After my mother and Faye had left, no one else came to visit. Which wasn't really a surprise.
I wasn't really a friendly person, anyways. I didn't have friends at school and mainly Faye and I kept to ourselves.
Felix, of course, had plenty of girls begging to be let in his room. They were practically on their knees, begging Maia to let them say goodbye.
Of course, Maia didn't let them, so around thirty girls left the Justice Building dejected.
Felix had quite the fan club.
After about another hour of Felix saying his goodbyes, we were finally ushered into a fancy train, which had everything from gourmet treats laid out on fancy silver platters, to gold trimming on the walls.
While Felix looked around in awe, I sat indifferent, picking at my fingernails. I had never really been impressed with the Capitol. Anything to do with them I despised. They had taken me away from my mother, from Faye, the only people I was certain loved me and I loved back. They were all I had.
And I was coming back, I was determined.
Or, at least, I'd try. I wasn't a coward; I'd go down fighting if I had to. Fighting till I choked out my last breath.
The train ride was long and rickety. It took a long while to get to the Capitol. Maia tried to make small talk, but it was evident that neither Felix nor I were much talkers. Maia tried to get us to talk to each other, but we wouldn't even glance in each other's direction, much less speak to one another.
After a day, we arrived at the Capitol. We were closer than other Districts, such as 10 or 11, so we got there more quickly than others.
We were ordered to re-dress. Going into a warm brown room, I glanced around until my eyes landed on a large closet.
I stalked over to inspect it. It had everything from girly dresses to simple shirts.
After poking through the closet a little, I chose a light blue button down shirt, paired with brown leggings and boots, sort of like my old running ones from home. Even the thought of home comforted me.
As I stripped off my cotton reaping dress, it occurred to me to hold onto it. My mother had made it for me, and just having it made me feel more comfortable.
It really was a pretty dress; It was a dullish gray with a gray ribbon-like belt tying around it. Thinking, I untied the ribbon and swirled it around my finger. I then tied it in a ribbon around my ankle and decided that this would be my token in the Arena: A soft piece of gray ribbon tied around my ankle. I nodded my assent and walked out, my hair beginning to get wispy and messier from the delicate high ponytail it had once been in.
Felix left his room the same exact time that I did, unfortunately. We bumped right into each other, my petite body slamming into his muscled one. I glowered at him. Even though he was about eighty pounds heavier than me, and almost a foot taller than me, didn't mean he could push me around like I was three!
"Watch where you're going," I said in a clipped voice. I quickly stepped around him and resumed walking.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him lunge for my arm. Panicking, my reflexes kicked in and I swung a fist at his chest. It made impact, and it was painful for my hand. "Agh!" I shrieked slightly. Ow. Since when had he become so strong?
I ran then. I hated being in fights, although fighting was necessary for the Games. I ran as quickly as possible, the soles of my feet sinking into my boots. I ran along the plush carpet until I arrived near the exit of the train. Maia was there waiting for me and Felix, tapping her pink shoe-clad foot.
Felix came panting behind me. He put his hands on his knees. "Jeez, you're fast," he growled at me. I had a feeling he didn't mean it as a compliment.
We walked to the Capitol building we would be staying in. It was a huge mansion with glass windows, it looked beautiful.
Maia strode in front of us. "These are your servants," she gestured to two other kids who couldn't have been much older than us. There was a tall blonde girl, along with a shorter redhead boy. "The girl is for Asher, and Felix gets the boy."
Felix and I exchanged a look of mutual disgust. These kids were Avoxes. Children who had been punished for a crime by having their tongue cut out and being forced to serve the Capitol for the remainder of their lives.
Maia, not noticing our disgust, continued speaking. "The girl will take your dress upstairs." She motioned to my reaping dress which I had clutched in my hand tightly.
I shook my head. "It's fine, I'll take it."
The Avox girl had a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.
Maia, getting tired of our just standing there, impatiently gestured for us to go inside. "Go on," she said hurriedly. "And then your Avox will bring you straight to your prep team and stylist, where they will prepare you for the chariot ride tonight."
Not wanting to annoy Maia any further, I hurried upstairs towards the mansion on the Avox's heels. We went inside, and I looked around, trying to keep a blank slate on my face.
As soon as I was brought to my luxurious room that had a balcony with a clear view of the Capitol streets, I sat on the plush mattress situated on my wooden bedpost, and waited patiently for the Avox to leave. She polished up a bit and then left, probably to prepare me to go to my stylist.
As soon as she was out of the room, I dropped my reaping dress on the bed and cautiously opened the glass doors that went out to the balcony.
As soon as the doors opened, I burst onto the balcony and breathed in the fresh air. The streets of the Capitol were filled with bizarre citizens bustling around, many probably preparing to watch the Hunger Games, which were promised to be full of excitement this year.
I walked to the edge of the balcony and attempted to lean over the side.
"Oof!" I cried out as I was thrown backwards. I looked for my attacker, but all that was there was the balcony. I glanced around. Then it clicked. It must have been a force field put up around the edge of the balcony to discourage tributes from trying to commit suicide. So we'd be perfect for when we went to our deaths.
I sighed and went back inside and waited on my bed for the Avox to come back in.
When she did, she brought a fluffy white robe with her and indicated for me to undress and change into the robe.
I went into the bathroom, shed my clothing but kept on my soft gray ribbon, and walked down the hallway in my bathrobe.
We reached the elevator the same time as Felix. He wasn't wearing a bathrobe, but shorts and a white wifebeater.
He smirked at me. "Looking good, Asher." He raised an eyebrow as his eyes took in every inch of my body.
I snarled back at him. "Unfortunately I can't say the same for you, Felix." I made a move to lunge for him but the Avox held me back, so I resorted to growling at him again until we finally reached our floor. He winked at me as I left, and I responded with "You'd better watch your back in the Arena."
The Avox and I walked to a white door, where I went inside to four women. One introduced herself as my stylist, Geisha, and the other three were introduced to be named Caira, Shayla and Martina. They immediately made me take off my bathrobe and surveyed my body. Said what I needed work on. Then got to work. They shaved every single hair down to the stub of it. Waxed my eyebrows until they practically shined. And made small comments every now and then, about how my lips were too thin or my nose was too pointy. I was getting pretty angry at this point. They were treating me like an animal, for God's sake!
Finally, I had had enough. "Can you not talk about me like I don't exist?" I growled pointedly. I was growing tired of the Capitol pretty quickly, too.
My prep team jumped a little when I finally spoke. After a flash of a hurt look, Geisha beamed brightly and announced, "Oh look! She's finally spoken!"
The rest of the prep team clapped, fake smiles shining on their ugly faces. I rolled my eyes. They looked like puppies, under the control of the Capitol completely.
They applied what seemed like coats of makeup to my face, caking on beige and pink and purple stuff. When I was finally asked to look in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
Although my stylists might not have seemed like the brightest people, they certainly were brilliant when it came to fashion.
My face had been transformed from something plain to something lovely. Dark green eyeshadow highlighted my bright green eyes, my cheeks were flushed pink, and my lips were colored a light brown. I looked stunning.
Next was my costume. My prep team gently helped me into a poofy green dress the color of an evergreen tree. Next they helped me into brown leggings. And then my brown wings and a small green tiara woven from vines. Finally, my green flats with designs that looked like leaves carved into them.
I couldn't help but stare at my outfit in wonder. It was beautiful. I looked like a pixie coming out of our forests, like a beautiful creature who was lovely yet deadly.
I grinned, twirling around and letting my dress poof up. I felt like a pixie who could fly from tree to tree, and could dance and spin, but also defend herself.
Geisha smiled a little when she saw the grin on my face. I guess Capitolites do have a bit of a heart after all.
"Come on. Let's get you down to the chariots now. You'll be in the same chariot as Felix, so try not to act too hostile towards each other. Okay?"
I nodded. I'd try my best, but I couldn't guarantee anything.
I stepped into the elevator with my Avox server, hopping slightly from foot to foot. These flats were really comfortable. I twirled in my dress one last time, smiling a little. Geisha was amazing at designing.
When we got to the basement of the mansion, we were lead out a back door which lead to where the chariots and horses were being prepared for the ride into the streets of our lovely Capitol. I gingerly stepped on to our mossy-colored chariot, which was covered in leaves to give the illusion of a tree. I hoped I'd look good on my chariot ride. If the audience didn't like me, I'd have no sponsors in the Arena. Besides, this would make quite the impression on the Capitolites.
A few minutes later, Felix stepped confidently onto the chariot. He was dressed in a green tunic, with brown leggings and dark boots. Although he didn't look terrible, I couldn't help but feel as though he didn't look as radiant as I did. I grinned a little. I loved upstaging him.
He glowered down at me, his lip curled. He knew I looked better than him. And he hated it.
One by one, the tributes started to arrive. District 1 wore fur capes. Not their best look.
Two was wearing viking-like armor. They looked nice, but their costumes weren't very creative.
3 was dressed in green body suits that had designs inked into them to make them look like computer chips. Imaginative, but not attractive.
District 4 was dressed as merpeople, with seaweed in their hair. They looked pretty good.
Five was dressed in bright yellow costumes. They didn't look terrible.
I couldn't even tell what the 6 kids were wearing. Whatever it was, it didn't look too becoming on them.
Finally, it was our turn. Our chariot had just begun to move when Geisha jumped behind me and pressed a button on my wings, so tiny that I had never even noticed it. She jumped back as the horses began to trot, pulling our carriage along.
My wings began to flutter slowly. They beat against each other in a slow rhythm, then began to hum faster and faster, until they were buzzing excitedly. The crowd loved it. I even managed to smile a bit and wave. I grinned at the crowd, and smirked in Felix's direction. He was being a grump in the corner, not even bothering to look at the Capitolites. It didn't really matter if he did smile and wave, though. I was the shining star of our duo.
Our chariot ride continued throughout the Capitol streets. My wings were making the crowd go wild, they had never seen anything like it! Once or twice, I swear I even felt my feet leave the chariot and I hung midair for a millisecond.
When we got back to the tribute house, I was out of breath and excited. My wings had slowed down steadily and had finally stopped. I reminded myself to thank Geisha and my prep team the next time I saw them. They had done a marvelous job.
I slowly stepped out of the chariot and was brought back to my room by an Avox. She waited silently in the corner as I changed into pajamas and gave her my costume to bring back to Geisha. I nodded my thanks to her and she nodded back. I smiled at her as she left. Poor girl.
I got under my forest green covers and plopped into my pillows. I smiled a little, completely forgetting that I was going into the Arena in a few days.
I frowned as I remembered that training began tomorrow. Hopefully, my mentors (their names were Garrett and Letalia) would give us some good advice for the Arena. Although I hadn't spoken to them much yet, I knew about their Games and knew that they had specialized in certain weapons and used different strategies too.
Our public training began tomorrow. Our individual sessions were in two days. And I was determined to wow the Gamemakers.
I fell asleep that night thinking about our training tomorrow. I was nervous, but excited too. Hopefully, all would go well, Felix would get a low score and I would get a high one. I'd earn lots of sponsors and win the Games. I had to win. I just had to. For my mother, and for Faye.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm really excited to be writing this story, guys! It's not my first Hunger Games fanfic, but I love writing these kinds of stories and wanted to finally be able to publish one! Please review for me, I love getting them!