The mindscape games (on hiatus/possibly discontinued)

Grooming

Virgil's POV:

"Thank you, and all I can say is years of practice. Your hand and mind have to mend with the knife in your hand as one to get somewhere. Sounds so cheesy but it's true, when you get around different shapes of blades you get used to how each one acts depending on their length, weight, and sometimes shape. It's a different story with the bow and arrow though." I told her and she nodded her head. The train pulled to a stop and I felt my anxiety counter back with a swarm of butterflies in my stomach.
    "Come along now tributes! Your spa cleanse is waiting~!" Our representative sang as she walked through the room we were in and into the back. Luna came back through and waved her hand for us to follow her.
    "C'mon squirts, let's not keep them waiting too long." She ordered and urged us along, me and Reina shared a quick look at each other before getting up and walking out with her. There was countless peacekeepers and people in almost blinding white silk clothing moving around with different products in their hands. Me and Reina were quickly put up at the front and our representative smiled a big smile to the receptionist.
    "We have district 6's tributes all ready to be cleaned up for the parade!" She said excitedly and the receptionist nodded their head. The receptionist snapped her fingers and the next thing I knew I was being dragged over to some separate room. Being dragged around everywhere is REALLY starting to get on my nerves. Once I was in the room I was handed a towel and robe immediately that I almost stumbled over from the force of which it was given to me.
    "Change into the robe and hang onto the towel, you'll put your clothing..." he said, 'clothing' almost like a hiss and looked me up and down with a hint of disgust. "Into that bin to be disposed of and burned" he explained and I nodded my head to show I understood. He left the room and I stripped off my clothes and put them in the bin but still held onto the clip safely. I put on the robe and tied it around my waist tightly. It was incredibly soft, it felt like a cloud being wrapped around me in a blanket burrito. "The man entered the room again and motioned me to follow her through a side door that led to a giant bathtub with a LOT of bubbles. She took the towel from my hands and set it down on a nearby counter. "Once you are in the bath a few of us will come in and professionally cleanse you." He said briefly and left the room once again.
    "I can clean myself thank you very much" I muttered under my breath but followed the instructions nonetheless. Two workers came in and started their work, I had to say for this being my first actual treatment that it felt really nice. They were gentle with my scalp and massaged in the treatments and soap. The other worker set to work on my hands and started to file my nails and toe nails. I was confused at first as to what she was doing but remembered from the little knowledge I had of this stuff to remember it was a manicure and pedicure. After some time they eventually finished and told me to dry off and put the robe back on once I was done. Once I had dried myself as much as I could where I wasn't dripping wet anymore. I slipped the robe back on and put the pin back into its pocket again. I was then shown over to a table where I was instructed to lay down and a new spa worker came up to me to explain what was going to happen.
    "Alright, so we are going to wax off your leg hair and armpits, I'm telling you now to prepare you that it will hurt like a bitch and I won't blame you if you happen to yell ok? I'll try my best to make it as least painful as possible but there is only so much I can do." She told me and I nodded my head. I felt her place a sticky strip of what I guessed was the wax stuff on one of my legs and smoothed it out. She waited a couple seconds before ripping it off, well you ever want to know what it feels like to have hell fire burn you? That was that feeling, I hissed in pain and flinched at the stinging feeling. She rubbed the tender skin to soothe it and placed down the next strip. Let's just say I almost yelled a few times and definitely teared up slightly, more than once. "Sorry for that probably painful experience but the good news is that it's finished, all that's left in your spa treatment is your hair!" She exclaimed and I sighed in relief. I was escorted once more to a different room that held several mirrors and a lot of combs, hairbrushes, blow dryers, flat irons, curling irons, and dyes. I was put down in one of the chairs and without a passing second a new worker came up to me and smiled cheerfully.
    "Hello gorgeous, we're here to make that mop on your hand you call hair, be styling! Before we start do you have anything you'd like me to do?" He asked and I smiled at his peppy behavior. I thought for a moment if there was anything and only one idea came to mind.
    "Can you dye the front of my hair indigo perchance?" I asked and he nodded his head ecstatically.
    "Wild! I love it! You got it gorgeous." He told me and picked up his many tools. He trimmed my dead ends and combed my hair properly to a point I never thought I'd see in my life. He then started to apply the dye that made my nose feel like it was burning. After waiting for it to set in he washed it out and placed a product in it to seal it in. After blow drying and combing through my hair one last time he showed me the final product and I smiled happily.
    "It looks great... Thank you" I told him gratefully and he nodded his head.
    "I'll walk you over to your district stylist and you'll then be fully prepared for the tribute parade!" He told me, I stood up and started to follow him through a long hall.
    "I'm sorry but can you explain what the tribute parade is exactly?" I asked and he chuckled lightly.
    "Well it's a parade where each district's tributes are shown off for the first time ever and for the games sponsors to view, president Thomas will be there too, isn't that exciting?" He asked with a squeal and I nodded with a fake smile. He opened a door and waved goodbye to me as he strutted off back to wherever he needed to be. I walked in hesitantly and there was a woman patiently pinning in and working on a certain garment. She looked up and gasped while putting away her things only to walk up to me quickly as she randomly cupped my face in her hands and examined my face.
    "Well, well, aren't you just a sight for sore eyes." She complimented, I was caught off-guard by it but she quickly and gently pulled me forward a little and looked even closer. "Your natural beauty is stunning, I'd be surprised if you got no sponsors from looks alone" she continued, she seemed to snap out of it and let me go. "Sorry for my rude manners, I'm your designer, Elli Summers," she introduced herself to me and I nodded.
    "Virgil Shade, and there's no need to feel you have to compliment me, I'm not one for pity" I said and she shook her head with a soft, light, and airy laugh.
    "I was serious about your looks, have you never been complimented before?" She asked and I shook my head.
    "never, I'm actually just kind of a nobody in my district." I told her and she sighed.
    "well let that be forgotten, stand over here so I can get your proper measurements." She instructed and I did as she said. She wrote some things down and then handed me a black outfit. Elli then showed me to a side dressing room and had me put it on. When I walked out she smiled in triumph and brought me back to where I stood before. "For the tribute parade each district usually has their tributes wear something that's related to their district's function and what it's used for. As district 6 is used for its coal mines... I haven't had much to go off of. Until this year when the thought struck me. Coal makes fire, fire attracts eyes, eyes means more interest, and that interest could lead to your sponsors" she explained and I looked at her a little fearfully and she laughed at my reaction. "It's fake fire don't worry" she said with a wink and I sighed in relief. She explained the mechanics to me and told me when to set the flames off. I was finally put into a room with all the other tributes and a lot of chariots each varying in color. I saw Reina in a black dress similar to the design of my suit and I tapped her on the shoulder.