The Fortieth Annual Hunger Games
Introduction
With two wildly interesting Games and two ravishing Outer District Victors (the first daughter of a Victor to win a Games, and a normal girl from 11 who somehow persevered despite the odds stacked against her), the Capitol was in full Hunger Games craze. Attention turned away from strict government of the Districts to how to make this Games the most devious and scintillating in years. Even Coriolanus Snow, the dastardly President, turned away from poisoning threats to his throne of power and making montage-recaps for rebellious Districts to help plan out some key parts of the Games along with Ilius and his crew. While the people of the Capitol had been decadent, self obssessed, and greedy since Baenlas Curvanith had been President a good deal of years earlier, this Fortieth Hunger Games marked a new milestone. Victors after this point in the Games timeline would come out more damaged and more hardened than the early Victors. Substance abuse, crippling depression, and mental disorders would be rampant in the Victors of the next sixty to eighty years of Hunger Games. While these side effects of Victory are still common, it was nearly unheard of for a Victor to escape the Games without much complications like many of these early Victors. President Snow made sure of this, and after this point he began selling the more attractive Victors like pieces of the richest candy in the candy store of the Capitol. While sexual exploitation was not unheard of in the Capitol, at this point in time Snow set out to make big bucks by pedaling his goods, the Victors. A great deal of the Victors over the next several decades would be attractive, especially the Careers, and Snow would make millions selling them like cheap, desperate, Academy drop-outs from District 1 that often found themselves on the Capitol's "pleasure" scene, if you get my meaning. The Hunger Games became ever so more dangerous over the course of this year, and not just because of President Coriolanus Snow. Head Gamemaker Ilius Turum struck again, crafting another intriguing arena, but a tough one that would weather the tributes and kill off many in brutal, strung out, natural ways. He and his team had ingenuity, ideals, and new technology at their fingertips, and they would make this Games the most exciting yet if they could make it work out the way they wanted, and they almost certainly could. Caesar Flickerman returned as the wonderful, flamboyant host. His special touch was always appreciated by his ever-growing fan base and the ever-growing population of the Capitol and of Panem. Everyone in the Capitol wanted the Games to work out well, and the tributes would definitely help out in that matter. The Careers were spectacular this year. The pair from 1 were the most stunning in years, and that was saying something. They were also well versed with long range weapons. The pair from 2 was completely formidable. The girl was the last of the historic Shale sisters, Octoberia, and the boy was a massive hulk of a man who stood a 6'7'' and weighed over 300 pounds. District 4 had also shown up. The stomach flu epidemic had faded, and the District produced two stronger-than-normal Careers to make up for their lacking showing the year prior. The Careers would score 2 12s, 2 11s, and 2 10s. The Outliers this year were also greatly surprising. The four standouts, who would form an anti-Career alliance along with a couple of other tributes, were these: the males from 5, 8, and 11, and the female from 12. They were all strong and healthy, and the males from 5 and 11 scored 8s, the female from 12 scored a 9, and the male from 11 scored a 10. Two of them (the male from 11 and the female from 12) were volunteers, both of who volunteered to escape dastardly living conditions and abuse in their homes. These two, named Lorian and Rebecca, would be a pair of tributes to be remembered. The other tributes scored between 6 and 2, and there were no other volunteers besides the Careers, Lorian, and Rebecca. These Games were shaping up to be the best yet, but only time would tell. Here are the tributes:
District 1: Hosanna Iufala, 17 (11) 5-1 and Zion Alvarra, 18 (10) 7-1
District 2: Octoberia Shale, 18 (12) 3-1 and Nolan Guchardon, 18 (11) 5-1
District 3: Addisa Cloye, 14 (4) 44-1 and Chip Canthoul, 16 (5) 32-1
District 4: Yama Kuzakami, 18 (10) 7-1 and Phelps Straidan, 18 (12) 3-1
District 5: Avira Oseller, 16 (6) 23-1 and Bluri Coso, 18 (8) 12-1
District 6: Kirsten Motorson, 16 (5) 34-1 and Mitchell Roxoped, 13 (4) 42-1
District 7: Rosalie Angenellis, 16 (6) 21-1 and Parker Thomasson, 18 (6) 22-1
District 8: Kihgi Agora, 12 (3) 53-1 and Joud Iamby, 18 (8) 12-1
District 9: Esa Ondopetris, 14 (5) 36-1 and Ugus Danthbury, 15 (5) 34-1
District 10: Kitty Landers, 13 (2) 64-1 and Samuel Bundly, 16 (5) 35-1
District 11: Tulip Ramone, 16 (6) 23-1 and Lorian Geralds, 18 (10) 8-1
District 12: Rebecca Rubion, 18 (9) 10-1 and Kahn Petriz, 14 (3) 55-1
HGBA Odds: 20% on Octoberia and Phelps, 15% on Hosanna and Nolan, 10% on Zion and Yama, 3% on Lorian, 1.5% on Rebecca, 1% or less on Addisa, Chip, Avira, Bluri, Kirsten, Mitchell, Rosalie, Parker, Kihgi, Joud, Esa, Ugus, Kitty, Samuel, Tulip, and Kahn
The Games
Ilius Turum had planned to employ a punishing and terribly damaging desert arena on the tributes of this year, but after seeing the great skills of the Careers and the Anti-Career pack, he changed the startlingly harsh conditions of his arena at the last minute. He lowered temperatures, added numerous oases, added plants and animals, and made the terrain more tolerable. The harsh, blistering white-hot desert turned into a lush, cool Sahara-turned-habitable dream. Four oases to the north, six to the east, seven to the south, and three to the west supplied more than enough food and water for the tributes. Also in the north was an abandoned building that looked quite like the Taj Mahal. The Cornucopia was made of bright, shiny white marble like the Taj Mahal building. Many sand-faring outfits filled the Cornucopia along with extra shoes and hats, as well as a variety of weapons. Scimitars and sickles were the most common weapons. Ornate throwing knives and harpoons were also in the Cornucopia, along with two sculpted silver bows and four silvery flails. No water and very little food was found in the Cornucopia. The tributes, dressed in outfits of tan and light brown, blended into the arena around them. Dots of green (the oases) could easily be seen on the horizon. The male from 9, Ugus, and the female from 9, Esa, both headed away from the Bloodbath as the others charged forward. The fight would be mostly between the Careers and the Anti-Careers, but the death count would still be 11.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
It was a simple footrace to see which alliance would come out on top and claim the Cornucopia. The Careers, made of Hosanna, Zion, Octoberia, Nolan, Yama, and Phelps, were all fast, especially Phelps. The Anti Careers, made of Lorian, Rebecca, Bluri, Joud, Rosalie, Parker, and Tulip, were mostly average speeds, although Rosalie and Tulip were very, very fast. Rosalie and Phelps reached the weapons at the same time. Rosalie swept up a scimitar while Phelps picked up an ornate harpoon. Tulip screamed as Phelps hurled a harpoon into her chest.
Tulip Ramone, District 11 Female; 24th, Killed by Phelps, Bloodbath
Rosalie slashed at the right thigh of Phelps, and cut to the bone. Phelps screamed as the others swept up weapons. Zion, Lorian, Octoberia, and Bluri took scimitars, Hosanna and Joud took throwing knives, and Rebecca, Yama, and Parker took sickles. Phelps struck out with his harpoon to puncture the chest of Rosalie. She blubbered silently as she died.
Rosalie Angenellis, District 7 Female; 23rd, Killed by Phelps, Bloodbath
Parker, screaming bloody murder, hurled himself on top of Phelps as the others around him began to spar and fight. Phelps staggered, his wounded leg buckling, and the harpoon sliced open his stomach. Phelps screamed and struggled as Parker slashed open his back with a sickle.
Lorian and Rebecca fended off Hosanna, Yama, and Nolan together, while Joud and Bluri fought against Zion and Octoberia. The Anti-Careers all garnered minor wounds while the other tributes picked up supplies and started to run off. Parker finally stuck his weapon deep into the blurred and wounded neck of Phelps, severing the neck of one of the strongest tributes in the Games.
Phelps Straidan, District 4 Male; 22nd, Killed by Parker, Bloodbath
Yama played the game of revenge, splintering off from fighting Rebecca and Lorian to dance forward and slash open Parker's stomach with her sickle. The boy coughed up blood and fell to the ground, dying swiftly.
Parker Thomasson, District 7 Male; 21st, Killed by Yama, Bloodbath
Bluri and Joud quickly fled after Octoberia sliced off one of Bluri's ring fingers, leaving Lorian and Rebecca to be ganged up on. They quickly turned tail and fled. Yama gave chase, hissing venomously and sweeping her sickle towards Lorian and Rebecca. Lorian quickly sliced off her right hand with a slash of his scimitar before dragging Rebecca away.
Yama yelled and retreated into the Cornucopia to nurse her wounds as the four other Careers quickly set to work killing off the other, weaker Outliers. A few had escaped, but most were still searching for water. The District 3 girl found herself being crushed by the hands of Nolan, who smashed her windpipe, killing her.
Addisa Cloye, District 3 Female; 20th, Killed by Nolan, Bloodbath
Moments later, Zion twirled his scimitar (his preferred weapon) through the air, using it to chop into the back of the scrawny boy from 12's neck. The boy tumbled face first into the sand, dead, blood glittering like rubies as it dried on the sizzling sand beneath him.
Kahn Petriz, District 12 Male; 19th, Killed by Zion, Bloodbath
Zion's partner, Hosanna, quickly made another kill, flicking two throwing knives into the forehead of a boy trying to escape.
Samuel Bundly, District 10 Male; 18th, Killed by Hosanna, Bloodbath
The famed Shale sister Octoberia made her first two kills, knocking a pair of younger, allied tributes to the ground with one swipe of her scimitar. Another slashed open their throats, and they died seconds apart.
Mitchell Roxoped, District 6 Male; 17th, Killed by Octoberia, Bloodbath
Kitty Landers, District 10 Female; 16th, Killed by Octoberia, Bloodbath
Zion took out a second tribute, beheading the slim boy from 3.
Chip Canthoul, District 3 Male; 15th, Killed by Zion, Bloodbath
The final tribute was taken out by Yama. The girl saw the wounded Career and tried to overpower her, but Yama used her good hand to bash the girl's head in with an aluminum lantern that was sitting in the Cornucopia next to her.
Avira Oseller, District 5 Female; 14th, Killed by Yama, Bloodbath
The 11 faces filled the sky that night. Three members of the Anti-Careers and a single Career were both out of the running. Yama bandaged her hand and the Careers quickly discovered the lack of water. Sponsors supplied them with a quart of water that would hold them over until they could search in the morning. The other tributes were doing rather decently in some cases. Bluri Coso of 5 and Joud Iamby of 8 had been separated from the other two members of the Anti-Career alliance, so that alliance was sort of fractured and non-existent. They both had discovered an oasis in the south and we enjoying fresh water and fruit. Their allies, the stronger Lorian and Rebecca, from 11 and 12 respectively, had also found an oasis, this one in the west. These two were very close, and while Bluri and Joud discussed searching for Lorian and Rebecca, the pair from 11 and 12 was happy on their own. Romantic feelings seemed to be mutual between both, and they were snuggled up suspiciously close to one another that night after they'd rigged some basic traps around the edge of their oasis. Kirsten Motorson of 6 was freaking out. She was alone in the middle of the eastern desert, no oasis in sight. The only thing she had from the bloodbath was a spool of twine. She was scared and was sitting out in the open weeping. Little Kihgi from 8 was searching relentlessly for Joud, her District partner, who she knew would protect her if she found him. She was on the wrong side of the arena though, searching in the north, while Joud was found in the south with his ally Bluri. Esa and Ugus from 9 had both run to the north but tried to stay apart, but it didn't work. By nightfall, the two, who knew each other back in 9 a bit, were sleeping side by side in an oasis. These 13 tributes were mostly doing well, a notable exception being Kirsten. With the morning, new surprises would come, and many of the tributes would not be as calm as they currently were.
A swirling sandstorm that began early awoke the tributes around dawn. It whipped up in the north and quickly spread. Kihgi from 8 was the farthest north, and she saw the giant cloud of whirling sand heading her way. She ran into the white marble Taj Mahal-like structure she'd been heading towards and hunkered down in the throne room of the faux palace while the sandstorm battered the structure. Esa and Ugus, about a quarter mile south and three fourths of a mile west of Kihgi and the palace, were awoken by the blistering sand beating against their skin. They attempted in vain to hide behind the fronds of a spiny tree and then just huddled together, letting the sand pile around them. They tried to breathe, but it was not easy.
While Kihgi was perfectly safe, and the pair from 9 attempted to not suffocate to death, Hosanna, who was on guard duty, spotted the oncoming sandstorm. She woke the others up, and they plastered clears tarps across the mouth of the Horn, which faced the oncoming storm. They poked small holes just so they would be able to breathe, but they weren't big enough for lots of sand to slip through. Zion was at the ready with duct tape just in case the holes they'd poked were too big. When the sandstorm hit, several grains got through but not much. Soon the tarps were coated in a thin layer of sand. The Careers sat in the middle, conversing and joking around a bit, perfectly relaxed.
When the Horn was overtaken, so were those in the east and west. Lorian and Rebecca had been sent a small, snuggly tent as a sponsor gift once the sandstorm had begun twenty minutes prior in the north. Seeing the oncoming sandstorm prompted them to head inside it. They snuggled up close to one another, which was what the sponsor had wanted. The flimsy tent was battered by the sandstorm but remained intact. Meanwhile, Kirsten Motorson's panic attacks came to a head as the storms swept in. As sand started to pile around her and clog her throat, she screamed and banged her head against a rock over and over again. She was trying to kill herself, but only managed to knock herself unconscious. She died four minutes later of suffocation from the sand, however.
Kirsten Motorson, District 6 Female; 13th, Killed by sand suffocation, Day 2
Joud and Bluri in the south had seen the storm coming and dug a shallow trench to crouch in. Once the storm reached them, it had lost much of its energy and power, and it sort of fizzled out, drenching them with sand but not suffocating them or anything major.
Everyone was watching with interest now, and their eyes kept flying from place to place. The sandstorm now covered the entirety of the arena, and it made visibility low, but the cameras still got up close and personal. Great cinematography showcased little Kihgi, tired, hungry, and ragged looking, sitting on the throne of a king while she watched the sand fly by, looking out of a grimy floor to ceiling window. The Careers were showed bantering in their safe spot, the Horn, and the camera quickly flashed over to the eastern section of the desert to show the claw of the hovercraft hooking around the limp, sandy body of Kirsten. The screen flicked to Joud and Bluri crouching in their trench for a little bit before turning to the two places that had the audience was most interested in. First they showed the unmoving pile of sand where Ugus and Esa were both buried, possibly suffocating to death. Then they turned to the cramped tent, where Lorian and Rebecca laid in a tangle of limbs. They were trying their hardest to get in a less compromising position, but doing so would mean ripping the flimsy tent to shreds and facing the full brunt of the scorching sand storm with nothing but the thin tan robes they were dressed in. So they laid there, Lorian on top of Rebecca, and before they knew it their lips met slowly, and they were kissing.
The sandstorm died down ten minutes later, and the crowd had gotten their fill of action and suspense, along with romance and friendship. The tributes began to emerge. Little Kihgi climbed up one of the small towers of the palace and stepped out onto a sandy balcony, looking out across the arena. The sound of plasticky tarps ripping apart sounded throughout the center of the arena when Nolan and Octoberia dismantled the makeshift plastic blockade carefully. They were rather sure that there would be more sandstorms to come. The Careers stretched and ate a small breakfast before gearing up and heading on the prowl. Lorian and Rebecca carefully extracted themselves from the tent, making sure not to damage it. They were closer now, and the audience gave them new clothes to change into in hopes that they would change in front of each other. But they didn't; after all, they still were good acquaintances that happened to be attracted to each other and were being pushed together by the monsterous Capitol via the horrors of the Hunger Games. Joud and Bluri cleaned themselves of sand with water from their expansive oasis pool before also cleaning off their supplies. Then there was Ugus and Esa from 9. After twelve minutes, a cannon fired. About two minutes later, the pile shifted, and out crawled a frightened and sandy Ugus. He stumbled away from the oasis, and when he was far enough away, the hovercraft descended to retrieve the body of Esa.
Esa Ondopetris, District 9 Female; 12th, Killed by sand suffocation, Day 2
The Careers combed the area near the Cornucopia, checking for any stragglers that were camped out close to their center of operations, the Horn. They did not find any tributes, though they did see the far off shape of Ugus stumbling along. They chased after him, but he disappeared soon enough over the horizon. By that time, night was falling, so the Careers returned to their camp.
On Day 3, another sandstorm battered the arena. The tributes were ready, however. The Careers barricaded themselves in the Horn, Kighi holed up in the palace, Lorian and Rebecca squatted in their tent, Joud and Bluri had dug a pit and covered the top with thick palm fronds, and Ugus submerged himself in the edge of an oasis pool, staying out of the sand mostly. All of these tributes had little trouble surviving the storm, and no cannons fired this day after the Careers unsuccessfully searched the eastern stretches of the arena.
Day 4 came, and the Careers split into three groups after the sandstorm. Yama and Nolan headed back into the east to search there again, while Zion marched off to the north alone to hunt. Hosanna and Octoberia made house, cleaning up the camp and ordering their supplies, noting that they had only two weeks of supplies left. They secretly stashed two day's supplies about two miles from the camp for themselves and planned on telling the others that there were a week and a half of supplies left when they returned.
While Nolan and Yama returned to the Horn around dusk, proclaiming that the eastern quadrant of the arena was empty of tributes, Zion did not return until around five in the morning on Day 5. About an hour earlier a cannon had spooked the Careers awake. Zion had been using his expert tracking skills to follow Ugus. The boy was eating and drinking lots of water, but some of the berries he was consuming were mind dulling. He left easy to follow tracks in the sand, but moved fast when he was in trouble. Eventually Zion tracked him down, and used his scimitar to finish off the boy from 9.
Ugus Danthbury, District 9 Male; 11th, Killed by Zion, Day 5
The face of Ugus did in fact fill the sky that night alone, although the other Careers had thought Zion might have been meeting with secret allies and the cannon had not been related to his return. While Zion was crafty, he was loyal, and would not go behind the backs of his allies. The Careers took a brief reprieve that day after the especially vicious sandstorm ripped through their tarps and nearly suffocated them. Joud and Bluri also had barely escaped suffocation themselves.
On Day 6, Octoberia went hunting in the west solo, Hosanna and Zion searched the north, Nolan took the south, and Yama stayed at the Horn to guard the camp. By noon, Octoberia stumbled upon the camp of Lorian and Rebecca. She quieted them and offered a behind-the-back alliance, saying that she wanted to be on their side at the end of the Games. They reluctantly agreed, as it was the only way this girl who'd scored a 12 would let them live. She laid out the plans; that night, she would distract the Careers. They would swoop in and kill them all together, and then take all of the supplies and build a secure camp. Rebecca and Lorian were skeptical but kept their worries silent.
Nolan had swept westward while searching, and spotted Octoberia conspiring with Lorian and Rebecca and heard a majority of their plan. Instead of confronting her in a 3 against 1 fight, he trekked north and found Hosanna and Zion taking a break from searching at an oasis. He informed them of Octoberia's treachery, and they crafted a plan of their own. When Octoberia would try to pull the distraction (falsely seeing a pack of wolf mutts) Nolan and Zion would strike her down while Hosanna and Yama, who they would tell of Octoberia's treachery when they returned, would take down Lorian and Rebecca, who were supposed to be waiting in the wings on either side of the Cornucopia.
That night, around 10, the dance began. The Careers settled down to rest, Octoberia quickly volunteering for first watch. At eleven, she cried wolf. Moments later the scimitars of Nolan and Zion were buried in her back, and she realized that they had somehow discovered her plan as she fell face first to the ground, dying in moments from blood loss and spinal cord damage.
Octoberia Shale, District 2 Female; 10th, Killed by Nolan and Zion, Day 6
Rebecca quickly realized what had happened and sprinted away, calling for Lorian to follow her. He had already engaged in combat with the weakened, right-handless Yama, and he dispatched of her quickly, burying his blade in her stomach before dashing off. Yama was severely injured but not dead yet. Nolan, Hosanna, and Zion rushed to their ally and friend's aid while Lorian and Rebecca made it away with their lives. Eight hours later, in the morning of Day 7, Yama died from internal bleeding inflicted by the blade of Lorian.
Yama Kuzakami, District 4 Female; 9th, Killed by Lorian and internal bleeding, Day 7
The Top 8 had been determined: Hosanna Iufala from District 1, Zion Alvarra from District 1, Nolan Guchardon from District 2, Bluri Coso from District 5, Kihgi Agora from District 8, Joud Iamby from District 8, Lorian Geralds from District 11, and Rebecca Rubion from District 12.
With 8 tributes left and 7 days into the Games, bets and speculation were the only thing that the Capitol cared about at the moment. The two frontrunners, Phelps and Octoberia, were cut down before even the Top 8, and then there was the surprise entry in the form of Kihgi Agora, the 12 year old who'd scored a 3. All in all, this final crop of tributes was rather interesting and it would be great to watch them battle it out.
Joud and Bluri found themselves awoken by the hot sandstorm winds battering their bodies. They'd woken late, and the storm was in full swing. While the other tributes were safe and sound, Joud and Bluri stumbled around, trying to keep sucking in air. They succeeded, but they'd kept moving, and when the storm ceased they found themselves twenty feet from the Cornucopia. Nolan tore down the plastic traps and Hosanna jumped out of the Horn, flinging a throwing knife straight at Joud. It buried itself in the boy's chest, killing him in moments as Bluri broke into a sprint, Zion, Nolan, and Hosanna chasing after him.
Joud Iamby, District 8 Male; 8th, Killed by Hosanna, Day 8
Bluri was fast and strong, but he could not out-maneuver the Careers. Within the space of a half hour they had him on the ground. Nolan did the honors, flaying the skin from the body of Bluri with ferocity. The boy spasmed and bled out an hour later while Nolan's torture continued.
Bluri Coso, District 5 Male; 7th, Killed by Nolan, Day 8
Days 9 and 10 passed without incident. Kihgi was safe and sound in her palace of marble, Rebecca and Lorian had grown inseparable and were madly in love, and Nolan, Hosanna, and Zion searched relentlessly for the other three tributes.
On Day 11, camel mutts were brought forth into the arena. These savage beasts had unnaturally sharp teeth and extremely fast galloping speeds, along with a strong kick and a tough hide. Kihgi hid from hers in the tallest tower of the palace, while three hounded the Careers, two romping around and crushing the tent of Rebecca and Lorian. All of the camels were killed, except for Kihgi's, who wandered away into the desert, but the five that fought them all emerged injured and tired out.
Day 12 fast approaching, a Feast was announced for the following day. The Gamemakers had slowly lessened the amount of food and water in the oases, and now Rebecca and Lorian had nothing left but scorching sand and withering plants. Sponsors helped out with gifts of food and water, but it wasn't enough to keep them alive. They had no choice but to head to the Feast. Kihgi also ran out of food and water, so she piloted a trick that would be used many times in the future; hiding within the Cornucopia. The Careers had been hunting and continued hunting despite the announcement; they would go to the Feast in due time. First, though, they would hunt some more.
When the 13th Day came, and at noon a table rose up from the ground, Kihgi snatched up her bag and sprinted away as the Careers arrived. Hosanna went off in pursuit of the girl, leaving Nolan and Zion to fight Rebecca and Lorian, who, desperate and tired, arrived on the scene.
Rebecca darted forward quickly, grabbing her bag, but she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Zion's scimitar sliced down to her collarbone. She shrieked, dropping her sickle and the packs marked 11 and 12. Meanwhile, Nolan and Lorian were sparring hard.
The first great love story of the Games came to a brutal end as Zion pushed Rebecca to the ground and beheaded her with his scimitar. She screamed as the blade neared her neck, attracting the attention of Nolan and Lorian. Lorian watched as his lover died at the hands of Zion.
Rebecca Rubion, District 12 Female; 6th, Killed by Zion, Day 13
While Lorian might have been filled with fury over Rebecca's death that would have given him the advantage over Nolan, he did not have the time to absorb the fact that Rebecca was dead. He was shocked into stillness and silence, and Nolan quickly acted, slicing deep into the boy from 11's chest and ending his life.
Lorian Geralds, District 11 Male; 5th, Killed by Nolan, Day 13
That left three vicious Careers and the minuscule girl from 8, who'd become a hit in the Capitol. Hosanna was chasing after the girl, but the Gamemakers sent a dust devil to distract Hosanna long enough for Kihgi to make it away. The girl scampered through the northern reaches of the arena until she arrived at her marble palace. She skidded into the throne room and emptied her pack. It was filled with food and water, along with a skinny iron needle. She looked about the throne room and discovered a pile of cloth scraps behind the throne. Her devious little mind crafted a genius plan. Kihgi was not stupid. She knew that she had zero chance of making it home against three Careers, no matter the tactics she employed. But she would razzle the audience and take out at least one of the Careers. After all, 8 was one of the most rebellious Districts during the Dark Days, and some families still harbored strong, burning, brooding rebellion in their homes. With survival out of the window, Kihgi would employ this needle, this cloth, and the fire that burned inside her to mark this Games as truly legendary.
Day 14 would be the close of these Games. Kihgi awoke early in the morning of her last day on Earth, collecting furniture from rooms around the small palace and building a pile of wood on one of the balconies. She holed up in the throne room as the sandstorm swept through, finishing her sewing, and when it and the storm was done, she returned to the balcony, lit four matches that she'd received as sponsor gifts the day before, and watched as her pile of wood began to smolder and burn.
The three Careers spotted the smoke spiraling through the air, and heard the far off screams of Kihgi. She was pretending to be in trouble. The three Careers shared a look before dashing off towards the pillar of smoke, weapons at the ready.
Once they reached the palace, they spotted the burning pile of furniture on the balcony and saw Kihgi kneeling on the balcony, seemingly trying to hide. Nolan chuckled and walked underneath the balcony, preparing to start taunting the little girl. What Kihgi really was doing was undoing the last supports that held the balcony to the wall of the palace. The giant balcony, marble and holding a smoldering pile of armchairs and ottomans, crashed down two stories and smashed Nolan to smithereens. Meanwhile, Kihgi lugged herself up to the roof of the palace, where her banner was at the ready.
Nolan Guchardon, District 2 Male; 4th, Killed by Kihgi, Day 14
Kihgi quickly strung up her red and black banner as Zion and Hosanna ran through the palace up towards the roof to take down the devious little girl. As Zion and Hosanna hurtled onto the roof, they were met by a large red and black banner flapping in the slight breeze.
REBEL! TAKE THE CAPITOL DOWN! is stitched sloppily in black on the patchwork of velvet reds and thin red drapery. Kihgi sings those five words over and over, standing there, waiting for Zion and Hosanna to take her down. They stare at her, perplexed and a bit worried, almost.
"Just kill me already, you One sluts! I'm not going to win, so you might as well just do me in!"
Hosanna was already on it once she heard "One sluts", sending a throwing knife hurtling into Kihgi's throat and ending the spitfire little girl.
Kihgi Agora, District 8 Female; 3rd, Killed by Hosanna, Day 14
Hosanna turned to be met with the scimitar of Zion whooshing towards her face. She ducked, and the next swipe of the blade knocked all of her throwing knives to the ground. Hosanna had no other weapons, only her knives, and those would not be of use in a close combat fight. She searched frantically for a weapon and closed around a chunk of marble that had been dislodged from the roof. Zion's blade was already whooshing towards her again, however, and as she stooped for the marble, the scimitar bit into her right calf, sawing to the bone. Hosanna screamed and staggered, and Zion did her in with a quick slash of his sword across her jugular.
Hosanna Iufala, District 1 Female; 2nd, Killed by Zion, Day 14
"Zion Alvarra of District 1, you are the Victor of the 40th Annual Hunger Games!" Caesar yelped into the arena. Zion lifted his bloody scimitar into the air and grinned, pumping his other, empty hand into the air in Victory.
Aftermath
Zion brought District 1 to 6 Victors, bringing them one Victor away from being equal with District 2. While this would not happen, it still meant that, for the time being, District 1 was superior over District 4, even if District 2 was superior over them. No one wanted to be last in the race for Victors, and so District 1 was happy to be out of the deadlock for that title. Zion was a rather generic Career Victor on the outside, but he was very crafty and very creative, and rather intelligent despite the usual District 1 stereotype of the stupid, ditsy Career who somehow persevered through the Games. He dabbled in many arts, such as poetry and painting, but his true love was sculpting. He sculpted all of the tributes from his Games excepting himself, and also would make a sculpture of every Victor to win in his lifetime. He was world-class and his sculptures sold for millions in the Capitol. As a result, Zion was extremely rich, and while he did splurge quite often with the money, he wasn't totally self centered with it and gave some of it to family, friends, and poorer people in his District. Zion was an average Mentor, and the more weaponly skilled Victors from 1 would usually Mentor, although many would turn to him if they needed help in a tactical situation. Because of this, Zion traveled to the Capitol almost every year he was alive to help with Mentoring.
Zion would die at age 76 in an accident during his sculpting. He was sculpting the Victor of the 98th Hunger Games three months after their Victory, and the sculpture broke and crushed him. He would marry but would have no children.
The payouts on his Victory were decent because 10% of the bets were on him.
His Victory Tour was decent, and not anything of note, although he did apologize to the families of those he killed.
Fun Fact: Kihgi was the first 12 year old to place 3rd in the Games.
Victor's News
Zion moves into the Victor's Village of District 1, in the house next door to Ivelisse.
Gnaeus marries his fiancee, Arma.
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)
33rd: Beetee Latier, District 3 (3, 2 Male)
34th: Flotsam Bresten, District 4 (5, 3 Male)
35th: Organza White, District 8 (2, 1 Female)
36th: Januaria Shale, District 2 (6, 3 Female)
37th: Gnaeus Deccum, District 2 (7, 4 Male)
38th: Porter Tripp, District 5 (4, 3 Female)
39th: Seeder Howell, District 11 (3, 2 Female)
40th: Zion Alvarra, District 1 (6, 3 Male)
A/N: A day early! So much happened in this chapter! First off, it was by FAR the longest chapter to date, coming in at a whopping 6,500 words. The second longest chapter was 4,400 words. Also, I hope you liked Zion and all of the characters in this one. I tried to make this one very detailed and action packed and I really really hope you enjoyed it. I didn't get a lot of reviews last chapter and I hope everyone's still reading. I'm sorry about prior delays but really hope that everyone reading before is still reading. If you can't type out a full review that's okay, but even a simple "good job!" is very encouraging.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting me. This story's come a long way from the first thousand-ish word chapter to here. Thanks again. :)
Until next time,
Tracee
