Fandoms: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus (post-Giant War, ignores House of Hades) and The Hunger Games (first book)
Disclaimer: I do not own either of the mentioned books. They belong respectively to Rick Riordian and Suzann Colins.
Full Title: Percy Jackson and the Tributes of the Hunger Games: Hymn of the Rising.
Full Summary: He cursed the Fates for doing this to him. For leaving him all alone with this bitter victory and broken world. He cursed them for their cutting cruelty and accused them of lies woven by the very dread of life they use to rule the world and treachery created by claiming right for measuring lives not theirs. But the Fates aren't as lenient as the Gods and Percy soon finds out the consequences of falling in a trap deeper than Tartarus itself.
Official characters: Perseus Jackson (could there be a story without him that's good?) , the Fates, Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Finnick Odair, Annie Cresta
Edited characters: Annabeth Chase, Nico Di Angelo, Silena Beauregard, Charles Beckendorf, Piper McLean, Thalia Grace, Jason Grace, Leo Valdez, Sally Jackson, Paul Blofis, Biance Di Angelo, more to come
Ocs: None
Warnings: Swearing (very much), Death (no shit, Sherlock), Gore (nothing too disgusting), Suggestive themes (nothing explicit)
Pairings: (Past) Percy/Annabeth, Finnick/Annie, Gale/Katniss/Peeta, more to come
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"Don't let them haunt you, Perseus. Don't let her haunt you."
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"You dared curse us-"
"But we forgive you-"
"So let this be a lesson!"
"Hopefully, after this you'll-"
"Know why we chose Fate to turn this way."
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"Do not let reality cloud you."
"Do not let the truth hide the good."
"Do not let Death stop you."
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"We will give you a second chance-"
"But will you be successful?"
"Your name means the Destroyer-"
"Become the Defender."
"The Protector.
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"And when you achieve that-"
"Could you do us a small favor?"
"That we will no doubt repay you for-"
"Help the Mockingjay-"
"Set the New World-
"On fire."
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"Oh, and-"
"We nearly forgot."
"May the odds be-
"Ever in your favor."
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One year later
Reaping Day
"I'm scared."
We all are but I can't really tell him that, can I? You don't just tell a twelve-year old boy that his brother figure, the one who has protected him from countless bullies and other things for a whole year, is scared of his name being picked up by a ditzy weirdo from the Capitol to go compete in some modern-time gladiator games. That would just crush Julian's already fragile trust in hope.
Julian Del Cielo is a skinny olive-skinned, black-haired, onyx-eyed young boy with a brooding look all about him. Give him a jar of honey and he would start muttering about how everyone is out to wake the bee-allergy inside him. He likes to take very long naps in the middle of the day, eats like ten men combined and likes to think that he's independent despite me smothering him (I know he secretly likes all the attention).
If I recall correctly, his sister, Angela, had disappeared two years ago before this Foster Home found me lying on the beach. Julian had only been ten years old when those peacekeepers barged in and forcefully took her away, leaving a confused, crying Jule and twenty-something other shocked, scared orphans at the East Bay of District Four port.
No one had ever heard of her since then.
Left alone in this cruel world, he'd had to take care of himself, since the other kids haven't had the strength and/or resources to care for two people at a time. I partly couldn't blame them because, like it or not, Jule was a whiny kid who causes me more headaches in one day than a herd of Party Ponies would in one week. And the kid was creepy too, having an odd fascination with death.
It hadn't taken me long to figure out that Julian Del Cielo was the reincarnation of Nico Di Angelo. That also meant that Bianca Di Angelo must be Angela Del Cielo.
This also takes me back to my original question (oh, wait, I hadn't even asked one but never mind). What do you answer to a more childish, more annoying, more innocent Nico's sentence of 'I'm scared'?
"I know."
I inwardly smack myself. Way to go, Percy. Gah, Thalia would have had a good laugh at me, now.
"It's going to be me."
"No."
"Yes," he insists, looking up at me from where we were walking together down the street. I'm a good two feet taller than him (something I like to rub him in his baby-face with). He has to crane his neck to catch my face and I hide a smile. He looks cute when he scrunches his face against the harsh sun. "I can feel it. I dreamed of it."
I pause at his last words. Could it be that some demi-god powers from the other world were leaking through? Is it my fault? Is it something important that I should consult the Fates for? I grimace at the thought. I didn't particularly like meeting up with those dreaded, dreary old women. They give me the chills.
"Percy?"
Nic- Julian's voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I continue walking, "It's just a dream, Julian. Everyone has those, nothing to worry about."
"Yeah, but it looked so real. It was scary."
"All nightmares are."
"Yeah, but-"
"Julian," I sigh and stop, turning around to face him. He hasn't completely been able to keep up with my long legs and so lags a bit behind. I set my hands on his shoulders and drop to his eye-level, grimacing slightly at the new strain in my back. The hard hours at work had not done me pleasantries. "I assure you that you won't get reaped, you have less chance to than most of the kids in the orphanage. Besides, I-"
I'm cut of by a loud yell coming from a passing peacekeeper, telling us to hurry up because the Reaping was about to begin. I shoot him a glare, making him back up slightly. Then I grab Julian's hand and turn my head to give the still scared boy a small grin.
"Come, Julian, we don't want to be late for this blessed event, do we?"
He nods and manages to give me a shaky smile. I nod too and head to what would be classified as the worst day of this new life.
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Julian and me go to the front of the Justice Building (it reminds me a bit of the White House in Washington) to get checked in (I glare at the woman when she pricks my finger. Not that it hurt but I've always hated needles.) and then separate. I watch him go stand near the twelve-year-old boys, somewhere in the middle, and turn around to go to the back when someone grasps my wrist.
Monster.
That's my first thought. I tense first, my body on alert but I calm my nerves and paranoia and force myself to turn around with a small frown. Her strange silver eyes make a grin replace the frown.
"Anna- I mean, Ariel. What do you want?"
She frowns, "Who is Annabeth?"
It's you.
I shrug and she quickly changes the subject. It isn't the first time I confuse her with my former girlfriend and it isn't the first time she asks that question. In the beginning, she prodded more, insisting on knowing who Annabeth Chase was and why I always confused her with her. I am proud to say that I didn't budge, not even against her puppy dog eyes (trust me, those could bring a whole empire to its knees), and now she just searches to catch me off guard. She still hasn't succeeded in getting one ounce of information from me.
"Is Julian alright? I mean, it is his first Reaping and I remember mine. It is not the best memory I have."
I take my time to look at her before answering. She is dressed in a pretty but formal silvery grey dress that ends mid-thigh and it has short sleeves (it brings out her silver eyes pretty well). Her honey blonde-haired princess curls are pulled in an elegant chignon and my finger twitch against the urge to tuck the escaped strands behind her ear. She is pretty and I want to take her hand in mine and show her to the world and say 'This is Annabeth, she's mine.' But that is not true anymore so I settle with, "Julian's alright, don't worry your pretty little head."
She scowls. It reminds me of Annabeth when I don't listen to her ramblings about architecture. "Percy!"
My grin widens and I lean forward, "What, Ariel?"
I purposely let my lips brush against the shell of her ear and she freezes. Her grip on my wrist (she still hasn't let me go) slackens and she hurriedly steps back, "Nothing!" she yelps and practically runs to the eighteen year old girls. Some of them are giggling at me and Ariel, the rest ignore us, too worried about the Reaping. I sigh and go to the seventeen year old boys.
She's cute when she blushes. Gotta fluster her more.
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"Hello!" an overly cheery voice suddenly booms out across the crowd of teenagers, and I tear my gaze from Annabeth (I had been watching her and Nico) to Rosette Joliefille, our district escort, teetering on stage before the Hall of Justice. It's the first time I ever see a Capitol citizen and Julian's explanation of them suddenly doesn't seem so overdone. My image of them isn't very smarmy (how can it be when someone tells you that they dye their hair and skin green and wear flashy clothes and one foot high stiletto heels?) .
Still, I admit that she's pretty. She reminds me of someone, a person from my first life.
"He lied to me."
"No! No! Charlie! No!"
"Forgive me."
My head snaps back up to her face, this time searching for details that had once belonged to her. The high cheekbones, pointed chin, pink cheeks, the pouty lips and doe eyes. They are here and I can't help but feel like the world has stopped and the only thing that keeps me standing is Silena Beauregard's joyous face.
She looks ridiculous and I fight the urge to hag. She is kitted out in a bright blue outfit and her blonde hair is straight and reaches her knees. I guess her to be about as tall as my six feet, thanks to those ridiculously high heels. She seems out of place, between the soft colors of this district.
I have to stop myself from stepping forward to hug the cheetos out of her when she begins the announcement, "Boys and girls, welcome, welcome..." she takes a breath, "to the 74th Hunger Games Reaping ceremony and may the odds be ever in your favor!" She gives us a big smile, though it seems a bit forced in my opinion and I inwardly grimace.
They brainwashed the most compassionate person in the world to send kids to their death. Great, just great.
"Now, let's see who will represent District 4 for the girls this year!" Sile- Rosette declares. She swishes her hand around the giant fishbowl and pulls out the chosen piece of paper. She folds it open and I notice that her hands are trembling slightly.
"Ariel Owlery!" she practically shouts in the microphone. My heart drops to my stomach when the blonde-haired girl steps up to the stage. She frequently gives me worried and desperate looks over her shoulder and I shake my head at her.
No, don't go.
But she goes and I shallow the lump in my throat as I see her standing beside Si- Rosette, back straight, head hold high and a determined look on her face. To everyone else watching, she looks fierce and strong and intelligent. A true warrior. A possible victor.
She's going to compete in the Arena.
But she can't fool me. I read it all in those cerulean eyes of hers, the only thing that differences her from Annabeth Chase. She's scared, frightened and she knows. She knows that she's going-
She's going to die.
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"Julian Del Cielo!" Rosette announces and if possible, my heart drops even more. The little 12 year-old boy looks petrified as he walks up to the stairs. I watch him go with a numb feeling in my chest.
Nico.
No!
I push my way through the crowd, not realizing that I just cried out the last word. The small commotion makes Julian turn around, full of hope. He sees me rushing to him and a tear escapes his onyx eye.
A Peacekeeper comes to stand in my way. Bastard. I scowl, not slowing down even when he orders me to do it. I hurry past him.
My mistake.
His mistake is to grab me by the back of my collar, clearly not having noticed my determined scowl. Well, dude, you're gonna learn that you don't just grab an angry demi-god by his collar without the repercussions if you're not a mighty deity.
I turn around, my fist swinging to connect with his jaw. He lets go of me and I use the moment to kick him in the stomach. He doubles over in pain and I remember a time when I used to stop here but-
Monster.
Unfortunately for him, I changed. I grit my teeth and kick him again. He falls to the ground, but not before I take his weapon and place my feet on his back to prevent him from moving further. My senses tingle and I glance to my right. Another Peacekeeper is rushing my way and I lift my arm, the strange looking gun pointed right at his forehead. My finger is ready to pull the trigger and I prepare myself for the shower of blood that's going to fall upon me.
Instant kill.
"Stop!"
I stop.
"Percy..." it's Ariel's voice that breathes my name, so low I'm sure only my demi-god ears could have picked it. I blink one, two, multiple times and suddenly I wake up from whatever battle induced trance I am in.
I'm aware of the silent crowd around me, the unconscious peacekeeper under my foot. I'm aware of the other peacekeepers who are in the stages of taking their weapons out and/or running towards me and the shaking, wide-eyed one who's staring into the black hole of a gun in a firm hand who's attached to an arm and that arm belongs to-
Percy, stop!
-Me.
"I volunteer."
"Wh- What?" Rosette stutters, put out by my declaration. She was the one who had screamed for me to stop. Scratch that. She was the one who had unconsciously used charm-speak for us all to stop. I inwardly smile at that and let my hand fall to my side, stepping away from the two officers.
"I said," I turn to face her directly and she takes a step back in fright, "I volunteer as tribute."
Silence.
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I think I just rendered this whole new country speechless.
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This is the first chapter of my first cross-over. Personally I view it more as a prologue. Meaning that whatever you didn't understand is going to be explained as the story progresses. So, please, don't come to attack me with questions because all you're going to get is 'Spoilers' and I'm personally not too keen on giving you that.
But you can still ask questions (I don't care if they are stupid, they just have to concern the story) and give advice or constructive criticism (no flames) so that I'm sure I don't forget anything.
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This will become an AU (otherwise there would be no point to write this) but I'll still try to make it as close as possible to Canon.
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So the next chapter will look something like this:
Disclaimer with an extra
Memory
Actual story
Memory (maybe, maybe not)
Preview
Author's note (maybe, maybe not)
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Don't expect a chapter every other day. I swear I'll try my best to update regularly but don't blame me if it takes too long. Blame my father (Yep, I'm still underage). My exams didn't go as well as I thought they would (I swear I did my best) so my father is still planning on a proper punishment.
I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that I won't have to study during the holiday. That would suck big time.
Wish me luck!
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Well, I think I've said everything I've had to say, and if not... then there's always the next chapter to correct myself.
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Oh, before I go.
Reviews are love.
By!