Arthur Singlewave, 18
Victor of the 151st Annual Hunger Games
The likelihood of another District 4 Victor so soon has suddenly gone down exponentially. Arthur sees nothing wrong with Bayou, aside from serious prejudice back home. Ottilie, on the other hand—well, he's heard of Ottilie. He's heard of her because he's talked to the trainers at Faustus about her. She's all Aran Delarosa would ever talk about—not because he was singing her praises, but because he was worried for her. Aran had never even mentioned a Bayou Hacksom.
"What do you think is going to happen this year?" Arthur asks Chance as they take their seats in the stands. "With Bayou and Ottilie, I mean?"
Chance shrugs. "Dunno. But I don't think we're going to be joined by another Victor anytime soon."
Arthur nods. "Agreed."
Their conversation falls flat after that, leaving Arthur sitting with nothing but his thoughts. He's only been gone a day, and he already misses being at home with Copper. He knows that last year was worse, because it was the first time he'd ever mentored, and nothing had changed. He'd come in with hope in his heart for his tributes and yet they died.
This year it's different. This year he's trying to be realistic. He's trying to go in with the idea that his tributes aren't going to survive. He's trying to come to terms with that, but it's easier said than done. It's hard to look Bayou and Ottilie in the eyes, give them advice on how to win, yet know that they are going to die.
It's harder with Bayou. Bayou, who is going in with clear hope for Victory but none of the cockiness that Ottilie has. Bayou, who has faced prejudice his whole life, yet would still face it even if he won. Bayou, who almost doesn't seem to know what he's gotten himself into.
Arthur wishes he could tell him what he's gotten himself into. He doesn't know if it would be worth it or not. Would Bayou turn out like Flourish, unable to see an outcome where winning is desirable? Or would he turn out even more determined to take Victory?
He's also unsure if he'll ever know. It's not worth it to ruin Bayou's chances since he doesn't know what Bayou wants. Would Bayou want Victory once he knows what Victory is like? Would Ottilie?
That's not even a question. Arthur doubts that anything could change Ottilie's mind about whether or not being a Victor is worth it. Not the trauma. Not the guilt of killing. Not being turned in a prostitute so the higher-ups can make more Caps. Not the endless tormenting from the Capitol as he's forced to relive his Games every year. Nothing could change her mind.
With Ottilie, it's easy. It's easy to look that girl in the eye and say she's not going to win. Ottilie is too cocky, to confident in her Victory. Arthur knows she's about to get slapped with one of the biggest reality checks in Hunger Games history. The Games are all about change, and Arthur bets that Ottilie will change the most.
For the worst or for the better remains to be seen.
Arthur is dragged from his thoughts by the sudden blaring of the Capitol anthem. The only thought that comes to his head is each anthem in the Games, a reminder that he somehow never ended up as a face in the sky. No one ever looked to the sky while the anthem played and saw Arthur staring back down at them. Even two years after the fact, that notion is still hard to believe. Arthur doesn't know if it's because he feels he doesn't deserve it, or it's because he doesn't know how he survived the arena.
The blaring of the trumpets once again forces him back to reality
The first chariot out is, of course, District 1. To say that their outfit is a shock is an understatement; Arthur has heard stories of ridiculous chariot costumes, but he's got to say, this one is a little bit out there.
Calista looks beyond uncomfortable, but Shad is loving it. Both of them are buck-naked and coated in sparkling gemstones of all shapes, sizes and colors. It's certainly an…interesting choice, Arthur has to say.
It's obvious to the crowd that Shad is perfectly content to stand in the chariot completely naked and showing off all of his lower jewels.
The next chariot carries Scoria and Wonder, dressed in camo uniforms. Both of them have hard, dark green helmets on their heads and dark-lensed sunglasses. They both hold green, (hopefully fake) guns.
Wonder is looking down, rigidly holding his weapon and staring off into space. Or, for all Arthur knows, he could be asleep standing up behind those darkened sunglasses.
Scoria seems confident and domineering, her arms holding the gun comfortably. She stares forward, nodding to the Capitolite crowd and looking the part of an army general.
District 3's chariot is half-blinding: Lana and Darwin are dressed in a shiny, silver, metallic dress and tux, respectively. Lana's light brown hair trails down her back, littered with specks of glitter and LED lights. Darwin wears a crown of bright, flashing lightbulbs.
Lana is grinning from ear-to-ear and waving excitedly to the crowd. Arthur notices that small LED lights have been attached to her fingernails as well. You have to go all in, he supposes.
Darwin looks slightly apprehensive to be in front of all of these people, and his waving is more hesitant and less pronounced than Lana's. His eyes are darting around, looking from face to face as if he might see someone he recognizes. Perhaps he's looking for Thalia and Rocket.
Arthur holds his breath as he catches sight of Ottilie and Bayou. They, too, appear slightly blinding. Ottilie is dressed in a tight, shimmery dress that shows off her curves and muscles beautifully. It shines with every color in the rainbow, the hues changing as she shifts her position. She stares ahead, cold and unfeeling, one hand on her hip and other resting on the front of the chariot.
Bayou, meanwhile, is giving the audience a half-hearted wave and nervous grin. Arthur would assume it's because he's shirtless and showing off his chest—and, shockingly, a few faint scars, reminiscent of something that Arthur might have to ask about later—but his lower half is, mercifully, covered. He's wearing shorts that are the same shimmery, rainbow fabric as Ottilie's, coupled with a belt made out of netting.
"Sponsors are gonna like that," Chance says, pointing to a shirtless Bayou and nodding.
Arthur keeps his gaze locked on the chariots.
District 5 is certainly…interesting, Arthur notes. From what he can understand, Sterne and Liesel are dressed as lamps, complete with two lampshades on top of their heads and lightbulbs shining to the sky. Liesel is wearing a blue dress vaguely shaped like the base of a lamp. Sterne wears a suit to match.
It certainly takes the cake as the worst outfit anybody has ever come up in the history of human existence. The only good part is that neither of Arthur's tributes are wearing it.
Liesel looks like she would like to murder her stylist if she had the chance. Sterne, on the other hand, seems to be extremely happy despite his awful outfit.
Jayce and Larch are dressed in astronaut suits. The white suits cover their entire bodies, with large helmets over their heads that block their faces from view so that Arthur can't even decipher which one is Jayce and which one is Larch.
Although, he can take a wild guess and say that Larch is one on the left, since he is significantly taller than Jayce.
Jayce is standing up straight, her posture perfect, her hands on her hips. It's impossible to read her expression, obviously, but Arthur gets the idea that she's feeling rather confident.
Larch, on the other hand, is slouched against the front of the chariot, his arms crossed over his chest.
It's clear to Arthur that neither of them are very pleased with their current predicament.
Eris and Mercury are dressed as bushes. They have large tufts of leaves on their heads and their entire bodies are covered with them. After a few moments, the leaves begin to change color, and then they fall off completely, reveling a light brown dress on Eris and a dark brown tux on Mercury.
Eris is grinning and laughing as the leaves blow away and get stuck in District 8's chariot, but Mercury looks extremely nervous and jumpy. His head keeps darting around as if he's expecting someone to jump out of the ground and stab him.
Lyndie and Navarro are dressed in a silvery dress and suit. However, upon closer inspection, Arthur realizes that they aren't silvery—they're white and covered in a thousand thimbles. They ring like bells as Lyndie shyly waves.
Meanwhile, in average twelve-year-old fashion, Navarro flips off the audience.
That gets Chance laughing raucously beside Arthur. Arthur, however, remains silent.
District 9 are dressed as bakers. They have on white aprons, flour in their hair, and large chefs' hats on their heads. They both hold metal trays with steaming cinnamon buns sitting on top.
Ainsley is laughing and brandishing her tray around as if offering the Capitolites a baked good, but Everett isn't nearly as into it. He waves a little bit, but he's subdued and looking down.
Afandina is dressed as a cow, but Tamarah is dressed as a butcher, which is extremely foreboding. Afandina has his arms crossed over his chest and looks intensely affronted, as if he thinks he should be the butcher, not Tamarah.
Tamarah, however, is intensely into it, and keeps playfully whacking Afandina in the shoulder with her cleaver. It's obviously not real, and she's not hitting very hard, but it makes the Capitolites laugh.
Ashe and Quinn are dressed in a dress and suit covered in flowers. There are flowers sticking off of Quinn's shoulders and trails of sunflowers off of Ashe's back.
Ashe has a bright red flower crown on her head and daisies painted on her cheeks. She's grinning nervously and waving enthusiastically, albeit shyly.
Quinn looks more nervous than Ashe. Even from this distance, Arthur can see beads of sweat trickling down the sides of his face and that his hands are shaking from their position at the helm of the chariot.
District 12 are dressed as miners with bright red and orange overalls on. They both hold dark red pickaxes and have orange "coal dust" sprinkled through their hair. It's different, Arthur will give them that.
Ishtar's eyes are searching the crowd as if she's looking for someone. Other than that, she appears almost lost from where she's standing with her hands at her sides.
Geo, on the other hand, is staring ahead with a vacant look in his eyes. His hands are loosely resting on the front of the chariot. No matter how long Arthur stares at him, he never blinks.
"Welcome, tributes!" Graciela says into the microphone as the last chariot pulls to a stop. "Welcome, to the One-Hundredth, Fifty-Third Annual Hunger Games!"
The crowd roars as Graciela presses on. "We thank you for your sacrifice, your bravery and your courage in the face of danger. I wish you all the best of luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
The odds are in no one's favor, Arthur thinks moodily as he and Chance make their way out of the stands to meet Bayou and Ottilie.
Ottilie appears livid once again and Bayou has his arms wrapped around his chest. They end up in an elevator with the team from District 9, which leads to some intense death glares between Ottilie and Everett. Thank Panem Arthur, Chance and their tributes get out first.
Ottilie disappears into her bedroom immediately, but Bayou lingers for a few minutes. "So…do ya think it was good?" he asks, nervously looking at the ground.
"Definitely," says Chance. "Do you have any idea how much the Capitolites like a hot, shirtless teenager?"
"I—I don't—" Bayou stammers, once again wrapping his arms around his chest. "I'm—I'm gonna just…go, now."
Arthur watches him head into his bedroom and shut the door. Feeling a shiver course down his spine, Arthur turns to chance and says, "I've…got somewhere to be as well."
"Where?" Chance asks, taking a few steps closer to Arthur.
Arthur stays silent for a moment. "You know exactly where."
"Oh."
"Yeah," Arthur says as he steps into the elevator, another shiver running down his spine. "I'll be back in the morning."
A/N: One less chapter of pre-Games to write! Yay! Next up will be the first night in the Capitol, which will include two POVs that I haven't decided on yet.
For whatever reason I am in a writing mood this weekend. I am, for once, being productive.
1. Best chariot outfit?
2. Worst chariot outfit?
3. Funniest chariot outfit?
4. Where is Arthur going?
Random Question: what's your favorite song?
My answer: any song from Hamilton? But particularly Burn and Your Obedient Servant.
-Amanda
