Theo Wondderoo, 17

District 8 Male

Losing everyone was a blow Theo wasn't sure he'd ever recover from. He'd spent the past day curled up in the ravine, fighting back tears. He hadn't eaten and had gotten almost no sleep. He just held his crossbow like a stuffed toy and mourned.

Last night, Colette's face had shone in the sky, along with Danse and Noah. That meant he was in the Final 5. It meant he was so close to going home. He had to keep fighting. That's what Fritz and Thalia would have wanted him to do. And that was what he would do.

His muscles screamed in protest as he uncurled his body and stretched. He winced, but slowly worked the knots and kinks from his form until the pain subsided. Then he picked up his crossbow and looked around. It had been lightly drizzling all morning, but now it was beginning to rain harder. The wind was picking up, and he pulled his hood over his head to avoid the cold.

The massive trees began to creak and the rain came down harder. The dry streambed at the bottom of the ravine was beginning to fill up again, so Theo slung his crossbow over his back and began to climb up. He was nearly out of the gully when lightning split the sky and a wall of water crashed into him.

He was thrown against a rock and cried out in pain, but water filled his mouth and lungs. Hacking, Theo fought to keep his head above the water, but the waters of the flash flood were too powerful. All he could do was tightly grip his weapon and let his body be flung about.

Theo's lungs burned. His eyes stung. Sticks and thorns scratched his face and hands. His body slammed against something and he grabbed onto it, clinging on desperately. Water rushed over his head as he dug his fingers into the wet log he'd grabbed. I will not die here! he told himself. Using all the strength he had, Theo pulled himself up and onto the top of the log. Panting and coughing, he crawled along it until he was away from the rushing water. Rain lashed at his scratched face, but he was on land. He was alive.

Then there was a creak, and someone screamed. He raised his head just in time to see a huge tree falling towards him. Then there was an intense weight, and crushing pain washed over him. Everything went black.

Saoirse Brennan, 18

District 12 Female

Saoirse was thoroughly sick of fish. For the past several days, all she'd been doing was eating fish from the stream she'd found and hiding in trees to try to avoid the rain. Though now there was so much water she felt as if she were the fish. The rain was heavier than she'd ever seen, even back at home during the rainy season. She could barely see ten feet in front of her.

She stumbled through the rainy forest, not entirely sure where she was going. Her fish stream had started to swell, and she was too nervous about a flash flood to stay. But the ground was slippery and muddy, and almost as hazardous. She'd already fallen several times, and was thoroughly dirty and soaked.

Thunder rumbled and the trees rattled in the wood. Nerves bubbled in her gut. She had no idea where she was. She could still be in her little section of the arena, or she could be miles away. It was impossible to tell in the storm.

Something cracked nearby and Saoirse just had time to look up and fling herself out of the way as a massive branch came crashing to the forest floor. She hit the ground hard and then was suddenly rolling, mud and filthy water swirling around her. A landslide! She held her breath until the ground stopped moving around her, and then began to struggle to free herself. She'd been lucky; the earth settled with her head still above it.

As she dug, more mud would slide down, covering her legs and trapping her again. But finally she was able to tear herself free. Covered in mud and shaking from the cold and the adrenaline, Saoirse looked around and gasped. Another swollen river was rushing past, and a boy was hauling himself out of it. She watched as he collapsed on the river bank, panting hard. She was about to move forward to help him when another treacherous crack echoed through the forest; only, it was louder than the one before.

Saoirse bolted left, stumbling over roots and her own feet in her desperation to get away from the falling tree. She screamed as a branch hit her shoulder, taking her down. A cannon fired, and it took her a moment to realize it wasn't hers. She was alive. Slowly, Saoirse climbed to her feet, careful not to get tangled in the branches of the fallen tree. She glanced back and saw the body of the boy half-crushed beneath the huge evergreen. He was dead, but a crossbow and several bolts lay beside him. Creeping forward, Saoirse gently took his weapons.

"Thank you," she whispered. Then she stood up and realized where she was.

Wyler Kline, 18

District 3 Male

Wyler had never seen so much rain in his entire life. District 3 was drizzly, but this was a downpour like no other. He was huddled in the Cornucopia, wrapped in a sleeping bag and watching the water rush around his feet. Most of it was routing around the Cornucopia on both sides, but there was a puddle forming in front of him. He watched his reflection in the rippling, distorted water, surprised by how he looked. His hair was a bit longer and scruffier now, and maybe he was a bit thinner, but overall, he was the same. On the outside at least. Now he had killed people. And seen others die.

A cannon fired, making him look up. They were down to the Final 4. He wondered who it was. Part of him hoped it was Mozu, since she'd be his biggest threat. Part of him wished it wasn't, since she was, in some ways, his friend. The Games were twisted like that.

Wyler looked around at the weapons left inside the Cornucopia. He'd have to choose one at some point. If someone approached, he was a sitting duck. He'd never see them through the rain, and he'd had to turn off his traps. With all the rain, he didn't want to risk electrocuting himself. That would be a dumb way to die.

As he sat, he pondered who might still be remaining. Mozu was a possibility, and he'd never seen Lana's face in the sky. The boy from 8 and the girl from 12 were the others. If he couldn't win, he wanted Mozu to, even though he knew he should be rooting for Lana. Her victory would help District 3. But Mozu had protected him from Noah, and had been the one to encourage Blitz to ally with him in the first place, according to Regina.

He sighed. Watching the rain was stalling, and he couldn't afford to do that. Wrapping up his sleeping bag, he stood and splashed over to the rack of weapons and picked up a sword. He should be practicing.

Lana Rose, 17

District 3 Female

Lana's hand was healing nicely after her fight with Ray. Someone had sent her a strange bottle of liquid, which, according to the instructions, would help the new skin grow quicker. And it did. She could still faintly see the cut, but there was no pain anymore.

She couldn't believe she was in the Final 4. She was so close to home she could taste her favorite black coffee from Pixi's Place, and feel Evelyn's warm hand in hers. She wanted to be back in her bed in Amelia's apartment. She wanted to be able to cry.

Lana was sick of being strong. She was tired and scared and so overwhelmed she wanted to curl up and never move again. But she couldn't give up. She had to keep fighting, keep pushing. If she gave up, people like her aunt would win. The Capitol would win. And that couldn't happen.

Strangely, being in the arena had given her a confidence she didn't know she had. She'd fought people and won. She'd survived on her own in the woods. She'd done things she never would have believed she could do. Despite the circumstance, it was nice to feel some self-worth.

Something rumbled behind her and Lana jumped to her feet. She'd been sheltering at the base of a large willow tree, partially protected from the rain by its boughs. But it sounded like something was coming from behind her.

Peeking out from under the willow branches, Lana gasped when she saw what was approaching. She was near a small stream, but it had grown to an unreal size, and was rushing towards her, filled with rocks and debris. Grabbing her backpack, Lana ran. The wall of water seemed almost unnatural as it chased her. It was clearly the Gamemakers' doing. This could be it.

Lana burst into a rocky clearing. The water splashed to the ground behind her, no longer actively pursuing her. The rain began to lighten, and she looked around. She was back at the Cornucopia.

Mozu Striker, 18

District 2 Female

Being chased by a wall of water was a first for Mozu. They did all sorts of crazy exercises in training, but a flood that seemed to follow her? That was uncharted territory. After leaving Wyler at the Cornucopia she headed back towards the meadow where Colette and Danse died, and used their tent and extra supplies to shelter from the growing rain. She hadn't even known there was a river nearby when it came and flattened her tent. She'd barely been able to outrun it.

And now she was back at the Cornucopia, absolutely soaked, and staring at the back of the girl from 12. She was peeking out from behind a tree with a crossbow, while Lana from 3 stood in the clearing, a sword in her hand. She couldn't see Wyler.

The rain had lightened to a drizzle, but no one was moving. Mozu could barely breathe. This was it. But no one seemed willing to make the first move. Finally, Lana spoke.

"Wyler?" she called out. "Is that you?"

"What do you want?" came Wyler's gruff reply.

"To ally. Temporarily," Lana said. "Mozu is still out there." Mozu bit her lip at the mention of her name. Wyler poked his head out of the Cornucopia. He was about to speak, but then a crossbow bolt sunk into his throat. Lana screamed. Mozu threw her second-to-last spear. A cannon fired. And she charged out into the clearing to meet Lana.

The brunette from 3 turned just in time to knock Mozu's spearhead aside. There was fear in her eyes, but also a special sort of determination that made Mozu certain she wouldn't go down without a brutal fight. Lana's sword slashed through the air but Mozu used the metal spear shaft to block the blow. She grabbed the other end and shoved, pushing Lana back.

Another cannon fired. She wasn't sure whose it was. Something deep in her chest ached at the new loss of life, but she pushed her grief back. If Mozu were to live, one more had to die.

She and Lana were not evenly matched, though the girl was skilled. Mozu was mostly on the offense, jabbing and scraping, while Lana blocked and parried. Mozu feinted left, then struck, sinking her spear into Lana's torso. The girl groaned and brought her sword up, opening a large cut in Mozu's thigh.

Mozu staggered back as Lana ripped the spear out. Hot blood gushed over her leg. The wound was in a vital spot. She could feel it. Sitting down, Mozu looked up at Lana.

"Do it," she said. But Lana just fell to her knees, gripping her stomach. Her wound seemed to be just as fatal.

Lana looked up at Mozu, and she met her opponent's gaze. This would come down to their constitution. Mozu pressed down hard on the wound, ignoring the biting pain. But her leg was slick with blood and she was getting dizzy. Eyelids drooping, Mozu looked up at the sky. It was still raining. This is not a bad place to die, she thought. A cannon fired.

Panem, I give you the victor of the 56th Hunger Games: Mozu Striker!

Hey everyone. The finale was actually going to be the chapter after this one, but I was just really excited to wrap up this story and start on a new project. So, here it is! I hope you all approve of my victor choice. I struggled SO much deciding on someone, and went back and forth like six times. But in the end, I felt that this tribute had the best victory arc.

Eulogies

5th: Theo Wondderoo (crushed by a falling tree)
RIP Theo. You were a great tribute and I really enjoyed writing you. I always knew you'd make it far, but you just weren't a victor in my eyes. I loved you though, and I'm really glad Nat sent you my way. Thank you Carlpopalol.

4th: Saoirse Brennan (killed by Mozu)
RIP Saoirse. You were the biggest underdog of the Games and almost slipped by with a subtle victory. I debating having you go home to your mom, but in the end, a few others outshone you. You were amazing though, and I wish I could have explored you more. Thank you Ace-0f-Sw0rds.

3rd: Wyler Kline (killed by Saoirse)
RIP Wyler. In all honesty, you were my least favorite of the triplets at the beginning. But you grew on me so much, and I loved writing your friendship with Regina and your turmoil over hurting Mozu. I am so glad I gave you a chance, and killing you was probably the hardest decision I had to make in this chapter. Thank you Very New To This.

2nd: Lana Rose (killed by Mozu)
RIP Lana. You weren't my victor choice until I saw the reviews, and it made me realize how good of a choice you would have been. You were always a Final 3 tribute though, and I really wish you could have made it home to Evelyn and Amelia. Thank you Kittygirl235.

Victor: Mozu Striker
Ah, Mozu... you were such a compelling character for me right from the start, and I had so much fun writing you and watching your confidence grow. You'd been through so much, and I wanted to give you a happy ending. Though I'm not sure if winning the Games counts... Thank you AmericanPi, and congratulations!

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona