CHAPTER ONE.

WELCOME BACK.

IT HAD ONLY BEEN A YEAR SINCE SHE HAD STEPPED FOOT IN THE CAPITOL, and yet everything seemed different. She was never a fan of the way they decorated the place nor the people who lived there but for once, she's happy to be here. Being in the Capitol this time round can only bring good things for her and the memory of her brother. Whilst she is here, she can finally put to rest those thoughts of killing Katniss Everdeen, she can finally make it happen for real.

The teenage girl lays on the bed in her new room, staring up at the roof with an almost peaceful expression. Over the past year, she has never felt this content nor comfortable, its rather ironic considering where she is. The place that has brought all the trauma, is the cause of all her pain.

Emori knows that being here could cause even worse pain, she knows that she could lose more people. Despite the fact she has kept to herself over the past year, she had made friends with a few of the other victors. Mostly the younger ones due to the fact she is only eighteen herself. They were the people she clung to before she got to go home and be with her brother again, but now they will be the only people she can cling to over this time period. Losing them would only cause her to lose herself even further.

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Katniss and Peeta sit in the rather large room in front of the television as Haymitch gets ready to show off the other tributes. They know that they will be in the minority here, most of these people have known each other for years and therefore, they'll be the main targets. All they can hope for is having the same luck that they did the previous time, except only one will come out — they won't make the same mistake again. Both of the District Twelve tributes want it to be the other but nobody will stand around and allow them to be the final two. She won't be lucky enough to have the two of them against one person again, she knows it'll be harder. Snow doesn't want her alive and in turn, that puts Peeta in danger as well.

The monitor switches on and they watch as the pair from District One appear on the screen before them. It's easy to tell that they're somewhat related, both of them have similar features.

"Cashmere and Gloss, brother and sister. District One. They won back to back games. Capitol favourites, lots of sponsors. They'll be lethal," Haymitch explains to his tributes who nod as they watch the siblings hold their hands up in celebration. She cannot help but feel slightly sick at the scene, if they're celebrating going back in the games then they will have no issue killing the others.

The screen switches over and they watch a bald man taking centre stage. A woman's name is called but a small blonde volunteers to take her place — this surprises the two victors from twelve greatly, she is so young. Why would she volunteer to go back in when she could stay home and live a decent life?

"And the other half of the Career pack, Brutus and Emori. Brutus is an extremely experienced killer, murdered almost half the tributes on his lonesome. Emori is a little different, her kills were hesitant. She killed all of her allies when they were asleep and when asked why in her final interview, she spoke of not wanting to have to hear them in pain," Haymitch speaks to Katniss and Peeta who look more than curious about the blonde.

"Then why would she go back in? I doubt Brutus needs her protection," Peeta points out and Haymitch pulls an uncomfortable expression.

"I can think of maybe two reasons. One, the least unlikely one, she has somehow grown a love for this whole thing. That I doubt greatly. I'd go with the second option, revenge," Haymitch responds which causes nothing but confusion.

"Revenge?" Katniss ponders aloud.

"Against you,"

The words are enough to make both tributes freeze up. What could either of them possibly done to make this girl hate them so much? They'd never met her before, had they?

"Yes. She lost somebody important at your hand," Haymitch adds.

Katniss tries to rack her brain for what he could possibly mean. Peeta looks just as puzzled but as he looks at the girl's face again and realises what District she is from.

"Cato," Peeta breathes and a nod from Haymitch confirms it.

"Cato? The boy from two?" Katniss intrudes, her eyebrows scrunching together. They do have similar features, the hair and eye colour majorly.

"She was the girl on the platform in two. She glared holes into us the entire time," Peeta responds to her and Katniss nods, recognition appearing over her face.

"I'd watch out for her. If my theory is correct than you're the first person she will be coming after. Cato was all she had left, she'd told me that before on one of the few occasions I'd met her. Nice kid, unfortunate life. I'm sure you can relate to that?" Haymitch speaks and Katniss nods.

"So what do we do?" Peeta asks.

"Stay out of her way, it'll be better for both of you that way. She's got friends in this group, ones who would kill for her,"

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Emori stands by her chariot as her stylist makes some last minute alterations to the outfit. This was the part, beside the actual games, that she hated the most. Being paraded around like an idiot in front of everybody was something that she loathed. She was never a real outgoing kind of person anyway so this was a literal nightmare. Her outfit is awfully similar to the ones that her brother and Clove had worn the year earlier, it pulls on her heart strings. It's as if the Capitol stylists were doing it as some cruel joke. Either that, or they were unoriginal.

"Emori!"

The girl spins around ready to attack if somebody were to go for her. She's relieved when she sees the familiar pair of eyes that she could seemingly never be mad at. She walks over to him and his arms wrap around her almost instinctively. She holds him tightly.

"I've missed you, Em. I'm sorry I haven't been able to get over and visit," Finnick mumbles in her ear, knowing that the past year must have been killing her. He'd seen how she fretted over her brother the year prior, hating the idea of him being away too long because it could have been the last time she saw him. Unfortunately for her, when he stepped foot on that aircraft and mouthed the words "see you soon", was the last time she ever saw him.

"I know you've been busy with Annie. How is she anyway?" Emori asks as she pulls away, the tears swimming in her eyes threatening to break free. 

Annie Cresta is a woman who has been through so much trauma. She witnessed her District partner being beheaded and Emori could not even imagine the fear she must have felt in that moment. Emori didn't see her District Partner die, he was killed by their enemy when she was out finding something to eat. He was the only one that she could not bring herself to kill, he'd grown up just a few houses down. Losing him hurt her, it was only the start of her downward spiral.

"She's as good as she can be. Mags took her place," Finnick says the last part sadly. Mags means a lot to him, she's always been there, he would die if it meant she got to live — Emori knows that and she can respect it. She's a lovely woman who she adores.

"I saw. I'm sorry Finnick," It's the first time in months that she's been able to properly show emotion to anybody else. This is Finnick though, somebody she cares about. Somebody who cares about her — there isn't many these days.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I should've been there for you more, Em. Annie would have understood, she probably would have wanted to come as well," The last part causes a soft smile to arise on the teenager's face.

She goes to respond when she hears a rather loud conversation behind her. Her head snaps to the source of the sound and her blood practically boils at the sight of the girl. She is wearing a rather luxurious dress, the entire outfit black. Finnick moves his attention to the girl he'd only spoken with moments before, his hands moving to rest on Emori's shoulders.

"Come on, Em. It's almost time for the parade," Finnick tries his hardest to divert her attention away from the woman who she is out to get but he doesn't do nearly enough to warrant her attention.

"I'm going to kill her," Emori speaks the words with such promise that it almost makes the District Four victor flinch. He's well aware of her ill feelings towards Katniss Everdeen, he knows it's why she volunteered.

The two of them are interrupted by Brutus who walks over looking less than impressed at her choice of company. Finnick in an attempt to be the peacemaker gives him a friendly smile.

"Brutus," Finnick nods.

"Odair. You should go, it's starting soon," Brutus responds gruffly.

Finnick gets the message and kisses the forehead of the blonde before walking away. Emori avoids the gaze of her District partner and simply climbs onto the chariot. She hears the loud cheers of the crowd as Cashmere and Gloss enter out and the second Brutus is beside her, their chariot starts to move out. The girl doesn't bother to smile or act cute like she did the first time around, she stares straight ahead with no emotion evident on her face. It comes as quite a shock to some of the audience but what could they honestly expect from somebody who had lost their brother. This is more than likely the exact same chariot he rode in the year earlier — it's a rather cruel thing.

This year there is no huge speech from the president, instead they ride around so that they can be seen again before they're right back where they started. She doesn't say a word as she climbs out of the cart and walks away, not wanting to stay here a moment longer. Instead, Emori simply looks down at her stupid outfit as she walks, annoyance evident in her features. Then she runs into something or more specifically someone. She goes to apologise when her eyes snap up.

The boy looks almost embarrassed that he'd run into her. She clenches her jaw as she looks at him, his blue eyes filled with an emotion that she cannot really understand.

"Emori, right?" He asks in a gentle tone in order to try and soften her glare but it doesn't work in the slightest.

"Um right, I'm sorry for running into you I'll just —" He stutters out and goes to walk by her when she grabs his wrist and pulls him back. It startled him a little.

"Is there a problem here?" A feminine voice speaks just as she's about to talk to the boy. She'd know that voice anywhere, it makes her feel physically ill.

"No problem here, Katniss," Emori says, hissing out the girl's name as if it were poison. "Just introducing myself to your partner. Peeta, isn't it?" She asks the boy.

"Yeah," He responds.

"Well it was lovely to meet you, Peeta. I must say you're lucky to have somebody care about you as much as he does Katniss," Emori addresses they girl.

When Katniss doesn't speak, a small smile pulls at Emori's lips.

"I used to have somebody who cared about me too. Not in the same way he does for you but he loved me. Everyday since he was taken from me, all I've thought about is how can I avenge him? How could I bring honour to his name," Emori says softly but there is a threatening undertone. Her hand around Peeta's wrist is tightening more by the second to the point where he is wincing.

"What is worse? Dying yourself or losing someone you care about? Personally, I think it's the second option. I've been through it, I'd hate to have to put you through it too," The girl is speaking directly to Katniss who's eyes narrow at the threat.

Peeta cannot help but feel threatened, he is not the kind of person Katniss is. He's not really a fighter and if this girl came after him and she wasn't there, there is a chance he wouldn't make it. Finally, she releases his wrist and gives him a coy smile.

"It was lovely to meet you, Peeta. I'm sure we'll see each other again soon," Emori says before practically barging past Katniss and to the elevator. She turns her head at the last second.

"Oh and congratulations on the engagement! I hope you cherish these last moments that you have together!"

Then she's gone from view.

NOTE.

Yikes, this chapter was kind of trash. I literally love Peeta so much and an Emori and Peeta friendship would be great but it obviously cannot happen straight away. Hope you enjoyed!

Made by @/caradunes