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

[futilecycle]

Sigma wears his tuxedo like a second skin. His Zero persona is hardly difficult to assume here, as their dress code for battle is no different from his coat-tailed uniform - intended to threaten while maintaining elegance, hiding doubt behind finery and flair. Internally the Doctor surges with panic: this is a scene he knows haunted the woman who shared his bed the whole of her life. He had woken her many nights from this ship, her screams and whimpers ever fresh in his memory, how she would shudder in a cold sweat as if she had been pulled from the sea.

She may still be alive on terra firma, and while he cannot know if she can see this, he only hopes his thoughts might reach her still, esper that she was. A 'Gamemaker' forced her here, as well - an occupation that had soon become his. Biding time on his pedestal, he eyes the chandelier in the centre of the room and prays he has found a camera. The gong is near its sounding, there is no time to search with his cybernetic eye. His calm expression cracks with empathy and regret: Diana. I am so sorry.

The gong heralds the start of the match and Sigma is off towards the Cornucopia with the intention of following his lover's lead - he will not drown here.