Chapter 1
Chapter Text
The 102nd Hunger Games
Disclaimer : this story contains some violence and gore. If you like it, you should watch Tales of the Hunger Games by Christian Blanco on Youtube (The Original creator)
After the disappointing ending of the 100th Hunger games, and the numerous riots happening in the Capitol, many high-ranking officials, including The Snow and Ravinstill families, fled. Of the remaining Officials, most were killed during the following weeks, while the Measles epidemic devastated all Panem. The 101st Hunger Games took place the next year, but were a total carnage, with 5 tributes dying of the Measles before the games, a record number of 6 suicides, and an arena malfunction that killed the 4 remaining tributes on the 3rd day. With the Capitol weakened, the districts violently took their independence and elected democratic leaders.
However, the districts had never been autonomous. Their hyper specialization led to many conflicts, and each had to rely on the others. Without the supervision of the capitol, Panem soon descended into chaos. Famine, diseases, and war reigned for years. Many Former victors allied and tried to help the best they could, but most ended up taking refuge in the former district Twelve, now called Virginia, and later to the European countries. This afflux of refugees in Virginia led to a worsening situation but could not yet be compared to the rest of Panem.
On the other side of the ocean. Coriolanus Snow II, slowly gained more power and territory, seizing control of the South of England. After 20 years, he came back with a fleet of former Capitolites and his army of Englishmen. They brought food, medicine, and technology, but didn't invade the districts. They only returned to the Capitol. The surrounding wildlands were rehabilitated, and rebuilt in a spirit of self sufficiency. For the next five years, the new Capitol flourished, and their expertise in many fields attracted the districts, that were impoverished.
In the year 137, a new treaty was signed, unbeknownst to the European nations that were too occupied by their own infighting. Once again, all districts agreed to give up their autonomy in favor of a better management and the reinstatement of the Hunger Games. However, this time, president Snow decided to be careful. To avoid any discontent, he promised to rise the standard of living, and offered many advantages. The feeble outcry engendered by this news was not reprimanded. This apparent lack of violent action led the presidents of the districts to give their trust to Snow, and the next year, he presented the 102nd Hunger Games.
As there was no winner in the 101st Hunger Games, and other victors had now fled the country, the task of conducting the reaping was given to the new game-makers for this year, Alina Snow and Helion Cardew, freshly arrived from London. The reaping was morose. While Alina and Helion tried to bring energy to the event, everyone else looked exhausted. Even the newly reinstated peacekeepers looked emaciated, and there was an air of resignation to the public.
The first reaping had occurred in district 11 without a hitch. In district 10, the sweltering heat made the atmosphere almost unbreathable. However, both game-makers soldiered on. Alina first picked a name from the bowl of female tributes. When she called for 14 years old Carin Ferreira, a scream was heard, and two peacekeepers had to restrain the young girl. She was very small for her age, but her tangled blonde hair and aggressive demeanor made her quite intimidating. She was brought to the stage, while Helion called for 18 years old Leon Reed. The tall gentleman walked by himself to the stage, in a calm and dignified manner. He was sturdy and very handsome, with a wide frame and shoulder-length golden hair.
Both tributes were led to the city hall, where they could meet their families before leaving. Carina's parents were in hysterics, which led to peacekeepers escorting them out before they could destroy any more property. Leon was met by his two older brothers, who wished him good luck. After a warm embrace, Leon was taken with Carin to the hovercraft, as train tracks to these districts had not yet been repaired.
As they arrived at the Capitol, the reaping proceeded on. The last one occurred in district 1. However, in the 25 years of chaos before the rebirth of Panem, the training academies of both districts 1 and 2 had disappeared. This led to only one person to volunteer in district one. The young man was called Cormac Davenport. At 18 years old, he was very tall, with pale hair, skin, and eyes. He stoically shook the hands of both game makers, before Alina proceeded to call to the stage 16 years old Satine Rivalta. She clumsily climbed to the stage, but it was obvious that she was terrified. Her brown curls were dry and dusty, and she looked quite unattractive.
After a brief goodbye to her family, Satine rejoined Cormac, as he had stated that he didn't want to see anyone before leaving. In the hovercraft, Satine tried to start a conversation with her fellow tribute, but he didn't utter a word for the entirety of the short trip. When they arrived in the Capitol, they were quickly taken to their accommodation quarters. As the former tower had been destroyed, the tributes were brought to a brand-new complex that housed all the different tribute accommodations, training center, Auditorium and even a brand-new viewing square.
At their quarters, Carin and Leon were presented to their mentor, Alan McFarlane. Alan had been a leading force in President Snow's army and was a very intense strategist. He appeared to scare the tributes while talking about all the deaths he had provoked, and subsequently caused Carin to run to her bedroom. Leon stayed, however, and when his mentor asked him what he could do, he replied that he had been dealing with bulls for his entire life and knew how to avoid them. Alan proceeded to warn him that, even though they weren't as strong, other people were way more intelligent than bulls. After that, he retired and left both tributes rest.
Satine and Cormac soon met their own mentor, Pilar Dundee. Pilar was originally from district 1, where she had originally been training to fight in the hunger games. She was not selected, and then went on to be one of the surviving peacekeepers to leave for England. While Cormac didn't seem interested, Satine kept on asking questions, mentioning in passing that back in district 1, she used to wrestle with her siblings, and that she could fight. Pilar then asked Cormac if he could defend himself, and he replied that he was in the militia before Panem was reborn, and he had seen his share of fights. Pilar seemed disturbed at his expression, and decided to not ask further question, suggesting instead that they rest for the next day's parade.
This year's parade was quite different from former games. Due to the lack of resources and personnel, Tributes were fitted with more traditional clothing, yet still fitting the theme of their district. Cormac and Satine were first, wearing a red suit and gown decorated with pearls. Behind them, the tributes for district 2, Aurelia, and Damon, caught the eye of the public with their golden togas and crowns. At the back of the parade were the tributes from district 11, wearing matching clothes made of orange fabric with a leafy pattern. The burly Clementine struggled with her tight sleeves, and her fellow tribute Maxim helped her undo the knots. Leon and Carin's outfits were underwhelming, consisting of blue jeans pants and leather vests. However, Leon's good looks helped the duo garner some attention.
On the next day, training started. While they were practicing in the spear area, Aurelia and Damon came to Cormac and Satine. They practiced together, Aurelia showing her knife throwing skills while Damon taught them about toxic plants. They struck a rapport very easily and agreed to an alliance. Capitol citizens were quite happy to see the return of the career pack, even though they were not trained.
At first, Leon tried to practice his axe throwing skills, but he soon abandoned when he saw Woody (7) chucking them with incredible speed and accuracy. He then decided to practice in the battle simulator by himself.
On the other side of the training facility, Carin had first tried her luck at the electronics station, but she was soon shooed away by Morris and Electra (3). She then ended up with Clementine and Maxim in the survival station. They spoke a little about their life in the districts, mostly about the poverty and unrest. Maxim cited that one of his great aunts had once participated in the games. They were also joined by a tearful Brian (9). The 12 years old little boy decided to follow the group for the rest of the training.
The scores for the assessments were incredibly low. Only Woody (7), Cormac (1) and Aurelia (2) received a score of 8, with Satine and Leon getting a 6. Carin was at the bottom with a 2, as it was rumored that she had thrown a knife at the assessors. Fortunately, she aimed very badly, and no one was injured.
The young Urania Whimsiwick was the host for the 102nd edition of the tribute's interviews. She was quite young and nervous but managed to find her confidence. She was accompanied by Helion Cardew, who put the tributes at ease with his radiant smile and humor. Cormac's interview was quite awkward, as he didn't show any emotion. When asked what his motivation for volunteering was, he stated that he wanted to "do something". Satine, on the other hand, had a lot of success, thanks to her easygoing and cheerful nature. Helion later stated that she didn't seem "mature enough" while Urania said that she was "easier on the heart that she was on the eyes".
The rest of the interviews went on relatively smoothly. Except from the boy from 4, who seemed to get very angry and threaten to "punch Helion's face in" when asked if he was excited to participate in the games. Leon seemed at first intimidated by the lights, but he soon gained confidence, and responded to Urania's questions in a very amicable way. He even joked with Helion and was soon given very good odds of winning. Carin tried her best to appeal to citizens of the Capitol, but her interview was not memorable. Maxim ended his interview by stating that he would love to move to the Capitol if he won, as it was full of pretty ladies.
On the next day, tributes were dressed in light pants and t-shirts, and placed in their respective tubes. Pilar came to encourage Cormac and Satine and warned them about the tributes from district 2, as they were dangerous opponents. On the other side Alan Tried clumsily to console a bawling Carin and shared a solemn handshake with Leon. It was then that the podiums started to slowly rise.
This year's arena was relatively small. It was mostly composed of large vineyards that undulated towards the perimeter. The cornucopia was situated in a central clearing, with dirt paths passing through and flowing towards the perimeter. A few old ruins were scattered around, but there was very little protection from the scorching sun except from some wooded areas closer to the perimeter. Alina said in an interview said that she was inspired by the French countryside where she had stayed in her youth to create this arena.
As the podiums rose, all tributes were blinded by the light, and the heat of the arena hit them. They looked around, slowly getting accustomed to the strong light. Cormac shared a quick look with Damon, Aurelia and Satine, the later of whom responded with a conspicuous wink. They kept scanning around the cornucopia, noticing the small number of weapons and diverse materials. There was no food present, only water bottles.
Leon noticed Woody, to his right, intently staring at a hand axe inside the cornucopia. He tried to make eye contact with Carin, but she was looking back to the closest way out of the clearing. Next to her, Myriam (7) seemed to have a complete breakdown and sobbed uncontrollably.
Day 1 :
The game makers wished all tributes a good luck, and as the countdown came to an end, all tributes jumped towards the cornucopia. Leon ran as fast as he could, knocking down Pluto (5) on the way to the cornucopia. He managed to grab a knife and a small backpack, but he soon left when he saw that Woody had grabbed an axe. Leon rejoined with Carin, Clementine, and Maxim who were waiting. On the other side of the cornucopia, Satine had immediately jumped off her podium to her left, and quickly managed to strangle the girl from 9 while Aurelia threw a knife directly through the brains of Pluto, who was helplessly crawling away. Cormac and Damon joined Aurelia and Satine, and they grabbed as much resources and weapons as they could, while most tributes fled towards the vineyards.
Leon and Carin's group were about to exit the clearing when they heard the cries of Brian (9). Their small hesitation led to the boy from 4 attacking the group. However, Leon easily avoided his trident, before pushing him. The boy fell violently against the nearest podium, breaking his neck on impact.
Brian's screams soon quietened when Cormac transpierced his heart with a sword. All the tributes subsequently vacated the clearing and started to explore the arena.
Maxim, Clementine, Leon, and Carin had decided to quickly run to an old windmill, which was close to the perimeter. However, due to the sweltering heat and the rocky ground, they had to stop often. The shared the two water bottles they had managed to pick from the cornucopia, but soon became hungry and tired. They then decided to pause under the shade of an oak tree. Maxim and Leon spent their time sharpening sticks into makeshift weapons, as all they had to their name was a knife and a trident. As the day went on, five cannons sounded, announcing the deaths of the boy from 4, Pluto (5), Myriam (7) who viewers had seen being bashed with a rock by Fuchsia (8), and both Brian and the girl from 9. The bloodbath this year was relatively safe, with still 17 tributes remaining.
The group from districts 1 and 2 had made their way to the other side of the arena, and they had decided to camp there for the night, and to start hunting the others the next day. Damon managed to find out which grapes were edible, and the group managed to eat them. They did not speak much, except for Satine, who seemed very enthusiastic at getting the "first kill". They decided to sleep in shifts but were soon awakened by a cannon.
As the night set in, the outlying pack had started to fall asleep. While they were all seemingly asleep, the foliage from the oak started rustling, and it was shown to viewers that Dean (6) had been hiding there since the beginning of the day. As he tried to stealthily descend from the tree, a branch cracked, which started to awaken the tributes sleeping under. Dean could have survived this encounter if he had fled immediately, as the others were not aware of his presence. However, he decided to try and steal a water bottle.
In an instant, Clementine, who was holding a previously made sharp stick, threw her weapon at Dean's neck. Some blood splattered onto Clementine's thick afro, while Dean spluttered and fell to the ground, sounding his canon a few instants later. The group awoke, and they agreed to take turns keeping watch. At midnight, the portraits of the boy from 4, Pluto (5), the boy from 6, Myriam (7) and both tributes from 9 were shown, which left 16 tributes alive on the first day.
Day 2:
On the second day, most tributes awoke thirsty and tired. They started roaming around the area while keeping their distances. Due to their knowledge of edible fruits, Clementine and Maxim were able to show their allies the difference between the edible grapes and those infected by mold, that were highly toxic. They rationed their water and set off in the direction of the perimeter, while being careful of not being seen by others. They almost ran into Fuchsia and Timothy (8), but the duo kept hidden, presumably because they were outnumbered. Carin also noticed that some areas of bushes were quite noisy with buzzing, so the group decided to stay away from these just in case.
However, as noon was approaching and the heat had begun to rise, the outlying pack went in search of a shaded place. Carin almost ran towards a small, wooded area that she could see, while her allies tried to make her slow down. Maxim called for her, but it was too late. She ran down the path and disappeared, before screaming, and her cannon subsequently sounded.
Viewers were aware that during the first night, Morris and Electra (3) had set up a trap with a battery and copper wire they had taken during the bloodbath. Multiple wires were dangling from branches in this wooded area, and any tribute that touched them would be badly electrocuted. As Carin fell to the ground convulsing, Electra carefully stole her stick, and hid back with her district partner.
Meanwhile, Leon, Maxim and Clementine had run back the way they came, knowing they couldn't do anything. Fortunately for them, Clementine and Leon held their most precious items, the water bottles. They stopped by a tiny river to fill them back up, and Leon comforted a trembling Clementine.
On the other side of the arena, the other big group were looking in vain for other tributes. Unbeknownst to them, most tributes were currently in the southern part of the arena, with only the girl from 6 camouflaged between two rocks a few hundred meters away.
When they heard a scream followed by the cannon, they immediately jumped up. Aurelia encouraged the others to go investigate, as there would surely be other tributes around this zone. When they arrived later in the day, they saw the death claw struggling to pick up Carin's body through the thick branches. They waited some more for the hovercraft to leave before entering the woods.
Fortunately for them, Damon suggested they did not take the path, but instead they walked through the undergrowth. This way, they unknowingly avoided a death trap. In the middle of their walk, they suddenly stopped after hearing some movement. They spread out, and Aurelia stumbled directly into the district 3 tribute's camp. There was a short pause, where no one moved, but when Cormac and then Damon appeared behind Aurelia, both Electra and Morris jumped to their feet and ran. Cormac threw his sword, but he missed and managed only to graze Morris's ear. However, Electra tripped on the battery and fell to the ground. Aurelia did not waste any time and stabbed her right in the forehead, which sounded her cannon immediately. Satine ran after Morris while the other stayed back and raided the camp for anything useful.
Morris ran through the path, while staying low so that none of the wires could touch him. Satine, on the other hand, was not aware of them, and when she pushed one out of her way, she seized up and started convulsing. It took almost two minutes for her cannon to sound. The rest of the group had been looking for her, and when they heard the cannon, they ran to congratulate her on killing Morris. When they couldn't find her, they started to worry, even if Cormac seemed to just want to leave Satine. They finally found her later in the afternoon, because they heard the crackling of wasps getting electrocuted and investigated the source of the noise.
As night approached, Clementine insisted on holding a wake for Carin. She started talking about how she was a girl with character and a good heart. Maxim tried to lighten the mood by reminiscing about the time before the games, but it seemed to make his allies mood even more somber. They stayed up inside a roofless house until the portraits of Satine (1), Electra (3) and Carin (10) lit up the sky, then slowly went to sleep, this time not forgetting to keep watch for other tributes.
Aurelia, Damon, and Cormac had come back to the central clearing after the death of Satine. They searched for anything that could have left behind. They discussed about the locations where other tributes would be, and Cormac stated they should probably walk around the perimeter on the next day.
Day 3 :
On the third day of the 102nd Hunger Games, there were still 13 tributes alive. They were all awoken early in the morning by the sound of a cannon. It was revealed to viewers that the girl from 4 had encountered Woody, and that he had chased her until she had run directly into Morris and Electra's trap. She had been electrocuted, the decapitated by Woody. Helion jokingly stated that he was "sad to see such a pretty girl go this way".
In the vineyards, the buzzing had intensified. Tributes could see small yellow wasps buzzing around them. Alina explained that they were a new species of Tracker-Jacker wasps, created by the Capitol to be faster and provoke intense hallucinations with their stings. However, most tributes continued their day as usual. Both alliances spent their day circling slowly around the perimeter, avoiding wasps as they could. However, as there was no action for the entire morning and the crowd was getting impatient, Game-maker Snow decided to increase the wasps aggressivity.
The first to be stung was Leon. He appeared to swat away a wasp, but it stung him on the hand. After the intense pain had set in, he started to get extremely confused, asking his allies who they were, and where he was. He was sweating and breathing erratically. Maxim and Clementine exchanged a perplexed glanced, and as they were approaching Leon, a cannon sounded that startled the group. Leon started running away, but he did not see the tree in front of him and knocked himself out. Viewers had seen that the cannon belonged to Timothy (8). As he had been stung in a few spots and started to cry loudly, Fuchsia had grabbed another rock and bashed his brains. She then quickly ran away when more wasps started to arrive.
Cormac, Aurelia, and Damon too were running away. They fortunately weren't stung, but they had to spend the rest of the day hidden away in a partially collapsed cellar. While Aurelia practiced her knife throwing skills, Damon tried to engage a conversation with Cormac, talking about his girlfriend back in district 2. However, Cormac barely listened and kept polishing his sword.
Two more tributes died that afternoon. Morris (3) succumbed to the tracker-jacker's stings after running headfirst into a nest. The girl from district 6 was only stung once, however, the hallucinations she suffered from led her to jump from the tree she was sitting in. The fall broke one of her legs, and she laid there barely conscious until Woody (7) put her out of her misery.
Clementine and Maxim had managed to pull Leon with them into a small thicket of trees, and they avoided being stung any more by covering themselves in very fragrant leaves that Maxim knew were insect repellents. Leon woke in the evening. His hand still hurt quite badly, but the hallucinations had gone away. He described them as "nightmarish visions", telling his allies that he thought they were monstrous bulls.
The wasps eventually went back to their nests, and tributes could finally get out of hiding. At midnight, the portraits of the fallen showed Morris (3), the girls from 4 and 6 and Timothy (8) had died. This left only 9 tributes within the arena.
Day 4:
The morning of the fourth day went on quite slowly. Most tributes kept hiding, in case the wasps had come back but Game-Makers Snow and Cardew had brought them back out of the arena. Only Cormac and the tributes from district 2 were roaming around, hunting for others. It was shown at one point that they walked right under the tree where Woody (7) was hiding, but he decided it was wiser not to attack the group.
However, as no real action was happening and spectators were getting quite bored, an announcement was made by Alina Snow. She congratulated the surviving tributes on their tenacity, then told them that a feast would be held at noon in the cornucopia. Tributes were at first confused, as they were not familiar with the concept, but Alina explained that supplies they desperately needed would be offered to the tributes.
Almost all tributes decided to attend the Feast, most of them hoping for food, as some were starting to feel the effects of malnourishment. Clementine was very adamant on getting there first as to avoid meeting their opponents. She encouraged Maxim and Leon, who were hesitating, and the trio set off.
Aurelia, Damon, and Cormac were also hurrying to get there, even if there was still an hour of waiting. They hid behind a row of grapevines a few meters away from the clearing. A few minutes later, people in the viewing square started to hold their breath, as eight of the nine remaining tributes were all hiding, in close proximity to each other. It didn't take long for them to notice each other, but nobody dared to attack first.
Leon, Maxim, and Clementine were discussing their attack strategy. Clementine volunteered herself to distract the others, but Leon replied that they were too many, and that they would need to cover each other. On the other side of the clearing, Cormac suggested that their group spread out around the cornucopia, in order to catch fleeing tributes. His allies agreed and readied themselves.
After what felt like days to the tributes and viewers alike, the podiums started rising, with seven bags appearing into view. Everyone waited a few seconds, trying to guess who would be the first to run to the bags. Leon started to count to three, but Maxim immediately ran towards the one with an 11 written on the side. The rest happened very quickly. Clementine and Leon followed Maxim, while Damon and Fuchsia ran towards their respective bags. Maxim was the first to grab his bag, but as he turned around, he saw Woody chucking an axe in Clementine's direction. However, before Maxim could scream, the axe had hit her right in the heart and her cannon subsequently sounded. Then, five seconds later, another cannon sounded, and it was revealed that Fuchsia had impaled herself on Cormac's sword as she was running away.
Leon and Maxim quickly grabbed the bags from 10 and 11 and fled, narrowly avoiding one of Aurelia's knives. After dislodging his axe from Clementine's chest, Woody grabbed the bags from 6 and seven and ran away too, leaving only the tributes from 1 and 2 to grab their and Fuchsia's bag. They settled for a moment around the cornucopia and checked their contents. To their disappointment, the bags only contained water bottles, as well as a little food.
When they were certain to be far enough from the danger, Maxim and Leon searched for a place to rest. They shared the food that was gifted at the feast and reminisced about Clementine. Maxim appeared on the verge of tears, but Leon quickly reassured him and told him that she had saved him, and that there was nothing more they could do but move forward. This speech consolidated Leon's place as one of the favorites from this year's Hunger Games.
The afternoon slowly went on, with most tributes staying put. In fact, only the alliance from 1 and 2 roamed the arena. They managed to find Tammy (5) hiding within the ruins of a house. She looked emaciated and couldn't even get up anymore. As Cormac was approaching, she started whimpering, but before he could stab her, she shoved a handful of berries in her mouth. Knowing she would be killed, Tammy had decided to commit suicide, and the grouped watched as she convulsed for a moment before dying. A lot of Capitol viewers were shocked by this scene, as they deemed it "not at all fair play".
As the evening came, the atmosphere between the tributes from 10 and 11 got slightly tenser. The glanced at each other quite often. Urania correctly guessed that, as the number of tributes had dwindled, it had become rather clear to Leon and Maxim that the end was approaching. Yet, they decided to stay together one more night, before going their separate way. They didn't speak much that night, and Leon soon feigned sleep. Viewers could see him holding on tightly to his knife. Maxim appeared in two heads, but he did not act for the first part of the night.
A few minutes before midnight, a cannon sounded, quickly followed by another. The last viewers who had remained in the viewing square could see that the first cannon belonged to Damon (2). He had inadvertently walked into a trap set earlier by Woody, which had him suspended in the air by his foot. Cormac attempted to cut the rope with his sword, but a cracking branch alerted him to a presence, and he looked around. Woody appeared from behind a bush and slammed his axe into Damon's body, almost cutting him in half and sounding his cannon immediately. He then tried to lunge at Cormac. However, he had not noticed Aurelia coming from behind, and she jumped on his back. Woody fell to the floor. There was a moment where both tributes were wrestling, with neither of them winning. Cormac watched curiously, and Helion commented that he was "definitely odd".
The fight ended when Aurelia grabbed the axe laying on the floor and planted it into Woody's shoulder. He screamed in pain, and Aurelia shut him up by stabbing a knife into his right ear. Immediately after his cannon sounded, the portraits of the fallen were shown, displaying the faces of Damon (2), Tammy (5), Woody (7), Fuchsia (8), and Clementine (11). Only 4 tributes were left in the arena, which meant that the showdown was imminent.
Day 5:
The tributes did not sleep well that night. Cormac and Aurelia had stared at each other for a long time, before agreeing to keep their alliance until the very end. They had barely closed their eyes, holding tight to their weapons.
Leon, who had unfortunately fallen asleep in the early morning, was awaken by the cracking of a twig. He managed to dodge Maxim's trident, before scurrying to his feet. He looked around, to see his knife had fallen on the ground. Maxim followed his gaze and swiftly kicked it away. Suddenly, the voice of Game-Maker Snow resounded in the arena. She congratulated the top 4 tributes for making it this far. She then explained that the tracker jackers had been once again activated. However, this time they would only target tributes who were not within the cornucopia clearing. She wished the odds to be in their favors and started the 10 minutes countdown.
Cormac and Aurelia ran immediately as fast as they could into the clearing and dissimulated themselves inside the cornucopia. On the other side of the arena, Leon had tackled Maxim and was wrestling him for his trident. He was stronger and heavier than the latter and quickly overpowered him. Maxim managed to plant one of the prongs into Leon's shoulder, but Leon sat on his chest, knees on Maxim's hands and started strangling him in a moment that Urania stated was "Oddly beautiful". The minutes started counting down while both tributes stayed in the same position. It was noticed that both tributes were crying. It took a long time for Maxim to fall unconscious, but when his cannon finally sounded, there were only 2 minutes left for Leon to get to safe ground.
Meanwhile, as soon as he heard the cannon sound, Cormac sliced his sword through Aurelia's head without leaving her the time to react. This greatly shocked the Capitol's audience, who were not expecting this. While cleaning his sword, Cormac kept an emotionless look on his face, the same look that had made him quite unpopular among Capitolites.
Leon ran as fast as he could and managed to enter the clearing only 10 seconds before the end. He was followed by a swarm of wasps, but they did not approach further. Leon looked around, a trident in his right hand and a knife in the left. He had heard a cannon but did not know whose it was. Cormac suddenly emerged from within the cornucopia, choosing to only keep his sword.
The fight that ensued was quite spectacular, with both individuals obviously quite strong. Leon handled the trident as if it was a pitchfork. He tried to hit first but his attack was deflected by Cormac's sword. The latter kept very still, seeming to economize his movement. A few jabs were exchanged before Leon threw his knife into Cormac's shoulder. For the first time since the reaping his face seemed to show an emotion. At first it was pain, but it soon morphed into pure rage. He ran at Leon, grabbing his trident and yanking it away. This made Leon fall to the ground, unarmed. Cormac quickly tried to stab him, but dodged once, twice, three times, until the sword hit one of the podiums and literally shattered.
Leon did not waste any time. He got back up and tackled his opponent to the ground. They rolled around the dust. Both tributes were starting to show some wear and tear, with bruises forming and blood dripping from various wounds. At one point, Cormac removed the knife that was still embedded within his shoulder, but it caused him a lot of pain. Leon was able to get on top and started pummeling Cormac in the face. He tried to get out of his grasp, but each punch brought him closer to unconsciousness. As he was passing out, Leon took the knife and plunged it in his heart, sounding the last cannon. Leon Reed from district 10 was then named the victor of the 102nd Hunger Games and airlifted by the hovercraft as he passed out of exhaustion.
After being examined in Ravinstill hospital to treat any wound, Leon was interviewed by Urania Whimsiwick and Helion Cardew. It went very well with Leon acting in a very humble but outgoing manner. Helion and Urania spent a good chunk of their allowed time flirting with the victor, who seemed quite uncomfortable, but he managed to laugh it off. When it came time to speak about his kills, Leon claimed that he "did what he had to do" and that he was grateful to still be here.
Later, Leon was offered a house in an entirely rebuilt Victor's village, but he rarely lived in it. He was most often in the Capitol, taking part in parties, galas, and conference. He went on to become a renowned butcher and chef, and eventually married Carlene Tappdock, a famous wedding planner.
This year's games and their victor were extremely well received, with a lot of support from the viewers. President Snow promised the citizens of the Capitol that next year's game would happen. To show their gratitude, a lot of more affluent citizens launched donations programs to help the districts get better funding and infrastructures.
Chapter 2: The 103rd Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 103rd Hunger Games took place in the year 139. Under the renewed management of the Capitol, the quality of life slowly increased in the districts. The few remaining opponents to the regime left for Virginia, then the European lands, not knowing about the violent climate on this continent. New infrastructures were built thanks to the generous donations of some Capitol citizens.
The announcement of the 103rd Hunger Games was met with great enthusiasm in the Capitol, and passive obedience in the districts. Leon Reed, victor of the 102nd Games, had marveled at the new town halls and factories he had had the luck to visit in districts 11 to 5 in the last two days. He arrived in district 4 on the third morning, quite exhausted, but the fresh marine breeze helped him recover a bit of energy.
He looked at the blue clad youths in front of him and greeted them, whishing odds to be ever in their favor. He then marched to the female reaping bowl, from which he picked a piece of paper. "Larissa Paxel", he enunciated. All eyes turned to the back of the enclosure, where a tall 18-year-old girl struggled to breathe. She gathered herself, tears forming in her pale grey eyes, then slowly walked to the front. Her thin brown hair reached her lower back. She climbed the stairs and weakly shook Leon's and mayor Davenport's hand. Urania Whimsiwick commented that she looked like a ghost, and Helion guessed that she would soon be.
Leon soon made his way to the male reaping bowl, picking 14 years old Grouper Jones. A young boy with tattered clothes and dirty hair emerged from the crowd of youths. He briskly walked to the podium and shook the hands of his fellow tribute, Leon, and Mayor Davenport, who looked disgusted. Grouper tried to smile but he was trembling. Both tributes were soon dismissed, as Leon made his way to the hovercraft towards district 3.
In the newly renovated town hall, Larissa was visited by her mother and two younger sisters, Evanna and Ardea. They all cried for some time, hugging each other. When the peacekeepers finally escorted them out of the town hall, her mother shouted hysterically while Larissa watched with a blank expression.
On the other hand, Grouper was visited by two of his young orphan friends. They appeared noisy and kept talking over each other, giving advice. One told the young tribute to flee immediately from the cornucopia, while the other advised to find a strong alliance. Grouper seemed somewhat comforted that his two friends came to support him, as the rest of his family had been killed a few years earlier during a shipwreck.
Both tributes were subsequently escorted to the train. Larissa immediately sat on a sofa and watched the landscape by the window with a sorrowful expression. Grouper tried to start a conversation, but quickly gave up this endeavor as Larissa barely responded. With lunch arrived the mentor for the pair, Oleander Harrisson. Oleander was a young and vigorous woman from the Capitol, where she managed diplomatic relations with Virginia (former district 12). She was welcomed quite coldly by the tributes, but they soon seemed to warm up, especially Grouper, as she was bringing food with her.
Oleander wanted to talk to both young people, but Grouper was too busy stuffing his mouth with every piece of food available. Larissa, however, barely ate. The two women managed to have a conversation. When asked if she had any experience with weapons, Larissa claimed that she struggled to even kill a fish, and that she was not used to physical labor. She actually worked as a secretary for one of district 4 fisheries. Oleander then asked her what her strategy was for the games, and she seemed to close up, before answering that she would die anyway. Her mentor was taken aback by this defeatism and try to convince her to at least try to survive.
Once he was satiated, Grouper got involved in the conversation, stating that if he could survive in the Reef, the slum of district 4, he could survive the Hunger Games. He added that he was quite handy with a dagger. Oleander seemed impressed, and she asked him to throw one of the knives on the table across the carriage, which he did without hesitation. He managed to be somewhat accurate, but the peacekeeper in the room quickly asked everyone to avoid throwing cutlery to the furniture.
At the end of the trip, Oleander suggested they watch the other reapings. Grouper soon fell asleep, while Larissa and Oleander viewed the presentation of district 2's reaping.
The mayor, Arabella Dalton, had tried to reinstate the former tribute academy, but to no avail. Consequently, the reaping had to happen "as usual". Before Leon could approach the reaping bowls, however, a voice shouted: "I volunteer".
This voice was shown to belong to 17 years old Cleopatra Liu, the great niece of former victor Maxima Liu. The short black-haired girl promptly walked to the podium and shook hands with the victor and the mayor, before proudly standing next to the latter. Leon was quite impressed by what had happened, as the girls in the square weakly cheered her on. Before Leon could move, another voice resonated.
A young man stood to attention, visibly proud of the gasps of surprise he had provoked. Ulysses Marks, 15 years old, was escorted to the stage and shook everyone's hands, before winking to the crowd. His boyish good looks made waves in the Capitol among young girls. It was noted by Urania that Cleopatra seemed very annoyed at the young man, as he was "stealing her spotlight", to which Helion laughingly replied that "he had indeed".
Cleopatra was visited in the town hall by her father and her now elderly aunt Maxima Liu, who congratulated her on her courage. Her father still seemed quite worried, but she quickly reassured him, saying that she had been training for the past year, and that she had a definite advantage over the other tributes. Maxima agreed, and the trio soon embraced before Cleopatra was taken to the train station.
The atmosphere was very different in Ulysses holding room. His parents stormed in, irate. The young man tried to defend himself, but his parents shouted at him. "WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS! YOU HAVE NO TRAINING AND NO EXPERIENCE! DO YOU REALLY WANT TO DIE!?"
Ulysses seemed taken aback for a moment, then pleaded that he was fit and had trained to become a peacekeeper during his free time, but this did not seem to convince his parents. However, there was nothing they could do, and Ulysses was taken to the train.
They were greeted by a now 66 years old Alisia Heath, one of the few victors that had remained in Panem. Even for her age, she seemed healthy and full of energy as she greeted the tributes. She immediately asked them about their skills while ushering them to the table in the center of the compartment. Cleopatra started talking but was interrupted by Ulysses, who raved about his skills in survival, endurance, and hand to hand combat. Alisia and Cleopatra seemed quite skeptic, but he monopolized the conversation until dinner.
Cleopatra soon excused herself, and was quickly followed by Alisia, leaving Ulysses alone in his carriage. "He could kill the other tributes just by talking to them" jokingly stated Alisia. Cleopatra seemed more annoyed, but agreed, nevertheless. "What about you then", her mentor asked, "I heard you were trained by Maxima". Cleopatra agreed and stated that she had left school to train in her great-aunt's estate. She also told Alisia that she hoped to win in order to reinstate a real training school in district 2, just like before.
Both women casually chatted until they were joined by Ulysses. They ended the evening watching Alisia's game on the television and reflecting about the different ways tributes could have avoided death.
As the train from district 4 entered the station, Oleander encouraged her tributes to smile the citizens who were there, as the sponsor system was reinstated for this year. There were few people on the platform, but the tributes did their best to appeal to Capitolites. The result was somewhat mediocre, with Larissa seeming very aloof. On the other hand, Grouper was friendly, but his filth disturbed his fans and they avoided approaching him.
The welcome to district 2's tributes was way warmer. A lot of young girls were present to get a photograph with Ulysses, who happily obliged. Cleopatra was a bit more uneasy, but she managed to get a few pictures.
Parade:
All tributes were brought to their quarters in the Ravinstill complex. Grouper gawked at the state-of-the-art furnishing of their accommodations. Larissa seemed unbothered, but jumped when their stylist, Clio Carpenter, stormed in with her cohort of seamstresses. The tiny old woman did not waste any time, shouting at her helpers to take measurements. Meanwhile, she was frantically scribbling in her notebook, before shouting "SAILS!". She then set to work, sewing a long gown and a suit out of ship sails with blue accents and rope accessories. Larissa and Grouper were very uncomfortable with the heavy and itchy fabric but endured the fittings courageously.
On another level of the accommodation center, the tributes from district 2 had met with their own stylists, Corban Janssen. The descendant of the victor Bluebell Janssen had recently come back from Europe and was full of ideas. He quickly shut Ulysses up, which made Cleopatra grin, and set to work. While waiting, Cleopatra read a book about the history of the games, while Ulysses had retreated to his room, presumably to sulk. Corban subsequently called them back, presenting them with outfits made of a grey marbled fabric, similar to a type of stone extracted in their district's quarry.
Ulysses kept sulking until the parade, refusing to talk to his district partner. The latter was quite happy to be wearing a relatively sober dress, and even snigg*red at the outfits of Carat and Penny in front of her. The tributes from district 1 were indeed wearing heavy golden outfits, so sparkling that Lillian Anderson, the new chief editor of Anderson's fashion, would describe them as "a very expensive eyesore".
A few rows further, Grouper had already started a conversation with Dyno (5), whose minuscule frame struggled to hold an entire solar panel. Larissa, as always, stared blankly and did not interact much with anyone, even though she was seen adjusting Grouper's hair just before the parade started.
The tributes from district 2 seemed very at ease with the crowd, waving and, for Ulysses, winking. Grouper held Larissa's hand, and she managed to briefly smile at the audience. Both districts were commented for their good outfits, but it was the tributes from district 6 who won the title of best dressed by Anderson's fashion. Their outfit combined elements of traffic lights and asphalt in a dazzling display.
Training:
Training started the next day. The tributes from districts 1 and 2 immediately stuck a cordial rapport, exchanging advice in the sword station. They took turn sparring with each other, and it soon appeared that they had a decent level of practice, even Ulysses. The group then split off, with Ulysses trying his luck with Carat at the archery station and Cleopatra excelling at the knife throwing station. While she was practicing, Omaha (6) came along and watched her, before showing off her own skills. Both girls shared critical looks and proceeded to aggressively compete to see who would be the most accurate.
Grouper at first seemed overwhelmed by all the different stations, but Larissa assured him they would stay together. He first chose the survival station, where he seemed very practiced and even showed Larissa and Diode (3) how to light a fire in less than two minutes. For the first day, the tributes from 4 avoided the weapons stations, where the 1s and 2s kept practicing. However, the training supervisors soon encouraged everyone to change stations the next day. Larissa and Grouper practiced throwing spears with Musa and Paco (11). They exchanged friendly banter, especially Paco and Grouper who were the same age. Larissa encouraged them to train together and then slumped down in the textile station, seemingly breaking down in tears. She quickly hid herself between the fabrics, later startling Fibra (8) when she came to the station.
Cleopatra tried by every mean possible to avoid Ulysses, who followed her like a shadow. He kept boasting about his "talents" while failing to show much. She ended up in the toxicological station, which the younger boy claimed was "boring as hell". She sighed in relief as Ulysses left to practice in the agility course. She stayed in this station for the rest of the last day, snarling at any tribute that came close.
On the next day was the tribute's assessment. The results were shared, but without any information as to what the tributes had showed. Cleopatra was at the top of the pack with an impressive 11. She was followed by Penny (1) with a 10, and Carat (1), Omaha (6), and Romeo (9) with a 9. Larissa was left with Dyno (5) and Diode (3) at the bottom with a 3. It was however unknown what she had shown off. Grouper and Ulysses were both given a score of 7, which was decent but not formidable.
Interviews:
That evening, the tribute's interviews were held in the Ravinstill complex. Helion Cardew came onstage with a dark green suit and a shimmering cloak seemingly made of beetle wings. He Helped Urania Whimsiwick to sit down. Her hair was styled in a golden afro, and gold makeup adorned her dark skin. Spectators were very impressed with her Deep blue gown.
After the rather conventional interviews from the tributes from district 1, it was the turn of Cleopatra, who wore a surprising white pantsuit. Urania complimented on her daring outfit, and the tribute quite rudely retorted that her suit was not the only daring thing about her. Awkward laughter resonated in the auditorium, but the interview quickly got on. Cleopatra, Cleo as she stated she preferred being called, exuded confidence without sounding too arrogant. Helion mentioned her great-aunt Maxima and Cleopatra confirmed that she would honor her by winning the games. She left the stage to decent applause, even though Helion joked that she was "absolutely terrifying".
Ulysses came to the stage wearing a simple grey suit, and immediately joked that "they wouldn't let him wear Cleo's dress" which made some Capitol spectators cry in laughter. Ulysses continued to entertain the audience for the duration of his interview, but it was noted that he seemed to avoid answering the most serious questions, opting to go for jokes. He nevertheless left the stage to cheers and applause from Capitol citizens, especially teenage girls.
The interviews from district 3 were quite boring because of the very young tributes, and Helion hoped the 4s would be more entertaining. He was wrong. Larissa wore a shapeless azure gown, that made her look even more like a ghost. She barely answered to the interviewer's questions. However, when asked about her district partner, she started to cry, saying that he reminded her so much of her late brother. It was explained to the audience that Pluvius Paxel had died by drowning two years earlier. Grouper was way more enthusiastic and endeared himself to the Capitol with his wacky manners, even complimenting his love for their bathrooms. He then invited Urania and Helion to "smell him", as he had taken "two whole showers today". Sounds of disgust and laughter echoed through the audience as the commentators awkwardly approached him.
The rest of the interviews were quite diverse, with Dyno (5) fainting five minutes in, Neil (6) heavily flirting with Urania and Musa (11) complaining about the "lack of greenery" in the Capitol. Rack (8) also made a strong impression with his stained skin, which he explained was due to him working in a dye factory, and his imposing musculature.
The evening ended up with Game Maker Alina Snow rejoining the stage. She greeted the commentators, stating that she missed Helion, but he replied that he was happy with this "less stressful" position. Alina was asked about this year's arena, but she remained cryptic. She ended her interview by stating that these games were going to be "very cool indeed".
Goodbyes:
The tributes did not sleep much that night. The next morning, they were taken to their holding rooms and given boots, thick pants, and a puffy white jacket to wear. Cleopatra correctly guessed that the arena would have a cold climate. She said goodbye to her mentor, thanking her for her advice. She seemed ready to leave but Alisia gave her a last piece of advice: "don't bother about your partner". Cleopatra nodded.
In the next room, Ulysses was sent off by his stylist, Corban Janssen. At first, he seemed disappointed that his mentor had not come, but Corban quickly reassured him. They quietly spoke until it was time to get into the tube. The two men embraced one last time, with Ulysses seeming to only start realizing his situation at that moment.
Oleander had tried to encourage Larissa, but the girl did not seem to listen. It was only when Grouper was mentioned that she started to pay attention. Her mentor understood that her words would not change Larissa's mind, so she tried another strategy. She made her tribute promise to take care of her partner, as she had become very attached to him. Larissa approved and slowly got into her tube while Oleander went to see Grouper. He seemed very stressed, but she reminded him that he was full of resources. He replied that he was still a kid, but she mentioned that there had been younger winners in the past. She then told him that he could count on Larissa, and that they should stay allied for as long as they could.
Day 1:
The podiums rose slowly in the arena later known as Icy Peaks. It was a relatively small arena in area, but the terrain was very impressive. Tall mountains rose around the cornucopia valley, up until the perimeter. Those peaks were covered in snow and ice. The valley in the center of the arena was covered in a small layer of snow that would allow tributes to move unimpeded. However, Game Maker Snow revealed that there were sheets of ice scattered around the area that could cause tributes to slip and fall.
Tributes were expecting to see snow, but they still shivered at the cold temperature. They looked around and could see that there were a lot of food rations, sleeping bags and What seemed to be isotherm bottles scattered around the cornucopia. However, this year, all the usual weapons were neatly displayed inside the cornucopia, which meant that the tributes who wanted them would have to be very fast.
The voice of Game-Maker Snow resounded in the arena, wishing odds to be in the tributes favor. She then stated a countdown from 60.
Cleopatra was stood at the right side of the podiums semi-circle. She intently eyed a set of throwing knives on the inside of the cornucopia. Next to her were Celia (7) and Fibra (8). The latter was looking intently at her district partner, Rack, who was stood on the opposite side. Cleopatra glanced at Ulysses, who was only two podiums away, and getting ready to sprint. He tried desperately not to look at Omaha (6) as she was trying to intimidate him.
Larissa was in the middle, between Carat (1) and Avony (9). She tried to signal her position to Grouper, on the left side, but the boy seemed fazed. His state of mind was not helped by the cries of Diode (3), right next to him. It was also noticed that the tributes from districts 9, 10 and 11 were gesturing to each other. This confirmed that they were in an alliance.
When the countdown got to zero, all hell broke loose. Larissa watched Carat jump from his podium to the one to his right. He subsequently punched Dyno so hard that the skinny boy fell immediately, dead. Grouper had started running towards the cornucopia after a short pause, but he was pushed to the ground by Romeo, who proceeded to jump on Diode's back, strangling the little girl. Larissa ran towards her district partner, managing to snatch a water bottle and a big sleeping bag. She watched Rack (8) being impaled by Penny (1), then grabbed Grouper's hand. The duo was part of the first tributes to escape the cornucopia clearing. It had been shown that Neil (6) and Fibra (8) had been the only ones to immediately leave. The tributes from 4 avoided a spear sent by Musa (11) and ran towards the northern mountains.
Cleopatra had been the first to reach the cornucopia, and she grabbed the knives she had been eyeing. She was quickly followed by Penny (1) who had immediately grabbed a sword and ran towards Rack (8). Cleopatra was then pinned to the ground by the boy from 7, but she managed to punch him in the throat, choking him out.
Then, in an extremely shocking move that revolted, or amazed, Capitol audiences, she took two knives. She threw them in a quick succession towards the girl from 5, and Ulysses, who was running towards her. As Urania almost fell off her chair in the studio, both tributes collapsed, each with a knife implanted in their head. None of the tributes that had seen this display dared to attack Cleopatra, and she calmly picked up her necessary items. She carefully watched as Omaha (6) furiously stabbed the boy from 10.
The cornucopia slowly emptied, with only the outlying alliance, waiting for their last members who were gathering materials in the cornucopia. While Avony (9) and Doulia (10) waited further away, Musa (11), Paco (11) and Romeo (9) had gathered supplies. However, Paco slipped on a hidden sheet on ice right onto a dagger that Musa was holding. She let out a whimper as her district partner started to choke on his blood. However, Romeo dragged her away in order to avoid the duo from district 1, who were circling back.
Day 1:
Larissa and Grouper ran for almost 20 minutes without stopping, until they arrived at the base of the Northern Mountain. Without a word, they started climbing. Grouper looked around frantically to see if an enemy was nearby, but it was shown that only Omaha (6) had went in this direction. The duo happened upon a small cave that was sheltered from the harsh wind. They decided to rest there. They heard 8 cannons sound, meaning that there were still 14 tributes remaining.
Larissa was in a very somber mood. Grouper tried to talk, but he was shivering, because of the cold as well as shock. He asked Larissa for the sleeping bag, but she did not respond. He took it, and she still did not respond. However, she was pulled from her lethargy when a small box was parachuted down into the cave. As she opened the lid, she found two heating pads and a note that said, "If not for you, do it for him – signed O.". She sighed and joined Grouper at the back of the cave, where they snuggled for a few hours, until a cannon sounded.
Cleopatra had become a very controversial tribute back in the Capitol. She had a strong fan club, but a lot of people also disliked her. She laid low for a few hours, distantly following the tributes from district 1. The arena was calm for some time, with most tributes settling down near the surrounding mountains. Only Penny and Carat (1), Cleopatra (2) and Neil (6) remained in the central valley. The latter had camouflaged himself in the snow, only moving when absolutely needed. However, during the middle of the afternoon, Penny and Carat approached his hiding spot. Unfortunately for him, he was so well hidden that Carat walked on his arm. Neil's scream was cut short when Penny stabbed him in the neck with her sword, sounding his cannon.
The 1's decided to settle there, while Cleopatra continued to roam along the bases of the mountains. Unfortunately for her, she did not find anyone and ended up settling for the night between two big rocks. Night started to fall, and another cannon was heard. It was shown to viewers that it belonged to the boy from 3. He had encountered the outlying alliance halfway up one of the mountain paths, and Avony had quickly kicked him down the mountain, his cannon sounding a few seconds later.
Larissa took first watch at the mouth of the cave. She watched as the portraits of the fallen were shown. Ulysses (1), Diode and the boy (3), Dyno and the girl (5), Neil (6), The boy (7), Rack (8), the boy (10) and Paco (11) had died on the first day, leaving only 12 surviving tributes.
Day 2:
The next morning passed extremely slowly. Cleopatra had retreated to the cornucopia, where she gathered the remaining supplies and buried them under the snow. Larissa and Grouper had stayed in their cavern. A little bit before midday, Celia (7) stumbled upon their hideout. She froze and ran away immediately. As Grouper ran after her, shouting that they could ally for a few days, the girl slipped on an ice sheet. Her head hit a stone with a crack that seemed as loud as her cannon. Grouper vomited at the sight, and a hovercraft slowly approached. Larissa got out of the cave too, panicking at the idea of Grouper dying. She sighed in relief when she saw him and beckoned to come back inside. He insisted to leave immediately, as the hovercraft would indicate their location to others. Larissa however asked him to just rest a few more minutes.
This revealed to be a very lucky move. As the tributes from 1 started climbing the mountain, after seeing the hovercraft, an avalanche was triggered by Game maker Snow. The ground began to shake, and a thick wave of snow hurtled down each peak. Cleopatra, the 1s and Omaha had been at a very low altitude and managed to avoid the avalanche. It was not the case for Fibra, whose cannon sounded a few minutes later after she died of asphyxia.
Cleopatra had the pleasure to see the entire outlying alliance brought down almost at her feet. Helion complained that she had gotten "easy kills". The girl from district 2 managed to stab Doulia (10) and Avony (9), while Musa (11) and Romeo (10) escaped with only a small knife, as all their supplies had been buried under the snow.
Larissa and Grouper had been in the cavern when the avalanche happened. It meant that the entrance of it was blocked by packed snow. Grouper frantically dug, but his district partner told him that they were safer now that the entrance was blocked, as it helped insulate the cavern and keep out other tributes. This did not deter him from digging, and at the end of the day, he had managed to dig out a small passage. However, in order to not be found, he had dug it laterally as the entrance would be less visible. Larissa seemed worried at first, but she soon fell back into that state of apathy viewers were used to. As the evening came, the duo split their remaining water and took turns sleeping. A couple hours later, a cannon sounded.
After killing two tributes, Cleopatra was satisfied. She roamed around for a few hours, not wishing to climb the mountains. As the afternoon went on, she settled inside the cornucopia and ate a ration pack. She spotted the silhouettes of Penny and Carat trying again to climb one of the mountains. Viewers were aware this was the mountain where tributes from 4 had found shelter. As it got darker, Cleopatra found it more difficult to see. She decided to camouflage herself by stuffing herself into two sleeping bags and covering them in snow.
A little before midnight, she was awakened by two cold hands around her neck. Omaha (6), who was hiding all day a few hundred meters away, had sprung into action. She had waited until Cleopatra was asleep to sneak up on her. Now pinned to the ground and gasping for air, Cleopatra thrashed about. Omaha went on a little monologue. She mocked the "careers tributes", stating that she was way better without training, and that she was going to show the Capitol how they kill "down in 6". This little rant, however, had given the time to Cleopatra to grab two knives from her belt. She quickly cut through her two sleeping bags, and Omaha didn't notice as she was now mocking the Capitol. Cleopatra then thrusted her knives into her adversary's stomach. Once, twice, she kept stabbing until the other girl fell over. She then got back up, now covered in blood, and muttered: "stupid monologues!". Capitol citizens agreed, and Cleopatra's popularity rose up, especially after she mentioned Omaha "giving a terrible show". She watched the portraits of the fallen in the night sky, now shivering slightly. As the faces of Omaha (6), Celia (7), Fibra (8), Avony (9) and Doulia (10) were shown, a sponsor gift floated down toward the girl. She opened it up, and it contained a safety blanket and a piece of paper. The text on it said, "Keep up the good show – A.". Cleopatra smiled and mouthed "thank you" at the nearest camera.
Day 3:
Grouper and Larissa did not sleep well that night. They were awoken early in the morning by noises outside their cavern. The boy decided to discreetly investigate and found out that a white fox was rummaging around. Grouper made a gesture which scared off the fox, and then ran back in. The pair shared what little was left of their water bottle in silence. A few minutes later, the rummaging noise came back. They ignored it for a moment, but they really needed to get moving, as they had guessed the final showdown would probably be happening that day. There were indeed only 7 tributes left.
Larissa started gathering their stuff, and Grouper told her he was going to shoo the fox away. He went out. Five minutes later, a scream of pain resounded, followed by the sound of a cannon. Larissa's face seemed to decompose. She dropped everything and ran out of the cavern. Grouper was lying in a pool of blood, a spear lodged in his throat. Viewers had been shown that Carat and Penny were roaming the area. They were a few hundred feet away when they spotted a silhouette seemingly emerging from the snow. They had crept closer until they were 50 feet away and waited. When the boy from 4 appeared again, Carat threw his spear with amazing accuracy.
When she saw his body, Larissa wailed. Her surprisingly loud scream was heard throughout the entire arena. Helion jokingly plugged his ears, while Urania appeared distraught. Larissa helplessly tried to shake her district partner awake. With tears in her eyes, she looked around and spotted the tributes from 1 approaching. To the viewers surprise, she grabbed the spear from Grouper's corpse and charged towards them. They too were shocked, and they waited a bit too long before reacting. Larissa stabbed Carat in the clavicle with all her strength. Penny, scared, decided to flee, but Larissa didn't even seem to notice. She repeatedly stabbed Carat with the spear, long after his cannon had sounded, and then collapsed.
She got into another fit when she saw Grouper's body being lifted by the hovercraft. She howled for a few minutes, then receded back into apathetic silence. She was seen slowly swaying, but her bland expression pushed the cameras to focus on other tributes.
Cleopatra was awakened by a haunting wail, that she at first thought belonged to a mutt. She decided to climb on top of the cornucopia to look around for any movement. The cannon of Carat sounded moments later, and she subsequently tried to guess who remained. Just before Game-Maker Snow made an announcement, another cannon sounded. This one belonged to Musa, who had succumbed to hypothermia.
Alina Snow then congratulated the 4 remaining tributes, before announcing the final showdown. Every tribute would have to be within the cornucopia in under ten minutes, lest they were "devoured". Cleopatra smiled smugly, and decided to lay down onto the cornucopia roof, in order to not be seen.
A few seconds later, Romeo (9) stepped into the clearing. He looked worse for wear, with his frostbitten nose and fingers. However, spectators in the viewing square cheered him on, as he had gathered an honorable following. He glanced around and spotted Cleopatra but acted as if he had not seen her. She was about to jump onto his back, but he crouched at the last moment. This sent Cleopatra headfirst in the snow. However, she quickly got to her feet. Romeo jabbed at her with a dagger and managed to cut her arm. She jumped on him, and they wrestled to the ground for the dagger. Romeo seemed stronger and managed to pin his opponent to the ground. She then pinched a nerve on his elbow, which made him drop his weapon. Cleopatra then headbutted him and grabbed the dagger. She complimented him on being a great fighter, before stabbing him in the heart, sounding his cannon.
Larissa had not been moving, and her skin had started to turn blue. However, a pack of white foxes approached her and snarled. She did not react until one of the fox bit her on the arm. She seemed to awaken and started to run down the slope towards the valley. She was the last to arrive to the clearing, with only a few seconds left. She saw Cleopatra stabbing Romeo. Penny who had been slowly approaching from behind, shouted an insult at Larissa and charged at her with her sword. She barely dodged the blade and fell to the ground. The sword ended up lodging itself into the cornucopia wall, and Penny spent some time trying to remove it. Larissa had not moved and seemed almost pensive during this moment. Many citizens berated her for not even fighting back.
Penny finally managed to dislodge the sword. She raised it, then shivered and fell to the ground, revealing one of Cleopatra's knives stuck in her skull. The girl was about to throw another at Larissa but seemed to decide against it. Instead, she knelt next to her and hugged her. Viewers were very confused by this display of tenderness.
Cleopatra then talked in a very soft voice to the other girl, telling her that she would have to die. Larissa didn't object, only tearily stating that she "couldn't protect him". Cleopatra then told her she should not blame herself. It was how the games worked, and only one could survive anyway. Larissa begged her to get on with it. The two girls looked at each other and hugged again. Only this time, Cleopatra had her dagger ready and swiftly plunged it at the base of the other girl's neck, sounding her cannon immediately. Helion seemed very impressed at her technique, but he was cut off as Alina Snow announced Cleopatra Liu as the winner of the 103rd Hunger Games. She was airlifted to safety and directly taken back to the Ravinstill studios, as she had not suffered any major injury back in the arena.
Aftermath:
For her victor's interview, Cleopatra was dressed in a pure white dress. She politely answered the interviewer's questions. Her rational and sober demeanor were very divisive among Capitol citizens. When asked why she had immediately killed her district partner and not her last opponent, she stayed silent for a few seconds before responding that the first was a liability, while the latter was "already dead". She added that she had offered them both a relatively quick death, as suffering did not cause her any pleasure. She left the stage with a mixture of applause and jeers.
Maxima kept her promise and reopened a career school with the help of her retired mentor Alisia Heath. There, she met her future husband, Aurelio Dalton, and had two children. She spent most of her time teaching at the Maxima Liu academy and mentoring district 2 tributes.
That winter, after famine and disease had ravaged Virginia, the leaders of the country asked Panem for help. President Snow II offered kindly to take them back as district 12, where they would get the food and medicine they so badly needed. President Montgomery gave up his power to the Capitol, and district 12 was reinstated, amidst protest of the weakened population.
Chapter 3: The 104th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 104th Hunger Games took place in the year 140. They gave the Capitol one of the most popular victors of the third iteration of Panem. These games also saw the return of district 12. As the Capitol had centralized a very efficient medical district very close by, they decided to assign a more industrial aspect, with steel and iron factories, and waste treatment.
The reapings in this district were cut short as to not shock the population of the Capitol too much. The scarce population was indeed showing the results of years of famine and sickness. Cleopatra Liu made her way through the outlying districts on the first day.
The weather in district 7 was unusually hot this year, and many of the brown clad youths were sweating in the reaping square. Cleopatra gratefully accepted a gift from mayor Chestnut (she later revealed that it was a handmade board game). She then saluted everyone. Urania Whimsiwick approved of her sober and respectful demeanor, stating that she was honoring her district. Helion Cardew however refused to comment further on last year's victor. It was later discovered by archivists that Cleopatra had rejected his romantic advances many times. As Helion was married to Alina Snow at the time, it would be plausible that infidelity played part in the tragic events that happened a few years later.
The victor marched towards the female reaping bowl, taking her time to fish out a piece of paper. She read it and called Bloom Dennison to the stage. A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd, until it stopped around a 16-year-old girl with flamboyant red hair. The girl seemed confused for a moment but before the peacekeepers could make a move, she stormed to the platform. Her dark brown eyes almost glowed with anger as she shook Cleopatra's hand. Her round face was extremely pale. Urania commented on the very flattering brown dress Bloom was wearing, which seemed of a very good quality compared to the other youths of the district. The crowd seemed quite agitated, and it was explained later the young woman was actually the daughter of Algon Dennison. That man was the owner of a very popular furniture factory and quite affluent in his district.
After Bloom, it was time to pick the male tribute of district 7. Cleopatra approached the bowl and picked a name. 17 years old Edmund Carrell was called. This time, there were fewer reactions, as a dark-haired young man walked up to the stage. He seemed very shy and "boring" as Helion later stated. He weakly shook Bloom's hand, then Cleopatra's and mayor Chestnut's, before standing still, as if he was trying to disappear.
The people gathered in the reaping square were soon dismissed and both tributes were allowed a moment to say goodbye to their families. In the city hall, Edmund was visited by his father and grandfather, both tall with a stern look in their eyes. They wished Edmund good luck, as he was going to need it, and told him to play on his strengths. He agreed and said he would do his best to come back in one piece. The meeting did not last long, and the ambiance seemed quite awkward, as neither even embraced the other.
In the next room, Bloom's parents and her twin sister were crying and hugging each other. They seemed too overwhelmed by emotion to talk. When they were taken away by peacekeepers, they hadn't even managed to say a single intelligible word.
Soon the tributes ended up on the short train ride to the Capitol. Edmund immediately approached one of the bookshelves and grabbed a book titled "Shining in society: how to make a good impression". He started reading but was soon interrupted by Bloom, who asked him why she had never seen him before. He responded, quite bewildered, that they went to the same school. Bloom's cheeks turned a shade of red. After that, she kept her distances. The awkward silence was broken by the arrival of the pair's mentor, Atalanta Van Buren.
The short and muscular old woman cleared her throat to get the tributes attention. She introduced herself, stating sternly that she was not here to do baby-sitting. She encouraged Bloom and Edmund to come to the table as a meal was presented. Atalanta, however, was not the talkative kind, being a retired military trainer. Edmund and Bloom made clumsy attempts at conversation, clearly uncomfortable about the situation.
At the end of the evening, the mentor was fed up with the pair's exchanged banalities and demanded to know if they "at least could do something useful". Edmund stated that he was good with a printing press, which made Atalanta sigh in despair. Bloom interested her when she told her that she had been practicing throwing knives, a skill she was quite proud of. As time passed on, Edmund excused himself and went to his little room while the other two continued speaking.
They spoke until they arrived at Gaul station, where they were ushered out of the train. There was a fair amount of people on the platform, waiting for the tributes of district 7. Historically, it had been one of the most popular districts in the Capitol, even though it wasn't the most successful. The greetings were going quite well. Edmund was his usual shy self but kindly took pictures with everyone who asked, answering to questions, and giving compliments.
Bloom too was very popular, with many women fawning over her vibrant hair. The greetings however had to be cut short when a fight occurred between the girl and a young man, Arrhenius Clapton. The young man had allegedly touched Bloom in an inappropriate way (which was verified a few weeks later, and he was subsequently punished) and she had reacted by punching him in the face. Peacekeepers quickly broke out the fight and escorted the tributes and their mentor to the car awaiting them.
Parade:
No one spoke during the car ride, as they were still tense. They made their way to their apartment in silence. Bloom had not unclenched her fists, and her nails were buried within her palms. Edmund attempted to console her in vain. He soon gave up, as well as Atalanta, and everyone went to sleep.
They were awoken very soon the next morning by Atalanta, who had prepared for them an intense workout routine. She wanted them to be in peak shape for the arrival of their stylist. Edmund completed the exercises with surprising ease, while Bloom huffed and puffed. She seemed in a better mood than the day before, but still complained, saying that she was not supposed to die before the games had started.
However, the pair were ready (and sore) when their stylist, Othello Crichton, entered the room. The hulking dark skinned man did not resemble a stylist. He looked more like a distinguished bodyguard. He spoke to the tributes, asking them in a soft tone if they had an idea in mind for their costumes. He explained that he liked putting the tributes in the center stage, instead of only their district.
He seemed to strike a very friendly rapport with Edmund, who told him that his whole family worked in the book industry, and that district 7 produced not only wood but also paper. Bloom added that they also produced furniture. Othello retired for a couple of hours and returned with a concept that incorporated both aspects of the tributes. For Bloom, he would produce a corset made of precious woods and a dress made of a paper-like fabric. Edmund would be outfitted with a suit made of book pages, with accents made of the same mahogany as Bloom's corset, including a beautiful cane.
Everyone was satisfied with the idea. Othello and his assistants took the pair's measurements and set off to work. Atalanta then decided to take each tribute to the balcony to have a private chat with them. She started with Bloom. They talked a bit about their strategy. Bloom wanted to make an alliance with other tributes. Her mentor appreciated the idea and asked why she would not ally with her district partner. She answered that she did not trust him, as he seemed to be very sneaky. Atalanta tried to convince her to at least be friendly to him. Bloom acquiesced and thanked the older woman for helping her. On her way in, she called Edmund who was reading another book on chess strategies.
During her chat with Edmund, Atalanta asked the same questions. He looked pensive for a moment, then stated that he would do what he did best: go unnoticed. Glancing at his mentor's skeptical expression, he quickly added that he was a good strategist, and he would not hide for the whole Games. This reassured the woman, who then advised him to try and make an impression for the sponsors at least. The pair discussed a bit more, but Edmund refused to tell Atalanta anymore about his so-called strategy.
The pair spent the next day preparing for the parade, alternating between exercising, watching previous games, and fittings. They did not have much time to talk, except when Othello was putting on the finishing touches. Edmund tried talking about his daily life with Bloom, but the conversations never got really far. She seemed very fazed, often unresponsive. The pair's mentor advised them to do their best for the parade, as a way to get some sponsor gifts in the arena.
That evening, both tributes made their way to the Avenue of Tributes, where they met the others. The atmosphere was very tense, and no one seemed disposed to talk. Right behind them, Orla was helping her district 8 partner Rack to readjust his very tight purple suit. In the front, Vermont (6) was trying to keep his district partner from falling asleep. Even from a distance, Bloom and Edmund could see she was under the influence of Morphling.
Atalanta subsequently left them to their own devices to go and chat with Cleopatra Liu, winner of the 103rd Hunger Games. When the signal rang, Edmund helped Bloom to climb in the chariot. Her paper and wood dress was gorgeous but very stiff and impractical. The pair's movements were slightly hindered, but they managed to wave at the Capitol crowds gathered there. Suddenly, the costume of Matthew (3) that was made of multiple LEDs started emitting smoke and sparks, which panicked the horses that were behind. This led the tributes from 4 to fall down and almost be trampled by the next chariot. Fortunately, the chariot stopped just in time. This led to a big delay in the parade, and chaos in the seating areas. Matthew's suit was finally repaired, and Merran and Adelie (4) managed to get back into their chariots with only a few tears in their teal garment.
Besides this unfortunate episode, the rest of the evening went smoothly. Lillian Anderson from Anderson fashion had joined Helion and Urania in their commenting booth and congratulated this year's stylists for their good taste. She commended Othello Crichton for his great work on district 7's outfits, but he did not win best dressed as, in her opinion, "The outfit was wearing them more than the other way around, especially the boy". Back in the accommodation, Othello was still proud of his work, after two years of mediocre reviews. The award finally went to the tributes from 2, Seneca and Cattona. They had been styled by Clio Carpenter with sparkly white togas and intricate silver accessories.
The parade was followed by a short speech by president Snow, where he reminded the tributes that fighting in the Hunger Games was a great honor. There was a thunder of applause. Citizens were obviously very excited for the games, and bets were already being placed on tributes.
Training:
Bloom and Edmund were quite nervous about the three days of training. Atalanta encouraged them to scope out the concurrence, and maybe find a reliable alliance. On the first day, the new head of training, Carmelo Harrington, warned the tributes to not attempt anything stupid. He expected maturity and hard work from the 24 teenagers. He then explained that he would be one of their assessors, and that their participation during those three days would be evaluated too.
This appeared to stun most tributes, some of them expecting to hide in one of the stations and cower for the whole duration.
The group soon dispersed. Bloom approached Orla (8) at the fabric station, and they started talking. The latter was a very lanky young girl, with dark frizzy hair. They set off to build some sort of fabric armor. Jeff and Nicolette (9) soon joined them. However, they started arguing that the girls were taking all the fabric for themselves, and a fight almost occurred. One of the trainers had to restrain Bloom to keep her from punching Nicolette in the face.
Edmund had kept to himself, loitering between the stations. He sometimes picked up a task but stopped as soon as someone approached. He ended up hiding between the fake trees in the survival station after going through a dozen other stations. He managed to stay still for a few hours, until he almost caused Pomelo and Onika (11) a heart attack. Their shouts of surprise alarmed the trainers, but before they could arrive, Edmund had moved away.
On the second day, Orla introduced Bloom to an alliance made of the tributes from district 8 and 11. They had small banter all day, working through the stations. When she was asked if Edmund should join the alliance too, she responded that he would probably be more of a dead weight than anything.
At that moment, her district partner stealthily emerged from the nearby camouflage station, his face painted the same color as the wall. "Well, that's just rude", he exclaimed with a jokingly disappointed expression. Before Bloom could respond, he was already gone. He instead decided to work at the toxicology station, where he demonstrated an unsettling knowledge of toxic and medicinal plants.
When the pair came back to their accommodation that night, their mentor was baffled at the tension between them. She tried to learn more, to no avail. Edmund spent the evening without uttering a single word. Although he was rumored to have had panic attacks during the whole following nights, according to sounds captured by the cameras outside his bedroom. When he went to sleep, Bloom seemed to relax, but still refused to talk to Atalanta.
On the next morning, Bloom went to the knife throwing station. She impressed Plattin (1) with her accuracy. Edmund had been hovering between the knots station and the toxicological station all morning when Hero (1) called him up to fight in a sword duel, stating he was "bored". Edmund refused at first, but Head trainer Harrington menaced him with his baton. As he was putting on the armor, he threw panicked glances around to the few tributes that had stopped what they were doing to watch the spectacle.
When Hero attacked him, thinking it would be an easy task, Edmund swiftly dodged. He kept dodging all the attacks, and after ten minutes, Hero started to sweat. However, the boy from 7 seemed to shake his head for an instant. After that small pause, the much more muscular boy managed to hit him. As his opponent was destabilized, he was much easier to hit, and Hero came out winning 14-1.
That afternoon were the tributes assessments. As usual, what was shown was totally confidential, however some comments on the tribute's performances were issued. At the top of the pack were Plattin (1), Hero (1), Cattona (2) and Rack (8) with a 10. The tributes from 1 and 2 were said to give a traditional but adequate display, while Rack showed a true display of strength and precision. Bloom managed to interest the judges with a knife throwing display which secured her a decent 7. She had gotten the same score as Adelie (4) and Onika (11). Edmund was at the bottom of the pack with a 4, the assessors stating that his display was as mysterious to the ones who had watched as it was to those who hadn't. He was joined by Orla, Nicolette, and the girl form 3.
Atalanta congratulated Bloom as she was dressing up for the evening's interview. Edmund was laughing at his mediocre score. He even told his mentor that he was surprised to get a score this high when he had just not done anything. Knowing it was a lost cause, no one attempted to say anything.
Interviews:
Urania Whimsiwick wore a stunning icy blue dress, assorted with a tiara and earrings seemingly made of ice. Helion followed, dressed in a sober white suit and tie. They welcomed the spectators in the theater, as well as those in Snow square. They then invited Plattin (1) to the stage, whose good looks and confident demeanor gathered a lot of attention. Hero's bulging muscles did the same, with Urania fanning herself when he flexed out of his sleeves.
The rest of the interviews went smoothly, with tributes who seemed relatively at ease and were appreciated by the public in many different ways. Only the girl of district 6 fell asleep right into the middle of her interview, which was quickly concluded. When Bloom stepped onto the stage in a burgundy dress, she gathered a lot of cheers from young men as well as a lot of women who had appreciated her gesture at the train station. Even Urania commented on her fiery temperament. The girl did not deny it, and when asked by Helion what she thought about her chances of victory, she stated that she was determined to show everyone what she was capable of.
She left the stage and was replaced by Edmund. He wore an dark green suit that was obviously too large for him. He answered all the questions calmly, talking about his job, his love of books, and how his knowledge of plants could help him in the arena. Helion seemed skeptical but did not stall the interview for too long as the viewers were getting bored. Edmund left the stage with polite applause but was soon forgotten as more interesting tributes were presented.
The evening went on relatively well, with Rack (8) and Pomelo (11) making a great impression and being deemed fan-favorites. However, the interviews ended on a sour note when Amelly and then Koda (12) started talking about the awful things that happened in district 12 before it's reannexing. An uncomfortable Urania had to cut both interviews short as to not disgust the viewers too much.
Eventually, Head game maker Alina Snow was brought to the stage, where she was met with rapturous applause. She thanked everyone, and refused to say anything about the arena, as usual. She only spoke about her inspiration: her youth in Europe. She then announced that she was pregnant, to which Helion nodded lovingly. The crowd erupted, but Alina continued. She explained that she would still be head game maker for this year and next year's quinquennial quell, but that she would retire after that to raise her child. Alina and her husband were congratulated by Urania, and as they waved goodbye, a night of wild parties started across the Capitol.
Day 1:
The tributes did not party that night... Both tributes from district 7 were in a state of unrest, which was understandable. As Edmund went to the balcony of his apartment to get a bit of fresh air, he noticed Merran and Adelie (4) snogging on their balcony, a little further to his left. He made a face of disgust and quickly went back in. As he got to bed, Bloom kept pacing around, talking to herself. This led Atalanta to take her to her bedroom, telling her she needed to be in peak condition.
The next morning, they were awoken early, as always, for a warmup. These sessions proved to be beneficial along the week, preparing them for physical exertion. They then were sent to the arena location and brought into the individual holding rooms.
Atalanta chose to stay with Bloom, as the two women had a very friendly relationship. As she was putting on her brown t-shirt, Bermuda shorts and hiking shoes, she thanked her mentor, and assured her she would try her best come out of the games alive. The duo had a rather tearful embrace, and it was reported that it was the first time Atalanta Van Buren was seen crying.
The arena for this year's game was nicknamed "the rocky island". It was a rather small arena, composed of rocky terrain. There were very few paths and no trees, most of the vegetation consisting of bushes and prickly plants. There were a few old stone bridges across the arena, stepping over dried up inlets. All sides of the arena descended steeply into the sea.
The tributes rose up in a semi-circle around the cornucopia, which this year had been designed to look like an upturned boat. Behind the structure were a few big boulders. There were many weapons scattered around, not all of them in the center. However, there was no food this year, and only 24 bottles of water were neatly displayed in the center.
Most tributes had noticed the arid climate and focused on the bottles. Bloom was on the far-right side of the cornucopia, between Jeff (9) and Vermont (6), who was already preparing to run away. As the voice of Alina Snow sounded, wishing the tributes a happy Hunger Games (and may the odds be always in their favor), Bloom glanced at Rack and Orla (8), who were in the middle. They nodded to her and signaled their wish to go to the cornucopia. She acquiesced, leaving Onika to wait at the back for the group.
As the countdown ticked down, Edmund noticed that the tributes on both sides of the cornucopia were mirrored. He was indeed in the far left, between the girl from 6 and Nicolette (9). He then set his attention to the tributes from the career pack. Hero (1) was grinning as Game maker Snow counted the last five seconds.
She got to zero, and most tributes immediately rushed to the cornucopia. The duos from 6 and 12 were the only ones to rush away immediately. Edmund was the fastest to approach, but as he watched Hero break the neck of the little girl from 3, he decided to only grab some copper wire and a utility knife that laid away from the cornucopia. He then sprinted towards the boulders, almost crashing into Matthew (3) as the younger boy escaped, a water bottle in hand. Edmund then tucked himself between two rocks, positive that he had not been spotted.
Bloom, on the other hand, was in the middle of the bloodbath. She had sprinted towards the cornucopia, and met with Pomelo, Rack and Orla in the center. Just then, Plattin had emerged from behind the alliance and threw a knife towards Rack. She was however shoved by Merran (4), and her knife ended up into Orla's neck. Bloom watched in horror as she gurgled and fell down in a pool of blood. Meanwhile, Merran had managed to stab the girl from 10 with his trident.
When Seneca (2) charged to the group with his sword, he was immediately impaled in the stomach by Rack, then, for good measure, Bloom threw a knife right through his head. They then sprinted towards Onika as Plattin Stabbed the boy from 5 and the boy from 10 struggled to escape Cattona's scythe.
The alliance ran on the rocky ground, almost falling many times, until they reached the northern edge of the arena. They decided to climb down to the sea, and they found a small cave where they decided to rest and check out their supplies.
As 5 cannons sounded, Edmund still heard the 3 remaining careers talking. They were in a foul mood, having already lost one of theirs. Cattona and Plattin wanted to hunt the outlying alliance, but Hero said to "give them a day to feel safe, and then kill them". The girls were not convinced, but he persuaded them to at least take some time to hide the remaining supplies.
This took surprisingly long, as the rocky ground could not be dug, and the bushes around the cornucopia were incredibly thorny. Plattin suddenly exclaimed "the rocks!". Now Edmund was panicking as he heard footsteps approaching. He made himself incredibly tiny, almost wedging himself between two boulders. Fortunately, the career pack decided to hide the supplies on the other side of the rock cluster, before going hunting.
As Edmund tried to wiggle out of his hiding space, another canon sounded, belonging to the boy from 10, who had succumbed from blood loss. This also surprised Bloom, but she deemed her hiding place "safe enough", so her little group stayed there, starting a fire, and eating some mussels that were living on the rocks.
When he was finally able to free himself, after a painful hour that had Urania quite entranced, Edmund set off in the same direction as the career pack. This had the viewers pulling their hair in frustration, but when he approached their camp for the evening, he hid himself and watched them carefully.
Bloom took first watch and when she saw the portraits of Seneca (2), the girl (3), the boy (5), Orla (8), and both tributes (10), she let Pomelo take his watch, thinking that there were still 18 tributes left.
Day 2:
The sun rose very early on the second day, rousing the sleeping tributes. Plattin, Hero and Cattona had been sleeping in shifts, unaware of Edmund's presence. However, they soon complained about their hunger. As there was no food in the cornucopia, they had to hunt or forage to fuel themselves. Lack of breakfast made Cattona grumpy, and she compelled her partners to get up and find something to eat.
Edmund followed them at a distance whilst they trudged around between the bushes. He drank a little from his bottle every now and then, making sure to ration it. At one moment in the morning, he noticed a tuft of curly red hair, that seemingly belonged to Amelly (12), but the careers tributes were too noisy, and she heard them and hid.
On the way, Edmund managed to find a tiny bush, with light blue berries and round tough foliage. He grabbed a handful of it and shoved it into his pocket. This short stop had made him lose track of the others, but he soon found them after a cannon sounded. They had found the girl from six, shivering and unresponsive, in the middle of a path. She was obviously suffering from severe morphling withdrawal, and Hero put her out of her misery by snapping her neck. Their screams of triumph were not hard to follow.
On the north side of the arena, the morning went slower. If it weren't for the weapons, viewers could have thought the quartet was on some sort of a tropical holiday. Rack had managed to weave together dried grass into a mattress, and he lounged there with Onika. Bloom practiced her knife throwing skills against the rocks under the pensive watch of Pomelo.
The cannon seemed to remind them of where they were. Pomelo argued that they should build traps to protect their camp, to which Bloom agreed. She told him that she knew a few traps she used to capture rabbits in her district. In the studios, Urania seemed rather confused, wondering why the girl would even need to hunt if she was from such a rich family. That question was answered when Bloom stated that it was her dog Corn's favorite food, and that he loved chasing after them in her garden.
Meanwhile, Rack and Onika decided to leave the camp for a while to try and find some food. The pair left and the remaining two got to work, sharpening sticks, and building basic traps around the area. It was well into the afternoon when they heard some noise into their camp. At first, they thought it was Onika and Rack, but after seeing their silhouette further away, they bolted.
Viewers could see that, while they were occupied, Nicolette and Jeff (9) had snuck into the encampment. They were picking up weapons, and water bottles, and even remaining mussels. When Pomelo arrived, they got startled and dropped most of the supplies. Jeff only kept one of the knives and sprinted away. Nicolette followed him but fell into one of the traps. A sharp branch embedded itself into her leg and she tumbled down.
Pomelo grabbed her but remembered he had left his spear back at camp. He glanced at Bloom, who gave him a knowing look and handed him a rock. Nicolette's cries took a couple of minutes to die down, and her cannon finally sounded when Rack and Onika arrived, out of breath.
Pomelo's dark skin had turned a sickly shade of grey, but he refused to talk about what had just happened. Instead, Onika related their own adventure, where they had encountered the pair from 4, who were fishing, but had agreed to not fight this time. As the sun slowly set, they ate a few handfuls of berries and a baked crab.
The careers had not been successful at all in their hunt for tributes. Plattin was fulminating, but the group had to settle for the night. On the way back to the cornucopia, Cattona found a handful of black berries, that she hesitated to share. Edmund witnessed the trio sharing the berries with each other and preparing to eat them. However, before they could, he shouted "STOP!".
The tributes as well as people in the viewing square were shocked. Edmund reiterated: "don't eat that! It's nightshade. You'd be dead in seconds". As Edmund approached, hands raised, Plattin lifted one of her knives. Hero seemed confused and looked back at the tiny fruits within his hand. Cattona then spoke, and asked him why he had stopped them, as that could have eliminated the whole group. He replied that he knew he had no chance of winning, so he might as well try to decide how he died. And he wanted to help them as long as he could instead of hiding for days until he was slaughtered. "You know we'll kill you right?" asked Plattin. "That's the whole point, he responded, but I'd rather a knife over dehydration". Still suspicious, the group agreed, as long as he tasted everything they ate, in case he was trying to poison them.
That night was quite tense, with only the portraits of the girl (6) and Nicolette (9), shown in the sky. This year's game seemed quite uneventful in terms of deaths, but the public was kept entertained by the high amount of interaction within the arena. However, Game maker Snow announced that she was going to "shake things up" the next day.
Day 3:
As Edmund slowly awoke, the ground shook. He was a bit surprised to not have been murdered in his sleep. Cattona, who was taking watch, fell onto her behind as the tremors got stronger. This woke Plattin and Hero up, and the group tried to stabilize themselves by staying low to the ground. Fortunately, they were in a rather flat area, and they only suffered a few bruises. They then heard a quick shout from close to the cornucopia and decided to investigate it.
In their little shelter next to the sea, Bloom's alliance had gotten very lucky. They were still sleeping, but a seagull had gotten into the remains of their meal. It squawked loudly, waking them. When they noticed the ground was shaking, they got their things and went into the water. They watched as an entire pane of rock crashed down onto their former camp, sending rock shards everywhere. Onika got hit in the nose with a pebble, but she shrugged it of like it was nothing. Pomelo still told her she was bleeding and ripped out a bit of his t-shirt. They barely heard the shout and decided to follow the coast to the East where they were sure no tribute had moved.
It was Jeff that had screamed. When Edmund saw him, he averted his gaze. A boulder had detached itself from the central pile. It had hurdled down into the central clearing and crashed into Jeff's lower body. Even Hero looked on in disgust at the mush of bone, blood, and skin. The boy was barely conscious, all color having left his face. He had the time to whisper "mom", before Plattin threw a knife to his head, sounding his cannon.
The rest of the day was unfortunately uneventful, with most tributes moving in the same direction and therefore not meeting the others. In the studios, Urania Whimsiwick and Helion Cardew had to improvise, airing small segments about the tribute's personal lives and history bits about the games. A swarm of cicadas were released in the arena, but they did not seem to do anything else than making noise. At one moment in the afternoon, Merran and Adelie had come face to face with Turbine (5), but she convinced them to exchange some healing ointment she had received from a sponsor for one piece of fish they had caught, and no fight happened.
The tributes seemed quite annoyed with the noise of the cicadas, squishing any one they came across, but there were always more. Edmund also got excited when he found a big shrub with dark red fruits, which he claimed were very energizing. He grabbed handfuls, before offering some to the others. They were still suspicious, and he ate one in front of them. He warned them of the strong taste, and they tried to eat the berries, only to spit them out seconds later. A sputtering Plattin screamed that he was trying to kill them, but Edmund simply responded by "I told you they were strong", before eating another.
Only the portrait of Jeff (9) was shown that night. People in Snow square started to get bored, wishing for a little more action.
Day 4:
They did not get any, until later in the day. The noise of the cicadas had been getting louder and louder. Tributes were getting restless, often getting into fights. In Bloom's camp, things were not great. She kept pestering the rest of the group to move a little, but they wanted to lay low for some more time. She almost screamed at Onika, Rack and Pomelo, before remembering where she was. Bloom grabbed her water bottle and her knives before storming off. She told the rest of the group she was going hunting, as she was not keen on waiting for death.
Other than that, nothing much happened to the dismay of people watching. The cicada's screams seemed to bother even the viewers, and Kola (12) slipped on a sharp rock while trying to swat at one of the insects. Amelly (12) tried to clean his cut as much as possible, but she was out of water.
In the evening, the career tributes along with Edmund decided to eat the cicadas, which were actually quite tasty when grilled. He then suggested making some sort of tea from the remaining of his water and the blue berries he had found earlier, claiming it would be soothing and make everyone sleep better. At that point, everyone was used to Edmund's strange knowledge of plants, and no one questioned it, with even Cattona proposing to give him a bit of her own water. He mixed everything in his bottle, but his motions were jittery, and he seemed to almost vibrate. When asked what was wrong, he answered that he had abused of the energizing berries. It was true. Helion wanted to change the focus to Bloom, who was now sneaking to try and catch what looked like a rabbit. But Urania stopped him. Everyone watched as Edmund drank first, then passed the bottle around. Nothing happened for a while, and a junior game-maker was interviewed to confirm what effects the mixture would have. He answered that it was indeed calming, but everyone should wait and see. And everyone waited, again.
Edmund's jitters had stopped, Cattona and Hero were soundly asleep, and Plattin was starting to nod off, even though she was supposed to keep watch. When he was certain that she too was asleep, he silently got up and found his knife in one of the bags. He subsequently stabbed Hero in the neck. Helion was in the process of berating that strategy, as surely the noise would wake the others. But it didn't, even when a first cannon sounded. Cattona snored even louder, then when silent when her throat was slashed.
At that moment, a small gasp alerted Edmund. Plattin was staring at him. But she could barely stand. Her eyes were heavy with sleep. With a surprising quickness, the knife embedded itself in her chest. It took her some time to take her final breath, during which the boy gathered everything he needed, weapons, water, and his copper wire.
There was a lot of uproar in the Capitol at the cowardly murder of the career pack. Edmund Carrell went to being barely talked about to being the subject of all discussions. Many disliked his sneaky way of getting rid of his "allies". However, a minority of citizens appreciated his wit, including Urania Whimsiwick, who stated that it was now that she had understood the utility of the toxicology station. As for the reason why, Edmund did not fall asleep like the others, it was explained by Game-maker Snow: With the quantity of caffeine coursing through his veins due to the energizing fruits, the effect of the soporific berries had been counterbalanced. In short, the two substances had cancelled each other.
Bloom was startled by the cannons, and even more shocked when she saw the portraits of Plattin (1), Hero (1), and Cattona (2), leaving only half of the tributes remaining. Fearing a terrible mutt had been released, she came back to her former alliance, with half a rabbit as a peace offering. They accepted it and discussed their theories about the death of the career pack before going back to sleep.
Day 5:
On the 5th morning, Game-maker Snow's voice was heard throughout the arena. She congratulated the tributes on making it to top twelve and encouraged them to move more to "get out of here as soon as possible". She then announced that a feast would be held at noon in the cornucopia clearing, where each tribute would find something they needed. All tributes, except Edmund, were very scarce on water.
Bloom, Rack, Pomelo and Onika immediately set off in the direction of the cornucopia. They placed themselves around it, sharing their weapons, ready to defend it. Each looked in a direction, searching for incoming tributes. As the sun rose high into the skies, the temperature rose, and the cicada noises increased in volume.
A countdown started from 60, and a hovercraft appeared in the sky, slowly lowering a total of 8 bags. The sound of the insects was now so intense that Bloom did not hear Matthew approaching. He jumped up from behind some rocks, grabbed a bag labeled 3 and ran off before the others could make a move. It was the signal everyone had unknowingly waited for. Amelly was the next to jump off from a nearby bush. She ran as fast as she could, but Onika grabbed her by the hair slammed her head into the side of the platform. As her cannon rang, Turbine (5), Merran and Adelie (4) also entered the fray. Merran got into an intense sword fight with Rack, and Adelie attacked Pomelo with her trident. Meanwhile, Turbine had snuck between the fighting pairs and picked up the bags from districts 5 and 6. Bloom saw her and threw a knife, but the other girl deflected it with a bag before running away.
After a few long minutes of fighting, Rack managed to stab Merran in the neck, sounding his cannon. When she saw this, Adelie slammed her trident into Pomelo's gut before rushing in the other direction. The boy assured his partners that it was nothing, but his bloodied shirt said otherwise.
As they were rummaging through the bags (some antiseptic for district 12, while the rest of the bags contained bread, fruits, and water), another cannon sounded. It belonged to Kola (12), who had succumbed to an infection due to his earlier injuries.
As they made their way to their camp, Bloom walked on a very squishy stone. A stone that said ouch. But before said stone could run away, she had slammed a knife into its chest. That strange stone was in fact Vermont (6), who had camouflaged himself with a mixture of dust, seawater, and sap. He actually had barely moved since the first day, with many tributes passing him without noticing.
Edmund had been the only one, excluding Kola and Vermont, who had not participated in the feast. Knowing most tributes would be there, he had wandered around, picking up other plants, and even setting a small tripwire trap on a nearby path. He grinned at the numerous cannons. At the end of the day, he received a sponsor gift, the small parachute floating down to the edge of a stone bridge. Inside, he found a pair of earplugs, which were designed to soften the irritating sounds of cicadas. There was also a small message: "I knew you had some tricks up your sleeve – O".
He mouthed thank you at the nearest camera and decided he would show his gratitude to the Capitol in another way. Edmund climbed down the rocks, to the water, and removed his clothes leaving only his underwear. Many ladies and some gentlemen swooned at the sight. Urania even joked that it was definitely not the meek and unremarkable boy she interviewed. He swam around for a bit and lounged, conscious that his lithe but well-proportioned physique would make waves in the Capitol.
It did indeed, even though some of the best versed in the history of the Games claimed he was "pulling a Panatena". Many people tried to send a sponsor gift his way.
After this quite divisive display, Edmund went back to his hiding spot between some prickly bushes and slept. Rack and Onika had to carry Pomelo for the last hundred feet, as he was slowly losing blood. They laid him down and Onika tried to apply pressure on the deep wound. It worked to an extent, but Pomelo was still getting weaker. Suddenly, Bloom noticed some blinking light a few feet up. It was a sponsor gift, slowly descending from the sky. However, the wind pushed it away. Bloom told the others, who were busy making bandages, that she had seen something and would investigate it. It was indeed a sponsor gift, which contained some sort of healing ointment for Pomelo. She hesitated a moment, before grabbing the container and shoving it into her pocket.
When she got back, Rack asked her what she had been investigating. "Just some bird" she responded. The trio then took turns applying pressure on Pomelo's wound. The Horn of Plenty sounded, and the portraits of Merran (4), Vermont (6), Amelly and Kola (12) were shown. Soon after Pomelo's cannon sounded, leaving only 7 surviving tributes.
Day 6:
Edmund was awakened in the morning by a thud, followed by a cry of pain. He went to investigate it and found that Turbine (5) had run into his tripwire, slamming into the ground. As she was in the process of painfully getting back up, he jumped on her back and thrust a knife into her spine, sounding her cannon immediately. He laughed a bit when he realized that his trap had worked and was gifted with a breakfast package from a sponsor.
Bloom had suggested that she could go check the traps that had stayed in place from earlier to see if they had caught anything, and the others agreed. However, as she was leaving, she heard her name said in a whispered conversation. She crawled back silently to the place where Onika and Rack were discussing, arguing that Bloom was not trustworthy, and that they should get rid of her that day. Both were of the same opinion, which scared the girl from 7. So, while the two others were still in deep conversation, she stole one of their bags of food and a few other knives, before running.
She unknowingly moved to the area where Edmund had set camp. But they did not cross each other until the late afternoon. Bloom was picking some berries along the path and almost ran into the copper tripwire. She had seen in an earlier iteration of the games that those wires could be electrified, so she did not touch it. Bloom then turned a corner, and came face to face with Edmund, holding a knife in each hand. The pair froze.
There was a tense moment where the viewing square was entirely silent. An eerie smile appeared on Edmund's face, and he lowered his weapon. "Bloom? How are you doing?". She said she was okay, considering, and told him she thought he had died. The pair then agreed to ally "for district 7", as the showdown was nearby. They shared food and rested under the conflicting shouts of their respective fans. Even Urania stated that "with those two, it was hard to say who was the least trustworthy". This made Helion laugh, claiming that he was now rooting for Bloom. "Jealous much, eh ?" answered Urania, to the general hilarity.
That evening, another cannon sounded, and it was shown that Adelie had tried to attack Rack and Onika under the cover of night. She was soon overpowered, and Onika impaled her on her spear. That night, the portraits of Adelie (4), Turbine (5) and Pomelo (11) were displayed, and the remaining 5 tributes prepared for the next morning's showdown.
Day 7:
They were not truly awoken that morning, as everyone except for Edmund (who had the earplugs) was kept awake by the incessant droning of the cicadas. However, the insects had started to approach the tributes, flying into their face, and biting them. Bloom, Edmund, Onika and Rack ran towards the cornucopia, fast enough to not be overwhelmed by the bugs.
A first cannon sounded as Matthew (3) had been overwhelmed by a swarm of cicadas, which left only a skeleton after barely ten minutes. As the pair from district 7 approached the cornucopia clearing, they rested on the parapet of a stone bridge within the safe perimeter. Suddenly, Edmund pushed his partner over the bridge, and Bloom plummeted twenty feet down, impacting the rocks with a horrifying crunch. As her cannon sounded, Edmund said: "Who's a dead weight now?".
The three remaining tributes were in sight, turning around the cornucopia. Onika held her spear, Rack his sword, and Edmund had only kept some knives. The latter appeared completely panicked, though Urania guessed that he was just putting on a façade. Rack charged, but Edmund dodged easily and cut him in the shoulder with a knife. Meanwhile, Onika approached from behind, seemingly waiting for one of them to be killed.
Edmund ran very fast, barely dodging Onika's spear on the way, and he started to climb the cornucopia structure. He had the high ground, and aimed a knife at Rack, which missed his face by mere inches. The second, however, hit Onika's chest, and she collapsed on the rocky ground. Capitol citizens were now rioting, with seething Bloom fans, and fights occurring between supporters of Rack and Edmund, both having become very popular tributes.
Edmund had only one knife remaining, and his fearful affect was completely gone, leaving only a determined smirk. However, it turned into surprise when Rack disappeared under the cornucopia. He managed to go around very silently, and grabbed Edmund's foot, sending him tumbling down on the ground. Rack tried to swing his sword, but he was kicked in the knee and fell over. The boys wrestled until Edmund managed to grab his last knife, but Rack wrestled it out of his hand. He then tried to slash Edmund's throat, but the latter interposed his hands. Blood started to pour down from his deeply cut palms. Edmund pushed the knife away with all of his remaining strength, cutting his hands even more, until it touched Rack's throat, cutting it faster and faster as the bigger boy lost blood. Finally, a cannon sounded, announcing Edmund Carrell as the victor of the 104th Hunger Games.
Edmund was rushed to Ravinstill hospital, unconscious and covered in blood, to treat his blood loss and wounded hands.
Aftermath:
It took a few weeks and no less than 4 surgical operations get Edmund back to full health. A month later, the interview was concluded. Urania was wearing a lavish old-fashioned dress, with lace and a tight corset. Edmund came to the stage wearing a sparkling green suit, adorned with emeralds, and a pair of gloves. He seemed confident and answered every question. When asked if he had a plan all along, he responded that he just knew he should keep a low profile until the bloodbath, as to not attract any attention to himself. He explained that he had learned very young to keep a low profile as to not attract bullies.
Helion complimented his strategy and quick thinking. Urania then asked what he had taken from this experience, and the young man told the audience that he would not need to hide anymore. He also thanked the Capitol for saving almost all of his fingers, even though his hands had lost some of their abilities. To conclude his interview, the most memorable moments of the games were shown and commented again by Edmund and the interviewers.
Some time after coming back to the district village of district 7, Edmund's family factory burned down, along with a dozen employees and his father and grandfather. No proof was ever found, but it is heavily presumed that this act was a revenge from the family of his district partner, Bloom Dennison.
He ended up moving to the Capitol, where he opened an Antique shop. He was known to have many romantic partners, including Othello Crichton and a future victor of the games, but finally settled down at the age of 42, marrying Avan Van Buren, an assistant game-maker.
Chapter 4
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 105th Hunger Games took place in the year 141. President Coriolanus Snow II decided to follow the tradition instated by his predecessor during the second incarnation, and to organize the first quinquennial quell of the third incarnation of Panem. One week before the reapings, he appeared on Capitol TV to read the conditions of the quell. As a reminder that you should always give back what you receive, the tributes who would be chosen this year would be the ones who had taken the most tesserae to their name.
This announcement led to unrest in both the poorer districts, where children sometimes needed to take half a dozen tesserae a year to sustain their families, and the career districts, where no one would be able to volunteer this year.
The reaping in district 8 took place in a thunderstorm. The visit of the district by mayor Smith had to be cut short, and Edmund Carrell stood under a ramshackle tent that had been set over the stage. The previous reapings had been depressing, seeing a bunch of dirty and emaciated teenagers had been quite pathetic.
Edmund saluted the crowd, skipped the speech, and got directly to the picking. He was given a first envelope, containing the name of the female tribute. He called 16 years old Organza Duval. What he hadn't noticed was that the stout black girl was already making her way to the stage, shoving other people out of her way. Her torn dress looked more grey than purple, and her unkempt afro bounced with every step. With 45 tesserae, due to her extended family, she was one of the tributes with the highest amount, only beaten by the girl from 11 who had 48.
Organza refused to shake anyone's hand, begging Edmund to "get on with it". The boy the opened the male's tribute envelope, calling 17 years old Marcel Rolo. There was a squeak of terror as a short mousy boy was grabbed by the peacekeepers. His faded shirt was barely hanging to his bony shoulders.
He was taken to the stage, where he shook hands with the mayor, Edmund, and Organza. The two tributes appeared to know each other. It explained later that they both lived in the same slum within district 8.
Edmund moved on quickly and Marcel and Organza were taken to the city hall where they were happy to be able to warm up. There, Organza was met with so many of her brothers, sisters, aunts, and cousins, that the peacekeepers had to intervene. In the end, only her mother and two of her younger sisters were able to say goodbye while the other waited outside. The women were all short and looked wary. After they had calmed down, Organza managed to place a few words, stating that they were in a win-win situation, as there would either be a lot of money, or one less mouth to feed. The others did not want to agree, but they knew she was right.
Marcel was visited by his father, as his mother was bedridden. Both parents had been fighters during the Troubled Times and suffered a lot physically and mentally. Marcel explained to his father where he had stashed what little he had of money. They both embraced, refusing to let go of each other, until a peacekeeper menaced them with his gun.
They were taken to the train, but no one else was there, so Marcel helped himself to some fruits as it started moving. He bit in what seemed like a delicious apple, only to find out that it was made of some sort of plastic. This made Organza burst out laughing, and soon, the duo was on the floor, crying with laughter.
Once they were calmed, they settled down on one of the sofas and started discussing their families, their jobs at a textile warehouse, for some time.
A few hours later, as they were less than an hour from the Capitol, they were interrupted by the door opening, and an old man with bright pink hair entering. He looked like he had just gotten out of bed (which was the case) and apologized for falling asleep. Marcel greeted him, intimidated by the colorful man, but Organza immediately asked if she too could sleep a few more hours before they got out of the train. Immediately, the atmosphere became electric.
Marcel watched his mentor (which he would learn later was an ambassador by the name of Kaplan Templesmith) denigrate his and Organza's appearance. Organza replied by berating his tardiness and his pink hair, which she compared to "an old mop". Before the situation could worsen, Marcel marched to the old man and offered his hand, introducing himself. This calmed the situation a bit, but there was still a lot of animosity between the old man and his female mentee. He exhorted the pair to get cleaned up for their imminent arrival in the train station, having too little time to discuss anything else.
There were way less people in the station than the previous years, maybe due to the filthiness of the tributes. Only a dozen hardcore fans were waiting impatiently on the platform. They cheered hesitantly when the tributes appeared, calling them to take pictures (not too close however) and asking random questions. Marcel answered to the best of his capacity, while Organza absolutely refused to even acknowledge the crowd, even under the menace of Kaplan.
They subsequently got into the car that brought them to the Ravinstill studios complex. Kaplan and Organza kept bickering all along the ride, and also within the apartment, so Marcel decided to run to his bedroom, where he stayed until supper.
It was only the next day that they met with their stylist: Platonia Travers. She was a very tall and emaciated woman, with a severe attitude. The woman was known in the Capitol for only wearing black and white. She glared at the shabby tributes, and they straightened immediately. Her assistants started taking measurements and bringing in checkered fabric rolls. They day was spent in a rather silent way, only broken by Platonia's dry remarks every now and then.
At the end of the day, she left the tributes to their own devices. Now that they were alone, Organza sighed. She asked Marcel what he thought of the costumes, and he replied that they would look stupid. She agreed, and they started laughing uncontrollably. Marcel claimed that he'd ask to keep the costume in the arena, as it could give his opponents seizures. The duo laughed even louder, loud enough for Atalanta Van Buren (mentor for district 7) to come knocking at their door and ask them to "keep it down".
Kaplan Templesmith did not visit his tributes that evening, and they entertained themselves by watching the last reaping in district 1. Just as there started to be a bigger number of tributes to volunteer in 1 and 2, the quinquennial quell had forbidden anyone to volunteer. The first name in the envelope belonged to 18 years old Zinem Crusoe. A pretty girl, with olive skin and long dark hair, sauntered to the stage and waved at the crowd. She had a somewhat fixed smile, but still shook Edmund and Mayor Greene's hands.
It was then the boys turn, and Edmund carefully opened the envelope, revealing Harrod Zhang and the male tribute from district 1. There were gasps in the crowd as a gigantic boy walked to the front. He looked extremely muscular. Urania Whimsiwick, alone this year in the commentator's booth due to Helion Cardew's paternity leave, explained to the viewers that Harrod came from a relatively wealthy family and was one of the most promising careers in his school. The 18 years old boy made his way up the creaking stairs, dwarfing everyone on the stage.
The tributes were subsequently sent to the city hall, where they could say goodbye to their family. Zinem's mother, Rupee Crusoe, and her wife Dentelle were there, and the women hugged. Zinem reassured them that, even though she couldn't afford real training, she would manage to survive, and bring back enough money to buy her uncle's diamond mine back. The two older women embraced her again, wishing her luck.
Harrod was met with the very puzzled look on his father's face. He asked him why he had taken tesserae, and the boy responded that he liked to make a little money for himself by getting them to his name and the selling them back. "I have been volunteering for two years anyway, Now I have got what I wanted", he said. His father nodded and reminded him to make him proud. Then followed a short embrace before Harrod left in direction of the train.
Their mentor, Pilar Dundee, waited for them in the carriage and immediately introduced herself. She seemed anxious but uttered a sigh of relief when she saw that at least one of her two tributes had received training. She asked her mentees what their strengths were, and Harrod immediately replied that he was the strongest in district 1. Zinem took more time to answer, but she eventually stated that she "had learned to make do", and that she would use her wits to her advantage. Pilar was satisfied by the responses, and the trio ate.
At the train station, there was a bigger crowd than for the other districts, except maybe district 2. Zinem dazzled the crowds with her piercing green eyes. Some older citizens even said that she resembled her uncle, winner of the 95th Games. Harrod amazed Capitolites with his sheer size, lifting children and adults like they were feather pillows. However, the rain forced the tributes to retreat to their limousine.
They were the last tributes to arrive in the Capitol, so their stylist got to work immediately. Clio Carpenter, still very short, still as energetic, wrestled with her notepad to finally show the tributes a set of crimson velvet clothing. There was a laced gown for Zinem, and a matching suit for Harrod, accompanied with gold bracelets, earrings, and cufflinks.
There was a lot of screaming when she realized that Harrod would never fit in the suit she had made, but with the help of her numerous assistants, she managed to sew a new one in less than a day, which was an exploit in and of itself.
The next day was spent preparing all the tributes for the parade. It required a lot of work, as most of the tributes were filthy and rather rebellious. The accommodation wing resounded with shouts all morning. Organza almost punched Kaplan in the face when he suggested that they straighten her hair. Fortunately, Platonia intervened and pushed the old mentor away before any harm could be done. Marcel stayed true to himself, meek and silent. After two showers and a surprising amount of makeup, they were finally ready. Kaplan came to fetch them, begging Organza not to insult the crowds. "I'll try" she growled.
Zinem and Harrod had been the first to arrive down at the carriages. They had been briefed by Pilar and were ready to make an impression with their outfits. Harrod helped his partner on the carriage, almost lifting her with his hand. Behind them were Eugeny and Apollo, from 2, who were bickering about who would get to the "best side", i.e.: the side of the commentator's booth. Further back, Marcel and Organza felt miserable in their checkered outfits, full of frills and a frightening number of collars.
When the parade started, a lot of tributes were quite haggard, not knowing where to look. The bright lights did not faze Organza and she kept a stern expression, refusing to wave until Marcel took her hand. She let out a slight smile as he held their hands up. Zinem and Harrod, on the first carriage, were very popular with the crowds. Even though Zinem had been a bit flustered at the start, she soon waved with energy. Harrod, on the other hand, seemed used to the praise. He distributed winks and received thrown roses (and even a stray bra) in exchange.
The parade passed without any incident. The tributes stayed to listen to president Snow's speech, where he congratulated them, stating that they now had the chance to repay their debts to the Capitol. This was met by applause from Capitolites, while most tributes glared at the president.
The evening in their apartment was even more tense for the pair from district 8, as they watched the commentary of the parade, with Urania Whimsiwick and Lillian Anderson from Anderson's Fashion. The latter seemed in an awful mood, harshly criticizing every outfit she saw. It got even worse when she started hysterically laughing at Organza and Marcel's costumes, sending Platonia Travers in a terrifying rage. As the tributes sheltered in their bedrooms, Harrod and Zinem watched the rest of the commentary, where Lillian Anderson seemed to become more and more unhinged, until Urania was forced to interrupt the program earlier than scheduled.
The winners of best dressed were announced the next morning, and it was shown that it was the tributes from district 12, who had worn a kind of full body armor. The other tributes were not very enthused, as they were waiting for training to commence. Carmelo Harrington, head trainer, explained the rules of training and encouraged the tributes to give the best they had and to try as many things as possible. He looked desperate, seeing all the gaunt, haggard teenagers in front of him.
Harrod almost ran to the weightlifting station, knocking over Cali (6) on the way. He stayed there all morning to "warm up", scaring off the other tributes. Meanwhile, Zinem had been training with the tributes from 2 at the obstacle course, where she worked on getting an alliance. Eugeny and Apollo accepted but soon grew bored and left Zinem alone.
Organza and Marcel had started at the textile station but tried their luck in as many stations as possible. They had decided to learn the basics of everything instead of trying to get excellent at a single thing. Marcel demonstrated some talent at the medical station, while Organza managed to light a fire in less than 5 minutes.
At the end of the second day, she noticed that the pair from 2 were bullying the pair from 6 at the camouflage station. They made fun of Cali's panic attack while Jackson tried desperately to get her away. Without hesitation, Organza marched towards them and interposed herself. Marcel ran too and helped soothe Cali while the two young women from 2 and 8 had a standoff.
Eugeny, seeing that her opponent was not intimidated, challenged her to a sword duel, which Organza agreed without a second thought. The girls put on the equipment and started sparring under the watch of head trainer Harrington. Eugeny had a better technique, to which Organza made up by sheer strength and determination. The fight ended in a stalemate for the panting girls.
Meanwhile, Marcel had agreed to an alliance with the tributes from 6, and they were joined on the third day by Polo and Merrin, from 4, who had been impressed by Organza's bravery. The six tributes spend the 3rd day training together and sharing their skills.
Harrod, Eugeny and Apollo had a lot of fun intimidating the other tributes and fighting each other. They spent most of their time in the different weapons stations. Zinem stuck with them most of the time, but also tried her luck at the electronics station, where Cipher (3) agreed to show her basic techniques of wiring.
That afternoon, the tributes assessments took place. As usual, it is unknown what the tributes exactly did. The scores were unexpectedly high for the most part, with most Capitol citizens expecting poorer tributes to be less competent. At the bottom of the list were Cali (6) and Ilexia (7) with a 4. Marcel only garnered a 6, while Organza, Eugeny and Zinem all had an 8. The highest score, an 11, was unsurprisingly given to Harrod. He was warmly congratulated by Pilar while the tributes were getting ready for the interviews.
Kaplan only spent 10 minutes with his tributes that evening, claiming that he was "looking for sponsors". Archives show that he was most likely attending a private party that evening. The duo stayed with Platonia, who was still fuming at the insult she had received from Anderson's fashion. She advised Organza to keep it down, and Marcel to keep it up, and wished them good luck.
Zinem Crusoe was the first tribute to come on stage, dressed in a tight white gown. Urania Whimsiwick complimented her outfit, and Zinem returned the compliment for the interviewer's green dress and insect-like jewelry. The pair discussed Zinem's relative, who had won the games decades prior. She explained that during the Troubled Times, he had to sell the diamond mines and that she was hoping to buy them back. Her natural charisma and resourceful personality charmed the Capitol, and she left the stage among cheers.
Harrod was next, his gigantic frame having trouble to fit in the chair. He impressed Urania by lifting her with a single arm, his steel grey suit straining at every seam. However, he did not seem to have much conversation besides talking about himself, and Urania quickly grew bored. Nevertheless, Harrod left the stage to thunderous applause from his many fans.
The rest of the interviews went on as usual, with Polo (4) flirting the whole time and Cali (6) bursting in tears and having to be removed from the stage. When it came time for Organza's interview, she came onstage with as much confidence as always. Urania asked her why she seemed so confident, and the girl answered that if she wanted to win, she had to believe she could. They then spoke of Organza's talents, and her extensive family, and she ended the interviews by addressing the public, telling them that she would be the one to win the 105th Hunger Games, and that she would do it for her family.
Marcel was the next, and he seemed tiny in his suit. Urania had to ask him a few times to speak louder. He seemed very anxious, but his answers made sense, and he managed to make a small impression. He left the stage to polite applause, Urania murmuring "poor thing" after he had left.
After the interview of Roger (12), Urania welcomed Head Game maker Alina Snow to the stage. She congratulated her on the birth of her twins: Callista and Letho. Alina looked quite tired, but she kept the public entertained with the antics of her now four-month-old babies. As usual, she refused to reveal anything about the arena. She only stated that it would be a "big change" for the tributes. She also explained that this year's arena was the most expensive one to be built as of yet, even though it was not the biggest. This led to much acclaim, and Urania closed the evening by wishing tributes the odds to be ever in their favor.
Day 1:
Kaplan Templesmith was not present to wish his tributes goodbye. Instead, it was Platonia who, quite awkwardly, wished Marcel and then Organza good luck. She advised them to keep each other safe and told them that she would try to get them sponsors on her own. Marcel thanked her profusely and hugged her. Organza was a bit more measured, and she breathed deeply as her tube rose in the arena.
Zinem was accompanied by Pilar to her holding room. The two women talked quietly, and the mentor wished that Zinem could win, because "she was getting a little lonely". She put on what looked like some sort of uniform, with formal pants, a white shirt, and a fitting suit jacket. The pair then embraced, as Pilar hurried to say goodbye to her other mentee. Harrod was almost too wide to fit inside the tube, and Pilar had to help him squeeze in. She watched him rise up, thinking to herself that Zinem would be way more fun to mentor with.
The tributes rose up in a circle around a glistening gold cornucopia, shaped more like a crown. They were in the central courtyard of what seemed like a Palace, with many entrances and windows. As some cameras were filming an aerial view of the arena, Head Game maker Snow explained that it was a reconstitution of a palace from the ancient British Empire, called Buckingham, which was now in ruins.
Harrod rose up in the south section, between Fir (7) and the boy from 9. He cracked his knuckles, smiling eerily. It was noticed that the boy from 9, who was eyeing a sword at the edge of the cornucopia, changed his mind upon seeing Harrod, and prepared to run away from the cornucopia. Zinem, who was at the opposite side, exchanged glances with Apollo, next to her, and Eugeny, further to her left. They nodded and prepared to run to the cornucopia as Game Maker Snow started the countdown from 60. There was a large array of weapons: swords, knives, axes, polearms, and even morgensterns and shields.
Marcel was less confident when he saw the arena. He was reassured slightly when he met the eyes of Jackson (6), right next to him. He spotted a small backpack close to his podium and signaled to his ally that he would grab it. He then signaled to Organza, who had appeared a few podiums away, that they should leave by the closest door, the eastern one. She agreed but kept looking around to find the last two members of their alliance, who were at the opposite side of the cornucopia.
As the gong sounded, Zinem sprinted to the cornucopia. Apollo was the fastest however, and when she arrived with Eugeny, he had already thrown a spear through the girl from 3's throat and was aiming another. A few tributes fled the cornucopia and immediately entered the palace, notably Testa (12) and Cipher (3), after seeing the death of his district partner.
The next to appear at the cornucopia was Fir, who grabbed a spear and a backpack, immediately running away. On the way out, he impaled the girl from 5, causing him to stop and almost being hit by an arrow fired by Cutler (10), who had grabbed a bow and an axe, and was trying to kill as many tributes as possible. He managed to shoot Ilexia (7) in the lungs and she immediately collapsed.
Marcel had run and grabbed the backpack, but he immediately joined Jackson (6) at the east door, avoiding Fir. They were joined soon by Polo (4), who had gone through the cornucopia and grabbed a small dagger. Cali (6) had tried to follow him, but she witnessed Harrod snapping the neck of the boy from 5, so she changed trajectory.
The career pack was now ferociously protecting the cornucopia. Apollo had engaged a sword duel with Roger (12), the latter fleeing when he was disarmed. Zinem managed to throw a knife through the skull of the girl from 5. She aimed for Cutler (10), but he collided with Cali (6), sending them both to the ground. In a surprising turn of events, Organza emerged from the cornucopia with a hand axe. Followed by Merrin (4), she ran to Cali and grabbed Cutler's shoulders. This left her enough time to grab his axe and push it into his throat, killing him shortly. The three girls joined their male allies at the east doors, avoiding another spear and a few knives.
The career pack gathered around the cornucopia. The courtyard was now empty, except for the corpses of fallen tributes. They could see silhouettes running next to the numerous windows. Harrod and Apollo brought all the supplies and weapons in a pile and enjoyed a few pieces of bread while Eugeny and Zinem roamed around, making sure all the corpses were really dead. They discussed about the arena, surprised that it had been a building this year.
Meanwhile, the outlying alliance ran through the ancient corridors. They crossed path with Jeniss (10) but agreed not to fight. They had to stop eventually, as Cali had started hyperventilating. The group rested in what seemed to be a dining room, with paintings on the ceiling and a gaudy wooden table in the center. Between them, they had gathered two knives, a hand axe, a backpack full of food and water, as well as a long coil of rope. They were glad to have all survived the bloodbath, even though all were almost as pale as Cali. Polo suggested that they barricade the door and stay there for the night.
The rest agreed, and they managed to jam the heavy table against the door. Exploring the room, they found some silverware that they added to their arsenal. Interestingly, the outside windows were jammed shut. Urania explained to the public that the arena was designed to be contained within the palace and its central courtyard, in order to keep the tributes close.
Some time later, the 6 cannons of the bloodbath rang, making most of the tributes jump. Having secured all of the supplies, the careers decided to go hunt before the sunset. They did not have much luck, as the building was quite big. There were gasps when they passed the room where Cipher was hidden, but no one heard him, and the group continued. Eventually, as the light diminished, Eugeny heard something. It was the girl from 11 who was desperately trying to unscrew an ornate lamp from the wall to use as a weapon. She begged for her life, claiming that she could be helpful to them, but Harrod snapped her neck without a second thought. The group did not want to make the same mistake as last year's career pack.
The night slowly set in. The tributes were slowly preparing to sleep, barricading each other in rooms and making beds out of curtains. Some had been lucky to find bedrooms, and Fir (7) was sleeping in a very comfortable canopy bed. At midnight, the anthem of Panem was played, and the portraits of the deceased were displayed on the many screens scattered throughout the palace. The dead were shown to be the girl from 3, both tributes from 5, Ilexia (7), the girl from 9, Cutler (10) and the girl from 11, which left 17 tributes in the arena.
Day 2:
The sunlight awoke the tributes quite early. After a quick breakfast composed of dried meat and bread, the tributes from 1 and 2 started hunting again. While walking in the corridors, Eugeny and Zinem discussed about their youth in their respective districts. Eugeny gave Zinem a look of pity when she explained her poor situation, then described how her wealthy parents had helped her get way more tesserae than possible in order for her to be chosen. After that, the girl from 1 stayed silent.
As they approached the wing where Organza and her alliance had hidden, a cannon sounded. It was shown to belong to the boy from 9, who had been pushed down the monumental staircase by Testa (12), breaking his neck on impact. As the 12 scampered away, Eugeny suggested that Apollo and Zinem go investigate the source of the cannon, while Harrod and her continued the other way. Zinem agreed, aware that they would be able to cover more ground. The group separated, and a few minutes later, Zinem and her ally were able to see the boy being removed by a menacing claw. They checked many rooms, not finding any tributes.
The cameras switched around to show the other tributes hiding in different points of the palace, most of them at the opposite of where Zinem and Apollo were. Cifer (3) and Fir (7) had decided to ally and were now raiding the kitchens. Roger and Testa (12) had found a way into the attic, where they managed to get away from the careers. Finally, Jeniss (10) was trying to barricade herself in the gallery.
If the arena seemed a little empty, it was because there were six tributes hiding in a single dining room. They had stayed silent all morning, hearing the footsteps of other tributes. Merrin and Cali (6) seemed to be the most affected by the "second day effect", staring into space and shivering most of the time. Organza kept watch at the door, hoping the careers would not come back.
Unfortunately, they did. This time, they opened every door, slamming them in frustration. Harrod was silent, but Eugeny's screeching could be heard a long way. The alliance started panicking. They had a solid barricade going on, but that meant that they were stuck inside. Organza had seen the careers gathering a scary number of weapons, and she was certain the door would give up before they did. There were no hiding places either, and Polo (4) received an electric shock when he tried too hard to open an outside window.
There was no way to get out. The slamming of doors approached, until Marcel spotted a vent in the upper corner of the room. He did not waste any time and managed to climb on a piece of furniture. With the help of Jackson (6), he managed to detach the grated. The vent was surprisingly spacious. As Merrin was the first to climb inside, there was a bang on the door followed by shrill cheers. The trapped tributes hurried while two axes demolished the door. Organza was the second to last to climb inside the vent, and she helped Marcel up. He was halfway inside when he suddenly was pulled out. His district partner could not grab him fast enough, and Harrod threw him on the ground.
"Hiii! "Exclaimed Eugeny. She smiled, while looking directly into Organza's eyes. "Looks like you dropped something" She continued before cleanly decapitating the boy laying on the ground. A cannon sounded as the same time as a cry from Organza. She was grabbed by the legs by her allies, who pulled her away quickly. Harrod tried to follow, but his wide frame led to him getting stuck, giving the alliance enough time to flee into the maze of vents.
Zinem and Apollo were needed to dislodge Harrod from the vent, where he stayed stuck for an hour before the duo arrived. Eugeny was very irritated, but Apollo calmed her down by congratulating her for her kill, which brought a smile back to her face. As the sun set and the lights dimmed, the career pack regrouped and went back to the cornucopia. Meanwhile, the outlying alliance had managed to emerge into a smaller room that appeared to be an office. They stayed there, still in shock. Organza cried tears of sadness and anger.
After she calmed down, she started pacing around the room. She subsequently shared her plan with her allies. They needed to get revenge on the career pack, one way or another, and they were going to do it using their own talents. They then started thinking and putting their ideas together, until the fallen were shown at midnight. The group tore up as the portrait of Marcel (8) was shown, followed by the boy from 9. There had not been much action that day, but Capitol viewers had been kept entertained by the multiple rooms within the palace, the interactions, and the "fun" kills.
Day 3:
Zinem, Harrod and their allies slept quite well. There seemed to be some movement from the window at one point in the night, but Apollo did not deem it important, and he only told the others when everyone was awake. There was very little action in the morning, until Head Gamemaker Snow decided to release the mutts. There were murmurs of curiosity and amazement, as the strange creatures appeared from the attic. Fir and Cipher were the first to notice the translucent silhouettes floating in an aimless manner. They looked vaguely humanoid, but Capitol biologist Vitello Gamp explained later in an interview that they were actually heavily modified jellyfishes, which were designed to look like ghosts.
The creatures kept wandering the corridors, avoided by all the tributes. Meanwhile, the career pack had once again split up to search for tributes. In the silent morning, Zinem and Eugeny explored the ground floor while Harrod and Apollo. Suddenly, they heard whispers in one of the rooms. Harrod opened the door to find the room empty. Whispers were then heard within both adjacent rooms. The boys split up to investigate, not bothering to check the other room. This was revealed to be a terrible mistake. Organza crept out of the wardrobe she was hidden in, armed with an axe in one hand and a side table as a makeshift shield. She was followed by Jackson (6), who had a dagger. From their vents, Marcel, Merrin, Polo (4) and Cali (6) stayed silent. They were safe.
Organza silently walked towards the room where Harrod had barged in. She opened the courtyard facing window behind her, and confused noises were heard throughout the Capitol. A quiet "Hey" was sufficient for Harrod to spin around and charge Organza, ready to break her neck. However, she ducked at the last moment, and the boy flew out of the window, smashing his face on the courtyard pavement. His cannon sounded, and Eugeny and Zinem ran out. "Looks like you dropped something", said Organza in a deadpan expression.
Apollo had watched the scene happen and was now fighting with Jackson. Organza joined in, but when he saw the rest of their alliance coming, he ran away, avoiding a knife thrown by Jackson (6). Quickly, the outlying alliance ran away upstairs, not waiting for the other careers to arrive. They almost collided with one of the mutts but swerved at the last moment. They ended up finding a way into the attic opposite to the one where Fir (7) and Cipher (3) where hidden. They set a crate on the trapdoor, just to be sure, and allowed themselves to breathe and silently celebrate their kill.
Apollo, Eugeny and Zinem spent their day searching for the group. In passing, Eugeny broke a few vases in anger, and said a lot of things that needed to be censored. Until the evening, they did not meet a single tribute, as they all heard them coming way before. It was only after sunset that another cannon sounded, as the boy from 11, who had been fleeing after stealing supplies from the cornucopia, ran headfirst into one of the ghosts. He screamed a lot, as he was violently electrocuted. After a few painful minutes, he finally stopped convulsing, and his still smoking body was removed from the arena. Only his portrait and Harrod's were displayed at midnight, leaving 13 tributes, with more than a third of those being in the same alliance.
Day 4:
There was very little action the following morning. Some hungry tributes emerged from their hiding places in order to find something to eat. They were careful to avoid the hovering "ghosts". Zinem had taken the last watch, Apollo and Eugeny being exhausted from the last day's event. She saw the silhouettes of Organza and her allies moving around on the first floor but decided not to investigate. It was clearly a trap being set up. This time, the cameras did not leave any suspense and showed the tributes working on their plot, setting up ropes and curtains under the overview of Merrin, who was very good at knots and traps. Polo and Cali were each on one side of the corridor, looking out for any tributes who might arrive. They also kept an eye on the cornucopia, where the sleeping careers were stirring awake.
While Urania discussed the purpose of this trap with a junior game-maker, it was set into action. Jackson hid under a table close to the stairs, holding a rope. A makeshift net was dissimulated on the stairs by curtains that were almost the same color as the rug. Merrin and Polo were ready with their weapons, hidden in a room next to the stairs. Cali and Organza simultaneously ran out from two different doors towards the cornucopia, attempting to grab any food. The startled careers did not get the time to react, except Zinem, who threw a knife. It embedded itself into Organza's arm but did not slow her down.
Eugeny and Apollo ran after the thieves, but Zinem stayed where she was, having shouted "it's a trap!". The careers were slowly gaining on them, but Organza and Cali ran towards the stairs, climbing them at record speed. The others followed, barely noticing the ropes on the ground, until Organza shouted "GO!".
Jackson let go of the rope, dropping a dresser that served as a counterweight and lifting the net off the ground. However, Eugeny was a bit too far and fell to the ground, while Apollo shot up. He almost fell out, but his neck got tangled. He hung there for a few moments, the only sounds being his gurgled groans, until his cannon sounded.
Eugeny charged at Jackson, but Merrin and Polo, who had come out of hiding, interposed themselves. The girl's axe carved through Merrin's collarbone, sounding her cannon immediately. Jackson tackled her to the ground and aided by Organza and Polo, they managed to subdue Eugeny. She screamed and thrashed around until Organza grabbed her axe and thrust it down on her neck, silencing the girl for good.
There was some silence after the cannon, both in the arena and in the viewing square. Organza and her allies looked both shocked and relieved. The Capitol viewers were still processing the fact that two career tributes, who had great odds at success, had been ambushed and kill. The other tributes had been quite surprised at hearing the three cannons in close succession, except for Zinem who smiled faintly.
The silence was broken by a claw trying to pull Apollo's body out of the tangled net, which resulted in a series of sinister cracking noises. Cali, Polo and Organza vomited, with Jackson barely holding on. Nevertheless, there were cheers erupting in Snow square, as the outlying pack became quite popular, especially after eliminating three of the strongest tributes. They received a combined sponsor gift from Platonia : a small feast with fruits, meats, bread, and hard cheese, which they shared much later. They mostly sat in silence for the remainder of the day, feeling nauseous.
Zinem also received a small sponsor gift in the form of a butterfly knife, to which she silently thanked Pilar. Unbeknownst to the others, each tribute or group of tributes had received a sponsor gift at the same time, with most of them containing a small weapon or a small amount of food. As everyone drifted off to sleep, careful to avoid the ghost-mutts, the portraits of the fallen were shown, displaying the faces of Eugeny and Apollo (2) and Merrin (4). The 10 remaining tributes were Zinem (1), Cipher (3), Polo (4), Cali and Jackson (6), Fir (7), Organza (8), Jeniss (10) and Roger and Testa (12). As there had been very little action for the other tributes (except for Fir and Cipher, who had gotten a lot of action in an upper-level bedroom), Gamemaker Snow announced to the Capitol that she was going to stir things up on the next day.
Day 5:
Zinem was awoken on the fifth morning by a loud announcement from the Head Gamemaker. There would be a powerful sonic surge triggered within the arena in thirty minutes, and the only way a tribute could survive was to grab a pair of high-tech headphones designed to protect them. A countdown appeared on the sky as well as on the many screens throughout the palace, prompting tributes to run to the cornucopia.
Zinem, who was the first to arrive due to her proximity, immediately grabbed a pair and started running. Suddenly, she turned around and started tinkering with the other headphones. She was interrupted when Jeniss (10) ran in front of her and grabbed another pair. Leaving the pair she had tampered with, she ran in pursuit of the girl, knowing that she would not be able to outfight a bigger group. She followed Jeniss to her hideout in the gallery, where she pulled at her hair. The bigger girl fell down and Zinem jumped on her back, repeatedly smashing her head on the polished marble and finishing her with her knife. A cannon sounded, followed by a second a few seconds later.
As the countdown went on, Organza and her allies ran down to the cornucopia, to see Testa and Roger (12) fighting off Fir (7) and Cipher (3). There were only one minute left, so the group avoided the fight and immediately ran away with their headphones while Fir plunged his axe in Testa's chest. He dove to grab the last two pairs of headphones for him and his ally, but it was the last ten seconds. As Fir threw the last pair to his friend, the surge was triggered, causing all the windows of the palace to explode. Cipher's nose and ears started to bleed, and his cannon sounded inaudibly.
Further in the palace, Polo collapsed, bleeding profusely. He had inadvertently grabbed the sabotaged pair of headphones and died in front of his perplex allies. After the surge, most tributes decided to lay low, as there were very few adversaries remaining. Organza and the pair from 6 mourned their lost friend and set off in order to find a room they could barricade. They had suffered a few minor cuts from the bursting windows, but nothing too serious except for Organza's knife wound.
Zinem, on the other hand, had received a deep cut on her arm. She was gifted a little later in the afternoon by a sponsor gift, the silver parachute containing a healing salve and encouraging words from her mentor Pilar Dundee. The girl stayed put in the gallery that day, trying to heal her wounds and rest for the next day, which she guessed would be the last.
While exploring, Organza and Cali started arguing, the latter wanting to hide away for the next day, clearly being traumatized. Organza had suggested hunting for other tributes but got offended when the other girl told her that she was acting like a killer. "I am a killer! she responded, "And you are too! They made us killers and we have to accept it and get going if we want to survive." Cali responded that only one of them could win. "You are right. But you are also my friend, and I don't want to hurt you. I wish we could break the rules, but right now we have to soldier up and give those **** (the expletives used were censored for the sake of Capitol viewers) the show they want."
Jackson chimed in, in a more tactful way, to try and help his district partner to combat her anxiety. The trio agreed to stay together until the very end and continued exploring the rooms quietly. The silence was only disturbed Cali's sniffling. Suddenly something fell in one of the bedrooms, making some noise. Organza dashed towards the sound, followed by her allies, and entered a seemingly empty room. She only noticed Roger (12) too late. He was standing on a heavy wardrobe next to the door. He pushed very hard on the wall to tip it over, sending it crashing down onto Cali, who was just running in. Roger fell too but he got up in an instant an ran out of the door, shouting expletives at the remaining pair. Cali laid on the marble floor, her ribs crushed by the heavy wood. Jackson and Organza tried to lift the piece of furniture, but it only caused Cali to whimper more. She was struggling to breath and crying. Before closing her eyes for good, she smiled faintly and said "at least you won't have to kill me..." This almost sent Organza into a rage, but she managed to remain calm and held her friend's hand until her cannon sounded.
The five remaining tributes were not sleeping when the hymn of Panem sounded in the arena. They had all lost a partner that day, except for Zinem. The portraits of Cipher (3), Polo (4), Cali (6) and Testa (12) were shown, leaving only five tributes remaining: Zinem (1), Jackson (6), Fir (7), Organza (8) and Roger (12).
Day 6:
Surprisingly for the viewers, many of them having come back home to prepare for the next day, an early showdown seemed to be brewing. Organza and Jackson had gathered only their weapon and were hunting for Roger. They wandered through the corridors, jumping at every noise and clearly exhausted.
Meanwhile, Zinem was stargazing, sitting on top of the cornucopia, when she noticed Fir (7) crawling towards her. She pretended to sleep a little longer for him to come closer, but he seemed hesitant. After a few minutes of pondering, he approached. However, Zinem was distracted by the arrival of Organza and Jackson, who were still looking for Roger. The pair looked at each other, silently agreeing to fight together until the end. Then, Organza was tackled to the ground by Roger (12), who had appeared from behind, sending her axe flying off in the distance.
During this time, in the Capitol, many citizens were scrambling to get back to the viewing square, having been warned by night owl friends that the final action was happening. Urania Whimsiwick, hair undone and make up half removed, was brought back to the stage to comment on what seemed to be the final fight.
Zinem had taken advantage of the distraction to throw her butterfly knife directly into Fir's eye, sounding his cannon before he hit the ground. She saw Organza and her partner struggling with their way bigger enemy. Roger had managed to disarm both of the tributes and was in the process of strangling Jackson with Organza on his back trying to get him off. Seeing that it did not seem to work, she grabbed a piece of jagged glass, cutting her hand in the process, and jabbed it into Roger's throat. His whole body tightened, and a cannon sounded.
Both girls guessed it belonged to the boy from 12, so Organza got up to face Zinem. However, it was shown that it was Jackson, whose throat had been crushed at last just before his opponent was stabbed. Zinem another knife. Organza closed her eyes but opened them when another cannon sounded. She turned around to see Roger falling back down, a knife in the forehead. "It's just us two now", said Zinem before charging towards the other girl. They rolled around a bit, hurting themselves on the shards of glass scattered around the courtyard.
Eventually, Organza, who was stronger and heavier, managed to get the upper hand. She reached down to grab a big enough shard of glass, but Zinem scratched across her face, drawing blood. Both girls were now bloody and crying, trying desperately to overpower the other. Some punches were exchanged, as well as insults. Finally, Zinem managed to push Organza back, sending her directly next to the corpse of Roger. As the other girl charged, Organza grabbed the knife that was still stuck on his forehead. There was a disheartening sound as Zinem ran into the blade, impaling herself in the chest. One last tear rolled down her cheek as her cannon sounded. Head Gamemaker Snow announced Organza Duval, from district 8, as the winner of the 105th Hunger Games, but the girl did not react. She had to be evacuated in a catatonic shock, presumably due to the intense stress she had experienced.
It took two weeks for Organza to be able to attend the victor's interview. Her many cuts had been healed, but she kept a sullen expression and barely talked. It was noticed by many spectators that she had lost weight, and her purple velvet pantsuit seemed oddly baggy on her during the interview. Urania tried her best to get the victor to talk about the games, but her answers were monosyllabic. Eventually, the interview had to be cut short when Organza started openly criticizing the game, comparing them to war crimes.
During the following weeks, her attitude seemed to come back even stronger. She moved into a house in the Victor's village with her extended family and reunited with her boyfriend, whom she had kept hidden from the Capitol. She was very vocal in her dislike of President Snow and the Games, until an accident occurred at the factory where her then fiancé worked. He died in the subsequent fire, and Organza was observed to quiet down after the event.
In the following years, she mostly stayed in her house, only coming to the Capitol for the Games where she spent her time fighting with Kaplan Templesmith until his death. She later struck an unlikely friendship with two other victors, who were very different in terms of character.
Chapter 5: The 106th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 106th Hunger Games took place in the year 142. After the entertaining games of last year had given the Capitol an unlikeable winner, there were a lot of expectations for this year's edition. There was also a lot of speculation as to who would be the next Head Gamemaker.
The reapings in district 6 were morose as usual. Many of the youths were under the influence of morphling, eyes glazed over, waiting for the event to end. Mayor Corolla, after taking Organza Duval for a tour of the new tire factory, led her to the stage where she could pick the names of the reaped tributes. The girl barely emoted, still devastated by her fiancé's accidental death two weeks prior. She picked a first slip of paper from the female reaping bowl, calling 12 years old Vanessa Montez.
At the front of the crowd, a short girl with tan skin and long brown hair started crying. Her friends tried to calm her down, but she was picked up unceremoniously by a peacekeeper, who brought her to the stage. She kicked and screamed to no avail, her childish features stirring motherly instincts within most Capitolite viewers.
Organza appeared quite disturbed at the sight of the young thrashing girl, as were most people in the reaping square. Nevertheless, the former victor continued towards the male reaping bowl, picking 16 years old Tarmac Kowalski. A crater formed in the center of the arena, where a blond boy stood. He sighed, making his way to the stage. Urania Whimsiwick, from her commentating studio, remarked that he seemed very sturdy, even though his thin blond hair and uneven face didn't make him especially attractive.
He smiled to the crowd, waving around, and shaking the hands of Organza, Vanessa, and Mayor Corolla. They were subsequently escorted to the city hall, where they could say a last goodbye to their family. Tarmac embraced his mother and little brother, Adam. They cried a little, but the boy kept smiling, promising that he would come back soon. After a last wordless embrace, he was taken to the train.
When her father entered the room, Vanessa started crying again and asked for her mom. He didn't answer her question, as both knew that Vanessa's mother was hiding in one of the morphling dens, trying to forget the pain of losing her only daughter. When her bawling had shrunk down to a sniffle, her father implored her to find some strong allies, but to never trust anyone if she wanted to survive. He however sounded quite defeated, as if preparing for his daughter's immediate death. She made him promise to make her mother better before being picked up again and almost thrown into the train.
Both tributes looked at each other but did not say anything, waiting for their mentor to come. Eventually, they sat on one of the sofas, Vanessa grabbing a handful of sweets on the dining table. A few minutes later, a rather young fellow, maybe 25 years old, came rushing into the carriage, apologizing profusely for his late arrival. He had scraggly red hair and a goatee, with striking green eyes.
He introduced himself as Sean Callahan, their mentor. He told them about his being the youngest of the non-victor mentors, coming from the British Isles as a simple soldier, but making his way up the ladder very quickly. Everyone sat at the dining table, and more food was brought out by an avox. Vanessa refused to eat, playing forlornly with her steamed vegetables. Tarmac was as enthusiastic as he had been the whole day, asking many questions to his mentor about life in the Capitol, his shirt stained with sauce. Sean exclaimed that he was glad to finally have tributes who were not high all the time, to which Vanessa scowled and replied that he didn't know anything about their life in district 6. Her mentor seemed taken aback by that small outburst, but nevertheless continued explaining to them the events of the next days. Both tributes listened intently, seemingly aware of the need to make a good impression to the audience. They then were asked to describe their abilities. Vanessa stated that, as she was only 12, she had just started training as a mechanic and had barely any experience. This saddened her mentor, but he reassured her by telling her that she seemed to be a "smart lass" and could probably go unnoticed for some time. Tarmac had some skill with a hammer, his sturdy build being due to his work at a car scrapyard.
The tributes rested for the rest of the ride, each on their side of the carriage, until they arrived in the Capitol. Vanessa had started pacing around, attaching, and detaching her long hair as if unsure of her hairdo. There was a warm welcome at the station, and the pair was well received. They smiled and approached the crowd. Many older women cooed at the sight of Vanessa, who acted very sweet, letting them pet her hair and pinch her full cheeks. Seeing her popularity, Urania soon nicknamed her "Panem's granddaughter", which helped her popularity skyrocket.
Tarmac had a bit less of an impact, but he nevertheless kept a very amiable demeanor, and impressed Capitolites with his strength. After a few minutes, Sean called them to take them to the limousine that would bring them to the Ravinstill complex, having to tear Vanessa away from some grabby fans. Back in their apartment, they met with their stylist, Perseus Allfield. Perseus was known in the Capitol as a furniture designer, and creator of the 105th games cornucopia. He however decided to try out fashion, as his other work had been so well received in the Capitol.
While the pair from 6 was involved in choosing a parade outfit from a meager portfolio, Sean turned on the television to watch the reapings for district 2. There were a dozen volunteers this year, mostly due to the training academies reaching more popularity and the failure of last years games. Mayor Dalton had not expected such interest in volunteering, therefore not preparing any way of choosing a tribute. Eventually, bows, arrows and targets were brought out. Whoever would hit the closest to bullseye would be chosen as tribute.
Of the four female volunteers, it was Vesta Dalton, 17, who won only by a small amount. The very attractive brunette sauntered to the stage, blowing a kiss the losing girls. Her curls shimmered in the late afternoon sun, and some of the crowd applauded her as she shook the hands of Organza Duval and Arabella Dalton, her great aunt.
It was a little easier to determine the winner in the boy's group, as most of them spent very little time learning to shoot a bow and arrow, preferring the melee weapons. The winner, with a perfect bullseye, was 18 years old Theseus Fierro. The boy was beautiful to say the least, even outshining Vesta with his sculpted physique, smooth bronze skin and mess of curly black hair. He climbed to the stage and nonchalantly shook hands, lingering a little longer in Vesta's hands. The two appeared to have a history, that Urania Whimsiwick couldn't wait to discuss during the interviews.
Arabella Dalton followed her niece to the city hall, and the two were joined by Vesta's parents and brother. The goodbyes were bittersweet, with Vesta being congratulated on her performance, but her 6 years old brother not understanding why his sister was leaving. There were warm hugs, some last-minute advice, and Vesta was off to the train station.
In the adjoining room, Theseus embraced his mother and his girlfriend, Ophelia, before telling the latter that they needed to break up in case he died in the games. This led the girl to storm out, startling the peacekeepers who almost shot her. Now alone with his mom, he sighed, before telling her that "he was already bored of her". The woman smiled awkwardly, before pulling her son in a last tight hug and wishing him good luck.
In the train, Cleopatra Liu (winner of the 103rd Hunger Games) and Alisia Heath (winner of the 89th Hunger Games) were already waiting for their tributes, playing chess in the meantime. They got up when their tributes arrived, inviting them in. Vesta and Theseus introduced themselves to their mentors. Then out of the blue, Cleopatra launched a butter knife straight at Vesta's chest. Fortunately, the tribute had good reflexes and barely dodged it. Theseus caught it immediately, prompting appreciative nods. Alisia, who had sat back down due to her knee pain, congratulated the pair for their quick thinking, and lectured them on the fact that they needed to be aware of their surroundings at all times.
During the discussion, Cleopatra would throw an array of objects to the tributes, shouting "CONSTANT VIGILANCE". They kept discussing their training at Cleopatra's academy, as well as the appearance of a rival school a month earlier. Alisia soon got back to her carriage, claiming to be tired, while the other mentor kept drilling the pair and testing their skills. Theseus proved excellent with a bow and arrow, as well as a chair leg, seeing as there weren't many weapons in the train carriage. Vesta, on the other hand, showed great prowess in weaponless combat, managing to immobilize her mentor after her second try.
As the train arrived at the station, Cleopatra told her mentees that they had all the chances to win, and that she was proud that her academy allowed them to be the best they could be. The tributes thanked her, then stepped out onto the platform, where a crowd had formed. There were peacekeepers cordoning off the area to allow the tributes to go to their limousine. They approached the crowd to take pictures, oozing charisma. Unfortunately, Cleopatra and Alisia had to shoo them off as the crowd was getting rowdy.
Back at their apartment, Corban Janssen already awaited them with a full portfolio. It did not take long for them to choose an outfit, which was based on the white uniforms of quarry workers from district 2. The skimpy outfits did not hide much but both tributes were very comfortable exhibiting their ripped physiques. Cleopatra looked at them disapprovingly, muttering to herself that "this wasn't a bikini pageant".
However, Corban noticed that, if the pair's demeanor was very confident, they seemed to be very cold towards each other, barely talking. This continued until Cleopatra led them to the waiting area for the parade. Immediately, Theseus approached Caviar and Chyna, from 1. Vesta followed, hoping to secure an alliance as soon as possible with the other careers. Wary at first, they warmed up soon, sensing a nice chemistry in the group, and agreeing to train together for the next day.
Vanessa and Tarmac did not fare as well. Their stylist had insisted on dressing them as hovercrafts, complete with the wings and windshields. The outfits were very impractical, with Vanessa barely keeping her balance on the way and being held tightly by her district partner. Nevertheless, they soldiered on, awkwardly climbing into their carriages, and holding on to the chariot as the horses started marching.
The crowd went mad at Vesta and Theseus. Some women in the seating area fainted at the sight. The other men and women applauded and screamed and threw many flowers and other pieces of underwear at the pair. They smiled brightly, showing off their heroic physiques and standing proud. The other tributes weren't as attractive, but many of them still seemed confident and waved at the crowds, except for Coco (11) who seemed to have a breakdown and was being consoled by his district partner.
The hovercraft costumes almost revealed themselves too realistic and Vanessa nearly flew off the chariots. At one point, Tarmac had to hold her in the air like a kite. The picture later went viral in the Capitol, being featured in magazines and even turning into an ad for a kite company. After a bumpy ride, all the tributes stopped to listen to president Snow's speech. It did not differ much form the previous years. Eventually, Coriolanus Snow II concluded by the iconic phrase: "Let the Hunger Games begin, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
Back in their apartments, the tributes watched the commentary of the parade, given by Urania Whimsiwick and Corneo Anderson. The ambitious young man had had to take his aunt's place after her health had suddenly deteriorated. The pair still shared a nice chemistry, and they gave the title of best dressed to the tributes from 3 and their LED display outfits. However, Corneo decided to give another prize to the tributes from district 6, the title of "funniest outfits".
Vanessa did not even smile, but Tarmac and Sean laughed at her offended grimace. He then tried to calm down a hysterical Perseus Allfield while the tributes went to sleep, preparing themselves mentally for training the next day.
Corban was a little disappointed, but his tributes reassured him that he had done a great job. As Cleopatra offered him a glass of wine, Vesta took her district partner to the balcony. Due to a malfunction of the microphones, their conversation was not entirely recorded. However, Vesta was heard so say: "I'm not forgiving you, but we have to work together." To which Theseus answered that he did not expect to be forgiven.
This moment sparked a bit of controversy in the Capitol, with viewers speculating on the possible history between the pair, to no avail. Theseus went to his bedroom soon after, while Vesta chose to practice her knife throwing skills with Cleopatra and Alisia. The three discussed a bit of their respective training, and of the mentor's experience in the game, Alisia being the only remaining victor of the second incarnation of Panem to mentor. Maxima Liu was indeed too old, and the others had either died or disappeared.
Training:
The first day of training went fine. Carmelo Harrington was in a good mood and barely threatened the tributes. Tarmac and Vanessa soon split up, choosing to work on different skills. The little girl approached the mechanical station, where Eole and Plasma (5) worked on small devices. Vanessa showed an impressive amount of skill despite her young age, managing to disassemble two fake explosive devices and reassemble them into one. Eole praised her and even suggested to her district partner that they ally with her, but he refused.
Tarmac was competing with Rodeo (10) to see who could lift the heaviest weights. Both boys were very well-built, and their strength impressed even the mentors who stood in the upstairs gallery. Tarmac spent most of his time in the weights station for the next three days, sometimes dipping into the aquatic station to "refresh" himself. He ended up outlifting every tribute that came his way, but not learning much in terms of other skills.
Vesta and Theseus split up directly, each working with their district 1 counterpart. Theseus and Caviar worked in many stations, mainly focusing on combat, though they also perused the toxicology station in order to suss out their competition. The boys had a friendly banter, appearing relaxed and sharing many stories about their achievements and their "feminine conquests".
Vesta and Chyna also trained hard during this time, talking less striking a friendly rapport. They hogged the knife throwing station for almost an entire day, intimidating Coco (11). Vesta later told her mentor that she was impressed by her district 1 ally, as she seemed more focused and restrained as former tributes from that district.
On the second day, Vanessa started getting bored. She had worked to make traps and other contraptions, but it was enough for her and she began hiding behind the different racks and pieces of furniture. She startled Fuji (11) and Viber (3) this way, before climbing into the aerial obstacle course and dropping a handmade net on unsuspecting tributes. This caused some chaos, with Rodeo (10) trying (and failing) to climb up to her, and Vesta swearing she would be the first victim of the bloodbath.
That and Head trainer Harrington's reprimands were enough to lead Vanessa to calm down for the following day. She stopped bothering the others, instead grinning when she saw their angry looks. She decided to follow her district partner and to pester him to try out other training stations. Tarmac had spent the first two days in the weight stations, as it was where he excelled, but Vanessa's pestering led him to try out fire starting (where he was good) as well as camouflage and knife throwing (both of which were disasters).
Vesta and Theseus regularly gathered with their district 1 allies, discussing the other tributes who could be considered as threats. On the last day, during one of their discussions, Callum and Tammie (12) joined the group, and asked to be part of the alliance. Vesta and Caviar immediately refused but Theseus asked the 12 to leave the pack for a private discussion. With Chyna, who had had the occasion to train with the pair from 12, he explained that they were actually very strong contestants. After some discussion, Vesta and Caviar accepted to integrate the outsiders to the group at the condition that they were not to be trusted. Vesta later told Theseus that she did not trust them, but that she would rather use them as shields than the tributes from 1. Theseus agreed to the sentiment and wished his ally good luck as she was next for the training assessment.
As usual, no official statement was made about the contents of the training assessment, however some outside sources managed to gain some insight as to what had happened. Allegedly, Vesta had shown an impressive display of sword fighting and Theseus had aligned bullseye after bullseye with his bow. Tarmac had shown feats of strength which had not impressed the assessors that much. Vanessa however had shocked the jury by quickly fabricating what looked like an explosive device and throwing it up to the game makers. This led to a short panic as the device "exploded" to show a crude drawing of a ghost saying "boo".
Fortunately, Vanessa did not get tazered as she offered her most innocent look. The rest of the assessments took place, with Coco (11) having another nervous breakdown and the pair from 12 making a strong impression. The results this year were quite impressive, with many tributes getting high scores. Chyna (1), Theseus and Vesta (2) and Tammie (12) had gotten an 11. Close behind were Caviar (1) and Callum (12) with a 10. Eole (5) and Gren (7) had managed to get a 9. Vanessa had scored a surprising 7, same as Tarmac, and at the bottom of the list were Coco (11) and Fern (7) with a 3.
Interviews:
Sean was very happy with his mentees scores, especially Vanessa's. She had fared much better than Fern, the only other 12-year-old in the competition. Theseus and Vesta were very glad about their scores, but Cleopatra warned them that this year would have very strong competition, and to keep an eye on Tammie and Callum.
That evening, Urania Whimsiwick came onstage with a translucent blue dress, reminiscing of the ghost-like mutts of the previous arena. She was alone, which caused some questions to arise in the crowd. It had in fact been announced that Helion Cardew would be returning this year. Anticipating the question, Urania announced that he had been taken ill ("nothing serious fortunately"), and that he would return when he felt better.
After the interviews of Chyna and Caviar, it was time for Vesta's interview. She wore a sparkling white gown with a deep neckline that made everyone in the audience gasp. Urania asked her she was going to get married today, which dissipated the tension and made Vesta laugh. They talked about her many talents, but people in the Capitol were only expecting one burning question. "So, it seems you have an history with your district partner, could you tell me about Theseus?"
People held their breath and Vesta seemed taken aback, turning as red as Chyna's bustier. After a few seconds of thought gathering, the girl decided to tell the truth, explaining that she had been in a romantic relationship with Theseus a couple of years prior, and that it had ended rather abruptly. She sighed with relief as the timer for the interview ran out and she almost ran off the stage.
Theseus tried to muster his usual laid-back attitude, but his constant shifting around made it clear that he was uncomfortable. Urania tried to push on to get more juicy gossip out of him, but he rather masterfully avoided the question, choosing instead to elaborate on why being a victor would be an immense honor. Nevertheless, he left the stage with thunderous applause thanks to his charisma. The interviews that followed were reported for the most part to be rather entertaining, but not especially memorable.
The interview of Vanessa was way more interesting. After lots of arguing with her stylist, he accepted to have her wear the fluffiest, girliest outfit she could think of. She ditched the usual greys of her district for a bright pink dress, with a bow in her hair. The outfit on her tiny frame, combined with her childlike face endeared her to the Capitol, some radical citizens even complaining that she was forced to compete at her age (interestingly, no one made that reflection about Fern (7), who was a month younger).
Vanessa charmed Urania and the public with her cuteness, as well as her wit. She was able to answer the questions without hesitation, explaining that she thought she had the skills to win. When asked if she was ready to fight stronger tributes, she responded: "Don't be ridiculous! I know my strengths, and it would be stupid of me to try and take on another tribute. That's why I'll ally with Tarmac!"
The little girl left a lasting impression on the Capitol, as opposed to her district partner. He came to the stage dressed in a boring dark suit. He was very polite to Urania, but most of his answers were composed of nervous giggling and awkward silences. He was dismissed under some polite clapping, to leave place to the pair from 7, who were brother and sister. Their sob story completely eclipsed Tarmac. When Fern had been selected, then her 13 years old brother Ivan, the eldest brother, Gren, had volunteered in place of his brother, hoping to protect his sister.
The rest of the interviews passed relatively quickly. The tributes were at least polite, some were even entertaining. The interviews of Tammie and Callum (12) were quite disappointing, as they seemed rather closed and angry, refusing politely but firmly to answer to some questions. If everything went well onstage, a serious incident happened in the public. As Urania was finally about to introduce the new Head Gamemaker, a young member of the audience had a violent seizure. This caused a small panic, but fortunately no one else was hurt and two peacekeepers escorted his twitching body out of the premises.
It was announced the next day that the victim had succumbed to an overdose of a new drug. It was the first official mention of that drug, called "Felicity", that had allegedly appeared around a year earlier in the Capitol, but was still relatively unknown.
After everyone had sat back down, Urania Whimsiwick finally unveiled the identity of the new Head Gamemaker, who had worked as assistant Gamemaker since the 102nd Hunger Games. Selen Orpington was a middle-aged woman with light brown hair. Her round figure and chubby cheeks immediately attracted sympathy as she bantered a little and explained to the crowd that this year's games would hopefully be "very dynamic".
She was cheered on by the public as she exited the stage and Urania launched the start of a night of festivities in all the Capitol. Meanwhile, the tributes were getting ready for the next day and went to sleep early, leaving their mentors to their own devices. Cleopatra and Alisia discussed a little while playing cards, while Sean Callahan discreetly escaped the apartment to join Edmund Carrell (winner of the 104th games) in a room free from any recording device.
Day 1:
Vanessa and Tarmac were awoken by a slightly disheveled mentor. He didn't seem to have gotten much sleep, but he encouraged them to eat enough for breakfast. He then took his mentees to their holding rooms, where they changed to a simple outfit of grey pants and jacket. Tarmac guessed that the arena would be temperate this year. He exchanged pleasantries with his mentor for one last time before entering his tube, Sean leaving to visit Vanessa.
The young girl was barely holding on, tears welling up in her eyes. Aided by her mentor, she stepped into the tube. He hugged his trembling tribute one last time. Vanessa took a deep breath to calm down. Her expression hardened and she murmured "let's give them hell".
Theseus and Vesta had woken up earlier than necessary in order to warm up and mentally prepare for the imminent games. They exchanged last minute strategies, then locked eyes for a short time, before being shaken out of it by Alisia.
The older woman escorted Theseus to his holding room. The young man was silent for most of the waiting time. Respecting his intimacy, Alisia didn't distract him. However, as he started climbing into his tube, she advised him to use Vesta's feelings against her, claiming that she had seen enough winning Daltons in her lifetime. Theseus did not react as he was sent up.
Vesta struggled a little more. She was stressed, letting out a string of curse words when her hair got stuck in the zipper of her jacket. Cleopatra helped her calm down with reassuring words. After Vesta had boarded the tube, a bit less tense than when she entered the room, Cleopatra warned her about her relationship with Theseus. Vesta straightened up and agreed, although with some reluctance. "Fool me once..." she began just as the glass closed.
The tribute podiums rose up in what seemed to be a very small arena, a square maybe 150 feet wide surrounded by high concrete walls. However, the cameras rose in the air, displaying to the viewers that the cornucopia clearing was actually in the center of a maze ten times bigger. Most of the walls were 20 feet high and would prove almost impossible to climb. However, the ground was covered in grass and shrubbery as well as a few gangly trees.
In the center of the cornucopia, which this year was only made up of a circular concrete platform with a flat roof, laid 24 backpacks. Other weapons and food items were scattered around. Confused tributes looked around, taking only a few seconds to notice the four openings (one on each side) leading out of the central clearing.
Vesta was placed in the Northwest corner, right next to Chyna. She nodded to her ally as Head Gamemaker Orpington wished the tributes good luck and launched the 60 seconds countdown. Vesta offered a grim smile to Tarmac who stood on her other side. The boy smiled in response, disconcerting her. She focused again on the weapons and spotted a nice sword laying on the side closer to her.
Theseus stood in front of the South exit. He glanced at Tammie and Caviar, to his right, and tried to signal to Vesta. She did not appear to notice him, so he redirected his attention on the cornucopia and spotted a bow and a quiver that were situated right in the middle of it. For the last ten seconds, he took a deep breath, looking around to guess which tributes would try to get to the cornucopia.
Vanessa ended up finding her partner's podium just as the gong sounded. She froze as Tarmac jumped to the ground and ran to the cornucopia. Fights were already erupting for weapons or other supplies. Rodeo fought with the girl from 8 for one of the backpacks. Gren (7) crossed the entirety of the clearing, grabbing two unattended backpacks and his sister, who was also frozen in place on her podium, and exiting the area.
Theseus had immediately run to the cornucopia, but he collided on the way with the boy from 8. The pair struggled for a few seconds until Theseus grabbed a stray throwing knife (very badly thrown by Kida (9)). He stabbed it in the younger boy's throat and got back into the fray. Callum (12) was in the process of bludgeoning the boy from 4 with a small shield. In the middle of the cornucopia stood the bow and arrows and Theseus grabbed the weapon, shooting an arrow with great accuracy into the boy from 9's heart.
By that time, a few tributes had already left in search of a shelter, and it had become less crowded. Tammie (12) and Caviar (1) joined the cornucopia soon after, the latter stabbing a spear through the girl from 3 on the way. Chyna (1) had been tackled by Rodeo (10) within a few seconds. However, helped by Vesta, she was able to escape, and the big boy fled in search of an easier target. He found it just as he escaped the cornucopia: the girl from 8 did not resist much as he stabbed her in the neck.
Tarmac finally entered the cornucopia. Most of the career pack was occupied, attacking the last few tributes that had entered the cornucopia. He saw Theseus aiming another arrow at Vanessa, who had yet to move from her podium, and threw himself at the boy. He almost crushed him with his weight, but a searing pain entered his lower back. Vesta removed her sword and stabbed it again into the boy from 6.
Vanessa was shaken out of her daze by the cries of agony coming from Tarmac. She noticed she was the only tribute left in the clearing and took off running. Thankfully, she was fast. Vesta intended to pursue her, but Chyna convinced her not to. "What bad can a 12-year-old do anyway", said the girl from 1. The alliance started gathering supplies and making sure all the tributes in the cornucopia clearing were dead.
Meanwhile, Vanessa ran. She only stopped when the 6 bloodbath cannons sounded a few minutes later. She was the only one in this eastern part of the maze apart from Coco and Fuji (11). She took some time inspecting the smooth concrete walls. As she walked away from the central clearing, they appeared to become more damaged. The plant growth was more important, with many prickly bushes. Vanessa's stomach groaned. She looked around for anything edible but did not dare to eat any plant she didn't recognize. It was actually a good strategy, as Viber (3) had tried some berries earlier and immediately vomited them, emptying his stomach furthermore.
A little later in the day, she heard some noise behind her. Looking around, she did not see anything, and decided to walk away from that area. Unbeknownst to her, the pair from 11 was stealthily following. They hesitated between killing her and allying with her, as she had had a decent assessment score. They kept following her until late afternoon as she tried to find a place to hide. After another dead end, she spotted some thick vines that grew on one of the walls and decided to climb it.
There were some close calls as some branches detached themselves from the worn concrete. Hands sticky with sap, she scaled up to the top and sat to catch her breath. From her vantage point, she could see the entire arena, but not the ground as it was hidden by the walls. Urania compared the girl to a fairy, with her childish features and the leaves tangled in her hair. Vanessa moved away from the perimeter. The walls were about four feet thick, which eased her travel, and reassured her that she could hide just by laying down.
The sound of cracking branches was heard coming from where Vanessa had climbed a few minutes later, followed by a cannon which startled the extended career pack. It was revealed that the 11s had tried to climb the same vine as Vanessa. They were heavier, unfortunately. As they were climbing, Coco almost at the top and Fuji lower, the plant detached from the wall, sending both tributes crashing on the ground. Coco landed on a rock, snapping his neck. Fuji got out of it covered with scratches and bruises but without any major injuries. She ran away, leaving the task of detangling the corpse to the hovercraft.
Until then, Chyna, Caviar, Theseus, Vesta, Tammie, and Callum had stayed in the clearing. They had sorted all the supplies, hidden what they did not need and talked a bit more about their lives in their own district. The tributes from 12 shocked their allies when they explained the working conditions in the steel mills. Callum even showed off his burn scars. That sequence was later censored in order to protect the sensibilities of the viewers.
The sun was slowly going down, lengthening the shadows in the maze. The pack decided to split up. Tammie and Caviar would stay in the clearing and ambush any passing tributes, while Chyna and Vesta headed South, and Theseus and Callum headed North. It did not take long for the girls to spot the pair from 5 who were desperately trying to hide. Plasma had been stabbed in the leg during the bloodbath and wasn't able to walk properly. As Vesta saw he was in no state to fight, she grinned and approached. Chyna followed, her axe at the ready. Eole had her back turned, so she did not see the girls arrive until her partner screamed at her to run. She jumped out of the way of Chyna's axe, as it sliced into the chest of Plasma, sounding his cannon within 10 seconds. Vesta tried to run after Eole, but she was taller and more athletic.
Chyna removed her axe from Plasma's body and gently closed his eyes. She asked her partner if it was worth running after the escapee, but they both agreed that it was too late. "At least you got a kill", concluded Vesta, a bit frustrated. They walked around a little more hoping to find another tribute but the area they explored was empty.
Callum and Theseus did not have as much luck. They did not find anyone, even though they had walked by Viber (3) twice. He had passed out underneath a thick bush after his misadventures with the toxic berries. The career pack regrouped as it got darker. They built a big fire, not fearing to be spotted, and bantered until they heard the hymn of Panem. It could be noticed by eagle-eyed viewers that Vesta and Theseus kept sharing glances over the fire, sometimes lingering on for a few seconds. At midnight, it was shown that the girl from 3, the boy from 4, Plasma (5), Tarmac (6), both tributes from 8, the boy from 9 and Coco (11) had died, leaving 16 tributes for the next day.
Day 2:
Vanessa did not sleep well on the concrete wall. Many times, she woke up about to fall down. Up high, there was no protection against the wind. She waited a bit for the rising sun to heat her enough. She set off in search of a way to come back down, as Coco had torn the vines entirely off the wall. Her mouth was dry and her back sore, but she kept on walking around the perimeter. She spotted Eole (5), who was sharpening a handmade spear in a corner.
Eventually, she found another wall that was covered in luxurious plant growth but just as she was about to descend, she noticed two suspicious bushes right under her feet. Cameras zoomed in to show than Gren and Fern (7) had camouflaged themselves for the night and were still asleep. Vanessa continued to stealthily climb down but when she was only a quarter of the way down a cannon sounded. It awoke the sleeping tributes and Vanessa scampered back up before they noticed her.
Vesta and Theseus had taken the last watch. They sat a little further from the group and whispered all night. In fact, their tone was so quiet that the microphones could not pick up any audio. However, the discussion involved a lot of staring. As the sun rose, Theseus appeared to put his hand on Vesta's thigh. She stood up immediately and left his company to look at the North entrance, her fists balled up.
The boy shrugged and decided to patrol around the cornucopia clearing. At the end of their watch, as the sun had risen and the temperature had gone back up, Vesta had not budged. She kept staring into the maze and refused to talk. Theseus decided to wake the others, after a fruitless attempt at an apology. Suddenly, Vesta hear the shuffle of leaves further ahead. A bush seemed to shake, she approached it and out jumped Regatta (4), who had hoped to steal some supplies from the cornucopia. Vesta threw her sword, missing the other girl by mere inches, then took off after her. Regatta was not as athletic as Eole (5), unfortunately for her. Vesta caught up to her very quickly and jumped onto her back, sending them both to the ground. After a brief struggle, Vesta gained the upper hand and wrapped her fingers around Regatta's throat.
As the cannon sounded, Vesta raised her head. She saw her allies arrive, ready to fight. She stood up, dusted herself off and grabbed her sword. "Well, you didn't need help after a-aaaaaah!" screamed Theseus. Vesta looked at the terrified faces of her allies, then heard the heavy thud of hooves. Behind her, a sizeable bull was charging. The mutt was way bigger than average cattle, with sharp horns. It had been sent into the arena a little earlier along with two of its brothers to terrorize the tributes.
The group ran immediately, but they were slower than the beast. In order to further their chances of survival, they split up in the central clearing. Theseus, along with Tammie and Callum, managed to hide in a corner where they had camouflaged part of their supplies. From afar, he could see the other group. They were not trying to hide, however. He heard Caviar scream about something red, and Vesta threw him one of the red tarps that were in the cornucopia. Caviar opened it and shouted at the bull, grabbing its attention. It worked a little too well and it charged, only for the boy to dodge at the last moment.
Caviar had not considered the massive size of the beast. By dodging the head, he had put himself in the way of the horn. It pierced his torso, sounding its cannon, before sending his body flying away. A disgusting crack was heard, and the cameras quickly shifted towards another angle. Meanwhile, Vesta was running around the mutt, trying to get his attention. Chyna was doing the same. It seemed to have trouble choosing between the two targets.
Theseus, after making sure that there was no other mutt coming, came out of his hiding place and notched an arrow into his bow. It hit the mutt in the rear, making it even angrier, but it diverted its attention. Vesta approached and sliced into one of its legs. The remainder of the career pack approached the now limping monster. They took turns catching its attention in order for the others to strike. Soon enough, Vesta planted her sword into its neck, killing the bloodied beast.
Another of the bull mutts had tried to attack Rodeo and Crema (10). Fortunately, the pair happened to work with cows and bulls in their district, and they managed to dodge it before shooing it away with fire. It then chose to attack Kida (9), who showed surprising agility. She ducked and ran until she found a narrower passage within the maze where the bull got stuck due to its wide horns.
The third mutt was a little more successful. In the late morning, Vanessa saw it approach the pair from 7 but did not say anything. The bull charged and did not leave enough time for them to flee or hide. It trampled Gren to death, leaving the little Fern. She started crying. At that moment, Vanessa called out to her from her wall. As the bull prepared to charge again, Fern climbed as fast as she could. She was just high enough to avoid the mutt when it came crashing into the wall, breaking both of its horns on impact, and knocking itself out. Fern whimpered but continued climbing anyway. Vanessa encouraged her and when she was high enough, she offered her hand. Fern took it, grateful, and thank the other girl. "Don't thank me too soon", replied Vanessa. Then she pushed Fern. The little girl was as shocked as the audiences in the Capitol who saw her plummet 20 feet and break her neck.
There was a long silence in the viewing square as well as in Ravinstill studios. "Wow" said Urania, "I wasn't expecting that" ... No one knew how to feel, until Vanessa heard the sound of a silver parachute floating down towards her. It contained an array of scrap metal, wires and small tools, with a note saying "Give them hell! – S.". Vanessa smiled and immediately got to work, apparently not giving a second thought about the two corpses being retrieved.
The rest of the day was relatively quiet. She ended up building three small devices similar to bear traps. The main difference was that they were small and projected a few razor-sharp blades when triggered. She dropped one in the middle of the path, then made her way towards the cornucopia clearing where she guessed there would be more activity. Just when she started thinking about how thirsty she was, another sponsor gift came flying down. She was glad to see a bottle of water along with an energy bar and thanked her sponsors.
Theseus, Vesta, and their allies were not too surprised about the two cannons, guessing that their mutt was not the only one that had been sent into the arena. Therefore, they opted to stay together for the rest of the day. They explored around the clearing, not finding much besides discarded supplies. At one point during the late afternoon, another cannon sounded, which belonged to Kida (9). She had run into Eole (5) who had stabbed her with her makeshift spear. Rodeo (10) had also been hit in the arm but managed to escape. As soon as the career pack came back later in the day, they were surprised to see a voluminous parachute in the middle of the clearing. It was addressed to the entire group and was signed by all of their mentors. It contained a small feast and 5 water bottles.
As the night grew dark, Theseus suggested taking the first watch. Surprisingly, Vesta took the watch with him. She had been rather cold all day towards her district partner. She waited until the others were asleep to ask the burning question: "Why did you cheat on me?". Theseus barely reacted. "I was drunk, I was bored, what else do you want me to say." That was not the expected response and Vesta slapped him. There were Ooohs and Aaahs in the viewing square. "You're a pathetic excuse of a man."
Theseus agreed. He did not apologize. He did not say anything in fact. "Did you even like me?", Vesta followed up. Without looking at her, he said "Yes, how could I not?". There was a sigh, then she kissed him. He appeared confused but she explained that one of them would die anyway, so they might as well make up for lost time. The pair subsequently got intimate as the portraits of the dead were displayed in the sky. Caviar (1), Regatta (4), Gren and Fern (7) and Kida (9) had perished that day. Head Gamemaker Orpington announced later in the evening that things were going to move for the 11 remaining tributes the next day.
Day 3:
And move they did. Vanessa was the first to feel the vibrations in the walls as they grew stronger. A loud grinding noise alerted her to the imminent danger, and she ran towards the cornucopia clearing, hoping to be safe there. Running parallel to her, but down on the ground, were Crema and Rodeo (10) who had gotten the same idea. However, they had not taken into account that the career pack was still camping there.
Vesta and Theseus had gotten little sleep that night. The girl blushed when she woke up in Theseus's arms and looked around to see if anyone had seen her. "Hi, said Chyna, don't try to hide it, we all heard you." This answered her question. The group were the only ones to be awake before the earthquake, if it was one. For a few minutes, Theseus listened intently to Callum and Tammie who were having a heated discussion further away. When the rumbling came, all of them were ready to go hunting. And there came the pair from 10. They were soon followed by Eole (5). Vanessa came close but she decided to find a way to climb down in case the walls fell.
Crema and Rodeo skidded to a halt and turned around, but it was too late. Tammie had thrown a knife into Rodeo's leg, making him collapse to the ground. Theseus aimed and shot an arrow straight into Crema's throat, sounding her cannon. Only Eole managed to escape once again. They cheered but not for long, because the walls started to move. Slowly at first but going faster. Some of the huge concrete blocks rotated, closing off paths, while others moved closer, menacing to squish tributes.
A scream sounded, then a first cannon. It belonged to Fuji (11), who had stepped into one of Vanessa's traps. It had not killed her, but she could not walk anymore, and the walls had caught up to her. Vanessa was holding on to her wall, menacing to fall at any time. Her hand almost got turned into mash when another wall collided with hers. She removed it just in time, but the shock threw her to the ground, 20 feet down, between the moving walls.
Vesta led the group in a mad race. They heard the cannon of Rodeo (10), who could not move anymore. They ran over logs and bushes and almost got crushed when Vesta turned into a narrowing dead end. They were completely lost. Callum spotted what seemed to be a way out of the moving corridors and signaled it to his allies. They ran faster, but Tammie rolled her ankle on a branch and fell. Her district partner stopped to help her up, but she could not walk anymore. He proposed to carry her, and she gave him a sad smile. Theseus and Chyna grabbed Callum and forced him to sprint.
Tammie's cannon rang a little later. Seeing the concrete walls approaching, she had taken her own life with a knife to avoid suffering too much. Callum cried and roared in anger, but he kept up with the group until they found an immobile spot. Slowly, the walls came to a grinding halt and silence fell back to the arena. The career pack was out of breath and in a glum mood. They did not talk much that day, except to exchange information. It was however noticed that Theseus often laid his hands on his partner, on a shoulder or a hip. She did not seem to mind.
Vanessa had landed on a bush, which stopped her from getting too injured. She was nevertheless covered in bruises. It took her some time to get up. She half ran half limped towards the central clearing. Fortunately for her, it was one of the safest areas. It had become twice as small due to the walls approaching, but the cornucopia had stayed intact. She helped herself to the leftovers of the career's feast then grabbed a throwing knife that Tammie had left next to the fire. Vanessa subsequently climbed on the thin circular roof of the cornucopia. It took her many attempts, seeing as she was very short, but a loose piece of rope proved it could come a long way. She stayed there all night, nursing her wounds, and resting. She did not even bother to move when Eole came snooping around in search of weapons.
Meanwhile, the career pack seemed to work on their mathematics skills. They were trying to count out the remaining number of tributes. None of their calculations were accurate, so they set off to try and find a tribute and explore the new layout of the maze. It was only later in the evening that they found Viber (3). He hadn't moved out of his hiding spot since day 1. His legs had been crushed under the concrete wall and, delirious with pain, he begged the others to end his suffering. Chyna complied and chopped his head clean off. Later in the evening, the portraits of Viber (3), Crema and Rodeo (10), Fuji (11) and Tammie (12) were shown. This left only 6 surviving tributes, namely Chyna (1), Vesta and Theseus (2), Eole (5), Vanessa (6) and Callum (12).
Day 4:
Theseus woke up to a wet splatter, followed by a cannon. He opened his eyes to see Vesta, knife in hand, holding the body of Callum. Theseus wiped the blood from his face. He was about to say something when Chyna jumped to her feet, holding her axe. "Don't worry, said Vesta, I respect you too much to kill you in your sleep. Actually, I was thinking we could be the final three." The girl from 1 slowly put her weapon down but stayed alert. The hovercraft came to collect Callum, and the others saw it as a sign to get moving. The walls on the periphery of the arena started to move again, slowly rearranging to leave only the central clearing accessible.
The viewing square was packed this year, many Capitolites fighting over their favorite tribute. The career pack had a massive following, thanks to their good fighting and, let's be honest, their looks. Eole had a small following too. She'd seemed bland in her interviews but proved to be a skilled fighter and entertained the Capitol with her snarky remarks during the games. Then there was Vanessa, who no one thought would make it this far. Her odds had grown from 1 to 97 to 1 to 14.
The girl had stayed on top of the cornucopia, preparing her two remaining traps. Eventually, she gently dropped one and dangled the rope over it. The trap worked. The career pack arrived in the peaceful clearing, thinking they were alone there. Chyna was the first to walk towards the rope, whispering to her allies that there was a tribute on the roof. Vesta and Theseus circled around and the crowds in the viewing square screamed at Chyna to be careful. It was to no avail. She walked on the trap, provoking deep cuts on her legs.
It would not have been a deadly injury, if Vanessa had not thrown the other trap directly into Chyna's screaming face, shutting her up for good. The cannon sounded and Vanessa let out a sad*stic cackling. Eole took advantage of the distraction to jump out of a nearby bush and tackle Vesta. She fell next to Chyna, cutting her back with the remains of Vanessa's constructs. Theseus took out his bow and shot Vanessa in the neck as she was desperately trying to remove the rope. She collapsed on the roof and more blood dribbled down onto the fighting girls.
Theseus was readying another arrow, his last one, but Vesta and Eole were moving around too much. And in the end, he did not have to. To the surprise of many, he stood there for a few minutes, seemingly bored, until a cannon sounded.
Vesta had dropped her sword when she fell. She wrestled with Eole for her wooden spear until it cracked. So, they used their fists, punching and scratching each other. Eventually, Vesta stunned her opponent with a well placed headbutt and grabbed the rope that Vanessa had dropped earlier. It took some time, but she managed to strangle Eole. She stood up, bloodied and tired. She felt a sharp pain when an arrow pierced her chest. "You know, I did really love you once, said Theseus, smiling sadly."
"You have no honor, responded Vesta, you couldn't even fight me properly."
"I know, but you're the one who's dying not me. And where I'm going, I don't need honor I just need to be hot." Vesta used a last breath for an ultimate expletive, and Theseus Fierro was crowned victor of the 106th Hunger Games.
Aftermath:
Theseus was taken to the hospital to treat minor injuries before going back to the Capitol. He was interviewed the next evening by a rather tepid Urania. He wore a stunning white toga assorted with his dazzling smile. It did not seem as though he had been fighting to the death the day before.
He answered with ease to Urania's questions, stating that he was very proud of winning the games. He spoke highly of his allies from districts 1 and 12, but never mentioned Vesta. The host waited until the end of the evening to talk about her. She asked Theseus if he was in love with Vesta, to which he responded with an infamous "kinda", later explaining that he got bored easily with his many conquests.
Urania later stated that she highly despised "this kind of womanizer", and it was well known in the Capitol that the two hated each other. Theseus did not come back to district 2, allegedly afraid of backlash from the Dalton family. He had a brief but passionate affair with Edmund Carrell and was known to be a breaker of couples in the Capitol. He also gained a career in modeling, participating in many advertisem*nt campaigns and fashion shows.
Chapter 6: The 107th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 107th Hunger Games took place in the year 143, during an unprecedented heatwave. All the youths in district 12, which was usually quite fresh during the summer, were sweating and burning under the sun. Their clothes were stained with soot and ash. Mayor Donner heaved in his too warm suit.
After a short tour of their newest steel mill, Theseus Fierro, winner of the 106th Hunger Games, strutted onto the reaping stage followed by the mayor. He greeted the assembled youths, talked a little about all the delights he had experienced in the Capitol and wished them good luck before marching towards the female reaping bowl. He picked up a slip of paper, reading the name of 15 years old Beam Cantini.
In the middle of the crowd, a plain looking girl gasped. She had black hair, brown eyes, and a dusting of freckles. A woman in the audience screamed, presumably Beam's mother, but she was quickly neutralized by the peacekeepers. The girl walked hesitantly towards the stage, as if calculating a way out of the reaping square. She reluctantly shook hands with Theseus and Mayor Donner.
The male tribute for district 12 was revealed to be Peter Davis, 14 years old. After the initial shock, there was a look of recognition in the dark-haired boy's eyes. He made his way to the stage, encouraged by his friends, and embraced the female tribute. Urania Whimsiwick explained that according to her sources, Peter and Beam were neighbors in the Seam, the poorest area of district 12.
Mayor Donner did not waste any time, seeing as he was about to have a heatstroke. He wished the tributes good luck and dismissed the other inhabitants of district 12 in order to retreat inside his climatized villa. Inside the city hall, the tributes were taken to separate rooms, where they could say goodbye to their families. Beam became infuriated when she saw her mother with a black eye and bloody nose. She almost attacked the peacekeepers, but her parents persuaded her to not make things worse. She quieted down and they spoke of the action plan they had thought of in case one of the Cantini children was reaped. Gregor and Antoni, her younger brothers, were now old enough to work in one of the factories, so they could help the family survive. She kept saying that everything would go fine.
Peter was visited by his aunt and uncle, since his parents had died before the district returned under Panem's control. He held his aunt in his wiry arms while she cried. His uncle gave him advice on what to do, but unfortunately, he did not seem to know much. After more embraces and hopeful promises, he was taken to the train along with Beam.
Sitting patiently on a sofa was their mentor, Talon Highbottom. He was an engineer whose work had been crucial in reinstating the Games a few years earlier. His aquiline nose and piercing grey stare under thick eyebrows intimidated Beam and Peter. He invited them to sit, introducing himself. The pair hesitated, Talon reiterating his invitation in a more assertive tone.
When everyone was settled and food was brought out, he said: "I don't think you are going to win". He only seemed slightly disappointed. Beam protested, saying that she would do everything in her power to win the games. Peter agreed, then they looked at each other and it dawned on them. "You are too close. You won't be able to kill the other and in that moment of weakness, that's when you'll get hit." The trio stayed silent for the remaining of the long ride.
Eventually, Talon gave the tributes many strategic advice, to which they did not seem to react. Lost in thought, they remained immobile, shoulder to shoulder. "We're here."
"What?"
"We're at the station, get up, said the mentor."
Peter and Beam sat up, still dazed. They had not taken the time to freshen up, having stared out the window the entire time. Peter looked like a deer in headlights, blinded by the flashes of cameras and the colorful attire of the crowd. Talon nudged the pair towards them gently. They took pictures, tried to smile, but it was obvious they were overwhelmed. They climbed into their car.
Back at the accommodation center, Othello Crichton waited for them. He greeted them with pastries and a warm smile. Talon observed as he discussed with the tributes, asking for their input in the creation of their parade outfits. Othello joked about having the most time, since they were the first tributes to arrive in the Capitol. This put Beam and Peter at ease, and they even sampled the multicolored pastries. Over the remainder of the day, they proceeded to help their stylist draft a very simple outfit, which looked plain at first glance, but would light up slowly to imitate heated metal.
The next day was spent alternating between watching previous games and learning survival tactics with their mentor, who explained to them that any object can be a weapon if used correctly. As an example, he demonstrated tactics with a butter knife, a pillow, and even a toilet brush, while still managing to look dignified. Othello politely clapped as his assistants were putting the finishing touches to the outfits. Talon subsequently turned the screen back on to watch the last two reapings. However, it was only Urania's face on the screen, informing Panem that Theseus Fierro had been the victim of an assassination attempt. He was fortunately in good shape but had still been transferred to the Gamp clinic in order to tend to minor wounds. Ophelia Platt, an ex-girlfriend of his, was to be executed the next day for attempted murder.
The two tributes were then announced by mayor Dalton. The task of picking the tributes of district 1 also came to the mayor, Ivorius Greene. Since there were about a dozen volunteers, each would have one minute to convince the crowd, and there would be a subsequent vote. Ruby Costa, 17, charmed the crowd with her girly attitude coupled with an impromptu knife throwing display. When her name was announced, she smiled and came back onto the stage.
Her male counterpart, Sheen Silverstein, was relatively unimpressive for a career tribute. His narrow frame and ashy blond hair did not appear very menacing, but the other pupils of the training academy were aware of his talents as a fighter and strategist. He was also very skilled with his words, seeing as he won the suffrage with more than 90 percent of the votes.
On the podium, he warmly shook hands with Ruby and mayor Greene before the pair were escorted to the city hall. Ruby embraced her mother and father, who wished her good luck. Her father then handed her a small gold necklace with a heart shaped pendant, to "keep her safe". Without more effusions, Ruby left.
Sheen sat alone for a few minutes, before a Peacekeeper came in with a piece of paper. The boy seemed to light up for a second before seeing that it was not who he expected. On the paper were written only a few words: "You did good son. Good luck". It was not signed, but it could only belong to his father, owner of Silverstein Beauty, a staple in the Capitol. He sighed, before getting up and joining Ruby in the train.
Pilar Dundee greeted them with a tired smile. Seeing all her tributes dying each year had taken an unexpected toll on her. She invited her tributes to sit and introduce themselves, even though they knew her and each other from their time at the training academy, where Pilar was allowed to give punctual lectures about the games. On the short train ride, the mood was lighthearted. Ruby and Sheen were excited to arrive in the Capitol and they demonstrated their (butter) knife throwing skills on the mahogany table.
At the station, the pair gave a good impression. They were easy-going with the crowd, taking pictures and even signing pieces of paper. Pilar watched intently as Sheen posed with two children and Ruby demanded to retake a picture, but with her good profile this time. This made the photographer laugh and he readily accepted. Eventually, the mentor had to herd her tributes away from the crowd to take them to the accommodation center.
There, Clio Carpenter and her team of stylists were already hard at work. The tiny old woman barely acknowledged their arrival, only directing one of her youngest workers to take measurements of the tributes. It took a record time of two hours for them to complete the outfits. Sheen and Ruby were amazed at the intricate silver lace and flowing white silk. After some diligent make up, they were ready to head to the Tribute's Avenue for the parade.
The parade:
Beam and Peter stayed close together, intimidated by the noise and the other tributes. They did not interact with any other, instead choosing to climb onto their chariot immediately. The pair from 11 was crying into each other's arms. To the front of the procession, Ruby and Sheen had struck a polite conversation with Nikki and Icarus, from 2. It was obvious that the chemistry from the past year wasn't there, and the discussion was very brief.
The crowd was very enthusiastic when the parade started. People cheered on Ruby and Sheen whose silver and white suit and gown were stunning. The pair confidently waved with a big smile. At the end of the runway, they both detached their silver capelets and threw them into the crowd, almost causing a riot where they landed.
At first, no one paid attention to Beam and Peter's austere outfits. However, as the bottom part started to glow red, then orange, then white, the crowd went mad. This made the pair from 12 feel a little more confident and by the end of the parade, they were smiling and waving. Their outfits were now bright white and luminous, with a little fake smoke billowing out of the collars.
Right there and then, Corneo declared them the winners of best dressed for this year, without a second thought. Urania thoroughly agreed, stating that it was one of the most inventive outfits she had seen. The commentary cut to the speech of president Snow II, who this year warned the districts about resentment and vengeance (admittedly in relation to the incident in district 2) and wished the games to unite the people of Panem.
Othello Crichton could barely contain his joy. He embraced his tributes and was even congratulated by Talon Highbottom with a pat on the back. They all shared a plate of sweets and some sparkling wine to celebrate. A little later in the night, however, Talon ordered his tributes to go to bed, stating that the training days were very important. He told them to try and find trustworthy allies and to work on their skills.
The pair from 1 was a little disappointed, but Pilar Dundee assured them that they had made a lasting impression. Anyway, she said, no winner of "best dressed" has ever won the games... Ruby considered it for a moment and agreed. They went to bed early in order to be in top condition for training the next day. That night, it was rumored that a small party had happened on the rooftop of the accommodation building, involving mentors Pilar Dundee, Atalanta Van Buren, Cleopatra Liu, as well as a number of stylists. However, no proof would ever be found.
Training:
Peter woke up with a slight headache. He stumbled out of bed and saw that Beam was in the same state. Nevertheless, Talon exhorted them to eat and get ready. The pain dissipated with the help of some fresh water and the pair descended to the training facility. They were surprised to not be the last, as the tributes from 1, 2 and 7 were late.
When everyone finally arrived, Head Trainer Carmelo Harrington launched into an exasperated tirade about lateness and lack of discipline, often glaring towards the mentor's gallery. He was so mad that he tasered Damask (8) when the young boy asked to go to the restroom. No one else dared to say a word (except for Organza Duval, who shouted a few obscenities as her mentee was taken to the infirmary).
Training began, and everyone scattered. Sheen was seen tinkering around in the electronics station before being invited to train with Icarus (2) at the swords station. The two boys were relatively equal, but Sheen still managed to cut off one of the other boy's dreadlocks with his weapon. Ruby, on the other hand, desperately tried to avoid Nikki (2). She tried her luck with Pearl and Edward (4) at the trident station, without much success. She subsequently circled around the most boring stations she could find, ducking behind racks and furniture when the girl from 2 appeared in her field of view.
Beam and Peter felt completely lost at first. They didn't really have any useful skills. At the end of the day, Peter had caused a small electric fire in the electronics station and Beam had almost drowned in the underwater obstacle course. The only training station where they were decent was the survival station. They could easily light a fire and construct shelters. That evening, Talon told them that it was an important skill to have, but that they should still learn to use one kind of weapon.
They followed this advice the next day. Beam proved quite good with a spear after a while. Her strength certainly played a big part in it, but by the end of the second day, she could hit a moving target most of the times. Peter mostly watched, uncertain of his skills. He tried sword fighting with Edward (4), but he was really bad at it. He subsequently trained in the agility station, stating that if he was bad at hitting people, he should be good at not getting hit.
Nikki finally caught up with Ruby, and almost forced her to compare their knife throwing skills. Ruby was very good but proved to be a very sore loser when the other girl won their little contest. Nikki was perplexed when she stormed off, but Sheen reassured her, explaining that Ruby had "a temperament". She passed her nerves in the sword fighting station, scaring off the tributes from 6 who were trying to mount an alliance.
On the third day, Astra (6) encountered Beam and suggested she join their alliance. Jet (6) said the same to Peter. As he was about to accept, Beam refused, stating that she did not trust them and therefore couldn't work with anyone other than her district partner. In the mentor gallery, Talon Highbottom facepalmed. He was the only mentor currently watching his tributes, the others being occupied with drinking and recounting their own training.
By the time the assessments came, the career pack had reformed. Ruby had another outburst when Nikki mentioned she wished to "torture at least one of them" but she was calmed down by Sheen. The boy had given up talking with Icarus, who had no other subject of conversation than his training. Ruby was the first to be assessed, and it is known that she produced a convincing display of knife throwing. Sheen followed, surprising the game makers by showing off his engineering skills to program bots and then destroying them with a sword. Most of the other displays were not reported on, as the junior game maker responsible for the leaks was apprehended just after Nikki had entered the room.
Later that evening, the scores were announced. Sheen and Nikki (2) had scored a 10, followed by Ruby and Icarus (2) with a 9. This sent Ruby into another quick rage, seeing she had once again been beaten by her district 2 counterpart. Pearl (4) was the only one to score an 8, the rest of the scores being between 7 and 3. Beam had garnered a respectable 6 and Peter a 5, but they did not even hear it as they were being chewed up by their mentor for not willing to get allies.
The Interviews:
The interviews took place that evening and, to many's surprise, Helion Cardew was present alongside Urania Whimsiwick. The latter wore a classy brown pantsuit. Her braids had been shaped like bull's horns and she sported a golden nose ring. She kept eyeing her co-host, who smiled but did not seem very sturdy on his legs. When he greeted Panem, his speech was slightly slurred, but few people seemed to take notice. After thorough analysis of the footage, it appeared that Helion as well as a few members of the audience were under the influence of Felicity. The drug had gained some popularity during the past year.
Nevertheless, the interviews started with Ruby, who came to the stage in a short and puffy red dress. Her blonde hair had been tied in pigtails. She waved to the crowd before sitting down. She behaved in a very sweet manner during the interview. Ruby answered the questions with poise and impressed with her optimism and knowledge of previous games. She even kept her sweet smile when Helion commented on the shortness of her dress, answering that she felt comfortable in it, which was the most important.
She subsequently spoke of her alliance with district 2, which had become a tradition again. Urania asked her what kind of arena there would be this year. Ruby thought a little, then suggested that there hadn't been a very hot one yet. She was cheered off of the stage and left Sheen to take her place. The boy was also well received. Helion mentioned that he didn't look like a career tribute, to which he replied quite coldly that his appearance would not matter in the arena. Urania interrupted Helion as he was about to escalate the situation by asking Sheen about his family. "Well, you surely know my father's company, Silverstein beauty."
"How could I not, she replied. If you win, I expect a gift card, Urania added jokingly."
Sheen laughed and the interview continued. At the end, he was also asked the arena question and guessed it would be someplace dry, like a desert. The interviews continued, with Urania having to keep Helion in check. He managed to heavily flirt with the beautiful Pearl (4) and Bess (10), as well as make Astra (6) cry and leave the stage. At the end of the evening, Urania was exhausted and Helion was exhilarated. Beam came up and sat uncomfortably in the seat. Her simple black dress was very elegant, and Urania complimented her. She asked if this one lit up too, and Beam apologized, saying that it did not.
Beam was made very uncomfortable by Helion, so her answers were mostly incoherent. She kept looking at the timer, hoping it would end sooner. She did not make a lasting impression on the Capitol, who mostly remembered Helion mocking her awkwardness. Peter did not fare much better. He was the last, so Urania had given up on controlling Helion. He managed to overcome his shyness and talk about his friendship with Beam and his life in district 12. However, he was stumped when Helion asked him if he had a strategy for surviving the game. After that, they had to cut the interview short because Helion was laughing too much at Peter's confused face. He left the stage with pitiful applause and was followed shortly by Helion.
Urania finished the evening alone, which appeared to relieve her. She lastly welcomed Head Gamemaker Selen Orpington. The older woman received a thunder of applause for her work on the last games. After the warm welcome, the two women sat down to talk about how Selen's life had changed after being promoted Head Gamemaker. Selen stayed humble and talked a bit about the process of creating an arena. She closed the interview by stating that she hoped the tributes could swim.
Day 1:
Beam had a terrible expression on the morning of the games. She hadn't slept all night. Peter was not much better. The pair talked a little while having breakfast, reminiscing their good memories. Peter made Beam promise that they would stay together until the end. They wished each other good luck for the bloodbath as they were whisked away to the arena.
In the launching rooms, they were made to wear a dark lycra suit with short sleeves and legs. Seeing the outfit, Talon immediately warned Peter that the arena would be water-based. The boy appeared to panic, claiming that he couldn't swim very well, but his mentor gently pushed him into the tube and held him until he calmed down. He left the room to go and meet Beam, who was already waiting in her tube.
Talon immediately saw through her resigned façade. He told her it was okay to be scared, but that she had to at least try. She nodded, saying that she promised to stay with her district partner as long as possible. Talon subsequently gave her a short hug before she started rising into the arena.
Sheen and Ruby had slept quite well, but they had woken up early in order to warm up. Ruby asked her district partner to help her put on her necklace. He wondered if she wouldn't lose it in the arena, but she told him that if she lost it, that would mean she was dead.
Pilar helped her mentee put on her bodysuit. They tried to talk about something other than the games, but it was difficult. In the end, Pilar just wished Ruby good luck, hoping that she would finally have someone to mentor with. She also went to say goodbye to Sheen, who was trembling (with excitation he said) in his tube. The mentor gave a few words of encouragement, and some last-minute advice before he was sent up...
The 24 tributes slowly appeared on their podium in an arena that would later be nicknamed "bloodlust atoll". It was composed of three concentric rings. The first contained the cornucopia and was a dead coral reef. There were sharp rocks, and the turquoise water was waist high. Around this zone was a circular shoal, approximately 50 feet wide, with some palm trees and lower vegetation. Outside of the shoal was the sea. The water was shallow for a few hundred feet, before going way deeper. There were some rocks interspersed here and there that could hold one or two tributes, but they were quite far from the land.
Head Gamemaker Orpington greeted the tributes, wishing them good luck before starting the countdown from 60 seconds. Sheen immediately looked around for his allies. He stood on the northern part of the ellipse, between Aspen (7) and Cole (5). He spotted Nikki to his right and Icarus on the other side of the cornucopia. Sheen finally saw Ruby on the western part of the podiums.
Ruby had been staring at the cornucopia from the beginning, scanning for weapons. This year, it was shaped like a wooden shipwreck, with the most interesting weapons on the main ship, as well as food, drink and bags floating on debris all around. Her district partner managed to grab her attention and she nodded to him, readying herself to grab a pack of throwing knives.
Beam looked desperately for Peter and, upon seeing him on the easternmost podium, she signaled him to try and wait for her. The girl saw that Damask (8), who stood next to her, had noticed a spear that floated right under the cornucopia. They shared a look, and she knew that there would be a fight. Just at that moment, the countdown got to zero and everyone jumped out of their podium.
Peter had a moment of hesitation up on his podium. It gave enough time to other tributes to run towards the cornucopia. The girl from 3, who stood next to him, immediately ran away. As Peter was beginning to come down, he saw Nikki (2) thrust her sword into the chest of the boy from 11. His district partner, who had just seen him fall, turned around but a knife thrown by Ruby caught her in the back.
Sheen had also run towards the cornucopia, jumping from rock to rock in order to go faster. He met in the center with his allies, and they attacked as other tributes came onto the platform. He saw Icarus impale Tonya (9) with a trident, then grabbed a sword. He tried to attack Pearl (4) who was in the process of drowning the boy from 3 but turned around just in time to see the girl from 5 running away with a backpack. He ran after her and stabbed her in the neck.
Beam had raced with Damask (8), making a beeline to the floating spear. He grabbed it first, but the girl dodged his first attack and grabbed it. She shoved it, causing Damask to hit his head on the side of the platform. Stunned, he loosened his grip and Beam managed to free the weapon, stabbing it into his chest. She gasped but quickly shook off her shock and ran, grabbing the bag from the girl from 5's corpse and rejoining her district partner.
They ran away towards the sandbank, like many other tributes, until it was only the career pack and the 4-6 alliance. Pearl (4) was extremely skilled with a trident, and she managed to fend off both Nikki and Icarus while Astra and Jet (6) distracted the 1s. Meanwhile, Edward (4), who was the smallest of the group, stole a bunch of supplies and weapons from the unattended piles. It was only after they had run away that Sheen noticed the state of their supply pile. What hadn't been pillaged was mostly thrown in the water.
Beam and Peter could hear the screams of rage coming from Ruby. They had settled down at the foot of a scrawny palm tree. They were in the process of drying off, which was fast thanks to the warm air and soft wind. Beam emptied the bag, which contained some basic supplies to build a fire as well as a water bottle. The six bloodbath cannons sounded, announcing that there were 18 tributes remaining. Meanwhile, Peter decided to climb the tree, making it bend with his weight.
He stopped in the middle, scared to break the trunk, and observed. He described the view to his partner. Most tributes were scattered on the shoal, with only the career pack making their camp in the cornucopia, as was tradition. He saw the pair from 4 fishing under a big boulder while their allies from 6 were building a makeshift fire on the beach.
Suddenly, Pearl shouted, and she helped Edward to climb on the rock. "She must have seen a snake, Peter said jokingly." A little further away, the remaining tributes from 9 and 10 had reconvened and were swimming in the open sea. Peter observed them for some time and, just as he was about to climb down, he saw Carlos (10) disappear under the surface. There were screams as a red stain appeared in the water. His cannon sounded and Bushel (9) and Bess (10) ran away to the safety of the sand.
In Ravinstill studios, Selen squealed with excitement. She explained to Urania that she had decided to go classic this year and included sharks in the sea. Simple and efficient, commended Urania. Unfortunately, Helion had been unable to fulfill his duty of commentator, explaining the presence of Head Gamemaker Selen Orpington.
Sheen sighed in relief when the cannon sounded. It had appeared to calm Ruby down. She had been fuming for the past few hours at what she called "a complete failure". She had complained about the state of their supplies and the lack of kills they had gotten in the bloodbath. Annoyed with her outburst, Nikki and Icarus had been wandering around the central lagoon, collecting stray supplies and clams.
Sheen sat down next to Ruby and told her that they were still alive, and that it was a good thing. After all, there were still a lot of tributes to kill. The girl softened her expression even though her mood stayed gloomy for the rest of the evening.
When he climbed down the palm tree, the trunk finally broke under Peter's weight. Fortunately, it did not fall on Beam, who was further down the beach hunting for crabs. It ended up being a good thing. She cut the leaves and used them to make a small shelter where they could camouflage themselves. It almost worked too well.
Later in the evening, after eating their meager crab and sharing a small portion of the water, the pair from 12 put off the small fire Peter had built and huddled in the makeshift tent. They were alerted by the sound of crunching leaves, and then a small whimper when someone outside the camp tripped on a stone. Beam jumped outside, her spear in hand, to appear face to face with Aspen and Dina (7). Instead of trying to back off, Aspen made a gesture to grab a knife on his belt. Before he could touch it, Beam had launched the spear in his stomach. He fell to his knees and his district partner ran away without looking back. His cannon sounded and Beam started crying, repeating "I'm sorry" over and over until Peter forced her back into the shelter.
Sheen took the first watch with Nikki. They flinched when they heard a cannon but did not bother to investigate. Nikki instead sat closer to the boy. Their shoulders touched and she whispered in his ear: "don't you think we should get rid of Ruby?". He was flabbergasted but she continued. "I mean, she's clearly unstable. She could be a liability. You seem like a clever guy." A grimace of disgust appeared on Sheen's face as Nikki set her hand on his thigh, but he replied that he had to think about it. Fortunately, after that, Nikki was too occupied watching the portraits of the fallen to notice him getting away. The toll of the first day amounted to 8: the boy (3), the girl (5), Aspen (7), Damask (8), Tonya (9), Carlos (10) and both tributes (11).
Day 2:
Ruby took the last watch. She waited until sunrise to wake the others. There was more energy in the group, and they set off soon in order to hunt for other tributes. They crossed the water and looked around for a target.
There were not many hiding places in the arena. It was mostly flat, with very little vegetation. Most tributes had been keeping an eye on the career pack, so they had moved out of the way. Eventually, Icarus spotted a group that was still sleeping. They approached to see that it was the 4s and 6s. Edward had fallen asleep during his watch. When Ruby and her allies were only a few feet away, Edward jolted awake. He screamed but his voice was cut off by a knife in the throat. He fell, his blood mixing with the sand, and the sound of his cannon finished waking the others.
With startling reflexes, Pearl grabbed her trident and stabbed Sheen in the shoulder while Jet and Astra ran away. Icarus tried to help his allies but the girl from 4 managed to fend them off with her trident. She disarmed them and ran away with the swords. Meanwhile, Ruby and Nikki had pursued the 6s. Ruby was aiming her knife, but Nikki bumped into her as she threw it, exclaiming "Oopsie!". With a shout of rage, Ruby watched her knife disappear into the water. Nikki's knife, however, hit Jet's back. The injury wasn't lethal, but as Astra tried to help him climb a rock away from the shore, three triangular fins appeared and converged to the source of the blood.
The girls immediately ran back to dry ground, Ruby red with anger and Nikki laughing at Astra's screams. The boys joined them and complained about losing their weapons. Ruby took a deep breath and counted to ten silently, before taking a med kit out of her backpack. She helped take care of the boys' wounds.
Meanwhile, the pair from 12 suffered from what was called "the second day effect". They did not eat and drank from their shared bottle. They heard the two successive cannons of Edward and Jet but kept resting when they saw the hovercraft flying to the opposite side of the arena. Suddenly, Peter yelped. He stood up, a crab firmly pinching his behind. Beam hit it with her spear, mentioning that they now had breakfast. Her smile evaporated when she saw the cast of sizeable crabs coming their way. They were dark green with bright orange eyes and scary looking claws. She tried to fend them off with her weapon, but there were just too many.
The duo ran and encountered Bushel (9) and Bess (10), who were also fleeing from the crustaceans. They silently agreed to a temporary truce in order to escape. The crabs were coming from both sides of the sandbank, so the only ways out were into the reef or the sea. They chose the reef and it proved to be a good idea. As they were jumping from rock to rock, they heard the cannon of the girl from 3. Viewers could see her being chased into the ocean by the crabs. A pair of sharks then circled her for a few seconds before attacking.
Urania once again congratulated Head Gamemaker Orpington for this arena. Up until then, there had been lots of violence as well as interesting relationships. The cameras switched around, showing the receding wave of crabs. Cole (5) was hiding under the cornucopia, unbeknownst to the other tributes, while Dina (7) had climbed another palm tree to avoid the crabs and was in the process of coming back down. They showed Cordelia (8), who had not moved from a rock away from the shore since she had learned that there were sharks in the water. Urania commented that she looked feverish, maybe because of a heatstroke.
The camera then switched to Pearl (4), who was stealthily swimming towards the rock where Astra hid. The girls mourned the loss of their district partners. Pearl threw the swords she had stolen into the water, as she did not need them. Beam and Peter parted ways with Bess (10) and Bushel (9) a little later, the latter heading back to the beach ring. Finally, the career pack was walking around the outer edge of the beach in search of another kill.
Ruby was arguing with Nikki about the incident from earlier, accusing her of sabotage. The tone quickly rose, and they almost didn't see the silhouette of the girl from 7 in the palm tree. They walked past it, the girls bickering and Icarus trying to calm them down. There was a yelp, then a thud and a cannon. Sheen stood there, the knife he borrowed from Ruby planted into the girl from 7. He had been the only one to spot her. Sheen didn't say anything, wiped the knife on his bodysuit and gave it back to Ruby before walking away. The group walked back to the center.
It was Icarus who alerted the others, shouting: "Hey! They took our spot!" in an indignant tone. Peter and Beam had elected to stay in the cornucopia for a little longer. The Capitol did not agree with this plan, with even Urania wondering if the pair from 12 had a "death wish". Beam and Peter jumped into the water and trudged away, but the career pack wasn't about to let the intruders go. They split up in order to surround Beam and her partner. Running was easier on the sand. The sudden rumbling should have informed them that something else was happening, but the adrenaline of the chase was too much.
When she was close enough, Nikki threw a knife into Peter's chest, killing him instantly. His cannon boomed. Beam collapsed and clutched him tightly as the pack closed in on her. She cried "sorry sorry sorry sorry!". That's when the tsunami hit. An enormous wave hit the shore, submerging the entire arena. The crash made it hard to hear any cannon, but it was announced that Cordelia (8), who was already almost dead by the time the wave hit, and Cole (5) who was stuck under the cornucopia had died. Most other tributes were flung around in the water but survived. Beam scratched her whole leg on a piece of dead coral before hitting the sandbank. She still clutched onto Peter's body as he was removed from the arena.
The careers were quite shaken and bruised, but they had managed to hang onto rocks. Only Pearl and Astra had been "safe" from the wave, as they had seen it coming and submerged themselves. Pearl explained later in the evening that it was a technique she learned while fishing on the coast of district 4.
That night, while Beam struggled to sleep among the debris of the tsunami, the career pack celebrated their few kills with a sponsor feast. Sheen was a little disappointed that they hadn't received new weapons, but with a little perseverance he managed to find a sword that was half buried in the sand. He left it in place, and grabbed a knife instead, dissimulating it behind his back. The rest of the night passed uneventfully. At midnight, the portraits of the girl (3), Edward (4), Cole (5), Jet (6), Dina (7), Cordelia (8) and Peter (12) were shown. This left only 9 surviving tributes, and many viewers wondered if the next day would already be the last.
Day 3:
Ruby woke up early. She crept stealthily towards the other side of the cornucopia where Sheen kept the last watch. She made a hand gesture that set their plan into action. Nikki and Icarus were still asleep. Ruby lightly cut herself with a knife and a few drops of blood fell into the water below. Then she attacked. Sheen attacked too, planting the knife he had dissimulated the past evening into Icarus' jugular, sounding his cannon. Nikki put up more of a fight. She seemingly had noticed movement, so she dodged Ruby's knife at the last moment. She threw one, that cut into Ruby's shoulder. More blood dripped onto the planks and in the water. Sheen had now joined his district partner and was taunting the other girl. Seeing as she had only one knife left, she dove into the water.
However, the blood had attracted a few sharks. They latched onto Nikki and devoured her, sounding her cannon. "Coward", said Sheen. "Bitch", added Ruby. And the pair stayed there, surrounded by sharks, until an announcement was heard.
Beam jolted awake to the sound of Head Gamemaker Orpington's voice. The woman congratulated the seven remaining tributes for making it this far, before explaining that the cast of crabs would be sent into the arena again, except this time they would be poisonous. On this happy note, she wished them good luck and went back to the commentator's booth.
Beam jumped up and grabbed her last remaining possession, the spear. She did not know where to head to, so she guessed it would be the cornucopia. As the crabs started emerging from the sea, she ran. Another cannon sounded, which belonged to Astra (6). While jumping from rock to rock, she had slipped and bashed her skull onto one, leaving the rest to the sharks that now infested the central lagoon.
The girl from 12 was actually the last one to arrive to the cornucopia. Pearl was fighting with Bess while her ally made his way to the platform. It was absolutely crucial to not fall into the water, as it was now full of sharks. Beam had almost made her way to the cornucopia when Pearl finally impaled Bess with her trident. Everyone was now in the process of converging to the platform. Bushel was fighting with Ruby. Profiting off of a moment of inattention, Beam ran at Sheen with her spear. He dodged at the last moment, the weapon slicing his flank.
Ruby turned around when she heard Sheen shout in pain. She saw the girl from 12 impale herself on his knife because of her momentum. He stabbed her again in the chest to make sure, and Ruby was brought back to reality when a wooden plank hit her arm. Bushel had grabbed the improvised weapon after the tsunami and was now trying to beat Ruby to death with it. She fell to the ground after the second hit, right on the edge of the platform. Bushel followed suit and tried to immobilize her. She spat in his face and rolled around, and the pair fell into the water.
Sheen let out a yelp when he saw her fall. He only had his knife and Pearl had a trident. They circled each other in silence, with only the sounds of thrashing in the water, and then a cannon sounded, and Pearl attacked. Sheen dodged once, twice, hoping to fatigue his opponent. It lasted for a few minutes, with the crowds going crazy in the Capitol. Then, Ruby emerged out of the water and climbed on the cornucopia, drenched but alive. Cameras had shown that the sharks had attacked Bushel but not her, as she punched any shark in the nose as they approached. Urania stated that she would remember this technique next time she went to the beach.
This moment of distraction caused Pearl to lunge at Sheen, piercing his lungs with her trident. Ruby screamed as he fell down, expressionless. She turned towards Pearl, who was taller, and stronger, and had a bigger weapon. Fierce snarls were exchanged, and Ruby threw her last knife into the other girl's clavicle area, causing her more pain than harm. She jabbed her trident and it almost hit Ruby's neck, severing her golden chain. As the necklace fell, Ruby caught it in her hand while grabbing the trident in the other. She yanked it out of Pearl's hand and threw it in the shallow lagoon.
Ruby then screamed "Look behind you!" which worked, for some unknown reason, and jumped onto Pearl's back. She ended up strangling her with her necklace, which proved unexpectedly sturdy. After some more struggle and contusions, Pearl finally collapsed, and Ruby Costa from district 1 was announced to be the winner of the 107th Hunger Games.
Aftermath:
Ruby was transported to the hospital soon after, to care for the wounds she had received during the games, but she reappeared soon after for her victor's interview. Urania wore a long white tube dress, with three impressive fascinators. Ruby wore a bright red dress, which had been cut very short in order to offend Helion Cardew. However, his health would keep him from ever being on stage again. Urania remarked that the victor had had her necklace repaired, and she stated that she wore it all the time. She called it her lucky pendant, and, along with the golden heart, had added a shark tooth.
The interview was very agreeable to watch. Ruby acted sweet, and when asked about her many outbursts, she responded that she "really felt the pressure". Urania subsequently changed the subject to that of the other tributes. They reviewed all the deaths, and the girl appeared to wince at the sight of Sheen. "I really liked him, she said, I'm glad I didn't have to kill him". The interview ended and Ruby left the stage to thunderous applause.
In the following months, she gathered a sizeable fanbase of mostly young women. She toured many parties in the Capitol, before settling down in the Victor's village of district 1. She developed a fear of the water later in her life, but it did not keep her from enjoying her celebrity. Her and Pilar Dundee were known to become great friends, even though their occasional quarrels were quite dramatic.
Chapter 7: The 108th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 108th Hunger Games took place in the year 144. After a few uneventful reapings, Ruby Costa, winner of the 107th Hunger Games, arrived in district 9. The girl, who had been nicknamed "Shark Whisperer" in the Capitol, showed little interest in the seemingly infinite fields. After enjoying an assortment of breads and pastries, she made her way to the reaping square with the new mayor Rembrandt. The previous mayor had given up her role after the death of her only daughter in the last games.
All the beige-clad youths stood to attention in the enclosure, not daring to make a noise. Ruby greeted them, followed by a short speech by Mayor Rembrandt, after which she approached the female reaping bowl. She called to the stage 13 years old Farina Hussein. A short girl with black hair and a light brown complexion gasped, and almost fainted. Her friends held her until the peacekeepers came. They carried her and threw her unceremoniously on the stage. Farina shook Ruby's hand, tears forming streaks on her dusty skin. She barely held up, but Ruby turned her attention to the male reaping bowl.
She read the name of Panos Greenfield. The boy's face showed little emotion. He was very tall, towering over the crowd at only 16 years old. Panos walked to the stage, his blond ponytail almost touching his upper back. He plastered a smile on his face and shook hands. The height difference between the two tributes was almost comical, as remarked Urania Whimsiwick from her commenting booth. She had been joined for the first time by Argus brown, an extravagant young man usually working for the celebrity section of Anderson's fashion.
Mayor Rembrandt thanked everyone for coming, and the tributes retired to the city hall. Panos was almost smothered by his mother's hug, but he managed to wiggle his way out of her desperate embrace. He also hugged his father as well as his twin brother Sandro. The latter proposed to go in his place, as they were identical, however Panos refused. He made his brother promise to not take anymore tesserae, and to use the money they had stashed for this exact situation. The family had a hard time separating, but they did so after the peacekeeper intimidated them with his rifle.
Farina was in a sorry state, crying loudly. Her bigger sister, who had just turned 19, was crying too, wishing she could have volunteered. The girl's father sat on a chair, completely despondent. His eyes had glazed over the moment his daughter was reaped, and he barely reacted when she hugged him one last time. Eventually, both tributes were taken to the station.
They entered the empty carriage and looked around the finely crafted interior. Panos offered his hand to his district partner and tried to console her. Her tears had dried but she occasionally whimpered. Farina weakly shook Panos' hand, mumbling her name. "I know you, he said, your dad owns the windmill, right?" Farina nodded, but she did not appear willing to talk more.
Suddenly, a scarecrow appeared in the pair's field of view, exclaiming "HI GUYS!!!". Farina shouted and hid behind Panos. "Don't you like my outfit?" asked the scarecrow that was actually a human. The woman removed her straw hat, and her straw jacket, leaving more normal looking clothes. She introduced herself with a high-pitched voice. "Hello guys! I'm Mathilda Brown, but you can call me Tillie. I'm going to be your mentor since Astor retired." After an uninterrupted stream of babble, she finally asked her mentees about their names and their skills. Panos voluntarily talked about his job in the corn fields as well as his twin brother.
It took a little more coercing to get words out of Farina's mouth. Her family owned a flour mill and were better off than most of the denizens of district 9. Farina went to school and did not need to work, however, her small stature meant that she could easily fit into small spaces in the mill in order to do minor repairs. Tillie enthusiastically called for a meal to be brought out. Panos gorged himself with meat and sweets. The mentor told them all about life in the Capitol and instructed them on good manners (all while glaring at Panos).
The tributes spent the next few hours leisurely, Farina mostly keeping to herself. Eventually, they arrived at the train station. Tillie adjusted Farina's hair and Panos' dusty tie before ushering them out of the carriage. There was a decent crowd gathered around. This seemed to scare the young girl. She barely approached, instead trying to make herself disappear. "It's okay dear", said her mentor softly. She took her by the hand to meet some of her friends. Tillie did most of the talking, relieving Farina a little bit.
Panos did not need any help. His outgoing personality made him instantly popular. He jokingly flirted with many younger women and was generally friendly. After a few minutes of picture-taking, it was finally time to head to the accommodation quarters of Ravinstill studios.
In the apartment, their stylist was already waiting. Donovan Carlisle was a distinguished middle-aged man, almost as tall as Panos. He groaned as the tributes arrived, complaining that he "never got the good-looking ones". "Hello to you too", said Tillie with her usual smile. Donovan snapped his fingers and two seamstresses got to work, taking measurements for Panos and Farina.
They did not have a say in the choice of outfits. Their stylist had drafted very simplistic costumes. Straw hat, jeans dungarees and muted plaid shirts, actually. Farina did not say anything, still being intimidated by everything around her, so she was relieved when the stylist team left the apartment. Panos was disappointed with the choice of clothes, hoping to wear something more creative. Tillie tried to hype them up, insisting that they showed her their skills. Panos agreed, impressing his mentor with his skill with a broom (that he used as a scythe). His district partner took advantage of this display to sneak into her bedroom, where she stayed until the next morning, alternating between crying, and sleeping.
In the morning, Tillie came into the girl's bedroom with a breakfast tray. The duo stayed there until midday, though it is not known what they discussed. Meanwhile, Panos switched on the television to watch the reapings. In district 6, it was Adam Kowalski, whose brother had been reaped for the 106th games, who was selected as the male tribute. After a short pause, it was time for the reapings of district 5.
The reaping square of district 5 was extremely noisy due to the heavy machinery and power plants all around. Barely anybody could hear mayor Tully over the rumbling. Thankfully, a better microphone was brought out, even though most people gathered in the square could see the sign language interpreter and did not need to hear anything. Ruby was then accompanied to the stage in order to pick the female tribute.
15 years old Alix Goldberg was selected, followed by a loud expletive. A very pale and thin girl with wispy brown hair and a freckled face marched to the front of the enclosure. Argus noted that she was wearing long gloves that covered most of her forearms, which seemed odd with the current heat. An air of defiance was painted on her face. She bowed ironically before retreating to the back of the stage. Ruby seemed more amused by her behavior than the peacekeepers. She nonetheless continued with the male reaping bowl. She took her time, slowly fishing around until she was satisfied. "Antenno Caldwell", she called.
A very short, but incredibly burly boy, with spiky chestnut hair, stepped up. At 17 years old, he was shorter than Ruby, but twice as wide. He grinned widely, winked at Alix, and bowed too. The girl rolled her eyes. Mayor Tully subsequently dismissed the tributes to the city hall while the rest of district 5 went back to their daily tasks.
Alix's mother was in hysterics. Her only daughter had been reaped. The girl tried to calm her down but when it didn't work, she ordered her mother to sit and breath. She told her to sell all of her possessions "just in case" and swore to her that she would come back alive. The older woman appeared to calm down and her daughter asked her to be strong for her. At that moment, a peacekeeper entered the room to take the tribute to the train.
Antenno appeared quite confident. He was first visited by his parents, whom he embraced. They shared a few words of advice and encouragement before leaving the room. Kathryn, Antenno's girlfriend entered. She jumped into his arms and the pair kissed passionately. They had to be interrupted before getting more intimate and a peacekeeper stayed into the room for the rest of the allotted time. In place of last words, Antenno just asked Kathryn to be happy even without him, but to never forget him. He was subsequently escorted to the station.
The pair immediately started conversing upon entering the carriage. They mostly exchanged banalities interspersed with snide remarks. Apparently, sarcasm seemed to be a common language between them. Eventually, an older man with a tuft of white hair and an intricate mustache entered the room. He introduced himself as Heliodorus Snow. Alix exclaimed that she knew he looked like someone she had seen before. Antenno bowed low: "Your majesty". His smile betrayed the irony, but their mentor did not notice. "There is no need for such things young man! he explained". However, Antenno (soon followed by Alix) kept addressing the older man by more and more convoluted titles throughout the ride.
After the basic introduction, Heliodorus asked his tributes about their skills. Antenno flexed his powerful biceps, claiming that he had gained much strength by working in manufacture and transporting heavy pieces of metal. He then proceeded to lift one on the mahogany tables to show off his strength.
Alix responded by claiming she would produce excellent screams when she would be slaughtered by the careers. She also was quite agile and skilled with electrical wiring, seeing as she worked maintenance in the power lines. Heliodorus asked if there was a reason she was wearing her gloves, to which she responded that they were "a reminder of her mistakes".
The remainder of the ride was spent in apparent calm, with the two tributes quietly discussing and already agreeing to an alliance. As they approached the Capitol, they had had the time to freshen up in their separate cabins and were ready to tackle the crowd in the train station. Heliodorus lead the way to some of his acquaintances, introducing his tributes. Antenno entertained the crowd, sharing jokes and talking about his expectations of the Capitol. He swatted at the few lingering hands that wanted to feel his beefy arms but smiled as he did so.
Alix was a bit more corrosive in her interactions. When one older woman asked her if she was proud to be selected as tribute, she responded with: "Oh yes! I've always dreamt of dying young of a violent death!" Nobody except her mentor and her district partner perceived the obvious sarcasm. Eventually, the crowd left to meet with the tributes from district 4 and the trio made their way to the Ravinstill Complex.
They settled into their apartment, amazed at the craftsmanship of every piece of technology and furniture. Finally, their stylist arrived with their clique of helpers. Jinx Delgado was, as always, covered in multicolored fabric. They looked like a tropical bird. Alix was taken aback and laughed awkwardly, but she was relieved to see that Jinx's portfolio was not as extravagant as they were. Antenno and his district partner perused the designs, finally settling on an outfit constructed of high voltage cables. They asked if Jinx could add sparks to the design. They approved, writing the request down with a long yellow feather.
By the start of the evening, their outfits were finished. Alix had managed to keep her gloves on, much to the stylist's dismay. Antenno was in the process of putting on his shoes, which were two sizes too small. Eventually, they descended to the tribute's avenue for the parade.
Parade:
The tributes from district 9 felt ridiculous in their costumes. The straw was itching their scalp. They looked forlornly at the outfits of Plaid and Dentelle (8), which were absolutely beautiful. Tillie smiled at the pair as she ushered them into their cart, wishing them good luck. She left to go talk to Leon Reed, victor of the 102nd Games. A "pssst" was heard, coming from behind. It was Adele and Braford (10). They looked like they were dressed in charcuterie. The girl told the pair from 9 to meet them the next day, as they wanted to make an alliance. The duo agreed, getting ready to go.
Alix had kept her long black gloves, gathering strange looks from other tributes. Just before the parade started, a fight occurred. The boy from 2 jumped on his mentor and tried to strangle him. Peacekeepers were quickly dispatched to stop the fight, as the boy kept kicking and screaming. His name was Silenus Platt. His sister had been executed last year after trying to murder Theseus Fierro (winner of the 106th games).
When everyone was back to their places, the parade could commence. Alix was dazzled by the lights and the colors of the Capitol. She tried to smile but was not as convincing as her district partner. Antenno was radiant in his sparking suit. He waved to the crowds and showed off the electrical arcs flashing between him and Alix.
Farina's somber mood turned to terror when she saw the masses of spectators. She started hyperventilating. Panos, to reassure her, caressed her hair with his hand while waving with the other. His grin was somewhat hesitant, but it did not show, and he was relieved to see that his district partner had started breathing normally again.
After a rather bland speech from president Snow II, the tributes went back to their apartment to watch the commentary. Argus Brown had been replaced by Corneo Anderson to judge the parade outfits, as per usual. Urania and Corneo reviewed all the outfits, commending the quality of those from district 5. After judging the costumes of the 9s "extremely boring", they came to a conclusion. The winners of best dressed for this year would be district 2. Even though Silenus had a bloody nose, him and Dido, his partner, had impressed the jury with their regal outfits Of silver and white.
Training:
That night, all the tributes slept well, while many mentors and stylists gathered on the roof to "celebrate" the games. However, they had learned from their mistakes and were all present the subsequent morning for the start of the training. Edmund Carrell (winner of the 104th games), Sean Callahan (mentor of district 6), Pilar Dundee (mentor of district 1), and Ruby Costa (winner of the 107th games) had big bags under their eyes, but it was Oleander Harrison (mentor of district 4) who took the cake by falling asleep in the middle of training.
After Head trainer Harrington had explained the basic rules of training, The pairs from 9 and 10 immediately reconvened. They were also joined by Annette and Garbanzo (11). The latter was a colossal black boy, flanked by the younger girl who happened to be his cousin. After some brief introductions, they separated. Farina followed Adele (10) and Annette (11) to the survival station, where they learned to light a fire and build shelter. The girls were all quite shy and did not talk much, but they showed a nice cohesion.
The boys were a bit more outgoing. Panos showed Garbanzo (11) and Braford (10) how to use a scythe. They competed against each other in the obstacle courses. They showed an interesting panel of skills. They were eventually joined by Adam (6) to compete in 2v2 hand to hand combat.
Alix immediately went to the electrical station, as it was her best skill. She encountered Melissa (3), and they had a good time, almost considering an alliance, until Oled (3) joined his district partner and spooked Alix away. The boy from 3 was surprisingly imposing, considering his district. Earlier in the morning, he had overpowered Antenno in a spear duel, the latter retreating in shame to another station.
The second day of training went smoothly. The outlying alliance kept training together. Farina later told her district partner that she disliked Garbanzo (11). Panos dismissed it, saying that they were going to fight him anyway in the end, and that they needed him on their side for as long as possible.
Alix and Antenno worked together in the mechanical station, and they were joined by Harley and Adam (6), who suggested an alliance. The pair appeared to think about it, declaring that they would consider an alliance after the games had begun, if they were still alive. The others seemed to understand, and they kept working together, speaking of the similarities between their districts.
A fight broke out on the first day, just before the training assessments. Oled (3) was intent on training in the axe throwing station, which was being used by Silenus (2). The latter refused, resulting in an altercation that almost cost Silenus his ear. Oled, standing bruised but smug, laughed as the other boy was taken to the infirmary. It was finally time for the assessments. Since there was a high number of leaks every year, the Capitol had given up on confidentiality and a lot of information was given to the public.
Alix put her menace to execution when it was her turn to be judged. She started screaming in a very high-pitched voice, prompting the game makers to ask her what she was doing. "I'm rehearsing, she said, for when I'm disemboweled by another tribute. Isn't it obvious?" The question, asked in a very serious tone, appalled the gamemakers. They asked Alix one last time if she had anything else to show, and she reluctantly crafted a very crude electrical circuit.
Antenno made more of a good impression by throwing around heavy weights with decent accuracy. A little later, Farina was pushed into the assessment room. She appeared to panic. After ten minutes of heaving and shivering, the little girl was taken out to let in Panos. The boy greeted his audience, then demonstrated a great talent with his scythe. He swiveled around, slicing all the fake opponents, and managing to fit in some flourish.
When Panos returned to his apartment, he was sweaty but content of his performance. His mood changed when he found Farina in the fetal position, hidden between the sofa and the wall. He called out to her. Tillie ran out of the bedroom screaming "DID YOU FIND HER ???". The mentor explained that she had been searching for the girl for thirty minutes and was about to call security. It took much coercion to get her out of her hiding place, and the trio rushed to get prepared for the interviews, not even learning about their training scores.
The top of the pack was occupied by Dido (2), Oled (3) and the pair from 1, all of whom got a ten. Antenno was proud to have gotten an 8, just like Harley (6), Panos (9) and Garbanzo (11). Alix only got a 5, which she expected. Heliodorus had been informed of her "performance" and shook his head. The bottom of the barrel with a 2 was occupied by Farina, but also by Silenus (2), who had apparently spent his allotted time shouting obscenities and beating up a representation of his mentor, Theseus Fierro. It is even rumored that he had to be put in another apartment and was only mentored by Cleopatra Liu because of his animosity.
Interviews:
The tributes interviews took place that evening. Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown wore coordinated outfits. Urania had a short turquoise dress, with ruby jewelry, reminding the audience of last year's victor. Argus sported a similarly colored suit and a shark patterned tie. They welcomed the viewers, wishing them a happy Hunger Games, then started the interviews.
The career interviews were relatively usual, with even Silenus behaving correctly. Oled (3) made a big impression too in the Capitol. After the boring interview of the girl from 4, Alix came to the stage wearing a light-yellow dress and long gloves of the same color. Obviously, the first question Argus asked was about these, as she had not been seen without for the entirety of her time in the Capitol.
"Oh, you know, I just don't want to dirty anything. All is so clean here, I'm afraid to sully your shiny furniture." She giggled but seeing as most of the audience was looking confused, she explained the real reason. She had gotten heavy electrical burns on her hands and forearms a few years ago while working on power lines. "Not as quirky huh?". The interviewers seemed a little less enthusiastic after that. They apologized to her and continued with more lighthearted questions.
Her sarcastic humor was not very well understood, but she was otherwise amiable. She left the stage to somewhat confused applause as Antenno entered. He kissed Urania's hand and kept complimenting her throughout the interview. Argus asked him if he had anyone he liked among the tributes, but he responded that if there were "some pretty flowers", he had the prettiest back home. This caused a concert of "aaaaawww" in the audience. Antenno once again showed of his brawn, his arms barely contained in his yellow shirt. The banter continued, and he managed to make the crowd laugh. His interview was a success.
Urania and Argus continued going down the list of tributes in an orderly fashion. Eventually, it was time to welcome Farina, who wore a very simple beige dress. It had taken the combined efforts of Panos and Tillie to convince the girl to participate in the interviews. She entered the stage hesitantly. The first questions were very simple, to help her get more comfortable. Eventually, Argus asked her how she felt about the games. She only stated that she was scared, before starting to cry again. However, Argus got up, kneeled next to her, and took her by the shoulders. He told her that she could be strong, and that it was normal to be scared, all that in a very soft tone. She hugged him, and this moment of tenderness caused the crowd to erupt in cheers.
They let her go, Panos taking her place in the seat. He wore a light linen suit and his hair in a bun. He spoke a lot about his twin brother back in district 9. Urania congratulated him on his assessment score. In the end, his funny and joyful personality made him a very popular tribute in the Capitol. He was often compared to Antenno, who had a similar personality, but was physically the opposite of the tall and slender Panos.
After interviewing the boy from 12, Urania and Argus welcomed to the stage Head Gamemaker Selen Orpington. The older woman looked as joyful as usual and talked at length with the pair. She mentioned the amount of interest the job of Gamemaker had garnered recently, with her having to refuse interns every week. At the end of the evening, she said to the crowd that "working on this arena wasn't a breeze", leading many theories as to the nature of the environment. The hosts said goodbye, declared open the night of festivities that preceded the games.
Back in their accommodations, the tributes prepared themselves. Panos practiced his fighting with a broom, while Tillie was consoling Farina. The girl promised that she would try her best, and Tillie advised her to stay close to Panos.
In the 5s apartment, Heliodorus had brought a bottle of nonalcoholic sparkling wine to celebrate. The trio gave a toast, but it was obvious that anxiety was starting to fill the tributes mind. They retreated to bed quite early, after discussing once again their plan for the arena. Alix would skirt around, grabbing what she could while Antenno entered the cornucopia in order to retrieve better weapons.
Day 1:
Farina struggled to sleep, and she awoke the next morning with dark circles around her eyes. She barely said anything while eating breakfast. On the opposite side of the table, Panos couldn't stop talking, seemingly out of anxiety. He had braided his long blond hair. Tillie, in the middle, encouraged her tributes to eat and get ready, her joyful tone quite unsteady.
Up in the launching rooms, the tributes could find grey pants and shoes, as well as a white t-shirt and a dark windbreaker. Tillie began by visiting Panos, who was sweating profusely. She wished him good luck, and he smiled. He subsequently told his mentor that he would be fine, and to go take care of Farina.
The girl was starting to panic, and she ran towards Tillie when she entered, hugging her tightly. The mentor helped her mentee get prepared. She offered a tissue to Farina to help dry her tears. It took a few minutes for her to calm down, her lower lip still trembling, but she still climbed inside the glass tube. Tillie waved at her as she rose into the arena.
Antenno was in a somber mood, but he still confirmed their plan with his district partner before they left for their respective launching rooms. Heliodorus stayed with him until he was sent up, giving him a pep talk and last-minute advice. He said he believed in Antenno, and that he had the drive to win the games. "Do it for Kathryn". That's what the boy heard as he was lifted into the arena.
Alix was very disappointed to see Jinx attending her. They tried to reassure her, but she knew that even her mentor had given up on her. However, her sadness turned into horror when she realized that she was not allowed to wear gloves. They were not part of the arena outfit and did not count as a district token. Slowly and painfully, Alix peeled them off, exposing for the first time the extensive burn scars. The skin on her hand was uneven and discolored, and the scars crawled up to her elbow. The pattern looked like tiny lightning bolts. She climbed into her tube, careful to not touch anything, and Jinx waved her goodbye, still shocked.
The tributes appeared inside the cornucopia clearing, shielding their eyes from the bright light. The 108th Hunger Games would take place in a huge wind farm. The space was relatively flat in the center, with tall grass all around that would reach tributes' waists. The borders of the arena elevated slowly towards the perimeter. There were a few groves of trees scattered around. However, the biggest feature of this arena was the numerous wind turbines towering over the landscape. The tall white structures rotated slowly, producing a loud droning noise.
A smile crawled up Alix's face, replacing her sour expression. This reminded her of her district. She was familiar with those turbines; she had worked on some. Glancing around the three-pronged cornucopia, she spotted a small backpack which she could grab. The boy from 1, to her right, was too focused to see her nodding at Antenno, who was a few podiums away to the south.
Antenno understood his district partner's signs, and he winked. He returned his attention to the cornucopia, which displayed an array of weapons, from throwing darts to swords. A machete lying on the side of the structure attracted his eye and he stayed focused on it. Head Gamemaker Orpington greeted the tributes, gleefully adding that she had not prepared any tsunami this year. She subsequently started the countdown. Antenno glanced at Silenus (2) to his left and Annette (11) to his right.
Farina was looking completely lost. Dentelle (8) next to her, smiled shyly. Farina looked around to find her allies. Garbanzo, Annette (11), and Panos were on the opposite side of the cornucopia, readying themselves. Adele (10), who was standing on the easternmost podium not far away, gave her a thumbs up, then signaled her to wait at the edge of the clearing.
As the countdown approached its end, Argus Brown commented on Panos skittish posture. He had let go of his easygoing smile and replaced it by a hard expression. He nodded at his allies and was among the first to enter the cornucopia when the countdown reached zero.
Panos sprinted towards a scythe in the middle of the structure. He almost collided with Adam (6) on the way. Within the cornucopia, the situation was messy. He avoided Oled (3), who had scored the first kill by smashing the girl from 12, his podium neighbor, on the ground. His strength has cracked her skull.
Meanwhile, Antenno had reached his machete, and was sparring with the boy from 1. The latter was unarmed, and the boy from 5 eventually managed to slice his neck. He did not waste any more time, grabbing some rope and a well filled backpack on the way. He joined Alix who had picked up her own backpack and a knife, and the duo did not waste anymore time in the cornucopia clearing, especially after seeing Dido (2) killing Dentelle (8) and the girl (4) with well-aimed knives.
Farina squatted behind her podium, waiting for her allies. She was soon joined by Adele (10), and the two girls watched Garbanzo (11) smash the girl from 7 in the skull as she was about to plant her axe in Panos' back. Silenus took care of the boy (7) with a spear, killing him instantly. Panos and Garbanzo successfully exited the cornucopia with a decent number of supplies. There were soon followed by Braford (10), however Annette was hit with full force by Oled's mace, producing a terrifying "crack".
The group fled the central clearing, which was emptying up. They ran for a long time between the wind turbines in order to find a shelter. They soon decided on a grove near the perimeter, where the thick maple trees could hide their presence. Garbanzo immediately crumpled to the ground, crying at the loss of his cousin.
When the bloodbath cannons sounded, Antenno and Alix were far away from the cornucopia. They walked along the perimeter in silence, seeing the other tributes from afar. The seven victims of the bloodbath were the boy (1), the girl (4), both tributes (7), Dentelle (8), Annette (11) and the girl (12), leaving 17 remaining tributes. The pair from 5 eventually sat down at the foot of one of the turbines. They shared some bread and water contained in the bag. Alix appeared very uncomfortable touching the food, or anything for that matter, with her bare hands. Antenno kept his distances, but she told him that "she wasn't contagious", and he ended up sitting right next to her. "I think we could have been very good friends back in 5", she said while they were setting camp.
Adele (10), seeing her allies sitting there for the entire day, took things into her own hands. While Panos and Braford went to gather wood, she asked Garbanzo to stand guard. Farina was asked to help her build some form of shelter. They gathered piles of leaves to make mattresses, as they only had two sleeping bags between the five of them. The temperature was gradually dropping. Panos made himself useful by building a nice fire, hoping the smoke and the light would be hidden by the trees.
It worked, thankfully, and they weren't bothered when gamemakers released a swarm of bloodthirsty bats in the arena. The tributes who weren't under the cover of trees had to fight off the pesky mutts, but they weren't too resilient. Antenno managed to fend them off with his machete. Only the boy from 12 succumbed to the bats, other tributes getting away with a few cuts and scratches. At midnight, the portrait of the boy from 12 was added to the fallen of the bloodbath. One third of the tributes was already gone.
Day 2:
The morning of the second days started off quite slowly. The tributes were cold and reluctant to move, so the cameras panned across the different little groups that had formed. The boy from 4 was still sleeping in a tree. He was quite close to the outlying pack, where Panos and Braford were taking the last watch. Seeing as they did not talk much, the point of view changed to that of the 6s, Adam and Harley, who were in the process of cutting up a bunny they had caught in a trap.
Plaid (8) and the 3s were also sleeping in their respecting groves. The boy from eight had skillfully camouflaged himself in the foliage. Finally, the cameras focused on the diminished career pack. They were hunting, taking advantage of the early morning. The trio weaved between the wind turbines, and Urania commended their interesting pack tactics. As the commenters continued commenting their progression, the career pack spotted a prey.
The pair from 5 were already awake, and Antenno had managed to wedge open a little door at the base of the turbine. This led to the narrow inside space, with a ladder climbing all the way up to the top of the construct. After investigating it, they stashed their supplies inside. As they were getting out, Belle (1) noticed them and alerted their allies. They were incredibly fast, gaining on the pair from 5 as they ran towards the small door.
Silenus threw a spear, and it hit Antenno in the upper thigh. Alix stopped in her tracks, intending to help him up but he gave her a knowing look. Blood was already pooling in the grass, and a knife whistled past the girl's ear. "Tell Kathryn I love her", said Antenno as a knife hit his head. His cannon sounded. As the commenters in their booth and the public in the viewing square let out a few tears, Alix grabbed the machete, avoided another knife, and ran to the shelter.
The metal door was very sturdy, and Alix used the machete to barricade herself in. She started crying in the darkness. After a moment, the banging stopped, but viewers could see that the career pack was waiting for her to come out. Instead, she started climbing. Halfway up the shaft, the sound of another cannon almost made her fall.
It belonged to the boy from 4. After hearing the sound of voices, he had started following the outlying alliance as they were wandering the grove. Farina was the first to say someone was following the group but was dismissed. Eventually, however, it was Adele who heard the cracking of a twig. The boy from 4 suddenly jumped out of the bushes and grabbed Farina, holding a knife to her neck. He looked desperate and asked for water in exchange for their ally. To the rest's surprise, Panos agreed and gave him his bottle.
The boy let go of Farina, and in an instant, he fell to the floor, dead. Panos had not wasted a moment and had slashed him with his scythe, slitting the boy's throat. At that moment, he seemed to not realize what had happened. Panos grabbed the water bottle and gave the knife to Farina. The alliance decided to continue moving, not bringing up what had happened.
At around midday, they stopped to eat a little. They discussed their plans and agreed that they should try and find lone tributes, as they still had superiority in numbers. Garbanzo mentioned that he still wanted to kill Oled, and the group concurred. They eventually set camp close to the cornucopia after seeing that it was empty.
When she got to the top, Alix was sweaty, and her hands were painful and red. She had tried to protect them with bandages she found inside her backpack, but it wasn't optimal. Frow her vantage point, she could see the entire arena from a bird's eye view. The first thing she noticed was two silhouettes on the top of another wind turbine. She was too far away to see it, but it was shown that the tributes were in fact Oled and Melissa (3), who wanted to have a better view of the arena.
Argus, in the commenting booth, kept making terrified comments about his fear of heights, and even Urania seemed quite uncomfortable. Instead of staying on the small platform, Alix climbed down onto the nacelle. She sat on the curved surface, trying to work on some piece of wiring, but soon appeared in pain and gave up. Argus was panicking, as there was nothing keeping the girl from slipping and falling to her death. Suddenly, all went black.
The gamemakers had triggered a blackout. No one could see anything unless they made a fire. A cannon sounded soon after. It belonged to Melissa. It is not known exactly what happened since the infrared cameras had not been activated yet, but what is sure is that she could not have survived a 400 feet fall.
The obscurity meant that the tributes could not do anything. They all stayed put and waited for the midnight announcement in order to determine the time. Meanwhile, Alix begged sponsors for gloves. Eventually, midnight came, and the faces of Melissa (3), the boy (4) and Antenno (5) appeared. Their pale light illuminated the faces of the surviving tributes, most of whom were sleeping or shivering in the cold since they could not light any fire.
Day 3:
A little before sunrise (although the blackout was still in effect), the career pack was gifted with two pairs of night vision goggles. Silenus complained at not receiving a gift and decided to stay where he was since he was "not valued", and "supposed to die anyway". The two girls shrugged and left him with their supplies. They had stayed at the foot of Alix's wind turbine just in case but seeing as the girl was not going to come down anytime soon, they abandoned it. They also hadn't appreciated her dropping little scraps of metal and half chewed bread on their heads.
Panos did not hear anything when the two career tributes arrived. The loud sound of the turbines and the wind made it hard to concentrate. However, he felt some movement when Dido walked next to him. He had camouflaged himself within the grass and was sitting a little further from the group. "RUN!", he shouted immediately.
There was a struggle. Belle first jumped onto Garbanzo, however he pushed her, knocking away her sword at the same time. She settled on the next closest target, Adele. Meanwhile, Dido had sunk one of her throwing knives into Braford's back. His cannon sounded when she stabbed him in the neck with a second one. Farina's whimper alerted Panos, and he ran to the sound. They almost collided but he managed to grab her by the arm. They ran into an unknown direction, cutting themselves on the tough grass and tripping on stray rocks. The sound of heavy footfalls alerted them to the presence of Garbanzo about fifty feet to their right. Adele's cannon rang, and Belle let go of her neck. At that moment, the blackout was lifted, and the sun slowly started to reappear.
When she saw the sunlight coming back, Alix sighed in relief. She had barely slept due to the noise and the cold. Fortunately for her, she had enough supplies in her backpack and the one from Antenno (which was still at the bottom of the tower) to last at least a couple more days. Just before she started climbing down the shaft, a beeping sound attracted her attention. A small silver parachute was floating down towards her. She grabbed it, incredulous. Inside was a neatly folded note, saying: "It's like theater, you have to believe it!"- H. Under the note was a pair of thin black gloves. Alix almost screamed in joy, thanking her mentor, her sponsors, "and everyone else but Mr. Jeffries, cause you're an old coot". As a note, Lampus Jeffries is the owner of the electrical repairs company Alix worked at.
With her new gloves, Alix immediately felt more comfortable and got to work on a mysterious device. She disconnected some of the electrical wiring in the shaft and reconnected it. She then decided to climb down to spend the night at the base of the wind turbine.
Meanwhile, Garbanzo, Panos and Farina had reconvened in one of the groves after their scuffle with the careers. After losing almost half of their group, they were having a hard time settling down. They then got into a fight. Garbanzo stated that there were only two of them now, since "the girl" was useless. Panos defended his district partner, while she covered her ears.
Eventually, the volume went down. Panos and Garbanzo agreed that it was useless to fight now. However, they looked around for Farina, but she had disappeared, taking only a knife. A little earlier, viewers could see that she had run away crying, and had hidden a little further away in a hollow tree. Panos insisted they look for her, and they did so for the rest of the evening. Later in the night, after they has stopped looking, another cannon sounded. It belonged to Adam (6), who had been killed by Oled (3). The stronger boy had also been gifted some night vision goggles and put them to good use. Harley (6) had managed to escape.
At midnight, the portraits of the fallen were displayed, showing the faces of Adam (6), Adele, and Braford (10). This left 10 remaining tributes for the fourth day.
Day 4:
At dawn, Head Gamemaker Orpington made an announcement. She informed the tributes that a feast would be held in the cornucopia in an hour. They would be provided with much needed supplies. Most tributes decided to come. However, Alix believed that she had enough supplies to last at least one more day. Her bread was stale, and her last water bottle half empty, but she was satisfied of her work. She gained an opportunity to test what she had been working on when she heard voices outside of her hiding place. She carefully removed the machete that had been stuck in place since the second day and ventured out.
Dido and Belle were coming back to the cornucopia and were planning out loud on killing Silenus. They weren't aware that the boy had left their camp and was roaming the arena on his own. They heard the grinding of the metallic door. Alix ventured a few feet out and feigned surprise. "Oh no! Whatever will I do", she screamed in an unconvincing manner. Argus laughed at the girl's lack of artistic talent, but it still worked and the two career girls sprinted after Alix. She swiftly jumped inside, waiting until the last moment before closing the door and flipping a switch.
Belle convulsed and started smoking when she touched the door handle. Alix kept away from the walls and waited until a cannon had sounded. Careful not to touch any metallic part, she listened to see if the other had gone. Fortunately for her, Dido had decided to give up in order to join the cornucopia. Alix carefully switched off the electric trap that had been redirecting the electricity from the wind turbine. She waited until the time of the feast to get out and remotely turn on the trap again, before stealthily approaching another structure closer to the center.
Panos was intent on attending the feast. He had not slept well because of the disappearance of his district partner. Him and Garbanzo set off in direction of the cornucopia. They were cold towards each other. Urania believed they would try to kill each other at any moment, but they did nothing of the sort. They barely flinched when Belle's cannon sounded. As the cornucopia came into view, they laid down to hide in the tall grass. Plaid was already here with his leaf-cape. A few moments later, 8 feast bags rose into the cornucopia, each with a big number on them.
To Argus' surprise, Plaid was the first to run up and grab his bag, and he was gone in an instant. The rest of the tributes followed suit. Another small bloodbath took place. A few knives flew from Dido's hiding place, but she was soon spotted. Harley (6) was the second to leave with her bag, escaping with only minor injuries. Garbanzo and Panos fought back-to-back, the latter fencing off Oled (3) while the other sparred with Silenus. After receiving a knife into his buttock, Oled turned around with a roar and grabbed Dido (2) by the neck, crushing her windpipe and sounding her cannon.
He then grabbed his bag, leaving only Silenus (2), Garbanzo (11) and Panos (9) in the clearing. Even against two opponents, Silenus was stronger. With his spear in one hand and a sword in the other, he was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately for Panos, Garbanzo understood that. In a shocking instant, as he was about to be killed, he grabbed Panos and used him as a human shield. While Garbanzo ran away with the bags, not hearing the jeers of the viewers. Panos slowly crumpled to the floor, blood pouring from his mouth and a spear in his stomach. His cannon sounded, but Silenus was too occupied to hear. He was screeching imprecations at the Capitol, claiming he was forced to volunteer, and that they wanted him dead.
The cameras soon changed focus to show Farina, still hiding in her hollow tree. Her knife was held tightly in her hand. She was covered in dirt and moss. The multiple cannons she heard throughout the day were still ringing in her ear. She whispered "Please, I want to go home." Many times. Eventually she had to get out to satisfy her natural needs. The sound of a cannon startled her, and she let out a small scream. It was revealed that Plaid (8) had tried to hide in a wind turbine after being pursued by Oled. Unfortunately for him, he chose the one formerly occupied by Alix and was fatally electrocuted after touching the door.
Unbeknownst to her, Farina's scream had alerted another tribute to her presence, one who did not like her much. Fortunately for the girl, Garbanzo was quite heavy, and she heard him approaching. She turned around. "Where's Panos?" she demanded, wary. The boy responded that he was back to their camp waiting for her. She did not buy it but agreed to follow him. In the Capitol, many citizens were grabbing the edge of their seat, although many were sure of the outcome of such an uneven fight.
When she was close enough, Garbanzo jumped on Farina. She tried to shield herself, but he grabbed her wrist so tight it made a crunching sound. She wailed, desperately trying to get her knife. A second hand grabbed her neck and started to squeeze. In a desperate attempt to free herself, Farina threw a handful of dirt into the boy's face. Garbanzo spit and roared, but he let go enough for her to grab her knife and plant it into his neck. The roar turned into a gurgle, then into silence as the boy from 11 collapsed on Farina. The girl cried for a long time, desperately trying to free herself from under the weight. When she got out, it was dark. She was cold, alone, and her wrist was broken. In order to shield the sensibilities of some Capitol citizens, no more footage of her was shown that night.
At midnight, the hymn of Panem resounded through the arena. The fallen of the fourth day were Belle (1), Dido (2), Plaid (8), Panos (9) and Garbanzo (11). The 5 remaining tributes were Silenus (2), Oled (3), Alix (5), Harley (6) and Farina (9).
Day 5:
Aware that the fifth day of the competition would probably be the last, Alix had elected to stay on top of her wind turbine. However, the gamemakers wanted everyone in the cornucopia clearing. A swarm of bats forced her back into the shaft. The mutts flew through the door, causing the girl to hurry down the long ladder. Once down, she grabbed her knife and tied some copper wire around it, plugging the other end to a makeshift battery she had constructed the night before.
The other tributes had stayed on the ground. The rumbling of hooves was heard. The remaining youth ran inwards, as many horses stampeded behind them. Farina was not fast enough. She had barely slept and had not eaten or drunk in two days. Her arm was purple and swollen. She still made an effort, but the horses were faster, and she disappeared beneath. The ambient noise was so loud that no one heard her cannon.
Alix had been much closer to the cornucopia, and when she entered it, she could see all the other tributes engaged in a staring contest, not knowing where to begin. The horses ran around the clearing and disappeared, now that all the fighters were in one place. The bats also dissipated.
Oled had received a brand-new mace from a sponsor, and he jumped at Silenus, who seemed like his biggest competition. While the two fought, Alix signaled to Harley (who was still brandishing her axe) to come closer. "So, about that alliance?" she asked. Dumbfounded at first, Harley's eyes lit up. "They are too strong for only one of us", Alix added. The girl from 6 finally agreed.
Silenus was exhausted, but what he lacked in strength he made up for in technique and spite. The pair were so focused that they didn't notice two girls sneaking up behind them. Harley lifted her axe and threw it into Oled's back with such force that his spine was severed. As his cannon sounded, she said:" That's for Adam!".
"One down, two to go", thought Alix. But Silenus was now focused. The girl grabbed her knife and her machete. Silenus' spear was about to fly but Harley threw him a rock from another direction. The girls were fast, and each time he tried to attack one, the other would distract him. Viewers could see that he was getting frustrated. Suddenly, a stray bat flew into his face. It was enough disturbance for Alix to throw her knife into his leg. A small surge of electricity from the battery caused him to spasm and let go of his spear, and Harley finished him with an axe to the face.
This "technical difficulty" would often be discussed in the following months, with a small subset of the Capitol claiming it had been "sabotage". They believed that President Snow II did not want the boy from 2 to win, due to the situation with his sister. Although this "cheating" would never be proved, some historic sources point to some tampering with the mutts.
Silenus' cannon hadn't even sounded that Alix had bolted. She was quite fast. The other girl followed. They ran to the nearest windmill. Many viewers were about to complain that the tribute from 5 did not want to fight. However, instead of locking herself in, she left the door open and started climbing. Harley was a strong girl, but she was not as used to climbing. She got to the top platform, out of breath and sweaty. Alix was waiting for her. "Listen, I'm really sorry, but I want to survive."
"And you think I don't want to?", shouted Harley.
The two girls had tears in their eyes and weapons in their hands. A short struggle occurred, and Harley managed to disarm her opponent. Alix was now slowly walking towards the edge of the platform. As the other girl charged, she ducked. Harley, carried by her momentum landed on the nacelle with a thud. As she started slipping down the rounded slope, she called to Alix for pity. She climbed down. Instead of helping her opponent up, she stepped on her fingers. Like in slow motion, the girl from 6 lost her grip and fell all the way down. The voice of Head Gamemaker Orpington resounded all around, announcing that Alix Goldberg, from district 5, was the winner of the 108th Hunger Games.
Aftermath:
Alix was taken into the hovercraft, shocked but mostly intact. After a short stay at the Gamp clinic to treat minor wounds and dehydration, she was ready to go.
For her interview, she wore a glittering yellow dress. She still wore her gloves, which were black with lighting designs on them. Argus complimented her outfit. He had also opted for a yellow suit. He wore his gloves, that had become a fashion trend in the capitol. Urania was more sober, wearing a dress people would call old fashioned, if not ancient. The interview was fine. They informed the girl that she had been nicknamed "Lady Spark". Alix and the interviewers were in a good mood until highlights of the games were replayed. When the death of Antenno was shown, the girl almost had a breakdown. At the end of the interview, Urania Whimsiwick asked the victor what she would do now. An evil smile on her face, she responded that she was considering acting.
"I'm joking! Don't worry", she added after an uncomfortable pause. "I guess I'll stay with my mom for now and try to help the other kids I mentor. Also, I want rub my victory into my boss' face".
The interview concluded and Alix went back to district 5. In the following years, she would try to build a rapport with Kathryn Hurst, her fallen partner's girlfriend. After some harsh beginnings, the pair would become good friends, often inviting each other over. Alix would also become a very good friend of Organza Duval, winner of the 105th Games. She would help calm her down with her derisive humor. In addition of mentoring tributes, Alix would end up opening a very successful security firm, designing alarm systems, and installing them all across the Capitol.
Chapter 8: The 109th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 109th Hunger Games took place in the year 145. The reapings started on a windy summer day. All the youths gathered in the reaping square of district 12 shivered with apprehension. Mayor Donner clambered up to the stage with Alix Goldberg, winner of the 108th Hunger Games. He was sweatier than usual after visiting the new blast furnaces that had been installed on the outside of town.
Alix walked to the front. She attempted to give a speech. It started well, but her awkward humor did not make many people laugh. Seeing that, she cut it short and advanced to the female reaping bowl.
She called to the stage Ember Talbott; 18 years old. At the back of the enclosure, A tall girl with ashy blonde hair spat out a few cuss words. As she walked up to the stage, Argus Brown commented on her muscular build. Urania Whimsiwick agreed that the girl seemed like a strong contender. When she was finally on the stage, Ember shook Mayor Donner and Alix's hand, just hard enough to cause them pain. She refused to look towards the crowd, instead being focused on her muddy shoes.
The male tribute for district 12, was then selected. It was revealed to be 16 years old Gregor Cantini. A woman let out a shrill scream, but she quieted down immediately. Her screams had caused her to be beaten by a peacekeeper two years earlier, when her daughter Beam had been reaped. The boy was a solid young man, with dark brown hair and eyes, and bushy eyebrows. He walked solemnly to the front of the enclosure, not showing any emotion. Alix and Mayor Donner shook his hands, then called off the reaping ceremony.
While Alix hopped on a train to district 11 and the rest of district 12 went back to their daily activities, Ember and Gregor were taken to the city hall to say goodbye to their families. Ember fell into her parent's arms and started crying. The tough façade she had managed to keep up crumbled down. They held her in silence, enjoying what were probably their last moments together. Eventually, it was time to leave. Ember's father advised her to keep up her strong appearance in order to get sponsors and allies. After one last hug, she was whisked away.
Gregor congratulated his mother on her restraint, but she appeared on the edge of tears. The boy said that it was bound to happen, as he had had a bad feeling for some time. He instructed his family and his little brother Antoni to the various stashes he had made, as well as his person of contact to get contraband meat. Gregor ruffled his brother's hair one last time and promised he would come back. He shared a look with his father as he left, saying: "take care of our family".
In the train, they were welcomed by a tray of fresh food and an eager mentor. Talon Highbottom introduced himself to his tributes. He kept glancing back at his male mentee. Eventually, he stated: "You're Beam's brother. You look so much alike." There was a moment of silence before Gregor answered by the affirmative. Talon continued by saying that she had gotten far, and that this year his mentees could go even further.
He then inquired about the tribute's strengths and skills. Ember stated that she had been shoveling coal for as long as she could remember. It did not make her clever, but she was strong and endurant. She worried that she wasn't able to handle weapons, but her mentor reassured her, claiming she would have time to train before the games. Gregor chimed in with "I've been training". It was a first for a tribute from 12. The boy explained that he had a feeling him or his brother would be reaped, so he had spent his free time practicing with branches and an old axe. Gregor was no stranger to brawls either, being from the poorest part of the district.
During the long train ride, the pair had the leisure to get cleaned up in their cabin. Gregor chose to stay in his and slept. Ember however pressed Talon with many questions. She wanted to know about the games, and the Capitol, and how it all worked. Instead of telling her, the older man showed her. The pair watched a highlight reel of the 104th Hunger Games where Ember cried at the death of the girl from 4. Then, Talon put on the 98th Games, that predated the Troubled times. An archive had been rediscovered a few months earlier and all the authorized footage had been made available.
The train eventually came to a stop in the early afternoon. The tributes descended the steps onto the platform. A small crowd was gathered, ready to take pictures. Gregor remained cold, not showing any emotions. Eventually, he went to stand next to the limousine while Ember continued shaking hands and answering questions. She acted quite confident, and Talon encouraged her to make herself known. Finally, it was time for the tributes to head to the accommodation center, where they could settle in and meet their stylist.
In the quiet car ride, Ember asked her district partner why he had acted so standoffish at the station. He answered that these people were there to watch them die, so he didn't see why he had to be nice to them. Ember was about to respond, but they had arrived, so she just sighed. No one was waiting for them inside the apartment except a tidily written note. "Going to be late, don't worry. Be there tonight" – O.
While waiting for their stylists, Talon sat the pair down. He explained to them the importance of appearances. If they wanted to have a better chance of winning, they had to put all the sponsors in their pocket. He chastised Gregor, and asked him to play the game, for his and his partner's sake. He then warned Ember, who was about to say something, that appearances were not all, and that she needed to be ready to fight. This put a damper on her mood, as if reminding her that she would have to fight to the death in a couple of days.
The tributes spent the rest of their evening enjoying the comforts of the Capitol and discussing their life back in district 12. Eventually, Othello Crichton appeared in the door with two of his assistants. He apologized for the delay and got to work immediately. A slideshow of designs was projected on the television while measurements were taken. In the end, Gregor and Ember set their choice on a pair of steel grey outfits adorned with various metallic ornaments such as chains and bolts.
On the next day, while their costumes were being put together, Ember and Gregor watched the reapings on Capitol TV.
The reapings in district 3 started a little late, as mayor Plummer had invited Alix Goldberg to a new electronics lab where the two women spent a considerable amount of time. A few minutes later, Alix appeared on the stage. She had given up trying to give a speech, so she read a few lines that had been sent to her by a Capitol official. The girl then walked over to the female reaping bowl. She removed a slip of paper with her gloved hand and read the name of 14 years old Manette Johnson. A young girl with afro buns opened her eyes wide. It took a moment for her to realize what had happened. Peacekeepers escorted her to the stage.
She nervously gave out her hand to the mayor and the victor. Manette looked like a deer in headlights, frozen in place at the back of the stage. A tear rolled on her cheek as Alix continued the reaping. She picked up another slip of paper and called to the stage Sim Humphries, 18 years old. The crowd turned around; all eyes were fixed on the boy. He was extremely pale. His white hair was already thinning, making him look practically bald. He walked slowly to the stage, as if afraid to break his own legs. After a weak handshake, the tributes were taken to the city hall.
Sim's parents looked extremely tired. They hugged their son and said goodbye for the last time. He said that it was for the better, as they would not have to pay for his treatment anymore. "At least I won't be wasting away in a bed for years." With many tears, the couple agreed, and they hugged Sim one last time.
Manette still hadn't recovered from the shock. She was manically pulling at her hands. Nothing her older brother said could break the girl out of her trance. The boy gave up and just enveloped his sister in a long, teary hug. The peacekeepers had to break them apart, and Manette followed them like a zombie.
A young woman waited for them in the train. Short, with purple streaks in her black hair, she seemed impatient. She skipped the pleasantries immediately. Her name was Violetta Berkeley, and she was their mentor. Sim weakly greeted her, and the woman reported her attention to Manette, who was still looking in the vague. She snapped her fingers in front of her face, bringing her back to reality. "We don't have much time, and I have even less patience, so you're going to listen to me carefully. I don't have any illusions. You're going to die. But I expect you to die fighting. "
The pair was taken aback by the harsh speech of their mentor. Manette started crying. Violetta let out a long sigh, before sending the tributes to their rooms to get cleaned. The ride to the Capitol was relatively short, and the pair were barely out of the bathrooms that the train was slowing down. Violetta briefed them on what to do and what to say. She told Sim to act as if he was perfectly healthy, and Manette to pretend like she was just going to a party.
Surprisingly, it was the girl who made the best impression. Gone was her thousand-yard stare, replaced by a peppy smile. She laughed too much and almost appeared drunk, but Violetta thought to herself that it was better that way. Sim tried his best, but his looks didn't play in his favor. After only five minutes he was out of breath. The mentor pulled the pair to the limousine, confident that they had had enough time to meet the crowd.
Immediately after the car doors closed, Manette's laughter turned into pathetic sobbing again. Violetta stroke her hair, telling her that she had done a great job. Sim also tried to console her. At the apartment, they met their stylist, Ornacia Parrish, a matronly old woman. She immediately fawned over the cute face of Manette and took her in her arms. During the rest of the day, the woman acted very empathetical. She was very considerate of the tributes, asking if they were comfortable.
She came up with an idea that Sim and Manette both appreciated. They would be wearing full body suits with neon patterns representing circuit boards. The fitting continued until the late afternoon, which left some time for the tributes to talk while their mentor was smoking on the balcony. Sim came from a more affluent family, who could however barely afford a treatment for his illness. He was very fond of computer science and worked for a software company to help his family with money. Manette, on the other hand, came form a poorer part of the district. Her parents had died during the troubled times, so she was raised by her brother.
Parade:
The crowd in the stands seemed more agitated this year. It was probably due to the many inebriated and drugged Capitolites. Despite the many efforts of president Snow II, no one was able to find the provenance of the drug named Felicity. It had become a staple in some circles, even though the overdoses had been in the hundreds in the past year.
Ember would have liked something to take the edge off. She had asked Talon, but he wasn't allowed to give tributes any alcohol. So, she had to stand there awkwardly in her heavy outfit. Gregor hadn't been very talkative either. The pair from 11, who was the closest to them, refused to talk. When she walked past, Gregor glared at Ruby Costa, winner of the 107th Hunger Games where his sister had been. The girl didn't even notice him.
Manette was afraid to look forward. Carrie and Helios (2) were already solidifying their alliance with Saphira and Treasure (1). They all looked dangerous. She sat down next to Sim, who was already exhausted just by standing up too long. They watched Roe and Codney (4) rearrange the fishing nets they wore.
Soon enough, the parade started. The pair from 3 was obviously uncomfortable in their neon outfits. It was even more blatant as they went after the career tributes, who were overly confident. Manette and Sim waved and smiled like they were told but did not make a lasting impression. Urania Whimsiwick appreciated their outfit, but she was apparently the only one. Corneo Anderson, from Anderson fashion, criticized their lack of originality.
All eyes were mostly focused on the outfits of Davy and Ayako, from 8. The dazzling fabrics and shimmering pattern earned them the title of best dressed, a personal victory for Platonia Travers, their stylist.
Ember and Gregor were happy that their outfits did not attract much attention. The mechanical parts weighed a lot, but they were both fortunately quite strong. Gregor stood immobile on the chariot, a somber air on his face. Ember tried her best to counterbalance his demeanor by waving and winking at the few Capitolites looking their way.
During his speech, president Snow II mentioned the usual things, about being an honor to be reaped, and the greatness of the Capitol. In addition, he warned all who were present that he would do everything in his power to get rid of Felicity. The drug was already banned, but anyone that wanted to enter the viewing square as well as the Ravinstill complex would have to be tested and searched. There was some booing in the stands, which prompted peacekeepers to remove the offending party.
Back at their apartments, most tributes decided to head to bed immediately, especially since the president's speech had lasted so long. Only Gregor stayed up late. Talon joined him on the balcony. He glared at the roof, where the "Parade Party" was going well and loud. The pair stayed silent for sometimes. When Violetta Berkeley and Oleander Harrison called up Talon, he refused to join and told them to make less noise. After another long while, Gregor stood up, ready to go to bed. But before, he asked his mentor: "There's no trick, right?".
"You are right, responded the older man. It's mostly about luck. But with some skill, you can tip your odds of winning. That's why, before the Troubled Times, there were more winners from district 1 and 2: they had the training. The most important thing is to play to your strengths. "After that little speech, they both went to sleep in order to be ready for training the next day.
Training:
Manette was the first to wake up, with a nervous good mood that was bordering on hysteria. Violetta was still sleeping, so she took it upon herself to prepare a healthy breakfast with the help of a couple avoxes. She then brought a tray to Sim, who was struggling to wake. He had become even paler (a feat in itself). He ate with no appetite. Violetta appeared later in the morning, smudged make-up, and a ridiculous bedhead. She quickly gobbled up a cup of coffee before taking her mentees to the training center.
Ember was extremely anxious to start training. Talon instructed her to be wary of the other tributes and to scope out their strengths. She suggested finding allies, and Talon agreed. However, he warned her to stay wary if she found any, because they were likely to turn on her during the games. Gregor silently listened while gnawing on a croissant. He had slept well and was eager to train.
Carmelo Harrington was in a very good mood. He greeted the tributes and their mentors and explained once again the different rules of the training. A few other trainers were scattered around the facility to help them in case of a question. After the brief introduction, everyone scattered.
Sim and Manette went to the electronics station, as it was the only station they had any skills with. They worked for most of the morning with Max and Goldie (5). The pair from 5 kept bickering and they did not seem very interested by an alliance. Eventually, they left the pair from 3 to their own devices. Sim, seeing as there was no one around, started to talk to Manette. He informed her that she needed to find allies, or at least to be prepared to fight. She wondered why he didn't want to ally with her.
"It's not that. You know I have a condition. I can't run, or fight or do anything. There's a chance that I'll get a heart attack just because of the stress. I don't want you to die because of me." Manette looked at him and told him that she would still try and help him, because she did not want to "just leave him there". He smiled sadly and went back to his circuit board.
The pair from 12 worked separately. Gregor drifted around the weaponry stations, careful to avoid the careers. He sparred with Assaf (10) in the swords station, defeating him without too much difficulty. Carmelo Harrington noticed him training in the spears station later in the day and commended his technique. He showed Gregor a few tricks before going back to his monitoring.
Ember tried her luck at the obstacle course, making a respectable time. There she met the pair from 7. Hollis was a tall boy with buzzed hair, Tulpa was a voluptuous blonde. Both were among the favorites this year for their good looks and apparent strength. Hollis showed Ember how to throw an axe with some degree of accuracy. The trio spent the day together and Ember asked if they could ally in the arena. She had shown her strength and some skill, so the pair from 7 accepted.
Ember was very enthusiastic about the alliance, and she endeavored to bring Gregor into it too. So, on the second day, she introduced him to Tulpa and Hollis. The boy accepted the alliance and trained with them for a short while, before peeling off and spending the rest of the day on his own. This led the career pack, who had noticed his skills, to ask him to join them. He refused sternly, and Helios (2) told him he would regret it.
Manette helped Sim out for the remainder of training. She took him from station to station, sometimes helped by Calla (11), where he could train while sitting. The girl herself was too scared to approach the weapons stations, so she stuck to survival and electronics. She helped Ayako (8) to build a shelter out of branches.
The third day was also the day of the training assessment. Every tribute worked their hardest. Sim was the only one who did not do anything. He was exhausted, sitting on the ground in a corner. A nurse was called, but she could not do anything without his medication. Thankfully, a friendly peacekeeper offered to go to the local pharmacy. Sim was about to protest, knowing the price and rarity of his medicine, but the peacekeeper laughed it off, saying it cost barely anything.
In the time for him to return, training was finished. Sim felt a little better, and he could stand up. Manette was more worried about him than the assessment, until it was her turn to come in. The career tributes had all impressed the jury with their skills. Manette felt extremely small, seeing all the gamemakers and trainers looking down at her. She chose to light a fire, which she did successfully, and proceeded to create a meal out of edible plants. However, one of the plants she chose was actually lethal. Luckily, Manette did not eat it.
Sim limped in, barely standing. He sat on the ground with a computer. As the jury wondered what he was doing, a message appeared on all the screens in the room, as well as in the viewing square. "District 3 for the win", the message said. The boy had managed to hack the different screens in a record time. The gamemakers were impressed, but it was still asked to deactivate all the electronic systems in the 3s apartment.
The assessments went on, tributes trickling in. Eventually, there was only the pair from 12 in the waiting room. Before being called, Ember asked her district partner why he was being so cold. Gregor apologized, explaining that he was not a people person, and that he didn't want to befriend the people who would try and kill him the next day. "You should at least try and get to know them, said the girl, they're really nice." He didn't respond.
For her assessment, Ember tried to throw an axe, but did so with little accuracy, especially after the impressive displays of Tulpa and Hollis. In a last resort, she demonstrated her strength, splitting a log with the axe in one fell swoop. This helped raise her score. Finally, Gregor entered the room. He did not greet the gamemakers, not even looking at them. Three dummies were brought on. He destroyed them, the first with a spear, the second with a knife, and the last with only his fists. He did not show an amazing technique, but his sheer strength and aggression sufficed.
The scores were announced later in the evening. Manette was not surprised to have gotten a 4, score she shared with Goldie (5). At least, said her mentor, you didn't get a 2 like Codney (4). Sim was even more shocked when his saw his score of 5. Violetta congratulated him on his computer skills.
The top of the pack was obviously occupied by Saphira (1), Treasure (1) and Helios (2), who all got an 11. Following were Carrie (2) and Hollis (7) with a 10. Talon was thrilled with the scores of his mentees. Ember had gotten a 7, which was decent enough. She complained a little about the stressful situation leading her to mess up her throws. Gregor, however, had gotten a respectable 9, placing him in the upper tier along with Oudah (10).
The Interviews:
That night, it was time for the long-awaited tribute's interviews. Argus Brown and Urania Whimsiwick had settled on an electric theme as a tribute to the past year's victor. Argus wore a bright yellow suit with lightning patterns, while Urania had chosen a sparkling white dress with a wind turbine fascinator. After the usual greetings, the interviews started with Saphira (1). Her quick wit and impressive skill made her very well liked in the Capitol. Of the career tributes, she was the one to leave the most lasting impression.
After the careers, Manette entered the stage. She was dwarfed by the bright lights and the crowd. Her afro was dusted with holographic glitter, leaving a trail wherever she walked. Urania seemed enamored by her silver dress. After a shower of compliments, the questioning commenced. Manette was uncomfortable, but she answered with honesty and poise. Her life with an older brother meant that she could take care of herself, even though she thought about cooking and finding money more than surviving in the wilderness. Argus asked her about her district partner, and she said that he had as much of a chance to win as her, meaning a little over zero. She would stay with him as long as possible.
Sim appeared after Manette, floating in a silver suit. The stark lighting made him look like a ghost. When asked about his illness, he preferred not to talk about it, stating that he was probably not going to die from it since he was participating in the games. Sim quite masterfully steered the conversation towards his skills, prompting Urania to ask him about his assessment. Some Capitolites were not aware of the stunt he had pulled, seeing as the viewing square was pretty empty at that time. All in all, the boy maintained a polite conversation. He appeared almost "normal" until he stood up and peacekeepers had to almost carry him off the stage under a thunder of applause. "So courageous", said Argus with teary eyes.
The rest of the interviews went on, with Max and Goldie (5) talking behind each other's backs for the whole duration. The boy from 6 passed out in the middle of his, due to morphling withdrawal. The pairs from 7 and eight made a good impression, while Oudah (10) shouted at the audience and Calla (11) charmed them with her ethereal singing voice.
With the evening approaching its end, Ember was brought to the stage in a black mermaid dress. She seemed oddly confused. She answered some questions perfectly, talking about her alliance with the 7s in great detail. However, she would blank at random questions, leaving an awkward silence. Ember still received decent applause when she left the stage.
The last to go was Gregor. Othello had insisted on him wearing a tight black suit that would emphasize his muscular build. He made a lasting impression on many ladies and men in the audience. His cold affect actually earned him even more credit. His responses were laconic, but full of sense. The only time he spoke more than ten words was when Urania asked about his sister. He described Beam in length, talking about her being his role model. He wanted to win for her.
On this note, Argus and Urania ended the interviews, preparing to receive Head-Gamemaker Orpington. However, a peacekeeper climbed on the stage and whispered something in Urania's ear. He gave her a slip of paper and left. The music stopped, and Urania read aloud with a sinister face.
"I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, but a terrible news just came, and we will have to cut your evening short. We just received news that Alina Snow, niece of our president, has been found dead in her apartment. It was not an accident. Her twin children are safe. Helion Cardew, her husband, is currently wanted for questioning. If you have any information concerning his whereabouts, please say something to a peacekeeper."
There were gasps in the audience, everybody shocked at the news. As everyone went home, and the tributes to their apartment, an enormous manhunt was launched. A communiqué was made by Theresa Crane, the president's spokeswoman, stated that the games would continue as usual, but that there would be a week of national mourning immediately after they ended.
Helion Cardew was recovered in the early hours of the morning, on the brink of death and covered in blood. He had murdered his wife in order to steal her money and run off to find the nearest Felicity dealer. He was found in an alley, overdosing, and brought to the Gamp clinic. It is rumored that president Snow II stayed in his bedroom for an entire week after that, not even watching the games or attending to his duties. Although it has not been verified, he actually made no official appearance during that time, being replaced by Theresa Crane.
Day 1:
The following night was pretty chaotic. Manette and Sim spent most of the evening glued to the television screen, while their mentor and her brother, Violetta and Argus Brown, discussed quietly in the adjacent room. From the balcony, Ember could see the peacekeepers running around. She had hoped they would cancel the games, but it was just wishful thinking. Gregor was one of the only people in the Capitol who slept soundly. He did not hear Talon's paces outside of his room.
On the morning of the games, the situation had calmed down. Helion Cardew was still in critical condition in the hospital. The news of his arrest shocked even more than the death of his wife. An unknown source later revealed to Panem Weekly that Helion was being treated for his addiction to Felicity for more than a year. Before the start of the games, a small memorial was held in honor of Alina Snow.
After a short breakfast, the tributes were sent to their launching room. They were made to wear black pants, a white t-shirt, and a black armband in memory of the former Gamemaker. Talon Highbottom went to see Gregor first. The boy was doing pushups and running in place, deep focus in his dark eyes. They did not share many words, just a "Good luck." And a friendly pat on the back.
Ember, on the other hand, was starting to panic. Tears had welled up in her eyes. Talon grabbed her by the shoulders. They did some breathing exercises to help her calm down. She kept whispering that she did not want to die. Talon had no good answer to that. He just squeezed her a little harder. Ember climbed into the glass tube, sniffling. She tied her blond hair in a high ponytail.
Ornacia volunteered to help Sim. He did not struggle to put on his clothes, but he was still sweating. The industrial lighting made his skin almost transparent. He said nothing as the stylist aided him to climb into the tube. Then, she started to cry. It was up to the boy to console her. He told her that it was for the better, as he had no more than a few months to live anyway. Ornacia responded that it was unfair, as his treatment was very cheap in the Capitol, and that if he won, he could still live a very long life. Sim took the information like a punch in the gut. However, he did not have the time to ask for anything else as his podium started rising.
Violetta stayed with Manette. The girl kept going to the toilet out of nervousness. Her mentor looked her in the eye and told her to leave Sim. At first, Manette did not understand. "You should run away from the cornucopia immediately. If you help him, you'll die too. He was already dead when he was reaped." Instead of reacting like Violetta expected her to do, Manette just closed up like an oyster. Similar to her behavior during the reapings, the girl stared into the void and stopped reacting. The other woman had to push her into the tube.
When they rose up into the arena, the tributes did not have to shield their eyes from the light. They were indoors. Looking around, they could see that they were in an atrium of some sort, with marble floors. Some older citizens recognized the interior. It was the Great Museum of Panem, which had been partially destroyed during the Troubled Times. It was set to reopen the next year, so the gamemakers had chosen to use it before that as an arena.
Manette was standing in the middle of a semi-circle of podiums. In front of her was the cornucopia, designed to look like a hollowed-out earth. Many weapons and supplies laid inside and around the structure. Still unresponsive, she did not react to Treasure (1), next to her, making menacing gestures at her. Selen Orpington's voice sounded in the arena. She greeted the tributes and said a little speech about her predecessor. She dedicated these games to Alina Snow, saying she hoped to make her proud.
As the Head Gamemaker started the countdown to 60, Ember looked around. There were three main wings to the building, in addition to the toilets and the gift shop. Behind her was the "Art and Technology" exhibit. In front, past the cornucopia was the "History of Panem" exhibit and to her left was the biggest wing: the "Science" exhibit. Ember was glad to see that two of her allies were on the same side of the cornucopia as her. Tulpa (7) was on the penultimate podium on the West, with Gregor two podiums over.
The boy was focusing intently on the cornucopia. A spear attracted his eyes, sticking out of a pile of supplies. The countdown was slowly trickling down. In the last ten seconds, he finally noticed Ember trying to signal him something. She pointed to the science wing, which looked to be the biggest wing. Gregor nodded.
Sim did not react when the countdown reached zero. He clutched his chest, where his heart was throbbing. Nevada (6), next to him ran away from the cornucopia. Her, the girl from 9, and Davy (8) were the only ones this year.
Manette flinched when Treasure (1) jumped from his podium. He was the first to the cornucopia and she watched him throw a knife straight through Codney's (4) throat. This woke her up. Avoiding the cornucopia, she ran towards Sim. He had fallen down his podium and was struggling to get up. Before Manette could get to him, a "pity knife", as Argus would call it, flew towards the prone boy killing him instantly. The projectile had been thrown by Helios (2), who was now grabbing as much supplies as possible. Manette did not stop, instead running to the East, in the history wing.
Gregor and Oudah (10) had jumped at the same time. As the boy dodged the male from 9, Oudah decided to collide with him at full force. He was sent flying and hit the cornucopia structure with a sinister cracking sound. Gregor grabbed the spear, using it to fend off Treasure (1) long enough for Tulpa to join him. They witnessed Saphira (1) decapitating the boy from 6 with her sword in order to grab a backpack.
Ember and Hollis joined them a few instants later, the latter stabbing his axe into the boy from 11 on the way. The career pack was also in the cornucopia, along with the pair from 10. All had weapons. Unexpectedly, they all left the central area, avoiding a fight. The alliance ran towards the science wing.
When the central atrium was empty, Davy and Ayako (8) came out of the toilets and picked up most of the supplies that had been left behind before retreating once again.
Manette had run all the way to the end of the History wing, going past ancient currencies, weapons, and dioramas of the first and second rebellion. She ended up hiding in "The Hunger Games experience". The room was dark. Many mannequins representing different victors in their parade outfits adorned the room. One had scarily sharp fingernails, another had a wolf by his side. The screens displayed footage from past games. Two lovers in icy water. A girl provoking a small explosion at a reaping.
Manette was fascinated. She felt safe in that room. No sound was heard until the 5 bloodbath cannons. Then a strange ringing. The girl decided to hide behind a curtain. As she peeked out, she saw that the mannequins had started moving. In fact, all the mannequins in the History wing had been activated. They chased Nevada (6) out of the wing. Calla (11), however, decided to stay and fought them. They revealed to not be that dangerous, being slow and clumsy.
Meanwhile, Hollis, Tulpa, Ember and Gregor had set up camp at the second floor of the zoology gallery. Sitting behind an elephant and a glass case full of butterflies, they looked at all the supplies they had managed to gather. Between them, they had six water bottles, enough food to last a week, three axes, two daggers, one spear and a bunch of other useful supplies.
The group chilled there for a few hours, taking turns patrolling the room. No one came their way. The afternoon was calm until a slight rumbling was heard, followed by a cannon. It belonged to Roe (4), who had been in the geology exhibit at that time. An earthquake had been triggered, which resulted in her being crushed by a fake asteroid.
Manette found out quite quickly that the different hazards in the museum were timed. The mannequins had stopped moving after exactly one hour, and the earthquake had started an hour later. She was the first one to notice this, and Urania congratulated her quick thinking. Guessing she was safe, Manette decided to stay in that room. She grabbed a mannequin leg out of one of the weapons displays, wondering aloud what it was doing there.
The outlying alliance had been sitting around and talking for some time now. They spoke about their jobs as lumberjacks in district 7. Hollis eyed up Gregor and asked him for an arm-wrestling match. Both boys were strong, and their bulging biceps caused a few fainting spells in the viewing square. It took quite long, but Hollis finally triumphed. The four tributes had been so engrossed in the activity that they noticed too late that the girl from 9 was running away with one backpack and a spear. Hollis, Tulpa and Ember all grabbed an axe and ran after her.
Gregor ditched the small knife he had picked up and walked to some sort of taxidermized antelope, ripping off a long horn. He waited, hidden behind the stuffed elephant, for either a cannon or the sound of footfalls. The girl from 9 was fast and managed to outrun her pursuers and turn around. But Gregor waited for her. He heard her coming and dropping the bag in a last-ditch effort. When she came to his level, he thrust the horn into her chest, sounding her cannon.
Ember arrived first; she witnessed the claw pulling the corpse into one of the vents. The 7s followed her, Hollis's congratulating Gregor on his kill. They agreed to stay focused and to keep taking watch. As the artificial lights dimmed in the museum, Ember took the first watch. In the twilight, the skeletons made frightening silhouettes. The arena was silent for some time, but at the end of her shift, the girl heard something move up ahead. Immediately, she awoke Tulpa. She put a finger on her lips and signaled her intentions. Ember stealthily moved ahead.
She walked amongst the long dead beasts until she could make out a shape. The silhouette had its back turned. Ember creeped towards it and jumped. Max (5) did not have time to react. The girl planted her axe in his neck. His cannon had sounded before he hit the ground. The sound echoed through the marbled halls. Her allies were waiting for her when she came back, and she fell into a well-deserved sleep. The next cannon did not even wake her.
Funnily enough, it belonged to Max's district partner, Goldie (5). She was rummaging through display cases in search of a weapon. The girl did not even try to be stealthy, making enough noise as to wake up Manette, who was sleeping in the adjacent room. This also woke Calla, who was snoozing in a nearby vintage car. The girl took it upon herself to end the noise and stabbed Goldie through the neck before going back to a restful sleep. Manette was unable to fall asleep until midnight. She watched the portraits of Sim (3), Roe and Codney (4), Max and Goldie (5), the boy (6), both tributes (9) and the boy (11). This left 15 remaining tributes.
Day 2:
In the early morning, three cannons rang in quick succession, startling the sleeping tributes and the rare Capitolites in the viewing squares. It was revealed that the career pack had run into a small problem. They had been unsuccessfully hunting for the past day, barely taking time to sleep. They were about to leave the art wing, which was actually empty (the pair from 10 had left it late the previous night). However, at 8:00, an unnoticeable gas was released in the exhibit. The place was already quite trippy, with colorful paintings and bubbly sculptures, but the hallucinogenic gas made it even worse. Argus and Urania watched, slack-jawed, as the career pack started to slaughter each other, believing their allies to be mutts. Treasure (1) managed to kill Helios (2), but he was overpowered by Saphira (1). The girl also slaughtered Carrie (2), before running away with a maniacal laugh.
The alliance felt quite safe in their wing, unaware of the other dangers. They ate a bit of bread, and theorized about the cannons they had heard, until they were startled by a strange grinding noise. Ember was the first to notice a small butterfly landing on Tulpa's back. She shooed it off, making nothing of it. Then it was a starling that flew straight into Gregor's face. The bird looked off, its eyes glassy and its feathers dusty. Ember shouted, "We need to leave!". Then the stuffed elephant started moving, as well as the other animals, skeleton or not. It was hard to navigate the place now that the beasts had left their podiums and display cases.
A one horned antelope tried to ram through the group, Argus claiming it was its vengeance against Gregor. It smashed against another display case, releasing a swarm of hummingbirds. In the commotion, Gregor was separated from his group. Ember called to him, but at that moment, the elephant charged towards the boy. She heard the smashing of a bookshelf and a shout of pain, but her allies from 7 grabbed her by the hand. They ran, weaving through the irate animals. Hollis was scratched in the face by a wildcat. With their three axes, the group managed to fend them off, but their opponents were already dead, so they were harder to stop. Finally, they ended up in the atrium. The headless ostrich that followed them stopped right at the edge. It could not go further.
Meanwhile, Manette was slowly making her way out of the History wing, as she presumed the mannequins would be activated again. She entered the gift shop a few seconds before Ember, Hollis and Tulpa barged in the atrium. She was unseen. There weren't many useful supplies in there. Manette grabbed a small Swiss army knife, a tiny flashlight, and a box of mints. Then she dug up a pen and some paper to write down.
1) Unknown
2) Animals in the science wing
3) Mannequins
4) Rumbling???
5) ???
6) ???
The girl hid behind the counter, waiting for the 7s and the 12 to leave the atrium. The roaring stopped gradually, with the animals getting back into their display cases and on their podiums. However, the chaos of broken glass and torn straw stayed. Just to be safe, Ember asked to try another wing. The pair from seven agreed, and they entered the Art gallery briefly in order to get in the "Science and Technology" exhibit.
The hall was smaller and way more futuristic than the rest of the building. Holograms and robots replaced the skeletons. The group decided to stay there for a while and gather their breath. Ember cried a little about the loss of her district partner, but Tulpa told her not to worry. "One less to kill", added Hollis.
As Manette was on her way out of the gift shop, footfalls alerted her to incoming tributes. Nevada (6) came bolting in, pursued by Assaf and Oudah (10). She was almost out of reach, but Oudah tackled her to the floor. She smashed Nevada's head on the shiny marble until her cannon sounded, then got up and entered the art gallery. After that, the girl from 3 finally left the atrium and entered the "Animals" exhibit, confident she was quite safe. However, she wasn't alone.
Ember and the 7s got quite a scare when the pair from 10 came barging in. They were in the process of setting up a small camp for lunch. Tulpa was the first to react. She flung her axe, slicing into Assaf's collarbone from a distance. His cannon sounded. Oudah was about to attack, but seeing as she was outnumbered, she preferred to flee. With the axe. Which made Tulpa enraged.
Ember spent a couple of hours trying to convince the girl to stay there. Hollis lounged at the entrance in the meantime, cleaning his weapon and nibbling on an energy bar. Ember was still reluctant to leave but a crackling of electricity quickly gave Tulpa reason. The trio had to quickly run out of the room as a multitude of electrical arcs appeared. Thankfully, Hollis had managed to block the door before it had locked, preventing any escape.
At the back of the animal gallery, Manette came upon Gregor. Unexpectedly, he had managed to dodge the elephant at the last moment. However, the enormous bookshelf behind him collapsed onto him after the shock. Inch by inch, he had crawled out of the debris. His ankle was broken, and he had nothing but the horn.
The pair stayed immobile for an instant, until Gregor told the girl to leave, as he was unable to follow her. "Can we stay together instead?", asked Manette. "I have no weapon and you can't walk. Looks like none of us are going to win. At least we won't be alone." Gregor wearily accepted the offer. After all, he might as well use it to his advantage. He instructed the girl to bring him some material in order to build a splint. Two bones and skin from an unknown animal did the trick. Gregor could stand and limp slowly. He thanked Manette and promised to stay with her.
Before they went to sleep, A sponsor gift was dropped from a nearby vent. It sported both the numbers 3 and 12. Manette ran to it and came back with a container of warm soup, bandages, and some healing ointment. The pair thanked their sponsors profusely and shared the soup. At midnight, the portraits of the fallen were shown. The faces of Treasure (1), Carrie and Helios (2), Nevada (6) and Assaf (10) were displayed. This left 10 remaining tributes: Saphira (1), Manette (3), Tulpa and Hollis (7), Davy and Ayako (8), Oudah (10), Calla (11) and Ember and Gregor (12).
Day 3:
On the third morning, the tributes appeared less active. To furnish the downtime, Urania and Argus decided to pan the cameras around to see what they were up to. Saphira (1) had been stealthily following Ember and the 7s but was careful to avoid the art gallery. The group was now exploring the History wing. Manette and Gregor had stayed the night together and were slowly stirring awake. The girl was explaining to her ally that the hazards in the museum were timed, and that they had to be out soon enough to avoid the activation.
Oudah (10) had been sleeping under the same car Calla (11) had made camp in, the two girls totally unaware of each other. Finally, Ayako and Davy (8), had been hiding in the toilets since the first day. Strangely enough, very few tributes had thought of using these facilities, and the pair from 8 was able to switch from the men's side to the women's side by climbing the separating wall and squeezing through a vent. The cameras had barely focused on them, since they weren't doing anything interesting.
Seeing as Manette was getting antsy, Gregor accepted to follow her. He limped with her to the atrium, then entered the art gallery just as the hallucinogenic gas was being removed. The sound of animals was heard a few seconds later. What remained of the gas made the pair a little woozy. They decided to hide until its effects dissipated.
Meanwhile, Hollis, Tulpa and Ember were frustrated to not have found anyone. Ember had decided to keep to herself the fact that Gregor's portrait had not appeared the previous night. She however shared with her allies that three career tributes had been eliminated. On their way back to the central atrium, they spotted Davy (8) running to the gift shop and back to the toilets. He had not noticed them.
When they entered, the pair from 8 was sharing some mints. They did not have anything else to eat, and Ayako was getting very weak. She screamed, and Davy ran to one of the stalls to get to the other side of the wall. While he easily passed through the gap, Hollis planted his axe in Ayako's chest. Her cannon sounded.
Davy managed to escape into the History wing, startling Calla (11) and Oudah (10) who were engaged in a duel. That moment of inattention led to Calla slipping away. Oudah followed her but she was slower. However, they soon entered the Animal gallery. It was quiet. Calla hid so well that Oudah seemed to abandon the hunt, believing the other girl had left that wing.
The cannon of Davy (8) sounded a little later. He had been cornered by the animated mannequins and strangled to death. The crowds in the Capitol were happy to see some action and did not mind the lack of a feast seeing as there were always events happening.
After resting a little bit and putting some more ointment on his ankle, Gregor decided to walk through the art exhibit. His limping had become less visible, but he was still unable to run. Manette followed him and they strolled in silence. The space was very vast, and they managed to almost cross paths with Oudah a couple of times. However, it was Saphira (1) that surprised them. Hidden behind a multicolored painting, she jumped out and attacked with her thin sword.
The blade sliced Gregor in the shoulder. The pain made him fall to the ground. Saphira was about to strike a second time when Manette tackled her from behind. The two girls lost balance and fell too. The boy was about to jump into the fret when Saphira pierced the girl from 3's neck with her sword. In the time it took for her to get rid of the body, Gregor limped away at top speed, diving into a hidden alcove. He kept quiet and heard the beckoning of Saphira (1). She called him a coward and told him to die like a man. He did nothing of the sort, instead throwing his empty soup container in the direction of the atrium. The noise made his opponent run in that direct, as she believed he had left.
As the commenters were discussing the tension of what had just happened, Hollis, Tulpa and Ember had decided to set camp in the toilets, seeing as they had dispatched their previous occupants. With that, they could clean themselves and drink to their heart's contempt. Later in the evening, the pair from 7 asked Ember to "guard the camp" while they scavenged for supplies in the gift shop. As soon as they left, she received a sponsor gift. It contained a very small knife as well as a note. Ember's brow furrowed as she read it: "Don't trust the 7s. Be smart. Leave."- T. She scoffed and whispered to the camera that she knew she could count on them.
Meanwhile, Tulpa and Hollis had taken the opportunity to discuss their plan of murdering Ember. Tulpa wanted to do it immediately, while Hollis insisted, they did it the next morning, by fear of instigating the showdown early. After a little back and forth, she agreed, and the pair came back just in time to hear another cannon.
Gregor had been staying immobile in his alcove by fear of being heard. He knew he would have a hard time beating Saphira. However, when Oudah decided to take a breather just besides his hiding place, he had to jump on the occasion. He lunged but his splint failed, and he fell down a few feet from the girl. She launched the axe and Gregor rolled at the last moment. The weapon disappeared in another alley. Instead of going to retrieve it, Oudah tried to stomp on the boy, screaming profanities that had to be censored. He grabbed her foot and managed to tip her balance. As she fell, he held on to his horn and let the girl's weight do the work. Her cannon sounded. He then got up to retrieve the weapon. Gregor was elated to see that, deposited on top of the runaway axe, was a small sponsor gift. It contained a protein bar and a water bottle, along as a note. "Do it for your sister. Tomorrow's the day. Fight clever." – T.
As the tributes felt into an agitated sleep, the portraits of Manette (3), Ayako and Davy (8) and Oudah (10) appeared on the scattered screens. The last remaining tributes were Saphira (1), Tulpa and Hollis (7), Calla (11) and Ember and Gregor (12).
Day 4:
As expected, Head Gamemaker Orpington triggered the showdown on the next morning. The blaring of an alarm sounded in the arena. Slowly but surely, three gigantic grates lowered at the entrances of each wing, threatening to lock the tributes in.
In the toilets, Tulpa discreetly nodded at her district partner. Hollis caught Ember's head and twisted it, sounding her cannon. They then ran into the atrium, where Calla and Saphira were already engaged in a fight. Hollis threw his axe at the girl from 1 but missed. However, it hit Calla squarely in the neck. Saphira shouted a thank you, before realizing that her last opponents were allies.
Gregor managed to squeeze under the grate, his injured ankle making him slower. He witnessed Tulpa attacking the girl from 1 with her axe. She got distracted at the sight of her former ally, shouting:" But you were dea- ". Her voice cut off as a narrow blade entered her chest.
Hollis did not seem as fazed, instead running to his axe he had thrown. Saphira jumped at him, clocking that the other tribute was injured. Gregor painfully stood up and limped to Tulpa's corpse to steal her axe. It clipped Saphira's shoulder when he threw it, drawing a little blood. Gregor swore and marched up to the pair, who were now fighting again. As they were occupied, he planted his horn into Saphira's skull, sounding her cannon.
"Thanks man, said Hollis, but I'd prefer if you stayed dead next time." He ran at Gregor, who crouched at the last second, sending both boys to the floor. The axe and the horn flew in the distance while the pair wrestled. The tension in the viewing square was high, and even the commenters refused to say a word.
The boy from 7 was slightly bigger and stronger than Gregor, yet he was not as good a fighter. They wrestled for a long time, with Hollis trying to inch towards his weapon. Gregor, jaw clenched and furious eyes, rolled around and threw a punch, breaking Hollis' nose. As a fountain of blood now started dripping, he continued punching has hard as he could. The other boy quickly lost consciousness, but it took an uncomfortably long time for his cannon to sound. When Head Gamemaker Orpington announced that Gregor Cantini, from district 12, was the victor of the 109th Hunger Games, the pounding didn't even stop. Peacekeepers had to intervene to remove the boy from the area.
Aftermath:
Before the victor's interview could take place, a memorial week was held in honor of the deceased Alina Snow. Even President Snow II was present, and he made a moving speech. The depressing ambiance in the Capitol after that was criticized by a few of the more festive Capitolites, but their protests were violently silenced.
Finally, two weeks later, the interview could finally take place. Urania wore a simple cream dress with leaf patterns on it, and Argus had the same pattern on his suit, as well as a crown of oak leaves. Gregor's outfit was way more muted, a simple steel grey suit. The bruises on his hands were nicely healed but he still had a cast from his broken ankle. He appeared somber during the interview. Strangely enough, his coldness seemed to make him even more attractive to the Capitol audience. "Undead Gregor", as he was now nicknamed, was seen a the "dark and mysterious type".
He half heartedly watched all of his kills, seemingly not bothered. He just winced when he saw Manette, stating that she was a clever girl. The death of his partner, however, did not get any reaction out of him. In the end, Argus and Urania had to make up most of the conversation. Similar to his previous interview, he only lit up when they talked about his sister, Beam. He said that he hoped she was proud of him, and that he had won the games for her and Antoni, his younger brother.
Gregor then returned to district 12, where he moved in with his family in the victor's village. He kept mostly to himself, barely getting out of his house except for the Games. He proved to be an excellent mentor along with Talon Highbottom. His stern mentoring style was very appreciated. Very little is known about the rest of his life, as he was a extremely private man.
Chapter 9: The 110th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 110th Hunger Games took place in the year 146. They would be the second quinquennial quell of the third generation, and the seventh all in all. One week before the reaping, president Snow II appeared on Capitol TV to reveal the quell twist. "To remind the districts that even the youngest and the oldest participated in the rebellions, one of the tributes would be 12 and the other 18 years old." The crowds seemed a little underwhelmed, claiming that twelve years old children would be useless against their older counterpart.
The reaping went more easily in district 11. Now that he had grasped the system, Gregor Cantini, victor of the 109th Hunger Games, was able to proceed correctly. He let mayor Attabi do the speech first, before marching on to a big reaping bowl. It contained all the names of the tributes, male and female. He fished out a slip of paper, calling to the stage 12 years old Rosalie Mitchell. A tall girl with brown skin and cornrows gasped.
She quickly regained her composure and clambered up to the stage, offering a dignified handshake to the mayor and to Gregor. While Urania Whimsiwick complimented the girl on her exemplary behavior, the boy walked over to one of the male reaping bowls, the one for the 18 years old.
He read the paper and called Solano Luongo. A tall young man with black skin sighed, then made his way slowly through the crowd. His sharp features and aquiline nose gave him a very distinguished look that made him look older. He greeted the other participants and stood next to Rosalie, exposing the stark height difference. They both looked uncomfortable but calm.
The pair was subsequently led to the city hall to meet with their families. Rosalie entered the room to a cacophony of screams. Her parents were there, with as many siblings as they could fit in the room. The limit was six people, so they had to leave Rosalie's eldest sister out to take care of her two youngest brothers. The girl struggled to focus among the numerous voices. Between encouragements, advice, and despaired comments, it was hard to hear anything.
Solano's holding room was much calmer. After a tearful visit from his mother, Solano's girlfriend, Piper Delacroix, took her place. The pair embraced. Before Solano could say anything, she spoke. "I know what to do with the potatoes. I'll find one more farmhand just in case, but you better come back. Don't look at me like that, I intend on having you back. They won't take you away honey. We discussed this. It was our last year." Solano agreed with her, and they spent their remaining moments hugging tightly.
The pair was then led to the train station. They boarded the luxurious carriage and were greeted by a handsome man, around thirty, with bright blue eyes and dark hair. Alector Crane was their mentor. As soon as the tributes entered, he had sized them up. They proceeded to the usual introductions, Solano owned a small potato farm with his mother and Rosalie worked in a lemon orchard to help her family. She actually lived in the Wetlands, the poorest part of the district, while Solano resided far from any city.
Alector seemed quite disinterested in his tributes after they had introduced themselves. Seeing as they had no "useful" skills and they were quite shy in personality, he focused on his edition of Panem Weekly. As he read about the recent riots in the Capitol, caused by president Snow II's ban on unapproved celebrations, The tributes decided to go into another room and discuss privately.
They were both stern and reserved, but not dim. They immediately agreed to an alliance. Rosalie stated that they needed to make a good impression. Solano suggested they get a nice shower to get rid of the dirt on their hands. They had a long ride, so they decided to make the most of it, taking long showers, reading, and eating to their hearts' contents.
In the afternoon, they arrived at the train station, where a small crowd was waiting for them. The pair stayed together, Solano towering over Rosalie as if protecting her. They spoke with the Capitolites and marveled at the high-tech décor. Soon enough, they left for the accommodation center. Alector seemed happy that his tributes were outgoing, as they at least made a good impression.
Waiting for them in their apartment was Garner Townsend, a young and promising stylist. He wore a jacket and skirt of his own creation, impressing the tributes but also perplexing them. They were too polite to ask the question, so Alector did it for them: "Why the hell are you wearing a skirt?". After a drawn-out sigh, Garner explained that it was comfortable and looked good, and that he needed no more reasons.
To cut the discussion short, he started showing his tributes some of the designs he had created for the parade. Their lack of interest soon showed, and he was left to choose the outfit himself. He picked a simple strawberry dress for Rosalie, light pink and flowy. Solano's suit was the same pink, but with a strawberry leaf pattern. The pair was very happy to wear very simple outfits. While Garner and his assistants were taking measurements, Alector walked out of the apartment. He did not come back until late in the evening, while the tributes were already sleeping.
Before going to bed, Solano and Rosalie had talked at length about their strategy for surviving the arena. Both couldn't fight very well, but they counted on their survival skills. Back in district 11, Rosalie often had to forage for food, and Solano was used to camping in the wilderness. There was a two-day walk between his home and the market. The pair hoped they would be in an outdoors arena, a warm one if possible.
The next day, Alector greeted them with breakfast and the promise of sponsors "if one of you survives the first day". They then discussed a "training plan" for the next few days, where they would have to learn basic fighting techniques as well as hone their other skills. Soon enough, the afternoon came, and Garner turned on the television screen to watch the last reapings.
Gregor Cantini arrived in district 2, where the reapings had gone differently. Seeing the number of volunteers, the new mayor, Taurus Foacher, held a reaping game, as was usual before the Troubled Times in district 2. This game was among contestants of both genders, but the winner was Severus Monto, 18 years old. He had laid low for most of the game, keeping his energy, then had plundered through his remaining opponents, ripping off their bracelets.
He was already waiting on stage. Gregor shook his hand and proceeded to the reaping bowl, which contained only the names of 12 years old girls. He fished out a piece of paper and called Valentine Cast to the stage. A blonde girl with long flowy hair and a ratty dress walked up, sobbing profusely. Severus was seen to sigh in annoyance. Gregor quickly left for district one and the tributes were taken to the city hall for last goodbyes.
In Severus' room, it was a party. His parents, two retired peacekeepers, celebrated his reaping. They danced with each other. Severus was not that cheerful, frustrated about his district partner. His father reassured him, claiming that at least she would be easy to kill. He added that there would also be only one viable district 1 tribute. They continued celebrating and sharing advice until a peacekeeper came to fetch Severus.
The atmosphere was completely different in Valentine's room, where her, her parents and her older brother were crying their eyes out. Valentine's family could not afford training at one of the academies, seeing as they were both quarry workers. Not a lot of coherent sentences were uttered during the reunion. After one last wet hug, the girl was taken away from her family, kicking and screaming.
Cleopatra Liu (winner of the 103rd games) waited for them in the carriage, sampling the fruits lying on the table. Immediately, Severus asked where Theseus Fierro (winner of the 106th games) was. Setting aside the rudeness at the moment, Cleopatra said that he had been victim of another murder attempt and was recovering at the hospital. The boy seemed shocked at this explanation, then he had a revelation: "That's why mayor Dalton resigned?". His mentor did not respond, but he was actually right, Arabella Dalton had indeed paid a peacekeeper to kill the former victor and had been forced to "retire".
Severus kept talking and talking about his strategy, his skills at sword fighting, and his illustrious pedigree. Cleopatra listened distractedly, picking at some blueberries. She wished Alisia Heath was with her, but she had decided to retire this year. As he kept blabbering about his achievements, Valentine silently escaped the room, making her way to one of the small bedrooms in the train. Her mentor let her go, she planned on talking to her later.
The ride to the Capitol was short only for Severus, who demonstrated his great accuracy by throwing some knives and recited the names of every winner of the games since the reclamation (except the 99th, which had been scrubbed from the records). Cleopatra had given up on listening and stared forlornly out of the window, while Valentine cried under a pile of blankets.
Severus was a hit with Capitolites. His confidence and charm made up for his banal physique. He chatted up many possible sponsors, doing Cleopatra's job. Valentine kept behind her mentor. She was docile, and, when beckoned by some young woman, she came to her, but the girl did not utter a single word. The whole focus was on Severus, who flipped his long black hair around and took pictures. After a last autograph, Cleopatra grabbed him by the shoulder and took him to the limousine, Valentine following close behind.
The first thing Cleopatra Liu did when entering their apartment was going to the balcony. She enjoyed the relative quiet and let Severus talk Corban Janssen's ear off. The stylist immediately started working on the tributes' outfits. He had designed a simple white toga embroidered with laurel, with a golden chest plate. It suited Severus' regal appearance but was a little too much for Valentine. She suggested a flower crown and Corban agreed, giving her a more fairylike aesthetic.
Parade:
Rosalie and Solano felt comfortable in their pink clothing. Alector had accompanied them to the waiting area, but immediately left them to speak with Violetta Berkeley, the mentor for district 3. They decided not to mingle with the other tributes. Rosalie spent her time petting the horses until the parade started.
Severus immediately left Valentine alone to go talk to the tributes of district 1. He spoke with Harmony, the older tribute, and she convinced him to include Lux, her district partner, in their alliance, since he had some basic training and could be useful. Severus agreed but claimed that they would need to find another ally "just in case".
Behind Valentine, Elsie (3) was trying to comfort her younger district partner, Luminus. Instead of being pushed away, Valentine was greeted by both, and they showed great kindness, even agreeing to train together the next day. She was brought back to reality by the start of the parade.
This year, the stands were not full. The audience was very excited to see the tributes, as usual, but a loud background noise was present. It was due to a mob of angry Capitolites, who had been refused entry seeing as they were either inebriated or high. The recent laws prohibiting alcohol in public spaces were not appreciated, as well as the other "security measures" set in place by the president.
Nevertheless, Severus and Valentine waved to the crowd, displaying their best smiles. In the commentator's booth, Urania Whimsiwick and Corneo Anderson from Anderson's Fashion discussed the outfits. Corneo claimed those of district 2 were nice but lacked unity.
Solano's horses were startled by the sound of shooting, coming from a peacekeeper. She had been trying to keep order by firing a warning shot. It only worked for so long. Meanwhile, Rosalie and her district partner waved at the crowd, barely smiling. Their outfits were well liked, Urania commending the use of pink for a district that was usually in green.
The parade ended soon after. As President Coriolanus Snow II started his annual speech, warning about lack of discipline and excess in the Capitol, another shot was heard, followed by an angry mob of Capitolites swarming the stands. The tributes and the president were swiftly evacuated, while tear gas was thrown to try and neutralize the rioters.
From their apartment, Solano and Rosalie could hear the struggles. Contrarily to the other tributes, they had turned off their television set. Out on the balcony, they silently discussed the event of the night before going to sleep.
Valentine had to be put to bed by Cleopatra Liu. She was very shaken by the events. Severus followed soon after, stating he wanted to be ready for training. In the commotion, barely anyone paid attention to Urania and Corneo, who were courageously continuing their broadcast. The winners of best dressed were announced to be Harmony and Lux, from 1, for their very intricate silver outfits.
Training:
Due to security measures, the now annual rooftop party did not take place, leaving the mentors and stylists very refreshed the next morning. Cleopatra Liu awoke her tributes early to get them to warm up before the training started. Severus followed her movements with ease. He made fun of Valentine for being out of breath after fifteen minutes.
While he was preparing in the bathroom, Cleopatra led a tearful Valentine to the balcony. "Listen to me. I know you are not ready. I know you are terrified. But I believe you are a clever girl. Find some trustful allies within the next day. You can win, she continued, a girl your age won the games before the Troubled Times." The tribute appeared speechless, but she hugged her mentor tightly. The woman stiffly patted her on the back, uncomfortable.
A few balconies away, Solano and Rosalie took in one last breath of morning air before heading to the training center. Head trainer Carmelo Harrington proceeded to explain the basic rules of training. He introduced a series of new trainers who had been hired to take care the younger tributes.
At first, Valentine kept to herself. Her district partner had left her immediately to work with Harmony and Lux (1) at the spears station. Eventually, she found out that a number of the twelve years old tributes had agreed on a big alliance. They were discreet about it, working in pairs and sharing messages on pieces of paper. From her observation point, on top of the climbing wall, she could see that the younger tributes from districts 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 were working together. Later that day, she accosted Pascal (5), a short brown boy with glasses, and discreetly asked him if she could join them. He immediately looked panicked and begged her not to tell the rest of the "careers". She assured him she was not with them, but he quickly escaped. After that, the other members of the alliance appeared to be avoiding her.
Severus was on the lookout, analyzing potential allies. Harmony (1) was very strong and could be a powerful ally, even though she was not as bloodthirsty as Lux, her district partner. The trio spent their three days at the weapons stations. During their breaks, Severus quietly observed the other tributes, trying to make out their weaknesses and strengths. Stella (5), Charlotte (6) and Angelique (8) looked very fierce and were good fighters, but their alliance seemed too strong to add them to the pack. Instead, he chose to bring in Ray (4), a tall blond boy with callous hands and a great experience with nets. He seemed happy enough to leave Marina, his district partner. She appeared to be the leader of what would be called the "Kids Club".
Solano and Rosalie had decided to spend their training together. They had a very friendly relationship, almost like a brother and sister. As they trained with Elsie and Luminus (3), they were always ready to help. On the second day, Solano managed to disentangle Ivy (7), who had managed to get stuck in a net of her own fabrication.
The pair from 3 tried to teach their allies basic electronics, but it was too complicated for them. They decided to give up after Rosalie had electrocuted herself for the third time. Instead, they split their remaining time between the survival stations (Rosalie was excellent at the toxicology station) and some less crowded fighting station. With the help of a trainer, Solano learned to shoot an arrow with satisfactory precision.
At the end of those three days came the training assessments, where tributes could show their skills to the panel of game makers and trainers. Valentine was the third to enter the room, after Lux's decent knife throwing display. She looked very distraught. Head trainer Harrington cleared his throat, prompting her to start an obstacle course. She completed most of it with decent agility but fell near the end. This made her panic so much that she was unable to complete the rest. She was removed from the premises and her district partner followed.
Severus was quite the opposite of Valentine. He greeted the assessors with a genial smile and started destroying dummies with a sword. His grace and swiftness caused a few of the game makers to applaud at the end of his performance. He winked and left, happy with himself.
Rosalie's turn came later, and she was a little stressed. Solano told her to breathe deeply, that she was going to be fine. And fine she was. Her display was not original nor awe-striking, but she pleased the gamemakers with her perfect score on a test on toxic and medicinal plants. Solano followed her with a middling but dignified show of archery.
While they were preparing for the interviews, the training scores were announced. Seeing her meagre 3, Valentine begin to cry, prompting Corban Janssen to take her to her bedroom to reapply some makeup. On the other hand, Severus was overjoyed to be the only one with a score of 11. Following were Harmony (1) and Charlotte (6) with a 10, then Lux (1), Ray (4), Stella (5) and Angelique (8) with a 9.
While Cleopatra congratulated her mentee, Alector berated his, as they had had very average scores. Rosalie got a 6 and Solano a 7. After Alector stormed off, Garner assured them that they were decent scores, and that it did not really mean much. After all, Edmund Carrell (winner of the 104th Games) had only scored a 4 for his own assessment.
Interviews:
For this year's interview, Urania Whimsiwick had decided to honor last year's games victor by wearing an antelope horns headdress in addition to her flowing cream-colored dress. Argus Brown, on the other hand, looked dapper in his museum guard costume.
After greeting the viewers and some agreeable banter, they started the interviews right away with Harmony. Following her shy interview, and the one of Lux, who was more energetic, Valentine was called to the stage.
She looked like a cherub in her puffy white dress and golden tiara. Argus asked her the usual questions about her life in district 2. The crowd was surprised to learn that not all children went to a training academy. District 2 not only produced peacekeepers but also different types of stones and stonemasons. The girl was very sweet and only a little anxious until they started talking about the games. She did not have a strategy in mind, hoping to survive long enough to hide somewhere.
Valentine exited the stage to polite applause, replaced by Severus in a fully golden suit. He greeted the crowds like he had already won, flashing a striking smile and kissing Urania's hand. After some basic introductions, he was asked what he thought of this year's quinquennial quell. He answered that he was happy to see half his competition already dead. He spoke little of his district partner, claiming she was "not a real 2". In the end, he received a thunder of applause, even though a minority of Capitolites disliked his smugness.
The evening went on calmly for the most part, except when a small group in the audience displayed a sign saying: "The Capitol isn't a district, give us our freedom back!". They were swiftly removed from the premises. Ray (4) discussed his belonging to the career pack. Stella (5), Charlotte (6) and Angelique (8) solidified their places as favorites, being given the nickname of "The Furies". Cracker (9), on the other hand, made a fool of himself by forgetting the name of his district partner and by asking Urania why she was dressed as a goat.
Rosalie sat in the chair, seemingly relaxed. She wore a yellow dress, reminiscing of the lemons she was used to picking in her district. She talked about her life in a calm but amiable manner, even sharing with Argus her family recipe for lemonade. The audience was quite impressed, as Rosalie was much more put together than the other 12 years old, except maybe for Marina (4) and Pascal (5). She endeared herself to the public, but not as much as Solano.
Even though he did not present as especially strong or intelligent, there was an aura of gentleness around him. He claimed that he would try and hurt as few people as possible in the arena, causing some laughter in the audience. Argus interviewed him about his relationship with his district partner, the boy comparing her to the sister he never had. When asked what he would do if he won, he simply replied that he would marry his girlfriend and try to help as many people as he could.
Solano was cheered out of the stage in time for the tributes of district 12. After their forgettable interviews, Head Gamemaker Selen Orpington was invited to end the evening. She started by giving a tribute to Alina Snow, commemorating the first year of her tragic disappearance. A minute of silence later, Argus and Urania started asking questions in rapid succession. Head Gamemaker Orpington explained that she had wanted a very simple arena this year, to optimize interactions between the tributes. She did not say more though, leaving tributes and audience alike to wonder.
Day 1:
Severus had a very restful night and awoke early. Cleopatra Liu was already pacing around the breakfast room, visibly anxious. The boy did not acknowledge her and started digging in his cereal bowl. Valentine came later, eyes still red. She ate in silence, courageously bearing Severus' snarky remarks. Time soon came for the tributes to go, and they were accompanied to their holding rooms. They changed into grey jeans, a black t-shirt, and a light jacket.
Severus was offended, to say the least, when Corban Janssen told him that his mentor had decided to stay with Valentine until the launch. Nevertheless, he was ready when the podium started rising. He did not address a single word to his stylist.
Valentine was quite relieved to see her mentor. Her sobbing had stopped, leaving in her eyes a small glint of determination. Cleopatra helped her attach her hair in a tight braid, and she held her hand as the tube closed up around her. Just before rising, Valentine asked her why she was so nice. With a resigned look, Cleopatra told her that the other tributes from her district had chosen to participate, as opposed to the young girl.
Alector Crane came to visit both of his tributes very briefly. He told Rosalie to "try and survive the day", a barely a "good luck" to Solano. Thankfully, Garner was there to cheer them up. The goodbyes were tearful on both ends, but the pair was determined to do their best.
As the tributes rose into the arena, they had the leisure to look around the cornucopia clearing. Rosalie noticed the wooden cornucopia, overflowing with resources and weapons. Next to her, she saw Pascal (5) sharing glances with a number of other tributes, all 12 years old. Instead of concentrating on them, she searched for her district partner.
Solano stood a few podiums away. He listened intently when Head Gamemaker Orpington started the countdown, weighing all his options. A few feet away from the cornucopia laid a bow with a small quiver of arrows. Looking around at the forest around him, he chose to concentrate on the weapon, guessing it would not be too hard to find some food. He winked at Luminus (3), who was panicking on the podium to his right. Meanwhile, the podium to his left was taken by Harmony (1), who signaled the cornucopia to Severus.
The young man stood on the other side of Luminus (3). He was enjoying the fear he inspired to the younger boy. Severus was satisfied with the arena, with its temperate climate and its moderately lush vegetation. The visibility was correct and the supplies in the cornucopia were plentiful.
Valentine did not even look at the contents of the cornucopia. Singer (8) was looking out too, planning on fleeing the bloodbath immediately. Stella (5), on the other side of the girl from 2, was alternating between a menacing scowl and approving looks to her two allies.
When the countdown reached zero, the tributes jumped off their podiums. Singer (8) and Cracker (9) both ran away immediately. Valentine was about to do the same, but she saw a small bag to her left and swerved to grab it. It was very fortunate for her, because it helped her dodge a knife thrown by Harmony (1), who was first to the cornucopia. Instead, it hit the boy from 6, who fell to the ground, dead.
Solano and Rosalie ran towards each other, the boy grabbing his bow on the way. Luminus (3), however, was immediately tackled by Severus. He broke his neck with no effort and continued towards the center. Too shocked by what had happened, the pair from 11 did not see Angelique (8) coming from behind until it was too late, and Rosalie had a sword sticking out of her chest. With tearful eyes, Solano ran away. Meanwhile, Liam (7) stabbed Elsie (3) before she could join Solano. The girls from 9 and 12 fought for a loaf of bread, with the girl from 12 emerging victorious and running off.
Severus was growing frustrated at all his targets escaping. Harmony (1) had missed the little girl, and 5 of the 12 years old had banded together to steal some resources and escape. On the other side of the cornucopia, Lux (1) and Ray (4) were trying to fend off Angelique (8), Stella (5) and Charlotte (6). When the other careers arrived, the girls had managed to pick up weapons and supplies. They ran anyways, avoiding the knives and other projectiles thrown their way.
Valentine had run very far. She was almost at the perimeter, her cheeks scratched by the brambles. She was out of breath, but happy to find a water bottle and a utility knife in her bag. She drank half of it, before building a sort of nest within a patch of ferns. She was close to a dirt path, but easily camouflaged by the leaves. She did not feel safe, jumping when she heard the 5 bloodbath cannons, and once again when another one sounded in the early afternoon.
Severus did not want to waste any time. His allies gathered as much supplies as they could, leaving the rest in the open, then started hunting. All the dried leaves on the ground did not help with stealth, but the sound was mostly covered up by the bird songs. The pack did not talk much, being focused on making up for their lack of kills in the bloodbath.
It was the bread that gave the girl from 12 away. She was well hidden and unnoticed, until a small bird spotted her loaf of bread next to her. It flew to it and gave a screech of alarm when it saw the owner of the food. It flew away, alerting to her position. The girl was simultaneously hit by three knives, but it was Ray's trident that did the job and rang her cannon.
Harmony and Lux congratulated the boy, but Severus only nodded. He had wanted to have the kill for himself. Instead of continuing, the career pack decided to rest for a bit in order to go out at night. They hoped to spot a fire. While Harmony and Ray relaxed around a bowl of fruit, Lux took watch just in case. Severus found a more secluded spot to practice his fighting techniques.
Solano saw the boy fall. For the first time since the reapings, he had lost his composure. He cried at the loss of his district partner and other allies. He was alone with a bow and arrows. Instead of wallowing anymore, he put himself back together and started foraging, finding some edible mushrooms, leaves, as well as a lot of blueberries. His search had brought him back to the cornucopia, which still contained some supplies. Believing it was a trap, Solano kept his distances but saw Cracker (9) coming back to it and grabbing some leftover supplies.
Indeed, as he was in the process of gathering food, the three Furies came out from behind a bush and started chasing him. Instead of running, Cracker climbed on the closest pine tree around, getting very high up. Solano took advantage of the distraction to grab a water bottle and some matches. He turned around in time to see the boy from 9 grabbing a rotten branch and plummeting 50 feet, sounding his cannon immediately.
The rest of the evening passed quietly. Most tributes were able to hide in the undergrowth. Solano found a small stream flowing between the trees. He filled up his bottle and set off in search of a shelter for the night. He stumbled upon a patch of ferns, the same one that was occupied by Valentine.
In the viewing square, the crowd held their breath, but both tributes raised their hands. Solano proposed an alliance, to which Valentine agreed without hesitation. He shared with her the blackberries he had gathered while she built him a mattress out of ferns and leaf litter. The pair took turns sleeping, but there were not other tributes in their area. During his watch, Solano heard the hymn of Panem, but he struggled to see the portraits through the foliage. On the first day, Elsie and Luminus (3), the boy (6), Cracker and the girl (9), Rosalie (11) and the girl (12) had lost their life, leaving 17 tributes alive. Solano cried a little about the loss of his partner, but he soon fell asleep.
Day 2:
Severus and his allies did not sleep that night. They hunted. Unfortunately for them, the dense foliage hid the light of the moon, leading them to tread very carefully. It also meant that the well-hidden tributes weren't likely to be found. After a few hours of trudging around and tripping over branches, Severus started to lose patience, muttering curses under his breath. Lux (1), who was sleepily following the group, noticed a blinking light falling from the sky.
It was a sponsor gift, with a small 2 on the side. Severus hungrily opened it, hoping for some night vision goggles. It was not as good: a flashlight. With a sigh, he gave it to Harmony. She was a clever girl, scarcely using it in order to save the batteries and not be seen. As the sky was growing lighter, they finally found what they were looking for.
The "Kids club", as they were called by Argus and Urania, had gathered in a clearing to spend the night. They had weapons and supplies aplenty, but they had grown too confident, leaving only Tallow (10) to keep the last watch. As the career pack approached the dying embers of the fire, nobody noticed. The five twelve years old were fast asleep until Ray (4) walked on the wrong stick, producing a loud crack. Immediately, all the kids got up and ran away, grabbing bags and weapon on the way.
Lux managed to stab the boy from 12 while Severus sparred with Pascal (5) in a very unequal fight. He decapitated the kid, sounding the second cannon of the day. They were about to follow the fleeing tributes, but Marina (4) turned around and thrust her trident. It landed into Lux's throat with striking accuracy, prompting his district partner to stop and try to help him. "What are you doing? Exclaimed Severus. We need to go after them! Quit being a baby and come on!"
Harmony, kneeling next to Lux's dying body, looked at Severus like he had slapped her. "I'm taking care of Lux! You killed two, that's enough already. Go after them if you want!". Severus looked to Ray for support, but the tan boy raised his hands, meaning he did not want to get involved. Huffing and puffing, he approached the others just in time for the cannon to sound. They convinced him to rest for a while, as they hadn't slept all night.
After the cannons, Solano and Valentine had gone back to sleep for a while, then took their time for breakfast. Solano took the girl with him to the stream, looking for fish. There, she spoke at length about the different types of stones she found, gifting him a particularly shiny one. She went on for hours while they looked for food. Urania even joked that Valentine should have been reaped for a trivia contest instead.
In the early afternoon, they encountered Liam (7) and his axe. The viewers were thirsty for blood, but the three only exchanged a few words, then a fish against some copper wire. Seeing the lack of action, Head Gamemaker Orpington chose to release the mutts.
Three packs of angry wolves were dispatched through the woods, targeting lone tributes as well as alliances. Severus, Harmony, and Ray were amongst the first to encounter the snarling beasts, about a dozen of them. Fortunately for them, they had weapons and training on their side. The three surviving wolves chose to find some easier prey. They eventually found the girl from 10 hiding in a bush, and she did not survive.
Solano and Valentine also encountered wolves later that day, but they did not use the same strategy. The girl climbed on her ally's shoulders, and he kept them at bay with a long stick. But he would not be able to push back the half dozen wolves for long. Instead, Valentine grabbed two fishes they had caught earlier and threw them as far as she could. It worked, and the mutts ran towards the easier prey. They did not even bother chasing after the running pair, instead fighting for the trouts.
In the evening, the surviving wolves (many had been killed, with the Furies hunting and slaughtering a whole pack) gathered to attack the Kids Club, who were finally setting up camp. On the way, they devoured Singer (8), who had injured his leg that morning and couldn't walk. The fight made for a very interesting watch, and the alliance only lost Tallow (10) that night.
Valentine struggled to sleep that night, overcome by anxiety. Her sniffling alerted Solano, who sat with her and hugged her tightly. He whispered to her that they were going to be alright, humming a lullaby as if the girl was a baby. The scene was so endearing that they received a small sponsor gift just as the portraits of the fallen started being displayed. It contained two portions of meat stew in a thermos and a note saying: "You're a good man. Thank you for helping her. – C."
While Solano thanked the sponsors, Severus was pacing around the campsite. Because of the wolves, they hadn't had time to hunt, and both his allies refused to hunt at night again, preferring to go early the next day. After a close call where the Furies almost crossed their path, they wanted to lay low. Severus was almost ready to go alone, but his allies reminded him that most tributes were in groups, and that he wouldn't be safe. Instead, he agreed to take the first watch, muttering under his breath.
The second day of the games had seen the loss of Lux (1), Pascal (5), Singer (8), Tallow and the girl (10) and the boy (12), leaving 11 remaining tributes.
Day 3:
The tributes were awakened by a loud announcement from Head Gamemaker Orpington. She told them that a feast would be organized a few hours later, providing them with what they needed.
Valentine refused to let Solano go. They had foraged enough food and could get more. He had not used a single one of his arrows since the beginning of the games and, if many of his supporters had lost interest, there was a minority of fans who liked him enough to want him to win. It was mostly due to his gentleness with Valentine, even though she had even lower odds of winning than her ally.
In the end, she agreed to let him have a look from afar while she stayed hidden. When it was time, he made his way to the cornucopia clearing, unknowingly following Marina (4) and Ivy (7), who were the last remaining members of the Kids Club.
Severus, Harmony, and Ray started making their way to the nearby clearing when they heard the first cannon. They had spent the morning bickering about the best strategy, Severus wanting to be the first there while the others wanted to target the fleeing tributes. On the way, they almost walked into a trap built by Charlotte (6), which could have caused much damage.
The cannon belonged to Liam (7), who had been hit in the back by Charlotte (6) with a heavy branch while her two allies circled around the clearing. The trio did not hide anymore, standing guard around the cornucopia to fend off any tribute. Charlotte's messy curls, Stella's pixie cut, and Angelique's afro were full of leaves and feathers, their faces covered in colored mud to form a mask. Urania, who had followed their evolution since the reapings, claimed that they could easily overpower the career pack if they wanted. Argus, on the other hand, was now favoring Harmony (1) with her good fighting skills and compassionate attitude, since his favorite had just died. Argus indeed appeared to have a crush on Liam (7) since the interviews.
With only Valentine left behind, the 9 tributes sized each other up. Ivy (7) appeared sick, and when the Feast table rose up in the arena a few minutes later, the item branded with a number 7 was a small pill bottle. The rest of the items were relatively usual, weapons, armor, and water. Seeing that no one was attacking, Charlotte (6) ran towards Solano. Marina sprinted to the pills, avoiding Angelique's sword, but Stella caught her by the hair and slit her throat, sounding her cannon.
Charlotte gave up after a while and turned around. Back at the cornucopia clearing, the battle raged on. Severus was taking on Stella, slowly making progress, and tiring her out. Ray (4) was occupied with Angelique (8) and Harmony (1) was quickly grabbing what she could from the table. As she came back, Charlotte (6) saw this and shouted to her allies. Angelique turned around and threw her sword, impacting Harmony's back. There was blood, and a shout of victory from Angelique (8) until Severus brought his own sword down on her neck. Her cannon sounded, followed by Harmony's when she succumbed from the blood loss.
Charlotte was angry but clever. She swooped by, grabbing her own bag and a battered Stella (5), and running as fast as she could. Now alone in the clearing, Severus let his anger burst, cursing Harmony and Ray, and the Furies, and himself for not having reacted soon enough. Ray observed, a hand on Harmony's shoulder.
Even Solano heard the screams, and they frightened Valentine to the point of giving her a panic attack. The boy held her tight for what seemed like an eternity. Since the rest of the day went on quietly, the commenters took the cameras around the temperate forest. Severus was still raging, hitting every tree in the vicinity with his sword and wreaking havoc in general. Ray (4) tried to reason him, but he soon understood that there was no way he could calm down. Instead, he gathered their supplies and built a fire. Later in the evening, Severus received a sponsor gift. It bonked on his head, calming him down a bit, until he opened it. It contained a note saying "Get a grip! -C" and a walnut which he threw away.
Ivy (7), now alone, was pale and shivering, and she did not bother run far from the cornucopia. Charlotte (6) and Stella (5) mourned the death of their ally and set off more traps. Stella looked battered, and her friend kept stealing glances at her bruised form.
Solano and Valentine had calmed down, and he had taught her what he knew about the plants in the area, leading to them making a salad that Urania deemed to be "the most edible looking meal she had ever seen in an arena" even though it was a bunch of leaves and flowers. The night settled in, with the tributes drifting off to sleep and the portraits of Harmony (1), Marina (4), Liam (7), and Angelique (8) being displayed in the night sky.
Day 4:
The morning was tough for the 7 remaining tributes. Severus knew the showdown would be happening soon, but he wanted to keep Ray alive because of the two remaining Furies who were dangerous adversaries. Instead, they gathered their things and decided to circle around the perimeter in order to find the other outliers. He hoped they would be easily dispatched.
Valentine and Solano hadn't slept very well, and it showed. They ate the remains of their salad for breakfast and shared a bit of water. Both were deep in thought, finally coming to terms with the situation they were in. "I don't want to kill you, or anyone actually." Said Solano. He shared a tired look with the blonde girl. "You won't have to, she responded. You told me about the others, we don't stand a chance. But at least we have each other. If it weren't for you, I would be dead."
"But we can't just wait!"
"You're right, she continued. Instead, we can fight. Who knows, maybe one of us will outlive the careers and those scary girls. "
Solano appeared incredulous, but he continued to entertain Valentine's ideas. Eventually, they decided to get water in the stream, walking along the perimeter to a slightly deeper portion. Solano bent down, then heard a slicing sound, followed by a sigh. Valentine was kneeling in the water, a sword poking out of her chest and a grinning Severus on the other side.
The boy from 2 had heard the pair splashing in the water. He left Ray a few feet back, remembering his blunder from the second day. Slowly, he inched towards them, recognizing Valentine's long blonde hair. Her back was turned. He thrusted his sword, piercing her torso but not killing her immediately. He wanted to see her die slowly and painfully.
She did not even scream, in opposition to Solano's bellow. "No! Not again!" he screamed. He grabbed the girl, unskewering her from the weapon, and ran. Severus followed, but even with a girl in his arms, the boy from 11 was extremely fast. Ray came out from his bush, and the allies chased after him until the boy from 4 stepped onto a trap, laid there by Charlotte (6).
The cries of pain slowed him down, and Severus felt obligated to help him. The handmade bear trap had unfortunately severed some major arteries in his leg. As a first cannon sounded, Severus decided that Solano could not keep running for long, so he tried to aid his ally. Alas, nothing could be done and soon another cannon sounded through the forest.
Solano was still holding the crumpled little girl in his arms when the second cannon sounded. He was covered in blood, with clear streaks where the tears had been. He gently dropped Valentine on the cushion of ferns she had made for him. Knowing the claw would soon grab her body (he could hear the motors of the hovercraft), he grabbed a handful of flowers, as well as the shiny piece of quartz she had gifted him. He placed them on her, with the rock in her pocket, and recited a quick prayer from his district.
The rest of the day was quite uneventful, with Capitolites hoping to see the showdown but nothing happening. In the Capitol, the viewing square was half empty, but the private parties were numerous. Many of them were also quickly shut down on suspicion of using Felicity. This led to small riots forming all around.
Meanwhile, Charlotte took care of Stella, who seemed to be feeling a little better. Ivy crawled to the cornucopia, searching in vain for her medicine. Solano build a small gravestone for Valentine and covered it in flowers. Severus practiced his sword skills on a tree. They all were still awake to watch the portraits of Valentine (2) and Ray (4) in the sky. The 5 remaining tributes knew tomorrow would be the last day.
Day 5:
It was the potent smell of smoke that awoke the tributes. Solano kept only his unused bow and arrows and sprinted to the cornucopia. The woods around the perimeter had started to burn, orange flames rising over the canopy. The fire was not so fast, in order to give tributes the time to get to the central clearing, and it stopped a few feet away from the cornucopia. The first cannon belonged to Stella (5). With a sorrowful apology, Charlotte (6) had hit her on the head with the flat of her sword. It knocked the other girl unconscious, and she was devoured by the flames.
In the clearing, Severus quickly dispatched Ivy (7), who had already been agonizing for an entire day. Without a look, he killed the girl and stood at the ready. He was smirking and taunting his opponents, telling them to fight him, instead of dying like cowards. While Solano stood behind a tree dangerously close to the burning inferno, Charlotte attacked.
It was an impressive fight, but inequal. The girl was a very strong contender, but Severus parried her attacks without breaking a sweat. He caught her in the shoulder, and she shouted in pain. His body armor gave him a strong advantage too, making him harder to hit. Eventually, he stabbed he in the gut and let her fall to the ground.
Now there were only two contenders, but one had disappeared. Severus did the math in his head, but since he did not hear an announcement, he guessed that there was still someone else. Solano crept out from behind the tree, an arrow notched in his bow, and shot at his opponent from behind. The projectile hit the armor but did not pierce flesh. While Solano nervously notched another arrow, Severus turned around with a bright smile: "There you are you little coward! I truly thought you'd be dead in a ditch by now. It only makes my job easier." The boy walked briskly, Solano still fumbling with his weapon. When they were about 8 feet from each other, the arrow released, and Severus tried to catch it. He held the shaft in his hand, but the head was lodged deep in his right eye socket.
The crowds gasped along with Solano. Severus body started to twitch, then convulse after an interminable amount of time, while Solano puked on the other side of the clearing. The feed was cut for 10 more minutes, until the last cannon sounded and Solano Luongo, from district 11, was proclaimed winner of the 110th Hunger Games.
Aftermath:
Solano was a very divisive winner. A lot of people were unhappy about him winning with only one kill. They found him boring and unworthy of winning. However, others appreciated his attitude and the way he had acted with Rosalie then Valentine. His nickname in the Capitol was "Big brother".
After a few weeks of intense therapy to work on his trauma in the Gamp clinic, he was deemed fit for an interview. The Ravinstill studios were highly guarded because of the appearance of a rebel Capitolite group, called the "Freedom Fighters", who aimed to "exert their right to party". Those rebels led the protests against the banning of alcohol, Felicity, and now public meetings.
Nevertheless, the victor's interview took place. Solano looked dignified and thinner in his khaki suit. Urania, on the other end, had opted for an ochre-colored dress and snake earrings, complimented by Argus' beige sirwal. Solano looked somehow absent during the evening, especially as he had not participated much in the action during the end. He seemed ready to cry when a montage of his moments with Valentine was showed, along with many other Capitolites, but he maintained his composure throughout.
Solano got married immediately after returning to his district, with his girlfriend Piper Delacroix, and they had a child only two years later. He led a very peaceful life, running a potato farm with his now wife and funding an orphanage in the center of district 11. He was known and loved in his district, more than in the Capitol, for his niceness.
Chapter 10: Panem Weekly : Past victors : Where are they now? (year 147)
Summary:
Since I'm stupid and can't find a way to put images in there, I'll just put the link to the Wattpad version with pictures
https://www.wattpad.com/1206415616-hunger-games-a-new-generation-panem-weekly-past
Chapter Text
Leon Reed, Victor of the 102nd Hunger Games (District 10)
Now 27 years old, our Golden boy Leon Reed is still kicking. A good mentor and an even better chef, he delights the Capitol with his banquets. After marrying wedding planner Carlene Tappdock in 140 (many young women were devastated at the announcement), the couple opened a very popular event organizing company, catering for weddings, parties, and even Urania Whimsiwick's 40th birthday last year.
While he's present at numerous events, as organizer or guest, it is rumored that no one has ever seen him drunk. We asked his wife about his character in private, and she said that he was a very calm man, attentionate and involved in their daily lives. Especially since Carlene is currently awaiting her first child. They have not decided on a name yet and wish to keep them out of the spotlight as long as possible. Congratulations!
Cleopatra Liu, Victor of the 103rd Hunger Games (District 2)
Cleopatra Liu is no stranger to parties either, but she likes the tranquility of her house in district 2. At only 25 years old, some of her relatives say that she is "already a grandma". Indeed, she is known to keep a very strict schedule of exercise, healthy eating, and a lot of sleep, along with her work as headmaster of her own career academy. Fortunately, she still knows how to party when she's in the Capitol.
Little is known about her private life, except her strong relationship with her former mentor Alisia Heath and her aunt. Unfortunately, an anonymous source has informed us that Maxima Liu, aged 73, has seen her health slowly decline over the past year. To this day, she has not announced any relationship openly, but Cleopatra has been seen frequently with Aurelio Dalton, a fellow teacher at the Maxima Liu academy.
To this day, she has not announced any relationship openly, but Cleopatra has been seen frequently with Aurelio Dalton, a fellow teacher at the Maxima Liu academy
Edmund Carrell, Victor of the 104th Hunger Games (District 7)
Since we are on the topic of romance, our next victor was not deprived of it. Now 24 years old, the young man has had many conquests among the Capitol crowds, including a few stylists and even a fling with fellow victor Theseus Fierro. Edmund Carrell as become a fixture of the trendy night life. What a shame that he is not single anymore. Just two weeks ago, he announced his engagement to Sean Callahan, the mentor of district 6, whom he had met on the first "rooftop party" before the games. Sadly, their relationship seems to be exclusive.
Since the fire that killed his father and grandfather, Edmund has decided to stay in the Capitol. However, he himself told us that he could not stay idle, so he decided to open a small antique shop, gathering many clients (some of them attracted by the wares he sells and not only by the attractive owner). So, if you want some nice piece of furniture or an old book, don't hesitate to go take a look!
So, if you want some nice piece of furniture or an old book, don't hesitate to go take a look!
Organza Duval, Victor of the 105th Hunger Games (District 8)
Organza Duval just celebrated her 22nd birthday in district 8, surrounded by her family, and she is doing better. She has been followed by a therapist from the Capitol since the tragic loss of her boyfriend. One thing is sure, she is well surrounded. Her whole family moved into her home in the victor's village, which she rarely leaves. She also struck a friendship with fellow victor Alix Goldberg, and the pair spend their time together whenever possible.
Organza is known for her strong temper, which led to many disputes, especially with her co-mentor Kaplan Templesmith. And for that, we agree with her. It's high time Kaplan retires; his old age is really getting to him. Despite this temper, Organza is still well liked by her tributes, even though she seems a bit harsh.
Despite this temper, Organza is still well liked by her tributes, even though she seems a bit harsh
Theseus Fierro, Victor of the 106th Hunger Games (District 2)
Oh Theseus. At 23, he has already survived a few murder attempts, the latest by a peacekeeper hired by the former mayor of district 2! It has been confirmed that Arabella Dalton did not, in fact, retire of her own free will. We have to admit that Theseus is quite the Dom Juan. However, as opposed to Edmund, his preferences go more towards married women, which explains the level of animosity towards him.
But who could resist such a physique! Even with the scars of his latest "adventure", he is the figurehead of many Capitolite brands. His last campaign with Silverstein cosmetics has made sensations.
On the other hand, his relationships with the other mentors are quite strained due to his co*cky behavior. Only Cleopatra and Ruby seem to appreciate him, most of the others only tolerating his presence.
Ruby Costa, Victor of the 107th Hunger Games (District 1)
Another victor to make a career as a model is Ruby Costa, 21 years old. Indeed, her face has also been seen on many a billboard, be it for clothing, perfume, or bathing suits. She is now the face of her family's jewelry business, which her victory helped bring to popularity. Apart from her interests in jewelry, she also appreciates partying and meeting new people, in the Capitol as well as in district 1. However, you shouldn't invite her to a pool party, since the last inebriated guest to throw her into a pool ended up in intensive care at the Gamp Clinic.
However, you shouldn't invite her to a pool party, since the last inebriated guest to throw her into a pool ended up in intensive care at the Gamp Clinic
Alix Goldberg, Victor of the 108th Hunger Games (District 5)
At only 18 years old, Alix Goldberg is already quite successful in her area of expertise. Since her victory, she decided to complete a more advanced electronics course to perfect her knowledge. She is now in the process of creating a company, called Notenna, which will engineer security systems.
Alix is not a big partier, and she is very rarely seen in the Capitol, except for the games and the occasional scientific convention. She is not very social either, but it is known that she has built an unlikely friendship with Organza Duval, as well as Gregor Cantini. Her efforts to pay respect to Kathryn Hurst, the girlfriend of her district partner during her games, seem to pay off, as the latter has stopped throwing rocks at her when she comes by.
Gregor Cantini, Victor of the 109th Hunger Games (District 12)
Gregor Cantini is still a mystery to us all. He stays in his home in the Victor's village of district 12 and never meets anyone except for his brother and mother. His mentees have described him as taciturn and moody but giving excellent advice. He certainly looks the part. During the games, he's glad to have Alix Goldberg to talk (and make lame jokes) in his place. There is still no girlfriend in sight for the handsome young man, but we wouldn't be surprised if he had managed to secretly get married.
There is still no girlfriend in sight for the handsome young man, but we wouldn't be surprised if he had managed to secretly get married
Solano Luongo, Victor of the 110th Hunger Games (District 11)
Our last victor to date is Solano Luongo, now 19 years old. We must first congratulate him on his marriage with his long-time girlfriend Piper Delacroix. The pair did not waste time to get married, the ceremony occurring just a week after his return from the Capitol.
Since his victory, Solano has been quiet. His calm still hasn't wavered, but we are curious to see his mentoring style in the next game. Hopefully he won't tell his tributes to hide until the showdown.... There isn't much to say about him, except that we're not likely to see much of him in the Capitol outside of the games. After all, he didn't even move in his house of the victor's village, preferring his old farm that him, his mother, and his wife are in the process of renovating.
After all, he didn't even move in his house of the victor's village, preferring his old farm that him, his mother, and his wife are in the process of renovating
Chapter 11: The 111th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
The reaping:
The 111th Hunger games took place in the year 147, during uncertain times. Indeed, the Capitol still struggled to maintain order in its capital. The "Freedom fighters" had become even more vehement and had started distributing Felicity in the districts to cause unrest. Meanwhile, president Snow II struggled to assert dominance and the measures he put in place were deemed "too mild" by most law-abiding citizens.
Nevertheless, the Hunger Games still took place in a bid to bring some respite. Solano Luongo, victor of the 110th Hunger Games, proceeded to perform the reapings, surrounded by more security than was usual. After a depressing one in his own district, the victor made his way to district 10. The orange clad youth gathered in the center of the dusty square while mayor Carter gifted Solano with one of his prize-winning goats to bring back to his farm.
The female tribute was reaped first. Solano picked 18 years old Zoey Gutierrez, a tall girl with thick black hair and tan skin. She walked up to the stage, showing no emotion whatsoever. People could see that her dress was of a better make than most in this district. She shook Solano's hand firmly and took her place at the back of the stage. Her dark eyes were fixed on the male reaping bowl.
Solano picked 13 years old Butch Colton to be the male tribute of district 10. At the front of the enclosure, a chunky boy with a tangled mess of brown hair started wailing. He was quite strong for his age, requiring three peacekeepers to bring him to the stage. They held him in place as his small grey eyes darted around wildly. For the remainder of the reaping, he continued thrashing around, a stark contrast to Zoey's stoic posture, even though a few tears were spotted on her cheeks.
After mayor Carter's lengthy speech, the pair of tributes were taken to the city hall to meet with their families.
Butch did not have much in terms of families. The couple that had taken him in to take care of their cattle did not bother to see him off, as they were busy replacing him. In their place was a representative of the orphanage where he had lived most of his life. She looked pretty annoyed to be there, and only wished the boy good luck half-heartedly. Two peacekeepers had to hold him the whole time, as he seemed ready do destroy the entire holding room.
Zoey managed to keep up her straight face until her parents came into the room, followed by her older sister. Between sobs, she managed to hug her family, and they exchanged some survival tips that they had seen the previous victors use. The reunion did not last nearly long enough for her, but she quietly followed the peacekeepers when it was time. Before leaving, her sister Tori slipped a small buttercup flower in Zoey's hair.
Two men awaited them in the train. Alan McFarlane greeted them sternly, his greying temples shiny with sweat from the intense heat. Leon Reed, winner of the 102nd Hunger games was a little more welcoming. He had the same blond mane that made him popular in the Capitol, but he looked more mature. He smiled weakly and invited the pair to sit down and introduce themselves.
Butch had stopped trying to escape, but he did not utter a word. Zoey spoke in a soft voice, stating her name and age. She was afraid to be useless because she had no fighting skills. However, she had some medical knowledge due to both her parents being veterinarians. Her mentors agreed that those abilities could be crucial in the arena. The conversation went on, with Leon paying close attention to the male tribute. The boy still looked very uncomfortable, almost like a wild animal caught in a trap. At the end of the train ride, the mentors managed to get a few words from him. Butch was an orphan, lived in the pastures most of his life. He could not read or count and had been used as a laborer by the farmers who found him on their land two years prior.
Leon and Alan could not coerce the boy to take a shower, as opposed to Zoey, who spent an hour crying under the warm stream. Before walking down onto the platform, the two men each held one hand of Butch. They kept him away from the curious Capitolites. Thankfully, the outlying districts never brought that much of a crowd compared to the career districts.
Zoey felt quite at ease. She let people touch her thick hair and talked about her parent's job as veterinarians. One older lady asked about her elderly parrot's problem, but Zoey clarified that her family only worked with cattle. All in all, she made a pretty good impression and diverted attention from Butch, who was struggling with his mentors to try and escape.
When they arrived at the accommodation wing of the Ravinstill complex, Butch's glossary of insults was empty, and Zoey had a striking headache. Graneeta Dove welcomed them anxiously and introduced herself as the new stylist for district 10, fresh out of the Cardew school of Fashion and Design. She wasted no time in explaining her designs to the pair, unaware of the fact that they were both uninterested. Zoey begged Leon for some pain medication while Butch ran around the apartment and touched everything.
Graneeta ended up showing the designs to the mentors, who approved the horse themed outfits, all made of leather. She left the apartment soon after. Alan and Leon decided to let their tributes rest for the evening, as they still had the next day to give them advice and get to know them better. Zoey went to bed early and slept immediately. Butch, on the other hand, ate for three when dinner came and only then went to sleep with a belly fuller than it had ever been.
Zoey woke up early the next morning, feeling rested and almost serene. While she waited for her district partner, she watched the reaping for district 6. Solano appeared more tired than the day before, as he had had to get up early for the first reaping of the day. However, he did not look that bad compared to most of district 6's denizens.
District 6 had always had the reputation of being a drug den. Even children could sometimes be seen high on morphling. But since Felicity had been introduced, a fierce turf war had started to rage. As a result, about a quarter of the gathered youth looked drowsy and glassy eyed, and a little less were giggling uncontrollably. Solano sighed, gave a sorrowful look to mayor Corolla, and grabbed a slip of paper from the female reaping bowl.
"Odessa Karpov", he enunciated. No one reacted. Solano repeated the name. "Oh, that's me" said a 16-year-old girl at the back of the enclosure. She was very thin, with wispy blond hair and tired eyes. She was obviously under the influence of morphling, but seemed more "functional" than other youths, as Urania Whimsiwick pointed out. Odessa weakly shook the mayor's hand and took her place at the back of the stage while Solano fished out a name from the male reaping bowl.
He called Halifax Devon; 18 years old. This time there were a few gasps in the crowd, and a resounding "sh*t!" was heard. A skinny boy with sandy hair and shifty grey eyes stood at the back of the assembly. He quickly slipped something in the pocket of the boy next to him. Later camera analysis proved it was actually morphling. When he arrived on the stage, he dryly shook hands with all present. The pair while subsequently taken to the city hall while the peacekeepers quelled a riot that had started because of Halifax's reaping.
Down in her holding room, Odessa welcomed her mother and father, although the latter fell asleep halfway through their reunion. Odessa's mother kept laughing uncontrollably, which unsettled Odessa even more. She asked her mother if she had taken something, but she started drooling and then convulsing and the peacekeepers had to escort Odessa out while she screamed and cried.
Halifax wasn't visited by his family, whom he hadn't seen in years, but by a pair of his "acolytes": two equally shifty girls with torn up clothing and dirty dreadlocks. "Well, I guess you won't see much of me anymore", he told the girls. They didn't laugh, instead getting straight to business and asking about "the stash". It is believed that Halifax revealed the location of said stash as well as a register of his suppliers, but no information could be gathered as he used sign language to communicate.
Just before entering the train, Odessa ran up to him and asked if he had "kept some". He nodded and got in. Sean Callahan waited for the pair inside, but he looked worried. He greeted them, told them to make themselves comfortable. Immediately, Halifax said that he had an "urgent need", all the while winking at his district partner. She followed him as soon as he came back. After that, she looked more relaxed but slightly more incoherent.
If Sean noticed the change in behavior, he did nothing of it, instead focusing on his tributes and asking questions about their lives. Odessa worked in car factory, where she swept metal shavings all day long. Halifax told Sean he was "a salesman" and refused to elaborate. The silence grew heavy in the carriage, until Odessa fell asleep. "Give them to me", said Sean. Halifax tried to play dumb. "It's better for her to stop now. I know you probably don't care, but I want her to have a chance too. Now give me the pills."
Halifax threw the few remaining tablets of morphling on the table and left to get changed. The trio did not talk until they arrived at the station. There, a small crowd waiting for them, but they did not interact much. Odessa was still sleepy, and Halifax flinched every time someone touched him. The people quickly grew bored and walked to the other platform where the tributes from district 7 were about to arrive.
When they entered the apartment, Odessa's eyes were less clouded. She marveled at all the decor and the flower arrangements. Halifax seemed less than fazed. Just before they could close the door, Perseus Allfield, their stylist, ran in. He kept apologizing, claiming he was late. Not wanting him to have a nervous breakdown, Odessa and Halifax let him get to work.
When the evening came, they were dressed in very form-fitting black pilots' outfits. Perseus was disappointed, as he was known for very extravagant costumes, but the rest of the team was delighted to not look like airplanes or wheels like last year.
Parade:
Zoey felt a little uncomfortable in her revealing leather outfit, but at least it was not too tight. On the other hand, Butch was fuming. He had already removed his top twice so Graneeta had to tie it. He was obviously very uncomfortable, but Zoey whispered something in his ear that made him calm down. In front of her, the pair from district 9 were kissing each other passionately. Zoey decided not to bother them, instead going backwards to the pair from 11. Gala and Pepo were both muscular and intimidating, but their attitude softened when Zoey complimented their apple-based costumes. The trio discussed a possible alliance without much fiddling. That was why they were there after all.
While Odessa stood dreamily on their chariot, Halifax too scoped the competition. Salix (7) had avoided the pair from 6 to discuss with Luna and Tremor (5) about a possible alliance. At the front, the careers were already arguing loudly. Disappointed, he got back into his carriage. Maybe he could make an ally during the training period. He did not notice Odessa winking at Salix (7).
The parade began shortly after, with an array of beautiful outfits. The crowd had been screened before entering the seating areas, so it was less rowdy than the past year, but Odessa could see a few strange flags floating around the surrounding buildings. The persistent murmur of an angry crowd could be heard. Now that the fog obscuring Odessa's mind had mostly disappeared, she had an easier time concentrating. She smiled and waved at the crowd, even smacking Halifax on the back of the head to make him lose his frown.
Further down the parade, Zoey and Butch were starstruck. The immense number of colors and noise made it hard for them to focus, and they stayed still for a long time. Eventually, Zoey mustered enough strength to wave for the last hundred feet, all while keeping a hand on Butch's shoulder. The younger boy almost vibrated due to the overstimulation. He held on tight to the railing, and his district partner's hand kept him from jumping off of the carriage.
All the horses stopped at the end of the avenue, where President Coriolanus Snow II stood, kind of crookedly. He gave the crowd a big smile, which was quite unusual. "Dear tributes, hello!" he started. Then he laughed. The officials on stage with him looked at each other. Then the entire avenue was silent. The President seemed to gain countenance again, only to ramble about inane subjects. A stern looking woman, with a tight red ponytail whispered something to one of the peacekeepers. President Snow II was removed from his stand, replaced by the woman that most Capitolites knew as Theresa Crane, his spokeswoman.
"Dear tributes, dear citizens of the Capitol, it seems our president is a bit under the weather today. Do not worry, because this is a time of celebration. Until he is feeling better, I will take his place. This year again has shown the effects of a lack of stewardship, but I promise you that things will change for the better, and that peace will be reestablished in all of Panem. But for now, let us enjoy the festivities. To the tributes, I wish you a happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor! "
These events were the subject of all the conversations during the rooftop party that ensued, as well as in the mouth of every sober Capitolite. While Odessa, Halifax, Zoey, and Butch tried to sleep, their mentors were in deep conversation. Most of them, as well as their stylists, had come to the event, and the speculations lasted until very late in the night.
Training:
Following that eventful night came the first day of training. Everyone was on time, but the mentors up in their gallery were sleeping upright. Zoey and Butch, however, were ready for the day. She had given a pep talk to her district partner in the hopes of keeping him calm.
Carmelo Harrington explained to the group the different training stations and let them explore. As soon as he left the tributes, Butch ran away at an incredible speed. Zoey debated following him, but Gala and Pepo (11) asked her to join them in the survival station and she followed. There, they met with Doreen (12), a young blonde girl. She seemed lost, but since the group had helped her to make a fire, she followed them around. It was only after she proved herself talented with a hammer that the rest of the alliance accepted to take her in. Her, Gala and Pepo were all quite strong and stocky, as opposed to Zoey. However, what she lacked in power she made up for in agility, earning the best time in the obstacle course this year, far before Penelope (2).
Meanwhile, Butch hid behind a clothing rack for the entire first day but refused to let Odessa use him as camouflage practice. He was told off by Alan that night. The next day, he begrudgingly agreed to try his best. He worked with Andy (12), a minuscule brown-haired boy, at the climbing wall. Later on, the second day however, he had to be tasered by Carmelo Harrington himself when he attacked Zodiac (4) for no reason other than "I was bored". After that episode, Leon, Alan and even Zoey gave up and let him stay alone in his corner.
The tributes from district 6 fared quite well, although some animosity between them was emerging. On the first day, Odessa joined an alliance of Salix (7) and the pair from 5. The four of them had some chemistry and worked well together, teaching each other about their districts' specialties. Salix (7) was an expert climber and weaver, creating a vine shield in less than ten minutes. Luna (5) was a big girl, and she could use her weight to her advantage, making her dangerous in hand-to-hand combat, while Tremor was quite the opposite, thin, wiry, and very sneaky. Odessa immediately told her new allies that her district partner was not to be trusted.
When Halifax approached, he did not understand all the hostility directed towards him. He soon understood that he was not desired, so he took to training by himself. He spent most of his time in the toxicology station, where his knowledge of drugs proved useful, and in the camouflage station.
On the first evening, he confronted his district partner in front of their mentor. She gave a small smile. "I know you. I know you will turn on me the first chance you get."
"Fair." Responded Halifax. That is the last word they exchanged. They did not interact anymore, instead acting as if the other did not exist. Sean had to divide his attention equally between the boy and his snarky remarks, and the girl who looked bored out of her mind.
The mentors of district 10 did not have this problem. On the morning of the third day, Leon took Zoey to the balcony while Alan tried to calm yet another temper tantrum from Butch. He told her that she needed to forget about her district partner. He was a liability, she agreed, even though she looked sad about it. "It's no time for compassion", said Leon.
After a third day of training without any incident, the assessments took place. Odessa did not impress the judges with her camouflage, it being barely average. It did not seem to bother her, so many thought she was just playing a role to go unnoticed. Halifax also displayed his camouflage skills, which were better. However, he surprised the jury by destroying a few dummies during a knife fighting display.
Zoey showed off her talent at the obstacle course, moderately impressing the jury. Her performance was dampened by the fact that she was very anxious and therefore almost fell a few times. Butch, on the other hand absolutely refused to perform anything and simply stared at the assessors.
That night, the scores were announced while the tributes were getting ready for the interviews. The career pack obviously dominated the group with three 10s and a 9. Gala (11) and Samwell (8) had also gotten a 9. Halifax scored a 7, along with Luna (5). He was followed by Zoey with a 6, grouped with Tremor (5) and Hernando (9). Odessa was in the bottom of the pack with a 4, like Couture (8), but Butch came dead last with a 1.
Interviews:
That evening, Leon took the time to give a lot of advice to his mentees about the interviews. He begged Butch to stay calm and told Zoey to put her talents forward without sounding too presumptuous. She needed to win the audience over to get sponsors.
In the studio, Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown greeted the audience. In honor of last year's games, Urania wore a gown made of seemingly real ferns. Argus complimented the greens with the greys and browns of his wolf fur cape.
The first tribute to enter was Rosaria (1), who had a strikingly different look from most career tributes. She wore her blue hair short, heavy makeup and an all-black dress. She was the most memorable of the career tributes.
The interviews continued on. Zodiac (4) basically stripped for the audience and Tremor (5) had to repeat everything he said because his voice was not loud enough to be heard. Next came Odessa, in a very simple dark blue dress. She wore her blonde hair in a high ponytail and her make up made her look even sleepier than usual. Argus started the round of questioning with the basic ones, and Odessa gave him basic answers. She looked bored, so Urania decided to ask her more pointed questions, especially about her family's history with morphling. This caused the tribute to fidget in her seat. She explained that her mother had always been high, even when she gave birth, so it made Odessa way more resistant to the effects of morphling. She used it recreationally, but scarcely.
This openness about the subject surprised the audience, and they applauded even more when she said that she wouldn't touch Felicity as it was "some nasty sh*t".
Halifax followed, wearing an ill-fitting black suit with intricately folded lapels. He looked uncomfortable (he was) but still smiled when shaking hands with the hosts. He went on about his life as an orphan in district 6 and creating a business from the ground. Urania let him talk at lengths before interrupting him: "So how did you start dealing morphling?". Halifax tried to act offended, but most people in the audience were aware of that fact. Argus even showed a video of some of Hal's customers parading in district 6 in support of his reaping. He defended himself by stating that he had no choice but to use the resources he had at hand, then promising that if he won, he would open a rehab center. The applause when he left and was replaced by the girl from 7 was tepid at best.
The pair from 8 was mildly interesting, and the pair from 9, so-called star-crossed lovers, caught the attention of the drama seekers. Next was Zoey, who wore a fringed suede dress with assorted boots. She had friendly banter with Argus and Urania, being generally popular. They discussed her family, her score in the training assessments. Then came the subject of Butch. At the risk of dropping in popularity, she said that they would not be allies, since he was unstable, and that she had to put herself first. She tried to appear determined, but a tear still appeared on her cheeks as she was cheered out of the stage.
There wasn't much to get out of Butch's interview, even though it could have been worse. Instead of attacking Urania, he simply remained unresponsive, as if frozen in fear. The presenters tried somehow to fill the silence, but his interview was cut short to welcome Gala (11).
The evening ended with the interview of Selen Orpington, who was joyful as ever. She explained to the crowds that she had prepared something special for these games, something "vintage". This of course led to many theories being exchanged, but the evening was brought to a close without further elaboration.
In their apartments, the tributes enjoyed their last moments of quiet before the big day. On the balcony, Odessa spoke quietly with Salix (7),who stood on the next balcony over, about their strategy, while also flirting. They kept talking about everything and anything until late in the night. Meanwhile, Halifax prepared a mental checklist of all that he would need to survive with his mentor. The latter advised him to aim for water and a knife first, as the rest would just be a bonus.
Butch had been put to bed as soon as he came back, so Zoey stayed at the dining table with Alan and Leon for quite some time. They did not talk a lot, instead enjoying the peace and quiet before the events of the next day.
Day 1:
On the first day of the games, everyone was frantic. Halifax was pacing the main room, repeating his checklist back and forth. Zoey had awoken early from a nightmare and could not go back to sleep. Butch could feel the excitation and was starting to get reckless. Even Odessa was seen fidgeting anxiously. She was almost relieved when the time came for her to go to the holding room. She was given a pair of cargo shorts, light hiking shoes and a black t-shirt. While she was changing, Sean came to her room to see her off.
She tried to adopt her nonchalant air again, but he just smiled sadly and gave her one last hug. He whispered in her ear: "I don't know about the others, but you can trust Salix. A little birdie told me he really liked you." Odessa repeated that last sentence in her head and headed for the glass tube.
Halifax had been visited first by Sean prior, so he remained alone in his holding room. He considered not climbing into the glass tube, but the cameras dissuaded him. He kept repeating "Water, knife, shelter, food" over and over again. The boy was actually so focused that he did not even notice his podium starting to rise.
Alan stayed with Butch the whole time and helped him get ready. The boy was starting to panic. He kept repeating that he did not want to go, that he was scared. This made Alan feel awful, but he was used to it after ten years. He held the boy tightly and put him in his tube. His mentee was trying to wriggle his way out, to no avail.
Zoey stayed with Leon. He wished her good luck. She asked a few more questions about what it was like to be a victor, but he just replied that he felt lucky to have survived. Zoey climbed into her launching tube with apprehension, waving a last goodbye to her mentor.
The tributes were first assailed by a wave of intense heat. While they were getting used to the bright light, Argus and Urania took the audience through a tour of this year's arena, nicknamed Red Rock Desert. It was a vast expanse of red stone, big boulders strewn around the desolate landscape. A few prickly trees offered some shade, and the perimeter of the arena rose a little higher and a little steeper. The audience was also shown the many crevices and little caves spread around, that could offer shelter to the tributes.
"Water, knife, food, shelter". Halifax kept repeating the sentence as Selen Orpington started the countdown. His podium was situated on the northmost position of the circle. The boy eyed the shining cornucopia with intent. There was a big water bottle right in front of him, a knife further away. The food, however, was gathered at the center of the cornucopia along with the more powerful weapons. To his right was Hernando (9), and to his left Odessa.
Odessa shared a look with Halifax, quickly turning away. She was less then ready, especially in this heat. Salix (7) stood to her left. Tremor and Luna (5) were further away, ready to fight. The girl from 6 signified to her allies that she would not be entering the cornucopia. They nodded. The countdown reached 30 seconds.
Butch was used to the sweltering heat. This arena actually resembled the wildest parts of district 10. However, it was not enough to reassure him as he saw all the murderous teenagers around him. He was then filled with anger. Ready to fight.
Zoey, next to her district partner, saw him tighten his fists. She considered adding him to her alliance but Pepo (11) to her right looked at her and shook his head. With a sigh, she readied herself for the last ten seconds, focusing on a water canteen a few feet away from the cornucopia.
Even though she was ready, the kick-off startled her, and she almost fell from her podium. Zoey sprinted straight to the filter and fought Rye (9) for it, winning eventually. The other girl turned back to join her boyfriend who had picked enough supplies already.
Odessa turned away from the cornucopia, but late enough to see Luna (5) tackle the boy from 1 on the ground. His head hit a big stone, causing the first death of the games. It also caused some sort of a chain reaction of death. Rosaria (1) seeing the death of her district partner turned against the boy from 2 and stabbed him in the neck.
Butch had run straight to the center, hoping to grab a weapon, but he was too slow. Zoey saw him avoid Samwell (8) who ended up decapitating the girl from 3 instead. She also saw Penelope (2) shoot an arrow through the neck of Andy (12). But then, she screamed when Zodiac (4) threw his trident at Butch. The weapon pierced his chest and killed him instantly. Even though her allies Pepo, Gala (both 11) and Doreen (12) were already heading out, she grabbed a sword dropped by the boy from 2 and stabbed Zodiac in the back while he was looting the cornucopia.
Halifax had just picked up the water bottle, the utility knife, and a coil of wire. He ran immediately but watched the bloodbath from afar. The tributes were now exiting the cornucopia clearing. He witnessed Penelope (2) killing Rosaria (1) with and arrow to the head, then the girl from 7 who was frozen in fear on her podium. Then everything seemed to calm down as the tributes spread out through the arena.
Thirty minutes later, Zoey and her allies were still walking briskly towards the perimeter. They heard the 8 bloodbath cannons that informed them that a third of the tributes had now been eliminated. Gala and Pepo were silent most of the time, but Doreen vastly made up for their silence by blabbering all day. In the late afternoon, they finally attained the steep slope that led to the perimeter and started walking along it, until Zoey found what she was looking for. There was a tiny stream flowing between the rocks. The water was drinkable, as confirmed by Argus, but they still used the water filter Zoey had taken from the cornucopia just in case, before deciding to settle there for the night.
Halifax stayed mostly in the central area, close to the cornucopia. Penelope (2), the last career tribute, still guarded it, but Urania guessed that she would leave if approached by a group. The boy from 6 mostly saved his energy. He used the red dust to camouflage himself in his surroundings, soon becoming nearly invisible. Just to be sure, he wedged himself in a crevice to spend the night hidden away. Sleep quickly overtook him, but a cannon startled him a little later as the sun had only started to set.
Odessa, Salix (7), Luna and Tremor (both 5) weren't as lucky in finding water. They had headed North, only to end up in a muddy plain. There were some puddles, but the water was green and smelled of rotten egg. Thankfully, Tremor had taken two water bottles which they had to share. They eventually found a more secluded flat clearing that they deemed usable to camp. While the pair from 5 started a fire, Odessa sat and watched for any incoming tributes and Salix complained about the lack of trees. Within only a few minutes, Odessa warned her allies that someone was coming. She could only discern a bulky shadow due to the sunset, but it was clearly heading their way. The cameras switched to show Samwell (8), who had spotted the fire and intended to attack. He didn't bother to be discreet but appeared surprised when he entered the empty clearing. The meager supplies were still there, and he helped himself to an energy bar.
Salix's sword pierced through his lower back, emerging at the navel. Samwell let out a gasp, fell on his knees, and his cannon sounded. His backpack was full of weapons and useful supplies, leading to the group having a mini "feast". Salix (7) even received a water filter as a sponsor gift. After their meal of bread and dried meat, they prepared to sleep, and Odessa agreed to take the first watch. She shivered in the cold night but waited for the anthem of Panem to ring out before waking Tremor.
Nine portraits appeared in the sky that night: those of Rosaria and the boy (1), the boy (2), the girl (3), Zodiac (4), the girl (7), Samwell (8), Butch (10) and Andy (12). This left 15 remaining tributes for the next day. The events of this year were very surprising. Some very strong contenders like Zodiac and the careers had been eliminated very soon while weaker tributes like Raster (3) and Couture (8) had survived. Bookmakers spent the entire night trying to rebalance the odds, with still a strong preference for Penelope (2).
Day 2:
A shrill scream awoke Zoey on the second morning. She did not have time to register her surroundings. Doreen had jumped out in pain. She held her wrist. Then it was Pepo's turn to wince. This time they could all see that a small colorful snake had made its way to their encampment. Gala screamed at them to run, but Pepo just stomped the reptile to death. Another one approached Gala and Zoey cut it in half with her sword.
In the viewing square people cheered, especially older Capitolites and hardcore fans who remembered them from past games. Selen Orpington explained that, since she had found most of the old game's footage, she wanted to pay homage to those who came before her. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on the point of view) only Pepo and Doreen were bitten at first. The snakes' bright colors made them less than stealthy.
Now that the surprise had passed, came the time for worry. Patches of neon green, pink, and orange were slowly spreading across Doreen's back and Pepo's leg. Gala tried to suck the venom out of her district partner's bite, but Zoey stopped her, telling her that it would only poison her too. Instead, she sat the two victims next to each other and carefully cleaned their bite wound.
It was not enough however, since she did not have the necessary antivenom. The colorful patches were now covering the two tributes' bodies. Gala and Zoey stayed with them until their cannons sounded, almost simultaneously. They then picked up their supplies and walked away. They did not share a word, both shocked. Careful not to tread on a hidden snake, they made their way towards the center of the arena.
Halifax too had been visited by a pair of snakes, but his reflexes were too fast for the mutts. He sliced their heads off with his knife. Then, an idea formed into his head. Instead of getting rid of them, he carefully removed the fangs and venom glands from the snakes. He attached them to a bit of wood which itself dangled out of about 6 feet of copper wire. Afterwards, he stealthily climbed out of his crevice in search of a taller rock, which he quickly found. On the way, he caught three other snakes and added their fangs to his strange weapon which he now needed to pick up with leaves in order to not get poisoned himself. He laid flat on his belly on top of the tall boulder and waited, not caring about the cannon that sounded close to noon.
It belonged to Rye (9). Her and her district partner weren't actually "star-crossed lovers". After running out of sponsor gifts, they had not stopped bickering. While Rye was distracted, complaining about the heat, Hernando had approached her from behind and strangled her. Urania and Argus were aghast, but the latter snarkily commented that he was glad to finally have some quiet.
Meanwhile, Halifax still waited. Eventually, Mariella (4) walked by, totally oblivious. In an instant, he had thrown his "hook". It hit the young girl in the neck, bright colors immediately appearing at the point of impact. She looked around, saw him, and stumbled in his direction. It took less than 30 seconds for her to succumb, due to the quantity of venom she had been injected with. Halifax quickly descended from his platform to rifle through her pockets and went back into hiding. A small parachute floated to him a few minutes later. It contained a small blowgun along with a dozen darts, which made Halifax grin. A message was also attached, saying "Great strategy, on you go! – S.".
Odessa's group had caught a bunch of snakes too without getting bitten. They also managed to catch a rabbit thanks to a trap set by Tremor (5). The group had decided to not move too much that day, instead laying low and quietly talking. They also found a few thick branches which they sculpted into sharp spikes. However, their supply of water was starting to run low. They were arguing about leaving camp when an arrow whistled past Odessa's head and hit Salix in the chest. Everyone turned around to see Penelope (2), with a second arrow notched into her bow.
Tremor ducked behind a boulder. Odessa chucked a rock, which didn't make much of an impact. Although it did not hurt Penelope, it distracted her from Luna, who hit the other girl like a freight train. She planted her spike between Penelope's ribs, sounding her cannon.
On the other side of the encampment, Odessa had removed her t-shirt and was pressing it down onto Salix's chest to stop the bleeding. However, Penelope had hit him straight in the heart. Odessa cradled him as the light left his eyes and his cannon sounded, but the pair from 5 pulled her away before the hovercraft came.
Zoey and Gala had traveled all day. They had seen Raster (3) from afar, who was actually suffering from a heatstroke, but decided not to go near. Instead, they entered the cornucopia clearing a little before sunset. All the supplies were gone, but it offered some good protection for the night. Just as they felt safe, something hit the roof of the structure. Some more impacts were heard, and the girls gasped at what was happening. Fortunately, they were safe for now.
When the hail started hitting, Odessa did not mind. The particles of ice were barely bigger than chia seeds. But then they started to get bigger, to the size of peas, then chickpeas, then cherries. Tremor and Luna followed her towards the perimeter as the cannon of Raster (3) sounded. A hailstone the size of a golf ball had hit him in the forehead. Eventually they found a little cavern close to the perimeter where they could huddle together for the night.
Halifax's back was bruised and painful. He had tried to resist, but the hailstorm was getting more and more violent. He needed to find a cave very soon. He jumped down from hid boulder, his t-shirt over his head for protection, in search of shelter. The red dirt made streaks all over his body. In the end he found a small outcropping, where Hernando (9) had fallen asleep. One poisoned dart later, he had the outcropping to himself. At midnight, the 7 surviving tributes listened to the anthem of Panem, none of them seeing the portraits due to the raging hailstorm. That day, 8 tributes had succumbed: Penelope (2), Raster (3), Mariella (4), Salix (7), Hernando and Rye (9), Pepo (11) and Doreen (12).
Day 3:
On the morning of the third day, there was a lot of discourse. Seeing the rate of events, many citizens expected the games to end that day. Others believed that, since the tributes were all very far from each other, the games would stretch out for at least one more day. They were wrong.
The night had been rough for all the tributes. The thunderous noise had gone on for hours, and the cold made it hard to sleep. The stones were slick with humidity as the sun rose. Odessa, Luna, and Tremor were the first up. They wanted to find a high spot to get a better view of the arena. The allies walked to the perimeter, where a stone outcropping looked climbable. Luna was first, followed by Tremor and then Odessa. When the first was almost all the way up, she disturbed one of the neon snakes that was hiding in a crevice. It startled her and her allies saw her plummet down the cliff along with the snake. Her cannon sounded as she hit the ground.
"We need to get our stuff" argued Tremor, but Odessa refused to climb back down. "I'll look and then I'll come back", responded Odessa. Tremor begrudgingly left her to gather Luna's supplies before the hovercraft came to pick her body up. He also found the body of the snake.
Odessa looked in the distance. She couldn't see Gala and Zoey, who were still asleep in the cornucopia, but she spotted another silhouette. It was Couture (8), who had surprised everyone with her survival skills. The young girl walked past the outcropping where Halifax was hiding but did not spot him. He did, however, and shot another one of his poisoned darts to Couture. She fell to the ground, convulsing. Her cannon sounded soon after.
Odessa climbed back. Tremor was startled when she arrived, quickly hiding something in his bag. "Do you want something to drink?". Odessa thanked him and drank some of the water from the canteen he had handed her. The water tasted strangely sour. Tremor smiled. Another cannon startled the pair.
Zoey was too deeply asleep to hear the two cannons that sounded in the early morning. However, she felt the strong hands grabbing her neck. Gala was kneeling over her, no emotion visible on her face, squeezing Zoey's neck. Argus wondered why she hadn't used the weapons that were at her disposal, with Urania explaining that it felt more dramatic and passionate that way. Well, Zoey wasn't passionate about her ally trying to murder her in her sleep, so she swung wildly with the sword she kept at her side. It was unwieldy in her position, but she managed to hit Gala in the leg. She continued squeezing though as Zoey gathered her last bit of will to slip the sword in between the two and push. As her vision darkened, she felt a warm liquid dripping onto her chest, then a cannon and a weight falling down on her.
While Zoey was unconscious, Head Gamemaker Orpington decided to trigger the showdown. Odessa heard the rumbling, but she felt hot and foggy. She did not even see Tremor leaving without her. She tried to get up but fell back on her knees. She coughed and noticed that her hands were starting to turn bright pink. Citizens in the viewing square had seen that Tremor had actually put some of the venom in the water bottle while she was up on the cliff. She was unconscious soon after when a literal wave of neon snakes hit the perimeter.
Halifax saw the colorful wave approach from all sides and ran to the cornucopia, where he guessed the gamemakers wanted him to go. Jumping from rock to boulder, he pushed through the fatigue, pain, and hunger. He was the last to come in.
Zoey was pulled from unconsciousness by the rumble of many snakes. She could barely breathe, especially with Gala lying on top of her. She pushed her to the side with great effort and got to her feet. A sword in hand, she turned to face off with Tremor. He had just come into the clearing, his wooden spike at the ready. She said nothing when she saw a skinny boy covered in dirt coming from behind.
Tremor did not know what hit him, but his knees buckled when the poison dart hit his neck. The venom did not take long to do its job. The two remaining tributes sized each other up. Halifax felt confident. He had three darts left. He shot his first one, but the girl dodged it. She walked up to him, ducking just in time to avoid the second. They were now only a few feet away.
Zoey's first strike hit the blowgun. It shattered. Halifax fell on his back, hitting his shoulder on a particularly pointy rock. He winced, but dodged Zoey's sword at the last moment. Everyone in the Capitol was standing at the edge of their seat. The girl from 10 unleash a fury of steel onto her opponent, but her strikes were messy and uncoordinated. Halifax had managed to stand back up. He ran straight to her but feinted at the last moment. Zoey's sword still sliced into his side, but he had managed to get close enough to stab her with his knife.
She gasped and they both fell backwards. They were bleeding profusely, but Halifax had hit a vital artery on the girl, so she bled out in a matter of seconds. Halifax Devon, from district 6, was then crowned victor of the 111th Hunger Games and rushed to the Gamp clinic, unconscious and bleeding profusely.
Aftermath:
Halifax recovered quite quickly from his wounds; however extensive they had been. The victor's interview was held a couple of weeks later, with President Snow II still in treatment. For the event, Urania Whimsiwick wore a dark grey dress made of tulle, which Argus joked made her look like a storm cloud. Himself wore a suit of the same color, with tiny grey jewels encrusted in the fabric. By contrast, Halifax wore a neon pink suit with a snakeskin pattern. It made justice to his nickname "the Serpent".
The interview was quite short this year. Halifax had kept his snark, and he didn't show much remorse at his kills. Most of the evening was spent watching the events of the games and commenting each tribute's strategy. Argus commended the victor on his clever use of poison. Halifax smirked and thanked his sponsors for sending him the blowgun.
Halifax was a very popular victor in the Capitol for a while, but he ended up antagonizing many people during his time there. He was also disliked in his own district. He did not keep his promise of building a rehab center, instead using the money to fund his own podcast, named Hal's corner. He remained as he had been in the games, solitary and snarky, except the money went to his head for some time. Fortunately for him, meeting his girlfriend helped him settle down and live a somewhat quiet life.
Chapter 12: The 112th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping :
The 112th Hunger Games took place in the year 148, marking the start of a new era for Panem. During President Snow II's convalescence, substitute president Theresa Crane managed to put an end to the traffic of Felicity, cutting it down at the root: the factory where it was fabricated. No other information was delivered to the public apart from the fact that the drug was not to be found anymore. The accidental deaths of many "Freedom fighters" leaders may also have brought a more peaceful climate in the Capitol.
It was the second day of reapings, and Halifax Devon, victor of the 111th Hunger Games was already fed up with it. He had skipped the visit of district 4's new canning factory with mayor Davenport in order to get on with the reapings. Without so much of a glance towards the blue-clad youths, he walked up to the female reaping bowl. He grabbed the first slip of paper from the top and called to the stage 18 years old Nereis Crow.
A few boys hollered at the back of the enclosure, until one of them was met with the fist of a tall girl with a shaved head. The peacekeepers present intervened and dragged Nereis to the stage. She was a very beautiful young woman despite her sneer and her body covered in tattoos. She wore a tattered blue sleeveless dress, which exposed her muscular arms. When she had stopped struggling, Halifax was prompted to pick the second slip of paper.
As for the first time, the victor picked the slip that sat at the top of the pile. He read the name: Kai Sellick. A 16-year-old boy with curly red hair opened wide eyes. He didn't need to be escorted to the stage but looked very uncomfortable. He stood there in his well-tailored blue suit, standing on one foot then the others. Argus Brown, in the studios, commented that he looked like he needed to use the restroom, but Urania scolded him ironically.
While they were escorted to the city hall, Halifax jumped in a train to get to district 3. Kai was relieved to see his mother, father, and grandfather Finnos. The four of them sat, quietly exchanging advice. Kai's grandpa explained the strategy that his sister, winner of the 93rd games had used at the time. "I wish we had followed her to Europe", he said as a last goodbye. The family embraced one last time and wished Kai good luck.
In the next room, things were a little more... Steamy... Nereis had been visited by her boyfriend Bruce, a 27-year-old dock worker, and the pair were on the verge of being intimate. Hearing the commotion, the peacekeepers entered the room and watched the couple to ensure they weren't being inappropriate. In spite of this, Nereis kissed her boyfriend ever so noisily. The pair did not exchange much in terms of words. Before leaving, Nereis promised Bruce that if she won, they would buy a boat and sail as far as they could.
Oleander Harrison, their mentor, waited for them in the train with a glass of whisky. The years had started to accumulate on her face and her hair was showing some grey streaks. Nevertheless, she greeted her mentees and ordered the avoxes present to bring them drinks and a lunch. Nereis asked for rum, but alcohol was not allowed for the tributes. While she angrily sipped her pineapple juice, Kai submerged his mentor with questions.
Oleander answered most of them at length, explaining in great detail the proceedings of the games. Kai knew about what was shown on the television, but he was surprised at all that happened backstage.
Nereis, on the other hand, was proud to say that she had never watched a single Hunger Games. She said she had better things to do, and Oleander was quite shocked. Watching the games was usually mandatory for the districts. "You're in one now, so you'd better get acquainted fast", said the mentor. Nereis replied that she would fine, seeing as she could sail, fish, swim, fight, and a series of other skills. Oleander was unimpressed.
To get them in the spirit of the games, she made them watch the 93rd Hunger games, that had been won by Kai's great aunt.
While the train was taking the tributes from 4 to the Capitol, Halifax had arrived in district 3. The atmosphere there was less airy. The smell of chemicals and cleaning products filled the air. Mayor Plummer gave a short speech before letting Halifax pick the names. He walked briskly to the female reaping bowl, grabbing a slip of paper, and calling 14 years old Galvany Driscoll.
There was an audible gasp, and everyone turned to see a short girl with thick glasses and a sizeable afro. Her light brown skin had turned a few shades paler, highlighting her dark eyes. She finally gathered enough courage to clamber up to the stage before the peacekeepers made her. She kept looking at her dusty boots while Halifax picked a male tribute.
The chosen boy was named Linus Gardner. He was seventeen years old but looked younger. The boy was short, with a round face and spiky black hair. He made his was slowly to the stage to stand next to Galvany, and the pair held hands until they were taken to the city hall to meet their family.
In his holding room, Linus' mother and father awaited, their faces red and puffy. They hugged their son vigorously. He did not know what to say. "I'm sorry", he started, but his mother cut him off. "You have no reason to be! We are proud of you. You were the best son we could ever hope to have. Now you fight until the end, okay?". Linus agreed silently. He left his family with tearful eyes.
Galvany was visited by her parents and her two younger sisters. All the emotions she had kept bottled up until now spilled out of her. She collapsed in her mother's arms. Soon the whole family was crying. There were few words of encouragement, and no advice whatsoever. They all knew the girl had no chance to win. Her father cleaned her foggy glasses one last time before she was taken to the station.
Violetta Berkeley, their mentor, waited for them in the carriage. An avox was painting her nails. She had traded her purple highlights for a fully orange bob. "Ah! There you are! I was starting to think you were already dead!".
"Um... Hello? You are?" asked Galvany. Their mentor introduced herself swiftly. She then asked them about their skills. Linus told her that he was studying coding, and Violetta sighed. "Useful skills please!". Linus was very offended by that comment. He left the table and Galvany followed him. The pair spent the rest of the train ride talking together. Violetta did not seem bothered by this. She only spoke to the pair when it was time to leave the train.
The crowd on the platform was quite sizeable. The tributes stayed together. They were polite and answered many rude questions from Capitolites. Galvany let a little girl touch her frizzy hair. It was quite unusual for district partners to stay this close, but it made Violetta smile. She was on the other side of the platform, discussing a possible sponsoring for her tributes.
After about ten minutes, most people had left to go welcome the pair from 2. Galvany, Linus and Violetta made their way to the Ravinstill studios. They tried to act oblivious towards the screams that came from the neighboring apartment.
Indeed, Nereis was engaged in a shouting match with Tavali Landow, her stylist. She refused to wear the dress that had been made for her, which was supposed to represent seafoam. However, Nereis found the white and turquoise outfit to look more like a loofah. Oleander and Kai had fled to the balcony. His mentor by his side, the boy confided that he was terrified. She told him that he should not fear what he couldn't change, instead focusing on what he could change. He could train, and if he was clever, there was a chance that he won.
By the time of the parade, the argument had died down. Nereis and Tavali came to an agreement, the stylist removing some of the ruffles and Nereis agreeing to cover up most of her tattoos. Kai did not make such a fuss about his turquoise suit with a puffy tulle collar. The pair came down along with their mentor. She left them at their carriage to go and chat with Edmund Carrell, victor of the 104th games and mentor for district 7. The pair stayed there in awkward silence.
The pair from 3 had had a better experience with their own stylist, Ornacia Parrish. The older woman had brought them a tray of homemade blueberry scones, which they ate while she worked on their designs. She had decided to continue her exploration of vintage technology, using an iridescent material similar to antique "compact disks", a form of ancient data storage. Violetta gave her seal of approval to the pair and escorted them to the Tribute's Avenue. In the elevator, she apologized for her behavior, explaining that she needed to stay pragmatic in order to best coach her mentees. Linus said he understood but maintained that coding was a very useful skill. Galvany agreed, as she too was well versed in computer science and microelectronics even at her young age.
The pair was very intimidated by the other tributes, especially the careers that stood in front of them. Even from the back, they looked scary, except for the boy from 1. Galvany pointed out his coiffed pink hair, and the pair laughed at the "cotton candy man" until the parade started.
The Parade:
The stands were much more crowded this year, and the ambiance was festive. The Capitol was at peace again. Everywhere he could look, Linus was shocked by the array of colors. He waved gently, his outfit dazzling the crowds. Next to him, Galvany held on to her glasses with one hand and to the carriage with the other. She tried to smile, but Corneo Anderson, from Anderson Fashion, criticized her for her lack of charisma. He even told Urania that the pair from 3 could have won the title of best dressed if they had worn their clothes with more confidence.
The outfits of the pair from 4 did not receive as much praise. Urania argued that the tributes did not fit the aesthetic of their clothes while Corneo complained about the ruffles. On their carriage, Kai did his best to appeal to the audience. He waved and smiled, and even caught a couple of flowers that were initially aimed at Nereis. She did not notice, as she was too occupied glaring at the cameras. She did not smile, instead making rude gestures at the crowd. After that, the pair was avoided by the cameras.
In the end, it was the pair from 7 who won the title of best dressed. They wore pretty outfits with capes made of leaves, which was not unusual. However, in the middle of the parade, they threw their cape in the air as they exploded in a shower of autumn leaves.
President Snow II was absent, as he was frequently held in his domicile for his own health. It was Theresa Crane who spoke, with a big smile. "Before we begin the celebrations, I have something to announce to all of you. I have been your president by interim for a year now. I'd like to say that I am proud of the results. President Snow too, that's why he has decided to resign from his position and to appoint me, Theresa Crane, as the new president of Panem. "
After a short and confused silence, the crowd erupted in cheers. Even the tributes applauded, even though most couldn't care less. President Crane basked in her own spotlight for a moment, before continuing her speech. She said the usual things, wished the tributes good luck, and left to celebrate her "election", kicking off the many parties.
Back at their accommodation, the tributes from 3 thanked Ornacia, and she told them she was proud to have made an outfit for them. Violetta also congratulated them for "making an effort", but she soon left them alone to head to the rooftop party upstairs. Linus and Galvany chatted for some time, but soon went to bed. They needed the rest.
Tavali had thankfully left the 4's apartment in order to avoid any more drama. Oleander waited for them, remaining with the duo until they went to bed. They were both exhausted and it did not take them long to fall asleep.
Training:
Kai had to bed dragged out of bed by Oleander, who was suffering from a strong hangover. She could barely stand as she watched him and Nereis eat their breakfast. Nereis teased her about her sunken eyes, but the mentor responded with a yawn and escorted her tributes to the training center.
Galvany and Linus were still a bit sleepy when they came down, but both had spent a restful night. Violetta, on the other hand, had already drunk two energy drinks and an extra-strong expresso. She was practically vibrating in the mentoring gallery.
This year, head trainer Carmelo Harrington had also participated in the rooftop party. He did not show any sign of fatigue though and made his welcome speech as sternly as ever. He directed the tributes to use as many stations as they could in order to be prepared for any situation in the arena.
Nereis headed directly for the tridents she had spotted when she entered the room. She impressed the trainers with her accuracy and strength. After the first day spent in this station, Oleander informed her that the career pack was keeping a close eye on her. She smiled and announced that she was thinking of joining them. Her mentor told her it was a good idea, as long as she did not get too comfortable.
On the second day, she marched straight towards Tourmaline (1), a tall black girl with a haughty expression, and asked her to train together at the sword fighting station. She agreed, and the rest of the career pack followed them. There was Regal (1), a good-looking boy with pink hair who was very flamboyant. The tributes from 2 were Odin, younger but built like a brick house, and Agrippina, who looked old and fragile but was actually lethal.
Tourmaline and Nereis ended their match on a stalemate and after that, the girl form 4 was officially integrated into the career pack. She enjoyed the fear they brought out in other tributes when they approached. Nereis learn to know her allies. She actually kept note of what made them tick and what their weaknesses were.
On the other hand, Kai stayed mostly alone during his training. He was not in excellent shape, so he stayed mostly in the aquatic station where he swam with Freesia (11), the youngest tribute of this year's competition. Her district partner Cornelius had completely abandoned her, instead working on an alliance with district 9.
Oleander convinced him to try the survival stations at least for the last day of training. Kai built a miserable fire under the judgmental eye of Coalden (12) and built a decent shelter out of leaves and fishing twine. Every once in a while, he looked for Nereis, who was busy bullying Freesia (11) or Paxton (7) with the careers. She did not seem to care about him, but he wasn't mad at her. It was the games after all. In their accommodation, they barely acknowledged each other.
Linus and Galvany stayed together the whole time. They were optimistic and friendly to everyone, even the careers. This attracted the attention of Fila and Brody (8), who were in search of an alliance. The girl made Galvany think of a stork: tall, skinny, long pointy nose. Brody was short and brawny. The four of them alternated their times between the electronics station and the fabric station, sharing their respective knowledge. Galvany kept making the group laugh with her witty comments. She made fun of everyone, especially Margarine (10) who kept giggling loudly at Coalden's (12) lame pick-up lines. Linus especially had to leave the room when Galvany told him that "the cow-girl has finally found bull to ride".
What they did not know was that Margarine was actually famous in her district for being a rodeo champion.
Linus was more serious and levelheaded. He pushed the group to visit more training stations in the following day. They learned the basics of axe-throwing with Paxton and Judith (7), built shelters and learned about toxic plants. There were reprimanded a few times by head trainer Harrington for being loud. Violetta congratulated them for trying their best, and even said that they had a chance to win if they were clever.
Then came the assessments. The tributes entered the room one by one, showing off their best skills in order to impress the assessors. Unsurprisingly, the careers were at the top of the ranking with a 9, a 10 and two 11 earned by Agrippina and Regal's amazing fighting techniques. Nereis also got a 10 for her outstanding display of Trident wielding, knife fighting and her extensive knowledge of knots. The trainer that she fought had to be taken to the Gamp clinic in order to treat his many wounds.
Margarine (10) followed with a 9, Coalden (12) and Cornelius (11) with an 8. Linus was at 7, same as Brody, thanks to his technical demonstration where he built a taser in less than five minutes. He could have had an even better score if he had managed to aim it correctly at the mannequins.
Kai and Galvany both ended up with a meagre 5, the first for building a small fishing net, the latter for programming the door to only open when she said, "Knock Knock", effectively blocking the others from entering. Last in the line-up were Betty (9) and Freesia (11).
Violetta was not disappointed at her mentees scores. She had had a good laugh at Galvany's display and told her that she reminded her of a past victor from district 5. She also congratulated Linus, before ushering them to the bathroom to get ready for the interviews.
Oleander warmly congratulated Nereis on her score. The two girls beamed, and Kai stood awkwardly at the side. Tears welled in his eyes, but he managed to hold his countenance. It was only while the stylists were occupied with Nereis' dress that Oleander took Kai to the balcony. She took the time to congratulate him on trying his best and to reassure him. He was sad, and afraid and tired. She hugged him for a while and asked him to hold on a little while longer. They then returned inside and got ready for the interviews.
Interviews:
Argus opened the evening by congratulated the new President of Panem. He followed by a short speech dedicated by now former president Snow II, where he thanked him for all his years of service to the Capitol. Urania Whimsiwick showed up soon after, cutting off his speech. She wore a leather dress, the color of which reminded viewers of the rocks of last year's arena. Argus had opted for a neon pink snakeskin suit.
The duo made the usual introductions and invited the first tribute on stage for her interview. Tourmaline, Regal, Agrippina, and Odin all made a lasting impression on the audience, with people already arguing about their favorite even before the next tribute had entered the stage.
Galvany was called by a producer. Her hair was tightly braided, and she wore a silver tutu and corset. Even her glasses had been replaced by silver ones. She walked to the hosts and weakly shook their hands. Their expertise quickly put the girl at ease. Her smile grew less strained. She spoke mostly about her parents and her two younger sisters. She told the Capitol all about her desire to become a computer programmer. Argus asked her how she would survive in an arena if there weren't any computers. The girl answered that she was short and smart, and that she had good allies. Her confidence impressed Urania and Argus, but the viewers quickly dismissed her as "the nerd from 3".
Linus' interview right after went similarly. He wore a sober dark suit veined with silver threads. Immediately, Urania asked him if there was "something" between him and his district partner, to which he responded: "Oh yes! we have a very strong bond. She is the annoying little sister I never had! I love her!". Some citizens awed, but most were disappointed that they weren't closer. Still, Linus added that it would be very weird since he was 17 and she was only 14. In the end, the boy did not make a lasting impression but still left with decent applause.
Up next was Nereis, who looked ready to punch anyone who approached her. She had hastily wiped the makeup covering her tattoos. Her strong arms and fit silhouette were enhanced by a sand-colored sleeveless pantsuit, but Tavali had insisted she wore a seashell fascinator, which had to be glued down on her bald head.
Nereis glared at Argus when he stifled a laugh. Urania complimented her on her training score to calm her down a little. Nereis confirmed the rumors that she would be working with the careers. She spoke of her dreams to buy a boat with her boyfriend, and of her relatively poor life in district 4. As opposed to the previous pair, she was a very popular tribute. Her good looks, her feisty attitude and her training made her one of the favorites in the polls.
Kai was next in the lineup. He looked younger in his big suit. Urania asked him about his great-aunt Sandy Sellick, but she had left the continent before he was born. The rest of his interview was quite boring. Kai felt like it lasted for hours, even though only a few minutes had passed. He let out a sigh of relief when the presenters dismissed him. He was so eager to leave that he forgot to shake their hands and had to turn around again, causing laughs in the audience.
Fortunately for him, the interview of the pair from 5 was as boring. Vega (6) vomited on stage. Judith (7) was instantly disliked when she criticized the "decadence" of the Capitol. She was booed off the stage and followed her much more beloved district partner, Paxton (7). The evening passed, with Margarine (10) and Coalden (12) also leaving a lasting impression, mostly due to their good looks and charisma.
Before ending the evening, the pair invited Head Gamemaker Selen Orpington to talk a bit about the Games. She said she had prepared a game that was quite the opposite from last year, but did not elaborate, as was usual. She spoke a little about the technical challenges there was in the games, such a directing the micro cameras. She ended her interview by claiming that she hoped to entertain the public as much as the previous year.
Day 1:
The next day, Kai was the first to awaken. He had run into his bedroom as soon as possible, trying to sleep off his anxiety. Oleander had decided to leave him be, instead sitting at the table and talking with Nereis. She had been acting tough since she was reaped and was not ready to show a sensitive side any time soon. Her mentor warned her about being overconfident, but the girl shrugged it off.
Eventually, stress seemed to catch up to Nereis during the night. She awoke with heavy bags under her eyes. Kai had already finished his breakfast and was in the process of pacing the room. The girl forced herself to eat a light breakfast, even though her stomach was in knots. Oleander kept checking on the both of them, then looking at her watch, until an avox came to fetch them.
Oleander started by visiting Nereis, as she needed least reassurance. She refused her mentor's help to put on her blue lycra wetsuit. The tributes also received light water shoes this year, meaning the arena would be very wet. Nereis smiled and told her mentor that she would be fine now that they would be in her element.
Kai also thought that the arena would be on a beach or an island. He shuddered at the thought of the sharks from the 107th Hunger Games. When Oleander finally arrived, he jumped into her arms. She stiffened at first but quickly reciprocated the hug. She told him to be brave, and to trust nobody, not even his district partner. He asked if he should run away from the cornucopia, and she told him to aim for a water bottle before leaving as fast as possible. He waved one last time as his podium rose into the arena proper.
Linus and Galvany were also quite tired. They had stayed up late on the balcony, watching all the other windows gradually get dark until they could see the stars. Linus spoke up, just before they were going to go to bed.
"I need you to promise me something."
"Yes, I will leave my collection of computer chips to you if you win! I can write my will right now if you want!", said Galvany with a smile.
"I'm not kidding Galvany!"
"Okay! Geez, sorry!"
"If I get hurt, you need to save yourself. Don't try to help."
"But- "
"There's no but. I want us to go as far as possible together, but only one person can win, and I want it to be you."
Galvany desperately searched for a joke to make, but Linus' look convinced her otherwise. "I promise". Stay a little while longer in silence, before finally going to sleep.
After a quick breakfast, they were taken to their holding rooms, where they got dressed and entered their respective glass tubes. Violetta Berkeley visited the pair but did not stay longer than necessary. Her abrasive façade was cracking, and she almost cried when she saw Galvany's podium rising. Thankfully, Ornacia was there to console the young woman.
As the tributes appeared in the cornucopia clearing, they were hit by the humidity of the air. They were standing in a flooded rainforest. The ground around the cornucopia, a structure of woven bamboo this year, was bare and muddy. It descended slowly the water. There were giant ferns everywhere and a thick mist over the water.
Head Gamemaker Orpington greeted the tributes, startling Kai who almost fell off of his podium. He steadied himself and looked at the girl from 5 to his left, and Vega (6). The two girls looked as terrified as him and were getting ready to run away. He looked around the cornucopia and spotted a water filter sat on a grey tarpaulin.
As the countdown reach thirty seconds, Linus nodded to Fila (8) to his right. With none of the tributes in their vicinity, they had agreed silently to try and catch some of the supplies that were scattered around the cornucopia. Linus was already sweaty, with droplets forming everywhere on his body. He took a deep breath and glanced at Galvany who stood on the other side of the cornucopia.
Her hair was already all frizzy thanks to the humidity. Fortunately for her, they had let her keep her glasses as her district token. However, they were full of condensation, meaning she couldn't see clearly either way. She started to panic as the countdown reached 10. She could only see Odin (2) and Cornelius (11) next to her, the rest were blurry.
As soon as the countdown ended, Nereis ran to the center of the cornucopia. There, she joined the other careers. They glanced at each other, perplexed. Agrippina had stabbed Vega (6) on the way and was delighted to see that there were a set of knitting needles, her weapons of predilection. Tourmaline (1) shouted "duck!" to Nereis and threw a mace at the girl form 12 who was running in the direction of the cornucopia.
When the cannon rang, Linus skirted the cornucopia to get some leftover supplies. Fila ran alongside him, and they were running towards the West. However, Galvany was still trying to wipe her glasses clean. Linus shouted to his allies to wait for him and crossed back around the cornucopia. He witnessed Judith (7) planting an axe into the boy from 5's face and almost vomited.
Galvany recognized the shape running towards her at the last moment. He grabbed her hands, and the pair ran back, narrowly avoiding a knife thrown by Regal. They almost tripped over the body of the boy from 10, who had been bludgeoned to death by Odin. The four allies made their way into the muddy forest, slipping every now and then. They were actually the last tributes to leave the cornucopia.
Kai had just taken the risk of grabbing the filter and tarpaulin before fleeing the cornucopia clearing. Many tributes, like Freesia (11), Ergo (9) and Toledo (6), had fled the clearing immediately, and the others had kept clear of the central area. As a result, only 4 cannons sounded half an hour later.
Kai kept on wading through the murky water for what seemed like hours. He was crying and dirty. He finally arrived at the perimeter in the late afternoon. There were a few higher spots covered in moss and ferns. He set down the tarpaulin to cut the moisture from the ground and sat there, desperately hoping to dry up. Then a cannon sounded.
The career pack was frustrated. The bloodbath had been more of a mud bath. At least, remarked Odin, they had all the supplies for themselves. The vast array of weapons and supplies had been left intact inside the structure, other tributes preferring to grab the closest things and run away as soon as possible. Argus and Urania speculated that it was due to the careers themselves, who, this year, appeared more competent and menacing.
After Regal and Tourmaline had finished complaining about the dirty environment, Agrippina suggested they go hunting. The group agreed, taking as much supplies as possible with them. Agrippina led the troop with her Needles, followed by Tourmaline with a spear, Regal with his throwing knives, Nereis and her trident, and finally Odin with a sword.
They hunted for the better part of the day in silence, but to no avail. The water made them less discreet, and the dense foliage meant a very low visibility. They actually passed by Toledo (6) who was camouflaged against a giant fern, and under Judith and Paxton (7) who were safely resting in the boughs of a tree.
They were about to give up when they heard a big splash. It was Betty (9), who had found a leech stuck to her leg and panicked. The group ran at her, not caring anymore about silence, and she was killed by Regal's knife.
Meanwhile, Fila, Brody, Galvany and Linus were busy building a shelter. They had only two knives for the four of them, but also enough food to last a couple of days, a rope, some electrical components, and a water filter. They seemed unaware of the situation they were in, building a very pretty shelter on top of a somewhat dry mound.
The size of their group dissuaded lonely tributes from approaching. They still stayed on their guards, always leaving one of them to keep watch while the others weaved leaves of gathered branches. They shared around a piece of bread that was already getting soggy and sat in a circle on the soft moss. They all stayed up until late, sharing stories from their districts and body heat, since the wood was too humid to make a fire.
At midnight, the tributes watched as the portraits of the boy (5), Vega (6), Betty (9), the boy (10) and the girl (12) were displayed. There were still 19 tributes left for the second day, more than usual.
Day 2:
The second day of the Games was pretty boring. For most of the morning, no tribute moved. They were tired and still trying to dry up. Kai was grateful for his tarpaulin, even though it could do nothing for the ambient humidity. The boy had no qualms on staying put, but he was starting to go hungry. He looked around for the whole morning. There were dark berries on a bush on his island, but he recognized them correctly as toxic. At around midday, he found a crab and hit it with a stick until it was dead. He had to eat it raw.
Linus spent the morning tinkering with a battery and some wire. He managed to build a makeshift lighter, but the wood was still too wet to produce anything other than smoke. Instead, he helped Fila weave a fishing net. The girl was very focused, so her answers to Linus' questions were monosyllabic.
Galvany stood motionless a few feet away. Her and Brody were trying to catch fish with their bare hands. It was mostly to pass time as they had quite enough food. Viewers had never seen Galvany look so serious. It appeared the shock of her situation had finally caught up to her. She watched as a grey fish slowly approached her. Her raised stick was about to spear the fish, but a sudden cannon made it flee.
After a few hours of moping, the career pack had finally gathered enough energy to go hunting. They had slept in the mud of the cornucopia clearing and were dirty and aching. Regal's hair had become encrusted in brown dirt, but Urania still called him "the prettiest tribute in a long while".
Tourmaline (1), Odin and Agrippina (2) decided to travel south while Nereis and Regal (1) went North. The girl from 4 tried to converse with her ally, but she made the mistake of nicknaming him Pinky. In a fraction of a second, she was on the ground with a knife to her throat. "I can and will kill you at any moment. Call me that again and it will be sooner than you hope!". Regal let her go and Nereis tried to laugh it off as if she hadn't been terrified a second earlier. After that, she kept her nicknaming to herself.
Their scuffle, however, had scared Tina (5), and the girl stealthily tried to make her way out of their sight. Nereis notices the ripples and the top of her head poking out of the water. She threw her trident and impaled the girl with impressive accuracy, sounding her cannon immediately.
After that, peace took ahold of the arena again. The careers struggled to find the well-hidden tributes, but they were the only ones to move through the forest. When the evening came, Head Gamemaker Orpington released mutts in the hopes of getting a little more action. An array of tiny colorful frogs was let loose beneath the trees. The gamemakers had not considered the fact that the mutts were diurnal. In fact, most of them did not even move, instead hiding in the bushes and sleeping until the morning. The only victim of these amphibians was Toledo (6), who was sleeping nearby. One of the frogs had jumped onto his hand. The toxin released by its skin caused the boy to die in less than ten seconds.
At midnight, only the portraits of Tina (5) and Toledo (6) appeared in the sky. The viewers in the Capitol were rather bored at the lack of action within the arena. The 17 remaining tributes were scattered and unwilling to fight. Urania and Argus hoped for a big event the next day.
Day 3:
Nereis was awoken the next morning by the screams of Tourmaline (1). A bright pink frog had landed on her hand, the toxin seeping quickly into her bloodstream. There was nothing the group could do and the girl from 1 was dead in a matter of seconds, but not after a good deal of flailing and convulsing. Regal had the good sense of kicking the mutt into the water, where it swam away.
After that rude wake-up call, the group decided to prepare themselves. Agrippina actually had the idea to use random scraps of fabric to protect their necks, ankles, and hands. Their fingers were still vulnerable until three silver parachutes fell down from the sky, each of them containing pairs of gloves. Unfortunately for them, they only managed to find numerous poisonous frogs during their hunt.
At that point, citizens of the Capitol were starting to go slightly crazy. There was absolutely no action whatsoever. Most of the frogs had been dealt with easily since they were slow and very visible. One could only last so long watching teenagers fish, cry, and bicker over which leaf was edible. There was a sliver of interest when Coalden (12) and Margarine (10), who had met earlier that day, started getting intimate. They were subsequently attacked by the pair from 7. Judith especially was irate at the pair's "indecency". Her axe didn't meet its target, but a half-naked Margarine managed to tackle Paxton (7) to the ground and break his neck. The pair subsequently ran off into the overgrowth, leaving Judith to cry on her district partner's corpse until he was removed by the hovercraft.
That evening, it became obvious that something was wrong. At midnight, when the portraits of Tourmaline (1) and Paxton (7) should have appeared, there was only silence. It was revealed by a disheveled Selen Orpington that the gamemakers had been having many technical issues, but that hopefully everything should be resolved the next day.
Day 4:
It appeared that the issues had been fixed during the night when the voice of the Head Gamemaker resounded in the arena on the morning of the fourth day. She announced to the fifteen remaining tributes that a feast would be held in an hour in the cornucopia clearing, where they would receive, in addition to the supplies they needed, a pill that could make them immune to the poisonous frogs that still aimlessly roamed the forest.
The alliance of 3 and 8 had spent the past day lounging and tinkering. They had fish, clean water, and a small electric device that they could use to shock an enemy if need be. They had become great friends over the past few days. When she needed to fill the blanks, Urania always came back to the group to see them sharing jokes, building things, and having as good a time as they could have when in a death arena.
Since they were doing pretty good, they did not see the point of going to the feast, as with many other tributes. They were assessing the risk of not having an immunity to the frogs when Fila heard soft splashing sounds not far. She lifted her hand. The whole group was ready, Brody and Linus with grossly carved wooden spears, Fila with a knife and Galvany with her strange battery slash electro bomb (that was what the pair from 3 had called it).
Out of a nearby fern came Kai, muddy and out of breath. His eyes got wide when he saw that the small clearing was full of tributes. He begged them for help, said he would do anything if they protected him. Fila was about to stab him, mistrusting, but then Judith (7) appeared, her axe in hand.
Kai had actually been on his way to the cornucopia clearing, after a few close calls with the frogs, but he had crossed path with Judith (7). Seeing the opportunity, she had attacked. Fortunately for Kai, he was a way better swimmer than the girl. She had pursued him relentlessly. Now however, faced with four other tributes, she slowly backed away. A few steps later, she was sprinting to the cornucopia.
The rest of the tributes were still standing, expecting an axe to come flying at any moment. It never came. Against the opinion of Fila, who was still deeply wary of the newcomer, they decided to take Kai in. He was given one of the last pieces of bread that was not moldy. The boy gave up his tarpaulin in exchange, setting it on the floor of their now cramped shelter. A few minutes later, two cannons sounded.
Nereis was frustrated. The one night they didn't sleep in the cornucopia clearing was when there was a feast. They wouldn't have the advantage of surprise this time. What more, they were currently roaming the perimeter. Regal, Agrippina, Odin, and she ran through the muddy banks and the dirty water to get there in time. They arrived just in time to see Coalden (12) and Margarine (10) running away hand in hand with their numbered backpacks. Regal sent Odin to their pursuit just in case, while the other three stood guard at the cornucopia.
At that moment, Judith (7) attacked from one side while Cornelius (11) and Ergo (9) attacked from the other. The pair had been pretty much waiting for four days now and were ready to be done with the games. Agrippina took out Cornelius first with a needle to the throat. She watched him bleed out while Regal was fighting with Ergo and Nereis was desperately trying to block Judith's axe with her trident. Eventually, Regal managed to stab Ergo through the chest. Agrippina sighed in disappointment, as if she was hoping her ally to be taken out. Judith, seeing that there were now two idle enemies, grabbed a random bag (it was the one for district 4) and fled. Regal's knife only hit the fabric, so the career pack decided to stay there and take the remaining supplies. Odin came back soon after, out of breath. He hadn't been successful. Regal gave everyone their pills, and insisted the group split up to hunt for more tributes. He took Agrippina with him, and Nereis ended up with Odin.
The boy from 2 was not an intellectual to say the least, which appeared to annoy Nereis but entertain the viewers. They enjoyed seeing her face when he told her blatantly false facts or anecdotes about him getting lost in the city hall. The pair roamed the arena for the entire day, only stopping to eat some leftover energy bar. Night came and they made the encampment on a relatively dry spot, very close to where Fila, Galvany, Kai, Linus and Brody were sleeping.
This time, the hymn of Panem was heard, and the portraits of Tourmaline (1) and Paxton (7), who had died the previous day, were added to those of Ergo (9) and Cornelius (11). This meant that there were still 13 tributes left on the fifth morning.
Day 5:
On the fifth day, a heavy fog started to appear in the entire arena. It would stay until the end of the games. Interviews with junior gamemakers led to believe that this has been another malfunction of the control panel. In any case, it made the games even less popular by lowering drastically the visibility in the arena.
Kai was one of the first to notice the slithering mist, as he was taking the last watch that morning. Then he heard the noise of someone coming towards their camp. It was Nereis and Odin. They hadn't spotted the camp yet, so they were not being too discreet. Kai hit Fila on the shoulder, and she awoke the others. They did not waste any time, only taking what was strictly necessary.
Nereis' voice beckoned: "Hey Kai! Hey buddy! I'm so glad to see you!". He turned around, letting the others get away. Galvany came back to him and tried to drag him to the rest of the group. Nereis was standing alone in the water, Odin hidden behind a bush. She smiled, which was an unsettling sight. "I was looking for you! We're district partners, right?". The boy hesitantly walked back into the clearing, Galvany behind him.
Once he was close enough, Nereis thrust her trident into his stomach. Galvany screamed and threw the electro-bomb. It flew past Nereis and landed behind her in the water. She was about to scoff but a grunt of pain stopped her, followed by a cannon. Odin had been hit with the full electric force of the device, made even more powerful by the water.
Now, Nereis was without a weapon. Linus and Brody stood on each side of Galvany with their sticks and the girl's feet were prickled by the leftover electricity. She elected to run. Then Kai's cannon sounded. Galvany and Fila cried. Gone was the camaraderie. With a serious frown, Linus took the girls away while Brody removed the trident from the boy's body.
The rest of the day was spent mourning and sharpening their spears. By the evening, the fog had become so thick that Coalden and Margarine passed three feet away from their encampment without noticing anything.
On the other side of the arena, Regal, Agrippina and Nereis were arguing. They both blamed the latter for Odin's death, but Agrippina was persuaded that the other girl had killed him herself. She tried to defend herself by explaining that they were outnumbered. In the end, Regal decided that it was time for Nereis to go. She was not trusted anymore. She grabbed a spear in the pile of weapons they had gathered and left. Surprisingly, no one tried to kill her as she waded away, even though Agrippina wanted to very much.
Nereis spent her first night alone in the arena, angry and scared. A little before midnight, she received a sponsor gift. It was only a container of soup, but the warm liquid made her feel better. It contained no note, as Oleander Harrison had been outraged at the way she treated her district partner. Then the portraits of Odin (2) and Kai (4) appeared in the sky. There were still 11 tributes in the arena and the games had beaten the length record for the third generation. The non-stop commenting had shifted to a regular update system to better accommodate the slow pace of events.
Day 6:
The sixth day of the games was spent in the dark. When the sun didn't rise that morning, tributes and viewers alike believed it was a planned event. Instead, it was revealed by an inside source to be another technical malfunction. That day even more than the others was spent not moving.
The cameras had been switched to night vision, which did not help due to the heavy fog. The microphones still picked up conversations, but they were now mostly complaints about being cold and hungry and sneezes. Suffice to say that the Capitol had lost all interest in the events.
Day 7:
All the lights came back at once on the seventh day, late in the morning. They were followed by an announcement of Head Gamemaker Orpington, stating that the tributes needed to get to higher ground quickly, namely the cornucopia.
She had seemingly forgotten that the arena was a forest, meaning that most tributes were now busy climbing. Galvany, Brody, Linus and Fila helped each other to scale and old sycamore. They were now out of food apart from a freshly caught fish. From their perch, they could see most of the arena. Freesia (11) was limply lying in a nest of leaves a few hundred feet away, where she had hidden on the first day and never came back down.
Suddenly, a knife came flying from under them. Regal and Agrippina were running to the cornucopia when they had spotted the four tributes. They tried to make themselves as small as possible, but Regal threw another knife and it hit Fila in the thigh. She lost her grip. Linus caught her hand, but the humidity made it hard to hold on. She slipped before Brody could give a helping hand and fell with a crack. Her cannon sounded. Regal was about to throw another one of his knives when a wave hit him. The water swept him and Agrippina away.
Only the cornucopia clearing was now solid ground. The rest had been completely flooded. Where before the water was hip length at most, it was now more than ten feet deep.
Nereis could swim better than she could climb. With her spear strapped to her back, she leisurely floated around. She had heard the first cannon and seen the hovercraft flying in the opposite direction from where she was going. After a while, she got tired and grabbed on a low branch. She sat on it, her legs still in the water, and she smiled as she heard a second cannon. It belonged to Margarine, who had fallen in the water after breaking the branch she was hanging on too. She drowned quickly.
The flash flood made it hard to retrieve the bodies, but at least it had cleared the fog and the venomous frogs. After a few hours, it started to recede. Slowly, Linus and his allies made their way down the tree. Their footsteps made a disgusting slurping sound as they walked on the soaked soil of the forest. The only positive was that the tide had brought many crabs as well as water chestnuts, which Brody knew were edible.
Nereis also ate the water chestnuts. She had heard wet footsteps earlier in the afternoon, which belonged to Coalden (12). He had set up a new camp right next to the clump of ferns she was hiding in. She could see that he was totally clueless. Urania explained that he was a good fighter, but totally useless in survival. Hence why he had partnered with Margarine, who was good at both. "And good looking", added Argus. Urania jokingly slapped him.
Nereis was afraid to leave her hiding place in case the imposing boy saw her. Thankfully, a second pair of wet footsteps made itself heard that evening. Judith (7) appeared from between two giant ferns. She had lost her axe in the flood. Her hair was tangled with algae and branches. Coalden ran towards her and Nereis took that opportunity to flee quietly. The boy from 12 ended up beating Judith to a pulp with his bare hands, sounding her cannon.
Galvany, Linus and Brody, on the other side of the arena, were snuggling together under Kai's tarpaulin, which they had covered in mud and leaves to act as camouflage. The hymn of Panem resounded for the seventh time, displaying the portraits of Judith (7), Fila (8) and Margarine (10). Galvany let out a disappointed sigh, as she hoped one of the careers at least had been killed during the flood.
Day 8:
Galvany awoke to a loud grinding sound. Her two allies quickly followed her. The noise came from the perimeter, so they ran to the center of the arena. Viewers could see that, in order to push more interactions between the 8 remaining tributes, the Gamemakers had shrunk the arena. It was now twice as small as it was before, even though there was still a lot of space left.
Seeing as they were alone, Galvany asked: "Okay, so, who farted?". Brody let out a giggle. "Really? We're fighting for our lives and you're making fart jokes?". Linus said it in a serious tone, but the twinkle in his eyes showed how much he wanted to laugh too. Galvany shrugged and smile. "Someone has to release the tension, right?". Still, they went to work, sharpening their wooden spears and practicing their throws. Brody had the idea to make armor with the bark of old trees. This earned him a spool of thick thread as a sponsor gift. While they were hard at work, they heard a cannon.
Nereis was asleep just next to the perimeter when it had started moving. She had reacted fast, hopping to her feet, and running away. Once she had outrun the wall of force, she decided to head to the cornucopia clearing. The surviving tributes would end up there one way or another, she thought. Suddenly, a knife hit her arm. Out of a bush came Regal, followed by Agrippina. Arms crossed, Regal smirked. "Look who's back! I thought we told you to go away!"
- Back off, you asswipe! Said Nereis holding her arm. You can't even aim!
Another knife sliced her left ear.
- And you can't even dodge. If you're nice, I can kill you quickly.
- But I'd rather do it painfully, added Agrippina.
- There's no need for such brutality, continued the boy. You wouldn't even feel it.
Instead of pleading or fleeing, Nereis just hurled a string of strongly worded insults that made Urania and Argus blush. The rest of her tirade was censored. Then she threw her spear and Regal just caught it. Like it was a simple stick. He dropped it. Agrippina launched herself towards Nereis but when she arrived, her cannon had already sounded. The girl from two looked at the knife sticking out of Nereis' forehead, then back at Regal. "I wanted a kill!", she pouted. "Don't worry, you'll get the next one".
At noon, another cannon sounded. It belonged to Freesia (11). The little girl had been stuck in her tree since day one. She was now emaciated and sickly looking. When she saw one of the last remaining frogs (it was bright pink with blue stripes), she just smiled and reached out to it. She let out a sigh of relief as the poison coursed through her veins, shocking a lot of viewers by her suicide.
After that, Linus, Galvany and Brody promised each other to stay together until the end. They were sad but trusted each other. On another hand, there were still two career tributes as enemies. Galvany told her allies that she was glad to have found such friends and that whatever happened, she would not regret allying with them. "Also, I won't hold it against you if you kill me", she added with a wink. Linus was lost in thought the whole afternoon and evening. Brody was not very talkative either, so the girl did most of the talking. She also took the first watch at night since she was not tired. Just before midnight, she heard a cannon, then another one right after.
The first death had been that of Coalden, who had been drinking bog water for the past day. Coupled with some inedible berries, it made for a deadly co*cktail. Hearing the cannon, Regal had decided in a split second that he was better off alone. He buried a knife into Agrippina's throat before she even had the time to wake up.
A few minutes later, the portraits of Agrippina (2), Nereis (4), Freesia (11) and Coalden (12) appeared in the sky. Viewers could tell without a doubt that the next morning would mark the end of the games.
Day 9:
Linus woke his friends up early. They agreed to take down Regal together before they turned against each other. Argus commended this strategy, as Regal had been the most lethal tribute yet. They made their way to the central clearing, where Regal waited for them. His arms were crossed, with two throwing knives in each hand and a couple more hidden in his belt. His hair had lost its luster and the pink had faded, but Urania was adamant that it made him even more attractive.
Brody, Linus and Galvany each stood with a spear. They ran at their opponent, zigzagging to make them harder to hit. The first knife flew into the underbrush, but the second hit Brody in the chest, sounding his cannon. The 3s were now upon Regal, however. Linus' spear hit his arm before he could throw his third projectile and it got lost in the mud. The fourth knife was planted in Galvany's shoulder when she hit Regal from the side. The shock sent the three tributes flying in the mud.
Linus was the first to get up, but the boy from 1 kept dodging his spear. They played this game for a few minutes, but it was enough for Galvany to fetch one of Regal's knife. Just as she made her way to the boys, Regal caught Linus' spear and turned it against him. It hit his eye, causing him a roar of pain, but it had not caused further damage. The boy from one then poked the other eye, blinding Linus completely. As blood trickled down his face, he fell back.
Regal got to his knees, but Galvany had taken ahold of herself, and she slit the boy's throat. She sobbed profusely, but still ran to her district partner's prone form. He was actually not in any danger, even though he would have stayed blind until his death. The bruises and cuts on his body weren't lethal and Galvany was also profusely bleeding from her shoulder wound.
Linus said something, in a voice so weak the microphone couldn't record it. He beckoned his district partner to come closer. "Remember, you promised. You promised you wouldn't let me suffer." All she kept saying was no, no, NO! Over and over. But Linus closed her hand around the knife and held its tip to his heart. "Please. You need to let me go. I'm glad you won."
He held her hand as she pushed the blade further and further into his chest, between the ribs. Blood sprayed on her face, mixing with the dirt and tears. Linus' cannon sounded after what seemed like an eternity, and Galvany Driscoll of district 3 was announced as the victor of the 112th Hunger Games. She was taken away by a hovercraft along with the corpse of Linus, whom she held onto for the whole trip.
Aftermath:
After a short stay at the Gamp clinic, Galvany stayed for a few weeks at the Willow Center, a mental health facility that helped her with her post-traumatic stress and survivor's guilt until she felt stable enough to be released. During this time, it was announced that Head Gamemaker Orpington had committed suicide by ingestion of poison due to the failure of the games.
For her interview, she wore a very simple brown dress, reminiscent of the mud of her arena. Urania and Argus wore similar grey suits, which contained no hint, as a new Head Gamemaker hadn't yet be found. Galvany joked that they looked like peacekeepers. She seemed joyful, as she had been before the games, but it was mostly due to the quantity of antidepressants she had been forced to consume during the past few weeks. She answered all of the questions by jokes. Her interview was eventually cut short when Linus' death was shown onscreen, and the girl lost consciousness.
Galvany was very divisive as a victor. Many Capitolites believed her win had not been deserved and resented her for eliminating Regal, who was the great favorite of that year's edition. However, given some time to readjust, she proved to be funny and quirky, as well as a great mentor. She was known for her childish humor, that was either charming or annoying depending on the person.
In later years, she grew a big friendship with Organza Duval (victor of the 104th Hunger Games) and Alix Goldberg (victor of the 108th Hunger Games), eventually joining her security company as the head of IT. After finishing her studies, she shared her time between her family living in the victor's village and mentoring the tributes of district 3 along Violetta Berkeley.
Chapter 13: The 113th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 113th Hunger Games took place in the year 149. The influence of new President Theresa Crane created a more orderly and disciplined atmosphere in all of Panem. She restored peace in the Capitol for good. Even her more vocal opponents (those who didn't disappear) ended up voicing their support for her. She also boosted production in the districts by giving them incentives to work more.
It was in that climate that the reapings took place. At the end of the second day, an exhausted Galvany Driscoll arrived in district 2. The winner of the past games was barely 15. At first, she was terrified, but after 3 or 4 districts she had gotten the hang of it. By then, she was making stupid jokes in between the reapings and generally trying to dissolve the tension, to no avail.
As the tradition had been reinstated a couple of years prior, Galvany was invited to watch the pre-games, where all the volunteering tributes fought each other to be selected. The goal of the game was to remove the three bracelets of their opponents until one male and one female remained with at least one bracelet.
The fight was quick but very violent this year, with at least two tributes being sent to a nearby hospital. The male tribute was the first to be victorious. His name was Castor Dalton, and he was 17 years old. The boy was massive to say the least, and his strategy consisted of just standing in the middle of the battlefield until someone attacked him. Despite his heavy frame, he was deft and used his enemies' strength to send them flying.
It took a little longer for the female tribute to be chosen. The final fight took place between Gladys Jones and Aurora Dalton, but the latter won. While Gladys was also a force of nature, Aurora had been sneaky during the entire duration, and she won thanks to her impressive dexterity.
The two Daltons were then sent to the stage and received with mixed reaction. The Dalton family had indeed been discredited after former mayor Arabella Dalton had tried to get Theseus Fierro, victor of the 106th Games, assassinated. Nevertheless, they bowed to the crowd and shook Galvany's hand. Despite being cousins, they were very different looking. Castor was incredibly muscular, but with unremarkable features and mousy brown hair. Aurora, who was 18 at the time, was much paler, with deep red hair and a delicate face.
The pair was subsequently taken to the city hall to meet their families. Their parents and siblings came together, as they were a tight-knit group. Castor was met with many hugs and congratulations by his parents. His older brother however kept a cold distance. He was slightly less muscular but better looking. He was obviously jealous, as he was too old to compete and had been second in the pre-games twice in a row. Castor's mother only cried a little, joy and sadness mixed in her tears. She kissed her much taller son on the forehead before he was taken to the train station.
In the next room, it was the same level of celebration. Aurora's two younger sisters danced around her. After these effusions of joy, her father kneeled besides her chair and reminded her that she was loved, and that she had received the best training she could have. His grave smile reminded Aurora that she was very likely not to survive, but she brushed off the feeling and smiled back.
In the train, the pair were welcomed by their mentors, Cleopatra Liu (victor of the 103rd Hunger Games) and Theseus Fierro (victor of the 106th Hunger Games). The latter expected an adverse reaction, as he was reviled by the Dalton family, but the tributes did not seem to care. Instead, Cleopatra asked them to demonstrate their skills. Aurora was first, and she dazzled her mentors with her flexibility and agility. She threw nearly every piece of cutlery in the carriage with amazing accuracy. Then, Castor grabbed one of the surviving spoons, tied it in a knot as if it was made of fabric, and threw it so hard it embedded itself in the wall.
"I can see you're both very talented, said Cleopatra. So were the tributes before you. You should not take victory for granted. Right now, you're not at an advantage. Talent will help you, but so will strategy. As a career district, we really need another victor."
Castor and Aurora nodded solemnly. Theseus ordered for some food to be brought, and the four of them discussed a possible strategy for the games.
Soon enough, the train arrived in the newly baptized Crane station. A crowd was waiting, excited to see the tributes but also the mentors, who were both celebrities in the Capitol. Theseus saluted the people, the scars on his neck proudly displayed. Cleopatra sighed. At least some of the audience was interested in the tributes, mostly men for a reason she didn't find hard to understand. Theseus' scandalous reputation still preceded him.
Castor was polite. He let people feel his biceps and lifted many children off the ground. He also held very civil conversations, surprising Capitolites by his articulation. Aurora, however, stole the show. She was indeed very charming. She took a lot of pictures, probably more than Theseus. The mentors didn't even have to discuss with the sponsors as the tributes had taken the matter into their own hands. They seemed to recognize the wealthiest among the mass of citizens that waited for them.
Things later calmed down as the train from district 1 entered the station.
Not long earlier, Galvany had made her way to district 1. She had been invited by mayor Greene to witness the selection of their tributes. Each volunteer was given sixty seconds to convince, in any way possible, that they were the right fit for a victor. Out of the six female volunteers, it was Aegirine Knox, 17, that earned the honor of participating in the games. She had chosen not to display any skill, instead giving a heartfelt speech about her sister Tourmaline, who had been killed in the previous games. Aegirine looked a lot like her: tall, elegant with dark skin and high cheekbones.
Next came the male tribute. His selection caused a bit of a controversy. Indeed, the chosen tribute was Otis Carter, a good-looking blond boy. His speech had been mediocre compared to the others, even though he showed very good skills with a sword. It was rumored that he had been selected because his father, owner of the biggest diamond mine in the district, had paid off Ivorius Greene. It is unknown if this rumor is true, but it was widely believed in district 1. Even Urania complained about it, stating that the other volunteers seemed more competent.
Nevertheless, Aegirine and Otis were taken to the city hall to meet with their families. Otis's father was present, as well as his stepmother and his younger brother. The family was glad to see their eldest son participate in the Hunger Games but there was a certain gravity to the father's air. After the rest had left, he spoke to his son and asked him to make him proud and that he expected to see him win. Otis just smirked and left the room.
The atmosphere was much gloomier in the adjacent room, where Aegirine's mother sat with her two remaining daughters. She had still not finished mourning Tourmaline's death. Her youngest daughter Ametrine was in the process of scolding Aegirine for abandoning the two of them. Aegirine kept repeating that she would come back. The goodbyes were bittersweet.
The pair was whisked off to the train station. Pilar Dundee and Ruby Costa (victor of the 107th Hunger Games) were patiently waiting for their mentees in the carriage. Otis immediately took the opportunity to talk about his father and his business. Ruby smiled and pointed at the gems on her earrings. Seeing that the boy was hogging all the attention, Aegirine interrupted him to introduce herself. Pilar left an unimpressed Ruby with Otis and took another sofa to speak with Aegirine. She apologized for what had happened to Tourmaline and they quickly changed the subject.
The conversations went on rather cheerily for the short ride to the Capitol. Both tributes seemed very confident in their abilities. Ruby and Pilar briefed them on the next events even though they were well aware of the inner workings of the games.
The pair were truly naturals. With their good looks and charisma, they both made quite an impression on the Capitolites who came to meet them at Crane station. In less than ten minutes, they had already secured a couple of sponsors. Pilar and Ruby stood impressed in the background.
It was soon time for the tributes to be taken away to their accommodation, as the parade occurred in less than three hours. Their stylist Clio Carpenter was already hard at work, having received her tributes' measurements as soon as they were selected. She barked orders at her myriad of assistants. She was now using a wheelchair due to her old age, but it did not stop her from stunning the Capitol with her designs each year.
Aegirine was in heaven. Her passion had always been modeling. She took pleasure in being pampered and dressed. Clio had decided to bring a more angelic design for her tributes, dressing Aegirine in a vaporous white gown and an assorted glittering tiara. Hundreds of tiny diamonds twinkled on her dress and on her skin.
Otis, on the other hand, was scolded by the stylist for "looking like a slob" in his equally white tuxedo. Wings had been hand embroidered in the back of it. The lace itched him but after a few lessons on posture by Clio, Pilar and Ruby were astounded by the results. The pair were stunning, and they knew it. They were taken to the Tribute's Avenue first, quickly followed by the other tributes.
After being moved into their apartment, the pair from 2 met their stylist, Corban Janssen. They did not waste any time picking their outfit in the portfolio he had prepared. Castor let Aurora choose as he was confident in her fashion sense. She picked a design Corban was very proud of. It was based off of a simple formal outfit (ball gown for her and suit for him) but completely armored in bronze. The fusion was really harmonious, and the pair was satisfied. It wasn't even that heavy.
Parade:
Down at the parade, they immediately made their way to the pair from 1 and introduced themselves. The girls immediately hit it off, as they had similar interests. Otis also joined their conversation, even though his questionable humor seemed to annoy Aurora. Castor was more withdrawn, but his district partner talked for the two of them. She knew he was more of an introvert.
They stayed together as the other tributes trickled in: Marcia and Boston (6) with their robotic disguises, the imposing Brahma (10) who scowled at whoever dared looking at her and Crispin (11), whose striking blue eyes contrasted with his dark skin. Soon enough, everyone was ready, and the parade could officially start.
Aegirine smiled wildly, her teeth as white as her gown. She waved to the crazed audience as the shimmering fabric flowed in the wind. She felt in her element. Otis was also comfortable and charismatic, but his district partner had to crush his foot to prevent him from making rude gestures to the girls in the audience. She whispered to him to "keep it in his pants, or she'd cut it during the night". After that he straightened up.
Behind them, the pair from 2 waved in unison and held hands in a display of unity. Their plated outfits shone and sparkled almost as much as those of district 1. Corneo Anderson raved at the quality of the outfits this year, although Urania was still stuck on the dazzling gown of Aegirine. Aurora blew kisses to the audience and received many roses. Castor also tried his best, but his more timid attitude made him a little less striking.
The pairs followed one after another, each offering beautiful outfits. This year, no one was mocked as each costume was of great quality and fit the tributes and the themes. Before President Crane's speech, Corneo Anderson crowned district 1 as winners of best dressed tributes. He congratulated all the other districts, with honorable mentions to district 8's yarn outfits and district 2's armor.
President Crane's first official opening speech pleased the Capitol. She spoke about the haven that Panem was and promised to bring even more prosperity by establishing a better discipline in the districts. She also talked about her desires to explore the continent and maybe extend Panem's reach as it had been before.
After this enthralling speech, the tributes were taken back to their accommodations. Aegirine, Otis, their mentor and stylists celebrated this small victory with non-alcoholic champagne and fancy pastries. They were subsequently sent to bed while their mentors continued the celebration on the rooftop. This year's opening party was more festive than usual, to the dismay of the poor tributes trying to sleep just below...
Training:
Despite the heavy partying of the previous night, most mentors were fresh and ready for the day, or at least they appeared fresh. Ruby and Pilar had masterfully hidden their dark circles under a layer of concealer. They awoke Otis and Aegirine and prepped them for the first day of training. A light breakfast was eaten, then they practiced some warmup exercises before heading downstairs.
In the adjacent apartment, Cleopatra Liu was awake and energetically shook the tributes from their sleep. As it was usual for her, she had left the party early to get enough sleep. Theseus, on the other hand was nowhere to be found. Castor and Aurora were told not to worry, as he had probably gone home with one of the many single stylists... Castor cast an incredulous glance towards his district partner.
Down at the training center, Head trainer Carmelo Harrington explained again the basic rules of conduct and let the tributes get acquainted with the multiple stations. For the first day, the careers decided to stay together in order to get to know each other a little better. They hogged the different weapons stations, showing off their skills and fighting each other.
From the mentoring gallery, Cleopatra and Ruby watched them get along and discussed quietly. Even though they couldn't hear the tributes' conversation, they could see that there was a good cohesion. They believed that the career pack would finally be functional this year. The duo decided to go look for sponsors together while Pilar and a disheveled Theseus kept an eye on the training.
On the second day of training, the tributes were advised to separate in other to scope out the competition. Pilar had spotted a forming alliance between some outlying districts, whose tributes were quite strong. So, they went their own way. Castor fought Brahma (10) in hand-to-hand combat while her district partner Orloff watched. She almost rivaled him in sheer strength but had no technique. Otis made friends with Douro and Vera (4) in the aquatic station. Douro was impressive with a trident, but Otis did not suggest an alliance. Aurora jumped from training station to training station, ending up at the camouflage station with the burly Boston (6). He was actually the first non-career tribute to volunteer. Rumors said that he had volunteered to flee from a gang that wanted him dead, but it was never confirmed.
Aegirine, later in the second day, got in a fight with Factorio (12). She had endured stoically his heavy flirting, but when she had ignored him for too long, he had made fun of her sister. In less than a second, Aegirine was on him, punching him repeatedly. She had to be sedated in order to bring back the peace in the training center. This also earned her an earful from her mentors.
The group reconvened for the third day. They made sure they weren't watched before discussing their strategy for the bloodbath. Aurora had mentioned that the more tributes they eliminated at that time, the more likely they were to divide alliances. They made up a code to communicate from their podiums in the hope of being more organized.
They had not trained much when the time for the assessments came, only getting the time to warm up. Aegirine was the first to enter the room. She waited for the assessors to go quiet before starting her routine. In less than five minutes, she destroyed an entire row of mannequins using multiple weapons. She dropped them at her feet and bowed when she was done, prompting some applaud from the small audience.
Otis tried to show off his hand-to-hand combat, but after receiving a few punches from his opponent trainer, he switched to sword fighting, where he was much better. The trainer stood no chance that time. He bowed too when exiting the room, out of breath but content.
Aurora followed. She offered quite a show. She fought holograms with knives, but in a way that made it look like she was dancing. The blades in her hands were barely visible. It was clearly a display she had rehearsed a lot. This time again the assessors applauded. Aurora blew them a kiss, threw a knife in a mannequin's forehead without even watching, and disappeared.
Castor was not as much of a showman as his cousin. He stayed focused, lifting the heaviest weights they had on the racks and throwing them with great accuracy. He followed by a sword display, destroying every hologram that came his way and clearly outclassing Otis. He said nothing when he got out and the little girl from 3 took his place.
After the tributes' assessments, they were brought back to their accommodation to take a light supper before the interviews. Immediately as they entered, Pilar started quizzing Otis and Aegirine on the various usual questions that would be asked that evening. Aegirine did great, Pilar only told her to talk more about her sister in order to sound more relatable to the audience. Otis, on the other hand, received a few slaps. When you are asked what you would do if you won, you don't answer "building a sex dungeon". He seemed to have learned his lessons when the pair was taken to the interview studio.
In the 2's apartment, the situation was a little more relaxed. Aurora painted her nails silently while Castor workshopped his seduction talents, or lack thereof, with Theseus. Even with his scars, the young man was still a sex-symbol in the Capitol. However, the latest murder attempt on his person made him a little less prone to "date" married woman. At least openly... Nevertheless, he gave some solid advice to Castor on how to appear more confident.
When the training scores were announced, it was no surprise that Aegirine, Aurora and Castor had made it to the top of the roster with a 10. Taking the place of Otis with another 10 was Brahma (10), whose strength had impressed the assessors. Otis only got and 8, and was overtaken by Boston (6), Crispin (11) and Douro (4) who earned a 9.
That evening, Urania Whimsiwick wore a brown jumpsuit adorned with multicolored frogs, as a nod to last year's games, even though they had been unpopular. She greeted the audience and stated that she had bad news to announce before starting the festivities. Due to "personal reasons" Argus Brown had decided to retire from his post as a commentator. Urania let the audience grieve for a few seconds before announcing her new co-host: Coralys Robson. She was a short younger woman with buzzed purple hair and dark slanted eyes. Her appearance caused a quite ruckus, as she was a well-known blogger and journalist.
After the applause had died down, Urania kicked off the interviews with Aegirine, who wore a bedazzled golden dress. She took her time to sit, letting the audience admire her tall and slender silhouette. The host was about to ask her a question, but Coralys cut her off, immediately jumping to the juicy subject of Tourmaline, Aegirine's sister. This unsettled her, but as Urania shot Coralys a glacial look, she started to talk about the very fusional relationship the two had. Tourmaline was only a year older, so Aegirine had always been in a sort of friendly competition with her. After that, Urania took the lead, asking more regular questions. Aegirine left the stage to a thunder of applause, certain to be a fan-favorite due to her backstory as well as her sober character.
Otis followed, wearing a silver tuxedo. He smiled widely and answered the hosts' questions in good faith. He spoke of his wealthy family, claiming he was "almost a Capitolite", which did not please the crowds. Apart from boasting, it appeared Otis did not have much to say. He left the stage to lukewarm cheering.
Aurora followed, wearing a deep brown fur cape that enhanced her pale complexion. She was so stunning that Coralys couldn't say anything during the whole interview, even though she had not stopped interrupting Urania during the previous one. The crowd was hypnotized by the girl. She proved to be not only pretty, but charismatic and quick-witted. She complimented Urania on her outfit and talked about her hopes to be a role model for children in district 2, as well as bringing honor back to the Dalton family. She was certainly the most popular tribute the games had had in a while.
As for Castor, it was another story. He had taken pointers from his mentor, so his interview was far from catastrophic. Nevertheless, he did not have the looks or the charisma. His hulking frame appeared to crumple up in the velvet seat. Coralys barely gave him enough time to answer her rapid-fire and sometimes very personal questions, which made him quite flustered. But he kept calm and carried on the interview to its term, making his mentors and Aurora proud.
The evening continued with the same tension between the hosts, even though it was quite funny from an outside point of view. Helicia (5) spent her allotted time complaining about everything, while Tabard (8) explained to a bored audience all about the mechanics of sewing machines. The other favorites of this edition were certainly Douro (4) and Crispin (11), although Brahma (10) and Fascinia (8) had their fair share of fans.
Urania and Coralys closed the evening by introducing the new Head Gamemaker, who had to replace Selen Orpington after her unfortunate passing. He was a man that many knew as the mentor of district 11: Alector Crane. Surprisingly, he was also the cousin of now-president Theresa Crane. The crowd cheered for him as he sat for his own interview. Coralys asked him about his first design, but he had to explain that it was for the following year. Indeed, the arena had to be designed a year in advance, so he had to pick up Head Gamemaker Orpington's last design. "But don't worry," he added, "There'll be no technical issues this time". He winked. He ended his interview by saying that even though he had big shoes to fill, he was not afraid. Urania and Coralys congratulated him once again, waving to the crowd, and initiating the many parties organized in the Capitol.
Back at their accommodation, the cousins from 2 stood in silence on their balcony. All the others had gone to bed in order to be ready for the next day. The fireworks reflected themselves on Castor's eyes. Aurora started the conversation: "I hope I won't have to kill you."
- "You wish" answered Castor with a smile. "We both know I'm stronger than you. You'd have to take me by surprise."
- "Is that so hard to imagine?"
- "I guess not... I don't want to kill you either".
- "Only one thing is sure, at least one of us won't make it"
- "Yeah, I know. I try not to think about it. "
- I'm glad I'm doing this with you. You're my favorite cousin, and you know there's a lot of them.
- Hum, thanks... I guess I'm not as loud as the others.
- Let's make a deal! If one of us wins, they need to remember the other. Build a memorial or something. To show that we went in there as family.
- Deal!
- Nice! Now let's get some sleep cousin dear!
Day 1:
Otis woke up well rested. He had walked to his bedroom immediately after coming back to his apartment. He started warming up while waiting for Aegirine to wake up. They were joined by their mentors for breakfast a little later. The four of them speculated a bit on the nature of the arena, even though the new Head Gamemaker had not given any hint about it.
The atmosphere was a little less energetic in the district 2 accommodation. Aurora and Castor hadn't slept well. The anxiety was palpable. They ate breakfast in silence then hugged one last time before going to their separate holding rooms.
Theseus accompanied Castor. They both shook hands before the tribute climbed into the launching tube, his brawn making it quite a tight fit. Theseus chuckled and wished him good luck. Aurora stayed with Cleopatra, the pair discussing their last-minute strategy. The mentor told Aurora to not let herself be submerged by her love for her cousin. She smiled, saying that they both knew what was at stake.
As Aegirine was putting on her blue jeans and white t-shirt, Ruby asked her how she felt. "As ready as I'll ever be," she responded. "That's the same thing your sister said last year." Aegirine did not respond, quietly climbing into her launching tube. In the next holding room, Ruby talked softly to her mentee, sending him off with a few words of encouragement. It was only after his podium had started rising that Otis seemed to realize the situation he was in.
The 24 podiums rose into the arena, which represented a landscape typical of the center of Panem. The Cornucopia clearing stood at the top of a grassy hill. All around the tributes was a great prairie. Long grasses undulated in the wind. There were a few patches of trees towards the perimeter, but most of the arena was covered in these rolling hills. At the center of the clearing was a cornucopia filled to the brim with weapons and supplies, much more than the former years, which surprised the tributes. Then the voice of Head Gamemaker Crane was heard. He explained that this year, in order to avoid "hoarders", the cornucopia would only be accessible for 10 minutes. Any object, or tribute, that was still in the clearing after the imparted time would be incinerated.
As the countdown started, Aegirine looked around. There was Orloff (10) on her left and Vera (4) on her right. Most tributes seemed keen on getting something from the cornucopia. She spotted a shimmering axe at the mouth of it and concentrated on it. Her eye was attracted by the movement of Aurora, across from her.
Stood between Minty (11) and Milton (9), Aurora tried to breathe deeply. There was an array of unusual weapons in the cornucopia. She chose a long and thin chain, which she could use for many purposes. She signaled her allies that she would go for the supplies while they covered her. She also signed to Otis, who stood a few podiums away from his district partner, that he needed to be wary of his neighbor.
He looked left, confused at the sight of the whimpering Helicia (5). Then to the right. Brahma (10) towered over him. She gave him a menacing scowl before looking around at the other tributes. Then the cannon sounded, and everyone ran to the center of the clearing.
Castor, who had been stood on the other side of Helicia (5), sprinted to the center. He grabbed the first sword he could and almost collided with Douro (4). The pair sparred for a few seconds, but when Vera, his district partner, was stabbed by Factorio (12), he decided to run.
Otis had run alongside Castor for a while, but after picking up a sword, he chose to pursue Brahma (10). However, she was now at the border of the clearing with the pair from 6 and Crispin (11). They were armed and had supplies, but they seemed to be waiting for something. When Factorio (12) ran next to them, they attacked. Fortunately for him, he was quick, managing to dodge them and only dropping a loaf of bread. Then there was a scream and Otis looked back. Helicia, who was still on her podium, had managed to trip and broke her neck on the side of it. Otis laughed.
On the other side of the cornucopia, the fights raged. Aegirine had run over, and she covered Aurora with her axe. She saw the little Minty (11) stab Maydan (9) and run towards the center. She jumped over Fascinia (8), who was in the process of strangling the boy from 3.
Castor and Otis joined the girls, defending what remained of the supplies. Otis helped Aurora shove some food in a backpack while Castor impaled the girl from 7, who had strayed too close. Milton (9) had taken care of her district partner with a devastating punch. Seeing the career pack, he quickly ran towards the outlying pack, as their last member, and they left the cornucopia.
Minty tried to follow them but Aegirine thrusted her axe straight into her skull, killing her instantly. As the last tributes ran away, the career pack saw the ravenous outlier pack jump onto the girl from 3, stripping her of all her belongings and swiftly killing her. As the ten minutes were almost over, the careers decided to run in the opposite direction with their possessions.
In the commentating booth, Urania and Coralys were very happy at the turn of events. The outlying pack had not been expected, since the had kept their secret very well. Coralys argued that the time limit made things all the more intense, since no tribute could come back to fetch leftovers. Urania too was glad, as she almost expected every tribute to run away. After thirty minutes of conjectures and rewinds, the eight bloodbath cannons sounded, startling the tributes to varying levels.
Aegirine had suggested they settle down for a few hours and then hunt. Everyone agreed. They found a taller hill close to the cornucopia, where they could see all around them. The sky was growing greyer, even though it was only early afternoon. In the distance, the outlying alliance was doing the same thing. Otis suggested hunting them down, but the others told him that they would be outnumbered. Aurora had also seen Crispin (11) and Marcia (6) with a bow and arrows, and she knew they were good shots from the training.
Instead, they waited until the sky got dark and aimed for a small, wooded area where they had seen smoke earlier. It was not visible anymore, but as they approached, they could hear soft whispering. There were at least two people there. Otis was the first to spot them, getting ready to fall asleep. He warned the other with a hand gesture. They barged into the encampment of Surge (5) and Tabard (8). Both boys didn't have time to react. They were surrounded and had no weapons. Castor said to his district partner "your turn". Aegirine did the same and two cannons sounded a little later. Otis stabbed Surge (5) while Aurora strangled Tabard (8) with her chain.
The quartet decided to go back to their camp for the night. Three of them shared a blanket due to the colder temperatures while Aegirine took the first watch. At midnight, the portraits of the fallen were shown: Both (3), Vera (4) Helicia and Surge (5), both (7), Tabard (8), Maydan (9) and Minty (11). There were 14 remaining tributes and Aegirine had the suspicion that these games would not last as long as the previous ones.
Day 2:
The stomping of many hooves first alerted Aurora, who was taking the last watch. She had spent the early hours of the morning watching the outlying alliance. Unbeknownst to her, Crispin (11) had been looking back at them.
She quickly warned her allies. Looking back, she could see a herd of bison's running towards them from the perimeter. Castor pointed to the nearest tree. The pair from 2 grabbed their still sleepy team-mates and dragged them diagonally. The herd was coming fast and trying to fight them would have been in vain. Instead, they climbed, avoiding it by a few seconds. An instant later, a cannon sounded which belonged to Douro (4). The boy was stranded in the middle of the arena, and he couldn't outrun the stampede.
The wave then hit the other side of the arena. Even though the mutts were more spread out, they still managed to charge at the outlying alliance. Marcia (6) was fatally hit, and the rest of the group ran away to hide in a smattering of big rocks.
After the initial stampede, many of the mutts left the arena, although some were left there to "spice things up". As they were about to descend, Aegirine noticed a blinking parachute caught in the upper branches. She carefully climbed up, almost falling more than once, and caught the sponsor gift. It contained a breakfast for the four of them assorted with hot cocoa, food, and even a set of gloves for each of the four tributes. They decided to stay in the tree to enjoy it. After that, the arena stayed quiet for a while.
A cannon sounded in the early afternoon, followed by a second one. Otis and Castor were joyfully practicing their sword fighting as Aegirine sharpened her axe. Only Aurora, who was still in the tree, saw the events from afar. As the outlying troop trudged through a more forested area, getting closer to the career pack, they were attacked by Fascinia (8) and Sharon (12). The first was immediately shot with an arrow by Crispin. On the other hand, Sharon managed to stab Milton (9) in the thigh before her head was bashed in by Boston (6).
Aurora quickly climbed down to recount the events to her allies. They decided that it was time for them to hunt again, since the numbers were dwindling. This time they split up to cover more area. They avoided the spot where they knew the outlying pack were hidden. Otis and Castor headed West, to a flatter section of the arena. They had not yet realized that there was only one tribute left other than the two alliances. The pair circled the prairie until the sky got dark. Instead of flipping the cameras over to other more productive groups, Urania and Coralys stayed focused on the two boys' awkward conversation. Otis was making some raunchy comments about their two female counterparts while Castor stayed placid. But it was obvious he was suffering. Then Otis asked if he had "done it" with Aurora.
"She's my cousin you moron!"
Before Otis could add another stupid comment, a cannon sounded. He looked back, not seeing that Castor had grabbed his sword. The second cannon sounded, this one belonging to Otis. Without a second glance to Otis' body, Castor sprinted to the origin of the first cannon, regularly murmuring "freaking pig!" to himself and hastily cleaning the blood off his sword.
Fortunately, the first cannon had not belonged to any of Castor's allies. The girls were hunting in the Eastern part of the arena when Factorio (12) jumped out of a bush and attacked. He caused a small cut to appear on Aegirine's thigh, but Aurora had caught him in the neck with her chain. She held him there, squeezing just enough to let him breathe. She winked at Aegirine. "Say hello to my sister, asshole!", she said, before splitting his skull in half with her axe.
The girls high fived, and Castor arrived a few seconds later. Aegirine asked him where Otis was, suspecting the second cannon belonged to him. "We got...uhm... charged by one of the bison's...". In the commenting booth, Urania laughed out loud at Castor's lack of conviction. The girls looked at each other, incredulous, and silently agreed not to bring it up further.
The trio decided to return to the cornucopia for the night, seemingly unaware that their last enemies were still allied, and had agreed to stay together until the end. Aegirine took the first watch. At midnight, the portraits of Otis (1), Douro (4), Marcia (6), Fascinia (8), Sharon and Factorio (12) appeared in the sky along with the anthem of Panem, leaving 9 remaining tributes for the third day.
Day 3:
In the middle of the night, a cannon sounded. It belonged to Milton (9). He had succumbed to an infection, caused by Sharon's knife wound. It marked the end of Castor's watch, and he let Aurora take care of the last one.
She shook them awake just before dawn. She had heard some movement at the foot of the hill. Aegirine, Aurora and Castor stood back-to-back as the outlying pack attacked. They dodged a few arrows from Crispin (11). Orloff (10) was the first to fall. He had charged first at Castor, who just stepped to the side and slashed him in the back. He then attacked Boston (6), who fought with a pair of big hammers. Aegirine was sparring with Brahma (10) and her butcher's hook, so Aurora ran at Crispin, avoiding his arrows. She whipped the chain around his neck and tugged, breaking it. The boy crumpled to the floor. Behind her, Brahma roared and thrust her hook in the base of Aurora's neck, killing her. Castor and Aegirine screamed simultaneously.
Aegirine stabbed Brahma in the back with her axe. She continued hitting her corpse repeatedly. Castor kept fighting with Boston. He hit his hand, making him drop one of his hammers. Then, with a final slash to the throat, he killed the boy from 6.
The arena was silent then. Castor and Aegirine looked at each other. They were disheveled and bruised, with tears in their eyes. Aegirine got to her feet. Screaming, she ran at Castor, intent on finishing the job. He dodged. His jaw was tensed to the brink of snapping. He avoided the next axe swing. Aegirine was fast still, and the next swing nicked his shoulder.
The combat which ensued was remembered for years, as it was truly spectacular. For almost twenty minutes the pair fought, sword against axe, with immense skill and strength. Sparks flew when the two blades collided. There was a sort of deference between the two tributes, a mutual respect. In the end, it was the sword that dealt the killing blow, hitting Aegirine just below the ribcage. She collapsed. Castor knelt beside her, telling her she was a great fighter. She gave her last breath, her face covered in dirt, blood, and tears, and it was announced that Castor Dalton, from district 2, was the victor of the 113th Hunger Games.
He was taken by a hovercraft, covered in cuts and bruises and on the brink of exhaustion.
Aftermath:
Castor healed fast, as most of his injuries were superficial. Within a week, he was ready for his interview. Urania Whimsiwick and Coralys Robson wore similar dresses, much to Urania's dismay. They were long and flowy, starting from a pale beige color at the bottom and ending in a bright sky blue. They also had a fascinator shaped like a seagull in their hair.
Castor was still as quiet and a little uncomfortable as during the first interview, but his answers showed a boy who was intelligent and polite. He spoke with great respect of most of his allies and opponents, especially praising Aegirine for their final fight. The scene was shown in its entirety, with comments from Castor and an admirative Carmelo Harrington. The subject of Otis' sudden killing was briefly addressed, with the boy stating that he just didn't like "Panty sniffers", especially when they were talking about the people he cared about.
To conclude the evening, Castor announced that he had promised his cousin that she would be remembered. In addition to commissioning a memorial in the victor's village, he had elected to create the Aurora Foundation, which could help less wealthy children get access to a decent training in district 2.
During the following years, Castor stayed very discreet. He was not very present at parties but became a renowned teacher at the Maxima Liu Academy. He was also an excellent mentor and a good friend to Cleopatra Liu. He was the one to introduce her to another cousin of his, Aurelio Dalton, whom she would marry a year later.
Chapter 14: The 114th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
eaping:
The 114th Hunger Games took place in the year 150. The year was marked by the discovery by Panem explorers of a settlement in the North of the continent. In the region formerly known as the Wilds were found a few small towns. The locals, composed of indigenous people and descendants of Capitol citizens, welcomed the explorers in their "Capital", known in the old times as Quebec. A treaty was at the time of the reapings being written to promote commerce with the Capitol.
In this time of new discovery for the people of Panem, the reapings seemed less important. Nevertheless, Castor Dalton, winner of the 113th games still made his way through the districts. In the early afternoon of the first day, he arrived in district 8. The purple-clad youths waited in the central square while he visited a newly built curtains factory with mayor Smith. He then made his way to the stage, where he greeted all the potential tributes. He marched to the female reaping bowl, a solemn expression on his face.
He read out loud the name of Zara Kerver. An 18-year-old girl scoffed at the back of the enclosure, whipping her brown hair back. She was very beautiful, as Coralys Robson repeated about a dozen times. However, there was something intimidating in her fiery green eyes and the tense line of her chin. She shook hands with those present and stood, arms crossed, on the side of the stage.
Castor then picked up the name of the male tribute for district 8, who was revealed to be 13 years old Weaver Banzella. There were hurrays in the enclosure, as a group of younger children laughed and pointed at the boy. He looked strong for his age and his clothes seemed of better quality than most. There was fear and anger on his acne riddled face as two peacekeepers approached. They dragged him to the stage and held him at gunpoint to force him to shake hands.
The reaping quickly concluded with a half-hearted speech from mayor Smith while the tributes were taken to see their families. Weaver's parents were screaming in agony at the loss of their child, even though he stood there. His mother could not align two words. Instead, she caressed his hair. The boy made his annoyance know by screaming at the couple to leave him alone, and that it was all their fault that he had been reaped. They left shortly after, shaken but still crying loudly. In the meantime, Weaver had to be sedated before he destroyed the room he was in.
Zara's reunion with her father and her boyfriend had the same level of emotion, with the two men trying to console the girl who was screaming in frustration. Her boyfriend hugged her until she had calmed down enough to have a conversation. She promised to try her best to survive, but still informed them of the location of the stash where she kept what little she had. She was taken to the train station, her boyfriend screaming that he would wait for her return.
Inside the carriage, the mentors were waiting for them. They could hear them bickering from outside, but neither Zara nor Weaver bothered waiting for them to finish. Instead they got in and the boy plopped down onto one of the sofas to sulk. Zara hesitated, finally deciding to sit at the table to sample the delicacies that had already been brought out.
The fight soon ended, an eccentric old man with an electric blue wig storming off of the carriage. Organza Duval (victor of the 105th Hunger Games), sat in front of the girl. "I'm Organza, and that was Kaplan. I don't think you'll see him much. For some reason that old mop refuses to retire. You're Zara?". She acquiesced, her mouth full of salmon canapés. Organza asked Weaver to come too, to which he responded, "Leave me alone you fat cow". The mentor raised her eyebrows. "Oooh, someone's feisty! Keep that energy for the games frogface!"
He did not respond, leaving the two young women to discuss strategy until their arrival in the Capitol. Organza looked tired but Zara made up for it with earnestness. She asked many questions, most of them remaining unanswered due to Organza's lack of knowledge about the games. One thing she emphasized was that Zara needed to be liked. "Winning is not that fun when you lose everything anyways."
They arrived in the Capitol a few hours later, tired. There was a decent crowd waiting for them. Zara flexed her seduction skills, charming many of the Capitolites that had come to meet her .She managed to distract them completely from the fact that Weaver was already impatiently waiting at the car. Organza stayed with him, partly to keep an eye on the boy, partly because she hated Capitolites. Kaplan was in the crowd too, although he was mostly discussing his most recent acquisitions with some acquaintance instead of negotiating a possible sponsor deal.
At the accommodation, they were given time to settle down before the arrival of their stylist. Now that Weaver seemed a little calmer, Organza took him to the side. Very seriously, she explained all the events that would happen in the next few days. She asked him to keep his anger to himself, as it would do him no good outside of the arena. He stormed off to his room to cry off all of the fear and anger that was boiling inside him. After dinner, Platonia Travers came with her suite of assistants. She frightened Zara a little, with her all-black dress, her emaciated figure and her dry tone. Organza, who had known her for a few years now, knew she had a good heart. The tributes did not. Even Weaver did not object to what she ordered him to do.
Platonia was still very intent on using her black and white palette, but Organza had managed to convince her to add purple, as it was the color of district 8. The result of her work was a pair of identical flowy jumpsuits, pleated to give them more texture. The outfits were finished with a purple fascinator shaped like a paper fan.
During their preparation they watched a recap of that day's reapings, ending with district 7. Immediately after district 8, Castor Dalton had headed to the forest district. All the youths were already standing in the square as Castor and mayor Chestnut entered. Without much dilly-dallying, the victor greeted everyone present and got on with the reaping.
He walked to the female reaping bowl, grabbing the first slip of paper he found. He called the name of 15 years old Dorcas Vector. The crowd gasped as a young girl approached. She was pretty, with brown skin and jet-black hair. She nonchalantly made her way to the stage, hugging people on her way there. She had deep bags under her eyes, and the air of someone who just got out of bed.
After a weak handshake, Castor grabbed another slip of paper from the male reaping bowl. Sawyer Holloway, 18, would be the male tribute of district 7 this year. He was a very tall young man, with curly chestnut hair and eyes. His ratty outfit seemed two sizes too small for him. He tried to smile to the elated youth, but he barely held back his tears. After the mayor's closing speech, the pair was taken to the city hall to say their goodbyes.
Sawyer collapsed into his mother's arms. She tried to reassure him but she herself wasn't convinced of what she was saying. Instead, they just held each other. Before he left, his mother gave him a small wooden token. "That's my lucky coin. You need it more than me right now."
Dorcas waited a while alone, until her mother, accompanied by her two younger brothers, came in the room. She was visibly inebriated. Axis and Elaphe, the two brothers, helped her sit down. She was too out of it and could barely hold herself up. Not bothered by any of it, Dorcas addressed her brothers, reminding them of their duty to take care of the home. She bid them adieu, only promising Axis to try and survive if he sold all of her art supplies. She did not hug her mother, who was already snoring on the chair.
In the train, their mentor waited, draped on a sofa. Edmund Carrel (victor of the 104th Hunger Games) winked at Dorcas as she entered the carriage. She winked in return, not at all intimidated. Sawyer, however, was red as a beet behind her. There was no need for formal introductions, and as an avox brought a platter of drinks and snacks into the carriage, Edmund started asking them about their respective skills.
Dorcas looked pensive for a few moments, but the only skills she possessed were making infusions and painting. Her mentor turned her answer around telling her that it meant she knew about edible plants (a very interesting skill to have) and could camouflage herself with paint. She had never thought about it like that. Well, she never really thought about much usually.
Sawyer chimed in, now more confident, saying that he was good with an axe, and could climb trees like nobody. Edmund just smirked. For the remainder of the train ride, the tributes sat and ate, relaxing before their arrival. Their mentor occasionally gave them pointers on how to act, explaining that they should pick a character, something subtle to try and disappear in the crowd or flamboyant that could put them in the spotlight. He showed them the footage of his game ten years earlier, pointing out the difference between the reaping and the games.
Dorcas told him that she did not want to play a character, as she was terrible at lying. "Well play yourself then but make it bigger". She sighed.
A few minutes later, they arrived in the brightly lit Crane station. It was dark outside, but a good number of Capitolites had waited for the last pair of the day to come in. Sawyer took his mentor's advice to heart at first, trying to appear shy and unremarkable, but soon his real character came back. It was reminding of a puppy. He seemed to have forgotten where he was, excitedly talking to every Capitolite coming his way. He kept complimenting everyone's clothes, and was in general very eager, endearing himself to the Capitol. The fact that he was quite cute also helped.
Dorcas also kept true to herself, calmly discussing with a group of younger citizens. She was laid back and shared friendly banter with them, and the mean remarks about her sleepy eyes just glided over her. Edmund had to drag the pair to their limousine, as they showed no sign of finishing their conversations. Even in the car, the pair kept gushing about all the interesting and eccentric people they'd met. Edmund reminded them that those same people were impatiently waiting for the tributes to eviscerate each other.
They were happy to enter their accommodation after the long journey. Dorcas tumbled onto the sofa, startling a little old man who had fallen asleep. After she had apologized, he introduced himself as Mandalus Friend, their stylist. He apologized for the lateness, but he had to let them choose their outfits for the next day's parade this evening, in order to work ahead.
The pair set their mind to a more avant-garde outfit, whose shape resembled a holly leaf. It was made in a dark green rubbery fabric, which was very thick. Sawyer joked that they could even keep them in the arena in order to stab the other tributes with their pointed shoulder pads.
Parade:
After another day spent alternating between outfits fittings, watching past games and current reapings, and gorging themselves on the delicacies of the Capitol, Zara and Weaver were now awkwardly standing in their carriage, waiting for the parade to start. The girl had made an attempt at conversation with June and Bancroft from the chariot behind, but they appeared too terrified to utter a single word.
In front of the pair from 8 were Dorcas and Sawyer. They had not accounted for the fact that their outfits would be so stiff. Apart from their awkward stumbling, however, they were doing fine. Edmund left them to go see his partner Sean Callahan, who was mentor for district 6.
The parade went on without a hitch. Even Weaver managed to smile and wave to the crowd. Although, it was Zara who caught all the attention to herself. She received many thrown roses. In the middle of the parade, she removed her fascinator, throwing it in the crowd and letting her long hair flow freely.
The pair from 7 also received their fair share of praise, even though they caused Corneo Anderson (director of Anderson's fashion) to burst out laughing at their outfits. Once he had calmed down, he criticized them for being too "shapey". Urania nuanced by saying that they were a bit too Avant-garde for the tributes. In the end it was the pair from district 12 who won the title of best dressed, with their reinterpretation of a welder's uniform.
The evening ended with the usual speech by President Crane. This year, she welcomed a group of diplomats from the North, who had come to visit the Capitol and see the Games for themselves. She wished the tributes, some of them half-asleep already, good luck and a happy Hunger Games, kicking off the celebrations all around the Capitol.
The mentors brought their tributes to their apartments before heading to the rooftop for their annual rooftop party. This year however, the party went a little overboard. The peacekeepers had to intervene to bring back the drunk mentors and stylists to their respective accommodations. What more, Halifax Devon (victor of the 111th games) and Theseus Fierro (victor of the 106th games) got in a fight after the latter had made fun of Halifax's new haircut.
Training:
The next morning was harder for the mentors than for their tributes, who had slept soundly. Dorcas and Sawyer did not wait for Edmund to emerge from his half coma, instead having breakfast and going down to the training center accompanied by their stylist Mandalus. Zara and Weaver followed suit, accompanied by Organza, who had spent the night reasonably. Weaver was once again sulking on his own. He had thrown another tantrum at breakfast, when they didn't have the specific type of cereal his mother used to make him.
Head trainer Carmelo Harrington waited for the latecomers while haggard mentors filled the gallery upstairs. He explained the usual rules for training, putting emphasis on the fact that the tributes weren't supposed to murder each other before the games, as had almost happened last year.
As soon as they were free, Weaver ran away to hide in the fabrics station. He stayed hidden there for the first day, startling Stacy and Chad (5) who thought it would be a more private place to snog. Organza eventually asked for one of the trainers to follow him occasionally. On the second day, he started to work half-heartedly. Doppler (3) showed him some basic electronics principles. Weaver hovered around the stations, not staying long at each one, but he ended up on the obstacle course, which he seemed to appreciate more, completing it almost 50 times during the training.
Dorcas and Sawyer stayed together. The boy was wary at first, but his district partner led him to one of the survival stations, where Smithy and Charbonne (12) were struggling to build a shelter. Dorcas helped them. The pair from 12 was distrustful at first, but they quickly warmed up.
The four tributes stayed together for the rest of the training, exchanging skills. Sawyer demonstrated his climbing prowess at the newly installed climbing wall. He helped Charbonne, who was struggling a little more due to her weight. In return, she showed them how to build a fire in record time. Dorcas held a checklist of all the useful skills they needed to know for the arena, and the alliance checked out all the associated stations. Dorcas was very friendly with everyone, often having to be reminded that they would try to kill her. She even helped Victoria (2) replace her dislocated shoulder, explaining that she had done it a few times to her mother before, since she was prone to falling down the stairs.
Seeing that, Zara smirked. She had kept to herself mostly, training alone in the different weapons station. She proved quite a talented fighter, even managing to beat a trainer on the third day. Her intense stare seemed to spook the other tributes. On the second day, Joanne (10) came to ask her for an alliance, her district partner Calvin having nudged her towards Zara. She stared, drilling her dark green eyes straight through Joanne's soul, and said that she did not need any help. The younger girl whimpered and ran away. The only person who did not seem afraid of her, apart from the careers, was Brita (4), a tall girl with impressive strength.
On the third day's afternoon, the tributes were sent in for their training assessment. They started with district 1, as usual, and went down. On Dorcas' turn, she entered nonchalantly. Contrarily to Sawyer, she was not anxious at all. With a poise that annoyed some of the assessors, she showed on a mannequin how to treat and array of wounds. She was precise, but her knowledge was limited when it came to more severe wounds. She waved at all the people watching her, some waving back as a reflex, and left the room, leaving a taste of too little.
Sawyer followed suit. He was sweating profusely. His freckled face was beet red. Nevertheless, he showed to the assessors his climbing skills, putting the climbing wall to good use. He had some leftover time after that, so he made the mistake of trying to show his axe-throwing skills. Axes had been an iconic weapon for district 7 for decades, but Sawyer did not do them justice. His aim was way off, and when a weapon hit its target, it didn't have enough power to do much damage.
Zara was next. She gave a pointed look to Sawyer as he got out, making him feel even worse. The judges did not expect much from her. She picked up the axes that sawyer had thrown and did the same exercise. Her accuracy was better, but not amazing. What surprised the assessors was the intensity with which she threw them, letting out a feral scream each time. By the end, she had two axes left and a vein on her forehead was pulsing. She asked for a hologram, which she destroyed with unexpected savagery. Once she was done, she threw her weapons down, her hair in front of her eyes, and left without a word.
The assessors were still intently discussing the previous performance when Weaver entered, pushed by a trainer. Few heads turned to look at him as he got to work with some fabric and some camouflage make up. Intrigued, the assessors started watching him, but he was sat at an angle where they could not see what he was doing. The suspense did not last. Weaver turned around and spread his makeshift flag on the ground. With the makeup, he had written "Capitol = evil poopscoopers". No one laughed and he was quickly dismissed.
As the last tributes underwent their assessments, the accommodation center was buzzing with activity. Dorcas, Sawyer, Zara, and Weaver were each in their rooms, getting ready for the interviews. At one point, their respective mentors called them up to hear the results of the assessments. As expected, Victoria (2) and Caesar (2) were at the top of the pack with a 10. Preston (1) and his district partner followed with a 9, along with Brita (4) and Smithy (12). Zara was one of the three who had received an 8, like Renegade (6) and Charbonne (12). Sawyer was still satisfied of his 7, while Dorcas did not care about her middling 5. Weaver's tantrum over his score of 2 was heard in the entire building however, and his screams gained in intensity when Organza told him that if he wanted to have better score, he should have tried making an effort. Zara shut him up with a slap in the face, although his silence was more due to his surprise than her authority.
Interviews:
The interviews took place that evening. Urania Whimsiwick greeted the Capitol, stunning everyone with her gorgeous bison fur coat, a reminder of last year's games. Unfortunately, Coralys Robson followed her on stage wearing the same outfit. It wasn't as gracious on her shorter frame, and she attracted herself some disapproving looks from Urania. The pair continued their opening speech. It seemed like they had rehearsed it beforehand, because Coralys almost never cut off her co-host.
The tributes entered soon after for their interviews. This year, the careers did not make that much of an impression. They were seen as too ordinary. None of the 4 managed to get any special attention, even though they still had great odds of winning. The pair from 3 was also insignificant, and it was Brita (4) who was the first to make a lasting impression on Capitolites. Her brutish physique was pretty intimidating, as well as her training score, but when she spoke, it was with a quiet voice. Her district partner was barely acknowledged, as was the same with the lovers from 5 and the pair from 6.
Next, Dorcas entered the stage wearing a very simple emerald dress. The look was minimalistic but it enhanced her natural beauty and rich skintone. She had fought with her stylist to keep him from trimming her bushy eyebrows and was resplendent. Coralys complimented her and she complimented both her hosts back. Urania commented about Dorcas' laid-back attitude. "I mean, I don't think I'll survive anyway, so I might as well make the most of what time I have left", she responded.
"But aren't you sad ?", followed Coralys.
"A little... But I can't do anything about it, can I?"
After this little interlude of sadness, the hosts decided to steer the conversation towards a happier subject. They talked about her passion for painting and even showed some of the art she had painted at school. Dorcas then left the stage to a thunder of applause, which even experts couldn't explain, as she had not showed much talent except her art and her kindness.
Sawyer followed, wearing a suit of the same emerald colour. It did look good, even though the tall boy seemed about to die of fear as he walked to his seat . He wasn't as confident as Dorcas, and kept stumbling over his words. He turned beet red when Coralys told him he was "adorable". It was only when the subject of his mother was mentioned that he started talking more. He showed the cameras the grossly carved wooden coin his mother had gifted him. At the end of the interview, he was nearly in tears. The hosts seemed relieved to see him go.
Zara followed. She wore a purple velvet dress, cut quite short to expose her beautiful legs. Her long brown hair had been braided with silver threads. She stared intently at Coralys, making her stumble over her words. It was now her turn to turn red.
The three women talked about anything and everything, as it appeared that Zara was a great conversationalist. However, she refused to talk about her boyfriend. Urania tried to press on, but soon stopped. She later said that Zara's glare had scared her so much that she thought the girl was about to strangle her. Zara was thinking about it. She finished the interview with more restraint, waiting to be in her apartment to unleash her rage.
Weaver's interview was cut short. He had started by only responding to questions by single words, but soon got bored and spit into the crowd. He was escorted to his room by a pair of peacekeepers while the audience booed him.
The interviews continued as if nothing had happened, even though they were a little underwhelming. June (9) had a panic attack on stage, and Calvin (10) insisted on showing the audience all of his scars. Eventually the pair from 12 came on and the interviews ended on a positive note, since both seemed like strong contenders and pleased the Capitol.
Before ending the evening, Head Gamemaker Alector Crane was invited to the stage. This year, the games would feature the first arena of his own design, which he claimed would be a big change. Without divulging too much information, he explained that there were too many "natural" arenas and that he wanted to bring in something more spectacular and avant garde. He left soon after, followed by polite applause, and reminding the viewers to "bring their sunscreen".
Day 1:
The night had been short for the pair from 8. After being taken away by the peacekeepers, Weaver had been confined to his bedroom, where he spent most of the night banging on the doors and screaming. Organza took Zara to the balcony for some quiet. She asked her to leave the boy to his own devices, as he would be too much of a hindrance. Zara agreed, telling her mentor that she had never considered allying with anyone. "It's your choice, but in some cases, allies will save your life."
The duo of tributes were taken to the launching rooms after a sleepless night and a depressing breakfast. Organza wanted to see Weaver first, but he threw another tantrum, throwing his clothes at her. To both of their distress, two peacekeepers grabbed the boy. They forcefully dressed him in the required beige shorts, white flowy shirt and pair of espadrilles, before shoving him in the launching tube. His mentor had to leave, as his screams of fear and anger were causing her too much distress.
Instead, she went to Zara's room, where the girl was staring in the vague. Her fists were clenching so hard that she was starting to draw blood from her palms. Organza's arrival shook her out of her trance. The two women shared their last goodbyes and a few pieces of advice before Zara had to climb into her launching tube. She nervously tied her hair in a bun, her hands trembling as she rose into the arena.
Sawyer too had a bad night. He had gone to bed right after the interviews, but could not find sleep. Eventually, he spent the rest of the night on a sofa with his mentor Edmund, who was also unable to sleep. What they spoke about is not known, as the microphones hidden in their room seemed to malfunction, but they were still in the same position when Dorcas emerged from her bedroom. She claimed to have slept very well, but the dark circles around her eyes were there as usual.
After a brief breakfast, the pair was taken to their launching cells. Edmund chose to stay with Sawyer, as he was the most stressed of the two, but not before wishing good luck to Dorcas, who smiled and entered her room. She got dressed on her own, softly humming an unknown tune. Still, Mandalus Friend came to see her off, the stylist wishing her a good luck as her podium started to rise.
Edmund Carrell practiced breathing exercises with his mentee in order to help him calm down. It seemed to help, but the boy was still jittery. He flinched when his podium started rising and almost began crying. Edmund waved goodbye to him before joining the viewing room with the other mentors. After that, he had a few sponsors to meet.
The tributes rising in the arena were immediately blinded by an angry sun. The sky was without a cloud, and the light reverberated against the sand that was everywhere. Viewers saw immediately what Head Gamemaker Crane meant when he said that he wanted his arenas to be more "avant garde". This one was called "Endless Dunes", a rather explanatory title. There was only sand as far as the eye could see, with some rare grass at the top of some of the dunes. One could not ascertain if they were in the desert or at the beach.
Alector Crane greeted the tributes, causing Weaver to flinch again. He almost jumped off of his podium before remembering that he would explode if he did so. In front of him was the cornucopia, which had taken the form of a golden pyramid. It was filled with weapons, water bottles and random supplies, as well as a single pair of sunglasses placed on top of it.
Weaver focused his attention on a mean looking knife at one of the entrances of the cornucopia. He didn't care about what the gamemaker was explaining. When the countdown started, he looked at Stacy (5) to his right, who was desperately searching for her boyfriend, then to his left at the dark haired girl with sleepy eyes.
Dorcas, even though it did not look like it, was listening intently. She was aware that the cornucopia would close it's doors after ten minutes in order to avoid hoarders. She felt relieved that Smithy (12) was standing to her left. They exchanged a friendly nod and looked around for their other allies. Charbonne was standing on a podium to their left, but quite far. She looked nervous between Preston (1) and Victoria (2).
Sawyer stood almost opposite to them. With only 20 seconds left, he was starting to panic. He steadied his breath and visualized a path through the clearing. He hoped to run around the cornucopia to join his friends. On his left was the young Colleen (3), who was already turned towards the outside, but on his right, Cesar (2) was leering at him. He held his lucky token tightly.
When the countdown reached zero, Zara knew what she was going to do. She ran towards the closest weapon, an axe, and threw it straight into her podium neighbor's face. The boy from eleven had indeed made rude gestures at her during the whole countdown. After landing the first kill, incredibly fast , she made her way to the center.
As the bloodbath started, crowds in the Capitol went mad. Dorcas and Smithy ran towards their partner. She preferred to go around while he jumped into the fray. On the way she almost collided with Victoria, who had just snapped the boy from 4's neck. They stared at each other for a second, and Victoria just said "one time only", before running with Preston (1) towards the center. The boy from 1 managed to slice the throat of Joanne (10) on his way.
Weaver had run straight to the cornucopia, a surprising move for a younger tribute. He jumped on the knife he wanted, wrestling with Doppler (3) for a moment. He overpowered him and continued on his way, dodging an attack from Calvin and Brita's trident. As he exited the cornucopia with his weapon and a small but well filled backpack, he saw the girl from 11 looking confused in the middle of the bloodbath. He ran towards her and stabbed her in the gut, before fleeing the clearing.
Sawyer had also run towards his friend, avoiding the many dangers of the cornucopia, but he hadn't noticed Cesar (2) behind him. He bent down to pick up a spool of thread and the stronger boy kicked him behind the knee. Dorcas saw him and screamed, but it was too late. Cesar was strangling Sawyer, and the rest of the career pack was starting to bring their attention to the only big alliance (other than them) this year.
This lack of attention however, allowed Brita (4) to impale the girl from 1 with her trident before fleeing the clearing.
Zara went as far as she could. The sand was getting everywhere, and it was hard to walk on it. She almost fell down the slope a couple of times, but managed to stay on the crest of the dunes for the most part. After ten minutes, a mechanical whirring alerted her that the cornucopia had been closed. Twenty minutes later, as the 6 bloodbath cannons rang, she decided to take a break. She had only an axe, a sleeping bag and a bottle of water, but it was better than nothing. She cursed herself for not getting the sunglasses.
Weaver had run in the opposite direction from his district partner. Being lighter, he had an easier time making his way through the shifting sands, although his linen shirt soon clinged to his sweaty skin. Urania wondered if he was sweating or crying.
Dorcas, seeing her district partner die, insisted they went to inspect his body. While the careers were busy chasing Brita (4), she sprinted towards the prone boy. He still held the wooden token. She took it from him and promised to remember.
Her and her allies from 12 had gathered a respectable amount of ressources. They both had knives and she had a spear, along with some water, food and a plastic tarp she claimed could be used to get water later.
An eerie quiet settled on the arena, with the tributes spreading out and exploring the rather uniform environment. Soon, some complained of sunburn. Fortunately, as the sun slowly started descending, it was possible to find shade at the bottom of the dunes. It only meant they had to be climbed back up after...
The bright sun and the topography of the arena meant that visibility was quite mediocre. Instead of chasing each other, most tributes set up base camps. Weaver sat on top of one of the Eastern dunes. He hid within the sparse grass and quietly observed. No one back in the Capitol had expected him to survive the bloodbath, let alone stay calm for more than ten minutes.
Zara too was observing. With the sun slowly setting to her back, she could see better than most tributes. She buried her sleeping bag under the warm sand and started weaving long blades of grass together in order to camouflage her head. She appeared relaxed until a cannon sounded, early in the evening.
Dorcas, Charbonne and Smithy had decided to stay towards the middle of the arena. While the pair from 12 trained with their knives, their ally started building a contraption with the plastic tarpaulin, some thread and one of the water bottles. She dug a hole where she put some grass and the container, before covering it with the tarp and half burying it. "If we're lucky, we'll have some water tomorrow", she explained to her perplexed friends.
Just as she was setting up her sleeping area, Calvin (10) landed on her. He had half tumbled, half run down the slope. He quickly started to strangle Dorcas, screaming at her allies to give him their food. Smithy jumped on his back the next second while Charbonne tried to pry his hands off from Dorca's neck. With their combined strength, they managed to remove him and push him back into the shifting sand. Instead of reaching for his knife, Smithy pushed harder on Calvin's forehead, burying his head in the sand. It started to make it's way into his nose and throat. After a few seconds, he finally went limp and his cannon sounded.
Just before they fell asleep, the trio received a pair of sunglasses each from sponsors. They were not the only ones, as Brita and the careers had received some too. All the tributes went to sleep, surprised by the coldness of the night. At midnight, the portraits of the girl (1), the boy (4), Sawyer (7), Joanne and Calvin (10) and the pair from 11 were shown, leaving 17 remaining tributes for the second day.
Day 2:
Zara was one of the first to wake. As early as it was, the sun was already scorching. She had slept well thanks to her sleeping bag. The nights in the endless dunes were as cold as the days were hot. Zara's water supply was already nearly depleted so she set off to find a source of water.
As Urania showed, there were actually two tiny ponds with drinkable water in the arena, at the bottom of the biggest dunes. June (9) had taken advantage of it by hiding in the sand and only coming out to drink.
Instead of water, Zara happened upon Stacy and Chad. The couple were too occupied to see her coming. Coralys was happy for their shenanigans to end, stating that "If she wanted to see that, she would watch another kind of program." Zara was of the same opinion. When she was close enough, she chucked her axe at the couple. It hit Stacy in the back of the neck, killing her instantly. Chad screamed, pushed her corpse away and ran, still screaming.
Zara rifled through the couple's belongings, grabbing what she could. There were two untouched water bottles, and she happily drank half of one. She thought about pursuing Chad, but his screaming stopped when he came upon the careers who had headed his way to investigate. Victoria finished him swiftly with a knife through the heart.
While Zara circled back around, Charbonne, Dorcas and Smithy were busy packing. The latter had spotted Brita (4) coming their way, and they didn't want to risk anything even though they outnumbered her. She had managed to fend off the careers and even kill one of them, so she was not to be trifled with. Dorcas was satisfied to see that her contraption had worked. The bottle was almost full from all the condensation. Those who had water were lucky.
At around noon, another cannon sounded, which belonged to Coleen (3). The 12 year old girl had succumbed to dehydration. As very little was happening because of the oppressive heat, the gamemakers decided to release the mutts.
Weaver heard them before he saw them. Hundreds of cawing shapes, white and sharp, descended from the skies. The seagulls were incredibly bloodthirsty and they had great eyesight. The huge flock divided to attack all the tributes at the same time. Those who were already camouflaged did not get spotted. The others however... Weaver fought with all his strength to keep the volatiles at bay, but his knife was too short to have any reach. The birds had sharp beaks and talons. They pierced his skin in many places. He started running and lost his footing, tumbling down the dune. Once he was prone, there was no more hope. The seagulls killed him, although he took a few dozens of them with him.
Zara was one of those who had an efficient weapon. She spun around with her axe, seemingly in a frenzy, and eliminated a majority of the flock that had attacked her. Urania commented that she almost seemed to have fun, although she was covered in scratches. Brita (4), Renegade (6) and the career pack used the same tactic with relative success.
In the commotion, no one heard the second cannon belonging to the boy from 6. He had also succumbed to the flock of seagulls that was now slowly retreating. As they saw the number of birds dwindle, Dorcas and her allies from 12 tentatively got out from under the plastic tarpaulin. It had saved their life, being surprisingly tough, and the trio was relatively unscathed. Smithy congratulated Dorcas for her quick thinking, making her blush. They decided they had had enough action for one day and could rest again. The girls spent the afternoon braiding each other's hair and talking about their respective lives in their district. They shared what remained of their water and dug another pit for the water harvesting contraption.
For her spectacular fight with the birds, Zara received a can of warm soup with an encouraging message from Organza. She drank half of it and thanked her sponsors before getting ready for bed. To pass time, she had gathered some of the many feathers laying about and tied them in her hair. Just before sunset, she heard voices and hid in her sleeping bag, the dried herb mat directly over her head to keep a maximum coverage.
Those voices belonged to the career. Cesar followed silently as Preston and Victoria argued in front. "First the 7, now that girl from 6 !" said Preston, "I'm starting to think you don't want to win!"
"That's not fair ! Responded Victoria, the 7 was a one time thing for helping with my shoulder. I owed her that. And the other one was entirely your fault !"
They continued putting the blame on each other until Zara could not hear them anymore, although she heard the cannon of Bancroft (9), who just happened to be hidden a few dunes away. He had had the infortune of sneezing just as the career pack was walking past. A few hours later, Zara still couldn't sleep, and she watched as the hymn of Panem played in the sky; displaying the portraits of Colleen (3), Stacy and Chad (5), the boy (6), Weaver (8) and Bancroft (9).
Day 3:
The third day brought a lot of debate as to which of the 11 remaining tributes would survive. None of the favorites had been eliminated, but some of the weakest tributes were still surviving. Urania wondered aloud how long it would take for the pair from 12 to turn on Dorcas. Their speculation was cut short by Head Gamemaker Crane making an announcement. An hour from now, a feast would be held in the cornucopia. The tributes would have access to fresh food and water as well as some medicine.
Most tributes decided to attend, especially those who had not eaten in two days. June was the only one not to come, staying where she had been hiding since the first day and slowly losing her mind. Funnily enough in such a bare arena, none of the tributes met, each climbing a different side of the main central dune. Zara was the last to arrive, and she saw all her competitors standing around the golden pyramid as its sides slowly slid to reveal a table covered in supplies.
Refusing to wait any further, she decided to attack the tribute closest to her, namely, Charbonne (12). The axe nearly went through her body, and Charbonne's cannon signaled the start of the battle. Dorcas stood shocked next to her dead friend, while Smithy launched himself at Zara. His knife hit her shoulder, but he stopped attacking when he heard a scream, followed by a cannon.
Cesar (2) had arrived first at the table, but upon touching the cornucopia, he was electrocuted by a trap that Doppler (3) had set up earlier. Fortunately for the others, it was a one-time device, which meant that they could grab what they needed.
Smithy soon returned to his stabbing while Dorcas, Renegade (6) and Brita (4) grabbed as much as they could carry. They were at the same time trying to dodge the knives thrown by Victoria (2) and Preston (1). Renegade (6) was hit in the leg but managed to escape. On her way out, Brita snuck a punch at Victoria's nose, breaking it. As Dorcas returned to her ally, one of Preston's knives hit him in the back. Smithy collapsed. Now without allies, Dorcas ran back to her camp.
Zara patiently waited, the corpse of the boy from 12 shielding her, until the careers had left. They thought her dead. She had sustained some nasty cuts from her fight, but she wasn't in any direct danger. Or so she thought. Urania showed the viewers that some of her wounds were very likely to get infected, especially with the heat and the sand .
The rest of the day passed quietly, in the hopes of giving the tributes some energy for a probable showdown the next day. Instead, the cameras panned from tribute to tribute. June (9) was still half buried. The heat had taken it's toll. She was absent-mindedly humming, unaware of her surroundings. Renegade had been busier. With some of the butter she had nabbed from the feast and the sand, she fabricated some sort of facepaint and covered herself with it. In addition to camouflage, it would also protect her from the sun. It would not protect her from Brita (4), who had been following her trail in order to finish the games as soon as possible. Finally, Preston and Victoria, after another day of bickering, had decided to separate. "Better to kill other tributes first", she'd said.
In the late afternoon, Dorcas came upon Zara's unconscious body. She hadn't been able to get anything at the feast and was suffering from a small heat stroke. Instead of skewering her with her spear like her supporters shouted in the newly renamed Renaissance Square, Dorcas knelt down next to the older girl. She woke her gently and made her drink water. The whole evening was spent trying to heal Zara, who was still barely conscious. Dorcas even received a shared sponsor gift. The one from his mentor contained some herbs and a small portable stove, as well as a note : "You should kill her now – E". The one from Organza contained medicine and another note : "You're a good soul. – O". Dorcas then spent her night caring for Zara and drawing pretty patterns in the sand. She waited until she heard the cannons of Cesar (2), Charbonne and Smithy (12) to go to sleep, after having taken any weapon away from the already sleeping Zara.
Day 4:
The fourth day of the games was pretty uneventful. Head Gamemaker Crane wanted to let things play out on their own. However, the tributes did not appear very inclined to fight. Most of them at least, as a cannon startled Dorcas awake. It belonged to Renegade (6), after Brita had finally found her and impaled her with her trident.
As she awoke, Zara was panicked at first to see an unknown girl holding her weapon. She sat up too fast and almost lost consciousness again. "It's ok, said Dorcas, I won't hurt you. I figured you needed help that's all." She handed Zara a cup of an infusion she had just made. It tasted foul, but made her feel quite energized after a few minutes. "I don't know if what you did was nice or stupid, but I guess I need to thank you."
"There's no need, really." Dorcas handed her the axe. "Please don't kill me right away though."
Zara hesitated. She had fared fine on her own, but Dorcas could serve as a shield in case the careers came back. She accepted the piece of bread the younger girl handed her. They didn't speak much. Zara rested and Dorcas continued drawing in the sand until the early afternoon.
At that time, Victoria (2) happened upon their resting place and attacked without warning. The first knife whistled past Zara's ear and disappeared in the sand. She jumped to her feet, having regained all of her energy, and sprinted towards her opponent. Meanwhile, Dorcas held her spear as if she had no idea what the object was. The two older girls met halfway down the slope and the clanging of metal against metal was heard through the area. Zara was bigger and stronger, meaner too, but Victoria deflected her axe with a throwing knife in each hand.
Then Dorcas shouted : "Victoria, behind you !". Her ruse worked and Victoria looked for an instant. It was enough time for Zara to strike her in the neck, sounding her cannon. The head rolled down and came to a stop at Dorcas' feet. Saying she looked shocked was an understatement. She wobbled an instant before steeling herself. As Zara came back down, wanting to thank her new ally again, the sky started to darken.
Since there were only 6 tributes left, Head Gamemaker Crane wanted to trigger a showdown. A sandstorm began to rage at the edges of the arena, slowly creeping towards the center. He had not taken into account the fact that some tributes had protection. Preston (1) was the only one to make his way to the cornucopia. Doppler (3), Brita (4) and June (9) had all curled up at the bottom of their respective dunes, where they were better shielded from the coarse sand flying everywhere. Even better, Dorcas still had the plastic tarp. She covered herself and Zara with it and they held on tight.
After that failure, the gamemakers decided to keep their last trick for the next day. Instead, they calmed the winds down as night came. The tributes fell asleep quickly, but some were woken up in the middle of the night by June's cannon, as she finally succumbed to exposure. The hymn of Panem came soon after, and three portraits were displayed in the sky : those of Victoria (2), Renegade (6) and June (9).
Day 5:
On the fifth morning, all the tributes were aware the the showdown was close. Doppler was the only one who did not make his way to the cornucopia. The gamemakers sent him an incentive in the form of a swarm of scorpions. Shockingly, instead of running, the boy from 5 let himself be stung multiple times. His cannon sounded, prompting the others to walk faster. Zara and Dorcas arrived first and were welcomed by Preston. The boy held a big sword. He bowed to the ladies. "Let's get done with it", said Zara before she went charging him. The pair fought with equal anger in their eyes as Dorcas watched on. For what seemed like an eternity, the Capitol feasted their eyes on the ferocious battle taking place on their screens. Renaissance Square was silent.
Nobody had thought about Brita, who was finally arriving to the cornucopia clearing, out of breath. At that same moment, Preston disarmed Zara. Her axe went flying and planted itself a few feet from where Dorcas stood, still dumbfounded. Zara dodged a few other swipes, stepping backwards each time in order to get closer to it. Preston's blade cut into her leg and she stumbled back. She looked behind her and begged Dorcas to throw her the blade. She did.
Dorcas was not thinking straight, but she knew the whoever won the fight would be going after her. So she threw the axe, putting all her strength into it. It sliced through Zara's hand and hit her face. As her cannon sounded, Dorcas turned away to vomit.
She came face to face with Brita's stern expression. Dorcas whimpered. The girl from 4 hadn't seen her kill Zara. She was surprised to see that Dorcas was still alive. Preston decided to attack this new opponent, which made it easier for Dorcas to slip away. She watched the pair fight, sword against trident, while herself held on tight to her unused spear. With her other hand, she nervously fidled with the wooden token she had taken from Sawyer.Tears were streaming down her face and she gagged every once in a while when she laid her eyes on Zara.
A penultimate cannon sounded and Brita emerged, victorious but in a pitiful state. She had nasty cuts all over her body. Dorcas squeaked as the girl from 4 limped towards her, the end of her broken trident ready to strike. She closed her eyes and readied herself for the impact, but instead felt a shock, then heard an awful gargle. Unconsciously, she had raised her spear at the last minute. The head of the broken trident had only penetrated an inch into her chest. The spear, however, had traversed Brita's neck and stopped at her spine. Then Dorcas fainted, not even hearing Head Gamemaker Cran announcing Dorcas Vector, from district 7, as the victor of the 114th Hunger Games.
Aftermath:
There was much discussion during Dorcas' healing period. Many Capitolites deplored the fact that she had stayed on the sidelines instead of fighting and called her a coward. However, her supporters, Urania Whimsiwick being one of them, admired her genuine kindness. They argued that she had been intelligent during the whole games and played to her strengths formidably.
At her Victor's interview, there was some booing, to which she was absolutely unresponsive. She appeared as quiet and tired as usual, maybe a little gloomier. She wore a cream-colored jumpsuit studded with tiny pearls, which complimented the rich tone of her skin. Urania, on the other hand, wore a fluorescent green gown, that looked like it was made of plastic. This time, Coralys rocked a black leather catsuit instead of copying her co-host's style.
They did not get much out of Dorcas, who was on another planet. She claimed to have really liked her allies, and that even her enemies hadn't been that bad. She told the audience that she had helped Victoria to fix her dislocated shoulder during the training, which explained why the girl had spared her during the bloodbath. As the interview went on, she started getting more distressed, although the hosts were praising her clever use of the plastic tarp. Finally, Urania asked her if she had meant to kill Zara with the axe, if she had attempted to truly help her or if she wanted to hit Preston. "You'll never know... And I think I'll never know myself", was her response.
During the following month, Dorcas became a beloved victor. She was still very nice to everyone, but life in the Capitol did not suit her. After her victory tour, she was sent as an ambassador to the Northern settlement. Although she was appreciated there, the head of their makeshift "government" did not like the Games and all that they implied.
When Dorcas came back to district 7, she took up residence in the Victor's village with her two brothers and her mother, who ultimately died a couple of months later. She was drunk, and fell down the stairs. Dorcas became a renowned painter and poet, and a big friend of Urania Whimsiwick. She even sent her a monumental painting for her 50th birthday. Other than that, she did not go out much, preferring the quiet of her workshop or her bed. In remembrance of her district partner, she put Sawyer's token on a necklace which she wore every day.
Chapter 15: The 115th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
TW : in addition to the usual violence, be aware that there are mentions of suicide in this story.
Reaping:
The 115th Hunger Games took place in the year 151. Before the reaping, President Crane made an appearance to reveal this year's condition, since it was the third quinquennial quell. "To remind Panem that it is the Capitol that keeps them educated and informed, this year's tributes will receive no external information during the games. That meant no sponsor gifts, no cannons, and no daily death toll". Some Capitolites were underwhelmed, but Urania and Coralys argued that the lack of information could have some consequences on the players' strategy.
This year had been bountiful for the Capitol. After the accidental death of the head of the Northern Settlement, a new governor had been elected. The new President, Charles Lepetit, was much more in favor of the Capitol's policies. Very soon, a treaty of exchange was signed and Northern goods, such as maple syrup and pelts, made their way into Panem.
Dorcas Vector, victor of the 114th Hunger Games, had herself spent some time in the settlement, failing to convince the former president to sign that treaty. She'd enjoyed her time there and understood why they did not trust the Capitol. Now, she was back in Panem for the reapings. Her usual sleepy demeanor was contrasted by her violent shaking. She had been given an umbrella by mayor Rembrandt, but the strong wind had broken it within two minutes. She stood on the dirty podium of district 9, pathetic and wet, as did all the young people in the enclosure. It was almost impossible to hear her voice due to the raging storm, which had been made worse by the vast empty fields of the district.
Steeling herself, Dorcas walked to the female reaping bowl, grabbing a soggy piece of paper. She shouted the name of Maizie Goldfinch, 13 years old. A miserable looking young girl walked forward. She brushed a soaked brown strand of hair from her face. Her sun-bleached tunic hung over her skinny shoulder. Maizie was tall for her age. She offered Dorcas a weak handshake. As the victor walked to the male reaping bowl, the tribute tried to make herself as small as possible, as if she was trying to disappear into thin air. Back in the Capitol, Urania mentioned that some models would "kill" just to be as skinny as her.
The attention was brought back to district 9 as Dorcas called Buckley Tarragon to the stage. A 16-year-old boy was cheered to the front of the enclosure. He was short but athletic, with a buzz cut and a shining smile. He almost seemed happy to be reaped as he waved to the crowd. Buckley shared an energetic handshake with Dorcas and Mayor Rembrandt before wrapping Maizie in a bear hug. He kept smiling during the closing statement, but astute spectators could see a glimmer of fear in his brown eyes and a hint of grey in his dark complexion.
The tributes were accompanied to the city hall, where they were given some towels. Maizie's parents looked as miserable as her. They were both scrawny and wore dirty clothes. They lamented at the loss of their daughter, having already lost a son to the games a few years prior. They did not even try to give her advice, as there was no hope of winning for the young girl. After all, district 9 was, along with district 4, the only district with no victors. Their soggy goodbyes were cut short by the arrival of a pair of peacekeepers who brought Maizie to the train station.
Buckley's family was obviously better off than the Goldfinches. His mother and two sisters wore clean- and well-cut clothes. That did not keep them from looking disheveled when they entered the holding room. They screamed so loudly that it was possible to hear them from outside the city hall. Buckley did not abandon his smile, even though tears welled up in his eyes. He promised his family to come back alive and joked about bringing back a Capitolite wife.
An attractive man, pale with blond hair and calculating green eyes, waited for them in the carriage. He introduced himself as their mentor, Quintus Gamp, before stating that he didn't care about their names or their story, unless they had a chance to win. "And you clearly do not", he added to the attention of Maizie. Not wanting to contradict the man, she stumbled to the sofa and curled into a ball. She would stay there for the entire trip, barely moving, her nails digging into the skin of her legs.
Quintus reported his attention to Buckley, who seemed like a strong contender. Before eating he asked the tribute to show off his talents. Buckley performed some feat of strength, impressing his mentor. He had a decent aim, but his stamina was not the best. When he was satisfied, he called in the avoxes with their plates of fresh food. If Buckley was hungry, he didn't show it, eating with an unexpected amount of table manners. Quintus looked at him, smiled, then grimaced when his eyes fell on Maizie, who was destroying a loaf of bread like her life depended on it.
The pair from 9 arrived in the Capitol early in the evening. There was a small crowd waiting for them in Crane station, although not as sizeable as the crowd that would be there the next day. The tributes, who had taken some time to refresh themselves in the train, received a warm welcome. Maizie stayed back, hoping to go unnoticed. When an older lady asked her for a picture however, she complied without objection. It was Buckley, though, who was the star of the show. He gladly took pictures and let women feel his muscular arms.
Soon, the crowd left them to go meet the pair from district 8. They made their way to the limousine that would bring them to the accommodation center. On the way to the Ravinstill complex, Quintus congratulated Buckley on being the most photogenic tribute district 9 ever had. The trio made their way to their apartment. Maizie's eyes were wide open. She was overwhelmed by the luxury of the place and needed to touch everything. Whenever she saw a new object, she would ask her mentor what it was used for. Most of the time, his response was: "It's just décor".
Their stylist waited for them in the living room. He had already prepared the design for this year. Donovan Carlisle was indeed known to despise tributes and had taken to spend as little time as possible with them. Without a glance, he directed his assistants to take the necessary measurements and went out.
They left soon after. Following a light supper, Quintus invited his tributes to sleep early in order to be ready for the next day. Buckley tried to ask more questions, but the mentor just shushed him, claiming he too needed some sleep. Maizie, on the other hand, was squealing with pleasure at the soft bed and the feather pillows.
The next day meant business. Quintus insisted on inspecting every inch of skin of the tributes. He sent Maizie back to the shower twice in order to have her squeaky clean. In the early afternoon, Donovan Carlisle came back with perfectly fitted outfits. They were not the worst, being made out of flour bags. Quintus was happy the stylist had stopped using hay in all of his design, although he still forced the tributes to wear wheat on their head.
While their makeup was being done, the pair from 9 watched the last reaping, that of district 1. Dorcas Vector was glad to be inside for the last reaping. She was shivering and her pants were stained with mud. She let mayor Greene introduce the volunteering tributes, who would perform to see who would be reaped.
All the female contestants gave respectable performances, but the two favorites were Lysia Cascade, who gave a dazzling show of hand-to-hand combat mixed with dancing, and Vermeille St Clair, who chose a more classical approach with an archery display. After the pageant came the debate round, where the latter clearly showed her superiority, attacking each one of her opponent's weak points and not giving her any chance of winning. It also helped that the 17 years old girl was very beautiful. She was tall, thin, with ice blue eyes and freckles. Her long blond hair cascaded down to her mid back and she made sure to swish it into Lysia's face on her way to the stage. Coralys compared her to a swan, gracious and pale, with a long neck. Urania added that she hoped Vermeille didn't have the character of one, causing laughter in the audience. It was of public knowledge that Urania was deathly afraid of waterfowl after having been attacked multiple times by those living in the Capitol's many parks.
Then, it was time for the male tributes to show off their skills. The numerous young men displayed an array of talents, each more impressive than the other. Out of the four or five favorite contestants, it was Corundum Stark, 18, who won thanks to his eloquence in the debate round, beating his twin brother Varas despite the latter's better accuracy at spear throwing. The twins were eerily similar, short but muscular, with tan skin, dark eyes, and close-cropped black hair. Corundum embraced his brother before walking up to the stage and shaking everyone's hand.
Mayor Greene gave one last speech to the population of district 1 while the tributes and their families made their way into the city hall.
In Corundum's holding room, everyone was celebrating. His parents and older sisters had started to dance around him. Only his twin kept his distance, his face sour from the disappointment. Seeing his dismay, Corundum took him aside. He tried to apologize, but Varas told him he didn't have to. "It's not you that I am mad at". They exchanged a stiff hug.
In the adjacent room however, Vermeille's mother, a tall woman with gray hair and steely eyes, only offered her daughter a frigid accolade. She acknowledged her performance as "passable", instead focusing on a strand of the girl's hair that had fallen out of place. She made sure that her daughter looked impeccable, telling her that her family's honor rested on her shoulders. Vermeille took the responsibility very seriously. Her mother kept repeating the same mix of advice and admonishment. As her only daughter, Vermeille was her only shot at a modicum of fame. "I know, mother, responded the young woman. I will not disappoint you again. I am aware of how much we need this to work."
On those last words, a peacekeeper escorted her and her district partner to the train station. Their mentors, Pilar Dundee and Ruby Costa (victor of the 107th Hunger Games), awaited them in the carriage. They were sat on one of the sofas with colorful co*cktails in hand. Corundum entered first, and the two women turned around and smiled. "Hello there!", welcomed Pilar. She made her way to the entrance to greet the pair of tributes, bumping into a couple of chairs on the way. Ruby followed, seemingly less inebriated than her co-mentor. The boy accepted Pilar's hug, as opposed to Vermeille, who insisted on just shaking hands. She was stiff as a board.
Fortunately, the atmosphere became less chilly after a few minutes. Everyone introduced themselves quickly, even though they knew each other one way or another. Corundum was happy to joke around but proved himself quick to switch between play and seriousness. The mentors quickly understood that both the tributes were very driven. They talked strategy for the rest of the ride, as they didn't feel like showing off their talents. They both proved to be intelligent and skilled. However, when Ruby remarked that they would need to trust each other, it was clear that none of them intended to.
Eventually, they arrived in the Capitol, where a big crowd had gathered. The latecomers, who had just left the adjacent platform where Irina and Dedalus from 2 had disembarked, were only now pressing into the fray in the hopes to get a picture. As would be expected for career tributes, Vermeille and Corundum were in their element, posing for photos and signing their autographs on any surface available. Ruby joined them too, enjoying her fame and making use of her good looks to gather support, even though there would be no sponsors this year.
At the backs of the barriers, Pilar observed and noted the differences between the two tributes. Corundum had a big smile on his face. He laughed and hugged everyone and projected a general aura of friendliness which the mentor knew was just a façade. In Vermeille's case, however, the outside perfectly reflected the inside. She deigned to pose for pictures and was very polite, but at the same time, she was incredibly cold. Pilar guessed the girl would be less popular than her district partner, but her haughty air, combined with her ethereal good looks, would mean that she could gather a solid group of fans.
Soon enough, it was time to go, if they didn't want to be late for the parade. Their measurements had been taken and sent as soon as they had been selected for the reaping, which meant that, when they arrived at their accommodation, Clio Carpenter and her army of assistants were almost done preparing the outfits. The little old lady greeted them with a "Fashionably late, as always!" while she zoomed between the furniture on her electric wheelchair.
This year's theme was pearls, apparently. For Corundum, they had prepared a tight white leotard, similar to those gymnasts wore. It was bedazzled with grey and white pearls, and much to his dismay, cropped to show off his sculpted midriff. That meant he had to be fully waxed in record time. Meanwhile, Vermeille's leotard only showed her long pale arms. The late addition of a high collared white cape made her smile more than anyone had seen her do on that day.
Parade:
Buckley felt very uncomfortable in his jute outfit. It was dry and itchy, and it clashed with his darker skin tone. He noticed the pitying glances of Ewan and Holland (10) in the carriage behind his, but in his opinion, they looked just as ridiculous with their leather uniforms. Instead of complaining like he was used to do, he steeled himself and grabbed the hand of Maizie. Her outfit suited her perfectly. The itchiness, to her, was a constant in all clothing, so she didn't mind it that much. Her jute dress and crazy hair made Buckley think of the creepy scarecrows that dotted his family's sunflower fields.
Vermeille made her way to her carriage, and she walked like a runway model, followed right behind by Corundum. While she stood like a statue at the head of the procession, the boy made his way to the carriage of district 2, where Irina, a dark-haired beauty, and Dedalus, a pale boy wearing heavy eyeliner and several piercings, were discussing with animation. They politely greeted him as his eyes lingered on Irina's deep cleavage. The trio talked until they parade started, thinking about their strategy, and securing an alliance.
The pair from 1 was the first to appear, and to say they dazzled the crowds gathered on the avenue would be an understatement. Vermeille waved a gracious hand to the crowd and even accepted Corundum's arm around her waist (her shoulders were too high for him). The boy waved with his other arm and caught a couple of flowers thrown his or his partner's way. Unfortunately, they were outshined by the pair from 2, whose good looks and surprising all-black outfits were immediately deemed by Corneo Anderson winners of this year's best dressed tributes. Even Coralys' protestations about not having seen the other tributes yet couldn't make him budge, and the following outfits did not change his mind either.
While the commenters were bickering, the tributes continued the parade, showing various levels of confidence. Buckley was on the upper part of the spectrum, being good looking and self-confident. On the other side of the chariot, however, was Maizie. Her small frame was made even smaller by the dress, and she tried to hide behind Buckley for the whole ride. In the end, they did not make much of an impression. Actually, most of the latter part of the procession was quite forgettable this year, especially when compared to the tributes from 1 to 5.
At the end of the parade, President Crane gave her usual speech about the games. This year, she emphasized the cooperation between the Capitol and the Northern settlement. She celebrated the future prosperity of the nation and wished all the tributes and the districts a happy Hunger Games.
After she had dismissed everyone, the tributes and their mentors were sent back to the accommodation building. While the exhausted teenagers went to bed, their mentors made their way to the rooftop party, which was at this point in time a fixture of the games. This year went more smoothly than the previous one, mainly thanks to the presence of two "chaperones" and the absence of Theseus Fierro due to him being in rehab for his drinking problem.
Training:
The next day marked the start of the training period. Quintus Gamp awoke his mentees very early, leaving them some time to get dressed and catch a light breakfast. Quintus was in peak condition, as was usual, while Buckley and Maizie barely emerged from their slumber.
As they went down to the training center, Buckley wondered about the odd silence in the premises. The pair was separated from their mentor, who was brought outside. Inside the facility, only a handful of tributes were already waiting, the others slowly trickling in. A severe looking woman stood next to head-trainer Harrington, her auburn hair tightly braided to the side.
While Maizie hid herself behind the wide frame of Asher (7), Buckley made his way through the group, coming to a stop next to Grenada and Dannis (11). The pair eyed him up and down, sizing him up before greeting him with a handshake.
Corundum, Vermeille, Georgie and Hattan (6) were the last to arrive, due to the young boy from 6 mashing every button in the elevator and subsequently trapping them inside for a while. Corundum had tried to strike a conversation with Georgie, but he soon understood that she was in heavy pain due to morphling and felicity withdrawal. Vermeille kept glaring at everyone who met her eyes, maybe hoping that with enough willpower she could fry them on the spot.
When every tribute was ready and silent, the woman spoke. It was President Crane, whom none of them had ever seen from this close. She informed them that the trainers would be here to ensure the safety of the contestants, but that they were forbidden from speaking. They would just be acting as guards, and it was up to the tributes to work on their skills by themselves. In the same vein, the mentors would not be able to watch the training, and the training scores would be kept secret from both mentors and mentees.
With that, the 24 boys and girls were left free reign over the facility. Buckley followed Grenada and Dannis over to the survival station. They appeared to be related, both tall and burly, with light brown skin and the same round face, although Grenada's was more graceful. It was clear she was the leader, and Buckley decided he would ally with them. The trio spent the two and a half days of training working in the different stations. Buckley learnt a lot about survival thanks to his allies, who often shared perplexed looks when he demonstrated his lack of common sense. At one point, they were approached by Hesper (5), a fit blond boy. He proposed an alliance, but they refused out of fear of being too big a group.
Maizie was her usual feral self during the training. A few younger tributes, like Hattan (6) and Dellie (3) approached her on the first day while she was constructing dolls out of twine and straw. She barely acknowledged them, and they gave up on trying to be friends. On the second day, Maizie got into an altercation with the girl from 7, who was trying to use her bigger stature to bully the younger girl out of the knife throwing station. She hadn't accounted for Maizie's outburst or the fact that she was still holding a knife in her hand. Thankfully, the trainers were able to immobilize her before she caused much damage. After that, most tributes kept their distances, except for Buckley who suggested she joined his alliance. She responded that she would "think about it".
Corundum immediately joined with Irina and Dedalus, followed by a reluctant Vermeille. They took turns showing off their skills at different stations on the first day, all the while scoping out their competitors. They first approached Heron (4), but the handsome young man politely refused to join them and went back to his trident training. Vermeille wondered aloud why they needed to recruit more allies if there were already four of them. Irina reminded her that some cannon fodder wouldn't hurt.
On the second day, they divided their group in two pairs. Vermeille competed with Dedalus. He'd had to remove all of his piercing and his makeup, which made him look much younger. This pair spent most of the second day besting each other at different accuracy-based stations. Vermeille was the best at the archery station without a doubt, but Dedalus came close to her level of accuracy with his darts. Neither were very strong, so they kept to the ranged weapons for the most part, sometime using the various survival stations when they needed a break. The boy from 2 tried his hardest to become friends with Vermeille, attempts that were met with cold indifference and, by the end of the day, pity.
Corundum and Irina, on the other hand, were openly flirting. Their hands kept wandering discreetly to each other's bodies. When they weren't courting each other, they trained very hard. Corundum was an expert with a spear and mastered the sword and the mace as well. Irina too was a force to be reckoned with. They also approached Ewan (10), who had showed impressive strength and beaten every one of his opponents except Irina at hand-to-hand combat. He was anxious to join them, especially since his district partner Holland was spending her time crying in the fabrics station.
Corundum and Irina introduced their new ally to Vermeille and Dedalus on the third morning. Irina, sitting on Corundum's lap, kept throwing glances at her district partner, which Vermeille did not miss. She kept her suspicions to herself and went along with the little group until it was time for the assessments. She was the first to go in. She stiffly saluted the men and women watching her and started shooting arrows. Her aim was perfect, as usual, but she soon noticed that some assessors were getting bored. Vermeille took a deep breath and called one of them. "Sir! Yes, you with the grapes. Throw one at me please." He did after a moment of hesitation. She shot it out of the air and the arrow stabbed into the ceiling.
Corundum followed Vermeille's performance. He expected his district partner to have put on a good show. The bar was QUITE high. He took a long glance at the weapons rack, finally choosing two hand axes. He called for some holograms to be generated, which he proceeded to disintegrate with impressive power. He left the assessors quite pleased.
Maizie waited anxiously as all the tributes made their way to the assessment room. When it was her turn, she was halfway through biting all of her nails. She stood, stiff, in the middle of the room. One of the few assessors who was still attentive at this point ordered her to begin. She looked lost for a moment, then tried to light a fire as she had learnt by watching Celestine (5) that morning. After a few attempts, she was successful at creating a small plume of smoke. Unfortunately for her, she was sent away before she could show anything else since she had used all the time she had.
Buckley's performance was slightly better. He managed to light a fire very quickly. Seeing that he still had some time to impress the assessors, he grabbed a sword on the weapons rack and asked for some holograms. He managed to hit the first few correctly, but it was soon clear that he had no talent for sword fighting. He was nevertheless still confident with his performance when he left.
Interviews:
Due to the quinquennial quell in effect, none of the scores were revealed to the tributes. This meant that the mentors as well as the stylists were to be kept inside the Ravinstill complex. Meanwhile, the results were still announced to the public. It was not much of a surprise to see the career pack at the top of the list. Vermeille and Irina were ex aequo with an impressive 11, the boys followed with a 10 where they were joined by Ewan (10). Buckley and Maizie were both in the lower middle tier, with a respective 6 and a 4. The bottom was occupied by Tommy (8) with a 2, who had literally fallen asleep during his demonstration.
The rest of the afternoon was spent preparing for that evening's interviews. In the district 9 apartment, it was an all-out war. Maizie was engaged in a shouting match with Quintus and Donovan Carlisle because she refused to wear the dress that had been prepared for her. Fatigue and the fact that they all had to be cooped up for the evening played a big part in the argument. When she started hurling vases at the two men though, the peacekeepers had to intervene and sedate her. Meanwhile, Buckley was already getting dressed in the bathroom. He practiced his smiling in the mirror while an assistant stylist put the last touches to his outfit.
The atmosphere was much more relaxed in district 1's accommodation. Vermeille and Corundum were sat in the living room, already dressed. They quietly discussed their strategies with Ruby and Pilar. The conversation had started with a little bit of discourse, since Vermeille refused to "make herself palatable", as Ruby had put it. The mentors had some experience with headstrong tributes, so they chose not to discuss it further. Instead, they worked on the "trick" questions they could be asked by the hosts until it was time for them to head to the auditorium.
Urania Whimsiwick and Coralys Robson opened the festivities with a retrospective of the past quinquennial quells of the new generation, along with interviews of the victors from these games: Organza Duval and Solano Luongo. Neither of them was very popular in the Capitol, but they received a warm welcome. After that, the hostesses explained that the interviews would not be seen by the other tributes or their mentors in order to keep information from leaking.
After some friendly banter between the two hostesses, Urania complimenting Coralys' new bubblegum pink mohawk and the latter fawning over Urania's long beige dress, the first tribute was finally welcomed to the stage. As was usual, the female tribute from district 1 began. Vermeille was stunning in her stormy grey gown, she walked with elegance to the chair and managed to keep a haughty expression even when Coralys joked that her wedding dress was a little dirty. The interviewers started with the usual questions: occupation, hopes and dreams, what she would do if she won. "I bet your family is very proud of you, said Urania."
"They'll be if I win. I haven't achieved anything yet", said Vermeille, her voice glacial. The hosts judged it better to switch the subject. Instead, they asked about her strategy for the games. "I think I'll try to eliminate as many strong enemies as possible during the bloodbath. I don't want to wait around for days." This seemed to satisfy the hosts, and they sent the young woman to a soundproof booth in order to keep her from hearing the following interviews.
Corundum brought back the warmth in the auditorium. The applause, which had been quite mild for Vermeille, became thunderous. The boy wore a neat pinstripe suit and a wide grin. He sat casually as Urania introduced him. The hosts started the interview by asking him about his twin brother, Varas. Corundum expected this question, he had workshopped it with Pilar a couple of hours ago. "We're very close. We trained together for years. But I think whether I win or die he's gonna be so mad. At least if I survive, I'll be able to make it up to him."
"If you survive?" pushed Coralys.
"I'm confident but not stupid, you know. My chances are good, and I plan on winning but so do 23 other people of varying levels of skill."
Urania saluted his realism before moving on to other topics. They spoke about the career pack and their outsider ally, as well as Corundum's plans to become a trainer of some sort in the future. After the interview, he left the stage to an even more thunderous applause, making himself one of the favorite tributes this year.
The next tributes followed, giving performances that ranged from pathetic to stunning. Heron (4) had boys and girls alike fawning over his chiseled face. While Georgie (6) and Tommy (8) were both struck down by their withdrawal and unable to utter a proper sentence.
Soon enough, a trembling Maizie was called to the stage. She had been forced to put on a wispy white dress decorated with wildflowers. Her brown hair was tied in a high bun, also decorated with daisies and the like. The whole outfit made her look like a very skinny fairy. Coralys opened the interview by asking the question many Capitolites were waiting for: "What is your secret to be so thin?" Urania glared at the younger woman, but Maizie still answered.
"Um... I don't have a lot to eat."
"Oh, some sort of special diet?"
"I'm not on a diet... My parents just can't afford anything ever since our mill burned."
Coralys only let out a pitiful "oh". Her co-host fortunately changed topics, but the question had troubled the young tribute. She started to fiddle more and more, barely answering the other questions. When the interview was over, she almost ran off the stage and bumped into Buckley.
He was truly a sight to see: a bright yellow suit, sleeveless to show off his powerful arms, some yellow eyeshadow, and a sunflower in his buttonhole, which he explained was to remind of his family's sunflower farm. As opposed to his district partner, he was totally at ease on stage, cracking a few jokes and even lifting Coralys over his head. He seemed very confident in his abilities and wouldn't even entertain the idea of dying. Although their banter was very enjoyable, the hosts had to say goodbye to him. He was followed off the stage by rapturous cheers.
The interviews went on, teary eyed for Holland (10), Confused for Dannis (11) but generally enjoyable. After the boy from 12 had been sent away, Coralys and Urania welcomed head Gamemaker Alector Crane. The man was happy to be here, and enthusiastically shared tidbits about the design process of the arenas, from the concept sketches to the actual planning and building. He concluded his little exposé by stating that the tributes shouldn't be expected to "pick up daisies and chase butterflies" in this arena, which left the hosts as well as the public perplexed. Urania and Coralys concluded the evening by wishing everyone a happy Hunger Games.
From his apartment balcony, Corundum watched the fireworks being launched over Renaissance square. He knew he would have to go to bed very soon in order to be fresh the next day, but he wanted to enjoy the night air and festive atmosphere for at least a couple more minutes. Eventually, Irina appeared on the next balcony over. She had a devious smile as she waved at the boy. He winked at her. "So, we're still on the same page?", she asked.
"Of course. You can trust me. I'm not one to betray people. I'd rather beat you fair and square when we're the last two. Much hotter."
Irina snigg*red and blew a kiss to her ally, then, both went back inside to get some sleep.
Meanwhile, Vermeille had spent the evening ironing out the last details of her strategy with Pilar. She had kept notes on most of the noticeable tributes, theories on the arena, and made a checklist of all she needed to survive. She did not expect to stay long in the arena, though. She predicted that these games would be rather short. The two women discussed the career pack's newest addition, without really coming up with a consensus. Especially this year, it was all wait and see.
In the 9's apartment, all was quiet. Maizie had been sedated by an annoyed Quintus. The man had stayed a few minutes with Buckley in order to congratulate him on his interview and gave him a couple of last-minute tips before urging him to sleep.
Day 1:
The next day, Maizie and Buckley were woken quite early in order to get some warm-up exercise and a light but nourishing breakfast. Maizie had reverted back to her usual wild child behavior. Buckley was eerily quiet. They were both taken to the launching rooms by Quintus and Donovan. The stylist reluctantly took care of the young girl. Neither of them wanted to be here. He had to almost force Maizie to put on her dark brown uniform. It looked like a cross between a nurse's outfit and a space suit, but it fit her perfectly. Donovan unceremoniously placed her in the launching tube but before he could leave, she caught him in a tight hug. He awkwardly patted her back and she murmured something in his ear. "I don't want to go. Please." She let go of the man as her tube started to rise.
Buckley's and Quintus' goodbyes were less tense but, in a way, colder. Quintus only shook his mentees hand. "Maybe you have a chance. Who knows... Too bad there's this quell, the sponsors would have loved you." Buckley tried to make a joke about it, but he was too anxious. He just put on his outfit in silence and climbed into the tube. As it rose, a single tear ran down his cheek.
Vermeille and Corundum had prepared with military discipline: early wake-up, light exercise, breakfast, motivational pep talk. They were showing absolutely no emotion. After all, both had been raised for this moment. Ruby accompanied Corundum. The muscles in his face were tight with focus. He did not talk. Ruby advised him to be cautious of Irina, but he did not acknowledge her. He barely looked at her as his podium rose up into the arena.
When Vermeille was dressed, she let her façade crack a little. Just a short sob, enough to relieve some of the pressure. She knew that if she let herself go any more, there wouldn't be any stopping. She steeled herself and accepted Pilar's embrace. "I'll make you proud. I'll make everyone proud". Those were her last words as the platform started to rise.
She did not have to avert her eyes, as the sun was nowhere to be seen. A dull twilight shone through the arena, outlining scattered boulders and pools of neon green liquid. As the voice of Head-Gamemaker Crane was heard throughout, the viewers were given an aerial view of the toxic wasteland. The ominous pools were gathered around the center, while the edges of the arena were rockier. Vermeille winced at the strong odor of ammonia and bleach that permeated through the air. Hesper (5), to her left, looked ready to pass out.
After the initial shock, Maizie's eye trained on the cornucopia. It looked like the remains of a concrete bunker. The supplies inside were very scattered, with a lot of it on the outskirts. She eyed a small but well-filled backpack that was quite far from the center, aimed for it. Celestine (5) and Hattan (6), to her sides, both seemed ready to flee in the other direction, which made her feel a little safer. When the cannon rang, she bolted.
Lola (7), however, was aiming for the same bag, and the girls collided. The other girl was much bigger than Maizie, but she held on to one strap with one hand, using the other to scratch Lola's face. A knife fell from the bag, Maizie grabbed it and stabbed it repeatedly into the other girl's neck. With a triumphant roar, she started crossing the cornucopia clearing.
Corundum, whose podium stood between Buckley and Heron, was a bit unhappy about not getting the first kill, especially losing it to a little girl. So, on his way to the cornucopia he grabbed the closest tribute, the girl from 12, and killed her with a single punch to the throat. He then narrowly avoided a trident thrown by Heron (4), which ended up stabbing through Asher's (7) gut.
Vermeille had taken a second to analyze the situation before jumping into the fray. The weakest tributes were already fleeing or dead, and the career pack was concentrated in the center. She made her way towards them, grabbing a bow and a dozen arrows on the way. However, the sight of Irina strangling the boy from 3 with a chain she had found, the unhinged joy on her face, made her stop dead in her tracks. She drew her bow and shot an arrow. It pierced Dedalus' temple, killing him instantly. Before the others could react, she shot another arrow at Ewan, but lost her footing. The projectile only hit him in the arm. Surprisingly, they decided not to attack her. Urania theorized that she was the only one with ranged weapons, which meant approaching her wouldn't be easy.
Meanwhile, Buckley, having seen one of his podium neighbors kill the other one with a single punch, desperately looked for his allies. Dannis joined him, followed soon enough by Grenada. They both held a few bags of supplies and food. He only had found a water bottle. Grenada, a nasty cut on her face, asked if Maizie was coming. A single glance at the young girl tearing into the girl from 8 with unbridled rage gave them the answer. As they were leaving the cornucopia clearing, the boy from 12 stood in front of them. Grenada did not give him the time to speak. She stabbed him with her spear and the trio ran south.
When Maizie lifted her head from the remains, she saw that the clearing was now empty. No tribute had deemed necessary to attack her, be it by fear or simply not deeming her enough of a risk. She grabbed her bag and the knife and walked North, hoping to find a source of water to wash off the blood that covered her hands and forearms. The cameras did not linger on the two corpses she had completely annihilated, instead following her brisk walk through the rocky outcroppings. Unfortunately for her there were no water sources in the arena. She learned it the hard way by trying to fill up her empty water bottle in one of the green ponds. The bottle dissolved in seconds, with the acid burning the tip of Maizie's hands. She decided to huddle between two rocks and try to sleep time away.
Corundum, Irina and Ewan had walked straight to the perimeter. Apart for the traitor Vermeille, no other tribute had dared attacking them. They had enough food and water to last a couple of days, not much longer. Corundum and Irina walked in the front, followed by the boy from 10. Corundum had removed the arrow from his arm and properly bandaged the wound, but Ewan kept complaining.
As the group was almost at the highest point of the arena, Ewan let out another pained whimper. Irina and Corundum shared a meaningful look. At the same time, they turned around and stabbed the other boy with their weapon of choice. Irina's knife cut his jugular while Corundum's spear pierced his heart, giving the duo a shared kill. Their third wheel eliminated, they sat down side by side and watched the arena.
They stayed there for some time before Irina noticed something strange. "Did you hear anything?"
- Um... No, what is it?
- That's what I thought. There aren't any cannons. Even when we got rid of Ewan, there was no sound.
- You're right. I guess that means we won't know we killed everyone until we do. Better get to work.
- Tomorrow, said Irina leaning her head against her partner's shoulder. I want to observe. And enjoy tonight if you're down.
- You're nasty ! Of course, I'm down!
But before they could get down to business, they had to set up a camp. The temperature was dropping pretty low as the sun came down, even though they would keep each other warm. While he was trying to build a small fire, Corundum saw Vermeille's silhouette from afar.
The girl from 1 had been roaming around for a few hours, trying to get a feel of the terrain. Her lips were tight, and her brows furrowed. The arena displeased her, since the views were impeded by the many boulders strewn across. She avoided the pools of acid, but the fumes coming from them burned her eyes. It was a problem shared by most of the tributes who had stayed closer to the center. She encountered the trio of Dellie (3), Hesper and Celestine (5), but they kept their distance. A little later, it was Heron (4) who made an appearance, trident in hand. Before Vermeille could raise her bow, he'd fled. The girl preferred to keep her strength for the next day.
She finally found a small crevice that led to a deeper cave. She slithered into it and moved a rock in order to hide the entrance. Among the supplies she had gathered from the cornucopia was a flashlight, so she wasn't in complete darkness. She took some time to lay out her stuff: a dozen arrows and a bow, some rope, very little food but enough water to last three to four days and a safety blanket. As she prepared to sleep, the cameras panned away, to where Buckley and his allies had set up their camp.
They'd had a similar idea to that of Irina and Corundum and spent most of the afternoon climbing towards the perimeter. They tried their best to stay hidden, which impeded their ascension. Once they had found a small plateau a hundred yards from the top, they settled. Dannis and Grenada were sweaty and disheveled, but it was nothing compared to Buckley. He was truly miserable, wheezing and bleeding and aching everywhere. The pair from 11, disconcerted, watched him lay there, trying to catch his breath. "Are you alright ?" asked Grenada.
"Yup. Great... Just catching my breath."
"I'm gonna take first watch then."
Buckley and Dannis agreed. The boy from 11 laid snuggled next to Buckley, citing the need to "conserve warmth". They fell asleep within seconds.
It didn't last long, unfortunately. Grenada yelped, followed by a murmured "sh*t!" and footfalls. Grenada followed the sound, and Buckley decided to go with her, leaving Dannis to guard their stuff. It was Pinta (4), who had nicked one of the water bottles under the cover of darkness. Grenada had heard her. The younger girl lost her footing and tumbled a dozen feet, hitting a rock on her way down. This left enough time for the others to catch up. Grenada searched for the bottle.
Even though he could have walked the few remaining paces that separated him from Pinta, Buckley decided to throw his knife. It went wide, disappearing in the darkness and causing laughter in Renaissance square. "At least he's good looking, joked Urania". Buckley looked around for another weapon, but he didn't see much. He finally closed the distance and threw a punch. Pinta ducked and he hit the stone behind her. His howl of pain woke half of the sleeping tributes. While he stammered backwards, Pinta took the opportunity to get up again. The rope she had worn around her shoulder had tangled around her but she decided it would be wiser to run before detangling herself. She jumped. Buckley caught the only thing that was still in range : one end of the rope. He held on for an instant before it went taut. A cracking sound and a gurgling cry followed. Thanks to the night vision cameras, the viewers could see that the rope had been coiled around her neck, effectively strangling her when it went taut.
Grenada had to bring back Buckley, whose hand was now bloody and swollen, as well as the sparse supplies Pinta had on her. He was sobbing intensely, repeating over and over that he killed someone. Grenada, looking a little frustrated, had tried to explain to him that it was the point of the Games. She kept holding his hand until he fell asleep, sharing annoyed glances with her cousin.
A little before midnight, most tributes were asleep, spread rather equally across the arena. Only one light could be seen in the starless environment, and it was closing in on Maizie's location. The little girl was fast asleep, however. Her supporters in Renaissance square were screaming at her to wake up, but it was too late. Georgie (6), a flashlight in one hand and a sword too heavy for her in the other, had come upon the folded shape. She emitted a small noise of surprise, which awoke Maizie, but the girl had wedged herself so tight between the two boulders that she was getting stuck. "I'm sorry girlie, I don't got a choice..." said Georgie, not sounding the least bit sorry. At least she made it fast. Maizie was still thrashing madly, almost dislocating her shoulder to get out of there, but the sword stabbed right through her heart. Maizie slumped back and the other girl picked up her possessions. The claw struggled for some time to get her out of the crevice in one piece.
At midnight, there were no portraits in the sky. Only on the screens in the Capitol could the faces and names of the fallen be seen : Dedalus (2), the boy (3), Pinta (4), both tributes (7), the girl (8), Maizie (9), Ewan (10) and both tributes (12). With 10 tributes gone, this left 14 survivors for the second day. If the next day followed the same trend, Coralys hypothesized that this year's games wouldn't be very long.
Day 2:
The second morning started quite slowly. The ambient gloom made it hard to discern night and day. None of the tributes seemed intent on going out yet. Most of them were slightly sick due to the toxic air. The viewers had to wait almost until noon to get some action.
While some started moving around, Buckley was struggling. One of his hands was all shades of blue and purple, the pain making him almost delirious. His allies seemed worried. They talked in hushed tones. Every once in a while, one of them would leave and come back ten or twenty minutes later. The last time, it was Dannis, and he seemed enthusiastic. "I found one! he explained. It's not very far". With their help, Buckley was able to get up. They fashioned a makeshift sling so his arm didn't move too much during the walk. The boy from 9 followed them to a small cavern, barely big enough to hold the three of them. They shared a little bit of water, and Buckley quickly fell back asleep.
At the same time, on another side of the arena, Corundum heard a scream. After a torrid night with Irina (both of them put on quite a show, even though they weren't broadcasted live), they'd slept soundly. They were still cuddling when they heard the sound, and quickly rose to their feet. They were there in no time and found the young Hattan (6) lying prone. He had rolled his ankle on an unstable pebble, it was probably broken. Seeing the pair arrive, he tried to crawl away. Irina used the chain as a lasso. It whipped around Hattan's injured leg, bringing a sad*stic smile to her face. "Will you do the honors ?", she asked her boyfriend. Of course, he would. He brought down his spear on the boy's head, killing him on the spot.
"Let's hunt", he added while removing his weapon from the boy's head. Irina squealed in excitement. "She sounds like she was just given a kitten !" exclaimed Urania, up in her studio. She and Coralys expressed their discomfort even though it didn't seem to bother the viewers. Meanwhile, the couple went back to gather their stuff and started walking around the perimeter in order to spot a prey. They didn't notice the buzzing at first.
Although Vermeille was safe in the little hole, it also meant that she couldn't see the morning light. It had taken her an extremely long time to fall asleep, and she had overslept. She'd gotten out at around 11, cursing herself for not getting up earlier. She had decided to investigate around the cornucopia clearing for any leftover supplies, but they had been removed. There were no tributes on sight either.
As she slowly made her way away from the center and back to her camp, she finally spotted a hunched form. It was Holland (10), who hadn't actually done much other than crying. Vermeille approached stealthily but a loud buzzing interrupted her prowling. It came from the cornucopia itself. At first, she thought of walking towards it until she saw a strange dark cloud emerging from it. It did not look like any kind of gaz. She hesitated, but instead of investigating or attacking Holland, she ran to her hiding place. It was actually an excellent idea, that many tributes who had such shelter followed. The cloud dispersed into smaller swarms of genetically modified horseflies. Vermeille plugged the entrance of her cave fast enough to keep the insects from entering. It was not the case for Holland, whose dying screams could be heard over the incessant drone.
Corundum and Irina did not have a shelter. When they finally noticed the swarm of bugs heading their way it was already too late to look for one. He swatted at the first few that made contact. Irina shouted in pain when she received the first bite. Corundum was bitten soon after. He killed the offending bug that had landed on his wrist, but the sharp electrical pain was there. His arm twitched and spasmed, as if it'd been tasered. Thankfully, it was his off hand.
The pair ran up as fast as they could towards the perimeter, hoping to outrun the swarm. They passed by what remained of Tommy (8) who, running from his own murderous cloud, had tripped and fallen face first in an acid pond.
They managed to stop an inch from the invisible barrier. Most of the insects were not as smart. A myriad of sparks appeared, accompanied with the smell of smoke. Corundum and Irina had gotten rid of most of their swarm, but there were still many horseflies buzzing around them and biting. They swatted and rolled on the ground, patting each other to get rid of the last mutts.
In the end, they had each received at least a dozen bites. Irina's face was half-paralyzed and swollen. Corundum's face was mostly intact, but it was scrunched up with pain. He struggled to move, all his limbs were twitching and cramping. Irina placed their blanket over them just in case.
Buckley slept through the event. Every few minutes, he opened feverish eyes, but he only saw the silhouette of Dannis at the entrance of the cave, using a blanket to block it. The boy from 9 was in terrible pain. He could barely feel his injured hand but the rest of him felt like it was on fire. In the afternoon he started having delirious visions. He saw Dannis and Grenada dancing around, then he blinked and they were huddled in the opposite corner, whispering to each other. Conspiring, he thought. He saw his family too, but they were distant, barely recognizable. Then he fell back asleep, waking up with a hand on his forehead.
- There's nothing I can do, Grenada was saying. He's too feverish and we don't have medicine. Oh. Hello Buckley.
- What's going on ? he asked.
- You, we have to go on. You're too sick.
- Don't leave me !
- We have to! You're dying.
- Grenada ! interjected Dannis. Have a little tact!
- There's no use. Look at him!
- Please, I don't want to die alone, he pleaded.
The two tributes from 11 shared a long look. Dannis handed Grenada her spear. She tried to hold together, but tears were already flowing down her face. "It's going to be very quick, okay. We owe you that."
Buckley understood. He didn't move. He couldn't have. The weapon slowly pierced the skin of his chest, sunk deeper, into the flesh. He barely felt it. There was just a coldness replacing the feverish heat, then all went black. Now that the flies had been removed, the pair from 11 could go out. They knew it was futile, but they still erected a small pile of stones in Buckley's honor. Even in the Capitol, his end had been heartbreaking. Urania shed a few tears before getting herself back together and changing the focus of the cameras.
Vermeille had been hiding in her hole for too long. As soon as the buzzing subsided, she emerged. She was tired of hiding and wanted to kill at least one tribute that day. The sun was already getting low in the sky, at least from what she could tell behind the clouds and the smoke. One of the advantages of being underground was that she had been protected from the toxic fumes emanating in the arena. She was able to jog lightly. She made her way to the cornucopia again. Nobody was there either. In order to get a good view, she climbed on the closest boulder. Vermeille reached the top of the 20 feet rock in record speed. Coralys noticed that her hair was almost as pristine as before the games had started. Only one strand in the front had escaped her strict bun.
From where she was, the view was grand. This perch also had the added advantage of being a great hiding place. If she laid down, no one on the ground could see her. She stayed immobile for two hours before another tribute passed by. It was Heron. He was looking to scavenge leftover supplies from the cornucopia, not knowing there was nothing left. Vermeille got to her knees and shot an arrow. It hit him in the eye and he dropped immediately. After making sure no one had seen her, she stealthily climbed down to retrieve her projectile. For a moment, she pondered going back to her shelter. She decided against it. Usually, the feast occurred on the third day. From where she was, she could pick off anyone that approached the cornucopia.
Thankfully, as Vitello Gamp, head biologist in charge of the mutts, explained, the horseflies had not been designed to be lethal. Instead, they incapacitated the tributes and only in extreme cases like that of Holland could kill.
In the evening, Corundum and Irina had mostly recovered. They were still sore but could move again. Irina looked her partner right in the eye.
"We need to get on with it. I don't know how many of us there are left. I'm pretty sure there will be a feast tomorrow and we're almost out of food."
"How will we know ? It's not like they've announced anything yet."
"Better safe than sorry. We won't be the only ones there. I hope Vermeille is dead but if she's not I want to destroy her myself. I'll be satisfied with any other kill."
"We'll get there tomorrow. I promised you one of us would win. We have to be the last two standing."
"You're such a gentleman!"
"I know... I won't hesitate to murder you if it means I win, though." Said Corundum, putting his arm around Irina's shoulder.
"So will I", she said.
The pair sat and watched the arena until it was too dark.
At midnight, everyone was sleeping. Urania and Coralys took the opportunity to tally up the fallen. On the second day, they had lost Heron (4), Hattan (6), Tommy (8), Buckley (9) and Holland (10). Some deaths had been gruesome, other heart wrenching. All in all, it was an eventful day.
Day 3:
On the morning of the third day, Vermeille woke up early. She did not want to sleep in again. First, she looked towards the cornucopia. As she had expected, one of the central platforms had receded into the ground to be loaded with the feast. She periodically checked in this direction. The rest of the time, her body was turned outward to search for tributes. She saw the silhouettes of Grenada and Dannis in the distance, cautiously making their way down. On the opposite side, there were a few more tribute but it was hard to recognize them since they were very far.
There was a pair, that the viewers could see were Corundum and Irina. They hadn't noticed the other three : Dellie (3), Hesper (5) and Celestine (5). The trio had been quite resourceful during the previous days, while keeping a low profile. Now they were running down the slope from a green glow. Celestine tripped, her yelp alerting Irina and Corundum. She wouldn't get back up.
Her allies turned back to help her. They hadn't seen the careers following them. When they saw that the girl from 5 was gone, it was too late. Irina came in first and she attacked the young Dellie with her knives. Being surprisingly fast and much smaller, she managed to dodge and run towards the cornucopia. Corundum, on the other hand, had cornered Hesper. The boy surrendered, only to be stabbed in the throat by a spear.
"We need to scram ! I lost the kid!" screamed Irina. Then her eyes went wide as she saw what the others were running from. A small river of neon acid was coming down the slope. The careers took off running. The green sludge followed lazily behind them, its viscosity more akin to magma than water. A few seconds later, it started to rain, diluting the acid but also making it more fluid.
The tributes took this event for a forced showdown and all made their way to the central cornucopia. What they didn't know, what the viewers even were unaware of, was that this showdown was completely unplanned. The acid, having been a late addition to the arena's design, had slowly eroded the plumbing that was keeping it in check, causing a fatal leak on both sides of the perimeter. This led to the deaths of seven capitol technicians, as well as important material damages. In the hopes of dampening the effects of the acid, Head Gamemaker Crane turned on the sprinkles system, which at least made it less potent. This incident wasn't revealed to the Capitol until an historic trial in 163.
Going back to the tributes who were making their way down. The pair from 12 were the first to arrive. They were quite far away from Vermeille, but as soon as they got close enough to inspect the cornucopia, she shot Dannis in the lung. She quickly ducked her head on her boulder. Grenada spun around just in time to see Georgie (6) charging her. Her sword was much too heavy for such a short girl. Grenada dodged it easily. The two girls eyed each other. The acid and the rain had made the water level rise. There were more and more glowing puddles.
Vermeille took aim again, but this time she missed. Grenada and Georgie continued their sparing. Another shout distracted the girls. Corundum and Irina had finally caught up to Dellie, which meant all of the tributes were now in the cornucopia clearing. Grenada took advantage of the distraction to stab Georgie in the gut. She jabbed her spear again, making sure the other girl was dead.
Meanwhile, Irina had lassoed Dellie with the chain. She preferred to strangle her with her bare hands though, bashing her again and again against the ground until she was thoroughly dead. An arrow flew past her ear. "I'll take care of her", shouted Corundum. He walked in the direction of the boulder. There was no point in hiding anymore, so Vermeille stood up. She shot an arrow, which he deflected with his spear. There were only two left.
"Come on, said Corundum, don't be a coward." He continued, slaloming around the growing puddles. "Don't you have any honor. You hide. You don't even fight like a real career."
"I'm not stupid, she responded."
She wouldn't talk further. Meanwhile, he was still advancing. Behind him, Irina finished Grenada off with her own spear. Vermeille and Corundum attacked at the same time. The projectiles grazed each other. The spear cut the bow in half but only managed to slash a deep cut into Vermeille's shoulder. Her arrow however... Corundum tried to close his mouth, but there was something thin and tough inside : a shaft. The head stuck out of the back of his neck. He collapsed.
Irina's scream of rage shook Vermeille off of her trance. There was only one obstacle to her victory. She was tougher, stronger, better armed, and had just lost a boyfriend she wanted to kill herself. Spear in one hand, chain in the other and a small knife between her teeth, she started climbing the boulder. Vermeille stepped on her fingers as soon as she saw them. Irina fell back. Another strategy then. She threw the chain. It caught Vermeille's ankle, and she tumbled down.
In the Renaissance square, everyone held their breath.
Irina jumped onto her opponent. Vermeille caught the spear just as it grazed her sternum. They wrestled for it until it flew off in a puddle somewhere. In the fall, Vermeille's hair had come loose. Irina grabbed it and dragged the girl to the closest acid pit. Vermeille fought tooth and nail, broke a few on the way, but she couldn't get free. The other girl grabbed her face and pushed. As much as she struggled, her cheek got closer and closer to the surface until it made contact. Half of Vermeille's face touched the acid, but not for long. The unbearable pain gave her enough strength to push back. Her hands found purchase on Irina's face, scratched and tore until her grip faltered. Vermeille turned, bringing herself over the other girl. She grabbed her head, not even reacting when Irina tore off half of her remaining hair, and twisted. There was a sickening crush. The voice of Head Gamemaker Crane sounded in the arena, congratulating Vermeille St Clair, from district 1, as victor of the 115th Hunger Games. She didn't hear though, as the shock made her lose consciousness. She had to be evacuated in record speed because of the rising levels of acid.
Aftermath:
The victor's interview didn't take place until two months later, until Vermeille had recovered enough to be able to function. She was in a terrible state. The burns she had suffered were far more extensive than what was thought at first. A good half of her visage was severely scarred as well as part of her scalp. She would need years and countless surgeries to fully heal.
Urania Whimsiwick and Coralys Robson welcomed her in late summer. They wore coordinated outfit, the first a dress and the latter a suit, that were deep brown, with rabbit fur accents. Vermeille had been given a long-sleeved dress that hid the scars on her arms. She also had a sumptuous bedazzled mask hiding half of her face . Her hair was cut short. Even the heavy makeup could not remove her tired expression.
After the usual pleasantries, the hosts did a recap of the games.
"Did you plan on betraying your allies from the beginning ?" asked Urania.
"Yes. They were way too unpredictable. I wanted to work alone. They would have outnumbered me."
"Very interesting, continued Coralys. You have received much criticism for camping on your positions instead of fighting in close quarters, what would you respond to that?"
"Would you blame a scorpion for using its venom ? I used my strengths to my advantage, and I was clever. I at least have some finesse."
"Except for the last one, laughed Coralys. I mean, it was a very enjoyable spectacle, but my! How violent."
"You don't have to tell me..."
After a lukewarm interview, Vermeille went back to district 1, where she received even more hate. People would tag "coward" and other meaner words on her house and she would be publicly ridiculed by her mother multiple times. This became so unbearable that on one spring night, Vermeille attempted suicide by overdose in her bedroom.
She narrowly survived thanks to the unexpected visit from Ruby Costa, who found her passed out on her sofa. After she got out of the hospital, she was allowed to live in the Capitol, where she quickly made a name for herself among high end jewelers. Her occasional visits to district 1 stopped with the death of her mother. It was ruled an accident, but many believed Vermeille to have poisoned her to inherit her gemstone business.
The nickname "The swan" followed her. She stayed haughty and gracious and got a half mask made to resemble the bird.
Chapter 16: The 116th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping:
The 116th Hunger Games took place in the year 152. This year brought with it a lot of changes throughout Panem. President Crane's administration had just finalized putting into effect the last bits of the Treaty : the annexing of the Northern Settlement. This meant that Charles Lepetit was now the mayor of his own district, district N. The name had been hard to choose, especially since the number 13 had an unlucky connotation to it. This also meant that the next year would see 26 tributes instead of 24. This had Capitolites stoked.
On a less important note, the Capitol learned two sad news. First, Urania Whimsiwick would not host the 116th nor the 117th Hunger Games due to her surprise pregnancy. She would reluctantly leave free reign to Coralys Robson, her co-host. The second news was the sudden death of Head Gamemaker Alector Crane after a burglary gone wrong. The robber was never found. He had already designed the arena for these games, but he was to be replaced at the helm of the control room by well-known mutt specialist Quintus Gamp.
It was on those shaky legs that the reapings began in district 12. Vermeille St Clair, victor of the 115th Hunger Games, stood on the front of the shabby wooden platform, blinded by the morning sun. Mayor Donner at her side was sweating profusely again. She glanced at him and the crowd in disgust. Her recent hospital stay made her look more angular and paler, but she still had her usual aura of sophistication.
After a brief speech, the woman walked to the female reaping bowl and chose a neatly folded slip of paper. "Amia Blackbell", she called. A girl whimpered in terror. She was fifteen, her tan face riddled with acne. Pushed by some of her friends, she advanced to the stage. Her hands were clammy, her brown eyes foggy with tears. She stood in the back of the stage, framed by two peacekeepers in case she wanted to flee.
Vermeille gave one last disapproving look to the chestnut haired girl before picking up another paper, from the male reaping bowl this time. She called 18 years old Lennon Vance to the stage. Lennon was an intimidating young man, tall, burly, and very hairy. His thick black beard and bushy eyebrows made him look much older than he was. He lumbered to the stage, followed by whoops and cheers from his fellow oven boys. The oven boys, Coralys explained, were the men who filled the blast furnaces with coal in the metallurgic industry. Lennon shook Vermeille's hand, then mayor Donner's. He took pleasure in crushing it.
After another short speech from the mayor, the crowds were sent back to work while the tributes went to the city hall. Lennon met with three of his friends. They were sharing a small house near the factories, in the poorest part of the district. Lennon was the youngest. The three other patted him on the back and offered some useful advice. One of them tried to slip him some morphling but he refused, stating he wanted to be fully aware when he came to the Capitol.
In the next room, Amia cried her heart out, surrounded by her wary parents. She was the third child they lost to the games. If the other two hadn't made it, being strong and older, they thought their little girl had absolutely no chance. They didn't tell her that though. They just hugged for as long as they could before a peacekeeper came to take away the daughter.
Amia was still sniffling when she climbed onto the train. Lennon didn't even look at her. In the carriage, two men waited for them. The mentors. One was taller, skinny with a sharp nose and clear grey eyes. The other was shorter but quite beefy, his hair and eyes were brown. They looked very different, but their stare was the same, intense and focused. "Good to meet you" said the thinner one, moving to shake the tributes' hands. "I am Talon Highbottom, this is Gregor Cantini. We're your mentors."
Despite the sobriety of the greeting, Lennon felt at ease. He shook their hands, introduced himself. Gregor (victor of the 109th Hunger Games) knew what an oven boy was but he had to explain it to Talon. "So, basically, I'm strong, I'm very resistant to heat and pain, and I can be fast when I need to." Lennon thought this was enough, but the mentors kept asking more questions, if he had any useful knowledge ("I can hunt a bit") or if he could fight ("I've been in a few brawls, but I never used a weapon if that's what you're asking").
While the boy and Talon were occupied, Gregor scooched over to Amia, staring in the void. "What about you ?" he asked, making her jump a little bit in her seat. She kept apologizing, saying that she couldn't do anything. Her family owned a general store, so she just went to school and helped in the shop. She didn't have any hobby or passion. The mentor tried to reassure her, but he wasn't convinced himself. Eventually, the two conversations died down and the mentors sat their mentees in front of a highlight reel from the 114th Games.
When they arrived in the Crane station, they were clean and mostly prepared for what awaited them. A sparse crowd stood on the platform. The outlying districts were usually less impressive than the careers, although they brought their lot of surprises. Next to her handsome district partner, Amia seemed to disappear. The Capitolites weren't at all interested in her. Lennon's "brutish" beauty was taking center stage. He smiled, a surprisingly white smile, and posed and hugged. He seemed to get bored of it quite fast, though, so all four of them were very soon in the car that brought them to the accommodation center.
After the first reaping, Vermeille headed to district 11, where the reaping square was as shabby but at least the landscape was greener. The smell of ripe fruit and sweat replaced the smoke. Mayor Attabi, his black hair starting to gray, took the victor for a walk through the strawberry fields near the reaping square before she started for real.
Vermeille began the reaping by picking a slip of paper in the female reaping bowl. She read the name of 13 years old Clover McBeale. Through the silence that fell on the crowd, a resounding "sh*t" was heard. The young girl, short with a round and childish face, walked forward. She climbed to the stage, shook hands awkwardly with her mayor and the victor. One of her frizzy buns had broken out of its hair tie, giving her a lopsided look.
Then it was time for the male tribute to be reaped. Vermeille picked Xander Carvalho, 14 years old. The boy was gaunt, his green tunic hung off of his shoulders in an almost fashionable way. He was pretty, remarked Coralys, and knew how to accessorize. His earrings and scrap metal necklaces reminded her of Dedalus, the district 2 tribute of the past year, but in a more homemade fashion. When Xander came up to the stage, his pallor became even more obvious. He was brighter than Vermeille even, not to compare with Clover's sandy tan.
After a short closing speech from mayor Attabi, Vermeille moved on to district 10 while the tributes were taken to see their family. When Xander arrived in his holding room, his parents were already there, somber. His brothers, Leonard and Myron were away in the family's mushroom farm. He had held it together until that moment, but the sight of his depressed parents was the last straw and he collapsed. His mother caught him into a hug, but his father quietly scolded him, asking him to get it together, that he needed to make a good impression. Xander looked at him as if he didn't understand. "It's an opportunity, said the older man, to get our farm out there. Can you imagine if we could deliver our produce to the Capitol ? You need to tell them about it."
While the sales pitch continued in that room, Clover was witnessing her family tearing itself apart. Her mother and her brother on one side, her stepfather, and her stepsister on the other. Clover's stepfather was defending his daughter, Begonia, for not volunteering. "It's not my fault she's unlucky. She's not more important than me !" exclaimed the girl.
"We agreed, countered the mother, that you would volunteer for her and she would get the tesserae instead of you ! You promised !". While the four of them started throwing insults at each other, Clover waited patiently. Her hands trembled on the door handle and when it was clear that the situation had just devolved into plain arguing, she left. They did not notice until it was too late, and she was on the train with Xander and their mentor Solano Luongo (victor of the 110th Hunger Games).
Clover ran into Solano's arms, burying her face in his chest. He comforted her while Xander stood awkwardly to the side. According to records, it appeared that the young girl was related to Piper Luongo, Solano's wife. Even though they weren't extremely close, the couple had helped the McBeale family a couple of times, notably hiring her big brother as a farmhand.
Knowing her, Solano asked Xander first about his experience. As an apprentice mushroom farmer, he believed he didn't have much to bring to the table. He had some experience handling a shovel or a rake, and could run quite fast if he needed to. Solano reluctantly added that his looks could bring him some support in the Capitol.
Clover agreed and sighed dreamily. The mentor knew about her situation, even though they hadn't met often ever since her mother remarried. The girl explained that she could be a fast runner too, since she was used to fleeing from her bully of a stepsister, and she was quite sneaky. The trio then spent the trip watching some old games in order to get acquainted with how things worked in the Capitol and in the arena. Xander proved to have some clever insights on the tributes' strategies. On the other side of the sofa, Clover winced every time someone got hurt.
The pair arrived in the Capitol in the early afternoon. They were cleaned up and groggy from all the food they had eaten. The fears were forgotten for a moment as they were greeted by colorful Capitolites. Clover ran to an older woman dressed in pink feathers from head to toe, screaming "Are you sh*tting me? You look so f*cking cool !". The lady in question was hesitant, thankful for the compliment but taken aback by the profanity. She ended up shaking Clover's hand. In the meantime, Xander discussed his jewelry with a group of interested young men. He even gave one of his necklaces to one of them. It was made out of aluminum pull tabs from leftover cans.
Their stylist, Garner Townsend, waited for them draped over a sofa in their apartment. He was known as a pioneer in the fashion world, though his androgynous looks made him less popular in the more conservative circles. He invited the tributes to sit with him and showed them his well-filled portfolio. They chose together. Clover did not appear very interested in the choice of the outfits, she loved all of them. In the end, they settled for a dark blue tunic, cross of a farmer's overall and a formal dress. The collars and other details were embroidered with blackberries and bramble motifs. When they were sure of their pick, Garner and one assistant took their measurements. They left the apartment and the tributes were left with their mentor for the evening.
The trio stayed mostly quiet. None of them were very excited. They went to sleep early. The next day was spent in the same fashion. They alternated between watching the reapings and previous games until Garner came back, a suite of stylists, hairdressers and makeup artists behind him. They pampered Clover and Xander, who both appeared to appreciate the attention. In the meantime, Solano went out to campaign for some sponsors. When he came back, they were ready to go down to the Avenue of the Tributes.
They took the same elevator as Gregor, Talon, Amia and Lennon. Amia wore a puffy grey dress reminiscing of smoke. That smoke was also present on Lennon's sparkly black suit in the form of a cloud of grey cotton wool around his neck and wrists.
The pair from 12 had spent the past day separated. Amia cried in her room, rocking back and forth and only getting out when Gregor asked her. Lennon followed him most of the time and asked him to train with him, which the mentor declined. Their stylist, Othello Crichton, managed to help calm them both before the parade.
Parade:
Even though the tributes from 11 and 12 made their way to their carriages together, they didn't acknowledge each other, preferring to keep to themselves. In the back, Lennon tried awkwardly to comfort his district partner. Amia was incredibly uncomfortable in her costume, and she kept sniffling. Every time Lennon tried to wrap his arm around her, she moved away.
The pair from 11 did not intend to interact with anyone, but Fowlanne and Kip (10) walked their way and offered a handshake. The girl was tall and curvy, she spoke in a very soft voice. Kip, on the other hand, was a short and wiry young man, with an impish face. They immediately suggested an alliance, and Clover agreed before Xander could have time to think about it. Once the pair from 10 had climbed back in their own carriage, he let her know that he wasn't convinced about them.
The parade started, as festive as usual. Capitolites in the stands cheered and clapped and threw roses at their favorite tributes. Clover and Xander held together and waved with a big smile. They did not get that much attention, being younger and at the back of the parade, but Corneo Anderson still complimented their outfit, placing it in his top five.
If the pair from 11 were quite matching in energy, it was not the case for the tributes behind them. Lennon had given up on trying to help Amia and the girl was slumped on one side of the carriage, looking at the ground. The boy tried to make up for her lack of enthusiasm by waving energetically. His good looks attracted him some attention but the stars of this show were the pair from 7, Davidia and Budley. They easily won the title of best dressed, their good looks also helping the decision along.
When the last carriage had reached the end of the Avenue of the Tributes, the cheers calmed down in order to welcome President Crane's speech. She welcomed the delegation from district N, causing a surge of applause. They would be supplying the Capitol in furs, as well as other produce from their region such as maple syrup and raw metals. She celebrated their joining Panem and wished everyone a happy Hunger Games. Coralys Robson noted that the president seemed happier than she had ever been. "It's the first time I see her smile", she added. This comment would not be included in the official recording for obvious reasons.
The tributes came back to their apartment in different states of excitement. Amia was dejected and ran to her bathroom immediately. Lennon was quite frustrated, but he tried to keep it bottled up. A short chat with his mentor helped him let go of the steam, and he soon headed to bed too. Xander was glad this ordeal was over, and he quickly left when an overstimulated Clover started asking questions about the training to Solano. "It's the best moment to make allies and work on your weaknesses, he just told her."
This year's rooftop party was unexpectedly crowded. Every victor was in attendance, gathered in small cliques interspersed with various spouses and stylists. The careers, Cleopatra Liu, Theseus Fierro, Ruby Costa, Castor Dalton and Vermeille St Clair, stayed among themselves and discussed strategy. Leon Reed talked cooking with his wife and Galvany Driscoll while the usual trio of Dorcas Vector, Organza Duval and Alix Goldberg were joined by Gregor Cantini and Solano Luongo. Halifax Devon spent the entire time harassing Edmund Carrell and his fiancé Sean Callahan to get them on his podcast.
Training:
Despite the rather festive rooftop party, the tributes slept well. In the 12's apartment, Amia and Gregor got quite a shock when Lennon came out of the bathroom wearing just his underwear. Amia choked on her cereal and tried her hardest not to look at the older boy, who came to sit right in front of her. After this uncomfortable breakfast, Lennon put some clothes on and accompanied his district partner and his mentor to the training facility.
Clover and Xander were already there along with the first half of the tributes. They were well rested, almost excited for the training. Clover couldn't hold her energy, she danced from one foot to another like she needed to pee. To her mentor and also Head Trainer Carmelo Harrington's dismay, she swore even more than usual, using f*ck as if it was punctuation.
During the three days of training, the pairs stayed together. Xander reluctantly welcomed the pair from 10 in their alliance, but they soon proved to be useful allies. Although Fowlanne was very mild mannered, she had a lot of survival skills she could pass on. They stayed with her in the survival station for the first day, discreetly observed by Nettica and Cobalt (3) who were plotting in the next station over. While Xander continued learning about edible plants with Fowlanne, Kip showed Clover how to throw knives. He was more used to darts, but he managed quite well, even attracting the attention of the career pack. That was until Larry (4) challenged him to a hand-to-hand duel and beat him within a couple of seconds. Kip was on the lighter side after all. Even though he was 18, he was barely taller than Clover, and thinner.
What Kip lacked in strength; he made up for it in speed. Clover, joined on the third day by Xander, could barely keep up with him on the obstacle course. Fowlanne, who was much slower, didn't even try to join them. There was a good feeling between the four of them, with Kip being kind of a clown, Clover being his second in command in terms of stupid jokes. Fowlanne and Xander were playing the role of the responsible parents, as they were more serious and focused.
Amia followed Lennon around like a little dog. At first, he was annoyed. He had planned on asking to join the careers but the boys from 1 and 2 kept getting into stupid arguments and trying to one-up one another. Eventually, he got used to her presence. She was quiet but learned quick. It was in the spear station that they met their allies from district 6. Micheline was an impressive young woman, in charisma as well as in stature. She was accompanied by Cargo, who was physically less impressive but was a mechanical genius. At first, the four of them just trained together out of necessity but it was Amia who started talking to the 6s about an alliance.
The four of them divided their time between the stations, sometimes together, especially when more intimidating tributes were around. Amia and Cargo were particularly terrified by the pair from 7, who kept to themselves but flung axes and spears in every direction with scary accuracy.
Eventually, the three days passed and came the day of the training assessments. After an unbearable wait, it was time for Clover to enter the dark room. She was a little nervous, but she'd planned with Solano that morning. She started by completing the obstacle course quite fast, even though she was nowhere near the best time. Since she had some time left, she decided to try knife throwing. She had been taught the basics by Kip, but her skill level was mediocre. She threw one knife. If she hadn't slipped on leftover straw from a mannequin, her weapon would have gone wide. However, her flailing a little caused the knife to hit the bullseye, prompting surprised gasps from the assessors. Clover did not throw a second knife. She'd been lucky enough.
Xander followed. He had decided to go unnoticed and to just light a fire, which he did with ease. He then completed a quiz on poisonous and edible mushrooms, his specialty. The assessors were bored, but the boy smiled and left. He did not care about training scores.
Amia didn't care either about the scores and she was next. She tried to build a shelter first, but she failed miserably. Instead, she asked for a trainer to show her skills with a spear. The girl wasn't great by any means, but she held her own, even landing some blows. She almost ran out of the room when she was done. Her heart was beating so hard she thought she was having a heart attack.
Lennon was the last of the tributes to be tested. He began with a show of strength. Just lifting weights had gone a little out of fashion in the previous years, but he managed to impress the trainers. He followed by an entertaining hologram fight with a spear, and then a sword. He cruelly lacked precision and technique, though he managed to destroy most of his virtual attackers.
The results came that night, a little before the interviews. All four tributes were in the upper middle echelon. Amia was a little disappointed with her 6. Xander was at 7, which was quite honorable and the same score as Kip (10). To everyone's surprise, Clover received an 8, as well as Nettica, Cargo and the boys from 1 and 2. The creative string of swear words she uttered will not be reproduced here... When Lennon received his score he seemed a little disappointed, even though Gregor told him a 9 was nothing to be sad about. After all, it was the same score as the girl from 2. The only ones higher this year were Vanity (1) and Budley (7) with a 10 and Davidia (7) with an 11.
Interviews:
Coralys Robson was dressed in a black armored outfit reminding of the flies from the past game. It was a perplexing choice. She looked a little ridiculous. She made up for it by starting the evening with a big congratulatory segment in honor of Urania Whimsiwick and her soon to be child. After some pleasantries, Coralys began the interviews. Eagle-eyed viewers were able to see that she was very anxious, this being the first time she would handle the job on her own. She did all right, barring her usual distasteful remarks. She asked Vanity (1) what made her different from all the pretty blondes in district 1 and told Cobalt (3) that his blue hair looked like "an alien moss". The tributes in general were entertaining this year, though in a few different fashions. The boys from 1 and 2 kept dissing each other in their respective interviews. Larry (4) managed to spend the entirety of his complaining about the Capitol while Dreg (5) started hyperventilating. Budley (7) had to do the interview with an interpreter, since he was mute. He was pretty scary, but his district partner Davidia was even more impressive. She was the one with the best odds of winning according to the specialists.
Clover waited impatiently for her turn, excited and terrified at the same time. She wore a dark green tulle dress that made her look younger than she was. Her mentor had coached her on what to say, and especially told her not to swear on camera. It didn't work that well. The first words she said were "Wow, your costume seriously f*cks !". She put her hand on her mouth, aghast. Coralys thanked her hesitantly and invited her to sit. The interview was slightly awkward at first but Clover's good nature made her well-liked in The Capitol. They talked about her surprisingly high score in the assessments, which she attributed to her unusual luck. "You must not be that lucky if you've been reaped for the games" interrogated Coralys. "I said I was lucky, not that I had superpowers, she responded. My mother named me after the four-leaf clover. That didn't stop my father for being killed".
After that rather frigid discussion, which Coralys promptly cut off, Clover was applauded off the stage. Her smile had dimmed a little. Xander followed, wearing an ornate tuxedo of the same green and a long skirt. It suited him well, and he had added his signature jewelry, which the host immediately adored. The boy from 11 was neither the loudest nor the most extravagant tribute there ever was, but he was agreeable to banter with, taking time to think about his answers. The viewers saw him as a quiet and thoughtful young man, though what they remembered the most was his style.
Amia followed, and she looked completely lost in her grey evening gown. A particularly untalented intern had caked her face in makeup trying to cover up her acne. Amia had to be told time and time again to speak louder, even Coralys who was a few feet away couldn't hear what she mumbled. She struggled to get answers from her, so she eventually gave up and sent Amia away. There was very little applause.
Last but not least was Lennon, who looked ready to burst out of his suit. He had kept his collar open, showing his hairy chest, and his beard was neatly trimmed. He appeared very comfortable. Coralys, however, was not as confident. Flustered, she managed to keep enough composure to ask Lennon the usual questions about his motivations, his family, any potential girlfriend. She gained more and more confidence as she found out that he was a laid-back young man. Unfortunately, he did not seem that interesting to the Capitol audiences if not for his rugged looks and confidence.
After Lennon was applauded off the stage, Coralys marked a minute of silence in order to honor the memory of late head Gamemaker Alector Crane (who also happened to be the president's cousin). Since he had died only a couple of weeks earlier, a temporary replacement had been chosen. Vitello Gamp was a middle-aged man, plump and pale. His hair was thinning, and he wore thick glasses. He was not just any random person : the viewers knew him as a frequent guest of the hosts. He was a biologist, who had recently been made head of the "creature department", where the mutts were created for the games.
He explained repeatedly that it was just a temporary position, joking with Coralys that it would make him lose all that was left of his hair. Since everything was ready, he would mostly hold a management position and keep an eye of the smooth running of operations in the arena. His interview was brief, and soon, Coralys Robson concluded the evening, wishing the Capitol a happy Hunger Games.
Day 1:
Amia had a terrible night. She knew her interview had been a fiasco. The disappointment and fear, coupled with the fireworks, kept her from sleeping. On the morning of the first day, she stumbled to the breakfast table where Lennon, Gregor and Talon were already eating. She couldn't swallow anything. Talon rose from his seat and invited her to the balcony. "Listen Amia, he said, you're planning on allying, that's a good thing. But you need to keep an eye on Lennon. He wont hesitate to hurt you if you stand in his way." Amia nodded, her jaws clenched.
The tributes from district twelve then made their way to the launching room, where they put on simple pants, t-shirts of their district's color and a thin jacket. Talon remained with Amia until she climbed into the tube, trembling and sniffling. He gave her his handkerchief to dry her tears.
Gregor kept Lennon company in silence, his bushy eyebrows forming a straight line of worry. No other words were exchanged apart from a "good luck" accompanied by a friendly shoulder pat. Lennon's platform rose. He stood straight as an arrow as his mentors reconvened.
The atmosphere had been just as grim in the adjoining apartment. Even Clover had lost her smile. She muttered to herself and refused to eat. Xander made an effort to nibble on a cookie. He avoided Solano's eyes. They made their way to the launching room. Garner accompanied Xander, giving him a last-minute pep talk. The boy hugged him tight before stepping into the tube.
Solano stayed with Clover, whose muttering had become a string of incoherent swearing. Solemn, he wished aloud that she would be as lucky as she was back home. "If I could I'd take you home." Clover gave him a sad smile as she rose into the arena. She steeled herself and closed her eyes. No light came. When Vitello Gamp spoke, greeting the tributes in a less-than-assured voice, she looked around. They were underground. The podiums were arranged around a central cornucopia that looked like a metallic tree stump. The wide platform was surrounded by gnarled roots delving into the earth below.
As the head Gamemaker started the countdown, Clover turned around. To her left was Kip, who smiled at her. The central cavern had 10 exit tunnels spread around its circumference. She looked ahead to try and find her other allies.
Xander was standing on the opposite side of the cornucopia, between Vanity (1) and Budley (7). He was sweating a lot. The boy focused on the supplies that were scattered around. Along with the usual weaponry and supplies, there were a bunch of digging tools : pickaxes, shovels, lamps. The central cavern was dimly lit by strange luminescent orbs ; the tunnels were not. As the head Gamemaker got to ten, Xander picked the closest lantern to him. He wasn't strong enough to get to the cornucopia.
Amia struggled to hold her composure. Cargo had signaled to her that they would use the tunnel just behind her. "9, 8, 7". She started hyperventilating. Larry (4), on the adjacent platform, did not look as confident as he did during the training. He was ready to bolt. "6, 5, 4". She saw Micheline (6) nodding at Lennon. They were intending to pick up supplies in the cornucopia. The smell of earth and fungus was overwhelming. "3, 2, 1". All hell broke lose and Amia stood there, terrified.
Lennon was ready when the countdown reached zero. He pushed past Cobalt (3) to get to the cornucopia. By the time he got there, Davidia (7) had already thrown an axe straight through the head of the boy from 8. He grabbed a well filled backpack, a sword, and wrestled with Kip (10) for a pickaxe. The smaller boy quickly gave up. On his way to help Micheline (6), who was battling with Budley (7), he stabbed the girl from 5.
Xander did not approach the center of the cavern, where fights were raging. He dodged a knife thrown by the girl from 2 and grabbed the lantern. Kip joined him with a small pack and a pair of knives and the boys witnessed the male tributes from 1 and 2 impale each other. Coralys Robson, who had made fun of their rivalry during the interviews and the countdown, almost choked on her drink.
Cargo (6) was the first to join Amia. He grabbed her arm and walked her to the entrance of the tunnel. She could hear Larry (4) running away. The girl watched her district partner approach Micheline, though he could not help as Budley's axe carved into her ribs. Lennon grabbed her spear and ran away. Amia, Lennon and Cargo rushed into the tunnel without looking back.
Clover had decided against running. She didn't want to trip on the soft soil or a stray corpse. She did not approach the center, instead making her way around. She had almost joined her allies when the girl from 4 rushed past her to a tunnel opening. Clover stumbled backwards. By the time she was getting up, Vanity (1) had approached with a sword in hand. Clover gasped and got to her feet. Just as she was about to get stabbed, the girl from 4 ran out of the tunnel she had just entered. It was a dead-end. Vanity ended up stabbing her to death, which gave Clover enough time to sprint away. She rushed into another tunnel with her allies.
They ran for a long time. Kip and Fowlanne were in the front, holding the lanterns. The uneven ground and roots made it hard to run in the tunnels. Here and there, there were small chambers, and they even jumped over a small stream before finding a bigger chamber hidden between a curtain of roots. They sat and, while Fowlanne kept watch, they checked out their supplies. Kip was still angry about not getting a pickaxe, but the group still had enough food, water and bedding to last a short while. They also had the lanterns, a small heater, a couple of knives and two telescopic spades. As they rested, the bloodbath cannons sounded seven times.
Another cannon sounded a few hours later, as Amia and Cargo were in the process of digging holes in front of the chamber they were hiding in. The cannon belonged to the boy from 9, who had tasted the wrong mushroom. Lennon had been tempted to try one out for himself, hoping it would be hallucinogenic, but Amia had stopped him. She was hard at work, hoping the exertion would make her forget where she was. After losing Micheline, Lennon had been appointed leader of the trio. He was taking a watch at the entrance of their tunnel offshoot, in the complete dark. Sometimes he could hear the shuffling of feet and murmured conversations, but they were far enough away. Sound traveled strangely within this underground maze. It looked like it had been dug out by giant rodents.
The alliance of 10 and 11 were preparing to go to sleep. Xander stood at the entrance of their little hole. He heard two people approaching their hideout. They were still quite far but the sound of their feet shuffling through the tunnel alerted the boy. He in turn told his allies to be at the ready. The two intruders stopped right in front of the dissimulated entrance, and Xander could recognize their voices. It was the career girls, and they were having a very one sided argument. Vanity (1) just huffed and puffed as the girl from 2 criticized her every move during the bloodbath : "... So you'll never be able to get a kill holding the bow like that, I think I should have it act- Wait! What are you..."
The whistle of an arrow, a dying gurgle, and the cannon sounded. Clover gasped, attracting Vanity's attention. "I know you're there !" she cackled. The small group looked at each other. They waited until she was in the entrance itself to bolt out. Fowlanne, who was the biggest of them, went first and sent Vanity flying. Kip and Clover were next and Xander came last. They didn't even think of trying to fight her, instead jumping over her ally's corpse and disappearing in the tunnels. Vanity was up in no time and followed them. They were fast, but she held a ranged weapon. Once she had a clear shot, she released an arrow. It hit Xander in the neck.
Clover heard him scream faintly before his cannon rang. She insisted on picking up what he was carrying. Fortunately for her, as Vanity notched a second arrow into her bow, the string snapped. The girl from 1 let out a scream of rage. Clover, Kip and Fowlanne were far enough by the time she was back in action. They spent the rest of the night hiding and moving around. At midnight, the hymn of Panem was played and screens appeared in the tunnels, displaying the portraits of the fallen. On the first day, the victims were the boy (1), both tributes (2), the girl (4), the girl (5), Micheline (6), the boy (8), the boy (9) and Xander (11). This left 15 tributes, but only one career.
Day 2:
It was quite complicated to make sense of the passing time since the tributes didn't have access to the sun. Since it was completely dark in the tunnels, nobody wanted to come out of hiding and those who had light sources (most tributes actually) did not want to get noticed. So on the second morning, only the pair from 7 was out and about. Lennon sat besides Amia, half asleep, as Cargo took the last watch of the night. He heard her sniffling.
- You alright ? he asked.
- Do I sound alright ? she sniffled. I don't want to die.
- I don't either.
- Why are you so calm then ?
- I try not to think about it.
"It's easier said than done", said Amia. She rose to her feet to relieve Cargo. Lennon stayed in the dark and chuckled. Even the night vision cameras couldn't make out his expression.
To help the tributes come out of their hiding holes, Head Gamemaker Gamp finally found a solution. All throughout the tunnels, small bioluminescent mushrooms appeared, giving off a weak light. Clover, Kip and Fowlanne took it as a sign that it was morning, although it was actually a little past noon. The trio explored carefully their area, looking for edible fungus similar to those Xander had showed them the day before. Suddenly, Clover perked up. She had heard a beeping sound. It was faint but attracted the tributes. It came from a small metal box attached to a floating balloon with a number 10 on it. Kip started running towards it.
"WAIT!" screamed Clover. She had seen a glint of something on the way and had a bad feeling. She was right. The pair from 3 had been rigging up electrical traps all around the arena. They were just some electrified copper wires pulled across the way. The girl threw a piece of dried root. It sparked and sizzled and burnt immediately. They ended up throwing a spade into the trap, severing the wires and lighting up the whole area with sparks.
The floating object was a sponsor gift, as Fowlanne had expected. It contained a big bowl of rabbit stew and three spoons, as well as a note saying "Keep up, you're doing well – L.". They found a more secluded space and shared the meal, expressing their gratefulness to the sponsors. However, they had to cut it short.
At the same time, Lennon, Amia and Cargo were facing off with the pair from 7. Budley and Davidia had tried to sneak up on them, but one of Cargo's traps worked. It slowed them down and alerted the others. They stood on each side of a t intersection, some with axes, others with knives or pickaxes. Viewers in the Capitol were ready for a bloody fight. The tributes too, but they were interrupted by loud sounds coming from the third tunnel. An enormous rabbit mutt crashed into the wall between the tributes. Without wasting any time, the pair from 12 and their ally ran away. When Davidia was finished with the furry beast, they were far.
In the entire arena, rabbits the size of small cows had been released. Their teeth were sharp and their eyes red. They were not that durable, but their incredible speed and bloodlust made for terrifying foes. Clover and her allies had been forced to run, abandoning the leftovers of their stew, when three of the mutts started chasing them. The size of the tunnels made it harder for the beasts to navigate. On their way, the trio passed by Flo (8), who was completely delirious. It appeared that her ally Nellie (9) had poisoned her with a tiny dose of toxic mushrooms in order to flee with all the supplies. Coralys had called it the backstabbing of the year, her tone rejoicing. Flo's cannon sounded a few seconds later, and now there were only two rabbits following the outlying alliance. Once again, Clover proved that she was indeed lucky. At the best possible moment, she tripped and fell. Her lantern rolled into a hidden opening of the tunnel wall. It was invisible when she was standing, but now she could fit through into a small chamber. Fowlanne and Kip followed just in time for the mutts to arrive. The opening was around 6 feet long and 2 feet wide, which kept the rabbits from entering. They stayed there until the evening.
Another cannon sounded a few minutes later. It belonged to Dreg (5). He was already dehydrated and hungry, and he hadn't had the energy to outrun the mutts. While fleeing another of the murderous mammals, Amia, Lennon and Cargo came across what little was left of him. This prompted them to take a small break, especially for Amia, who did not have her allies' stamina. Lennon managed to ambush the remaining rabbit following them and smashed his pick into its skull. He wanted to build a fire, but he was afraid to asphyxiate the whole arena. Just as he thought it, a sponsor gift appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It was a tiny battery powered grill. There was also a salt shaker and a note stating : "Stay on your guards – G & T". They had a nice supper that day.
To notify of the setting sun, the glow of the mushrooms started to dim. The few remaining rabbits were called back. There had been 24, one for each tribute, but only 5 remained. Vanity had shot a few with a new bow she had received from her sponsors. The pair from 7 had also destroyed a couple of them, but it was Nettica and Cobalt's (3) traps that had taken out the highest number of bunnies. Larry (4) and Nellie (9) had chosen the hiding approach like Clover and her allies did. As night started to fall, the trio decided to stay in their hiding place. It was very well hidden. They even discussed staying there for the next day, but they were cut off by an announcement from Head Gamemaker Gamp. "Good evening tributes. You must be tired, hurt, or hungry. I'm making this announcement to tell you that a feast will be held tomorrow morning at the cornucopia. There will be supplies that you desperately need, and maybe more. You'd better be there. And, may the odds be ever in your favor!". "sh*t!" reacted Clover, prompting Fowlanne to shush her. While they were preparing to go to sleep, another cannon sounded.
Lennon, Amia and Cargo had been wandering the tunnels, trying to get closer to the center. They wanted to be ready for the next day's feast. They didn't hear Vanity approaching from behind. She had been hunting all evening with no luck. In the Ravinstill studio, Coralys Robson was breaking the suspense. She kept joking about "knock-off Vermeille". Vanity released her arrow and it hit its mark. Amia collapsed, dead on impact, the tip of the arrow sticking out of her eye socket.
Lennon and Cargo bolted, but not before another projectile hit the latter in the shoulder. The girl from 1 decided against following them. The two boys found themselves in the clearing, and decided to hide in the dead-end tunnel for the night. Cargo offered his condolences to Lennon, who scoffed. "She wasn't much help, anyway, was she ?". He let his ally sleep while he watched the fallen of the second day. The portraits of Dreg (5), Flo (8) and Amia (12) were displayed, a rather short list which still left half of the tributes to fight on the next day.
Day 3:
In the early morning, Lennon awoke to the sound of hushed whispers. Since Cargo was still asleep, he decided to investigate. He walked stealthily to the opening of the tunnel, where he could see Nettica and Cobalt (3) working on an electronic device. Meanwhile, many Capitolites were jumping out of bed to see the events that would unfold. Lennon attacked. He threw his pickaxe, which hit one of the batteries they had used for their trap. It exploded. Lennon jumped onto the boy from 3, who was much weaker. He tried to call for help, but his district partner was already fleeing with what was left of their supplies. She also stole Lennon's pickaxe, which he only noticed later. He managed to grab Cobalt in a chokehold and squeezed, until the cannon ultimately rang.
At first, Clover thought the cannon meant the beginning of the feast. Since the lights were still "off", Fowlanne convinced her to wait. The two girls talked a bit about what they would do if they won the games and shared what little was left of their water. They did not have anything to eat anymore. A couple of hours later, Kip reappeared from his watch. "The mushrooms are lighting up, he said, I think they're showing us the way". "Well let's f*cking go then!" exclaimed Clover.
The trio followed the shiny dots, as did all the other tributes except Nettica (3) and Larry (4). Soon enough, they were all gathered around the cornucopia clearing. They had been directed by the lights in a way that prevented them from crossing path before the feast. Head Gamemaker Gamp believed it would give a more interesting showdown.
Once everyone was situated around, a platform was lowered from the ceiling, containing 9 duffel bags. There was a number on each : 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12. As soon as it hit the ground, all the tributes ran in at once. As expected, it was like a second bloodbath. Lennon approached the center, Cargo at his side, but the pair collided with Fowlanne and Kip. The latter stabbed Cargo in the throat, sounding his cannon. Lennon fought them off with his own knife and a water bottle.
While her allies were trying to distract the others, Clover ran in to pick up the bags. She was the first to arrive there, being the quickest. Vanity (1) came next, but before she could shoot Clover, Davidia (7) had decapitated her with her axe. She tried to do the same with Clover, but the younger girl slipped on blood. As Davidia swung where Clover's head was a second ago, her axe only met air. It embedded itself in the platform. This gave enough time for Clover to flee.
Lennon believed he had scared off the pair from 10, who had just seen Clover leave with the bags and joined her. He reported his attention to the center. The fighting was dying out. He grabbed his bag, plus the ones from 6 and 3 and ran. Behind him, the pair from 7 was about to give chase but Budley collapsed, his cannon sounding a few seconds later. It appeared Nellie had hit him with a dart she had coated in mushroom poison. Davidia elected to hunt her instead.
Lennon spent the rest of the day preparing. The bags contained water and food as well as special items for each district. He grinned at the sight of his brand-new pickaxe. The bags of 6 and 3 contained electrical and mechanical components which he threw away. Lennon did not stray far away from the cornucopia cavern. He swung his weapon, trying out different techniques. He seemed almost nonchalant, commented Coralys. She was very sleepy, and her conversation had slowly become more boring as the games went on.
The situation was similar in the other alliance's hideout. They had enjoyed their food and water as well as some light armored vests. Clover put flat pebbles in each pocket in order to have projectiles to throw, while Fowlanne and Kip enjoyed their new butcher's knives. Before sleeping, they promised each other to stay together until the end. "I'm faster than you bitches anyway, so good luck trying to catch me", joked Clover. Kip laughed, but Fowlanne was just silent. That night, while she took first watch, she cried.
At midnight, the portraits of Vanity (1), Cobalt (3), Cargo (6) and Budley (7) were shown. This left 8 very different tributes, some who were favorites from the start, like Davidia (7), Nettica (3) or Lennon (12). There were also some surprises, including Larry (4), who had been hiding this whole time, as well as the sneaky Nellie (9) and the last alliance of Fowlanne (10), Kip (10) and Clover (11). Coralys speculated that the next day would be the last, half guessing and half hoping.
Day 4:
Clover woke up on the fourth morning when a handful of dirt fell on her forehead. She jumped up. Kip and Fowlanne were already awake and panicking. The ground was shaking. She wondered how she slept through the loud rumble. There was no time to waste. The trio picked up their weapons and armor and emerged out of their hiding place. The tunnels were crumbling down. The cannon of Larry (4), who was hiding at the end of one pushed every tribute to run faster. Head Gamemaker Gamp had triggered the collapse, which started at the ends of the arena, in order to bring the tributes closer together by halving the size of the arena. It worked too well.
Lennon was one of the first to arrive at the cornucopia cavern, ready for the final showdown. Just before he entered, he saw Nettica hiding in the shadows. He did not move further. There was copper wire snaking around the metallic cornucopia and the podiums. He stood in waiting. Nellie (9) was the next to appear. She too noticed the wiring and stayed in the shadows.
Clover, Kip and Fowlanne sprinted even faster when they noticed that Davidia(7) was right behind them. The four of them came running into the cornucopia clearing, meaning that all the tributes were now in position. However, Kip stumbled a little too far and touched one of the podiums. The reaction was instantaneous. He fell and started convulsing. Fowlanne screamed.
Lennon chose this moment to attack. He aimed for Clover, carefully running around the electrified trap. However, Nettica chose to throw a homemade bomb in the middle of the fray. The explosion was mild and didn't hurt anyone, but it disoriented Lennon for enough time that Clover had disappeared. He chose the next closest target. Fowlanne was way out of her depth in the middle of the fray. With one swoop of his pickaxe, the boy from 12 got rid of her.
Clover had taken advantage of the bomb disruption to duck into one of the tunnels. She held her telescopic spade tight and watched her ally get murdered. In the meantime, Davidia had reached Nettica. She tried fleeing in the tunnel, but it was sealed. The scream that preceded her cannon didn't leave anything to the imagination. Davidia emerged again, covered in blood, and approached Lennon.
Axe against pickaxe. Metal clanged. Lennon was deeply focused. He could almost imagine the cheering of the viewers in the Capitol. They circled each other in between intense but short attacks. Lennon was sweating, Davidia was disheveled and almost manic. He hit her in the thigh, a superficial wound, and in return she sliced off part of his ear. There was a small pinching pain in his lower back, but he shrugged it off. However, his vision started to blur. His attacks were more erratic, making him even more dangerous, but when Davidia walked back a few paces, he kept attacking the air. At the entrance of her tunnel, Nellie let out a satisfied snigg*r. She had used her penultimate poison dart, and she had used it well. It took another half minute for Lennon to collapse, his skin tone green and his mouth foamy.
Clover reentered the cornucopia clearing, trying to find a strategy. She could not fight against the girl from 7. Another cannon sounded. Davidia had deflected Nellie's last dart and decapitated the girl. She turned around. Clover let out her most heart wrenching f-bomb yet. Thankfully, she was quick. The other girl was bigger and stronger. She ran at Clover and swung her axe with a roar. It hit her in the chest with a clanging sound and she flew a few feet before hitting the ground. Everyone was confused for a moment, Davidia most of all. Clover winced in pain. She removed a flat pebble she had put in her breast pocket earlier. It was broken in half. Davidia ran again, but this time she got too close to one of the podiums and received what was left of the electricity from the battery. The shock was much weaker, but it succeeded in making her stumble. Clover held her spade over her as the other girl fell on her. It was only a millimeter away from Davidia, who was already starting to strangle her opponent. Then Clover let go of the safety. The spade unfolded, piercing through Davidia's stomach. Her hold on Clover's neck weakened, and she felt something wet and warm spill onto her body.
It took another minute for Davidia's cannon to sound. There was no noise until the roof of the cornucopia cavern opened. Clover McBeale, of district 11, was announced to be the victor of the 116th Hunger Games and taken back to the Capitol.
Aftermath:
A week after the end of the games, Clover was able to give her victor's interview. Apart from three broken ribs, she had only suffered minor bruises and cuts. She wore a short green dress with a pattern of four-leaf clovers, as well as one of Xander's necklace in his honor. Coralys welcomed her to the stage in a light blue dress covered in tulle at the bottom. She congratulated her on being the youngest victor of the New Generation.
The two women talked about the games, especially Clover's luck. She had seemed to always fall at the right moment. "Lucky Clover" was her official nickname in the Capitol, although Coralys told her that she had voted for "Foul-mouthed Clover". "Both are right I guess" laughed the girl, "I must have said more swear words in one week than in a year, and that's saying much!".
After her Victory Tour, Clover spent most of her time in her district, where she went back to school to study agriculture. She moved in her Victor's Village house with her mother and brother but refused to let her stepfather or stepsister in. She did not mingle much with other victors, except for Solano and Galvany Driscoll, as well as a future victor she would end up marrying.
Chapter 17: The 17th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
Reaping :
The 117th Hunger Games took place in the year 153. Citizens of the Capitol were in a state of intense excitement at the first appearance of district N tributes. Their reaping had taken place a day earlier in a half empty reaping square. The people had to be kept inside to stop them from rioting, which meant that only the youth who had not fled were there. That evening, there was an immense crowd waiting for Bertrand and Josephine, even though they weren't that interesting.
When she arrived in district 5 in the morning of the last day of reapings, Clover McBeale (victor of the 116th Hunger Games) was in awe at the enormous power plants. She was taken by mayor Tully on a tour of their newest wind farm. She finally arrived in the reaping square, where she did not waste any time. Clover walked to the female reaping bowl. She stood on her tiptoes in order to reach the slip of paper, which she read aloud : "Marisol Perez".
A young woman in the back of the enclosure gasped. She was 17, tall and thin. Coralys Robson, alone in her studio booth, found her quite unattractive. Marisol was flat in the face, with limp black hair and watery brown eyes. She climbed onto the stage, seemingly emotionless. Her thin lips were screwed into a tenuous line.
Clover shook her weak hand and moved on to the male reaping bowl. She called to the stage 14 years old Blink Steele. In the crowd a man screamed. At the same time, a good-looking young boy marched to the stage, stiffly shook hands with the other present. He had bright red hair, freckles, and steely grey eyes. Coralys mentioned his crooked smile, claiming it meant he would be vicious in the arena. After mayor Tully's closing speech, Marisol and Blink moved on to the city hall, where their families joined them.
Marisol's grandparents accompanied her mother, who could barely look her in the eye. The news had broken the woman, who barely reacted when Marisol fell into her arms, sobbing. The older couple gathered around, offering advice and mostly comforting words. Eventually, the girl stood up, hugged her family one last time, and left with the peacekeepers.
Blink's older brother Spark stood in the corner of the holding room, bruised, and battered. He was the boy's only relative; their parents having died in a power plant explosion five years earlier. "I'm so sorry" started Blink, tears welling in his eyes. His older brother tried to comfort him, but he himself felt so sorry and angry that his hands started trembling. "Look at what they did to you, exclaimed Blink. You have to promise me that even if I don't come back, you won't do anything stupid."
Spark couldn't keep that promise, Blink knew it. They hugged one last time before a pair of peacekeepers took the boy to the train station. He climbed aboard with Marisol, neither of them acknowledging the other.
Their mentors awaited them in the carriage. Heliodorus Snow and Alix Goldberg (victor of the 108th Hunger Games) turned their heads to see their mentees enter. "So, you ready to die ?" asked Alix. She tried to smile, but her façade faltered for an instant. Heliodorus elbowed her in the ribs and got up. He walked with a cane towards the pair to introduce himself.
Marisol seemed fascinated by the old man's intricately designed mustache. Shortly after arriving, she became more easy-going. She explained that she was a good swimmer, since she worked on maintaining a dam in her district. Alix quizzed her and concluded that she was indeed a skilled worker, even though she wondered aloud if it would be any use in the arena. Blink, on the other hand, had no real skill since he was still in school. His brother worked three jobs just to provide him with an education. He was very realistic about his meagre chance of winning.
As the commute to the Capitol continued, Heliodorus made the tributes watch the games from the previous year, in order to show Blink that age or skill were not that decisive. Alix kept her remarks to herself.
When they arrived in the Capitol, a sizeable crowd waited for them in Crane station. Frilly dresses and sparkly hats and colorful jewelry dazzled Marisol and Blink. Alix stayed with them, watching over. It was with some restraint that the pair interacted with the Capitol citizens. They were cordial, but obviously uneasy. At first, Blink attracted more attention. He was prettier, and Capitolites love pretty things. Marisol made up for it in affability. She joked and smiled and ended up shining in another way. In the meantime, Heliodorus had disappeared in order to meet with eager sponsors.
The limousine waited for them at the exit. Alix and her mentees made their way to the accommodation sector of the Ravinstill complex. Marisol was in a sour mood; Blink was lost in thought. They barely reacted when their stylist, Jinx Del Rio, came into the apartment with their flurry of assistants. The pair was given a portfolio to peruse while their measurements were taken. They settled on a dark blue spacesuit, outfitted with a cape and holographic stars orbiting around their head. Their mentor jokingly mentioned that they did not look ridiculous enough to win best dressed. Jinx erupted in laughter. After their late lunch, they watched the last reaping, in district 1.
Clover was exhausted after the two days spent running all around Panem. The officials present allowed her to skip the visit organized by mayor Greene, instead going straight to the reaping. First were the female candidates, 14 in total. It was Vogue Corelli, 18 years old, who won. She was not the usual pretty girl of district 1, instead being very muscular with an angular face. Her debate round was not the best although she proved to be an ambitious and clever young woman. It was her talent display that gave her the win. She managed to defeat her fighting instructor as well as the headmaster of her career academy in hand-to-hand combat.
The male tribute was quite different. His name was Orlando Cascade, and he was 17 years old. He had the same tan complexion as his district partner, with dark eyes and flowing black locks. In short, he was so breathtakingly beautiful that he had Coralys Robson choking on her drink and unable to talk during his performance of sword fighting. He destroyed each of the mannequins with finesse and theatricality, almost as if he was dancing. His oratorial talent was further proved in the debate round where he annihilated his opponent with quick-wit and a charming smile.
The pair gave a last bow to the audience before retiring to the city hall. Inside, the ambiance was festive. Vogue jumped into her older brother's arms. Her parents were there too. "I told you ! I told you I'd go!" she exclaimed. Her mother smiled, a little stiffly, and nodded. Vogue continued : "I know you're not that cool with me going to the games, but I've dreamed of it since I was a little girl." The older couple acquiesced. They told her to come back, and that they were very proud of her. Her brother promised to keep them well provided for in case she didn't come back.
Orlando and his mother, Isabella Duncliffe, danced a mad gig. The woman was well known in the Capitol as she was an actress. Usually, she played the role of the "Femme Fatale". Her son had inherited his love of spectacle and good looks from her. They looked very much alike. His mother told him that the Capitol would "eat him up". He was beaming when he joined Vogue on the train platform.
The pair entered the train to see three blonde women arguing with each other. "I can see why district 1 is such a stereotype!" joked Orlando. This served to stop the three mentors from their discussion. Pilar Dundee, Ruby Costa (victor of the 107th Hunger Games) and Vermeille St-Clair (victor of the 115th Hunger Games) were indeed blondes, but the resemblance stopped there. One was older, the second was short and curvy, the last one was taller and wore an intricate mask covering half of her face. The three of them scowled at the boy.
Orlando proved able to change the mood very quickly. He showed off his acrobatics skills by juggling with knives, which he then threw into the wall, all the while cracking jokes. Vogue was a little more reserved, but she spoke openly about her strengths and weaknesses. Pilar and Ruby participated in the conversation, with only Vermeille being silent. Soon enough, they were at the station, where a huge crowd waited for them.
Vogue and Orlando had their pen ready, as Ruby and Vermeille did. The mentors were as solicited as their mentees. Orlando had girls and boys screaming left and right, fainting when he grabbed their hand. The hysteria seemed much more important than in former years. Vogue, although not as attractive as her district partner, also had a big following which she enjoyed. By the time they got to the limousine, their wrists were sore. Many Capitolites were still there when they left.
In the apartment, the dozen stylists were already hard at work. Clio Carpenter sat on her wheelchair, watching out of the window. She needed a respirator now and looked much older than before. She welcomed the tributes and ordered them to sit, still as authoritative as always. Since it was her last year as a stylist (she had not decided to retire but knew her death was coming soon) she wanted to go out with a bang. She had created her masterpiece. Orlando wore a tuxedo, Vogue a long dress. They were made of the same holographic fabric. Any light that fell on it was reflected into a thousand rainbows. The actual clothes were incredibly complex and detailed, inset with thousands of tiny diamonds.
Parade:
Orlando and Vogue walked hand in hand to their carriage in the front of the procession, turning all the heads in their direction. Most tributes looked at them in awe. Only the pair from 2, Cassius and Flavia, shot them dirty looks. After a few years of cooperation, the war was raging again between district 1 and 2. It took a few minutes for the pair from 1 to climb onto their carriage without displacing their carefully crafted costumes.
Blink and Marisol were not as careful with theirs. While the boy waited for her in the carriage, lost in thought, Marisol made her way to the pair from 4. Dorada's glare dissuaded her from coming closer. Instead, she walked backwards to the pair from district 6. Jancy was very young and shy, but Rover seemed interested in an alliance. Marisol believed his muscular constitution would be an advantage in the arena.
Eventually, the parade started. The stands in the avenue of the Tributes were densely packed this year, what with the tributes of district N added to the roster. Marisol and Blink tried their best to smile and wave, although the noise level made them wince. All in all, they held on and made a good impression. Corneo Anderson of Anderson fashion appreciated the level of detail in their outfits. However, in the middle of the parade, there was an explosion.
When Clio Carpenter said she wanted to go out with a bang, she meant it. The outfits had been gorgeous up until now, even more thanks to those wearing them. The carriage of Orlando and Vogue was overflowing with roses, love letters, and even underwear (clean, they hoped). They were in their element. Once all the tributes had been seen, the pair from 1 simultaneously pulled on a small cord on their shoulder. It released at the same time small fireworks, an explosion of silver glitter, and a long iridescent cape. The crowd went mad. Then, the whole costumes lit up. Vogue and Orlando became a pair of shining, glittering rainbows. Corneo Anderson fainted. It was only a couple hours later that he crowned them best dressed of the entire Hunger Games. Clio Carpenter was given a special prize. She would pass away, quiet and content at the ripe old age of 97, a month later.
After the parade, President Theresa Crane gave her annual speech. She welcomed the new competing district and complimented their appearance. She went on, announcing a new wave of innovation in Panem thanks to the arrival of district N as well as an upcoming peace treaty with the Iberic Confederation.
Blink and Marisol came back to their apartment exhausted. They thanked their stylist and undressed. Alix congratulated them. She had no other comment, as she had an important meeting with a client of her security company, and left the pair as they went to bed.
Instead of attending the rooftop party, Pilar, Ruby and Vermeille decided to celebrate their victory in their accommodation. They shared some alcohol-free bubbly with Clio Carpenter. Vogue applauded and watched as Orlando danced with the old woman, twirling her wheelchair around. When she left, she was beaming and crying at the same time.
Training:
The training started on the next day. Vogue and Orlando could not wait. They ate a quick breakfast and ran to the ground floor. They raced down the stairs and were the first to enter the training hall. Carmelo Harrington, the head trainer, waited for them with his army of subordinates. Orlando just sat on the floor.
The tributes trickled in, including a haggard Blink. Marisol followed, in better shape. Once all the tributes were there, head trainer Harrington gave his usual speech about safety and not killing each other before the games. He looked bored but knew his lines to a t.
On the first day, Marisol approached Rover (6) again in order to form an alliance. He looked all flustered, his lumbering form almost shrinking. "That's awkward, he said. Someone else asked. I don't want to double cross her. You should talk to her." The ally in question was Pastiche (8), a ferocious looking Asian girl. She eyed Marisol up and down. "Welcome ! she said a little dryly. Here's Needler (she pointed to her younger district partner). Is your friend joining us too?". Marisol shook her head : "I don't think so".
The five of them (including the young Jancy (6)) perused most of the training stations. Although Rover was strong, he was a terrible fighter. Camouflage was more his thing. Pastiche taught Marisol how to fight with knives. The girl from 8 explained to her that she fought in an underground ring back in her district. Marisol wasn't that bad at it. By the end of the training, she could beat Rover and Needler with ease. Not Pastiche though. Even Flavia (2) had tried and failed to beat her with knives.
Blink was very happy being alone. He weaved from station to station, avoiding the crowded ones. He did some electronics along Malthus (3), hid from one of Begonia's (11) tantrums in the fabrics station. None of the weaponry appealed to him but he was called up by a trainer for a sword fight against Bernard (N). He lost but not by a lot. The other boy was much stronger and faster, but Blink was smart and tricked his enemy a couple of times. He then spent some time on the obstacle course. Running and climbing kept him from thinking too much.
Orlando and Vogue stayed together. He had tried to approach the pair from 2 again, but they appeared still sore after the events of the past year (the boys killing each other in the bloodbath, the girls a little later). The synergy between the pair from 1 was very interesting. Vogue was intensely focused. She did her exercise with precision and beat anyone that challenged her, even the trainers. Although she favored hand-to-hand combat, she also practiced with weapons, especially a mace.
If Vogue was the scary one, Orlando was the opposite. He was overly friendly, cracking jokes and complimenting other tributes. He was so playful that some of them thought he wasn't aware of the stakes. He did not train very much, but when he did, he always put on a show. He added unnecessary pirouettes to his obstacle course, and extra flourishes whenever he used weapons. He even took to wearing a cape he had fashioned in the fabrics station. While it seemed to make him less frightening to most tributes, Orlando particularly enjoyed the fact that it made the pair from 2 enraged. Cassius and Flavia were indeed very serious and dignified.
After two and a half days of intense training, it was time for the tributes' assessments. The 26 boys and girls were put in the waiting room. Vogue went first. Cassius and Flavia (2) booed her on the way, but she did not acknowledge them. She was focused and put together. She bowed slightly to the assessors, who were watching attentively. Her display was one of pure strength and control. She used the long metallic mace to methodically destroy a dozen armored mannequins. It took her under two minutes, and she used her remaining time to climb up the climbing wall and back down. Even though they weren't supposed to, some of the people watching her applauded.
Orlando followed, as focused but seemingly less intense. His bow to the men and women assessing him was deep. He started fiddling with his handmade cape before calling for a trainer. His wish granted, the boy started fighting, using the long piece of fabric as a weapon, something between a net and a lasso. It was truly spectacular the way he tripped his opponent and strangled him (not fatally of course). For good measure, Orlando topped his display with some impressive knife throwing, although the assessors were already won over at that point. He left the room satisfied and joined his district partner in their apartment, where they started preparing for that evening's interviews.
After an uncertain Haddock (4), it was the turn of Marisol. She knew what she wanted to show. As soon as she entered the room, she walked to the weapons rack and picked up a pair of long knives. She asked for some holograms, which she proceeded to fight. Her performance was passable but lacked precision. After five minutes, Marisol stopped, out of breath. She decided to also show off her mechanical skills, just in case, and built a very simple motor in the time she had left. She exited the room, content of her performance.
Right after Marisol came Blink, who wasn't as confident. As he had jumped from station to station, he'd only picked up a little of each skill. He started with the obstacle course, which he completed without a hitch. He then tried to use a sword, but anxiety made him mediocre, and he barely hit his opponent (a more experienced trainer). In a last attempt at showing something interesting, he built a movement detector with some basic circuitry. It worked but did not impress the assessors that much. Having used up all his time, he was sent out.
While the next tributes were assessed, the pair from 5 went back to their accommodation. Alix had gone out, but Heliodorus was there with Jinx, discussing of their evening outfits. Marisol paced back and forth in the living room until the training scores were announced. She called Blink, who had been lying in his bed, and they watched together. Heliodorus congratulated them. Blink had received a seven, as had Bale (9). Marisol was higher at an 8, similar to Dorada (4).
Orlando was ecstatic. He had received the high score of 11, sharing the top spot with Cassius (2). Vogue kept up a happy façade, but it was obvious that she was disappointed with her 10. Flavia (2) was the only other tribute to have gotten a 10, which meant that this year, the career tributes had really good odds.
Interviews:
The next few hours flied by quickly. Eventually, it was time for the interviews. All the tributes were taken to the backstage area of the big auditorium. Coralys Robson appeared on stage, prompting a roar of applause. She finally wore a fashionable dress, many people noticed, instead of a weird disguise. It was white and quite short, with hundreds of bedazzled four-leaf clovers around her cleavage and sleeves.
To start the evening, Urania Whimsiwick was briefly invited to the stage. The applause became deafening. Coralys congratulated on the birth of her daughter Thalia, now about 5 months old. Urania spoke a little about her new life as a mother, and the complications she'd had at birth. She promised to come back the next year. "You don't have to, you know, they've forgotten about you." Joked Coralys. It didn't work. Urania's face lost all trace of warmth and the crowd started booing the host.
It took some time to calm down the crowds. Coralys had to go back and fix her make-up, as someone had thrown a pastry at her face. Eventually, the interviews started. Vogue appeared onstage in a silver bustier gown that showed off her strong shoulders. She wore light makeup that emphasized her sharp cheekbones. Coralys asked her the usual questions about her motivations. "I've dreamed of going here since I was a little girl ! My parents didn't want me to become a career. Now I'll make them proud." Said Vogue. She was beaming all throughout the interviews and received thunderous applause when she left.
Orlando followed her, prompting the host to turn even redder and more flustered than with Vogue. He wore a finely tailored white suit. After a first round of traditional questions, Coralys asked the one that was on everyone's lips : "So, do you have anyone waiting for you in district 1 ? A handsome young man like you must have all the girls at his feet."
"I guess so, Orlando responded, but I'm not really interested. I live for the stage, you know, and if I win, I'll follow my mother's footsteps on television. Love is just an anchor; I don't need it."
Coralys didn't know what to respond to that. The hall was silent. Orlando continued the interview by himself, talking about his training years and his future projects, and his appreciation for his district partner, until the interviewer was able to utter words again. He left the stage a little later, dodging roses and love letters.
The interviews continued. The pair from two was not as impressive or interesting. Dorada (4) unsettled the viewers. She sounded very eager to kill people. After Haddock's boring conversation, it was time for Marisol to enter the stage, wearing a pale-yellow dress. She had rehearsed her answers beforehand, which made her sound unnatural and sort of robotic when she talked. She did not leave much of a mark on the Capitol, even though she had received a decent score in the training assessment. She exited the stage to polite applause.
Blink entered next, looking lost in his yellow suit. His mop of red hair had been styled into carefully placed curls. He looked even more uncomfortable than his district partner. It took him a few minutes to become calmer. After that, he managed to make himself more likeable. He told the story of his parent's death five years earlier in a power plant explosion, his life with his older brother, their daily struggles. He even got a tear out of Coralys. His interview ended on a positive note as he wished the Capitol a "good viewing" (very few people picked up the note of sarcasm in his tone).
After Blink, the interviews continued. Brindy (7) cried the whole time, Pastiche (8) cemented her place as a fan favorite. The pair from 9, Bale and Ritzie, brought the viewers to tears. He had volunteered in order to protect his younger sister. Begonia (11) made a scene and accused her stepsister (Clover McBeale, victor of the 116th Hunger Games) of cheating to get her reaped. An investigation was opened, which proved she hadn't. Finally, it was time for the tributes of district N, who proved to be underwhelming. Only their weird accent was remembered.
After the interviews, Coralys Robson introduced the new head Gamemaker : Jahani Vishwa. She was a short but very pretty woman, about thirty years old, with jet black hair and deep brown skin. She sat opposite to the host and told the Capitol a little bit about herself. She was an engineer, originating from the British Isles (formerly district 14), and had built herself a career out of creating military complexes. She was very keen on starting to work on the games and promised to bring back a little bit of tradition. After that interview, Coralys thanked the viewers and wished everyone a happy Hunger Games.
Day 1:
Blink did not have to wake up the next day. His eyes were already open, his heart beating fast. He hadn't slept. At first, he'd stayed with Marisol and Alix in the living room, discussing their strategy. The girl felt awkward speaking about her allies. Both tributes were aware that they would be enemies from now on. Blink chose to isolate. Marisol and Alix spoke a little more, the mentor warning Marisol that her allies were not her friends, and that she needed to be wary of them.
In the morning, neither mentors nor mentees ate breakfast. The atmosphere was morose. Heliodorus almost excused himself to go meet sponsors, but Alix reminded him of his duty. He accompanied Blink in the launching room. The outfits for this year's games were quite simple : Beige pants, a t-shirt of their district colors (yellow in this case) and a light jacket.
"I should flee right away", Blink mumbled to himself.
"You sure can. It is not wise though. I don't expect you to fight but try to find a weapon at least."
The boy heeded the words of his older mentor, trying to keep his composure. It was Heliodorus who started to cry. "Look at me ! I'm getting soft!" he exclaimed to himself as Blink's feet disappeared.
In the next room, Alix awkwardly patted Marisol's back. "You really have a chance, she said, you're crafty. Just remember what I told you !"
The girl climbed into the launching tube. She breathed deeply. When it started rising, she didn't flinch, instead addressing a last nod to her mentor.
The night had not been as gloomy in district 1's apartment. They had gone to bed right away in order to be fresh the next day. Vogue and Orlando woke up early. They went over their strategy one last time. Since an alliance with district 2 was out of the question, they decided to stay together at least until that pair was dispatched. They had their differences, but Vogue admitted that they worked well together.
After a light breakfast and some warmup exercise, the pair went to the launching rooms with two of their mentors, while Ruby was busy securing new sponsorships. Pilar stayed with Orlando. He changed, whistling a tune. One last check in the mirror to see if his hair was in place and he was ready to step on his platform. "Please, be careful. This is not a play here", scolded Pilar, seeing him unbothered. "I know... It's more like improv really." Pilar sighed. "Just. Don't try to do too much. If you're dead, you'll never be a star."
" Yeah, but if I'm boring, I won't be either... Don't worry about me. "
Vermeille accompanied Vogue, who was not as relaxed. She paced like a lioness in a cage. "I need to win. I need to win", she kept repeating. Vermeille's cold hand rested on her shoulder for a moment. She removed her mask, revealing pink scar-tissue. "We're very similar. You are focused and talented. Don't let your anxiety take over, it will ruin you."
"But it's there ! It's always there!"
"I know. You need to acknowledge it and put it in its place. It can save you if you keep it in check, but if you don't it will eat you."
Vogue nodded and straightened her back. She climbed into the launching tube as Vermeille offered her one of her rare smiles.
As the tributes rose into the arena, the voice of Head Gamemaker Vishwa greeted them. While she explained the usual rules and started the countdown, the camera drones flew up in order to show the viewers the landscape surrounding the cornucopia clearing. This year, it was a rocky creek surrounded by a forest of short trees. The ground was relatively flat and dusty, littered with dried leaves and rocks. Barring some stone outcroppings, it was a pretty uniform arena.
Back on the ground, Marisol was desperately looking around for her allies. The presence of Bertrand (N) and Orlando next to her added to her distress. Needler (8) stood a few podiums away, but she guessed that the others were on the opposite side of the cornucopia. This year, the cornucopia had taken the form of an oddly pointy rock formation, similar to an array of stalagmites. Weapons and supplies were neatly arranged on and around it.
Vogue stood on the other side of the cornucopia, between Malthus (3) and Haddock (4). She could barely see her district partner. While signaling to him, she caught the eye of Cassius (2). He smiled deviously. The girl stood straighter. As the countdown dropped to 10, she noticed a mace, the same she'd used during the training. She let out a sigh.
Blink was already turning around in order to flee the clearing as soon as possible. He was not the only one wanting to skip the bloodbath. At the last moment, however, he changed his mind. There was a small backpack lying between his podium and the cornucopia. When the countdown reached zero and the cannon sounded, he ran.
As soon as the countdown reached zero, Orlando sprinted towards the center. He did not pay attention to Ritzie (9) or Marisol. His eyes were trained on a set of throwing knives. The center of the clearing was rather empty as he arrived first. In total, nine tributes had sprinted away without any supplies, although some had allies who did. Orlando dodged Bale's (9) fist and picked up the knives. He hesitated an instant on his target. Bale had picked up some sort of shield and was leaving with his sister. He finally decided on Begonia (11) who had not moved from her podium yet. The knife killed her at once.
Blink had been lucky, as Orlando's knife almost hit him. The boy grabbed the bag he had seen, but it was unfortunately empty. He had to creep closer to pick up a small knife. It was enough thrills for him. He made his way out of the clearing, having to cross a small stream to enter the forest proper.
Vogue, in the meantime, had made her way to her beloved weapon. She hit the boy from 7 in the face in order to take his backpack before joining Orlando on the other side of the cornucopia. The clearing was starting to empty. She missed Dorada (4) by an inch. Flavia threw one knife at the pair, which Orlando easily deflected thanks to a long rapier he had gathered. The pair from 2 were now approaching. On the way, Cassius threw his spear through the girl from 3. Vogue and Orlando shared an understanding look and fled with their weapons and some supplies. The others didn't follow.
Marisol had approached the cornucopia, tentatively picking up an empty water bottle. Needler (8) and Jancy (6) joined Marisol, the three of them waiting for their other allies and trying not to look too conspicuous. Rover (6) soon joined them with a full bag of supplies. Pastiche (8) was the last to arrive. She'd spotted a pair of knitting needles, that she knew were put there for her. She used them to stab Josephine (N) on the way. Once the big group was complete, they ran away, leaving only the pair from 2 in the clearing.
Blink had run in a straight line away from the center of the arena. Equipped with only an empty bag and a knife, he was relieved to see another source of water. It was a rocky creek. There were actually a couple of them crossing the arena, some joining each other. There were only a few inches of water, but a quick examination of the vegetation showed that the level could go much higher. Blink climbed down and tasted the crystal-clear liquid. Head Gamemaker Vishwa confirmed that it was indeed drinkable.
Once he was satisfied, Blink climbed back up the other side of the creek and continued walking until he heard the dull thrum of the perimeter. There was an almost imperceptible shimmer in the air. The boy decided to set up his camp there, between two gnarled oaks. Four cannons sounded, making this year's bloodbath one of the least deadly of the new generation.
Orlando was in an exploratory mood. He did not want to start hunting right away, but Vogue insisted, claiming they needed to "get to work". She was on edge, her head swiveling around like an owl's. Eventually they had to give up, as they could not find anyone. The sound of their steps in the dried leaves was too loud. They removed their jackets, as it was very warm, and found themselves a secluded spot between three big boulders. There were raspberry bushes growing on one side, and a cozy open space in the middle.
They settled here. Vogue climbed up on a boulder in order to observe her surroundings. She did not talk. Orlando was bored, so he decided to build a fire. It went poorly. Coralys thanked Vogue for her reflexes. The boy picked rocks to set around a small pit filled with wood and leaves. He managed to produce some smoke, but as soon as the flames started to appear, a gust of wind scattered them around. The fire started spreading, and it could have been tragic if Vogue hadn't jumped down and emptied her water bottle on it. The pair spent the next ten minutes stomping on any sign of flame. The fire had been extinguished, but the smoke would attract unwanted visitors. "We need to find someplace else," said Vogue. Orlando followed her and apologized profusely.
Marisol and her allies had been moving for a while. Pastiche (8) led the group, with Rover (6) and Marisol at her side. Jancy (6) and Needler (8) followed, as well as Henry (11). They hadn't noticed him running with them when they were getting away from the cornucopia. Once they had stopped, he had acted as if he was part of the group. They'd let him.
Pastiche shared the weapons between everyone. The youngest tributes received each a knife, with Marisol and Rover getting a spear. The girl from eight kept her knitting needles at the ready. The woods were quiet, with only the crickets making any sort of noise. It was hot, with a light breeze. As the sun started to disappear behind the trees, the group spotted some smoke. They decided to go and investigate. They were confident that there was strength in numbers.
The smoke came from the clearing the pair from 1 had just vacated. Rover took a first watch while the rest of the allies set up their camp. Soon, they were settled. Marisol wiped her sweaty forehead, leaving an ashy streak on it. Nobody told her. By the time they were ready to go to sleep, a cannon sounded. It belonged to the boy from 10. He had tried to snatch a knife from Bertrand's (N) backpack. He wasn't fast enough. The bigger boy caught him and snapped his neck.
Orlando and Vogue had moved a little further towards the perimeter. As it started to get dark, they set up camp again. This time, Vogue took care of the fire. They ate in silence. Now that their adrenaline had run out, they felt exhausted. Orlando took first watch.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, Blink heard the sound of a pair of footsteps. He jumped up, his knife at the ready. The forest was dark. Only the moon gave a faint light, outlining two silhouettes approaching. Their hands were raised. "I have a weapon and I'm not afraid to use it" said Blink, half shouting half whispering.
" We just want someone to spend the night, said the bigger silhouette. My sister can't take a watch. She needs to sleep." It was Bale and his sister Ritzie, from district 9. Once they were close enough, Blink could see the girl was barely standing up. He stayed mute for a moment, considering.
"Okay, but I take the second watch. And it's only for one night, after that we separate."
Bale had no objections. He sidled along to his sister who had already fallen asleep. Blink almost left, but his morals kept him from abandoning the sleeping pair. Instead, he climbed a few feet into a tree and kept watch. At midnight, five cannons sounded. The fallen of the first day were the girl (3), the boy (7), the boy (10), Begonia (11) and Josephine (N).
Day 2:
The 21 remaining tributes awoke early to the sound of scurrying. Something with small hands was fiddling with Marisol's hair and she almost screamed. Pastiche and Jancy were already up and had gotten their weapons out. Henry, Rover, and Needler were still lying down. There were a dozen raccoons going through their supplies. Marisol stopped Pastiche from striking one that was approaching her.
"Don't ! Look, they're nice. They're not attacking. I think they're just curious". The girl found the critters very cute. In the Capitol, most of the citizens were also fawning over the nosy little creatures. Coralys Robson wanted one, and she was sure they would be the next trendy pet. Most tributes were not of the same opinion and attacked them. "Do we have any food to spare ?" asked the girl from 5. She explained to her allies that they would probably leave them alone if they were fed. It took a little convincing, but Rover eventually gave up two of his cereal bars. Marisol crumbled them and dropped them in a corner. The raccoons ate it all, in a surprisingly clean manner. After that, they kept their distances. As the group moved to "hunt" for other tributes, the nursery of raccoons followed from afar. Every once in a while, one of them handed Marisol a leaf, a pebble, and even some edible fruit. She shared with her party.
Blink awoke to a scream a little later. He had not been visited by the animals. He almost dropped from the branch he was sleeping on. The noise had belonged to the girl from 10. She had been scared by the raccoons. By shouting, she had alerted the pair from 2 who were hunting nearby. A cannon followed soon after. Blink cursed himself. There was no trace of the pair from 9. They had left him alone. At the base of the tree was a cereal bar and a coil of wire. A thank you of sorts. At least they hadn't killed him. He ate the cereal bar, emptied his water bottle, and started walking along the perimeter. He left a snare he'd built with the wire on his way. When he returned to it at around noon, there was a dead racoon in it. Blink built a decent fire and had an "interesting" lunch.
Vogue had taken the last watch. She woke Orlando up as soon as she noticed the racoons were approaching. Once the pair discovered that they weren't a danger, they just scared them away every once in a while. This kept the masked mammals at a safe distance. Orlando enjoyed it. He would run at them, and they would scatter up trees. As the sun got higher and higher, they started walking around the area to try and find some tributes to kill.
A little after noon, Head Gamemaker Vishwa activated a switch. All the racoons of the arena froze at the same time. Their eyes turned red. Then they started attacking. They were now screams all around the arena. Around Vogue and Orlando, racoons fell from the trees. They were not that dangerous themselves, being very small (although one almost bit Vogue's ear off). In number, though, they were much scarier. Vogue and Orlando ended up back to back, one with her mace, the other with his sword. Blood and fur flew in the air. The pair from 1 were covered in scratches, but they were winning. They finished the last three beasts. After that, they needed a rest. Only a few minutes into their break, another cannon rang.
Marisol and her allies had seen the raccoons stop and become strange. But instead of attacking, they stayed around the group. Every time another one approached in order to attack, they would be driven off by angry chitters. "I think they're protecting us" hypothesized Henry. Marisol felt giddy. She had made a good decision that morning. Cameras showed that the pair from 9 were protected the same way, Ritzie having fed them when Bale wasn't looking. The cannon that startled everyone in the group actually belonged to the young Bertha (12). She had rolled her ankle the day before, preventing her from escaping the rabid raccoons.
Blink only had a residual amount of raccoons attacking him, as he was one of the only tributes to stay close to the perimeter. He batted them away with a branch. One bit his hand quite badly and he began to bleed. Nevertheless, he managed to fend them off. He then walked down to the creek to rinse his injured hand. The bite was deep, but didn't appear infected. Just as he thought that, a small beeping parachute fell near him. It had a 5 written on the side. In it were healing ointments and a note : "Be careful of traps – A & H". "Traps ?" he muttered to himself. He had not seen anyone in the vicinity, but he began to feel uneasy. Had his mentors tried to warn him of danger, or was it just a general piece of advice ?
This renewed vigilance saved his life. As he crossed the creek, he noticed one of the rocks seemed to move. He pushed it with his foot, and it slipped away, revealing a bunch of spherical pebbles. He would have fallen if he had walked on it normally. The splash caught the attention of the one responsible for the trap. Dorada (4) emerged from a bush, a bloodthirsty look in her eyes. She had a sword attached to her back, and a nasty meat hook in each hand. She started to run. In an instant, Blink was fleeing, jumping from rock to tree trunk.
In another part of the arena, the pair from 1 stalked a prey. It was a big group, and they were still surrounded by a bunch of raccoons. Vogue and Orlando circled around, trying to be as silent as possible. They approached slowly, as to not alert the alliance of their presence. Vogue had been a little worried about attacking a big group, but they were the only tributes they'd found.
At Vogue's signal, they attacked. Orlando threw a knife but it only buried itself in one of the backpacks. Vogue ran at them, and they dispersed immediately. The pair from 1 wouldn't be able to hunt them all at the same time. Rover (6) and Pastiche (8) ran one way, Jancy (6) another. Needler (8) and Henry (11) left together. Henry pushed Marisol on his way out. She hit the ground. Orlando tried to throw another dagger at Pastiche (8), whom he thought was the most dangerous of the group, but a raccoon attacked him. He missed and it hit Rover in the shoulder instead. It was not a deadly wound. Vogue, however, had reached Marisol. She struggled to get back up. The remaining raccoons tried to protect her, but they were nothing against Vogue's mace. A few seconds later, Marisol's whimpers stopped, replaced by a resounding "WHACK" and followed by a cannon.
The sound of the cannon wasn't heard by Blink. He was too busy running. He was slightly faster than Dorada, and more agile. Eventually, he crossed back into the creek and found a tree that was densely leafy. He climbed in a jiffy. A minute later, he heard the heavy footsteps of Dorada running under him. She went past his tree and continued running along the path. Blink decided to stay there for the night. The branches were sturdy and he was hidden from those on the ground. As the sun set and the air became cold, he covered himself with the leaves and fell asleep.
Orlando was having one of his "diva tantrums", as Coralys called it. His mother was known for having them too once in a while. Instead of being angry, he just moped, draped dramatically over a tree branch. His hair was wild. He was ashamed, as he had not gotten a single kill. His self-deprecating tirade annoyed Vogue to such a degree that Coralys swore she could see smoke coming out of her ears.
Instead of acting like other career tributes in the past, and to many viewers' surprise, the girl just found two sticks of the same length. Orlando did not notice her approach. He did notice, however, the stick that smacked him on the top of the head. "Come on, get yourself together!" exclaimed Vogue, holding out a second piece of wood. Orlando's look of utter betrayal turned into an amused smirk. "Shall we ?" asked Vogue. She did not wait for his response and hit him in the shoulder.
The pair fought (or played ?) for the entire evening, offering a pleasant spectacle to the viewers. They were very skilled indeed. Once they were tired and sweaty, they finally stopped. They hugged tightly. "You stink." Said Orlando. Vogue just smiled. They set up camp in the moonlight. The girl took the first watch.
As she looked up at the starry sky, the hymn of Panem was played, followed by the fallen' portraits. Strangely enough, there had only been three deaths on that day : Marisol (5), the girl (10) and Bertha (12). Even though there had been relatively few deaths, the viewers had found the whole day very entertaining. Coralys saluted Jahani Vishwa's sense of timing and the tributes' willingness to move and act.
Day 3:
On the third day of the games, 18 tributes awoke to the sound of Head Gamemaker Vishwa's voice. She announced that a feast would be held at noon in the cornucopia. Right after her announcement, a cannon sounded. It belonged to the boy from 12. After pursuing Blink the previous day, Dorada (4) had gone back to her shelter. She had found the boy's snare trap and had decided to adapt it for bigger prey. In occurrence, it was the boy from 12 who had fallen into that trap. It had killed him eventually.
Blink did not want to go. He was hungry and thirsty. He felt like he needed to go anyways. Every time he tried to climb down, someone walked under his tree. First it was Bertrand (N), then the pair from 2 an hour later. His stomach growled ever louder. He needed to go. But first, he went to the creek to freshen up and drink some of the fresh water.
Vogue and Orlando, on the other hand, had been up and about since the announcement. They circled around the clearing, waiting until they heard footsteps approaching from a northern direction. It was Needler (8) and Henry (11). They approached wearily, but turned around as soon as they spotted the other pair. Henry tried his trick from earlier and tripped Needler. He hadn't accounted for the other boy's weight and was the one to fall. Orlando was the first to catch up and he stabbed Henry in the back, sounding his cannon. Vogue wanted to follow Needler, but Orlando told her they should stay in the clearing. "He won't be far, don't worry !" exclaimed the girl as she ran after him. Orlando reluctantly followed.
When Blink approached the cornucopia, no one else was there. He'd missed the pair from 1 by a couple of minutes. Since it had worked well for him up until now, he climbed up one of the taller trees. He would be able to get back down quickly, and the thin branches would make the heavier tributes hesitate before following him. From his hidden perch, he could observe the other teenagers gather.
Bale (9) had left his sister to hide while he gathered their due. Rover, Pastiche and Needler had reconvened, the latter having lost his pursuers by hiding in a bush. Jancy, however, was nowhere to be seen. Dorada (4) arrived too, followed by her district partner Haddock, although it had been shown that they had only allied for the duration of the Feast. Malthus (3) was there too, covered in scratches and visibly ill. He had no weapons. On the opposite side of the cornucopia, Blink noticed that Brindy (7) was also up in a tree. Her bow was ready to shoot.
The last to arrive were the careers. Cassius and Flavia (2) on one side, Vogue and Orlando on the other. Their eyes were trained on each other. They barely registered the others present. A tense silence fell on the cornucopia clearing, heavy like a wet blanket. To increase the oppression, the game makers lowered the sounds of birds and crickets. Very slowly, the stone cornucopia rose into the air, uncovering ten bags marked with their respective district numbers.
The structure stopped moving with a click, and every tribute present rushed to it. Blink practically jumped off his tree, weaving between Dorada and Haddock to reach his bag. He picked it up, jumped over Bale (9) who was in the process of strangling Rover (6), and ran back to his tree. Something stopped him, he didn't know why, but instead of running away, he climbed back up in his tree. In the scuffle, Malthus (3) was the only one to notice him.
Vogue led the charge, Orlando behind her. She clashed with Cassius, hitting his spear out of his hand. The boy took out a sword, dodged an arrow coming from up high. She did not see Flavia behind her. Orlando screamed and threw a knife, but it only hit the girl from 2 in the arm. It was not enough to disable her. Just as Vogue turned around, Flavia's axe hit her in the collarbone. Her cannon sounded, followed by Rover's.
Blink felt somewhat safe now that he was up high. His bag contained food, water, some body armor and a hammock. He almost dropped it when the two cannons sounded. A tremor in the tree alerted him that he was soon to have a neighbor. Malthus was trying to climb after him. He was sweaty and desperate, and Blink almost felt pity for him. The Hunger Games were no place for pity though. Malthus begged for help, asked for an alliance, and the other boy said nothing. He waited until he was up there with him before taking out his knife. Blink stabbed the other boy's fingers, causing him to lose his grip. He plummeted about 30 feet and landed on his head. The crunching of the impact coincided with his cannon.
Orlando had first attacked Flavia, but she'd moved away from him to get her and district 1's bags. Cassius put himself between Orlando and her. Ensued an intense duel, longsword against rapier, where neither of the boys seemed to come out on top. Meanwhile, the fights around them raged. Pastiche (8) killed her district partner with her needles, leaving Orlando to stumble on his corpse. She grabbed her bag and the one from district 6 before bolting away. Bale (9) was gone too. Orlando did not see Flavia appear behind him with her axe raised, just as she'd done with his district partner.
Blink couldn't help but watch the fights continue. Flavia prepared to hit, but one of Brindy's arrow finally hit her mark. She dropped dead, shot in the heart. This distracted the dueling boys. Cassius raised his head to find the guilty party. His eyes met Blink's. Even though he wasn't responsible, the boy felt his blood freeze. He needed to get away. Thankfully, the treetops were densely packed. He managed to move from branch to branch like a squirrel, making his way out of the cornucopia clearing. He didn't look back.
Orlando took the opportunity as it came. Since Cassius was distracted, he ran away. Many spectators in the Renaissance square cursed at him and called him a coward. It wouldn't have bothered him. He didn't even pick up his bag. As he ran through the forest, tears formed clean rivulets on his face. He eventually reached the perimeter and had to stop. He was upset. Only this time, there was no one to help him out if his funk.
Blink was in a state of permanent dread since the Feast, that Coralys had nicknamed the bloodbath 2.0. He kept seeing the broken body of Malthus. He'd made a stop at the creek to wash off the blood from his hands, but he still felt dirty. He slightly calmed down when the sun set. To occupy himself, he hung his newly acquired hammock and camouflaged it to look like another puff of leaves. He ate a little cheese from the Feast then tried to fall asleep. In the distance, a cannon sounded, startling him. It belonged to Haddock (4). Dorada (4) had finally lost her patience and stabbed him with her hooks.
Later in the evening, as Orlando sat curled up between two trees, a blinking light flowed down from the sky, along with a parachute. The box attached to it was quite sizeable. It contained some extra light body armor and a note saying : "Show them you're a superstar. Now is not the time to give up! – P,R & V". He smiled sadly and thanked the sponsors. As he was about to fall asleep, the hymn of Panem resounded in the arena, accompanied by the portraits of the fallen. He stifled a sob when he saw the portrait of Vogue. She was followed by Flavia (2), Malthus (3), Haddock (4), Rover (6), Needler (8), Henry (11) and the boy (12). With 8 dead on the third day, this left 10 surviving tributes : Orlando (1), Cassius (2), Dorada (4), Blink (5), Jancy (6), Brindy (7), Pastiche (8), Bale and Ritzie (9) and Bertrand (N).
Day 4:
Orlando woke up early on the fourth day of the games. He hadn't slept much. His eyes were red, but a new kind of determination had settled in them. He kept his small daggers around his belts, his rapier attached to his back. He wore the armor proudly.
It took him almost two hours to find another tribute. The sun was up, they were all moving. Orlando kept his eyes peeled. He heard a splash. A few hundred feet from there, a boy was cleaning himself up in the creek. Orlando stealthily made his way towards the sound. It was Bertrand (N). He was half naked and letting the water rinse off the sweat and grime of the past days. Instead of attacking head on, Orlando sneaked up to the small pile of clothes, weapons and supplies the other boy had hidden between two boulders. He stole them, only dropping a shirt in plain view. He kept dropping items on his way, until he had nothing in his hands. Bertrand swore when he saw his missing equipment. Orlando waited for him behind a gnarled trunk as he followed the trail. Eventually, the boy from N trudged close enough for him to jump out of his hiding place. He shouted "En Garde!" before stabbing Bertrand in the heart, sounding his cannon.
The booming sound awoke Blink, who almost fell off of his hammock. He had been very comfortable. He had food, water, and shelter, so he didn't feel the need to go out. However, he noticed the sky getting cloudier by the minute. At around noon, it started to rain. By this point, the clouds were dark and menacing. The distant sound of thunder followed the droplets. Blink left his hammock and stuck as close to the trunk as possible. The drizzle became a torrential shower in minutes, with raindrops the size of blueberries crashing through the foliage. All the tributes were drenched. The water was oddly warm. Blink almost felt relaxed, like he was under the shower at his Capitol accommodation. That was until he heard the rumbling.
Orlando had scoffed at the rain at first, before it had become torrential. He was near the cornucopia at this time. He heard the rumbling before Blink and understood right away. A flood. With that rain, it was obvious, thought Orlando. Without further thinking, he climbed up the nearest tree. He was slightly heavier than Brindy (7), who had been up there the previous day, but he managed to get up before the water came. From a bird's eye view, it was possible to see the creek becoming bigger and angrier, then flowing out of its bed. The amount of water was obviously bigger than the precipitation there had been, in order to create a violent wave. Fortunately, or unfortunately for them, there were two victims of this event : Bale and Ritzie (9). They were trying to fish upstream. The current swept the girl up, her brother jumped in to try and save her, and they both ended up crushed against the rocks.
Blink clung to his tree. His knife fell into the water. There was no getting it back. The flood disappeared as soon as it had come, leaving behind washed out rock and big branches. All the leaf litter was gone. The creek kept a higher water level and flow, making it harder to traverse. Blink felt that the arena was becoming more dangerous. He knew the showdown was approaching. He decided to get closer to the cornucopia clearing, just in case. He unknowingly walked by the hiding place of Jancy (6), who the viewers were surprised was still alive. He tried to look for his lost weapon, to no avail. Instead, he picked up a rather pointy branch. It would do.
Blink spotted Orlando hanging around the cornucopia, so he kept his distances. He chose a pine tree to hide in, regretting his decision when he saw he was now sticky with sap. At least it smelled and tasted good. As night came, Blink noticed the glint of a camera. "This message is for my brother Spark. If I don't make it out, know that I love you. You were the lucky one, and now you get to live a long, long life. I want you to keep fighting. I want you to shut them down once and for a-
The camera stopped recording at that point. Blink had said enough. Instead, the attention was turned to Orlando. He was not doing anything interesting at the time, he just looked deep in his thoughts. On other points of the arena, tributes did the same. Only Cassius was still active. He had a revenge to enact. He found Brindy shortly before midnight. She was up in the boughs of an old oak. With a carefully aimed spear, Cassius dropped her down. Her cannon sounded before she hit the ground.
At midnight, the portraits of Brindy (7), Bale and Ritzie (9) and Bernard (N) appeared in the sky. One thing was certain : the showdown would be happening the next day for the six remaining tributes.
Day 5:
The sun slowly rose over the arena as the fifth day started. Not wanting to wait any longer than necessary, Head Gamemaker Vishwa triggered the showdown. The ground started to rumble. The leaves shook. The tremors intensified fast. The branch Blink was sitting on cracked. He fell about twenty feet. Over the noise, no one heard the crack of his wrist. Apart from that, he was okay. He picked up his sharp branch and moved into the cornucopia clearing, where the shaking was the weakest. He heard the cannon of Jancy (6), who had been hit by a falling tree. What he did not notice, however, was Pastiche (8) sneaking up behind him. Just as Cassius and Dorada approached, she stabbed Blink in the neck with her needles. His cannon sounded and she turned to face her remaining opponents.
Orlando was the last to arrive in the clearing. Since Cassius was occupied with Dorada, the boy from 1 attacked Pastiche. He was surprised by her agility. He had forgotten about her being an underground fighter back in her district. Nevertheless, he fought on. She was durable, but Orlando had been raised for this moment. He dodged and parried, swirling around the girl as if he was dancing. He was playing with her. If he'd wanted to, she'd already be dead. The signal came from Dorada's cannon. As Cassius extricated his spear from her ribcage, Orlando did one last pirouette and slashed Pastiche across the throat. She fell to her knees.
Cassius did not waste any time with embellishments. He ran at the other boy, his spear in front of him. It hit the air. "Come on, stop playing and come fight me!" he screamed, frustrated.
"Where's the fun in that ?", laughed Orlando. He attacked, then, but Cassius dodged his blade. He dropped his spear and took out the sword strapped to his back. "You want a fight ? I'm gonna give you a fight !".
The duel lasted for over twenty minutes, which sounds short but is actually an extraordinarily long time. The boys had very different fighting styles. Orlando fought with panache and quick wit, but his attacks were weaker. He seemed only able to manage shallow cuts on his opponent. Cassius, on the other hand, had strength on his side. He was bigger and would have beaten the other boy in hand-to-hand combat, without a doubt. Instead, they played bull and toreador. After five minutes, they were sweaty. After fifteen, Coralys wondered who would die of exhaustion first.
Then Cassius hit hard. A fluke, Orlando thought as the sword left a deep gash in his shoulder. His smile faltered for an instant. He appeared to trip, but it was a feint. As the boy from 2 prepared for the coup de grace, Orlando rolled and slashed against Cassius' hand. He didn't drop the sword. So Orlando got back to his feet (with a somersault of course) and slashed again. And again. The show was over. Now each cut was quick and precise. Cassius' clothes turned red. He tried to attack again, but he'd gotten slower, and Orlando just stepped aside. One last swipe of his blade and the ultimate cannon sounded.
Orlando Cascade, from district 1, was announced to be the victor of the 117th Hunger Games. He bowed to an invisible audience and stayed still until the hovercraft carried him away. Once he was out of sight of the cameras, he fainted.
Aftermath:
Orlando was acclaimed one of the best victors of those past years. Even though Cassius had also been a favorite, Orlando turned out to be one of the most acclaimed victors of the new generation.
He appeared for his victor's interview a week later, freshly out of the Gamp clinic. To the viewers' surprise, it was Urania Whimsiwick who interviewed him. Coralys Robson had had to be removed due to her poor performance. Hosting had proved too much for her nerves. Urania wore a dark blue pencil skirt and blazer, an outfit that was very formal for her tastes, but which spurred many discussions as to the clue it gave for the next games.
Orlando stayed true to himself during the interview. He wore a floral suit with a cape. He mourned briefly the death of his partner, whom he said he truly had a connection with. Along with his jokes, he gave interesting insight into his training and the techniques he had used in the arena. The last few that were bitter about Cassius loosing soon became enamored with the victor.
Orlando kept his promise. He became a renowned actor, appearing in many movies and shows. He also helped the career academy back in district 1, where he gave lessons on public image and becoming likable. He took the place of mentor instead of Vermeille, as she was glad to give it to him. She felt more useful by negotiating with sponsors instead of accompanying mentees.
Orlando had many friends, but he never married or dated anyone. He had to repeat many times over his lifetime that he was not interested in romance what so ever, even though his heartthrob looks made him a romantic actor. He lived a relatively happy life and was known as an eccentric but incredibly talented artist.
Chapter 18: The 118th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
The 118th Hunger Games took place in the year 154. Capitol citizens were happy to see that Urania Whimsiwick was back in her booth as host and commenter. This year, she was alone, but she didn't seem to mind. Her daughter Thalia was approaching the year and a half, and she was already the Capitol's sweetheart.
Another sweetheart of the Capitol was Orlando Cascade, victor of the 117th Hunger Games, who had to be torn away from a movie screening to perform the reapings. His first stop was district N, which he had only visited during his victory tour the previous year. In the reaping square framed by tall pine trees, there were only about sixty teenagers. It was more than the previous year, but the Northern people were still very antagonistic towards the Capitol. President Crane believed stricter punishment would straighten them out.
Mayor Lepetit started the reaping with another timid speech about unity and gratefulness to the Capitol. The booing that ensued was quickly shut down by well equipped peacekeepers. After that, Orlando walked to the female reaping bowl and fished out a dirty piece of paper. "Marie-Ange Taverne", he read aloud. At the front of the enclosure, a young girl squealed in terror. She was 13, short and plump, with blonde pigtails. She fainted and had to be carried directly to the newly built city hall.
Orlando then made his way to the male reaping bowl. He called to the stage 17 years old Julien Lemay. The boy was tall and wiry, every muscle fiber visible on his arm and his tight jaw. He had dusty blond hair and dark brown eyes on a narrow face. He walked stiffly to the stage and shook hands with Orlando and mayor Lepetit. He refused to look them in the eye.
Just as Orlando and Julien entered the city hall, there seemed to be a scuffle near the stage. A young man was being escorted away by peacekeepers. He screamed "Liberté!" and set off an explosive. Chaos temporarily fell on district N as well as in the Capitol. The entire city was put on lockdown. Meanwhile, Marie-Ange and Julien were immediately brought to the hovercraft taking them to the Capitol.
The girl screamed and cried for her parents, but they did not let her see them. Seeing peacekeepers approach her, Julien interposed himself. He managed to knock one out before he was sedated. Marie-Ange soon followed him in a dreamless sleep. Orlando stayed with Gaia Fermantel, the newly appointed mentor for the district. They were still very confused about the events that had just unfolded. Gaia, who was a young public relations trainee and had been thrown into her role as her predecessor had been imprisoned, turned on the television.
The terrorist's name had been Léon Dumantel, whose sister Josephine had been killed in the previous games. Two other terrorists had been arrested before they could do much more damage. They claimed the were part of an organization called "Quebec libre". Unfortunately, the first explosion had caused the death of six peacekeepers and seventeen civilians including the mayor. President Crane promised to dismantle this criminal organization and announced new punitive measures to district N until further notice.
When the pair awoke, almost 24 hours had passed. Marie-Ange was confused, as she was in an unfamiliar bedroom. A brown-haired woman's face peered through the door. "Hello ! I'm Gaia, your mentor. I'm sorry you couldn't say goodbye to your family."
"Where are we ?" asked the girl, starting to panic again.
"It's fine, you're in the Capitol. Do you want to come and meet your stylist?"
The girl was reluctant at first, and her mentor didn't push, but when she heard the voice of Julien in the living room, she decided to come out. Her district partner had just been woken up too. He cast a wary glance at the girl. Gaia welcomed her. She did all the talking until someone came knocking at the door. It was their stylist, a shy young man by the name of Pavel Demigloss.
The man asked many questions about the district, some of them making Julien roll his eyes. Even Gaia was baffled by Pavel's ignorance of district N. He believed it to be a big frozen forest, and had prepared some outfits that reminded the tributes of cavemen. Gaia took him aside and asked him to design a more appropriate outfit. He came back the next day with something a little more "civilized", but that still included a lot of fur and two pairs of moose antlers...
The day passed quickly, the pair and their mentor getting to know each other a little more. Julien had some confidence in his skills. He was an experienced hunter, living in the woods most of the year. His family provided a lot of furs to the Capitol. Gaia had more fun talking to Marie-Ange, who had a bubbly personality when she was not stressed to the point of fainting. Her family were bakers, and she was preparing to follow the tradition before she had been forced to go to school.
On the second day of their stay, during the fittings, the pair watched the reaping of district 4. It had to take place indoors, as the district was suffering from heavy rains and strong winds. They'd had injuries and a lot of destroyed material in the previous year, so mayor Vandenborre had chosen to hold the reaping in an emptied sardine cannery.
Orlando frowned at the lingering smell and marched to the female reaping bowl. He called the name of 18 years old Marley Esposito. There were gasps in the audience. The crowds started to part, revealing a tan girl in a wheelchair. A sonorous "NO!" resounded in the building, followed by "I volunteer!". The voice came from another girl standing next to the original tribute. She was tall, with jet black hair and dark eyes, puffy with tears. She ripped out her glasses and marched to the stage, leaving Marley aghast. Her name was Annie Sandler-Zhao, and she was also 18 years old. After recovering from the surprise of the girl volunteering, Urania Whimsiwick listened to what was said to her in her earpiece and cooed. "Dear viewers, here's a real proof of love that we saw today, volunteering for her roommate, Annie is surely a great young woman."
After the girl had been welcomed to the stage, Orlando walked to the male reaping bowl and picked 16 years old Reef Broderick. A good-looking blond boy sighed, but he did not look that traumatized by his reaping. He walked nonchalantly to the stage, where he shook hands with Mayor Vandenborre, Orlando and finally Annie. Some other boys were cheering for him, but they were quickly silenced. The security measures had been updated since the attack in district N.
In the holding room, Reef was joined by his parents. The wore their finest clothes, but that didn't keep them from looking absolutely miserable. His mother seemed the most put together of the two. She held her sobbing husband in one arm and her son in the other. She removed his fringe from his face letting his blue green eyes appear. "You better come back Reef. I'm counting on you, please. Your father couldn't take it". Reef sighed deeply. "You know I can't promise that... But I'll do my best. Also, Dolphy owes you a bag of rice."
"You bet on your reaping ?"
Reef did not respond, giving his mother a small smile as an apology. She hugged him tight one last time before she and his father were escorted out.
Marley was waiting for Annie in her own holding room, and she fell into her "friend's" arms. They kissed passionately; their tears were mixing up. "I'm so sorry ! You don't know how sorry I am!" whimpered Marley. Annie shushed her. She sat on the arm of her wheelchair. " There's no need to be sorry. You know I have better odds than you. They wouldn't even have given you the chair."
"I know ! But you didn't have to volunteer. You have a job, a cabin, a life in front of you-"
"Shut up, shouted Annie, I'm going to win, one way or another, and when I come back we'll have a real house and we won't have to work, and I'll buy you a hovercraft chair okay !"
Marley wiped a tear from her lover's chin. "Okay". Peacekeepers, alerted by the shouting, interrupted their last moment of tenderness before Annie's departure.
The pair of tributes was subsequently taken to the train, where their mentor awaited them. Oleander Harrison had given up on dying her hair. It sat in a curly silver cloud on her head. She was not even fifty, but stress and lack of sleep made her look older. She welcomed the tributes and invited them to sit. "So, tell me about yourselves" she asked.
Reef was draped over the sofa, eating from a fresh fruits platter. He started talking, as Annie was still trying to digest the goodbyes with her girlfriend. He did not appear anxious at all. "Chill", was how he described himself. Since his family had decent jobs in the managing of fish export, he did not need to work. He spent his time out of school surfing with his equally fortunate "bros". Oleander asked if he had any skills. "Well I am a very good swimmer", he said. The mentor sighed.
"Like everyone in 4, you mean," intervened Annie. She didn't mean to sound so harsh, and she apologized immediately. She was a hard worker, employed at the shipyard, meaning she was used to hard labor. Living in the Reef (the boy frowned at the name, wondering why he had been name after a slum), she was scrappy and believed she could survive harsh conditions.
Oleander spoke a little more with her mentees, then sent them to the bathrooms to get cleaned up. After that, the three of them watched the 105th Games until they arrived in the Capitol.
The crowd in Crane station was sizeable, even though district 4's losing streak (no victors in almost 20 years) had led to lower and lower interest in the tributes. Annie's volunteering had probably attracted people, who saw her as sort of a martyr. "You are such a dutiful friend ! exclaimed an older lady. It's sure that my friends wouldn't be that selfless." Annie was so baffled that she didn't respond, instead displaying a stupid smile. She saw no use in arguing, and soon escaped the grasp of the Capitolites. She felt uncomfortable, being watched like that. Oleander rested a hand on her shoulder.
The two women waited for Reef to finish talking. He was much more easygoing than his district partner, and especially photogenic. He enjoyed the company of his "fans" a bit too much to Oleander's taste, and she had to drag him to the limousine in order for the pair to get styled.
They entered their apartment a short ride later. The pair was stunned by the luxury of the place. They did not know where to look. As Annie tried to grab a peach off of the fruit platter, a thin hand wearing a multitude of colorful bracelets grabbed her. "Nuh huh ! No eating until after the parade, young lady" scolded her stylist, Tavali Landow. She was known for being tyrannical, even though she looked more like a fairy than an evil queen (that role was reserved for Platonia Travers, her mortal enemy).
Parade:
Annie felt ridiculous as she took the elevator to the stables. She had been manhandled, coiffed, cinched, waxed and generally mistreated to get her to fit into a skimpy seaweed dress. She was quite lanky, but the corset suffocating her made her feel like a beached whale. Reef, on the other hand felt perfectly good. He only had to wear a seaweed loincloth and a seashell necklace. He was proud to show off his toned upper body. His tan skin had been enhanced by some glittering oil. When the pair got out, however, he realized that the Capitol was not as warm as their home district.
Julien and Marie-Ange looked ridiculous with their antlers and their flannel coats. The fur made them sweaty. Marie-Ange's make-up was already starting to melt, and she hadn't even cried yet. Their chariot sat at the end of the line. As they made their way there, Marie-Ange tried to make eye contact with other tributes. None of them seemed inclined to even look at the pair. Many were too stressed out.
As they waited in their chariot, weathering the taunts of Dakota and Virginia (6), Reef started to shiver. Annie gave him a side glance, the one that meant "you should have taken the fishnet cape like I told you to". The first chariot set off, the others quickly following. As they appeared on the Avenue of the Tributes, they were blinded by the bright lights. Annie instinctively shielded herself with her arm, which the spectators fortunately took for a wave. Reef grabbed his district partner's hand and started waving. He didn't have to hold on to the carriage, being used to standing on a moving surfboard. That slightly impressed the public. Their outfits, however, were barely commented on by Urania and Corneo Anderson, the editor in chief of Anderson Fashion.
While Julien had stood stoic and dignified for the whole ride, presenting his sharp profile to the audience, Marie-Ange clung to him to keep from falling off the carriage. She felt ashamed, and the sensory overload proved to be too much for her. Her acute motion sickness did nothing to help. Thankfully, she held it until the carriage returned to the stables. She just had the time to vomit before the horses turned back and headed to the other end of the avenue.
This year, President Crane was surrounded by heavily armed peacekeepers. Her speech was much harsher than the year before. She said that she was incredibly saddened by the ingratitude of district N, and reiterated that there would be sanctions. Nevertheless, she wished the Capitol a happy Hunger Games and left to celebrate in her presidential manor.
Another kind of celebration was taking place on the rooftop of the accommodation wing, but neither Oleander Harrison nor Gaia Fermantel participated. The first was too tired, preferring to review her tributes' strategies for training. The latter felt bad leaving her mentees alone for the evening. They watched the reviews of the parade, making Marie-Ange cry again. She really did look green on camera. The best dressed tributes for this year were Galax and Eileen, from district 5, whose costumes acted like real tesla coils.
Training:
The next morning, the training started. Julien, Marie-Ange, Annie and Reef started the day in the same way : apprehensive but well rested. They made their way to the already crowded training facilities, where Head trainer Carmelo Harrington waited for the latecomers. He introduced himself, repeated the usual rules (no murder, no maiming, etc....) and advised the tributes to try and vary their training.
At first, Marie-Ange remained with Julien. He quickly told her that he didn't plan on allying with her. She was an obstacle to his victory. She took the news with dignity, her chin held high but her eyes fogging up. Her first afternoon was spent quietly sobbing in the fabrics station until Berry (11) found her. The girl was slightly older, and she took Marie-Ange under her wing. The pair spent the remaining time hovering around the survival stations. They were too scared to approach the weapons. At the end of the training period, she could build a shelter and recognize most edible plants.
Once he had gotten rid of Marie-Ange, Julien was free to train as he wished. He was a skilled hunter, but firearms were not allowed in the games, so he decided to work on his bow and arrows skills. He was a sharpshooter for sure, impressing the trainers as well as Freya and Faunus (2), who asked him to join their alliance. Since their district was still at war with district one, they needed some help to beat them. Julien thought Filigree and Templar looked more like pampered models than killing machines, which made his newfound allies laughed. They shared their time between the most offensive focused stations and the obstacle course, although Julien insisted on teaching them how to catch small game. Faunus believed they would have enough food with their sponsor gifts. Julien just sighed.
On the evening before the last day of training, Marie-Ange complained to Gaia about her district partner abandoning her. Gaia, who had been watching from the mentors' gallery the whole time, told her that he wasn't obligated to do anything, and that it was just how things worked. Marie-Ange cried again that night, and Gaia herself felt mortified.
Annie and Reef decided to stay together. They spent the first day hunting for allies. They had seen the tributes from districts 8, 9 and 10 forming an alliance. At first, they had joined the pair from 7 in the axe throwing station. It had gone well until Forrest started making jokes about Annie's eyes, and how she should be unable to see with such "tiny peepers". He then wondered why she and Reef had left so quickly. On the second day, they worked on the obstacle course with Heath, a chunky black boy, and Brandy, his athletic redheaded district partner. They were from 12 and also very interested by an alliance. Brandy kept sneaking glances at Annie, which made her confused. The four of them ended up training together for the rest of their imparted time and decided to ally.
On the third day, after another busy morning for the tributes, the training assessments took place. Annie entered the assessment room after Deezer (3) had finished. She started to build a fire, but only managed to break out a sweat and produce a few puffs of smoke. In the end, she gave up and presented her knowledge of toxic and edible seashells and fish. That didn't seem to convince the judges. She quickly left, replaced by Reef.
The boy was much more confident in his abilities. He asked to go to the pool, where he swam and handled a trident. His display was okay. He had the swimming part nailed, obviously, but the trident needed a little more work. He was more used to a surfboard. One thing that surprised the judges, however, was his ease at swimming fully clothed. Now he just needed to end up in an aquatic arena...
The other tributes trickled in after Reef, one after the other, until Julien and Marie-Ange were the last in the waiting room. They refused to even look at each other. The girl was called, and she entered the black room. At first, Marie-Ange tried to build a shelter. However, her anxiety made her tremble too much to tie any knot. The half-built tent collapsed in a heap of colorful fabric and sticks. Its builder collapsed too. A trainer had to carry her out of the room, sobbing and unable to walk.
Hearing the crying, Julien sighed. He stood when his name was called, entered the room and stiffly nodded to the assessors' greetings. Most of them were bored out of their minds or drunk, but Julien did not care. He did what he'd come here to do. He shot a dozen arrows at various targets across the room, all with great accuracy. He ended his display by building a small but complex bunny trap, which didn't get that much attention from the judges. They were eager to head out to dinner, over which they would give out the scores.
A couple of hours later, the training scores were announced. Unsurprisingly, Marie-Ange was in the bottom with a 3, shared with her friend Berry (11). She didn't hear about it, as she was too occupied crying in the bathroom, and Gaia decided not to tell her. She was already distraught enough.
Annie had received a 5, which she did not care much about, putting her in the lower tier along Harvey (11) and Keyra (3). She laughed about it. Reef, however, was not as amused. He was disappointed to have only received a 7, which Oleander reminded him was still a decent note. It had been the same score as Edna (8) and Brandy (12).
Julien barely reacted when his mentor congratulated on his score of 10. That put him on the podium alongside Templar (1) and Freya (2). Only Faunus (2) and Filigree (1) had received a higher score of 11. Once the announcements were done, the tributes could go back to being dressed up for that evening's interviews.
Interviews:
Pavel Demigloss eventually convinced Marie-Ange to get out of the bathroom, bribing her with pastry. He had to get her ready in less than half an hour while Julien stood to the side and watched. In the 4's apartment, the ambiance was less frantic. Tavali Landow had suggested less outlandish costumes. Reef was his usual cool self, and Annie had had a pep talk with Oleander that made her feel less anxious.
That night when Urania Whimsiwick appeared onstage, the cheers were deafening. Flowers and fan mail rained down on the stage to welcome her back to the games. She wore a gorgeous grey fur coat, with an assorted mask reminding of the racoons from the past games. The little creatures had become a fashion phenomenon after it was realized that they made terrible pets and much prettier furs.
After warm greetings, Urania started the interviews with Filigree (1). She interviewed all the careers, mostly talking about the feud between district 1 and district 2. Between the trash talk, the tributes spoke of their upbringing, their goals and the usual. This year, they all were part of the favorites.
Annie entered the stage after the boy of district 3. Her teal dress was less constricting than the outfit she had worn during the parade, leaving her wide shoulders and long arms free. She sat straight on the edge of her armchair, awaiting Urania's questions. As was to be expected, she started with Marley. "We've been together for two years now, but we were friends since childhood. She lost her parents and the use of her legs during the hurricane ten years ago, so we took her in. And when my father started to drink, I knew we'd have to move away. I take care of her, she takes care of me."
"How lovely!" cooed the host. The audience was of the same opinion. Annie had feared some mean remarks, but her lover being a girl did not shock anyone. Urania even asked to be invited to the wedding if Annie made it out of the games. When leaving her place, she felt a bit frustrated that the audience didn't seem to care about her, only about her relationship. "You're an archetype, would explain Oleander that night, they like you for the trope."
Even though he didn't steal the thunder from her district partner's interview, Reef made a good impression on the Capitol. He wore a teal suit that was open to show off his well-proportioned torso. His answers to the hosts questions were somehow lacking in depth. He lost his countenance a couple of times, stumbling over his words, especially when they talked about in-game strategy. In the end, he appeared as a likeable tribute, if not a competent one.
The interviews continued with Eileen (5), whom Urania compared to a renaissance painting, and went on without a hitch. The tributes from 6 were suffering from morphling withdrawal, Forrest (7) ridiculed himself by asking Urania why she "looked different from last year". Chevron (8) made a lasting impression thanks to his looks and his fighter mindset. After the departure of Heath (12), Marie-Ange appeared on stage. Her blond pigtails bounced with a mind of their own as she walked to the chair, wearing a simple but elegant plaid dress. It made her look older than she really was.
Fortunately, her stylist had opted for waterproof makeup. As soon as she was sat, Marie-Ange started whimpering. Urania calmed her down and continued the interview, avoiding subjects that were too distressing. She let the girl talk of her passion for baking, her family and in general of life back in district N. Many Capitol citizens were very interested, since life there seemed so different and exotic. Hunting, living in the woods, each village having its own mayor, it all seemed so strange. When Marie-Ange left, she was not crying anymore. She was cheered off the stage, even though everyone knew she had very low odds of surviving.
Julien, on the other hand, was much more likely to win. Unfortunately, he was not well liked in the Capitol. He answered Urania's questions coldly. His responses were curt and straight to the point, and he refused to speak about his family. He was escorted off of the stage shortly after. The subject had drifted to the terrorist attacks back in district N, and Julien had started to spout anti Capitol nonsense. His microphone was cut very quickly, but he stirred another night of rioting in his district.
After a short pause in order for Urania to get herself back together, it was time to welcome Head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa. The woman was resplendent and very happy to come back. The Capitol had adored her previous arena design and sense of timing, and she promised to make the 118th Hunger Games "at least as good". She answered some question, without divulging any clue about the arena except that this year, it wouldn't be "all natural". After the interview, Urania wished all the viewers a happy Hunger Games and set off the festivities.
Day 1:
Marie-Ange went to sleep immediately, while Gaia screamed at Julien. How dared he attack the Capitol ! Doing so ruined his chances at any sponsor or support. The boy did not seem to care, surrounding himself in an icy silence while his mentor gave up on scolding him and started giving phone calls. She did so for the entire night.
In the morning, no one was able to eat breakfast. They didn't talk, didn't make eye contact, until it was time to go to the holding rooms. Pavel Demigloss accompanied Julien. He stayed back, probably afraid that the boy would attack him if he said anything. Julien put on a short-sleeved white shirt, linen shorts and tan espadrilles. He was as pale as his shirt, every muscle tensed as he climbed into the launching tube. Pavel risked a soft "good luck" before running out of the room.
Gaia and Marie-Ange cried. A lot. The mentor had to convince her to put on her clothes, which she helped with, and then to climb into the tube. Marie-Ange tried to fight and run away. A pair of peacekeepers had to intervene in order to help Gaia maintain her into the glass cylinder. She almost collapsed when her podium started to rise.
In Annie and Reef's apartment, the preparations were quickly finished. They had gone to sleep immediately the past night, in order to be full of energy on the first day. Tavali Landow accompanied Reef. She criticized his unkempt appearance, which didn't bother him. He took a deep breath before entering the tube that would send him to a certain death. The stylist waved at him cheerfully.
Annie, once dressed, approached her mentor. She gave Oleander a neatly folded piece of paper. "Could you please find a way to give this to Marley ? The address is on it". At first, Oleander was shocked. Never had a tribute tried to communicate to the outside world before. She nodded, but then changed her mind. "You know what ? I'll keep it safe, so that when you come back you can give it to her yourself." Annie burst into tears and hugged Oleander very tightly. She thanked her mentor before climbing into the glass tube. Her eyes were puffy and red, but her jaw was set in a determined scowl.
Julien stood straight as an arrow as he was lifted into the arena. It took him a little time to adjust to the blinding sun. Once he was used to the light, he looked around. The cornucopia clearing wasn't one. It was a sort of plaza, paved in beige stone. Julien stood on the northwestern side of the ring of podiums. Behind him was an open gate leading to some sort of main road, and in front of him, to the South, was the front entrance of a luxurious hotel.
The cameras lifted up as Head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa greeted the tributes and began the countdown. This year, the arena was an island, inspired from the Mediterranean Sea. On the Southern side was a huge hotel complex, with many rooms, a restaurant, pools, gardens, and even a whole spa. The Northern side was occupied by a small village for the employees of the complex. Linking each side was a narrower part of the island, with gift shops and restaurants. All of this stood on a plateau, as the terrain turned into steep cliffs dropping into the water. There was a single beach, with a treacherous path leading down to it.
As Urania was describing the rocky cliffs of the island, an explosion sounded. The cameras turned back to the cornucopia clearing. It was Galax (5). He'd been standing on the edge of his podium, and a single sneeze was necessary for him to fall off of it. The landmines placed around each podium to prevent the tributes from getting a head start worked incredibly well and Galax was pulverized.
Marie-Ange had been staring at the cornucopia, which had taken the form of a sumptuous golden fountain in the shape of President Crane. She held a spear in one hand and stood on top of a literal cornucopia overflowing with supplies. Most of the weapons sat in there or in the empty basin, but some less interesting things (water, bland food, scraps of fabric,...) were strewn about the plaza. When the explosion happened, Marie-Ange screamed. The droplets of blood that splattered around her made her feel queasy.
Reef stood on the Western podium, between Freya (2) and Edna (8). He looked for his allies in the circle. Once he found them, Galax was dead, and the countdown was at ten. He followed Annie's glances to the entrance of the hotel. From the tribute's perspective, it didn't look that big. The viewers could see that the other floors were carved down into the island, creating terraces on the opposite side of the entrance. However, he agreed with his district partner. He signaled to Heath (12) that they were planning on entering the building.
Annie signaled their plan to Brandy (12), who stood two platforms away. Between them was Templar (1), focused on the cornucopia. Annie became pale, now realizing that Chevron (8) was on the other side of her. In her back, the door of the resort beckoned to her. As the countdown reached zero, she readied herself. She eyed a big backpack laying against the edge of the fountain.
As soon as the countdown ended, Julien flew to the center of the cornucopia. He was joined by Faunus on the way. The two boys knew what they needed to get. As Julien bent down to grab a bow and a quiver of arrows, one of Filigree's knives hit Faunus in the neck. Julien picked up the collapsed boy's supplies and joined Freya (2), who was already getting ready to leave. There were too many strong tributes, some even with a grudge, fighting in the clearing for now.
Marie-Ange ran for the bag she had spotted. Her path crossed with Dakota's, who eyed her with a devious smile. Fortunately for her, Chevron (8) tackled the other boy to the ground. The girl didn't stay long enough to watch who killed who (Chevron won) and made her way to the backpack. She grabbed it without looking inside and went the other way. Instead of choosing the front door, Marie-Ange went to the side and climbed into one of the open windows. She ran through the maze of corridors.
Annie ran to the center, Brandy at her side. She saw Dakota falling, then Deezer (3) being impaled by Templar (1). She felt sick but kept on running, picking up useful supplies here and there. Reef and Heath (12) ran their way, holding weapons and packs. They decided to leave as soon as possible. Annie caught Filigree (1) approaching from the corner of her eye. Just as she turned, she felt something yank at her back. She almost lost her balance when Harvey (11) tried again. He took out a knife.
As the fighting started to die down, Freya (2) and Julien made their way East, through the terraced gardens. Down the heavy slope was a jetty with a small motorboat. The wiry silhouette of Planche (7) stood there, trying to detach the heavy ropes tying it to the dock. No words were needed, the two tributes knew what they had to do.
Annie and Harvey stood a few feet from each other now. He approached but she kicked him in the chest. He fell backwards, as did she. However, she just hurt her back on the warm stone. Harvey, on the other hand, broke his neck on the ledge of the fountain. Without further ado, the four allies ran to the hotel. They were afraid someone had followed them, but the pair from 1 had deemed the other alliance, composed of Edna (8), Chevron (8), Cornelia (9), Shepherd (10) and Chica (10), a more important threat.
After half an hour, the 5 cannons of the bloodbath sounded. With 21 tributes still in the competition, Marie-Ange didn't feel relaxed in the least. She tried every door, but most of them were closed. The keys were still in the lobby, all hanging behind the welcome desk.
Marie-Ange stayed on her guards. The grey carpet muffled every sound, but she heard someone coming her way. It was Virginia (6), who was in the middle of a withdrawal episode. Her head was bent at an angle and her walk was jittery. From behind a big vase, the girl from N could see she was holding an axe. There was no other issue than the other side of the corridor.
Marie-Ange waited until the other girl was walking past her, then pushed the vase. It shattered against Virginia, not hurting her, but causing enough surprise for Marie-Ange to get away. She feared the noise had attracted other tributes. She ran, and Virginia followed. Her head start helped a lot. She noticed a door without a key hole, labeled "Laundry". She entered, thanking "god" for the open door. The room was dark, but she felt a big cart full of towels and linen. She jumped in, buried herself in them, and hoped for the best. Virginia limped past the door and did not come back.
When entering the hotel, Annie, Reef, Heath and Amber had not noticed the room keys. They'd run downstairs. There were other bedrooms, a lounge area, and another set of stairs. A big sign said "restaurant" in neon letters. They went down again. Brandy was the smallest of the group, so she scouted ahead. In the meantime, the other allies shared what they had picked up in the bloodbath. Reef had managed to grab a trident, but they would have to share the two other knives. They also had a bow, but no arrows. There were also general supplies, such as wiring kits, med packs and towels. Annie wondered why there wasn't any food in the bags, but Brandy stopped her. "Come, quick!" said the girl. She was grinning from ear to ear. The restaurant was empty, but the kitchen was not. There was everything, from vegetables to fresh desserts, along with bread, charcuterie and other "survival" foods. Heath blocked the double doors with a pair of chairs. "Well let's have lunch !" he exclaimed. Since every appliance worked, Reef and Annie decided to prepare as much food as possible while eating the things most likely to spoil first.
While that little group was feasting, Freya and Julien were ambushed, waiting for their prey. Planche (7) had managed to untie the boat, and she had spent a couple of hours drifting away from the island. During this time, the pair hid in the bushes. They knew she would have to come back eventually. She started to panic when she noticed the faint shimmer of the perimeter closing in on her, and managed to turn on the motor. The boat roared and jumped forward, dropping its passenger in the water. It crashed into the cliff. Planche (7) was a good swimmer. She made it all the way back up to the dock, unaware of the tributes waiting for her there. Julien didn't wait. He stood up as she was almost there, and it was too late for her to do anything. He shot Planche in the eye, sounding her cannon immediately. Freya clapped him in the back. "Next one is mine, she said. But first we need to rest up.". Julien acquiesced, and they made their way back up to the cornucopia plaza.
After having eaten all that they could, the 4-12 alliance decided to find a place to camp. They didn't feel safe inside the hotel. There were not enough exit points. They walked along the pool, admiring the sea view, then headed westward towards the setting sun. They avoided the boxy building housing the spa. That was where the pair from 1 was resting at the moment. There were also a scattering of small villas, each with its own private jacuzzi. As for the rest of the hotel rooms, the doors were locked. Annie was afraid to attract attention if they forced them. Instead, they climbed down the rocky cliff on a narrow path to end up on a beach. It looked almost like a postcard. Since the path was the only way to access that beach, they felt safe enough setting up camp there.
Marie-Ange was much too scared to get out of her linen closet. She drank from the laundry room faucet, and built herself a little nest out of bedsheets behind the cart she'd hidden in. With any luck, no one would see her. In the evening, her stomach started growling. She rummaged through the contents of the shelves, finding a bunch of tiny chocolates, which she deemed enough. Marie-Ange went to sleep shortly after.
Julien and Freya (2) were like peas in a pod, meaning that neither of them spoke unless it was to share pertinent information. The boy found a wisteria climbing up the single floor of the hotel visible from the plaza, and the pair used that to get to the roof. It meant they would be safe and could see a big chunk of the arena. Julien took first watch. At midnight, the portraits of Faunus (2), Deezer (3), Galax (5), Dakota (6), Planche (7) and Harvey (11) were displayed in the starry sky. With 6 tributes gone, there were still 20 left in the arena.
Day 2:
Marie-Ange was one of the first tributes to awaken on the second day. The realization of where she was hit her like a freight train. She suffered from the "day 2 effect", like many other. Once her tears had stopped, she could hear the gurgling of her stomach. The chocolates would not be enough. She listened at the door, making sure no one was wandering the corridors, before emerging. She walked to the lobby, but saw that Templar was browsing the many room keys. He and Filigree (1) didn't notice her, so she just took another corridor and exited via an open window. She emerged near the garden, but continued walking north, parallel to the small street.
After an uncomfortable night on the roof of the hotel, Freya and Julien started their day by looking around and spotting the other tributes. Many of them were hidden inside buildings, but they saw Keyra (3) making her way to the docks and Reaper (9) hovering around the heliport on the opposite side of the island. Sometime later, they heard the sounds of conversation right under them. The pair crept to the edge of the roof, hoping to surprise the group that was there, but Julien stepped on a dislodged tile. It shattered on the ground and the chatter stopped abruptly.
Freya and Julien jumped down, but the small group was already running into a corridor. It was the alliance of 8, 9 and 10. The tributes followed them but they entered a room and locked it tight. Julien wanted to kick the door in, but Freya had a better idea. This room, like all the others on this side of the hotel, had a view of the pool, which meant a big window.
It took only a minute for them to go around. Shepherd and Chica (10) were still holding the door just in case, while Cornelia (9), Edna and Chevron (8) stood at the ready with their weapons. When they turned around and screamed, Julien was surprised at the effect he had on them. The window was not even broken yet they looked paralyzed by fear. Then he saw his reflection in the glass. He only had time to jump aside. An enormous tiger collided with the window. It didn't break, so the beast turned around and attacked the closest target : Freya. It swiped a first time, ripping her sword out of her hand. The second swipe let deep gashes appear on her chest. She looked imploringly at Julien. With one bite, the tiger finished her, sounding her cannon. It was only then that the boy from N released his arrow. It killed the tiger immediately. Julien ran.
Annie, Heath, Brandy and Reef had spent the night on the beach but had not been bothered. They lazed a bit before deciding to explore. The group walked back up to the upper part of the island using the narrow path. It took them about half an hour to get to the top, and they decided to explore the main street with all its little novelty shops. The restaurants were mostly empty. Some tributes had already gone through some of the food, but there was more than enough left. They did not hear the first cannon.
They also picked up other supplies. Brandy grabbed a butcher's knife and a barbecue fork "just in case". They raided the pharmacy and covered themselves in sunscreen. Reef and Annie were used to the seaside sun, Brandy and Heath, however, were already turning red. Once they had all that they needed, they sat around inside the "Paradiso co*cktail Bar" and discussed their strategy. Annie wanted to hide for as long as possible. The beach seemed like the perfect place. They could defend it, set traps on the path down. Brandy agreed with her, but Heath and Reef were reluctant. "There's four of us, said Reef. As long as we stay together, we won't get attacked."
In the meantime, Marie-Ange was picking apples. They weren't that nutritive, but they would be better than chocolate at least. Suddenly, a voice called her : "Marie-Ange ? Is that you ?". She swiveled around to the face of Berry (11) inside a bush. Actually, she was the bush. Berry went to hug her ally, then remembered that she was covered in branches. Marie-Ange executed a short victory dance and offered an apple to the other girl. "Thanks, but I have better...". She took her to the back of a bakery. Marie-Ange could recognize the smell. She was about to open the door when the tiger that had just been released inside roared. The girls ran as quickly as they could, even though the beast was stuck inside.
Back in the Capitol, Head Gamemaker Vishwa explained that she had chosen to only release a dozen tigers, but that they would not be gone. Instead, some were stuck in rooms or buildings. They would be a constant threat to the tributes unless they were dealt with. "And if they're not, added Urania, I was just looking for a nice throw rug..."
Reef and his allies had also dealt with a tiger that appeared out of nowhere. Since they were in a fishing shop at that time, they survived by throwing every net and fishing line available at it until it was too entangled to move. Heath killed it.
Once they were full of supplies, the group decided to try their luck in the hotel's kitchen again. Maybe it was the fact that they had just defeated a tiger, or the dreaminess of the island that made them imprudent. Either way, they walked straight to the hotel, without paying too much attention to their surroundings. They traversed the cornucopia plaza, which had been emptied of its supplies. Reef led the group as they entered the hotel. He gasped in surprise as a knife pierced his skull. Brandy screamed and grabbed Annie's arm. They ran as fast they could. As Filigree (1) appeared from behind the door where she was hidden, Templar came out from behind a bush to block the allies' path. He held a sword at the ready. Brandy used one of the bags to deflect it as the trio collided with the boy from 1. Since they were there, Brandy also decided to plant her meat fork into his chest. He dodged, but the utensil still stabbed him in the shoulder. Annie, Heath and Brandy got back up and stumbled towards the gardens. The pair from 1 hesitated before following them.
Reef's cannon surprised Julien and almost made him miss his mark. After a fruitless hunt for a tribute, he'd spent some time building traps with some wire he had collected. He fabricated tripwires and snares to disperse around the villas on the southwestern side of the arena. After that, he had climbed onto one of the rooves with his bow. There were still no tributes, but another tiger had appeared, freed by Virginia (6) a little earlier. He shot it once, then a second time in order to kill it. He didn't bother fetching his arrows. An hour later, as the sun started to set on the island, another cannon sounded.
Annie, Brandy, and Heath eventually managed to lose the pair from 1. Every time they thought they were well hidden, Filigree and Templar's footsteps came back. They ended up hiding in the pool house behind the cleaning products. They waited for what seemed like an eternity. Annie peeked through one of the vents, but she couldn't see or hear anything. She was the first to exit the cramped cabin, a knife in one hand and a neon pink pool noodle in the other.
Once she was certain that no one was there, she beckoned the others. They were about to go back down to their camp on the beach when Annie got distracted by colorful lights. The jacuzzi of one of the villas was turned on, and along with the bubbles it displayed a nice show of colors. Brandy was too curious to let it go, and the two others followed. I hope it's warm, laughed Heath. He plunged hand into the water and started seizing.
Brandy tried to grab his arm, but Annie pulled her away. A cannon sounded. As suddenly as he had started, Heath stopped seizing. The jacuzzi switched off. In the newly obscured backyard, a silhouette ran away. Annie and Brandy didn't notice, they were too busy trying to reanimate their ally. To no avail. A smoke emanated from his corpse, a smell similar to that of cooked pork.
In the Capitol, the footage was rewound to show Eileen (5) rigging a trap to electrocute any tribute touching the water on her first day. She had waited 24 hours for her first kill, not expecting that there would be survivors. As she ran through the perfectly trimmed bushes, Annie and Brandy mourned their friend and cursed their stupidity.
No one else had bothered Berry and Marie-Ange in their orchard. They spent their afternoon and evening building some sort of nest in the biggest apple tree, using branches, but also tablecloth, beach towels and cushions from the shops. They talked a little more of their life in their respective district. Marie-Ange was surprised that her friend could not choose what job she wanted to do. Berry, however, was totally content working at a canning factory and not in the fields like most citizens of district 11.
Once their nest was built, they climbed inside. It was not very discreet, especially with the multicolored fabric hanging from it, but it would work for that night, thought Marie-Ange. They nestled together and fell asleep almost immediately.
When the last cannon of the day sounded, Annie and Brandy had barricaded themselves in a hotel room. They had picked a random key from the lobby whilst Filigree and Templar were absent. Room 215 had a cozy king size bed, a heavy commode they used to barricade the door, and a view of the sunrise. Meaning right now it was completely dark. The girls bundled up in the bed, Brandy scooting over to rest her head on Annie's shoulder.
The cannon in question belonged to Cornelia (9), who had fallen victim to a particularly sneaky tiger. Chevron (8) and Shepherd (10) dispatched it quickly, leaving only two surviving tigers in the arena. They were both still locked in rooms of the hotel. From his perch on the roof, Julien saw the little group of them enter the spa. He did not bother to follow, as it was already late. He fell asleep, and the hymn of Panem woke him up. The portraits of the fallen were displayed in the sky, including Freya (2), Reef (4), Cornelia (9) and Heath (12). In the Capitol, the viewers hoped for the next day to be even more challenging for the 16 remaining tributes.
Day 3:
On the third morning, Julien woke up early. He remembered Gaia telling him that the Feast was usually held on this day. He made sure there was no one around before climbing down from the villa whose roof he had slept on and walked to the cornucopia plaza. There was nothing there yet, but he was happy to be the first there. He wouldn't be alone all day though, so he did the same as on the first day and climbed up to the roof. Since there was only one floor, he was positive he could just jump down in case of emergency. Surely enough, Templar and Filigree appeared soon after. They were in a foul mood after having played hide and seek for an hour with Reaper (9). They had given up.
Marie-Ange was still deeply asleep next to Berry when something woke her up. The tree was shaking slightly. Someone was there. She opened her eyes ,and surely enough, a small silhouette was in the process of detaching her bag from the branches. She lunged, waking Berry in the process. The thief was Keyra (3), who had survived this whole time by following the bigger groups and stealing from their supplies.
Marie-Ange's first reflex had been to grab at the other girl. Keyra was quick, however, and she managed to dodge. She jumped down from the tree, holding a small bag with the stolen supplies, and ran. Marie-Ange followed, leaving a dumbfounded Berry to guard their base camp. She caught up with Keyra and they fought for the supplies, inching dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. Only the girl from 3 noticed. Once Marie-Ange had her back to the edge, her opponent let go of the bag. She fell backwards and landed a dozen feet lower, impaling herself on a particularly sharp rock. Her cannon only sounded ten minutes later, but the cameras of the Capitol did not show her agony.
Right after the cannon, an announcement by Head Gamemaker Vishwa was broadcast in the arena. "Dear tributes. As you may have guessed, it is time for the Feast. At noon, in the cornucopia, you will each be offered the chance to grab something that might be the key to your victory. May the odds be ever in your favor !".
Annie and Brandy had overslept in order to get as much energy as possible. When Marie-Ange's cannon sounded, it woke Annie. Brandy was spooning her, which made her quite uncomfortable. She broke out of the unconscious hug and began preparing herself for the day. Getting a shower and revisiting what weapons the pair had. There were only kitchen knives left, but it would have to do. Annie had to shake Brandy out of her slumber. At that time, noon was approaching, and they worked together to remove the commode whilst making as little noise as possible.
Julien was ready for the start of the Feast. He had hidden his bow on the roof, opting for two long knives instead as it was close quarters combat that was expected. He watched as the other tributes approached, waiting for someone to take the first step. Only Berry (11), who was still searching for her dead ally, Keyra (3) and Virginia (6) who was suffering from an intense bout of fever due to withdrawal, were not present. Some, like the pair from 1 and the outlying alliance, were standing in the open, waiting for anyone to dare attack them. The others, Annie, Brandy (12), Eileen (5), Reaper (9) and Forrest (7), kept low and hid behind various bushes or doors.
As the sun reached its apogee, the statue of President Crane started to rise. Under it, 8 keys hung from small hooks. Each had a room or house number on it, but no mention of any specific district. Julien jumped from his roof and charged into the fray, kickstarting the battle.
Annie and Brandy jumped into the fray too, after concluding a silent alliance with Eileen (5). They didn't know she was responsible for Heath's death. The three girls covered each other's backs, so The pair from 1 concentrated on lone tributes. Reaper (9) received a series of knives to the throat from Filigree (1) and Templar managed to chase Forrest (7) away without a key. The girls reached the statue, which was guarded by Chevron (8) and Edna (8). Brandy distracted them as Annie grabbed a random key. She did not try her luck, instead backing away immediately. The pair from 1 was approaching.
Julien did not feel confident in melee, so he only defended himself. He managed to wound Shepherd (10), avoided Templar's sword, and grabbed a key for himself. He watched Annie, Brandy and Eileen run away with a key. Chevron (8) followed them and threw his spear. It hit Eileen in the back, paralyzing her. Chevron finished her. The remaining tributes scattered, leaving Filigree and Templar to deal with the three remaining keys.
Annie and Brandy ran without stopping. Their key bore the number 204. The gamemakers had made it so the tributes going to their "rooms" were less likely to encounter each other. Annie noticed that Eileen was not following them, but Brandy exclaimed that they didn't need a third wheel.
Room 204 sat at the end of the western corridor, two floors down from the lobby. The inside made Brandy giddy, although Annie was a little more suspicious. There were no weapons or useful supplies, just a luxurious buffet of expensive foods. Turkey, cakes, roasts of all sizes and canapés stood on a table, still steaming. Brandy hugged her ally tightly and started eating. There was also a big bottle of champagne. A jeroboam, detailed Urania Whimsiwick, who was a fine connoisseur of wines.
Julien had inherited of villa number 18. It also contained a small meal, much smaller than that of Annie and Brandy, but also some body armor and kneepads. All the keys were actually a form of lottery, some rooms contained food, some weapons, some cosmetics and camouflage supplies.
Julien did not spend much time there. He ate some, put the rest in his bag, put on his armor and went out again. His first stop was the roof, where he got his bow back. He wondered if he would have enough arrows. His stock decreased quickly. He didn't hope for a sponsor gift, even though he had seen some silver parachutes in the past days. Most had gone to the careers and the outlying alliance.
He decided to go to the Northern part of the island, which had been quite empty of tributes in the past. He almost crossed path with the outlying alliance, but heard them soon enough and dove behind a small building. He readied his arrow, but before he could release, Templar jumped out of another bush and stabbed Chica (10) with his sword, sounding her cannon. Filigree appeared behind him, but her knife only bounced off Edna's ribs. Shepherd, Chevron, and Edna ran, pursued by the pair from 1. Julien stayed there, sulking. He spent the evening in the same location, alone and angry at himself.
In room 204, things were getting awkward for Annie. She had eaten a little bit of food and was trying to bend one of the silver platters into a functional chest plate. Brandy, however, had sampled the champagne. A lot of it. She was drunk and sulking since Annie had emptied the remains of it in the bathtub. The scene was very entertaining to watch, with Brandy trying desperately to invite her ally in bed. Annie turned her down, her cheeks reddening. The other girl wouldn't take no for an answer, but soon fell asleep. Annie waited until she was passed out to get in bed, as far away from her as possible.
At midnight, the portraits of Eileen (5), Reaper (9), Chica (10) and Marie-Ange (N) appeared in the sky and on the many screens inside the hotel. This left 12 remaining tributes to start the 4th day.
Day 4:
A little after midnight, Annie woke up, suffocating. Brandy was on top of her and trying to kiss her. Annie pushed her away and she giggled. "C'mon, I know you want it too ! We might as well enjoy our last days ". The girl was still drunk, so Annie had no trouble pushing her away a first time. The second time, she became more aggressive. She held Annie down with surprising strength, so the girl searched desperately for something to hold on to. Her hand reached the ice bucket, with the empty champagne bottle in it. She smashed it onto Brandy's head.
The sound of the cannon awoke Julien. He jumped up, just in time to hear a small group approaching. It was Shepherd (10), Chevron (8) and Edna (8). Since it was dark and he was outnumbered, he decided to move away stealthily. He crossed the arena and ended up going back to the roof of the hotel, silently thanking the Gamemakers for making the nights warm.
Annie showered three times to get rid of the blood and the glass shards. The first blow had only knocked Brandy unconscious. It was the second one, then the third, which did the job. After the fourth, the bottle had finally broken, shaking Annie out of her trance. She'd had to open the window in order for the claw to pick up Brandy's body. The rest of the night was spent loudly wailing and trying to clean the blood out of her clothes and hands.
In turn, the noise she had caused all night led to the irruption of an irritated Virginia (6). She banged at the door with rising intensity, scaring Annie half to death. She tied her makeshift chest plate under her shirt (it was more a belly plate than anything), hoping it would help. She was thinking of exiting via the window, but it dawned on her that she had to fight. A knife in one hand, the remains of her champagne bottle in the other, she waited for Virginia to exhaust herself. She used her broken axe to smash the door. Once a hole had been cut, she peeked through, eyes wild, shouting "Here's Ginny !".
Annie didn't wait any longer, stabbing through the gap with her knife. Virginia screamed and stumbled back, while Annie unlocked the door. She used the bottle to slash the girl's throat, sounding her cannon. Then, there was an announcement.
Julien, from his roof, saw the masks rise into the cornucopia plaza before the announcement started, but he waited, unsure if there were restrictions in place. "Dear tributes hello ! It's me again, to warn you that you have an hour to retrieve an oxygen mask from your podium. There is one for each of you, and whoever takes more than needed will have their tracker detonated. So don't be greedy ! You'll need it for what's coming."
It was enough for Julien, who jumped down, grabbed the one laying on his podium, and ran to the garden. He didn't want to be around when the other tributes arrived. He hid between some thick bushes, an arrow notched in his bow, in case anyone passed him by.
Annie had started running as soon as she heard, so she arrived at the same time as Forrest (7). Berry (11) was already running away with hers. The boy from 7 looked at Annie, armed and splattered in fresh blood, and just ran away to the tall tree he used as a hideout. There was another mask on each side of her podium. Checking that no one else was approaching, she used her knife to pierce a tiny hole in one of them. She ran back to her room when she saw the pair from 1 approach.
Surprisingly enough, there were no kills in the cornucopia, and only one mask remaining. Annie, barricaded in her bedroom, saw a thick white fog engulfing the island. She held on tightly to her mask, which protected her from the neurotoxic gas. Two cannons were heard, none of which belonged to the expected people. The first one was Berry's (11). She had retrieved a mask, but on her way back to her base, she had "accidentally" collided with Keyra (3). The girl from three ran away with Berry's mask. When she realized what had happened, it was too late, and she died a few feet away from the last remaining mask.
The second cannon had belonged to Filigree (1). When picking up his mask, Templar (1) had noticed the hole Annie had poked in it. Taking advantage of a distracting noise, he'd swapped with his district partner in order to get rid of her. After the cloud had disappeared, Annie stayed in her room and had a mental breakdown. The trashing of the room appeared to appease her somewhat. She fell asleep in the closet until another cannon jolted her awake.
After the toxic cloud had swept through the arena, killing two tributes and the remaining tigers, Julien decided to roam around for a tribute to hunt. He spotted Forrest (7) in his tree, but he would be tough to aim for, and Julien had only five arrows left. Instead, he went around and checked his traps. They were empty or broken for the most part. As he wandered, he scared Keyra (3) out of her hideout. This time, his last tripwire worked and the girl fell flat on her face on a paved path. She tried to crawl away, her broken nose leaking blood all over, but Julien was there in two steps. He slit her throat, sounding her cannon.
He checked her pockets, discovering the amount of supplies she had stolen from every tribute while being practically invisible to them. As the hovercraft arrived to pick her up, it attracted the attention of Templar. He ran, sword out, and chased Julien across the gardens. Julien shot one of his arrows, but it bounced on Templar's sponsor gifted armor. Sometimes, the two boys would almost be fighting, but Julien always managed to deflect Templar's blade and run. Eventually, he had an idea. He ran under the tree where Forrest was napping and shot at him. The arrow didn't hit him, but it served it's purpose. Whilst Julien ran into the hotel, Forrest fell, breaking his leg. Templar couldn't resist decapitating him before chasing Julien again. The boy from N ended up hiding in the same linen closet his district partner had hidden in earlier during the games. He blocked the door and stayed there all night.
Annie, on the other hand, couldn't sleep in the bloody room. She stealthily exited the moonlit hotel and carefully climbed down the path to the beach. There was no trace of other enemies. Just before she was about to sleep, a small silver parachute floated down to her knees. It contained protein bars, a water bottle, and armored gloves. Instead of sending her gifts by increment, Oleander Harrison had sent her everything at once. Her message read : "Marley counts on you and I do too. You can win." Annie silently thanked her sponsors and blew a kiss to her girlfriend. As she laid on the warm sand, the portraits of the fallen were displayed. The fourth day of the games had seen the deaths of Filigree (1), Keyra (3), Virginia (6), Forrest (7), Berry (11) and Brandy (12). The 6 remaining tributes were Templar (1), Annie (4), Edna and Chevron (8), Shepherd (10) and Julien (N).
Day 5:
Even from his hideout in the linen closet, Julien could hear the cannon that bellowed in the arena. It was Edna's (8), who had finally been killed by her own district partner. Shepherd had managed to completely manipulate Chevron into stabbing her, claiming that she was plotting to poison them. The two boys stayed together and headed to the cornucopia plaza. As did Julien, who understood that the showdown would be taking place soon. He counted and recounted his three arrows, making sure they were sharp enough.
Meanwhile, a wary Annie made the exhausting trek back up the cliff. The water had started rising in order to make her join the last fight. As her head finally peaked above the stones, she saw Chevron and Shepherd attacking Templar. He managed to slash Chevron across the chest, but he was outnumbered. He lost the grip on his sword, and it clattered to the ground. Chevron pinned his arms to his back and Shepherd disemboweled him. Templar's cannon sounded. Annie followed them to the cornucopia.
Julien stood on the head of President Crane. He saw the three remaining tributes approach. His first arrow hit the ground in front of Chevron. He tried to breathe, but panic was setting in. His second arrow hit Shepherd in the eye. He collapsed and his cannon sounded. Now, Chevron was climbing up the statue. He grabbed Julien's ankle, making his last arrow go wide. The two boys tumbled down into the empty basin of the fountain. Julien eventually wrestled Chevron's spear out of his hands and caught him in a headlock. He used his bow to choke him.
Annie watched the fight unfold from afar, aghast. She couldn't move, and almost dropped her weapons right away. After a prolonged agony, Chevron finally died. Julien looked at Annie. She stepped backwards and started running away. He caught up with her in a moment and tackled her to the ground. Her knife flew off the nearby cliff. She used her bottle to slash at Julien's wrist. It only cut the string from his bow. Annie wriggled free from his grasp and fled again. She was now at the edge of the cliff. Many Capitolites were afraid she was going to jump.
Slowly, Julien approached. He held his knife. Annie was crying and insulting him. She taunted him. He didn't want to get too close to the edge. He needed to end it soon though, and Annie wasn't likely to move. Careful to keep his balance, he slowly approached, and thrust his knife forwards. Annie caught the blade with her gloves. She pulled on Julien's arm, and they both disappeared from view until the cameras changed angle. Annie was hanging from the cliff, holding on to a rock with both arms, desperately trying not to slip. Julien clung to her leg. The knife had joined its compatriot in the tumultuous water. Their feet were dangling over a certain death.
Annie kicked as hard as she could, breaking Julien's nose. His grip loosened. Hers too, and for a moment, some thought there would be no victor of the 118th Hunger Games. Then, Julien seemed to receive a strong electric shock in his tracker arm. He let go and plummeted to his death. This time, the hovercraft caught Annie in seconds as she was about to fall too. She was already being lifted away when it was announced that Annie Sandler-Zhao, from district 4, was the victor of the 118th Hunger Games.
Aftermath:
Annie had not sustained serious injuries, so she was able to give her victor's interview the next week. She wore a dark green dress, the color of wine bottles. Urania, on the other hand, impressed the spectators with her outfit being entirely covered in multicolored feathers.
Annie's interview ended up being a little boring. Despite being in perfect health, she had been deeply shocked by what had happened and suffered from heavy ptsd. She claimed that the only reason she had fought back was for her girlfriend, and that she was impatient to be with her again. Her victory was divisive, with some viewers claiming the Capitol had cheated by shocking Julien, but most were glad to see her return to her lover.
Immediately after her return, Annie and Marley got married. They invited Urania, as promised, and she ended up helping them to create a center for disabled children in district 4, where they could learn to live with their disabilities. Annie was a big support for her wife and a pillar of the community in district 4.
Annie was known to be a supportive mentor, even though she was not the most expert. She left the fighting part to her colleague. Her and Oleander worked very well together, and they would often have dinner parties outside of the games.
Chapter 19: The 119th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
The 119th Hunger Games took place in the year 155. The past few months had been quite tense following the events in district N. After the terrorist attacks, more and more inhabitants started voicing their ire and demanding to be returned to their primitive ways. By some unknown means, they managed to communicate with districts 12 and 3, where some acts of defiance were noticed. Fortunately, a greater influx of peacekeepers helped keep the situation manageable.
However, it was under greater surveillance that Annie Sandler, victor of the 118th Hunger Games, officiated the reapings. The additional measures included more peacekeepers as well as a systematic search of anyone entering the reaping square. Annie was relieved to leave district N, continuing the reapings on the following days.
In the afternoon of the second day, a disheveled Annie arrived in district 8. Being quite late due to all the security precautions, she was allowed to skip the visit of a new rug factory. Mayor Smith seemed a little disappointed as he welcomed her.
Without wasting any time, the young woman approached the big glass bowl and picked a random slip of paper. She called up Vannery Gleason to the stage. The 13 years old girl stood at the front of the enclosure. When she heard her name, she almost fainted. Two other girls brought her to the nearest peacekeepers, and they helped her up. She was tiny, with a short mane of messy blond hair and a long pointy nose.
While Vannery cowered between the peacekeepers, Annie picked a name from the male reaping bowl, quickly settling on 16 years old Carton Abbassi. The boy walked to the front of the enclosure, expressionless, his terra cotta colored skin ever so slightly paling. He shook hands with the victor and the mayor and stood next to Vannery. He nervously played with his long black hair while mayor Smith gave a closing speech and urged the citizens to go back to their work.
The pair were urged to their holding rooms within the city hall, where they could only meet with two people due to the security measures taking place. For the entire time that was allotted, Vannery cried in her older sister's lap. Her face was dirty with tears and dust, and when her sister tried to wipe them, it became even more stained due to the dyes she worked with all day long. They did not exchange many words, only hugging tightly and attempting to reassure each other. They both cried as they were separated because they only had each other.
Carton kept his calm. His stoic attitude was shared with his father and grandfather. The three men spoke almost casually about Carton's reaping. They had been very aware of the possibility of it happening. They shared some advice and spoke a bit about the mentor of district 8, who lived almost as a recluse in her house. Carton hugged his relatives before heading to the train station, where a sniffling Vannery was already waiting.
Organza Duval (victor of the 105th Hunger Games) waited for them in the carriage, her ample form towering over the both of them. The thirty years old woman seemed in a strangely joyful mood, which could probably be explained by her co-mentor and sworn enemy Kaplan Templesmith dying of old age a week earlier. She welcomed the tributes, inviting them to get comfortable, while an avox brought food on the table. Organza warned them to be reasonable with the food in order not to get sick, advice which they both followed.
Carton was the most talkative of the two, although he was humble and well meaning. Before all, he proposed to ally with Vannery. The girl nodded wearily and continued nibbling on her celery stalk. He then talked about his family's hat business. He was realistic about his chances, having no useful skill in the arena. "I had no skill either, you know. It's all about luck, explained Organza. If it wasn't, the careers would win every year".
During the rest of the train ride, they watched Organza's games. Vannery started asking more questions and participating in the conversation. As the train approached the Capitol, she went to the bathroom in order to clean herself up a little. She got rid of all but the blue smudge on her cheek.
When they finally arrived in Crane station, there wasn't much of a crowd waiting for them. Organza was a very unpopular victor, and district 8 didn't have a great track record. As their mentor stood in the background, almost hiding behind her afro, Vannery and Carton shyly shook a few hands and signed a few notebooks.
The greetings didn't last long, and the tributes climbed into the limousine waiting for them. Once they were settled in their apartment, their stylist came to meet them. She was the angles to Organza's curves, skinny and tall. Platonia Travers intimidated Vannery and Carton immediately. She gave them an intense look-over before claiming that she had seen enough and would be there tomorrow at 7 am sharp. The mentor reassured their mentees, saying that Platonia was severe but was "one of the few with a heart".
She indeed came back the next morning at 7, accompanied by two associates who took the tributes' measurements. While they were being manhandled, Organza turned on the television to watch the reaping in district 6.
It was much cloudier than the day before in district 6, which was not helped by the heavy smoke that hung in the air. Urania Whimsiwick, who had been joined again by her former co-host Argus Brown, complained about mayor Karpov's long-winded speech. He eventually stopped, out of breath but with a smug look on his face. Annie proceeded to pick the female tribute, after which the smug look melted off mayor Karpov's face. "Alexandra Karpov", she called. A 17-year-old girl gasped and stifled a cry of despair. She had long chestnut hair that dangled down to her lower back and a very pretty face. She looked at the mayor, who happened to be her father, in despair. He avoided her gaze.
Feeling the tension, Annie hurried to pick the male tribute. She called 18 years old Delta Rossini to the stage. There was a short pause before a lumbering young man with dark hair and dark eyes made his way to the front. His gait was unsteady, Argus speculating that it was because of the morphling.
Mayor Karpov cut his closing speech short in order to join his daughter in the city Hall. She stood in the middle of the room, distraught, while her father and her mother (who had just arrived) hugged her tightly. Alexandra wept with them for a while. Then, she seemed to get herself back together, and she told her parents to be strong for her. There wasn't much else to talk about, and none of them had any useful advice to share.
Meanwhile, Delta snored inside his holding room. His mother had come to see him but had promptly left when she understood that he was under the influence. He only woke up once the peacekeepers came to collect him, which made him grumpy. He barely acknowledged his district partner. They climbed into the carriage, only to be welcomed by the grumpy faces of their mentors, Sean Callahan and Halifax Devon (victor of the 111th Hunger Games).
Sean invited the pair to sit at a table, to which Alexandra promptly obliged. Delta, on the other hand slumped into a sofa. "Don't worry, he'll wake up when the drugs stop working. Right now, he's high as a Capitolite's hat." Claimed Halifax. "I'll get him through the withdrawal, you two go on.» Then he left, avoiding his female mentee's gaze.
"So, your father is the mayor ?" asked Sean, trying to strike up a conversation. She nodded. There wasn't much else to say, Alexandra thought. She could write, and count, and knew a lot about Panem's history. She knew that it wouldn't help her in the arena though. Sean told her that it was okay. All she needed was to keep her wits to herself. He showed her reels of past victors who had had no former training but instead relied on their intelligence or were just lucky.
When the train arrived in Crane station, Delta had just emerged from his slumber. Halifax sat in front of him. He gave him a pill and a glass of water, which the boy took without hesitation. It helped calm the headache. Now that he was more or less sober, Delta finally realized the situation he was in. His mentor ordered him to keep calm, and that they would think of a strategy once they were done with the parade.
The welcome was relatively warm, although it was still earlier in the morning. The sparse crowd gravitated more towards Alexandra, who appeared more "civilized" to them. She spoke to them politely, being used to wealthier people. She wished to follow her father's footsteps. Delta was a little clumsier with his interactions, but still well behaved considering the situation. Halifax and Sean shook a few hands too, and they all made their way to the accommodation center.
Perseus Allfield, their stylist waited for them in the apartment. The pair didn't have the time to take in their surroundings that they were being measured by half a dozen seamstresses. It appeared that Perseus had already chosen the pair's outfit for tonight's parade. While they were being dressed, Alexandra couldn't help but notice that people frequently came to knock at the door, asking for random things. She could swear she saw Halifax hand a piece of paper to Alix Goldberg, who had come to ask for deodorant.
Parade :
Carton and Vannery hesitantly went down to the stables on the night of the parade. They both wore pantsuits made of a heavy embroidered fabric. It was itchy and rigid, like a rug, and of course entirely black and white. Organza hadn't accompanied them, since she was busy discussing with another stylist, Garner Townsend. At least, Carton said, they didn't look as ridiculous as the pair from 9. Vannery, instead of looking back, stared at the careers, who were already creating a pack. The four of them approached the tributes from 4, but Sardine and Rivage seemed to refuse their proposal.
Two chariots over, Alexandra struggled to climb into her carriage. Delta helped her up, giving her a crooked smile. She thanked him awkwardly. The pair's outfits were indeed incredibly heavy, made out of slowly rotating gears. Making them work had been an excruciating ordeal. Between them and the pair from 8 was the carriage of district 7. Sean came over to them, kissing his fiancé, Edmund Carrell, passionately. Ulma and Fraxen did not react, nor did they respond to Carton waving at them.
Soon enough, the parade began, with Argus Brown leaving his seat to head of Anderson fashion Corneo Anderson alongside Urania Whimsiwick. Both were unhinged that night, and they tore apart almost every outfit. Perfecto and Glare's (1) were too shiny, Hattie (3) looked like she had tried to wear her grandma's dress, and they even made fun of the pair from 5, even though they ended up winning best dressed this year.
Delta and Alexandra followed right after, in what Corneo Anderson described as "a pair of ambulatory scrapyards". The girl tried her best to smile through the ordeal, and waved even though her arm was 15 pounds heavier than usual. She held on to Delta, who had turned as grey as the steel he was wearing. Halifax had helped him deal with the withdrawal symptoms, but the moving cart was still very harrowing to him.
Carton and Vannery did not make much of an impression. They waved and smiled, but very few people actually paid attention to them. They were too busy laughing at the pair from 9, whose straw outfits were indeed hilarious.
The carriages then all made their way to the end of the Avenue of The Tributes, where President Crane gave her annual opening speech. This time, she spoke about peace. She asked the rebelling districts to think of their future. Of their children. She said that unity was the only way to move forward as a nation. That everyone had to do their part.
Some tributes were seen scoffing, but no punitive actions were taken against this display of defiance. Instead, President Crane wished everyone a happy Hunger Games and dismissed them. Everyone came back to their accommodations, where they prepared for bed.
This year, even Organza Duval attended to the rooftop party, where she remained with Alix Goldberg and Solano Luongo for the entire time. Other tributes such as Galvany Driscoll and Orlando Cascade occasionally joined them for a chat. Their conversations could not be heard over the loud music unfortunately.
Training :
Training began on the next morning. Waking up proved a tough affair for Delta, who had been suffering for the entire night. His fever had dropped thanks to some special medicine his mentor had given him, but the ache in his muscles remained. Even speaking caused him pain. Nevertheless, he endured and pushed through in order to make it downstairs. Carmelo Harrington, the head trainer, gave him a disapproving look before starting his usual warning speech.
As soon as the speech ended, Delta asked Alexandra to be his ally, since they were district partners. She gave him a once over, then reluctantly agreed. He suggested they train at the survival station, but she told him she needed to be alone for a while. He went by himself, and clumsily learned to build a fire. No other tribute seemed willing to approach his station, so he spent the next couple of days unimpeded.
While her district partner fluttered from station to station, Alexandra spent the almost entirety of the first day learning to fight with a knife, then a sword. She had obviously no experience, but thanks to the help of the trainer, she managed to improve a lot in such a short amount of time. She beat Odette (N) and Kumquat (11). Seeing she was a little too confident to her taste, Proserpina (2) challenged her too. This fight Alexandra lost almost immediately, and while trying to avoid another one of the girl's strikes, she fell backwards onto Angelo (2). They tumbled down. He helped her get back up, which annoyed the rest of the career pack even more.
For the next day and a half, Alexandra and Angelo always seemed to end up in the same stations. They tried to speak a little but every time another member of the career pack interrupted them. On the last day of training, Angelo asked the girl if she wanted to join him (in the alliance of course !). She knew the others did not want her and told him so. She was right. He thought a moment before saying that they could find a way to work together.
While this surprising friendship was taking place, Carton and Vannery trained together. They mostly kept to the survival stations, not having the confidence to handle weapons. In the textile station, they encountered Sardine and Rivage (4) who taught them to make fishing nets in exchange of them showing them ways to build a textile-based shelter. They hit it off so well that they agreed to work together in the arena. Rivage and Sardine were both tall and strong fighters. They taught a bit of fighting skills to the pair from 8, but Carton was much more adept at recognizing toxic plants, while Vannery excelled at weaving and basketry.
At the end of the training, the tributes were gathered in order to be evaluated. After Zapp (5), Alexandra was called inside the Black room. She was nervous but managed to keep her trembling in check. She asked for a trainer to be brought in so she could demonstrate her knife fighting skills. She showed decent improvement, although she got tired quite quickly. She exited the Black room with a satisfied smirk.
Delta followed her, and he was quite angry. He didn't understand why his ally refused to train with him even though she constantly reassured him that they still would work together in the arena. The assessment was a perfect way to vent out his anger. He grabbed various weights and threw them around. He broke a few mannequins with his display of strength. After that little controlled tantrum, he felt better.
Some time later, Fraxen (7) exited the room and Vannery was called in. For some time, she fought against a fainting spell, which made her loose precious time. Some of the assessors were already going back to the buffet. Eventually, she weaved a piece of armor out of wicker in a record time. No one was watching her anymore though, so she climbed up a pillar to get to the upper floor, shocking the assessors with her stealth and dexterity. In the end, they barely even noticed her weaving.
Carton followed. He was undecided as to what he should show the assessors. He tried a bit of everything, with unconclusive results. Once he got back to the apartment, Organza reassured him, saying that the training scores didn't mean anything.
While they were being dressed for that evening's interviews, the tributes watched their training scores being announced. As was usual, the career pack scored the best points, with Glare and Perfecto (1) getting an 11, followed by Angelo, Proserpina (2) and Rivage (4) who got a 10.
There were quite a few decent scorers this year, with a 9 being given to Ulma (7) and Delta. Following them with an 8 were Alexandra and Vannery as well as Fraxen (7), Borea (5) and Georges (N). Carton got a mediocre 5, which was not as terrible as he had thought but still not very high. He shared this score with Zapp (5).
Interviews:
That evening, the interviews took place in a full to the brim Ravinstill hall. Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown welcomed the audience and were given a thunder of applause. They had coordinated their outfits to wear clothes typical of tourists. Urania's turquoise sundress and wide brimmed straw hat reminded viewers of the bright sea and the thatch parasols, while Argus wore a flowy shirt with a tiger fur pattern and bedazzled flip flops. The crowd roared with laughter when Urania poured a glass of champagne for each of them and promised Argus not to attack him with the bottle.
The first interview was that of Glare (1), who proved to be as sharp and dry as she looked. Her district partner Perfecto was friendlier at first, but many Capitolites found him very whiny. Proserpina (2) was almost identical to Glare, and only Angelo appeared to have a semblant of heart, which experts later debated could be his downfall.
The hosts went down the list of tributes, the panel this year being very diverse. The pairs from districts 4 and 5 were among the favorites this year, with charismatic duos. Eventually, it was time for Alexandra to enter, clad in a light grey silk gown. Her long hair had been braided with silver thread, and she was positively stunning. She also appeared at ease on stage, answering Urania's questions and jokingly flirting with Argus. She was asked about her unlikely friendship with Angelo (2), but like he had earlier, she responded that he had been nothing more than a friendly opponent. Argus then asked about her family, as another Karpov had participated in the 111th Games. Alexandra barely knew her, as she was from another branch of the family.
Once her imparted time was over, Alexandra left the stage, followed by cheers and applause. Delta entered, wearing a suit of the same color as her dress, although it did not fit him that well. He looked at the hosts' outfits with confusion. Urania had to repeat her first question three times to snap him out of his trance, and it soon appeared that Delta was not in his element. He answered the next questions on the first try, but in a robotic voice. Urania, Argus, as well as the viewers, quickly grew bored of the boy, who only seemed to wake up to complain about his district partner refusing to spend time with him. He received some polite applause as he left the stage and Ulma entered.
After Fraxen's underwhelming interview, Vannery was asked on stage. She had been given a pink and crème tulle dress, Urania commenting that she looked like a "particularly appetizing cupcake". Vannery wobbled on stage and to her chair. She managed not to faint, which in itself was a miracle, but it was clear that she was terrified. Argus asked her about her strategy for the arena, and she said that she had allies she could count on, and that her small frame could help her hide quite easily. In the end, she had managed to endear herself to the Capitol, even though her winning odds were still of 1 to 60.
Carton followed Vannery, clad in a mauve tuxedo, his dark mane neatly attached. He appeared more confident than his district partner. After a short round of compliments, the interview really started. Unfortunately for him, Carton did not have a lot to say about himself. He had no passion, no funny anecdote to talk about, so after the usual questioning, the hosts decided to end the interview. Later, Urania would comment that the only thing interesting about Carton was his hair.
The interviews continued on, with Quinoa (9) asking the hosts for a glass of champagne, Lavandine (11) running out of the stage after a whopping 12 seconds and her district partner Kumquat raving about Capitolite cuisine for 15 minutes. Only the cousins from district N, Georges and Odette, made a better impression. Although they were both homely and physically unremarkable, they proved to be good strategists and survivalists.
Before closing the ceremony, Head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa was invited to talk a little about her work. She reviewed last year's arena, which had now been turned into a holiday destination, then gave an exposé about the weather in the arenas and how it was controlled. As always, Jahani Vishwa refused to say anything but a single hint : for this arena, the biggest challenge had been redesigning the microphones. Then, Argus and Urania wished everyone a Happy Hunger Games.
Day 1:
Few of the tributes got much sleep that night. The parties all throughout the Capitol did not end until dawn, and the noise could be heard in the accommodation building. Vannery and Carton ate breakfast slowly, like zombies. They were subsequently taken to the holding rooms. Organza wished Carton good luck before accompanying Vannery in her cell. She kept trying to reassure her as she put on her beige shorts and t-shirt. The young girl attached her hair with a purple ribbon that had been provided and climbed into the glass tube. Organza hugged her one last time, feeling her tears soaking her shoulder.
It was Platonia Travers who accompanied Carton. She muttered to herself about the outfit choice for this year. She tried to be cold to the boy, but she accepted to help him tie the purple ribbon to his wrist. He gave her a sad smile : "I probably won't come back, but it's nice to know that everyone in the Capitol isn't heartless." Platonia stood, mute, as the boy's platform started to rise. She couldn't keep the tears in this time.
A few cells over, the atmosphere was as morose. Alexandra had finally deigned to discuss their strategy with Delta. She accepted his plan of staying on the sidelines while he ran to the cornucopia. Still, he looked at her suspiciously and hounded her about working together for the whole breakfast. Halifax gave Delta one last pill to combat the morphling withdrawal, assuring him that the only symptoms he would experience were a mild headache and maybe some stiffness. He subsequently accompanied him to his holding room while Sean Callahan went with Alexandra.
Halifax took advantage of being alone with his mentee : "You shouldn't trust her. I know these kinds of girls. They look harmless, but they'll stab you in the back as soon as you let down your guard."
"But-but..."
"You like her, huh ? Too bad, she doesn't. So, man up and move on !"
Delta did not know what else to say. He climbed into the glass tube in silence, his brows forming a single black line over his dark eyes.
In the next holding room, another conversation was happening. "You don't plan on allying with Delta, do you ?" asked Sean Callahan. Alexandra looked away coyly. " I have other plans... With Angelo, we have an agreement."
The mentor sighed, but he did not criticize the girl. He just told her to be prudent. You couldn't trust careers. Alexandra nodded then flinched as the glass tube started descending from the ceiling.
The first thing she noticed as she rose into the arena was the noise. She hadn't even emerged that she could hear a cacophony of bird songs. It was almost deafening, and she covered her ears before protecting her eyes from the sunlight.
The racket made Delta's headache intensify. He first looked to his sides ; Hattie (3) cowered on the left while Angelo (2), on the right, was focusing on the cornucopia. This year, it had been made out of a thin weave of golden metal, almost like a very shiny basket. After this zoom on the cornucopia, the cameras started moving around to show off the arena. The tributes stood in the clearing of a dense rainforest. The terrain was relatively flat, with a few creeks and an explosion of colorful flowers. The main attraction of it was the birds, however, as thousands of them fluttered about, sang, and screamed.
As Carton looked around for his allies, Head Gamemaker Vishwa welcomed the tributes and wished the odds to be ever in their favor before starting the 30 seconds countdown. With Borea (5) and the girl from 10 to his sides, he didn't feel safe. He finally found what he was looking for, but he didn't like that his allies were so spread out. He made eye contact with Rivage and Vannery but was unable to see Sardine, who stood on the opposite side of the cornucopia.
Vannery caught sight of her district partner, as well as Sardine. She gave them a small wave, but made the mistake of looking to her left, where Perfecto (1) was sneering at her. Georges (N), on the other side, was just as intimidating. Instead, she looked straight ahead. As the countdown reached ten, she spotted a coil of rope on the outside of the cornucopia.
Delta had been pondering, unsure if it was worth entering the bloodbath. Alexandra, who happened to be just two podiums over, winked at him. She then pointed to the cornucopia. He understood. At that moment, the countdown reached zero. He sprinted to the center of the clearing, expecting her to follow, but she stayed on her podium.
On later replays, it was shown that Alexandra was winking at Angelo and not her district partner. As the boy from 2 sprinted forth to the cornucopia, the girl waited for a few seconds. She moved only when most of the other tributes were too occupied and grabbed a knife as well as a small bag of food. Angelo acted like he helped the other career tributes in order to pick up weapons and supplies, but as soon as they were occupied, he joined Alexandra. The pair was actually one of the first to leave the clearing, not counting Circuit (3) and the pair from 10 who had run away immediately.
When Vannery realized that she was running side to side with Perfecto (1), she immediately changed course and ran to Carton. She had to give up on the rope but managed to pick a water bottle off of the corpse of the boy from 9, who had just been stabbed by Glare (9).
If the career pack didn't notice the disappearance of one of theirs, it wasn't the case for Delta. When he saw his district partner escape with Angelo, he became enraged. He tried to exit the cornucopia. Fraxen then attacked him to try and steal his backpack. Delta threw him to the ground and punched him so hard it broke his neck. Now he had lost trace of Alexandra. As the fighting started to die down, he ran in a random direction.
Carton had dodged one of Glare's knives and grabbed a bag of food and an unwieldy lance before Vannery and Rivage joined him. The trio heard Sardine scream from the other side of the cornucopia. Carton wanted to go and help her, but a second gargled wail convinced him that they couldn't do anything else, especially since Proserpina (2) had now retrieved her axe from Sardine's chest. As they left, they could hear the crunching of Ora's neck (12) at the hands of Georges (N).
Meanwhile, Alexandra and Angelo were already far away, giggling at each other. It was only after Perfecto had stabbed Hattie (3) to death that the career pack noticed Angelo's absence, but they didn't seem bothered by it.
Delta was halfway to the perimeter when the five bloodbath cannons sounded. He was still seething, and the running helped him calm down. Eventually, he collapsed on the side of and old mossy tree, out of breath. Once he was a little better, he explored his surroundings. The big tree had a hole in his roots where Delta could fit, although it was a squeeze. He decided to stay there for now and used moss to hide himself. He also put some in his ears, which helped with his headache.
Carton, Rivage and Vannery had been running in the opposite direction. They wanted to put the most distance between themselves and the other tributes. They stopped long after the bloodbath cannons had sounded. They set up camp a few hundred feet away from the Northern part of the perimeter, next to a creek. Carton helped Rivage to take inventory. He had the lance, Rivage had gotten a trident, and between the three of them they had enough food to last two days at most. The bottle Vannery had taken was only half full, but the water of the creek was clear and drinkable.
The trio decided to stay put. Vannery and Carton would work on a shelter while Rivage fished for their dinner, as they had agreed to during training. In the early afternoon, they heard hurried footsteps coming their way. The boys readied their weapon, protecting Vannery between the two of us. Circuit (3) came running into their little encampment, which took him by surprise. He skidded to a halt and turned around as quickly as he'd arrived, leaving the trio dumbfounded.
Angelo and Alexandra had quite enough supplies to last a while. He held a sword in his hand and an "emergency axe" strapped to his back, while Alexandra held two knives. At first, they wanted to get away from the careers, but Alexandra eventually convinced Angelo to follow them from afar. They weren't really hard to track, their bickering could be heard over the constant chatter of the birds. The noise also covered them. Proserpina, Glare and Perfecto were circling around the central clearing, slowly moving away from it. In the late afternoon, they discovered Forger (12) who was lying unconscious. He had received a deep wound during the bloodbath and was now at the mercy of the other tributes. Proserpina killed him.
The subsequent cannon surprised Vannery. She had climbed on top of a tree to get a view of the arena, and the sudden sound almost made her loose her grip. She didn't fall, but while reaching her hand for a hold, she grabbed something warm and spherical. It crumbled and a viscous liquid dripped onto her finger. She looked up. She had inadvertently grabbed an egg from a nest. She was silent a moment, and a bright purple starling looked at her. "Oh no !" she whispered to herself. The bird screamed louder than she thought possible. Then it attacked.
All the birds in a radius of 50 feet coalesced into a multicolored tornado. Vannery fell to the ground, fortunately not hurting herself on the way down, and a feathery mass started clawing and pecking at her. They also attacked Carton and Rivage, who had been chilling at a distance. They batted the volatiles away, trying not to get scratched. Vannery managed to get up and run to the makeshift tent they had built. She picked up Carton's lance and swung it, hitting some of the birds. She swung a second time and hit the metallic water bottle with a resounding CLANG! It seemed to stun the birds, but Vannery was too busy keeping them out of her face. Carton, however, noticed their reaction to the noise. He shouted loudly and flailed his arms : "Make noise ! They don't like noise !". Just his screaming was enough though. Eventually, the three tributes managed to drive the mutts out by hitting their weapons against rocks and the water bottle and screaming as loud as they could.
Delta also had an encounter with some angry birds. Those were red, with a long curvy beak and fearsome talons, but he managed to kill them all with a big branch he used as a bat. He then ate them, cooked over a small fire. Argus berated him for building a fire that could alert the other tributes to his location. However, the "Aviary Jungle" as it had been baptized by Urania Whimsiwick herself, was way too dense for anyone to see the smoke.
As the sun started to set, Delta squeezed himself back into his root hole, being careful to camouflage himself with moss. He held his branch in front of him just in case. An hour later, two cannons sounded in quick succession. They belonged to the pair from 10, who had had the great idea of making an omelet. The flock did not appreciate that...
When the sun started to set, Angelo suggested he and Alexandra find a place to sleep, preferably away from the career pack. She agreed, so they stopped following. They looked for a safe spot in the light of the dusk, eventually settling on the middle of a tight thicket. It was complicated to get inside, but the small space was comfortable, and the pair even had a view of the darkening sky. They ate some food then laid down, hand in hand. "Your district partner doesn't seem to mind that you ditched her" joked Alexandra.
"I don't think she cares. Maybe they believe I'm dead. But they're not looking for us at least."
"I think Delta is, though. You should have seen his face when he saw us. I almost feel bad about leading him on."
"Don't worry, we'll get rid of him if he isn't dead yet."
"I'm sure he's feeling the same thing", responded Alexandra before going to sleep. Angelo kept the first watch.
In another section of the arena, Carton took the first watch. He had spent the remaining hours of daylight cleaning his wounds, along with Rivage and Vannery. The two of them slept, hoping to feel better the next day.
A little before midnight, Rivage awoke. He came to sit next to Carton, and the boys talked about their families, their school. Suddenly, a cannon sounded. It belonged to Ulma (7), who had stumbled upon Quinoa's (9) camp by accident. The younger girl had not hesitated to stab a pointy branch in Ulma's throat. This cannon prompted Carton to go to sleep, Rivage taking second watch.
At midnight, the hymn of Panem resounded in the arena and the portraits of the 9 fallen appeared in the sky : Hattie (3), Sardine (4), Fraxen and Ulma (7), the boy (9), both (10), Ora and Forger (12). This left 17 tributes after an eventful and interesting day.
Day 2:
Delta didn't sleep much that night. The uncomfortable position coupled with a strong headache meant that he was up before the sunrise. As the first hints of blue appeared to the east, Delta got up. He needed to occupy his mind. The moss had stuck to his clothes, and he decided to take advantage of it. He caked his face and hands in mud and used it to stick more moss to his clothes. Urania commented that he looked like a green Orang-utang, which prompted laughter in the Capitol. Once he was fully camouflaged, he started roaming the arena. Stealthily at first, but as the sun rose and the birds started their cacophony as well, he allowed himself to move a little faster.
Alexandra and her district partner had spent a restful night. As she awoke, she was surprised to be cuddling with Angelo. Her rousing awakened him, and he turned around to look at her, puzzled. "I guess you're the little spoon", she joked. They ate cereal bars in awkward silence. Soon, the voices of the career pack walking in their direction prompted the pair to hide. Proserpina and Perfecto were loudly arguing about someone stealing their water bottles. Unbeknownst to them, it had been Glare who had hidden them in her own bag.
As they moved away from her, Alexandra suggested they follow the trio like the day before. Angelo thought it was a safe strategy as long as they kept their distances. They made their way out of the thorny thicket and followed. A few minutes later, a scream warned them that something was going on. It was Glare (1). She'd walked into a trap laid by Georges the day before and was now hanging upside down from a rope. Perfecto started to help her, but the stolen bottles fell from her bag, along with a few hidden knives and more food. Instead of killing her, as Perfecto wanted to do, Proserpina convinced him to leave her there. She screamed and screamed. Proserpina and Perfecto left her there wiggling. Before Alexandra and Angelo could arrive, the thin rope holding up Glare by the ankle snapped. She fell headfirst on the ground and her cannon sounded. Alexandra winced, but Angelo told her that it was better this way, since you could survive for many hours hanging this way. Then another cannon sounded.
Delta had been unsuccessful for a few hours. He had avoided a couple of poorly made traps and fought off a flock of tiny yellow canaries but had been unable to find another tribute. Eventually, he decided to change tactics. He found a path that clearly looked like it was in use and hid in proximity. His ambush eventually worked. Lavandine (11) walked past him, clutching a meagre stick in her pale hands. She didn't even notice him getting up and following her, his branch raised. Many viewers thought it looked cartoonish, the tiny girl, followed by a big man with a club, not noticing anything. Glare's cannon gave him the signal he expected, and he swung at her head. Lavandine flew and crashed into a patch of ferns. Her head was bloody, but she was still alive. Delta walked up to her in order to finish what he had started. The cameras cut to another group of tributes.
For the whole morning, Vannery, Rivage and Carton had been staying put. They foraged, fished, and built rudimentary spears just in case. Vannery climbed trees, very carefully in order not to disturb any more birds, so she could spot any tributes. Eventually she did, a little after midday. The pair from district 5 was heading their way. They were armed.
Vannery transmitted the information to the boys, who debated leaving or fighting. "Let's fight !" said Vannery. There were 3 of them against 2, and they had weapons. Carton had his lance, Rivage his trident, and her... a spear and a rock would do the trick. So, they waited for what felt like a century. As soon as Borea and Zapp entered their field of vision, they attacked. The pair was surprised, but not enough to let themselves be killed that easily. Borea shouted at Zapp to run while she fended of Rivage's trident with her sword. She had wrapped metal coil all around her arms, as she had seen on one of the older games. They clashed for an instant, enough time for her to disarm him, and then she ran too. On the way, she threw an egg she'd hidden in her pocket to the group. A flock of angry sparrows was the distraction the pair from 5 needed to escape.
Proserpina and Perfecto seemed to have made up a little and were now actively hunting. Still, they weren't aware of the couple _ the "double A couple" as they were now called in the Capitol _ following them from afar. They dared not speak, but the looks they shared meant a lot more. They say love makes you blind, and maybe that's why Alexandra didn't see the orange and turquoise pheasant she walked on. It screamed and ran away, catching the attention of Proserpina. She turned around and shouted, "I knew it !" before charging at Angelo and her ally. Her first axe hit a tree a few inches above Alexandra's head. She was hesitant to fight a career, but Angelo had already jumped into the fray and was now battling his district partner. So, she ran at Perfecto, who was lagging behind. He quickly turned around and sprinted when Proserpina's cannon sounded. Angelo had managed to stab her in the gut. The look of betrayal was still printed on her face as the hovercraft claw took her away.
The pair was unsure if they needed to pursue the boy from 1, as Angelo assured that he was an "ego-inflated wimp" . Instead, they rifled through the bag Proserpina had dropped and decided to rest a little. They could have stayed there longer if it hadn't been for the fire...
After getting rid of the birds, the trio decided to keep following Zapp and Borea (5) in order to get their supplies. Vannery managed to track them thanks to their footprints and the trail of broken branches. They found them quite quickly. Indeed, the gamemakers had decided to trigger a forest fire in order to move the tributes around a little. This explained why they had seen so many birds flying away. The pair from 5, however, had found themselves cornered on three sides by the flames, and the last side was where Carton and his allies arrived from.
Rivage thrusted his trident straight into Borea's back, sounding her cannon. Carton's lance, however, flew past Zapp and into the fiery inferno. The boy from 4 barely had the time to pick up his trident before a tree fell, smashing into the boy from 5 and sounding his cannon. As other trees started to creak and groan, Vannery led the boys back to the creek, where she believed the water would keep them safe.
Delta ran as soon as he smelled smoke. He ended up in a small clearing in the Southern part of the arena. As the grass quickly burned, he jumped into the flames. Many viewers gasped, thinking he had just killed himself, but he just ran a few seconds then stopped. Argus explained that the fire had been controlled in a way that it burned quickly and extinguished itself just as fast. From his spot of scorched earth, Delta was safe for now. From the sky descended a small silver parachute bearing the number 6. It contained a water bottle and some aspirin. Delta was the only one to use this strategy successfully. A few minutes after him, Circuit (3), who was shorter and weaker, tried. He fell face first into the fire and did not get up, his cannon sounding a few moments later.
Angelo and Alexandra were some of the closest to the central clearing, so it was after the three cannons that the fire reached them. They ran. Angelo was practically flying but the fire was catching up to Alexandra. Another tree cracked. It crashed onto the girl, pinning her legs to the ground. Thankfully, it was a much younger tree, and it did not cause her much more damage. For an instant, Alexandra thought the boy from 2 would just keep running. That he would be glad to get rid of yet another opponent. But he turned around. He used his axe as a lever, bending it in the process, to get the girl free. Then he picked her up onto his back and ran again. Angelo was not a very muscular tribute, but he proved to be quite a strong one.
Neither Carton, nor his allies had suffered any injury thanks to Vannery's quick thinking. The creek was wide enough to protect them from the flames, and they avoided any falling branch. Quinoa (9) had had the same idea. She internally debated reaching the small group, but eventually decided not to. In the late afternoon, it started to rain, revealing that many of the trees and plants of the forest were actually fireproof. It was much sparser now, but the rain cleaned off the soot and, soon enough, the forest was green again.
Rivage, Vannery and Carton huddled together. They stayed that way for the whole evening, until Carton took the first watch while the other two went to sleep.
Delta was almost unharmed too, apart from a few minor burns on his ankles. The aspirin had taken effect, and for once in a long time, he felt totally clear headed. He hoped his district partner had died today.
The fire had changed the landscape quite a lot. What used to be a lush jungle was now less green. The ground was visible in most places, and the humidity levels had gone down. The sky was more visible. It also meant that the traps set by Georges and Odette (N) on the first day were either destroyed or very conspicuous. The boy from 6 avoided them all.
Delta found a pond where he cleaned himself from the soot and the half-charred moss. The fresh water also soothed his burns. He ended up settling close by, between two fallen trees.
Angelo and Alexandra, however, had suffered many burns. Fortunately, as they were setting camp and trying to remove their singed clothes, a silver parachute descended over them. It contained two containers of oil, as well as a blanket and a note from Angelo's mentors, which he did not show to Alexandra. It would later be revealed that it scolded him for keeping his plan of betraying the career pack secret. The oil was perfumed and designed to almost instantly heal burns. It worked a charm. As the massaging continued, the two tributes started to get more and more steamy. They were intimate that night.
While they were busy, the portraits of the fallen appeared in the sky. The second day of the games had seen the loss of Glare (1), Proserpina (2), Circuit (3), Borea and Zapp (5), and Lavandine (11). This left only 11 tributes for the third day, with better odds now that a few strong tributes were gone.
Day 3:
On the morning of the third day, an announcement was made by Head Gamemaker Vishwa. She informed the tributes that a feast would be held at noon, three hours from now. The 11 surviving boys and girls would find supplies they desperately needed there. She then wished everyone a glorious day and the dampened sound of the birdsongs came back in full force.
The announcement awoke Delta, but he decided not to go to the Feast. He still had food and a source of water nearby, as well as his heavy branch. A real weapon would have been nice, but he didn't feel safe going to the central clearing. Instead, he decided to just sleep more. He only woke up again when the first cannon sounded.
As for the couple, they were lost in bliss. Their show from the previous night had to be censored, although it was available for those who had enough "connections". Let's just say that it was quite memorable, and cemented Angelo and Alexandra's place as favorites. They got ready after a long cuddling session, grabbing their bags and their weapons and heading to the cornucopia. They arrived with minutes to spare. Actually, they were the last tributes to arrive.
Vannery had been the first on site, scouting for other tributes. Once she had been sure the coast was clear, she had signaled to Rivage and Carton that they could come. They hid in the bushes nearby; this area having been spared from the fires. Little by little, other tributes started to arrive. Kumquat (11) hid behind a tree, Perfecto (1) stood in the open, Odette and Georges (N) huddled together.
As Quinoa (9) and the "Double A couple" finally arrived, the cornucopia started receding into the ground. It reappeared at once, and a bell rang.
Vannery stayed behind. She watched all the tributes run to the center where laid 8 numbered bags, including Carton and Rivage. The fighting raged in the cornucopia. Her allies attacked Alexandra and Angelo, as Kumquat escaped with his bag. Quinoa (9) almost got out, but Perfecto (1) caught her by the ponytail and stabbed her in the throat, sounding her cannon. He then picked up her bag in addition to his.
Alexandra and Angelo fought side to side, covering each other. She scared Odette (N) away, while he pushed back against Rivage. The boy from 4 tried to hit Alexandra again, but her ally caught the trident and almost tore it out of Rivage's hands. Instead of trying again, he attacked Georges. The trident hit him in the back and sounded his cannon a few seconds later. Angelo took advantage of this distraction to slash at Carton with his sword, causing the boy from 8 to bleed out.
Vannery screamed and ran out of her hiding place, almost colliding with Odette (N) on the way. Rivage grabbed the district 4 and district 8 bags in one hand, and Vannery's arm in the other, and they ran away together. The young girl cried and struggled to keep up the pace. She wanted to go back, but Carton's cannon sounded, ruining her hopes.
Angelo and Alexandra were the last tributes to get their bags. One of Perfecto's knives punctured Alexandra's. The pair turned back, giving Kumquat (11) enough time to flee. They chased Perfecto into the woods. He was quick, however, and they had a hard time gaining on him.
The following hours were very quiet, boring, even, so Urania and Argus invited a few guests to discuss the bloodbath and the tributes' different strategies. It was only in the late afternoon that Delta deigned getting up. He was well rested. He ate what remained of his food and started camouflaging himself once again in order to hunt. The tributes were now very spread out, however, and it appeared that Delta was in an area devoid of them. He walked until it got too dark to continue, before letting out a scream of rage. His sudden outburst scared some resting birds. They flew away and hit Kumquat (11) square in the face as he was in the process of climbing up one of the taller trees. The surprise caused him to lose his grip and he fell to his death a few feet away from Delta, his Feast bag laying next to him. Suddenly, Delta laughed and thanked the birds. He emptied the contents of the bag, glad to find some fresh food and water. He settled right there for the night.
Angelo and Alexandra eventually gave up on hunting Perfecto. Every time they thought they heard him; it turned out to be another bird. He was nowhere to be found. The pair settled down near a creek, right where Carton and his allies had camped earlier, in order to clean themselves. It was another spectacle to behold. The couple played in the fresh water, wearing only their underwear, and at one point, Alexandra winked at one of the cameras. This resulted in the appearance of a sponsor gift a few seconds later. She caught it and opened it discreetly once she was dressed again. She checked that Angelo was busy with the campfire before peeking inside. There was a water bottle and a tiny, sheathed stiletto knife, about two inches long. There was also a note that said : "You will only get one chance" – S. She acted nonchalant, thanked her sponsor for the water, and hid the knife in her sock. She took the first watch, jumping when a cannon sounded.
Since they had come back from the Feast, Vannery felt that Rivage was acting strange. He kept pacing and muttering to himself and seemed unhappy even though they had received enough supplies to last five more days in the arena at least. They found another place to sleep, Vannery built a new shelter. As she was about to go to sleep, Rivage approached her, trident in hand. He didn't speak, so she asked him what he wanted. "I'm sorr-" he started. Vannery interrupted him : "Behind you !".
He spun around and threw his trident. It caught Perfecto in the head, sounding his cannon before he had hit the ground. He had been sneaking up behind Rivage with a knife in both hands, but Vannery had a keen eye. Rivage seemed to deflate. He cleaned up his weapon and went to sleep. Vannery tried to ask him what he wanted to tell her, but he didn't answer. Instead, she took the first watch.
At midnight, five portraits appeared in the sky : Perfecto (1), Carton (8), Quinoa (9), Kumquat (11) and Georges (N). The six remaining tributes were spread out around the arena : Rivage and Vannery to the East, Angelo and Alexandra to the North, Odette (N) in the South and Delta to the West.
Day 4:
The sound of a cannon startled Delta out of his slumber. He was feeling well rested and decided to head to the cornucopia with just his branch and a knife he had taken from Kumquat. With only 5 remaining tributes, he knew that the showdown was about to take place and was about as excited as the viewers in the Capitol for it to happen. On the way, he stumbled upon a suspicious mound of leaves. He almost let it be, until he saw two feet poking out of it. As he bent down to look at it, a sharp pain entered his shoulder blade. By pure reflex, he swung his club backwards, hitting a barefoot Odette (N) in the forehead. She stumbled backwards, clutching her knife, and tripped on a rock. Delta jumped onto her, planting his knee in her stomach, and stabbed her with her own knife. He added it to his "collection".
The atmosphere between Alexandra and Angelo had been quite tense since they'd woken up. They hadn't slept so well. When the first cannon sounded, they set out to get to the cornucopia, and by the time the second cannon echoed throughout the arena, they were in position. "We'll fight together, right ?" asked Alexandra. Angelo nodded solemnly : "Until there's no one else. I'm so glad I got to meet you."
"Me too... Too bad one of us will have to die."
As she said those words, a twig cracked in a nearby bush.
The first cannon had shocked the viewers quite a bit. As Rivage finished his watch, he looked at Vannery, asleep next to him. He murmured "I'm sorry", so low that it had to be subtitled. Then he plunged his trident in her throat. Before leaving, Rivage let out the longest sigh of relief.
Alexandra climbed onto the cornucopia, hiding herself, a length of rope held tight between her hands. She waited as Rivage entered the clearing. He was focused on Angelo. Delta appeared a few seconds later, on the other side of the cornucopia. He walked under it, oblivious to the girl awaiting him. As Angelo charged Rivage with his sword, Alexandra lowered the rope. Delta let out a choked growl as she pulled. He was much stronger, however. With one labored step, he yanked her off the roof. The rope was still around his neck, but his hands were now around Alexandra's. Nevertheless, she held on to the rope, using it to hold him at bay. Just before she fell unconscious, she kicked him in the groin. She let out a few coughs, before grabbing the two ends of the rope again and pulling Delta against one of the steel columns of the cornucopia. Delta tried to stab her, but she was behind him, and he was quickly loosing consciousness. With one last brutal pull, the rope crushed his windpipe.
Alexandra watched Angelo dispose of Rivage with one final feint of his sword, and his cannon sounded at the same time as Delta's.
Silence fell on the clearing. Even the birds had shut up. The couple was breathing heavily. They hugged tight. Something glinted in Alexandra's hand. She almost reached Angelo's neck when he gripped her wrist. He smiled, but his eyes were full of sorrow. "I had to try at least !" she half-laughed, half-whimpered. He sat her down and hugged her once again. She told him that he deserved to win. That he was a good man. He took his swords and gently stabbed Alexandra in the heart. She barely cried as he looked into her eyes. A cannon sounded. The last one. Jahani Vishwa announced Angelo Clearfell, of district 2, as the victor of the 119th Hunger Games. He had to be forcefully removed form Alexandra's corpse in order to be retrieved.
Aftermath:
The games took an immense toll on Angelo, who was unable to speak for more than a month. Even when he had gotten the use of his words back, he fell into a lengthy depression. His interview with Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown had to be cut short as soon as they mentioned Alexandra.
After that, he remained alone in his home of the Victor's village. He received no guests and did not act as a mentor the following years. The other victors of his district described him as "disillusioned" and "a killjoy". The situation stayed the same until his disappearance two years later.
Chapter 20: The 120th Hunger Games
Chapter Text
The 120th Hunger Games took place in the year 156. Within the past few months, the unrest had spread to many other districts. Thanks to the great influx of Peacekeepers, a network of "Passers" jumping from district to district in order to share information had been dismantled. Nevertheless, the only districts free from revolutionary actions were districts 2 and 4.
Angelo Clearfell, victor of the 119th Hunger Games, was still too heavily medicated to perform the reapings. Instead, he had received the honor of opening the sealed envelope which contained the twist of this year's quinquennial quell. "To remind the districts of all the things the Capitol offers them, this year's tributes will receive no help whatsoever during the games." President Crane stayed very vague on the terms of the quell, leaving Capitolites to theorize amongst themselves. All that was known was that sponsor gifts had also been forbidden for this year's edition.
Since the victor was indisposed, the job of reaping was offered to Argus Brown, while his co-host Urania Whimsiwick commented from her studio in the Capitol. The man had not been outside of the Capitol a lot, so he was a little shocked to experience life in the districts "for real". It was made more complicated by the tense atmosphere.
On the second day of the reapings, Argus Brown arrived at the last stop for the day : district 7. A smattering of drab looking young men and women awaited in the reaping square. The tall fir trees surrounding the area gave some much needed shade. The host let mayor Chestnut give a short speech about the honor and sacrifice that came with the games. Some people booed, but they were quickly led away by the peacekeepers.
Argus reached a tentative hand into the female reaping bowl. He enunciated the name of 17 years old Liana Follick. All eyes turned to a short girl with a curly black bob. She had been chatting with the girl next to her. "And then I told him to-why are you looking at me like that?" In the time it took her to realize what had happened, two peacekeepers were already grabbing her arms. They dragged her to the stage despite her protestations.
After Liana had shaken hands with the mayor and Argus, the latter picked a name from the male reaping bowl. "Banyan Vorst", he called, and the lanky 13 years old boy stood there, mouth agape. His brown hair was greasy, and he had a bad case of acne all over his face. He walked alone to the stage, tears in his big green eyes. He shook hands with everyone. He was quite tall for his age, Urania joking that between him and Liana it was hard to guess who was 13 and who was 17.
The pair was subsequently brought to the city Hall while Argus Brown retreated to his hovercraft. Banyan's parents were already sat on chairs, waiting for him. They looked to have aged twenty years in a matter of seconds. The couple tried to console their son as best they could, but it was clear to the three of them that the situation was dour. Banyan's father, whose sister had been killed in the 105th games, offered some advice. His son promised to do his best to survive.
The atmosphere wasn't much more joyous in the next room, where Liana and her four sisters wept together. They had started their last goodbyes with forced optimism, congratulating Liana on "winning" and sharing useful advice. But when Liana informed them of the location of her hidden herb garden, they understood that she had already accepted her defeat. The peacekeepers struggled to disentangle the five girls when it was time to board the train.
Banyan and Liana shared desperate looks as they climbed into the carriage. Two people waited inside, quietly chatting. Edmund Carrell, the handsome victor of the 104th Hunger Games, was still as charming as 16 years ago. Dorcas Vector, victor of the 114th Hunger Games, looked as sleepy as she had the day she was reaped. Liana squealed with excitement when she saw the young woman, claiming that she was her icon, and begging for art tips. Edmund cleared his throat, visibly annoyed : "Shall we introduce ourselves first ? You'll have time to chat later."
Dorcas gave Liana a sorry shrug. Banyan chimed in, explaining that he had trained with an axe for the past few weeks "just in case". He looked fit enough. The girl however, claimed to be an artist, not an athlete, working at a wallpaper company in her district. Her only useful skill was that she knew a little about medicinal plants.
Their conversation continued for a couple of hours, taking the tributes' minds off of their situation. Before arriving in Crane station, they were invited to get cleaned up. Banyan managed to look a little less greasy, while Liana spent a lot of time washing her hair and setting it again. Only the ink stains on her hands and wrists stayed, her skin permanently dyed.
Their welcome in the Capitol was rather friendly, with a small crowd awaiting the pair on the platform. Obviously, some had only come to see their mentors, who both had many admirers. Liana and Banyan did not appear intimidated. They stayed together but chatted and shook hands. There was a preference for Liana, who was a little more "presentable", so she insisted Banyan be with her in the pictures every time. Edmund looked on with a sharp eye.
A few minutes later, the exhausted tributes made their way to the limousine, then to their accommodation in the Ravinstill complex. They were so tired that Dorcas called their stylist and asked them to come the next day. At six in the morning, Mandalus Friend was there, accompanied by his suite of assistants and his interpreter. He signed at Liana and Banyan to choose a design from his portfolio while their measurements were taken. Since Edmund had disappeared somewhere with Sean Callahan (mentor of district 6 and his fiancé), Dorcas put her rudimentary knowledge of sign language to use.
Eventually, Liana and Banyan chose a light green tunic armored with what looked like spiky chestnut husks. The girl asked for flowers to be added in her hair, to which Mandalus agreed. The old man set to work as the pair watched that day's reapings.
At around noon, Argus Brown landed in district 3, where the protests had been some of the most inconvenient. There were only the youths in the reaping square, as everyone else had been ordered to stay inside. Every now and then, there were shouts and the occasional gunshot.
Argus reached into the female reaping bowl and grabbed a slip of paper. He called 18 years old Nokia Johnson to the stage. A loud expletive echoed in the reaping square as an athletic young woman, tan, with a square jaw and almond shaped eyes, stormed to the front of the crowd. Argus didn't know if she was about to punch him in the face or burst into tears. She refused to shake mayor Plummer's hand until a peacekeeper pointed a rifle at her.
The male tribute was then reaped. Quantico Perez was 15, but he looked younger. He was short and lithe, with black hair, black eyes, and a hooked nose. Urania made fun of his peach fuzz of a moustache. Quantico barely showed emotion. He walked to the stage, lips reduced to a thin line, and shook hands with the others present. Mayor Plummer gave a short closing speech to the remaining youth before accompanying herself the tributes to the City Hall.
For safety reasons, since district 3 had been one of the most touched by the unrest, the tributes could only see two people each. Nokia's two sisters joined her in her holding room. They were just old enough to not participate in the reaping, and shared similar high cheekbones and slanted dark eyes as their younger sibling. The trio hugged and cried for a very short time before starting to talk about local gossip, who was dating who and other nonsense. This helped Nokia feel like a normal young woman for what could be the last time in her life.
Quantico was visited by his adoptive parents, a fair-skinned couple. They congratulated him on making them proud, showing a stoic dignity when he was reaped. His father reminded him of the tips that he himself had been taught when he was young enough to be reaped and asked him to try his best. The mother stayed silent, caressing her son's hair as he acquiesced. He ended their short visit by thanking them for welcoming him in their family and asking them to say goodbye to his other siblings for him.
The separation between Nokia and her sisters was tearful. She tried to get her countenance back, offering another stiff handshake to a distraught Quantico. The pair was taken to the train station, where they entered the carriage surrounded by peacekeepers. Inside the dining car, two women were in intense discussion.
One of them was black, in her early twenties with a sizeable afro and thick glasses. Nokia and Quantico immediately recognized her as Galvany Driscoll, victor of the 112th Hunger Games. The other woman was Violetta Berkeley, a career mentor and advisor. This year, her bob displayed green and red stripes. She asked the tributes her usual question, which had now become her catchphrase : "Whatcha' got? Useful skills only!"
Nokia started with saying that she looked good on camera, only half joking, but it sent Galvany into a giggling fit. Violetta reiterated the "useful" part of her catchphrase.
"I can hold my own. I've been in the streets for a while. I can fight, I can run and hide and climb, and I'm not afraid of causing drama."
"That's better already. What about you kid?"
Quantico wasn't as confident as his district partner. He just stated that he was good at coding and had a little bit of experience in electronics. His upbringing had been relatively quiet, so up until then he hadn't needed any real skills. His parents didn't believe in teaching their children how to fight in the games.
Violetta decided he was a lost cause, but Galvany reminded her, while the tributes were freshening up before their arrival in the Capitol, that she had been just as useless when she was reaped. The other woman countered that at least she had a personality.
The platforms in Crane station were crowded, but not for the pair from district 3. Everyone was anxiously waiting for the career tributes from districts 1 and 2. The greetings went very fast, since there were very few people attending to them. They all gravitated towards Nokia, who was immediately friendly with them. Violetta took her by the arm before she got too casual. Quantico stood next to his district's only victor. "It's like they don't even see me", he said matter-of-factly. Galvany squeezed his shoulder, and they made their way to the limousine bringing them to the Ravinstill Complex apartments.
The accommodation smelled of freshly baked cookies. Their stylist, Ornacia Parrish, had made two batches of them for the tributes. Violetta jokingly scolded her, claiming they wouldn't fit in their costumes anymore, but the stylist just shoved one in her mouth and welcomed the pair.
Ornacia, who was still quite spry despite her age and rotund figure, showed Nokia and Quantico the design she had thought : A simple black ensemble, suit for him, dress for her, that lit up with thousands of tiny purple diodes. Nokia scoffed, saying that they looked like some stupid jellyfish. Quantico was silent, as usual, as the myriad of assistants took his measurements. While they were being dressed, Violetta showed the tributes a highlight reels of the past games she had edited herself, showing a multitude of different tactics that had been used. That way, they could start thinking about how they wanted to work in the arena.
Parade:
Liana and Banyan stood awkwardly on their chariot, keeping a safe distance. The spikes on their pauldrons were deadly weapons, even though they were supposed to be soft. Banyan kept scratching his face. His skin was reacting badly to the green pigment. Liana had tried talking to Burt and Scarlet, the pair from district 8, but they had sent her away. Banyan kept her from going up to the pair from 6, telling her to wait for training before "making friends".
Further away to the front of the procession, Nokia was busy practicing her poses. She had clearly informed Quantico that she would not ally with him in the arena, which had stunned him. He tried arguing, half-heartedly, but gave up pretty soon. Instead, he scoped his competition. The four career tributes had congregated already. The pair from 4, who looked related, were hugging and crying. Their mentor, Galvany Driscoll, was caught up in a tense discussion with Organza Duval (victor of the 105th Hunger Games) and Sean Callahan. When Castor Dalton (victor of the 113th Games) approached, they immediately split up.
The parade begun, with Urania Whimsiwick and Corneo Anderson from Anderson Fashion commenting the event. Their criticism was more constructive than the previous year, although seeing the frail Minervus (2) floating in his golden armor sent them into such a laughing fit that they almost forgot to comment on the pair from 3.
Nokia and Quantico gave the same amount of effort, but she seemed to be the only one people were focusing on. She posed, blew kisses, and even caught a few roses thrown her way, illuminated purple by the flowing waves of luminous dots. Her district partner gave up quickly, seeing that she was the center of attention. He just waved, impatient for this to be over.
A few carriages over, Liana and Banyan smiled and waved too, although they were overshadowed by the smoldering looks of Milan (6) in front of them. Literally smoldering, as his black outfit was emitting sparks and smoke. At least, thought Liana, they didn't look as ridiculous as the pair from 9, dressed as pitchforks. This outfit also sent Urania into a laughing fit.
All the tributes ended up in front of the podium where President Crane gave her opening speech, wishing them a Happy Hunger Games. She made no mention of the growing unrest within the districts, in order to not frighten the Capitol. Instead, she incited everyone to celebrate this moment of unity and celebration. She wished the tributes a good night and retired. The tributes did as well, returning to their accommodations while most mentors went up to the rooftop for the annual launch party.
Dorcas stayed with her mentees for a little while, discussing excitedly about her art with Liana while Banyan listened, enraptured. They listened to Corneo Anderson's announcement for best dressed tributes, which went to Milan and Laguardia (6).
Training:
After a somewhat restful night, Violetta Berkeley accompanied Nokia and Quantico to the training facilities. This time, all the tributes waited anxiously in front of the locked entrance. They shared confused looks. When the 26 tributes were all there, Head-Trainer Carmelo Harrington made his entrance, looking rather angry, or at least angrier than usual. He unlocked the double doors and let the youth into... An empty room. The training center had been stripped bare of any furnishing. There were no training stations, no weapons, nothing except concrete and a handful of peacekeepers to keep an eye on the kids.
Carmelo Harrington explained that due to the quinquennial quell's twist, the tributes would be allotted the usual two days and a half of training but wouldn't be provided with any material to train with. As an additional rule, there would be no official assessment, instead, their training scores would be assigned depending on what they did during the allotted time.
During the first hour, the tributes stood aimlessly, not knowing what to do. They were sizing each other up. Then, some movement started to happen. Minervus and Severine (2) started to workout, warming up as they did in training school. Jolie and Gilderoy (1) joined in immediately, trying to one-up their allies.
Nokia decided to join their group, as did a handful of other tributes. Acerola (11) was the only one truly able to follow their rhythm, as she was tall and athletic. Soon enough, her dark skin was shiny with sweat. The others who had joined in were Scarlet (8), Rock (12) and Betsy (10), but they gave up quickly. Nokia did her best to hang around the career pack, but on the second day, she got into a fight with Jolie (1) after criticizing her form while running around. It almost turned into an all-out brawl, until Gilderoy stopped his district partner. He winked at Nokia, who took it as an insult and called him a creep. After that, she stayed by herself. She kept complaining to Violetta that nobody wanted to ally with her, glaringly oblivious to Quantico's side-eyes.
Liana and Banyan had decided to stick together, and they were part of the "other group" who did nothing. Instead of working out and showing off, many tributes had decided to just wait it out. It left them with more time to make alliances. Marianne (N) decided to protest and went on a short-lived hunger strike, which prompted the pair from 7 to keep away from her. On the second day, they agreed to ally with the pair from 5. Aster, an innocent looking blond boy, was a couple of months older than Banyan and they got on like a house on fire. His district partner Tempest seemed to be the most competent of the group. She was stocky, with a harsh face and strong hands. She didn't talk much, but Liana found her trustworthy enough.
Quantico gave up on trying to find allies. By the time he had gathered enough courage to ask anyone to ally, the most interesting ones were already grouped up. The other loners were either very young and weak, like Laguardia (6) and Rima (9), or they were too dangerous. Milan was the most perfect example : terrifyingly handsome with his ivory skin and chocolate hair, he stood against a concrete pillar and watched the careers, glaring at anyone who dared approaching his personal space. He was not especially buff or menacing, but he exuded the dangerous grace of a panther.
On the third night, the training scores were supposed to be announced. Since many tributes had done absolutely nothing during the past days, Head trainer Harrington decided to give most of them a 0. The careers and Acerola (11), who had been the only ones actually training the whole time all received a modest 8. Nokia was part of the group who had tried to train for a little bit, which awarded her as well as Scarlet (8), Betsy (10) and Rock (12) a meagre five.
Interviews:
Fortunately, the interviews took place as usual that night. Some Capitolites were frustrated by not having received useful training scores, which meant that it was difficult to calculate each tribute's odds of winning. The betting offices were most hit by the lack of assessment. Nevertheless, Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown opened the ceremony in the auditorium to thunderous applause.
They wore matching suits covered in colorful feathers, a nod to last year's avian-themed arena. Argus welcomed the crowd, hyping them up for the third quinquennial quell of the new generation. They shared some witty banter before welcoming the first tribute to the stage : Jolie. She was pretty, if a bit haughty, reminding them of a previous district 1 victor. Gilderoy followed. He appeared to be the perfect stereotype of a district 1 tribute, good-looking, well-trained, and a bit of a show-off.
The pair from district 2 made a positive impression, and soon enough, it was time for Nokia to enter the stage, which she did with radiating confidence. She wore a skimpy tank and wide pants made of an iridescent pink fabric. She had insisted on wearing something "unusual". It surely made waves. Although some of the more conservative citizens found it quite vulgar, most of the public loved the outfit. Even Urania complimented it, asking out loud if the stylist could make her one in yellow. Nokia's interview went rather well. She did not appear anxious and was talkative enough to avoid any blanks in the conversation. Argus went back on her row with Jolie on the first day of training, to which Nokia claimed she had a "strong personality" and that not everyone could "handle her". She reassured them that she could hold her own in a fight and had learned to survive back in her district.
Quantico wasn't as successful in his own interview. He wore a grey tuxedo that was a little too big. It seemed to wear him instead of the other way around. Urania kept forgetting his name, calling him Calico or Quantum. On a later rewatch, his responses were quite clever and measured, and he had a good grasp of strategy, but it seemed that he couldn't help but fade into the background. As soon as he was out of the stage, he seemed to be completely forgotten. Netta (4) replaced him, grabbing the hearts of the Capitol when she explained that she had volunteered to protect her cousin Drip.
More tributes followed. Tempest (5) got mad at Argus for interrupting her and stormed out. Laguardia (6) tripped on her own dress and cried for the whole interview. Next was Milan (6) who dazzled all those who hadn't seen him yet. He managed to make both hosts stumble over their words with his killer smile. Then he removed his suit jacket, showing off his wide shoulders and toned arms. Once he was out of the stage, Urania commented that she was lucky all sponsor gifts were blocked this year, or she would be "very poor" come the end of the games.
It would hard to top Milan, but it didn't bother Liana, who was wearing a mint green flowy dress and her beret. She was slightly anxious but managed to be friendly with the hosts. They spoke a bit about her love of art, how previous victor Dorcas Vector was a big inspiration for her. When asked what her strategy would be in the arena, she said that she had "a few tricks up her sleeve", leaving some mystery around.
Banyan was much less comfortable, especially because of the loud applause as his district partner left the stage. He seemed frozen like a deer in headlights for a moment. Argus had to repeat each question twice for it to be understood, and the boy's answers were less than optimal. The interview was one of the shortest after Tempest's and LaGuardia's. Nevertheless, his youthful innocence seemed to endear him to a portion of the audience, more out of compassion than belief he had any chance to win.
The interviews continued, with a diversity of skills and personalities. Only Acerola (11) and Marianne (N) really stood out, the first behaving like a career and recounting how she had joined their alliance and the second shouting revolutionary slogans before being quickly silenced. Jacques, her district partner, was the last tribute to be interviewed. A couple of peacekeepers stood next to him to make sure he did not act disruptive.
To conclude the evening, Head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa was invited on-stage to discuss the game making process. Although she had already talked about it in magazines after the last games, she answered the numerous questions about the bird mutts of the previous year, how they were designed, engineered, and controlled. She announced that after another year of designing, some of the most iconic looking would be put on the market as pets, starting a bird-craze in the following years.
After that announcement, Urania thanked Head Gamemaker Vishwa, making sure she was on the waiting list for one of the birds, and wished the Capitol a Happy Hunger Games.
Day 1:
In district 3's apartment, things were getting heated up. Once again, Nokia complained over breakfast that no one wanted to ally with her. Quantico had had enough and asked her why she didn't want to work with her own district partner. She replied that he was useless anyway. He threw the contents of his açai bowl at her face and their mentors had to separate them before things got too out of hand. Violetta had Nokia take a second shower.
A few apartments over, Liana and Banyan shared one last hug before departing to the holding room. Edmund and Dorcas looked on, curious. The anxiety was starting to take hold of the pair, but they promised each other that they would stay together as long as they could. They ate the last of their breakfast before exiting their accommodation.
Dorcas accompanied Liana to the holding room, talking softly to her about all that she could teach her once she was out of the arena. Liana asked for more tips once they were in the arena, and her mentor quickly explained to her that having trustworthy allies was almost as important as food and water. She also speculated that they hadn't had a cold arena in a while, but Liana countered that the green shirt, light colored shorts, and tennis shoes she had been given were not appropriate for a cold climate. The two women shared one last hug before Liana stepped into her tube. She smiled with confidence, trying to hide the trembling of her hands.
Banyan was in the next room, but he hadn't had as much success managing his fear. He had collapsed into Edmund's arms. Panicked sobs escaped from his chest while Edmund tried to comfort him. He was known as a stoic and cold mentor, but this time the cameras picked up his grimace of despair. The alarm sounded and Edmund picked up his mentee, putting him inside the tube while he was barely able to stand. "Please! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" the boy pleaded. "I know." Was all the mentor could say, and he ran out of the room before the podium started to rise. That evening, he was arrested for public drinking and destruction of Capitol property.
Nokia stood straight in her tube as the glass descended onto her. Violetta wished her good luck one last time, prompting the girl to tear up for the first time since she had arrived in the Capitol. She had been sulking ever since being drenched in açai that morning, even refusing to shake her mentor's hand before climbing into the launching tube, but her emotions had gotten the better of her. She turned around in order to hide her crying from Violetta as her platform started rising.
Quantico and Galvany stayed silent as he started rising into the arena. She had tried to cheer him up with one or two of her usual potty jokes, and it had worked a bit. It gave the boy enough courage to not collapse right away, even though he didn't have much hope. As he was slowly lifted into the arena, the bright sun blinded him, so he only felt the heat and the slight wind for the first few moments he was in the arena.
Liana was ready for that moment. She had shielded her eyes immediately, so that she was one of the first to be able to take in the cornucopia clearing. There was no cornucopia, just a pile of discarded concrete walls, rusted rebar sticking out. To her left stood Jacques (N), and to her right was one of her allies, Aster (5). She nodded to him and tried to look for her other friends.
As she stood facing the wrong way, Nokia could see that the podiums were sitting at the top of a hill, giving her a view on the rest of the arena. There was nothing natural about this one, and it kind of reminded her of another arena from a couple of years back : winding roads, manicured lawns, an array of houses that went from big to mansion but in a weirdly outdated style. The tributes were in a sort of roundabout, with a few houses surrounded by fences or walls, and four roads leading away from it. She finally turned around to face the other tributes, snarling at Jacques (N) and Liana who stood to her right. She winked at the handsome Milan (6), who waited nonchalantly to her left.
The voice of Head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa welcoming the tributes startled Banyan, who almost fell off from his podium. He was on edge, especially since he was standing between Usine (12) and Severine (2) while his allies were on the other side of the big pile of rubble, Tempest (5) to the North, Aster and Liana to the West directly opposing him. He could barely see them over the concrete. The Head Gamemaker started her countdown from thirty after wishing everyone a Happy Hunger Games.
Quantico appeared to go catatonic once he could see, ignoring Marianne's (N) rebellious pleas and Burt's (8) sobbing. He just looked straight ahead, expressionless. While Jahani Vishwa counted down, the cameras showed the rest of the arena to the viewers. Urania Whimsiwick explained that this year's arena had been inspired by the ancient village of Beverly Hills, a utopic suburbia from the time of the "United States". As the drones flew over the many luxurious houses, Argus and Urania commented about which features and architectural styles were their favorites.
When the countdown reached 5, the focus came back to the central clearing, where it was clarified that there was indeed no cornucopia, as per the stipulations of the quinquennial quell.
Eventually, the starting cannon sounded, prompting many tributes to run towards what they thought were hidden supplies. Liana and Aster were part of those tributes, and they were shocked to see that there was literally nothing but rubble in the center of the clearing. They kept running, quickly recovering from their surprise, towards Tempest and Banyan.
Nokia had first meant to go to the "cornucopia", but she saw that it was empty and decided to just run away. The last shreds of her hesitation dissipated when she witnessed Gilderoy (1) grab Laguardia (6) and smash her head on the asphalt.
Among the others who had fled immediately were Rima (9), Milan (6), the pair from N and Quantico. He didn't look back and tried getting inside the closest house, a relatively small bungalow with a huge pool. The doors were locked, but a garden gnome was enough for him to smash the window of the back door and opening it from inside. He locked himself in the bathroom and waited for the commotion to quiet down, hoping no other tribute would have the same idea as him.
Liana finally reached Tempest when they were cornered by the career pack. Jolie (1), Severine (2) and Acerola (11) were holding pieces of broken concrete, while Gilderoy (1) and Minervus (2) had their hands free. Liana had heard them during the training, fantasizing about strangling their "prey". She and the pair from 5 slowly walked backwards until their lower back touched a wrought iron fence. Tempest grabbed another piece of rock.
Then a pebble hit Jolie in the back of the head. It was from Scarlet (8) and her allies. The three girls started chasing them, deeming them bigger targets, while Gilderoy and Minervus stayed, grinning wildly. They pounced. Tempest's rock hit Gilderoy in the shoulder, temporarily slowing him down. Liana dodged Minervus at the last moment and he almost fell onto the fence, stopping himself at the last moment. But Liana pushed him immediately after, impaling him on the sharp finials. Seeing he was outnumbered, Gilderoy decided to follow the rest of the career pack.
Banyan had been trying to join the rest of his allies, but the pair from 12 had cornered him. They were both buff and menacing, and he knew he could never take them in a fight. He called over to Liana, but she was busy fighting off the careers. When she was finally done with them and started searching for him, Rock (12) rained punches on the younger boy. He felt his ribs break before falling unconscious. As the pair from 12 fled the scene, Liana and her allies realized there was nothing they could do to save him.
Quantico immediately changed his mind. In the bathroom where he was hiding, there was no alternate exit. He felt trapped, so he exited again and, using a chair, he climbed onto the roof of the bungalow. It was low enough that he could jump off anywhere, but he could hear and see the enemies coming. Laying at the apex, he watched the central clearing empty itself. Only Lentil (9), who had been hiding under one of the biggest concrete slabs, stayed in. Quantico didn't feel like attacking him.
Liana, Tempest, and Aster had been running as fast as they could, even though they weren't being followed. Cameras showed they were actually the only tributes in this area at that moment. Liana was still sniffling at the loss of her district partner. Eventually, they ran out of breath, and they started walking, exploring in search of any good hiding place. Most of the houses were locked. Three cannons sounded, a rather underwhelming bloodbath, although it was expected since there was no cornucopia. This twist caused a big change in winning odds, since all the tributes were equally unequipped.
After a few minutes, the trio ended up finding a small grocery store, the automatic doors scaring them at first. Urania Whimsiwick was confused, until Argus explained to her that those only existed in the Capitol. Once they were ready, they entered. The aisles were mostly empty, with only some stale vegetables and a handful of cans of food. Tempest declared that they had found their hideout and they got to work emptying the shelves. The automatic doors were definitely a problem, until Liana attached a bunch of plastic bags to them, so that they would hear as they opened. They settled in the back of the shop.
In the meantime, Nokia had gotten out of the bushes where she'd hid during the bloodbath. She roamed through the empty streets, imagined herself living in one of the big houses with avoxes and a full closet of fancy clothes. Eventually, she heard voices and decided to follow them. She was not heard by the group, which was composed of Burt (8), Scarlet (8), Betsy (10) and Burt (10). The two boys were joking about their names being so similar, being generally loud until Scarlet told them to shut up. Nokia considered joining them for a moment, but quickly realized she would be quickly outnumbered.
As the sun slowly descended in the sky, Quantico got to work. He reentered the house, once he was sure there were no tributes around, and started gathering materials. He only had basic knowledge of electronics, but he figured he would be able to make something work. He stripped all of the electric cables of the house after turning off the power. There was no food in the cupboards, and no running water. Instead, he found a bent butter knife and used it to dismantle the television, a boombox and the coffee machine.
Nokia spent the afternoon following the small group, close enough to hear their conversations but always hidden. They had camouflaged themselves with branches in order to hide in the hedges. At some point, she got bored and almost moved in another direction, but she heard another voice. "Look what we have here!". Acerola (11) wasn't armed, but she was very capable of reducing her to dust. Nokia put her index finger on her mouth. The other girl frowned. She looked back to the rest of the career pack, who were still a way away. "I have a deal for you." Acerola nodded, curious. "There are tributes hiding in the next backyard over. I tell you how to find them and you let me go." Acerola thought for a bit. The rest of her allies hadn't spotted Nokia yet. "Deal"
"They're in the hedge, camouflaged with leaves. There are 4 of them."
Acerola moved away from where Nokia was hiding and flagged down the others, giving her the opportunity to flee.
The cannon made Quantico jump. It belonged to Buck (10), the only one who hadn't managed to escape the career pack. Severin had strangled him with a chain.
Thankfully for Quantico, the sudden sound also startled the pair from 12, causing them to shout. They were in the process of forcing the front door open. He left all of his materials on the dining room table, except the bent butter knife, and climbed onto the roof once again, disappearing just as Rock opened the front door. He had to spend the rest of the day motionless on the roof while Usine and her district partner rifled through his work. They went into the backyard a few times, but neither of them noticed the boy lying on the roof. He even slept for a while.
As the arena quieted down, Liana and her companions had emptied part of the store. There were enough supplies to last a few days. In addition to the food and drinks, they'd also found a way to barricade the broom closet to be able to sleep safely. There were still tools in the shop, but they decided to rest and prepare themselves on the next day. They shared some bread and a can of crushed pineapple in the closet, lit only by a novelty lamp shaped like a neon snake.
Nokia spent a little more time outside, looking for the perfect shelter. She had decided to treat herself. She found the perfect house to the West, its backyard against the perimeter. It was one of the biggest mansions in the arena. Nokia kicked a window to get inside and managed not to get any cuts. She had chosen one that was not visible from outside to be safe. She raided the kitchen first, finding a few packs of crackers, beef jerky and peanut butter and melting the ice in the freezer to drink. She was careful not to turn any lights on and decided to sleep in the main suite, marveling at the quality of the bedding. She waved good night to a camera, surprising the viewers who were still there late in the night.
Quantico resigned to stay on the roof once he realized Rock and Usine were staying in the bungalow. He waited. A little before midnight, the cannon of Rima (9) sounded. The career pack had found her, Acerola (11) stabbing her to death with a fork. After that, Quantico couldn't sleep anymore, so he watched the sky. At midnight, five portraits appeared among the stars to the hymn of Panem : Minervus (2), Laguardia (6), Banyan (7), Rima (9) and Buck (10). That left 21 tributes alive in the arena, a higher number than usual.
Day 2:
Quantico stayed awake until the sunrise, he noticed some flashes of white light in the distance, but they didn't seem close enough to worry him. He felt weak, not having eaten or drunk since the previous morning. He was afraid the groaning of his stomach would alert other tributes. Argus Brown almost felt bad for him, lamenting on the banning of sponsor gifts for the year. Fortunately, the gamemakers had been clever enough to make some food and water available, in order for the tributes to survive long enough to murder each other. Quantico held his breath when the door to the bungalow opened, and the pair from 12 exited. He waited ten minutes to make sure they weren't coming back before climbing down from the roof.
Liana, Tempest and Aster spent their morning preparing themselves. Aster had found a backpack, which they filled with the rest of their supplies. With the help of some electrical tape, charger cables and scraps of plastic and cardboard, the trio built themselves some makeshift armor. Argus Brown pointed out that it would have very little impact with regular weapons, but it still protected their bodies better. Tempest broke the broom in two, creating a pair of stakes which she gave one to her district partner. As for Liana, she kept a pair of scissors. They had rounded tips and bright pink handles, but she had sharpened them enough to be weaponized.
In the late morning, the sound of a cannon awoke Nokia. It belonged to Drip (4), who had tried drinking the highly chlorinated water from a pool. The pair from 4 had been one of the unlucky few unable to find food or drinking water in the first day.
Nokia lounged in the comfortable bed for a few more minutes. Then she got up and stuffed her leftover supplies in a designer handbag she'd discovered the day before. She also picked up a couple of empty food containers in case she could pick berries or the like, and a steel soup ladle. Just in case. Outside of the mansion, the arena was very quiet. Camera drones showed that this part was still mostly empty, with tributes concentrated on the center and southern half. Flashing lights attracted Nokia's attention, a little way towards the center. She decided to discreetly approach, out of curiosity.
The pair from 12 had emptied the kitchen completely, but Quantico was thankful that they hadn't taken any of the other supplies. They had even overlooked the pantry, where he found a pack of dried-up tortillas, a jar of honey and a bottle of spring water that had rolled under the shelf. He finally broke his fast, then went right to work. Urania Whimsiwick invited an engineer in the Ravinstill studios in order to find out what Quantico was building. It appeared to be some sort of explosive device, filled with broken glass, but the guest criticized it, saying it was crude and very unlikely to work properly. Argus reminded him that the tributes had access to no tools.
Back in the grocery store, Liana and the pair from 5 were preparing lunch for themselves when some noise on the roof alerted them. Liana went to check, almost dying of fright to the noise of the automatic doors opening. She had been the one advocating for noisy doors after all. There didn't seem to be anyone out there. She held the stake Tempest had lent her tightly. As she exited there was a loud buzzing, then a multitude of bright flashes. Liana was blinded, but she heard the thud right in front of her, and then a cry of pain.
Viewers had been privy to the pair from N climbing onto the grocery store roof to ambush the trio. Jacques was actually about to jump on Liana, but he hadn't noticed that a small swarm of insect mutts had made their nest right on the edge of the roof. Those mutts were flashbugs, a new invention of the gamemakers. They were relatively harmless, but when they felt attacked, they released bright flashes of light, blinding the attacker and potentially alerting other tributes in the area.
Liana instinctively shouted in surprise and walked back. A few seconds later, Jacques' cannon sounded, causing Marianne to scream. The bugs kept flashing, making it impossible to do anything, so Liana retreated right as Tempest and Aster came to her rescue. Since she was over the back exit, Marianne managed to escape. As a hovercraft approached to retrieve Jacques' body, the trio retreated. They were wary of staying there since the presence of the hovercraft could bring danger their way.
Nokia also had an encounter with the flashbugs, and it almost cost her her life. As she was walking in a small alley between backyards, she came upon a swarm of them. It was a relatively wooded trail, narrow but lush with vegetation. The bugs started flashing furiously at her. She froze, and after a few second, the flashing stopped. They reacted as soon as she made a quick move, but not when she was very slow. She grinned and calmly opened her bag, reaching for the food container. As she was about to pick up the insects, she noticed some of them seemed to be levitating. No, they were perched onto a thin piece of nylon string.
Marianne and Jacques had actually spent most of their time in the arena building traps, and this was one of them. If it hadn't been for the flashbugs, Nokia would have walked right into it, causing the string to snap and drop a piece of concrete on her head. With a smile, she picked up the bugs that were away, scooping them into the container. She walked away from the trail and hid in the nearby bushes, waiting for an unsuspecting tribute to walk by.
During the second day, Quantico managed to create two of those explosive devices, as well as a bag out of a pillowcase and some shoelaces. He put the rest of his supplies in it and decided to head out in order to find some more food. Unfortunately for him, just as he exited the backyard onto the street, the career pack spotted him. Jolie (1) shouted and pointed his way, alerting him. As she, Acerola (11), Severine (2) and Gilderoy (1) started running, Quantico was already at another crossroad. He was faster than them, but unable to shake them off his trail because of the flashbugs. He went left, then into a small public park. Making sure the careers were far enough not to see him he climbed into a bushy yew tree. To get them off his trail further, he threw a branch as far as he could, causing more flashes away from his location. They appeared to take the bait, and soon he could hear their arguing over which direction he'd gone. One of the mutts landed on his nose. He stayed motionless despite the itching of its little legs. The whole viewing square held their breath with him.
The commotion with the careers had caused some movement among the other tributes. Nokia, still hidden within her bushes, was glad to have her container of flashbugs, because the others had flown away. The trap was virtually invisible, especially in the dimming light of the early evening. She heard multiple footsteps, a group, then the voice of Scarlet (8) who said : "Stop! I think I see some string." Before she could go and examine, Nokia threw the container full of mutts and ran away. The insects flashed in every direction, dazzling the other tributes. Scarlet was clever enough to just cover her eyes and not move, but the other two started running in random directions. It was Burt (8) who hit the trap. His cannon sounded immediately and Betsy's (10) screaming started again. Meanwhile, Nokia returned to her mansion to spend the night. Easily avoiding enemies thanks to the regular flashes of light.
Instead of leaving as they had wanted to do at first, Liana, Aster and Tempest had stayed in the store. They had just made sure it was harder to get inside, first by disabling the automatic doors, then barricading them and the large windows with shelving units. Doing so, Liana had found some paper and a pencil. She was sharing her talents, taking suggestions from the others. Some viewers found the display childish and pathetic, others found it adorable. Urania Whimsiwick commended the girl on her artistic talent. They spent their evening that way before going to sleep.
Quantico stayed in the tree for the whole night, deeply missing the bungalow's roof. He felt too anxious to explore at night. Instead, he fastened himself to the trunk with some of his leftover electrical wire. At midnight, the hymn of Panem resounded in the arena, mourning the deaths of Drip (4), Burt (8) and Jacques (N). Despite being action-packed, the second day had seen very few deaths and 18 remaining tributes. Argus and Urania speculated that the games would last longer than usual this year, and they wondered if they would beat the 9 days record of the 112th Games.
Day 3:
Liana, Tempest, and Aster began the third day of the games with the sound of the shop windows shattering. The career pack were in search of their breakfast, and they expected the tributes hiding in a grocery store to have hoarded all that they could. At first, Aster suggested they stayed hidden in the broom closet and wait them out, but Liana recognized the victory shouts of Gilderoy (1). The career pack would either wait them out or destroy the door.
The trio packed as much as they could and went out the back door before the others could push the shelves to free the main entrance. They encountered Severine, who had gone to check the back. She threw a sharpened piece of rebar their way, which was thankfully stopped by the extra cardboard on Liana's shoulder and screamed for her allies. Tempest, Aster, and Liana bolted, jumped over a fence, and crossed a backyard.
Severine (2) was joined by Acerola (11) while the pair from 1 looted the store. Unfortunately for the two young women, the flashbugs had been deactivated that night, due to complaints from epileptic viewers, and it was now harder to follow the trail of the trio. They ended up taking refuge between a garden shed and a hedge. They stayed there, squeezed in the tight space, until the danger passed.
For her part, Nokia had decided to cause as much chaos as she could, starting with a good trashing of her own place. Once she failed to set the mansion on fire with two rocks, she set out in search of other tributes, her two sharp stones still in hand. The first pair she approached, Rock and Usine (12), were taking a swim in a pool. In other games, this could have earned them some sponsor gifts, but right then, it only made them vulnerable. Nokia took this opportunity to sneak through the edge. While they were busy "mingling", she stole their clothes. Instead of leaving discreetly, she shouted at them : "Bye bitches, and enjoy your bath!".
Once they were out of the water, she was already very far and laughing uncontrollably.
It seemed like every time Quantico tried to get down from his tree, something happened. First it had been the career pack, then the pair from 5 and their ally from 7. A little later, it had been the pair from 12, angry, wet, and wearing ill-fitting clothes. They didn't see him, fortunately. However, as he relieved himself from the height of his branch, he saw a silhouette approaching him through the lawn. Milan (6), who up until now had just been hiding and providing fan-service (Argus asked Urania many times to stop drooling), had spotted Quantico.
The young man took his time, basting in the fear he provoked. Quantico climbed a little higher, but the tree was full of easy grips. Milan could scale it in no time, which he started doing. He held an oyster knife between his perfect teeth. However, once he was a few feet under the boy from 3, the branches started shaking. Actually, it was the whole arena, shaking violently. Quantico heard the loud crack of the trunk.
Nokia was in the middle of a mini-golf course when the ground started shaking. She fell and scratched her knee on the corner of a miniature castle, but in a way, she felt safe. Nothing could fall on her, and she didn't expect any tribute to go out during an earthquake. Instead, she just laid in the grass and waited for it to pass.
The fall of the yew tree was actually a blessing in disguise for Quantico, much to the displeasure of the Milan "fan-club". The thick canopy cushioned his fall, and he got up almost immediately. The boy from 6, however, had his leg pinned under the trunk. He would be able to extirpate himself a little later, but the fall had stunned him. Quantico picked up the bag and the bent butter knife and ran away, finding shelter in the nearest pool house.
After the first tremors, Liana and the pair from 5 had to get away from their hiding place unless they wanted to get crushed under the tool shed. They decided to stay outside in the backyard, which proved to be a good idea since the house to which the garden belonged collapsed a minute later, killing Marlon (11) who was hiding inside. Like many of the tributes, they laid down and waited for the earthquake to pass.
Back in the Capitol, some viewers were starting to get impatient. The seism had been a bust, killing a single tribute. However, it had quite changed the landscape of the arena now that half of the buildings were collapse. Many trees had fallen and most of the roads were traversed by deep cracks.
As soon as the shaking stopped, Quantico started running again, putting as much distance between him and Milan as possible. He happened upon what seemed to be a beauty parlor. The front door was shattered open, and part of the roof had caved in in the back, but he found it to be suitable. What more, the place had water, battery powered appliances and some chemicals which could be used as a weapon if needed. Quantico kept looking nervously to the outside, but no one had followed him. He hid in the staircase so that he wasn't visible from the outside.
Meanwhile, Nokia got back to her roaming. Now that they were collapsed, it was easier to pick supplies out of the houses' ruins. Other tributes had had the same idea. In the middle of the afternoon, she came upon a tool shed that had been smashed to bits by a falling tree. It was full of tools. As she was rummaging through, Scarlet (8) and Betsy (10) spotted her. She held up a pair of pruning shears menacingly, but the other girls didn't seem to care. "I'll cut you!" she menaced. Scarlet kept advancing, Betsy a little less confident. Nokia desperately looked for another weapon, but it was Scarlet who picked up the spade. The girl from 3 took a step back. "All bark and no bite! I knew it!" taunted Scarlet. "Tell that to your district partner!" spat Nokia before disappearing through the hedge. The girls were too stunned to react. They didn't pursue her. It was obvious that Scarlet did not care at all about Burt's death. She picked up another shovel and handed it to Betsy.
As the sun started to set, the cameras panned around to give another tour of the remaining tributes. Jolie, Gilderoy (1), Severine (2) and Acerola (11) were lounging in the grocery store, which had survived the earthquake. Nokia found another intact house, and she locked herself in the walk-in closet for the night. Quantico, however, stayed awake, working on another contraption until late in the night. Netta (4) was crying amongst some palm trees, while Liana, Tempest and Aster slept in the ruins of the collapsed house where Marlon had died. Milan (6) was back at his usual hideout in the Eastern part of the arena, while Scarlet and Betsy slept in shifts on the rubble of the central clearing, unaware that Lentil (9) was hiding right under their feet. Finally, Usine and Rock (12) had accepted to ally with Marianne (N) for the time being.
That night, only Marlon's portrait appeared in the sky, meaning there were still 18 living tributes.
Day 4:
Liana woke up early on the fourth morning. Aster had been taking the last watch. He shook the girls awake, whispering something about bears. She opened her groggy eyes. Bears indeed, two of them rifling through the debris. They hadn't noticed the trio yet, but that wouldn't take much longer. A dozen of brown bears had indeed been released in the arena in order to "shake things up".
As she was getting up, Tempest knocked a pebble over. The two massive mutts turned to the group. She shouted : "Run!". They hadn't expected bears to be this fast, but they were quickly gaining on them. Liana dropped a half-empty bag of meat jerky on the ground, which only distracted one of the bears. The other was only twenty feet away. She shouted that they had to split up. Tempest looked at her, an inscrutable expression in her dark eyes, and veered to the right with Aster. Fortunately for Liana, it was them the bear followed. Still, she kept running just in case.
When Nokia saw the bear rummaging through the bins in the front yard of the house she had slept in, she started cussing under her breath. She stayed stuck in that house for another hour, until the mutt had gone away. She left all of her food inside the washing machine so that the smell wouldn't attract them. Quickly after going outside, she heard screams of victory. She approached, close enough to see that the career pack had managed to slay one of the bears. It was actually their second of the day, and they had deemed the beasts easier to hunt than tributes. They were all more or less armed by then. Nokia decided to follow them at a distance.
At the same time, Quantico decided to head back to the bungalow, hoping it was still standing. He had worked on another device, battery-powered this time, but its purpose was still unknown at the time. At that moment, nobody knew why he would leave such a safe spot, although it would become clear later. Once he was there, he was relieved to see that most of the bungalow was still intact, apart from some broken windows and fallen décor. On the way, he passed by one of the bears, unaware of its presence. The mutt did not appear to care for him, instead going back to its moldy bread.
Since she hadn't heard a cannon, Liana presumed that the pair from 5 had found a way to get rid of their pursuer. She was in an area she hadn't been to before and felt lost. By that point, the mutts had become the most entertaining part of the show, and the cameras focused more on them than on the hiding tributes. They weren't that ferocious, but they liked to play and were unusually entertaining. That year, the sale of bear plushies skyrocketed.
Still, not all of the tributes were cowering in fear. As Liana ran through a narrow path, she almost hit a tripwire and jumped over it at the last second. She kept running, but as she emerged into the street at full speed, the sharpened edge of a shovel hit her in the forehead, splitting her skull. She flailed for a few seconds before her cannon sounded and Betsy (10) vomited on the sidewalk. Scarlet (8), who had been hidden for a couple of hours in ambush, scrubbed her bloody weapon into the grass. The two girls ran away before the hovercraft could pick up Liana's body.
Quantico spent the rest of the afternoon working in the bungalow. He tried to make his "grenades" more functional, but they were obviously unlikely to work. Then he got to work on another project, the one with the batteries. He made a second device, identical to the first. Then he got up and stepped out in the direction of the cornucopia clearing. That was when Argus realized he was going to electrify podiums. It had a very slight chance of being triggered, but at least it would work.
Quantico stopped in his tracks when he heard the groans of exertion of a bear. It ran past him. As he retreated into the bungalow, the career pack followed suit. He didn't know if they hadn't seen him or if they didn't care, but they kept running after the mutt. It was the fifth they would kill that day. Although it made for entertaining television, it meant that they weren't focusing on the other tributes. Urania theorized that they hoped one of their allies would be wounded by the beasts.
A few minutes later, it was Nokia's turn to walk past his bungalow. She was sweaty and disheveled but had given up on running after the career pack. They were quite easy to follow with all their whooping and shouting. She acknowledged him for a change, although she looked a bit surprised to see him. He invited her in. She just scoffed and walked away, shunning his latest attempt at an alliance. He didn't seem so upset about her behavior. As she went back to her base camp, he climbed once again to the roof and watched the stars. A couple of hours before midnight, the bears finally made a victim : Usine (12), who was carrying dried sausages in her backpack. That meant that only her portrait and Liana's appeared in the sky that night. The tributes were slowly but surely being whittled down, and for the 15 remaining, things would get a little more interesting for sure. Contrary to Gamemaker Vishwa's fears, the games proved to be very popular despite their slow pace.
Day 5:
In the early morning of the fifth day, Jahani Vishwa announced that there would be a Feast organized at noon. The tributes would be able to pick up a bag from their district in the central clearing. Quantico was suspicious. In a regular edition, he wouldn't have attended since he couldn't fight. But here, with the quell, he doubted anything good would come from the Capitol's gift. Instead, he climbed his way onto the roof of the neighboring house. This way he had a better vantage point. He did not have enough time to install his traps safely like he had wanted to the previous day. He watched an emaciated Lentil (9) crawl out of his hideout in the central clearing and run to the closest house.
Nokia needed to attend the feast. She had gone through all of her water, even the ice, and the earthquake had cut most of the power. She believed her bag would probably contain water, and maybe a better weapon than pruning shears. She made her way to the central clearing, careful to avoid the four remaining bears (they were frolicking in the park and being adorable) and the career pack. A cannon caused her to wince. It belonged to Netta (4), who had unfortunately crossed path with a hangry Jolie (1).
From his high vantage point, Quantico watched the different tributes approach. Some of them had had the same feeling as him and did not attend : namely, Marianne (N) and Milan (6). The others were slowly gathering around the central clearing, sizing each other up. There was the career pack, the pair from 5, who looked rough and were bleeding in some places, Betsy (10) and Scarlet (8) with their shovels as well as Rock (12) and Nokia, who were the only "loners".
As was expected, at noon, 11 small bags with numbers on them rose up. Most of the tributes ran in at the same time. Now that they had weapons, the fighting was a little less awkward. Tempest (5) stabbed Betsy (10) in the heart with her stake and grabbed as many bags as she could, without even looking at what was in them.
Nokia carefully avoided the career pack as they were pursuing the pair from 5. They had stolen, in addition to theirs, the bags for district N, 1 and 2. Instead, she ran to hers. Her hair was yanked back, and she narrowly evaded Scarlet's shovel. She punched the redhead in the face, breaking her nose. She tried to attack once more but Scarlet deflected her shears. Then she turned around and run. "Who's all bark and no bite now!" shouted Nokia at the other girl. She bolted in pursuit and Rock (12) who had been standing behind her with a piece of rebar missed her by an inch. She spun around and reflexively planted her pruning shears at the base of his neck. Then she ran away with her bag. It took him ten minutes to finally die of blood loss.
Nokia ran and ducked into the closest intact house to see her spoils. The bag was full of wet cardboard. She threw it across the living room in a fit of rage. And started breaking the few things that weren't destroyed in the house yet. A cannon sounded, quickly followed by another. The career pack had finally caught up with the pair from 5. Gilderoy (1) had impaled Aster (5) on a big shard of wood pocking out of some ruins, but Tempest had managed to escape, stabbing Severine (2) right through the eyeball with her wooden stake.
The rest of the day went by quietly. The survivors of the Feast licked their wounds coping with the empty feast bags with despair, anger or even humor, while the others bid their time. Quantico finally had the opportunity of setting up his traps, wiring up his own podium as well as Nokia's to be electrified. He could see Lentil (9) observing him from afar, but the 12-year-old kid was much too weak to do anything. When he was done, he set three small rocks on each podium, just in case he forgot which were trapped, then he went back to the bungalow and climbed on the roof, sleeping there as he'd done almost every night since.
As he struggled to fall asleep, the cameras moved around to the others. Gilderoy (1), Jolie (1) and Acerola (11) were quietly discussing their strategy over a campfire. They'd killed another bear in order to have something to eat. Nokia had collapsed out of exhaustion in the middle of the room she'd been meticulously destroying. A few houses over, Marianne (N) was debating whether or not to attack her neighbor. Tempest (5) and Scarlet (8) were each softly crying in their respective shelters. Milan (6) slept on a partially collapsed roof, looking peaceful and relaxed but with a newly built makeshift sword. Lentil was passed out in the middle of the street, and Urania joked that he was so scrawny even the bears wouldn't try to eat him.
At midnight, the portraits of Severine (2), Netta (4), Aster (5), Betsy (10) and Rock (12) appeared in the sky, leaving 10 surviving tributes.
Day 6:
The sixth day of the 120th Hunger Games was frustratingly uneventful. Quantico had struggled to find sleep, as usual, so he only awoke around noon, when Scarlet's (8) cannon sounded. She'd been stabbed by Milan (6), who wanted to try out his new weapon. It was pretty efficient...
Meanwhile, Nokia had stayed in the house, sulking and thirsty, until Marianne had finally decided to attack, with only a pair of pliers as a weapon. Nokia managed to chase her off by throwing anything that came close to her hand towards her : shards of glass, bricks, chairs,... The unstopping onslaught of projectiles and Nokia's furious grimace scared Marianne off. Nokia kept throwing things well after she was gone, and the hosts speculated that dehydration was causing her to lose her mind.
This was proved in the late afternoon, when she heard Gilderoy, Jolie (1) and Acerola running past her house. They were chasing after Tempest (5) but struggled to gain on her. She was a pretty fast runner. The disturbance seemed to enrage the girl from 3, who decided to attack them, armed only with a table leg and her pruning shears. She was visibly struggling to even keep up with them. They hadn't noticed her until she started screaming at them to "come and get it". The pair from 1 was rather amused. This bought Tempest enough time to disappear again.
Nokia threw herself at Jolie, stabbing her in the thigh with her shears. She kicked her away but collapsed. Acerola tried to approach her, but she was flailing the table leg wildly and it hit her in the temple, knocking her out for a few minutes. Gilderoy grabbed it and jerked it out of Nokia's hand. Her screaming had become completely incoherent at that point, and Gilderoy strangled her, telling her it was a favor he was doing her. "A peaceful death." He then went back to help care for Jolie. Fortunately, it hadn't hit any major artery, and she could walk with just a slight limp. The group decided to rest up until the next day.
Quantico, like most of the other tributes, sensed that the end of the games approached. He was jittery and his vision got slightly blurry. He kept an eye on the careers, who had set up camp close to the central clearing. The portrait of Nokia (3) appeared at midnight. Quantico smirked and aimed a very rude gesture towards her face. It was followed by Scarlet (8). The eight remaining tributes were impatient to get to the endgame, as were the viewers back in the Capitol.
Day 7:
At sunrise, the showdown was triggered. The Capitolites had been warned, many of them impatiently waiting in the viewing square. Argus and Urania anxiously shared some popcorn. A cloud of purplish smoke started to make its way from the outer edges of the arena, dislodging the hidden tributes. Quantico felt he was safe for a few more minutes, so he waited on the roof. He had only left it on the past day to relieve himself.
The first to arrive was Tempest (5) as the career pack, who were closer, waited to ambush running tributes. She noticed a small hand poking out of the central pile of rubble and extracted a comatose Lentil. She put an end to his suffering, sounding his cannon, and apologized.
As the other tributes filtered in and the cloud approached, another cannon sounded. Marianne (N) had been successfully ambushed and killed by Milan (6). Quantico finally decided to join the central clearing with the others, holding only the useless butter knife and his "grenades". Another cannon sounded. Gilderoy collapsed, holding his throat. Jolie stood behind him, a sharp piece of rebar in one hand and a manic smile on her face. Acerola immediately attacked her. While the two girls fought, Tempest approached Quantico. He immediately understood that she wanted him to fight the careers together. She warned him as Milan snuck up behind him. The sword only scraped Quantico's back. He threw himself forward, almost falling onto one of his trapped podiums. Milan was incredibly fast. Tempest joined Quantico and managed to disarm him with her stake.
Another cannon sounded, marking the death of Jolie (1). Acerola turned towards Tempest, whom she viewed as the biggest competition, and attacked. Meanwhile, Quantico was weaving around Milan, quicker and nimbler than the public expected from such an insignificant tribute. He finally attacked, slamming his (light) weight into the boy from 6 in order to push him onto the podium. It worked, kind of. Since Milan was tall and thin, he was easily put off balance, but instead of hitting the podium, he fell backwards on a piece of concrete with some rebar sticking out. It broke his neck and his cannon sounded.
Quantico watched as Acerola and Tempest fought. They were both awfully powerful. He wondered how he could beat either of them with a butter knife. Tempest had managed to stab the other girl in the arm, but it only slowed her down and in the end, she pierced Tempest's heart. As soon as the cannon sounded, Quantico threw one of his grenades. It emitted a pathetic puff of smoke. Acerola laughed. He threw the second one, which had at least the decency to explode. With such little force that the pieces of glass inside just bounced off the girl's skin. She ran towards him. As she was a few feet away, she screamed and started convulsing.
Unbeknownst to her, Quantico had positioned himself right behind one of the trapped podiums, and she'd just walked on it. The amount of electrical current was not enough to kill her, just neutralize her. Without any expression, Quantico picked up Milan's sword, wrapped the handle in his shirt in order not to get electrocuted, and stabbed Acerola through the neck. After her cannon sounded, Head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa announced that 15 years old Quantico Perez of district 3, was the victor of the 120th Hunger Games.
Aftermath :
Quantico was immediately transferred via hovercraft to the Gamp clinic, although he had only suffered minor injuries and severe sleep deprivation. A week later, he was back in the Ravinstill complex for his victor's interview. Urania Whimsiwick and Argus Brown were adorned with white puffy gowns with fur collars, while the victor only wore a light purple shirt and white slacks. He was rather quiet, which was business as usual for him. However, as the hosts showed the highlights of the game, he provided insightful commentary on his strategy. He also talked about Nokia, and how he had suggested to ally many times. In the end, he believed it had been her downfall.
Quantico was a divisive victor, but not as hated as had been his namesake when she had won the 96th Hunger Games. Instead, his fans praised his strategy, and him playing the long game, while his detractors claimed he had been "camping", and only acted for the final showdown.
In the long run, however, he proved to be a well-respected mentor for his district as well as an exemplary citizen of the Capitol, where he joined Alix Goldberg's (victor of the 108th Hunger Games) security company, Notenna, as head of engineering. His involvement in the next years' events would be put under question, but the allegations would quickly be disproven.
A few weeks after his victory, another tragic event would add to the Capitol's mounting paranoia. While the unrest was spreading across many of the districts, it was able to be put under control. Quantico's victory tour was relatively quiet, but on the last party held in his honor, right inside the presidential palace, head Gamemaker Jahani Vishwa was assassinated. A highly venomous neon viper had been dropped into her collar. The inquiry would only find out the perpetrator years later. For further information, please consult file HG 122.
Go to https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/293574644/write/1206415616 to see where all the victors are now.
Chapter 21: The 121st Hunger Games
Chapter Text
The 121st Hunger Games took place in the year 157, in a very strange atmosphere. While the acts of dissidence from all the districts had been raging for months, they seemed to all stop within a week of the reapings. Fearing this "quiet before the storm", President Crane had decided to send all the peacekeepers available in the districts to make sure there were no further attempts at organizing acts of rebellion.
This suited the victor of the 120th Hunger Games, Quantico Perez, perfectly. As he performed the reapings, Urania Whimsiwick praised him for finally shaving his awful teenage moustache. When he finally arrived in district 9, at around noon, he was starving. Newly elected mayor Cain offered him some bread, which he ate in seconds. After he'd given a short speech to the suspiciously silent youths standing in the reaping square, Quantico walked to the female reaping bowl. The slips of paper had been warmed by the angry sun.
He picked 16 years old Barbara Riker. The crowd parted to give way to a short and impressively muscular black girl. Her head was shaved, and she had an array of silver piercings on her ears, nose and lips. She walked at a brisk pace, staring daggers at Quantico when she shook his hands and almost broke some of his fingers. They were the same height, but she was much wider, with an intimidating presence.
Before Quantico could make his way to the male reaping bowl, someone at the back of the enclosure shouted, "I volunteer as a tribute". The voice was emotionless, as if they only stated a fact. There was uproar in the reaping square, as people wondered who was the crazy kid willing to kill themselves in the arena. He was quite tall, thin but with gnarled muscles. His overalls were dusty and moth-eaten, and his face unattractive. He made his way to the stage, while the hosts back in the Ravinstill studios commented on his unkempt black hair and his broken nose.
Fortunately, Quantico had been briefed on the situation, although he hadn't expected it to happen in the only district with no victors. He asked the volunteer his name and age, before announcing to the audience that the male tribute for district nine was called Harrow Clements, 18 years old. There was another brief speech from mayor Cain before the two tributes were taken to their city hall in order to say their goodbyes to family. Neither of them talked or even looked at each other.
Harrow's parents were so appalled that they spent most of their allotted time staring at their son with their mouths open. When his father finally found the words, it was to berate him for making such a stupid decision. They blamed him for giving them one less worker in the family, as they struggled hard enough already in the fields. "If you think about it, I'm doing you a favour", said the boy, making his parents even angrier. "You win in both cases: if I die you have one less mouth to feed, and if I live you don't have to work anymore." His mother's only response was: "As if you were gonna win." They left soon after, before the end of their allotted time.
Barbara's family was more distraught. She kept her emotions to herself, her jaw set in a determined expression, while her mother and little brother hugged her tightly. She assured them that she would be fine, as she was strong and resilient, and explained to them where she was stashing her own pocket money in case they needed it. Her family wasn't as poor as the Clements, but without their hardest worker, they would be sure to suffer.
The pair from 9 was subsequently taken to the train, where their mentor awaited. Replacing Quintus Gamp, who had taken ill a few months earlier, was Tillie Brown. The petite woman, who had surprised the Capitol by reprising her role as mentor after quitting due to a severe depression, had changed a lot since then. She was much quieter, and her brown hair was starting to show grey streaks. "Hello children!", she exclaimed with forced enthusiasm.
She shook Barbara's hand, then Harrow's, although he seemed to tense up immediately when she touched him. Tillie invited them to sit on the sofa, while refreshments were brought in. She introduced herself and demanded they did the same.
Barbara spoke first, asking them to call her Barb, and explaining that she worked in a warehouse, transporting packages of feed to be sent in district 10. She refused to speak about her family, instead asking if it was true that district 9 was cursed.
"Of course not, you silly!" said Tillie, although she didn't look that convinced. "But with such an outlook, you won't go very far, believe me! It's true that district 9 doesn't have a great track record, but it might change, with one of you!"
"If I may, interrupted Harrow, district 9 hasn't had the worst track record if you omit the absence of a victor. We didn't have a great start, but according to the statistics we aren't the worst district."
"And how do you know that?"
"I like calculating stuff. And I take a special interest to the games."
Tillie was curious and asked him about it, which caused him to start rambling about winning odds, fifth place curses and so on. To change the subject because she was getting bored, Barb asked him why he had volunteered.
"I don't want to work in the fields anymore. Touching straw makes me feel sick."
"So, you'd rather die?"
"I'd rather win."
Their arrival in the Capitol put an end to their discussion, leaving Barb and the mentor perplexed. A surprisingly big crowd awaited them on the platform of Crane station, probably due to Harrow volunteering. However, he was reluctant to go meet the Capitolites and refused to shake their hands, citing that he hadn't washed them yet. Some took it as an affront, but Harrow didn't care. He walked back to Tillie while Barb begrudgingly accepted to pose for a few pictures.
They were subsequently taken to their accommodation in the Ravinstill complex. After a light supper, their stylist joined them in the apartment. Tillie Brown was surprised to see an attractive young man, blond with striking green eyes but looking terrified. She was unaware of Donovan Carlisle recent arrest for embezzlement. Instead, the new stylist introduced himself as Remington Greeves.
Despite being awfully anxious, he managed to show his design for this year's parade to his tributes. They were satisfied with his rather original idea. It was harder for him to take their measurements, however, as Harrow flat out refused to be touched. Remington tried his best, constantly apologizing, and ran out of the apartment as soon as he was done.
The tributes went to bed, while their mentor left to visit her brother, Argus Brown. She seemed anxious and kept looking behind her back as if she was followed. It is not known what the two talked about that night.
On the next morning, Barb and Harrow slept late, waiting for their stylist to arrive. Harrow stayed in his bedroom, while his district partner watched the reapings. Tillie arrived at about nine, and an exhausted-looking Remington followed suit with half-finished costumes. He went back to work.
At about 10 in the morning, Quantico arrived in district 5. He had been half-suffocated by the fumes of district 6, and now he was assaulted by the thunderous whirring of the machinery. Mayor Tully took him to inaugurate a brand-new lithium processing facility before accompanying the victor to the reaping square. The mayor gave his speech, helped by his sign-language interpreter, then let Quantico pick a name from the female reaping bowl.
He took the piece on the top, reading the name of 18 years old Evangeline Blaine. There was a moment of tense silence as the name was displayed on a big screen. No one heard the weak "oh" the reaped girl let out, but they saw her make her way to the front of the enclosure. She was tall, with long blond hair that almost reached the back of her knees. Her bright yellow dress accentuated the paleness of her skin. She climbed slowly onto the stage and shook hands with the mayor and Quantico. She almost seemed unaware of where she was, but Urania guessed that it was for the better.
Next was the male tribute. His name was Orion Queen, and he was 16 years old. He reacted immediately when his name was called and attempted to run away. A peacekeeper tackled him and brought him to the stage. He was pretty, with fine features, eyes that were almost black and bleached hair. The peacekeeper holding him forced him to shake hands with the others and stayed with him in the holding room while he was visited by his family.
The "family" in question consisted of two of his cousins as well as his neighbour, who Urania recognized as Kathryn Hurst, one of Alix Goldberg's (victor of the 108th Games) good friends. Orion looked confused at her presence, but he didn't say anything. She asked the peacekeeper for some intimacy, claiming there was "no way out anyways" and he gave her five minutes. She held his hands tightly and then hugged him. She appeared to whisper something in his ear, but the microphones could not pick up her voice. She then exited and Orion could finally say his goodbyes to his real family.
Meanwhile, Evangeline's parents joined her in her own room, where they fell into each other's arms. She tried consoling them, switching between English and sign language. They had both obviously suffered some sort of accident, that had left them with some serious scars. Her mother had lost her whole leg, replaced by a crude aluminium prosthetic and rickety crutches. Evangeline bid the couple adieu, without even trying to reassure them. She was certain she wouldn't be able to win.
The pair from 5 was brought to the train with enhanced surveillance, in case Orion had any other ideas, and they were left alone when they entered the carriage. As the train started moving, a thin woman with messy dark hair and long grey gloves entered the carriage. Orion and Evangeline recognized her as Alix Goldberg, victor of the 108th Hunger Games. She was followed by her co-mentor Heliodorus Snow. In sign language, she introduced both of them to the tributes. They all sat down and started discussing the reapings. At one point, Orion asked to see Alix's glove, which confused her so much she accepted. He held her hand, she closed hers, then got up, claiming she needed to go to the restroom.
When she came back ten minutes later, Orion and Heliodorus were speaking about his escape attempt. Orion was a climber. He was used to altitude and had a very strong grip, which he believed could help him in the arena. Evangeline focused on their lips. As they approached the Capitol, she explained that she had lost part of her earing due to an explosion in a power station a couple of years earlier. Her parents had suffered heavy injuries, but had survived, as opposed to about 200 workers. Now, Evangeline worked in the city hall as a cleaning lady to help her family.
Their conversation was cut short when they arrived in Crane station. Alix left them in the capable hands of Heliodorus Snow while she quickly left. She was needed in the Ravinstill studio to check on the installation of their new Notenna security system, company of which she was the head.
Down on the platform, a sizeable and colourful crowd awaited them. The good looks of both tributes played a big part in their enthusiasm. Their mentor encouraged them to interact with the Capitolites. Orion took Evangeline's hand, as she was a bit more shy than him, and they posed for some photos, signed autographs, and made small talk.
In the car to the Ravinstill complex, Heliodorus congratulated them, telling the pair that a good rapport with the public meant more sponsor gifts once in the arena. They nodded distractedly, as they were busier gawking at the impressive architecture of the Capitol.
Their stylist was already waiting for them in their accommodation, wearing their brightest unitard for the occasion. Jinx Del Rio got to work immediately. While their assistants took measurements, they showed the tributes what they had in mind: a whole outfit made of hand-knitted electrical cables, with a slew of copper wire stars. Evangeline was sold on the dress, but it took a little more convincing for Orion. He ended up negotiated with Jinx for more copper stars and less cable on his own costume.
Parade:
The pair from 5 struggled with the weight of their outfits, although they were happy with their looks. Orion helped Evangeline climb into the carriage. A few minutes before the start of the parade, Alix appeared, to wish her tributes good luck. She vanished a few seconds later, followed by Edmund Carrell. Evangeline looked at the other tributes. The career pack was already convening and sizing out their competition. The pair from 4 appeared to be on their radar, as they were easily the two most attractive tributes this year, their skimpy outfits revealing a lot of perfectly tanned skin.
A few carriages back, the sheer discomfort of his outfit had Harrow vibrating in place. Barb asked him what was wrong, lifting her huge sun hat to see his face. She agreed that the linen tunic was itchy and rough, but not to the same extent as her district partner felt. Since he barely acknowledged her, she turned her attention to the tributes directly in front and behind her. The pair from 8 were both blond and innocent looking, while the pair from 10 seemed more intimidating. She tentatively waved at them, and Alvaro responded with a slight nod.
A few seconds later, the parade started. Thousands of Capitolites were waiting in the stands for their favourite. Orion thought they were going to be totally eclipsed by Medusa and Pod (4), who were on the verge of causing a riot, but they still managed to make an impression. Corneo Anderson was a big fan of their costumes, Although Urania found them a little too "snaky" for her tastes.
If the sensation of the rough fabric on Harrow's skin was uncomfortable, it was nothing compared to the level of noise on the Avenue of the tributes. He gripped the edge of the carriage tightly, his knuckles growing white. Barb tried her best to wave, but she did not go as far as smiling. It was complicated enough to stay stable and hold her gigantic hat. Urania congratulated Remington Greeves on his first design, claiming that it was "not as catastrophic as it could have been".
Once they were at the end of the Avenue of the Tributes, Barb could finally catch her breath. Harrow seemed to relax ever-so-slightly too. President Crane appeared, with more bodyguards than in the previous years, to make her annual speech. Orion translated the speech in sign language to his district partner, as the president was too far for her lips to be read. Viewers noted that her speech was shorter this year, probably because of her recent bouts of paranoia, and that it was very generic.
A short time later, the tributes were dismissed and allowed to come back to their apartments. Harrow got undressed at the speed of light, and ran straight to his bedroom, from where he did not come out until the next morning. Barb stayed a little longer and chatted with Remington who was too socially anxious to attend the annual rooftop party. Tillie was there, chatting with other mentors and victors. Alix was up there too, only for a short time. She came down to congratulate Evangeline and Orion and promised them to be more present the next few days. They went to bed early, trying to sleep despite the loud music.
Training:
Alix kept her promise, and it was her who woke her mentees up. They had to get ready quickly. She accompanied them to the training facility while Heliodorus went out in search of new sponsors. They were relieved to see that the room was furnished again this year. As their mentor went up to the mezzanine with the others, they joined the growing group of tributes.
The pair from 9 had been the first down in the training facility, much to Barb's dismay. She could have done with a couple hours of extra sleep, but Harrow insisted on them being early to "scope out" the room.
Once the 26 tributes were there, head trainer Carmelo Harrington introduced himself and enunciated the usual rules: no maiming, no attacking the trainers, and no snogging (he threw a sharp look at the pair from 4, who protested that they didn't even know each other). After that, he gave them free range to try out the stations.
Orion and Evangeline decided to keep to themselves. At first, they tried to go to the weapons station, but the career pack was hogging it and scaring away anyone who dared approach. Only Tempera (1), a beautiful black girl, found it rude, while Prince (1), Octavius and Bellone (2) thought it was funny. She convinced them the next day to move to another station. Orion proved to be quite talented, and he helped teach the basics to his district partner. They were briefly joined by Vinette and Barklay (7), but she was much too sickly to even hold a sword, and her district partner was strong but had absolutely no dexterity.
On the last day, Evangeline strayed away towards the camouflage station, where she learned to use the makeup provided with the young Silky (8). She suggested an alliance, but Evangeline looked back at her partner in the obstacle course and declined the invitation.
At first, Harrow was overwhelmed so he stayed by Barb, who made her way to the survival station. As she was building a fire, they were approached by Alvaro (10), a muscular boy with brown hair and a friendly face. He asked them if they wanted to join their outlying alliance. Harrow said nothing, but Barb asked who was in it. The other boy made sure the career pack didn't look at them. He pointed to his district partner Ancona (10), who was quietly chatting with Sienna and Mitchell (12), as well as the pairs from 11 and N, who were working together in another survival station. Julie (N) was teaching them how to make simple traps.
Barb wondered if it wasn't too big of an alliance, but Alvaro explained that they planned to attack the career pack right away in order to get rid of their biggest threat. She agreed. During the rest of the training, all the members of the outlying alliance worked together in shifts, all the while keeping their relationship quiet. Harrow played along for a while, but on the second morning he confessed to Barb that he planned to help them and then go on his own. Barb rolled her eyes but accepted to keep his secret. For the rest of the training, he switched between the bow and arrow station and the survival stations, keeping mostly to himself.
On the third afternoon, the tributes were brought into a waiting room to be assessed. Tempera went in first, exiting with a satisfied grin. The others followed, until it was time for Evangeline to enter the assessment room. She could barely make out the silhouettes of the judges up on the mezzanine. She tried building a circuit, but quickly realized that her hands were way too shaky. She changed her plans and started to paint her arms, camouflaging it almost perfectly into the wall. She quickly exited the room and let Orion in, signing him good luck.
He decided to show off his greatly improved swordsmanship skills against a few holograms, impressing the trainers and gamemakers. Since he still had a few seconds, he started climbing with impressive speed up the wall, and then to the ceiling, grabbing one of the assessors' glasses of champagne while holding himself with one hand onto a pipe. He climbed down as fast as he'd gone up and bowed before exiting, leaving the judges amazed.
Sometime later, Plaid (8) invited Barb to enter the assessment room. By that point, the judges were losing their interest, mostly due to the amount of alcohol consumed. Barb cleared her throat a couple of times, then completely destroyed a mannequin with a staff. Since most of the men and women upstairs still weren't paying attention, she launched the mannequin onto one of the appetizer tables and stormed out.
The door almost hit Harrow in the face on the way in as Barb ran to the apartment. He was tired and did not even salute the assessors (and by that point they were focused on what was happening downstairs). He asked for some holographic targets. His archery skills were very good, with him only missing two of the moving targets. He still had enough time to show something else after his display, but he just left.
Later that night, as the tributes were getting dressed for the interviews, the training scores were announced. The lowest scores had fallen to Marigold (11) and the girl from 6 with a 2. Both Barb and Evangeline received an average score of 6, along with Plaid (8), Benz (6) and Ancona (10). Harrow received a good 8, along with the pair from 12, Medusa (4) and the boy from 11. Orion received the congratulations of his mentors for having earned an impressive 10, putting it at the top of the ranking alongside Tempera and Prince (1). The only two with a better score were Octavius (2) and Alvaro (10).
Interviews:
The interviews took place later that night, with a wild crowd. Urania Whimsiwick entered the stage wearing a dark grey dress with purple lightning running through it, a nod to last year's district 3's parade costumes. She had her own bird mutt sitting on her shoulder, occasionally ruffling its dark blue feathers. Its name was Puffball, and it had been almost as famous as its owner in the past few months.
Argus Brown entered next, wearing a suit made of dark brown fur, reminiscent of last year's fan-beloved bear mutts. The few surviving ones were still enjoying a comfortable life in the Capitol Zoo.
After their brief introduction and a bit of crowd work, Argus invited Tempera (1) to the stage. Out of the career pack, she was the most personable and down to earth. Prince (1) was booed off the stage after remarking that Puffball was "unhygienic". The pair from 2 didn't make much of an impact in the memories, despite having solid winning odds. Medusa and Pod (4) solidified their fan-favourite status by being witty and even more attractive than during the parade.
Soon, it was Evangeline's turn to enter the stage. Her hair had been washed and straightened. She wore a sparkly silver dress and gave the audience a twirl before sitting. Fortunately, she had been provided with an interpreter. Her interview was not the worst, but she inadvertently stumbled onto less than favourable subjects, such as her parents' accident and the state of district 5's infrastructures. Nevertheless, the viewers appreciated her soft-spoken and quiet attitude.
When Orion entered the stage, there was a thunder of applause. He wore a metallic long-sleeved crop top to show-off his chiselled mid-section, a very clever choice that made him even more loved in the Capitol. His banter with the hosts was quite enjoyable. Orion explained that his job back in district 5 was to basically climb anyplace that was hard to reach in order to do small repairs. He recounted his exploits to a dumbstruck Urania and Argus. The interview even went a little over their allotted time because the hosts wanted to know why he'd tried to escape. "It was just a reflex. I got spooked," he laughed as he left.
The next tributes followed without making much of an impression besides Vinette (7) passing out in the middle of her interview. After Plaid's whining session, it was Barb's turn. She had chosen to wear a black vest, sleeveless to show her muscular arms, and cargo pants. She felt anxious, and reflexively answered all the questions she was asked in an aggressive manner. She left the stage as soon as she could to modest applause.
Harrow's interview started extremely awkwardly. He wore a simple (boring) beige tuxedo. His anxiety was blatant. He kept mishearing the questions and didn't get the hosts' jokes. He only lit up when Argus asked him if knew a lot about the games. After five minutes of in-depth analysis of the winning odds of each district, the hosts stopped him. At least they had their answer. Before leaving, Harrow finally explained why he had volunteered, which was the answer everyone was waiting for. He spoke about the tough life of a farmer and told Urania that he would leave this life either way.
After this rather strange interview, Argus and Urania continued on, marvelling at Alvaro's (10) strength, crying with Sienna (12) as she explained the circ*mstances that had caused her to lose an eye, and cutting short the interview from the boy from N when it became too boring.
To end the evening, the hosts revealed the identity of the new Head Gamemaker, after taking a minute to remember Jahani Vishwa's assassination. Eleanora Gray was a tall middle-aged woman. Her outfit and demeanour were very drab and serious, which she explained by saying that she had only recently come from the British Isles. She didn't answer many questions and did not make a very good impression. The only relief she provided was that she only intended to be a replacement for this year and the next, until they found a more suitable Head-Gamemaker. The hosts thanked her and the viewers, wishing them a Happy Hunger Games and launching the festivities all over the Capitol.
Day 1:
That night, Harrow barely slept. He was up at 4 in the morning, mumbling to himself. At 6, he was ready to go, while everyone else was still sleeping. He spent the remaining hours exercising, eventually waking Barb up. She stared at her district partner; eyes half closed. "Sup", he said while grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl. His attempt at looking relaxed pathetically failed, and he almost broke his teeth on the plastic fruit.
A little later, as Barb was taking a shower, Remington sat next to Harrow, asked him how he felt. The stylist appeared even more anxious than his tribute. Before the boy could answer, Tillie Brown called them. It was almost time to go to the launching rooms. Barb went with Tillie. She seemed at a loss for words. She tried to comfort her mentee, but she was cold and closed, saying that her mentor was enjoying sending children to their deaths, to which Tillie responded that she hoped it would end soon.
Remington stayed with Harrow, helping him put on the outfit the gamemakers had prepared for the tributes. This year, in addition to heavy boots and heat retaining undergarments, there were light grey pants, a sweatshirt and a heavy black parka. The stylist admired the sleek design of it, while Harrow remarked that this would only be the second time they had a cold arena in this iteration of the games, mostly due to the number of tributes usually dying of hypothermia.
Back in the district 5's apartment, the morning preparations had been tense. Only Heliodorus tried to keep an optimistic attitude. He accompanied Evangeline to the launching room, turning around as she got changed, and giving her last-minute advice. He helped reattach one of her braids. She thanked him, tears welling up in her eyes as she climbed into the glass tube. He wished her good luck.
Alix stayed with Orion until he disappeared out of sight. She'd hugged him for a suspiciously long time, but once again the microphones couldn't pick up what was said. The mentor enjoined the boy to "at least die in a funny way", her dark humour getting the best of her once again. Jokingly, Orion responded that he would think of her when he exploded into confetti.
At first, Harrow was blinded by the bright sunlight. Then, as his podium slowly rose into the cornucopia clearing, he was hit by the chilly temperature. He started shivering, all the while trying to get his eyes used to the light. He put his hands in his pockets to try and keep them warm. The ground was white with snow, reverberating the light even more.
The temperature shock almost caused Evangeline to faint. She stood, shivering, between Medusa (4) and Octavius (2). In front of her was the massive cornucopia, seemingly built out of pure ice. There was no roof this year, but an ensemble of platforms jutting out, almost like psychedelic stairs or some sort of giant ice mushrooms. There were a lot of supplies, even though a good portion of it was buried in the snow.
As Head Gamemaker Gray's shrill voice started the countdown, Orion looked straight ahead at his district partner. He waved at her to get her attention, The two girls besides him noticed too, but he deemed them not a threat. They were the girl from 3 and Ancona (10). He then reported his attention to the cornucopia, looking for the closest weapon.
Barb was making an inventory of where her allies and primary targets were. Prince (1) was to her left, and Julie (N) to her right. They shared a quick nod. The career pack was pretty spread out, as was the outlying alliance. Barb winked at Sienna (12), standing on the other side of Prince (1), then at Marigold (11) who stood next to Octavius (2).
As Eleanora Gray counted down, the camera drones rose into the arena, showing that the cornucopia clearing was situated at the centre of some sort of Arctic base. There were a dozen doors all around the tributes leading to the inside of what seemed like a scientific research settlement, geodesic domes linked to each other by long tunnels. The rest of the arena was just snow as far as the eye could reach.
As the screen switched between indoors views and views of the cornucopia, the countdown had reached 10. Orion had spotted the hilt of a sword sticking out of the snow a few feet away from the main supply pile. While looking around for the other tributes, he noticed that many of them were sharing not-so-discreet looks. Almost all of the outlying districts seemed to be communicating, and this realisation spooked him.
As the countdown reached 0, Barb ran towards the cornucopia alongside Prince (1). Sienna (12) ran on the other side of him, corralling him towards a specific direction. Alvaro (10) quickly collided with the career, stabbing him in the gut and sending the first blood spraying into the snow.
Orion ran to the cornucopia too, after a short delay. He almost hit the girl from 3, who tripped and fell. Taking advantage of her immobility, Bellone (2) threw a couple of knives her way. One hit her temple, and she didn't get back up. Orion continued, dodging Ancona (10) and grabbing the sword. The boy from N had had his sights on the same weapon, but he was one second too late. Orion slashed his throat. He grabbed a bag and sprinted towards Evangeline.
Harrow had silently debated within himself on the benefits of running in. He watched Screener (3) and Vinette (7) run away immediately, then Julie (N) when she saw her district partner die. He ran in, a little later than everyone. Nevertheless, he found all he needed: a bow with a quiver of six arrows, a spear, and a small loaf of frozen bread. He didn't want to stay in the cornucopia area more than he thought necessary. Especially now that the three remaining members of the career pack had realized they were being deliberately targeted.
Evangeline had stayed in the outskirts of the cornucopia clearing. She picked up a little dart dropped by Silky (8), as well as a safety blanket. As Orion ran towards her, she shouted at him "Duck!". He did, dodging at the last second one of Bellone's knives. Tempera (1) then tried to attack him with a spear. He screamed and waved his sword, prompting her to choose an easier target: the girl from 6, who had been running towards the cornucopia.
Now that she was surrounded by her allies, Barb grabbed the closest weapon, a baton, and ran at Octavius (2). Marigold was besides her with a knife, while Alvaro and Ancona attacked Tempera. She hit the boy from 2 with immense strength, causing his throat to collapse. A second hit and he was dead. The surviving half of the career pack had realised that they were in danger at that point, and they fled in different directions. Back in Renaissance square, everyone was screaming, as that coordinated attack had taken the viewers by surprise too.
Harrow joined the alliance a few seconds later. He attempted to throw his spear at Bellone (2), but she dodged, and it hit the boy from 11 square in the head. A member of the alliance. The others turned around to Harrow. Instead of explaining himself, he just apologized and ran towards the closest door.
Since they were now alone in the cornucopia clearing, the outlying alliance started raiding the supplies. Barb tried half-heartedly to convince the others that Harrow's aim was a mistake, but she quickly gave up. Her fingers were already turning blue, and she couldn't feel her ears. They filled backpack after backpack and buried what was left in the snow. As they finally made their way to the inside of the base, six bloodbath cannons sounded throughout the arena.
Harrow was hidden. He had entered the Arctic base through one of the main entrances and ducked into the first door he encountered: a walk-in closet. It was filled with old coats. The hats and scarves were moth-eaten, but he found a pair of serviceable gloves that were thin enough to let him shoot arrows. He positioned himself at the back of the closet, behind one of the racks, so that he would be literally invisible unless someone came sifting through the clothes. He stayed there for a little while and started counting something.
Evangeline and Orion had run to another door. It led to the kitchen. The first thing they did was barricade it with a chair, as well as the four other doors that led to it. Once they were certain no one had followed them, they finally relaxed. Orion looked at his bloody sword, then vomited in one of the sinks. Evangeline sat him down and started rifling through the cabinets. She picked up a vegetable knife that she kept for herself. She also found a bag of rice, but then realised that there was no tap water. After an hour, Orion was finally back to his old self. He helped his district partner to round up the supplies she'd found and suggested taking some snow to melt. She was hesitant, and they decided they would wait a little longer before venturing out.
The outlying alliance was the last to leave the cornucopia clearing. They were chilled to the bone. They made their way in through the same door as Harrow but didn't notice the closet. They kept walking ahead, through the second half of that specific module, which housed a few barren desks. There was a tunnel, then another dome. This one had probably been a lab although it was pretty empty by then. Since there were only two doors, Alvaro suggested they made their camp here. The group agreed. The temperature was closer to 15°c (60°f) while outside it was about -18°c (0°f), so the tributes started getting some of their colour back.
Harrow quickly got bored in his closet. He decided to get out. He put on the gloves, two mangy scarves, a beanie, and a second coat, hoping it would protect him from the cold. As he was about to leave, he removed the beanie and the scarves, because he couldn't bear their itchy texture. At first, he tried another set of doors. They led to the outside of the base, a flat white plane as far as the eye could see. It was an illusion, obviously, but it really felt like being stranded in an icy desert. He went back in and made his way to the now empty cornucopia clearing. He was able to climb onto the low roof of one of the connecting tunnels. It was slightly sloped, so he had to hold on tightly, but he believed he could use it as his hunting spot.
Later in the afternoon, the outlying alliance were lounging in the lab. They had taken the rug from the lobby, as well as any piece of fabric they could find, to make themselves a den of some kind. Sienna and Mitchell (12) were tinkering with some of the leftover chemicals. Alvaro (10) kept an eye on the doors. Meanwhile, Marigold (11), Ancona (10) and Barb (9) were taking inventory of everything they had. They were armed and had enough food to last at least 4 days.
Suddenly, a doorknob rattled. The door was blocked with a chair, but it could be opened with some pushing, which the person on the other side did. Alvaro shushed the others, and they all moved to the back of the door, weapon in hand. The flimsy chair gave out. The door opened slowly. A feminine voice asked, "Are they here?". The head of Pod (4) peeked into the room. Before he could answer, Sienna had used her hammer to bash his head in, sounding his cannon. Medusa (4) squealed in horror. She sprinted away but Alvaro was too fast. He stabbed her in the back with his axe. The outlying alliance looked on at the sudden carnage. There was a lot of blood. Alvaro sighed and retrieved his weapon. He whispered a prayer into Medusa's ear. Two robotic claws emerged from the walls to retrieve the bodies, and the tributes returned to their duties in complete silence. Even the viewers were shocked after witnessing two of the most promising tributes die almost instantly.
The two cannons in quick succession were so loud that they even startled Evangeline. She began to cry, finally realising the situation she was in. "I don't want to hurt anyone!" she kept repeating. At first, Orion stood awkwardly besides her, but he quickly took her in a hug. She hugged him back tightly. They spent the rest of the evening talking about anything and everything, as if they were just friends having a conversation back in their home district.
Harrow was starting to lose patience. It had begun snowing again. He could barely feel his legs because of the cold, and his eyelashes had frozen. He was ready to give up and go back to his closet when a door opened. It was almost right under him, so the person exiting had their back to him. He shot an arrow, quietly thanking his gloves for keeping his hands functional. The projectile hit Vinette (7) in the spine and she collapsed. Her cannon sounded and Harrow dropped to the ground. He was barely able to walk with his numbed legs. The girl from 7 only had an apple in her pocket. Harrow picked it up and made his way back to the closet.
As the group was setting up to sleep, Barb heard some noise coming from the second corridor, which she had learned previously led to a greenhouse. She signalled to Alvaro (10) who had taken the role of leader. They went to investigate. Mitchell (12) insisted he come with, while Sienna (12), Marigold (11) and Ancona (10) kept watch on their supplies.
The trio quietly made their way through the tunnel. Mitchell walked in front. He had taken Sienna's hammer and was acting a little overconfident. The noise was getting stronger. It was the screeching of radio static. In the middle of the greenhouse, there was a table with an old-timey radio on it. It was turned on. Barb and Alvaro looked at each other. Mitchell walked forwards, making sure no one was hiding around. He tried to turn off the radio, and as soon as he touched it, he was electrocuted. His cannon sounded, while the lights in the entire facility dimmed for an instant. The radio caught fire.
Barb and Alvaro stood wordlessly, looking at their ally's corpse. Viewers knew it had been the work of Screener (3), who was currently watching his opponents from behind some overgrown ferns. He didn't notice their roots slowly wrapping around his shoes. Fortunately for him, Barb and Alvaro ran across the greenhouse and to the next module, so he managed to come out without any further "complications."
After thirty minutes of searching, they decided to go back to their hideout. The others were distraught at the loss of another ally, but there still were five of them. Urania wondered if they would turn on each other soon.
Harrow was a little distraught at first, when he saw that his closet had been raided. He was happy to have kept all of his supplies with him. He ate the apple, then tried to set up a "nest" with the remaining coats and accessories. He brought in a chair from the lobby in order to block the door from the inside, then settled on his makeshift bed and went to sleep. He was awoken a little before midnight by another canon but shrugged it off. It belonged to Plaid (8), who had fallen suspiciously ill. His death left Silky (8) all alone.
Orion and Evangeline were among the rare tributes to stay up until midnight. Instead of being displayed in the sky, the portraits of the fallen were shown on multiple screens across the facility. This year, the first day had claimed the lives of 11 tributes : Prince (1), Octavius (2), the girl from 3, Pod and Medusa (4), the girl from 6, Vinette (7), Plaid (8), the boy from 11, Mitchell (12) and the boy from N. With only 15 remaining tributes on the second morning, Argus surmised that the games would end up much faster than last year.
Day 2:
Barb and her allies got up early. Sienna was especially intent on catching the tribute who killed her district partner. She had guessed (correctly) that it was Screener. They gathered all of their supplies and started roaming. This time, they went back through the lobby, then into another module that had been used as a general conference room. There were no traces of the other tributes, who were mostly still sleeping, as shown by the cameras.
Harrow was awoken mid-morning by another cannon. It belonged to Julie (N), who had approached the wrong flower in the greenhouse. The robotic claws had to unroot the entire plant to be able to retrieve the girl's body. The boy from 9 decided to stay hidden a little bit more, then to go explore in search of food. He nibbled on his now soggy bread, but it made him gag.
The pair from 5 woke up even later, due to them having chatted for most of the night. A door was rattling. Orion shook Evangeline awake. He was already standing with his sword ready. She grabbed her knife, hoping that she wouldn't have to fight. The door was eventually smashed open, revealing Benz (6). He had a hand axe. Orion lifted his weapon and marched towards the intruder. "Get out of here!" he shouted. Benz hesitated, but finally decided against attacking. He ran away, leaving the pair to deal with a now broken door.
Benz's running actually attracted the attention of the outlying alliance. They followed the sound of his footsteps, but eventually lost him in one of the storage rooms. What they found instead was Bellone (2), who hurled a storm of throwing knives their way, with one of them grazing Ancona's shoulder. She looked sick. Viewer had seen her scaring away Silky earlier in order to take her food. The girl from 8 had an unsettling smile. Furthermore, an autopsy report on Plaid (8) proved he had also been poisoned.
In the end, it wasn't the poison that killed Bellone, but Sienna. Since her hammer had been taken with Mitchell, she used Bellone's own throwing knife to kill her. As the cannon sounded, a small trapdoor opened in the wall. There was a little silver box inside, marked with the numbers 9 to 12. The sponsor gift didn't contain any notes, but some thin insulating gloves for everyone as well as a water filter to consume the melted snow safely. The thirsty tributes were glad to be able to drink more.
Unbeknownst to most of the tributes, a blizzard had been raging outside since the early morning. In order to make the arena more challenging, every hour, a random dome opened up to let the snow in. Tempera (1) had already escaped one. Evangeline was the first to notice the chilly draft. She showed Orion that the roof of the kitchen was slowly opening up and letting in the snow. In less than a minute, the temperature had dropped to that of the outside and there was almost an inch of snow covering every surface.
Orion had blocked the broken door with a heavy fridge, so he tried another set of doors. They were frozen shut. The next set too. With the help of Evangeline, they managed to push the fridge away and escape just in time. They had left their coats inside, but it was too late to go fetch them. They found the closest secluded space, a storage room full of mechanical equipment, and sat there shivering for a long time. The blizzard continued to roam the facility for the rest of the morning, only claiming the life of Barklay (7). In order to stay together, they devised a plan: if they were unable to hear and see each other, they would walk straight ahead until they found a wall. Then, Evangeline would follow the wall to her left and Orion the one to his right, making sure they always found each other.
Harrow had wanted to come back outside in order to hunt a little more, but the weather was too extreme. Instead, he roamed around, ending up in the second smaller greenhouse where Julie (N) had died earlier. He didn't trust the red fruits growing in there, but there was a vending machine full of snacks. He approached it but caught a thin wire with his foot. It triggered a trap. A heavy homemade net fell onto Harrow. It was heavy enough to immobilise him. He quickly got his spear and started cutting through the links, which were a mix of electric wires, fabric and even some chain. Screener emerged from behind the vending machine, a pair of scissors in hand.
The sudden commotion alerted the outlying alliance as they were making their way back to their base. They'd ventured outside to gather snow. Once again, Marigold, Ancona and Alvaro remained in their base while Barb and Sienna checked out the noise. They were very careful not to touch anything this time, although Sienna hoped it was Screener and she could kill him herself.
The two young women arrived in the secondary greenhouse, startling Screener. He was only a few steps away from Harrow. He had attempted a maniacal laugh, but his voice cracked in the middle of it. The boy from 3 turned around, eyes wide. He ran, but Harrow launched his spear between his legs, causing him to trip. Sienna and Barb were on him within seconds, punching and kicking him. Sienna eventually killed him with one of Bellone's throwing knives. The two girls then turned to Harrow. He was almost out of the net. Sienna wanted to attack but Barb put her arm forward. "Give him one pass. He helped us get that little scamp from 3." Sienna wasn't sure. "I know something else, Harrow added, I saw Tempera heading to the biology lab. You can catch her there."
The girls looked at each other, worried, and ran away, leaving a confused Harrow to deal with the tangled net. Urania suspected that he was unaware the outlying alliance were staying in the lab. Nevertheless, this piece of information probably saved his life. Many viewers wondered why Barb had been so nice to him even though she could have eliminated him easily.
The girls arrived a little too late. As they barged in the door, Marigold's cannon sounded. Barb took stock of the situation. Tempera (1) had managed to sneak up on the three remaining members of the alliance. She had knocked out Alvaro, whose head was slightly bleeding, and taken his axe as well as Marigold hostage. This had left Ancona in an awkward position; with a sword she could barely handle. Viewers had watched Tempera take Marigold hostage in order to ask where the others were. Once she'd gotten her answer, she sliced the girl's throat.
Barb and Sienna's interruption stopped her in her tracks. They approached, along with Ancona. Alvaro was starting to wake up. Sienna threw a knife, but it only grazed Tempera's thigh. She threw the heavy axe at Ancona, but Barb yanked her out of the way just in time. The distraction allowed the girl from 1 to escape. They didn't follow, instead taking care of Alvaro. He was still groggy, but he didn't appear to have a concussion.
In the meantime, Orion and Evangeline had been wandering through the facility. They felt like the blizzards were following them, which was proven to be untrue, as shown by Eleanora Gray in a comprehensive presentation. They crossed paths with Benz (6) again, but he kept his distances. As the sun started to settle, they ended up in the main lobby right as the dome roof opened to let the snow in.
All did not go according to plan, however. Due to the heavy blizzard raging outside, a thick layer of snow had gathered on the roof. It held for a few seconds as it opened, but then a small avalanche fell into the lobby. There were at least four feet of snow, and the visibility was almost absent. Orion and Evangeline were separated and disoriented. The onslaught of snow had broken through some of the walls and the doors. Turning the dome into an open courtyard. Orion shouted after his district partner, but she was unable to hear. Even he was not able to hear her own shouts. She started walking, expecting to find a wall. She had discussed this strategy before with Orion.
Unbeknownst to her, she stumbled straight through the broken doors to the outside of the base. Into the cold white expanse. Orion had been luckier and ended up against a wall. He followed it and ended up at the opening. He could barely see anything but snow. He was afraid to freeze. Evangeline's footsteps were already erased. He stumbled to the other side of the entryway. Orion continued circling the gradually more snowed in room, going around it twice before giving up and entering a random corridor. By that time, the roof was supposed to have closed down, but the snow had jammed it open.
Evangeline realised soon that she was lost. She had kept her hands in front of her, walking uninterrupted for almost ten minutes. Her fingers were turning blue. She struggled to walk. Orion was still searching for her, as he believed she had come inside and was just hiding in one of the corridors. Another ten minutes passed, and Evangeline slowed her walking. She was not shivering anymore, but her nose and fingers had turned pale and colourless. She was talking to herself, retracing the conversation she had had with Orion the night before. After an hour, Orion had stopped searching. He had hidden into a dormitory, blocking himself in, and was trying to calm down. It took another two hours for Evangeline's cannon to sound. The cameras had already moved on, unwilling to show the poor girl slowly dying. The blizzard also quieted down. The lobby dome was definitely broken, but it didn't claim any more victims that day.
Barb, Ancona, Alvaro, and Sienna were bedding down for the night. They spoke quietly about what would be next. Barb suggested they went to the Feast that was bound to happen the next day together and tried to eliminate as many remaining tributes as possible. Sienna told the group that she planned to go her own way right after the feast, because there were definitely too few remaining tributes. Alvaro made a sour face but agreed that they would have to fight each other sooner or later. He thanked them for their friendship and went to sleep while Barb took the first watch. Once she was sure the others were asleep, Sienna joined her. "We could get them while they're sleeping, right?"
"That's kind of dirty." Responded Barb. Her hand reached for her baton.
"Okay, okay, don't be mad! It's just that someone's gotta win..."
"Yep. But I don't want to cheat."
"Oh, come on! You'd do it to anyone else but him."
Barb turned away. Sienna smiled, then left. She promised she wouldn't murder her former allies during the night, "but your Loverboy might..."
Harrow attempted to go back to his closet to sleep, but the lobby was now snowed in. He crossed the heavy blanket in order to find a safe, empty space. With the sun now set, the lights inside the facility started to dim. As he was traversing a corridor, a trapdoor opened in the wall, blinking lights and a soft beeping alerting him. In the long silver box, he found a flashlight and a note from his mentor telling him to "keep up the good work". He eventually found a small linen closet to hide in for the night.
Orion waited until midnight with dread. The portraits of the fallen were displayed along with the hymn of Panem. The second had seen the loss of Bellone (2), Screener (3), Evangeline (5), Barklay (7), Marigold (11) and Julie (N). There were still 9 tributes alive in the arena, a slowly dissolving alliance, and a slew of loners.
When he saw Evangeline's face, Orion started sobbing. He threw his sword across the room. Fortunately for him, there weren't any enemies close by. He cried all the tears in his body, only falling asleep at around 4am, and purely out of exhaustion.
Day 3:
During the night, the cameras kept switching between the different tributes. Orion was the last to fall asleep. Sienna (12) had found a hiding place under a table in the conference room. Harrow and Tempera (1) were hidden in adjacent closets. Silky (8) and Benz (6) had agreed to a momentary truce until the feast and were sleeping in one of the offices adjacent to the conference room. Ancona (10) had taken the last watch over Barb and Alvaro (10), but the young girl had fallen asleep.
Before sunrise, Harrow woke up. He read his note again and decided to make good use of his flashlight. He listened to the silence. He got up, making as little noise as possible, and started exploring. He held his hand against the light, so that it stayed low. After a short time, he finally opened the door to Tempera's hiding place. Her career instincts were quick. She was up in an instant with a dagger in each hand. The beam of light blinded her momentarily and she did not see Harrow's spear flying her way. Her cannon sounded, waking up most of the weary tributes. He took the daggers as well as the cereal bars she had received from her sponsors the day before.
Orion had slept for barely two hours before Tempera's cannon sounded. He tried to fall back asleep, refusing to get up, but a few minutes later, the voice of Head Gamemaker Gray was broadcasted into the arena. "Dear tributes, good morning. It is the third day of the games. You know what it means: a Feast will be held in the cornucopia at noon. As an incentive to participate, I can inform you that each feast bag will contain, in addition to the usual supplies you need, some very special clothes. If you don't wear them, you are very likely to freeze to death before tonight." Orion grunted. Now that he thought about it, the place where he slept had been getting colder.
Barb, Ancona, and Alvaro were preparing themselves, but neither said anything. They made up nearly half the surviving tributes. Barb tried again to get confirmation from the pair from 10 that they wouldn't turn on her as soon as the Feast was done. Alvaro said he owed Barb his life, after Tempera's attack. They barely acknowledged Sienna's absence. Another cannon made the atmosphere even more tense. It belonged to Benz (6). As soon as he'd let his guard down, Silky (8) had pricked him with one of her poison darts. He didn't even realise he was dying. As a recompense, her sponsors sent her a box with more poison and three darts.
There were still two hours before the Feast began, but Harrow decided to return to his spot on one of the rooves. The snow was even more slippery, but he managed to hold on. The sky was blue again, but the sun did nothing to make the temperature rise. Harrow crouched, put his hands under his armpits, and waited for a target to arrive.
Orion struggled to make a decision. He almost gave up. Eventually, he got up. He picked up his sword and nothing else. He made his way to the conference room but had to duck into the greenhouse in order to avoid Sienna (12). He decided to stay there for a little while. It was out of the way, and he could join the Feast as it began. He soon regretted his decision, as a swarm of butterflies attacked him. He destroyed a few dozens of them with his sword, but there were too many and he fled to the cornucopia clearing. It was the safe choice, confirmed Argus Brown, as the mutts were highly venomous.
The sound of another cannon prompted Barb and the pair from 10 to make their way to the cornucopia clearing. It belonged to Sienna, who had fallen victim to Silky's darts. Barb decided not to mention the fact that there were only six tributes left. She held her baton tight. She was sweating, even though the temperature was almost freezing.
As they entered the cornucopia clearing, Orion ran at them from behind. He screamed and stabbed Ancona in the back. The girl collapsed. Without missing a beat, Barb and Alvaro attacked the boy from 5. He dodged both weapons and charged at Alvaro. His sword hit the axe's blade, creating some sparks. Barb tried to hit him, but she felt a pinch in her neck. She lost focus on the two boys fighting. Silky had snuck behind her. Her poison dart was still sticking out of Barb's neck.
As his district partner fell to her knees, Harrow tried to aim at Silky. He adjusted himself and slipped down the roof. There was a sinister crack. He got back up, sore but healthy. His bow was broken. He ran at Silky with an arrow in each hand. Silky threw a first dart, but it his Harrow's second coat and fell to the ground. She lost the second one when Alvaro's elbow hit her in the back of the head. Despite his strength, the boy from 10 was struggling against the much quicker and angrier Orion.
While Harrow and Silky played a twisted game of catch, the other two boys were offering a breathtaking spectacle. Orion finally disarmed Alvaro, cutting off two of his fingers at the same time. Alvaro kicked some snow into his face and wrestled the sword out of his hand. Orion tried to take it back, but the boy from 10 planted it in his stomach. Orion looked at the closest camera drone he could see and said his last words: "I'm sorry I couldn't come up with a joke." His cannon sounded, quickly followed by a second one.
The cameras turned back to see Harrow standing over the girl from 8, an arrow sticking out of her eye socket. He stared, expressionless, at his last opponent. He had two daggers and a spear strapped to his back. He chose the spear. Alvaro picked his Axe back up and attacked. The viewers could almost see gears turning in Harrow's head. He kept his distance, analysing every move. At one point, Alvaro almost cut off his head.
Harrow saw that he was struggling to hold his weapon due to his missing fingers. He was covered in cuts. He also saw that Alvaro was getting frustrated. He just needed to get him to make a mistake. At that point, 6 Feast bags started rising in the cornucopia. Harrow threw one at his opponent. He was literally harrowing him, remarked Urania jokingly, although the viewers were silent.
Finally, something seemed to crack within Alvaro. He charged straight at Harrow. He just had to lift his spear. The boy from 10 impaled himself in the heart, but not before planting his axe into Harrow's chest. He was bleeding profusely, but Alvaro's cannon sounded first. While Harrow Clements from district 9 was crowned victor of the 121st Hunger games, he was airlifted immediately and transported to the emergency room of the Gamp clinic, where he stayed in the intensive care unit for two weeks.
Aftermath:
The victor's interview took place two months later. Harrow was still emaciated and needed a lot of rest, but he was able to entertain the questions for an hour. Urania had chosen to wear a dark grey dress studded with rubies, while Argus's suit was black with a flame motif. Harrow wore the exact same outfit he had worn for the tribute's interviews two months earlier.
After reviewing the entire games, Argus finally asked the question that was on everyone's lips: why had he let himself be almost cut in two by Alvaro? It was all calculated, he explained. He was aware that there was a hovercraft on standby since they were the last two. His goal had been to exhaust Alvaro as much as possible before presenting him with a perfect opportunity. And then, the angle at which he held the spear would kill his opponent instantly and hopefully slow down the axe. Still, he admitted he had been very lucky.
After his convalescence was over, he returned in district 9 where he moved in the victor's village with his incredulous parents. He did not go out at all, and barely interacted with anyone. He was however a decent mentor despite his lack of emotions. His nickname was coined by Urania Whimsiwick : Frozen heart. It was only a few years later that he gained popularity in the Capitol by becoming a frequent guest of many Hunger Games related shows thanks to his intricate knowledge of the games' statistics.
Chapter 22: The 122nd Hunger Games
Chapter Text
There were no 122nd Hunger Games. For more information, see HG 122 case file
https://www.wattpad.com/1424874705-hunger-games-a-new-generation-the-122nd-hunger
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