Mars Wake

## Bio

*Mars Wake (she/her). Tribute. District Two. Twenty. Jenna Ortega.*

Mars comes from a family of Peacekeepers – her father a Head Peacekeeper. Her great-grandfather, Nefas Wake, who won the Games nearly fifty years ago at the age of 14, a volunteer. So her entire family grew up in luxury, never needing to indulge in tesserae or worry about the Games. Well. Almost. Mars grew up wanting to be just like her Nefas, to seek glory, to live up to the countless stories she heard about him – about his bravery, his strength at such a young age. So, after much pleading, she enrolled in the Academy, bright-eyed and eager to learn. The physicality of it all came easily to Mars, she treated it all as a game to beat every record she physically could, remaining solidly in the top three in her class, thank you very much.

As time went on, she too wanted the glory of volunteering at the tender age of fourteen. However, she was told she wasn’t ready yet. In what universe was that fair? She’d been doing her best but of course, there were people older than her – more skilled. And time after time, she watched them die. How were they meant to successfully represent the best that Two had to offer if they kept either dying in the bloodbath or barely even making it into the top five? It was laughable! Where was the glory, where was the honor? Instead, they begged for their lives. Mars felt as if she could take death graciously – not that she would die in the Games. That wasn’t an option, no, she’d live up to the family name, make it mean something again other than a glorified civil servant.

So, she’d ask and every year she’d be told no. Her frustrations began to break her down, eat at her. Wasn’t she good enough? Wasn’t she worth something? Why did countless people worth less than her, with less prestige than her family. Mars went through all the motions of training but ultimately leaned into malaise when working with others – they were easy, she needed a *challenge. So,* she spent her time critiquing others under the guise of wanting to help them; no one would think you’re trying to tear them down if you did it with a soft voice and a smile, right? Mars prayed and preyed on the downfall of her peers, spite, glory, and fame her driving force.

Ten times in a row she asked for it to be her turn just to be met with ‘no’. But then it was presented to her, ‘improve and it’ll be your turn’. So, she cranked up her sabotaging of others to an eleven; she’d help them in class and outside of it, give them corrections that would sound excellent in theory, but poor in practice. Each of her peers would fail and Mars would be there as a confidant, the first person to wish them well and tell them ‘you’ll get it next time’. One by one they fell, minus a handful she couldn’t get her claws into until it was: her and her supposed district partner. Her prayers were finally answered – Mars would be allowed to honor of volunteering.

* What is their district token?

An old ring carved out of labradorite used by her great-grandfather in his Games.

* Three strengths and three weaknesses.

+ cunning, attentive, dedicated

– deceiving, vindictive, spiteful

**PENNED BY: Ramona**