Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sakura Haruno was smart enough, strong enough, to never need to worry about corruption in Konoha. Naruto was kind, perhaps too kind, and loved Konoha dearly. And if he did fall to greed, even the slightest, he knew Sakura would be there to beat it out of him first hand. 

As she got older, she had to admit that some of the 3rd Hokage’s decisions were questionable and done with a weak will. Hiruzen Sarutobi loved Konoha, too. But he was weak to his old teammates' opinions and blind to Danzo’s corruption. Sakura wouldn’t hold back on Naruto if she needed to. 

She was smart. But that didn’t make her cruel, not like Orochimaru once was. She was smart, but she wasn’t just that.

Sakura was determined. Sakura built her legacy off nothing but her fire and fists, and it took years to be able to call herself Sakura Haruno and be recognized. 

She was a delicate, soft, gentle, and loving little girl growing up. Sakura grew into a rough, sharpened, hardened, and loving woman. Sakura was 12 when she cut her hair, and she was called a weak civilian girl. She’s been called weak so many times, and was the one to build her own legacy. 

Primrose Everdeen is no different. She is born in the pits of District 12, a nobody. Nobody expects her to make it through the cracks. But nobody expected Sakura to become great either. Primrose Everdeen is a blonde haired thin girl, with a scared older sister forced to harden similar to Sakura Haruno. Not quite, not really, but close enough. Primrose is from the pits of District 12, and she learns of the Capitol at a very young age. She learns of the Hunger Games even younger- physically, at least.

Sakura has never, never, been a weak girl. She’s been loved and she has loved, but never weak. No one can call her weak. And so Primrose Everdeen smiles through gritted teeth, and trains so hard it would make a girl from this world die. But then again, Primrose isn’t just a girl from this world. 

She is Sakura Haruno, and she has never learned when to give up.

(.)

Primrose Everdeen would have been declared a genius if she was anywhere but District 12. She begins to speak early on, walks months earlier than she should, and learns to write and read. Primrose is 4 years old, with a older sister named Katniss who adores her. Her new mother loves them, but is fragile and broken down by years of oppression and poverty. She might've been brighter, more willing to show her love, in another world.

Her first mother, the one Sakura still holds dear in her heart, was a fierce and protective housewife. It was common for women in her real home to be housewives to stay in their homes once Shinobi, commonly men, had to fight. It was an old tradition, one that only began to crack once women like Tsunade’s openly cursed at such blatant stupidity. 

It’s safe to say Panem is not much different for the Districts. 

While many Districts are desperate for anyone to help out, they’ve also been oppressed and given views by the Capitol to purposefully avoid connection. Being united is dangerous in a place like Panem. Being a woman is even more dangerous.

It is a dangerous thing to love other girls and boys, when a thing like the Hunger Games exists. Konoha was as dangerous as it was because people were truly willing to fight and die for it, knowing their precious people were there. It was home, it was safety. 

District 12 is anything but home. Sakura is filled with grief that a girl like Katniss is stuck in a place like this, and that she knows nothing else.

Growing up in the Districts, the worse District, is like this:

Waiting to see if the sacrifice to the Capitol is someone you know this time around.

Sakura grits her teeth when she hears mothers wail, as she hears fathers fall to their knees. Please no, she hears being screamed by older siblings. She sees younger siblings, so very young, not even old enough to attend the Academy in Konoha, pale and tremble in horror as their family is sent off to die.

12 year old Sakura would never survive this. But Sakura has grown, she has fought, and she has forced herself to become something larger than her fears. Sakura has built a shinobi out of herself, and she was Tsunade’s student damnit. Sakura is not that small, delicate, little girl anymore. No, never again. 

Primrose won’t be delicate either.

Primrose will be able to smile with blood on her hands and beneath her fingernails, because she is not just Primrose Everdeen. Sakura has held katana’s and held shrukien with her hands at a young age. She has never broken, and Primrose won't either. The Capitol expects trembling and afraid children. 

Sakura is not a child, she hasn't been a child in a long time.

Sakura is a shinobi, and she has something to fight for. 

And oh, isn’t that horrifying? Isn’t that a horrifying thing to be, in a world like this. Panem is open in their horrors, not like Konoha, with child soldiers. Panem is softer than Konoha, in a way.

Panem has not seen war in a long time. Sakura has. Sakura fought and snarled and picked and punched, and she has never died. Not until she allowed herself to die.

Panem will know her name, just like Konoha knew her name. But this time, it will be Primrose they say with reverent voices. It will be Primrose, Sakura decides, that will snap President Snow’s neck. Sakura has done it several times, and it is instinct at this point. Her hands may be small, but she is not. Sakura is blunt and quick to anger, but she is a warrior. She was feared in Konoha. 

Sakura Haruno was a timid girl, and grew into a warrior so great men would tremble at the sight of her.

Primrose Everdeen was born already a warrior. Later, they’ll call her a force stronger than war.

And again, they will hear her name and feel fear. Just like before. 

(.)

“Father,” young Primrose begins one day, “Why do the Capitol make us do the Games?” 

Sakura is young to the world, but she is not the age people think she is. Primrose is a child, and a genius.

Her new father pauses. It’s brief, something a 7 year old child wouldn’t notice. Sakura is a trained ninja, and notices it immediately. There is something broken in his expression, his grip on her hand stilling. 

Sakura knows the answer to her question, she’s known for a long time. But she doesn’t understand the reason. 

It’s so cruel to send your people to die.

It’s so cruel to be willing to send innocents to die in such a manner. With ninja, they were willing. They were the same age, but they died for their nation and family. It was also cruel in a way (of course Sakura knows, she wasn’t top of her class for nothing), but this is inhumane. These are civilians. 

Maybe Sakura was a civilian once, too. But these people are no Sakura Haruno. 

The moment they are reaped, they are made to die. 

“Prim baby, the Capitol does bad things sometimes.” Her father, Burdock, answers. 

“That’s not what I’m asking, father.” Sakura says softly.

There’s a pause, and then a sigh. Her father turns to her with a tired look on his face, one used to pain. There's a look of grief in his eyes, and Sakura notices it. There is nothing Sakura can’t notice in this shinobi-less world.

“The Capitol says we did bad things to them, Primrose. And that we need… punishment.” The words have a hidden fury in them, barely restrained. 

Sakura stares at him.

“The war?” She clarifies, “I thought that was a long time ago. Why do they still do it, then?” She tries not to insult them directly. Not yet.

Burdock’s hands tremble.

He never answers her. He dies a week later. (He dies, and Katniss is forced to hunt outside to feed Sakura. Sakura grits her teeth, and tells herself she cannot use chakra. Not yet.)

(.)

Chakra is near non-existent in this world, in fact, it doesn’t exist at all outside of Sakura.

Primrose is a powerhouse at age 8 where Sakura was a weak civilian girl at this age. Primrose has the ability to topple this world, but that is not what Sakura wants. She has grown fond of Katniss, and although that girl is physically older, she is still only 12. And Sakura is older, far older, than her older sister. Her mother is frail, and loves too much for a place like District 12. 

A girl like her mother was already dead when she was born. Hope did not last long in Panem. Her father is kind, but desperate for change. He hunts for them, and smiles when Sakura attempts to act like a child. 

Sakura cares for them and District 12 too much to ruin them. 

But President Snow?

She can ruin him. 

She could make him bleed, him and all those in power. 

And she will. 

Sakura smiles at her family every day. She hugs her ill mother and Katniss pats her head as she walks past her. (Katniss is so thin, Sakura can't help but notice. She’s so thin and looks so young. Although Konoha had its faults, a normal civilian family would never look like this.)

Sakura will make the Capitol bleed, one day. Not all of it, not all of those in the Capitol are to blame. There are children there, and people who have grown up sheltered and ignorant. While Sakura may hate those people, those who are blind to troubles and blood, they are civilians. 

That’s why Sakura practices using her chakra almost every day in the woods where her sister will not notice. It’s not a difficult thing to achieve, these people are not ninja, not like Sakura. And while she is still physically limited by her age, the limits are not much when Sakura actually tries to combat them. Even an Academy student could easily destroy President Snow.

Sasuke would have had a field day. He was always good at being subtle, acting in the shadows, collecting information. Sakura was, evidently, not good at subtly. She could be subtle, but Sakura has always preferred to fight with her fists. She has always preferred to be open with her opinions.

It’s been so very long since Panem has heard someone be open and be honest about this, anyways.

Primrose Everdeen is already a warrior by the time she is born. Panem will know her name, like it or not. By the time her first reaping will come, Primrose Everdeen will be prepared, and she will be deadly. 

President Snow will die. Sakura will make sure to do it herself, actually.

Chapter Text

The years upcoming Sakura’s first reaping are rather dull. She studies, observes, and learns. Sakura has always been good at studying, in her younger years it was all she did. Her youthful years are spent learning as much as she can from Panem’s cultures. 

Sakura doesn’t like what she finds. 

The year's upcoming Sakura’s fist reaping consists of watching families mourning their children before they even get on the train. The boys and girls in District 12 are walking corpses, and even the so-called wealthy merchant children were rather poor. The seam children are thin and small and Katniss had gotten her period at 16, for fucks sake, that is not healthy. Sakura does not punch her wall, but she is willing to sacrifice a tree or two if it means she can scream and not worry Katniss about it. 

These children are so angry, so scared, and helpless. And while Sakura does not agree with Gale’s hatred of all of the Capitol and the career children, she does not blame him. Gale has starved and shed tears for District 12, and Sakura can understand the anger that burns hot and fast in his chest.

For District 12, the reaping is a death sentence. In 7 decades of the games only a single person in their District has won. Haymitch is his name, if Sakura remembers correctly. He was an alcoholic and almost always drunk or hungover.

Sakura wished he would get up and actually do something for his District, instead of acting as if he died in the Games. Sakura has built herself a home from the rubble of the war after everyone around her seemed to fall to dust. Sakura would have fought and sneered and bite as hard as she could for her home, because she is well aware that they do not count Panem as home.

It was similar to her mother in this world, who let her spark die out with their father.

Sakura used to watch her new mother as she did her work with narrowed eyes. While her mother was still healthy and mentally fine, Sakura used to make her teach her things. Sakura is a medic throughout every life, and she learns the small amount of knowledge of medicine there is in District 12. The medicine in District 12 is poor, and Sakura can feel herself clenching her fists. 

Sakura knows more than she lets on about this. Everything in District 12 is so behind, and Sakura knows the Capitol is far more advanced. Yet they let their people starve. President Snow is happy to let his people starve and only let a selective few be rich. He lets his people starve, and Sakura cannot let that pass. The people in the Districts aren’t even allowed to have a chance. 

For all of Hiruzen’s faults, he would have been damned if he let the majority of Konoha starve till they died.  For all of Hiruzen’s mistakes, he loved Konoha with all of his heart, and he would have never let this happen. Hiruzen may not have carved out the rot when he should have, but he did not let it affect the majority of the civilians. President Snow does not even attempt to hide his corruption from his citizens, his people. 

Sakura adapts, she learns, and she survives. It’s what she has always done, and what she knows. 

Sakura ages with fire and chakra bursting beneath her skin, and she tells it to wait. 

Not yet, she murmurs to her chakra. Her first reaping is soon, so very soon. And her chakra is clawing beneath her skin, hissing to be let out. Chakra practices are not enough, training is not enough, apparently. Sakura is not good with being tamed, but she has adapted to District 12 and its people. 

Katniss is scared for Primrose, and she tries not to show it, but Sakura can see it in her eyes. Katniss is 16 years old, and so used to the feeling of helplessness. She is no shinobi. While Katniss may know how to use a bow, she does not know how to kill. Not where it counts. Death is not a burden for Katniss to carry. 

Sakura could name 202 ways you can kill a man or woman. And still, there are more she couldn’t name at the top of her head. Sakura has killed dozens, and if she needs to, she will continue to do so. 

Sakura knows Katniss will volunteer for her. And she cannot have that.

“Katniss!” Primrose Everdeen screams, “I made tea for you.” 

Primrose Everdeen is not different from Sakura Haruno. The only things softened are the outwardly lethal parts of her. But outside of that she is still quick to anger and ready to punch an adult man in the face if it calls for it. Sakura is not willing to change herself, not for a man like President Snow. 

Sakura will not die for an enemy like him. Although she is uncertain if there is a revolution starting already, that is fine. Sakura will make it happen, she’ll burn the candles, and make it into a forest fire if she needs to. 

…Sasuke would have loved that. He would’ve been better suited for a world where you had to be silent and had to work in the shadows. But he isn’t here. It’s Sakura who is in this world, with a mentally unwell mother and a teenage older sister and a dead father. And unfortunately, Panem will have to deal with a girl who will try to soften her blows. Panem will face a girl who goes to where it hits the most painful, not the quickest.

Katniss smiles at her. Sakura cannot help but smile back.

“Thank you Prim.” Katniss says, and then frowns as she inspects Sakura.

“Why is there a bruise on your face, Prim.”

Sakura scoffs and shrugs. There is dirt on her fists.

“Prim!”

“That guy was asking for it, Kat.” Sakura rolls her eyes. 

Katniss scolds her, as if she didn’t try to punch a man last month for looking at Sakura the wrong way. She would have if Sakura didn’t beat her to it. There were still some fools in District 12 who saw Sakura as a sweet little girl, and they would die because of it.

(.)

Katniss develops a horrid fever the day of the reaping. 

Her new mother, for once since father died, seems to wake from her dissociation just enough to take care of Katniss today. Katniss has enough awareness to fret over Prim, but not enough to be able to go.

People in this world are very sensitive to chakra, especially when Sakura weaponizes it. All it took was touching Katniss with a finger for her to fall sick. Sakura felt a pang of regret looking at Katniss' pale face, hands clutching onto Sakura’s own.

Sakura soothes her worries.

“I’m gonna be fine, Kat.” She says slowly. Katniss sniffles, and looks at her suspiciously. She’s unconvinced. 

“Prim this is your first reaping and I-” Katniss’ voice cracks. “If you-”

Sakura pauses, and sees real fear in Katniss’s eyes. 

Sakura remembers this girl is technically her older sister. And for all she tries to be brave, she is a civilian 16 year old girl. Sakura’s gaze softens. This is not her at 16, with Tsunade’s mentoring and Kakashi’s teachings. This is the type of girl she could’ve been, but refused to be. Sakura is not good at gentleness and softness, but she’s always been good at love. Sakura is not good at softening her blows, but she’s always been passionate with her care.

Sakura takes a deep breath. “Katniss, I promise I’ll be fine. Besides, when have I ever lost anything?”

She smiles at Katniss, and the lie tastes like ash in her mouth.

Primrose is to be sent off to the Hunger Games, by her own will, if needed. 

(.)

They prick her finger harshly, and Sakura offers one of her perfect Sakura smiles that 12 year old her had mastered to impress Sasuke. 

She waits with small, trembling, little girls. They are 12, not at all like how Ino was at 12. Ino was all grace and confidence at 12, carrying herself with an air of superiority that came from knowing how to gut a civilian man in seconds. These girls are small and thin, and look much younger from years of starvation. They’re fearful, and some are desperately trying to hide their tears as they stare at a bright eyed woman do a speech. 

Sakura can barely stifle her grin as she stares at the bowl.

She is no martyr, she never will let herself be a martyr. 

But a warrior?

Sakura can let herself kill, she can let herself snarl and be bloody, yes. Yes, that is far better than a martyr. Shinobi in her world carry a burden for their nation to be at peace, and for civilians to rest. Clearly, the message didn’t get across to President Snow. Clearly, Snow must need a reminder. A permanent reminder.

She closes her eyes, just for a moment. 

A shinobi is meant to help preserve and protect their nation, their home. Sakura had bled and died for it, and now, she was willing to bleed and kill for this home. The Districts are barely surviving off the scraps of the Capitol, and Sakura is willing to do many horrendous things to build up the walls of the Districts.

Once upon a time, Sakura killed for her home. (And she will have to do it again, except it’ll be Primrose who raises the sword and aims for the heart.)

Effie Trinket’s voice echoes throughout District 12, and Sakura knows she will go to the Hunger Games. She cannot in good will let herself not volunteer for someone else, someone who is weaker than Sakura. 

“Primrose Everdeen,” is declared to all of District 12. The air is solemn, mourningful as Sakura breathes in. They try to sentence a girl to death, and they will get a living corpse instead. They’ll get a dead girl who refused to die, and they’ll get a warrior. 

Sakura glares, with all the viciousness Tsunade taught her to hold in her grasp. She does not bother with pleasantries. The escort, a colorful and silly woman named Effie, almost flinches as Sakura stares at her, and then the camera.

She didn’t even need to volunteer. And Sakura is willing to show her fury.

Shinobi are subtle creatures.

Sakura is not just any shinobi, though, is she? There is no real threat here, not compared to her.

The girl who they think will die, but won’t, glares. Primrose is a very soft looking girl, if you don’t look at the sharpness of her eyes and the roughness of her fists and feet. One might mistake Primrose for a gentle girl, if they don’t see the dirt under her nails and the fire beneath her skin. 

This is a world where speaking up can mean death. But Sakura has faced death many times, and has spat in its face even more times. This is a world where passion and hope is radical. 

They would’ve hated Naruto, now that Sakura thinks about it. Naruto would’ve pranked these Peacekeepers into oblivion despite not pranking people since his Academy years. Naruto would’ve grinned at the camera, but Sakura has never been Naruto. Sakura tilts her head upwards, and steps forward. She doesn’t force herself to look scared, she furrows her eyebrows and glares. Sakura knows she looks angry. Sakura has always been very good at being angry.

Reluctantly, Sakura walks onto stage with her left eye twitching and her hands clenched into fists. 

They are so very lucky Sakura will not let herself use her chakra yet. 

She knows what they see- a small girl. A delicate looking girl, skinny and frail. They think she is weak, they think she will die in the Games. They stare as she walks to the stage, that glance in her eyes unwavering, and think their assumption is right. Sakura almost wants to choke someone, because why would they think of Sakura Haruno as weak?

She swallows down that feeling of bitterness she used to feel as a kid. It feels so much like how Sakura used to feel when people giggled at her and called her a Paper Ninja. It felt just like how she felt when she was not established as a strong shinobi, pitied. 

Their pity for her will be their downfall. 

The next tribute is a shaky boy. Peeta Mellark, the baker's son. Blonde, pale, and staring at her wide eyed. There was kindness in his eyes, Sakura noticed. His skin was pale and almost sickly as he walked to the stage. Sakura purses her lips, glancing at him. He was a merchant. Sakura’s parents were merchants in her first life. The boy looks kind, and so terrified it echoes in the silence. There are no screams for Peeta Mellark. Katniss would be screeching if she was there, yelling, and pushing people out of the way for Sakura. 

The declaration of your name is damnation to most, with the exception of careers. They think Primrose and Peeta are to die when the time comes that the Games begin. Sakura is surprised, maybe even sympathetic, at the way Peeta glances at the crowd for comfort. 

There is no crying, for Peeta. 

The cameras flash and click, and Sakura thinks for a moment. 

She shows the camera her smirk. If they flinch, it’s their fault, not hers.