Chapter 2

As the weeks went on, I found myself thinking about the situation I was in (there really wasn't much else to do.) Somehow, I had ended up in a world that was worse than the Narutoverse; at least everyone there gets a chance to become child soldiers whereas here, only a few get that chance and the rest are expected to die.

I'm in a well-off family in this world. My father is the fucking mayor so I'm pretty sure we are the richest family in my District and as such, we will never go hungry and won't die of sickness. However, I'm in District 12, the town that will literally blow up before I'm 18. Not only that, but I have Madge as a twin sister. She was one of my favourite characters in the series, albeit a bit unknown' (I will not forgive the movies for excluding her if it's the last thing I do) but she never really had anything to do with the rebellion, or the games. If I want to aid the rebellion, then I would have to do it by myself. However, regardless of whether or not I want to help out the rebels or not, they will not get my family to safety during the bombing of 12. There's a reason why most of the survivors were from the Seam. I may have only known this new family for 15 months, but I didn't want to see them get blown to pieces. Hell, I didn't want to be blown to pieces. It sounded painful.

However, the rebellion has to happen. This is the world of the fucking hunger games, where children have to fight to the death. The rebellion, despite claiming many lives, still brought this system to an end, and as of this moment in time, I can't think of an alternative way to end it. If I manage to live long enough to have children and there is no rebellion, then these children could end up getting reaped and subsequently get killed, which is horrifying. To actively try and stop anything from happening, so I can experience the fear of being chosen during my reaping years and then my children's, is something that I simply cannot do.

But I do have an advantage in this world. My knowledge. This would give me an advantage over the other tributes naturally in a hunger games, but the important thing is that I know of more than just this world. The world I used to live in was a world that- despite it's faults, advocated democracy above anything else, so I know that a system like that works, as opposed to the millions of people in this world that fear the idea of a different system being worse than the one they were currently living in. This may not be the Narutoverse, but I can still try to change this world for the bette. I could perhaps prevent some of my favourite characters like Finnick, Cashmere and Gloss from dying and make sure that other favourites such as Johanna, Annie and Haymitch didn't have such shitty lives after this rebellion.

But how would I do this? I had no idea. But luckily, I still had years until I needed to figure out a solid plan for my goals. All I had to do now was focus on being a baby and redeveloping my motor skills.

Unfortunately, I easily picked these skills up. Usually in the self-insert fics that I used to read, the main character struggles to learn the language that everyone else is speaking, but I didn't. I had been speaking English my entire life, so instead of babbling like normal babies do- like my twin did, I spoke in full sentences after saying that unfortunate first word. I tried to copy Madge when it came to milestones like walking and crawling, but like an idiot I completely forgot that babies tend to not nail actions of the first try. So, when Madge stood up to attempt to walk, I stood as well, continuing on when she fell.

I must have shocked my parents, but it didn't really matter. I doubt that me seeming smarter than the average toddler really mattered in this world, as it's not like I would be given special attention due to it. They started treated me differently to Madge though, by talking to me as if I was a child, as opposed to speaking to a baby. I thought that she would notice and get jealous, as toddlers tend to get envious easily, but to my surprise, she didn't. She instead seemed to believe that I was the older twin and started to call me 'big sis,' something which I appreciated.

Of course, due to me 'picking' up these skills quickly, I still had a lot of time on my hands, so I began to read to pass the time. I felt a bit like Matilda, but almost immediately, I was reading books that should have been too hard for a toddler to read. I discovered that this world contained many classics from my world, such as 'Romeo and Juliet.' This was a bit odd as these two are seen as transgressive figures, but I guess it's more of an act of rebellion against family than the state, in fact the state seems to support this union. Also, they did have to get the term 'star cross'd lovers' from somewhere. That story however was the only story I found that remained uncensored: the others were littered with Capitolist Propaganda. Which is what you'd expect from a totalitarian dictatorship, but as a book fan, I couldn't help but be offended by the lack of respect the Capitol treated most of these stories.

Alongside calling me 'big sis,' as soon as she began to talk coherently, Madge started asking me questions. They were never in front of our parents, who were around a lot more than I'd thought they'd be, especially considering the job that my father had, but during the night, when we had been put into our room by a maid. They were simple questions such as 'how was your day?' but I absolutely loved them. Madge took as much of an interest in learning as I did, but she preferred to learn from me, something which made almost cry the first time she said this. I then told her that I would answer anything she had to ask regardless of what it was, something which I would come to regret many years later.

The first time she asks a 'difficult' question was the night after we went to the District square. We were 4, and it was the Reaping for the 62nd Hunger Games. We had to stand in the children's section as we were too old to be carried and almost immediately I noticed the glares many children- mostly from the Seam, were sending our way. It took longer for Madge to notice, but soon she did, and as the female tribute's name, Letitia Armstrong, was called, my twin went pale and clasped my hand. We kept holding hands up until night time, when she climbs into my bed and taps me on the shoulder.

"Big sis?" She asks and I answer, not turning around.

"Yes?"

"Why do they hate us?"

I turn around then and smile sadly, taking her hand in mine.

'They don't hate us Madge, they're just jealous of the fact that we can eat and they can't."

She frowns at me then, and I know she's going to ask me another question. I think of an answer as to why the Seam folk hate us. But that isn't what she asks. No what she asks is way more complicated.

"Not them! I know why they hate us. I mean the Capitol. Why does the Capitol hate us? I mean they reap-"

I cover her mouth quickly, my face paling. It doesn't matter if we're supposed to only be 3, words like that are treason against the Capitol. Against Snow. I'm not as naïve to think that the Capitol hadn't bugged our house. They might not bug every house, but if they have bugged the victors', then there is no way that they wouldn't bug the Mayor's house. After all, like the victors, the Mayor is supposed to represent the District. She looks at me with fearful eyes, and I realise that I'm scaring her.

"They don't hate us," I say, attempting to sound at least a little honest "the games are a punishment to the districts of Panem, as we wrongly rebelled against the Capitol during the Dark Days."

The look in her eyes told me that she didn't believe me, and I made a mental note to work on my acting, because if a 4 year old was able to pick up on the fact that I was lying, then I really was shit at it.

She didn't say anything else though, which I was secretly grateful for. Instead she hugs me and closes her eyes, falling asleep almost instantly. I wrap my arms around her protectively, thinking about the future.

I stayed up that night thinking. It wasn't until a long time after she'd fallen asleep that I made my decision in regards to the future. Forget the fact that I can help this world out, I will. Not for myself, or even for the million of families in Panem that want a better world for their childrens' future. Not for Katniss, or Peeta, or even my parents. But for Madge. She never deserved the fate she suffered, and she, who is so pure- so innocent, shouldn't be corrupted by a system that punishes innocents based on what their ancestors did. Like Lizzie in 'Goblet Market,' I will save her and change this world for her, damn the consequences.

Over the course of the night, I think of a plan to try and fix the future. By morning I've come up with a plan and know what I need to do. The end goal will be to survive, preferably happily, but first of all, I need to gain some allies.

I really wanted to avoid him, but I have to do this for her eventual survival.

I ask my father if we can go to the bakery and brace myself as despite how painful it will be, it's about time I meet the Boy with the Bread.