Terkast pressed the elevator button, making the doors clang shut. Maylin was behind him, her hands clamped onto the golden plaited railings so hard that her knuckles were white. The Gamemaker looked at her with pity, but shrugged. He was used to it because he grew up as a Capitolite, and often rode elevators as a kid.
He pushed the 'Ground Lvl' button, and tapped his foot impatiently. His hard soled boots made the floor emit a high metallic sound. After shooting down many floors, and left a whole lot more, the elevator slowed, making Terkast sigh.
"Wonder which over-eccentric Capitolite joins us today?" he asked sarcastically, making Maylin crack her eyes open and glance at him through the slits.
A skinny woman with silver hair and yellow eyes entered from floor 24 B, giving Terkast a wide smile. "Well, if I had known that I was sharing the elevator with the famous Terkast Nilgwis, I woulda dressed better!"
"Hello Jahall," Terkast said with a bored undertone. He turned to Maylin, and introduced the Avox to the Head Muttation Designer.
Jahall chattered on about her 'special' mutts, which were apparently able to create fire and use it. "They're so wonderful, Terkast. I would love to show you, but you don't come down to the Mutt Floor anymore. Stop on by, and I'll show you, ok?" Jahall cried as she stepped off on floor 4B, leaving Maylin and Terkast alone.
"The one bad thing about being the Head Gamemaker is that every single Capitolite knows you and wants to be your friend!" Terkast ranted, noticing that Maylin was still holding on for dear life, and probabaly not paying attention.
He sighed, and tapped his fingers against the railings that Maylin was still holding onto. He waited patiently for the miniscule beep that came with passing each floor, happy once it gave a louder, lower beep, and stopped.
"Come on, Maylin. We're here." She opened her eyes fully, and glanced about, before sighing. She unclenched her fingers, and followed Terkast into the wide lobby.
The guards opened the large doors like before, greeting Terkast if he was a close friend of theirs. However, he just waved his hand and smiled, pretending to like them. Maylin could detect waves of annoyance off of Terkast's normally calm and collected demeanor. She wondered if the fact that the Hunger Games was just around the corner had anything to do with it.
"Come on," Terkast called, because Maylin had drifted far behind him. "We're going to miss it. I'm pretty sure Annaliesia has a nice costume for our wonderful District One tributes this year. I mean, she didn't have such a good one last year… which is probably why they died. Everyone knows that a Career needs good sponsors. They didn't have very good personalities, either…"
Maylin quickened her pace as Terkast continued to talk to himself. It was most defiantely the stress of the Games that was making him act like this.
They walked through the doors of the large building, nodding to each of the receptionists. Terkast walked through the doors, motioning Maylin forward. "This elevator doesn't travel so quickly, because it holds tributes from the Districts, like yourself."
He pressed a few buttons, and the elevator lurched upwards with a groan. It jumped in awkward places, making her stomach heave and gurgle. They arrived at a lavish floor, with bright lights and gilded doors all around. Terkast nonchalantly walked up to the second door on the right, and opened it without much care.
A shriek of surprise greeted him. "Oh, you're here to see my tribute? What a surprise!" the voice called, shrilly inviting him in. Maylin followed meekly, shielding her eyes from the bright white light that assaulted her vision.
What she saw inside was surprising. The District One female was up on a pedestal, a large white swatch of material draped around her shoulders and waist. The tone made her unusual coppery skin stand out beautifully, and was decorated with small pearls.
"Ah, Cree," Terkast said, smiling as he circled her form. She glared at him in response, her lips pursed tightly. "You're very different than most of the girls I get. How do you think you'll fare?"
"I'll do fine," she spat. "Can you please finish draping me with this ridiculous costume now? I would like to leave."
Terkast, unabashed, continued on with his questioning. "How do you feel about the Capitol?" He stepped slightly to the right, to let the prep team continue to hoist the material on the snappy girl. She winced as a pin stuck in her shoulder, but Maylin saw how beautiful it was. She looked like an angel draped in all the white material, the pearls glinting in the light and drawing her eyes to them.
"Aren't you supposed to do this in the interviews?" Cree snapped, trying to stay still so her team could finish with her costume.
Terkast nodded sagely. "I guess I am. I would've just liked to see what you're like before then. I guess you're not willing to talk to me, though."
He then strolled out of the door before Cree could manage another biting comment. As Maylin left, she heard Cree snarl a foul word, only to be reprimanded by her stylist. "Hopefully Jet will take our questioning better. I hoped this would make me more… understanding of the tributes than what I could glean from Apollo's 3 minutes!"
The Head Gamemaker then opened the door adjacent to Cree's, saying hello to Mykayla as he went in. Jet was also up on a pedestal, except his cheeks were red as he clutched a dark fabric to his midsection. "You didn't say anyone else was supposed to be coming in," he nearly yelled, his ears starting to go a tomato color.
"No, this isn't her fault. It's a surprise!" Terkast exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air, but pointedly looking away from Jet. "I'm just here to ask questions."
Jet cocked his head, intrigued by the word 'questions.' He smiled. "What kind of questions?" His smile deepened, and Maylin found out just how attractive he was. He had dark hair, and the most beautiful blue eyes. He stared at her when speaking, trying to entice her.
"How was your life back home?" Terkast asked, making Jet's smile turn sly. He turned around, letting Mykayla pin the fabric up without him holding it. She seemed to be going for the opposite take on Jet. He was the demon, while Cree was the angel. Very clever.
"Well, my mother was killed when I was young, so I never knew her. She murdered my brother and sister, Sapphire and Coal, and she was killed as punishment. So my father was very protective of me, and taught me like most of the District One tributes – as Careers. But I didn't train normally. Sicne I was special in my upbringing, I should be special in my training. I was trained stealthily, so I could sneak up and kill people instead of being all 'Rawr, I'm going to kill you with my brute strength and snap off your limbs one by one!' I say it's a pretty good strategy, and it's going to keep me alive and kicking while the rest of them are dead and -"
Mykayla smacked his back, the sound astonishing everyone in the room. Jet called out an 'Ow!' and Terkast looked at the stylist with curiosity. "Don't listen to him fully. He lies often, believe me. He told me he was allergic to wax, and couldn't have his body hair removed! It was only when I threatened to pluck it all when he fessed up!"
Maylin glanced at Terkast, who was chuckling quietly to himself. He grasped Maylin's upper arm gently, and led her out of the room, bringing her away from Jet.
She broke away from his gaze reproachfully, but didn't have much of a choice as she was being dragged by Terkast. Maylin didn't even notice she was in the presence of another girl until she spoke.
"What are you doing here? My father never said anything about the Head Gamemaker meeting them. For all I know, you're not supposed to even talk to us!" the girl cried, causing her stylist to fluster around the bottom of the podium.
Maylin didn't like this girl at all. She was a typical Career from District Two, down to the looks and attitude. Terkast muttered something, which Maylin didn't catch, but Tamara certainly did.
"Really?" she asked with attitude. "I am more important than anyone. In this Game, it's me against everyone else, my father taught me that. I volunteered for glory and wealth, so that when my father dies, I'm not left with nothing. I need this, and it's what I've been training for. That's why I'm more important. Because, really, what glory comes from death?"
The stylist, a pretty girl with sapphire blue eyes, turned to Terkast. "I'm sorry if you had more questions, but I kinda need you to leave. I'm already late, and if I don't get Tamara out with Floyd and Sucko, then I'll be in so much trouble. They might even demote me…"
Terkast put his hand on the stylist's shoulder, and said a few reassuring words. He left then, and Maylin followed him only after sticking her tongue out at the Career.
The next boy was big and gruff, and was dressed in a Peacekeeper Uniform decked with certain military aspects. Terkast asked him the typical first question, and he grunted out "I want to win."
She didn't like him much either, he seemed to put himself above everyone else, so much that he wouldn't even talk to Terkast properly! If she was a tribute, she'd be more respectful to the man who'd be controlling her life in the Games, and would decide if she won! It's nothing about wanting to win, just about how many sponsors you get, and how much the Gamemakers like you!
"I have a sister at home. She wanted to volunteer, but Tamara beat her there. Plus, I wouldn't protected her or anythin', I'd kill her as soon as possible. But then my ma wouldn't like me as much. Pa wouldn't mind, cause he taught both of us. It's better if she has a couple mo' years of practice, an' then come and win."
Terkast nodded, and thanked the brute. He walked slowly out of the room, making sure Maylin was in the hallway before shutting the door. He sighed. "This is a lot more annoying than I thought it would be. Apollo must have a hard time keeping these conversations going. I'm going to continue. Can you go find my brothers – you know what they look like, I've already told you – and tell them to meet me at lunch at 1230. And then I'll take you to. Be prepared for the best food you've ever tasted. Allack's is the best restaurant, and I always go there in the heat of Game season."
Maylin nodded, taking this all in. Now, what were their names? Kornicu and Worsaw? Her thoughts were interrupted by a feminine screech of terror, and Terkast shut the door with a last sheepish grin at Maylin.
She started down the hallway, her steps padded on the lush golden carpet beneath her. She passed the four doors that she knew already held tributes getting 'dolled up,' to use Terkast's wording. She thought of the Careers inside of them, and felt nausea rising within her stomach.
The elevator came when she presed the button, and Maylin wondered how she was supposed to find Kornicu and Worsaw. She faintly remembered Terkast saying something about a place the escorts hung around…
She went into the elevator, and was surprised by a tall boy, about 18, with sad gray eyes. She waved slowly, and his eyes focused on her, sharpening a little. She opened her mouth, before closing it again, frustrated. Hopefully he would talk, and tell her what was going on.
He didn't though, and Maylin realized that he was also an Avox. She mouthed the words 'escorts' to him, and he nodded. Thankfully he was good at reading lips, for she never picked up on the art. If only she could read… or write, then she would carry around a piece of paper!
The doors clanged shut, and carried the two Avoxes down together. For the first time, she saw that he had a small tray of prettily decorated sandwiches on a silver platter, and shuddered at the thought of herself doing that. She wasn't required to do that, ever sicne she became the Head Gamemaker's pet. The biggest thing she did was hold his wine glass!
When the doors opened on a floor, Maylin noticed immediately that it was underground. The air felt slightly wet, and the entire floor had an enclosing feeling to it. The Avox motioned forward, keeping his platter perfectly balanced.
He carefully walked through the narrow hallway, covered in the same thick rug as the prepping floor. At the end of it was a high doorway, a sign on it with many letters that Maylin didn't comprehend. He pushed open the door, and was greeted with the cry of 'Sandwiches!'
She stepped in behind him, and saw many of the oddest people that she saw on television. She looked amongst them for Kornicu and Worsaw. Kornicu had light blue hair… and Worsaw dark green. She scanned the crowd in fornt of her, and found them immediately. The two were in the center of the throng of people, talking animatedly to a skinny woman.
Maylin went over, and was prepared to wait her turn when Worsaw turned to her immediately. "Yes? What can I do for you on this wonderful Chariot Day?" he asked politely.
Maylin furrowed her brow, unsure of how to convey Terkast's message. She mimed eating, and then put up 10 fingers plus 2, and then another 3.
Worsaw looked at her as if she had three heads, and Maylin thought harder on how to mime what she really meant. However, Kornicu slapped Wosaw's shoulder and exclaimed loudly.
"Worsol, she's a messenger from Terkast! Our annual lunch at Allack's, at 12:30, right?" he asked, turning to Maylin hopefully. She nodded with excitement, glad that she didn't have to embarrass herself. After realizing what the brother's name was, though, she kicked herself mentally. Worsol, not Worsaw. Kornicu then turned to Worsol and laughed. "You were never good at charades, brother!"
Maylin went to leave then, but was stopped by a happy Kornicu. "You're the Avox Terkast said he had? I personally like you. Intuitive, polite. Heck, you look smart enough to win your own Games!"
"Where you off to?" Worsol asked, his face still in a frown after being made fun of. However, he tried lightening the mood by smiling at her. His teeth were died a green color. This made was even more strange then she originally thought.
She moved her arms in an wide arc, hoping they'd understand. Thankfully, Kornicu came to the rescue. "Nah, you don't have to go back to Terkast! Stick with us, you'll learn some very interesting things about our fellow escorts!"
They herded her to the center of the room, where they had been talking to the skinny woman. "Now, do you see that woman over there, in the tight purple dress?" Worsol began, but Maylin zoned out for a moment.
Did she prefer this over being starved in District Five? Sadly, Maylin checked that mental box a yes. She was fed here, and actually paid attention to, instead of just wanted for the money she could receive. Though it felt like a bad thing, Maylin wasn't really upset over the lack of her voice, either. She never really talked at home. She was much better off at the Capitol as a pet then at home. Besides, her parents probably didn't even miss her. They had five other children, and they weren't as old as she was, either.
With a smile, Maylin turned back to the brothers for a lesson on 'Who's Who' in the Capitol.