ARENA 09 - THE MUSEUM

[etcircenses]

The Tributes are woken up early for this Arena, and switched from whatever sleeping attire they're currently in to a set of pajamas, each designed for the individual in questions. Women wear onesies, and most of the men wear two-pieces, but other than that any similarities are at random - the outfits are in all sorts of colors and patterns.

The floor of the helicopter taking them to their Arena location, and of the underground entrance to the tubes that hoist them to the surface, will feel cold under their bare feet.

Rather than bringing them to sunlight, like the tubes have in the past, instead the Tributes are presented to a dark concrete ceiling in a badly-lit parking lot. Fluorescent lights do little to illuminate the cavernous space.

The countdown begins, announced as if from far away.

20

19

18…

The Cornucopia, a ghastly thing carved from stone and concrete, sits at the center of a pattern of white and yellow lines reminiscent of spots for parked cars. The painted lines create a sort of spoked wheel, providing lanes for the Tributes leading to the prizes at the center. Some of the more unfortunate Tributes will find the concrete architecture has placed pillars in their lanes.

8

7

6…

Six parked cars lie around the outskirts of the huge lot, barely visible in the dim lighting. Glowing exit signs on two opposite sides of the chamber announce where Tributes should go to escape the bloodbath. Elevator doors are perched beneath them.

3

2

1

The gong rings out, and the countdown's voice announces "the Arena is now open". The Games have begun.

Comments

CORNUCOPIA

[etcircenses]

Venus | OTA

[celebrityskinned]

They dress her up in a tiger onesie, and since she's alert enough this early in the morning, she bothers to protest it. Tiger stripes, really? Bare feet? They say it'll make her look cute, and she supposes that if she's dressed like a tiger there's probably some poor asshole dressed like a dalmatian, so she slaps some color into her cheeks on the helicopter and mentally prepares herself.

The mental preparation doesn't take that long. Venus has been doing this sort of thing for much longer than she was in Panem. She closes her eyes and thinks of who her allies are, who her enemies are. She opens them when the familiar needle - her 'booster shot' - goes into her shoulder.

"You couldn't warn me?" She rolls her eyes as her Stylist wipes the spot of the injection down. "How long will this last?"

"A few weeks."

"The whole Arena?"

"A few weeks. The audience wants to see if Enjolras comes for you when you need him most."

"That's fucking great," Venus says. She stares down at her feet, at the blue-painted toenails winking back up at her, her feet curled slightly against the cold floor. "Because he's not even watching."

She walks without being led to the tube, not resigned to her fate because she doesn't consider it condemnation. By the time she reaches the top of the tube and can take in the parking lot and her competition, she's got her game face on, her sly, camera-ready smirk.

Time to baptize another Arena in blood. Venus lowers herself into a runner's stance, eyes focused not on the prizes but on the Tributes around her. When the gong goes off she springs off her pedestal and sprints down her lane with the speed of a runaway train.

Charles "Orc" OTA

[callmecharles]

Orc felt sick to his stomach.

His outfit made him feel like a little boy again. It even had race cars on the pants and a matching drag racers on the chest of his shirt.

He had to do better this time...had to find Howard. As the countdown began he got into a football crouch and let his beady eyes roam the area in front of him.

With a roar that seemed much less intimidating now that he was human he charged forward with two goals in mind. Find some gear and get to Howard.

It was unfortunate that without his stone skin to protect him...he was very, very vulnerable.

Sandy OTA

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy's mind whirled with possibility as she tugged on the onesies which featured a pattern of bunny rabbits looking decidedly adorable.

The plan was the same as always. Grab some items, find Pruna. Or failing that find somewhere to hide. She would have to move faster then fast, especially since she was barefoot. She couldn't afford to let any of the grown ups stomp on her feet.

The countdown ended and Sandy launched herself into space, legs pumping underneath her with a mix of fear and determination.

This time she wasn't just fighting for herself, she was fighting for all of District 12. Life was shitty enough for them as it was. The least she could do was try and give them hope.

Punchy | OTA

[nunpunching]

It's not hip hop that Punchy's singing under his breath this morning. It's "Redemption Song" by Bob Marley.

He ran the last Cornucopia, and then spent most of the Arena cowering in caves and corners, either bleeding or whimpering. It's the worst sort of tragedy, he feels - one which he feels wholly responsible for but which invites no sympathy. The Avoxing was his problem, and he should have bucked up instead of buckling under.

But the Stylists are talking about him being a Comeback Kid, and he likes the sound of that. He suckles on this way to reinvent himself until his ego is fattened again, until he's ready to go out and do what he does best in the Arena.

He's a goddamn hero, and his ridiculous pajamas match that. His tongue is heavy in his mouth, and it's the best damn feeling.

When he rises to the top of his pedestal, he eyes the people to watch out for and the people to rescue. Flush with a strategy, fueled by a goal, he's ready when the gong goes off. And the impulses making him run to help others are sweet as sugar and hot as embers in his soul.

Holiday | OTA

[doc_holi]

This was, by far, the worst outfit they had thrown her in yet. Holiday didn't know what to expect after being put in a night gown. Honestly, if they were going to do that, they should have just thrown her in naked.

A parking lot was one of the last things she expected. Immediately, she knew they must have been on a low level of... a tall building? If she survived the blood bath, perhaps she can figure out what the building is. Hopefully some sort of hospital...

She scans the items scattered out of the Cornucopia - making a note of the bullets without any guns - before taking a quick glance at her immediate opposition and those straight across from her. While bullets were probably out of her reach, she honed in on a first aid kit and decided to go from there. Escaping the level was also going to be tricky noted by the limited number of exits, but if those vehicles were more than just decoration, perhaps she can make it work.

After that, Rebecca only had enough time to take a deep breath before the sprint began. At least, at this point, she no longer cared for decency in her attire. Hopefully that would play up to her favor... in more ways than one.

Terezi Pyrope | OTA

[pythianjudgment]

When shown her outfit for this arena, Terezi almost laughs. This has got to be a joke, right? It takes almost a full five minutes for her prep team to convince her that yes, she's actually supposed to be wearing this. It doesn't take her that much longer to put it on, but she feels really ridiculous. Snuggly. But ridiculous.

The first thing that Terezi notices is the drab grey of this arena. The place reeks of concrete and ash and dingy lack of color--save for the bright spots that mark the other Tributes in their equally ridiculous pajamas. (Thank the mothergrub for that.) But the Tributes aside, the whole place reminds Terezi of the meteor in a really unsettling way. She hopes that the rest of the arena isn't like this, or she's in for a long few weeks.

At least the dim light doesn't pose a problem for her.

As the voice counts down into the single digits, she focuses on the goal ahead. The painted lines are more than a little unnerving and definitely unnecessary. They know where to go, but the illusion that their path is marked out for them, like a runway towards certain doom, makes her press her lips into a tight line. She hopes those Capitol people are getting their entertainment value from watching them all sprint towards that bloody collision. The Tributes aren't the only ones on a crash-course.

The countdown finishes, and Terezi is bolts for the cornucopia.

Harley Quinn OTA

[revvinguptheharley]

Harley was bouncing around the Cornucopia like she was on springs. Swinging out her long powerful legs at anyone in range she aimed to make herself a pain in anyone and everyone's necks literally.

A flash of red, some black diamonds and you too may find yourself unfortunate enough to catch her foot in your face, stomach, groin or back as she scrambled around trying to irritate everyone at once.

Donatello | OTA

[polyturtle]

Pajamas. He was in pajamas. A pajama set with a t-shirt and grey sweatpants. And...that was it. No boots, no gear, nothing.

It was a little worrying, to say the least. Even in the previous Arena, they got socks and shoes.

10 9 8 7

The darkness coming up from the tubes didn't help, either. There was no sunlight. Either it was night where they were, or...or...

...

They were in a parking lot. With...wait. Were those cars?

What? What??

6 5 4

This was...different. Were they in a city? Was it New York City? Was it an underground Arena, or was something above them? What was above them, if the latter were true?

Granted, Don was never one to feel claustrophobic, given how he'd lived in sewers most of his life. However, the smallness and lack of good light in the area was disconcerting. It didn't allow him to get a decent bead on anything outside of the Cornucopia, and the lighting in the are made it hard to see Mindy or anyone else well. Which meant he didn't know whether going to the Cornucopia was even worth it.

Definitely worrying.

3 2

Don found he had little choice. He had to go for the Cornucopia. Whether or not he wanted to. He took a deep breath, bending his knees.

1

And he was off when the gong rang, his feet slapping against concrete as he ran.

Joan Watson

[formersurgeon]

Joan's onesie was covered with green dinosaurs. Her stylist was giggling while Joan pulled the wretched thing on, and her giggling only increased when Joan rolled her eyes hard.

When her platform rose into the arena, she blinked, eyes narrowed slightly, peering into the dimly lit space. This...was weird. Was the rest of the arena outside this parking garage? Was it some sort of urban landscape? An office building? A mall? She thought she could make out Sherlock several platforms to her right. She couldn't see John at all.

10...9...8...

She looked at the cornucopia. She could get to it. She could run on the concrete. She ran on the concrete all the time.

5...4...3...

A quick glance around, and she crouched, eyes on the structure.

2...1...GONG

Joan dashed toward the cornucopia. She didn't look at anyone else, focusing on getting their quick and getting out quicker. She paused when she saw what the supplies up close, though. They looked...useless.

She saw a first aid kit, and went for it.

Gabriel | OTA

[casaerotica13]

At first, he had put the PJs on without much question. Today was the big day and why they hell couldn't he enjoy it in comfort? On the other hand, he frowned when he saw his outfit in a mirror before directly frowning to his stylists.

Ha ha, guys. Ha. Good one. El oh el. Much funny.

He continued huffing about it until the tube closed around him. He looked up to watch as he ascended out into the parking lot, getting a view of the Cornucopia, tributes, all that good stuff. Finally, finally, he was a little scared. All of that ignoring it hadn't done all that much good, like he knew from the start.

He let his fear out in another breath as he shifted on the pedestal and took a good look at the treasures before them all. He wasn't at a great advantage and he knew it, so this was his best bet, so long as he was careful... This could even be fun. Might as well be. What else was he gonna do about it?

He smirked at the bullets, first-aid kits and... laser pointer. Oh, he had to have that. Gabe jumped in place for a second until the time lulled out and he sprinted into action. This angel's jumped into heavier battles than this to carry messages to and fro only to come out unscathed. Granted, he wasn't nearly as quick anymore, but it was all in the dance really.

He slid on one knee to grab that laser pointer before going for other stuff. Laser pointers are important.

Howard | OTA

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

This is his last Arena. Some part of him tucked safe away from logic and hope has decided that. If he can't make it out of this one, he doesn't have it in him for a seventh. There's some awareness of how little wick he has left for these trials over and over, and that desperation hums through his veins and makes his brain into a tuning fork.

Rabbit pajamas. Howard guesses that he's at least fortunate they didn't decide to take a page out of A Christmas Story and give him bright pink ones with ears. He can barely breathe by the time he gets to the top of his pedestal; his lungs seem determined to rebel, pulling in shallow mouthfuls of air that he knows aren't enough for the speed he needs to get out of the Cornucopia unscathed.

He looks for Wyatt and John and Orc and Ellie, but he can't really see them from this distance, and some dim, snarky part of his brain says he should have just bitten the bullet and gotten glasses back when he had a chance.

The gong goes off before he's ready - he's been too lost in his fear to keep track of something as basic as numbers - and he trips off his pedestal before taking off at a breakneck run towards the Cornucopia.

Homura | OTA

[iflipmyhair]

A Kyuubey onesie.

Truly a deft piece of humor on her Stylists' part. Of course, she knew the Capitol likely had a hand in its making, to remind her. To point out to her the obvious.

Remember. We can bring whoever we want with us.

She intended again to use the explosives in the platforms, but first, she'd need supplies. She'd need to know where she was and how the Arena was laid out. Until then, she was at the mercy of the Cornucopia.

And of the giant concrete pillar in front of her face. Excellent.

And so she waited, the countdown going to zero, thinking about what she would do. When, at last, the countdown reached its end, she stood, unmoving, staring at grey for two whole minutes.

Let everyone get there first. Let everyone fight.

Then she'd take her pick when no one was looking.

Cuthbert - OTA

[tis_allgood]

Cuthbert was grateful for being something of a morning person as it didn't take much for him to wake up and change. He was already nervous about the Arena, who wouldn't be? But somehow he was more nervous to be in a pair of camoflauge, drop-seat pajamas. But if he could make it through most of an arena in a skirt, he could make it in a onesie.

He zeroed in immediately on the cornucopia, and only gave a passing glance to the people to either side of him. No one there that he specifically didn't want to kill, although if it came down to it, he would do what he had to do. For the moment he just wanted to grab what he could and leave alive.

Sherlock | OTA

[alldeduction]

Over his career at a Tribute in Panem, Sherlock had been made to wear things both ludicrous and embarassing. The fact that this time they had dressed him in relatively normal pajamas and a matching robe was not lost on him, and he was even mildly thankful (if that particular word could ever be used to describe him).

He was not thankful, however, as he raised into the cornucopia and saw a massive concrete pillar standing between him and his chance at survival. He let out an annoyed breath through his nose, scanning first for John and Joan as the clock began to count down. He couldn't decide what to aim for as he couldn't see it, but it hardly mattered. They were obviously in an urban complex of some kind (the cars beckoned to him quietly), and the only exits he could see were the elevators behind him, but he did not want to be stuck in a concrete jungle without supplies. So. To the cornucopia it was.

As the gong rang, Sherlock dashed off the platform with a speed that only four previous arenas could provide.

Kain Highwind | OTA

[dragoon_pride]

Kain is unpleasantly surprised by the outfit he's been placed in: shiny dark blue pajamas with little pale blue dragons all over them. They couldn't have given him back his armor? Any armor? He feels far too underprepared, vulnerable, even.

Not that he can do anything about that. After last minute preparations from the stylists, he awaits the moment, trying not to think about how chilly he feels, how aggravatingly exposed this selection of outfit makes him... and then he's finally launched up into the arena.

He's gotten the idea by now, what he ought to be looking for, and he spots it at once. While not totally behind a pillar, there's one obscuring about half his view. But he knows the general direction to take, and can see some promising supplies awaiting. There's no question that he's going for it. He's hoping he can get a weapon out of this, but doesn't see anything much along those lines from where he's standing.

As the countdown commences, he waits, tensing and preparing to run...

...and there's the gong. Kain takes off in a run, prepared to fight for anything he can get his hands on. He just can't stop thinking how badly he wishes he were properly armored...

open

[splendid_roman]

Ian wasn't interested in fighting anyone, but as the countdown progressed he did eye up the cornucopia for anything interesting, and the other tributes for who else might be heading towards it.

When it hit zero he sprinted for the cornucopia, relying on his size and strength to elbow others out of the way and get in and out of there as fast as he could. He didn't have the time to decide what to get, or rely on a bag having something useful. So he just grabbed the firestarters, knowing that at least they'd be showy when he used them.

Ellie | OTA

[onlyimmune]

Ellie had no idea what to think when they gave her the clothing for the arena. Firstly, she'd never actually seen a onesie, let alone one of a glow-in-the-dark skeletal unicorn. She gave up even trying to think of what it was supposed to be, other than to give people a laugh, and instead prepared herself for the arena as she was raised up toward the surface.

It had been jungle last time, but she had heard that they changed every time. What now? Desert? Tundra? The Open Ocean?

The last thing she was possible expecting was a parking lot.

"What the..." She muttered to herself as she looked around, but there was no one she knew directly on either side, and there were nearly fifty tributes arrayed in the huge circle around the cornucopia.

She sucked in a breath and focused. Fine. Grab some supplies, get the fuck out of here. She could do that. Maybe this time she would manage something more than a few moldy apples.

The clock counted down, and on the gong she was off like a shot.

[the_marshal]

Wyatt had tried to stop the dawn from coming, but of course it had. The knock came at his door, cracking through the quiet of his room like a gunshot. He'd had a moment to reach for Max, to hold him hard - one last time - and then they'd barreled in.

It was a blur of fabric and voices, pulling and prodding. The only thing he really saw was Max, their eyes meeting over his stylist's shoulder, as the Roman was wrestled from the room.

He let himself mourn, silently, during the journey from the tower to the flying craft; saying nothing to the tributes riding with him, or to the woman who jabbed his arm, reactivating the strange little bit under his skin. But by the time he was in the tube, the familiar tingle racing up his spine, he'd set it aside.

He might die. He might not come back.

But he'd be damned if he wasn't going to fight for that tomorrow.

He took in the new arena quickly, eyes roving over the dark walls, the cracked stone floor, the Cornucopia in the distance. He glanced at the tributes closed to him, looking for familiar faces, and then readied himself to run.

Susannah | OTA

[dividedgirlofmine]

I got dis, Detta says inside their head.

Sugar, you can have it, Susannah replies. Just give it back to me if you see one of our friends.

Harley, she means. Or Cuthbert. Eddie, if they threw him in again, dear Lord she hopes they haven't.

Dey ain't my friends, Detta answers sulkily.

Of course they are. Harley 'specially, given she knows you're there.

The gong rings, preventing further argument, and Detta in their short-legged onesie springs off the pedestal and toward the cornucopia.

Karkat | COME AND STAB HIM EREN

[sleeplessinalternia]

Karkat wonders if he pissed off Victory somehow, because these crab pajamas are going to be shit for grabbing shit at the cornucopia. Part of him wonders if he should head away instead but, no, fuck that, he's a troll and he'll fight for what he needs, even if the odds are fucking against him. It's not like they haven't always been, ever since he was hatched. Or, well, not fucking hatched but created from weird, stupid ectobiology slime.

As soon as the gong sounds he's racing towards the cornucopia, stupid plush crab hands be damned.

Just why the fuck did he end up with a lane with a pillar? This is not going to be helpful for getting something without having to fucking fight someone over it.

Hawkeye Pierce | OTA

[swill]

He's going to die in a bathrobe.

Underwear, and a red bathrobe.

It had been a security blanket back in his previous hell- why couldn't it be one here? He had called the stylists names he had never before thought up, and in the end they threw the two piece costume to the floor in frustration and just gave him his robe. He had cackled like mad. He had tugged at the fabric belt until it seemed it made his ribs sore. He had asked about shoes and then wondered if he'd die sleeping on a beautiful king sized mattress, surrounded by beautiful women. Or the corpses of. And when he had to be pushed into the small little tube that delivered tributes to the above-ground, to the arena, he felt like maybe he hadn't been so wrong that first time, thinking the capsule frightened him more than whatever came next. By the time he's released on the pedestal (fall and explode, right? that was a good offer, right?), Hawkeye looks like maybe he hasn't slept in weeks, like maybe he decided to try and tear hair out for the past days. It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair. And the very first thing he does is stomp his feet for the sake of feeling something combat the marching nerves. His skin didn't feel like his own. There wasn't any room for his own skin to fit in. The ceiling was too low. The bodies were too close. There wasn't enough air, he couldn't breathe. This wasn't fair!

He fidgeted with the belt and belt loops, and felt like the hairs on his legs were crawling.

There were people like him all around. Hawkeye just couldn't make out the faces, no matter how hard he tried.

He moved. He stomped. He shuddered. He whined. This wasn't fair. He couldn't stand still. How could anybody? They were all insane. He raised his hands and scratched at his head with fury. He raised his hands at the spoils ahead, the goods he knew someone would die for, and shouted, at the top of his lungs, "Don't do it!" But the stupid fucks would do it anyway, he knew. There was a countdown that was drowning out all voices. "It's a trap!" And his skin was crawling and his lungs were on fire from the lack of air, dear God. Dear God help them all.

15-

"You all look lovely."

12-

"You wouldn't want to ruin your hair. It's beautiful."

7-

"Nuh-no. Nuh-no. Not me. You're not gonna..." It was a weak chuckle, and he wondered vaguely about stepping down. About doing something about that 'no' he kept chanting. But he just loved living too much, even if everyone around him didn't.

He licks his lips, he sucks in a breath, he swallows. And when the timer comes to the end, he just stands there, on the pedestal, and doesn't think he can muster the energy he had already foolishly expended by throwing his fit. Ahead, somebody grabbed a bag. Ahead, somebody grabbed something glistening. There would be bodies-- there were bodies, just moving, just wasting time, just wasting life. And Hawkeye was a doctor first and foremost- panicked and hysterical, second. The preservation of life was this-- this force. So he really had no choice but to move toward the crowd, to try and make sense of everything second, and to try to help who might need it first.

Eliot OTA

[retrieverchef]

This had to be the worst arena outfit yet, even worse than the one that cost him a broken leg. He tied the short robe shut and looked around for Lindsey and a couple other friends. He could get the message no one bothered to actually say. Give them a show. And not just at the Cornucopia. Fine. He could do that.

The gong rang and he ran. Get a weapon, find his brother. Then he'd see what else he could get.

Danny Fenton | OTA

[halfa_hero]

The stylists had foisted some black and white flannel bottoms and a black ghost print t-shirt on Danny. He'd find it funny, if he didn't already hate this place.

10 9 8

But to get through this all alive, to have any chance of getting home, he has to play their game. Live just long enough to appear interesting. (He didn't like Harley, but he'd admit the advice was sound.)

7 6 5 4

The Cornucopia's a trap. He KNOWS it's a trap. But having supplies mean he lives just that little bit longer.

3
2
1

And he was off, making a mad dash for one of the waterproof bags.

Re: CORNUCOPIA

[disciplewhomsignlessloves]

She feels a fool. Dressed up in a large purrbeast costume of sorts, hair braided back and tucked up in the hood of the onesie, she looks small and she cannot even pretend she looks formidable. So much fabric to grab at, so much to give her away. Even a stupid tail dangled behind her. The most she could hope was for something dirt color, to hide against.

As the tube lifted her, she felt her hopes shatter. A building, a ceiling above her and stone floor on either side. She could see the Cornucopia before her and carefully turning her head, spotted a few signs emblazoned with words in red. Exit. Doors to what might be stairs or other rooms. Lines that guided her way.

There was little to tell what this arena might hold. She hated being unprepared. And she hated that this arena, too, would prove futile to her hunting prowess. Still, no use being nervous or scared. If she found Signless, then she needed to be prepared. So resources first.

3

2

1

She took off, hating and loving the outfit that at least gave her movement, if little else. A swipe at the cornucopia, then to those doors. She had to make it out of here and everything would be first come first serve.