A/N Hi everyone! This Prologue is being added months after the completion because I feel that having to do all the extra reading may keep people from reading this AU. Anyway, this prologue is here to summarize the first seven chapters and give a good background to the rest of the story. Enjoy and tell me what you think! And if you enjoy Buck, read All I Can Do!
My name's Buck. Buck Hardwick.
Gender? Male.
Age? Seventeen.
Home? District Ten.
But who am I? That's a little hard to say. First, I was that energetic little toddler that was always exploring, despite my crippled foot. Then, I was the second grader that was left out of all the outdoor activities because that foot kept me from running around with the others. After that, I became the kid who got teased every day in the school halls and went home every single day trying not to cry. Then, after my skin grew tough and I started ignoring nearly everyone, I was the slow guy who was almost always alone, whether at school or work, the one that nobody was ever with, well, nobody except my outgoing best friend Clay. But the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games was last week, and now I'm the the male representative of District Ten in the Hunger Games. I had thought that it was bad enough, but things were worse than that: My district partner, Meadow, was one of the ringleaders of the group of kids that bullied me almost incessantly.
However, not everything went as expected. The first emotion I saw in her eyes after we got on the train was pain. Pain? I had been so happy to see that. She deserved it, I thought, she now has a taste of her own medicine. But as time went by, I started noticing changes. She didn't say anything when she saw that happy expression on my face. After she tried to apologize and I shouted at her, she only became sadder, not get mad. Instead of the arrogant, have-fun-at-other's-expense person I used to know, Meadow, if anything, seemed ashamed of the past. But I tried to hate her, even though my conscience told me to forgive. "She did so much bad," I reasoned, "She doesn't deserve my forgiveness."
To get my mind off of it, I focused on my strategy for the games. I decided on trying to lay low and not stand out, avoiding becoming a threat but also avoiding looking like an easy kill, and it worked out perfectly. My stylist, Severina, came up with a good chariot outfit, one that didn't involve ugly animal bodysuits. We got eclipsed by District Twelve's firey pair, and we ended up being forgettable, which was perfect. During training, I stayed quiet and observed the others. It was also this time when Meadow allied with District Seven's cheery Jack Allon and smart Maple Briscoe. I thought it was strange, as the old Meadow was cold and unfriendly, but I told myself that she was still the mean girl I used to know. I kept going with my own work, and I did well. In my private Gamemaker session, I almost blew my quiet cover by scoring a seven. I shouldn't have worried; three other outer district tributes got Career scores, keeping the Careers off my back.
One night, Austin, my mentor, confronted me. He told me that my hate was obvious and that it was keeping me from doing my best. He told me that by hating Meadow, I was "playing their [the Capitol's] games." I didn't understand, and I was insulted. Jack also talked to me, telling me that Meadow just wanted to make things right before she died, but I held on to my grudge. After that, it clicked in my mind. The Capitol wants us to be divided among ourselves, so that it can keep control. By keeping Meadow and me divided, I was keeping the Capitol happy. I made a decision to forgive last night, and for the first time since the reaping, I slept soundly.
Today was the day of the interviews, and I was so busy trying to come up with an interview angle that I forgot to talk to Meadow. But after my interview, which was quiet, just as I wanted, I remembered my decision and went to find Meadow. We made things right on the roof, but things weren't over yet. Meadow and I overheard and listened in on a conversation between Katniss and Peeta, the duo from Twelve. In it, Peeta talked about "showing them [the Capitol] that they don't own me."
Now, I'm lying in bed on the last night before I enter the place that will probably be my grave. I only have one decision left to make here: I will show them that they don't own me.
A/N Just a little something. To those who have already finished this story, Jack and Maple now have official last names in my fanon! More details coming (maybe) soon...
If anyone needs this, here is a list of all the tributes in my fanon. The only details I consider canon are ones from the book, so I pick and choose whatever I want from the movie. For example, Four is a Career district. This may or may not come in handy.
District, Boy, Girl
One, Marvel, Glimmer
Two, Cato, Clove
Three, Acer, Circuit
Four, Arlen, Marina
Five, Alex, Amber
Six, Jason, Marta
Seven, Jack, Maple
Eight, Rick, Sue
Nine, Dagan, Millet
Ten, Buck, Meadow
Eleven, Thresh, Rue
Twelve, Peeta, Katniss
I'll stop talking now and let you read? Enjoy!