Quinn woke up early the next day. She didn't get up right away, she simply laid there and was thinking. Mostly just about her conversation with Orion. She still didn't want things to change, for the sake of the games. But she knew that he had been right, she was the only one still denying whatever it was. Even Finnick had brought it up...

Quinn rolled out of her bed and threw her hair into a ponytail and comfortable clothes. In only a few hours, she would be getting changed into clothes for the interviews. She was absolutely terrified of the interview, that had been what confirmed Snows hatred for her in the first place. She knew she couldn't change his mind, but she also knew she could make things a lot worse.

She shook those thoughts from her head as she left her room. She could already hear talking among the rest of the team at the table. She was surprised to see Lace there, but she didn't have any food in front of her. She had a small box in her hand that rested I her lap as she sat, reclined in her seat.

Quinn cleared her throat a bit, as if to make herself known before she even got to the table. Lace looked up at her, and smiled. She turned and whispered a quick sentence to Ciruss before standing up and walking towards her.

"I was beginning to think I wouldn't see you until later," she smiled as she held out a box. "I know it's not the same, and its some knock off that was made because of last years games...and Ciruss told me you didn't have a token." she explained as Quinn took the box. She rose an eyebrow and looked Lace over, it was a complete mystery how someone could be so pleasant in the morning and the circumstances didn't help.

Quinn pulled the lid off of the box, only to see a new mockingjay pin. However, instead of gold, it was a dark bronze color. Quinn stared at it for a moment before picking it up and tossing the box on the couch. She turned the metal around on her fingers. She could remember the moment she got the first one, how it felt...it was hard to explain. It was liberating in a way, because a mockingjay was created on accident. Even though she didn't think it fit her, Snow pushed her until she became what she was on purpose. Katniss became what she was on accident.

"I thought you might want something different from Katniss's pin." Lace stated.

Quinn looked at it and nodded, "Thanks." she replied and looked up at Lace and smiled a bit.

She sighed, "Well, I'm off. Lots to do." she sighed, "Leave your pin, I've got something better for you to wear tonight. Okay?"

For the next two and a half hours, Quinn sat at the dinning table. Poking at the food that she had chosen for herself. But mostly, she just sat in her chair, blocking out the talking around her and looked at the pin. She really couldn't find a word for what she felt like because of it. There was no way to describe it. Then after the time passed, Ciruss brought Quinn to see Lace and wished her luck before leaving her in the care of Tanyanna, Zane, and Kaitlynn. The three of them didn't need to do much work, really all they did have to do was deal with her eyes-- getting rid of the dark bags under them had proven to be a problem. But eventually, her eyes were satisfactory.

Then, not much longer after she was ready, Kaitlynn led her to the dressing room where Lace was waiting. In a way, Quinn had been hoping for another outfit like before-- but instead, a shimmering, smooth dress that had different shades of blue on it. Then to go with it, was a high collared black jacket like the first one. Then a pair of black heels.

"Okay," Lace said quickly, "I know what you're thinking, but I couldn't do the same as before." she said simply, "I wanted you to have a District Four feeling, hence the blues. Then I wanted you to have something to go with Orion-- who is just having his original look upped a bit. So that's why you have the jacket. Then the shoes will just complete the outfit-"

Quinn frowned, picking one of them up, "Lace, I can barely walk in heels."

Lace sighed, "Its just this one outfit, okay?"

Quinn hesitantly nodded as she set the show down and then sat down herself in a chair so Lace could get to work. Lace put her hair in a simple fishtail braid that went down the middle of her back, weaved into it was something that looked like a fishnet with white pearls on it. Lace said that she wanted to make sure that Quinn still had a District Four vibe, and Quinn couldn't help but miss Ciruss as her stylist. He had been the first one to use pearls for her.

As Lace finished up with her hair, Quinn watched her in the mirror. Her eyes didn't once look up to meet Quinn's, instead she looked numb-- the usual happy, kind and welcoming Lace seemed to be gone.

"Lace?" Quinn asked, "What's the matter?"

Laces' eyes flickered up and she looked at Quinn as she walked around to begin getting the makeup together.

"I've just enjoyed being your stylist," she confessed, and she was quiet for another moment. "And I just think that you've done so much good since you've been a Victor and you deserve much better." she said simply, her voice sounded like it was about to crack.

Quinn didn't say anything in reply. She didn't know what she could say, Lace knew just as much as she did that she had less of a chance at winning the games than her last games-- and she didn't have a very good chance that time either. So she sat in silence as Lace finished getting her ready. Then Quinn slipped into the blue dress, she was surprised that she actually liked it. It was light, and not constricting at all. Lace then took out a necklace for her to wear, it looked like a pocket watch that had been turned into some fashionable necklace. On the top of it, however was a golden mockingjay, just like the pin.

"I thought you should have a little something, like the jacket." Lace smiled as Quinn slipped it on over her head and then Lace carried over the shoes and told Quinn to practice in the shoes. Quinn could walk in them, but not for long. So she convinced Lace that she would just carry them until she absolutely had to put them on.

Quinn and Lace followed two peacekeepers down the long hallways until they got to a stage entrance. Quinn went right in, her shoes in hand. A lot of the Victors were already with their partner, but some were still alone and waiting. Quinn did her best to look away from each of them, she couldn't help but think about the fact they had each already been sort of this thing. They've all had to deal with Caesar Flickerman already.

Quinn got to the front of the long line, and saw that Orion was talking with District One-- Cashmere and Gloss. Lace hadn't been lying when she said Orion's original look was just being upped. He wore all black with a high collar jacket that was similar to Quinn's. His shirt had blue on it, his makeup was how she remembered seeing it two years earlier. And his piercings were back in place after having them gone after three days.

"Then you should be a pro at this sort of thing," Cashmere smiled.

Orion shrugged, "I guess."

"Just don't think about tomorrow," Gloss advised, "You'll do fine, it can't go wrong. You are one of the favorites." he finished, as he eyed Quinn as she stopped next to Orion-- she dropped the shoes and slipped her feet into them.

"You look nice," Cashmere smiled.

Quinn forced a small smile onto her face, "Thank you."

After a few minutes, the remaining tributes flooded into the line. And then the sound of Caesar's opening music began, it was up beat and fun-- it was probably what the Capitol people imagined that they should listen to during the games too. The screen that was in front of the line, showed the stage that was ten times more fancy than the years before. Quinn watched as Caesar walked out on the stage, his hands held high above his head with the mic in his hand, and a beaming grin on his face.

"Happy, happy Hunger Games!" he beamed and the audience roared with applause. "Tonight is a very special night, and tonight we get to hear from our very special tributes for this years seventy-fifth annual Hunger Games!" his voice was filled with excitement as he lowered his hands and continued to hold the mic in front of his face. "This year, a special twist on this years game-- we don't only have twenty-four tributes that we love dearly, but twenty-six tributes will walk across this stage."

Again the crowd roared with applause. The stage doors opened, and it was two peacekeepers who had been sent to make sure the tributes stay in line. One placed a hand on Quinn's shoulder and guided her into the very back of the stage. She glanced over her shoulder at Orion and the other Victors. Orion gave her a small smile as if to wish her luck.

"Tonight, we will start with the Capitol chosen Victor." Caesar began, "The title of Capitol Favorite fits her all to well," he paused as one of the peacekeepers placed her in a specific spot to wait. "The Victor of the Seventy-Third annual Hunger Games, our feisty pearl, Quinn Maverick!"

At the sound of his words, the wall in front of her slid open. The bright lights nearly blinding her, and the sound of the cheering was almost deafening. Quinn felt her breath get caught in her throat as she began to walk through the doors towards the waiting Caesar Flickerman, with his hand out stretched to her. The cheering continued, and Quinn had to force the cliche smile to stay plastered on her face. She couldn't let what happened last time happen again. She couldn't let her temper get the best of her again.

"Welcome back, Quinn! Welcome back!" Caesar smiled as he took hold of her hand and then the crowd began to fall quiet again. Quinn wasn't sure what to say, so she only smiled wider. "Now, before we really get started-- I must say, you look fabulous." he smiled.

"You think so?" Quinn asked, "I'd have to agree, if it weren't for these shoes." she confessed, earning a laugh from the audience and Caesar.

"You don't like them?" he asked.

She shook her head, "Of course not, I nearly died walking out here!" she exclaimed, she mentally had to thank herself for all of the interviews and conversations on TV or not the last year. "In fact, do you mind if I take them off?" she asked.

Caesar looked a bit surprised by her question, "Well, I don't. How about you?" he asked motioning to the audience and they all cheered.

Quinn sighed and picked up her foot, but immediately almost fell because of how awful her balance was in the shoes. "Caesar, would you mind?" she asked after a moment as she reached over to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Of course not, my dear." he replied simply. So Quinn put a hand on his shoulder and quickly pulled both of the shoes off and held them in her hand.

"That's much better," she sighed, "You know, you get used to not wearing any shoes in District Four."

Caesar laughed, "Well," he paused after a moment of laughing from the audience too. "On a much more serious note," he said, "What do you have to say? To the people who voted for you?"

There's a lot of things I want to say, she thought to herself.

"It's an honor, after everything that I've done in the past year and a half, I am honored at the Citizens of the Capitol still think so highly of me." she replied, "I know there are some people out there who absolutely hate me for what I did, but there are plenty more who support me." she explained, "Some people have said that I've just been a...Rebellious Spirit I guess. And if I die in the arena," she said, pausing, "Then I'd like to hope that some of the others who support what happened would take my place. Like sparks, in a way."

"Sparks?" Caesar echoed.

"I'm trying to give you a picture of what I'm saying, Caesar." she sighed, "Picture me as a spark, sparks themselves fade away but there are always more that take it's place as the fire gets bigger."

Caesar thought for a moment, "That's very...insightful, Quinn." he said simply and then quickly began to change the subject. "That necklace of yours is very interesting. It resembles the famous Mockingjay Pin."

"That's the point," she sighed, "My team and I figured that we couldn't take the pin back, away from Katniss Everdeen. So we found this." she explained, twisting the truth a bit and fumbling with the necklace in her fingers.

The audience cheered at the mention of Katniss's name.

Then Caesar's eyes grew more sympathetic as he asked the next question, "Now, what about your fellow Favorite? Orion Snow and you have been through...quite a lot together."

"What about him?" Quinn asked.

"Are you two prepared for what could possibly happen?"

Quinn stared at him, "None of the Victors are prepared for it, Caesar." Quinn retorted, "They've known each other for years, and the Capitol is putting them all against each other in the arena again even after they won and had been promised to never have the threat of going back in the arena again." she stated, and as soon as she said it, she knew that her interview had taken a turn south. "I said it in my first interview here, and I'll stand by it. What the Capitol finds as entertainment is sick, and having already broken people back in the arena make it even worse."

Caesar quickly moved the mic away from Quinn's face, "Well, I'm sure we are very interested in what you have to say about the games, as always, Quinn." he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Quinn Maverick!" he smiled and then leaned towards Quinns ear. "You can go stand on the far, top end at the top of the stairs." he whispered into her ear.

Quinn sighed and nodded, forced out another smile and then waved towards the audience once more as they all began to cheer. Quinn turned and made her way up the stairs and to the place where Caesar had told her she could go. Once she stood in her place she looked out at the audience, trying to see faces of people that she may have known from her team. But there weren't any that she could see, the light blurred them all out of sight...

"Now," Caesar said, his voice full of excitement again, "From right here in the Capitol, Orion Snow!"

The loud entrance music played again, Quinn knew that would get old if she had to stand there the entire time. Orion walked out onto the stage, from his years of practice of interviews, Quinn knew for a fact that this interview would be a piece of cake, and he would be able to easily win people over. He waved to the crowd and then shook Caesar's hand.

"Glad you could join us, Orion!" Caesar smiled.

"It's an honor to be here tonight, Caesar. It's nice not sitting and watching these interviews with my grandfather and sister. It's a nice change." he said simply and the crowd was already feeding into everything he said.

"Aren't you nervous?" Caesar asked in reply, "You're the only one with out a background of winning the games."

"I'm actually not too nervous, the other Victor's gave me plenty of pointers in training."

Caesar smiled, "That's the sportsmanship I like to hear about," he paused, "Is that a silver version of the Mockingjay pin on your jacket?" he asked pointing to something that Quinn hadn't seen on his jacket when they were waiting.

"Yeah, the necklace Quinn is wearing wouldn't have gone well with my outfit." he confessed, smirking a bit as the crowd laughed a bit.

"Speaking of her," Caesar sighed, "You're going into the arena with her tomorrow. Thoughts?" Caesar asked and then quickly put the mic back in front of Orion's face.

Orion was quiet for a moment, Quinn could practically see the gears turning in his head to think of something to say.

"Orion?" Caesar asked after there was a long moment of silence.

Orion sighed, "I've tried not to think about that actually," he paused, "Quinn is one of my best friends, and I can't stand the thought of losing her in the games this year."

"And I'm sure none of us want you to," Caesar sighed and then motioned to the stairs for Orion to go join Quinn. "Orion Snow, everyone!"