"You're fired. After these Games, you and Brexallin are fired," I glared at Callig and he burst into tears. Effie sadly nodded and distastefully fingered the rough, black, leather strips cut and sewn to make them look like coal birds. A black and gray hat covered Koltos' blonde hair and both Koltos and Mira had leather stockings and boots on. The rest of their skin was covered in leather strips and black feathers.
Crows that were stuffed into a dryer. People would think they were from the ugly leather district.
District 1 was in a blue suit and dress. Their hair was covered in glitter and Gracelyn and Hermes were both stunning. District 2 was in white pants and that was about it. Titania had a small bikini top to wear and both had sandals on. Their muscles and strength were clearly visible and both looked majestic while my Tributes looked like crows that were regurgitated by a hippo.
Haymitch stumbled to where we were and looked over Koltos and Mira. He nodded and looked at me with a grossed out expression.
"Callig, if Cato hasn't done it yet, you're fired," He smirked and Callig sobbed even harder. Brexallin had a look of sadness, but she did not let any tears come.
The drunk agrees. Callig is a failure in society. At least Brexallin has some dignity.
"Tributes, to your chariots. Tributes, to your chariots," Seneca Crane's voice called out and the two boarded the chariot.
"Whatever you do, dont fall off, and try to smile. Wave a little." I ordered and they nodded. When the chariots were alligned, Haymitch and I rode the elevator to the Victor's Box and watched the procession move on.
"Hello there," A smooth voice appeared behind me and a hand tapped my shoulder. Not bothering to look behind, I replied,
"Hello, Finnick. Fancy seeing you here," Finnick walked up and stood by me next to the window.
Hello besty for the resty.
"What a crowd. You still Mentoring for 12?" I nodded in reply. "Sad. I wonder how long my tributes will last. What with the Careers looking that big." he pointed to the first two chariots. I agreed with him.
"How long before they turn on each other is the real question. We both saw how short the alliance was for the last Games. Bets will be left and right. Nobody wants to bet on the losing team," Finnick quirked an eyebrow and looked at District 12's chariot. He snorted and pointed.
"I hope you fired the idiot that came up with that." He nodded and I saw Mira waving and Koltos trying to maintain his balance and smile at the same time.
"I fired him and his partner. They will be out of Haymitch's hair for the next Games."
Hopefully someone with actual taste is assigned.
"You don't expect to be with 12 next year?" Finnick asked and I shook my head.
"I'm hoping the President will pull me next year." Finnick leaned to look at my face. He studied my stoic expression and ran a hand through his hair.
"Well, what was it that these Capitol people say a lot?" He snapped his fingers twice. "Oh! May the odds be ever in your favor." He made a mock bow and walked away to go back to the elevator.
May the odds be ever in your favor, what a joke. The odds are never in your favor.
But you can manipulate them to be.
And how on earth would you do that?
"How..." I muttered. Kelsa tapped my shoulder and motioned for the elevators.
"C'mon, Cato. We have to find our tributes." How would I manipulate the odds to be in my favor?
The elevator doors opened and I greeted Haymitch and glared at Callig. The worm had enough sense to cower under my gaze. Even in stilletto's, Callig was still shorter than me. His blue hair barely reached my chin and his long eyelashes were hideous.
Riding the stupid elevator back up to the 12th floor, we sat down and had lunch. Halfway through the meal, the conversation started.
"How do I join the Career Pack?" Mira asked and I scoffed.
They would rip you to shreds.
"Unless they ask you to join them, you're not getting in. You saw last year's Games. Do you want to be like the girl from 11?" I asked and she shook her head. "I didn't think so."
"But I bet I could make it." Her voice and expression were too eager for my taste so I nodded.
"With what skills? Care to tell us a few things about yourself?" I asked and she nodded.
"I can do gymnastics,"
Great.
"I can throw decently, I'm pretty enough for sponsors, and I bet I could take one of the Career Girls on." She boasted. Haymitch laughed and I snorted.
"Gymnastics won't do anything, sweetheart." He chortled and spilled his drink.
"Haymitch!" Effie reprimanded him. Koltos looked at me.
"I don't know anything about weapons, so where should I go first when it's time to train?" He asked and Haymitch pointed his fork at him.
"I like this one. Go to the survival stations and try to learn how to throw something. A knife or a spear." I agreed.
There's a Tribute who actually has hope!
"You look like you could do the long distance of a spear. Try going for that." Koltos nodded and resumed eating. I turned to Mira.
"You. Gymnastics won't help you at all. You need some sort of strength. As for beauty, no offense, but the Careers already have two eye-catching girls. They'll rack in more Sponsors than you could dream of. So do a knife station and stick with survival skills." She nodded sullenly and returned to her sliced lamb.
She could seduce Roland or Hermes. That might get her somewhere.
"You could try seducing one of the Careers." I stated and she smirked.
"Maybe." She muttered and Effie gasped.
"Young lady! Such vulgarity, and we are eating lunch! Anyway, we are on a tight schedule. Right after we are done, you two need to get into your training uniforms." They heeded her orders without a single complaint and quickly finished their meal.
Once the three had left, Haymitch turned to me.
"How many years are you staying in 12?" He asked and I shrugged.
"I'm going to ask my father to arrange a meeting with the President for me." Haymitch nodded and I stood up. "I'll see you later."
~'~'~'~
"Father, I can not see why the President still hasn't come up with the number of years I have to stay in District 12!" I exclaimed into the phone and Father sighed.
"I'm sorry, son, but he has not made up his mind yet. Please be patient. Would you like to come home for dinner tonight? Juna misses you." He asked and I sighed.
"Yes, Father, I'll be home for dinner."
"Good. Now try to win. The council ridicules me for raising a and I quote, 'loser of a son'. Try to bring a Tribute back to 12."
Do you know how hard that is?! Walk a mile in our shoes and see how damn hard this job really is!
"Of course, Father. I'll see you in a few hours." I set the phone down and stretched my arms out. I hated being stuck in the dreary confines of 12. Now, it looked like I was going to have to live there forever.
You could hang out with the illegal hunters. Katniss and what's his name? It sounded like Gay or something. Game?
Hunters did not make very good friends. Especially because I was a Victor constantly in the public eye. I would attract too much attention to them and probably get us all killed. Plus, Gay was a bit too glum for my taste. Katniss had a certain fire in her, but she was still a novice in these Games.
I rode the elevator to the roof of the Tribute Center and sat on the green panneling. The horizon was dotted with lights and the city was loud and bustling underneath.
It's quiet up here, though. Do you like the quiet?
No, it's not meant for me. I come here to be alone. I don't think I could ever live in too quiet of a place.
You live in 12.
I'm forced to live in 12. It's not very quiet with all of the crazy shit I manage to do with Haymitch.
I wonder what Miss Everdeen is doing?
Probably nothing. I looked down and saw all the little Capitolites taking walks, spying on Victors and Tributes alike, and just living their ostentatious and stupid lifestyles.
Ignorance. Beautiful isn't it? You find it in every child, but let it grow, and it will fester into stupidity and arrogance. Look at all those festering souls.
They let twenty-three children die every year and placed bets, sent gifts, and did whatever the hell they wanted. While a little girl was starving to death in District 12, Capitolites were feasting on duck, veal, venison, chicken, goat, and steak. Melons, pudings, alcoholic cookies that burst into flame, and cakes. They stuffed themselves silly and then went to the nearest doctor and had whatever spilled over their waistline trimmed off. While children in 11 had nothing but threadbare rags to fend the cold, Lucille and Juna were in plush minks, silk, satin, velvet, and chiffon. The two girls were far too young to know exactly how deep their frivolous activities were, but they loved to wear clothes that weren't available to anyone but them.
You think your sister is becoming a Capitolite?
People change. I don't know what she will become, but I pray she will never see the Capitol as beautiful when she is older.
Where she lives dictates that. You would risk having her in the Hunger Games as long as she knew right from wrong?
I groaned. If only there was a place where the Games didn't exist. Where all people could just... come together.
Looking down, I made out small details in all of the people. There was a woman with white hair that only wore white. Her skin had been dyed a papery white and the only color on her was a purple chameleon perched on her shoulder. Then there was a man with six different colored moustaches. A woman with the face of a cat, and her son had pointed ears and dyed teeth. It was utterly despicable.
The sun slowly went down and shadows crept up the sides of the city. That was as far as they got. Streetlamps and night lights had been turned on, and the city was as bright as it was three hours ago. Still people walked around without a care in the world.
It's time to go home.
I stood up and brushed the stray pieces of roof off of my pants and opened the door to the elevator. It was time to go back home. To the little sister I thought was corrupted by the Capitol's sheer idiocity.
At least your father and President Snow banned them from doing anything crazy. Face it, they wear fashions from the Dark Ages at parties. Their hair is normally colored, and both are just regular. Be grateful for that, and you can change the rest, can't you?
I got into the car and told the chauffeur to drive. The passing lights were of no comfort, and the bustling roar of the city failed to remind me of home. The average citizen that lived in one of the districts saw that Capitol as a place like heaven. Enough food, warm clothes, and no back-breaking labor. Victors and Tributes saw it as Hell on Earth.
Idiots in neon colors swarmed the car and tried to snap pictures of me. I tapped a button next to the window opener, and the windows immediatley darkened.
Pro of havin a lot of money.
High intensity lightbulbs flashed as the idiots tried to take pictures of me.
Con of having a lot of money.
Finally, I reached home, and took the elevator up to our floor.
"Cato!" Juna screamed and ran out to hug me. Her dirty blonde hair was up in a sleek ponytail that resembled Enobaria's way too much.
"Sup squirt!" Enobaria called and I called back a greeting.
"Welcome home, son." Father walked over and hugged me, and we walked to the dining room, where Eobaria was already sitting. "Now that Cato's here, let's eat." He smiled and I began scooping food onto my plate. Juna was eating and taling to Enobaria.
"Father, you and Juna should visit me in 12." I stated and he nodded.
"I was planning on going during the Victory Tour. President Snow is going to give me some time off." Juna looked at me.
"What does District 12 look like?" She asked.
Oh shit.
"It's wide and has a huge forest beyond the District border. I live in the Victor's Village and... I guess that's it. It's gray, bleak, and boring. I train to pass the time." Juna blinked.
"Daddy, I want to go to 12!" She exclaimed.
"In due time, Juna." Father smiled and continued to eat. I let out a mental sigh of relief and scooped more food into my mouth. Dinner commenced as usual and desert was a flaming cake with green icing. The outer layer burned away and left the inside warm and melty.
Fire cake, the best way to end a horrific day.
After dinner, Father sent Juna to play in her room while he and I talked.
"How is the voice in your head?" He asked and I flinched.
"I don't know. Once second I'm fine, and the next, boom. I throw a decanter or break a neck." He patted my back and nodded.
"Cato, your mother... she..."
"Did the voice in her head ever go away?" I asked and Father nodded.
"Junallia might have been lying, but after Juna began to speak and walk, I think that was when she told me the voice was gone. Maybe she never even had a voice. Perhaps it was the severity of her depression. I might never know." Father ran a hand through his blonde hair and sighed. "31 is too young of an age to die." I could swear there were tears in my father's eyes and I nodded.
So that means I might be here for good.
"How old were you when she... you know..." I muttered and father peered over at the picture of mother holding Juna as a baby.
"When she died, I was 35." He stated and scowled at the ground. "Do you still work for the Capitol?"
"I'm a Victor-"
"That's not what I mean." Father growled and I nodded.
"The President still insists on selling me." I said and Father's hands clenched. "Father, they were going to kill Juna. I had no choice. You're too valuable to the President, but Juna? She means nothing to him except as his granddaughter's playmate." Father nodded and patted my back.
"Son, whatever you do, just know that I'm proud of you."
"Daddy?" Juna steeped out from the hallway and Father immediately smiled.
"Yes, princess?"
"Is Cato staying for the night?" She asked and he shook his head.
"No, dear. Your brother has to work very early tomorrow morning. Why don't you come and sit with us?" Father moved to the far end of the couch and patted the space between us. Juna scampered forward and sat down, her bare feet pushing against my left leg and her head on Father's right leg.
"I like it when Cato comes over." She sighed and I smiled down at her.
"I like it when I come over too." I replied, and hugged her tiny form against mine.