Chapter 1: Tiny Dancer
It was Christmas morning at the Trinket household and the whole house was shimmering in various shades of red and green. An enormous Christmas tree was propped up on a stand in the corner of the living room, its branches adorned with glittering ornaments and twinkling lights. A mountain of presents gathered beneath the tree, but to 5-year-old Effie, it was no bigger than a molehill. All Christmas trees in the Capitol were like this. The Trinket tree was nothing special or extravagant. That's not to say that the sight of it all didn't excite little Effie, however. She loved opening presents just as much as the next child.
Effie had gotten up early, as she always did on gift-giving holidays, and ran into her parents' bedroom, festive silk nightgown billowing out behind her. After a bit of pleading from their daughter, the Trinket parents agreed to get up and begin the festivities of this most special day. Mr. Trinket went off to get the family's expensive video camera, with which he planned to record the day's events, while Mrs. Trinket adorned Effie's hair with so many red and green ribbons that one could hardly see any of the 5-year-old's blood red hair, which had been dyed for the holidays. Effie, who was too excited to possibly be expected to sit still, was squirming all the while. Both mother and child were delighted upon the young girl's release, when she promptly ran to the Trinket family spiral staircase and slid all the way down on the banister.
Within minutes, Effie was ripping into box after box, wrapping paper scattered about the floor. The mountain under the tree was transforming from a pile of shiny, wrapped boxes to a pile of new toys and the latest in the Capitol's young-girl fashions. The Trinket parents had gifts to unwrap too, of course, but who could be bothered to care about that? It was all boring, though very pricy, adult stuff anyway. Finally, just as that sensation that can only be caused by the knowledge that you've just opened your last Christmas present for the year was beginning to settle in Effie's stomach, her parents filled the void with the only thing that possesses the power to do so; one last surprise present.
Mr. Trinket reached behind the couch and pulled out the most interesting-looking present of them all. It had the familiar shiny wrapping paper that Effie had just torn from her other gifts, but it wasn't until now that she had noticed just how shiny it was. She could actually see her delightedly curious face peering back at her with wide eyes as she took the package from her father. This present was flat, but in the shape of a perfect circle. The only thing Effie could think of that was shaped like that was a giant pancake. Unable to contain her excitement, the young Trinket tore into the wrappings just like she had with all of the others. It was soon revealed that the shiny exoskeleton had been hiding something round, flat, and purple, with Effie's name embroidered on it in huge letters. Effie looked to her parents with confusion.
"There's a zipper, Sweetheart! See it? On the side?" Mrs. Trinket explained.
Effie looked, and, sure enough, there was a zipper that ran along the side of the purple circle. Mrs. Trinket had never steered her daughter wrong yet. The less-than-adult-sized hand wrapped around the zipper pull and slid it along its track, magically causing the device to part. At the sight of what was inside, the 5-year-old gave an involuntary yelp of joy, then immediately ran to hug both of her parents before putting her new gift around her waist. It was, in fact, a hot pink, glittery tutu, complete with its own carrying case.
"Give it a test twirl, Darling!" suggested Mr. Trinket.
The tiny dancer did so, spinning until she fell over to the soundtrack of her parents' applause.
"It's wonderful, Sweetheart! You can wear it when you start those dance lessons you wanted to take!" Mrs. Trinket spoke the truth. Effie very much did want to take dance lessons. Effie, like just about every young daughter of a Capitol citizen, was no ordinary little girl. With her beauty and talents, surely she was destined to be a huge star. She just needed the lessons to uncover her hidden skills.
The first day of Effie's dance lessons came with great excitement. She'd been dressed in her outfit, complete with the tutu, since the night before.
"Smile, Effie! Don't you just look gorgeous?" declared Mrs. Trinket as she snapped a picture of her daughter in the dance studio (aka her natural habitat). Effie posed for the camera, showing off her natural dancer's body. The mother and daughter were waiting with the rest of Madam Stella's beginning dance class for the widely respected instructor to arrive.
"I want to see the picture!" Effie declaired. She was never going to tire of seeing herself in a leotard and tights. But of course, who would? She looked the part from the tight bun on top of her head to the ballet slippers that formed perfectly to her feet. Next stop: Jabberjay Lake.
Finally, the much anticipated moment arrived and the lovely and talented Madam Stella entered the studio to greet her newest pupils. She was a tall, thin woman with flawlessly tanned skin stretched across tight muscles. Her hot pink hair matched her shoes and her entire body was clothed in spandex.
"Welcome, dancers, to Madam Stella's Academy of Dance! I am, of course, the highly respected dance teacher, Madam Stella. Parents, you may go. Your children will be safe with me for the next hour," Madam Stella announced, instantly taking control of the room. All of the studio's inhabitants were clearly very impressed by the prestigious newcomer.
"Make me proud, Darling!" Mrs. Trinket said before leaving with the other moms.
"Now then. Let's get started! I am very important in the dance community, and my time is not to be wasted!" Madam Stella exclaimed to her class of 5-year-olds. The children gave their instructor blank stares, but said nothing. "That being said, let's get started. Everyone spread out in the center of the floor; I will lead you in stretches. It's very important to stretch before dancing in order to avoid injuries. One injury can ruin your entire career!"
Madam Stella's eager students spread out around the room, Effie taking a spot in the front row, of course. That was where all of the best students stood, so that they could be seen and could hide the lesser students behind them.
The hour that followed was one of the best of young Effie's life. She learned so much about the basics of dance, and was the obvious star of the class even after just one lesson. Madam Stella never actually said this, of course, but how could she with all of the other kids around? You can't just go around squashing the spirits of young children during their first ever dance class.
"There's my little star! How was your first day of class?" exclaimed Mrs. Trinket as she came to pick up her tiny dancer.
"Great!" little Effie replied enthusiastically. "When do I go back?"