Clove POV
My stylist has pitch black hair, even darker than mine, that is slicked back. He wears a striped black and grey suit and he is ghost pale. He wears a dark purple lipstick, which is the only real color on him, and his eyes are coated in a thick black eyeliner. Believe it or not, he is actually one of the normal looking ones in the Capitol. I wonder what Cato's stylist looks like...
"I am Castor. Pleased to make your aquaintance," he says as he holds out his hand waiting for me to shake it. I don't move a muscle, but instead just stare at him. "Okay, then." He drops his hand and tells me to drop my robe. I reluctantly do so, taking my mentors advice to not argue with him.
He does the once over. After all the waxing and polishing and bathing and combing that my prep team has done, I am finally flawless. You wouldn't be able to see any of the old scars that covered my body. Not a single blemish exists.
"Okay, you can put the robe on again." He waves his hand and turns to the prep team and tells them something. They exit the room nodding. I'm assuming that they are going to get my costume ready. "Follow me. We are going to eat some lunch."
I follow him into a room with two couches facing each other with a small table in between. He sits down on one side and I sit down across from him. He presses a small button on the table and a 3-course meal rises from the table. I raise my eyebrows and immediately start digging in.
I eat more like a man than he does, but I'm sure that is due to the fact that he was born and raised in the Capitol and they are very dainty.
When we are finished eating, he finally tries to make conversation. "So, Clove, tell me about yourself."
"I'm from District Two, brutal, and not afraid to kill," I answer.
"Tell me something I don't know already," he replies. "Everyone knows that. What I'm talking about is that I am going to be spending a lot of time with you because I am convinced you are going to be the one to come out of this alive and so we might as well get to know each other. So tell me, what are some things I don't know about you?"
I remain quiet, not trusting this guy.
"No? Okay. I'll start. First of all, this is only my second year styling for the Games. Last year I designed for District Seven, but there wasn't much to work with for them except for trees. So, this year, I asked for a District that I could work a little more with. I asked for District Two because I knew there was a lot I could work with. And you have proven me right. The prep team is working on your costume right now that I have already designed and don't worry. You won't be going out there nude. Your partner's stylist and I have more class than that."
I'm starting to like this guy a little more, now. He really isn't as bad as I thought he was going to be.
"I'm good with knives," I say. "I can kill from a far distance and I never miss a target. I am very clever and mysterious."
He nods. "Now that is something we can work with."
The prep team comes back with my costume and a boat-load of makeup and beauty supplies.
They get me ready. I'm not allowed to see the result or costume until I'm all finished, which really sucks.
Once I'm ready and I open my eyes, I can barely even recognize that it's me that I'm staring at in the mirror. My costume is somewhere between a Greecian goddess and a Roman gladiator. The dress goes to mid-thigh and the very top around the neck is outlined in gold metal feathers and the rest is a flowy fabric that is tied around the middle with a gold rope. On top of my head is a gold head piece that wraps around my head. My long, black hair is cascading down my back in corkscrew curls. I have a gold arm bravelet around the upper part of my left arm. My eyes are highlighted with gold mascara and black and gold eyeliner. My shoes are slightly hard to walk in due the high heel, but I'll adjust.
I can hardly believe that it's ME that I'm looking at. How did they completely change the way I look? The good thing about the outfit is that it makes me look strong and brutal without taking away the fact that I am a girl.
"Do you like it?" They all ask simultaneously, which, I admit, kind of creeps me out.
"Very much." They all smile and clap, which is a little too much happiness for me.
They usher me out of the room and we run into Cato and his prep team and stylist. His prep team and stylist look a lot more Capitol-like. Cato is dressed in the same kind of fashion as I am. His head piece completely covers the top of his head and has wings on the sides of it. His entire outfit is made of metal which is the major difference between our costumes. His arms are oiled, which makes his muscles stand out.
We exchange a nod and our prep teams push us towards the elevator.
Cato POV
When we get to the area where all of our chariots are, we scan the crowd at our competetion. I spot District One.
"Want to make some allies?" I ask Clove.
She shrugs. "Why not?"
We head over to them. They were arguing. Doesn't surprise me.
I nod. "I'm Cato and this is Clove. District Two."
"Marvel," the boy says.
"Glimmer," says the girl. So, that's what her name was. I'll most likely forget it again in a few minutes.
"Are you guys trained?" Clove asks.
"Yes. I'm good with spears," replies Marvel.
"Bow and arrows," says Sparkles.
"Well, we all know that the tributes from Districts One, Two, and Four team up. What do you say about an alliance?" I ask.
"Of course! We'd love that!" says Sparkles a little too cheerfully.
"Okay. We'll see you two in training tomorrow," says Clove, and she turns around and we both start walking. We don't have enough time to talk to Four, so we'll get them tomorrow at training.
We get onto our chariot and stand side by side. I whisper to Clove, "You know, you look pretty good in that dress. Like a real goddess."
She shoves me playfully, making it look rude to anyone that's watching. "Shut up," she says forcefully, but I know she liked it. I laugh to myself. "And you're not half bad yourself," she whispers back. I smile slightly to myself.
District One starts to roll out and I can hear the crowd start to cheer. I put on my brutal face and body language and get ready to head out. I can see out of the corner of my eye Clove putting her trademark smirk on for the crowd.
We start to roll out and when the crowd sees us, they go absolutely wild. They are chanting out names. "CATO, LOOK HERE! CLOVE, WE LOVE YOU!" I look at the screen and Clove and I definitely look like a force to be reckoned with. After we come out the crowd starts to settle down and I know they won't get to excited again because all the other Districts wear boring costumes that no one is really interested in but they all watch anyway out of respect.
I was basking in the glory, when the crowd starts going wild again, but instead of our names, they are chanting "KATNISS! PEETA! GIVE US A KISS! LOOK HERE!"
I risk turning around. I immediately fill up with anger at the sight in front of my eyes.
District Twelve is on fire.