Unable to simply turn a cheek[Charade VT]

[Sage]

Why did I decide today to come into the district after I have been away from these walls for so long? Six months now since I upped and left to become a peace keeper yet here I am again, standing her, waiting in anticipation for the one who came home. It should have been Mason who came home, should have been him standing up there delivering a speech to the district but instead it is not Mason, it is Katelyn Persimmon from district eleven. I'll give her credit that she can fight but still, that doesn't mean I'm glad she won. Or am I? Am I happy that it was her that has to live with the guilt of knowing she had to take innocent lives in order to get to where she is and not Mason? Of course not. Admit it, Ally, you're happy Mason didn't come home so you wouldn't have to try to patch things up because you're too much of a coward to stand up to him I try to shake the nagging voice in my head, knowing I cannot linger here long as surely my cousin Indigo is hot on my trail to bring me back to my Uncle.

My eyes wander up to the stage, wondering if she's as terrified as I would have been to face a district who wished I were dead in place of one of their own. Sighing, I wait, listening to her voice before she is escorted off stage and I take an opportunity to approach the victor. "Um... hello." I say, for the first time truly nervous about what to say to her. What can I say, I'm sorry for your pain? Ha, it wouldn't have the same affect coming from someone like me, I'm a killer myself but she doesn't know that. "Congratulations on your win." Stupid, why did I say that to her, I don't mean it but the words are automatic and robotic from my lips. I can feel the sting of unshed tears behind my eyes but I refuse to cry in front of a Victor, refuse to show the pain of loss because surely, she has enough of that herself and doesn't need my pain as well to burden her. I don't know what else to tell her and for a moment, I stand awkwardly, unsure of myself.

[charade]

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Katelyn

Persimmon

Shortly after her talk with Mason's brother had come to a conclusion, Finter had tactfully reminded her that there was something for her to do in the training center. Something about careers wanting to study the new victor. Katelyn would have said no, but she relented, deciding that there was no point in making the district hate her anymore than it probably already did. But she had barely gotten away from the boy when a girl approached her and offered a congratulations. Katelyn smiled weakly.

"Thank you. Are you a career?" As best as Katelyn could figure, this girl must have wanted to get some face time with the victor before the demonstration in the training center. She hadn't been on one of the podiums, so she hadn't been family to either tribute. So why else would she want to talk to her? Careers were strange. But Katelyn had known that since her first talk with Mason.

made by anzie

[Sage]

Her question if whether I'm a career or not is not unexpected but it's a little surprising how instantly she seems to assume that I am a career. "I suppose you could say I am a career." I reply, a small smile forming on my lips but it does not reach my eyes. "Actually, I wanted to thank you for not attacking Mason. He and I weren't exactly friends when he left for the Capitol but there were things I still wanted to tell him. I can't tell him it now but I'm glad I don't have to see someone who helped kill him." I didn't know how to tell this girl what Mason had been to me, or if she'd even understand but I wanted to try.

"If you want to know what I meant to tell Mason, if you come back to two sometime, I'll tell you. I'm Allyssa by the way but you haven't seen me cuz technically I'm on the run." I say, finding that I actually didn't mind this victor. Perhaps it was because she wasn't someone I blamed for Masons death. He was the one who helped my demons go away, who understood that I had demons that sometimes I couldn't always control. I smile, knowing I aught to get to the training center but I can't go back there, I can't go to a place where the ghost of Mason seems to haunt.

[charade]

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Katelyn

Persimmon

"Actually, I wanted to thank you for not attacking Mason." The girl went on with a more in depth explanation, but Katelyn could hardly listen to it as her head felt fuzzy, wondering how many other victors got as much closure as she had. Yet another person thanking her for something instead of condemning her. Not for first time, Katelyn was silently thankful that she hadn't had to kill more than three tributes as she doubted she could have handled dealing with more than three sets of loved ones that she was directly responsible for their reason to mourn.

"I'm...sorry for your loss. " she managed to get out. This encounter had upset her. Not anywhere near as bad as the ordeal in district seven, but it was a stark reminder that every tribute she had outlived had had a life. Had friends. Knew people in the district. And once more someone wasn't angry simply because she had survived where their person hadn't. With that apology said, Finter bustled Katelyn towards the training center and Katelyn relaxed ever so slightly. The tour was an emotionally taxing event and she wanted to go home.

made by anzie