etcircenses: (Default)
Panem Events ([personal profile] etcircenses) wrote in [community profile] thearena2014-08-18 09:38 pm

ARENA 11-PaneMall

It’s pre-dawn when the Tributes are roused from their beds and sent to their tubes. Those who’d been imprisoned for the past few weeks had their heads covered before transport to the staging area, and there’s an air of confusion surrounding just about everything that’s happening until the stylists and managers arrive on the scene and try to calm everyone down. The reunions may be happy, but they're sadly very temporary.

The first clue that something strange is happening comes from their clothing: figure skating costumes with bright colors and sequins and ice skates strapped to their feet. Some may even find it difficult to stand with the blades on their feet, but as they're placed into the arena, all becomes clear. The mall skating rink seems quiet and quaint, especially after weeks of uncertainty and stress. Too bad the peace and quiet can’t last.

20

19

18...


Above the ice rink (which houses all 100+ Tributes) there are floors with shops looking over them. Large, bright fluorescent lights dot the multi-storied ceiling and create a warm, nostalgic glow to the place. Benign music is piped in from various hidden speakers to compliment the intended mood of fun and commerce.

17

16

15…


The countdown continues and the Tributes, some of whom haven’t seen each other in weeks, stare at one another helplessly. That is, until one of them boldly decides to speak.

"We're expected to fight here today," Steve's voice suddenly cuts through the tension in the room. It commands attention without demanding it, a conviction of truth in his tone.

14

13

12...



"To turn on each other through fear and self preservation. And we could give them what they want. A bloodbath," here he pauses longer, lets the reality of his statements sink in. Let people realize what he's saying, that this is a choice.

"Or we can choose not to fight. To instead work together," an option so many seem not to even realize they have. "No one here has to die by our hands today," he knows his speaking won't be without consequence, but he does want to believe he'll be the only one to pay for this.

"This is a risk. One many of you are hesitant to trust, let alone take. But everything we do here is a risk to ourselves and those around us," nothing in the arena comes without putting your life on the line.

"I, for one, am willing to take this risk, to choose not to fight," Steve looks around the room, making eye contact with a few people as he does. He's not telling anyone what to do, this is for them to decides for themselves; their freedom of choice.

But he's got faith in the his fellow tributes. "And I've got a feeling I'm not alone.”

… 3

2

1…


After the countdown ends, there’s a moment of utter still and silence. Then...

BOOOOOOOOOOOM


The room seems to erupt with noise and concussive force. The explosions are so violent that the muzak is paused in its tracks and shakes some of the Tributes off of their pedestals, and after the ice fog and smoke clears, it becomes apparent that fifteen of the Tribute pedestals and exploded there on the ice rink. Fifteen corpses lie mangled on the bloody ice: Deanna Winchester, Danny Fenton, Fili, Kili, Kain Highwind, Perry Kelvin, Julian Bashir, Clint Barton, Karkat Vantas, Sirius Black, Rahm Kota, Cinderella, Bunnymund, Robin, Rock Lee, and Rokk Krin.

The center of the ice rink remains completely intact and stocked with a few dozen keys of varying shapes and sizes. This is the Cornucopia and the Gamemakers are compelling the Tributes to skate for it.

The gong rings out, and the countdown's voice announces “The Arena is now open.” The Games have begun.
hit_girl_mindy: (slumped over)

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-08-31 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not that I'm not in pain already, but that would slow me down. They pretty much just pulled me after the whole incarceration bullshit, so I guess they wanted to make sure our handicap was worse." That she was a mentor had probably occurred to them.

"Dirty doesn't begin to cover it. Bet you already heard about Avoxes."

Only an idiot would keep that stuff from her.

"Some I have in mind, yeah," she said. "Looking for a few friends. Gotta see if I can find Ellie, then a girl even younger than me."

[personal profile] oopsright 2014-09-02 06:04 am (UTC)(link)
"I was told about them a few days after I got here." Something else Joel had warned her of; keep the mouth shut, tell the Capitol their shit smells fresh and of potpourri and all would be good in the world.

Avoxes are forgotten in the moment this girl mentions that name. "You know Ellie?"
hit_girl_mindy: (Civvies (Mindy))

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-09-02 06:30 am (UTC)(link)
"Whoever told you that is smart. Been trying to keep my head down, but well, always been a bit of a troublemaker myself. What I had to do back home, its just kind of ingrained in me, you know? Its hard to shake it."

Especially when the person who taught you it all was still here, somewhere

"Yeah," she said, giving her a grin. "She was one of the first friends I ever made. Wish I could hang with her more, but what can you do. Do you know her?"

[personal profile] oopsright 2014-09-05 07:09 am (UTC)(link)
"I know her. She's one of mine." Meaning that Ellie is from her world, one of her people. And it's a good thing the kid's made some friends here, Tess had had a suspicion that Ellie hadn't had many back in Boston. Outside of Marlene.
hit_girl_mindy: (Mists (Mindy))

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-09-05 07:18 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh. So that means you come from the same place as her and Riley and Joel. Must be nice, to at least have the band of you guys all together. Means you all kinda know where you stand, as far as this goes."

Which was to say maybe. After all, she DID know that Riley was here when she was supposed to be dead. Just another one of those fucking mysteries the Capitol loved to brain break people on.

[personal profile] oopsright 2014-09-08 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
"Joel and I go way back. I'm still getting to know the other one." But it is nice, real nice. She'd gotten the rundown from her partner and anything else that had been brought up had been done so by the girls.

"I guess the same could be said for Ellie."
hit_girl_mindy: (Stare (Mindy))

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-09-08 11:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"It helps." After all, they were all from the same time, they could still talk to each other about things that they knew. Also, how the hell did that woman know Joel and not be as much of a stick in the mud?

"Guessing you weren't super thrilled with this place either. Don't even need to tell you the basics. Have you done the Arena before?"

[personal profile] oopsright 2014-09-12 07:15 am (UTC)(link)
"On one hand I was thrilled, for personal reasons. On the other, after it was explained, not so much." Seems to be a general consensus, however. "First time in one. I'm guessing this isn't your first time?"
hit_girl_mindy: (Thinking about the end)

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-09-12 02:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"You were thrilled?" Ok, that was actually a little surprising. Who's be thrilled about coming to a place like this, under these circumstances? Was that sarcasm?

"No. I'm technically not supposed to be in this anymore. I won an Arena already."

[personal profile] oopsright 2014-09-13 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
"For personal reasons, yeah. You heard right." It's not something she cares to discuss either, not when it'll go public.

Hearing that this girl had won an arena, Tess lifts a brow. She'd won? How? "Is that how it works? You win an arena round and you're out?"
hit_girl_mindy: (glee)

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-09-13 06:38 am (UTC)(link)
"Right." She didn't want to talk about why she meant it, and she could respect that. Some people had some pretty bad secrets, and from Joel and Ellie's world, that didn't surprise her.

"That's the plan, yeah. It's not as easy time, and if you're not hiding around like a slug, you get pretty fucked up by the end of it, but if you push it and win, you're not supposed to have to go again. Obviously, that shit does not apply to traitors."

[personal profile] oopsright 2014-09-17 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
"You thought it would? I'm not surprised they threw you back in after what happened. They thought they were doing you a favor when you won but that went down the drain after everything. To them, you're like the lamb they saved and now they've chucked you back into the wolf's den."

It really doesn't surprise her. It's unfortunate but...

"You think they'll make it so you don't ever win another arena?"
hit_girl_mindy: (duck face)

[personal profile] hit_girl_mindy 2014-09-17 11:40 am (UTC)(link)
Mindy scoffed. "Hey. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time could have happened to anybody. As is turned out, not everyone there was up to no good. It made no difference to them. They needed scapegoats, and all you had to do was not be where you were supposed to."

She shrugged. "You pick and choose your own battles. If they do that, what the hell am I gonna do, but die fighting? I wouldn't put it past them, of course. Traitors shouldn't get the chance to win twice."