The three day training phase is over much too soon, even though I am glad to have a short break from being around all those sponsors. Katniss and Madge should return from their sessions with the Gamemakers any minute, so Effie, Haymitch and I are back at the penthouse, waiting for them. Portia and Cinna join us before long.

I hope they do well, but I'm pretty confident they will. They're about as trained as you can get without actually been a Career from our months of preperation, Katniss having years of hunting to top it all of. And the training went very well so far. Even my sister more or less accepted Amphitrite as an ally, though she is still very opposed to Olive. We'll have to figure something out on that front...

But now, their training scores are the bigger concern. Katniss, true to her word, didn't shoot in training, but she did get her hands on a bow under pretense of checking out Olive's skills and she said the construction is off from what she uses at home, so I hope she can shoot alright.

Johanna Mason told me her tributes seem pretty impressed by both Madge and Katniss in training, so that's good, too. Even though Johanna wasted no time in pointing out that those two would probably be impressed by someone knowing which end of a sword to grab, so maybe not the best indicator. But Johanna is chronically pessimistic, so she might just be exaggerating.

Plus, no one in their right mind would not pay attention to Twelve this year, so they have it easier than most years on that front.

None of this makes me any less nervous, though, and I am pacing by the time Madge and Katniss finally get back.

"How'd it go?"I demand the second the elevator opens. Effie clucks her tongue in disapproval."Let them sit down, Prim. Dinner's about to be served."

We all move to the dining room and once the soup is served, Haymitch reiterates my question."All right, so how did your private sessions go?"

Both of them shrug, Madge gesturing for Katniss to speak first."Dunno, I shot some arrows,"she says, seemingly more interested in her soup."I hit the targets, if that's what you're asking. Lucky I checked out the bows before, they're very different here."

There's a short pause as everyone waits for her to elaborate, but it quickly becomes clear she doesn't intend to."And?"

She looks at me at that."And what?"

"The Gamemakers? Did they say anything?"I ask. Katniss shakes her head."Just... thanked me and said I could leave. But they seemed happy enough."

"Well, that is more than Twelve can usually expect,"Effie says, smiling brightly as she turns to Madge."And what about you, dear?"

"Much the same as Katniss,"my friend replies."Replace the bow and arrows with a javelin and you pretty much have my session summed up. Though Katniss probably aims better than I do."

Katniss smiles at her."They saw you do the obstacle course in training, though. You've got me shown up there. Actuaclly, you showed up everyone." She turns to talk to the whole table."Seriously, best time out of all the tributes. She had thirteen seconds on that Sapphire girl from One. The Careers actually tried to get her to ally with them after that."

Madge grins deviously."I said I'd think about it. They've been very nice to me since."

"They have that girl from Six, too,"Katniss adds and Haymitch shakes his head."In my day, the Careers would have never allied with Twelve, I tell you, back then -"

"You had to walk barefoot through the snow, uphill both ways to find allies?"I interupt him innocently. I don't need him going on some rant about unlikely alliances and their disadvantages with Katniss still wary of my ally choices for her. Haymitch turns to me, perplexed."What?"

"I believe Prim just called you an old, rambling coot,"Effie says helpfully and Katniss actually giggles. Portia takes up the conversation as if nothing's happened."Well, they have to get up their numbers somehow, with Olive Kentwell out of the alliance and Amphitrite Odair likely not joining either."

"Definitely not joining,"Madge corrects."She's with us. Right, Katniss?"

My sister makes a non-commital grunting noise at this, which is an improvement from when she flat-out refused any allies other than Madge."I still want Avalon."

"I know,"Madge sighs,"But that would mean Curie too. And Amphitrite refuses to ally with both of them. So does Olive, by the way. Besides, how would we get away from the Cornucopia with six of us?"

"We could hold the Cornucopia with six of us,"my sister argues. She has a point, there, but Haymitch said to make sure they don't go through with that, so I argue."With six fighters, yeah. But you wouldn't be. And you'd be right there out in the open, having slighted the Careers even more than by just stealing Amphitrite from them and been sponsor favourites. They'd not think about anything but killing you until either your or their alliance would be completely wiped out. They'd basically have no other choice than to target you."

Cinna interupts our discussion with a smile."The scores are about to be announced. Shall we move to the living room?"

We do, and anxiously await their results. The scores bring no real surprises. The Careers score between eight and ten as usual, Jonsa gets and eight aswell, hich must secure her spot in their alliance. Low to medium scores for everyone else. Then, finally, our district is up. Madge, having been reaped second and therefore taking all the spots usually occupied by the boy tribute, is up first.

She scores a nine, Portia throwing her arms around her at the same time as me.

Then Katniss's face is on screen, accompanied by a flashing ten.

This year, there'll be two real alliances.

)o(

Katniss eleven, in my headcanon, was to make her a target

she didn't attack the Gamemakers here, so she got a score that actually reflected her skills (with maybe a little something extra for being the sister of the famous Girl on Fire)

didn't have power due to storm earlier so late update but those happen alot lately anyways so sorry but you're probs not surprised (sorry for that too)