Author's Note: A bit of a different chapter, a new, outside perspective from a character I have mentioned a little. Basically, I wrote this because I really wanted to and thought this might be the best place for it as something to split the two parts of the story.

….

The Reaping Part II

It was a strange feeling to be on the other side, standing in the crowd, hiding in plain sight, instead of being on the stage. But Dora was part of District Four now. She was no longer their escort, she had left all allegiances to the Capitol behind when she got on that train, waiting for the arrival of Noah's bandits to smuggle her into the district.

This new escort was not a patch on her. She had clearly been rushed through training ready for the Quell as Dora's last-minute replacement following her official death at the hands of dangerous bandits in the borderlands of Four. But it was all wrong. This new woman, Diana Treasure, was clearly not ready for the occasion and nor did she understand the mood in Four.

This was not a joyous occasion. The victors were loved and admired in Four. They were the district's unofficial leaders who had carried the fire for Four's rebellion since Mags survived the Eleventh Games. Four was proud of them and now their leadership was going to be broken apart when they were needed most.

Diana Treasure was not to know that of course, but she was clearly ill-prepared for the event and could not handle the difference in dynamic from what she had been told to expect. Four was a career district but it was not One or Two and the people had been angry for years. She was never going to get the warm welcome she was naively expecting.

She was treating it the only way she knew. As if she were reaping teenagers like she had just been taught, not accomplished victors, proud adults who had lived successful, eventful lives beyond the Games. These were people who knew the Capitol too. The victors, and Four, were not to be underestimated and here she was, babbling away like an excited child.

In many ways, Dora was glad to no longer be an escort. She would have refused to reap her victors. She knew she was going to be forced into retirement after the Quell so she would have forced their hand a year early.

But Dora would have handled Mags volunteering with far greater dignity and respect instead of squealing in shock and trying to gain a reaction from the crowd. Shouting in Mags' face as if she were completely deaf did not go down well, and neither did practically wetting herself with excitement as soon as she read Finnick's name. This woman had a lot of growing up to do and now her victors were stuck on the train with her. It was not right. None of it was.

….

It was time for the mandatory broadcast. As such, Mags' daughters, Cari and Sereia, had to close their bar early. They returned to the basement to join her, along with a few of their closest associates who were aware of Dora's true identity.

"I'm sorry," Dora said to them both as they entered the basement.

"We knew it was going to happen. Besides, you love her too."

"I do, but she's your mother."

"She is," Cari started. "But we're Four first. We're adults. We know what comes first. You understand that as much as any of us."

The anthem started and Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith appeared on screen, chatting excitedly about the unprecedented nature of this Quarter Quell and the spectacle the nation was about to witness. The best of the best fighting it out, in an especially deadly arena to become the victor of all victors.

"Just a shame none of them want that title. They're friends," Dora remarked.

"You know the most out of all of us, talk us through it, Dora," Sereia replied.

The footage soon turned to a warm and sunny District One, but the tension on the ground in one of the richest districts was palpable, even to the most disinterested viewer.

"They'll leave the show for the arena. It's tense in One. The victors won't do anything to stir things up. Gem will have her finger to the pulse, and she'll keep her victors in check. They understand appearances too. Look at them. Coordinating colours and they're all wearing the bracelets."

"Bracelets?" Cari asked.

"Yes. The chosen volunteers for each year are given a gold bracelet to signify their status. They're all wearing them this time, presenting themselves as equal. Nobody will volunteer."

"But it's District One."

"Things are changing. Gloss and Cashmere will be reaped. Look at how they're all standing. Gloss in the middle of the men, slightly forwards and Cashmere the same with the women. It draws your eye, almost so you expect it. They're clever in One like that".

"You can tell all that from how they're standing and what they're wearing?"

"Of course. I was taught it, but I am a natural all the same. It's why I was so good at my job."

….

"Typical Two! He's desperate to go back for the win again, never mind who he'll have to kill!" one of their associates shouted.

"It's an act," Dora replied. "At least partially. Brutus will want the win, it's his nature. And he'll believe that he is Two's best chance. He probably is too. His Marcus could give him a run for his money, but I imagine Brutus' strength will have got him the volunteer role. But look at how he flinched when Remus' name was called, one of his boys. He is very protective over his victors, and he would not let them go back."

"You know them this well?"

"I have spent twenty years in their presence, when they are under considerable stress too. It is very telling. I know their approach to mentoring, how they perceive themselves as victors, their roles in Panem, and who they are closest to. And I know Mags. She knows them the best and I could tell so much from how she handled the different victors."

….

"Oh, poor Halley, obviously been crying. She's a strong woman, and wouldn't fear another arena, but this has obviously rattled her. I wouldn't have expected this, but then again, she loves Wiress. She loves the victors, they're her family and all that is going to change."

"So, Halley won't be reaped?" Cari asked.

"No. Beetee and Wiress come as a pair in the Capitol. And it will be Beetee over Pluto who hasn't been to the Capitol for years. Besides, I don't think the Gamemakers want the Quarter Quell to end within twenty-four hours."

Sereia laughed, "She'd blow everything up again."

"Of course. The Gamemakers would have to come up with something unique to stop her. And oh, here we are, Wiress' name has been called and the poor woman looks to be falling apart. No wonder Halley is so upset. Your mother will be too when she sees this, she has always looked out for Wiress."

"She likes the Threes, doesn't she? Are they like she says?" Sereia asked.

"They're good people with great ideas. Not as they present themselves in the Capitol, half of that is an act. The other half, well they're clever and intuitive. Resourceful like nobody else, and they work well together."

….

The group stayed silent as they watched the reaping in Four. They were there. They knew what had happened.

"Your mother is a brilliant, wonderful woman. She did perfectly here. I do hope Annie is okay, well better than she was earlier."

There were mutterings of general agreement amongst those gathered in the basement before Cari spoke up again.

"And what do you make of your replacement?"

Dora snorted, "Entirely inadequate. Woefully unprepared for the occasion. Behaving as if she were reaping teenagers. And to think they're now stuck on the train with that dreadful woman! Friends with Candy Blush, unfortunately, Eleven's escort. If she is anything like her friend she will be babbling inanely, entirely insensitive too. Seeder has patience for young Candy, Chaff does not. I don't know how our dear victors will put up with this Treasure woman."

"She seemed to think our mother has lost her faculties," Sereia commented.

"Candy is the same with Orchard. But she'll learn quickly. Your dear mother is as sharp as she ever was. Oh, and to think she might not be comfortable on the train. I always had everything ready for their arrival. I knew exactly how they liked everything on the journey to the Capitol, how they liked to prepare the children. But nothing will be right."

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother's comfort was always my priority. I knew where she liked to sit during dinner and to watch the reapings. I had her chair ready, the required number of cushions, and her tea just as she liked it. The others too, I knew what they liked to eat during the journey and made sure it was available. Knew how they liked their rooms and what the usual routine was with the children. It helped the journey go as smoothly as possible. Now, I dread to think of your mother being in discomfort. And Chloe and Coral. They could be open around me, I would have never said a word. I guess now they've revealed everything to Panem. But I don't know how comfortable they will feel around this woman."

"You're worried they won't be able to speak openly?" Cari asked.

"Well, yes. Of course, the train was bugged but we had a code. We could speak freely that way. But that will be out of the window. Treasure will be loyal and likely under instructions to report back anything she deems unusual. But they will all be aware of that. The downside to this officially being dead is that I could not prepare a suitable replacement. But I'm sure they will manage.

Noah and Finnick know the Capitol well too, as well as any of the others. I just hope she will calm down around dear Finnick though. It will become tiring, and he will not need her fawning around him whilst he steadies himself for the arena. I hope you girls, well all of you know, that I never saw dear Finnick in that way. I have known him since he was fourteen and any insinuation of a flirtation or anything of the sort is wildly inappropriate."

"We know, Dora, don't you worry," Cari replied.

"I'm going to be worried about them all. But it is out of my control. I know they will do everything that is needed of them. As I will here."

….

"What about this one? Any predictions?" came a voice from the back of the room.

"Well, Hal is inevitable. But between Luna and Porter, it could be either. A genuine fifty-fifty chance. No point in rigging this one."

"So, some of the reapings are rigged?" the man asked again.

Dora turned towards him and gave a pointed look, "Of course. How could anybody doubt that? When it was Noah and Finnick's turn, I had to select a slip with a blue circle in the corner. And to make sure I could find one, at least half of the entries were marked that way. I was able to sneak a couple of them back to show Mags to confirm, and each marked slip bore their names. Most of these reapings will be the same this year. Either the papers will be marked, or every slip will have the same name."

"But not here?"

"No point. Neither will win and neither are influential. They're nice women, although Porter has more grit and determination, but Luna it is. They're not silly enough to volunteer either. At least dear Mags is considered important enough to be on the list for our friends to the east."

….

"Poppy looks wonderful. Your mother will be so proud, as they will be in Seven too."

"It's just a shame then, that she's probably going back there," Sereia said.

"Oh no, she will be mentoring. She is needed in the Mentor's Centre and is crucial in Six."

"Claudia and Levi then?"

"I believe so. Your mother thinks they have had enough and looking at them, I'm inclined to agree. Poor Max though, they're his victors. He's watched them suffer, lose everything and now he's going to lose them for good."

….

"They're hungover," Dora announced to the laughter of everyone else in the room.

"They're hiding it pretty well," Cari replied.

"Sawyer's face. It's one I've seen regularly, and Blight looks paler than usual."

"Well, that could be the reaping."

"True. It's likely him and poor Johanna, who will take this about as well as I imagine."

"Not very well then?"

"Precisely," Dora added. "But if I were her, I wouldn't be best pleased either. Only four years since her Games and here she is again, and she's lived a lot of life in those four years. Far too much has happened. But look at her, always herself. Won't hide her anger, and good for her I say."

"The others are trying to keep her in line though."

"A life's work for Blight. But to his credit, he is dedicated to her. Dare I say it, he will be in the arena too. I never would have thought the Sevens would be in line with One though, look at them."

"What do you mean?" Sereia asked.

"Liev and Sawyer a step behind, the likely candidates in Linden and Blight a step forward and in the centre. They look united too, outfits in step with each other. Now, knowing these men, that won't have been intentional, but they've done well."

Cari and Sereia laughed. From what their mother had told them about Seven's victors, a penchant for fashion and being image conscious was not what they were known for.

"But now it's confirmed. Blight with his young Johanna. Mentor and tribute. Both tributes now. How unfortunate. He will have made an agreement with Linden about not volunteering, they're pragmatic. Linden will support from the sidelines. They'll all go to the Capitol, won't leave anyone sitting alone."

"Smart of them, given their numbers."

"They're an intelligent bunch in Seven. Not in the Three way, but they've always known what to do. But can't you just feel it, sense it even through the screen?"

"What?" Cari asked. "I mean from the looks she is giving her, it's obvious Johanna doesn't like the escort, but I don't think she very much likes anyone from the Capitol, sorry Dora."

"No offence taken. And no, she doesn't. She tolerated me because of dear Finnick's kind words. But yes, she hates the escort, and with good reason too. You can see it from Blight though. His distaste at having to stand so close, it makes for quite an awkward image. You see, Vespa Antonia is the reason why more of Johanna's people died after the Seventy-Second. She overheard Blight, Linden and Poppy trying to sort Johanna out and reported her. They knew it was her and there has been hatred ever since. It will be quite the tense few days on the Seven floor."

….

"Oh, how awful. This is completely distressing. Poor Cecelia, we all liked her. Those darling children too, and her charming husband, who your mother firmly approves of by the way. He'll keep things together at home. But oh dear. Cotton is still no better and poor, poor Woof. How undignified, for this to be the way it ends for him. After decades of service to Eight and dedication to his victors, for this to happen."

"Eight looks a mess," one of the group said.

"I believe it has been on the edge, so to speak, for some time now."

"I think it's blown apart," came the reply. The cameras did not cut away quickly enough and the very beginning of Eight's charge on the peacekeepers was aired on national television before the screen cut to District Nine.

….

"Well, this is different to Eight. Could be any reaping. Nine's people look even less interested than usual."

"From what little we know, from what little our mother can tell, Nine seems different," Sereia said.

"They're a closed-off bunch, the Nines. They've let the Fives in but nobody else. Of course, there is respect for dear Mags, but it goes no further. Nine itself is insular too. They live in separate villages, with little contact between them, given how separated they are, by all those fields. The reaping affects a maximum of two villages each year. It's a day off for the rest. This year it's only the Victors' Village affected, so even fewer people care."

"That's sad really."

"It is yes, especially now it's clear that Barric and Maizey have finally realised what we could all see for years. What a shame. What a waste."

….

"They love each other, really love each other, don't they?" Cari asked.

"They do," Dora replied. "This is very sad. For them both, for Maria, their families. Everyone likes them. Very popular in the Mentor's Centre. They're both kind-hearted, and very sweet, no need for secrets with them. Of course, they're involved with all of this, but they're each other's priorities."

"They look a nice pair," Sereia said.

"They are. The victors are a complicated bunch. Many layers to them all. They live in shades of grey. But these two have managed to come through it all with their kindness intact and that is special."

"And now it ends like this."

"It ends like this, Dora replied softly."

….

Like in Eight, the cameras could not pull away fast enough and Eleven's adopting of Twelve's salute towards their victors made the broadcast. Plutarch was pulling the right strings. Or it was incompetence. Dora couldn't be sure.

"I don't fully understand why Orchard was reaped. It serves no purpose. Chaff was obviously going to volunteer in such a situation," Dora commented.

"A genuine reaping? Fifty-fifty chance perhaps?" one of the group suggested.

"In Eleven? The place where they have just adopted Twelve's salute, a place clearly on the precipice? Definitely not. But I do not understand why. A test for Chaff maybe? But I don't know whether he has passed or failed."

"Does Snow want him out of the way?"

"Potentially. He's not the most straightforward of victors. If Snow or his cronies were to create a list of who they deemed loyal victors, I doubt he would be on it. Eleven presents a problem so removing influential people serves a purpose. Chaff volunteering means they're all out of the way. Orchard is clearly too unwell to have much time left."

"Who would be on that list?"

"At this point, I'm honestly not sure. From what I have heard, Snow is so unbelievably paranoid I doubt he trusts anyone."

….

With only three victors and one inevitable outcome, it was not the most interesting of reapings. But the identity of these three victors meant that events in Twelve were a particularly gripping watch. For those in Four, it would be a final look at their girl in her own environment, back where she unknowingly set the wheels into motion.

Katniss Everdeen was focused on her sister, on those closest to her. The drama resulting in Peeta volunteering was played out brilliantly. The girl, obviously upset, even if she did not fully understand the depth of her feelings for the boy. The little show between Haymitch and Peeta, for a final moment of tension to begin these Games. Twelve and its victors repeating their salute. It all worked in their favour.

"Entirely predictable but entirely what we need. Snow can continue with his fixation on a seventeen-year-old girl, the public get their 'star-crossed lovers' and we're on track whilst the Capitol remain distracted."

"The girl herself?"

"A brilliant job. Emotional, responsive, genuine, and in touch with the people. Right where we need her to be."

"Our mother will be pleased. She is looking forward to meeting them since she was denied the opportunity on the Victory Tour," Cari said.

"I am sure she is. And looking forward to seeing Haymitch again."

"She thinks a lot of him."

"Rightly so. He may drink far too much and have poor manners, but he is smart and a strategic thinker. Somebody we need. Thankfully, he remains on the outside. Horrible for that lovely boy, but it's the way things need to be. A lot will rest on them and of the three of them, only Haymitch fully understands what is about to happen."