-March 29th, Year of the 75th Hunger Games-
We're sat on the semi-circular couch when Caesar Flickerman begins reading out the training scores. Tyga told us that most of the Victors are claiming to not really care about their training scores – apparently Mags was considering just taking a nap during her session. Besides, by this point, the Capitol all already have their favourites picked out. Nonetheless, Caesar begins, and it turns out that most have still succeeded in impressing the Gamemakers.
Districts 1 and 2 each score 9-11 setting the ball rolling at an already incredible pace. Wiress scores a 4, Beetee takes a 5. I make a mental note not to rule them out because the training sessions measure physical ability but don't take intelligence into account much, of which the District 3 Victors have plenty. Mags scores a 2, in complete contrast to Finnick who takes an 11. And then it's us.
Vice's face flashes upon the screen first. With his standard broad grin, Caesar delivers the news that he has scored a 6. Stella shakes her head, but Vice just shrugs.
'One of my knives rebounded off the forcefield protecting the Gamemakers,' he says, 'They probably marked me down for that.' He smirks and I reckon he hadn't planned on the forcefield blocking a clean shot at the Gamemakers.
Vice's face on the screen vanishes and is replaced by Tyga, her fiery curls looking vivid. She receives an 8.
'Still got it,' she says with a smile.
I laugh, but I can't help but feel a score of 8 means very little when we've already seen two 11s, and we've still got another 14 scores to announce.
It turns out that the rest of the field averages at about a 6 or 7, with a few exceptions. This regularity continues, finishing with Seeder receiving a 7. However, when it hits District 12, Katniss and Peeta make Hunger Games history by both receiving 12s.
'How on earth?!' Stella squeals with a gasp, although me and Vice exchange a look.
'They're singling them out,' he murmurs grimly and I nod.
'Katniss could've scraped a 12, but there's no way Peeta would have.' Tyga adds.
'President Snow wants them dead,' Vice continues, and then laughs darkly, 'Well, they're doing something right then.' He then takes a swig of wine.
We promptly finish up for the night and head to our quarters. With Tyga nestled in my side, I manage to sleep fairly well tonight, but knowing that this will be our penultimate night together causes a deep sickness to stir in my stomach.
I'm surprised to awaken naturally, shocked that neither the nightmares nor Stella have given me an unpleasant start to the day. Tyga is still by me, but she's awake.
'Good morning,' I whisper softly to her.
'Good morning,' she replies, 'What's the plan for today?'
'Well, there is no plan really.' Typically today is the day the mentors talk through the interviews to their tributes, but I guess that's not really necessary. 'I guess we could just be together.'
She nestles into me. 'I'd like that.'
We stay in bed for the next few hours. At one point we order some breakfast which arrives a few minutes later, carried by an avox. For no apparent reason, before the avox leaves the room, Tyga goes over and hugs her –a young woman. I don't really understand why, but maybe she feels some kind of connection to her sister, who became on avox. Or maybe she just wanted to show some random compassion on what could be her last full day.
At about midday, we are forced to leave our haven, when Stella informs us we have a guest. As I throw on some clothes, I run my mind through everyone who could have a reason to visit us. It passes through my mind that it could be someone like Snyde – here to threaten us. But, really, what else could he do? He's already used the biggest weapon he has. No, in fact it's not Snyde, but someone much more pleasant.
He stands there, aged but clearly surgically kept young, wearing an icy blue suit like the day I first met him on that train a million years ago.
'Decimus!' I cry.
I run over and hug him. I don't really know why – he's better than Stella, but we were never really that close. I suppose he's just a piece of my past.
I let go as he embraces Tyga, and settles for a handshake with Vice. He gives Annalee a peck on the cheek although I think this is just courteous as the pair have never met. I notice now that Decimus has tears in his eyes.
'Well, well,' he sighs deeply, 'Look at us now!'
He picks up a napkin from the coffee table and dabs at his made-up eyes. 'I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again. My Victors. You know, you made my life – without a chain of Victors like you, I would've ended up with tonnes of debt and nothing to show for it.' He laughs but it's half-hearted. 'I can't thank you enough. I- I just wanted you to know that. Before...before the end.'
We chat for a few minutes, Decimus never keeping the napkin too far away from his eyes. I'd never considered how attached he might have become to Tyga and Vice, but he's known them as long as I have. He must be hurting – I hadn't even considered it. These Victors have run parallel with his life for thirty years and now he may be losing them.
After a short period he says he has to go, but before he does, he ushers me and Tyga into a simultaneous hug and lowers his voice.
'Us three, eh? We never did really play by the rules back in the day. Too late to start playing nice now I guess.' He laughs and his voice lowers more. 'And in spirit of that, I did a bit of behind-the-scenes work.' He pulls back and looks us in the eyes mischieviously. 'I hear the decor is particularly nice on Floor 3. Might be worth a look.' He winks.
We say goodbye and as he steps into the elevator, I see a tear roll down his cheek.
We watch the doors close and my former escort disappears, probably to be never seen by me again. We stand, silently for a few seconds.
'Well, it's all getting a bit heavy in here isn't it?' says Stella, breaking the silence. 'Goodness, it's not a funeral.'
Tyga and I retract ourselves to the sofa. Sitting around aimlessly chatting for as long as we can resist going down to floor 3, which turns out to be not much more than about fifteen minutes. We hop into the elevator and travel down two floors.
When the doors open with a ding, we arrive on a floor decorated very similar to ours. There are a few differences – there seems to be a more prominent theme of yellow, where ours is red, and the dining area is switched with the bar, but other than that it's pretty similar.
'I'm guessing it wasn't the decor Decimus was interested in then,' she murmurs to me.
Surge is sat on one of the black leather sofas and, when he spots us, he hops off his seat and walks over. His black hair is tightly curled and he wears a sleeveless sort of suit, the colour of caramel. Metal bracelets adorn his wrists.
'My stylist is having a field day,' he says, sweeping his eyes over his outfit, before rolling his eyes.
'I take it we're expected?' Tyga asks.
'Decimus may have mentioned it,' he says this with a playful grin, but there seems to be a sadness behind his eyes. 'Well, don't just stand by the elevator, come in.'
He leads us down to the seating area, and we all sit. I hear a mass of bustling in one of the rooms.
'Oh don't mind that,' Surge says, 'Beetee makes stuff when he's anxious and his last project kind of...went bang.'
An avox scurries out of the room, fills a bucket with tap water and then returns through the door to Beetee's quarters.
'We had to call in like a dozen extra avoxes,' Surge continues, 'Beetee's room is being invention-proofed as we speak.'
A woman in a puffy green dress, with white hair down to her waist emerges from one of the rooms, hopping around on ridiculously high heels.
'That damned Victor!' she cries, before gesturing towards a young male avox, 'You there! Get me some towels. I am not having my heels walking on soot or ash or whatever the hell that man has managed to produce from some coat-hangers and a remote control.' She wobbles over to the sink as the man scurries off. 'I tell you what, Surge, quite what the audience sees in that man, I have no idea!' She turns to face us, and eyes Tyga and I. 'Well, great! This is all we need.'
She trots over to us, her lips pierced.
'I'll have you know it is against Training Centre policy to allow non-District 3 team members on this floor,' she spits.
'Oh leave it,' Surge says. There's a crash from Beetee's room. 'Don't you have bigger problems?'
'What in the name-?' she says, looking back at the mass of red bodies that are working in the Victor's room. She flits her eyes back to us. 'As a matter of fact, I do. But, I want you two out of here as soon as possible. I am not jeopardising my career over some unruly Victors who aren't even from my District.' Another crash. 'What the hell is going on in there?!'
She wobbles back towards the destruction and out of view.
'Why are we here, Surge?' I say after the woman's gone. 'I'm sure we'd both like to know.'
Surge looks at me, and leans back in the chair, a slight sparkle in his eyes.
'I think Tyga may already know,' he says with a coy smile, but again there's that sadness. He nods towards Tyga.
I turn to face my wife, and see her staring just past me, her mouth agawp and her eyes shimmering with tears. I turn to face what her eyes have rested on and there, stood mid-walk, is an avox. A woman in red, slightly aged but still with that fiery ginger hair, staring straight back at her sister.
'Tabs?' Tyga murmurs.
There's a moment. The clocks seem to stop and everything is silent
And suddenly the pair are running, throwing their arms over each other. They become one. Inseperable and together. The tears are flowing freely now, their hair like an inferno – an autumn fire, mixed together. Two bodies now become one unidentifiable embrace.
'Oh, thank you! Oh, thank you!' Tyga cries through the tears.
I turn back to Surge who is sat there smiling, his eyes glimmering with wetness. He doesn't even know Tabs, but anyone could see the relationship between the two. It's beautiful.
I sit back, leaning into the couch, as I watch the two sisters cling to each other, knowing that this moment is probably the last they'll share, Tyga repeating thank you over and over again, and Tabs pulling in her little sister like she did all those years ago.
I try to keep a straight face, forcing my eyes to remain dry, but I don't succeed.
A/N: So, there we go - a little temporary return of two characters there. It'll be arena time next chapter I think - I may or may not include the interviews seen as you all already know what happens anyway. Should I or not? Please let me know in the reviews. Please review! And I'll see you next week!
