25th Throw - [ voice ]

[shenevermisses]

[Things are weird.

The fighting helped her mood. She feels calmer now, more sure of herself. A year without combat had left her a little disoriented.

But Cato had died. Died and come back. Not in a week but in hours. According to him and what she could figure out.

It wasn't that upsetting. Death was a part of their lives. It was just unsettling. Because it wasn't like death where she was from.

So? She'd gotten up to go hunting. And waited for hours while no one came.

Finally, she went to the house.

Less than an hour later, she makes one simple remark to the Journal.]

Katniss Everdeen is gone.

[Which sets her on edge more than anything else has in a year.

Itks the first time, she only half realizes, she's lost a friend.]

Comments

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

[Something in her voice is giving Aang a dropping feeling in his heart. Maybe that's why he sounds a bit grasping in how he tries to take it.]

Where... to- to the forest? Or the mountains? She... went on a camping trip, huh? How long you think she'll be gone?

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

[How do you react when you don't know how to react?

For Clove: you don't.

Her voice is trained calm. Simple and direct.]

She's back in Panem with Lover Boy.

[But...]

Someone should check on her sister.

[Clove had stayed only long enough to make sure Katniss really was gone. The little girl? Isn't something she can deal with.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

[And there's a break in Aang's voice as he's no longer able to deny it.]

I-in Panem. ...Lover Boy?

[Her sister - Prim. He doesn't know which would hurt more, seeing her stuck here without Katniss or her being gone as well.]

Prim. I'll check on her!

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

[She feels bad for the kid... but at least Katniss had a life to go back to. She had a life left to live.

A life free from the Games.

It's more than those left do.]

Tell her not to worry about dinner. I'll take her something.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Th- that's very nice of you, Clove. I'll make sure to tell her that. What're you gonna get for her?

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

Depends what I find hunting.

[She wants to be alone, deep in the woods.

Hunting for herself and the girl is a good enough excuse.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Oh! Th-that's... nice?

Maybe she'd like some vegetables on the side. ...I can take care of that part!

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

...Okay.

[It's not her area. She doesn't usually cook. Not a lot. Cato does that.]

Sure.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Great! I'm sure that between us... we'll put together a really great meal?

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

Um. Sure. Whatever. Just... figured since Katniss usually brings home game. I'd take care of it for her sister tonight.

[Prim's name... isn't something she's going to use. Not right now. Not yet.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

[He blinks, having not realizing that angle.]

Oh. I didn't think of it that way. That... that's very thoughtful of you, Clove.

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

She'd have done it for me.

[Because, well. Clove doesn't consider herself "thoughtful."]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Because Katniss is kind. So you are, too!

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

I'm just paying back a favor.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Maybe that's just what you wanna think! Maybe you're becoming more of a friend than you think.

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

Kind of [really] doubt that, but. Sure. Maybe. Why not?

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

It's a good thing!

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

Says you.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Yep! And I'm the expert on this kind of thing.

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

[Bulla doesn't know Katniss beyond being able to place a name to a face. And she doesn't know Clove well. The Clove who'd been one of her best friends was part of that fake reality. The memories are still there, though. So she chimes in.]

Friend of yours?

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

...Something like that.

[Because "Katniss Everdeen", her, and "friend" don't belong in the same sentence.

Yet... It's sort of true.

Two years of getting to know each other. Of watching Katniss go from an annoyance to the only thing standing between her going home with Cato to the truce to an alliance here.

They'd become something here.]

I guess.

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

Well, someone you cared enough about to notice that she wasn't here anymore, at least.

[Bulla might not know exactly what went on between them, but she can pick up on that reluctance to outright call Katniss a friend.]

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

We understood each other.

[Which is far rarer in this place than "friends," which everyone claims to have.]

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

It's important to have that, even if you weren't the best of friends.

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

It is.

She has friends here, though, who needed to know.

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

It's good of you to let them know.

[Beat.]

How have you been lately, Clove?

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

I've been okay.

[Not really. But... It's all she can say.]

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

That's good. If you ever want to hang out or train together in the Battle Dome or something, just let me know.

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

Training might be good. That last fight... First I've had in awhile, and I' definitely rusty.

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

I know how to program the Third Party cultists in and at different power levels, too. When's a good time for you?

[Voice]

[shenevermisses]

Any time, really. I... kind of need to get out of the house.

[Voice]

[fashionably_strong]

How about now, then?

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

Ah, friend of yours Ms.Clove?

Voice

[shenevermisses]

Not really.

[It's not a word she uses. Even after two years, she doesn't have friends. She has allies and people she respects, but no friends.]

But we were from the same world.

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

Ah, I understand.

[No one from his own world would he consider friends anyway, more allies for a time being]

It is nice to have someone who understands your references and can relate.

Voice

[shenevermisses]

She had friends here. I thought they should know.

Re: Voice

[that_is_asecret]

A nice gesture. How many are from your world?

Voice

[shenevermisses]

Me and Cato now. And Katniss's sister.

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

I see. Is everyone here a former... I believe the word was tribute?

Voice

[shenevermisses]

No. Katniss's sister never went to the Games.

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

Hmmmm. And how are you holding up?

Voice

[shenevermisses]

Fine. Why?

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

Just curious. Usually the loss of someone you've known for a number of years provokes some sort of feeling of separation and or loss, even if only a minor scale.

Voice

[shenevermisses]

Katniss and I knew it could happen. She's back where she's a hero. I'm where I want to be. So, it's not a big deal.

[Not, at least, that she'll admit to anyone.]

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

So you are saying its all for the best then?

Voice

[shenevermisses]

I am.

Voice

[that_is_asecret]

Excellent. You should be quite pleased if that is the case.

[voice]

[halfnhalf]

[For just a second, Teddy tries to think of the most optimistic meaning behind those words. Gone to the forest to hunt, gone to visit her sister, gone to...

It only takes a second to realize that that's not what she meant at all. Gone, gone, gone back to her world where she has to fight to survive. Gone to a world where her sister is no longer with her. Gone from here.

... God damn it.]

Thank you. For letting us know. [...] Same world?

[voice]

[shenevermisses]

We're both from Panem.

[But Katniss has a life to go back to.

Not an ideal one. A hard life.

But it's a life.

Maybe that's what this is. Better jealousy than regret, than missing Katniss.]