Stylists
Paisley Delacor, 18
Pair One
I and Ezra seemed as bouncy as you would expect the only career pair to be. Although we did not walk in, arms linked, we seemed content.
We were blank canvases for our stylists, Aries and Saturn. Allowed for my hair to grow naturally without products or styling, it had grown in a mass of beautiful, thick black curls. Ezra's was wavy blond hair, the waves lose enough that once cut, they would vanish.
Ezra hung by the door as I stepped forward. Not out of fear, I was always trusted to make the first impressions.
"I'm Paisley Delacor, District One Female-"
"Darling!" Aries gasped, leaning forward and grabbing my left arm. I was his soon to be masterpiece, he didn't really care about personal information. "You skin tone is beautiful, very unique!"
I shifted my weight awkwardly. "Not really, One just likes to keep the stereotype going. They focused more on talent than looks this year-"
"Well, that is not true!" Saturn exclaimed, her inner fangirl bursting out. "Why, One is the strongest District in the Arena!"
"Not everyone is talented-"
"Like Glimmer," Ezra grunted, I pulled a face in reply. Glimmer was a fool we had both worked with. Her skills were lacking, her voice was horrid and her beauty was bountiful. She was only chosen because she was sleeping with the trainer. I didn't have to stoop to such levels.
Saturn let out an excited gasp as she pranced over to the Ezra, her thin heels not offering much speed. She grabbed the boys chin and pulled his face close to hers.
"You have beautiful eyes, like a stormy sea!"
Ezra raised a brow in confusion, resisting the urge to pull away. "Thank you-"
"The dark skin tone, those eyes, you two will have beautiful children!" Saturn cheered.
I quickly pulled my arm away from Aries, running my hand over it like it was dirty. "So, what will we be wearing?"
He gave a snap of his fingers as he hurried over to a sketch pad. "It was hard, most Stylists are going for a District mashup. We can't do that with you two. However, as we thought you were both so pretty and deadly, we decided on Quartz Sirens," he flattened the page out and held it out to me and Ezra, now stood side by side.
"It's beautiful," I said under my breath. Even Ezra gave it the nod of approval.
"I'm glad you think so!" he cheered, slamming the book shut. "Now, we will need to take your measurements, Paisley if you will come with me-"
"Could I have a female please," I shot back. Since the incident, I had lost trust in men, Ezra was the only man I could stand. To me, everyone but him was after one thing.
He looked at me and smiled. "Whatever for?"
I started to rub my arm at a more intense speed than before. "I'd just feel more comfortable-"
"Well I can get a female assistant for this part but any last adjustments will have to be done by myself," I gave a quick nod and a smile. With a click of his finger, an Avox in rose gold attire stepped forward. "You should have just said you were frightened of me,"
As he turned on his heel and walked towards the door, I took a sharp intake of breath.
"I'm not frightened," I mumbled.
Akhal Breker, 18
Pair Four
"Have you met your stylish yet?" Nicholas asked a group of Peacekeepers leading us down a whitewashed hallway. These words were the first the boy had spoken to me since we were paired so it took a moment for me to collect my thoughts.
"No," I said before clearing my throat. "I don't think anyone has." Nicholas gave a sigh.
"I just hope they ain't Game loving nuts."
"Unlikely," I mused as we came to a large glass door. "I just hope they have their heads screwed on-"
"That is just as unlikely," Nicholas said through a grin. It was very charming All but one of the Peacekeepers broke off after that, he opened the doors and lead us inside of the shimmering white room. Stood over a blinding, polished marble table was a multicolored man and women. Between them, they sported every colour of the rainbow. However, their clothes were simple, white jumpsuits.
When they saw us, their eyes lit up, both of them leaping to their feet and cheering. But not for me. Without a second thought, they raced over to Nicholas, poking and prodding every part of his body and complimenting it.
"My boy!" the purple haired man exclaimed. "You are going to steal the show!" Nicholas' eyes flickered over to mine and I felt myself shrinking into myself. I was never confident about my looks, even after eighteen years.
"Akel will help," Nicholas added, stepping away, slightly. The bouncy pair looked over to me, looking me up and down.
"It's Akhal-"
"Well aren't you a lucky girl!" the green haired woman said gleefully. She skipped over to my side, hooking her arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer. "A Four and a dashing young man at that, the odds were certainly in your favor!" She wasn't wrong, I guess I did luck out, gaining Nicholas as a partner. He was strong, good looking and from what I had seen, a maturity above his years. It was hard to believe he was younger than me.
"If you ever tire of him, there would be hundreds of women in the Capitol who would sponsor you generously for his company-"
"So what are our costumes like?" Nicholas said sternly, finding no humour in the man's words.
"Ah!" the woman beside me released her grip and joined the man's side. "We thought we would mix the usual District costume together this year, to celebrate your union!"
She passed us a piece of paper with two beautiful dresses painted in watercolour, signed by Janus and Camilla. I thought they were beautiful but when Nicholas looked over, his noticed a glaring problem.
"Why am I wearing a dress?"
Laura Hope, 16
Pair Eight
"Why Linden!" Linden's stylist, Mirilla squealed running over to his side and gripped his face. She pulled it close, looking into the boy's green eyes. "Why did you never volunteer?"
He raised my brow. "What do you mean?"
Mirilla gave a small chuckle as she pushed him away. "With those looks and that body, you are going to fly through the Games, volunteering could have given you more sponsors!"
Linden thought for a moment, a charming grin forming on his face as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, part of me always wanted to take over from my father-"
"Ah!" Mirilla exclaimed. "That's right, you're the mayor's son, it's very exciting, we don't get many of your birth here-"
"Leave the boy alone, you can express your excitement later, for now, we need to make them look good," my stylist Cinna spoke up. Up until now, he had been stood silently in the corner of the room, allowing his white, curly-haired partner to express her love for Linden.
"Cinna!" Mirilla whined, grabbing Linden's face once more and tugging at his cheeks. "He is just so cute!"
The brown-haired man looked over to me and smiled, his silver eyeshadow catching the light. "Laura I assume?" I gave a small nod, trying not to laugh at Linden's petrified glances. "As you know, I worked with Twelve last year, I will be overlooking how you are styled between now and the Games. Maybe even after-"
"Every other stylist is new, why not you?" Linden pointed out, finally breaking free from Mirilla's grasp and rubbing his cheeks.
Cinna smiled a sad empty smile. "They wanted to total upheaval for these Games. The new training center, new quarters, new stage, new stylists. Most of all they wanted us to work together, after years of working in this line of work, you get a strong sense of pride and style. New additions are more open to working with each other. I guess my performance last year allowed me to be the exception."
Linden gave a silent acknowledgment. "So, we can expect to be the best dressed this year?" I asked Cinna.
The man gave a small chuckle. "Well, I hope so."
Ezra Arlington, 18
Pair One
We looked like drag queens. But not the artistic type you could admire. We looked more like the type you would find on street corners, sloppy and over the top with little to no thought process put into style or colour matching. The type that stuffed a few used newspapers down their wives dress and if you were lucky, tried to make their voice one octave higher. Their only intention being a couple of extra coins. Then again, maybe I was just cold.
Paisley enjoyed the costume, assuring me it was okay to be over the top for one night. It was fine for her. The ankle length crystal dress and headdress suited her dark hair and skin. The tiny diamonds on her eyelashes making her eyes pop. With my pale tone, blonde hair and blue eyes, I felt I look lost.
I too was wearing a dress but my stylist assured me it was a tunic. My legs were studded with diamonds in a curling, winding my pattern that itch and tore at my fake tanned skin when my legs were pressed together. Paisley's dress melted away into lace at her shoulders, the lace ending in a pool of diamonds around her wrists. Throughout the lace, crystals were carefully sewn in with craftsmanship. On me, however, my muscular arms were covered in crystal arm pads that ended at my elbows. I liked that part. It was the crystal shoulder pads that put me off.
Paisley looked over to me and smiled, still getting used to her heels that made her the same height as me. "It's only one night-"
"I'm- I'm just not good at this sort of thing, I trained to win the Games, not to be pampered like a poodle-" Paisley interrupted me by placing her hand on my shoulder and looking me in the eye. It was a strange feeling seeing her the same height as me. Like my heart was skipping a beat.
"Just one night. Let them make us look stupid for one night. Then we can slice the laughter out of any Tribute who mocks us afterward."
Nicholas Davenport, 16
Pair Four
"Ay, it doesn't look that bad, Akhal!" I waited for a moment, hoping I had her name right but all I got was a shaking hum in response. "You okay?" I asked as her stylist, Cupid, lead her out from behind a curtain. Her bottom half was like mine, a long skirt. Up until the knee, skin tight and designed to look like orange scales while from the knee down was designed to look like a beautiful, fiery fish tale. Upon our heads were two large horns. I knew we were designed to look like fighter fish. A small but beautiful fish The horns were an afterthought to tie in Ten.
Akhal had her tail pulled over her chest, exposing her legs to her mid-thigh. She shook her head when she saw me.
"Akhal, darling," Cupid sighed, pulling the girls dress down and exposing her chest.
"Niko!" she yelped as the fabric fell to the ground, leaving her chest bare, the only thing covering the skin being spray painted scales up her sides to mask the end of her skirt at her hips and two of the smallest cockle shells I had ever seen covering her nipples. I myself had a bare chest and I had seen Tributes naked during their chariot rides before but I thought for someone like Akhal they would have covered her. She didn't scream confidence.
She looked nice and she pulled it off but I could tell she hated it. I looked away the moment my mind registered what I was looking at. Maybe it was a bit too long. Then as Akhal covered her chest, I registered the fact she called me by my nickname.
"I don't feel comfortable," Akhal whimpered but Cupid just laughed.
"You're not meant to feel comfortable darling, you are meant to gain those sponsors and trust me you look divine!" I looked over to Akhal. She didn't seem convinced.
"Look, Akhal," I said slowly, trying to pick the perfect words to say. "You look nice-" I stopped when I watched Akhal's face go a deeper a shade of red. "NOT in a creepy way!" I said through nervous laughter. I quickly regained myself and continued. "What I'm trying to say is Cupid is right. You honestly look great-"
"You have a perfect body-"
"Er, yeah. No one will mock you, just own it and I promise the sponsors will love it. And if it makes you feel any better, I'm in a dress." Akhal offered a small smile as she slowly began to lower her arms. I made sure to focus on her eyes after that.
Linden Hunter, 18
Pair Eight
"You look amazing!" I said with glee when Laura walked out. Her confidence seemed to peak as with a bright smile, she straightened her back. She wore a tight skin dress with a bark print wrapping around her body. Every curve was amplified. Her brown curly hair had been straightened and wrapped in a tight bun, dotted with green leaves. Her makeup was that of fire, making her brown eyes stand out. I wasn't going to lie and say she was attractive.
I myself didn't look too bad. I wore a skin tight morphsuit with the same coloration in makeup, my blonde hair spiked up and full of leaves. On each of our arms, we had a trail of thin fabric patterned with falling leaves. We looked good and hopefully would steal the show.
"Thank you," she said softly but with caution. "You look nice too." I felt like her compliment was a type of repayment than truth. However, it was nice to spend time with someone who didn't treat me like competition.
I guess we were more Allies. We had been paired together and as of now, there was no way we knew of to break the pairs. If there was, it wouldn't be easy.
I looked at Laura and felt my stomach tighten. She was a beautiful girl but I had only known her for a few hours. Was that even enough to say I knew her?
The future I had planned for myself, a mayor with a loving family had been dashed. victors were not allowed to be mayors. The family thing was still on the table but not how I pictured it.
I expected to date my future wife for months before making it official. Then a few more years of going steady until my finances were in order, then I'd pop the question and we would start a family. I was always attracted to weak girls who needed me more than anyone. Redheads always peaked my interest. Laura gave me none of those things.
We were not dating nor were we going steady. We had been forced together. A weak to get to know each other before we had to protect each other from death. Then if I was to win, we would be forced into marriage almost straight away. The independent, strong, dark-haired girl would be my wife.
She was sweet and I could have done much worse than her. Maybe back in Seven, I would have taken her on dates. But here, right now, I was not enjoying my lack of choice.
I wasn't sure if I wanted to do the stylist, to begin with, but when it came to writing the chapters, I thought, why not? It means everyone gets another POV before training starts. There will be four more chapters before training starts. I'm taking it slow this time, I want to showcase the couples as much as I can.
So, we got to see EzraxPaisley, AkhalxNiko, and LauraxLinden. Ezley, Nikal, and Lindra? I'm rubbish with ship names XD
Anyway, TWO announcements!
First, I am going to try and do weekly updates on this and Chosen Warriors. This chapter took me three days to complete so it could work. I might have to shorten it to one story update per week but we will see. Hopefully, it works as it would help me with chapters when university starts up again.
Second, I have figured out what the SYOT after this story will be. It will be the 80th Hunger Games and it will be a resurrection SYOT. It will feature characters from all my SYOT's including this one and it will tie the universe together. It will also have all my Victors as mentors. But that comes after this story. And it's going to be a while with how long this story is. Even with weekly updates XD be worth it though.
Anyway, Questions:
-How could I improve my writing?
-How could I interact better with you lot? (I'm horrible at this :( )
Thank you :)
"I truly believe that someone's ideal type is a reflection of what they want rather than the type of person they need. Facing what we need is harder than pretending to need what we want. Need forces us to accept our problems and seek help,"