Let the Games Begin

Peacocks on Display

Please don't be nude. Please- well that is far from nude. We were all dressed in the same black leather and all of us were fully clothed. The only differences between us was our hair, more obviously, and the leather had different patterns on it in a slightly shiny black to where you could only notice it if it caught the light.

Effie's face lit up when she saw all of us standing next to each other. "You guys look absolutely amazing! Come on, let's get into the coaches and head to the parade area." She then herded us into the horseless, black coaches before hopping in herself.

"Does everyone know how serious this whole thing is?" I craned my neck so I could look at Chan who was seated next to me.

"What do you mean?" Irene looked just as confused as the rest of us. I know that this will be the first time the public will be able to fully see us, besides from the reaping that was broadcasted.

"Tonight is the night in which you will gain the most sponsors. Sure, things will happen in the arena, but tonight they pick sides. If you don't succeed in gaining sponsors tonight, it's going to be real hard once you get into the arena." Chan sounded so serious that it brought me to my senses. Our survival chances don't only depend on how good we are with throwing a knife or shooting a bow, they also depend on how handsome or pretty you are or if you have a friendly personality.

Jung Yeon then asked the one question that we were all thinking. "So how do we get sponsors?"

Chan scratched his head and thought back to when he was in the games. "The capitol likes anyone who is very cheerful and friendly. You have to appeal to their side of life for them to help you. Also, if you appear weak, I know this would make you look like an easy target to the other tributes, but some of the capitol citizens will sympathize with you."

Ki-Bum and I scoffed at the last part as I leaned back in my seat I heard Key mudder something under his breath. "They dont know how to sympathize with us."

I lightly smacked the back of his head while motioning towards Effie.

He leaned over closer to my ear and whispered to me. "I don't care if she's here. That doesn't mean she understands."

"I know, but still. We have to be respectful to our elders."

He snickered and a mischievous smile spread across his face. "You're not kidding when you say elder. Why else do you think she always wears a wig?"

We both started laughing as the rest of the people in the coach turned toward us with questioning looks on their faces. I quickly stopped and sat up proper while muttering an apology and I noticed in the corner of my eye that Key was doing the same.

Chan brought the attention back to himself by clearing his throat. "Does everyone understand?"

Murmurs of "Yeah" and "I think so" spread around before we were whisked into silence. Well, I know that appearing weak would not be the most ideal for me, but I think I can be happy. I just have to pretend like Jinyoung is here and everything should work out.

The coach quickly stopped and the doors opened on their own. "Okay everyone, smiles! You're on camera!" I rolled my eyes at Effie's cheerfulness before stepping out behind Key.

I smiled at the cameras just to entertain the capitol while I followed Effie to the tribute room so we could get last minute touches on our outfits and get onto our parade float. Luckily the cameras cannot follow us there.

As soon as I was out of sight of the screens, I quickly dropped my smile and pretended to collapse onto Key.

"Me too Seokmin, me too." He patted my back before pushing me off of his shoulders. I groaned while I stood back up. The second I had my eyes off of him though, he attacked me from the back forcing me to give him a piggyback ride.

"Really Key?"

I could hear him laugh as he adjusted himself on my back. "I didn't want to walk anymore."

"Boys!" Effie called. "Get over here!"

I looked over to where she was and started to walk through the crowd in that direction. Having Key on my back made it so much harder to weave through all of the other staff and tributes, but we eventually made our way to Effie.

She instructed us to get onto the float and just stand there. The parade was supposed to start in ten minutes, but she wanted to keep track of all of us by corralling us up there.

"Okay Ki-Bum, time to get down."

He tightened his grip on me. "Nope."

I sighed and mentally thanked the capitol for having a ramp to get up there instead of stairs. I luckily made it to the top without having any problems.

"Will you get down now?"

"Nope."

"What about when the parade starts?"

He thought for a moment and I thought for a brief second I would win. "Nope."

I sighed and Irene and Jung Yeon just laughed at my predicament.

"We should do that too Irene!"

"Hmm, no." Jung Yeon pouted and waited for her to turn around before jumping onto her back.

"Just think of the sponsors." Jung Yeon singed.

Irene sighed. "Fine. But as soon as this is over you either get off on your own freewill or I throw you off." Jung Yeon just smiled as she made herself comfy on her back.

"Irene is scary." Key whispered in my ear.

"Yeah. Remind me not to get on her bad side." We both chuckled nervously, but quickly stopped once Irene glared at us.

...

It didn't take long for everyone to clear out of the building and the floats to start moving out on their own.

"Smiles!" We all turned around and saw Effie pulling the corners of her mouth into a smile. I felt Key's arms detach themselves around my neck as he pulled his mouth into a forced smile and stuck his tongue out at her in a playful way.

As I turned back around to face the direction the float was moving, I noticed Effie frowning at Key's playful action.

"Are you ready to increase our chances of survival in the games?"

I could feel Key nodding against me as we entered a massive arena filled with people in the stands. All along the sides of the crowd were banners that displayed our faces. Each district had both of their tributes shown on one banner, but for ours they had to split it up into fourths to fit us all on there.

"District 12 looks like they are having fun." We all glanced at the multiple speakers that lined the pathway as we tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. Laughter could be heard from the crowd as confusion crossed our faces. We eventually gave up and came to the conclusion that is was magic.

"Turn over here, I want to see what's going on." I felt Key gently tug my hair in the direction that he wanted to go. I walked over to that side of the float for him.

The rest of the parade went like that; him tugging at my hair and me willfully obliging. We eventually came to a stop in front of the commentators for the games.

President Snow then stood up from his balcony and all of the cameras turned to him.

"Let the 74th Hunger Games Begin."