74th Hunger Games Victor Presentation Ceremony

74th Hunger Games Victor Presentation Ceremony Mar 21, 2017 13:48:03 GMT -5

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Post by Baby Wessex d9b [earthling] on Mar 21, 2017 13:48:03 GMT -5

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.

When the map designers had presented the quaint countryside arena, he’d decided to keep things familiar. Only one of the three Gamemakers had never been at the helm before. He’d put his faith in Reine, Herodotus and King – an easy thing to do after the wild success of the Seventy-Third. He had been sipping brandy, grinning at the television as the final four faced off. That’s when the Games unraveled. The seasoned Gamemakers let both Asha Lumiere and Pillar Fray slip through their fingers, dooming them to a lower district victor.

The President adjusted his lapel, flashing the white rose pin. Todd was more than strange and unqualified (how had he snatched the victory from fan favorite Hyacinth Mortuus?); he was dangerous. He bowed for crosses, not roses. It was a problem. Snow had written off Ten years ago, but with Eleven finally starting to quiet, perhaps it was time to show a renewed interest.

He knew that Ansgar was waiting just below him right now, ready for the platforms to lift him up and out into the light for the first time since he'd left the arena five days ago. The usual upholstered throne was placed in the center of the stage, ready for the victor while he watched a recap of what had been his hell for the past two and a half weeks, including the preparations. It was always torture for the tribute, but the president enjoyed it very much. He wouldn't deny the sadistic delight that he took in watching each victor witness their own atrocities from afar, powerless to change the course of Games, even if they wanted to. Many of them, it seemed, wanted to indeed.

President Snow quieted the crowd and prepared to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to welcome you to the victor presentation ceremony of the Seventy Fourth 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 74th Hunger Games... Ansgar Todd!"

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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!

74th Hunger Games Victor Presentation Ceremony Oct 9, 2017 11:20:42 GMT -5

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Post by Kire on Oct 9, 2017 11:20:42 GMT -5

[attr="class","atvertical"]victor

[attr="class","angerytoad"]He had been in a fog from the moment he had stepped forward to face Hyacinth for the last time. The grayness that had surrounded his legs had swallowed him at the last and still had a hazy hold over his body. His head would swim with pain and dizziness now and again - the effect of having lost an eye to his once-ally in that ghostly final fight. Even now, a headache prodded at the falsely-filled socket of his glass eye.

They had fitted him with one only a day ago, managing to match his own natural shade of hazel quite effectively. He had tried to refuse, insisting that he would much rather have the eye not replaced and instead left as a clear reminder to everyone who saw him that Hyacinth had been alive, and that she had left her mark. They forced the fake eye into place with synthetic sweetness and exclaimed at how well it matched his real eye. An aide then showed him how to take care of the eye, as well as remove and replace it. He had tried his case one more time, but the aide had explained - not unkindly - that the Capitol simply wanted to see him as whole and victorious. "Perhaps when you are back in your district, then you can go without it."

Now they had him positioned on a platform that would raise him into the judgmental eyes of the populous once more. They had allowed him to hold the cat and his rat for the ceremony, something he would have attempted anyway but was much easier without their attempts to stop him. The rat climbed to her favourite position on his shoulder, small nose twitching as she pivoted her ears to catch whatever sounds were of interest. She pushed her face against his ear for a moment, conveying the words of Ripred as his vision dulled momentarily from a wave of dizzy pain. Stand tall, show them the might of a warrior of Ripred.

As the platform began to rise under him, pushing him up to the surface of society once more, the cat in his arms tensed. The rat killer had kept away from his rat during the time the two had been in close proximity as he recovered, but he still didn't trust the beast. If not for Hyacinth's request he would have dumped the thing into a local shelter and left it to be fought over by the Capitolites. Instead, he felt compelled to clutch the cat close until it could be passed off to the Mortuuses in district twelve.

"And now, may I present the victor of the 74th Hunger Games... Ansgar Todd!"

The scream that arose when he appeared above the top of the stage was deafening. In his already disoriented state he felt as though everything was going to collapse around him. A hiss from the cat and a nip on the ear from the rat held him to reality. In this moment of vulnerability he reached out mentally to the one thing he knew was always present - ripred. Ripred, give me the strength to stand before this bloodthirsty crowd and witness the deeds I had done over again. Let me sit tall on that throne with a cold crown on my head and embody the metal it is made of. I will show them the certainty of your servants. But first, give me the words to say that will get them to let me alone for a breath.

A wave of the President's arm and the crowd fell silent. He felt a momentary twinge of alarm and anger at the gesture. This President was demanding the same level of respect as Ripred. A man could not harbor the power of a god, he did not deserve it. Strengthened by this moment of feeling, he stepped to the microphone that was offered to him.

"It is by the grace of Ripred that I stand here. It is His guidance that led me home. It is with His hand that I defeated three and outlived twenty more. It was his will that was a marred and marked." He touched his cheek, his throat, then pulled his sleeves up past the point where he had been gashed a number of times. Each place he touched and exposed was flawless, bare of all signs of struggle. He turned a glare on the audience. "It was the interference of the Capitol that I no longer bear these lessons." Grimly, he raised a hand toward his face. "There is one mark that was left that not even you could hide."

He removed the glass eye with a squelching sound, leaving a gaping socket in its place.

"By the will of Ripred and Hyacinth Mortuus, I am marked."

Without another word he sat received his crown and sat upon the throne. He did not replace the eye, instead clutching it in his palm. He sat like a statue through the recap video, confident - at least in this moment - in the actions he had taken. Even as he watched Hyacinth fall and take her last breath he made no move or sound. He was, after all, a warrior and servant of Ripred and as much as he doubted himself, he could not doubt his liege.

He would not doubt his god.

[attr="class","atvertical"]ansgar

todd

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