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

[gardienne]

Eponine screams as the Initiate's claws rip through Dennett's dinner jacket, and scrape across the soft tissue of her stomach. Little bits of blood dribble down, and she bends, trying to both clutch the shallow wounds and hide herself from Sigma and Sabriel and from the Initiate all at the same time.

"He - it attacked me! It attacked me over nothing." Eponine shouted out as she locked eyes with the Initiate again. He might be stepping back, but she didn't trust him to pounce again. And she was fairly sure she was done for, surrounded as she was by Sigma and Sabriel as well. Apparently, he had chosen another daughter. Eponine disliked Sabriel straight away. She shook her head.

"I am not doing anything with him. He has not even apologised for executing Ian. I shan't do anything any of you say. He wants to kill me, you wish me dead, Mr. Sigma, and I do not know who you are, Miss, but I will say that you choose bad company. Now if you please, let me be." Eponine straightened, wincing with the pain, and made to barge away.

[futilecycle]

Cringing empathetically when Eponine is struck, Sigma braces himself for the killing blow - when the Initiate's claws draw backwards, colour returns Sigma's face. The Doctor practically gasps in relief, halting before the threshold of the room. He feels the sudden sting of his poorly healed stab wound when he stops so suddenly, and doubles over to clutch his side. Fortuitously, the black fabric of his colour-coded tuxedo would disguise the blood. Thank God for the Initiate; there would be no need to get between them any longer. Contrary to what Eponine had said, he would have begged on his hands and knees for her life.

The old man must first catch his breath. Overwhelmingly grateful for Sabriel's input, he has time to look to her with forlorn gratitude. It was unfortunate that such words had to be spoken to stop two children from killing eachother, but their combined pleas seemed to have had influence. If he could, he would thank her properly, later...

"He won't kill you, Eponine, I promise. Whatever this is about, it is over, now," Sigma answers at last, straightening up. He could count on the Initiate to obey him simply because their relationship would be damaged if he didn't. He extends an arm to the Initiate, less as an invitation to take it and more a gesture to draw him closer. "...Come here," he begs, a desperation in his eye. Would separating them be enough to defuse the situation? "Eponine, you can go. Leave." If the way out still existed...

[bindsthedead]

"The preacher is decent enough," Sabriel said, "Although I can't speak for Mr. Klim. In any case- I don't know you, I bear none of you any ill will, and if you don't want to cooperate with us in winning together- then I'm content to leave you be."

Her tone wasn't as pleasant as she could make it. Still, this woman was a stranger, and Sabriel wasn't sure how trustworthy she was.

"As for who I am... I'm a necromancer, if that answers your question."

woops sorry about that misfire

[carnagecarnival]

"YOU'RE GONE TO PAN CRACKS!" He snarls at Eponine. "Brother Sigma ain't want you dead! AND YOU EXPECT AN INITIATE TO TAKE TO YOUR BRANDISHING BLADE WITHOUT SUCH THREAT GONE RETURNED? Over nothing my glutes!"

He skips over the mention of Ian. No, he hasn't apologized for such things done in a death game. What point would that be? It would hardly bring the fucker back. It would assuage nothing.

But he sees Sigma's arm and he retreats as per Sigma's wish. Even if he turns his bitter glance downward to the ground. He knows that desperation for his own life for Sigma knows well he can fend for himself. He's fearing for Eponine and if she can't see such then Milenko steered be her.

He glances to Sabriel, noting with pride again how she calls him preacher. And with curiosity how she refers to herself not by name, but almost a title.

Re: woops sorry about that misfire

[gardienne]

"No, that does not answer my question." Eponine snaps at Sabriel, shrugging Sigma's arm from her shoulder. It doesn't answer her question because she has no idea what 'necromancer' means, and it kind of makes her feel like this girl is deliberately poking fun of her and using language she doesn't understand to make Eponine feel stupid.

"Don't touch me, you traitor." She hisses at Sigma, almost immediately after snapping at Sabriel.

"Just... go. All of you. Leave me alone. I shan't be spoken to in such a way by a stupid gargoyle and I shan't be associated with Game Makers and murderers. So get out of here! NOW!"

[futilecycle]

Sigma shakes his head in frustration. "Eponine, there's no way out from here," he growls. He had come to the bow of the ship to search for a way up, but it seemed they would have to backtrack. "Sabriel has already inspected the theatre and we are at a dead end. We must all head back the way we came if we wish to escape. Listen: The three of us will stay here for a minute. We will give you a head start, and then we will try and escape, ourselves. Does that seem fair to you? ...Sabriel? Initiate?"

He guides the troll through the threshold of the theatre, leaving Eponine in the hall by herself. He looks to Sabriel and the Initiate with guilt, knowing how precious every second was as the Arena reached its end, but they were wasting more time standing here and fighting. He was very proud of the two of them for handing the situation as well as could be expected, and he made a mental note that his two allies seemed to get along. He holds his breath as he waits for their answers. Just one minute wouldn't kill them, surely?