So I know I said I'd wait until all of the 125th Hunger Games is filled up but, uh, I was getting way too antsy for this and it's been a SYOT I've wanted to do for a few months now, always putting it off because I hadn't perfected it. Well, feeling like I have now, I present to you; 'Pain: The 200th Hunger Games'!
Sisenna Agorix, President of Panem
Although I've only been president for a few years, I've achieved a lot in my time. I'm the youngest male to have held presidential office in Panem, the second youngest in general (beaten only by my predecessor, Aurelia Verres) but, mostly importantly, I'm the most loved president. Opinion polls have been coming in regularly and I top every time. It's a nice feeling, knowing you're so loved. Hell, I've heard that even some in the Districts love me.
This is a first for me too - hosting a Quarter Quell. At twenty-seven years old the only other Quell happened when I was only two and I can't remember much. I've watched countless reruns of it now, though. It was a particularly nasty Games - forcing siblings to be reaped together. There were many cries of those who had lost their siblings and the Bloodbath was particularly nasty as those from the non-Career Districts hugged their deceased sibling's dead body, allowing for them to be killed to. The winner of that year was the girl from Three, Elektra. Her brother, Zipp, had died first and she went on a murderous rampage and killed all in her sight. She's a fairly popular victor here in the Capitol.
Some presidents have detailed in their diaries kept in the archives that they feel nervous when presenting a Quell but I'm not. No, myself and the Gamemakers have been working tirelessly for the past three years, upon my ascension as President, to come up with the best Quell of all time, or the best contender. The options I would've had were boring for this year; another go at the voting in system, tributes being chained to another tribute and they'd have to work as a team and, finally, triple the tributes. I have half a mind to use the last one for the 450th Hunger Games, it might make it a bit more fun.
Since I've already chosen the Quell years in advance, I can spend the morning relaxing - there's no rush to get excited for it and, besides, I know all my excitement will come considering, right now, this Quarter Quell is the closest thing I have to a child. If the way that any of the Games I've been President for have been received are any indication of the Quell's success, I'd be looking at one of the most popular Quells in all of the history of the Hunger Games.
In the style of the second Master of Ceremonies Caeser Flickerman, I use a single colour as my styling inspiration each year. Last year I was a ruby colour with hair extensions used to give me a high ponytail. That year's theme was 'androgynous couture.' This year, however, I've chosen to go gold for the first Quarter Quell in my reign was President. My hair won't be changed from it's usual undercut and I think I'll show Panem how my work at the gym's been paying off with tight fitted suits. I think I'll call this year's theme 'growing president,' or something of that effect.
Unlike other Presidents before me, I'm able to spend the morning relaxing and taking in the news from the Districts. Apparently District Seven's loyalty to the Capitol is ever growing and they want to send us some genetically modified trees to commemorate the Eighth Quarter Quell. They're said to be bright yellow, akin to that of a pineapple. Apparently in the days before the Dark Days the number eight was associated with the colour yellow by some, a thing that seemingly has made it's way into Panem. Another piece of news that catches my eye is that District Eleven has openly declared a refusal to work with District One until apologies over the deaths of their tributes last year are issued. Everyone remembers the deaths of the Eleven tributes; the pair from One essentially tortured them, far too brutal for the Games but good viewing for Panem. I sigh, maybe Eleven can get it's revenge in the Games?
Nobody's PoV
The sound of President Agorix taking the stand at the end of the Chariot Parade is one of cheers from the crowds, everyone craning to hear what this year's Quarter Quell will be.
Like the Master of Ceremonies Caesar Flickerman years ago, Sisenna adorns a new colour every year for the Hunger Games. This year, presumably as an ode to the Quell, he's chosen gold. His hair is a blonde colour speckled with gold highlights that make him look expensive. His skin has a goldish-tan glow to it and his suit looks as if it's made out of the finest gold that is harvest-able.
He waves at the crowd who eat him up, feeling the same emotions he is - pure glory. The Capitol's excitement is bursting at the seams, tenfold from the usual Hunger Games excitement. Not only is it a Quarter Quell but one where they can send up their own tributes, to show the Districts that even in the Games they are superior. Of course Capitolite tributes haven't won yet, having only been in one Games before, but both tributes made it far - second and third. It's intended as a cordial sign of respect to the Districts, another way in which the Capitol claims that they respect the sacrifice the children of the Districts make for Panem. Some, like Districts One, Two, Four and Seven believe it wholeheartedly and there have been many arguments in the Games over how sincere the Capitol is. Other Districts, namely Nine, Eleven and Twelve, refuse to believe it and will fight to the death with that mentality. The remaining Districts remain neutral within the Games, but it is understood by the Capitolites that they lean more in favour with the Career Districts out of fear of being ostracised otherwise.
As the cheers die down, President Agorix grins as he opens the letter that contains the Eighth Quarter Quell's twist. In two weeks the tributes will be entering the Capitol so now is the pivotal time for the academies to change their training for the final days in the Districts.
President Agorix clears his throat as he reads out the quell.
"On the two-hundredth anniversary of the Hunger Games, to remind the rebels that the pain they caused Panem was equally as harmful to them as it was to the loyal citizens, any time throughout the Games that a tribute injures or kills another tribute, they themselves will be pained. Additionally, as an act of grace on the two-hundredth anniversary, the Capitol will be sending up two of their own tributes to participate."
The crowd erupts into cheer, clearly excited with the Quell. President Agorix smile, pleased with the outcome, and continues to wave before the anthem sounds and he makes his way back into the building behind him.
Attia Amor, Head Gamemaker
I never get tired of seeing the way Sisenna's eyes light up as we talk about the Games. About what I, his 'prized Gamemaker,' has to offer. It's not uncommon when running for President for you to choose a Gamemaker as your running mate. Seeing as the President's term lasts until they pass away, a new President symbolises change and, with that, comes a new era of Hunger Games. Before Sisenna chose me as his Head Gamemaker, I was just the one who designed the mutts - 'Mutt Girl' as some liked to call me. It was always in a bullying tone so the first thing I did when I ascended my new role was to fire them. Many underestimated me as the youngest Head Gamemaker, but I proved in my first Games that I'll be the most brutal Head Gamemaker yet. Maybe I'll repeat some of the horrors those tributes faced in this Quell? An homage to mine and Sisenna's ascension.
"And how will the Districts know of the pain? And... how will the pain work?" Sisenna asks me, taking a sip from his wine. We'd discussed ways in which the pain would be dealt and what it'd ensue, but I was left to make the final decision.
"At the end of each day and each night," I say, pulling up a mock-up I had made onto the projector, "A list of all the remaining tributes will be shown and, beside them, will be a percentage. The higher the percentage beside them, the more pain they have received due to their actions. Killing a tribute will add ten percent onto a tribute's total and then injuries will be ranked from one percent to nine percent, depending on how serious the injury in question is. A tribute won't get any percentage points against them if another tribute dies by a trap they made - this will ensure that the tributes will be more tactile."
"And the pain? How will it work?"
"I was just getting to that," I say, flashing Sisenna a smile. "In each of their trackers will be two devices. One will be an electrocuting device. At a given time every day and every night, those who committed injuries or killed someone within the two periods, either the day or the night, will be shocked. How bad the shock is will depend on how much pain they've inflicted. The second device is one that will pump a serum into the tributes' bloodstreams that will ensure the tribute feels the same pain or is hindered to the same effect as the pain they've inflicted. Think of it as karma. If someone was to hack someone's leg off, they themselves would constantly feel a shooting pain in their leg and would have to work through it."
"And if they kill someone? What will the serum do then?" Sisenna asks, leaning forward in his chair.
"They'll slowly start to feel more and more pain in general. It'll start of bearable before making it's way to the point of them feeling like the only way out physically is death. A tribute who has one-hundred percent next to their name will become numb with pain, essentially entering them into a walking vegetative state and making them extremely vulnerable."
Sisenna leans back in his chair and raises his glass for a toast. I close the mockup I made and raise my own glass. We toast and he smiles, taking a sip.
"This Quarter Quell will be the best in history."
Below are the headcanons I have for this SYOT!
1. The Career alliance has expanded to include District Seven. Over time support for the Capitol grew until District Seven held the Capitol in the same regards as Districts One, Two and Four, primarily because the Capitol began to show a deeper appreciation for the District. Subsequently, they gained a training academy and are now considered a Career district. Career tributes are also common from District Ten, though these do tend to be one tribute out of the pairing.
2. The Capitol had decided that on every Quell whose number ends in a zero (aka the games with fifty in them or the hundred milestone Games) they will send up a pair of tributes as a way of alluding to some kindness to the Districts. Tributes from the Capitol tend to ally with the Careers, holding the Games in similar visions. It is not uncommon for the parents of Capitolites to put their kids into training when one of the Quells that they send tributes to are approaching. I.e, it might be the 497th Hunger Games and a pair of Capitolite parents might put their fifteen year old into training that year so, by the time they're eighteen they would've been training for years.
3. In recent years, an 'Anti-Career' alliance has formed made up of those from Districts Nine, Eleven and Twelve. Sometimes those from Ten join but that's a rare occurrence. Typically, this Anti-Career alliance fails to have more than half of it's members survive the Bloodbath but, in the years where they have, the Games have been Careers vs Anti-Careers and anyone who comes between the two are killed without the prospect of allying.
4. In the previous Games the pair from Eleven were tortured by the pair from One and, subsequently, there is a feeling that is akin to hatred towards District One by District Eleven. This may or may not be a big part in the Games, but if those submitting anyone from One or Eleven could acknowledge this, that'd be great!
Now onto the various things for submitting a tribute.
1. I will NOT be accepting tributes submitted through a review. I'll need to constantly be looking at your tribute's information and I'd rather not go into the reviews to find said information.
2. You MUST format the title of your PM as follows; '200th Hunger Games - District Number / Gender' and change the respective things.
3. There must be a NEW PM for each tribute you submit. I don't need to go hunt in all the PMs you send to find the one that has all of the submitted tributes.
4. You can submit up to a total of 2 tributes.
Reservations will last three days and whilst it is not first come first serve, I will notify you in my response whether or not they have been accepted.
When it comes to reviewing, I don't require you to review all the time as I know how it is to just read a SYOT and not review. However, I am more willing to give the victor to someone who's actively participated throughout the SYOT. My one wish is, please review as much as you can. The one thing I can say, as someone who barely reviews as is so it can't be a "well you don't" situation, it's really disheartening to see people who've submitted to your SYOT review other SYOTs and not your own. If you can review someone else's, you can review this one. As I said, I will be more willing to give the victor to those who review constantly.
The profile form will be below but it will also be on my profile! Anything with an asterisk next to it is optional, but helpful if you add it in!
Name:
Age:
Gender:
District:
Weapon:
Strengths (No more than 3):
Weaknesses (No less than 4):
Personality:
Appearance:
Background:
Significant Relations (descriptions of their dynamics would be helpful!):
Thoughts on the Quell:
If from One or Eleven, thoughts on the newfound rivalry?: *
What were they doing on the morning of the reaping?:
Reaped or Volunteered:
Reaction if Reaped/Volunteered and, if Volunteered, why?:
What happened at the Goodbyes?
Token: *
Chariot Outfit and Angle:
Interview Outfit & Angle:
What do they do during the Public Training and the Private Training? What score do you think they should get?:
Games Strategy:
Wanted Alliances:
Preferred Placement (no promises!):
p.s: I'm really sorry if the thing about reviewing upset anyone :c - It just really is disheartening to see those who've submit to you review everyone else's SYOT and not your own :c
Big thanks to those who always do, you know who you are and your reviews never fail in putting a smile on my face!