DISCLAIMER:

There are several concepts, characters, and real life things that I use and/or mention in this chapter that I don't own. These include but are not limited to the Hunger Games, Finnick Odair, and JumboTron.

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A/N: I've decided to add a footnote system, so if you see a bolded and bracketed number (Like [1]) it means there is a footnote at the bottom. Let me know what you think of this.

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IN THIS CHAPTER: Mild sexual themes, mild adult language

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CHAPTER 6

"Finnick!"

Korey. "Wha?"

"If you want to see the recaps then come on, they're starting in five minutes."

What?

"Coming," I call, as I jump out of bed and run my hand through my hair before opening the door.

"You slept through dinner, but we saved you a plate," she says as we walk.

"Thanks," I say absently. I'm still trying to figure out how I fell asleep; I don't even remember getting in bed.

"It's in here," Korey says, nodding her head towards a large door. I turn and follow her into the room, where a floor to ceiling television is mounted literally inside the wall with three couches facing it.

Already seated are Mags, Odalys, Elesah, Jayde, and a woman who must be part of Korey's styling team.

Jayde pats a seat between herself and Korey, handing me a plate of food, and I sit down.

"Cayne was supposed to come, but she's….uh, blitzed[1] so I came in her place."

Really? After this she will have no responsibilities until the interviews, she couldn't have waited until then to get wasted?

Korey shoots me a look of pity.

I open my mouth to respond, but the anthem blasts from every corner of the room as the seal of Panem fills the screen.

"Medium volume, 1080p resolution, twilight screen settings, lights movie theater," Elesah says, and I watch in awe as the volume and lights lower while the TV readjusts to Elesah's commands.

Korey nudges me. "Close your mouth, you look like a fish."

I abruptly shut it, but I am still astonished by the technology. Two Capitol announcers appear on the screen, wearing these things that look like ear muffs except for the fact that there is a stick that goes from the left side to right in front of the mouth, where it ends with a foamy looking cylinder. The first one, a girl with hot pink hair, skin, eyes, and lips, squeals about how exciting it is that the Games have come. Her voice is so high that I wonder if the Capitol is using some kind of technology to make it higher. The second, a man who looks identical to the woman, but blue, says that "Without further ado" the ceremony recap will begin. First the tributes from District 1. With dramatic makeup accenting their blood red suits, they look dark and powerful, even if they are covered in rhinestones. The announcer lady goes on and on about how she loves the whole outfit. The crowd thinks that District 2 is boring, as I expected, and they never appear on the gigantic JumboTron behind the tributes; the camera cuts from District 1 straight to Three. The guy gets a decent amount of attention, that is until Korey and I appear. The crowd goes wild, and honestly, we were amazing. We look strong, clever, and undeniably sexy. The guy announcer literally says that he wouldn't mind bedding Korey. I feel her tense, and squeeze her hand quickly. Even when five comes out, we are still on the screen until the last second. Once we're finally gone, the announcer tries to figure out how District Five's costumes were made, but she's stupid like pretty much all Capitol people, so she guesses things like melted down hot glue gun sticks. I don't know what a hot glue gun is, by I'm pretty darn sure that's not how they did it. Even though Six is showing everything God gave them, they don't get cheers nearly as loud as Korey and I. We basically beat them in their own game without trying to. Seven are dressed as lumberjacks, Mags suggests that their stylists may be referring to the legend of Paul Bunyan, explaining the platform shoes that are probably a good foot tall. I've never heard the story, but I take her word for it anyway. Apparently the Capitol announcers haven't either, because they just mutter something about lumberjacks before quickly moving onto District 8. The Capitol doesn't appreciate anything handmade, and the announcers say the expected better of the district of cloth. The two District Nine tributes are dressed identically, it's actually hard to tell them apart. Ten are dressed like sheep. They are wearing wooly body suits, and their faces are painted white with stage makeup. Honestly, I think they look like little kids at a costume party, but the female Capitol announcer coos about how cute they look until well after the District 11 tributes appear. They are dressed in these weird farmer costumes, that are nothing like what the farmers in District Eleven actually wear. District Twelve's black suits draw an awed reaction from the crowd, and the announcers speculate about the fabric it is made of.[2] Snow's speech is cut, thank God, and the announcers appear on the screen, asking Capitol citizens to vote for something or other. They say to get on the "internet" and go to www(dot)hungergames(dot)com(backslash)polls to vote for their favorites. I get up to leave, but Odalys barks, "Stay put! This is important."

I glare at him but sit back down. Five minutes later, the announcers are announcing results. How'd they get them tallied up so fast? In the districts, it would almost a month to put this all together. Granted, we didn't have the "internet" whatever the h*ll that is.

Squeaky voice comes back on, with dramatic music in the background. "The district with the most potential sponsors right now is…"

The faces of all twenty-four tributes appear on the screen, in order by district, male first.

"District Four!"

The TV zooms in to our faces, and Korey and I can't help but smile at each other.

"In a close second place is District Six!"

Did I mention that us and Six are the most...attractive tributes? As my mother always says, "Sex sells."

"And in third is District 12."

Pity votes.

"I'm going to bed," Korey says, and walks out.

"Same," I call over my shoulder as I walk out.

Once we are out of earshot, Korey says, "I need to talk to you."

I nod, and follow her into her room.

The first thing I notice is that she has covered her bare white walls with drawings. I see herself, her parents, her older sister, and even myself. And she's amazing.

"I didn't know you were an artist," I say, awed by her talent.

She blushes and mumbles, "It's really not a big deal, I'm not even that good."

Whoops, I've made her uncomfortable.

"You're very good. You're the only person I've ever met who can make me look as irresistible on paper as I am in real life," I purr, before dropping my eyelids and making a ridiculously provocative pose.

She laughs. Mission accomplished.

"What's up?" I ask

"Right. Come sit," she commands, patting next to herself on the bed.

I sit next to her, close enough to not offend her, but far enough to make sure I'm not sending the wrong message. Irlissa will be waiting when I get home, and I don't want to screw that up with a girl who I can't have anyway.

"We're doing the allies thing, right?" she asks.

"Yeah. That's what I told you before the ceremony," I say somewhat incredulously.

She must have noticed my tone, because holds up her hands in the universal, "Okay, Okay, I surrender" gesture and says, "I know, I know. Just wanted to make sure you still wanted to do it."

"Ohhhh...yeah...so...about it?" Wow, that was horrible. I am usually the epitome of smooth talker. Fail.

"One, are we going to tell our mentors, and two, are we going to join the career alliance?" she asks.

"Two is no, I don't want to get killed because I chose the wrong side in some asinine fight that some ignoramus[3] started over something stupid."

"Running out of creative synonyms for stupid, are you Finnick? Ms. Amphetamine would be disappointed in you," she teases, smirking at me.

I audibly groan. "Please don't mention that woman in my presence. Ever." Ms. Amphetamine is our English teacher, who's last name is a drug according to some kid. It could just be BS, but I don't doubt it. This lady is crazy, she's probably on whatever drugs she's named after. And I hate her. Only because she hates me, and Irlissa, and Lance, and probably Korey for that matter.

Korey laughs. "Fine, fine. No Ms. Amphetamine and no career alliance. But what about Mags and Odalys?"

I sigh. The mentors might immediately ix-nay the idea completely, but if they actually agreed it would make the whole thing a lot easier.

"I'm not sure about Odalys, but Mags would probably do it if that's what you wanted."

"But Odalys is my mentor, not Mags," she nitpicks.

"Way to rain on my parade," I mutter under my breath, before saying, "Odalys is a lackadaisical[4] jack*ss. It's going to be Mags looking out for both of us in the arena."

"And you said I was raining on your parade. But it's probably true."

I yawn suddenly. "I'm exhausted. Can I leave?"

She nods. "Yes, please so I can change and go to bed."

Fight the temptation, fight it. Temptation wins. "Your changing? Suddenly I'm not so tired anymore...maybe I'll stay right here."

Korey rolls her eyes. "Fin-nick!"

"Fine, fine," I grouse, trying and failing to keep a straight face, as she pushes me out the door. She's decently strong. As I climb into bed, I'm still smiling, for real.

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FOOTNOTES

1. Slang for drunk

2. Visit www(dot)rootsuit(dot)com to see an example of these

3. Idiot

4. Lazy

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A/N: Short, I know. And yes I didn't even start training. I already know what I want to do for the private session, but I'm not sure about training...I will try to post the next chapter some time this week. Also, please let me know what you think of the footnote thing, and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. I know people who mark my story as a favorite and follow but don't review, it makes my day when I get a positive review, or even a negative one because it tells me you care. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW. Anyone who reviews gets a shout out in the next chapter! Thanks!

-cindella204