The Twenty Second Annual Hunger Games


Introduction

All in one year, the great Ex-Head Gamemaker, Ex-First Lady, and Ex-President Lima Xabie-Sombray fell from her seat of power in a whirlwind of scandal, lies, murder, and terror. The Brutalians became fed up with her after discovering she'd amassed more followers, and they killed dozens of Xabians while the rest went into hiding in the infamous District 13. Lima and her sister Venezuela would follow them and survive in an underground nation in the ruins of 13 for decades. Lima herself was almost murdered, the bullet going through her shoulder instead of her head. She'd escaped alive, and the about five dozen followers that came with her and her family to 13 would form a small, not very rebellious (at first) nation. They would be discovered around the 60th Games, but they would bribe the Capitol for some time to let them stay underground. As payment, two people were taken every year from 13 to become Avoxes, sort of their "Reaping". They also had to ship graphite and technology they made to the Capitol. Now, with the Xabians practically non-existent, the Brutalians had no competition for the Presidency. They didn't even have a presidential race. They plopped their leader, Baenlas Curvanith, down as President. He elected two Vice Presidents/Senior Advisers: an older, withered man named Timaeus Horthentrot, age 59, and a young Ameysha Snow, Baenlas' young niece and the newly wedded wife of Coriolanus Snow. Caius Flickerman remained the host. With all of this political upheaval, the Games were deigned to be particularly brutal to distract the Capitol from the Xabian massacre. Also, workloads were nearly doubled in every District, and taxes increased by an astounding 8%. The citizens knew this new President would be the death sentence for many, and they were right. Hundreds would die off from starvation, mainly in the Lower Districts, only months after the workloads and new taxes were instated in the Districts. This starvation would continue far into the future. The Careers this year were fair. There was 1 11, 2 10s, 2 9s, and an 8. The rest of the tributes had scores between 8 and 4, though most scores were surprisingly in the 8s, 7s, and 6s. There were no volunteers besides the six Careers this year. One of the Careers was Romulus Armidale's younger brother. The Districts 3, 5, 7, 10, and 11 were very strong this year. Here are the tributes:

District 1: Mascara Curler, 17 (10) 4-1 and Silvanus Rustellar, 18 (9) 7-1

District 2: Chenni Bastler, 16 (10) 5-1 and Remus Armidale, 17 (11) 3-1

District 3: Laurisa Caver, 18 (7) 15-1 and Cylinder Avery, 18 (8) 11-1

District 4: Coralessa Further, 16 (8) 10-1 and Shark Edmont, 17 (9) 7-1

District 5: Majixa Kyvott, 16 (7) 15-1 and Serron Kaster, 17 (7) 14-1

District 6: Porsche Budd, 17 (5) 33-1 and Engineer Carwrench, 17 (6) 22-1

District 7: Elma Dorray, 16 (7) 15-1 and Jacques Avondoux, 18 (7) 15-1

District 8: Rita Chins, 14 (4) 42-1 and Josea Nicodamare, 16 (6) 23-1

District 9: Myona Hartrucker, 15 (6) 22-1 and Logan Cult, 15 (4) 43-1

District 10: Sazia Settler, 16 (7) 15-1 and Falcon Squigg, 17 (7) 15-1

District 11: Conra Seltzer-Bosh, 13 (6) 24-1 and T.R. Abelton, 18 (8) 10-1

District 12: Kaylah Xin, 13 (5) 34-1 and Lincoln Buyer, 12 (5) 34-1

HGBA Odds: 25% on Remus, 20% on Mascara, 15% on Chenni, 10% Silvanus and Shark, 7% on Coralessa, 3% on T.R., 2% on Cylinder and Serron, 1% or less on Laurisa, Majixa, Porsche, Engineer, Elma, Jacques, Rita, Josea, Myona, Logan, Sazia, Falcon, Conra, Kaylah, and Lincoln.


The Games

The tributes arose in an arena similar to that of the 13th Games. It was the ruins of an urban city, this time a city once called Seattle. No distinct landmarks remained, as the oceans had risen and swallowed much of the city. The tributes rose to the roof of a tall, fat building that was partially submerged in the water that covered much of the arena. The building was the main part of the arena, constructed by the Gamemakers. 30 stories tall and almost that wide, the expansive building had several booby traps but not many. Tributes, if brave enough to swim through the deep, polluted waters, could also go into several smaller, less complete buildings. On the roof of the building, the Cornucopia sat, loaded only with metal shards and tools, like hammers or saws. Food and water was scarce in the Cornucopia, and yet there didn't seem to be any food or water sources in the arena. Most tributes went to the bloodbath as the gong rang.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Remus, leader of the Pack this year, was the first to reach the Cornucopia. He swept up a jagged, rusty saw and attacked a nearby tribute while his allies grabbed weapons. Mascara took a sharpened metal pole, almost a spear, Chenni and Silvanus grabbed some smaller metal shards that could be used like crude throwing knives, Shark took two rusty hammers, and Coralessa picked up a large metal shard.

Remus sawed into the boy from 8's leg as he screamed. The saw was clumsy and not super sharp, and it was torture as Remus held the boy still and sawed through his throat, killing him, making the first of 9 bloodbath kills.

Josea Nicodamare, District 8 Male; 24th, Killed by Remus, Bloodbath

The pair from 11 had teamed up and was searching through the supplies when Coralessa and Chenni attacked them. Coralessa dug her metal shard in the back of the girl, killing her, while the tall, strong boy pushed Chenni to the ground forcefully and ran away, a small metal shard in hand.

Conra Seltzer-Bosh, District 11 Female; 23rd, Killed by Coralessa, Bloodbath

Mascara made the third kill, grinning as she tackled a short girl and stabbed her spear-like pole through the girl's chest. District 8's hopes for Victory were once again dashed in the forsaken Bloodbath.

Rita Chins, District 8 Female; 22nd, Killed by Mascara, Bloodbath

Meanwhile, Silvanus took a similar approach to Luster, the District 1 Male, had taken in Romulus' Games. He chased a tall girl from 6, also a morphling addict, to the edge of the building and pushed her off. She landed, breaking her neck, 30 stories below, when she collided with the water.

Porsche Budd, District 6 Female; 21st, Killed by Silvanus, Bloodbath

The fifth to fall was a small boy, the only 12 year old this year. He was tackled by shark, who beat his head to a pulp with his hammers.

Lincoln Buyer, District 12 Male; 20th, Killed by Shark, Bloodbath

Remus faced off with a strong pair of tributes, Cylinder and Serron, the males from 3 and 5, who were armed with sharp metal shards. Before Remus knew it, he was being forced to the edge of the building. His allies turned when he screamed as the boys managed to push the frontrunner and Romulus Armidale's younger brother to his watery demise thirty stories below.

Remus Armidale, District 2 Male; 19th, Killed by Serron and Cylinder, Bloodbath

Cylinder and Serron avoided hysteric attacks from Chenni and the other Careers. Mascara, enraged, jumped towards an alliance, the pair from 10. The girl ducked Mascara's attacks, but the boy was quickly skewered on her sharpened metal pole.

Falcon Squigg, District 10 Male; 18th, Killed by Mascara, Bloodbath

Meanwhile, Chenni, hysteric over the death of Remus, managed to land one of her sharp throwing shards in Serron's back. He fell, warding off the Careers long enough for his allies (Cylinder, Laurisa, and Majixa) to escape. Then Chenni buried another shard in his throat, killing the strong boy from 5.

Serron Kaster, District 5 Male; 17th, Killed by Chenni, Bloodbath

An angered Silvanus made the final kill, roughly pushing a tall, beanpole-like boy from 7 off of the building. His neck and spinal cord both broke upon impact with the water.

Jacques Avondoux, District 7 Male; 16th, Killed by Silvanus, Bloodbath

Mascara took over as leader of the Pack. They had a small ceremony to honor Remus' early and untimely death. Back in the Capitol, Romulus had broken dozens of chairs and tables and lamps and anything he could grab, even his Avox's neck, in anger and grief.

Day 2, the Careers immediately went looking for Remus' killers. They found them on the 23rd floor, holed up in a spacious room with dozens of traps surrounding them. Silvanus didn't check for traps and was ensnared. Laurisa, the girl from 3, strode over and slit the trapped boy Career's throat.

Silvanus Rustellar, District 1 Male; 15th, Killed by Laurisa, Day 2

Only moments later, one of Chenni's sharp shards stuck from Laurisa's abdomen, and she died moments later as Cylinder and Majixa hid in a closet.

Laurisa Caver, District 3 Female; 14th, Killed by Chenni, Day 2

They deactivated most of the traps, and then, as they tried to open the bathroom door, another trap, sloppy but useful, smashed Coralessa's head into the side of the bathtub, killing her as her head shattered. Already, the Pack had been shaven down to 3.

Coralessa Further, District 4 Female; 13th, Killed by Cylinder, Laurisa, and Majixa, Day 2

The Careers hesitantly left Majixa and Cylinder, not wanting to lose any more of their members. They went back to the Cornucopia and rested up Days 3 and 4. Nothing happened on those days as the other tributes made cozy homes deep inside the building, happy that 3 Careers had already perished. Their chances were much better, it seemed.

On Day 5, the Careers managed to hunt down a weakened boy who'd been injured in the Bloodbath by Elma, the girl from 7. Shark beat his head in with his twin hammers, trying not to barf as the boy's brains splattered onto his hands.

Logan Cult, District 9 Male; 12th, Killed by Shark, Day 5

Only an hour later Mascara discovered a tall, un-addicted boy from 6 curled up in a supply closet. She stuck her sharpened pole through his abdomen once, twice, thrice until his cannon fired, signaling his death. It seemed it would be a girl's year this year; only 3 males remained, while 7 girls were left.

Engineer Carwrench, District 6 Male; 11th, Killed by Mascara, Day 5

Their search was fruitless the rest of the day, so they went back to rest. Day 6, a tribute tried to leave the hotel building. They weren't a good swimmer, and they drowned soon after leaving behind the giant building.

Kaylah Xin, District 12 Female; 10th, Drowned, Day 6

Day 7 was deathless. Day 8, the Careers spotted Majixa and Cylinder building a trap in a hallway. Chenni sent a shard into Majixa's chest, laughing as she got further revenge for her partner's early death.

Majixa Kyvott, District 5 Female; 9th, Killed by Chenni, Day 8

Cylinder managed to activate the half-finished trap, which just impeded the Careers enough for him to escape. The Top 8 had been determined after Majixa's death. Mascara Curler from District 1. Chenni Bastler from District 2. Cylinder Avery from District 3. Shark Edmont from District 4. Elma Dorray from District 7. Myona Hartrucker from District 9. Sazia Settler from District 10. And T.R. Ableton from District 11.

The District 9 girl perished the next day after a section of the building collapsed, crushing her.

Myona Hartrucker, District 9 Female; 8th, Crushed by collapsing building, Day 9

Day 10 was deathless. On Day 11, the Careers found the lone boy from 11. He severely injured Chenni before Shark smashed his head in.

T.R. Abelton, District 11 Male; 7th, Killed by Shark, Day 11

The Careers took Chenni back to the Cornucopia, where they partially healed her with sponsor gifts. But it wasn't enough, and she bled out early on Day 12.

Chenni Bastler, District 2 Female; 6th, Killed by T.R., Day 12

Days 13 and 14 were deathless. Day 15, Cylinder had crafted a homemade grenade with sponsor supplies. He reached the roof and threw it at the Cornucopia. Shark was immediately incinerated. He didn't even have time to scream.

Shark Edmont, District 4 Male; 5th, Killed by Cylinder, Day 15

Cylinder managed to escape now lone and singed Mascara's wrath with nothing more than a few minor burns of his own. The next day, the building started to crumble, forcing the tributes up to the roof. The girl from 10 was avoiding debris when Elma leaped on her, slashing off her head with a sharp shard of metal.

Sazia Settler, District 10 Female; 4th, Killed by Elma, Day 16

Elma emerged onto the roof, and moments later Mascara threw her sharpened pole into the girl's abdomen. Elma fell, dead, as Cylinder appeared, wielding a sharp shard of metal. Mascara grabbed one for herself. The final showdown began.

Elma Dorray, District 7 Female; 3rd, Killed by Mascara, Day 16

Cylinder was tall and strong, but no match for Mascara without his various tricks and traps. She sliced deep into his shoulder before slicing open his throat, ending District 3's hope for a second Victor. District 1 had now gained the lead in number of Victors.

Cylinder Avery, District 3 Male; 2nd, Killed by Mascara, Day 16

"Mascara Curler of District 1, you are the Victor of the 22nd Hunger Games!" Caius Flickerman roared into the arena. Mascara smiled at the cameras she knew were pointing her way, trying to look like a beautiful war goddess fresh out of battle. She succeeded, at least in the eyes of many Capitol men.


Aftermath

Districts 2 and 4 pressed their trainees harder as soon as District 1 gained the upper hand in Victor numbers, with 1. District 1 became lax after gaining the lead, and their tributes would slowly become more popularity and looks based than full weapons based. Because of this, District 2 would eventually become the better Career District, District 4 not far behind. But those District 1 tributes not obsessed with glamour and short term popularity, like Mascara and more to come after her, were and are extremely deadly. Her District loved her, and she would Mentor dozens of other Career tributes like herself, often annoyed when some of them were only there for the popularity and not to really fight and win.

Mascara would live to age 58, dying during the 63rd Hunger Games from a heart attack. She would struggle with morphling for a period in her life, and she would not marry, but have a son with a on-and-off boyfriend.

The payouts on her Victory weren't the best, as 20% bet on her.

Her Victory Tour was interesting; she was booed in Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5 for killing their tributes/getting ahead in Victor totals, while she was almost adored in many of the lower Districts for her beauty and kindness.

Fun Fact: Remus was the first sibling of a Victor to enter the Games, and also the first Career from District 2 to die in the bloodbath.


Victor's News

Mascara moves into the Victor's Village of District 1, in the house across the street from Salandra's.

Vissarion has his sixth child, a girl named Thyma.

Fitore marries a woman named Julietta Paritos.


List of Victors

1st: Kelan Thather, District 4 (1, 1 Male)

2nd: Dillon Tripp, District 9 (1, 1 Male)

3rd: Tugra Ertra, District 5 (1, 1 Female)

4th: Noor Tuskararus, District 2 (1, 1 Female)

5th: Ishania Patel, District 7 (1, 1 Female)

6th: Guild Tonneroy, District 1 (1, 1 Male)

7th: Chaplin Nastaro, District 3 (1, 1 Male)

8th: Irmentrude Marley, District 5 (2, 2 Female)

9th: Vissarion Chamantel, District 11 (1, 1 Male)

10th: Greason Trails, District 6 (1, 1 Male)

11th: Mags Flanagan, District 4 (2, 1 Female)

12th: Salandra Valour, District 1 (2, 1 Female)

13th: Barcelona Sepias, District 10 (1, 1 Female)

14th: Freeha Indepp, District 11 (2, 1 Female)

15th: Clermont Lackrey, District 1 (3, 2 Male)

16th: Bex Martin, District 4 (3, 2 Female)

17th: Jaguar Crusoe, District 10 (2, 1 Male)

18th: Deana Mitchellson, District 9 (2, 1 Female)

19th: Romulus Armidale, District 2 (2, 1 Male)

20th: Grover Elms, District 7 (2, 1 Male)

21st: Fitore Renoro, District 2 (3, 2 Male)

22nd: Mascara Curler, District 1 (4, 2 Female)


A/N: So two more Career Victories! I hope you're enjoying this. Also, I have just published a new story, called Those Behind Our Faces. It is a story with shorts about every one of the Victors in this story so readers can get to know the Victors better. I'll update it when I feel like it, and I hope you enjoy it. Woof is up next (Finally)!

Until next time,

Tracee