Author's Note: We're back with some victors we haven't seen in a while. Even in the quietest places, things are changing.

….

Progress

Gem sat quietly in her home after Satin had left. She was relieved to have her peace back. Satin had always been trying. She barely spent time with Gem anymore and the older victor could not claim to be concerned. Their paths diverged quickly after Satin left the arena, her actions unnerving Gem.

But now they both had somewhat more in common. They had similar realisations during their time in the Capitol for the previous Games. Gem had long been the oldest victor, but that fact was even more stark with the deaths of Chloe, Coral, Liev and Sawyer. To her horror, Satin realised she was the second oldest victor, having survived the Twenty-Sixth Annual Hunger Games. Seeder was the only other victor alive from her decade.

Hosting the two oldest living victors did not align with District One's image of fresh, young beautiful victors so Gem and Satin had been left alone for years. Gem enjoyed the quiet and the uninterrupted time she could spend with her family and the victors she favoured. She was now a great-grandmother and remained especially close to Aria. Satin, on the other hand, hated fading into irrelevance and moaned about it to anybody unlucky enough to be in the vicinity.

Their conversation made clear their differences and like so many of her interactions with Satin, left Gem wondering how her first victor could have turned out as she had.

"We are old Gem. I hate it," Satin started, having barely walked through the door.

"You should welcome it. Some positivity might help your outlook."

"I am eighty-five. My outlook has got me this far."

"And we have been all the luckier for it," Gem rolled her eyes.

"Are you saying that positivity has got you this far? You will soon be ninety-four."

"You do not have to remind me. I have lived well, Satin. Surely that is the secret. Now, I have simply accepted my life and will accept however long I have left."

"I cannot accept the decline. It is embarrassing being seen like this, especially in the Capitol."

"The Capitol does not see us anymore!"

"That is my problem! I have lived to be seen for decades and now it is like I have disappeared."

"I was glad to disappear. My work is done. Yours is too."

"Look at us Gem. Mentor and tribute. Both old and still berating each other. How have we turned out so differently when I was your first protégé after almost a decade of you trying to play the volunteer game?"

"I ask myself the same question all the time, Satin."

"And all your time spent thinking has not brought you an answer?"

"You changed in the arena; in a way I did not anticipate. It brought out another side of you. The Games bring out differences in us all."

"You have thought of something, I guess."

"I have time and space to think. After all, every other victor from the first two decades is dead. Some of them have been gone for decades too. Even the victor of the Thirtieth Games is dead, and we are both still alive. Distance from the others brings on a new perspective."

"I am glad it has for you. It has only brought me loathing for what my life has become. I presume Topaz told you I had to call her over after I had a fall last week. Thank goodness the telephone was within reach."

"She did not. She must have been trying to save you from embarrassment."

"Now I have embarrassed myself it seems."

"Only if you choose to be. I slipped in the bath and Aria had to assist. I was completely mortified. Now it is just one of those things that happens with age."

"And that is why you have a fancy shower room."

"Precisely. We may not be what the Capitol want from District One but a victor dying from slipping in the shower is not the story anybody wants to run. Makes them look bad and ruins my image so they agreed immediately. You should get one."

"Absolutely not."

"I suppose I won't be around to know if your attitude becomes the end of you."

Gem knew that Satin would never change. In some ways, she admired her victor's strength of character. But that does not mean she has not been unpleasant to manage since day one. Gem had long given that endeavour up. Satin was Satin. Gem would chastise her when she needed it. She could not stand Satin's rudeness to the younger victors and her sour attitude was exhausting. But there was no changing it. Not now she was in her mid-eighties.

She was roused from her thoughts not long after Satin left by Gloss leaving his house and venturing out into the main city. Gem was proud of Gloss and the man he had become since he managed to divorce Ermine. They remained financially tied with Gloss giving her a third of his monthly stipend, but she was out of his house and out of their minds. The Village was all the better for it.

Gloss had taken to his newfound role with a vigour Gem did not anticipate. Cashmere had married a burgeoning rebel and she remained more cautious. But beyond his sister, Gloss did not have those immediate family ties to weigh him down. He attended the most meetings, contributed the highest level of funds and was starting to turn his attention to the inter-district work where a victor's hand was so useful.

He had found his place under Finnick's guidance. The tables had turned in their relationship and Gloss accepted Finnick's authority without question, knowing it was Four's world he now involved himself in. Almost thirty years ago, Finnick was pushed into their world and Gloss had to show him the ropes but both men had been on a learning curve since.

Gem had an idea where Gloss was going so, she was immediately concerned to see Luxor glancing outside his window and aiming towards the door. She sighed, reached for her walking stick and hauled herself to her front door as fast as her legs would allow.

"Are you heading out?" she called.

Luxor looked irritated but as he was looking right at Gem, he could not ignore her, "Only for a walk. I'll be at the Academy later."

"I was not checking up on you. You and Topaz run the Academy. I was just wondering if you could get a few things I forgot to ask for the other day."

Gem laughed to herself as Luxor looked even more annoyed than he did moments ago.

"Oh, it doesn't matter if you were not going that way. You don't have to run around after me, Luxor."

"I can go that way if you need."

"I should not have asked. You looked busy and now I have interrupted you. You go on and I can ask Aria instead."

Unsurprisingly Luxor did not insist further. He bid Gem goodbye and raced off down the pavement into the city to try to catch up with his victor.

As she returned to observing the Village around her, Gem hoped she had given Gloss enough time to get clear ahead of Luxor. He should be able to blend into One's busy midday streets and then divert into the winding side streets that should take him to where Gem had attended many a meeting before him.

Still, Luxor had figured something out and that was a concern. Gem knew she was going to have to talk to Gloss about it and warn him to take greater care than usual. Sometimes, he might need to temper the energy with which he had taken to the rebel efforts. They could not come unstuck because Gloss had changed, and Luxor could not mind his business.

….

Her photos were going to be published. Soleil knew Porter would be furious. There was no chance her mentor would have forgotten their conversation from a decade ago or the photos Soleil had shown her. But now it was time. The rebel effort needed something to shake the Capitol into shock and to lead them into a renewed round of action. District Five was the place for it. Nobody expected a rebel surge in the comparatively rich power district.

She had been a victor for ten years, and it was about time she made her mark and moved into the forefront. For too long she had remained hidden behind members of her rebel cell, but she was in the best position to make an impact, so it was only right that she did so.

Soleil had done all she could to ensure the photographs did not come back to her. She had cherry-picked photos from different projects, deliberately taken in various styles and ensured that she was not the only person who could be linked to each of the images. She never showed photographs from the more secretive visits to borderland locations as they could be tied back to her easily.

It was a calculated risk, but Soleil had deemed it one worth taking. The Capitol believed District Five to be quietly compliant and the rebel districts thought Five was either a pushover or a collaborator. She needed to show that none of that was true. Her people had been hurt and were hurting still. The power projects continued, and people suffered. Soleil's proximity to that meant that she knew more than most and she felt a responsibility to let Panem understand Five's reality.

The photographs were leaked anonymously via a subversive publication known to Finnick through Chloe and Fern through her senior victors in Seven who had retained old contacts. The Capitol were caught off guard and the photos were seen on mainstream media before the standard censorship could take hold.

By that point, people had taken photos and video footage of Soleil's images of their own accord. They continued to share them within their circles so the Capitol could not hide them. News reached District Five and Soleil kept her head down, hoping nobody would make the connection. She went about her business as she normally would and pretended to be shocked when people spoke about the leaked images during her days working on the latest project.

People naturally cast suspicion on one another, but Soleil tried not to engage. She knew she could not remain silent as that in itself could cause suspicion. Soleil made sure she was seen engaging in gossip but without being the one to throw people's names into the fire too easily.

At home, Porter knew Soleil was responsible as soon as she saw the photographs.

"I told you to destroy them!"

"They were too important to do that."

"I believed you when you said you would get rid of them."

"I made sure they left Five each year. Nothing has been lying around the Village for any longer than it needed to."

"You've put us all at risk. Not to mention yourself. What if you get caught?"

"I've been careful, Porter. There's nothing that can identify me. I'm hardly the only person who has worked on each of the big projects in the last ten years."

"Just make sure you blend in. Don't do anything to attract attention."

"Already on it. Are you angry with me?"

Porter sighed, "No. I don't have it in me to be angry about that. I'm more worried for you and all our safety."

"I had to do something. I've been hiding behind the others for too long and I'm in a better place to take action."

"It's happening again, isn't it? Shortages, disruption, riots, local uprisings. I suppose you needed something from Five."

"We did. We can't be left behind. Five can't be the reason this fails."

"You're going to see it through this time. It's all on and you're all in?"

"All in, Porter. And yes, we're crossing the finish line this time. It's going to happen, and the Village is going to have to go with it."

"Just make sure you know what you're doing and who you're involved with."

"I will do. You know I'll be careful."

"Good. Tell me if you think you're in too deep and things are getting hot. I've been around longer than you, I can help."

"You don't have to. It's not on you."

"You're my girl, Soleil. You're doing the right thing too. Even if I'm not actively involved, I can support you."

….

Calico was now established in her role as Eight's rebel leader. Cecelia was correct in her estimation and the election went ahead with Calico Paylor elected with a resounding majority. She was following in her aunt's footsteps and was determined to see it through.

Her name was everything in Eight. It was a passport around rebel strongholds and the key to people's trust. It was the cause of trouble in the Capitol, so she had to find the balance between when to use her name and when to skirt around her identity.

It felt strange to lead when Cecelia and her husband were still so active. But neither of them wanted the role and did not stand for election. Cecelia remained Calico's eyes and ears in the Capitol, having benefitted from years of networking and forcing her way into social circles to understand how the Capitol worked. Her husband had his finger on the pulse of the streets of District Eight and between them, there was very little about the happenings of Eight that they did not know.

They knew the peacekeepers were still overstretched. Recruits from Two, a smaller number than usual and fresh from training had arrived. Calico knew a deployment with men from both One and Four would follow to make up the numbers.

She had been assured by Poppy, through Finnick, that rebels would be on their way and Calico was torn between wanting the support and being concerned that she was about to risk the lives of good rebel stock. But leadership meant making difficult decisions. Cecelia and Poppy had assured her that people were prepared to do whatever was necessary and that those being sent to Eight with the cause in mind understood the risks.

The incoming peacekeepers would face a welcoming party. It would be the first major assault of her leadership and Calico knew they needed to succeed. In typical Eight fashion, one of their central factories would start an uprising. But this time the largest factory in the district's second city would join them. The peacekeepers would be split and would have to divide their resources between two separate fronts.

Losses were inevitable and Calico had slowly begun to come to terms with her sense of responsibility over what would happen. Cecelia assured her it was the measure of a good leader and a sign of her respect for their people. The Capitol had never been concerned about the people of Eight and their wellbeing and it mattered that orders were coming from somebody who valued their lives.

Calico would never ask people to do something she would not be prepared to do herself. District Eight knew that. Her family continued to fight even after Kersey Paylor had been executed on the stage in the main square. The Paylors were committed and defiant and if she were not a victor, Calico knew she would join the uprisings directly.

They would press on and this time the Capitol would fall. Her aunt had laid the foundations and Calico was in a strong position as leader. Eight's rebels were united, and their numbers were growing. For now, part of her job would be to hold people back, to calm the main uprising they knew would come until the other districts were ready. They would ready themselves and as soon as Calico received the word, there would be no holding back. It would be all or nothing for District Eight, there was no alternative.

….

Ryan had taken tentative steps in District Nine's rebellion. He had befriended a group of rebels operating from the primary granary processing facility and found his way in from there. Then he met the district's young rebels. New workers, some of them fresh from school but already committed to the cause.

It had been hard to gain people's trust. He had been the victor who fed them arm-in-arm with the peacekeepers after he came home and those images still permeated District Nine. The Victors' Village was quiet too. Where people wanted support and resources, they had gained nothing and could not find a way in. Nine's oldest victors were strong in their resolve to keep quiet.

That was of course, until Ryan arrived. At first, people were wary, some even thinking he was a spy or Capitol plant. But he passed their tests with ease. He was not a gossip and could keep a secret. Ryan knew he was being tested too and did his best to make a good impression.

Having a reputation for not wanting trouble meant that Ryan could gain information from the heart of the Justice Building. It was not unheard of for a victor to want information about the district's eighteen-year-olds before the Games. Ryan wanted a victor of his own and it was the perfect cover. When Barley was desperately vying for success, he did the same and Barric had been known to carry on the tradition when he was most keen. The Justice Building was used to the request, despite it not being entirely legal so Ryan got what he wanted.

He knew what the Capitol knew about the district's eighteen-year-olds. Records of their years at school, the number of tesserae claimed, whether they had ever endured a spell in the Community Homes and if the Capitol had any concerns about them or their family.

Ryan could tell who the most likely tributes would be and then pass on the information to his new friends. They wanted to know exactly how much the Capitol could find out and whether their burgeoning rebel efforts had gone unnoticed.

There were no notes against the names of the young rebels or no marks to make sure they stood out. But Ryan was prepared to be surprised. The Capitol did what it wanted to do and if they knew district folk could interpret their information, they would not divulge everything.

His own actions went unnoticed. The Capitol had left him alone for years now. There were other more interesting victors. Once his year of handing out food and touring the district went by, they only brought him into public view when they wanted him. He remained good in front of a camera so when they needed the latest farming campaign to appeal to District Nine, he became its reluctant face.

The people who knew him best knew he was more than what the Capitol showed. Ryan remained generous and giving. He frequently visited his old village and secretly brought along food parcels. He had goods brought from the Capitol stored in his basement so he could carefully donate the huge surplus over time without the Capitol noticing.

He also retained his connections to his former district partner's village. Some people resented his presence and he tried to keep a respectful distance from her family, but Ryan carried on helping them too. His quiet acts of charity made him well regarded in those circles and people wanted to speak to him whenever they had journeyed to Nine's centre.

Ryan had quietly and cautiously tried to help them through the most recent crop failure. The village had been punished and food supplies cut further. But Ryan did his best to ensure that as many people as possible didn't starve.

One of the first rebel acts of his initiative was to help others do the same. It did not have to be food, but it could be sharing skills and resources. Something to ensure that people from the different villages mixed wherever they could and to strengthen connections within each village itself. The rebels knew it was necessary to unite Nine and hold their people together before they could take on the Capitol.

He maintained a presence at events in Nine's centre and frequented the main market. He wanted to hear people's stories and learn first-hand how district life had moved on or stagnated without him.

The Victors' Village remained isolated. Only Barric, Maizey and Barley's widow lived alongside him. He knew their lives inside out like they knew his. They got along but Barric and Maizey had remained a step back from rebellion. They knew what Ryan was doing and had not stopped him, only warning him to be wary of the company he kept.

Ryan did not know Ana's stance. As Barley's wife, her entire purpose seemed to be supporting him. But the more he spoke to her, the more he realised she had always kept an ear to the ground of District Nine. She had started making trips to her former village and Ryan wanted to ask what she was spending her time on.

But Ryan had a new focus. He could not spend each day absorbed in Barric, Maizey and Ana, observing their habits. There were people he needed to impress and people he wanted to do right by. That meant stepping up and taking on responsibility. He knew his privileged position and wanted to do something to make it worthwhile.

He had also seen the shift in dynamic across Panem. Ryan was sure he knew which way the wind would blow. The rebels would succeed, and Ryan was a victor for a reason. He was not about to pick the losing side, no matter how much they wanted him to front their ideas. His new friends were right too, standing up for District Nine was the best he could do in his position. He had a better chance of making it work than almost anybody else in the district.

….

Charo and Adan had made an impromptu trip to the Capitol. Santiago was charged with looking after Rosa, but the senior victors trusted him implicitly with their daughter.

They were reaping the rewards of their latest venture and the neighbourhood where their restaurant was based wanted to meet them. Charo and Adan also needed to meet with their investors to discuss increasing their stake. The concept was theirs and they wanted to maximise what they could bring back to Ten.

Luckily, their investors were on their side, so they were optimistic about getting what they wanted. They were also keen to see the victors at the heart of new publicity, to remind the Capitol that they were enjoying a piece of District Ten within their home city.

Charo and Adan had become a draw for the rebel cause. People liked them instantly and could see they were genuine. Whilst Rosa had remained protected at home, people knew they were a family borne of good people doing something admirable when they found the baby placed on their doorstep. It was a story people loved.

It was also a new connection for the rebels. The lower and middle-class neighbourhoods of the Capitol were forgotten about. Only Beetee had real longstanding connections outside of the richer, more prominent communities from his decades of networking and the influence of victors like Pluto and Mags.

Finnick was not a success with the more common people of the Capitol. But Ten's victors were. They mingled with customers, sought out prospective visitors and engaged in photo opportunities, even if a little reluctantly. But it made business sense. If the link to them and District Ten made the restaurant more successful, they would take the advice they had been given.

Of course, the powers in the Capitol took advantage of the visit and invited Charo and Adan to a meeting with cabinet ministers and a variety of industry leaders. They claimed to value their input as some of the only district stakeholders in a successful business in the Capitol. But Charo and Adan could see through it. They knew the Capitol had witnessed them in their element and then tried to intimidate them.

They wanted to remind the victors that they were district and could never be on the Capitol's level. But the problem was that Charo and Adan had immersed themselves in the world of Ten's landowners and knew how the system worked. They were finding workarounds and exploiting it wherever possible to suit Ten's interests. It was another short-sighted move by the President and those around him.

Charo and Adan also picked up on the increasing tensions within the political landscape. People openly disagreed with President Elda in a way they never could with Snow. Whilst that was not a negative aspect of his leadership, the victors could see him being undermined. They could sense that those around him were starting to consider their options and shift their positions accordingly. Both victors knew they would have to report back on this to Finnick. They needed to take any route they could to get over the line and overthrow the Capitol and if there was something to exploit, they needed to be ready.

Charo and Adan would also need to shore up their business strategy. So far, everything was geared to funding District Ten's rebellion but as they became more successful in that endeavour, their business would suffer. It may well be destroyed altogether. Some of the money from their Capitol business would need to remain in the Capitol where the financial systems were best protected. Money in Ten would need to be converted into weapons, bribes and more land that they could buy to bring farms out of Capitol control and into district hands.

They had never seen themselves as the faces of a growing, successful business that extended beyond District Ten, but it was where survival, Maria's influence and wanting the best for their home took them. It was a different way of approaching rebellion but so far it was successful, and they were doing their best to make Ten an asset to the growing efforts. They were not going to be left behind this time. They would be ready for Finnick's call and would carry their people with them.