Seducing the Careers

Deja Vu

"Ladies and gentlemen, your master of ceremonies, Caesar Flickerman!"

"Thank you! Thank you! Welcome, welcome, welcome welcome to the 74th annual Hunger Games! Now, in about 5 minutes, they're all going to be out here. All of the Tributes that you've heard about. Are you excited? Let me hear it!" Caesar says, making the crowd cheer.

The other mentors and I are backstage, hoping our tributes do well.

"Good luck, Three" Cashmere says to me, with a smile.

"What's up with that?" Johanna whispers beside me.

"Oh we met in an elevator. Something about 'girls like us sticking together'" I say.

"Oh so she wants to stick to you, huh?" Johanna rolls her eyes.

I chuckle. "I don't think she meant it like that, Jo. Don't be jealous" I tease.

I used this opportunity to meet a few of the other mentors.

"Love the teeth" I compliment Enobaria as she introduces herself. She flashes me a smile in response.

"It just started" Johanna elbows me. I sit down.

The interviews begin with the girl from 1, Diamond. She reminds me of me, in a way.

Dressed in a suggestive outfit. Clearly coached to act ditsy and hot. I look over to Cashmere, wondering how she could so easily keep this viscous cycle going, considering she'd experienced it herself.

The rest of the careers reminded me of Cato and Marvel. People who spend their whole lives thinking it's some honor to be in the games.

Before I know it, my girl is up.

"Do you have any special skills you can tell us about?" Caesar asks.

"I'm very smart. I believe that no weapons can match your brain" she states.

"I like that. I like that a lot. I think that deserves a round of applause" Caesar says, looking to the audience.

"Now, you and your district partner. Is that an alliance we can count on?" he asks.

"Of course, Caesar. He's my best friend's little sister. And he's like a little brother to me too. I'll do whatever it takes to keep him safe in the arena" she says.

The crowd awws.

"Well that is just amazing. Another round of applause for Electra!" Caesar sends her off.

She comes backstage and our crew congratulates her.

"Good job, Electra. I knew there was a good speaker somewhere in there" I nudge her teasingly, making her laugh.

I look up at the screens to watch Chip's interview.

"Chip, so you can climb well. You're pretty quick. And are you a hunter? Gatherer?" he asks him.

"Well I can find food" he says, slightly meek.

"You can find food. I like it. And how old are you, Chip?" Caesar asks.

"12" he answers.

"12 years old. Amazing. Such composure. You had a little catchphrase that you told me backstage. I was very impressed with it. Would you please repeat it for the audience?" Caesar says.

The man was definitely good at his job and knew what to say to make each tribute stand out.

"Well if they can't catch me, they can't kill me" he says. The crowd awws. He almost reminds me of Rue in that moment.

But I did catch her. And they killed her.

"Earth to Toni" says Beetee, taking me out of my trance by waving his hand in front of my face.

"His interview just ended. You good?" he asks.

"Yeah" I respond, shaking my head.

We congratulate Chip and continue watching. I sort of zone out before Johanna snaps me out of it.

"Look her little dress is on fire" she scoffs. I can almost hear her eye roll.

I hear some of the other mentors complaining.

"Hey don't hate the player. Hate the game" Haymitch gloats.

The boy from 12 goes on after her. And the Deja Vu comes back as he professes his love for Katniss.

"Damn it, Haymitch. I gotta say, your kids really know how to steal a show" Gloss pats the man on the back, almost pushing him over.

Johanna chuckles. "I'll say" she says, pointing over to Katniss, who had just pinned Peeta against the wall.

"Reminds me of you last year. Feels like forever ago" Beetee reminisces.

"Yeah, and remember how that turned out" I remind him, as we all leave Haymitch to deal with his kids.

*time skip**********

I'm once again in that elevator. The one tied to forgotten memories of bonding with Clove. The one that brought me up to the hovercraft that would fly me to my demise.

The one with the obnoxious chime that I'd never forget.

"They'll put all kinds of stuff right in front, right in the mouth of the Cornucopia. There'll even be a bow there. Don't go for it" I urge Electra.

"I know, I know. But why not?" she asks.

"It's a bloodbath, they're trying to pull you in. That's not your game. Promise you won't go in there, kid" I tell her, putting my hands on her shoulders. She nods.

"You turn, run, find high ground, look for water. Water's your new best friend. Don't step off that pedestal earlier or they will blow you sky high" I find myself repeating Beetee's words from a year ago. Words I didn't realize I held with me still.

"I won't" she nods again.

"Don't ask how I know this. But your arena is going to be the same one as mine" I finally divulge, now that we were completely alone.

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"Here" I say, pulling out a map of the arena I drew from my memory. "Memorize it quickly" I tell her.

"These ponds are important. And here's a list of the poisonous plants I saw in the arena. There are a lot of trees for Chip to climb. You can find him here. I told Beetee to tell him all this as well" I say.

"I-I don't understand. How did you—" she begins questioning.

"—Electra, you don't need to understand. You just need to remember. Do you have it memorized?" I ask.

She looks over it a bit more, before nodding her head.

"Electra. Hey. You can do this. I know you can" I tell her.

"Thanks, Toni" she responds, giving me a small hug.

"I'm scared" she whispers into me.

"DING!!!" the elevator chimes.

"It's okay to be scared. Just don't let them see it" I tell her. She nods.

"Good luck. Find Chip. And the kids from Seven and Four will help you" I tell her. She smiles at me and walks to the hovercraft.

I watched her go and prayed to gods I never believed in that I'd be able to watch her come back.