Apparently, the job of escort is very hard. Since there are no mentors this year, Decima has to do everything, including creating strategies for Ellis and me, organizing sponsors, chaperoning us places, ordering meals, making sure the prep team is stocked with beauty supplies, and in my case, making sure Lucius doesn't make me look completely ridiculous. I have learned all of this over breakfast listening to Decima rant on and on about her troubles.
"And you two have training today!" she exclaims. "I have to get you downstairs to the training room at 10 o'clock sharp."
We quickly finish breakfast, and Decima hurries us to the elevator. On the way down to the basement, the elevator stops at two other floors, six, and four, and the District 6 and 4 tributes with their escorts, board. The elevator is big enough for all of us to fit comfortably, but that doesn't take away from the awkward tension between everyone. The District 6 tributes both look slightly younger than me, and they are almost cowering behind their escort, a large lady in a tightly fitting pink dress. The District 4 tributes consist of the boy who laughed at my costume last night, and the girl dressed as a fish. We make eye contact, and she smiles at me.
The escorts of the other two districts are tittering quietly to each other, and I can kind of make out what they are saying.
"Poor Decima," says the chubby one in the pink dress, "stuck with District 12. I thought I was unlucky with District 6 until I heard about her!"
The other escort, who has blue and green streaks in her hair, giggles and says, "Her reputation is completely ruined. I don't know if she'll even get invited to the Presidential Ball this year."
"Well she's entitled to an invitation because she is still an escort."
Then they look at each other, laugh, and say in unison, "Barely!"
I glance at Decima, but she is staring straight ahead at the array of buttons on the elevator wall. I know she can hear this, but is choosing to ignore it. Even though she's a Capitol citizen, I can't help but feel bad for her. Like she had said, District 12 shouldn't be considered any worse than the other districts.
Finally, the doors open with a bing, and we step out into a huge gym area. There are a few tributes milling around already, but we are among the first to arrive. Decima bids us goodbye and tells us that we'll do great today. I feel sorry for her seeing as she has to endure the elevator ride back up the building with the two other escorts. I stay in the same place, unsure of what to do now. Then I hear a voice from behind me.
"Hi."
I turn around; it's the girl from District 4.
"I'm Litta," she says.
"Freia," I answer. "From District 12, although you probably already know that."
"Yeah," admits Litta, "and you looked much better without the bows."
Just at that moment, a loud voice calls from the center of the room. "All tributes please gather around me. We will begin the first training session shortly." Litta and I walk over to the woman who was speaking. Soon all the tributes are spread in a circle around her.
"My name is Valia," she says, "and I am going to oversee your training sessions. First things first, I need to explain some rules to you. These training sessions will take place over three days, and they lead up to your private session with the Gamemakers, who will rate you on a scale of 0 to 12 based on how much potential you show. As of now, you may learn any new skill available and practice it. But—now listen carefully; this is important—there is no fighting with other tributes, even in practice. There are instructors available if you want to practice. You will report to the cafeteria for lunch at 1 o'clock, and leave at 5 o'clock to have dinner upstairs in you district's quarters. That's about it; you may now start training!"
I felt like Decima was kind of shallow, so I added this scene in the elevator to deepen her character. She's not a normal Capitol citizen!
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