Hope you all enjoy this chapter! The story is coming closer to an end!
Disclaimer: I don't own "The Hunger Games" or "Naruto," they belong to their respective owners.
Shrouded in Pain
The Capitol – Snow's Mansion
Snow sat around with his presidential cabinet as they viewed the hologram in the middle of their table. It was a recording of what their cameras captured back in District 2. Each person had a respective meal on their plate, with a glass of wine to go with it. A chandelier was set dangling from the room.
If you were to look closely, you could see that everybody in the room wore anxious expressions. They were nervous just being in the man's presence.
As the recording played, nobody dared to miss a single detail. Some of the occupants in the room even felt their eyes begin to burn because they were not blinking.
They didn't want to risk missing even a single frame while in the presence of President Snow.
The hologram recorded the moments when Katniss Everdeen was shot down by two bullets within District Two. The reactions of everyone present were those of screams and shouts for her safety. Gale, Haymitch, Boggs, and other nearby individuals provided cover for the young girl.
It was then seen that her unconscious body was dragged out of the camera's view before the hologram ended.
Standing up, Snow grabbed the champagne glass that he had on the table. In the next second, everyone else sitting around the table also stood up in alert. They all copied the man's actions by raising their respective glass as well.
"A toast," Snow began while looking around the room, "Please, enjoy your drink with me." With that said Snow began to take a light sip of his drink. Everyone else in the room followed suit, by drinking as well.
Placing the glass back down from his lips, Snow looked across the room to his Minister of Defense. He eyed the man carefully, watching him like a hawk.
"Antonius, can you please tell everybody here what we're celebrating?" Snow asked.
"Of course, President Snow," Antonius responded with nervous eyes, "We celebrated the death of the rebellion, the death of the Mockingjay. Without her, the uprising has lost its voice and power. If Naruto wasn't going to kill her, then her ignorance would."
Snow heard this answer, he understood this answer, but he didn't accept this answer. However, instead of making a scene, the man simply sipped from his champagne glass. Once again, everybody followed in his lead.
Taking a seat in his chair, Snow watched as everybody made themselves comfortable once more. Once he was satisfied, he spoke out in the room, "You see, that's the same kind of thinking that led you to place our best Peacekeepers in District Two. Now, it's a burning mess after the rebels attacked it."
Looking around the room at the various reactions, Snow spoke once more. "Do you know why that was a bad decision, Antonius?"
Antonius wanted to answer, but he was fearful of being wrong. Instead, he shook his head while holding a facade of calmness.
"The idiotic reason is because District Two was already fiercely loyal to our cause. Why would we send in more troops to a District that doesn't need them? We could have sent in any number of Peacekeepers into Two, but why our best ones? Why not send them to more rebellious Districts?" Snow answered with a hum, "Do you see where I'm going with this, Antonius?"
Antonius nodded, understanding Snow's logic.
Leaning back in his chair, Snow kept his eyes on the Minister of Defense. He didn't speak for a few moments, allowing the tension in the room to rise. "Did you see Ms. Everdeen's body get dragged away, Antonius?"
"Yes sir," responded the man.
"That tells me she's still alive," Snow said, "Well that, and also the fact that the rebellion hasn't lost steam in any way." Keeping his eyes peeled, he once again looked to his Minister of Defense. "I'm afraid that is not what we were toasting to."
Antonius gulped silently, he found that it was rather hard to do so.
Looking around the room, Snow said with a booming voice, "I expect the rebels to invade the Capitol within a matter of weeks. We are going to evacuate the outer blocks of our city and prepare to fend off an invasion. I want our aircraft defenses to be prepared, running, and on alert. We will also have our Gamemakers modify each step of this city, to make the rebels pay for every centimeter of land they take. For every step they take, it will be coated in blood."
Antonius then felt a knot well up in his throat. It was getting harder and harder to breathe each second that went by.
"So, now that you understand we were not toasting the Mockingjay's death," Snow answered mockingly, "What were we toasting to, Antonius?"
"Sir… we were… I…" Antonius was feeling rather hot and dizzy. The room was spinning for him while his throat was closing up. It was getting harder to speak. Gripping the table cloth sharply, Antonius could feel a sliver of blood come rolling down his nose.
"We were toasting to an era," Snow said calmly, "Coming to an end…"
Hearing a loud thud, everyone turned their eyes to see Antonius fall face-first into his dinner plate. A small pool of blood began to surround the man's head. It was clear he was dead.
While nobody said anything publicly, they all knew internally what had happened. Snow had murdered the Minister of Defense with his signature poison. It was brutal, it was cruel, but it was clear to everyone in the room. Failure of any kind was not tolerated by the man.
Soon after, the dinner ended and each person went back to their respective duties. Others decided to not eat as much, fearing their food could have also been poisoned.
Once he was alone in his office, Snow looked around his walls. As his eyes glanced at the numerous trophies, achievements, and accomplishments of his lifetime, he landed on something interesting. The one failure in his life was also on display for all to see.
Granted, most people who saw this didn't ask questions about it. If they did, they didn't stay alive for much longer. It was something that confused even Snow himself. He didn't know why he wanted to remind himself of his one failure in life, but he did.
Walking over to a glass case in the wall, Snow wiped his thumb over the label. There, framed in the center, was one broken earing. It was a rather old piece of jewelry that had seen better days.
"Lucy Gray Baird," Snow whispered to himself. Nobody could hear him after all, he was alone in the room. The woman from so long ago often reminded him of how he failed to get what he wanted.
Back when he was young, before being President of Panem, he was in love. His one love was a girl from District Twelve, Lucy Gray Baird.
It seemed like almost a lifetime ago he used to hear her voice. Her song, "The Hanging Tree," often rang out in his head. It was quite ironic that Katniss Everdeen also sang the same tune in her propaganda video. Quite the coincidence in his mind.
As he stood there, peering into the glass case, Snow chuckled to himself. After all this time, he admitted to himself that he gave his pain to others.
When he heard about Edwin breaking his Peacekeeper vows many years ago, he could have ignored it. He could have had somebody else handle it, he didn't necessarily need to make an appearance or interfere directly.
But something inside of him hated the man for his decision. It was what he tried to do, but failed. However, Edwin did the same thing and succeeded, which brought him rage.
"What a chain of events," Snow mentally laughed, "Who would have thought the same man would go on to teach a brat that reminded me of myself?"
Naruto Uzumaki then popped into his mind. The boy reminded him of his own self at that age. It was quite frightening of the parallels that life had thrown at him.
Ms. Everdeen and Mr. Uzumaki, falling in love during the Hunger Games. It was an event that Snow would never admit took a greater toll on himself than it should have. He didn't need to directly involve himself in their lives, but he did.
The worst part is that he didn't regret it either. Lucy Gray Baird had left an everlasting imprint on his soul that he held deep within himself. He realized now that he took that pain out on others who held similar life experiences to his own.
It was selfish, it was cruel, but it was in his nature. He often wondered if he would see the woman on the other side when he died. When he was gone from this world, would Lucy Gray Baird still be singing the songs he dreamt about?
Snow gave one final glance at the glass case before walking off. He decided to turn into bed for the night.
As he walked, he thought back to the times that Lucy Gray and he spent together. When they were young, happy, and in love. He remembered how she often plucked roots from the ground, naming one of them 'swamp potato' as well. However, he remembered the unofficial name she had given the root that stuck with him.
"Katniss."
District Thirteen – Command Room
"Thank you for everything you've done to this point," Coin said with a smile, "But I called you here to let you know, you're not required to do anything anymore. You've upheld your end of the deal, I've upheld mine."
Katniss sat across from the president in disbelief at what she was hearing. She was spending time with Naruto, who was slowly recovering before Boggs walked in. He informed her that Coin had requested her presence.
After separating from her fiance, she stood up and left the room he was in. For the first time in weeks, Katniss truly felt a little more at peace.
"What do you mean?" Katniss sputtered, "The fight isn't over, we haven't won yet."
"I know," Coin agreed, "But what I'm saying is that let us handle the end of this conflict. We can end this with our resources, there's no need to put yourself in danger anymore."
Plutarch sat next to Coin and silently wrote down some notes.
"So now that I'm not needed anymore, I get thrown away?" Katniss asked with a face of contempt.
"It's not like that," Coin shook her head, "We want you to rest, to heal. We can even fly you in after we win this war to speak at the surrender."
"The last time our troops saw me, I was unconscious," Katniss spat back, "I need to be there with them, show them that I'm alive."
"We can do that here," Plutarch interrupted, "We can shoot more propos, to show everybody that you're fine."
Coin agreed, "Exactly. We don't need to risk your safety on the front lines when it isn't necessary."
"You don't understand," Katniss said with a deadly serious tone, "This war is personal for me now. Snow has caused too much damage in my life for him to get away with it. I need to be there."
"Don't take it so harshly," Plutarch said, "Take your time here, enjoy it with Naruto. It's okay to take it easy now."
"No," Katniss said, "I agreed to be your Mockingjay, and I have been. If I'm going to play the part, then I'm going to play it until the bitter end." Facing Coin directly in the eyes, she said, "Place me on the front lines with our troops. You can see that I'm fine, put me out there."
Coin and Plutarch shared a look before the president took a deep sigh. It seemed that the Girl on Fire had a very stubborn attitude when needed.
"Look, even if I wanted to place you with our troops, you haven't been properly trained," Coin pointed out, "There's tactical training you have to undergo, special requirements."
"Then train me," Katniss answered.
"Since when did I begin taking orders from others?" Coin mumbled to herself with a chuckle. Plutarch took this time to write down more information in his notepad.
Straightening up her back, Coin stated, "Fine, we can train you. However, you only have three weeks to get it done. If you get it, I'll put you on the front lines with a squad. If you fail to meet each requirement along the way, then the deal is off and you stay here. Do we have an agreement?"
Katniss nodded, "We do."
"Excellent," Coin said, "I'll have Boggs inform you of the details when ready. For now, enjoy your time here."
Taking her leave and nodding her head, Katniss walked out of the room. This was her second deal made with President Coin, and she was hoping it would go as smoothly as their first one.
District Thirteen – Wedding
The wedding ceremony between Annie and Finnick was a special occasion. Katniss watched with joy as both victors stood at the alter with their hands interlocked.
She was seated between Haymitch and Effie. Plutarch and Coin could be seen in the front row down the aisle. Everybody wore expressions of joy and awe at the vows being read.
"I, Annie Cresta, take Finnick Odair to be my wedded husband. I promise to take you in sickness and in health, in richer and poorer. I promise to cherish you each day I am alive and love you unconditionally until my last breathe."
Cressida stood out of sight with her camera crew, recording the entire event.
"I, Finnick Odair, take Annie Cresta to be my lovely wedded wife. Whether we are together or apart, we will always be united. We share one life, one body, one mind, and one soul. From this day forward, I promise to ensure your safety as well as my love for you."
The marriage officiant then spoke up between the couple. Sporting a big smile on their face, he said, "You may now kiss the bride."
As the couple kissed and the crowd cheered, Katniss got lost in thought. Deep inside her mind, she secretly wished that it was her and Naruto standing up there instead. She supposed it would happen one day, but seeing it before her eyes really made the event real for her.
She fiddled with the wedding band on her finger, feeling the cool steel. It held so much more weight to her now, symbolizing the love both shared. It also brought a smile to her face, knowing that one day she would also be recognized as a wife.
It didn't take long for the celebration to turn into dancing. People laughed, drank, and partied for hours on end. It was a joyous ceremony, full of smiles all around.
Looking over to her side, she saw Effie having a slow dance with Haymitch in the corner of the room. "Effie and Haymitch together?… I could see it," Katniss thought with a chuckle.
The slow dancing rhythm then changed into a more fast-paced style of music. People got around to form circles, and everybody began dancing together. In the middle of the room, was the bride and groom laughing together. They were encircled by man District Thirteen civilians who were having a good time.
Standing off to the side, stood Katniss with a smile. While the event was joyous and everybody was in a good mood, she couldn't help but wish Naruto could have joined as well. It hurt her heart knowing that while couples were everywhere, she was left alone.
Feeling a presence beside her, Katniss looked over to see that Johanna had joined her. The woman still had her head shaved, but she could see the signs of hair regrowth appear.
"I heard you visited Naruto," Johanna said while keeping her eyes ahead, "How did that go?"
"It went well," Katniss admitted, "He's slowly getting better at fighting off the memories they implanted in him."
"Well, I'll tell you what," Johanna responded while scratching her nose, "He was much better at hiding his pain than I was back there. He probably heard my screams, but I could never really hear his."
Katniss bit her lip in sadness at hearing this confession. It only reminded her of the horrors he endured back in the Capitol, alone.
Deciding to change the conversation, Katniss said, "Coin gave me three weeks to train and prepare so I can be sent into the Capitol. We already have boots on the ground over there, and every second I spend here is driving me crazy."
"Really?" Johanna said with a raised eyebrow, "Looks like I'll have to see if I can train with you. I wouldn't mind going back into the action."
"Well then I'll be expecting to see you there," Katniss responded with a smile.
The bond between both girls seemed to be much better than it had been previously. Having their heart-to-heart conversation made them feel more comfortable with each other.
"Enough of this serious stuff," Johanna said before turning to Katniss, "You should go dance, after all, don't you want Snow to see you have fun for once?"
"You know what?" Katniss said, "You're right." With one final look, Katniss joined the fray and began her dance. It wasn't complicated after seeing the others do it for so long. She managed to squeeze right in between her sister and mother.
It was a fun time for the Girl on Fire. She was then pulled into a one-on-one dance by her sister. Smiling reluctantly, she allowed herself to be pulled in and both siblings danced away.
As Katniss danced with Prim, she viewed the young woman her sister had developed into. From the little girl at the 74th Hunger Games to being a doctor-in-training was truly remarkable. It almost made her cry from the pride she felt.
In the next moment, Katniss let go of Prim's hands and brought her into a tight embrace. Feeling confused at first, Prim decided to return the hug.
"You know Prim, I'm very proud of you," Katniss whispered, "You've come such a long way."
"I know," Prim responded in a small voice, "I'm proud of you too."
Katniss squeezed a little tighter after hearing this. "I wanted to let you know, that if anything ever happens to me on the battlefield, I love you so much. If I ever… die out there… just know you've made me so proud as a big sister."
Prim squeezed back, "I love you too sister. I know you try so hard in everything you do, and I love you for that." Pushing her sister back, both girls saw each other face-to-face. "But you won't die out there, I won't let you. I'm gonna be a doctor so every time you need to be patched up, I'll be there."
Katniss kissed the top of Prim's head and held her close, "I know, you'll always be there."
The sisters hugged that way for a while, basking in the other's presence. Katniss knew it may have been wrong of her to prepare her sister for her death, but she couldn't bring herself to not notify her of the reality. It was always a risk being out in live combat.
Katniss made sure to hug Prim extra tight before the wedding was over.
District Thirteen – One Week Later
Katniss sat around with Finnick, Gale, and Johanna in the cafeteria. The four had been placed together during training as they all wanted to go onto the battlefield. So far, each member had high marks as they were used to combat scenarios by now.
It was weird for Katniss to see Finnick prepare for war so soon after his wedding, but she also knew it was necessary. Every person who wanted to contribute to this war effort prepared themselves in their own way.
Karin had also been introduced to the team. While it took a while for Finnick, Gale, and Johanna to warm up to her, they eventually did in their own ways. Johanna seemed to get along best with her as they both shared the same type of humor.
Karin also turned into the tactical mind of the group. While her physical marks weren't as high as the others in the group, it was the highest in terms of battle intelligence. Katniss was at a close second and she went through two Hunger Games. This spoke wonders of how tactical Karin was.
Despite being considered the 'brains' of the group so far, each squad member held their respective weight in tactical operations. However, something that Karin excelled at very well, was being a medic for the team. She had apparently read many medical textbooks while in the Capitol, earning her some key knowledge of their medical field.
While they all ate in comfortable silence, Karin was noticeably absent from the group. Currently, she was in a meeting with Coin for some reason she wasn't allowed to disclose.
Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Katniss looked up to see something that surprised her. There, walking into the room, was Naruto accompanied by two guards. He had a pair of loose handcuffs on, as he scanned the room. There was a tray in his hand full of food, clearly, he was searching for a place to sit.
Before she could say anything, it was Johanna who beat her to it.
"Hey lover boy!" Johanna yelled out in the cafeteria, "We're over here! Come sit down!"
Hearing a shout, Naruto looked over to see the group. With a soft smile, the warrior walked over with his two guards. Sitting down next to Johanna and across from Katniss, the group settled in.
"It's okay," Finnick spoke up while taking a bite out of his apple, "We can take it from here. You're good to go." Both guards asked if he was sure, and Finnick responded reassuringly. Taking a few last glances, both guards walked off.
"Thanks," Naruto offered with a smile.
"No worries," Finnick said, taking another bite of his apple.
Katniss then placed her hand over Naruto's, "How's the treatment going? Are things getting better?"
Shortly after Finnick's wedding, Coin had assigned a new treatment plan for her lover. To help manage his memories and outbursts, Naruto had been allowed to indulge in his hobbies. This included playing his guitar and tying knots like he used to when setting traps for his poached game back in District Twelve.
He even picked up a new hobby while going through this treatment, which was writing in a journal. He was advised to write down his thoughts by Plutarch. So after some consideration, Naruto kept a personal notebook of his life. He wrote down his thoughts, memories, and daily occurrences in the journal. It did help slightly in keeping his sanity through the dark memories.
However, the main treatment they did for the Victor, was the injection of morphling. After being injected with the drug, he was reminded of happy memories of the Girl on Fire. Last week, he had been shown his wedding proposal that he did on live TV. This week, he was shown the song that he recorded for Katniss after she had donated the black disc for his treatment plan.
The jewel necklace hanging off of Katniss's neck remained there. She had tried giving it back, but Naruto said it was best for her to keep it for now. He wanted it back after he was better and fully in control of his body.
"They're getting better, Kat," Naruto responded with tired eyes, "It's exhausting to go through it all, but it's slowly working. I don't feel the urges as much anymore."
"That's good," Katniss whispered with watery eyes, "That's really good."
The rest of the lunch happened with no trouble. Naruto was able to eat, speak, and have a few laughs with the others at the table. He was even courteous with Gale, whom he had seen numerous times kiss his fiance while in the Capitol.
After finishing his lunch, the group got ready to return their trays and go back to training.
"Kat," Naruto spoke up while finishing his food.
"Hmm?" the girl hummed back.
"I overheard Boggs speaking with Coin earlier. They plan on training me soon if I keep getting better."
"That's good!" Katniss said with a large smile, "Then you'll be able to join us!"
Naruto nodded with a smile, "That's the plan. I just hope I can get it all under control."
"You will," Katniss said with unwavering confidence. She looked into her partner's eyes and said, "I know you, you will. They couldn't break you back there, and they still won't be able to break you now!"
Naruto picked up Katniss's hand and gave it a small kiss. This brought a small blush to the Girl on Fire's cheeks, but she smiled nonetheless. It was a small gesture, but it reminded her of the physical contact she missed. They used to cuddle, kiss, and hug all the time, but now it was much different. Even the smallest of romantic gestures meant the world to her.
District Thirteen – Two Weeks Later
The training had gone off without a hitch. As they spent time together, the team got to know one another in a better way.
The only problem at all was the fact that Karin generally didn't like Gale. It seemed that she always kept a careful eye on the man as he still seemed to harbor romantic feelings for Katniss.
Normally, she wouldn't care about any of this. However, she didn't want Gale hitting on Katniss when she was engaged to her cousin. She never publicly said anything or caused a scene about her suspicions, but she stayed alert nonetheless.
As for the physical aspect of their exams, Gale was at the top so far. His physical build allowed for more overall strength and stamina of the group so far.
However, Finnick was at the top of their training class in terms of combat experience. Whenever they sparred or trained, he usually came out on top. He only ever lost to Katniss and rarely to anybody else. It didn't surprise the group as Finnick was the best hand-to-hand fighter besides Naruto.
In terms of tactical operations, Karin still kept her spot at the top. Katniss kept on trying to overtake the girl, but it was proving to be more difficult than she initially thought. Of course, it was playful competition for the girls but Katniss still tried her best regardless.
Johanna however, was the most surprising of the group. While she was not at the top of the group in any specific category, she was the most consistent person on the squad. She had high marks in many of the tests and seemed to be getting better as time went on.
Each person on the training squad had their strengths, which were recognized in training. They understood that they could rely on each other. Katniss was best at long-range targets, Finnick was best in close quarters, Gale could handle heavy loads, Johanna was able to adapt to any environment quickly, and Karin was a mastermind on the battlefield.
It would be a deadly squad if they could all continue to pass their training exercises. They only had one week left until they were either cleared or denied for combat. It was nerve-racking for them, as they were getting closer to seeing live combat once more.
As for Coin, she kept close watch over this training group. It was surprising for her how fast they were adapting and advancing, but she supposed this was a good thing. If they could handle the tactical training, then they would fare much better on the battlefield.
Reports were given to President Coin each day, giving her updates on their progress. They only had one week left before the final inspection would occur.
When the group wasn't training together, they would often split up to do their things. Finnick spent much of his free time with his wife, Johanna went to therapy to combat her morphing addiction, Gale would be seen spending time with Beetee, Karin would often disappear with Coin, and Katniss would visit Naruto.
That's not to say that Karin also didn't visit her cousin. The two often caught up as best they could, given that Karin hadn't been in his life for long. It felt nice for the victor to hear about his mother from another source.
Overall, the squad was coming together quite nicely.
District Thirteen – Old Training Center
Naruto had slowly been eating more and more since his arrival in District Thirteen. He was currently training with Boggs in an old training center Coin let them use. Their troops didn't train here anymore, so it was perfect for just the two of them. He couldn't be trusted enough just yet to integrate with the other troops.
His body no longer showed his ribs or collarbone anymore, as he was putting on some healthy weight again.
Karin had been able to help his fingernails grow back more rapidly. With a special injection, she claimed he would have all of his fingernails back in a week. Now, a week later, he could say that his fingernails were back. They were fully grown on each finger. Albeit, they were weak and needed more time to strengthen but they were back.
As he was training with Boggs, they decided it would be best to stick to his original weapons. He was handed two trench knives and a pouch of throwing knives. These were only made of rubber for now, as he wasn't trusted to use sharp steel just yet
These training exercises were follow-ups to previous ones, and he was getting better at adjusting his body. It was a while since he had been in an active combat situation, so these training scenarios helped a lot.
Their training center had two guards posted at each entrance. They were there just in case Naruto needed to be restrained again. Each one was ready with a sedative in their pocket.
Boggs was able to get the day off to help personally train the brainwashed warrior, given that he also wanted to help. He saw how much this person meant to everyone and didn't mind chipping in any way he could.
"Again," Boggs said in a soft tone with his arms crossed.
Naruto chuckled and dropped his throwing knife in hand. He was in the process of throwing his knives down range, aiming at targets in the distance.
"Did I say something funny?" Boggs asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, sorry," the victor said with a grin, "You just reminded me of an old friend, that's all."
Naruto saw Edwin standing instead of Boggs, holding the same pose. Naruto shook his head from those thoughts. Edwin was gone and he had to live with that.
Picking his knife back up, Naruto planted his feet. Aiming, he threw the rubber knife directly into the target's head. It bounced off harmlessly, but it hit its mark in the end.
He wanted to get better mentally, he wanted to help fight in this war. That's also why he was so persistent in training, to get his mind off the torture and benefit the team at the same time.
"Not bad," Boggs said, "You're getting better at holding your stance when you throw. Your hands don't tremor as much anymore either."
"Thanks," Naruto replied while taking a deep breath. He was still getting used to training again after so long.
Boggs clapped his hands, "Let's take a five-minute break. Then I'll show you some close-combat scenarios."
Nodding his head, the blonde grabbed a towel he had nearby. After wiping his forehead from the sweat accumulated, he sighed. Their training had been going on for about three hours now, and he could confidently say his tremors were calming down.
He sometimes had flashes of Katniss killing his loved ones, which gave him a throbbing migraine. Whenever he held his head or collapsed to his knees, Boggs would know he was going through an episode. It would be a long path to recovery.
After a few minutes of resting and chatting, both were back at it.
"Here, let me show you something," Boggs said while positioning himself. "What I'm about to show you is a variety of submission holds. I learned a few of these back in my basic training, and some I learned along the way."
Clearing his throat, Boggs continued, "You may already know some of these, but I'm going to show you the proper technique. Some of these can be used if you need to tire your opponent out, or if you need to kill them."
Staring at Naruto straight in the eyes, Boggs said in a serious tone of voice, "I'm placing a lot of trust in you by showing you this, don't prove me wrong."
Naruto nodded, equally as serious, "I won't."
Eyeing the former tribute for a few more seconds, Boggs nodded. He proceeded to teach Naruto a few submission holds that he knew, as well as some new ones.
As the training continued, Naruto just tried to fight back the numerous dark memories that flashed in his mind every few seconds.
Capitol Outskirts – Three Weeks Later
Katniss released a deep sigh as she looked around. Beside her stood Gale and Finnick as they waited inside a tent. It seemed Karin was assigned a different unit after arriving.
They had all been able to pass the final selection of their training course. All of them, except Johanna. One of their final tests was going through underwater scenarios, and Johanna had unfortunately been triggered by horrendous memories while submerged. It reminded her too much of the Capitol's torture.
After comforting the woman and telling her it was fine, the rest of the squad had passed. Johanna was forced to be left behind in District Thirteen, but Katniss had been able to speak to her privately. Through a heartfelt conversation, Johanna slowly realized that it would be okay to stay behind.
Now, they were here in the Capitol. Upholding her end of the deal, Coin had transported each member into the Capitol's outskirts to be debriefed into their new squad.
After landing down on the ground, Katniss was bombarded by many people cheering for her. They were glad to see her healthy, alive, and well after last being seen on the ground in District Two.
The group also attended a speech given by Commander Paylor. They were ordered to not target civilians as well as were supported by medical brigades to help those wounded. This left Katniss with a pit in her stomach, not knowing if her sister was among the team.
The most interesting part of the speech was when Commander Paylor explained that President Snow had placed many traps around the Capitol. There were these triggers called 'pods' that activated once somebody was in their presence. The end target was to infiltrate Snow's mansion and finally end this war.
Katniss was ready however, she wanted to personally end Snow's life. It was time to finally put an end to his tyrannical reign.
The squad of four stood and went through their belongings, ensuring they had everything they needed. Finnick was off-tying knots while Karin was reading a medical textbook. Even Gale was occupying his mind by balancing his crossbow on his hands.
Soon enough, everybody inside the tent heard the flap being pushed aside. Commander Boggs then walked in with a few people behind him. The squad was surprised to see that they were going to be assigned with such a familiar face.
"Come around," Boggs ordered while waving his hands, "It's time to meet your unit."
Everybody then stopped what they were doing, grabbed their respective backpacks, and walked over to the man.
"This is Lieutenant Jackson," Boggs pointed to a woman with short brown hair and dark eyes, "She's my second-in-command and has high combat experience."
"This is second Lieutenant Mitchell," Boggs pointed to a dark-haired man with sharp eyes, "He's one of the best sharpshooters around."
"These," Boggs pointed out to two blonde women in ponytails with identical faces, "Are the Leeg sisters. They are identical twins, so we call them Leeg One and Leeg Two to make things simple."
Katniss had a hard time pointing them out until she realized that Leeg 1 had yellow flecks in her eyes.
"Finally, we have Corporal Homes," Boggs finished. The man had a dark beard with slicked-back hair. He was on the short side in terms of height.
Hearing more rustling, the group turned their heads to see Cressida and her camera crew walk in. They each looked to be prepared for combat, while also carrying the recording equipment.
"Perfect," Boggs smiled, "Now we have everyone here."
"This is a rather large squad," Katniss pondered.
"Listen up," Boggs boomed with his voice, "We are now officially known as Squad 451, otherwise known as the 'star squad' in this war. Every one of you is placed on this team because of your high capabilities in combat. However, despite this, we are a non-combat unit." Boggs made sure to stress this word to everyone around.
Instantly, Katniss felt her eyebrows scrunch in confusion. Why were they all a non-combat unit?
"We are going to be days behind the front-line troops," Lieutenant Jackson said, "We won't be rushing into any direct combat or firefights."
Cressida then chose to speak up at this moment as well, "You are all going to be the faces of this war as the rebellion continues, hence the name 'star' squad. As we progress, we'll be shooting videos to capture the moment live."
While she didn't say it aloud, Katniss was having mixed emotions about this. Even now, in live combat, she wasn't allowed to express herself freely. She had to be the 'face' of this war, instead of fighting in it. Once more, she was a pawn being used for other's gain. However, instead of the Capitol using her, it was Coin.
"Our orders are to shoot propaganda videos while we're on the battlefield," Boggs clarified. "We're hoping this intimidates our enemies, and forces surrender. The quicker we get this done, the quicker this war can be over."
"However, despite the fact we will be miles behind," Lieutenant Jackson pointed out, "We will still treat these war zones as live combat scenarios. Expect to encounter enemy forces while we are out."
Boggs nodded, "Everyone will be distributed a Nightlock pill in case of capture. Once swallowed, this will kill you in a matter of seconds."
Boggs then handed a black case to Lieutenant Jackson, who went around and gave everybody one Nightlock pill.
"Now I know I've stressed the importance of avoiding pods," Boggs continued, "But we had the luxury of being given a Holo for our mission,"
Placing a small, mechanical device on a nearby crate, a hologram appeared suddenly. It was large and had many small red dots across the map. Upon closer inspection, Katniss realized it was a map of the Capitol.
"These pods can trigger a multitude of different things. Mutts, fire, bombs, explosions, you name it. They are to be avoided at all costs, which is why we have a map of them," Boggs explained, "Thanks to Plutarch, we had a general outline of all the pods in the city. However, I want to point out a special someone as well."
Boggs said, "Karin also provided our team with more information on pod locations. It is estimated that her addition to the map could save hundreds of rebel lives. Thanks to her, we now have a much more accurate reading of these pods."
This made sense to Katniss now. In the instances where Karin separated from the squad during training, she was off helping the military. She was off saving lives in her own way.
"However," Boggs pointed out, "There could very well still be pods that we do not have documented. New pods could be added every day, others could remain undiscovered, and we have no way of knowing. Therefore, we are going to operate on the assumption that our database is incomplete, so we will march carefully."
Finally, Boggs shut off the device and held it up, "This also has a self-destruct sequence embedded within it. We don't want this information to be in the hands of the enemy, so all you have to do is say 'Nightlock' three times, flip this switch," Boggs pointed out the switch, "And this will destroy anything within a ten-foot radius."
"Would you look at that," Finnick whispered over to Katniss with a smile, "I think we just entered the 76th Hunger Games."
Dread filled Katniss's entire body at just hearing the statement.
Capitol Outskirts – One Day's March
Squad 451 marched into the Capitol with scanning eyes. They were miles and days behind the front-line fighting, but they still ensured they were safe. Boggs led the group with the Holo, making sure they weren't walking into any traps.
As they marched, Katniss could only think about her sister. She wondered if Prim was assigned to a medical brigade and if she was, hoping that she would stay safe.
"Hold up," Commanded Boggs with the Holo outstretched, "We have a pod blocking our path." Looking around for any triggers, Boggs saw two small cannons attached to either side of a building.
"Katniss," Boggs said in a stern voice, "I need you to shoot an arrow in between these two buildings."
Nodding her head, Katniss made her way around the building to get a better angle. The group decided to stay far back, taking cover behind an old water fountain. Cressida was able to set up a few cameras to capture this moment.
Taking in a deep breath, Katniss let her arrow fly loose. As it did, two different flame sources erupted into a violent inferno. They stayed that way for a few moments, before running out of fuel.
"I see…" Boggs thought with narrowed eyes, "Those weren't cannons, but flamethrowers…"
"All clear," Lieutenant Jackson spoke out, "Let's move out."
Gathering their things once more, the squad began to make their way out.
Katniss took this moment a little more seriously than others, realizing they would all be dead if it wasn't for the Holo. It was a frightening realization to make as they walked past the trap. These pods truly could kill them all if they weren't careful.
Taking refuge in an old abandoned Capitol shop, the group decided to rest for a while. They drank water, ate food rations, and rested. As they did, they heard a truck being driven on the road they came from.
"Are those Peacekeepers?" Gale warned out while grabbing his crossbow. Everybody else prepared themselves with their respective weapons. Katniss and Finnick were the first ones outside, ready for a fight.
"Stand down," Lieutenant Jackson ordered as she too exited the shop, "It's friendly, I've just been notified."
A lone truck then drove in towards the team's location. It stopped around thirty feet away, with Haymitch and Plutarch getting out. Both were armed, dressed in tactical gear, and stood at attention.
Going around back, Haymitch opened the rear door of the truck and out popped Naruto, dressed in his tactical gear. He had his hair blonde once more, but it seemed to be in a different shade. He most likely dyed it blonde or bleached it back in District Thirteen.
Katniss's eyes lit up with joy at seeing her partner once more. He looked to be more stable, had a smile on his face, and resembled his old self much more.
"I'm assuming Coin sent him in?" Boggs walked forward and asked.
Plutarch nodded.
Everyone then retreated into the building they were once in, while Plutarch and Haymitch drove off. This gave the group time to introduce themselves to the blonde.
After meeting everybody, Naruto was able to produce a smile. It felt good to get out again and be in the open. However, he also knew that he needed restraints for now.
"Naruto," commanded Boggs while walking over.
The young man turned his head at the voice.
"Here's the weapon you'll be carrying," Boggs pointed out before ejecting the magazine, "However, as you can see, it's empty. It'll be for the propo videos we shoot, so it won't be operational in the field. I hope you understand our concerns."
Naruto waved off the man, completely fine with it. After being handed his weapon, the rest of the group got situated.
"Katniss," spoke Boggs.
The Girl on Fire turned over, pausing her conversation with Naruto.
"Please, come with me outside. It'll only be a moment."
Nodding her head, Katniss followed the commander outside. They walked a few meters until Boggs stopped and turned around.
"Listen, Katniss, I'm going to be honest with you…"
Katniss, feeling confused, simply raised an eyebrow.
"I don't think Coin has the best intentions in mind for you."
This statement surprised the young woman, given that she thought Boggs was in full support of President Coin.
"Why do you say that?" Katniss questioned.
Boggs sighed, "Naruto isn't fully in control of his body, hence why he's still in restraints. Yet, Coin still sent him out here…I think she's hoping he kills you, and we're forced to kill him in response."
"B-Boggs…" Katniss sputtered, "That's a serious accusation…"
"It is," Boggs nodded, "But I've been thinking it over, and it would be best for her if she takes you out now. She could simply use the excuse that we were in a warzone in case you die here."
"But why would she want me gone so bad?" Katniss wondered.
"I think she's playing the long game," Boggs admitted, "She's probably seeing you as a political opponent, especially since everyone sees you as a symbol of the rebellion. Once this is all over, I'm sure she wouldn't want to share her power or risk losing it."
"But I don't want to be president!" Katniss professed with her hands up.
"I know," Boggs said, "But I don't think Coin does…"
Katniss sighed and rubbed her face, "So what? What should I do?"
Boggs answered, "Stay true to yourself, but don't trust Coin for now. Even though I serve the woman, I've always felt she's changed after the death of her family… almost as if she's power-hungry…"
"…okay…" Katniss nodded, "I'll keep an eye out…"
"Good, that's all I wanted to say," Boggs smiled, "Now let's go back inside."
The duo returned without incident. However, Katniss was disturbed by the thought of Coin turning on her.
Later that Night
As the group slept inside the ruined building, each member was tasked with taking watch over Naruto. Right now, it was Katniss's turn.
Unlike everyone else who kept their distance and their firearms ready, she was staring at her lover with soft eyes. She would occasionally stroke his hand as well, despite knowing the risks.
Hearing him groan, Katniss watched as Naruto slowly awoke. It took him a few seconds to gather his surroundings, but he remembered where he was. Looking at Katniss, he gave a weak smile.
"Hey Kat…" Naruto said while remaining still, not feeling like moving.
"Hey Ruto…" Katniss responded with a soft voice.
The duo then stared at one another in comfortable silence. Each of them was still trying to bridge the gap the Capitol placed between them.
"I hope I'm not bringing up those memories again…" Katniss admitted.
Naruto shook his head, "No, I'm fine for now. I've been getting them under control lately…it's been tough, but I'm managing…"
Katniss smiled in sadness, still guilty over leaving him behind in the arena.
"However… there is one thing I'm still bad at…."
"What's that?" she asked.
"I still have a hard time deciding which memories are real or not. The Capitol got really good at implanting the fake ones."
"Then just ask," said a voice from the corner of the room, "That's how Annie copes."
The duo turned their heads to see Finnick sitting up, having awoken from the conversation. He was a very light sleeper ever since his experience in the Hunger Games.
Deciding to take his advice, Naruto turned over to his partner, "Your favorite flowers are dandelions, right?"
Katniss nodded with a small smile. "And you always make sure that your door is locked three times before bed," Katniss said back, "You take your time in making breakfast and won't eat until everybody else is ready. You also helped so many people back in District Twelve with poached game and free money."
"Huh," Naruto chuckled, "I guess those memories were true after all."
"They were," Katniss swallowed a lump in her throat while trying not to cry, "And I know the Capitol can't take that away from you, they'll never be able to take that away. Your nature to help others will always be there…"
Naruto didn't say anything, instead choosing to stare at the ceiling.
Katniss softly clutched his hand while she spoke. "You even helped Prim with her homework and showed her how to study more efficiently…"
Naruto gave out a soft laugh, "I do remember that, it was a few months before our victory tour, right?"
Katniss nodded, happy that these memories were slowly coming back to him, "You also helped me become a better person. You helped me… you helped me open my heart. I was cold and distant with so many people, including my mother. But you showed me how to love… and I'll never forget that…"
Katniss then leaned over and gave a soft peck on the blonde's lips. Widening his eyes in surprise, given this was their first moment of intimate contact in so long, Naruto lay there for a second. However, in the next moment, he melted into the kiss and returned her affection.
Pulling back, Katniss smiled, "That's how I know you're still in there."
"What do you mean?" Naruto questioned with rosy cheeks.
"You always kissed me softly," Katniss said in a whisper.
It seemed their love still had a chance in this world.
The Next Morning
After they had awoken, the group had set off on their duties. Boggs led in the front with his Holo, ensuring they wouldn't trigger any pods.
Traveling over a staircase and coming upon a courtyard, Cressida stopped the group.
"This would be a perfect spot for a shoot," Cressida said while looking over the courtyard.
"That's fine," Boggs nodded, "Let's clear it out first."
Walking forward, the group stayed close behind. As they continued forward, they came upon a narrow passageway with two buildings on either side.
Hearing a beep from his Holo, Boggs raised his hand, "Stop, it seems we have a pod. Everybody split and take cover."
Following his orders, the group split on either side. They watched as Boggs grabbed a piece of debris and threw it down the passage.
Immediately, two mounted machine guns sprang forward.
The guns fired off for about ten seconds straight, as the group took cover. The bullets flew over their heads as debris was being flung around. It was a dangerous situation all around.
As the guns died down, Boggs was the first one to speak, "Homes and Gale, you're with me. We're making sure there's nothing left down here."
The three fighters then slowly walked down the narrow passageway with their guns drawn. After clearing the corners, Boggs signaled for both of his fighters to stop. He was the only one walking forward, ensuring there was nothing left.
It all happened in a split second.
BOOM
Covering their eyes from the debris flying everywhere, Gale and Holmes were the first to see what happened. The rest of the squad also rushed in, curious as to what happened.
There, lying in a pool of blood, was Boggs. He was shaking, obviously in shock as he looked around. Both of his legs were blown off, leaving two bloody stumps behind.
"BOGGS!" Screamed out Katniss, worried for the commander.
However, it was Naruto who got to him first. Picking up a piece of straitened, metal rebar, he got to work.
Seeing this, Mitchell was the first to raise his weapon at the blonde, fearing he was going to kill Boggs.
Instead of hurting the man, Naruto was instead trying to save him. Grabbing the cloth from his separated legs, he used it and wrapped it around the rebar. After placing it around one of the stumps, he began to tighten it.
He was effectively making a makeshift tourniquet.
"Thank you Prim for teaching me this…" Naruto thought while spinning the rebar around, stopping the blood flow.
After finishing one leg, he reached for another rebar and prepared to do the same for the other stump. He was able to tie the cloth around the rebar before he heard Boggs speak.
"I-it's no use," the man stuttered in shock, "…b-b-bring me the holo…"
Seeing it nearby, Katniss grabbed it and returned it to the fallen man. Naruto also placed his unused tourniquet in the inside of his jacket, not willing to throw it away just yet.
Boggs began speaking into the device, "Unfit for current duty, transferring top security clearance…"
Looking at the Girl on Fire, Boggs told her to state her name out loud.
"Katniss Everdeen."
Boggs then slumped back onto the ground, feeling the blood loss catch up to him. He was still in massive shock from the wound.
"K-Katniss…" Boggs said while losing strength, "Don't trust Coin…finish what you have to do… finish what Snow started…"
The man then slumped back, with his eyes wide open.
"Boggs?!" Katniss began, "BOGGS!"
The man was dead.
As the group was mourning the loss of their commander, one of the Leeg sisters walked forward to ensure the area was clear. However, this only caused more problems for the group as she accidentally stepped onto a pressure plate.
This effectively did two things. Firstly, it entrapped the group as the walls around them began closing. Secondly, it shot up miniature metal spikes into the user's leg. In this case, the Leeg sister had been crippled by the projectiles.
"AHH!" she screamed in agony, falling to the floor.
Noticing the walls closing in on them, the group began to panic. A thick black sludge then flooded the area, similar to that of oil.
"GET TO HIGHER GROUND!" Finnick shouted for the group. Before they ran, Katniss grabbed the Holo on Boggs's chest.
The squad then began to run, unfortunately leaving Boggs's body behind in the sludge. As they ran, they had to hop over ledges and staircases.
Seeing some people fall behind, Gale yelled, "C'MON! WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING!"
"HEAD INSIDE!" Finnick followed up while shooting out a glass window. They would be running into a housing unit it seemed.
Hearing a shout, the group turned around to see that Mitchell had fallen while running. This would soon horrify the group as they watched his body fly up into the air, entrapped by many metal wires. It looked as if he was strung up in a metal net.
"What the fuck…" Naruto thought in horror, not imagining these traps from the Capitol. The man's screams of agony echoed in his mind.
Eventually, the group broke into the nearby building and began running up the staircase. The injured Leeg sister was being held up by her sibling as they ran together.
After running up a few flights of stairs, they saw the sludge-like substance begin to recede. It nipped at the final staircase, but it began to sink back down. Eventually, the entire substance was gone from sight.
Breathing a sigh of relief, everyone chose this time to rest. The injured Leeg sister was set down while the rest of the group conversed.
Jackson then began speaking into her radio, "This is Squad 451, over. Requesting immediate evacuation!"
There was nothing but static on the other end.
"Great, looks like we lost command," Jackson grumbled. Putting away her radio, she looked over at Katniss, "Hand me the Holo, Ms. Everdeen."
Katniss clutched the device in her hand tightly, "I can't do that, Boggs trusted me with it."
"What?" Jackson responded, stunned that Katniss would refuse a direct order.
"He transferred security clearance over to me," Katniss responded.
"Why?" Jackson wondered, puzzled.
"I'm…." Katniss took a deep breath, "I'm sent by Coin on direct orders to assassinate President Snow…"
Jackson looked annoyed at this remark, "I don't believe that at all. Now, as this unit's commander, I demand the Holo right now."
"I'm not doing that."
Hearing enough, Jackson drew her firearm and aimed it at Katniss.
This instantly put Finnick and Gale on alert as they aimed their respective weapons at the woman. Naruto stayed back but narrowed his eyes at the scene.
"Let's not get carried away here," Finnick said in a calm voice while keeping his weapon aimed.
The standoff was filled with nothing but tension. Eventually, it was Cressida who came to Katniss's defense.
"She's telling the truth," the camerawoman stated, "Coin wants Snow's death televised, she thinks it will help put an end to this war."
Jackson still didn't look convinced and held her weapon aimed at Katniss's head.
"The more we argue, the more time we give Peacekeepers to find our location," Gale explained with his crossbow drawn.
Having enough, Katniss pulled down the weapons of Gale and Finnick.
"Boggs told me I could trust you when I needed it the most," Katniss spoke, "Don't let his words be in vain."
Everyone in the room watched as Jackson still didn't put away her firearm, but could tell she was having an internal debate within herself. However, her finger did begin to slightly pull the trigger.
In an instant, Naruto sprung into action.
It was as if he was winded up and could now fly forward. Everything happened so fast that even Katniss was taken aback.
Slapping her hands to the side, Jackson was stunned at the speed of the blonde. If she was being honest, she did underestimate the man's combat ability ever since his time at the Capitol. However, he was showing why he was a survivor of two Hunger Games at this very moment.
His entire body had been forged in combat after all.
After slapping both of her hands to the side, Naruto then delivered a swift knee to her stomach that made the woman feel winded. After hunching over, Naruto slid his elbow into the opening between her arms and yanked it back.
The firearm she held rattled onto the ground.
Grabbing the weapon, Naruto fell back and examined it. He noticed something surprising about it.
"It was on safety the entire time?" Naruto thought in confusion, "But why?…"
Seeing his disarming abilities, the squad was surprised. However, Finnick simply smiled as he remembered his friend was still a force to be reckoned with.
Handing the handgun over, Naruto allowed Finnick to take it. He didn't want to be trusted with a loaded weapon just yet.
"Got to hand it to you, kid," Jackson said while rubbing her stomach, "I forgot you were good at hand-to-hand combat. That was my mistake."
Seeing that she didn't pose a direct threat, Jackson sighed, "I guess I'm outvoted. Very well, Everdeen, you keep the Holo."
Hearing a groan of pain, the group turned to see the injured Leeg sister panting by the wall. She was clutching at her injured leg.
"She can't walk," the other Leeg sister stated, "I'll stay with her in the meantime."
The rest of the group begrudgingly accepted the statement.
"I promise that we'll send help once we reach command," Jackson said with a small nod.
"We should move now," Gale said in urgency, "It won't take long for Peacekeepers to arrive."
Nodding, the group followed down the staircase and exited the building. They walked by the deceased bodies of their two fallen teammates.
It took the squad three minutes of walking before they found a suitable hiding spot.
Breaking another window, this time in a different housing unit, the group walked inside and looked around.
It seemed this building complex had luxury furniture and many windows around. Closing the curtains, the group began to strategize their next move.
However, before they could continue, they heard the roaring of car engines sound outside. Peeking through the curtains, the group saw a small army of Peacekeepers engage the Leeg sisters in combat.
The two groups were firing at one another, with the Leeg sisters killing a few Peacekeepers.
However, this all changed when a rocket was fired directly into the window, collapsing the building entirely. There was no more movement on the side of the Leeg sisters.
Hearing a ding, the group turned to the television inside their room. It played a 'mandatory viewing' announcement.
Soon enough, Caesar Flickerman appeared on screen with a solemn expression. "Good evening citizens of the Capitol. I have come to report that we sighted Katniss Everdeen and her foolish comrades in a raid today."
Camera footage was then shown of the group running from the tar-like substance.
"I have also received news that Ms. Everdeen was with some rebels we are familiar with, such as Finnick Odair and Naruto Uzumaki." Both images of the victors were then flashed momentarily, "However, their run in the Capitol has come to a close."
The camera footage then showed the rocket striking down the building housing the Leeg sisters.
"It is quite a shame how the symbol of the rebellion has come crashing down today," Caesar said, "From once being our beloved darling, to leading a foolish war. That is the ultimate fate of Katniss Everdeen."
The feed then cut off, leaving the group in darkness once more.
"Guess we're dead now, huh?" Gale joked.
The group seemed to find no humor in it at all.
Some of the squad mates were eating snacks and other treats found in the kitchen of the apartment they were in. They were trying their best to feed their stomachs.
Hearing the feed buzz once more, they saw a series of cannon booms along with their respective pictures. It was clear the Capitol was pushing the point that they were all dead.
Suddenly, President Snow came on the air as well. He was dressed in a dark blue suit and had a white rose in his breast pocket. "It seems the Girl on Fire has finally found the end of her fate. Unfortunately, she had to drag down others with her as well."
Katniss scoffed, clearly hating the words of the older man.
"She was nothing more than a girl who could aim with a bow. In all actuality, she was a fragile girl who was easily manipulated by the people around her. She was used like a pawn in a game she didn't know she was playing, being forced to be the Mockingjay," Snow continued, "-she was nothing in the grand scheme-"
The feed then cut off and showed President Coin instead. She was dressed in her signature gray suit.
"Greetings citizens of the Capitol," she began, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am President Alma Coin, leader of the rebel alliance. I am here today, disrupting a broadcast, that attempted to slander a courageous young woman."
Taking a small pause, the woman continued, "Katniss Everdeen was a true leader in everything she did. She came from humble beginnings in District Twelve and led a quiet life. However, she sparked a movement to break the chains of the Capitol, to break the mistreatment of the Districts."
"Looks like she's your number one fan," Naruto whispered over to the Girl on Fire, who chuckled.
"Whether she is dead or alive, Katniss Everdeen continues to be the face of our rebellion. She continues to be a symbol of hope for others," Coin's voice nearly cracked from the emotion she was showing, "Her vision was a free Panem, and we intend to complete it. Thank you."
The feed then cut off, showing one last picture of the Girl on Fire.
Ignoring Coin's words, Katniss stood up and placed the Holo on a nearby coffee table. She activated it and brought up the hologram map of the city.
"Snow was in his mansion," Katniss said, "Where is that?"
This was when Naruto came to her side and helped her locate the building on the map.
"His mansion is here," Naruto pointed out.
"And we're over here," Cressida added, pointing to their current location, "We're about four miles south of his location."
"So how do we get there?" Gale asked, "We're too far to take the normal route, we'll encounter a pod every few steps."
Castor looked at his brother before bringing in his idea, "We could use the underground tunnels, Pollux knows the layout very well."
The group looked at each other before agreeing, it was their best chance so far.
Slowly gathering their things, the group headed off into the sewers below the city.
"Pollux knows these tunnels well," Castor explained again as the group walked under the city, "He worked sanitation down here after they made him an Avox."
The group then dodged many train cars that traveled underground and avoided spotlights as well. After deciding they were too exposed, Pollux took them down a route that went even deeper underground.
Climbing down a ladder, the group continued to follow their unofficial leader for the time being. He was the most knowledgeable about these routes.
After going past long passageways, walking through neck-height water, and climbing upon a metal structure, the group was exhausted. They had been walking for about three hours at this point and were feeling the strain on their bodies.
Setting themselves down on the metal structure, they began to get comfortable for the night. They would make camp here for now.
Eventually, each group member was assigned a certain time to take watch over the team. This was to alert of any incoming dangers, as well as to keep an eye on Naruto.
Just when it became Katniss's turn, she sat over by her fiance. He stirred awake once more, just like the night before.
"Hey Kat," the blonde joked, "We have to stop meeting this way."
Katniss let out a small smile, "You've said that before."
"I have?" Naruto smirked, "I guess that's another real memory."
The two then talked far into the night, much after Katniss's official watch was over.
They were slowly connecting once more, and Naruto was remembering what was real again.
It had been a few hours since Katniss had gone back to sleep. The group was still resting when they were awoken by the sound of a light hiss.
They had trouble realizing what it was until Naruto broke the news to them.
"It's mutts!" the blonde said in shock, "They've released mutts down here!"
"We have to move!" Gale commanded.
"Pollux!" Katniss turned to the man, "What's the quickest way to escape?"
The man simply signaled to follow him and led the group down another long tunnel.
Pollux ran and ran, with his team following close behind. The light hissing they heard before was slowly getting louder and louder.
"Crap," Finnick muttered, "They're tracking our location."
"All the more reason to keep moving," Naruto advised as the group ran.
Eventually, they came across a small opening. It was barely big enough to fit a normal-sized man through, so each member would have to go one at a time.
"I'll go last," Jackson said while drawing her backup firearm, "I'll keep cover while everyone crosses."
Nodding their heads, each squad mate slowly made their way across. They had to crawl a few feet before standing on the other side.
Eventually, Finnick was the last to cross over. As the group turned around to see Jackson, they were startled by something turning the corner.
It was a white humanoid creature with no eyes. It held sharp teeth, claws, and long appendages.
The nearest one bit into Jackson's neck, tearing her throat out. With wide eyes, Katniss could only look on in shock before drawing an incendiary arrow. Firing it, it blasted onto the concrete and erupted into flames.
"GO!" Gale yelled, "WE HAVE TO RUN!"
"POLLUX!" Finnick screamed, "WHAT'S THE WAY OUT?!"
Feeling scared for his life, Pollux led the group down the quickest way out, no longer caring about triggering pods.
The group had to take many sharp corners and turns, while also fighting off the various mutts that attacked them. As they ran, they eventually came into a clearing with a ladder.
Pollux then pointed up, indicating the ladder was the way to escape.
"GET ON!" Finnick screamed while slicing at mutts with his trident, "EVERYONE GO!"
One by one, each squad mate climbed up the ladder in a hurry. Cressida was the first to make it, with Pollux following right behind her.
Katniss fired another incendiary arrow at the tunnel's entrance, effectively burning any mutt that came through it.
Messalla then followed, leaving only Gale, Finnick, Naruto, Castor, and Katniss behind.
"YOU'RE NEXT GALE!" Naruto shouted while snapping the neck of another lizard mutation. He was trying his best to fight with his handcuffs on.
Gale then began climbing the latter in a hurry. In the meantime, Finnick slashed another mutt through their neck with his trident. Katniss also fired off three more arrows, with each piercing a mutt through their head.
Hearing a splash of water to his left, Naruto saw a mutt trying its best to tear off Katniss's face.
"AHH!" With a great shout and a massive amount of strength, Naruto used his handcuffs to choke out the lizard mutation quickly. Hearing a loud 'crack,' he realized he snapped the neck of another mutt.
He threw the body onto the water below.
Katniss was trying her best to regain her breathe while staring at her fiance, "T-thank you for-"
"No time for that!" Naruto shouted out while kicking a mutt straight into the metal pipes nearby, "You're next, get on that ladder!"
Nodding her head, Katniss began climbing without hesitation. Once she reached the top, she reached for another incendiary arrow only to realize she was now out of those.
"AAHHH! GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF M-" A loud crunch was heard before a spray of blood washed into the air.
Looking over, Naruto was horrified to see one of the mutts had managed to jump on Castor and slice into his neck. They were in the process of eating the man.
"YOU'RE NEXT!" Finnick shouted while huffing and panting, he was getting tired from the constant combat.
"FINE! BUT YOU BETTER BE RIGHT BEHIND ME!" Naruto yelled back while climbing the ladder. After climbing to the top, Naruto looked down the tunnel.
He saw Finnick slice open two more mutts before making his way onto the ladder. As he climbed, he had his right arm pulled back by a mutt.
"NO!" Naruto shouted before reaching out his arm, and grabbing Finnick's left arm before he could fall back into the water.
However, this mutt was not to be deterred as it yanked, pulled, and growled in ferocity while holding onto Finnick. The mutt's strength was so great, it began to pull Naruto's body weight along with it.
"GRAB MY FEET!" Naruto shouted out, "I'M TRYING TO PULL UP FINNICK!"
His boots were slowly sliding across the metal structure, causing Naruto to clench his teeth in concentration.
Thankfully, Gale and Pollux were able to grab each one of his feet and pull in the other way.
"C'MON FINNICK! HELP ME OUT HERE!" Naruto shouted while clenching his jaw, "DON'T MAKE ANNIE A WIDOW ALREADY!"
However, the man couldn't respond due to the immense pain he was in. He felt like he was in a human game of tug-of-war. Each party had one of his arms, while his feet were locked onto the ladder.
Eventually, something had to give.
And it did.
CRACK! SNAP! POP!
"FUCKKKKK!" Finnick screamed in extreme agony.
His entire right arm had been pulled off by the mutt, who fell backward due to the unexpected event. The arm fell along with him.
There was nothing but a bloody stump and bone sticking out.
With a yank, Finnick was pulled up by Naruto who immediately got to work. Pulling out the rebar he saved when trying to help Boggs, he used it around Finnick's bloody stump. After twisting it over and over again, he eventually stopped the blood flow for now.
Looking to see how his friend was, Naruto saw that Finnick had passed out, most likely from the pain.
Hearing more growls below, Katniss looked down and saw that some mutts were already trying to climb the ladder. Making a desperate move, she activated the self-destruct measure on the Holo and threw it down the tunnel.
An explosion was heard that sent the group tumbling back. They could see flames erupting on the ladder as well as pained screams.
"KEEP MOVING!" Gale yelled out. The group followed his direction, running out of their current position.
As for Naruto, he placed Finnick in his arms and began running with him in tow. It would cost him stamina, but it was worth it to save his friend. As he did, however, he noticed the firearm on his leg. It was holstered and ready to use.
It was the same handgun he had given to Finnick after disarming Jackson.
Putting that thought away for now, the group continued running until they reached an opening. They were once again back in the railway tunnels. They could breathe for a second.
This didn't last long however as a group of Peacekeepers began firing on their position. Taking cover behind some pillars, the group was essentially being gunned down.
"TO THE RIGHT!" Naruto shouted while holding up Finnick in his arms, "RUN TO THE RIGHT!"
True to his words, no Peacekeepers were blocking their path to the right. They were only to their left and ahead.
Putting their exhaustion aside, each squad mate ran for their dear life. As they sprinted through gunfire, they saw the lights above shine down.
One pillar of light managed to hit Messalla, turning him into a pile of dust.
"W-what…what is that?" Cressida said in shock, not believing her friend could die so easily.
"KEEP RUNNING!" Katniss screamed.
Nodding her head, Cressida followed the group while avoiding the pillars of light. Each one of them tried their best to not get caught by either the Peacekeeper's bullets or the death rays.
As they neared an exit, they saw a large strip of metal spikes erupt from the floor. Like a machine, it began charging at its position.
"OH C'MON!" Naruto shouted out while running, "GIVE US A BREAK!" It seemed like more and more bad luck was stacking on top of them.
Eventually, the group managed to reach the end of the tunnel and turn right. As they did, they ran up a staircase which finally brought them back to street level.
"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!" Gale shouted out while the group ran.
Naruto readjusted Finnick's body, trying to get a better grip. Finnick's head bobbed to the side as he ran.
Taking a look around the street, Cressida spoke out, "I know where we are, follow me. I can take us to a spot."
Taking her lead, the group sprinted behind the woman. As they ran, they noticed many wanted posters being plastered around the Capitol.
They were all fugitives being hunted. It seemed Snow found out they were alive after all.
As they ran, the group came across a frightened Capitol woman. She stared with wide eyes at the group, glancing over at the wanted posters.
"Crap…" Cressida muttered, not sure what to do. It would be horrible to kill the innocent woman, but she would also likely give up their position given they were criminals.
Before anyone could say anything else, two shots rang out.
BANG!
Looking over in surprise, Katniss saw smoke slowly coming out of Gale's handgun. He had fired two shots into the woman's head.
"G-Gale… you just slaughtered that woman…" Katniss said in surprise.
"We don't have time for this," Gale said while putting away his weapon, "She would have given us up anyway. We need to keep moving."
"…You've changed…" the Girl on Fire admitted to herself, staring at her childhood friend.
Despite not liking the outcome, Cressida kept on leading the group onward. Eventually, they came across a clothing store and Cressida began banging on the door.
After a few more bangs, the door opened slightly.
"Move in!" Cressida commanded.
The group then hurried inside, with Pollux being the last to enter. He was the one to ensure the door behind him closed.
Turning to see the occupant who let them inside, the group was surprised at the appearance of the woman. She seemed to have cosmetic features that made her look like a cat.
Naruto panted and placed Finnick gently on a nearby couch, exhausted from carrying the man. He could only hold him in a bridal-style position for so long before his arms gave out.
"Tigris, it's me," Cressida said while staring at the woman, "I'm with Plutarch's group, the underground resistance. Please, we need a place to stay in the meantime."
Tigris looked around the room before making her decision.
Walking over to a certain section within the room, Tigris revealed a hidden underground bunker.
"You can all hide in here," Tigris said softly.
"I remember you," Katniss muttered, "You were a stylist."
"I was," Tigris nodded, "Until President Snow decided I wasn't good enough anymore. He has a habit of replacing things he doesn't like…"
"I'm here to put an end to him," Katniss said, "To end his life."
Tigris stared at the girl for a moment longer before smiling, "Good."
Opening the saferoom, Tigris stepped aside so the group could climb down the wooden staircase. Naruto then grabbed Finnick once more to take him down.
As he walked past Tigris, the woman spoke to him, "I'll be down there soon to help treat your friend."
"Thank you," Naruto smiled and nodded, "I really appreciate it."
"Of course."
With that being said, the group made themselves comfortable in the saferoom. As they sat around, Katniss heard the soft sobs of Pollux as he cried.
Looking over, she could only wince at seeing Finnick's missing arm. She could also see the pain on Cressida's face from losing Messalla. Even Jackson was gone from their ordeals underground.
Deciding to confess, Katniss spoke out, "I was never on any special orders from Coin," she began, "I made it all up. Everyone who is hurt or dead is because of my actions…"
Katniss closed her eyes to prevent any tears from falling out, "I'm sorry."
To her surprise, Cressida smiled, "We knew, we all knew."
This shocked the young woman.
"Jackson didn't believe you had any special orders, but she did believe in Boggs. After he placed his full faith in you, she knew who to support."
"I-I never meant for any of this to happen," Katniss said with small tears running down her face, "I didn't mean to get anyone killed…"
She bit her lip, "I'm sorry Boggs…I'm sorry to everyone that I've failed…"
Feeling her hand being tugged, she looked over to see Naruto standing right beside her with a smile. "You didn't fail anybody, Kat."
"But I-"
"No, listen," He shook his head, "Everyone who's made it this far, is because they've believed in you this whole time. We're here to help you and put an end to this war. Nobody is ashamed of you, nor does anybody feel like you're a failure."
Giving a squeeze of comfort, the blonde smiled, "You only fail them if you stop living, if you put their deaths to vain. I learned that long ago."
Images of Edwin and Peeta popped into his head, as well as his promise to live for them.
"Thank you, Ruto…" Katniss whispered back with tears rolling down her face.
"Live for them," Naruto said, "Promise me, that you'll live for them."
Taking a deep breath, the girl nodded, "I promise. I promise I'll live for them."
She would now live for them, just like Naruto promised he would live for his loved ones.
Neither would give up as long as they had breath in their bodies.
Another chapter is finished! Sorry this one took a little longer than the others, but I've been extremely busy lately!
As you can tell, this story probably has one or two more chapters at most before it's over! I hope you've all enjoyed the ride so far as we're coming closer to the end. I love to read the reviews, so please post them!
And yes, I kept Finnick alive in this!
I hope you all enjoyed it!
Cheers!