Disclaimer:
I do not own the Hunger Games book series. It is property of Suzanne Collins and the publisher Scholastic Press. The movies are owned by Lionsgate and other associated producers and creators. I am simply a humble fan, writing this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release.
When Cray shook me awake, and said someone was waiting for me at the Justice Building, I feared the worst. For the first time in seventy-four years, the rules of the Hunger Games were changed, and not in the officially sanctioned way of the Quarter Quell. I've gone down in history as a mentor who's managed to do something no other Victor in history has ever been able to do; bring home two tributes in the same year.
Allowing the Peacekeeper to escort me to the Justice Building, hoping that I wasn't about to have a bullet put through my head. Or worse, having a meeting with the president. If Snow makes his way to meet with a Victor in the districts, it was a sign that the government had a personal stake in your life, even more so than a normal games Victor.
When the door opened, I'm surprised to come face to face with Plutarch Heavensbee. The grand conspirator of one of the two rebellion movements within Panem. The man who used his families high influential position within the Capitol to build a rebellion right under the nose of Snow.
"Sit down, Mr. Abernathy," Plutarch said, waving at the chair across the table from him. "Close the door behind you."
Closing the door, I take my seat, keeping my mouth shut. The Justice Building is bugged to high hell, and if I say the wrong thing, we'll both be hunger.
"You're looking at the new Head Gamemaker, you know?" Plutarch asked, sounding as if he was asking about the weather.
"I didn't," I admit. Other than when I'm in the Capitol to mentor, or being summoned for another function, I don't have contact with Heavensbee or the rebellion at large.
"Indeed. You see, Seneca Crane wanted to go down in history. He wanted to make sure he left his mark on the games, and he did. For the first time ever, we have two Victors from one game. His name will forever be linked to that. And for his efforts, he was fired," Plutarch said, meeting his eyes. I was expecting something, but I had assumed it would end with Crane dead, his family's assets taken by the government. Only fired? "He will never be allowed to work in the games again. A lifetime ban. He couldn't even get a job as a server on the tribute trains, but such is the consequences of his actions. Still, he has the fortune he made for him as he worked his way up from Assistant Gamemaker, so he'll be well off."
Like I cared if he was or not. Crane was a man of ambition, who wanted to become President one day. Snow had been a Head Gamemaker before his raise, and he wanted to follow in the man's footsteps. Despite being Head Gamemaker for only four years, he left his mark all right. Now he'll probably use his connections to get into politics, if the president hasn't blacklisted him.
"As the new Head Gamemaker, I've been given a single directive, which I've come to relay to you in person. This message is also being conveyed to every other Victor. President Snow has passed a law forbidding the change of rules of the Hunger Games, with the exception of the Quarter Quells. There will be no more Star Crossed Lovers," he said.
I didn't expect anything else. After Crane let Katniss and Peeta win, I heard he was angry. Snow was a student of the games. He studied them, and was a huge fan. When Crane decided to let the rule change stand after Katniss killed the boy from Two, I expected heads to roll.
"President Snow wants Katniss and Peeta to take over as mentors for Twelve," he continued after a moment. "You are welcome to assist them in their duties. You have a standing invitation to return to the Capitol each games as well, but the people want to see Katniss and Peeta. Well, after the Quarter Quell. As one of the two quell Victors, you are expected to mentor."
Being a mentor was bad enough, but the idea of doing it during a quell set my blood on fire. "I don't suppose you could tell me what the twist is this year?" I ask sarcastically.
I don't expect him to smile. "Actually yes. President Snow read the card early this year, just like he had before your games, Haymitch. As the new Head Gamemaker, he invited me to witness it. On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminded to the rebels that not even the strongest of them can overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from the families of their existing pool of Victors."
I let that sink in. Anyone I was related to who was reaping age would be entered. Only against people related to Katniss and Peeta. A smaller pool of potential tributes than normal. I couldn't help it; I laughed. What a horrible twist. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less from the original authors of the Quell. They put forty-seven other tributes in the arena with me.
"Before I go, I have some other business with you," Plutarch said, pulling out a small black box from his pocket. He set it on the table, and pressed the red square on the top. "There, now we can speak privately. This device is setting up an inference with the bugs, feeding them a pre recorded conversation. Beetee assures me this no one will notice anything. It will only last ten minutes though, so we had best be quick."
"That quell," I say. "Is it real?"
"You mean was it written by those who laid down the games seventy-five years ago? Yes it was. I suppose they thought at least each district would have one Victor by now, and they were right."
I lean back in the chair, closing my eyes. "Before I left the Capitol, you said District 13 was in?"
Plutarch nodded. "Yes. They've agreed to aid us in rebellion against the Capitol when we are ready to move," he says. He must have seen the look on my face, because he quickly continues: "That said, we are not ready- don't give me that look, Haymitch. I told you before that unless something big happened, it would be years before we're ready."
"How long are we looking at?" I ask, my fists clenched.
Plutarch looks me dead in the eye. "Our current time table puts use ready to move around the time of the eightieth games."
"The eightieth? Five years?" I hiss across the table.
Plutarch glares at me. "You've mentored for twenty-four years now. I think you can wait five more."
"Do you know how many tributes will die during that time? How many people Snow and his Peacekeepers will kill?" I demand, slamming my fist against the table.
"I don't have real numbers, but I know what you mean. I'm sorry, Haymitch. I really am. But we cannot be rash about this. If we fail, or get caught early, we'll all die. That means it could be decades, centuries, before someone tries it again. How many people will die during that time?" He asks. I'm too angry to answer.
"What about other rebellion?" I ask.
"I've told you not to concern yourself with them. Yes, they want to overthrow Snow and end the Hunger Games, but that's it. They want to continue with the way the government works now. The Capitol in power, the districts disconnected with each other. If they succeed, the Victors will be brought to the Capitol, given Capitol citizenship, and you all will be forced to live here for the rest of your lives. The games will end, and Panem will continue as it has since the end of the Dark Days, only without the distraction of the games. The districts will still be slaves to the Capitol."
He's right. I don't want that. I want real change, real freedom. If they won, I'd be a Capitol citizen, but I'd be stuck in that city I hate so much. For however long I live.
"Our plans now revolve around the eightieth games. We need to position key people in key positions, and get the districts ready for a full scale war. A revolution. Five more years of the current regime. For more years of Hunger Games. Then we'll do what no one has ever accomplished; we'll invade an arena, and rescue the living tributes, sparking the rebellion. I need to know if you can wait, Haymitch."
"I've waited this long, haven't I?" I say.
The red button on the box began to beep. "Good man," Plutarch said, pressing it. He grabbed it, sliding it back into his pocket.
"It was a pleasure speaking with you Mr. Abernathy, but a Head Gamemakers job is never done. Please relay my congratulations to Mr. Mellark and Ms. Everdeen. They're to be married a month after the Quarter Quell. In the Capitol. I have an invitation to attend."
Without Plutarch swept out of the room, and a Peacekeeper I recognized as Purnia come in. "I'll escort you home, Mr. Abernathy."
Author's Note:
Hello. Welcome to the Third Quarter Quell: The Seventy-Fifth Annual Hunger Games.
Apologies, but this chapter is not beta'd. As such, it is full of mistakes. I plan to get a beta, but I wanted to put this out here as soon as possible. I want to see if this kind of AU SYOT story would be interesting to people. If not, I'll delete it.
I know it was never stated in canon if Plutarch knew about the quell (in the books, not counting the movies) but I made the choice to allow it. Since the Seventy-Fourth games didn't spark a rebellion, Snow had no need to effect change in the quell, and as such, Plutarch was allowed to be in the room when he read.
I love AU's, and the idea of the butterfly effect intrigues me. One small change is all it takes to make a world of difference, as evidenced here by the changed events of the Seventy-Four Hunger Games. I wondered how the events might change if the rule of two Victors were never revoked, allowing Katniss and Peeta to win without the berries. So I've decided to write this as a SYOT story.
I believe this chapter has set up the premise of my idea fairly well. Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch will be main characters who will be involved heavily, but as this is a SYOT story, so will your OC's.
So, if you want to take part, I have some rules. As stated above, every tribute reaped in this game must be related to a Victor somehow. All of Peeta has one brother who can be reaped at eighteen years old, and Katniss only has one sibling, a sister. Haymitch's only brother was killed before he could have kids, so any tributes related to Twelve's Victors have to be cousins at least (unless it's Peeta's one brother, which you can make into an OC)
For the games, Volunteering is suspended, unless you are related to a Victor.
Training for the games is illegal, so unless you come from One, Two or Four, you characters cannot be trained. Ever siblings of Victors in the career districts are pressed into training, just in case the Capitol reaps them. So for our career district tributes, they must be trained.
No Katniss characters please. The only weapon a non career might know how to would be a knife, as its legal for district citizens to own them. If they come from a district that uses weapons for their export (such as a sickle from the grain fields of Nine. Or an axe from Seven. A pickaxe from Twelve is possible, if they're eighteen and work in the mines), they can know how to handle those weapons. Otherwise, they cannot know how to use a bow and arrow. A spear. A sword. You get the point. They might be able to learn the basics at training, but they won't be a match for the careers.
If you want to submit a tribute, fill out the form below, and Pm it to me. If you're submitted a character from a district with at least one named Victor (Chaff and Seeder from Eleven, for example) you must have them related to those canon Victors. If you want to submit a character from a district with no canon Victors I have a list of OC winners on my profile, which gives the games they won and some information about them. You can only make relatives from these OC Victors, as I have a Victor from every canon Hunger Games created. While Porter Millicent is technically canon and can be used, I have other OC characters from Five if you want to use them, since she was never named in the books.
If you want to make a character from One, Two, or, the names of each districts career Acadmey is on my profile.
If you want to make a character from Six, please Pm me before you start. I have some information about these districts in my AU world that you will need in order to make them.
Okay, the submissions have now closed. We have all the tributes we'll need, and I want to thank everyone who has submitted their tributes to be murdered!
Also. I will be keeping a list of spots open on this chapter, and will update it as spots are filled, so please check back here regularly. If you're interested.
D1M: Gleam Delmas
D1F: Helene Dulac
D2M: Ryker Bedford (Nephew of Lyme Gillian)
D2F: Cassandra Arellius
D3M: Haiji Akabane
D3F: Rance Walker
D4M: Neptune Odair
D4F: Margaret Cresta
D5M: NPC
D5F: NPC
D6M: Romeo Night
D6F: Kia Railway
D7M: NPC
D7F: Sequoya Gardner
D8M: NPC
D8F: NPC
D9M: Wallace Branwell (Grandson of Isabella)
D9F: Maisie Rosale (Only child of Amelia)
D10M: Wren Hyde
D10F: NPC
D11M: NPC
D11F: NPC
D12M: Rye Mellark
D12F: Nelly Conway