Claudius Templesmith, 30

Hunger Games Announcer

"Ladies, gentlemen, and those who have transcended the concept of gender… Welcome to the Tribute Parade for the 66th Annual Hunger Games! We have an amazing set of tributes this year, from surprise volunteers to a pair of siblings! This is sure to be a wild ride, so get settled and prepare to see our stars!"

"And here comes the first chariot! District 1! They always start us off strong, and this year is no exception. Becky is wearing a long, flowing pink gown that is fit for a princess. It's decorated with small, shining diamonds that coalesce around the waist and shimmer in the evening light. Her makeup is soft and bubblegum-pink, like her hair, which is in an elegant updo. A silver tiara shines amongst her curls and she is holding a scepter topped with a diamond butterfly."

"Aurelius looks dashing in a matching pink suit. His blonde hair is styled to perfection, and he is wearing a fur cape embedded with diamonds. His crown is regal and shining, giving him a kingly aura. He may only be 17, but he has a commanding presence unlike any I've seen."

"District 2 can be hit-or-miss, and I'd say this year falls in the middle. Artemis is wearing a gray toga and her skin is dusted in metallic gray powder. A silver circlet sits on top of her head and there is glitter in her dark hair. Her makeup is dull in color, but quite dramatic."

"Donquixote is also dusted gray. He's shirtless and his cropped gray pants are loose and baggy. His skin sparkles though, like veins of quartz through ordinary rock. His green eyes are lined in black, making them pop even more. And I don't think I've ever seen a tribute look as excited and proud as he is."

"It looks like District 3 really leaned into the technologically advanced look this year. Even their chariot and black horses are adorned with wires. And Robyn's sleek metal bodysuit is decorated with gears and wires so intricate they almost look real. Her face is painted to show metal beneath her skin and her right eye is a vibrant and mechanical green. Her short silver hair is slicked back and she has a determined look on her face."

"Kairos is dressed in a similar silver bodysuit, but his is decorated with red accents. His ruby earring still hangs from his ear. He is waving to the crowd and throwing bright red roses. He's much more personable than Robyn, though her haughty act is appealing."

"I've been waiting for District 4 all night, and now it's their turn! If I could bet, I'd bet on them. Lotus is dressed in a teal wrap dress decorated with the flowers that are zeir namesake. A heavy string of pearls adorns zeir neck and zey have a crown of pearls nestled in zeir dark hair. Winged eyeliner accentuates zeir dark eyes. Zeir feet are bare and a cloud of mist is billowing around zem and Crash."

"And speaking of Crash… xey look amazing! Look at those muscles! Xey are a tank and I can't wait to see xem crash through the arena. See what I did there? Anyways, Crash is wearing an intricate woven top decorated with dark purple seashells. And xey're rocking an iridescent purple wrap skirt that shows off xeir bulging calf muscles. Like Lotus, xey have bare feet. And xeir makeup is shimmery and purple."

"District 5 went for the humorous approach and I'm not sure how well it's working. I can hear laughter from the crowd but Anastasia looks absolutely humiliated. And I don't blame her. She's a beautiful girl and I doubt she wants to be dressed up as a wall socket."

"Isaac looks better, though his costume is dependent on his district partner's. He's dressed in a white lab coat and is wearing goggles and yellow gloves. But his face is singed and his hair is standing on end. The message is clear; don't put your fingers in Anastasia's sockets!"

"District 6 tends to be on-the-nose, but I quite like what Julian and Lavender have done this year. Jay is dressed in a feathery outfit and has wide gray bird wings on his back. He even has a feathered headpiece to match."

"Leona's namesake is clear now too. She's dressed as a lion, but she looks more cute than fierce. Look at her little whiskers! Leona was a volunteer, presumably to accompany her brother Jay, who is blind. Neither of them look pleased to be here, but Jay might have the tiniest of smiles on his face. It's hard to tell."

"Here come the trees! And I'm not just saying that because their names are Aspen and Birch. They're literally dressed as trees. Not the ones they're named after though, oddly enough. Based on the sharp needles, I'd say Birch is a pine, while Aspen is decorated in maple leaves. At least her bark-patterned bodysuit shows off her curves. And she's got a sweet smile on her face. What a darling girl."

"District 8 is up next and– oh! What an interesting choice! While I wouldn't give points for sophistication, creativity is through the roof! Taffeta and Calceus are dressed as ragdolls! The rosy cheeks and stitched smiles are done beautifully, and the patchwork fabric of their outfits are made from all sorts of beautiful materials."

"And here is District 9! Word is that Mac and Brady are married, and Brady volunteered because he didn't want to be separated from his wife. How sweet! These two will be ones to watch out for, especially if Brady is as fierce as he looks! He's wearing black robes and holding a giant scythe, while Mac is in a dark red Grecian gown. A crown of golden wheat sits on her head and her strawberry hair is flowing behind her. They are holding hands."

"District 10 is out now, and Brielle looks beautiful. She's wearing a long, flowing grass-green dress decorated with wildflowers. A necklace of twisted vines hangs around her neck and wooden bead earrings dangle from her ears. Her curled hair is boasting a headpiece of twigs and her makeup is earthy and natural."

"And Andy looks just as striking. His suit is brown and worn, but in a charming way. A bundle of blue wildflowers is in his breast pocket and he is wearing the same crown of twigs that Brielle is. His head is held high as he and his district partner make their way down the promenade."

"District 11's chariot is being pulled by two dull brown horses, but their tributes are anything but dull. While Freya and Saigon are both dressed in overalls and straw hats, their clothes are torn and shredded. Bloody cuts streak their faces and hands and Saigon is gripping a pitchfork threateningly. If their costumes are telling us anything, it's that these two are fighters. I'd watch out for them if I were you."

"And finally, we have District 12. Marjoram and Arawn are wearing the clothing of the natives who lived in Panem long before the Dark Days. They have on white leather cloaks with hanging fringes and embroidered with flowers and Marjoram has feathers braided into her hair. Arawn is holding a staff with feathers tied to it and they both have coal dust smeared on their cheeks. An odd choice, but perhaps one of them has native heritage? I'm sure their stylists have a reason…"

"But that is all for this year's Tribute Parade! Come back later tonight for another rundown of the reapings and the parade, and the poll results for the best costumes will be revealed! So get your votes in and don't turn off your televisions just yet! Thank you for joining us, and if we don't see you, have a great night."

Hi everyone! Good news! I finally got my laptop back so I can write on a non-funky computer! I'm getting used to the keyboard again though... But anyways, here is the Tribute Parade! I hope you enjoyed the costumes I went with. I'm sorry I couldn't fit more of Claudius's personality in here, or anything outside of the actual announcements. This is definitely not my best chapter... I'm sorry. But please leave a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! All reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated :)

Questions

1) Whose parade costume was your favorite?

2) If you could save one tribute from the bloodbath, who would it be? (besides your own)

3) If you could kill one tribute in the bloodbath, who would it be?

4) Any final guesses on Leona and Jay's inspirations, based on their chariot costumes? (I'll reveal what it is next chapter, I promise)

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona