Arena 05 - Chill

[gamemakers]

Usually, the tribute's outfits for the arena aren't accessorized. But today, the last thing their stylists hand them before the countdown begins is a pair of heavy black glasses, polarized and thick-lensed. They look at odds with the thick, winter gear they've been outfitted in.


It's a long rise to the surface today, inside their individual little tubes, much longer than usual. They start to feel the cold only about halfway up, and to hear the wind. It howls across the surface as they reach it, pressing all of their clothes flat against their bodies. And the reason for the glasses is immediately apparent.


20 - 19 - 18


The sky is white. The ground is white (and gray and black and blue but mostly white), the far-off sea is blinding silver. Everything in sight flings light around, fractures it into scintilating rainbows and sheer white beams of reflection. It is strong, cruel light, and it bears no heat at all. The surface is so cold that the little metal trackers ache in everyone's arm, and the countdown has to continue at a deafening volume to be heard.


 12 - 11 - 10 -


The circle of silver pedestals is the only regular shape to be seen. All else is fractured and split, the most uneven footing imaginable. And at the center of the circle, the Cornucopia sports icycles hanging from its lip, almost to the pile of supplies tucked all neatly inside its mouth.


4


3


2


There's a lull in the wind just as the gong sounds, letting it peal out across the frozen glacier, and echo off the high rock cliffs in the distance. And the ice answers, with a loud crack that seems to come from miles down.


Let the Games begin.

Comments

[cowardfacinghappiness]

Momoko looked at him speculatively. "Can you go inside your shell," she wondered. He didn't look like he was proportioned like a normal turtle, so wasn't sure that was an option. "Anyway, if you did hibernate, anyone could just come along and kill you then, or drop you in the ocean to drown," she felt compelled to point out.

[polyturtle]

"True, though if I stayed hidden in a crevasse, I could have a chance. Though, at this point its a bit moot," Don shrugged. "And...well, when I was much younger I could get into my shell. Not so much really any more."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"Hm. Not very helpful then," she said, perhaps insensitively. She thought it over, considering, as always, the cameras into her equation, then scooted over, closer to him. "You'll just have to stay close to me, so we can stay warm together," she said with a smile, hoping he'd understand to play along.

[polyturtle]

Oh, he understood. He knew enough about how to make an impression in this place to know that...well, he was going to be watched anyhow. And, he'd get supplies, he knew that. He got a lot of supplies in the previous Arena from sponsors. And if this worked out, those who were with him would get something as well.

He'd do his best to play along.

"...I wouldn't mind that at all." And so he scooted closer with his own smile. "I'll have to figure out how to make a fire in this place while we're at it. But that can come later."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"Good," said Momoko, lifting her legs up so she could curl up even more, trying to keep as warm as possible while she had the chance. They were safe mostly because everyone else was most likely finding their own spots to hide and make camp. That would change soon enough.

"A fire would be nice. And food. I never risk the Cornucopia, I don't know what we're supposed to do if we didn't get supplies. Fish?"

[polyturtle]

"...Oh!" That was when Don remembered that he had a bag. The one he broke Howard's nose for. "Actually...not that you mention it, I got something from the Cornucopia."

Carefully shifting himself, he slung the bag off of his shoulder, and began unzipping it. He could already see the unmarked cans - six in all. Good. They had some food for a few days if it was rationed right. He began rooting around more, feeling the edges of crackers underneath one package, something wrapped in foil, and something metal. Something platic. And...wood.

Don's eyes lit up, and quickly he took out the metal and plastic item. One was a folding knife. The other...

"Jackpot!"

...a flint lighter.

[cowardfacinghappiness]

Momoko leaned forward curiously, her eyes lighting up at each item as it was revealed. "Oh," she said quietly. This was the best start to an Arena she'd had yet. She looked up at Don, grinning. "I actually know how to use one of those," she said, excited, and then the smile dropped. "Um. But in snow..."

[polyturtle]

"I wouldn't worry just yet." flicking the portable flint lighter to make sure that it did work, Don peered down to the bottom of the crevasse. It wasn't too far down, thankfully. "This ice trench is the perfect place to start a fire! Its too cold at the bottom to melt all of the thick ice that has accumulated over the years. Plus the ledges are overhangs, so less snow will accumulate at the bottom and instead will go on the ledges."

He paused.

"...Speaking of which, we might want to throw a little snow on the bottom. Cover the ice so we're not just slipping everywhere..."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

She followed his gaze, eyeing the bottom doubtfully. She trusted his judgement enough with the ice--she didn't know how his city background as far as she knew of it could help in that regard, but most likely he'd been doing far more training than she had--but Momoko didn't relish the thought of jumping down even further.

"It would be a good camp," she agreed, regardless. She turned to him then. She wanted a more concrete alliance agreement than significant looks. "Big enough for both of us. I don't have anything to offer yet...but I'm very good at keeping watch. I've had a lot of practice."