Arena 12 - The Spaceport

[etcircenses]

As usual the Tributes are woken up early for the start of the arena, leaving the Tribute Centre before dawn. A few hours ride in a hovercraft delivers them to their destination where their excited prep teams will outfit them in skintight suits that are colour coordinated by District (D1 is White, D2 is Red, D3 is Orange, D4 is Aqua, D5 is Purple, D6 is Pink, D7 is Light Green, D8 is Blue, D9 is Yellow, D10 is Dark Green, D11 is Lavender, and D12 is Black) over which they will be put into what is instantly identifiable as a spacesuit, complete with oxygen tank and helmet before being loaded into the tubes.

They rise up into what appears to be outer space and immediately upon emerging from the tubes Tributes will find themselves floating upwards with a length of rope the only thing holding them to their podiums. The countdown crackles out from speakers built into each Tributes helmet.

20

19

18…

The Cornucopia sits in the middle of a dusty crater with buildings surrounding it, made up of a number of chained down cases and cubes in limited numbers. Cubes which sharp-eyed Tributes will note look like they fit into the slots beside the doors that lead into the spaceport.

8

7

6…

The mirrored visors of the uniformly white spacesuits make it impossible to tell friend from foe. Tributes fighting for goods will have to risk harming their friends but the alternative, floating off into space or suffocating when their oxygen runs out, leaves them little choice.

3

2

1…

The gong rings out and the countdown’s voice announces, “the Arena is now open” before the line goes dead. The Games have begun.

Comments

[reassures]

It doesn't take long, at any rate. Eventually Nill lowers her hands, and she has to blink a few times to rid her vision of the spots dancing in front of her from pressing on her eyes. It's a stupid thing to do in an Arena, but Nill is confident enough in her abilities that she's not worried about anything sneaking up on her. Unfortunately for Nill, in this case the confidence is equally stupid; trying to shove the devastation that has been building inside her since her arrival is enough to take up a good chunk of her attention.

She looks back at him again, looking over his face. At another time she might be impressed he noticed something for once, but right now she's just tired, which is a terrible way to start off an Arena.

"How are you okay?"

Which isn't exactly an answer. Sorry Gary.

[a_minute_younger]

Nill is apparently full of these non-answers, which Gary finds equal parts curious and frustrating. He's already not the best at taking hints, and he knows it. Why can't Nill just tell him? Why is this so difficult? Ugh.

At least the question she asks is something else Gary can misinterpret, which means, hey, convenient topic change! Maybe this will make Nill feel better. "Like, physically?" He doesn't wait for Nill to confirm if that's what she means. "It's my powers! Adrenaline and stuff. I barely feel a thing!"

[reassures]

For a moment Nill just stares at Gary, before she barks out a harsh and disbelieving laugh, though he might not recognize it as a laugh. They can sound a little funny coming from her. Nill lifts one of her hands to her face again to wipe at her eyes, where a few errant tears have managed to slip free.

"Don't you understand that we're being tortured?"

[a_minute_younger]

Gary has no idea what this has to do with adrenaline. Feeling baffled and more than a little unnerved, he slows, anxiously rubbing his limp arm and trying to force a curious smile. It doesn't work very well.

"I...no," he squints. "That doesn't make any sense. They're not trying to get anything out of us or whatever. It's just a game. Like, yeah, it sucks, but...we'll come back okay."