Lily pursed her lips and flipped through the journal of designs she had worked on for the last few months. "No, no, gross, out of the question, no..."

Reyna swung her legs back and forth childishly, trying to count the dots in the ceiling to pass the time. Finally, she heard Lily exclaim, "Perfect!"

Her stylist came over and made her stand up, looking her over with a critical eye, then glancing at the design on the page for reference. Finally, she nodded in approval. "You're gonna steal the show, darling."

Three hours later, she was finally allowed to look at her reflection in the mirror.

Her hair had been left down for the most part, with a two-part crown braid that joined at the back and a silver circlet with ocean blue gems.

Instead of almost no clothes (which the Capitol usually favored), she wore a floor-length dress with a modified a-line skirt and a Queen Anne neckline with sheer sleeves that went to just past her elbows. It was aqua in color, and if she moved, the fabric of the skirt seemed to shimmer like the surface of the ocean.

She had shoes that offered the soles of her feet protection from the ground, but were as thin as a second skin. It camouflaged with her foot immediately after being put on, hiding any imperfections but giving the illusion of bareness.

Her makeup accentuated her cheekbones and brought out her eyes; they blazed like azure lightning. Her lips were painted a red that subtly drew one's gaze, and her lashes just made her eyes seem even brighter.

"Oh, you look gorgeous!" Cavonna, one of her prep team, exclaimed as the three of them walked in.

"It's spectacular!" Visclii chimed in.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Trilla said, going over to Cavonna and fishing a box out of a bag. She turned around and beamed at Reyna, opening the box. Inside gleamed a beautiful necklace; a delicate silver chain and a dazzling gem, which shifted to and from different shades of blue, when turned at various angles.

They turned her around and gently put the necklace on her. Looking in the mirror, she had to admit that she could win over the Capitol people in a heartbeat. Yeah, Lily was the best.

She was instructed to wear a silvery dressing gown over all of it, which hid every inch of blue fabric from sight. It was only to come off when they were just about to go out in the chariots.

Reyna walked into the area where the chariots were to start, immediately looking for–

A tree? Again? She thought to herself, walking over to her best friend, Joanna Mason.

"Hey, Jo. Long time no tree–I mean see." She said with a smirk, crossing her arms.

Johanna rolled her eyes but smiled a bit. "Yeah, yeah. My stylist is a complete moron. Always has been, always will be."

"How've you been holding up, Jo?"

She shrugged. "Alright, I guess. Snow's got no brains if he thinks it's a good thing to send us in again."

"Agreed. Everyone is angry at him, it's only a matter of time before–"

"Yeah." Johanna smiled sourly. "Oh, there's the Capitol heartthrob himself. Better go keep him outta trouble." She said, nodding towards Finnick.

Reyna rolled her eyes. "It's not like anyone can do that."

"You seem to have better luck than anybody else."

She didn't answer, instead waving goodbye and walking over to Finnick, who was talking with Everdeen.

Katniss seemed to get more uncomfortable with every passing moment, so Reyna stepped in. "Don't tell me you're trying to seduce her, too, Fish Boy. She's already got a fiancée. Isn't that right, Katniss?"

The younger girl looked relieved at the intrusion, to say the least. Finnick turned to Reyna with a charming smile.

Now, Katniss may be as hopelessly naïve when it came to her own relationships, but she could see clearly what was happening between those two. He likes her. There's no way any normal friend would react the way he did when she spoke. Even turned away from her... Even then, his eyes lit up like he was actually alive for once. Just from hearing her voice...

Reyna smiled apologetically at Katniss while nonchalantly stealing a sugar cube from her district partner (earning a half-glare from him, which she ignored) and popping it in her mouth before saying, "He wasn't bothering you too much, was he?"

The District 12 Tribute shook her head. "Nothing I can't handle, thanks."

The blue-eyed woman smiled again, holding out her hand to shake. "I'm Reyna Bowman. I know you and Peeta haven't had much time to make friends with the other Victors, but you can at least consider me a possible ally. And this troublemaker, if you'll have him." She jabbed a thumb in Finnick's direction.

Katniss shook her hand firmly with a nod. This one wasn't so bad, and–added bonus–she could keep Finnick in check.

"It's almost time to get to our chariots, I suppose." Reyna leaned closer to Katniss and whispered so quietly it was hardly audible, "I will always remember Rue, Girl On Fire."

Then she was walking away with Finnick. Katniss felt a familiar pang she had come to associate with fresh grief, the kind you only truly know when it ails you every day and every night.

"It's rude to intrude in people's conversations, you know." Finnick murmured in her ear as they were walking away. She shivered a tiny bit and swatted him away playfully, making him smirk.

"You were tormenting the poor girl! And a girl has always got to help another in need, especially when you're the one looking for trouble, mister!"

He shook his head with a chuckle. "It was only a bit of fun."

Reyna rolled her eyes, taking the opportunity to look at his ensemble. The bare chest she could live with, but the fish net loincloth? Seriously??

She looked up as Lily came over. "You two are not going to smile or wave. You're going to be cold, condescending. The crowd is beneath you, got it?"

They nodded. "Now, Reyna, you can take off the dressing gown." And she did. Finnick's eyes widened a fraction as the shimmering blue dress was exposed. He had to remind himself to keep his jaw from dropping, unlike a few Capitol attendants nearby. They had to scrape theirs off of the floor.