1. Era Awakens

"Eyes bright, chins up, smiles on. Never let them see the destruction." Fourteen years after his victory, Haymitch has become a young alcoholic. The 64th Hunger Games are approaching, and District 12 unexpectedly gets a new escort: Effie Trinket. Gullible, enthusiastic, and conceited, she is the Capitol's perfect puppet. But is she really? The more time Haymitch spends in her presence, the more his firmly held view of the Capitol and its residents suddenly begins to falter. Because one thing is certain: Effie Trinket has big plans for District 12, and a pessimistic victor will not stop her from achieving them. // This is the prequel to my fanfiction "Figure It Out" (no knowledge necessary) and tells the story of how the worlds of an overly happy, naive Capitol and a hopeless victor collide for the first time.