Author's Note
I do not own the Hunger Games.
Aaand we're into the 'Capitol' section! Quick reminder that if you haven't answered the submitter check in question on the last question, please do so!
Vivaldi Perlman, 16
As soon as his chariot had stopped moving, Vivaldi was jumping from it and scanning the large hall they had stopped in for Thorin.
He was ahead, with another boy and two girls – did he have an alliance? Without Vivaldi? How often did he play? And after he'd scorned Vivaldi's desire to entire with such derision! What was this? Who would he even ally with? He'd mentioned friends in brief passing, but Vivaldi had never met any of them.
"Thorin!" Vivaldi called, pushing past another trio of players to get to him. "Thorin!"
Thorin turned, and a strange kind of horror passed over his face. His usually slicked back hair had been flattened for his peacekeeper outfit, and he looked strange with no paint on his skin, but it was him, and Vivaldi's heart fluttered at the fear on Thorin's face. The crowd broke around them, as though they were in some perfect drama, and Vivaldi hurried to get closer to Thorin.
"Vivaldi?" he whispered, a soft horror in his voice. "What are you doing?"
One of the girls laughed and nudged Thorin's shoulder. "You know this kid, hey?"
"I– uh, yeah, he's–" Thorin glanced at her and then broke away from the group, stepping towards Vivaldi. "Look, just give me a moment."
She flashed him a grin. "Don't be long. We want to keep moving to training."
"You can go ahead, I'll catch up."
The three muttered among themselves, but did move towards the large door at the other end of the hall with TRAINING written over it in large, glowing letters. Their next destination, evidently. Vivaldi reached for Thorin's arm, but he jerked away.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed. He looked… almost angry, his hazel eyes hard in a way that had never been directed at Vivaldi before.
Vivaldi folded his arms. "Me? I could ask you the same question! I thought you weren't interested in The Game! Now I find out you're coming here with friends?"
Thorin groaned and ran his hand through his hair. A warm fluttering pulsed in Vivaldi's stomach. Thorin turned away from him – he turned away! – and pressed his head to his hands before turning back again. "Vivaldi… Look, this really isn't the kind of thing you'd like. Pull the emergency release, you can swap out. I'll explain everything later."
"Pull–"It took a moment for Vivaldi to gather his thoughts, staring at him. "No, I'm playing! I can do this!"
"Vivaldi, please–"
"Why do you think I entered?"
Art and music, he was good at art and music, but he could be good at other things too, he just needed a chance. This was that chance. And how much better would he be now that he had Thorin here to help him?
"I can be good at this!" Vivaldi snapped.
Thorin sighed. "Vivaldi, this isn't a good idea–"
Vivaldi flung his arms up. "And now that you're here– I can join your alliance! We can do it together!"
Had that been Thorin's plan? To lure him into the Game and then become lovers in the arena, display their relationship to the world? A twinge of fear twisted in Vivaldi's gut at that thought. Thorin could never be so cruel.
Thorin shook his head. "Tavia wouldn't like that. It's meant to just be the four of us."
"You'd… choose them over me?" He looked over at Thorin's… friends? Two girls and another boy, none of whom had clearly ever heard of makeup or ways to make them look good. If only he'd known before the Parade, he could have helped out! "Who even are they?"
"Look… Vivaldi, I'm sorry." Thorin stepped away from him, moving back towards his alliance. "Please just back out. I can explain later."
"You don't think I can do it!"
"It's not like that!"
Vivaldi stared after him as his heart began to crack in his chest. This felt wrong, all wrong. The Thorin he knew wasn't like this.
"I'm going to prove you wrong!" he shouted, and his voice rang uncomfortably inside his skull.
Ares Gilmore, 15
It would be a relief to be able to switch the damn robot costume to the District Three training outfit. It would hopefully have attracted some sponsorship points from younger viewers, but the thing was crazily restricted, tightening around him with every step he took. The padded shoulders knocked against his cheeks with every step he took.
Ares groaned and stretched his arms as far as the costume would allow. They must be cramping in the pod, he could feel the ache. He closed his eyes and for a moment the world was in two as he drew in a breath of cold air, shifting his position. Once feeling began to return, he opened his eyes again to find Artemis stood before him.
"Position problems?" she asked.
"Yup." He tugged at the collar of the costume. "I can't wait to get this stupid thing off. It is not as comfortable as it looks."
Artemis laughed and shook her head, flapping her own too short skirt. "Should've chosen a better costume."
"Never mind the mockery. We taking in anyone else?"
"Apollo wants one of the girls from Nine."
"How old?"
"Sixteen."
"Sure, I'm cool."
He could hardly argue with it, given that he was a year younger. The girl, who had striking striped red, blue, and yellow hair, introduced herself as Victorianna Wonder, 'Call me Wonder.'
"I can see why," said Ares, taking her offered hand awkwardly in his gloved one.
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, fuck knows what my parents were thinking."
He laughed. "So what you good at?"
"Ranged stuff, mostly. Bows, slingshots. Oh, and medicine."
He could see why Apollo had recruited her.
Sorcha Summerfield, 17
According to her counter, she already had thirty sponsor points. Evidently the patchwork dress of District Three hadn't hampered her too much.
"Oh, I see Marcellina!" Calpurnia exclaimed, waving her hands. "Marcellina! Over here!"
Sorcha glanced around. She still couldn't see Luminita – had she gone ahead? Without her? No; according to the training doors, no one had gone through yet.
Another girl came over from the District Twelve chariot. She was a touch shorter than Calpurnia and several inches shorter than Calpurnia herself, with pale pink hair drawn into a bun under the helmet of her miner's costume.
"Oh, you ended up in Twelve?" Calpurnia said with sympathy in her voice.
The girl rubbed a dirty hand down her dirty apron. "Yeah. It's been… pretty meh."
"Ugh. I'm sorry to hear that," Sorcha agreed. "I was in Twelve a few Games ago; it sucks. They haven't had any good Victors in decades."
"It's not that bad. The other players are nice, and our escort is pretty cool." She looked at Calpurnia. "Who's this?"
"Oh, this is Sorcha. She's Treasa's sister."
"Oh, that's cool! I'm Marcellina."
"Yeah, nice to meet you. Ah!" Sorcha waved for Luminita, who it seemed had been in deep conversation with a girl in a cowboy costume. She was dressed in a conductor's uniform, with a cap fitted over her green hair. Sorcha led Calpurnia and Marcellina over to join her. "There you are! I've been looking for you!"
"I was just talking to Celeste," Luminita replied.
Sorcha looked at the other girl. A little young, but allies were allies. "Does she want to ally?"
"I don't… think so. Celeste, do you want to ally?"
"No," replied the other girl. "I wanted to warn her about the rabbits."
"What squirrels?"
"They bite. I have to join my brother now. I'll see you again, Luminita." She glanced at Sorcha. "Not you."
"Weird kid," Sorcha said once she had left.
"She's sweet enough," Luminita replied. "Are you going to introduce me?"