I don't need to win - I need to survive

Open it

Open the file Essie

"Masessia! Is there a problem?" Someone boomed in her ear, thier voice like ice being tipped down her back, "Only you don't seem to be listening to my orders."

Everything's fine, I'm good..." She whispered back, hastily ducking her head and drawing the file closer.

"I should hope so, in ability to follow rules may result in an early...displacment."

"Yes Miss, it won't happen again."

"You better hope not." Once the lady had gone, Essie let out a large sigh of relief. She hadn't realized how true the rumours were, Izlandi de la Ricci was one very intimidating lady, and with good reason. If the stories were true; she had been born in a very rich part of the Capitol, daughter of some poitician. She was flash forwarded through school and into the Game maker division - she worked as a senior in the 74th games and then battled it out with the Plutarch for Head Gamemaker. Eventually, to many people's surprise, Izlani won - her passion and sympathies gaining her the title. But that wasn't all, she had then, single handedly killed Katniss Everdeen in an expertly placed lava trap. From then on the 75 games got better and better. Johanna and Finnick were brutally murdered by mutts, Beetee and Wiress, dead by the second morning, Enobaria was the suspect. The blood ran thick and red, but before long, Cashmere emerged as Victor.

Cashmere faked her way to sympathy - grieving over her brother, crying for the other tributes. But Essie saw through it all, she knew Cashmere was lying, she recognized it easily. Every time Cashmere got people to feel sorry for her it was another small victory won. In the highlights of the games, Cashmere had worn a triumphant smirk all the way through, to Essie that was a clear sign of not caring. Because that was what the Games did to people, turn you from a normal person full of emotion and caring, into some robot who only cares about surviving. They turn you selfish. Not that Essie would ever know, she was a capitolite. the Hunger Games were just a show to her. With shaky hands she opened the file, pushing Cashmere out her head.

Hello Young Gamesmaker,

This is my first year as president after my grandfather, Corilanius Snow, died. He made a lasting impression on this nation - I aim to do the same. So, after the Katniss debarcle, I heard that there was talk of a rebellion. We need to teach those districts a lesson they will not forget. So here is your objective, make this games gory. The goriest yet. Make thier blood run in crimson rivers down the arena. I want them so broken, that when the winner emerges, it will seem like they are the loser. Death will be welcomed, like an old friend. Mutts, twists and death will run amok. I'm sure you won't disapoint me.

Artemis Snow.

Essie grimaced. The President was a harsh woman, but this was just sick. Slowly, the realiation that it was her, Massessia, that was going to help Snow. That she was going to become a murderer, or at least an accomplice. But it too late to walk away now, she had to see this through to the bitter end. Even if it meant she changed.

"People! The time for reading is over! Now, we get our ideas ready. You Juniors will create the idea, and us seniors will quash it into a diamond. So, get rolling Juniors, or the President is going to be very disapointed." The Juniors whispered among themselves under Izlandi's watchful gaze. 'Gathering Ideas' was what it could be called, more likely though was the fact that they were probably gossiping about who knows what. Gossiping, a favourite pastime of most capitolites, but not Essie's. She prefered to stay at home and watch re-runs of the Hunger Games, not for entertainment purposes - but just in case the Games came to her. Just in case the capitol were forced to compete, she wanted to be ready.

"More mutts!" Someone yelled out, jerking Essie from her reverie.

"No. Too boring." The idea was shot down by a senior with pink skin.

"More tributes?"

"Been done before."

"How about, we focus on the arena?"

"The arena is already built you dumb-ass." A weedy junior frowned at the suggestor from across the room.

"Since that has been cleared, how about we do something a bit different." A shapely woman with golden hair and over sized breasts purred, "Like send in the families as well." No one spoke for a moment, then slowly the feed back came trickling back.

"It could work..."

"The disticts would kill us though."

"So ruthless!"

"Hard to shape into any kind of diamond."

"What an idea - I like it." A kind of anger filled up inside Essie, an empathy for whatever children would have to take part in that games.

"No!" She shouted. "Do you want the districts to revolt? No. That idea is too brutal. Be subtle."

"Oh yeah?" Blondie sneered, "Like your have any ideas."

"I do actually." She bluffed back, her mind grasping for a random, crazy idea, "There are gifts for the tributes, laid around the arena. But there are clues to get to them, shown on the screen in the arena force field? Well these clues are related to the tribute they are meant for, meaning that to get the gifts you'll have to ally. but then, to win you'll have to brutally MURDER your allies." No one spoke.

"It's an idea...a good one at that."

"It's the only one we have, that is actually good"

"Excuse me?" The blonde girl exclaimed, "My idea was good!"

"Yeah, if you want people to revolt."

"They were revolting anyway."

"ENOUGH!" Izlandi boomed, glaring at Essie and the blonde, "Everyone say 'aye' if you think we should go with Miss Pathens idea?" She pointed to the blonde girl, nobody spoke. Say 'aye' if you think we should go for Miss Courtelands plan?" A chorus of 'ayes' filled the room.

"Uh, well..." Essie didn't know what to say, but a trickle of regret slipped down her throat. It was a horrible idea, a destructive idea.

"Enough. Mrs Courteland! Come with me, we must go see the President!"

A/N

Hi! I'm Starlight, but you can call me Li. So this is a SYOT! The rules and rubric are on my profile - please go look at them. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and decide to submit. I won't be taking any tributes that deviate from the rules I have set. Please take your time to create detailed and interesting tributes.

Questions!

1. Do you like this for a 1st chapter

2. What do you think of the backstory of how Katniss lost?

3. What do you think of Essie so far?

4. What about Izlandi?