I APOLOGIZE! Im sorry for not posting last week my wonderful readers! I was feeling a it under the weatther and complettley forgot as I was healing! Please forgive me and accept two chapters for one this week! I promise to consistantly post on fridays from now until the end! THANK YOU!

-Miche

~~Disclaimer: I dont own anything Hunger Games! *Severus Snape voice*: Obviously... ~~

Chapter 5: Presentation of Tributes

I was finally having a long period of sleep, when my door almost came off its hinges with a knock from Finnick.

"Wakey wakey!" he shouted before entering.

"No, Finnick…" I groaned once again trying to hide from the world in my covers.

"Get up." Abigail yelled passing the room to the kitchen.

"We have a big day today!" Deary shouted entering after Finnick with her bedazzled clipboard and yellow... everything. She seemed to have a different colour theme, or pattern, every day. "Eat a big breakfast because we aren't eating much until dinner."

"Why?"

"Well today is the day you will be shown to all of Panem in style!" She left to go to Grey's room, across from mine, and I thought I'd be left in silence.

"Good morning, again." Finnick plopped on my bed, shaking the entire frame and starling me.

"Why do you always do that?"

"Because its fun to poke your buttons." he lay there for a few minutes, me actually letting him to do so. As we sat, me trying to get more sleep, I thought about the previous days events. It wasn't very fair of me to call him that no matter how much I despised him. Even though I thought it was right at the time. I've hated him in the past, saying it to him personally made me feel a though it were wrong. He was hurt and not the arrogant ass I thought he'd be about it. When I felt his breathing calm next to me, I spoke up on the subject.

"Finnick?"

"Yep?" He didn't even turn to look at me, just responding with one of my pillows over his face. Distracted by the action, I lost my train of thought.

"Is that really how you sleep?" It me suffocate and feel claustrophobic just looking at him like that. He removed the pillow and looked at me, a confused smile. "It looks uncomfortable-"

"No." His charm almost had me once more, but I remembered what I had previously wanted to say. "Is that what you wanted to ask me?"

"No! I just-... I'm sorry, about what I said to you yesterday. It was rude, and inappropriate, and I was just upset about being a tribute, I didn't know how to react to all of this so it all just kind of exploded at you." He turned to look at me.

"You should be relieved in knowing people have called me worse. I did over reacted a bit..." It was good on my case he was being modest. He left me wondering, however, what those other people had called him. What about him was so awful? Then again I was one of those people yesterday so... "I just never expected you to call me that."

"Why?" Perhaps that wasn't the best thing to say. "I'm sorry." I said quickly after. "But why were you surprised-NOT that you should be expected to be called that, I didn't mean-"

"I thought you were the good-different kind of person. Not one who would judge me so easily. Most people can just 'read me' as they claim. Whether it means they can see me flirting and enjoy it or not, that it their opinion. Either way, I'm very popular amongst the Capitol people. They love me..." He sighed in sarcasm.

I watched him for a few seconds as he dreamt of somewhere else. He looked at the ceiling for a moment, then looking over at me. I wasn't hiding the fact I watched him. When he looked at me, it was as if nothing needed to be said about what we thought or where we stood. We were friends in that split moment.

"Why were you so angry at me?" That question also plagued my thoughts since I started thinking furious of him. "The other night. What made you so furious that you had to call me that?" These could be my last days, and I haven't gotten the chance to really speak to him before, so I must tell him. The story was old and childish now that I thought on it, but it needed to still be shared truthfully.

"When I met you, it was two years after you won your games: the year you began mentoring. My father's business had interested you, it being one of the top smaller providers for the capitol. So when you arranged to have lunch with my father over what he did and how you could support him, I answered the door. And like everyone you met, you flirted with me a bit the second you saw me. Yeah I liked it as any girl would, but it seemed I was the only one who saw through that mask you put up, and I witnessed you acting the same way to every other girl later that week, not just me. It's what you did to everyone you meet, and it made me angry you got a reaction out of me. I told myself to hate your narcissistic, lying self since." This was nothing but the truth.

"That's quite a grudge... I remembered you. You had a blue streak of hair in your bangs." we both laughed, I from embarrassment. "Every other girl had been smiling and cheering at me when I left your sector, but you didn't. I thought you'd be like every other girl I meet and just get over it." Again, he was slipping from his facade. To keep him, I'd have to bring it out by other means than anger.

"You mean the giggling mass of girls who snicker every time you breath?" Maybe a laugh would help.

"Yep, those lovely fans." He smiled at this, knowing the signs of those types of girls. Something was different about him this morning. He wasn't putting on the fake smile or hiding behind his expressions. This was him. And I started liking this version of him.

"Nope, not me."

"So what type of girl are you?" I thought about a witty and strong answer, however true or false it would be.

"One that doesn't back down when she is challenged."

"Is that how you got that bruise on your nose at the reaping?" I acted as if he defeated me. Giving him the satisfaction of knowing something about me, I rolled my head back and scoffed. He laughed. "How did you manage to get it?"

"Long story short: In training, a girl I've never gotten along with hit me in the face with a foam dummy arm. I don't know if it was broken at the time or not, but it was bleeding and bruised. I was frustrated she hit me, and it didn't help the situation so they sent me home early from my injury. It was not a good day."

"I could tell you weren't in the best of moods when reaped."

Another thought waved a flag in my mind. "How did you really recognize me in the crowd?" Finnick looked contemplative for a moment. "I was watching you at the reapings, you being all smug and charming, but as soon as they said my name, it dropped, and you looked right at me."

"What dropped?" The mask was slowly slipping back into its natural position. No! I almost had him! He definitely was hiding something.

"Dont lie!" I spoke with a smile. "You know. Your lie that everything is alright, and that you don't care." He faltered in his. "But everything isn't alright, is it?" I caught him, and his face... I'll never forget. It was one of understanding and realization that things may actually be better. One of hope. I'd only ever seen it on my father when my mom would recall things they did years ago. He would be so happy she was remembering, thinking she would finally start healing. She hasn't yet, so one can understand his pain.

Finnick had this expression.

He spoke once more, the pained smile not reaching his eyes but a flash of freedom, "Nope. It's not." That was the second time I'd seen the real Finnick Odair.

"Come on, Rain! Breakfast is waiting!" Deary said passing my room one last time. Finnick following her out, leaving me speechless with his confession to me. But why me?

After breakfast and later on in the day, we went down to where our stylists were to see what outfits they decided on. Leo was most eager to see me.

"Oh there she is! Our little princess from Four!" he hugged me. I never realized just how nice they actually were. The last time we had spoken, I had been cleansed of three layers of skin, and all they did was strip me, colour me, and wax me. Not too pleasant of a process. "Now we are going to let you try on some of our options for your clothing just to see what looks good on you, okay?"

"Okay."

Two hours, three outfits, Five hairstyles, and fifteen different facial make up designs later we finally decided on what I was to wear for the .

"It really shows off your muscular figure along with your feminine side, without being too flashy."

"It shows a bit more skin than I'd like, though."

"Hey, who's the stylist, you or me?"

"You."

"Then if I say you're going out there naked, then…"

"I'll go out naked, got it." The outfit I was currently wearing was a scale covered swimsuit material that started at my bust, and only that, went down my stomach without covering any of my back, but met at the lowest point to cover my bum and legs. Where the pants started, the same clingy material continued with more scales to match. The fish scales were iridescent and sparkled just slightly when the light hit them. We also had fins on the backs of our calves along with more scaled up the forearms. All in all, my suit had no back or straps of any kind.

The team also explained that they would be putting a shimmering, paint substance on my skin, and showed me the rainbow, swirling pattern they would created with makeup for my face.

My hair was my favorite part because they would be putting extensions in. These would make my hair even longer and easier to work with. The design for my hair was very difficult, but was explained to me as an intricate braid that would have shells, scales, and glitter in it. They tried showing me the process, but I simply got lost and they gave up, just finishing the braid without commentary.

Afterwards, Finnick came in just as they were taking the costume off.

"Alright now, you two need to remember that whenever you are in the public eye, you have to be strong. Got it?" I nodded just standing there. "What?"

"Nothing, I'm just nervous about you watching me undress."

"Oh, it doesn't faze me. I've seen many tributes naked, thanks to crazy stylists and overly eager fans, if you know what I mean." He never once looked anywhere but my eyes or the stylists on the side. When I was about to be completely undressed, he was polite in turning his back to me, still speaking but not looking.

"I guess…" I said trying to sound confident, but in truth, I was terrified of undressing in front of my mentor, knowing what I knew of him and he of I, but had to anyways.

"Okay so when you two are living it up out there, try to look intimidating yet together. You are an unbeatable duo, and no one messes with you two." Leo gave me a robe to put on for our small lunch, and allow Finnick to turn and speak to me face to face once more. I looked away, trying to keep my red face hidden, but he was persistent. "Keep your head up when you walk." he moved my chin up to meet his eyes.

"Got it."

"Also, was you being the sensuous fighter I know you can be. I'm your mentor, and thats the angle I think is best, since Abby won't let me make you two lovers." I smiled. "So you will need to be more suggestive in your movements, be strong but sexy. Occasionally laugh at what people say so it leaves them confused but intrigued to why you laughed." To that, I let a small giggle slip. "What?"

"Like that?" I turned to see his confused face as it turned into a smile.

"Oh, you're the funny kind are you?"

Right after our quick lunch, Both Grey and I were brought to a specific building to prepare us for the chariot ceremony. Finnick brought me over to my stylists' room while Abby brought Grey to his.

All the sponsors would see us for the first time tonight. It was very important to make a good impression here, because this and the judging of our skills were the only chances we got to get them to sponsor us.

They had me in my half-naked fish costume, and lead me to where I would meet with Grey before going out. He stood there with his outfit matching mine and a crooked smile on his face noticing me. Luckily my skin was covered in blue paint and glitter otherwise everyone would see my blush. As Finnick and Abigail both talked to us, I couldn't help but eye the other tributes.

District One: Diamonde and Zyre. District Two: Ginger and Lockwood. District Three: Cassiopeia and Orion. District Five: Starle and Solar. District Six: Victoria and Titan. Seven: Maple and Timber. Eight: Paisley and Sheah. Nine: Willow and Barley. District Ten: Terri and Lyant. District Eleven: Rose and Palmer. District Twelve: Coal and Pan.

Careers stood out, all of them in a group talking. Diamonde was wearing a white ball gown covered from head to toe with rhinestones and jewels. Zyre's white suit only matched with the amount of bling. Ginger wore a metal morphed dress, that was melted and formed to fit her specifically, Lockwood with a similar suit. Cassiopeia (the career of the two) and Orion both had black skin-tight suits on that every time someone spoke would light up in a different color, similar to what soundwaves look like on computer screens. Solar, being Mr. Sly and Swagger, had worn nothing but bronze glitter and paint, as did Starle.

Other districts outfits were those of Seven, Nine, and Twelve. Seven had twig twisted dressings with leaves that created a cape in the back. Nine had gold accented wheat colored suits that looked like real grain when they moved. Twelve was quite spectacular. The stylists stuck with actual coal-like theming by having their suits create flames wherever they went; their hands and legs glowing from the heat like hot embers. Little Willow from nine looked over at me with nervous eyes before glancing at the other careers. She reminded me of April.

All of the careers must have been looking around at the other tributes because they looked in her direction. I glanced at her to see her partner, Barley looking nervous as well. They looked at the two from Nine like they were dinner. Zyre caught me staring and nodded toward me, telling all of them to check me out again. I must have tensed up because I felt Grey hold my hand, reminding me to relax. They all eyed me down scanning me, some looking pleased and others looking embarrassed for me.

Solar glared right into my eyes, wanting to challenge me. I accepted his request kindly with a fierce smirk and never lost eye contact until he licked his lower lip, making me shudder. His eyes followed my figure down and back up stopping at different places to either smirk or look surprised. I, however, felt it unnecessary to return the favor, considering he was naked.

"Rain." Grey said shaking me from my trance.

"What?"

"We're going on soon." I noticed he was already on the chariot with our sea foam, white horses.

"Alright now when you go out, don't be afraid of all the people, just smile and wave. Try to show that you're saying 'I'm proud of my district and I will win these games!' okay?" we both nodded at Finnick and Abby's words. Soon all the rest of the tributes were loaded onto their districts chariots and right after that, the doors opened to let us through. I could feel Solar's eyes on my neck once we jolted forward, and almost had to cling to Grey for dear life.

There had never been so many eyes on me before. I felt honored yet betrayed because these were the people who either loved me or wanted me dead. The sound was deafening; All the screams for districts and names of the others.

I didn't wave at first because I was afraid of falling off.

"Wave. It will make people like you." Grey said in my ear.

"I'll fall off if I don't hold on." No sooner than I said it, he wrapped his free arm around my side and held tightly onto my hip, securing me to that spot.

"I won't let you fall." Grey smiled and waved with his trident. I put my arm around his to steady myself before I began waving my weapon around. The crowd went crazy seeing the two of us so close to the other. I heard my name and Grey's being chanted throughout the crowds, and many flowers fell for us. I was sure at least a half a dozen or more actually made it into our chariot. Most of them were roses.

Feeling Grey's arm around me brought a sense of security and safety to my feelings about the games. I felt like if I was in his arms, then nothing could hurt me. Not even Solar.

The horses were trained to line up perfectly in order once we reached the presidents building, so all we did was listen to the president give his speech about the games before we were whisked off to wash away the glamour of the capitol.

"Great job you two!" Deary exclaimed as she walked up to us in her jingling pink heels. Not far behind her, we saw Abigail and Finnick along with our stylists. Finnick swept me off the ground into a giant hug that he didn't release until I told him I couldn't breathe. He offered me a sugar cube afterwards which I happily took. It strangely helped to calm me from the presentation jitters by giving me something to think about. Upon seeing this, some of the tributes walked over to speak with us.

"So… Four-" Zyre began.

"I have a name."

"What?" he declared, cocky.

"Rain." Grey said behind me.

"I wasn't particularly talking to you-"

"I don't think we should stay here long." He tried leading me away from them, but Diamonde opened her fat mouth.

"You scared of conversation?"

"No I just don't like you very much."

"Watch it, Four." She snapped.

"Hey, Rain, Leo keeps saying we need to wash you up for tomorrow. Something about the glitter permanently fusing to your hair, or something else, didn't quite catch it all in his huff." Finnick tried to end the conversation, but I wanted to hear what they had to say.

"It'll only be a few minutes." I forced a smile he saw straight through.

"Okay, just be back soon." kissing my cheek, he leant in my ear and whispered to me. "Choose your alliance carefully." three cubes dropped on my hand before he left.

"Don't take too long." Grey passed. The look in his eyes was protective as he glared towards the careers.

"What do you want?"

"We thought that since you are from District Four: a usual ally of ours, we thought we would give you the chance to join our alliance in the games." Diamonde spoke up, her eyes barely able to open from all the rhinestones.

"Who's all in it?"

"It's Zyre and I, Ginger, Lockwood, Cassi, Solar, and you if you want." This could be my strategy to winning these games.

"What about Grey?"

"Who?"

"The boy from my district?"

"I guess we can put up with him for a while, but he'll need to watch his mouth though."

"Otherwise he might be the first we target." I swallow hard thinking about my best friend dying at my hand.

"Just keep your boyfriend in line okay, Fish girl?" Fish girl? Really...

"Okay. Glitter king." They smiled at the little nickname. "So then I'll see you in training?"

"Yes, and be ready to show your stuff. You still need to impress us." I was scared that may be true, my life was dependant it.