Aspen woke up early the next morning. She looked out the window and saw that the train was still moving. It was weird not waking up and immediately getting ready to hunt with Gale and Katniss. At least here she could take a proper shower.
After she was dressed and ready, she looked through the window of one of the compartments and saw Michael talking to Charles over toast and jam. Plum was doing his hair in the corner. Walking through the sliding door, the three looked at her.
"Finally you're awake." Charles said, picking up a cup.
"Tea or coffee?" He asked. Aspen didn't say anything, just sat down next to Michael. She wasn't thirsty or hungry, more nervous than anything.
"Why do we need sponsors?" Aspen asked Charles.
"Are you seriously going to ask a question that stupid?" Michael asked Aspen, staring at her like she had five heads.
Aspen, annoyed, ignored him. This guy didn't say one thing to her, and all of a sudden when he decides to talk it's an insult.
"There are no stupid questions. Sponsors buy stuff a tribute could need in the arena. They could potentially mean life or death." Charles said, correcting Michael and informing Aspen. Aspen nodded, slightly understanding.
"So, if you're my sponsor and I need matches, you'd supply them for me?" She asked. Charles nodded, happy she was understanding.
"Or if you're hurt, I supply you with medicine. The goal is to get these people to like you so that you can get sponsors. They could save your life." He said. Aspen nodded.
"Aren't you supposed to be like, our mentor, too?" Aspen asked him. Charles shrugged, taking a sip of coffee.
"Technically." He said. Aspen nodded.
"Are you sure you understand?" Michael asked, talking to Aspen like she was a three year old. Aspen looked over at him, her eyes squinted.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"All you are in this game is a pretty face." Michael said. Aspen picked up a knife that was set in front of her carefully.
Michael shook his head and reached over the table to grab another piece of toast. Just as he was about to grab the toast, Aspen took the knife and slammed it down, the point of it landing right in between Michael's pointer and thumb finger.
"That's Mahogany!" Plum said, referring to the pierced wood.
"I may be a pretty face, but I can kick your ass, too." Aspen told him, ignoring Plum. He looked over at her, not saying anything and a cold expression on his face. Charles, on the other hand, was smirking at her. He was happy she was sticking up for herself.
Michael looked from Aspen to the window, and he saw the outside of the Capitol.
"Looks like we're here." He said, smirking to himself.
Plum sighed and frantically started getting his bags together, not wanting to be on this train any longer. Aspen got up and walked to where Michael was standing, looking out the window. Charles joined the two, admiring how much they seemed entertained by the Capitol's view. Charles got to see the Capitol everyday. When people from the Districts came, they always liked staring. Charles liked that. It entertained him.
Aspen jumped back when the view of one of the Capitol buildings quickly turned black, making Michael have to catch her. He immediately took his hands off of her when she was stable.
When the darkness from the tunnel went away, a crowd erupted in screams and cheers when they saw the train. Aspen looked over at Michael, who smiled and waved at the people of the Capitol.
Charles grabbed the knife that Aspen shoved down into the table and walked up behind her, seeing her expression in the reflection of the glass. She looked scared.
"Smile and wave. You want them to like you." Charles whispered in her ear. She turned around to look at him over her shoulder, and he handed her the knife to take with her just in case she needed it.
Aspen looked at the people, Charles picking her arm up to wave at them. She did as he said and smiled and waved, standing next to Michael.
Aspen and Katniss made eye contact as the tributes were transported from the train to where they were prepared. Stylists gave Aspen another shower, did her hair, plucked her eyebrows, waxed her legs, and then put her in a room by herself. She felt the a doll the whole time, and it freaked her out.
When she asked one of the stylist what she was preparing her for, they said "Edda". Aspen didn't know what "Edda" meant until a women dressed in all pink walked into the room.
"Hi, Aspen. My name is Edda Cane. I'm one of your stylists." Edda said, putting her hand out to shake.
Aspen got up from laying on the steel table and sat there, looking at Edda and accepting the hand shake.
"Stylist?" She asked. Edda smiled.
"Me and my sisters make you and Michael look good. Well, maybe not good to you, but good enough to win over the people of the Capitol." Edda said. Aspen's eyebrows were still furrowed, so she continued to explain.
"Me and the other stylists play a key role in in preparing the tributes for the Hunger Games. I'm responsible for your public image." Edda said. Aspen nodded.
"Who are your sisters?" She asked. Edda laughed.
"So many questions for a pretty young thing! Now, let's take a look at you." She smiled.
She lightly picked up Aspen's face with her hands, examining her skin and features. She looked at her hair, then made her stand up and circled her.
"Well I have to say...you're a very beautiful girl." Edda said. Aspen smiled lightly.
"Thank you." She said.
Edda took out a small note pad from her pocket, flipping to the page titled "Technology 3".
"Viola! What do you think?" Edda asked, smiling.
Aspen took the note pad from Edda's hands. It was a very detailed drawing of what Aspen's costume was supposed to look like.
"I don't want to wear that." Aspen said. She didn't want to offend the lady, but she also didn't want to humiliate herself in front of the Capitol people.
"I wouldn't either. But, the people of the Capitol will love it and it could help you get sponsors." Edda said. Aspen shook her head and handed the note pad back to Edda.
"I don't care what the people think. I want to wear something that I like. And I don't want people to sponsor me because they like the outfit I'm wearing. I'd want them to sponsor me for me, not a costume." Aspen said.
Edda took a second to take it all in. She shoved the note pad back into her pocket, not removing eye contact from Aspen. At first, Aspen thought she had offended her. Then, Edda smiled.
"In all my years of doing this no tribute has ever said something like that to me." Edda said.
Aspen didn't know if this was good or bad. Judging by the happy look on Edda's face, she was hoping it was good.
Edda took out the note pad again and grabbed a pen.
"What's your weapon?" Edda asked the girl after a second of sketching.
"What?" Aspen asked.
"You're weapon. You need something to survive in there." Edda said.
"A sword." Aspen replied. Edda nodded and continued sketching. When she was finally done, she turned the note pad to Aspen.
It was a skin tight body suit. The body suit was a shiny gray, still matching the same material as the original design. On it, fake wires and cords scattered across it like a maze to represent District 3's technology. There was a 3 printed out on the left hand side of Aspen's chest. There was also a belt that held a sword at Aspen's back, giving Aspen easy access to it.
"That's perfect." Aspen said, smiling.
Edda let out a small shriek and left the room, leaving Aspen to stand there by herself. About an hour or so passed before Edda came back with the costume in her hand. It was just like the sketch, but in real life.
Once Aspen was dressed and ready to go, she was taken to a large room with big gates in the front of if. The rest of the tributes where there, but Aspen decided not to walk up to Katniss and Peeta. Instead, she stayed with Michael.
"You look ridiculous." Aspen told Michael, who rolled his eyes.
"Why do you look hot?" Michael asked her. She furrowed her eyebrows, Edda letting out a small laugh. She was very proud of her work.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" She asked, smirking. Michael rolled his eyes again, looking away. Edda pulled both of their arms together so that they were standing next to each other.
"Alright you two. Make sure to smile and wave when you get in there. I think President Snow is going to be very impressed with this!" Edda said. Aspen looked at the gates, and then back at Edda.
"Snow is in there?" She asked.
Aspen hated Snow with everything in her. Because of him, her father was gone. Now, Aspen had to face him.
"Mhm." Edda said, doing a few last minute touches to Michael's costume.
"Is there anything we can do to grab his attention with the costume? I want him to know I'm here." Aspen said. It was true. She wanted to see the look on Snow's face when he made eye contact with Aspen, knowing her dad was in this same position years ago.
"Seriously? You have to be in that room in sixty five seconds!" Edda said. Michael looked down at Aspen, wondering why she wanted Snow to notice them so badly.
"Please, Edda. Anything." Aspen begged.
Edda looked at the gates, and then back at Aspen. Then, she made her way over to Katniss and Peeta's stylist. She talked with him for a second and he handed her a small remote control.
"Here. Press this button approximately three seconds after you get in there. Maybe five." Edda told Aspen, handing her the remote and putting a wire on her costume.
"What's it do?" Michael asked. Edda connected another wire onto Michael's costume, adjusting them.
"It will make a blue flame come out of both of your costumes, acting as a trail. It's not real fire, but it looks real. District 12 has an orange flame, so make sure you press your button before them so they don't interfere." Edda said, talking quickly and knowing there wasn't much time.
Michael and Aspen were then ushered off to sit down in a carriage with two horses in the front.
"What?" Michael asked. Aspen ignored him, not wanting to deal with any of his bullshit.
"Edda, this is perfect. Thank you." Aspen said, the gates starting to open.
Edda nodded, knowing there wasn't time for anymore conversation. As the horses in Michael and Aspen's carriage drug them in, the crowd cheered and clapped at the district.
Aspen counted to five slowly before she pressed the button. The crowd got louder, surprised by Aspen and Michael's costumes. Then, they got even louder, telling Aspen Katniss and Peeta's flames went up, as well.
Aspen didn't pay attention to anything Michael was telling her or even that he grabbed her hand and brought it up in the air. She didn't pay attention to the flowers the people were throwing, either. Instead, she tried to look for President Snow. She didn't see him anywhere until they came to a stop, the other Districts stopping in the same area.
Aspen looked up and saw Snow waving at the people of Panem. She gave him the strongest glare she possible could. He seemed to pick up on it, because he looked at her just before the flames in her and Michael's costumes went out. He gave her a dead stare before speaking. Michael didn't seem to notice. He was too caught up in waving at all of the people.
"Welcome! Welcome!" Snow said, calming the crowd down. When they were quiet enough, he continued talking.
"Tributes, we welcome you. We salute the courage and your sacrifice. And we wish you happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor." Snow said.
Automatically, the horses started walking again. Aspen continued to glare at Snow, and Snow only looked at her one last time before carrying on. She felt sick to her stomach.
The horses brought them to a similar room where they started off. Now, instead of just Edda, Charles and Plum were there, too.
"That was fantastic!" Edda exclaimed. Charles and Plum nodded, smiling.
"You looked amazing, Aspen." Charles told her, helping her off the carriage. Michael rolled his eyes, hopping off of the carriage and standing next to Aspen.
"You and the tributes from District 12 are all anybody's going to be talking about!" Plum exclaimed, clapping his hands.
Aspen looked around to see a few of the other tributes glaring at her in jealousy. She tried her best to ignore it, putting her attention back on Charles, Edda and Plum.
"Am I allowed to go talk to other tributes?" Aspen asked, looking over at Katniss and Peeta.
"Um, I guess. But I really..." Plum started, but by the time he was done Aspen had ignored him and already walked over to Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and their stylists.
"Wouldn't." Plum sighed, finishing his sentence for himself.
"Let's go upstairs." Charles said. He wanted to give Aspen time to spend with Katniss and Peeta and their team. Plus, he thought she could really use a break from Michael.
"Hey, Pen." Katniss said, pulling her in for a side hug. Aspen smiled.
"You guys did great." Peeta told her.
"You guys did, too. The flames were a really last minute thing. I hope you don't mind." Aspen said, first looking at Peeta and then looking at Katniss and Peeta's stylist. She didn't know his name, but he shook his head and smiled.
"As long as everyone looks good. That's my job." Cinna said.
Aspen looked over at Haymitch, who was looking at the wires on her costume.
"So brave." Haymitch said, looking up to meet eyes with Katniss.
"Are you sure you should be near an open flame?" Katniss asked him. Aspen could still smell alcohol on Haymitch, but she couldn't tell if he was drunk or not. Honestly, she didn't know if he knew, either.
"Fake flame. Are you sure you..." Haymitch started, about to say a remark when he looked behind Aspen. She turned around, Katniss and Peeta turning around as well.
Behind her, she saw a boy from another district who looked like Michael glaring. He looked angry that the crowd was paying more attention to Districts 12 and 3 instead of his own, and that was frustrating.
Aspen glared at him back, earning a nudge in the side from Katniss.
"Let's uh..let's go upstairs." Haymitch said. Effie looked over at Aspen.
"Are you joining us?" She asked. Katniss looked over at Aspen, hoping she'd say yes.
Aspen turned around and didn't see Charles, Michael, Plum and Edda anywhere. If she didn't join Katniss and Peeta, she'd be stuck down here with all of the other tributes who seemed to hate her already.
"Sure. Thanks." She said.
Effie smiled and pulled Aspen along with them. Aspen and Katniss could still feel the stares of the other tributes. It was hard for Aspen to ignore, but she did anyway.
If Aspen was any other person, Effie and Haymitch wouldn't want them to join their team upstairs. But they knew Katniss and Aspen were best friends, so they made an exception just for her.
"So, each of the districts get their own floor. Because you're 12, you get the penthouse. Aspen, since you're joining us for now there's lots of space for you, too." Effie said to the group and then to Aspen. She smiled. Other than Charles or Edda, Effie was the nicest person apart of the Capitol she knew.
They took an elevator up. Aspen's never been in an elevator, and she really didn't like it. Once the doors opened, though, Effie led them through the penthouse.
"Come on." She said.
Peeta, Aspen and Katniss looked at it in awe. She's never seen anything like it in District 3 or District 12. It was huge, and looked like something she would only see on tv.
"So this is the living room." Effie said, trying to show them around. The three tributes weren't really paying attention, too caught up in surprise. They really have never seen anything like it. It was beautiful.
"I know. I know. Now you're rooms are around here. Aspen, I'm assuming you'll be back on the third floor by tonight. If not, there's a spare." Effie said. Aspen heard her, but was too caught up in staring to say anything.
Aspen was interrupted when she felt a buzzing in her pocket.
"What's that noise?" Katniss asked.
"My phone. Charles gave it to me earlier for emergencies." Aspen said, digging through her pocket. Once she got a hold of it, she read the message Charles had sent her.
"Everything okay?" Katniss asked her, worried.
"Yeah. Charles just wants me to meet up with them so we can prepare for tomorrow. What's tomorrow?" Aspen asked, reading the text and looking up at Haymitch and Eiffie. Neither of them said anything, just exchanged glances.
"What's tomorrow?" Peeta asked them again.
"Whatever. I'll see you guys later." Aspen said, glancing at Peeta and Katniss. She wasn't trying to be rude, but Charles wanted to see her. Out of everyone here, she didn't fully trust a soul besides Katniss. Charles was slowly starting to make his way up.