I regret to inform you that this is the last chapter in Time And Memory Warp SYOT. This has been the most incredible experience, I have loved every minute of it and I am really going to miss all the characters that I was given to write here. They were fun and fabulous and I thank you the various creators for letting me have free reign on them.
Special thanks to Magic Of Every Kind, Rikachan101 and Chaos In Her Wake who have either supported me constantly with this story or reviewed almost every single chapter. You guys are totally awesome and I really appreciate your support.
So I leave the final chapter to our Victor, Romeo Montgomery. Thank you all for an amazing 1 year, six months and 22 days. I am planning on writing another SYOT so put me on author alert for when I do! It probably won't be until December as I am taking part in NaNoWriMo, where you write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days...I know, it's completely mental...
So long and thanks for all the fish...I mean support...brownie points if you got that reference.
There was never any Victory Tour, they asked me if I wanted one but I declined. There are many Shakespearean characters who would want the kind of fame I have, who had the fame I have and abuse/abused it: Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, Paris, the list is not in any way limited. No, I wanted to get back home to family, to go back and try to live the life that I lived. A Victory Tour would just remind me of what I had to go through, who I had to fight. I was one of the few people who noticed how much the people of the districts hated the Victory Tour, it served as a reminder to the districts of the power the Capitol and the President had over them. Now that has all changed and I had a sneaky feeling that none of the Victors felt like a tour either.
Of course there have been some good things that have come out of the Games; it is rather strange to think of that idea as actually possible. I travel to the area in County 12 that Katniss and Peeta made their home once a fortnight, the area that was used as their home and the training area for the year in between the end of the rebellion and final Games, was turned into a section of County 19, the nearest small county. There is a building currently being built in county 12 which will stand out from the others when it is completed. It will be where all the officials will meet to discuss the running of the country. It is where I will travel to as a Panem official, a Minister they call me. But for now that is happening at their modest home.
As the winner of the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta invited me to be a part of the running which is such an honour. So I am now in charge of the arts side of Panem, creating theatrical opportunities of different sorts for the people of Panem. We are a nation run by its people which has worked out much better than anyone could have hoped for. And tonight is the opening night of the first production in Panem that anyone can come and see. We are not doing Shakespeare as I had initially hoped for, but a play written by one of the members of Panem, a young man called Patrick Cross, older brother of County 7 tribute Archie.
All of the families of the deceased tributes sit with me and my family in the audience. That alone creates an audience of over 200 and for those who can't make it; Beetee fixed us up with a live stream feed to the centre of each county. Of course this isn't compulsory, not very much is because it reminds people too much of the Games, but it is surprising the amount of people who have come for the opening night alone. I estimate that here in the outdoor auditorium, there are nearly 700 people. That's more than I could have ever hoped for.
The curtains close, the play is finished and I join the people around me in rising to my feet. The play was well worded, well spoken, well performed and a true commemoration of the tributes who died. While its focus was not on the Games themselves, it served as a memory. Patrick spoke at the beginning of the play, talking about his process of writing and the development of the production, the dedication to both Archie and Ander, but now it is my turn. As 'Arts Minister', I need to say something at the very least. This was my idea.
As the audience sits back down, the cast remain onstage, unsure of whether to leave or stay. I smile at Maria the girl I can now proudly call my girlfriend who was one of the principle characters, she was phenomenal as usual but I hate to admit that our relationship has changed even between me coming home and asking her to be my girlfriend to now.
People keep telling me that I haven't changed but I know I have. I had to kill tow innocent people, one out of self-defence and self-preservation and one to put the other out of misery. Not that it allows what I did at all. Nothing can let me off killing people; there is nothing that can let me off. I have to face the facts myself.
And that admission and knowledge in both parties has made our relationship change. She doesn't know the whole of what I went through, what I saw and what I lost. In the arena, a child becomes an adult, the innocence and naivety are torn away from you when a weapon is placed in your hand and you are left to fight to the death.
I motion for the cast to come and sit in the first row of chairs that are unoccupied. I tried so many times to write this speech, to make it sound as if I cared which I do more than anything. But no words could be formed into sensible sentences and so I have to go up there alone, without any guidelines and just speak to so many people. I don't even want to think about it. I have to remind myself that it is just like one of the many performances I have put on over the years, I can be myself but I mustn't break. That is my greatest fear now, losing everything I've managed to hold together over the last six months, in a heartbeat.
I rise from my seat, pressing down my cream suit and white bowtie that Miranda made especially for this occasion. She has a really promising future in sewing and clothes wear creation. There is a polite round of applause from the audience assembled as I climb onto the stage. My father looks up at me before nodding slowly once; he knows I can do this. My family, Maria and Thomas all believe in me and therefore I should believe in myself. I can do, this, I have to do this. I walk up onto the stage, shoulders back, perfect composure and I collect a small bag that one of the stage hands gives to me, prepared earlier.
A microphone is already in place and I glance towards the other Victors who sit beside my family. They are all there: Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch, Annie, Beetee, Johanna and even Enobaria has made a rare appearance. Remus left a few hours after I returned to civilisation, passing on Alex's best wishes and I do miss them both, they were kind to me and I hope that wherever they came from, that they survive and they do well.
This is my first properly public appearance since the end of the Games, since the final interview. Do they expect me to have changed? I don't know, I don't know this audience and that scares me slightly. It is Haymitch who gives me the boost I need. He tilts his head and gives me a wry smile as if to say 'come on kid, they're waiting for you to start.'
"It's amazing to see so many people have managed to make it here tonight." I blurt out, wow what a great start… "We are fortunate enough to have people joining us from all over Panem whether you are here in County 3 or whether you are watching from another part of the country. I hope that you enjoyed the performance."
There were cheers and I smile as another round of applause breaks out, I directed it and it is so good to hear that people did enjoy my work. "Well done!" I hear in the crowd. "Bravo!" Another cries.
I am so glad that it has worked out, I am so fortunate in that sense that my first job as Arts Minister as proved a success. I do not want my position given to me to be for nothing, it is where I have found my calling. "I just want to add onto what Patrick said before the play started. When I approached the Mellarks with the suggestion of a play for Panem, it was their suggestion and with my support that we find someone, a relation to one of the tributes of the final Games, to write something that would suitably commemorate them and all who have died before them. What you saw just now was something that made me realise how lucky I was to have known all 75 children who went before me. And while the might not live on here, they live on in our hearts and memories."
A round of applause starts once more, no shouting or cheers but one that commemorates, Panem has most certainly changed from the Capitol and District regime that we had before. The applause is a remembrance and an honour to the innocent lives that had to be forfeited in order for me to make it back here. "The tributes who made it into the top 10, to the final day, were especially dear to me as they were the people I had spent the most amount of time with. Reid was a rock to his alliance and he proved to all of us that appearances are deceiving as he had one of the biggest hearts of the tributes."
I catch the eye of Reid's mother who sits in the second row and smile gently at her. The woman weeps but she finds the strength to mouth 'thank you' to me. "Vihn was someone I considered a great threat in terms of his incredible fighting skills and that was what made him such a good tribute. He died doing what he was best at." I swallow as I open my mouth to talk about Sebastian but I find that I can't, not just yet. "Archie was perhaps one of the most loyal tributes I have ever seen, he always had a kind word for almost everyone and I remember trying not to choke when he volunteered for his borther. I saw him in the characters in this play, as I saw Lorelei who was gently and kind."
I take a deep breath, trying not to look at the families as I know that will make me want to cry even more. "Aella seemed very average at first and was perhaps one of the better Careers that remained with the pack to the end as she hid her talents. Apollo was his own man and I liked him for the fact that he didn't waver from his own beliefs, even in the face of danger and eventually death. I respected him as an individual and was glad that at least he went without pain."
I look out to the audience; I have been staring at my own family for too long. As I look at the families, I notice a girl in the second row sitting alone. She shockingly reminds me of someone, a tribute. And that brings me back down to remembering the next tribute who died. "Nikki was perhaps one of the more intriguing tributes I've ever met or come across. I didn't interact with her very much but her loyalty to her family and sister was admirable. Phoenix," I swallow, this is going to be almost impossible to do and I am glad that I do not know who her family is, "was a daredevil and I admire her for being able to run away from the Careers and survive so long. I regret killing her, as I do killing Graphite Mark in the bloodbath. I cannot justify my actions but I know I was putting her out of misery and otherwise she would have died so much slower."
I take another deep breath and I lump comes to my throat. Now I have to talk about the person who I treasured most in that arena, the person who looked out for me and I for him. "Sebastian was the best ally that I could have hoped for. He was charming and we got on like a house on fire, he liked Shakespeare and protected me as much as he could. He went down fighting and I know he would not have wanted it any other way. And that is why I am here today, because they were brave enough to go down fighting."
I take another breath as I continue, I must finish before I crumble. "Today marks six months to the day that the final Hunger Games ended for good. I have a plan that has been approved by the Mellarks and I hope you will all be able to help with." I reach into the bag and pull out the object that is inside, holding up the cream pages for everyone to be able to see. "The families and friends of every single tribute who died in the 76 Hunger Games that were conducted while we were under their rule, are invited to come at points over the next month to come and write the name of the fallen tribute, their age, district or county and year they competed, both winners and victims. It shall serve as a reminder of who sacrificed themselves so that this might happen that we might be free. Thank you."
And as I make my way offstage, the people rise to their feet in applause. I look up and see them all clapping, even those who are struggling are applauding, a smile on their faces. The Games may be over for good, but my life has only just begun. I sure don't know what will happen but I know that it can only go up. For as Jacques in As You Like It so eloquently put it:
'All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.'
Obviously I'm not Shakespeare so I don't own the quote but I had to leave the last word to the bard himself I will add another chapter to tell you when I am starting a new story.
Thank you, and until next time. Signing off and out for the last time on this story,
PenMagic xx
