than anything "But we have nothing to worry about because we have one another to help each other when we fall"
Smiling happily I lean down and press my forehead to Oclan's and convey how happy I was through our connection making him send the same vibes back to me "Come on…let's go face the world" I say softly making Oclan bark out a laugh and nudge my face warmly.
"Maybe not the world but defiantly Panem" Oclan said jumping of the bed and shaking his fur letting it fall gracefully against his lithe form making him look proud and dangerous. Standing up I straighten my shirt against my chest as I exit the door and start off towards the dinning cart.
When I arrive I see Effie about to enter and kindly hold the door open for her making the woman blush and pat me on the cheek affectionately as she thanked me excitedly making me chuckle, the smallest things could make Effie shine she really was too easy to please. Sitting down in front of the mountains of food in front of me I allow the Avox on board to pour me a glass of hot chocolate rewarding her with a thankful smile which made the ebony haired servant blush prettily, I could only guess that she had never had a nice gesture like that given to her since she became an Avox and if that meant I could make her day even a little bit brighter than I would damn well do it.
"How did you sleep?" Effie asked as she came to sit next to me her own glass being filled with a glass of coffee, "I ask because some tributes I've helped escort have complained about their rooms and I take your capitol experience very seriously"
Smiling at the firm tone Effie used as I help myself to some of the steaming porridge that was sitting in a pot in the middle of the table I could help but smile at how passionate Effie was about her job. I could only imagine how hard she tried to make the boy and girl district twelve reaped for the games feel welcome at least for a little while. "Well you can relax" I said softly as I sat back on my chair "Oclan and I were asleep before our head even hit the pillows" this seemed to placate my escort who grinned at me happily.
Spooning a small amount of the gluggy breakfast into my mouth I'm surprised at how sweet and smooth the porridge was: I had only had porridge once in my life and that was when Cray had me over for breakfast one morning and while it had been nice it had been plain and boring after the first few bites. The main reason I had chosen it to eat above all the rich and delicious smelling foods to choose from was mainly because I didn't want to eat to sick and wanted to start off with something I knew was safe, only this paste like meal was better than anything I had ever had in my life, but despite my new found love for the oat made meal I managed to contain my enthusiasm enough to continue to eat properly and respectfully while still eating fast enough for me to finish the bowl in record time.
The only problem about porridge was that it was insanely heavy and after that one bowl I couldn't bring myself to eat another no matter how nice the food was so I resign myself to nibbling on a tiny dinner roll- or in my case breakfast roll- as I sip on my hot chocolate. "Early riser I see" turning my attention to the entrance of the dining cart I smile as I see Haymitch striding towards us until he takes the seat across from me while Kana moves to lie down next to Oclan on the lounges that were a separate from the table. "That's good: it'll keep you alert in the games"
Nodding I begin to dunk a small chunk of bread into the chocolate before eating it experimentally and I'm more then pleased when I find it tastes pleasant. "Any more tips?" I ask taking a sip of the now temperature appropriate liquid.
"No fires" Haymitch said simply as he placed two scones on his plate before reaching for the cream which was in front of him "It's like a you'd be jumping up and down with a big neon sign yelling kill me at the other tributes"
My mind flies to the tributes I had seen on screen, Cato and his grey wolf and Glimmer and her Jackal lingering in my mind the longest. Swallowing my mouthful I sigh and run a hand through my messy hair and give my mentor a tired look "How the hell am I supposed to fight the others…I have no skills" I practically moan.
"That's not true" my head snapped up at the sound of Katniss's voice and I see her hesitating by the door way, Fillip held daintily in her cupped hands, she gave me a weak smile before making her way to sit on the other side of Haymitch who was giving her tattered blue sundress she hadn't bothered changing since the reaping the previous afternoon a slightly annoyed look which I could understand slightly, even Katniss must have picked up on the fact that every time the tributes from district twelve arrived in the capitol they were always dressed in the most beautiful clothes they had worn before. "He's had training…Cray made him learn the basics" she said as she lowered herself into a seat across from Effie.
Rolling my eyes at both her table manners as she began to pick up several pieces of food with her bare hands-which of course made Effie gasp in shock horror- and at her statement "Yeah sure, I know how to run, jump and fight myself out of a situation but weapons…I'm no good" I say shaking my head and then finished my cup "Cray said that if I turned seventeen without being reaped he's apply for me to go to district two…peacekeeper training and all that"
I could hear Katniss gasp around the huge mouthful of food she had been shoveling in her mouth and I wince when I realize just how sick she was going to be later but I don't give her any alarm and instead focus on Haymitch who is watching me with an amused glint in his eyes as he takes in my full image. "What?" I ask almost offended.
"Listen closely…you too sweetheart" he said after a moment to Katniss who swallows the large mouthful she had recently scooped up with her hands-much to Effie's displeasure- and turned her attention to our mentor "You can learn to fight-and yes you can learn how to fight with weapons well enough in the time they give you-but that won't necessarily make you the victor" he said seriously looking into my eyes "because if you're cold, wet, or dying and a jacket, food or a knife could make all the difference in the world then that is where you need sponsors" he snarked lightly as he buttered another scone with jam.
Nodding I wave off the Avox with another kind smile when she went to re-fill my cup "Okay how do we get sponsors?" I ask in a polite tone but arch my eye brow in a way that showed how unimpressed I really was with all his vague answers.
Haymitch pointed and me with his knife and smirked at my expression "You need to get people to like you" I could have laughed, like full on laughter in that moment. Getting people to like me I could do just needed to find a way to make myself appealing so I smile and nod while Haymitch turned to Katniss who was licking her fingers clean. "You sweetheart are going to need a lot of work" he said in a dry voice.
Shaking my head I begin fiddling with my knife for nothing better to do and look up when Haymitch kicked me in the shin under the table "What?"
"Listen would ya" he said making me roll my eyes but nod which satisfied him enough to continue with whatever he was saying "Alrighty when we arrive you'll be sent to your prep teams…you will not complain or make a fuss of whatever they do" he said seriously and I nod in understanding: they obviously could make my stay in the capitol extremely uncomfortable if I get onto their bad side, but when I shift my gaze over to Katniss I see that she is looking uncertain and actually scared.
I was about to say something when I saw the beautiful gleaming very modern city coming up in the window: it was the capitol. Rising in my chair quietly I rushed over to the window and gaze out at the city in front of me, Oclan made his way over to my side and pulled his forelegs up on the window ledge to that he too could see out at the capitol. "There it is" I say in a shocked voice, it was a lot more beautiful than I thought it would be, in my mind I knew it would have been extravagant but I had also believed that maybe it was like a dark city instead it was gleaming and beautiful.
Suddenly my view of the capitol was taken away from me as we entered the train tunnel and the next thing I saw apart from the black of stone was the insane flashing of camera flashes, managing to keep a wince off my face I look out at the extravagant people in front of me and swallow back the discomfort looking at these people made me feel. Pulling a bright smile onto my face I begin to wave out at the crowds even winking at a few 'lucky' people "What are you doing?" I hear Katniss ask in a shocked voice.
Turning back to the others seated at the table I look over to my district partner who was watching me with shock while Kana watched me with veiled amusement and Haymitch with almost a proud glint in his eyes "Come on…some of them might be rich" I say happily as Effie made her way over to me and waved out at the others her hand on my shoulder like and anchoring weight-I could only imagine how much the united unit we looked right now: capitol escort and her lovely tribute.
"Like I said honey you need a lot of work…because he seems to know what he's doing" Haymitch said making my grin even larger and Oclan shift into a position that made him just that little bit taller and broader.
When the train docked into the station I stepped off into a chaos that made the one back in district twelve look like child's play, but I was proud to notice that unlike Katniss and Fillip who shot into the car as soon as she could Oclan I managed to stick around for a few moments and pose for a few pictures both with Haymitch and Kana and Effie. But by the time I was herded into the awaiting car my ears were ringing from all the screaming everyone had been doing and my eyes had black spots dancing in front of my vision. Effie was sitting beside me praising me for my patience with the media while Haymitch shifted uncomfortably and rubbed his own eyes, giving my escort a small smile I lean back in my chair and stroke Oclan's ears softly lulling the both of us into a calm state of emotions.
Arriving at the remake center I watch as Katniss is whisked off my three enthusiastic people while her eyes widened in pure fear and I know right then and there that she wouldn't be able to keep her promise to Haymitch. "You must be Peeta" a bright bubbly voice said from behind me.
Turning around I was not ready for the vision that assaulted my eyes, my prep team was insane: the two youngest members who I could only guess were twins were standing next to one another I swore they were playing opposites. The girl who was beaming at me like I was the sun after a rainy day had glimmering silver skin and bright gold hair, and not blonde but the color of pure gold. Her eyes were bright magenta purple and she seemed to just ooze sunny happiness. The boy who stood next to her had gleaming gold skin and glowing silver hair as his own magenta eyes glowed with a mirth and knowledge that reminded me of Oclan when he was in a mischievous mood. The final member of my team was another man, he had bright red hair that was spiked up to the tiniest point, he had bleach white skin and coal black eyes that reminded me of the ravens that would gather in the tributes graveyard back in twelve but his smile was excited and warm.
"Well isn't he a darling" the girl cooed latching onto her twin's arm practically swooning as she looked at me. "He's so handsome too"
The boy nodded and looked at the red haired man who was beaming at me proudly like I was some trophy he had won "Sister is correct he will be perfect" he said making the other man nod and then latch onto me and drag me off.
A chiming laugh flowed from the gold haired girl who then latched herself onto my arm grinning brightly "Hello there Peeta: I'm Solange" she said happily as Oclan and I were dragged into a large room filled with baths a metal table and a bowl of a bubbling wax.
"And I'm Jerico her brother" he said as he and his sister came to stand in front of me both wearing bright grins, as I smile back in amusement I could easily say their names suited one another: Jerico meant moon and Solange meant Goddess of the sun so they weren't exactly ill fitting for the twins.
Dorion came to stand behind them and placed a hand on both of their shoulders almost like a proud father as he looked Oclan and I up and down "Alrighty the twins here are going to take care of you for me while I'm just going to take care of your beautiful daemon" the strange looking man said making me swallow and nod as my promise to Haymitch came to the forefront of my mind.
I watch as Dorion led Oclan over to the daemon make up center and turn my attention back to the twins who were watching me happily "Where do we start?" I ask more than a little nervously.
As it turns out I had to start with the waxing-which was what the hot wax was for-and I was more than glad I had promised not to complain because Solange and Jerico had ripped my hair from my body: and by hair I mean all of it: my legs, arms, underarms and even my private area which had been the painful. After they had finished ripping all the hair from my body the two twins had been commending me on how nice it was to have someone who didn't complain and how great I was, I hadn't said anything and just let them rub me down with this strange honey substance before making me climb into a bath filled with silver liquid much like the color of Jerico's hair and Solange's skin.
Not wanting to snap at them I climb in and sink into the warm goo while I tried to shake off the discomfort that I could feel from the fact that Dorion was working with my daemon, I knew he wasn't doing anything wrong with him, he was just measuring his height, weight, how much muscle tone he had and other trivial things like how large his teeth and claws were but it didn't stop t being weird having someone else touch Oclan for long periods of time. I was about to muse on it a little longer when suddenly a twin sat on either side of my and pulled and arm out of the good and began working on my nails the two of them talking to be about how cool Oclan and I looked.
"I mean normally my brother and I have to work with small little mammals" Solange said brightly and I had decided that the gold haired girl couldn't do anything dimly she had to shine like the sun in whatever she did and in the back on my mind I couldn't help but wonder if she and Glimmer would get along well.
Jerico nodded and then began to scrape under my nails intently "They never last very long in the arena either" I nod in understanding.
The moon brother was right, it was the main reason I was sure Katniss wouldn't last very long in the games at all: her daemon just wasn't strong enough to protect her people with small herbivores were normally killed within the first few days if they escaped the bloodbath itself. Sighing softly I allow the twins to chatter on while I relaxed, apart from the obvious capitol born attitudes I had decided that the twins were cool and when Jerico began to wash and treat my hair I swear I had gone to heaven so I just ignored any discomfort they created because the upsides had to outweigh that.
When I got a glance of myself in the mirror once I was washed down and sitting in nothing but my towel I swore that I wasn't the same person who had been on the train. My hair shone in the light like it had silver flecked through it, my skin glowed like honey and shimmering in the light like gold making me arch my eyebrow at Jerico who grinned at me impishly. My eyes glowed like sapphires next to a fire: I looked amazing. "Good job you two" I here Dorion say as he led a proud black wolf over to us.
It took me a moment I realize that it was Oclan standing beside him, my once scruffy and innocent looking wolf was gone and replaced by a trimmed and muscular looking wolf, the gold fur symbol on his chest stood out more now making him look even more unique and mysterious. "Well look at you buddy all dapper and looking fierce" I say in amusement making my partner raise his head high.
"You don't look too bad yourself" he said as he came to sit by my side as my prep team looked to two of us over.
When Solange began to tear up I got really nervous until Jerico gave me a big grin and a thumbs up, I could only guess they were tears of joy that his sister was leaking out-or at least I hoped to. Dorion looked me up and down once more before sighing sadly "This is where we must leave you" he said sadly and despite how fake I knew the capitol to believe I couldn't help but think that he really was upset he was leaving me. "But you won't be alone for much longer" he said brightening almost immediately "Because Portia your stylist will be here in just a few moments"
Nodding in understanding I wave as the three extravagant capitol people skip out of my room making me chuckle in pure amusement I just couldn't dislike the three of them: they were just too happy all the time to be mad at. "Nice enough…but I would hate to get on their bad side" Oclan said making me laugh.
"That would be a bad thing" looking over to my side I see a beautiful woman standing in the doorway her eyes glowing with excitement: this must be Portia "Trust me I've seen them do some things even you tributes would be afraid of doing"
Laughing at her sense of humor I know immediately I'm going to like this woman, she had a real warm vibe to her that made everything seem just a little less scary to me. "Hi I'm Portia" she said grinning as she stepped towards me allowing me to see her natural looking capitol influence untouched form.
Portia wore a black and red dress with her blonde hair pinned up in a beautiful style on her head while some pieces of hair framed her face, the only part of the capitol in her that I could see was the silver eyeliner she wore and the dark lipstick that matched her dress strangely enough. The smile style made me smile and shake the hand she offered "I'm Peeta and this is Oclan my partner" I said looking down at my daemon with pure affection.
"Well aren't the two of you just so handsome" she said smiling down on my daemon fondly "I guess my work won't go to waste then" she joked making me laugh as she motioned to the casket and garment bag she had bought in with her. "These took all night to finish"
I knew that Portia would have worked all night for any tribute but no one had ever worked so hard for me before so the fact she had gone without rest made me feel so much closer to my stylist. "Thank you" I whispered standing up and wrapping my arms around her in a hug.
Portia laughed and hugged me back and after a moment she pulled back and turned to my garment bag and pulled out a beautiful black tunic and leather pants-like the ones a person would wear in battle so they were loose fitting- and handed them to me. Slipping the pants on I tie the attached belt up and allow Portia to lace up the tunic and I'm taken aback and how detailed the black leather tunic was: on the surface were pointed tooth likes scales from a dragon running all over the surface making it look like battle armor, but on the material I couldn't help but notice it had a strange dampness to its surface like it had been sprayed with something. Ignoring the feeling I allow Portia to finishing lacing me into the tunic and then held her attach the armor she had created for Oclan which made him look ready to take on a pair of grizzly bears all by himself: the black and red armor matching my own costume perfectly.
"Wow this is amazing Portia" I say as I look at me and Oclan in the mirror.
My stylist came over and laid her chin on my shoulder grinning impishly making me smile back "Peeta you said you were a baker right" she drawled and I felt my nerves jump back in, when my gaze locked with Oclan's in the mirror I could see him looking just as nervous. I turn my attention back to Portia and nod making her grin "Good that means you're not like afraid of fire right" this time I shook my head making her grin turn even larger and suddenly I wonder what the hell I got myself into.
Yay Portia makes and Appearance!
Thoughts Please!
Next Chapter: The Parade and Cato's Attention.