Evangalie Asher | Head Gamemaker
1 month before the Games
Evangalie paced nervously. Back and forwards across the empty control room. It was her first time as Head Gamemaker, and a Quarter Quell on top of that. 125 years since the Hunger Games started, the fifth Quarter Quell. She'd put so much effort into it, making each detail perfect, but was it enough? The reading of the card was soon, and then in a month, the reapings to get their tributes.
She was jolted back to reality as a door opened, and the first of the Gamemakers entered. Nodding in acknowledgement, Evangalie watched as he brought up the blueprint for the arena. Construction was well underway, but they were still developing mutts and challenges.
Striding down from her spot on the balcony overlooking the floor, she crossed over for a closer look at the projection.
More people arrived, taking their spots around the table, looking towards her expectantly for instruction. She waited a few minutes for the last spots to be taken, before addressing everyone.
"As you know, the reading of the card is today," she started. "We'll be able to find out our twist so we can plan for it, but we still have a lot of work until then."
The Gamemakers started working on their screens, and Evangalie walked over to a young redhead woman. Fresh out of the University, this was only her first year as a Gamemaker, her replacement, she guessed, but she was brilliant. What she lacked in experience, she made up for in brains.
"Richella, bring up a pedestal," she ordered her, and the young lady obliged, a small example of a starting pedestal popping up. "Okay, make this thinner, and test the explosives in one at some point today," she instructed, and Richella made the suggested adjustments.
An hour passed of Evangalie moving between the Gamesmakers, giving critique or compliments on different aspects of the arena. It was going to be perfect, it had to be if she was to hold onto the prestigious title for several years to come. She had to make a splash, and this arena was sure to do that. There'd never been anything like it before, Evangalie was sure of it.
"Halt work, everyone," she instructed, and they obeyed, the projection blinking off.
It was time to find out the twist. Hopefully, it wouldn't contradict their arena and would be something memorable. She wouldn't have her Games ruined by a boring twist. It would ruin her, her career, her name. No, she had an amazing arena, she better have a good twist to go with it.
Soon, she was walking through the doors of the presidential mansion, flanked by two Peacekeepers holding their guns at the ready. They were led up to the office, where cameras and microphones were set up, ready to catch the twist and stream it live across all of Panem, district scum and the Capitol alike.
"Good to see you again, President Fenn," Evangaline greeted the President, shaking her hand warmly.
"And you, Asher," President Fenn answered curtly. "I imagine you and your Gamemakers are looking forwards to the big reveal?"
"Naturally."
"Well, you don't have long to wait now," she assured her, striding over to sit behind her desk.
The camera crew signalled they were about to go live, and Evangalie took her place to the right of the President's chair. She held her breath as the traditional speech was given, and the seal on the envelope was snapped…
Xanthoua Fenn | President of Panem
1 month before the Games
Xanthoua Fenn stood in front of her mirror, as an avox adjusted her outfit. She was dressed in a long, elegant cape in a dark, forest green colour. Her dark hair was pulled back in a sensible bun and sleeked flat against her head.
"Go," she dismissed the avox, and after she gathered what wasn't needed, hurried out of the room, leaving Xanthoua alone.
She picked up her notes, reading over her speech one more time. Not that she needed it, with the amount of time she'd dedicated to learning it. Reading the words over, and then mentally saying it from memory in her head, she pocketed the cards. She turned away from the mirror when the door opened, and two teenaged kids stepped in.
Helios and Koryl, the eldest of her four kids. Taking in Koryl's appearance, she snapped at her. "Get changed right now. Like hell you're going on camera like that."
"That's why we're here," Helios sighed.
"I'm not going on camera," Koryl said defiantly, raising her chin.
"You will, and you will wear something…. appropriate," Xanthoua hissed, scrunching her nose at the teenagers ripped jeans, studded leather jacket and chains.
"Freedom of speech and actions, mum. Isn't that what I'm meant to get as a citizen of the Capitol? That's what you told everyone, isn't it?"
"They were just words, dumb girl. They mean nothing in the real world," the President snarled.
"So you don't have a problem with me telling the country that, then?" Koryl shoots back, shouting at the top of her lungs.
Xanthoua raised a hand, and slapped the girl across the face. Her rings connected with her cheekbone, and Koryl stumbled back a few steps, her jaw dropping with surprise.
"Guards!" Xanthoua called, and a couple of armed Peacekeepers hurried in, surveying the situation.
"Take Koryl to the holding cells. If you tell anyone I will have your head," she barked, and they obeyed, albeit hesitantly. "Use some force," Xanthoua snapped.
The Peacekeepers seemed unsure and confused, but they dragged her away nonetheless. Koryl stared daggers at her mother, shouting indecipherable curses at her.
Brushing down her coat, Xanthoua Fenn turned away for a second, composing herself.
"Helios. Go make sure Aislie and Misa are ready."
"Yes, ma'am," the teenager replied, nodding his head respectfully.
At least one of her kids knew how to behave, thought Xanthoua grumpily. Today was a historical day and part of the lead up to an even more monumental occasion. The 50th anniversary of the defeat of the radicals, as Coriolanus Snow had put it. Yes, it was an important day, and Koryl had to ruin it. She'd be taken care of later.
Checking the clock, she saw that it was time to go. Brushing herself down once more, the woman left her quarters, heading over to her office, where officials, including the Gamemakers, would be waiting. Pushing open the heavy oak door, Xanthoua scanned the scene quickly. Cameras and mics set up in front of her desk, the team of Gamemakers seated in their chairs off to the side and various government officials talking among themselves.
She was caught off guard when Evangalie Asher spoke from behind her without warning, but she composed herself, replying to the Head Gamemaker. She was an okay person, Xanthoua had decided. Maybe a little overeager to prove herself and not Exactely her cup of tea, but a mastermind. She'd seen the arena blueprints and some of the obstacles that Asher had designed, and they were original, and not because it'd been decided it was a bad idea.
Finishing her conversation, she saw three more figures appear out of the corner of her eye. Helios, dressed respectively in pressed, black dress pants and a creamy button up, came first with two younger girls. Misa, 10 years old and dressed in a flowery dress and headband. Xanthoua quickly scanned the last child, 4 year old Aislie, clinging to her brother's hand. A red dress with a big white bow, and her thin hair brushed into two pigtails. She diverted her attention away from Aislie and back to Helios and Misa, who were taking their seats. To their right, sat two empty chairs. One, where Koryl should have sat, the second, had been empty for years.
"Madam president, cameras are starting in 3… 2… 1… action," a cameraman said, mouthing the last word.
"Hello, Panem," she started regally, looking into the camera lens. "50 years ago, we stopped the radicals," she paused momentarily to savor the word. Radicals. Ex-president Snow would've been proud. "From taking control of our prosperous country."
Xabthoua loosened slightly, pleased that she had started well.
"As we all know, they tried to take control of Panem, breaking laws set to keep our country progressing forwards, by stalling work and causing harm and damage to important sites, like District 5's former hydroelectric dam."
It was going well so far. She'd said it every year for the last 17 years, but it was important to keep the Capitol on their side, and inconsistency could ruin that bond.
"If they had achieved, our country would have been destroyed, as they aimed to overturn everything that makes Panem Panem. However, thanks to the valiant and unwavering hardwork of our Peacekeepers and citizens, we showed the districts that the Capitol is strong and powerful. We held onto our control, despite the savage attacks from the radicals, proving that we cannot be upturned and we deserve our place as the Capitol of Panem, and the home of the government. We proved that we care about the citizens of Panem, and that we can protect them, whereas the radicals only wanted to destroy everything unique and special to us."
The practise and time she had put into learning it over the nearly two decades, and it showed, as each word was clear and concise.
"And now, we celebrate this victory, we approach the 125th year of the annual Hunger Games, but we also approach the 5th Quarter Quell. The Quarter Quells were written into the Hunger Games, and it stated that every 25 years, each quarter of a decade, there would be a special Games of important significance. As we are gathered here today, Panem, we find out the twist, for the 5th Quarter Quell."
An avox carried forwards a sealed envelope, set in an open box, and Xanthoua took it, snapping the seal.
"Panem. This year, the two tributes from each district will be reaped as one group, meaning that there may be two tributes of the same gender from a district. This serves as a reminder that the war that the radicals waged did not discriminate based on gender. There was not a death of a female for every male."
Xanthoua groaned internally. It was such a boring twist for a Quell, especially next to some of the previous ones. It wouldn't make an impression, it'd just be another Hunger Games, just with uneven numbers.
"Thank you Panem, and have a great day. We'll see you again in a month for the reapings," she wrapped up, keeping a smile on her face until the light on the camera blinked off, signalling the broadcast was off.
President Fenn turned back to Evangalie, to see her reaction. She could see that the Gamemaker was feeling as disappointed about it as she was.
"That's a let down. There have been some brilliant twists before, and we get stuck with this?" Xanthoua asked, grumpily.
"I agree, it's not as exciting as some have been."
"Make sure that arena of yours is memorable, okay? These Games will not be a joke," Xanthoua hissed, a hint of anger in her eyes. It was her first Quarter Quell as President, and very few presidents made it through two Quells. She didn't have a second chance. Being labelled as the President in a boring Quell forever was not how she wanted to be remembered.
"Yes, madam president," she said, nervously, swallowing noticeably.
"Good," she replied turning on her heel, and she started to walk over to Helios, but she was intercepted by a Peacekeeper.
"Ma'am…," he started, nervously. "Koryl has escaped," he finished.
"How? Why haven't you found her. If she talks to the press, your head is on the line," she threatened.
"We tried, but she had an accomplice," he explained.
A/N: This is my first Hunger Games story, so please give me some feedback/critique on it so I can improve. Updates will probably be pretty irregular, but I'll try. This isn't an SYOT, but I do plan on doing some in the future. Whenever my next update is, I'll probably do a very short chapter, and then a longer one to introduce the tributes from districts 1-7. Thanks for reading (: