Caspian Ashwood (President of Panem)
I don't think I'll ever understand how so many people have managed to get as far in life as they have by playing it safe. The very idea is as foreign and unknowable a concept to me as thinking big and taking chances are to my contemporaries, or proper hygiene and fashion sense are to the degenerates living in my districts.
That still sounds funny to say, my districts. I've only been President of Panem for a few short months, and it still feels strange to think of the entire country as being mine. I mean it is, there's no doubt about that. It just feels funny to think of it that way. I'm in charge of everything and everyone living in Panem, no matter how shortsighted and cautious they may be.
This is why, despite my misgivings, I'm perfectly content to continue to allow my new subjects to live their lives in the same safe and cautious ignorance that their forebears had enjoyed. Especially since most of them lack the mental capacity to understand how their caution is kneecapping them.
The same cannot, and more importantly should not, be said of my friends and contemporaries in the Capitol. They are, by far, the worst of the worst when it comes to this.
Inexcusably stubborn and disgustingly cautious, they would rather watch the glory of Panem wither on the vine and die than make the bold and necessary changes that needed to be made for the nation to not only survive but thrive as it had in the past.
This is also why none of them, not even my oldest and closest friends, can fully comprehend the genius of my decision. Let alone why announcing it in conjunction with the reading of the Fourth Quarter Quell stipulation is vital to its success.
"I just don't understand why you have to do it now. Wouldn't it be safer to hold off and announce the changes after the Quell with an eye towards a more gradual implementation of those changes?"
Speak of the devil.
"We've gone over this already, Tranquila."
"I know we have, but it still doesn't make sense to me. And I'd be an awful friend and an even worse advisor if I didn't speak up about my misgivings."
I hate to admit this, but she does have a point. It's a stupidly annoying one but it's a point nonetheless. And since I don't have anything better to do with the next five minutes, I might as well let her say her piece for the fifteenth or sixteenth time. If only so she'll stop pestering me to let her do so.
"Fine, Tranquila. Speak your mind. Just remember where we are and who it is you're speaking to while you do it."
"I'll um… I'll try to keep that in mind. Sir."
Ok, I didn't mean for that to come across anywhere near as angry and menacing as it did. Especially with someone I've known and respected for as long as I have Tranquila. But it did need to be said. The fact that it might deter her from rehashing some of her more long-winded and...animated...talking points is just a bonus.
"Well, get on with it then. You and I both know that I haven't got all day for this.
"You have, at most, four minutes to wow me out of doing something I've been planning to do for the better part of half a year. So you'd better have something new to hit me with because your old stuff isn't going to cut it.
"Not after I've heard it a dozen times from you and half a billion times from half a hundred other people."
"I wouldn't dream of wasting your time like that, but I do feel compelled to point out that you're about to make a majorly transformative change to the Hunger Games just a few months before the most important Quell in Panems' history."
I can't help but roll my eyes at that comment. It's everyone's favorite opener for this discussion and easily the least convincing. Especially since I don't care.
Unfortunately, or maybe, fortunately, she saw me roll my eyes. Now, instead of silently laughing at the stupidity of the argument, I have to cut her off to explain why it's stupid.
"I thought you weren't going to waste my time, Tranquila."
"Sir?"
"Do you honestly think you're the first person to try that line, let alone the first to come up with it?"
"Of course not.
"It's just…"
"It's just what?!"
"The people of Panem don't like change. Especially when it involves something as near and dear to their hearts as the Hunger Games.
"Couple that with the fact that everyone is expecting the one-hundredth anniversary of the games to be the single biggest event in the history of Panem, and you have a recipe for disaster. But only if you go ahead with your planned changes to the core structure of the games.
"I'm begging you, Cas, as a friend, to leave well enough alone. Wait until after the games are over, until after the victory tour is over, to announce the changes. Please?"
I hate the way she does this. Tranquila has mastered the art of using the heavy-duty guilt trip dripping with personal concern as a way of getting what she wants. And if it were anything else, anything else in the world, I would probably give it to her if it would get her to stop. But I can't do that, not with something as important as this.
I have to announce the changes today and implement them immediately because it's the only chance I have of doing this without major backlash from the public. She knows this, she's been intimately involved in the discussions surrounding the changes and with my thought process on them at every possible step. And she knows, or at least I hope she does, that there's no way she can talk me out of doing it.
I've come this far already, and I've never backed down from a challenge.
"I appreciate your concerns, Tranquila, I do. But we both know I have to do this now if I'm ever going to do it.
"It may not be popular, but it is necessary. It's the only way to ensure the long-term stability and viability of the Games. I have to do this."
"Even if it destroys your Presidency?"
"Even if it destroys me…"
I can tell by the look of shock and concern etched on her face that the defiant way I said that caught her more than a little off guard. And if I'm being entirely honest with myself, I'm happy that it did. Because I am done having this argument.
I've spent months planning this. I've sat by and listened intently as crusty old men and sour old women offered me their 'expert advice' on why my plan was stupid and why even thinking about it was political suicide. I've diligently worked every angle I could find, and they all led me to the same inescapable conclusion. The Hunger Games are dying, and I'm the only one in a position to prevent it from happening.
So that's what I am going to do. Even if it costs me everything I've spent my entire life working towards. Alea iacta est, the die has been cast. I will either come out of this as the man who saved the Hunger Games, and with it, Panem, or I'll be cast down and made an example. But I refuse to be the man who had the chance to do something bold, to save his country and the glue that holds it together, but let fear stop him.
That's not who Caspian Ashwood is as a man, and it's not who he's going to be as a President.
"Sir? We're ready for you."
Well, here goes everything…
—PLEASE STAND BY FOR AN ADDRESS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF PANEM—
"Good evening Panem, this is your President, Caspian Ashwood.
"One Hundred years ago, our nation stood on the precipice of total annihilation. We had just emerged from a long and brutal civil war, and many feared that Panem had been irreparably fractured.
"However, a small cadre of our best and brightest sat down with the rebel leaders, and after a series of long and tense negotiations, hammered out the single most important document in our long and storied history, The Treaty of Treason. Which set down the terms for reunification of Panem and the penalties those who sought to tear it asunder must pay.
"One of those is the Hunger Games, the annual event where all of Panem comes together as one to cheer for one or more of the twenty-four brave young men and women who are selected to compete for the ultimate honor of Hunger Game Victor. An honor which, over the last century of competition, ninety-nine brave and selfless young men and women have seized for themselves and their district.
"It is with them in mind, that I make the following announcement before reading the stipulation for the upcoming Fourth Quarter Quell.
"Effective immediately, and in recognition of their unimaginable courage and their kind-hearted selflessness, I am officially relieving all of the currently living former Hunger Games champions of their official duties as mentors, and offering them the opportunity to retire in peace.
"They will be replaced, temporarily, by a specially selected Capitol mentor. Chosen for their unique skill, wit, and ability, they will be charged with performing the duties and responsibilities of mentoring their assigned tributes until a tribute from their assigned district can seize the mantle of Hunger Games victor.
"The now-retired victors will be required to attend this year's festivities, but after that their attendance will be voluntary, but still highly encouraged. Further guidance and information will be provided to each of them once they arrive in the Capitol for this year's Games.
"Which brings me to the reason we're all here today, the official reading of the stipulation for this, the One Hundredth Annual Hunger Games and Fourth Quarter Quell.
"To remind the districts of the Capitals mercy and fairness, for this, the One Hundredth Hunger Games and Fourth Quarter Quell, one gender from each district will be exempt from the Reaping.
"However, to ensure adequate district representation in the quell, the gender not exempted from selection must supply their district with a second tribute for the games."
"Earlier today, I met with the escorts and mentors from each district to inform them which gender their district will be required to supply for this year's festivities. The results will follow this announcement.
"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"
District 1-Male
District 2-Female
District 3-Male
District 4-Female
District 5-Male
District 6-Female
District 7-Male
District 8-Female
District 9-Male
District 10-Female
District 11- Male
District 12-Female
A/N: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Fourth Quarter Quell! My name is Zack, and I've been a longtime member of the site who took a bit of an extended break to get some things in order, but I'm back now and looking forward to reimmersing myself in the most amazing of all fandoms, the Hunger Games.
I've got five previously completed SYOT's, but none of them are set in the same world as this new story. I did take the Quell stipulation from my original story, as I love it and desperately want to redo it because I'm not nearly as thrilled with how I did it the first time as I used to be. But that's not important.
What's important is making this story as amazing as it can be for all of you amazing people, and that starts with the out-of-this-world tributes I know you're all itching to submit! The form to do that is on my profile, and I do ask that you fill it out as completely as you can so I can have all the information I need to bring your tribute(s) to life. There's no limit to the number you can submit, but I will only take a maximum of 2 from each submitter, so make sure that you let me know which submission(s) you want me to make an extra effort to find a place in the story. I will also only be taking submissions via PM, so please make sure you send them in this way. Also, please remember which districts are sending which genders to the games this year. I'd hate to get a tribute that I can't use because their story only fits in a district where gender is exempt from the reaping.
Everything else is normal, volunteers, careers, all the good stuff. So this might be a perfect time to submit that younger career who refuses to wait until they're ready to compete or that flawed career who is old enough but got passed over for someone better! I take all kinds because it takes all kinds to make the story great!
Everything else you need to know is in the information section of my profile, right below the submission form, which is also where I'll post another district gender breakdown if you need it. And if you have any questions, please PM me and I'll answer them as quickly as I can.
Well, I think that's everything. Thank you all for reading the first chapter and I look forward to taking this adventure with all of you. I can't wait to start meeting all the spectacular tributes that are going to make this story so fun and memorable :D