{I'm Headed Straight For [The Castle] Ro/Kay}

~Gamemaker Azure Herodotus

Azure had been placed on mutt duty.

More importantly, she had been placed on waste dissemination. She spent hours a day in the weeks leading up to the Games designing the intestines and bowels of various mutts, ensuring their waste was poisonous, particularly nasty or had the ability to knock a tribute cold from the stench.

Having always been on trap duty, designing complex, evil traps to ensnare tributes into, she was quite shocked when, upon her arrival to the GM Headquarters, Glamour had taken her firmly by the shoulders. “I have something special to show you,” his voice slithered into her ear from behind and he then promptly steered her from her familiar, sleek white desk in front to a slightly less sleek in the back, explaining her new duties. “You can even design the anus,” he purred, brightly, before disappearing…narrowly avoiding Azure’s fingers headed for his neck.

She leaned over her new desk, squinting hard at the backside of Demo Deer displayed on her screen. Around her, the other GMs will still filtering in, chatting animatedly, fed and watered from a filling lunch. Azure did not move; she could create lethal feces without skipping a few meals—not that she could even stomach anything anymore anyway. With a deep sigh, she zoomed in, scrunching her nose up in disgust. What would they think of her? Azure Herodotus, Head Gamemaker of the 66th Games, now spent most of her time pouring over assholes. Retreating to her apartment late at night, she saw them when she closed her eyes in a cold bed, Glamour’s voice ringing in her head, “You can even design the anus!”

And all because she had rolled her eyes and made a biting comment at his ridiculous attire at the 70th Games After-Party. Little did she know she would be passed over yet again for the role of Head Gamemaker and it would be given, yet again, to him.

She was reaching for her third cup of coffee when a sudden flurry of whispering caught her attention. Glancing around, Azure suddenly felt her lips part in surprise.

Sitting in one of the Head GM chairs, chatting animatedly with Dom was not Glamour, but another woman. Azure’s eyes narrowed then immediately widened when she realized it was none other than Capri King.

Her lips tightened. Capri King? She didn’t know much about the woman, aside from the ridiculous blow-by-blow accounts of her child-bearing in the Capitol magazines. She knew nearly nothing at all about her work at the GM Headquarters and yet, there she sat in the Head Gamemaker’s chair. Where was Glamour?

Other Gamemakers had surely taken notice. In front of her, two were whispering quite rapidly, passing a small screen between them where Capri was seen chatting with Caesar Flickerman; it had to be that very day as she was wearing the same clothing. Azure was leaning in to eavesdrop when there came a clatter of commotion on the screen. A band of tributes had awoken from Silver Sirens. The room leapt into action as Azure slowly draped herself back over her seat, brow furrowing.

For the rest of the afternoon, Azure occupied herself by training her eyes at three places: the door, to see if Glamour would make a dramatic appearance and demand Capri leave his seat, the GM herself and a pile of mutt feces.

It was Capri who interested her the most. As Azure studied her, she analyzed. The way her manicured hands swept over the control panel, her biting laughter and the way she sat, her large backside tottering in her chair as she shifted her weight, uncrossing her long legs and recrossing. When no one else was looking, Azure scanned headlines on her computer and watched Capri’s interview with Flickerman. Why hadn’t she gone to lunch? There had been a tar explosion of some kind…and Glamour may very well be guilty of something.

Something stirred in Azure’s stomach and she couldn’t help but smile as tabloid magazines speculated. Disgraced Gamemaker Not Seen All Day, flashed across her screen. Loser Gamemaker, Azure sang in her head. An hour later, however, when she checked to lift her spirits, the headline was gone.

Capri’s history was just as Azure thought; full of lust and jewels and just how Capri managed to squirt out so many children. Azure frowned. So she was a mother? But, other than that? She could only find the woman’s name on a list of Marketing and Public Relations professionals in the office. Never in the Games.

The Gamemaker’s laughter bit the air again, thick and high. She and Dom were looking at something on their shared screen together. Azure’s hands tightened into fists. What was so funny? Surely not the newly designed intestinal track of a Banshee that she had sent along for approval? What was it like back in that seat?

It wasn’t until the evening that Azure was able to make her move. The night staff began filtering in and the day staff was invited back to the Head GM suite for some traditional post-Bloodbath wine. Stretching and talking excitedly, the Gamemakers around Azure began to slowly make their way towards the door, but Azure worked faster. She reached Capri before Dom had even stood and laced her arm through hers.

“Capri,” she composed her voice into a soft, pleasant one, glancing up at the woman whom she noticed towered over her as she gently steered them both towards the door. “I’m so happy to hear about your appointment. I just wanted to say congratulations. We ought to toast to you!”

Was she smiling? Perhaps too late, Azure widened her lips to reveal her pearly white teeth, in a forced smile. Perfect.