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

[sithcretapprentice]

That kind of attack is exactly what Starkiller is ready for. He's on edge already from the breathing of the shoes, so knowing that at any moment the elevator could stop on a floor to reveal an enemy has him even more on edge. But when it opens to reveal a very ordinary looking kid.

One who, frustratingly, seemed to like his shoes. Starkiller's lips curled up in disgust and he rolled his eyes, though he relaxed slightly. There was no reason to harm a child- which is what Punchy was to him. He must've been a decade younger than Starkiller from the looks of it. Not worth the effort it would take to kill him.

"They're ridiculous and you're an idiot for thinking they're anything more than that."

Said in a complete deadpan, Starkiller gave him an unimpressed look.

[nunpunching]

"Bitch, you fronting on me?" Punchy is well aware that aggression is not something he needs to be showing in front of scared people in tight spaces, which is why he sounds angry but doesn't make any motion towards Starkiller. He folds his arms instead, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.

"What's your damage?"

[sithcretapprentice]

Punchy, he doesn't understand your lingo. You're talking to the guy that sounds weirdly old fashion sometimes. Definitely not someone who's going to understand what a bitch is, nor what fronting even means. But he gets the general gist of it, enough to know that Punchy is being a major brat.

"My damage," he says, his tone one of barely suppressed anger, "is that the Capitol is mocking me and it's pathetic. And you seem to think the gesture is funny. If you weren't a child I would be killing you myself."

[nunpunching]

"I'm eighteen, jackwagon." Punchy outright puffs his chest out and stands higher on his feet, and while he does pose an adult figure at six feet of muscle, the immaturity of his reaction does undercut that. "And shit's funny. Your kicks make noise. That's fucking hilarious."

The elevators dings as they reach the top floor.

[sithcretapprentice]

"Hardly more than a child in my opinion," he says dryly. Punchy is still not endearing himself to Starkiller at all, so by the time the elevator dings and the doors open, Starkiller is moving in front of Punchy, taking him by the front of the shirt to give him a tug, before a push towards the door.

"Get out," he commands, shoving harder. You're going to get your ass out of this elevator and leave him alone. "Go get cake or whatever children like to eat, I don't have time for this right now."

I love that Starkiller thinks children just eat cake

[nunpunching]

"Why, you some kind of grandpa been hitting the ice in cryo?" Punchy frowns but then, when Starkiller moves to touch him, jumps back, hands out. "Don't make me whale on you, jackwagon."

he has all of the misconception on children

[sithcretapprentice]

Starkiller scoffs in response. The lingo is, once more, lost of him but he gets the general idea well enough to understand. "I doubt you could beat your way out of a paper bag," he says, giving the kid another push. "But if you really want to try, be my guest."

Re: he has all of the misconception on children

[nunpunching]

Punchy shoves back. He's actually quite strong, and though he and Starkiller are similar sizes, Starkiller may notice that Punchy's movement doesn't have the flailing that characterizes the rest of his actions. He moves like a true combatant.

"Dawg, I don't wanna lay you out. I'm up with keeping the peace."