The Hunger Games ((Closed))

Maddox's face flushed a bit and he looked away. Cologne… pfft, why do I even need this stuff anyways? "Do you know why we're being all dressed up?" He looked down at his apple getup. So strange… and I've got like, an aura of artificial apple scent surrounding me wherever I go.

Vixen adjusted her dress, once again starting to feel slightly exposed from wearing such a girly thing. Finally, she responded, "Well, they get all the tributes dressed up, then they have us go on by one onto this tv interview thing… Caesar Flickerman, I think is the guy who we have to talk to. Well, we talk to them, and based by our answers and how pretty our faces are, we get sponsers. The more sponsers we win over, the more supplies we'll have in the arena, the more chance of survival." She tried to explain it the best she could.

"That's… that's awful! It's barbaric, and certainly unfair! Some people have an advantage just because the judges like them? W-What about the people who just aren't as strong? They're just left empty handed and allowed to die? We're picked at random! It's not like we choose to be in the Games!" Maddox ranted for a bit, pacing anxiously. What if the judges don't like me? That's like, a surefire way to die!

"Hey," Vixen reached out and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him closer to her and getting him to stop. "There's no use in worrying about it. Just play the cute, innocent one, and the sick Capitol people will eat it right up. You're young, they'll take pity on you. Me, I don't know what I'm going to do…" She spoke in barley a whisper, sighing as she finished speaking. She finally took her hand away, now fidgeting a little bit.

Maddox sighed, running his hand through his hair and bumping against the pin. "I… I-I guess I can do that… I'm certainly not the strong one expected to win… it terrifies me to know that I-" His breath caught in his throat. "I-I'm gonna die…" He paused for a few moments, his eyes stinging with tears. "B-But you'll be fine… you're strong, and pretty… the judges'll love you…"

Blinking back the tears that rose to her eyes, she stared at the boy in front of her. He reminded her so much of her brother… before he was slaughtered in the arena. She started to blush from what he said, never good at taking compliments. "Don't talk like that… You never know what might happen in the arena." She started to make up her mind about something, finalizing her desicion. "You know, someone could become your ally, and then you wouldn't die, at least imeditly." She shrugged slightly, trying to lessen the heavy mood of the topic.

"Ally? I-I thought allies were forbidden?" Maddox quickly brushed away his tears. Stop crying! You're supposed to be strong; weakness won't get you anywhere in the Games… The green in his hazel eyes was brought out by the sunlight. Strange that the weather's so nice on an awful day like this…. it's like a nightmare. But I can't just wake up from this one in the morning… A tear fell from his eye and he hastily wiped it away.

A scoff of a laugh escaped her throat. She shook her head. "No, every games there's always the career pack, a several other groups of allies. And besides, what would it matter if it was forbidden? Isn't murder forbidden? But then look at the games." She noticed how he was now crying. Before she could think about it, she reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "Don't cry, that's exactly what they want to do… to break you…"

"But I…. I-I suppose you're right…" Maddox tried his best to not mess up the strange powder on his face, doing his best to attempt to stop crying. "I just… I… I-I don't wanna die…" He turned his eyes towards Vixen, terrified. The fact that he would soon die was surreal. "This can't be happening…" He started pacing again. "No, no, no, no, no… it's just a dream… a nightmare… I'll wake up at home and I won't be here and… and…" He choked back more tears, stopping in his tracks. "I-I'm never going to see them again…" He whispered almost inaudibly to himself.

"Hey, listen to me," she walked over to where he was now standing and pulled him to her in a hug. She leaned near his ear and whispered, "I'm gonna get you out alive, no matter what it takes, you got that?" She let him go, then took a step back. Now talking back in a normal tone, she said, "I'd stop crying now, or your stylist is going to have a heart attack."

//^lena walks by as she says career^

Maddox nodded slightly, brushing away the tears and drawing in a few wavering breaths. Calm down, calm down, calm down… do you want to live or not? You won't get sponsored if you're crying! Good impressions! It may be unjust and barbaric, but it'll keep you from dying immediately.

"That's better, now at least you wont have a stylist murdering you." She half smiled, still thinking about the words she had just whispered. "I'm gonna get you out alive, no matter what it takes." So what if it sealed her fate. So what if it meant she'd never see her brothers and sister again. At least she'd be with her other two brothers and sister, where ever they went after they died. If she was being honest, it wouldn't be that bad dying, if she could give Maddox the gift of a preserved and innocent childhood. He was only 12…. That was way to young to die.

"Should… a-are we supposed to go to the judges? I don't really know where I'm supposed to be…" Maddox glanced over his shoulder in the direction that he knew led to home. Oh, how he wished he could just run. Run back home and pretend this had never happened. But he had a feeling he would be killed if he tried to escape, and another person forced to experience the hell he was experiencing then. He could never do that to someone, and he stayed put.

"No, not yet. Once it's time they'll take us to where we're supposed to be. They'll start looking for me before it's time, so we must still have a little while to wait." She joked a little, partially meaning it. She put her hand into what was an intracate mess of hair. Fidgeting with one of the curls, she then brought her hand back to her side, getting lost in thoughts about the games again.

Maddox stood silently beside Vixen, looking around nervously. I hope she's right… I know I'll be the first to die if I don't have help from the judges or allies… He longed to leave the clearing, to go back to his family and simply flee the country. He wondered if it had ever been done successfully before, and whether he could be the first. Despite Vixen's promises, Maddox was still anxious; it was near impossible not to be. He had no idea how the other tributes were so calm.

(Gtg to bed now considering it's two am)

"I wonder if the other tribute looks like an apple as well?" she thought to herself. Her hair was put up in a mermaid braid with red streaks going through it and leaf pins in her hair. Her dress was bright red with dark red ombre effect at the bottom(not in the picture) and the rosiest cheeks she had ever seen. She didn't know if her cheeks were from blushing because of her ridiculous outfit or the makeup.