#133.

A handful of things came to mind when Ash spotted Ev -- his appearance in a propaganda video, the execution and attack during the tribute parade, two Brick brothers volunteering, and the talk of a possible career pack. He sighed, part of him dreading the conversation that waded past the tributes. When a tribute won, he found it second nature to feel responsible for them and more connected to their family by extent. Being from a career district only amplified the feeling for him. Being mentored by Finnick and having a hand in training Rio and Medea. Ash didn't know the Bricks very well, but he knew how it was with the Odairs and how it went with the Atlanticas. "Just who I wanted to see," Ashton put an arm around his shoulder, patting lightly, before sitting down beside him. "How're you holding up?"

He'd seen Kaiko in the aftermath; he'd heard the screams, the gunshots, and the fighting. The attack had been successful, but not without losses. As much as Ashton had wanted to get involved in the attack on the tower, he hadn't -- too anxious about getting caught. But some part of Ashton knew Abel would get involved, even if they both knew he wasn't a fighter. Something about Abel's fearless nature drew Ash closer to him, but that same nature was also a point of frustration from time to time.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't go through with the career pack," it was a known strategy for a reason, and it seemed like Caspian's mind was already set. But Ash could only speak from experience, give his own perspective -- that of someone who hadn't grown up a career. Career packs had worked in the past, but they also hadn't. "I'm just saying you need to be ready when things go south." Things would go south. The career pack in his games fell apart within the first few hours; three careers died on the first day. "...talk me through it, the pack, what do you know? What do you think you know?" Ash would help him fill in what he didn't.

Ashton hated sponsor talk. He always had; the money, the odds, the betting, it sickened him. And after years of doing it, he still found it hard to start the conversation. But Monty was Everett's brother and a victor himself, which meant he was more approachable and familiar than pushy capitolites who liked to get handsy after having too much to drink.

Normally he would still go through Everett, but he seemed busy right now, more caught up in Brick business than Monty looked at the moment, biding his time in Capitol Coffee. The conversation was easy, too. The buzz of a possible career pack since the pregame coverage had started. It was something the academies also wanted, or he knew Four's academy had -- just as much (but not less,) than Caspian did.

"I hear things are kind of hectic for Two right now." Things were starting to get hectic everywhere. Ash joined him in line, donning a smile in greeting, though he'd heard enough of what'd happened during the attack to leave a bad taste in his mouth. "...Do you know what you're getting?"

Aside from the train ride, he felt like he hadn't seen Rio since he'd been running around the tower. He wanted to check in. "How're you holding up?" Rio was still newer to mentoring, and while he wasn't close with Spela and Axel, he did seem much closer to Caspian. "You've got a few minutes before I crawl under the blankets and sleep through the tribute parade." Ash was exaggerating, of course, a tired smile on his face, but the day had still been tedious and upsetting for him.