Apologies for the wait. Here's the next victor.
Orion Rossi, District 2
"But I won, so you lose
Guess it always comes down to,"
The Decemberists, Here I Dreamt I was an Architect
Two was the best district. Everyone knew that.
They were the first district to get two victors. They had the victor with the most kills (you're welcome). They had the strongest tributes, the ones that usually lasted until the top three or four. However, when a psychotic girl from One took the Games two years after Orion himself, he knew he had to do something about it. The only question left was what?
The answer to his question arrived on his doorstep two weeks after the Games were over. Marshall Thornburg was a sickly kid to be sure, but those weren't uncommon in the districts. Everybody knew there would always be the successful, and those too weak to get it. Clearly Marshall, or the people who raised him, was in this second category.
"I want you to train me for the Hunger Games," he said. Orion raised his eyebrows.
"And why would I do that?" Orion asked.
"Because you love Two. You want another victor for us. I'm going to be that victor."
"Why you? No offense, but you're not in the best shape."
"Not after you train me. I want us to be the strongest district. So do you. So train me."
"I'll think about it," said Orion, closing the door on the boy.
Two days later, Orion saw the kid in the window of an apartment of the poorer section of Two. Another man was screaming at him.
Then the man slapped him.
Hard.
In years to come, Orion wouldn't be able to put his finger on what exactly made Orion wait outside the boy's door for the man to come out, and then punch him in the stomach, but he enjoyed it. It felt good.
The next day, Marshall began his training.
Orion is interesting. I initially started this chapter with just about the worst case of writers block I've had in a while, but then I realized I could do a little more with his character than just make him the Caspian of Two. Enter Marshall Thornburg, his protégé. Does he win? We'll see. But Orion definitely got a lot of development for the single shortest chapter I've ever written. The next victor is the other major one in this decade from 40th Hunger Games. See if you can remember him.