Final Disclaimer: If you have read up to this point you know what this is! I don't own the Hunger Games! Suzanne Collins if you read this you are the Awesomesauce of awesomesauces

Author's Note #1: Here we are my faithful readers. The end of the road, it's been a run I won't forget anytime soon…how about you? Just so you know this is a dialogue heavy chapter not much action…sorry XD

Final Chapter

The Final Word

"Hello I'm Caesar Flickerman and this is The Final Word with our recent victor Miss Ariana Crane" he looks at me calmly, "Ariana I don't think I congratulated you on your win, your brother must be proud"

"I think he is more relieved than proud Mr. Flickerman" I reply

Caesar smiles, "please we are old friends by now, its Caesar. It's only fair since I call you by your first name"

"Okay" I blush a bit

"So I think the biggest question is one that you had a hard time keeping a straight face in the arena with" Caesar asks leaving it hanging, I smirk knowing the question already.

"Do they taste good?" I smile

"Yes! Snakes god you ate how many?"

I look to be in thought "Gee I don't know…about one a day when I was alone then two when Maverick teamed up with me, I think I could have made a nice snake leather coat out of their skin. I think they were mutts though."

"how do you figure?" He asks curiously, he looks to be taken in by this banter, I don't know if he is playing the part of really is captured.

"Two sets of fangs that secrete black venom?" I explain

"Venom isn't black?"

I giggle, "no its cloudy white, clear or has a slight amber colour"

"but they taste good?" he looks confused.

"Think of a chicken with the texture of fish, that's how they tasted and bit salty" I describe it, but I can see dear Caesar is getting queezy from this line of discussion.

"Yes salt a big request from you" he segues easily, "you didn't make many requests actually, and with Abernathy as an alliance mentor he was willing to give you anything you wanted"

I look at him evenly; this was something Tracker asked to…why didn't I ask for other stuff? "ah but the things I wanted and the things I needed are different" I look at him, wise at my age, "I had wanted strawberries and cookies and lemonade but what good would they do after I ate them? The tools gave me the means to hunt for food and get water"

"Water a very important thing in a desert surroundings" again he segues, I have a feeling I am giving answers he hasn't anticipated, it's good to keep him on his toes.

"Life itself" I nod, which is true in any arena

"So the strawberries, the ones Seneca sent you on day six, you shared them with a career?" Caesar asks confused, I don't know why I never saw Maverick as a career…actually…

"No I shared them with a friend" I look puzzled, "I don't get this anger people have, my prep team were telling me when Maverick and I teamed up it caused a lot of heat?"

"Yes because it doesn't happen all that often that a career comes away from their alliance, not to mention siding with such a young tribute" Caesar explains. I see, usually the careers kill all the young tributes within the first couple days.

"I take it they weren't listening to all the career conversations, he knew something the others didn't want to admit, I was surviving in that arena, they were existing" I reply.

"So wise for a thirteen-"

"Fourteen," I correct

"Sorry fourteen year old" Caesar smiles, "lets talk communication, day two you and Farrow were speaking in code"

"Just hand gestures" I say, "it was early in the game I didn't want to give our location away"

"What were you saying to each other?"

"The general direction of the careers, how Renard was scared of snakes, how Celena liked me, how she died, who killed her and incidentally who killed the one who killed her, if we found weapons and that he was off on the hunt after" I reply

"And you did that without uttering a single sound, remarkable"

"With such an open arena where voices can carry one must don't you agree?"

"Of course, you brought up weapons and a lot of viewers wanted to know what that thing you used was"

I smirk, "neat little tool wasn't it"

"Neat, deadly, you pick" Caesar jokes.

"Its called an atlatl, a spear launcher of native Americans and aboriginals, my dad loved history and taught us how to make one" I explain, "they are really useful"

"Even Maverick didn't understand why you would use such a simple weapon and not the crossbow" He interjects, "man made weapon compared to a stick with a notch in it"

"Maverick was a career from district two, he didn't even know how to prep a hare for the spit, I don't think he would know simple tools" I smirk, and force the face of my dying friend from my mind, think of him when he recognized you I think to myself and it helps.

"You are saying he was dumb?"

I laugh, "no not dumb, sheltered? Maybe, he was smart, he was a quick study, so hardly dumb, he just didn't have to know what I learned, the further you get outside the capital's surroundings the rougher you get I suppose"

"Further out, like the district twelve, Archie and Celena"

"Yes they were also my friends" I nod

"From what some viewers saw it looked like they were out to protect you at the cornucopia, how do you feel about that?"

"Grateful, sad that they are gone, I wish I could tell their families how grateful I was to know them the short time I did, like Maverick" I reply, meaning every word.

"If we talk about Maverick Letorch we have to talk alliances, they seemed to be a key point in the games this year would you agree?"

"I think all the games had their share of team ups, whether they be temporary or not, but yeah they seemed to be key this year, especially when one teams up with people who know what they are doing"

"So why him?"

"Why Maverick?" He nods I shrug, "He just showed up, I knew he was alone, like I was, and he needed help"

"You seemed to help a few people in the game, giving Farrow food, saving Maverick, I believe you even helped district twelve in the training right?"

"It was mutual Archie showed me how to use a crossbow properly"

"And Farrow was your partner in the games before he died, and when he was gone how did you feel?"

My smile falters, I can feel the healing fissure in my heart open slightly, "initially shocked and devastated, he was my friend before I was reaped, I knew him before my parents died, he was a big part of my life apart from my brother, so it was like I couldn't breath" I look at the ground.

"Then Maverick shows up, it seemed to bring you back didn't it, that and the messages Abernathy was sending you"

"It was like throwing a door open during a sand storm, I felt I was being protected, comforted from what was around me. And Maverick just made me have a purpose, I wasn't just looking out for myself, I was looking out for him"

"You took a life to protect him, after that a lot of people thought you had lost your grip on reality"

"It wasn't easy" I respond, "to take a life never is, and the other two times was to just snuff out their lives quickly so they didn't suffer. Jade, I don't know, true I was protecting Maverick, but now that I look back on it, I don't think she would have survived much longer, like a flame that glows brighter just before going out"

"You have a way with imagery"

"I am creative at least that's what people keep telling me"

"Let's talk loosing a grip on reality"

"Henry" I say sadly

"A lot of people were sad to hear how he went mad, any insight?"

"He was terrifying, I never saw him face to face but when the clips showed of him? I think he might have eaten something that messed with his mind, that and dehydration and how Mr. Abernathy said the 'futility' of the arena made him snap. He wasn't coming back from that whole, I don't think anyone could"

"You did"

"I wasn't mad Caesar, just lost"

"Lost?"

"I'm fourteen and I killed three people, some might say it was fight or flight response, but try saying that when you have launched a javelin into someone and they turn and look at you, like you have wronged them, that you are the villain" I reply, I can feel slight stiring of anger that I quickly shove to the pit of my stomach, I shouldn't get angry at Caesar he's not the enemy.

"So it wasn't so much the actual killing but how you feel it tainted you"

I wince, "I sound snobbish when you put it that way"

"No! No no no, heavens no Ariana, it's not snobbish at all! Its just not something we see a whole lot of, it was humane what you did for the other two, it was brave what you did for Maverick, it was calculated, calm, thought out. It wasn't random violence. You know what they called you?"

"Mr. Abernathy told me" I nod, "'angel of mercy'"

"Yes and your real name actually means 'holy one'"

"You think the title has merit?"

"I think Ariana my dear that out of all the victors I have interviewed you are the only one that regrets killing someone"

I nod, "I do, sad as it is, because that's what the games are aren't they? We have to fight and kill, throughout history there were horrendous things that happened, civil wars, wars over land, over beliefs, name it someone has fought for it, died for it, and now we are back to roman times where kids are gladiators"

"Your father taught you a lot"

"My father told Seneca and I to fill our heads with as much knowledge as we could, I think it serves me well, at least if I know history I won't repeat the same mistakes"

"That's a very somber note to end on, any parting remarks?"

I look at Seneca who nods telling me I did well; I look at Caesar who gives me a reassuring hand squeeze. I look directly at him, "I would like to thank those families whose kids I had made friends with that I appreciate them and there is no way I can repay for their loss. But with the life I have now, I will do my best not to disappoint them"

"I am sure you will do your utmost" Caesar says, "thank you Ariana, I guess we will see you next on the victors tour, 'cause we have run out of time"

"Thank you Caesar it's been fun"

"Thanks for tuning in Panem districts and Capital residents this has been Caesar Flickerman and Ariana Crane and this was The Final Word"

"Goodnight" I say and wave

The camera cuts and I sigh

"Good job kiddo" Caesar gives me a quick hug, "you heading back home tomorrow?"

I nod, "yeah, thanks for everything Mr. Flickerman" he gives me a stern and comical look, "sorry Caesar" he nods and heads off, Seneca comes over

"Ready to head home kiddo?" he asks, offering his hand to me

I take it, "yeah"

FINAL AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Well there you go dear readers. The end of the road….or is it? I have a sequels in the works, but I am doing like I did here, I am writing them up in full then I will break them down into chapters and post them.

On how Ariana is talking so plainly with Caesar: because she is so young she can get away with speaking her mind, if she was eighteen they would have flayed her alive for challenging the norm, but coming from the mouths of babes will just make people think or brush it aside as naivety.

I want to thank The Jumble Book, katielouise10x, Cappoquin's Calling, Arrow, Koala, Darkmanmod and Kitkat1D one last time, my confidants, my cheerleaders when I didn't think I was doing my best work.

Stay tuned for "Roads Home"

Cheers!