AN: So, it's been a while. Yeah. On with the story! (We don't really feel like apologizing for our tardiness.) Thanks though if you're still reading this, despite all the gaps between chapters. If you want a recap, you might be better of with chapter XI instead of XI I/II.

Disclaimer: Not ours.

Chapter XII: Percy Jackson and the Tentacle Monster of Doom

Finnick's P.O.V.

It was a cold and misty evening. Actually, it was afternoon, but the gamemakers liked their epic battles dark and gloomy. Anyway, it was misty. Which is why I was surprised to hear that the mist was gone. "Capital M, Mist," Percy told us. Correction, the Mist was gone.

"It probably disappeared last night, cause Tracey has been able to see me right from the start," Percy reasoned.

"What does this Mist do?" Tracey asked. She seemed remarkably calm despite our present situation.

"It's supposed to cover the magical things up. Those horses, for instance, but it should have covered me up too."

"But does this mean that the Capitol knows you are here?" I worried. "President Snow is going to do something, you understand that right?"

"Of course."

Finnick wasn't sure Percy really understood how much power president Snow truly had. The whole Capitol Army stood behind him, and the gamemakers not to forget. If he wanted to, he could just barge in here and kill Percy himself.

'Stop worrying, Finnick. We both know Snow cares too much about his stupid games to make a too blatant try to kill me. He's already angry that I'm here, but he won't let the viewers at home know this. They can't find out that I came here against the will of the Capitol.' Percy shot him a glance.

'You may be right, but he still wants you dead. The gamemakers can make it look like an accident."

"Then we'll just have to be extra careful." The son of Poseidon smiled encouragingly.

Tracey frowned. "Did I just miss something? There certainly was something going on between you."

I shook my head.

"Let's just move forward, it's no use stressing over spilt milk." Percy said. "Tracey, are you coming with us?"

"Yeah, if you promise not to stab me in the back." She pondered inside her head for a moment. "Hmm, never thought I would need to say that in the literal sense."

"I've been thinking," I started saying. "We just keep on the move, but where are we heading? Are we just surviving or are we planning to find some other tributes?"

"You mean, hunt them down?" Tracey stated boldly.

"Are we going to?" I pushed.

"So far we've only accidentally bumped into others, but if you want we can go look for them. Think you can stomach killing some other tributes?" Percy asked.

"I…" I sighed. "We'll have to if we want to win, won't we? I've trained for this, not as much as the careers, but I can fight with the trident. Maybe it's time to face reality now. If we're ever going to get out of this alive, we have to seek them out."

"Oh, my god! You really want to hunt them down?" Tracey exclaimed. "That's so exciting!"

"Tracey, please." Percy shook his head.

She didn't stop. Tracey was on a roll. "No, hear me out. Why don't set up some traps around the woods. In places like, water storages, the cornucopia and anywhere else we can think off. We can hang up some nets in the trees or whatever."

"But how can we check every trap once they've been set up. We can't split up, and we can't leave them to die. We have to think of an alarm system of sorts," I put in.

"It won't work. It's impossible to keep track of all the alarms, even if we managed to do it. We won't know which of the alarms is ringing. We should think smaller," Percy said.

"Smaller as in less traps, or smaller as in closer together?" Tracey asked.

"Both," he answered. "Weave some out of vines or whatever, and hang them all up around the cornucopia. Remember that ring of trees? It's perfect for a trap. And if it doesn't work, at least we'll have some place to set up camp."

"Do you think there might still be some supplies left in the horn of plenty?" I wondered.

"Probably not, if there were, the careers would still be hanging around there. But they aren't as we saw them just an hour ago," Tracey reasoned. "But still, we can find some shelter from the wind."

"Sounds like a plan!" I said. "Let's get busy collecting vines."

"Wait, you guys actually know how to weave nets out of vines?" Percy exclaimed.

"Sure, don't you?" Tracey scoffed.

"Eh, no. It' not exactly a very useful craft to master."

"Well, it comes in handy now, doesn't it? Besides, district four is all about fishing, so nets are fundamental to our survival. District twelve, however…" I trailed, not sure why Tracey knew how to weave nets, but I just wrote it off as some strange Tracey-thingy.

We tore down every vine we could find. Percy carried them all, making him look like some tentacle monster. "At least it's not seaweed," was all Percy said about it. We cut vines until they formed a heap even bigger than Percy himself.

It took us until it was actually evening to get it all done. By that time, we all agreed that it would be wise to rest for a while, before we headed for the horn. We sat down on some charred grass, staring out into the dark forest. The vines lay somewhere nearby.

"How long do you think these games are going to last?" I asked.

"Homesick already?" Tracey teased.

"Aren't you?" I remarked.

"My life at home wasn't that great. Sure, I want to get out of here, but I don't want to go back to District Twelve again."

I stayed silent. Only one tribute will live to see their district again. We all knew it. Befriending Tracey won't be our best move, but what other options are there? If we are to work together, we must get along first. And in between all the weirdness that was Tracey Hawks, she was just like me in a way. Both of us have been plucked from the crowd, both of us know we have to kill the other in the end. And I like to imagine that both of us weren't looking forward to it.

I felt Percy's hand touch mine softly and I grasped it. He squeezed. 'I know what you're thinking,' he said.

I nodded. I, in return, knew what he had been thinking. 'I don't want you to leave, after the games are over. You can stay in District Four with me, if you want to, I mean.'

'I wish I could, really. But I already know the gods won't allow it. They had the power to send me here, they also have the power to take me back.'

'Will they still send you back, knowing you want to stay here?'

'Well, they have to at some point. I can't stay in the future forever. This is your world, not mine.'

He squeezed my hand again, though it wasn't as reassuring as the one before this conversation had been.

"I'm missing out on things again, aren't I?" Tracey sighed. "Why can't you guys include me in your conversations?"

AN: see you again somewhere in the future.