Here are the chariot rides! I hope you enjoy.
…
District 11: Tawncy Moriatri's POV
Why must the Capitol be so hurtful? I have been sitting in this stupid chair all afternoon having people I don't know ripping every hair and imperfection off my body. And for what? One little night where I will be wearing lots of make-up and a gown anyway? I don't think the Capitol people will be able to see my hair from where they are standing anyway.
I have been trying to keep quiet through out the process. I am afraid that if I open my mouth, words of venom will just fly out at lightning fast rates. The three members of my prep team never did anything really horrible to me. Still, I do think their egos could be taken down a few notches.
That gives me an idea. Why not practice my acting skills for the arena with these people? I know it will be far easier to trick these three spoons, but it will still be practice. It seems that I have fierce competition and I could really use the acting work.
In three, two, one…
Just like that, I burst into tears. Vera, the woman doing my eyebrows, immediately jumps away followed closely by the other two. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" she asks sheepishly. I shake my head and work up a fresh batch of sobs.
"I am not crying because I am sad," I tell the team. They look a bit confused and I see they are not familiar with happy crying. I continue, "I am just so grateful that I can get all this done. I could never afford even a bit of make-up back in District 11."
I hear a chorus of gasps and I feel the three closing in. "You poor dear. We will do anything we can during your time with us to make you the most beautiful tribute in the arena," Vera assures me. I can hear Goldie and Blaze sniffling in the background. I try my best to smiling like I am grateful and not like I am very happy.
It looks like everyone else has a tough competitor to deal with. But they will all be gone before they even figure it out.
District 2: Ben Valencia's POV
If I hated anything more than arrogant assholes, it would be this. The chariot rides, what a sick form of torture. The whole idea of forcing children into foolish costumes that should be deemed inappropriate is insane. In all reality, the Capitol will one day look back and be ashamed of their foolishness. One day that is not today of course.
I see Anna isn't much enjoying our costumes either. I know she believes gladiators are strong by her harsh comment about how I don't even deserve to be in such a strong warrior's suit of armor in the elevator. However, I see she doesn't want to wear her so called strong warrior's armor. Finally, something we agree.
"We should talk to District 1 and 4. You know, to start the Career alliance," she states blankly. And now we are back to not agreeing on anything. I had secretly been planning to reject the Careers since I knew I would have to volunteer. Judging the last three years of Career packs, I will do better on my own. I don't want to be part of any Career pack if something happens like what happened in the last Quarter Quell.
However, I have no idea how to tell this to anyone. I thought I would just wait until the arena and run right past the bloodbath and Careers, but what would I do till then? I could just play along, but that would make me one of them. I would then be a hypocrite and that is not something I will be able to deal with.
I knew the Games would be complicated, but not this soon.
I have two options. I can just come out and tell Anna I don't want to be in the Careers or I can just be in the Careers. I don't think I can do either. The truth is, I kind of fear Anna. The weirdest part is, I actually don't hate her. I know she is a bitch, a little bi-polar, and sometimes an attention hog, but at least she isn't a lair. It would be easier if I hated her.
But, I have to go with option one.
I clear my throat and begin. "Look Anna, I don't want to be in the Careers," I admit before backing away a bit. I look at her for some sign of emotion and I do get something. Only, it looks like happiness, not a look of a cold-blooded killer.
"Thank you!" Anna practically yells. "I was really hoping you wouldn't want to join the pack. I don't want to either. I am sick of all this Career backstabbing. It is like the time in…"
"The Quarter Quell," I finish for her with something on my face I would call almost a smile, but I quickly drop it when I see who is coming over. "District 1 is walking over. What do we do?" I ask.
"District 4 is coming too. I say we do what we have to do…pretend to join the alliance," she tells me, ruining any happiness I had left. I should have known she would want me to lie to them. But what am I going to do? I still fear her a bit. I'll just do what I have done all my life: sit back and watch it all unfold.
"Marco von Erich," the boy from one says, sticking out his hand. I have known him for less than thirty second and I can already tell he is arrogant and will want to take control. It is all in his looks. But he would be easy to fool
"Camille Booth," the girl from 4 says next, taking no time for us to shake Marco's hand. I can read her easily too. She seems like a classic spoiled brat and judging by the immaculate state of her nails, she hasn't trained hard at all.
The two normal Careers' District partners seem hesitant to introduce themselves, but the boy from 4 takes the first move of the two. "Kantix Kosmelt." Anna shakes his hand followed by Marco. I can't read him as well. He doesn't seem arrogant or spoiled like Marco and Camille, but of course, he can't be trusted.
After Kantix is done shaking, the girl from 1 steps forward. "Bliss Honeycutt." She doesn't extend her hand to any of us and even retreats after introducing herself. She is weak, that is clear, but it seems physical not mental. She will prove to be interesting, I can tell.
So, one arrogant jerk, one spoiled brat, one question mark, and one physical case make up the Careers. But how easy will they be to trick? I turn to Anna to see if she is thinking the same thing. The face I get is answer enough.
I don't only have the Careers to worry about.
District 14: Astrid Aelish's POV
"Do you know how illogical these outfits are?" I ask Karter as an attendant helps me into the District 14 chariot, the first of many. Karter looks at me in confusion and then looks down at his outfit, a body suit with some…interesting properties.
"No, they seem cool. It will get us attention," he suggests, but I see he just thinks the outfits are cool. I saw it more in the elevator when he couldn't stop staring at himself, not knowing the outfit could get him killed.
"If the stylists or whoever made these made just one mistake, we could be burned to our bones. You how much of a disadvantage that will cause for us in the arena?" I ask. Karter shakes his head, but not because he doesn't understand.
"I'm sure whoever made these solar outfits did not make any mistakes," he says, acting completely oblivious to the danger we are in. Does he not have any sense? Solar panels are dangerous even if ours are just reflecting sunlight.
"You know how easy it would be to make a mistake with such a complicated style of clothing? I sure you don't" I say before he can cut in. Yet again, Karter shakes his head. I don't why this time though so I wait for him to speak.
Karter takes a few minutes in thought before finally answering his head shake. "Why do you hate me so much? Was it because of that moment in the hallway so many years ago? Can't we just put that past us? We are supposed to be in this together."
The moment in the hallway, I find it strange that I remember that. I wouldn't have been able to remember his name if he wasn't right next to me, but that memory has always stuck in my head. I am not positively sure why either, but I do know why I dislike Karter so much.
"Do you want to know why I hate you?" I turn to him for his answer. He nods eagerly just like I thought he would so I continue. "I hate you because you resemble everything I hate in a person. You don't care about anything and don't bother to do any work. You go through life without a care in the world. And you know who will have to take care of you when your brilliant little lifestyle fails? Me, the one who has worked so hard her whole life and that work is about to be wasted here. That is why I hate you."
I think I have put him shock. He has turned away from me and is now looking into the empty air in front of him. He isn't even looking at anything. He is in the thought process of his again. I assume I will not be getting an answer and drift back into the thought of dying when we get out their. It continues like this until the manager of the event yells to get started and the first chariot lurches to life.
"Well, let's put on a show," Karter says with a huge smile and puts an arm around my shoulder as our chariot begins to move up.
Damn he bounces back fast.
Jazz McNeely's POV
"I would like to propose a toast. To our little Jazzie McNeely, may she go far in the TV business," Saylor announces, raising her champagne glass. The rest of my friends raise their glasses as well and the sound of clinking flutes fills the one of the Capitol boxes. Saylor drowns down the rest of her champagne as we all laugh and joke.
"I can't believe you are going to be working on Good Morning Capitol from now on," Tristan says. "This means you can get me up to date tribute information, right?" I laugh at Tristan's usual eagerness to be a part of the Hunger Games.
"As well as always inviting us to the special box," Phoebe says and then immediately hides her eyes by swallowing a big gulp of her champagne. I nod my head to both of them and watch as Phoebe squeals with delight and Tristan tries to hide his equally loud squeal.
"Thank you guys so much," I say while carrying a fit of giggles. It is partially from the champagne and me just being giddy. As customary in the Capitol world, we all go in for a group hug. "Okay, as fun as drinking rounds of champagne is, I need to know the chariot outfits for my commentary tomorrow."
"You get to do commentary too? If I make a lot of sassy, but smart comments during the show, will you use some and credit them to me on the show tomorrow," Saylor asks hopefully. I nod along, though I think her comments will be more bitchy than sassy. I don't want to lose my job on the first official day.
"What are we waiting for? Let's party like Capitol citizens!" Phoebe yells loud enough for at least the boxes around us to hear. This receives a chorus of enthusiastic shouts and laughter from all around. I smile and shake my head as my friends go out on to the box's balcony. I linger a moment longer to grab another glass of that pink, sparkling stuff. If I am going to party like a true Capitolite, I need more to drink.
I grab the nearest drink which turns out to be lime green and go to join my rowdy friends on the balcony. I can already hear Tristan making some lame joke and Phoebe shrieking over it. I shake my head yet again and try to push past some of the interns I have to share my box with. Maybe next year I'll get one that is completely my own.
I am about on the balcony when one of the more ditzy female interns knocks me to my left. I crash right into someone, sending my drink on to the mystery person. My eyes go wide and I immediately try to form an apology of some sort.
"I am so sorry. I did not mean for that to happen. Do you want me to get you a napkin?" I ask almost helplessly. I am not very fluent in this side of human interaction. My face is already burning red as I watch the person try to rub the cocktail off their white dress shirt.
"No, but you can buy me a new suit," the boy snaps. I look up to see a young man around my age vigorously scrubbing at his shirt to no avail. Finally, he gives up and looks up at me in anger. However, that quickly changes suddenly to a look of surprise and maybe even delight. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am King Townshead."
If I was drinking some of that spilled drink, I would have spit it out. What an unfortunate name. "I am Jazz McNeely. Again, I am so sorry about your shirt."
King only smiles and shakes his head. "It is no problem and I know who you are. Shall we?" King offers me his arm to escort me outside. I find his transformation a bit strange, but I go along with it and accept his arm. We get outside just in time. The District 1 chariot is rolling out.
"I always found District 1 rather tacky," King whispers in my ear. I laugh at that though only because that is always my opinion. I look down at the outfits now to see the stylist hasn't changed. The outfits are still as sparkly as ever. It was actually gasp worthy. The girl is dressed only in sparkles and jewels and the boy is just wearing some type of oil to make him shine. Does that stylist have no shame?
I walk over to the ledge with King in tow to get a better look at District 2, a personal favorite of mine. "Now there is a stylist who knows what they are doing." District 2 is just as fabulous as ever. The two look like the old gladiators with breast plates, red velvet, and helmets with the scarlet red plumage.
District 3 comes out next and King is already laughing hard enough to have a heart attack. The brother/sister combo are painted all black and wrapped in different colored wires. It is definitely unique, but the girl is only thirteen. It is far to revealing.
I smile as District 4 comes out. I don't favor them as much as 2, but I admire the stylists work. They were both dressed as mermaids with an appropriate amount of sparkle for the girl and nice trident for the boy. It is clichéd, but you can only do so much with District 4 and still make them look attractive.
"Well, aren't they something?" King mutters to me as District 5 comes out. The girl has some kind of crown on her head that spews oil though it miraculously gets none on her. The boy is wearing and complimenting outfit with the oil as a cape instead. All they have is black body suits underneath.
District 6 was interesting. By the way King is chuckling; I can tell he thinks it is interesting too. The boy is drenched in what must be fake blood and wearing a used to be blue hospital gown. The girl, of course, is the slutty doctor. I take note that King is staring at her.
District 7 is terrifying to say the least. Much like District 7, the boy looks mutilated, but this boy looks more realistic with his blood looking like it comes from actual wounds. The girl is dressed like a murder with an axe. "That's new," is the only thing I can say.
I have never been very fond of 8. I feel the stylist doesn't even try. She didn't this year. The girl is dressed in a dress of buttons while the boy just has a variety of fabrics on. "She's not getting my vote for stylist of the year," I whisper to King who laughs and takes a sip of his drink.
9 is up next and I don't have very high expectations either. The boy is a hunter is a green cap and holding a fake bow and arrow. The girl is dressed as a deer. I admire the effort, but it isn't anything wonderful. "It's cute."
"If you could even call it that," King says, causing me to snicker.
The next two from 10 actually impresses me. The two are dressed like that old painting I can't remember the name of. The boy is like the man, but with a butcher knife instead of a pitch fork. The girl is also holding a pitcher of milk. It is unique in my opinion.
"At least it is different," King says to me. I furrow my eyebrows a bit at his insult to the design, but I don't respond once I see District 11 coming out. The girl is dressed in a gauzy, mother earth type gown with scattered leaves on it. The boy is the same, but with pants. It is cute enough, but the girl is like the girl from 3, way to inappropriately dressed for her age.
Now that District 12 is second to last, I'm not sure they will have the same effect. I was wrong. The girl is wearing a dress made of coal where each one pops with sparks of fire in different intervals. The boy is wearing the same, but with a body suit. Simply stunning.
The new District 14 is last. The whole crowd is silent with anticipation. The pair rolls out and they do it with a bang. They are both wearing what must be solar panels. But instead of sucking in energy, they reflect all the lights in the place. It is hard to look for too long at all the color they are showcasing.
The crowd gets rowdy again even as Snow comes out to greet the tribute. Instead of listening, I turn to King. "Good show this year. I have been meaning to ask you, when did you start working on Gooding Morning Capitol? Are you an intern?"
"Me, an intern? Hell no," he scoffs, looking at me like I am crazy.
I narrow my eyes in confusion and at how rude he is. "Well, only interns and other worker at Good Morning Capitol can be here. I don't think having an ego the size of a TV worker counts," I sneer at him. It was a bit cold considering he only made one chilly remark, but I hate when people insult interns. They work just as hard as everyone else. I should know.
"Oh, did I not properly introduce myself?" he asks in surprise. He puts out his drink and extends his hand to me. "I am King Townshead, your new co-host."
…
There you go, the chariot rides. Also, King will be popping up frequently so keep your eye out for him. VividlyVisceral, I hope you don't mind that I changed King's age. I thought fourteen would be a bit young for working as a host.
Next is the first training chapter. I decided to split the training into two chapters this time. The first day will be one and the next two days will be the next chapter. Reviews are amazing. Peace, Love, and All That Jazz.
-Emma