Game Of Darkness

Chapter 1: The Reaping

When Naruto opened his eyes, he was the only one laying in his bed. He set up and yawned looking around. Boruto was curled up in their mother's bed, like he always did when he had nightmares. Well, of course he would have nightmares today, it was the day of the reaping.

Him sleeping over there made it easier for Naruto to get out of bed and quickly dress himself without walking Boruto or their mother. He saw that Shino's bed was empty too and guessed he must be in the next room. He stood up and pulled on his boots and jacket, brushed his a-little-too-long blonde hair from his eyes. Lastly, he grabbed his forage bad and slung it over his shoulder, leaving the room.

As he expected, his eighteen-year-old brother Shino was sitting at the table, writing something on a ratty piece of paper. Naruto would never know why he was so keen to write all his feelings out to record everything that happened in his life. Still, it wasn't as though he had anything else to do all day. "Morning." Naruto greeted quietly, grinning at him. "Sleep well?"

"Better than I did last year." came a tired reply. "Oh Boruto left some goat's cheese out for you to take with you."

Shino struggled to his feet, grabbing his walking stick from where it was propped against the table and hobbled over towards the dresser, picking up the plastic packet. "There basil leaves in there too."

Naruto took the packet and stuffed it into his bag. "Thanks. I'll be back in time for use to eat lunch. Then we can go to the square."

"Ok." As he always did when he was awake for Naruto's parting, he gave the little blonde a tight hug. "Be careful."

"I always am." Naruto replied with a wink, grabbing his ragged orange beanie hat and pulling it on over his head, before he left the house.

He was glad he'd remembered his hat today, the morning was chilly, the sky just a few shades brighter than it was a few hours ago. The sun hasn't risen fully yet. Normally people would be out, going to work in the mines. But today was a day off for everyone, and the reaping wasn't until two, which had to be attended at all costs. May as well sleep in, if you could afford to.

Naruto walked down the gravelly road of the Seam. It was only a nickname for the part of District 12 he lived in, the poorest area. All the merchants lived in another part, earning money through their business, never going very hungry. Lucky bastards.

Naruto finally reached the meadow, where the long grass was slightly damp, wild flowers tangling at his feet. He made his way over to the tall electric that had been built for the purpose of keeping wild animals out. It was supposed to be switched on 24/7, but seeing as they were lucky to get an hour or two electricity, it was a pretty safe bet that it wouldn't be on. However he stopped for a moment to listen for that little electrical hum, before crawling down and sliding under that well-used gap in the fence when he heard nothing.

This forest was his family's main source of food. He hunted rabbits, squirrels and wild birds here with the bow and arrows he was now retrieving from a hollow log where he always hid them. He found plants that his father had told him were edible, or could be used for his mother's healing. This place was their lifeline. And although it was illegal to be here, Peacekeepers often overlooked it because they wanted meat just as much as Naruto did. And they often bought from him or traded for something else necessary for survival.

Naruto jogged in through the trees remembering a time when his father had brought him and Shino in, teaching them how to hunt. But that was before the accident that Shino had been mildly affected by. He had been very lucky he didn't lose his leg, and was just stuck with using a cane. But he didn't like using it outdoors, he thought it made him look weak. All that happened five years ago, when Naruto was only ten, just on the verge of turning eleven. He still had nightmares, sometimes.

"Hey!" a voice called bringing him back to the present. Kiba was sitting on the grass in the valley. This was their meeting place, so when Naruto flopped down on the grass beside him, be truly felt at ease. Kiba's dad has been killed in the same accident as his. Now he was barely seventeen and trying to feed his own family, same as Naruto. They quickly became best friends simply over the mutual struggles they had.

"Look what I caught while I was waiting for you," Kiba grinned reaching into his bag and pulled out a loaf of bread with a rope wrapped around it. "It just wandered right into one of my snares, isn't that a bit of luck?"

Naruto laughed and took it from him, breathing in the warm scent, his stomach growing in reaction. "That is a bit of luck. What did you give for it?"

"Just a squirrel. He must be feeling sentimental."

"We're all sentimental." He pulled out his package. "Tonton the goat really out did herself, Boruto got us some goat's cheese and basil."

"Thank you, Boruto." Kiba chuckled, picking some blackberries of a nearby bush and tossing one in Naruto's direction. The blond caught it in his mouth with those quick reflexes he'd developed, laughing. "C'mon. We'll eat and then we'll go catch some fish."

They used one of their knives to cut the bread and spread the cheese over it, eating the whole loaf easily with the basil leaves and some more blackberries. They needed the energy to catch their next meal, after all. "Now to sit in a moment of silence." Naruto joked, resting back to his elbows. What it really was just waiting for the food to digest a little so the running, climbing and such wouldn't make them sick. Sometimes eating a full meal could be too much for them. Funny.

Kiba was silent for a moment looking serious and a little wistful. Kiba had that dark hair and those brown eyes that came from the Seam, that strong face. Naruto didn't look like his mother but his mother said the blondness and the blue eyes and tan skin had come from his father and grandmother who never lived in the Seam. He'd always looked out of place. "We could do it, you know." Kiba said at last, gazing out over the valley.

"What?"

"Take off, live in the woods. We'd make it easily."

"They'd catch us."

"Maybe not, if we were fast."

Naruto chuckled. We wouldn't make it five miles. We'd end up as Avoxes, traitors to the Capitol. Our tongues cut to stop us speaking. Forever slaves."

"We're already slaves."

"Not directly."

"Not yet."

They were lucky today. The predators stayed away from them and by late morning they had out a dozen fish in the pond, along with picking some wild strawberries from a bush they'd discovered months ago. They would eat tonight, at least. Everyone was expected to celebrate after the reaping, it was one of the things Naruto despised about it most. Still, for many they did see it as a reason to celebrate, their children had been spared for another year, but at least two families stayed inside, mourning and wondering how they were going to make it through the next few weeks.

"Off we go." Kiba said cheerfully as they made their way back towards the fence. As they hide their weapons, Kiba mimicked Shizune Wainwright's peppy tone and squealed, "And may the odds-"

"-Be ever in your favor!" Naruto finished with a twirl before they sunk back under the fence and headed towards the black market, or the Hob.

It was located in a warehouse previously sued for storing coal. Half the people of District 12 made their way by trading or selling here. They traded some of their fish for some greens and made their way towards the back door of the mayor's house to sell their strawberries. The man had a fondness for them.

His daughter Hinata was the one to answer the door. She smiled in greeting, then disappeared for a moment and appeared with a little pouch with their earnings. Even with that money split between them, it was thrilling for them to hold it in their hands. "Nice dress," Kiba commented. Naruto couldn't help raising his eyebrows at that. It sounded ironic, almost sarcastic.

"I tend to dress up when I get nervous. And I always get nervous at reaping." Hinata said with an awkward smile as she handed them their money.

"Why would you?" Kiba demanded. "How many times is your name in there? Like five?" His eyes landed on the golden pin on the front of her dress who knew how many mouths it could feed. "You won't be going there."

"It's not her fault." Naruto said quietly. He couldn't help feeling that snipe was half at him, even though he knew it wasn't.

"I know but it's just the way it is," Kiba said sullenly. Then they left.

Of course Kiba was a little bitter towards Hinata. It was understandable. Being the mayor's daughter it was necessary for her to enter name in the reaping more times then she needed to. The way the name worked was that on your twelfth birthday, your name was entered once. Then when you were thirteen, it entered again, making two entries of your name in the reaping. And on it went by the time you were coming to you were coming to your nineteenth birthday your name was in six times. Then when you turned nineteen, you were in the clear, and your name was taken out completely. The thing was in the state most families of District 12 where in, particularly in the Seam, children entered their name extra times to gain tesserace, which would earn them a bit of grain and oil each month for a whole year, each for one person.

So the first year Shino entered, he put his name in twice as a precaution, which made it four the next year. However, after their father was killed he entered his name another three times, adding five to the other four entries. And on it went until now in his last year his name was entered twenty nine times. Naruto was two weeks from turning eleven when their father died, and even when he was old enough to his name entered Shino wouldn't let him put it in extra for tesserace, not even this year. So his name was only three times. Kiba, meanwhile, had his name entered over thirty times to help feed his large family of hungry boys.

Just because Shino hadn't let Naruto earn any tesserae didn't mean he hadn't gone to other means to feed them all. Shino's tesserae wasn't enough for them to keep going, it never had been. So that autumn when their father had been killed and Shino critically injured, Naruto had been left wondering what on earth he could do to get food for his family. He had been eleven then, and that winter he had resorted to calling to the head Peacekeeper's house. Danzo Shimura was by no means a cruel man, and he wasn't unfair in ruling the district. However, he had this thing for luring young girls into his bed for a bit of extra food or some money to help their family. At first when Naruto went there, he was worried Danzo wouldn't accept him, because he wasn't sure if he was keen on boys as girls. But he seemed to have no problem whatsoever with it. So Naruto gave up his virginity to feed his family. He didn't really regret it, of course he would've kept it if he could, but what was the point? It wasn't as if there was anyone to save it for.

His family had never known, but Naruto thought Shino had probably suspected something; the lingering glances Danzo sometimes gave him when they were both around, or the few times Naruto had come home with a guilty expression and a slight limp. A part of Naruto had disliked his mother for that. For being so weak for so long, for leaving Shino and Naruto to fend for the four of them somehow. He ended up giving his innocence away because she didn't want to get out of bed in the morning, grieving over her dead husband. And Shino seemed to know, because Naruto had noticed the change of attitude towards their mother at that time. But Shino had never straight out asked, so Naruto never told him.

But when winter ended and the snow melted away Naruto decided he wouldn't resort to selling his body anymore. He sucked up his fear and crawled under the barbed wire fence alone, finding the bow and arrows his father had hidden in a hollow log and he'd gone to hunt. The first day he hardly went in at all, but he hid up a tree and in the end of the day managed to kill a rabbit, and brought it home. At the sight of it his mother began to rouse herself, getting out of bed and cleaning it before making it into a stew with some mixed leaves. From then on Naruto hunted everyday, deeper into the woods each time. And anything extra he brought to the Hob, sometimes alone and sometimes with Shino. They began to manage just fine. Well, sort of. There were still nights when he had to trade his only game for some other necessity and they went to be with empty stomachs.

Naruto said goodbye to Kiba and walked home, shaking the coins in his closed fist. The sound of them clicking together lifted his spirits a little. He arrived home, striding in through the front door. "I have fish! And some cash!"

His mother looked up from her spot at the table, her face lighting up. "Good job, honey." she walked over and kissed him on his blonde head, before taking his bad and bustling away to make lunch. Naruto would reluctantly let her kiss him and hug him, but he would never trust her fully again. Since his father died, the only arms he'd ever felt safe or found comfort in were Shino's. Sometimes not even Kiba could strengthen him.

Mother made stew of fish and the greens Naruto had received, and the four sat down at the table, munching it down contentedly. Boruto had to be coaxed into finishing his, as he did every reaping day. When they finished eating, Mother gave them their best clothes to wear, as was practically required.

"Here, wear this." his mother Kushina said, handing Naruto a clean neat shirt. And one that actually fitted him properly too. Naruto had been small and skinny, just naturally. Shino was taller with a little muscle, while Kiba was big and broad. Naruto would stand next to them, craning his neck upwards a little to look them in the eye. But he didn't really matter.

When they were ready to go, they trudged along the road towards the square with other 12 residents, Shino limping along without his walking stick. Naruto always tried to convince him to use it in public, but never would. He was stubborn like that. They both were.

Kiba appeared next to them as they arrived in the already packed square. It was almost two o'clock, and nerves were visibly high.

"It's time for the reaping," Shino said dully, as though he were used to this. Thing is, of course he was. They all were. Naruto stood on one side of Shino, Boruto on the other. Shino took both of their hands, squeezing them in comfort. "Let's just stand through this, then we'll go home and have dinner, ok? And maybe play some cards or something, we haven't had time in a while."

Naruto and Boruto both nodded. Kiba stood next to Naruto, a grim smile on his face. "I'm so over this shit," he murmured with a sigh.

Naruto was inclined to agree with him. He hated this. The fact that some people's names had been entered so many times just so they could have a bit of extra food was simply ridiculous. But, what had to be done was done. This was survival in District 12. Naruto's mother stood next to Boruto, a hand gripping the little boy's shoulder. She would always get nervous at the reaping, it was just the way she was.

"You'll be fine, Naruto." Shino said looking down at his brother with a slightly crooked smile. "Your name is only in there three times, three in thousands. They're not gonna pick you."

Naruto glanced up the stage. There were three chairs in the middle and a little to the left. At the front center of the stage stood a podium, and on either side of it two tables with a large glass ball on each, one full of pieces of paper with the names of the girls, the other with the boys. Naruto felt Shino give his hand another squeeze of comfort, before they parted ways to get ready for the reaping.

As was required, everyone with their name in the reaping had to line up by gender and age, girls on one half on the square and the boys on the other, with the eldest lined up at the front and the youngest at the back. Naruto stood with the other fifteen-year-old boys, giving an exhausted sigh. He glanced to his right and his mother standing away outside the perfectly lined groups of potential tributes, both looking pale and strained. But Boruto gave him a small smile, and he smiled back.

Two of the chairs were occupied, the mayor sitting in one, and Shizune Wainwright in the other. They both looked nervous as a noticeably tall, well-built appeared by the foot of the stage, staggering up the steps and chucking madly. The man was clearly off his head, as usual. Jirayia, the only winner of District 12, would waste away the life he'd barely manage to keep. Still, he could ask him. The man only left his house to get more booze. Silence fell over the square as the mayor walked up to the podium to read out the history of Panem, along with the peace treaty.

Panem Was one North America, seventy four years ago the Dark Days came, which was the thirteen districts only attempt at ever rebelling. As a punishment, the Capitol ended up completely obliterating District 13 and keeping the remaining twelve in tow, they created the Hunger Games. Each district offered up a random male and female tribute between the ages of twelve and eighteen to be trained in survival at the Capitol before they were all put in a larger outdoor arena that could host anything from a barren desert to an icy wasteland. Then the tributes were left to fight each other to death over several weeks, while the whole thing was filmed on camera for the Capitol's entertainment. When he was finished, Shizune walked up to the podium, speaking into the microphone in her peppy voice.

"Welcome, and Happy Hunger Games!" Shizune began, a big smile in her pale face. "It is such an honour to be here, choosing the courage of our young man and woman to represent District 12 in the 74th Games. Let us begin. Ladies first, of course."

They all knew she would rather chaperone any district but this one, and it sickened Naruto that she could smile as she stuck her hand down to grasp a piece of paper, as if this was all so entertaining for her. Still, it was to the Capitol. All just a game. A game to see which of their pathetic slaves could kill all the others. 'We'll show you how you're still under control by sacrificing your children and watching them kill each other!' Disgusting.

"Our female tribute is…" she briefly glanced at the paper, before calling out, "Ino Yamanka!"

Naruto sighed mournfully. He knew Ino; she was Kiba's age, and he'd spoken to her once or twice. As she walked up on stage, blonde hair in a braid, she looked terrified. Naruto really couldn't blame her.

"Excellent," Shizune beamed, patting the shaking Ino on the back, before reaching into the second glass ball of names. "And now. The male tribute for District 12 is…."

Silence.

"Shino Uzumaki!"

Boruto screamed. Kushina let out some kind of broken cry. Naruto was completely frozen as he saw his older brother up in the front row, limping towards the stage. Naruto trembled as he watched him. It couldn't be…no. Shino wasn't strong. He couldn't even walk right, he would be the first one to die. They couldn't send him in there! But what could he do?

He knew. And he ran.

"No!" Naruto sprinted towards Shino, everyone moving to clear a path for him. "Stop!" he screamed, jumping in front of Shino pushing him away from the steps. "I volunteer!"

Silence fell over the square as everyone turned to stare at him in disbelief. Nobody had volunteered to take a place in District 12 for years. In some districts it was a yearly occurrence. But not here. "I volunteer as tribute!" Naruto continued, stumbling a little over his words because he was scared. Shino was looking at him with wide, scared eyes. And then Shizune nodded at him and he walked up the stage steps.

"NO!" Shino screamed, tears beginning to fall as Kiba appeared and grabbed him to hold him back. He kicked and shouted, his pleas bringing tears to Naruto's eyes. "Naruto, no! NARUTO! Leave him alone! I'll go, I'll go!"

"Too late," Shizune said, slightly apologetic, almost sympathetic. Though that was impossible, wasn't it? "Once someone volunteers to take a tribute's place there is no going back."

And Naruto knew it too, as he stepped onto the stage. He saw all those familiar faces, some devastated at the thought of small, sweet, innocent Naruto Uzumaki going into the arena to save his cripple brother. Others were sobbing as they watched Ino, knowing it was like they would never see her again. And some looked at both of them, the two tributes who stood side by side, clutching hands as some form of comfort for each other.

"What's your name, dearie?" Shizune asked sweetly.

"N-Naruto Uzumaki," he said quietly.

Naruto Uzumaki. Well then, that must be your brother yes? I suppose you didn't want the older sibling to take all the glory! Let's have a round of applause for our brave Naruto Uzumaki!"

Not a single clap sounded in the square. But that was nothing new. Nobody thought that being a tribute was a good thing. It didn't mean honour, like some districts. It meant death simple as.

Then something strange happened. A woman close to the front, whom Naruto recognized as the mayor's wife, pressed the three middle fingers of her left hand to her lips, before raising them in the air towards Naruto. And then like a wave, the whole square copied the action. The gesture was rarely used nowadays, except sometimes at funerals. It was a sign of respect, saying goodbye to a loved one. Naruto had to swallow the giant lump in his throat, refusing to break down and cry with the cameras pointing at him.

"He got spunk, that what!"

The slurred voice came from Jiraiya, who gave a sloppy grin. "He's got more spunk then you!" the man shouted pointing directly at one of the cameras. Naruto had no idea whether or not he was addressing anyone if so, who, but he admired him nonetheless. That was, until the man fell right off the stage and knocked his drunken self out.

The National Anthem began to play as Naruto and Ino gripped each other's hands tightly. And when it ended, the Peacekeepers appeared and escorted them off the stage into the Justice Building. They were split up and brought into two different rooms. Naruto sat down on the velvet couch in his looking around. It was so fancy, and extravagant. Well, compared to what he was used to. He was sitting there for about ten minute before the door opened and his family walked in.

Boruto ran straight for him, hugging him tightly and sobbing. "N-Naru, you can't go!"

"I have to baby brother," Naruto said softly, hugging him. "I have to go. But you can be a big boy can't you? You're smart and you can get through anything, ok?"

Boruto nodded, smiling at Naruto. "Yes, I can." He pulled away from Naruto as their mother leaped forwards, pulling Naruto straight into her arms.

"Oh Naruto…" she whimpered. "This shouldn't be happening to you, to any of us…"

"I'll be ok, Mom." Naruto managed to force out, clinging onto her. I'll b-be fine."

She only sobbed harder, clutching him. "My baby boy...it's not fair." He pulled away from her, gripping her shoulders. "You can't lose it again ok? You don't have any excuses you can't leave us again, especially when they need you."

"I know," she replied, nodding firmly and wiping her eyes. "I'll be strong. I promise."

Shino was the last one. First he just scowled at Naruto, "What the hell were you thinking?"

Naruto bit his lip, only feeling slightly guilty. "I couldn't let you go."

Shino gave a worried smile, and when he opened his arms Naruto dived straight into them, breathing in that fresh soapy smell as he buried his face in the crock of the older boy's neck. "I'll try, I really try," he murmured. "I'll try to win for you. I'll make you proud of me."

"I'm already proud of you." Shino choked holding Naruto close. "I've always been proud of you."

"I love you Shino." Naruto whispered, before the Peacekeeper came into the room and told them to leave. He stole one last hug from each one of them before they were gone. Naruto sat there numbly on the couch, breathing unevenly and trying to hold the tears in when suddenly the door opened again and Hinata walked in.

He was surprised to see her, but didn't question it. She certainly got straight to the point.

"You're allowed to wear one thing from home when you go into the arena," she said immediately, sitting next to him. "Will you take this?"

She held out the pin that had been pinned to her dress. Naruto saw it was a bird in flight inside a gold ring, an arrow running through it. He recognized it immediately and grinned, "A mockingjay."

Hinata nodded grinning. "Yep." During the Dark Days, the Capitol had created a series of animals for both attack and defense, called mutations, or mutts for short. One they invented was jabberjay, a strictly male bird capable of recording entire conversations and repeating them to their masters. It was a great use for spying in cities where the Capitol thought their enemies were hiding. However the rebels soon caught on to the scheme and began feeding the birds complete lies, which led to them losing their use and being released into the wild to die out. However, instead of dying they mated with female mockingbirds, creating mockingjays, which could listen to entire songs and sing them back exactly the same. Naruto's father had loved mockingjays, and Naruto had grown to love them too.

"You'll wear it, won't you?" Hinata said urgently pinning it to his shirt. "Promise me you will."

Seeing it there felt like a piece of his father was connected to him. Naruto nodded and smiled, "I promise."

Again, the Peacekeeper appeared to take her out. She pressed a quick kiss to his forehead, before walking towards the door and leaving.

Kiba was the last to arrive, the two of them running straight into a hug. "Take care of them, Kiba," Naruto whimpered out. "Make srue they don't starve, please."

"I'll look after them," Kiba promised.

"Look out for yourself, too."

"I always do."

They were silent for a moment or two. Then Kiba spoke again in a tearful voice. "I never really realized how small you are." He laughed shakily. "But you're so brave, and strong, mentally stronger than they are. Maybe, maybe you can win."

"Kiba...you and I know.."

"They just want a good show!" Kiba burst out angrily. "That's all they want!"

"Kiba, twenty four of us are going in there and only one is going to come out," Naruto replied before he could continue.

"Wow," Kiba said slowly, laughing again a little. "Well, that's brand new information."

Naruto laughed too. "At least your sense of humor hasn't died."

There was a pause. "You need to get a bow, that's the most important thing. If they don't have one, make one. There's bound to be wood somewhere."

Naruto nodded but didn't say anything.

"You will try to survive, won't you? I know you think you don't stand a chance in there, but I think you do. Don't let us down."

"I won't," Naruto whispered, before that hateful Peacekeeper appeared again, and he was left alone.

But he couldn't cry just yet. There would be cameras at the train station.

Hey everyone I know Shino isn't related to Naruto but I didn't know who else to be his older brother. I was going to have Kurama or Kyuubi to be his older brother but I was going to have Kiba be his best friend and I like Shino and Kiba together. And I was going to have Konohamaru as Naruto's little brother but I wanted to go ahead and use Boruto.

Hope you like the story

Disclaimer: Do not own Naruto if I would, Naruto and Sasuke would end up together.

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