A Game Of False Fates ✭ Cato Hadley

Fourteen - Question and Answer

11th July 74PD

The knock on the door of the dressing room interrupts Clio's thoughts and she glances up to see Xanthe standing in the doorway grinning brightly. The escort is dressed head-to-toe in bright tangerine, her short dress shimmering with the ruffled high neck tickling the underside of her chin. "Oh Clio, you look lovely! Are you ready?"

The escort's usual upbeat demeanour makes Clio smile as the woman comes to smooth down the few stray hairs coming loose at the front of the young girl's ponytail. Xanthe picks up the dainty necklace that has been left for her newest victor, securing the triple meteorite charm around Clio's neck when she lifts her fingers to show the long, red stiletto nails that are stopping her from fastening it herself. Xanthe takes a step back so she can properly assess Juno's work and gasps in awe. Clio has been dressed in a deep, blood red dress with elements of charmeuse and mesh that blend seamlessly together. A large mesh panel acts as the bodice of the dress, littered with small golden stars - that sit in the patterns of various famous constellations if they were to look close enough - and holds her shape tightly in place. The dress cinches at the waist to highlight her figure and the charmeuse of the dress begins by flowing outwards over her hips in an a-line style, creating large amounts of fabric around her whilst also being expertly designed to not swallow the small woman whole. Xanthe adjusts the sleeves of the dress, one around Clio's left arm and the other draped elegantly over her right shoulder; both pieces of chartreuse meeting at an asymmetrical v just below her navel.

"Of course, I'm ready," Clio laughs, watching as Xanthe appraises her a final time and nods in agreement. "It's only Caesar, how bad can it be?"

With a chuckle, Xanthe leads her out of the dressing room, and into the green room backstages where Juno and Festus can be seen guiding their tributes out into the long corridor where each tribute waits. A hurricane of makeup artists, production assistants and stylists flit around the hallway, each fussing over their responsibilities, and Clio laughs loudly at the sight of her sister pushing away the flurry of makeup artists that are applying the finishing touches to her face. She can't quite decipher the looks on the faces of Glimmer and Marvel as she passes them at the front of the line, smiling softly at them to offer some form of encouragement given that their own mentors are nowhere to be found. She hears Ajax let out a low wolf-whistle as she approaches, coming to stand beside Enobaria and stifling a laugh at the affronted expression on the tribute's face when Cato smacks the back of his head harshly enough for his chin to bounce off his chest. As the outer districts file into the back of the line, Clio can sense the rage rolling off Ajax in waves. His usual smirk is gone, replaced with the dark, menacing look he had worn during the parade that makes him look much older and much more intimidating. Unlike Clove, who, decked in orange ruffles that resemble flower petals made in luxurious chartreuse to match her sister and long tulle falling all the way to her feet, wears a look of cool disdain for everyone around her, Ajax is furious, clenching and unclenching his fists angrily in attempts to stop himself being rash as he glares venomously down the hall to where Katniss Everdeen is standing. It's easy for anyone to note that he looks as if he can't wait to make her scream for mercy as he gives her an agonisingly slow death - and Clio supposes that's one thing he can't do. He can't wait. Glancing further down the line of tributes, Clio nudges her boyfriend and gestures to where the District Four tributes stand in what appears to be an awkward silence. The small curly haired boy is shaking, bouncing up and down on his feet as Finnick tries to calm him down; whilst Marina seems to be ignoring her mentor's attempts at comfort, pushing Luna's hands away when the redhead tries to bring her into a hug. The way Finnick and Luna refuse to even look at each other is obviously uncomfortable for their tributes, and Clio finds herself wondering how this will impact their abilities to gain sponsors before she pushes her thoughts away and turns to face Xanthe. The escort is flapping about, placing her hands gently on Clio's shoulder before she turns her away from their tributes, informing her that it's almost time for her own interview with Caesar and she must be preparing to enter the stage.