𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄 - 𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄

𝑽. 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

It's completely dark outside from what the two tributes can tell. But neither can sleep. If not from nerves, then restless anxiety.

Tonight, they sit in the lounge car of the Capitol train, in the large windowsill across from one another. The moonlight shines through the windowpane, illuminating the two.

Nico turns to look at his friend. She's always been pretty. But he never liked her in a romantic way, despite the teasing from his brothers. They've always just been good friends. And it was nice. But now he's not sure what to do.

He in no way wants to be responsible for her death, and Nico knows she feels the same. Maybe they could work together until it comes down to only them, but someone would still have to die. He doesn't want that.

He's broken out of his thoughts by her softened voice saying his name in the form of a question.

"Nico?"

Nova has her knees pulled tightly up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them and her head resting on top of her knees. She's still staring at the moon as it passes by.

"Yeah?"

"Are you afraid?"

He pauses. He is a little bit fearful. Because he knows the odds aren't in his favor, or hers either, for that matter.

"A little. Are you?"

"A little bit."

They haven't exchanged a ton of words, but they don't have to. They've settled into a comfortable silence. Not there's much to say anyway.

"What do you think the Capitol is like?"

Nico asks his district partner, now staring at the moon as well. Nova was right. The moon really is beautiful, if you take the time to look at it.

"Richer. Bigger."

He snorts quietly, because of course she would say something like that.

"Obviously, Nova. I mean like, do you think the people there are different than back home?"

"I think so. They'll probably all be rich snobs."

"Maybe. Who knows, maybe some of them are cool."

"I hope so. Do you think the other tributes will be way better than us?"

"Nah. We're too talented for them."

"Why do you say that?"

Nico shakes his head incredulously. How can she not know?

"Nova, c'mon. You're like, the coolest girl in district four."

"I'm not. Just average."

"Don't be so modest. You can hunt, fish, and kick my ass in a fight. You're super skilled, and you could actually win the games."

Nova ducks her head down shyly and asks him again for confirmation she heard him correctly.

"You really think so?"

"I know you can."

A small grin appears on her face, and Nico finds himself smiling right back. It's good to have moments like these in such a terrifying situation.

"I don't think I'm ready to die, Nico."

Her voice is so quiet that he has to strain his ears to hear it, but when he does a lump lodges itself in his throat.

"I know. I'm not either."

There's a heavy feeling that settles over the two tributes. This could truly be one of the last times they ever see each other.

"Do you miss your brothers?"

"M' not sure. Sometimes I hate them. But right now I think I would give anything to be with them. What about you?"

"I miss them. I can't stop thinking about how yesterday might've been the last time I ever saw them."

"Did you ever think we'd be here?"

"I don't know. There was always a possibility of it, but... now it really did happen."

"What do you think the arena will be like?"

"Violent and ugly."

Nico knows this. The games have always been brutal and bloody. Twenty-three tributes killed every year.

"I don't want to kill anybody. But I don't want to die either."

He nods. Nobody except the careers that willingly volunteer ever truly want to kill.

"It's not fair. Why do we have to pay for crimes against the Capitol that happened so long ago?"

"They want to keep having that power over us. And it'll always stay that way unless somebody does something about it."

"I know. It just sucks."

"Yeah, it really does."

The two tributes stare out the moon once more, their thoughts creating a storm inside their heads.

Nico wondered if his brothers were scared for him. Or if his father cared enough to even find out about his reaping.

Nova hoped her mother missed her. Her sister and Silas too. And Bryony. She wondered what they were doing at this very moment. Were they able to sleep in their beds? Or were they unable to rest, plagued by thoughts of the games?

As the train went on, neither tribute spoke another word for a while. There was nothing left to say. There were always regrets and what could or should've been. None of that mattered now.

There were much bigger things to think about. The other tributes, the Capitol, the arena. What would the tributes from the other districts think of them? Maybe they would only see them as weak, an easy target. Like a newborn fawn stumbling around on it's legs.

As careers, they'd been preparing their whole life to be in the games. They had the skills, the smarts, the tactics and brutality. But no one ever showed them how to stow away the fear. The gut-wrenching terror of it all.

Nobody ever got them ready for having to kill other children who got put in the same awful situation as they did. Or for having to kill someone they knew, like a friend.

The Capitol got it's sick pleasure from watching the youth of Panem fight for their lives in a manufactured arena. From watching young children and teenagers alike kill or be killed. All because of crimes that were committed decades ago, by people that didn't even exist anymore.

Nico knows that either one or neither of them. There are no outs, no workarounds, no loopholes. The games are a one-way ticket to execution for most. He doesn't want to die in the arena.

But he can't let Nova die if he has anything to do with it. She was the first person who ever said hello to him in school. She's his oldest friend.

He decides that either one of them must come out, or neither. That is, if he even had a choice in the matter.