Hello everybody! I wanted to go ahead and try my hand at creating a new crossover between both of these works. I don't think there are many current stories, so I wanted to add to it.
If you follow any other of my stories, don't worry, I plan to update them soon. I've just been working a lot while also wanting to write this story. Thank you for reading!
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Hunger Games" or "Naruto," they belong to their respective owners.
The Beginning of a Friendship
Tap…
Tap…
Tap…
"Mr. Uzumaki, could you please stop tapping the desk with your pencil?"
Jerking his head upwards, Naruto gave a silent nod and stopped with the rhythm. He had been bored and wanted to simply pass the time the best he could.
Realizing her wishes were granted, the teacher went back to her lecture. Naruto zoned her out and began to let out a deep sigh. He wasn't motivated in school, or many aspects of life. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall and groaned, school wasn't going to be over anytime soon.
"What a joke of an education…." thought Naruto, mentally preparing himself for more time in the classroom.
After their exam of the day was over, Naruto grabbed his things, turned in his test, and quickly walked out.
In about 5 minutes, Naruto had completed the exam and turned it in. Once the teacher was done grading it, they realized something spectacular.
Naruto Uzumaki scored a perfect 100 in a matter of minutes.
Now that it was the weekend, Naruto could do what he enjoyed in his free time. He only went to school to fulfill his father's wishes and stay on top of his grades.
Making sure nobody was looking, Naruto entered the forest that was located near his home in District 12.
He had been going into this forest for years ever since he was a young boy, now 16 years of age.
As he swiftly walked through the shrubbery and had the wind fly by his face, Naruto got lost in thought.
"I still miss you… mom… dad…." Naruto pondered as he clutched the green jewel necklace he always wore. The more he walked, the more he began to reminisce about his life.
His mother, a red-haired woman named Kushina, had passed away shortly after his birth due to complications. He had a hard time sometimes dealing with her death as he felt responsible, which his close friends constantly reminded him wasn't his fault.
For a short time, Naruto was raised by his father Minato. He was a caring and loving father, always providing for his son no matter what. While he never knew what his father did for work before he was born, he did know that he took up a new job as a coal miner while he was young.
Something that Naruto always found interesting was that his father was a genius. It was almost like his dad knew the answers to everything while growing up. It was also his father that made him promise to keep his grades up in school, so Naruto obliged.
While Naruto greatly missed his mother, her passing was more bearable when he turned 10.
Once it was his 10th birthday, Naruto received a necklace which was a gift from his father. It had been his mother's before she passed, so it helped remind him of her.
Unfortunately, just like his mother, Naruto would soon deal with the loss of another parent.
About one year after his 10th birthday, his father died in a coal mining accident. An explosion had occurred while they were deep in the mine shaft, which left no survivors.
It was a miracle that he still had the will to live after all the tragedy in his life if Naruto was being honest with himself. He had lost all motivation to keep going in life and he didn't want to live anymore.
He most likely would have gone down a dark path if it wasn't for his friends that is. He had befriended a kid named Peeta Mellark while they were in school as boys. It was thanks to his friend's support and kind words that he stood strong today.
Given that both boys lived in the Merchant section of Section 12, they had become familiar with each other quickly.
After both of his parent's passing, Naruto knew he had to learn how to fend for himself. So he picked up the habit of hunting and gathering in the forest. With Peeta's help in acquiring some hunting equipment he couldn't afford at the time, Naruto set off to hunt.
Naruto let out a chuckle at the memory while walking through the forest, "…That was a trip…"
His first attempts at hunting anything were less than fruitful. Naruto didn't know how to properly set a trap, hold a bow, throw a knife, or do anything remotely close to hunting. However, just like everything else in his life, he learned along the way.
Naruto went from not being able to catch a rabbit, to being able to kill a deer with a makeshift wooden spear from 50 yards away.
The biggest surprise in learning how to hunt that Naruto never thought of, was the fact of being stealthy. Animals, especially deer, are very skittish and can hear footsteps from far away.
By the time he was 14, Naruto had ensured he would never go hungry again and began to provide for himself. However, there were times that Naruto brought home to much food and couldn't eat it all, even for leftovers. To ensure things wouldn't go to waste, Naruto began doing some side business.
Whenever he had an extra game, Naruto brought it over to the markets in District 12 and provided for those less fortunate. He had sold them for very little money at first, but after acquiring a fair amount of money for himself, Naruto just began giving away his extra game for free.
After all, Naruto didn't need the extra money as terribly as some people within the District needed food. He still lived in his family's house which was located in the Merchant section, so he considered himself luckier than most.
It was this side business that brought him to have a budding friendship with a girl named Katniss Everdeen. Whenever he would enter the Hob to sell his poached game, he would sometimes run into the girl and speak briefly with her.
There was one instance that did stand out in Naruto's mind however, one he would never forget. He was only 14 at the time, but he remembers it like it was yesterday.
During the time he was still selling his poached game for money, Naruto overheard Katniss speaking as he was on the way out of the Hob. When he listened closely, he could hear Katniss trying to sell her own poached game for more money than the buyer was willing to spend.
"I'm sorry Katniss, I just can't offer that much for the rabbit…" spoke the buyer, clearly feeling sorry for the girl.
"Please, I need that money! My mother needs it for her medication!" Katniss pleaded, her gray eyes expressing urgency.
Naruto, hearing enough, decided to intervene and brought forth the money he had just received from selling his goods.
"Here," Naruto gently grabbed Katniss's hand and placed his recently-earned money in the cusp of her palm, "You can use this for your mother."
Katniss, not seeing Naruto as a close friend, stood there in shock. She wanted to understand why he would go out of his way for a stranger, especially when he also needed the money.
Katniss looked down at her palm and backed up only to ask, "Why?"
If he was being honest with himself, the simple question resounded within Naruto much more than he thought it would. Offering a small smile that reached his eyes, Naruto gave his answer.
"Because you need it, I don't need a reason to help others."
With his answer given, Naruto turned around and walked out of the Hob. He never saw the sincere and appreciative look that Katniss gave him.
Ever since that day, Naruto would go out of his way to help others when he could. Some people within District 12 even called him the "Golden Boy" because of his kind nature and blonde hair.
Of course, some people were weary of him because he came from the Merchant section but most people knew he was trustworthy.
Naruto would say that this moment in his life gave him a reason to live again. Besides his friend Peeta being there for him, he now had a purpose again. He could help others less fortunate and he didn't need the money as much anymore.
When he would hunt in the forest, he would also sometimes see Katniss. The first time they both spotted each other, they stood still and held their breaths. Both were worried the other would spill the secret because it was technically illegal to hunt in the forest near District 12.
However, the tension was broken when Naruto cracked a joke, "So now I know why all the game is gone, you've been hunting them better than I can."
It was after this that both teens became even closer, more than simple acquaintances. There were times when Naruto would see Katniss around the District and spark up a small conversation. However, he also noticed that one of her friends Gale didn't particularly like him because of this. He always seemed to give him a set of angry eyes when he approached Katniss.
Putting the thought to the side, Naruto began on his hunt once more in the forest. After all, he wanted to make sure one less family had to go hungry tonight in District 12.
After dropping off his poached game once again at the Hob and ensuring it would go to the people in need, District 12's 'Golden Boy' walked out.
"Hmmm… the sun's barely going down… I think I have time for some training today…." thought the blonde with a smile.
Walking throughout the District, the blonde stood upon the porch of an older house in the Seam section. The house wasn't run down by any means, but it had seen better days as demonstrated by the discolored paint on the outside.
After knocking a few times and not hearing anything, Naruto became impatient, "Hey Ed! Come out, you old man!"
A few seconds later, some grumbling and loud footsteps reached the door. After fiddling with the three locks on his door, an older-looking man was revealed.
"Shut up you brat!" after receiving a hard smack over his head, Naruto winced and rubbed his scalp.
The older man was named Edwin, or 'Ed' for short as Naruto liked to say. He had a gray stubble for a beard, white hair, brown eyes, and a spirit as strong as steel.
The meeting between both individuals was the most peculiar thing. It happened one day after school when Naruto was still a young boy.
While walking home with his friend Peeta one day, both boys heard a commotion coming around a street corner. After walking over, what they saw was a disheartening sight.
Some thugs were beating up on an old lady as she lay prone on the ground, holding her head. They were viciously kicking into her side.
"You should have just made your granddaughter pay us the money she owed, then you wouldn't have been in this situation! Now you're the one who has the deal with the punishment!" one of the thugs yelled, with anger and a look of insanity in his eyes.
Looking around, Naruto felt deep hatred for what he was seeing. A poor, defenseless old woman was suffering because of the deeds she didn't even commit.
Turning his head around, a realization was made that made Naruto's stomach flip. The adults nearby who were witnessing this, keep their heads down and moved along. Nobody was trying to help or intervene in this.
The Peacekeepers were nowhere to be found and it was up to somebody to stop this. Making up his mind, Naruto rushed into the situation headfirst.
"Naruto, wait!" Peeta yelled as he reached out for his friend who already dashed ahead.
Not knowing how to fight but wanting to help nonetheless, Naruto fought will all the might in his small body. Three adults were beating on this woman, so he decided to try and take them on one by one. He also struck fast and hard, hoping to catch them off guard.
Reaching the first thug who wasn't even focused on him, Naruto grabbed the man by the back of his shirt and yanked down hard. The criminal let out a gasp as the air was knocked out of him and his vision blurred.
Without wasting time, Naruto rolled over onto the fallen man and began dealing blow after blow onto his face. His fists were small and the attacks didn't have much power behind them, but they did have speed.
The two remaining men looked over to see their comrade being beaten on by a little kid, so one of them quickly intervened.
Naruto was finished beating on the grown man after he realized he wasn't going to get back up and was unconscious. This was when he heard a battle cry and turned around to see one man charging at him.
Acting off instinct, Naruto grabbed his school backpack by the handles and stood up. With a quick pull of his hand, Naruto used his body weight and swung his backpack which hit the man squarely on the jaw. It knocked the man out cold, especially since there were some thick textbooks in the bag.
Before the last thug could also intervene, many Peacekeepers began to flood the area. People were separated from the scene and Naruto was picked up by one of the guards and led to a detainment area.
Funny enough, he was only in there for about 1 hour before he was let go without any questioning whatsoever. He later found out that many witnesses came forward and testified that he was only defending the woman. The victim also came forward and defended the blonde vehemently.
When he walked out of the detainment area, that's when he first met Ed.
"Hey kid, I was able to catch the last part of your little scrap. Gotta say, for having no formal training, you're not half bad." spoke an older gentleman.
"Uhh… thanks gramps…. But I don't know who you are…" spoke Naruto in wariness. After all, he was told to be careful of strangers by his dad.
Chuckling at the young boy's behavior, Edwin began to speak again, "Listen, kid, I'll cut to the chase. I knew your father and I know he would have wanted you to be taken care of. So as a favor to him, I would be willing to train you officially in combat."
Now this was indeed news to Naruto, but he was also ecstatic at the same time. He always wanted to learn how to fight and this was the perfect opportunity to!
"Also, I helped pull some strings to get you out of containment early with the Peacekeepers," spoke Edwin, "I used to be one of those bastards before I retired, so I know a few things myself…"
"Oh yeah, now I'm taking him up on this offer! A retired Peacekeeper teaching me how to fight!?" grinned Naruto, "Peeta is gonna be so jealous when I tell him tomorrow about this at school…"
Never once did the young boy think about how his father personally knew the retired officer.
Over the years, Naruto learned a lot from the old man. He was taught how to grapple, wrestle, and use his hands in a fight. Edwin had learned all of this through his specialized training during his time as a Peacekeeper.
Whenever he would hunt, he would sometimes combine what he learned from Edwin and use it. While he had seen Katniss use a bow as her primary weapon of choice, Naruto preferred throwing blades instead. He also had a pair that could be handheld which he was quite deadly with.
Now, as he stood in front of the man once more, Naruto grinned. He may not have had the best beginning in life, but he was glad for the people around him who made it more bearable.
"Alright, gramps! Let's get to training!" spoke Naruto, as he pushed past the older man and walked into his house.
With a shake of his head and a small grin, Edwin locked the door and followed after his unofficial pupil. He had helped shape the boy into a fine young man that Minato could be proud of.
The Reaping Selection
"Uhh,,, the sun's especially bright today…" groaned Naruto as the sunlight made its way through his curtains.
Looking outside, he saw a massive amount of people lining up for today's event. Today was the day he would have to undergo the Reaping.
After getting dressed in a simple white t-shirt, black pants, dark shoes, and his jewel necklace, Naruto set off to his destination.
The first few Reapings he had gone through, Naruto was scared of being picked. He could admit it to himself, the fear was there of being shipped off to his death.
The atmosphere never changed either in the previous Reapings he had been through. People looked at each other in fear, people were ripped from their families, Peacekeepers were kept guard, and individuals kept their gaze low.
Naruto hated the Hunger Games with every fiber of his being. He hated the needless death, gore, and suffering just for the people in the Capitol's amusement. It was all a big game show to the people in the Capitol and he hated it.
Now that he was 16, Naruto was nearing the end of being in the Reaping pool. Ever since he was 12, he held that fear of the Hunger Games deep within. Year after year, he saw people he knew being killed on the big screen.
People he had helped either through his poached game or through his donating what money he could, were killed without sense.
While Naruto knew how to fight, it didn't mean he sought out others for amusement. He only resorted to fighting if it was the last option or if he needed to defend himself. He was taught that the best way to avoid a fight is by fleeing before it can start through Edwin's advice.
As others bumped into each other and walked to their destination, Naruto looked for his friend instead. After spotting him in the back of a line, he walked over to Peeta and clasped his hand over his shoulder.
"Well, Peeta, it looks like another year of possibly dying for some entertainment again…" spoke Naruto in a joking manner.
Peeta rolled his eyes at his friend's horrible attempt at making a joke during this difficult time, "Yeah, let's just get this over with so we can go back to our crappy lives already."
This comment earned a laugh from the Golden Boy.
The joy was soon interrupted when a Peacekeeper told them to keep it moving, which is what they did.
Standing in line, both young men didn't speak another word as the atmosphere was slowly setting for them. It didn't matter how many times you survived the Reaping, it always haunted you.
After getting his finger pricked and having his fingerprint taken, Naruto was set to walk with the others waiting for the Reaping to begin. He stood next to his best friend and waited for the ceremony to begin.
"…I wonder how many people took extra food and got their name in the bowl more times than one…" pondered the blonde.
That was also another reason he sold his poached game for free, he didn't want others being forced to risk death just to avoid a starving belly.
Once everybody was in attendance, a few governing officials of District 12 walked out of the main stadium and took their seats by the microphone.
A loud, booming voice soon overtook the ceremony.
"Please direct your attention to the presentation at hand."
All eyes were then on a quick presentation that was played at the previous Reapings.
"Oh great, this propaganda again…" pondered Naruto as he began to zone the speaker out.
Once it was over, a lady dressed in a pink outfit, with curly white hair, and a bright smile came out to speak.
"Now wasn't that presentation wonderful!" exclaimed the woman as she clasped her hands together.
Silence was her only response.
Clearing her throat to regain her momentum, she once again began to speak, "Greetings everybody! And welcome to the selection to decide who will represent District 12 at the 74th annual Hunger Games!"
Not waiting for the awkward silence again, she continued, "Per tradition, we will start with the ladies!"
Walking over to a large glass bowl that held all the names of those in attendance, the white-haired woman chose her time to select a name.
After reaching around for a good few seconds, she finally retracted her hand while holding a white slip of paper. Carefully unfolding the slip, she walked back to the microphone to announce the person chosen.
"Please don't be Katniss, please don't be Katniss, please don't be Katniss…" repeated Naruto over and over in his head, clearly not wanting to see someone he considered a friend to be killed.
His wish was granted, it wasn't Katniss.
"Primrose Everdeen!" shouted the announcer.
"…Fuck…" thought a wide-eyed Naruto, feeling even worse that it was Katniss's sister that was chosen.
His stomach dropped as he realized a young girl was selected to fight in the Hunger Games, in her very first Reaping. He could only imagine she would be feeling scared, afraid, and nervous all at once.
A sudden commotion awoke him from his thoughts. Looking over to his right, past Peeta, he saw Katniss struggling with two Peacekeepers that were holding her back.
Prim was slowly walking to the center stage, feeling shocked and in a daze from her name being announced. She knew what this meant, it was her fate to fight in an arena to the death.
"Prim! PRIM!" shouted Katniss with desperation in her voice.
Prim turned around to see her older sister reaching out with pleading eyes. In a quick moment, everything changed.
"I volunteer as tribute!" shouted Katniss, staring straight ahead at the lady in pink.
Feeling surprised, the lady responded, "Well, what a dramatic turn of events! It looks like we have a volunteer!"
Not caring for her words, Katniss pushed past the guards to comfort her younger sister. She hugged her tight and whispered into her ears, "Go find mom and stay safe, I'll meet with you later…"
After letting go, it was evident Prim would cause a scene as her eyes began to water. Surprisingly, it was Gale who swept in from the crowd to scoop up Prim and take her to her mother.
"No! NO! Katniss!" shouted Prim as she was taken away to her mother. Katniss kept her eyes ahead to not cry in front of the entire audience.
After the emotions were settled, Katniss slowly walked up on stage and stood beside the presenter.
The woman was not done, however, and brought the microphone over to Katniss. "You are District 12's very first volunteer! Can we please know your name?"
Katniss slowly leaned into the microphone and spoke, "It's K-Katniss. Katniss Everdeen."
The nerves were clearly showing from her small stutter on stage.
"Thank you Mrs. Katniss Everdeen!" the woman brought the microphone back to herself, "Well, now that we have our female tribute, let us stay on schedule and pick the male!"
The joke landed with nobody.
"What a sick group of people… watching a family being torn apart and all they care about is keeping up appearances… they're not even human…." thought Naruto in disgust.
Naruto loved helping others when they needed it as his past actions showed. That's why he couldn't understand the mentality of the Capitol which only encouraged the deaths of young contestants every year.
He always wondered if the people in the Capitol ever thought that these people being killed in the Hunger Games were brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, sons, daughters, etc. He just couldn't wrap his mind around the idea of needlessly slaughtering people simply for being alive in a District.
Walking over to the other side of the stage, the announcer reached into the glass bowl and picked up a slip of paper. Unfurling the paper, she read the name and loudly exclaimed it within the microphone.
"And the male tribute for District 12 is…."
Everybody in the male section of the stadium held their breaths in anticipation.
"Peeta Mellark!"
Naruto nearly collapsed from hearing his best friend's name. Looking to his right, he saw the expression on his friend's face.
Peeta seemed to be surprised and downtrodden, knowing that he was now subjected to the Hunger Games.
After a few seconds of silence, the announcer spoke once more. "Please, will Peeta Mellark come to the stage!"
While the few seconds of silence could have been attributed to Peeta's reluctance to go up there, it was also done for another reason. In those seconds of silence, Peeta realized none of his siblings would be volunteering for him, just as Katniss had done for Prim.
However, while these thoughts were going through Peeta's head, Naruto was having his internal dialogue.
If he was being honest with himself… the fear… the fear was boiling inside of him. But there was something else that overcame his fear… the passion for his loved ones.
As he looked over to his childhood friend, Naruto was assaulted by the numerous memories they shared over the years.
The number of times Peeta defended him from the bullies in school who made fun of his 'weird' name.
The time that Peeta helped him get over his father's death.
The time that Peeta gave him some hunting equipment to feed himself, hunting equipment that was afforded by stealing from his parents.
The times that Peeta was a true friend to him.
And how would Naruto repay his close friend? Simple, he would save his life just like his friend saved him.
"I volunteer! I volunteer to take his place!" Naruto barked out, with pure conviction in his eyes.
Now THIS was something interesting indeed for the Capitol to see, two volunteers in one Reaping was unheard of.
"And District 12 surprises me once again with another volunteer! Please, young man, make your way up here!" spoke the announcer.
Drowning out the lady, Peeta looked over to his friend in shock and whispered to him, "No way am I letting you take my place. You're my best friend…"
Naruto whispered back with a small grin, "That's exactly why I'm taking your spot because you're my best friend…"
Seeing some Peacekeepers walk over to ensure Naruto began walking to the stage, Peeta backed up and allowed them to escort his friend. To avoid complicating things, Naruto complied and stood on stage.
"Now may we please know the name of our male tribute!" exclaimed the announcer as she brought the microphone over.
"It's Naruto Uzumaki."
Seeing as he was not going to say anything else, the woman simply nodded with a strained smile and took center stage.
"Thank you, everybody! That concludes the 74th Reaping of the annual Hunger Games! Congratulations to our tributes of District 12!"
Before finishing the ceremony, the announcer ended with, "And may the odds be ever in your favor!"
While there was no applause, there was something else. Every person in attendance raised three fingers into the air and stayed silent.
Seeing this, the lady on stage ushered both Katniss and Naruto back into the building she first exited from. She needed to prepare both of these individuals before the Games began.
The Capitol, in all of their mercy, allowed tributes a few minutes to say goodbye to any loved ones before they were shipped off. These moments didn't last long, but they were well appreciated.
Katniss was overlooking a window, staring out into space with no real thought going through her mind. She was still reeling from the events that occurred moments ago.
Hearing the door rush open, she turned around only to have her sister launch into her arms.
"I'm so sorry you had to go instead of me!" sobbed Prim into her sister's blouse.
Not caring about the tears staining her dress, Katniss hushed her younger sister, "It's okay, it'll be okay. You have Mom and Gale to take care of you now."
Releasing the hug, Katniss got onto her knees to get eye level with her sister and looked into her eyes, "Don't take any extra food from them, it's not worth getting your name multiplied in the Reaping. Gale will help with food, you'll also have mom there."
Prim, just wanting her sister to stay alive, nodded her head and had silent tears streak down her face.
Walking over to her mom, Katniss was a bit more forceful, "You can't space out on Prim while I'm gone, I won't be there anymore. You have to be the mother for her now, not tomorrow or next week, but now."
Knowing her daughter was right, Mrs. Everdeen nodded her head and agreed. She needed to step up and stop neglecting her daughter.
After seeing her words were getting through to her mother, Katniss hugged her until the Peacekeepers came in.
"Everyone, out!" commanded the guards as they dragged Mrs. Everdeen and Prim.
"Katniss, just promise me you'll come back alive! Promise me!" shouted Prim.
Katniss shouted back, "I will, I'll come back to you and Mom. I promise."
A door slamming shut was the only response that came. After digesting another series of events, Katniss felt emotionally drained from the whole ordeal. She went through so many emotions in the last hour.
Suddenly, the door opened once more and Gale walked through. He seemed to be in a rush and quickly hugged her, which she returned wholeheartedly.
After a quick separation, Gale began to talk, "Listen, I know you're strong. You can win this thing, just go for the bow. You know how to hunt and kill, treat this the same way and you'll win."
Katniss didn't have any words so she simply nodded.
Hearing footsteps coming their way, Katniss knew she had to end their interaction.
"Gale," began Katniss, "Please help Prim and my mother. Give them any poached game you can and avoid them going hungry, please take care of them…" pleaded the archery master.
Gale nodded, "Of course Katniss, you have my word."
Knowing they couldn't be caught by Peacekeepers, Gale gave one last hug and slipped out of the room. Katniss took this time to let out a deep sigh and fall onto the chair under her. She could finally take in everything that happened that day.
On the other hand, Naruto was reclining back in a chair with his hands over his face. He was processing that he had signed himself up for the Hunger Games. The very event that gripped him with fear each Reaping, had now been forced upon him.
While having his internal struggle, Naruto heard the door open and close. Removing his hands and sitting up, he noticed it was Edwin.
"What's up old man?" said Naruto with a strained grin.
Letting out a deep sigh, Edwin responded, "Listen, kid, you know I'm not one to beat around the bush. I'm gonna give it to you straight, you in a shit show."
Naruto snorted in amusement at that.
"But…" Edwin then reached into his pocket and retrieved something, "I wanted to give you this."
Holding his hand out, Naruto grabbed the small trinket and took a closer look at it.
Upon closer inspection, it looked like it was a ring. A wedding ring.
Seeing the confusion on his face, Edwin continued, "That ring was the same one your father used when he proposed to your mother. It was his symbol of love."
Widening his eyes at the importance of the object he now held, Naruto was speechless. He now had something that reminded him of his father, just like the necklace reminded him of his mother.
Edwin leaned back onto the wall behind him with his arms crossed, "Your father handed it to me when he began working in the coal mines. Said he didn't want to lose it down there and so he trusted me with it."
Naruto could only look at his mentor in surprise, not knowing any of this. He didn't realize how close of a relationship his father had with Edwin.
"He wanted me to give it to you if anything happened to him down there." Edwin took a quick pause before he continued.
"The ring was supposed to be yours whenever you turned 18 or got chosen for the Reaping, whichever came first. I'm just sorry it had to be the latter…" Edwin got a somber expression as he spoke about his fallen friend.
Naruto clenched his hand around his father's wedding ring and thanked his old mentor. Placing the ring in his pocket, Naruto vowed to never lose it.
Edwin let out a sigh, "Listen, kid, I've never really been good at all the 'mushy' stuff but…" he then walked over to Naruto and clasped his hand on the blonde's shoulder, "I know your parents would be proud of you, I know I am…"
Naruto gave a big grin and hugged his old teacher, who gave a chuckle and returned the gesture. After a few more minutes of speaking, Edwin let himself out.
His parting words rang in Naruto's head
"…Win this Game and return home, you have people who care about you back here…"
"Huh…" pondered the young man, "I guess I do have people who care about me now… funny how I used to be all alone, now I'm surrounded by friendly faces…"
The mothers and fathers who thanked him endlessly when donating his game at the Hob, the old lady who thanked him for saving her that day, and even other people in the District that he helped were all a part of his loved ones.
Jolting from his thoughts, Naruto realized another person walked into the room. Looking up, he realized it was his best friend, Peeta Mellark.
"...Hey man…" said an awkward Peeta, not knowing what to say or how to start the conversation.
Naruto, not wanting any of the awkward tension, pulled Peeta into a hug similar to the ones brothers would share.
After releasing him, Naruto spoke with amusement, "Don't give me any of that 'hey man' crap, we've known each other for too long to do that…"
Laughing at the comment, both guys felt more at ease in the situation they were in. After sharing a few more chuckles, Peeta was the first to speak.
"…So now you're going into the Games in my place…" Peeta then stared at his friend in the eyes, "…and I feel like such a fucking coward for letting it happen…"
Naruto stopped him right there, "No, you're not doing this to yourself. I volunteered because I didn't want to see my friend die for some sick entertainment. Besides you have a family here, they need you."
Peeta snorted in response, "Yeah, some family huh? Didn't even have any of my own brothers volunteer, it had to be my friend."
Naruto didn't say anything to that.
Peeta then sighed and spoke, "Listen Naruto, I'm going to be honest with you… I've always seen you as more of a brother than my biological ones. So please, promise me, you won't die out there. Promise me you'll win this thing."
This put the blonde warrior in a tough spot because Peeta knew how much Naruto valued his promises to people, especially his loved ones. If it was within his power, he would try his hardest to make it come true.
While his initial response was to assure his friend he would come back, he couldn't promise that. His tribute partner, Katniss, would have to die for him to be the victor. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't think he had the heart to take her life.
Seeing his friend's hesitation, Peeta pressed on, "Please, promise me that you'll come back alive Naruto. Promise me."
Being stuck between a rock and a hard place is never easy, but Naruto made a decision.
Looking into his friend's eyes, he let out a grin and said, "I promise I'll come back."
Naruto chose his words very carefully.
After looking for any deceit or crossed fingers and finding none, Peeta nodded in satisfaction. He was then escorted out by some Peacekeepers who said he had extended past his time limit.
Seeing his friend being escorted out, Naruto simply thought, "I promise I'll come back, I just can't promise that I'll be alive when I do…"
He would be back, either as a victor or in a body bag.
After departing from District 12, the train ride to the Capitol was boring and uneventful. Once they had left the station, Naruto went straight to bed in his assigned room.
"Oh man… how long was I out?…." spoke the blonde to himself as he looked out to see they were now traveling through an open field, far away from District 12. Seeing it was early in the morning, Naruto decided to get some breakfast.
Walking out of his room, Naruto stumbled into the dining room while in his sleepwear and sweats. He had just woken up so he didn't care about his appearance at the moment.
To his surprise, he walked in on a person already sitting at the table and preparing to take their first bite of toast. Looking over, the person gained an annoyed expression and put down their toast.
"Well, its good to finally meet one of you…." spoke the man, "I'm Haymitch, your 'mentor' for the Games…" said Haymitch with a sarcastic tone.
Without even waiting for a response, Haymitch poured some more of his alcohol into a nearby tea cup. After pouring the beverage from his flask, he took a few drinks.
"Great…the person who's supposed to be helping us is drinking out of a teacup…" deadpanned Naruto.
Hearing another door open, Naruto looked over to realize it was the same woman who announced their names during the Reaping.
"Well good morning to everybody!" spoke the woman. She then looked at Naruto and said, "I'm Effie Trinket and I'll be the chaperone on this trip!"
Not even acknowledging the woman's words, Naruto sat down at the table and began serving his plate from the food provided.
"Hmm, how rude!" said Effie under her breath.
After taking his seat across from Haymitch and serving his plate, Naruto began to eat at a slow pace. He was having a hard time being in the same room as the woman who gleefully announced people to their deaths.
"So since you're our mentor…" drawled out the blonde, "I'm guessing we can ask you questions?"
Haymitch snorted, "You can, but I can't promise I'll answer them."
"Yep, he's an ass," thought Naruto with a straight face.
Effie, realizing she wouldn't be engaging in conversation anytime soon, sat down on a nearby couch.
After a few more bites, Naruto cleared his mouth and asked, "How do you survive when you're in the arena?"
"Oh, that's an easy one!" said the drunk man with a smile, "You don't die!"
Feeling annoyed, Naruto spoke back, "That's not what I meant, asshole!"
Haymitch's grin got even wider, "I know…" he then took another swig of alcohol but this time it was from his flask.
"Listen, if you don't want to help us, then don't say you're a mentor!" exclaimed Naruto in an angry voice.
This was the scene that Katniss walked into as she exited her room.
"What's wrong?" asked the girl from District 12.
Naruto huffed out and responded, "Nothing, it's just that our mentor here doesn't know how to do his job…"
Haymitch ignored the criticism and continued eating his breakfast unbothered. After seeing both pairs of eyes on him, he decided to speak.
"Okay listen, you want an answer? I'll give you one…" spoke the man as he wiped his hands with a nearby napkin.
"This whole thing," Haymitch gestured his arms around the room, "Is a reality TV show for the people in the Capitol. They don't care if you live or if you die, but they care if you're entertaining…"
Seeing they were still confused, Haymitch clarified, "What I'm saying is if you want to survive in the arena, get sponsors. You get sponsors by making these people like you, make them fall in love with the idea of you."
Getting what he was saying now, Katniss responded as she too sat down at the table with her plate, "How do we get them to like us?"
Haymitch looked at her for a split second before he leaned back in his chair, "You make up some story, come up with an angle, do something that makes you stand out. Being unique is the key in this show of theirs, so be unique."
Both tributes stayed silent after hearing this information, now realizing what they were up against. They needed to find some way of making these people like them.
"So let's say that we get them to like us and now they're our sponsor, what happens after?" Naruto asked.
"That's when you can survive in the arena," spoke Haymitch, "You can get food, water, medical supplies, even a warm blanket all from the donation of a sponsor. These things can be the difference of surviving or dying in that arena."
"...What a sick game…." thought the blonde, no longer hungry.
"So we are just a reality show to them, aren't we?" asked Katniss, clearly being rhetorical.
Haymitch then leaned forward and prepared to eat his eggs, "And now you know what you volunteered for, so I'm hoping you made the right choice."
Katniss's eyes instantly turned to daggers at the implication that she was regretting her choice to save her sister.
"I volunteered for my sister, and I would do it again in a heartbeat," said Katniss with complete conviction in her voice.
"Yeah whatever," said Haymitch with a wave of his hand, completely dismissing the claims from Katniss. "Can you pass me the salt for my eggs now?"
Seeing that she wasn't going to respond, Haymitch kept on adding fuel to the fire, "C'mon! Who cares if you volunteered for some noble cause? You're going to die in the end anyway, so pass me the salt!"
Still not seeing her move, Haymitch grumbled and reached for the salt himself. In an instant, a butter knife was stabbed between his fingers, courtesy of Katniss herself.
Before he could marvel at her skills, his outstretched hand was then grabbed and pulled by Naruto. With this, he yanked the mentor forward onto the table and grabbed the back of his head, before slamming it into the table himself.
"Serves that asshole right, he shouldn't have said those things about Katniss… plus it felt good doing that…" thought the blonde with a hidden smile.
Katniss looked over, confused as to why Naruto would seemingly hurt Haymitch on her behalf. All she got was a nod and smile from her fellow tribute, indicating he had her back.
She quickly turned away, seemingly trying to distance herself from the blonde.
"Oh my!" shrieked Effie from her position, ready to call the guards.
Surprisingly, it was Haymitch who stopped her by raising one hand up. After adjusting his nose and realizing a small amount of blood was leaking down, he smiled.
"Well, would you look at that? We have a pair of fighters this year!" exclaimed an excited Haymitch which was a complete 180 from his previous mood.
Now this was confusing for both tributes, who were not following why Haymitch got a mood adjuster.
"Maybe, just maybe, we can stand a chance this year…." thought Haymitch as he looked at the two tributes he was supposed to mentor.
"Well we still have a few more hours until we reach the Capitol," said Haymitch with a grin as he stood up to put away his plate. Nobody wanted to eat bloody eggs.
After setting down his plate, Haymitch said something that did catch their attention, "I'll make a deal with you both. I'll stay sober long enough to train you, as long as you let your stylists do whatever they want to you. That means no resisting or fighting back," he ended that part while looking at Katniss specifically.
A few moments went by before Katniss and Naruto nodded, agreeing to the deal at hand.
"Great!" said Haymitch, "Now all we have to do it make sure I don't die of alcohol poisoning from what I have drank so far!" he then stumbled into his room.
Katniss and Naruto both shared a quick look that conveyed the same message, "We're screwed"
Naruto groaned as he awoke once again from his restless sleep. He had been tossing and turning for a while now and couldn't go back to bed. Wanting to grab a glass of water to drink, he slowly got out of bed and headed to the kitchen in the train car.
As he opened the fridge and poured himself some water, he heard a faint noise coming from the nearby bathroom. As he set his cup on the counter and placed his ear by the door, he could hear it more clearly.
It was the sound of someone sobbing lightly to themselves… and it sounded like it was Katniss.
Not thinking straight, Naruto opened the door right away and saw his fellow tribute curled up into a ball on the floor. She was completely in distraught and had her face in her knees.
Looking up, Katniss saw Naruto standing there with a concerned look on his face, so she quickly wiped the tears from her face.
"Get out!" shouted an embarrassed Katniss, obviously not wanting to be seen as weak.
However, instead of closing the door, Naruto walked in, crouched down, and embraced the girl on the floor.
This gesture caught Katniss off guard and everything suddenly settled in. She was crying in the first place because she was worried about her sister, her mother, Gale, and even her own life if she was being honest.
She hated that she was here with Naruto of all people considering that he had done so much for her in the past.
Now Katniss tried her hardest to hold it all in, she did, but it was too much for her. Once again, she began sobbing but this time, it was loud. Her screams, cries, and wails could be heard as she let it all out into her fellow tribute's embrace.
As for Naruto, he held the crying girl with a soft embrace and whispered small things into her ear. Phrases such as, "It's okay… Let it out… You're safe…" were said over and over.
While Katniss didn't consider herself to be Naruto's closest friend, she would be lying if she claimed she didn't have some form of friendship with him. But having him hold her close, in this vulnerable moment of hers, really gave her the feeling of safety.
Even as he comforted her, she could only feel the warmth and support he was offering. She was beginning to understand why some people in her District called him the "Golden Boy" now.
After a few minutes of constant crying, the sobs that racked Katniss's chest slowly began to fade. Once the hiccups that came after were gone, she gently removed herself from Naruto's hug.
Seeing that she had gotten his shirt wet from her tears, Katniss offered an apologetic look.
Wanting to break the tension in the air, Naruto spoke first, "Feeling better?"
Katniss simply nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment.
"Good, everybody could use a good cry now and then," joked the blonde with a small grin.
This got a light chuckle out of the girl, who began to lose the redness in her face from the crying she had endured.
"Thanks by the way, for what you did…." said the girl from District 12, who was referring to his kind action in holding her while she cried.
"Don't mention it, just get me a new shirt and we'll call it even," said the blonde with a smile.
Deciding she wanted to get something off her chest, Katniss spoke, "I want to ask you something, Naruto…"
Sliding down so he could sit next to Katniss on the bathroom floor, Naruto responded with a simple, "Hmm?"
"Why do you look out for me? We're going into this arena and only one of us is coming out… so why do you even care how I am?" asked Katniss with genuine curiosity.
It only made sense to her after all, why would her competitor not let her fall into more misery? It would be more beneficial to his survival if she was in a worse mental state before the Games began.
"Oh, that?" Naruto said with a grin, "It's simple really… it's because you're my friend, and I don't abandon my friends."
Such a simple answer, it was so simple it almost felt childish to Katniss. But, it was his honest response and she could respect that.
"Friends… I guess we are friends…" thought the girl, remembering all the times Naruto helped her without asking for anything in return.
After a few seconds of comfortable silence, Katniss spoke up once more, "Hey Naruto, I never did thank you for this, but thank you for saving Greasy Sae all those years back…"
Ironically, Naruto had no idea what she was talking about at first given his blank look, which earned him a giggle from the girl.
However, after a few more seconds of deep thought, it all clicked for him. He snapped his fingers in recognition, "Oh! You mean that old lady I helped from those thugs a while back!"
Katniss smiled, "Yes, that old lady is pretty special to me, so I appreciate you looking out for her. She told me everything and I never thanked you for that, so thank you."
Naruto waved off her thanks, "No need to thank me, I was just in the right place at the right time. Anybody with common sense would have jumped in, I was just the first one."
Katniss shook her head in amusement, this blonde just couldn't accept approval from anyone. He was too modest in his opinion, but it did make him more endearing if she was being honest.
"Wait, did I just think it made him more 'endearing'?" thought a surprised Katniss as her cheeks began to blush, "…I think I need to sleep this off now…"
Getting up suddenly, Katniss offered her hand to the fellow tribute. Seeing the offered hand, Naruto took it and rose himself.
"Thanks for this Naruto, I appreciate it," began Katniss, "But I don't want us to get too comfortable, just because, well, you know…." the unsaid statement hung in the air.
Katniss was afraid of getting too close to Naruto, after all, they were going to battle to the death soon enough. The less chance of hesitating, the better chance she had of going back home to Prim.
Naruto finished up their conversation, "Don't worry Katniss, I understand. But just know, I'll find a way to bring us both back and then District 12 will have two more victors," with his final words said, Naruto walked back into his room.
"A way for both of us to come back?…. I would like that…" thought a content Katniss.
Before Naruto could close his bedroom door, she stated one last thing on her mind.
"Hey, Naruto…" spoke Katniss softly. The blonde tribute looked over at the girl.
"I also wanted to thank you for helping me afford my mother's medicine at the time… it possibly saved her life and I couldn't imagine her being gone…"
Naruto let out a small grin and said, "Of course, that's what friends are for." With that being said, he slowly closed his door with a soft click.
Katniss then walked into her room and went to bed.
What neither person realized was that Effie had stood behind her closed door with a smile on her face. She had awoken when Katniss was scream-crying earlier and wanted to see if she was in any danger.
Effie almost opened her door before she heard Naruto's whispers comforting Katniss, which stopped her instantly. Their entire conversation was overheard by the woman and she realized their relationship went deeper than she initially thought.
In another part of the train car, Haymitch also overheard the conversation between Naruto and Katniss. He stayed in bed instead of getting up to his door like Effie. Now, while he didn't hear everything, he heard enough to understand their dynamic. Now, as they were nearing the Capitol, he wondered how both of these fighters could survive their time in the arena.
The Next Morning
Katniss, Naruto, Effie, and Haymitch were all sitting in the dining room doing their own thing. Effie and Haymitch were watching the TV provided within the train car while Naruto was reading a book he found revolving around which berries were edible in the wild. It never hurt to touch up on what he already knew.
As for Katniss, she was staring out the window and looking at the dandelions that passed by. To her, the dandelions symbolized hope for her and her family when times were tough in District 12. The many challenges she had while growing up were always solved by the woods.
The animals, plants, berries, and everything that provided sustenance in the wild had provided much for them over the years. As the field of dandelions was passing by, she could only think about how much she loved being in the wild. That was her home element, where she felt the most comfortable.
Funny enough, she didn't see the grand buildings in the background until she realized they were coming across a large body of water. Instantly, her stomach dropped and she felt a lump in her throat.
They were now officially in the Capitol.
Feeling the train car come to a stop, everybody turned around to face a multitude of people waiting for their arrival. Katniss, who was still stuck at the window, didn't know what to do. She froze at seeing so many people look at them like they were celebrities.
Naruto instantly came up beside her and suddenly, she felt much more at ease. This also made a pit in her stomach as she didn't want to rely on Naruto or get too comfortable with him, they were being sent to their death after all.
"Remember, this is all a show for them… so let's put on a show…" whispered Naruto to Katniss, who nodded.
Putting on a grand smile, Naruto waved at the people on the other side of the glass window from the train car. He even gave a few grand bows which earned him squeals from some of the women.
Soon enough, they could hear the phrases being yelled from the crowd in the train station such as:
"That's them! The volunteers!"
"Look at that guy's smile! Such a cutie!"
"They both look like a couple!"
That last phrase caught Naruto's attention immediately. After all, the words that Haymitch gave a while back kept on ringing in his head.
Naruto knew they needed sponsors to try and increase their chances of winning this death match, so he had been trying relentlessly to think of an angle both he and Katniss could play into.
Funny enough, that crazed fan may have just given him an idea he didn't think of before.
Haymitch was quick to take control however as he led both tributes down the hall. He spoke as they walked down a long hallway.
"Alright listen because things are about to get hectic," Naruto and Katniss perked up at this, "You're both going to get a prep team and a stylist to determine what you'll wear into the interviews. Remember our deal, no fighting back…"
Katniss rolled her eyes but complied nonetheless at his statement.
Effie tried her best to keep up with the pace, but it was rather hard with the high heels she had on. It almost felt like the trio had forgotten about her as soon as they walked off the train car.
Stopping at a crossway, Haymitch directed both young adults to their respective rooms. After sharing one last glance and a nod, both tributes walked off to meet their prep team. They were now in the Remake Center.
"Welp, I already hate this…" thought an irritated Naruto as he stood naked before his prep team. They were all from the Capitol and saw him as a product to perfect, not a human being. Which was fine with him, he didn't see them as human beings either with their weird outfits and creepy makeup.
They had trimmed his hair, shaved his body, clipped his nails, and even whitened his teeth more than they were originally. He didn't notice any difference, but apparently, they were now shining according to his prep team.
Once they were done poking at his naked body like he was some kind of lab rat, a woman walked in with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Portia! I'll be your stylist for this upcoming Hunger Games!" spoke the woman as she walked around Naruto while gathering his measurements.
Feeling her hands on his foot as she checked his shoe size, Naruto awkwardly responded with, "Uhh… hi Portia, I'm Naruto…"
He didn't know how to introduce himself or talk to somebody who kept surveying your naked body.
After a few minutes of constant inspection, Portia finally finished what she was looking for and wrote down on her clipboard what she needed to do.
Feeling frustrated, Naruto asked, "So can I finally dress myself?"
"Hmm?" asked Portia, looking up from her clipboard, "Oh yes! You could have done that the moment I walked in. You didn't need to be naked for my inspection."
Naruto blinked, "So then why didn't you tell me that?"
Portia gave a wink, "Well, it doesn't hurt to get a free show! Plus, I got more accurate size dimensions after measuring your naked body!"
"Okay it's official, everybody in this Capitol is weird…" pondered the blonde.
He only wondered if Katniss was doing any better.
With Katniss
"Okay… that felt… weird…" spoke Katniss to herself as she awaited the arrival of her stylist.
After her prep team finished waxing her body, painting her nails, and plucking her hair, she was now waiting for the stylist.
She had been waiting for a few minutes and was clothed in a robe. Soon enough, a man walked into the room and introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you Katniss, I'm Cinna. I'll be your stylist," announced Cinna in a calm and gentle voice.
Katniss said the first thing that came to her mind, "How are you from the Capitol? Everyone looks so weird here and you look…normal…"
Cinna gave a small laugh in return, "We'll my head isn't so far into the clouds I can't see what's going on."
Cinna then continued, "I did want to say sorry about your selection, I know it wasn't easy. Being here is never something you want to happen."
Despite only knowing Cinna for about one minute at this point, Katniss felt a connection to the man because of his honesty. It was refreshing to finally have somebody who didn't pretend everything about the Hunger Games was fine.
Katniss then asked her question, "So are you here because they forced you to? Helping out one of the weaker Districts?"
Cinna shook his head, "Actually, I chose District 12 as this is my first year as a stylist."
This surprised Katniss, who willingly chooses the poorest district to help as a first-year stylist?
Cinna then cleared his throat, "I wanted to ask…" Katniss perked up, "Were you told about sponsors? Why they're useful?"
Katniss nodded, "Yes I have, the only issue is I'm not good at making the best impressions…"
She thought back to how Naruto instantly took control of the crowd of people who were there when they arrived. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she couldn't do anything like that. Not even close to it.
"Well…" Cinna said with a smile, "That's why I'm here to help. We're going to make sure that you leave an impression so great, people will remember Katniss Everdeen."
"But how will we do that?" asked Katniss.
"Easy, we make sure that you look stylish when entering the Tribute Parade later tonight," responded Cinna.
Katniss grimaced at the thought of what came, "So we'll be covered in what, coal dust? Wearing miner outfits?"
Cinna shook his head, "No, that's only going to make you forgettable and that spells certain death. Instead, we're going to do something that's never been done before for District 12."
Looking the girl in the eyes, Cinna spoke in a clear tone of voice, "How do you feel about fire?"
Katniss simply let out a smile in response.
AND DONE! That's the first chapter in a long list that I plan to write. This story will follow from the beginning to the end of the franchise.
I set up a lot of plot strings in this chapter that will be hit later on in the story, so keep an eye out for that!
Just a quick recap, Naruto has a jewel necklace from his mother and has his dad's wedding ring now. Katniss also has the Mockingjay pin.
Once again, thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review!
Until next time, cheers!