The 1st Quarter Quell

Epilogue

After the death of Althea Aldjoy, Mason Clay was never the same again.

Before he could even think about throwing himself over the edge of that cursed building, the Capitol hovercraft scooped him up, and he was subdued until arrival in the Capitol. All the while he was made to look as he was before he suffered his wounds, he felt numb. And sick. Sick to the bone with how many congratulations he'd received. Guinevere never looked at him the same. Although she congratulated him on surviving, he knew she'd always hold him to blame for the death of Althea. Zachariah soon become Mason's guiding light, empathizing with him as he helped him through the ordeal that was to drag on for the rest of his existence.

Even at the interview, Mason had to rush off stage to be sick, the Capitol citizens screaming in sadness and even Caesar Flickerman tearing up at the ordeal the young man was forced through. President Snow shared none of this sympathy, simply congratulating Mason and awarding him the winnings from the Quarter Quell and his crown before walking off to remind everyone how they were at the Capitol's mercy.

Arriving home was no sweeter than leaving it; he was happy to move out of his home and into the Victor's village, but never found it in himself to face the family of the girl he'd failed to protect. The girl who was supposed to come home, not him.

The Victory Tour came all to soon for him in the bleak mid-winter, and seeing the faces of his deceased friends, enemies and their broken families was too haunting for him, haunting enough that he was frequented by gruesome nightmares to which Guinevere and Zachariah would have to pin him down. It was even more agonizing that he couldn't even say what he really felt, just praise the Capitol and Country before reading a quick eulogy and cowering in the Justice Hall before people would shout at him.

The lack of morality at the Presidential Palace party disgusted him so much, that he caused a rucks by refusing the Presisent's speech and retreating to his train cart to despair for the evening. He was threatened with the slaughter of his family as a result, and in order to protect them, he found himself in the bed of wealthy Capitol citizens for payment.

Three years passed and Mason found himself tired of the clients and parties, sick to the bone with the repeated airings of the moment he won the Games as he held a dying Althea in his arms. He was so desperate that the President gave him a choice: in return for the protection of his and Althea's family, Mason would go into exile and fake his death, taking up a new identity and his wealth donated to the Districts of his choice. Or, he continued life as it was now.

Mason soon agreed to this, and he faked his death with the help of the President, watching his mass funeral from Capitol Hill. He laughed at how upset the foolish citizens of the Capitol were in mourning him, reminding them of the conversation he and Althea had when they arrived in the Capitol for the Games.

He took to the wilderness for five years, using his survival skills to make his way to District 12. He set up a home 3 miles out from the District, living off of the land and putting his skills to use for something other than bringing honour to his family. But after a few years he was contacted by the President, and given clearance to enter the District, the President feeling he would never have to worry about him again. 

Crawling through a de-powered fence and settling down in the Seam, he settled down lived a quiet life, hunting in the woods and providing for the impoverished around him taking up a new identity: Zachariah Everdeen

Soon enough he fell in love with a woman who had the voice of an angel as she sang whilst cleaning the Peacekeeper Tavern - by the 40th Games they were married and had a son.

But by the next Quarter Quell, Zachariah was contacted by the mayor who, knowing his darkest secret, asked him to act as an unofficial mentor for the new Tributes, a cruel reminder of the debt he owed to the Capitol for his disobedience.

He saw himself and Althea in young Haymitch Abernathy and the girl he looked out for, vowing to protect them both at every cost - even of it meant revealing himself to the Capitol and his old Mentors. It was through Zachariah's secret guidance that young Haymitch won the Games, and he preceded to look out for the boy for the rest of his life.

When Mrs Everdeen died of a deadly illness, Zachariah retreated to the forests again, visiting his son from time to time, even checking up on Haymitch. His son frequently visited to bring him game, and Zachariah grew curious about the little grey-eyed child who shadowed his son as he hunted.

In news of his son's death, Zachariah found himself sunk into a deep depression, by which he was only able to come out of it after stumbling upon two young teenagers in the woods a few years later. A girl and a tall boy using his methods of hunting and snares made him curious, and it was only when he returned to District 12 and spoke to the girl in the markets that he knew her.

It was through her unmistakable eyes and attitude that he knew it was his granddaughter; Katniss Everdeen.

It broke his heart to see his other granddaughter Reaped, and when Katniss Volunteered for her, he knew he had to make sure she survived. She was his family, a Clay, and Clay's always fought, but Everdeen's always survived.

He was the one who convinced Seneca Crane to place the berries in the Arena, the very berries that she defied the Capitol by, it was him who told Haymitch what to send in to Katniss in order to heal her burns, it was him who suggested the Feast to the Gamemakers, the Feast that should have bought her home safely.

It was him who contacted District 13 on plans of a Rebellion, revealing his identity and secret. He connected the rebels across the Districts and the Capitol to the Insurgents in 13, and upon the 3rd Quarter Quell, Mason, now returning to his original name, saw the chance to save his granddaughter.

Upon living in District 12 after the Victory Tour, Mason had a haunting run-in with Alfred Aldjoy, now a cruel Peackeeper, after publicly whipping the friend of Katniss. Alfred recognised Mason immediately, blaming him for not protecting his sister and promising to take it out on his precious District.

It was through Alfred dragging Katniss to the train after the Reaping, that Mason was prevented from speaking to her or her family, and so he stole a truck and travelled to District 13.

At the end of the Quarter Quell, it was Mason who piloted the rebel ship that collected Katniss and her allies, and it was him who delivered the rebels to the Capitol and detained Coriolanus Snow upon execution. Snow was startled that Mason had survived and it was Snow who revealed the truth about Mason to Katniss. Mason had the last laugh with Snow, telling him how all his life, he proved that the Capitol never owned him.

Soon after the War had ended, Mason's days were finally at an end, and, reunited with his family, he died peacefully on the meadows outside District 12, where his family burned his body and spread his ashes.

Mason had always wondered how his life would have been if things were different; he saw the white picket manor, the green hills and his children, blond haired and dark eyed, surrounding him and next to him- for some strange reason, he always saw Althea, smiling at him the way she did in the Tribute Parade.

Well, that's it. Wow, I'm not sure if I like the epilogue, so depending on how reader's like it, it is subject to change. Please feel free to comment anything, I love hearing what you guys think!

Thank you everyone who has read and/or voted for this story! I'm so proud of it and wouldn't have read it if it wasn't for people reading and voting! 

I have another fanfiction coming up, but have yet to decide which book world it will be from...

Speak to you soon.

As you were.