Hey folks, here's an update for Hunger Games, kinda expected to update it last, but look at that what do you know. Anyway, they have made it to the capital, now from here things shall grow interesting.

For those interested AizenTheGoat's discord server /hTfPmCaE is a great hangout for Fanficiton readers and writers so come out and try it.

Anyway enjoy the story!

Chapter Two

Welcome, Tributes

Sitting side by side the pair of tributes handled things slightly differently as they rode on to the capital. Katniss still seemed stunned silent by the entire ordeal, but Naruto could recognize similar emotions in her eyes to what he was feeling. He hated everything in this train car. Unlike the blank face of Katniss, he had settled on a menacing glare and clenched jaw as he listened to their escort prattle on about this and that.

"Two-hundred miles per hour and you can barely feel a thing." Their escort, a woman they had learned was named Effie Trinket said with an odd bit of pride in her voice.

"I think it's one of the wonderful things about this opportunity." She continued. "Even though you're here and even though it's just for a little while, you get to enjoy all of this."

Katniss simply stared at the woman as if she was insane. Naruto for his part realized which item in the train that pissed him off the most. The ditz seemed to finally realize the awkward air between them as Katniss continued to deadpan at her and Naruto's glare had moved from scanning the train car's luxuries to boring holes in her head.

"I'm going to find Haymitch, he's probably in the bar car." Effie said as she quickly stood and headed further back on the train.

The two teens from district twelve sat in silence following that. Something Naruto normally would have preferred. At the moment though he felt the need to give Katniss a heads up.

"He won't be much help." Naruto said.

"What?" Katniss asked, turning to look at him.

"He won't be much help. He's a drunk and he'll throw us to the wolves out of boredom. Rely on yourself. You already do, same for me." Naruto then turned to look away from her but he could feel Katniss staring at him.

They both turned to look as the door at the head of the car opened and a dishevelled man stumbled out. Naruto recognized him easily and didn't bother holding back the scoff at the sight of him. Stopping at the sound of the scoff the blond man heaved a heavy sigh and peered over the two teenagers in front of him through his messy bangs.

"Congratulations." He snarked while bobbing his head and giving a false smile.

With that he continued past them picking up a glass and searching the room for booze. Stopping at the bottles under the window he browsed them for a time before casually picking one up and pouring himself a hefty amount. He moved easily enough while drunk, and handled the bottles well showing he had plenty of practice as an alcoholic. The two tributes could only sit and watch as he poured his glass and continued to rummage around opening up a container loudly and grumbling before looking around the room.

"Where's the ice?" Haymitch asked the teens. They stared back at him. Naruto, clearly annoyed by the man and Katniss, somewhere between confused and stunned.

"Well?" He asked again. The looks he got remained the same, though Naruto's glare hardened faintly. Heaving another sigh Haymitch slammed the lid for the ice bowl down hard enough to leave the bottles ringing against one another before grabbing the bottle he had used to keep for himself. He then stumbled over to the seat in front of Naruto and motioned toward it.

"May I?" he didn't wait for an answer before plopping into the seat.

The trio sat in silence, Katniss still continuing to stare at Haymitch while Naruto rolled his eyes and looked out a nearby window over the forest whizzing past the train.

"Huh, I expected you both to be more eager. Especially you little miss volunteer. Such a brave showing." Haymitch's voice was mocking with every word he spoke. Naruto could see a flicker of interest in his eyes as he looked Katniss over though. Like he was still assessing her for whether or not she would be worth his time. He hadn't even looked Naruto's way since sitting down and that caused his anger to spike.

"Listen, you have a plan or something? You are our mentor, remember? You're supposed to go-" naruto began growling out when Haymitch stuck a finger onto Naruto's lips and pushed him back slightly while sucking down the whole glass of liquor in his other hand.

"Mentor?" He rasped as he cleared his throat from the alcohol he had just drank.

"Yeah, you alcoholic asshole, our mentor. The one we're supposed to learn how to get sponsors and shit from!" Naruto barked.

"Hmm, I am? Oh well you seem to be on the ball. If you wanna tell me how to do this I guess you got it all handled right?" The man said with a smile.

Katniss was growing angry by this point as well. This was who they were supposed to rely on? This was the one they were supposed to getting advice and lessons from. The one that was supposed to be keeping them from death in the games.

"Not even a piece of advice?" She hissed more in fear than outright anger.

"Oh, huh, some advice. Yeah how about you embrace the probability of your imminent death and know, in your heart, that there's nothing I can do to save you." The former victor said with his usual sardonic smile.

"Of course." Naruto snarled at the man's tone.

"Why are you even here then?!" Katniss shouted at him.

"The refreshments." He cooed.

"Worthless fucker." Naruto made to snatch away Haymitch's glass only for the man to slam his bare foot into Naruto's chest and press him into his seat.

"You made me spill my drink and these are brand new pants." Haymitch complained, shooting a glare Naruto's way.

"I'll spill more than that if you don't get your fucking foot off of me." The boy hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously.

Katniss glanced between the two, a little worried. She didn't know Naruto well but he had a reputation for his hot-headedness. The last thing they needed was for Haymitch to be out of it for their whole preparation time.

"Naruto, relax, please."

Turning his glare to Katniss, Naruto locked eyes on her and held it for a moment. In that brief second she saw something in his eyes that set him apart from her. It was frightening and few things truly terrified her the way his eyes did just then.

Naruto softened his look after seeing the surprise in her eyes when he glared at her. Letting out a breath her bit back his building rage and settled with glaring at the man as he drug his foot off of his chest and slowly climbed to his feet.

"You know what, I think I'll go finish this in my room." He said as he stumbled away only to pause. He turned around and took a couple steps before stopping again, chuckling slightly and stumbling off toward his cabin on the train while grabbing a pastry on his way.

"I told you, useless." Naruto said as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" She asked him.

"I'm going to stuff myself on this crap and go to bed. There's nothing else to do until we get...there." Naruto said simply as he quickly loaded up a plate of treats and snatched a bottle of liquor of his own before disappearing down the hall toward his own cabin.

Later Naruto sat staring up at the ceiling of his cabin as the television screen played the news. The news that of course was completely enthralled about the upcoming Hunger Games. The talking heads were the same as the last few years, Claudius Templesmith a popular newscaster, and Caesar Flickerman, arguably the most famous television host alive.

"We have two very fit sixteen-year-olds from this district." Templesmith said in joy.

"Of course, of course. They always provide pretty good opponents." Flickerman replied. Naruto turned his head to watch as the two men talked in front of a screen showing a previous year's games.

"Do you remember this year?" Caesar asked.

"Oh of course!" Claudius replied.

"One of my favorite years and one of my favorite arenas!" Caesar continued."I mean the use of the rubble in the ruined city…"

Naruto glared at the talking hosts. His eyes darting past them to the screens showing the brutal murder of one teen by another with nothing more than a brick.

"And this moment here. This moment is a moment that you never forget. The moment when a tribute becomes a victor." Caesar said getting a furious nod and drawn out yes in agreement form his co-host.

Naruto sat up and flung the remote at the screen causing it to simply bounce off and shut off for the night. He flopped backward onto his too soft bed and let out an explosive sigh. Thoughts of the man at the bottom of a ravine just outside District Twelve filled his head. Memories of his mother and father laying on the pavement before the Hall of Justice overtook his mind and he soon found himself unable to sleep.

He spent hours like that. Staring at the ceiling of his room trying to rid himself of the memories of the dead he kept seeing. Eventually he decided enough was enough and got up to eat something.

Making his way forward to the dining car Naruto realized that Effie had been right when she said they didn't feel a thing. It was like walking on even ground rather than riding in a vehicle. Still he disliked how unnecessarily opulent everything was. The gaudy fixtures of gold and silver at every turn and the simple existence of chandeliers on a train agitated him. His growing hunger wasn't helping and he needed some food to calm down.

Walking into the dining car, Naruto froze briefly. He was a bit shocked he wasn't the only one here, being as it was the middle of the night. Instead Katniss was there, but instead of eating anything she stood a short ways away from the large table and looked to have wrapped herself tightly in her arms. Like she was trying to give herself a hug or ward off the cold. Next Naruto spotted the thin lines of tears from her eyes and he realized that Katniss had been silently sobbing to herself.

Clearing his throat slightly, to try and not be rude Katniss snapped to look up at him before her eyes widened and she spun around clearly wiping away the tears from her cheeks. When she turned back it was still clear what she had been doing, judging by the red swollen eyes she tried to conceal and the slight cracking of her voice.

"What are you doing here?" She asked heatedly. Clearly embarrassed by having been seen in a moment of weakness. Weighing his options for response briefly Naruto chose a slightly friendlier tone of voice.

"Oh, you know, I thought about having some food, so I came to the food car." He idly waved toward the rows of plates and trays stacked with delicious looking treats. Katniss blushed warmly at that.

He hummed slightly as she averted her eyes from him and after picking a piece of fruit he tossed it at the girl causing her eyes to flick back toward him and her hand to snap up and catch the projectile.

"You need to be eating every chance you get. The next few weeks are gunna be a nightmare and that's before we even get into the arena. That dog and pony show we see every year has got to be only a little part of the full thing and that alone makes me want to skip straight to being skewered by some District One prick with a sword." His grim humor caused her to roll her eyes, but as they rolled away from them Naruto could just barely catch the hint of amusement at his words. Sadly a frown slides back onto her face.

"We're going to be opponents too. I don't need your help." She all but whispered. A snort was her response.

"So? I know you don't but it's just some advice. Take it or don't, what do I care?" Naruto casually loaded up his plate full of various items.

"You think some food and a few words will mean anything?" She asked. Her eyes had gone back to the heated look she held earlier. Naruto seemed to pause a moment before shrugging, though his face seemed more sad and serious than before.

"Maybe? It meant enough in the past after all." He said simply before turning to leave.

As he came to the door it fully slid open and he narrowly avoided colliding with Effie who stood directly in the doorway, having been obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. Annoyed by that little fact, and the fact that she of course was the Escort sent by the Capital at all Naruto glared her down causing her to bump into the wall behind her as she backed up. With a grunt he shoved his way past her and continued on, no doubt headed to his own cabin.

Effie seemed to catch her breath for a moment after that ordeal before moving into the room with Katniss and giving her a small smile.

"It looks like someone isn't a morning person." She giggled before making her way over to pour some coffee.

Katniss rolled her eyes at the woman before she too began to leave only to stop when she passed by the trays of food. Biting her lip for a moment in thought she soon began loading up a tray of her own filled with an assortment of different items.

The thoughtful hum from beside her caused Katniss to turn her attention back on Effie and give her a questioning look.

"I'm surprised you're taking advice from a brute like Naruto. If anything I'd think he'd be listening to you." She said in a somewhat haughty tone after Katniss had stared for a moment.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Katniss said with a frown at her escort's words.

"What do you mean?" Effie asked in surprise at the disagreement. She didn't think the two of them got along all that well. Both didn't seem hostile, but most definitely didn't strike her as friends. Not to mention Naruto was very aggressive from her experience.

"I mean he's rude and short tempered, and he looks ready to fight anything and everything around him." She continued.

"That's because he's used to only having himself to rely on. Back home, I remember the only person to ever help him when he was starving was me. Then when I needed the same he was right there, never said a word, just saw my family was hungry like he had been and handed over some of his own food. He just hides his kind side under everything else to protect it better." Katniss lectured the woman. She may not be on spectacular terms with Naruto but they had more reasons to get along than to fight, she figured, and she hated the idea of someone from the capital talking down on her fellow tribute.

Effie stared at Katniss for a moment before a blindingly bright smile spread across her face. She wasn't sure why but Katniss felt a sense of dread at the sight of it. She flinched slightly at the keening squeal sound that came out of the woman's mouth as well. Then the expression changed to the look of someone wanting to share a secret they planned to share enough times to not make it a secret anymore.

"You've seen it. His kind side, haven't you?" Effie asked, knowing smirk still on her face.

Katniss blushed brightly at that and caught off guard wasn't sure how to respond to such a thing. So rather than answer she turned and rushed from the room, even though she tried hard to look as though she wasn't rushing at all. Effie's amused look and giggles followed right after her.

The next morning, Katniss was again making her way to the dining car for breakfast. She stopped when seeing the others gathered in the room already. Naruto was dressed already, but Haymitch, sitting across from him, was still wearing his sleepwear. Effie was busying herself with doing her makeup.

Taking a moment to just watch them Katniss could tell Naruto had no respect for their mentor. That wasn't right actually. She had no respect for their mentor, Naruto seemed to have a deeper resentment for him but she wasn't sure what it was. At the moment the boy seemed intent on inhaling the eggs, bacon, and waffles on his plate while Haymitch mostly stared at his own plate.

Having had enough of watching, Katniss stepped into the room. Catching the tail end of one of Naruto's complaints toward his mentor.

"You haven't even given us basic survival knowledge, like how to start a fire for warmth or to cook." Naruto growled as he cut at his waffle a little more viciously than was probably necessary.

"Ha! Now that's a good way to get killed." Haymitch snarked back before eating some of his own breakfast.

A little lost, Katniss cleared her throat, catching the attention of the others.

"What's a good way to get killed?" She asked, staring intently at Haymitch.

Blinking a few times at her Haymitch turned back to his breakfast seemingly trying to ignore her.

"Oh Joy, why don't you join us?" He offered as he began filling a mug with coffee. "I was just giving some life saving advice."

"Like what?" She asked as she took a seat.

Naruto scoffed, shooting a glare at Haymitch. Deciding not to add in though he returned to his breakfast. Haymitch responded with an unamused look before looking over to Katniss.

"How about how to find shelter, it would be useful, if you were in fact still alive long enough to try and find shelter." Haymitch said with his usual mocking tone.

Katniss only thought on the conversation for a moment before asking him how did they find shelter. Haymitch ignored her question with a sigh.

"Pass the jam." He pointed toward the bowl holding the jam with his knife.

Katniss, more agitated, pressed harder. "How do you find shelter?"

"Give me a chance to wake up, sweetheart." He replied while pulling a flask out of his pajamas.

"This mentoring is very taxing stuff." Haymitch continued with a moan as he began pouring what looked like whiskey into his coffee.

"It might be if you fucking did any." Naruto said with a snarl as he glared at the man. Haymitch seemed a little surprised and looked to be assessing him with new light.

Haymitch sighed again before reaching across the table asking if she could pass the marmalade only for Katniss to stab the table right beside his thumb causing Haymitch to give her the same look he had Naruto a moment before.

"That is mahogany!" Effie cried in outrage.

"Look at you two, you just killed a placemat, and you….you have the eyes of a killer don't you?" Haymitch once more mocked them. Naruto however had to fight back the flinch he felt coming on from the man's words.

Haymitch reached out and plucked the knife out of the table. He then leaned forward to glare back at both of the kids.

"You really want to know how to stay alive? You get people to like you!" The confused looks from the two of them caused him to chuckle.

"Oh, Not what you were expecting?" He asked while he started spreading jam onto a piece of toast. "Well when you're in the middle of the games, and you're starving, or freezing some water, or a knife, or even some matches can mean the difference between life and death. And those things only come from sponsors."

By now he had set all his silverware and food to the side and was looking between the two teenagers to better emphasize his points.

"The only way to get sponsors is to make people like you. Neither of you are off to a very good start, I mean I doubt you really even know how to act any way but...well, like yourselves."

The group returned to eating for a bit. Naruto quickly polished off most of his plate while Katniss stared at Haymitch for a moment before the blond boy nudged her slightly. Flicking a glance toward him and seeing his motion toward the food she started filling her own plate, remembering his words from the night before.

Soon after however Naruto froze and seemed to stare out the window catching the attention of the others. They turned to see what he was looking at and saw their first glances of the capital through the trees.

"So there it is." Naruto said quietly. He stared at the city in contempt. "It's just like the train of course."

The view of the city disappeared as they passed into a tunnel and Naruto and Katniss exchanged looks as they felt the train begin to slow. As they neared a full stop they heard the roar of the crowd before they could see it.

Naruto stood and stared out the window as they finally stopped fully. His lips pulled back, and the most vicious glare Katniss had seen on his face appeared. He looked as if he was imagining the deaths of each and everyone of the people outside the train before he huffed out a loud breath and turned away heading back to his room.

Haymitch had also been watching him. Analyzing eyes taking in everything they saw behind a drunken mask. Flicking his attention to Katniss as she watched Naruto too, he picked up the knife she had stabbed into the table and offered it to her.

"You better keep this knife. He's got those eyes again." Haymitch said. Katniss wasn't sure if he was joking or not.

Caesar Flickerman and Seneca Crane were both on television, a recurring thing for Caesar. The interviews and talk shows that built up to the games were a near continuous program. Every host and talking head weighed in on the event but the one everyone wanted to really see was Caesar Flickerman.

Tonight he was interviewing the one and only Seneca Crane, Game Master of the Hunger Games. The man who managed and orchestrated everything surrounding the games under the watchful eyes of Panem's President. From the arena to the training and on to even the items available to the tributes he had to sign off on it.

"So now that you've seen them, what do you think about this year's crop of tributes? Are there any surprises that we can expect this year?" Caesar asked. Seneca gained a thoughtful expression.

"It's really hard to tell just from a Reaping, but I think this is a very interesting mix."

"Yes."

"And whenever you have a volunteer from an outlying district that's something you can't ignore." Seneca replied.

"True, word says many find the tributes from District Twelve to be far more fearsome than in recent years." Caesar said.

"Most definitely, you can expect great things from both I think, but we'll know more with the Escort interviews. I look forward to seeing you talk with them all." Seneca replied.

Naruto lay on a metal table as the various assistants stirred around him. The whole process was demeaning and annoying. They poked and prodded at him. Plucked at his eyebrows, trimmed his hair, scrubbed his body, and altogether invaded every inch of privacy he would have liked to keep to himself.

He heard Katniss a few spaces over trying to ask their stylists a question. He couldn't make out the response but whatever it was he doubted the girl liked to hear it. She was nearly as opposed to close contact with others as he was. After a while they wheeled the tables, each tribute was laid onto into a small room before leaving them alone.

After a time the door opened again and a woman entered. She was attractive, or at least naruto figured she would have been if it wasn't for all the outlandish capital styles she wore with her hair and makeup. Despite that, she struck him as more genuine than most of the strange and horrendously dressed capital dwellers that he interacted with.

"Well, aren't you a grim one. Always frowning and glaring at everything within range of your pretty little eyes." She said with a smile. One that had an odd calming effect on his frayed nerves. "Then again I suppose you don't have much to smile about right now do you darling?"

"So there are some among you that understand a bit. That's a surprise. You all usually look ecstatic to see kids ripping each other's throats out." Naruto replied sitting up.

"Hmm, a rude one too. No, not all of us are like that. There are plenty who see what these games really are. Not that it matters much, what is a silent shake of the head amidst a roaring crowd?" She responded curtly taking as eat on the chair beside him.

"That's fair, I guess." Naruto replied, looking down for a moment.

"Well, let's move on since you clearly aren't about to apologize." She chided lightly. "My name is Portia, and I'm here to make you look good and do my best to help your image and get you sponsors. As impossible as it might be."

"How exactly could you give me help with that? Dress me up as a coal miner and paint black spots on my face? I'll look like every other poor bastard to ride those chariots out for the last seventy-three years." Naruto heaved out a sigh. He didn't see how dressing up in a costume was going to help him get sponsors and support for the games. He wasn't sure how much he was prepared to rely on it anyway. He wasn't willing to pass up his chance on the stage just to better his chances in the games.

He would be heard.

"Cinna and I had a different idea for that actually. Do you want to hear it or keep your pity party going? I'm a bit thirsty and can come back when you're done." Portia gave him a raised brow waiting for his answer.

"Pity party? I-" Naruto began growing angry at this woman's words.

"You are a tribute and there is nothing you or I could do to change that. Except maybe poke a hole in your neck with those scissors over there. So unless that's the help you want, let me do the only thing I can for you. Trust me, it will do more than you think." She said as she stood and stepped over to the closet and began pulling out clothes.

"I still don't understand how dressing up is supposed to get me sponsors." Naruto groused.

"Of course you don't. All the sponsors are from the capital and you most definitely aren't. Here everything is about image. I've heard stories of families preferring to starve and keep buying high end clothes than eat and dress casually. You have to make a splash, or rather a spark and get everyone's eyes on you." She explained.

Naruto was quiet as his stylist went about her work. This might actually help him more than he thought possible. If Portia was right and he truly got all the capital's attention it was all for the better.

A short while later Naruto and Katniss were reunited as Cinna, Katniss' stylist explained how their outfits were going to work while Portia hovered around them with finishing touches on both of them.

"Okay, this is safe, I promise. It's not real fire and the suits are built so you won't feel a thing."

"It looks real enough, but I guess that's the point." Naruto commented.

"You ready?" Cinna asked more to Katniss than to Naruto. "Don't be afraid." He continued as he approached with the little torch that activated the suits.

"I'm not afraid." Katniss said resolutely and Naruto smiled slightly at that.

The audience sitting on either side of the Tribute's Parade path was giddy with excitement. The booths holding the sponsors and other wealthier viewers buzzed with activity as they chatted over expensive wines and foods. At the far end of the road the tributes would take rested an especially imposing building with a large balcony facing the promenade.

Here the most important of Panem's leaders sat. They flanked the seat of the ruler of the nation himself, Coriolanus Snow. The aging man, one of the few old enough to recall not only the first hunger games but also the war that preceded it. Beyond even that, his father, a general for the capital during the rebellion, was one of the masterminds behind the hunger games.

Overlooking the stands and parade route for the tributes a press box had a good sight of the entire event. Caesar Flickerman, once more on screen, alongside Claudius Templesmith were hosting the event. Caesar started the show by addressing his audience with an explanation of the night, not that anyone needed it. The Hunger games were as much a part of Panem by this point as the people themselves.

"Over one-hundred-thousand people, craning to get a glimpse of this year's tributes. It's also worth noting that this is the first moment that sponsors will be catching a good look of the tributes. The importance of this moment cannot be overstated." Caesar commented while tapping the desk in front of him to make a statement.

While Caesar and Claudius had the public eye, hidden away from the view of the people of Panem was Game Master and his dozens of technicians orchestrating the whole of the event down to the tiniest of details.

"Very nice. First Chariot on my mark in fifteen-fourteen…" Seneca Crane ordered.

Back with the two talk show hosts they smiled brightly and motioned toward the screen behind them as horns announced the first of the chariots coming out.

"There they are! There they are! This year's tributes!" Claudius cheered. In the stands the people stood up applauding the line of ornate horse drawn chariots as they made their way down the parade route.

"Yes, It's the most exciting part. Here we have the first two from District One of course. Marvel and Glimmer are both resplendent in pink and silver." Caesar pointed out.

"You can just see the inspiration of a peacock I think." Claudius commented.

"Of course, luxurious as their district afterall." Caesar laughed. "Oh and there District two's Cato and Clove. Look at those outfits, like a couple of powerful golden demi-gods! Strong as the stone their district is known for no doubt." Caesar said as he patted the wall beside him for emphasis.

The pair continued on about the tributes, naming each one and calling out about what they found most intriguing about their outfits.

"This all really gives you goosebumps doesn't it?" Claudius asked in excitement.

"And don't you love how the stylists, they so clearly, are able to reflect the character of the District they represent?" Caesar commented.

"Right, right, there's District Four…" Claudius said before both chuckled at the colorful outfits they wore.

"Fishing." Caesar laughed out.

"I like it." Claudius agreed with a laugh.

"That's very good. Oh, and behind them we have two power plant workers. Right?" Caesar said with a smile. "And then...What is that in the background?"

Both men leaned forward to try and get a better angle on the distant chariot. The most distant one. The audience lost it's senses at the sight of District Twelve's tributes. They roared and screamed their adoration for the pair of teens as their chariot brought up the rear.

Both of them appeared to be literally burning as if on fire. Flames waving off behind them like a pair of capes. Besides the flame they wore glossy black skin tight outfits. Before them District Two now looked like a poor attempt at costuming while they looked almost inhuman, burning before the eyes of thousands in person and millions across the country.

Katniss looked out to the crowd and couldn't fight the look of confusion on her face. She couldn't understand the joy and excitement she saw from them as she and Naruto rode past. However they loved them. Both of them, for just wearing interesting clothes. She caught sight of herself in the screens above the crowd and almost didn't recognize herself. It was completely surreal.

Naruto conversely was disgusted. He scanned the faces and saw not one among the thousands he felt he could consider normal, or even human. Just the freaks of the capital.

"Now see that! I love that, two young people stoic and strong, making an impression. Like they're saying, 'I'm proud I come from District Twelve, We will not be overlooked.' I love that!" Caesar cheered.

"People sure are going to be paying attention to them right now." Claudius added.

"No doubt about it!" Caesar said as both men laughed.

Once more out of sight of the audiences, Game Master Seneca pulled at the strings controlling the entire show.

"And, we're ready. President Snow, we're live."

Cameras cut to show the ruler of Panem steadily make his way to his feet before approaching his podium and smiling down at the chariots and roaring crowds below. To many he appeared a kind, grandfatherly figure. A snowy white mane of hair and an equally white beard framed his face and he looked almost like Santa Claus should the christmas gift giver have shaved a few pounds.

He waved to the crowds and slowly, but surely they quieted down. He took a moment to simply smile out at them, appearing as though he was finding his words though they had been carefully selected by him hours beforehand for this moment.

"Welcome." He began as the last of the cheers died away.

"Welcome. Tributes, we welcome you." The audience roared their approval as if to add their own welcome with the President's. "We salute your courage and your sacrifice." Below him Naruto and Katniss both glared up at the man who had a hand in at least sixty of the seventy-four hungry games.

"And we wish you, Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor." Another loud crescendo in applause from the audience roared out.

With that the event ended and the twelve chariots continued onward underneath the building. There the various tributes dismounted and were met with their stylists.

"That was amazing." Cinna called out as he and Portia approached.

"We are all anybody is going to be talking about." Effie declared as she raced to join the group.

"So brave." Haymitch added, once again mocking them.

"Are you sure you should be near an open flame?" Katniss asked, throwing his attitude right back at him.

"Fake flame." Haymitch said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, but we can dream." Naruto added in.

"You know, I'm starting to think you two don't like me or something. Are you sure you…" He stopped as he noticed the tributes from District Two glaring at them. The male Cato even twitching slightly.

"Let's uh...Let's go upstairs." Haymitch said as he and Effie began leading the pair to the elevator up to their rooms.

"So each of the Districts have their own floors, and because you're from Twelve you get the penthouse. Isn't it marvelous?"

Once they arrived at the top floor Effie quickly took the lead waving them after her with Naruto and Katniss slowly following behind and Haymitch bringing up the rear.

"Come on." She said trying to usher the teens forward.

Both didn't change their pace though, instead taking in the massive luxurious apartment they would be staying in for their brief time in the capital. It was massive. More like a cavern than a room. There were even indoor rock gardens, massive art fixtures, and the furniture itself looked more expensive than Naruto's and Katniss' houses back in Twelve combined.

"So this is the living room. I know, I know! Now your rooms are right over here. Why don't you clean yourselves up a little bit before dinner?" Effie offered.

The group separated. Naruto kept his distance from the various Avoxes in the room. His worst fears were to end up like them. Eventually he found his room and enjoyed cleaning himself up before dressing in some of the clothes set aside for him.

Stepping into his bedroom he noticed that just like the rest of the apartment everything here put all he had ever owned to shame. Sighing he sat on his bed and looked out over the city through his window. His eyes grew colder and he laid facing away from the sight.

Tomorrow he would begin the brief training before the actual games. He might need all the rest he could get.

Hey thanks for reading, I hope you loved it and return for more. Obviously we are growing closer and closer to the 'meat' of the story so stay tuned.