The Fandom Hunger Games (A Novella by @voldymorte_and_valour)

Section 7.2 of Chapter 7: Preparations

7.2 - In the Capitol, demigod preparation area-PJO:

       Percy was dreaming. He saw himself back in the River Styx, struggling with the pressure of the ungodly water both pushing him down and pulling him apart at the same time. His only consolation was imagining Annabeth pulling him back into a canoe on the lake, back in camp, laughing all the while. 'Oh gods', his dream self thought. 'I love her smile, it's knowing and unknowing, sly and open, teasing and friendly. I love every bit about her, but the smile keeps me grounded from floating away on thoughts of her.' He smiled himself now, embarrassed, yet knew Annabeth felt the same about him. 'But wait, demigod dreams always have another meaning. Not only am I thinking this inside a dream, but there's even a meaning behind THAT?!?!?' He saw Annabeth cease laughing, then pull him in closer. Percy closed his eyes, and the next thing he knew, he was in water. But this water was freezing cold, worse than the Alaskan water. He could tell something was up when the cold never went away, and he opened his eyes. He was... In a tank. Normally Percy didn't get wet unless he willed himself to, so he couldn't understand why he was drenched. He shivered, it was like taking a dip in Montauk in winter, but if he felt colder than in Alaska, it was a hundred times worse than Montauk. He looked around, he was in a tank, alright. A tank which had just enough space for him to not feel like a fish in an inhumane plastic bag. He went over to the window and looked outside, and saw a corridor. A bed was there, with curtains around it. Percy needed heat, so naturally he caused the tank to explode from raising the water pressure inside. The water gushed out, and soon the corridor resembled the bathroom floor after a bathtub overflows. The bed wasn't touched, and he could now hear voices inside, alarmed at the loud *WHOOSH* of the water being expelled from the tank. Percy heard Annabeth laugh, and his heart panged at the thought of the dream, and the thought of her. He heard even more voices coming closer, and crossed his arms. 'Who the hell would put me in a TANK', he thought angrily. Turns out, it was the Capitol. Capitol stylists came forward, and though they looked odd and different to him, it would be completely normal to have gills and fins there. He was a son of Poseidon, who was he to judge? "Please come with us, Percy, we'll make you look fabulous!" Percy raised an eyebrow, then his index finger and said "Fish, I was BORN fabulous." He realized now that the corridor was quiet, and then started the laughter. Percy immediately recognized the laughter as Annabeth's, and laughed alongside her. She popped her head out from under the curtains, and it was red from struggling to breathe. "Way to go Persassy," she managed before deteriorating in another fit of laughter. Percy smiled at the stylists' confusion, and then said "Fine, I'll SEA what you want", then winked at Annabeth as she rolled around on the corridor floor. The stylists led Percy into another room, then shoved him onto a bed and got to work. First, they shaved his face, then they shaved under the arms and Percy squirmed so much he nearly had his arm cut off by the razor. They forcefully combed his hair, and gelled it so it would stick in whatever hairstyle Percy desired. They waxed him too, and every *RIP* made Percy jerk in pain. Finally, it was over, and then let him muss his hair in front of a mirror. When he had what he wanted, they took him to his stylist. A woman with so much face-paint on that she looked like the underside of a manta ray. "Why, hello Percy. I'm Finn", the woman said as he walked in. Percy quickly went "Hey Finn" back, and then looked for what his outfit would be. The parade was soon, he'd need to be dressed in something similar to what he represented... The demigods. Finn walked him to another room, and showed a Greek toga. Percy audibly groaned, but then stopped suddenly. Finn pressed a button, and the toga became surf-wear. "A SURTOGA!" Percy exclaimed. "I'm sorry, what?" Finn asked. Percy smiled and said "It's a surf toga." Finn smiled, and said, "Oh whale." as they both doubled over from laughter.

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