Cage me like an animal • F Odair¹ •

XX

"My tributes, my responsibility."

•∘♛∘•

Athena went back to her chambers to collect her things, but found there really wasn't much to collect save for Kai's golden pin. Athena had shoved it underneath one of the pillows on her bed right before her prep team started working on her the day before, hoping no one would touch it there. They drove them through the streets in a car with blackened windows, and just as Alayne said, the train was waiting for them when they arrived. Once they were there, they barely had time to say goodbye to Tatiana, Syrio, Ajax, Leto, and Hestia. As they tearfully hugged her goodbye, Athena suddenly felt bad for feeling like she hated them. They would be reunited, soon, though, when the time came to tour the districts for the victory tour. It was said to be a way of honouring the winning tribute for their victory, but it was really just the Capitol's way of reminding everyone that the Games never really went away. Mainly, from Athena's knowledge of it, she would have to give a lot of fake speeches, she would be given a lot of useless plaques, and everyone would have to pretend that they loved her.

The train began to move and they were soon plunged into darkness. Athena counted the seconds until they cleared the tunnel and took her first free breath since the Reaping. Alayne would be accompanying them back to District Four. They ate an enormous dinner, before settling into silence in front of the television to watch a replay of the interview. Finnick and Mags were brilliant as always, but that wasn't new. Now that she could actually see herself, Athena saw that she did do a good job.

"I see you haven't forgotten my tips on etiquette," Alayne said, pride in her voice.

Athena was tempted to point out that after the four hours of hell they went through to teach Athena that etiquette, it wasn't likely she would forget it anytime soon. She decided against saying it, though. With the Capitol growing farther and farther away with every passing second, Athena allowed herself to think more of home. Of the ocean that called for her, waiting. Of Hudson and the other fishermen and sailors. Of the merchants at the markets. Of her mother and Calypso. Of her dead father and the unplanned funeral that awaited her.

She excused herself to change out of her dress, struggling a little to find her room again. Athena was far from filthy now, but she still hopped into the shower after taking off her dress. She washed off all the makeup and stayed in the shower until the hot water began burning her skin and left it feeling raw. The good thing about showers, she felt, was that it became to distinguish regular water from tears and the sound of sobs was so easily drowned out... afterwards, she changed into a pair of black shorts, a long-sleeved navy blue tunic, and leather shoes. It resembled the outfit she wore the morning of her Reaping before she changed into that purple satin dress. Athena stared at herself in the mirror until she felt like she could recognize herself again, before walking back out of her room, shoving Kai's golden pin into the pocket of her shorts.

The train made a brief stop for fuel, and they were permitted to go outside for some air. They clearly didn't see a need to guard her so much now; it didn't make sense for Athena to try to run now that they were going home. She wandered down along the track by herself, before she started walking along a field where flowers were in full bloom. Finally, she came to a stop at a hill, at a point where she was positive there were no more cameras to watch her, and sat down on the ground on the hill, before stretching out and lying down amongst the flowers. The area reminded her of the fields a little ways off from the Justice Building. The flowers would be in full bloom there, too; this field even had some of the same types of flowers. If she tried hard enough, she could pretend she was already home. And not very far at all from those fields were the cliffs, which held the graveyard where her father would soon be buried...