The tension in the room was palpable and the stress was only made worse by the past games continuing to play out on the screen in front of them. They bloody battles were hard to watch, and although it was beneficial and even crucial that they know their enemies as well as their potential alliances, Prim found herself often looking away. Even before Katniss had gone into the games the year before, she had never been one to watch them and did her best to stay as occupied as possible with whatever distractions she could find. There simply wasn't anything appealing about watching people die, or seeing the oppressed people of Panem become even more exploited than they already were. Unfortunately, there was no way for Prim to continue to ignore the games, she would have to watch and then participate. The thought alone was terrifying.

Moments after their small disagreement, Effie had excused herself to check on the status of dinner and soon enough, it was being served. Prim didn't have much of an appetite between the events of the morning, and an afternoon of watching faceless tributes being slaughtering one another in the name of entertainment, but she ate anyway and listened as Effie talked about the Capitol. Tomorrow would be a day full of pampering, the pink-haired woman had promised as much, but it would also be the first day that reality became official. Prim didn't want to be dressed up, no matter how much Effie insisted that the Capitol citizens would just [i]adore[/i] her, and her story with Katniss was sure to capture the attention of every reporter for miles. That was debatable, but Prim shared a look with her sister and found herself relaxing. 

As the evening concluded, Prim was shown to her room for the night. The interior was just as beautiful and rich as the rest of the train, but it felt cold and lifeless, and the blonde could only stand to be inside for a few minutes before she left to find Katniss. The older girl always made her feel so much better, and Prim still wanted to spend all the time with her that she could. On top of that, she wanted to make sure that Katniss was okay, as she was still worried about her from the outburst that morning. Through all of this, Prim already saw Katniss as her greatest priority and although she didn't suspect that she would make it far, she would do what she could for her. 

Still dressed in the clothes their mother had laid out that morning, Prim entered the room when Katniss welcomed her in. She took a seat on the bed with the other girl and soon after laid her head on the fluffy pillow as Katniss tried to comfort her. She smiled sadly, “I don't care about any of that. I care about you.” Gently, she reached out and played with the ends of Katniss's braid, watching as the dark-haired girl closed her eyes. Katniss needed her rest, and Prim knew that she did too, but there was a heavy anxiousness inside of her that she couldn't shake and she laid awake for hours as Katniss slept.

Out in the dining car, breakfast had been served and Haymitch and Haymitch was still waking up with a cup of coffee. At any other point in time, the former Victor would have already started drinking for the day, especially when on the cusp of a new Games, but this time it was different. He had learned to go without, to give up part of who he had been for the last ten years or more for the brooding girl who was currently sitting across from him. Katniss should have counted herself lucky that Haymitch cared enough to do this, to save Peeta's life, and lay down his own for her so that she could make it out of the Capitol's clutches for a second time. Bitter like his coffee, Haymitch took another drink.

Beside him, Effie was going over the itinerary for the day and Haymitch wasn't paying much attention. He decided that it was too early for her sea foam green wig, matching, sparkly dress and high-pitched, grating voice. At the moment, the former Victor almost would have preferred to be in the arena and battling against people who wanted to kill him if it meant he didn't have listen to which stylist was excited to meet who, and gossip about what each district would be dressed as that year. 

“If I have to be a coal miner again, I'll lose it,” he contributed. Cinna was in charge of district 12 that year, same as the one before, and Haymitch had a lot of faith in him. The parade would have been more enjoyable his first time around if a designer like Cinna had cared enough to make the poorest district the least bit special. 
“Absolutely not,” said Effie, her painted face suddenly very serious and sincere. “Cinna wouldn't do that to Katniss,” because she was the real star, “or any of you for that matter.” She looked to both Gale and Haymitch with a convincing smile but it was clear that at least one of them wasn't buying it. Instead, she turned to Katniss, questioning where Prim had gotten off to. “She'll miss breakfast, and you've got a long day ahead of you.” 

“Where could she go?” Haymitch asked, snorting. Effie acted as if she was lost somewhere.

Breakfast continued on and eventually, the coffee had kicked in enough for Haymitch to be less abrasive. Prim had made an appearance before the plates were cleared away, although it didn't look like had slept for very long. A weary tribute mattered very little to the stylists when they could use every tool imaginable to make anyone look their best. Haymitch couldn't say that he was looking forward to the primping process, having been extremely against it the first time around. He remembered giving the stylists hell when they suggested cutting his hair [i]after[/i] subjecting him to the strange, pink foam bath.

The Capitol was a terrible place.

He was still seated at the table with Katniss when Effie announced that they were coming into the station. “You ready for this again?” he asked, standing.

Prim could feel her heart racing in her chest as the train sped toward the Capitol and she got up to look out the window. Her eyes were met with towering buildings that stretched for miles into the sky, their outsides glittered like fresh snow on a cold winter day and Prim couldn't believe that people actually lived there. It was a beautiful and dirty all at once, as the extravagant opulence was only made possible by the very people the Capitol sought to exploit and demean. Now Prim could see why Katniss had spoken so highly of it the night before, and why she had been assured that this experience would only start to be horrible at the end. 

As the train slowed and pulled into the station, Prim could see a crowd of people waiting for them. They were as brightly colored as Effie, dressed in the most trendy fashions and yelling excitedly before the door had even opened. Their faces were strange, some stretched to the limits and others painted and adorned with jewels. The blond couldn't understand why anyone would want to look like that, and Prim had the passing thought that it would be done to her as well. She looked anxiously to Katniss and then to Gale as Effie corralled them toward the door of the train.

“Now, smile, smile,” Effie encouraged, demonstrating before district 12 stepped out onto the platform.

It was incredibly loud and there were many people reaching out to them, wanting to shake hands with Katniss, touch her hair, and give her gifts. It was the same with Peeta and Haymitch although Prim heard her name being called by strangers, and Gale's as well. These people seemed to have no concept of personal space but Prim did her best to smile and not look uncomfortable as she followed along with the group lead by Effie, who was very much in her element as an escort.

Once inside and away from the public, a small army of more neon-colored people came out to greet them. They were the prep team, meant to make every tribute as beautiful as every Capitol citizen before the parade and for the rest of their time there before the games. “Cinna and Portia will be along when the work is done,” Effie informed them and soon after, each tribute was being taken to the prep area.