Chapter 5: Brilliance
The hovercraft lands.
An automated voice speaks through an intercom. "Tributes. You have reached your destination. Loyalty to all. Loyalty to one."
The national motto. The new one. "Loyalty to all. Loyalty to one," we repeat back.
A smile creeps upon Eloquence's face. "We're here."
The hovercraft moves downward. Unity and I share uneasy glances while we wait. I twiddle my thumbs. Unity picks her fingernails. Just where is Eloquence taking us?
The main doors open. Peacekeepers instruct us out. We're in some sort of building clearance. The place is dimly lit, fluorescent lights high upon the ceiling. It smells of mildew and fresh paint. The others are already huddled in a corner, nervous, unsure of what to do. At least we're not the only ones. A girl from the lower districts can't stop crying. Her exasperated district partner tries to quiet her but to no avail. We join the rest and depart in a single file line, I leading the way. Eloquence joins the rest of the escorts. The Victors are nowhere to be found.
We exit the clearance and enter an antechamber shaped in a semi-circle. This is even darker than the clearance, lit only by a few candle lanterns. From what I can make out, twenty-four unmarked doors line the steel walls. A Peacekeeper stands guard by each.
Suddenly, we're broken from our district partners and sectioned off. The sight of Unity leaving sends an odd sense of panic through me. It must be the motion sickness from the ride.
"Remember the plan Unity!"I yell out across the room, twisting my neck in her direction. I'm pushed inside the doorway before she responds.
The room is tiny. A table, chair. A tube connected to the ceiling. A metal plate lies at the bottom of it. Light illuminates from up top, casting color in the near black room. Cracked linoleum make up the floor. My closet back home is bigger than this.
Eloquence squeezes past and races to the chair. What is she doing here? She sees my glare and smiles.
"As interim ambassador and mentor to District One, I must accompany Tributes throughout the preceding events of The Hunger Games to ensure your chances of victory so I can get out of this shitty job."
"What about Unity?"
"She won't win. Too good-hearted. And polite. Not ruthless, like us," she blows me a kiss. An eyebrow is raised. "That little act out there. You're concerned about someone besides yourself? Do tell, Idiot."
I cross my arms, caught off-guard by the comment. "Nothing," I say too quickly. "I just need her to stick to the plan."
She doesn't believe me. "Fair enough." A fingernail taps on the table. "Take off those rags and change into these. We're wasting time."
I walk over to the table. A long-sleeved shirt in bright vermilion, black spandex tights, underwear, and worn war boots lie neatly in a bundle. I unfold the shirt and stare expectantly at Eloquence and the Peacekeeper in the corner.
"The tops are of the District Colors," she ignores me. "So you're easier to find."
"You mind?"
Eloquence cuts her eyes towards my crotch. "This wouldn't be the first time Brilliance."
With an eager audience, I quickly slip out of my Reaping wear-pressed and starched by Father's help-and put on the uniform. Opening up the top fully reveals a large '1' stitched in white on the back. The outfit's breathable. No pockets, but I can manage.
To curb her leering, I start back conversation. "What exactly is this place?"
"According to the very enthusiastic engineers, it was something the Old World slapped together. A military hideout during The Global Wipeout." She looks around the room and chuckles. "Guess it didn't work."
"Now, it's a holding cell for Tributes. Or what the Ten boy called it: 'The Stockyard'. I like that better. It has a certain, hmm...finality to it."
I go to ask what's above us when the same automated voice from the hovercraft interjects.
"Thirty seconds till launch. Tributes, on your plates."
The Peacekeeper comes forward but I shoo him away. I'm step on the plate. Eloquence and I stare at one another for what feels like the full thirty seconds. Finally, I speak.
"Are you still angry at me?"
She cuts her eyes away. "Yes."
"Do you really want this to potentially be the last conversation we have?"
"Yes."
"You're ridiculous."
She stomps her heel on the floor, the sound barely making an echo. "You cheated on me! With Mignonne of all people! That cow."
Now it's my turn to get defensive. "That was an entire year ago! You were busy ignoring me."
"Well I'm sorry I was training for The Hunger Games. Wherever were my priorities?"
We are in each other's face now. I can see the tell-tale signs of surgery, her cheeks too high, her lips too full . "All you ever were was a selfish, stuck-up twat."
"And all you ever were was a pompous, clueless little man. Oh, might wanna wait a minute before you step off your plate. Bonne chance et adieu Idiot!"
A clear wall cuts off my retort. The plate jets into the light. A sharp scent of earth stings my nostrils. White light. Then, it clears.
We are in a meadow. It's enormous, miles on end from the looks of it. Short grass is beneath my feet, chickweed speckling the growth. Trees have sprouted here and there. Not enough for a forest but can make a decent hiding spot. Far, far away are mountains. It would take days, a week tops to get there. No water or food sources but the temperature's cool. Memories of picnics and parades and Mother giving us candy are casted the moment they come. Don't need that clouding my mind.
To my left is Crying Girl in District Ten sepia doing, you guessed it, crying. To my left is District Two stiff as a diamond on her plate.
Six Tributes down, a dash of forest green leaps off its plate.
KA-BOOM! BOOM!
The ground shakes. There are screams, several of them. I think I'm screaming too. I can't tell. A geyser of dirt, blood, and gore rockets into the air then showers down on us. It takes every last bit of training and manhood not to faint in front of the cameras I just know are watching our every move. A piece of spandex labeled '7' lands delicately by my feet.
'I'm the fastest boy in town Thalia. I'll outrun them all this year. Just watch me.'
'You got guts District Seven. Real guts.'
Thalia was right. I can taste them.
KA-BOOM! BOOM!
Second Tribute down. No geyser this time.
Seconds go by. The dust-and body parts-eventually settle. The Cornucopia's countdown ends. A gong from above rings through the meadow.
Not one person moves. Clearly, the ground is certain death. But what are we to do? Wait it out on the plates and see who can outstarve the others? This is The Hunger Games, but come on. I scrap the grime from my eyes and peer at the others. Where is Unity? The quicker we meet up, the better I have of this thing working.
A rumble begins. It's so bad that Crying Girl nearly makes Victim #3. I chalk it up to the mines and go back to searching for Unity. Until I see them.
They're massive, even from this distance. Four, five, no, six of them race towards us. Panting. Growling. Drooling. Roaring.
That gets us moving.
To hell with the mines.
District Two reaches the pile first. I'm next, just about knocking into the Cornucopia as I snatch up two swords and briefly wonder why my legs aren't blown off. My eyes rock back and forth, searching high and low for my district partner.
Come on Unity. Where are you? Where are you?
A few seconds later and she's here, terrified and covered in gunk but alive. I give a quick glance to the pair in timberwolf as I pass Unity her sword. They aren't paying us any mind.
"What are those things?" Unity shouts, back glued to mine courtesy of Seven's entrails. She gets her answer soon enough.
One leaps into the air and shreds the little one from Twelve. Crying Girl is dragged from her plate and fought over by two of them. I mentally curse at Eloquence for telling us to eat so much on the hovercraft.
Smelling our fear, an ugly one breaks from the pack and charges towards us. We brace ourselves and cling tight to each other. Then, at the precise moment, we detach and swoop into opposite directions. The beast runs straight through our divergence and deliberately slams into the Cornucopia. Our swords cut through it before it can get up.
Well that was easy.
One down and...five more to go.
We give a quick lookover of the creature. Short brown fur. Paws the size of my head. Claws thicker than my sword. Some type of hideous bear breed. Can't be natural. No bear is this big. Then it hits me. Muttattions. I heard war stories about them but never thought I'd see one in person. Never wanted to. Guess this is the punishment President Snow's been harping about all year long.
A shout comes from my left. District Two is surrounded, two of the muttations charging at them. I'm headed in their direction.
"Unity, over here!" I beckon her to follow. Dodging teeth and limbs, we survive to the other side of the opening.
"Help Marcellus! I'll get Ciona's!" Unity stands uncertain for a few seconds then complies.
"In Panem's name are you doing!" Ciona barely gets out. The muttation has her pinned to the Cornucopia. One false move and she's dead. But when I approach the scene, things change. The mutt becomes docile, fearful actually. It relents from the short girl and cowers away into the distance, knocking over another mutt in the process. What was that all about?
Our confusion gives the scrawny cog from Three time to steal a sword from the pile. Ciona giddys up after him but I steady her before she can take off.
"No time. We'll get him later. Let's go help the others."
"You don't tell me what to do glitterhead," she barks as she follows behind me anyway. We arrive to our district partners. The beast is dead but the battle has just begin. Unity and Marcellus are pacing in circles, silently sizing the other up. Ciona races to join Marcellus, twirling her sword for effect. I'm to Unity's side looking back and forth between District Two. I don't wanna fight them just yet, but I will if it comes to it.
I try a diplomatic approach first. "Let's kill these things then we can fight."
Marcellus goes to speak but is cut off by his master. "Why not just kill you two now? We don't need you."
"Actually, you do." I leap out of formation to attack the mutt heading straight towards Ciona. Together, we take it down in seconds. She fights off the embarrassment.
"You two, take the two on the right side of field! We'll help District Four and finish this later! Go!"
I don't wait on their reply. Unity and I are off, bouncing to the far side of the meadow. District Four is having better luck with their mutt, actually maiming it in the hind legs. Once we arrive, the scene is the same as before. It halts as if petrified and limps away into the deep. District Four is more compliant than Two and after a little convincing, they follow us back to the Cornucopia. Side by side, never loosening the grips on their swords.
We help District Two and the last mutt falls. Things go quiet. Beast and Tribute lie scattered throughout the plain. The few who are alive long fled the scene. An unspoken 'What now?' is thick in the air. Each of us are to our district partners, willing someone to make the first move.
"What's the plan now Brilliance?" Unity whispers to me.
I give two brief glances to Two and Four then clear my throat. Slowly, without taking an eye off Ciona, I lower my weapon to the ground and hold my hands forward. Unity looks ready to flee.
"A truce. I offer to you a truce."
Ciona laughs the idea away. "No."
With a snap of her fingers, Marcellus is on the ready. I snatch up my sword. Unity braces for impact. District Four starts to head off. I halt Ciona's warcry by clinking my sword against the Cornucopia . I stand strong and secure as I speak.
"Put away your swords and listen! There are six Tributes left. Six. Who knows how far this meadow goes or even where we are. We need to stick together, like it or not. If we fight now, we could end up killing each other and have one of them win. I refuse to let Rebel scum ever be Victor. Marcellus. Ciona. There is strength in numbers. You know that. Luna. Azul. The quicker we kill them, the quicker one of you can get out of this Arena before that shoulder wound gets to Azul."
"We get rid of the Rebels, then we end this. Deal?"
Two and Four cast glances each other's way. Don't question it. Just say yes. They can't find out about District One. We need this win. We can't lose our accreditation.
Unity chirps in. "With no water or food source, the sooner the better. Separate and all of our lives are at risk. And must we recall saving you against the muttations? In a way, you sorta owe us."
"We owe you nothing."
Luna is the first to break. "Okay, okay. Deal. I guess."
Azul nods his head twice, more concerned about his cut than our debate. I take it as a yes.
I turn my attention to the undecided. "Just you District Two. What's it gonna be: allies or death?"
"Watch your mouth, One," says Ciona. She orders Marcellus to the side. Discussion, debate, an argument, some whining. Finally, they reach a decision.
Ciona approaches me. She puffs herself high in an attempt to reach my height. She doesn't past my shoulders. "Alliance accepted. Once the common interest expires, you die."
Seeking out the remaining Tributes is, as expected, a daunting task. If anything, the alliance makes it worse. I try to maintain order. At first. That quickly falls through.
It's hot. We stink. We're filthy. We're thirsty. We're hungry. We're constantly on guard for the Tributes and mutts. No one trusts the other. Even Unity is starting to give me the eye. And the more will kill, the worse it gets.
Most hide in the woods. Few go down easy. I get the first kill, the Three kid who stole the sword from us. He damn near takes off my arm before I catch him in the gut. Ciona's next. She toys with the Eight boy before killing him and ripping off the violet shirt. Keepsake I guess. Marcellus and Azul fight over the boy from Eleven. Ciona joins in to regulate. Marcellus kills him without permission, setting off a feud between the two. I give the next one to Azul so he can shut the hell up about it. He can barely swing his sword at this point. Luna's much better about her kill, getting straight to the heart of District Six. Unity's is a mercy-kill. The little boy is unconscious by the time we find him sprawled out in the open plain.
Two hours and the rest are dead. Unity's sword is still in the boy's chest when the alliance breaks.
Marcellus rams his sword through the barely alive Azul. Luna slits Marcellus' throat. Ciona battles Luna. The two are back and forth, evenly matched and tempered until Ciona gets the upper hand. She kicks the corpse to the side and steadies her gaze. I'm side by side Unity. But not as close as before. Ciona dives in, screaming as she charges forward. So showy.
The girl's good. Fast but strong. We assume the new formation taught back at the Academy and tag-team her. It's to no avail. She pummels into us, relentless in her efforts. She fights us off with such ease. What the hell are they teaching them in Two? Twice I lose my footing. Her sword grazes my arm the second time around. It would've been my neck had I not reflected it. Someone screams. I look to my left. In one swift move, Ciona has impaled my district partner. With the girl still gasping for air, she jerks the sword out of Unity's chest, slams into her, and peers back at me.
"Oops," she smiles, flicking the blood off her weapon. "Now that that's over, ready to die, glitterhead?"
"Ready to join your sister and brother, Campana?"
No more smiling now. We're at full force. Our movements transform into a dizzying dance of death. The blades strike with the the hope of victory and the fear of dying. We hop, leap, dodge over the fallen, knowing one false move and we will join them. How the injuries from Ciona's fights have no effect, I have no clue. How my injuries from the fights have no effect, I have no clue. Minutes pass. We are at a standstill. Neither of us wants to die.
Breath haggard, I use all my might and lunge forward. The sheer weight of me throws the smaller girl off. She flies back, stumbling over herself. Her foot catches on something and she slams into the ground, a clear opening. It's Unity. My district partner helped me out. Three swipes of my sword. Dead. She doesn't even scream.
"Thanks Unity. For everything."
There's deafening applause. Overhead, a hovercraft appears. A voice instructs me onto the ladder. I pass out before I reach the inside.
Only one doctor and two nurses were needed for recovery. The three hours spent in the Arena gave way to moderate injuries, far better than what was expected. Two moons later and the sixteen-year-old was on stage cracking jokes with Thalia Scortese. The Capitol was his to mold; who could resist a blue-eyed blond with such an infectious smile? Back home, he was a hero. Brilliance's victory took District One off probationary status, granting them a ten-year contract renewal with the Capitol. By the next year, enrollment in The Academy of Physical Wellness and Healthy Living was at a record high. The act also relieved Eloquence Tromperie's status as ambassador of District One. And revived the love affair between Victor and pardoned Tribute. Sources claim they were spotted slinking off to his Capitol assignment. They weren't seen for two straight days.
Brilliance Fortier was credited for single-handedly saving District One's fate in The Hunger Games. His idea of forming an alliance between Loyalist Tributes would go down in Hunger Games history. The Career Alliance went from a shot in the dark to customary to an unspoken rule. He was revered in the Career districts, and abhorred in the rest. Amandus Snow took pride in Brilliance. The Fifth Hunger Games was the success Panem needed. The muttations operated as planned: attack the others, avoid District One. Finally, a suitable youth fit to hold the title of Victor.
Of course, he always held a soft spot for the luxury district. Seeing them lose Loyalist status would be an utter shame. It held too many close ties-and bloodlines- for him to let that happen.
