Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games just my ocs.

Chapter 3

When they escorted me and Brick to the train multiple people are there filming us. I feel my anxiety rising, "stay calm and breath," I thought to myself. "You can't let them know your scared, just keep smiling."

When we enter the train, I start feeling myself slowly break down. It isn't until we're in the dining car when I start crying, it starts off as tiny whimpers then turn into giant sobs. "Oh, dear, don't do that, you'll ruin that lovely face of yours," Novalee told me wiping me face.

I hear footsteps walk through the door. "Just leave her alone Nova, she's been through enough," a woman's voice seethed to Novalee.

That's Baria's voice. I looked up to see my aunt standing next to her fellow victor Brutus, she's bearing her sharp fangs at Novalee. "Aunt Baria?" I asked through half lidded eyes.

"You ok, chibi?" Baria asked resting her hand of my face then sliding it down my neck to my locket. 'I forgot it was there,' I thought to myself.

"Better now," I responded smiling sincerely. I still have Baria. At least I'll her someone who cares for me here, and not just pretending to.

"An Katsaros?" Novalee questioned excitedly. "Oh, you must be Draco and Emiko's granddaughter, no wonder why you're so beautiful."

I nod, my eyes seem to wander over to Brick. He's talking to Brutus, they're probably discussing tactics. Baria knows she won't need to really tell me anything. I've always known what tactics to use so does Jessie. I act like a more innocent version of myself while Jessie acts funny and charming like Papa Draco taught him, but we but we both know to be lethal when needed.

"Ok, Ebanora," my thoughts are interrupted by Novalee's squeaking voice. "Why don't you go relax and we'll call you for dinner, alright?

"Sure," I said, she shows me to my room and I think off all that has happened today. First I get reaped for the hunger games, I finally get revenge on Jason who put me through hell my whole life, Ryker the boy who called my rude names had kissed me on my cheek, and now I'm here sitting on a train to the capitol awaiting my death. What has my life come to? Sighing to myself I end up taking a nap on the posh bed.

I wake up to the sound of Novalee's voice calling me to dinner, stretching my body I go to the dinning car. When I enter the dinning car I hear a laugh escape Baria's mouth. "Why are you laughing at me?" I asked her.

"I'm sorry, but it's hard not to," she howled. "Have you seen your hair?"

I reach my hands up to my hair, it's feels like a bird's nest. Crap. I feel my face redden, why did I have to fall asleep? "Sorry," I apologize. "I forgot to brush my hair."

"Don't know why you're apologizing, I never brushed my hair as a child," she said.

I roll my eyes, "yeah, but you have obasan's straight hair, I have papa's curls.'

"Whatever," she turns her head towards the door as Brick walks through. "Ah, Brick Davis, sit down, once everyone's in we're going to eat."

"What's capital food like?" Brick asked.

"Really good," I respond. "You should taste the steak, it's so juicy."

"I think you're drooling," he stated, "Oh, by the way, nice hair."

I feel my face redden once again, "thanks." I hear the door open, turning my head I see Novalee walk in with Brutus in tow. "Dinner time," she sings.

I smile as the capital attendants serve the food, there's salad, potatoes, breads from each district, grilled chicken, fish, and even steak. This time I think I am drooling. I hurry up and pile the food on my plate, then start stuffing my face.

I turn my head toward Novalee clearing her throat, "dear, do not eat like a savage, you are a tribute of district two not twelve. Beside you shouldn't be eating all that meat it'll make you fat."

"Actually the meat helps me gain muscle," I retort swallowing my food. "Which, I need in the in the games."

"You have muscle?" Brutus asked.

"Yep," he smirks at me I can almost hear the gears working in his mind. He said nothing after that and dinner resumes. When we're all done eating, my stomach is full and Brick's face appears green.

"Don't you feel sick?" Brick inquired as we walked to the viewing car to watch the recaps. "You ate more than me."

"Capitol food doesn't affect me," I answer truthfully. It doesn't I've been eating this stuff since I was little, well littler.

"But where does it go?" he asked look over my body.

"Well my stomach, but most of my fat goes to my thighs." I tell him walking towards the couch leaving him stare after me in awe.

I sit on the couch waiting for the reaping to start, the national anthem begins and Caesar Flickerman appears with black hair and lips. "Welcome," he announced, "tonight we will be recapping the reapings for the 78th hunger games, lets begin."

District one is shown first, the female has golden blond hair, an hourglass figure, and long legs. She's gorgeous but similar to other tributes in the past. Her name is even the same as past tributes from one, Diamond. However her district partner is the opposite of her, platinum blond hair that covers one of his cold hooded blue eyes and a sharp hook nose to match his sharp face. His name's Price, in some way it seems to fit.

Next is my district, I look like an adorable little girl while Brick is intimidating. Novalee makes small comments about us saying how beautiful I look or Brick admires a man rather than a teenage boy, who's only two years older than me. After us is three, the tributes are around my age. The scrawny girl is notably taller than the bespectacled boy.

Then its district four, the girl Finley is frail with wild hair and that's coming from me. Her district partner Adric, is a giant compared to the girl. I can't help but laugh at the thought of seeing me next to him, I'm not even five foot. However he's still handsome, lean body, broad shoulders, bright ocean colored eyes, and fiery red hair that push back away from his face.

For the rest of the reapings I end up making notes in my head about certain tributes, no boys seem to catch my eye but the girls do. From district seven the female has medium brown skin and an athletic hourglass figure, a cute copper skin girl from district eight, and a chubby girl from ten who reminds me of Roxy. When I see the tributes from eleven I can't help but feel shocked, they look very similar to their tributes in the 74th games. The little girl Soya is the youngest of all the tributes, dark skin, and amber eyes, just like the little girl Rue. The boy Cane is also dark skin like the little girl, and well built like the boy Thresh who killed Clove. I still don't blame him he was doing it out of revenge for Rue it's the same reason why Cato killed him, for Clove.

Finally its district twelve, the girl is pretty with bright blue eyes and blond hair. However the girl's district partner has olive skin like me, chestnut brown hair, and grey eyes that burn with determination. Once the reapings are over the anthem plays again as Caesar Flickerman appear back on the TV. "Welcome back, right now we will be discussing today's reapings with none other than our beautiful rose, Athena Snow."

I smile brightly when I see Athena, her golden brown hair has white roses weaved through it to match her white gown. She walks gracefully onto the stage with a smile as white as her roses, it's too bad it's fake. The dress, the walk, and the smile, they're forced, a mask, a painting. The only thing that's real is the mischievous glint in her eyes, now that's my Athena. "Good evening Caesar," she announced smoothly.

"And you as well," he responded. "Now Athena, what did you think of the reapings?"

"Well, like always the tributes have their separate strength it seems," she answered. "We get see how they hold themselves, so this might shows us how the will act in the arena."

"Very well," he said, "why don't we start out with Diamond from district one."

"Of course, now just from her looks you know she's gorgeous," Athena states. "However, we have had multiple tributes who share similar traits."

"What traits, may I ask?" Caesar questioned.

"Blond hair, hourglass figure, long legs, it's all the same," she listed. "Why can't we accept that the girls who have an exotic beauty compared to one image of beauty."

Caesar stares at her shocked, there's my Athena. She just sits in the chair legs crossed waiting for him to say something, "yes well, um, how about her partner Price?"

"He has some features that some would not deem as handsome, epically because he has a very emotionless look about him" she notes. "But, he seems cunning and observant, two things that can come in handing in the games."

"Moving on, what about district two?" he asked.

I lean forward wanting to hear what she says. "There's nothing really to say about the male, he's strong, could easily win the games."

I can feel Brick applauding himself but I keep listening to the TV. "What about the girl?" Caesar asked.

"She was one of the exotic beauties I was talking about," Athena answered her voice softening. "She has flaws like how she's short or has really messy hair, but she is still beautiful. Her olive skin, bright emerald eyes that are shaped almost like a cat's, hair the color of the night sky, and she stood on the stage with the brightest smile I have ever seen." She then adds, "Also I even think she looks like Draco and Emiko Katsaros."

"You know she does, it's almost like she could be related to them." Caesar said. I groan. I should have known Athena would try something to get people to sponsor me, yet did she have to mention my grandparents.

Caesar then starts talking about how exciting it would be if I was. "Ebanora does she know?" Novalee questioned.

I nod my head but say nothing, instead I watch Athena as she begins discussing the tributes from three. After she describes that she thinks they're both very smart she move on to district four. She also thinks the girl is frail. However when it comes to the boy she says, "He looks very strong, he's probably a swimmer, but his eyes look so … innocent, gentle, or maybe even shy."

She's right the boy even blushed when his escort called him handsome. After that I listen partly on what she says and start playing with my locket. However I still hear her thoughts on the tributes, she says that the girls from 7 and 8 have an exotic beauty like me, that the boy from ten seems in his own world while his partner reminds her of a girl she knew, I know she's talking about Roxy. Athena also notes that the tributes from eleven resemble another year's tributes, of coarse she doesn't say what year. She has my full attention though when she starts talking about the boy from twelve, "he reminds me of Katniss Everde… uh Mellark, because his eyes hold determination in them just like Katniss." She responded when Caesar asked about him.

I smiled brightly, Athena has loved the star-crossed lovers since they won their games. However, she hardly ever talked about them when I was around due to the fact I was sad about Cato and Clove.

Before they say farewell Caesar asked her one more thing, "Athena, could you tell us how you want this year's game to go?"

She gave a mischievous smile and said, "I expect this year's games to end with a bang."

"As expected," he laughed. "Once again I'm Caesar Flickerman, and goodnight," the screen goes black. I head back to my room and undress leaving myself in just my underclothes. I decide to try brushing my hair, after more than a few tries I give up and hop in bed. Once I curl up my thoughts go to Athena and what she had said, with a bang? What does that mean? It's like she planning something. She's been naïve in the past about the games but she's matured now, I know there's something more. Sleep rushes over my mind, nearly a minute later I'm passed out.