//------------------------------// // II- Into the Capitol // Story: The Equestria Hunger Games // by Eternal Flame //------------------------------// I step forward at the call of my name. I'm scared out of my wits, but that doesn't mean I should show it. I take another step, and another. I slowly get up onto to the stage, next to Golden Trinket. "Now for the boys!" She says with a bouncy voice. She shuffles the names around until she finds one from the heap. "And the lucky stallion is... Flynt Coal!" A battered-looking gray earth pony steps up onto the stage, and stands next to me. He's got a light gray coat, gray eyes, a black mane and his cutie mark is a lump of coal and some flint. He looks as if he's had all the color sucked out of him. He's trying to hide it, but he's breathing really fast and shallow. He's obviously nervous. "Thank you everypony! Happy hunger games!" And may the odds be ever in your favour!" Golden Trinket says, closing the reaping and travelling in a trot into the visiting rooms. We follow her, and we each end up in our own rooms. I lean on the windowsill, panicking to myself and desperately trying to think of strategies. Cinder Streak bursts in, and hugs me tight. "You can do it." He says. "No I can't!" I say. "Yes, you can. You're fast, and you know your plants. And I bet there's some sort of weapon out there that you have talent for." "You're hoping too much-" "Just try, you'll see. I've seen you in that forest. You're a natural. Do it for me. Do it for district twelve." I feel hot, salty tears run down my cheeks despite how hard I was trying to hold them back. "I... I will." I stutter, tears and emotions hindering me from speaking properly, "I promise... I'll come back. I'll... Do my b-best, Cinder. I promise in... The name of.. E-Equestria.. That I'll come back f-for you." "Remember that I love you, Autumn. I will always be your loving brother, no matter what." At that point, the peacekeepers push open the door, saying it's time for Cinder to go. I tighten our hug, but the peacekeepers break us apart. They Cinder out the room, leaving me alone and desparate in the small, unfurnished room. _________________________ "Come on, come on! We don't have all day for your dilly-dallying!" Pesters a rather annoyed Golden Trinket. "alright, alright! I'm coming!" I say. I step onto the train, trying not to look down at its large wheels that could probably crush a pony in a matter of seconds as I step over the gap. I look at the platform for the last time, memorising what were probably my final moments in district twelve. I only stop gazing out when the doors snap shut, and I'm ushered into the room inside the carriage by Golden Trinket. I'm speechless as I see what luxuries are inside this one carriage. The walls are studded with black gems, the floor luxurious silky carpet. There's tables, right next to the window do you can see out draped in velvet tablecloths, on the tables plates upon plates of delicacies, almost all of them I have never seen before, the ones I have seen I have only seen them in books. Underneath the tables were comfy sofas. Antique paintings hung on the wall and a crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. I stand there with my mouth wide open. Flynt is doing the same. "You both look like fish, your moths are so wide open!" Said Golden Trinket in amusement, "I mean, what do you expect? The Equestria Games is a festivity, is it not?" It's so luxurious, I'm too stunned to speak. It's a few minutes before I can actually make a sound at all. "Wow, Golden Trinket, it's-" "Just call me 'Trinket', darling," said Trinket, "and yes, it is rather marvellous, isn't it? The Capitol insists that the train should be well decorated." I sit down at one of the sofas and stare out of the window. I notice that the train is moving- very fast. "How come the train moves so fast, but I didn't notice?" I ask curiously, "This can go two-hundred miles an hour, and you almost can't feel a thing." She says. "Where's our mentor? Are they in the train?" Asks Flynt. "Yes, your mentor is here. I will go and find her." Says Trinket. _________________________ Trinket walks in with another pony behind her. "This is Silver." Silver is an intimidating pony. She's a Pegasus, with a silvery white mane that seemed to be blown back by the wind. Her icy blue eyes seemed to look right through you like an X-Ray. I try to take a look at her cutie mark to see what it is, but I daren't move (yes, she's that intimidating) so all I can see was her turquoise coat. "What are your names?" Silver demands. "Um... She's Autumn Dusk, and I'm Flynt Coal." Says Flynt. "Got any useful talents?" Silver asks Flynt. "Um.. I can make a fire with practically anything, and I'm good at camoflauge." Flynt answered. "Any attacking skills at all?" Silver asks. "Um... Anything sharp, or to do with fire." Came the reply. Silver gave a nod, and then turned in me. "Well? What about you?" She asks. "I can gather food, Tend to illness and pain, and I'm agile and fast." "Any good with weapons?" Asks Silver. "We didn't really have many at home. We only have a spear at home, which I'm useless at aiming." I say, "Maybe if I had something that I could aim more precisely, I'd be more successful." "Try using a sword, or a bow and arrows." Advises Silver, "But we can get to that when we get there. We have a whole hour before we get there." _________________________ Silver has talked about tactics the whole way. I've got a headache, which doesn't help in the slightest. "My head is so full of tips, it'll explode." I say after Silver has left the room. "What did she say about how to use a buzz axe safely again?" I ask. My question never gets answered. We pull ontology the station. Flynt waves to the fashion-obsessed Capitol ponies through the window. Some of them even wave back. I hear the train doors swing open. I get out of the carriage apartment door, then out of the train and into the Capitol.