Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games. They belong to Suzanne Collins.
Note: A very familiar face this time! Well, familiar if you've read Bloodline Betrayal that is. Ever wanted a closer look into the mind of the wise old man who stepped up as a mentor, and grandfather figure, to Gadget decades in the future in one possible timeline? Well, now you can! All the while, Panem continues to change and the Careers start to pop up...
"I'm sure they mentioned the fifth Games in class before," Katniss said, thinking back to her days in school. "I didn't pay much attention, but this was the first time Careers appeared wasn't it?"
"That's right," Peeta said, flinching at the thought of the trained murderers of Games passed by. "First time sponsors and mutts were there as well."
"Oh fuck," Katniss muttered, huddling herself. "How do you think Honorius survived that kind of horrific year?"
"I guess... he got lucky, just like all Victors have one way or the other," Peeta said, softly.
5th Annual Hunger Games
Name: Honorius Perthshire
Gender: Male
District: 3
Age: 15
Kills: 3
Excerpts from the journal of Honorius Cable Perthshire, relating to his experiences before, during and after his Hunger Games. Written in the time between the fourth and sixth Hunger Games. Located four years after the Second Rebellion in a locked chest in the old Victor's basement.
Highly classified.
May 30th
Given this journal by Dad as a birthday gift. Fifteen now. Hoping this is my finest year so far.
Got another A in class (Advanced Coding) like there was any doubt. Calling it advanced is a total farce. Frankly, while life in Three has many challenges school isn't one of them. Just listen and work, that's all you have to do. The other students aren't particularly fond of me, but do I care? Not at all. I'm set for one of the best possible career paths once I finish up at school, and right now I'll be graduated three years early. They'll be stuck working in stations beneath me and then we'll see how arrogant I really am. It's not arrogance if it's a fact; the statistics prove I'm at the top of each class.
Dad and mom are wary since the Reaping is approaching fast. July 1st will come too soon, they say. I'm not worried. My name is in four times and hundreds of kids have their names in more times. Might as well keep on with my day, since worrying changes nothing anyway. Tried to tell that to my sisters, but Merria and Kirky didn't seem comforted. Maybe as it's their first year?
Will write more when anything of note happens. Probably nothing for a while, since life in Three is dull. I wish I had more excitement, something that actually posed my mind a challenge.
June 14th
Passed my exams with even more ease than I expected. I guess Panem tests are just not made to be taken by the smartest of students. Apparently I've gotten the best recorded results in all of Three since the Dark Days ended. Should all but ensure my future is going to be bright and one to envy.
Got given a black eye by Gizmo. He's just jealous I got excellent results and he spent all his time goofing off. Stupid ape-boy. At least a bag of ice can help my eye, but nothing can help his future.
Games are getting closer and I'm still not worried. Whispers are going around that more people might Volunteer after what Baron did, possibly trained up too. If they want to be that stupid, by all means let them. It's natural selection at work. They can fight to the death while I start applying to jobs.
June 30th
Reaping is tomorrow. Still not worried at all. Sisters are inconsolable, so I'm spending the night out of the house and down at the school. A graduation party of one. Mom and dad say that I'm being recklessly confident, but I just pointed them to the statistics. I'm all set for life, no evidence to the contrary.
Can't help but smile despite the sad fact two kids from school are probably gonna die in the arena. Just got confirmation that I have a spot on the Alpha Inventing Team. For a freshly graduated student, that's amazing. Just as planned.
July 1st
Just got reaped and am sitting in the Judgement Building. I can't stop sneering around the room, contemptuous. How dare they?! I had everything planned out, everything set up just fine for my future and then the Escort ruins it all. I'm not even crying like my District Partner is (eighteen year old from the tenants, Amp I think her name was? Didn't pay attention), I'm too busy feeling furious about this.
Mom, dad and my sisters were crying and weeping like I was already dead. I told them not to worry because I'll be coming home soon. I have the brainpower to pull it off. I watched the first four of these sick Games, I think I know what I've got to do to win.
In short, I just have to not be stupid.
July 2nd
I got dressed up like a light bulb for the parade. Humiliating, not to mention the prep team got all their lightbulb facts wrong. I've never had to dish out so many corrections before. I don't think they see me as a person, but that's fine. Not like I see them as people either. Normal people do not enjoy the deaths of others.
Got a chance to look at the other tributes. Most of them seem pretty weak, which helps me. A few of them – boys from One, Two, Five and Eleven – look pretty strong so I plan to just avoid them. Not like their muscles will help them in the end anyway. Boy from Two, Gauntlet, seems even more confident than I am. He volunteered. Ruby from One did too.
Saw the Victors watching the parade from their own booth. Mizar looked nervous, Pliny was sleeping, Museida seemed tough and Baron... the guy looks pretty broken. Maybe he just doesn't like the tributes he has to Mentor? Would be nice if Three had a Mentor, but until one of us – me, of course – wins we're on our own, unless the Peacekeeper watching us like a hawk counts as a Mentor.
July 3rd
First day of training went well. Easy for me to remember facts about edible plants, first aid and finding water. Not so easy to swing a sword, though. Ended up quitting and searching for a weapon I could use. Felt humiliating to fail at so many of them before I start getting somewhere with using axes.
It's clear Gauntlet is the one to beat. He uses a sword easily and he keeps leering at some of the younger tributes who can't really do much. I'm being left alone, maybe because I'm showing some skill with an axe? Girl from Nine broke her arm on the climbing wall shortly after lunch. One less threat to deal with, I guess.
Tried to ask Amp if she wants to work together for a day or two in the arena – I figure she'd live longer that way and there's no rule against alliances – but she's still crying. She's starting to quieten down as I write this, in my room, but it seems like she's not going to last long. Guess I'll be going it alone.
Just heard Amp leaving. She trying to run for it? Yeah, good luck with that...
July 4th
Amp is dead.
She jumped off of the top of the building, choosing to die here than in the arena. Part of me is impressed at the middle finger she gave the Capitol. The other part of me is worried for what is going to happen now. Will they drag another tribute from Three to join me? Am I gonna be seen as an accomplice? I can't stop shaking today. She was a real person and now she's just... dead.
Continuing a few hours later. Had to calm down and then go to training. Almost all of the tributes are quiet and unnerved over Amp's suicide. One or two of them seem to be considering the same idea. One of the guard's let slip that Orion is furious over what happened. Says all of us are going to be cuffed to our beds tonight.
Seems like an alliance has formed. Gauntlet recruited the strong boys from One, Five and Eleven – Ruby, Abe and Bean – and they seem to know what they're doing. Fuck... I'm starting to feel worried. Is this was fear is like? Is this what it's like to not feel certain of success? I don't like it.
Continuing before curfew; won't be able to write once I am cuffed to the bed. It starts tomorrow. I can't sleep. No more confidence, only fear. I was such a damn fool to be so cocky and smug. It's not even started yet and I can't get rid of the tears in my eyes.
Trying to force myself to block it out and get back to assuming the best. No success so far.
From this point on, the classified papers have marks of blood upon them. DNA tests later confirmed that it was blood from Honorius himself as well as Abe and Bean at certain points.
Day 1
The arena isn't a desert this year, thank goodness. Not my preferred terrain of a city either, assuming that's even something they'd ever do. We got launched into a wide meadow, sort of like the first arena but this one is under the night sky and has more trees. Stars and a bright moon that hasn't moved since this thing started. Guess I'll have to fumble my way through the dark. Quite a few strange plants growing around, some of which I know are poisonous.
Amp's corpse got put back together and was launched with the rest of us. I think they're going to dress it up as her having a heart attack on the way up. They'd have to be stupid to think anybody will believe that crap. Besides her, ten died at the Cornucopia. Can't remember who, will make a further note here when the anthem happens. ADDITIONAL: The dead are the girl from Two, Amp, boy from Four, girl from Five, girl from Seven, both from Eight, girl from Nine, boy from Ten and both from Twelve.
Grabbed an axe, a sleeping bag and a backpack full of food.
Killed Abe. He tried to kill me first, stabbed me in the arm. Took his head halfway off with my axe. Didn't want to, didn't enjoy it.
Moon looks nice.
Day 2
Still no daylight. No idea what time it is now on the world outside, but probably less miserable than this meadow. Arm hurts like hell.
Nothing much going on today besides the time I caught a glimpse of the boy from Nine. He didn't see me and I didn't try starting anything.
Day 3
Arm still hurts. Had been planning to raid the Cornucopia, but the girl from Ten got there first. I was going to just let her get her stuff and move in for my own haul once she left, but Gauntlet had been standing guard. No idea where Bean and Ruby were.
He killed her and really drew it out. I saw the whole thing, shivering in a bush, until he finally let her die after an hour. Seemed like the boy enjoyed it, too.
A parachute was sent in – maybe it's that Sponsoring thing I was briefly told about in the launch room? - and gave him twelve small pies. One for every year old that poor girl was. I got out fast after that.
Day 4
Saw a boy – from Six, maybe? - burn his throat out after eating a poisonous fruit. Grabbed his stuff and ran off. He had bandages and a wound sealer, so at least my arm feels halfway close to decent again.
More cannons and screams throughout the day. They never seem to be far away. I've been sick from the fear about five times already.
Continuing two minutes later. It's six times now.
Day 5
Gauntlet murdered two more tributes. Can't think who, can only remember the screams. He's easy to track, since he always carries a flaming torch around with him. Bean and Ruby are with him at all times now. They're starting to become like Gauntlet, joining in with his mocking and shouting.
Day 6
Took a chance and raided the Cornucopia. Now have batteries, a tarp and medicine. Not sure what to do with them just yet, but I'm still as smart as I was before this nightmare began. I'll think of something great that'll get the sponsors drooling. I'll need them on my side to beat Gauntlet.
Trashed the Cornucopia as best as I could. Hoping it weakens Gauntlet.
No cannons, but plenty of screams. I feel so alone in this place.
I feel scared.
Day 7
The Gamemakers turned off the moon and made it nearly impossible to see anything more than a foot in front of me. Ended up curled up on the ground under my tarp, waiting for the moon to come back. Heard a lot of screeches I am sure were not human, and more cannons fired. Maybe three? I don't know anymore.
Gauntlet set down flaming torches at the Cornucopia. I plan to walk at least three miles in the opposite direction. Maybe he'd not find me?
At this point Honorius' handwriting becomes a lot less refined and more of an untidy scrawl. It'd take until he reached the age of twenty two for him to once again be able to write without his hands shaking. Experts say the combination of the darkness, the loneliness and what he heard Gauntlet doing made him start to lose himself. His second kill didn't help matters. Only a sponsor kept him going.
Day 8
Bean tried to kill me, so I fought him. I only wanted to survive, that was all it was. He stabbed me in the arm twice so I axed him in the shoulder and shoved batteries down his throat. Took a while until his twitching stopped.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. This must be a punishment for my arrogance. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Day 9
Got a sponsor. They sent me a syringe of something called 'morphling'. Calmed me down enough to think properly again. I've got no idea when it might wear off and the horrible feelings are gonna come back. Been trying to get work done until then, stealing food and water from the Cornucopia. Gauntlet wasn't home.
I heard Ruby and Gauntlet somewhere in the darkness an hour later, arguing. I heard Ruby's screams for mercy not long after. His cannon was what I heard next.
Day 10
I did the math. It's just Gauntlet and myself left. He's hunting for me, calling for me, laughing at me.
Hiding in a tree, trying not to listen to his distant calls and the screeching from the bats flying around.
Eventually saw a camera beside me. Told my family I was sorry for being arrogant. Told Gizmo I was sorry for calling him stupid.
Day 11
He's seen me.
Honorius won the final battle, getting lucky when the Bat Muttations tore into Gauntlet first due to the better fed boy being the better tasting target. The sugar in his blood from the fancy cookies he had been sponsored as well as the meat he had in his pockets is generally accepted to have led towards his doom.
The remaining entries are from several months after Honorius left the arena, bloodied and afraid.
October 26th
Been months since I won but I can't stop feeling afraid. Work helps distract me for a while. They say I'm one of the best recruits they have ever had, but the praise doesn't make me feel good like it used to. Nothing job related really matters at this point. What does a job matter when you've seen what I have seen?
I keep freaking out every time I see a bat flutter by at night. It's impossible to forget seeing a trained boy be reduced to a sobbing wreck when bats eat him one chunk at a time for a smaller boy to finish him with an axe.
I should feel proud for surviving. I've done something few others have ever done, but no... not longer. I can't be arrogant. Not when next year's tributes will need me to save them from ending up how Gauntlet, Ruby, Bean and all the rest did. I guess my sisters got what they wanted at least, in a sense. I've been humbled.
January 8th
On my Victory Tour and met Baron in District Two today. We talked.
I think we're gonna be good friends.
"Wanna move on?" Peeta asked, gently.
Katniss nodded, staring distantly into space.
"Yeah," Katniss said. "Let's keep it moving. The fifth games happened, that's all there is to say."
The couple continued their journey down the sidewalk, soon stopping at the face of the sixth Victor. Neither of them said a word, instead keeping a respectful silence for the shaggy haired boy imprinted upon the concrete.
Duke Saint-Rose, the first Victor of District Twelve.
Quite a bit different than the wise grandfather figure we know him as from Bloodline Betrayal, am I right? You know what they say, immaturity precedes wisdom and the arrogant youth got one brutal humbling indeed. And now, D2 Careers, Sponsors and Mutts are here! That, and Amp's suicide being the reason why the tribute building has the forcefield at the roof to stop people from jumping.
Stats
District 1: N/A
District 2: Baron Overwhill (4th Games)
District 3: Honorius Perthshire (5th Games)
District 4: Museida Selkirk (3rd Games)
District 5: N/A
District 6: N/A
District 7: Pliny Aransio (2nd Games)
District 8: N/A
District 9: Mizar Aldjoy (1st Games)
District 10: N/A
District 11: N/A
District 12: N/A