The Princess and The Owl // Johanna Mason x OC

Chapter 5 - 1 week

The day of the Games arrives as the weary sun dusts off the last of the night's forebodance. Magnus had scored 9, and Lillian a 10: a record average for Athena's 'mentoring'. The former had continued his choice of individualism, however she had seen him leaving an open ear to some of the conversations that she was having with Lillian.

Speaking of the young woman, Athena wouldn't like to face her in the arena: she's positively lethal. Whoever may try to kill her... well, 'may the odds be ever in their favour'.

"Hey, earth to 'Thena!" the sharply snapping fingers of someone rouses her out of her daze. Grabbing their outstretched wrist with an iron grip, she twists it around and pins them in an uncomfortable position on the table so quickly she didn't register who it was. Releasing him immediately, shr mumbles out a half-hearted apology as she slumps back down.

"Woah, calm it, Two," Finnick jokes, raising his hands in surrender while rubbing his right one a little, "I'll be honest, I'm happy I'll never have to face you in the arena: you seem... deadly."

"Habits never die," she gulps down a drink and wait for him to continue. But he doesn't.

"All mentors to the hovercrafts, all mentors to the hovercrafts," the tannoy repeats numerous times. The district four mentor walks with her out in comfortable silence, stopping by an orderly queue of tributes. Going to give her final goodbyes to the both of them, she can feel a steel glare on the back of her head.

"Good luck, Magnus," she greets him in a clipped tone, nodding to the inattentive tribute. Taking that dismissal on the chin, she focuses on Lillian. The young woman's eyes dart around with adrenaline-induced nerves.

"Eyes forwards, Lil," Athena firmly guides her shoulders to the front, making sure she's looking at her. Shr smiles warmly at the anxious tribute, who visibly loosens at her presence.

"I'll see you in a week or two, I guess," she quips, grinning at her mentor. Despite seeing vivid images of her bloodied corpse on a cold slab flashing before her eyes, Athena musters a supportive smile.

"Yeah, bring it home," she pats her arm encouragingly before turning to go. Taking a hold of her trailing arm, Lillian pulls me back towards her. The mentor senses a childlike fear in her eyes, and can feel her nearing for a hug. But they're careers. And she's just another soldier.

So what she can do is offer a more sympathetic smile, swallowing thickly at her tentativeness: no one truly anxious ever wins the Games. Meeting her fractured eyes, the mentor takes her hand and squeezes it, "Whatever you do, don't be like them."

Peacekeepers begin to direct the tributes into the hovercraft. Looking to the throng of shuffling teens from the outer lying districts, she finally meet the piercing glare that she had felt for a while now.

"One week," Johanna mouths over to me with a confident smirk. Watching her until she disappears behind the closing metal doors, Athena stands in the same spot. Walking blindly through the halls to the main room, Finnick once again sits next to her.

"You ok, Four?" She nudges him lightly, jostling him into awareness, "You're looking a bit-"

"I'm fine," he snaps, waving his hand dismissively. Sighing out a heavy breath, he glances at her. After a moment of hesitancy, he begins in a more level tone, "Sorry, it's just... I've got a lot on my plate."