Flames to Embers

5-Gloss and Cashmere

Things pick up a bit this chapter. From this chapter on, there will be mentions of drug use, suicide, and self harm. This fanfic will not be M rated, because in my opinion, M should be reserved for graphic sexual content and stuff along those lines.

"Finnick," I called to him as I saw him entering the elevator with the rest of the District 4 crew. He walked over to me. "When you left the elevator the other day, after the tribute parade..."

Finnick grinned. "With the sugar cube thing? I was so proud of myself."

"Seriously. What a power move." I congratulated. "I'm sorry that Aspen was being such a jerk. I really don't know what came over him. That's really unlike him."

"No it's... it's okay. I just really hate that the Districts see me this way."

"I know." There was a comfortable silence. "I hope Kai and Avonlea get good training scores. They seemed really nice."

Finnick smiled and nodded. "I hope Willa and Aspen do well, too. And tell them that I don't hold them accountable for the things he said."

"Of course,"

Finnick patted my head in a very Finnick-like manner, then jogged off to try and catch the next elevator while I glared at his back.

...

The training scores were very typical. The girls from Districts 1 and 2 both scored an eight. Augustus from District 1 scored a ten, Ansel from District 2 scored a nine.

Avonlea and Kai, Finnick's tributes, both received nines.

There weren't very many good scores from the outlying districts. There was a girl from District 11 who scored a ten, and a boy from District 10 who got an eight. There was a young boy from District six who scored an unusually low score of two.

Aspen received an eight, which was very, very good for District 12, not counting my score the previous year, which had also been an eight.

Willa got a seven, which wasn't surprising to me. We congratulated both, and I was very pleased with the outcome.

Aspen was strong and tough from growing up in the Seam. He was Ripper's son. Ripper was the woman who sold alcohol at the Hob. Willa was from the town. Her mother was the local seamstress. I had struggled coming up with a way for her knowledge of clothing would help her in the arena, but I didn't have to. She was fast. Incredibly fast.

I was so proud of my first pair of tributes when their scores came back so positive.

I hugged Willa. "I'm so proud of you," I said, then hugged Aspen. "Those are great scores."

"Thanks, Katniss," Willa said, smiling warmly at me.

Willa and Aspen did a great job at the interviews, too. They were both so naturally likeable, that Haymitch didn't have to work that hard at finding them an angle. Plus, Caesar knew how to get tributes sponsors, so he focussed heavily on their marriage, trying to get people to feel sorry for them.

...

They decided to alliance with each other, of course. The arena was a large volcano, with an ocean surrounding it on all sides.

My tributes didn't last very long, typical District 12 kids that they are.

Forget I ever said that. The Capitol will not change me. I am not a piece of their games, I am not a piece of their games, I am not a piece of their games.

Willa died in the bloodbath. Time and time again I told them to stay far away from the Cornucopia, but Willa was too cocky for her own good, which was surprising for her. She trusted far too much in her speed to save her, and she ended up with a knife in the back from Augustus.