The Price of Champions and Crowns (Hunger Games)

15

I was pissed that they left me. Especially because I'd thought Johanna and I were tolerating eachother. But no...

I can't believe after everything she's put me through that I believed for even a second that she cared. So like a child, as soon as we entered the train I stormed angrily all the way to the last compartment.

District Eight had been tiring. Cecilia cried for all of brunch and when I attempted to say something she screamed at me to shut up. So you know, it went great. I whipped a tear as I fell onto the sofa behind the giant back window of the train. 

My one thought: Thank fuck I'm finally going home.

Even sitting here it's hard not to se-

...

I gasped and climbed further up the sofa but it was already gone. 

A symbol heavily outlawed but everyone knew it. I blinked and the image of what I just saw revealed itself behind my eyes...

They Live.

I frowned. Was it just a really old poster meant for Katniss and Peeta?...or was it, dare I say new. There's a nagging feeling in the back of my head tellling me that that poster would've been taken down decades ago if it was from the seventy-fourth games. No one esle had left the arena with two victors so who else is it referring to?.

Why start rebelling now?...the quell. Is it from the Quell, for the children of Victors?

They all died though!.

Think it has to be recent. What would've caused a rebllion in my games?!?. I did the right thing, I killed everyone and am the last one standi-

They Live. Unless...I'm not?

No. Now way! What am even I talking about?!?. I'm the only Victor. Only one on this damn tour. I'd know. If someone else made it out then Johanna, Clement and Blight would have to be the worlds best actors...Johanna could pull it off but Clement and Blight? yeah right. 

And the Districts...they'd have to be in on it too which seems highly unlikely because that would cause rebellion. 

I gulped. That poster is many things and one of them is a form of rebellion.

I scoffed to myself at my stupidity. Look at me, Victoria Mason cooking up the worlds biggest conspiracy theory in her own head. One where my District lied to me for six months, infact the entire world.

Oh no! All of Panems lying to get me. 

I laughed really loud and obnoxiously to myself. 

I really got to get out of my mansion more.

I tried to put off thoughts of the poster for the rest of the tour. If the word poster was ever casually mentioned then Johanna just happened to pop up with a seething glare pointed at me. As if my nagging from District Twelve had caused her PTSD. 

District Seven has been my favourite district on the tour so far, mainly because it was just us plus, Clement was allowed to join along with Hugo (our Mayor) for brunch. But with every passing district I could feel uneasiness creeping in.

And now as we all entered the train from the platform at District Five I knew the next stop on the tour will be District Four.

Just the thought of visiting that district is like someone hacking me violently with an axe. Its more than dread its knowing I'll have to endure a form of torture. That torture being Liam's parents.

Technically I've already met Finnick Odair. All times I've seen him hes made me uncomfortable. Whether he's invading my personal space or knowing thanks to Liam that he doesn't have a conscience.

Then, there's Annie Odair. Who I called insane on live tv infornt of the entire country, Annie included. So...not looking forward to it is putting it mildly.

Also there was that insuation from my mother a couple weeks back...

 I'm sure Finnick is oh so looking forward to it.

It send chills down my spine. Why is he looking forward to it? To kill me maybe?. I know my mother, like with Katniss she's close friends with Finnick Odair. But I don't think that's going to help me when I visit. If I've learned anything from this tour its that Johanna Mason is never going to come to my aid in social situations, like ever. 

In the arena...she did save my life with the spial so I can't say that applies all the time. I shook my head, clearing any thoughts of trying to undertand my mother. She's too insane to figure out.

I bit my lip and watched as District Five slowly started to fade away behind mountains. With a roll of my shoulders and a sigh I decided to walk around the train just to clear my head. Maybe forget for a split second where its taking me.

As I walked down corridors and inbetween compartments, I paused at the sound of cheering from one of the peacekeepers viewing carts. I'd paused becuase it was strange, this entire tour I've never bothered to watch the footage of it. I don't watch simply becuase I hate watching myself, and can't watch without finding some part of me cringe-worthy.

But with a shrug I peered round the doorway to find the footage playing. It was just an open crowd. At first  I assumed it was five but what caused me to gasp in shock was the giant banners behind them with the number 3. 

District 3...

That's a whole district aw-

I was pushed out of the room by the two peacekeepers guarding the door. I scoffed and shook off their grip and attempted to go back in there.

When it was clear of my intent some random peacekeeper locked it from the inside. Dick. I turned back towards the pair with a glare. "Let me in".

Without missing a beat. "Against protocol its a confidential area".

Bull. Shit.

I opened my mouth to argue but the second peacekeeper gripped his gun in warning. I gulped and looked back at the first with sigh of defeat. "What were they watching in there?".

He shrugged causally. "Last years Victory Tour, now move along".

It wasn't up for discussion so regrettably I did move along. 

It's possible that peacekeepers were watching last years victory tour. I'm not saying it's not the most logical possibility.

But...

Caesar was wearing turqiouse.

The exact same colour he wore two weeks ago when he interviewed me about how excited I was to start the tour.

I shivered. Its recent footage of District Three. 

Districts don't practice crowd participation for victory tours which means...

Someone else is touring the districts. And that means I didn't make it out of there alone.

If the cannon I heard in the water belongs to Trent, it means that the only other person besides myself left standing could be...

Liam.