AN – It's been awhile so I'll get this out of the way. I own nothing, please support the official release. A guest review got me back into this fic, I do hope to complete it soon. Reviews would be nice.
The world passed by the large window Peeta stood at inside the luxurious train, a world he didn't recall seeing before even though he must have once upon a time. Creases formed on his brow as he thought back on it, a memory of an another life, traveling from District One to the Capitol for an art show. Another one, a shinier one emerged as well, looking at the landscape as a way to combat the growing fears that rose in his head at the upcoming games. Never had he truly seen this part of Panem like the other victors had. On their way home from their games or on their Victory Tours. This world should have been viewed already last year when he won the games with Katniss. Another memory surfaced, standing in the center of the arena, Caesar announcing the rule change change and his final gift to the girl he loved. The door to the compartment opened and Diamond, one of the other victors entered the car pausing when she noticed his distress.
"I killed myself for her," he said neutrally, there was no question about it.
"Indeed, it was truly an act of love. The whole romance had us confused, your feelings for her were so pure. We all thought she was acting for the Capitol, following your lead. Then she fell apart after you were declared dead. With Gloss and Cashmere around I am no longer required to mentor but her actions during the quell as well."
"She didn't love me?"
"I don't know Peeta, she didn't act like it at first. From what we saw, the victors get unedited recordings, she was a cold fish to you, until the cave. I believe she started to feel for you then, who knows what would happen next if you two came out together. Perhaps you'd be married in some huge Capitol event, or Snow might have arranged an accident to take one of you out. I've come to let you know that we will be arriving in a few hours, but Finnick's guests from twelve have already arrived and are settling in." Peeta knew what she meant and thanked her for that news.
The train that took Katniss, Prim and Haymitch to District Four wasn't as luxurious as Peeta's nor as nice as any other Capitol bound train but it wasn't like the ones hauling material between district either. It was enough to cause Prim to fall in love with trains though as she watched the lands rushing by. When Prim woke up from her nap they had arrived, pulling into the station. Heading outside Katniss saw a trio of people holding a sign with hers and Prim's names on it. Haymitch shook his head at the lack of display for himself, getting the joke. Prim came out waving like crazy as Katniss lingered near her mentor who was speaking in hushed tones to the conductor. The train from One had taken a short stop in Two and was coming in later today. There was a quaint hotel on the beach that Azura would be taken to for relaxation.
The storm that was her feelings about Peeta had raged within her mind ever since the winner was crowned, she guessed since she first learned he was still alive. As she told Haymitch anger at Peeta, at his actions, was the first emotion, then confusion about loving him. If she truly loved him she could forgive him for actions that weren't his own. Looking out at this seemingly peaceful district she came to a conclusion that it wasn't Peeta she was mad at, it was Snow for turning him into a weapon to be used against her. He had been a very effective weapon, the euphoria of seeing him, the utter devastation when the love he once showed her was turned to hatred.
Haymitch's hand on her shoulder brought her back as the pair followed Prim's path down towards the achingly beautiful victor, Finnick. When they arrived Finnick took Prim's hand planting a gently kiss on the back of it, earning a deep blush from the little girl. Turning to do the same to Katniss she shot him down with a scowl earning a laugh from the others.
"Katniss, Prim, I'd love you to meet Annie Cresta and Mags Dylan," he said introducing them to the quiet redhead and a much older woman. Prim curtsied as Katniss said hello, Haymitch leaned in and whispered to her.
"Victors of the Seventieth and Eleven Hunger Games." Katniss' eyes widened at the thought of someone being around that long. The small group started to walk towards the Victor's Village which was set up on a cliff side overlooking the ocean.
"Why are we walking?" Prim asked as she noticed a few people gawking at the group of mostly victors.
"We are so close to the ocean that there's salt in the air itself. At night it settles on the ground, causing metal cars to rust so quickly no one could afford cars. Except victors of course however those machines were never my thing. So we walk, besides how else can I show off myself to those who supported me during my games?" Finnick asked brightly.
"Is Annie okay?" Katniss asked Haymitch as the pair took the rear. She noticed that Annie was silent, always holding onto Finnick or Mag's hands not in a loving manner but in a way where she was afraid she might just fly off into the air if she let go.
"She is surviving, like we all do. The games broke her mind, but she's getting better." It really must be an unspoken rule among the victors or something to not speak ill of those broken by the games since normally Haymitch would have been more honest about these things. Katniss wondered if the same would be taken when regarding Peeta. The Victor's Village was identical to theirs back in Twelve, to the point where Katniss was sure her own key would open the front door. The location was the difference as Prim ran to look out at the vast ocean. Katniss followed to make sure she was safe until she too saw the expanse and froze. She had seen water before, in her secret lake and of course the arena but it paled in comparison to what they were looking at now.
"It never ends," Prim said, "and it's so blue." Finnick caught up to them now standing next to Prim.
"It was once called the Pacific Ocean, a long time ago. Stretches all the way across the world until it reaches Eight and Eleven." That idea made Katniss a little sad, that there was nothing else in the whole world but Panem, no place to ever really escape to. Gale words were truly hollow, there was no real way to escape President Snow. A few moments later the remaining three went into the house. Although just as big as hers back home Katniss noted that all the Victors lived alone. There was one house at the end that really looked lived in but the others didn't speak of it.
While the discussion was lively Mags invited Katniss to join herself and Finnick in the basement to look at her fishhook collection. It was rather impressive, hooks made from all sorts of things. There was a large tank in the middle of the room where several fish swam. Never had Katniss put much stock into fish, whatever lived in her pond had been small at best but a few of these were amazing to a girl who never saw them. There was even a fish that was attached to the glass, Katniss could see the mouth and teeth moving as it clung there.
"There are no listening devices over here," Finnick said to Katniss. "The basements are the only places without but even so the motor used by the tank aids in the covering of our voices. Peeta, along with a few other Victors from one are two hours away by train."
"I thought you didn't have support from One."
"We don't, not really. Cashmere and Gloss have mentioned in passing that they too are uneasy with the liberties certain individuals in the Capitol make of them. They are both required to attend all sorts of events in the Capitol, unable to decline most without fear of punishment. They are with him, as well as another Victor named Diamond."
"Diamond won the Fifty Eighth Hunger Games." Mags explained, "Gained notoriety when she refused to let someone volunteer for her. Broke the arm of the girl who tried to take her place." It would have been an odd sight for sure, Katniss only nodded.
"Where will they be staying?"
"At a fancy hotel made for visiting dignitaries, sometimes for Victors as well. Rarely do we have others coming here, I had to trade in a few favors to get a visit from you and your sister." Katniss frowned deeply.
"I didn't ask that of you. I could have waited until the Victory Tour to speak with him, I don't like owing people." Finnick just smiled at her.
"Then pay me back, get Peeta on our side. If he can really remember he could use his pull to get District One with us. With One on our side we should have little problem getting Two as well, they are close to each other as well as the Capitol. In the end we are the districts." Katniss nodded, not liking how these was playing out, she felt like a pawn in the rebel games. Without another word she went upstairs to find Haymitch and Prim.
A few hours later Katniss stood on the white sands of the beach. After speaking with Haymitch, demanding that they don't play games anymore she had stormed off. Maintaining sight of the Victor's Village, although not detail of it. The empty beach reminded her of her home in the forest. It was physically the complete opposite but there was a sense of peace that came here. The air was salty, as was the water, which Finnick had explained earlier. Unlike her woods where the leaves would atone her to the approach of prey and predator alike she couldn't hear the footsteps on the sand until the person was right next to her, a step back.
"The best part of being in favor with the Capitol is the ability to see sights such as these. The vast ocean of Four is much more beautiful than that in Eight. With Eight's there is less a sense of peace and more of the dangers lurking within. I was told I would be meeting with other Victors here in Four, I did not expect to see the Girl on Fire in such a place." For her credit Katniss didn't startle on the outside, on the inside she was screaming. Stepping away and back she slowly turned to see Peeta standing there. Her eyes flicked up and down him, he looked as he had days before the Hunger Games. Stockier than he had been when living in Twelve, his hair was a bit longer now too.
"I was invited by Finnick to see the ocean and meet with some Victors who don't mentor anymore." A lie that Haymitch had coached her on, mostly for nosy peacekeepers. Azura nodded.
"I believe I owe you an apology Ms. Everdeen." This drew Katniss up short, she was planning on asking for forgiveness herself, try to get on his good side and slowly try to get him to come to their side. Her voice caught in her throat.
"Wha..what?" Azura smiled just then, the same way Peeta did.
"An apology, surely that have those in Twelve. I heard the outer district lacked real manors but civility should still be a thing. I treated you unfairly, in turn I doubted myself, feared that you would be a distraction to me, that I wouldn't be able to get pass your mind games and win. I did, and perhaps it would have been even easier if I just let it go." His blue eyes bore into her as he spoke, "I'm tired of being a pawn Ms. Everdeen, either in Snow's games or other parties games. Surely you're tired as well." After a few moments of silence he smiled at her, "I heard your talent is fashion, I would have never believed it. During your tour I was preoccupied but finally caught one of your dresses. A Mockingjay design I believe." A pair of figures were coming up to them from the mansion, Azura looked past her at them then nodded and started to back up. "It's a big district Ms. Everdeen but I'm sure we'll see each other again. Until then, good day." By the time the figures, Haymitch and Finnick arrived Peeta was gone.
"What was that about?" Haymitch asked a little out of breath.
"Azura was apologizing to me about the games."
"That's different, but good right?" Finnick asked.
"There was nothing about the old him, it more cocky than anything else." That was all she would say as she also thought he was saying something more to her, about games. It didn't make sense though, what other games would he be referring to if not the Hunger Games. At dinner time Haymitch, Katniss, Prim and the District Four Victors were having a seafood feast at Finnick's, Peeta was actually quite close. A few houses down in fact. The only house that looked lived in was that of Argus Bream, winner of the Fifty Ninth Hunger Games whose nickname was Turtle. He had won his games by gone on the defense and outlasting all the others. In the end he wore the last tribute down with a shield before bashing the exhausted boy to death. Upon returning home, he married his girlfriend and they moved in together. Things were fine until he lost his father and son to a storm while they were at sea. His wife had left him to live alone in his misery, at least that's what he wanted people to think. Because he had refused to support a member of Snow's Cabinet his dad and son had an accident, blamed on the storm. He was honest to his wife and sent her away for her own safety. Since Finnick opened his home to the Twelve visitors he did the same to the group from One.
"I can't believe you approached her like that," Gloss was saying.
"I had to probe to myself that I could remain in character around her, better on a beach with no one around then at the mayor's house with hundreds of people watching." Peeta countered as Cashmere nodded her own approval. Upon arriving Peeta and Turtle went to the shore where Turtle could show off his skill, ship building. It was there was Peeta asked about the politics in Four. Turtle had explained that Finnick's popularity ran deeper then fans in the Capitol and despite his young age the Victors of Four looked to him.
"I heard that Four is on the side of District Thirteen," Peeta had said point blank startling the thirty something. "Why would they agree to such a thing? Become soldiers in a war for an empty promise. Thirteen might not be who they say they are, what proof is there?"
"Our eldest Victor, Mags, she is the real liason with the rebellion and Four. If anything she and Finnick are in control and all I know is that they are throwing their weight with the rebels, whoever they are. The year after I won my games she approached me, she approaches all the victors about joining. Seems that a year is long enough to discover that being a Victor comes with a price, along with a short leash."
"I want to rebel as well, not with some District that has been in hiding for seventy five years, too afraid of Snow to lift a finger, willing to watch as we suffer. The rebellion should be led by those who know was real fear is, what real pain is, I too believe we should rebel but led by a Victor, not someone who abandoned us." Turtle chortled at that.
"You think you should lead? You're less than a year out of being crowned victor."
"Turtle, you're not that naive. I look like Peeta, because I am Peeta and you know what that means? I am not only the first co-victor, since I did survive my games, but I am also the first duel victor. I am not a victor of Twelve, nor am I really a Victor of One, I am Panem's Victor. Who better to lead then myself? This is a war, but what happens when it is over? When District against District or against the Capitol, when we wipe each other out who will be left. More importantly, what will be left? I want peace, peace by force if we must, but peace." The wave crashed around them in the silence that followed.
"Who is on your side Peeta?"
"All the Victors of One and Two, those holdouts, we hate the control that Snow has over us and we will fight. With our examples, we will lead an army. I don't wish to fight the other districts. What we need is support, help me convince the others." There was a few Victor Villages dotting the coast of Four, Turtle agreed, lending his home to Azura while they were there before heading out to talk to the others.
The next morning Peeta slipped out of the house early and went back to the beach, he had gone for some alone time and was surprised at the young woman sitting in the sand making buildings out of the sand. The young woman with wild fiery hair sparked a memory of Foxface from his first games until he realized that this was Annie, the mad Victor. Approaching silently he sat down near her and just watched.
"They're called sand castles, children used to make them," Annie said softly, not surprised by the company.
"It is a lovely form of art," Peeta said agreeing as he noticed an empty pail sitting on the ground as he watched Annie fill one up, he copied her.
"It only gets really bad here when the quota is low. The people here need to sail further and further out but it uncharted, skilled fishermen don't risk going too far out."
"Annie would you fight if you could be free?" Annie had turned the pail with sand in it upside down and froze, slowly lowering her head down as her hair covered her face.
"I can hear him scream, they say he didn't it was too quick but there was an escape of sound from his throat." Peeta didn't interrupt her. "I knew he had to die, I knew I was going to die too, I had accepted it. I guess I just wasn't ready for how real it was going to be." Reaching up and pushing her hair back she looked at Peeta, green eyes on blue ones. "I almost drowned once, but my papa saved me. Roger was my district partner's name, just like papa, we weren't related though it was a coin...con...something." coincidence, "Then there was that explosion and the waters came. Every time I closed my eyes I was drowning, I remember drowning." The pail came up and Peeta expected the sand to crumble but the shape held firm. "Finnick thinks I am weak, and I am, but I know right from wrong. The games, they are wrong, they need to be stopped. If they did, I don't think I could sleep any better. However there wouldn't be a chance for the next little girl to drown."
"I want to stop the games too Annie, things must change. I will die, to make things different."
"I know you will, I don't a lot of things but I believe that."
"Annie do you know who I am?" he asked as she looked at him.
"You are Azura Monet, I saw you on the television. I am sorry your parents died, mine did too, a long time ago."
"You'd follow a Victor from One?"
"One, two, three, four, all different but we are all survivors, I don't know if winning the games makes us victors. I don't feel victorious." With that she went back to playing in the sand while Peeta watched her. Eventually the sun rose higher and Finnick came out to fetch her.
"Monet," he said nodding his hello to the young man.
"It's Azura Finnick, surely we are all close now, survivors of the games. Formalities such as last names shouldn't have to be used."
"Then why not call her Katniss?" Azura just smiled, it wasn't time to approach Finnick just yet, there were rumors that he was being sold by Snow but would probably fight for freedom with the numbers. Just like most of the nation he didn't know just how much Finnick loved Annie, for if he did he would have used that to turn the young man's alliance over to his own. Peeta watched as the pair walked off, taking note of the way that Finnick fretted about her, and he smiled, he would have to discuss things with the others but the Victor Rebellion seemed to be starting off greatly, he just hoped that it would continue.