Elias shook his hands, not having wanted her to apologize for something that was completely understandable.
"No! I mean, it makes sense. We've never met before. We can think of this as a proper introduction. Instead of just one that was kind of forced on us, I guess."
His head started to tilt on its own, wondering what it could be like. The Capitol played in his minds eye, but he quickly shook that out of his head; it was much too fancy. Thinking of Pike's reaping, he imagined the landscape near the justice building, when he realized he hadn't seen one. Was that it? Just gray as far as the eye could see? If this place was suffocating, he couldn't imagine how District 3 was.
"That sounds... like something," he grimaced, trying not to be too mean about what sounded like a nightmare to him. "I mean, I certainly wouldn't do well there."
He hums as he turns to look at the tree, thinking of home a bit wistfully, and clearly not minding as she got closer to sit; he didn't seem to have any inhibitions against the other tribute, naively enough.
"I mean, its definitely beautiful. But its not like here. Forests are sectioned off into specific kinds of trees- hard woods and soft woods. There aren't as many flowering trees and such, as they aren't as good for lumber. But there are some. It's still nice. But then of course, logging season comes, and huge chunks get taken out. Luckily, the Capitol mostly understands old growth, so clearcutting doesn't take away all the forests..."
Pike nodded, a small but still slightly awkward smile growing on her face. "Yeah, um... true," she agreed.
Her smile then turned slightly sad as he responded to what she would call "home." "Yeah, no, I um... if you're used to trees and greenery, you probably wouldn't."
She had a passing thought that he probably had an advantage in the arena, given it would be more likely to have a place filled with trees than technology. Still, she didn't voice it; this conversation was supposed to be light, not... that.
Her smile turned a bit more genuine as he continued talking. He seemed to know what he was talking about. Maybe Seven was similar to Three in that the young ones learned the trade of the district early. "Do you work in lumber? Or do you go to school? Or both?" She was genuinely curious, but she also couldn't shut up the part of her brain that was thinking about the games; knowing every tribute's strengths and weaknesses would be beneficial.
As he watched her talk, he only felt a bit discouraged- while her face and demeanor seemed hard to read, her words gave her away as just as awkward and scared as he was. It didn’t feel like the kind of danger his mentor has warned him about. This just seemed like a meeting of happenstance. Just in the middle of a bright and new Capitol atrium rather than the forests of home.
“Yeah… Pike Everheart of District 3. I’m Elias Hawthorne, District 7. But it seems like you already know that…?”
He had watched all of the reapings, of course, learning in detail about the people whose names had been drawn alongside his. He didn’t think going in blind would help, and gathering information seemed like the right thing to do. Moreso, he just wondered if everyone felt as strange as he did going up there. From what he remembered, Pike clearly was level headed enough not to completely lock up and actually feel the severity of the situation- something he still couldn’t quite get a grasp on.
He tried changing to something he knew, but also did have an air of genuine curiosity about him.
She nodded slowly. "Yeah, um... y-yeah, sorry, I guess normally introducing myself is kind of stupid, huh?" She didn't like this; she wasn't used to feeling stupid. Awkward? Definitely, that was normal to her. But stupid? No.
At his question, she tilted her head back and forth. "I mean... some? Like there are some small ones in the town square where the Reaping happens but it's mostly just... concrete and pollution." She chuckled sadly before looking around at the plants again. "Is this what Seven is like? Just all this... beauty?"
She knew she had to keep her guard up around other tributes, she couldn't help but slowly gravitate to a seat near him; it would be nice to have a somewhat normal conversation that didn't talk about the inevitable killing and such.
He stared at the newcomer for a moment until he realized who she was, expecting someone but certainly not another tribute. Perhaps it was confusion about how all this worked or just naivety though, since all of them shared the same building and nothing stopped them from meeting inside the facility. Maybe he had hoped he'd get some alone time this late at night.
He rolled his lips, thinking just a bit about self image as he uncurled his legs from his leg, trying to not seem so scared. He isn't sure if it helped though.
"Oh, no, it's fine! It's not like it's my atrium or anything- it's for anyone to use," he explained, trying to not get her to run away just because he was there. Maybe that wasn't what she was concerned about, he thought a bit too late.
"I mean, sorry, I just... Needed some nature...?"
He really didn't know how to talk to the other tributes from other districts. He wanted to be nice- instinctually seeing a lot of scared kids that he wanted to reassure; its something he would like right about now. But weren't they enemies? Most of them didn't seem like it... He was still trying to wrap his head around the concept, and it was dizzying.
With the lights from the outside city hitting his face, Pike finally recognized who he was; Seven's boy. Elias, she thought his name was? She remembered every reaping, just maybe not the names exactly; they'd be harder to watch die eventually if she memorized all the names, she thought.
Still, she remembered his silent tears; practically the opposite of what she had done. The sponsors probably liked his reaction more than hers; she was jealous in a terrible sort of way.
Still, that wasn't what she should've been thinking about then, so she just focused on the other.
He seemed almost as scared as she was. Why? He was like twice her size, could probably snap her like a twig (pun unintended). What did he have to be afraid of?
"No, y-yeah, um... that makes sense, with, like... where you're from, and all," she agreed. "I um... I'm from Three, so... we don't have stuff like this there."
She looked around at the pretty foliage for a moment before realizing in her panic that she had forgotten her manners. "Oh, sorry, I'm Pike."
Despite the long train ride that got him here, the many teary goodbyes, the complete barrage by stylists and escorts, and the fact that he was in the Capitol, Elias still felt numb to the whole situation.
He just wanted to go home, or at least be in an area that felt familiar. Even the windows in his room didn't offer any reprieve, showing a world of glittering lights and gray concrete. The only trees he had managed to see were delicate little things with flowers that had to be genetically modified to be that bright, and those kinds of trees just weren't common where he came from.
So, in the dead of night, wanting any semblance of comfort, he found himself going down the elevator of the Capitol building where hopefully no to a few people were wafering around. There was a section of the main floor that had a little atrium, with decorative ferns and mosses and a juvenile maple. Trying to find solace in it, he sat on the edge of the wall that held the soil, bringing his knees up to his chest. It wasn't until he could get a deep breath in that he took in his surroundings, making eye contact with someone else that had wandered down here this late.
Despite being in the comfiest bed in her entire life and eating the best food she'd ever tasted, her thoughts still wouldn't stop. She was worried about how her father would be able to care for himself once she went down in the arena, then tried to push that thought aside to what she could do to make sure she got back to him. She was going over what her mentors had already tried to instill in her while also remembering what she had seen of the other reapings, and...
Her mind wouldn't shut up. So she went for a walk.
She wasn't sure exactly where she was going, but she made sure to take mental notes as she walked so she would be able to retrace her steps as she returned.
Alright, the elevator is here, I'm about to take a right, which would be a left coming back, past this television...
She had entered a room she wasn't expecting to be so flush with life as this one. For the first time since the Reaping, the slight tug of her lips upwards was genuine, just enjoying seeing the plants. She never really got to see that many in Three, so this was a rare treat for her.
She was idly running her fingers over a leaf when she looked up and saw she was not alone.
"Ah!" she exclaimed, jumping back in surprise before catching her breath. "I... phew, sorry, didn't, um... didn't see you there."
"Of course. We don't bite... well Eno does, but she's not here this year." It was a poor joke, but she had tried. Cashmere could tell the girl was nervous. She didn't blame her. Most of the kids here were, except the ones that hailed from districts like her own, kids who had trained for this. But Cashmere had been in this long enough to know that it didn't matter a lick if you'd trained all your life if you also weren't smart. That was where kids like Pike could hold the upper hand.
"Yes," she admitted, "I did see it. I make a habit of watching all the reapings. They can give invaluable information about your opponents." She'd found over the years they were an early indicator that could narrow down who'd make it and who wouldn't. Cashmere didn't think Pike would win, that she would make it past the first day, but she had more decorum than to voice those thoughts aloud.
Pike's eyes widened a bit at the thought of someone here biting, but then she realized oh that was a joke and laughed a bit too forcefully once. "Great," she said with a nod, glad to find someone willing to help. Though, she supposed Cashmere was a mentor; it would make sense that she was a helpful person.
Pike nodded again, her smile fading in embarrassment. "Y-yeah, um... not my finest moment," she said, trying to be jokingly and likably self-deprecating. Her lack of physical skills and killer instinct were going to be no help in the arena; her only hope now was to be as likable as possible.
Which, for her, was not going to be easy.
"You're from One, right?" she asked, trying to make light conversation. "So you were, like, trained for this and everything?"
Cashmere needed a coffee, or energy drink, or something caffeinated if she were going to make it through the day. She was a night owl, up all hours of the night, and typically slept until noon or later. So, getting up before the sun even rose to be greeted by her entirely too perky stylist team on Reaping day was never something she enjoyed.
Thankfully, in all the renovations over the last year, they hadn't gotten rid of the coffee shop on the lobby floor of the Tribute Tower and she'd managed to secure herself an extra-large latte with an extra shot of expresso. She was leaning against a table in the lobby watching the Flickerman family's first impressions of the tributes. It took much for her to not roll her eyes at their antics.
She was in the middle of a sip of her coffee when she heard someone behind her. Cashmere turned to see who was talking and offered a small smile. "Of course. They didn't change that at least with the renovations. Each district has their own floor. So, find the elevators and you'll find you're way there. I can show you."
Cashmere looked the girl up and down. "You're Pike right?" She'd watched all the reapings before even stepping foot in the Capitol.
Pike's eyes widened a bit as she realized who she had disturbed with her antics; Cashmere. She had been too young to see her games, but she had seen her on TV a few times with interviews and such since she became a victor.
Wow, she's even more beautiful in person.
"O-oh, thank you," she said genuinely before her eyes somehow got bigger. Cashmere knew her name? It took her a second to realize of course she did; she probably watched that disaster of a Reaping.
Well, at least I'm memorable?
"Yeah, um... that's me!" she said, trying to appear cheerful, or at least not constantly thinking about her upcoming demise. "You, uh... y-you saw the Reaping, I take it?"
Pike liked school, but it wasn't her main priority.
She got good grades, but good grades didn't put bread on the table. And with her father retired due to his health and age, Pike was the only breadwinner in the house. So, every day after school, and all day during the weekends, she was on call as a Fixer. If someone needed their television or computer or anything fixed, she was the one to call. She was efficient and, honestly, too cheap for how fast she could complete the task. But, it put food on the table.
So she was simply working on her assignment, though thinking about if she was going to be busy after school today when the Capitol announcement music began playing. She gulped subconsciously before watching the screen and listening with intensity.
This was awful. Now there was a chance her name could be in the bowl more times? Sure, Pike wasn't the "friends with everybody" type or anything, but her name was known around town; you needed tech fixed, Pike's your girl. She had even been to Victor's Village a few times to help when one of the victor's computers or televisions.
So... would they pick her?
She hoped the victors would be smart, which all of them were, and not select Pike to add in. Sure, she was clever, but winners had to be strong, likeable, everything she wasn't. She would either have to kill other people, which she knew she didn't have the stomach for, and/or get sponsorships from people in the Capitol who liked her. She wouldn't be suited for either of those things, so if her name got called, she was screwed.
The Capitol logo finally faded from the screen and Pike sighed, trying to calm her restless mind.
They wouldn't pick me. It's not going to be me... right?
Pike liked to think of herself as intelligent. She was frail, she was awkward, she was terrible with people, but brains? Brains she had.
So it was very embarrassing that she basically walked into the Capitol building and got lost immediately.
Nothing here looked familiar except for the televisions on the walls, and those were no help to finding where her escort ran off to. There seemed to be some soap opera on one of them, which couldn't hold Pike's attention for very long; she had too much on her mind. She kept walking around, trying to pretend like she knew where she was going and definitely not just wandering and hoping for the best. Nope. Absolutely not.
After... well, she wasn't sure how long, time was an illusion to her ever since her name was called, she decided that asking for help would be better than getting completely lost and wandering into some restricted area and getting in trouble; she didn't want to make any enemies when her life was about to be in a lot of these people's hands.
She approached the next person she saw, their back to her so she couldn't know who it was.
"E-Excuse me," she greeted, annoyed that she was already stuttering; her nervous habit that she had been trying to break since she was little. "I'm um... I'm so sorry, I'm... really lost, do you know how to get to the District Three area?"
Pike had woken up this morning with a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She knew what day it was, of course, but that didn't make the inevitable any easier. She had survived this long without being selected, despite the amount of tesserae she took every year. Still, that meant her name was already in the bowl more than most of the other sixteen year olds in the District. Now, with the Quarter Quell twist, she was even more terrified than normal.
District Three wasn't exactly known for it's martial prowess. They only had a handful of victors and none of them would easily be described as "warriors". District Three's strength was their intelligence, that was the little advantage they had in the arena. So, yeah, Pike was scared.
Pike wasn't arrogant by any means. In fact, she was practically the opposite, having no confidence in most aspects of her life. But intelligence? She knew she was smart; it was basically all she had. But when "all she had" was the biggest strength of the District? Maybe her name was entered even more because of it.
So she was heavily concerned.
She tried to stay calm as she made breakfast for her and her dad. Sure, biologically, he was her grandfather, but due to the circumstances of the District, namely the pollution that killed her mother when Pike was two, she had no other father figure to call "dad."
She had just finished making the eggs when Pike heard the shuffling footsteps and the "thunks" of his walking stick as he entered the room. She forced a smile and turned to him.
"Morning, Dad," she greeted as cheerfully as she could muster.
He smiled sadly and shook his head. "Pikey, you don't have to pretend. I know what day it is."
She deflated with a sigh; she could never lie to him, even as little as faking enthusiasm.
"Sorry, yeah, um... y-yeah," she said, shaking her head, unsure what to say. She picked up both plates and walked past him to place them on the table. She stood behind his chair and pulled it out, waiting for him to come over and sit down before pushing his chair in and going to her own seat.
"Pike," he began, a sympathetic but reassuring look in his eyes. "We're the third largest District when it comes to population numbers. There are hundreds of kids' names in that bowl. Think about this rationally; what are the actual odds of your name being selected?"
Pike looked up as if the answer was on the ceiling. Her tongue escaped her lips slightly as she tried to do some calculations in her head. She was sixteen now, which meant a minimum of fifteen times her name was in the bowl. Then, taking tesserae as often as she had-
"I didn't mean do the math," he chuckled, snapping Pike out of her calculations. She couldn't help but join him in a little laughter; she really was too cerebral for her own good. "I just mean... the odds are in your favor."
She smirked, hearing his words in the voice of the crazy sounding escorts every year. "Alright, yeah, it's... it'll be fine," she agreed, though there was still a rough feeling that she couldn't quite get rid of.
She heard a loud beep and groaned, getting up from the table to go to the air purifier. She was proud of her invention, glad that it was probably the sole reason her dad had stayed alive this long in these conditions. However, it was still basically a glorified prototype that needed constant maintenance. She opened the latch giving her access to the wiring and control panel and started reconfiguring the machine.
"I need to seriously rework this thing, the wiring organization is shoddy at best," Pike mumbled mostly to herself.
He shook his head. "It works, that's all that matters."
She nodded and reconnected the wire that had gotten loose before closing the latch and heading back to the table. "I'll work on fixing it fully once I'm home. My head's not in the best spot right now."
He nodded and continued to eat his eggs, his wise eyes still watching his daughter as she silently panicked for the rest of breakfast.
~
Pike's mood had only gotten worse as she got dressed and walked with the rest of the District's children to the town square to find out who will get selected. She had to focus on her breathing or she was going to have a full blown panic attack.
Pike really didn't even hear anything about the ceremony for a while. She had seen the video from the Capitol about fifteen times already, what was the point of listening when she practically had it memorized? She only snapped back into reality when the words "Ladies first" came out of the escort's mouth.
She took one long deep breath before holding it as she waited for the name to be called.
"Pike Everheart!"
No.
She had to have misheard, right? It was just her panic bringing her to the worst possible conclusion. It wasn't possible. She was becoming less and less sure she was being crazy when all the children around her shot her looks of pity.
No no no...
She was shaking her head so vehemently that the tears she didn't know had formed had fallen from her face. The Peacekeepers had come up from behind her and taken each of her arms. Her panic had fully mounted and she was screaming the word that had been on repeat in her mind.
"NO! No no no! No, please!" she screamed, kicking and fighting the Peacekeepers her entire way to the stage. If she had even an ounce of her usually rational thought, she would know that looking this pathetic and scared at the Reaping wasn't going to get her any sponsors, but that was the furthest from her mind right now; she was in fight or flight mode, and both weren't working.
Pike didn't hear the rest of the ceremony over her own screams, eventually being dragged away into a little room to presumably see her father for the last time.
She paced around the room, consistently trying and failing to stop her tears from flowing freely; she couldn't get out of it, so she needed to be strong now.
But how?
When the door opened, her father was basically thrown into the room and she caught him in a tight hug, letting the sobs she had been holding back out into his shoulder. His frail arm that wasn't holding his cane wrapped around her and held as tightly as he could, which wasn't very. After a few moments, he pulled back enough to meet her eyes.
"Pike, listen to me," he ordered, his tone more serious than she had ever heard him be before. "You're smart, smarter than any of the others." Pike shook her head to disagree but his look silenced whatever argument she was about to make. "You can think your way out of the arena. You can do it, okay?" She slowly nodded, though she clearly didn't believe it. "I want to hear you say it."
"I..." she started, then sobbed a couple times before taking a deep breath and saying "I can do it."
She hated herself for it; she had just lied to her father.
The Peacekeepers barged in and started dragging her father away, despite both of their protests. As he was being dragged out, she shouted "I love you, Dad!"
