A/N: I'm back! So sorry it's taken so long for an update. But as some of you know I'm tackling more stories in other categories. Here it is though! Hope you guys enjoy!

Evelyn took a deep breath before walking up to the bathroom mirror. This is what she saw:

A British girl dressed for combat and war.

Wow, what a sight.

She bit her lip hard and paused a little more on her reflective figure, as if making sure it was really her. Wearing simple thin black t-shirt, dark pants and combat boots, Evelyn was close to unrecognizable. She then got to work pinning up her hair into a messy bun- working her fingers fast through her thick hair. After she was done, Evelyn couldn't buy help staring at herself one last time.

Did all Americans dress like this?

Well Rick did, but she highly doubted he was 'most Americans'.

Taking a glance at her wristwatch, she quickly tied her shoes before slipping out of the room and down the hallway. She imagined everyone else was already down in the lounge waiting for her as she strode down the corridor, her boots made muffled stomps on the thin carpet.

Sure enough, the rest of her entourage were sitting down on the crisp white couches. They all looked up at her when she entered, Pricilla clasping her hands together in relief and Rick's eyes widening. He moved over and beaconed her to sit by him on the small leather couch. She obeyed; he almost immediately put his arm around her shoulders.

"Nice outfit."

Evelyn smirked, and lifted up her boots. "It could be a new look for me."

"No seriously, if I were from any other district I'd be scared for my life right about now."

Her smile was an extremely prideful one. Suddenly, she couldn't help but throw her arms around his chest and pull herself closer to his body.

"Whoa, no strangling each other just yet," Lindsay smirked, just entering the room. "They go down the list starting with District One. The train'll be stopping in a couple minutes."

Rick and Evelyn both nodded in unison, and stood up. They both knew a pep talk was about to be in session.

"Look- when you walk in the room, you'll see a bunch of weapons right in the dead center. Rick, go for the dummy- smash it up a bit. If that's not enough then throw some weights around and look angry. They'll love you." She said with reassurance. "Now Evelyn," she turned towards her, speaking in fervent belief, "go for the sword. Rick told me how good you are with it. You don't have to do anything extremely fancy, just... Have faith in yourself- and don't act scared."

"But I am!" Evelyn protested as the ground beneath them began lurching to a halt. Lindsey took her shoulders in her hands and let out a short breath.

"Pretend. Put on a show. Remember, you're the star."

The three of them shielded their eyes as the door at the back of the train opened, letting in a fierce torrent of wind like an explosion. Two Peacekeepers stood on either side.

"We'll let's get on with it!" Pricilla said merrily, pushing the two tributes from District Six into the beginning of something no mummy could ever recreate.

"You must be the two from district six!" Said one of the officials, dressed sharply in a navy tuxedo. Standing before him were Rick and Evelyn, no longer accompanied by Pricilla and her entourage. He smiled. "There's a spot reserved between the ah-" he wavered an index finger towards one of the tables- "skimpy twelve year old and fiery brunette."

With that, he shook Rick's hand and flocked towards the other men in suits.
Evy and Rick exchanged glances- a mixture of fear, eyes aflutter.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine," he reasurred her as they took the two remaining seats. They sat and waited as names were soon called by an announcer into the performance room.

The moments ticked by before their eyes; it was terrifying and exonerating at the same time. Slowly, the tributes drifted off towards the formidable double doors, never coming back the same way through. The announcer's voice was as dull like a caught record player.

Evelyn couldn't help but reverting her mind back to the time her father had made her attend a Sunday morning seminar on economics- it was the most deadened experience of her life. Of course, raging nerves and badgering thoughts wouldn't leave the girl peace, but her lips turned upward in a bittersweet memory.

"Evelyn Carnahan, district six." Sounded the emcee, with its placid dullness.
Rick placed a firm hand on her shoulder. Evy jolted back to reality with a slight flinch. She didn't even need to hear him speak a word; his saddened crystal eyes said everything.

She stood up, stiffened, and walked towards the doorway with eyes traveling down the milk white floor pattern. It was exactly the sensation Evelyn had gotten when her name was first chosen- that the entire universe was zeroing on her like an ant under a microscope.

Her hands laggardly wrapped around the golden knob and gripped it hard, giving it a twist.

The room was dimly lit, as if a shadow encased it with its errie gloom. A glass panel towards the back held behind it five fierce looking men wearing expensive clothing. Evelyn wasn't terribly nervous until she caught a glimpse of them. Soon, her mind began trembling with insecurity.

But when she arrived in full view in front of the five judges, they smiled with a pleasure unrealistically real.

"Ah, miss... Carnahan." One man on the end said loudly in an extremely masculine voice, "well go on, show us what you can do."

She took a deep breath, and strode over to the vast selection of knives and swords, picking one that was medium in length and balancing it in the base of her palm. Then Evy turned and faced a life sized mannequin, instant wielding her weapon and slicing it right across the torso. It left a thin black line that ran right through the center of the body.

Bracing herself, she hit again, again and again until there were marks everywhere scratched on the plastic dummy.

The panel of judges all had looks of astonishment on their faces. Evelyn carefully set down the sword back on the rack, throwing them a fortuitous smile.

"Wow." One woman finally breathed out, looking like she just witnessed the redirection of Christ himself. The five of them began conversing with themselves. Evelyn stood there awkwardly, though feeling extremely prideful of herself.

"You're free to go," another man said after a few seconds.

She brought her eyes up towards them. "Well gentlemen, the pleasure is all mine."

With that, Evelyn turned around and walked out the door without another word.

A/N: Sorry it was so short... I'll make it up to you guys in the next chapter! :)