𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐇 | Finnick Odair

𝐢𝐢𝐢. hitting you where it hurts

Finally off the stage, Finnick Odair and Mags Flanagan took note of this year's tributes. For the past five years, they'd been utterly catastrophic and Finnick could only hope that this year, perhaps they would at least stand a fighting chance.

As he walked through the sleek metal doors of the tribute train, Finnick felt a familiar sense of apprehension building in his stomach. This wasn't his first time mentoring, but that didn't make it any easier.

Ignoring the flashes of cameras from outside he scanned the newly renovated carriages, searching for his tributes. He knew their names, of course – a pair of fighters it seemed. Appearances however, could be deceiving and he didn't want to get his hopes up for nothing. The names alone had given him somewhat of a clue at their strengths; he'd seen them both listed as students at District Four's limited training academy.

The girl came across as the most promising since she seemed to be related to his old mentor but he'd never met her before and was unsure if she would live up to her name.

Either way the other career districts were threatening not to ally with them anymore if his tributes got any worse. He needed nothing short of a miracle to meet those expectations.

As he entered the dining cart, Finnick spotted them – sitting opposite each other and glaring at him as he walked forward, with a sharp sense of hostility. He approached them with a smile, trying to put them at ease and soften the looks being sent his way. "Hey there," He said, his voice low and calm. "I'm Finnick. I'm going to be your mentor for the games."

They both looked at each other almost immediately, their eyes wide with unchecked surprise. Finnick was only a year or so older than they are so he can't blame them – He wouldn't have wanted such an inexperienced mentor when he was in their shoes.

Nevertheless he tried to project confidence, to show them that they weren't alone. "Don't worry," He tells them assuredly. "I'm here to help you. We'll get through this together." Caspian, the boy, shared a look with his district partner that Finnick couldn't quite decipher.

He turned to the girl, Genevieve Coppergrove, who was sizing him up and nearly groaned. The last thing he needed was another female tribute who had risked her life by volunteering in order to get closer to him. It happened last year and the year before and the year before that. All three girls had ended up dying in the bloodbath because they hadn't known what they were doing and hadn't bothered to learn, too busy making lovesick eyes at him from across the dinner table.

He eyed the two tributes briefly, waiting for one of them to say something, but then again he considered maybe they didn't need help, remembering the mutterings when the two were called to the stage.

"How the hell were you not in the Academy?" the girl finally asked, eyes narrowing and Finnick nearly jumped as her melodic voice echoed around him, not expecting her to start questioning him.

"If you were as good there as you were in your Games, you would have been offered a scholarship." she continued pushing her alluring blonde hair out of her face and tucking the wayward strands behind her ears.

Finnick let the words sink in as he leaned back in his chair, taking them both in, "You're both from the Academy?" He asked, dropping the caring persona as they both nodded tersely.

"How long?" he questioned, popping a sugar cube from a bowl on the table into his mouth. It had become a nervous habit after the games, something sweet to remind him there was still good in the world.

"She was nine and I was ten," Caspian the male tribute explained, gesturing at Genevieve, "We've been top since we were thirteen and fourteen, respectively."

So she must have been Darius' daughter and the boy was her rival. That explained the surnames. He shared a long calculated look with Mags who had walked in and caught the tail end of the conversation, top of the Academy since thirteen and fourteen years old? They might actually have a shot this year. Maybe he'd finally got his miracle.

"We?" the girl snapped glaring maliciously at the boy. "I've been top since thirteen, you've been second."

Caspian shot her a death stare, "You were top at thirteen, fourteen and fifteen but then I trained with my trident and you came second. You stupid—" he spluttered angrily and Finnick shut his eyes and groaned.

The two tributes stopped fighting and glared at him instead.

"Of course you two don't get along. Why can't things ever be easy for me?" The girl snarled at him and turned her attention back to the boy who looked to be about one step away from punching her in the face.

"You're just a jealous little bastard." Genevieve sneered as anger flashed in Caspian's eyes. He rose to his feet and Genevieve laughed again, egging him on. This appeared to be a strange normality between the two of them, since neither of them looked actually frightened at the prospect of a fight.

Finnick grit his teeth as he got to his feet, ready to intervene in case they did start something. Caspian Michaels obviously had a temper and Genevieve Coppergrove seemed to know exactly how to get under his skin.

"Keep talking like that because you might not be able to talk once I'm done with you." Caspian said, cracking his knuckles, his brown eyes glaring heavily at Genevieve, who's smile widened as she egged him on.

"Oh really?" she challenged and Caspian let out a furious snarl, lunging towards her. He crashed over the table sending immaculate pieces of cutlery flying in all directions, he looked to be reaching for her neck but Genevieve was faster, she snatched a knife from a platter of meat, situated next to her, accidentally cutting her hand on the side of the platter in the process. She let out an angry hiss as the metal ripped into her skin and chucked the knife with unbridled fury towards the cause of her pain.

Caspian had to throw himself backwards and dive to the ground as Genevieve threw the steak knife with pinpoint accuracy right where his neck would have been. Mags let out a small gasp and Daffodil, who had chosen the worst possible time to enter the carriage, shrieked at their behaviour as the knife embedded itself in the wall.

Genevieve clambered over the table and towards the wall so she could pull the knife out, only for Caspian to grab her leg and pull her to the ground.

She let out a yelp as she hit the floor with a thud. The knife clattered down next to her and she reached out to grab it but by then Caspian had gained his composure and had pinned her to the ground. She kneed him in the groyne and he yelled in pain. Taking advantage of Caspian's distraction she scurried up from the floor and pinned his shoulders to the ground.

"Alright, that's it," Finnick snapped as Caspian pushed Genevieve onto the floor. He grabbed Genevieve, who was lunging towards Caspian on the ground, and dragged her towards the seating area. Maybe next year he should ask for bodyguards on the train, he wouldn't want a dead tribute before they even arrived.

"Mags, can you please take him somewhere else? The last thing we need is for the two of them to kill each other before we even get to the capitol." Mags nodded once and guided Caspian out the door with surprising strength for a woman her age, with Daffodil on her heels, tittering about the "lack of manners".

Finnick threw Genevieve harshly onto one of the cushioned seats and slammed the door shut behind Mags. Turning around, he opened his mouth to start scolding her, he paused as she began speaking first, her eyes alight.

"What are you gonna do? Yell at me?" she asked, a playful smirk on her face.

"You've got quite the mouth on you." he noted sternly. "I hope you can back it up because the people in the arena won't take it as kindly as I do." Genevieve's lips twisted into a devilish smirk.

"What makes you think they'd live long enough to hear me speak?" she asked and Finnick eyed her briefly. She was a career, for sure, she had the mentality and brutality to win. He needed to talk with the career mentors as soon as he left the train because Genevieve Coppergrove might be the miracle he needed to finally bring home another district four victor.