2/16/15

Hi again! Guess what? I'm not dead! It's a miracle!

No, really. I bet you guys assumed the worst. I would've updated earlier, but I needed to edit a few things in this chapter and I couldn't figure out how to do it, and then I had to go to a mini church camp thing, so yeah.

Thank you apple182 for following and favoriting.

Reviews:

Stellaslomp- I love writing Johanna's sarcasm. She's hilarious.

Lya200- I think that's what all of us would've done in this situation.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games or anything else I may mention.

…..

Chapter Ten: The Tribute Parade- Part 1

"Really Clio?" I scoff. "Again?"

"What's wrong with my tree costumes!" my stylist gasps in offense. "They are perfectly amazing costumes, Johanna darling. You just haven't recognized my genius yet!"

"Oooh I bet," I say sarcastically.

"Good," Clio says, shoving the costume in my arms. "I knew someday we'd see eye to eye!"

I don't bother to tell her I was being sarcastic. I doubt she's even remotely smart enough to know what sarcasm is. Instead, I put my costume on and get it over with.

"Gosh, this thing is hot," I grumble.

"I know, right?" Clio says.

"No, not like that! I mean that I'm sweating a bucket a minute!" I snap. Clio backs away from me and holds her hands in the air.

"Well, I'm sorry!" she snaps. "But it was the only way for it to work!"

I roll my eyes. She glares at me. Neither of us talk for the next hour or so. And you know what? I'm perfectly fine with that. Because to be honest, Clio has always been my least favorite part of going to the Capitol. She's bratty, she's stuck up, and she could care less about her tributes. Unless, of course, they happen to be victors. But that doesn't mean I care about her in the least.

"Come on," she says at last. "It's time for you to go."

"Yes!" I say, fist bumping the air. Clio glares at me again, so I glare back.

The walk to the chariot garage is quiet as usual, but when I actually get there it completely changes. Mentors and tributes alike are engaged in lively conversations, the stylists occasionally joining in, but that's not the thing. The thing is that no one is necessarily staying by their own district. Chaff and Brutus are laughing at one of Cirra's jokes, Angus and Mags are arguing about something or another, and Cecelia is even talking casually with the District 6's. I spot Finnick pretty easily, wearing a costume that's somehow worse than mine. I abandon Clio and run over to him.

"Finnick!" I half yell, half laugh.

"Johanna!" Finnick laughs. I stop running a couple feet away from him, but I end up sliding the rest of the way on my forest green slippers.

"Cool trick," Shey smirks.

"Says the cow," I scoff. "What are you doing? Boiling yourself? Anyways, it's good to see you guys. Even under these circumstances," I say with a glare in Clio's direction.

"The three of us have the worst stylists," Shey sighs. "I'm a dying cow, Johanna's a tree, and Finnick's a… whatever that is."

"I have no idea," Finnick says, shaking his head. "I think I'm a fishing net."

"Yeah, something like that," I agree as Annie approaches us.

"Nice tree costume," she says shyly.

I try to smile. "Yeah, if you really think so. Lucky you, just having to mentor."

Annie ducks her head in embarrassment. "I don't know about that."

Shey wraps and arm around her. "Don't worry kid, we'll be okay."

"You don't know that," Annie insists. She gets a faraway look in her eyes and zones out for a second. We wait for her to come back before finishing our conversation.

"Wow," Shey says.

"Huh?" Annie asks.

"You brought yourself back," I say, feeling pretty impressed. "I'm proud of you scatterbrain."

"Oh, that," Annie says. "I, um, I've been working on it."

"See, you're not that pathetic," a voice scoffs. I smirk at the confused expression on Annie's face until she recognized the voice.

Annie spins around and throws her arms around the speaker. "Cash!"

"I missed you too," Cashmere laughs.

"Aww, why do you get a decent outfit," Finnick fake-whines.

"As much as I hate my stylist, I guess it's not impossible for him to have a good idea or two," Cashmere admits, gesturing to her costume. It's basically a snowy white jumpsuit, covered in tiny diamonds. Completing the outfit is a clear silver cape, and a couple of gemstones stuck around her eyes. It's one of the better parade costumes I've seen, to be honest.

"You look really pretty," Annie says.

"Thanks," Cashmere grins. "Wait until you see what it can do!"

"Another girl on fire rip-off?" Shey teases.

"Pretty much," Cashmere says. "Watch this!"

She presses a button on her shoulder, and the cape starts spraying glitter out of it. It completely covers the side of District 4's chariot.

"Look at me! I'm Katniss Everdeen!" she laughs as she twirls around, coating us all in glitter. Her brother appears behind her and shakes his head. He's wearing an outfit similar to hers, only his is tan instead of white. I think I get it now. She's a snowstorm, he's a sandstorm. His arena was a desert, her's was a frozen wasteland. Pretty clever on their stylists behalves, I must admit.

"Cash, we need to save the glitter," Gloss sighs. He grabs his sister by the shoulders and presses the button.

"Thank you Gloss," Shey says. "I'm gonna be washing glitter out of my hair for the next three weeks now!"

"Sorry," Cashmere says, catching her balance. "It was funnier in my head."

"No, you just did it to the wrong people," I say with a smirk. "Now, I think Enobaria would love to be sprayed in glitter."

"Johanna, we're not that gullible," Gloss says, tossing a sugar cube into his mouth.

"Oh fine," I huff. "Be like that."

"Where did you get that?" Finnick asks.

"Over there," Gloss says, gesturing to a table. "I think they're for the horses, but…"

"Be right back," Finnick interrupts, walking over to the table.

"Bring me some!" Cashmere yells. We give her an odd look. "What? They taste pretty good."

"You are something else, you know that?" Gloss asks.

"Glossy, you've known that for 21 years now," Cashmere smiles. "How does anything I do surprise you anymore."

"That's just the thing. It doesn't," Gloss says.

"Katniss looks awfully lonely," Annie comments. "Maybe we should go talk to her."

We notice the victor in question standing alone at her chariot, stroking a horse's mane. I can't bring myself to feel sorry for her like Annie can, though. Finnick comes back with a bowl filled of sugar cubes and sets it down on the chariot. We watch her for a moment before Finnick speaks up.

"Well, if none of you are going to talk to her, I will," Finnick says. He takes a handful of sugar cubes and approaches her.

"What is he doing?" I ask.

"Do we really want to know?" Shey asks.

"Probably not," Annie admits.

And with that, we watch the girl on fire get scared for life. Can't say she didn't have it coming, that's for sure.

….

Quote of the day!

"The defining quality is heart, and quite frankly you don't have one," a girl on a movie we're watching

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Spectrobes Princess