The First Tributes

The Preparation Begins

 It wasn't five hours after the styling process that the tributes were all suited up in the official parade costumes, whether they liked it or not. And some of them really did not like it. Rhymer and Theta were once again united, backstage before the big show, in front of a chariot that had two horses ready to pull it.

"I feel ridiculous," Rhymer said, picking at the sleeves of his costume.

"You look ridiculous," Theta said teasingly, trying to supress a smile.

"We match," Rhymer snapped, "don't you dare laugh."

That was true, they were both decked out in what their stylists thought symbolized District 3 the best. Theta was dressed in a strapless black gown, covered in little pieces of circut boards, copper wires running through the gaps in the broken electronics. Her hair was done up in a braid tied across the back of her head and falling over her left shoulder. Woven into it were the familiar metallic coloured computer wires that both twins had worked with dozens of times. Around her neck was a lump of solder that was molded into a teardrop shape, hanging around her neck on a thin silver chain. Her shoes were covered by her gown, though were they visible the audience would have seen two-inch heels completely covered in copper wiring.

She scoffed. "I think I look hot." She examined her reflection in the sleek black chariot, adjusting her hair. Rhymer sighed and looked away, continuing to tug at his sleeves. He didn't feel they were at all long enough.

"Are you nervous?" Theta asked, concluding her examination and leaning against the chariot.

He looked fine, she was teasing him. In fact, he looked more daper than she had ever seen him back in the district. He was in a black silk suit, tastefully embelished in small pieces of motherboards. The buttons were small red lights, glowing dimmly. Wires lined his suit just as they did Theta's gown. She had to wonder if the wires were hooked up to anything.

"I don't like suits, I feel too formal." He held his arms out, looking the sleeves up and down. He was clearly obsessive about them. "It's an odd thing to be going to my death in."

"You're not going to your death, you're going to present yourself to an audience."

He let out a short, mirthless laugh. "I'm an engineer, not a performer. I don't do audiences."

"You do now." Gunnar appeared beside them out of nowhere, making them both jump. "Out there are the official sponsers, the people who are going to be giving me money to give you things when you are in the arena.They need to like what they see, and you've got some tough competition."

The three of them scanned the rest of the tributes. Those from District 7, lumber, were dressed up in some kind of tree-like costume, with green leafy headresses and brown jumpsuits with strangely shaped branches sprouting from their backs. The over-all effect, however, was lovely. Much more elaborate than their understated get-ups.

District 1, luxury, was covered in feathers and gems, with giant headresses they were struggling to keep on their heads. Their costumes didn't seem to have any fabric in them at all, just made up of feathers adorned with gems. That would attract much more attention.

"Those are at the height of fashion here," said Gunner, gesturing to the people around them. "I don't know what your stylists were thinking, you look exceptionally plain in comparison."

"Well," Rhymer reasoned, "maybe these wires do something."

"They'd better, or no one will see you from where you are. Come now, on the chariot."

Gunner opened the door for them, and Rhymer stepped up, then took Theta's hand and help her up, knowing there was the potential for her gown to get in the way.