Authors note: Hi! Thankyou so much for reading please, please please leave a review because i'm thinking of deleting this story and starting a new one but I don't really know so it's up to you guy's just inbox me or whatever you want to do if you would like more! And ENJOY!
At first Finnick seemed shocked by my words, but they were true. Kind words and un- keepable promises are worthless in Panem. I should have apologised to him, I should have said that maybe I could have a chance but who am I trying to convince? So I ignored what my heart wanted to do and stuck with what my head was saying. And right now it was telling me to go and greet the Capitol. Better to start getting their affections early I suppose. So I pushed passed Finnick and re- entered the main room which had cleared out apart from Marina who was tapping her foot impatiently. "Hurry up! We've arrived! Quick, hurry!" she piped in my ear as she grabbed my arm in a death grip and pulled me from the room. The further along the corridor's we got thhe louder the applause became, until it came to it's deafining peak outside the door. I took one final look over my shoulder into the train that could so easily take me home but never would, before I stepped out into the blinding light.
After my eyes adjusted to the beaming white light I finally got my first good look at the Capitol. At first I thought it was even more amazing in real life than it was on T.V, However as I started to look further into the details it just became scary. The tall imposing structures that made me feel so small and weak. And then add that to the crazy clown people that in-habited this place, then yes it was fair to say that the Capitol was not exactly top on my list for holiday destinations. It was okay thoughh because I only had to endure about thrirty secconds of laughing, smiling and waving before I was ushered inside a large building. I think it was called the 're-creation block' but I could be mistaken, it's quite hard to hear over a sea of people cheering like I was some kind of a Goddess.
When my hearing finally came back I was in the middle of my makeover session. From what I had heard I think my prep team were called, Demitrius, Sinfonetta and ravinus. I had been waxed un-relentlessley and dipped in about five different tubs of gloop before they finally started on the less painful procedures. Demitrius wheeled my chair in-front of a mirror and started to pull at my hair. "You're very pretty, if only we could have some permanent procedures done you would look-" Demitruius started but Ravinus cut him off, "No,no,no absolutley not. Finnick wants her to be shown natural." she scorned, blushing slightly when she said Finnick's name which strangley made me feel sick. But I couldn't really be that bothered, I was just glad that I wasn't having any surgery done. I would have been perfectly happy sitting here silently and letting the stylists do there own thing but all of a sudden they started talking to me. "So what look did you have in mind?" Sinfonetta asked me as her ridiculously long nails hovered around the hair dyes. I would have not said anything had I not seen her hand dangling dangerously over a bright green bottle. "I dont really know..." I said completley wordless for an answer. From what I had heard the stylist's just did whatever they wanted to you and you had to accept it. Sinfonetta spun around an walked to the back of my chair, placing her claw like hands on the back of my chair. "Of- course you do. Do you want to be cute? Sexy? cocky? Clever?" she questioned me whilst staring at my reflecction in the mirror. I chewed my lip in consideration and then it came to me. "No, I need to be someone that nobody's ever seen before. I want to be sweet and innocent, because that seems like me... but that wouldn't win would it?. I need to seem dangerous. Like a real threat in these games, a force to be reckoned with. Not just another tribute." I told her honestly. Sinfonetta smiled and I could hear the other stylist's giggling happily. "Good choice." She smirked happily before placing a silk blindfold over my eyes. "Dont worry darling you will look fabulous by the time we're done." she assured me just before I could feel something being squirted into my hair.
I lost track of how long it took for my stylist's to finally finish the makeover, so when they took the blindfold off it was a huge relief to get my sight back again as well as finding out if my stylist's had done a good job... and they had. There was no longer any trace of the cry baby that was at the reaping. My hair, which used to have a very light ginger tone to it had been darkened, so much that that it had gone a very dark bronzed color. And my makeup was very dark, especially around my eyes which was great because it made the green in my eyes really come out. But the most interesting part was I still looked thirteen in age but it no longer made me look like less of a threat. In- fact it might have even made me look more dangerous. And then my chariot dress. It was amazing! I had been so worried about it just being a rope dress like last year's tributes. But it turned out I had nothing to worry about after all, the dress was based on a mermaid. It's gills were a beautiful jet balck that shimmered blue when the light hit them. And then to add power they had given me a small silver circlet crown. I tore my eyes away from my image to take a look at the stylist's who looked like little puppy's just waiting to see my reaction. "It's amazing. Thankyou so much!" I gushed with a grin that seemed strangley out of place with my new look. The stylist's looked very happy and pleased with themselves before saying thankyou. But Sinfonetta seemed annoyed. My smile slowly died down as I asked her what was wrong. " I know you are thankful and you are very welcome but you can't be like that anymore. You need to be all about power. You need to be very strong, a threat just like you said. And to do that we cant see anymore of this nice girl." She said seriously. And although what she said was a bit harsh, I decided that I liked Sinfonetta because she was real, under all that makeup and surgery. "Your right. And don't worry you wont." I promised. She then gave a relived smile and led me outside. I barely made it two steps before Finnick appeared out of nowhere. At first he just stood in-front of me, inspecting what he saw before giving me his thought's. "You look great." he told me, and I would have belived him had I been someone else. But since I had that really weird 'deduction' thing I could tell that he was lying. "First of all, have you been waiting here the whole time? And secondly tell me what you really think." I asked, sighing slightly. He looked slightly thrown at my questions but carried on, "First question, no not the whole time. Second question, I just did." He answered, lying again. I just rolled my eyes, "You keep looking to your left and talking really fast, also it took you at least two seconds to answer my questions a person telling the truth averagely takes one point five seconds to respond. So please just tell me the truth." I told him, getting slightly angry now.
"It's not you. I specifically asked them to keep you natural and-" he started fuming. It wasn't pretty but at least I knew he was telling the truth. "I asked for this. And maybe it's not me but lets face it being me wouldn't really make it in here." I replied cockily, all part of my false image. But I had to do what Sinfonetta said if I was to stand a chance, even if it meant hurting Finnick in the process it was a sacrifice I was just going to have to make. "That doesn't justify it! I gave specific instructions to keep you the way you look and they have influenced you into doing this." He fumed again.
"Listen you and I both know that I need to have a chance here. And as my mentor you have to be able to agree that I have to have the best chance. And this is it. I'm sorry if you don't like it but if I have to wear a bin-bag to win these games ,I will." I told him truthfully. His hardened expression softened slightly, " I know I just wanted you to be yourself, take the innocent angle." he told me and I felt slightly guilty but with Sinfonetta's words still ringing in my ears I chose to ignore him. I would have said something else had I not heard a very loud announcment being made for all tributes to come to the chariot room quickly. Finnick had now launched himself into mentor mode "Listen very closely to me Freya, this is a huge moment for you, all your potential sponsors will be out there so do everything you can to get them on your side. Ok? And be careful on the chariots they move faster than you think. Whatever you do don't spook the horses-" he began to ramble on but I cut him off.
"It's ok I can do this." I re- asssured him.
"I know. Just don't worry I'll meet you at the end." He continued. I just nodded and walked away, trying to keep in line with my new reputation. I was halfway towards the door when I heard a faint good luck from behind me. I already knew who it was without looking. I turned and mouthed a silent thank-you to Finnick before walking through the door's and into the chariot room.