Invictus (The Hunger Games story)
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Invictus |
| Author(s): | EllanaSan |
| Date(s): | Feb 6, 2015 - June 9, 2017 |
| Length: | 355,146 words, 116 chapters |
| Genre: | Canon Divergence, Het, Angst, Hurt/Comfort |
| Fandom: | The Hunger Games |
| External Links: | on AO3, on fanfiction.net |
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Invictus is an epic-length fanfic that focuses on an AU version of The Hunger Games. In this story, Haymitch Abernathy's family lives, leaving Haymitch to deal with the obligations of a victor while juggling his family relationships. The story is an Hayffie fic, although the the author explains that, "it [also] deals with some other themes."[1]
About
Author's Notes
"This is an canon universe AU that deals with a specific “What if”. What if President Snow didn’t have Haymitch’s family killed after his Games? I’m very excited about this story and I hope you will like it too. For now the rating is mature but I might increase it later on. However, this is an official warning : the canonical prostitution of victors will play a role in this story. I don’t plan on writing anything graphic on that account but it will be mentioned, talked about and dealt with so if you think that it can trigger something, be careful.The title comes from the poem from William Ernest Henley, it is latin for “unconquered”. Check out the poem if you don’t know it, it’s an awesome and inspiring piece. [...]
Thanks to Akachankami for the beta-reading and Allonsysilvertongue for the pep talks."[1]
Plot Summary
The story begins as Effie Trinket begins her job as the escort for District 12, for the 65 Hunger Games. She briefly meets Haymitch's mother and his brother (Hayden, who is revealed as the victor of the 55th Hunger Games). Effie is naïve about the nature of her job and bonds with the reaped children (Stella and Sage). Hayden and Haymitch have an acrimonious dynamic, where Hayden does the majority of the work as a mentor and resents Haymitch. Haymitch tells Effie to never let his brother know about the "special appointments", the nature of which Effie is unaware. Effie reacts poorly to the death of their tributes in the Hunger Games, leading to her crying in public. Effie and Haymitch grow closer as she helps him into bed after a night of heavy drinking and forgives him for accidentally attacking her when she tries to wake him up. Effie is shocked when Haymitch reveals that the special appointments are the forced prostitution of victors, ordered by President Snow. Finnick Odair wins the 65th Hunger Games.
For the next seven years, District 12 does not bring home a single tribute. Effie and Haymitch grow closer; Effie and Hayden repeatedly struggle to procure sponsors for their doomed tributes. Finnick is forced into prostitution when President Snow threatens Mags. Hayden gets into a relationship with a woman from the Captiol; Effie and Haymitch sabotage it to protect Hayden's safety. Effie considers taking a job as the escort for District 6. Haymitch participates in the rescue efforts after a major mine explosion in District 12. He catches his first look at Katniss Everdeen and implores Effie to stay with District 12.
With Finnick's help, Annie Cresta wins her games with no kills. The lack of spectacle creates a public relations issue, one which Effie solves by bringing Haymitch's mother to the Capitol for medical treatment. Johanna wins her Hunger Games and shortly after kills the man Snow wanted her to sleep with, resulting in the deaths of her family. The remainder of the story follows Haymitch's perspective of The Hunger Games. Most of his fellow victors are intentionally stoking rebellion, while Haymitch wants the safety of his loved ones more than anything else.
Katniss and Peeta are reaped in the Quarter Quell. Haymitch officially sides with the revolution and demands Effie be evacuated from the Capitol with the rest of the rebels. However, Peacekeepers arrest Effie's family and she misses the rendezvous to try and help them. Effie is captured and held in the same cell as Johanna Mason. Haymitch tells his story to use as a propo. Effie is rescued from the Capitol by Hayden (alongside the rest of the rescue team). Haymitch and Effie stay behind as their friends depart for the final battle against the Capitol. Effie is particularly concerned with the fate of her niece, who is still missing after her parents were executed. Haymitch and Effie witness the explosion outside Snow's mansion. Shortly afterwards, Effie is arrested by Coin's interim government. Effie's niece, Safia, is alive; she was at the very periphery of the bombings. Haymitch picks her up from a Capitol hospital.
Haymitch manages to secure Effie's release by claiming (untruthfully) that they had already been married for years. They have a ceremony in the Capitol, disguised as a renewal of vows. Katniss shoots Coin and is put on trial. Haymitch leaves to District 12 as her guardian; Effie temporarily remains in the Capitol in order to better care for Safia. The story ends with Effie and Safia moving back to District 12.
Reactions and Reviews
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"Well written, complete and actually believable AU where Haymitch's family survided and he has to sacrifice himself to protect them. It's a slow burner but grabs your attention from the beginning. Really good"[2]Rec by RubiksCube on TV Tropes
"This was incredible! I was so excited to finally read this story (had been saving it) and wow did it deliver! I've read a lot of THG fanfics and mostly Hayffie...and if this isn't my new favorite it's only rivaled by a couple of other stories by you! Right now this fic is blocking all the others out...I'm on an Invictus high!I loved it all. Loved each of the new OCs and what they brought to the story. Loved that it was long and full...covered everything. And loved that while it showed a beautiful love story for Hayffie delving so deeply into their story (good and bad all dealt with) and we went on an awesone [sic] new spin on THG, it also told a lovely story about a group of people that loved each other and became a family. Just wonderful. Thank you so much for brightening my life with your writing!"[3]
Jan 2019 review