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THE TRAIN IS NICER THAN ANYTHING OCTAVIA COULD HAVE PICTURED. She and Augustus each are given their own chambers, with their own bedrooms and bathrooms. Octavia is surprised to find how quickly the water gets hot when she turns on the sink. There are drawers upon drawers filled with beautiful clothes. Octavia wonders why the Capitol chooses to give so much to the tributes just before killing them. To rub it in their faces? To say, "if only you could've chosen to be born here"? She didn't know, and she didn't care.
"Supper is in one hour, my dear tributes!" Brandi's voice rings throughout the train. Octavia assumes by now he is talking with the Victor's who remain. The eldest Victor of Eleven is hardly mobile, his name is not easily recalled because he won the sixteenth Hunger Games. He is older than Augustus and Octavia combined. Octavia has heard briefly of Seeder and Chaff, though she was much too young to remember their games. Augustus walks into Octavia's room with a small smile on his face.
"Hey, Via." He talks like they are back at home, like this isn't happening. It's nice for Octavia to have him here, even for such a short time.
"Hell of a day, huh?" She laughs at him. There is no changing their fate, so they may as well make the best of it. Augustus' face falls, making no attempt to mask his sadness.
"I'm so sorry, Octavia." He says, his head bowing toward the ground. Octavia picks at the skin on her fingers.
"Me too." Her voice is quiet and shaky, for once she cannot come up with a remark. She looks away from her brother and allow her eyes to travel out the window.
"We'll deal with this later. Let's focus on the rest of the tributes first. We fight together." With a nod, Octavia and Augustus leave the room to find their mentors.
───
Seeder Howell and Chaff Mitchell are sitting in the main train car when Augustus and Octavia come out from their room. Chaff's one hand is wrapped around a glass containing a darker liquid, of which Octavia could only assume is liquor. Seeder raises her head to meet the eyes of the tributes. Seeder was beautiful, her light eyes contrasting with her dark features was memorable to Octavia. Her bravery was even more memorable. The Cirillo's were somewhat familiar with the Victor's from seeing clips of their Games. Chaff losing his arm was too gruesome for Octavia to watch, but Augustus had seen the film of his Game's in school. Since then, the older man found some comfort in bottles. Octavia couldn't blame him, though. She supposes if she won she'd drink away her consciousness as much as she could.
"Hi, I'm Seeder. This is Chaff," The woman gestures to the man beside her while introducing him and herself. Chaff raises his cup as a hello. "How are you both feeling?" Seeder asks.
"We're fine. Thank you." Augustus speaks for the two of them. Chaff looks at Octavia expecting her to speak as well, but she doesn't. She stands still beside her brother. Seeder's eyes drift between the two siblings before she speaks again.
