Arena (*Hunger Games Fanfic*)

Chapter 8

I heard the loud buzzing of the alarm clock, and I rolled to my side. The clock read 8:30. Hecatia insisted Silius and I needed to wake up early to meet our stylists, since today was the Chariot Greetings.

I got up, and walked into the bathroom, glancing at myself in the mirror. My hair was such a dark color, I knew that I would never be as pretty as some of the blonde tributes. My brown eyes were striking, but nothing spectacular. I had a small frame, and I was decently short. I was nothing great, in general.

I slipped on a light blue bathrobe, and walked into the short hallway, leading towards the elevator. I shifted into the iron cube, and pressed the crystal button, and the elevator shot downwards, knocking me off balance.

The elevator stopped abruptly, and I stepped out in the main dining room. Silius, Hecatia, and Oddius sat in their chairs and stared at me.

"What?' I questioned.

"Nothing dear, sit down." Hecatia gleamed. She had something up her sleeve, and I didn't know what.

I came to the nearest velvet chair, and sat down. There were huge windows around us, overlooking Senatia. A large oval-like building stood out from the rest.

"What's that building?" I asked, and pointed to the ancient stone monument.

Oddius laughed. "Silly Judaean girl, doesn't even know what the Colosseum is!"

Silius looked at Oddius. "Colosseum? What's that?"

Hecatia gave Oddius a dirty look. "The Colosseum is where the original Hunger Games began, in the olden days."

I laughed. "They fought in a building? That seems simpler than fighting in a huge city designed to kill you."

Silius shrugged. "I don't know. At least in cities you can hide."

I had another question, this one more sinister. "Hecatia, did Senatia ever have slaves?"

She looked quickly at Oddius. "No, well maybe at one time. Why, where did you hear that?"

Oddius secretively caught Hecatia's attention and waved to the television.

Hecatia gasped. "Oh...there must've been a tv program calling Judaeans slaves, right?"

I shook my head. What were they talking about?

She cleared her throat. "You aren't a slave. Senatia just has wacky terms to describe people. I promise."

Silius slammed his fist on the table. "You promise? What you say is worthless. We all know that Senatia thinks we are mindless people. Might as well let them call is slaves!"

I felt a pit on my stomach. Silius was right. The Euro Nation did nothing to help us. They sent us all into a desert to make their cloth!

I reached over for some cherry crepes to change the topic. "Well Senatia is a beautiful city. But I don't understand why everyone wears such bland clothing."

Oddius laughed. "I know, love! Their fashion is utter trash. Maybe if they had a fresh model like me to show them what true fashion is..."

Oddius stood up and strutted around the room, like a pig in an ornamental holiday dress.

"Oddius please sit down, you're embarassing yourself!" Hecatia ordered.

Oddius frowned. "Well you embarass yourself daily by wearing a shirt and pants like that! Revolting!" He stood up and left the room, with mutiple breakfast snacks in his hands.

"I have nothing more to say to either of you." Silius growled, and followed Oddius. He was acting weird again.

"Lucerna, I hope you don't leave too. It would be.." Hecatia started

I interrupted her. "You know what, Hecatia? I don't exactly appreciate you lying to me and Silius constantly. It's really bothersome. So when you have something honest to say, come get me from my penthouse."

She looked stunned, and I got up and left. I was tired of all the petty, meaningless lied. I handled the fact that I got called for the hunger games, I handled the fact that I would be dying in a week. Why would I be upset over the fact that stupid Senatia thought I was a slave?

I went in the elevator, and rode up to my room. I switched on the tv and tried to find an interesting channel, but they were all about politics and the legal system. I finally found a music channel, and played some distasteful Senatian music.

I laid in my bed, waiting for Hecatia, Oddius, even Silius to come in and apologize, but they never did. Eventually the announcement speaker came on.

"All hunger games tributes make your way to the lobby. Your appropriate stylists are waiting for you, to dress you up for the chariot appearance."

I had totally forgotten about the chariot appearance. Should I do my hair and come down looking decent, or should I let the stylists completely redo me? I liked the option of not having to do myself up.

I stepped into the hallway, pressed the button to my elevator, and stepped in. It quickly took me down to the main lobby, where Hecatia and Oddius stood. Oddius smiled at me, like I was a cute puppy, ready to be dressed up. But Hecatia's eyes were like steel. Her crossed arms and puckered lips spoke for her.

"Where's Silius?" I asked. I turned to me side, and on the complete far side of the room was Silius, with a woman with deep brown skin and a vibrant purple hairdo. "Who is she?"

Oddius clapped. "That's his stylist, Lux. Your stylist is still awaiting you in the main hallway. I know you'll just adore him!"

I started walking to the hallway, when Hecatia grabbed my arm.  I was about to slap her off me when she spoke, her voice like sandpaper. "Listen, Lucerna. I'm sorry for lying. I knew if I told you guys the truth, you'd hate me anyways."

"I'd rather have a truth-telling snake than a lie-telling shrew be my mentor." I growled. Hecatia shook her head.

"No. I'm here for both of you. If Silius is stubborn enough to ignore me, then fine. But please, don't scorn yourself. You need all the help you can get." Hecatia informed. I hated to admit it, but I did need her. Her help was inevitable.

"Fine, just promise me that you won't lie anymore. I need your full support." I told her, and she nodded. I gave her a quick hug, and then trotted to the hallway.

I expected to see a fashionable man with a pink and white tuxedo greet me, or maybe even a man dressed in a flower printed suit. But what I saw was a man in a sleek suit and tie smile at me. His hair was slicked back, and his teeth reminded me of pearls. He seemed more of a politician than a stylist.

"Hello Lucerna. I've heard so much about you and your brother." He said. "My name is Nero, and I'll be your stylist."

I gave him a disgusted look, and took a deep breath in. "You look more like someone who deals with money than someone who picks out clothing."

Nero smiled yet again. "I get that a lot. My father is apart of the Senatian elite. We were well off with money, so I joined what I found appealing- the Hunger Games. Now I bet your wondering what style of clothing I'm going to dress you up in, right?"

His words were confusing, with his thick Senatian accent. I didn't know how to respond. "Probably something with textiles, right?"

He shook his head. "Something that stands out. Today, you will be riding in the nude."

I had no time to gasp.