[Flowers] • The Hunger Games

Two

The train ride was shorter than she hoped.

They didn't stop for anything, they never had to slow down- it was just a clear shot straight to the Capitol. They arrived at the same time as the other tributes from their separate trains. Though district 12 was the last, and frankly least important district in the eyes of the Capitol, they were not the furthest district from the Capitol. Parts of 6, 11, 8 and 4 all went further from the Capitol than where 12's central train station was located. Asteria had come to learn that tributes from district 11 typically had the longest train ride, lasting just over two full days on average.

She'd started nearly force feeding them at lunch on the first day. After their conversation about the games. She explained the science of carbo-loading- how fat disintegrated in the body, and how their physical forms would begin to act and deteriorate the longer they went without supplies. She pushed them away from healthier options like salmon or salads and towards pastas and breads. Their bodies, in the hours and days after the start of the games- if they made it that long- would run longer on built-up carbs than they would on protein or dairy.

She explained the general rules of three. You can survive three minutes without oxygen, three hours without shelter in moderately extreme conditions, three days without water, and three weeks without food. She made sure to pinpoint that different arenas would have different needs. Hot, humid climates would suck the moisture out of them faster, and they might need shelter sooner than three hours in if they were in a frozen or storming arena. Everything was situational, but general rules still applied to most arenas.

She explained common strategies. Teaming up longer than the first few days without a plan being the worst possible decision they could make. Someone in that group was bound to attack the others, and everything would fall apart. Making personal attachments during the games would be a close second-worst for them to do. Creating fires would point the careers straight at them. Hunting was nearly impossible without something long-range, so learning how to trap would be integral for getting fresh meat. Things like that.

Haymitch explained sponsors. Creating desirable personas would make them more appealing to the richest members of the Capitol. Asteria agreed and explained that her own designed persona years ago- a completely fabricated front, had earned her a sponsorship of a knife, some bread, and a canteen eight days into her own games. And with prices getting more and more expensive the further the games went on, that six-inch blade must have cost a fortune. The second most expensive sponsorship in the history of the games, in fact, just narrowly beat by the trident donation the year before her own game. She chimed in and made an effort to tell them just how integral their personas would be in how the games would play out.

The two mentors worked together to give them their characters. Gale was going to be a pretty face, act like the golden boy of district twelve. Smiles all around, a confident and charismatic young man who wasn't too worried about the outcome of the games. Like he already had everything figured out.

"No matter how afraid you really are, never let them see that. You aren't worried about a thing. Make them believe that." Asteria advised, with a nod.

And Madge would be a damsel in distress. Sweet, nurturing- they were making her into the Capitol's motherly figure. She was far too old a tribute to make into the younger sister type. The girl from eleven would quickly fill that role. But she could still be someone who they'd feel compelled to help protect. She would wear her golden hair in curls, and Asteria was willing to fight her costume designer until she was made into the most beautiful, delicately decorated tribute they had to offer this year.

"You're an angel. I want the most sickly-sweet, overly exaggerated answers to questions. I want all of the smiles and waves you can manage. I want them to fall in love with you." Asteria told Madge.