RIBS, the hunger games

chapter three, the capitol gaze

Effie Trinket was a morning person, or at least she tried to seem that way, as the Lockwood siblings quickly learned. Felix woke up with Effie's perky voice calling him awake, "I let you sleep in for an extra five minutes Felix, your sister persuaded me but it's time to wake up now. We're almost at the Capitol now!"

Felix left his room with a yawn, only smoothing down his shirt as he had slept in it. Not bothering to change because what he had been wearing last night wasn't dirty or anything.

Breakfast was as lavish as the dinner they were served before but Felix made sure not to overindulge himself on the food, though he still wanted to try as much as he could. It would do well to pack on some extra weight in case he couldn't find food in the games.

"Have you thought about—" Felix started, Haymitch immediately shutting him down.

"Kid, I've barely woken up and we're about to pull into the station. We can talk later,"

"Will you even be sober enough to 'talk later'?" Felix eyed the glass of alcohol Haymitch had been drinking throughout breakfast.

"I'll be fine."

The siblings shared a look of dubiousness in that statement and then Ethel spoke up, her mouth full of chewed-up apple, "Then swear on your life,"

Haymitch stared at Ethel with an incredulous expression before laughing, "Good to know at least one of you two is funny."

Ethel growled, "I wasn't joking. Swear right now or I'll kick you where the sun doesn't shine."

Felix snorted at his sister's words, covering it up as a cough. He liked to describe his sister as a tiny dog, she looks cute but if set off, could still very much bite you. Haymitch arched an eyebrow at Felix, almost expecting him to reprimand his sister, but he didn't. Instead, Felix watched with amusement as Haymitch let out a sigh before putting a hand on his chest, "I swear on my life to stay sober enough to talk later,"

"And to help us prepare for the games, meaning you give us actual advice."

"And that too."

"Thank you." Ethel smiled, taking a sip of milk, giving herself a milk moustache.

Haymitch nodded, letting out a chuckle as Felix subtly pointed out her newly acquired facial hair that she promptly wiped off with her sleeve. The siblings talked for a little, Effie interjecting with what the next couple of days would entail for them before the train started to slow.

"Oh goodie, we're here now," Effie chirped.

Felix got up and went to the windows, curious to see if the Capitol was anything close to what he had seen on the television. People were crowding, cheering when they realised that the boy that was staring at them would be one of the twenty-four tributes. Felix beckoned his sister over to the window, whispering to her to smile and wave.

"Smarter than you seem, eh?" Haymitch said lowly to Felix when the boy looked back at him.

Felix shrugged, the train coming to a stop as it pulled into the station. At least the crowd couldn't see them anymore.

The siblings were taken off the train and they separated to meet their 'prep teams' as Effie put it. Felix then found himself in a room by himself and three other people who were in his prep team. They were from the Capitol, of course, named Argon, Tempest and Crimson. Each looked like what Felix would imagine as stereotypical Capitol citizens.

Argon had a shaved head with green tattoos covering it, Tempest's hair was a bright red and stuck up, making it look like she was on fire. Crimson looked the most 'normal', her eyes were just a bright purple with gold painted on her eyelids. They had made Felix remove his clothes to remove any dirt and unwanted hair from his body.