After the very controversial and forgettable Hunger Games from the previous year, Toris Allaya would be the first ever Game Maker (Originally the propaganda director handled the games) for the Hunger Games. Though their was some pressure on her considering how terrible the previous year was, she was determined to make two things happen.
1. Make these games as terrifying as possible for the tributes and the Districts
2. Make it visually interesting for the Capital while also being conservative for the budget and to make up for the previous games
With these two simple goals in mind, she arranged a team of Game Makers that could help create arena based around these ideas. She decided that it'd be best to make the arena complex but still simpler than the previous two games which consisted of giant arenas with unique challenges. Eventually, President Bering Snow gave the on-up for the ideas and the games were put into plan.
Once again, the interviews were held and the tributes were forced to share their life and stuff. On the next day, the games would begin...
Once the pods rose into the arena, it was good to know that this year wouldn't have any of the problems the previous year had when it came to freezing to death or anything like that. But that only reminded the tributes that they were going to have to fight to the death.
The gong rang and the tributes jumped off their pods and towards the cornucopia and they desperately grabbed all the necessary supplies and weapons. The previous three years had about one tribute going around in the bloodbath killing everyone that was around. This year would be different. Thanks in part to the interviews, the District 1 and 2 tributes formed an alliance in order to take down some of the tributes early on.
Though they would split up immediately after the bloodbath, this would be the precursor for the career alliance.
The first target were some of the Districts with victors. The previous 3 had been from Districts 1, 4 and 10. However, there were some dangerous ones from other rebellious Districts like District 3, 6, 8 and 12. However, the amount of unstable or strong children from these Districts was pretty low by then so the tributes that were children of rebels weren't as bad as the previous victors.
However, the lower Districts were their real target. The District 1 Male (Shiloh) immediately grabbed a sickle and charged at the District 10 female (Sarba). She was quick enough to avoid his sickle. After dodging the first swing, she grabbed a knife a aimed it at his stomach. However, he just barely avoided the knife. Once again, he tried hitting her but she jumped back and onto a crate.
The other tributes by this point were either running away or fighting with one of the careers. The District 7 Female (Ava) was desperately trying to grab an axe to combat the District 2 Female who was swinging her sword at her. She jumped over a crate and ran into the cornucopia where one was waiting to be used.
Right as she grabbed it off the wall, the District 2 Female swung her sword at her quickly. Ava managed to duck right in time before she knee'd the girl in the stomach.
After the District 2 girl fell to the ground, Ava hesitated for a moment before leaving the cornucopia. She didn't want to spare anybody but she thought it'd be best if she did.
Another fight had broken out between District 3 Male (Biyte) and the District 9 Male. As they both struggled over a weapon, the District 2 Male was watching in amusement.
"Mind if I join in." He smirked before throwing a knife at the two boys. It swiftly cut into the boy from 9, ending him their.
"BOOM!" "BOOM!" Two canons boomed across the arena.
"Huh?" The District 2 Male looked around noticing that two kills had just been made. Biyte was busy running away so he wasn't dead so who was...
He noticed the District 8 Male running away with a backpack and a curved sword, running away from the District 1 females body...
"Mai!" He shouted, running to her body. Their was a severe blood wound above her eye and she wasn't breathing. How did the District 8 kill her?
As the District 2 Male went running into the woods heading for the District 8 Male, the District 11 duo were busy taking over the cornucopia from the others. Without their respective District partners, the District 1 Male (Shiloh) and District 2 Female struggled to keep their edge over the dark skinned tributes.
Peara (District 11 Male) and Poppa (District 11 Female) were both very strong tributes. No thanks to the harsh nature of District 11. They were both no strangers to whippings and they worked hard with equipment so they both some of the strongest in the arena. Besides that, they were both some of the oldest in the games (17 and 18 [Going on 19] respectively).
Peara quickly overpowered the District 2 Female (Still fatigued over her fight with Ava) and threw her into the cornucopia wall. Poppa also quickly overpowered Shiloh, kicking him in the shin before using her sword to stab him in the abdomen.
At that moment, the only tributes still at the cornucopia were the District 6 Female, the District 8 Female, the District 4 Male and the District 12 Female who were all fighting.
Peara had randomly found a lighter in one of the bags. Considering how the area surrounding the cornucopia was mostly dead, tall grass, he knew it'd be best to take advantage of that.
Peara was somewhat against direct killed while Poppa wasn't and they'd disagreed on how they'd take everyone down.
"Poppa! Climb the cornucopia. I'm about to do somethin!" Peara shouted over to Poppa who was busy charging at the other tributes. She quickly nodded before jumping on some crates and on top of the cornucopia. He turned the light on the lighter before throwing it into the deadest patch of grass he could find.
The grass lit on fire and those who remained (District 4 was on his way out) were caught in the fire.
"BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!"
Those who had remained were all dead.
"I'd say. That was some overkill there." Poppa admitted. Peara didn't care much. At least he hadn't used his hands to do the damage. As this was going on, the fire was starting to spread across the area around the cornucopia and slowly starting to make its way towards the woods.
This was not only bad news for the tributes, but very bad news for Toris because it could end up like the previous year.
"Quickly! Cause a rain storm!" She ordered the other Game Makers in order to stop the fire.
With the press of a button, a rain storm began in the north of the arena before spreading further south towards the fire. It quickly extinguished the fire... and started flooding the cornucopia.
By this point, all the supplies were ruined and so there wasn't any food coming from the cornucopia.
With the sun still not going down until later, the District 2 Male began hunting along since his alliance wasn't at the cornucopia. Around this time, he came across the District 5 Male, who had a knife and that was it.
He was his first victim.
"BOOM!"
And in the end, he was the last death of the day... for then at least.
District 1 Female - Sword to forehead - 24/24 - Killed by District 8 Male
District 9 Male - Knife to back - 23/24 - Killed by District 2 Male
District 1 Male (Shiloh) - Stabbed in abdomen - 22/24 - Killed by District 11 Female (Poppa)
District 8 Female - Burned to death - 21/24 - Killed by District 11 Male (Peara)
District 2 Female - Injured and fatigued before being burned to death - 20/24 - Killed by District 11 Male (Peara)
District 6 Female - Burned to death - 20/24 - Killed by District 11 Male (Peara)
District 4 Male - Burned to death - 19/24 - Killed by District 11 Male (Peara)
District 5 Male - Sword to throat - 18/24 - Killed by District 2 Male
With the sun slowly going down on the forest arena, the District 8 Male (Flax) ran to a stream that he had randomly found. The sound of the stream flowing had calmed him down. He was sure that the District 2 Male was still coming after him, so he rested near the stream while also filling his canister with some cold water to refresh himself.
However, it didn't take him long to realize that he wasn't alone...
"I know you're behind me, District 7." Flax stood up and announced. He didn't dare turn around yet, he needed to intimidate him.
"Pft. You don't scare me, 8." The District 7 Female (Ava) laughed as she slowly climbed down a tree and spun her axe. "You realize where we are, right?" She questioned him.
"I don't know. Nor does it matter." He turned around. She grinned. "My natural habitat. Of course, me and my family cut down trees for a living. I don't cut down children for a living... but it makes a good pastime if that's what will get me home." She looked down at her axe before charging towards Flax.
He jumped into the stream and ran away as fast as he could. He needed to lose her!
At that very moment, the District 10 Female [Reminder, she's the sister of the previous games victor] was watching the chase go on with all of her knives ready. "Obviously those two don't know when to quiet their asses. It's now or never." She said, moving through the bushes as the tributes ran through the arena.
In a silent move, she threw a knife at the District 7 girl. However, it missed and gained Ava's attention. "Oh look, a bigger threat. I'll be back!" She warned Flax.
The District 8 boy gave a sigh of relief before continuing to run off. With knew rising fear clear in her eyes, she began to run for her life. Well, really all she needed was distance but Ava was way too fast to aim.
The District 10 girl gave it one more try.
"SWOOSH"
The knife went past Ava and the axe found a new home in the 10 girls skull.
"BOOM!"
"Alright then. She's down. Hopefully the other competition aren't moving around because I can easily kill them." Ava (District 7 Female) looked around. The District 8 male (Flax) was still running off but he was far out of sight in comparison to the District 5 female who was busy climbing a tree not very far away.
"Jeez, does everybody want to see what I'm up to?" Ava laughed, noticing the District 5 girl climbing the tree to safety. "Uh-, no actually. I just like the view from up here..." The District 5 girl said, quietly.
The District 7 girl jokingly pulled out her axe and aimed it at the tree. "I'm from 7 you know. I could chop down this tree if I wanted but... you know, we're in our alliance now." Ava revealed. Flax wasn't too far... he was close enough to hear that.
Velva (District 5 girl) looked down from the tree with a small feeling of worry. The girl from 7 was a savage, she could tell. However, she seemed like a trusty worthy girl so she was fine with aligning herself with her.
Ava (District 7 Female) was happy to have a human shield around. It could help speed the games along. Though not exactly confident in the 15 year old girls abilities, she was sure Velva would be afraid of her.
While this was going on, the District 2 male was out hunting for other tributes. Since he still couldn't find the District 8 male, he decided it would be so much easier to just go out and hunt and kill anyone else he came across. Unfortunately, this also meant the District 3 male who was still trying to gain his distance from the rest of the tributes.
Of course, he really had no chance but he got up and fought. However, he wasn't strong enough to fight back against the older boy from District 2 who quickly wiped him out.
"BOOM!"
Meanwhile, the gamemakers had a new design for their next mutt attack. The usage of Tracker Jackers. Tracker Jackers had been used during the Dark Days by the Capitol and a lot of the nests had been left around the Districts. They were definitely the best reminder of the Capitols superiority...
The tracker Jackers were unleashed north of the arena, only a small amount of tributes were there. At once, 4 tracker jacker nests exploded and they were unleashed upon the tributes in the area.
Among those who were their included the District 9 Female, District 12 Male, The District 10 Male and the District 4 Female. They swiftly came in and attacked the tributes, killing 3 of them (District 9, 12 and 10).
"BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!"
"I do not like the sound of that..." Glori (District 12 Female) said to herself as the canons went off. She found herself shaking with worry and fear. What could possibly be going on?
A very vibrant and quiet humming sound filled her ears. Her fears were realized and she quickly grabbed her items and ran. Tracker Jackers? Here? In MY area? Oh no!
She desperately ran away, worrying as the sound of Tracker Jackers got loud and louder... However, secretly they were never there. It was all a trick from the Gamemakers.
Glori was leading herself into the path of the District 5 and 7 girl. Right as she believed she was losing the Trakcer Jackers, she accidentally ran head first into the two. Annoyed and quickly alerted, Ava got up and grabbed her axe before trying to swing it wildly.
Glori managed to avoid Ava's axe but she no real weapons... that was before she saw the 5 girls knives all across the ground. She quickly picked one up and aimed in at the District 7 female. It flew through the air like a bullet... but didn't hit the target, hitting a tree instead.
Ava grinned before going in for the kill.
"BOOM!" Another canon fired.
"Pretty eventful night, wouldn't you say, Velva?" Ava grinned as she pulled the axe out of the District 12 girls skull. Velva was quiet, but she gave a nod. What's daddy going to say about this... I'm teaming with this creep...
With a record setting 11 non-natural/arena deaths on the first day and a record 13 non-Hunger/thirst/hypothermia/heat related deaths on the first day, the Capitol audience was hooked while parents in the Districts watched with tears in their eyes or clear fear showing in them.
The 4th annual Hunger Games had finally become what the games had been built for. Toris had succeeded in her goal on the first day...
As the sun rose for the 2nd day, things would have to be changed up though. With most of the remaining 10 tributes all spread out, it would be harder to get them to fight. Well, Toris was determined to make things very interesting on the 2nd day.
Before the sun could even finish popping its head over the arena, a loud thunderclap was heard across the arena.
"Rain? Well isn't that just dandy..." The District 6 Male said to himself. He didn't know much about survival. However, he knew that lightning mostly struck trees... AKA 100% of the arena. The gamemakers were probably going to kill whoever wasn't valuable to the audience. Me included. He grit his teeth.
Ava (District 7 Female) and District 5 Female (Velva) were both beginning their morning routine of moving across the arena to search for tributes. The rain would make it harder to hear footsteps which meant that they'd have an advantage. Velva still had a hard time digesting the death of the District 12 female but she was determined to survive the rest of the games.
The District 2 Male was also moving around the arena, trying to find a place where he wouldn't get struck by lightning. Clearly that was an impossibility considering the whole arena was literally trees and nothing more. However, the gamemakers weren't planning to kill him or anyone really. They were leading all of the bigger tributes to the smaller ones to take them out.
The finale would need to involve the bigger ones... having the others getting in the way would get annoying. Just so the older tributes could keep track though, they anthem played very early in the morning that day.
"BOOM!" But not before the District 6 boy died.
District 10 Female - Axe to head - 17/24 - Killed by District 7 Female (Ava)
District 9 Female - Tracker Jacker Venom - 16/24 - Killed by Tracker Jackers
District 12 Male - Tracker Jacker Venom - 15/24 - Killed by Tracker Jackers
District 10 Male - Tracker Jacker Venom - 14/24 - Killed by Tracker Jackers
District 12 Female - Axe to head - 13/24 - Killed by District 7 Female (Ava)
District 6 Male - Sword to throat - 12/24 - Killed by District 2 Male
The District 11 duo were also making their way out of the cornucopia since they pretty much destroyed all of the necessary supplies the previous day just to make the game even. However, this came at its own price since they didn't have food or water or anything like that. Though they were both used to starvation so it was okay for then...
Their first prey was the District 3 Male, who was sleeping. Poppa yawned. "This kid is making me tired just sleeping here. This boy ain't gonna help our chances of winnin so it'd be best to take 'em out right now." She handed a knife to Peara who agreed.
They swiftly cut his throat, ending his game their.
Ava (District 7 Female) and Velva (District 5 Female) both watched. Ava was annoyed by the two big tributes while Velva watched in horror as blood spilled through the small District 3 boys neck.
"BOOM!" The canon fired for him.
"Why... Why would they do that as he slept?" Velva asked Ava. Ava rolled her eyes, annoyed at Velva already. "It's the damn Hunger Games. People will die and we'll have to deal with that." She sighs.
Even Ava had to admit, dying in her sleep didn't feel fair. She didn't even trust Velva to watch over her. The girl was weak, and she knew that. "Should we kill them?" Velva asked.
Ava shook her head. "Nah. We need to wait." Ava told her. The games have only just begun. Meanwhile, Flax (District 8 Male) was busy racing away from the District 2 Male who was after him.
The lightning storm was not only blurring his vision, but making it harder to get around without tripping.
"CRASH!" Lightning struck right in front of him. Flax grit his teeth, knowing there was no real way to survive. "What you did was unforgivable!" The District 2 Male shouted at Flax with anger building up inside of him.
Flax forced himself to turn around. "You killed how many tributes? I wouldn't be talking if I were you, District 2 scum!" He shouted, throwing his sword at the District 2 Male. The District 2 Male just quickly dodged the sword and charged at him, stabbing the District 8 boy in the stomach... ending him there...
"BOOM!"
The crowd was fired up. As the thunderstorm carried on, Ava and Velva crossed paths with the District 7 Male. "Oh, so it's you. I'm surprised you'd want to show your face." Ava pulled out her weapon.
"You want me dead, I know that. And if you do, reminder, you're killing someone from your District... imagine the amount of hate you'd get back ho-," He was abruptly cut off by a knife from Ava.
The knife hit him in the neck, and he dropped to the ground, dead.
"BOOM!"
Ava just stared at her alliance member. Velva looked back at Ava. "Sorry, I just want this to be over..." She sighed. Ava gave her a nod of approval before the two headed off into the storm. Once again, the amount of dead were checked.
District 3 Male - Knife to throat - 11/24 - Killed by District 11 Male (Peara)
District 8 Male - Sword to gut - 10/24 - Killed by District 2 Male
District 7 Male - Knife to neck - 9/24 - Killed by District 5 Female (Velva)
As him name lit in the sky, Widget (District 3 Female) gave a very sad sigh. Her best friend was now dead, because of poor decision. How was she going to keep going? What could she do next? She could run, which she did.
As she got up to leave, the thunderstorm began to dissipate over the forest and the skies cleared. It was a pretty beautiful sight to behold... but that didn't change the fact that she could be running into deaths jaws at any moment. In fact, she was. Well, not exactly.
"WHOA!" She shouted as she tripped over the District 4 girl who was still in a comatose state following the tracker jacker attack earlier that morning. She seemed to be slipping out of the world of the living and dead but she somehow caught a glimpse a Widget.
"3?" The District 4 girl asked. "Uh... yeah, that's me." Widget nodded. She looked around, making sure no other tributes were around. "The nightmares... how long have I been out... it feels like I've spent months in this arena." The District 4 tribute cried. "It's only been a day though..." Widget spoke up.
The District 4 girls eyes began to close. "Can you... put me out of my misery. My parents are there as well..." The District 4 girl asked, handing Widget her knife. Widget quickly raised it up as the 4 girls eyes closes.
"BOOM!"
Widget took the knife and began to walk through the muddy terrain. Things would only get worse though here...
Anyhow, the five tributes originally wanted for the finale were around the same area and they were some of the few left, it would be a big fight and people would definitely want to see where they would go with this.
The first to come across each other were the District 11 pair and the District 2 boy.
"You lost, 11." The District 2 boy pulled out his sword, ready to kill both of them. "Nah. I'm sure you are, boy." Poppa brought out her scythe and pointed it at the District 2 boy. He was around her size so he would be tough to edge around. However, with Peara on her side, it would be an easy victory... or would it be?
Ava (District 7) and Velva (District 5) jumped down from the trees and applauded them. "So it seems the Capitol have all put us in the same place, for the finale..." Velva looked at the other tributes. All very large in size and probably tough. She knew she should have hid in the trees...
"All we need now is the brat from 3. Then we'll be full circle." Ava sighed. Widget was busy watching the bout begin from the bushes. I'm 14 but that doesn't exactly mean I'm dumb... 7. She glared as the tributes began their bout.
Ava quickly charged at Peara, the boy from 11. Peara obviously wasn't a fan of killing head on but he was going to have to deal with it and do it once more. However, the way he killed the boy from 3 still hurt his head and he was having a hard time keeping up with the more athletic District 7 girl. She swung her axe wildly.
The District 2 Male was going head to head against Poppa who was on his level of strength. She was a challenge to get around. Without Peara, Poppa was actually having some trouble edging herself around the District 2 Male. He kicked her to the ground. He raised his sword, ready to attack. Velva was watching this, but refused to interfere.
However, right before the District 2 Male could take down Poppa...
"BOOM!"
Blood splattered across the ground, trees, and a lot on Ava's face. The District 7 girl had buried her axe in Peara's chest and now he was dead. "Piece of cake." She said unemotionally as she pulled the axe out of his chest.
Velva watched in horror as Ava gave a fresh smile to her before motioning her to come on so they could gang up on the District 2 Male.
"BOOM!" Poppa fell to the ground as the District 2 Male pulled his weapon out of the girl and turned his attention to the others. "I'd recommend you just give up." He pointed his sword at the two girls. Ava just gave a happy an uncaring smile. "Jokes on you." She said, wiping the blood off of her face and shirt.
She charged at the boy with her axe and immediately went for the kill. She swung her axe at the boy. However, he quickly brought up his sword at the right time and blocked the weapon. Ava gave another unstable smile and went down. The District 2 Male was confused but that was before Ava swiftly tripped him.
He stumbled back, preparing for the girls next attack. She ran at the District 2 Male, axe high up. "Night night!" She shouted, swinging it downwards at the boys chest. He jumped back, falling into the mud.
Ava run up and put her foot on the boys chest. "Now what do you have to say for yourself?" She asked, swinging her axe around. She slowly dove the sword into his chest, letting the pain build up from their as it slowly killed him.
At first, he tried to hide the pain but he started screaming. However, Ava quickly ejected the axe. "Velva. You haven't done anything this entire game... do something." Ava pointed her axe at Velva who was standing back and watching, tears clearly in her eyes.
"... I'll do it then..." Velva walked up and pulled out her knife. She pointed it at the District 2 male who was clearly still pained from the earlier battles. Ava gave a very devilish grin to the District 2 boy...
"SLICK!"
Ava fell to the ground as Velva pushed her body to the ground. "Velva... I thought... I thought we ha-," Ava began. "Sorry Ava... but you don't deserve to go home." Velva argued.
Velva knew that Ava had become unstable and didn't have much to go to. Velva had family to feed. Parents that cared. She wasn't a rebel after all...
She swiftly stabbed the District 2 boy and waited for him to bleed out.
"BOOM!" "BOOM!"
Now the only other tribute was the District 3 girl... who was in the bushes watching this go on. NOW! Widget shouted to herself as she threw the knife at the District 5 girl. However, Velva quickly dodged the knife and threw her own in that direction. It hit the District 3 girl in the chest, knocking her down.
"BOOM!"
Velva shuddered. Did... Did she just kill that little girl? Why and how did she... She had truly done it. She had truly become a killer...
"Ladies and gentleman. I proudly present to you... the winner of the 4th Annual Hunger Games. Velva Novis..."
Coming from a non-rebellion background, her family was studied existentially with interviews. Her sisters were very happy that their older sister was coming home unharmed. However, even her parents knew that the girl would never be the same again. Velva had become very unstable. It became worse once the mentoring program began later on. Her first tribute she did was a 14 year old girl who looked almost exactly like the girl she killed at the end...
Even then, the Capitol used her as a sign of peace. One of the few non-rebellious tributes who stood quiet about the games. These games proved that Toris could do anything and would do anything to make the games a success in the Capitol and a very big punch in the gut to the rebellion and a fearful fact in the Districts. She would enforce those two rules to all head gamemakers from their on.
Though these games were very short in the end, the style that these games would have continues on.
Current Victors
1. Kai Barbana (District 4, Age 16)
2. Sira Hirana (District 1, Age 17)
3. Bucky Barbana (District 10, Age 18)
4. Velva Novis (District 5, Age 15)
Yay! Finally I completed this chapter. Though one of the shorter games, it's about 5,000 words which is pretty long compared to the other chapters. Also it was a BIG coincidence that I had District 3, 7 and 2 come close this game. I was requested to have them win at some point. As of now, I'm utilizing some of the weaker tributes since they'd most likely have more rebels. I'm particularly fond of having District 3, 6, 9 and 12 come in and wreck some shite. I won't tell who will be the next victor but it'll come like a lightning bolt.
Fun fact: originally it was going to be 11's win but I changed my mind and was gonna give it to either 3 or 7... but writing Velva made me decide to give it to 5.
Another Fun Fact: The victor, Velva Novis, is named after a battle theme used in Sonic Rush (A 2005 DS game) called Velva Nova. IT! IS! CATCHY!
I'll see you soon. Leave your thoughts :D