Chapter Seven, Truth and Lies
Evani, the female tribute from Durmstrang, was just getting out of bed when her stylist, Ninian, walked into the room. Evani's gray eyes met Ninian's violet eyes when they looked at one another. Neither spoke for a moment as they had gotten off to a bad start in the Remake Center.
"I am going to guess that Ilyria talked you through what you'd have to do during your interview today with Lark, correct?" Ninian questioned Evani.
Evani nodded but then frowned. "We walked through it, yes. However, I've already decided that I do not want to wear heels. I'm not very good at walking them and it would look pretty awful if I were to trip and fall." She pointed out. "So, with that said, what are you having me wear?"
Ninian smiled lightly at Evani. "Well, first we need to get you cleaned up. Then, I'll let you put on your dress. Just remember that this time, you're going to be making an impression, okay?" She told her.
Evani nodded. "It's fine. Let's just go ahead and start getting this over with." She said honestly.
Ninian looked at Evani as the prep team came in to start helping Evani get cleaned up and ready. "Don't wish this night away." She told Evani honestly. "Remember, you go into the arena tomorrow morning."
Evani looked at Ninian with a small frown. "I know. I'm just tired of being a puppet to be strung around by some psychotic lunatic until they're ready to put me in the arena to let me die. Besides, even if I were to make it out, it's hard to tell what they would do with me and I certainly don't want to be someone that has to live my life based on the decisions of somebody else. The way I see it, if I'm going to die, it will be by my terms...not theirs." She told Ninian honestly before walking quickly to the bathroom.
Ninian watched Evani leave before hearing water running into the bathtub and she frowned. Evani's words left her wondering if this was even humane by any standard. This had seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime but now, it left her with more questions than answers. She shook her head before looking at the dress and making sure everything was right. It all had to be perfect. It would be Evani's last chance for early sponsors that would make all the difference in the world.
Sophia's stylist, Lumiere, was zipping up the back of her dark blue dress. It had tons of sequins at the very top with more spread around the dress very lightly. It also had some very light designs of simple flowers made out of a blackened silver material that was very light and beautiful. The dress fit Sophia very snug at the top and once it reached her hips, the rest just flowed down into a ballgown-style poof, supported by layers of tulle underneath.
Lumiere smiled at Sophia's dress as she looked in the mirror. "It looks perfect." He told her honestly with a slight French accent. "Your modzer told me that you were making dze announcement tonight, or radzer dzat your fiancee, Yosuke, was. He's dze other tribute, isn't he?"
Sophia nodded as she was looking over the dress in the mirror. "He is." She said before her eyes began to tear up. "Lumiere, this is so beautiful. Thank you ever so much." Sophia admitted honestly before he wrapped her arms around her in a friendly and reassuring hug. "I don't know if I can ever repay you for your kindness."
Lumiere let her go and handed her a tissue. "Well, you can come out of that arena alive is one dzing." He told her honestly. "Your modzer talked to me and I'm heading to one of your bases to watch and wait for you to make it out." He said softly. "I'll be betting on you."
Sophia wiped at her eyes and sniffled as she got a slight smile. "If I make it out...rather if we make it out, I'd really like for you to design my wedding dress." She told him quietly before blowing her nose.
Lumiere gently rubbed her shoulder and nodded. "I'd love to design all dze dresses you'll need for your wedding if you make it out." He said to her. "I'll start the designs as soon as I leave widz dze team."
"I'd like that a lot." Sophia told him before taking out her engagement ring and looking at it. "I just hope that we make it out of this thing." She said quietly.
"I'm sure you will, Sophia. I doubt that either of you will let the other down." Lumiere told her honestly before guiding her to a chair and beginning to work on her hair. "Now, after I put on your makeup, no more crying." He warned.
Sophia chuckled softly as she blew her nose. "Okay, I promise." She told him honestly and they sat there, talking about wedding dresses and other little things that really didn't seem to matter with such a daunting task looming so near.
Finally, Lumiere finished her make-up and smiled. "Ah, you look most beautiful ma chère. Would you like to see yourself?" He questioned her kindly. Sophia nodded gently and Lumiere turned her so that she could look in the giant mirror and she gasped softly.
"Lumiere! I...wow. Just...wow." Sophia stated in disbelief. "I'm going to really make an impression on some people. What exactly are we going for?"
Lumiere chuckled a little. "For dze parade, we wanted you and Yosuke to really come out as a team and show yourselves in that way. Now, I want you to show yourself as dze raven, so to speak. Dze dzing we're going for is portraying you as a sharp girl who shouldn't be overlooked just because you're smart...we want dzem to understand that you're just as deadly as you are genius." He explained.
Sophia smiled. "I am at a loss for words. Thank you." She told him kindly.
Lumiere gently kissed the top of her hand. "Now, let's go get you into dze line for dze interview widz dze odzer tributes." He told her, leading her out and to the line of tributes that was waiting eagerly to get on the stage to be called forward individually for a short interview with Lark Obsidian. After Lumiere left her to take his place with the other stylists, the stage lights began to come on and the crowd began to applaud and cheer loudly. The show was about to begin.
As the tributes began to come onto the stage in a line, they each took a seat on the chairs towards the back of the stage. Towards the front, there was a pair of chairs. Lark Obsidian was already sitting in one of them, displaying his award winning smile. After a short introduction of the program, Lark started calling each of the tributes up and engaging them in conversation.
First was Melissa, the girl from Elysian Academy. She was very confident about her ability to hide in the woods and felt that would really help her. Next came the boy, Ptolemy, and he was much more stoic in his responses. He stated that he was better at hunting and wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Evani followed shortly after and she was dressed in a light yellow dress, which helped her seem not as intimidating as she originally seemed. She spoke of bringing honor back to her school by winning the Games. Donevon, on the other hand, seemed more distracted and only talked about playing the Games as fairly as possible and doing his best to not die from the beginning. Sophia was next and while talking to Lark, she complimented her stylist's design and also was very kind as she talked about hoping not to have to kill anyone.
Yosuke was next and he was dressed in a suit that was the same dark blue as Sophia's dress. He relaxed in the chair and grinned at Lark and the audience.
"So, tell us all, Yosuke, what was your thought when you heard your name when it was drawn out of the bowl?" Lark questioned Yosuke lightly.
"At first, I was surprised that I was drawn out of everyone else. I was a little thankful because of all the younger students that could have gotten picked over me." Yosuke told Lark honestly.
Lark nodded. "Definitely a brave and noble one to think of others before yourself." He said honestly. "So, with a personality like yours, I'd think that you have a girl waiting at home for you to come back, am I right?" He asked, really asking the last part to the audience who cheered in support.
Yosuke grinned slightly before shaking his head. "Well, I've got a fiancee but she's not waiting on me to get back exactly." He told Lark honestly.
"Oh really?" Lark questioned him. "Distance strain or just had a really bad fight before you left?" He asked. "I'm sure she'll be happy to have you back when this is over with."
"Well, Lark...to be honest..." Yosuke began before sighing. "She kind of came here with me. I guess we were unlucky enough to both be in here fighting for our lives." He told him honestly, hearing a gasp from some in the audience.
Lark looked surprised before looking back towards Sophia and then back to Yosuke. "Well, folks, looks like we've already got a set of star-crossed lovers to be looking out for in the coming days!" He told everyone before looking back at Yosuke. "Believe us when we wish you two all the best as you fight together in the arena." He stated before standing with Yosuke and shaking his hand. "Yosuke Kino, from Ravenclaw House at Hogwarts!" Lark announced loudly.
The interviews continued on down the list. Felicity, the smallest tribute who was from the Appalachian Academy, talked about her hope to return home when the entire ordeal was over. Jerika was dressed in a forest green dress and talked about just wanting to return home to her brother and to see her mother again. Caleb brought much of the audience to tears as he talked about hoping to return to see his daughter born and getting to marry the mother of his child.
Tessa, a tribute from Salem, talked about her hope to make it out so that she could graduate and start doing research on half-breed genetics. Xavier, a tribute from Beauxbatons, wanted to win so that he could return to his family in Bulgaria and just live. Many of the tributes talked about wanting to return home and hopefully to bring some pride back while others just wanted to come out alive.
Emy was next up and she walked the front, dressed in a gorgeous red dress, decorated with red and yellow gemstones, especially at the bottom, which gave the illusion of flames. She sat down gracefully with Lark and gave the crowd a sweet smile.
"Emyrillis Steele, our girl on fire!" Lark stated loudly before smiling at Emy. "So, Emy, you've created quite the stir for everyone when you decided to volunteer for your twin sister. Everyone's just wondering what went through your mind. I know we are." He told her honestly.
Emy smiled softly. "You know, Lark, it's not easy to volunteer. It's a lot harder to see someone you care about get called as a tribute. All I was thinking was 'Not Aly! It can't be her...' and I couldn't let her go. So I rushed after her and volunteered. I just couldn't imagine her going in there." She told Lark honestly.
Lark nodded. "A most admirable thing to do." He told her. "I'm sure it isn't easy for you and your partner, Jamie...being one of the youngest teams without older members?" He questioned.
"You know, I'm sure a lot of people think that." Emy said before shrugging. "Jamie and I may be one of the youngest teams but that doesn't make us a weak team. We have our strengths so I think we'll be okay." She told Lark with a grin. "Don't count us out just yet, people."
Lark smiled when he heard Emy. "Well, everyone, looks like we've got a pretty confidant team." He said brightly before smiling. "We wish you all the luck in the world." He told her before standing with her. "The girl on fire, Emyrillis Steele!" He announced.
After Emy went to sit down, Lark interviewed Jamie before they ended the show, allowing all the tributes to return to the Training Center with their stylists and mentors.
In the Australian School of Magic's apartment, their escort Louisa and their mentor Kent were talking to the two tributes, Electra and Mateo. Both were a little bored with the constant talk of strategy for the arena and the dissection of their interviews earlier. Mateo was the most bored as he was staring out the window at the city skyline as everyone talked. He was letting his mind wander when someone suddenly got his attention back.
"Well, Mateo, have you already gotten a plan for the arena?" Kent questioned. "Since you're examining the skyline, we just wondered what you were going to do tomorrow."
Mateo shook his head with a slight grin. "We hardly even know what this arena is going to be like and you're trying to make a game plan?" He asked them. "My plan is to try not to get myself killed, for one. Secondly, I'm going to do mostly the opposite of everything you're saying because some of your ideas are ridiculous."
"It's pointless to sit here and argue about it." Electra pointed out. "Mateo is right. We won't know what to expect until we're in there."
Louisa looked at the two tributes. "It's not that we're worried about your plan of what your strategy is. I'm more worried about what, er, connections that you're going in with." She clarified.
"Connections?" Mateo asked, narrowing his eyes. "What kind of connections do you mean?"
Kent folded his arms. "The Steele girl. You talk about her sister often. We're worried that you'll buddy up with her and then you'll find yourself in quite the mess." He told Mateo.
Electra looked at Mateo. "You know Steele?" She asked him.
Mateo shook his head. "I don't know Emy Steele directly. I just used to know her sister. We were...friends." He told Electra honestly before frowning. "But Emy is not her sister. Plus, this is not the kind of place for sentiment to creep into my decisions. Yes, if it was her sister Aly, I'd say that it would cause problems...but she isn't." Mateo said honestly. "She won't be a problem for me."
"Alright. Since that is settled, you two probably need to be heading to bed. Tomorrow will begin the first of several long days ahead." Louisa told them, cutting off Kent who was about to speak. "Kent and I have other matters to discuss."
The two proceeded to leave but Electra stopped Mateo. Mateo seemed a little surprised but paused as Electra blocked his path to his room.
"You know, Mateo, I don't imagine that I'll ever understand you." Electra began, looking him in the eye. "Do you really intend to kill that Steele girl, Emy?" She questioned him.
Mateo sighed as he looked at Electra. "What I said downstairs was that I didn't mean to help her during this tournament. I never said that I'd kill her." He told her before looking away, towards a window at the end of the hall. "Aly, Emy's sister, and I go back to when we were kids in muggle school. I wouldn't kill her sister out of cold blood. If it comes down to just me and her, maybe. But to do it straight off the bat...nah. I couldn't do it." He admitted to her. "Now, can I go to bed?"
Electra nodded, moving out of his way. After Mateo closed the door, she entered her own room and lay down, staring at her ceiling for a while. She felt uneasy with Mateo, like he wasn't all there. She bit her lip because at that point, she was a little more scared of her fellow tribute than any of the others. If she survived the blood-bath, she didn't intend to be around him. It seemed like a better strategy because she was there to win, not to make any friends. As sleep began to creep up on her, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would not be easy...not for anyone.
Author's Note : Wow, seems like forever since I last had time to write and get new chapters up. Sorry about the wait! College has been hectic but after this week, there will only be a couple more weeks til Christmas Break so hopefully there will be more up around then. I'm working diligently on the next chapter for Losing Your Memory so expect more updates soon!
