The 83rd Hunger Games Victor Presentation Ceremony

[Baby Wessex d9b [earthling]]

The president of Panem stood on the magnificent stage in the City Circle, addressing his people as he had done numerous times before. Another of his prized Hunger Games had come to a close. As usual, they had been an enormous success; enough blood, death, and tragedy to satisfy the viewers, and also to subdue the thoughts of rebellion that the high government official knew were brewing in the minds of some of Panem's citizens.

It been years since he'd witnessed such a successful Games, start to finish. Only a few moments ago he had presented Gamemaker Levelwright and Gamemaker Hale with rare Presidential commendations and informed them of their extraordinary salary bonuses. He'd smiled, pleased as punch, and reminded them that it would not be long before he expected them to serve the nation once more.

He touched the buttons of his jacket, his fingers shaking violently. A great Games, a storied Games, a worthy victor. Surely that was enough to quell any rebellious mutterings. He did not know how much longer he would live. He only knew that he would fight until his very last breath, as young Hailsham had. Either of the tributes at the bitter end of the Finale would have been worthy of the crown, despite their somewhat questionable taste in allies. But the Gamemakers, after their brilliantly staged feast, had made sure only the strongest remained.

In the end, though, only one could stand tall in the frigid squall.

President Snow lifted the curtain, ascended the stage, and quieted the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to welcome you to the victor presentation ceremony of the Eighty-Third Hunger Games!" As usual, there was the deafening roar of approval that followed. "Tonight we will show a recap video of this year's Games, so be sure to stay tuned!" Like they have a choice, the president thought. The recap video was required viewing for all of Panem.

Snow went on to announce the prep team, stylist, escort, and mentor of the victor; all were received with tremendous applause. But then, the moment they were all waiting for... Snow plastered a smile across his face before speaking once more. "And now, may I present the victor of the 83rd Hunger Games... Ridley Le Roux!"

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


OOC- RPing is permitted in this thread by Capitol characters and past victors. This is the place to have your Capitol character react to viewing the recap video, if you planned on doing that. All characters from other districts can create their own threads in the districts, if they wish. Also, apologies for the delay in getting this up!

[Stare]

no one is coming out of this unscathed
who could be ready for these war and games
my oh my
we must have got it wrong

In a distant place she would never see there were waves that roared against frozen cliffsides, unhindered by the bitterly cold air as they collided with stone and created galaxies of ice and seafoam. Ridley could picture them in her mind, nature’s frostbitten monuments withstanding storm and sea. She could imagine that she was one of them, numb and unyielding against the incessant praise and adoration that she encountered in the Capitol during her first few days after the Games. All she could feel was cold, as if she’d been permanently frozen by the Arena.

But on the morning of her presentation coronation, something shifted. The frost that had bloomed like wildflowers in her ribcage crackled and melted, easing into a magma-like anger and turning her heart to obsidian. Sparks ignited and extinguished in her bloodstream, threatening to set her alight. The dress that they put her in felt like molten gold, a reminder of the family name that had done everything and nothing for her in the nightmarish land of death and lost souls.

Ridley’s body had healed and she felt a sudden surge of determination to avenge everything that the Capitol couldn’t fix.

Stepping into the glaring lights on the stage, deafened by the voices of a thousand different people screaming her praises, Ridley knew exactly what she was. The perfect Victor. A Career, a strong and wealthy family name, a bloodthirsty fighter who had managed to win in a four-way finale. She was, by all accounts, a resounding success for the government. She offered a dazzling grin to the crowd and a respectful nod to President Snow. It was the perfect facade for a girl who hated them, a girl who had hated them for as long as she could remember. They had pulled her into their gory carnival and then, even better, they’d been stupid enough to let her take the crown.

Maybe the throne would have been enough if it weren’t for the twenty three ghosts that followed her everywhere.

She was a Victor now. The life ahead of her was her game, and she would be playing it by her own rules. Favors collected, debts owed, names stolen and projected and paraded and destroyed. She wasn’t death, she wasn’t the devil, but she was Ridley Le Roux and that was so much worse.

As the crowd roared she waved, flashed wide smiles, let her golden hand glint in light when she blew kisses to the adoring Capitolites. Beneath a blindingly bright armor of glory she smoldered in the way that only a survivor could, the embers of her soul flickering as she waited for the proper opportunity to tear down all the people who had hurt her. She was Ridley. She was ice and stone and hellfire.

She was going to kill them all.

the world is unraveling
the world is unraveling
such a mad, mad reckoning
the world is unraveling

lyrics: The World is Unraveling, MILCK