AN. Sorry about the wait, and the fact that this is a short chapter (why can't I do long chapters? Why?) School has started (bye bye Xmas holidays) so updates may be slow in coming.

Medusa felt relieved the moment that the train had pulled into the station. True, her tributes this year were amusing, but she had said to herself; "God give me strength not to kill her. And her. And her." Under her breath too many times for it to be funny.

She was ecstatic when at last the tributes were packed off to the Remake Centre. At last, somebody other than her would have to talk to them. Some of them were so spotlessly squeaky clean already (Mary Sues = not a single hygiene problem. Ever) she wondered if they would sparkle.

A thought struck her, and she quickly made her way to the one place she didn't want to go on her break. The Remake Centre. There was one more tribute she needed to see.

She got there just as the styling team began to scrub at Amelia-Jane's hair.

"This blue stuff just isn't coming out!"

"I should hope not."

"Huh?" The stylist raised one surgically perfected eyebrow. "But she'll look ridiculous!"

It was Medusa's turn to raise an eyebrow. Yeah, you could do with a few lessons in what's ridiculous, she thought to herself.

"Exactly. How else will she be memorable? It's not like she's anything special- oh shut it! I'm telling the truth!" she snapped as Amelia-Jane burst into noisy tears.

"She's little and blonde. We have about a million little blondes this year, and she's not even the prettiest of them. She needs to be distinctive if she's ever going to get sponsors. So you are dying that out over my dead body."

The stylist gave a look that suggested that she thought this a perfectly agreeable solution, but obeyed Medusa and began to lather regular shampoo, still sticking stubbornly to her own view in her head.

Amelia-Jane opened her eyes again, and stared at Medusa. And, she felt almost grateful. Despite her rudeness, she thought Medusa was her best chance of staying alive.

"Are you sure?" Belle Beautiful's forehead knotted quizzically as she looked herself up and down. "Aren't we supposed to be dressed in the industry of our district? Nobody in Ten wears this," she gestured to her costume- a brightly coloured gypsy skirt and blouse, the kind some sort of glamorized medieval milkmaid would have worn. Over her shoulder, Mary-Sue Perfect patted her blonde curls, dressed identically.

"Listen Belly Button," Medusa said threateningly. "You will take what your stylist gives you, and you will like it." She seemed catch something in the corner of her eye and strode off to the District Four chariot.

As per the usual, Ash and Annabeth were kissing. They screamed as a wet dishcloth went hurtling towards them. They sent scowls at their assailant: Medusa.

"What? We used to do that at home to our canaries were misbehaving. "

Rolling her eyes at the full blown argument which was exploding by the District Four chariot (guess who was winning) Mary Sue picked up a carrying pole at the ends of which dangled two shiny buckets, filled to the brim with silver glitter. She made her way to her District's chariot and noticed (of course) that (of course) Rose Windgarden Lulia Flower Blossom was looking stunning despite the fact that she was wearing exactly the same thing as her district partner.

"OK everybody!" shouted the voice of their escort over the speakers. "Basic safety procedure. First, don't step off the chariot. Much as I want to see your dead guts splayed over the next chariot, the Capitol doesn't. Second, try not to smile too much. I want them to have their eyeballs intact at the end of the evening. Third, and most importantly. Do. Not. P***. Me. Off.

And ready in 3... 2... 1."

With a slight lurch, the first chariot rolled out into the glare of the Capitol lights.