Our final chapter and it's a long one! I can't believe it's finally time. I'll save the long tearful goodbye for the end. If you look at the update date, you'll notice it's the same day this account came into creation, not long after the great SYOT purge. What a time that was! I can't believe how much time has passed.

Sorry for getting carried away with Percy's and Eugenia's spotlights, but I had the scene in my head for so long that it just came out like that.

Enjoy the final chapter of From Utopia: The Final Hunger Games!

"Wake up! Wake up, Lancey, it's Friday! Time for school!"

Lance opened one eye with a groan. Gwen was running about their little apartment, grabbing school supplies and throwing them in her backpack. Two lunches sat on the counter.

Their new apartment was little more than three rooms—a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room connected to a kitchen. Lance slept in the living room so his sister could have the bedroom, but it meant waking up bright and early because she could never be quiet in the morning. She banged cupboards as she prepared breakfast and packed their lunches. Lance never complained, though. He was glad to be waking up at all.

"Let's just skip today," Lance yawned, closing his eyes.

"No way! Jeez, why did you ever go back to school if you hate it so much?" Gwen bounded over to the couch, hands planted on her hips.

Lance hid a smile by burrowing under the covers. He didn't really hate school. He knew he needed an education. More importantly, he could finally get Gwen the education she deserved. And he wanted a good future for the both of them.

With another dramatic groan, Lance came oozing out from underneath the covers like a slug. Frustrated, Gwen whipped them off of him and began tugging on his hand. "Come on, come on!"

"Okay! I'm awake!" Lance said after being forcefully dragged to his feet.

Gwen just laughed.

They sat down to eat a quick breakfast together. Lance went to the bathroom to splash some water on his face. Looking in the mirror, he noticed his hair was getting longer. He'd cut it later if he felt like it.

"Let's go, Lance!" Gwen called from the door.

They walked to the school together. It was a short commute. At the gate, Gwen bid him farewell and hurried off to join her friends. Lance stood and watched her go with a small smile on his face. Then he headed off to his own classroom.

They were rather early. There was still some time before the teacher would arrive and the day would begin. I could have slept an extra ten minutes, Lance thought grumpily, slapping his books down onto his desk.

Someone approached him from behind and he whipped around, alarmed. There stood one of his classmates. They looked surprised by his sudden movement. He was always a little on edge after his time in the Hunger Games and no one else seemed to understand.

"Hey Lance," his classmate said, not addressing Lance's reaction. He held up a notebook. "Can I get your autograph?"

Lance gave him a withering look. "I've already given you my autograph."

"It's for a friend this time."

Lance held out his hand, suppressing a smirk. "All right. You know my price."

Moaning, the student reached into his pocket, pulled out a small stack of money, and put it in Lance's palm.

Lance counted it to make sure there wasn't a cent out of place. When everything seemed in order, he took the notebook and signed it. "If you want me to doodle something or write a message, it costs extra," Lance said, handing it back.

His classmate rolled his eyes. "Not this time," he grumbled.

Lance watched him go. He was always being flooded by kids at school. His adoring fans. It was the perfect opportunity to make a little bit of extra cash, since he was no longer working with the orphanage.

A girl sitting in the row in front of him turned in her seat to cast him a disapproving eye. "I hope you're donating that money to charity," she said snootily.

Lance smiled innocently. "Of course." I'm donating it to the charity for Lance.

He sat down and leaned back in his seat, relaxed. Oh well. He would make up for his little schemes by attending the concert this upcoming weekend. His presence had been requested, after all.

Should be interesting.

Eugenia was sick of people. She was sick of everyone talking about the Hunger Games. She was sick of her mother fussing over her, in between taking jabs at what a failure she was. She just wanted to be alone.

Thankfully, she had found a job on the outskirts of the city, near the suburbs. It was a low-profile pet rescue with very little business and few employees. She loved working there and helping the animals. Their company was much preferred to people. It gave her a reason to get out of the house too.

She was busy tending to the shop's rabbits, when the ringing of a bell announced that she had a customer. She turned to greet them.

"Welco—oh."

There stood a chubby boy with an upturned nose and long blonde bangs that covered his eyes. Percy King.

"Small world," Eugenia muttered.

Percy grimaced. "Ugh. Spare me the small talk and help me find…err…" He shuffled his feet, as though embarrassed to admit what he came here for.

Eugenia had rarely crossed paths with Percy during their time together in the Games, but she had seen him during the recap, and it left her with mixed emotions. On one hand, he was a little monster. On the other, his love for animals ran deep, like hers. She wouldn't have admitted to anyone that she'd almost cried watching the beautiful tiger butterfly's death. Even if that muttation hadn't been real.

Oh well. No matter how she felt, the customer must be served.

"Let me show you around. Maybe it'll help you figure out what you're looking for," Eugenia offered.

"I know what I'm looking for," Percy snapped. "I want—er—a cat." He pointed to where the cats and kittens were kept, cheeks red.

Eugenia couldn't understand why he was so embarrassed. Cats were the best. And finding the right cat for Percy seemed like a fun task. "All right! Come on over and let's find your forever pet!"

First, she showed him all of the kittens. She went into great detail about each one's backstory and personality. But Percy quickly waved them off.

"Kittens have too much energy," he mumbled. "And they're so dependent. I've never taken care of anything before so…I don't want to mess up."

"That's fine! Here…" With much enthusiasm, Eugenia introduced Percy to the rest of the cats. There was nothing she loved doing more than this. She especially lived for the moment a customer's face lit up; when she knew they had found the right pet for them.

It was hard to read Percy's face past that curtain of bangs, but she could sense the moment when it happened. They had selected a pretty, pale orange tabby cat with dainty white paws. She sat perfectly in Percy's lap and rubbed her face all over his. He laughed as her whiskers tickled his nose.

They had her out of her cage for almost an hour, playing with and petting the friendly tabby. Finally, Percy declared that this was the one for him.

"Everyone who comes in is always looking for a young cat or kitten," Eugenia said, helping Percy pick out food and toys. "So I was afraid this one would never get adopted."

"How old is she?"

"They think she's around three years old. She was pretty little when they found her living on the streets. Um…I'm going to need you to sign these papers." At the back of her mind, she knew someone as young as Percy couldn't adopt, but she didn't have the heart to turn him down.

He gave her the money and put his information down on paper. As she took it, she couldn't help but glance at the name Percy had given the cat.

"Monarch? Oh, I get it—you're a King, she's a Monarch."

Percy grimaced. "Uh, yeah, that's totally it." He was too manly to admit he had been thinking of butterflies when he named her.

Eugenia put Monarch in a carrier and gave it to Percy.

He peered in at his new pet with a huge grin. "Ready to go home, Mona?" A sweet little voice answered him from inside the crate. Then, for some reason, Percy's grin trembled. Eugenia watched a tear roll down his cheek.

"Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

"Nnn…I should have spent the money on a bodyguard," Percy said, straightening up and rubbing his eyes. "But I just really wanted a friend instead."

"Why on earth would you need a bodyguard?"

"Cause of what I'm about to do."

Eugenia felt slightly alarmed. But Percy went on to explain:

"I'm leaving my family and going to live on my own. But I'm afraid my dad will kill me when I tell him." Percy's face puckered as he fought back tears. He didn't want to look like a big cowardly crybaby in front of this girl.

Eugenia's heart went out to him. "I'll go with you," she said. "As a witness. Not as a bodyguard. I don't think I could fight a full grown man." She forced a laugh.

Percy brushed the hair out of his face and for a moment, Eugenia caught a glimpse of big blue eyes. He smiled shyly. "I think you could."

She just shook her head. "My shift will be over soon—can you wait for me?"

Percy nodded. "I'll play with Mona while I wait."

And that's just what he did as the sun sunk towards the horizon. No more customers came that day and eventually, it was time for Eugenia to make her rounds. After checking on each and every animal, she closed up shop and walked Percy back to his house, helping him carry all of the materials he had just bought. His house wasn't far.

The front door was unlocked. Percy took a deep breath and pushed it open. His family was inside, congregated around the dinner table.

"You're late!" his red-faced father, Aloysius roared. "Your dinner's gotten-!" He caught sight of Eugenia and immediately calmed, squinting at her through his tiny eyeglasses. "You didn't say you were bringing home a friend."

His mother, meanwhile, paid no attention to Eugenia. She was looking at Percy's feet, her features screwed up in rage and disgust. "What is that?!" she shrilled. "Did you bring an animal into my nice clean house?!"

Immediately, all of Percy's family members were on their feet, coming forward to see what Percy had brought home. One look at the parents' faces and Eugenia was very tempted to leave. But she forced herself to stay, for Percy. For Monarch too, who could be in danger.

But Percy placed himself protectively in front of the cat carrier. "This is my pet cat," he said in a firm voice. "Her name is Monarch."

"I don't care what its name is! Get it out of here right now," his mother hissed.

"Listen to your mother," Aloysius growled, glaring at his son. "This is our house and you will do as we say."

"No!" Percy said with surprising fervor. "This is not my house anymore. I came to tell you I'm moving out. I've already found a new place to stay and—"

"WHAT!"

Both of his parents screamed so loudly that Percy wilted a bit. But then he remembered all he had been through. This was nothing. So he straightened back up, puffed out his chest, and pointed an accusing finger right at them.

"You may be my parents, but you're not good for me. A father should never hit his child! And a mother—" he glowered at his mother for a long moment. "A mother should never threaten to kill her son if he lets slip about her stinkin' affair!"

Both parents turned on one another, gaping. Percy's mother sputtered as she tried to find an excuse. "Wha—I—he's lying!"

"Let's go, Eugenia," Percy said, turning to leave. Now they could finally direct all of their anger at each other, instead of him.

Eugenia blinked. "Aren't you forgetting anything?"

"Nope," Percy said proudly. "There's nothing I care about in this hou—" He froze.

Wait. There was something he was forgetting.

Someone who clung to him like an annoying zit that wouldn't go away. Someone who was constantly trying to break past the walls Percy had built. Someone he refused to call a friend all of these years, even though he was probably the last person who cared about him.

"Parry!" Percy turned around, looking straight at his little brother. "Come on. You're with me."

Parry stood there dumbfounded, as though Percy might be addressing someone else.

"What are ya, deaf? Let's go!"

Parry charged over, right past his parents who had started arguing loudly. But Aloysius spotted him and grabbed his wrist so hard that Parry cried out in pain. "You're not going anywhere!" he snarled.

Percy threw himself at his father and sunk his teeth into his arm. The large man yelped and let go. He shouted expletive after expletive as the three kids scampered out the door and down the street.

They ran and ran until Percy had to stop for breath. For a full minute they just stood there panting. Then Percy started laughing. He clutched Monarch's carrier to his chest, shaking with glee. "We did it!" he cried out, full of relief. "I never want to see those two again in my life."

"Yes, but…they're our parents…" Parry murmured, torn about the whole thing. "They might hurt us, but they still love us."

Percy put down the carrier and turned to face his little brother, grasping his shoulders. "That kind of thinking is dangerous, Parry. If they really loved us, they wouldn't hurt us like they did."

Parry sniffled. He was starting to cry. "But—"

"Listen. You only get one life to live. You gotta do what's best for you. If you think what's best for you is back there with them, then by all means, go back. I won't stop you."

Parry didn't move for a long moment. Then, very slowly, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Percy.

Percy was tempted to push his little brother off, as usual. Instead, he awkwardly returned the hug. "I'll take care of you," he promised. Then added in an annoyed voice, "I mean, if you don't piss me off."

Parry laughed through his tears.

Eugenia stood back, watching the two brothers. You need to do what is best for you…

"Hey!"

Percy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Yes?"

"Thanks for coming with me, I guess," he said. "Even though you didn't really do anything."

"No problem," Eugenia snorted. She figured that was the best she was going to get out of him. It brought a dry smile to her lips. "Thank you too."

"For what?" Percy asked, looking confused.

"For what you said." She gave the two young boys a little wave. "I'll let you go now. Take care of that cat."

"I will," Percy promised. "Bye."

"Goodbye." Eugenia turned to go on her way.

Behind her, she could hear Parry calling out another goodbye and then saying to his brother, "Wow, she's pretty!" and Percy telling him to shut up. She had to hold back a chuckle. She didn't know why, but she felt strangely light.

The sun was just about gone and darkness had descended on the quiet streets on the neighborhood. It was a long walk back to her place, but she enjoyed it. Besides, she had a lot to think about.

She decided she was going to have a talk with her mother. Things needed to change.

It was time she started doing what was best for her.

The day of the concert had finally arrived and the turnout was greater than Ryiero could have imagined.

He was pacing backstage. Every so often, he'd peek out from behind the curtains to view the concert hall. Every time he looked, the auditorium seemed just a bit more swollen with people. With this many in attendance, he couldn't begin to imagine how much money they were going to make from this event.

His eyes scanned the crowd. Up front was a VIP section reserved just for the tributes. They were there, mingling with guests. It was hard to distinguish who was who from this distance, but he managed to pick out a tall figure with a chestnut head of hair. She's here!

Suddenly, a hand clamped down on Ryiero's shoulder. With a shriek, he whirled around and swung his fist.

Hip Hoprock caught it just before it struck his face. "Whoa! That was a close one." He grinned a crooked grin.

Ryiero fought to control his breathing. "Y-You surprised me!" he stammered.

"Sorry. I came to let you know we're on in ten." He let go of Ryiero's fist and went on his way, whistling a cheery tune, shoulders sloped with ease.

How is he so calm? Oh, I guess he's done this before…but still, I don't think I'll ever get over these nerves. His heart was pounding like a drum in his chest. Speaking of which, he needed to locate his drumsticks. He rushed off to do just that.

Down in the VIP section, the tributes were mostly at ease. A few loners, such as Judith and Casca, stood apart from everyone. Others were happy to see one another.

Antony was making a big spectacle of himself, loudly telling a story about how Horatia and Brianne had slammed some "uppity hoes" for being rude. Horatia just smiled and shook her head while Brianne listened to Daphne relay the story of meeting Victor Enobaria.

"When are they going to start?" Apollo complained. He and Viatrix were handing out flyers to promote their museum. Tully was supposed to be doing the same but she had gotten distracted catching up with Cicely.

Junisse, Reyn, and Locce were all together, of course. Reyn was bouncing around, already dancing even though the music hadn't started yet, trying to get her two friends to dance. Junisse just smiled awkwardly while Locce tried not to fall asleep on his feet.

Mobius stood near the edge of the group, while approaching fans asked for pictures. Lance sidled over and told them if they wanted pictures with the tributes, there was a price to pay. The fans complained they had already paid top dollar to get in.

"I'm sorry, are you saying you don't want to donate to charity?" Lance asked, eyes flashing. That shut them up.

Duke sighed inwardly. It didn't feel right, being here. He wondered if, at any point, he should try to ask for Ryiero's forgiveness. He certainly didn't deserve it. He wasn't even sure he could approach his former ally. But somewhere down the road, he hoped there would come a time when they could speak again.

"Percy! How's Mona?" Eugenia asked, shoving through the crowd to reach one of the few people she felt comfortable talking to.

Percy turned red at the unexpected attention. "H-Huh? I mean—she's fine! What, you think I mighta killed her or something?"

Eugenia gritted her teeth in annoyance. "I was just asking!"

"And I'm telling you, she's fine," Percy growled, crossing his arms and looking away angrily. Then he added in a softer voice, "…Thanks for asking."

Nearby, Gliss spoke to no one, looking all around at her surroundings. She counted the tributes silently in her head. Everyone was here, save for Zion and Ryiero, who would be appearing on stage soon. Everyone who was supposed to be, anyways.

Chip couldn't make it. And Perrin was still absent, but everyone was past the point of thinking about him. Everyone seemed to understand he wasn't coming back…but no one cared. There were twenty-three other tributes to preoccupy Panem.

Her heart grew heavy at the thought of Chip. She wished she had taken the opportunity to bid him a proper farewell, instead of slamming the door in his face. He didn't deserve that. He deserved to know how much he meant to her. And now I might never see him again…

Suddenly, the lights dimmed. An announcement came on, telling everyone to take their seats. As they did so, the chatter softened for a brief moment. Then the curtains went up and the concert hall was full of screaming and clapping.

There on the stage were Hip and Zion. Hip was waving to the audience and striking poses, feasting upon their adoration for the band. Zion was demure, blushing and raising a hand in acknowledgement. Other members of the band on different instruments flanked them. At the back was Ryiero, sitting upon a raised platform with his drums all around him. He raised his two sticks and hollered in glee.

His family and friends were in this auditorium somewhere, cheering him on. He couldn't have felt more proud.

They did their first song, starting the concert off with a bang. Everyone was back on their feet, seized by such excitement that they couldn't possibly stay sitting. Lights flashed in all colors. Pyrotechnics blasted fire. Hip and Zion stood on either side of the stage, singing and harmonizing perfectly. Ryiero attacked his drums with fervor.

The song was over all too soon. Everyone was ready for the next, but first, there were some things that needed to be said.

"Thank you all for being with us here tonight!" Hip shouted into his microphone, sending up a new round of applause. "All of the funds for the concert will be donated to those in poverty and used to help rebuild our country! It's time to come together and make a difference. Panem will be great once more!"

He paused, smirking as everyone cheered in agreement.

"Tonight, I have with me two tributes from the Final Hunger Games: Zion Kim and Ryiero Lynn! Hey, that kind of rhymes." He sent Zion a pleased look, as if he had just solved world hunger.

"Not really…" Zion mumbled.

"Whatever. Let's give them a warm welcome!"

Fangirls were practically throwing themselves at the stage, ready to welcome the boys in their own special way.

"ZION, I LOVE YOU!" "MARRY ME, RYIERO!" "HIP TAKE ME NOW."

"Okay, okay, calm down, everyone," Hip said, putting a hand up. "Let's try and get through all of these songs before midnight. I've got things to do tonight, if you know what I mean." He winked and somewhere in the audience, a teenage girl fainted. "Let's do this!"

All through the night, they performed song after song. Some were popular covers, others were written by Hip himself. Sometimes the band members switched off to give everyone a break, so the concert could keep going. At one point, Hip took a break to let Zion sing a ballad the tributes had heard before.

Atop a hill, I watched the sun set…

Waiting for her

Ryiero sat behind his drumset, panting, slick with sweat. They didn't need the drums for this song. He was supposed to go backstage for a quick water break, but something kept him nailed in place. His eyes were fixed on someone in the front row of the audience. He couldn't tear them away.

The ballad drew to an end and everyone applauded. Hip Hoprock came back onstage, pointing at Ryiero as he did. Ryiero blinked out of his stupor. Oh, is it time?

"That was awesome, Zion! Now we're going to hear another original hit single from our very own Ryiero: Constant Love!"

"Wait!" Ryiero was suddenly on his feet. Dimly, he realized he was shaking. But it was too late. He was doing this. "Before we start, there's something I want to say!"

He clambered his way off the platform and to the front of the stage. Hip arched an eyebrow quizzically, unaware of what Ryiero planned to do. However, a smile played at the edges of Zion's lips. He stepped forward and offered Ryiero his microphone. The drummer lifted it to his lips.

"Elara."

Everyone turned to look at the young woman. She stood amidst the throng of former tributes, eyes wide, lips parted in confusion. She pointed to herself as if to ask "me?"

Ryiero couldn't help but smile. "Elara, I know you never wanted to get to know me because we were both going into the Hunger Games, but…well, that's over now. I want to get to know you. Will you go out with me?"

A few squeals went up from the audience, but they were immediately shushed by others as they strained to hear Elara's response.

Ryiero stepped to the edge of the stage and kneeled down, holding out his hand. Tributes parted, letting Elara move through the ranks. She had one hand on her cheek. She stopped just in front of Ryiero, gazing up at him with misty eyes.

She smiled hesitantly, as if Ryiero was just making a silly joke. "But…I don't deserve someone like you," she said with a little laugh.

"Of course not," Ryiero said solemnly. "You deserve so much more." He reached for her hand.

Elara's eyes flooded with tears. For a moment, Ryiero thought she was going to turn him down once more and he was filled with fear. But then her warm hand was in his and he was pulling her onto stage, surrounded by the cheers of jubilant fans. Ryiero had never experienced a more perfect moment in his life. From the look on Elara's face, she hadn't either.

For a few seconds, she looked all around the concert hall, stunned at the reaction this had received. Then she turned to Ryiero. Her entire face was lit up with joy. Ryiero was entranced by her beauty.

"This feels like a dream," she whispered in amazement.

Ryiero squeezed her hand in his, smiling, unable to find words.

"Okay, you two, the concert's not over yet!" Hip laughed good-naturedly. Then he flashed Ryiero a quick thumbs-up and a wink.

Ryiero released Elara's hand and grinned big. "This next song is for you!" he declared. Then he returned to his drums.

Elara remained where she was standing, hands clasped, feeling happier than she had in a long, long time.

Gliss's heart grew warm at the sight of her. Good for her. She deserves some happiness.

The song began. And just as it did, Gliss thought she felt a presence. She turned around and looked towards the back of the concert hall.

There he was. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Freckles you couldn't even begin counting.

Gliss was no longer aware of the music or the countless people that filled this hall. She ran towards her friend and threw herself into his arms.

"I'm sorry. I should have done this yesterday," Gliss whispered, clinging to Chip tightly.

He held her close. "It's okay. I figured you'd regret it, so I came back to say goodbye."

"When are you leaving?"

"Bright and early tomorrow morning. Mom let me push it back a day."

Gliss pulled back, laughing to cover her tears. "You know me too well, Chip. I'm glad you came back."

"Me too." His eyes were soft. Softer than Gliss had ever seen them. For once in his life, he was letting his guard down. "Wanna get out of here?"

Gliss nodded. "Let's go."

Hand-in-hand, they left the others to their unforgettable evening.

Science isn't about why. It's about why not.

Head Gamemaker Wiley Corr opened his eyes. For some reason, one of his father's favorite sayings had just popped into his brain. Like someone had popped open his skull and placed it there. He wasn't sure why. He wasn't in the mood to think of that man. Groaning, he sat up in his chair and wiped the drool stain on the papers he had been using as a pillow.

He'd just gotten off the phone with an important figure, trying to sell the idea of a Hunger Games virtual reality game. He'd tried to convince the man that it was completely safe, despite what happened to Perrin. But he'd just shot him down repeatedly and even claimed that the very idea was incredibly offensive.

Head Gamemaker Corr had said, "What do you mean it's offensive? I'm from the districts, so it shouldn't be considered offensive!" Well, the man had pointed out that the districts didn't exist anymore and he couldn't argue with that, so he had just hung up.

He glanced at the clock on his office wall with a sigh. It was getting late.

While he was packing up, Thimblelina Paylor popped her head in. His assistant Jarek was with her.

"Sir! We're going out for a drink. Would you like to join us?" he invited jovially.

Ugh. A drink with Jarek sounded like the furthest thing from relaxing that Gamemaker Corr could think of. "No thanks, mate," he mumbled, rubbing at the circles under his eyes. "There's somewhere I need to go. Maybe another time."

"I'll hold you to it!" Jarek said cheerfully and went on ahead.

But Thimblelina remained behind, looking at her coworker with suspicious eyes. "Don't tell me you're going back there."

Head Gamemaker Corr bristled at her tone. "As a matter of fact, love, yes, I am going back there. Because no one else bloody will." He grabbed his bag and pushed past Thimblelina, into the hall.

She was not to be shaken off that easily. "What happened isn't your fault," she said, following him. Her short legs struggled to keep pace with his long strides. For every one of his steps, she had to take three. "No one is blaming you. His parents aren't threatening to sue. You don't have to feel any guilt."

Wiley Corr halted. "And therein lies the problem, love," he murmured.

Thimblelina frowned. "What?"

"Forgive me. Visiting hours will be over soon and I must be going."

He pushed on, leaving Thimblelina behind. She watched him go, just shaking her head in bewilderment.

From the moment he had let Mr. and Mrs. Halliday in to see their son, Wiley Corr knew exactly what kind of people they were. He watched them pretend to show concern for their son, asking questions and stroking his hair. But their eyes were distant. They didn't look the way a mother and father's eyes should have. They were just going through the motions and nothing more.

They didn't care.

He knew. Because it was the way his father used to look at him, before he died.

After that day, they had never been back to visit.

Every time the Head Gamemaker stopped by the hospital, he asked if they had been in, but the answer was always the same. Feeling some sense of responsibility, Wiley Corr had taken it upon himself to visit Perrin daily.

Very few knew of these excursions. Thimblelina knew. She'd jested that he should look into adopting Perrin, considering he cared more than his own parents. But she didn't know just how serious he felt about all this. He had to do this.

By the time he reached the hospital, it was dark. Many had gone home for the day. Few doctors and nurses passed him in the hallway as he made his way to Perrin's room. He spotted Dr. Partridge and gave him a nod, trying to ignore the chill that ran up his spine every time he saw the doctor. Then he went to voice his usual question.

"No," Dr. Partridge said before he could speak. "His parents have not been in to see him."

Here came the usual crushing feeling of pity. Head Gamemaker Corr tried to ignore it. "Oh. Well, I'll just stop in for a little while, shall I?"

"Go right ahead," Dr. Partridge answered, no longer looking interested in the conversation. He squinted at his chart and retreated down the hall, his mind elsewhere.

Heaving a sigh, Head Gamemaker Corr went into Perrin's hospital room.

It was a rather cheery little space. The walls had been painted all sorts of contrasting colors. The large windows were usually drawn open to let in daylight, but since it was dark out, the curtains had been shut.

Next to the window was Perrin's bed. In it was Perrin, hooked to a number of machines that worked to keep him nourished. Despite this, his face was pale and gaunt. Pretty soon, his muscle would start deteriorating. Other than that, the nurses and doctors tried to keep him in good shape. They exercised his arms and legs on a daily basis. His hair was clean and his face shone beneath the artificial lights.

Head Gamemaker Corr gazed down at his face, heart heavy. Perrin's eyes were closed and he was breathing steadily. On his lips was the faintest ghost of a smile. Sometimes, Wiley wondered if it was merely his imagination, because he knew what was going on in Perrin's head.

Seized by an unexpected bout of rage, Head Gamemaker Corr slammed his fist into the nearest wall. "Damn it!" he shouted. "Wake up, you blithering idiot, wake up! That's not the real world, this is. You pompous—"

A small sob came from the corner of the room and the Head Gamemaker swallowed his words in shock. A little girl who looked to be no older than ten was seated in a chair by the door. He'd walked right past her when he entered.

The girl peered at him with sorrowful brown eyes that looked a great deal like Perrin's. Because this was his sister.

Head Gamemaker Corr struggled to remember her name. "You're—err—you're what's-her-name. Uhh—"

"Flora."

"Right!" He fidgeted nervously, tempted to go sprinting out of the room. "I'm…uh, you know what, just call me Wiley."

Flora nodded vaguely. She seemed to be staring past him, at Perrin. Or perhaps she was looking even further than that, into some past memory shared with her brother. Wiley felt his heart clench with misery.

"Can you tell me why Perrin won't wake up?"

Her question surprised Wiley. He was certain this girl must hate him and planned on ignoring him. When she didn't, he hurriedly searched for words. "Um…yes, well, I do have a theory. I suppose I could tell you."

Very slowly, Flora climbed out of her chair and crossed the room to stand next to Wiley. They both looked down at Perrin in silence. She didn't push him to say anything. She waited patiently for an answer she had been wondering about for a long time.

Wiley took a deep breath and began:

"It's not easy to explain, love, but…when we pulled Perrin out of the simulation, I believe there was a part of him that did not want to leave. Even after it ended, his brain took over from there and continued the simulation in his head. Monitors showed us that, despite being in a comatose-like state, there is a great amount of activity going on in Perrin's mind. It's unlike anything we've ever seen before. As we speak, he's living out his fantasy in a world just like our own. He's a Hunger Games victor. He's receiving all of the love and attention he could ever have or want."

Wiley lowered his eyes. In his heart, he knew why Perrin hadn't come back. Who would want to leave such a perfect world? Perhaps the mother and father that existed in his mind were finally paying some attention to him now…

"But why?" Flora choked out. There were tears running freely down her cheeks. Her expression was contorted with grief and pain. "He could have all of that here!"

"Well…I suppose he doesn't realize it. He never found out it was a simulation. As far as he knows, he's in the real world." Or maybe there's a part of him that does know it's not real, but he's too afraid to leave.

"It's not, though! It's not any more real than a dream!" Flora cried out ardently. She grabbed Perrin's bed sheets and clutched them in her little fists. Tears fell, staining the white fabric. When she spoke, her voice was raw with grief. "You promised you would come home! You promised!"

Of course, Perrin showed no signs of hearing her. He was very far away.

Tentatively, Wiley reached out to comfort her, but thought better of it and withdrew his hand. He stood in silence as Flora collapsed onto her brother's bed and cried without abandon.

As she did so, he remembered back to Perrin's interview. The tribute had specifically promised his sister that if he made it out alive, it would be because of her. He'd promised to come back to her. Looking at her now, Wiley couldn't help but feel angry with Perrin all over again.

"Listen to me for a second, love," Wiley said, once Flora's wretched sobbing had subsided.

She turned to look at him, still clinging to the bed. Her cheeks were red and tear-tracked, her brown curls askew.

Wiley swallowed in anticipation. He hadn't spoken of this for many years, but now, it felt like the right thing to say. "Listen," the Gamemaker said, a tremor in his voice. "When I was seventeen, I was reaped for the Hunger Games."

Flora's eyes went wide. But in their depths, he could see a spark of confusion, as she wondered what this had to do with anything. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. Either way, he was going to tell her his pathetic little story.

"My father basically sold me into the Games. I was bloody terrified, of course. A coward like me never would have made it past the Bloodbath. But then my little brother, Rick…he was the same age as Perrin. He volunteered. Actually, the two were very similar, now that I think about it. Rick was always making a big show of himself, y'know? He was too brave for his own good and he…well, he blew himself to bloody bite-sized pieces in the Hunger Games." His drew his lips thin, swallowing back his bitterness.

Flora blinked slowly. Her face had once again dulled with grief. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because—because Rick is dead. And Perrin isn't. What hope I had for my brother coming back to me died a long time ago, but yours doesn't have to."

Flora's eyes lowered to the floor. New tears were appearing. Wiley reached out, touching her shoulder gently, and she looked back up.

"Remember that Perrin's brain still shows great signs of activity, love. That's more than most coma patients can say."

Flora wiped a stray tear from her cheek. When she spoke, her voice carried a new strength. "You really think he'll come back?"

Wiley met her eyes bravely.

"I can't promise anything, but I'm going to try my hardest to bring him back. It's not going to be easy, but I'm going to try."

His words were genuine and full of determination. Something in them touched Flora. She turned abruptly and wrapped her arms around Wiley, hugging his waist.

"Ah!" He flung his arms up and stood there uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. He glanced towards the door, hoping no one would choose this moment to walk in. When she didn't let go, Wiley reached down and awkwardly patted her head. "There, there…you can let go now. There we go."

She did. And in that moment, Wiley thought he spotted the tiniest trace of a smile creasing her lips.

"You visit a lot, don't you?" she asked, changing the subject to something lighter. "The doctors said you did."

"Y-Yes, I do," Wiley mumbled.

"Can I show you some of the exercises they showed me to work Perrin's arms and legs? So when he comes back, it'll be easier for him to start walking again."

There was a certain amount of conviction behind her words. It brought a smile to Wiley's face. "That sounds excellent. Really excellent."

They spent the rest of visiting hours like that. Flora showed the Head Gamemaker how to work Perrin's limp joints. When they were done with that, she fixed Perrin's hair and chattered away about what her brother liked and disliked. It seemed she had not had someone to talk to about Perrin for a very long time. It was also clear to see just how much she loved and adored him. With her parents the way they were, he was all she had.

"Visiting hours are over," a nurse said, sticking her head into the room.

Wiley looked at Flora in surprise. "Where's your mum? Isn't someone going to come pick you up?"

Flora shook her head. "No. I walked here myself."

"Well. That just won't do, with it so dark out. I suppose I'll have to walk you home, will I? Come on, then."

Wiley led the way towards the door. Just before they left, Flora stopped and turned around to look at her brother one last time. Wiley halted in the doorway, waiting for her.

Flora's features tightened with resolve. "I'm not going to lose hope," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

Good for you, sweet, Wiley thought fondly, allowing himself a small smile. You're braver than I ever was.

After that, they left the hospital. The streets of the Capitol were alive. Apparently, there was some great concert going on tonight, organized by the tributes. He wouldn't have gone even if he had been invited. Besides, walking this little girl home was more important.

Along the way, Flora mentioned she hadn't eaten dinner and they impulsively stopped for ice cream. Flora chose chocolate and Wiley picked butter cream. As Flora tasted hers, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"What, you don't like it?" Wiley asked in disbelief.

"No. This is Perrin's favorite flavor. I always thought chocolate was too sweet." Flora laughed.

Wiley just scrunched his eyebrows, perplexed.

Eventually, they made it back to the Halliday house. There were no worried parents looking out the window. Flora walked right up and opened the door. Light from the inside spilled out onto their front lawn. Wiley stood in a shaft of the light, watching Flora until she was inside to make sure she was safe.

But right before she closed the door, she turned back to look at Wiley. Then she thrust her little fist into the air. "I'm not going to lose hope!" she called across the lawn, voice full of determination. "For Perrin and for Panem!" She sounded much more confident now than when she had spoken the words in the hospital.

Wiley grinned and pumped his own fist in agreement.

Then, with a parting wave, Flora shut the door behind her. The sidewalk was plunged into darkness. For a long minute, Wiley stood there with his hands in the pockets of his lab coat. Just thinking.

Hope. That was the reason they started the Hunger Games in the first place, wasn't it? To crush our hope…but they gave us a victor to preserve just a little spark of that hope. And that little spark grew and grew and… He smiled, tipping his head back to gaze at the stars above. It was harder to spot them in the Capitol than in District 3, but he could see a few bright pinpoints twinkling in the darkness.

Well, here we are.

The night air was turning chill. He suppressed a shiver, thinking of all of those tributes tucked away in their warm concert hall. He wished them all the best. He really did. He hoped Perrin would one day be able to join their ranks and experience their forgiveness, and enjoy life once more.

Until then, Wiley would just keep nursing this small spark of hope he had never truly lost.

With a sigh, he left behind Perrin's house and disappeared into the night.

It was time to go home.

~THE END~

It's time for us to say goodbye. As always, thank you to everyone who took the time to read, review, or submit one of these wonderful characters! Here is our final curtain call of the Final Hunger Games tributes!

1. Perrin (ImmyRose)

2. Gliss (Asami Sato)

3. Tully (lunarisque)

4. Eugenia (Aspect of One)

5. Lance (felicitea)

6. Apollo (Xandra Fox)

7. Zion (Hoprocker)

8. Duke (TallTalesInk)

9. Percy (Hoprocker)

10. Chip (gingericus)

11. Casca (The Head Gamemaker)

12. Horatia (ForeverBrilliant)

13. Ryiero (Noctsire)

14. Viatrix (The Knife Throwing Expert)

15. Judith (Dante Alighieri1308)

16. Mobius (The Utter Happenstance)

17. Antony (satan is hot)

18. Locce (kopykat101)

19. Cicely (jakey121)

20. Brianne (bobothebear)

21. Reyn (District11-Olive)

22. Junisse (pochapal)

23. Daphne (Lupus Overkill)

24. Elara (Xandra Fox)

Of course, the biggest thanks of all goes to my sister Xandra Fox, who had the idea for this superpowered story in the first place. Thank you for letting me adopt it and for always helping me come up with ideas! You're the best!

I'm gonna be real with you guys for a minute. Or a few paragraphs. Anyways, I kept telling myself that after I finish what fanfictions I have left, I'll leave this place behind and move on to publish original works and try to make some money. Well, I'm not so sure that's going to happen because I think fanfiction will always be part of me. Not only is it fun, but it's also made me a better writer. It's helped me figure out what I want to do in life.

March 2012 is when I discovered the Hunger Games, not long after I lost one of my best friends, who happened to be a cat. People who have never loved a pet will scoff at this, but it was very hard on me and when I'm sad, I tend to spiral into thinking about more sad things and before I know it I'm trapped in an abyss of grief with nothing but my tears to help me swim out. So writing these Hunger Games stories gave me something to think about when falling asleep at night. They helped me escape into another world. And I think I'm always going to need a world to escape to, especially during hard times, which is why I'll never stop writing. Plus, there are so many fond memories I have relating to these stories. Walking down the boardwalk of Virginia Beach, surrounded by inspiration for the 42nd arena. Wandering my college campus, discussing and laughing at ideas with my sister. Declaring the decision to take on From Utopia in the middle of a strawberry field and loving the reactions from friends I've made on this site.

I wouldn't have kept coming back if not for all of you. If you're still with me, thank you for joining me on this journey. Thanks for putting up with the plot twists, the cliffhangers, and the weird author's notes. Thanks for taking the time to submit a character or leave words of encouragement. I appreciate all of it.

While I won't be doing another SYOT because they're too time-consuming, I will always be here if you ever want some advice, need a tribute for your own story, or just desire to chat. And I'm going to be working on some original works, so keep an eye out for those some day in the future! I'm gonna leave my mark on this world!

Okay, time to wrap this baby up! I enjoyed our time together, however brief it was. I wish you all the best of luck on this adventure called life!

Sincerely,

Hoprocker