METANOIA ↝ THE HUNGER GAMES [1]

[5]

"Well, well, well," a voice said as soon as the train had begun a steady pace zooming through the countryside between District Seven and the Capitol, and Aspen and Alder turned to see Johanna and Blight enter their car. "look who we have here."

"Come sit," Blight said, gesturing over to where Johanna was already sprawling out on one of the chairs, "and we can go over some strategies."

"And what all to expect before we get to the Capitol." Johanna added.

Aspen walked over slowly to the two mentors, who both watched her intently, studying her every move. The way she walked, the way she held her shoulders back and held her chin up. Analyzing whether or not to consider her a worthy tribute to mentor, and if she stood a chance at surviving the next three weeks.

"First off, let's hear your names one more time." Blight started.

"I'm Aspen Darrow," she introduced herself.

"Alder Forrest," the boy said quietly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're Tomer's daughter," Blight observed, and Aspen nodded. "I knew you looked familiar. He made the chairs in my dining room back in the Victors' Village."

"Okay," Johanna said, clapping her hands together, "First thing's first. I want to hear about your strengths. You're both from Seven, so you know how to climb trees, and both of you are decent with an axe, correct?" The two nodded, eyes flickering back and forth from between the mentors to the tribute sitting next to them. "Good. If the terrain calls for trees, you'll have an advantage over some of the tributes. Not all of them, but some of them."

"I'm pretty decent with throwing knives." Aspen spoke up suddenly. "I mean, I'm not great or anything, but my friends and I used to practice throwing them at trees and seeing if we could make them stick. In case any of us ever..." she trailed off, taking a deep breath and glancing around the luxurious train car, "In case we ever wound up here."

"We can work with that." Blight said encouragingly. "Keep that to yourself until the games. The second you two step foot in the Training Center, the other tributes are all going to be watching your every move. Looking for any strengths, your weaknesses. Anything they can use against you. And I suggest you do the same with them. Study your opponents, see if there's anything you can find out about the way they fight. More likely than not you'll end up going head to head with at least one of them, and knowing your enemy just might save your life."

An uneasy silence settled over the four in the train car, and Aspen looked down at her hands folded in her lap, fidgeting with them nervously.

"We'll talk more about all of this tonight." Johanna offered. "For now, let's talk about the Capitol and what all to expect when you arrive. As soon as you step off this train, you will be taken to your stylists. Your prep team will scrub you down over and over until they deem you ready to meet your stylist. Then they'll get you ready in whatever they have prepared for you for the Opening Ceremony."

Aspen knew all about the Opening Ceremonies from watching the Hunger Games on TV every year for as long as she could remember. The Tribute Parade, where the twenty-four contestants were brought on chariots for all the world to see, giving their first impressions to potential sponsors and the fans of the games. How someone could be an avid fan of something as horrendous as the games, Aspen could never quite understand.

"What's it like?" Alder asked. "The Capitol?"

"Expensive." Johanna said bluntly. "And much too fabulous. What you both have seen on the television of the Capitol is nothing compared to seeing it with your own two eyes. But don't let it fool you. Everyone in there is crazy. Should you live to see one of the afterparties held for the victors, you'll understand."

"Parties?" Alder questioned.

"The people of the Capitol are sadists." Johanna scoffed. "But to them, the games are the entertainment of the year and the victors are their greatest celebrities. Getting to celebrate a new Victor is like a national holiday for them. Parties, interviews, tours... they eat it all up. Everyone in the Capitol wants to know the newest Victor and congratulate them for their great achievements."

"The great achievements of killing other children, you mean." Aspen concluded.

"I like this one." Johanna said, nudging Blight. "She's smart."

"So what advice would you offer?" Alder asked.

"Personally?" Johanna asked. "Hide. It's what I did. Since you're both good with trees, hide in them and wait for them to take each other out. Once most of the tributes are gone and exhaustion begins to set in, that's when you strike and take them out one by one."

Aspen knew Johanna to be a Capitol favorite from her time in the Hunger Games two years prior.  One of the newest victors aside from last year's winner, Rosemary Clifford of District Twelve, Johanna Mason made history among the Victors by appearing in the Tribute Center as someone weak and afraid, causing the other tributes not to see her as a threat, and forget about her as soon as the games started. As soon as the number of remaining tributes began to dwindle Johanna showed the rest of them just how lethal she could be, ending the rest of them within a matter of just a few days and becoming the Victor of the 71st annual Hunger Games.

"Come take a look." Blight said to the two teenagers, holding open the curtain covering one of the train windows and gesturing for them to come join him. 

Aspen approached the window to see the train rounding a corner and a majestic skyline begin to come into view, which stretched out as far as the eye could see. The metal of the buildings glinted in the bright sunlight, casting a warm glow around its entirety, despite the coldness Aspen felt in seeing the view. The city appeared to be surrounded by a body of water as the train continued its trek along the bridge, and mountains rose up in the distance. As much as she hated the Capitol and everything it stood for, Aspen couldn't deny that the view was absolutely breathtaking.

"Here we are." Blight mused. "Welcome to the Capitol."