I hope you all enjoy this next chapter and are having a great start to the Holidays!


I slide back into my room undetected and change into a simple black dress that is in one of the drawers. I remove my makeup and pull my hair back into a ponytail. Zura comes in to tell me that dinner is ready. I put my badass career persona on and saunter over to the dinner table. Our mentors ask us about our strengths and weaknesses and Zura tries to join in on the conversation, but fails. I do not want to deal with her and am not in the mood for girl talk. Besides, getting in her good graces won't help me in the games at all, so I really don't need to bother with her.

After dinner we watch the reapings. Cato and I ask to get District 1 and 4 in the career alliance. We then watch the next districts reapings with increasing elation. By the time the District 10 boy is selected and is a cripple, Cato and I are literally laughing at our competition. We make note of the large boy from District 11 and ask to have him put on the list of tentative allies. Surprisingly, there is a volunteer from District 12. I look closer at the screen, wondering if she could possibly be trained and be a good addition to our alliance. It turns out she was just volunteering in place of her little sister though. She tries to look confident, but I can see the fear in her eyes. She won't be any different from the usual District 12 Cornucopia bloodbath tributes. The boy from 12 is also a surprise, not only is he fair skinned and blonde (as opposed to the usual brunettes) but he is quite a bit heavier set than the usual starving boys. Oh well, neither of them will pose as a threat to us. I almost laugh at the thought of Cato taking on either in a fight.

The reapings are complete and I nod my head a few times over at Cato. The tributes seem extra pathetic this year. "I'm betting at least 1/3 will be killed off at the initial bloodbath." says Nilo. "I think we can manage that." Cato responds. It's true. I'm sure Cato and I could take out 8 without any aid of the other careers. "Alright so I have both from 1 and 4 on the list of allies and the boy from 11 on the list of possible allies. Anyone else you would like to add?" "No." I say but Cato says, "Yes." I look over at him surprised. "The boy from 12." "District 12? Are you serious?" I laugh. "Why not? He looked pretty strong. Just to put him on the tentative allies list won't hurt anyone." I reluctantly agree, mainly to avoid an argument with Cato, but I'm already planning District 12's blood bath death. Zua tells us to get some rest since we will be in the Capitol early tomorrow morning. I go back to my room and change into a short silk nightgown. Its rather warm on the train so I push all of the covers off of my bed and lie under a single sheet. I shut my eyes, in a desperate attempt to get some sleep. As I am laying there trying to think of anything but the games, I hear the lock on my door being picked. I sit up in the bed and turn the lamp next to me on as I see Cato's tall silhouette making his way through the doorframe. He silently closes the door and walks over to my bed. I turn the lamp back off and without any discussion he climbs under the sheet and cuddles up next to me. I make myself comfortable and put my head on his bare chest. And with Cato there, I am able to fall asleep.

I wake up due to the movement of my head. Cato's hands are gently laying it down on a pillow as he gets up from the bed, trying not to wake me. Seeing I'm up now, he gives me a quick kiss on the top of my head and tells me that Zura will be coming to wake us up in a few minutes so he has to go back to his own compartment. I nod groggily and watch him leave my room before I find myself falling back asleep. I only get to rest for about 10 more minutes though until Zura is standing over me saying that we have arrived in the capitol and will be eating breakfast in the training center. I'm glad I'm from District 2 and arrive at the Capitol earlier than most other tributes, being located so close. She tells me to look camera ready so I pick out a white Grecian style dress and apply some makeup. I make sure that I'm still wearing Cato's locket and pull it out from beneath the neck of the dress so it is visible. There is really no question that this will be my token. I join Cato, Nilo, Darlie, and Zura in the main compartment and together we make our entrance into the Capitol.

It is truly spectacular. Everywhere I turn there is an interesting building, car, or person. The fashion here is intriguing and the appearance of all the people eccentric and outlandish. I look up at the towering skyscrapers that surround us and am mesmerized. How grand it must be to live here. Even though I am from a more privileged district, I feel envious of the citizens of the Capitol. I wave at all the people watching us make our way from the train to the training center. I try to look confident and happy so as to make a good impression in case any of them could be sponsors. However, I notice that most of the citizen's attention is focused on Cato, marveling at the sheer size of him. Good. Hopefully that will get people interested in supporting us.

The training center is by far the nicest building I have ever been in. I look around at the towering ceiling and the chandelier, the elegant couches and endless doorways. We all pile into an elevator and Zura pushes the button numbered 2. I notice that the elevator has other buttons besides just the 12 districts. I wonder if I will have time to explore the other levels later on. The elevator doors open and I exit the lift to find the floor that will be my home for the next week. It is just as lavish as everything I have seen in the Capitol so far. I find myself drifting over to the buffet table and fill my plate with a bit of everything. The breakfast tastes fantastic and I have found a new favorite food: eclairs. I end up eating three of them and consider taking a few more to my room but decide against it. An avox shows me to my room and I am in love with the bedroom. If only I was here on vacation and not preparing to be slaughtered, I might actually be enjoying myself.

Zura told us over breakfast that Cato and I had the day off and were free to roam around the building as we pleased as long as we didn't go to any of the other district's floors and would be back for dinner tonight. She, Nilo and Darlie had then all left to meet with friends somewhere else in the Capitol. I was thrilled that Cato and I could have some time without supervision. I quickly change into a more practical outfit (shorts and a tank top) then meet Cato in the sitting room near the elevators. I would be content spending the day just sitting and talking with Cato, but under the circumstances neither of us can remain still so we end up deciding to snoop around the building. We decide to head back to the main level then go from there. As we exit the elevator in the lobby, Cato nudges me and points to the building's entrance. Here we get a look at some arriving tributes. District 6, I believe. Both are skinny and look terrified. I glance up at Cato and the mischievous look on his face tells me its time to have some fun. Before they can see us approaching, Cato says, "Argument" in a hushed tone. "Alright." I reply and we look at each other with evil glints in our eyes. Time to scare the competition out of their wits.

Cato takes off running towards the District 6 kids as I scream at the top of my lungs, "You did NOT just try to touch my boob." I take off after him and chuck a knife so it barely misses Cato and lands in the wall behind the other tributes, who are now hyperventilating. Cato yells back, "Come on, it was just a joke!" I pull out a second knife and now tackle him to the ground. "Well it seemed like a creeper move to me, and now, I'm going to kill you for it." Cato and I fake wrestle on the ground for a minute or so before he picks me up with one hand around my neck and pushes me against the wall. He isn't really choking me obviously, so I hold my breath until I turn blue in the face. The District 6 escort has finally come to her senses and runs over frantically telling Cato to stop, that harming another tribute before the games is against the rules. He lets go of me and I roughly push him to the ground. As I storm over to the elevators, I take one last look at the District 6 tributes. Yes, we did our job well. They look so scared that it is comical. We'll take them out in the bloodbath for sure. Cato rushes to join me in the elevator and we try to give each other death glares, knowing all eyes are on us.

As soon as the doors slide closed we both collapse to the ground laughing. Hey, you have to have some fun before you get put in the arena. "Is your neck alright?" Cato asks once he can finally talk again. "Yeah, but we better put some ice on your arm, I threw a pretty hard punch there when we were wrestling." Cato rolls up the sleeve on his left arm and sure enough it looks like a small bruise is forming. As soon as the elevator arrives back at our floor, I hurry over to where the kitchen area is and grab a plastic bag that I fill with ice for Cato. I walk back to where he is seated on one of the Capitol's nice black leather couches and take a seat next to him, pressing the ice onto his arm. "Clove. Honestly, its a bruise. You're acting like my arm is going to fall off or something." "I just feel bad. I got a little too into the fake fighting. It's my fault that you even have a bruise." "Clove, I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it in the elevator." "Well, if you don't want the ice..." I say with a sly smile. I pull the bag back from his arm, open it and proceed to dump the entire bag down the back of his shirt. He immediately jumps up from the couch and does an odd dance, trying to shake the ice out from his shirt. He notices me laughing at him from the couch and picks me up over his shoulder sack of potatoes style. I'm laughing and screaming a bit as I attempt to break free, but I have no control over the situation, and honestly don't mind it that much. He carries me into the elevator and says mischievously, "Hmm, where should I take you now that you are at my mercy." I see him press a random button and we start to drop.


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