Summary: Chapter takes place 5 and a half years later, where we see and give farewell to everyone enjoying life in New Panem.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"And we are back!" Septa says with a big smile on his face. "We definitely enjoyed that half time show with the amazing performance of Maxine Mayfield! The Performer of New Panem! I just get goosebumps every time I see her! What an amazing show! The Madness of Vultures, they always come back! Such a catchy song!"
"Septa this is definitely one intense match between the Contestants from Districts 1, 2 and 4!" Tepal mentions.
"Yes but the power couple Nancy and Jonathan have been making dramatic combats! The two PK power couple we love to call them!"
"They are now in the sudden death circle zone!"
"Come on come on...." Lucas says with a big smile on his face, him being seated in Eleven's office. He sits in the chair while Eleven is to his left watching the TV intensely, Sean and Victor being to Lucas's right.
"It looks like it is the battle of the last District Contestants standing!" Septa says with a big smile on his face.
"Who will win?! Looks like they have one last obstacle course to go through! And you want to know what the Headmaster's did with this course Tepal?!"
"Oh I certainly do, Septa!"
"To honor the amazing Performer of New Panem's five year anniversary of performing....rings of synthetic fire!" Septa exclaims as the curtain opens to reveal the circles of synthetic ring of fires. "Now the object of this course is for them to run through the rings as they move in motion! The one who makes it to the finish line and picks up the Ribbon of Championship wins!"
"Come on don't fail me!" Victor says.
"No our PK power couple is going to do this!" Lucas smiles.
"Yeah I'm District 4 with this one." Eleven smiles.
"Tepal this is a really big challenge because District 1 and 4 is in a tie breaker since each District has two ribbons. Who will be the District that wins first place for the Obstacle Games?!"
"Us!" Lucas and Victor say at the same time.
"This is so intense! Or it might be my District!" Sean points at himself.
"No it's definitely going to be mine." Victor says.
"Is everyone ready for this final challenge?!"
"Yes!" Eleven Lucas Victor and Sean say at the same time, the crowd being heard cheering as well as a large amount of the audience circle the large arena.
"Contestants! Get ready!"
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
"Eight!"
"Seven!"
"Six!"
"Five!"
"Four!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Happy Obstacle Games!" Septa and Tepal say at the same time as all of the Contestants begin to ring through the rings of fire that start to move. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!"
"Come on!" Lucas and Victor exclaim at the same time.
"Oh it looks like District 2 has landed in the water! Game over for them!"
"Aw man!" Sean throws up his hands.
"Are we watching it?!" Will quickly comes inside of the office. "Yes we're watching it!" He squeals while jumping up.
"Now it is between Brett from District 1 and our PK power couple Nancy and Jonathan from District 4! Who will receive the Champion Ribbon?!"
"Us!" Lucas and Victor exclaim loudly at the TV. "Come on Nancy and Jonathan!"
"Come on you can do this!" Will says.
"My heart is beating quickly." Eleven puts a hand on her heart.
"Almost there!"
Everyone watches as Nancy Jonathan and Brett jump through the last ring of fire, Jonathan getting to the ladder first and beginning to climb it, Brett trying to stop Jonathan but Nancy setting him back by jumping up on the ladder, her using her water gun to shoot at him, purposely shooting it at his feet to make him slip.
"COME ON!" Lucas stands up.
"COME ON GET UP BRETT!" Victor slams his hands against the table.
"And....and...." Tepal exclaims loudly. "There you have it!" He exclaims when Jonathan and Nancy make it to the top, both of them holding up the large champion Ribbon. "May I present to you the winner of the 5th annual Obstacle Games....the PK power couple of Panem....Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers!"
"YES!" Eleven Lucas and Will exclaim loudly, Victor throwing his head back while sighing out, Sean patting his shoulder with a smile.
"Nancy Jonathan! Anything to say for the audience?" Septa asks as the drone camera comes in front of them.
"Oh nothing we're just going to go back to District 4 and hang this ribbon up at town hall where the other two ribbons are." Jonathan smiles.
"Oh yeah Jonathan what does that make us?" Nancy looks over at him.
"Oh yeah babe I think that makes us....first place winners of the Obstacle Games!" They both say into the camera.
"I LOVE IT!"
"WOOO!" Lucas and Will cheer out loudly. "District 4 baby!"
"Oh yeah! We won! We won! You suck!" Will points at Sean.
"Actually you suck." Sean points at him.
"Ew!"
"Gross!"
"Victor...." Lucas smiles at him.
"Until next year, Sinclair. Until next year." Victor points at him.
"Yeah but until then you have to drop down and give me twenty." Lucas motions.
Victor huffs out with a smile, him throwing his hands up. "Alright, as the bet says." He states before getting into a push up position.
"You also have to count—"
"BOO!"
"Ah!" All of them scream while turning around, them seeing Kali laughing at them hard as she wipes the blood that trickles from her nose, her holding Destiny....Mike and Eleven's 3 year old girl. "Kali!" Eleven scolds.
"Oh man, you alls faces." Kali laughs hard, Destiny laughing while pointing at all of them.
"Haha so funny." Lucas says.
"Oh look Destiny he's pretending to be all normal. You know what that means?" Kali asks.
"He was scared!" Destiny giggles.
"I wasn't scared!" Lucas says in a playful tone while putting his forehead against hers, Destiny giggling in response. "Destiny I need you to carry out a special assignment for me. Since Victor lost a bet I need you to be sure he does twenty push ups."
"I am doing twenty push ups!" He defends.
"Do push ups!" Destiny says in an adorable tone while Kali puts her down, Destiny sticking her tongue out in concentration as she climbs up on Victor's back. "Yeehaw!"
Eleven and the others all chuckle while looking at them both. "She's just a big bundle of energy."
"Yes she is." Kali nods.
"Kali when are you going to have kids?" Sean asks.
Kali looks at him with complete wide eyes. "Why would I do that?"
Lucas laughs. "She doesn't want kids."
"Yeah I'm like the cool aunt definitely not a mother." Kali shakes her head.
"Victor I better see you in a push up position!" Max says in a deep voice as she comes inside of the office, her having Milo who is now five years old with her. Along with Mikel...Max and Lucas's other son who is 3 years old and their daughter who Max decided to name after Flower....her being a little over five months old.
"But I was doing work outs all last night!" Victor pouts.
"Push up position!" Milo smiles while going to climb up on top of him as well.
"Kawa! I got flower!" Mikel smiles up at Kali as he holds a flower out for her.
"For me?" Kali smiles while picking him up. "Thank you handsome." She smiles at him, him giggling in response.
Lucas smiles at them both, him looking over at Max who holds Flower. "Is that Flower? Is that my little princess?" He smiles at her, Flower smiling making her pacifier fall from her mouth, Max immediately catching it on quick reflex, Flower cooing in excitement as she reaches for him. "Yeah that's her! That's her!" He smiles while taking her, him going to give her repeated kisses on her cheeks, her cooing while kicking her legs in excitement.
"Man isn't she a daddy's girl." Will smiles.
"She sure is." Max smiles more at the scene.
"Welp I must go on that way me and Alina can go on and head to 13." Kali says. "Alina is obsessed with the military museum they have there so we're off to see it."
"That sounds fun." Eleven nods her head.
"Victor better be doing those push ups." Mike says as he comes inside of the office.
"Yes I'm doing them!" Victor says, Destiny and Milo still being on his back as he does.
"Daddy!" Destiny smiles, her getting off of Victor's back and running over to them.
"Hey!" Mike smiles as he picks her up. "Had fun with Auntie Kali?"
"Yeah! She said we can come and scare mommy!" Destiny smiles.
"And it worked like a charm didn't it?" Kali smiles.
"Yeah!"
"Yeah whatever." Eleven waves off.
"Well does everyone else want to come by ours and have dinner?" Lucas asks.
"Hey I won't refuse someone cooking for me." Victor shrugs.
"Definitely in." Sean agrees.
"Kali you and Alina in?" Lucas asks.
"Yeah sure." Kali shrugs, Mikel playing with her necklace around her neck.
"Okay okay I'm in but it has to be under one condition." Max looks around. "Sue has to make her chocolate cake."
"Oh yeah that definitely needs to happen." Will nods his head.
"Okay I am done!" Victor says, him getting up and going to hold Milo.
"Twenty!" Destiny smiles.
"Mission accomplished, solider." Lucas salutes at her, Destiny saluting to him before they both give each other a high five. "Alright we're off you guys. Come on Mikel."
"See you soon, Mikel." Kali puts him down.
"Kay." He responds, him running over to Max and going to take her hand, Milo taking Max's hand as well, Lucas holding Flower.
"He has the biggest crush on you." Mike looks over at Kali.
"I mean I am kind of awesome." Kali shrugs.
"Okay everyone out of office I have some work to get done prior to going." Eleven motions.
"Awwww!"
"I mean I can stay." Mike shrugs with a smile.
"See you guys later!" Victor waves as they all leave out of the office.
"Mommy daddy can I go with Auntie Kali to 13?" Destiny asks.
"I don't see why not." Mike shrugs.
"Yay!"
"Alright come on." Kali goes to pick her up when Destiny runs over to her. "See you guys later."
"See you." Both Mike and Eleven say at the same time, Kali closing the door behind her.
Mike begins to kiss her neck from behind while Eleven looks down at different papers. "You smell nice."
"Mike you're distracting me."
"I know, I just want to kiss my wife." Mike's lips run up her neck, him turning her around and sitting her down on the desk.
Eleven smiles at him, both of them beginning to kiss each other.
"Can I just say how good you looked while you were performing at the half time show?" Lucas smiles as they make it outside, them walking over to the white limo.
"Oh so I don't look good now?" Max quirks a brow at him.
"Darling you look good every second of everyday." He comments.
"You can definitely say that." Max shrugs in reply.
"I definitely will." Lucas goes to give her a kiss on her lips.
"Please tell me you are making those like...fatita things." Max says as they get inside of the limo.
"Fajitas?" Lucas smiles more at her.
"Yeah those things." Max waves off. "You are? Yes?"
"Yes I am." Lucas nods.
"Yay!" Max smiles.
"Mmmmm." Milo smiles.
"Does that sound good?! Does that sound good?!" Lucas smiles at both Mikel and Milo.
"Yeah!" They both exclaim at the same time.
"Just off to home Doug. Thank you." Lucas says.
"Course." Doug responds. "Hey kids! How did you all enjoy the games?!"
"Awesome!" Milo smiles.
"I love games!" Mikel claps his hands.
Lucas and Max both smile at each other when Doug talks more with Mikel and Milo, all of them engaging with Doug in conversation.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
"And then boom!" Nancy exclaims loudly, her being beside Jonathan. They are both crouched down in front of Mikel Milo and Destiny, all of them being in the front yard of Lucas and Max's mansion along with the others who help with setting up the table that way they can eat outside. Joyce Karen and Sue are in the kitchen assisting with cooking while Charles and Hopper are by the lake sipping on their beers, Lucas being on the front patio with Flower.
"I tackle down the District 7 contestant but I'm hanging! I'm hanging and we are both so close to the water! Feet almost touching it." Nancy says, the three kids listening to them with attentive eyes.
"Then I quickly come into play, grabbing Nancy right before she falls. And Victory! The District 7 contestant falls in the water!" Jonathan exclaims.
"Yay!" All of them cheer.
"And guess what now? District 4...you alls home District is the winning champion District!" Jonathan exclaims.
"I say that calls for a game of....water tag!" Nancy takes out her water gun.
"Yeah!" They exclaim in excitement, them beginning to run around with Nancy and Jonathan, Victor Sean and Will beginning to join them along with Alina. Erica and Kara eventually joining along with them as well.
Max Kali and Eleven sit in their chairs, all three of them. They both have wine glasses in their hands, all of them just looking at the scene with a smile.
"So how does one get pregnant three times and still look better than you did before?" Kali looks over at Max.
"That's what I want to know." Eleven looks at Max.
"It's all about taking the right vitamins and exercising when you need to." Max nods her head. "El you look great."
"Yeah but I haven't had three kids yet." She shrugs.
"Yet huh?" Kali smiles at Eleven.
"Well....I don't know. Three seems like a good number right?" Eleven looks between them.
"Three is perfect." Max nods her head with a smile, her watching as Milo and Mikel go to tackle Erica while she is laid on the grass, her laughing as they begin to tickle her, Destiny laughing and giggling as Jonathan picks her up and spins her around.
"Yeah I think we will go for three." Eleven shrugs.
"Brave souls." Kali says while drinking some of her wine.
Joyce gets done pouring three glasses of wine, her giving one to Karen then another one to Sue. "Alright ladies, what should we toast to? I think we should toast to that PK Karen has been talking to."
Karen rolls her eyes as Joyce and Sue both laugh. "We're just talking you guys it's...it's nice."
"Okay you are smiling a little to hard. What happened?" Sue asks.
"A little....something happened last night." Karen admits making them both gasp. "Now shhh you can't let Mike hear that. He would tear him to bits."
"Aww Karen is getting action." Sue smiles softly. "They grow up so fast."
Karen rolls her eyes. "Guys honestly it's nice. I haven't felt like this in a long time. Last time I felt like this is when me and Ted like first met. After we got married it just went downhill."
"Where is that asshole Ted?" Joyce asks.
"Who knows, and honestly I don't care." Karen shrugs. "Let's toast to peace...and...to just nice lady friendship."
"I'll cheers to that." Sue nods.
All three of them clank their glasses together, all of them beginning to drink.
Lucas sits in the rocking chair with him holding Flower, her hands playing lightly with the necklace around his neck. Her ginger hair begins to grow a little in, her light blue eyes being so soft and pure.
Lucas softly smiles at her. "You have your mother's eyes." He says, her looking at him while still playing with his necklace.
"Da..dada."
Lucas smiles more at her, his eyes going to Max who laughs and talks with Eleven and Kali. "One of these days when you're older....shes going to tell you why she chose to name you Flower." Lucas looks back at her. "There is a lot surrounding your name, Princess, so much. So many emotions, but also so much strength, so much love."
"One of these days we are going to tell you and your brothers everything, but at least you all don't have to grow up and live in a world that me and your mother had to, I am definitely making sure of that." Lucas says. "The hurt is still there, the traumas, the nightmares, they still come, and they never really will go away, that's just how it is unfortunately."
"But it is a process that we both do, a little game that we like to play of waking up and coming in you alls rooms, us going to the kitchen and saying all that we're thankful for and us looking to the past to see how far we've come." Lucas nods. "It's...it's a little long and emotional game to play but....trust me there are much more bigger games to play."
Lucas looks back ahead of him, seeing how Max joins in with playing with Milo and Mikel, both of them running after her as they spray their water guns on her, her jumping up on Mike and him carrying her on her back while they still run after her with big smiles on their faces.
Lucas goes to turn Flower around, him setting her on his thigh as he rocks it. "You are now a symbol of peace, Princess. A symbol of remembrance." Lucas softly puts her pacifier in her mouth, her softly beginning to suck on it. "You will understand when you're older, but for now...let's enjoy the childhood days. Yeah?" He smiles down at her.
"Dada."
"Yeah, let's enjoy it." He goes to kiss her cheek, her cooing softly from the action, her head going back to lean against him.
"Alright dinner is served!" Karen Sue and Joyce come out of the house.
All of them begin to sit around at the long rectangular table, Lucas going to help Mikel and Milo with their food while Max takes Flower, her kissing her cheek softly as she sits down.
"Guess who's back?" Mike smiles when he hears the calling and hissing sounds approaching closer.
"The Madness of Vultures." Sean smiles as he looks at the Seven Vultures flying in a V. "They always come back."
"Hey." Max smiles when Maximus lands on Max's shoulder, Snowy going on Lucas's shoulder, Foxtrot and Zebra going on Mike's shoulder.
"Oh wow hey!" Eleven smiles when Carcass goes on Eleven's shoulder.
Kali's eyes widen when Paladin lands on her shoulder.
"Don't panic, Kali." Alina laughs as Faze goes on her shoulder. "Hey there. Here." She gives him a piece of meat, him automatically eating it.
"I have something for you guys." Erica sets down the plates of dried meat down on the ground, all of the seven Vultures flying over to the plates, them beginning to eat the pieces of dried meat.
"Alright, I would like to give a toast." Lucas goes to stand up while holding out his glass flute.
Lucas looks around at all of them, everyone sitting at this table being considered as family now from how close they have gotten from the last five years. "This country has suffered much in the past, but I am thankful that each and every one of us had a part in making it better, for making New Panem." He motions. "Now our kids can grow up in a peaceful non violent filled world. A world where non violent games are played, a world free of travel, a world where they can make their own in."
"I want to thank each and every one of you when it comes to the Individual parts that you played." Lucas mentions. "Me being the beginning of the change, The MadWheeler duo being the inspiration and Rebellion of change." He motions towards them both, Max and Mike smiling at each other. "And the Grand Headmaster who made the hard choices for the change to occur."
Kali gives him a nod of acknowledgment with a smile, Alina rubbing her back with a smile.
"The Victors that assisted with the assignment of the Rebellion." He motions towards mostly all of them. "And the Grand Creel...well who is now Wheeler stepping up to make things better." He motions towards Eleven, her smiling brightly at him. "The one who is a complete genius to make certain videos surface out." He motions towards Alina, her smiling more at him. "Each of you...having a remarkable part in making this world better. It's not just me and it's not just Eleven....all of you played a part."
"Which is why I am grateful to all of you." Lucas says. "So I want to toast to us, for all of us having a part to make Panem better again. A greater Panem, a peaceful Panem...the New Panem."
"To the New Panem!" Victor smiles while holding out his glass.
All of them cheer as they stand up and clank their glasses together, all of them beginning to talk in conversation as they begin to get and drink and enjoy themselves.
Lucas goes to give a soft kiss to Max's temple, her closing her eyes as she leans her head against his chest.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A fresh....new day.
Lucas goes to leave out of the limo, him going over to the New Panem statue and going to stand in front of it, his hands being in his suit pockets as he stares at it.
And it just brings a content smile to his face, because before he always looked at the previous statue with hate because he knew what it represent. The new Statue of four people...Mayor's, PK's, District and Capitol represents unity though, and the four clans gathering and working together to make this.
The New Panem.
He looks when he hears the calling and hissing sounds of the Vultures, him smiling Snowy and Maximus goes to his shoulders, the other five going on top of the statue.
"Hey guys. How long do you all plan on staying?" Lucas asks. "Can't blame you all for wanting to travel, it's a better world now."
Maximus leans her beak back as she lets Lucas scratch the bottom of it, him doing the same for Snowy.
"Wherever you all go, I always know you all will come back." Lucas smiles, him going to put the fingertips of his thumb and index finger in his mouth to release a whistle, Maximus and Snowy leaving from his shoulders and all of them going to get on the Panem statue, them standing on the 'Welcome to New Panem!' Sign that all four statues hold up.
"The Madness of Vultures." Lucas nods his head with a smile. "They always come back."
Lucas takes a long deep breath with his eyes closed, him smiling at the Panem Statue a final time before he makes his way to the large Presidency building.
Ready to make the country more better and better by the day.
Maximus stands in the middle of the other six Vultures, all of them beginning to fly away.
Max hums to herself as she sits at the patio, her watching Mikel and Milo play around with each other in the front yard, her still being in her night attire, her sitting in the rocking chair with Flower, her being sound asleep on her chest.
Max looks up when she hears the calling and hissing sounds of her Vultures, her seeing how they fly in a V in the sky, Mikel and Milo pointing at them up in the sky.
Max's hand goes to the back of Flower's head as the chair rocks. "The Madness of Vultures, they always come back." She says to herself. "Until next time my children, until next time."
Maximus leads the Vultures in the long V as they fly, all of them beginning to hiss fire at the same time as they fly.
Them as well being the Symbol...
Of the New Panem ❤️