The Quater Quell: 50th Hunger Games

Chapter 7

        We arrive at the Captiols train station in only about 45 minutes after the fight. Larten was still subdued and they say that Dean is just starting to wake up. Cicero advises me to change clothes but I tell him to piss off. We line up with Maizey leading the front, then I. Followed by Dean who is being half drug and then Larten on the gurney. At least Waylon says it will make it look like Larten lost this fight with either me or Dean as victorious. The crowd is going wild. They always do whenever a new train car full of fresh meat arrives.

          Ive seen the people of the Captiol on the television sometimes but that is nothing compared to the atrocities in front of me. Men, Women, Children and even pets are altered in some type of way. Faces with beaks and bills, brightly colored hair and clothes. Skin and furred dyed in all different colors. Implants under the skin to resemble horns, wings and antennas. It is disgusting. I notice that even some of the folks resemble past Victors. I see a man who only has hooks for hands and wheels as legs, resembling the Victor from District 1 who lost both hands and feet in the Games. I see a woman who wears nothing but the pelt of a skunk. A few years ago the tributes were sent in naked and a tribute from District 5 made clothes out of skunks.

             I want to wave and be friendly but instead I stare straight ahead and ignore the Capitols inhabitants. I can't take them anymore. It makes me want to vomit. The crowd seemed like they really started cheering when they noticed Dean and Larten being carried. They knew they had a set of fighters from our District.

           We were escorted to the training center and hopped onto an elevator that took us to the tenth floor. Waylon was whispering into Deans' ear explaining what was going on. Despite that Dean was somewhat awake I don't think he registered what was going on. Larten was taken to his room and was given an extra dose to wake him up. "How's Dean feeling?" Maizey sweetly asks. I can see she was genuinely concerned for him. "Pretty good. The doctors said it was just a small concussion. He should be fine. He just needs to rest for now and hopefully will be back to normal before tonights chariot ride." Waylon answers.

              Cicero takes us to meet out stylist. Dean and Larten stayed in their rooms so their stylists met them up there. After hours of poking, prodding, plucking and brushing, I was finally ready to meet my head stylist. I wait and wait staring at my hairless body and polished nails. I think about walking out because, whoever my stylist was, they were taking to long. Finaly, a young woman, only about the age of 20 walks in. She is dresses in black from head to toe and very pale. She has fangs sticking out of her teeth. She has a few piercings and tattoos on her face but other than all of that she looks pretty normal.

           "Hello!" She greets me in a cheery voice. "My name is Aludin but you may call me Ali." "Nice to meet you Ali. My name is Raven Black-" "I know who you are sweetie. Ive been watching you since the Reaping and I am quite a fan." "Fan?" I question. "Im very good at reading people based on their characteristics traits and body types. Based on past games, ive been quite good at predicting who the Victor's were. And you my dear, are Victor material." She gleams. Victor material? I bet she tells that to all of her clients. I think.

         "Oh really? Like what?" I question again. "Well, for instance, the way you walked onto the stage in Distrct 10 with such confidence." I did? "and the way you stared straight ahead when arriving at the train station. I love your body. Its muscular but not to manly looking, you are lean and actually pretty. You will do well in the games. You make a fierce looking competitor and your busted up lips help too." She chuckles, flashing her fangs. "Thanks Ali. By the way, nice look. I havnt seen that one done before." "Thanks! Im trying to start a new trend. I got my inspiration from a book that was written hundreds of years before the war about a beast they called a Vampire." She explains while grabbing her makeup bag.

         "Alright. Enough chit chat. Lets get to work." She down at me. I kind of like this girl. At least somone is betting on me.

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