Kia Malloy of D6 (railroaded) wrote in gamesofpanem, @ 2015-04-21 15:55:00 |
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Entry tags: | ! backstory, ! districts, victor: 30th jessie link, victor: 57th kia malloy |
WHO: Kia Malloy and Jessie Link
WHAT: The girls talk mentoring.
WHEN: Before the 58th Games
WHERE: District 6
STATUS: Complete
WARNINGS: Language
PROMPT: Color Challenge: [K]
So does that mean you’re going to be mentoring now? Perhaps she should have realized it sooner, but between the whirlwind of surviving and the hell that was the victory tour she hadn’t given much thought to life going forward. There were rooms to her new house she still hadn’t been inside of and people were already asking her questions to things she didn’t want to think about. Kia wasn’t a mentor. She wasn’t the nurturing type and she certainly wasn’t one for encouraging others. Mentors were supposed to help form alliances for their kids and she was just as likely to ensure they were targeted first. Then again, she couldn’t be much worse than Link. She could tell the woman tried in her own way, even if it was more for Geo’s sake than her own. “Hey Link--Jessie, can we talk?” Link was lost in work. She was sitting doodling strange shapes and designs that probably meant nothing to anyone else. For Link it meant relaxation. It meant peace for her mind. It took her a moment to register the voice was directed at her. It took her a split second longer than most to turn her head to acknowledge the person. “Huh?” Link looked confused for a second before registering the face and the words together at last. “Oh yes, of course.” Link smiled, “What is it Kia?” “I was just wondering if you had given any thought to next year.” Kia was never one to beat around the bush and she skipped past formalities as she helped herself to a seat. It was strange to be sitting across from this woman as a fellow Victor. She had grown up knowing about Link, but it was different to actually know her. “Am I mentoring?” Link tilted her head as the girl sat down across from her. Strange how she didn’t expect to see her again. She had expected that night before the arena to be the last she would see of her. Yet, here the girl was across from her after what the Capitol would call a spectacular showing. Link prayed each year to have someone to relieve her from her duty and now that she had her, well it felt strange. She had taken her time to think of a response to Kia’s direct question. “When you feel ready, yes.” Link said calmly. “If you feel ready for next year, then yes.” Link had had no time to adjust to the idea, and she would happily throw Kia into the same boat. It was seemingly polite to give the option. “I could,” she stuttered over the word could, “give it one more year.” Honestly she was done, she was exhausted, and she longed to take a back seat. Kia hadn’t been expecting a choice. All the righteous indignation that was brewing in her blood evaporated by the knowledge that she had a say. Oh. Well, she didn’t have a choice after that, did she? No, the life of a victor was being told what to do. Kia tried to be annoyed, but it wasn’t coming. Not when Link’s voice hitched at the idea of another year. “Let me think it over, yeah? We’ll see where I am when it gets closer.” She didn’t want to jump into mentoring, not when she could be stuck with the job for the next thirty years. Why had she given her a choice? Link just wanted her to take it and accept it just like she had. She wasn’t given a choice, what made Kia more special than she? “Yes, think it over.” Link sighed, one more year wouldn’t kill her. Would it? “It will be fine.” Link smiled nodding her head as if trying to make herself believe it. “Thanks,” Kia said, sounding more surprised than she probably should. She kept waiting for Link to laugh in her face and say the offer was only a joke, but she seemed serious. In her heart she knew she would end up mentoring this year, but that didn’t mean she had to lock herself into the role now. The kids deserved someone who was mostly sober. “How bad is it?” Even if she got out of it this year she would have to do it eventually. Kia liked when people were upfront about things. She wanted to know what she was getting in to. The thank you was lost on Link, she was deep in her own thoughts. The direct question was what brought her back. Her attention darted to Kia, as if surprised Kia was still there. “I,” she paused, “It is awful.” Link bluntly spoke as there was no point beating around the bush. Kia would find out for herself her first year, when her first tribute died. “I have been at this for years, Kia, and what do I have to show for it?” Link put her hands up in the air her fingers moving as if brushing the air. As she dropped them she said, “I have you, Geo, and more dead tributes than I can keep count of.” “Figured it was a shit job.” Kia frowned, tugging on the end of her ponytail as she observed Link for a moment. The familiar yellow tinge to Link’s skin had angered her when she was a tribute, but now it made her sad. “Fuck it, I’ll do it. If you’re only going to bring assholes like me back home we need a better system.” Kia knew her joke fell flat, but she didn’t care. This woman was in no shape to mentor anymore. She had helped to bring her home and now she’d return the favor. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to wait thirty years to be replaced. “Enjoy retirement, L--Jessie.” The joke fell flat, but there was a slight turn up against the side of Link’s lips. She was relieved, absolutely relieved. She was done. She didn’t have to worry she was failing, she just had to support. “Thank you,” she said almost like a whisper like she was afraid to say it if it wasn’t true. “They, no, you deserve someone better.” “You weren’t so bad,” Kia said with a shrug, both women well aware that she was lying. “I’m not dead, right?” She wasn’t sure she believed that nonsense about her deserving better. Everyone deserved the right not to be murdered for sport, but such was life. “I better be getting back. I’m supposed to meet some people. Take care of yourself, yeah? I’ve got the kids from here.” |