Chapter 15
934 Words
Polyphemus Ignotus POV
"Good morning, Panem! I'm your host, Polyphemus Ignotus. But enough about me. Let's see some Tributes!"
"Our own Hollan Makhpiya informed me earlier to expect the "god of diamonds" to make an appearance. I'm not sure what he meant- oh! There he is! Luxen's golden armor is studded with millions of shining diamonds, and his headress looks like a sunburst of jewels. Olivine matches perfectly in her stunning green bejeweled gown. He barely spares a glance for the crown, while Olivine notices them, but doesn't seem to care."
"Nothing new out of Two. Troy is wearing the standard gladiator costume, and he seems almost disappointed with it. Cierra seems similarly bored in her matching outfit. Maybe next year, Two."
"Soleil appears to be a robot. Yawn. He's shyly waving at the crowd and blushing when they respond. Luckily, Elyssa picked up the slack. Her dress is covered with giant keyboard letters. She pressed one- oh, now her dress is made of silk! She's about to press another- and it's butterflies! She's turning to the crowd, asking them for the next letter. They hold up their fingers in an L shape, and she nods. Great Scott! Her dress burst into flames! Soleil is trying to pat it out as she flails. She yanked it over her head and tossed it away, leaving her in nothing but a slip. It seems 'L' is for 'lava'."
"Marley's dress is lovely, but it seems more appropriate for an interview instead of the parade. She's loving the applause, though. Oh, what do you know, Elver is dressed as Neptune. Never seen that one before. What's this? It seems he heard me! He looked right up and pointed at me. Now he's... okay, that's new. He threw his trident against the ground and hopped up onto one of the horses. When he looked back at Marley, who's laughing uproariously, she gave him a high-five."
"Elena is cleverly dressed as a wind turbine, but the crowd is having more fun than she is. She's leaned over the edge of the chariot crying with her hands over her ears. Logan is dressed as... uh... water power? Water is squirting every which way out of his suit, soaking Elena and spooking the horses. Someone call the fashion police."
"That's what I'm talking about! Velvet was born for this. Her knee high boots match her silver-gray bodysuit, and the shoulder and knee pads make her look unstoppable. Her neck and face are flecked with gold like sparks, and her eyes are as big as saucers. Her gold and silver hair complements the crown she wears. It's made of train tracks and it's projecting a giant six for everyone to see. She's practically dancing as she shows off for the crowd. In contract, Sylvester looks positively sedate in his conductor's outfit. Oh, I get it! She's the train! He's even wearing his token hat."
"Why is Hax standing next to a wooden wardrobe? Oh, that's River! That's certainly... different. All I can see is her face underneath her finely carved costume. She's barely moving, to no one's surprise. At least she got off better than Hax, who is dressed as a log."
"Alice is looking positively adorable. Her huge skirt shows off Eight's finest fabrics with its yards and yards of tulle. Oh, that's priceless! She just held up her little stuffed deer, and he has a matching outfit. Lanolin, meanwhile, is positively avant-garde. Only a master stylist would know the true cohesion of so many contrasting colors, materials, and textures. Truly I don't know where to look."
"Lanie is wearing a very lovely orange tube dress, and her hair is alive with flowing dots of light. Clearly she's dressed perfectly... for District Five. Oops! She's rolling with it and laughing along with the crowd. Tariq's outfit managed to show that it could be worse. He's struggling to stay covered under a sheath of wheat perilously held around his waist with some twine."
"Stop the presses! Ten tried something new this year! Bambi is not a cow. I repeat, he is not a cow! He's wearing a white leather suit with roses up the leg. I don't know what the mask is supposed to mean, but it sure looks great! They look extra menacing with the horns in the back of his head. Eve isn't a cow, either. She's a horse. He's a cowboy... and she's a horse. He seems blissfully unaware, but she knows exactly what I'm talking about."
"Olivier is positively basking in the adoration. He looks like he wants it to go on forever. His costume is drab- the usual Eleven leaves and fruit- but it can't hide his style. Anise looks like she could pick the fruit right off him in her shabby denim workman's outfit. Smudges of dirt on her face give her a sexy edge."
"Oh, wow. Calley is dressed as a miner. She's not even pretending to enjoy this, either. Shelooks like she's already dead. Krunk is dressed the same, but at least he's doing something. He's waving at the crowd and grabbing at the roses and confetti they're throwing. He knows how to play the game."
"Every year I do this job, it just seems to keep getting better. Here's to another great year, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
I managed to skip Nine even though I copied and pasted this! It should be there now.
Hax's submitter says he's willing to join any alliance. River's form says she's open to an alliance but only with a mature older Tribute.
- Writer
