Adamant [#1]

Chapter 6 - Arriving At The Capitol

When I fall asleep, oh man do I sleep! It’s like I haven’t known what sleep is until now! It’s such a soft bed that it takes me less than five minutes to fall asleep. The pillow is so soft and the bed itself is just out of this world. I could really just sleep like this forever. But here’s the catch though: I have to wake up. And I don’t wake up by myself. No that just sounds crazy to some people. Somebody scares the crap out of me and I literally jump out of the bed, opposite to the door. “What the hell?!” I say as I hold to my head and see Blight standing there slightly laughing at the sight of me. Oh, Blight, you’re so gonna get it for that one!

“Good morning, Feisty.” He starts. Hah, ‘good’ morning? How about more ‘screaming’ morning…yeah, that sounds more like it. “The hell did you do that for?!” I bark at him as I get up on my feet and look at the bed. I was sleeping right on the edge of it. He must’ve caught up on that when coming in here to wake me up. “Apparently you didn’t hear your alarm-clock. I just came in here to wake you up and I just couldn’t resist.” Blight then says with a slight grin in his face “Couldn’t or wouldn’t?” I then ask him as I walk past him and straight to the wardrobe. Like I mentioned earlier, I don’t like any of this, but I manage to find something that isn’t entirely hopeless. Blight has left the room as I get changed. I let out a deep sigh as I just stare at my reflection. I look like hell…morning hell would be the appropriate word for it. An axe could fix that though…

“Well good morning, sunshine.” I hear as I enter the cart with the main room. It’s Blight. Of course it is. He knows I’m still angry as hell for his waking. I shoot him an angry and warning look as I sit down by the table. “Make no mistakes, Blight. You pull something like that on me again, you will regret it. If I had had an axe in there, you already would’ve.” I then say. I hear Talon chuckle lightly as Dess walks in, nice and shiny as the Capitol man he is. “Good morning, tributes!” He says. Everybody is with this ‘good morning’ attitude. It’s not a good morning! Bloody hell, this is just like any morning at home only worse! I catch Blight staring at me with a slight smile that he just can’t hold back. Wow, and this is the guy who’s going to keep me alive in the Arena? Hah, I’m starting to think more in the lines of death-sentence if I’m honest.

“Okay, so there are a few things that are going to happen first when we get to the Capitol.” Dess then starts as he notices the awkward silence. It never seems to end. Dess just goes ahead. “The first thing to happen is the chariot parade. It’s very important for you two to make the impressions you have agreed upon. It is the first chance both the nation and the people and sponsors in the Capitol will get to see you for real. The impression you leave them with here, will follow you around.” He then says. It’s too bad I actually have agreed to play a weakling. To be honest I’m not entirely sure how I’m gonna do that. I’ve always been the strict opposite.

This is when Blight turns a little more serious and takes over. “Your first stop will be the make-up center. They’ll wash and scrub you clean before you meet with your designers. Speaking of that, this will be important, especially for you, Feisty.” Blight says as he looks at me. Me? “You will both let them work with you without resistance.” Oh, crap! “You will do as they say, period! I know Talon won’t have a problem with it, but you Feisty, you will let them do what they do because they’re good at it.” Blight says. Yeah, I know why he has felt the need to tell me that. “That’ll be a first then…” I roll my eyes as I take another bite from my plate. Mr. Dess rises from the table as the morning-briefing is pretty much over. “We’ll be in the Capitol in an hour or so. We will both see you by the chariots.” James then says as he walks out. Blight also walks out. Oh, why don’t you stay, Blight? I just happen to have a knife in my hand?  Hah, that’s probably why he’s leaving when I think it through. He must be crapping his pants just sitting next to me.

“Aren’t you awake and feisty…are you always like this?” Talon then asks me. He’s actually trying to make a conversation. Didn’t he say we didn’t even need to be friends regarding this alliance? Oh, what the hell. He might actually be one of the few sane ones around me the next few days. “I’m always feisty…just not this feisty. My brother usually wakes me up…I don’t threaten him with a knife…or an axe.” I answer back at first. Talon knows I do it with Blight though. “That bastard made me jump out of bed and hit my head. If he could’ve just stayed here, I’d teach him a lesson he wouldn’t forget.” Talon just smiles as he keeps on eating. It’s the first thing I’ve ever had a ‘friendly’ conversation with him. On this trip I’m sure there’s bound to be a bunch of firsts.

I stick to my eating when I see Talon’s eyes widen up to something behind me. “There it is!” He says as he gets up. Usually I wouldn’t be bothered with the fuzz, but now, I’m actually curious. As I turn my head, I see it: the Capitol. Okay, I know I hate the Capitol and all that, but holy crap it’s actually amazing…in the distance that is. I’m sure I’m going to hate being in the middle of it. It’s huge! As I get a little closer to the window, it suddenly turns dark and I flinch back a little bit. A tunnel…yeah, I know I’m a genius. The next thing I see is…well, I’m not delightfully about it, but it’s Capitol-citizens. Ugh! My weakling days begin.

We slightly wave at the crowd before we step off the train and are being strictly led to the make-up-center. The next few things to happen are expected, but gross as hell. They make me strip down so that I’m standing there butt-naked and then they start washing and scrubbing. In my opinion they could be just a little bit gentler when scrubbing. I’m all pink and…well, nude. Ew! Then they put these strips on my legs and then rip it off. Ouch! Damn it, that hurts you…! I don’t say anything though. I restrain myself (a lot). I’m the quiet and obedient girl…here. At home, I’m most definitely not!

After I’m done, they put me in this thin light blue gown and then guide me to the private dressing room. I still feel like I’m butt-naked sitting in this teeny tiny robe. My entire body feels so damn sore after the scrub they gave me as well. Bastards! This just seems too…procedure-ish. I’m just another doomed tribute that’s going to die in the Games. I’m not even a damn person to them!

I hear footsteps outside the door and then they stop. The door opens and a…well, it is a man I know that, but holy crap, how does he live with himself?! He looks so much like a girl that I just can’t take the man serious when he introduces himself. “Sylvia Mason?” He asks first though. I nod. “Good, my names I Lavio. I will be your personal stylist during your time in the Capitol.” He says as he gives me his hand. It’s like he wants to keep his distance to me. I don’t mind though as I shake it. I already know I can’t stand this guy.

“So, I have a dress ready for you, I just need to be absolutely sure that I have the right measures regarding your figure.” He then says. Okay, as if things weren’t creepy enough! Here’s the scenario: me, a fourteen year old girl, asked by some random guy, actually he’s not that random ,but that’s beside the point, to take off the one thing that actually keeps her from standing literally butt-naked. I’m like, no way in hell am I taking this robe off!

“Is that ‘Capitol’ for ‘take your robe off’, because the way I see it, this thing right here, stays on.” I answer. I’m not gonna act like the weakling in front of him. “Oh, Dess and Blight warned me about you…it’s just going to be for less than a minute.” Lavio then tries to excuse this thing, but I’m not falling for it. I just shake my head. “I’m keeping this robe on!” I simply say. He just stands there and just assesses me. I’ve won this round. “It’ll be fine. I’ll have the dress brought in to you.” He then gives in.

Wow, my first ‘no-no’ since the reaping. Damn that feels so good right now. I really don’t get much of a say in here so to finally get to say no and to have someone just obey my words…it’s like I have never felt any greater satisfaction in my life. Unfortunately, karma strikes right back in my face when I see the dress.

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I'll be leaving you with this little 'cliffy' right here as I'm going to Rome until late thursday (my time obv.). I'm pretty sure you get what's going to happen next, but I still feel like I can enjoy just pausing it right here ;P.
-IggelandMason <3