Peeta passed the first task, and he has three more. Will he be able to best Venus? While Peeta is fighting for Katniss, Finnick is seeking her out, with time running out will Finnick find Katniss.
I do not own the Hunger Games
Finnick searched all of Mount Olympus and could not find the huntress. He came to his home. It was made of white stone set around a courtyard. Finnick leaned against the ionic columns, his arms crossed over his massive chest. He was not small, though he was not a giant like Zeus. His eyes took in the city that was Mount Olympus. A prestigious city in the clouds that could no longer be seen by mortals, only when Zeus let it be seen.
He was frustrated he had not been able to find Katniss. He wearily stared down at the District Twelve. His mother had taken over the district, its residents were in a trance.
When the midnight hour came many wouldn't remember any of this. To those who did, all they would have were snippets of a strange dream. If he won the wager they carry on with their lives. If he didn't win there were so many repercussions and those poor souls' lives would never be the same.
Zeus declared after the Viking era that they would withdraw from mankind. Let them develop on their own to only intervene if it was necessary. In other words, if they were on the brink of extension. It was hard because humans were good in essence but they let themselves be carried away by vanity, power, and greed. They held within them the possibility of redemption.
Redemption was in Finnicks's mind the greatest weapon humanity had at its disposal. He saw over and over again as people who did wrong, turned their life around. With redemption comes forgiveness and truth and light.
There was a point in time when his mother was good. However after Psyche became his wife she became bitter, spiteful, and could quickly lose her serenity. Had she been her old self this wager would have been fun.
However, it wasn't.
Finnick would love to find a way to have his mother become good again.
"Husband."
"Wife, I need to find the girl." Finnick rubbed his face.
"I've not seen you this way since you fell in love with me," Annie said.
"There is much at stake. Can you imagine my mother with my ability to make someone fall in love? She can insight peace and calm and emotions that are already present. But she does not have the ability to make someone fall in love. She could use it," Finnick stopped. Paced the length of the space they were standing in. "On Zeus and rule all of Olympus, and with his lightning bolt, she could cause chaos. We've got to stop my mother."
"Oh, Finnick. What the trickster has done is quite nefarious."
"Jo believes it to be a bit of fun, but does not understand the consequences."
"Then we must find Katniss."
"I have searched Olympus and I can't find her."
"I don't think the girl is here. Zeus wouldn't allow a mortal to set foot on Mount Olympus."
"She will not be in the underworld. Zeus forbade it," Finnick said.
"Then we will search heaven and the Earth until we find her," Annie declared.
K*P*K*P
Katniss felt as if she was drugged with sleeping syrup.
She could hear voices and the strong scent of roses.
"Is she still under?" Venus asked with a hard edge to her voice.
"Yes," the quiet voice Katniss heard before responded. It sounded childlike and it quivered with fear.
"Keep her sedated," Venus growled before leaving. "I'll be back!"
Katniss sensed Venus left.
"Don't worry I have a plan, but you must be patient," the small voice said.
Katniss nodded.
"Just pretend to be asleep for now. I promise all will be well."
Katniss believed. She closed her eyes but she did fall asleep once more and she dreamt of Peeta. Of them reading and laughing together. Of sharing their mutual interests. She wanted for this to be a dream, to wake up and see him once more.
No one ever told her having regrets could be so painful.
K*P*K*P
In District Twelve, Peeta snuck to where the new Peacekeeper Romulus Thread lived. They were hiding behind a tree watching the door of his house. The man was unlike Cray who let things slide. Romulus was the type of man who loved to dole out harsh punishments simply because he had power.
They had to somehow get Thread's uniform before mid-afternoon, which was around 3 pm. Peeta hoped his mother wasn't cursing him for his disappearance. He looked up once more and saw the ancient city atop the mountain.
"Look there he is," Plutarch pointed out.
Romulus Thread was tall, lean, and powerful. His pristine white uniform was his source of pride. He stepped out into the sunshine and with crisp efficient movements closed the door.
"I'd do him," Jo said.
"Jo," Plutarch hissed. "Concentrate on the problem. Remember you want to have control of Venus' powers."
"I do," Jo said, her eyes glowing as they filled with mischief.
"Well concentrate," Plutarch said.
"Okay," Jo said. "Okay human, what is your plan?"
"We follow him," Peeta said.
Romulus headed to the Peacekeeping base of operations. They had to sneak into the base. Jo took down the camera with her ax so that Peeta could climb over the fence. Plutarch flew over the fence and Jo jumped over it.
"Where'd he go?" Peeta asked as they hid behind a building.
"Wait here I'll locate that hunk of man," Jo said.
"Why she finds weirdos attractive I'll never know," Plutarch muttered.
Peeta wanted to chuckle.
"I saw him go into that building, follow me," Jo said as her eyes glowed.
They followed her to the building. The spot where they hid they were to open. "We've got to find a better place to hide," Peeta said.
"There," Plutarch said. "Those crates will allow us to see everything and allow us to hide."
Peeta saw the four pallets of supplies by one of the buildings. It gave them different points of view. One by one they headed to the pallets. From their vantage point, Peeta saw the man walk in and out of buildings. Every time they heard footsteps or the rumble of an engine they had to determine if it was the Head Peacekeeper and if it wasn't Romulus, hide.
The sand in the hourglass dribbled down.
Peeta watched as Romulus addressed a group of Peacekeepers.
"At this rate, we'll never get his uniform," Plutarch grumbled.
"We'll get it," Peeta swore. He refused to lose hope.
By the time Romulus left the Peacekeeper cluster, it was noon, they only had three hours left. They followed Romulus on foot as he walked around the district. They had to zip and duck so that people wouldn't see a horned woman or a flying tiny man. Peeta hid behind shrubs and in alleyways. Shadows became his friend. It got harder as they left the Valley and headed up into the mountains.
They had been following behind him steadily when Peeta stepped on a twig. Romulus stopped walking and they dived into the side of the path hiding in the back of a bolder that was hidden by heavy foliage.
"He heard us," Plutarch bemoaned.
"No, not us. HIM!" Jo said furiously at Peeta.
Peeta felt heat invade his face.
"You sound like Hannibal's elephants crossing the Alps," Jo hissed.
"I'm sorry," Peeta said. "I have a heavy tread. I have a bad leg."
"Plutarch," Jo whispered. "See if the coast is clear."
"Why me?" Plutarch whined.
"Because you're the smallest and you can become invisible," Jo whispered.
"Oh, I forgot!" Plutarch dematerialized before Peeta's eyes.
Peeta looked at Jo.
"No, I can't become invisible at will." Jo clarified, "I'm invisible when people don't believe I exist. However, if there's one person who thinks I exist I'm visible."
"Huh," Peeta muttered. "Good to know."
"He's gone, he went into the woods," Plutarch whispered.
Peeta stood and got onto the main road. "Plutarch, where is he?"
"That way," Plutarch's voice said.
"Plutarch you're still invisible," Jo growled.
"Oh, yeah." A red-faced Plutarch reappeared.
"Which way?" Peeta asked.
"This way." Plutarch pointed excitedly.
They followed him to a river. They were watching Thread take samples of the water further upstream.
"If he would only take off his clothing, we could steal it from him," Jo said.
"How are we going to get that man to do that? He doesn't look like the type of man who skinny-dips," Plutarch said.
"It's just a thought," Jo said.
Plutarch and Jo began bickering.
Peeta sighed and walked away from them. He was determined to get Thread's uniform. He slowly made his way near the stream bed, his mind on Katniss. He thought of her fierceness and independence.
Coming to a clearing, he looked down at the water and he could see Katniss' reflection in it. The time they had together was short, yet in that time he discovered she was kind. She hunted to feed the widows and orphans. Her favorite time of the year was spring and she loved the color green.
She was shy until crossed. In the beginning, he had to draw words out of her, but once she began speaking she was sweet as she was funny. Peeta used these memories to propel him on his journey.
He looked down at the pool of water when a woman's form emerged. She was slender with long white hair and a fishtail. Her smile was sweet.
"Who are you?"
"I am Mag's, some call me a river god, others a water nymph, and others a mermaid." Her voice sounded like a song. She pointed to the image projected in the water. "Who is she?"
"That is Katniss," Peeta whispered. "Venus stole her."
"You are the one in love with Katniss?"
"I am he."
"Ah you are the baker's son who Aphrodite is angry at, all of Olympus is agog at your bravery."
"Who is Aphrodite?"
"Oh Venus, of course!" She laughed. "I heard of the tasks you must do."
"I must get her that man's clothing," Peeta said, pointing downriver to where Thread was.
"I can sing to him and make him join me in the water without his clothes. but you must cover your ears, else you will be caught in my song as well."
"Thank you!" Peeta stood with revised energy. He headed back to where he left Jo and Plutarch; they were still arguing.
"Well, we have to figure it out. He has less than half an hour before Venus comes looking for us," Plutarch huffed.
"I'm doing the best I can!" Jo said angrily.
"Hey, I met a mermaid named Mag's who told me she was going to help us. I just need to cover my ears!"
"Crap," Plutarch said.
"He needs something to stuff his ears with!" Jo said.
"I'll be back," Plutarch disappeared.
"Listen to me Peeta, when Mags starts to sing you have….oh hell." The first notes of Mag's song could be heard. "Stand by the tree." Jo pushed Peeta to a tree. "Wrap your arms around it now!"
Peeta was having a hard time listening to Jo. The song seemed to cancel out Jo's voice. He felt her grab his hands and bind them.
"I'm sorry, but until she stops singing you're not safe."
And lo and behold just as Mag's said, her song began to filter through the trees. Peeta's instinct was to walk to the sparkling water. He struggled against the ties until he closed his eyes and suddenly his heart recalled Katniss. The way her sultry voice caused his heart to race.
His heart began to dictate that the song he heard wasn't as sweet as that of Katniss. He was able to open his eyes and see when Romulus, as if in a trance, removed his clothing and walked into the river where Mag's was waiting for him.
"Jo, his clothing," Peeta said.
Surprised, Jo looked back at him. "Peeta, are you alright."
"Yes," Peeta said.
"You can hear the siren's song and not be affected? Only Odysseus has heard the siren's song without going mad. He had to be tied to his ship," Jo said in awe.
"Katniss's voice is far more beautiful."
"True love," Jo whispered. "Of a soulmate."
"I'll get the man's clothing," Jo said. Running to the spot where Thread's clothes lay discarded in a heap.
Just as she left Plutarch reappeared. "Cotton balls," he said as he stuffed them in Peeta's ears.
It didn't matter much to Peeta for Mag's song had no effect on him.
Jo came back with the uniform and released Peeta from his bindings. All three raced from the woods onto the road.
They began laughing, Peeta looked up to the tallest mountain where he could see the house of the gods. He still couldn't believe that was where they lived.
"That was epic," Jo said.
"I can't believe we did it," Plutarch said.
Peeta was about to open his mouth when he smelt the familiar scent of roses.
Venus appeared. Her face was smug. "Do you have my prize, mortal?"
Peeta produced the uniform. "What is my next task?"
Venus closed her mouth. "You need to get a bottle of a special spirit water, hidden here in your district. You have until the evening!"
Snatching the uniform, she disappeared.
K*P*K*P
"Please wake up," the small frightened voice said to Katniss.
Katniss opened her eyes. She saw a small frightened face peering into her eyes. It was the same face that had been peeking out from behind Venus's dress.
"You must hurry." She whispered looking behind her. "My mistress is coming."
Katniss' arms and legs were unstable as she tried to lift herself up. She couldn't see very well, but she gripped the small hand that led her in the darkened space. She could hear a dog barking.
"Sing," the child-like girl begged.
"But…" Katniss protested.
"Please only one thing can calm a beast and that is music."
"Promise me you will take me to Peeta."
"Who?"
Katniss closed her eyes concentrating. There had to be a way to describe to this child the importance of Peeta. She thought about the words she heard as her consciousness closed around her as she was taken from her home. "He is my Cupid or maybe my Psyche."
"I do not know who this Peeta is, but if you love him, your heart will lead you to him. The best I can do is lead you to freedom. But I implore you to sing."
Katniss opened her mouth and then closed it. The question hung in the air. Did she love Peeta? She wasn't sure.
"Please sing," the girl begged.
Katniss nodded. She allowed the child-like creature to lead her deeper into the darkened tunnel. Taking a deep breath Katniss began to sing into the darkness, "Deep in the meadow…"
Well, only two more chapters left until the end of this fic. LOL, I hope you guys have been enjoying this story. This story is for my friend Jhgsf82 who I value greatly. Also to my beta and bestie Norbertsmom who is always available when I need help with a story.
