Chapter 28: Hercules Nichols
A/N: District Two have taken the lead again, and this time it's Hercules's turn to come out of the arena as a Victor! This will be a pretty unique chapter in the sense that the formatting is wildly different. I got the idea after reading one other fanfic that also had this idea (I can't remember who, sorry) so here's my version of it! It's different but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Cheers:)
Katniss scowled at the boy and the row of Victors from Two behind him. "I hate that Two basically cheats the Games every damn year. Like, these kids are so stupid."
Peeta glanced at her warily. "I remember Lyme mentioned that the Careers are often forced to volunteer."
Katniss frowned. "What do you mean?"
"They don't have a choice. Their families might get shot," Peeta told her.
Katniss's eyes sunk, a guilty look spreading over them. "Oh. You think Cato..."
"Nah, Cato was 100% pro-Games according to Enobaria," Peeta said, shuddering.
Katniss averted her eyes back to Hercules. "He looks strong. And his stats are deadly. But do you think..."
Peeta shrugged. "I don't know. We can ask Enobaria later."
Hercules Nichols
District 2
Aged 18
7 Kills
Hercules hated the Games. He had never wanted to compete! But with his little sister at risk, he knew there had been no other option. Besides, the boy who was reaped was a crippled twelve-year-old from the poorer villages, if he chickened out, that poor, defenceless boy would have to die in the arena. He would be accused of being extremely selfish! He had to volunteer, even if at the time, he wasn't too certain about his odds of was one thing he was absolutely certain of, though. One day, Draco would pay for this. In the distance, he could just make out the outline of the Nut, the Capitol's military base, in the night sky. Ugh, that was a beast of a building. And did they really have to raise their taxes to fund its maintenance? Disgusting. Behind the Nut were the mountainous villages, some of them still glowing with light from families having dinner. Hercules turned back to his mansion. The only family he had left was Andromeda, his little sister, aged just nine. She was frail, too frail to be allowed to join the Career Academy until she turned twelve. Three more years of living in relatively peaceful bliss for her. Sometimes, Hercules couldn't help but envy the other mountainous families he'd grown up alongside. They had their parents there with them. His own had been killed during a riot in District Eight. Not that he blamed the people of Eight. From what his parents had told him, their lives were horrible. They basically lived in a dumpster of sorts. Dumpster. That place. His arena. A pang of guilt washed over him, threatening to gobble him up. "Wish I could just forget about that damn dumpster," he moaned. Alas, the Capitol would never allow him to. A gust of wind flew by, sweeping a magazine with bright, colourful photographs along the streets of the Victors' Village, one Draco complained to be far too empty. Hercules plucked it from the ground. Capitol Couture. He scowled as he flipped through the pages. This was just so twisted, so wrong...
CAPITOL COUTURE: HUNGER GAMES EDITION
ISSUE 28: HERCULES NICHOLS
Games highlights, interviews and a sneak peek into the lives of our beloved Victors!
Priced at 20 cents each
Article written by Delphin and Kym Hillsong
Wow, that was an absolute banger of a Games! And now that it's all over, let's take a moment to rewind and recap some of our favourite moments in the arena, ones we're sure Hercules and our dear viewers will treasure for the rest of their lives!
The Cornucopia Bloodbath!
The countdown starts. What do you do? Wet your pants? Cry tears of joy? Smile at the thought of victory? Heck no! Hercules doesn't care about all of this, he just stares straight ahead with that burning Career passion in his eyes, a fire in his soul. He wants to get the killing started, and oh, boy did it start off with a bang! And a literal one too! The gong banged, now some of you might claim the gong rang but we at the Capitol Couture think this year's gong had a banging sound. I'm sure our lovely readers will agree! Hercules would too, but we don't think he truly card. No, he took that fire in his first great strides into the Cornucopia and the Hercules show begins there folks! The pathetic guy from Seven was his first victim, I mean dilly-dallying with a backpack? Typical District scumbag being a pea-brained nincompoop. Hercules swung his mighty sword and lobbed his head off! The blood seemed to make him even more passionate, too! He let out a roar of rage and whirled around to continue the mighty rampage. The girl from Five was lying on the ground acting all cute and cuddly after the girl from Four sliced off her leg. Hercules showed no mercy and he stabbed her to death! We think that last year's Victor Flash would certainly approve had she not been his tribute! That was when he captured the hearts of the nation. Everyone from the proud Capitol to the wimps from Twelve was loving Hercules! I mean, what's there to love? Strong, handsome guy, okay, Kym, don't get ahead of yourself now! Anyway, he marched towards the boy from Ten and dragged him away from that knife he was simply itching to get his hands on before Hercules, in true Career fashion, sliced his head off! Brilliant! The gasp of joy when he realised he was that one step closer to Victory was a good move too! He's born to kill, a true patriot down to the bottom of his heart! Shame he couldn't kill the boy from Three too. His lousy District partner's spear finished him off before he could. I think he was very angry at her, but we couldn't tell. he's a man of few words! But with eleven deaths, the Cornucopia certainly has to be on the Games highlight reel! To shed more light on Hercules's bravery, we've spoken to Draco Hadley himself, the legendary Victor of Victors, as he claims he is.
Interview with Draco Hadley
Delphin Hillsong
Delphin: So Draco! Hercules certainly did well, didn't he?
Draco: Of course he did! He's a true Career all the way! My tributes always land the best kills, and Hercules was no exception!
Delphin: I have to agree with you there. How did he train for this? He looked very well-prepared!
Draco: Oh, we at the Career Academy make sure he gets the absolute priority during training sessions. We could see at a young age his killer potential, you know! So, we got him started at the age of nine!
Delphin: Wow! Nine, huh? That's really young!
Draco: Well, the early bird gets the worm, as they say.
Delphin: Cool! So Hercules seems pretty specialised with the sword. How is he with other weapons?
Draco: Trust me, if you think he's good with a sword, you clearly haven't seen him with knives! He'll be one of the greatest Victors of all time, mark my words!
Delphin: That's good to hear, Draco! That's all the time we have, see you soon, Draco!
The Toxic Chase
The whole dumpster setting really did raise a few eyebrows in the beginning, even ours! But our Head Gamemaker certainly did not disappoint! Just when our four Careers thought they were safe, whoosh! A huge wave of toxic liquid comes rushing at them! But Hercules didn't seem afraid, no he ran away like a cheetah with that lion's look on his face! It's such a shame the boy from One couldn't learn a thing or two from him! Ah well, someone had to go down in that wave, right? The entire nation was treated to a fantastic and fanatic chase as the Careers leapt over broken cars and ducked underneath low beams to avoid the oncoming toxic waste. It was pure edge-of-your-seat, thrilling fun! I loved it even more when Hercules lifted a huge, old truck off the ground so the Careers could pass through. His strength, it's simply unmatchable! He even lifted that old fridge and chucked it at the pool of toxic waste to slow it down! That thing must've weighed at least a million pounds! And that wasn't even the best part yet. No, the best part was when Hercules pushed some garbage bags out of the way and found the girl from Four! Oh, she was certainly a high-flyer, that one. High-flyer as in she was flung high into the dark sky by Hercules's strong arms! She eventually fell facefirst into the toxic pool with a loud, pleasant splat! Such a brilliant, flawless, easy kill from our brilliant Victor! He looked so proud of himself, so incredibly happy to get another kill in his statistics! The perfect attitude for such a strong boy! And here to give her input is none other than the first Victor, the first killer, Marina Bluebell fo District Four!
Interview with Marina Bluebell
Delphin Hillsong
Delphin: So, Marina, your girl is dead!
Marina: She had a name, you know. Iluka Bianchi.
Delphin: Who the heck is that? Anyway, your girl fought bravely, but alas, Hercules was simply better.
Marina: Her name's Iluka! And no, Hercules isn't better. Can't you see? None of them is better than the other! They're just poor kids trying to live!
Delphin: Yeah, sure, whatever. Who's Iluka again? Wait, don't answer that. Back to the interview, shall we? Hercules has that fire of passion, that desire to kill! Surely you have to admire that?
Marina: Iluka was the girl from Four! And no, I do not admire that! And I'm sure that, deep down, Hercules is just another poor, sweet boy Draco forced to compete!
Delphin: Well, that has certainly paid off, then! Draco is such a genius!
Marina: Okay. This interview ends here!
Delphin: Marina, wait! Ugh, sorry, guys, she ran off. Back to you, Kym.
The CPR Thing!
Ah, here's a brilliant example of Hercules showcasing his dashing qualities once more! The Careers were walking through an alley of rubbish bins when one of them went tumbling down the piles and crashed into the girl from One's chest! But did Hercules abandon her? Heck no! This dashing young gentlemen leaned down and started pumping her chest rapidly. Here at the Capitol Couture, we personally thought this looked awfully fishy at first, and I'm sure a whole lot of eyebrows were raised when he pressed his lips against hers! But our doubts were erased when the girl started to cough and splutter. Through his magical kiss, Hercules had saved the damsel in distress! You simply cannot have a more wonderfully-crafted Victor! Here to talk about that thing experts call CPR is onyx Hibonite, the girl's mentor!
Interview with Onyx Hibonite
Delphin: Onyx, Hercules just saved your tribute girl!
Onyx: Learn her name, dolphin dude. The 'tribute girl' is Beauty!
Delphin: Ah, yes. She's a beauty, that one.
Onyx: No, I meant her name's Beauty!
Delphin: Who? Who's that? Never heard of her.
Onyx: Oh for goodness sake...
Delphin: Anyway, did you find Hercules's actions heroic?
Onyx: Well yes but no
Delphin: Uhh, care to elaborate there, Onyx?
Onyx: Yeah, sure, he saved her and all, but he's no hero. Not heroic at all. Killing little kids isn't something a hero would do.
Delphin: But he kills for the Capitol's sake!
Onyx: Eh, makes it even worse.
Delphin: Whatever, I guess. But surely, you can't deny, he's a remarkable young man, isn't he?
Onyx: More remarkable than you, at least. That's for sure.
Delphin: Hey! You hurt my feelings!
Onyx: Don't care.
Delphin: Err, that's it, I guess?
Onyx: Thank goodness.
Delphin: Uhm, back to you, Kym?
The Cockroach Mutts!
Well, we can't all agree on everything, but I'm sure all of us here in the Capitol can agree that those mutts were the most hideous things we have ever seen! Like, cockroaches by themselves are horrible, but when given a wasp's sting, bull's horns, a rat's nose, three extra pairs of legs, rusty metal talons and enlarged to the size of a two-storey building, let's just say those things are still trapped in my nightmares! The Careers had the terrible misfortune of running straight into one of their dens, stirring up at least a dozen of those disgusting creatures, almost as disgusting as Avoxes! Hey, that's a great new idea for a mutt right there! Avox mutts! Anyway, Hercules and his Career allies were forced to run, and you should've seen him go! He's faster than the speed of light, you could barely make out his legs when they're practically flying, lifting that huge body miles away ever so speedily. I must say, having trained as an athlete back when I was younger, I felt a little guilty for nothing keeping shape! Who knows, that speed might have been mine! But alas, Hercules was the speedy hero who took the spotlight here. He even carried his allies when they got tired, he himself never once slowing down! Magnificent! Eventually, all the cockroach mutts tired out, except for one, a foolhardy devilish abomination. Hercules didn't even hesitate. He flung two knives at once, impaling the loathed behemoth in its dirt brown chest. I'm sure that was a huge sigh of relief for all the District Two fanboys and fangirls out there! And speaking of Twos, here with us is Freya Carson, a fellow famed Career Victor from the proud District Two!
Interview With Freya Carson
Delphin Hillsong
Delphin: So, Freya..."
Freya: Cut to the chase, kiddo. I haven't got all day.
Delphin: Uhh, okay. What did you think of those horrible cockroach mutts?
Freya: Eh, nothing Hercules couldn't handle. They reminded me of Nikola, to be honest.
Delphin: Nikola? Why? Do elaborate.
Freya: Both are horrid beasties.
Delphin: Really? Nikola seems like a brilliant genius...
Freya: Ha! That's far from the truth. He's got the blackest soul in all of Panem, that I can say for sure!
Delphin: Oh, dear. It appears we have been misled, then?
Freya: Yeah.
Delphin: Anyway, do you think you can make it two in a row again?
Freya: Ragnar and Reyna's streak doesn't count. Reyna's not a real Victor. She's a wimpy District disgrace to me. She can stick her soggy ass back in her old toy factory for all I care!
Delphin: That seems a little harsh. She's your own District counterpart, you know.
Freya: You ain't the boss of me, President Snow is! And that, I believe that concludes this interview.
Delphin: Wait, what about Her-
Freya: That's all the time we have, back to you Kym!
The Zombie Mutts!
How could this not be a highlight? Our ever-crafty Gamemakers unleashed a horde of brand-new zombie mutts into the arena after four boring days without action! In my opinion, it was a simply ingenious move that will go down as an all-time highlight! It was World War Z, tributes vs zombies! There were so many brilliant skirmishes, the boy from Eight breaking an old mirror and stabbing his way through an entire horde, the girl from Eleven jumping over a large horde in true gymnast fashion before spraying them with sewage, and many more! But the spotlight has to be on Hercules. I mean, he rallied his allies and stood firmly on his ground, even as those zombies sucked the life out of his District partner. I bet he thought that was revenge for stealing his kill during the Bloodbath! At any rate, he fought valiantly alongside the girl from One, at one point even skewering five zombies at once! That, my friends, takes brilliant skill! And even when the zombies knocked his sword off his hands, he karate-chopped six of them at one go! Sure, he lost his final Career ally soon enough but hey, slide-tackling the final two zombies into a pile of broken glass was pretty cool, right? Top-class action at its finest, I say! And to tell us more about this brilliant fight, we have with us Flash Morrison, the Victor who won exactly one year ago with his fantastic savagery that wowed the entire nation!
Interview with Flash Morrison
Delphin Hillsong
Delphin: Hey, Flash! Good to see you again! How have you been?
Flash: Uhhhhh, great! Lots. Of. Parties!
Delphin: You seem pretty hungover. Had another great party last night?
Flash: Uhhhh, yeah...
Delphin: Can I come to your next one?
Flash: Yeah, sure!
Delphin: Cool! Anyway, what did you make of Hercules's brilliant battle with the zombies?
Flash: Uhhhhh, sounds like something that, uhhhhh, I would do!
Delphin: Really? Good to see you haven't lost your fighting spirit! But what do you think of Hercules's? Has he got the potential to become as awesome as Draco?
Flash: Uhhhhh, sure? He's strong, but uhh, I think he's like, okay, I guess?
Delphin: Well, we're all entitled to our own opinions, aren't we? That's all the time we have, back to you, Kym!
Hercules vs Boys from Eight and Four
Ah, I loved this one! Those two boys paired up, thinking they could easily bring down Hercules. Oh boy, were they wrong! Hercules found them first, discussing some sort of tactics or whatnot behind a pile of garbage bags. And the fight was on! The boy from Four struck first his sword getting a cut into Hercules's shoulder. That was shocking in itself! Hurting Hercules? How difficult that must be! Needless to say, Hercules retaliated in superb fashion. Two more crosses of the blade and the boy from Four was a goner! And Hercules managed to kick back the boy from Eight when he tried to attack too! He managed to get up after the first cannon boomed and raised his knives, trying his best to down Hercules but it was simply no use! I mean, how on earth could you possibly defeat that gigantic killing machine? Impossible, I say! His throat was cut out in no time! But still, it proved to be quite the battle! Joining us today to share his thoughts is Woof Casino, that dead boy's mentor!
Interview with Woof Casino
Delphin Hillsong
Delphin: Alas, Woof, this is where District Eight's tributes meet their end.
Woof: This isn't exactly a romantic scene, that's all I'll say.
Delphin: But what about Hercules? Do you think that boy has a bit of romance in him?
Woof: Oh, for sure! He's got to have a ton of admirers at home. He probably loves one of them and they might just get married.
Delphin: That would be amazing! And do you think he'll be a Capitol favourite?
Woof: I mean, he already is. But trust me, that kid's just that. A kid. He's not some sort of killing machine like you folks think he is. Who knows, maybe he's a romantic like me?
Delphin: Well, I guess only Hercules would know! That's it for Woof, back to the highlights!
The Grand Finale!
And dear readers, here we are! The long-awaited finale between Hercules and that swift, agile girl from Eleven! After two incredible, exciting weeks of the Hunger Games, the grand finale was finally on! The thunder and lightning in the sky was a brilliant touch from the Gamemakers to liven up the atmosphere too! The pair met at that narrow plank teetering above a roaring current of sewage and toxic waste, knives out, ready for battle. Hercules struck first, lunging forward but that pesky girl jumped over his head and landed behind him. She tried to take a jab at him but Hercules wasn't going down that easily, no way! He spun around on one foot and deflected her knives, before taking the next strike and this time, it hit her shoulder! I remember everyone in the bar screaming, "Go, Hercules!" He's got quite the fan base here in the Capitol! The girl was far from defeated though, as she tried to stab him, and managed a wound on his thigh but Hercules remained strong, confidently charging into her and pushing her off the plank! Her wails were like music to our ears, and so was her cannon! Because that meant Hercules Nichols was officially the Victor! He could see it in his eyes, he didn't want to stop the killing! No, ladies and gentlemen, Hercules wanted the fight to rumble on! But sadly, as much as we would want more action from him, he had to get out of the arena. But hey, now we get to meet him in person! Here he is, joining us for an interview!
Interview with Hercules Nichols
Delphin Hillsong
Delphin: Congratulations, Hercules!
Hercules: Thanks. I'm glad to be alive.
Delphin: It must have been super fun, being able to fight those mighty battles and slay all those tributes!
Hercules: I assure you, it wasn't. And, oh, look a chipmunk!
Delphin: Wait, what? Maybe because it wasn't just fun, it was thrilling, right?
Hercules: I, uh, I'm a little giddy tonight, sorry. I have to go. Sorry.
Delphin: Wait, Hercules! Tell us more!
Hercules: Err, I need to vomit. Sorry, gotta go!
Delphin: (Sigh) Poor kid, he must absolutely miss the arena action! Oh well, we'll get to talk to him next year!
WANT TO VISIT HERCULES'S LEGENDARY ARENA? THE HERCULEAN DUMPSTER, OPENING AUGUST 23RD FOR ALL TO VISIT!
Visit the Cornucopia, where large screens will show you all the juiciest bits of the opening melee! Ice cream stands and popcorn machines will mark the areas where a tribute has died, so do keep a look out for those! On your way in, don't forget to collect your very own Victor's passport as you attempt to complete all the challenges contained within! These include sword-fighting (with rubber swords for safety reasons), trap-making and many more! And of course, visit the incredible plank where Hercules and the girl from Eleven squared off, where a replica station will allow you to reenact it using rubber weapons over a swimming pool! What's more, Hercules himself will make an appearance every year, so be sure to keep an eye out for that! The prices are super cheap too, only ten dollars for adults and six for children under the age of eighteen! The Herculean Dumpster, coming soon!
To win tickets for this arena, be sure to take part in our upcoming lucky draw! To sign up, go to our Capitol Couture official website and register for your chance to win a free pair of tickets to the Herculean Dumpster!
Other arenas soon opening up: Flash Beer Cellar (next year, March 3rd), Marina Caves (next year, April 22nd) and the Enchanted City (May 4th)
Details coming soon so stay tuned!
District Seven's Victors proudly present
SONG OF THE FOREST
A brand new concert taking the entire Capitol by storm! Featuring Olive Sanchez with her legendary flute, Jill Wilson with her iconic violin and Hassan Greenwood with his brand-new cello! Tickets are priced at 50 dollars each, with a special discount for families with more than 4 people, who will be given a special price of 40 dollars per person! Register now at our official website and stand a chance at getting a private music lesson from our ever-talented District Seven Victors!
Simply astounding! The best production made by District scumbags that I've ever seen!
-Flavia Browning, Music Weekly
It was absolutely hypnotizing! Olive's music made me wander straight into the parking lot, although I still have no idea why there's cat fur in the backseat of my car!
-Alina Plumwood, The Daily Capitolian
Fabulous! 5 stars for sure!
-Courtney Greendragon, Capitol Couture
It was good but remember, they're from the Districts
Our beloved dear leader, President Coriolanus Snow
KEEPING UP WITH THE VICTORS
Welcome to yet another monthly edition of Keeping Up With The Victors! Here at the Capitol Couture, we treasure all of our wonderful, valiant Victors and as such, we'd like to do a bit of snooping to know what they're up to these days! And oh boy, their lives are simply juicy!
Let's start the ball rolling with Marina Bluebell, our first-ever Victor and the heroine of the proud, patriotic fishermen of District Four! She was spotted in a quiet bar on Snow Avenue, talking with Ragnar Sveinsson and Reyna Boudicca, Victors of the Fifth and Sixth Hunger Games respectively. We couldn't tell what they were up to, unfortunately, because they kept silent as soon as we drew near, but we thought we heard President Snow and Hercules being mentioned! What were they discussing? The world may never know!
Our second Victor, Hassan Greenwood, was seen with his arm around his Capitolian cello tutor! We aren't allowed to disclose her details, but it sure looked spicy! Hassan has only just begun to learn the cello, starting last year, but he's a fast learner, apparently! Could his supposed romance with his tutor possibly have anything to do with it? And what's with that new scar on his forehead? It's about an inch long and looks pretty fresh! Hassan has not been to any bars or pubs recently so a bar fight is out of the question. Which begs the question, how the heck did he get it? Sadly, he refused to respond to any of our inquiries.
Ford Hamilton, Victor of the 20th Games and Crystal Montgomery, Victor of the 21st Games were seen snogging the lives out of each other at a phone booth. But when we entered and began snapping photos, they shrieked and pushed past us before fleeing. Their clothes were a little crumpled, to say the least, and Crystal was blushing like mad! Still, we've got the pictures, and we'll be releasing them tomorrow, so stay tuned! Things are getting hot between them, as it seems!
Olive Sanchez, Victor of the 26th Hunger Games, has been visiting the popular candy store at Snow Crescent, the one owned by wealthy businessman Marco Petalfields, pretty regularly lately. We thought it might be a simple sweet tooth, but her teeth seem absolutely perfect, plus she doesn't look like she's gained any weight! The rumours around here suggest she might be having an affair with good old Marco, as a Capitol Couture insider notes she brought makeup to the candy store once! No real, concrete evidence has been found but we'll certainly continue the investigations!
Woof Casino, Victor of the 16th Hunger Games, has just released his new novel, Hurt Yourself, and it's already a bestseller across the Capitol! Speaking to the Capitol Couture about it, Woof dedicated the novel to his sister, whose name we have unfortunately forgotten, and claims he wishes to 'encapsulate the broken romances' he has witnessed over the years. Seems like an interesting concept, Woof, and well done for selling over 1000 copies in your first week of sales! We look forward to more exciting, must-read novels!
Gadget Schroeder, Victor of the 24th Hunger Games and one of Panem's most talented young dancers, has twisted her ankle during her performance at Ravenstill Theatre last weekend. Our medical insider has spoken with doctors to assess the situation and it appears she will not be able to perform for four months due to the severity of the injury. We have personally been able to reach out to a tearful Gadget, who is 'heartbroken her passion has been snatched away from her'. Don't worry, Gadget, you'll be back to performing soon! Get well soon, our dancer of a Victor!
Orchid Bloom, Victor of the 12th Hunger Games, was spotted at a drama performance last weekend at the Coriolanus Theatres, owing to her seemingly newfound love for theatrical performances. We've been stalking her for a while and found a script for a new play, which she seems to have been cast in! Good for you, Orchid!
Scipio MacAllister, Victor of the 17th Hunger Games, also known as the Revenge Killer, was attacked by a group of robbers on Friday night after dining at a restaurant with an unknown woman. Whoever this woman was, she must've been smitten with him, because photos of Scipio's condition after being admitted into the hospital show a trace of lipstick and a faint hickey on his neck! Ooh, sounds interesting, right? At any rate, Scipio suffered multiples bruises across his body, broken ribs, a broken ankle, two black eyes, a concussion, a torn hamstring, a stab wound on his stomach and another on his arm, but that didn't stop the Revenge Killer from taking out all four robbers! Talk about incredible fighting skills, eh? Get well soon, Scipio, and continue thumping people's asses for a living!
After more than a decade of marriage, Ragnar and Reyna have finally given birth to their first child, or should I say, children! That's right, ladies and gentlemen, our beloved Victor couple are now the proud parents of two adorable twins, Blenda and Lyme Sveinsson! Let's hope they'll follow in their parents' footsteps and achieve the ultimate glory of being crowned Victor one day! But in the meantime, Ragnar has told us to 'stay away from the family' and that they 'deserve some damn privacy for once'. We assure you, we'll keep posting regular updates about them!
Gwendolyn 'Gwen' Whitfield, Victor of the 18th Hunger Games, has been invited to give a talk on psychology at the President Snow University. It was always a curious matter, why she chose to engage in psychology. Cage fights would have been a better choice in our humble opinion! Much more exciting! After the talk, we jump-scared her and gave her a surprise interview. After regaining her composure, she managed to give us an explanation. "I want to help the other Victors," she told us, rather bafflingly. "What they experienced in the arena, it's so horrible, so traumatic. They need someone t deal with the trauma, the pain, the guilt, you know? And since the Capitol won't allow therapists for Victors, I figured I'd give them a free therapy session every time we meet." We've got no idea what she's talking about, since the Victors all look super happy and proud of their kills, but we think Gwen might have been using a metaphor or sorts! See if you can guess the meaning yourselves!
Aaaaand now...
JOKE SECTION WITH AXEL MILLAR! (LOOK AWAY NOW IF YOU HATE TERRIBLE PUNS AND LAME JOKES!)
How do you make a tissue dance? You put a little boogie in it!
Where do fish keep their money? In riverbanks!
Why couldn't the bicycle move? It was too tired!
Why do we tell actors to break a leg? Every play needs a cast!
Why are fish so smart? Because they live in schools!
Today at the bank, a lady asked me to check her balance. So I pushed her over!
What do you call a pig that does karate? A pork chop!
What did the tomato say to his son when he walked too slow? Ketch-up!
What's the tallest building in all of Panem? The library, it has the most stories!
I know it's corny but, You're a-maize-ing!
Why did the banana go to the doctor? It wasn't peeling well!
People who torture others by making bad puns, need to be pun-ished!
Hercules didn't bother reading the rest. With one, mighty action, he ripped the magazine in half and dumped it into the nearest garbage bin, before kicking it in frustration. This really wasn't him! None of what they said about him was true! He was just a poor, orphaned quarry boy with ADHD and dyslexia! This wasn't meant to happen, none of it was! He kicked the bin again, howling in rage.
"H-Hercules?"
He gasped, turning sharply, his eyes widening in alarm. Reyna stood across the street in her nightgown, nervously staring at him, her fingers twitching uneasily as she cradled a sleeping Lyme. "Reyna!" he blinked. Shit, now he messed up! "I-I'm sorry, I-"
"No, it's fine," Reyna said softly. "The stress, it gets to you in the beginning." Her voice was as soft as usual, gentle like a mother, but there was no hiding the maddening shade of her eyes, which looked like that of a rabid animal.
"Does it ever get better?" Hercules asked, already fearing the answer.
Reyna sighed, shaking her head sadly. "It sticks with you forever. And as long as Draco and Freya are around..." She choked back a sob.
Hercules lowered his head. He would never get his peace, it seemed. "Oh." He was about to say more, but a mouse passed by and his ADHD kicked in. he focused his attention on it, gazing curiously at it for a second, fascinated by its scurrying. Then he blinked his way back to the present.
"But there's hope," Reyna assured him.
Hercules frowned. "What do you mean?" Hope, the one word he'd yearned for all his life. Hope, the one thing he was missing for all his life.
Reyna gave him a small smile. "Meet me at our house in the morning. There's quite a fair bit Ragnar, Scipio and I need to tell you."
The pair held their minute of silence for him. "Now I feel bad for him," Katniss muttered softly. "He might not be what we think he is."
"And we may never know either," Peeta sighed softly. The pair mulled over this for a while before moving on. The next Victor was a short girl with short, brown hair and a splash of freckles across her nose. She had big, brown eyes, that seemed to gaze deeply into the distance. Peeta flinched. "I knew her. I saw her die. Brutus-" His voice crackled.
Katniss put an arm on his shoulder. "Peeta, best not to dwell on it."
Peeta nodded, but he didn't seem to relax even a bit. "Laurel Flamsteel."
VICTORS
District 1-Sapphire Huntington(4), Onyx Hibonite(9), Franc Montgomery(14), Crystal Montgomery(21), Sterling Jones(25)
District 2-Ragnar Sveinsson(5), Reyna Boudicca(6), Draco Hadley(10), Scipio MacAllister(17), Freya Carson(22), Hercules Nichols(28)
District 3-Nikola Johnson(13), Gadget Schroeder(24)
District 4-Marina Bluebell(1), Mags Flanagan(11)
District 5-Shocker Crimson(8), Switch Kim(19), Flash Morrison(27)
District 6-Ford Hamilton(20)
District 7-Hassan Greenwood(2), Jill Wilson(15), Olive Sanchez(26)
District 8-Woof Casino(16)
District 9-Gwendolyn Whitfield(18)
District 10-Ringo Alvarez(7), John Gatwick(23)
District 11-Orchid Bloom(12)
District 12-Axel Millar(3
District 1-Sapphire Huntington(4), Onyx Hibonite(9), Franc Montgomery(14), Crystal Montgomery(21), Sterling Jones(25)
District 2-Ragnar Sveinsson(5), Reyna Boudicca(6), Draco Hadley(10), Scipio MacAllister(17), Freya Carson(22), Hercules Nichols(28)
District 3-Nikola Johnson(13), Gadget Schroeder(24)
District 4-Marina Bluebell(1), Mags Flanagan(11)
District 5-Shocker Crimson(8), Switch Kim(19), Flash Morrison(27)
District 6-Ford Hamilton(20)
District 7-Hassan Greenwood(2), Jill Wilson(15), Olive Sanchez(26)
District 8-Woof Casino(16)
District 9-Gwendolyn Whitfield(18)
District 10-Ringo Alvarez(7), John Gatwick(23)
District 11-Orchid Bloom(12)
District 12-Axel Millar(3)
A/N: There we have it! Hercules lives on and District Two once again take the lead! Hope you enjoyed this format and be sure to tell me who your favourite Victors so far are and which were your favourite formats so I can have a rough idea of what to do next! Stay tuned, Laurel Flamsteel is up next!