thearena | Arena 12 - The Spaceport

Arena 12 - The Spaceport

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.

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Nill backpedals too, but not nearly with the kind of fear and urgency that Gary does. She hefts up the helmet she carried along with her, ready to use it if needed, but it becomes very obvious very quickly that she probably won't. Not with the way she hears the guy slam into something that sounds very unpleasant, and go still.

She hasn't figured out who actually almost slammed into her until she hears him say something, and when she does Nill freezes, because she recognizes that voice.

For one, very brief second, Nill thinks, Crap, it's Gary, because as much as she likes him she also knows that he is probably not made for these games, and is somewhat more likely to trip into something to get himself killed than to actually be killed by someone.

It passes quickly when the worry almost immediately overrides it, because Crap, it's Gary, and that arm looked awful for what little she saw of it. Looking more worried than anything, Nill peers around the corner into the room, lifting a hand to wave at him slightly.

He looks more than a little awful.

Gary certainly looks awful, yes, but he doesn't seem to be feeling awful. When Nill peers into the room he is already crouched, ready to sprint at a moment's notice, and is quick to hop to his feet and brush himself off when he confirms that he's not in danger. The smile he puts on is cheerful, if worryingly red.

"Nill! I knew it was you!" Which is definitely why he was so alarmed and tried to run away at first. Of course. "Sorry about that. Are you okay? Did I scare you?"

Gary and not feeling awful isn't exactly the most reassuring thing in the world. The kid makes jokes about how the peacekeepers don't like him. As far as Nill is concerned, Gary and survival instincts don't get along. Unless you can count flinging himself into a wall as a survival instinct.

After taking a moment to look down both ends of the hall, Nill steps into the room, nodding very hesitantly at him. And then, because he's hurt, because he's a kid that is actually somehow smiling in an Arena, she decides it might be okay to try to 'talk' to him.

So enjoy the noncorporeal voice in your head, Gary. It doesn't exactly have a sound to it, but it does give off the impression of someone being worried.

"I'm fine. Did you go after the cornucopia?"

Gary's face goes suddenly blank. He is surprised, definitely--not because this is such a peculiar experience for him, but because it's so familiar. He knows that feeling; he associates it with his brother, that odd tingling in his temples when he would root around and settle in his mind, tell secrets and dirty jokes while they pretended to sleep. But the only time Gary's ever engaged in telepathic communications, the one doing the communicating wasn't conscious. So obviously it can't be Nill.

He spins a quick circle, surveying the area for evidence and finding none. "Did you--?" Gary gestures in the vague vicinity of his head. Did she feel that? Hear that? But why would someone else answer the question he asked her? A second later it clicks, and Gary's face splits back into a wide, excited grin. "--That was you, wasn't it?"

Familiarity is about the last thing that Nill expects when she does this the first time around, and it shows in the way her eyes go just a little wide. She certainly doesn't expect them to grin like that, and the surprise at that shows much more quickly. Her wings flutter, and it takes her a moment to realize that she's staring at little. This guy always manages to throw her for a loop somehow.

"Yes. You're used to it?"

Gary's excitement boils over into a hoarse laugh. He could hug her. In fact he almost attempts to, taking a step forward and holding out his good hand--but Gary remembers that first meeting with Nill quite vividly, as much as he would like to forget how awkward it was, and he's long since made the connection that holding her is what made her so distressed. He stops short.

"Yeah! Yeah, uh--" How to explain? Gary presses a hand to his head, equal parts baffled and giddy. "--my brother can do stuff like this. It's weird, like...he gets in your head, and he's not really there but he's there. You know?" Yes, crystal clear description, good job Gary. "Shit, I can't wait to see the look on his face when I tell him about this!"

This is about the opposite from any reaction she's had to this skill to date, and Nill can't help but stare at Gary just a little bit. Her wings flutter against her back, unsure of what exactly she should address, or why he'd be so happy about her having a skill similar to his brother. He doesn't even act like it's abnormal, which might be the oddest part.

"You can hug me if you want to. I'm sorry about last time."

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, unsure if she should actually ask about it, but the reaction is still baffling enough that it feels like she needs to. She doesn't pry. Surface thoughts only, unless more action was necessary.

"Why are you so happy? Is this really what your brother is like?"

As soon as he's given the invitation, Gary hugs her. He doesn't mention how Nill doesn't need to apologize--that would involve thinking about that encounter in detail, and he would like to avoid that. Gary shuffles those away.

"Why wouldn't I be happy? This is awesome!" It's about the best explanation Gary can provide for how he's feeling right now. That's probably enough, right? "I mean, yeah, my brother isn't you, but he can do basically the same stuff. Like--he can't walk around and stuff while he's talking--" And to make sure that Nill knows what kind of 'talking' he's referring to, Gary taps a finger against his head. "--and he's got more of a...I dunno. He's more solid? Shit." He purses his lips. "Like he's really there, but isn't."

You've got some interesting selective recollections there Gary. Nill hadn't thought much on how his head worked before, but she's not terribly surprised being able to hear it in action now, even if he still doesn't always make sense to her.

"It works a little differently," She supplies, though she's not sure if that's a proper way to put it. It sounds like her way is more gentle than what Gary's brother does. His method sounds more taxing and intrusive, though she also doesn't really think Gary would remember all the details of it for her to make any real judgment on that. Not really in his nature.

"Yeah, well." Gary shrugs. Nill is right--Gary could care less about the mechanics. He wants to focus on how they're related and how impressed everyone will be to know that he's discovered another telepath, completely on his own. He wants to think about Clayton because he misses him a lot. "Clay's gonna flip his shit when I tell him. You know, he didn't think there was anyone else like him. But a pretty girl like you..." Then Gary's leaning in to nudge Nill in the ribs and suggestively raise his brows. "I can hook you two up, yeah?"

Nill is all ready to ask Gary more about his brother and his world; it must be very difficult if his brother is the only one with telepathy in his existence as far as he knows. But then he suggests hooking them up and Nill very visibly cringes.

"No, thank you."

She hesitates for a moment before gesturing for him to follow her. Staying still in this place is a bad idea, and she doesn't want to actually look at him when she tells him this next part.

"I'm taken."

Gary blinks in some surprise. He's used to being rejected, himself--not so much Clayton. Everyone wanted to hang out with Clayton. But then again, Leroi Lake was a small town, so everyone already knew who he was. Gary is about to suggest that Nill would change her mind if she met him when she actually explains herself.

There's more surprises to be had. "Oh," Gary mouths, trotting alongside Nill as she leads the way. "Who's the lucky guy?" He squints. "Chick?" Hell if he knows what Nill's into. "Are they here?"

Thankfully, though a little rusty, Nill knows how to multitask, and telling when they might run into other tributes is easy enough. The route probably seems strange and erattic to anyone actually following her. She doesn't look back at Gary, though she continues to 'talk' to him.

"They're dead."

This is the part where Gary should put his foot in his mouth, but he doesn't quite understand the implications. Dead here, he thinks. In the Capitol. Death isn't permanent here. He looks a little confused.

"That sucks." Gary bites his lip. "But they'll be waiting when we get back! It's not so bad."

At the obvious assumption of the circumstances regarding her apparent dating life, Nill just lets out a quiet sigh, which... might be kind of audible, actually. She's not terribly concerned with how he takes it, if he takes it to mean much of anything at all.

"Right."

Nill has a very anxious feeling in her gut that pretty much screams this entire conversation is going to come back to bite her at some point, even if it's not right away, and leaving out the fact that the person isn't dead here seems like a wise decision.

That sigh isn't a promising reaction, but the agreement is. Gary is conflicted. What's he supposed to believe? Which signal is the correct one? He does a few quick mental backflips, his brows scrunch and, on a split decision, he chooses to believe that everything is fine. Isn't that always how it goes?

And since everything is fine, then obviously it's okay to keep prying. "What're they like?" he asks brightly. People love talking about their significant others, Gary reasons. This should help her smile a little! "What do they do? Artist? Plumber? Professional juggler?"

She had genuinely hoped that the response would get Gary to stop asking, but it just about does the opposite, because now he probably thinks he can find whoever she means when they get back and he probably wants to meet them.

Nill still does not actually look back at Gary, but she stops walking so that she can lift both hands and press the heel the her palms against her eyelids.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh."

Finally, finally the point sinks in. Gary stops walking and glances over, decidedly worried from the way his brow crinkles and his mouth curls into a confused frown, and for once, he thinks it might be best to wait for Nill to stop trying to rub her eyes out before he presses her again.

"...Are you okay?" he asks, bashfully, scratching his chin like the strain of wondering is causing him physical pain. Amazing that this would do it, and not the broken arm, or the ribs, or the various other blossoming internal injuries he's doing well to ignore. Such is Gary's way.

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.

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!"

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?"

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."

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Arena 12 - The Spaceport

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