CHAPTER 3

Blush stepped outside onto the platform, adrenaline surging through her veins. There had to be hundreds, thousands of people out there. All of them cheering for her (and Platinum of course). She had to fight the urge to grin dumbly, she had to act cool, there were potential sponsors everywhere! Beside her, Platinum was gazing in awe at the crowd. He lifted up his right hand and waved, smiling at them with his sideways grin. Blush refused to join him in waving, it wouldn't fit her image. Instead she put her weight onto one hip, and crossed her arms. A long black car pulled up in front of the crowd, Karmen appeared behind Blush and ushered her and Platinum forward into the car. Silk and Marble followed close behind. Blush got into the car and sat in a seat next to Platinum, Karmen, Silk and Marble sat opposite them. As the car began to pull away, Marble started chatting to Platinum. Silk raised her eyebrows, Blush could tell exactly what she was thinking: 'Lets save it until they can't hear us'. She nodded and sat in silence until the car stopped.

The car eventually stopped in front of a tall building, made mostly of tinted glass. Blush looked up at it as she got out of the car and had to shield her eyes from the sun reflecting off the building.

"This is where you'll be staying for the next few days. Here you'll train and prepare for the Games, you'll start your training tomorrow. Today you'll go to the remake centre where they'll prep you for the ceremonies tonight which I'm sure you know all about. Follow me." Karmen announced in her squeaky voice, then she turned and started walking toward the building, her colourful hair trailing behind her.

An hour or so later, Blush lay down in the remake centre on a raised bed. Three queer looking stylists looked down at her admiringly.

"Oh you have such beautiful hair!" One exclaimed, as she looked down at Blush's long golden locks.

Another sighed, "Her complexion is almost perfect! How is that possible, coming from... You know..."

It was true, Blush was very beautiful. She had long wavy blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, full coloured lips, a perfect complexion. Blush was tall and curvy, but she was also toned, her body was made for the arena. She knew it too, she was stronger than most girls and she was pretty enough to use her looks to her advantage. Blush smiled up at the stylists; "Well, aren't you going to get started?"

The stylists began, they waxed her legs, plucked her eyebrows, nothing too drastic had to be done though, Blush took care of herself in District 1. The team of stylists finished with her make-up as they applied unhealthy amounts of glitter to her face. Blush got up from the bed and one of the stylists handed her a glittering garment, the stylists helped her put it on and then stood back and sighed in admiration. Blush looked in the mirror that was handed to her, and rolled her eyes. She was a jewel of course, typical. Almost every year the tributes from district 1 got to be jewels in the opening ceremony, she couldn't deny that she looked good though. Blush wore a glittering unitard, embedded with green jems, her make up matched the attire. The unitard certainly complimented her figure, she'd give the stylists that much.

Just as Blush was finishing examining her costume, Silk walked through the door.

"Oh don't you look lovely," Silk laughed, "A few years ago I wore almost the exact same thing, I got to be a purple jewel though. Come on now, the ceremony is starting soon. Follow me."

Blush laughed at Silk's sarcasm, then followed her from the remake room. Silk led her to a large circular room, there were a few other tributes milling about in there. Blush saw two 'trees' from District 7, a good looking 'fish' from District 4, a coal miner from 12. Then she saw platinum, all flashy in his matching green outfit, she walked over to him, standing beside him as the rest of the tributes began to pile into the room.

The last tribute to arrive was from District 2, he wore some sort of golden metal armour. He was tall and blonde, he looked to be one of the oldest tributes, he was well built (from working in masonry), and he had gorgeous green eyes that Blush couldn't tear her gaze away from. She knew she should stop looking, he would catch her staring soon. Then he looked back at her, with those green eyes, and she couldn't look away, not now. He smiled, showing his perfect teeth, and Blush felt herself living up to her name as heat rose in her cheeks. Then she finally looked away, unable to help but smile.