Ouch! {Short One}

4. Just A Small Talk With Caesar

"I can't believe Cinna made you wear that." Johanna said to Katniss.

Katniss was wearing a white bridal dress. It was exquisite but did not suit the occasion. "President Snow's orders." She did not like anyone insulting Cinna.

"Then make him pay for it." Johanna's reply made her smile as she nodded.

"Looks like we all have some choice of words to throw at him." Percy joined in their conversation. She wore a simple blue gown with a belt on her waist. Her hair was left just like that in her natural waves.

Though Katniss did not want to like Percy, a smile graced her face every time she spoke with her. It was hard to hate her. She just knew how to lighten the situation with sarcastic comments and jokes.

Caesar Flickerman greeted the crowd in his booming voice in the usual manner. This year his hair and eyebrows were dyed a lilac. The tributes took their places on the stage. One by one spoke with Caesar for three minutes each.

Cashmere and Gloss and the other two new tributes were confident and were looking forward for the games. Caesar assumed the tributes of District 3 will die in the bloodbath as his first sentence to them was, "We don't know what we'll miss more, you or your brains," which was pretty harsh.

Then there was District 4, Finnick dedicated a ballad to his one true love to which several women in the audience fainted as they thought it was for them. Katniss rolled her eyes at his ways to grab sponsors but Percy's worried glance at him made her rethink that.

"Ah, Persephone Jackson, goddess of the seas." Caesar greeted Percy as she took her seat.

"Just Percy please." Percy said out of habit.

"So, Just Percy, the people were touched by your friends' concern about you."

"Oh yes Caesar, they are the real heroes, I mean they put up with me on a daily basis." She stated matter of factly. The crowd roared with laughter.

'Just like Peeta.' Katniss thought to herself. She had suspected that Percy would be able to grab the crowd's attention real easily. With her happy go lucky personality and jokes and everything, it must be a piece of cake of her.

"That was very funny, Percy. But tell me a bit about them and why didn't any of them volunteer?"

"Oh, don't get them wrong, they are the best. We sort of made a deal which didn't let them volunteer for me. And I'm afraid we don't have the time to speak about them, Caesar." Percy did not want to put her friends in danger by revealing to the whole Panem that they mean the life to her.

Apparently, Caesar understood this too. "Could you please atleast tell us about her?" A picture of a girl who had spiky black hair with electric blue eyes appeared on a screen beside them. "We noticed that you only had tears in your eyes when she approached you."

Percy's face fell, barely noticeable, but still she kept the smile o her face. "That's my cousin, Thalia. Thalia, is a really brave one. I admire her for that but when she cried for me, it was shocking to be honest. I know she cares for me and all that but Thalia refuses to let her tears fall. She has faced everything that life throws at her without tears but for me...so yeah, that's why. People see ruthless killing of children as entertainment, Caesar. I think that is enough to say about the Games, Capitol and Panem."

Caesar was momentarily surprised on how she had used his own question to insult the games thoughhe recovered quickly.

"να είσαι ασφαλής"

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Its just something we say back at home."

But her family at District four knew better. It was a message, a warning, last wish of Percy Jackson to her family. 'Be safe.'

"So is it true-"

The timer went off at that right moment. "Ah, time is up! It has gone real quick with you Percy. I wish you luck in the arena. People are waiting to see you on action, Percy. Isn't that right, people?"

The crowd roared in response and Percy returned to her seat with a quick thanks but not without a fist bump with Finnick. Peeta smiled at her to show that he appreciated her bravery for presentinh her opinion like that.

The interview continued. It wasn’t that eventful but Johanna did grace the people with some colorful choice of words. Each and every tribute after that said that the Games must be canceled. It made one thing clear. Tributes were not too eager to get back into the arena.

The interview with Katniss had encouraged the uprisings with her Mockingjay dress and had mocked President Snow which just made him angrier.

The interview ended with a highly unusual occurrence. The tributes had joined their hands symbolising that the districts stoodd together as one despite their differences. They stand together to fight against the President.

Together we stand, divided we fall.