No Saviors - a Hunger Games AU

Chapter 4: the Capitol

As Tourim and Jade were lead through the crowd, he smiled and waved, trying his best to beat down the fear rising in his chest. Thousands of colors, a few he'd never even seen before, let alone wanted to wear, dazzled the eyes. Jewelery glittered, clothes waggled, and hands extended past the Peacekeeper blockade. Despite the path cleared for them down the centre, Tourim couldn't help but feel agoraphobic. Too many people, too little space, and only one direction to keep going. Despite that, and the deafening roar, he smiled on. Tourim tried to focus on the positives, the crowd was cheering for him and Jade. Jade had offered him a boon that may just save his life. And now that he allowed himself to think about it, Jade looked a little goofy with her flower pattern dress and her icy demeanor. Her eyes remained forward until Tourim dared a nudge, trying to subtly ask how he was doing, hiding it beneath a camouflage of an imagined joke.
She nodded, slowly, as if to say you're doing good, but I think I preferred you before.
Tourim understood, he felt sick trying to pretend like he was excited to meet his death and take a few other tributes down with him. But he understood why the Careers would do it, the excitement from the raw energy of the crowd, the chance to show how capable District 1 was. There was always a rivalry between District 1, 2 and 4. Anyone from 1 was happy to see one of the other Districts lose a tribute, it was all apart of the Game. Nobody would admit it, but it was the other Districts' tributes that made it hard to watch. The late game was more popular than the rest, in the end, it was always the ones who wanted it, wanted the Games, wanted the glory. Nobody could lie and say they enjoyed a little girl being killed.
Marvel's last kill the year prior had been hard to watch. Everyone knew he was aiming for the 12 girl, her dodge unexpected, and the death of that other girl, Rue, was heartbreaking.
Everyone had been hoping Marvel would get Katniss, after suffering Glimmer through the trackerjackers there was not a single person in District 1 rooting for her. Everyone had held there breath when he threw that spear, there was silence for a long time after the arrow hit him. Outrage could best describe the reactions of the District. A 16 year old girl from District 12, half starved and fawning over some baker, killing both of District 1's Careers. It was a tough pill to swallow for the District, and for the whole year there had been worried that the Capitol would think less of them for it. What would they think when Tourim was gutted by some other kid from 8 of something.
For now, Tourim couldn't think about any of that. He had to seal the sale.
Through the crowd they continued, hands reaching desperately for a handful of perceived certain glory, until they reached a massive pair of double doors. On the other side, a large room, decorated with hard wood floors and a dark marble table.
The room was rather tame in comparison with the rest of the Capitol, or at least the people, with the whole room decorated with wood, save for the metal doors lined up on all the walls. There were light fixtures inlaid into the wall like glowing gems, lighting up the room with a bright, warm glow. Most of the doors were labelled 1 to 12 respectively, followed by a B and a G, no doubt the rooms for the tributes. In between each of the pairs of doors were a third, labelled TRAINING ROOM.
A single Peacekeeper awaited them.

"Tourim Platis and Jade Culet." He man said. He escorted the two, with Gaius behind still gawking over the beautiful simplicity of the room, to the two labelled 1B and 1G. "These are your sleeping quarters. This year will have a joint dining room, which is this room we're in. Training will be done by District in their own training rooms."

He waved towards the middle door. TR. Training room.

"Breakfast will be held at 8am, followed by a three hour training session until 12pm, when lunch will be had, followed by a five hour training session, followed by dinner at 6pm. Lights off at 10pm. The four hours between dinner and lights out should be used to get to know your fellow tributes. For now, wait until the other tributes arrive from their Districts in your designated sleeping quarters." With that, the Peacekeeper returned to the front of the dining table.
Tourim gave a quick glance to Jade, who was already making her way into her quarters.

"I suggest you get some sleep, I don't assume the District 12 tributes will arrive until tomorrow." Gaius recommended. He gave Tourim a quick pat on the back and nodded towards the door. Tourim didn't want to go, he didn't want to be alone like when he was for his parents, the silence rung in his ears and his thoughts ran in circles. Nevertheless, Tourim turned the metal doorknob, no doubt platinum, or silver, and entered into the room which was decently sized, a double bed, decorated with a carmine duvet.
Despite the softness he felt upon setting himself onto the bed, Tourim doubted any sleep would come to him. He decided pretty quickly to flick through the District's Reapings to try and work out who the biggest threats were.
District 2 had a Career by the name of Marsyus, your run of the mill brutish physique and a clear excitement in being chosen. His District partner on the other hand, Lyra, was obviously not.
District 3's tributes were a small girl named Cupper, who was shaking hard enough that Tourim was sure she was going to puke, and an older boy, Gauge, who looked about 17 and seemed to have a determination about him that Tourim admired.
Both of District 4's tributes seemed to know each other, perhaps Careers, but definitely friends. The girl, Barb, practically ran onstage when her voice was called, and her fellow tribute, a boy with a weird first name who Tourim had decided he'd just call by his last name, Coley, seemed refrained, but had a smile that didn't fade. Both left the stage after an excited hug and a couple words.
District 5's tributes, Lumin and Sprite, were both no older than 14, with Tourim mentally ruling out any hope for the District that year.
District 6 had Chassis and Rod, although both had frames like a pair of twigs. Another hopeless District pair.
District 7 had Willow and Linden, a girl of about 17 and a younger boy with eyes darting around as if he was going to be killed before even entering the Games. Tourim almost considered them useless, until he remembered most of District 7's tributes were good with an axe. He remembered a victor from a while ago, Johanna Mason, who pretended to be weak, only to win the Games with that exact skill.
District 8's boy, Mesh was no doubt 18, built like a brick house, but the girl, Lace, was fragile as paper, with skin so pale Tourim wondered if she'd even make it to the Capitol.
District 9's tributes weren't the usual write offs, the boy, Millet, whilst being thin, had an air of silent confidence about him. Tourim supposed the grain working may have made him comfortable enough with a sickle, perhaps. The girl, Amaranth, was young, but fiery. She was openly mad, marching up to the stage and almost tackling the mayor. Of course she wasn't hard to pull away, but fire was fire.
District 10's tributes were a hulking boy by the name of Ram, who looked to old to even be in the Games, and Ewe, a young girl who looked to be the mayor's daughter.
Tourim was almost asleep as he flicked through 11's tributes, a weasley looking boy with glasses named Arbor, and a girl named Tilth. Tourim knew not to underestimate District 11, with both Rue and Thresh making a lasting impression the year before.
Finally, District 12's tributes; a boy caked in grit, half starved and looking like he was already dead inside by the name of Chrys. The girl, Mirabelle, however, seemed strangely eager. She looked as old as last year's girl had been. Her smile as she waved to the crowd chilled Tourim's blood.

"-until the other tributes arrive from their Districts in your designated sleeping quarters." The Peacekeeper again, probably talking to the District 2 kids. Tribute, not kids. If he thought of them as anything other than competition, Tourim's chances would slim further.
With that, Tourim tried to sleep once again, managing to slip into a fitful, though mercifully dreamless, night.