Author's Note: I forgot to mention this, but Dizzy, the District One escort, was submitted by kariiwilliams121. District Twelve's escort, Agustino Brubeck, was submitted by stuckahomebgs. Thanks to those two for them. :)

Chapter 8: Train Rides and Arrivals

Joshua Yates, 33, District Twelve Male - CrissKenobie-theNumenorian

After losing Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta all in the same year, District Twelve had been without a mentor. In fact, in twenty-five years, no District Twelve tribute had ever come close to winning. To make matters worse, the atmosphere in the train was tense and awkward. The escort, who Joshua supposed doubled as their mentor, was a man in his late thirties by the name of Agustino Brubeck. His appearance looked as though he should be escorting for District Four, with his black hair and beard tinged blue. His eyes were seafoam green, as well as the earrings that dangled from his ears. In addition, his arms were tinted a mixture of deep and light blues, and seafoam green. Agustino could be considered a quirky man, and he loved to talk. Unfortunately, his personality seemed to clash horribly with Joshua's district partner.

Luciel, or Lucy as she had insisted on being called, seemed to have absorbed all the bitterness and hatred in the world into one body. Already, she had snapped at Joshua for "staring at her fucking burns", and screamed at Agustino to shut his "over-privileged mouth." Joshua normally saw himself as someone who was easy to get along with, but honestly, he was a bit terrified of Lucy, even though she looked to be around his seventeen-year-old daughter's age. Evvy was a sweet, quiet girl, who probably wouldn't be sure what to make of Lucy either.

At the thought of his oldest daughter, Joshua struggled not to break down into tears again. He missed Evvy more than he missed anyone before. Not only was she his daughter, but also his best friend. The two had a bond like no other. Besides her, he also missed his other children, ten-year-old Hazel and five-year-old Vigo. Perhaps most of all, he missed his husband. He needed Gabriel, who was a constant, calming presence in his life. When Joshua had a panic attack just an hour previous in the Justice Building, quaking with thick, blinding sobs, Gabriel had been the one to calm him down by holding him in his arms and whispering encouragement in his ear until he could give their children a proper goodbye. If Joshua could take his husband into the arena as a living token, without risking his life, he probably would. He just didn't know what he was going to do without them.

Joshua, Lucy, and Agustino lined themselves up in front of the screen not long after boarding the train. Agustino and Lucy couldn't look anymore different. Lucy had a scowl fixed upon her face, while Agustino sat on the edge of his seat in anticipation.

On screen, Master of Ceremonies Simone Silver and Games Announcer Nero Walters chatted away happily. Well, Simone was chatting. Nero sat stoic in his chair, adding an occasional comment. The pair had totally different appearances and personalities, yet they still managed to work well together. The twenty-five-year-old was young and fresh, coming into the position three years previous after Caesar Flickerman retired. Simone had smooth, light brown skin and warm brown eyes. Her wavy hair was naturally black, but halfway down was dyed deep blue with silver tips. She wore little makeup beyond her dark red lipstick and black mascara. She was a loud and lively woman, known for bringing her interviews to life quickly.

Her companion, Nero, was a solemn man in his early forties. His unnaturally orange hair was combed back with far too much gel, and he had a neatly trimmed goatee. His eyes were emerald green and lacked any type of emotion. He normally let Simone do the talking, sometimes even seeming uncomfortable in front of the camera. He had been in his position for nineteen years, and hadn't changed much since.

"Now it's just about time to watch these recaps!" Simone said. "I hope all of you at home are as excited as Nero and I are! I feel we have an excellent tributes this year, so let's get started with the luxury district."

Surprisingly, the female was reaped. It was a young woman, nineteen-year-old Ivory Spinel. Joshua couldn't help but feel bad for her.

"How interesting! She's barely old enough to be out of the reaping. A reaped tribute too! I would have never guessed that would happen in District One."

"Yes, it is rather unusual," Nero agreed.

The father was a volunteer. Valor Acosta was a lean, but muscular man with close-cropped dark hair and a scruffy beard, brown eyes, and tanned skin. He looked intimidating, which was to be expected from a Career District.

"Now we have Valor Acosta, a volunteer as per usual," said Simone. "Look at those muscles! He certainly looks proud to represent his district, doesn't he?"

Nero nodded. "As he should."

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to keep an eye on him. Let's move on to the masonry district and see what they have to offer us."

Like District One, the mother was reaped. "Whoa! Now that's odd! " commented Agustino from his place in his chair.

Simone seemed to agree. "Another reaped tribute from a district that traditionally volunteers! That's highly unusual. I wouldn't count Arista Lazuli out though. She seems very strong-willed."

"Indeed," said Nero. "It is far too early for that."

The male was another volunteer, a powerful looking brute named Justus Fiore. "There we are," said Simone. "This is more the tribute we're used to seeing from District Two. I wouldn't want to run into him in the arena." Neither would Joshua, but he didn't really want to run into Arista either, or even Ivory for that matter.

"On to the technology district!" Simone cheered as the screens changed. The woman reaped was Volustre Eckhart. She had thick black hair and brown skin and trembled as she walked to the stage.

"Based off the reapings, I'd say she has a fighting chance. At twenty-nine, she's fairly young, but not too young, and that can work to her advantage. She seems a bit shaken, but not too bad. I wouldn't count her out yet."

"I have seen worse," added Nero.

The father, Niels Bundar, was older, fifty-one-years-old according to the screen. His round, bright blue eyes were full of worry and he made his way to the stage.

"Here we have our oldest tribute so far" Simone noted. "At fifty-one-years-old, I wonder if Mr. Bundar will be at a disadvantage due to his age, or a strong asset to have due to his wisdom and experience."

"Most likely the former. He appears thin and weak, and just because person is from District Three doesn't necessarily mean they are wise," Nero said.

"We can't know that he's not just by looking at him."

"Of course not, but we can't say that he is, either."

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Now, on to our Fishing district." Simone gasped dramatically. "Oh my! Another reaped female from a district that often volunteers. Now, District Four doesn't always have two volunteers for their tributes, but it is still a surprise just the same."

"Who would volunteer for this hellhole anyway?" Lucy muttered.

"Sh!" hissed Agustino. "I'm trying to listen."

Lucy glared at him. "I don't give a fuck what you're trying to do."

"Language!" the escort snapped. "I don't like your attitude. You are being very rude, and I demand you shape up your act!"

"You're not my boss."

"You know what, I'm done. I want to hear."

The woman called to the stage was Meridian Vale, a twenty-nine-year-old with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and cinnamon skin. Joshua watch with wide eyes as she caused a commotion, punching a Peacekeeper in the face. Even Lucy seemed interested.

"She's got guts," said Lucy.

"Guts?! Her behavior is inappropriate and reckless!" argued Agustino. Lucy ignored him.

The male tribute was a twenty-year-old volunteer named Marin Zale with sea green eyes and light brown hair.

"He's definitely attractive, and in good shape as tributes from District Four often are. I hope he makes it far," Simone said.

"He's young as well, which should help with the sponsors."

"Indeed. Well, it's time for a short break. We'll be right back after these messages."

A commercial for a cosmetic surgeon flashed onto the screen, causing Lucy to scowl at the images of unnatural faces. Joshua decided not to pay attention and let his mind wander. So far, the other tributes, at least the ones from One, Two, and Four, did not seem comforting. Even the women who were reaped looked intimidating. Joshua took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to escape the image of meeting any of them in the arena.

How was he ever going to make it out of this?

Hector Jackson, District Ten Male, 35 - calebbeers21

Considering the fact that Hector was on a journey to his potential death, the mood wasn't as dismal as he thought it might be. In fact, it could easily be a lot worse. Although his district partner, a twenty-nine-year-old woman named Lil Carey boarded the train with slightly puffy eyes, she eventually cheered up a little and was able to have friendly conversations with Hector, the mentors, and the escort, Lysbeth. For a Capitolite, Lysbeth wasn't half bad. She seemed to have his and Lil's best interests in mind, constantly asking if she could do anything for them. She didn't even flinch when Arlo, Hector's mentor, ranted about Careers during the early reaping recaps, and even nodded along with him at some points.

The mentors were easy to get along with as well. Arlo Greenfield was the victor of the Ninetieth Games, and he had tan skin, spiky black hair, and light brown eyes. Though he had strong opinions, especially about Careers, Hector could see himself working well with him. Lil's mentor was Abilene Cooper. The sixty-four-year-old victor of the Fifty-second Games was stern and bossy, but she clearly just wanted Lil and Hector to succeed. The only other living Victor in Ten besides Arlo, Abi had short, graying hair and olive green eyes. She was thin and stood at an average height of five feet, five inches.

The group said quiet as the recaps rolled by on screen. Hector took mentally notes, considering who he may want for an ally. He would want someone strong and reliable, and guessed it was not too early to start looking.

The female from District Five was a forty-nine-year-old with blonde hair streaked with brown and bright blue eyes. She was fit, especially for her age, and looked as though she could be a valuable ally. Halfway to the stage, she suddenly froze and began to cry harder. Peacekeepers had to drag her to the stage.

"Next up we have Varia Staves," the Interviewer announced. "She looks to be physically strong, but emotionally, maybe not so much."

"What a shame," Nero said in a tone that suggested he actually didn't care at all.

Varia's district partner was a balding man name Seamon Deveir. He quivered as he walked to the stage, clearly in disbelief.

"Seamon here certainly isn't much to look at. At age forty-two, he's probably not likely to get many sponsors just by looks alone."

"He had better prove himself over the next few days," Nero added.

"Now we'll move on to the district of transportation," said Simone, and District Six appeared on screen.

The mother reaped was a twenty-six-year-old with shoulder-length light brown hair and wide brown eyes. Calissa Peer wailed as Peacekeepers pulled her and her son apart.

"Oh, how heartbreaking!" Simone looked genuinely sad for the young mother.

"Yes. I'm sure she has an interesting story to tell," said Nero. "She's sure to be a fighter."

The father selected was thirty-nine-year-old Maddox Hazeldine, a man who was only four years older than Hector. He was fairly calm as he walked to the stage. Hector planned to talk to Maddox soon and find out more about him.

"He's certainly composed," Simone noted.

Her companion nodded. "He is. That will serve him well."

"Now on to my personal favorite," said Simone. "District Seven, home of the lumberjacks."

Elizabeth Calico, a thirty-eight-year-old with long, dark hair and dark brown eyes, came to the stage. She was calm and quiet, but District Seven's newest Victor, Justin, wasn't so much.

"Oh my!" Simone said with a gasp. "A Victor's mother! I'm sure we all remember Justin Calico, Victor of the Ninety-eighth Hunger Games. I can only imagine how the family must be feeling."

"This is indeed an interesting addition to our list of tributes. We've had a few children of Victors before, and even Victors themselves in our last Quarter Quell, but of course, never a Victor's mother."

"We'll see if she manages to do as well as her son. Oh, I do hope she does."

When thirty-eight-year-old Chase Aldreon was reaped, he made a run for it. Though his efforts were fruitless, Hector admired him for taking a risk.

"And it appears we have a runner," Simone said. "You never know what will happen with them. Sometimes they are early deaths, and other times they prove to be fighters. I wonder which will Chase will be."

"Only one way to find out."

Simone nodded. "Next up, we have the textiles district, District Eight!"

Anita Lang was a woman with pale skin, dirty blonde hair, and dark blue eyes. She was thirty-seven-years-old, and trembled on her way to the stage.

"There really isn't anything too remarkable about Anita. Then again, District Eight tributes rarely are too special. They mostly tend to hover in the middle of the pack."

"That's probably why District Eight only has two living victors, Georgette Moore and Kente Conroy."

Hector couldn't help but agree. That didn't mean he wouldn't rule her out, though. He knew it was too early to rule anyone out, really.

The male who was called up on stage looked to be a complete mess. Forty-one-year-old Dresden Lume had pale skin, unruly dark hair, and sunken blue eyes. When he was reaped, he laughed bitterly and stumbled to the stage.

"He doesn't look too well," Simone said with a frown. "I wonder why he laughed when his name was called. I hope he's okay."

"Who cares?" Nero said. "I doubt he'll last long in the arena."

"Oh, Nero, don't write off tributes off so soon! That's not fair!"

He shrugged. "It's the truth."

"Alright, folks, it's time for another break, but don't go far. We'll be back in a moment."

The commercial break lasted almost ten minutes, and then Simone and Nero returned, commenting on the Tributes from District Nine. District Ten came up next, and Hector rewatched Lil's reaping. He glanced over at his district partner and watched as she stared at the floor rather than the screen. Then, he watched himself be reaped, and smiled when he saw himself spit at the camera.

"That was reckless, Hector," Arlo said, "but I like it."

Hector watched as Circe Banks and Victor Mackell were reaped, then Luciel Furorum and Joshua Yates from District Twelve. Then, the recaps were over, and Lysbeth turned off the screen.

"Arlight," said Arlo. "Time for advice. Abi and Lil can stay in here, while Hector and I can go to the next car. Sound good?"

All agreed, and Hector followed his mentor into the neighboring car, where two arm chairs awaited them. Arlo leaned back into one of them and crossed his arms, nodding at Hector to take the other.

"So, tell me about your kid, or kids, I guess."

Hector nodded. "Right. I just have one, a son named David. He's fifteen."

"What about the boy's mother?" asked Arlo.

"My wife, Angelica. She passed away five years ago." Hector frowned, thinking of the horrible way his wife was snatched away from him. Hatred towards the Capitol and injustice had brewed in him every since.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Where is your son staying?"

"With my twin brother, Isaac."

Arlo raised an eyebrow. "Isaac Jackson? As in the mayor?"

Hector nodded. "The very same."

"Interesting. Do you have a strategy in mind?"

"Yes, I do," Hector said. Indeed, Hector knew exactly how he wanted to play this Game. It wasn't going to be easy, but he had faith that he could pull it off.

"Good," said Arlo. "Then let's hear it."

Anita Lang, District Eight Female, 37 - youngpatriot

Anita could not understand how she ended up on a train to the Capitol. She understand how she got there physically, of course; Absalon, a young, twenty-one-year-old man with suspenders, a red bow tie with white polkadots, and glasses, had reaped her name. Stunned, but thankful her husband Derick was safe, Anita had said goodbye to her family, which included Derick and their five children. Though a few tears were spilled, Anita left her family as calm as someone reaped for the Hunger Games could be. Derick hadn't been reaped, and that was all that mattered. He could look after the children.

What Anita couldn't figure out was the reasoning behind her being chosen for death. Anita had complete faith in her God, and wondered if she or Derick had done something to offend Him. "God helps those who help themselves," was a motto she had lived by for most of her life. She worked hard for her family as a shift manager at a factory, doing her best to bring food to the table. She was a stern mother, trying to give her kids a better world than the one she lived in. Her God was fair and just, and anything bad that happened in life was meant to serve as His punishment. Anita believed this was the reason the districts were under the Capitol's cruel rule. They had probably done something long ago to offend God, and this was the way He punished them, such as when He had sent a great flood to destroy humanity thousands of years before Panem's existence, sparing only the family of Noah. Perhaps God wanted to reward her, and He would protect her during the Games, and when she won, she could use her money to give her family a better life and to feed her entire district for a year. If it was God's will, she would survive. Her wholehearted faith in Him is what kept her going now.

Anita sat across from her mentor, seventy-eight-year-old Georgette Moore. Georgie was a grandmotherly woman, with short, curly gray hair, pale blue eyes, and a chubby face. She was short in stature, standing about five inches below Anita's height of five-foot-seven. She was gentle and kind-hearted, and Anita found she could get along rather well with the elderly woman. She was more help then Kente Conroy, the Victor of the Eightieth Games who served as Dresden's mentor. He didn't seem to be helping the sickly-looking man at all, not that Dresden was making much of an effort to connect with him either. He had sat in his place as soon as he boarded the train, not making eye contact with anyone. Absalon suggested he go have a talk with Kente after the recaps finished, but the man just scowled and crossed his arms, muttering something under his breath. Kente didn't seem bothered; he just shrugged and said, "whatever you want. I'm here if you want me, but I'm not going to force you to talk to me. Have it your way."

"You know, you need to help yourself," Anita had prodded him. "Kente isn't going to do all of the work for you. If you want to make it out of the arena, you need to put in the effort."

"Fuck off," Dresden snarled. "Mind your own business."

Anita wasn't one to judge people just on first glance alone, but Dresden's attitude and cursing pushed her over the edge. She didn't want him to die, of course, but she knew there was no chance she'd be able to work with him. As she followed Georgie to another train car, she heard him say to Kente, "You really want to help? Find me a cigarette."

She hadn't stayed long enough to hear Kente's reply.

Georgie explained what would happen once they reached the Capitol. They would pull into the station and briskly make their way through the crowds of people. She told Anita it was up to her how she reacted to the crowd, but the elderly mentor recommended that since she was a mother in her late thirties to simply smile. Next to the irritated Dresden, a smile would probably seem like a bear hug to the Capitolites. Anita nodded along with all Georgie's advice. The mentor had been involved with with the Hunger Games for over sixty years, so Anita knew she must have known what she was talking about.

"How many children do you have, dear?" Georgie asked in attempt to make conversation.

"Five," answered Anita. "Walsh is the oldest at nineteen. He has a fiancee, Patricia that my husband and I just adore. I'm hopeful I'll become a grandmother not too long after their wedding. Erica is our second oldest at seventeen, and though we've hit some bumps over the years, we have a solid relationship. Sebastian is fourteen and keeps to himself no matter how hard I try to connect with him. Mimi is twelve, and spends a lot of time with Walsh and Patricia. My youngest is a little eight-year-old girl named Hope, who was a bit of a surprise, though welcome."

"I imagine they keeps you busy."

Anita nodded. "I don't see much of them during the day, because most of my time is spent at work. They don't need me for much besides being their provider. Making sure they are fed, clothed, and sheltered is the best gift I can give them."

"That is understandable," said Georgie. "Well, now that I know you a bit better, I suppose I should return the favor."

"Alright," Anita agreed. Then she gave a nod and turned her full attention towards the older woman.

"My full name is Georgette Moore, but Georgie is fine if you prefer. I am seventy-eight-years-old and won the thirty-eighth Hunger Games at age fifteen. I don't often refer to my time in the arena unless I think it will help others with their Games, but one fact I tend to remind tributes of is that I only took one life. I am not proud of that life I stole and prefer not to recall details about it, but I do like to show tributes who are afraid to kill that it is possible to win without much violence. It may not be easy, but sometimes luck does come into play. I may not be perfect, and like other Victors I do have good days and bad, but I will try my best to help you in the arena. I can only do so much though, something I'm sure you understand."

"Of course."

Georgie nodded, glancing out the window. "Good. It seems we have arrived in the Capitol. Are you ready?"

"With God with me, I'm ready for anything," Anita said, meaning every word. She felt braver knowing she could rely on God than she would if she had never known Him. She could do this.

Chase Aldreon, District Seven Male, 38 - grimbutnotalways

"Alright everyone, we only have about fifteen minutes until we arrive in the Capitol, so that's exciting!" said District Seven's escort Cinnabar Thylos, or Sin, as the recaps concluded.

The other passengers didn't look quite as excited, Chase decided. His district partner, Liz Calico and her son, a Victor conversed quietly in the corner. Justin had be quite the wreck when his mother came aboard the train, pacing around and speaking to her in a frantic voice. He was calmer now, and although he acted like a gentleman towards Chase, it was clear he would favor his mother's life even if it meant throwing Chase to the wolves. Chase couldn't really blame him, though. He knew his son, Lance, would do the same for him.

With Justin mentoring his mother, Chase was left with Adler Shelton, mentor of the Seventy-eighth Hunger Games. Adler was just two years older than Chase, but in his opinion, the mentor was aging a lot worse than him. Chase thought he looked quite handsome, with long, messy black hair and brown eyes flecked with green. He was tall, about six foot two, and fairly skinny. Meanwhile, Adler's dark brown hair was rapidly graying. He had a pointed nose and large ears. The mentor was also about three inches shorter than Chase, as well as stockier. Chase's personality was also more sunny, as Adler was just rude and grouchy. All of Chase's jokes were met by snarky or sarcastic responses, and that was no fun at all.

"Look," cried Sin. "There it is! Chase and Liz, come see your first sights of the Capitol!"

Chase strolled over to the window and looked out as the train sped over a bridge of clear, pristine water. Towers spiraled into the sky, many of them reaching higher than District Seven's tallest trees. Everything shimmered in the light, made out of nothing but the finest glass and metal. Being from a district where almost all buildings were wooden, it was a bit overwhelming.

As the train entered the city limits, cheering Games enthusiasts could be seen lined up on either side of the tracks, people dressed in all different colors and styles. The further into the Capitol they travelled, the more nervous Chase became. He knew first impressions were important. Would the Capitolites see him as a potential Victor, or just another casualty of the Games.

He tried to imagine what Connor and Lance would say to him if they were with him. His boyfriend, Connor, would probably make some jokes in an attempt to cheer him up. Then he would get serious and say that he should just be himself. Lance would offer encouragement as well, as he did while visiting him in the Justice Building. The eighteen-year-old was a great kid, kind and responsible. Chase seriously wondered where he got it from. Certainly not his mother, Chase's ex-fiancee, Molly. Chase wasn't sure Lance was biologically his, anyway. Lance's lineage didn't matter, though, as it had been Chase, along with Connor later, who had raised the boy all eighteen years of his life.

The crowds thickened as the train began to slow. "Just smile and wave," said Sin. "They'll love you both! Especially, you Liz!"

They came to a halt at Capitol Station, and even now, Chase could hear the roar of the crowd despite the closed doors. When the doors slid open, the noise became even more deafening. "Here we go," Sin said in what Chase assumed was a normal volume, but he could barely hear him.

Sin lead the way off the train, making a path through the crowd of people. Chase faked an excited grin and followed next, waving wildly to the crowd. Liz, Justin and Adler trailed after him. The crowd screamed in delight as they walked by, calling out Justin's and Liz's names, mostly, although Chase did his name thrown into the mix occasionally, too. This wasn't too bad. Chase could handle talking to people and hopefully get them to root for him. Hopefully, he hadn't hurt his chances by running away. He wasn't exactly sure why he decided to bolt. It was a bit of a spur of the moment decision. Chase wished he had been braver. If it weren't for the cameras, he would have told anyone that he held his head high and strided to the stage in acceptance of his fate. Unfortunately, due to the fact that the whole thing had been recorded, that wouldn't be a believable story.

Finally, the group reached a large building with heavy, golden doors. The words "Tribute Remake Center" hangs above the door in lights flashing bright, neon colors. A smaller sign hung in the window read "Open for tours in the off season!" Chase wondered how much money Capitolites would pay to see where tributes spent their time being cleaned up being their untimely deaths. As soon as the group were safely inside, the ten-foot-tall doors swung shut behind them.

"Alright, this is where we part for now! You're in the hands of your prep teams and stylists. Trust me, they'll make you look fabulous!"

"Hopefully you're not dressed as trees," Adler muttered. "It's always trees."

"It really isn't at all creative," Justin added. "Sometimes they try to change things up, though. I was a lumberjack. My district partner was a tree."

"Well, it's better than being naked," Chase joked.

Liz give him a look, pursing her lips slightly in disapproval, but she didn't say anything. Justin, however, nodded. "Fortunately, District Seven doesn't often have to go through that."

"No matter what you're dressed as, the crowd will love you," said Sin encouragingly as he opened a door for them. "I like your stylists a lot. They're quite wonderful. Now, get going! Liz, you're prep room is to the left, Chase's to the right. We'll see you outside by the chariots."

Chase nodded, letting Liz pass through the door first. He wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about meeting his prep team and stylist as Sin seemed to be, but he supposed there were worse situations he could be forced into, the Games themselves being a perfect example. Chase couldn't really see anything on him that needed to be fixing. No, he didn't have luscious golden locks or brilliant bright eyes, with high cheekbones or dimples or toned muscles, but he definitely wasn't ugly. To him, his appearance was fine how it was. He somehow had managed to make Connor fall in love with him, after all, so that must have meant something. Being prepped for a parade should be relatively painless. He hoped.

Author's Note: Another chapter for you all. :) I hope you liked reading about these four. We're almost done meeting all the tributes, with four more to go. Three will be next chapter, and the fourth will come in the chapter after that. I hope that's okay. Originally, these train ride chapters were going to be six POVs long, but I decided that would be far too much.

See you next time! :)