.Stone And Lumber (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-70th-

This year was surprisingly interesting.

Athena was sure, more then anything, that this year, the pulls were fully rigged.

After last years fiasco, the Capitol wanted to make them forget it so for all districts, tributes only from the 17 to 18 ranges were pulled for the whole of 24, that can't be a coincidence and much less when some of the lower districts looked like they also might stand a chance too.

They were going all out in every way they could without it being a quarter quell, they'll need to wait five more years for that.

She watched the recap of the reapings with her two tributes, usually there would be two mentors but Enobaria had shitfaced herself in the bathroom and she was known to not give two shits about the games, Athena was technically the sole victor that these tributes could count on for anything.

She raked her Capitol claws on the leather seat, the chains clinging adding to the eerie sound it created.

"I'd be careful with people this year, even if they look weak." She told them, grabbing a smoke and lit it.

Alone in her room she replayed the video until it got to 7 again, finding something was off and not finding what it was for a while.

And then it clicked while she had been staring intently as the female tribute from 7.

Johanna Mason, it was announced, there was something too her, crying in her hands on that stage, looking so meek.

But Athena was observant, having been watching from the start, having even wound back the video a good few times, the girl looked really calm, arms crossed, bored even, when she stood in the crowd before suddenly full tears and meek when her name was called, as if an switch was flipped.

Athena smirked, she hadn't actually see someone be able to cry on command in 2, it was almost fascinating to see, having never thought a human was capable of it but she needed to admit it, she never thought many could be done and then saw them be done right in front of her eyes so it shouldn't have been a surprise.

No one had ever wanted to go in the games looking weak, so it made her interested, much more then she should be for someone that's not her tribute.

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"Morning Blight, I see that this year it might be a losing year for me." Johanna looked at the woman that walked up too her mentor as they got out of the train, a moment of calm before the stylists would come get them as he told her.

She was young when she saw those games but everyone knew of the Capitol sweetheart: The Reaper, and she lived up too her names.

Johanna looked in wonder at those metal chains one her wrists connecting too the finger covering metal claws.

Unlike much of the Capitol this woman never seemed to change her attire, Johanna wondered if she ripped out her stylist throat to make that possible.

"2." Blight coldly said as the young woman crossed her arms with a grin, her two tributes behind her, Johanna shrank back behind her district partner, still silently watching. "You shouldn't be as confident." He said, knowing she meant the exact opposite of what she had said.

"When was it even when 7 last had a victor? Like the 54th was it?" She said, that damned district 2 smirk on her face as she played with the chained on the collar around her neck.

"This year 2, you might be on the run."

"Keep on dreaming Blight." Johanna made sure to look like she wanted to hide even more when 2's mentor looked at her. "Lets see what surprise this year holds for us shall we?" She said before spinning to walk away, her tributes following.

Johanna saw her mentor's shoulders drop, having been tense in the other victor's presence and she could tell why.

She was playing the comedy, she saw that year after year, the careers and others always went for true weaklings last, as a game, watching them scream and run for their life, so if she could be a weakling, she'd be off the radar even if that meant no sponsors or an alliance to help, it would buy her a bit of time plus she is from 7, just imagine a limb is a log and swing an axe at it.... If she can even get an axe, this is all speculation from her and she hoped it would pay off, she really needs to get home and will let no one get in her way.

Johanna watched her disappear in the crowd and she had the distinct feeling that, unlike everyone, even her district partner, even Blight, that this young woman had seen through her ruse.

And that, was not reassuring.

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7's comedy act was convincing.... Outside of that defiant spark that she cannot get out of her eyes, clearly visible to Athena now that she saw her face too face.

"I'd look out for 7." She casually told her tributes tho not precising which tribute she talked about, that would be their job, she can't do all the work for them can she?

She almost stopped smiling but kept it on her face, it almost reminded her of Cato, a spunky child with energy and determination to get through this unfair life.

Sadly tho that might not be enough.

Athena thought it was a waste that this Mason was not born in 2, she might have had a chance at combat, looking weak to be ignored will not save her from death eternally.... Plus her name would be an amusing fit in the masonry district, a Mason as a mason, hilarious. It was that thought that made the smile remain on her face as she brought her tributes too their districts stylists and left them there.

"Fish-brains." She waved as she spotted Finnick.

"Looking at lethal as always Kitten." He said, prancing over too her with a hand in the pockets of the shirtless suit he wore.

"A gust of wind and all woman will swoon."

"Please." He laughed. "Now that you are here, the Capitol will have eyes just for you."

"Oh how I hate that you are correct." She said, pulling a smoke out, the only thing Snow couldn't technically punish her for, it went with the aesthetic he wanted for her after all, just like Enobaria and her filed down shark teeth, Athena seen as the bad girl with her smoke were something nobody took a second glance at.

And Athena was grateful because she needed it to survive her day to day life.

"Annie?"

"She's getting better, I can convinced her to take a shower without me needing to be there."

"That's something." She said, smiling with him. "So, want to skip?" She asked, it had been a few years since she actually watched the parade, reminding her of her and her district partner, her greatest mistake.

"Lets celebrate another early birthday? The 20th was it?" Finnick asked, throwing his arms out as she lit the smoke and took a drag, keeping the stick in her mouth as she pocketed her hands. "Heymitch said they renovated the lounge with a way bigger selection of 'things' in there."

"Oooh, well lets go look at those 'things' shall we?" She asked, knowing it was most likely booze.

"After you."

"How gracious of you."

He laughed, making her smile as they walked together.