Corruption of Ambition | Sejanus Plinth

Six

The next morning was spent brainstorming ideas to get citizens to watch the hunger games, a seminar led by the students history teacher. The teacher strided around the class speaking animatedly, trying to get the students more excited.

"Before we talk about making people watch, shouldn't we ask ourselves if watching is the right thing to do?"

Riyana looked up from her notebook in surprise to see Sejanus staring at the professor expectantly. Professor Demigloss ignored him, simply scanning the room for a more productive answer. She made eye contact with Sejanus and tried to offer a sympathetic smile, but he shook his head and looked away.

Festus Creed raised his hand and received a nod from the professor. "Make it the law." He suggested.

He leaned back into his chair and grinned so smugly as though he had just presented the most ground breaking idea. The group went over the logistics of how this may play out, but did not put much thought into the idea in the end. Sure, punishing the district families they did not mind, but why would they want to risk their own comfortability.

"The real problem is, it's sickening to watch." Clemensia said. "So most people avoid it."

"Of course they do!" Sejanus jumped in. "Who wants to watch a group of children kill each other? Only a vicious, twisted person. Human beings may not be perfect, but we're better than that."

"How would you know?" Livia asked, nose scrunching up as she looked at Sejanus. "And how does someone from the districts have any idea what we want to watch in the capital? You weren't even here during the war."

"Because most of us are basically decent people." Lysistrata said quietly. She folded her hands over her notebook and looked up, not at anyone in particular. "Most of us don't want to watch people suffer."

"We watched worse things during the war- and after." Coriolanus reminded her.

Riyana thought back to the darker days, the days where executions were performed on broadcast television. The days where some of the classmates in this room resorted to cannibalism. The days where she lost her mother. Maybe it was these memories or maybe it was Sejanus' defeated look but she cut in without thinking.

"Three years of seeing that. Three years and we've warranted ten years of these fucking games, a lifetime of forcing people to watch this warrents another rebellion."

She knew from the way even Lysistrata, sweet caring Lysistrata, avoided her eye contact she said something too far. She wanted to apologize, take it all back, write an essay praising those running the capital, just do something, anything that showed her loyalty. The professor cleared his throat.

"Miss Pelides, Dean Highbottom will be waiting for in his office."

Riyana did not realize she was gaping stupidly until Diana Ring kicked her from underneath the desk. When she got up she did not look anyone in the eye. No one came to her defense- not even Sejanus. She seemed to black out on her walk to the office, only coming back to awareness as she watched him pop open a vial and down in front of her.

Dean Highbottom wiped his mouth and leaned back into his chair, seeming to just take her in. She couldn't tell his expression and that made her more uncomfortable than she would be if he simply glared daggers and went on a rant about capital superiority. He had been the one to create the games, who if not him would take the most offense to her words. He seemed entirely unfazed though, almost curious.

"Did you mean it?"

He asked it so nonchalantly that Riyana almost told the truth- yes she meant it. In her hesitation she became unsure though, yes the games were sick, but those three years were horrible, and as history teaches all is fair in love and war. Maybe the districts deserved it she thought, and then immediately felt gross for doing so, but she couldn't completely convince herself it was not the truth.