Breaking Point Sextet IV

Tempest: The 73rd Hunger Games

Intermission: Author's Note

A/N: I've been gone awhile, haven't I! I'm sorry! I've just been really busy settling into school, and with homework and everything (a lot more than I'm used to, lol), I've been busy, and tired, and all that jazz. Anyway, I just wanted to let y'all (who are still here), that I'm back and planning to update. I want to finish Tempest, I want to finish the Sextet. I've just been a bit busy. That said, I might update slower until Thanksgiving time. Thanksgiving week is the last week of classes for me, then I have a break and then finals. During break, possibly, and after finals, certainly, I should have a lot more time to write. Who knows, maybe I'll even finish the Sextet by then! I doubt it though (I mean we do have 2 and a half stories left, and the last one will probably be very long.) Anyway, since I sent you all an email, and I also want to see how many of you are still around, I figured I'd conduct a poll about something that I've been wondering for a while:

How should I address the 74th Games?

So, to let you know, my current plan is to say that all of the same Tributes were Reaped. Nothing about 12 has really changed from canon, as of yet. Haymitch is still mentor (although that might change by the end of this story), and even if he isn't, that only makes it better for Katniss and Peeta, since we can all agree that Haymitch is… Haymitch. Anyway, a lot of you are going to hate me for this, but I don't want to deal with too many canon characters, and I don't want to try to write Katniss. I couldn't write Katniss like Suzanne Collins could, and I'm not going to try. Same for Peeta, Rue, etc. So, in all honesty, I wasn't planning on having Katniss pull of her improbable survival of the 74th Games. If she does, she certainly can't pull a Katniss and have two Victors, it just doesn't work out that way. So, if she survives, Peeta can't. I love 'em both, but they don't fit in here. A question you all might have right now is why I don't just write another Games, with different Tributes? I could do that if you all want. I thought I'd skip it because that gets us to the Quarter Quell sooner, and doesn't mess with canon characters (or confuse new readers with a 74th Hunger Games title), but if you all want a Breaking Point Canon (because let's be honest, this universe is pretty much completely separate from Suzanne Collins' at this point) 74th Games, I can do that too. That does make some things easier, like addressing the big time gap. (I was planning on just putting quick summaries at the end of this story and at the beginning of the next one.)

So, in summary, we have a few options:

74th Games with original Tributes where:

a) Katniss Survives, but not Peeta

b) Someone else (Rue?) survives, but not Katniss. Maybe not even a character who was a main character in canon.

74th Games with all-new Tributes, Breaking Point canon style.

That gives us two options for series outlines:

4) Tempest (73rd Games)

5) Love (75th Games)

6) TBA (?)

And

4) Tempest (73rd Games)

5) Ice (74th Games) (Yes, I'll change the Arena too, probably. I want to do something with cold, now that I've done so many other Arenas. Essentially picking this option makes the 74th Games just like any other.)

6) Love (75th Games)

7) TBA (?)

So let me know which option you'd all prefer, and if I rambled for too long (which I probably did). And, if anyone wants to guess what my Quarter Quell twist will be, feel free, although I won't tell you if you're right or wrong until President Snow reveals it!

Lastly, the full series outline:

1) Heat (70th Games)

2) Shine (71st Games)

3) Paradise (72nd Games)

4) Tempest (73rd Games)

5) Love OR Ice (74th or 75th Games)

6) TBA OR Love (75th Games or ?)

7) TBA (?) (Possibly)

And since I hear something about a rule against Author's Notes or something, here's a bit of fluff about some of our trainers…

"Danielle, why won't you leave?" Julian asked, sitting next to Katelynn on the secure video link. Where they were was a good question, not even Danielle knew. It didn't matter though. It just mattered that they were safe. "I know you want to stay and fight, but –,"

"But nothing, Julian," Danielle said forcefully. "I need to stay and fight. You and Katelynn… with your baby, you needed to leave, especially before Snow found out. But I need to stay. I need to help these people – my people, rise up. And I'll stay until we're free, living under a new government, a better government, or until I'm dead."

Julian sighed. "And that's why you're a better person than me. You always have been, since that day in the Games you saved my life since you were willing to die for me."

"Thanks, but I'm –," Danielle started, trying to be humble, but was cut off by a noise in the background. "I have to go. Stay safe you two."

"You too," Julian and Katelynn said before Danielle closed the connection.