By the time Calpurnia arrived at the Snows' residence, Coryo had already returned. He sat at the kitchen table with Tigris and Grandma'am. The three seemed to be having some sort of debate. When the door closed behind Calpurnia, all three paused and looked over to the youngest Snow.

"What took you so long to get back?" asked Coryo.

Calpurnia shrugged and took the last remaining seat at the table. "I took a walk. There's nothing wrong with that, Coriolanus. Now, what's with the family meeting?"

Grandma'am proceeded to share her disappointment with the twins for their recent actions. "To feed them is one thing. To dine with them suggests that you consider them your equals. But they aren't. There's always been something barbaric about the districts. Your own father used to say those people only drank water because it didn't rain blood. You both ignore that at your own peril."

"They're children, Grandma'am," said Tigris.

"They're district. And trust me, Coriolanus's hasn't been a girl in a long time," said Grandma'am.

Calpurnia forced herself to keep from frowning at Grandma'am's implication. She looked down on Lucy Gray for even the possibility that the young girl had sold her body for money. Would Calpurnia's grandmother have the same reaction if she found out what Tigris did at the black market every weekend to make a living? Or if she knew about how Calpurnia had been used in the past?

"Lucy Gray is different," argued Coryo. Calpurnia snapped her attention back to her family. "She took my side in the truck when the others wanted to attack me. And she had my back in the monkey house, too."

"Would she have bothered if you weren't her mentor? Of course not. She's a wily little thing who began to manipulate you the minute you met. Tread carefully, my boy," warned Grandma'am. "That's all I'm saying."

Calpurnia debated on interjecting and bringin the conversation around to her own tribute. But she knew Grandma'am wouldn't back down. The twins both went off to bed after giving Tigris and their grandmother each a customary kiss on the cheek.

As Calpurnia washed the makeup from her face, she noticed her compact. The silver rose-shaped container had belonged to her mother. Though Calpurnia hated roses, the smell made her woozy, she still loved the powder compact. Every day, Calpurnia missed her mother. Every time she looked in the mirror, she was reminded of Afina Snow. It was difficult to live with that constant reminder, everyone around her comparing her to the woman who raised her.

But Calpurnia and Afina weren't the same. While Afina had married for status, falling for Calpurnia's father, who had provided her with all she could ever want in life, she hadn't had what she needed. Love. Afina loved Crassus, that much was evident, but their relationship had quieted her fierce spirit. On her deathbed, she had warned Calpurnia of growing up.

"Live with love, Callie. But don't let it consume you," she had warned. Those words were the last ones she spoke to her middle child, before the youngest took that life away from her.

Coryo knocked on the bathroom door, pulling Calpurnia out of her thoughts.

"Cal? Are you alright?" he asked.

"One moment," she responded.

She took one last look at the compact before placing it back on the counter. Then she exited the bathroom.

"Are you alright?" asked Coryo. His gaze drifted to the silver compact on the edge of the sink. "Mother would be proud of you," he assured.

"Thanks, Coryo," said Calpurnia. "I'll see you in the morning."

...

Calpurnia woke up early the next morning. Tigris was already in the kitchen, cooking breakfast for the family of four.

"Good morning, Callie," said Tigris, smiling warmly at her cousin. "I'm making bread pudding."

Calpurnia smiled. It wasn't often that the Snows had something sweet to eat. The dish baking in the oven smelled sugary and delicious. Calpurnia's mouth watered at the scene.

"Do you want help?" asked Calpurnia.

"It's already in the oven, but you're welcome to wait with me," said Tigris. The two sat across from each other at the table. "How are you feeling about the first meeting today?"

Calpurnia sighed. "I'm not sure. At least I've already met Circ, so I don't have to worry about that part."

Tigris nodded. "Let me know if you want to talk about it. I know Coryo's a little more outspoken about all of this, but don't let him keep you quiet."

"I won't," promised Calpurnia. "I'm just trying to get a read on the situation first."

That was one thing the siblings had in common. Both were overachievers, but they were careful and observant. However, Calpurnia was more patient than her brother, and took longer to make her decisions.

"You two need to get more sleep," said Coriolanus, entering the kitchen.

"I woke up early," explained Calpurnia.

"I couldn't sleep, thinking about what's going on at the zoo," added Tigris. "Some of the kids look so young this year. Or maybe I'm just getting older."

Tigris was the most empathetic of the three. Calpurnia had strived to be more like her cousin when she was younger. There was a gentleness to her that the twins lacked. Calpurnia wondered if she would have been more like Tigris, had she grown up in a city without war.

"It's disturbing to see them locked up in that cage," Coriolanus told Tigris.

"It was disturbing to see you there as well!" she said. Tigris stood and pulled the pan of bread pudding out of the oven. "Fabricia told me to throw out the stale bread from the party, but I thought, why waste it?"

The bread pudding smelled even better out of the oven than it did when it was still baking. Tigris set the loaf on the stove to cool.

"It looks amazing," complimented Coryo. Calpurnia added her agreements.

"And there's plenty, so you can both take some to your tributes. I'm sure they like sweet things, and I doubt there are many left in their futures." Tigris's eyes widened as she took notice of her last words. "Sorry. Didn't mean to do that. I don't know what's gotten into me. I'm wound up tight as a spring."

Coryo laid a gentle hand on Tigris's arm. "It's the Games. You know I have to do the mentorship, right? If I'm to stand a chance at getting a prize. I need to win that for all of us."

Calpurnia frowned. It wasn't all about Coriolanus and his star tribute. Calpurnia had also been selected for this esteemed role as a mentor. But yet, here Coriolanus was, acting like he was the only Snow to be successful.

"Of course, Coryo. Of course. And we're so proud of you and how well you're doing," said Tigris. She looked at Calpurnia, noticing the discomfort on the younger girl's face. "That includes you, Cal. Don't be too hard on yourself. You've earned this just as much as Coryo has."

Tigris cut a large slice of the bread pudding for each twin and placed them on the table. "Now eat up. You don't want to be late," she demanded.

Calpurnia and Coryo finished their breakfasts quickly before heading to the Academy for their first class of the day. Calpurnia found herself rolling her eyes as Coryo was pulled aside by Professor Click.

"Second best again, Snowflake?" asked Festus as he noticed Calpurnia scowling at her brother.

"Good morning to you too, Festus," said Calpurnia sarcastically.

"Sorry Cal, that was rude," said Festus.

"Since when do you care about being rude?" she asked.

"Since I'm talking to you," said Festus, smiling flirtatiously at the blonde.

Calpurnia rolled her eyes and pushed past him to enter the classroom for their fist mentor seminar. She ignored the way her warmed at Festus's teasing.

"Come on, you know you like me!" Festus called after her.

Calpurnia took a seat next to Livia. Though she was close with Clemensia and Vipsania, Livia had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. Their friendship had begun when Coryo decided he hated the heir to the Cardew fortune. The two girls fostered a friendship to spite the boy, but their relationship quickly blossomed into a sisterhood. Nothing could come between the two.

"Morning, Liv," said Calpurnia.

"Good morning. How was the zoo?" asked Livia.

"How did you know about that?" asked Calpurnia.

"Coriolanus was on the news. I assumed you'd stop by later to get even," said Livia. "You two are so competitive."

"That wasn't the only reason I went," said Calpurnia. "I wanted to meet Circ."

"How is he?" asked Livia.

"A little odd," admitted Calpurnia. "But he's a sweet kid."

"Did you see Facet while you were there?" asked Livia.

Calpurnia racked her brain, trying to remember any details about Livia's blond tribute. "He looks strong," she said. "He seems kind of timid though. But if anyone can get him out of his shell before the interview, it's you, Liv."

Livia was one of the most social girls in their year. She could get a houseplant to communicate with her if she tried hard enough. Poor Facet wouldn't stand a chance.

As the classroom filled, Festus took a seat directly in front of Calpurnia. Persephone sat next to him. Calpurnia knew the two would probably work together on their assignment, based on the interactions she had witnessed between their tributes at the zoo, but the sight of them next to one another made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

Something hit Calpurnia on the back of the head before falling to the floor. She looked at the ground to see a crumpled piece of paper. Calpurnia picked it up and unfolded it. 'Do you want to compare notes after our meeting with our tributes?' read the note in Urban's handwriting. Calpurnia looked up to see the boy sitting in the row behind her.

Livia plucked the note out of Calpurnia's hand. She scrawled a response on the paper before gracefully tossing it back, smacking Urban in the forehead. The girls giggled as he scowled at Livia.

"What did you say?" whispered Calpurnia.

"No," said Livia. "Obviously. He's disgusting."

"This is why you're my other half," said Calpurnia, nudging Livia's arm affectionately. "You get me."

Once the classroom was filled with all twenty-four mentors, the seminar, led by Professor Demigloss, began. The intention of the class was to brainstorm tactics to get more people to watch the Hunger Games. The interviews were intended to increase viewership in the Capitol, but more would need to be done to get people in the districts to watch.

"Show me I haven't been wasting my time with you for four years," said Professor Demigloss. "If history teaches you anything, it's how to make the unwilling comply."

Sejanus's hand was the first to shoot into the air. Professor Demigloss looked a little confused, Sejanus wasn't the most academic of the mentors, but he called on the boy anyway.

"Before we talk about making people watch, shouldn't we begin with the question of whether or not watching is the right thing to do?" he asked.

"Let's stay on topic, please," insisted Professor Demigloss. "How do we get people to watch?" From the tier below Calpurnia, Festus raised his hand. "Enlighten us, Festus."

"Simple. We go straight to the punitive," said Festus. "Instead of suggesting people watch, make it the law."

"What happens if you don't watch?" asked Clemensia. She hadn't been able to find a seat near Calpurnia or Livia, so she and Vipsania sat in the front row beside Felix Ravisntill and Pup Harrington.

"In the districts, we execute you. In the Capitol, we make you move to the districts, and if you mess up again next year, then we execute you," said Festus.

A few of the mentors laughed, but Calpurnia didn't. Her mind was racing with questions about the ideas. As Festus had begun to speak, she had already begun taking notes on these concerns.

"How do you propose enforcement?" she asked, consulting her notes as she spoke. "There's no way to keep tabs on everyone in Panem, there are real jobs to be done. And executions and banishments are incredibly extreme. Do you have any other punishments to suggest? Don't even get me started on the ethics of forcing people to watch children kill each other."

Festus had turned around to stare up at Calpurnia, his mouth parted slightly with shock. His face was bright red, even more so than his hair.

Calpurnia raised an eyebrow at him. "Any suggestions?"

Festus turned even redder, before closing his mouth and shaking my head.

"Callie's right. It's sickening to watch," said Clemensia, adding onto Calpurnia's last argument. "So people avoid it."

"Of course they do!" added Sejanus. "Who wants to watch a group of children kill each other? Only a vicious, twisted person. Human beings may not be perfect, but we're better than that."

"How do you know?" asked Livia. "And how does someone from the districts have any idea what we want to watch in the Capitol? You weren't even here during the war."

Calpurnia nudged Livia with her knee. When the girl looked over, Calpurnia shot her a look. She loved Livia with all her heart, but she had to admit that the heiress had some questionable ideas about people from the districts.

Sejanus's shoulders slumped, unable to come up with a rebuttal.

"Because most of us are basically decent people," said Lysistrata Vickers, the mentor for the male tribute from District Twelve. "Most of us don't want to watch other people suffer." She shot a pointed look at Festus, which made Calpurnia fight back a laugh.

"We watched worse things during the war. And after," said Coryo.

He wasn't wrong. Calpurnia recalled the videos of the battlefields broadcasted for the Capitol. Victims of the war. There had been so much death and destruction, so many lives lost, from both the Capitol and the rebelling districts. Even after the war was over, executions of rebel leaders were shown for months.

"But we had a real stake in that, Coryo!" said Arachne Crane, punching Calpurnia's brother in the arm. "We were watching our enemies die! I mean, rebel scum and whatnot. Who cares about these kids one way or another?"

"Possibly their families," said Sejanus.

"You mean a handful of nobodies in the districts. So what?" asked Arachne. "Why should the rest of us care which one of them wins?"

"I know I don't," admitted Livia.

"Liv!" scolded Calpurnia under her breath. Livia looked at her best friend and shrugged innocently.

"I get more excited over a dogfight," added Festus. "Especially if I'm betting on it."

"So you'd like it if we gave odds on the tributes?" asked Coriolanus. "That would make you tune in?"

Calpurnia knew her brother was joking, but clearly not everyone picked up on the tone in his voice. "Well, it would certainly liven things up!" exclaimed Festus.

After that, the class quieted as they contemplated all of the ideas and arguments on the table. The discussions seemed to be over, so Professor Demigloss released the mentors for lunch before their first meeting with their tributes.

...

an: i'm back guys! i've been on vacation for the last week so i've been too busy to write :( and i'll be pretty busy until the end of may so i probably won't have too many chapters out until i finish this semester but i will do my best! as always, check out my other fics and i love you guys! -willow <3