Marked: The 125th Annual Hunger Games

SYOT Open (see Author's Note/Profile for more information)

Prologue II

The Meeting of the Minds

The preceding week had passed by sooner than Lucien had hoped. Every day, it seemed he was being whisked in another direction, with hardly any time to sleep. By the time he had finally arrived in Six, he had barely made it in time for the train to leave for the Capitol. It had been a little risky, but he had fallen asleep nearly immediately after stealing onto the train. The gentle rocking of the train cars (almost imperceptible if you were on a Capitol-run train) lulled him to sleep, and was the very thing that woke him up.

Rising off into the mountainous distance was the glittering, glamorous Capitol. The man from Thirteen had seen it in pictures, holos, briefings, but never with his own two eyes. He hated how beautiful it seemed, with the sleek buildings rising up into the distance, the white glossy domes over some of the older buildings. Lucien didn't know it, since he didn't live in the Capitol, but construction of an all-new Tribute Center, Training Pavilion, and Convocation Area had been finished in just the past few days.

The man peered out the grimy window, his fingers reaching up to wipe off the yellowish material that had accumulated there. In his pocket sat a small slip of paper, with only a few words on it to describe where he was to go. A meeting place in the middle of the very Capitol he had never been to - the Training Pavilion. Thirteen didn't have access to the kind of material and lavish fashion the Capitol was used to, Lucien dressed in a simple black t-shirt, black cargo pants, and boots. Maybe at the very least he wouldn't be seen.

The train pulled into the Capitol as the sun was setting behind the mountains. He waited a minute to make sure the train had stopped before he crept to the edge. Further down the train, he could see Capitolites meeting with the conductors of the same train. His feet slipped off the edge, landing with a soft thud onto the concrete below. Swinging his body beneath the dip in the train, he slipped between two of the cars. His left foot placed onto the cable connecting them, and vaulted over to the other side. Back pressed firmly against the train car behind him, grey eyes scanned for hints of an exit. A set of stairs sat to the right, leading up to the Capitol proper.

Lucien darted ahead, seeing no one on this side of the train. He took the stairs two at a time, emerging from below into some side avenues of the Capitol. Lights gleamed everywhere, lighting the streets, showing the way for those that were walking it's hallowed streets. There were few sharing the street where Lucien himself was, but more on streets that headed for the center of the Capitol.

One foot in front of the other, Lucien made way for the center of the city. Years ago, the Capitol had added the Training Pavilion onto the regular Tribute Center. It was an area outdoors, now surrounded on three sides by the Tribute Center and the Convocation Area. Rumor had it that it could simulate different types of backgrounds - jungles, forests, tundra, deserts even - where tributes could simulate their environment in the arena and how to prepare for them. It was also an opportunity for tributes to get some fresh air rather than training indoors for most of the day.

He had made it into the Capitol's winding streets, glancing over at those that were making way with him. A young Capitolite stood off to his right, making her way to some function or another deeper into the city. "Excuse me?" Lucien asked politely. "Could you direct me to the Training Pavilion, ma'am?"

Red eyelashes flicked open, her dress like a checkerboard that reached her face as well. Long and glossy black hair fell behind her shoulders. "The Training Pavilion? What are you, a tourist?" She let out a long and loud laugh, watching him with wide eyes - enough to let Lucien see one had no iris and the other was red. I don't know if I'll ever get used to the Capitol, Lucien thought to himself.

"Of sorts," Lucien shoved his hands into his pockets, finding the lies coming easily to him. "I'm from Two, a peacekeeper by training. The President was kind enough to allow me a visit to the Capitol for my service. I hoped to see it all." He did his best impression of what he hoped was a wistful smile.

The lady seemed to buy it, looking sympathetic as a manicured hand touched his cheek. "Oh my darling, thank you for all you do for us here in the Capitol. The Training Pavilion, along with the other buildings used for the Hunger Games, lays down that road there." Her long finger pointed towards a street just to the left. Lucien gave a brief thank you, and a kiss on the back of her hand, before he headed down the way she had pointed.

Lucien's eyes scanned the surroundings, watching glass windows pass, shopkeepers standing outside waving people in to try their newest or most popular products. It seemed money didn't even matter in the Capitol, it was useless, a piece of paper, nothing more. At least for the common things that came with difficulty to those in the districts - like food, clothing, a place to live. The real money was spent when sponsorships and the Games came about. That was how you separated the very rich from the rest.

He followed the road as he had been told, keeping a wary eye out as he passed any white-clad peacekeepers. They shouldn't suspect him, or at least he hoped. There wouldn't be long though before he would run into something, surely. At last - the street descended into a long circle around the buildings where the tributes would be housed. The Convocation Area was new for this Games, though they had used another building for it in the past. An area for tributes to meet with Capitolites, whether it be at banquets, balls, whatever the Capitol had in store for them on any particular night. Even a year or two they had held the interviews in it while a bigger auditorium was being renovated.

The Training Pavilion lay to the right. A stone marker sat outside it, giving a brief history of the building and it's prior location. From the outside, there wasn't much to tell. It surely would have been something in the daylight, but now it was fairly unimpressive. It was a broad, nearly trapezoidal shape, surrounded by the taller and more imposing buildings. Grass (almost surely fake) covered the ground, with a few trees, benches, and the like sitting around.

"You are Lucien, I presume?" A voice asked from behind him. He turned, getting his first look at the informant he was due to meet in the Capitol.

She was beautiful - moreso than nearly anyone he had ever met in Thirteen. More money and more capabilities of the Capitol made that natural, but he still marvelled at it. Her hair was a silvery blonde, descending in waves down her front. Hazel eyes met his own, her eyebrows quirked in a light questioning manner. The dress was one of what he could only describe as moonlight, a soft-glowing material with moon designs laid into it.

"Y-yes," He stumbled over his words, fiddling with the slip of paper in his pocket.

"Good, because we have to hurry," She slipped her arm into his, urging his trodding feet to get moving. Despite being in heels the size of which he had never seen (due to the fact heels were unavailable in all of Thirteen), she was moving faster than he was.

"I didn't get your name," Lucien said crisply as he kept up a brisk pace to stay in line with her. "And why must we hurry?" He figured he would finally get a day or two of rest before they would have to be getting on the train for the Reapings - the first real challenge he would have since arriving in the Capitol.

"I'm Vesta," The lady said with a cool smile, squeezing his arm lightly. "Vesta Fairmark, a wealthy enough socialite that your district trusted to get them information they needed. Why we need to hurry is that there is a meeting due to be held in my penthouse tonight, a meeting you will not want to miss, my dear…" She whispered the last word into his ear. "Rebel."

Interest was piqued, and little was said otherwise as they hurried down the streets of the Capitol, off towards the west. He kept wondering which one it would be - surely she would be in one of the better-looking buildings. But, each building they passed kept looking nicer than the last one. Then, he knew. Off at the end of the street, there was probably the most expensive building he had seen since arriving in the Capitol. Lush white carpets laid outside, inviting their patrons indoors. Vesta wasn't simply wealthy, she was at the top of the Capitol's pecking order.

That alone made him suspicious of the girl on his arm. She was only…mid twenties at the oldest, and he had never heard the name Fairmark before in any of his briefings - not natural wealth, then. Earned wealth, perhaps, or stolen, whichever one was more likely nowadays in the Capitol. The doors slid open with ease after Vesta placed her hand on a pad. Security, even here in the Capitol, he noted mentally, trying to think of things to tell to Thirteen once he returned.

The same happened at the elevators, with the woman placing her hand on a similar-looking pad. In a handful of seconds, an elevator was there, prepared to bring them up to the penthouse. "Fairmark. I haven't heard that name before," He noted once they were inside.

"Better get used to hearing it," Vesta commented as she leaned back against a steel bar. The elevator whirred to the top, carrying them at a brisk pace. "I'm relatively new to the pack of Capitolite vultures that swing onto outsiders. Four years ago, I placed a bet of what money I had on someone that I got to know very well. I was nineteen at the time, he was eighteen. A boy from District One, someone you likely know. I got to know him during the ball that was held that year at the Convocation Area. I begged my younger brother to go with me, but I didn't tell him that I planned on betting on someone there."

Lucien listened as the elevator dinged and they arrived at the penthouse. Silver was clearly her color, with a glass chandelier hanging over a dark wooden table. Windows looked out over the city, the most heart-stopping view he had ever seen in his life. Every light in the city was like a different soul, telling a story of its own of the people beneath them. People were like a river below, not stopping even into the night as they made their ways into shops, restaurants, and various eateries.

"Come on," Vesta pointed towards the table. "Sit at the head of the table. Everything should be prepared to start." There were five places set, one at the head like she had said, and then two each to the right and left. Seven places were left open towards the end of that table.

"Anyway, like I was saying, this boy was a charmer." Vesta chuckled a little bit. "Charmed me enough into betting on him, at any rate. I placed what money I had inherited from my parents on a rather large bet that he would win the Hunger Games, before training had even really begun. He won. That started it all. It became like a game - you win and you lose. I missed the 122nd Victor by an inch - that girl from Six killed my bet, a broad-shouldered boy from Five, who got fourth. I placed the right bets the next two years, and invested my money where it was smart to go. Here I stand, a wealthy woman in a land of wealthy people."

Lucien listened to her story, glancing at the ornate plates, bowls, glasses, and silverware that were set out for them. At the end of the table sat their courses, for sure. A freshly baked chicken, beans, some sort of pudding, and several wine glasses. His stomach seized at the sight, never having seen that much food in his life. That was even small by Capitol standards, but not for him.

Vesta stood in the living room by a white couch, waiting as the elevator dinged. "Ah, our guests." Her heels clacked on the cold ground below, meeting their guests as the elevator slid open.

There were three, indeed. The first one to step out was a woman, dressed more like Lucien than he cared to admit. With black pants and a black shirt, her only different article of clothing was the black heels she wore and the red lipstick on her lips. A kind enough face, she smiled at Vesta immediately upon entering. "Good evening, dear," She hugged the Capitolite. "A long ride back, I see."

"You know it, Estelle." Vesta smiled as she released the woman, allowing her to enter first. Next was a man, with bronze skin and muscles to rival even the strongest men out there. His face was square and set, wearing some flowy robes of blue colors. He seemed near Lucien's own age, a bit younger than the first woman had been.

"Always good to have you, Sebastian." She escorted him in, pointing to the table where Lucien was seated. "I hope your past year has been well, adjusting and all." A sympathetic look crossed her face, and the dots began to connect for Lucien.

"And Keller, I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it." Vesta gave the last man a hug, nearer to Estelle's age than his, Vesta's, or Sebastian's. A brief smile passed his face, his black hair beginning to gray at the edges, a salt and pepper beard shadowing his handsome face. He wore a suit of black and white, making Lucien himself feel quite underdressed.

"I would like to introduce you all to my good friend, Lucien." Vesta made her way to his side in a moment, helping him up from the chair and sliding her arm around his back. "Lucien will tell you all who he is in a few moments, but first, I'll do some introducing of my own. This is Estelle, she is from District 12. The Victor of the 102nd Hunger Games and mentor. Next is Sebastian, Victor of the 124th Games from District 4 and mentor. Last we have here is Keller, Victor of the 98th Hunger Games from District 9 and mentor."

Lucien outstretched his hand to shake each one. There was a lot to be learned from handshakes. Estelle's was polite and gentle, Sebastian's a bit shaky and warm, Keller's firm and strong. Three Victors, three mentors - the first goal of his mission was to meet with some. This would be an opportunity he couldn't give up.

The dinner was served shortly, the meal being passed around the table from person to person. He watched what Keller and Estelle took on his right to guide him as to how much was normal, taking almost exactly the same before passing it on to Vesta to his left. For a while, there was silence as people ate, only interrupted by the spare comment or question about each of them. What an odd bunch, Lucien thought to himself as he took a bite of the pudding, letting the sweet taste fill his mouth, Capitol, Four, Nine, Twelve, Thirteen.

He could hardly focus beyond his food anyway. He ate quickly, quicker than those even from the districts. Lucien hadn't realized what they were used to now, having more money than anyone else where they were from. He still wasn't yet.

"So," Estelle smiled as she folded her hands in front of her, setting her spoon down into her pudding quietly. "Lucien, right?" He nodded and she continued. "Tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from. I was told this was a sponsorship meeting, so are you from the Capitol?"

Before he could reply, Vesta jumped in as his savior. "I am the sponsor in this room," Vesta gave them a tight-lipped smile. "You know that. But that's not the only reason that I got you all together here. This may come as a shock to you, so be prepared to listen and hear things out. I chose you three to be the first, mentors are important to be on the up and up on these things."

Keller raised an eyebrow at that, the District Nine man asking just what was going on. Meanwhile, Sebastian didn't say much of anything at all, nor give anything away. His sea-colored eyes glanced at them and waited.

"My cover is this. I am Lucien, I am from District 12." As Estelle snorted a bit, Vesta shushed her and allowed Lucien to continue to speak. "A few years ago, Vesta met me when she took a tour of the district. Now, we are promised to be married. But that isn't the real story. The real story is that I am from District 13. We weren't destroyed after the Dark Days. We went into hiding. We've been nearly wiped out multiple times by now. The Capitol has been lying about us for years, because it serves their purpose. They didn't want to admit there was a district out there that could rival their power."

There was a moment of stunned silence after he said his first part. There was plenty and more to tell, but that was enough to begin. "District…Thirteen?" Keller clarified, wiping his mouth with his cloth napkin. A look of incredulity passed his features. "You expect us to believe that? Thirteen was destroyed."

"That's what they want you to think," Lucien said with a tight-lipped smile. Freed from having to eat any more, he plowed forward. "Thirteen's industry was not just graphite mining. That was the tip of the iceberg. We specialized in nuclear weapons and facilities. But when the war came to a close, we found out the Capitol had its own stores out west that they would use to destroy us all, if Thirteen launched our supply at the Capitol. No one benefits from everyone dying. So there was an agreement that Thirteen would go below ground, the Capitol would destroy the surface, and everyone would pretend like Thirteen was gone."

Estelle bit her lip as she looked at him, asking the question that was on the minds of the Victors. "And what does that change anything? Thirteen wasn't willing to stick their neck out for us then, are you telling us that their opinion…has changed? Will they end the Hunger Games?"

Vesta allowed him the floor, simply sitting back in her chair as she listened to them speak. She knew it all, being an informant of 13 now for a few years. Lucien hadn't imagined that it was going to be very difficult to convince the districts that 13's intentions were pure and good. He may have underestimated the level of pain that they had gone through for years. How could he have known, after all? He hadn't seen anything outside of 13 his whole life.

"Thirteen will end the Hunger Games. But we cannot do it alone. If we start a war, who's to say the districts will join us? The Capitol has continued to improve their technology and their hold over Panem. I hate to say it, but 13 has fallen behind. In a one on one fight, the Capitol will win every time. The only way we win is by convincing the districts to rebel first. Thirteen's arsenal will protect them and do the rest. One by one, we will wrest the districts away from the Capitol's grip. If we fail to do that, we will lose. Thirteen will likely be destroyed for real this time, or will join all of you in participating in the Hunger Games." Lucien sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, looking at the Victors. "We have things to lose too."

Vesta put her hand on his arm and spoke for the first time since they had begun. "We need to convince the districts that a rebellion is worth it. That they can defeat the Capitol. The Games are the best place to start." She set down a clipboard onto the table beside her. "Victors, tributes. They are the most public faces of the districts themselves. This Quarter Quell is obscene. Twenty-four sets of parents had to tell their own kids that they would be sent off to die at eighteen."

"Obscene?" Sebastian noted, sitting up a bit straighter in his chair. "Is that why your brother is going to be running them?"

The Capitolite's face went through a series of contortions, from shock to amusement to frustration and finally settling on anger. "I cannot control my family, sir." She spat out, her fingers clutching the fork in her hand. "Apollon is misguided and poisoned by the President's promises. With my insight, I will be able to know more about the Games than anyone else. He will be an asset to this rebellion whether he likes it or not."

Estelle looked sympathetic, setting aside her utensils as she took a swig of wine. "Family is important, even when they take the wrong step. I learned that myself. District 12 has only won four times in its history. Before me, Katniss Everdeen won the 74th Games. She was my mentor, my friend. I took over for her after almost thirty years of her serving District 12. Before her, there was Haymitch Abernathy. He mentored for over twenty years. And before him, there was one other. I don't know her name, no one seems to know. The point is…I don't see how there's much choice. Each year, I go in and hope my tributes can win, knowing they won't. Twelve has won four times. Any chance I have to never go through it again, I will take."

"All I ask now," Lucien began, sipping his own wine and setting it down after. "Is for you all to be available for me. Cover for me. I will be milling around the Convocation Area most days. So will Vesta. Getting a look at the tributes, at mentors, at everything. If we need something, we will come and look for you."

Estelle was the first one to nod, followed by Sebastian from 4. It took a moment before Keller sighed and nodded as well. "Fine." He agreed.

"To Panem." Lucien smiled as he raised his glass. "To a new Panem." They echoed together, glasses clinking as they toasted to new fortune. But first, the Hunger Games awaited them and twenty-four other tributes.

A/N: Thank you for reading! This is the second prologue. As soon as I get fully filled out pairs from districts, I will start on their first chapters. These will not necessarily be Reaping chapters. They could be a slice of life, they could be some memory with the other tribute, or they could be Reapings. I would like to shake it up as much as possible.

When I first started this story, I imagined that I would have all 24 tributes having POVs at some point in time. Right now, I'm planning on doing POVs for each author that submits. If you submit two, there may be one that doesn't get a POV. There could be some that only get one. That's just how it's going to shake out, more than likely. Tributes with no POVs will obviously still feature heavily in the story and in other POVs (I'm especially thinking Careers during the first few days of the Games - repeating is difficult with that). Just because they don't have a POV does not mean anything about their placement.

On that note, there's more I've learned in the 5 years I've been gone from the genre haha. First is the level of reservation and when the story is expected to begin. I'm lengthening out when tributes are due to the 22nd of January, a Saturday. If we get them all before then, more power to all of you. I'll be doing POVs for characters subbed before then as I get them, hopefully.

Next thing to expect: each district will have one POV of their intro chapters - so 12 of them. Both tributes will feature in them in some fashion. I hope to do 2 districts a chapter if all things pan out.

We still have slots open. Feel free to reserve or submit a form (or two :) ) soon! Check on the profile for the open slots. Thank you!