Chapter 7! Look how far we've gotten, my dear readers! This time, I'm bringing in a longer chapter and a brand-new POV (yay!) On with the story, and remember- I don't own the Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins does (that lucky dog…)

Ch.7- Katniss POV

Overwhelming. If there's a word to describe my life these past few weeks, that's it. So far, I've survived the Hunger Games (which was a miracle in itself), pretended to be in love, actually FELL in love, and found another "little sister" who died in the Games and somehow (don't ask me how because I really don't know, nor do I care) came back to life. Now she, her district partner Thresh (AKA the dude I fell in love with) and I are in the process of overthrowing the "mighty" Capitol (as if!) All three of us were going to make it out of whatever happened- this I'd make sure of. So, no, I have not been bored for some time.

Anyway, we were just getting to the Capitol. It might be the most evil place in the world, but the Capitol's impression on you never gets old. Just like that fateful day when Peeta and I first arrived at the Capitol, I saw those bird-like people in a huge crowd, waiting to see the new victors. I plastered a smirk on my face, trying to hide my inner hatred for these people. I wasn't planning on smiling anytime soon- that was giving them satisfaction, so I'd never do that. Thresh was already into his "deadly silent" act (and doing extremely well with it), and Rue was at the moment hiding just below me, maybe from the crowd outside. I'm not sure. The second we got away from the crazy-looking crowd, I heard-

"Have you seen Rue? I've been looking all over the place for her?" Thresh said. Out of my peripheral vision, I spotted Rue, who was telling me not to give her spot away.

"Umm, I think I saw her…talking to…Haymitch earlier," I lied nonchalantly. And there's the pang of guilt.

"Okay, I'll go look," he answered, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. Thresh went toward the next car on the train. As soon as Thresh was gone, Rue appeared from behind me. I merely shook my head at her childish sneakiness. We both knew that Thresh was going to have his hands full behind trying to find her.

"Better go before he finds you," I said to her, and she replied with a slightly self-accomplished smirk.

"I've had Thresh on a wild groosling chase all day. I can keep it up." A wild groosling chase? Before I even had time to ask what the heck that was, we both heard his footfall, and Rue disappeared just as quickly as she'd even come.

District Eleven people must have crazy-accurate timing skills (or maybe it's just them) because no sooner than Rue's out the door, Thresh walked in, exhaustion spelled out on his face.

"Any luck?" I asked him in a sarcastic tone. He looked at me quizzically first, then said with a knowing smile,

"You know exactly where she is, don't you?" I returned the same smile, but my answer shocked him.

"That child could be anywhere by now." Suddenly, I heard a light giggle, and apparently Thresh heard it as well because both of us turned our heads to the direction of the giggle. Way to give yourself up, little girl, I thought to myself. Thresh motioned for me to be quiet, and whispered her name, mocking my voice to a tee. Yes, I am impressed…a lot! He was good. Rue's head peeked out from behind a corner. Thresh just looked at her. "Shoulda known," she stated, throwing up her arms in defeat.

We were getting closer to our drop-off to the Remake Center, where Rue, Thresh and I would be styled up for our interview with Caesar Flickerman. My mind floated to Rue, who wasn't…alive, per se…as far as the Capitol was concerned. How were we supposed to get her to the Remake Center without all the fuss? With all of the cameras, someone would be sure to catch her. Then again, with her little disguise, she might be able to sneak through the crowd and…wait, no. If she didn't make it, heaven knows how bad I'd feel. Then, I think it over again- most of the attention would be on Thresh and I, so Rue might not even be noticed. This was the best plan my mind could come up with at the time, so I told both of them. Thresh and Rue pretty much agreed to my plan, and not one second before we were being pulled off the train. Thresh and I took the front. Rue was instinctively behind Thresh, but clenching her little hands tightly to my shirt. We went on the path to the Remake Center, and between Thresh's "deadly" thing and the icy glares he and I gave all the reporters, we didn't have to worry about a single question being asked. We finally made it to the Remake Center, and the three of us filed into one room, since Cinna was designing all three of our outfits. I had my same prep team, Thresh had Peeta's prep team, and my team had a double job with Lavender, whom they said they had no trouble at all with- these people managed to do a mid-intense full body scrub, her hair, and removed every bit of makeup, all without noticing a single thing concerning the person under there and their identity. (So Capitol people ARE that slow…) Cinna quietly entered the room with three outfits in his hands. He first went to work on Rue, carefully styling her real hair after removing the wig. Rue was sporting a frilly, very girlish dress that was almost the color of her namesake (A.N. there are white rue flowers), but more of a pretty cream color. It was lightly adorned with a few rhinestones at the top, but flowed into a slightly poofy bottom, little gold droplets accenting the dress in just the right places, making her look so sweet, much like her namesake flower. Her hair, once Cinna was done, was in a curly little up-do, a high poofy bun. It was accented by a wreath with rue flowers in it, and she really did look like a little angel.

Thresh looked a little more grounded with a bronze shirt on under a jet black blazer with black pants to compliment it. He looked very classy yet plain, but I understood exactly why his outfit was designed this way; Thresh had a reputation to keep up- the stoic, stony and deadly silent boy from District Eleven who won alongside the Girl on Fire. Speaking of fire, I thought when I saw my dress that Cinna had finally given up on the flames.

"Finally gave up on the flames?" I asked. He smugly grinned and said, "Look again."

I did look at it for the first time on me. It's a metallic gold number that matched Thresh's shirt, yet it shone as bright as the sun. It was strapless, and it came down in wavy ruffles to the floor, starting at my knees.

"Knew it," I mumbled and I knew he heard me. He had most of my hair down, with one braid crowning the top of my head. It would be a Capitol trend by morning. I noticed he was following the gold/yellow theme, apparently sticking to the District Eleven theme, yet still working out fire for me. Sometimes I wondered about Cinna. But what I knew for sure was that under an extreme mask of calm lies a true, full-fledged madman. We were finally ready, so we made our way to the interview. We had to stand on separate pedestals (which made me nervous, I don't think I need to say why) and out of nowhere appeared Haymitch.

"How about a hug, sweetheart?" he said, and although it might just be a victor thing, when I see Chaff going for something much too similar with Thresh, I know something is up, and it can't be good. I pulled quickly into his hug, and he began whispering in my ear furiously fast.

"Listen, when they display Rue, you are to be surprised beyond belief. You don't want ANYONE to think you knew a thing about this, got it?" I nodded and let out a laugh since I wasn't covered.

"And then?" I asked, and he answered.

"Make the audience fall in love with your love at all costs. Rumor has it that you two and maybe the little girl are going back in the arena, so play nice."

I nodded and thanked him. It was time. I'm ready, Panem. Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire, and President Snow's worst nightmare. Fear me.

So, whaddya think? Good? Bad? Oh, by the way, maybe that romance thing for Rue with Cassius could be coming up soon... you never know... So anyway, send in reviews, comments, try not to send flames, but by all means, REVIEW! I'll catch you next time, and may the odds be ever in your favor. Peace!

godgirl1200