Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

Once Remembered

It will never again be forgotten.

Part Two – The Spark

Chapter One

The Training Centre is a large silver spire. It doesn't look like any type of structure I've ever seen in my life, and somehow through my bitterness towards the Capitol, I still found it in me to admire the building. Nelly smiled as she led us through the glass doors, the door handle was incredibly ornate leaving guilt in anyone who actually thinks to use it. We're met by a gust of cool air from the inside and all the noises from the cheering crowd is gone when the door closes.

That's neat.

Before we have the chance to admire the hall, we're whisked away by peace keepers into the elevator where Winter presses the button, 4, and we're taken up. I started to feel nauseous, I'd never been in an elevator before and it didn't feel too great. I wondered if there were stairs.

The lounge was very stylish. It had cherry wood covering the floor and the wall painted a homey green. An aquarium was in the corner, and there was a large Jacuzzi in the middle of the room with a large flat screen television. There were five bedrooms down the hall, I was just about to ask about that when I saw Mags and Siena stay behind as the elevator closed.

"This is only for tributes and mentors," Winter explained, catching my confusion. "Mags and… Siena will be staying at a separate section in the building. Theo was listening as well. I turned from them and went to the room with my name on the door. Melanie Savie.

I closed the door behind me and sighed. It was a lovely room in the color scheme of baby blue. It was a neutral color in my mind, I didn't think twice of it. I went to my soft bed and sat down, it molded itself to me. I stood up suddenly and pulled the blanket to the ground, and put the pillows to the ground too. I wasn't going to sleep on that mattress.

Something caught my eye as I threw my small tantrum over the stupid mattress. I walked passed the flat-screen and peered outside. I could see the Capitol, I wasn't at the highest floor, but I was pretty close up, and I could see quite a fair share. I looked at tiny people beneath me. I had never been so high up before. I was starting to feel sick. I looked away from the window and orientated myself.

Nelly knocked then and invited me to dinner. I opened the door to see a strange girl next to her. She looked about my age, I was about to great her with a false smile when I realized what she was. An Avox. She gave me a weak smile and led the way for Nelly and I to the dining room. There, several more Avoxes were going around the table, serving food and putting out dishes for us to choose from. Each one of them gave us a small bow in silence as we entered the room. The girl from before seated me next to Winter. I smiled at her, thanking her. She was the first in the Capitol to receive a sincere smile from me, and she may have known it too. The smile she returned to me was definitely sincere.

I've tried a lot of unique foods before, when Victors have their Victory Tour, I always end up going with my father to the Justice building to enjoy a meal with them. So the food that was laid out in front of me was nothing special. I just stuck with what I knew, I didn't want anything funky in my stomach causing problems before the games start. I took a bowl and held it out for a boy Avox to serve me some clam chowder. It was my favorite. I took some red wine too, alcohol always made something better.

While I ate, I risked a peek at Theo. His face showed nothing in regards to food that he couldn't have even dreamed of, and I almost choked when I saw he had clam chowder as well. I knew it was his favorite too, but there were so many things…! He should have been drooling over the red meats, the broiled chicken, even the bread! This was likely going to be his last chance, and he wasn't going to make anything out of it at all. I didn't know if he was oblivious to it, or just dense.

Nelly somehow managed to keep the conversation going the entire time by herself with only an occasional push from Theo or I. She talked about how absolutely thrilled she is to have us and how wonderful we're going to be for the games. She tells us about how much fame we'd received from the city, we were currently the most likened tributes to win. We had the most sponsors already, but we had a lot of competition. The tributes from every district have been quite spectacular, and even the poor districts had viable competitors. Everyone was a killer.

It's dark when we finish eating. We were brought a funny chocolate goo for dessert. Theo was brave enough to try that at the very least, but his face told me that it was much too sweet, and if it was too sweet for him, then it was definitely too sweet for me. I have never been able to handle sweets, Theo's taste in food has always been almost completely identical to mine. You'd think we grew up together, because we did. I missed those days.

We both retired to our room after we turned down the dessert. Nelly looked disappointed, it was her favorite. Winter excused herself when she saw me leave, and Fuchsia followed after Theo. I guess this was when we were getting our prep talk. I took in a deep breath and prepared myself.

I sat on a small chair in my room and watched Winter pace around for a little and then sit on the bed. It took her a little bit to notice that everything was on the floor. She started to pick them up but stopped, "Why are these on the floor?"

"I don't want to sleep on that bed." I answered.

Winter examined the bed, trying to figure me out. "…Why?"

"It's a stupid bed."

Winter was silent for a moment, unsure what to make of my reply. "I see." She left the bedding on the floor and crossed her arms together and looked at me. "You're father already told you what's going to happen right?"

I nodded. "My job is simply to win the games, I have nothing else to worry about."

Winter bit her lip. "Your chances are looking good right now from the Capitol's perspective, but… Melanie, can you really kill?"

I threw a knife passed her face into the wall. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Winter sighed, turned from me. "I'm not the only one here designated to help you. There are many, many other people a part of this."

"Am I allowed to know who?"

"You didn't want me to be your mentor." Statement, not question.

"You don't like me very much."

Winter gave a bitter laugh. "You're quite sharp. True, I don't like you too much. Cocky, arrogant, you make me feel that no matter what I do, you're going to get yourself killed quite brilliantly." I was about to make a rebuttal. "But I have sworn myself to this mission and I promised your father. I will keep my word despite my opinions. I am a woman devoted to her duties. I will do everything in my power to help you win."

"But you don't believe I can."

"I don't see why that matters."

I cocked my head to the side. "Why didn't you say something to my father?" My eyes narrowed. "I sincerely hope we both know the consequences if I don't win."

Winter nodded. "Of course."

"I don't know if I can trust you."

She stared at me and scoffed, "You will need to. You will need to start trusting many people around you, otherwise you will be isolating yourself, and believe me, you really need the help." Her face softened then and she walked around behind me, she started to massage my shoulders. "Don't worry about it too much. You're something to work with at least, you're father trained you didn't he? I have at least some confidence in his ability. Relax Lainy, you're going to be marvelous tomorrow for the opening ceremonies, I can guarantee you that at least."

I laughed weakly. I already had the audience in my hands, but it was true what she had said before, there were many people that were going to fight for their support as well, and so far it was only through good fortune that I came on top, the opening ceremony will be my first official chance to make something of myself.

Winter started to leave then, but she turned around slightly. "Are you thinking of pulling a Red Queen?"

I actually laughed. I'd watched my mother's game a million times, and her opening ceremony costume was one I never quite got over. I don't think anyone actually did. It was quite… shameless. She had requested it herself and had her fellow district tribute follow. She entered the grounds with quite the revealing bikini, I had a feeling Siena had something to do with that, and the boy with her was pretty much naked except for his black undies. It really gave the crowd something to look at.

I shook my head, amused by the thought. "I'm going to top it."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "You're not thinking of going nude on me are you?"

I frowned, "Why do you take me for some sort of whore?"

She smiled in and amused way, "That isn't what you're going for?"

I rolled my eyes. "Honestly… I'm going for a different approach from my mother. She might have won through something like that, but shameless promotion isn't something I can handle."

"Plus it's not profitable at the time." Winter added.

What? "Why not?"

"The other tributes remember your mother well, and they sure do believe that you're going to follow in her footsteps, as with the Capitol crowd."

My eyes widened. "Is that why I'm ahead?"

Winter nodded. "But don't worry, it is better that you're stepping back. Several of the other tributes are thinking of doing the same thing." And you don't really want to have a figure competition with them because… you know you're pretty but you need more bust.

"So I need a miracle."

"And you'll get one. You will meet them in the morning, your prep team."

The underlying tone in Winter's voice that announced her delight with this, inclined me to think that I was going to suffer. I didn't know what to say.

Author's Note

YEYYY PART TWOOOO! :D

-creativename