(A/N): And here we are, back with our Friday update! This one features the ever-spectacular Unlucky Alis and Kory Anders as our tributes get their first glimpses of each other...

Thanks, as ever, to the writers who reviewed. The warmth and support between this group of amazing people is one of our favorite things to see every morning when we go to do these updates :)

Chapter Nineteen - An Alien World

Chariot Parade in the Capitol

Kory Anders of District Twelve

Written by Unlucky Alis

"Have you ever watched a leaf leave a tree? It falls upward first, and then it drifts toward the ground, just as I find myself drifting towards you."

Beth Kephart

Kory's mind was reeling. Since stepping off the train, she felt she had suddenly traveled to another world. Now, the sound of Capitolites shouting and cheering beyond the tunnel where the chariots were situated sounded so far away, but she knew as soon as they went outside, it would be deafening. At the moment, it was distant. Everything felt distant, alien. Or she was the alien here.

Being from Twelve, Kory's chariot was last, and she could see everyone from the other districts lined up in front of her. She closed her eyes and took a moment to drink it all in: the chatter, the feel of her costume, the sound of the horses stamping their hooves. She smiled; it was all so amazing.

When she opened her eyes, she wasn't all that surprised to find someone staring at her. Usually, whenever this happened, Kory's first thought would be about how she could tease them. For once, that came second, because for a moment, she was caught staring back at him.

It was the male tribute from District Seven, and he was handsome. Tall, dark-haired, and he had the bluest eyes she had ever seen. His skin-tight costume accentuated his lean muscles in just the right way, a blue bird the same shade as his eyes spreading its wings across his chest.

Her body moved on instinct, one hand drifting to rest on her bare waist, cocking her hip, and biting her lower lip. Thankfully, the boy was too flustered over being caught staring to realize Kory had been just as surprised as him.

Kory didn't look away until his district partner nudged him and forced his attention elsewhere. The girl had black hair and blue eyes too. Kory vaguely recalled Ian stuttering and mumbling about the other tributes during the long train ride. If she was remembering right, the District Seven tributes were siblings, but one of them was adopted. She couldn't tell who.

The girl's costume was a bodysuit as well. There was a thick band of purple down her front, framed by grey on her sides. Two black stripes intersected at the base of her throat to create a cross design.

"This is exactly how you want it?"

Kory's gaze snapped to her stylist, a man named Noh-Varr, who was referring to her costume. He had a headphone in one ear and was swaying slightly to whatever song he listened to. Kory was impressed he could hear it above all the other noise.

"Yes, thank you." She smiled at him.

"Okay, then it's time for you to go. District One's chariot is already leaving," he said.

Kory smoothly stepped onto the back of the chariot beside John. It jerked sharply as the horses starting walking forwards, tossing their heads and building up to a trot. The noise outside swelled each time a chariot left the tunnel. As the horses of her chariot stepped into the light, Kory closed her eyes once more and felt the light's warmth on her skin.

"Whoa." The word came out as a soft gasp as Kory leaned towards the window. Even seeing the Capitol from a distance was amazing. She couldn't believe how tall some of the buildings were, stretching up and up into the sky. She was surprised there weren't clouds circling the highest floors.

Kory knew that, other than the chariots and the interviews, she and the other tributes would be confined to the building that would serve as their home up until the Games. But she ached to explore and vowed to see as much as she could. And try as much food as she could. The Warlords used to tell her all about the delicacies the Capitol had to offer.

"John, isn't it beautiful?" Kory asked.

Her district partner moved to the next window and looked out. "Yeah, until you remember that it's all built on the slave labor from the districts."

Kory glanced at John. He obviously wasn't smiling, but he wasn't frowning either, just staring out at the city.

She turned her gaze back outside and smiled widely as they neared the station. There was a sea of Capitolites in brightly-colored ensembles, their heads bobbing up and down as they walked to make rainbow waves. There were some people that didn't dress as boldly or look as exuberant, and Kory watched them just as much as she watched everyone else.

When people started pointing at the train, she waved, winking at the boys and men staring in her direction and sending suggestive smiles and half-lidded glances at the ones that blushed when she did. She didn't expect Capitol boys to be so easy to tease.

Kory giggled in excitement. She had no intention of dying in the Games, but she knew it was a possibility. She wasn't one for daydreaming, and that reality had set in quickly during the first few minutes of the train ride, and she had all night to dwell on it. But if she did die, she had better make the most of her last free days.

"And here we have the tributes for District Twelve!"

Kory opened her eyes at the sound of Taneleer Tivan's voice.

"A very fitting costume on John Constantine, but I must say Noh-Varr took a daring approach with Kory Anders. Isn't she stunning?"

Kory grinned and waved at the stands when she saw herself displayed on the large screens. Noh-Varr had liked the bold statement she made during the Reaping and wanted to keep it going, but this time, the only similarity was the deep purple shade. Her shirt was essentially a thick V of fabric, covering what needed to be covered while exposing everything else. The front and back were connected to a belt resting over her short skirt. There was a gem set into the middle that looked like a smoldering piece of coal. Matte gauntlets covered her forearms, and she wore tall boots to accentuate her height.

Kory knew her main weapon in getting sponsors was her beauty. This costume was perfect for drawing the attention of inappropriate older men with lots of money.

John beside her wore a more conservative ensemble. Baggy miner's overalls with a button-up shirt underneath, the top buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. Coal dust was smeared into their light hair, giving them the dark streaks all miners had. Too bad Kory hadn't ever thought of doing that back in Twelve so she could properly sneak into the mines.

John's overalls, along with Kory's belt and gauntlets, were a deep black. But as they started moving, the colors changed. Kory's flickered, like fire, but John's overalls seemed to match whatever was in the background. If someone wasn't paying attention to him, he could fade completely out of mind.

He was staring up at the screen, just like her, and his gaze jumped from Kory to the cheering Capitolites. Whenever she waved, the noise swelled. He nudged her discreetly, and Kory looked to her district partner.

"Would you mind giving me one of those smiles? If I'm worth a smile from you, then maybe people will think I'm worth being sponsored."

Kory gave him her most dazzling grin. "Of course."

"You know, looking over this year's line of tributes, I've noticed something interesting," Taneleer said, drawing away from the commentary about stylists and costumes.

"What's that?" Uatu asked.

"This is now the twenty-fifth year of the Avenger Games, and frankly, it's been some time since we've had two white tributes from District Eleven."

Kory focused on the tributes ahead of her. The girl was wearing a corset and leggings, goth green, and a cape that trailed down her back, fading from green to red. Everything was covered in designs of ivy and flowers, even her bare arms. She looked like a walking garden. For a moment, Kory wondered if there was such a thing in the Capitol, and how amazing it would be to see, but it was probably too far-fetched even for this place.

The boy was wearing a long trench coat, the hood hanging off his shoulders. Kory wasn't very impressed with the ensemble, having expected more from Capitol stylists. Her opinion changed completely when the District Eleven chariot appeared on the monitors.

It looked like he wasn't there. The suit underneath his jacket was made from a fabric so black it looked like someone had simply cut his body away and replaced it with nothing. If it weren't for the coat and the mask on his head, Kory would have thought he wasn't truly there at all.

The mask itself was almost terrifying. It was molded around his face but looked like it was burlap rather than skin. There were gaping black holes over bright yellow eyes and crooked stitches over the mouth. As Kory watched, the boy's head twitched, and the mask started flaking away. He had been standing rigidly before, but now he turned his head towards the camera as his face was revealed.

He was white, like the commentators said, but Kory wasn't sure why that mattered. It didn't change the fact that someone had hand-picked them from a crowd of children knowing they would probably die.

"You are absolutely right. With the tributes chosen by the victors this year, I wonder if someone from Eleven is trying to say something?" Uatu inquired.

"That may be so, but — oh, what's this? It looks like there's something wrong with District Two's Harvey Dent."

The chariot was too far ahead for Kory to see, so she looked to the monitors. The girl from District Two wore a black jacket and blue shirt, with some sort of dark armour over her torso. There was an electric blue mask over her eyes and a matching streak in her hair.

Harvey wore a crisp, dark suit and had bandages expertly wrapped over half of his face. Or they were supposed to be expertly wrapped but instead were slipping, revealing bright red skin that was pocked and puckered. He must not have noticed until Tanaleer announced it, because his gaze jumped up to the monitors, and his eyes widened. He reached up to the bandages and attempted to force them back into place, but that only made things worse.

Kory wasn't sure if anyone had ever physically jumped off the chariots and fled during the procession before, but she was starting to think Harvey would until he plunged a hand into his pocket. The camera didn't zoom in, so she couldn't see what he pulled out, but it glinted in the sunlight. His thumb flicked upwards, and then he snatched the item out of the air. Harvey looked down at his palm and visibly relaxed, shoving the item back into his pocket.

Instead of trying to fix the bandages, he simply looked up into the crowd and smiled, letting them fall away to reveal a horrible burn that covered half his face.

"There must be a good story behind a scar like that," Uatu said.

"When it's interview time, maybe we'll get to hear it." Taneleer chuckled, and they both started throwing out ideas of how Harvey got such a scar. They moved as the procession continued, District One's chariot reaching the square before Thanos' mansion.

Kory gaped at the sight of it. She always thought her home back in Twelve was large. Compared to others in the district, that was certainly true, but she had a hard time thinking of this building as a house. It rose up above them. While far from the height of some of the buildings Kory saw from the train, it was nonetheless a looming giant up close. Shadows were thrown across the front façade from the parade light, and the balcony facing the square was well-lit.

Directly under a spotlight was the podium where President Thanos would speak, though he had not approached it yet.

The first chariots had already settled into formation; all twelve would be lined up in two neat rows, six by six. Kory took a moment to scan her fellow tributes before the president could appear. There was little she could see from the back, but a few things stood out. She could see District One's chariot clearly, and a good side view of the male tribute.

He looked formidable in a black and grey armored suit and a skeletal-looking mask that was half gray and half orange. He was looking up at one of the cameras and raised a hand to his temple, giving a quick two-fingered salute.

Kory hadn't watched the Reapings live, but she did occupy her time with the recaps during the train ride. The boy from District One had given the same salute after he was chosen, and Taneleer was saying as much now, questioning who it could be for. Kory ignored the commentary as she looked to the tributes from District Four.

The girl had a crown on her head, which intrigued Kory. It was a delicate addition to her red and blue costume. Her partner was nearly bare-chested with very few adornments, on the other hand, except for tattoos all the way up his arms.

District Five's tributes had matching red capes, but besides a flash of blue, Kory could see little else of what they wore. They both stood with their fists resting on their hips, in what Kory supposed was a somewhat heroic pose.

As her and John's chariot pulled up, Kory was disappointed to see she could not admire the boy from Seven without leaning back to look past the line of tributes. Even then, her view was blocked by a flowing purple cloak wrapping around the girl from District Nine. Buffeted by some unseen source of wind, the fabric did not settle as the chariots stopped moving.

Kory was drawing her gaze away when she glanced at District Ten. The boy, dressed in a purple and black suit, was small and young, maybe twelve or thirteen, and his skin and hair had been dyed green. He was looking around in a mixture of wonder and fear. When their eyes met, she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Welcome to the twenty-fifth Avenger Games, the first Quarter Quell." Thanos' voice boomed across the square, and Kory's gaze snapped forward. President Thanos was a large man, and Kory found it oddly fitting that he lived in a large mansion, regardless of its status as a symbol of power. "You, our tributes, have been given the honor of being personally chosen by your mentors. One of you will carry that honor through to victory."

The crowd cheered, already eager for first blood. The cameras were drifting over the tributes, showing them off as Thanos spoke. The boy from Eight was very eye-catching when he appeared on screen. Adorned with a purple suit, orange waistcoat, and green dress shirt, it was hard not to stare. He was smiling widely, though it was more unnerving than pleasant. The girl beside him seemed to be hanging off his arm.

"Do right by the men and women that have chosen you. May the odds be ever in your favor!"

The camera settled on Kory and John's chariot with Thanos' final words, and she gave a sultry smile. She was debating whether blowing a kiss would be overkill when the camera moved on, and the chariots started back towards the training center.

"Truly, a man of words." Taneleer said.

"Absolutely," Uatu agreed. "I for one am eager to see what kind of fighters our victors have chosen for us. I see a few surprising faces in our lineup, and some none too intimidating."

"Let's just hope they'll surprise us!"

Kory grinned. She was certain Taneleer and Uatu were including her among the unintimidating number. After all, she was just the pretty-faced daughter of a merchant. But she was definitely going to surprise them. The Warlords may not have been able to teach her weaponry, but they did teach her how to take down a grown man with her bare hands, and she would not be trifled with.

Blackagar was waiting for them when their chariot returned to the training center. He gave a satisfied nod, which Kory supposed meant they had done well during the procession.

She stepped off the chariot and stretched, the fabric of her shirt pulling tight against her body. She could feel someone looking at her. Maybe Blackagar—though she doubted it; he didn't seem like the type—or John, or even the boy from Seven. But she didn't know for sure. She was too busy enjoying the pull of her muscles.

Kory had never really considered how long the chariot procession and prep work really took until she was a part of it. She was a very fit person, but standing on her feet for hours without any kind of movement to distract her would make anyone sore.

She let her arms drop and looked around. People were lingering, stylists congratulating their tributes, mentors telling them what they did well, and what they shouldn't have done. She glanced back at Blackagar and wondered what he would say if he could speak, and whether she would like it.

Kory shook her head. She got the feeling it was probably for the best.

Noh-Varr had gone off and was talking to a woman, probably another stylist, in a bright yellow jacket. They were discreetly holding hands, and for some reason, that surprised her. Capitolites were regular people. But they were so bright and colorful that Kory forgot that. Thinking of Capitolites in love was odd to her, but it was there.

"We should head upstairs."

Kory almost jumped at the sound of John's voice right next to her. She hadn't noticed him move. It was like that on the train too. He could be so still and move so silently that it was like he was hidden. Thinking on it, Taneleer was right. John's costume was fitting.

"Yes, I suppose. But there's something I want to do first." Kory walked up to the Eleven's chariot and stood in front of the boy. There was an excited glint in his eyes, and Kory got the feeling she was being examined, but not the way she normally was. It was an unfamiliar sensation.

He had shed his coat, so now he just looked like a head floating above a dark nothingness.

"Good timing, Jonathan; too bad you were upstaged by District Two," his stylist, who looked to have more tattoos than skin, was saying.

"Excuse me, but what is that made out of?" Kory asked, pointing to the boy's — Jonathan's — suit. She laid a hand on his arm, almost expecting there to be nothing there.

"It's vantablack," the stylist said. Kory looked at him expectantly, waiting for more. He said nothing.

"You're pretty," Jonathan said.

Kory was about to smile and put on her usual tactics, but Jonathan stopped her.

"It's merely an observation," he said. "You're very pretty, but you also look angry. How did someone like you end up being chosen?"

Kory stiffened, immediately thinking of Komander, and she could feel her anger building. At Jonathan for inadvertently bringing her up, at Komander for betraying her so harshly, and at Blackagar for accepting whatever bribe Kammie gave him.

"Interesting," Jonathan muttered.

She spun on her heels and walked away, fuming.

"What was that about?" John asked.

"Nothing," she snapped.

John said something else, but Kory was distracted when she saw a girl standing toe-to-toe with Victor Creed. She was wearing very short shorts with fishnet leggings. Her hair was up in pigtails, one of them dyed bright turquoise and the other a vibrant hot pink. She was less colorful compared to her district partner, but Kory was almost certain this girl was on the District Eight chariot.

The girl leaned forward and straightened the lapels of Creed's jacket. Kory couldn't hear what she was saying, but judging by Creed's expression, it wasn't a compliment. The rest of the District Seven group stood behind him, and Kory noticed the male tribute was grinning.

He looked good when he smiled like that, and Kory's anger melted away.

The girl patted Creed's chest, saying one final thing before she actually pinched the man's cheek and left.

The boy from Seven broke down laughing and shouted, "That was beautiful!"

The group started moving towards the elevator, while Creed stayed behind. The girl that spoke to Creed was shouting something else, but Kory wasn't listening anymore. Only Logan, last year's victor and one of the mentors for Seven, and the two tributes were getting in the car. As the doors started to close, Kory had a brilliant idea.

"See you upstairs," she shouted back to John, then darted forward. John called out after her, but she didn't hear him. She slipped past the girl that had been talking to Creed, accidentally bumping her shoulder.

"Easy does it, lady!" the girl shouted. Kory ignored her.

She reached the elevator just in time, sliding her hand between the doors before they could fully close, and forced them open again. The black-haired boy stared at her with wide, surprised eyes, that delirious and adorable smile still on his face. Logan simply raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Headin' up, you comin'?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you." Kory stepped inside and looked over her shoulder. She saw Blackagar glaring at her over heads of the other tributes, and she waved as the door shut.

"Hello," she said when she was facing the boy again, his mentor and district partner well out of mind.

"Hi," he said.

"Kory Anders, but just Kory is fine."

"Um, hi," he repeated, and Kory giggled. His face immediately flushed. "I mean, I'm Dick."

"Helena Wayne," his district partner said, and their mentor just smirked and shook his head, pointedly looking away from all three of them as Helena gave Kory a rather skeptical look. Then, she focused on her brother, ready to say something — and her expression changed into something less identifiable.

Clearly, her brother was feeling something different than his usual flirtatious self. Helena's eyes flashed back to Kory, more curious now.

"Hello," Kory repeated, smiling brightly at Helena for a moment, before returning her attention to Dick. Despite there being ample room inside the elevator, she stood directly beside him so their hands were brushing.

Up close, she was easily able to admire the way his suit clung to his body, showing off every muscle. Kory was staring, and she didn't bother trying to hide it, instead very obviously looking Dick up and down. He was watching her, either waiting for her to say something, or too stunned to speak. Judging by his expression, it was the latter.

Kory met his eyes and smiled at him, tugging on her lip with her teeth. Standing this close to Dick, she was very aware of how exposed she was. Her costume covered very little. She wasn't embarrassed about it, but she could see Dick's eyes jumping from her face to her body. It was probably hard not to stare. For some reason, it made her face flush.

The elevator dinged as they reached the seventh floor, and Logan grabbed Helena's arm and stepped off immediately.

Helena looked back at her brother. "Dick, I think maybe—"

"Take it to the roof!" Logan called, sweeping Helena out of the elevator more swiftly than she expected.

Dick sputtered, a number of weak protests falling from his lips, but he didn't move as the doors closed again. He looked at Kory and gave what she thought was meant to be a suave grin. It wasn't, but she loved it anyways.

She wanted to say something to him, but she wasn't sure what. Flirty, honest, complimentary? For once in her life, Kory did not know how to get what she wanted. Instead, she leaned around Dick, brushing against his chest as much as possible, and pressed the button to open the doors. The hallway was clear.

Dick hesitated a moment before stepping out, and Kory was hit with the sudden urge to make him stay, though she wasn't sure why. There was just something about him; he wasn't like the other boys she teased.

She leaned forward and grabbed his hand, making him stop. She only held it a moment before pulling back. As the doors closed, she gave him a genuine smile. "See you around, Dick."

He smiled back, and then she was alone.

Kory leaned against the wall and hugged herself, her fingers brushing lightly against her exposed skin. She had goosebumps, but her face felt warm. It only took her a moment to realize what made Dick different from the others, from the boys she flirted with at the Hob and from John. He made her blush.

To some, that wouldn't be a big thing. People blushed all the time. Pretty girls that didn't know they were pretty did it. But Kory Anders knew she was pretty, and she used it. She flirted and teased, but she never blushed.

Kory buried her face in her hands and willed the redness away. She had finally met someone that made her want to stop and stare the same way so many people did with her. It was just her luck that they might end up killing each other.