The Tribute From the Ocean (A Hunger Games Fan Fiction)

•5•

"You're gorgeous." Finnick says but he doesn't mean it in a weird consuming way. He says it as though it's nothing but a comment. "And you handle yourself well on camera."

I sit there and smooth my shirt out.

"But you aren't particularly funny." He says but quickly adds, "No offense."

"None taken." I tell him waving it away.

"What about above all? Act as though you aren't worried about the games and the other tributes are just a little obstacle." Finnick suggests.

I consider it. I shake my head. "I don't think I can do that. I've always hated the people at school who acted better than the other people."

Finnick nods and takes in all my features. "What about you just gush to the crowd like they're all your closest friends growing up and you already love them all?"

"I can try." I shrug. Finnick mocks Caesar Flickerman and asks questions like 'What's your favorite part of the capitol?' I answered quickly.

"Everything, Caesar. The food is splendid and the clothes are spectacular and the people are great." I smile.

Finnick asks plenty of questions that you hear often and then looks at me closely.

"I don't think so." Finnick responds. "Let's try mysterious and every once in a while through in something to draw the crowd into you so they fall in love with you. Or make them want to know more about you."

"I don't know if I can do that one." I say. "I don't even know what to say to be mysterious."

"Modest? Innocent?" Finnick suggests. I consider this for a moment and nod. "What's your favorite part of the capitol, Kya?"

"How kind everyone is." I say sweetly.

"You must be brave for volunteering when you still have three years left to volunteer." Finnick says in a fancy capitol accent that sort of failed.

Modest. I have to remind myself.

"Anyone else would've volunteered for her. It wasn't fair for someone physically disabled like that to be forced into the arena." I smile after my sentence and smooth my flowy shirt out.

Finnick nods.

"Let's go with closer to sweet and kinda. The country's sweetheart!" Finnick says like he's just found the key to a chest. "Now I've got to get onto Brandon quickly so can you go by his room and send him my way?" He asks.

I nod and stand to leave. I knock on Brandon's door.

"Finnick's ready for you!" I hear him say something in response but I hide away in my room. After maybe thirty minutes I walk into the dining room and ask one of the Avox's for a bowl of the rolls they had early.

She nods and brings them out to me. I hold onto the glass bowl with neatly stacked soft rolls that I couldn't stop eating. I see buildings out the windows of the train. It was huge and unlike anything I've ever seen.

"Is that the capitol?" I ask no one in particular. I can see the train station from here but i only knew it was because of the crowds of people. I rush to my room and slide into a neat dress and put my hair in a smooth ponytail. I grip the beads from the girls parents and run back to the window in the dining area.

We were just coming up to the train station and Finnick and Brandon had come into the kitchen. Brandon stands and waves slightly as the crowd goes by, but doesn't make too big of a deal at claiming the crowd.

The country's sweetheart. I think. I've got to play the part. I start waving at the colorful and tattooed people.

They were weird looking with colorful wigs that stuck out awkwardly and rings, studs, and diamonds hanging from ears, noses, eyebrows, and hair.

Some had tattoos and some were nothing but tattoos. I smiled and waved and even blow some kisses into the crowds of people.

They seemed over excited to watch people- mostly going to their deaths- go by in a train. But I didn't question it. I waved, smiled, and blew kisses until I was pulled through the crowds by peacekeepers. I barely had time to see any of the Capitol until I was inside the Training Center.

"District 4 goes to level 4." Finnick says with Annie calm at his side. "Pretty easy to remember."

I nod look through the glass walls of the elevator. It looked amazing. I saw as District 7 victors come through the doors and wait at the bottom of the elevator.

"Your prep team will take you to your room and work on you for tonight." Finnick tells us. I was the first to walk out of the elevator and one girl stopped me and smiled.

"Come on Kya follow us!" She tells me. I try not to blink in surprise as I follow them.

I learned their names were Pax, Elspeth, and Dunia. They were the ones to prep me before I see my stylist.

Pax was a thin skinny guy who could still pass as a boy. He still had the soft features of a child and had his lips lined in black but no color filled the center. I could tell his eyelashes weren't real because they were all even and thick. He wore orange mascara and golden eyeshadow. His face was covered in a golden powder that twinkled while he worked on my makeup. His orange hair was smooth on the sides and spikey in the middle.

I think Elspeth would've been beautiful if she didn't have the long fake eyelashes and thick eyeliner. Maybe it was makeup, but maybe it was a tattoo that had shapes of flowers around her forehead. She had dark black hair that faded into purple.

Dunia looked more like a normal person. She had blond hair that looked natural as far as I was aware, only half of it was shaved into designs. Her makeup wasn't caked on her face, but she did have eyeliner and red lip stick. She didn't talk much though.

They weren't very smart and talked on about nothing i cared about, but I tried to be civil and smile every once in a while.

After seeing them, I was afraid of what my makeup would look like after they were done with me.