Gale

Effie was tittering on and on about something. I was supposed to go to the television room and watch the reapings of the other districts. Mira was already there, so I decided to go, also.

Apparently Katniss and Peeta had worked out their issues; they came into the room smiling and whispering. My gaze, not of my own accord, zeroed in on their hands, interlinked. That should be my hand, locked with hers....

Before I could continue my brooding, Effie hushed everyone, because the reapings from District 1 were starting. As expected, a monstrous boy volunteered. Career, obviously. The girl, though, was a tiny little thing. Smaller than even Prim. I waited, but no one, not a soul volunteered. Before I could fathom what that could mean, the next district was up, with more huge Careers. They continued in that matter, and only a few stuck out in my head; the small girl from District 1, someone like me, about 20 years old, from District 5, and a ten-year-old from District 11. This Quarter Quell was so unfair. If they had just extended the limit upwards, maybe then it wouldn't be as bad. I would still be here, but the young ones, the ones from Districts 1 and 11, they shouldn't have to be.

They shouldn't have to be. The Capitol shouldn't have such extreme control over us. We had rights, didn't we? We had brains, and feelings. We could think for ourselves. So why did we continue to let the Capitol walk all over us?

"Gale, what do you think of the other tributes?" Katniss asked me loudly, no doubt recognizing my expression, since apparently I got the same expression every time I tried to plan an uprising back home.

"Um, I think the one my age will be tough, and the careers, obviously. I don't like having the young ones in there."

"Me either," Mira said. We all stared; it was the first time she'd spoken. "It's not right," she continued. Her manner was quiet, but persistent. "They shouldn't have to die like that."

"Fine talk for a Capitol train, this is," Haymitch said in a warning tone.

"Yes, why don't we move on to lighter subjects," Effie trilled. "Oh my goodness! Look! Look! The Capitol!"

I couldn't help myself, I went to the window. Mira was close behind me, but Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch stayed in their seats. I supposed they had seen enough of this city for a lifetime. It was breathtaking, I had to admit that. Grudgingly, but I had to admit it. There were more lights than I had ever seen in my lifetime. The money it must have taken to light this city could keep our whole district afloat for a year.

Abruptly I was sick of the view. I hated this city, hated its inhabitants, what it stood for. "I'm going to my room," I announced, and stalked off, trying to erase the image from my mind.

Mira

Gale stormed past me, muttering about waste and Capitol evilness. The boy amazed me. This morning at breakfast, he had been fairly pleasant. Teasing Peeta about his issues, and not glaring into space. Now he gets this crazy scheming expression, glares at the city, and stalks away. It was frightening. I attributed it to stress over the games, feelings for Katniss--everyone saw it except her, she was so blind!--and the like.

I tried to focus on something else. It wasn't hard; I always had something on my mind. Always the same thing, too. But I preferred not to think about that as much as possible...

I thought, instead, of Peeta. He had been staring at me during the meal, even though he didn't think I'd noticed. I wondered again if he recognized me. He sure hadn't acknowledged me. But I couldn't believe that he had completely forgotten who I was. He was probably just refusing to talk to me for my own good. Or maybe I was blowing this way out of proportion. He probably wasn't refusing at all, and he just hadn't had a chance to, or didn't want to.

Something like that.

He was happy enough with Katniss, anyway. That was what really mattered, wasn't it? He loved her, and while she didn't love him, supposedly—that's what I'd picked up from Haymitch's ragging and Gale's teasing this morning, to my surprise—at least she humored him, and they seemed to be friends.

I tried to remember that's what I really cared about—his happiness—as I sneaked off to my room, invisible as always...

Katniss

I watched Mira leave to her room. I still had no clue who she was. I stood up, since no one else was saying anything. I wanted to have that conversation now.

But just as I was pulling Peeta to his feet, Effie announced that we were at the station, and that Gale and Mira must go to their stylists.

Gale appeared, looking unhappy at the thought of makeup and clothes. "Any advice?"

"Don't argue with them. Whatever they do, just go along with it. Whining will get you no where." Haymitch said, the same speech he had given us last year.

"You're not serious?" Gale grunted.

"He's right; besides, you'll have Cinna and Portia; they'll make you guys amazing!" I said encouragingly. At least, that's what I was going for.

"Fine." Gale seemed in an especially bad mood today.

As Effie lead them to their prep rooms, I couldn't help a small giggle that escaped my lips. Gale was going to hate the prep teams.

In the meantime though, Peeta, Haymitch, and I took the opportunity to discuss strategy, and the like. Or rather, they did, and I sat next to Peeta and tried to look involved in the discussion.

"But what are the odds of that?" Peeta was saying.

"The odds of what?" I asked tactfully.

"Keep up sweetheart." Haymitch said at the same time that Peeta said, "the odds that they're going to keep the two victors rule. I don't think it's at all likely."

"Well they haven't formally revoked it. All I'm saying is, maybe we should let 'em get to know each other!"

"And if they do? It will be so much harder for them going into the arena as friends."

"At least they'll have an ally!"

"Why don't we let them decide?" I interjected quietly. I agreed with both of them, to an extent. They needed allies, but I didn't want to pit them against each other after making them become friends.

"She's got a point. But what would you do, sweetheart?" Haymitch said.

"I don't know, honestly. Which is why I'm saying, ask them."

"Alright, fine."

The time passed in silence for a few minutes. Then Haymitch stood up, muttering something about finding a drink, leaving us alone.

"I still have no idea who she is," I said, almost to myself.

Of course Peeta understood what I was talking about immediately. "I know. I wish we could talk to her, right now. We have to do it soon."

"Definitely." It was quiet for a moment, until I whispered, "Peeta?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you so against them being friends? You were in love with me last year; I thought you would be on the same side as Haymitch for this..."

"I've thought about that a lot myself, and that is exactly why I disagree with him."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that, because I was so focused on keeping you safe, I had little regard for my own safety. And it was so much more unbearable, watching the skies every night, to see if you had made it. I don't want them to have to go through that, especially if they know they can't both win. I never planned on winning; I was going to make sure you did; but they both have a chance. I don't want to take that away from them."

I was quiet for a long time. When he explained it like that, it made sense that he wouldn't want to put them through such agony.

"It makes sense now, why you were so adamant about this," I said finally. "I agree with what you're saying, but having a friend in the arena can be the difference... you know? When I had... Rue... with me, I felt as though I actually had a chance. And it gave me purpose. When I promised her I would try, I knew I would, even more than when I'd told Prim the same thing. But you're right; it's incredibly painful when you lose that person."

"Well, I guess it's up to them, then."

"Yes, it is..."

We were quiet for the remainder of the time, enjoying the companionable silence between us. I was so happy that we could be friends; real friends, not like the fabricated—on my part—romance that we put on for the Capitol. I'd come to realize in the past year that Peeta had become my friend during the Games; I had missed him terribly while he had ignored me, though I would never admit it. I'd only admitted it to myself a few months ago.

I thought about how serious Peeta had been when he'd argued with Haymitch, how adamant in his point. It was so unlike him; he was usually placating and calm. There must have been more of a reason for his conviction, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

These were the thoughts that roamed in my head until Mira and Gale emerged, ready for the parade. I had thought our costumes last year were breathtaking, but Cinna and Portia had outdone themselves again.

They weren't matching this year. Mira looked absolutely amazing in a floor-length, close fitting blood red dress and head-piece. I gasped when, as she turned, flames licked up and down the dress, making her look like a tongue of fire.

Gale was in a black unitard, not unlike ours had been last year, but with one major difference: flames soared up from the bottom of his feet, not just his cape and headpiece. The effect was terrifying, as if he controlled the fire to do his every whim. It was beyond words.

We didn't have time to tell them how they looked though, because the parade was starting immediately. They barely mounted the carriage before it pulled out. I hardly had time to register that Mira grabbed Gale's hand before they had left the building, taking our fire with them.

Peeta

I watched Katniss as she watched Gale and Mira leaving. I saw her stare as the grasped hands, but tried not to think about it.

Instead, I offered her my hand. "Let's go watch the parade," I said.

We walked out together, silently. It must have been amazing, because everyone all around us was screaming and throwing flowers and calling out the names of the tributes. But I wasn't paying attention; I was lost in thought. Thoughts of what the arena would be, how our tributes would fair, what it would be like to mentor them... and mostly, if I was right about keeping them apart.

It had been torture for me last year, never knowing if Katniss would make it through the next day, wanting to protect her, but not wanting to endanger myself in the process. I couldn't justify putting someone else through anything like that. When someone you love is in danger or pain, you feel compelled to help them, almost like you have no choice. My priority had to be keeping Gale and/or Mira alive. How could I do that when they were putting themselves in danger to help each other? I had almost died that way... so had Katniss. It was too much to risk.

I was pulled out of my morbidity when Katniss pulled on my arm, leading me to a quieter, more secluded part of the street we were on.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You've been so quiet lately."

"I'm fine. I'm just worried about the Games. I don't know how I'll live with myself if..." If we failed. She understood my silence.

"I know. No one expects us to succeed, but I feel that I have to."

"I just don't want to end up like Haymitch, a drunk nuisance. Or those morphlings we met on the tour from the other districts." Some of the victors had turned to the Capitol's extremely strong pain-killing drug, instead of drink. Only a handful were still in good shape.

"We won't. We have something none of them have," she said quietly. "Each other."

Warmth flooded me as I looked down into her grey eyes. I knew she wasn't lying.

I took her hand, and together we returned to the center of the street. Together we would face what ever came at us. Together, at least, as friends.

A/N: This ones seems a little shorter than the others, but apparently it has more words so idk :-P It was hard for me to get inspired this time around, so it took longer and its prolly not as good as past uploads :P let me know what you think of Mira's character, if she's too over the top or w/e :) its not my best, but i don't think its horrible haha. the next one will - hopefully - be better :D Read&Review! :D

--mockingjay