fantasy | johanna mason

chapter eight

Rowan is in the Remake Center for the next hour and a half or so, which is significantly less time than most of the tributes. Being my sister, her body is in a better condition than most of the kids. Her prep team must be pleased.

My own prep team also works at making me look "presentable to a Capitol audience", which includes scrubbing my skin raw and ridding my arms and hands of cuts and scrapes from being in the forest. It feels as though they are ridding me of my good memories I made whilst in my favourite place in Seven.

Around the time Rowan is handed over to her stylist, my old stylist arrives as well to dress me.

"Saffron?" I ask as I see my old stylist, who is a middle-aged woman with luscious, long red hair that is much too bright in colour to be natural, skin the colour of spice and a face caked with heavy makeup.

"My darling Ellie," Saffron exclaims, embracing me. "Mentoring your sister this year, yes? Very exciting."

It takes a lot of effort to give Saffron the smallest of smiles. Of course the Capitol would be excited about a victor having to prepare their sister for probable slaughter in the arena.

"I have something simple yet elegant for you to wear this evening," Saffron tells me. "Now, close your eyes."

I do as I'm told, and silky cloth falls over my body. "Now open," Saffron prompts.

My dress is a knee-length thing made of forest green silk. It has a subtle embroidery of leaves on the layered skirt.

"Isn't it lovely?" asks Saffron.

"It's beautiful, thank you."

Saffron smiles. Something shiny, maybe gold leaf, has been surgically implanted under the surface of each of her pearly white teeth. "Well, you should get going, yes? Wouldn't want to be late."

I nod, and exit the dressing room. Rowan is outside, her hands fidgeting.

"You look gorgeous, Rowan," I say. My sister is dressed in a dress resembling a leafy tree. Her hair seems to have been straightened then re-curled, and her outfit is complete with a headband made of leaves.

Rowan replies, "Thanks. So do you."

Before I can reply, Aeneas rushes up to Rowan. "Ten minutes, Rowan. Let's go. They'll love you!"

Rowan goes with Aeneas, giving me a reassuring smile before she is dragged off.

"Hi, scaredy-cat," Johanna says from behind me. I whip around, and she smirks. "You look pretty. Dream is such a damn idiot. She turned me into a tree, again," she says as she strokes the fabric of my dress.

Johanna actually looks great in her tree dress. It's a fine dress, with the bodice resembling the leaves and branches of a tree and the skirt taking after the thick trunk of the timber. Her hair is in a long ponytail, which seems to consist of mostly extensions. Johanna's real hair is shoulder length and choppy, with pinkish highlights.

"Parade's about to start," Johanna says, and I follow her towards the tributes in their costumes.

We stay close to Rowan and Jude, who both seem to be anxious. Rowan seems to be better at masking her anxiety as she isn't visibly shaking, unlike her district partner. I also study some of the other tributes, especially the careers. They all look just as brutal as they did on TV, except for the District Four girl with hair the colour of sand, who is quiet and has a sly, mischievous grin on her face. Ripleigh, I think her name is. She somehow looks even more dangerous than her fellow careers.

I walk up to Rowan, who is stroking the mane of one of the ironstone brown horses. "Make sure to smile, wave, cheer, all of that. Pretend they don't want to kill you."

Rowan laughs awkwardly. "I'll do that."

"Tributes, mount your horses," an announcer says from over the speakers.

I stroke Rowan's shiny red hair, which is currently set in uniform curls. "I love you."

"I love you too, El. I'll see you later."

I find Johanna further back in the crowd of Capitol escorts and district mentors. We watch in silence as the tributes from District One pull out into the crowds. When its District Seven's turn, Rowan turns around and smiles at me.

Smile and wave, I mouth. Rowan nods in reply. 

As District Seven's chariot pulls out, the Capitol crowd bursts into another round of cheering, mostly for my sister. Johanna was right, Rowan being in the Games is making these Games exciting. They want to see if my sister has the same amount of skills that I do.

Johanna grits her teeth slightly. "The fucking Capitol. Sending Rowan into the arena so they can compare her skills to yours. Assholes," she says with a shake of her head.

I give her a look that silently reminds her we are in the Capitol and that she could be punished for saying that. She just shrugs.

I glance up at the large screen that is currently showing Rowan and Jude. Rowan is waving and smiling, as I told her to. Good. Jude, however, is once again in a state of astonishment.

"At least she's playing friendly with the audience. I think they already like her," I say.

I glance to Johanna at my side, and her brown eyes are widened at the screen. Jude had fainted in the middle of the Tribute Parade.

The Capitol, not seeming to be worried at all about the male tribute from District Seven, continues the parade as if there wasn't a small, young boy lain unconscious in one of the chariots. The reactions from the tributes vary. There are snickers from Ardor and Divine in the District One chariot, uncontrolled laughter from Honor and Alexis from Two, and a sharp, short laugh from Four's male tribute, Rusher. Strangely enough, sandy-haired Ripleigh from Four is apathetic. Most of the tributes from other districts either laugh along with the careers, probably to be liked with their greatest threats in the arena, try to keep their expressions neutral, look at their shoes, or pretend to be interested in President Snow's speech. 

I try to run towards the larger crowd in front of me, but Johanna restrains me. "What are you doing, Elowen?" the older girl snaps.

"Jude needs help," I insist.

Johanna's grip on me tightens, becoming painful. "There's nothing we can do for Jude right now. Don't cause a scene," she hisses.

I sigh, leaning back against the wall. Johanna releases me.

I don't doubt that District Seven is currently the source of Panem's laughter.

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A/N: sorry for not updating in a while! i don't have many ideas for this story so comment anything u want to see happen!