This was going to be a wild event.
Finally, the arena had been made, the tributes had been reaped, and the world was ready to watch... prepared to get their revenge on the Capitol citizens for the years of torture they had been put through. For once, it would be the Districts that would be entertained.
But there was a somber mood between the seven remaining Victors who all sat together while they waited to meet the tributes they were going to mentor. All of these tributes were children or relatives of the highest standing Capitol officials. Rather than killing these officials and everybody else in the Captiol, they would just suffer by watching their pampered children try and brave the arena themselves.
Since there were only seven Victors, each of them would mentor at least three tributes. Haymitch, Beetee, and Enobaria, as the most experienced mentors, would mentor a fourth. But with the talk on the train, none of these Victors really planned on assisting these kids all that much. The bitterness was too high among them. They were here for the cameras, for show... to show Panem that they could coexist together and that the future would be bright for them.
Ceasar Flickerman, who miraculously survived the rebellion, was made to host these final Games as well. Right now, Johanna sat in the room with the other Victors, now mentors, watching him on the television screen as he was about to announce who was going to mentor which tributes.
There were no cameras right now, so Katniss was sitting with her body propped up against Johanna's. Unlike when they all got off the train, though the Capitol citizens were less enthusiastic this time around, they and rebels alike took well to the sight of Peeta and Katniss hand in hand.
Katniss had argued with Johanna about it every day leading up to their departure to the Capitol. Johanna didn't like the idea herself, but she understood that right now this is what people needed to see. That Katniss started the rebellion because of her love for Peeta, she couldn't let him die. In a time of such heightened paranoia, if people found out it was all a lie... they could risk people worrying about what more was a lie. Unlike these Victors, who knew the depth of such darnkess, the others were used to seeing the light. They could only handle seeing the light, they needed to and Johanna understood this. So no, she didn't like it at all, watching Katniss and Peeta playing out their little love story once more. But until the paranoia died down, Johanna would have no choice but to be okay with it.
She had asked Haymitch if she had done the right thing by agreeing to it. She hoped he would say no, and that it didn't matter, but that wasn't the answer she had gotten.
Behind closed doors, away from the cameras and the audiences, Johanna and Katniss didn't leave each other's side. Their relationship was feeling a little strained, with everything going on, but Johanna was holding on. She knew the nightmares would flood back, being thrown into this environment, but they promised to take care of eachother, through the good and the bad. Johanna wouldn't have it any other way now.
"And, since this is a special Hunger Games, the rules are a little different. Our remaining Victors have graciously offered their help to our tributes this year. Let's find out who is mentoring who."Ceasar's voice trilled on the screen.
"Are they really going to make us go in front of the cameras tomorrow?" Annie asked, looking a little nervous. She had Kellen with her, she wasn't going to leave him with anything else.
"Yes," Beetee said, "They want us to talk about how happy our lives are now that we have freedom." Katniss and Johanna exchanged a quick glance. Johanna looked up and saw Peeta staring at them. He averted his gaze when it met hers.
"Haymitch won the second Quarter Quell, evading most of the other tributes, but proving to be strong and quick, using wit to win the Games in the end." Johanna looked over at Haymitch, who's face remained expressionless. She hadn't know that they were going to recap their victories, she wasn't prepared for that. She mindlessly started running her fingers through Katniss's hair, focusing only on the girl while they listed off the names of tributes that Haymitch, Beetee, and Enobaria would mentor. Ceasar explained that it was a random selection, but Johanna wasn't convinced yet.
"The rest of our mentors will only have three tributes," Ceasar explained, "Annie Cresta won the 70th Hunger Games by out-swimming her competition when the arena flooded. She has survived the Games and the war, but this will be her first year as a mentor." Johanna couldn't help but look over at Annie at this point, clutching Kellen close to her chest as they read off the names of the children who's lives would be in her hands. Johanna felt this was a little unfair, especially for Annie who might not be able to handle this. She had just started to get better, letting Kellen heal her. But she still had her moments where her mind drifted off into another place.
"Johanna Mason was one of the more brash Victors, but still one of the most skilled, winning the 71st Games by pretending to be weak until almost everybody else was dead, single-handedly wiping out the final six where she was crowned the winner." Johanna felt the memories rush into her head, the faces of the people she had killed, something she couldn't forget, but had managed to push to the back of her mind. "She will be mentoring Marcus, the son of the Peace Keeper distributor." Johanna smirked at that. This was definitely on purpose. She had met this man once before, when she was in jail the night before the reaping of the Quarter Quell. "Her second tribute is, one of my favorites that we've seen, Lucia, the very skilled daughter of the Head District Trade Regulator." The Head District Trade Regulator had been in charge of deciding how much supplies went to each district and the Capitol. Of course the people were mad at him, sending a lack of supplies to the Districts and sending an over abundance to the Capitol. Johanna had seen the girl on reaping day, happy to get picked. She was going to fight like a Career. "And last but not least for Johanna, one of the most memorable tributes here. You know her as the sweetheart of the Capitol..." Johanna leaned forward. There was no way... they weren't going to do this? "Rosaline Snow."
There were audible gasps from everybody in the room, except for Johanna. Out of all the Victors she had been given the granddaughter of President Snow. Why not the Mockingjay? That would have made the most sense. She knew that's what everybody else was thinking.
Then she saw the picture of Rosaline on the screen, and she knew exactly why. Her face had striking similarities to Prim, Katniss might've favored her, as well as Peeta for Katniss's sake. She was a sweet talker and exuded innocence wherever she went, making it so that the mentors might pity her and help her win. No. The rebels wanted her dead, and they must've figured that Johanna was the most heartless and ruthless of the remaining Victors. She had, after all, threatened to kill Snow's family on live television.
Ceasar immediately went into talking about Katniss and Peeta and their tragic love affair, which Johanna tuned out. Katniss didn't want to hear this either, focusing instead on tracing her fingers along Johanna's arm until they named the tributes each of them were going to mentor. The twin boys of the head of Security and the daughter of the treasurer went to Peeta, while the son of head of Warfare and the daughter and neice of the Capitol Secretary went to Katniss.
Then, the show was over. It was time for them to meet their tributes.
Johanna walked up to the Capitol room alone. Again, she'd have her own floor with her tributes, but it didn't sit well with her knowing that Katniss and Peeta were allowed to share a room. But she'd allow herself to be distracted by these Games, with the promise that it was the last time she was ever going to have to go through this. At least she shared no connection to these people, so if they were to die, there was no love lost.
That's why the gave Rosaline to her, because while the others said they wouldn't care... Johanna actually meant it.
She exited the elevator, storming out and over to the room. She was a little taken aback by the three faces sitting at the table and staring up at her when she sauntered in. She knew they were going to be there, but she didn't expect them to see her in such a pissed off mood right now.
Oh well. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Lucia was the first one up and over to Johanna, holding her hand out. Johanna's eyes squinted, but she still shook it. Lucia was beaming, "Johanna I am so excited to be on your team!"
"Woah woah!" Johanna stopped the girl, "We are not a team. Okay, let me make this very clear we are NOT a team." She glared at all three of them.
"Right," Lucia said, slinking back a bit, "But you've always been my favorite! Sorry about what Snow did to your loved ones, that was awful."
Johanna wanted to smile, but she didn't want to give this girl the satisfaction of knowing Johanna was accepting her. She was digging in right now, trying to evoke emotion from Johanna, and turning her back on Rosaline, who could clearly hear everything. The girl had guts, and she had brains.
Marcus was next, "Definitely a pleasure. Can't wait to get started!" He said, smiling as if he were trying to be charming. It didn't work.
Johanna groaned, "Why are you all so excited for this? At least two of you are going to die, you can't all win... and let's be frank. All three of you are probably going to die." She snapped at them, shutting them all up.
"I never said I was excited," A small voice piped up from the table. Rosaline was still sitting, her eyes never looking up from her lap. Johanna might have pitied her, but she couldn't and she wouldn't. There was silence in the room.
"So," Lucia said, "Are you going to give us any tips?"
"No." Johanna said, turning and walking away. Maybe later she would actually help them out a bit, but she didn't want to grow attached to any of them. It would remind her of how unfair these Games really were.
Her bedroom was isolated from everyone else, which was nice. Hopefully they wouldn't try and bother her. Just in case, she decided to lock the door. She wasn't used to Capitol children, so they might think it was acceptable to join her in her room while she was sleeping, or something creepy like that.
She almost jumped, spotting the figure sitting on her bed. But a wicked smile immediately took over.
"Katniss..." she whispered, "What are you doing here?"
"I snuck in, of course." Katniss laughed quietly, grabbing Johanna's arm and pulling her down to the bed. Johanna was reluctant. She was drained, physically and emotionally right now. But a kiss from Katniss made it all better. "What? Did you think I was going to stay the night with Peeta?"
"Yes, actually I did." Johanna muttered as she made herself comfortable on the bed.
Katniss cuddled up against her, like they had always done. Which was nice, because Johanna hadn't been sure she was capable of sleeping anymore in any other way. "Peeta went to stay with Annie."
"Please tell me they aren't a thing. I'm not okay with that," Johanna stated harshly.
"No," Katniss laughed, "Peeta says they're only friends, he just doesn't trust leaving Annie and Kellen alone in a room with some Capitol kids. These kids are nuts!"
"I know!" Johanna laughed as well, "I don't think they understand the gravity of their situation yet." They stayed in silence for a moment, and Johanna's hand started to stroke Katniss's hair, "Are you doing alright?"
"Yeah, you?" Katniss asked.
"Well I am for now. But I'm not looking forward to tomorrow..." Johanna trailed off. Both knew she was talking about their camera time they were going to have tomorrow. "I don't even know what I'm going to talk about. Without you... my life is nothing. How am I supposed to pretend to be happy without you?"
"It's not too late Jo," Katniss spoke soothingly, "We can still be honest."
Johanna shook her head, "I'll be fine, if not just a little bit jealous."
"There's nothing for you to be jealous of." Katniss kissed Johanna once, softly, then again with more force and again until sleep took over.
But Johanna couldn't sleep anymore. She just lay in bed with Katniss curled up around her. The sound of her breathing was so soothing. Even though they were in the Capitol, a place where only bad memories existed, Johanna knew she was going to be alright. Because the worst of the storm had passed and they had survived. Together.