Johanna's Hunger Games

Finn and Kaia

I'm really sorry about the late update! It's not my fault, there was a glitch or something. It's working again now, and I don't think I'll have trouble again in the future. Anyway:

Feisty823 answered my question correctly, so this chapter is dedicated to them:). Gary Ross directed THG, and Francis Lawrence directed Catching Fire.

New question: What character does Sam Claflin play?

If the Gamemakers gave out scores on how best you failed, I would get the best score. Over the last few days, I have eliminated any chance of me being seen as a threat. I didn't want it to seem over the top, though. Think about it. If you see a tribute fail at everything, would you believe tgem? No. So I spent the entire time building fires, after showing I'm nothing special with the weapons. It drove me crazy, placidly building a fire while Amethyst took over the axes. She was pretty good, but no where near as good as me. No one has any idea what this is doing to my pride.

I didn't convince everyone. Zara is the sharpest person I've ever met. At lunch she leaned I to me casually and whispered, "You are a genius! Don't even try denying it, I know you're only pretending to be weak."

The terror must have shown on my face. How did I slip up?

"I saw your hands in the elevator. Calloused. You're a lumberjack. A lumberjack that's bad at axes? Whatever."

"Well, great. Did anyone else notice?"

Zara shook her head. "But I know something else about Trinity."

"What?" I say, a little too eagerly.

She raises her eyebrows.

"You can trust me!" I say eagerly. She just shakes her head.

~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•~~~

"Training scores! Yay!" Tyla calls out happily. I groan and wrench myself away from my mountain of cake the Avox girl brought me. Lynus remembered her name. Anna. Her name is Anna Payten. Mr. Payten still works as a Peacekeeper. Their daughter June, who's twelve, sits in a wheelchair and has trouble speaking.

My private session was nothing special. I built a fire. I feel like I'm going to explode into millions of sparkly pieces if I do this any longer.

Amethyst got a ten, dang it. So did what's his face. Bree got a nine. The ugly one, you know, the blonde one with the piercings, umm... Lex! Lex got an eight.

Trinity got an impressive seven. Probably fiddled with some wires. Lee got a three. Pitiful.

I grit my teeth and prepare for Finn. He gets a ten. Oh well, we can't have everything in life.

Kaia, also of District 4, grabs my attention. How did I miss her? She has wiry muscles and a broad frame. Her face has an easy, almost playful, smile on it. This is one big Game, and she must see herself as a willing player. She gets a ten also. Darn.

The next Districts are anything but thrilling. Weaklings. Then it's Lynus.

His picture hesitates for a second, and then a block eight swoops on the screen. He scowls. "Eight?"

My picture flys up on screen. Why is my pause longer then everyone elses? It sure feels like it is.

I got a three. I guess that's good, because people will perceive me as.... nothing. Worst. Death. Ever.

I pull my hair back. I'm not going to die. I have to force myself not to look at Lynus. If I survive, he dies. I shake my head. We'll both pull through. Somehow.

Jon, of District 11, gets a six. He can identify plants and soil so easily. Jon can look up at the sky and tell you what our weather will be like today. It's a gift.

Zara gets a... I shake my head. Is that a ten??? Zara, who only turned twelve the day of the Reaping, has a ten? This is ridiculous. Someone her age should get a seven at best. Ten???

Everyone bursts into conversation, and I miss Ol and the girl, Kathrynia, scores. Meh. This is more exciting.

~~~•~~~•~~~•~~~•~~~•~~~•~~~•

"Oh what fun, interviews today! I just love watching Spirit's designs come to life!" Tyla crows.

Spirit glances up from her armchair. I don't just mean she's sitting in it, i mean no one else is allowed to sit in it but her. Weirdo.

"I think we'll focus in pine cones, Jo dearie." she says. "A little-"

"But what about the shoes?" I blurt out worriedly. Not high heels, please not high heels!

"High heels!" she informs me in a delighted voice.

"Ugh!" I groan and flop down on the couch. "Ugh, ugh ugh!"

Tyla scowls at me. Whatever. Spirit enters her design walk in closet. I yell after her "AND DON'T CALL ME JO!!!"

I hate her.

Spirit comes out holding a green dress. I blink. It's different shades of green, all in strange shapes, put together. It has a deliberately patched and scruffy look. I smile. The first good thing, besides the food, since I got here. Something patched. It feels like I'm at home again.

The idea of wasting clothes was abhorrent to Sage. So we patched our clothes when they tore.

I sniff the air. It smells like pine needles. The dress must be scented. I struggle to hold back tears. Home.

The ruffles have tiny decorative pine cones that make a ringing sound when moved. I hold up my token. The pine cones match. Spirit saw my token and decides to play on a theme. Pine cones.

"I'll tutor Lynus first, than you Johanna. Go with Tyla for now." Sage says, and gives me a warning look.

Tyla teaches me posture, walking, speech, sitting, hand position, everything. After THREE hours, Sage comes in. I immediately stand up, and everything from the last few hours flys out of my head. No great loss.

"Johanna, come with me." she states tiredly, and walks into her bedroom. I follow.

Her bedroom is a mess. It looks like someone swept everything off her table. Her eyes meet mine and she puts a finger to her lips.

"Why?" I ask. "Why did you destroy everything?"

She scowls. "It may have something to do with the fact my only family are both going into the freaking Games."

"It was rigged, wasn't it?"

"Obviously. Stupid Capitol people living their stupid Capitol lives.". She sticks her face up to a small black dot on her ceiling. "You listening, Oh Mighty Peacekeepers?"

She breathes on the black dot.

She turns back to me. "It's a security camera. Breathing on it fogged up the lenses."

My mouth drops open. "Do I have one in my room too?"

"Yep. Ridiculous, right?"

I scowl. "Have they ever heard of privacy?"

She laughs without emotion. "We have work to do."

Three more mind numbingly boring hours later, I'm prepared for any question. I grin and put on my outfit. The shoes aren't actually that bad. That, or I've gotten use to them.

We take an elevator thingy down to a damp basement, where we wait. And wait. Talk to Zara. Try to have a conversation with Kathrynia, which is hard. She mostly gives one word answers.

Then I see Finn and Kaia. My elation fades to horror. I'm screwed.

There are wearing warrior suits, but they have a rippling affect. I blink. Twice. Are those scales? Yep. Each suit is made out of tiny reflective artificial fish scales. Wow. It looks so- new. In the Capitol, New=Good.

Sage hustles us on the stage. Sometimes I feel like a sheep, and Sage is shepherding me along. Which is annoying.

Caesar Flickerman bounces on stage. His hair is bronze, this time. The Capitol cheers. Fireworks go off. Some tributes wave. Others smile weakly. I just stare. Note to Self: never, ever again make such a lame first impression.

I'm sorry if things are moving so slowly, my reader/tributes! I promise, Johanna will be in the actual games in the next chapter! Please vote and comment!