Liberosis - The Hunger Games

06

I look so perfect, too perfect to be human, with the pearls on my skin I feel like a mythical creature. My hair and makeup done to perfection, the shine on my nails makes me feel magical. The extra height that the shoes give me fills me with a surge of confidence and the dress...

It's pure white silk, with thin straps attached to the points of the triangular shape of the bodice, my back is nearly completely exposed (Titan and Venus are currently attaching pearls to it), just under the bust sits another thin row of pearls. The dress flows to my feet and has a train that extends ten metres behind me. I feel so light and elegant, all at the same time I feel, powerful, sexy and still innocent.

"Gaia, it's beautiful," I gush as I admire every part of my body.

"Of course it's beautiful, I designed it," She sassed, I let out a little giggle and she smiles beside me before turning to me with a look of seriousness, "But the dress is only one thing, it may have been pretty on its own but the person inside the dress," She pauses, taking my hand and looking at me proudly, "Is a goddess," She compliments me, even under the makeup I can see my face flush red, "Seriously if that boy doesn't fall to the ground when he sees you I'm finding you a new boyfriend,"

"We're not dating," I remind her in a sing-song voice.

"You're not dating, I was born an alpaca, all believable lies, now let's get your beautiful behind to this tribute parade, Blaze you might need to hold the back of her dress, I don't want some nasty horse standing all over it." Gaia orders.

"Seriously all of you, thank you so much," I say sincerely, looking at the prep team, "I wouldn't look half this good without you,"

"You can thank us later when you're the talk of the Capitol, but we're already late to this parade!" Venus calls, taking me by the hand and escorting her out the door.

Titan pats her on the back, "Fashionably late, dear sister, fashionably late,"

***

Venus is practically dragging me to the start of the parade while shrieking about how late we are, the rest of the team seems nonchalant about our schedule but continue to move at a fast past beside us. Gaia is throwing reminders at me left and right in order for me to look presentable to the eyes of the Capitol, "Don't forget to smile, interact with the audience, they'll love you," She advises me as we reach the unground compartment of the training centre.

I feel people watching me as I make my way over to the rest of the district four groups, Sylvia gasps when she sees me, placing a kiss on my right cheek and left, "You look flawless Aurora!" She exclaims, scanning over every crevice of my costume. Mags supplies me with another compliment, kissing me on the forehead.

Thorn and his team are already waiting by the carriage which is being drawn by white horses, he wears a pair of Navy-blue pants and a Navy-Blue blazer jacket-wearing nothing underneath to hide his bare chest. The collar of his jacket is line with pearls like mine and he wears a shark tooth necklace around his neck "You look like an alien," He remarks to me. I make a face at him before turning back to the rest of the group.

There stands Finnick who without even trying to look good manages to have all eyes on him. Often, I envy his ability to look effortlessly attractive, I've told him this before but he dramatically describes the pains of all the attention he gets. Secretly I know he basks in it, but he'll never admit that to my face.

When he reaches, his eyes widen, gaping like a fish, I flush bright red under his gaze and I hear Gaia, Mags and Thorn snickering behind our backs. "Rory, you look-" He pauses as if he's trying to find the right words to say.

Gaia smacks him on the shoulder as he remains silent, "Get on with it, Fish-face!" She exclaimed, the group chuckles as Finnick comes back to reality.