"Ow!" Rose shrieked.
"Sorry! Sorry! " said Olive, a member of her prep team. Olive was a very skinny woman that looked to be in her early twenties. Her hair was multi-colored with glimpses of purple, teal, and pink. Olive was the youngest and the quietest of the team.
Currently, Olive, Physia, and Lyssa, were getting her to something they called Beauty Base Zero. Rose's nails were cut and shaped, but they weren't painted. Her hair was freed from all its tangles, but not styled. Now, they were working on the third phase, which happened to be the most painful. The prep team was tasked with yanking out every bit of her body hair she had.
While the prep team killed her body hair, Rose wondered what her stylist would look like. Katniss told countless stories about Cinna, and Rose's stylist was trained by Cinna before he was killed by the Capitol.
"All good?" Rose asked, "No more right?"
"I think so," replied Lyssa. Out of the three, Lyssa was the most calculative, always redirecting the others to do their tasks.
"You'll meet Pollena now! You'll look absolutely stunning in the outfit she prepared for you!" chirped Physia. Physia was easily the most energetic out of the team.
The trio left the room, leaving Rose alone to her thoughts. She and Beren would share the same stylist, so they would probably wear similar outfits. She wondered what color the clothes would be. Red? Black?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the shy creak of the door. "Hello Rose," A young woman said, "I am Pollena." Pollena was very pretty, but not in the way the people of the Capitol looked pretty. Instead of Olive's gleaming rainbow hair, Pollena had a gorgeous brown with blond ends. Her clothes were elegant yet simple. She wore a dark coat and a light skirt. Pollena was the simple kind of pretty. The pretty that no matter what she wore, she would look striking. "How well are you rested?"
"I'm okay," Rose replied, "The train was rather jerky during the night and I had a few disturbing thoughts."
"So tell me about them," Pollena soothed, "And you can get a chair to sit in."
"Well first, I was wondering why Beren is talking to me again– not that I mind it's just a little strange after years of ignoring and hating me. Also, I felt horrible that her brother was reaped. And I feel it's partly my fault." Rose quickly continued forward before Pollena could become suspicious or ask something. "And then, I had a nightmare about… the Incident. Do you know about it? Not sure that you do, since I'm pretty sure District 12 is the only District that calls it the Incident." Rose trailed off, realizing that she was speaking about something Pollen wouldn't understand, "Sorry."
"What are you sorry for, Rose? You did what I asked you to," Pollena said, "Keep going." Rose rambled on about her father, saying goodbye to her mother, the Incident, and Beren. She was careful not to mention the interaction with the pin now shining on her chest.
Pollena glanced down at her watch, "I think it's about time that I get you into your costume. I think you'll like it, it's based on your mother's."
Pollena went into a room– a closet maybe? She came back with a swirl of black and red that appeared to be glowing, like fire. Glowing. She shuddered as she remembered the way her Mockingjay pin burned last night. Now, the little thing was on her shirt. Rose hoped it wouldn't scorch her again. It was hard enough hiding it from everyone last night.
The words said at her mother's first Games replayed over and over in her mind.
Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire!
Pollena's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "Go ahead and put this dress on, then I'll get started on the make-up."
Rose delicately took the dress from Pollena and hurried to put it on. The length was a little higher than her ankles, and the comfortable, rough material was new to Rose. "What is this made of?"
"Dragon scale leather," Pollena said, her eyes gleaming, "It looks great on you, just as I thought it would."
Rose clipped on her pin then turned to look in a nearby mirror and gasped with awe. The dress was rather simple, with thin straps and flared ever so slightly at the bottom, yet the designs on the dress made it seem as if Rose was a cloud of dark, red smoke, and there seemed to be a deep, fiery glow around her. "It's beautiful Pollena!"
"Just wait until I do your make-up and jewelry," Pollena beamed, "Alright, sit here while I get them."
A gorgeous necklace with a dazzling red ruby on her neck. A pin of a phoenix in her hair. Her hair styled in her mother's elaborate braid with streaks of metallic red that shimmered every time she moved her head. Her eyes were in flames. The heels she wore made her seem prouder, braver, stronger.
Rose felt unstoppable.
~
Beren looked amazing in her costume. It had dark sequins that glimmered in the light, and it faded from the top to the bottom. The top of the dress was a light gray but the last third was a gorgeous, dark red. The dress was a little shorter than Rose's, but it was still extraordinarily beautiful.
Rose started to carefully look at the other Districts' tributes. There was a small girl from 2, 6, and 8. Those tributes would probably be the worst at combating. The toughest competition seemed to be 1, 12, and 3. The District 1 boys were extremely big and fit, and the District 3 girls were too. Rose thought District 12 was the toughest competition. Rose had expected more from the Careers, but it seemed like the odds were not in their favor.
The chariots were being lined up for the parade, so Beren got into the District 12 girl's chariot with Rose. The coal black horses slowly started moving and Rose heard the booming announcer voice.
"And there she is! The daughter of TWO victors! It's Rosemary Everdeen! Standing next to her, Beren Hawthorn."
Rose gathered up her courage to wave to the crowd. They went wild. Apparently, everyone wanted to get Rose to wave at them. Roses were thrown at them. Beren caught one of the pale red roses and blew kisses.
"Thank you!" Rose called to the roaring crowd.
Rose glanced up at the big screen and saw that she looked magnificent. Then, the screen changed and Rose was looking at the face of Peeta Mallark.
Rose froze and stared at the screen. This couldn't be happening. Her father was dead…right? During the mission of the Incident, he sacrificed himself so that Rose and Katniss could get to safety.
"Rose's father, Peeta Mallark! You all thought he was dead correct?" boomed the announcer, "Well, we thought this would be an interesting plot twist in your Hunger Games story! Isn't it?"
The crowd shouted, agreeing with the horrible situation Rose was put in.
"Peeta Mallark is now joining the Hunger Games, not as a mentor! This means that Abum Doil is off of the tribute list and is no longer able to compete for victor."
The cheering from the crowd made Rose feel sick. These monsters wanted to put her father in danger–again–just for their entertainment.
Rose had enough. She snapped off the heels of her shoes then climbed onto the back of one of the dark horses. She grabbed the reins and took off.
She rode to where the announcer was standing. "How's this for an interesting twist?" Rose yelled. She took the heels she snapped off and threw them at him with amazing aim. One bounced off his forehead, confusing him, and the following one pierced his foot. Rose smiled, satisfied as the man howled in pain.
Rose pulled her horse to a stop then looked at the crowd. They were deathly silent now, except for a few whispers.
"You will not put my father in danger once more. Take him out of the Games. Lay a finger on Peeta Mallark and you will face much worse than a heel in your foot.
"I am Rosemary Everdeen, the warrior in blazing hot flames. Do not forget that."
The pin started to warmly grow hotter, as if it were proud of what she had done as Rose galloped away on her horse, unaware of the spark she had on the citizens of Panem. The spark would ignite a wildfire, burning everything down until they were ready to rebirth from the ashes