Fire is catching
Chapter 3
Authors Note: Hehe….it's time for all the hunger games preparations meaning stylists, prep team, parade, EVERYTHING! ;) I really enjoyed writing this chapter so I hope you'll enjoy reading it!
I'm very grateful for all reviews, follows and favorites 3
"You'd better go to bed quickly, tomorrow is going to be a big, big day", Miranda squeaks all excited.
I snort, I hate that stupid capitol accent so much. But I just get up, bid everyone a good night and go to my room, where I lie in my bed for a long time, thinking about all the other tributes and how I'm supposed to be able to kill any of them.
"Oh don't worry, once it's about your survival it will be very easy to kill them you know. Everybody has a demon inside them that's just waiting to come out."
A soft voice whispers those rude words into my ears. That voice…who is it? Where did it come from? I guess I imagined it…must be the stress and the shock of the reaping. A lot has happened today so it's normal to be exhausted and very tired, isn't it? That voice does not exist!
"Kill….you have…to…kill….everybody…."
I put my hands on my ears and try to make that strange voice shut up. Great, I'm insane before the games even started and before I know what I'm doing, I cry again. Cry and sob, cry and scream, cry and sob until I finally fall asleep.
I open my eyes and look around as I find myself in another bed than my own. Wait, this isn't my room, where am I? The memories of what happened yesterday come back one by one and I'm overwhelmed by the panic that's crawling up my spine. All my hopes that it was just a dream vanish and I'm confronted with the hurting reality.
My name is Lucy Heartfilia. I'm 17 years old. I'm a Stellar Spirit Mage living in district 8. I'll be dead very soon. Before that I will be put in an arena where I will have to fight against 23 other kids about my age. Awesome!
I get up and take a shower. I let the hot water run over my skin until it is all red. I just want to wash away my fate. Want to wash away the train, the games, the capitol. My skin burns, but the pain is so strangely pleasant, just a little foretaste of what I will have to face in the arena.
After I step out of the shower, I get dressed and look at myself in the mirror. I don't look like myself.
The girl I used to be liked to wear pretty skirts and dresses, always brushed her silky blond hair and simply loved to feel cute and pretty.
But now I see a desperate, mentally unstable girl with windswept hair, dark circles under her eyes, bitten fingernails and skin scrubbed so raw, that it is red.
This isn't the well raised Lucy Heartfilia.
This is crazy, pathetic, desperate tribute Lucy. I turn away not wanting to look at myself any longer.
Who cares how I look? I'm dead anyways. But then I remind myself of my decision that I made, I'm going to fight as long as I can to make my family, my friends, my district proud. I won't give in that easily.
I'm not as weak as I may look. I'm a fighter. And I'm going to fight against my fate for the sake of my friends.
I try to eat a little bit at breakfast but I still feel so sick. Sebastian also doesn't look like he got a lot of sleep. Poor guy.
I shake my head. I can't feel sorry for him. We will both be in the arena and unless we're allies which I doubt, we're enemies. As mean as it may sound but I can't build up a friendship or whatsoever with him. I tolerate him and won't attack him but that's all.
I hate myself so much for being so cold.
That's not me.
Not me.
But the games have already changed me before they even started. I promised I would try. And if I want to survive I'll have to focus on myself.
"Lucy, Sebastian", Miranda says, "We'll soon arrive in the capitol!"
Miranda is wearing a ridiculously big dark green hat with some leaves pinned to it and so much makeup that she actually looks like a clown that just came out of the woods.
I'll never understand the capitol's fashion taste.
"Lucy, it's time for some mentoring before we'll arrive in the capitol, right honey?" Angel guides me over to the other room.
I wish she'd stop calling me honey.
"So what do you think of the other tributes?" she asks and I don't answer.
"Fine then, I'll tell you what I think. District 1 and 2 are deadly. Don't underestimate the girl from district 1. She may look cute and friendly but I bet she's dangerous. Be aware of district 2, especially of Erza Scarlet. District 4 is strong as well. The rest are average, some stronger than others but no big danger. I'm not exactly sure about this boy from 12. What was his name again?"
"Natsu Dragneel", I say instantly, an image of the smiling, pink haired boy flashing through my mind, I don't really know why I remembered his name so clearly.
"Right. He's different than the other 12 tributes. I bet he has some magic power, otherwise he wouldn't be so confident and smiling, he's so scary." Angel shudders.
"Listen Lucy, you're a mage. Although you're not trained to kill people like the careers, you're strong and you know how to use your magic. I want you to join the careers. That would increase your chances dramatically." Angel looks at me, smiling her half-nice-half-wicked smile.
"No. No way. I'd rather die than join this pack of killers that enjoys hunting down others", I almost spit out the words, the thought of being a career so disgusting.
"Sorry Angel but there is no way I'm going to do this."
My mentor sighs: "Well then, I would think about it if I were you. But anyway, who would you like to be your ally then? It's never too early to start thinking about this. And please don't tell me you want Sebastian. There's no way I'm going to let that happen. Sorry, but that boy is hopeless. He doesn't even have the slightest chance. I bet he bites the dust in the blood bath".
I stare at Angel not knowing what to say. Of course I didn't want him to be my ally, but that's no reason for being so rude.
"Sorry honey, but that's just the way it is. After several years of mentoring you just become realistic. Please don't think that I have no heart. I'm just being honest".
I nod: "Angel, I'm not sure whether I want any allies at all. Maybe I'm better off alone, I mean an alliance has to end sooner or later".
And if I had an ally I would probably get attached to him or her. I can't let that happen in the hunger games.
"Alright then honey. You still have time to think about that. When we arrive in the capitol your prep team will make you look beautiful and then your stylist will show you your outfit for the parade."
Oh no…., the parade where the capitol dresses the tributes in ridiculous outfits and puts them in chariots, I will love it. Note the underlying tone of sarcasm.
I'm already scared of my outfit. Great, I am scared by 23 other tributes and by my opening ceremony costume as well.
What was that about me being a brave fighter again?
The rest of the day passes by in a blur and we arrive at the capitol way too fast.
As I look at the window, I see a city that I couldn't have imagined, even in my dreams. Buildings sky high, fountains spilling out multicolored water, magic lacrima making houses float slightly above the ground, their facades sparkling pink, yellow, green, blue.
Everything is so shiny and colorful it makes me sick. I'm so angry about how the capitol wastes so much magic power whereas it's such a rare resource in the district.
Calm down, Lucy. You can't be angry about that right now. There are problems that are more important to you right now, you can think about that after the games.
I know how extremely important it is to have sponsors, they can make the difference between life and death and the moment I get out of that train everything I do, everything I say will be seen by everybody. I'll have to put all my effort in presenting myself nicely and gaining some sponsors.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Miranda asks all dreamy and I just nod politely to make her shut up.
We drive past a cheering crowd and I push myself to wave at them. The moment we get off the train we are brought to the complex where the training center and our rooms are.
I'm brought into a room and soon after three capitol citizens, my prep team, enter the room.
A man with purple curly hair, slightly orange skin, cat like dark red eyes and long purple fake finger nails, a small chubby woman with multicolored hair and green tattoos all over her skin and a tall skinny woman with purple and pink hair that reaches down her waist and black lips.
They all look so ridiculous that I really have to restrain myself to not burst out laughing.
They walk towards me all looking very excited and scan my body like I'm some kind of alien.
"Look at her, she's so pretty", the tall woman says. "Hello Lucy, we're your preparation team and we'll do our very best to make you look stunning!"
And then the torture begins.
They mess around with my hair, my nails, my face, put me into a bathtub with some kind of strange liquid in it, then put a strange cream onto my body, "perfect" my eyebrows and remove the hair from my legs.
"I have to admit, that I'm very impressed Lucy. I mean your body isn't in the catastrophic state most of the tributes are. Can you believe some of them actually never take care of their hair?", the chubby woman exclaims and I could punch her for her stupidity.
"Don't you think she would look adorable with some glitter over her body?", the man asks the rest of the prep team and they start a conversation about what kind of creams they would put on me if they only had the permission.
Then they continue chatting about parties, celebrities I've never heard of and their stupid capitol problems. I can't believe that they are actually worried about what this year's fall collection will look like while the workers in the fabrics of district 8 who work so hard are worried about whether they will have enough money to bring some food on the table.
It makes me sick.
It all makes me so terribly sick.
If only I could do something, but right now I have to focus on the games, my games.
After some hours that felt more like weeks I'm brought into a room and told to wait for my stylist. I wonder what kind of jerk he will be.
I'm surprised as a man with blue hair wearing an elegant black suit enters the room. The only things that tell he's from the capitol are some really dark red tattoos on the right side of his face, but they don't look tasteless like the other tattoos did. They suit him.
He introduces himself as Gerard Fernandes.
"I'm sorry you had to go through the preparation ceremony, I know how annoying this must be but it's just the way the rules are." He gives me a smile. "Should I show you your dress?"
I nod, happy that my stylist isn't a complete idiot.
Gerard comes back and makes me put on the dress. As I look in the mirror I stop breathing for a second. I'm wearing a long dress that fits me perfectly and has a long train. My hair is put up artfully, leaving just a few strands of hair that frame my face.
The dress is made out of the most beautiful fabric I've ever seen which means something, I mean, I'm from District 8. It's a silky, pearly white fabric, but depending on the light it sparkles, glitters and shines in all kinds of pastel colors. My makeup is kept simple, the focus on my eyes which are all silver. The prep team even put some glitter stones on my eyeliner. I have to admit that I look kind of good in it.
"You like it?", Gerard asks. "Yes, I love it. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Thank you Gerard", and I mean every single word I say.
"I'm happy to hear that", he smiles, "You know as district 8 is responsible for textiles I tried to focus on the fabric of the dress. You look very good in it Lucy".
I slightly blush and turn away.
"Let's go to the chariots. The parade will start soon".
As we get to the horses, I see that Sebastian wears a suit made of the same magical fabric.
Not all the tributes have had that much luck with their stylists as I have, but I have to admit that District 2's costumes are really impressive.
Erza Scarlet wears a heavy armor and I soon find out that she uses Exquip magic. As she looks over to me, she gives me a suspicious look and I quickly turn my gaze to somewhere else. I don't want her to make me her enemy right away.
Then it's time to get on the horses and I try to give Sebastian a comforting smile, he looks so anxious, I hope I don't look like that.
Although I really share his feelings, I'm terrified of the parade. There are so many things that could go wrong. I could fall from the chariot, the horses could go crazy, the crowd could hate us… Normally I wouldn't care about what the capitol thinks about me, but not anymore. In the past years I've learned how extremely important the popularity among the citizens is. Sponsors can decide about life and death of a tribute in a critical situation.
I need them to like me.
I climb on the chariot trying to put a brave but likeable expression on my face.
As the first chariot enters the big hall I hear the cheering crowd and an impressed roar going through the audience as the second chariot comes out.
When Sebastian and I are pulled outside by our horses, I hear applause, cheers, whistles and there are even some people who throw flowers at us. I smile and wave at the gigantic amount of people.
Soon after that the crowd is silent for a moment and then goes completely wild.
I look behind me to find the cause and almost fall off the chariot. Natsu's body, the boy from 12, is completely on fire, the flames all over his skin. He doesn't seem to be in pain, instead he looks quite comfortable with it, as if he's wearing flames every day. He waves at the hysterical crowd and even spews out a tongue of flame, sending sparks high up in the air.
The fire must be real, I know it.
Besides him stands the girl from his district dressed in a plain, boring dusty grey dress and I know immediately that the flames weren't planned.
Natsu wasn't supposed to be on fire, he should have worn a similarly boring outfit like his district partner.
I guess he doesn't like to blend in the crowd.
Then I finally get it, understand how it's possible for that boy to be accidently on fire without wondering about it.
I don't know why, but this boy from 12 can use fire magic. And as the parade shows he knows how to control his power.
As his chariot goes in line with the other ones he simply lets the flames disappear and waves and grins at the crowd that goes completely crazy. I'm pretty shocked as well. A boy from 12 who uses powerful fire magic? How can this be?
As I look over to the other tributes I see that they are perplexed as well and especially Erza Scarlet looks like she's about to explode. Of course, that boy just stole her show.
Authors Note: This boy is on FIRE! Well, Natsu had to be in the spotlight again, it can't be helped. I don't know why, but I think it suits Gerard to be a stylist. He just has that fashionable capitol look *haha*
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