Maureen 'Maura' Blackwood's POV

Let me tell you, looking beautiful isn't something I like to be. So when you go to the Capitol and see how much stuff they do to you in the remake center, you will see why I really want to punch my prep team in the face. They wax me, they paint me in this weird, green goop, they wash me in these chemicals; it's hell!

After hours of abusing my body, they finally give me a nightgown that looks like something you would wear in a hospital, clean up and leave. I get a few minutes alone in the cold room, lying on the bed, to let off all my anger. I manage to let it go, surprisingly without punching a hole through a wall.

That's when my stylist comes in. He introduces himself as Boris, a very unfashionable sounding name. He has a thick accent that I believe comes from a place called Russia. He looks nothing like a stylist, but like a personal trainer, with his beefy build and bulging muscles.

Yet when he begins to talk to me about the outfit that I'll be wearing for the chariot ride, I see his sense of style. "I really want to use your scars as a part of the outfit," he tells me. "I believe we're going for a glamorous, warrior-like style." I agree with this idea, and he shows me my dress.

It's a deep red, the same color as my chin-length hair, with tears throughout. There are also distinct splotches of a brighter red, which I assume is meant to be blood. It goes down to just above my knees, giving me a seductive look as well as a barbaric one. To finish it off, I wear a utility belt with about twenty knives on it.

When I look in the mirror, I notice things I didn't notice before. The tears are done specifically to make a sort of pattern, and every one of my scars are shown. It brings back memories of the nasty knife fight that earned me those scars. The fight that lead to a dead criminal. I was his fault for attacking me though.

"Now, Maura," begins Boris. "I believe we need to add the final touches." I sit down in a chair and Boris gets to work. He messes my hair in a particular, scruffy way, and sets it with hairspray. He then adds make in a perfect way, before smudging it so it looks like I've been through the wars. "Magnificent!" Boris exclaims triumphantly.

We then walk through the remake center, where I see a few tributes getting some final touch-ups. Danny isn't one of them, so he must be ready and waiting to go. As I walk by, I notice an elegant fish painting on the face of the girl from Four. She looks stunning. Not as stunning as me, though.

When we walk into the hangar, all hell is breaking loose. People are running around everywhere, organizing things at the last minute. We spy Danny and our mentor, Orlo, waiting by the second chariot. The one in front seems bigger, and I realize this is because there is twice as many tributes from the Capitol.

Danny looks just like me, but in a male form. He wears a torn suit, and has some cleverly applied make-up to appear as scars. The outfit is becoming more and more centered on me.

Suddenly, an extremely short man rushes across the hangar, clapping his hands. "Let's get this show on the road!" he repeats constantly. Danny hops on first, and I follow him. It takes a few minutes for everyone to get on. Orlo looks at us and grins, while giving us the thumbs up. "Good luck," he says, as the chariot begins to move.


Danny Cage's POV

As I was waiting for Maura to come, I took a peak at the other outfits.

District Two looked like Roman Gladiators, swords and all. District Three wore something that looked like a circuit board. District Four were wearing flowing, aquatic-colored robs, with fish painted on their cheeks. District Five were wearing suits made of plasma globes. District Six looked like train engineers. District Seven were hilarious in their lumberjack outfits. District Eight was quite impressive in their mash-up of fabrics. District Nine wore suits made of plastic, but looked like wheat. District Ten were cowboys, as per usual. District Eleven looked like farmers, each holding a basket of fruit an vegetables grown in the district. District Twelve wore black latex with lumps that glowed black, if that makes any sense. And District 13 represented their industry back in the day, with grey, modern clothes that glowed a radioactive green every five seconds.

But the Capitol tributes were the most impressive. Their clothes would have been fabric underneath, but to the audience, it looked like they were wearing only diamonds. Yes, that's right, their clothes were covered with diamonds. That's one expensive way to appear with style.

And as we came into view of the Capitol citizens, it became evident just how huge the Hunger Games is to them. The anthem of Panem plays loud and clear, as we all come into view. Naturally, the Capitol tributes get a huge amount of support, but we aren't neglected. Maura pulls out a knife and I copy her. She then copies me as I raise mine in the air. The razor-sharp tips meet as the crowd goes wild for us. People throw flowers and jewelry at us, and we pick it up and hold it in the air as a sign of appreciation.

Finally, we come to a stop in front of President Hawksmoor's podium way above us. Although she is far away, her features are still prominent to all. She reads the Treaty of Treason, saying every word as clearly and perfectly as the last. Everyone goes absolutely nuts when she finishes.

And with that, we start to move again. Maura nudges me and leans in to my ear. "Make a good last impression," she whispers. She begins to act like a war-crazed nutjob, and I do the same. Despite our erratic behavior, the crowd love us. I blow them all a kiss before we disappear back into the hangar.

A/N: There we have the first chariot ride. Should I do a second? Review and tell me!