four - embers

- - - ➳

whose idea was this? why does every inch of my body have to be hairless? why does it sting so much?

i feel like a plucked chicken ready for roasting. my prep team has just finished waxing my body so it's free of hair. then i am forced to take off my robe and i stand there, completely naked, in front of them. i am a lot less embarrassed because they appear so inhuman.

flavius, a man with orange corkscrew curls and dark navy blue lipstick, notes that i am ready to be lotioned. i feel like a raw turkey being greased down for a meal as they vigorously rub unscented lotion onto me that stings at first but then soothes my skin. they then examine my body carefully, checking for any more stray hairs they have missed. at first i think there is no way there could be any more hair to be seen, but i am proved wrong when venia, a short, plump woman whose entire skin is colored a pale shade of green, rips out a couple of hairs with tweezers. the sting it sends to my toes makes my eyes involuntarily water.

"well," flavius says when they are done, "you almost look presentable, dear!" he seems very proud of his work.

"shall i fetch cinna?" venia asks in her silly capitol accent and does not wait for flavius to reply before she waddles out of the room. apparently it was a rhetorical question.

i just stand there, completely naked and awkward, as flavius checks me over once, twice, three times to see if he's missed anything before cinna comes in. then flavius leaves.

i am completely surprised at how normal cinna looks compared to everyone else. he is young and dark-skinned with black hair that is cut close to his head. the only thing slightly off is that he is wearing gold metallic eyeliner on his eyelids. instead of making him look like a doll ready to be wrapped as a present, it brings out the warmth in his dark eyes.

he smiles kindly at me and i instantly feel myself warm up to him. there's something captivating and genuine about the way he regards me. instead of how my prep team and everyone else had regarded me as if there was something wrong with me, he only seems like he wants to make me shine in spite of my many faults.

his voice is smooth as honey. "hello thalia, i'm cinna. i'll be your stylist for this year's games. now, i'm going to have a look. there is no need to feel uncomfortable; i won't harm you."

despite what he says, i can't help but feel self conscious as he circles me, his eyes scanning every inch of my body. i resist the urge to cover myself and try my best to relax. my muscles disobey my order, though, and i feel them stiffen.

"you're new, aren't you?" i ask in an attempt to make myself more at ease. "you came last year."

cinna nods. "indeed. last year was my first as a hunger games stylist."

"and you got stuck with district twelve?"

cinna shakes his head at that one. "i picked district twelve. now, put on your robe and we'll have lunch. how does that sound?"

i almost sigh in relief but stop myself as i grab my robe from the table behind me and slip it on, following cinna out of the room. he leads me to an area with a plush red couch and beckons me to sit. i do, and he presses a button that causes our food to come out of a second layer and onto the table. i can't help but gape. how wonderful it must be to live a life where food arrives a just the push of a button!

cinna notices my wonder and chuckles in amusement, though something in his eyes tells me he knows my inner thoughts– that the people of the capitol probably don't think twice about this luxury. meanwhile, people in the outer districts are starving, barely able to supply enough for each member of their families to have three meals a day.

"go ahead and take whatever you want." cinna urges when i hesitate. at his word, i grab a roasted chicken leg, biting into it hungrily. it is definitely better than the wild turkeys roy and i sometimes kill at home, its flavor melting into my mouth as i chew. "as you know, i am your stylist and portia is your fellow tribute, matthias's. do you remember our outfits from last year?"

i nod. how can i forget? the costumes cinna and portia designed last year were better than anyone else's. katniss and peeta definitely outshone all of the other tributes then, and it was the first time people hadn't fallen asleep before district twelve was being called out. if our outfits are to be anything like theirs, we will get sponsors for sure.

"portia and i have decided to make yours somewhat like katniss and peeta's but with a twist. i hope you don't mind fire."

i am slightly nervous about what is in store for matthias and i, but i know it will be worth it. i trust cinna's work. i know he will do what is right.

-

in a matter of hours, i am ready to go. cinna and my prep team have turned me into something i can barely classify as myself.

i am dressed in a fiery orange, red, and yellow jumpsuit that sparkles and glitters as light hits it. the neckline is a little deep for my taste, but it somehow works and looks good on me, proving cinna had known exactly what to do. i'm wearing a clear cape that is practically invisible unless you know it's there. my eyes are lined thickly with black eyeliner and false eyelashes have been glued on.

venia sticks some small clear gems underneath my eyes and smiles with glee as she steps back. "you look beautiful, darling."

i thank her with a graceless smile, the shimmery lip gloss feeling foreign on my lips and causing them to stick together. i do not protest when they apply more, despite the fact i really want to. it feels strange, slippery, and sticky all at once and i do not care for it at all.

when i am lead to my chariot, i see cinna and embrace him in a hug. "it's gorgeous, cinna. thank you."

"you're welcome, thalia." cinna releases me just in time for me to see matthias and a woman i assume is portia walk up to us.

"what about the flames?" he asks. he is wearing an outfit identical to mine, but without the low neckline and heavy makeup. well, maybe not. my eyes flicker down to his arms; it seems like the muscles there have been airbrushed to exaggerate their prominence.

cinna and portia hand us each a small red button. "press this when you're ready," cinna instructs.

matthias and i climb onto the chariot, and cinna shouts at us to hold hands. i lace my fingers through matthias's with slight hesitation and stiffness. then i decide that his sturdiness is my best bet at not falling off the chariot since he weighs more than me. my heart hammers erratically and my breathing comes out in ragged bursts. i can't help the nerves that make my knees wobble.

the chariots begin to pull out and soon the horses are moving. i nod at matthias and we simultaneously press our buttons, lighting our capes on fire. "district twelve!" is announced on the speaker and the crowd cheers, though rather unenthusiastically. my spirits deflate, but when the capitol residents actually get a look at us, the cheers get louder and i find they have bothered to find our names in the program. they shout them at us, flowers raining down and i feel like i will collapse from the nerves of literally every eye being on us. luckily, matthias is strong and sturdy enough that we don't tip and fall out of the chariot.

i wave and smile at the crowd, hoping i don't look as uncomfortable as i feel. but as time moves on, i get used to it, and my face and body relax.

i notice us on the jumbo screens scattered about the stands, and my breath hitches. we look breathtaking. our clear capes make it look like the fire is literally coming from us, and the gems around my eyes were once devoid of all color, but now they catch the light of the flames and glow against my skin, the fire making my brown eyes glow. matthias looks strong and powerful. though he is smiling, he is obviously confident— or maybe he is just that good at acting and is internally freaking out. i can now see why most of the younger girls basically have hearts in their eyes as they see him pass by. he does look pretty great.

we circle around president snow, being careful to wave and smile at him — the general approach when seeing the president — before our chariots line up with the other districts' in front of him. i glance over and see a district four boy standing in a chariot diagonal and two rows across from me and matthias. he is staring at us. not glaring, but not exactly smiling, either. he looks interested, and maybe even intrigued. i wonder why.

the president begins a speech, but i do not care to listen and instead examine the other tributes. i recognize the district one boy, a the district four girl, and the district seven girl from the reapings. the female district seven tribute is looking around, too, her gaze not showing any emotion, but her jaw tight. she is dressed like something of a tree and i remember— district seven: lumber. i notice she is standing as far away as she can from her fellow tribute. they do not seem to want anything to do with each other. i am suddenly very aware that i am still holding hands with matthias and wonder if i should let go, but his hand is still squeezing mine tightly so i doubt i'll be able to.

the girl looks at me and pauses for a moment, her blue eyes burning into mine. i stare back with just as much ferocity, not wanting to show her that her penetrating stare is making me slightly uncomfortable. her gaze drifts down to mine and matthias's intertwined fingers with obvious distaste, then back up, her eyebrows creasing. she is obviously asking me a question. i shrug and make a face, signaling i do not like matthias and that this is just for show. the girl nods with a smirk and turns back around, and when i look at her hand, i see she is giving me a thumbs up. i make a note to figure out her name. she will probably make a good ally. i'll have to keep an eye on her during open training.

i think about possible allies as president snow's voice drones on, remembering how they look and act. how were they at the reapings? will they be strong?

i know for sure i want to watch the district seven girl, and maybe that district four boy. perhaps, i might even start considering matthias as a possible ally.

because i already know that i will not want to go through the hunger games alone, and what could be bad about a couple of people on my side?

gif is the look thalia gives to the girl

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oh my god. finally. it took me so long to write this chapter, you have no idea.

i like this chapter, surprisingly. yes, the district seven girl and district four boy will be important, so be sure to remember them. i am so excited for the games you dont even know

if you havent already guessed, most of this will be the same as catching fire, due to the fact that this wouldve been the quarter quell. the arena will be the same, but i am not sure on a new threat every hour. that seems kinda far for a regular hunger games.

also, HAPPY 2015!!! may the odds be ever in your favor this year. unfortunately, my first day back at school didnt go so well. my poptarts didnt agree with me and yeah, it wasnt good..

okay, thats it for now!

xoxo,
kristyn