Willow Skies
Egeria Train
The start to the games feels like something out of an ancient period era movie. The train isn't a typical bullet train, it's an old timey one that runs off of coal and it's very shaky and rumbly. I've never been on such an uncomfortable ride before but it's such a fun experience!
I patiently wait in my room, waiting to be led to the carriages with the other tributes. This is the only place without cameras, so I have some time to compose myself and get ready to put on a smiley face. There's not much else to do, as the only furniture is a lamp that doesn't turn on, a bed that's hard and small and an empty drawer. They really don't want us to spend time here. But it's charming enough.
As soon as I'm allowed out, I'm pulled along by a rather drably dressed Avox who tugs at my hand. This luxury train is very strange. The lights are covered in odd floral shaped caps which are the only light sources. The carpets and walls are covered in a maroon fabric which my feet sink into. And the tables and chairs are sporadically placed about without any thought. It feels a lot weirder compared to the perfect Capitol and trains I've been on.
"Ah, Willow! Hello! Greetings and salutations!" A rather awkward looking man comes up to me and shakes my head, getting too close to comfort. But I show a confident smile back, glad I'm not as anxious and shaky as this man is.
"Hi, hello! It's great to meet you." I smile.
He nods. "I'm Benthos, your mentor! If you please, come join the rest of your District." Benthos...I feel like he's a victor of the previous game, even if he doesn't carry himself like it. I would have thought they'd want all their Victors to be strong and proud and beautiful, but he's kind of a runt with acne and thick rimmed spectacles. He seems nice enough though.
I get the first look at my fellow tributes though as we all sit on a table together. There's a poor boy in a wheelchair, who's impatiently drumming his fingers on the table. He looks...confident and determined? Then there's a girl decked out with body modifications. She has scales, dyed pale skin, tattoos covering every inch of her body. The final girl looks somewhat nervous, but normal. But she has beautiful curly hair with streaks of blues, yellows and pinks.
Needless to say, but they don't look like too much of a threat…
"So, I need to keep this brief as they want to start the cameras rolling and I'm meant to leave you alone for the time being…" Benthos goes on a little bit of a tangent.
"Leave us alone? Aren't you supposed to mentor us?" The curly haired girl asks, her eyebrows furrowed. Her confusion and disbelief are very clear. I'm naturally good at reading people and their emotions due to my acting skills, but she's making this painfully easy for me.
Benthos shakes his head. "No...not until we reach the facility...this is where you're meant to meet each other and have introductions and what not."
"So do we introduce ourselves now? I'm Osiris and…" The boy in the wheelchair starts though Benthos quickly silences him.
"Not until the cameras are rolling! We need your reactions to be as raw and real as possible!" Benthos makes an obnoxious 'shhing' noise, a bit of spit flying. I pretend not to be disgusted.
I frown. "But we've already had our first impressions...what's this briefing for then?"
"Well, you should have read over the rules pamphlet...but if you have any questions, this is the time to ask. Oh and this is an introduction to your Districts." Benthos drops the news. I was wondering how they were going to be themed this year, though...it isn't really apparent from looking at the others.
"Well what are our Districts then?" The heavily modified girl snaps. She spoke very quickly with a demanding tone.
Benthos gulps. "Erm, well, you're a part of Egeria...and you've been placed here for your intelligence."
Huh? Intelligence? I don't think I'm dumb but that isn't my most defining quality. "What are the other Districts then?" I quickly ask. The curly haired girl seems content with that, smiling slightly, while the body modified girl looks very smug. Osiris looks as confused.
"Err...one's to do with strength and the other has to do with beauty or social skills…" Benthos says, unsure, as if he's not meant to tell us yet. I would have placed myself in the social/beauty District, but I guess they disagreed.
"I think they made the right choice for me." The pale girl smiles. Her face Iooks easy to punch, but you'd probably cut yourself on her scales.
The curly haired girl smiles too. "I can't complain either."
"That's good. Erm...we might have to skip the question phase as we don't have much time, but don't be afraid to come up to me and ask whatever you want. I'll just have to go through a few rules and then I'll leave." Benthos smiles awkwardly. He talks about the rules and regulations for a bit, saying what we can and cannot do. Once that's over, he quickly stands up, moving each one of us to a different table, before leaving the room.
We don't move as the countdown starts. Once it hits zero, the cameras flash, signalling that we're being recorded and we can move again. I quickly made the decision to go with the curly haired girl as she seems rather nice and friendly.
"Hi, I'm Willow! What's your name?" I ask, giving her a quick hug, before sitting at her table.
"Oh, I'm Gratiana! You can just me Grati though. That's what everybody calls me." She smiles, but it seems a little forced. I think she'll need some time to settle into the groove of things. So I show her a sweet smile too, hoping it calms her a little.
"That's such a cute name." I compliment her.
She picks a flower up and fiddles with it. "Thanks. So is Willow. I have a few willow trees in my garden. So what do you think of this Egeria...thing?"
"Huh?" I say, not expecting her to ramble. She took me off guard for a second.
"Oh, sorry! That sort of ruined the flow of the conversation, didn't it?" Grati laughs, so I laugh along too.
I shake my head. "No, no. It's fine. I think it's interesting how they split it though! But I wouldn't really put myself in Egeria. Would you?"
She thinks about it for a second, before putting the flower back in the vase. "Yeah. I joined the show to further my academic career and hopefully get a job in the forensic sciences field. So it only makes sense I'm here then."
That's an interesting choice. "That's a cool job! Like, what would you do in it?"
"Well, I'm not sure. I think going into the biology side sounds interesting! Like finding parts of DNA such as hair and blood, but I've been considering dabbling in toxicology. But then you'd have to look at urine samples and that sounds kind of icky." Gratiana says very passionately. She's clearly very interested in the subject. Though I find it funny how she'd be willing to look at dead bodies and blood but not urine. "Sorry, I'm talking about myself too much."
"No, I think it's really interesting. I like hearing about people's passions." I smile, wanting her to feel as comfortable as possible. I want her to trust me but something feels a little off with her. She seems a little too distant, no matter how warm and friendly she is.
"Then what's yours?" Grati asks, curiously.
"Oh I want to be an actress. It's a lot more shallow than yours. But I thought this would be a good gateway to become one." I start my long tangent about myself. It's good she's such a good listener. Her intense expressions are also really funny…I quite like her.
Karakaxa 'Karrie' Cataline
Egeria Train
For a group of people who are meant to be smart, I assumed the tributes would be very logical and sensible. But I assumed wrong.
"Why are you trying to get up there when you can't properly use your legs? Is your brain broken too?" I mumble, watching him struggling to stand and hang from the chandelier. He keeps falling over but he's very determined to succeed. I don't think that'd matter in the games though as he'd probably accidentally kill himself by cliff diving or something.
"Last time I checked I was fine! I'm not loopy yet." Osiris smiles, trying another time. His wheelchair is a little bit too small so he made me drag a chair over.
"You act like you are. You should give up." I suggest, though it's more of an order. I'm not watching him seriously injure himself for his own entertainment. Save it for the games.
Anybody willing to bet on him is a fool.
"Well I think you should stop being so nosy." Osiris decides as he tries for a final time. Plot twist...he fails again! I help him up and back to his wheelchair. Frowning, I call him an idiot under his breath, which he doesn't seem to pick up on.
I assumed I would have to analyse my fellow competitors and try to predict everything with the statistics. But Osiris has made this incredibly easy for me. He's certain to be Bloodbath fodder, knocked out in instants. I wouldn't be surprised if he does a backflip onto the mines and loses before it starts.
I quickly leave the room, hoping to watch the others. I felt like a creep watching the two of them talk without joining in. But I could tell that Grati isn't a threat either. She might be intelligent but she gives off weak vibes, though it's hard to place why. I should keep an eye on her though.
The next carriage looks...exactly like the one we started in. The camera is still mounted so I'll always be in sight. But I could be able to steal one of the shiny table numbers decorated in jewels if I'm sneaky enough. It's so shiny...and I love it. I've been trying to collect as many mementos as possible, but all I've got so far are a bunch of pamphlets. They'll be good to add to the pile but I doubt they're worth much.
Every table I walk by, I run my hand along. When I reach one of the tables further at the end, I quickly swipe the jewel and hold it in my hand, still walking. I probably look really weird but I did it for every table...I don't think they'll care anyway.
"What are you doing?" A voice asks. That would be...Willow. She's standing in the doorframe, watching me walk up and down.
I snap back quickly. "I've been looking around and inspecting all of these pretty ornaments."
"They are pretty, aren't they? All the jewels are...lovely. Maybe I should get some of them encrusted into my skin." Willow contemplates, as she stands by my side. I'm too tired to act friendly, but I don't think it'd be a good look if I kept attacking everyone. She hasn't done anything wrong. Yet.
"You look very...natural though." I point out, not recognising any obvious modifications. Perhaps she's had some more invisible surgery. "It'd be a pretty big leap for you."
Willow shrugs. "We all have to start somewhere."
We stand in silence, just looking at the pretty features of the room. It's clear we won't get along well. We just don't align properly. She's too mellow and laid back while I'm too high maintenance and methodical. But I don't really have an idea of how much of a contender she is yet so I might have to spend some more time with her. It's too early to tell her strengths and weaknesses yet. She's pretty and sociable, but she could fail at every aspect of the game. I'll have to keep an eye on her too.
Lycoris Ashford
Suada Train
"So, hi, everybody! We need to keep this short and brief, ok? We don't have much time on this train." Nimona starts off with, as the five of us anxiously sit. We all nod, nobody speaking. "So you're all on this train because you're a part of the Suada District. That's because you're either noted for your beauty, whether it be physically or emotionally, or your social skills."
The faces of the people around me twist into a variety of expressions. Confusion, pleasure, excitement...this makes sense for me. Nobody can seem to resist me and I'm certainly a very good looking man. I don't need some competition to teach me that.
"I don't think this...District...is for me." A lanky boy, who seems a little bit worried, points out.
Nimona shakes her head. "I think you definitely belong here. You fit quite a lot of the criteria."
"Really?" The boy asks, his voice shaking a little. "Is the other District the ugly people then?"
There's a few giggles among us. I show a charming smile to fit in, though I don't laugh. That wasn't an intentional joke, that was clearly out of his own idiocy. Nimona chuckles for a while, shaking her head. You can tell she's already somewhat annoyed. "No. There's a brains vs brawns vs beauty theme going on. It's a popular theme in the reality world."
"I would have liked to be in the brainy district." A girl in the crowd says, who's very tall and has dark short hair.
Nimona shrugs. "Sadly you don't have a choice, sorry. If I could I would try to help but…"
"You can't." A blonde girl who I feel like I recognise says, not too impressed. I don't get why everybody's so unhappy. I'm fine with being in this District.
Nimona looks somewhat guilty. She's beautiful, compassionate and sympathetic? What an amazing blend of features. We ask her a few questions, going through the basic rules and what we can and can't do in front of the cameras.
"The cameras are going to turn on soon, so I have to leave. But I'll be in another compartment if you want to talk to me or ask questions!" Nimona stands up after everything has been said. As soon as she leaves, we hear a countdown start. I look around, wondering where it's coming from, but a sudden flash and a loud zero blasts before I can find out. The cameras must be on now.
We don't really have much choice of what we can do except talk to each other. I better start as soon as I can with charming the other tributes. And there's plenty of good options here. The lanky boy looks out of his element really, so I'd feel weird going for him right away. I think I'll go with the really tall girl.
"Hey. I'm Lycoris." I walk up to her.
"Oh, that's a fancy name! I'm Dae! It's a lot simpler, isn't it?" Dae tells me. She certainly...sounded excited about that. Amazed even.
"Yeah, but it's still a great name. Would you like to go somewhere more quiet, Dae?" I suggest.
Dae thinks about it. "The entire train is kind of loud though. But sure!"
That isn't what I meant really, but it still works. I think she's joking but I can tell with her optimistic voice. We walk along to the next compartment, which is nearly identical to the other one. We sit on one of the larger tables though. If the lights were dimmed and the stars were out, I feel like this'd be very romantic.
"So, what do we talk about? I thought of a few icebreakers." Dae smiles. She seems very socially inept already, but talkative at least. She runs her fingers around the tables.
My lips purse for a moment, before showing my signature smile again. "Just tell me about yourself."
"But there's so much I can say!" Dae thinks about it for a second. She thinks about it for a second. "Should I start with my hobbies?"
"Start with whatever you feel most comfortable with."
"Ok...well...I play a lot of instruments. Like, the cello, piano and clarinet. My mother made sure I learned as many skills as possible." Dae lists off, touching each finger as she lists them off.
Wow, that's impressive. "You're so talented. You'll have to give me a private show sometime."
Dae smiles. "Of course!" It wasn't meant to be an innuendo, but it flew over her head either way.
Looking at her, she seems excitable and friendly enough, though I'm not sure if I want to ally with her. She has the stature and strength most likely, but she seems...really innocent, I guess. I wouldn't feel right trying to charm and use her either. She'd be an easier target but I don't want that yet. I want a challenge.
Tiara Christal
Suada Train
"So, what do you think is like...the best way to present myself in all like the promos?" I ask Nimona. I found her at the back in the storage carriage just sitting on a crate, so I've pulled one up and sat next to her. I haven't been like fretting over the promos but I still want to make the most of it. This is my first opportunity to make a great impression so I can't waste it and be like a bore or whatever. I need to stand out.
"I think the most important thing is to make yourself memorable and unique. Most people tend to do the same few things. Like, they'll maybe talk about their strategy or their hobbies or like...their basic personalities? But that's boring because everybody does that." Nimona says, as she toys with her curly hair. She's so gorgeous and she's like everything I strive to be, so I should listen to what she says.
This advice though isn't really helpful. "So, I shouldn't talk about myself?"
Nimona shakes her head. "No, you should. But you should also get people talking about you too."
"Oh, so like...controversy?"
She shrugs. The train shakes a little bit out of nowhere, scaring me. "You could cause a scandal. The audience loves romance or drama...you'll be the talking point if you can provide some of that. But if not, you could just show a talent or something."
So maybe a showmance is the way to go about it, if it'll get me the most attention? King says I should do anything to win and get as famous as possible, so he won't mind, will he? "Thank you for the advice!"
If I want to start a showmance, I don't have a lot of options yet. Auberon doesn't sound like my type of guy really and I haven't spoken much to the other boy. He was really hot though. And I don't really want to get into a fake 'lesbian' relationship either because I'm straight. Something about that is very icky to me.
I go back to the main carriages where everyone else is. In it is the other blonde girl who I haven't met yet...and Lycoris! How lucky! I don't have to go searching like the entire train.
"Erm, sorry, I'm taken!" The girl laughs awkwardly, with a bright smile. She's clearly uncomfortable so why is she trying to be so nice to him? Is he a creep too? "By Casimir Shontviac, if you didn't know."
Lycoris chuckles. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have made a move then."
"No, it's fine. I'm not really a big celebrity yet." Miri twirls her hair. She's really forgiving. I couldn't be so kind.
If I were her I'd be really annoyed at him for trying to flirt with her, but I'm not her so. Do I still want to make a move with him? I'm not going to be able to meet anybody else by the time the promos start recording so it's now or never. And if I don't like it, it's only for a few days.
I crash their party or date (or whatever) by sitting on the same table as them, pulling a chair along.
"Oh! Oh!" I recognise that name...so she must be…"I think I know you though! Are you Miri? I've seen some of your videos. They're so good."
She laughs really loudly. Miri's happy to be recognised then. She needs to stop smiling, she's going to get wrinkles. "Yeah...I am. I've got quite a following, huh."
"It's only going to get bigger." Lycoris smiles. They both smile at each other and it looks all lovey dovey even though it's not. He fiddles with the buttons on his uniform. Can I just mention how ugly these uniforms are? They're not flattering at all. At least the lavenderish colour is cute on me.
"I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" I say and both of them shake their heads. "I'm Tiara! It's lovely to meet you! What's your name, handsome?"
Lycoris has a very deep laugh. I don't know what to think of him but he's really attractive and he's laugh is beautiful to listen to. He can't be that bad, can he? "Lycoris."
"Like the flower?" I try to say in a voice more ditzy than my usual one.
He looks rather shocked. "Yeah. Most people just know it as spider lilies...you're so smart."
"I'm not really." I fake giggle loudly. "I was going to wear a dress made out of lycoris flowers to a party once."
"Why didn't you?" Miri asks, curiously.
Lycoris looks worried. "The bulbs are poisonous. But I'm sure you would have looked stunning in it."
"You think? I'd have to show you it sometime."
Lycoris grins, leaning forward slightly, his arms on the table. "Now that is something I'd love to see."
I giggle even louder. On the inside I'm squealing! He's clearly into me and I can act like I am. All I have to do is spend some more time with him and drop that bombshell in the promo and then...boom! I'll be the most talked about tribute out of all of them! This is so easy!
Auberon Laurier
Suada Train
I look at myself with the small mirror I packed. I never would have put myself in the beauty District. Maybe they placed me here because of my social skills? But I've never really socialised outside of my house. It's all too ambiguous and vague for me! But it's definitely a confidence booster!
I leave my room, kind of worried. This train is very shaky and wobbly and trembly and unsteady. A lot of things aren't locked down so I'll have to be careful, in case anything comes flying at me and hurts me.
I walk down the carriage, very excited. I really want to meet everyone else! But before I get down the hallway, I bump into someone. Dae (I believe?) steps out of her room out of nowhere, walking in front of me. She must have not looked before coming out, because I was moving too quickly to stop! It'd be like trying to stop a bull who's seen a red flag.
"Ah, sorry! Sorry! Are you ok?" They ask, taking a step back.
"I'm better than ever! Are you alright?" I proudly shout pretty much. No cuts or anything...so I'm fine!
They nod. "Yeah. It's just a little bump. The pain will pass soon."
We stand in silence for a second, as I'm not sure what to say. I look into their eyes, but they don't look back. I probably shouldn't do that. "Nothing can bring me down!" I think of the first thing that comes to my head. "Except for any injuries that draw blood. I have haemophilia! Did you know that?"
Dae shakes their head. "That sounds...tricky to live with."
I shrug, just realising how weird that is to immediately say to someone. Now I feel really awkward, eek. "I'll be extra careful around you then. Shouldn't they have warned us about that?" Dae asks, putting a finger on her chin.
"Probably. It's why I was hiding in my room. Because I needed to prepare myself."
"How did you prepare yourself?" Dae asks, curiously.
"Err...I repeated motivational messages to myself! Now I'm ready to face the trials and tribulations of the train, ha ha." I smile. Yeah, I'm really making this weird, aren't I? But she seems amused. Bemused? Both probably.
We start to walk down the corridor again, to one of the rooms with tables. We take a seat next to the window, where we can see the forests of the outer edges of the Capitol. It reminds me of the last day I fully spent outside. And it's just as beautiful as I remember. All the shades of different natural greens blending together...I'd love to paint something like this. If only I could step outside and have a rest in the open.
"I understand. I was sort of...preparing myself too?" Dae sympathises. They look a little bit worried. "I think Lycoris was flirting with me."
"You think? Was it not obvious?" I ask curiously. She definitely sounds uncertain.
Dae laughs. She's also staring outside the window too, fixated on the passing trees and azure sky. "I don't pick up on social cues well. So I wasn't sure. And I didn't know what to say back or how to react, so I hid in my room. Like I always do. And now I feel bad as I left him."
That sounds difficult. It must be overwhelming though to have all the cameras recording you in such an awkward moment where you're so worried and unsure. But it's also a lot to drop on someone you just met. Especially some goofy awkward teen like me. "Well...it sounds like he was making you uncomfortable. So it was alright to leave."
"You think?"
"Yeah! I don't think you're like...morally obligated to hang out with him. Be free like a bird." I say no longer staring at them. There's quite a few birds flying over. I wonder if there's many owls here? Dae's also staring at the birds, quite amazed.
Dae nods. "Yeah, I guess so! I feel a lot better now, thanks."
"No prob…" I whisper bob to myself in my head. "I probably don't have the best advice though! I wasn't really allowed to leave my house because of my haemophilia."
They gasp. "Neither was I! Well...not because of the haemophilia...but the leaving the house part!"
"What are the coincidences of that?" I smile, really excited. I have somebody I can relate to! We can...be friends, right? It's easier to get along with people if you have similar backgrounds, I think. "Why were you kept in then?"
Dae shrugs, helpfully. "I was never really told why? I think it's because my mother wanted to protect me."
"From what? All the evils in the world? The nasty murderers and criminals?" I ask. I'm probably as helpful as she is right now.
They shrug again. It suddenly gets a little darker as we enter some thicker foliage and the lamps flicker on, as if they're possessed. Spooky. "Well we've been allowed out now. Let's not focus on the past."
"Yeah." I respond. I really like Dae. I think she's friendly and kind of awkward too and we have good chemistry. It might be a bit premature but I think it'll be a good start. But how do I ask her? Would she ask me first? That'd be a sticky situation if we both want to ally but nobody's willing to ask.
Rowan Augustine
Virtus Train
Being surrounded by so many large personalities is weird when you're so quiet and soft spoken. I get why these people have been casted now, but it isn't any easier for me to be around them. Some of them are quite insufferable. But that begs the question...why was I picked when I presented myself in a more meek way than these tributes are?
"So...are we meant to start an alliance?" The very pink boy asks (in a rough accent.), as soon as our mentor Phobos leaves the room. He doesn't seem too excited by this idea.
"I don't think that's a good idea. The only similarity we have is that we're all rather physically capable. Just because we all share one quality doesn't mean it'll make for a strong or cooperative alliance." I mention rather quietly, which everybody else nods along to.
"Well I didn't fucking want an alliance anyway." He bites back, a bit annoyed.
I shrug, not really caring about what he wants. I wouldn't mind having an alliance but I don't think I'd be the one to organise it. I'll wait to get to know other people first and see if they come to me.
"Does anyone here want to ally with anyone?" The one armed girl asks.
There's a resounding no, really. The blue haired boy is very quiet when he says no. I guess there's two quite quiet people here. "I wouldn't want to ally with you. How the fuck did you get into Virtus? You only have one arm."
How insensitive can he get? This obviously really upsets and angers the girl. She's shaking slightly (and it isn't from the old train) and she lets out a small gasp. "Fuck off. I'm not any weaker than you. And just because you have another arm doesn't mean you're stronger than me, dipshit."
I don't think he was expecting her to bite back. She has a point, but I don't think it works on him, as he's freakishly muscular. That has to be steroids, right? It doesn't look natural. "Whatever you say." He whispers 'bastard' under his breath, but luckily, she doesn't hear.
And with that, she stands up and leaves the room. I think that's a smart option to take. She was clearly annoyed by him before, so I think removing herself from the situation before she lashes out any further is the best thing to do.
"It's lucky she's able to calm herself down. Anybody else might have attacked you. You need to be more careful." The blue boy mutters to himself, as he taps the back of another chair.
"Yeah, that was an incredibly stupid thing to say to an amputee." I emphasise to him (even if she isn't an amputee.)
The druggie shrugs. "If I cared I wouldn't have said it to her."
"You should apologise to her." I suggest, though it's more of a command. I just don't feel confident enough to say it that way.
He clearly doesn't look like he will. He taps his feet on the floor, as he thinks about it for a second. "Nah. She won't apologise to me either. So let's give the audience the drama they want."
Neither of us have anything to say to that. How does he know she won't apologise? All he's managed to do is be quite offensive to her, assume negative things about her and act really stuck up. The audience won't like that.
"Maybe I will later." He suddenly says. "I don't know."
Again, silence. What do we even say to him? "I think we should do some introductions. It's been long enough." I break the silence. "I'm Rowan. It's nice to meet you."
"Baxter." The violently pink man smiles and shakes my hand. He goes back to leaning against two chairs.
"Blu." Fitting name. He's entire uniform is a mix between a monochromatic black and blue. We all have different colours. Mine s black and dark green, while Baxter's is black and purple.
Silence again. Blu really isn't really talkative at the moment, though I'm not either. And Baxter is too...cocky or annoyed to speak apparently? It looks like he'll be a handful to deal with either way.