CHAPTER FIVE.

FANTASY.

GOING INTO TRAINING THE FOLLOWING DAY, Emori ignores the stares of the other tributes. Several of them have received glares from her District partner or Reed who has decided that he will once again stick by her side during the day. Whilst she appreciates his company, he hangs around like a pesky fly at times.

"I don't need a babysitter, Reed. You can go and socialise with other people," Emori says to her friend as she fiddles with the fish hook. The boy smiles at her almost gently.

"I don't want to socialise with any of them," Reed shrugs in response, trying to tie a knot before him. The girl looks over and rolls her eyes, grabbing it and twisting it into a knot. "Where did you learn that?"

"Finn taught me. He took me fishing once as well, I hated it. It's not fun," Emori says with a small grin.

"Yeah I'm good with not doing that. Look, maybe we should start thinking about making allies," Reed finally decides, his eyes settling on the blonde who is frowning.

"Why? You just said you didn't want to talk to anyone else. Besides, the only other person here that I really trust is Finn and maybe Brutus but that's it. They'd turn on us in a heartbeat," Emori responds.

She's aware that her and Reed are rather new to the whole victor circle, she won the seventy second Hunger Games whilst he won the seventh third. They haven't known these people for as long and therefore she is hesitant to trust them all. Finnick has always been the one who she trusted before Reed came and Brutus was her mentor so therefore she has a little trust in him — he is a career however and would turn on her probably without second thought. It's just the way it is and therefore, she believes that it's probably best to only have Reed by her side. He is her closest friend.

"I'll go speak with Finnick then. Try and make some friends," Reed says and she rolls her eyes, eventually nodding when they boy walks off.

"Make friends. Yeah right," she mumbles to herself.

The girl finishes up her knot before leaving the station completely. Her eyes fly over the other activities she could do — she spots Reed over with Finnick at the station with the tridents, both laughing about something that probably isn't even that funny. She sees Katniss on her lonesome with the knives and she scoffs, rolling her eyes. That's somewhere she will not be going.

"Lost?" A voice says to her and she snaps her head to the side, the blonde boy looking at her with his deep blue eyes. She has to stop herself from glaring at the District Twelve Victor who is giving her a friendly smile.

"I'm not really in the mood for friendly conversation, Mellark," she responds and he lets out a small laugh.

"Are you ever?" Peeta replies and she raises her eyebrows at him. For the first time in his presence, she allows her lips to quirk up into a small smile. She had to admire the wit, she didn't think he'd have any. The boy feels almost a little proud that he was able to evoke something other than threats and blank stares.

"Will you come and practice the knife throwing with me?" Peeta asks and when the blonde looks back to the station, she notices Katniss is no longer there. "I know you're good with them, I watched your games. I'm not really good with weapons,"

"I know, I watched your games remember?" And just like that, the girl is back to being stone faced and Peeta wants to kick himself. Probably not wise to bring up anything to do with his games or Katniss. He doesn't understand why there is less hatred towards him considering he played a role as well but he doesn't want to ask — he would get his head bitten off.

The blonde sighs and starts to walk towards where the knife throwing is and Peeta follows closely behind, making eye contact with Katniss who does not look impressed in the slightest as to who he is with. He gives her a reassuring smile.

"I'm not sure your fiancé would be impressed that you're here with me," Emori mocks as she throws a knife, it sticking straight into the centre of the target.

"Katniss is fine. She can't teach me this, Emori. I need to learn," Peeta says strongly.

"So you can stick the knife in back back the minute I turn away?" Emori questions as she turns to look at him.

"I'm not going to kill you, Emori. Believe it or not, it's not something I enjoy doing. This whole thing has been anything but pleasant,"

"Don't I know it," she mumbles quietly before handing him one of the knives. "Give it a shot, lover boy,"

The nickname makes his eyes flash and for a moment, it's as if he's back in the arena looking at Cato. Her eyes, the colour of her hair, even the way she carries herself reminds him of the tall boy from two. When she sees him staring, she raises her eyebrows which causes him to look away. He breathes in and throws the knife, it clatters to the floor and he sighs.

"Your stance is off. Stand up straight, adjust yourself so that your right foot is in front slightly — it helps better your aim. Don't be tense, it'll just stuff up your shot," The blonde instructs and the boy does as she says. She nods and he throws another knife – it doesn't land in the centre but it at least stays stuck within the board.

"See Mellark? Not rocket science, try again,"

"So today was your last training session, do you have anybody else you want to ally with?" Haymitch asks his tributes as they sit down at dinner.

"I'm still the same. Wiress, Beetee and Mags. I wouldn't trust the rest as far as I can throw them," Katniss responds as she eats scoops up a mouthful of food.

"Right. And Peeta?" Haymitch turns his attention to the more level headed victor who's eyes connect with his. He looks as if he's pondering what to say.

"I don't mind Johanna and Finnick. Besides, as I said before, you're unlikely to get Mags without Finnick," Peeta points out to his fiancé who rolls her eyes at his words. Finnick Odair is one of the last people she is going to trust.

"You need allies, Katniss. Their first move will be to hunt the two of you down. Whilst you're the newest tributes, there are two others who are also fairly recent and therefore you may get lucky but I doubt it. They've formed some bonds of their own and more importantly with each other," Haymitch explains and they know exactly who he's talking about.

Reed and Emori.

"Maybe we should ally with them," Peeta says quietly and Katniss snaps her head over to look at him. He can see the instant disapproval in her eyes.

"She wants to kill us. No matter how buddy buddy you two have been at the training centre, the minute those games start there will be a knife in your back," Katniss hisses.

"She's not evil, Katniss. She's grieving,"

"We've all lost people!"

"Most don't have to come face to face with their killer,"

The three of them go quiet and Peeta sighs.

"Look, I just think it might be beneficial —" Peeta begins.

"I don't think Emori is the most trustworthy ally, Peeta. She won't hesitate to kill Katniss when she has the opportunity. I've seen what these games do to people – it hasn't just hit her once either, the games have ruined everything she is and everything she had. We can't! be sure she won't snap," Haymitch responds although Peeta is sure he can see him thinking.

Emori stands on the roof, her eyes looking down at the city below her. The Capitol seems much more quiet than it had the last time she was here, they had parades in the streets, people screeching in excitement at the fact the games were nearing. Now, it's almost silent. She can only attribute that to the fact their beloved victors will be the ones to die.

"Reed told me I'd find you up here,"

The girl turns and sighs when Haymitch Abernathy walks closer to her. She's surprised he's actually sober, remembering back to the games her year when he was constantly drinking. Those poor tributes from Twelve never stood a chance.

"One of my tributes have taken a liking to you," Haymitch speaks as she turns back to the city, the man now standing beside her.

"I know. He follows me around like a lost puppy," she grumbles and Haymitch chuckles lightly.

"It's guilt. Peeta has to be one of the kindest people I've met, even in the face of death. The second these Games were announced, he came to me to try and get Katniss out of this alive. He's not like everybody else here and that's why he feels compelled to be around you," Haymitch responds.

"Guilt won't bring my brother back. Why are you here, Haymitch? If you're trying to convince me that Peeta needs to be the one to get out of this alive, I'm sorry I can't comply to your request. I have people I know in here who I would die for but he's not one of them,"  the blonde says, her mind straying to three people in particular. Reed, Finnick and Mags. Even Brutus to an extent.

"I'm here to tell you that these games are bigger than your revenge fantasy. Killing Katniss is not going to bring Cato back —"

"Maybe not, but I will feel a lot better,"

"Maybe so but think about all those children who will get to live if she does. Think of those boys and girls from two who will not have to walk into unnecessary slaughter. Those careers who have been training just like your brother and yet still come up short. This is about so much more than revenge Emori and I hope you will soon see it that way,"

"Are you asking me to die for Katniss Everdeen?"

"No. I'm asking you to fight for the right people,"

Emori watches as he walks away from her, her mind all over the place. These games are bigger than your revenge fantasy. She closes her eyes and images of her brother flood her mind, everything from the last birthday that they had together to the moment that arrow pierced his skull. A stray tear falls from her eye and she soon collapses into a fit of sobs.

These games are bigger than your revenge fantasy.

Made by @/caradunes