𝐌𝐀𝐃 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 - 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘳

― 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

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chapter twenty-seven: i want to be just like you

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𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐃, 𝐆𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐀 𝐀 "𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑" 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄. Unfortunately for him― and fortunately for her― he was having a hard time. As it turns out, Visha was absolutely horrid at a lot of things. 

For example, Wednesday morning, when Gideon brought her to the District 2 Council Meeting to fill a Victor chair, Visha failed miserably. First off, she could hardly pay attention to what the ancient mayor was droning on and on about. Second, she couldn't keep her snark to herself. She almost got herself and Gideon thrown out― in half an hour. 

Thursday, Gideon took her to peacekeeper training. That was possibly the worst idea he'd ever had. He didn't know that Visha didn't mix well with peacekeepers. She showed up extremely grouchy, and yelled at half a dozen peacekeepers, barking out insane orders. Two hours of her nonsense, and the peacekeepers-in-training looked like they were about to cry― or die. Gideon dragged her away after that. 

On Friday, Gideon brought her to the quarry. Visha took one look at the pickaxe Gideon expected her to use, and fled to the boundless woods surrounding the field of rock. He found her at the cusp of a stream, hands shaking and lips trembling, and took her home. 

It is now Monday, and Visha sighs in front of a mirror. The tracksuit she has on reminds her all too well of the one she wore in the Games. Her hands begin to shake. The urge to rip it off is overwhelming, but she can't. Gideon had practically ordered her to wear it. And he wouldn't say where he was taking her, so Visha couldn't even plan for an alternate outfit. 

Gideon rings her doorbell at 11 am sharp, and she reluctantly opens up. "You still keeping my newest trial pastime a secret?" 

He nods in confirmation. 

Visha's lips settle into a scowl as they walk down the Victor's Village, pausing briefly to talk to Enobaria and Hunter, before making their way into the centre of District Two. Visha's heart begins to beat more and more rapidly as it becomes increasingly clear where Gideon is taking her. District 2's Tribute Training Academy looms in the distance, the towering building a mere couple of meters away. 

Almost as if he's noticed her apprehension, Gideon stops on the side of the road. "It's okay," he reassures. "Take a few deep breaths." 

"Why are we here?" Visha manages, in between huge gulps of air. But no matter how hard she tries to breathe in slowly, the air rushes into her lungs in shallow puffs. At her sides, her hands begin to shake. She leans against the dull, grey wall of a building, and closes her eyes.