Chapter 7
There was one person who had not forgotten, though –– Katniss Everdeen. She had heard the name Artemis Gossamer from Petronius himself when they were discussing potential alliances. She was curious, because Petronius had said not much about her. He almost seemed to be avoiding the subject entirely.
When the temporary television studio had been cleared out, Katniss sat in front of the television to watch Artemis's interview. As the interview started, Katniss started to wonder if she was watching the right interview. Yes, Caesar had said Artemis Gossamer. Katniss had imagined her as a graceful young woman about Petronius's age, with deep, beautiful eyes and a solemn smile.
Artemis was none of these except for young. The girl was no older than fourteen, and actually quite undignified looking. She was petite, but was still a shade too thin even for someone who was naturally small. She was dressed in skinny jeans, a black tunic, and socks. No obvious attempt of alteration was made on her face, but her short, neatly trimmed dark hair was a bit damp. Katniss noted that even though many of the Capitol tributes still had streaks of color in their hair, she saw nothing in Artemis's. Her lips were curled up in a devious smirk, as if she was calculating how fast she would be able to drop a firecracker down Caesar's pants and flee the crime scene. As she listened and spoke, Artemis rolled a coin over her knuckles. Caesar tried not to notice, but every so often he would keep looking down at the coin, flipping almost hypnotically over the fingers of her hand. Every so often, she would subconsciously switch to her other hand. It was almost mesmerizing.
"So, Artemis," Caesar began, trying to ignore the coin. "I've heard that you're pretty smart for a girl your age. Can you tell us, exactly, how smart?"
Artemis pursed her lips. The rolling coin never missed a beat, and at that moment, she flipped it to her left hand. "That depends. How long do we have?"
Several people off-screen laughed. Caesar nodded. "I see your point. Can you name one of your achievements?"
"I hacked into Vice President Angelico's computer database at age eight."
Katniss wasn't sure who Vice President Angelico was, but the Capitol people sure did. Several people in the room gasped, someone whistled. Caesar's eyebrows rose. "Did you have a reason for doing this?"
"Boredom." This drew a couple laughs.
"And what did you find?"
"Records of the first rebellion."
More gasps. Caesar exhaled. "Wow. Is that why you have been something of a… rebel?"
"It was part of it. The real motivation came two years later." The coin flipped back to her right hand.
"What was that?"
"When I ran away."
Stone cold silence. Then Caesar asked, "Why did you run away?"
Artemis smiled faintly, yet humorlessly. "I'm not entirely sure why I ran away in the first place. Most children reach that stage of supposition some time in their life, that they hate their family and can survive on their own. Mine came later than most, but contrary to the others, I actually had the means to provide for myself. So, when I said I would run, I really meant it."
"Where did you go?"
"District 11. Ironic, right? A Capitol representative for District 11 who has actually been there."
"How did you get there?"
"Let's just say that my father never saw that plane again. I had crashed my ride, a single-seat flyer, in one of the fields. The district people found me unconscious and dangling upside down from my seat belt, and when I came to, a woman was treating my injuries. She didn't ask any questions, and when I felt better, I left. I survived on the streets for a time, honing my skills as a thief. But the second I saw an exit, I made my way back to the Capitol."
"How did you do it?" Caesar asked, breathless.
"A tribute train. They were transporting a boy named Thresh and a girl named Rue." Here Katniss inhaled sharply. "The Capitol attendants didn't see me, so I just slipped on. The two tributes found me, though, when I tried to…ahem, liberate something to eat and something to wear. They didn't tell anyone about my presence, and hid me until we arrived at the Capitol. I returned to my father. I told only him my story, and even then I omitted the parts about the two tributes. But what harm can be done by telling the information now? They're both dead."
She caught her coin in a clenched fist and looked right into the cameras, seemingly locking eyes with Katniss. Then she turned back to Caesar and continued.
"When I returned, my father tried to convert me back to the ways of the Capitol. But there was always something that was different inside me. I had a new perspective. I had seen what the district people were going through; I had been the lowest of the low myself. I did a little more research –– all right, maybe it was a little more like hacking –– and found what I wanted. I cannot say that I agree with the Mockingjay and her rebels. And I cannot say that I disagree with them entirely. But I can say this –– that my view of the government changed dramatically."
All was silent. Katniss barely even breathed. "Is there more?" inquired Caesar after a five seconds' quiet.
"More of what?"
"More of the story. Is that the end?"
"No," said Artemis crisply. "It's not the end. There is no such thing as the end of the story, at least until the time to pass on comes. My story will continue until I am dead and forgotten by all living minds. There is more. It just has not been told yet."
Her speech silenced anything else anyone had to say. No one spoke, so she did. "You are lucky that I dared tell you and all of Panem what little I did. That much in itself is an amazing thing."
Caesar nodded slowly. "Well, I think our time is up," he said, standing up and holding out his hand to Artemis. "Best of luck to you, Artemis Gossamer, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
"I don't need the odds, or luck," said Artemis after she shook hands. "I only need my wisdom and my secret weapons on my side."
When Artemis left and was replaced by a stocky, ginger faced young man about Petronius's age, Katniss turned the television off. She sat there for quite a while, wondering about Artemis –– and how much the girl really knew.
*yawns*
I can't wait for the next chapter… at least that one's semi-suspenseful. Kind of.
Maybe I should have blended this one and that one?
Nah.
I like torturing you guys.
If you review you get an ice cream cone.
O
V
See? The O is the scoop of ice cream, and the V is the cone.
Petronius: Can I have one?
Me: No.
Artemis: What about me?
Me: No.
Caius: What about me?
Me: No.
Jack: What about ––
Me: Hey! You're not even in this story! Get out!
Jack: Can I still have an ––
Me: No! Get back to Rise of the Guardians, where you belong!
Jack: B-b-but… your ROTG/HG crossover…
Me: I don't care about the crossover right now… you still don't belong here.
Jack: *hangs head*
Me: Suck it up, Ice Princess. You can make your own ice cream.
Jack: Oh yeah, I never thought of that… AHH! *runs away from ice-cream hungry Petronius, Artemis, and Caius*
Petronius, Artemis, and Caius as they chase after Jack: MAKE US SOME ICE CREAM!
Me: *calmly takes lick of ice cream* Remember kids… review.