Down to the Last Arrow:- A Hunger Games USB Story

[Stormtrooper1990]

This oneshot is based on one of my favourite novel series, with one of my favourite characters Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire. As far as I know, nobody as written a USB scene for her, so I want to readdress that. Here Katniss as become separated from her squad, alone and behind enemy lines. She decides to complete her mission to kill President Snow at his mansion in the centre of the Capitol, on her own. But first, she needs to acquire a suitable disguise...



Katniss didn't know how long she had been running, but she knew that she had become separated from the team. It had been an hour since they had been set upon by Capitol Mutts, genetically engineered monsters usually reserved for the games. She had seen them fall in the dark of the Capitol sewers, first Lieutenant Homes she was dragged off screaming by one of the creatures. Then Finnick Odair a former victor from District 4, a man that Katniss had considered to be the best of them, had sacrificed his life so the group to could escape the ambush, dragged down by the sheer weight of numbers arrayed against him. Katniss had no choice but to end it quickly for him, dropping the pod detector into the melee, and uttering "Nightlock" three times watching as the blast consumed him and the Mutts in one huge fireball, Katniss had no idea what she was going to say to his wife Annie the news would most likely destroy her. Once they had exited the sewers, they had ran straight into a patrol of Peacekeepers in a metro station, dodging gunfire. Katniss had downed a few of the white armoured faceless enforcers, with explosive arrows but not before losing Mitchell to another of the Capitols pods, vicious traps devised by the Game makers for the cities defense. Katniss watched in horror as the man disintegrated before her eyes. She had ran to the left while Peeta, Gale and the others ran to the right, the last thing she saw was Peeta screaming her name as they were separated between the gunfire and disintegration pods. Finding her way out onto a rubbled street, leveled by the bombing from District 13, Katniss ducked behind some fallen masonry taking cover from some hovercraft that flew overhead. Taking a deep breath, to collect herself Katniss could see President Snows mansion in the distance. She laughed despite herself, she was so close. Katniss hunkered down, looping her bow over her shoulder and checking her quiver. Shit, she thought down to one arrow. She let out a long sigh, shaking her head. If her experience in the Games had taught her anything, then it often came down to the last arrow.




As Katniss sat concealed by the masonry she had hidden herself behind, she weighed up her options. At 18, Katniss had both survived the 74th Hunger Games becoming joint victor with Peeta then a year later, had been rescued by District 13 during the Quarter Quell. Katniss took a deep breathe, she never would have made it through if it wasn't for Peeta Mellark. At first their relationship had been an act, a means to survive the intrigue of the Capitol and the brutality of the games, then it became something more real. Now it had inspired a resistance movement against the Capitol, and President Snows regime was crumbling around him. Katniss chuckled at first she became the darling of the Capitol, their Girl on Fire, then she became the Mockingjay the heroine of the resistance, she never wanted to be a heroine. Why couldn't these people get it already, it was for Prim and for Peeta, not for Panem. Shaking her head, Katniss caught her reflection in a broken window. She never considered herself a beauty but Peeta and Gale often said different, she had high cheekbones heart shaped features and almond shaped grey eyes. Her long black hair, tied into a ponytail, was unruly Katniss hardly ever took pride in her appearance, not when their was more important things at stake like survival. The sound of gunfire in the distance brought her attention back to the present. It was time to form a plan to get to Snow, unscathed and kill the old bastard. Katniss knew that for her to get to Snow's mansion, she would need a disguise after all she was a wanted woman. Her face was on wanted posters and electronic bulletin boards all over the city, she wouldn't get far without a means to cover it. The sound of radio chatter drew her attention, remaining hidden in her hide Katniss peered over the lip of the ruined wall.



It was a patrol of three Peacekeepers, two men and one woman. They were moving through the ruined streets below her, no doubt looking for her group. The two men didn't interest Katniss, but the woman did. Katniss took a closer look at the female peacekeeper. The woman was dressed in all white body armour, over a white body glove, with white combat webbing with spare ammo for her F2000 bullpup assault rifle. Her face covered by a crash helmet with a black visor, all the better to sow fear into the hearts of Panems citizens. And for the Peacekeeper to murder it's citizens, without feeling any remorse or pity. The only difference between her and her male colleagues was her breast plate had been fashioned into a pair of C-cup breasts. Katniss smiled, the woman looked to her size, she was certainly the same height and build. Her armour would make the perfect disguise, to reach Snow unmolested. Nobody would suspect a Peacekeeper. All that she needed to do was to separate her from her fellow soldiers, kill her and take the armour, easier said then done thought Katniss. She eavesdropped on the patrol. " Alright, we have reports that Katniss Everdeen has been cut off from her squad at the metro plaza. Orders are to shoot on sight, and bring her corpse to Snow." Said the lead Peacekeeper a Sergeant. The female Peacekeeper shook her head. " Are you sure? The old man is dying, who knows how long Snow as left. He wants us to risk our lifes for one girl." Katniss raised her eyebrows she sounded young, it would be easy for Katniss to mimic her voice. The sergeant rounded on her. " I would secure that mouth, Jessop. You know better then to question orders. Unless you want a bullet to the brain." Jessop took a deep breath. "Roger that sir." The other male peacekeeper laughed. " Caught you on the carpet, there private." The sergeant rounded on him next. " You keep quiet too, Dewhurst. Now I suggest we split up, and find the bitch. If you see her kill her, call out your kill. We pull this off and we will be heroes of Panem. Now fall out!" With that the three separated, Katniss smiled as she followed the female peacekeeper, Jessop, knocking her one remaining arrow Katniss began the hunt.




Peacekeeper Private Tanya Jessop was nervous, she was out here hunting for Katniss Everdeen the Girl on Fire and the Mockingjay of the resistance. Tanya had seen the girl shoot during her practice sessions during the Quarter Quell, and despite the fact she was armed with an assault rifle that could fire 900rpm she still didn't rate her chances, if she encountered Katniss with her bow. At 19, Tanya had only been a Peacekeeper for a little over a year but had seen action during the purge of district 12. What she had seen there haunted her still. Tanya had seen there when Snow ordered 12 to be napalmed, the sound of hundreds of screaming men, women and children burning alive cut through Tanya's soul. She still had nightmares to this day, but still she stuck with Snow. The rebels threatened the stability of Panem, and if a few eggs had to be broken so be it. Originally from District 1, as most Peacekeepers were, Tanya had a youthful beautiful face, under her helmet. With shallow cheekbones rounded features and doe shaped blue eyes. Her light brown hair cut into a military pixie cut. As she scrambled through the broken houses, looking for signs of Katniss Everdeen, Tanya had the distant unnerving feeling she was being watched. She turned around to see a shape crouched hidden, by a fallen piece of masonry. Peering through the gloom, Tanya could make out the unmistakable face of the Mockingjay. Before Tanya could raise her rifle, she heard the twang of Katniss's bowstring. Tanya didn't see the arrow fly towards her but felt the sickening wet thud of it impacting the meat, through her throat. Dropping her rifle, Tanya fell onto the pile of rubble behind her, gargling for breath flailing her arms, coughing up blood as Katniss approached her.



Katniss knelt by the stricken woman, wrenching off her helmet. The face that looked back at here was young, pretty even full of anguish and pain, Katniss was shocked to see how young she was. What was it with Snow and using kids to fight his battles. The girl, Jessop, looked up at Katniss with accusing eyes, coughing up more blood on her sweet face. She saw that same look on some of the tributes faces in the arena. Fear and not wanting to die but that didn't stop those psychotic district 2 fuckers, Cato and Clove, from cutting them down. Not feeling any particular sympathy for this white armoured bitch, Katniss started to strip her as she lay dying. As she removed the girls gloves, boots and ammo webbing, Katniss could hear the dying Peacekeeper sobbing, as if she knew Katniss's intent. Sick of the sound of the mewling girl, Katniss clamped her hand over the dying girls bloodied nose and mouth and slowly suffocated her. " Just die, you bitch!" Katniss shouted as the dying Jessop bucked and struggled for life trying desperately to poke Katniss in the eye. She clamped her hand even tighter around the Peacekeepers mouth, until her struggled for life ended. Her arms fell limply outstretched over the rubble, as Jessop let out a gurgled death rattle, her blue eyes staring at the sky. Katniss took a deep breathe, pulling out her last arrow from the ruin of Jessops throat with a sickening sucking sound and resumed stripping the Peacekeepers body. Katniss removed the armour plates one body part at a time, then rolling the dead girl on her back, Katniss unzippered the body glove peeling it off her slim athletic corpse leaving the dead Peacekeeper wearing only her standard issue white crop vest and matching hipster shorts., sprawled over the rubble on her belly. Katniss turned the body on it's front, more out of morbid curiosity then a genuine attraction to the girl, glancing at the swell of her young C-cup breasts under her vest the nipples peaking through the thin fabric, the curve of her hips that supported a firm pert ass. Her beauty marred by the large red hole in her slender throat. Katniss felt no sympathy for the girl she was just another of Snows lackeys, a Capitol mutt. At least she died serving a purpose and that purpose was killing President Snow. Katniss stripped out of her District 13 body armour, then quickly donned the Peacekeepers armour. When she was finished, Katniss placed the helmet on her head then buried the corpse of Private Jessop along with her bow, clothes and quiver, along with her last arrow under the rubble concealing them from view. Katniss checked her stolen rifle, flicking off the safety and pulling back the charging handle, just like Colonel Boggs had shown her when they practised with the G36c rifles District 13 used. After flicking the safety back on, Katniss looped the rifle over her shoulder and walked into the rubble strewn street.



As she started to walk towards Snows mansion, a voice shouting behind her. " Jessop, report. Did you find Everdeen, private?" It was the Sergeant from earlier, standing with the other male peacekeeper. Katniss shook her head. " No, sir. She must have slipped past me." She said in a perfect imitation of the former Peacekeeper Private Tanya Jessop. Under her helmet Katniss cracked a smile, Mockingjay by name, Mockingjay by nature. " Damn it all, she is good very good. All right guys. We could be out here all day searching for her, and nothing. Hell she survived the 74th games by hiding, if those fool tributes couldn't track her down then what chance do we have." Suddenly the Sergeants helmet vox came to life, he leaned in as if talking to someone in his ear. "Yeah. Copy that, there are more coming in? No worries, moving to assist, out" The Sergeant removed his hand from his helmet, and turned to them . "Alright back to the manor, patrol. There are more refugees flooding in and we have been ordered to assist. Let's move out." As Katniss fell in beside the two Peacekeepers, she grinned under her helmet not believing her luck. For once she had caught a break, these unsuspecting fools would take her directly to Snow's doorstep.



It took the patrol 15 minutes to arrive at the long driveway that lead up to Snow's mansion. Only a year ago, she had been here in unhappy times with Peeta during the Victors Ball, that marked the beginning of the 3rd Quarter Quell. There was no mass crowd of terrified civilians, clamoured outside the gates holding their babes and children to Peacekeepers, pleading with them to take them back then. Like Snow had promised in his last televised address. Katniss heard a female Peacekeeper over loudspeaker, directing the scared huddled mass of humanity forwards, promising food, water and shelter for the children. It took all of her willpower, not to snort in cynicism. She had known, Snow wasn't above the idea of using human shields, but if what the Peacekeepers accompanying her said was accurate, then it made no sense for a dying man to shield himself. Katniss could hear Snow's words to her echo in her head. "Come now, Ms Everdeen. I thought we agreed never to lie to one another." A gloved hand tapped her shoulder, forcing her back to the present. " Where is your head at Jessop? Keep moving, we have to help these people." The Sergeant barked at her, as their white armour parted the crowds before them. Katniss used her disguise, moving distressed citizens forward telling them that it was all going to be all right, all the while inching nearer and nearer to the mansion gates. Suddenly, without warning gunfire erupted from the rear as resistance fighters moved in, gunning down both refugees and peacekeepers without discriminated between each. Peacekeepers moved in to intercept, cutting down more refugees and resistance in the crossfire. Seizing her chance, Katniss grabbed a capitol child, a girl who had been separated from her mother and ran towards the gates. "Let me through, I have a child please!" She shouted as she approached the gate, two Peacekeepers one male the other a female, quickly opened the gate for her. Katniss passed the crying child to the female peacekeeper as the male closed the gate behind her. " Good work, soldier. Go to Snow, tell him the rebels are breaking through. He is in his study. Go quickly." Katniss nodded, grinning under her helmet at her insane luck. The Peacekeepers threw her salutes, which Katniss returned with a degree of irony, then she ran into the mansion.



Katniss could feel a sense of quickening, as she walked the now familiar route to Snow's study, passing through once opulent corridors now ruined and opened to the sky from the resistance shelling from Districts 1 and 2. Bypassing panicking peacekeepers and castle staff, burning important documents so the resistance wouldn't get to them. It didn't matter to her who that mattered to her was President Snow. She was here to avenge Rue, Thresh, Finnick and all the rest of those who died at all the other districts. She was here for Primm, her mother and even that stupid cat, Buttercup. To make sure that Primm and their mother was safe.And she was here for Peeta, her lover. Snow had implanted tracker jacket venom, into him and conditioned him to kill her. He almost would have it wasn't for Boggs and Prim saving her life in the hospital back in 13. Snow had took the man she loved, and broke him forever. For all of this and more, Snow had to die. Katniss steeled herself as she approached the peacekeeper guarding the door to the dictators study. " The rebels have started to break through, I need to Inform the President. A Sergeant at the gate gave me the order." The woman nodded once and opened the door, Katniss walked inside.



There he was the old bastard himself, sat at his desk with a young woman dabbing his cheeks with blush trying to hide the blood stains. Snow looked at her, seeing her only disguise he coughed once into his handkerchief spotting it with blood. " You have something to report, young lady?" Katniss still playing the part of the Peacekeeper nodded. "Yes, President Snow." She had even flashed him a salute for good measure. Snow turned to the young stylist beside him. "Leave us, my dear. And leave the city if you can." The girl bowed and exited the room. After an awkward silence, Snows face cracked into a smile of recognition. He coughed twice before he spoke. " You may have been able to fool the guards, Katniss. But I recognise that voice anywhere. Welcome back Ms Everdeen." Katniss removed her helmet placing it on Snow's conference table, she walked over to his desk her rifle drawn safety off. " Hello, Mr President. You know why I'am here, you have to die." Snow laughed, causing him to cough up more blood. " My dear Katniss, resourceful as ever. I Knew out of all of them fools, you would be the one to make it here. Against all odds." He shook his head, laughing still. " I take it you murdered the young woman who once wore that armour. And now I'am to be your last victim. You have finally became what I wanted you to become." He held his arms wide, Katniss cursed the man why couldn't she shoot him, she decided to humour him. " What's that Snow? A cold blooded killer. No worries there, I have killed many just to get to you. You are right about that, you are my final victim." Snow smiled coughing even more severe this time. " Exactly Katniss. But I want you to consider this for one minute. You must have heard the news of my condition, I don't have long left in this world. Who would my death serve more? You? For a fleeting moment, you will have your revenge as my executioner. But it will not change the fact that I created you Katniss, I made you into the killer you are today." Katniss moved closer her rifle pointing at Snow, her finger tense on the trigger. "No Miss Everdeen. I think you and I both know who will benefit the most here from this war. President Coine. I once told you, Katniss. That we should never lie to each other. She is worst then I will ever be. That woman will be the death of Panem." Katniss couldn't deny that Snow's words had a grain of truth to them. Even Boggs had said as much. " Say I believe you, Snow. What happens now?" Snow held out his arms. " Take the shot, young Ms Everdeen. Do what you came here to do. Kill a dying man, I'd sooner it be you then that woman. Just remember this, Katniss. Who the real enemy is." Katniss shouldered her rifle, and tensed the trigger. " Goodbye, President Snow." She said, as she heard the sound of hovercraft over her head. Snow laughed spluttering blood into his dirty handkerchief. " I see Madame President, as already played her hand. Farewell, Katniss and good luck." The sound of bombs falling in the distance, got closer and closer. Suddenly the door behind her exploded propelling her back over Snow's desk. Katniss hit her head on the desk, and then knew only black as she fell unconscious.



"Katniss, Katniss. Wake up!" Katniss heard a familiar voice at first it was distant but as she blinked her eyes into focus, she could make out a familiar chiseled jawed face. " Gale? Is that you? Where am I?" She get made to get up out of bed, but Gale stopped her. " Catnip, no don't get up. You are in a field hospital in the remains of the tribute centre and you have a concussion" He shook his head. " I cannot believe it, you made it all the way to Snow. They told me they found you both unconscious in his study. You were wearing peacekeeper armour." His tone sounded grave, choked with sadness. Katniss still feeling a little groggy, rubbed the back of her neck feeling a bandage around her head. " Yeah. The bitch I killed for it, didn't need it anymore. It got me to Snow. Gale why are you looking at me like that?" She added concerned. "Is Peeta alive? Where is he, anyway?" Gales eyes started to glisten with tears, his voice was choked. " He is fine. He came by to visit you, but you were still out cold. But this isn't about him." Katniss was getting more and more impatient, but she was getting an horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. " Where is Primm? Gale! Where is my Sister!" Gale was visibly shaking, tears streaming down his face. " She's dead Katniss, she was among the medics treating the refugees outside Shows mansion. When Snow ordered that air strike she--" Katniss let out a long painful scream as she began to cry, but suddenly as soon as her grief appeared so did rage. "Cut the crap Gale! We both know, who ordered that strike. That bitch murdered my sister. Snow didn't, he couldn't have I was speaking to him the entire time. He never lied to me, Gale. Unlike some." Gale made to get up. " You don't know what you are saying Catnip. That bump on your head as addled your wits." Katniss laid back down on her bed. "Fuck off, Gale. My sister is dead, and you are defending that bitch Coine. Just fuck off, I don't want to see you again." She turned her head from him, as he left the medical tent. Katniss took a deep breathe, a rage burning in her heart along with the rears welling in her eyes. Snow's parting words echoed in her head. " Remember who the real enemy is." Well thanks for the advice, you old bastard. Katniss now knew who the real enemy was. The 76th Hunger Games was not over, now she had to plot the murder of another President. And this time it wasn't for Peeta, nor was it for Panem. This time it was for her sweet innocent sister. It was for family. The bitch President Coine will die by her hand, and Snow too she hadn't forgotten about him. There was only one small rub, she would need a new bow. Katniss smiled as she lay in her hospital cot, the thought of avenging Primm fresh in her mind as she started to sing softly. " The Hanging Tree."

[rufusluciusivan]

Well, you won't see me comment often on a lethal story , but as a fellow Hunger Games fan, I simply couldn't waste this opportunity . Hunger Games is also one of my favorite novel series - clearly not the best in my opinion, but I have a huge attachment to it because it is the series that introduced me to the concept of dystopia - and I really enjoyed all the lore about the fictional world of Panem. In fact, it was my main source of inspiration for my own fictional country in my main series on this board.

Speaking of stories, I have not much to say about the plot of your one-shot - it's a "what if story", which is a kind of story I really like when I look for fanfictions. I recognized the climax of the third book. (A bit of a digression, but if you like fanfictions, I strongly recommend reading Spectator from FanficAllergy - a What If story in which Prim volunteers to take Katniss' place. Bottom line, the main point of divergence is that Katniss accidentally got pregnant with Gale shortly before the 74th Hunger Games, which in turn made Prim take tessera behind her back, which messes up the sheets of paper in the box, and so Katniss' name is actually the one drawn. One of the best fanfics I've ever read - the guy even wrote side-stories to complete his main story. What I really like about his stories is that he really takes his time to describe how District 12, the logistics of the Hunger Games, and the country of Panem function. The story still follows Katniss and is 1-person-POV - we hear of what happens to Prim when Katniss watches TV - but since she is not on the arena this time, we see what happens "behind the scenes".)
https://archiveofourown.org/works/83623 ... rs/1592540.

What I appreciated the most about your story is how faithful it is to the spirit of the original series. The third book is basically a deconstruction of the whole "resistance led by an inspiring hero VS evil empire" trope: war is portrayed as a horrible nightmare, the resistance isn't much better than the oppressive government, and the "heroine" is wracked with PTSD and becomes desensitized towards violence and death - basically, she's only a "traditional heroine" in her side's propaganda. The story depicts a realistic, if grim, way a young adult would react to the horrors of a death game and a civil war. I wouldn't say it's always a pleasant reading, but I tip my hat to Collins' boldness - she clearly didn't choose the easy way out of edulcorating things. In that context, a lethal story such as yours is 100% appropriate. You nailed Katniss' description in my opinion - badass and efficient, but also cold and desensitized. And the UN-glamorous description of Jessop's death is also in sync with the book's themes.

I also liked your portrayal of Snow - with Katniss and Madge Undersee, he was my favorite character in the book. After all, a good story needs a good antagonist... You nailed his personality.

For someone who remembers a bit Hunger Games story, it was pleasant to see all the little nods and references you made to characters and events from the books.

And of course, the description of the uniform stealing itself was on par with the other stories of yours that I read.

(I'm going to play the part of the annoying fanboy, and say that Finnick was district 4 tribute, not 6; and Clove and Cato were district two tributes, not one... )

[Stormtrooper1990]

Thanks Rufus

It had been a while since I watched the films and read the book, I will reedit those immediately. As a fanboy of HG myself, It nags me that I made such stupid errors.


The relationship between Snow and Katniss as always been one of my favourite points of the series, that in a grim way he certainly made Katniss, from a noble young woman covering for Primm to prevent her selection as tribute, to a cold blooded Killer. It wasn't her fault, she was trying to survive to protect Peeta and Primm. But in the end she was used by Coine and the resistance as a heroine, a role she never wanted. In the end Coine proved to be much worse then Snow ever was, but got her just deserts.


I wanted Katniss to be reflective of her book iteration then her movie iteration. In the book, she is cold, ruthless, efficient and is not above killing innocents if it means survival. I thought in the movie, J-Law( adore her by the way) portrayal was probably stunted by the producers a little bit. They glossed over some of Katniss's more brutal personality traits, and made her too much of a hero. Therefore ignoring the points Collins was trying to put across, about how easy it is for someone to become desentised to war and death becoming little more then a person acting on instinct rather then feeling.


As an HG fan myself, I wanted to do the series justice. I didn't want to screw it up or do my own thing, which is why compared to my other stories this is toned down keeping in the spirit of Collins vision. Reading it back to myself, I think I did a wonderful Job. Hence all the little references to the Hunger Games, then to Catching Fire and ultimately Mockingjay Pt1. I wanted to be as accurate as possible. As a fanboy, you could say it was a labour of love.



With Jessop, I wanted to present a character who while perhaps a little conflicted by what she had to do, still tried to justify them which to me makes her just as bad as Snow. And I wanted to make her death as grim and unglamorous as possible, to both keep within the dystopian theme of the series and to present Katniss as a badass but ruthlessly efficient killer. She didn't even wait for Jessop to die before stripping her. Coldly finishing her off through suffocation, before dispassionately resuming the stripping of her body. To Katniss, Jessop was just another of Snow's lackeys, who had a uniform that she needed to so she could complete her mission. She was the hunter and Jessop was her prey.



Thanks very much for reading, commenting and enjoying my story. Rufus.

And I will give that fanfic a read, i like the concept of Primm becoming the Mockingjay because Katniss gets pregnant by Gale. I think Prim would have sold it better, but like her sister still tough as nails.


As a fellow HG fan, I tip my hat to you

[rufusluciusivan]

It had been a while since I watched the films and read the book, I will reedit those immediately. As a fanboy of HG myself, It nags me that I made such stupid errors.

I know that feeling... Spending a lot of time writing and proof-reading a story, only to find typos AFTER it was posted...

While I understand why some people didn't like how the resistance and Katniss were portrayed in the third book, I think this made the story stand out. After all, anyone with even the faintest interest in History knows that revolutions are rarely morally clean endeavours led by virtuous parangons - at least when they use force. There are some universes and stories in which you can feature a morally white rebellion to make the audience dream of adventures - the Star Wars movies are a shining example of that. And there are stories in which it would feel out of place - from the beginning Collins describe a harsh grim world with a harsh grim tone. Of course the rebellion wouldn't be pretty to look at. Ultimately, it boils down to the kind of story you're looking for at the moment, a bit like with the stories on the Board actually... I confess I certainly wouldn't re-read the third book when I'm feeling down...

I admit I read the books but only watched the first movie - though I'm not surprised to hear they toned down Katniss's brutality and personality in the movies. I guess it was inevitable to reach a wider crowd... However, I agree with you: Jennifer Lawrence is perfect in that role.

I also think you did justice to the books.

Thanks very much for reading, commenting and enjoying my story. Rufus.


As a fellow HG fan, I tip my hat to you

You're welcome. Though we shall be careful. Or else we may turn this board into a Hunger Games forum.

[dummy76]

this story is amazing! thank you stormtrooper for your efforts and craft

[Stormtrooper1990]

this story is amazing! thank you stormtrooper for your efforts and craft

You are very welcome, Dummy 76.


I appreciate your support and your kind words

[Stormtrooper1990]

It had been a while since I watched the films and read the book, I will reedit those immediately. As a fanboy of HG myself, It nags me that I made such stupid errors.

I know that feeling... Spending a lot of time writing and proof-reading a story, only to find typos AFTER it was posted...

While I understand why some people didn't like how the resistance and Katniss were portrayed in the third book, I think this made the story stand out. After all, anyone with even the faintest interest in History knows that revolutions are rarely morally clean endeavours led by virtuous parangons - at least when they use force. There are some universes and stories in which you can feature a morally white rebellion to make the audience dream of adventures - the Star Wars movies are a shining example of that. And there are stories in which it would feel out of place - from the beginning Collins describe a harsh grim world with a harsh grim tone. Of course the rebellion wouldn't be pretty to look at. Ultimately, it boils down to the kind of story you're looking for at the moment, a bit like with the stories on the Board actually... I confess I certainly wouldn't re-read the third book when I'm feeling down...

I admit I read the books but only watched the first movie - though I'm not surprised to hear they toned down Katniss's brutality and personality in the movies. I guess it was inevitable to reach a wider crowd... However, I agree with you: Jennifer Lawrence is perfect in that role.

I also think you did justice to the books.

Thanks very much for reading, commenting and enjoying my story. Rufus.


As a fellow HG fan, I tip my hat to you

You're welcome. Though we shall be careful. Or else we may turn this board into a Hunger Games forum.

I absolutely agree with you, revolutions are not the glorious fights against oppression, that we are led to believe. History and Collins as taught us that it is a dirty, often brutal business. And while both sides are cheering, waving their flags killing each other, they often forget about the innocent people caught in the crosshairs. The Mockingjay book really brought that into a grim perspective. It's funny you should mention the Rebellion and Star Wars, another of my favourite universes. Rogue One showed us a much darker side to the rebellion, that they used agents like Cassian who killed without remorse. That they were willing to murder Jyn's father, despite the fact Cassian had given her his word that he would be spared and she had cooperated. The rebellion killed him anyway in an airstrike. The TV series Andor expanding on this even further with the rebellion resorting to a heist, to fund the movement. And again they were prepared to kill Cassian because he was a loose end. This has led me to doubt the morality of the rebellion, and I'am not surprised that the First Order arose from those hard-line rebels and imperials who combined forces.


Of course, I speak as a biased servant of the Empire.


Back to Hunger Games. I'am glad that you as a fan appreciated and enjoyed reading this story, as much as this fan had a blast writing it