Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or any of its characters.
A/N: Okay, so it's been months. But school is tough and I can't make time to write. I really had trouble to keep this up since I don't really have any brilliant ideas. I try my best though. This is my first so, after I finish this story, hopefully I would do better. This chapter is longer than usual. I would really appreciate the reviews, share your ideas, I can try to improve using them.
Her mom was right, she did look amazing at the reaping. She picked out the best set of jewelry from the shop and it really suited her little girl. But the purpose was not really the best for the others. For their District, it was the matter of being known and being famous. At least everyone knew you before you die. Sometimes, they would be victorious, they were part of the Career pack. Why wouldn't they be victorious? Things change after you enter, but your journey matters when you have the spotlight on you. For Glimmer, she had it.
The reaping has just concluded and both of them were brought into the District's Justice Building for the final goodbyes. They were brought into different rooms with a peacekeeper on guard outside. Glimmer sat down on the couch, awaiting for her visitor to arrive. Whoever it may be, she knows this won't be the last time to see them.
Her mother enters the room along with her sister and father, she gives them warm hugs and she sees how proud they are of her. "Oh, my baby girl. It's your turn. Make us proud." Her mother gives her a hug and says their temporary goodbyes. After a few moments, a peacekeeper comes in to signal them out. Glimmer waited for another person to come in, but didn't. After the next few minutes, she was taken out and brought to the vehicle that would send them to the train. They're greeted with a crowd wishing them luck.
The journey was silent, well, aside from their escort Myra explaining and talking about how it's going to be an honor being in the games. The possible rewards and outcome they could get after the games. Glimmer listened, but Marvel just kept looking at the crowd outside the car window. They were waving and cheering for them. But all he could think of was his family. This is not how he imagined it would go but there was nothing he could do, he's here and the best thing he could do was to come back to his family and be victorious.
After what seemed to be like forever, they arrived at the train station. Camera crews and groups of people wave them goodbye. This is the Luxury District, this is common. When you're from a Career District, people don't fear of you losing considering that children have been trained since they were small. Myra escorts them onto the train and they give one final smile to the crowd before the door closes and the train starts moving.
Since they're from District 1, it won't be too far from The Capitol. They would arrive in a matter of hours. Both of them were brought into the living are where the tributes get to meet their mentors. They take a seat on the sofa across a coffee table with two comfortable looking chairs on the other side. Gimmer plays with her fingers while waiting. On the other hand, Marvel puts his elbows on his knees, and stares at the table with what seemed like worry or fear in his eyes. But he shouldn't show fear, he's a Career and he's trained. It wasn't actually his best choice but he knows this is what's best. You gotta do through danger and risk yourself in order to put the lives of your loved ones to a better state.
Minutes pass and Myra finally enters the room with Cashmere and Gloss, mentors of District 1, twins, brother and sister, won back-to-back games during their era, the 63rd and the 64th, darlings of the Capitol. They take a seat across from their tributes and gives a good look at them. Gloss has that very masculine look, he has a tough build and low voice, he has caramel blonde hair. It's not a surprise that this guy had very high odds of winning during the span of his games. You can see it from his body, the strength that he is capable of. Cashmere, so beautiful. Long blonde hair, cascading in curls. Those green eyes. She has quite the resemblance with Glimmer.
"Well, well. Congratulations to the both of you." Cashmere starts and breaks the silence.
"We don't need to lecture you much. You've been trained for half of your life. But we are here to guide you guys and tell you what you're supposed to show the other tributes." Says Gloss. He's kinda intimidating. Although he shouldn't be since he's been District 1's mentor for years after he won. He was even a mentor during his sister's games.
"Okay, why don't we save some of the extra chit chat later and have some lunch? Okay." Myra says as she puts her hands together and leads them to the dining area.
They talk about some survival tips during lunch, sharing strategies and clues on what to do. Offense is their best game, the more you wipe out during the bloodbath, the better chances you get at finishing off the others right after it. As part of the Career District, they technically take control of most of the supplies during the games. So they won't have to worry much about it at first. They should think about how they're gonna do and how long they're going to last before their supplies run out. Gloss tells them to focus on combat training during the process but not to forget the survival part of it like knowing how to work with what is available in the arena. They live a good life, not requiring too much labor from hunting or farming, their district was more for material things. So, they will really need much of that information for main needs.
Myra tells them that they will be arriving in The Capitol by morning, so she sends them to their compartments to take a rest until they arrive.
Marvel enters his room and shuts the door. It's a foreign place. This is where every year's tributes stay before they reach the Capitol. He takes a good look around the room and walks over to the well made bed. An avox enters with its head down to bring him some clothes and walks out immediately. Avoxes, criminals with their tongue cut off and banished to serve at The Capitol. Behind their silence, you can't avoid wondering what have they done to deserve such punishment.
Marvel takes a seat on the bed and puts is hands to his head. So far, what happened during the day seems surprising to him. Just staring at blankness, he thinks of the event during the reaping..
The crowd gathers in front of District 1's Justice Building. Kids are divided by their age group at the center of the city. Parents and other witnesses to the event stay outside of the borders of the square. Kids of different sizes, tall and short, buff and thin, girls and boys. All of them entered in the Career Academy. As long as you are from the Career Districts, you are required to enter the Career Academy to prepare for the possibility of being chosen for the games once you are eligible.
Myra, District 1's escort, walks out of the Justice Building in an all purple, backless outfit. Typical capitol fashion. Platinum blonde hair in a dome-like do, with a white fluffy headpiece. A long ribbon dangling its neck and a puffy feathery skirt. Her shoes were purple as well. They were 3-inch heels and had feathers at its sides. She was followed by District 1's mayor and some of the district's past victors. Myra starts and gives a few taps on the microphone.
"Welcome to another year, everyone."
She goes on about the uprising of the Districts, the destruction of District 13, and the true meaning and history of the games. In District 1, this is still very much important. Although, for the other possible tributes, it's kind of tiring. Hearing the same thing over and over again every year kind of makes it very irritating. The audience still appreciates it though. District 1 is still one of those Districts that is very much adored by The Capitol. It's where there clothes and accessories basically come from. It's like the end of this boring speech would never come, but eventually, it's time for the most awaited part. The tributes are about to be picked.
"Let's start with the ladies, shall we," Myra speaks in no form of a question. She walks over to the reaping bowl on the right side of the stage, a few paces beside the microphone. She takes out a slip of paper and opens it. But before she could even speak the name, a few voices blurt out "I volunteer!". This thing isn't new in a Career District, what matters is that you get to the stage first before anyone of the other volunteers do. Girls start running from different directions, three girls go for it this year. One girl is blocked by the crowd in front of her that prevented her for reaching the stage on time. The two other girls still went on, and a thud comes after. One girl fell, pushed by the other, probably. One walks up on stage, composing herself, flattening out her dress, and fixing her hair.
"Come on dear," Myra gestures to the girl.
The girl walked up the stairs poise and elegance, her head held up high, graceful walk (other than the fact that she had to fight off 2 other girls to reach the stage), she wore a white classic flowy cocktail pixie dress and booties. Her blonde curls falling below her shoulders. She reached the center of the stage, beside Myra. The pieces of jewelry that a certain woman bought for her little girl… that diamond chained necklace with sapphire pendants, blue gemmed earrings and diamond bracelet. The girl looked familiar.
"What is your name, dear?" Myra asks.
"Glimmer Mainstreen"
It was very common for the Career District to have volunteers, usually ranging from the later ages like 17 or 18. They all have the same intentions for this sacrifice, fame and fortune. It seemed easy for everyone of them, the confidence that lies in everyone, knowing that they would succeed, that the odds are always in their favor. But there will always be that pinch inside you, knowing that anything is possible. In this kind of situation, you can't assure anything. No matter how high the odds are, even the best of the best fall to their knees. She's his friend, he loves her, he cared for each person important to him very deeply. He just got to know her better for the past days, they became close, practically best buddies. Despite the differences, they shared a lot in common. They shared stories and experiences, he told her about his mother, about him being the best hope his family has. The possibility of losing another dear one is not something you can live through again.
But he knew what he had to do. He wasn't doing this for her, he was doing this for his family. He was doing this for the sake of his brother and sister's future, to help his dad, for them to be one of the wealthy and well respected families of their district. Yes, they were in District 1, but with it's level in society and their level in the community, they were still in a plow place. He cared more for his family. So, with a pained heart, he needs to choose. He would volunteer, even if it means doing against a friend.
"Let's go on with the gentlemen," Myra speaks into the microphone and looks like she tiptoes to the reaping bowl on the other side. She picks a name and opens it up.
"Marvel Collins," Myra reads and looks to the crowd.
This takes Marvel by surprise but doesn't stop him from getting to that stage. Luckily, he was in the front row of the crowd, so he managed to get up there before even anyone would bother to volunteer in his place. He walked to the center of the stage and stood tall, confidence showing. He scanned the crowd and saw his dad at the back. His face was unreadable, somewhere between the face of a proud father and one to lose his son. But he gave him a weak smile, Marvel could get a hint on what his father really felt. Maybe they would get to talk about it during the final interrogations.
"Okay," Myra puts both of her hands on each of the tributes' shoulders, "Here are your tributes for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Glimmer Mainstreen and Marvel Collins." She lets go of their shoulders and gives a round of applause along with the audience. Marvel took a good look at the other kids in the crowd, some had relief shown in their expressions but some showed a face of envy and disappointment. He knew this occurred every year with those who wanted to join, but this is the time he got to take a good look at all of them.
Myra then ushers both of them into the Justice Building. Brought into separate rooms, Marvel waited in his while a peacekeeper stood outside. He turned around and looked out the window when his dad entered just a few seconds after.
"Hey son." Mr. Collins greets his son with an assuring smile.
"Dad.." Marvel struggled to get his words out.
"I told your siblings you were going away, that you were off to make them proud," there was sadness in Mr. Collins' voice.
"…I'm sorry, dad. I will. I will make them proud," Marvel said all that he would do everything for his family. He pulled his dad into a hug and held him tight, just for a few seconds, and he teared up.
"Things will be fine, son. Everything will be alright. Good luck, make sure to kick them asses out there," Mr. Collins gave his son a good pat on the back. He put in all his effort to push the tears back and not show his son weakness.
"I love you, dad," says Marvel.
"I love you too, son," Mr. Collins says finally before a peacekeeper entered to tell them that their time was up and ushered him out. Marvel stood there, dumbfounded. What was he thinking? Why had he entered a deathtrap? Well, there was no taking this back now. All he can do now is fight and survive.
Those last words his dad gave him was to keep reminding him of what he would come home to. He had to do everything to get home. Just a few weeks into these games and things will be back to normal. But there was the reality of never coming back, there was a chance of that. They are 24 tributes to be sent in, although, the odds still do seem higher for them. He had the edge of coming from a wealthy district.
Marvel was cut out of his deep thinking with a sudden knock on the door, he then told whoever it was to come in. The door opened and Glimmer stood outside, she gave a tiny wave of her hand and a silent 'hi' before fully entering the room and shutting the door.
"Hey," Marvel greeted her, almost coming out as a whisper.
She took slow steps toward where Marvel sat and stopped a few paces before him. The room was quiet for a while.
"Well, you got your wish. You're now officially in for the games," Marvel shattered the deafening silence surrounding them.
"Yeah. How about you? I didn't expect that you had any plans of entering," she finally takes a seat beside him.
"I didn't either. I guess it was just pure urge and instinct," Marvel shrugged.
"Oh, well. I guess I wouldn't worry much in the arena, since you're around, right?" Glimmer gave a shy smile to Marvel. That smile, such a sweet girl. How could he have the guts to harm her, or much even kill her?
"I guess so. But, you do know that there can only be one winner, right?" He struggled to get those words out. Maybe it wasn't the best time to say it.
"I know that. But I don't want it to get down to the two of us," she says weakly.
"Wouldn't dream of letting that happen," he looked down at his hands and played with his fingers. He gave a weak smile without facing her.
"At least I can breathe for a while," she let out a few words in relief.
"Yeah," that was all Marvel could say. He couldn't make up any other words to tell Glimmer. What actually is his plan? Act as a real Career and do not appear weak. How can he pull this off?
"Well," Glimmer stood up from beside Marvel, "I'll be heading back to my room, then. You have a good night Marvel. See you in the morning," Glimmer gave him one last smile.
"You have a good night as well Glimmer," he nodded as she went out the door and it shut.
Things went smoothly through the day, although it was full of surprises as well. The best thing to do now is to appear tough and competitive, like you're bloodthirsty, for the citizens of The Capitol. The more dangerous you seem to be, the more sponsors you get. And if you have a lot of sponsors, you have an advantage against the others. Usually, Careers appear viscous and strong. They're the best among the rest, majority of the games, they come home victorious. This would be way out of his comfort zone. Marvel is nothing like these traits, he may have grown up in one of the Career Districts like District 1 but he grew up well-grounded and humble. That was how his father raised him and his siblings. But this is a matter of life and death, if it requires change and to plaster a different face, so be it.
Marvel thinks of what he's going to pull off. No concrete idea enters his mind, he has to show his skills, of course. That is one factor. Maybe he could think of the rest in the morning. For now, Marvel gets some shut eye and rest. A new chapter in his probable-soon-to-end-or-soon-to-be-victorious life begins.