The Odds are Definitely Not in My Favor

Kindling: Chapter V

Kindling - Chapter 5:

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Effie Trinket was the one who collected her for supper.

After they were sent to the train, Solanum went to the room assigned to her calmly. It was obvious that Gale wasn't interested in talking about their predicament - as anyone would be if they were in their situation and talking to Effie would be...unpleasant.

Solanum knew that Effie wasn't as simple as she seems. She was annoying, yes, in a way that scratched her insides, but simple?

No, Effie wasn't that.

Despite her outlandish outfits and face decked with paint, considering the fact that she was assigned here in District 12 time and time again as its host and commentator without any hope for promotion, the woman probably had it harder than her Capitol counterparts. She - along with the lone winner of the district, Haymitch Abernathy - had her hands on tributes that were nothing more than fodder for the other competitors and, for all her faults, she's still human. She most likely had - after some time - sympathized a little about these people's plight when she wasn't in her own bubble of misery.

But-

Effie didn't have it as hard as they did.

Not as hard as any man or woman - may it be young or old - in this rundown forgotten district away from the Capitol.

Solanum knew she could use the woman - use her for her plans, but she wasn't eager to start if she could help it and well-

(She wanted to scratch Effie's eyes out.)

Although Solanum knew that Effie's indifference and condescension would only help her cause, she hadn't quite mastered apathy as well as Kakashi-san once did.

She wasn't a masochist. Considering the fact that the woman looked down on them and see them as nothing more than animals that one would occasionally give pity to as a way of making herself feel better, Solanum's time would be better spent in mulling about her plans.

(Gale - Gale's participation in the games was a conundrum, yet not unexpected considering the fact that the man still takes on tesserae despite their help.)

(The odds were truly not in her side this time.)

(His participation was a problem that could turn over her plans in a flash if it wasn't handled properly if his personality was taken into account, but after much thought, it wasn't insurmountable. Solanum knew what ending she wanted after all of this farce and even if her plans were moved on ahead of time, she could power through it with enough effort.)

(Any ending other than the one she wanted wasn't something she could afford.)

Solanum smiled blandly at Effie's back.

She was playing for the long game this time.

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Meeting Haymitch was an experience.

He was-

He was rude and drunk and vulgar in every sense of the word with unkempt dirty blonde hair that reached up to his shoulders but-

His gray eyes were clear. Distinct in a way that told Solanum that the man still had his tricks.

Solanum felt that she was looking at Jiraiya.

(A more washed-out version of him that was, that instead of making ero-books and peeping on women, took great pleasure in harassing Effie Trinket's sensibilities more often than what was considered healthy.)