Prologue

Five months before the 10th Hunger Games

Colette Brancheau, 11
Capitol Resident

An inch above the rest of the flowers, a single white rose lies, petals fully unfurled.

It doesn't look so pretty when I cut through the stem and toss the flower into my basket. It's meant to replace the dying flowers on the mantlepiece, but the thought of allowing something so imperfect into my home repulses me.

Usually, I wouldn't even be bothering with something as belittling as manual work, but Mother had specifically insisted that I find the best flowers for her, and it isn't as if she can trust the Avoxes to do a decent job at that. I'm glad that today isn't particularly sunny, otherwise I might start sweating, and that's just disgusting.

My eyes rake along the rest of the bushes that surround the house, scanning for any more plants that dare to peek above the rest of the shrubbery. Why do plants have to be so annoying and keep growing back? Why can't they just stay the same?

I'm already aware of the fact that messing around with the way things should be is a bad, bad thing. Change led to the districts feeling entitled to more than the Capitol had already given them. Change led to the uprising that had taken Father away from me.

If I have any say in how things go, life is always going to remain the way it is now. And seeing something as simple as these flowers try and defy that makes me want to tear out the bushes at the roots. It's only the unseemly nature of such an act that prevents me from doing so.

"Colette, have you finished yet?"

"Yes, Mother." Knowing already that Mother would request for my presence, I proceed back through the front door and into the living room with measured steps, careful to adjust myself to look the way she would want me to. I'm lucky in the sense that she's distracted with something on television, giving me precious time to push down my shoulders, lift up my head and straighten my back accordingly.

Mother deigns to give a cursory glance at me. "That's fine. Be a dear and put it in the vase, please."

I look down at the rose as I walk over, scrunching up my nose as I get a whiff of its scent. It's fine, it's fine. I went to all that effort and that amounts to a meagre 'fine'. It's not exceptional, not amazing, not wonderful. All I get is a filler word that means nothing.

Fine.

I dare to scowl as I hear someone on the television scream. "I didn't know you were interested in those Games."

"There's going to be an announcement soon on this channel," she replies shortly and I nod, chastened. I should have known that Mother has better sense than to find the Hunger Games entertaining like all of the lesser people do.

"I can't believe people actually like watching this," I say. "It's really predictable, how pretty much everyone dies."

"They are still a novelty," Mother says. "Despite its many flaws as a television programme, even I have to admit they provide something different from the numerous romances and other reality shows around."

Too many romances? Only Mother would say that. "Yeah, but everyone knows that the Games are only there so the districts don't forget that they have it easy compared to what we could have done. Why they're only complaining now that two kids are dying is beyond me. It's not like people don't ever die or anything."

Mother doesn't say anything, probably pleased that I'm showing signs of incisiveness that is unheard of at my age. Nobody else that I've been around has ever raised that point before as to why the districts' whinging is hypocritical, so clearly Mother is impressed. "And they're actually doing better. I've heard more women and children are signing up for work now. Clearly that's a good sign for equality! And they get paid with food now. That just saves them the effort of having to buy it in the first place, doesn't it? I know I hate shopping; those shops are always moving their stock around just so I have to spend more time looking for - "

I can see Mother's hand moving to motion me to be quiet; an action I've come to recognise over the whole ten years of my life I've been around, and I'm quick to stop talking as the scene on the television changes. Nobody has yet to reward me for being so perceptive, but I'm sure Mother will come to appreciate this action with time.

On-screen, the President smiles as he waves at the sheep-like crowd, who all predictably scream in delight at this generic gesture. It never fails to shock me how some people can be so unambitious that the simplest of things can tide them over. Do they really think that the President would notice them if they all act like the districts do? Pathetic.

Grabbing a steaming mug of hot chocolate, I take a seat in one of the regal blue chairs that lean against the walls. Although it's made of velvet, that does nothing to make it any more comfortable and I shuffle awkwardly. That - of all things - is enough to earn myself a disapproving look from Mother.

"Today is an important one," the President announces once the lemmings below him have finally quietened down. "Exactly ten years ago, the districts surrendered and we entered a new era of peace. And in order to celebrate those ten years of peace and prosperity, this year's Games will have a special twist to them."

I don't bat so much as an eyelid at this, preferring to pop more marshmallows into my drink. Mother had always told me that politicians like to use 'rhetoric' like that in order to distract everyone else from important stuff. Judging by the incessant screeching sounds the crowd's making now, it seems to be working on them. I can imagine similar reactions all across the Capitol. That's how shallow and easily-amused everyone is.

Everyone except for you, Colette, Mother would say. I'm more insightful than they are. It isn't like the lower classes give me any reason to think otherwise. Everyone else just goes with what's popular, not what's actually relevant.

"They will serve as a reminder of the true purpose behind the creation of these Games."

"Rightfully so," Mother says. "Those middle-class residents seem to think it's cause for celebration, just like they do with everything else these days."

"Surely we can celebrate the fact that we won?" I don't dare to look at Mother. Although we almost always agree with each other, since we're one of the few intelligent people in the Capitol, that doesn't make it any easier to deal with the few things we have differing views on. In fact, Mother thinks it's worse.

She gives me one of her weird smiles, the ones where only her lips move and her eyes don't change at all. "They only see these Games as another excuse to lose their inhibitions. The Games used to be about justice. Now they've been demoted to a mere holiday!"

"I think you make a valid point there." I choose my words carefully, knowing that not acknowledging what she had said is rude. "However, you don't think that people can relax from time to time?"

"Not if it involves losing your dignity in the process, Colette." Mother sniffs. "Indulging in such behaviour is the very reason why district inhabitants can never be classed as anything better than animals. Being human is having the ability to control and rise above our instincts. Feeling entitled to having a 'break' from rising above our natures is unacceptable. It's something the districts would do." She sighs. "You would think that witnessing the districts' barbarism for themselves would have made everyone else aware of this, but no matter." My eyes widen as Mother rises from her chair and strolls over to me, resting one perfectly-manicured hand on my shoulder. "As long as we Brancheaus are aware of the threat the districts pose on our culture, we will always be better than them."

I smile at her, all the while feeling doubt fester away at the confidence that Mother's words would have otherwise given me. Just how much of the districts' culture is seeping into our own? Is the violence we see on television tainting the Capitol itself?

With a slight shake of my head, I swat away these childish worries with the same ease as a horse would swat away a fly. If Mother's not worried, then there's no point in me feeling apprehensive. The Games are just a distraction, just something that panders to the lowest common denominator of citizens here. Once this year's Games have ended, the inappropriate behaviour will soon go away. People around here are easily influenced by fads anyway; they'll get bored of acting like peasants sooner or later.

If they really had any class to begin with, they wouldn't stoop to such behaviour in the first place, but that's the reason I'm better than them. I don't need any cheap reassurances - I'm not a baby needing her mummy to coddle her!

Why would I need anything to distract me when my life is already the envy of every other child in the Capitol?

As long as my life's perfect, then nothing needs to ever change. That's what Mother would say.

Hello all. This time, I'm actually writing a halfway legitimate SYOT.

As I don't think the concept of having special Games every twenty-five years would have been in place after ten Games, there will be a slight twist added to this year's arena (although it's not as extreme as a Quell would be). This SYOT may deviate from canon at times, seeing as it's an earlier Games.

Form and guidelines are on my profile. I only accept forms via PM, but other than that, feel free to submit. I will be accepting one character per submitter.

The submission system is basically first-come-first-serve. Regardless of wherever I have accepted/ rejected your tribute or asked for some changes, I will PM you as soon as possible. If you have any queries, you are welcome to PM me as well.