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Shubble had her hands deep in the dirt of her garden, she was re-potting one of her roses, now that it had grown enough to be moved out of the greenhouse. The soil was good in District 9, that’s why they were a farming District after all. But she had never cared much for that, she liked gardening sure, it was a great government mandated hobby to have. Being a Victor she didn’t need to care for anything since she was 13, which was an objectively long time, but she had forced herself to care, if nothing else to stay there and present for the kids she had to Mentor. So Shubble had kept up her studies, the studies that had won her the Games, and had become an expert in poisons and illnesses. As she ruminated over her childhood and life story, as one does when they have such an interesting one, a voice from behind her called out.
“Shubble! Shubble! There’s a problem at the lab. Like a massive problem! They need you immediately!“
She dropped her plant, which sat sideways in the dirt, where it would stay for the entirety of the Games, since after running after the young man in the lab coat which she knew to be an intern at the lab, Shubble never had the chance to go back home before she had to leave for the Capitol.
“I’m really sorry ma’am, you cannot go in. You need to go to the lab as soon as possible. You might have been exposed to a dangerous contagion.”
“I can drop dead right now, but you will let me see my baby! It’s my right! I won’t let you send my son to slaughter without saying goodbye!”
“I did what I could. They didn’t even want him to see you from the window, now please, go to the labs.”
The woman in front of her collapsed on the floor crying and Shubble stepped back, not in disgust but in fear that she might also be infected. She didn’t have much time to try to console the woman when two Peacekeepers wearing protective suits flanked her and took her away. She swallowed and made her way to the train, hoping that they wouldn’t have to kill her, but it had looked like the infection was well on the way, with her tears shining dark blue. Slowly she made her way back to the Justice Building, where she saw Wels accompanying the Tribute, a 13 year old boy named Cub, back towards where the car awaited to take them to the train station. Once they were all sat in the car, she spoke up.
“I am really sorry about this, truly. I want you to know that it was completely out of my, or Wels’, hands.”
“It doesn’t matter now though. I’ll never see my mother again.”
“Don’t say that. There is still a chance you could win.”
Wels said, in an attempt to be encouraging but Shubble secretly hoped he wouldn’t, because he would come back to an empty home. A glance exchanged with the Capitol Escort told him all he needed to know, still she knew better than to tell him that.
“How, I’m 13. And I’m weak.”
“I won at 13 years old, and I wasn’t strong at all. Still am. But I used my brain, and your mom said you are smart.”
“I like going to the lab. They told me I could work there someday.”
“See, that’s a good start. The Games are about survival first, and fight after. I never fought anyone in my Games, I won by poisoning their food.”
“I didn’t know that, that’s so cool!“
“They don’t like talking about it, because it’s hard to explain to other Districts or the Capitol why a little girl from 9 knows so much about poison, it’s a more covert specialty of District 9, which I ask you to keep on the down low these few weeks before the arena.“
Wels chimed in, knowing full well that most of Shubble’s Games had been censored because it made her District look powerful and threatening. Which was not a desired effect of the Games. He also knew that the Gamemakers would not allow a repeat of what happened during the 132nd Games.
“Hey Cub, I don’t know how these Games are gonna go, but I promise you I will do my best to take care for you and to teach you all I can to help you.”