𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 || 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒔 𝑺𝒏𝒐𝒘

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

"𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓, 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆."

-𝑻𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒘𝒊𝒇𝒕
_______________________________________

When he looked out the window, he saw the big buildings of the Capitol. The train soon stopped and he was lead to the Academy. He wondered why was he here. Then they entered Dr. Gaul's lab.

"You've passed all my Tests. I asked President Ravenstill to grant you full pardon." Dr. Gaul said as he entered.

"I can't afford university."
He interrupted. It was true, there was no way they could pay for it without the Plinth Prize.

"A certain Mr. Strabo Plinth has decided to pay for everything you need while you're there. But before I take you under my wing, let me ask you one final time. What are the Hunger Games for?" The woman looked at him expecting the answer she's been waiting for.

"For to remind us all who we truly are.

"And who are you?"

"The Victor." He said with unmistakable certainity. He was indeed the Victor. He won. Now everything is going to be different for good.

"Welcome home, Mr. Snow."
She smiled, no doubt content with his answer.

Suddenly the door opened.

"Coryo?" A voice, so familiar yet he felt like it was a lifetime ago when he last heard it. How he loved when she called her that. At first she was reculant to do so because she thought that only his family can call him that but Coriolanus assured her that it was more than okay to call him by the nickname.

He turned around and faced the girl. The shock was apparent on her face. Was it the hair? Coriolanus wondered.

"Isme." He said the name like it was the first breath he took after being underwater. He could not deny that he missed her greatly. She made a constant appearence in his dreams.

"How...? You're back...I thought you'd be gone for months and...your hair."
She was still shocked but made her way across the room, past the jars full of Dr. Gaul's strange creations, towards Coriolanus.

"Oh, I'm sure Mr. Snow would love to tell you about his adventures in District 12." Dr. Gaul smirked. Of course she could see it on Ismene's face that she knew nothing about what happened after the games only that he was ordered to District 8.

Ismene aburtly stopped.

In that moment, he saw it on her face.
She didn't know. He glanced at Dr. Gaul who walked next to him and If looks could kill, the woman would sure be six feet under.

"District 12? But I thought it was 8." Then realization hit her. Did he? Did he go after Lucy Gray? Did he have feelings for her after all?

"Isme? Is everything alright?" Coriolanus asked and walked towards where she was standing.

"Of course. But now I have to go. Coriolanus. Dr. Gaul." She forced a smile and nodded at both of them then left the room.

"Isme, wait!" Coryo yelled and ran after her but was stopped by
Dr. Gaul's voice.

"Well, well, well. Is someone...jealous?" She chuckled darkly. She was enjoying this.

"Why did you do it?" Coriolanus turned and glared at the woman.

"The truth would have found it's way out, Mr. Snow. I did you a favor, in fact. It's better this way. If she found out later she'd be even more upset."
Dr. Gaul answered and walked closer to Coriolanus.