//------------------------------// // The Talk // Story: A Games Like No Other // by TheGathering //------------------------------// The Careers just stood there for a while, each seemingly trying to wrap their heads around the shocking truths that had just unveiled themselves to them. Each of them dared not look at the other for once, as if ashamed of themselves. Finally, Bronze broke the silence and spoke up. "I feel fucking betrayed, guys. Like, that was just cold hearted, even for me. That was just fucked up. Like, the President of our country wanting to get a district's tributes killed just because he hates the previous two victors for defying the will of the Capitol. That's just totally wrong" he states. One by one, the other Careers nod their heads. "Agreed" says Cameron after another silence. "What are we going to do?" Cato had to think hard about his next course of action, and the one he found that he needed to do wasn't one he felt comfortable with. "I guess we're going to have to tell District 12 about this and hope they don't rat us out." The other Careers' mouths fell open with shock, but they nonetheless followed their leader toward the elevator, unaware that Plutarch was watching them from the shadows of the Gamemaker area. ------------------ "So let me get this straight.." said Haymitch, the drunk District 12 mentor, about 10 minutes later. "..you're telling me that Snow wants to get all of our tributes killed specifically because Primrose wasn't aloud to die in the arena like he wanted?" Cato nodded. "As crazy as it sounds, yeah. I mean, I myself wouldn't be telling you all this if my adopted younger brother here hadn't developed a thing for Mina." Everyone in the District 12 suite all glanced over to Cameron, who was staring out the window, with the same murderous expression he had shown Snow still on his face. Then, Haymitch turned back to Cato. "As much as it is surprising for me for a District 2 Career to be telling me this things.." the old mentor said. ".. you did the right thing, kid." "Did what?" spoke a new voice over by the elevator. Cato turned and gulped. There, standing by the elevator, was the Career Girls, Finnick, Enobaria, Brutus, Lyme, Cashmere, Gloss, Augustus, and the District 10 mentor for Applejack. There was an awkward silence for a while before Cato broke it, saying, "I really didn't want to have to tell you guys about what happened in the training center a few minutes ago, but since we're all here, guess I have no choice, do I?" ----------------- Needless to say, everyone else was shocked by Cato's story. "Dear lord, I knew he was a monster, but this is just fucked up" Finnick said. "Agreed. I find it petty that he wants to take out all of the District 12 tributes purely because his preferred victim to punish Everdeen wasn't allowed to die in the games" Lyme stated. "I feel betrayed, excuse me" said Effie, the District 12 escort, as she headed for a bathroom to cry her heart out. All around them, the other District 12 tributes, besides Mina, stared back at the Careers. They were stunned that a simple connection between Mina and a District 2 Career had led to this change of heart on behalf of the monstrous Cato. As Katniss looked on, she noticed a particular connection between most of the Career Tributes on full display. Cameron looked on solemnly and in pain as Mina cried into his chest over the revelation, Marvel couldn’t help but intertwine his hand with Finch’s while they stood by the dining table, Urchin and Adagio were sitting next to each other, and Applejack and Clove just wrapped their arms around Cato. “Is it just me, or do I see a connection between these 9?” Augustus spoke up after a while, causing the other victors to look over at the connections between the Career Tributes. One by one, they saw what the Cavalier Career was seeing as well. Enobaria smirked, as did Finnick. Augustus got a very stupid grin on his face. “My fellow victors..” he said. “I have a plan..”