The Hunger Games – Local Flavor
District Twelve had a reputation
Everyone knew about District Twelve. Everyone, whether they were super into the Hunger Games or not, whether they even knew how Twelve helped support the Panem, they knew about Twelve's reputation.
Thing was, Twelve was known for a few minor things: they were poor, they had mines, and they had the most lethal participants in the Hunger Games, bar none, not even the Careers from One and Two compared to what Twelve brought to the table every year in the Games, the Reaping of the Tributes from there being the most popular among the Districts and the Capitol.
They all wanted to get in on the betting early on.
Which one would get the most kills? Girls and boys were historically tied, and even age didn't matter when it came to one's predictions, for if people didn't remember, they had certainly seen the videos of the handful of tiny twelve year olds who had slaughtered much older, faster, stronger, trained Careers. Girl, boy, twelve or eighteen, Twelve had the worst of the worst among its Tributes and Victors.
And Panem loved it.
So when the time came for the Seventy Fourth Hunger Games, everyone gathered around to watch the Reaping, and it was with the greatest of surprises when a dark haired girl stepped forward and screamed she was volunteering for her blond haired sister. Twelve didn't have volunteers, everyone knew that, and yet, the girl stood, straight backed and beautiful under the Sun, demanding to take her sister's place.
Who was she? Katniss Everdeen, they said. But who was she? Bookies worked overtime in order to receive all the bets Twelve's first ever volunteer sparked, although her golden headed partner was not forgotten in the shuffle either.
Oh how sweet it was to see beautiful creatures with blood splattered across their faces!
Katniss and Peeta became instant hits among the Capitol residents. She was all fiery and spirited, he was all good manners and kindness, both received the highest scores in their training, although it wasn't difficult to see why, what with Katniss's prowess with the bow and arrow – and ruthlessness with anything even remotely sharp in hand. Peeta showed what he hid behind his easy manners by demonstrating a quick and unmatched skill with any heavy weapon – in fact, the heavier the better for him.
Twelve's most infamous Victor, Haymitch Abernathy, who dominated the Fiftieth Hunger Games, stepped up to be their mentor. Bookies were all too happy to receive bets on how exactly his expertise would be used, as he had produced only the best of the best Victors, seeing seven victories from his District, more than any other. With such a high number of mentors available, and it being the Games before the next Quarter Quell, many speculated Twelve wanted to give Panem a big show.
How right they were.
From the moment the Games began, Katniss and Peeta showed they had not come to fool around, running off to the nearest Tribute and smashing their heads against their pedestals. The Careers, wisely wary of them, were unable to stop them from taking one backpack each before their disappeared into the forest.
Despite the Games always taking place in different locations, Twelve always did the best in any wooded area, so the viewers watched on anxiously, expecting nothing less than one of the best Games they had ever seen.
Peeta was silent on his feet, and even quieter and smoother when he threw Tributes against trees, the ground and rocks and ended their lives with little to no trouble, while Katniss made good use of her bow and arrow, cutting down the numbers of competitors as quickly as her District companion. Their sponsors were quick to send notes and presents, begging them to let the Games go on a little longer so they could enjoy it all the more.
The teens complied with a quick wave onto the numerous cameras on them, as was to be expected. Cold killers or not, Twelve was known for playing by the rules and amassing legions of admirers without even trying.
On the second day of the Games, Peeta and Katniss only played for the cameras, they sat on the highest of trees that no one but them could reach, not now that they'd eliminated anyone else who might've, and talked about their lives. It wasn't the most stimulating topic to anyone outside of Twelve, but their closeness, the romance the Capitol could see between them sparked sponsors into actions, and soon enough, the couple received many requests to 'pretty up!' and 'get it on'.
With a wink, Katniss shook her head but kissed Peeta smack on the lips. The blond laughed like he wasn't in a deadly competition, endearing both of them all the more.
Then they went on to slash and smash their way through the remaining Tributes.
"No hard feelings" – Katniss was heard whispering to a little girl from Eleven before she put a knife to the back of her head, killing her at once. It was a kinder death than would usually be given to a Tribute, especially by someone from Twelve, and it made everyone think that maybe Twelve didn't just breed monsters after all.
"Bad form" – Peeta commented before he threw a near weightless knife into the chest of a Career. Strong as he was, he was almost as good with a blade as Katniss, something he had seemingly chosen not to reveal until that moment, something his opponent was all too shocked to discover as she bled away.
In the end, it was Katniss and Peeta against a pack of engineered vicious dogs and Cato, from District Two. He had been cocky when faced with them throughout training, and even when it was clear he wouldn't be the Victor of the Games, he stood strong in front of them, and smiled when they moved with a swiftness he couldn't stop, and put his miserable life to an end – letting him fall to the dogs, who mauled his body as he took his last breaths.
"Well, this is it, I guess" – Peeta stated, leaping away from Katniss.
"I guess. If I die... Will you help my family?"
"Yeap. You?"
"Definitely"
"Ready?"
"Ready"
They stalked one another and all of Panem held their breaths as the most beautiful, most vicious, most wonderful of Tributes lunged at each other for the title of the Seventy Fourth Hunger Games' Victor. It was the most glorious sight of their lives, and one they would tell their kids about for years to come.
I'm not a frequent Hunger Games fanfic flyer, so I don't know if this has been done before... If so, please let me know 'cause I am so interested in Katniss and Peeta being brutal killers.