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Alistair stood with Katniss as they grimly reviewed her flat debut as the Mockingjay. "People of Panem, we fight! We dare!"
The words fell utterly hollow. Alistair winced, discreetly looking away. Silence reigned, disappointment thick in the air.
Haymitch cleared his throat loudly. "Indulge me - tell me one moment Katniss genuinely moved you. Not jealous over her looks or when Peeta made you like her. A real, raw moment. Effie?"
"When she volunteered for Prim at the Reaping," Effie offered nostalgically.
"Exactly! Good one. Anything else?"
Effie pressed her hand to her heart. "When she sang for little Rue..." Sincere sounds of agreement echoed around.
"Who wasn't choked up?" Haymitch commended. "I like you better without all that Capitol makeup, Princess."
"Well I prefer you more sober," Effie shot back, smiling slightly.
"All those moments happened off-script." Haymitch gestured emphatically. "We need to stop overproducing her and wash that gaudy makeup off. She's still just a teenage girl."
"Spontaneity is limited underground I admit," Coin argued. "But I can't risk her solely for effect."
"I'm suggesting exactly that - send her into battle," Haymitch countered.
Coin scoffed incredulously. "I can't protect an untrained civilian out there!"
"You don't need to!" Haymitch insisted. "Her power comes from raw truth. She can't be fabricated into an icon." He shot Katniss a pointed look. "Trust me. I would know."
Beetee suggested gently, "Perhaps a less perilous location? District 8 saw heavy bombing."
"You can't ever fully guarantee it anyway," Katniss inserted bluntly. Eyes blazing, she declared "I want to go there. To the front lines."
Taken aback, Coin asked sharply "And if you die?"
Katniss didn't flinch. "Make sure you get it on camera."
---
Alistair hefted the golden trident uncertainly, feeling its weight in his hands.
He wore his usual combat attire - leather vest over a linen shirt, bracers on his forearms, with his longbow and quiver of colorful arrows slung across his back.
After staring pensively at the weapon for several long minutes, Alistair sighed, strode forward and rapped his knuckles sharply on the door.
It swung open to reveal Finnick, surprise flashing across his face. His gaze darted down to the trident and widened in astonishment as Alistair held it out towards him.
