CHAPTER THREE

The Capitol is the same, parties and joyous shouts day and night, citizens that want the company of Finnick and me.

On the fourth floor of the all-too-familiar Training Center, Finnick and I watch a recap of the Reapings in the other districts. I don't have to take notes like I did eight years ago, but I do write down the tributes that Finnick and I will have to face. I know all of them personally –Gloss, Cashmere, Brutus, Enobaria, Beetee, Wiress, Blight, Johanna, Cecelia, Chaff, and Seeder- except for Katniss and Peeta. The star-crossed lovers are new to the Victor pool and will probably be everyone's first target in these games if they don't make friends. Unless . . .

"Finnick," his head pops up from Annie's ear, "we need to talk to Haymitch when they arrive." His confused looks urge me to continue, "If Katniss is still the Mockingjay, then we need to help keep this rebellion alive."

Finnick smiles at me broadly.

Finnick and I quite literally don't have the time to find Haymitch and speak to him about his Mockingjay. We're sent off to Capitolians, collecting precious secrets, before we're sent to the Remake Center.

There's a new stylist this year. A new prep team. But I can't seem to make myself care about them as I sit while they perfect my hair and make up for the Opening Ceremonies tonight. I can't make myself care about them when I've just come from the home of a gamemaker, the whispers of what happened to Seneca Crane still lingering in my ears.

"Snow had him killed. For letting the two kids go: the girl on fire and her boyfriend. He disobeyed direct orders to let them kill each other."

He curled a piece of my hair around his finger while I lie naked beside him.

"Even used those same poison berries."

Of course, in the past months I'd heard about twelve different stories about how Seneca Crane met his demise.

"Ms. Covell," my head snaps up to the overdone Capitolian that is my new stylist. I haven't bothered myself with learning his name. "I would like to put your dress on you now." His definition of dress and mine are evidently two very different things because his definition of dress is a carefully knotted golden fishnet intertwined with seaweed in various locations like across my breasts and lap.

I shake my head when Finnick is dressed the same way but without the seaweed.

"You look good in pearls," Finnick smirks, switching on the charm. My hair is pulled up and has pearls stuck in various locations. I roll my eyes, taking the sugar cube he offers, "Really, you do." We joke together, bouncing flirts off of each other mindlessly.

We talk to Johanna when she arrives. She, however, doesn't want to talk to anyone most of the time, and tonight is certainly no exception when she is strapped in a tree costume. "God, I thought I had it bad." She comments when she sees Finnick and me feeding our horses the sugar cubes that Finnick always seems to have on hand.

"Don't worry," Plato chuckled, "I won't strap you in a net."

I shake my head, lifting my head to see Finnick down at Twelve's chariot, offering Katniss a sugar cube. The girl's never looked more disgusted. I wander towards Mags, who is standing by the elevators. She takes my hand, squeezing it gently.

The elevator dings, revealing Haymitch and Peeta. He sees me and starts to say something before I punch him in the shoulder, "Don't." He raises his hands with a smirk and greets Mags. I see Peeta walking towards Katniss and point to where her and Finnick are talking, "Don't you think you should make her more . . . likeable. People need to be able to be allies with her if she doesn't want to get killed."

"Harder than it sounds . . . believe me." Haymitch takes a swig of whatever is in his flask. Finnick joins our odd crew, nodding at Haymitch with a smile before taking my hand, twirling me around and walking us to our chariot.

We get on the chariot when Wiress and Beetee approach the pair of us.

Mason looks up at me, "Finnick told me to tell you to keep your head up, smile, and wave at everyone."

Wiress and Beetee wave goodbye.

I'm holding Annie's hand, walking with her to the chariot while James stayed back to talk with Finnick. "Smile, wave, they'll love you."

"Capri," Finnick says softly beside me, "Where are you?"

It's the question he always asks when this happens to me, when I space out. "With Mason and Annie . . ." I grasp the railing in front of me, "but I'm here now. I'm okay." He takes my hand, and we are pulled into the crowd, screaming as soon as we're rolling out onto the streets of the Capitol. I force down the images and the voices of before by squeezing Finnick's hand. His hand wasn't here the last time that I was.

The citizens get louder when I blow out a few kisses. As we round into the City Circle, I see Katniss and Peeta, merciless and flaming. I suppose they don't have to ally with the citizens. President Snow begins to speak. The voices of gamemakers and high-ups reach my ears, about to explode with all of the secrets I know about him, but soon we're being carted back to the Training Center.

We chat with Beetee and Wiress all the way to the elevator and in the short moments we have inside of it. Eudora is awaiting our arrival on the fourth floor of the Training Center with the two stylists, Mags, and Annie. Finnick immediately goes to Annie.

Our servers at dinner are the same Avox girl and boy from last year

Willa sits beside the new stylist whose name I still haven't bothered to learn. Mags sits beside me, talking to me all throughout supper to keep my mind off the Games. Annie is on my other side, throwing random comments towards Mags and I after she drifts off for a moment. Other than that, she and Finnick don't take their eyes off each other. It's like they're trying to soak up as much of the other person as they can before heading into the arena.

Long after dinner and the recap of the Opening Ceremonies, in a meeting that Finnick had put together in passing with Haymitch, the drunkard appears on our floor to find Finnick and I already whispering of what could be happening with the rebellion.

For the first time in weeks, there are no jolts in my memory because I am so engrossed with the information Haymitch is revealing to us, which isn't much because he's weary as to whether to trust us or not. However, he seems to trust our protection of Katniss enough to tell us that District 13 has been growing underground for quite some time, and they are working with Haymitch and Plutarch Heavensbee, the head gamemaker, to make Katniss the face of their rebellion.

"So Katniss has no idea about this?"

Haymitch shakes his head.

"And you don't want Katniss to know anything about it?"

"She would never agree to it if we told her," Haymitch takes a drink from his flask, "Katniss is insistent upon getting Peeta out of the arena alive . . . which is what I've been assuring her of since the Quarter Quell announcement."

My fingers meet at my scalp as I try to comprehend everything Haymitch had told us.

Finnick speaks up from beside me, "And Plutarch is in on this?"

"He's the one that came to me about the whole thing," Haymitch stands from his seat, "Well, it's been nice talkin' to the two of you, but I need rest to deal with that girl in the morning. Someone's got to tell her to make allies."

A/N: Once again, I hope you all are enjoying this story. Thank you to everyone who commented, favorite, and followed since the last update. Also, thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey, whether it started today or when I started Young Pilgrims a year ago. Thank you.

If you don't like something about my story, I would love to know what it is. Please leave a review about what you do and don't like about what I'm writing so that I can get better. Thank you and have a splendid day!