While Haymitch might have been impressed by Prim's remark, Katniss was not.
She was getting rather annoyed with how people were treating Peeta. First Haymitch and now Prim. Katniss was sure being a mentor to four Tributes was hard enough but add on her and Haymitch, who had plenty of his own wisdom and hardened experience, and she was sure Peeta was struggling. Sure, they had given him a birthday party but it still didn't excuse how people were snipping at the poor guy. While she wasn't sure if she was going to go for a pack or a weapon or both, she knew Peeta's advice had been given to give Prim and Gale for a better chance at surviving as opposed to getting caught up in a mess like Katniss had last year. She remembered dealing with some rotten people when she made the risky decision to go for the cornucopia.
Still, Katniss figured Prim and Gale were nervous, despite outward appearances, she just hoped they trusted Peeta's advice, as well as their own instincts. What they did in the moment would be their own choice to make as she and Peeta were proof of that. So she refrained from say anything herself as the topic of what to do continued to be passed around. Gale seemed to also take that route as Haymitch and Peeta offered some more morsels of advice before the mood grew more serious and stiff. Effie tried to mend the atmosphere but the damage was done and each person was now left to their own thoughts and ideas as to how to approach the issue of arming yourself but also not getting caught in a bloodbath with nearly fifty other scared and angry people.
"Listen to Peeta." Katniss gave Haymitch a look when he gave her one. She smirked slightly and looked back to Gale and Prim. "But it's up to you what you do out there." She nor Haymitch could babysit them and that went without saying so Katniss didn't bother with pointing that out. She would look out for them but she also knew if she spent all of her time fretting and worrying, she wouldn't last longer than a day or two. "We may have experience but each Game is different." She contested with a shrug, not wanting to really get into a fight over who was right, Haymitch or Peeta. Now wasn't the time, now was the time to get pumped up, or at least happier because in the Games, finding good cheer would be more difficult. "Anyway..."
"Anyway," Gale spoke up, wanting to move on. "We should probably thank Peeta and Effie for being so supportive."
"Oh Gale, it's been our pleasure, let me assure you." Effie fawned.
"Will we get to see Portia and Cinna before we go?" Gale asked.
Katniss glanced to Effie, wondering the same thing.
"Well...it's possible, I'll see what I can do." Effie considered as they finished up breakfast.
Gale got up and helped clean up but the Avoxes ushered him away so he headed down the stairs and saw Katniss and Prim braiding each other's hair as usual. He moved to the couch, having seen Effie waddle off towards her room with Peeta in tow. Haymitch seemed to be doing his own thing and Gale hated having to play the waiting game. It wasn't fun. He thought he should say something to get everyone more prepared, as the tone still felt very depressing. They were going to go in and fight and with Peeta's help, they might actually win and come out alive somehow. Of course he could see why Katniss and Haymitch wouldn't be thrilled, having been kept on the outside but he would have hoped Prim would be able to help buck everyone up.
"I know it may sound stupid to say, but...I am looking forward to the Games." Gale spoke up. "I mean, we've been working towards them for nearly two weeks and they're finally here and we don't have to count the days anymore or worry about knowing this or that because it's time." He began to say. "There's going to be forty-four people trying to kill us but I've been looking at the odds and...at least a fifth or fourth of that amount should be killed in the fist couple of minutes, if not the first day." He pointed out. "The ones who do get away with packs or weapons or both if they're fast and lucky and have guts, sure they're more dangerous but at least we still have better odds than when the Games began." He said. "We're going to keep seeing each sunrise until we don't have to fight anymore and I'm looking forward to showing some of those jerks we had to train with, just how dangerous District 12 really is."
It wasn't the kind of motivational speech Gale had been aiming for but it was better than arguing about tactics or made up situations. The best thing they could do was focus on the task at hand and take one step at a time while only worrying about the future a little bit when it came to surviving, as opposed to where people would be and who was after you. Even so, Gale wanted to make sure everyone had their head in the game, no pun intended, and so far, he wasn't convinced that the other three were hung up on the little things. He wanted his friends to be able to go in and not feel unsettled or upset for anything. "We've all come a long way, doing our own training but also getting along." Some of this was old material but he felt the need to impress upon them, the faith he had in them. "We shouldn't be here but we are and we're going to be fight as hard as we can." By now, Effie and Peeta had walked back into the living room.
"Because if we don't, Effie is going to cry and ruin her make up." Gale grinned and gestured to her.
The others turned and the woman let out a strained laugh as she motioned for an Avox to come over with the glasses of warm bubbly cider with odd decorations coming out of the tall flutes of varying colors. Gale grabbed a green glass and took a sip, finding it funny that the sensation tickled his nose but also calmed him down. Katniss had snagged a rose colored tall glass and sniffed the flower sticking out of her drink. He shrugged and took a drink all the same. "We're so proud of you and know you'll do fantastic! I've heard through the grapevine that Sponsors are already interested in helping out." She encouraged them, not minding if anyone was listening in on their conversation.
Katniss finished about half before she set it down on one of the glass tables and walked over to Peeta and Effie. The archer wasn't one for mushy moments or even giving much praise unless it was sarcastic but she could see how stressed the two were and to show her gratitude, she briefly hugged them. Peeta whispered a word of encouragement in her ear before he said it was time for them to go. After some hugs were exchanged, the four of them, plus Peeta, headed into the elevator. As the machine slowly glided downwards, Katniss could see other clusters forming in the lobby, mentors and tributes mingling together as the last couple of minutes ticked down. "Any news on the stylists?" Gale asked.
"No, sorry." Peeta replied as the doors opened and they stepped out. As they walked towards the outside exit to where the hovercraft was, they had brief comments about what to do and not do but for the most part, it seemed like Peeta was less inclined to say much though and Katniss wasn't sure why. She caught the faces of some of the others she knew and some of those who were clearly scared, the younger fresh faced tributes. Gale spotted their old friends from a week ago but didn't say anything about them to Prim, as it didn't matter anymore. A huge knot was tightening itself in his stomach but Gale was doing his best to remind himself that they were all capable people who had a chance, plan or no plan. He glanced to Primrose and smiled but it soon fell as they stepped outside into the sunlight.
How long had it been since he had felt such thing?
Katniss was also welcoming of the sunlight. She had missed it for so long and hated how structured the Capitol was in regards to letting their pets out of their cages so infrequently. Either way, Katniss was trying to take Gale's words to heart and stay focused. And she was. Katniss had done this before, she knew what to expect, generally speaking, and she was ready jump in and get things over with. Gale had been right, the anxiety had been the worst part. The Games were about politics and strategy and that was much easier to deal with on the small scale than going toe to toe with President Snow. So Katniss hoped this would prove to him that she wasn't willing to follow his orders or take his threats lying down, that she had plenty of fight left, if he really asked for it.
And he was.
"You four are over here!" A woman in white gear gestured to them and then to the middle hovercraft. There were three and the other two were nearly full by the look of it.
"It looks ridiculous but the view is amazing." Katniss told Prim, leaning in close to cut through the noises around them.
Gale swallowed and glanced around. Peeta stayed back by the door with the other mentors and waved to them. Gale shook his head and got on and sat down. A man inside helped buckle him up. "Your arm." Gale held it out and there was a sharp pinch and a click before the man moved on. Gale rubbed his forearm but saw no mark. He had to assume it was the stupid tracking device. Katniss and the others joined him inside and the same procedure was done on them and the other stragglers trailing behind at the last minute. After everyone had been tagged and checked in, the large objects took to the sky. Gale took a deep breath and tried to get comfortable but as soon as he did, he found himself shaken with a jerking motion.
They had landed but they weren't outside.
The tributes had been taken under the arena and were now being separated to be put into their respective cells before the start of the Games. "Prim, Katniss, Haymitch, I'll see you soon!" Gale called out as he was being taken off. Katniss only got a glance of him and the others as she was taken in a different direction and down a curving hallway with dim lighting. She was taken into a tiny room and she saw Cinna waiting, she smiled, unaware as to why he'd be there and why Snow would allow him to be.
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