Panem Dawn: Mockingjay Reimagined

Chapter Fifteen: "Welcome to the 76th Hunger Games."

Alyssa's P.O.V

The day after I had that talk with Johanna, I am packing up some supplies and my gold dagger, as well as a few other things, and Noah is doing the same. "Hey," he says when he sees me. "Hi." I say to Noah, giving him a smile.

"So this is it. We'll be returning to the Capitol this time tommorow. Not carried in on chariots as slaves for the Hunger Games, but as soldiers fighting for a better Panem. I'm sure Snow and his gamemakers will already have set up plenty of deathtraps along our way. But I'm ready. Are you?" Noah says to me.

"I've been ready for this change since they took you prisoner. Since my first Hunger Games, maybe before even that. Whatever dangers there are, I think we'll find our ways to stay alive. That's what we're renowned for, after all."

I say it with as much certainty as I can, even though I'm not really sure how many of us may live or die. I didn't even know what new, sinister horrors would be waiting for us. All I know is that I can't be afraid. Between choosing to help change everything or have everything remain the same, I know already what I have chosen. But was I really ready?

I force myself to push that thought to one side. There's no room to hesitate. I have to be ready to face anything and everything, just like in the arena. If there was anything good that ever came out of being a tribute for me, it was learning how to face who or what is trying to kill me, and fighting back, doing whatever it takes, to survive. Only this time, I would have to go on not only for my own survival, but for everyone.

I also add, "I've always been ready since this all started. You taught me well." And he says to me, "You know, even that confidence that I love about you won't guarantee that we will end up exactly where we all want to be in the end, or even that we will all be together by that ending. But I'm still going and giving it all as much as I possibly can. Assuming we both survive this, I intend to spend the rest of my life with you. There's no way in hell I'll ever go back to what I had before."

And Noah bends a little to kiss me. As soon as his lips touch mine, I allow myself to give in for to few precious moments, to be enveloped by that familiar, delicious warmth. I wrap my arms around him, and pull him in closer to me.

"Ahem, forgive me if I sound like the world's biggest buzzkill, but I don't think this is the most appropriate time for a makeout session." It is Gale who tells us this, as we suddenly break off our kiss and come back to reality. "Alyssa, Plutarch and Coin want to see you and Katniss. Not you Linwood, you have other things you need to worry about." And so, I say to Noah, "I'll find you after the meeting. Don't worry, I'll be back soon." Then, I reluctantly follow Gale as he goes to find Katniss, who joins us as soon as she is told to come along. As I walk by Cassandra, she asks me, "Alyssa, where are you, Hawthorne, and Everdeen going?"

"President Coin wants to see us for some reason." Is all I say to her, and I continue on, striding to keep up with Katniss and Gale. When we finally reach the room where President Coin and Plutarch are seated, the same room where I was first introduced to Coin, she says to me and Katniss, "Miss Whitestone, Miss Everdeen, please take a seat." And Gale, no longer being needed here, makes his departure. The door closes behind him as he leaves.

***

"Alyssa, Katniss, the reason that we have called you here is because we wanted to inform you both, that you have done so much for this revolution, and even though sometimes you made some decisions that were on the rash side...you still managed to save lives that otherwise might have been lost. You have both endured so much pain and suffering for the cause yourselves. Now that you have done your duties, as Mockingjay and Freedom Fighter, it is time for you to take a backseat here, wait where you're most safe, and rest." Coin says as though she is expecting us to agree, perhaps to even be relieved about not having to continue on in our fight.