Watching

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Well keep your eyes peeled for hints . Like: "feet pounding on dry frosty ground". And it's good to know that their personality's are coming through. There's one character I'm dying to introduce but you won't meet them for another 5-7 chapters .

[ShadowSlayer]

Awww.. Well get posting/writing!

[TheFoxFacedOne]

will do, I got a week off next week so I should be writing more .

[ShadowSlayer]

Look for mine, I just posted it.

[ilovepeeta]

yay more story

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Capital people have very lady gaga and Katy Perry like get ups, which is of course how most of us imagined them. But after living with a Dad who has a passion for heavy metal, I've seen a lot of equally OTT stuff from Glam Metal bands. And after seeing some of them in their leather trousered, studded, eye linered and unruly hair styled glory in a metal documentary last night, I thought "who says the Capital are all pop?! These guys would fit right in!". So meet Stella's hard rocking stylist .

Chapter 12: Stella
Every inch of my body stung like a thousand wasp stings. I'd closed my eyes a while ago, not wanting to watch these freaks take in my naked body. The one problem with this is that I don't know when they're going to tar of a waxing strip, or pluck at me with tweezers. So every time I felt something touch me a flinched, expecting to hear a ripping sound quickly followed by a hot burst of pain.
"Oh please stay still, Stacy. You don't want me to take off your whole eyebrow, do you?" that annoying Capital voice wines at me.
"It's Stella." I hiss through gritted teeth. These people could probably name 13 different shades of pink, but they can't remember their own tribute's name?!
"Oh right, sorry", she chirps, withdrawing her tweezers, not sounding sorry at all. "Well I think we're done. You haven't made this very easy for us with all your squirming but at least you’re not a screamer. I think you've done quite well, darling." The other two agree enthusiastically, do they ever respond in any other way?
Torey and Cole told me over breakfast that I mustn't complain or scream because it would make no difference to what they do to me, and although I've been jumping like a nervous rabbit hardly a sound as escaped my lips.
I look down at my bald legs at glance in the mirror at my newly shaped eyebrows. I've been in the Capital for less than four hours and I already feel and look different.
"Your stylist, Michie, will see you now." Declared a man with strange symbols tattooed all over his blue skin. As they leave I brace myself for the weirdest looking person yet.

The woman who walks in does look just as dramatic as any other Captial citizen, but there's something different about her look.
She's wearing electric blue leather pants (the first women I'd seen in pants since arriving here) which looked like they'd been sprayed on. Her top seems to be made out of chain mail which glitters in the light.Her eye lids are covered in black eye-shadow. Her short hair sticks up in random places and is died every colour imaginable. And a big sapphire stud shines in nose.
"Hi I'm Michie, your stylist. You must be Stella." She has the accent but it's not as high pitched as the others, and has a bit of attitude to it.
"Yeah, that's me." I answer, not sure of what else to say. She looks me up and down; then walks over to me, looking intently at my hair.
"I like your hair. It's appears to be light brown but when the light catches it you can she some bits of copper. You can put your robe on now."
"Er, thanks." I say gratefully pulling it back on.
"So, do you wear stuff like that dress you wore at the reaping often?"
"No way!" I burst out, not wanting to be seen as girly for a second. "I don't do cute."
She grins.
"Good. Cause neither do I.”

[ilovepeeta]

i love her styilest shes awsomre

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Yeah she rocks

[ilovepeeta]

yups

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Phew it took me ages to do this one, it’s the longest yet. Can you remember the event mentioned here?
Chapter 13: Jed
"We're done. You can open your eyes now, Jed.” My stylist, Marvin tells me. For a second I don't recognise the boy in the mirror. My fringe no longer sweeps across my face; instead it sits spiked up just above my forehead.
"It's called a quiff. I know it doesn't fit in with your costume, but your hair kept going in your eyes and we want the audience to see you. I think it suits you, what do you think?"
I grew my fringe for a purpose: so I could hide from the stares I get when I ‘m town. Since victors are rare in our district their families become just as famous as them.
Now I will be totally exposed to the entire nation. But it makes me look different; more interesting.
"Yeah, it does suit me, I guess. How will it stay up though? Wouldn't it be flat in the morning?” I say, not completely sure whether I like it or not.
"Normally, yes. But I've added a substance that will keep it firmly in place for about a month. But I can restyle it later if you don't like it." He hastily adds.
"No, I'll see how goes", I say appreciating the extra time he's already put into me. Stylists don't have to do any hands on work, but Marvin insisted on doing my hair himself.
Like most Capital people he does look strange, but he's somehow different from my freakish prep team. He has about eight piercings on his visible body; the metal seems to shine against his dark skin. He has a quiff too, but the back of his hair goes down to his shoulder blades. He's wearing leather pants and a shirt that looks like it's be dipped in 50 different paint pots before being put through a shredder.
"Now it's time to get you into your costume."
*****
I'm not surprised to find out that me and Stella will be dressed as trees. As the lumber district stylists ran out of ideas very quickly. My top is made up of hundreds of pieces of dark fabric green fabric cut into the shape of leaves. My pants are crinkled to make them look like tree trunks and the ends are split and curled up like roots.
"I know: trees! Very original!” he exclaims sarcastically. "But Michie and I wanted to add a little something extra to an ancient theme. We can't believe no one’s done it before!” with that he turns on the fan in front of me. All the little "leaves" begin to rustle and move in the breeze like real leaves. My whole outfit appears to have come to life! I'm no longer a boy dressed as a tree, I am a tree!
*****
The tributes and mentors mill around the chariots: in few minutes the doors will swing open and the opening ceremony will begin. I see Torey and Dad standing next to our chariot. Dad rolls his eyes when he sees me.
“Trees again?!"He mutters.
"I can't say I'm surprised. The theme has hardly changed in 68 years." Torey adds looking me up and down. "But there's been worse." She says, looking at Dad.
"Yeah. Much worse." He says, cringing.
Just then Stella and a woman with multi-coloured hair, who must be Michie, walks up to us.
Stella is wearing a dress with the same design as my top. It's goes up to the knee at the front, showing leggings which are just like my pants, but it's long at the back and trials behind her. She has red blossoms in her hair, as she gets closer I see they have thorns.
" Is there any wind?" Marvin asks Michie.
"There should be enough to make the leaves move and the petals of the blossoms fall out, as planed", she answers. They both look relived.
"Thank God for that." Marvin smiles.
"All tributes to their chariots! All tributes to their chariots! The opening ceremony will begin in approximately 2 minutes." An announcer booms.
"Me and Cole have to go now, good luck." Torey says, giving us a nod of encouragement.
"You'll be fine. It's just smiling and waving." Dad smiles anxiously.
We step onto the chariot as the mentors and most of the stylists leave the room. Some stay to take care of some finishing touches.
"Cool hair" Stella comments on my new look, clearly trying to take our minds off the thousands of people outside.
"Thanks. Yours looks nice too."
"Thanks. Michie says the blossoms will draw attention to my hair, not that I think there's anything special about it."
"Did she show you the leaf effect?"
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome; it’s like the leaves are moving around you. But it'll only work if there's enough wind..."
Suddenly the doors open and the noise of a thousand cheers pour in.
"Feeling nervous?" I ask as District 1 ride out to meet them.
"No”, she shakes her head firmly. "As Cole says it's just smiling and waving; nothing to it really."
"Me neither, it's not like we have to do a dance or anything." I say, watching District 3 roll out. For a few seconds we stare at our white knuckles which hold onto the front of the chariot in a vice like grip. District 6 goes, leaving us with a view outside. There are a million different pin points of light among the countless spectators, illuminating their excited faces, although some of them already seem to be getting bored. I gulp, trying to swallow the knot in my chest.
"Actually, I'm terrified!" I confess.
"Me too." Squeaks Stella. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to blot everything out.
"We won't be alone out there, we've got each over. If it goes well we share the success and if it goes bad we share the shame." Despite everything I manage to smile at her. She smiles back.
"Your right. Whatever happens, happens." Our horses plough forward: it's our turn.
"Don't forget, big smiles!" Stella says, impersonating Cassia before we come into full view of the crowd.
The cheers jump up a volume when they see us. Cameras start flashing, lighting up the night like mini lightning strikes. People are pointing at Stella and shouting out her name. I look at her and see why.
The leaves on her dress move with the wind generated by the movement of the horses, making it look as if she's caught in a green cyclone. The petals are floating away into the evening, leaving a crimson trail behind her. Red strikes become visible in her hair as the cameras set it ablaze. She looks like some sort of goddess of the forest, but there's delicateness about her, like she could blow away at any second. She turns to me with a gigantic grin on her face, which I return. Judging by the captivated look she gives, I look quite good too.
The applause and cheers wash all our fears away as we wave and smile at them, amazed at their reaction.
A series of gasps travels along behind us, followed by shouting and even some laughter. We look at each other in puzzlement and turn around to see what's going on. The commotion seems to be caused by the appearance of District 12, although I can't image why because their miner outfits are always over looked. Then we see them. They appear to be covered in black powder and as they get closer I realise that's all they're covered with: They're completely naked!
Only a few hours ago I would have felt exposed if I couldn’t hide behind my fringe, but that's absolutely nothing compared to the incredible humiliation they must be feeling.
But embarrassed or not they've upstaged us all.