Rio Espinoza District 10, 71 Victor of the 55th Hunger Games.
"No no Ms. I don't need a cane thank you very much" I huff to the Avox as I make it up the stairs.
"I may be old but I didn't win the games for nothing"
"Ignore him dear Rio's just got a bad case of short man syndrome" Maize replies from across the room "Anyway Fidget and Codec wanted to see you"
One quick (Maize and Nuclia would disagree on the wording) walk and I find the District 3 Mentors waiting for their interviews.
"So what did you want to ask me about?"
"Do you know anything about the 10th Hunger Games?" Codec asked.
"Oh yes, that was when Brandy our female tribute killed her capital mentor before the games started my grandfather said it made a super big splash in 10 everybody loved her"
"Do you know anything about the victor?"
"Oh yes Lucy Gray she won by singing to snakes of all things released a bunch of snakes killed all the remaining tributes but Lucy here singing calmed them down of all things"
Fidget and Codec's eyes light up as if something clicked in their heads.
"That's it that's what Valley's trying to do"
Waave Gallagher District 4, 24 Victor of the 103rd Hunger Games.
"You know those two are totally fucking right?" Nemean points out.
"What?" I asked looking up from the script she was reading.
"Those two from the industrial districts" She points to two of the younger victors getting ready for their interviews.
"You mean Den and Citroën?"
"Yes I overheard the other mentors talking about it"
"Oh well that's actually not that surprising they've always seemed close since their games"
"Tccck doesn't surprise me either can't imagine anyone in The Capital wants them so he was willing to stick his dick up that little 8 boys asshole" Nemean sneers.
I think she's just mad that 2 came in second in both of their games and Citroën was well-known for being the hot tribute from 6 who volunteered to get out of prison he definitely gets offers from the capital.
I don't get her obsession with sleeping with capital folk it's awful I was forced to do it and it's awful you feel so bloody used one of the many reasons I'm happy to be a mother in 7 months is that I'll probably never have to do that again.
I guess it hasn't sunken in how messed up this prostitution ring is although it is 2 they may never learn I'm proud that 4 doesn't get the wool pulled over their eyes that easily.
Jupiter Phelps District 2, 55 Victor of the 73rd Hunger Games.
"So yes I am confident that from what I and Nemean have seen from the academy's students 2 can bring home a victor this year"
The capital reporters buzz me with questions as I walk off the stage letting the mentors from 3 take my place.
After watching Nemean hate staring at some of the outlying districts mentors we're on our way up to the top of the training center where Tenebrosus wants us.
"Nemean I like the runts as much as you do but don't make it so-" I'm cut off by loud irate squawks and hissing.
"Oh sorry to bother you" One of the Game Makers emerges from the hallway carrying a Ball Python terrarium and a leashed-up seabird with a wingspan that must be twice my height.
"What the fuck is that thing!" Nemean shouts looking like she's going to punch the bird.
"Oh that's an Albatross they nest on the islands off the coast of 4, 5, and 10"
The Game Maker continues down the hall leaving us in peace.
Wasn't that like the bird from the painting? That's weird, isn't it?
Forest Vander Zalm District 7, 52 Victor of the 76th Hunger Games
After some interviews and bullshit questions from the capital and me and Spruce are sent up the see the head Game Maker.
"Hey, you hear that Forest?" Spruce asks scratching his beard.
"No, my hearing is not what it used to be"
"It sounds like squawking"
As we exit the elevator I realize that there is squawking and the hallway smells like the ocean?
We walk past an enclosure with a small black bird flapping about.
"Black storm petrel" I read out "Hydrobates melania"
As we continue down the Hallway we see another bird a larger one swimming in a pool guzzling down fish in its pouched beak.
"Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis californicus"
We see multiple other seabirds and wading birds strutting and flapping around in enclosures.
I know That Valley likes hinting at her games so whatever all this is about can't mean nothing.
Pecan Hampton District 11, 28 Victor of the 100th Hunger Games.
The bodies all around me are nothing but bodies.
"can Pecan you there?" Sow snaps her finger at me to get my attention.
"Oh ya, ya hi Sow"
"We're up next for interviews" Just as she says that Rio and Bright exit the stag meaning we are up next.
And theirs even more bodies, bodies everywhere out in the crowd just lying there still and lifeless.
Thankfully Sow's there she answers most of the questions on my behalf I only have to reply with an agreement of "yes or no"
Soon enough it's over and we're heading up to Valleys room.
"How are you feeling Pacan?" Sow asks putting a hand on my shoulder.
"It still sucks you know, like I think that I'm fine then I see the bodies sitting there all piled around me"
"Don't worry about it Pecan it's been 10 years since the games and it's gotten easier and it will only get easier with time"
Dyn Li-Sanchez District 5, 69 Victor of the 58th Hunger Games.
"So you made sure Finch took her medication before we left?"
"Yup of course come on now Dyn do you really think I'd forget that?"
"Therman nobody ever sees or hears from her that's not a stupid question"
As we go through the hallway there's a strange amount of seabird enclosures ones that eventually giveaway to snake terrariums.
"What if she's trying to tease us about the upcoming games" Therman draws on as we open the doors to Valley's room.
"Oh don't be ridiculous Therman"
Right at the entrance to Valley's room is a cage with a brown bird and a tank with a white and black sea snake.
"Wandering Albatross, Diomedea exulans" one sign reads "Yellow-lipped sea krait, Laticauda colubrina"
At this point, I think Thermans shitty theory is right what if this is what's coming up in the games.
A loud squawking of protest coming from the darkness in front of us all but confirms it.
Spruce Maycumber District 7, 30 Victor of the 98th Hunger Games.
As me and Forest make our way into the darkly lit room of the Head Game Maker something feels off.
"Jeez Louise why does Valley keep this place so dark and dreary"
"I know it's depressing as-" Forest is cut off as her foot ploops into something wet"
"What the fuck!" Forest screeches hucking a piece of wet grass off her boot.
Pressing my foot down I can feel we're stepping on something wet.
Pulling my boot up there's a piece of wet grass in the dimly lit room the ground is full of grass and other plants but no water in sight.
Pulling up the grass with my foot it eventually breaks through to show crystal clear sea water below it.
"What in the world"
"I think this thing is floating" Forest remarks "This seems way too unstable" Forest stomps on the ground and breaks through it easily.
We continue our way across hopping over an uprooted tree.
Sure enough, there was a small gap between the edge of the pool and the floor proving that we were standing on a raft of plants floating on water.
We end up lining up next to the mentors from 6 well we wait for the rest of the interviews to be over.
Nemean Hickenlooper District 2, 21 Victor of the 107th Hunger Games.
"Oh, I'm fucking on to you" I can tell Den and Citroën are looking at me.
Den's trying to not look at me and stare at Jersey well Citroën stairs me down at least he can accept a challenge, unlike the wimp from 8.
"Attention everyone!" shit I must have been so busy with my staring contest that I didn't notice the mentors from 11 and 12 come in.
Tenebrosus stands in the center of the room stroking her jet-black hair a small bird standing on her shoulder.
Tenebrosus throws her arms into the air letting the small petrol fly's into the air it zips past mentors from 4's heads and rushes through a window on the other side of the room.
"Oh please" I scoff "Like I'm gonna be afraid of a little sea bird"
"Nemean I don't think that was the mutt" Jupiter whispers from my left.
He's proven to be right when Tenebrosus comes back into the light with a leash in one hand.
Mackerel Rosen District 4, 53 Victor of the 75th Hunger Games.
Standing in front of me must be the biggest bird I've ever seen.
I've seen some pretty large seabirds out at sea at four. Some seem too big in fact considering no bird is supposed to get larger than 12 feet.
But I'm a large man and this thing nearly comes up to my chest.
With a loud screech it it opens its huge white and brown wings which look to be over 25 feet across.
"Um excuse me Ms. but how is that supposed to take off?" I can't help but ask since I've seen how seabirds take off and it's super awkward.
"Like this" Tenebrosus unleashed the bird with a shriek it started running awkwardly at us and it was only then I saw the serrations on its bill that formed crewed teeth.
Everyone steps out of the way as it finally gets enough thrust from its waddling to get off the ground soaring out of the room into the sky beyond.
"I don't know why you all looked so scared like that" Tenebrosus chuckles "With those nubby fake teeth that thing can't seriously harm a person"
Sow Colvin District 11, 46 Victor of the 79th Hunger Games
As were leaving the training center for the train back to 11 I saw a group of peacekeepers carrying the bird back into the training center.
Its wings are tied up and it's squawking up a stir it's still so large that it takes two people to carry it.
They hand off to two other game makers who look mortified as the bird takes wild snaps at them with its toothy beak.
"Yeesh I don't know where she gets these ideas from"
"I mean think of the things she's come up with"
"Last year it was the hypnotizing fire flys" Pecan states.
"There were the giant predator scorpions from 108 the hunting dogs from 107 the running crocodiles from 106 the clawed dinosaur from 105the squid from 104"
As Pecan rambles off all the mutts Tenebrosus has made in her time as a head game maker the two game makers return into the building with the giant bird in toe.
Therman Alston District 5, 19 Victor of the 108th Hunger Games.
"So ya that's how it went hopefully we last longer than the bloodbath this year at least"
"Oh that's wonderful Therman" Finch replies from her spot on my couch.
"Looking back on it I don't know what all the snakes were doing there like was she trying to poison us or something"
At the mention of poison Finch's eyes go blank like she's staring off into space.
"Hey Finch, Finch you there" I snap my fingers in front of her face but nothing.
"Alright hold on I'll go get Dyn just stay put… Wait what am I saying you not gonna go anywhere"
But it is really weird that Tenebrosus had all those snakes around there's something that she's not showing us.
Bright Schwertner District 10, 32 Victor of the 95th Hunger Games.
"Was all that stuff you said about the 10th games true?" I ask Rio as we get off the train back to 10.
"Well how am I supposed to know I wasn't alive when it happened all of that came from my grandfather so as far I know none of it could be true"
"You said Brandy killed her mentor 10 didn't have a victor by then"
"They had students from the capital mentor that was when old President Snow got his start mentored the victor from 12 from there he went to head game maker then president"
"Wait if 12's Victor was nicknamed the songbird does that mean that the snakes represent snow?"
I don't have any major memories of Snow he died when I was young and his daughter's husband Quintus Tullius Mercantile was already president by the time of my games.
"Well, he certainly wasn't the most savory person" Rio replies "Givin some of his mannerisms you very well could compare him to a snake"
The prologue is done now it's on to the tributes.
There are still spots open as I'm writing this so if you feel like it check my profile to see what spots are open and see chapter 1 for guidelines for sending a tribute.