Deep in the meadow, under the willow...

[etcircenses]

Who| All those on the liberation mission and all those being made to fight against them.
What| The liberation of District 12.
Where| District 12.
When| This week.
Warnings/Notes| War, violence, death. Please warn for more in headers.

It doesn't take long to get to District 12, the closest district to the rebel district. It's one of the smallest districts, and you only know you reach it when rolling hills grow and grow until they become large, fertile green mountains. The environment looks green and lush, beautiful, really--That is, until you reach the part of the District where people actually live. The weather is chillier than the Capitol, though the wind bares the worst of it. Anyone planning on spending any time outside should definitely get a coat.

The town is smaller than any of the others, and more worn down. Everything seems to have a thin layer of cole settled over it, no matter how much cleaning is done. The center of the town isn't too shabby, and there are a few things that stand new and shining--A metal whipping post and stocks. The latter occasionally has an unfortunate person in it, though most people have learned to buckle down and accept the new rules.

In the merchant part of town, there's some signs of wildlife, knobby trees and green enough yards. The merchants used to ply their trades here, though for now, everything's locked down. As you get farther, it gets shabbier, poorer. Into the Seam, where the poorest of the poor live. Here, the houses are barely more than shacks. Trees grow wild, and what animal life exists is quick to run from any humans, no doubt having survived at least one attempt by the people of the Seam to capture them for the supper pot.

One thing in common with all the sections of the District is a feeling of hopelessness. The mood is dour, as heavy and permanent as the cole dust that seeps into everything. The only sign of anything even resembling any rebellion is a few chalk scratchings on the sides of abandoned buildings, a few zodiac symbols--Anyone who knows the trolls can recognize the symbols of Karkat, Terezi, Psiioniic, and even the Initiate. That, and the grand pictures of Sam Wilson and Joan Watson, and the bold words stating NOT ALONE and WE ALL DESERVE BETTER.

The war continues, and in the back of everyone's mind is a familiar phrase; may the odds be ever in your favor.

Comments

[leiche]

He's fairly scraped up and bruised already, shrapnel and debris from bombs going off difficult to dodge when running in a blind panic. But he's not letting that stop him from helping this time - there are children being targetted here, and that doesn't sit well with him at all. He knew he had to smarten up, be brave, get out there and help. Holing himself up in a corner and hiding all day wasn't going to do anybody any good.

Jeremy's glad to hear a familiar voice approaching, though. It'd be different if it was a stranger, but Ellis is someone he knows he can trust and will help them out. He holds up the supports as best he can until Ellis reaches them, and the wooden planks take the weight off his already aching shoulders.

He mutters a quick word of thanks to Ellis as the kids start crawling out, some of them running off in a panic but others remaining close. A young girl comes out in tears and runs up to cling to his arm, others looking at both of them for help or answers.

"... w-we have to make sure they-- they get there safely," Jeremy says to Ellis, taking one last look into the fallen building to ensure there were no others. He hopes nobody's trapped or unconscious in there, but they're running out of time. "It's too-- ... too dangerous, by themselves."

[shiftingurbulls]

Ellis doesn't hesitate to nod and tell the children to keep their heads down, as he laid out the plan of action for their escape. "Peacekeepers ain't takin' prisoners out there, so we gotta sneak around the alleys here an' keep t' th' shadows. There's a break in the perimeter fence not too far from here but we gotta make through the snipers."

Oh yeah, that's one of the hazards. But like hell he's going to let that stop him and Fitzgerald. He doesn't care if he dies permanently, Ellis isn't going to let a child get killed if he can help it.

"Kids, cover yer heads an' keep 'em low, we're movin' out." He turned to Jeremy and said, "You too Rabbit, but grab anythin' you can."

Because of the squalor that District 12 endured, the buildings are grimy and not that well-built. But for the Survivor (he's taking back his hard-earned title thank you very much), it was perfect.

"I'll go up front an' bash our way, you keep an eye on the kids." And if they find a dead Peacekeeper with a weapon, well, that's just dandy.

[leiche]

It's a frightening place for any child to be out in. He can only imagine what they're all thinking and feeling right now, how confused and terrified they all are - he knows he would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to one of them. Even if it was just one of the kids tripping and getting a scraped knee.

They're his responsibility now, so he's going to make sure they get to safety, no matter what the cost.

Jeremy nods in response (half-listening, while trying to calm and reassure one sobbing child clinging to him,) before standing up, carrying the smallest of the group in one arm while gesturing to the others to keep close. He's fairly tall himself, so ... well, he can at least protect them from falling debris overhead, and keep an eye out ahead. His combat training certainly wasn't enough to stand up to Peacekeepers, but at most, he can provide a distraction long enough for Ellis to get the kids away to safety. He hopes so, at least.

"It'll be okay," he tells them again, attempting to reassure himself in the process. They don't get too far before there's another round of gunfire and not too distant sounds of bombs going off, but he does his best to keep the children close as he follows Ellis towards the fence. He hopes they get there soon - every time he looks up, he can see quick glimpses and shadows of the rooftop snipers, and it's all he can do to hope that they'll at least take pity on the children.

[shiftingurbulls]

Ellis could see a sort of kindness that's rare in Panem, but probably common in more sensible worlds. Jeremy understood the risks of evacuating these children and he can hold them back while the mechanic tackled a peacekeeper from behind. He only hoped he shielded their eyes as he stomped on the soldier's throat and grabbed the gun from the still twitching corpse.

"We're none too far from the breach," he pointed to the ever closer tear, "Stats, Rabbit?"

He shouldn't feel this familiar to killing in self-defense but those are the rules of war.

[leiche]

The children were already exposed to so much. Kids were so young, they shouldn't have to see sights of war like this. But Jeremy did his best, hurrying along at a pace all the kids could keep up with, telling them to stay close and hold each other's hands so they all stayed together. Every time something looked particularly grim, he tried to tell them not to look, and the youngest he carried himself, shielding their eyes from the worst of it.

It's when another round of gunshots sound out that he pulls the kids towards the wall of another building, crouching down with them as they crowded in and huddled against him. He's not sure what else he can do, aside from trying to keep them all reassured and hopeful.

"We're-- we're doing okay, I think," he answers Ellis, glad he's the more headstrong between them and clearing the path ahead. They were almost there because he it. "S-See? We're almost there, guys. W-We'll be safe soon."

[shiftingurbulls]

Ellis dared to hope as he approached the breach and pulled it further apart, so they could all escape unharmed and the rebellion woulod make sure these children were safe. God, this was a clusterfuck but if they could return to Thirteen, it was still a success, they still boosted morale and those kids were spared from the razing the Capitol was about to unleash on them. If taking away everyone he loved wasn't motivation for the mechanic, the slaughtering of innocent lives certainly was.

"Come on Rabbit, help me herd 'em through this fence. They ain't scared o' ya," he whispered, before he realized how open and exposed they were to the enemy. El didn't mind dying if it meant their group (Jeremy included) crossed the other side.

"We're gonna be fine..." he echoed Coach's words from the Vannah Hotel, words that he held dear.

[leiche]

The kids were finally safe, at least. They reached the breach soon enough and with Ellis helping them, they were able to get each child through to the other side one by one. Jeremy did his best to keep the kids reassured, that they were safe now and it'll all be okay from now on, even if he had a pretty hard time believing that himself. He'd never seen chaos and disaster quite like this before.

It was going well until the last two children were making their way through, anyway. They stopped moving, despite his encouragement, and he found out why when he asked what was wrong - they were siblings, and the youngest of them had fallen behind, lost amongst the crowd behind them. They didn't want to move forward without them.

"... o-okay, I'll-- I'll go back," he says, looking behind him. It's risky, but he can't leave a kid behind. "You guys-- you go on th--through, I'll be back soon."

[shiftingurbulls]

Ellis looked at Jeremy and handed over his gun, with one very clear set of instructions, "Safety's off, lay low, finger off th' trigger, an' know who yer shootin'. Do you want me t' come with?" He spoke like a survivor aiding others to get out of the infection. Ironically, this is how his journey to Panem started: evacuation efforts.

He didn't want to leave the children behind, and he knows what sort of danger Jeremy was facing. He didn't want to set off alarms on the other children but he trusted Fitzgerald enough to make the choice.

[leiche]

... oh, boy. Guns. Jeremy's obviously even more nervous as he accepts the offered weapon, hesitant to take it but he knew he didn't have much of a choice. He wasn't well armed himself, and with all the dangers and countless Capitol soldiers surrounding them, he knew he would have to do something if they were suddenly surrounded. Just because he's not comfortable with the idea isn't a good reason to turn it down.

"I-I can go. It's okay," he says with a little more confidence - not much, considering the situation, but some. And there was still too much chaos and confusion here, someone had to stay behind and help out at the border here. It would be better if someone more skilled stayed, to help more people faster, while the lesser skilled one backtracked a short distance for a single person. "I-- I know the way. I'll be ... I-I'll be right b-back."

He doesn't waste much more time there. With Ellis' weapon in hand, he nods his head and takes off as quickly as he can, retracing their steps to go back and find the one person they're looking for as soon as possible. The trip there isn't so bad. It's the journey back however long later that's the problem, when the Capitol forces on the rooftops increase in numbers and take out their weapons.

[ ooc; should we call our sniper in now or handwave it? ]