A/N: Wow, already at 20 reviews! Thank you so much! :) Hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter 3

The next morning, Effie storms into my room, shouting about a "big, big, big day!"

I groan and try to block out the sunlight by smothering myself under my pillow to no avail. I am forced to accept that I must get up. I am so tired since I barely got any sleep last night. I groggily pull myself up and trudge to the shower. I drowsily push some buttons, and I am immediately assaulted with freezing cold water. I smash a fist into the wall, and the water temperature warms up. I sigh with relief.

When I am done showering, I pull on the same outfit I wore yesterday, making sure I have on my pin. I go to the dining room again, but this time for breakfast. By the time I am there, I see that everyone has beat me to it.

Haymitch, being himself, is drinking. Gale is practically stuffing himself. Peeta is drinking a brown liquid. Effie is blabbering on about our schedule.

I sit down at one end of the table and grab the first things I see for breakfast.

As we are eating, Peeta speaks to Haymitch. "So. You're our mentor. Do you have any advice?"

Haymitch snorts. "Stay alive."

Peeta, usually mild and gentle, surprises me by shoving back his chair and thumping his hands on the table. "Give us some useful advice, you old tool!"

Haymitch struggles to stand up, and when he manages to do so, he punches Peeta square in the jaw. Peeta falls down, and I swiftly grab my knife and throw it at Haymitch's hand, but it misses and lands between two of his fingers. Gale jumps up and grabs Haymitch's arm.

Haymitch chuckles drunkenly. "Oh ho! Did I actually get a group of fighters this year?"

No one answers. Peeta scoops some ice from an ice bucket on the table and places it on his jaw.

Haymitch waves his hand. "No. Leave it. It'll make it look like you're already fighting."

He turns to me. "So. Can you do anything else with that knife?"

I shrug. I yank the knife out of the table and aim it at the wall. I am not that good with a knife, but I let it fly from my hand. It lands between the seams of the walls, making me look better than I am. I was just hoping for a good, solid stick to the wall, but this is better.

Haymitch nods appraisingly. "Not bad." He looks to Gale. "How about you? What can you do?"

Gale shrugs modestly. "I can tie knots, use snares, use a knife, and I'm not too bad with a bow and arrow."

I jump in. "He's amazing with everything he just listed. And he can lift heavy weights as well."

Gale looks at me, but I turn away. We had been avoiding each other since I slapped him.

Haymitch squints at me. "Okay." He looks back at Peeta. "How about you?"

Peeta looks down at the table. "Not much."

Haymitch frowns. "There has got to be something."

I feel the need to help Peeta out. "He can lift heavy weights. I've seen him haul sacks of flour around."

Peeta looks at me, eyes filled with surprise.

Haymitch grunts. "Not bad. Well, here's the deal. I'll stay sober enough to help you three, but you have to obey all my commands, in addition to those of your stylists. No complaints. No if, and, or but's. Just do as they say."

I am unsure why he wants us to obey our stylists. It must be something horrendous this year. But we have no choice but to agree.

"Fine," all of us mutter reluctantly.

"Good." Haymitch hauls himself up and out of the room, and we are left by ourselves.

It takes a few more hours before we arrive at the Capitol. When we get there, the train starts to slow and bright light floods the compartment we are standing in. I run to the window, and gaze into the world of the rich.

When I get off the train, I am in awe. I have only seen the Capitol through pictures or on the TV. The buildings glisten and shine, and sparkling cars zoom down the smooth, clear streets. Oddly dressed people with bizarre looks and clothes stroll down the street.

People begin to point at the train, recognizing it as the tribute train. I feel sick, knowing that they can't wait to watch us die. I turn away.

In contrast, Peeta beams at the crowd. He waves to them, smiling. Seems like he was already trying to win over the crowd. Well, he was succeeding. Some women were swooning.

Gale, on the other hand, remains cold and isolated. His expression is stony, even though many women are grabbing at him and attempting to flirt with him. Gale shoves through the crowd and reaches for my hand.

I am surprised, but I am glad to have him by my side. His hand is warm, and fits perfectly with mine. I feel the calluses on his hand, and I feel a pang of nostalgia. I miss talking to him. I wish we could go home and just go relax in the woods like we would be doing if we weren't here.

"Over here, children!" Effie announces in her silly accent. "Follow me!"

Effie leads us into a big, shining building and pushes us into separate rooms. Peeta is dropped off first. Then Effie pushes Gale into another room. We reluctantly split our hands, and I look back at him one last time before Effie drags him off.

At last she opens a door. "Here is your stop!" She closes the door, and I am in a big white room with a huge glass window serving as a wall directly in front of me. Light streams in, and the scene is beautiful.

The illusion is broken when I hear a voice behind me. "Oh, hello!"

I whirl around. "Um...hi? What am I doing here? And who are you?"

The lady laughs. She has aqua hair and gold tattoos above her eyebrows. "I am Venia, here to help make you gorgeous," she says in her ridiculous accent.

I am confused. "What?"

She observes me. "Hmm...needs a lot of fixing..here...there...perhaps some surgery.."

The door opens behind her, and two more people enter the room. One is a woman whose entire plump body is dyed a pale shade of pea green. The other is a man who has bright orange hair and has on an intense shade of purple lipstick.

"I'm Flavius," the man announces brightly. "And I will help make you beeeeeeee-yooooooo-tifuuuuuul!"

The green woman smiles. "I'm Octavia."

Venia starts to explain what will happen. "You're in the Remake Center. We will help you to become the best you possible."

And so the torture starts.

For three hours or so, I am subjected to horrible methods of "beautifying."

First, they rid me off every hair on my body. They wax all the hair off my arms, under arms, and legs. Then rip off a ton of my eyebrow hair, claiming that they needed to "shape the hair." They trim and smooth my cuticles. Then they lather up my body with a gritty formula that stings my skin, and I feel like everything has been peeled right off of me. Afterwards, they rub on a soothing lotion that brings relief to my skin.

At last they pull off my robe and I stand there, completely exposed and nude. They circle around me like a flock of vultures, wielding tools to fix any "errors" they find within me. I close my eyes and try to pass the time.

Finally, they all step back and I can breathe again.

Octavia claps her hands. "You look brilliant, darling!"

Flavius nods approvingly. "Simply stunning."

Venia just pats my shoulder.

I force out a smile, trying to be nice. "Thank you for making me pretty. I never get to be pretty at home."

Venia gasps. "Of course not, you poor darling! Now you look amazing, after we got rid of all that disgusting filth!"

Flavius grins. "Let's call Cinna now!"

They rush out of the room. I shake my head and sigh. I know I should hate them, but they are so ignorant, and I know that they truly feel that they are helping me. And I suppose they are. The prettier tributes usually get more sponsors.

I feel a bit chilly, and cross my arms against my chest. While I am waiting, I turn back to the window and look outside. It's funny how the outside of this building is beautiful, yet inside it is so full of darkness and evil.

"Hello, Katniss."

I jump, then turn around. "Hi." I take in his appearance. He looks surprisingly normal. His hair is a natural shade of brown, and he is wearing simple clothes, unlike the members of my prep team, who wore gaudy, sparkling outfits. The only thing that stands out from him is the metallic gold eyeliner, shining softly.

He holds up a finger. "Just a minute, please." He walks around me, inspecting every inch of my body.

I feel self-conscious and resist the urge to bolt out of the room.

"You look great." He stands facing me.

"You're new here." It is a statement.

"Yes," he answers.

"So they stuck you with District 12." Another statement.

"No. I chose your district." He doesn't offer an explanation. "Put on your robe, and follow me."

I tie my robe, then follow him to through a door to a sitting room. There is a table heaped with rich food.

Cinna gestures to a couch, and I sit down. He sits opposite of me. "Help yourself."

We eat in silence. Then he says, "I would like to discuss your costume. Now, it should reflect your district. Portia and Shaile, the other two stylists, have agreed to dress you all in complementary costumes."

I nod cautiously. We would all probably end up covered in coal dust or some lame ass crappy outfit.

"Every year, District 12 seems to focus on the coal mining, rather than just the coal." There is a glint in his eye. "And what do you do with coal? You burn it. You're not afraid of fire, are you?"

Cinna grins. "You'll be the girl on fire."

A/N: So...you know Christmas is right around the corner, you could leave me a present..also known as a review! :) Just saying! If you leave me a present, I'll give you a present...another chapter :D SO REVIEW, PLEASE! And happy early Merry Christmas! Even if it's not Christmas where you come from, be merry!