A/N: This chapter took a little more work than might have been expected, because I can't just throw little interesting pieces of information in like I have with other victors; the year between the 74th and 75th Games was well-documented in the original books, after all, so I've tried my hardest to keep this accurate to that.
I hope you still enjoy it, though :)
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Katniss Everdeen
Age: 17
District: 12
First Hunger Games: 74th, aged 16
Mentored By: Haymitch Abernathy (74th and 75th Games)
Kills in the Arena: 4
Mentoring Record: 0 Games/ 0 Victors
Training Score: 12
Preferred Weapons: Knife, Bow
Stylist: Cinna Harding
In the past year, a year that Hunger Games fanatics (and, indeed, the rest of Panem) are likely to never forget, few names have been mentioned more than that of Katniss Everdeen.
I'd explain why in detail, but you all already know the story. Of how the poor, selfless girl from District 12 volunteered to take the place of her sister in the Games, outscored all of her opposition and went on, against the odds, to win the whole thing.
Of course, that's a pretty impressive story in itself, but the way that she did it is what really makes her stand out.
Following the breath-taking interviews that both of District 12's tributes offered up last year, Peeta Mellark's revelation he was in love with his fellow tribute sparked a level of hype that surpassed all other here in the Capitol, especially once the Games began and it became clear that Katniss mirrored her district partner's feelings.
For the first time, the Hunger Games told a new story; one of love. The rules were even altered - the first time that there has ever been a change in the rules in the history of the Games - to allow the pair of them to win, only for the stipulation to be cruelly removed when the two young lovers survived until the end of the Hunger Games. Threatening to die rather than live without the other, the star-crossed lovers from District 12 threatened to kill themselves with poisonous nightlock berries rather than fight to the end, in the process calling the Gamemakers' bluff, and the two escaped the arena together in the most dramatic finale to the Games in recent memory.
In the year since the arena, Katniss' story has been well-documented, from the recent surge in mockingjay-related clothing and other personal effects, due to the small bird being Katniss' symbol during her time in the Games, to the story of Katniss and Peeta's blossoming relationship, reaching a peak when Peeta proposed to her at the end of the victory tour in January this year.
Since then, preparations have been frantic for the wedding of the two victors - the first time such a thing has ever happened. There was barely a day this spring where there wasn't an announcement concerning the wedding. There were even competitions held on national television to decide the venue, the cake, the wedding dress.
Of course, everything stopped with the announcement of the stipulation for the Third Quarter Quell, by which Katniss was guaranteed to be heading back into the arena, and either her mentor or her fiancée joining her. To many it seems harsh to take everything away from the two young lovers so early in their lives, but the Games are not known for their mercy. At times we may feel hard done by, but this is the way the world works.
Not that Katniss and Peeta are to be going down without a fight. Unlike many of the victors in this year's Games, Katniss and Peeta are yet to reach their physical peak, meaning that they are among the favourites to win the Games; indeed, Katniss has equal best odds of victory with Finnick Odair, a victor who a decade ago had as much support as I'm sure Katniss and Peeta will get this year. Perhaps we might see similarly generous gifts being given to the tributes of District 12 this year.
We may despair at Katniss' return to the arena just a year after she defied the odds to defeat everyone, but if you ever need evidence that she's not giving up, you need to look no further than her score in training. Twelve. No, you haven't misread that. TWELVE. In seventy-four years, it's never been done before. If the Gamemakers are willing to give her a perfect score, then who are we to doubt them? We've all seen what she's capable of.
All Katniss Everdeen has to do is show us how good she is for a second time.