.Forest Fire (Johanna Mason X F.OC).

-Ally-

"So any thing happened at training today?" Manson asked, having changed black into a navy blue.

"Kai is a nice guy." Marcus said between bites as they were eating supper.

"12? I gotta admit, this year they might survive one day." Johanna mockingly said.

"And you Paige?" Manson sweats as he quickly asked the girl before she could say anything in retaliation to Johanna's dismissive behavior towards the deaths that will befall them soon.

"Odair and I talked." That seemed to get Johanna to listen instead of comment. "We've made a deal."

"Funny that you say that, I also got a talk today... With an Odair too, Big Odair asking me to tell you to ally with mini Odair."

"I guess he got what he wishes."

"So 4 and 12 males and you two?"

"That's the roster for now." Paige nodded.

"If I was you, I'd try to approach the sickly career." Manson said.

"Jasmine? Why?" She was incredulous.

"Cannon fodder and I am sure none of the others will willingly team up with her." Johanna said with a shrug.

"What's with you and not caring?!" Paige jerked to her feet, slamming her hands on the table, leaning over. "Will you stop being a bitch for once?! We are going to die here! 23 of us are going to be gone!"

"And why should I care, again, you volunteered, not I and I will remind you I already won my games."

"You are such a bitch!!" Paige stormed out, steps long echoing even if she was outside of the room.

Marcus lost his appetite.

"You could at least care a little." He said.

"And for what reason?"

He stood and walked away, tears in his eyes.

"Johanna." Manson said in a scolding tone.

"They don't understand." She shook her head. "The closer you get to someone, the more you know them, the harder it will be, the more pain it will cause, the more distracting it will be."

"That's why you won't tell them what happened back home right?"

"Yeah, one or both will die without being knowing the truth or if one survives, they'll have someone to blame for their silence about the situation instead of thinking about their game."

"You have a heart Johanna." Manson stood, patting her shoulder. "You should let it breathe a bit instead of always keeping it sealed in a box."

She said nothing as the older man left.

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"I know you've been watching me, what do you want 7?"

"Don't flatter yourself 2, I am just waiting to see if you'll drop dead before the games begin and what the game masters will do in that case." Paige told Jasmine as the shorter girl was throwing knives, coughing from time to time.

"How nice of you." She rolled her eyes, she had dark brown hair and eyes and the hair was in a low braid reaching shoulder length. "Claiming your first victim of the games already."

"What can you do 2?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like your talent."

"Outside of throwing knives? Setting traps or being discreet, none of which will be of use, I'll die as a shame to my district."

"If you can promise me one thing, I'll be your ally, I could use a long ranged fighter."

"Taking pity on me 7." She still had that fierce career smile on her face.

"As if, I am just making up my pack and I really don't think they'll accept you in theirs."

"What an--" She threw a knife, hitting near middle. "-observation you did there, a girl with growths in her lungs and last of her class in the academy wouldn't be accepted as a fellow career, it takes a real detective to guess that."

"2, is that a yes or a no?"

"Sure, what do I need to promise?" She tilted her head.

"I don't care if in the end you'll betray me on the first night and slice my throat, all I ask from you is to not harm my brother unless you two are the last to remain and in a fair fight."

She looked surprised.

"Where's the trick?"

"There is no trick, I want my brother in the final two no matter the cost, even if it is my life."

"You are odd 7.... All I gotta do to not die is not hurt your brother and you'll let me join your pack." She said, awaiting Paige to deny or add on but 7's tribute stayed silent, looking at her.

"As odd as they make them." Paige grinned.

"Hmmm.... Alright." She held out her hand. "The deal is sealed."

"Sure." She shook 2's hand. "Names Paige Halavey by the way."

"Jasmine Langre." The girl said, vicious grin on her face, that expression almost all careers are born with on her face. "Pleasure working with you."

"No, pleasures mine." She squeezed the hand hard. "And if you break the deal, I promise you 2, there will be no body left for the game masters to collect for your family, understood."

"Loud and clear." A drop of nervous sweat rolling down her forehead as Paige let her go.

"Good." She smiled. "See you when the games start then Langre."

"Same to you Halavey." The career rubbed her hand as she watched the girl from 7 walk away and go to talk with her brother oh so sweetly.

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"Your tributes play this game well, not surprising." Enobaria almost like appeared next to Johanna.

"Ah you spooky bitch!" She hit the other woman.

"Still got that a mean left hook 7." The victor from 2 grinned with her sharp teeth, rubbing her face a bit.

"Fuck off 2, what are you doing here?"

"Oh you haven't heard?"

"What?"

"Your tribute and mine are allies so that makes us friends."

"I'd rather kiss the inside of Snow's ass cheeks then be called your friend Enobaria."

"See? Already on first name basis." She said before almost dropping the overly cheery district 2 winner personality, showing the truth, even careers left that games was marked by it but they always needed to seem perfect. "Later, 4 and 12 want to meet." She said before strolling away as if nothing happened.

"Oh fuck." She groaned and rubbed her face, this was Johanna's most annoying games yet and it didn't even start.