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

REUNITED FOR LIKE 0.2 SECONDS BEFORE GETTING BLOWN UP

[atoner]

"That's right. You're the last one in," and honestly, she should have known the Capitol would do this. It seems like no one's safe from their reach, and it only makes her wonder who might be next. Fury, maybe. Pierce, who would probably find the Capitol inspirational more than anything. Right now, it's just a matter of waiting for it.

She holds out two weapons - a knife in one hand, and a phaser in the other. There might be a chance that she might be a better shot with a pistol, because it's been her weapon for years, but hand-to-hand is more her thing.

Well, Clint can decide.

WOMP WOMP

[cognitived]

It's not that he's surprised he's last, in fact, Clint's just overall surprised he got brought here at all. He hadn't really felt like one of the Avengers, not after the days spent under Loki's control and the feverpitch high of those scant hours spent fighting the Chitauri. But if they'd brought in Natasha it makes sense to bring him too, they're two halves of a coin after all these years.

So he shrugs, faking his unconcerned actions in a way she'd know. Then he speaks, quiet, wry in the silence of the spaceport, "Guess they wanted a set."

Or not, who knows. In any case, she offers weapons, and Clint perks up. He's never unarmed and harmless, even without a weapon in hand, but it is nice. The choice is easy, in the end. Natasha's not the only one who uses a pistol, even if Clint's better with his bow and arrow or rifle. But he's long since become used to being the back up to her close ranged melee. He takes the phaser from her hand with a curious look.

[atoner]

For Natasha, it's like one of her worst nightmares. Like they brought him in for leverage, like he was a very distinct message they were sending her. We can take what you love from you so easily, is what they're trying to say, and she has to admit that it feels true at the moment.

She feels a little better when he takes the phaser, because it feels so much more like him. And also because she trusts his aim, and has for years now. She feels better with him at her back.

"I need to know what the last thing you remember is," Natasha tells him, and there's insistence in her voice, in the way she looks at him. "Because the day I arrived here, I was told there was another version of me. From another universe."

[cognitived]

There's something of that in her gaze, nothing that the Capitol might pick up on, nothing most people would pick up at all, honestly. But Clint has known Natasha for years, and they have lived through more than most could ever think of. He's learned her tells.

Still, he shoots her a confused look, brow furrowed, mouth down turned. That doesn't make any sense -- but Natasha's never led him wrong when it really counted, so.

"Fury's office, a couple of months after Manhattan. I'd just gotten reinstated. What about you?"

Because if they don't sync up then, well, he's not entirely sure what that means.

[atoner]

Natasha's heard the whole spiel by now. She knows all about the supposed breach of the time-space continuum, and all of that scientific jargon that she has a cursory understanding of. It's all very theoretical, and she's always been more concerned with the practical side of things. Anything that can keep her alive in a fight or allow her to complete a mission.

A couple months after Manhattan, though. That's...so far behind. It means he doesn't know anything about what had happened with the Soldier, with Pierce and HYDRA.

It makes her feel a little isolated, to be honest.

"Right after my trial in front of the United States Government. They were trying to figure out whether or not they wanted to lock me up after I leaked all of SHIELD's intel to the world. They ended up deciding against it."

He's gonna have questions, she knows. And she'll be here to answer them. Nat shifts, discomfort in her gaze that only he'd be able to read. It's been a tough couple months, even without the death arenas.

[cognitived]

He freezes, statue-still, and fixes Natasha with a sharp look. She's not lying, he's mostly sure, because Natasha wouldn't do this to him when he's already confused and lost. There's telltale discomfort in her gaze, a lingering tiredness, and that's really what seals the deal for him.

"Tasha?" Not hesitant, never with her, but softly, gently. "What'd you do?"

Where was he? What had happened, why hadn't she come to him? But no, no -- if this was after him, then. Then, well, then there was a wealth of things that could have and had happened. She'll tell him, he knows. They haven't made it this long as partners for her to back out when it got somewhat uncomfortable.

But again, aching almost, afeared, "Where was I?"