Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins does.
20 years ago there was a Hunger Games, like always. Except this one could have been a lot different. There was a lone victor from district 12, named Katniss Everdeen. She was a volunteer for her sister, from the poorest part of all of Panem, and she managed to get home, unlike the other 23 kids, one of whom knew her even outside the arena. Everyone in the Capitol was convinced that she would have given her life for him, and maybe that's true, but a fatal leg wound in Peeta changed that all and left Katniss to fight for everything alone.
Annabelle Rusing, Head Gamemaker, 35, 5 months before the reapings
I walk down the hall looking for my assistant. "Leto!" I call. She came scurrying out of a door little ways down the hall.
"Yes Mrs. Rusing," she asks meekly.
"Tell the Arena Designer to get the blueprints on my desk sometime today," I tell her, "and tell Razo to get up here. Now." She nods and walks briskly away. I turned and headed into my office. As I sit down on my cold, metal chair. I look at my reflection in the mirror. Ah yes, the diamonds above my eyebrows really bring out the silver in my eyes. I tear my gaze away when I hear the door open. Razo walks in. I narrow my eyes at his seemingly innocent gaze. "For what do you need my service, Head Gamemaker Rusing?" he drips in a sickenly sweet voice.
"Oh, I just wanted to know if all the security is in place and ready to go," I respond in an equally sweet voice, "I mean, after last year, don't you want to double-check. We don't want anything bad to happen and someone..have to take the fall for it," lowering my voice ominously. He visibly paled at that.
"Of course we will double-check. But the reapings are 5 months away, and last year was just a mistake…." he trailed off under my glare." We will double-check the cameras right away."
"As expected," I replied coolly. With a wave of my hand, I dismiss him. As I reach for a pen, the arena designs slide onto my desk from the slit that transports documents from the control room to my office. When I open the blueprints and inspect them, my lips curl into a smirk. This year is going to make up for the atrocity that happened last year, that's for sure. Yes, the name Annabelle Rusing will go down in the history of great Head Gamemakers.
Coriolanus Snow, President of Panem, 96, 4 months before the reapings
I sigh as I look out the window. I don't know if I'll make it to the 95th Games. I feel my health failing. I've seen tons of doctors, but you can't reverse old age. I just hope that my last Hunger Games will be some of the most successful ever. I couldn't bear to have games like last year. I've spoken to Annabelle Rusing, and I made clear that this is her last chance. Now she knows if anything bad happens again she'll wish she never signed up for the job.
Hi! I'm Leafpool8788 or Leaf. This is a collab with dobbysleftsock13 and 13. In case it wasn't clear, Peeta died with his leg wound, and Katniss won the 74th Games. There was a different Quarter Quell twist. The Games continued. Updates will be probably once a week, maybe more. We're very excited to share this with you!
-Leaf