If anyone gets this title reference, you had a lit selection of childhood television.

Also, my family and I re-watched Hunger Games and Catching Fire this weekend, so it was good to watch it all through again! I cannot wait to get to Catching Fire. I've basically been writing to get to that point since the beginning.

I get a decent night's sleep knowing that the Career pack is safe. Apparently, they moved their belongings, and by belongings, I mean slowly moving everything from the Cornucopia to a nearby camp at a lake. Smart, I think. They'll have plenty of access to clean and fresh water. At least now I don't have to worry about Cato de-hydrating to death. As Atla always says, twenty percent of tributes die from dehydration.

I'm glad he doesn't have to fight for water. In the abandoned ruins arena, water was a hot commodity. One could find some taps in between houses with only three walls and piles of rubble. Luckily for me, by living in District 2, I was able to learn from the Masons what looked like a stable building and what looked like it might collapse. Some of the other Tributes weren't so lucky.

I wake up right at five, knowing the Tributes would go hunting before dawn. I don't want to miss anything big. If they run into someone like Thresh, he could cause some major damage to the Career pack, and knowing Cato, he's the one who would likely try and lead that attack. I flick on the television to see that the majority of the tributes are still asleep which is good news for me. I run around my room, throwing things on, and put a little bit of the rouge Fallon gave me to make me look more alive than I currently am because I hardly got any sleep. With ten tributes down, only thirteen more have to go until my brother can come home.

When I get to my station downstairs, Cashmere, Brutus, Gloss, and Cecelia. I'm not exactly sure why she's down here so early. That is, not until the broadcast turns its attention to the girl from 8. Apparently, in between my room and here, the girl has lit a fire, and the Careers plus Peeta are on their way to investigate. At her station, Cecelia is cursing under her breath. If there was a way to communicate with the Tributes, I'm sure Cecelia would be yelling.

Cashmere is the first to greet me. She looks as tired as I am, perhaps even more so. "They're closing in on the girl on fire," she tells me with an attempt at excitement in her voice.

I look to my own station, only a few down from hers and click on the screen to change it, tapping on the 12F  icon. Sure enough, Katniss is in a tree only a few meters away from the girl from 8's fire. "Let's just hope they look up far enough."

The Career pack is soon upon the girl from 8, and Cato takes her out with one fell swoop of his sword. Cecelia knows it's over as soon as it happens and walks out the door with a sad look on her face. I try to give her a reassuring smile, but she won't even meet my eyes. I don't blame her, considering my brother just killed her Tribute. But in a few days, just like every other year, the Mentors will let go of any grudges, and everyone will return to being friendly.

But something is wrong because the cannon doesn't sound. Cato didn't complete the kill. She's as good as dead and will die within the next few minutes, if not seconds, but Peeta volunteers and goes back to finish her off. Darn, I think to myself. It would have been helpful for Cato to add another kill to his count. Although, this year, Seneca has introduced the idea of kill assists, meaning that each kill is worth two points now while an assist is one. Only tributes who have a direct contribution to the kill within a ten-minute timeframe will receive the points. So at the very least, Cato will be getting one extra point for this. But he's already behind both Glimmer and Marvel for points, which makes it harder for me to sell to the sponsors.

While Peeta is off mercy killing the girl from 8, Cato mentions that they should just take out Peeta now, which I find a bit strange considering he was one of the ones who wanted him so bad in the first place. What's changed? I wonder to myself.

Cashmere, Gloss, Brutus and I practically yell at our screens, telling our tributes to look up because Katniss is practically sitting on top of them. They all have flashlights and torches, so there's no reason that they shouldn't be able to see her except for the fact that she's pretty well camouflaged. I slam my fists onto my station. "Look up, you colossal idiots! She's right there!"

It's a good thing Katniss doesn't have her bow and arrow right now because if she did, the entire Career pack would have been sniped from out of her tree before they could even figure out where the arrows were coming from. They got lucky. And luck doesn't tend to strike twice in the Hunger Games.

By the time Haymitch stumbles in later that morning, he has no idea how close his Tribute was to being eliminated. The Careers don't seem to find, or be on the right path to finding anyone else though, because they're quite a way away from where Thresh has set up in a field and on the opposite side of the arena as the girl from 5.

I decide this is the best time for me to take a break and I venture out to go and mingle with some of the Sponsors. With eleven down and twelve to go, money is going to become even more important over the next few days. So far, with all of their supplies, they aren't in need of anything, so I hope to save up for later or if someone needs emergency food or medicine.

I spot Jo, who I haven't had a chance to speak to since yesterday and make my way over to her. She's sat at the bar, flipping through some sort of old edition of a fashion magazine aggressively. She greets me by pulling me into a side hug. As I get closer, I notice that she's got a page flipped over to one of Cashmere's shoots and she's scratched out the eyes with a pen. "That's some nice artwork you've got there," I tell her.

She gives me a nonchalant shrug. "I consider myself to be an artiste. I think I could definitely do a better job than my old stylist, although that's not that hard. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I would die to have Cinna be my stylist from now on. Did you see what they did to our kids this year? Paper.  They covered them in literal paper outfits. I didn't realize that they took Mags' arts and crafts."

I laugh. Mags always did like making little paper fans for everyone to make sure no one got too hot standing outside in the heat. She told me that she learned to make them because of how sweltering hot it is in District 4, and she would hand them out to all of the fishers so they wouldn't overheat on their boats. In District 4, they have some sort of special wax-coated paper that makes them water-resistant, though I can't remember the name. Nevertheless, the technique transfers to normal paper. Both our smiles fall a little bit, remembering that Mags is at home this year because she's suffered a stroke. Finnick was beside himself when he told us since she's a mother figure to him. Although now she seems to be doing good, even if her speech is a little bit garbled, according to Finnick.

Jo flips through the magazine as a distraction and her eyes light up with a look I know is no good when she comes to a certain page. She begins to cackle as she points and laughs at a page, a page that I'm plastered all over. Most of me is showing, but my body is strategically turned at specific angles to hide all the...good bits. The only thing on my body is a pair of ridiculously oversized sunglasses. "You look-- you look ridiculous!"

I roll my eyes. "Yea, haha haha funny. Laugh it up."

And Johanna does continue to laugh it up. She apparently thinks it's so funny that she rips the page out of the magazine and tells me that she's going to put it on her wall so she can keep laughing at it later. Once she's calmed down, we talk a little bit about the different names of the drinks that they're offering at the bar this year. I avoid the Games talk on purpose, and I know, even though I should be haggling for money, Jo is just as important. Surprisingly, she's the one to bring up the Games. "How's your little snot-nosed brother doing?"

I let out a full sigh and sip my drink that they've named 'The Cato Clamato'. "Well, he's still alive, so that's something."

"If he's anything like you, he's gonna be smart enough to get himself out of this mess." Coming from Jo, those words mean a lot since she's not really the type to pull punches. She lifts her drink to her lips. "And then he's gonna find a really hot guy from 4 to date, and they're going to be a sickeningly sweet couple."

A small grin plays its way across my mouth. "Wouldn't that be nice."

A small clip from the interviews is playing from when Peeta confessed his love for Katniss on the screen behind the bar. Both Caesar and Claudius are going on and on about how they can't believe Peeta is helping the Careers hunt down Katniss. Jo points to the screen with her drink. "You and sea sponge for brains might make me feel sick, but that love confession, ugh. So fake. You can tell it's all an act. I swear, I did better acting during my interviews." Jo gives a little scoff at the screen. "Did you ever find out what that Katniss girl did to get an 11?" she asks me.

"She used a bow and arrow. Or at least that's what Cato seems to have figured out. There's no way to know for sure, though," I lie.

"Huh. In that case, we better hope she doesn't get her hands on that. Otherwise, you're in big trouble." You could say that again.

~~~~

Finnick has been rather occupied over the last several days, courting the women of the Capitol. Of course, at first, I was confused because Plutarch told me he didn't have any 'bookings' until after these Games are over. But Finnick told me that he would have dates, especially in the first few days, to try and get them all out of the way. But no 'overnight' dates this year, which is a relief. I must be getting pretty dumb these days because it takes me too long to figure out why Finnick is even doing these dates anyway: it would look strange if the serial dater suddenly didn't have any flings during the Games. Aside from seeing him at the Command Centre or at official Career Mentor meetings, I hardly see him at all.  But, the night three Sponsor party will hopefully change that.

Sponsor parties during the Games are tricky because you have to be ready to leave at a moment's notice to race back to the Command Centre and help your Tributes. Mentors are also the only ones allowed to broker official deals--even though the Career districts have multiple Victors 'talking up' Sponsors. Just one more way people like Haymitch are at a disadvantage. Although, he seems to be doing pretty well on his own.

Typically, one Mentor from each district will stay behind in case of emergencies while the Mentors with no one left to raid the bar. Brutus and I have decided to alternate nights at the parties so that no one would get tired of either of us, and we wouldn't get tired from pretending to like them.

I walk into the party with another stunning outfit picked out by Fallon, one that I was surprised to learn was made by Cinna, Katniss' stylist. It's a dress that Fallon seems to have received it at least a year ago because I've seen it in the options line up before these Games. I think she mentioned it was a gift from Plutarch, supposedly for some ad campaign that I did. Still, if I can wear one of his outfits, I might be able to stir some attention towards myself. Everyone in the Capitol is itching to get their hands on his designs, and they'll all die of jealousy when they realize who made it. And hopefully, I can also send a message to Plutarch after my coded message to Snow mishap the other day to let him know I'm still on his team.

It's a lovely gold dress that has a bodice made out of metal, with leaves carved into it all around like the ones on the golden wreaths we're given as Victors. I know Fallon's had it altered to my size, but it feels as if it was made for me. Of course, no one will be able to know it's one of Cinna's dresses, so I make sure to blab about it plenty.

~~~~~

Finnick's POV

Plutarch and I have found our way into a conversation with Cinna while at his private booth atop the club. He's quite an interesting man. More sound of mind, tame, and mysterious than I ever thought a stylist could be. Usually, they're more flamboyant and loud, definitely not normal people, but he seems pretty close to normal. Not only that but judging by our conversation, he seems to be on our side. Not in these specific Games of course since he's got Katniss, but in the bigger, grand scheme type of Game, if you know what I mean. Usually, I would be worried about talking about this sort of thing, but we're with Plutarch who knows what he's doing, and it's hard to hear anything besides the person next to you because the music is so loud.

"Look. Over there," says Plutarch, pointing into the crowd. Thinking he's giving me a signal that my date for the party has found me, my eyes widen in alarm as I look for a way to escape. As I try and duck out of the way behind Plutarch, he grabs my arm to stop me. Huh?  I finally look to see what he's pointing at. Octavia. Her gown is stunning, but then again, I'm probably biased. "Do you see that?" asks Plutarch to both me and Cinna.

"That's my dress..." answers Cinna. Uh oh. For a moment, I think he's going to be mad that Octavia is wearing his dress, but he looks more...confused, or maybe impressed, that she's wearing it.

Plutarch gives a knowing smile, one that I'm not too sure what it means. "Yes, yes it is." In the middle of a crowd of Capitol citizens, Octavia manages to sneak in a subtle nod at Plutarch.

I turn to the both of them. "Look, it's pretty and all, but are either of you going to explain it to me because I'm not going to figure it out on my own." I may be into looks, especially my own, but Capitol fashion is not my forte.

"The dress, it's a statement piece," explains Cinna, who talks with his hands. "Something that's meant to convey a message." Statement? What sort of statement?

"Originally, the statement it was made for was quite different, but she seems to have repurposed the dress and given it a new message," says Plutarch.

I want to ask what the old statement was, but I think I can figure that out pretty quickly based on who Plutarch is. "And what's it telling us now?"

Plutarch grins and takes a sip of his drink. "That she's on our side."

My heart swells, knowing exactly what he means by that. I know that Plutarch was getting slightly worried a bit, that we might have lost Octavia to Snow and the Capitol life. Something that she did the other night apparently really freaked him out. But I've always known, she knows who the real enemy is.

So this chapter is a little bit short, but I found it a good place to cut off, considering the next few scenes flow better when put together.

Next chapter find out how Peeta has been fitting in with the Careers. And what will happens to the dynamics of those at the Tribute Tower when a certain buzzy-mutt is weaponized is unleashed? All this and more to come up next!

I loved hearing all your ideas for Catching Fire sections of the clock arena! If you haven't commented on that and you want to, you can do so here! As always, tell me what you liked so I can include more, ideas you may have, any mistakes you may have caught, etc.! I love to hear from you guys. I have the story pretty well mapped out, but things are changing as I'm writing all the time to better fit the narrative and how the characters are progressing, so I really do take all the ideas into heavy consideration.

*In chapters that rely heavily on the books or movies, I'll let you know when I choose to show something that may have happened in only either the books or the movies for those of you who have only seen/read one. In this chapter, Octavia mentions that Cecilia would be sending a message to her tribute if she could because in the books, no messages are allowed.  It's more realistic that they wouldn't let them send messages to their tributes because people could easily work out a code. Also, like in the books, Peeta is the one who finishes off the girl from 8 instead of Glimmer killing her with Cato's sword since the Glimmer/Cato romance doesn't fit into this story.

Onto the Chapterly Memes:

Obscure character meme alert: