Hello loyal, new, creepy, respectful, nice, mean, weird, boring, shy, social, creative, left-brained, crazy, sane, fans, flamers, fat skinny, short, tall, smart, mentally challenged, cautious, adventurous… readers… and readresses… mustn't forget the readresses. Batmarcus and I have a brand new story for all of you peeps and peepettes whether you enjoy it or not and if not please tell us why. I love constructive criticism. For those seasoned readers that are already well acquainted with Kawino, we will be getting into in interestingly new side of him here and also his parents. For y'all that are just joining us in this story welcome and readers, Kawino; Kawino, readers. There now you are acquainted. Try not to kill each other I need him for this and many other stories and I love all my readers and readdresses. Even you Phil… apologies to anyone happening to be named Phil. That is a coincidence.
There was a familiar scene going on in the training school of District 2. Kawino Yetter was being brutally pushed to his absolute limits by his parents. Currently he was finishing his evade and attack drill. He had got his target though in very impressive time. It was clear to almost anyone that if he went into the arena he'd be a shoe-in for victor… assuming he'd try at least. Some had other thoughts. "Go again!" His father shouted. Kawino gulped and nodded starting right back over.
He did his drills four more times before he was finally told to stop. He did and just waiting really hoping he was dismissed but knowing that was unlikely. "Dismissed; shower, eat, and sleep."
"Thank you, Sir."
Kawino went to the shower and just as he had stepped into the rushing near boiling water, when a thought broke through his mind. 'Why am I doing all this? In fact, why are any of these games necessary!?' He dropped the knife he had in his hand and quickly washed himself off now having an idea but it was very time sensitive and he knew it would be a long while before he got his next chance.
He was showered and clothed in fairly short order then he ate his meager meal and crept into his room. Since they share a room, his twin sister, Clove, was long asleep in her bed. Not wanting to wake her but knowing he had to he went over to her and whispered, "Clover, Clover, wake up."
"Kawino, it's two in the morning what's wrong?" She asked.
"No time to explain, we need to get out of here."
"Kawino, what's wrong did something happen?"
"I'll explain later. Just trust me here."
"Okay, you know I trust you."
Kawino smiled a little at that. "Good, now grab what you need and let's get out of here."
She nodded, grabbing a few sets of clothes and some food. "What about mom and dad though?" She asked ignorantly.
"They are...sort of part of the reason we need to go." Kawino said. That only confused Clove worse but she wasn't really awake enough yet to argue or question farther so she luckily left it at that for now.
They ran out of the house, he knew he had to find somewhere safe. "Know anywhere safe we could go?" He asked her since he's never actually been outside besides for reapings.
"Well, we could try Cato's?" She asked.
"Not enough, not for what I have planned."
"We would have to leave 2 then."
"Just what I was thinking. We just need a way to get past the fence."
"Well, that means sneaking past the guards."
"Shouldn't be that much of a challenge."
"You sure?"
"Not for us it won't."
She nodded and they crept towards the gates. They stayed out of view looking for their best bet. "The east side is the least protected outside there is just a Forrest."
"Then there's just the issue of the fence itself."
"It's a quick climb."
"We need to find the source first to disable it." He scanned the fence and found what he was looking for. Of course though, it was well guarded. "I need a distraction." Clove picked up a good size rock and threw it as hard as she could having it still land very close to the fence. The guard heard the noise and made their way toward it.
So the twins both made their own way to the fuse box. Kawino pulled out one of his knives and sliced the line. The buzzing of the live fence instantly stopped. "That is our window." He said.
"We need to move quickly though."
She nodded and they scrambled to the east side and up the fence.
They had managed to get to the other side and immediately broke into the forest. "Now can you tell me what's going on?" Clove asked once they were well away.
Kawino sighed, sitting down on a fallen tree and began to tell her about their parents or at least how he knew them. There were no words to describe how shocked she was as a sat there pretty much frozen in place. "Shocking I know." He said. Clove's lip started to tremble and she just started crying. "Clover, please don't cry." He said hugging her.
"I should have never let then do any of that stuff."
"Clover, it's okay; I'll be fine now." Kawino said.
"Well, true but it never should have happened at all." She stopped crying for a second realizing something. "You said that was part of the reason."
"Yes it is because I realized that they do what they do because of these stupid games! In order to make things right I need to bring them down which means I need to start a rebellion."
"No one would ever let you get away with that."
"Clover, the question is not who is going to let me it's who's going to stop me."
"The Capitol."
"No, not if I do this right they will try though and that is part of the reason we are out here."
"You really think you can do this?"
"Yes very much so, but first I need a base of operations and to learn a few things. Will you help me?"
"Of course I will."
He smiled. "Thank you Clover, now as I said first we need a base."
"Right, maybe there's somewhere farther on." She said letting go and wiping her tears as they both got up.
"Yeah, let's go," he said, and they started walking through the woods.
They walked for what seemed like hours until they walked over a spot where they heard a metallic clang. Kawino bend down and moved some of the foliage out of the way. There was a black metal trap door. Curious, he twisted the top opened it and slid down. Clove stayed up for a short while since they don't know what it was and there might not be a way for him to get back.
Kawino looked around at first it was all dark, and then he found the switch. The room he was currently in looked to be a living room style place, with a red carpet two comfy looking couches, and a large bookcase that literally made up one large wall. He could see several doors leading off to different rooms, but first he headed back up to get Clove. "Clover, you really need to check this out." He encouraged. "I think we found our place."
She slid down and stared in wonder. "Amazing!"
"And safe," Kawino added closing the entrance.
"Let's sleep here tonight then we can search this place more when we are rested." She said. Kawino just nodded in agreement having missed his rare sleep allotment to do this. "Good," She yawned laying on one of the couches.
"Goodnight, Clover." He said and laid down on one himself being asleep within two minutes.
Meanwhile back at the Special Academy, their parents had woken up and the mother went over to their room grabbing the bow and arrow by the door. 'Maybe he'll catch it this time' she thought. Once she opened the door though she dropped them both and went straight back to her husband in shock. "They're gone."
"What do you mean? Who's gone?" He asked confused.
"Kawino and Clove, I went to wake him up and his mattress and her bed were both empty."
"Empty!?" He went straight up to their room to see for himself. It was of course true there was no sign of their children. He growled and punched the wall. "Where could they even have gone?"
"I don't know!?" She said worried.
After a second thought he realized, "There are two places."
"Well, then where?"
"Either the Haring's or Enobaria's."
"Okay, I'll check Enobaria's, you check the Harings." She said, heading out. He headed out as well towards the mayor's house.
He was soon knocking rapidly at the door. Mrs. Haring had answered after a while of pestering looking tired. "Mrs. Haring, I demand you hand over my children."
"Hand over your children? I don't have your children." She yawned.
"Don't play dumb. Both my children are missing and because of your son and my daughter they'd obviously go here."
"Listen, whatever you think, you're wrong. I don't have your children." She said.
"You're lying."
"Listen you stubborn bastard, whether you believe me or not your children are not here."
"Then how about I just check. If you're telling the truth you shouldn't have to worry or I could call kidnapping and the Peacekeepers could check."
"Fine, but know this since you are wrong, when you are proven wrong you'd be executed for threats with no proof."
"I have enough reason to believe."
"Fine, come in." She sighed just wanting to return to sleep.
He came in searching the house but obviously still finding nothing. "I told you they were not here now get the hell out of my house before I call the peacekeepers!" He listened knowing full well what would happen if she did. "Good day!" She said slamming the door behind him.
At the same time as that whole scene, the mother had arrived in the Victor's Village and pounded on Enobaria's door. "What do you want?" Enobaria asked opening the door.
"My children. I know you have them."
"Your children are missing?" Enobaria asked genuinely shocked.
"Yes and don't play dumb."
"I do not have your children. How do you lose your own children?!"
"Don't pin this on me! They were in bed, the next morning they were both gone!"
"They are your responsibility!"
"You can't possibly expect us to keep track of them in the middle of the night when we're trying to sleep, too!"
"Why not!? You force Kawino to train for days without sleep why can't you?!"
"Who do you think has to train him for that time?!"
"I thought you two just switched out."
"That would be ridiculous. We're partners. We work together."
"You should have been parents. I do not know where your children are, but I do not blame them for running."
"We were just trying to protect them! To make sure that if they go into the arena they end up here instead of the ground!"
"You know I once talked your son out of suicide?" Enobaria asked.
That had physically sent the mother back a step. "What? No... it can't be."
"It is, and had I not been there you would have lost him. You really don't know how he sees it do you?"
"How does he see it?"
"He thinks he is worthless, and that you hate him." She said.
"Neither of those is true though."
"That is what he thinks! That is how you have treated him. The only reason he did not do it, is because I told him Clove needed him and so did I."
"That's not what we wanted."
"That is what you have done to him. And just for the record, even if I did have your children I would never let you two have them back no matter what you claim your intentions were." With that Enobaria slammed the door in Mantear's face.
"He tried to kill himself?" She mumbled looking down. She sank to her knees and began to cry. "What have I done?" She choked out through tears.
Her husband had come back to check on her only to find her like this and hurried over. "Mantear, what's wrong?"
"W...we ruined his life! Oh my gosh, we ruined his life." She muttered. "He tried to kill himself." She mumbled still crying.
"What are you talking about?" He asked.
"Kawino, he thought we hated him."
"He what?"
She told him what Enobaria told her.
"S...She has to be lying." He stammered.
"What if she isn't though?"
"I... don't know."
"I think they might have run away because of that."
"We drove our children away?"
"It seems to be the only explanation." He was stunned as he pulled her to him holding her. "I take it they weren't there?" Mantear asked, still crying against his chest.
"No, they were not." He sighed.
"I don't know where else they would have gone."
"We'll search the district they must be here somewhere."
"It's 2 though. The place is huge."
"I don't care. We'll find them, we can make this right."
"Right, it's what we need to do." Mantear realized getting up and wiping her tears.
"We will fix this." She said.
"Yes we will." He said getting back up. They set out towards the gate out of the Victors' Village.
They searched for a while before nearing the boundaries though of course at a legal distance and realized that the familiar buzz of electricity running through the fence was absent. "Excuse me what happened?" Mantear asked.
One of the guards looked and her and answered, "Head Peacekeeper Frol is looking into it but the fence went dead at two this morning."
"That's odd." She said. 'That's a little after we sent him to bed.' Her thoughts realized. "Any word on how?"
"A line was found cut on the fuse box."
They exchanged a look. "You don't think…?" Mantear whispered.
"Multiple teams of Peacekeepers were just sent out into the woods to find the culprit if they escaped. The woods alone are likely to kill the culprit but if we find them alive they'll be shot on sight." A different guard explained.
"Shot on sight?" She asked trying to keep calm.
"Of course, then their body taken back to 2 as an example of what happens when you break the law."
"Right of course." She said. "We better go." She said, looking at her husband having a lot of trouble keeping her voice steady.
"Yes let's go." He said.
They headed back to the Academy and she had miraculously made it back up to their home above it before crying again. "No... no no no no no no no" She said through gasps. "They're going to die." She wailed.
"No, they won't." He said. "This is Kawino and Clove we're talking about. They'll be fine." He insisted.
"What if they are not? What if they get caught?"
"I'm sure they won't. They're probably far away by now."
"Are they safe?"
"I think so."
"What if we can't find them?"
"I don't think that parts possible anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"If they got out of the district there really no way for us to find them."
"So, I ruined my son's life and now I can't find him?"
"Unfortunately that is the case." She broke down again. Unsure what he could say he just held her close.
Kawino woke yawning and feeling well rested for the first time in a long time. He was surprised to find the couch Clove was on empty. "Clover." He called.
"Kawino are you up!?" She asked from another room. She came back in a smiled seeing he was. "I was starting to worry you weren't ever going to."
"It's been a few hours."
"You were asleep for three days, Kawino."
"I was!?" He gasped.
She nodded slowly. "I didn't want to wake you up because it was clear your body needed in desperately."
"I'm sorry about that." He said.
"It not your fault. You're body had a lot to make up for."
"Well, still."
"If I wasn't okay with it I would have woken you up a while ago." Clove said, and sat down next to him.
"How are you then?" He asked.
"As okay as I can be."
"I'm glad. Have you been able to eat or drink?"
"Yeah, I had brought food home, remember? I found some food stored here but couldn't bring myself to trust it. Not yet at least."
"Guess I should check this place out." He said.
"You should eat first." She corrected, and put a package of beef jerky in front of him. "I made sure to save it for you."
"If you say so."
"What is it?" He asked, opening the package and examining a piece but then his mind made the connection from previous Hunger Games. He didn't know what it's called but he knew it was often found in choice packs.
"Try it." She said.
He took a bite of the piece he was examining. It was spicy, but good. "So that's what that stuff is."
"Yeah, nice huh?"
"Very." He said, and took a bite but tried to pace himself.
"Good, eat up." She said.
"I've thrown food back up enough to know I need to eat slower."
"Oh, right." She said.
"Yeah." He shrugged carefully nibbling on it. "So what did you find?" He asked.
"Pretty much everything we could need. Even weapons."
"Seriously?" He asked surprised, but pleased.
"Yeah, all different kinds. Even guns through we'd have to learn how to shoot them if we want to use them."
"That's great!" Kawino said.
"Exactly, we'll definitely need them."
"Yes, we will, but we'll need more than that."
"Of course."
"I need to learn to read and write."
"You can't?" She asked since he missed that.
"Only numbers 1-12."
"Okay, I can teach you."
"That would really help."
"Okay, we have the time." She said.
"So, start that now then?"
"Well, you should look around here first." Clove said. He nodded and got up still nibbling on the piece. "There something called a video room over to the right."
"Okay,"
"They are little discs you put in a black box and they show moving pictures."
"I know what they are, Clover." He laughed.
"Right, sorry about that, but these are odd videos."
"It's okay. In most cases that is a safe assumption with me. How so though?"
"They are not the games; they are like stories."
Kawino was a little lost but simply said, "Well, let's take a look."
"Sure come one." Clove said.
She led him back to the video room she mentioned. They came into a large theater-like room. One whole wall was a screen with several DVD players in case one of them was to break. On the opposite wall there was a bunch of DVDs from the previous society. "Wow, this is odd." Kawino said.
"Yes it is but it's also pretty cool."
"Have you watched any?" He asked.
"One."
"Yeah? What was it?"
"Some movie called V for Vendetta."
"Did you like it?"
"Yeah, it's a great story about a man who does what you are going to try and do."
"That does sound interesting."
"It is, you never see his face he wears a mask the whole video."
"Maybe that's what I need."
"What do you mean?"
"A mask."
"A mask?" She asked.
"You just said it hides your face."
"That's true." She admitted.
"Which I will need to pull this off."
"Also true."
"Then, again, I need a mask."
"Well, then let's look around."
"Think they might have any?"
"Can't hurt to look."
"True, let's do so then."
"Let's start in the closet." She said.
"Makes sense. Where is it?"
"Follow me." She said and led him to a decent sized room filled with clothes, for all seasons and both genders. Having only had two outfits including the one for Reaping Day, Kawino was dumbfounded looking around it. "Yeah, it's a lot of clothes." She said.
"No kidding."
"Still nice to be prepared."
"Very, I just had this and my reaping outfit."
"Well, then we'll get you clothes here, too."
"Yeah, that would be good." They checked through all the clothes.
They found not only clothes for him but also the perfect was pale white can covered his whole face. "This should be perfect." Kawino said. It also had red lines running vertically down through each eye hole and seemed over all skull-like.
"I agree and it fits well for the plan." Clove agreed looking it over.
"Yeah, it does. We need one for you, too."
"Okay." She shrugged.
They searched for a while and found one that was pure white, and covered her whole face. It had black lips, and black rings around the eyes that made it seem like she was crying. There were a few coming from her mouth as well. "Wow." Clove smiled looking over it.
"It's very nice." Kawino said looking through clothes.
"I need to change." Kawino said.
"I'll show you where." She said. She led him to a large bathroom with two toilets and two showers. "This work?" Clove asked.
"Yeah, let me change." She nodded and headed out.
Kawino stripped of his torn uniform and put on dark black jeans, socks, and boots. He slid a red short sleeve shirt on, and then a black hooded leather trench coat He put on the mask to see how they look together. He liked it no one would be able to tell it was him. "Perfect." He smiled which obviously could not be seen from under the mask.
With that he headed out to Clove. "Wow, I can't even recognize you."
"That is the idea." Kawino said.
"Exactly, and if I can't then no one would be able to."
"Good then, that part is covered." He took off the hood and mask for just in the shelter. "I like it, and I am also begging to suspect this was a place for military families of some kind."
"… That would make sense."
"Yeah it's just so big." He said.
"Huge."
"And we have not even seen it all." He said.
"Well, let's look more around." Clove suggested.
"May as well," He shrugged taking her hand. She took it and they headed down the hall.
Kawino opened the door to the right and found a gym. "Good. Can't get lazy. Who knows how long this will be." He said.
"Yeah, it's nice to have."
"Well, let's see what else there is." He nodded turning that light off and letting her pick a door.
They looked through many different rooms finding almost everything but towards the end they found something we'd recognize as a desktop computer but neither of them knew anything about it. "So, is it a box?" Kawino asked.
"I'm not sure." Clove said looking it over.
"It's just so odd looking." Kawino said.
"Extremely, I know I've never seen anything like it and I don't see any way to open it."
"Maybe it's locked or dangerous somehow?"
"Maybe." She shrugged staring at it.
"Do we destroy it or just leave it?" He asked.
"I'd say leave it for now until we can figure out what it is."
"Well, if you say that it's best."
"I do though your opinions matter to me, too."
"I don't trust it, but it does not seem to do anything now."
"Then we just need to be careful but it might be useful."
"Okay, I suppose."
"Looking at the rest it must have been here for a reason I guess."
"Yeah, you make a good point."
"So, we'll leave it then." He nodded smiling. "So, I guess that's it."
"Now, can you teach me reading and writing?" Clove nodded and found some paper taking it out.
Weeks later Kawino had learned all he could from Clove and had decided to start a rebellion he would start in 12. "Well Clove, get suited up. We have a long trip ahead of us."
"Okay, I have some food, blankets and pillows packed." She said.
"Good." He said and put his mask on and hood up. "We sneak onto the supply train and ride it to 12." Kawino said.
"Why 12?"
"Weakest peacekeeping force best place to start."
"Also weakest citizens though; you've seen their tributes."
"So? The many can beat the few."
"Which leads to another problem. 12 is the smallest district."
"Do you think we should start somewhere else then? Because my backup is 7 or 3."
"I'd say 7. Besides, the Capitol would likely send for back up anywhere you try."
"Alright, I can work with that. I hear they have a rebellious streak anyway."
"So have I. It does seem like a better choice."
"Alright ready to go?" Kawino asked. He looked much healthier after the few weeks of eating and sleeping right. Clove put on her own mask and nodded. He shut the power down to their fortress and they headed out towards the train.
It wasn't very far actually the train having stopped for fuel. "Just get on when the guards rotate they never check the train until it's time to unload." Clove nodded watching both of them out of view.
The guards began to circle the train and they had a brief opening. "Go." Kawino said.
They both quickly and seamlessly made it into the car with all the supplies. "Alright we sleep here, and then leave when we stop there." Clove nodded and laid out the blankets. "I'll watch first." Kawino said.
"Okay, just remember to wake me up."
"I will, Clover. I promise."
"Good, I trust you." He nodded and let her drift off as he thought about where to go when they first arrived.
'The Victor's Village is of course the strongest in any district he thought. Let's see who are their victors?' He thought running down the mental list of victors he had memorized from his parents training. 'That would be Johanna Mason of the 71st and Blight Caphron of the 59th. I can work with them. So I'll hit there first and talk with them.' With that in mind he kept on guard for a few hours.
Afterwards he went and woke Clove up. "Your turn." He said yawning.
"Got it. Thanks."
"No problem." He said. She got up with a slight yawn. "Now sleep." Kawino laid down and drifted off.
Cue Dream/Flashback
Soon after drifting to sleep he found himself two years younger. It was one o'clock in the afternoon but of course it had been days since he last got any sleep and though his body had gotten used to it even he wasn't able to keep his eyes open. He tried to fight it terrified of what would happen otherwise but did fall asleep.
Unfortunately his father noticed and gathered the other students. "You all know the drill." He said, motioning to Kawino.
"Yes sir!" They said grabbing their best weapons and swarming toward him.
He was just barely starting to wake back up a little but it was too late as they all attacked and he shifted moving on instinct breaking one boy's neck. He turned and slammed his fist into a girl's trachea collapsing it. He pulled a knife and stabbed another girl in the heart. He turned and stabbed a boy in the temple with the same knife.
The kids began to back away as their team members began to drop. His parents simply watch the scene go down with slight smiles on their faces. He finally woke up fully surrounded by bodies. "I never thought I'd say this but good job, Kawino."
"Wh...what?" He asked looking over to them.
"You did a good job." He said motioning around the bodies.
"What did I do?" He asked confused.
"Look around."
He glanced around at the fallen students and the others backing away from him. "I did this?"
"That you did. Don't you remember?"
"No, I don't remember I was just moving."
"Then that's finally something we can work with."
"So, I did good?" He asked as they stopped in front of him.
"Yes, you actually did." His mother said.
"Okay." He said hesitantly.
"Calm down, you're not going to be punished." She said figuring that was what it was about.
"I'm not?" He said still hesitant.
"No, as he said, you did a good job."
"So, what happens now?" He asked.
"You can go when everyone else does today."
"Okay." He shrugged for some reason not seeming surprised.
"You did great." She said hugging him.
"Okay… one question…" he said awkwardly.
"What?" She asked.
"Who are you?"
"I'm your mother."
"Oh, okay." He said and returned the hug. "Thank you, Mom."
"My pleasure, Sweetie." She said.
"I'm sorry but I can't remember anything."
"That's alright we'll fix that later." She said surprisingly gentle.
"Alright, I trust you."
"Good." She said soothingly.
"What happened here?" Asked a shocked voice, having just gotten back from getting some things for the class.
"Oh, Clove, you're back." Their mother said.
"What happened here?" She asked again, staring at the dead bodies in absolute shock.
"Nothing, Kawino had a bit of an episode is all." She said rubbing her sons back.
"A bit of an… Kawino, are you okay?" She asked, temporarily disregarding the other students.
"Who?" Kawino asked.
"Who what?" She asked, with a raised eyebrow coming over to him.
"Who are you?"
She realized what must have happened and said carefully, "I'm Clove, your sister."
"I have a sister?!" He gasped.
"Yes you do."
"That's fun." He said rubbing his head.
"Mind if I take a look there?"
"Uh, can she?" He asked their mother.
"Yes she can."
"Sure." He shrugged.
She moved some of his hair to get a good look at the injury. "It looks pretty bad. What happened?" She asked their mother.
"He fell asleep."
Clove sighed. That's a rule that's in place for everyone, in every class, in every academy, in all three Career Districts so she didn't think much about it. "So, what happens to him now?"
"We need to find a way to get his memory back." Mantear stated.
"Well, I am not sure how." Clove said.
"Neither am I."
"Maybe he needs rest?" Cato suggested.
"Could be a good idea." Mantear said totally out of character for her.
"Yes it may be the best option."
"Just take him to his room. I'll get him excused." She said since being his mother and trainer both give her the jurisdiction.
Clove nodded helping him to his feet. "You can trust me right?" She asked him carefully.
"I suppose so." He said.
"Good, just follow me then." He did, not questioning her.
She took him up to their shared bedroom. "Which bed's mine?" She pointed to the mattress on the floor. He looked at it oddly and then at hers and back. "Oh… o…kay."
"What?" She asked.
"It's just… odd." He said, not sure what else to say. It seemed extremely unfair but he figured there must have been a good reason.
"Okay?" She said confused.
He laid down on the mattress trying to sort this stuff out which was pretty much impossible to do when you don't even know who you are. "Clove, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, anything."
"Did I usually stay in there after everyone else left?" He asked, since Mantear had said he could leave with the others as if that's a new thing though he was unclear what exactly 'there' was.
"Yeah, usually." Clove shrugged.
"Why?"
"You train more." She said.
"What do you mean train?" He asked, sitting up. "Train for what?"
She sighed and sat on her bed. "For the Hunger Games."
Once it was said Kawino did recognize the name. He closed his eyes again trying to focus on that getting some of the most basic straight up facts. "Where teens are force to fight to the death… right?"
"Exactly." She said smiling a little that he was remembering.
"So… is it normal to train for those?"
"In some places. In most places it's illegal to train. Here it's illegal not to unless you're sick."
"So I'm sick?"
"Well, or injured and you do have amnesia."
"I guess you have a point."
"I do need to get back though."
"Okay," He shrugged.
"I'll come check on you after training though." Clove promised and headed down.
So that's about it. Since I rambled your poor ears off in the beginning and leave it with a polite, please review.