Hello readers and redresses. Welcome to my third Hunger Games Fanfic, my seventh collaboration with Batmarcus, my too many too counth Fanfic, and my third fic about an insane conspiracy. Now, stop reading these stats and read our awesome story!
The last flower was placed gently on Rue's body and Katniss stood up and placed her three fingers on her lips before holding them up in the air and held them up in the air before leaving as the hovercraft appeared to remove Rue and Marvel from the arena.
Just as she was brought into the hovercraft Rue was worked on by doctors an hour later she sat up in a bit of pain, but otherwise fine.
"W-What?" She breathed confused as she looked over at Marvel who was awake and sitting up as well. "What's going on?"
"How am I supposed to know?" He asked looking around as well.
"I know, I was mostly just thinking out loud it's just..." She checked her pulse which was there and going strong, then the wound on her stomach which was pretty much gone she didn't seem to care much at the moment that he was the one to cause it. "This doesn't make any sense."
"I know, I just died there was an arrow in my throat," He said rubbing his throat
"And, I had a spear straight through my stomach. How are we both alive and more importantly… well not in the arena?" Rue asked rhetorically as the hovercraft landing in the forest between The Capitol and District 1.
"I don't know, but I think we'll find out," Marvel said.
A young unfamiliar girl who couldn't be older than fourteen stepped into the room, she was around Rue's height and had dirty blond hair tied into a high ponytail. "Hello, Rue, Marvel, nice to finally meet you two."
"Nice to meet you too, uh who are you?" Rue asked.
"Oh, sorry, where are my manners, my name is Mercy Tears. I know you must be very confused, pretty much everyone is when they first come in but if you just follow me I'll explain everything."
They shrugged and followed her out into the woods.
"You see, in the Hunger Games, no one actually dies. It's all a set up. Messing with the minds off pretty much everyone that isn't directly involved in the conspiracy." Mercy explained leading them to where she knows the entrance is.
"So if people don't die what does happen to them?" Rue asked.
"They come here." Mercy said getting to the entrance and opening it. "Welcome to District 0."
They came across a large underground city made up of buildings a bit like the capital just not as well maintained. A large screen was showing the games above the whole place.
"Oh my god." Marvel said stepping into the city. "This place has been here the whole time."
Mercy nodded, "It runs underground all the way from the Capitol to District 12. 1,726 previous tributes plus any kids they had like myself, not to mention the tributes yet to come. You certainly need a lot of room for everyone to live comfortably."
"This place is incredible!" Rue said.
Mercy looked up at the screen with a slight frown. "They don't even realize it but losing those games is pretty much the best thing they could do for themselves." She pointed up at the screen which currently had Katniss on it and asked Rue. "She was your ally, right?"
"Yeah that's Katniss," Rue said smiling.
"Well, this is going to sound weird but you better root for her to lose then. Then she can come here with you." Mercy told her honestly. "The exact opposite as everyone up there is rooting for on their favorites."
"Marvel!" Glimmer said running up to him having stayed near the entrance till these games were over for her old allies. "You made it!"
"Glimmer! It's so good to see you!" He said hugging her.
"You too." She said hugging him back. "I was rooting for you to lose so I could see you again and luckily down here the odds are DEFINITELY in our favor. Lets just hope in some rare occurrence, the rest of the Careers do as well."
"I think they will we really underestimated District 12," He said.
Glimmer nodded, "Definitely, the girl at least. She really is a tough one for her. I can't help but wonder though, where did she learn to shoot like that? Any weapons are strictly banned from twelve and she didn't even look at the archery station back in training much less go to it."
"Katniss." Rue muttered making Glimmer look at her confused. "Her name is Katniss."
"Oh right sorry I forgot, your...Rue right?" She asked after a pause.
Rue nodded, "That's me, Katniss was my ally."
"Oh, yeah she really cared about you," Glimmer siad
"Yeah. She d…" Rue hand went up to her hair and was surprised to find a flower and quickly more. "Any idea why there's flowers in my hair?"
"Katniss put them there," Glimmer said.
"Oh, well, that's a sweet gesture." Rue said choosing to leave them there incase someone manages to 'kill' her.
"I hope Clove gets here soon," Glimmer said changing the subject.
"Funny, I'd expect you to be more antsy to see Cato again." Marvel said having noticed how she acted around him.
Glimmer blushed and hit him in the shoulder playfully, "Well yeah him too, but Clove has a surprise waiting for her."
"I'm sure everyone does." Rue commented looking around. "But does she specifically have something else?"
"Yeah she has a big one coming," Glimmer said smiling
"You're not going to tell us what it is?" Marvel asked.
"I will if you ask nicely," She said smirking
"Will you please tell us?" Marvel asked nicely.
"Well okay see lat year her little brother was in the games, but he lost while in the final three," She said
"Oh! So she'll get to see him again!" Marvel said understanding. "If she loses of course."
"I think she will Katniss wanted to get all of you, can we meet him?" Rue asked.
"Sure, hes not terribly far." Glimmer said but Mercy stopped her.
"They have to get their own places though." Mercy reminded. "I was told to help with that in addition to getting them here."
"Oh, haha right I guess he can wait," She said
Mercy turned them. "Either of you want your place first?"
"Can I please?" Rue asked.
"Alright, that okay with you, Marvel?" Mercy asked.
"Sure," He shrugged.
"Alright then, follow me." Mercy said heading deeper into District 0.
"We sort people by age and if they have family," She explained as they went.
"Well, I'm 12 and to my knowledge, no one in my family has been in the Hunger Games before myself." Rue explained.
"Then you bunk with the 12 to 13 year olds," Mercy said smiling.
Rue nodded, "Sounds good to me."
"Good do you want a roommate or not?"
"Roommate." She said unhesitantly. She has lots of siblings so being alone would feel way too weird.
"You can stay with me and my family then we have the space," She offered.
Rue smiled. "I'd like that."
Mercy smiled leading them to her house. "It's a little far, but my mom's from District 11 just like you. My dad's from 9. They were allies in the 58th Hunger Games when they were suddenly ambushed by the Career Pack and lost together. After a while in here they got closer and closer eventually getting married and having me and my brother."
"That's great. Your so nice to take me in like this," Rue said smiling
"It's my pleasure. I've always wanted a sister. We should take a bus though, my house is down under the forest between 6 and 7. Besides, most people take them or a car in 0 because it's so huge." Mercy said motioning around.
"Okay, I'll follow you then," She said.
They got to the nearest bus-stop and Mercy checked the schedule. "The next bus will be her in five minutes." She said taking a seat. "I'm assuming neither of you took a bus before since they really only have them in the Capitol and District 0 right?"
"Never, what is a bus?" Marvel asked.
She tried to think of something she could compare it to that they know of when she thought of something they HAVE to know of. "Remember that train you guys took to the Capitol before the games?" They both nodded.
"Well, it's like that but smaller, about the size of one of the cars on the train and instead of those rooms and stuff there's a bunch of seats."
"That sounds weird," Rue said.
Mercy shrugged. "Well, I've regularly taken it my whole life but I guess you'll see when it gets here." She looked over at Marvel. "So, what's it like living in District 1?" She asked to make conversation since she knows about 11 from her mom.
"It's really interesting, all of our homes and clothes are the best because we make them only the capitals are better. What bugs me is that most of our stuff is encrusted with jewels for reasons that were never really explained to me," Marvel shrugged.
"Sounds very shiny and bright." Mercy said with a frown. Being underground it's pretty dark in District 0 with the exception of artificial lights but it's basically like a city on a moon and starless night ALL the time so when so goes out the sun's really hard on her eyes, she hates it up there so luckily it's VERY rare that she'd have to leave.
"Yeah I guess it is," He said uncomfortably.
"It's dark down here if you hadn't noticed." Mercy stated the obvious. "Don't they train you for the games in 1, 2, and 4. The guy who created District 0 so many years ago had something weird against you guys. Wanted there to be as few of you in here as possible so he made sure you guys were always trained to win."
"Is that why we're trained? I thought the adults were just brain washed," Marvel said.
"Well, that is the real real reason. Don't ask what he had against you guys because I have no idea." Mercy said honestly as the bus got there. "That's it." She said standing up.
"That is so weird," Marvel said.
Mercy shrugged boarding the bus. "Alter accere ad aliud."
"Umm, what?" Rue asked
"Alter accere ad aliud. It's latin for 'one is to another' or 'what you see depends on what you're use to." Mercy clarified taking a seat since the buses in 0 are free, she patted next to her for Rue and Marvel to sit down.
Rue took the seat beside her and Marvel and glimmer the one behind him. Just before the bus was about to leave one more boy entered and layed down on the seat across from them he looked about a year older than Rue with black hair and icy blue eyes and slightly pale skin. He looked over at her caught her looking back blushed and turned away.
"You're Rue, right?" He asked though still looking away. "Just got here from the arena?"
"Yeah that's me, and you are?"
"I'm Aiden," He said quietly
"You likely don't remember me.I was last year's tribute from District 12. Lost not even a minute after the gong went off."
"Oh, well I'm sorry about that," She said.
"It's ok, being reaped from twelve you kind of expect it. The mentor from 12 even tells you to 'Embrace the probability of your immediate death.'." Aiden said with a sigh. "Your ally and her district parener seem to be doing well though. I'd bet we won't be seeing Katniss again 'cause she'll win. Pretty well known around twelve even before the reaping. She always sneak out of the district boundaries with her best friend Gale Hawthorn to shot some game and gather some plants to either eat or trade around the district. Some times even to peacekeepers." He explained knowin that even if Katniss loses she can't get in trouble for it in District 0.
"That explains her talent with a bow," Marvel said rubbing his throat.
"Your, mentor said that?" Rue asked.
Aiden nodded, "He's always drunk as a skunk though so you can't really expect much, no wonder him and the one girl from early on who ended up killing herself are the only victors we've ever gotten.
"That's sad," Rue said.
"Wait, which are we talking about?" Aiden asked.
"Both," Rue said honestly.
He nodded, "Everything about District 12 is depressing: starvation, black lung, mining accidents; the only upside is that peacekeepers usually let next to anything slide instead of being brutal like in most districts."
"How do you all live there?" Rue asked.
"Not very well at all but you can't leave." Aiden reminded.
"True, but still it sounds awful," She said.
Aiden nodded sadly. "Trust me, it is. What about in your district?"
"Well we have very strict peacekeepers, and the homes are very small and cramped. It's okay if you fo not anger the peacekeepers," She said
"That must be pretty scary." Aiden commented. "Always having to watch out for just one little slip up."
"Yeah, but it's easy to avoid slip ups," Rue said.
"When do most people start work in the fields?" He asked curiously.
"Usually at about age eight for boys and nine for girls," Rue said.
"So, you were already working when you were reaped?" Aiden asked.
"Yeah, I was," Rue shrugged.
"Wow, that's so early in 12 you usually don't start working the mines till your 17 but that's only if you're a boy, there aren't any female's in the mines." Aiden explained.
"Well the fields are less dangerous than the mines, would be," Rue reasoned
Aiden sighed, "Yeah, that's definitely true."
"Something bad already happened in the mines didn't it?" She asked looking at him.
"A number of times but luckily less often then you'd think. When it does happen, it's a huge deal. The schools even all shut down for a while."
"That all sounds horrible," Rue said sadly.
Aiden looked down and nodded sadly. "Four years ago Katniss' dad died in a mining accident."
Rue covered her mouth in horror.
"Yeah, from then on Katniss took over as her family head after her mother sort of just stopped," Aiden said
"Oh my god, I had no idea." Rue breathed in shock.
"No one does, unless your close to them," Aiden shrugged
"Still, that must be terrible."
"It's not pleasant no, but she got bye and was happy after a while from what I could tell," Aiden said.
"She truly is a fighter. More than I even knew from back in the arena." Rue observed.
"Yeah, and bad as it sounds I hope she wins," Aiden said.
Rue gulped uncertain about that. She wanted her down here with her. Not up in that terrible place.
"I know it sounds bad, but Katniss' family needs her," Aiden said
"I suppose you right. That was selfish of me." Rue said and thought of her own family, how they all think she's dead. Sure, her family isn't dependent on her like Katniss' but they must really miss her right?
"No, you like having her around it's understandable," Aiden shrugged.
"But you're still right, her family needs her back home." Rue said looking down.
"Yeah, they do," Aiden conceded.
Rue nodded and looked up towards the surface world. "I wonder how my own family's holding up with thinking that I'm dead."
"I can imagine they are very sad, but I would not know for sure I didn't have a family," Aiden said
That took Rue by surprise and she moved up to his seat. "You didn't?"
"No, mom died of black lung when I was three and dad and I were never close after that then he died in the mining accident," Aiden said
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry to hear that but if you don't mind me asking: what is black lung?" Rue asked obviously not very familiar at all with coal mining and what can come of it.
"An illness that you get from being around coal dust for long periods of time makes it very difficult to breath, if not treated it leads to slow painful death," Aiden said sadly.
Rue didn't know what to say and carefully but a comforting hand on his shoulder.
He blushed and scooted a bit towards her.
Unfortunately for them, the bus came to a stop. He looked out the window looking disappointed. "This is my stop. So, I guess I'll see you around then?" He asked grabbing his stuff.
"Yeah I guess so," She said smiling at him.
"I look forward to it." He said blushing "Bu could you get up for a second so I can get out?"
"Oh right," She said getting off to one side.
"It was nice meeting you, Rue." Aiden said blushing as he got off the bus. Yesterday 12:50PM
"You too," She said smiling sweetly as she blushed as well.
Once he was off Glimmer started singing, "Rue and Aiden sitting in a tr-OW!" She stopped when Marvel elbowed her.
"What?" She asked innocently
"That's rude, and childish." He told her.
"This coming from you?" She asked skeptically
After a pause, Marvel simply said, "Touché."
"Exactly!" She said smirking.
Rue blushed looking away from the duo from District 1 as she sat back down. "It's not like that. I barely even know him."
"You felt something though?" Glimmer asked
"Well... uh." Rue stammered rubbing the back of her neck.
"Give her a break she's twelve," Marvel said.
Glimmer sighed. "I guess you're right, she has plenty of time to sort this kind of thing out."
"Good, now stop tormenting her," He said smirking.
"Right, I'm sorry, Rue." Glimmer apologized.
"It's okay," Rue said blushing.
Mercy decided it would be best for everyone to change the subject. "So, what do you guys think of District 0, so far?"
"It's awesome!" Marvel said.
Mercy smiled, "Glad you like it."
"It's incredible," Rue said smiling
"Certainly." Glimmer said in agreement. "I can't believe this whole place and everyone that lost the Hunger Games have been hiding under our noses this whole time."
"Me either!" Rue said
Mercy chuckled, "No one up there but a few heads and doctors from the Capital would. That's the point."
"They get the fear across and no one dies," Rue said impressed.
"Exactly!" Mercy said impressed with how quickly she picked up on it.
"That is smart," Rue said.
After a short while, the bus came to a stop at their stop. "We're here." Mercy said after looking out the window.
"Okay," Rue said nervously.
"It'll be ok, you'll like it." Mercy told her standing up. "We have to get off though or the bus will leave with us through the rest of its rout."
"Okay, lets go," Rue said carefully.
Mercy, Rue, Marvel, and Glimmer exited the bus. "Now, my house is right there." Mercy said pointing a few houses down.
"Okay," Rue said still nervous
"Wanna take a while to calm down?" Mercy offered noticing Rue's nerves.
"No, it's okay," She said
"Alright, follow me then." She said heading over to her house.
"I'm ready," Rue said now calm
They got to her house and just unlocked it and headed right in since it's obviously hers.
"Mom I've got a new sister," She said as if that was normal
Mrs. Tears came in curiously, like most people from 11, she's dark haired and skinned.
"Oh my goodness your that Rue girl, from District 11 just arrived correct?" She asked
Rue nodded, "Yes, that's me."
"Well it's nice to meet you," Mrs. Tears said smiling down at her.
"I had told her she could stay here since she doesn't have any family down here and would find it difficult on her own." Mercy explained to her mother. "Is that okay?"
"That sounds alright to me, as long as she's happy living here," Mrs. Tears said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Tears." Rue said politely.
"My pleasure you may have to share a room with Mercy though," She said.
"That will be no problem at all. A two person room will still be very empty empty compared to back in 11 so I'd like that." Rue said.
"Okay then Mercy show her to your room while I send for a mattress for her," Mrs. Tears said.
Mercy nodded, "Alright, but soon I have to find a place for Marvel as well."
"Of course just show them the house then you can all go, welcome to the family Rue," Mrs, Tears said smiling
"Thank you so much Mrs. Tears, it really means a lot." Rue said as she followed Mercy to their room.
"Keep in mind it's not much," Mercy said
"Like I've ever been use to 'much'." Rue reminded.
"Right, sorry," Mercy said blushing.
She drew in a breath and pushed open her bedroom door.
Inside was a small plain room with white walls and pictures of her family on them. There were a few clothes in the closet and a mattress on the floor.
"That's not so bad at all." Rue commented looking around. She went over to a picture on the wall and pointed to a slight younger boy. "Is that your brother that you had mentioned earlier?"
"Yeah he's playing with his friends right now," Mercy said
Rue smiled widely turning back to her, "Well, I can't wait to meet him. What's his name?"
"Alec, odd name huh?" She asked.
Rue nodded, "A little, but I'm pretty sure that's a name they use to use in the olden day, you know, back when Panam was America, home of the free and the brave?"
"Was it we found a sign that said home of the whopper," Mercy said
Rue chuckled, "They had REALLY weird names back then, they didn't even make any sense."
"Yeah they did," Mercy agreed
"Like there this one women I heard of in school from that time period, her name was STEPHANIE. Who even came up with that stuff? Did they just scramble random letters then tried to pronounce them?"
"What about this guy name I was told about? MARCUS?" Rue asked.
They both shared a good laugh at that one.
"Ah, what a weird time," Mercy said
"I know right! Not only with the names but the styles and how wasteful they were. Imagine the Capitol but EVERYWHERE."
"Don't even joke about that," Mercy said in mock horror.
"Glad to be in this time period?" Mercy asked.
"Oh, you have no idea," Rue said happily
"So, you wanna come with to find Marvel a place?" Mercy asked changing the subject, an action which she is rather skilled in.
"Yeah sure, will we get to meet Clove's brother?" She asked.
"Not sure I have never met him I was not sent to get him," Mercy shrugged.
"Oh." Rue said looking down. "Didn't you at least see him in his games though?"
"I did, but I never met him yet," Mercy said scratching the back of her head.
"Oh." Rue said sadly.
"Why the sadness?" Mercy asked.
"I was just kind of hoping…" Rue trailed rubbing the back if her neck.
"What?" Mercy asked.
"That you would be able to take me to him or something."
"Well Glimmer has met him she knows where he would be,"Mercy offered.
Rue nodded looked happier, "Alright."
"Okay then we'll talk to her," Mercy said
"Now?" Rue asked.
"Sure why not?" Mercy shrugged.
"Then lets go!" Rue said heading back to the entryway where Glimmer and Marvel still were.
"Ready to go?" Glimmer asked.
"Yeah, we're ready." Rue said excitedly.
"Why so excited?" Marvel asked as they left.
Rue stopped in mid-step. "I have no idea."
"Maybe it's being in a new place," Glimmer offered
Rue shrugged and continued walking again. "I guess so."
"So, Marvel how old are you?" Mercy asked
"Seventeen, so is Glimmer." Marvel answered.
"Okay those are just down the road," Mercy said
"No family?" She double checked.
"Not here no," Marvel said.
"Alright then, follow me, we can go ahead and just walk from here." Mercy said heading off towards the seventeen-year-olds section.
"So, Glimmer you said Clove had a brother?" Rue asked.
Glimmer nodded, "Yeah, Kiwano, he's fourteen."
"What's he like I mean personality wise?" Rue asked
"He's really nice actually, quick with a joke but otherwise fairly closed tongued." Glimmer explained.
"So, can we meet him?" Mercy asked.
Glimmer nodded. "Of course."
"Good, after we get Marvel to his place," Mercy said
Rue nodded, "Alright."
"Here we are!" Mercy said
Marvel looked around the area wordlessly. "My place is right there." Glimmer said pointing a short stroll off.
"It's a one person, home." Mercy said
Marvel nodded, "Alright, that works perfectly."
"I must warn you though, they're not near as nice as back in District 1." Glimmer added.
"That's good I hated the shining," Marvel said
Glimmer chuckled, "I know right, I hated them, too. Which is ironic considering my name."
"Very ironic," Rue said.
"At least my name's not Sparkle like that girl at school." Glimmer said knowing Marvel knows who she's talking about. "Then again, Sparkle actually somehow LIKES it."
"I hope she never loses a hunger games she was so annoying," Marvel shuddered
"I know right!" Glimmer agreed. "If I never see her again it will be too soon."
"Me too," Marvel said
"She was that bad?" Mercy asked.
"Yes!" They said together
"Alright." Mercy said not prying on it and turning to Marvel, "You wanna see your house or Kiwano."
"Kiwano, I'll look around later," Marvel said.
"Alright then, back on another bus." Glimmer said since its pretty far unfortunately.
See? INSANITY! Came to me randomly one night and I HAD to write it so I turned my super awesome co-author BATMARCUS! So expect lightning fast updates! As you can tell, an idiot gave my sugar but now my stomach hurts D-X. Review! Flame me if you want, after four years, I'm immune.