Hunger Games: Fandom Style

Sir Gwaine Airlines

Gwaine turned to look at them from the cockpit. "Welcome to Gwaine Airlines. Please buckle in and enjoy your stay." He swerved to avoid the explosives now erupting from the arena. "We will be experiencing some slight turbulence, so please - "
"Gwaine!" Arthur yelled.
Merlin threw up a hand and batted the latest missile away.
"Eyes on the sky, Gwaine," Arthur said tersely.
He grinned. "Nice to see you too, your majesty. Oh, Merlin, think you could give me a hand here? I didn't have the chance to test drive this thing and I'm not sure what all the buttons do."
Will looked green. "This is your first time flying it?"
"As it happens, yes," Gwaine said cheerfully.
Will groaned and sank into one of the seats.
"There's paper bags here somewhere if you need one," Gwaine offered.
Merlin groaned and plopped into the copilot's seat. He paled as he looked at the instruments. "Gwaine, are you sure you don't have magic?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because that was the only explanation that came to mind as to why you hadn't crashed yet! You left it in first gear, you idiot!"
"It has gears?"
Leah, still in wolf form, let out what Arthur was sure was a sigh. She walked over and nudged Baelfire gently.
"Still out?" Arthur asked.
She shot him a look that seemed to say, No, he's doing jumping jacks. What do you think, idiot?
He was very familiar with that look. Merlin was fond of it.
Will seemed to be suffering from airsickness. Red settled in beside Baelfire to watch over him. Leah turned her attention to watching Merlin. Admittedly, the events in the cockpit were getting steadily more entertaining, assuming you could forget that their lives depended on what happened in there, but her focus seemed a bit too intense for that.
Arthur shrugged it off. What did he know about reading a werewolf's mood?
Harry was pacing.
"What's wrong?"
"The Capital's not going to be happy with us."
"I don't much care what they think of me. Especially with Merlin here to protect us from their wrath." The hovercraft dove suddenly, sending them all stumbling forward.
Harry glared at him. "That's all well and good for us, but what about everyone back home? Or in the Capital, for that matter."
"District 4 has been in open rebellion since Jack's death. The tides turning against them, but they're still holding out. District Three joined them a couple of days ago. Five is rioting, Six is ready to, and Twelve's on fire. There are groups ready in most of the other districts, but they're lying low for now," Gwaine called from the pilot's seat. "We keep an eye on these things. Merlin here made an arrangement with young Fowl." He frowned. "Haven't heard from him in a while, though. Just been getting stuff through his contacts."
"That's not good enough," Harry said. "Even if we do manage to win this, the Capital could send out hovercraft before we're even close to a victory. Haven't you seen what they've done to any of the victors that even try to cross them?"
"Not up close, no," Arthur said, "but I'll take your word for it. Merlin? Suggestions?"
"Little busy at the moment!"
"Look, is there any way I could just get a message through to Nine?" Harry asked in desperation.
Merlin peered out the glass. "Sky looks pretty clear for now. I can probably get you five minutes. Who do you need to talk to?"
"Can you split that between two people?"
"I could call them both up at once," Merlin offered. "If you don't mind a conference call."
The last words meant nothing to Arthur, or Harry for that matter, but he seized on the suggestion. "Perfect. Give me Ginny Weasley and Sirius Black."
Merlin nodded. "Look at your left window in three . . . two . . . one . . . "
The darkened window shimmered before splitting into two full color images, one of a determined looking redhead, the other of an obviously worried Sirius Black.
"Harry!" both burst out at once.
Harry held up a hand. "It's complicated. Just - give me a minute, all right?" He laid out the situation quickly.
"Don't worry about us, Harry," Ginny said. There was a strange fire in her eyes. "If the other districts are rebelling, we'll pull our weight."
"Ginny, that's not why I - "
"I know, Harry. You want to keep me safe. You want to keep everyone safe, and I love you for it. But we're ready to fight. I want to fight for that world you dream about. Would you love me if I did anything less?"
Harry looked like he wanted to argue with her, but he visibly swallowed the urge. "Can you do it?" he asked instead.
"Fred and George, remember? Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve."
"Sirius?" he asked tensely.
"Been a long time since I was in a good fight," he mused.
"It's been a month."
Sirius grinned. "Like I said. A long time. Besides, I've got some unfinished business with a few so called wizards. It's about time the Marauders rode again. Which group will you be flying in to reinforce?"
"Good question." He turned to Merlin. "Where are we going?"
"Capital. It took magic to get us into this mess, it'll take magic to get us out. We'll be there in less than an hour."
Arthur wondered a bit at that, but Harry didn't question it. He turned back to the window. "Ginny - "
"We'll be fine," she promised.
"Tell Ron and Hermione I wish them good casting then."
"I will. Go kill some Peacekeepers for me."
"As you wish, my Lady Freckles."
She stuck her tongue out at him before her image blurred and faded. Harry turned to Sirius quickly. "Try not to kill the whole Capital before I get there, all right?"
Sirius grinned. "No promises, Harry." Then he, too, blurred and faded.
"My Lady Freckles?" Arthur asked with a raised eyebrow.
Harry shrugged. "We grew up together," he said, as if that explained everything.
Merlin had other things on his mind. "I caught a glimpse through the mirror. What was that she was holding?"
"Her wand," Harry said with some confusion.
"Since when have you been repairing wands with duct tape? Poorly, I might add. I could see the veela hair poking out. And what's she doing with rosewood and veela hair in the first place?"
"Tongue tying charms mostly," Harry shot back.
"Really? I'd have thought she'd have been more one for bat-boogey hexes."
"Bat what?"
Merlin shook his head. "We're going to have a long talk about the state of organized magic when all this is over."
"In the interest of us all surviving till then," Arthur interrupted, "how many people could you send that out to at once?"
"How many do you need?"
"From what you've said, rebellion's stirring, but it's still weak. I thought it might help if people knew they weren't fighting alone."
"Good thought," Merlin approved, "but I'm going to need to concentrate. Leah, how's your night vision?"
She growled in a method that seemed to say, You had to even ask?
"Good. Er . . . Do you want to change back to human form?"
She growled a 'no' rather definitively.
"All right, then. If you could sit in the copilot's seat and sort of yelp at Gwaine if you see anything coming, I'm sure we'll all feel a bit safer."
Will groaned.

A/N: Yes, the "first gear" exchange is an Artemis Fowl reference. No, I'm not sorry. In fact, I'm pretty sure Gwaine's response is a direct quote from Mulch Diggums, so give credit where credit is due.
After all, you really don't want to get on Mulch's bad side. (Otherwise known as downwind.)
Tomorrow, Arthur makes his speech, and we get to the fighting!