ʀᴇᴅ ᴅᴀᴡɴ (ɢ. ʜᴀᴡᴛʜᴏʀɴᴇ)

ᴛᴡᴏ

I found her playing with the pearl Peeta found in an oyster back in the game. She seemed skeptic, so skeptic that she didn't even notice me examining her, not until I sat on the chair next to her.
"There can't be a ceasefire. Not after everything Snow's done." she said breaking the silence.
"He could have done a lot of damage tonight." Gale said coming in the room and sitting down.
"Most districts, people are still too afraid to join. They need the courage."he continued.
"Why do you think he said that?"Katniss asked.
"I don't know. But if you ask my opinion, I think he was forced."I answered her shrugging.
"He didn't look that bad. Maybe he made some kind of deal to protect you." Gale suggested as well.
"He's still playing the game."Katniss said. I sigh and look around the room. Purposefully, my eyes land on Gale, who seems gloomy. I knew him enough to say this wasn't about Peeta. It was about Katniss. He hated to see her like this and so did I. But, Gale... I always thought he felt something more for her, much to my dislike.

We made our way toward the big meeting room. President Coin has to talk to all of District 13. After a few moments, I spot Coin heading for the microphone.
"Good afternoon. Thank you for interrupting your schedules. They have alredy been adjusted to compensate for the delay."Coin tells us. How nice of her... "Please, check in with your unit supervisors when you resume work."
"And our welcomed guests from 12. Katniss Everdeen has consented to be the face of our cause to help unite the districts against the Capitol." I notice people turning around to throw a look at Katniss.
"In exchange, I have promised several concessions." Katniss elbows me and I spot Finnick.We start walking towards him.
"First, we'll access all oportunities for the extraction of the Victors held hostage in the Capitol. Peeta Mellark, Johanna Mason..."Coin continues.
"Finnick, I made the deal for Annie too."Katniss tells him once we come face to face.
"...and Annie Cresta. Once freed, they will be granted full pardon for any and all crimes committed against the rebel cause."
"Good. That's good Katniss"Finnick tells her smiling.
"If Katniss Everdeen fails to furfill her duties the deal will be off. Thank you for you attention. Please, resume your daily schedules."Presiden Alma Coin finnaly says, putting a kind of pressure on Katniss.
"She won't." I tell him as everyone started to leave. He faked a smile.

"Effie?" Katniss asked throwing her plate on the table and running towards her and hugging her.
"What are you doing here?" Katniss asked her while Gale and I sat down as well.
"I'm a political refugee." Effie told her.
"Plutarch rescued you?" Katniss asked again.
"Resued, yes, that's what he calls it. You and I were both in the dark. Now I'm condemned to this life of jumpsuits."Effie answered and the she turned her attention to us.
"It's wonderful to see you again."She said holding Gale's hand in one hand and mine in the other. We both smiled. That woman was... unexpected.
"Can you believe this place? I miss coffee. I never knew anyplace could be so strict. I mean, I thought at least in the higher ranks there'd be some side action."She said looking at me. I put on a cute smile as I mentally rolled my eyes. If only everyone had her problems...
"I miss my wigs. Luckily, I remembered that this was all the rage when I was coming up. You know everything old can be made new again. Like democarcy. Which brings me to this."She said putting a book on the table. Katniss put it in front of me so that the three of us could could see the content.
"Cinna." She said as she opened it.
"He's dead, isn't he?"She asked Effie.
"Yes,dear."Effie answered
"He made Plutarch promise not to show you this until you'd decided to be The Mockingjay on your own. He knew the risks. As we all do. He believed in this revolution. He believed in you."Effie narrated. Katniss turned the page and there was a note left from Cinna saying:
'I'm still betting on you!
-Cinna'
"They're beautiful."I said amazed and earning a smile from Effie.
"They have it."Effie said. "They have the Mockingjay outfit."
"There's not much of a prep team here in 13 but we will make you the best dressed rebel in history."

"People of Panem, we fight! We dare! We end this hunger for justice!" Katniss finished in the video we were watching.
"Madam President, indulge me for a moment, if you would."said Haymitch and he stood up and went in front of the screen.
"Let's everybody think of one incident where Katniss Everdeen genuinely moved you. Not where you were jealous of her hairstyle or her dress went up in flames or she made a halfway decent shot with an arrow."He said the last sentence looking at me, specifically. I rolled my eyes at him. I was never jealous of Katniss. To be honest, I always thought I was better.
"And not where Peeta made you like her. No, I'd like you all to think of one moment where she made you feel something real."He was adressing to all the people in the room. Effie raised her hand.
"When she volunteered for her sister at the Reaping."
"Excellent example. Okay. I hope that wasn't important."  Haymitch said erasing some documents on the screen.
"Okay.'Volunteer for sister'" he said writing it down.
"Good. What else?"He asked.
"When she sang that song for little Rue."Effie continued, full of ideas.
"Oh, yeah.Who didn't get choked up at that?" he said writing it down as well. "You know, I like you better, Effie, without all that makeup."
"Well, I like tou better sober."She told him.
"When she chose Rue as an ally, as well."I interrupted their conversation.
"Now,what do all these have in common?"he asked us.
"No one told her what to do." Gale said.
"Unscripted, yes. So maybe we should just leave her alone."said Beetee.
"And wash her face. She's a girl. You made her look 35. " Boggs was right. Katniss smiled.
"The opportunities for spontaneity are obviously lacking below ground. So what you're suggesting is we toss her into combat?"asked Plutarch.
"I can't sanction putting an untrained civilian in battle just for effect. This is not the Capitol." President Coin told us.
"That is exactly what I'm suggesting. Put her in the field."said Haymitch. I was starting to see what was in his head.
"No,we can't protect her." Coin told him.
"It has to come from her." I said earning an approving mid from Haymitch.
"That's what people respond to. You want a symbol for the revolution? She cannot be coached into it. Trust me, I know." He continued.
"Maybe there's some place that's less dangerous." Gale objected.
"District 8. They reported heavy bombing last week. There are no military targets left."Beetee said.
"We can't guarantee her safety." Coin told him.
"You'll never be able to guarantee my safety. I wanna go." Katniss finally spoke up.
"And if you're killed?"Coin asked.
"Make sure you get it on camera."Katniss answered, making me look at her proudly.

"I've made you some surprises."Beetee said as Gale, Katniss and I entered a strange room. Gale looked at some kind of bow, not similar to Katniss's and I looked at a pair of guns. I couldn't say I was not good at dealing with bows and arows but,what can I say? I prefered guns. Way easier.
"Maybe you wanna try those out."he said looking at both Gale and I. "If you're gonna be a part of Katniss' Propo Team, you may as well look the part." I lifted one of the guns from the table and Gale lifted the bow. As we fired our weapons, the bullets and the arrow hit the center and the two targets took fire. Katniss looked at both of us, impressed. We looked at her and smiled, walking away.
"And this one is for you."said Beetee pointing to another bow. Katniss approached him.
"Plutarch wanted you to have a weapon for the sake of the propos but I couldn't just make you a fashion accessory."Beetee told her.
"It's beautiful."she simply stated.
"And look here."he said pointing at a table with arrows and bullets.
"Regular. Incendiary. Explosive arrows and bullets."Beetee told Katniss and me.
"All color-coded. Just for you,Gale and Heather."he said.
"Thank you." I said smiling earning a sympathetic smile from him.
"And tell Finnick I've got a trident for him when he's ready. Might just cheer him up"
I watched as Katniss took one of the explosive arrows and was heading towards the target. Alerted, I make my way towards her to stop her from blowing us up. She loaded her bow but she didn't have time to shoot because I grabbed her forearm.
"Let's not fire the red ones in here."I said and took the arrow from her bow giving it to Beetee.

Effie was helping me in my suit that was similar to Katniss' but not exactly the same. Less stylish, as she put it. It also had two cases for my bullets and three cases for my guns on it. The other one was in case I lost my guns and I was unarmed. She braided my long light brown hairs and after my many complaints about makeup, she convinced me to only put some mascara on me. What was it with this woman and beauty?
"You look beautiful." she said and I smiled at her. We left the room and went towards the jet where Gale waited for us. I finally spotted him. He looked at me with a smile and with an unexplained look I never saw him have. Great, I looked THAT ridiculous. Not knowing how to react, I smiled back. We waited for Katniss as Effie was doing the final touches on Gale's costume.
"You are camera-ready."She told us. I spotted Katniss and Boggs and we all looked to their direction.
"Don't your comerades look extraordinary?" Effie asked Katniss.
"Let's go." said Boggs.
"Come back safe." Effie wished as we followed Boggs. As we entered the jet, I notice Plutarch among 4 other unknown faces.