A Different Side- Glimmer (Hunger Games)

Chapter 5

"Alright, alright!" Micka yells over the crowd of oddly-dressed Capitol citizens. Has it been nine hours already? I've just been listening to Glitter's Hunger Games stories.

Marvel seems to like the attention, he's beating on his chest- again.

"YEAH! YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE WINNER OF THE HUNGER GAMES!" he screams proudly. The Capitol people go crazy, and cheer even louder.

Marvel was not getting all the attention. I scoot out of my chair and sashay up to the train window, not failing to strike a pose at the end. I blow kisses to the crowd, and some catch them like they're actually tangable. I go on to a supermodel wave, which I've been told was invented when Panem was called North America.

It's 1 AM, but the sun is still shining... why? Then I see the lights covering the ground from the sky. Huge panels are set out all around to make night seem like day. Glitter told me they do this for the Hunger Games so no one "loses the mood" or something.

It's just like the Capitol to be excited about these kinds of things. Most districts don't exactly enjoy watching their kids die on live television. District 1 is no exception.

The train slows and finally stops in an indoor station crowded with circus clowns. Women have hair that's taller than them, men are wearing fake eyelashes and eye liner. Even the pets are dyed orange and pink.

Marvel and I step out of the train and into the blur of colorful people. While he pumps his fist, I do the supermodel wave, and a few camera flashes follow.

Thank the lord Micka's from the Capitol, or else we'd be dead before the games even started. She grabs both our hands and pushes her way through the dense crowd.

"Excuse me, move please, out of the way," she says, not even turning her head, just looking straightfoward.

"District One's my favorite! What's your name?"

"The girl is so sexy!" (I blush at that one).

"I like the boy's spunk!"

These are all the things I hear as I pass the fans of District 1.

But I hear even more cheering when the victors step out of the car.

"Omigod! Glitter Sparklewits!"

"Ruby Aminospa!"

"Blah blah blah blah blah!" I feel red with rage again that Glitter has more attention than me. But I don't have much time to think because I'm thrown into a room of prep team members.

"Hello, Glimmer. I'm Brailia, he's Redicus, and she's Camilia," Brailia explains. I nod and know what's coming- they want me to undress.

"I'll take my clothes off," I say. They nod, and suddenly I feel a bit uncomfortable. They look at me with kind eyes as I fumble with the zipper of my dress, and well, you know what happens from there.

I'm laid on a cold slate table, and Camilia drapes a sheet over my unclothed body.

"Face me and keep still," she says firmly. As she plucks a few extra eyebrow hairs, I wonder what my actual stylist will be like. In the past, District 1 has had some funny outfits. Sparkly and shiny are the only thing the outfits say. Oh, well. I like sparkles...

A few more pluckings here and there, and I'm done. Since I waxed the night before the Reaping, there's not much hair left on me anyway.

I'm done before Marvel, which isn't shocking. Guys don't shave as much as girls in our district.

"Wait here, Poinsettia is running a bit late," Redicus assures me. I wasn't planning on going anywhere without clothes, anyway.

Five minutes go by, nothing. Seven, nothing. What the hell? I think. Who runs this late?

As I reach for my clothes, The door slides open and a woman who hopefully is my stylist enters. Her hair is a deep red- not natural, like Emerald's or Foxface's- and is sticking up in a ton of directions like petals on a flower.

Her face is tinted yellow, but he eye makeup is a harsh black. Her outfit is a dark green dress with a leaf printing on it and matching fingerless gloves.

"Hello, dear, I'm your stylist," she smiles in a raspy voice. She sounds not like she needs to cough, but like she was born with a sandpaper-y sound.

"I'm Glimmer," I smile back. "You must be Poinsettia."

"How'd you know?" she jokes, brushing her hand against one of her petals. I giggle. I like my stylist.

She eyes me up. "I've been working here for eleven years and never have I seen District One go earthy," she says. I cock my head.

"The jewels we mine come from earth," she clarifies. "So this year, Cretia and I have decided that, along with your sparkles and rhinestones, we add a little nature to your Opening Ceremony outfit."

The Opening Ceremony is when the stylists create special outfits for the tributes, who then ride in carriages to the Capitol circle. It's a pretty big deal, if you want to make a good first impression.

"You seem clean. Redicus, Brailia and Camilia told me you were spotless and had almost no extra hair. So, let's get on with your costume."

I'm told to close my eyes, which I do. I wonder what "earthy" really means in the Capitol. But as I strart to panic, I'm told to open my eyes again. Flowing on a hanger before me is the most beautiful costume I have ever seen.

A fuchsia shimmering tube top dress, complete with a shiny belt is the main attraction. From the look of it, it will come down to about my calves. Strappy high heels matching the belt are perfect shoes- but the real deal is the headdress.

Pink feathers- large ones- in a semicircle attached to a pink headband. The band is also coated in feathers, with shining rhinestones decorating it as well. It's just- magnificent.

I retreave my undergarments and slide on the dress, with Poinsettia's help. I then shove my foot- my nails are now polished pink, along with my hands- into the sandal-heels.

"Sit here darling," Poinsettia calls, motioning me to a salon chair.

"So, what do you think?" she asks, tugging wildly on my hair.

"I... love it! Ow," I force back. It's hard to make small talk while someone's pulling your hair into... I'm not sure what she's going for.

"Wonderful!" Poinsettia beams. "We put in some earthy things, not a lot. Wouldn't want to give the crowd the wrong idea!"

In the end, my hair's pulled up in a high ponytail. However, it's mostly to my left side, and I pray she won't have to start over.

"Stay still, dear. This may take a while," she sighs. In her hand is a cluster of pink feathers and a tool I've never seen before.

Then I get it- she's weaving feathers into my hair. This takes hours back in District 1! Knowing Poinsettia was right- I would be here for a while- I start to think about the games.

Find food, find water, look pretty, keep one eye open, kill kill kill. Don't eat nightlock. That was it, right? Even though the games are about a week away, I feel so tense. You have nothing to worry about, I assure myself. You're a winner.

Instead of taking hours, the weave only takes minutes. I feel relieved I won't have to sit for very much longer. Being still has always been a problem for me.

My look is complete with pink eyeshadow, dark eyeliner, mascara, and blush.

"You're face is so clear, there's no need for foundation or concealer," Poinsettia cooes.

Finally, she places the headpiece gentley on my hair, and plays with it a few times just to make sure it won't fall off. She flips my feather extensions to my left, so anyone facing me can see them, and the crooked ponytail makes sense.

"Perfect," she purrs. I stand. There isn't a word to explain how powerful I feel.

"Let's go, the Tribute Parade is starting soon," Poinsettia says. As I leave the Remake Center, Marvel is already dressed in a similar outfit, but with leaf charms connected to his tux sleeves.

"Are you ready?" he asks, stepping into the chariot being pulled by two coal-black horses. I can hear the crowd from here.

"I was born ready." And we're off.