Notice:

I do not claim anything to do with The Hunger Games or Suzanne Collins. I write this for my enjoyment and my fandom. I do not do this for any intent for making money. Enjoy.

Different From The Rest

Part One: Differences

Chapter One

I may be born in a locked up district away from anything, but i belong in the forest, once i enter the refreshing atmosphere of the woods, i change. Change into a better person, I could live here; I want to live here, but the consequences of the capitol hold the doorway to freedom. If i had a chance to leave everything for freedom in the woods, i would take it within seconds but my country betrays me and forces me back into rules, black marketing, starvation and the hunger games.

We get no feedback or anything from our mother. Sometimes she isn't worth having her existence, I do all the work, all she does is compliment whatever me and Prim are wearing, or talking about how good shooting i have with the bow and arrow. "When are you going to talk to Peeta?" Mother says. "He loves you so badly, but you won't accept him." Mother says with guilt. I really don't care about what she thinks, I haven't got enough time to love up with Peeta everyday like a true couple, i have food to get. Mouths to feed. Fear of the capitol.

I know mother is right; we are going back into the hunger games as a couple. I need to get used to having Peeta around me but i won't allow him to do anything extreme like he did last year with the money. Me and Peeta know that president Snow knows that we are not a true couple, but that doesn't stop the capitol citizens thinking it. The capitol People are scary don't get me wrong but they can be easily manipulated into anything, so the odds are in my favour.

Instead of me being in the forest with Gale, i have to wait at home to get dressed into something special Cinna designed, because me and Peeta are going back into the capitol to be two children Mentor, to watch them die and there is nothing we do to stop it. "You have only got half a hour before Effie arrives." Prim says to me. I can't help but laugh. What is Effie going to be wearing this time? Blue waves? The sun? Prim knows exactly what i am thinking so we both end up laughing without saying anything. I touch my mouth with my finger to make a shush, don't tell anyone. We do that so mother doesn't understand because mother would probably tell her without knowing it, and we all know how Effie will feel afterwards.

There is a knock at the door and Prim rushes to the door to open it. My heart starts to pound, it could be anyone at the door, it could be Peeta, but then it could be President Snow... My neck hair stick up and i tense when the door opens. I hear the Door slam shut and Prim walks in joyfully at me with a large box. Prim likes to see whatever the Capitol gives to me because usually its either clothing, food or money. I click a small button on the box and the box opens up. Inside is the most elegant dress i have saw Cinna has ever made. It's quite large which will not help me one bit, i know once i get into my room in the capitol i am taking this off straight away. I can already feel the itch.

BANG! "What are you doing?! Pick up all that makeup now!" Effie screams from outside. "Oh god." Prim says. I can't help laughing. It must be Effie and "the makeup gang" me and Gale calls them. They are so obsessed with makeup its untrue, the makeup on their faces could be everyone in district 12's faces. They must at least have 4 layers on their face of different crap. I don't ask what it is. They could take about it for days, Girlish stuff bore me so much, So i end up just saying "cool, yeah." Everytime they talk about it.

Mother opens the door to Effie screaming at the makeup gang. Makeup has spilled everywhere at the doorstep. Effie looks like she has just come to hell and back, but really she has nothing to fear about, she doesn't have to go to the hunger games every year no more to mentor any kids, it's me and Peeta who have to do it now. I wouldn't be doing it if Peeta didn't volunteer to take over Haymitch' place because then it makes me look selfish. So i took over Effie's job. But Effie and Haymitch still have to mentor me and Peeta into this love atmosphere and make ourselves look like we are in love, always. It disturbs me so much.

Effie walks in overjoyed to see the whole family as usual. She and the makeup gang gasp in shock at how "terrible" i look... I just got into a bath, it's just the capitol people don't understand the difference with terrible and down to earth. "Darling?! What have you done!?" Effie screams. "Nothing, Why isn't Cinna here?" I shout back. The only one i proper like is Cinna. He doesn't congratulate me for going into death. Aka the hunger games, and he doesn't work with the capitol well. He likes to do it his own way, no one can control him. My idol.

"He isn't coming, he sent you the dress. He said he's too busy with your future dresses for the interview and the rest, he said he will be meeting you once you get into the capitol. Where is the dress?" Effie replies.

My heart sinks to the fact that for around 3 hours i am going to have to stick with Haymitch and Effie and Peeta without Cinna. Haymitch is going to be drunk like usual, or criticise how bad i am at acting to be in love. Nothing surprising. Effie will be moaning at me about how i walk, how my attitude "stinks." And what thinks i say that might upset her. I need to keep up with things i say before i say it to Effie. Sometimes i say stuff before i mean to and then Effie would walk away upset. Then i would be given a lecture about Effie and about how "Rude i was." Need to keep up with that. Then i got Peeta. Peeta will be moaning about how i feel about EVERYTHING and how we are going to keep this act of love. Peeta is dying for me to accept him but i can't, surely he has learnt this by now. There is nothing i can do to be in love with him. It doesn't feel right. Not yet.

"It's here." I say while showing her the red glowing dress, most probably to show a symbol of a mocking jay, because i am the mocking jay, and nothing will stop people thinking that. Before Effie could compliment anything about the dress and about Cinna i am dragged to my bedroom but the makeup gang. I don't like calling them by names, half the time i don't remember their names to be honest. I am used to being naked in front of them so i strip off before they can say to do so. They size up the dress and see what is going to be out of the dress and what is going to be covered. They start by doing my hair. They wash my hair with Capitol specialized shampoo which smells really bad. They put my hair down this time which is extremely annoying in my behalf, but i can't criticise their work. Most times they make me look gorgeous, and if i do say anything they will breakdown worse then Effie. They talk about random stuff in the capitol which bores me straight. I drift off into my imagination. Seeing Gale in the forest and getting some game. If only i could be doing that now. If only.

They then do my face to my chest. And they do my legs, everything else will be covered up by the dress. If i am wearing this much, Peeta must be wearing something similar, because we are "One." And that we must be always be similar to show that we are fond of each other and that we are never breaking. This thought makes me gag. If the cameras wasn't here then we wouldn't talk. Once we finished the quarter quell and when the cameras was gone we didn't talk for ages, but that's hard now a days, since we are winners. We get our own house; we live next to each other. The odds are not in my favour.

I look in the mirror at how beautiful i am. I look good. Presentable to the Capitol for sure.

The Capitol shall love me and Peeta.

If they don't. We shall make them.

"Oh Katniss." Effie says in shock. The dress is so elegant and so pretty but it itches way to much. I am already starting to itch my chest off from my skin. This isn't Cinna' best. "If only i looked like you." Prim says like she always does with whatever i wear from the capitol. I do love Prim, but i wished she would stop saying stuff like that. She doesn't want to be me for sure. Having to go in the Capitol every year watching little children die like nothing. The capitol treats us like animals. Prim is still young. She still has to go through with this for long, where as i got to do this for the rest of my life. "Oh Prim, i wish i looked like you!" I say cheerfully. I don't want to breakdown in front of her. She will cry with me, i guess Prim doesn't notice that i have to go in about half a hour. Last year they didn't even let us say our good byes, so i might as well say it now. "Prim, i am going now, i wil be back soon. Gale will bring you game while i m gone, make sure mother is with you, always, if you treat mother and gale, i will get you a treat from the capitol." I say cheerfully, showing a smile of recondition. I don't know how long i am going to be gone so i can't say i will be back soon. I won't. "Mother, you look after her. I trust you with her life. Please, Please be careful. Gale will bring you game. Don't be afraid, i will be back." I can't help but talk to her more seriously, She may be much more older then me but sometimes she turns into a child. I do trust her much more then the used to. She is my mother. I love her, just sometimes she can act different. I don't need to say bye to Gale, i said bye to him on Sunday and it isn't right for him to come now, i need to pick up Haymitch and Peeta. God knows how long that will take.

I notice on the side of my dress is a small velvet button. I press it hoping for fake flames. But the bottom of my dress turns into a small skirt. Perfect. This is exactly what i need. I need to hide the dress from Peeta otherwise he will fan girl over it with is what i don't need right now; i need to hide it from Haymitch as well in case he is drunk like he usually is and make sure he doesn't throw up on my dress. I hear gasps when my dress transformed but really i am used to it, whatever Cinna makes has to have a catch in it so i just drink in the feedback from where the dress has to be a dress and where it can be a skirt. "Effie, i need to go see Peeta and Haymitch?!" I say midway in her essay of places. I don't care about where i wear it. It's just a dress. Cinna will make me look pretty once we get into the capitol anyway. "Fine But i will tell you once we get on the train, don't take long!" Effie shouts, surely she knows that we got to wake up haymitch and give him a bath, he will be sleeping in his own vomit. Surely she knows we are going to take long. "fine."

I was right. I open Haymitch' door to see him head on the desk sleeping in vomit. The stench is avarous. I gag at the door. On the table is around 5 empty bottles of spirits and wines. Drunk. I don't go Peeta' house first because i am not really ready for him. I do enjoy his presence but we are going to be spending a lot of the time in the capitol together, the more i am by myself the better.

I feel like i am Haymitch' Parents most of the time; i am but when he gets this drunk there is nothing i can do, i can't really wake him up by slapping him because i know he holds a knife while sleeping. "Wake up idiot." I shout. No answer. Just snoring over runs the silence in the house. I sign in anticipation. I enjoy this part a lot. I go to the kitchen holding my knows and fills up a bucket of cold water. I can't help but smile and giggle at this. I throw the water all over him. He wakes up in a uproar, screaming and shouting. "What the hell are you doing?! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Haymitch screams. "Calm your nuts Haymitch, we need to get you changed." I say ignoring his uproar. I have got used to it, how many times he get drunk is non countable. How many times have i thrown water at him? Well. I have done it most of the time we need to get him outside, or to the capitol; most of the time. "I just had a wash." Haymitch Lies. I know that's a lie straight, can't he smell himself? Surely he knows that the place smells horrendous. I really don't know how he lives in this mess, but i guess one of the reasons is that he doesn't live with anyone. He used to have Margret as his cleaner, but she left ages ago due to there being too much vomit and mess everywhere, she couldn't understand why there was, so Haymitch and Margret had a argument, and sure enough she left. "Haha, let me get Peeta. We need to clean you up." I say leaving. I close the door behind because i know he hasn't got the strength to get up nor close the door for himself, i will give him some time to sober up.

I knock on Peeta' door. I hear footsteps coming to door, Multiple. Please don't be his mother, please. I know she doesn't like me but i know the father does. I noticed Peeta' mother was talking about me behind my back so i do have a hatred for her. She doesn't like me taking break from Peeta but Peeta and his dad insists so she has to follow with it. Peeta' father opens the door. He is quite a large person but i guess that is the advantages of being the head baker. He has lots of powder on his clothes and he holds some bread. He has brown hair and has the same eye colour as Peeta. They both look quite similar except of the colour hair. "Hi, Is Peeta there?" I say, quite concerned. Usually he opens the door. He knew i was coming today. "Who are you again?" He says back. I forgot i had my hair down and with the capitols makeup on my face. It doesn't feel like i got it on at all. Hats up for the capitol for transforming me into someone who is completely different. I wonder how Peeta will feel about me looking so differently, maybe its for the good? "It's Katniss?" I say laughing. I want it to look like a joke but i am the only one laughing. I stop laughing immediately. Have i done something? I hope i haven't. I do like Peeta' dad. "One second." He says closing the rusty wooden door. I hear shouting and bits of my name. I put my ear to the door to hear very loud footsteps. Within seconds the door opens. Awkward. Peeta opens the door and leaves out the door straight. "K-Katniss?" Peeta says softly. Come on, i don't this. "Look, we can talk later, We need to clean up Haymitch, we only have ten minutes."

Me and Peeta walk into Haymitch' house like it's our own. If we was a happy family Haymitch would be the child for sure. He surely acts like it. He has fallen asleep again and looks like he has opened a new bottle. Are you kidding me? Peeta screams in his ear and he jumps up. He is in shock. I can see it in his eyes. I can't help but crack up. I've never seen Haymitch like this in my life. Shocked? That is a first. "We need to go." Peeta says picking his up and putting him in the bathroom. "I'll hel-"

Peeta cuts me off. "No, wait out here... Mans Job."

What is that supposed to mean, can't women be strong as well? I am the mocking jay as well, surely i have some strength to my name. Sometimes Peeta can be rude, but sometimes it is for the good. If he wants to be truthful then he will. But i don't count that as the truth. But mind you, i am quite happy i am not doing it. All i can hear from the bathroom is them both screaming. I can't just stand here and do nothing, so i entertain myself by cleaning his house up a bit. I do try to keep my self entertained but it is failing miserably. After twenty minutes they both come out. I see Peeta is wet as well and the bathroom is soaked to the max. I am not cleaning that up. They can both do that. "We are late." I say, unconcerned. I don't care if we are late. I am worried about what Effie will say. She might be crying right now at how late we are. The capitol has to wait for us. And Effie does want us there. "Lets go." I say, leading them both out.

We all go to the train station where Effie and the rest are. I say see that Effie has been looking for us. She must of been screaming and shouting because her wig is not in the right order it was this morning. "Where have you been!?" Effie screams from across the street. She is spitting out essays about how stupid we are but me and Peeta just blame Haymitch, and so does he. Effie can't help but stop talking because we all know that it is Haymitch' fault. We all get on the train and sit down on the small velvet chairs together with a table with large plates of food and desserts.

"Right, this act of love needs to happen."

"Now."

I ignore this entirely and start eating. I understand that we are going to have to be in love but on the train it doesn't really matter. We are on a train with just Effie and the Makeup gang who are from the capitol; they are the ones who know that we are not in real love. Well, i hope the makeup gang know. The taste of the meat with the dry plum sauce is just incredible. The taste of the plums burst in your mouth while you eat the meat. This is all i care about right now, that i have a clear stomach.

"Katniss?" Haymitch says in my ear.

He knows i am trying to not listen but i end up looking at him straight in the eye. Even though i look after him where he is always full of alcohol. When he is sober he can be scary, i can't be fussed with him shouting in my ear. I can't say anything back because the truth shows on my face, there is no lies i can say to cover it up so i just carry on.

"What." I say quite aggressively.

"Don't act wall to wall with me sweetheart. You two need to get close before we get there. Drop the awkwardness. We are going to be there in about half a hour. I don't want you to embarrass yourself once you step through them doors before everyone single person will be looking at you. You are the two love birds of the capitol. You must speak up to your name." Haymitch replies.

Love birds of the capitol? Is this a joke? I am the mocking jay. Not a toy. I am the start of the rebellion that caught alight but caught off. No one can play with my features and my life. My life for them is love. But really my life is a game. A game no one can understand but myself.