Margaret "Mags" Flanagan 11th Games
Of the first ten Victors of the hunger games it was fairly easy to split them into different groups based on how they reacted after the arena.
There were the regretful and depressed Victors. Those who still had nightmares about what they did and couldn't face what they had become in the time spent in the arena.
Among this number were Julius Monaldo, Diamond Valentine and to a lesser extent Marlin Mount (who was particularly affected by a malaise during the long dry spell of Didtrict 4 victors after the 11th games) although he would never admit it to anyone but his fellow Victors from 4.
Then there were those who accepted what they had done and choose to accept their burden of responsibility. They did not shirk from their actions in the arena nor did they let it completely control the rest of their lives.
Among this number were Vespasian Grantston, Claudia Monaldo and Silver Glassman.
They never stepped back from mentoring but also never got more emotionally invested as the more regretful mentors did in those mentors efforts to seek redemption for what they perceived as their crimes in the arena.
The next category of Victors was perhaps the most unusual and it remained the smallest category of victors throughout the history of the games.
The Victors who had gotten justice in the arena.
In the most twisted sense the arena allowed them to do what the civilized world would never accept outside of the game.
Murdering their enemies.
Both Chester Oakley and Gabi Godford regretted the other lives they took in the arena to some extent but they never let it consume them as the truly regretful victors did nor did they have the drive of those who accepted their actions.
They both mentored well but both shared that small core within them of utmost satisfaction at the revenge the arena got them.
In the end they were happy to pay the high price revenge cost them.
Then there was the final category of Victor.
The ones who mostly enjoyed their time in the games.
Rather oddly, in many peoples opinion, this was a higher number than you might first suspect especially in the years before the era of victor prostitution that Coriolanus Snow introduced in the latter years of the games.
Sarah Aurelius loved the hunger games after what it gained her. For the rest of her life and through both the thirty odd years of her husband's presidency, as well as the fourty odd years of his successor, her voice never wavered in speaking in support of the continuance of the bloody battle between children she adored. After all she played a significant part in helping to shape the games into what they eventually became.
Harry Miller went on the greatest hunt of his life. Sandra Sprocket died smiling and after the games he played bridge every weekend with the elite of District 3 (you always need a fifth for Bridge after all) in between his continued hunting trips with new colleauges. He never held any hard feelings about the games and would be the first to admit he had an excellent time until the morphling girl stabbed his best friend.
The only aspect of the games those who enjoyed them disliked, even a little, was the mentoring after the Games although it never affected either victor unduly.
It would therefore be safe to say that the first ten victors of the games had a lot of contrasts in personality.
Margaret 'Mags' Flanagan however never fit into those categories very easily.
Then again despite how her games ended "The Eleventh Victor" managed to be a very memorable victor in her own way.
Part of this may have been how she was one of only three District 4 victors during the long drought, without a victor, for a career district after she won her games. Hence the Capitol grew to know her very well.
Part of it may have been her distinct personality. Mags Flanagan was curt, could be abrasive and her toungue was sharper than the trident she used to skewer six people in her games.
Part of it was probably how she became the matriarch of her districts tributes. While Marlin Mount and Gabi Godford together crafted the Life skills school's curriculum, and directly trained tributes, it was typically Mags who got to really know the potential children as people. At first a mother like figure, then a grandmother like figure, she would have taken the place of any of her girls or boys if she could.
She did of course do just that in the 75th games.
Then again that was because the biggest part of what made Mag's Flanagan so memorable, even after the Games were long over, was that she was a rebel against the Capitol her whole life.
Even if she was very subtle about it until just after the Third Quarter Quell was announced.
Even after it was announced her importance behind the following events was never known to The Capitols Senior Leadserhip.
It was she who first encouraged Beetee Latier on what to pick as a hobby after his games as the boy dithered.
It was she who first met a disillusioned Plutarch Heavensbee, after the traumatic events of the 50th games, when the man was nearer a boy and a lowly intern at the time questioning his future as a Gamesmaker.
It was she who helped Haymitch Abernathy in the task of picking who should live or die in the Quarter quell arena.
All this was well known after the war.
Other aspects went mostly unsaid. Secrets and events President Paylor choose to keep mostly under wraps after the rebellion (The brief presidencey of Panem that preceded Paylor's never found out)
Few ever spoke of the agreement Mags had with Gloss and Brutus on who couldn't die under any circumstances during the quarter quell, even if both men had to act the part towards those tributes, and both Gloss and Brutus went through with personal vendettas when they could. (Those vendettas led to both mens deaths in the Quarter Quell arena.)
Few ever spoke of the plan hatched with Simon Sator which enabled the evacuation of a large number of mentors during the Capitols purge.
Few ever spoke of the whispered agreements made long before the rebellion with a variety of Capitol escorts and designers that resulted in the safe houses those same Victors resided in after escaping the purge by the Capitol (and what would have been Coin's own purge aftewards)
Few ever spoke of the little girl in District 1 who Mags indirectly saved with advice given to Diamond Valentine over a decade before the Quell.
Mags Flanagan also took a great many secrets to her grave that no one will likely ever know.
One thing however was known by all of Panem.
Mags demonstrated it in her games after all.
No one should ever under any circumstances call Mags Flanagan by her birth name of Margaret.
The 11th Hunger games Arena
Caecilius sighs as he watches his alliance teammate drag a dog into the Career Camp.
"Are you serious Garnet? This is what you hunted for dinner?" Caecilius exclaims.
"It should be edible." Garnet shrugs.
"Hell I'm edible, Pristine is edible, and for Panem's sake, even if she's tough as old boots, Margaret is edible." Caecilius rants.
"Thanks for the compliment Cae and its Mags." Mags pouts.
"Fine. Mags. The point remains Garnet… Just because a dog is edible doesn't mean we should be bloody eating it!" Caecilius finishes in a potent fury.
"It was all I could get." Garnet shrugs again.
"All you could get? All you could get! I've seen deer out there Garnet. Bloody deer. Do you not have the skill to hunt a fucking deer?" Caecilius rages.
"Shut it Cae. The dog is at least bloody edible. I say we eat the bloody canine and then we can hunt the remaining six bastards who have managed to elude us so far." Mags says.
"Margaret is right-" Garnet begins.
"Mags" Mags interrupts.
"Mags is right. The dog meat is somewhat palatable at least and we need to deal with the remaining six before we all fight each other." Garnet says.
"I agree with Mags." Pristine speaks up. "Let's eat the unfortunate doggy and then go kill us the other animals."
"Who's left anyway?" A more subdued Caecilius asks.
"The 11s, an 8, a 6, a 10 and a 5." Mags puts forth.
"Any surprises?" Caecilius asks.
"Not this year. They are all very lucky cannon fodder who happen to be good at hiding. It was only due to chance they managed to escape the bloodbath." Mags once again volunteers.
The Bloodbath that year had certainly been magnificent. The arena this year was another ruined city although this year it was entirely inland. Unfortunately the boy from 4 and the girl from 2 had died in the bloodbath to competent tributes from both 9 and 7. Fortunately unlike in the 10th games the career pack had managed to rectify the problem of competent tributes surviving the bloodbath very quickly afterwards.
Both Caecilius and Margaret "Mags" Flanagan felt happier knowing they were both stronger than the pair from 1.
Even if Mags was only on one kill at the moment.
Both from 1 did not know of the agreement between the 2 and the 4 in regards to the final six of the games.
Both Caecilius and Mags were excellent at keeping secrets after all.
Garnet decided to strike up a conversation after they'd cooked the dog.
Surprisingly the dog tasted pretty good.
Then again none of the four career tributes had eaten heartily for more than a day.
"Who's our biggest remaining threat guys?" Garnet slurps through his stew.
"Yeah. I think it would be useful for us all to ascertain who we need to keep an eye on." Pristine continues as she ravenously digs into her own broth.
The stew was incidentally prepared by Mags.
Caecilius watches the pair from 1 cautiously.
Despite his hunger he hasn't touched his dog stew yet.
Caecilius isn't stupid.
Because Mags hasn't touched a single drop.
Two cannons ring out less than a minute later.
"Well that was dumb. Plus they were fairly useless as well. A dog! He deserved to die just for that." Mags states.
"You're telling me Margaret." Caecilius replies.
"It's Mags" the District 4 tribute responds fiercely.
Caecilius just laughs.
"Well what did you use anyway?"
Margaret smiles as she rolls a nut between her fingers.
"Looks edible at first but actually it's insanely lethal."
She pops it in her mouth.
Caecilius gasps.
"Lethal when cooked with water that is. Some reaction with both the heat and the water. Fine in cold water. Fine when roasted at high temperatures. Add both and you're dead in moments. Otherwise perfectly harmless."
Caecilius grins.
"Excellent job Margaret.
Mags rolls her eyes once more.
"It's Mags."
Caecilius snorts.
Gamemaker Control
After Mags deadly meal there are eight tributes left in Gabriel Villiers arena.
Gabriel Villiers almost wants to sigh. Unlike last year there is not going to be a valiant outlier able to put up a legendary fight in the final duel. Mags Flanagan is correct in regards to the rest of the other tributes remaining in the arena. They are terrible. The other tributes are ridiculously pathetic in comparison to the two remaining career tributes. His magnificent Bloodbath has led to a very dull aftermath. Compared to the 10th games Gabriel Villiers wants to bang his head thoroughly against a particularly hard wall and cry.
It has been the longest games so far.
Still at least one of the careers is going to win. Whether it's a 2 or a 4 Gabriel doesn't particularly care as long as they make the final fight worthy of significant ratings.
After this games Gabriel has decided he's going on a long holiday to the premier District 4 resort, with his partner, before he has to decide on the specifics of the arena for the 12th games.
Elagabalus has always loved the coast and seafood after all.
If he is strictly honest with himself though, in his heart of hearts, Gabriel hopes that Mags Flanagan wins the hunger games a touch more than he wants Caecilius.
She might be unduly feisty, she might be very sharp witted, and she might even be a touch contemptuous of The President.
(Gabriel noticed the distaste with which she looked at Cavanaugh Crane and isn't so foolish as to think that doesn't extend to himself, his best friend or her husband.)
Still Margaret Flanagan isn't outright advocating rebellion, and she is a Career tribute, so Gabriel is willing to let sleeping beasts lie as long as she doesn't rock the boat.
Gabriel also wants his beloved to be happy if he is strictly honest with himself.
Elagabalus' outfits for 4 this year were stupendous. It wasn't the sea, nor was it sea gods, instead somehow Elagabalus managed to create such utterly beautiful costumes based solely around fish.
If he wins the award and Mags wins the games Elagabalus will be elated.
Elagabalus' genius at fashion is just one of the many reasons Gabriel loves 4s designer.
Gabriel Villiers intends to propose to his boyfriend after the current games when they go on that holiday.
Gabriel Villiers is not getting any younger after all.
In fact in his mid-forties Gabriel is positively middle aged which is a scary thought. He doesn't feel nearly so old. Especially after his close platonic friendship with the much younger than himself Sarah Aurelius.
More than one person has considered it odd how close Gabriel is to one of the "victims" of his games.
Though of course no one mentions it where they think it can get back to Sarah.
Sarah isn't like the other participants of the games though in Gabriel's opinion. Sarah has flourished in The Capitol. Harry Miller might come close to all except the most obscenely rich of The Capitol with his wealth (his combined Victor's salary, kill bonus and continued trophy revenue all adding up nicely) and he has more than one friend among the elite, but the Hunter is still seen very much as a District man. A very wealthy man, a very loyal one to the Capitol, beloved by said Capitol, and much admired by Gabriel personally but still a District member.
Woe betide anyone who still associates his best friend Sarah as just a games Victor or District member though.
Most Capitolites rather enjoy having their tongue after all.
Gabriel Villiers in all honesty rather approves of the new Avox system.
His nephew Gregorious and the President are truly onto something with it.
Gabriel knows Sarah agrees with him. After all they've had many a private brunch laughing over what happened to Messalina Templesmith.
Gabriel snorts with laughter to himself and corrects himself internally.
He and Sarah had a lot of fun laughing over what happened to AV1.
Whatever her name is now. What happened to her was hilarious and thoroughly deserved.
After all she never could shut up when it was needed.
AV1 makes excellent cups of tea as well so really everyone who mattered has become a winner out of the situation.
The Avox numbers only grow.
Regardless of what Gabriel thinks however, the fact remains, this year's games have been extremely slow paced and boring. The ruined city and small adjoining forest has left the cannon fodder with far too many places to hide. Still he doesn't think much of the scared children left and he is positive this year the 4 or the 2 will win the games.
Gabriel is regretting his typical non-interventionist policy right now though and he is thoroughly bored of the 11th games.
Gabriel is sorely tempted to help the Career tributes sprint to the finish line at this point. The outer districts after all are just not up to scratch (especially the nasty little 8 boy). He wishes there were muttations to spice things up but the lab is too busy working on some surprises Gabriel has cooked up for later games.
Gabriel waits to intervene though despite his best judgement.
He waits and hopes.
Given whose left he is hopeful the Careers can salvage these sadly disappointing games.
The Next Day: In the arena
"This is getting us nowhere Margaret!" Caecilius huffs as he and the other remaining career search another room in yet another derelict building.
The 4 girl's eyes light up with a significant amount of rage.
"You keep on calling me Margaret! How hard is it to understand that I like to be called Mags?"
"M-A-G-S Mags! Margaret is such an old lady name and I am clearly not an old lady. I hate the name Caecilius. I bloody hate it. Just call me Mags please."
Caecilius smiles slyly at the 4 girl.
"Alright…"
Mags smiles thinking she has finally gotten through to the 2 boy.
"Margaret"
Three minutes later: Mentors room
Vespasian Grantston shakes his head while Claudia Monaldo just sighs to herself.
Julius has retired to their rooms for a few hours' sleep at this point after doing the night shift in watching Caecilius.
Gabi Godford gives an almost apologetic smile to the two Mentors from District 2.
Meanwhile Silver from 1 is quietly sniggering to himself as a trident is pulled out of Caecilius' chest by a dour faced Mags.
"Your boy just couldn't take the hint could he?" Silver says to the District 2 mentors.
"Caecilius never was the brightest bulb in the chandelier" Claudia mutters.
"I'm adding this to the list for the academy. Not to antagonise your fellow pack members definitely needs to be re-emphasised for next year." Vespasian states with level headed calmness. He does not seem like a man who just watched a young boy choke on his own blood after being impaled on a trident.
"I'm adding watch for bloody poisoning from the rest of the pack for the Institute. That was sneakily done, but a smart idea, by your girl" Silver tells the two 4 Victors.
Gabi smiles.
Among most Careers there are no hard feelings. After all in the arena it's nothing personal in the Career pack. It's just business.
"Checkmate" A voice from the corner of the room sounds.
The First Lady of Panem and the game's most deadly victor are both sat looking over a chessboard.
"Nicely played Harry. As ever you are full of surprises."
"Thank you Sarah the compliment is much appreciated." Harry Miller replies earnestly as he helps Sarah reset the board.
None of the other victors know for sure why the odd friendship has sprung up between the two victors. Sarah doesn't tend to socialise with any of them beyond the bare minimum but seems to have made an exception with the Victor of the 8th games.
Then again it's almost impossible to hate Harry. After all everyone likes Harry. Harry's just that nice of a person.
Nice enough that he's the most popular Victor among the Capitol Elite bar Sarah.
And the Capitol still rave about getting one of his hunting trophies. If the price was high before he became a Victor…
Harry Miller is the second richest person in the room (Among the Top 40 in Panem) and he's playing with the richest person in the room (It remains confidential how rich the Presidential family is although even Sarah respects Harry's hard earned fortune which says a lot.)
Peacekeeper Cronus the mentor for 6 leans back from his mentoring station to exchange words with the mentor for 8.
Both men expect to be doing the mentor role, for their respective districts, for a very long time to come.
"Mags has won hasn't she." Peacekeeper Britannicus asks Cronus.
"I'd say so. My girl this year is nothing like Rosie was"
Despite the fact she was addicted to Morphling, and could barely string a sentence together in a coherent manner, Cronus retains fond memories of his female tribute from last year. She might have been positively insane but Rosie gave a very good showing by District 6 standards and Cronus even half entertained the idea she could win if the dice landed the right way. Unfortunately like Callie in the 8th games his knife wielding morphling girl just couldn't make the final cut although Cronus was impressed by how she wounded Alba.
By contrast the constantly sobbing Verity is a major disappointment even if she isn't a morphling addict.
He isn't surprised when Verity chooses, a few moments after Caecilius' cannon goes, to jump off the building she's hiding in.
Mags is certainly surprised though as she steps outside the building when Verity's body impacts the ground, with a sickening crunch, less than five metres away from her.
It's not a pretty sight by any means.
Mags somehow manages to hold her stomach contents in although it looks like a close run thing.
Britannicus and Cronus both look away before Verity lands.
Chester Oakley whistles through his teeth at the sight of the 6 girl's remains.
Gore doesn't particularly bother the Victor from 7 much.
All the mentors tend to stay in the mentoring room during the games except for sleeping. It is an unspoken tradition at this point that the mentors are all on hand to offer support and congratulations to the winning mentor and even the peacekeeper mentors engage in this tradition by now.
Sarah hadn't typically take part in this tradition during the earlier games although she has done so since Virgilia was born.
Due to the fast paced nature the games can sometimes take no one wants to be caught unawares by being absent during a final showdown.
This year's Victor clearly looks like it's going to be Mags.
The two current Victors from 4 look as though they can smell the taste of victory already. Three Victors in a span of six games is a very impressive feat after all. The fact that half the districts are yet to claim a Victor doesn't bother Marlin Mount or Gabi Godford as much as the idea one of theirs will be coming home so soon pleases them.
It helps that the girl is probably Gabi Godford's only friend outside her fellow victors.
Why Mags volunteered Gabi doesn't know but then again Mags has always been like that.
If Mags could have gone into any games it was lucky that her friend ended up in these ones.
By a country mile Mags is the deadliest tribute left in the arena.
"That death was not a pretty sight." Polonius mentor for District 11 states as he joins his fellow peacekeeper mentors conversation with Claudius for 10, Alexander for 9 and Vulcan for 12 also joining in.
"Agreed" said Alexander.
"Any bets as to who's next?" asks Claudius.
"Probably one of mine. Statistically at least 40% chance of one of them dying next versus 20% each for one of the other three if there's five tributes left." Polonius from 11 says resignedly.
Vulcan from 12 snorts and takes another gulp of his wine glass.
Among the six peacekeeper mentors remaining, from the 1st inaugral games, some have hope of a Victor reasonably soon.
Alexander for 9 is perhaps the most assured of this. He's had a number of stronger tributes over the years even if they haven't made it far because of the decision to cut strong outliers down early. He hopes, one day soon, one will get through to the final and win so he can retire happily.
Claudius for 10 is less confident but has been reassured he might have a chance eventually with how far Elizabeth got in the games last year. The fact she was butchered in her sleep by the games eventual victor is still a sore point with him.
The mentors from 6,8,11 and 12 are mostly resigned to being in the mentor room until they are forced to mandatorily retire from active duty.
Cronus thinks Rosie was probably his best ever hope even if Callie got closer. Nevertheless he still has little hope but that's still hopeful in contrast to the other three.
Because Britannicus, Polonius and Vulcan all have no hope in their minds.
Britannicus knows 8 is full of rebels and his tributes die early nearly every games. Already his boy has made it further than nearly any other 8 has. Hiding without any weapon skill doesn't win the games though.
Polonius is even more resigned than Britannicus. His district might not technically be the poorest but merchant kids in 12 could stand a chance some day and the rebellious streak in 12 is almost entirely broken. The half-starved kids from 11 will probably never win because there's still fight in his district and twelve year olds are entered from 11 more games than not.
Vulcan drinks most of the time because he thought most of his kids shouldn't win when he started mentoring and now he sees their all so broken he knows they never could win even if he tried to mentor now. The freak incident of that girl from 12 making the final 4 in the 2nd games remains just that. It was a freak incident.
In the end however of the six men sat talking, in the mentor room of the 11th games, only two will still be mentoring a decade on.
One of the six will also be dead and not by natural causes.
The conversation between the six turns to the districts.
"Everything going well in your guy's home bases?" Britannicus asks.
"6 is 6" Cronus snorts "These days thanks to Gregorious I think a solid 70% of them are high most of the time. And they say fatherhood softens a man's heart."
All Six laugh at that. Gregorious Villiers is regarded by most of Panem as the cruellest mayor.
He is also seen as the most efficient by far in pacifying his district.
"9 is as it always is. Half the district harvesting and the other half's processing. Everyone's acting normally… Except the Mutt hunters that is. Some of them have been training more and going further into "The Wastes". Harry shamed a lot of them into pushing themselves after they saw him in the games. Most don't have even a quarter of "Harry the Hunter's" skill though." Alexander snorts
From across the room, as he moves a rook, Harry "The Hunter" Miller smiles at the overheard compliment.
"10 is rolling plains, herds of cattle, galloping horses and utter boredom." Claudius sighs. "Air is pretty clear near where I am though. Plus we've got the Library in 10 and that place is nearly as good as 3's. Basically it's boring as all hells unless you like a good book or a horse ride."
"Not bad, not bad." Polonius sighs. "I wish I could say the same. 11 is getting worse. They don't seem to have gotten the message that rebellion is over and crushed. I'm worried they might try something eventually."
Britannicus looks far more focused, and less jovial, when he hears that. Across the room the First Lady listens intently. In fact the whole room is listening in on what the peacekeepers are talking about at this point.
"8 is worse." Britannicus says. "We've made reports and stuff but for all the good the Mayor does, and he does a lot, he can't deal with everything in our District. I'm getting worried.
"12 is defeated." Vulcan spits "If there's hope in 11 and 8, among the rabble, I've seen none in 12. The Seam is crushed mentally and most of them are too focused on starving to death to even contemplate rebellion. There's a place called the Hob where they sell the odd dead dog but we've executed any hunter, who somehow got outside the fence and back in, we've caught so far so we've let this Hob space slide. In 12 real rebellion is definitely as dead as the dogs they sometimes have the luxury of eating."
The First lady smiles as she plays her chess game. The reports she and her husband have been hearing match perfectly with what has been described. All is well and the description of 12 is as colourful for her as it is bleak for 12s residents.
As the conversation, among the six mentors, dies down there is silence as all in the room contemplate what they've learned. .
Julius Monaldo chooses that moment to enter the room.
"How is Cae doing?" He asks innocently.
"Your tribute is dead Mr Monaldo" comes the curt reply from the direction of the chessboard.
Chester Oakley snorts to himself. Silver Glassman sniggers quietly once again.
The First Lady is always blunt in these situations after all.
Sarah doesn't really go in for touchy feely stuff.
Julius looks like he's going to break down for a moment before Claudia leaps up and gives her brother a reassuring hug.
The First Lady rolls her eyes before returning to the game of chess she is playing with Harry.
Fate must decide that it feels like punishing the First Lady, for her casual cruelty to Julius, because she loses less than five moves later.
Final day of the games
Mags has been playing what must amount to one of the deadliest games of hide and seek ever to occur.
It's a game none of the remaining tributes of the games wanted to lose.
They lost anyway.
When Mags found each tribute they died quickly. All four ensnared in nets that were skilfully woven with tiny hooks that caught on skin and clothing.
Gabriel Villiers is starting to wonder if it's a trend with District 4 victors that they all have such relativley high individual kill tallies.
Mags has killed eight tributes so far in these games.
The morphling boy from 6 in the bloodbath, three members of the career pack and she has been picking off the last of the tributes one by one.
The only tribute left is Esau the boy from District 8.
He remains the highest placed tribute from 8 until they get a Victor.
Mags doesn't kill Esau and the footage of Esau's death is almost impossible to come across after the fact.
Words happened to be spoken by Esau.
Rebellious words.
And those were not appreciated in the current political climate.
Esau might have been a poor fighter but he was a rebel at heart.
Unlike Mags he wasn't at all clever about it.
She finds him standing on a rooftop.
Esau has in his hands a dagger.
"Congratulations Career" the boy practically spits at her. "Looks like you're going to win the games. You're happy I imagine. Had fun killing all these little boys and girls.
Mags doesn't say anything to this.
Mags agrees with the sentiment of course, that Esau is attempting to convey, but now isn't the right time for rebellion. The Capitols grip is too hard on most of the districts and one false move could kill any nascent rebellion in its cradle. In the meantime Mags has a long term plan that will foster subtle rebellion in her district. Winning the games is just the first step. She may not live to see the end of it but she is confident the Capitol will fall eventually even if Gabi and Marlin wouldn't agree with her.
Meanwhile Esau is still ranting.
"In 8 we're suffering you know? They work our fingers to the bones in the looming mills, use the pretty girls for things that would turn your stomach and they'll never pay enough for either atrocity. It's never enough pay. We're starving in 8 without tesserae. Starving. Do you know what that's like 4? I don't imagine so. My life was shit as it was back in 8 and I'm not going to die to some volunteering bitch who has killed a twelve year old boy in some pricks specially designed bloodbath.
"I'm not going to give you the satisfaction 4."
"Fuck you."
"Fuck the Capitol too"
Then Esau Sheperd stabs himself in the heart with his dagger.
Mags isn't particularly impressed.
By his premature and childish attempt at fostering rebellion or his discourtesy.
She might be talking to a near corpse but she does want to get an important point across.
"My name isn't 4." She speaks to the nearly dead boy who has mere seconds left from the wound in his heart.
"It's Mags."
A cannon booms
The trumpets sound.
The Presidential Mansion
Gabriel Villiers swirls the red wine around in his glass as he sits in the parlour of the President's mansion with his partner and the Presidential couple.
He isn't really focused on the conversation at hand as he isn't really in the mood at the moment.
Sarah is talking excitedly about chess of all things and both Elagabalus and Romanus are listening fairly intently.
"So I said to Harry after he had beaten me for the fourth time… How did he keep winning? And he said that I neglected the use of the bishops in favour of using the knights. He argued that the bishop is much more superior, especially in the endgame, and that my more open style of play was better suited to prioritising the bishops. While I think its sound advice it's also mostly a load of rubbish when it comes from Harry as I'm positive chess is just another thing that Harry's ridiculously good at.
"None of the others even came as close as I was to winning a game against him."
"Anyway Harry says that back in 3 he's heard rumours, from his friends, that another of those crocodile muttations have been leaving tracks in "The Wastes" and he wants to know if we might be interested in having a matching set as this one is meant to be even larger than ours is."
The First Lady at that point notices Gabriel's despondent mood as an excited Virgilia bursts into the room thrilled when she notices the visitors.
"Ga Ga are you ok?" The First lady asks him with concern in her voice.
Elagabalus excuses himself for a moment when three year old Virgilia drags him out of the room to get her friend Elly (a nickname from Virgilia Elagabalus can't shake) to help her play with her toys.
He has sensed that his partner wants to discuss things in privacy as well and Elagabalus has been commandeered anyway by Virgilia as her new playmate for the next few minutes giving him an excellent excuse to leave.
Elagabalus is a good sport though so is happy to entertain the child, with her fantasies of talking dolls at tea, while his partner talks to Sarah and Romanus on what's troubling him.
The cause of Gabriel's sour mood is of course his games.
The 11th games turned into a big disappointment for Gabriel, after all his hard work on the arena design, even if Mags Flanagan turned out to be a more than decent Victor.
Esau Shepherd's speech at the end was the straw that broke the camel's back and with no ending duel or melee Gabriel thinks the 11th is his worse games so far.
Not even Sarah can cheer him up about it though his best friend is certainly trying now.
"Shall we kill the boy's family? It might make you feel better Ga Ga?" Sarah asks with a kindly expression that seems genuine enough even if Gabriel suspects it's still mostly false.
Sarah just can't feel things the way most people can even if she now tries way more than most in her situation would.
He appreciates that Sarah is willing to make the effort with him though and she always has.
"He has a younger brother named Jacob apparently. Aged thirteen at present but we could reap him next year. It would certainly show that Rebellion will not be tolerated in the games." Romanus adds.
Romanus has a secondary motive of course.
8 has been particularly rambunctious recently and a show of force needs to be given after Esau's words even if most footage of them has been wiped.
Sarah is excited by her husband's idea but it is Gabriel who puzzles out what the best thing to do might be in his head.
"I have an arena planned in three or four years' time. One that has a muttation that promises to be very difficult to deal with. Having the boy's brother ripped to pieces by it would be very entertaining and richly deserved. Sarah is right about sending a more direct message though. Killing the boy's parents would certainly send that message."
Sarah and Romanus both seem very pleased by that solution. It is after all a sign that any rebellion will be crushed, even beyond the grave, and it makes their friend feel better immediately.
"We might want to not so subtly disappear a few more 8 residents with rebellion ties as well." Gabriel continues to muse.
"It can't hurt after all." Gabriel concludes.
"Excellent suggestion Gabriel. I knew we could find some way to cheer you up. Would you care for a top up?" Romanus offers.
All three sit back contentedly, sipping the very nice red, until Elagabalus finally escapes Virgilia and their discussion on all manner of things continues late into the evening.
On the Train from the Capitol
"Seriously Mags? That was why you volunteered? You could have died!" Gabi Godford rants at her best friend and fellow victor.
"It worked though." A smug Mags replies "Octavius didn't attempt to call me Margaret once in the final interview."
"Obviously Mags. You killed the District 2 tribute when he pushed you on the point and Flickerman's not stupid. All this over a stupid nickname. There are easier ways of convincing people to call you Mags than winning the hunger games. You're something else." Gabi rants.
Marlin Mount sniggers at the two girls fighting in front of him. Cavanaugh Crane still looks completely dumbfounded about what he's just been told.
Volunteering for the games to have a Capitol wide acknowledgment of a nickname? Even a loyal Capitolite like Cavanaugh Crane thinks that's mad.
At that point Cavanaugh Crane just switches his brain off and pours himself another drink.
Cavanaugh Crane is happy that he has a third victor. He is the only man who can claim to have escorted three winning tributes and he hopes to escort more soon.
After all the Careers have a strong grip on the games. With eight of the eleven current Victors from only the three career districts he thinks he will likely be escorting another Victor very soon.
Unfortunately for Cavanaugh Crane he's very wrong.
As the next three years will prove.
In the hunger games anything can happen.
Hello Vesine here and it's a question and answer time.
(Or a long authors note whichever you prefer.)
(I've asked and answered both questions and answers incidentally)
Q:Where is Victor Prostitution?
A: Not coming soon but there is definitley a long term plan and reason why it's introduced late. I'm cruel like that to some of my Victors.
Q:Were those nuts the same ones as in the...?
A:The Quarter quell. Yep hence why Finick laughed and said Mags recognised them from another games. She did just that from her own games after they killed two people by cooking them in a stew. Oviously Finick choose not to tell that part.
Q:In the movies...
A: I didn't watch all the movies and while I've borrowed elements and one or two victors names (I have plans for Augustus Braun and liked the moniker of The Cavalier Career especially) I'm primarily sticking to book canon because anything I subtly change can be put down as a mistake Katniss made as the books are in first person thus she is fallible. Although I'm sticking as close as I can to book canon (copies of it are on hand) i'm giving myself leeway. Hence some victors are a touch older than Katnis observes due to the difficulties of accuratley guessing ages (Mags is 18 here for example). Her judgments on victors and tributes takes into account her age and probable lack of prior games knowledge. (As a canon example she doesn't even know how Haymitch won his games till Catching Fire so I'm giving myself a lot of leeway here) As most quell contestant ages wern't specifically stated or described thats a major play area for me as well as last interlude already began with Simon and Ruseia.
Q: Your Victors are killing a lot of tributes aren't they?
A: Yep and they will continue to do so. Katniss doesn't play the games particularly well in many ways. She chooses to run and hide even after she gets her bow and arrow and allies with a tribute who if she was smarter or luckier could have ended up killing her. Katnis also spends significant time caring for wounded Peeta. (As much later chapters of my fiction are going to show Katniss isn't going to be the first to care for another tribute or even plan on trying to make it out with two people). If a winning tribute isn't injured, survives the bloodbath and is halfway competent none of the kill counts so far are out of the range of possibility (The Nine stretch it though) Katniss as much as I love her got lucky with winning with only 4 kills in the 74th and even luckier that most of the arena participants were trying to save her the next time. As a canon comparison Cato kills two people for sure and has a plausible count of 8 or 9 if we count the boy from 10 who dies late in the games three or four from the inital bloodbath of eleven (likely at least that and plausibly more if he's made pack leader) and the possibility he mortally wounded the girl from 8 (someone said they stuck her which sounds like a sword to me.) In addition he gives Peeta a woulnd that should have killed him. Thus far Catos potential count is plausibly in line with what the careers in my games have got so far bar Julius on 14 kills (Compact arena only proper experience in combat bar his partner) Gabi 13 kills (element of surprise and strong combat skills from significant self training) and the non Career Harry (Partnered with another very competent tribute he has worked with for years and both have spent several years hunting creatures that most of Panem felt were impossible to kill). By my logic any non career will have to be insanely lucky, smart or otherwise skilled to win and by that logic most won't win running away and killing four people reluctantly to come out of the arena alive (though some Victors might succeed that way like Sarah effectivley did in the second games)
I hope I give good reasons behind the high kill counts of the tributes in my games even if a lot of the 9 Victors who kill 12 or more in the games may stretch the boundarys.
(If the bloodbath goes poorly that tends to be a sign a Tributes going to have a high kill count)
(The 9 are also insanely fun to write for and all of The Nine have significant pre planning as chapters and tributes)
Q: This Fanfic is garbage and I won't read any more. (or variations there upon)
Thankyou for taking the time to read thus far then as 50k words is a significant time investment for reading and I would reccomend reading The Victors Project by Oisin 55 and Cragimite Blaster's Cheating Death: Those that Lived for other writers who did and are doing other games by games storys of the victors and who are both a great inspiration for my own story even if our style and tone of focus may be different.
Please feel free to review as it is much appreciated. Also if you have any further questions feel free to private message me. I can't promise I'll give detailed answers but I'll point to clues and trails I've already left (I enjoy foreshadowing) and I may (emphasis on may) answer any correct guesses given privatley.
Betas would be very welcome although hopefully I can sepll reasonably well.
(that last spelling error was of course a joke. Any others were not and are dire mistakes which will probably be edited at 4am after a night out when i get paranoid something went wrong )
(This chapter was alreayd re-edited because I really am that paranoid.)
Thankyou
Vesine