𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 ─ WELCOME TO THE CAPITAL
❝ 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 new ways that you can 𝐞𝐚𝐭 your 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 ❞

𝕿he heat of the July sun beamed down on the citizens of District 1, who had gathered in the square, before the Justice Building, for the Hunger Games tenth annual reaping ceremony. Everyone's eyes were glued to the glass bowls that held their names, with one unlucky draw they would be sent off into a fight to the death, for the capitals own enjoyment. The thought of that had fear coursing through them.

The male tribute was picked first, a boy named Facet, he stood on the platform, dejected from his luck. Instead of moving over to the bowl that held the names of every girl in district 1, mayor Winslet moved to stand at the podium, looking over the citizens of district 1, a small smirk forming on his face. Feedback picked up from his mic, before he began to speak, "As we know, two tributes, one male and one female, are chosen from each district, at random. But it is at this 10th annual hunger games that we have volunteered my daughter, Carolina Winslet, as the first ever career tribute to enter the games."

A distinct murmur fell over the crowd of district 1, citizens, and capital citizen that viewed the reapings. From where, district 1 had gathered, down the path that had formed between where the males and females were separated, a girl began to walk. The mayor held his hand out and pointed at her, "This career tribute has been trained for many years, and it is at the 10th annual hunger games that she was now deemed fit to play, and so she has volunteered herself to be the female tribute."

She walked up the podium steps and stood beside her father, her eyes looking pointedly at the ground. The murmurs from the district died down, silence taking over the district as she stood before them, before a small clap was heard, then another, and another before the entire district was clapping for her. The mayor stood proud in his citizens cheering, before looking over at his daughter and grabbing her arm. He leaned down and with a cold voice whispered into her ear, "fight like the weapon you are."

She looked at the crowd that cheered for her before she looked at the camera that recored her, and as the weapon looked into the camera, she bowed.

𝕯istrict 1 wasn't too far off from the luxury of the Capitol. Though it was run down by the aftermath of the rebellion, it was just one step below the Capital, being the wealthiest district in Panem, with their industry being luxury, they supplied the Capital with manufactured luxury items, and basically helped rebuild the city. Even though she came from luxury, she still felt out of place as she looked at the lavish structor of the Capital.

The tall blonde boy stood next to a pillar, garnished in the red of his school uniform, the white of the rose he held in his hand being a sharp contrast as he looked it over before his gaze fixed upward to look at the brunet girl that stood looking around, taking in the new environment of the capital. He smoothed out his coat before beginning to walk up to the girl with the rose in his hand.

He saw as she tensed up as he came to a stop behind her. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Hello." He said, in the most welcoming tone that he could muster up. She turned around her eyes first landing on the rose before slowly moving up his form, her eyes looking over his red uniform, before finally landing on his face. "Welcome to the capital."

She stared at him for a moment, before speaking, "The capital isn't too welcoming." She said, looking past him to the peace keepers that were struggling to force one of the tributes from a train cart.

He followed her eyes towards the sight, "Well there isn't much I can do about that." He turned back towards her, "I'm Coriolanus Snow, a mentor in this year's hunger games."

"Mentor?"

"Well, I'm not your mentor," He explained, "I just wanted to introduce myself to the first ever career tribute." She rose a brow at the title, "There is quite the amount of talk about you."

She gave a small hum at the information, "And what does a mentor do?"

"Oh, well they take care of you, and prepare you for the games." He explained.

Carolina hummed in response and looked at the rose in his hand, before plucking it from between his grasp, "Thanks, Snow." She nodded at him, walking backwards before a peacekeeper grabbed her arm and began to lead her to the truck she and the rest of the tributes would be transferred in.

Carolina took a seat as the other tributes came. Soon enough, a girl in a colorful dress made up of ruffles sat beside her, "Hi," She spoke with a thick Appalachian accent, "I'm Lucy Gray." Lucy Gray held out her hand for her to shake.

Carolina took her hand with a strong grip and shook it firmly, "Carolina, nice to meet you." She let go of her hand.

"Nice to meet you too, thats a strong grip you got there." Lucy Gray jokingly said, causing Carolina to chuckle.

A flash of red swiftly passed them, causing them to look at the back of the truck, and there, with his back to them stood Coriolanus Snow. The truck doors slammed, causing the blonde boy to let out a sigh of relief, as he began to turn, finding all of the tributes staring at him, with the cleanliness of his figure, it was rather obvious he was from the capital.

"Hi." He let out, sounding rather nervous.

"Whats the matter, pretty boy? You in the wrong cage?" Reaper questioned, with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"No, this cage is delightful." He answered.

"Get him Reaper."

Reaper rushed up to him, grabbed him, and pinned him to the back wall, "I will kill you right now." He threatened, getting into his face.

"He'll do it too," Dill spoke up and informed them, "Reaper killed a peacekeeper back in 11."

"Quiet, Dill." Reaper instructed the sick girl, still holding Coriolanus to the wall.

"I say we all kill him." A tribute named Bobbin spoke.

"I'm in." A girl said, standing up.

"Nothing left to loose now."

They began to advance towards Coriolanus, but Carolina's voice stopped them. "You guys have any family back home?" She questioned, causing them to look at her, "They'll kill them if you hurt him, then you."

Lucy Gray spoke up next, "Besides, he's my mentor, I might need him."

"How come you get a mender." Coral asked, looking at the rainbow clad girl.

"Mentor." Coriolanus loudly corrected, "You each get one." At his words, Reaper slammed him into the wall again.

Coral stood up and began to walk towards him, "Oh and we'll all just trust you on that, right, and besides," Coral looked at Carolina, "this one doesn't need one."

"I'm just here to help you." Coriolanus explained.

"Why does, uh, rainbow girl here get special treatment? Hmm? "She questioned, bending down in front of Lucy, "Why aren't our menders here?"

"Just not inspired I guess." Lucy answered as the truck suddenly stopped moving. They all looked at the entrance as the truck started to beep and suddenly begin to tilt. The two girls began to move to the back of the bus, Coriolanus took hold of Carolina, and she grabbed onto Lucy as the doors opened and the three fell and slid down an incline of rocks into a gated inclosure. 

"Ooh, ouch." Lucky Flickerman exclaimed, watching as the group slid into the inclosure, before turning back towards the camera, "Well, we'll give them the chance to stand up and catch their breath. I'm jealous of that entrance. I'm Lucretius Lucky Flickerman, a man who needs no introduction, you'll know me as your favorite weather man and amateur magician." He said, pulling out a coin, tossing it up into the air, it disappearing in thin air. "But guess where I am today. Heres a hint, thats right the capital zoo, where this years tributes will be held here, on display, behind these bars, for your viewing pleasure."

Carolina breathed heavily, as she picked herself up and looked out at the group of people on the other side of the bars.

"Thats right, all 24 of them." Flickerman began to turn towards them, pointing at them, "This-" he cut himself off, seeing Coriolanus in his red capital academy uniform. "What in the gem of Panem?" He turned back to the camera, "You see, thats an academy rouge, no?" Flickerman turned back towards Coriolanus, "Excuse me!" He yelled over to get his attention, causing Coriolanus to look at them, "Hello sir! Yes you in the red. Who are you? And why are you in there with them? We're live." He tilted the mic he led towards the bars.

Coriolanus stuttered, and looked at the onlookers nervously, causing Lucy Gray to grab his arm. "Own it." She whispered to him.

"Are you all right?" Flickerman continued with his questions, "Sir? Who are you?"

Coriolanus turned to the girl, "Lucy Gray Baird," He then turned to Carolina, "Carolina Winslet, may I introduce you two to my neighbors?" The two silently nodded. Coriolanus pressed his lips together before taking the rose, that Carolina still had, out of her hand, he broke the stem shorter and tucked it into her hair, pushing some behind her ear, before he held his hands out for the two of them, to which the both took them.

"Well thats something you don't see everyday, they're holding hands." Flickerman observed, as the three began to walk up to the gate. "Yes, yes, yes. Who are you sir? What are you doing in the cage here?" The three ignored him and looked over to the two children that had walked up closer to the cage.

"Hi." Coriolanus said to the children, ignoring Flickerman, "How do you do? My name is Coriolanus Snow. And these are two of the tributes. Lucy Gray Baird from district 12, and Carolina Winslet from district 1." he introduced them, the two bending down slightly to the children's' height.

"Hello." Carolina greeted them.

"Hi there." Lucy Gray cheerfully said, "What's your name?"

"My names Pontius." The young boy answered.

"Nice to meet you, Pontius." Carolina smiled at him.

"Is this your sister?" Lucy Gray questioned, looking at the girl next to Pontius.

"That's Venus, she's only 4." Pontius answered.

"Well, I think 4 is a very smart age to be." Lucy Gray told them, crouching down further.

"Aren't you a career tribute?" Pontius asked, turning towards Carolina.

"Mhmm." Carolina nodded.

"What's a career tribute?" Venus questioned.

"It basically means I was trained for the games." Carolina answered.

"You're brave." Pontius compliment her.

"Why thank you, Pontius." She smiled.

"Where'd you find that snake?" Venus asked Lucy Gray.

"Oh he found me," Lucy Gray explained, "must have been a music lover, my singing calmed him right down." 

"Can I touch your dress?" The girl excitedly asked.

"Of course, I like your dress too." Lucy Gray smiled, looking at the pretty dress the girl wore, before turning to Flickerman, "Oh and who might you be?" She questioned, turning to him with her hands on her hips.

"Oh, you don't know who I am?" Flickerman questioned, before hearing someone laugh, "Don't you laugh." He said turning to the person, "Not everyone has television out in the districts." He said, before turning back to the three, "I'm Lucretius Lucky Flickerman, but more enticingly, who are you two? Carolina from district 1 and Lucy from district 12."

"Oh it's Lucy Gray." She corrected him, "And i'm not actually from 12." She explained, "My people are covey, we're like a family. We're musicians by trade and we travel from place to place the fancy takes us, at least we used to, before the peacekeepers rounded us up."

"But now you're district 12?" Flickerman inquired.

"If you say so." Lucy Gray smiled.

"Well your dress is far from grey," Flickerman pointed at the rainbow colored dress she wore, "and seems to be a big hit with the children."

"Oh it is. Well, the covey love color. Me more so than most. But this dress is my mommas so it's extra special to me."

"And she's in district 12?"

"Oh well only her bones, darlin', only her pearly white bones." Flickerman snorted at her jest.

"Oh," Flickerman said, turning towards where Carolina stood, "and here we have Carolina Winslet," he turned towards the camera, "she is our first ever Career tribute. Now as we heard, a career tribute is a tribute who has trained for the games." He turned back towards Carolina, "Now, how long have you trained?"

"Oh for many, many years," Carolina answered.

"Oh and how old are you?"

"17."

"Oh then that is quite the amount of time, it's no wonder you're called 'district 1's weapon'," her face showed a slightly stunned reaction to the title, "you know," he leaned closer to the gate, as if intending to share a secret, "there are many people here that think you're going to win."

Carolina's brows raised, "Oh really?"

"Yep, all that training has made you a promising candidate for being this year's victor." Flickerman explained, as Coriolanus took in his words about the girl.

"Well I hope I don't disappoint anyone." Carolina said.

"Oh you wont." Flickerman assured.

"Oh, and do you know Mr. Coriolanus Snow here?" Carolina questioned, patting his shoulder.

"Apparently he's my mentor," Lucy Gray added, "clearly, I've got the cake with the cream, because nobody else has even bothered to show up." She explained as she pulled Coriolanus closer to the gate.

Flickerman turned to the camera before looking back to them, "The game makers, did tell you to jump into the cage with them." He concluded.

"They didn't tell me not to." Coriolanus explained, "They just said it was a mentors job to introduce the tributes to the citizens of Panem, and I thought if these two were brave enough to be here then why shouldn't I be too."

"For the record, we didn't have a choice." Lucy Gray explained for both she and Carolina.

"For the record," Flickerman said, seeing the peacekeeper that approached Coriolanus, "I think you're about to be whisked away, young man." The peacekeepers grabbed onto Coriolanus and began to take him away, but Carolina quickly grabbed onto him before they could.

"Bring us some food, please. All of us I'm pretty sure haven't eaten since the reaping."

Coriolanus gave the girl a small nod before he was taken away.