The Thirty Second Annual Hunger Games
Introduction
The second year of campaigning was much rougher than the previous year. While the first year of campaigning had been civilized, things were starting to get repetitive as the candidates appeared literally everywhere within the confines of the Capitol. Cartagena spoke about rebirth of the Xabian party, of a political Renaissance, Snow's monologues were filled with the theme of "continuing what has been started" by Baenlas and the Brutalian party, Rufio preached returning to the old ways, the Pre-Dark Days times, when governing was less strict, less deathly, and Burtlas echoed Snow's statements, talking about continuing in his brother's ways. Only time would tell, but Burtlas fell significantly behind the others, rounding out the final pre-poll with a meager 6% of the votes. The "continuing what has been started" must have not had a great effect, as Snow ended up with 22% of the votes although he was a near celebrity and was well loved by the Capitol. Rufio placed second in the polls, with a respectable 34% of the votes. Cartagena's pre-poll votes clocked out at 48%, rising far above even Rufio. But this was only the pre-poll; the true thing could be much, much different. Burtlas realized that he had little to no chance with the Presidency, so he resigned from the race, though her vouched for Snow and claimed that he would become Snow's Vice President if asked to do so or if Snow won. Snow, Rufio, and Cartagena campaigned relentlessly during the weeks leading up to the Games, as a month after the Games, the new President would be decided. There was an attempted assassination on Rufio (years later found to be caused by one of Snow's men). Cartagena and Snow also had a heated public debate, and Cartagena almost punched Snow right in the face before Peacekeepers gingerly separated the two politicians. Only time would tell who would win the race. Burtlas returned in full to his Gamemaker position after dropping out of the Presidential race. This year his arena was modeled after District 11, and it was truly magnificent. Caesar Flickerman, the host and the Capitol sensation, returned for the second year of decades that he would spend hosting the Games. He was well loved by the Capitol, and everyone was happy to see him return during the 32nd, as some hosts did not last very long. In the term of tributes, this year, all 6 Careers made a showing. The pair from 1 was not as strong as they had been in recent years. The pair from 2 was not as weak as their predecessors, though not on the level of Tarquinius and Tacita from the 30th. District 4 managed to get both slots filled by volunteers, although, as they gradually became the weakest Career District, there would be plenty of years where District 4 lacked both volunteers. The Careers scored 2 10s, 2 9s, and 2 8s. There were no other irregularities; the rest of the tributes scored between 7 and 3, and there were no volunteers besides the Careers. Here are the tributes:
District 1: Jewell Powell, 17 (9) 8-1 and Anklet Kramer, 18 (8) 10-1
District 2: Alsalla Uoxo, 18 (10) 4-1 and Tiberius Sullo, 18 (9) 7-1
District 3: Techana Atil, 17 (5) 33-1 and Pixello Stubble, 14 (5) 35-1
District 4: Fisha Whytesburgh, 17 (8) 10-1 and Halibut Lukacher, 18 (10) 3-1
District 5: Tatum Vardaman, 15 (7) 15-1 and Dartson Pelics, 15 (7) 15-1
District 6: Rebecca Mohtashami, 18 (6) 22-1 and Axel Tunes, 13 (4) 44-1
District 7: Pomona McCrea, 18 (7) 15-1 and Pinecone Quiche, 14 (6) 24-1
District 8: Mari Yuko, 16 (4) 42-1 and Patchwork Quiltz, 13 (5) 32-1
District 9: Sabrina Keltsi, 16 (5) 33-1 and Wheaton McRayer, 15 (5) 32-1
District 10: Mayfly Opeia-Cassis, 16 (5) 34-1 and Panther Gurdy, 17 (7) 14-1
District 11: Della Marvalay, 15 (4) 43-1 and Lettuce Clucks, 15 (4) 42-1
District 12: Reece Harkins, 14 (6) 23-1 and Conall Effleburne, 14 (5) 33-1
HGBA Odds: 30% on Halibut, 25% on Alsalla, 15% on Tiberius, 10% on Jewell, 9% on Anklet, 8% on Fisha, 1% or less on Techana, Pixello, Tatum, Dartson, Rebecca, Axel, Pomona, Pinecone, Mari, Patchwork, Sabrina, Wheaton, Mayfly, Panther, Della, Lettuce, Reece, and Conall
The Games
The first thing the tributes noticed as they rose from the tubes was the heat. It was oppressive, but it wasn't just the heat alone. Actually, the worst thing was the humidity. The air was humid that it felt as if it were clinging to the tributes like a sticky blanket. The past two Games, tributes had been blown up before the Games began from moving or retching, but the air was so thick, it almost supported the tributes. All the tributes could see was the Cornucopia and its clearing, and then towering, over-sized trees and other plants. What the tributes did not know was that they were in a giant, almost zoomed-in greenhouse. Food and water was very abundant. Many of the tributes this year had stayed at the edible plants station, and they recognized many of the giant plants, and realized that food, and presumably water, was all around. Many of these tributes decided to head away from the bloodbath, and a large amount (6 tributes; Axel, Sabrina, Reece, Della, Pincecone, and Mayfly) headed away from the bloodbath with nothing but the skin on their backs. The other three fourths would head to the bloodbath. Inside the Cornucopia, the only weapons were pitchforks, hatchets, and a few heavy shovels. There were discerning features in the north, east, west, or south. Everything was just lots of giant vegetables, trees, and other edible plants, with giant sprinklers raining water onto the giant crops providing plentiful water. But the arena wasn't entirely safe and dandy; giant fire ant mutts roved the arena, and giant venus fly trap mutts could be found all over the arena. With their massive size and genetically modified speed and hunger for humans, they could snap up an unsuspecting tribute in moments. The tributes prepared to go either for the Cornucopia or for the sea of plants as countdown neared its close.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
The tributes sprung this way and that. Because of the lesser skills of the Careers this year compared to past years, as well as the great amount of tributes who had decided to skip the bloodbath, only 9 kills would be made in the opening minutes. The tributes from 2 and 4 took pitchforks, while the pair from 1 took long, serrated daggers. They all rushed into the herd of children trying to grab supplies, cutting down as many as possible. Instead of a practiced technique, they just sprinted crazily through the clearing, cutting down anyone they could.
The first kill was made by Fisha, who was rather skilled with a pitchfork due to its similarity to a trident. She used to handle to knock the girl from 3 to the ground, and then she speared the girl through the head, a prong going through each eye. She was dead almost instantly.
Techana Atil, District 3 Female; 24th, Killed by Fisha, Bloodbath
Techana's District partner and ally stopped dead in his tracks as he saw his dead ally. He began to weep, and Anklet used this as an advantage. He kicked the boy in the back of the knees, knocking him to the ground, before he slashed open the fearful boy's throat with his dagger.
Pixello Stubble, District 3 Male; 23rd, Killed by Anklet, Bloodbath
Wheaton from 9 and Lettuce from 11 grappled over a dagger and a very full pack by the mouth of the Cornucopia. Lettuce managed to pull the weapon from Wheaton's hands and slash open his throat with a flick of the serrated blade.
Wheaton McRayer, District 9 Male; 22nd, Killed by Lettuce, Bloodbath
Alsalla threw her pitchfork at the boy from 12, who was trying to crawl into the sea of plants, his left leg cut off at the knee from Pomona from 7's hatchet. She'd already escaped somehow. Alsalla ended the poor boy's life.
Conall Effleburne, District 12 Male; 21st, Killed by Alsalla, Bloodbath
Meanwhile, Lettuce had tried to make his escape with his hard won dagger and pack. Tiberius ended that swiftly enough, spearing the boy in the back and killing him.
Lettuce Clucks, District 11 Male; 20th, Killed by Tiberius, Bloodbath
Fisha, smiling, found another victim. She kicked the poor boy from 8, Patchwork, in the gut. As the boy gasped for breath, Fisha ended his life, shoving her pitchfork into his chest as she grinned viciously.
Patchwork Quiltz, District 8 Male; 19th, Killed by Fisha, Bloodbath
Halibut made a showing, hurling his pitchfork in the back of the escaping girl from 6, who died several seconds later from the mortal wounds.
Rebecca Mohtashami, District 6 Female; 18th, Killed by Halibut, Bloodbath
Panther from 10 was a fiesty fellow, and when Anklet approached him, dagger raised menacingly, taunts spilling from his mouth, Panther couldn't help but retaliate. His retaliation cost him his life, because after thirty seconds of vicious fighting, Anklet slit Panther's throat.
Panther Gurdy, District 10 Male; 17th, Killed by Anklet, Bloodbath
Alsalla made the final kill. They found the girl from 8 near the edge of the sea of plants, gasping heavily, unable to move any farther due to the fact that her leg was gushing blood from a wound Alsalla had given her minutes earlier. Alsalla properly finished the job, jabbing her pitchfork into the gasping girl's chest.
Mari Yuko, District 8 Female; 16th, Killed by Alsalla, Bloodbath
The Careers did a count of the bodies; 9 in all, with Districts 3 and 8 fully eliminated. Then they did a headcount of their alliance, and found only five; Anklet, the pair from 2, and the pair from 4. Jewell had deserted in the midst of the Bloodbath's chaos, dashing off to fend for herself. She had sensed that the alliance was rickety, which it was; Anklet and Tiberius did not get along very well, Fisha was half crazy, and Halibut and Alsalla had a silent feud. That alliance was due to break earlier than usual due to the high tensions running between all of them.
Anklet and Tiberius broke out bickering soon after the bloodbath ceased, and both refused to go hunting, so the Careers stayed put for the first night. The rest of the tributes spread out almost evenly through the sea of humongous plants as night arrived and the faces of the fallen filled the sky.
Early in the morning of Day 2, the Careers set out to hunt. They found the sniveling little boy from 6, Axel, around noon. He'd been one of the six to not participate in the bloodbath, and he'd come into contact with a large fire ant earlier in the day. His body was littered with thin, inflamed cuts from the ant's pincers, and it was much, much too easy for Halibut to spear him on his pitchfork.
Axel Tunes, District 6 Male; 15th, Killed by Halibut, Day 2
The rest of Day 2, along with Day 3, passed without incident, although the pair from 5, Tatum and Dartson, managed to ensnare one of the giant fire ants in a trap and tap some type of poison from its pincers.
On Day 4, the Careers set to work. They heard screams and found their source in due time. They discovered Sabrina, the girl from 9, thrashing as her waist down was quickly dissolved by the fast acting dissolving liquid inside the maw of the venus flytrap she was caught inside. They watched as it devoured her before backing away.
Sabrina Keltsi, District 9 Female; 14th, Killed by venus flytrap mutt, Day 4
Burtlas decided to shake things up soon after Sabrina's cannon sounded. Any alliances were split by tremors in the earth that forced them all into different directions. The Careers, the pair from 5, and the alliance of Mayfly and Della were all separated. The pair from 5 regrouped a half an hour later back at their camp, while Mayfly and Della found each other by a sprinkler two hours after the tremors. The Careers managed to partially regroup; both Anklet and Halibut became lost in the sea of foliage, whilst the pair from 2 and Fisha managed to make it back to the Cornucopia by nightfall. As Day 4 wrapped to a close, wandering Anklet came into the path of a quartet of fire ants. They scissored him to pieces with their giant pincers, and his cannon fired about a half hour before the faces were due in the sky.
Anklet Kramer, District 1 Male; 13th, Killed by fire ant mutts, Day 4
Day 5, the pair from 2 and Fisha went tribute hunting as well as ally hunting, looking for lost Halibut. Near dusk, they discovered the girl from 12 sleeping in a giant apple tree. Fisha was the only one light enough to climb to the top of the tree, where Reece was nestled. She ditched her pitchfork for a dagger, and she slit the throat of the sleeping girl from 12 with a grin.
Reece Harkins, District 12 Female; 12th, Killed by Fisha, Day 5
On Day 6, Halibut, delirious from heat exhaustion and sunburn, wandered into the clearing where Tatum and Dartson were camped. He managed to slice into Tatum's stomach before the girl subdued him with a fire ant poison dart to the neck.
Halibut Lukacher, District 4 Male; 11th, Killed by Tatum, Day 6
Tatum's wound wasn't fatal, but they didn't have the supplies to heal it. Secretly, that night, Dartson dripped a bit of fire ant poison into the wound to inflame it and encourage infection. Tatum was a friend, but she was also a foe.
While Della and Mayfly had managed to find each other, they were separated on Day 7 by a pair of vicious fire ants. Della stumbled into a clearing where Pomona from 7 was camped out. She had taken two hatchets from the Cornucopia, and she grinned almost insanely as she chucked them both into the skull of the girl from 11. As the cannon sounded, Pomona retrieved her hatchets and grinned at the blood glistening on them. A week of fighting off fire ants had broken something inside her, and she seemed to be a bit insane, like Fisha.
Della Marvalay, District 11 Female; 10th, Killed by Pomona, Day 7
Later that day, Tatum died from her wound. It turned out that Dartson had applied a fast acting poison they'd received as a sponsor gift to the wound instead of the fire ant poison, so Tatum died within a day. He held her hand, the moment bittersweet, as she passed.
Tatum Vardaman, District 5 Female; 9th, Killed by Dartson, Day 7
The Top 8 had been determined: Jewell Powell from District 1, Alsalla Uoxo from District 2, Tiberius Sullo from District 2, Fisha Whytesburgh from District 4, Dartson Pelics from District 5, Pomona McCrea from District 7, Pinecone Quiche from District 7, and Mayfly Opeia-Cassis from District 10.
Day 8, the Careers managed to track down a tribute and make their first kill since Day 5. They discovered weak Pinecone nestled in a peach tree after searching for a majority of the day. Tiberius did the honors, throwing rocks at the boy to wake him up. He noticed them, and they laughed as Tiberius lobbed his pitchfork and managed to kill the boy from 7.
Pinecone Quiche, District 7 Male; 8th, Killed by Tiberius, Day 8
Also, later that day, the crazed axe murderer Pomona stumbled upon Mayfly, who was sobbing alone atop a sprinkler, drinking handfuls of water as she cried. She'd just lost her best friend and only ally, Della, the day before. Pomona cackled a little as her hatchet dug into the girl's back.
Mayfly Opeia-Cassis, District 10 Female; 7th, Killed by Pomona, Day 8
Burtlas wasn't quite ready for this to end so quick, so he separated the tributes via tremors again, spreading them out. Day 9 passed without deaths, the first deathless day since Day 3. Day 10 was also eventless, though Dartson was nearly discovered by lone wolf Jewell, who had yet to take part in much action. On Day 11, Jewell snuck up on Alsalla, who had yet to regroup with Fisha and Tiberius. Jewell made Alsalla watch as she slowly stabbed the girl again and again with a dagger. Alsalla just whimpered and died.
Alsalla Uoxo, District 2 Female; 6th, Killed by Jewell, Day 11
Day 12 came with 1 more death. The first occurred early in the morning. Tiberius from 2 was attacked by a venus flytrap mutt. He managed to subdue it, but not before it had eaten away his right leg. He hobbled off, only to be killed by fire ants an hour later.
Tiberius Sullo, District 2 Male; 5th, Killed by venus flytrap mutt and fire ants, Day 12
Day 13 passed with no deaths, with the four remaining tributes (all slightly crazy) trying to find one another. On Day 14 Burtlas wrapped the thing up, driving the tributes together to the Cornucopia via an influx of fire ants. All four tributes arrived alive, although Jewell had a bad bite on her left leg. They instantly began to fight, weapons raised and war cries screamed.
Dartson and Pomona engaged, while the two Careers, Fisha and Jewell, tried to finish each other off. The first to go was Dartson. He shot one of his poison darts at Pomona, but she dodged and it hit Fisha in the calf. Pomona cleaved open Dartson's head eagerly as Fisha fell, the fast acting poison spreading through her body.
Dartson Pelics, District 5 Male; 4th, Killed by Pomona, Day 14
Jewell slashed Fisha's head from her shoulders with a rough sawing motion just as the poison set it. It could not be determined what killed her first; the poison or Jewell's blade.
Fisha Whytesburgh, District 4 Female; 3rd, Killed by Dartson and Jewell, Day 14
"Ready to die, bitch?" Pomona asked.
"Ready to die for that comment, bitch?" Jewell sneered in return. They jumped at each other, dagger meeting hatchet. They fought relentlessly, but then the fire ant poison set in and started to numb Jewell's left leg. She snarled as she staggered, and they both knew it was enough of a blunder to cost Jewell her life and the title of Victor. Pomona cackled with crazy glee as she buried her hatchet in Jewell's skull.
Jewell Powell, District 1 Female; 2nd, Killed by fire ant mutts and Pomona, Day 14
"Pomona McCrea of District 7, you are the Victor of the 32nd Hunger Games!" Caesar sang. Pomona just smiled and cackled, smearing Jewell's blood across her face like it was war paint.
Aftermath
District 7 cherished their third Victor (they were now the 2nd non-Career District to have more than 2 Victors.) The rest of the Districts, and a part of District 7, though, disliked her and were bothered by her. Pomona was the first truly insane Victor to come out of the Games, and she was violent in an insane way after her Games. While the Career Districts appreciated her fighting nature and strength and prowess with hatchets, they were wary of her crazed nature. The other Districts were bothered that she seemed more like a Career than an Outer District Victor, and her insanity was the cherry on the top. With a majority of Panem shunning her, she retreated into the depths of District 7's woods to live alone, only occasionally mentoring. Soon after her Games, there were rumors of "a bloody axe murderer" roaming the woods near Pomona's home. This "axe murderer" supposedly claimed over three dozen lives over the course of four decades. It is not proven that Pomona McCrea was the axe murderer, though many historians assume she was. She was treated over her lifespan for a variety of disorders, including ADHD, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. She would sometimes volunteer at Ishania's axe school if she was in good mental health.
Pomona would live to age 69, dying in an accident whilst visiting a lumberyard. She would pass five months after the 83rd Hunger Games. She would not marry and would have no children, and she would not have any relationships (many suspected her of being either asexual or a hermit).
The payouts on her Victory were rather good, as about .53% bet on her.
Her Victory Tour was a near disaster, as Pomona became crazed and spoke incoherently on several stops.
Fun Fact: Pomona is one of the first Victors to be certified "insane" by the government of Panem.
Victor's News
Pomona moves into the Victor's Village of District 7, in a house far away from Ishania's and Grover's.
Pomona purchases a small shack in the woods in the Far North of District 7 and stays there frequently.
Deana adopts her sister's daughter, Cami.
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)
23rd: Woof Parsons, District 8 (1, 1 Male)
24th: Dorsal Rance, District 4 (4, 2 Male)
25th: Venice Grammar, District 12 (1, 1 Female)
26th: Calculata Fenceley, District 3 (2, 1 Female)
27th: Florianna Urnston, District 2 (4, 2 Female)
28th: Mercedes Benson, District 6 (2, 1 Female)
29th: Fox Rennolls, District 5 (3, 1 Male)
30th: Tarquinius Isselhardt, District 2 (5, 3 Male)
31st: Ivelisse Horner, District 1 (5, 3 Female)
32nd: Pomona McCrea, District 7 (3, 2 Female)
A/N: I hope you liked Pomona, our first truly insane Victor! :) Review if you like! :)
Until next time,
Tracee
