Yes, it's syot time! I'm getting close to the end of my first one. So yeah...
The door flies open with a loud slam. Head Gamemaker Mazidel doesn't look up from her computer screen. Her fingers fly across the keypad.
"Yes?" she asks, rather impatiently. She has a lot of fine details to work out before the Games actually start. Time is running out.
President Neige walks over and slams a fist on the young gamemaker's cluttered desk. A pencil rolls off and he stares at it for a minute, "Well?"
Mazidel barely restrains an eye roll. She knows what he is going to say next. It's the only thing he's been saying for the past couple weeks. "How are the plans coming along?"
"Same answer as every other stinkin' day," she mutters. She bites her tongue. Attitude won't get you very far when you're talking to the President of Panem.
"So, I'm assuming that they are going just fine?" he patronizingly asks. She wants to yell and curse at the man for wasting her time with the bothersome, pointless questions. The plans are coming along quite well, if you ask her.
It is her first year as Head Gamemaker and she plans on impressing. It's the 81st Games. Sure it's not a Quell year, but why not add an unexpected twist. Actually she's glad she doesn't have to live up to the expectation of a Quell. And besides who really wants to come up with an annoying saying along the lines of "And to remind you that the rebels weren't strong, blah blah blah, we will kill you anyway and laugh hysterically at your pain."
"Of course," she says and then adds as a second thought, "sir."
"Very well then," he says half heartedly.
President Neige turns to head out the door. Mazidel can't stand his disinterest. She wants to show off her pride and joy, "Would you like to see the plans?"
Neige grins; of course that is what he wanted. He always gets what he wants, one way or another. He takes the tablet from the girl and activates the screen.
Mazidel wonders if showing him was a good idea. The president's face remains emotionless as he reads the description and looks at the charts. She spent too much time on the concept to have him hate it.
"Interesting," he says, "Will it work though?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean raise the stakes."
"Isn't their own lives a big enough prize?"
Neige's blue eyes flash at the impudent young woman, "I said raise the stakes." He starts pressing buttons on the tablet to activate controls. "There," he says, "now it is perfect."
He smiles grimly and turns to walk out of the office.
Mazidel sighs. If only the stupid president would keep out of her business. She picks up the tablet to see what the president suggested. Her eyes scan the screen. Then she gasps in surprise.
An actual story chapter, no list, and no sponsoring (so it's not interactive)...so yup, no rule breaking here!