I am still missing check-ins for the following tributes:
Toren Kollath
Bellona Peirce
Gear Griswald
Astrid Balan
Haruhi Maki
Adella Kerrick
Corbyn Reid
Amelia Williams
Zilla Odbody
Darra Delaney
Twill Chintz
Lily Baudilair
Red Bellmont
Clair Ivory
Please see the author's note at the end of Chapter 15 for the check-in question. You can submit it to me either through PM or on Discord.
Mark Giblet, 17
Victor of the 7th Hunger Games and District 3 Mentor
Once he was sure he was alone in his room with the door locked, he slowly picked up the phone and dialed a number he had memorized way too well. Not that he would be embarrassed by the receiving end (he hoped), but there was a good chance they would discussing some more...er...unfavourable topics. Plus, he liked his privacy. Astrid and Gear were some very nosy tributes.
He held the phone up to his good ear and waited. Finally, there was a voice on the other end. "Hello?"
"Hey. It's me."
"Did I wake you up?"
"Nah, it's all good! I'm not tired! But I missed you!"
Mark giggled to himself. "It's only been a day."
"Yeah, well, that's way too long. What am I supposed to do without my Markimoo by my side?"
"I'm gonna ask the Peacekeepers to make it a punishable offense to refer to District 3's only Victor as Markimoo."
He hoped his tone didn't come off as too harsh, but Daniel just laughed. "You know you like it and you like me. You wouldn't dare."
"Hey, I've extended my v-card privileges before..." Mark trailed off when he realized how gross that sounded. "Victor card! Victor card! I meant victor!"
"Ew babe, that's disgusting!"
"Come on, you knew what I meant!"
"Yeah, I did. Just messing with ya!"
"Can we please get serious now?" Mark sighed. "I actually have to talk about something important."
"Alright, alright. Fine. What gives?"
"Well...Foxy...he approached me earlier today..."
"Mark, I thought we agreed that...""
"He made an interesting case. At least more interesting than the last time we did this."
When Daniel didn't offer up a snarky reply, which was very out of character for him, Mark continued. "It's something I've considered and thought about. Really thought about. I have no plans to act out on it yet. Not for a while, at least. I just hope he knows what he's doing. And I can't risk you getting dragged into this whole mess."
"But I don't want you to get in trouble!"
"I know, I know. And he dabbles in some interesting stuff...to say the least. But I do know for a fact...a lot of his credentials actually matched up with the names he was mentioning. Well...it's very hard for me to explain, because I can't...but..."
Mark knew he was being vague and evasive. But this kind of talk could get him killed. Ever since Foxy brought it up to him during the parade for the tenth or so time, he knew he needed to talk it out with someone he trusted. But to get Daniel involved or to take the fall...Mark couldn't do that. He couldn't hurt his loved ones because of his own stupid actions. Unfortunately, there were just only so many people he could come clean with...
"You'll just have to trust me."
"Sure, babe." Whenever Daniel was actually serious for once, that indicated he felt very strongly about the topic at hand. Mark heard him faintly scratch his nails against the back of the telephone, a growing habit of his. But he actually didn't mind; if anything, he liked the sound. It told him Daniel was there.
"I trust you. One hundred percent."
That was good to know. Mark was about to hang up, when he heard Daniel sigh loudly. "Aren't you forgetting to say something?"
"Am I? I don't know!"
"Come onnnnnn!" Daniel whined.
"Hmmm...let me guess...four letters, one syllable, starts with an L-"
"I'm not letting you hang up until you say it!"
"I could do this all day."
"Maaaaaaaaaark!"
"Alright, alright. Love you. L-O-V-E. You."
"There was that so hard?"
Mark rolled his eyes. "Don't push your luck, Orion. I even spelled it out!"
"I love you too, kid. Goodnight!"
Click.
Mark hung up the phone, then flopped backwards onto his bed. He still had a lot to think about.
Foxy Champagne, 24
Victor of the 2nd Hunger Games and District 1 Mentor
Despite the bustling of Capitolite life in the background, he could still hear the faint and gentle humming of the forcefield trapping the entire roof in a little dome. Foxy was used to it, though. Sure enough, he was alone with only one other person.
"Good evening, sir."
"Come on. Do we not know each other well enough to use first names?"
"I'd rather not."
"Well, fair enough." Christof just watched as Foxy tightened his oversized hoodie around his face. "What should we start with? How is it with you?"
"Snow doesn't suspect a thing."
"Good. Let's keep it that way. What do you know?"
"They're staying clear of District 7, that's for sure. Too much security. Until they stop showing that girl's face...darn, can't remember her name."
"Everleigh McArvin, or something like that. Anyways, forget 7. How about District 8?"
"Look, just because I you-know-what-"
"Escort?"
"Not out loud! That doesn't mean I know every little details of everyone's lives. I'm there once a year."
"Aren't you close to Sliver?" Foxy asked.
"He won't have any of it."
"We could really use his support. You know, as the first ever Victor, he'd be a powerful figure in this movement. The people adore him and they'll hang on to his word. I know he's not a good public speaker, but his image alone is powerful enough to convince others to join this cause."
"He won't. He's a smart kid."
"Too smart," Foxy sighed. Sliver knew the consequences better than any of them ever did. It would take too much convincing, so he and Christof agreed to just quit while they were ahead.
Rebellions were not easy. Rebellions took months, maybe years of planning. This one had been planned for almost two years. The one that had dragged Panem in this mess had been planned for decades, and look how it ended! But Foxy had no intention of repeating his ancestors's mistakes.
"How about the other Victors?"
Christof sneered. "You know more than me."
"Claymore is a patriot through and through. So is Honouria, though I can't really get a chance to talk to her, because Claymore won't let me near here. We might have a shot with Arley, but I think she's more neutral ground and she doesn't want to risk it, which is unfortunate. Paisley is...a wild card. With the mental state she's in. I would approach her, but I worry she might let things slip."
"Then don't talk to her. I don't want people who pretend to be on our side are to spineless to actually do shit. Neutral ground is just an excuse not to do anything."
"Christof, please. Lower your voice."
"Sorry. Continue."
"Some of our more recent Victors...I think they might be on our side. Mark didn't confirm for sure, but give me a little more time and I'm certain I can sway him over. And Fjord, he's in the same boat as Paisley. Very frail, might crack and give us all away."
"That's one Victor. One of seven. Not good, Mr. Champagne!"
"Give me time! That's all I ask for. We're asking big things from them and if I were in their shoes, I'd act the same way!"
Christof rolled his eyes; sometimes, Foxy thought, this guy was near impossible to deal with. "You had one job and in my opinion, a twig in a clown shoe could've done a better job. There's a teenage orphan in Panem who's more inspiring than you."
"Fine Tell me about your life. I bet you've made so much more progress, you're just exploding to share it with someone!"
"Actually, I have!"
Foxy snickered. He wondered if Snow ever suspected that the escort assigned to keeping watch over the more rebellious districts and spying on their problematic movements was actually a double agent who worked with the movements he supposedly hated. Anything to get a leg up on Snow and his ever loyal Capitolites.
"He's overexerting his force. Too many people stationed in 7 because it's a hotbed. And the other districts have become more lax. Actually, there's a lot in 8 too, Sliver said. 8, in Snow's mind, cannot be trusted. They're always stirring shit, causing no good."
"I believe the phrase is stirring up shit."
"Yeah yeah, whatever. But now what? I have word that most of our party is stationed back in 9, since going to 10 didn't work out as planned. What should we do?"
Foxy rubbed his shin. "It would be really tempting to help stir up even more shit...if we could get an entire district on our side..."
"Don't do 8. I can't have Sliver mad at me. He really wants to get these tribbies home."
"Please don't refer to your tributes as tribbies."
Foxy sighed. "Alright, we'll figure it out tomorrow. Let's have them stay put for now. I'll keep talking to Mark. You do your job and don't cause anymore shit."
Christof just winked. "You do yours first. I wanna see some progress on your end."
Right, progress. As Foxy headed towards the elevator, he felt Christof's eyes drilling into his back. Planning a rebellion was so much harder than he thought it would be, especially when all the influential people were too afraid of the consequences.
But that's why planning was so important, huh?
A quick little interlude to stir up shit and continue with the subplot! Also, a nice little catch-up on our previous Victors!
I have a few weeks off, so I hope to be getting back on my routine and into the groove of once again updating TMH twice a month. We'll be getting into training next! Also, check-ins! They can be sent to me either through PM or on Discord. The question is back in Chapter 15.
See you all next chapter!
-Vr