If the Capitol Returned (A Hunger Games Spin off)

Chapter 10- Prep

"Come come!" ZuZu pepped. We followed her through confusing hallways into the preparatory room.

"See you later!" my parents said to Devlin and I. I walked in through a door marked G12. G for girls, 12 for my district. Inside were three people, getting lots of things ready that I had

never seen before.

"Oh hello Deary, my name is Tienta," she explained. She was a larger woman with bright fuschia pants and a multicolored tunic. Her skin was covered with tattoos and her short curly hair was dyed a bright shade of blue. She wore heavy makeup, with her lips painted a mixture of all the colors of the rainbow. Next to her was a man wearing a deep red velvet suit. His skin was a dark tan and his dark black hair with red highlights was pulled tightly into a ponytail. He also wore cherry red sunglasses.

"It is an honor to meet you Rosemary. I always dreamed of having your mother in prep and this is the next best thing. I'm Matteo," he said with a wink I could see faintly under his sunglasses.

"You can wear this," said the last woman as she handed me a thin pale blue gown. She had a pea green afro and her skin was dyed a deep green. She had on a fitted kelly green sparkle dress along with heels that looked impossible to walk in.

"That's Zophina. Change into that and then lay on this table," Tienta instructed. I striped of my garments and then slipped on the thin gown. I layed down on the glass table. They began to rub my body with creams and lotion. They waxed every particle of hair if my body and tweezed every eyebrow hair into the right place. By the end, my entire body was stinging and as bare as a baby's bottom.

"You are a beautiful girl, just like your mother," Matteo said to me, as he began to rinse down my body.

"Thank you," I replied.

"Your stylist will be in soon, we will see eachother again," Zophina peped. They all toddled out of the room. I sat alone on the glass table. Then I heard the click of the doors opening. She was a tall, slender lady. Her skin was a dark tan. She had hair longer than anyone I had ever seen before. It went past her thighs and ended at her knees. Though it was long, it was glossy and pretty. It was a shade of caramel with platinum blonde highlights. She didn't wear heavy makeup. She did have some on of course but it only brought out her many natural beauties. Her eyes were a dark brown and they were big and gorgeous. She wore a fitted black dress that went about halfway know her thighs along with leather black knee high boots and a bright pink costume necklace.

"I'm London," she told me.

"I am Rosemary," I replied.

"Oh, I know. You may recognize me. I am a popular stylist. I usually do District 2. But when I heard the children of Katniss were in the games, I knew I had to make a change," she said. She sat down next to me. I nodded.

"Look, I understand this is hard. I am here to help you and I will do everything I can to get you to be the last person standing," she coaxed.

"I really appreciate it," I replied, though I didn't say a word about Devlin. I didn't think anyone so glamorous could be so kind.

"Your brothers stylist is my sister, Parie. We always work together. For you costumes in the parade, we were thinking of doing a tribute to what you mother and father did. So we will be doing the same thing for that," she explained. I nodded. I remember seeing the videos of my parent on fire. It did look cool but my mother said it was scary.

"Alright," I whispered.

"You don't talk much do you," she said. I shook my head. I can be quite the social butterfly, but I just didn't want to talk right then. Then, I just uncontrollably started to cry. I sobbed and sobbed.

"Oh sweetie," London coaxed and gave me a big hug.

"I don't want to go in the arena! I just want to go home!" I choked out.

"Honey, you can do this. Your mother was telling me how talented you are," London explained.

"No, but either Devlin or I will die. I don't want either of us to!" I said in between sobs.

"I promise you, everything will be okay," she whispered. I nodded, knowing she was lying through her teeth. I wiped away my final tears and she released me from the hug.

"Just, let us make a good first impression," I asked London.

"Always," she said bravely.

The next couple of hours are spent by my prep team, transforming me into someone beautiful. They washed and scrubbed my long blonde hair, making it glossy. The enhanced my facial features and then put another thick layer of makeup over the top.

"She has great legs! Make sure the pants we put her in are nice and tight!" Tienta instructed. They put me in a bright red, leather jacket and tight black slacks. They put long, fake nails on me and painted the tips a bright shade of red. They braided my hair into two french braids and then said I was ready. London then came in, and made some last minute changes to my makeup.

"Add some red lipstick, that would add to the fire accents," London instructed the prep team. They all, searched for some red lipstick and smothered it on my chapped lips. I rubbed my lips together to blend the smooth substance throughout my lips.

"Alright, she is finished," London said excitedly. I stood up and looked in the mirror. In the mirror, I saw someone I didn't recognize. She had my blonde hair, but it was glossier. She had my ocean blue eyes. She was beautiful. Though her makeup was a little bit too intense. Then, I realized that beautiful figure was me.

"Wow," I whispered in disbelief.

"You look wonderful!" London exclaimed. The prep team nodded in agreement. Then the door opened. It was my mother.

"Oh honey, you look great!" she exclaimed.

"Hello, Katniss. We decided on using the flames just as you did," London explained.

"Oh," Katniss acknowledged. I could tell she was worried it could be rebellious.

"Alright we can go now," London said. She grabbed her purse and we all scurried out the door.