No one could help the life they had been born into or the way that they were raised. It was that knowledge alone that told Prim she couldn't fault the people of the Capitol for being the way were, so callous and oblivious to the plight of others around them. Still, it was hard to imagine a life that wasn't full of hard work and struggle and instead, a plush, jewel-encrusted existence that was presented easily and beautifully upon a silver platter. The blonde girl supposed that she was a bit envious of the passivity of it all, and although she didn't think that her life back home was horrible, it would have been made infinitely better by the constant guarantee of food, shelter and safety. The Capitol citizens didn't realize how good they had it, and Prim didn't think that any non-tribute at the Ball would have survived for five seconds in any district—let alone 12. 

As Amethyst spoke highly of all of the things to do around the Capitol, Prim looked to Gale to see if he knew what was happening. She doubted that a man had ever attempted to flirt with him before, as it wasn't a very common thing back home. If Gale did know, then he was handling it well and Prim was much more open to both purple people than she had been to the last pair. Both Amethyst and Lilas seemed truly harmless, much like Effie, simply eccentric and appreciative of the colorful styles and trends that the Capitol had to offer. Prim was happy to have their support once the Games began, and she hoped that she and the rest of her district would continue to impress sponsors.

“I've found a few ways to stay happy,” Prim confirmed with a lofty smile as she looked to Gale. She didn't need to see every crevice of the sprawling Capitol in order to be happy; Gale was enough entertainment. She looked back to Amethyst and Lilas and continued to smile. “And than you so much for your support. We can't thank you enough.” They may have been watching to see the bloodshed, but there was a human quality to them that Prim found sort of endearing.

When Katniss joined himself and Bea, Haymitch noticed that something was off about her. When they had parted ways, the dark-haired girl seemed ready to tackle the task of wooing the sponsors, but from look currently on her face, it wad clear that something had taken the wind from her sails. Haymitch hoped that no one had said anything inappropriate to her, or tried to take her somewhere. However, the former Victor knew Katniss very well and if something had gone wrong physically, there would have been a second incident to go alongside Johanna's. He made a mental note to talk to her about it when they were back upstairs, just to make sure that she was okay. In the meantime, Bea needed to be further impressed.

One year made a world of difference, and Haymitch thought that Katniss was handling the social aspect of the ball quite well. Perhaps she was finally starting to understand how important charm was, or she had simply matured after seeing so much. Either way, Haymitch was proud to stand next to her, and listen to all of the things that she had to say about her district, and her assumed alliance. He wasn't worried anymore, and if Katniss was, she was very good at keeping it to herself. “I was telling Bea about the simulator,” he encouraged, wanting to give Katniss more talking points.

The older woman smiled. “Yes, he said you two make a very good team,” she said. “Although I'm not looking forward to watching him, or you, suffer through another Games. I think what the President has done to you all is just terrible.” She spoke as if her words had no consequences. “But you'll do your best, I'm sure. I know everyone is looking forward to more of your archery, Katniss.” 

“She's still amazing,” Haymitch assured his old friend, and he offered Katniss a small, praising smile. Even without his heavy, personal bias, Haymitch still thought that Katniss was the natural choice for Victor. She was the strongest tribute selected, and if President Snow wasn't so against her, he had no doubt that she could win the Games all over again. “I've never seen her miss a shot.” 

After saying goodbye to Amethyst and Lilas, Prim laughed softly at Gale's assessment of the situation. “That man has a crush on you,” she pointed out. Although the meeting hadn't been bad by any means, simply a little different from what she was used to. Then again, that had been life since coming to the Capitol. “What should we do now?” she asked before looking around the room. The crowd was still thick and people continued to dance, but Prim spotted both Katniss and Haymitch talking with an older woman and she was happy to see their familiar faces. “Maybe we should meet up with Katniss and Haymitch,” she suggested, thinking it would be a good idea to touch base, or just be friendly in front of others. If anyone was questioning whether or not 12 was united, they wouldn't have to worry.