Tear It Apart⇸Finnick Odair [2]

03

There is no warning when they come to get her the next morning, dragging her from the bed and away from Annie's confused, reaching hands out into the hall where she could see both Johanna and Peeta peeking from their rooms at the noise. Of course, they would all be easily woken at the slightest noise. She feels weak, terrified as they half drag, half shove her towards the large room where President Snow takes his visitors and her mind jumps to so many different scenarios - she did a poor job on the interview, the interview had the wrong response, people are cursing her and throwing her away, all things point that she did something terribly wrong and she can't stop from quivering as she's seated before Snow, Egeria at his side.

"You did well last night, Miss Combe," the woman remarks, but it isn't the least bit reassuring like she hoped it would be coming from her. "But it wasn't quite enough to gain a positive response with recent developments."

Terra swallows. "Recent developments?"

"The Rebels have taken to propaganda promoting Katniss as the Mockingjay. They placed her outside a burning hospital and are using it to persuade the masses to their message," Snow explains and it sounds more tired and disappointed than anything else and she thinks it's incredibly unfair to place the blame on her in this position. "We wish to send them a message back, something stronger that will strike the population."

She looks between them, nervous at playing a counter-image to the rebellion, but agrees anyways having little choice. "What do you need me to do?"

"We're going to have you visit the Districts and join in inflicting punishments on those that fight back," Snow says it so casually that it takes a moment to comprehend what they're trying to say to her, what they want her to do, and she feels terribly cold and distant from herself.

"You want me to punish rebels?" She squeaks and Egeria nods, encouraging.

"It will be useful to send a message that you are on our side, the right side."

Her mind whirs as she tries to find some way to do anything but that. She doesn't want to hurt anyone that has done nothing to hurt her - she couldn't live with herself if she did.

"What if, instead of fighting, I take a share of their punishment," she suggests carefully. "Say that it is atonement for my crimes for allowing this to happen and receive the same punishment. Make it symbolic."

Egeria looks positively gleeful at the idea and readily jumps on board. "We could use it in her anti-violence image. Show her as someone that wants peace no matter the cost to herself. We can put her in one of her pretty dresses, have her hair fall loose, place her in her home district, make a spectacle of it."

"We'll try it just this once. It will be interesting to see how they will react to her in their position," Snow agrees after a moment and Terra releases a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Get something in light blue, but fly her out to District 4 instead. I want her to be covering all images of Katniss by tonight. Send her with Caesar, have him set the scene for her."

She's dragged up again and shuffled towards the same car as yesterday, seated beside Egeria this time. "Your team will prep you during flight. Caesar is already on route to meet us. You are to look as genuine as you can all throughout."

"I'm certain it won't be a problem," she quips shortly, turning to stare out the window to the billboards and screens filled with her crying face from last night.

Her crew is different from last night and she gets the feeling that they want a constant flow of different people so that she can't get familiar with any of them. It doesn't bother her much having never much cared for her original styling team, and just lets them pull her and prep her for the scene - this time with her hair done up in pins so it will fall free easily.