Danny stalked downwards and Marcus turned towads him.
"Now, Danny, because you are currently upresentable to the genetically altered capitol audience, i'm going to send you to your designer." Marcus shoved Danny into an eleveator and pressed the button for floor number 1. Danny was impressed by how quickly the elevator launched him downwards. When the elevator doors parted he was face to face with a crew of odd looking women.
"HELLLLLLLLLOOOOOO DOLL" shouted a plump woman with purple hair sprouting out in every direction. She took his hand and shook it. "I am Donnica Do Randal and I wil be fixing you up!" her voice had a sing song quality to it. She handed Danny a paper robe and Danny changed into it. She looked him up and down and nodded her head triumphantly. "Yes yes yes, you have some "raw talent"" She layed Danny down on a table as she, and two other women poked and prodded, moved and waxed, cut and shaped everything on his body. When he looked at himself in the mirror he noticed that all of his scars were gone except for the tiny and adorable one on his upper lip. His hair was cut and surprisingly, his eyes were sparklier and clearer. A tall, thick man entered the small room and handed Danny some clothes
"Put these on please." he said as everybody left the room.
Danny put it on and looked in the mirror. Danny had on semi-tight black jeans and a simple t-shirt that was also black that stopped at his biceps. It completed framed his body, his muscles looked huge and he almost looked deadly. The tall man entered the room again.
"Now, blink three times in a row." Danny did as he was told, and his shirt blazed a vibrant color, he almost had the brightness of the sun. This made sense, he was from District 5
"Not to bad." Danny uttered to himself as he headed downstairs.

Pain was also ushered to her prep team. A short man with seemingly normal features shook her hand and introduced himself as Cosher. Pain stripped her clothing and laid on the table, like she was instructed. The waxed every centimeter of body hair that wasn't on he head. They trimmed her hair, so it fell just to her chest in light ringlets. They applied a light layer of makeup to her face so that her eyes popped and her lips were baby pink.
A skinny and slender walked into the room once the prep team was done. "I am Marisol" she said in a thick accent "try this on" Pain did as she was told and put on her outifit. She looked in the mirror when she was told and gasped. Marisol had dressed her a dark black dress that fell to her knees in a modest way. But, that wasn't the impressive part, the dress she wore was as well detailed with white. It was a mockingjay, a bird from her district. Her shoes were simple flats and she looked as though she weighed as much as a stick. Marisol tied a ribbon under Pain's dress and sent her on her way.

I'll respond in a little. It will be long.

Maddie was taken to her designers and such. They quickly got to work...... As a result:

She looked stunning. Her dark blonde hair was in light ringlets and light makeup was on her face, making her cheeks a rosy pink and her blue/grey eyes standing out. She had a flowy white dress that was a bright white though and stopped around her knees and had white flower like cloth flowing down from one shoulder gracefully. The dress was on shoulder, giving it a very graceful flowing look. A colorful/ vibrant ribbon belt was around her waist. A red/deep pink rose was tucked above her ear, holding some hair back a little. She looked beautiful but not crazy dressed.


Nick looked handsome. He had semi-tighter jeans on with shirt that showed off his muscles. He had boots on and a hat, He looked like a tough, semi-country guy, who could steal the hearts of many girls watching.

Danny and Pain were harshly ushered to their seperate chariots. Pain stood next to the boy from her district. She had never really talked to him, she didn't really want to get to know him.

Danny glanced at the girl from his district. "Helloooo Molly." he winked at her and she blushed. danny was usually a souless player. But this time the name Maddie rang in his heart.

Nick got aboard his chariot with the girl from his district. He knew her but not very well. They only knew eachothers names really.

Maddie smiled as she stepped onto the chariot. "You look nice, Danny" She says before the parade starts.

Pain snapped her head and saw Nick, he looked amazing. her heart fluttered.

Danny kissed Maddie's cheek as their chariot lurched forwards.

Lethe smiled at Maddie graciously and completely non-maliciously, and said, "Thanks! God, I'm such a clutz." Maddie nodded and headed off to talk with her boyfriend. Lethe stared after her, feeling a little annoyed- she wasn't often shrugged off like that. But she rolled her eyes slightly and turned to walk into her room, when suddenly she screeched to a stop, almost bumping into Janie, who had appeared right in front of her as if out of thin air. Janie had a sly look on her face, as if she knew something no one else did. Lethe stared at her.
"What?" Her voice was accusing. Janie raised her hands defensively, but still smiling, and said, "Nothing, nothing...but since when are you a clutz?" Lethe opened her mouth to talk but Janie quickly interrupted. "Shhh, it's fine." She put a thin finger up to her own lips. "It's a smart strategy." Janie winked and then spun around and started clicking down the hall in the opposite way they were going. "There's no time to go to your room now, you're wanted by your prep team. Don't worry though, you can see it after the chariots." Lethe sighed and threw her head back. "Always on the move..." She muttered to herself, but she walked after Janie.
When they arrived at her prepping room she was instructed by a short man with spiky bright blonde hair and orange eyes, to strip and lay down on the table. "Um...strip all the way?" Lethe asked, hesitantly. Nudity had always made her uncomfortable. The man stared at her, as if he couldn't believe she had asked that. "...Yes. All the way." He said, before turning his back and gathering some foreign looking materials.
Lethe grudgingly peeled off her clothes (blue skinny jeans and a wavy loose red shirt) and kicked off the sneakers she had been wearing, before climbing onto the cold metal table and staring at the ceiling. The same blonde man and two other women came over to her. "My name is Francis," the man said, beaconing to himself. He looked about 30, and very sensible. Francis gestured to the other women. The first of the two was skinny, and looked as if she could be a fashion model. She had pink hair that was straight and hung down in front of her shoulders and past her breasts. She looked about twenty. The other women was more curvy, and had brown, curly hair. She looked older, about 40. "These are Maria and Geneva." He said, his voice kind but stern. "We are your prep team, and our goal is to make you shine brighter than your natural competition- the other tributes."
Francis gazed up and down Lethe's body, causing her to blush brightly. Maria and Geneva were preparing something behind him. "Well," he started, drawing Lethe's attention back towards him. "We can definitely work with this. You most certainly have potential."
Francis and the rest of Lethe's prep team began to work on her, molding her into a perfect shape. Lethe's body was already very fit, so they mostly worked on softening her face and making her appear less lanky than she actually was.
After they finished, Lethe was given a robe and told to wait on the table for her stylist. "Don't worry," Francis said, before he left. " Benny's amazing. Good luck." He flashed her a smile and ducked out of the room. Lethe waited apprehensively.
A few minutes later her stylist, Benny, entered the room. He was Swedish, and looked like a model of the completely stereotypical gay man. Blond, spiked up hair, a nose ring, and a beautiful smile on his face. Even his voice radiated feminism. "Hey, sweetie!" He chimed out. "I'm so happy to see you, I've been designing this dress for weeks. I've noticed that you're a very down to earth, very calculating person, so I've made you a sort of, "James Bond-esse" dress that is guaranteed to make you look both sexy, and dangerous." He winked, and with a flourish he pulled out her outfit.
It was a sleek, black dress that sloped downwards at the bottom, exposing her long legs. At the long end of the dress there was a curly, short side trail, and then the shoulders of the dress were wavy, with one just longer than the other. Lethe stared at it, already in awe. First she slipped on the black silk push up bra that Benny gave to her and panties made out of the same material. Then, with a little effort, she slipped on the dress.
Benny applied makeup to her face, giving her a dark, sultry look, and then he curled her blue hair into inch thick curls and gathered it up into an elaborate bun, letting pieces fall out so that it gave her a beautiful, esteemed look.
Lethe stood up and looked in the mirror, awed by what looked back at her. A dangerous, sexy woman was radiated around Lethe, and she just looked absolutely stunning. The dress highlighted her legs, and her hair gave her just a hint of softness...of caring. Lethe turned around and hugged Benny, tighter than she had hugged anyone in awhile. "Thank you." She whispered. He smiled. "You're welcome. He grabbed Lethe's shoulders and held her out in front of him. "You go out there, and you shine, baby." Lethe nodded graciously and stepped out of the room, ready for whatever was waiting for her.

Nick glanced over to Pain as the chariots lurched forwards and he went off to gets some sponsors outo f this.

Maddie smiled as he kissed her and took Danny's hand as the chariots went forward.

Ok, I'm sorry, but I really don't want to type all that for Addie. However, the picture I've provided is exactly what she's wearing and what she looks like. :) Awesome, am I right? :D

Cool. :D

Lethe stepped onto her chariot gracefully, keeping her body poised and a smile on her face, holding a vibrant red rose in her teeth and waving gracefully to the crowd. The other tributes looked okay, and she drew their appearance in, relishing the competition.

Addie nervously stepped onto her chariot and bashfully smiled at the crowd, waving just slightly. They seemed to love how cutely nervous and shy she was, and surprisingly, many people were cheering loudly for her.

Maddie smiled big, she looked innocent and cute the way she dressed and she pulled it off. She was really pretty and people cheered for her.

Nick waved catching the girls attention, smiling. They cheered loudly for him

Danny kissed Maddie on the cheek. The crowd roared and screaned, the girls wanting to be maddie. But Danny didn't feel anything in his heart like he did earlier, whatever it was was gone. He turned and looked in Maddie's eyes, he gave an innocent smile.

Pain saw Nick. He was playing the women of the capitol! Suddenly her face grew hot, she felt like a fool. She had actually thought......well. Whatever she thought was clearly wrong. Her face hardened as she realised that THIS is why she didn't let anybody past her hard shell. She wouldn't let it happen again. No other tribute was going to affect her in such a way. A thought skittered across her brain, and she accepted it. When the time came, she would kill Nick, just like any cold and ferocious tribute would.

Maddie smiled, wrapping her arms around him, making all the girls even more jealous. She looked stunning too.

Nick didn't think about it. Everything for the capital was a show. He had been told to have the girls fall for him in the crowd. That was the plan; make people love him for his looks and then his talent.

Danny noticed their chariot was almost near the end of the ride. Now was the time. He twirled Maddie quickly and kissed her. Full on the lips. The capitol girls screamed. But Danny still didn't feel anything in his heart, it was just an empty, cold kiss.

Pain wrapped her hand around the boy from her district's. She forced a smile. She didn't need Nick.

Maddie kissed him back, her arm around him, when they pulled apart she looked into his eyes with her beautiful blue ones.

Nick hadn't looked over to her yet, but he was playing the game well, cheers loud from the crowd.

Lethe waved at the crowd, laughing and blowing kisses. She had always been good at charming people. Lethe saw something move in front of her and she looked into the District five chariot. The boy, Danny, was kissing Maddie in a deep embrace, and she was smiling, all too happy. Danny seemed to be...enjoying it. Lethe felt something odd stir inside her, a shallow, slightly pained feeling, like someone had promised her something and snatched it away. Suddenly she wondered, could it even be...jealousy? She stared at Danny and opened her mouth, her eyes getting slightly teary as she thought more about Danny and Maddie being together, about her being the one who wasn't next to him. Suddenly Lethe was startled at the loud gasps coming from the crowd. They were all staring at her Danny and Maddie, and she wondered what had happened, until she saw a playback on the jumbo screen in front of them. It showed Maddie and Danny kissing, and then it zoomed in on Lethe. The hurt and embarrassment on her face was so obvious, it even shocked Lethe that she had shown that much emotion. She looked down at the ground, shame flooding her cheeks, and trying to avoid any looks from Maddie or Danny.

(Eh, I've gotten lost now.)

Danny looked at the jumbo-tron. Who was this girl? And why was she so sad? What raced through his brain was that this girl looked....jealous. But what was the point? He had never talked to her, excanged a single word with her. But yet, she looked so emotional and full of pain. He turned to Maddie.
"Who is that girl?"

Pain's chariot halted. The ride was over. She unwrapped her hand from her district partners and ran out of the chariot.

Maddie looked to the jumbotron and was equally confused. "I don't know... But does she look... Jealous? "

Danny's eyes flashed with confusion. "Im sure that the capitol just edited it......to make it seem like it.." But Danny wasn't sure. This didn't make any sense. He wrapped his hand around Maddies and chewed his lower lip. Their chariot stopped abruptly. Their ride was over. Danny hopped out of the chariot and gave his hand to Maddie.
"My lady." He was trying to sound cocky, as usual, but his voice wavered. He sounded unsure.

Lethe jumped out of her chariot when it stopped back in the building, embarrassment flooding over her. How could she have been so stupid! To give the Capitol, the tributes, EVERYONE something that they could use against her, to show people so crystal clearly how hurt that she had been. Lethe ran past Danny and Maddie with her head down, trying to avoid their stares. They were looking at her like she was a freak- Lethe hated that look, and for some reason, seeing Danny look at her like that just made her feel worse. She angrily ran the palm of her hand under her eyes, wiping away tears that she had forbidden herself to shed. Pathetic. She thought. That was completely pathetic.
She sped up to her room and threw the door open, slamming it behind her and ripping off the black dress and the lingerie. She kicked off her shoes angrily, furious at herself, then she burst into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and stepped into it, immersing herself in the hot, comforting steam and water. She leaned back against the shower wall and slid down to the floor slowly, crying her eyes out. It had been so long. So long since she had humiliated herself like that, so long since she had felt those feelings out and actually shown them, so long since she had been hurt...and now it was starting to happen again.

Slowly but surely, she was falling for Danny...and that was the last thing she wanted.

Maddie took his hand and gracefully stepped down. She noticed his uncertainness and she leaned in an kissed him softly on the cheek.


Nick hopped off the chariot once it was finished, camly like he was without a care in the world.

Danny put his lips up to Maddie's ears. He was quiet, so the capitol couldn't hear him.
"I want to talk to her."

Pain had nightmares. Horrible nightmares. People died, set on fire, screams filled the air.

Maddie paused, her thoughts wondering back to Lethe during the parade. She responded quietly, "Why..?"

Danny put his lips to maddie again.
"Come with me." He grabbed Maddie's hand and led her to Lethe's room. He punched 2 on the elevator and walked down the hallway. When he go to Lethe's room he knocked on the door. Quickly he whispered to Maddie "Stay outside the doorframe so you can hear everything that happens."

Maddie followed him, holding his hand. "Alright, i'll be here.. " Her thoughts wandered but she shrugged off her main question by thinking that she'll find out soon.

Danny knocked on the door.

Lethe was still crying in the shower, but she was getting tired now and her sobs were breaking off every now and then. She was just starting to calm down when she heard a loud knock at her door. Her eyes widened and she stood up quickly, wiping at her eyes in case they were red from crying and turning off the shower. She jumped out and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her wet body, warm body, and glancing in the mirror quickly, making sure that there was no evidence she had been sobbing just moments before. Her nose was runny and her eyes were a little swollen and red, but she just hoped whoever it was wouldn't notice.
Lethe rushed out of the bathroom and over to the door, taking a second before swinging the door open and taking in the sight of Danny standing there, staring at her. He was seeing her while she was in a towel...naked underneath the towel...with red, swollen eyes that were so obviously from sobbing. Lethe almost crumpled with humiliation, but she put on a stony face (the kind that didn't betray any of her thoughts and feelings) and fighting back the embarrassment, said, "Oh...hi, Danny."

Maddie stood just out of her view, listening.

Danny gave one of his dazzling smiles to Lethe. Her eyes were red and swollen. She had been crying, it was obvious to Danny.
"Do you want to....put on some clothes?" Danny chuckled lightly. "Trust me i've been in the same....situation." His eyes sparkled. He gave Lethe another wide smile and closed his eyes, as a simply joke. Beacuse his eyes were closed they masked his emotions. This had been slightly....awkward.

Maddie still stood behind the wall, looking at Danny seeing his dazzling smile that made her heart skip a bit whenever she saw it.

Lethe thought it was definitely courteous how he was trying to make the situation better. It showed he was a real gentleman, who knew exactly how to act in uncomfortable situations. And although it was sweet, she knew it was just to be polite. He probably felt really weird. Of course he does, Lethe thought. He already has a girlfriend. He has no interest in you at all. But Lethe, an expert at playing along, put on a non-caring face and smiled to the audience (pretty much just Danny), playing along with this carefree, it's-all-good act.
"Oh, haha." She let out a polite laugh. "How silly of me. Yeah, hold on one second." She smiled courteously and closed the door, letting her face fall as soon as she did. This was horrible. She didn't WANT to be jealous of Maddie, she didn't WANT him to be here, to know that she had feelings for him. But he was here now, so there was nothing she could do except try to retain little dignity. She went to her dresser and pulled out a red tank top, black skinny jeans, and a white bra. She slipped them on, ran her fingers through her light blue hair, and walked back to the door, opening it with a pretty smile. "Come on in, Danny." She stepped out of his way.

Danny entered her room. 'Cozy' he thought to himself. He sat on her bed and pat the spot right next to him .
"Im not going to act like i didn't notice your......what looked like....jealousy....."

Maddie listened carefully from outside, not sure how to feel about all this.

Lethe stopped in her tracks when he said that, horrified. She didn't want to talk about this! It took her a second to pull together again, and when she did she just looked away. "Danny..." Why couldn't he have just ignored her look, why did he have to be so goddamn nice? She sat down next to him, staring at the floor. After a second she turned her head and looked at him, talking quickly so as to get the point across and to get this horrific moment over with. "Danny, I'm sorry if I offended you or Maddie. I didn't mean to, and I apologize." She looked back down again. A few seconds passed, and eventually she just said, "You can leave now."

Danny kissed her, briefly on the lips. He put is finger to his lips. "Shhhh. Let me talk for a second." He pushed a piece of hair off of her face and put his hands on her thighs. "Why me?" At this point he was looking straight into her eyes. His eyes were clear and questioning. But on the inside, he was still just playing the games. Even though he thought that, he didn't show it.

*He put his finger to HER lips.

Maddie listened careful and what she heard almost shattered her heart. She knew those words so well, the shh let me talk following a soft silence. She couldn't take it, she didn't even want to hear the rest of this conversation even if it would prove Danny is just playing her for information. She didn't care, she took off down the hall, the tears coming on as she ran to her room, locking the door behind her, tears falling. She slammed the door shut, locking it and leaned against it, sliding down the smooth wood, letting the tears fall, holding her head in her hands, sniffling and crying. She just wanted Danny, the first Danny she met and fell for to be here to tell her he's just playing Lethe and to hold her and make her feel better with that sweet, gentleman yet goofy and adorable personality she loved so much.

Lethe was shocked when he kissed her, but she wasn't happy. Fear rushed through her, and she froze. No! Nonono, this couldn't happen again! NO! He had a girlfriend, no, she would not be the source of pain like the kind she once experienced. The thoughts rushed through her, and she was horrified. He had kissed her, when he had a girlfriend. This was wrong.
His hands touched her thighs and she shot up to her feet, his hands getting a little low for her comfort zone. She looked at him and instantly met his eyes. They were clear, and honest...and then his mouth asked a question. "Why me?"
Lethe stared back at him with her confused, angry, green eyes. After a second of shock and horrified thoughts of oh my god, I'm turning into the other women, she finally came rushing back and angrily shouted, "Danny, I don't know! I don't know, and you shouldn't be here, and...and this is wrong!" She put her hands up to her forehead and spun around so her back was to him, pained thoughts rushing through her.

Danny's shell was not an easy one to break. He still saw it as "playing the games". He walked to the door. When his hand touched the doorknob he stopped. Without turning he said stongly and clearly in a monotone voice.
"You're right. What I'm doing is wrong. Forgive me." Forgive me were the most intense words. They were forceful and strong, unwavering and pleading but yet they didn't sound whiny or dependent. He turned the knob and walked out of the room. When he got out of her room he immidiatley went to find Maddie. But he realised.......he needed some air. It's not like he had never been in a love triangle before but this one was literally life and death, he had never been so responsible for somebody's life. He went onto the balcony and sat down. The air was nice and cold.

Maddie continued to cry in her room against the door. She couldn't believe him! They had grown up around each other more or less and fall in love and she's head over heels for him and then he kisses the girl who was jealous of them! She was crushed. She didn't know if she even wanted to see him. She had questioned his thoughts ever since the end of the chariot rides, but now she knew... She couldn't stop all the tears now.

"You're right. What I'm doing is wrong. Forgive me." The words stung her ears, and to her, it sounded like he was offended that she yelled at him. He left, and Lethe fell onto her bed, lying on her side and breathing. She would forgive him, she already knew that. But this territory was dangerous, and she wasn't comfortable with it. She was scared of hurting herself and others all at the same time, and she was confused at what exactly he wanted from her, or what she wanted from him. She tried to cry, but she didn't have any tears or energy left.

Danny realised, sitting on the balcony: There was no way to protect everybody. He was going to have to kill them anyway. He shoudln't care. But that was the problem, something, at the bottom of his heart, stung. Who would it hurt for him to be a true gentlemen, polite and caring. When he stood up his legs cracked, he had been sitting for quite a while. He felt something wet on his palms. Upon observation he realised he had been squeezing his fingernails and his palms together so tightly they bled. He opened the door and headed down the hall to Maddie's room. He knocked. "Maddie." he said quietly. "i want...i want." the words were stuck in his throat so he changed his direction "to talk. to you. only you."

Lethe knew he was with her. Probably touching her, loving her, holding her. Lethe shook her and tried to stop imagining, the pain was too much. He loved Maddie, but Lethe couldn't understand why. Why he wanted to be with Maddie more than with her. She closed her eyes, trying not to die. Trying not to die of humiliation, of fear, of sadness, of pain.

Maddie heard him outside her door, she barely lifted her head, drawing her knees to her chest. "I don't wanna talk, Danny.. " She sniffled quietly, the hurt in her voice as she said it just loud enough for him to hear.

Danny knew she would say that. He heard enough hurt and pain in her voice to know that he had to win her back. But how could he prove himself worthy?
"Maddie. I think. I think I love you." he had whispered it and slumped down outside the door.

Maddie looked up a little and glanced at the door but didn't say anything. She was hurt and she just didn't want to hear him, no matter what he said.

"Maddie! I swear to you I will stay out here until you talk to me." Danny wasn't going to budge.

"Then you'll be out there awhile, Danny.. I told you I didn't want to talk.." She said in return, her pain becoming slightly angry, but not too much.