A/N: Ummm... I really have nothing to say. Except, I would like to congratulate anyone who got this far in this story.

I smile angelically as Aphrodite, a woman with fuchsia hair and silver tattoos looks me over for a seventh time.

"Sorry!" she pipes in her silly Capitol accent. "You're just so perfect; I can't stop staring at you!"

Smiling humbly and flashing a winning smile, I generously move so that she can get a better look at me. I'm very used to this sort of thing by now, and simply allow their lives to be enlightened.

"Really, I can't find a single thing wrong with you!" she makes a sympathetic yet happy face. Their work this year will be very easy.

"You're so very beautiful," says some guy named Savoury. He gives his blue corkscrew locks a shake and applies a fresh coat of orange lipstick to his mouth. "If there's one thing we can't stand, it's someone ugly!"

Aphrodite and Squidia, a plump woman whose entire body had been dyed a pale shade of periwinkle, give a sort of jealous and envious sigh.

"Well, I guess we'd better send in Ashes now! There's really nothing we can do!" Aphrodite chirps, and the three leave the room in a flurry. I wait patiently, wondering how the other tributes are doing. They're probably all beautiful, gorgeous models, while ugly old me is stuck for minutes becoming mildly pretty.

Then, just when I think I cannot wait any longer, a man with brown hair walks in.

"Hey there," he says smoothly, coming nearer. "I'm Ashes, your stylist. The others - " But before he can finish, he gives a gasp. A strange look comes over his face, as if the world is suddenly very clear. As if his path and place on Earth has become obvious. As if I am a radiant ball of radiance.

"You..." he trails off, blinking in astonishment. Then, falling to his knees, he takes my hand in two of his.

"Please... let me be your stylist. Nothing could complete my existence more." I stare into his pleading brown eyes, and know that I have the chance to truly complete someone's life. And I will take it.

"Yes. Yes you may," I reply, looking down on him with radiance.

Standing up, he clasps his hands together and looks up and down me. Shaking his head as if he'd never seen anything so beautiful, he finally gives a sigh. Why? Am I not beautiful enough? Does he wish he'd gotten another tribute? I feel tears welling up in my eyes, and I turn my head in shame.

"I can't do this," he says quietly, and I feel as though my heart might break. But he continues. "I can't follow the strict rule of relating the costume to the district. Nothing coal has to offer can properly show your true beauty. Not even diamonds."

Giving a small smile, I watch the gears in his head turn. Sparkles lies off to the side, growling a little bit when Ashes gets too close. My tiger is very protective of me, and will attack anyone else if they even come near me. But he will obey me, and I only have to give him a warning glance with my eyes to stop him.

"We will have to break the rules," he continues. "But it will be worth it. You are worth everything."

He gives a small smile, and leads me over to a lush couch. It is soft and warm, and I think briefly about moving here after I win. We sit in silence for a while, him digging into a turkey, and me nibbling tastefully on a carrot. The way he kills poor animals is so barbaric, and I close my eyes in horror as he eats.

An announcement comes on later, calling all stylists to room 114. Even though I've never been there, I would be able to walk there and back blindfolded. This is what I mean about my sixth sense.

Once Ashes leaves and I dispose of the horrid turkey, I silently cross the room to the balcony. Sweet bird songs flutter in through the window, and I hold out my finger for a bird to land on. Immediately, two birds fly in, one landing on my finger and the other falling to the ground. Compassion lacing my heart, I bend down in worry and pick the poor bird up. They both begin singing to me, and I sing the melody back. They are in awe, and fly away in a trance after I dismiss them.

Then, stepping out into the sunlight, I see the beautiful vista of the Capitol stretched out before me. My face lit up, as the familiar walrus cry met my ears. Even here, where the world was so different, I had people who loved me. My admirers.

"Pistachio Junior!" I called out in delight, seeing a Walrus that looked so familiar to the quail I once knew. This is another thing about me – I can sense animal genealogy.

The Walrus readied itself, and then, in a single bound, jumped two stories onto my balcony. Though the Warbling Walruses lost the ability to fly, they are still remarkably good jumpers.

A high guttural sound came that sounded both like a scream and a groan came from its throat. A tear came to my eye – it was just so beautiful. It was mimicking me. You see, this is how the Walrus got its name – perfectly mimicking the voices of anyone it hears.

I heard Ashes' voice coming from the room, calling me back inside. Partly wanting to stay, and partly wanting to see what he had to say, I left my Walrus.

"Goodbye, sweet prince," I murmured to him, rubbing his nose. Leaping off of the balcony, the walrus bounded away into the daylight.

"Yes, Ashes?" I called to him as I went inside.

"I have something... I think it may just begin to compliment your flawless complexion, luscious hair, beautiful body, amazing posture, full lips, kind personality, humble disposition, giving nature, athletic ability, crystalline voice..."

I held up my hand to stop him, not wanting him to go overboard. I was humble person by nature – I didn't want the games to change me. Nodding with a smile, he instructed me to hold out my hands and close my eyes.

Obliging, I did so, and then opened them when I felt a beautiful silk cloth placed onto my arms. Then, turning, running into the change room and changing in 4.34 second (a new record!), I looked to the mirror. Opening my eyes, I gave a delicate sort of gasp. There on my plain own body, was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. It was midnight black, with a thick band of hot pink polyester collecting it at the waist. After that, it swept down to about my knees, a tiny trim of the same hot pink lining it at the bottom. I swallowed back tears – it matched my hair perfectly.

A small cut traveled up one edge of the dress, adorned by pink jewels. Two thin straps held it to my shoulders, and it met on my chest in a V neck.

"Oh, thank you Ashes!" I murmured. If my voice had been less full, it would have cracked.

"That's not all," he said mysteriously. What could it be? Jewels? Mascara? No, that's silly – I don't need makeup. What else could it be then?

"They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena," he says with urgency in his tone that surprised me. "Of course, we've broken that rule as well. You will be allowed to take your tiger, and this. One thing to remind you of me. Will you wear it?"

He holds out a necklace with black and pink pearls, with a silver circular pin at the end, and I see it's a small walrus in mid-jump.

"A necklace?" I say. Wearing a token from my district is about the last thing on my mind.

"Here, I'll put it around your neck, all right?" Ashes waits for my consent, and then leans in and places the necklace around my smooth, alabaster neck.

A/N: Yep.