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SHALL WE RISE?

act one.

(chapter five,  act like you are dead inside)

train / remake centre, 2304.

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THE SOUND OF DELPHINE knocking against the door made Valencia peel open her eyes. The bright, shining light of the sun caused her to wince as she rubbed her forehead, sitting up in the bed, the sheets falling down and pooling around her waist. 

"Up you get, dear!" Delphine's voice was heard behind the door as she continued knocking. "Breakfast is ready! Better eat before we get to the Capitol!"

Valencia groaned as she heard Delphine's heels click away from the door, leaving her alone in the room. She debated whether or not to go to breakfast, for there will probably be a grand feast in the Capitol... well, supposedly. But the deafening sound of Valencia's stomach growling decided on her thoughts and forced her to swing her legs out of the bed and onto the carpeted floor. 

She stood up and walked over to the mirror. She was still wearing her Reaping dress from the day prior. The dress was once smooth, but was now filled with wrinkles and creases from sleeping in it and her hair was all over the place. But Valencia could not harness any energy to actually change out of the dress and so she sighed and walked out of the bedroom, into the halls of the train, making her way down to where they were having breakfast. 

The dining cart had numerous displays of different types of breakfast foods already. Valencia's stomach growled harder as she smelt the aroma of sausages and bacon, her mouth drooling as she walked to the table where Antares, Commie, and Delphine sat.

Commie was hounding away at a large plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toasted bread that was spread vigorously with strawberry jam. He had a glass in one hand that was filled with a sickening yellow juice that had him wincing whenever he took a sip. 

Antares sat quietly next to him as he played with his food, his fork scraping against the plate. He only had a small plate of food which consisted of ham, eggs, and a thin piece of bread that had butter lightly spread on top. Beside his plate was a mug that was steaming with a dark, brown liquid in it. Coffee.

Delphine had taken a seat across from Commie and had a very, very small plate that had a hash brown, a single sausage, and a poached egg residing on it. Unlike Commie and Antares, she had a long, slender glass that had a strawberry coloured, smoothie-like liquid in it. The colour matched Delphine's outfit for the day, having chosen a blouse and skirt. A long necklace was wrapped around her neck and Valencia wondered how it wasn't getting in her food.

"Ah! You're awake!" Commie exclaimed, his mouth filled with mushed up bacon and eggs as he spoke. "Sit down! Sit down!"

Valencia looked at him with a raised eyebrow before taking a seat next to Delphine. As she did, her plate was instantly filled with an array of breakfast items. An Avox grabbed a glass that matched Commie's one and filled it with the same yellowish orange coloured juice that had her mentor wincing.

"I told them to give you orange juice," Commie said as he signalled to the glass. "Delphine told them to give you her delicious smoothie, but I didn't want you to be puking on your first day at the Capitol."

"What is it?" Valencia pondered as she looked at Delphine's glass.

"It's strawberry juice, dear," she said as she picked up the glass and offered it to her. "Want a taste?"

Valencia rapidly shook her head as she turned her attention to her plate, picking up her knife and fork and greedily shoving every single bit of food in her mouth. Delphine made noises of disgust as she watched the girl, but Commie silenced her as he loaded more food onto Valencia's plate.

Valencia should have savoured every bit of food that was on her plate, but she hadn't eaten a grand meal like this in ages and with Commie continuously reloading her plate up, she didn't want to cherish anything. But when it came to be her fourth plate of food, Valencia felt like her stomach was about to explode when she took one final sip of her bitter orange juice.

"Now, you're all filled up and ready to go," said Commie as he sat back in his seat, having finished his plate ages ago. "We're ready to rock and roll."

"If only that boy came down here!" Delphine exclaimed as she set her knife and fork aside. "Three times I have called him down here and he wasn't even opened his door!"

"Maybe he's still sleeping, Delphine," said Antares as he looked up from his plate. "He'll come down soon."

"And if he does, will you stuff food down him like Flint did to Valencia?" Delphine mumbled. "Absolutely ridiculous."

"I might," said Antares. "There's nothing wrong with a full stomach."

They all looked to Valencia, who was laying informally in her seat with her hands on her stomach as she groaned and moaned. She heard Commie chuckle in-front of her as she did, causing her to sigh even more.

"Oh, there he is!" Delphine exclaimed, causing Valencia to turn her head as she watched Silas enter the compartment, still in his Reaping clothes like she was. "And still in his Reaping attire... seriously, does anyone not care about hygiene?"

"I've been wearing the same sweater for three days now," said Commie as Antares began to gather up food for Silas. "So, no... we don't care."

"Well, you better be looking good for the Tribute Parade tonight," Delphine snapped as she stared from the two tributes and the two mentors. "A lot of people will have their eyes on us."

"I'm sure you'll look ridiculous as ever," said Commie, but Valencia did not hear his comment.

It was like there was a lump in her throat and she desperately tried to get rid of it as she downed her glass of juice that her mentor refilled for her. She had forgotten all about the Tribute Parade. Valencia's head became filled with terrifying thoughts of having to get all prettied up and go on display for the Capitol's pleasure. To be toyed around until they all got bored and moved onto the next pretty thing that entered the Games. To have all the people staring at her and placing bets and predictions on her. It was sickening.

What was more sickening was that the District Nine tributes were always humiliated in the Parade, always at least the bottom of the sponsor list with the other embarrassed districts. Last year, the tributes were dressed up as wheat, their hair made to look like grain as they had been coated in a sort of nude colour of paint that made them look like they were about to throw up since they were so pale. They wore the most revealing outfits that were made out of real straw and Valencia nearly puked. She would rather die than wear anything like that. 

"Oh, don't look so appalled, you two," said Delphine as she saw Valencia and Silas's faces. "We have new stylists this year... much better than the last."

"That's something we can all agree on," mumbled Commie as he got up from his seat. "Barlowe, get up."

Valencia groaned and raised an eyebrow, but followed his instructions and got up from her seat. Antares looked at the two with a confused face whilst Silas stared emotionlessly. Commie cleared his throat as he walked over to where the cutlery lay and picked up a steak knife.

"You said you were good at throwing, right?" Commie asked her as he pushed her by the shoulders and forced her to stand in-front of the table where the others sat. 

"Yeah."

"All right," he said. "Throw the knife."

Valencia looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed. Commie's face was dead serious whilst Delphine looked appalled, Silas's interest perked up as he stared at the blade. 

"Well, come on," said Commie. "Surely you know how to throw a knife. Really?"

"I can throw a ball," Valencia told him. "Not a bloody knife."

Commie groaned as he flipped the knife around in his hands before stepping back and using all of his power to throw the knife. Delphine squeaked as she covered her head with her hands, but the sounds of her were overpowered with the echo of the knife lodging itself perfectly in the middle of the wall that was a barrier between two windows that showed the rolling fields outside. 

Commie walked forward and pulled the knife out of the wall, which left a small slit in the wallpaper that had Delphine seething at the mouth. He walked over a lazily flicked it over to Valencia, who quickly caught its hilt.

"I was a knife thrower in my Games," said Commie. "Now, throw the knife... and get it perfectly in that slit that the knife created. Go."

Valencia cleared her throat as she took a step back, hands fidgeting with the hilt of the knife as she brought her arm back. She took a deep breath before quickly throwing her arm forward and letting the knife go from her head. She heard Delphine squeak again, but this time, Antares gasped as Valencia looked at the wall.

Right in the middle of the wall where the tear was, was the knife. It had lodged itself right in the tear in the wall. Valencia scoffed as she shook her head, mouth gaping as Commie's did too.

"Holy crap," he said. "We actually got a thrower in the mix! I didn't expect you to do it the first try!"

"Bloody hell," Valencia whispered as she walked forward and pulled the knife out of the tear that was now bigger. "Bloody hell."

"See, Terry?" Commie laughed as he clapped Valencia on the back. "She does have a chance in the Games!"

Antares sighed as Valencia averted her eyes from a cheery Commie to a solemn brother. He had his eyes down to his plate whilst Silas sent daggers to Valencia. Delphine was out of her seat whilst she sobbed over the tear in the wallpaper. 

Suddenly, the train began to slow down and much brighter lights flooded the compartment. As if on cue, Valencia released herself from Commie as she rushed to the window, hands on the window as she pressed her face against the glass.

She gasped as she saw the humongous buildings that glistened in the sunlight, their silver plating reflecting onto a hydropower lake that seemed so clear and pristine that you could see the bottom even from their distance. The buildings were so high up that they entered the fluffy clouds that had Valencia gaping. The cameras definitely didn't lie about the Capitol's grandeur. 

The people that strolled around the city began to point as they realised a tribute train was rolling in, their highlighter coloured attire being seen even from this distance. They all began to wave and cheer as they watched them, causing Valencia to drop her smile. They were cheering out of excitement... excitement that was caused by the pleasure of watching kids die. Silas, of course, did not wave or smile. 

The compartment went dark as their view of the Capitol ended, the train going through the surface. Valencia was thankful for the dull view of concrete in-front of her, her eyes sore just from the highlighter colours of the Capitol people (she thanked those above that Delphine hadn't choose such a bright colour for her attire). But soon, they resurfaced and they came to a stop at the station.

Valencia was snatched away from the window by Commie, but she couldn't help but hear the screams of the Capitol people who cheered and whistled. Cameras were flashing, causing Valencia's eyes to burn as the white light mixed into the groups of various bright colours.

"Don't smile, don't laugh, don't do anything," Commie mumbled into her ear as he pushed her along. "Act like you are dead inside, give them death stares... act like you have fire inside of you. Act like Bigfoot"

Valencia nodded hesitantly as she processed her mentor's words, being pushed along into a hallway and to where the exit was. Delphine was already there and Antares was whispering lowly to Silas, who looked so rage-filled as if he would kill anyone that got in his way. 

Delphine pressed a button that was beside the door and it opened, Valencia taking a deep breath. There was more flashes of cameras that went off and everyone was cheering as they pointed to the two. Delphine left first and everyone whistled at her. She turned around with a giant smile and signalled for Valencia to follow her and she did. 

As she stepped down from the train, the cheers and screams became more intense. They all began to chant her name and whistle loudly, but Valencia kept a dead-panned face. She glared at the cameras, her face only moving when the bright lights became too much and she winced. 

Silas came down next with Antares and Commie behind him, and he was... smiling. Valencia gaped as she had never seen the boy smile or... laugh before. When people called for him, he laughed and gave a wave as if he was a natural. It must have been what Antares told him to do, why he looked so angry back on the train.

Valencia continued to look emotionless as she heard the crowd go crazy for Commie and Antares, the pair walking beside each other as they waved and smiled for the people and the cameras. Antares was winking to all the Capitol women, all of them sighing and batting eyes at him whilst Commie riled up the men and made them chant his name whilst they fist-pumped the air. 

Soon, Delphine opened the door for the tributes and they were led into the Centre where Commie placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Good job, Barlowe," he mumbled as he pushed her along.

Antares and Silas walked past them and into an opposite direction, Silas's smile dropped as he became stone-faced once more. Valencia sighed as Commie pushed her in-front of three people, all wearing soft and pale colours, much unlike the other Capitol people that wore neon.

"Hello, Valencia," the woman in the middle of the trio (which consisted of two women and one man) said. The woman that talked wore a dress that was box-like, but had a soft yellow colour to it, her hair a soft orange as it came down to her neck straightly. "We are your prep team, we're here to make sure you're ready for Ezra."

"He's the new stylist," Commie whispered in her ear.

"I am Bette," the woman introduced. "And this is Mateo" — she nudged her head into the direction of a man who wore a pale green suit, long white eyelashes decorating his eyes whilst his mint green hair was in a ponytail — "and this is Aria" — she pointed to the girl beside her, who wore a long coat that was a pale purple, her hair (which was a light shade of pink) tied up in a bun atop her head.

Valencia nodded as she smiled slightly at the trio, looking back to Silas, who was greeting a trio of vibrant coloured men that looked like a pack of tigers with the strange stripes all over their skin. Antares was wincing as he stared at them, looking longingly over at the pale group that was in-front of Valencia.

"We styled Terry in his Games," said Mateo as he waved at Antares. "It is such an honour to style you, Miss Barlowe."

Valencia smiled warmly at the man as he spoke, but she was soon nudged by Commie.

"You got to go," he said. "Then you'll meet with your stylist and then they will style you into your outfit for the Parade."

Valencia's eyes widened as Commie went to leave. The trio in-front of her were nice enough, but she didn't know them. She knew Commie and she didn't want him to leave her. But there was something about the prep team in-front her that made her go with them. They didn't wear bright colours that assaulted the eyes or were up-front and rude. They were soft and gentle, both in personality and looks. 

She nodded as she muttered a goodbye to Commie and followed the trio, watching as Silas was pulled away by his prep team and Antares walked away, being joined by Commie as they both spoke.

"It's okay, love," said Aria, her voice gentle and sweet as she placed a hand on Valencia's shoulders. "You're gonna be okay."