The train hissed as it slowed to a stop, the gleaming lights of the Capitol station casting long shadows inside the luxurious car. Calypso took a slow breath, steadying herself. The moment she stepped off this train, she was bombarded by cheers and the flashing of cameras. She held onto her guitar like it was the only thing keeping her grounded. She shook off the fear she felt: The people would never sponsor a scared little girl.
'Be brave' she thought to herself.
Calypso forced a smirk on her face as she stepped onto the platform, the overwhelming noise of the Capitol crowd crashing over her like a tidal wave. They were all there—dressed in outrageous colors, their hair sculpted into unnatural shapes, their eyes hungry for entertainment. They didn't see her as a person. She was just another tribute, another piece in their grand spectacle.
The cameras flashed wildly, blinding her for a moment, but she didn't flinch. She let the smirk settle into something almost natural, tilting her head slightly like she had seen past tributes do in the broadcasts. If she couldn't be strong, she could at least look like she was.
Ash followed close behind her, his face carefully blank, but his hands were clenched at his sides.
"Marvelous!" Marcellus cooed, clapping his hands together dramatically. "Absolutely marvelous! The energy, the presence—oh, you two are going to be Capital darlings, I can feel it already!"
Calypso resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead shifted her grip on her guitar, letting her fingers rest over the strings. Maybe the instrument would make her stand out. Maybe it would make her memorable.
'That's what the people wanted someone to stand out' She looked at Titus who seemed to be looking at something, when she looked where his gaze was she saw a group of school kids running around with weapons.
'All they do is joke about the Games' she thought but shook it off quickly, Titus was allowed to react but Calypso couldn't. These people didn't want someone who thought badly of them, they wanted someone to cheer for, someone who could win,
She needed to be this person, even if she wasn't.
As if on cue Marcellus pushes her forward
"No more being in awe of the Capitol" Calypso groaned at his high-pitched voice, "we need to get you two to your stylist"
Calypso looked over to Ash who looked as annoyed as she did, and then he looked at her smiling kindly.
Marcellus pushed both Calypso and Ash to a huge building. The building loomed over them, its sleek, mirrored exterior reflecting the dazzling lights of the Capitol. Calypso barely had a moment to take it all in before Marcellus was herding them inside, his manicured hands fluttering dramatically as he chattered.
"Now, my darlings, this is where the magic truly begins!" he sang, practically bouncing on his heels. "Your stylists will take one look at you and—poof!—turn you into stars! Oh, I cannot wait!"
Calypso exchanged a glance with Ash, who raised an eyebrow at her, clearly just as unimpressed. She resisted the urge to sigh and instead tightened her grip on her guitar.
The inside of the building was just as extravagant as everything else in the Capitol—gleaming floors, towering statues, and screens playing footage of past Games. She caught glimpses of tributes from previous years, some victorious, others frozen in the moment before their deaths. The sight made her stomach twist, but she forced herself to keep walking.
Before she could say anything to Ash, they were separated by a group of stylists. Capitol citizens with brightly dyed hair, elaborate makeup, and unsettlingly wide smiles.
"Come, come, dear!" A woman with shimmering golden skin and bright purple hair clapped her hands at Calypso, leading her toward a different room. "We have so much work to do!"
Calypso swallowed back her unease and followed, she was led to a separate room from ash. Once in the room 3 capital citizens crowd around her.
"Look at her"
"she is so cute"
"Oh that is for sure, cuter in person"
Calypso was getting nervous as the 3 of them circled her
"Aw she's shy too"
"Oh we haven't introduced ourselves," the one who seemed to be in charge said "I'm sorry, My name, I'm Velora, this over here is Cassian, and Lunette" Velora smiled a genuine smile, something that made Calypso mad.
"Uh my name is Calypso" she faked a smile.
"Oh, we know who you are, darling," Lunette trilled, her golden-painted lips stretching into a wide grin. "The whole Capitol does!"
Cassian stepped closer, tilting his head as he studied her. His emerald-green eyebrows furrowed in exaggerated thought. "Hmm. We have a lot to work with, don't we?" His voice was smooth, calculating. "That fire in your eyes—oh, the audience will eat it up!"
Calypso resisted the urge to step back. She had spent her whole life trying to avoid attention, to blend in, to survive. Now, these people wanted to turn her into something dazzling, something the Capitol would adore. Now she had to stand out to survive.
Velora clapped her hands together. "Alright, my little star, let's get started! First, we scrub you down."
Calypso tensed as the three stylists practically dragged her toward a gleaming white bathing station. She barely had time to take a breath before she was stripped down and lowered into steaming, rose-scented water. Soft hands worked quickly and efficiently, scrubbing at her skin as though trying to erase every trace of District 6 from her.
"This part's always the worst," Lunette said as if to reassure her. "But trust me, by the time we're done, you'll be unrecognizable."
At those words, Calypso's heart dropped.
"A different person?" she asks softly.
"Yes darling not even your own parents will recognize me" Velora sings in excitement.
"Yeah, parents," Calypso says faking a smile.
Velora, oblivious to the weight behind Calypso's words, giggled and ran her fingers through Calypso's damp hair. "Oh, don't look so nervous, sweetheart. This is your moment! We're going to make you shine."
Calypso forced another smile, nodding as if she believed it.
Not even your own parents would recognize you.
The words echoed in her head like a cruel joke. She had no parents to recognize her. No family waiting back home. The only person who might have cared—her brother—was long gone, lost to the same Games she was being forced into now.
Lunette hummed as she worked, carefully smoothing oils into Calypso's skin. "Oh, you're going to be stunning in the parade. I just know it."
Cassian stepped back, tilting his head as if admiring a piece of art. "Now we will leave you so you can meet your stylist!" he smiles excitedly "You'll love him!"
'Him, of course, another man is gonna see me naked' she thought as the 3 capital people left the room.
After what felt like an eternity left to her own thoughts, a man walked in but he wasn't like the other capital citizens, he was dressed modestly and had a kind eye.
Calypso sat up straighter, studying the man as he approached. He lacked the excessive flamboyance of the other Capitol citizens—no shimmering skin, no neon-colored hair, no overly enthusiastic grin. Instead, he was dressed in a simple black suit with gold embroidery along the sleeves, his dark brown hair neatly combed back. His eyes, a warm hazel, held none of the Capitol's usual artificial excitement.
For the first time since stepping off the train, Calypso felt something close to relief.
The man gave her a small smile, his voice calm and even. "You must be Calypso."
She nodded warily. "And you must be the stylist."
He chuckled, nodding as he stepped closer. "That's right. My name is Dorian." He reached out a hand, not forcing the gesture, just offering it. After a hesitant moment, Calypso shook it.
"Nice to meet you," she said carefully, still unsure what to make of him.
"I know this part isn't exactly fun," Dorian admitted, his voice softer than she expected. "But I promise I'll make sure you look incredible while still feeling like you."
Calypso scoffed. "Pretty sure the whole point of this is to make me look like someone else."
Dorian tilted his head. "Maybe. But that doesn't mean you have to lose yourself in the process."
Something in his words caught her off guard. Capitol people never talked like that. They never cared about what tributes thought or felt. But Dorian... he didn't seem like them.
"Let's get started," he said gently. "I promise I'll make this as painless as possible."
Maybe she could trust him. Or maybe he was just playing a part like everyone else