Victory: A 74th Hunger Games Story

Chapter 2 : Journeys and Surprises

I startle myself out of my state of shock at the note, and jump up out of my chair. No mentors? Really? As if the games weren't hard enough.

I take a look around the room I'm standing in. Which is the kitchen, which flows openly into the living room. The TV in front of the purple couch is off. Making the whole train eerily silent. I sit back down in the black chair, that goes with the white dining table. I stare down at the note, and ponder over how this can possibly benefit me.

Well to start with, this isn't only affecting me. It will affect every tribute. So I guess it's good that we are all at a disadvantage. I wonder how the tributes form District 1 and 2 are reacting to this. I grin at the thought that they are probably having a melt down.

My thoughts are interrupted, when I hear the train door slide open. I whip my head over to the door, and watch three figures walk in. Pippa, and two other people are now aboard the train with me.

One of the people on the train is a boy. He looks like he came straight off of the streets. His hair is long, reaching his shoulders, and looks like it hasn't been brushed in a while. His hair is dirty blonde, and he has small blue eyes. He's tall. Probably as tall as Piper. He catches me staring at him, and smiles at me.

"Excited to be on the train leading to our death?" He said with a playful smile, sitting down in the black chair across from me.

"Well I don't know about you, but I plan to live." I retort back to him. I don't appreciate his dry humor.

"Oh I was only joking," he said smiling, "What's this here?" He said, pointing down to the note from the Capitol.

I give him a moment to read it, and he says, "No mentors? Well, this will indeed be interesting."

"No mentors?" The girl who also, boarded the now moving train, spoke for the first time.

"Come take a seat Mazie. Let's get to know this lovely girl right here." The boy said, patting the seat next to him.

There is something about that boy that I don't like. Something about his smile. His smile sows his teeth, which are a lot cleaner then I expected them to be. His smile looks fake. Like he could betray us at any moment.

It seems like the girl who he called Mazie also doesn't trust him. She chose to sit next to me instead, and is looking at him like she hates him.

"Do you two know each other?" I said to the boy, who is still smiling his untrustworthy smile to Mazie.

"Mazie and I? Oh we go way back." He said winking at her.

"How so?" I ask. I want to know about this boy. Wether I should trust him or not.

"She's best friends with my girlfriend. I've known her for years."

"Oh really? So are you Haxs? Why weren't you at the reaping?" I wonder. "Oh he thinks he's too good for the games. Just like he thinks he's too good for Kayla." Mazie says scowling at Haxs.

This is about to get interesting.

"Not a word about that!" Haxs says sternly to Mazie. He looks back at me and smiles, "Kayla's my girl. We've been together for four years."

"Who you are cheating on!" Mazie yells at Haxs.

"How do you even know about that?" Haxs says defensively.

"Because Ayrilla told me! She told me she walked in on you and that girl from the market!" Mazie accused of Haxs.

Mazie and Haxs argued back and forth with each other. Well this answered my question. I can definitely not trust Haxs.

"Oh whatever Mazie!" Haxs finishes, sitting back down in his chair. The two had risen out of their seats in their argument. "So, Adelaide. Tell me about yourself." Haxs said, regaining his composure with one of his untrustworthy smiles.

I took a moment to answer, as I was un sure of wether I wanted to associate myself with Haxs. I guess I need to be friendly. He'd be one less enemy in the Games.

"Well I have a brother, named Cade. He's one of my best friends. He made me this actually," I said pointing to the braided headband on my forehead. "I have a Mom, a Dad, and a boyfriend. I work in the fields, and that's about it." I say to him smiling. I can't wait to ask Mazie about Haxs when he's gone.

"The fields? You're way to pretty to work in the fields." He said with his signature smile, trying to win me over.

"Maybe you didn't hear me. I have a boyfriend." I say giving him a look saying don't-mess-with-me.

"Oh well," Haxs says, getting up from his chair, "I'll be somewhere in the train if you change your mind. I'm going to find Pippa. Maybe she'll show us our rooms."

Haxs left the room, going down a hallway.

"I hate him." Mazie said.

"Yeah, I don't like him much either." I say, dragging the sentence out. I look back at Mazie and say, "Tell me more about him."

We talk for a long time. Mazie told me all about Haxs. He's 18, and Ayrilla is Mazie's friend. Ayrilla's the one who caught Haxs cheating. Mazie said she'd planed to tell Kayla about Haxs today, but she didn't get the chance. Mazie is here because she's the punishment for Haxs not being at the reaping. The peacekeepers didn't allow Mazie or Haxs to say good bye to their loved ones. Although Mazie said Haxs does't really have anyone to say goodbye to. Other than his girlfriend of course. Mazie explained that he's lived on the streets since he was little. He's managed to get by fairly well, working in the factories. He started to not go to school for the past couple of years, and is known as the ladies man.

Just as the conversation started to lull, Pippa walked into the room.

"Girls, you need to wash up for dinner. I'll show you to your room." Pippa said turning her nose up, beckoning us to follow her.

Mazie and I followed her through the hallway, to the last door.

"I expect you at dinner in 30 minutes. Don't be late."
Pippa went back in the direction she came from. Mazie and I looked at each other and shrugged our shoulders.

We enter the room, and are greeted with one giant bed, and bathroom, and a wardrobe.

"I guess we're sharing." I smiled to Mazie, and sat on the bed.

Mazie joined me on the bed, and we sat facing each other.

"Well you told me about Haxs, but I'd like to know about you. Do you work in the fields?"

This conversation lasted for another hour. We both exchanged facts about each other. Mazie is 15, and has two siblings who are twins. Named Omri and Zela. They're her step siblings, who belong to her step father. Her father died when she was 8, and her mother remarried when she was 9. She started working in the fields at ten, which is the earliest age you can work in the fields. I started in the fields at that age as well. Mazie also, has a boyfriend. His name is Ryeland.

All of the sudden, a sharp rapping noise sounds at the door.

"Girls! You are seriously late! Get out here!" Pippa demands at us.

Mazie and I looked at each other, and hurried out of the room. Pippa was not someone to aggravate.

By the next day, we are in the Capitol. We are lead through the Capitol crowd, and into a huge building. In this huge building, we are guided to an elevator, that leads underground. It is here underground, that all of the tributes are made beautiful by the Capitol stylists. It looks like a hospital down here, but instead of sick patients, there are healthy kids that will be dead in two weeks.

I have three people working on me. All women. One lady has shaved blue hair, and wild, un-natural blue eyes. Another lady has purple eyes and eyebrows. The most natural looking woman has teeth, shaved to look like semi-circles. I decide to get to know these three ladies. I'm probably going to be around them for a while.

I address the natural lady first, "Excuse me, what's your name?" I ask her politely.

The woman looked surprised that I stroke up conversation with her, but responded, "Ali."

"Nice to meet you Ali. I'm Adelaide." I smile back to her. I know she more than likely knows my name, but I figured it'd be nice to tell her myself.

I turn to the lady that has the shaved blue hair, "What is your name?"

"Lake" She said, with a smile that lit her whole face up.

"Nice to meet you Lake." I smiled just as brightly back to her.

I turned to the last woman, who I could tell was excited to speak with me, "And what is your name?"

"Cada" she said shyly.

"Nice to meet you Cada. I have a brother named Cade. Your names are very similar." I said kindly.

"Lake, I am very sorry for the poor state of my nails. I don't work on them often." I say to Lake, trying to start up conversation.

"Oh it's fine dear," Lake says while filing my nails, "I've seen much worse."

We continued to make small talk until they are all done with me. When they are done, they send me through a door that leads to another room. This new room was slightly smaller. Containing a couch, and a table and chairs. Sitting on the couch, was a woman who I assume is the stylist.

"Good afternoon Adelaide, my name is Leigh." Leigh said kindly, giving me a hug.

"Nice to meet you Leigh." I say, returning her hug.

"Now Adelaide, we have a lot to discuss." Leigh said smiling.

The time is now 6:00. Time for the chariots to reveal themselves for the Capitol people. I'm pleased to say that District 9 actually looks really good this year. Usually we are dressed in tightly woven or braided grain. It's sad really. I don't understand why stylists can't understand that just because our district specializes in grain, doesn't mean we want to be dressed in it. However this year, this year is different. Thank goodness. This year we are dressed to symbolize the light that reflects off of the grain. The golden glow, just like the glow that I was admiring two days ago.

Mazie and I are dressed similar. We both have long, nude colored dresses that go down to our ankles. The dresses are covered in golden crystals. Our feet are adorned with platform shoes, that have golden straps that shine. Our make-up is natural. I light layer of foundation, some blush, and very shiny golden lipgloss. My big brown eyes usually have a golden shine, but my dress really brings it out. We have golden earrings that could be worth millions. The only thing that is different between me and Mazie's final look, is the crown.

Mazie's crown is probably two feet tall. The whole thing being golden gems. I honestly don't know how she's keeping it on her head. My crown is much smaller, and dainty. I think Mazie's stylist made hers so tall, was so that she wouldn't look strange beside me and Haxs. I'm 5'7, Haxs is 6'2, and Mazie is about five feet.

Our hair is styled differently as well. While my hair is usually up in a pony tail or bun, they decided to let it flow naturally. I'm super happy about this actually, because my hair never gets to be down. It's one of the rules if you work in the field. Your hair has to be up and out of the way. It's stupid, but it's a rule I must follow. My golden blonde hair glows like my dress does. My hair goes down to my shoulder blades, and it's natural waves have been put into very loose curls.

Mazie's hair is as straight as a board. It's usually wavy, with some slight curl in it. It's strawberry blonde, and reaches her chin. You can still see all of her freckles underneath the thin layer of foundation. I appreciate that our stylists are showing our freckles. Almost everyone in District 9 has them. Her eyes are brown. Like mine. Except hers are a little thiner.

Mazie and I look like golden goddesses, while Haxs is dressed like he's ready for war. I expected them to cut his hair, but they actually made is longer. It's as long as mine now actually. The color is still dirty blonde, and still looks slightly ragged. He has tight, nude colored shorts and a white button down shirt. Some of the shirt's buttons have been left undone. His shoes are simple tan flats. The thing that really sets him apart is the helmet. Mazie and I have crowns, Haxs has armor. His head is covered in a beautiful gold helmet. His shins and forearms are covered in golden plates of armor. He looks intimidating.

It took the three stylists a long time to decide on what order we should all stand on the chariot. It was between Haxs being in the middle because he was the only guy, or Mazie being in the middle because she is the shortest. The two foot tall crown on Mazie made her look taller than she really was, so they decided to put Haxs in the middle.

Just as I was about to engage Haxs and Mazie in conversation, the big stone doors opened, and the District 1 chariot started walking up the stone ramp that leads to where the parade will wake place. I was told earlier about how the building works. There are a total of 14 levels. The first level, is really the negative first level. It's the underground area where the tributes are made pretty. It's also the place we are in right now. The chariots climb up a short ramp to get onto ground level. The next level, which is ground level, is the training center. Then the building goes up. 12 levels for each district to stay in.

It is now our chariots turn to walk up to ground level. Our chariot starts moving at a rapid pace, making the ride bumpy. It's insanely hard to hold on. I wonder if anyone has ever fallen off before.

The designs our stylist made for us are coming to life. The orange evening rays of sun are shining down upon us, making us glow in the purest form of gold. All of the chariots are out now and I hear several names being shouted. I even hear my own a few times.

The chariots are now reaching a stop, Forming a semi circle around the stage where President Snow is about to speak. The words n the note from the train come back to. It said there would be announcements tonight. I wonder what they'll say.

"Good evening tributes and Happy Hunger Games!" President Snow said excitedly.

The crowed roared with cheers in response. I look over Haxs and roll my eyes to Mazie. She does the same back to me.

"Citizens of the Capitol. This may be news to you but this year we are applying changes to the Hunger Games. We are testing new elements out this year." President Snow said, addressing the People of Panem.

"Tributes, you already know a little of this. That is if you read the letter on the train. The letter states that there will be a series of changes. In fact, some will be announced tonight." President Snow grinned an evil smile.

The citizens roar in applause to the news that we would be finding some news out tonight. I am intrigued by what could possibly be announced. What could they possibly change about the games?

"I know what some of you might be thinking. 'What on earth could we change about the games?'" President Snow said.

Well yes, that is exactly what I'm wondering.

"The answer is being reveled to you now. The tributes already know that there will be no mentors. That was the only change reveled in the letter." President Snow pauses.

The capitol didn't react. I'm sure they want something more elaborate.

"The next two changes that we are announcing the tributes do not know." Snow paused again.

He's building tension, and I hate it.

"The first announcement is that there will be a list of objectives that you must complete if you want to win. We will not say what is on the list. You will find that out in the games." Snow said evilly, almost with an evil chuckle. I think there is a lot more to this list than he is revealing.

"Now this next announcement was a very hard decision for us to make. We couldn't decide wether this would negatively affect the viewers, or make it more exciting. For this reason, this change is not permeant for these games. But for now," Snow pauses, and looks at each and every one of us with an evil grin.

I do not like this.

"There will be,"

Just say it already!

"No sponsors. May the odds be ever in your favor." President Snow has left the stage with the crowd roaring in applause, and the tributes silent. Wondering how they are going to survive.

Hey guys! Sorry for the long wait and the short chapter. I can't really decide if this chapter is short or if the last chapter was long lol. You tell me.

So! What did you think of the two changes? And to think that those are the most tame. But like president snow said, the whole sponsor thing might be temporary. It depends on how things are going for the viewers and the tributes. Tell me what you think! Your opinion matters! : )