Chapter 4: The Introduction Ceremony

Sage's POV

The train comes to an erupt stop as I sit on the bed in my room. I hear people talking outside and the flashes of cameras and everything else they want captured on TV. I sigh as I hear Sarina knock on my door and say that we're in the Capitol. I wish we weren't, but what can you do?

I get up and got to the door that opens up to the Train Station. Iris comes over as well, standing beside me. She has a frown on her face and looks serious. She barely glances at me and I can't help but feel hurt by that. I just shrug it off though; this person will die in the arena, I can't get attached.

They open the doors and we step out. We're blinded by light as the flashes of cameras shoot in our faces. Cameras for the TV are trying to get a good picture of us as we make our way through the crowd of reporters. There's a car waiting for us and we jump in. I sigh with relief as we get away from the Train Station and the reporters.

"Your designers will come and get you ready for everything," Sarina says, looking at her scheduling book, "one you're settled in your rooms of course.

"Where are our rooms?" Iris asked.

"We're on floor 11," she smirked at that, "soon you'll find your way around."

I just sigh and lean back in my chair as Jake takes another drink of soda and Sarina goes through our days. Iris stares out the window, her emotions masked. I look at her for a bit before she notices.

"What is it?" She snaps, her voice sharp.

"Sorry," I murmur quietly, "I was just thinking."

She rolls her eyes and said, "Well think the other way please, I don't like being stared at."

I raise my eyebrows and say, "Good luck in the arena then, everybody will be watching you."

"I know that," She snaps at me again.

I sigh and turn the other way as we pull up to a large building. We're ushered out and then pushed inside. Some people are standing in the main lobby as we go over to the elevators and hop in. Sarina pushes the number 11 and we shot up. I grip the bars, never having the feeling of this before. Iris, too, looks frightened at first.

The doors open with a big whoosh sound and we step out. The hallway is white and there are a couple of doors. I'm guided to the one a little ways from the elevator while Iris' is right in front of it. I open up the door and gasp.

I had never seen a room so big, with such a large view of the Capitol. The bathroom, too, is humongous. The bed is large and everything seems to be doubled in size.

"You're designer will be here in a bit," Sarina murmurs to me before shutting the door.

I just sigh and think, Great.

Iris' POV

I grit my teeth together and try not to scream when Elma, one of the assistants to my designer, rips more hair from my legs. They (the three assistants to the designer, Elma, Troy, and Sapphire) have to get me ready before my designer, Miles, comes. And that means by scrubbing my hair and pulling out every single hair on my body, all except the hair on my head.

I'm also scrubbed down hard, getting all the grit and dirt from working in the Plantations for so long, off of me. Afterwards, I'm standing in front of my mirror with my robe on and the assistants behind me, marveling at their work. My skin stings from being waxed so many times and my hair feels odd with so much shit in it. My eyebrows are now thinner and the parts of my body that weren't wax now tingle after being scrubbed down.

Then I hear a knock and a man walks in. He has brown hair with golden highlights and permanent golden eye shadow. He has pale skin with the occasional light gold wave tattoo on his wrist. He studies me with brown eyes and I know this must be Miles. I think he's a little too crazy about the color gold if I might add.

He wears black designer pants and shirt with a nice tie to go with it. His hand is on his chin as he looks at me. Finally he stops.

"Good," He murmurs, "I think you look fine with that."

"What about tattoos or-" Troy begins but then stops when Miles waves his hand.

"No, no alterations. People from the District don't want to be altered or tattooed like us," He smiles at me a bit, joking. I smile back, but it's weak.

"Now," He said, "Time for you to shine." He grins, a bit perkier, as he continues, "You won't need any makeup. You need to take that natural look since your District runs in Agriculture."

I nod shyly as he walks out and then brings in a dress. I gasp as I see it, my eyes growing round. The dress has a light green background with darker, thick green stems growing from the bottom and up to the middle. It has spaghetti straps that are made to look like thinner, lighter stems. Then in the middle and top of the dress it has blue gemstones that represent rain or water, growing the stems. It's beautiful.

"You'll be wearing this for tonight," He says, "and Sage will be matching in a suit."

"I honestly figured you'd be giving me something covered in dirt or something," I smirk a bit, "Some people go crazy for the Introduction Ceremony designs."

"I thought we should be taking a classier form of it," He said, "Nothing major, nothing drastic, just class."

I nod as he also gives me a pair of shoes. It is a light, warm brown color. It signifies the soil. But it isn't a bad brown, it's warm and inviting.

"Get this on," He instructs me, "And we'll go to the ceremony."

Iris' POV

I stumble out of my room in my high heels. I'm in my outfit for the Introduction Ceremony, but I had never worn high heels before. I had to practice with Elma dozens of times before she let me out. Sage is waiting there and he, too, looks stunning.

He has light, warm brown pants and shoes with a light green shirt with the same design my dress does. He wears his necklace his dad gave him and as I'm wearing mine. He smiles at me but I just turn my head. We can't get close, one of use is going to die in the future.

We're taken to the elevator and we go down. Soon we're in the basement. There are carriages labeled with the numbers of the District. People from the other districts stare at us with hard eyes.

I recognize the two tributes from District One, Zach and Melissa. Then District Two there's Kellie and Gray. District three there's Sky, the boy tribute, and Melony. District four I recognize George but I can't remember the name of the girl tribute. District five I know neither of them, and only for District six I know the girl tribute, Nyla. District seven there's Paul and Dawn. I don't know who the tributes are for District eight or nine. District ten I recognize Cole and May. Then for District twelve I see Daniel and the other girl I don't know who she is.

I shiver as they stare at us and we make our way over to them. I must look so weak and small; I was the only 12 year old chosen. Most of the tributes were older like 16, 17, or 18. There were some 15 year olds, one 13 year old, and then Sage was a 14 year old, but I was the youngest.

But, we go over to our carriage. It's green with brown horses, which I'm not surprised by. Sage gets up first and lends out his hand, but I push it away. I'm determined to show them I need know help. I climb up into it, slipping, though, because of my high heels. The soon-to-be careers laugh as Sage catches me and steadies me up.

"Better not fall in the arena!" Gray from District two, called, "you might not get up!"

The others bellow with laughter as my face turns red from embarrassment and fury. I whip around and snap, "Shut the hell up you asshole or else you'll find a knife in your back!"

The laughing stops abruptly and Gray narrows his eyes, fists clenching. Sage tugs me a bit, warning me I shouldn't go on, so I whip my gaze away from them and steady myself in the carriage.

"That was stupid of you to say that," Sage growls, not so nice this time.

"Yeah, well, he deserves it."

We can't say much as I hear voices from outside. It's time to get read. I grasp the edges, but Sage takes my hand, steadying me as the carriage moves forward a bit.

I glare at him, about to say something, when he stops me and says, "I'm not doing this for myself, smartass, I need your help to keep me steady."

I grit my teeth together to not snap at him and I just turn my gaze forward. The others exit and go outside. Finally we wait at the entrance as I hear "District 11!" And we're pulled out.

People cheer and I force a smile to my face. Sage does too, following what I do. But as usual, their gaze is diverted to the others. I roll my eyes as Sage just chuckles.

"Guess we're not exciting," He murmurs.

"We will be in the arena," Is all I say as we circle around the loop and the ceremony goes on.