A/N
Hello! I've finally started writing up another chapter of Sheathing the Light. Now we get to see more of the other tributes from their group and perhaps something from the Careers?
Midterms are over now! :D I'm just hoping we did well ehe.
But finals are quickly approaching now...with all these fun presentations ehe...and then two weeks of study travel with my class.
Thank goodness I could pull my hunger games references even while here in China. I probably should have brought the book with me, but limited space…
I've had this little snippet on my computer for weeks maybe almost a month and never thought to post it...I know I'm so silly.
Thank you for your patience everyone!
Here's just a bit of chapter 4 (I know my writing style is odd because most people would think to update by putting in entire chapter in but I don't think I work like that)
Chapter 4: Being Different from Ordinary Men
眾人熙熙, 如享太牢, 如登春台。我獨泊兮其未兆, 如嬰兒之未孩。兮, 若無所歸。眾人皆有餘, 而我獨若遺。我愚人之心也哉! 沌沌兮。
The multitude of men look satisfied, so pleased as if they were enjoying a full banquet, as though ascending in the joy of spring.
I alone remain indifferent, like one that has not received an omen. Like an infant who has not yet smiled.
I seem left behind, as if I have no place to return to.
The multitude of what men have are plenty, and I alone am empty. Like the man with a foolish heart, my mind is in a state of chaos.
DaodeJing - 20
When they arrived, it was morning. As the train entered the station, Annie could see many capitolites already crowding the windows cheering for them. Peeta was already standing at a window, having marveled the sights, and was now waving at them. He turned his head back at her and said,"Hey! Come on," only to turn back and grin happily at the adoring crowd. Annie stared at him, while Haymitch set down a knife, and said, "Might as well keep that knife. Boy knows what he's doing."
Peeta and Annie were quickly ushered to the rooms where the stylists would prepare them for the upcoming Tribute Parade. She saw the passing capitolites, how colorful and strange their apperances were, and knew how this would result. Painted lips and cheeks paired with a garish smile couldn't mask it. But she didn't know too much else about this strange place, so she had no choice but to go through with everything she was told. There's nothing worse than entering a situation unprepared, and it felt strangely familiar. Her long blonde hair was unclipped and the ends fell lightly on her shoulder, while the rest puffed up from being freed.
She was strapped onto a chilling metal table, her clothing all but stripped away, as the assistants went to work scrubbing away at her skin until it reddened, and stripping away spare hairs, carefully grooming her face in preparation for the dressing. She was then put into a dark room, waiting until the doors opened, and a man entered, introducing himself as her stylist, Cinna. He seemed modestly dressed to the point where you could barely discern him being a Capitolite. She saw on his face, that he wore shimmering gold eyeliner, but nothing more eye catching.
He sat down next to her after shaking her hand. "I'm sorry this happened to you and I'm here to help you in any way I can." At her surprise of the lack of smiles and congratulatory remarks, he said, "I don't see the point in that" before continuing on. "So tonight is the Tribute Parade. I'm going to take you out and show you off to the world. I'm here to help you make an impression. Now usually they dress up the people in clothes of their district." Clothes of their district… At her confusion, he told her that her district, District 12, were coalminers. "But I don't want to do that. I want to do something that they're going to remember. Did they explain to you about trying to get sponsors?" Annie replied, "They did, but I'm not very good at making friends." "We'll see. It's supposed to be a parade. You shouldn't be dressed up in a stupid costume, now should you?" At that moment she wondered if it was too much to receive such support from someone that reminded her painfully of the past.
First Peeta, and now this man, Cinna, with their quiet modesty, and the careful yet gentle approach they took to most problems. Though she did not know these people for long, only for a day at best, she could tell that much at least. However, in Peeta's case, she didn't know how much that would last, and still did not know the full reasons behind both male's decision to work with her. For now she supposed, it would be fine to accept Cinna's offer and see how things went.
Hours later, they were fitted into obsidian body suits that subtly shone under the lights. Cinna and his assistants flitted about, fixing things here and there, making sure things fit well and weren't uncomfortable for them. Upon Annie's shoulders, there was a long black cape that hung down until it trailed behind them. Underneath the cape was a translucent veil, with an almost diamond dust shimmer trails behind them. Strange, she thought this was oddly subtle in comparison to the neon blues, magentas, lime greens that she saw surrounding them.
She recalled Cinna explaining his concept to them. "Rather than on coal mining itself, we're going to focus on the coal. Let me ask you this. What happens to coal when we heat it and pressurize it?" Before she said a word, he assured her of her safety and that the flames were synthetically crafted by Portia and himself. Her face was relatively clear of makeup, besides a pale silver which highlighted the ice blues of her eyes. Annie's hair was brushed out but then neatly wrapped about in its usual style, but not without a elegant pin to secure it.
She remembered the dream-like tone to the statement that followed.
"I want the audience to recognize you when you're in the arena."
A shuffling sound to her right broke her out of her memory, and signified a fully-dressed Peeta exiting out of a dressing room. Annie gave him a side glance. His costume matched her own. However, he did not seem as pleased as his stylist was about the outfit. His stylist, Portia, and her team followed him tittering excitedly over their impact. She noted Cinna in the corner, wearing a drawn out expression as he accepted congratulations.
Peeta and Annie were taken to the bottom level of the Remake Center, which resembled a stable. The opening ceremony was about to begin. The pairs of tributes were being loaded onto chariots pulled by teams of four horses. No one needed to guide the reins of the animals, which were so well trained that the ride would be assuredly smooth. Cinna and Portia directed them onto the chariot, adjusting their positions, and the draping of the capes, before going off to consult each other.
Peeta looked all around the Remake Center then turned over to her. "Where is Haymitch anyway? Isn't he supposed to protect us from this kind of thing?" Now that he mentioned it, Annie could not remember seeing their mentor anywhere. She wondered if he knew anything at all about this angle the stylists were taking. But Cinna had stated these were synthetic flames after all, so there was nothing really to get anxious over. She did not bother to tell Peeta this; Annie figured he would be able to recognize it himself.
The opening music began to play, and the doors opened to reveal the crowds surrounding their pathway. The ride wouldn't last for too long, and all the tributes would be gathered before the City Circle to hear the Capitol anthem. There they would be welcomed, and afterwards escorted into the Training Center, which would serve as living accommodations before the Games.
The first to arrive were the tributes from District 1, who rode out in a chariot pulled by snow-white horses. Their bodies were painted in silver which matched the jewels glittering on the fashion of their tunics. The crowd roared for their favorites. District 2 positioned to follow them. Peeta and Annie's chariot was quickly approaching the door. She could even see the overcast sky when she looked up, and she saw how the light deepened into gray during the evening hour. After District 11's chariot just rolled out, Annie saw Cinna appear, with a torch in his grasp. He climbed up onto the chariot and lit the capes. Before he left, he turned to Annie, and placed a hand under her chin. "Remember, heads high. And smile. They're going to adore you." He hopped off the chariot, and upon realizing a last minute idea, began gesturing to them when the music became too loud to shout.
"Do you understand what he's trying to say?" Annie asked Peeta.
"I think he said for us to hold hands," says Peeta. He grabbed Annie's right hand in his left, and they looked to Cinna for confirmation. He nodded and gave them a thumbs up just as they entered the city. Slowly they raised their hands above their heads, and the crowd's initial surprise morphed into cheers of "District 12!" which thundered throughout the Remake Center. Everyone's eyes were upon them. Annie saw herself and Peeta magnified on a large television; their faces being illuminated by the embers in the darkening twilight.
Annie's chin stiffened at the sight before she lifted her face high, and painted a slight smile on her lips while Peeta waved and grinned and shouted with the crowd. The Capitol showered them with flowers, and kept chanting their names. As their chariot rounded the corner, she heard a gasp from the crowd and looked at her outfit. The obsidian body suit melted away with the flames and left her in a white dress which flowed at the bottom, highlighted by the now bluish flames. Her dress shimmered in shades of silver as if Cinna had scattered crushed diamond dust all over it.
Sounds of "Annie! Annie! Peeta! Peeta! " followed them until they entered the City Circle. She looked down at their linked hands and loosened the grasp slowly. She couldn't help but think there was something odd about how Cinna matched them.
The twelve chariots filled the loop of the City Circle. The buildings surrounding the Circle were packed with the elite of the Capitol. Their horses in particular happened to pull right up to President Snow's mansion. The music then ended with a flourish, and the silence that followed allowed the president to enter and give a welcome speech.
Standing high above from the balcony, the president was a small, thin man with paper-white hair proclaimed his pride in the games. While doing so, Annie couldn't help but notice how they were the few tributes' faces still being aired. The darkening screen took no focus away from the constant flickering images of their faces. After the speech, the national anthem played and the cameras did a quick sweep around to each pair of tributes. The camera's lens sharpened focus held on District 12 longer as it did a final circling before disappearing into the Training Center.
Their chariots began circling around to return them. Once the doors shut, the prep teams swarmed them, babbling praise and cheering for them. The other tribute pairs sent them envious glares. Cinna and Portia appeared, helping them down from the chariots. They took care to remove the capes. Portia took out a can and extinguished the flames with a quick spritz.
"I'm sorry if it seemed sudden for me to keep holding your hand out there." Peeta admitted sheepishly. "To be honest, I was feeling a bit shaky myself." Annie nodded quietly, "It wasn't a problem. I do not think anyone else noticed."
Peeta nodded in thanks before he continued. "I think these outfits suited you. The people couldn't take their eyes off you!" He sent her a smile, and Annie saw such a sweetness to how genuinely he smiled at her, that a brief memory of training camp flashed. The image of Armin's soft yet meaningful smiles went away as quickly as they appeared. Their amiability made them all too scarily alike, she thought as they were quickly escorted back to their rooms.
