(no subject)

[luckofthedevil]

Who| Alex Rider and OPEN
What| Alex gets caught in a dust storm
Where| Desert Arena
When| Week 4
Warnings/Notes| n/a

It was the wind picking up slightly that warned Alex. Looking over his shoulder, he swore under his breath then yanked up the makeshift scarf that hung around his neck. A quick glance around revealed no means of shelter nearby, which meant he'd have to use his tent for protection. Slipping his pack from his shoulders, Alex hurried to erect the one-man structure before the dust reached him. By this point, he mostly had the whole tent pitching process down rather well, but having a wall of dust quickly moving his direction was always daunting. After snapping the last clips into place, Alex chucked his pack inside and made one last check that everything was tied down securely.

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[gardienne]

Eponine smiled gratefully back at Mona and Alex as well.

"I am sorry I kept you slow, Madame. It was the - the monster. He is a turtle, I am told, but so big, you know? He kicked me here - hit me here too, harder than Montparnasse ever dared, and he has broken them. I can feel the bone move under -"

She placed her hands just below her breasts, indicating the soreness.

"I am sorry, Monsieur. Truly I a-" She gasped as the wind blew, buffering both the tent, and her with her meagre weight.

"Sorry, Sir. Shall we - do you want a food, to pay you back? Or Sigma - he gave me lemonade, Sir, if you wish for the end of the bottle?"

[skinlotion]

This stupid turtle story again. She had no idea what the hell actually went on, but it helped to make pitying noises and agree-- and, playing her part, she winced, looking away as if squeamish, hands up to block her sight as if it'd go away if she didn't see it.

"Ew, sweetie, don't play with it, it'll just make it worse."

No commentary on the offer for food-- as far as Mona was concerned, Alex could go fuck himself, but she'd play it safe until she was sure she wouldn't get herself thrown out; if that meant feeding him, so be it, but until then she wasn't going to insist too hard.

[gardienne]

"There is nothing there, Madame, nothing to see, except a bruise." The whole of Eponine's chest was bruised; she was black and blue all over from being thrown about by Don.

"It feels better, sometimes, to press on it, you know? It is as if I push them back together. Perhaps that is what happens?"

But obediently, she removed her hands, and allowed herself to slump into the door of the tent.

[luckofthedevil]

Ah, so she'd run into Donatello. Alex still couldn't get a clear read of the human-sized turtle, even after being in the Games together for almost a year. He wondered if Eponine had stumbled across someone Don had been protecting. That was usually how Alex ran afoul of him.

He shook his head in response to the offer of supplies. "No, that's all right. I don't need anything in payment."

Alex winced a little as Eponine described her ribs. Definitely broken. "Try not to push on them. You might end up puncturing a lung."

[skinlotion]

"If you're sure..." she said doubtfully, though as far as she was concerned it was all right by her if he wanted to just sit there.

But she smiled gratefully at Alex. "See? We'll just take it carefully, so you can keep breathing." The end of the sentence was a little more cheerful, as if she was trying to inject some humor into their situation, but her eyebrows pinched together as if she knew it wasn't working.

[gardienne]

"Why? Why don't you want anything? Why do you just help us and expect nothing?"

Eponine looked past Mona to stare at Alex, as if she was trying to weigh him up.

"You are like Monsieur Marius. He just gives food and expects nothing. I don't understand that."

She wasn't sure what a lung was either, but bursting it obviously wasn't a good idea. And judging from Mona's look, Eponine was going to.
"Will it kill me, Sir? If my rib rips it? There is no blood; it might not be broken, just sore. I can breathe. I am not going to die from this. It will be quicker than this. Won't it?"

[skinlotion]

"A punctured lung is supposed to be the most painful way to die," she said quietly, holding back the morbid fascination from her voice. "Which is why you'll move carefully, okay?" she added, a little more chipper.

[gardienne]

"That's true? But, Madame, why did you not tell me sooner? What if I had died when looking for Madame Parker? Or- why did you not tell me that I might die from this?"

Eponine was in complete disbelief for a moment, that Mona had said nothing. But then, reality sunk in. Why should Mona warn her? What did Mona care, truly, if she was in pain? Why should anyone care? What does Eponine matter?
Those thoughts having been thought, Eponine sighed and shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Madame. I should not be cross. I do not mean to complain so much."

[skinlotion]

She worried her lip, looking concerned-- though more that Eponine seemed to be having some doubts. What a pain.

"That's why I didn't want you playing with it, but-- but it can totally get better, if you're careful! We can make it through this, we just..." and she blinked and looked hard in the other direction, fingers forming a fist against the floor, carefully calculated to look like she was trying to hide it but keeping it in plain sight. "We've got to, it's all we've got."

[gardienne]

"We will not, though, Madame. At least two of us sat here will die here."

And that was the bleak fact of it. Eponine knew she wouldn't last till the end - not now. But would Mona? Perhaps... but Eponine didn't think so. Maybe Alex... She sighed.

"I am sorry, Madame, but that is how it is."

[luckofthedevil]

Alex was surprised this Marius guy Eponine had mentioned was still out there. There were plenty of Tributes out there who would happy stick a knife in such a charitable back. Alex wasn't about to hand out his supplies so freely though; he intended to make it to the end this time.

Which technically meant that Eponine was right. For him to win, both of them had to die. Just not necessarily by his hand.

"Well, hypothetically more than one person could win, but I don't think that happens often. I've certainly not seen it while I've been here."

[skinlotion]

She looked between the two of them, face slightly fearful and worried; what she thought about, though, was how easily she could take them. Eponine was no question, of course, but Alex seemed like he would be trickier to lull into complacency, and she didn't want to risk a straight fight. Oh, well; something will turn up, and she'll recognize the moment when she sees it.

But that meant playing along, for now, so she glanced back to Alex, seemingly-guarded, wary hope in her eyes. "But it has happened."

[gardienne]

"Once, Madame. Once, with Madame Katniss and Monsieur Peeta."

Eponine twisted her fingers in her palm. Out of those in the tent, she was definitely the easiest target and she knew it. Would they kill her now? Or just open the flap of the tent and shove her out.

"They were in trouble though, I think. I do not know. You are in trouble for everything in the Capitol, even if you try to change it just a little bit."

[luckofthedevil]

"No government likes change, unless they're the ones initiating it. And sometimes not even then. If you want to change things, you have to be smart about it, and careful. But sometimes it's better just to leave the changing to someone else."

Alex certainly didn't care about Panem's problems. He just wanted to get out in one piece. And alive.