Hey there readers, thanks for taking the time for reading! This story is basically about Johanna going to help Annie raise her son after the war, and their life as they try to grow together and become friends with help from Katniss, Peeta, Beetee, and others. This chapter is relatively short because it's sort of that mysterious beginning. Enjoy!
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Chapter 1: Soft Spot
Johanna's POV
Time is moving slowly so I drag my suitcase across the gravely streets that smell of salt. There was a storm last night, but it's sunny now and all the seawater has been brushed to the now empty roads.
The Capitol has fallen, Snow is dead, and the rebels won. Strangely enough though, I've never been more miserable in my life. It took me close to six years to comprehend it all.
Sure I've healed and nothing compares to the pain of being tortured, but now I'm lonely. When I was hijacked I had Peeta and crazy Annie but I'd barely call that sane company. While I was in the hospital I had brainless or "the Mockingjay" to keep me alive and every once and awhile I would see Finnick roam the halls, but he was always too busy to visit apparently.
Six years, I tell myself. Six years since the revolution that changed us all, six years since Paylor took power, six years since everyone parted second ways, and six years since Katniss let the majority of her brave rebels die.
I don't know exactly what happened in the Capitol, the underground tunnels and all that, but I do know that most of the Star Squad came out in soul and spirit. Raw body torn to shards of gore and flesh, scattered around by large rose scented lizard mutts and a special contraption called the "Meat Grinder", as Brainless told me it was called.
I didn't know most of them, some I knew though...
"Hey lady!" A small voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
I looked down to see a small shirtless boy, he looks around the age of eight, holding a makeshift trident. It's some twigs woven together with thin cuts of salty seaweed and he's pointing it at me. He's a brave kid, I must look pretty intimidating with my messy hair sloppily pulled back, dark eyeliner, mean aura, and axe swinging slightly in my right hand. Does he recognize me? I'm Johanna Mason, the famous hot-headed rebel from District 7, but the more seconds pass the less realization comes to his face.
"What?" I snap.
"I'll have you know that your stepping on sacred ground!" He's trying to be assertive.
I look down.
"This is a road."
"I'll have you know that the great Finnick Odair once walked this road making it a historical landmark! Your disrespecting him!"
"I'll have you know that the great Finnick Odair used to be my best friend, so get out of my freakin way." I figure to play the best friend card, use it to my advantage.
"Wait! Your Johanna Mason, Finnick Odair's legend best friend! What are you doing in District 4?" He bounces up and down eagerly.
"None of your beeswax, kid." I say as I push him out of the way and begin to continue my stroll. He's persistent through, hopping along right after me like he's on some sort of pogo stick.
"Wait up!" He calls. "Your famous! Can you autograph my trident?"
I look down at the hand-crafted weapon to see that carved into the wood of the handle are many signatures, recognizable signatures. They seem to be scratched on by tiny knives. Katniss, Peeta, Beetee, Paylor, and Plutarch, along with some others, have all signed this twig.
How did this kid possibly get to see the Mockingjay let alone President Paylor? I endlessly search the engravings for a special name but I know there's no way he could've signed it at this point, unless he splattered it with his own blood.
"I guess I could autograph it..." I choke out as he hands me a small pumpkin carving knife.
"You got really quiet all of the sudden, Johanna Mason." The young boy tells me solemnly as I etch my name shakily into the handle underneath Beetee's. Now more then ever I wish I could call him Volts to his face, and make fun of Nuts as well, but he's debilitated and Wiress is dead as a doornail. I wonder if he ever misses her, not that I really care much, it just gives me something to ponder on once and awhile.
"Done." I announce, standing up straight again.
The seemingly nameless boy yanks his trident back and scans it eagerly, even though my signature is right in front of his crystalline blue eyes. When he finally finds it, a look of pure joy crosses his face and I look towards the road, sort of embarrassed I guess but I don't really have a reason to be. He proceeds to wave it around in the air and I can notice that he's trying to create one of Finnick's moves that he used to perform in the training center those few precious days before the 75th Quarter Quell. A lump forms in my throat but I quickly swallow it back down before anyone has any time to notice.
"Have a good day." I want to walk away, reach my destination, it's not far but this kid decides he's still not done with me and walks beside me.
"My name is Antoine Cardswift!" He chirps.
"Interesting, goodbye." I roll my eyes and attempt to walk faster.
"I made this trident all by myself! It's very impressive, I just need a couple more signatures and then it'll be complete!" Antoine shoves the trident towards my face.
"Fascinating."
"Can you replicate Finnick Odair's signature? Someday I'm gonna be as big a legend as Finnick Odair was and I'll live out the legacy that he never got to finish! Soon everyone will know my name and associate it with Finnick Odair and him himself will smile down on me from wherever he is and wish I was his son! It's the perfect plan, it can't possibly fail!"
I eye the boy with different emotions welling up my insides, so many feelings I have for this young kid. The first emotion which I feel for many people very often is a strong disdain. How dare this kid who has about as much meat on him as Primrose Everdeen once did build himself up to believe that he could be worthy of associating himself with Finnick! It disgusts me but I also feel a punch of sorrow and hurt for Antoine. He has no idea what he's in store for if he wants to be like Finnick, a rebel, because it was complete and utter torture in 13. The final part of me is happy or somewhat glad that we got rid of this corrupt government before Antoine really got the chance to find out about the horrible nature of what Panem used to be. I feel like I've saved one life among the thousands that were killed.
"You wanna be like Finnick?" I stop and bend down so I'm eye to eye with the shirtless little boy.
"Yes Ms. Mason, with all my heart. He's my idol." Antoine looks at me with glassy eyes, I place a hand on his little shoulder.
"You have to be brave, never let anything that you can't control overpower you. Be who you want to be, do what you want to do, and love who you want to love. You have to stare into the eyes of danger, no matter the risks or costs that you may face, no matter the consequence of your actions. You have to know that what's best for your world, and the wellbeing for the ones you love are more important than your own life and you have to be willing to put it all on the line and do unspeakable things so they will all be safe. Most of all, you have to remember that it takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart. You got all that?"
Antoine Cardswift looks into my briefly softened eyes, his mouth is hanging open wide and I find my own lips tightening as I reach one of my few weak spots that I discovered existed after the war. It hurts to talk about Finnick Odair but I don't know why. Maybe this is what pushed me to make the decision that I've recently made, and that's why I'm in 4, heading to the place that I'm heading to.
"That's the best advice ever..." The little boy throws himself against me and my first instinct is to squirm, but I slowly ease into it.
I'll need the practice...
"Glad I could...help."
"Maybe we'll meet again." The crystal eyed boy says in almost a whisper into my ear.
"We may...I have a feeling you'll remind me of someone that I'll be seeing very soon." I think of the picture of a small boy with sea green eyes and bronze hair that falls perfectly in waves, just like his fathers used to do, that's currently stuffed and crumpled up in my pocket.
"Ms. Mason...look behind you." Antoine whispers.
I let go of his small frame and turn to open my eyes to a large and beautiful wood and brick mansion.
It's got large glass windows that seem like eyes overlooking the streets with a grand door in the front, fancy woodwork makes it look older than it actually is. The sea rolls against the rocks in the back of the newly built home and I don't even have to look at the mailbox to know exactly where I am, and I can tell neither does the small kid standing behind me.
I have reached my destination.
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Yes like I said that was very short but the next chapter is coming very soon! It will get more interesting, I promise! For now, PLEASE REVEIW. It means a lot :) ~PurpleKittyFangirl