It's six in the morning and Annie doesn't think it should be legal to be up this early. Only when she sees the beautiful sunrise, perhaps the only natural thing in the capitol, is she okay with being woken up so early.

"C'mon, Annie! Go shower, I'll be out here waiting." Annie's not sure who says it, but she does as she is told and steps into the bathroom.

The shower helps her wake up, so when she gets out she can see that Elmas is scrolling through the closets catalogue. Annie sits on the bed, robe wrapped around her frame, waiting for her escort to explain.

"You'll be spending four hours with each of your mentors on how to present yourself. You'll be meeting with Mags first and Finnick second, with a lunch break in between. I'm just here to get you ready, darling!"

"Why am I doing this?" Annie asks.

"For your interview, silly!" Elmas' cheery nature never falters as she speaks, "The interviews will be held tomorrow evening and today will be spent preparing you and Percy. Here, put this on." She holds out a silky lavender dress that Annie slips on, "Mags will go over content, while Finnick will teach you presentation. You're lucky to have such a handsome and crowd pleasing mentor!"

Elmas leads her out of the room and to the dining table, where Mags sits across from Finnick. Elmas leaves Annie to go wake up Percy, so Annie sits down next to the younger victor.

"Good morning." She says. Mags gives her a big smile in return.

"Morning." Finnick mutters, looking worn out and tired.

Annie doesn't ask any questions, instead putting food onto her plate. She takes these thick, window shaped things that seem appealing, some fruit, and a few strips of crispy meat. As she eats the window things, Mags slides over a bottle of yellowy-brown liquid and made a gesture for pouring it. Annie takes the bottle and does just that, then takes a bite, marveling at how sweet the liquid is.

"What is this?"

"Maple syrup." Finnick says. He smiles at how genuinely amazed Annie seems.

"Maple syrup? If it's anything like the syrup back home I don't see why you'd be putting it on your breakfast." They three turn to look at Percy, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Syrup back home, means a thick, dark, disgusting medicine that gets used the second you sneeze.

"This is a very different, much better, syrup. It comes from the trees in district 7. It makes things sweet." Finnick says. He looks at the two tributes, both seem tired, and all Finnick hopes is that one of them will come out alive.

"Not… med...sin" Mags laughs.

For the next few minutes Mags gives the victor a nudge and says something that Annie and Percy don't pick up. Finnick nods and turns to the male tribute.

"Percy, after breakfast you and I'll spend four hours on your presentation for the interviews, after lunch Mags will go over what you should talk about and what you should say. Annie, you'll be meeting with Mags first." Both tributes nod and soon Annie and Mags leave for the tribute's room.

"So, what's my approach going to be?" Annie asks, sitting on her bed.

"Be yourself." Mags tells her. The older woman slowly takes a on the chair by the window.

"Myself?"

"Yes."

"You want me to be the girl who's terrified?" Annie asks.

"No….All terrified... want you be girl who score 10, want you to be girl who look like victor. Like mermaid; enchanting, beautiful but clever, deadly." Mags looks very comfortable on the chair.

"You want me to be a mermaid?" Annie's feet are crossed at the ankle and dangling off the bed, she's also slouching a little.

"Yes. Don't worry 'bout 'pearance, 'Lulah will make beautiful. You need... be mermaid." Mags tells her. "I ask questions now, answer honestly."

"Okay."

"Looked wonderful at parade, Annie! Just like mermaid!" Mags acts as if she were Caesar.

"Thank you, Caesar." Annie says giggling.

"Good. Use names." Mags instructs.

"How capitol? You like?"

"It's beautiful. Everything is such a contrast from the districts."

"No. Avoid districts. Never good." Mags warns.

"The capitol is breathtaking! Everything is so beautiful!" Annie tries.

"Glad you like! Now Annie, being from career district... how your family feel?" Mags asks. She knows most tributes don't like to talk about their families but the Capitol doesn't care.

"My brothers could have taken it better." Annie says without thinking.

"Do they not believe you can win?"

"They do. It's just… there's a possibility that I might die. They just didn't want it to be me because… even though there's fame and glory if I win, alternatively there's death and them never getting to see me again." There's a wetness on her cheeks and she only realizes she's been crying once a tear falls on her knee.

"Annie, I know hurts. C'mere." The older woman takes her into her arms, consoling the tribute.

"I don't want to die!"

"You can win." Mags comforts.

"But if I don't die Percy will, and all of those other kids!" She's shaking and she can't stop the tears that come to her eyes.

"I know, Annie, I know." Of course she does, it happened to her.

Mags witnessed 23 other kids die, she has also had to witness 61 years worth of children die, and Annie sobs even more at the fact that this is her life now. That if she wins, she'll have to mentor her district's children and watch them die. It takes her a little while to calm down and when she does, Mags asks more questions, simpler ones, like hobbies and the reaping, or how beautiful she is and the striking color of her eyes against her sun-kissed skin. She tells Annie that she thinks she has a good chance of being well-liked. Mags is just asking about her tanlines right when Elmas comes through the door.

"I'm as pale as the sands on the southern shores of District 4." Annie and Mags laugh as Elmas' eyebrows furrow.

"Annie, jus' keep 'em interested, 'kay? Look in cameras as talk." Mags tells her. Annie nods, listening to everything the oldest victor in all of panem says, "...Flirt with Capitol… be vague, keep Capitol wanting more." she gives Annie a soft smile before Elmas escorts them both to the dining room for lunch.

An hour later, she follows Finnick back to her room. Once they walk into the room, Annie turns, only to see Finnick staring at her. Well, not really staring, more like taking her in, but she gets a very distinct vibe that she's being judged. The victor looks at her thoughtfully, elbow resting on the arm that's wrapped around his torso.

"Can you walk in heels?" He asks.

"Heels?" Annie doesn't know what the hell Finnick is talking about. He walks over to her closet and scrolls through the screen before producing a pairs of strappy shoes with a good five inches of thin heel.

"Heels."

"Can you walk in them?" Annie asks.

"Don't have to; I'm a man." Finnick shrugs sympathetically.

"That's sexist." Annie huffs.

"It's fashion." Finnick laughs. "Well, according to the capitol. Here, try 'em on, Cresta."

He gestures to the chair that Mags had occupied an hour ago and Annie sits down, putting on the shoes. When she stands up she wobbles a bit, but Finnick catches her arm, steadying her. Annie takes a few more steps, getting used to the shoes, before Finnick tells her to sit down while he gets her a dress.

The dress he hands her is red and it seems hardly appropriate for her district. It's also tight around her torso and hips and flares out at the bottom, even though Finnick claims it's a rather simple dress. Maybe for the capitol, Annie thinks. She feels slightly awkward as Finnick tightens the laces on the back, especially since she has nothing on under it. If she shivers as his hands brush up against her back, he says nothing. Instead, he has her practising posture and having her practise smiling as she talks

"How did Mags say you should act?" He asks.

"Like a mermaid." Annie laughs, if not a bit shyly.

"And you don't think you can be clever, cunning, and beautiful?" Finnick asks, already knowing the answer. "Deadly?"

"There's certainly a doubt."

"Well, I can tell that you already are all of those things, Annie." He gives her a smile and helps her up off the bed. "Don't forget that you scored a 10." He winks at her, and she's sure what he said is meant to be something else but she doesn't quite get it. "That's still a big deal."

"Yeah, I know… I just," She takes a breath, "I can't shake the doubt."

"It's not easy. None of this is, but you can do it, Annie. You gotta have faith in yourself, 'kay?" He adds a smile; not the flirty ones he sends his admirers, or the cocky ones he gives the reporters, but a genuine, friendly, reassuring smile. He tells her to walk around the large room some more before he has her sit on the chair. He asks her questions from cue cards and tells her what she is doing wrong and what she is doing right.

She recounts what to do in her head; Back straight, chin up, ankles crossed, hands resting on her knees, smile teasing with a hint of mystery. He had her practice her expressions for a good half hour so she could perfect them, and he looks quite pleased with himself as she practises with him.

"Chest out, chin up. No, not that much." He chuckles as he walks over to her. "You want to show them that you're not afraid. To do that you need to convey confidence." He pushes her shoulder back and forth a little before he is satisfied then moves her chin down slightly. "Relax, Annie."

"It's not exactly easy."

"... I know." Of course he does. He's a victor, he knows about the stress of the games even more the her. "Look, just… don't clench your hands, okay? Don't clutch onto your dress, make eye contact with a few of the audience members, even if for a second. Look into the cameras from time to time and same goes for Caesar. He'll be helping you out, okay? You can trust him." Annie nods in understanding and he continues, "Be open, don't close yourself off. If he goes to hold your hand, let him, it'll will make you much more likeable. And smirk. You've got a good smirk, use it. Actually, you've got a good face, so use that." He takes a pause and looks at her, takes in her slightly frantic expression, "Annie, you'll do great." He gives her another smile right before the alarm on his watch goes off.

"Time's up. Need help getting outta that?" Finnick can't help the smirk that comes to his face as he says it.

"Not in the way you think, Odair." Annie quips, but she's smirking too, so they're okay. She's okay.

He unties the strings keeping her dress up and watches as she quickly grabs it before it falls down, exposing her body. Not that he's never seen a naked woman before, in fact, sometimes he wishes he hadn't. Finnick chuckles and leaves the room to give her some privacy before dinner.

Elmas woke her up at 7 in the morning, gave her something to eat, then rushed her to the styling area, claiming they were late. She wonders how the hell she could be late if the interviews aren't for another nine hours.

Viorica, Woto, and Hyplo start working at a furious rate, however, shoving her in the shower and scrubbing her clean of… skin basically, since she comes out red and raw. They then sit her down in a bath of blue goo that cools her skin and gives it a smooth texture before spraying her with a shimmering dust. The trio moves her into a chair, allowing Viorica to paint and accessorize her nails, and giving Hyplo access to her hair.

Woto fusses over her makeup for a while as the other two keep working on her hair and nails. Viorica puts microscopic seashells on her nails above the layer of sea green as Hyplo keeps twisting and twirling and putting sprays and gels in Annie's hair. The door opens and Tallulah comes in with a large flat bag with, what Annie guesses, her dress inside. There's also a pair of high heels in her hands that make Annie gasp. They look like they came straight from the feet of a sea goddess.

"My, my, Anais!" Tallulah exclaims, smiling at her teams work, "By the time we're done you'll look like the empress of the sea."

There's about an hour before interviews when someone knocks on the door. Annie is tired and all she wants to do is get this interview done with, but suddenly it hits her that this interview could mean life or death. The amount of sponsors she gets is determined by this performance. The man who comes through the door tells Tallulah that Annie needs to be out the door and on her way backstage in ten minutes.

"Annie walk over here, please." Tallulah asks.

There is a round part of the floor that rises in front of the full-length three-way mirror that Annie steps on. Tallulah makes sure that Annie doesn't get a glimpse of herself as the stylist finishes up Annie's hair and retouches her makeup. They slip the dress on her and after a few moments of fussing about, Tallulah lets her turn around.

In the mirror is not Annie Cresta, not even Anais Cresta, but a true mermaid. Her wavy hair is split into three braids that fan out into her regular dark brown waves with a circlet of pearls and shells around her head. Woto did an amazing job with her makeup because her eyes seem even greener than before, with an indigo liner and purplish-blue eyeshadow around her eyes. And the dress. Her back is covered in only bronze wire and multicolored sea-glass, which also covers the fabric around her torso, going down unevenly to her hips. The skirt flares out at her thighs in large ruffles resembling the sea.

They really went all out, Annie thinks.

"Thank you, all of you!" Annie says, giving each of the stylists a hug, before being escorted to backstage. Woto comes running after her though, something in his hand.

"You forgot this!" He holds out her mother's necklace.

"Woto, thank you so much!"

"Would you like for me to put it on you?" Annie nods and the taller man clasps the necklace together around her neck.

"Good luck!"

"Thank you" A capitol employee comes and escorts her to her seat backstage. Percy is already there, along with the lower districts. His suit is indigo and his dress shirt a turquoise blue, but he somehow makes the odd colors work. Percy catches sight of her and his eyebrows shoot up before he smiles warmly.

"Annie! You look great!"

"You don't look too bad yourself."

"What can I say? Indigo brings out my eyes." He says with a chuckle.

"I can tell."

The two sit down, talking about the other tributes and their outfits and what their strategies will be before an employee comes to take attendance.

"Wyn looks like he'll go with the usual silent, stoic, brickhead approach." Annie whispers, not wanting to be overheard.

"Yeah, I don't think he could smile if he tried." Percy says, "Max will most likely crack a few jokes but I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled out a sob story too."

"If what he told you about his brothers is true then he probably will." There's ten minutes before the show. "Meg will inevitably be the bubbly and sweet one, but Artemis…"

"She'll be mysterious and dangerous, as usual." Percy says. Ever since her 12 in training everyone has been keeping an eye out on her. By looks alone she could win, but no, she just had to be extremely lethal as well.

The crowd cheers, leading Annie to assume that Caesar has made his way on stage and is giving his introduction speech. She can't hear anything but she sees now that all of the tributes are here and most of them look good. Meg looks like a gem in a glittering orange dress that somehow suits her, her hair short and bouncy. It'll probably be good for the arena too.

Annie can't help but feel nervous.

The girl from district one walks on stage, smile wide and hand waving. Megara is beauty personified and her interview is just what Caesar would be hoping for. Her hair is a perfect shade of strawberry-blonde, with wide amber eyes, and shapely lips. She talks about her extensive family and her love of baking and somehow manages to make Finnick smile. She seems so ditzy, but in the endearing way that those characters in the sitcoms the capitol citizens watch are. She even gives Caesar a hug as she leaves the stage.

The crowd loves her.

The boy from district one walks on the stage, smiling widely, loving the attention. Caesar shakes his hands and makes some small talk before they both sit down.

"Hello, Maximilian! I must say, you look quite devilish." Caesar jokes. The audience erupts in laughter at the irony. The bright red suit and tie does look impeccable on the boy

"Oh, Caesar!" the boy, Maximilian, laughs, "Devilishly handsome I'd say, wouldn't you?" The boy is charming, some of the women have already started swooning. Annie and Percy will have their work cut out for them if the tributes are all like Max.

"Indeed! With those looks you must have quite a few ladies swooning over you at home!" They launch into a conversation about love and how Max actually does like someone, but how he doesn't think she'll ever be with him. He never specifies why, so Caesar switches the subject to family, and lo and behold, his brothers come up, how Caesar loved their games and what a pity it was that they lost.

The boy's partner, Megara, is beauty personified. Her hair is a perfect shade of strawberry-blonde, with wide amber eyes, and shapely lips. She talks about her extensive family and her love of baking and somehow manages to make Finnick smile. She seems so ditzy, but in the endearing way that those characters in the sitcoms the capitol citizens watch are. She even gives Caesar a hug as she leaves the stage. The crowd loves her.

The pair from two are as menacing, as always, but this year there is a likeable quality to them, even with the stoic male tribute. Both talk with confidence that they will be the victor, but neither seem cocky or conceited. Caesar eventually makes a few comments on how attractive they both are, something that reminds Finnick of his own interview with the man, before the tributes from three come up. Neither of them are too interesting so Finnick zones out before Mags swats his arm, telling him to pay attention.

It's too late for that, though, because as Finnick turns his head, Annie walks on stage.

In that moment, he's pretty sure he forgets to breathe.

The boy from three walks to the other end of the stage, to the exit, and Annie has never felt so nervous in her life.

The stage guy is queuing her and just when the applause from Percy's interview dies down, it starts right back up, mixed with gasps and whistles. Caesar's eyes bulge in fascination at the dress but Annie only tries to keep from shaking. There are so many people watching her.

"My, my! Anais Cresta!" Caesar gestures toward her and the crowd erupts in more applause.

"You look… breathtaking! In all honesty, Anais, if you wear that into the arena I'm sure you'll win in five seconds flat because you'll take everyone's breath away!" He jokes. Annie resists telling him how it's not like she has a choice on the matter. The colorful man helps her sit down before adopting a more serious look.

"Tell me, Annie -can I call you that, Annie?" She nods and he continues, "Who made this piece of genius!?" Caesar's serious tone dissolves into a giddy one.

"My stylist, Tallulah. In fact she should be in the audience somewhere." Annie says.

"Miss Tallulah, please stand!" Tallulah rises from her seat next to Opin and curtseys gracefully to the applause of the capitol. "How lovely!"

"Annie, darling, are you enjoying the Capitol thus far?" Caesar asks as if she is just a visitor and he is the host. But he asks with sincerity so Annie smiles.

"I am! It's quite beautiful, the buildings, the decor, the people." Annie smiles. To be honest, Annie was scared by quite a few of the Capitolites but she knew that comment would help her secure sponsors.

"Oh! Such a sweetheart! But speaking of beauty... I have to say that you on that chariot was quite a sight! I see it fitting that a sweet girl like you would be a mermaid." Caesar says smiling.

"You should know that not all mermaids are as benevolent as you think, Caesar." Annie replies with a smirk.

"Oh my, Annie Cresta! You're getting me excited!" Caesar shimmies in his seat, enthusiastic, "Now, as much as I would love to talk more about how gorgeous you look -which seems to be all the time-," He puts a hand next to his mouth in an attempt to keep the words from Annie, but the microphone on his lapel doesn't permit much secrecy. "We have such a short time to get to know you!" He makes a sad face to the audience, "So please, Annie, do tell us… what is it like… having such an attractive mentor?" Caesar leans in, as if it's just the two of them, no audience. The giggles from the hundreds, if not thousands of people, seated in front of them reminded her that no, it's not just her and Caesar.

"Mags certainly did age well." Annie tells the crowd, acting oblivious, which the Capitolites eat up.

"Annie!" Caesar says laughing, "I think you know who I really meant." he says, wiggling his sea-green eyebrows. How ironic, Annie thinks.

"Of course, Caesar." Her cheeks are getting sore from smiling so much.

"Then tell us!" He says it as if he is her best friend.

"What's there to tell?" Her act of innocence is betrayed when she cracks and smiles mischievously.

"Stop that!" Their entire conversation thus far is very playful and fun, which eases her nerves significantly. "What's it like having the infamous Finnick Odair, playboy extraordinaire, as your mentor?" Caesar wiggles his eyebrows yet again, as if trying to get a few secrets from her. It's obvious that he thinks something is going on.

"I don't know what trying to get at Caesar, but Finnick and I have a strictly mentor/tribute relationship."

"Please! Miss Cresta, all I am saying is that you are both very attractive and young, with only a year between you. Right, folks?!" The audience cheers yet again but Annie playfully shakes her head.

"And I doubt your parents wouldn't approve! He's Finnick Odair!" Clearly the Capitol isn't as concerned if their daughters date high-profile playboys. "But fine," Caesar says dramatically, "let's talk about your family instead, are they all as stunning as you?" He asks friskily.

"I had to get my good looks from somewhere!" Annie says cheekily. The crowd adores it.

"Is it just me or is District 4 the hottest district?!" Caesar asks the crowd, who cheers enthusiastically, "I mean, temperatures get very high, don't they, Annie?"

"Yes, very." Annie says.

"And about your district... tell me, what sort of things did you do back home, dear?"

"I like to collect sea glass, much like the ones on my back," Annie smiles, "But mostly, and I think most of 4 can agree, swimming my favorite thing to do."

"Of course! A mermaid in the water and out, I presume?" Caesar asks.

"I guess you could say that."

"Don't act all coy with me, Annie Cresta! I bet you are a wonderful swimmer!"

"Thank you, Caesar!" She says, resisting the urge to bite her lip and clench her dress. Finnick said it wasn't good presentation and she doesn't want to wrinkle Tallulah's dress. Caesar gets a solemn look on his face.

"Now, this is always a hard thing for tributes to talk about, but Annie, what were you feeling on the day of the Reaping?" Caesar extends a hand, which Annie doesn't hesitate to take. "You certainly looked brave."

"What was I feeling?" She takes a deep breath, "Well I can tell you that when my name was chosen, it was... it was as if time had slowed down. And the realization that I could die hit me hard... that I might never see my family or friends ever again..." Annie, realizing how dangerous what she had just said was, quickly adds, "But another realization came to me. The realization that I could win, that I could spend the rest of my life in comfort with my family, thanks to the Capitol." she needs sponsors and for that she needs to make them think she's grateful for them, "And that is what I intend to do. Win." The crowd is silent but she can see many of the audience members wiping away tears and smiling, but she doesn't understand why. She only spoke the truth.

"Beautiful." Caesar says, still holding her hand, "It seems our time is running low, my dear Annie." The crowds makes a sound of disapproval, so Annie turns to them and smiles sadly. Not that she actually is. "One last question now, how did you get that training score of yours?"

"Caesar if I told you that then you'd know what to expect in the arena," Oh sweet Neptune, the arena! Before she could panic she adds, "So would the other tributes." Annie tells him.

"Thinking like a victor, Miss Cresta!"

"Of course."

"Love it, don't we folks!?" He asks the audience, who cheers even louder than before.

"But unfortunately...our time has run out," the crowds boo, "But we look forward to seeing you again Miss Cresta!" Caesar shakes Annie's hand and in one last moment of opportunity, she blows the crowd a kiss.

As Percy walks on stage the crowd erupts in applause.

The boy, only a year younger than Finnick, looks confident and brave. He talks with such determination and charisma that it fills Finnick with this odd fatherly pride for the boy, the boy only a younger than he. So he concedes that it is more of a brotherly pride, because what will he ever know about being a father? Hell, he doesn't even think he can ever get married, not unless someone offers Snow the worlds worth of gold and silver.

"District four sure does produce a lot of gems for a fishing district!" Caesar jokes.

"I don't know about gems but we do find quite a lot pearls." Percy says.

"Splendid! I do hope they are like the one adorning your suit pocket."

"They are, Caesar, they are."

The two talk for another two minutes about Percy's life back home- he likes to sail-, how many hearts he's broken- none, but his has been broken twice-, and how he plans on winning the games.

"Like a real victor." He says. When Caesar asks just what makes up a real victor, Percy smirks and remains silent.

The rest of the interviews aren't as interesting as the first half, but they are entertaining. That's just Finnick's opinion, the Capitolites seem to love every interview, even the one where the twelve year old from nine cried. Once the interviews are over, Finnick helps Mags to her feet and they go to find their tributes.

Annie is getting her make-up removed when Finnick enters the styling room, tired and ready to sleep.

"She'll be out in five seconds!" Viorica says. Five seconds turns to five minutes before Annie comes out of the room, in only her underwear, a silk robe, and her mother's necklace. She seems cold.

"You want my jacket?"

"Hmm?" Annie looks up at Finnick, not having heard him.

"You look cold. Do you want my jacket?" He asks again.

"Then you'd be cold."

"No I wouldn't. Here." He takes the off the navy jacket and puts it around Annie's much narrower shoulders.

"Thank you." Annie says. There's a blush on her cheeks but he says nothing about it.

"No problem."

They walk back to the district 4 suite and discover that Mags and Percy have already gone to bed. Elmas is up in the sitting room watching the 'After-interview show with Caesar Flickerman, Claudius Templesmith, and Rhiannon Kazmia', the late night talk show after the interviews that has the three hosts talk about the interviews and their favorite ones. It looks like it just started and Finnick has to admit that out of all the lovers he's had, Rhiannon had to have been one of the better ones. Not that he'll ever forgive her, or any of his clients, because that's what they are, clients. People who pay to take off his clothes.

He walks Annie to her room, where she gives him back the jacket before closing the door. Before she can though, he stops her and hold her hand, looking her straight in the eye.

"Annie, if you need to talk about anything, if you get any nightmares in the middle of the night and need someone to be there for you... don't hesitate to find me, okay? I'm here to help you." He looks so sincere, with this expression as if he just understands, like he's had those awful nightmares he's talking about, that Annie bites her lip, suddenly nervous and very self-conscious.

"Yeah, I won't. Thank you, Finnick." She doesn't get why she blushes, but suspects that it's because Finnick Odair has just told her that she can come to him in the middle of the night if she has to.

"No problem." Finnick knows that he shouldn't have said what he just said. He didn't say it to Percy nor has he said it to any of his previous tributes, but he couldn't not say it. If Annie Cresta needs his help, by Neptune, he will be there for her. It's dangerous he knows, getting attached to a tribute, but he tells himself that isn't what's going on.

What he doesn't know is is that he's just started falling.

A/N: So sorry for the slow update time!

I hope you all liked this chapter, next chapter is the start of the 70th Hunger Games!

Are you excited? I am.

Review please!

EDIT: I realized that in the chapter 4 A/N i wrote that Annie will have recovered from her PTSD in the sequel but that was a mistake. You don't recover fully from PTSD but it can get better. Sorry for messing that up. I would have wrote it on that chapter but it deleted from my documents on FF and I have a slightly different doc save on my Google Docs so I'm saying it now. So Annie will be dealing with her PTSD in the story not ~fully recovered~ or anything completely off like that.