PART TWO: The Quarter Quell


The Capitol - Training


I let myself sleep in the next morning. I don't have to worry about training, thanks to Haymitch. The main objective of training this time is to find a niche and settle into it, but today all I have to do is try to befriend Katniss. Easy. I charm my way into women's hearts all the time.

It's eleven o'clock, an hour after training is supposed to start, before I even get out of bed. Mags is already waiting for me at the breakfast table, along with Ophelia and Ore. Only Ophelia seems distraught at my timing.

"There you are!" she snaps. "Didn't you hear me knock on your door this morning? It's an hour after training!"

"No, I didn't," I say, honestly shocked. "I was really tired. My apologies, Ophelia. After I eat breakfast Mags and I will head down there."

"Is training even important this time?" Ore inquires quietly, tapping the spokes of his fork against his chin. "I mean, everyone already knows what you can do, and you already know what everyone else can do. It's not like anyone's going to try anything new. What's the point?"

"Alliances," I say. "Today we will see what the teams are going to be and who the loners are and act accordingly. I imagine that the Careers will be the usual One and Two, but everyone else is a mystery. Usually if there are alliances it's among district partners, but this time it is different."

"No Career," says Mags sternly.

I nod my head in agreement. "No, I'm not joining the Careers. I'm sticking with you."

We head down to the training center about half an hour later, and it's no surprise that only half the tributes are here. But I do see Katniss and Peeta among the meager crowd. I'm about to go over to them when Johanna intercepts me, smirking. "Long time no see, stranger."

"Fancy seeing you here, Jo," I remark. "Where's Blight?"

"Too good to come. And why would I miss out on seeing your pretty face, hm?" She pinches my cheek with more force than necessary, a ruthless smile on her lips. "How about we do a little wrestling? The station's open."

"No thanks," I decline. "Mags and I - hey, where did she go?"

"Looks like she's got herself covered," Johanna laughs, pointing over to the plants station. Mags is listening attentively to the instructor, bobbing her wrinkled little head. "I knew I liked her for a reason."

"Hard not to," I say.

Johanna shrugs and turns away after I refuse her second offer to wrestle. I look for Katniss among the stations and spot her in the knot-tying one, struggling over a complicated sailor's knot. Plastering on my most disarming smile, I saunter over to her and wrap my arms around her shoulders, completing the knot for her. She does not seem very pleased to have her lesson interrupted, but she watches silently as I take a length of rope, make a noose, and pretend to hang myself. I even stick my tongue out in the customary play-dead fashion. Katniss only rolls her eyes without amusement and stands up, heading over to the vacant fire-starting station.

There's no reason for me to remain in a station where I'm probably more knowledgable than the instructor, so I head over to the archery station in the hopes of attracting Katniss with my mediocre shooting. Perhaps she is the kind of person who likes to have the advantage, who likes to approach rather than be approached.

But after an hour of target practice, my only companion is Mags. I glance over at the shelter station where Katniss has relocated with Wiress and Beetee. I'm surprisingly offended. Some part of me that has grown conceited over years of being fawned over cannot believe that she would rather consort with the quirky victors from District Three than with me.

"Distracted," Mags accuses as my arrow flies away from the target, arching over the stationary circle and landing near the rack of spears. She is taking a break; archery upsets her joints.

"It's nothing," I grumble irritably. The lunch bell rings, and I set the bow and quiver of arrows down to eat. We sit at a table with Johanna and Blight, who has finally made an appearance, as well as Seeder, Cecelia, Woof, and Chaff. Peeta drags Katniss over to the table as well, where she makes a visible effort to be more social. She sits at the end farthest from me, Mags, and Johanna, though, so it's difficult for us to talk.

"You're never going to get her to like you," Johanna murmurs across the table, having noticed my glances at Katniss. "She's one of those protective types. She likes people who need her."

"What are you saying then? Act like a damsel in distress?"

Johanna rolls her eyes. "No, idiot. I'm saying that if you can't get Katniss to like you, earn the trust of the only person she actually does like around here."

"I did consider that," I admit, "but I don't think that Peeta will take kindly to my efforts at cordiality, considering my reputation. She is his fiancée after all."

Johanna shrugs indifferently. "It's worth a shot."

I meet Mags's eyes and see the questions there, but I discreetly shake my head. She purses her lips, but she understands that I'll tell her later, when it's safer.

After lunch I stick with Johanna for a while. She introduces me to Peeta. He seems like a pretty likable guy; if he has any quarrel with me, he doesn't show it. He talks about baking in District Twelve as we throw spears, and I share with him my adventures at sea. I describe what a sunset on the ocean looks like, and he tells me that it sounds beautiful, that he wishes he could take Katniss there to see it. I remember the night before the reaping, how I watched the sunset with Annie in my arms and we gazed at the crisp layers of stars and we made up our own silly constellations. It makes me feel like I just skewered myself in the chest with the spear. After that I take a break from Peeta.

Mags tugs on my sleeve as I'm getting a drink of water. She points to herself, then to Katniss. "You want me to introduce you?" I translate. Mags nods her head.

So we head over to the fishing station where Katniss is patiently listening to the instructor. I tap on her shoulder. Her face sours when she turns and sees me. "Hello, Finnick."

"Katniss," I say measuredly. "My friend just wanted me to introduce you. Katniss, this is Mags. Mags, meet Katniss."

"Nice to meet you," Katniss says, gently shaking Mags's hand. I head over to the neighboring station while they make fishing hooks, and watch with awed amazement as Katniss slowly opens up to endearing, sweet old Mags. Johanna's words echo in my head: She's one of those protective types. She likes people who need her. I think of Katniss and how she even became a tribute in the first place. She volunteered for someone, a little scared blonde girl who didn't look over eight. Primrose Everdeen. I remember that name because Mags said that it was beautiful, that if she'd had a daughter she would have named her something like Primrose.

Primrose Everdeen, Katniss's sister. A little scared blonde girl with vulnerable blue eyes, who barely made it up on the stage before Katniss volunteered. Yes, Primrose needed Katniss. I remember her kicking and screaming as a tall boy carried her away and looked like he was ripping his own heart out in the process. Gale Hawthorne. Katniss's cousin. He needed Katniss too, but in an entirely different way, like I need Annie or Mags. But Primrose needed her more.

I eventually give up on stalking Katniss. She will never like me, no matter how charming I try to be. Katniss doesn't care about charisma. At this point, I'm not entirely sure what she cares about.

"No luck?" Johanna says when I shuffle over to her in defeat. "You couldn't even get Lover Boy to like you?"

"Shut up," I snap at her, partly because of the Gamekeepers and partly because, I'll admit it, I'm a bit put out by Katniss's scorn. I never realized until now exactly how much my ego has blossomed.

"I told you, Finnick," says Johanna casually, "Katniss already has a man. You don't stand a chance, no matter how much you bat your pretty green eyes."

I smile, catching on to Johanna's verbal red herring. "It was worth a shot. Mags doesn't seem to be striking out, though."

"I don't believe that Katniss has a pension for little old ladies."

"You never know."

"That's sick." Johanna's look of genuine disgust morphs into amazement as she gazes over my shoulder at something. "Well, would you look at that?"

I do, following her gaze to Katniss Everdeen at the archery station. I, too, am amazed. Katniss is like a warrior goddess, her face intent and relaxed as she systematically reaches over her shoulder, notches the arrows, aims, draws back the bow, and shoots in a series of graceful, fluid movements. Not a single arrow misses its mark, which are many stuffed white birds that the archery instructor is juggling into the air. Every bird falls with an arrow protruding from its body; more impressive, the majority are sticking from where they eye should be. By the time the instructor runs out of birds there are at least twenty bloodless carcasses scattered around the station.

Katniss releases her stance with an air of satisfaction, a small smile playing on her lips. Then she turns to move on and sees us all watching her. She blinks her gray eyes once, shocked at the profound silence of a bewildered audience, and quickly ducks her head as she moves on to the next station like nothing ever happened.

Slowly, the gentle murmurs of conversation begin again. Most are glancing in Katniss's direction; she's with Peeta at the knife-throwing station. Some of them are shaking their heads crossly; some are openly gawking; others are attempting to studiously ignore her and failing miserably. I'm among the gawkers, while Johanna just shakes her head and snorts.

"Showoff," she declares, chucking a spear at a helpless mannequin. I roll my eyes and follow suit, watching the sharp tip of the spearhead pierce the canvas surface of the mannequin with a rough tearing sound. Johanna doesn't fool me. I can see the intrigue in her eye matching those of the tributes around us, and I know that, like me, she will request Katniss for an ally whether she's already included in the conspiracy with Haymitch or not.


Bum-ba-dum! Day one of training complete. I was most excited to write this part of the pre-arena part of the Games, because Finnick pops up more often than you think. It's obvious that by this point he's in league with Haymitch, and I always imagined him getting frustrated at all of his failed advances.

Thoughts?