Alright, folks, here's the "filler" chapter that's going to let you in on what happened in the Training Center. Please understand I went back and forth for a while on whether or not to make this a scene in which Aurora is at dinner with the Head Gamemaker or perhaps interviewing for that Escort position or perhaps even the scene described below… writing is both a labour of love and an art and a chore. Sorry...


Sunlight streams through the picturesque windows surrounding the President's Desk. A breathtaking view of the Capitol is visible through these windows, but that is not the focus. The immediate focusing point in this room is on the stern, intimidating woman seated before me. A sheen of purposefully silver-grey hair designed to influence people to view her as serious and wise falls across her high-cut cheekbones. Icy blue eyes engineered specifically to make you feel as though the owner can see through your soul are quick to obtain the information on the page in front of her and begin the process of processing the given information.

President Vetrios glances up from the paper she's been studying. "You do realize you haven't included all the information I've asked for, correct?"

Her voice is chilly but not cold, something she has certainly practiced for many years. Cold enough to make you understand you are treading dangerous ground, but with enough warmth to ensure you do not quite view her as a threat. After all, terrified people do stupid things.

The paunchy man seated on the other side of the desk blanches and takes a deep breath. His voice is pacifying, gentle, panicked, and pleading all at once. "Madame President, I understand I have not obtained all the information you wanted. Please forgive me for this... grave... transgression. I must say, though, that we were unable to complete the set tasks with the amount of time given! We're still running about frantically trying to compensate for the fact that the District 3 escort was killed by someone posing as an Avox. We have yet to find said Avox, and yet to find an adequate replacement for Adrian. I'm surprised the District 3 tributes haven't failed immaculately yet, what with all this upheaval. They didn't even have coaching for their interviews on proper ways to behave onstage, as evidenced by Viole's horrid behavior onstage. We've come up with a list of replacements, but–"

President Vetrios holds up a silencing hand and Head Gamemaker Lector Winngaard shuts his mouth instantly. "Lector, I know you aren't the one who came up with the idea for these mutts. That girl Aurora from your old job, she seems like perfect Gamemaker material. But the only Gamemaker I see failing this year is you, so I sadly do not have a valid reason to replace any of your underlings. I don't want to replace you, because this arena has a certain glimmer of understated brilliance. Simply put, the possibilities with this Arena are endless."

The president is silent for a moment, prompting the Head Gamemaker to bow his head and quietly utter words of saving grace: "Thank you, Madame President."

Vetrios is still quiet, and when Winngaard glances up he knows a question is expected of him. "What would you like me to do?" he asks, knowing full well his perceived incompetence has put him on figurative probation and that if he fails during this probationary period, he will die.

President Vetrios smiles condescendingly. "I want you to make her an Escort. Groom her to become a Gamemaker, and when you fail I will most likely make her the Head. Oh, don't give me that look, Lector, eventually everyone fails. It's just a matter of time.

Now, you are going to interview that young lady and hire her for our vacant Escort position. Make it seem as though she is not the only choice. Give her the handbook, give her a test. She'll be one of the best Escorts. Have her learn about the basic duties of a Gamemaker; tell her it's required knowledge for an Escort so that the Escorts have a better understanding of the Games and how they work. You said none of the old District 3 Escorts want the job? That's fine; restrict their clothing budgets for the entirety of these Games. Don't tell them about it either. Meanwhile, get one of the less freakish retired stylists to fill in for the District 3 Escort position and GET AURORA INTO TRAINING!"

Madame President goes back to studying the paper in front of her. The Head Gamemaker stays seated in front of her, nervously waiting for a dismissal. He knows leaving without a dismissal is grounds for execution or "vanishment," as the president prefers. Vanishment leaves many doors open that execution does not. What good is a dead man, anyway?

President Vetrios looks up from her paper with a carefully crafted look of impatience. She enjoys the fact that the Head Gamemaker cannot leave until she tells him, and she enjoys the fact that he believes she has forgotten to dismiss him. In fact, she purposely left him there to further enforce the lesson and lecture concerning his failings and incompetence.

"Go!" she orders with a matching tone of impatience. "I don't have time for you to dally, and neither do you!"

Without looking at him again, she listens to the gentle squeak of the chair as he rises hurriedly and leaves the room with a sycophantic "Yes, Madame President" before going back to the file before her. This list may very well decide the fate of each and every tribute in these Games.

District 1

Taffeta Royden, 17: 11

Evaluation: Tribute is notably advanced in the art of manipulation via seduction. Tribute is knowledgeable and skilled in the use of throwing knives and spears. Weaknesses likely include close-quarters-combat (CQC) and fears of failure, especially in comparison to tribute's sister. Tribute shows very limited survival skills.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

Blake Stonem, 17: 9

Evaluation: Tribute is skilled at manipulating persons around him, and displays slight sociopathic tendencies, possibly due to lack of parental affection. Tribute only seems to really care about younger sister Eura. Tribute is skilled in the use of a sword blade and prefers a blade modeled after the ancient "seven-branched sword" with a half-sheath that the blade clicks into from the top. Tribute shows very limited survival skills.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

Sub-Alliance: THE QUEEN'S PAWNS*

District 2

Candle Saunteir, 15: 10

Evaluation: Tribute is notably advanced for age in the art of manipulation via seduction. Tribute is knowledgeable and skilled in the art of archery as well as bowfighting and the use of knives in close combat. Prefers two different types of blades; right hand blade is a push dagger and left blade is a three-sided twisting blade similar to the ancient jagdkommando knife designed specifically for stabbing. Tribute shows very limited survival skills.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

Mars Everett, 18: 9

Evaluation: Tribute is empty, shows little drive to win but strong drive to kill D1 tributes. Exhibits slight pyromaniac tendencies. Tribute is fit and has some skill identifying plants for usefulness, displayed natural bent for climbing during training. Tribute is knowledgeable and skilled in the art of fighting with a Dusack and prefers to carry a Scottish Dirk as well. Tribute uses blades in tandem and often exemplifies a method of blocking a slash with the right hand and impaling opponent with the dirk, often through the eye.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

Sub-alliance: THE UNWILLING

District 3

Viola Ro, 13: 7

Evaluation: Tribute is slightly stronger than sibling and displays affection for sibling, enough so to be a weakness. Tribute is stubborn and displays high skill levels in engineering an innate ability to understand how a machine works. During training, tribute showcased abilities by building explosive devices which produced a significant amount of damage when detonated.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

Viole Ro, 13: 4

Evaluation: Tribute is proud and haughty and seems to bear slight grudge against sister for volunteering "to protect my brother." Tribute showed aptitude with throwing knives during training.

Alliance: NONE

District 4

Mistle Lou, 17: 9

Evaluation: Tribute is sarcastic and sassy, probably not a good fit for Victor as tribute is very anti-authority. Tribute is knowledgeable in the art of the naginata but can handle a spear as well. Uses a simple bowie knife for CQC, but is not as adept as with a naginata. Tribute failed miserably in memorizing plants.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

Axl Floyd, 17: 10

Evaluation: Tribute seems determined to win, does not wish to bring dishonor upon his family. Tribute is knowledgeable in the art of sword fighting and trident-fighting; has been trained like the ancient retiarius. Tribute prefers trident-fighting. Tribute displays adequacy with wrestling; this skill can translate to adequacy with CQC.

Alliance: CAREER PACK

District 5

Roxy Larose, 18: 5

Evaluation: Tribute displays symptoms of chronic clinical depression, and has a family history of depression. Tribute has no skills, but developed an affinity for throwing knives.

Alliance: THE ROMANTICS

Niklass "Nic" Hadeshan, 12: 7

Evaluation: Tribute is a born entertainer with a positive but grounded outlook on life. Tribute displayed high-level acrobatic skills and high-level agility. Tribute displayed high proficiency in the throwing of knives at a distance of up to fifteen feet; tribute verbally attributed this ability to his ability to juggle knives as well. Tribute also displayed aptitude for slight-of-hand. Tribute's smaller stature in comparison to fellow tributes is a weakness.

Alliance: THE ODDBALLS

District 6

Alaina Midnight, 17: 5

Evaluation: Tribute is unrelenting and was not upset to be reaped. Tribute has experienced abuse in her home and before being reaped, had not lived at home since the age of thirteen. Tribute has learned "scrappy" fighting on the streets and can handle a knife well. Tribute displays adequacy when throwing knives: upon inquisition into said fact, tribute stated that "People don't like having sharp objects thrown at them" and claimed throwing knives was a skill she taught herself for survival. Tribute does not care to return to District 6 and therefore will operate as though she has nothing to lose.

Alliance: THE UNWILLING

Harley "Lee" Chang, 17: 5

Evaluation: Tribute is well experienced in the art of manipulating people via sympathy for the fact that he is an addict. Tribute is addicted to morphling, and displays the classic behavioral patterns of an addict. Tribute's withdrawal while in the Games is inevitable unless morphling is provided. Tribute is not trained in the use of any weapon but can use a short sword (blade similar to a rapier but shorter, lighter, thinner) in a manner similar to that of a needle – thrusting and poking.

Alliance: NONE

District 7

Allela Ling Bucker, 12: 4

Evaluation: Tribute is sweet and kind with no real skills, but showed proficiency hiding, climbing, and in the use of a slingshot. Spiked spherical projectiles can inflict great amounts of damage. Tribute ran at a rate of speed uncommon for tributes of her age. Tribute displayed intermediate survival skills including those of plant recognition.

Alliance: THE ODDBALLS

Jack Roader, 14: 2

Evaluation: Tribute walked into assessment, sat down, and cried for 4 mn. Upon completion of crying, tribute proceeded to give dissertation on why he should be excused from the Games and became insulting and argumentative towards the Gamemakers and the Capitol.

Alliance: NONE

Gamemaker note: nobody wanted him for an ally, and his lack of alliance is not for lack of trying

District 8

Mazella Bancroft, 12: 5

Evaluation: Tribute entered assessment and appeared dazed, as though tribute was unaware of surroundings. During training, tribute showed adequacy with a staff, was able to fend off two trainers simultaneously with said staff. Trainers were using skill levels parallel to those displayed by typical outlier tributes. Tribute is 4'11 and prefers staff 5'6 in length.

Alliance: THE TAILORS

Tanner Craven, 18: 2

Evaluation: Tribute is skilled in the fine arts of manipulation and kissing up. Though not overtly manipulative, tribute was able to literally talk a trainer out of fighting. Tribute displays an innate ability to relate and as such manipulate other persons. Tribute requested low score.

Alliance: THE TAILORS

District 9

Sundance "Sunny" Ticia, 17: 8

Evaluation: Tribute's chatty, easygoing exterior hides a backbone of steel. Tribute refused to be pushed around, but did not get in anyone's way either. Tribute displayed extreme proficiency in the use of sickle blades, admitted to "practicing" fighting with spare or discarded sickles in spare time or when deep in fields of grain where citizens are difficult to observe. Tribute was a grain reaper in district.

Alliance: THE ODDBALLS

Ahron Ember, 15: 7

Evaluation: Tribute is an almost pessimistic person with few illusions as to his likelihood of winning the Games. Tribute displayed intermediate survival skills including identification of plants and proficiency with a long-handled scythe, though tribute displayed significant inhibitions concerning fighting or killing.

Alliance: NONE

District 10

Annetta Sander, 18: 6

Evaluation: Tribute displays immense natural physical strength, likely due to working in her family's butcher shop, and possesses a very fierce personality. Tribute also possesses intermediate fighting abilities with a knife and an advanced knowledge of anatomy in its translation from animals to men. Tribute prefers a block-style knife or even a Dusack-style sword-blade as such a blade favors the butcher's blades she is more familiar with. Tribute demonstrates intermediate survival knowledge.

Alliance: THE ODDBALLS

Johny Harper, 18: 9

Evaluation: Tribute displayed immediate and immense emotional attachment to fellow Tribute Roxy LaRose. Such affection can be exploited or otherwise manipulated. Tribute displays proficiency with a trident or spear-style weapon, likely due to work with a pitchfork. Tribute also displays definite proficiency with a lasso, as well as intermediate survival knowledge.

Alliance: THE ROMANTICS

District 11

Cinnamon Spice, 18: 11

Evaluation: Tribute is slated for death already. Deal was made with President Vetrios for the safety of Sugar Spice, Tribute's younger sister. High score awarded so as to make tribute a target.

Alliance: THE REBELIOUS TWO

Sub-Alliance: THE QUEEN'S PAWNS*

Coren Joss, 16: 6

Evaluation: Tribute displays no weapons proficiency. Tribute possesses great physical strength but does not seem to posses any wish to fight or win. Tribute shows an almost innate wish to defy the Capitol. Victory not recommended.

Alliance: THE REBELIOUS TWO

District 12

Marian Hallchanser, 17: 5

Evaluation: Tribute displays no survival skills or fighting skills, with the exception of stealth. Tribute displays no rebellious actions or tendencies.

Alliance: THE INCOMPLETES

Harrison Baleiv, 14: 1

Evaluation: Tribute displays no survival skills or fighting skills. This tribute displays no rebellious actions or tendencies.

Alliance: THE INCOMPLETES


I'd like to thank goldie031 for the idea as to how to list the tributes, how they've done, etc. I'd also like to thank her for a fantastic story so far, and allowing three of my dear tributes to compete not only for a Victorship, but also a place in the Games.

Winngaard's last name is pronounced "WIN-gerd," with "gaard" rhyming with "nerd."

For clarification, in my universe the events of the Cannon HG take place 200 years later – Katniss's Games are the 274th Games, and her Quell is the 275th Game. Other than that, everything is the same...

With the exception of the Gamemakers. The head Gamemaker is in charge of EVERY aspect of the Games, including overseeing the Escorts. That is why Lector is discussing the Escorts with Madame President.

I should like to inform each reader that a system for sponsorship will now be instituted, based upon reviews and PMs. Reviews will determine your amount of available points to spend, and I will only accept sponsorships via PM.

OH MY GOD I FINALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT THE ARENA FOR THE QUELL WILL BE! AND I'm going to tell you, because it won't really make much sense until I actually write it out.
A long time ago, when I first started writing these SYOTs, someone jestingly suggested that I make an arena out of cake. Yes, cake, as in the stuff we Americans commonly eat at birthday parties or any other celebratory party, really. So the arena for the 100
th Hunger Games, or the 4th Quarter Quell, will be made of CAKE and other cake related items. You have Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory (and both movies made about the book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") to thank for me realizing that this is a viable theme. THANK YOU and YOU'RE WELCOME!

SPONSOR QUESTION: Commentary on "Lector," the Head Gamemaker's first name?