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[71st_victor]

Every night, Johanna dreams of blood.

She dreams of it dripping and rolling over tables to the floor. She can still see her family there in the victor's house, there for long enough to scare her before they're taken away before the media can do anything about it. All because she'd said no to Snow when he'd wanted her to come to the Capitol and perform her act again -- be the snivelling, weak little girl who turns strong to please the populace. And she'd said no. Turning over in the bed, she ignores the train coming to a stop, accepting her outfit bitterly before heading to change.

She has to be a mentor now. As if the humiliations isn't enough with everyone she cares about gone, now she has to take these children from 7 (who are barely younger than her; she thinks the boy is maybe two months younger) and train them how to die. She manages to get through the first day's events, eventually drifting to the epicenter of everything in time to see the stylists and the handlers doing their work.

Rolling her eyes, she catches sight of Effie Trinket, huffing to herself with some form of pity. Johanna might really fucking hate the Capitol, but at least she's not stuck with the trainwreck that's 12, most days. That's a curse that no one should have to bear, though Johanna doesn't exactly mind Haymitch. For a victor, he knows the good stuff when it comes to drinks and Johanna has a feeling she'll want to indulge in that plenty over the coming days.

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[iheartmahogany]

Effie hasn't had a Victor, ever. Haymitch was before her time. Still, she didn't fault the other districts and the champions they produced. For one, Effie didn't really hold grudges - an important trait when it came to having to deal with Haymitch every year. For another, she loved the drama of the games. It was all terribly tragic, of course, but it was also a necessary evil - and those that survived got the sort of fame that everyone else in the Capitol was clamoring over. Quite honestly, if it came to killing for fame and fortune, Effie wouldn't be able to count the amount of people she knew on her fingers who would sign up for the chance.

She hadn't really spoken much to Johanna, because Johanna wasn't all that sociable. But that didn't stop Effie, naturally. "Don't you look marvellous, Johanna," she exclaimed. She wondered vaguely where the District 7 escort was, but Johanna was probably just as skilled at avoiding hers as Haymitch was at avoiding his (where was he?).

[71st_victor]

Effie Trinket is the epitome of the Capitol from the top of her powdered head down to her impractical shoes. Johanna's been outfitted to wear those ridiculous aspects just last year, but she's gone the other direction this year and tried to get away with as much of Seven as possible, muted and calm, right down to her boots. "Effie," she replies, her words brittle.

She won't break. She refuses to be broken, but the Capitol is doing its damnedest to try. "How's it look this year for you? As pathetic as ever?" she wonders, recalling the tributes from 12 in her own Games and how quickly they'd gone down.

[iheartmahogany]

Being positive was the trait that got Effie through every year; each year was a chance for her district to do well. She never expected any of them to win, of course. However, one of these days, surely there would be a tribute from 12 who managed to make it into the final five. (Haymitch never seemed to catch on to that logic, though. To him, it was only win or lose. Talk about frustrating.)

So when Johanna asked, Effie just replied with another pleasant smile. "You never know!" she said. "Fingers crossed for sponsors, as always. How are you doing on that front, my dear?" She asked the last question with real sympathy; she couldn't imagine how difficult it would be for Johanna, unsociable as she was, to charm sponsors into sending her tributes gifts. Especially when she was so new to the circuit. "Sponsors can be quite sticky to work with, indeed."

[71st_victor]

Johanna arches her brow, thinking of how she's expected to dress up like their little ragdoll and perform their dance, all to try and get two victors to win that have no chance, as far as she's concerned. Now that she's used up her trick, they're too wise to it and she doesn't think her victors have enough brain cells to rub between them for a decent strategy. "I find they work just fine when you remind them of the sharp edges you're skilled with."

She's already secured at least one sponsor with blunt threats. It might not work for all of them, but it'll get them water or food at least once. "Besides, what's Haymitch's strategy? Drinking them into sponsoring?"

[iheartmahogany]

The mention of violence, just under the surface, did nothing to dissuade Effie. After all, she'd been avidly watching Johanna's planned transformation from victim to victorious last year just like everyone else. Violence didn't frighten Effie, if only because it seemed like something that could never happen to her directly; it would be like living in the desert and being terrified of volcanoes.

"Haymitch? Well, I'm afraid he doesn't have much of a strategy at all," she said, frowning. "He's quite... difficult to corner."

[71st_victor]

"He's got a great strategy," Johanna counters, because she's just a little jealous that she hadn't thought of it first. "Drink until none of this crap can affect you." Which is a lie. It always affects you, it just means you don't have to think about it half as much. "And what about you? What have you done to your little sheep this year before you lead them into the slaughter?"

[iheartmahogany]

Effie was not stupid, so what she was doing every year with the Games did not escape her. She just happened to think it was a beautiful, fantastic, emotional journey; nothing more. She tipped her head to the side and raised an eyebrow, offering a prim little smile. "I don't think it works for him," she said. She was very aware of Haymitch's troubles; they so often became her troubles.

"I do my best, but there's only so much to be done with a District like mine," she said, almost apologetically. "Still, I do try so they can at least get in a good impression during the interviews."

[71st_victor]

"No, but he gives it his best shot every damn year," Johanna murmurs, keeping her palm at her cheek as she stares in Haymitch's direction and wonders just what kind of trouble they could get up to together. She sets that aside for later, giving Effie a dubious look when it comes to her denigrating her district. Her own liaison had been just as bad, not to mention had made her dress up like a tree. Why does Seven always have to dress up like trees and talk about gardening?

She really wishes she could've taken her axe to some of her team. "And what would you have done with me?" she wonders, thinking of the girl she'd faked being -- weak and soft and shy.

[iheartmahogany]

Haymitch did his best shot every day, and if Effie was sharper in nature she might have mentioned that. But that wasn't her way, so she just smiled. Johanna was just murmuring now, anyway, and it wasn't Effie's habit to hang onto people's words. She often felt too rushed for that.

Effie just spread her intricately manicured hands. "I often let the stylists deal with such things," she intoned. "I'm not very good at strategy. Scheduling, speeches, manners and poise... you have very good posture, Johanna, you know. That is very rare indeed among my Tributes."

[71st_victor]

"You have your own ideas, I'm sure," Johanna says, because given how Effie dresses, she must have her concepts about how her tributes ought to act and look. She gives Effie a dubious look as she brings up the posture and doesn't mention that it's because she had to stand at attention in order to do her best to not be punished. "My tributes aren't going to win this year. Useless," she says quietly, not of them, but of her efforts towards them. "Hopefully they go out quickly."

[iheartmahogany]

"Before they do, I'm sure they'll make their Districts proud," Effie said, easily enough. To her, the Games were just that - games. Dramatic, thrilling, violent, but games nonetheless. Everyone had their role and Effie was most concerned with doing hers to the best of her ability. "You mustn't be hard on yourself. This is your first year, after all."

[71st_victor]

She can't strangle Effie Trinket, she tells herself. And not because of good behaviour, but she thinks that someone might actually mind. Her eyes flash with anger, though, and she tries her very best not to do anything, but there's a sharp glint in her smile.

"Does it get easier?" she asks bitterly. "Sending children to their deaths?"

[iheartmahogany]

Of course it wasn't an issue of ease for Effie. This was just the way things were. But while she wasn't terribly well-learned that didn't mean she wasn't sharp in her own way; and she did notice that over the years the Victors dealt with things in their own way.

"These things don't change," she said, in what was, to her, a kindly tone. And, truly, it was perhaps the most honest she ever was - when it came to talking about hself. "Victors sometimes do. But not all. Really, dear, it's best if you just enjoy what you have now. It's what I do."

[71st_victor]

She wonders if Effie has any idea what happens to Victors once they're out. After all, it's hardly like Snow sends bulletins and missives about his dealings, but she wants to tell her about her family (gone) and about what Finnick's told her (because he didn't say no) and she wants to scream, but she also wants to survive.

"Well, the riches help, don't they?" she lets out a bitter echo of a high-pitched laugh as she shakes her head.

[iheartmahogany]

Parts of the Games were awful and Effie was not entirely removed from it, but she didn't question it. As far as she was concerned, the Victors received rewards that far outweighed any of the tragedy and justified the risk. Many of the Victors reveled in it, and she didn't fully understand the ones who didn't. Johanna was appearing to be one of those tricky latter.

Well, the girl earned the right to do as she wished, Effie figured. "They certainly don't hinder," she said. She paused for a moment, unsure if it was really her place to give out any further advice, before she decided to just go for it. "If you talk to the other Victors, I think it might help you find your footing," she suggested.