I really need to wrap up Hell Island, two more chapters and I am done. Wanted to get District One sorted before I do anything else. I am also having trouble with my teacher marking my work (he won't do it) and I need those final three bits of work graded to get the grade I need to get into University. Honestly, three more bit of work he has to mark *cries* so although I am done with college work, it is still stressing me out. Anyway, Sunbeam! As you have most likely guessed, these chapters are more world building and getting to know the characters. The chapters after that will delve a lot more into drama. Also, these introductory chapters take place over one day so you might be able to guess what your tributes chapter will involve them doing from what other tributes see them doing. Also, I name drop a fair few characters in this and establish some relationships so keep your eyes peeled. Thank you for all the kind reviews last time, they made me super happy ^_^
Sunbeam scowled as she watched Maurice's father throw him into the air, a large, proud smile on his face. Sage tried his best to avoid them, tiptoeing around the happy family as he moved towards the smaller number of girls on the right-hand side of the stage that seemed to stretch for miles. "And now for our girls!" he shouted with glee, as he grimaced at the thought of so many children around him. He never liked children let alone District children with their mucky fingers and ugly faces. Trust him to get moved to Escort duty on a reaping like this one.
As Sage was passed the golden envelope that held the name of the chosen girl, Sunbeam looked up at her mother, her blue eyes wide with fear. Her mother ruffled her hair before kneeling down to her level, a large smile on her face. "I know you did it baby girl and hey, even if you didn't, we will just make sure you can show them who's boss when you volunteer in a few years," she said with a wink before standing up to her full height. Sunbeam gave a weak smile and turned back to the stage, watching Sage pull the name from the envelope.
"SunbeamFeyre!" he shouted, the crowd screaming in excitement but no one louder than the blonde girl herself. She jumped on the spot, cheering, her mother almost in tears as he scooped her up and hugged her tightly, whispering her praises into her ear. As she hugged her mother, she scanned the crowd for her mother's boyfriend. Sadly, every Peacekeeper looked the same from the stage but when she noticed one giving her a well-hidden thumbs up, she could not hold the giggle back. He was her mother's secret boyfriend and could never be anything more due to the rules imposed on Peacekeepers. However, that did not stop him from training Sunbeam and being the only father she really knew after her parents divorced, it made her feel warm inside to know she had made him proud.
It had been ten years since she had seen her mother or her mother's boyfriend, she knew from the subtle hints her mother dotted throughout the letters that she was still with him but nothing more was ever said about him as The Capitol vetted every letter that was sent in. A Warrior's life was truly closed off from the rest of the world, they were nothing more than trained killers who played to a script to impress the public. They were not treated like humans, they treated like animals who did tricks on command. This could not be more relevant as Sunbeam moved around the apartment building.
The blonde girl was deemed as too uninteresting for the public viewing and the camera's had scampered off to other corners of the house. Most of the Warriors enjoyed these moments of peace but Sunbeam knew that drifting into the background this close to the vote out was dangerous. Sadly for the District One girl, there was nothing entertaining for her to partake in.
She moved through the house, catching glimpses of what the Camera's deemed as interesting material. Pallas was having an interview on the sofa about something that must have been big news as he has three cameras's on him and was currently on air, live. She could have inserted herself into the interview but that risked making her seem needy.
In the girl's section of the house, Annabella from District Three was talking to a single camera about her robotic dragon, the baby blue goggles protecting her eyes from the sparks it spat from its mouth. Her boyfriend, Nero from District Two stood behind her, a proud smile on his face as he watched his girlfriend of five years construction work perfectly. It baffled Sunbeam how Pallas was getting more screen time than Annabella when the girl's handy work was far more dangerous than whatever the boy from Ten was talking about. Unless it was a publicity stunt, she wouldn't put it past any of the tributes during a time like this, anything to get the votes in.
Sunbeam gave a sigh as she moved on from the happy couple and out into the midday sun, the humid air almost taking the girl's breath away. If there was one good thing about being a Warrior it was the garden of the apartment. It was floating sixteen stories above the rest of The Capitol and no matter the weather was always green and full of life.
Sunbeam slipped off her pink, high heeled shoes and left them by the glass sliding door. The hot wood on the decking burnt her feet so she moved across it far from gracefully, almost leaping into the soft, cool grass. As she gave a sigh in relief, her heart raced as she looked around the garden for any camera's that might have caught her little blunder. She wanted attention but not that kind. The only person who seemed to see it was Clarissa from District Eleven but Sunbeam was not sure if they were any better. Since they were children, Sunbeam had always had a crush on Clarissa, Romilda too but at least she had a chance with Clarissa with her being open to things like that and being bisexual herself. The boy from Four took the Game too seriously to even give anyone a chance with him.
The freckled girl gave a small smirk as Sunbeam brushed herself off and took a seat next to her, clearing her throat as she did so. Sunbeam turned away while Clarissa lent back, seemingly not bothered by the burning wood she placed her hands on and watched Damon from District Five walk with a camera, having an interview.
"This is the garden where we sometimes spar, I always win, unbeaten...they call me." like most things that spilled from the blonde male's mouth this was a lie and it seemed like everyone but Damon could see right through them.
"He still sleeps with a teddy!" Clarissa shouted. The camera quickly panned over to get her in shot as Damon let out a small gasp.
"Stop telling people that!" he screamed stomping his muscular leg into the dirt below.
"So you are admitting to it?"
"She is lying," he laughed to the camera nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's go somewhere else, shall we?" Damon said, leading the camera away from Sunbeam and Clarissa. The further it got, the less chance she had of being caught on the camera today. When they were about to round the corner she shouted out something she did not think about but did not regret either.
"Will you go on a date with me?" she shouted in Clarissa's face, the dark haired girl seeming caught off guard but a sly smile quickly grew on her lips as she agreed to the date. They both had the same idea, it didn't have to be romantic, just enough to get the dumb Capitol to vote for them both. If they both put their all into the relationship in the next few days, they would make it to the final two, no trouble at all.