"Katniss." There was a small tap on Katniss's shoulders.
It was enough to get her out of her light nap.
"We're here." Sarah explained while standing up to collect her luggage.
Katniss looked out the window. It was now dark out, only the lights from several building and light post illuminating the night.
The train compartment was almost empty. Several students standing up or waiting to take their bag down from the overhead compartment.
Katniss along with Peeta, Sarah and Brandon was the last to get off the train. They felt the cool night air as they exited, joining the crowd which stood beside the train.
There was a long high pitch noise, which caused the students to cover their ears and most to stop talking. When the noise was gone, it was followed by a particular strict voice, "It's good to know that you all can hear. Now, it will all be appreciate if you all stop your chattering, and start moving!"
That cause a few extra bickering, but for the most part the crowd was silent.
"First year students, follow me." Katniss could not see who said that, but nevertheless, she started to move along with the crowd.
The crowd exited the building which Katniss assume was the train terminal.
It was windy outside, and feeling a wisps of cold breeze bush pass her, Katniss zipped up her jacket and wrapped her arms around herself, she also tried to stay close by to the other students.
They were soon in another building.
"Make sure that your bag each have your name on it and your District #, to make it easier for us, then but it on the belt." The same voice from earlier called out. "Fail to do so, and you will find yourself without any of your possessions. And trust me you don't want to wear the clothes from the backup closets."
Katniss heard a few girls around her groan. Katniss did not have much in her backpack, just a few blouses, trousers, undergarments, 2 pairs of shoes, some backup toiletries, the guide book from the Academy and the Mockingjay pin, Prim gave her before she departed. Despite these few items, Katniss did not want to have to wear any clothes from the 'backup' closets. She took a tag and pen from one of the person handing them out to the students. After writing her name and District 12 on the tag, she placed the tag on her bag, then she took out the token from her sister and placed it in her jacket pocket. She was not going to take any chances of losing it.
When most of the student placed their bag of the revolving belt. They guided the first years to an auditorium. It was actually more like an amphitheater, with the seats raised high around the stage.
Katniss say that on the stage below were several chairs occupied by individuals.
Most of the seats were already filled with second to third year students.
"First years in the middle column." There was an entire column set out for the first year students.
The students rushed to take their seats. Most rushing to the front.
"Look at them, they are so small, it's adorable." A female voice declared.
Katniss also heard a few cat-calls from the seats beside them. She ignore them, assuming that they weren't for her, anyway.
The amphitheater was filled with the chattering and laughter of the students. Katniss sank down further into her chair, seemingly trying and get away from it all.
"Excuse me." A man on the stage below trying to get the attention of the much distracted students.
"Excuse me!" He shouted into a mike. His voice echoed around the room, bringing it much to an immediate silence.
"Sit down all of you!" He commanded to the few students who were standing and talking to their friends.
When he got the reaction he wanted he continued, "For the most of the first years who don't know me, I'm Headmaster Sleaver. Welcome to the Academy. I congratulate you on your admittance here. And for the others who do know me, Welcome back also, and congrats on being back. We all know that like being admitted only a few get the privilege of staying."
"This year is going to be a great one. Granted that you all study hard and do what your District sent you here to do. You are the few chosen one, make us proud. But most of all, make your Districts proud."
As he finished the speech there was a roar of applause around the amphitheater. Katniss could not help but to join in.
Headmaster Sleaver motioned downward with his hand, which led to gradually decrease of the applause.
"Before our first meal of the year, I will like us to sing the school song together." He announced.
The school song, they have a school song, Katniss thought.
The rest of the students stood up, along with the people on the stage below. Then the song started.
Like a family you will always be
A part of my thinking, skills and heart
As I walk through life I will shine your light
Ever mindful of my humble start
Although I'm unique I will always seek
Respect for all those I meet
Harmony with everyone
Will make my life complete
C.A, forever more
Let your standards prevail
Throughout Panam, throughout my life
Your compassion, training, and teaching will not fail
With an open mind I know I will find
Knowledge throughout all my years
Whether far or near I will always hear
The sound of your voices in my ears
As I live my life I will always strive
To be all that I can be
Hail to the Academy!
For shaping me
CA, forever more
Let your wisdom ring true
Throughout Panam, throughout my life
Your standards I'll pursue
I'll live my life, a better life,
A testament to you!
Katniss murmured most of the song, along with many of her first year peers, due to not knowing the true lyrics.
"Don't worry, first year students. In due time you too will know the song." Headmaster Sleaver joked, causing an outburst of laughter from students from different years. A few first years were also laughing.
"Have a great year all of you and remember "Anyone who imagines they can work alone winds up surrounded by nothing but rivals, without companions." That was the last thing that Headmaster Sleaver said before dismissing the students.
"It's so weird that he did not mention anything about Cutting Week." Katniss heard a girl in front of her murmured to another.
That was true. He did not, but Katniss's mind was more towards the last thing the Headmaster said.
Anyone who imagines they can work alone winds up surrounded by nothing but rivals, without companions.
It wasn't one of those encrypted quotes where nobody understood what it meant due to its complicated language; in contrast the quote had clear syntax. However, Katniss pondered over the relevance it had to school.
Alone. Rivals. Companions.
Walking towards the cafeteria, Katniss tried to dismiss the quote from her head. Probably she was just over thinking about a general harmless quote.
You might want to be nicer when you get to the Academy.
Katniss flashbacked to a particular encounter that she had with Haymitch Abernathy.
She was trying to negotiate with Mr. Burrow, the owner of the local pub, on the price of one of her game.
Mr. Burrow wasn't being kind or negotiable, so Katniss wasn't either.
"You might want to be nicer when you get to the Academy." Katniss heard someone slurred beside her, while she was waiting for Mr. Burrow to return as he served a customer.
Katniss turned to the see the only victor from District 12, with a recently empty flash between his palms, looking at her.
"Your Lily's girl, aren't you?" He continued, the alcohol stink of his breath.
Katniss considered not answering him, believing he was just drunk and wanted to talk some nonsense.
"Yeah, she's my mother." Katniss stated while looking away.
"Heard you got into the Academy, Congrats. About damn time somebody from here got in." he started again. "A little advice, when you get there, don't be so cold and distant, for your own shake. You're going to need somebody to watch your back. And people don't like to be around mean people." He ended with a little chuckle.
Surprised Katniss replied, "Like you'd know anything about the Academy."
"I know about the Capitol. Been there more times than you can imagine. I know how things can get when a crowd of District people gather there. They all forget who the real enemy is, and start looking out for themselves, trying to be the best for the Capitol." He lectured. "If you aren't careful, you won't last a day there."
His word was getting to her, despite her not wanting them to. Mr. Burrow did not seem to be coming back, so she took her game and left.
The memory made Katniss worry now that she was here. Was she being cold and distant during the train ride?
She looked over to see Peeta, Sarah and Sarah chatting like buddies.
Katniss wasn't one to make friends. But she figured she had to try. Even if it was uncomfortable.
Katniss heard them talking about classes, and decided to join the chat.
"I'm exciting for Archery." She commented, hoping that it was enough to get their attention.
Peeta, Sarah, and Brandon all turned to her in surprise. It was first time that she had gotten involved in their conversation since their arrival.
"Do you do archery?" Sarah asked.
"I'm not really good, but I had a bow and arrow back home."
Peeta snickered, and the rest of the group turned towards him. "My dad bought her game. She hit them in the left eye every time." He explained.
Sarah and Brandon looked at Katniss impressed.
"At least you have a skill or something you are good, I, however is a different case." Brandon complained.
Katniss turned to the boy from District 3, and assured, "Give it some time, I am sure you will find something you love and will master."
"Thanks, Katniss." He declared.
By this time, they entered the large room known as the dining hall.
"Wow." Brandon said expressing awe.
Katniss agreed, "Wow" was the perfect word to describe it.
The room that they were currently in was white, grand and filled with bright lights. It was so clean, almost too clean to eat in. There were four long table, stretching through the room with seats around them. The hall could easily hold a thousand people.
Katniss, Sarah, Brandon and Peeta walked to a space large enough to accommodate all four of them and sat.
"I never seen this much food in my life." Brandon mused filling his plate with food from the table.
As they talked, and this time Katniss was involved.
Sarah told jokes, the rest of the group laughed. They talked about what's like in each of their District. Katniss threw out compliments. If there's one thing she had observed all her years about friendship making is that people liked to feel good about themselves and if you give them reasons to then they will what to stick around. But as the night proceeded she found herself knowing more them, and starting to genuinely like them, not only for her selfish purposes of not wanting to be alone.
At about 8 pm, there was an announcement in the dining hall.
"Designated prefects don't forget to show the first year to their dorms. Remember that curfew is at 9. Any students found roaming around campus after 9, without proper reason to do so, will be punished."
Groans were heard all over the hall.
"Third year and still this bullshit. Would it hurt for them to prolong it to 10." A 3rd year student beside Katniss complaint.
There were several other bickering around.
"I need to go bed early anyway. Tomorrow I want to start studying for my GSATs."
"But they aren't till the end of the school year."
"So. I'm not taking any chances. I heard that they are taking even less people this year."
Katniss focused on another one.
"I can't afford to screw up again this year. I was this close of getting kicked out." A male second year shared with his friend.
"I can't wait to see what the rooms in Wakefield look like."
Katniss saw a red-hair girl beside her said to her friend across from her.
"I heard that they were much better than the ones in Dyre." She continued.
"That's probably not true. Everybody knows that the third and fourth years get the best dorms." Her male friend replied.
"I did not say they were the best. I said they were better." The girl refuted.
All around people were chatting enjoying their first night back in the Academy. Everybody were friends now. But soon it will be very different.
The school song is by Bruce Bergh and it's originally called Excelsior School Anthem, however I tweaked it to fit the Academy. The headmaster quote is Lance Armstrong quote in his book, "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. "
Sarah is played by Chloe Grace Moretz and Brandon by Ian Nelson. If you don't know who they are I recommend googling them, unless you already have a perfect image of them in your head.
Review, Favorite and/or Follow. :) Thanks for reading. I hope you are enjoying it.
P.S. I think that a big part of writing is building up the character, since if you want the story to have depth and emotions, you need to break them and tear them apart later on. I am in the building up period, I am kinda dreading the breaking period, but I have to do it. So I am apologizing way ahead before I get there.