#hunger fighter interview

[spencersmopbucket]

Tides of Venom | Finnick Odair

Pairing: Finnick Odair x Reader Summary: During the Tribute Parade of the 3rd Quarter Quell, Finnick meets an infamous female tribute from District Seven. She's just as interesting as everyone says.

The people of Panem knew your name as well as, or maybe better than, they knew their own. You were Y/n L/n, or better yet, The Snake of Seven. The victor who had turned the 67th Hunger Games into a masterclass of strategy and survival. At sixteen, you were reaped from the sawdust-strewn streets of District Seven—a girl who looked too small, too quiet, too fragile and too beautiful to survive the bloodbath. But you had fooled them all.

You didn't survive by brute force, God no. You didn't have the size for it. You survived by being smarter, colder, and crueler when it mattered. You waited, watching from the shadows, letting the other tributes tear each other apart. When you struck, it was precise, calculated, and lethal. You weren’t just a fighter; you were a predator. You turned the arena into your hunting ground, weaving snares from vines and luring enemies into deadly traps. When you got them captured, like a rabbit in a trap on the snow covered ground, you quickly and efficiently did away with them.

By the time you’d reached the finish line of success, the area was soaked in blood — close to none of it yours. You had outlasted them all, and not just through skill, but by ensuring that every single thing you did was deliberate. Every alliance you made was temporary manipulation, every smile a well-placed mask. When the final cannon fired, it wasn’t just because you had survived. You had conquered.

The Capitol adored you, of course. They polished your image until you gleamed like the blade that had won you the crown. They said your name with awe and fear: The Snake of Seven. To them, you were the perfect mix of beauty and terror, a creature that captivated even as it threatened. Of course, your biggest fan was President Snow. But for all the Capitol’s praises, you knew the truth. The arena hadn’t just taken your innocence; it had carved out pieces of your soul and left them to rot in the jungle where you’d won. The nightmares came often, visions of the traps you’d set, the image of you slitting a throat, the screams that followed, and the sickening silence afterward.

Even still, you played the role you’d been given. It was that or die. It was that or lose your family (an ultimatum given by Snow.) The Capitol needed you to smile in your interviews, to look stunning in gowns designed to look like snake skin, to sip champagne with Snow’s favorites. You did it without flinching. You’d learned through the experiences of others before you that defiance came with a life ruining price. And so, with snake-like venom aimed inward at yourself, you were poisoned until only steel remained.

The 3rd Quarter Quell was nothing like any previous Hunger Games. It was a reminder of the Capitol's absolute power, and this year, they chose to mark it with a brutal twist: the victors, those who had already been crowned, would now be thrown back into the arena. Every single one of them—a brutal celebration of their own suffering. And you, The Snake of Seven, were no exception. When you'd been Reaped, you stepped forward, ever confident, your e/c eyes the sole vision of determination, focus, and bloodthirst. But you were always so good at keeping people at arm's length, never letting them see how you truly felt.

You were devastated. You felt doomed — but the worst part? You'd always known you were from the start. This was just the confirmation.

Today was the Victor Parade.

The streets of the Capitol buzzed with an unsettling energy. The crowd, with its eager eyes and gleaming teeth, watched as the tribute chariots rolled down the grand avenue, a parade of former winners paraded as if they were just another form of entertainment. The Capitol was reveling in their cruelty, and you knew, deep down, that it was more than just the games this time. The Capitol wanted to break the victors, to make sure they knew they were never free, never truly safe. You had survived the Games once, but this time, survival would come at a greater cost. You were by far the most thrilling tribute to watch, solely because they knew you'd do anything to win.

Your district partner, a tall, athletic and somewhat shy Victor named Reid, stood beside you. He was a few years younger than you, but his respect for you was evident in every glance. He had a crush on you. It was easy to see in the way his eyes lingered on you, the way his voice caught when he spoke your name. But, much like everyone else in the Capitol, you weren’t here for love or affection. You were here to survive—and if you had to, you’d use Reid’s infatuation to your advantage. But, you’d never admit it aloud.

Reid was a good fighter, but he wasn’t built for the Games like you. His focus was too soft, too sentimental, which made him vulnerable. He wanted you to recognize him as a friend rather than just a district partner. Rather than just an ally that you'd eventually have to turn on. But you? You knew. Reid would have to be the first to go. You'd put him out of his suffering before any other Victor could get their hands on him. In a cruel sense, it was you being kind. If anyone else got him, his death would hurt much more.

Your outfit, designed by Capitol stylists, was as extravagant as it was deadly. You weren’t just a symbol of beauty; you were a living weapon, and your outfit reflected that. The stylists had draped you in a shimmering black gown that hugged your form, slithering down your body like the skin of a serpent. Silver, delicate scales shimmered along the bodice, almost seeming to ripple as you moved. A thin, sharp line of emerald green ran across your eyes, reflecting the coldness that had taken root deep inside you. Your hair was twisted into a sleek, tight braid that framed your sharp features, the tendrils of the braid curling at the ends like snake’s fangs. The design was meant to evoke fear. To show that beneath your beauty was a creature that could and would strike. The Capitol admired you, but they feared you too.

As the chariot lurched forward, your eyes scanned the crowd—thousands of faces staring back at you, each person either adoring or shocked. The screams, cheers, and jeers mixed into a cacophony that only heightened the tension in the air. It was a celebration of blood, and your life was the prize. But you didn’t need their approval. You didn’t need their affection. You were here to survive—nothing more, nothing less. You forced your cold eyes forward, staring at the person that continued to ruin your life, over and over again.

Snow.

He gazed down at you with a lukewarm smile, one to say, 'welcome back, Snake.' You simply glared back, fighting the snarl that threatened to develop on your lip.

As the chariot rolled forward, you could feel Reid’s nervous energy beside you. His hands gripped the edge of the chariot so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his broad shoulders stiff as though he were bracing for an attack. His unease was palpable, and while you could sympathize with it, you didn’t have time to coddle him. This wasn’t his first Games; he should know better than to show fear in front of the Capitol. Weakness was blood in the water, and the Capitol’s sharks would circle the moment they saw it. It would draw attention to the two of you, something you didn't need more than you already had.

“Relax,” you muttered, your voice low enough that only he could hear. Your eyes remained fixed on the glittering horizon, refusing to meet his. “You look like you’re about to jump out of the chariot.”

Reid’s head snapped toward you, his expression a mix of surprise and embarrassment. “I’m fine,” he said, though the strain in his voice betrayed him.

“Sure you are,” you replied dryly. “Just remember, they’re not cheering for you. They’re cheering for the show. Don’t give them a reason to think you’re the opening act.”

Your words cut sharper than intended, but it was necessary. Reid needed to toughen up, and fast. This was no place for soft hearts or shaky hands.

The chariot came to a halt in front of President Snow’s viewing platform, and the crowd’s roar reached a deafening crescendo. Snow himself stood like a vulture on his perch, his thin smile radiating smug satisfaction. His presence was suffocating, a reminder that every move you made was under his watchful eye. You held your head high, refusing to let him see the disgust simmering beneath your carefully constructed mask. If he wanted a performance, you would give him one.

You stared at the other Victors. You knew who they were, of course, since you'd been paraded around with them before. The most notable ones were the ones from the Career districts -- and District 12. You saw Cashmere and Gloss looking disgustingly gleeful. They were District 1 Careers, always loving the attention they were getting and the idea of getting to put up a fight. Brutus and Enobaria, District 2, were the same way.

Your eyes lingered on the Careers for a moment longer, taking in their smugness, their overconfidence. Cashmere’s sharp laughter cut through the murmur of conversation, a high, shrill sound that grated on your nerves. She and Gloss stood close together, their matching golden armor glinting under the Capitol’s harsh lights. Their every move screamed superiority, a reminder that they had been bred for this, groomed for the arena like thoroughbred horses. You didn’t doubt their skill, but you also didn’t fear them. They were predictable, and predictability was a weakness.

Your gaze swept past them to Brutus and Enobaria, whose confidence bordered on feral excitement. Brutus’s bulk made him look more like a battering ram than a man, and Enobaria’s predatory grin, with her infamous sharpened teeth, was a haunting sight. They thrived in the chaos, their bloodlust an edge that couldn’t be underestimated.

But it wasn’t just the Careers you had to worry about. Your eyes flicked to Beetee and Wiress, District 3’s champions. The Capitol often overlooked them, mistaking their quiet demeanor for weakness, but you knew better. Their minds were their greatest weapons, and they could turn the arena itself into a deathtrap.

Then, blurring out the other Districts, there was District 12.

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark stood together, the Capitol’s golden pair, their unity a sharp contrast to the division around them. Katniss’s stormy eyes locked with yours for a fleeting moment, and you could see the fire smoldering behind them. She didn’t trust you—good. Trust was a luxury none of you could afford. Peeta, on the other hand, exuded a calm that was almost disarming. Almost.

And then there was Finnick.

He sat casually in his chariot, his trident resting at his side, but there was nothing casual about the way his eyes roamed the area, sharp and calculating. His sea-green outfit, designed to evoke the beauty of District 4’s oceans, only served to heighten his allure. Beside him, Mags sat with quiet dignity, her frail form a stark contrast to his vibrant presence. Yet, there was strength in her weathered gaze—a reminder of the resilience that had carried her through her own Games decades ago. The Capitol adored Finnick, just as they adored you, but his charm was a weapon, honed and deadly, and Mags was his anchor, her mere presence a testament to the bond between them and the wisdom she carried into the arena.

His gaze caught yours, and for a moment, the world seemed to still. His lips curved into a faint smile—not the easy, flirtatious grin he reserved for the Capitol’s audience, but something quieter, more genuine. It was unsettling, that smile, because it felt like he saw through you, saw the armor you’d worked so hard to construct.

You broke the connection first, turning your attention back to Reid, who was fidgeting nervously at your side.

“Stop moving,” you muttered under your breath. “You’re drawing attention.”

“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice low and apologetic.

You sighed, the weight of his unexpected inexperience pressing down on you. If he didn’t toughen up soon, he would make you look foolish too. He didn't act like a Victor. And the rest did.

Snow’s voice crackled over the speakers, his tone smooth and syrupy as he addressed the gathered victors. “What a spectacular display,” he said, his words dripping with false sincerity. “You are all reminders of the strength and resilience of Panem. May the odds be ever in your favor.”

The room fell silent as the announcement ended, the weight of his words settling over you like a shroud.

Reid leaned closer, his voice barely audible. “What now?”

You glanced at him, your expression hardening. “Now?” you said, your voice cold. “Now we wait. And when the time comes, we fight.”

Finnick’s laughter rang out suddenly, drawing your attention. He was talking to another Victor, his posture relaxed, but his eyes flicked to you for the briefest moment. There was something in his gaze—challenge, curiosity, maybe even understanding.

You turned away, refusing to engage. Whatever Finnick Odair was playing at, you had no intention of getting caught in his game.

As the outro anthem of Panem played, you felt a shift in the atmosphere. Your gaze flickered to the chariot beside yours, where Finnick Odair stood, resplendent in a sea-green ensemble that glittered like sunlight on the ocean. His golden hair caught the Capitol lights, making him look every bit the god they believed him to be. But his expression wasn’t one of triumph—it was of quiet defiance, a subtle rebellion that only those who knew the arena could recognize.

When the anthem ended, the victors were led to the holding area behind the parade route. The Capitol’s cheers faded into a low hum as you stepped off the chariot, your gown shimmering with each calculated movement. Reid stayed close to you, his presence a reminder of the responsibility you didn’t ask for but couldn’t ignore. Capitol stylists swarmed you both, fussing over stray folds and imagined imperfections. You barely acknowledged them, your focus already narrowing on the other tributes gathering nearby.

"Reid," you muttered under your breath, your tone sharp but quiet enough to keep Capitol ears from catching it. "Stand tall, and stop looking like you're about to bolt."

He straightened, though his hands still twitched at his sides. You suppressed a sigh.

Before you could step further into the mingling chaos of tributes and Capitol elites, a voice laced with sugar-coated steel sliced through the noise.

“Well, if it isn’t the darling of District 7. You’re just as intimidating as they say.”

You turned to see Cashmere gliding toward you, her golden locks framing her face like a halo, though the icy gleam in her eyes was anything but angelic. Her gown shimmered like molten gold, every inch of her radiating Capitol-perfect elegance. But there was no mistaking the predator behind the polished façade.

“Cashmere,” you greeted, keeping your tone neutral, even bored. “You flatter me.”

“Oh, it’s not flattery,” she replied, her smile sharp enough to cut. “It’s admiration. You play your part so well. Cold, dangerous, untouchable—it’s a wonder the Capitol isn’t already throwing parades in your honor.”

Reid shifted uncomfortably beside you, his unease a palpable presence. Cashmere’s gaze flicked to him briefly, her smirk widening as if she found his nervousness amusing.

“Who’s your little shadow?” she asked, her voice dripping with condescension. “Does he speak, or is he just here to look pretty?”

Reid’s jaw clenched, but before he could stammer a response, you stepped in.

“He’s my district partner,” you said coolly. “Focus on yours.”

Cashmere arched an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the tension. “Protective, are we? How sweet. Though I can’t imagine there’s much point. If he’s anything like my dear Gloss’s partners, he won’t last long.”

You took a deliberate step closer, your gaze locking with hers, sharp and unyielding. “And yet, here you are, wasting your time on him—and me. Be careful.”

Her smile faltered for the briefest moment, the crack in her composure almost imperceptible. But then she laughed, a light, airy sound that somehow felt more menacing than genuine.

“Always the sharp tongue,” she said, tilting her head. “I suppose it’s what keeps you alive. Just remember, darling—words can only cut so deep. Out there, it’s the blade that matters.”

“Thanks for the advice,” you replied, your tone as biting as hers. “I’ll be sure to remember it when the time comes.”

Cashmere’s eyes narrowed slightly, the playful mask slipping just enough to reveal the steely determination beneath. “Do that,” she said, her voice a whisper of warning. “I’ll be watching.”

With that, she turned and strode away, her golden gown catching the light with every step.

Reid let out a breath he seemed to have been holding, his voice low. “What was that about?”

“Don't worry about it,” you muttered, watching her retreating form. “Everyone’s playing their own game. Hers just happens to be gilded in gold.”

The energy in the Capitol’s holding area was electric, each victor carefully eyeing the others, feeling the tension rise with every passing second. The air was thick with power and the weight of what was to come—the 3rd Quarter Quell was unlike any other, a twisted reminder of the Capitol’s dominance, and each victor knew they were not only fighting for their lives but for their dignity as well.

Reid stood close, his nerves still apparent, his eyes darting from one tribute to the next. You could feel his discomfort radiating from him, and though you didn’t have time to indulge him, you found yourself slightly irritated by it. This was supposed to be a place for cold calculation, not weakness.

“Take a breath,” you muttered again, your eyes scanning the crowd of tributes. “You’re making us stand out.”

“I—sorry, I can’t help it,” Reid replied, the sincerity in his voice mixed with frustration. “This place... It’s too much. I never imagined I’d be back here, much less be facing them again.”

You took a deep breath, letting the noise of the Capitol’s elites wash over you. It was a dull hum compared to the chaos of the arena, but the stakes here were just as high. You weren’t just a Victor anymore; you were the prey.

“I get it,” you said, your voice colder than before, but not unkind. “But you need to act like one of them. We’re not here for anything other than survival. And in case you haven’t realized, that means playing their game better than they do. Don't let them think you're weak, even if you think you are.”

Reid nodded, his jaw set in determination, though the unease still flickered in his eyes. You didn’t think he’d ever truly understand. His idealism would be his downfall, you could already see it. The Capitol’s games had broken you, stripped away your humanity, and in the end, it had made you stronger. You knew better than anyone that to survive in this world, you had to be willing to kill what remained of your soul.

As the seconds ticked by, the other tributes continued to mingle—some more comfortable than others. A few whispered amongst themselves, their eyes darting in calculated glances, while others stood proudly, basking in their newly cemented fame. You didn’t join them. You had no need to.

A moment later, a voice rang out in the distance, one that cut through the tension in the air like a blade—soft, melodic, but with an undeniable edge.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the infamous Snake of Seven.”

You didn’t need to turn to know who it was. His voice was unmistakable, like the sea itself, deep and quiet but filled with a hidden strength. Finnick Odair.

You met his gaze, not surprised to see him standing at the edge of the crowd, his trident at his side, the shimmering blue of his outfit contrasting with his golden hair. His green eyes gleamed, mischievous yet sharp. His dimpled smirk only deepened when he noticed the way you studied him—cold, calculating, as always.

“Finnick,” you replied coolly, your voice betraying no emotion, even as your insides clenched. “I didn’t realize the Capitol was still fascinated by my name. I thought they’d moved on to the next little toy.”

His smirk only deepened, his eyes never leaving yours. “Oh, they’ll never tire of you,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, almost like a whispered secret meant only for you. “Not with your reputation. It’s not every day that the Snake of Seven steps into the arena, is it?”

You raised an eyebrow. “You sound almost impressed.”

“Well, who wouldn’t be?” Finnick’s tone was casual, but there was an edge to it that made the words feel like a challenge. “The odds of you making it this far... I’m curious how you’ve done it.”

You could feel the weight of his words, the curiosity in them. There was something in his gaze that felt like he wasn’t just talking about the Games anymore. His eyes raked over you, not in the way the Capitol admired his victors, but like he was trying to peel away the layers and understand the person standing in front of him.

“Survival,” you answered simply. “It’s not as hard as people make it out to be. If you’ve got the right instincts, the right drive, you can make it through anything.”

“And you’ve got both,” he said, his voice quiet but unmistakably admiring. “I can see it. But I think there’s more to you than that. More than just the survivor everyone sees.”

You didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response, just holding his gaze as the crowd around you continued to buzz with their typical Capitol energy. There was something about the way he looked at you, though. Like he wasn’t just sizing you up as a potential ally or foe, but like he was seeing through to something deeper. And it unsettled you.

“You’re not one to mince words, are you?” you asked, your voice sharp, trying to redirect the conversation, but you could feel the pull of it all the same.

“Why bother?” Finnick’s expression softened just the slightest bit, his eyes glinting in a way that made you wonder if there was something he wasn’t saying. “This game’s already full of lies. We don’t need to add to it.”

You leaned in slightly, lowering your voice. “And what would you suggest, Finnick? That we just lay it all bare? Is that what you think is needed to win this?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Maybe. Or maybe the truth is the only thing we’ve got left.”

The words hung between you, a quiet tension settling in. His gaze didn’t waver, but something in his stance softened, almost imperceptibly. For a moment, you saw past the Capitol’s golden boy, the victor who had charmed his way into the hearts of millions. You saw the man who had fought in the arena, who had survived the same twisted game that you were now part of. And for a fleeting second, there was a vulnerability in his eyes, something raw and unspoken.

“You know the game better than anyone,” you said quietly, your tone softer now, the challenge gone. “But we’re not all playing by the same rules, Finnick. I don’t think you understand that.”

His smile faded slightly, and he tilted his head. “Oh, I understand more than you think. But you’re right. Not everyone is playing by the same rules. And that’s why I’m curious about you.”

You didn’t respond immediately, the weight of his words sinking in. There was something in the way he said it that made you feel like a puzzle he was dying to solve. But you wouldn’t make it easy for him.

“Curious about me?” you repeated, stepping closer to him, your voice low but firm. “Why? Because I’m a challenge? Or because I’m something you can’t control?”

He didn’t flinch, didn’t back down. If anything, he took a small step forward, closing the gap between you. “I don’t want to control you,” he said, his voice steady. “I want to understand you.”

The words were simple, but they carried an undertone of something that felt more intimate than anything you’d heard in a long time. His eyes searched yours, the playful mischief replaced with something darker, something more serious.

You almost faltered. Almost.

"Then understand this," You lean in, boring your eyes into his. "When you lean into the face of a snake, it sinks it's teeth in."

Finnick’s eyes gleamed, a flicker of admiration dancing in the depths of his gaze. His smirk only deepened as you leaned in, the challenge clear in your words and your posture. He didn’t flinch, didn’t back down—if anything, the tension between you only seemed to grow.

He paused, taking a slow breath before responding, his voice low and even, carrying a hint of something darker beneath the surface.

“Well, I’ve always been a fan of a good bite,” Finnick said, his tone smooth, but there was an edge to it now, like the words themselves were an invitation, a dare. He stepped just a fraction closer, narrowing the distance between you with a kind of quiet, deliberate confidence. “But don’t mistake my curiosity for weakness. If you sink your teeth in, be sure you’re ready for what comes after.”

His eyes never left yours as he said it, the unspoken challenge hanging heavy in the air, and for a moment, you could almost feel the pulse of something dangerous, something thrilling, between the two of you. Finnick Odair wasn’t afraid of a fight. But neither were you.

Finnick’s gaze lingered on you a moment longer, his lips curving into a more playful smirk as he took another slow step back. But the mischievous glint in his eyes told you that he wasn’t done with you yet.

“I have to admit,” he said, his tone lighter now, but no less charged. “You’ve got grit that I wasn’t expecting. Most people would’ve backed down by now, but not you. No, you’re… interesting.”

He took another step, the air around you thick with an undeniable pull. “You know, I like a good challenge. But you,” Finnick continued, his voice dropping an octave, “you’re something different. Something… unpredictable.”

He leaned in just slightly, his breath a faint whisper against your ear. “I’ll admit, I’m curious to see what else you’re capable of.”

You glare at him as he leans away.

"Curiosity killed the cat, now didn't it?"

Finnick’s grin only widened at your sharp retort, the gleam in his eyes turning into something almost predatory. He didn’t seem offended—if anything, your challenge made him more interested.

"Maybe," he mused, his voice soft, playful, but still with that underlying edge. "But I’ve never been one to shy away from danger. And I’m not the type to get caught in a trap either." He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the game between you two.

He tilted his head, studying you for a moment, his green eyes flickering with amusement. “You’re quick with your words, but I have a feeling you’re not just all talk.”

His gaze traveled from your eyes to your lips, lingering just long enough for it to be obvious, before returning to your gaze, the tension between you thick enough to slice. “Tell me, what else do you have up your sleeve, hmm? Because I’m starting to think you’re not just some venomous snake. There’s something else there… something more.”

He stepped closer again, close enough that you could feel the heat of his body, but not quite enough to touch. The space between you seemed to shrink with each word, with each look, and it was becoming increasingly clear that Finnick wasn’t just teasing anymore. He was genuinely intrigued.

"You’re right," he continued, his voice dropping lower. "Curiosity might’ve killed the cat, but satisfaction, well, that’s what makes it all worth it, don’t you think?" He let the words hang in the air between you, daring you to respond, to challenge him once more.

Finnick was getting closer to you now, but there was no rush in his movement—he was taking his time, savoring the moment. The air between you felt charged, a magnetism that was impossible to ignore.

“Just remember,” he added softly, his lips yet again dangerously close to your ear, “you started this game. And I’m not the type to lose."

With that, Finnick Odair strode away, looking over his shoulder to give you one last dimpled smile.

[fancyfeathers]

Hope you don't mind me asking but could we maybe get some more on Bruce and his darling? Like how it was for her to adjust to the Capitol especially since she was the first!

I love this au so much and everything you've written for it so far is amazing!!

Yandere!Batfam Hunger Games AU

So, in this AU Martha and Thomas never were killed, they were game makers from a wealthy and well-known family in the Capitol. His darling was in the games, some girl from District Five around his age. He remembers watching the reaping with his parents and his mother made the joke that maybe if she won then she would make a suitable wife for their son one day, after all she a polite little girl, her hair all done in pigtails and her little purple dress that the girl's mother had dressed her in. Bruce is probably in his last year at The Academy, so he does need to start thinking about his future which includes who he will marry. The Capitol girls are cruel, especially ones he attends classes with, he certainly would not someone like that to be the mother of his children, but a shy girl from District Five who hides behind the boy from her district.

He becomes enamored with her when his parents bring him to the tributes' ranking and she looks absolutely terrified as the game makers stare her down. She is not a good fighter, but she is quick, climbing up the nets and onto the scaffolding on the ceiling, quick like a squirrel, she is not deadly, but she is able to get out the way quickly. Her skills earned her a six, right in the middle, she was not a threat. But the way he looked at her as she hung from the ceiling, he found himself enamored with her.

His darling's games were brutal, she only survived because of her district partner protecting her and killing himself in the end. She was not a Capitol favorite, so she had no sponsors, but Thomas did send mutts to kill the District One boy who had cornered her when she was alone, just a little nudge in the right direction. At the end of the games, she is bloody and bruised, spending a few days getting patched up and made to look all pretty again, but after all that her fate is revealed to her, she is engaged to some game makers' son and she is going to stay with their family until he is done with university and then they are going to get married.

They spend years in each other's company until they get married and while she cannot stand him, he is better than the alternative that has been presented to her, what happened to Finnick or Cashmere in the books. He is kind to her and she does get a semblance of her own autonomy, she is not followed around by guards or cameras all the time, she is withdrawn from most of the Capitol and her fans, she gets to choose her own clothing. Though she can never leave her fiancé without consequences.

But after the wedding, she is the center of attention since Bruce is taking over his parents' jobs as game makers and she is his wife who was a victor in the games. So whenever he gets interviewed about the games, she is always sitting right by his side, all dressed up, no longer having anymore choices over her life. He takes her to all the expensive parties he has so go to, seeing all the people living in excess, the food, the clothes, the drinks, the music, it is all too much for her. There have been times where she had to excuse herself from parties, begging Bruce to take her home because she cannot stand another person who looks like some freak with their insane makeup and clothes asking her about her games, which she still has nightmares about.

After a number of years of dealing with the Capitol, she just stops, she gets a distant look in her eyes as she sits in the arm chair in the corner of her husband's office, staring out the window as he works. She rarely talks and it is a struggle to get her to eat, public appearances are off the table for her now given her current behavior. She just breaks, completely shuts down, not even being able to be a mentor for the games any longer because if she sees another kid die she might as well kill herself.

[raspberryslxt]

Can you please do Katniss being a bitch to everyone but the reader please (this would make me fucking feral)

————————————————————————

Katniss headcanon

info: katniss x reader( i decided to make it female, bc I love idea of Katniss being bi)

warnings: mentions of blood, slightly sugestive content

————————————————————————

you and Katniss knew eachother since you were children

you both always had a soft spot for eachother but as a kids u didn’t know what love was

she always was protecting you from boys when u two went to school, you always were a pretty girl so it’s nothing new that u got a lot of attention

at the school she got a bitch reputation, but it was fine because it was for you

when u both were at the age of 13 your mum was diagnosed with breast cancer, Katniss was always there for you making sure u feel good and that u get a lot of rest

she tried to make sure you were happy even when you were going through such a rough time

at the age of 14 your mum died, you didn’t had a father do the only option was foster care

they decided to move you into disctrict 6, katniss even fought a guard when they were taking u there

there was no way someone would try to take her girl away from her

you watched katniss get tinged by a paralisator, but she didn’t even scream, she told u she will find you one day

you lived your life in district 6, it was different, but it wasn’t better because katniss wasn’t there

at 74th Hunger Games you could choosen to participate, you knew you wouldn’t survive , you were a lot of things but not a fighter

at the capitol you weren’t even trying to train, you stayed in the shadow of your district partner and hoped that at leat your ladt days will be calm

that was before the presentation, when u saw her, on flames, she beautifull, she always had been

something in you made u believe that there was a reason why you were choosen, now you know why. her.

after a presentation u saw her arguing with Peeta

the boy really tried to work with her but she was clearly not interested

the moment you both made an eye contact you knew everything will be fine, the moment she realised it’s you she runned up to you and kissed u with passion

you twospent whole night enjoying each other presence, talking, watching and even something more

she told u about all the time u two were apart, how her sister got choosen but she volunteer

you knew she was a warior, always have been

she promised to keep u safe and to teach you how to shot a bow

you tought for a little while that maybe there is a slight chance you two would survive

at the gala you tried to present yourself as good as you could, you only earned 7 points, but it wad still more than expected

you and katniss both made good apparance

everyone was watching now Peetas interview, that’s when Katniss went feral

you knew everything what Peeta said was a lie, she wouldn’t have played you

you saw Katniss beat the shit out of him in a hallway and also slapping her mentor

after that you two went to her room to spent last hours before the game togather

she told u it would be fine, but you deep down knew that it’s not true.

[bagelofhope]

Unnecessarily long thllda theories/predictions/analysis post

Hi! Very normal hundred line fan here :)

I’ve always wanted to make a predictions kind of post and I also just wanna yap about my thoughts on the game so far. I’ve been lurking on hndr tumblr + twt and have consumed a LOT of promo content. So I’m gonna dump my thoughts here before some promo trailer debunks all my theories! Be warned: this is gonna be long and unorganized, and i dont plan on proofreading it. Also, spoilers since im gonna use promo media from beyond the demo.

What happens for the next few days after Day 7

I’ve seen several images showing members from the current group talking about not having/looking for food. Im 99% sure the current group is gonna face a hunger situation (like in SDR2) but this time, the food is being gatekept by a fellow member-

I def think Hiruko is gonna set up some scheme to push the non-fighters to join the fight—even if it’s something like breaking the Ration-o-matic with her axe– to force the non-fighters to look for food. Since she’s been fighting invaders even before the entrance exam and seems a lot more war-focused than others, I think removing the group’s only food source wouldn’t be too far off for her. In the demo, she even said she didn’t think too hard about her situation in the TRC or the consequences of not fully understanding the war— the stance opposite of Eito in the demo. Or maybe it’s because she knows more? But anyway, this hunger sitch could in turn motivate Takumi to convince the non-fighters to join through a Shot Through the Heart-like minigame.

In this lets play, seeing that there's only 2 non-fighters who joined, maybe the player is only able to convince up to 2 non-fighters to join in the limited free time? The choice of who to recruit could also be one of the things that leads to different endings, which brings me to:

The Choice System - Are there really 100 endings?

I believe the multiple endings thing is more Uchikoshi’s lane. However other than Hndr, I really only know Danganronpa so I’m mostly using my imagination here. Luckily while I was writing this, we got an interview with Uchikoshi in the hundred line blogs ^^ It clarifies a bunch of things about the 100 endings so if you are still in doubt about that, I recommend reading it!

Just as the blog says, I do genuinely believe there will be 100 endings with different kinds of genres and storylines. The game probably has enough characters and mysteries to expand the game to that extent. My main worry though, is that once players get up to something like 30 endings, trying to finish the game might start to feel tedious. Was Hundred Line's story really worth expanding in 100 different ways, rather than focusing on creating fewer, but consistently dense stories?

If Hundred Line had, say, 50 endings, that number would still be impressive—and each one would probably feel more fleshed-out and memorable. But how well each ending holds up really comes down to the other 9 writers (who we don’t really know much about).

I’m keeping my hopes up, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if half the endings end up being a lot less interesting than the other half. Here’s a very rough representation of how I envision the choice/routes flowchart:

I remember reading somewhere (twitter maybe) Kodaka saying that players can go for routes where they can finish the game the fastest– so I do think some routes/endings are shorter than others. Having some shorter routes also makes 100 endings a bit easier to accomplish!

In the demo, we got to see a glimpse of the choice mechanic (I think it doesn’t actually count as 1 of the 100 endings though). Based on this, I think there will be certain “events” occurring throughout the game that ask the player to choose between 2 options. For example, the player needs to choose either to: try to save everyone or decide who to kill off (kinda like YTTD). There would be several routes with the same events but as the player’s choices stray further away from the “true” route, the routes branch off to new crazier routes. I do wonder if it’ll be clear which one is the “True route”, or if Kodaka/Uchikoshi will reveal it outside the game. The in-game flowchart, which I think will appear when we make the first “event choice”, is gonna be really helpful in showing all the different crazy route branches. To summarize, I think the endings will vary depending on:

Who you recruit

How many die permanently

Who and how many times someone dies in battle but gets hemoanima-revived

Who and how many times someone does the final blow

Random 2-option choices in important events (like in the demo)

Types of endings:

20 bad-ish endings that end before Day 50.

20 bad-ish endings that end before Day 80.

20 bad endings that reach Day 100 where only Takumi and 1 other character survive.

15 good endings that reach Day 100 where the majority of people survive.

15 good-ish endings that reach Day 100 where 3-5 people survive.

1 bad ending where only Takumi survives

1 good ending where everyone survives (true ending?)

The rest are bad endings where no one survives

There will probably be more to it– like gameplay mechanics that haven’t been revealed yet that also affect the endings.

More on that part where someone gets revived:

Hemoanima is def some double-edged sword. I’d say it’s like a representation of “power”, seeing that war is the game’s theme. In fact, I’m very interested to see how far the game goes in showing the nuances of war conflicts, the tragedy of losing members, complex relationships– all that good stuff! Hemoanima raises your power, but in turn, it can turn people insane, power-hungry, or even–

yeah this game is gonna be fucked up.

What made me like Danganronpa (despite its many flaws) was seeing how interesting characters deal with absurd out-of-the-ordinary scenarios. Maybe a beloved Chiaki-like character (im looking at you Nozomi) dies and almost everyone turns into despair-filled zombies. Or maybe they find *hope* and get through the rest of the 100 days together with the power of friendship! EIther way, I’m very excited to see these kinds of arcs in the game.

Something else I’m excited to see is:

In Joey’s interview, Kodaka mentions *gasp* that the story splits later on! This could just be referring to a different major plot event but my crazy theory is that Nozomi is our 2nd protagonist and the player will get the choice to play as Takumi or her. If 1 of them dies, we will be locked to the other protag. I’m not exactly sure how this 2-protags thing would work but if this is true, then the endings will be much more interesting!

Having Nozomi as the 2nd protag could also explain… this:

This is the rating summary from esrb. Maybe the term “players’ character” was used since Nozomi being the 2nd protag would be a spoiler. (Having a 2nd protag probably adds a whole new layer to my theories but I’ll just refer to Takumi as the sole protag for now)

Day 28 - The 2nd-To-Last Defense Academy Students

Oop, totally forgot to talk about this. So it’s been sorta leaked that Day 28 is when the other students meet up with us.

I’m guessing we meet up during battle where the gang is “saved” by them. Maybe there’s 5 waves and we get to play one person from the 2nd group each wave, introducing us to each new student one at a time? Meeting new characters 20+ days in would be pretty exciting! Again, Nozomi being the leader of this group kinda reminds me of Chiaki being class rep in the anime.

Is Nozomi Karua?

I’m gonna say, not really. My biggest theory is that we’re dealing with an Alternate Parallel Universes thing (Spiderman comes to mind), not a VR sim or amnesia thing or whatever. In all universes, the war is somehow inevitable and the gang is brought to this one universe that keeps the one thing that keeps all universes intact (hidden in the secret room). So Nozomi would be like a parallel version of Karua, who was chosen by Sirei. Maybe there’s some dialogue where Nozomi reveals she had a childhood bestie who died early (like Takumi)? Then without someone to “protect” her, she learned to protect herself and became war-ready. 

About her mom being a researcher, like many people I’m sure this isn’t just a random cool fact. I think both her parents were/are involved in the war and knew about it. Theory: Being a researcher, her mom found a way to avoid hemoanima from “corrupting” her daughter. In turn, Nozomi got sickly and doesn’t have hemoanima-compatible blood. Hence, the blue light things in her transformation instead of a blood tornado? Nozomi’s part in the story is one of the most interesting mysteries so far, and I would love to see her perspective as a protag!

Why did Sirei choose the gang?

Shouma mentioned something very interesting about his entrance exam.

(Couldnt find the clip, but heres a snippet from the wiki)

He was too scared to fight so Sirei stabbed him himself to activate the hemoanima. Veeery interesting that the students don't have to stab themselves to activate it, but Sirei encourages them to do so anyway. I think this– plus how Sirei pushes for them to fight before giving more info– plus foreshadowing from Eito who wants to know more about the sitch– all leads to my theory that Sirei wants the students to feel that responsibility. Heard of the phrase, “Once you’ve killed someone, there’s no turning back?” In this case, it would be “Once your blood gets hemoanima-corrupted, there’s no going back to the way you were before.” Stabbing yourself with the hemoanima infuser means taking responsibility for the deaths you’ll cause. Or something. I’m also guessing that Sirei chose characters from very specific universes. Because of the Shouma thing, I’m guessing he already had people in mind to recruit but he also had to choose which one is the “best” version for war. This could make for such an interesting pre-LDA story for each character! The Takumi chosen was the one who was so motivated to protect his friend that he would stab himself. The Hiruko chosen was the one who already had practice fighting the invaders. The Darumi chosen was the one who was so discontent with her life she would pounce at an opportunity to be in a killing game. Perhaps the entrance exam was done on several versions of themselves, though only 1 had succeeded in all universes? (Though I doubt that’s true for someone like Hiruko) As to why Sirei recruited a bunch of mostly battle-inexperienced highschoolers, I don’t really have a theory for. 

Who’re the invaders?

I don’t know about the small weaker invaders, but I’m pretty sure that the enemy commanders are *corrupted* former humans who can no longer communicate properly. The only thing that keeps them alive is their hemoanima-infected blood and a decaying husk of flesh. They probably have little to no human blood left in their system, leaving them power-fueled zombies.

And yes, I think every student has at least one route where they get corrupted at some point (including Takumi!).

I have 2 theories for this very cute Moko and Nozomi CG. One, it happens right after the Day 28 battle where Moko gets seriously injured after helping rescue the 1st group. Two, it happens after she gets corrupted by hemoanima at some route, then gets “decorrupted?” somehow and turns back human. Either way, I’m sure I’m gonna enjoy their scenes together even though I doubt actual yuri will happen. Speaking of…

That Aotsumi/Takueito CG

Sorry but I really doubt there’s gonna be any wholesome cute yaoi (or any good canon LGBT rep) in a game co-written by Kodaka (Idk abt Uchikoshi or the other writers tho). In this route, I do think that both Eito and Takumi have gone through a lot of “bad choice” event branches here. Eito ends up insane while Takumi ends up lifeless. There’s been many theories but here’s my thoughts– If this was Takumi missing a dead Eito where the Eito here is a dream/hallucination, then I don’t think Eito would be shown looking crazy and nude. Usually when it comes to remembering dead well-liked characters, the protag would be thinking of a cute memory or imagining them talking reminiscently beside them. Like that ending scene in the anime with Hajime and Chiaki or ghost Kaede playing Clair de Lune. I also don’t think it’s like a sudden one-sided Eito thing where he forces himself on Takumi since Takumi doesn't seem fazed. Plus he's also naked. I think they’re both messed in the head here. But honestly, I will happily take any queerbait crumbs I can get. (I’m already too far gone in the takueito and nozomoko train)

Might just be the soft takueito truther in me but I also think Eito isn’t gonna be as crazy as people are making him out to be. I think every student will go insane at some point- though I’m sure each one will also have some likable traits— especially since we get to explore more of their backstories and actually see their potential realized, unlike ⅓ of the Danganronpa cast tbh. A cast full of big personalities would probably be better handled in a game like Hundred line, where each character gets a chance to be connected to the main story. Speaking of potential…

I’m proud to say I’ve invested in IMACOIN✨

There’s a really disturbing scene from the jp hndr twitter account and this Kodaka tweet–

– that’s really testing the imacoin stocks but here’s my 2 cents (imacents?):

In the demo, it’s implied that the twins had a rough childhood. Since Ima has the “Special Misconduct” skill while Kako has “Special Good Conduct,” I’m guessing Ima had to do a lot of shady crafty things to support them growing up. He developed a need to protect her innocence because of all the shit he went through as a kid, which led to– lets call it– his “possessiveness” over her. BUT his motivation to keep doing that kinda stuff to keep them afloat is born out of both love and resentment for her. She became his reason to live– and his reason to keep suffering, never putting himself before her safety, always putting himself in front of her. One thing that I hope isn’t true is the very blatant suggestive implications of actual incest happening. Never been a fan of incest plots in Danganronpa. My very optimistic theory (and the one that’s fueling my imacoin investment) is that Ima is blatantly acting overprotective of his sis to not let anyone come anywhere close to harming her. He is self-aware and being very suggestive on purpose so that people are weirded out and don’t try anything. Kinda like acting as if “she’s mine” even though that’s not how he actually feels about Kako. Still weird for Ima but that’s the most non-toxic dynamic I’ve thought of so far. I’ll just say that I’m looking forward to seeing his Ima redemption arc when Kako gets the guts to do her own thing (or when Kako dies). Invest in Imacoin! (or don’t, totally reasonable if you don’t)

So! I’ve covered most of my main theories! Here’s some more about some random CGs we’ve seen.

The gang eats a nice big meal together after finding food following their first battles. (Notice Hiruko isn't here)

Kurara punching Gaku team rocket-style after he tries to touch her tomato head

Takemaru and Shouma training arc after mecha-Shouma impresses him

Thanks for reading! There definitely isn’t enough context to guess the whole game but it was fun to gather my thoughts like this ^^ I wanna do an “endings im hoping for” kinda post next!

[kitkat13001]

ִ ࣪𖤐 𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚐

˚₊��꒰ა ♱ 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚞𝚎 - 𝟷

[ a my hero academia hunger games au ]

>> masterlist

>> brief mentions of violence, murder etc

i remember the first time i saw katsuki bakugou on the television. 

the only other tributes who had been picked were those of district one. they were both promising, the girl tall and lithe, and the boy strong and sturdy. but when the cameras switched to district two, he was the one who caught my eye. 

everyone’s eyes, i think. he was only fifteen, but he was tall and he looked strong. more than that, he looked fierce. 

he stomped up to the stage to take the place of the boy who had been called previously, izuku something. he was a small, freckled boy, yelling “kacchan!” over and over as bakugou took the stage without sparing him a glance. 

fifteen is young to volunteer, even in district two. but his fierce red eyes stared directly into the camera—at me and the thousands of other citizens watching—as if to say don’t you dare count me out.

i sat at home, watching the games before the games unfold. i was fifteen then too, clutching on to maxine’s hands as we watched everything. 

the tribute parade, the training scores, the interviews, everything. 

his angle was clear from the beginning: he was a fighter. he answered all of present mic’s questions in a short, clipped tone. his responses were always straightforward and blunt, never elaborating on anything longer than necessary. 

he’d scored a solid ten in training, and while it was impressive for sure, it was no surprise. 

once the games started, it was no surprise that he won, either. 

i also remember the first time i saw eijirou kirishima on television. he wasn’t truly remarkable at the beginning—built broad and sturdy like most of the tree-choppers in seven, with long black hair pulled back save for bangs hanging in his redwood eyes.

it wasn’t until his stylist got ahold of him that people began to take notice of him. they’d dyed his hair bright red and spiked it up into horns, like the branches of a great tree. at the tribute parade, he rode tall and strong, projecting the image of some fae forest king. nature fashion was all the buzz in the capitol that year.

he ended up scoring a nine in training, incredible for someone in an outlying district. a nine from a non-career district is practically a career’s ten. he was a fierce fighter too, strong and brave all throughout. he never went looking for a fight, but when one came his way he would obliterate whoever was in his path.

it was a compelling games to watch that year, but somewhat heartbreaking. kirishima was a just person, and a close ally of his was brutally murdered towards the end. it was the twisted motivation he had needed to go over the edge and win it for good. 

those two games, back to back, were the most recent—and the most memorable. 

but one of the most vivid things i remember though, better than both of those times—even though i’ve tried hard to forget—was the day i was called in the reaping. 

i remember standing on the pier by the docks where district four gathers for the reaping, watching on the big televisions, the camera crews perched on the buildings, holding tightly to my mother’s and older sister’s hands until we’re forced apart by the peacekeepers who direct me to stand with the rest of the elegible youth. 

we must look like the sardines that are sold in the market, lined up, packed tightly, and wide-eyed. except the sardines are already dead, and two of us here are just awaiting our fates. 

i am eighteen this year, as of the 27th of april. this is the last year i will be eligible for the hunger games. in an hour, i may very well be sitting at home, celebrating as my mother cries tears of relief that both of her children are finally safe from this nightmare called the hunger games. 

my heart is pounding as the sick ceremony commences, as the treaty of treason is read and the history of panem is retold. 

i stare at the glass balls with the names inside. the one on the left is the girls. 

the name anelisa atlacoya is written on seven slips inside. seven slips out of thousands. 

i have never taken out tesserae, on instruction from maxine and my mother. my sister did it a few times, because there was a recession in the fishing industry a few years back and i was still too young to help on the docks and my mother was suffering from the fish flu. but her name was never called and my mother recovered quickly and i took on extra jobs fishing and weaving nets and diving for clams. 

besides, taking out tesserae is fairly uncommon in district four. we are counted as a ‘career’ district, where we are better fed, better trained, poverty less common. some people train to volunteer in the reaping. it’s not as common as in districts one and two, but it still happens on occasion. district four has a strong sense of loyalty and justice and community, and the stronger will sometimes volunteer if someone very young or very weak is called. 

i’m pulled from my thoughts as the escort for the district four tributes announces that the selection is beginning. 

we don’t really believe in the ‘ladies first’ approach like a lot of the other districts, so we alternate every year which tribute is picked first. 

this year, it’s the boys. 

“tenya iida.”

tenya iida. i’ve heard that name before. my head turns in the crowd along with everyone else, searching for this boy who will represent district four this year. 

his face is stony, grim determination in his eyes. i recognize him from around the docks, his family owns a large boat-reparation business. he’s quite tall and broad-shouldered, very strong looking. a contender for sure, no one volunteering to take his place as he marches dutifully up to the stage. 

“and now, for the girls.”

my breath hitches, palms sweating heavily. i wipe them on my shorts but it does little to help. 

time feels frozen, every move taking ten times longer than normal as i watch the announcer reach into the glass ball and pull the name out. the static of the microphone stirs something in my stomach and i’m glad i didn’t eat a heavy lunch. 

i hold my breath as the announcer’s mouth moves to read the name off the slip of paper. 

every girl next to me tenses up, all of us thinking the same thing. 

please don’t be me. 

all of them are right. it’s not them. 

“anelisa atlacoya.”

i freeze. every head in the crowd turns to me and i will myself to take the breath i’d been holding to prevent myself from passing out. 

anelisa. when was the last time someone called me anelisa? my mom probably, years ago if she was really mad. or a teacher, back in school. 

the name is repeated and it clicks now in my brain. that’s me. i will be representing district four in the hunger games this year. 

i steel myself, masking every trace of panic, fear, or the sickness i feel in my stomach as i part the crowd to walk up to the stage. 

i hear a choked sob and i find maxine standing with my mother in the crowd. the sob was my mother. maxine’s eyes are pained and she’s biting her lip so hard i see a trickle of blood. she wants to volunteer, maybe, i see it in her eyes. but she’s twenty, two years past the age of eligibility. 

maxine would have been a contender. she’s taller than me, built more sturdily. stronger. 

but i am eighteen, and i am fit and healthy and fed. i look out past the crowd and i know no one will volunteer. 

“the tributes from district four!”

there’s the obligatory clapping, but the ringing in my ears prevents me from hearing it. 

i stand tall, as tall as i can and i try to keep my face straight. i am being televised to the entirety of panem right now, and i cannot afford to make myself look weak. 

my jaw is clenched so hard i’m afraid it’ll break. i don’t hear a word being said until the escort gestures for us to shake hands. 

i meet tenya’s eyes, stormy and blue like the ocean in a tempest. i pray to poseidon almighty that my hand isn’t shaking when i reach out. tenya’s grip is solid and warm and i feel bad for a second because my palms are sweaty and clammy, but we separate after a firm shake. 

what a strange ritual, i think. we’re wishing each other luck in killing the other, in killing twenty-three other kids to ensure our journey home. 

well, tenya iida, i think. good luck. it seems the odds aren’t quite in our favor. 

[leftistfeminista]

– Speaking of freedom, a topic that all women’s organizations especially highlighted in the last period. What would you like to say about this?

–It’s true, in fact freedom is at the top of the demands of all oppressed class. The patriarchal system is imposed on women from home to workplaces, and when they don’t accept the slavery, they will be “punished” with death. Notice that the women on the streets say, “We want to live.” Previously while the demands for how they wanted to live were highlighted, now they say, “We want a world, where we are not killed!”. The attacks on women are at the highest level. Freedom is the need of all oppressed segments in the imperialist-capitalist system. Freedom is the most fundamental problem of all women in the male-dominated system and its our first demand. Our fight and resistance are already for freedom and for liberation.

We must firstly explain that the women who are punished by all kinds of patriarchal methods are not victims, but the subjects that will destroy this system. In every material of bourgeois media, women shown as a violent “poor”. Without action, thoughts; women are seen as a victimized object that is cursed, beaten, abused and murdered. In fact, the message is clear; You will be thankful all the time, if you cross the line you will be punished with any method listed above!

We have lots of duties at this point. What will be our response to this violence, it’s a must that to go to an organization which will work beyond just seeking rights within the legal boundaries. We are not denying or underestimating this sort of works, but we will not be able to achieve true freedom by staying within these boundaries. We cannot break this violence without using revolutionary violence.

KBDH established with the claim of being a united-military-political organization of women that will organize the violence of women which will target all patriarchal institutions. Its currently true that we are not where we wanted to be and expected from us. However, there are objective conditions to take the women on streets to the illegal struggle which will spread the women’s struggle to the next level. Until now, we have carried out actions targeting the institutions of the patriarchal system, we want to increase these actions.

Women were left defenceless, unarmed, unorganized, with definitions such as “naive”, “peaceful”, “far from fighting” and “beauties”. We don’t accept these beauties, because what is trying to be imposed by them is deepening the slavery. Our only demand is freedom. First, we must create the awareness of freedom. Freedom, comes from organizing. Our call is: “Let’s organize, let’s get armed, lets create the united women’s struggle and be liberated”.

– Finally, what would you like to say…

– We believe we have the power, anger and sacrifice in order to do what we have mentioned, as long as we realize our power. Because while we are being taken to the cremation, we are the witches that who walks towards it with smile, and we dare to put our heads under the guillotine in order to be equal. We are the ones holding the positions on the front in defending the Rojava Revolution. We are the fighters/martyred in the mountains. We are the ones on hunger strikes to break the isolation in prisons. We are the ones who doesn’t leave the streets during the most violent attacks of fascism. Because we are women, we will become more beautiful as we resist and become free as we dare.

[heavensbeehall]

Poll!

if gale got reaped for the hunger games...

discuss.

[gophergal]

Author Commentary - I Know Where to Look (Chapter 1)

Howdy y'all! I just posted the first chapter of my first tf2 fic, and figured that rambling about my thought processes from writing it would be fun. So, enjoy?

Welcome to my first Author Commentary post!

Regardless of if anyone other than my best bud (and partner in word crimes) @cursed—alien read these going forward, I thought it would be fun to explain references and thoughts from the process of fic writing. These are the sort of thing I love to know about my favorite art. I’m a great lover of artist interviews (specifically the ones where the artist in question explains the development of the concept and reasoning for the techniques they use) and an avid reader of author’s notes, so I hope that if anyone reading my fic is like me that they will enjoy this addition to the story.

Formatting

I feel that the most notable thing about this fic is that, despite being rated as explicit, every explicitly sexual scene is under a cut. Why do this instead of just making the scenes fade to black or formatting it in a standard manner? Because, dear reader, I have had the experience of reading explicitly rated fic solely for the buildup to the smut scenes. I experience fluctuations between sex favorability to neutrality, all the way to aversion. When I’m feeling uncomfortable with explicit sexual content, I often wish there was a way to just skip those scenes entirely. But on the other hand, I also acknowledge that sex scenes CAN have narrative and character importance. For the specific dynamic that Corey and I envisioned for Red Oktoberfest- that being a relationship that starts as professional and sexual before becoming emotionally involved, those scenes would be a shame to ignore entirely on my part.

Behaviors and thoughts during sexual intimacy are rich with characterization, and I wanted to be able to express that. So, the best of both worlds, to me, was to have a second layer of opting in to reading those scenes. I may have to redo them later, however, because the way I had to go about it doesn’t work with pdf downloads and likely isn’t screen reader accessible. My current thoughts in regards to those problems is to encourage folks to download as some other format, and eventually create a podfic of this story.

Headcanons Involved

Something you may notice about this is the amount of headcanon I’m trying to cram into it. To be frank, I use most fic writing as a vehicle with which to go “look at my headcanons, boy”, so this isn’t surprising.

The first of which I would like to note is Heavy’s love of pulp romance. I couldn’t tell you why I first thought of it, but it’s grown on me like moss. Mikhail is a lover and a fighter. To me. In my heart. He views all art for what it is, and values the stories themselves pretty equally. The only important difference between the two books he’s carried with him from Russia and the pulp he’s collected in the US is sentimentality.

Speaking of those books, why the two I picked? Brothers Karamazov is a pretty obvious choice. It’s a classic and widely studied. Tsar Hunger by Leonid Andreyev, however was actually mentioned by name in Poker Night At The Inventory. In one conversation, Tycho asks Heavy what his favorite book is, to which he replies that he “prefers war.” Eventually, though, he does end up saying that he likes Tsar Hunger. I wanted to know if this was just a book picked at random, or if it actually meant something about Telltale’s interpretation of Heavy’s character. After all, the tumblr side of the fandom LOVES Heavy’s PhD in Russian Literature. It was. A BITCH. To find any information about that book. There isn’t a goodreads page for it. Or a wikipedia. Or even an amazon page selling copies. Like, what the fuck? Eventually, I found that the Internet Archive has it available to borrow by the hour. The particular copy that was archived was originally from the University of Texas and has a fabric cover. So no synopsis.

At this point I was thinking “oh my fucking god I’m two hours into this research process,” and decided I wouldn’t be reading King Hunger. I’ve skimmed it a bit and, filling in the blanks with some guesses based on the information Wikipedia provided about the author, it’s a symbolic/expressionist criticism of the monarchy, but one which also criticizes bloody revolution. Please take that with a pound of salt though. Once again, I spent a solid three hours getting to that amount of understanding.

This actually leads me to discussing another element that’s important to my interpretation of Heavy. Namely, who is father was. On r/TF2, I constantly see people arguing back and forth whether its fine to joke about Mikhail being “Heavy Communism Guy” or if that’s a gross misunderstanding since his father was declared a counterrevolutionary. (Meanwhile these same dimwits are happily joking about Medic being a member of a certain fascist regime, but I digress)

Personally, I think Mikhail’s father (who I will be calling Ivan Melnyk going forward, as I headcanon Heavy’s full name to be Mikhail Ivanovich Melnyk) was counterrevolutionary, but not anti-communist. That venn diagram isn’t just a circle my friends. In political matters, it’s very easy to get stuck in black and white thinking- and that’s fair for large matters- but, when it comes down to how people believe they should go about making changes, that’s where you get in-fighting between allied groups.

More clearly, I believe that Ivan was a man who believed in progress and common good, but found disproportionate violence distasteful. And he would have tried to impart those values on his son. However, Ivan’s death and his family’s imprisonment would really sour that for Mikhail. It adds a level of complexity where he is both someone who hates senseless violence (see: the sparrow story in Poker Night), but is extremely wrathful (see: the engineer story in Poker Night).

Switching gears, let’s talk respawn. Personally, I like the idea of it as something that exists in universe, rather than just being a game mechanic in the Documentary Video Game About the Gravel Wars. It adds some more leeway for goofy shit the mercs can get up to while also opening up more avenues for mentally trauma. Angst my beloved.

Respawn

Respawn, in my mind, works by teleporting the remains to a mechanism that then recycles the matter into a pre-programmed form. I imagine that this is updated every day for the TF2 mercs, but only by the week or month for the Classic era systems. Upon exiting respawn, subjects may experience “respawn sickness,” which includes symptoms of nausea, diziness, anxiety, sensitivity to light and sound, disorientation, soreness, ect. One can become accustomed to respawn over time, and this is expedited by the modern systems, but some might remain sensitive to respawn even after years of use.

TFI standard protocol is to switch respawn systems over to the older system in order save money and perform diagnostics/maintenance without risking the permanent death of one of their “specialists.”

Another book note

The passage Heavy reads at the end is from a novella called Special Nurse by Lucy Agnes Hancock. It is Yet Another book I haven’t read, but decided to reference. Originally, I had wanted to reference a Harlequin Romance published in 1960-63, as I really didn’t want to include that flavor of anachronism. Dont fucking ask me why, but it mattered to me. However, the vast majority of what I could find online to read was published between 1975 and 1998. There were three books that technically fit my requirements, but the two from 1961 were either vacation romance or noble romance. Which just didn’t fit the vibe I was looking for. And the one from 1963 was published in November of that year. Which would have been fine, but I envisioned this chapter taking place in late May or early June.

In the late 40’s to mid 60’s Harlequin published SOOOOO many hospital romances. And this amused me, so I desperately wanted Heavy to be reading one. But I searched multiple times and just. Couldn’t find any that I could skim through. Fuck, dude, I couldn’t even find samples or excerpts. I COULD BARELY FIND SYNOPSES. I got desperate and dug through my mom’s old romance novel collection and lo and behold, there it was. Special Nurse. It’s not Harlequin (published by Pocket Books) and it wasn’t technically from 60-63 (originally published in 1948, but received 5 print runs from 1950-19060. Mine is from August 1960), but it WAS A DOCTOR ROMANCE. HUZZAH.

Dear fucking lord why do I do this shit to myself ahhhhhhhh

[phantomstatistician]

Saturday Status Update

REQUESTS: CLOSED

The wait time for a request is: 42 working days

Upcoming charts (if the sample size is large enough):

One Piece - Roronoa Zoro, Usopp

Hunger Games - Coriolanus Snow

Star Trek Discovery - Christopher Pike

Strange New Worlds - Christopher Pike

Game of Thrones - Brienne of Tarth

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

DC Comics/DCU - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

She-Ra - Catra

Genshin Impact - Kong | Aether

My Hero Academia - Hawks

Inuyasha - Inuyasha

Vinland Saga (Manga) - 10 most popular ships (English only)

Interview With The Vampire (2022) - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Scum Villain's Self Saving System - Shen Yuan | Shen Qingqiu

Bridgerton - Cressida

Doctor Who - Thirteenth Doctor, Fourteenth Doctor

Alpha/Beta/Omega Tag - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Street Fighter - 10 most popular ships (AO3), Chun-Li

The Amazing World of Gumball - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Apex Legends - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Blackpink - Kim Jisoo

Pride and Prejudice - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Inside Out - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Julie and the Phantoms - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Cars - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Good Omens - Gabriel

Attack on Titan - Levi, Jean

RWBY - Weiss Schnee, Ozpin, Ironwood

Baldur's Gate - Shadowheart

Gangsta - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

MCU - Thor

Mob Psycho 100 - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

One-Punch Man - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Steven Universe - 10 most popular ships (AO3)

Lord of the Rings - Legolas

Have a more elaborate request?  Or want to jump the queue?  Or you want to support me as a content creator?  Buy me a Kofi!

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

heyy maggiee first of all wanna say that i love that big beautiful brain of yours. like seriously the stories that come out are *chef’s kiss*. i found your profile recently and am slowly working my way (aggressively binging) your series. (mind you, with a detox break in between fics so i can emotionally heal)

pls don’t feel pressure to respond to this but i’m a massive hunger games fan and with the new book i just can’t stop thinking about the saga. i had this thought about aegon and reader reaped from the same district. similarly to peeta and katniss, aegon is from a rich family but is maybe abused by his parents and doesn’t have a good relationship with any of them (consequently drowns himself in alc so he doesn’t have to face that), while reader is not rich but has everything to live for (close, loving family & friends)

neither of their odds are good since neither are fighters or used to hard physical labour so the strategy their mentors come up with is to present a united front/partnership (like alone they’re not threats but stronger together and have each other’s backs) and they have to play it up and become super close during the training, interview and evaluations

sorryy that was a huge brainrot but anyways what i hope you get from this is that i’m a massive fan and i think you’re a brilliant writer

<3

Awwww bestie thank you so much and I hope you continue to enjoy my fics and none of them hurt you too badly!!! (Have you made it to WTWICD or Martyrs yet... 😅) I really appreciate you taking the time to read and send this kind message 🥰💜

I love the Hunger Games universe and for years I've kind of been waiting to get a Hunger Games AU idea, but it hasn't happened yet! I appreciate both the Katniss x Peeta and Lucy Gray x Coryo dynamics (as a fan of insane dangerous blondes, I am def a Coryo girlie) but I just have absolutely nothing innovative or exciting to add at this point, maybe one day 😂

Your idea sounds super cute!!!!! For me personally, I don't have any inspiration for how to differentiate that sort of pairing enough from the original Katniss x Peeta story to make it unique. But if you see the vision, you should definitely write it!

[panemhistorians]

Dallas Blackwood - Victory Tour Poster & Biography

(I absolutely love learning about different Hunger Games OC's, and I was interested in exploring what a volunteer outside of a Career district would be like as they are very rare. Here is the biography of Dallas Blackwood, District 10's first and only volunteer.)

Dallas Blackwood is notable not only for being District 10's first volunteer, but also its first Victor, having won the 23rd Annual Hunger Games. He volunteered after his boyfriend, Casco Ruiz, was reaped. Casco was the breadwinner of his family, his parents having been killed by Peacekeepers after protesting for better working conditions at the butchery. Dallas knows that Casco's family would starve without him, so he volunteers for him.

Dallas volunteers expecting to die, as District 10 had never produced a winner before. However, he is showered by sponsors from Capitol viewers who found his story to be very romantic and captivating. He also proved himself to be a formidable tribute in the arena: his life as a rancher enabled him to survive the harshest weather conditions in the arena, and his knowledge of District 10's equipment enabled him to be very adept with weapons, especially a pair of scimitars he receives at the feast. Due to these qualities, he quickly earned the title "The Lover and the Fighter" by viewers.

Following his victory, Dallas returned to District 10 a hero and eventually married Casco. Due to Casco's connections with rebels, Capitol officials had initially considered punishing Dallas following his victory, possibly by withholding his winnings or hurting his family, but President Snow ultimately vetoes this decision, citing that some hope would be necessary to keep District 10 in line. This decision held to be true as District 10 became one of the last districts to pry from Capitol rule.

Dallas was not reaped for the Third Quarter Quell, but was later executed during the rebellion alongside his husband by Capitol forces. They are survived by their children and grandchildren. A memorial is currently dedicated to them in what was formerly their home in Victors' Village.

Much of Dallas' backstory, such as his romance with Casco and his allegiance to the rebels, were gradually lost to time, portraying their relationship in later tapes as that of close friends. This was done to conceal Dallas' potential connections to Casco and other District 10 rebels. Following interviews with District 10 citizens and full tapes unearthed at the Capitol by historians, we are proud to present to you a more truthful look at Dallas' life.

[jrosa82fanposts]

How Snow made the Hunger Games more fair

Spoilers for all the books so far: I literally reference them and everything

Recently I've been contemplating how the Hunger Games have changed over the course of it's 75 year history. Now if you've read ballad then you know that the first 9 games had predominately Career victors (ie. tributes from 1, 2, & 4) due to the fact that they were better fed and therefore better able to outlast and fight their fellow tributes. But by the time of the 75th games we somehow manage to have victors from all the districts, and even multiple (at least 1 male and 1 female). If you're looking at the numbers this doesn't really make sense unless the odds of being a victor shifted to a more equal chance.

While it's been argued that certain tributes are less likely to win because of their attributes (age, sex, district) these can't be the sole contributing factors to winning. Which means that between the 10th and the 75th games a shift in how the games work had to have occurred so that less likely people could become victors.

I saw a youtube video today from Rachel A Ramras (highly recommend her hunger games videos), and while she focused on how the games and particularly ballad had a circus motif in it, I want to expand on what caused this shift. As she made clear it seems that Coriolanus Snow began the new era of the games but it's not just the influence of Lucy Gray that made this occur but also his own experiences throughout the book.

Some key changes from the 10th to the 74th games included: new arena, monetary prize for victors, victors village, tribute parade, interview night, training scores, betting, sponsorship, announcing who died, increased tesserae to the victors district, and the founding of the career districts concept (They actually start training them seriously).

Some of these we see in ballad as things that are changed like implementing the sponsors and having interviews, but we also see a shift in the public perception of the games in order to keep them relevant. While people were initially angry after the dark days and therefore wanted the tributes to die, by the time we get to the 10th games people don't care as much and the capital views the bloodbath as wasteful or distasteful. When Coriolanus starts implementing ideas along with his classmates for the 10th games the capital audience is more invested and this can be seen in the betting and sponsorship occurring.

While we don't know anything yet about the other changes I mentioned, Sunrise on The Reaping may reveal a few more relevant pieces of the story like weather all the thing we see in the 74th games are present or whether the game makers add more between the 2nd and 3rd quarter quells.

Now why does this matter? As I stated earlier, the first games were won by tributes who had raw strength and were better fed, but the victors in the decades that followed were more diverse as a result of these changes. Why would that be? The cause of this shift is best seen in the 74th games, were a small girl from 12 managed to get the public on her side and this got her further in the games. If she wasn't liked for her interview then she wouldn't have gotten sponsors, but Katniss also was able to use her skills as a hunter to make it even though she wasn't the most physically dangerous tribute (she mentions this in the book how almost all the other tributes are taller than her, but some aren't as well fed).

This shows how the chances of winning have shifted to favoring not just those with strength and training (although both definitely help) but instead those who can get public support can also win even if they aren't the best fighters. This still leaves room for the outliers as no matter how good you are you can always lose (See all the career deaths in book 1) but it also doesn't mean that just anyone can win (I don't have numbers but most of the victors probably didn't also happen to be 12 when they survived their games).

Going back to how Lucy Gray and his own experiences in the book (TBoSaS) influenced him, I feel as though seeing how he and his family reacted to LG got him thinking about how he had viewed the past few games. He didn't particulary care who lived but during this 10th game he cared becasue it effected him (mentioned in class which made his classmate suggested betting to get people invested in who survives). But then the idea is taken further with the interviews because he had gotten to know LG and therefore cared more about her surviving (it humanized her in his eyes) which is what we see the interviews do in Books 1 and 2.

The addition of training also makes sense as he wanted people to be able to bet with more knowledge about the tributes skills, but also because it allows for two other things. 1) the capital monitors what the districts are showing their citizens, and 2) it evens the playing field as those less skilled can pick something up in a few days (learning how not to die of poison plants or freezing makes the games more entertaining as the tributes don't die in 'boring ways' *see Book 1 referencing the year of the flooding and the year of the freezing, no one was entertained by everyone dying in a blizzard from hypothermia).

The giving of prizes to winning districts is where I see a shift from what LG taught him to what he saw for himself. While he's in 12 he sees how LG went through so much just to return to normal when she returns. But if he's investing the capital audience in her story then he wants her to be as similar to the capital people as possible (I felt that he kept ignoring her ties to her district so that he didn't have to face his prejudice towards district people who he typically dehumanizes). It also makes people more willing to volunteer if they get housing out of winning and also money so they can live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

When we look at book 2 Katniss is enjoying the knowledge that her family doesn't have to hunt for survival and she can do it for fun/ to relax (this means that when she's dealing with her ptsd or foot injury it doesn't effect their ability to put food on the table). Not just that but having the ability to ask for more food at the risk of having your name entered more than once also serves as a way to weed out the poorer members of the district. Katniss has had multiple entries every year which is like the capital paying for her to better care for herself and pay it back by competing in the games. We see her tell us in Book 1 how Madge only has her name in the bare minimum number of times and how this causes resentment from some people (Gale in this scene), serving as a way for the capital to keep the districts divided through their own class system.

The tesserae is also a source of safety but this time for the whole district as everyone benefits from it. It serves a dual purpose though, providing safety to victorious districts and creating resentment towards the career districts. In book 1 Katniss explains how the capital allows 1, 2, & 4 to break the no-training rule because it causes resentment and strife between districts. But additionally we see how districts that win more often also volunteer more often (Something that never happens in 12 which also happens to be the poorest district).

In conclusion, the games are definitely better in the sense that a more diverse group of people can become victors but in spite of this the capital like always is using these improvements to grow dissent and keep the districts pitted against each other in order to control them.

-----------------------------------------------

If you notice any inaccuracies please let me know and I'll be sure to fix them, I'm not as confident about book 2 and 3 content (haven't re-read in a while).

Thanks,

<3J

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Hi! Any everlark fics where Prim and Peeta are reaped, and Prim dies while Peeta wins?

Hello Anon!

Below are some fics that may fit what you're looking for (I personally have not read them or any story that fits this exact prompt)! I'll be adding this to future masterlists to release! Hope these are helpful!

Burn-ellembee (ao3) Summary: Snow outlawed volunteering nearly thirty years ago. Katniss never steps foot inside the arena. An alternate road to rebellion.

Fates Reversed-icbiwf (ao3) Summary: Prompts in Panem AU week day 7: What if Katniss was reaped instead of Prim? - "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" As I hear this, my heart sinks. My sister has taken my place, and there's nothing I can do to stop her. Prim will be going into the Hunger Games.

Fighters and Survivors-rhymeswithblue (ff.net) Summary: Snow outlawed volunteering nearly thirty years ago. Katniss never steps foot inside the arena. An alternate road to rebellion.

Growing Primrose-SubeteAishite (ao3) Summary: I lock eyes with my older sister, a sixteen-year-old named Katniss whose gaze normally burns with a quiet intensity. Her facial expression changes from shell-shocked horror–the usual expression of anyone who had just been reaped for the Hunger Games–to pure anguish as my legs guide me past her, my hand waving in the air to catch the attention of the gaudy Capitol announcer on stage. “I volunteer as tribute!” I repeat the words; I understand my decision. My name is Primrose Everdeen. I’m twelve years old and was born in the Seam. I volunteered for the 74th Annual Hunger Games to protect my older sister. Now, I only have two weeks left to live.

JAGGED-annieoakley1 (tumblr) Summary: What if volunteers weren’t accepted? Peeta and Prim compete in the 74th Annual Hunger Games.

Just a Game-gleeksandtributes (ff.net) Summary: Single chapter ficlet. AU in which Katniss is 19 at the time of the reaping and Prim and Peeta are chosen as the tributes for District 12. She is forced to watch as they participate in the Hunger Games. Mild violence. Everlark and some Clato.

Mortality-Amata le Fay (ff.net) Summary: AU. The strengths of the Everdeen sisters have always come from different places. This would have happened any other way. For Starvation's August prompt, "sacrifice."

My Dreams Smell of Roses-RipredtheGnawer (ff.net) Summary: What would happen if Prim had to compete in the Hunger Games. Prim's POV, may possibly switch to Peeta's.

One Chance-MtnDew26 (ff.net) Summary: Maybe if Prim had been a little braver, a little quicker, maybe, just maybe, she wouldnt have let Katniss volunteer. How Prim deals with the Hunger Games, Peeta, and a choice. Go home to her sister, or bring home someone who deserves to love her sister.

Peeta's interview with Ceaser Flickerman if Katniss couldn't volunteer-sassycasbutt (ff.net) Summary: This is just a one shot of Peeta's interview with Ceaser if Katniss couldn't volunteer for Prim.

Prim's Games-madeleine_writes (ao3) Summary: Primrose Everdeen is not the scared child she was when her father died nine years ago. Now 16, Prim has been Reaped while her sister Katniss is helpless to watch. But when she falls for another tribute, Prim must make a choice. After all, how will a healer and a harvester endure a Game designed to kill? AKA The Hunger Games but it's Prim x Rue

Prim, the Tribute-NadineBrandes (ff.net) Summary: Katniss is too old to volunteer for Prim. Prim gets reaped and goes to the Games with Peeta - the boy who seems to know her older sister. Prim doesn't want to kill anyone, but she doesn't want to let her sister down, either. She can't give up, but she refuses to become a monster.

The Baker and the Healer-TomHRichardson (ao3) Summary: AU. Katniss is at death’s door on Reaping Day, so is excused from the 74th Reaping for District Twelve. Thus Katniss is not there to volunteer when Prim is Reaped. A kind Capitol doctor heals Katniss of her blood poisoning, but too late to prevent Prim from being a tribute in the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss/Peeta, Haymitch/Effie

The Mercy of the Fallen-slightlykylie (ao3) Summary: AU: When Prim is reaped, Katniss is nineteen and too old to volunteer. Prim is going into the arena. These are Prim's Games.

The Storyteller-stephensmat (ao3) Summary: Effie let out a long suffering sigh at Katniss' shout. "I'm sorry, miss; but the time for that has passed. If you wanted to volunteer, you should have said so when it was your turn." A canon-divergent Fic: Prompt: What if Katniss wasn't allowed to Volunteer for Prim? Peeta and Prim are Reaped and go to the Capitol for the Games. Peeta has only one goal: To keep Prim alive. He has only one tactic: To make sure he's more than just a Piece in their Games. He knows that if he comes back alive, Katniss will never forgive him. But if Prim survives, he's certain to die. What results was something the Capitol never saw coming.

If anyone knows of any that fit the prompt exactly please let us know! As always, if you have any questions, comments, or recommendations feel free to send them my way!

-Admin:E

[lylakylie609]

Train Vines: A Harry Potter and Hunger Games Crossover

They didn't let us say goodbye; they just threw us onto the train. I could hear my younger sister Cleo yelling to let me go. 

I and the boy, Jonah Lewis, were immediately forced into a dining-looking room with tables and chairs.

Jonah and I were looking around the room when he said, "The Potter family is powerful; I think both would have won."

"Teddy Lupin stood up for his younger brother, and I stood up for my best friend," I said, looking out the window to see an empty train station.

"Edward isn't related to the Potters," Jonah said, giving me a death glare.

"Yet he was raised by one," I responded, turning around to look at him.

"Enough, you two," Teddy said as he walked into the room, giving me a soft look knowing why I volunteered.

"What's it like? In the arena," Jonah said immediately asking.

"Deadly," Teddy said rolling his eyes.

"What do you think the arena will be like?" Jonah asked.

"I know you want to cut straight to the chase but there are things we are required to go over right now," Teddy said looking the boy straigt in the eyes.

"Like what?" the boy asked pushing farther.

"Like who were going against," I said giving Jonah a glare.

"Correct," Teddy said.

"In district one there are Sarah Puter and John Jackson, in district two we have Leona Lion and Joe Clark," Teddy said while showing us pictures of the pairs.

"In district twelve there are Hannah Pointer and Merlio Mallark," Teddy said.

"Mallark?" I asked 

"Related to Katniss Everdeen somehow," Teddy said looking at me.

Once I nodded he went through the rest of the districts, then he said we can talk strategy.

"Allies or no allies?" Jonah asked.

"Depends on the type of fighter you are, it would be good in the begining but late on it wouldnt do much," Teddy said.

Jonah nodded then I asked, "What are our chances of winning?"

"I'm not sure exactly, but its not high," Teddy said looking me in the eyes telling me he was being truthfully.

I nodded my head knowing that once the games started I would most likely never see my family or my love again.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Time Skip*

When it was my turn for the skill testing I went straight for the daggers. 

I hit every single target on the bullseye every single time in what I knew was my record time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Time Skip*

About twenty years ago they changed it to where you don't find out your score until during your interview but I knew one thing, it was harder then ever to get a higher score.

They just showed the score of the districts 24 female and I realized no one had scored higher then and a five. That made me start to worry.

Stella Flickerman was a desendant of Ceaser Filckerman and was just like him, annoying and an idiot.

When Jonah went he started sobbing when he saw that he had gotten the lowest score out of everyone a one.

Serves him right I thought to my self as I straightened out my purple dress.

Then she called out my name.

She made me tweral and answer questions then came for the time for my results.

"Well I already know everyone's scores and let me tell you, you Ms. Weasley have the highest score tonight!" Stella said while clapping.

"Really?!" I said while smiling.

Stella responded with, "Yes! You have scored the highest by far with a Nine!"

[kitkat13001]

>> an excerpt / prologue of my mha hunger games au (unfinished)

i remember the first time i saw katsuki bakugou on the television. 

the only other tributes who had been picked were those of district one. they were both promising: the girl tall and lithe, and the boy strong and sturdy. but when the cameras switched to district two, he was the one who caught my eye. 

everyone’s eyes, i think. he was only fifteen, but he was tall and he looked strong. more than that, he looked fierce. 

he had stomped up to the stage to take the place of the boy who had been called previously, izuku something or other. he was a small, freckled boy, yelling “kacchan!” over and over as bakugou took the stage without sparing him a glance. 

fifteen is young to volunteer, even in district two. but his fierce red eyes stared directly into the camera—at me and the thousands of other citizens watching—as if to say don’t you dare count me out.

i sat at home, watching the games-before-the-games unfold. i was fifteen then too, clutching on to my sister’s hands as we watched everything. 

the tribute parade, the training scores, the interviews, everything. 

his angle was clear from the beginning: he was a fighter. he answered all of present mic’s questions in a short, clipped tone. his responses were always straightforward and blunt, never elaborating on anything longer than necessary. 

he’d scored a solid ten in training, and while it was impressive for sure, it was no surprise.

once the games started, it was no surprise that he won, either.

[warningsine]

The rise of Sudan’s most notorious paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, shows how armed groups can infiltrate state institutions – often with disastrous results for society.

Sudan’s central government created the Rapid Support Forces in 2013 as dictator Omar al-Bashir’s private protection detail. The group has now become a predator seeking to gain control of Sudan.

Sudan’s war broke out in April 2023 when the military tried to subdue the Rapid Support Forces.

Since then, fighting has ravaged much of the country, including the capital Khartoum. At least 15,500 people had been killed by June 2024. More than 6 million people have been displaced and over 25 million pushed into acute hunger, according to the United Nations.

The Rapid Support Forces followed a strategy which is similar to those of other militia groups aiming to infiltrate and co-opt state institutions. Such strategies have military, economic and political dimensions.

These groups tend to exploit conflict to enlarge their areas of influence, weapon stockpiles and numbers of fighters.

They generate revenues from business lines created by conflict. Partnerships with foreign states and international smuggling networks are most often involved.

They provide jobs and patronage to get political support in key constituencies and seek institutional roles.

As a political scientist specialising in conflict studies and irregular warfare, I have spent over a decade researching insurgents, paramilitaries, militias and other armed groups. In a recent article, I examined armed actors pursuing “state capture” – the covert and gradual infiltration of state institutions to influence policy. In addition to the cases of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shia militias in Iraq, I looked at the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

The study involved interviews with a diverse group of participants. Academics, political analysts, government officials and individuals affiliated with armed groups were among them.

I found that militias bent on state capture initially pursue their objectives without openly antagonising the state. They often position themselves as pro-government. But they also signal that any attempt by the state to neutralise them would lead to a devastating confrontation.

Over time, these strategies enable armed groups to gain political influence and formal institutional roles. This allows them to shape public policies to their advantage. When armed groups achieve a measure of state capture, they undermine governmental effectiveness, contributing to institutional breakdown and state failure.

In Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces now controls vast swaths of territory, though it’s not yet in full control of the country.

Growing influence

The Rapid Support Forces emerged from the Janjaweed militias, which spearheaded al-Bashir’s genocidal counterinsurgency in Darfur in exchange for funding and arms.

In 2013, al-Bashir restructured the Janjaweed into the Rapid Support Forces to counterbalance the army and preempt potential coups. To lead this new force, al-Bashir chose a former highway robber turned Janjaweed commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.

Al-Bashir’s support enabled Hemedti to deploy tens of thousands of battle-hardened fighters across Sudan to secure strategic locations for the regime. These included the capital, troubled borderlands and economic hubs like gold mines.

Capitalising on this positioning, the Rapid Support Forces expanded its involvement in gold mining, smuggling and trading. It also generated income by supplying mercenaries for conflicts in Yemen and Libya.

Bashir’s government tacitly endorsed these activities, possibly calculating that the forces would be cheaper to maintain if self-funded.

For a time, the Rapid Support Forces collaborated closely with Sudan’s army. When the military’s leadership decided to oust Bashir in 2019 amid anti-regime protests, Hemedti didn’t oppose the decision.

During the subsequent political transition, Hemedti became vice-chair of the Sovereign Council. The institution was tasked with guiding the country towards democratic elections.

This institutional role shocked and dismayed many within Sudanese civil society. Some, however, argued that attempts to dismantle the Rapid Support Forces or sideline Hemedti would spark armed conflict.

Both the army and Rapid Support Forces had established secretive business networks generating billions of dollars. They shared a short-term interest in protecting their power and economic assets from any civilian encroachment.

This alignment of interests formed the foundation of their partnership and paved the way for the October 2021 military coup – which abruptly halted Sudan’s democratisation process.

As a new regime took hold in Sudan, the Rapid Support Forces grew more powerful. The forces profited from gold mining, smuggling and business deals with the United Arab Emirates, Russia’s Wagner Group and Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar.

Hemedti’s forces bolstered their arsenal and expanded their ranks. They presented themselves as champions of ordinary Arabs from Sudan’s rural provinces and borderlands.

Concerned by these developments, the Sudanese Armed Forces attempted to forcefully integrate the Rapid Support Forces into the military chain of command. But by the time the military launched its ill-fated offensive in April 2023, the Rapid Support Forces had fielded 100,000 fighters equipped for highly mobile urban warfare.

They quickly inflicted heavy losses on the military and seized control of most of Khartoum. They also took over the adjoining Gezira state, Darfur in the west and Kordofan in the centre, shattering both the Sudanese state and society.

In areas under their sway, the Rapid Support Forces have perpetrated crimes against humanity and war crimes, including ethnic cleansing, massacres, rape, torture and widespread looting.

The Sudanese army, which retains control of Port Sudan, has blocked humanitarian aid from reaching territories under the Rapid Support Forces. This has contributed to an impending famine.

Bleak prospects

The prospects for a peaceful resolution to Sudan’s conflict currently appear bleak. Even a temporary ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid remains improbable. The United Nations Security Council remains deeply divided, and the African Union has yet to propose a workable plan.

The United States and its European allies have squandered their political capital in Sudan. They failed to adequately support the 2019-2021 democratic transition and to reverse the 2021 coup.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Russia bear significant responsibility for the current situation. Their support for opposing sides has deepened divisions, contributing to the failure of initiatives like the Jeddah peace talks.

Local neighbourhood committees, once pivotal in grassroots democratisation, have been marginalised by armed actors.

International actors aiming to help Sudan should recognise that these civil society groups still represent the country’s best hope. They possess a deep understanding of the country’s most pressing needs. These include unimpeded humanitarian aid, as well as exposing and curtailing the military and financial lifelines of leading armed actors. This could help foster a political transition free from these actors’ influence.