Mini Arena 2

[etcircenses]

Tributes are woken early, and the hovercraft ride is a long one. Not the longest some have experienced, but they are clearly going far.

25 - 24 - 23

They land on the deck of the boat, and are ushered underneath, to the lower levels, quickly. Their stylists go from cabin to cabin, decking them out in over the top finery, before loading them into the pods installed into the corners of the rooms.

20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16

The platforms lift them up, and they are all ringed around a grand buffet table, loaded with a grand feast looking ready to sag down from the weight. Among the food are supplies, plenty of them, all for the taking.

11- 10 - 9 - 8

They've all been warned, don't step off your pedestal early. They have also been warned to put on a good show. That's all this is about, a good show. None of them have been told that there can be multiple winners this time around.

5 - 4

3

2

The sound of the gong plays crystal clear across the opening. The games have begun.

Comments

rebelliously tags both

[shenunigans]

[Some hours later, Dave finds himself descended further downward rather than upward. As it happens, his guilt from running away so fast lead him back to look for people.

Bad move. Yep. The deeper he goes, the more the water is rising and eventually he's finding himself further into the point of you're fucked. He's trying his best to climb through using tables and corners to pull himself along, but every so often he'll find himself stuck in a place he can't swim out of.

He needs to suck up his pride eventually, hoping that a more competent swimmer will hear him talking to himself rather than attracting danger with a call of help.]

This is a stupendous fucking way to go, Strider. At least you look sharp, huh? Like a god damn eggplant in a bow tie. Shit man, at least it's darker down here. [His voice wobbles in frustration the more he tries to work up the nerve to swim out of trouble.] Now might be a bad time to suggest that you can't swim, just saying. Could have nipped that one in the bud ages ago.

[rediscover]

Anna's been trying to keep to the upper decks, but eventually a fear that she'll be pushed overboard has her creeping back downward, thinking that maybe she can figure out a place to hide that isn't quite so out in the open. But when she gets back below decks she quickly realizes that this is a bad plan. Soon enough, her beautiful gown is soaked, which makes it about half as easy to walk in, and even with the life vest strapped around her torso she finds that it's dragging her down once she starts wading through the water.

And then she hears a familiar voice muttering from a corner, and through the flickering, dimming lights Anna makes out the figure of Dave, looking weirdly dashing in that shockingly-colored tux.

"Dave," she gasps, "Dave!" It's so good to see a familiar face, but she has to remind herself to keep her voice down so as not to draw attention as she wades toward him.

[shenunigans]

Dave feels immense amounts of sympathy for the girls in big gowns. Wearing a tux underwater is heavy and unpleasant, but there's no train or skirts to weigh him down at least. Unfortunately, he doesn't really have time to make scathing commentary on the patriarchy, just on himself.

When he hears Anna, there's a mix of relief and dread in his gut. He's happy she's alive though he isn't happy to see her. He doesn't just owe it to Elsa to take care of her, though he's sure he wouldn't have lasted so long in the Arena without her help, he likes Anna in her own right as her own person and she's worth helping. It's just.. Well. Of all the Arenas in which he could feel helpful? This isn't one of them.

"Eyyyy, princess." He turns as best he can to look at her, he's clinging as best he can to a table that seems more intent on submerging than floating. "What's up?" That's as close as he gets to saying hello I was genuinely concerned about you please inform me as to how you're faring.

[rediscover]

Anna grabs for a table leg, partly out of fear of being carried away, and partly to give herself a rest. Swimming is draining enough without twenty extra pounds of fabric dragging you down. She looks distinctly worried.

"Well, you know, the usual. Trying not to drown or be killed." She cocks an eyebrow at him. He's clinging a little harder than the average bear.

"...Wait. Dave, you can swim, can't you?"

[shenunigans]

"Yeah, I feel you. Feel free to relax here at my table, though. I had drinks out but, y'know." He shrugs his shoulders as best he can in his position, which isn't much but it gets the point across.

"Depends on who's asking." He answers in a flat voice, now doesn't seem to be the prime time to lie but he can't bring himself to be open and honest.

[rediscover]

Anna scoffs, before pulling herself to perch precariously atop the table. And then, in a classic Anna gesture, stubbornly begins undoing the buckles to her life vest.

"Seriously? How are you, what, sixteen? And you can't swim." She tugs the vest from around her shoulders and shoves it toward Dave. "Put this on, alright? Then you can at least float."

[shenunigans]

"Woah, what are you doing?" Striptease? Paint me like one of your French girls? No. Nope. He doesn't like what she's doing, or what she's saying for that matter.

"I stopped living on Earth when I was thirteen, there aren't large bodies of water on fire planets. Just saying." Unless Nakkadiles are trying to make you into soup, of course. The indigence in his expression is tangible and he leans away from the vest, thinning his red eyes at her. "If I let you drown your sister would kill me. Put that shit on, you found it fair and square."

[rediscover]

Anna rolls her eyes. "I'm not gonna drown. I've been swimming in the ocean since I was seven. You, on the other hand--" She shoves it toward him indignantly.

"Put it on. Or Elsa'll kill you, probably."

She's pretty confident that her sister trusts her ability to swim well enough to know that Dave definitely, definitely needs it more than her.

[shenunigans]

Dave isn't going to make a move to take it, even when she shoves it at him. It just pokes him on the chest and he doesn't even acknowledge it.

"I'll be fine. You're the one dragging around a whole gown on your little expedition. You need all the help you can get." He points out helpfully, looking thoughtful for a moment before saying the most painfully awkward thing he's ever had to say. "You think it might be easier if you- ah, take it off?"

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Bro, meanwhile, is just trying to get the fuck out onto the deck. You don't want to be the guy stuck below deck when the ship starts going completely down. Nah, you want to get out and goddamn hold out until it's under and hope you find something to float on. He already feels like he's hung around too much below deck, and the fact he hasn't been able to run into Dave has massively bothered him. The two of them ought to stick the fuck together, yet here they are separated.

So when luck seems to actually be with them for once and he hears a voice, he heads towards it. It's almost eerie to hear somebody talking to themselves with the sound of the sinking ship creaking and groaning around them, and the sound of water rushing in, but Bro thinks the voice is the best damn thing he's heard all night.

It doesn't take long before he finds him, and Dave will see he's already soaked to hell and back, and it's obvious he's trying not to shiver. He's got goggles from the cornucopia strapped to his head and a knife held in his hand, and he's too on edge to hide how damn relieved he looks when he sees Dave.]

Goddamn, I've been looking for your ass for forever.

[He's already making his way over to Dave, making it look like navigating the water is the easiest damn thing. Mostly because it is- the only hard thing about it is how fucking cold it is.]

Toto, we ain't in Texas anymore and I'm freezing my fucking balls off. Why are you down here? Don't you know when the boat goes down you ain't supposed to go with it?

[shenunigans]

[There's no doubt in Dave's mind that Bro is safe, even if he had traipsed back down to take a look for him. He almost doesn't want to see him so he doesn't need to admit that he's gone this long without learning a basic life skill. Maybe he can die fast and shamefully and not have to deal with the ever present sensation that he's letting his Bro down.

Oh my god. Shut the fuck up, brain. He can't stand himself when he gets like this, but the fact is that he can't turn off that line of thinking no matter how hard he tries to deflect it. He just needs to suck it up and not look particularly pleased or annoyed to see Bro. He's just there, clinging to a door frame like it's really no big deal.]

Grapes are the sneakiest of all the fruity fuckers. [He says with a shrug, not wanting to admit he came down to find people and was perfectly dry not long ago.] In lieu of the Captain manning up and dying with his ship I figured I might give it a whirl. Who knows, I might win something.

[He nods his head forward.] Go ahead, I'll catch up.

[plushaeusrumpified]

[It's alright, Bro looks pleased enough to see Dave for the two of them. Normally he'd be looking unimpressed, but there's something about being on the equivalent of the Titanic that gets him feeling a little more expressive than normal. Of course he'd see Dave again after this, he knows that.

But there is sort of the fear in the back of his head that maybe they won't. That this'll be it and they'll be separated again. Selfishly, he wouldn't care if he himself died. Dave would be fine. Dave's already lived without him before. It's not as if that would be anything new. But you turn the tables and make Bro go on without Dave? Yeah, no. He's never been the most caring or affectionate guardian, but if Dave were gone then that would just. Really fucking suck.

He doesn't wanna think about that.]

I'd say I call dibs on grape next time, but we all know I was always the more phallic fruit of the bunch.

[Bro rolls his eyes, knowing full well that Dave's bullshitting and that he was down here for some stupid reason or another, which is why he's wading up next to Dave, half floating/half standing with how high the water is in this area. Sometimes he can get a footing, sometimes he can't. It's fucking difficult, but he can swim so it doesn't matter.]

Fuck that lie. You and I both know those water wings were never just an ironic fashion statement.

[He tugs his goggles off of his head and tosses them at Dave, figuring that if it comes down to it, he'll need them more.] I ain't leaving your skinny ass behind, so you can either hop on my back or you can make room so I can get intimately familiar with the door frame, too.

[shenunigans]

[Dave hasn't quite come to terms with how much he doesn't want to separate with Bro again. He hasn't numbed to it, even though they took Bro back away twice before he seemed to be here with some level of permanency. He doesn't want to acknowledge the fact that he's always waiting to find that Bro is gone again and that he'll probably never know when the last time is, but it's a good motivation to seize the goddamn moment.

He should have known that Bro wouldn't go without him, but the declaration is still pretty surprising. As are the goggles launching at him, shit. He scrambles to free a hand to grab them and he gives Bro a confused look before draping them over his wrist, lacking the ability to put them on his head at the moment.]

Both of those options sound really, really gay. [He sounds defiant, but it fades along with his resolve as he realises he needs to suck it up.] We're gonna look like fruit salad. [He grumbles, letting himself drop onto Bro's back and winding his arms around his neck tightly as he scrabbles to position himself better on him.] Shit- fuck- bite the pillow.

[plushaeusrumpified]

[It's good that neither of them talk about these feelings, to be honest. It would use up their emotions quota for a good, what- five years? Maybe longer. There are some things that just need to be left unsaid, and that's how much neither of them want the other gone.]

It's me, what'd you expect? No incesto. [Dave may sound defiant, but the look he's giving him suggests that Dave really ought to suck it up, so it's not surprising when he finally does.] I could make it so much gayer, but I ain't going t- fuck-

[Dave's dropping onto him and he cuts off, nearly going under before getting himself back upright. Somewhere along the lines, he has it in him to find Dave's arm and pull it around in front of his face so that he can bite him.

Worst pillow ever.

Either way, he gets himself together enough so that he can then cling to the door frame, so that Dave can get himself oriented, too.]

Put those on and then we'll go. [A beat.] You taste like ass, by the way. You needed to stay on the vine, you ain't ripe at all.

[shenunigans]

[Surprisingly, biting him really doesn't help him settle into a good and safe position on Bro's back. He very nearly topples off in surprise as he jerks his hand away, which means they're weaving tighter around Bro's face for the moment so he can be sure he won't fall.]

If you bite me again I'm going to put you out to pasture, Bro Beauty. [He exhales in frustration, getting himself to ease up and stop looking like a flailing nerd. He gives the goggles on his arm an appraising look and groans, though he is moving to put them on.]

Who wears frigging goggles with a tux? I look like I belong in a Jim Carrey movie- and not a good one either. [But he's doing it.] Alright, yip yip motherfucker.

[plushaeusrumpified]

[Jesus Christ he almost regrets biting Dave simply for the fact he feels like he'll never be able to breathe properly again after getting squeezed like that. But you won't hear him complaining because he did bring it on himself.]

Calm your tits, you didn't die or anything. [He didn't even bite that hard.

Yes he did.]

You know who wears frigging goggles with a suit? You frigging do, ya pussy. [Believe him, he doesn't think it's all that attractive either, but it is what it is. He cuts Dave a look as he puts them on, only to roll his eyes at the demand.

He'll obey, though, after making a long and deep sky bison mating call.

Bro pushes off the wall after that and starts swimming away from it, making sure to keep Dave above the water at all times.]

So, when we make it back to the Capitol, remind me to invest in swimming lessons or some shit, because this ain't cute.

[shenunigans]

Not yet. [He seethes with as much bitterness as he can muster. The fact is he probably would have died all cold and alone like a stupid loser if Bro hadn't happened upon him, but the less he thinks about that, the easier it is to be an ass right back to his Bro and Savior.

Dave just lets out the longest and most obnoxious sound of suffering when Bro mocks him. Something along the lines of "uuuuuuuuuughhhhhhh." Right in his ear, too.]

I think it's super fucking cute, I really love it when I look like an incompetent asshole. Drives the fans crazy, let me tell you. [With that, he's remembering what they told them as they got off the podiums. Put on a good show, right? It's what Carlos said too, it's how you survive. With that in mind, maybe he ought to ham it up a little.]

Hey, Bro? [His voice has lost a little bit of the aggressive edge, for the moment.]

we know when

[dying]

[ Thane isn't really trying to win. He's just trying to appear like he is playing along. After all, he knows what happens to people when they don't play along with these games. He just wants to appear like he is doing what they want. He's sure with how much they know about him, they know he is better than this.

He's also sure that they know he's an exceptional swimmer, but really shouldn't be in the water. One shove in is all it would take.

He makes no effort to hide his movements as he comes after teen that he spots. His speed picks up as he gets closer. ]

[shenunigans]

[For all that Dave has been playing along, he isn't taking anything seriously right now. He and Bro made it through what seemed like the hard part and they'd separated for what would hopefully be a quick traipse around the ship to get in the surroundings. Yeah. That was definitely a mistake.

Still, Dave doesn't look like a challenging target as he strides along the deck muttering to himself. He keeps up the act of doing so when it becomes more apparent that he's being approached and his first thoughts are get away from the railings. He twists around fast, aiming a punch at Thane's face in an effort to disorient him quickly. Whether it hits or not, his free hand is weaving to his belt loop to pull out the knife Bro gave him]

[dying]

[ Thane is not looking like much of a challenge right now. That's alright by him. He has absolutely no intention to actually kill Dave, but he doesn't need to know that. The punch landed, but didn't disorient him too much. He stepped back and slowed his pace towards Dave. He didn't carry any weapons (he hadn't even bothered stopping to pick up supplies). Knowing where they were, he knew that he wouldn't last particularly long. He was better with his hands.

He watched him grab a knife. His eyes took in each and every one of the motions and he continued towards him, watching, careful. ]

[shenunigans]

[Alright, well. Dave is confused. Confused and very concerned. He can't imagine why else someone would be angling up behind him on a ship if they weren't looking for a fight.

Dave steadies himself some, giving Thane an appraising look as he tries to circle away from being the one closest to the railing. Quick, say something intimidating. Let him know you're the real deal.]

S'up bitch? [God, what is this? A street fight? That is the opposite of intimidating. Try harder.] Do we have a problem here? [Terrible.]

[dying]

[A teenager...is attempting to goad him. Who did Dave think he was dealing with, exactly? He doesn't respond to it, though. He treats the words as he would any other attempt at intimidation. He takes steps towards him, picking up his feet with grace that only comes with years of practice.

He is curious, though, as he moves in towards Dave, his motion a charge. No more practicing caution. He doesn't need it. He has no intention to win this, really. ]

How old are you?

[He asks it as he gets in close, inviting Dave to attack. ]

[shenunigans]

[At this point, Dave is in well over his head. He has no idea who Thane is or what his intentions are, he just knows that the guy seems to be responding like someone would if they were looking to fight.

He keeps his stance wary, ready to strike, but not looking all that blood thirsty given his smack talk.]

Sixty. [He answers bitterly, swiping his knife threateningly at the stranger, giving him his last chance to back off before he makes this as quick as possible.]

[dying]

Right.

[ He doesn't even question Dave's answer. In reality, it didn't matter all that much how old he is. His behavior, though, was quite young. And then, while he is responding to each of Dave's actions, he does not seem to be backing down.

He charges him again when Dave swipes at him with the knife. ]

[shenunigans]

[Dave never cared much for pretending to be mature, but his frame of reference for maturity was bleak anyway. Bro could be as childish as he was, and he hadn't seen an adult for years before arriving here. He isn't really used to being judged or pitied for his age, he just do what he do.

And what he do now is getting more muddled up, he doesn't feel like this is a friendly spar simply because he doesn't trust Thane at all. He doesn't know him, he doesn't know what he wants, but he needs to act fast. When Thane charges him, he lifts a leg to kick him square and hard in the chest, perhaps with more force than either he or Thane had been expecting. He might be skinny, but he's got a damn powerful kick in him.]