And here we have the Chariot Rides, the first official chapter in the Capitol! :D I just want to let people know that whilst I may update fast it isn't just because I want to get chapters out quick and get them over and done with, I do enjoy writing each chapter. I am having so much fun with this and all your tributes so I thank you for sending them to me! :D

I hope my fast updates aren't annoying or anything, I know it might be difficult to maintain reviewing but I love to get your reviews so if you could still comment on my writing I'd really appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who still is :D Remember those who have tributes, reviews help their odds ;)

Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, after this we have training! :D :D

Meaghan Paar, 16 years old

She smiled as she rubbed the bruises that were forming on her neck. Thick blue bruises, bits of yellow mixed in with the colour. Her mentor had not been happy to see it, Meaghan as she leapt off the train with a massive grin on her face laughed as she remembered how Saska had reacted the second she laid eyes on her. The woman was like Renelda, like any escort. Extremely stuck up on appearances and expected manners 24/7. Meaghan was more than keen to oblige, in some respects that is. It was rather fun to make the woman squirm. Meaghan had shown her true colours by volunteering and for whatever reason Saska had requested the reaping re-caps and watching herself on stage she realized just how much she had been giggling.

She knew it had been bad, but had no idea she had laughed that much. She had watched with the same smile that plagued her face constantly when she saw how people looked at her. People seemed to be scared of her which was good, fear was strong, incredibly strong.

Meaghan stumbled forward as Lock jumped from the train; he bumped into her and simply stared into her eyes when she whizzed around to glare back at him. The boy had barely said a word on the train, simply deciding to stare out the window, eat in silence and go to bed without even saying a goodbye or a goodnight.

"Come on you two, the other tributes would like to get to the Remake Centre as well you know." Saska patted both of them on the back and Lock's mentor, a tall man with shaggy black hair pushed them forwards. The building was tall, incredibly tall and glass windows lined every single floor. Meaghan squinted her eyes to block out some of the sunlight irritating her eyes. It was such a glorious day, the grey clouds were back at the District and here she was welcome to the sunshine. The grey had been pretty, but the sunshine was happy and it mirrored exactly how she felt.

The tributes had to stand in an orderly queue once they reached the doors of the Remake Centre. Meaghan looked behind her since she was second in the line behind Lock. Shade glared down at her, Meaghan grinned at the boy and with one last look he simply turned slightly to the left and decided to focus on a very pretty tree. It was complete silence, no other tributes were talking. Meaghan felt the quiet a bit annoying, she'd giggle but she decided against it.

"Follow me." The mentors had departed through another door so their escort into the building was a lady dressed in a pure white outfit with long red hair down to her waist. It was the same shade of red as Meaghan's, for a second she felt anger towards the woman well up inside of her but it was stupid to get mad over a hair colour.

"We have set out a sheet for you to look at, find your name and ask one of the many Avoxes around to escort you to your room." The woman smiled at them all as if they were little children and departed through a thick metal door to the right of the grand hall. Everything was so clean and polished, there were elevators either side of the room towards the back and a spiraling staircase fixed directly in the middle of all places if you decided to take the long route.

Meaghan found this tedious, the real fun was in the training and the Games but she couldn't exactly defy tradition so after Lock looked at the sheet and walked off to one of the 24 red skinned people close to them she found her name, her room and walked up to the closest one to her.

"Room 5A."

The lady looked petrified staring at Meaghan. She simply grinned at the girl, relishing in the fear and followed on as the lady escorted her to the elevator. The boy from section five, the tough looking one who had been reaped walked up to the elevator as the doors began to close, Meaghan with a rather evil smile on her face stared at him and winked.

"Sorry, this one is taken." The doors slammed shut and she heard a moan from behind the metal before she shot up. She could have held open the metal before it shut on him, but that was far too nice for Meaghan. She was content to just be by herself, well the Avox was standing next to her but she didn't really count as a person.

With a light little ring the doors opened and the lady led them down another hallway polished until it sparkled. Odd looking people wearing blue aprons walked around the place, some staring at Meaghan with fascination the others simply walking by in a hurry. They stopped outside a rather large door with '5A' in thick black letters on the wood. The woman pushed the door open and Meaghan walked on in.

"Thank you." She said, nodding her head in the direction of the Avox. The woman still seemed terrified in her company and left with a hurry, closing the door behind her. The room was awfully big, two glass walls either side of her and lights fitted into the ceiling.

A large table like piece of furniture was bolted into the floor, fitted exactly in the centre. Meaghan not content with being prodded at by airheaded Capitolites decided to stay standing. She'd concede when they got here, but no way was she stripping herself for them. It was perverted that they had to do that in front of complete strangers. When the door finally opened and three maniacal looking people walked on through she simply grinned at them. It wasn't going to be fun, but that didn't mean she couldn't do it with a smile on her face. Not a very nice smile, it was Meaghan's smile. A mad smile.

Ollie "Oily" Marble, 16 years old

Sparkle as he had expected hadn't really understood what Oily had been going on about on the train. At first he was content enough to mutter to himself but although he wasn't exactly a sociable boy of District One he knew it was good to share. When his mentor arrived and asked for his strategy, Oily had replied truthfully. Rust had been rather… confused. His mentor wasn't the smartest of men, his hair was light green and his skin dyed with a hint of orange. He looked like a carrot. Sparkle and her mentor Dany had overheard. Oily respected Sparkle, she had volunteered like him and wasn't afraid of what people thought about her. She was tough, and by the way she dressed and appalled Renelda when the woman announced their mentors were on the way, she seemed content despite the dirt.

Unfortunately for him, his concept of balance had gone through one ear and out the other. The way he was going to play the Game and ensure everything ran smoothly and in accordance to his wishes had fallen upon confused expressions of both mentors and his section partner.

It was pointless in finding an ally, no one would understand his quest for balance among everything. It was so simple in his mind, CE had helped him unwillingly understand everything about it, but to others it was too difficult a concept to grasp hold of.

He sighed with defeat as something sharp tugged at his eyebrows and pain flared near his left eye. A man with a pea green wig stepped away with tweezers and one single hair, depositing it in a sterile waste basket before returning to his eyebrows and doing the very same thing. Tears formed at his eyes and he tried his best to push them back, however the man saw, shook his head and smiled.

"Don't worry. I shan't be too long."

His attempts at comforting him did not work, with each tug at his eyebrows the pain became sharper and more intense. The women working on his nails and hair were oblivious to his yelps of pain. One woman with eyes too big for her face simply carried on cutting his nails and re-shaping them with some piece of equipment he'd seen in his mum's makeup bag. The other lady first of all examined him from his feet up to his chest (Oily felt incredibly uncomfortable being naked in front of these three stylists) and settled for brushing his hair. At least they were balancing out their roles, two people working on the same thing would be rather odd and an incredible waste of time.

"Now Ollie-"

"Oily." He rudely interjected.

"Ollie, that's what I said. Anyway the plan was this year to make sure that both tributes from each section matched with one another, some have gone for that. Others, being the less professional and annoying beings that they are, decided that since you were all from the same District it didn't matter anyway therefore some won't match. You and Sparkle will match though so don't worry your pretty little head about it." The man tapped his forehead with the tweezers, smiling down at him before with one final tug removed the last stray hair.

"Tania, Pry are you finished?" The two women nodded and stepped away from Oily. He felt the urge to call for some kind of clothing but despite the redness in his cheeks he knew it was futile. These people didn't care for the embarrassment and how uncomfortable the tributes felt. As long as the end result looked good then they were happy.

"I think it's time to call Gazelle." The man said, nodding once more as he looked Oily up and down.

"Not perfect, but she'll be happy to see you now." He clapped his hands, the automatic door slid open and the three of them departed. It was tempting to pull the gown hanging from a hook a few metres away and throw it over his shivering body but he didn't, and waited patiently for the lady to walk through.

At first it was rather shocking for Oily, the woman had tiny horns embedded in her skull and eyelashes that curled over one another giving her a rather monstrous look about her. She smiled at him sweetly however and took his hand in her own pale one.

"Me and you are going to have the greatest time together. Do not worry Ollie the others will bow to your beauty once I'm done with you."

Oily had to roll his eyes, Gazelle remained oblivious to this and quickly left the room. No doubt going to get his outfit for the Chariot Rides. He was in no way looking forward to being paraded in front of the Capitol, trying his best to look pretty and gain sponsors. All he wanted was to get into that Arena and show the Gamemakers how the Games were supposed to go. Maybe it was naïve of him to believe that he could correct the system, but it did not matter to him. It was important in his life, and his life mattered more than any of these other tributes. When Gazelle returned he smiled at her, the thought of being closer to the Arena made him feel warm inside.

Duke Pacino, 17 years old

He did his best to keep a straight face, his eyes locked on the wall behind his stylist's head but the woman was beginning to aggravate him. It must have been a hundred times and counting that she had said he was worthless. The woman was incredibly rude, and just because Duke although realizing how important the Chariot Rides were in terms of sponsors, would not strip naked for some woman he did not know she thought it her place to criticize him. His prep team had considered calling Trilly early, seeing if her supposed charm could get the boy to take off his clothes, but hearing them say that made him shake his head. These people were disgusting, didn't they realize that what they were saying was just plain wrong?

They had settled for working on his face, hair and fingernails. The prep team had been rather bubbly but realizing how stubborn their tribute was, they resorted to becoming silent. Duke had appreciated that.

Trilly on the other hand, as she stared him up and down again and again would not keep her mouth shut.

"If you had just listened to the others. Duke, how on earth do you expect me to help you, if you won't help me?" Her voice was high and shrill, he wanted to clamp his hands over his ears. It reminded him of some of the girls Rex hung out with, they were equally as annoying.

Rex should have been forced to take his place, he wanted to volunteer yet it was the non career of the two brothers now facing the Games. Duke tried his best not to think to the Arena, right now he had Trilly to focus on.

"What's done is done. I already heard whoever else is up here say that their tribute is done. Could you kindly show me my outfit."

"But you… Duke… oh fine!" Trilly rolled her eyes at Duke but nevertheless gave in and after pulling out a few hangers from the small wardrobe to the left of her, she finally found what she was looking for.

It was hideous, but Duke had been expecting it to be. The suit was orange, bright orange. He'd stand out for all the wrong reasons. The blazer was orange, the trousers were orange… even the shoes were bright orange. He didn't really know how this represented his District until Trilly pulled out a crown made of hundreds and hundreds of tiny gems all packed close together to form the headwear.

"What do you think?"

Duke opened his mouth but Trilly squealed and jumped on the spot. Wow, she was prone to mood swings, Duke thought, one minute she was pissed the next she was hopping around with excitement.

"I know it's marvelous." She said not giving Duke a chance to say anything. It was completely not marvelous, but it wasn't wise of him to say anything. He simply nodded his head at the suit and accepted the clothes in his hands as Trilly passed them over.

"Since you have such a problem with taking your clothes off I shall leave you to get dressed alone. I swear what is it with you, all the others I've been with were fine."

It was hard for Duke to feel angry at this woman. She was annoying, naïve and beyond stuck up but this was the norm of the Capitol. Duke disliked careers, but he couldn't dislike the Capitolites that roamed this building. It was only the President and the Gamemakers that deserved to be punished, the others were just used to this life, they hadn't any idea what it was like in the Districts and how bad the Hunger Games were. They thought it to be a grand TV show, to some it was but to Duke it was a horrible way of punishing people who hadn't even been alive during the rebellion.

He sighed, knowing he could do nothing to change anything and stripped slowly. The suit was comfortable against his skin he'd give Trilly that, but nothing could take away how ghastly it looked. The orange was just too bright and he felt warmth in his cheeks at the thought of having to be shown to all of Panem wearing this abomination.

"Knock knock!"

He spun to the voice of Trilly as she walked back in. He slipped his feet into the shoes and before he could grab for the crown Trilly caught it first and helped Duke slip it over his hair.

"There. You look wonderful."

"Nice for you to finally compliment me."

"Well after your little refusal to do as you were told I expected a fight against having to wear this splendid outfit. You're rather rough around the edges you know Duke, ease up and the Capitol will love you." She patted his shoulder and turned abruptly away, her light brown hair brushing against his cheeks.

"Come on, this way."

He obeyed, although feeling slightly put down by what she had said. Duke knew that his inability of showing much emotion would let him down. He'd been kind to Ania on the train because it felt right but it was still awkward, and Cypra had annoyed him with the way she was really just a typical career. He'd struggled with allies, he knew he would but allies were important. As he walked to the lift, waited as it shot down to where they had to go and stepped out to be greeted by Cypra and her stylist, he had no idea what he was going to do. Which tributes around here would he try to ally with? Would any even accept him? Without any clue what to do he shook his head and allowed Trilly to escort him to the chariot. Might as well get this over with, he thought, and tomorrow was training. How fun.

Shine Alida, 17 years old

He had killed her. He had done it. He was the Head Peacekeeper, it all made sense. He'd murdered her mum.

Shine blinked twice at the sight of fingers waving to the right and to the left in front of her face. The thought of her dad murdering her mum left and she looked upon her mentor's face. Layla Ferre had long, curly golden hair and bright blue eyes. To Shine she looked like the typical girl from One but she was from the Capitol and it was evident by the pair of angelic like wings surgically implanted into her back. To top it all off she even wore a halo.

The woman was odd.

"Come on dear we haven't got all day. Time to get onto your chariot." Shine had zoned out completely and for a second completely forgot where she was. Then the sound of the horses tapping their hooves against the floor drew her towards the chariot she was to stand in. It was a large golden thing, jewels embedded into the metal to give it a glow in the light. It seemed to match her dress, the entire thing was made of gems. Not very creative, but it looked better than that orange thing she could see someone wearing.

"The first chariot will be leaving any second get on Shine!" Her voice suddenly became fierce, and with the help of an extended hand from Malachite she stood onto the chariot. It wasn't too high up but one step to the left she'd fall out and she was sure that would certainly result in an injury in the heels her stylist had given her.

This all was rather pointless to Shine, she wanted to get to the training and more importantly the Arena but her focus kept drawing away to her dad and mum. It wasn't good to get distracted but what if he had done it? Why had he done it? There were too many questions tugging at her mind.

"Hold on." Malachite said next to her. She looked up at the smile on his face and the furs covering his thin frame. He was an odd boy, he had volunteered yet smiled and seemed rather happy and childish. He was more of a mystery than nearly all the other tributes, at least they had either seemed capable enough for a reason to volunteer or had been reaped.

"Oh look at them go!" Layla screamed.

The gate opened and Shine from her position near the back of the queue could hear the roars of the crowd and the flashing of lights. She patiently waited, staring at the two in front of her. The girl looked tiny compared to the other boy, her hair was separated into two pigtails and gems had been added to the ends. Her pink dress was rather pretty, it seemed at least a tad more original than what she was wearing. Gems were too cliché.

The boy was wearing something completely different, he wore a golden jumpsuit and a crown of leaves. He looked like some hero and certainly seemed like he was tough enough. Shine wanted to be a career, and maybe he'd make the perfect ally. The girl not so much.

"Two's now going." Malachite said quietly, keeping his attention on the chariots in front. She wanted to look behind her, it was interesting to see what the others were wearing but turning around would look odd so she kept a strong expression, letting no emotion show and waited for her turn.

A few minutes later the girl and boy in front of her shook slightly as their horses trotted off. Their own horses moved and halted at the front of the gate and within five seconds they were off to the cheers and screams of the Capitol.

Cameras lined each side of the city circle, recording each and every one of them. She heard screams of her name and looked up to a large screen built above the crowd and saw her face. Her eyes looked cold, although her shoulders looked rather too relaxed. She stood up straighter and inside her head praised herself. She looked the perfect career.

She spared a glance over to her section partner, his hand was raised in the air and he was cheerfully waving at everyone. There was something in his eyes however, like he was almost bored. Maybe there was something rather secretive about this boy? Shine made a mental note to keep an eye out, he wasn't fit for the careers but maybe he could prove to be a problem. Sometimes those who appear to be weak can surprise you.

Everything was slightly overwhelming, it felt good to hear people screaming her name and it took all the strength she had not to smile at the crowd and wave like Malachite. No, she told herself. She was a career. These were just Capitolites, stupid citizens of this ruling city. Her focus and attention had to be on the Games. Nothing else mattered in the slightest.

Alise Tourmaline, 15 years old

"Don't worry dear, everything will be alright."

The words from her mentor replayed over and over in her mind as her chariot made the journey round the City Circle. They were to ride round twice, stop for the President and ride round once more before stopping in front of the Training Centre. Alise had been rather worried about this part, her prep team had been comforting and sympathetic but one of them seemed a bit emotional at the sight of a blind tribute and burst into tears every time Alise said something.

They were not the ones to be mad at. Walking down to the Chariot with the assistance of her mentor Ali Vail, a very helpful woman she had heard muttering all around from people she knew, or had at least heard during the reaping. The voices of those who had volunteered had been all too clear, maybe they had done it for the reason she had but it was more likely they had simply done it for the glory and as she had boarded her chariot, standing next to her section partner who seemed slightly scared, her fists had clenched and unclenched. They hadn't been the ones to rob her of her sight and Tarchus but they were still careers, still like the people she so despised.

For now she tried to remain focused on everything happening around her, she couldn't see a thing since the whiteness remained as strong as ever. She had hoped and prayed on the train maybe the Capitol, who surely had advanced surgical equipment could fix her but her stylist, a woman who said it like it was had told her it was impossible. The tributes were under the care of the Capitol but they could not rectify any injuries they had obtained beforehand. Could was not the right word, Alise knew they could. It was more a matter that they wouldn't do it. They wanted her to suffer even if what was wrong with her hadn't been caused by some accident.

She wasn't sure if these Capitol people, screaming as the chariots moved knew she was blind. Would they be sympathetic to her and sponsor her because they were sorry for the condition she was in? Or would they realize how useless it seemed and sponsor someone with more of a chance? She had no idea, but regardless of what they believed she still maintained deep inside that she could do this. Sure there were those so much stronger than her, but she was physically superior to some of the others due to training. Ali had been kind enough to describe each and every tribute on the train when they had watched the re-caps.

However everyone did have the advantage, they could all see. Allies would be essential, she knew that to survive the bloodbath and make it further into the Games she needed assistance but who would ally with her? Would someone take pity on her? Pity wasn't something she liked, but if it got her an ally then she was prepared to accept it.

With a jolt she snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head slightly, trying to hear what was happening. The trotting of the horses hooves had come to a stop and the cheering was slowly dying down. There was static from a microphone somewhere and then a voice echoed out, one voice that even to Alise caused a chill down her spine.

"Tributes from District One. We welcome you to the Capitol!"

It was President Tyrax, the leader of Panem. The man was creepy, before she had become blind she had seen him on the screen. She looked up in the general direction of where his voice had come from and pictured his dark hair framing a pale face. He had been young when she had seen him last, it hadn't been so long since so he probably still looked rather handsome. It didn't mean she hated him less. The Hunger Games could be stopped, but no this man wanted to carry them on. Would this horror ever come to an end?

"This year is a very special Quarter Quell, I am sure everyone from the Capitol to the Districts are looking forward to each month this year for there will be enough Hunger Games for everyone!"

There was clapping, and even around the chariots near her she could hear some positive response from the other tributes.

"We start with you District One and I am honoured you are here with us today. Good luck out there, may the odds be ever in your favour!" The Capitol erupted into cheers as loud as they had been a few minutes ago as the chariots moved once more and took the tributes round the City Circle again. Alise felt slightly sick by the time her mentor helped her down and hugged her.

Ali was too kind to her, this woman although from the Capitol was probably the only woman here she felt comfortable talking to right now.

"Great job Alise, you looked wonderful out there!"

"I hope so."

"Oh you did, your stylist did an amazing job!"

Alise smiled and grasped Ali's hand as she led her to where she believed would be section eleven's floor for her stay in the Capitol. It was all frightening, such new experiences felt incredibly odd to her but she was ready for each and every one. After all she had volunteered, even if it had been for Maren the others would think it meant something else to her. She had to be strong, it was the only way she'd get through this.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D