Chapter Six, The Capitol

In the horizon, the Capitol skyline began to appear behind the train's windows. Effie had gone through most of the wagons before finding Artemis and Silyah in the living room cart.

"Better get ready to leave the train!" She told them in her singsong voice. "We will arrive in the Capitol very, very soon!"

"Thanks, Effie," said Silyah as the two tributes got up to get the last of their very few belongings in their rooms. On their way, the turned to the raven-haired boy, "So, do you think you are ready?" She asked him.

"As ready as I can be when I am mere weeks away from entering an arena along with 23 other persons that will be forced to kill one another."

"I suppose that is good," she said.

Artemis gave her a half smile. "We better get ready before Effie decides to do it for us."

She eyed him. "By the way… You should button down a bit," she gave him another one of her joking, yet sincere smiles.

Artemis sighed. "That, Miss Silyah, is my choice." Then he closed the door of his room behind him.

Silyah rolled her smiling eyes and disappeared in her own room.

When she came back, Artemis was apparently still in his apartment. Guys take so much time to get ready nowadays… She sighed, digging a hand in the pocket of her leather jacket.

Silyah gently knocked on his door. "Don't you want to see the Capitol, Mr. Fowl? It is splendid from where we will be, or at least, that's what Effie told me."

"Master Fowl," came the reply from the other side of the door.

"You haven't won the games yet, Master," she spoke the last word mimicking his accent.

Artemis stuck his head out the door. "Very amusing today, aren't we?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Come on, you would not want to miss our stop right?" She said with a slight ounce of sarcasm in her voice.

Artemis sighed. "Fine, I'm coming," he closed the door behind him, adjusting the collar of his jacket. He had been surprised by his outfit choice. Leather was not usually something he would go for, but perhaps the fashion of Panem was rubbing off on him.

As soon as the boy got out of his room, Silyah nearly dragged him towards the closest window, where Effie and Beetee were already waiting.

"Wow…" voiced Silyah in a whisper, her eyes seemingly glued to the window. She took in the tall and colorful buildings scrapping the sky. The city was surrounded by water, which was reflecting the impressive skyline, giving the Capitol an impression of infinity.

Artemis agreed with Silyah's "comment," though he would not have used the word "wow." The Capitol architecture was unlike the one Artemis was used to. It did seem modern, but some old traces – inspired by the Ancient Rome, perhaps – were present everywhere, revealing a timeless prestige. The Capitol was nothing like the Districts. This was where the rich and successful lived… The rulers of the land of Panem…

Suddenly, their view was obscured. They were entering a long tunnel, probably the one leading to the train station.

About two dark minutes later, they were indeed inside the Capitol's railroad terminal.

Silyah could not believe her eyes. An enormous crowd armed with cameras was standing on the side of the massive high-speed train, which had started to slow down considerably. When these people – who were all dressed in a kaleidoscopic range of colors and styles – caught a glimpse of the District 3 tributes, they all began whispering, taking their pictures and waving at them.

"They are like an army of Effies," Silyah whispered in Artemis's ear. She could not help but to wave back at the bizarre people.

Artemis could not hide a smile. That was a pretty accurate observation, though to him, the crowd outside could have sported the outfits of a very popular singer from his days.

"Artemis?" Silyah turned her light blue eyes on him. "Could you promise me something?"

"I suppose that it would depend on what you will ask of me…"

"If my knees feel like giving up on me when we will disembark the train, please try to prevent me from hitting the ground," she gave out a laugh, but she really did mean her request.

"I'll do my best," came the reply.

The train stopped. Everything fell silent for a moment. Then, the doors opened. Screams and cheers from the Capitol citizens engulfed the silence.

Effie gently pushed the tributes towards the big doors. About a step away from them, Silyah felt the stares of the audience and felt ever so slightly shaky. Being a young man of his word, Artemis grabbed her shoulder. It would be both embarrassing and painful to fall there.

Faster than in the blink of an eye, Silyah's hand went to the boy's collar, "Got you," she said with a sly smile as she steadied herself, hiding the actual shaking of her hands by placing them on the railing of the train's stairs.

Artemis let down of her shoulder and looked down with a sigh. She had somehow managed to open up the first button of his shirt. "You've hardly known me for more than a day and you are already trying to strip me?" Artemis Fowl was known for his genius, not his sense of humor.

Silyah looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "I'm not trying to strip you, I'm just improving your fashion life," she whispered, imitating Effie's accent as she climbed down the stairs.

"Whatever you choose to call it," came the reply.

"Come on, you two! We have to get to the training center in time," called Effie from behind her tributes. She did not look so out of place anymore among those Capitol people. Once they were all disembarked, he escort took the lead of the group, taking them to a prestigious-looking black car with tinted windows. Seated beside Artemis and Silyah, Effie contemplated the obvious, "Artemis, your shirt really looks better on you when worn this way," a statement that earned her a discouraged sigh from the boy in question and a short nod from Silyah.

On their way to the Training Center, the tributes go to see the city they had looked at from afar. Colorful buildings bubbling with activity, strange looking people and more importantly, advertisements of the 80th Annual Hunger Games were everywhere they glanced. On one screen, they even saw their own car rolling towards the Training Center. They were celebrities, unfortunately acclaimed for the possibility of their deaths.

A colossal building then appeared into view, standing out from the rest of the Capitol. It was higher by several meters compared to most of the other skyscrapers in the area… Before the group was now standing the Training Center in all of its Capitolesque glory.

Another gathering of Capitol citizens this time accompanied by official people of the press was at the foot of the Center. The District 3 car avoided the mob and drove towards an underground parking.

Once the car stopped, Effie thanked the driver and continued to push the tributes around the place, this time sending them towards an elevator. A lady all dressed in white pressed one button, sending the elevator to a place called The Remake Center.

The doors barely had the time to open that a group of three people materialized in front of the elevator.

"District 3?" One asked.

Effie nodded. "They all are yours," she said, getting out of the elevator.

The three members of the District 3 prep team surrounded Silyah, indicating her to follow them.

"This is going to be fun… Or a real pain depending on what your perspective is," muttered Silyah as she was being lead away from the rest of the group, sending Artemis a look which seemed to say, oh, you are next.

Effectively, Artemis's preparation team did arrive shortly after Silyah's departure, chatting quickly between themselves as they guided Artemis to their quarters. As if the situation was not worrying enough…

The three bizarre stylist assistants had stripped Artemis of his clothes and had handed him a bathrobe as soon as they had closed the doors behind them.

Was every person in this country trying to get him naked? The thought crossed his mind as one of the assistant got him into a shower.

The boy with bright, almost fluorescent yellow hair pressed on a series of buttons on the shower's door. Apparently, the Capitol showers were automatic.

After ever inch of Artemis's skin was scrubbed and exfoliated, the prep team sat him on a table, carefully eyeing him. "He's got extremely pale skin," said the only lady in the trio. "Like porcelain… Lovely."

The assistants gathered around him. One began to work on his hair, the other one on his face, while the lady took his hands and began to give him a manicure.

At this point, Artemis had never felt more like he used to feel at home. The boy felt only slightly creeped out by the team, but they mostly reminded him of the army of hairdressers his mother probably had on speed dial.

Once they were done, the prep left Artemis alone in the room and way too under-dressed for his liking.

A slender woman eventually arrived in the room, carrying a bag – in which was probably an outfit – and a drawing pad. Her hair was tangled up into an intricate golden updo and her fake eyelashes were made of long and wispy peacock feathers. She had sharp features and minimal makeup. Her skin had a golden shimmer, just like her long yet simple dress. "Hello, Artemis Fowl," she said, observing him.

Artemis was just as observant towards the woman as she was towards him. Oh, great… Another Capitol inhabitant looking at his almost naked body… He already liked this place…

"I will be your stylist for the entire period before the Games, and who knows, I might still be at your disposal after them," she rolled her "R"s whenever she pronounced one. "I am Ilranor," she studied every angle on Artemis's face. "You have a rather stunning appearance, you know," she added.

Artemis gave her a small smile. "Thank you," he replied, as polite as always. He was a Fowl after all.

Ilranor went through her drawing pad and stopped on one page. "Your friend's stylist and I worked on two collaboration pieces that would represent District 3, one for tonight's parade and one for the interview. This is what we came up with for you tonight," she showed him her design. It was a jumpsuit made entirely of black fabric, except for the shoulder area, which was silver. On that silver piece was what looked like spikes made of crystal. Ilranor handed Artemis the drawing pad and retrieved the outfit from the bag, presenting it to her tribute.

She then pressed on the hem of the left sleeve and all of the sudden, the outfit came to life. The crystal studs on the jumpsuit's shoulder pads glowed in various shades of purple, blue and white. All of the seam lines became illuminated; a white light looked as if it was traveling through the stitching, leaving behind a trail of purple and heading towards an infinity of blue.

She turned the suit off. "What do you think?"

It took Artemis's brain a few seconds to produce a reply. "It's unique. I've never seen anything like it."

"Do you like it?" She gave Artemis the outfit in exchange of her drawing pad. She let him study it carefully.

"Yes, I like it."

She helped him get in the suit and placed something in his hair, the two extremities of it resting on his temples. She stepped back and looked at her creation. "I think that you are ready," she smiled, revealing a set of teeth so white that they almost looked blue.