"All right. Before we begin I've had a thought." Effie said as she stood above them. Ivy and Peeta sat on the chairs on one side while Haymitch sat opposite of them.

"You don't say." Haymitch mocked her as he took a swig of alcohol.

Effie rolled her eyes before smiling. "Ivy has her gold fire pin, I have my hair." She flaunted her hair. "I'm gonna get you two boys something gold." She smiled and looked at them expectantly, waiting to see what they thought.

"Err.." Haymitch looked at Peeta but he just looked at Effie. "Why is that?"

"A token. Show them we are a team. I mean they can't just..."

"I think that'd be cute." Ivy agreed taking Effie's outstretched hand and squeezing it. "Something special to us." Peeta looked at her with a raised brow. "What? Just because I can have an attitude most of the time doesn't mean I don't like matching and being a team."

He raised his hands in defense. "I didn't say nothing."

"Alright now." Effie started. "Everything will be different because it's a Quarter Quell. The Capitol has spared no expense. A new training center a new tribute living quarters and of course a very special arena. But this year you'll be facing other victors Capitol favorites. Smart, cunning, skilled. And they all know one another. You two are the outsiders."

"Great. So we are fucked."

••

Effie found Ivy alone in her room and pulled out a pill for her to take.

"I grabbed this from the Capitol before the reaping for you. Now I don't know what you want to do but you do have a choice here. This will get rid of it fairly fast. The games will be hard and symptoms can be no joke. Now if you win and you live you could still have your baby but I just want you to know you have options to think of. If you decide to get rid of it." She gestured to her stomach. "Take some tea to help it go down and rest as much as you can. Any pain or clots should go away within 2 days. I'm sure you're not far along at all so you should be good to go."

Ivy reached for it and Effie gave it to her wrapped in a muslin cloth. "Thank you, Effie. For being there for me." She told her meekly.

Effie's face softened and she smiled at her. "I know I can be... particular but I want my tributes safe and you two in particular have grown on me. I'm assuming Peeta doesn't know and it's not my choice but you may want to talk to him. He's a sweet boy. He'll be there for you."

Ivy nodded and looked down at the cloth in her hands. Just one pill and it would be all gone.

Effie took her silence as her cue to leave and left her in the room to think.

Just one pill.

••

They had finally reached the Capitol and rode up the elevator to be in the penthouse. Effie had to go but Haymitch stayed with them to talk and have dinner which should be waiting for them.

They walked in and the table was all set for them. They sat down and started filling their plates and drinks before they talked about their impending doom.

"I want you guys to forget everything you think you knew about the games. Last year was child's play. This year you're all dealing with all experienced killers."

"Alright. What's that mean for us?" Peeta asked.

"That means you're gonna have to have some allies."

"Okay."

"But if they all know each other isn't it likely they'll just turn on us?" Ivy asked concerned about having allies. She was in the middle about it. Allies means people watching your back and you're not alone but it also comes with the risk of betrayal and them not wanting to stick around with them till the end. Ivy already knew she'd want to split before it got down to the last bit as she could already see it being bloody.

"Look you're starting at a disadvantage. Yes. Most of these people have been friends for years. But I know these people, if you go alone their first move is to gonna be to hunt you down. Both of you."

"So our choice is to go in alone and be attacked by a pack or go in with a group and have at least some help before the end?" Ivy asked.

"Yes. And it's not like you don't have someone who's known all these people either. I can help if you want it. Some of these tributes are actually really nice and resourceful and would be good for you to team up with, you just gotta see who you can get along with well enough."

"Okay. I'll look out then."

"Great." Haymitch smiled and drank some of his spiked coffee. "After dinner, I'll show you who you're going against."

••

"Cashmere and Gloss." Two very tall and built blondes stood next to each other. It was eerie to look at them as they looked like an older Cato and Glimmer. "Brother and sister. District 1. They won back-to-back games. Capitol favorites. Lots of sponsors. They will be lethal." He stressed before clicking to the next tributes. "And the other half of the career pack. Brutus and Enobaria."

"Why is her teeth like that?" Ivy asked.

"She had them filed into fangs so she can rip people's throats out."

"She's committed I'll give her that," Peeta said, rubbing his neck and imagining her trying to kill him.

"Wiress and Beetee. Not fighters but brilliant and weird. Real tech savvy. He won his game by electrocuting six tributes at once."

"Sounds useful," Ivy commented.

"Indeed. Now the Morphlings. Masters of camouflage." She started walking up and down beside the screen. "Basically won their game by hiding until everyone else was dead. Self-medicating ever since. Not a threat."

"Finnick Odair, right?" Ivy asked seeing the man smiling at the crowd.

"Yes. He won his game at fourteen. Youngest ever. Extremely humble."

Ivy looked at him with a raised brow cause that was obviously a joke.

Haymitch noticed her look and said, "Yeah I'm kidding. He's a peacock. A total preener. But he's the Capitol darling they love him here. Charming, smart, and very skilled in combat especially in water."

"What about weaknesses?" Peeta asked.

"One. Mags." He showed the older lady throw her hand up and point at herself as the redhead next to her was presumably called. "She volunteered for Annie. Mags was his mentor and basically raised him and he's trying to protect her in any way it exposes him."

"That's sad. They have to know she's not going to make it." Ivy felt for the old lady as Finnick hugged the woman.

"Well, Ivy I just hope when she goes she goes quickly. She's actually umm..." he paused for a moment thinking to all the times he's been around her. "A wonderful lady."

"I could imagine."

••

Ivy grabbed her a cup of tea and locked herself in the room. She stared at the cup and took a big sip and then drank it.

She opened the cloth with the big white pill and picked it up.

One pill.

Ivy took in another mouthful of the tea and prepared to throw the pill in and get it done with.

Haymitch knocked on the door loudly interrupting her. "In about an hour, you have to come out and get ready for the parade."

"Okay." She called back.

"Are you okay?" Haymitch asked slightly worried about the girl's odd behavior recently.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll be out in a few."

"Alright."

She heard his footsteps walk away and she looked at the pill before sighing and putting it on her dresser with the tea.

She just couldn't do it.

She groaned and went back to her bed and face planting to take a nap.

Have yall heard about the new book and movie coming soon??? Haymitchs games im so excited!