CHAPTER XXXII. THE LAUNCH

"We never live; we are always in the expectation of living."

-Voltaire

EROS FORTUNA (18) - DISTRICT 1 MALE

It was hard for Eros to focus during the morning before he was supposed to enter the arena. He had gotten a decent amount of sleep, six and a half hours, but it was nowhere near as much as he got in the previous nights. It was probably the anxious energy taking over him. Nerves for the Games as a whole of course, but also nerves for his plan and whether or not it would end up working out. He had Fila and Moira with him, but what if that didn't mean anything? Who was to say Lana wouldn't just take them out first so she could be left with her henchman and her fuckbuddy?

"Eros," Tigris addressed him as he waited to enter the arena, "You need to put on your proper apparel?"

"Pardon?" Eros turned around to see Tigris holding a weird dress-like garment, "What is this exactly?"

"It's a toga," Tigris laughed, "All the tributes have to wear one this year. Something about an immersive arena experience."

"Oh," Eros brow furrowed as he changed out of his sweatpants and t-shirt and into the weird new outfit, "See you on the other side, I hope."

"I hope I'll see you too, sweetie," She pinched Eros' cheek, leaving him alone in a room, the platform awaiting him, as well as his next great adventure.

FILA OLLARIS (18) - DISTRICT 1 FEMALE

Fila found it oddly hard to walk in the toga or whatever that she was forced to wear. She was afraid that it would rip when she went to do her kicks and she would somehow accidentally end up naked in front of all of Panem, granted that was definitely better than dying. She looked in the mirror, practicing her punches and her kicks, trying to adjust to the grooves and restrictions of the fabric, eventually realizing that it was actually quite sturdy. That would certainly be helpful, since she was the predicted Victor which meant she had to be in it for the long hall. Eros' plan was genius, everything she wanted to say but was too afraid to. She hated Lana Lotus from the moment she met her, and having her gone would only propel Fila on her path to victory. She looked up at the ceiling, clasping her hands together before she went on her platform. If this was her last taste of freedom, so be it. Fila Ollaris was ready to live the life she had always wanted to.

BELLEROPHON "BELL" CHRISTOS (18) - DISTRICT 2 MALE

Bell's back was sore. He'd had a rough one with Lana the night before the Games, probably too rough, and while he could walk just fine, even with the toga, he was quickly worrying that it would become difficult for him to carry things. He'd be fine though, he knew it. Nobody was ever too weak to carry a dagger, and Bell wasn't anywhere close to the exception to that. He had everything going for him already, and this was just a minor hiccup. His back would be fine eventually, and with the help of the sexy toga, if he needed a gift for some reason, he could just strip it off for everybody to see. While Bell had never intended his life to turn out like this, he knew that everything happened for a reason, and the reason he had been chosen to Volunteer was so that he could win. Ever since his father died, Bell had no qualms about killing people, and this was just the place to demonstrate that. He questioned whether or not his father would judge him in heaven for what he was about to do, but it didn't matter since Bell knew that if he died for some reason, he sure wasn't making it up there.

MOIRA MIKKEL (18) - DISTRICT 2 FEMALE

Moira was petrified over whatever it was that was going to unfold, since she nor anybody else had the faintest clue of what was in store for them. She had tried her hardest to be optimistic throughout the training process, as hard as it was for her, but the closer the big moment got, the more worried she was that somehow the whole plan would fuck up and Lana would kill her and her friends. Ugh, friends. Moira didn't go into the Games to make those yet it somehow happened anyways. She was scared of losing them, even though her life involved so much loss already. She thought of the bodies from all those years ago for the first time in a while, knowing it was certainly possible that there could be a smaller but fresher pile, though at least she'd be in control of it, hopefully the person to produce it herself. Would that be any less horrific though? Would anything ever amount to what she saw that day? Thoughts raced through Moira's head at a hundred miles per hour as she awaited what was sure to be the highlight of her somewhat lonely life.

EDISON MONTPARNASSE (18) - DISTRICT 3 MALE

If Edison died now, he wouldn't mind. His whole life he had wanted to have a purpose, to mean something to somebody, and somehow he had finally done it. Pascal, he was a monster, and as awful as it sounded, Edison was thrilled he was dead. Maybe his joy was fitting though, since he was about to enter a competition dedicated to celebrating the loss of life, yet he still hoped he wouldn't be the topic of cheering. He hoped that if he died, people would be upset, mourning the hero they thought they knew. Edison had always wanted to be a hero, and he had finally done it. He did it for Pow, and all the other boys that Pascal had admitted to him that he had hurt. He did it for the kids that were too afraid to speak up when they were abused, and most of all, Edison did it for himself. He wanted to win as unlikely as it was beginning to seem, since all he had to live for was the potential of a future where he's in the spotlight, helping others with his similar experiences, and making the most of every day.

LIANA TAYLOR (15) - DISTRICT 3 FEMALE

Liana was unmistakably calm before she was launched into the arena. She had spent the last night preparing for this, sketching ideas of what the arena could be in her notebook which was now tucked gently under her arm. She was shocked that nobody called her out on it, and what it could contain, but she would be foolish to genuinely be complaining about the ineptitude of her peers, though that would imply they're equal. Liana had her plan memorized like the back of her hand. She would turn in the other direction of wherever the cornucopia was, and she would run like hell until she found somewhere to settle away, able to hide so she could strategize her next moves without the fear of her life. Liana didn't fear much though. She knew what she was capable of, and winning was one of those things. Nobody there could tell her what to do or how to win, and Liana wouldn't let them do so anyways. It was her battle, her war, and her chance to win the Hunger Games using nothing but pure logic. It had never been done before and she was determined to be the first.

KINGSTON HAVLOCK (18) - DISTRICT 4 MALE

Kingston was beginning to have some regrets about how he had spent his time in the Capitol. Surely it was the pre-arena jitters speaking to him, but he was slowly growing with a fear that maybe Lana wasn't all that she said she was. What if all the rituals and prayers they said together didn't mean a thing and she was just trying to trick him? No, that would be cruel, and Lana Lotus was far from cruel. She cared about him, so much that she admitted to it on live television. Kingston could only imagine how his parents were thinking throughout this. He never got to see the full reaction of how they handled Elizabeth's death, but he could tell it wasn't good, and he feared that if he died, it would be another storm for them and he just wanted their life to be a rainbow. As much as they ignored him, he knew they didn't want him dead, and maybe if he won, he could have the life he always hoped for. Killing people would be the worst part, but Kingston knew he had to do whatever it was if he wanted to survive. If somebody died so he didn't have to, that would just have to be alright.

LANA LOTUS (18) - DISTRICT 4 FEMALE

Lana hated needles, squealing in disgust as one of the Assistant Gamemakers injected her with her second shot of the morning, "And what is that one for?"

The Assistant Gamemaker furrowed his brow, seemingly unsure about what he was allowed to say. Lana was curious, as she knew most things, yet this was something foreign to her.

"You'll see later," He sighed, exiting the room that Lana was about to launch from, "Happy Hunger Games!"

Fucking pathetic. That man was just like the rest of the mortals, even if he worked in the Capitol. Nobody would ever be like Lana, and she was struggling to accept it. She had her following and surely that man had his, yet she wanted to be unmatched. The toga she was wearing was drab and mediocre, though it would look nice perhaps if it had a few bloodstains on it. She had her targets all picked out and it was only a matter of when. Lana ordered her Pack to go to the center of the Cornucopia whenever it was that they could, but she had some business to take care of before then, and she didn't like it when her business was interrupted.

CLEMENSIA DOVECOTE (33) - CO-HEAD GAMEMAKER

Clemensia was for once the nervous one in her relationship. For so long, she was used to seeing her wife ask her for reassurance in everything, yet in the hours before the 26th Hunger Games, she was at her wit's end, hoping and praying that their hard work would all pay off, or if at the very minimum it would be sufficient to Coriolanus.

"It's going to be okay, my love," Lysistrata patted her wife's arms, desperately trying to soothe her, "I promise."

"I just hope they like what we've come up with," Clemensia turned her head, looking out at the large arena that her and her wife had forged from their love.

"What's not to love?" Lysistrata asked, looking at the arena as well, "Last years' arena was practically non-existent."

"But it had the Quell," Clemensia pleaded.

"It didn't have us," Lysistrata kissed her on the lips, "And we'll always be more than enough."

She was right, but Clemensia was afraid to admit it. The past years' arena was nothing that could even compete with their masterpiece, and boy oh boy was she ready to finally share it with the world.

CLANCY DIETRICH (17) - DISTRICT 5 MALE

Of all the things that Clancy had done, somehow kissing Ares was the stupidest one of all time. The kissing led to other things that he didn't want to even think about, and now they were both knocking on death's doorstep, hoping they'd be able to survive. He never felt the way he did for another person like he felt for Ares, so he didn't really know how to describe what he was feeling, but he didn't think it was love. Ares remained the most annoying person he had ever met. He knew something that wasn't a theory though, at the very minimum only one of them would be able to survive, and Clancy wanted it to be him. He had to go home to Declan, already afraid that he wasn't well as a result of his absence. He had to go back to his mother, as he refused to let her share her theories with nobody, and of course Clancy had to go home for himself. Even if he died, he'd never be himself again, and he just wanted to be the person he was, as he had grown to love him quite a bit.

ARES KRISHNAN (17) - DISTRICT 5 FEMALE

Ares hadn't seen Clancy since the night before, and while she knew she wouldn't be, she was just nervous that what they had done completely ruined their alliance before it officially began. What would it be like when they were reunited with Camber? Would they even be reunited with him? What would Ares do when she saw her Clancy again and was forced to stare into those blue eyes but not be able to kiss him? And if she did kiss him, would it be to piss off Dowlette in front of the whole country, or would it be because she was oddly catching feelings for the boy who she had grown to hate until they were forced to die together? She was in a place where she wasn't supposed to be confused, yet all Ares could do was question the uncertainties of her life as of recent. She knew everything and nothing about what she was going to do when she was forced into the arena, and she knew to expect the unexpected. If anything, Ares was afraid, not only of the arena, but in a way, herself.

CAMBER YAW (15) - DISTRICT 6 AGENDER TRIBUTE

Camber hadn't seen his allies in over twelve hours and he was oddly starting to miss their weird bickering about lord knows what. They certainly weren't good people, but they were entertaining, and that happened to be worth more than morals in situations like these. He knew they needed him to keep them from bickering, but he hoped that he was worth more than that to them. He prayed that they thought of him as less of a childish mediator and more of an equal, because that was how Camber saw them. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to find them somehow, even though they had rehashed their strategy over and over again. He hated the stupid toga he was forced to wear, and it only made him worried about what the arena would entail. He had heard rumors of a castle, and he thought that maybe the toga meant he was dressed like a maid. Utterly humiliating regardless of what it was that he was wearing. He hoped his family was watching, though he knew they were busy. Camber knew though that perhaps the most important place he could be alive in was their hearts, and he certainly hoped he'd be there forever.

SPERRY HOLSTER (16) - DISTRICT 6 FEMALE

Everything had been going so well.

The adrenaline in Sperry's body had somehow pushed her out of withdrawal so quickly, allowing her to train so hard and do so well, but in the wee moments before being launched, Sperry slowly felt the sickness come back. She was spinning, or at least her head was, but she didn't want to let it. She knew that she had to push through the perils of her past eventually. Nobody from District 6 had ever won before and Sperry was determined to be the first.

Everything had been going so well.

As Sperry stepped on the platform to what she was beginning to feel would be her demise, she took deep breaths in hopes that they would somehow carry her over to safety. It was about to be a long journey and Sperry knew she had to be ready. She didn't Volunteer for no reason, and she had to prove herself to so many people. Sperry was eagerly awaiting the look on The Boss' face when she somehow overpowered everyone, as a result also overpowering him. She had to get through the withdrawal, or at least continue to pretend it was over.

Everything will continue to go so well.

PALMER ADAMS (18) - DISTRICT 7 MALE

In, out… In, out…

Palmer was experiencing a rare moment of nervousness and he didn't really know what he was supposed to do about it. He was taking deep breaths, just like his father had taught him too, but he deeply worried that it wouldn't be enough and he would get himself killed before the Games even began. His whole life, Palmer remained calm, yet in the moment where remaining calm was the most important thing, Palmer felt his heart racing faster than the deer back in District 7. Oh how he missed his home there. He caught a vague scent of pine in his nose, and he hoped it meant what he thought it did. He could recognize the scent of trees from a million miles away, and that was just what it was. Maybe he would be able to have his camping fantasy afterall. He knew so much and was excited to learn more. Palmer was a natural survivor and he knew he would be able to survive another day, if only he could get what he needed from the Cornucopia first.

MARCEL HEMLOCK (16) - DISTRICT 7 FEMALE

That past night before they went to their hotel rooms to get the long period of sleep they deserved, Teresa told Marcel that they were destined to make it out of the bloodbath alive together. Marcel believed her at the time, but now she wasn't so sure, horrified that something would happen and it would kill one or both of them. She swore to Teresa that she would stick with her as long as it took. She was eager to survive with her, no, she was desperate to. She knew that they would go their separate ways eventually, but Marcel wanted to prolong that for as long as possible. Teresa was a friend, as much as she hated to admit she had made a friend in such an unfriendly situation, and she was afraid to lose her. She was afraid to lose herself as well, hearing stories about the mental tolls of the Games and the way it destroyed people. Dead or alive, Marcel was certain she wouldn't be the way she currently was once she left the arena, and it was jarring. She tried her best to hide her fear, but it was somewhat all consuming. She had to somehow think beyond the darkness, even though it was slowly closing in on her. Marcel would escape the fear somehow, it was just a matter of surviving for at least a day.

CHALLIS LAM (15) - DISTRICT 8 MALE

Challis was somewhat upset that his friends, yes they were friends, didn't want to join him on one last adventure. Their reasoning was certainly smart, since they were three years older than him after all and therefore were destined to be at least a little bit smarter than he was, but he questioned how smart exactly they were, since they still wanted to go to the Cornucopia, or at least it was what they had said. He was nervous he'd never see them again, especially Edison who he had become so stupidly proud of, but he relished in the fact that he was at least able to enjoy company with such lovely, lovely people. He hoped his sister saw how charming he thought he was during his interview and thought maybe she had underestimated him. He knew he deserved better than whatever it was that was that was about to happen to him, and while that brought him a bit of comfort, it wasn't much since it was still happening anyways. Challis pondered his legacy and whether or not he even had one. He personally felt as though he didn't, but he didn't want to underestimate himself either. Challis was ready for whatever was about to happen, even if he lost some friends among the way.

TERESA MCCLEAN (18) - DISTRICT 8 FEMALE

"It's to stop hormones," An Assistant Gamemaker injected Teresa with a needle, "So the boys don't grow body hair and get an unfair advantage because of the warmth it provides, and so that you ladies don't have to worry about menstruation."

No period, nice! Teresa always hated hers and it had been a while since her last one, not that she kept track of it, so she was worried the pain she felt earlier in the week would attribute to her getting it eventually in the arena, and she always felt pain before she got hers, so it was reassuring to know that it wasn't the case. She was a bucket of nerves, just as one was expected to be in this situation, but she meant it when she told Marcel that she had a feeling that they would both be fine. They were and always would be good friends, and she hoped they wouldn't have to kill each other, a truly wild thought since Teresa had never thought about killing anybody before. She knew it was inevitable, yet she was still worried, but at least that meant she was a good person. Funnily enough, she wasn't too worried about her man, since he could find another wife, but she only had one shot at being alive and she didn't want to waste it.

LYSISTRATA VICKERS (33) - CO-HEAD GAMEMAKER

In just under ten minutes, the biggest project that Lysistrata had worked on in her entire life would finally come to fruition, and how lucky was she that she had her best friend and the love of her life with her for the journey. They truly had done everything together and this was just another example of how perfect of a team they were.

"Do you feel any better now?" Lysistrata was massaging her wife's back since she had previously admitted to feeling a bit nervous.

"I do, I promise," Clemmie grabbed her hand, "We're going to do great."

"The injections were successful by the way," Lysistrata piped in, "I was worried the Tributes would be resistant but it was actually better than we could have imagined."

"Marvelous," Clemensia smiled that gorgeous grin that Lysistrata would never tire of, "I'm excited to see how it changes the perception of everything."

"As am I, my love," Lysistrata kissed her wife, carefully making sure that nobody was watching them. She hated being fetishized, "Shall we go to our viewing area?"

She grabbed Clemensia's hand and walked with her to where they would be witnessing the Games, excited to share their slice of paradise with the entire world.

ALARICO DE ORO (18) - DISTRICT 9 MALE

Alarico knew that he didn't have anything to be worried about. He had already agreed that he would be the breadwinner for his alliance and take the Cornucopia by storm before eagerly waiting for his allies, and he knew that it would go just as he had dreamed it would go. The only thing that made him nervous was Atticus, and whether or not he was watching. Of course he was, since he probably didn't have anything better to do, but that wouldn't stop Alarico from hoping his boy was rooting for him, wherever he was. He missed his mothers more than he could articulate, and of course he missed Mijito just as much. It was fine though, he would be reunited with them shortly. He was almost excited to enter the arena, since it meant that he was just one step closer to seeing all the people that he loved and missed oh so dearly, and then he would finally be able to be at ease, not only with himself, but with the world around him since it would finally mean that he was worth something to the world.

SAFFRON "SAF" ALDENIZ (17) - DISTRICT 9 FEMALE

Saf was hanging onto a horrible thread of hope. She had talked to Piper a few times and they had decided that if her allies died, she would reconsider being with just Saf. As fucked as it was, Saf was almost hoping the babies would die in the bloodbath so she would at the very least have somebody to spend time with for what she thought would be her last days. Piper was an acquaintance at this point, and Saf was eager for her to become a friend or an ally, since it would mean that she's less alone in the world. Actually though, it was fucked for her to wish for the death of two small children, but it wasn't like she had a choice since the departure of those kids even if they didn't mean an alliance meant that she was closer to being able to survive. She was admittedly in full panic mode, but it felt fitting considering her circumstances. It was life or death and Saf knew in her core that she didn't have a choice but that wasn't going to stop her from hoping and praying that she'd be gifted with life, since it was all she desired.

ALABASTOR CONTRERAS (12) - DISTRICT 10 MALE

Alabastor had been growing with rage and frustration in the past few days. He was mad at Piper for taking Morgan with them, even though he liked him at first, since now the boy was nothing but a nuisance. He didn't know how to survive like Alabastor did, and he was a deadweight at this point, nothing more and nothing less. Alabastor wanted to kill him, stomp on his little throat and hear the sounds of his bones cracking. He wanted it so stupidly bad. He hated him, and the girl from 12 just as much. Their pomposity was a curse and he wanted so desperately to be free from it, even if it meant he'd have the blood of two people on his hands. That was a minimal sacrifice if it meant he'd be done having to suffer through the egos. They would be first and then after a few days, he could finally stop pretending to be obsessed with Piper.

PIPER SANDERSON (16) - DISTRICT 10 FEMALE

Hearing Morgan say that she was like his mother was traumatizing to Piper. She questioned what exactly she had done that made him so attached to her since she had just shown him basic human decency. It was disturbing almost how close he thought they were, and Piper feared he was faking it. At least Alabastor was somewhat transparent with his feelings, and up until recently, she thought he was even capable of surviving for a bit. It hurt, knowing that she probably would have to leave them at some point, but she wasn't sure if she would even be able to find Saffron, or if the deaths of the kids would affect her in a way that rendered her virtually unable to continue.

PITH PLASTID (15) - DISTRICT 11 MALE

Even though it was quite possibly the most uncomfortable interaction of his life, Pith had finally told Alarico how he felt. There was a big weight off his shoulders, knowing that the guy who he hadn't even spoken to much anyways knew what he was thinking, but Pith was nervous he'd take things the wrong way. He didn't seem homophobic, which was a good sign, but it was perfectly feasible he could somehow get killed because of it, and obviously Pith didn't want that to happen. He was afraid of the outcome of the bloodbath since he knew he needed supplies, and he was desperate to make it out, even though he had realized that the family he'd be returning to wasn't even the best place to be. He enjoyed being alive, and wanted to continue with it, he was just afraid of what the odds would be.

DEPHRA KIRK (17) - DISTRICT 11 FEMALE

Dephra was actually in a shockingly good mood before she was launched into the arena. She had wanted to wear a toga for her entire life, and now she was finally wearing one. She felt like a bit of a regal princess, and she knew she was living what surely would be her best life. If she died in the toga, at least she would die happy since she was just enamoured by how glamorous she looked for the whole thing. Her stomach was also happy, almost as happy as she was, if that was even possible. She was excited to frolic into the arena like a butterfly and get the supplies she needed. She wasn't that sure what she would do after that but she knew it would be exciting and Dephra loved exciting. This was an adventure unlike any she had gone on in the past. She knew Dalux was watching, and she could only imagine how proud of her he was. Dephra was so ready to rumble!

MORGAN BARROW (13) - DISTRICT 12 MALE

Morgan could hardly sleep during the last night. He kept having dreams where he saw his mother and sister, telling them that he was going to see them soon, and obviously that meant death and he didn't want that to happen to him. He didn't want to die even though he had a feeling it was coming soon. He felt almost pressured to survive. The bloodbath was no joke though, and Morgan had a feeling Piper would eventually stop having to protect him. He almost was awaiting it since it was too lucky for him to experience having a good mother twice.

ETTA WISEMAN (15) - DISTRICT 12 FEMALE

Etta had read more than ever in the past few days. She knew lots about all the survival techniques she needed, and even though she had gotten into a few more yelling matches with Alabastor from District 10, she knew she was stronger than him, and she could take him in a fight if need be, but that didn't change the fact she was scared. She kept imagining her mother reaching out to her, begging for her hand. She ignored her mother. Etta had to if she wanted any chance of making it out alive. The intrusive thoughts were definitely deafening in a way, as she slowly tried to pull herself together before stepping onto the platform. This was the moment she had been waiting for since she was first reaped and she wasn't about to be a disappointment.

CORIOLANUS SNOW (33) - PRESIDENT OF PANEM

Coriolanus looked out at the arena. Somehow the girls had managed to one-up him, as much as he hated to admit it. They had spawned something truly incredible, a greek style village of sorts with a coliseum and a maze in the center, and the biomes that surrounded it were just as unique. There was a village, desolated by a storm, two beaches, a stunning range of mountains, and another island off to the side. In the other corner, there was a range of volcanoes. Whether or not they were functioning was the real mystery, and of course, Coriolanus would be remiss to not mention the boat that was near one of the beaches, even if it may be the slightest bit inaccessible. He enjoyed looking at the Games by himself in his office, not having any distractions for his greatest pleasure. His whole body shivered with anticipation as he heard Lucky Flickerman say the words Coriolanus had been waiting for all year…

Let the 26th Annual Hunger Games… begin!

So sorry the last Chapter didn't have an Author's Note (I genuinely cannot believe people actually noticed this) but I really didn't have anything to say so, oh well. Congratulations on surviving another monster chapter, and on surviving this entire grueling process. I can't believe that after nearly 120,000 words, we're finally at the Games (holy shit that is so many words). Thank you so much to everybody for supporting me up until this point. I truly cannot express how grateful I am for everybody who reads this story, even though it took me way too many words to get to the Bloodbath. In addition, thank you for the reviews, since I now have more reviews on A Perfect Union so far, than on the entirety of We The People, and we aren't even in the arena yet. On that note, I hope you don't hate me after the upcoming chapters, since I promise nothing that happens is personal and reflective on how I see you as a person, and with that being said… let the Games begin (tomorrow).

Have a good day until then,

Lindsay

OH! Also there is a map of the arena on the blog now

Current Alliances:

Career Cult/Pack: Eros Fortuna (D1M), Fila Ollaris (D1F), Bellerophon "Bell" Cristos (D2M), Moira Mikkel (D2F), Kingston Havlock (D4M), Lana Lotus (D4F)

HA Nerds!: Clancy Dietrich (D5M), Ares Krishnan (D5F), Camber Yaw (D6A)

The Fraternity But Less Toxic: Edison Montparnasse (D3M), Challis Lam (D8M), Alarico de Oro (D9M)

Lone Wolves: Liana Taylor (D3F), Sperry Holster (D6F), Palmer Adams (D7M), Saffron "Saf" Aldeniz (D9F), Pith Plastid (D11M), Dephra Kirk (D11F), Etta Wiseman (D12F)

Fuck Men: Marcel Hemlock (D7F), Teresa McClean (D8F)

Babysitting: Alabastor Contreras (D10M), Piper Sanderson (D10F), Morgan Barrow (D12M)