Choose your own adventure with Azula

[burnedbrighter]

Who: Azula and anyone foolish or brave enough to get close
What: detoxing off her meds and other games
Where: The Labs and surrounding area.
When: Week two
Warnings/Notes: Azula is coming down off an addiction to Morphling, so she may be volatile and violent

These labs were a dark and depressing place. And that was perfect for someone who wanted to wallow in her own misery.

Huddled in a nest made of desks, chairs and assorted furniture Azula had set up her tent in a far corner of the lab. She needed privacy for when the cravings became too much. When she was incapacitated with sweating and muttering and visions. Unfortunately she lacked proper privacy because somewhere in the melee and madness of the first week, one of her tributes had found her and was sticking close to her for protection.

Diana was decent company on the whole. A bit too relaxed about personal space for Azula's taste, and entirely weak and pathetic when it came to combat. They'd hardly had any training time accomplished before this arena so who knows if Diana maintained any of it.

The needs came and went. Sometimes she felt clear headed enough to hunt, and so she did. The rewards were few but she was gradually gaining an understanding of the area. Their dwindling food supply however warned they would need to travel farther from the lab if a fresh food source couldn't be found.

And worse of all, she had been in the arena this long and killed no one. Not a single person! Her last arena was over in a matter of days. This time around she'd been so focused on protecting herself and ensuring she had a safe place to detox she hadn't managed to kill anyone.

Well the time for that would end soon. How much longer could her body need to adjust to the lack of chemicals in her system?

 ******************************************************************************************************************************************************

The lush plantlife provided plenty of places for Azula to hide her beartrap.

Lurking in the trees with a sharpened stick she waited, she could wait for hours without moving, at least until the shaking from her detox came back around. For now she had her nails buried in the bark of a tree so she wouldn't accidentally shake the leaves and was grinding her teeth waiting for anyone foolish enough to cross under her. If they stepped in the beartrap it would be perfect.

If they were just close enough she could jump on them from above and try to force them into the trap? Even better.

********************************************************************************************************************************************************
 

She hated the rain.

She hated it so much that she could just scream if she wasn't biting her lip to keep from giving away her position.

Stupid STUPID Azula. She had let the hallucinations get to her. The aching and the heat and the need for her medication! Chasing some vision deeper into the woods then usual she'd found herself caught in a rainstorm and was currently taking shelter under a tree in her poncho shaking like the leaves above her.

The sound was gentle and soothing to most people, but to her it was a deafening roar that only brought back memories of her first brush with death. How close she'd come to passing on as nothing more then another failed tribute. All it would have taken was one more moment...her mouth would have opened gasping for the air it needed, sucking water into her lungs instead...

...she hated the rain. But could not, would not dare to venture out into it to try and return to the safety of her nest. The thought of it was enough to make her bite her lip even harder and taste the blood from it.

 

Comments

[amplifying]

The sound of the rain was so soothing.

Beck liked rain, even in the Grid. But out here in the User world...it affected everything. You could smell something nice and fresh in the air, and everything grew after it. Everything thrived on this stuff, while in Argon the rain was just, well, rain. It was there, you got wet. Sometimes the platforms got a little slippy. You could smell it too, but it didn't smell as nice as this. That was one thing really nice about the User world.

He wandered through the brush, trying to keep his head on the game. But the sound was so soothing, he couldn't really help but keep his guard down, wandering pointlessly around the forest. It wasn't exactly a smart thing, especially when you took what was wandering around in this Arena into thought. And the people in it, too.

[burnedbrighter]

She heard him before she saw him. The sound of plants being brushed past was almost lost in the pitter patter of the rain.

But Azula had trained her entire life for the first arena she was in. Some skills never faded.

Trying to judge best where he would be coming from she prepared her bear trap. But to set it would require her to...leave the safety of her tree and be rained upon.

The thought alone pulled tight on her stomach till the knots it had been tied in were extra tight and small.

Taking a deep breath she launched herself into the wet and had to bite her lip to keep from screaming in frustration and fury. Her throat began to close up and she had to keep her mind focused.

You can breath! You can breath. There's plenty of air.

But the cool slick bullets of water soaking into her hair and clothes felt like they were slowing her down. Before she knew it she was at the location she had eye balled and set the trap, making a desperate scramble to return to the tree. The entire affair took place in the space of a few moments but to Azula it felt like hours.

Hopefully the rainfall had drown out any sound she made in the process.

Now, curled into a ball with only her rope and a few sharp sticks she watched and waited.

[amplifying]

Even if he had heard the noises, Beck was too in-tune with his own thoughts. The smell of the rain and the sounds of it hitting against the trees put him into a little trance. He was walking along of course, but he was completely absorbed into his own thoughts. They ranged anywhere from how nice things were (for the most part.....) in this Arena, to how different it was from his home in Argon, to-

He heard it before he felt it. Something metal clanked from below him with a sick kind of crunch, and suddenly, he couldn't even move.

And then that's when it hit him. A hot, searing pain that traveled from his foot, and traveled all the way up his spine. That horrible feeling overcame Beck as he collapsed, a screaming sound joining in the sudden ringing in his ears.

He never felt any pain like this before. It was hot and overwhelming, and it made Beck feel like he could be sick...

Before we proceed I feel I should ask, do you want her to leave him maimed or actually end him?

[burnedbrighter]

im okay with leaving him alive! i have no limits on torture, heheheeeeeee...

[amplifying]

[burnedbrighter]

The squeak of the metal hinge being cut short by the crunch was enough to make Azula smile. It was satisfying to hear someone scream and know that all her suffering out in the rain was at least not in vein.

"You should be more careful blundering through the forest like that." She mocked watching him from the safety of her tree, studying the wound from afar. She could hope the trap severed an artery when it broke his leg, but really could her luck have been that good? No she'd have to test the strength of the sticks Diana had sharpened for her.

What else did she have to work with? Not much Diana had most of their collective stuff safe back at camp.

Of course...they could always improvise. Her eyes strayed to the bushes and trees around them. Maybe...?

[amplifying]

Beck's head suddenly felt awful. The world was spinning all around him. Maybe he should just lie here for a bit and try to wait things out. Someone would find him, eventually. Maybe they'd be nice enough to help.

But in a place like this...?

A voice rang out from above him, and Beck struggled to open his eyes, and turn to see who was talking to him. From their tone, they weren't exactly here to help. Which was perfect. Wonderful.

The pain through his leg shot up a notch as he turned, and he couldn't help but gasp. But above him was a girl, watching him from the safety of a tree. "Did... you.....?"

[burnedbrighter]

She rolled her eyes. Even with that awful rain pounding down around them she couldn't stop herself. It was just sad really.

"You're a little slow aren't you?" Then she smirked "Or at least you will be with that leg of yours." Slowly, with great reservation she made her way down the tree. "You may be better just cutting it off really."

[amplifying]

Beck tried to roll over, sucking in quick little breaths as the pain continued to climb. His vision started to get blurry....there were black spots all over his vision......

Hang on, Beck. Breathe.

If he passed out now, he wouldn't be waking up, would he?

He gritted his teeth, and struggled to stay awake. As the girl slid down the tree, he reached for his arrows that rested on his back. With a lot more effort than he liked, Beck managed to slip one out, and held onto it with a shaking hand, giving her the most intimidating glare he could. "Don't."

Something in him snapped. He remembered what this was called: fight or flight. Adrenalin. A hormone in the User body that kicked in their survival instinct. "Leave m'be."

[burnedbrighter]

"Or what?" She challenged and stood up slowly. "I'm curious as to just what you're capable of now that you've been maimed. The local predators will be able to smell that wound you know."

Shaking steps took her to the edge of her trees protection. Irritating flecks of water hit her cheeks.

At the labs

[keep_surviving]

There's the small sounds of hidden movement on the other side of the barricade which Azula's trained ears should be able to easily make out. Closer noises of someone nudging heavy furniture came next, not an attempt to break it down but to simply make space. Then the shuffling of a body against the floor before the furniture sound again. Most likely placing it back to its original place.

With all that done, a hand brushes aside the tent flaps and Diana's face appears at the entrance.

“Hey.” She greets, out of a deeply ingrained social expectation more than anything else. There's the shortest moment where she looks at Azula. Checking to make sure she isn't in a state where Diana would want to make herself scarce.

“Check it out.” Crouching to pull herself though the small hole she dragged a container into the tent. “Guess I'm popular.”

Of course, Diana had already opened the container to check inside. She'd taken a small sip of the water as a reward and pocketed the metal wire. It could be helpful. And Azula didn't need to know about it. She wouldn't miss what she didn't know about.

As she moves about the tent it's hard to avoid brushing against the other occupying body, but feeling secure that Azula wasn't currently having one of her more unstable moments Diana made no effort to avoid it. Besides, it was funny to see the faces the woman pulled when she felt Diana was being encroaching and 'too familiar'.

Diana finally settles into a comfortable sitting position and begins pulling things out of the container, passing them to Azula to inspect. While they certainly didn't have enough faith to trust each other, Diana understood well enough that her best bet of survival right now was the experienced victor, which meant at least attempting to appease her… when necessary. Diana was still herself afterall.

“Some water rations. That looks like a first aid kit and there's this sleeping bag.” She smirks at the older woman. “Just one I'm afraid but I'm willing to share.”

Re: At the labs

[burnedbrighter]

Azula wished desperately she could stop shivering. That she could admonish Diana for making so much noise, that she could do any actual mentoring! But right now her skin was so sensitive that the lightest touches made her want to curl into a ball. Her eyes were darting to each of the items in turn, Diana, the flap to the tent, and everything else as she tried to piece it all together and form the words she needed in her mouth.

"Only if it gets cold." She managed through tight teeth. "I'm sure the sponsors will love that."

Re: At the labs

[keep_surviving]

The smirk doesn't leave Diana's pretty lips as she rolls her eyes at Azula's comment. "So prude."

Diana reaches into her pocket, the opposite one to where she's keeping the wire. It was better to keep them apart. Less chance of loosing both of them.

"There was this aswel." She holds up a small folding knife, carefully pulling it out of its safety position to show off the blade.

She notices the shivering and casually, as though she's shifting to be more comfortable, stretches her leg a little more so that her foot touches Azulas, testing the waters.

Re: At the labs

[burnedbrighter]

Azula's eyes shot to the blade and instantly she was imagining what she could do with it...or worse what Diana could do with it to her in her weakened state. Every muscle tensed and she had to remind herself that Diana knew she needed Azula alive...for now.

"Good, now you'll be able to sharpen some sticks for me to use if I get in close with someone." She muttered "Do you know how to whittle wood at all?" She pressed. Her gaze fell to the foot touching her leg and she did nothing to stop it. If that's how Diana was establishing a connection, Azula could play along.

Re: At the labs

[keep_surviving]

"No. But I'm sure you can show me." She folded the blade back away. "Can't be too hard sharpening a stick can it?"

Seeing how Azula had not completely wigged out at the physical contact Diana saw this only as an open door to take it far further than it needed to go.

She reached over and rubbed a flat palm against the dark haired womans arm. "Stop shivering. You're making me feel cold."

Grabbing the rolled up sleeping bag, she dropped it heavily onto Azulas lap. "Here, get in that."

Re: At the labs

[burnedbrighter]

Azula grunted at the touch and recoiled. When Diana made that ridiculous demand and dropped the sleeping back in her lap she growled "I'm not cold." But she knew that the truth was it could be getting cold, and she might not notice in her state.

When the sleeping bag was dumped in her lap she considered the options. It might make her feel more comfortable while she tried to throw off the needs, but it would restrict her movement if an attack came.

She starred at it for far too long trying to decide. Finally comfort won out over her paranoia and good judgement. Her reasoning was that hopefully when she died horribly in this arena it wouldn't be humiliating.

Re: At the labs

[keep_surviving]

"Mmmhmm. Of course."

Azula's recoil only served to make Diana want to push further. It was her biggest downfall. She always had to poke the bear, just a little harder each time.

She waited until Azula pulled herself into the sleeping bag before she played idly with the other womans hair bangs. "So, we're gathering sticks tomorrow?"

Re: At the labs

[burnedbrighter]

Her bangs.

Of course it had to be her bangs. Azula's hair was well known in the capitol and when she had won last time many men and women had adopted the bangs in a fashion statement that made Azula feel like the entire population worshiped her for a few minutes.

Inside the sleeping back she dug her nails into her palm. She just could not imagine a way that she could convincingly spin the story if she ended up having to kill Diana before the final two tributes were decided. She could kill Diana easily and take her knife...but those at home might not agree with her choice.

And so she sat, and tolerated.

"The sooner we have them the better. If you find a broken wooden leg here, table or chair you can practice on that. Just remember to cut away from yourself and be careful with your fingers."

[hit_girl_mindy]

She was moving quickly now. She only had a little bit of water, and had rationed what she could, but what she needed right now was a weapon. That meant looking, looking, and conserving her energy. That was, at least, easier with some small morsel in her stomach. If there was one thing Mindy was able to understand, it was how far she could test herself.

Mindy was about to get face to face with exactly how much she could stand, of course, since she was moving dangerously close to the bear trap.

[burnedbrighter]

Eyes wide scanning the plantlife below she heard her potential victim. A raptor maybe?

No...another tribute. She sank her nails into the tree branch and bit her lower lip as her eyes began to play tricks on her. Every shadow was smiling at her wickedly. Enticing her.

NO! No...focus on the tribute. She cursed herself and turned her gaze back to the girl and the bear trap.

She was just a child!

But Azula had no mercy for the young.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked around. Damn it, nothing. What was more, she was having a feeling that there was something she ought to be watching out for. Sure, she didn't see anyone around, but she could almost sense someone here, that she should be seeing someone at any minute.

She stopped, her eyes closed, starting to try and retrace her steps. No, not here. There was something off about this.

[burnedbrighter]

Damn! Why was she moving back? could she has seen it?

Time for action. Drawing herself up slowly onto the branch Azula bent at the knees aiming as best she could. The branch swayed tenuously offering little help in predicting if it would support the force of her jump.

Taking a deep breath and letting out she bounced free and spun in the air. Her aim was wobbly and off. Crashing to the ground behind Mindy she rolled to her feet managing to save the landing instead of looking completely foolish.

If that wasn't enough to startle the girl into the trap she'd have to drive her back towards it.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"THE F-" Mindy at this point did stumble back, and was sadly rewarded with the sound of hinges snapping, and a moment later searing, real pain hitting her leg.

"UCKING GODDAMN SHITTY BALLS OF CUNTTASTIC..." Mindy now found herself in very real pain, her leg caught in a bear trap, and the girl who did it succeed in getting her trapped.

OW OW OW. There was nothing but searing real pain in her present time, and now she had to fight to continue screaming and wincing and biting her tongue from the pain. Oh, if only that bitch was a few inches closer to her...

[burnedbrighter]

Azula shook her head amused, "Such vile language. You'll never collect sponsors with a disgusting reaction like that." Then she lunged forward to drive her knee into Mindy's stomach. No mercy. No holding back. Not even for someone half her size.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Was she...was she MOCKING her?! After her is pretty much almost off (and she KNEW that was what bear traps did) she was giving her a talking to? What was more, she actually thought she would finish her off. She actually was trying to hurt her MORE.

Big mistake.

If Azula thought a little girl was easy prey, she knew nothing about Mindy. She had shattered knee caps before, and with the knee coming toward her, she decided to give Azula a taste of her pain, bringing her hand down in just the right angle to dislocate and her hands ready to pull Azula down with her.