Thank you so much to everyone for the support! This has been all kinds of fun, and I love you all.
Side note: I created a second Pottermore account, to see if it would be any different from my Beta. What's my name, you might ask?
MahoganyPixie13072
I could die happy with my life right now. Oh, I haven't mentioned this yet, but I don't actually own these people. So, there you have it.
"Cheers, then, to the newest Capitol escort."
Effie clinked her glass to his and smirked. "You could at least attempt to sound genuine."
"I am, though. I am genuinely happy for you."
"Cinna, don't lie to me."
He tilted his head slightly to one side and looked her in the eyes. "I'm happy you are getting what you want out of life, nothing more, nothing less."
She smiled. "Thank you."
A few years older than herself, Cinna had been one of her closest friends since she moved to the Capitol. They met when she was fourteen, and he was astounded that she had gone four years in the city without altering herself. No hair dye, no tattoos, no implants or reductions. She was refreshingly natural.
"So will you do it?"
Cinna avoided her gaze and was silent for a moment. "I wish you wouldn't ask."
"I don't trust anyone else." A waiter walked by and refreshed their glasses.
He took a deep breath and studied her face meticulously. "I can't answer right now. Come over to my apartment tomorrow morning. We'll talk more about it then."
"Cinna!"
"If you want me to consider it, then you'll drop the subject. Now, what should we get for dessert?"
She pouted and looked down.
"You look lovely today."
As hard as she tried, she couldn't hide a smile.
The next day, Effie arrived at his building at 10:00 and was surprised to find that she had to open the door herself. It was significantly smaller than hers and much less ornate. She took the lift up to the third floor and knocked on his door. Upon entering, she gazed around, remarking how his home was a direct reflection of himself.
The whole space served as his studio. Walls were covered in patterns and sketches. Rolls of fabrics, spools of threads and bottles of all sizes and shapes covered every available surface. Even so, the space was immaculate.
"I won't change you," he began frankly.
"Or 'good morning,' as we used to say."
"Don't chastise me in my home while asking for my services." He cleared a couch of fabric samples and sketchbooks. "Sit down." She obliged.
He sat next to her and looked at her intently. She didn't like the feeling of being studied so carefully.
"Take your hair down."
"What?"
"Let me look at my canvas."
She reached up, unpinned her elaborate twist, and let her horribly natural hair fall. Cinna twirled a curl on his finger.
"I can't do it," he said simply. "It would be like taking a scalpel to a baby."
"Cinna, I can't look like this, not if I'm going to be an escort!" Her eyes began to water. "I'll be a laughingstock!"
"Have you asked your parents?"
"They don't understand. Please, Cinna, I need you."
He leaned back in the cushions, never taking his gaze off her. They sat in silence for several minutes.
"I will do it, but in my own way."
Her excitement ballooned than faltered. "What do you-"
"I'll give you the full Capitol makeover," she gave him sharp eyebrow raise. "I'll color you in, like a child's picture book. However, I will not alter your body. When you go to bed at night, I want you to have peaches-and-cream skin and hair like sunshine."
"It's not like sunshine. It's boring."
He shook his head. "I'll show you what to do, but you have to pay attention. Do you agree?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Follow me," he led her to a room full of paints and powders. It was an explosion of color. He pulled a tall chair in front of a wall-sized mirror. "Take off your dress."
She blushed furiously. "Cinna!"
He grinned. "Not like that. You're not my type. I need to show you how to apply these makeups everywhere." He handed her a towel. "Cover up with this. I need your shoulders, neck, and arms."
Undressed in the brightly lit, vibrant room, Effie felt like a bizarre doll.
"Now, let me think."
She sat in that room for hours. At one point, Cinna left, retrieved a sheet and covered the mirror with it.
"I only want you to see the final piece."
As he worked, he explained his actions. "I'm spreading one coat of powder over your neckline, then I'm going to add this more opaque coat on top of that."
"When you do this to your eyelids, be very careful not to bring the brush too low."
"Go slowly with the lips. You can always add, but removing is difficult."
"Use the smallest possible brushes to get the most detail."
He told her to wear pinks, light blues, lavenders. Baby colors, she thought.
"You dress beautifully, but I just want to enhance that. Avoid anything harsh and bold, like red or orange. I love what you do with flowers. Keep them."
The room went dark, and he turned on false lighting. He called her parents, making sure they knew she was safe and would be getting home late.
"I'm not going to change your wardrobe. You do that well on your own."
She laughed. "I'm glad I've done something right."
He ran his fingers through her hair. "I hate covering it up."
She looked at the strand apathetically. "What are you going to do with it?"
He brought out a series of boxes. "I'm going to put you in wigs."
"Will people think that's strange?"
"Yes. The men and women who dye their skin green and purple and blue, the children who get stomach reductions, the elderly who desperately try to hide their ages, they will think you are the strange one."
He displayed several different variations. "Right now, people like their hair long and wavy, as I'm sure you've noticed, to either let it down or create outrageous up-dos. I'm going to give you a series of styles and colors. You can change your hair with your outfit; everyone will be envious. Just check in with me every few seasons to update."
A few more tweaks and trims, and she was finished. She stood up eagerly, stretching out the cramps in her legs, but he told her to sit back down.
"I will slap you anytime I see in in shoes smaller than this." He gave her an intimidating four-inch stiletto. She slipped it on and enjoyed the height increase.
Cinna took several paces back and studied his creation. "Twirl for me."
She spun around and beamed. He walked over to the mirror and removed the sheet, attentively observing her expression. She could only gaze in awe.
She was perfect. He covered her mouth with her hand, noticing her perfectly manicured nails.
"Don't cry," he corrected. "You'll ruin my work."
"Thank you," she whispered, and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Now go unleash hell, my little diamond."
When she walked in the door, she called eagerly for her parents. "Mommy, Daddy, come look!"
They walked to the entryway and stared at their little girl.
"What do you think?" she squealed. "Cinna gave me a makeover for being an escort! Don't you just love it?"
"Your hair…" whispered Felicity.
Effie laughed. "Don't worry, Mommy, it's fake! But look how the blue matches my dress!" There was a knock at the door, and several Avoxes entered, carrying her new supplies of makeup and wigs.
"You're stunning, darling," soothed her father. "They will love you."
Felicity nodded. "Without a doubt, but you have been gone all day. I want you in bed within the hour. We have an early brunch tomorrow. The mayor of District Two is visiting, and we don't want to keep her waiting."
Effie smiled. "I almost forgot! Thank you, Mommy. Good night!" She kissed both her parents on the cheek and practically skipped to her room.
As soon as her door shut and the bath water was running, Felicity broke down in tears. She had done everything, everything in her power to keep her daughter safe.
It had all been for nothing.
When she made the debut of her new look the next day, there was applause and staring and "Look how beautiful you are!"
Cronin was especially pleased. "I wanted you for the position before, but now I wish I could have you start this year!" He turned to Mayor Vipointe. "This is Effie Trinket. She's going to be our newest escort next year."
"I don't think I'm being too outlandish by asking if I can keep her for myself," Vipointe replied. "Is there any chance I'll be seeing more of you in District Two next year?"
Just then, it occurred to Effie that she never asked exactly where she would be assigned. Fortunately, Cronin supplied, "Actually, the escort for Twelve is the cherished member of our team we are losing, and Effie will be taking his position."
"Oh, lovely."
No.
What?
District Twelve?
No.
The lower districts served no purpose beyond sending kindling to the fire of the Games. They hardly ever won. They were effectively worthless. They didn't produce anything beautiful or glamorous or exciting.
She wanted to scream.
Instead, she painted on her sweetest smile. "I'm so thankful for this opportunity! To even be considered as one of the dozen fortunate people who are able to serve as escorts is such an honor."
"You're too much! I certainly hope we'll be working more together soon," cooed Vipointe.
"As soon as a top-tier District opens up, I'm sure she'll be top of the list. I'd like to see her in One, actually."
The current escort for the first district entered fashionably late at that moment. "I'm glad to hear you're all so eager to see me off," he jested. Hammil Honeyman, the same man who served as the Capitol's representative before the Trinkets relocated, still maintained his prestigious métier. He still looked like a piece of candy wrapped in golden foil.
"Oh, we can still get a few good years out of you," countered Cronin. "Hammil, this is your newest colleague."
Turning slightly in her chair to face him, she extended a hand. "Effie Trinket," she introduced herself, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."
He kissed her hand, "Delightful."
"Hammil will mentor you for a time, so you can become adjusted to your new lifestyle and tasks."
"I'm greatly looking forward to it," Effie chimed.
"Likewise," he smiled and gave a tilt of the head. "So you'll be the replacement for District Twelve?"
Effie nodded. "Yes, sir."
He gave her a grin and an eyebrow raise. "How charming." The table chuckled, and Effie's expression fell. "Oh, darling, you mustn't think I'm poking fun! I assure you, we've all served our time at the bottom of the pyramid. I myself was in ten for several years when I was just starting out. Ghastly place, but look at me now!"
That boosted her spirits.
"Alright, I've had quite enough talk of work," Mayor Vipointe called. "Let's talk about arena designs! I know you can't give too much away, but let me guess!"
This didn't particularly concern Effie, so she let her mind wander. She wouldn't be stuck in Twelve. Everything would be fine.
That night, after a full day of meetings and planning, Hammil was finally able to return home, more or less. Being so close to the games, he had temporarily relocated to the ground floor of the twelve-story apartment complex dedicated to the tributes.
He laughed and smiled at passerby until the moment the door closed behind him. Then he reached for some abstract sculpture on a coffee table and hurled it at the wall. Hearing the noise, an Avox ran in to investigate. He shouted at it to leave.
After everything he had done for the Capitol, for the Games, for Snow, he would not be kicked aside like some mongrel stray. Did they think they could just replace him with this newer toy? No, not after all this, not after everything they had done to him.
If he had a shred of compassion left, he would have warned her. He would have told her to bow out gracefully, decline the offer, and run.
But he traded in his humanity years ago.
Instead, he did the cruelest thing possible. He smiled brightly at her. He wrapped an arm around her and took her to dinners and parties. He gave her a glimpse into the glamor that would soon engulf her life.
And a year later, covered head-to-toe in gold as usual, he sat back to watch her world burn.
UPDATE: Oh, hi! I realized that I made a mistake in chapter three, so I went back to fix it. Just to clarify, Effie was 10 during the Second Quarter Quell, which puts her at 18 right now. She begins working with the Games during the 59th year. Sorry about any confusion!
