The Capital 7 Days to Reaping
The Hunger Games Mentors Announced!
After much speculation within capital circles, Head Game Maker Tenebrosus Valley revealed on the Hunger Games Channel allowing us to guess how our future batch of tributes will fair in the 110th Hunger Games.
After all, a good mentor can make or break a victor, especially for non-careers who lack formal training.
Below see my reactions to this year's selection of mentors, in no particular order.
Jersey Mayweather District 8, 36-Victor of the 90th Hunger Games.
"Thank you again, Ms. Moor, you don't how much of a help it is that you're watching Azure for me"
"Oh it's nothing dear" the older woman brushes her fading red hair
"After all you did for Ester it's the least that I can do besides Azure knows me well"
"Oh, you're too kind. Remember if you need anything, Cecelia's across the way, and I left you the money on the counter I'll be gone for a least a week"
After kissing my son goodbye it's a short walk down to the town square and the train station.
My eyes sink when I see who's 8's, male mentor.
Den The only Victor younger than me known to the capital for 2 things.
Discussions on if he's getting fucked up the ass by that Victor from 6 and his borderline crippling fear of sharp objects.
Now I haven't touched a blade either since me and Ester's games but we didn't have whatever those giant clawed dinosaurs were so Cotton Eye Joe is justified for his fear in my mind.
Luster Aberdeen District 1, 19-Victor of the 109th Hunger Games.
"Alright stick that tongue out" The photographer gestures with their hand, and I give them a thumbs up from where I'm posing.
"No, no, no, more like you're about to give someone head" Well I've only been on the receiving end of that so it's mostly interpreting from my partner's face.
"Yes like that come on a little more we really want to see those tongue-piercings"
I give another thumbs-up to see if she's satisfied with my sexy pose.
"Yes, they're perfect! Oh, you don't know how many people will want these tongue piercings!" the photographer gushes.
Some part of my mind is screaming at me how wrong this is—standing in nothing but something that barely counts as underwear showing the capital an assortment of translucent piercings on my tongue and lips.
That was my mentor Topaz and the Stylist recommended that after I won, last year the arena was a literal castle of glass and the capital wanted a style to commemorate the pretty boy emerging with a mouthful of glass and the victory.
"Mr. Aberdeen?" I'm changing into my normal clothes when one of the game makers who evaluated me last year approaches me.
"Yes, I was just leaving the President organized a photo shoot for me"
"This is about that. President Mercantile wanted to see you for a follow-up to that photo shoot"
I can't help but swallow thickly if the President wants to see for a follow-up to a photo shoot like that it can't be good.
Bullet LeMahieu District 6, 32 Victor of the 94th Hunger Games
Where am I again?
It's too blurry to make out there are two weird blobs slumped against the floor when I blink some of the haze out of my eyes I think I'm on a bathroom floor I think? There's some weird hologram with some lady on it.
My stomach flip-flops when I try to move and vomit soon after that. Once I've cleared my stomach things come back into focus two of the older victors are pasted out on the floor around bottles of Morphin and the woman on the hologram is a Head game maker Tenebrosus.
She's saying something about the honor of being a mentor so I think I'm 6's female mentor or something I think I'll replay it once I clear my head for now I'll just close my eyes for a second…
Shrew Woodbeck District 12, 48-Victor of the 80th Hunger Games
Checklist before I leave for the train station.
.Feed the cat check
.Kiss my wife goodbye check
.Make sure Haymitch is alive check
.Make a list for when I'm away check
Well, those were the important things I wrote down so I should be all good for my time in the Capital.
Something's definitely different in the training center here. My memorise isn't the best but that painting wasn't there the last time I was the mentor for 12.
I know there are lots of paintings in here recently but this one is off at the end of a hallway at the back of the building.
It's a lovely painting of a large snake striking at a sea bird it does seem out of place to me though.
Wonder why someone would put this here I sure ask the other victores.
Maize La Verne District 9, 68-Victor of the 60th Hunger Games
"Oh looks like kooky ole Shrew's the mentor for 12 this year" I smile sipping some tea. Shrew's a sweet guy he tries his best with tributes even though his games gave him memory problems.
"Ya I spook with him a bit earlier" Fidget responds fiddling with some gadget.
"He said something about a pretty new painting he saw in the training center Tenebrosus probably put it up you know she likes putting up paintings from the arenas she made"
"Oh yes I saw it when I came into it's some sort of water snake and bird"
"Tell me more?" Fidget perks up from whatever District 3 thing he's doing.
"Well I don't know looked bigger and fatter than any snakes or birds in 9 but we don't have any oceans so I don't know"
"Show me it"
"Alrighty then just let me finish my tea first"
Fidget Heintzeman District 3, 38-Victor of the 87th Hunger Games
I follow Maize as she slowly lumbers down to one of the hallways of the training center.
Shrew's still there talking to Jersey who seems relieved to have Maize as an excuse to get away from his rambling. Luster and Bullet are standing off on the side both of them seem out of it. For Bullet that's expected but I don't know what's got 1's pretty boy's eyes blown open on the ground but I think I have a guess.
"Hey Figet" Maize points to the bottom of the painting.
"It says something fancy" Bullet remarks.
"Figet can you read that?" Jersey asked well I'm already bending down to look at it.
"Palaeophis attacking Pelagornis" The other five victors respond with various grunts of confusion.
"It must be their scientific names there definitely aren't snakes or birds that big alive today at least that occur naturally"
"What occurs naturally?" A sudden shock runs down my back like I'm in the arena again I wipe around and come face-to-face with Tenebrosus Valley.
"Oh, nothing Ms. Valley" Jersey replies "We were just discussing this new painting"
"Oh yes I'm very proud of that one" Tenebrosus ran a finger down the middle of her jet-black hair "I think it emphasizes the size of these prehistoric reptiles makes it feel like you're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea" Tenebrosus smirked as she walked off the clattering of her heels echoing through the hallway humming some old timey under her breath.
"Met the love of mine, aye a lad so fine"
"Oh somewhere in the Southern Caribbean"
"I was tied down below on an old ship of the line"
"You and me Donny, and the Devil makes three"
"On the cold and billowing sea"
"That painting's got something to do with this year's arena doesn't it" Jersey remarks to which she was met with a chorus of agreement.
"If that old fool from 10's mentoring this year you should ask him tomorrow" Maize suggested "he's pretty knowledgeable about things like this"
Citroën Nesbitt District 6, 22-Victor of the 106th Hunger Games
"Hnnn-ngnh oh fuck Citroën you don't know how hhmmn good this feels It's sommmm-so much b-better than anything in 8"
"So 8's quiet little Cotton Eye Joe is getting his brains fucked out what would Jersey and Cecelia think about that?"
"Um-hnnn y-y-ya s-sometimes"
"Don't get all nervous no I'd be more nervous about bouncing on another victors cock in the center of the capital"
"C-Citroën!"
It's satisfying watching Den's face go all red. It really is easy to find men when you're wealthy and especially when you're like me, the only Victor in 6 that's not a yellow-skinned morphling.
Still, Den is right that it feels way better to thrust into 8's surprise Victor well he crumbles into a string of curses and moans.
Ammolite Fraser District 1, 30-Victor of the 97th Hunger Games
"I don't get what the issue is here Luster you're sounding ridiculous"
"Ammolite they want to sell my body to the capital let citizens use me for however they fucking want!"
"And?"
"And? and! that's all you've got to say this doesn't sound wrong to you?"
"I did a couple of gigs for the capital when I was your age next time you see District 2 ask Nemean about it she's a pretty young lady I'm sure plenty of Capital Men would pay for her"
Luster stares at me with wide blue eyes like I've grown a second head I don't get why he's so abrasive to this.
"Luster you're a career Tribute, Panems pretty boy with the tongue rings"
"That was Topaz and my Stylist's idea" Luster reminded me.
"And why did they come to that conclusion? Why are you thinking about this as a bad thing this is an honor to District 1 that their Victors are considered valuable by President Mercantile do you think victors from outlying districts get that treatment?"
"I mean there not bad looking but I guess not"
"Exactly so think of this as Luster Aberdeen from District 1 so valuable that citizens pay unfathomable amounts for him"
Den Brooks District 8, 20-Victor of the 105th Hunger Games
A quiet ruffle of a garbage bag the shuffle of removing bed sheets and all evidence of last night's nefarious activities is gone.
It's pretty easy to dismiss them Victors get free access to nearly anyone they want as long as I hide the limping nobody questions anything.
But stepping out of my room right into the head of a spear causing me to scramble onto the floor is worse giving Jersey and Bullet a full view of the ruined sheets.
"Oh, my Den I didn't mean to startle you" Looking up I see it's not a spear but Tenebrosus holding the wing bone of some massive bird"
"I was examining this for some of the other Game Makers who work at the Museum in their off-time. Found it outside of District 12 one of the largest birds that has ever flown"
Tenebrosus struts off in her high heels humming under her breath leaving Jersey and Bullet to laugh their asses off.
Codec Holcomb District 3, 57-Victor of the 69th Hunger Games
Something's up with Tenebrosus this year and Fidget can tell too.
Well, Jersey's busy gushing about something involving Den, me and Fidget are trying to figure out what she's trying to pull.
"She's definitely doing something involving that giant seabird and snake she wouldn't keep mentioning them" Fidget suggested.
Tenebrosus does have a history of hitting at mutts or arenas for upcoming games last year she had a large firefly terrarium before the games.
"The real question is why would she choose too obscure animals? she's used extinct creatures before but they were well known to capital citizens" Fidget ponders.
Putting all the evidence together I think I know what's going on "The 10th Hunger Games they destroyed all records of she must be making some sort of reference to those games"
"Of course Codec you're a genius" Fidget gushed finishing off the drink he was having.
"Well thank you"
That was the game 12 won. After public interviews, I'll have to ask Shrew and Jessable if they know anything.
Husker J. Jensen District 9, 45 Victor of the 83rd Hunger Games
"I need another drink" Another shot of whisky and it feels slightly better another day and I'm allowed to go back to 9 and see my dogs.
Fuck but then I have to come back and probably watch some kid get slaughtered.
Fuck why couldn't they have chosen anyone else?
"Right Husker?" Maize asked me from beside where she was sitting.
"Mmm-what?"
"You've heard about what happened in the 10th games both of nines tributes were dead before the games started"
"Ya my grandpa said something about it"
"How would both the tributes die before the games already started?" Codec asked.
"The Fuck if I know!"
"Let him be he's clearly had too much to drink" Maize suggests to the mentors from 3.
Once again I'm thankful for Maize I gonna miss that woman when she goes.
Jessabelle Green District 12, 37-Victor of the 89th Hunger Games
"So do you two know anything about the 10th Hunger Games?" Codec asked as me and Shrew sit down.
"That was our first victor" Shrew points out.
"Shrew I think they already knew that" I love Shrew but the end of his games definitely screwed with his mind.
"Yes, Shrew but do you or Jessabelle know anything about that Victor?"
"I've heard about her from the bars in the seam. Her name was Lucy Gray Baird she was a musician and was quite popular with the district"
"Did you know what happened to her I've only heard of you two and Haymitch?" Fidget asks.
"Ran away" Shrew responds.
"What he said. She disappeared a year or so after the games never heard from her again some say that peacekeepers killed her others she escaped into the wilds but nobody knows"
"Do you know anything about those games?" Codec asks.
"Know they never replay them she was nicknamed The Songbird and I think her winning involved her singing skills but I have no idea you should go with what Maize said and ask Rio about it he likes to keep records of the games"
Hello and Welcome. This is technically not the first SYOT I've done I started and deleted one back in 2020 and I'd like to apologize to everyone who did send tributes if you're reading this. I'm in my last year of High School now and I feel like I'm a better writer and more committed to writing.
The painting described in Fidget's segment was based on a piece by Paleoartist HodariNundu called Sea Serpent you can find it on Deviant Art.
Anyway here are some general guidelines for submitting tributes
Age:
Sex:
District:
Sexuality:
Appearance(Any face claims?)
Chariot Outfits/Interview Outfits (optional if you don't have any ideas that's fine)
History
Personality
Family/Friends/Other Important People
Reaped/Volunteered
Reaction
Token
Open to Alliances
Interview Angle
Estimated Score
Strategy
Weapons
Strengths and Weaknesses
You can send up to 2 tributes from any District. Send submissions to my PM's
So there it is send your tributes!