Author's Note: The reverse of what we saw of training in the novel, I hope. This time it's the other victors' impressions of Katniss Everdeen.
….
Impressions
Brutus was impressed. The Twelves were obviously eager to put their best foot forward. They arrived at training promptly, something even Gloss and Cashmere could not be bothered to do. He suspected that was Haymitch and Effie Trinket's doing, but the pair were ready and prepared. They arrived united but had a strategy to cover the ground between them. Their year as victors had clearly forced them to grow up as they did not look out of place as more victors steadily arrived.
His boy had underestimated Mellark last year. The entire career pack did. Brutus remembered telling Cato to be careful when he officially allowed Twelve's boy in, aware of the games that Haymitch could play. But it turned out the boy was capable too, and given the chance, might be able to surpass his mentor's cunning. It was simply too bad that they had found themselves where they had.
Peeta was likeable, charming and could get you to open up and have you unwittingly sharing details about yourself before you knew it. Brutus had to watch himself as he almost caught himself slipping up, about to give away details of life in Two that he deemed too personal. He would have to tell Enobaria as no doubt Mellark would approach her too and he could just see the boy getting past her guard.
Brutus watched as Chaff joined them and they worked with the spears together. It was an interesting group. Two, Eleven and Twelve. But they were all victors, kindred spirits in Brutus' eyes and Two's victor held a lot of respect for Chaff and his strong sense of self. They chatted amiably; Brutus even assisted with their technique but analysed them all the same.
Chaff obviously only had one throwing arm. Refusing the prosthetic was a decision Brutus would never understand, but Chaff worked around it well enough. It would be a distinct disadvantage in the arena, however. But none of them had ever anticipated a second trip back.
Peeta was clearly still getting used to the leg. His gait was uneven, and you would be able to hear his approach from a mile back. He could handle the spear well. His aim was steady and good enough for someone who had clearly only had limited practice. He could be a danger with it, given the chance.
But a kick to the back of the leg would place him flat on the floor. He was clearly the brains of the Twelve pair. Brutus could tell the girl acted on instinct. Incapacitating Mellark would be his primary strategy to deal with the pair of them if the time came. It was just a shame that he liked the young man. They could have had years in the Mentors' Centre getting to know each other had the Capitol not had other ideas.
….
Hal should have stopped drinking long before training. He knew that now. Now that he had vomited the most recent bottle of wine on the training gym floor. But he could not stop himself. As soon as he stepped onto the train, he poured himself a drink. Then he drank through the dinner, the reaping, and the evening. On arrival at the Capitol, he ordered his prep team to bring him a bottle of wine. Then the stylist brought more for lunch. He drank more with dinner and then ordered a final bottle for the evening in his room alone. Now it was all over the floor and most of the others were pretending not to notice.
The Twelve girl couldn't hide her staring. For a moment, Hal was embarrassed that she had seen him like that. But he soon thought otherwise. It was her fault that he was like this. She should have to see what he had become because of her stupidity.
At least Luna and Porter were not here to admonish him. Perhaps word would not get back. But this was the Capitol, and the Capitol during the Hunger Games. Everyone found out everything about each other sooner rather than later. But Luna was hidden away, unable to face training. Claiming she could not see the point in showing up. But the truth was, she had given up, or so Hal believed. She was not in a position to judge him. But Hal was going to give training a go. Even if it meant vomiting on the floor. They would see worse in the arena.
….
The girl was finally working near them, making her own fires under the instructor's watch. So, Beetee and Wiress deliberately increased the volume of their conversation. Of course, they knew how to make a fire out of wood and matches. It was a basic concept, and they were adept at the practical element too. But pretending otherwise was beginning to get the girl's attention. They just needed her to take the leap and step in.
So far, she had watched from the sidelines. She seemed repulsed by Finnick's approaches, reluctant to approach Chaff and wary of the career tributes. Beetee and Wiress were different, and it seemed as if their gentler approach would work as the girl moved closed and began to advise on how to start their fire.
District Three's tributes knew what she was doing immediately when she mentioned shortages and she seemed to take their hint in her response to their question about the readiness of District Twelve. She was more aware than Haymitch was making her out to be. She certainly seemed sympathetic too, which was a great relief. It was just a shame about Twelve, but they would make it work. The girl might drive them into action.
In return for the girl sharing her knowledge, the pair from Three drew her into a conversation about the forcefield and the Gamemakers. Apparently, she shot an arrow at them last year, so they began to understand what Haymitch meant about her moments. She would need more of them for the plan to work, but Beetee and Wiress had to hope that they would not be borne out of pure recklessness.
It was also clear she knew nothing of forcefield technology. But why would she? Neither Beetee nor Wiress believed scientific education in District Twelve was up to anything beyond the works and uses of coal. But they hoped the little bit of knowledge they had shared would prove useful and that she would remember it.
Overall, it was a job well done for them. Finnick could not gain her trust despite his approaches and her wariness around Chaff, one of Haymitch's most trusted allies, was another barrier to cross. But Beetee and Wiress were to be paired with District Seven and Blight had not shown up and Johanna showed no signs of wanting to befriend Twelve's girl. So, they did what they could. Hopefully, she would have more luck with Peeta.
….
Lunch was a surprisingly pleasant affair. They ate together and welcomed Twelve's victors to the group. Seeder knew that Chaff had spent time with Peeta, and she had spoken to him herself, but somebody was going to have to get the girl onside. Peeta had already made the necessary introductions and clearly persuaded Katniss to engage in their conversation.
She was gradually warming up to some of them. She was clearly a girl who did not trust easily, and Seeder did not see fit to question that attitude in such a new victor. They had all been in her position before. Almost. None of them, not even Haymitch, had managed to cause so much trouble and it was evident that the girl would bear the brunt of the consequences following the double victory.
Seeder spoke to Katniss about life in Twelve, shared details of life in Eleven and brought in Cecelia who spoke of the similarities in District Eight. From their reactions, Haymitch's victors were clearly more aware than their mentor had been implying. They could work with that. Neither of them was a loyalist, Seeder could tell that much from a few short conversations. They could have been useful in the planning years; had they only won a few years previously.
But Seeder would not change the make-up of their group of victors for anything. They had already achieved so much. The Quell was horrific but this was a moment of unity, one of the final times they could genuinely be friends and act as if they were in the Mentors' Centre. She found herself meetings Mags' eyes as they watched the victors talk freely to others from outside their districts and enjoy each other's company. They had done a good job. Building bridges and fostering understanding and respect had worked.
The girl would have found her place in their collective and Seeder hoped she could find it in herself to make some alliances now. Trust would perhaps be too big an ask, but a working relationship with one of the crucially placed victors would be of more assistance than either of Twelve's victors knew. Seeder did not want to know what either Finnick or Johanna would have to do if the girl rejected them completely. But she was a survivor, she would see sense in teaming up.
Seeder knew that her presence alongside one of them, or even the girl herself at the point of making the alliance could help, as she would eagerly join forces and persuade the girl. But Eleven's victor had to be realistic. Joining up with the Twelves right at the start would not be an easy task and she would not be surprised to find the four of them placed as far from each other as possible.
Seeder turned her attention to the boy. It appeared as if he had struck up an early bond with Chaff which would no doubt please Haymitch. The pair remained in easy conversation for much of the meal. But she watched as Mags introduced the boy to Claudia and Levi. Not desirable allies by any means, but Seeder was struck by the immediate kindness he showed the pair as he promised to join them at the camouflage station. Six's victors were already covered in paint, but Peeta promised them he could teach them some of the techniques he had learnt all the same.
He was kind and showed the early signs of someone who, given the chance, could have been an effective mentor, but Seeder was glad he would never get to experience that. But his presence was needed in their group. After years of career victors, unstable victors, and Johanna Mason, his calmer, more easy-going and gentler demeanour would add balance. They needed more unifying figures, and he could have been that for the mentors. But instead, it would be his district partner who was to unite them all, across Panem, in bringing about change.
….
They tried loitering around the archery station, hoping that would catch her attention, but it didn't work. The girl was too busy with Beetee and Wiress. It was a good thing they seemed to be getting along and Mags was keen to remind Finnick of that. But they needed her to trust them too. The boy would be easier. It was why they were focusing their attention on the girl first. He seemed smart in his approaches to the other victors but ultimately where she went, he would follow.
Mags suggested she try alone. Finnick's approaches had come over as off-putting and as much as Finnick enjoyed getting a reaction from the girl, he could not keep doing that and then expect her to like him. They did not need to become close friends, but they needed to be able to work together.
So, Mags went to one of the few stations where she wouldn't look amiss. Fishhooks. Now they could be entirely certain there would be water in the arena and that it would not be toxic to other life forms. She started by paying attention to the instructor but soon began making fishhooks of her own design and choosing when it became clear the instructor had nothing to teach her.
Finnick made another approach towards Twelve's girl but under Mags' watch. He knew he had to behave this time and that his job was simply to introduce Everdeen to Mags. The older woman smiled to herself and then beckoned the young woman over. They started out quietly, almost studying each other, the girl focussing partially on the instructor's work whilst also admiring Mags' abilities.
It appeared as if all of a sudden, the girl had a realisation. Mags was also a volunteer. But not of the career-type, despite her District Four origins. She too had taken the place of someone younger and more vulnerable. It would be selflessness, love and a desire to protect which the girl would favour. She could trust someone who saw the Games in the same way that she did.
Mags simply uttered the word "Annie," and shook her head, as if volunteering had simply been par for the course for her. Which in some ways it was. She was never going to do anything else, the same as Everdeen when her sister's name was called.
They began a conversation of sorts. Mags was frustrated that she could not speak as she used to, but the girl picked up parts and Mags was grateful to her for pretending the remainder of the time. As their time at the station drew to a natural close, Mags tried to steer the girl towards Cecelia where she would find someone else who shared her core values. But on her part, it was mission accomplished. She turned around to find Finnick approaching her, and she simply nodded.
"Leave her to me," she said as she resolved to work alongside her again during the following days to cement their understanding.
….
Cecelia found she had common ground with Katniss Everdeen. They were both motivated by those who they loved. Cecelia could tell that Katniss could sense her sister slipping further away, the same as she did with her husband and children. But at least District Eight's victor knew her purpose in going to the arena. Purpose was going to be fostered onto the District Twelve girl whether she knew it or not.
She was pleased to have another pair of eyes on Woof too, at least for the short while they shared the station. He had stuck to Cecelia throughout training and made it difficult to get any sustained time with a weapon. She wanted him close by for his safety and to keep him calm but it was proving problematic. She was trying to focus on finding clues about the arena in the bugs and plants available at the station, to find something to help keep her alive. But Woof seemed uniquely drawn to the bugs that were labelled as harmful or poisonous.
The last thing that Cecelia or any of the other victors wanted, was for Woof to harm himself. None of them wanted him in the arena in the first place, but they were where they were. She could see the sympathy written on Katniss' face as she tried to make conversation. They spoke about young Primrose Everdeen, Cecelia's children, and life in their respective districts all whilst moving Woof's hands away from the bugs he kept trying to eat.
Cecelia was glad that the girl's eyes were not completely shut. She could clearly tell what was happening in Eight. It seemed she had learnt a lot on her Victory Tour. Cecelia believed they could work together. She would talk to Haymitch.
….
Enobaria met up with Gloss and Cashmere after watching Everdeen leave their company. The pair from District One had invited her over and Enobaria watched on as they made awkward, slightly stilted conversation. It was not a natural alliance and Enobaria was glad for it. After her brief time with Twelve's newest victor, she did not want an alliance.
But now they were watching her shoot and she could see the look on Brutus' face. He would want the girl. The uncertainty was clear as she looked at the siblings from One. They could be pragmatic, but allying with Twelve might well be a step too far. Enobaria could only hope so.
She just did not see how it could work. But even she had to realise that Haymitch's girl might be the most dangerous victor in the room, and in the arena. She had not seen anyone shoot with that degree of accuracy before. Archery was not favoured in Two, but they had seen competent tributes and candidates before, but not on her level. She was silent when she moved too. So light-footed, you would not be able to hear her approach until her arrows were flying straight towards you. She was a threat and would need to be dealt with.
Enobaria would speak to Brutus and voice her opinions to Cleo. The alliance would not work, it would fall apart early and as soon as the girl got enough space to have them in range, they might all be in trouble. Twelve's victor meant trouble too and not just from her shooting. Everyone knew that the all-powerful in the Capitol did not favour her and a Two and Twelve alliance would not bode well for their district's image. Lyme was supposed to be securing their future image so Enobaria resolved to approach her too. Brutus would listen to his closest friend more than he would her so Enobaria would have to convince Lyme. She did not want to find herself in District Twelve's company after the gong sounded.
