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// The Capitol 
// Story: The Hoof Games 
// by Akemimi 
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We board the train, cameras everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE. I looked up somewhere, and saw a screen, my face on it. I shook my head, walking on the steps. As soon as they closed the door, I leaned against it, trying to block out the noise from outside.

Then I saw the inside of the cart. It was luxurious, made for the tributes selected. I almost thought that we were in the wrong cart for a second. The furniture was Capitol-style, no wonder. Velvet was everywhere, and it was fancier than County Six itself. 

Pinkie Pie sprang out of nowhere, and I banged my head on the door. "Ow.." I muttered, standing up. 

"Hello Twilight! Just wanted to let you know that your fellow tribute is this way~!" she trilled, trotting away to a hallway. I took notice of the trotting, and snickered, because her pointy high heels have toilet paper on the bottom. It's funny because she notices, but keeps her smile and rips the paper off. 

We enter a beautiful cart with a dining room, a table topped with food that doesn't even look like food, and a waiting Spike. "Hello, Twilight." he says, keeping his still expression. I just walk over to a seat, and sit down. "So..." I begin, "where's our mentor?" Pinkie brushes the seat cushion, as if there would be dust on it, which is impossible in this type of train. She sits down, fluffing her pink mane. 

A mentor is somepony who has won a previous Hoof Games that still lives from the county you are pulled from. Our mentor is supposed to be "Big" Macintosh Applenathy, but apparently, he isn't here right now. I wouldn't be surprised- he's probably in the bar cart. Ever since he won the Quarter Quench, he's turned to drinking as his only friend. 

The cart door opens suddenly, and there he is. Macintosh. 

He staggers to a seat, dropping himself into it. Pinkie Pie purses her painted lips together, trying to straighten Macintosh up. He swats at her, yelling, "Get yer filthy Capitol hands off o' me..." in a slurred voice. Yep, he's been drinking. Pinkie shrugs it off, turning to me and Spike. "So," she starts. "what are your special skills?" Spike clears his throat. "Twilight is great with a bow and arrow." I turn to him, giving him a 'shut up' stare. He raises an eyebrow at me. "Spike can carry over 150 pounds." I blurt out, and Pinkie looks at Spike interestingly. "Oh really?" she asks. Spike slides down in his seat. "Yes..." he mumbles. "Honey, sit up straight! We obviously need some practice with manners!" Pinkie shouts at Spike, and he jolts up. Macintosh stands up from his seat, his legs wobbling, as he vomits and falls over into it. After a while, he strains to get up, his face covered in the puke. "W-what happened? I smell like vodkaaa..." he says, falling back into his vomit. 

Pinkie stands, walking around Macintosh, and exiting the cart. Spike stands as well, and helps the drunken stallion on the floor up onto his feet. He doesn't respond. "Um...do you need help?" I ask, standing. Spike just shakes his head, dragging away a unconscious Macintosh. 

So that's our motivational mentor. I wonder if he'll be teaching us how to talk our way out of things we don't want to do while drunk. 

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Finally, we arrive to the Capitol. And I can't believe it. The cameras mess up the brightness of what I stand before. 

We all got off the train, and are greeted by ponies who look really crazy with what they're wearing. Puffed skirts, frilly hair and shirts, a blue dog somewhere. Some stallions wear eyeliner, which I assume that those ones could be gay. Then I realize...it's not some stallions- it's ALL of them. I snickered at them, but they looked at me like I didn't know fashion. 

Let me just explain the Capitol- it's a large city, the leaders of Flank. The buildings, they're very shiny and tall. They tower over everything here. Since it's the leader county, it has fancier things than pretty much every other one. Fancier people, transportation, houses, food, EVERYTHING imaginable. I honestly hate the Capitol. They make me feel...different, and being different in my opinion isn't a good thing. It means that I could be jealous. Being jealous of the Capitol- I would never. 

Pinkie Pie guides us to the place where we meet our stylists. I'm expecting a preppy woman who makes complaints at every single flaw on my hooves. That's just the Capitol in a nutshell.

I turn to Spike as we walk down a glossy hallway that seems freshly cleaned, because even though Macintosh stopped drinking for a bit, he's still slipping on the damp floor. Pinkie smacks him on the forearm every single time, which makes me and Spike laugh. He has his solemn look on still, so I try and change that by elbowing him on the arm. He turns to me, looking aggrivated. "What's your problem?" he mutters. I narrow my eyes at him. "What's your problem, Cupcake Boy?"

That made him even madder, but he just sped ahead to catch up with Macintosh. The reason I called him Cupcake Boy is because he and his family work at a bakery near the Seam, and he frosts and makes cupcakes. I should know, 'cause when I pass by the bakery window to go trade at the Hob, he's always there, kneading bread. It's a good nickname, right?

We finally arrive to the meeting room. I sit down on a chair, staring at the sliding doors that will open any second, revealing our bratty stylists. But when they open, I'm in for a shock. 

My stylist is a woman- but she seems very...simple looking. My eyes bulge, because she doesn't look anything like everyone in the Capitol. She has a simple purple shirt with a black vest and a skirt. The only thing that makes her Capitol-like is her purple eyeliner. Spike's stylist comes in, and he's definitely Capitol worthy. I shake hands with my stylist, staring at her. "Why stare?" she smiles. "I'm Rarity. What's your name, dahling?" I try not to laugh at her ridiculous accent, but it'll do. "Twilight. Sparkle." I say, releasing my hand. I'm still not sure about her preppyness just yet. I need some time with her to find out. her personality.

"Now, if you'll come with me, I'll get you prepped up. Come on now, dahling." Rarity says as she guides me into yet another shiny room. But this one is filled with beds and stuff that could be medical equipment. But when I get undressed and dress in a simple blue robe, I realize that they aren't instruments- they're waxing paper, tweezers, and rags with perfume spilled all over them. 

Rarity lays me on a bed, with some other mares and stallions with frizzy hair. They tear the hair from my legs and arms. It hurts so much, but I guess pain needs to happen for you to be beautiful. A mare with pink curls everywhere comes to my side. "Honeybuns, this'll hurt just a bit." she says sweetly. But with that voice, I know for sure that it'll hurt like a bee stinging you in the arm many times. She quickly plucks hair from my eyebrows, and I flinch every so and often. I never do this, because we have nothing to pluck with. So I don't know what it feels like. They did a bunch of other stuff to make me smell good, and look good.

Then there's the mist spray. It made my body shiny. When I stood up to look in the mirror, I was...actually beautiful. My coat glowed, my hair was smooth as silk, and I looked completely unrecognizable. My stylists were so good that I looked like a chihuahua. I turned to Rarity, who gazed at her work. "You look beautiful." she compliments, smiling. For some reason, I smile back. I suddenly feel like the only person I like right now is Rarity. There's a strange aura that makes me think that I'm safe around her. I hug her, and I know she surprised, because she staggers a bit. But she returns it, stroking my mane. 

"I'm glad I asked for County 6," she says. I pull back, still smiling. Rarity is now a new friend.

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