My body still tingles with pain. I feel like some one has violently scrubbed me with sandpaper. I am in the remake center, waiting for my stylist. It's very obvious how unoriginal me and Fabian will look. Usually District 6 ends up wearing a train engineering uniform. A few years ago, 2 of our tributes actually dressed as trains. They practically got eaten alive when in the arena. They didn't last a minute. I just hope whatever my stylist puts me in, it will have dignity.

I doubt it. This is the Capitol.

For the last 3 hours, my prep team has scrubbed off a layer of my skin. They treated me as if they were skinning a rabbit. No sympathy or concern. They tried to be nice, but they were so irritating. They waxed, and trimmed and styled non-stop. I just hoped their hands would suffer painful cramps.

All of my prep team is completely unique. That's what's good about the capitol. No one ever steals your look. Darla's hair is fluorescent pink, and your eyes are blinded when you stare at it. It spreads around her face, like a lions mane. And the glow with silver. Casmas is a man. I think. I can barely tell. He has a long vine tattoo crawling up around his face. His eyes are green to match. His hair is like curly, green mush. He reminds me of a big lump of moss.

Pearla looks as if she's been washed up from District 4. Her hair is filled with different shades of blue, green, and purple. But the style is sane. It's just in simple curls.

The doors jump open, and my posture straightens. A man appears in a simple blue suit. He looks so plain. I am taken aback. He is very broad and stiff when he walks, and has large features. But seems nice enough. He walks over to me, not smiling, and confident.

I open my mouth to speak, but he holds a finger to his lips and shushes me. He walks around me. I thank he has the decency to let me leave my nightgown on. After he circles me twice he finally speaks.

"Hello. My name is Ramon. And I'm your stylist" He still doesn't smile. "Come with me" I follow obediently. And we are in a room with one mirror spread across one wall. I don't need to spend my lifetime in the capitol to know its one sided. He gestures me to sit on one of the armchairs. I do so, and he sits in the armchair across from me. "What is your name?"

"Viola Emberlee"

"Viola. I have an idea that will make you unforgettable.." He smiles faintly, and his eyes light up with creativity. I sigh. I was going to die anyway, might as well be remembered. I raise my eyebrows up. The movement still burns.

"What is it?" He can sense the excitement and joins in.

"Something amazing, something incredible. Are you photophobic?"

I stare at him, blinking, he's being serious.

"I mean. Do you mind bright lights?"

Oh.

"No, I don't mind."

"Excellent" He says dramatically.

A few hours later, we are waiting patiently in a big hall, awaiting the ceremony. I still know nothing about what I will be doing exactly. Along with the horses and other tributes. I much prefer the company of the horses. We have a few minutes to spare, and while I stroke my horse, I cast glances to other tributes, fusing them into my memory.

District 1, has this huge giant. He's actually the same height as the horses. Goddamn district 1. Even their horses are better then everyone else. Gorgeous Shetland ponies, while we have anorexic donkeys.

The 2 female tributes from District 1 and District 2 are whispering to each other. District 2's covered in freckles, and her eyes are constantly narrowed. District 1 is alluring. Her face looks as smooth as a peach. And her hair is natural silver. I notice the other boys are stealing glances at her. Ugh.

I look around again. The other children look puny and weak like me. I spotted a smiley ginger girl and a brunette with the longest hair I've ever seen (She could probably sit on it.) I was almost tempted to say hello. But I resisted.

Then I suddenly realized. I'm the youngest one here.

Well not the youngest. There is a boy my age by the district 12 chariots. Everyone is looking at him. Well not at him, but at his mentors.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

I am terrified of Katniss. She was brave enough to stand up to the capitol. I don't admire her for it. Just the opposite.

I can't help staring at the District 12 boy. I remember his name from the recap of the reapings. Rory Williams. For a few minutes I stare at him. He seems so… similar to me. He has approached the Hunger Games like I have.

Whilst Katniss and Peeta are talking, his head scans the hall, then his eyes lock on mine. I inhale a sharp breath, and am ready to spin around. But I can't. His gaze is not confident, not cruel, not overpowering.

But kind.

I see he is in coal miner clothes. He really couldn't steal the fire look. It was Katniss' thing. He still stares at me, and I smile at him.

He like me has been through hell. He has family and friends he wants to go home to, like me. I know how he feels. He must hate the hunger games, and the tributes.

And then he smiles back at me.

My mouth opens slightly in shock, but when the anthem sounds, I simply nod to him. And climb upon my chariot. And Ramon and Pearla appear to add last minute touches. Pearla attaches small microchips around Fabian and me. Then Ramon holds a black case and inside is 4 dents.

Ramon says their called contact lenses. I still have no idea what he's doing, but I go along with it. He slips the watery dome into my eyes, then Fabians. I blink away the water in my eyes, praying it doesn't ruin my make up. Fabians face shows he's not happy about this either. He looks at me and I just shrug.

My hair had been transformed. We wear nothing that originates us from district 6, I simply wear a lilac dress, that matches the streaks in my hair. Fabian just wears trousers, t-shirt, and jacket.

The anthem sounds and the Chariots enter the square 1 by one. 2…3…4…5. Oh no us now. I gulp. And our chariot jerks forward. I look back at Ramon whose grin covers half his face.

The roaring crowed deafens my ears. I don't wave, though Fabian is waving and flirting with the crowd. I snort, and the crowd's cheers drown it out. I suddenly feel tiny vibrations across my body; Fabian has felt them too and is trying to fiddle with them. But I hold his arm down and shake my head. He frowns, but obeys. Then I can feel light explode behind me. I hear the crowd gasp, and I'm dying to see what it is. Then my eyes begin to glow, brighter and brighter. But before they do, I look into the giant screen. And understand.

Behind Fabian and me is a ghost of a train. The headlights, I now know, are our eyes. The train ripples with light, as if it's really moving. Ramon knew what he was doing; I should never have underestimated him. I thought, as long as I lived, no one could out do Cinna. I was wrong. As we come to the square and stop. The train whistles once, and then disappears. I try to hide my shock, and do it unsuccessfully.

After Snows speech, we enter the hall under the training center. Ramon is waiting, with Blaine and my stylists. They all seize me by the shoulders and praise Fabian and me. Then we walk to a glass lift and I try to ignore the many pair of eyes I could feel following me.