Okay, this weekend I have been on a roll :) Ahaaa, it's nice to have finished the Reapings but now we're in the Pre-Games and what would it be without a little someone popping up from the Capitol to let their thoughts be known eh?

Meet Cinna Despardos, a want to be stylist… Who isn't the biggest fan of the Hunger Games; and I may as well throw in some snobby friends of his just for good luck. The point of the chapter is to see how the Capitol view the tributes.

Now, Cinna always interested me but I think he grew into the character that Suzanne Collins created for us all to love! So he may seem a little OOC but I hope you forgive me!

Cinna Despardos, Capitol Citizen.

I try in vain to ignore the obnoxious voices of those that I call my 'friends'; they are not my friends whatsoever because I have lived under the impression that friends are human beings capable of emotion, rationality and other such qualities. This pack of dogs can barely be classified as human, even if I weren't taking the ridiculous cosmetic alterations they had all subjected unto themselves; an easier way to describe them would to use an analogy regarding fabrics: They are spandex; however sparkly you make it and however pretty it can seem you can always see what lies beneath and it isn't generally that pretty and like spandex these people are incredibly uncomfortable to be around.

I often ask myself why I choose to grace these imbeciles with my presence and the simple reason is that they are the key to getting what I want; I'm not the typical air headed Capitolite at all, each one of these morons have connections that I need to achieve my dream. These are selfish people and I think that they deserve to be exploited by me for my own selfish gain. I want to be a fashion designer, to work with the supple fabrics to use art as my communicative medium, to transform the ugly duckling into the beautiful swan, I look down at the sketch I was focusing on previously and drag my pencil across the page trying to pinpoint what is preventing this piece of art from becoming a masterpiece: Is it the neckline, maybe I should use a halter neck style rather than the sweetheart neckline? Or is it the skirt, maybe if I brought the seam from where the organza falls? It would create a more sophisticated silhouette.

'Cinna Darling, I just love what you've done with your eyes; it looks divine and really brings out the golden hues in your eyes, which are so gorgeous.' I am snapped from my work by Eloise Dafferweather; she is praising me yet again and I rearrange my features into a lazy smile: her father is the head stylist to President Snow himself and if I am to have any chance of becoming a district stylist he is the man to impress hence why I tolerate the company of Eloise and her insufferable friends. As for the eyeliner, I'm rather glad that she likes it but I am wholeheartedly surprised she does like it seeing as her definition of beauty is to dye your skin and have numerous body alterations; she has even considered having whiskers which would look God damn awful in my humble opinion. In all honesty most of the Capitol populace share her preposterous beliefs regarding beauty but I'm the black sheep in that sense, I understand that it is self expression but it seems totally unnecessary when you can use fashion as a way of expressing yourself and thankfully it isn't permanent. Oh, I've been silent a while; I flash a toothy smile.

'Sorry Eloise, I was just admiring your hair; I've heard that aubergine is this season's colour. It's amazing as to how you're so fashion forward.' I can tell that my compliment has mollified Eloise seeing as she is beaming from ear to ear and her periwinkle blue face is now becoming navy in its shade; before she can return the compliment I am drawn into a conversation I'd much rather avoid about a topic I'd much rather pretend didn't exist: The Hunger Games.

'Like guys, what are you like thinking about the like tributes, they seem like so like an amazingly like great set of like tributes like don't they?' There goes the not so dulcet tones of Tahmena Begumala; and I really think this girl could not be any dumber if she actually tried which is actually shocking. Now, although viewing of the Hunger Games is not mandatory within the Capitol but for some unfathomable reason they love it, they treat it as a celebration which confounds me: we are to celebrate life and mourn death, but these Capitolites are brainwashed into believing that this annual bloodbath is prime time entertainment. Maybe, it's me that is wrong; maybe I need to start enjoying the games but there is something disturbing about children hacking one another to pieces. The only parts of the Hunger Games that interest me are the Chariot Rides and the Interviews; it's all for the fashions, seeing the stunning gown and the delicate cuts of suits is entertaining enough for me: I don't need to see serial killings unless a tribute catches my attention, then I may support them through the arena. I just keep quiet and listen to the voices around me.

'That girl from one is just smoking hot man, plus she's a career which means she's a killer man. That just makes her hotter if that's even possible.'

'It's like hot boy heaven like, so many like really attractive like tributes this year: like 2 and like 4 and like 8 and like some of the others too like.'

'Okay I'm so putting money on the boy from 4 and his little district partner I'm betting on getting killed at the Cornucopia—'

'No, she's a feisty one she'll do really well. You know, I think you'll be surprised. That girl from 7 too she seems a bit of a loose canon, promising a good show… she better do it then or else I'll be angry as…'

'Oh yeah like, she volunteered like right? Like this year there's been like 2 volunteers from like poor districts, that's like weird. But like that boy from like district 8 is so like hot, but not like as hot as like 4 though.'

'Boy from 3 is a definite bloodbath, and the 12 year olds too… they're so boring. The girl from 3 too looks proper weird, like she's always thinking. Chicks who think are like scary.'

'Careers looking strong this year aren't they?'

I just try and tune out their shrill voices with their accents, I am from the Capitol yet I find no need to raise the end of every cadence to make is sound as if it is a question, nor do I feel some strange desire to hiss on every 's' sound; and as for diction, well to pronounce words correctly you need to open your mouth but with most Capitolites you cannot see them open their mouths when they speak, it's ridiculous. My attempt to remain out of this conversation is ruined however when I'm asked for my opinion on the tributes; in all honesty I was more than absorbed in my sketch book than the reapings and I only really noticed certain people but I'm 'meant to' be as enthralled by this barbarism as my acquaintances so I shift in my seat.

'I don't know that you should be counting anybody out, as you said they're interesting but I wouldn't be willing to bet on any of them yet. The boy from 3 may have some extraordinary talent; his district partner may be a psychopathic killer. And as for the 'hot' boys, they may just be a pretty face as with the girl from 1. I think I'll wait for the training scores and interviews before I decide as to who I'm betting on.' I think that is a vague enough response, it makes it seem as though I was absorbed in the reapings as they were; and they don't need to know that I have no intention of betting whatsoever, in fact they are all staring at me as if what I've said is gospel. That's the problem with people like Eloise and her cronies; you apply logic to a situation such as not judging a book, or in this case tribute, solely on their appearance it's just too much for them to comprehend. Oh how I thirst for actual intellectual conversation? Silence reigns for a while before Eloise opens her mouth.

'Oh my God guys, it's the Chariot Rides tonight. We have to go, see the tributes in the flesh and everything. You all coming?' I nod my head automatically, I may not be the biggest Hunger Games fan but I always make an effort to attend the Chariot Rides, solely for the fashion because I don't celebrate the imminent death of 23 children. Eloise, Tahmena and everyone else seems to not realise that if we were not born in the Capitol we could share their fate. Eloise beams when she realises I'll be joining them, I think I need to do some damage control.

Here we go, just a little chapter.. Poll open, Review… Just the general shizz.

Back to the tributes next as we see their first glimpse of the Capitol and a few more tributes reflecting onto what they've gotten themselves into… Then we hit the remake centre… ;)

So in 3 chapters time we'll have the Chariot Rides… If you have any ideas what you'd like your tribute, or any tribute to wear then feel free to PM me with ideas but remember the tributes cannot be illuminated (No fire!)

Thanks,

Lawrence xxx