Gemma Rosewater

## Bio

*Gemma Rosewater (she/her). District One Tribute. Twenty-four. Havana Rose Liu.*

What was their childhood like?

On August 3, 105, Gemma Rosewater had it all. A position at the very top of the Academy’s list, though not so high that she would be chosen to volunteer (which was as she liked it). A big family in which she could get lost when she wanted, but stand out when she so desired — her position as the only girl giving her competition from her brothers but also protection when their boyish egos got involved. And a girlfriend who had volunteered to serve her country, joining the Peacekeeper service to assist with the fight against the rebels in Eleven, which was generally regarded by all around them as an act that was above-and-beyond, being from One rather than Two.

There was much to be proud of and much to look forward to. She was popular; people liked her but even better, they feared her. The Academy would soon give her a job as a trainer, she was sure, thanks to her skill with weapons but also with people. And when Copper returned from her service in Eleven, the two would get married and live, as the cliche goes, happily ever after.

On August 4, 105, Gemma received a note. Short and sweet, delivered to her home, where she lived in relative, middle-class luxury with her family. The note said, simply, that Copper Blaze had died in service of Panem somewhere in District Eleven.

The war was not being reported on, and so it took days to find out what had happened. A rebel attack on a Peacekeeper holding, a school-turned-fort in the south of the district. There had been twenty-one Peacekeeper deaths and two rebel deaths. The rebels held the school for only five days before it was taken back.

Gemma was horrified, angry, filled with grief — and didn’t have many outlets for that grief. She continued with classes at the Academy, and as competition heated up for the spot of volunteers for the 135th, Gemma found herself competing harder than she’d planned.

The 134th Games had been bullshit; a bunch of rebels and rebel-minded tributes had held down the most valuable area in the Arena for basically the whole Games with no challenge. The District One tributes had folded in a way that truly embarrassed Gemma — hell, even the District Two tributes put up more of a fight against the little outer district alliance. So as the 135th Games approached, Gemma’s anger and grief at the loss of Copper to the rebels combined with her embarrassment over her own District’s lack of effort in the previous Games. For the rebel boy Slate to win, on top of all of that, had her feeling more certain than ever that she had to take matters into her own hands to avoid such an outcome this time.

The rebels may have won the battle for Copper’s life, but they wouldn’t win the war. Not if Gemma had any say in it. So she beat her competition, rising to the top of every list, whether by honest means or dishonest — it didn’t matter. She would be one of the volunteers for the 135th.

How do they feel about the Games?

Gemma loves the Games. She initially wanted to volunteer when she was young, but as she moved through the Academy, she realized the dangers. She also became more enamored with the idea of having a life in One, teaching at the Academy and marrying Copper, who she’s been with since she was fifteen. Why risk it for the Games, even if there would be glory?

Now, though, her opinion has changed, and she feels like she needs to volunteer in order to bring glory back to her District as well as to remind everyone that the Games can’t be co-opted by rebels who pretend to be anything other than what they are: killers, destroyers of the peace.

What is their personality like?

Gemma has earned popularity through schemes, lies, and tricks. She’s bossy and people don’t so much like her as they are afraid of her and want to be on her good side.

What is their district token?

A promise ring from Copper, given before she left for Eleven.

Three strengths and three weaknesses.

+: clever, skilled, confident

-: untrustworthy, cold, bossy

PENNED BY: VIRGINIA