Chapter 4: Venomous Rainbow

~~~~~

   The next morning, Emme woke up in a pair of strong arms she opened and looked over to see Coriolanus still peacefully sleeping then she looked at the time that read 6:30am. She let out an inaudible sigh knowing that she better go home and face the triumph that awaited her. She slowly and gently unwrapped Coriolanus's arms from around her as she got up gathering her belongings. Not bothering on changing putting her academy coat on and slipping out of the Snow's apartment.

When she got home her father was already awake seeing the light on from inside of his office. She snuck back the dark ally way to the back entrance to be greeted with him face to face as the caretaker gave a sad look. He turned to her dismissing her. She lowered her head and left. Once the door was closed and she was gone. He turned back to her anger written all over his face.

"Where do you think you've been all night?" He asked his anger simmering.

"I-I was at a friends hou-" she was cut off by a slap.

"Don't Lie to me!" He seethed. Emme's hand came up to her face.

"I'm not lieing. I was at a friends house." His hand came up and smack.

"Don't. Ever. Talk back to me." His finger pointed at her. "I know you were with that boy."

An unwanted scoff came out of Emme. His face scrunched as he fisted his hand in her hair and slammed her head into the cabinet. Which land to her falling to the ground from the impact and dizziness.

"Stupid Slut.. just like your mother." He spat as he left the room.

Once the coast was clear Mrs.Figgs came back in going over to the girl with a wet towel helping her to her feet. Emme stumbled but waved her off handing her uniform asking her to try to get it cleaned. Mrs. Figgs pursed her lips but obliged as Emme went to her room to get cleaned up and ready for the rest of the day.

~~~~~

"In spite of yesterday's tragic events, our president has decided that the Games must go on to show everyone the Capitol is unafraid of such acts of terror." Dean Highbottom started. As Emme stood in front of a chair with Dill seated chained a crossed from her.

"To which end, Dr. Gaul wishes you to preview the arena this afternoon with your tributes.Later this evening, there will be a special televised presentation of each tribute to our audience to, you know, get to know them. You will have an hour to discuss strategy." Dean Highbottom lets out a loud audible sigh before telling them they could begin.

"Marcus, come on." Emme heard Sejanus's plea to his tribute that was once his friend.

Emme sat down and gave Dill a concerned look when she started coughing really badly.

"I'm going to guess by the cough you still didn't take the medicine?" Emme asked, concerned written on her face. Dill lowered her and shock her head no.

"I-I didn't see a point.." Emme's frown deepened as she reached for the girls hand.

"I'm going to do whatever I can to help you. So that you can go home to your...family." Emme reassured Dill. Dill gave a weak smile.

Deep down Emme knew Dill wasn't going to make it home but she'd be damned if she didn't at least try. She didn't want to give up on her like how dill is giving up on herself.

"It's Reaper, right?" Emme gave Clemmie a seriously look. Which she rolled her eyes going back to Reaper.

"Um, let me read you what..." Clemensia said as she flipped through his file.

While Clemmie was distracted Reaper lunged his arms which made the chains clank loudly scaring Clemmie and even Emme.

"H-he's very protective over you.." Emme said trying to interact with Dill before she got to the presentation. Dill looked over at Reaper and nodded.

"He scares me sometimes too." Dill admitted, giving a shy smile."Oh I bet, but it's good you have somebody that cares about you that much." Emme said, making Dill smile.

"Ms. Reinswood. You are here to talk about the presentation that she will be giving tonight, not to get to know and joke with with your tribute." Dean Highbottom said as he walked by her.

Emme let out a puff of annoyance. Feeling irritated that he would call her out like that.

"Im sorry about him.." Emme trailed off.

"W-what's the presentation?" Dill asked, Emme sighed.

"Tonight you will have to present yourself to the Capitol in a Live interview." Emme said. Dills face fell.

"Hey, it's okay. They're going to love you and help you out in the arena." Emme tried to comfort her.

"Ho-How will the help?" Dill asked in between a cough.

"Well, they will be able to send donations so that I can send you and reaper food as well as water during the games to help keep your strength up." Emme explained. Dill nodded her head.

"How can I get them to like me?" She asked.

"That's the part I was trying to build up too." Emme sighed giving the girl a small smile.

"You can help get them to like you by either talking about your life or if there is any hobbies you like doing maybe you can show off your talent."

"I'm good at drawing. Would that work?" Dill asked as well as letting out another cough.

"Yes, that would work. What do you like to draw?" Emme asked, as she wrote some stuff down on the clip board.

"I like to draw the scenery outside my home. And plants." Emme nodded writing it down.

"I could get you some drawing supplies so that way leading up to the interview you can already have it done and ready to show case." Emme suggested. Dill smiled and nodded.

Emme continued conversing with dill on what would help and what wouldn't as well as small personal talk.

"You really wanna take care of me in that arena, Coriolanus? Start by thinking I can actually win." Emme heard Lucy Gray tell Coriolanus. Her eyes widening in slight surprise at how determined she was, but that was Lucy Gray after all.

"Snow. Dovecote. Reinswood. Follow me."

"Uhm. I'm sorry but it looks like I have to go.." Emme said, winding what this was about.

"Will I see you before the interview?" Dill asked worriedly.

"Yes, we I will see you before. When we go tour the arena." Emme said acknowledging the girls worries. Dill let out what seemed like a sigh of relief but was cut off by another cough.

"I will see you later, okay?" Emme said. Dill nodded as Emme got up and left.

~~~~~

"She can't expect us to have written that proposal last night, can she?" Clemensia said, Emme looked at Coriolanus slightly guilty. "I was crying for hours."

"We did... write it." Coriolanus said. Clemensia looking at him slightly shocked. "I turned it in this morning."

Clemensia sighed before looking at the both of you. "All right, give me the bullet points."

As the trio walked into Dr. Gauls lab.

"Mr. Snow. Ms. .Ms. Dovecote. Come and see my new babies." Dr. Gaul said, motioning to the snakes.

They obliged going over to different tanks. Emme looked at the snakes with a shudder running down her spine. Knowing that there was a point to why they were there. Coriolanus came up next to her lightly tapping on the glass. Emme gave him a 'really?' Look and he just smirked.

"Is there a point to the color?" Clemensia asked. Looking from the glass to dr.Gaul.

"There's a point to everything, Ms. Dovecote, or to nothing at all. Which brings me neatly to your proposal." Dr. Gaul said, a haunting thought came into Emme's mind that she did something with the proposal and not by coincidence that she kept mentioning the snakes.

"Which one of you actually wrote it?" Dr. Gaul Asked, Emme tensed next Coriolanus.

"Well, there was..." Coriolanus started but was abruptly interrupted by Clemensia.

"I was inspired by Coriolanus and Emme yesterday, of course. His little betting idea. But the sponsorships and the gifts in the arena, those were all mine." Emme scoffed slightly and Coriolanus rolled his eyes not surprised that she was taking credit.

"Clemmie?"

"So it's your sweaty handwriting on that page." Clemensia nodded.

"Very impressive, Ms. Dovecote. Unfortunately, my assistant mistook it for trash this morning and lined the shelf of this very terrarium with it." Emme paled looking at Dr.Gaul as the bomb was dropped. Looking into the case to see the proposal.

"So, please, Ms. Dovecote, retrieve it for us, won't you? So we might all consider your inspired ideas." Clemensia looked word as she moved closer to the case.

"Don't worry, my little predators are perfectly docile with those they can trust. So if they're used to your scent, if you've handled their food, for example, or if they've inhaled the sweat of your palm on a page, they'll leave you alone." Clemensia let out a sigh of relief.

"A new scent, however..." Dr.Gaul sighed. Which made Clemensia tense. "...you'd be on your own, little girl."

"Retrieve it." Dr.Gaul said, motioning her hand to the tank. Clemensia started shuddering, as she put her hand in the tank.

"Clemmie." Coriolanus said wearily.

Clemensia was just about to grab the piece of paper before one of the snakes snapped out and bit her. She let out a horrid scream.

"Clemmie, no! No!" Coriolanus shouted.

"Clemmie!" Emme shouted, reaching for the girl who was about to fall only to be pulled back into Coriolanus's arms. Emme looked at her shocked. As they gasped as she fell back off the podium.

"You asked about the colors, Ms. Dovecote? Coriolanus and Emme looked at Dr.Gaul.

"I want my enemies to see a rainbow of destruction engulfing the world." Dr. Gaul said. Looking down at Clemensia as staff came and started to take care of her.

"I'm not above using spectacle to create a little terror. A strategy your classmate here articulated very well in his proposal."

"They're good, your suggestions. I'm going to recommend my team implement as many as possible tomorrow." Dr. Gaul said, looking over at the pair. Coriolanus furrowed his brows in slight confusion while all Emme could do was stare as Clemmie got dragged away.

"What?" Coriolanus asked, confusion sketched on his face.

"Will she die?" Emme asked, still not moving her eyes off of the spot.

"The pleasure in breaking ground in one's research is one gets to find out." Emme shuddered at Gauls comment.

"You better keep Ms. Dovecote's fate between us. I don't think her mother would be happy to learn how she caught this sudden... flu."

  Emme took her eyes off of the spot where Clemensia once laid and looked over at Dr. Gaul wondering how she could be serious about that comment.

"Now run along, you have an arena to promote and it's time for my milk and crackers." Dr. Gaul said, pushing them to leave.

  Emme was the first one down the podium trying not to make it look like she was in a hurry.

"You better run along now too. And Mr.Snow make sure she doesn't interfere with your work again.." Coriolanus tensed for a moment.

"but like I said it was a good proposal. Just don't let it happen again.." Coriolanus nodded.

"Now off you go." Dr.Gaul smirked as he gave a curt nod before exiting the lab.

  Coriolanus went to go look for Emme and about to pass one of the halls, when he heard someone singing.

"You and I'll be safe and sound.."

   He walked towards the singing and found Emme sitting on one of the ledges of the building... singing...He paused for a moment looking around before going up to her.

"Are you alright.." He asked. Emme stiffened bringing her hand up wiping away her tears.

"I just don't understand why she would do that.. Use Clemensia as research.." she said, looking off to the distance. Coriolanus just watched her slightly nodding his head. Understanding where she is coming from. "And then play it off as what? The flu? What will Marcus say to that?"

  Coriolanus rolled his eyes slightly at the mention of her saying his name. A twinge of jealousy even if it was directed to the wrong guy.

"Probably cause chaos pure usual." Coriolanus joked. Looking at her with slight smile she let out a soft laugh.

"He'd probably storm the lab demanding to know where she is." Emme said, Coriolanus let out a chuckle. Emme looked over at him with a small smile.

"How come you always know how to make me smile even when tragedy is about to happen?" Emme asked. Corio looks over at her.

"Because I know you." He said cockily, Emme rolled her eyes. It was like they were kids again cracking jokes not knowing or worried what awaited. He knew everything (or so he thought) except for the fact she could sing..

"You don't know me..." Emme said sadly looking off. He furrowed his brows for a split second before nudging closer to her slightly.

"I've always known you." He whispered, Emme looked blush slowly crept once she noticed how close he was. They both leaned in a bit closer before they heard a voice behind them.

"There you two are." Sejanus said interrupting their moment.

Emme pulled away blush prompting her cheeks. Coriolanus let out an aggravated sigh. Before they turned their heads in Sejanus's direction.

"We have to go meet our tributes at the arena."

~~~

(A/n: I did a Cliffhanger... well ish.And yes this book is making a come back FOR GOOD!! I read sunrise on the reaping and it broke my heart into a million pieces but it has me inspired again! So here we are I am going to try to have the next chapter up in a week or 2! Or even sooner! But stay tuned because theirs a lot more secrets to uncover and challenges to face as well as more chapters!)