There was once a land called North America. But it was ravaged by floods, fires, tornados. War broke out as the survivors fought for the few resources that remained. But from the desolation rose Panem, a nation composed of a shining Capitol ringed by thirteen Districts. For many years, the people flourished and the nation prospered.

But then came the uprising that rocked the nation. The thirteen Districts rebelled against the Capitol. This was the Dark Days. Many died, and many more lives were ruined.

But then came the peace. Twelve districts were defeated, the thirteenth supposedly obliterated.

To ensure that Panem never know this treason again, the Capitol designed a competition for the districts. Each would be required to send in one female and one male tribute to compete in the annual Hunger Games. The tributes would fight until there was one left standing.

The lone victor would be a reminder of the Capitol's generosity and forgiveness.

Seventy-four years passed smoothly. But in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, lovers Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from District Twelve entered. They defeated the odds, and were the last two standing. They refused to let one of them die, to kill the other. Instead, they threatened to eat the poisonous nightlock berries if the Capitol would not allow for two victors to be crowned.

The Capitol accepted, and the two lovers were taken from the arena, both as victors. In the other districts, the victors' stunt with the berries had made deep impressions. There were riots, and hints of a second rebellion. It was revealed the Thirteen had not been obliterated, but had merely been hibernating for the better half of the century.

The next summer was the third Quarter Quell, in which the tributes would be reaped from the pool of existing victors. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark once again entered the arena.

On the third day of the Games, the rebels of District Thirteen attempted to retrieve the remaining tributes from the arena. But before they could succeed, the Gamemakers were quick to destroy the rebel hovercraft. President Snow decided it was time to end the rebellion while it was possible.

So, Katniss Everdeen, the flame of the rebellion, was taken from the arena. Her public execution was mandatory viewing, and was even broadcasted onto the sky of the arena. After the viewing, Capitol bombers flew over District Twelve, and obliterated the district. This, too, was broadcasted live, even in the arena. Unfortunately, though, several of the district's people escaped into the wilderness, and are believed to have taken refugee in Thirteen.

Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen's accomplice, seemed to lose the will to live. He died the next day, killed by Enobaria, the District Two female tribute, who was the final winner of the Quell.

The Mockingjay Rebellion was put down, and the peace of the nation resumed. The traitors of the Capitol were exterminated along with the rebels in the districts. The citizens of Thirteen who had not been actively involved in the rebellion were transported to the remains of District Twelve, where the district was rebuilt. The Hunger Games continued, but the nation was scarred.

And now comes the fourth Quarter Quell. What will happen?

This is the day. Excitement hovers around the Gamemakers. Today is the day the head, Teylin Ravine, will reveal her decision about the arena for the fourth Quarter Quell. They mutter excitedly to one another. What will she choose? The forest? The underwater arena? The treetops?

The door slams shut, and all of the Gamemakers turn at once.

It's Teylin. She has blue eyes and hair that everyone knows she died blond. She's one of the oldest and longest serving Head Gamemakers - she has served has Head Gamemaker since the 76th Hunger Games, and the 71st Games before that.

"Nice to see you all out and about," she says icily. "I have come to a decision. Of course you all know this, though. You've been waiting for quite a while, I know."

No one argues.

Teylin goes over to the white table in the middle of the room. She takes a scroll out of her cloak, and lays it down.

"The fourth Quarter Quell," she announces, "will take place in the ruins of a city."

The Gamemakers gasp and mutter to each other. The ruins! She chose the ruins! Ooh, they'll have so many tricks! And with ninety-six tributes, even better!

Only Gamemakers and the president knew about the Quell twist beforehand. They needed to, to design the arena accordingly.

"Here is the map. My plan."

The Gamemakers huddle around the table. Teylin steps back and lets them gawk and admire her plan.

"The Cornucopia will be set in the main square," Teylin explains. "It's near a fountain. And our crew will make some...adjustments to this city. There will be some obstacles, to make the Games more interesting. Around the arena, at the borders, we have placed an impenetrable wall. A force field. But the arena is big. Very big. With ninety-six tributes, it is a necessity."

The little boy in the white suit brings up the box. President Peak takes out the slip marked "100". The audience waits in excitement and tension. He opens it, and clears his throat.

"For the 4th Quarter Quell, as reminder to the rebels that the death rates of children in the districts quadrupled after the rebellion, each district will be required to send in four times the usual tributes, from ages 5 to 18."

Four times as many tributes? That's ninety-six tributes! And ages five to eighteen? Even better!

The crowd screams with delight. Ninety six tributes! Ages five to eighteen!

President Peak thanks the boy, and then ushers him away.

President Peak turns to the crowd. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

The crowd cheers so loudly at these historical, time worn words, that the sound would likely resound in their ears for a while after.

The cameras show images of bizarre looking Capitol citizens, standing, cheering, yelling, looking more excited than ever before. They don't show much of the districts, but they do provide a few scattered images: a sobbing child, a woman looking forlornly at the screen, a father comforting his son. Misery is abundant in every district shot.

President Peak leaves the stage, and the curtains sweep closed dramatically.

The commentators chatter in excitement, trying to guess what challenges lie in store for this year's tributes. They try to guess what the arena will be. A forest? A grassland? An ocean?

One commentator predicts that the arena will be strange and exotic, unlike anything we've seen before. The other thinks it will be a normal arena, but full of more challenges than in any other arena.

But they have to wait another six months before finding out.

The tributes:

District 1:

Male A: Tiger Lee, 10 (Axe Smelling God)
Male B: Jeremy Connor, 5 (grimbutnotalways)
Male C: Sage Lock, 16 (LokiThisIsMadness)
Male D: Nathaniel Brenner, 18 (JustAWriter167)
Female A: Heather Kaiste, 15 (ashleyashley)
Female B: Artemis Sinclair, 16 (MaximumAngel1)
Female C: Valentine Mara, 13 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Female D: Marble Chance, 14 (LokiThisIsMadness)

District 2:

Male A: Kai Kentwell, 15 (PeenissandClato)
Male B: Pierce Nathaniel, 12 (grimbutnotalways)
Male C: Gladius Ruther, 15 (LokiThisIsMadness)
Male D: Baxon VaMeer, 14 (splendeur)
Female A: Aloe Terray, 15 (PandaWamber)
Female B: Astrid Oaks, 13 (Delphiniums)
Female C: Lila Walker, 17 (Silver Ride)
Female D: Marika Trefoil, 15 (TheOtherLachance)

District 3:

Male A: Alexander Turbo, 13 (Show-Out)
Male B: Daniel Frenolds, 11 (Beauty. Is. Strange)
Male C: Axel Mallows, 13 (candykisses101)
Male D: Rick Sparks, 15 (grimbutnotalways)
Female A: Brooke Ruthery, 9 (LokiThisIsMadness)
Female B: Misa Hodgeton, 10 (Buttons301)
Female C: Azure Brooke, 10 (LokiThisIsMadness)
Female D: Mitsu Neons, 10 (TheOtherLachance)

District 4:

Male A: Tristan MacNeil, 14 (silentwolf111)
Male B: Zander Shore, 14 (PeenissandClato)
Male C: Griffin Tides, 14 (Frontline1)
Male D: Aaron O'Brien, 9 (Delphiniums)
Female A: Gemini Blake, 17 (LokiThisIsMadness)
Female B: Katie Reed, 11 (Delphiniums)
Female C: Alaska Silverstone, 17 (JustAWriter167)
Female D: Avalon Hale, 10 (Delphiniums)

District 5:

Male A: Jason Grim, 17 (grimbutnotalways)
Male B: Cole Tenser, 10 (foxfaceshouldhavewon)
Male C: Bell Titanson, 6 (TheOtherLachance)
Male D: Ziggy Willow, 5 (SnowWhiteWithKnives)
Female A: Maddie Nightshade, 9 (candykisses101)
Female B: Melody Wright, 11 (silentwolf111)
Female C: Magali Pearson, 11 (Phantasia515)
Female D: Edelweisse Gellum, 18 (Sunlight Comes Creeping In)

District 6:

Male A: Tyrus Duncaine, 17 (candykisses101)
Male B: Jonan Spoke, 8 (shadower8)
Male C: Coby Roose, 6 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Male D: Carson Powers, 5 (Show-Out)
Female A: Mercedes Jones, 15 (Axe Smelling God)
Female B: Meyla Spoke, 8 (shadower8)
Female C: Belladonna Darnell, 15 (SnowWhiteWithKnives)
Female D: Alice Brendon, 13 (Cindy2906)

District 7:

Male A: Jeffane Stoil, 12 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Male B: Jame Stoil, 12 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Male C: Acetonn Blight, 8 (Show-Out)
Male D: Benedict Scraw, 11 (Dour89)
Female A: Mika Stoil, 9 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Female B: Hazel Finley, 16 (KatnissPeeta4Life)
Female C: Chiny Stoil, 7 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Female D: Camille Pineda, 12 (Buttons301)

District 8:

Male A: Dylan Ashcroft, 7 (PandaWamber)
Male B: Cade Spyloft, 18 (Dour89)
Male C: Quentin Landsman, 11 (SnowWhiteWithKnives)
Male D: Rayon Velour, 9 (Buttons301)
Female A: Kaila Espin, 14 (SlightlyBlackSheep)
Female B: Jadah Ja Rin, 13 (stick-at-nought shady)
Female C: Loom Baybreak, 14 (TheOtherLachance)
Female D: Thimble Ake, 8 (shadower8)

District 9:

Male A: Zarath Samuel, 17 (grimbutnotalways)
Male B: Luke Winston, 14 (4everahungergamesgleek)
Male C: Nikolai Peridue, 12 (shadower8)
Male D: Emmer Cassel, 11 (Elim9)
Female A: Christy Donahue, 7 (Beauty. Is. Strange)
Female B: Bailee Michelle, 14 (4everahungergamesgleek)
Female C: Alessia Lingenburg, 15 (candykisses101)
Female D: Ava Ruth, 5 (I want Starbucks)

District 10:

Male A: Lorcan Jocelin, 7 (The Demented Kitten Queen)
Male B: Spencer Jackson, 12 (MyPetDemigod)
Male C: Woody Young, 11 (MyPetDemigod)
Male D: Maroon Howling, 15 (bobothebear)
Female A: Ally Gamble, 15 (Beauty. Is. Strange)
Female B: Meggie Fowler, 18 (Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin)
Female C: Scarlett DeAngelo, 14 (Beauty. Is. Strange)
Female D: Carolina Smokewood, 7 (MaximumAngel1)

District 11:

Male A: Anvil Wolfe, 16 (Whistlebug)
Male B: Darren Jacobs "DarJ" Margin, 14 (Whistlebug)
Male C: Nathan Bush, 10 (ProsePoesy101)
Male D: Asa Margin, 5 (Whistlebug)
Female A: Claire Bush, 5 (ProsePoesy101)
Female B: Rosabella Caverly, 12 (Beauty. Is. Strange)
Female C: Sheri June, 9 (irmaida)
Female D: Abney Goss, 13 (Sunlight Comes Creeping In)

District 12:

Male A: Vival Lar, 18 (grimbutnotalways)
Male B: Copper Schist, 11 (Buttons301)
Male C: Laurus Astrum, 9 (Whistlebug)
Male D: Lupus Astrum, 9 (Whistlebug)
Female A: Calla Merk, 16 (Sunlight Comes Creeping In)
Female B: Maybell Renew, 7 (Dour89)
Female C: Naya Smoke, 13 (shadower8)
Female D: Bluebell Renew, 6 (Dour89)

A/N: I know this is an insane number of tributes, but I am determined to finish this.