Hunger Games: Bleeding Hearts

Hunger Games: Bleeding Hearts is the first story in the Bleeding Hearts series. It is the first published story by ddriftingdownn. Bleeding Hearts begins at the end of the 124th Hunger Games, extending until The Victory Tour of the 125th Hunger Games. The majority of the story revolves around the events of the 125th Hunger Games and its tributes.
The published version of Hunger Games Bleeding Hearts is the third edition of the story; writing began in 2017 in script form. The original script, intended for a movie production, included only basic plot points and featured thirty-five tributes. President Snow, Ross Carmichael, Capitol Escorts, and mentors are notably absent. A revised edition, still in script form, was drafted in 2020, featuring thirty-six tributes, and all the aforementioned characters. In late 2020, this script was adapted to first person and published.
Bleeding Hearts is the first story in the Bleeding Hearts series. It is followed chronologically by Rising From the Ashes: The 76th Games. A direct sequel to Bleeding Hearts, Hunger Games: Ultimate Crown, has also been published. Canonically, Bleeding Hearts takes place eight years after Blood Moon and twenty-five years before Ultimate Crown.
==Premise==
Bleeding Hearts is told from the perspective of multiple characters involved with the 125th Hunger Games. The story begins with the end of the 124th Hunger Games, as Roman Murdock is crowned the Victor. Soon after, the Quarter Quell twist is announced, revealing that each District must send tributes related to past tributes from the Games. Additionally, as a mini-twist introduced in the 100th Hunger Games, three tributes were also Reaped from each District, with no restriction on the gender of each tribute.
After the Reaping, the story continues to recount the events of the 125th Games, through training and into the Games themselves. As the Games evolve, relationnships among the tributes shift and they must adapt if they hope to make it out of the Arena alive. Thirty-six tributes enter the Arena, but only one can be crowned the Victor.
==Characters==
===Main Characters===
	Soren Murdock - Leader of the main protagonistic alliance and the eventual Victor from District 4. The brother of the previous year's Victor, Roman, the Reaping was likely rigged to include Soren. After forming a bond with Lacie, his only District partner, the two build a strong alliance that showcases Soren's caring nature.
	Lacie Greenly - Soren's extremely intelligent District partner from District 4. After building a strong alliance with Soren, her intelligence helps the group survive until the end of the Games and saves her allies' lives in multiple instances. While it was expected that Lacie would win, she ultimately sacrifices herself so that Soren would win, one of the most controversial moments of the Games.
	Dalia - Soren and Lacie's closest ally from District 11. Originally joining the alliance with her close friend Nia, she is considered to be quite fit and skilled at fighting. In the Arena, she displays her extensive medical knowledge, working with Lacie to heal Soren when he is poisoned. By the end of the Games, Dalia is the last ally of Soren and Lacie remaining, although she dies soon before the end of the Games soon after separating from them.
	Robin - A highly skilled tribute from District 3. When he shows his impressive skills in Training, he is almost approached by the Careers, but he is approached first by Soren, who he agrees to ally with. While he stays with the alliance for most of the Games, he shows his true colors when he drugs his allies, tying them to trees in an attempt to kill them in a tidal wave and stealing all of their supplies.
	Tanner - A volunteer tribute from District 10 sometimes considered to be a Career. He quickly joins the Careers, leading Ada to abandon him because of her hatred of the poorer tributes. While he sticks with the Careers for most of the Games, he abandons them near the end in a strategic attempt to win, although he is unsuccessful.
	Victoria - A Career tribute from District 1. Despite not being as strong as her fellow Careers, she becomes the most feared Career following the deaths of Ada and Felix. After Tanner, her last remaining ally, slashes her face with a knife, she goes insane, making her an even more fearsome tribute. Due to her wealthy status, high skill level, and slight insanity, Victoria is the most-funded tribute in the Games by Capitol sponsors.
	Ada - The strongest tribute in the Games from District 2. Because of her unstable mental state and reckless nature, she is a fan-favorite in the Capitol and has the highest odds of winning. However, her arrogance gets the best of her when she abandons the Careers and enters the Arena solo. During the Feast, she gets carried away as she is killing tributes and is killed by Soren much earlier than expected.
	Greta - One of the final tributes in the Games originating from District 9. Originally allying with her District partner, Maisy, along with Jordan, Kala, and Rose, she begins to go insane when her allies' supplies are destroyed in a fire. After killing Murray for his supplies, she snaps, killing Kala before being abandoned by both Rose and Maisy.
	Orion - A somewhat caring and open-minded tribute from District 2. In Training, both him and his District partner, Murray, are at a lower level of skill than the other Careers, and the pair enter the Arena. The two are shown to be very close friends, and following Murray's death, Orion continues to the end of the Games. Before his death, he reveals his regrets to Soren, including his involvement in Amethyst's death. Orion is the last tributes besides Soren and Lacie, and is the last tribute to be killed by another tribute in the Games.
	Nia - District partner and close ally of Dalia from District 11. In the Arena, she allies with Soren, Lacie, and Robin along with Dalia. She is the quietest tribute in the group and is skilled in foraging and hunting. She is the first tribute to die in her alliance and is the only one to die before the end of the Games.
	Jomilee - One of the strongest tributes from an outlying District, originating from District 6. In the Arena, she allies with her District partner, Marnie, along with Della and Acacia. However, her allies all die early in the Games, leaving her to survive solo. She survives through most of the Games, and when she encounters the main protagonists, she gifts them with an antidote for a specific poison, saving Soren's life.
	Cressa Vernetti - A Victor from District 4 and Soren's Mentor in the Games. One of Roman's best friends, she is one of the most dedicated mentors and gives Soren helpful advice before his time in the Games. She is the fourth-oldest Victor (of six) in District 4. Following the Games, she is present during Soren's Victory Tour.
	Griff Cohen - The Victor of the 76th Games from District 4 and Lacie's Mentor in the Games. After his lover sacrifices herself during his Games, he is left heartbroken as he returns to District 4. He is the oldest Mentor in District 4 and is the fourth-oldest living Victor in Panem. It is likely that he didn't have his own Mentor during his Games. He has Mentored at least one Victor in District 4, although the actual count is likely higher.
===Supporting Characters===
	Persephone (Seffie) - District partner, ally, and possible love interest of Carlo, who calls her Seffie as a nickname. Prior to the Games, she was best friends with Carlo, and under unfortunate circumstances they were both Reaped. In the Arena, the pair acknowledge their poor fighting skills and hide in a hidden cave for the majority of the Games. When Carlo is attacked and almost killed by Ada, Persephone is forced to trade all of their supplies for Ada to spare their lives, and is forced to take care of Carlo as he dies. Following his death, Persephone is killed soon after when she is discovered by Victoria.
	Vispania Callendew - The current Head Gamemaker. This is her seventh year as Gamemaker, meaning that she began the job during the 119th Games. She was the Head Gamemaker during Roman's Games. It is possible but not certain that she was the Gamemaker during Misty, Cressa, and Camilla's Victories.
	Ross Carmichael - The Host of the Games. It is unknown how long he has been in the position, although he was the Host for at least a year before, as he was seen during Roman's Games. He acts like a very standard Host without much notable personality outside of his on-screen persona.
	Indigo Laquette - District 4's escort. It is confirmed that she was the escort during Roman's Victory, she is in charge of Lacie and Soren in the 125th Games. Following Soren's Victory, Indigo escorts him through the Districts during his Victory Tour. She is dedicated to District 4, as she has rejected offers to be promoted to other Districts.
	Magdalena (Lena) - A temporary member of the protagonistic alliance from District 10 who is usually referred to as Lena. After her District partner and ally, Rex, is struck by a fireball, the pair join the protagonists, hoping that they can save Rex's life. When Rex dies soon after, Lena stays with the group, although it is not long before she is killed in the Feast.
	Rex - Ally of Lena and District partner of both Lena and Tanner from District 10. In the Arena, his fighting and survival skills are inferior to Tanner, and he is overshadowed in regards to sponsorships. After being struck by a fireball, he briefly allies with Soren, Robin, Dalia, and Lacie before his death.
	Rose - The smartest member of her alliance of poor tributes from District 8. It is revealed that of all her allies, Rose's Training Score is the highest due to her intelligence. After the deaths of Kala and Jordan, Rose splits from her allies, being one of the few non-central characters to survive until the end of the Games.
	Maisy - Greta's District partner and ally from District 9. Typically mild-mannered, she avoids conflict between Greta and the rest of the alliance - Kala, Jordan, and Rose. Of all of her allies, she is the quietest, overshadowed by Greta. While she survives far into the Games, she is not seen much, especially following her split with both Greta and Rose.
	Carlo - Persephone's best friend and possible love interest from District 5. Before the Games, he was best friends with Persephone. The two are a pair going into the Games. However, he is attacked by Ada, who slashes his stomach open, forcing Persephone to take care of him. Due to his lack of survival skills, he dies somewhat early in the Games.
	Felix - One of the strongest tributes from District 1. A leading figure in the Career pack, he is shown to be close with Tanner, a strong volunteer tribute from District 10. When the Career pack splinters, he joins with Victoria, Amethyst, and Tanner to form a smaller pack. When the Careers attack the protagonists, Felix is shot and killed by Soren, marking Soren's first kill in the script.
	Acacia (Casey) - Jomilee, Marnie, and Della's ally from District 9, sometimes referred to as Casey. It is revealed that her sister was killed in a fire in District 9. Following Marnie's death in the Bloodbath, Acacia is the second in the group to die early in the Games when she eats extremely poisonous berries.
	Leon - A tribute from District 6 with a short temper. In Training, conflict arises between him and Angelica, a tribute who is equally stubborn. When he snaps, attacking her in Training, he is painted as a villain by the other tributes and is a fan-favorite of the Capitol. However, his life is cut short by Angelica's District partners, Dalia and Nia, in the Bloodbath as revenge.
	Angelica - A cocky tribute from District 11. After aggrivating Leon in Training, the two fight and Angelica is badly injured. While this makes her a fan-favorite in the Capitol, speculation spreads among some of the tributes that she is faking her injuries. Her injuries ultimately put her at a disadvantage, as she is killed by Leon in the Bloodbath.
	Rowan - A fairly skilled tribute from District 7. During Training, he allies with Leon, one of the most controversial tributes. Following Leon's fight with Angelica, Rowan sticks with him, but is forced to enter the Arena alone when Leon is killed in the Bloodbath.
	Saylee - Angelica's ally from District 8. After Angelica is killed in the Bloodbath, Saylee is killed soon after due to her lack of survival skills.
	Kala - Central figure in the large alliance of poorer tributes along with her District partner, Jordan. While Jordan and Kala are close friends, they both die early in the Games.
	Jordan - A member of a large alliance with Kala, Maisy, Greta, and Rose. He is the first member to die when Hydra Vines fill the Arena.
	Murray - Orion and Ada's District partner from District 2. Despite being a Career tribute, he is less skilled than Ada and the District 1 tributes. When Ada leaves the Careers, Murray and Orion follow suit, being outnumbered and vulnerable. His friendship with Orion is one of the closest in the Games. In the Games, he is mentored by Fangs.
	Amethyst - A skilled tribute from District 1 and one of the six (or seven) Career tributes of the script. The sister of Opal, the third-place tribute in the previous year's Games, Amethyst reveals in her Interview that her family wants the prestige of a Victor. When the Career pack splinters, Amethyst sides with Felix, Victoria, and Tanner. However, in the Bloodbath, when Orion puts her in a headlock, she switches her alliegiance, telling him that she is 'on your side' in an attempt to save her own life.
	Della - Ally of Jomilee, Marnie, and Acacia from District 3. While she is somewhat close to Robin, her District partner, her relationships with the other tributes are limited. Ultimately, she is the third tribute to die from her alliance fairly early in the Games, when she is killed by Rowan, leaving Jomilee as the only remaining member of the group.
	Cada - Robin's District partner from District 3. Not much is seen of her prior to her death in the Bloodbath, when she is killed by Leon.
	Marnie - Jomilee's District partner from District 6. Despite allying with Della, Jomilee, and Acacia, she is left behind by the others in the Bloodbath after she is killed by Tanner.
	Velia - Persephone and Carlo's District partner from District 5. While she is somewhat capable and is seen being friendly with other tributes such as Soren, Murray, and Orion, she is both excluded and overshadowed by the close friendship between Carlo and Seffie. She is ultimately killed by Felix in the Bloodbath.
	Zea - One of the three District 12 tributes mentored by Daisy, and the only one of the three to survive the Bloodbath. Despite this, she is killed soon after when Hydra Vines fill the Arena.
	Karrie - A District 8 tribute killed in the Bloodbath.
	Nelly - One of the three District 12 tributes mentored by Daisy. In the Bloodbath, she is killed by Ada.
	Alf - One of the three District 12 tributes mentored by Daisy. In the Bloodbath, he is killed by Victoria.
	Lydia - The Announcer for the Games. Her role is minimal, being more administrative. Her voice can be heard during announcements during the Games, including the announcements of both Soren and Roman's Victories.
	Wayne Rodriguez - Rex's mentor from District 10. He is very old, about Griff's age.
	Brandy Sheppard - Lena's mentor from District 10.
	Jordinia Jackson - Dalia's mentor in the Games from District 11. While she seems to be in pain often, she is empathetic toward her tributes.
	Wolfgang Robertson - Nia's mentor from District 11. He is described to be a sharp-looking young man.
	Gear Montgomery - One of District 6's two Victors and mentors. On the younger side of the Victors, he is in his mid-twenties to mid-thirties, having won around the same time as Wolfgang and Fangs. He appears to already be a Morphling. Because the other mentor, Irma, is too old to mentor properly, Gear has to informerly mentor every tribute in from District 6. In the 125th Games, he mentors Jomilee, Marnie, and Leon, a task that exhausts him.
	Irma Bradshaw - One of Panem's oldest Victors. Being one of only three living Victors from before the War after the 75th Games, Irma is at least 71 at the time of the script. Due to her poor health, her mentoring duties are limited and are often passed to Gear, the other mentor from the District.
	Marina Murdock - The oldest sibling of the Murdock family and the only one above Reaping age. She acts as a mother to both Soren and Roman, and can often be seen taking care of Jasmine. Soon after Soren's Victory, she gets married in District 4.
	Jasmine Murdock - The youngest sibling in Soren's family and the only one younger than the Reaping age. She is typically seen with Marina, and is too young to understand what is happening to her brothers in the Games.
	Titania Firestone - Ada's mentor from District 2. She seems to be quite levelheaded, but she is unable to keep Ada in check before or during the Games. Despite her efforts to convince Ada to join the Careers, Ada refuses. Titania is the third-oldest of eight Victors in District 2.
	Camilla Russo - Orion's mentor from District 2. She is a recent Victor but seems quite wise.
	Maroon Anderson - Victoria's mentor from District 1. He is shown to be somewhat arrogant and wasteful with sponsor money, but he is calculated in obtaining sponsors, and is skilled enough to make her the most-sponsored tribute. In the Games, he sends Victoria an eyepatch to cover her mangled eye for the cameras rather than useful food or supplies, showing his prioritization of sponsors.
	Spencer "Fangs" Blackwell - Murray's mentor from District 2. He has an eyepatch and prosthetic leg, but is still a determined mentor.
	Roman Murdock - Soren's older brother and the Victor of the 124th Hunger Games. The second-oldest of four children, he can be seen prior to Soren's Reaping and is very nervous. It is likely that Soren was Reaped because of his connection to Roman.
	Tantalus Snow - Current President of Panem. His relationship to the original President Snow is unknown. It is known that he took over the presidency sometime before the 100th Hunger Games, as this is his second Quarter Quell as president.
	Iris Kessler - Robin's mentor in the Games from District 3. She is the youngest Victor in District 3, being in her late thirties to early fourties, and is also the only living female Victor in the District. While she teams up with Griff, Cressa, Jordinia, and Wolfgang, she is forced to leave the alliance when Robin betrays his allies in the Arena, a move that she apologizes to Soren for during his Victory Tour.
	Misty Eriksen - Tanner's mentor from District 10. She is very young, about Cressa's age, and the 125th Games is her first experience mentoring.
	Sebastian Fellows - The Head Trainer for the 125th Hunger Games. While his approach is hands-off, he is forced to intervene when multiple fights break out among the tributes. During the Victory Tour, he is seen with Vispania, suggesting that they are at least friendly with one another.
	Jackson Mendoza - Angelica's mentor from District 11. He is described to be very large in stature.
	Daisy Landry - District 12's sole mentor. She greets Soren in District 12 on his Victory Tour. In the Games, she is responsible for Alf, Nelly, and Zea.
	Mallory Blanchard - Acacia's mentor from District 9. While only present in one scene in which she prepares Acacia for her Interview, she presents herself immediately as a raging alcoholic.
	Alodia Sterlingshire - District 8's Capitol escort. In the script she is responsible for Karrie, Saylee, and Rose. She is often shown alongside Indigo Laquette, District 4's escort, as they are close friends in the Capitol. During Soren's Victory Tour she is District 8's representative to greet him.
	Jubilee - District 11's Capitol escort. She is responsible for Dalia, Angelica, and Nia in the Games. Not much is seen of her after she introduces her tributes to their mentors Jordinia, Wolfgang, and Jackson.
	Divinia Marshall - District 2's Capitol escort. In the 125th Games, she is responsible for Ada, Murray, and Orion, and works with their mentors Titania, Camilla, and Fangs. Prior to the Games, Divinia is poisoned when Ada puts rat poison in her drink, although she eventually recovers from the incident.
	Laurette Ivory - District 1's Capitol escort responsible for Amethyst, Victoria, and Felix. It is likely that she was also Opal's escort in the 124th Games. Prior to the Games, she works with the District's mentors, including Maroon and Velvet. Among the District 1 tributes she is unpopular.
Additional Characters
*Celica - The second-place tribute in the 124th Hunger Games from District 7. She is the last tribute to die in the Games, being killed after a fight with Roman.
*Opal - The older sister of Amethyst and the third-place tribute from District 1 during the 124th Hunger Games.
*Laurentia Price - The Capitol escort for District 5. She is mentioned, but not seen, in Bleeding Hearts.
*Mr. and Mrs. Murdock - Mother and father of Soren, Roman, Jasmine, and Marina. The pair are heartbroken when Soren is Reaped, so much so that they are unable to visit him. Their professions are unknown.
*The Greenlys - Lacie's mother and father from District 4. Following Soren's Victory Tour, they gift him with some of Lacie's belongings and treat him as a son, respecting Lacie's decision to sacrifice herself to save him.
==Plot ==
To explore the plot of Bleeding Hearts, make sure to give it a read - links are posted at the top of this article! Events of the 125th Hunger Games are described in moderate detail here:
*125th Hunger Games
==Statistics==
*Bleeding Hearts was the first story to be published in the Bleeding Hearts series; it was the first to have multiple narrators and to surpass 50 chapters.