The preparation for the 75th Hunger Games had begun. It's almost the same as last year with the exception that their opponents will be Victors as well, some of those are friends with them. When they reached the Capitol, Haymitch and Effie insisted to rewatch the Reaping from each district so they would know who will be in the arena alongside Katniss and Peeta.
One by one, they saw Victors got reaped once again. The Career Victors made a show of being honored to be reaped once more. In District Three, Beetee and Wiress were reaped which made Haymitch cursed under his breath.
Katniss and Peeta just remained quiet while their Mentor and Escort watched in horror as other Victors were reaped. They both know that they've been part of the games for too long. It would make sense that they knew the other Victors. They might be even friends with them somehow.
Finnick was reaped from Four before Annie's name was picked by their escort. The panic was quick to fill the girl's eyes. It did not last long though because Mags volunteered to be in her place. That knocked out the wind from Effie's lungs. Haymitch had already pulled her to the couch before her legs give in and fall onto the floor. Haymitch is seething but he has to control himself because, well, no one will take charge if they both lose it. In Seven, Blight and Johanna Mason were reaped and more curses came out of Haymitch's mouth while Effie is controlling her breathing. Woof and Cecilia were reaped from Eight and they all saw the way Cecilia's children clung to her waist, unwilling to let her go.
"Oh no, not Cecilia", Effie couldn't help but uttered.
When it's down to Eleven, Haymitch prayed to all the gods available but his prayers went unanswered. Chaff and Seeder were reaped once again. That's when he threw the glass of whisky he's been holding back to finish towards the TV. The screen shattered along with the glass and it startled Katniss and Peeta. Effie is already pale.
"Excuse me for a moment", she's quick to say and ran towards the bathroom.
She must have failed to close the door properly because they can hear her throwing up inside.
Haymitch and Effie's reactions shocked Katniss and Peeta. They knew the other tributes more than they know them. They are their friends. All of their friends are thrown back inside one arena to kill each other.
"Don't worry about the glasses. I'll ask the Avox to help us clean it out", Peeta said to Haymitch when his eyes landed on the broken shards on the floor.
"I'm sorry about your friends", Katniss muttered.
Haymitch snorted as he nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Snow is one fucked up son of a bitch for doing this to everyone. He just simply wants to get rid of all the Victors. It's as simple as that.
"…didn't know much about Careers but they're not bad people. Beetee and Wiress are married…good people too and incredibly smart. You might want to be allies with them. We've known Finnick since he was fourteen. He has that terrible crush on Trinket, gifted her with silver lighter and all. Mags…she's like a mother to us all", he had to fight tears from betraying him in front of the kids, "…took care of me when I won my game. She put Trinket to Twelve. Jo is difficult but she's a good kid, crazy but good kid. Chaff and Seeder…well, you've met them once. Chaff is my best friend so…"
He stood up and got himself another drink which he downed in one go.
"This game is fucked up. Now, we know who you're going up against in there. You can try and watch their individual games so you will have an idea how they fight inside the arena…maybe in your room because the TV's all broken and shit. I'm going to check on Trinket", Haymitch said and left.
Katniss stared at the broken TV. It's easy for her and Peeta to look at the other tributes as competitors but now knowing who they are for Haymitch and Effie, it's hard to see them as enemies. They're all the same. They're all victims, trapped in Snow's sick little world. Even the Career Victors, they don't want to be tributes once again, but they are playing a part for their survival. It's not fair.
"Do you want to go, Katniss? We can use my room if you want to study now", the boy suggested.
"Maybe not tonight…" she declined.
Peeta sighed in relief.
"I was hoping you would say that. After that, I don't think I can take anything else tonight", he said.
"Do you think they'll be alright? Haymitch and Effie?" she asked in concern.
Peeta glanced towards the hallway where the two had disappeared.
"They will be. They have to…that's what they always tell us, right? Tomorrow, we'll resumed working again but for tonight, we let them rest", he answered to which Katniss nodded.
Effie was sobbing when Haymitch entered her bedroom. He can smell the cigarette she just finished smoking.
"Princess…"
He gently sat next to her on the bed.
"She volunteered. Why would she do that? She's not going to win!" she exclaimed.
She's talking about Mags. Among the Victors that got reaped, Mags volunteering hit her the most. The legendary Victor took care of her from the moment she got dragged into the world of Hunger Games. She could have easily let her become an escort to Career districts but she made the effort in putting her in Twelve to protect her. It was because of her she and Haymitch are now together. She's the mother she wished she has.
"She did it for Annie. You know how much she cares for that girl, how much she cares for Finnick, yeah? Can you imagine if Annie is going inside the arena with the boy? It will be a disaster. She volunteered to spare the girl from totally losing it", he explained.
He still thinks it is stupid because Mags is too old to be a tribute and he knows, she's likely to be the first to go but he can understand her reason for doing that.
"…and Johanna, god, Haymitch…Chaff and Seeder too? Beetee and Wiress? What is going on? How are we going to do this? I don't know how to do this knowing that our friends will be in the arena fighting each other", she asked.
He does not know how to deal with that either. It's hard enough to mentor Katniss and Peeta because doing that means he's teaching the kids how to kill his friends.
"We'll figure it out. I promise. We'll figure it out", he answered before pulling her into his arms.
While Cinna and Portia are babysitting Katniss and Peeta for the night, Haymitch and Effie decided to hit the bar. Call it a night out before the fiasco starts. She can already predict that it's going to be the hardest year in her career life. Not only she's campaigning against other popular Victors, she's going up against her friends. She cannot even begin to imagine stealing Sponsors from…let's say, Finnick and Mags. It's terrible.
Haymitch spotted their friends by the lounge and she stirred Effie in that direction.
"Hey, look who shows up!" Chaff greeted.
They're not drunk, at least not yet. Everyone is there too. Johanna, Finnick, Beetee, Seeder, Chaff, and Mags. The old woman walked up to Effie and the escort couldn't stop herself from hugging her. Of course, it drew attention. Twelve Escort is hugging the Four's Victor. There's going to be some talk.
"Now, now…tonight is for celebration", Mags whispered as she cradled her wig.
Effie recovered and collected herself before facing the woman who saved her from a horrible fate.
"It's been a long time. I've missed you. That's all", she exclaimed loudly and the crowd turned their attention elsewhere.
Only those who are at the lounge caught what she actually wanted to say. Mags gave her arms a gentle squeeze.
"Oh, stop sulking, Trinket. Start drinking. You have a lot to catch up on. I want to see you fucking smashed", Johanna cut in.
That made Chaff and Seeder laughed. Even Beetee chuckled at the young Victor's comment. Effie pursed her lips and shot her a disproving look but took a seat and accepted a drink from Finnick.
"Thank you, dear. You're sweet", it's her favorite cocktail too, "Now, what have we missed?" she asked.
Wiress launched her story about the things she found different in the Capitol. It's been years since she set foot at the city. Beetee took the mantle of Mentor each year alongside other Victors from their district. He wanted to spare his wife the agony of being part of the games again. They listened and from time to time, Effie explained the changes the Victor had noticed.
"Yeah, hideous clothes are still a trend in this place though", Haymitch grumbled at some point which earned him a glare from Effie.
"It's called fashion, Haymitch, something you don't have a faintest clue about", she retorted.
Their bickering became the group's amusement. Effie happily indulged. She likes to make them laugh, even it's just for the night. It went on for hours until the atmosphere changes and things went serious.
"So…how did it feel to be reaped by your bitch?" Johanna suddenly asked Haymitch.
The question almost made Effie choked on her drink. Haymitch stiffened mainly because he knows what Effie did at the Reaping. She had picked out Peeta's name but announced his knowing the boy would volunteer in his place. She knew he would do the same if Peeta's name had been called so she stopped him from doing that.
"Feels like the first time…how did it feel to be reaped the second time?" Haymitch fought back.
The girl did not back down from Haymitch.
"Peachy", she turned her attention to Effie, "How did it feel to call out his name, Trinket?" she asked.
Her grip on the glass is tightening. It's better to say something else just to stop Johanna from trying to get into her nerves but she does not trust herself from saying something she will regret later on so she bit her tongue.
"Okay, stop this Jo. Leave them alone", Finnick intervened.
Johanna raised her eyes in surrender before downing a shot of tequila.
"Can you believe this? All of us coming back inside the arena…one arena", Beetee mused as he casually cleaned his eyeglasses.
They all went silent. Effie's eyes roamed around, taking a mental picture of all of them in one space. They're friends. They're family. How is it going to be possible for them to fight each other to death? Haymitch saw her observing and she felt him squeezed her back to pull her away from what she's thinking.
"We delay it. We form our own pack and try to stay alive. Who knows…maybe a miracle will happen", Chaff suddenly said.
The way they all looked at each other, including Haymitch, made Effie frowned. Haymitch stared at his best friend and realized his part of it too, the rebellion. Based on the looks of others, they are in it too…even Mags.
"What do we call ourselves then? The Careers are called Career pack. What about us?" Seeder asked.
"Do we need one?" Johanna asked while wrinkling her nose.
"Hell yeah! Of course, we do", Chaff answered proudly.
That had Effie and Mags laughing. They are all so into it.
"What about Wingmen?" Haymitch suggested.
A flash of recognition went passed the Victors' faces. It's a double meaning, of course, just to see if his hunches are right and they are.
"That's a little bit sexist but I like it", Wiress muttered.
Effie is beyond confused. Wingmen? What was that about? She honestly doesn't understand but she did not say anything.
"We're the Wingmen then. I'll drink to that, less mouthful than District dogs pack, right?" Johanna raised her glass which made the others scoffed and Effie wrinkling her nose in irritation.
They all raised their glass to their newly formed alliance.
"…to the Wingmen", Mags proposed.
"…to the Wingmen!" the others toasted.