Game 25 Round 05

Taco Delivery!

Acacia emerged from the stage side and stepped effortlessly into the limelight that was all hers. Finally a victor, and finally worthy in her parents eyes. She wore a dress as scarlet red as the bloodshed that she left in her wake in the arena. Kardos and Kastos greeted her with warm smiles, and Acacia sat down with a smile for the crowd.

“Acacia Loire, District 2’s newest Victor. Let’s add one more for the monopoly District 2 has claimed on the Hunger Games. Tell us Acacia what is District 2 doing to produce so many victors?” Kardos asked quickly.

“They’re certainly doing something right. I wouldn’t know though. All I have to say for my training is that it is all I know. As soon as I could walk my parents put me into training with the best mentors, and trainers available. I wasn’t allowed to play with friends or have any sort of fun a child dreams of having. Every game I played taught me how to be a killer, to be ruthless and focused. When victory is everything that is expected of you… it comes naturally. Failure was never an option for me… not growing up… and definitely not now.” She pushed her loosely curled hair over her bare shoulder.

Kastos jumped into the conversation, “To me it seems like a miserable way to grow up. You didn’t ever have any fun?”

Acacia laughed a little, “Training is fun!” She smiled and turned a bit more serious after it. “I believed my parents were right, and that the only thing I ever needed was my training. So I did everything they expected until late last year. I saw teenagers like me leaving training and having fun. And I wanted to do that too… So I did…”

Kastos didn’t skip a beat, “And what happened? I think we all saw in your families interview… that this didn’t end well. We want to hear your side of it.” Kardos nodded early with the crowd.

“I skipped a day of training.. just one day. And I got a taste of normalcy.. and I loved it. I was free from punishing training and my overbearing parents. Their expectations were crushing me, and I needed to get away. I thought I was clever and covered my tracks.. but they found out and I was kicked out of my home. They wanted nothing to do with me because I did the worst thing I could do… embarrass them. They sacrificed everything for me to be the best… and I was the best in training.”

Kardos spoke up, “It sounds like they wanted you to be the best, but I can sense that you never wanted that.”

Acacia looked at him, “I never wanted to be the girl everyone pitied back home. People looked at me with sad eyes all the time. Acacia Loire, the poor girl whose parents never let her be a kid. It was well known what they did with me the minute I could walk. Not everyone agreed that a small child should have been trained like I did. I know I missed out on experiences in life that I’ll never get again. It made me angry. I was angry all the time. At everyone.”

“Who could blame you…. That anger though… it fueled you in the arena, did it not?” Kastos asked.

“Of course it did. I was so angry and hurt by what my parents put me through. Dumping me on the streets because I didn’t go play with swords for one day… because I wanted a break from rigor, schedule and training. I got one day where I could think for myself, live for once and be happy. My family turned away from me for it. I’m still angry… I will be for a long time. I have a place of my own, and this time I’m going to do what I should have a long time ago. Tell my parents I’m done living under their thumb.” Acacia sounded more empowered the longer she talked.

“As you should, Acacia. You’re our newest Victor, you deserve the chance to have a life that you fought for.” Kardos smiled and sensed the interview coming to an end.

24th: Carrow Hector-12-Stabbed repeatedly in the chest (Acacia)

23rd: Aphid Blair-9-Strangled (Marcellus)

22nd:Ariella Hemlick-3-Axe buried in her chest (Gothica)

21st:Aurai Vulpes-5-Slit throat (Acacia)

20th: Charity Malone-10-Stabbed between the eyes (Kate)

19th: Qhalessi Targarven-8-Pushed into the lave (Vector)

18th: Adrian Tichener-6-Beheaded (Marcellus)

17th: Alecto Flare-9-Axe in the back (Gothica)

16th: Calylen Reed-8-Shot in the lungs (Ethereal)

15th: Calaidium Amberson-6-Stabbed in the stomach (Calaidium)

14th: Helios Ouranos-5-Stabbed in the chest (Marcellus)

13th: Maurice Lilywind-11-Axe to the back (Larix)

12th: Marcellus Praetor-2-Stabbed in the throat (Kate)

11th:  Bien Fuego-4-Stabbed repeatedly in the back (Acacia)

10th: Laris Graves-7-Shot both in the head and chest with arrow (Gothica/Ethereal)

9th: Danika Fairfax-7-Burned to death by “fire”ants/ Shot in the forehead with arrow (Gothica)

8th: Eldin Cost-3-Axe to the skull (Nerissa)

7th: Nerissa Smithson-11-burned in half by lava

6th: Ethereal Eclipsis-1-Shot in the throat with an arrow (Gothica)

5th: Vector Archstone-10-Thrown into lava (Kate)

4th: Clement Polly-12-Slit throat and stabbed in the chest (Acacia)

3rd: Katherine Hash-4-Bisected (Gothica)

2nd: Gothica Eclipsis-1-Completely mutilated (Acacia)

To keep you occupied, vote here: X

Gothica's Interview:

For Gothica's family interview, her parents play a video that they'd been preparing since day one. It starts at October 31st, the day of her birth, and ends at the reaping. It shows her growing up and training, making friends, bonding with her brother, campaigning, and finally, getting chosen as tribute. It answers any questions that would potentially be asked. The interviewers are so intrigued that they take a copy of it and play it for the Capitol.

Acacia's Interview:

To the surprise of all, Acacia’s parents decided to show up and once again acknowledge their daughter. She had disgraced them with her antics in training and they sent her away as  punishment, embarrassed of her. Sitting next to Caesar her parents looked severe and unforgiving.

“Tell us, are you proud of your daughter?” Caesar asked.

Her father shrugged. “She’s desperate to win our approval again, from what I see she hasn’t earned it yet.”

“Acacia is one for the dramatics but she has a long way to go if she expects to come home to us. AS far as we’re concerned she’s no more than a stranger who bears resemblance to us.” Her mother said sternly.

“She’s just a girl, and she’s done remarkably so far.” Caesar assured.

“No the way we see it. We raised her to be a champion and she isn’t one yet. If she wins. I’ll consider calling her my daughter again. If not.. there’s no use in mourning a disgrace to the family name. She’ll die a death worthy of the mistakes she made.” Her father said fiercly, and her mother just nodded along.             “I can see where Acacia’s anger comes from then… and her determination.” Caesar commented.

“The only one she should be angry at is herself, for treating her training as a joke. We sacrificed everything to give her the best trainers and teachers. And she repays us with skipping school and chasing dreams that would never happen for her. Her place was to be the best fighter in District 2, and she let many people down.” Her father continued.

“She’s lucky we decided to come to this interview..” Her mother added with a cold look.

Caesar sat by not sure of where to continue with these parents taking it down such a negative road. “Perhaps everything is said that needs to be said.. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Loire… Our thoughts are with Acacia. And I think I can say for most of us, I hope she wins and proves many people wrong.”

Kate's Interview:

Kardos and Kastos walked around district four, looking for someone of some relation to Katherine Hash. When they had arrived they had asked the mayor where to find Kate’s family. They had been informed that she was an orphan and had no family.They needed an interview for the games and they weren’t going to leave failures.

They walked into a small café for lunch and quickly ordered from a middle aged woman. “Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed. “You’re Kardos and Kastos! The victors!” Both brothers smiled and Kastos nodded. “Yes we are.”

"What brings you to my little shop?" she asked. "Just having lunch before we do an interview for Katherine Hash." Kardos said. The woman stopped making their lunch and looked at them. "Kate?" "You know her?" Both twins asked in unison.

The woman nodded. “Yes, I know her.” Kardos cleared his throat. “Would you mind doing an interview with us about Katherine?” The woman nodded again. “Alright then. We need you to state your name, your relation to the tribute, and a few things about her.”

"My name is Laura Clarins. I was a friend of Kate’s mother." she looked down sadly. "I grew up with Elizabeth. She was like a sister to me. When she died I tried to look after Kate, but she ran away." Laura wiped a tear from her eye. "I tried to help her. But she wouldn’t have any of it. She stole from almost everyone in the district but no one really complained. We all felt bad for her. Poor dear, grew up without her parents. She was always in trouble with the peacekeepers." Anger flashed across her eyes. "Everyone elected her because they needed someone too weak to fight back to send to the games. But she’s a survivor and she’ll survive this."

Kardos nodded. “You’re certain Kate will win.” “Yes I’m positive. She’s strong. She’ll survive. She’s been surviving her entire life.

Clement's Interview:

Kardos and Kastos looked out of place in District 12. They were tall, well-built and filled out while the citizens of 12 looked as though they were just skin and bones.  The Pollys welcomed the boys in their home with terse handshakes and forced smiles. They let the boys into their house and they all took a seat on their large couch, which was the only thing filling up the room besides a small television, which was broadcasting the games. There were ten little screens showing each tribute-with the Capitol seal in the bottom tenth screen. Mrs. Polly, a beautiful woman with greying hair, watched her daughter’s screen. Seeing that her daughter was somewhat safe brought her a little bit of comfort. Kardos and Kastos looked like giants compared to them, even Mr. Polly.

                Kastos, feeling uncomfortable, decided to get on with the interview, “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Polly, we compliment you on your daughter’s placement in the Games as of now.”

                “Thank you,” Mr. Polly smiled glumly.

                “Now, did you expect Clement to make it this far?” Kardos asked, his hand outstretched onto the man’s shoulder.

                The Pollys looked at one another, then Mrs. Polly spoke, “I can’t say we did. I mean, Clement is a strong girl, but against those brutes from One, Two, and Four, I wasn’t too hopeful.”

                Kastos shifted uncomfortably. “But she made it right? She escaped the Bloodbath! Surely she still has a shot, right?”

                “I suppose,” Mr. Polly said, somewhat disheartened.

                “I definitely think she does, despite her injury,” Kardos said reassuringly. Blushing, he continued, “She has a wonderful mentor.”

                Mrs. Polly gave them a smile, “She really does.”

The interview concluded with a screenshot of the family with the twins along with the District 12 seal.

Eldin's Interview:

Eldin’s father was the only one of his family who could attend, and was impressed with how far his son had come and was hopeful that he would live; Eldin’s dad is reserved and quiet though.

After the death of district partner, Danika wandered the arena all by her lonesome, avoiding all other tributes with relative ease. All the walking had really tired her out, exhausted her. She lay on the hard ground of the arena by one of the mounds that still had no clear purpose. Around the base were a bunch of smaller mounds that seemed to have appeared over night. Danika, who had been away from this area, thought nothing of it. She slept soundly, but only for a moment longer.

Out of one of the smaller mound came a little red ant. It crawled over to Danika and climbed up her body. It settled on her neck and gave her a little bite. A sharp, burning pain shot through her and jolted her awake. She gave a loud scream and a thousand other ants joined the one on her neck. She thrashed and screamed, holding onto her green stone. It began glowing in her hand. 

A myriad of vines began to wrap around her skin, creating some sort of armor. For a moment, Danika felt relieved, convinced she was safe. Unfortunately, that was not her reality. Each bite created a tiny little flame across her skin. When it added up, it caused a wildfire that ravished her body and burned through the vines that covered her. Within ten minutes, her whole body was aflame, screaming in agony as her flesh cooked. 

Above her on the edge of the mound stood the District 1 kids. Tired of hearing the girl's screams, Gothica loaded and arrow and unloaded it into her skull. Her cannon fired and Ethereal said, mostly to the audience, "Ladies and Gentlemen, those are what I call fire ants."