The First Annual Hunger Games: Denver Quillam

ii. The Sponsors

When the pre-set alarm went off, lightening the room automatically, I was surprised to find that my eyes were already open. I'd turned off every light in the room last night, starting with the ambience setting on the wall where it depicted whatever scene I commanded. I needed the darkness to calm my thoughts, but it had hardly worked. The empty nothingness helped to convince myself that I was asleep, that everything going through my mind was nothing but a dream.

After throwing on the clothes required for training, I went to breakfast to find Robin's seat was empty. At my quizzical look, Zypporrah gave me a sympathetic smile and Scout drank her coffee, paying attention to the Capitol news. As I sat, Laena decided to answer my silent question from across the table.

"It seems, Denver, that our little Robin has flown the nest a little early this morning," she said, looking to Zydious, who nodded in confirmation. A little early was waking up at the time I had; I had nearly three hours until training. What was Robin doing up so early?

"Yes, with that dashing volunteer from District Four!" Zydious thought to add oh-so-helpfully.

"That just means we get more of you to ourselves," Zypporrah said with a grimace-wait, no. That's what her smile looks like.

"Denver, darling," Laena said. The sparkles in her blue hair caught the sunlight coming through the window as she turned toward me. "I have some friends I would like you to meet."

"Isn't that against the rules?" I asked, looking to Scout. Don't let her take me, I silently begged.

"Of course not! You aren't some prisoner!" Laena said with a laugh. Zydious and company tittered while Scout looked to me and gave a slight shrug.

"We'll have you back for training, mind you," Zydious said. "Though I don't know how you can stand to be in such a dull room all day."

"But before we go," Laena said, looking at me with her bright blue eyes. "We have to get you changed."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't want to try to make friends looking like that, would you?"

"If they were truly my friends, wouldn't they appreciate me for my charming personality and not my dashing good looks?" I tried.

"In order for them to see your charming personality," Zydious said scooting back his chair and standing, "we have to tap into those dashing good looks because, well, you're in need of a little help in the making friends department."

"Admittedly, he is better than the girl," Zypporrah said. "But I'm definitely thinking we should reshape his brows-"

"What?" I asked, alarmed. They'd already plucked them enough. At this rate, I wouldn't have any eyebrow left.

"Zypporah, his eyebrows are fine!" Laena said, dismissing her. "Let's get him changed and give him a little more smoothness."

The three circled around me and I stood, preferring not to be dragged away.

"Do your worst," I told them, struggling to keep my head high as I prayed no eyeliner would be involved.

• • • •

After a reinvention and an even longer debate between the two Zs about the state of my eyebrows, I found myself in one of the Capitol's skyscrapers, awaiting the arrival of Laena's "exclusive" friends.

As this wasn't explicitly against the rules and I could gain sponsors this way, Scout had ended up siding with Laena and company. Scout told me to fake it til I made them believe I could adapt to be like them; they wanted a victor who didn't think they were freaks.