Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. All rights go to Suzanne Collins, I only own characters you have never heard of!

Prologue

Lulia Hylander's life in District 12 was less than perfect. She had too many family members to feed, and she didn't have money or a way to hunt. Her mother and father had died from a disease outbreak a few years back, and now it can't get much worse.

Tulio Greenwood seemed like he would be by Lulia's side forever. But when an accident leads to Lulia's evident execution, he has to tell the authorities. Lulia is taken to the Capitol, much to her surprise.

She is going to be a stylist for the Games.

Chapter 1

How am I supposed to do this? I can't, I just can't. There's no way on God's green Earth that I'm going to be a stylist for the Games.

"You'll stay with your mentor until the next Games, where you will take his or her's place. Then you will be expected to live out the rest of your days as a stylist until your become a mentor as well," Effie Trinket, who I had no idea would be escorting me, says.

It makes me feel like a tribute, headed to my death.

When we arrive at the Capitol, I'm taken to my mentor's apartment. Her name is Azalea, and she seems nice enough, you know, for a Capitol citizen.

She wears golden earrings and golden eyeliner and so on and so forth. Everything golden.

"I had no idea you knew so much about this," Azalea says when I show her drawings I did on the train.

"These sketches are beautiful! You're going to make a great stylist, Lulia."

"Thank you," I say. She smiles.

The next few months go by so fast, I'm amazed when Azalea tells me to watch the recap of the Reapings.

"Now Lulia, I haven't told you something, and it's very important."

"What?"

"I want you to be prepared. Prepared to say goodbye to your tributes. If you're placed in 1, 2, or 4, don't worry. They'll most likely come home alive, but they don't care for their stylists much. Especially one that's only sixteen," she warns.

I nod, not sure what to make of this sudden outburst. I assume that she's been in 1, 2, or 4 before, so I don't ask questions.

We sit and watch the Reaping Recap, and I want to get up and leave before we make it 12.

There's a huge boy from 2, and tiny little boy from 3, an ashy haired girl from 7, a brother and sister from 11, and finally, the 12s.

"As always, ladies first," Effie says on the screen.

She gracefully swoops over to the girls bowl, and plucks a name from it.

"Cleana Soe!"

A sixteen year old girl with bouncy blond curls bounces up to the stage. She looks like someone who's going to die in the first few minutes. I've watched enough Hunger Games to know not to get attached to her.

"Now, the boys," Effie swoops to the other side and plucks another name from the bowl.

"Tulio Greenwood!"