Disclaimer: I don't own The Hunger Games or any recognizable characters/plots. Rated T for mild language and mention of prostitution.
He made it a point to warn the pretty ones. Four was a wealthier district. There was almost always at least one especially "pretty" one. Sometimes there were two. Especially if it was a year when they had Careers. It didn't always work out that way. He hadn't volunteered after all, and he was one of the prettiest. Then again, occasionally there weren't any extra pretty ones. Those years were the nicest.
Most Mentors didn't warn them. He hadn't been warned. If he had been, would he have tried as hard to win? He wasn't sure. He made sure the pretty ones were always sure. They made different choices.
Some, decided that they were going back to four, no matter the cost.
"You know my reputation, pretty girl,"
"Is there anyone that doesn't?"
"I don't think so. But what most don't know is it's not a reputation I would have if left to my own devices,"
"What do you mean?"
"Pretty Victors get sold, pretty girl. We make money for President Snow when he sells our bodies to those Capitolites with enough money,"
"Sounds bad,"
"You get used to it. You can earn some trinkets doing it. Most people give their bought toys a toy of their own. A diamond bracelet here, an emerald pendant there. Sometimes you can take on extra clients during the games so you can get more sponsor money for your tributes. But I'm asking right now if you want me to throw my weight behind your partner, pretty girl. He won't attract more than the average amount of attention, provided he does nothing truly spectacular. You'd get more than average, pretty girl, so I'm asking right now if you want to decide not to come out into this life. There's no refusing it once you've won, you agree or everyone you love dies, and everything you care about disappears. You don't have to come out, you can choose to make it far enough that you pick the Victor if you want, get it down to three and then die taking out one of the other two. You can let me support your district partner. You can forgo the Career Pack and team up with someone that has no chance. There's a million ways to lose, including winning. Still wanna win the Games, pretty girl?"
"Why are you calling me 'pretty girl'? You haven't before now,"
"Just driving the point home,"
"Yes, home. That's where I'm heading, no matter what happens to me."
She hadn't though. She had tried, but he could tell her heart wasn't in it. He had learned not to use the word home that year.
Others were Careers. They had trained their whole life for this moment. They weren't going to give it up because some Capitol Darling said life sucked post-Games.
"So you're telling me, I shouldn't try to win because I'll be prostituted?"
"No, kid, I'm telling you that I won't blame you if you choose not to win because you'll be prostituted,"
"What the fuck would I do instead?"
"You could keep your partner alive if you wanted. She's quite pretty too though, so I'll be having this same talk with her later. You could throw your weight behind the leader of the Career pack, and let him or her win in a dramatic last battle fight. You could be the leader of the Career Pack and be a tyrant so that one of the others slits your throat in your sleep. You've got more options than becoming a prostitute in exchange for some jewelry here and there, kid,"
"You're fucking crazy man. I'm winning this thing,"
"It's your choice, kid,"
"You're almost the same age as me, don't call me kid."
"Until you've watched the light leave someone's eyes after you've killed them, you're still a kid,"
He had meant that the kid should cherish his innocence, but he had instead made it a point to look every kid that died in the eyes. It had cracked the poor kid, he'd gone mad with bloodlust. It was subtle, almost no one noticed it. But the Gamemakers had, and they had not wanted a bloodthirsty Victor that year. And so he was taken by mutts. After that, he kept his killer comments to himself when it came to the Careers.
Sometimes, they would back out immediately.
"If I win, I have to WHAT?"
"Keep it down there, sugar cube. It's a fairly simple concept. Pretty Victors get sold, and they get trinkets in return. Do you still want me to do my best to get you out of that arena?"
"Don't let me win, don't let me. I could never do that,"
"I understand. Do you want to go over suicide plays? Moves that will give a person of your choosing a definite advantage at the cost of your own life?"
"No, I'll do it when the only one getting hurt is me. As long as I'm not getting out anyways, I'll do my best to never take a life. I'll be able to still be me if I'm not focused on winning,"
"What do you want me to do with your sponsor money? Your partner already said he wants to win,"
"That's good. Give him whatever money I happen to raise. He's a Career. He had a better chance of winning anyways,"
"Of course, sugar cube,"
"Why call me that?"
"Because, you're sweet, like sugar. It makes you even prettier,"
"And the Capitol sees it too, huh,"
"Unfortunately so, sugar cube,"
"Thanks for giving me the choice. I can't imagine being blindsided by, by that, after winning and thinking I had a chance at a normal life."
"I can. It's a choice I didn't have,"
"Would you have chosen differently? If you'd known?"
"Right now? No, because it means you got your choice. Don't expect the same answer if you ask me after I've just seen a client, sugar cube"
True to her word, she hadn't made it more than a couple days in before she "mistook" a slow-acting poisonous berry for some safe ones. It was a smart choice for suicide, as it was one that gave her a painless death, merely leaving her woozy in her last few hours. He had used a little money to send her a sugar cube, watching her light up and smile. He started eating them himself too, to remind himself why he gave them a choice, even when it hurt to watch them give up their lives.
Sometimes even the Careers said no. They usually used his suicide plays.
"So my choices are dying or becoming a prostitute?"
"I'm afraid so, darling,"
"That's not what I trained for. I trained to bring glory to District Four, not shame to my family name! Er, no offense meant,"
"Not a problem, darling. Want to go over suicide plays? Or d'you wanna try to make it out?"
"I'm not just going to kill myself!"
"Suicide plays are a move that'll cost you your life, but give you a chance to take down someone you definitely don't want winning with you, or create a discord between some districts, or to actually determine the Victor in some cases,"
"That could work, go out in a blaze of glory sort of thing,"
"Exactly, darling,"
They had worked out a plan. She would take charge of the Career Pack and then last long enough to get to the "we've killed all the major threats now let's turn on each other" stage, then take out the boy from One. He was ruthless enough that she could realistically only just manage to be taken out when she took him out. It hadn't mattered anyways though, she got killed by Seven's girl tribute long before that stage. Of course, One hadn't won either.
What hurt him most is when they told him to let them die, but still tried.
"Here to tell me I've got no chance?"
"I'm here to warn you, pretty boy,"
"Warn me about what?"
"About what happens to the pretty Victors,"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean then end up like me. I don't want to sleep with multiple women in a day, but they paid Snow money. And if I don't they kill my family,"
"Really? They prostitute you?"
"Yes, and that's what would happen to you too, pretty boy,"
"S'that why you're calling me pretty boy? You call every guy you warn that?"
"No, everyone gets their own name. But back to the matter at hand. You want to go over suicide plays, or do you want to go over plays to get out?"
"Neither,"
"What are you talking about? Neither?"
"I mean I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try my hardest, but I don't want to make it out of there either. Not if that's what it gets me,"
"So what do you want me to do with your sponsor money?"
"Give it to my district partner, don't waste it on me I'll try my best but I'm not coming out of there alive,"
"You could. If you try,"
"Do you think I should?"
"I think you should be sure about your choice."
"I am."
That year had been the hardest. But true to his word, he didn't send him the medicine that he had just enough money for, that could've saved the boys life.
He never reused a nickname, each got their own because to call them all the same would be the same as to make them a collective thing, even more so the 'the pretty ones'. Each was their own person, but he couldn't bear to call them by name while he told them what their options for the future were.
He didn't know which was worse, watching them try and fail, or watching them not try at all. But he did know that watching the shock he had felt reflected in their eyes would be worse than either. So he kept warning the pretty ones. He kept giving them that choice he hadn't had.
AN: Thanks for taking the time to read this little idea that popped into my head. It would mean a lot if you would review, even just a "good" or "not my favorite" can make my day. Of course, if you don't have time to review, I understand, I don't review all the stories I read, but it means a lot to hear what someone thinks about it.