I am pleased to say I got a few reviews from that last chapter. I now remember what I forgot to apologise for - sorry for that rant about reviews. But I still love to hear from you. Go ahead and point out any grammatical/ spelling mistakes, I'll try to fix them.

Thanks to the two guests and (as it goes without saying) ImaginationStation00 for your lovely reviews. I started grinning like an idiot at nothing in particular and people started giving me strange looks, just like you said, ImaginationStaion00. I actually meant to put the interviews in the same chapter, but I noticed how long it was and I thought I would give you something so you knew I hadn't abandoned you. :) Great to hear from you.

I don't own the Hunger Games but my sister got a waffle maker for Christmas, so that's okay. If you didn't notice, I love waffles!

With a reluctant sigh, I drag my feet down the stairs. I can't really think of anywhere I would rather be less than where I'm going right now. But I have to, for the interviews, so I unwillingly trudge over to the door of my room and pull it open.

Then I get attacked by a bunch of feathers.

"Gah!"

The feathers come up with a mixed reply.

"Oh Katniss! Aren't you just so excited? "

"Isn't it wonderful? You're going to-"

"Every time I see a mirror I just-"

"But Cinna wanted no purple-"

"And then I said, 'but won't she just be so ador-"

"You will be the star of the-"

"I don't believe it! No purple-"

"Wait until you see-"

"And then she said, 'Feathers!"

"Of course, it will have a fire theme, and maybe -"

Even if I wanted to know what they were saying, I wouldn't be able to tell. I thought I heard the word 'commercial' a few times, and feathers, also something about a private interview, and is it just me, or did the orange one just say something about Space Giraffes? I don't see how that's relevant to me, but I start listening, just to see if they mention Space Giraffes again. They don't, but I do figure out that they were all interviewed about my costume because nobody could get hold of Cinna. Octavia in particular is very excited, and is absolutely 'pumped' to show me off in the interview. Always good to know.

With that, we go to the bathroom and somebody keys in a long string of numbers into the shower panel. I step in while two of the prep team go off to prepare make-up and appropriate undergarments and all sorts of unnecessary things. I stand under the water while a bunch of sponges come and massage me - gently at first, then painfully scratchy and then soft again. My hair is being thoroughly cleansed and scented, which hurts, but in a nice way. The water turns itself off and I hop out, the mat sending a shock through my scalp that dries out my hair immediately. Then the prep team starts to work. They wax all the hair off my arms, underarms and legs and even my back and stomach, although it's not like there's any hair to rip out painfully. The 'flamingo team', as I've started to call them in my head, file my nails, pluck my eyebrows and run a brush through my hair, straightening out the curls just a little so that it falls in delicate waves past my hips.I glance in the full-length, jewelled mirror and see myself, looking sort of pretty but also kind of ridiculous, like I felt when Effie had me out on that dress this afternoon.

It's been a full hour and I haven't seen any of the clothing I'll be wearing tonight. My finger and toenails have been painted with a clear hard polish, looking immaculate and fake. My skin is smooth, hairless and most of my scars have been hidden under some sort of paste. I think I look pretty good for being naked, but apparently there's one finishing touch. The prep team looks excited, which gives me the chills. It's a little bit scary to have three hideous creatures armed with tweezers and nail files grinning into your face. The one with the horns turns around and opens a drawer, then lifts out something that looks like a gun.

Guess what is more scary than three hideous creatures armed with tweezers and nail files grinning in your face?

The green-skinned flamingo sprays something on my earlobes and I have a nasty feeling I know what they're about to do. And I don't particularly want it. But there's not much I can do, as Flavius holds the device up to my ear and squeezes it. A sharp pain bursts in my earlobe and I can't help but wince. Flavius moves around to my other ear and Venia swiftly slides something through the new hole in my ear. It hurts, but hey, it's better than the eyebrow-plucking.

Once the prep team has finished with my new earrings, they stand back and let me examine myself in the mirror. I guess I do look kind of pretty, although it's nothing on the girl from one or even Faye with her swishy red hair and long eyelashes.

After a long period of being checked and re-checked by my flamingo team, I am ushered back into my bedroom where Cinna is waiting with a large garment bag. He says a few quiet words to my prep team and they start opening boxes and grabbing brushes. In no time, I am completely covered in a glittering golden powder. My reflection looks nothing like the Seam girl I was seeing a week ago in my mirror at home. This new girl looks like something you might see in a children's book, a magical person with golden skin and perfect hair.

The prep team admire me for a second, then get to work in a way I have never seen them do before. Earlier, they were jabbering away about feathers and Space Giraffes and the colour purple. Now, they are the picture of concentration and effort, though a slightly demented one. My nails are done with a flame pattern, on both my feet and hands. Someone wraps a chain of fiery colours around my ankle and does the clasp. I stand perfectly still, with the exception of a few times when Flavius' horns prick me uncomfortably. After a while, Cinna says to close my eyes and keep them closed until he says I can look. I obey, curious but dreading the moment the dress will settle around me because that will mean it's nearly time to go.

I can hear the zip of the garment bag opening and a weight settling on my shoulders. Hands rearrange the folds of fabric, which reaches down to my ankles but no further. I can feel a brush applying more make-up to my face - eyelids, cheeks, lips and a little on my temple to mask the birthmark. I am guided to the bed where I sit down blindly, feeling gentle hands sliding on shoes. Something wraps around my legs, unfamiliar but comfortable. At least they aren't heels.

A brush runs through my hair, and then it is pinned up, with the shorter bits at the front falling loose around my cheeks. There's a sharp tugging sensation at the crown of my head, like someone is putting in a bobby pin. The prep team makes a few final adjustments and then I am lead to the front of a mirror. Cinna's soft voice says, "Open your eyes."

Again, I planned to put the interviews in that chapter but it got a bit long. Hope you enjoyed, and remember to review!