Stupid Celebrations
After I left Current and my mentor alone, I knew I had to come up with my own strategy for survival. To be honest, Current seems to be mentally weak and my mentors are about as helpful as a flamethrower in a room filled with kerosene. I have to play on my strengths. I was intelligent, I know that. I can also hide well enough, and I'm a good runner. I'm sly as well, like a fox. I begin to formulate a plan when Current comes into the room. "Not a lot of help are they?" he asked. "So, what is our plan for surviving? I mean, if you want to be allies that is." "Of course I do," I told Current. District partners usually don't against each other, at least at the beginning of the Games. Current sat down across from me at the table and looked at me for advice. "So?" he asked and I wanted to cry. Not only am I from District 5, I have morphling addicts for mentors, and a partner who will rely on me to do all the thinking for him! "Well, what are your strengths?" I asked Current and he pondered for a minute. "I'm decent with swords," he said. "Great!" I replied, happy that if he at least wasn't smart, he could be the muscle and me the brains. "Anything else?" "No," he said, "How about you?" Instantly I fell back into defensive mode. For some reason I felt that I couldn't completely trust Current, at least if I was going to survive. "Well, I'm actually decent with knife throwing," I lied smoothly and didn't detect any suspicion on his face. "Good," he replied and gave me a small smile before he eyes regained the haunted look he has had on his face almost the entire journey.
The train screeched to a halt at around seven in the evening when dusk was just beginning to set in. I woke up from the nap I was taking and glanced outside to a world that seemed unreal. Golden gates and pavements led to streets that were filled with Capitol citizens. The tall buildings gleamed in the low light of the sun and fountains poured out different colors of water. A few of the citizens caught sight of me peeking out the window and began to scream my name and point with excitement. I waved nervously at them, knowing it was essential to be nice if I were to gain any sponsors. Yzzay looked approvingly at me, before some guards escorted Current and I out of the train and towards the Hunger Games center where the tributes stayed until the Games began. I spent as much time as I could, however, waving at the crowds and looking at the buildings to try and garner some knowledge about the likes of Capitol citizens. Yzzay kept prodding me in the back and telling me to move along as we walked towards the building.
Once inside, I was separated from Current and taken to a small room where four people were waiting. They gave me a shower, cut my hair, shaved my legs and arms, and essentially cleaned me from head to toe. A few minutes after they left, another person walked in who I recognized from the previous Hunger Games: Rayne Waters. He is the traditional District 5 designer and makeup artist. I heard a few people mentioning that District 12's designer quit this year; I wonder how he will do. Rayne walked around me for a few minutes before he clapped his hands and his associates walked in. They began more cleaning, clipping, and cleansing, that left me feeling like a child's doll. Rayne left the room for a minute before coming back with my parade costume, a glittering silver dress that was intended to remind the citizens of electricity. The only thing it reminded me of is horridness. I was forced into the ugly costume and then had makeup applied to my face. The entire procedure with Rayne took around thirty minutes and in that time he only said about five words to me. One glance in the mirror, however, and I wished I was in anything but this ugly outfit. But there was no time to argue, and I was rushed off to join the other tributes in the parade area where a charity is waiting that will show Current and I off to the bloodthirsty crowds of the Capitol.
Current was waiting in the charity when I arrived but I barely recognized him. We had the same matching costume but the makeup they applied to him made him look a lot older and more mature. I climbed into the charity and Rayne came up to us, made a few quick adjustments, and told us to smile at the crowds and be "dazzling." Whatever…I turned to talk to Current but noticed his attention was towards the District 12 tribute. Ah, Katniss Everdeen. She is already the talk of the Capitol after volunteering to take her sister's place. I noticed her costume and didn't see anything particularly spectacular about it except that they weren't dressed in the usual coalminers' outfits. Thank goodness for that! Just then, some of the Capitol workers began to align the chariots in the correct order and the parade began.
District 1 when out first and subsequently followed in numerical order by the rest of the Districts with a pause in between each one. As soon as 1 entered the arena the crowds went wild. I bet it was for Glimmer, that really pretty tribute I saw. She is sure to get a lot of sponsors just off of her beauty. Well honey, I thought, beauty won't win in the arena. Brains will! District 2 followed with more cheers, then 3, and finally time for 4. All of a sudden nerves hit me as the chariot rolled forward. I entered into a giant stadium where crowds were going crazy and throwing flowers and other trinkets at Current and I. I smiled nervously and gave a few smalls waves while trying to force myself to be charming and not look like the scared girl I was! I continued on in this fashion, glancing occasionally at the screen to see the other tributes, and began to zone out the crowd with nerves until a huge cheer arose when District 12 entered. I looked and the outfits of District 12 had been transformed from the plain black attire to Katniss and her male tribute looking like fire! Flames danced on their costume, and my mouth dropped at the sight of them. Current gave me a little kick, and I cursed myself for my stupidity. Still, it didn't matter. No one was paying attention to anyone but the dangerous and beautiful tributes of 12. I knew now that one thing was for certain: the Careers might dominate the arena, but Katniss has control of the crowds.