Welcome To Arena 08

[gamemakers]

Today begins particularly early by normal standards. Long before the sun, or even a hint of dawn arrives. When the world is still and black and quiet, save for the parties still raging on from the night before. Night owls still have not gone to sleep. Everyone knows what today is, even if you've only just arrived.

There is a palpable tension in the air as everyone is ushered out under the cover of darkness to board the hovercrafts. A stream of faces both familiar and unknown filter in and take their seats, and very little is said as tributes are strapped in and attendants make their rounds, activating tracking devices. There are no windows, no openings no view of the outside world as it passes silently, below. The journey takes hours. And when everyone finally arrives, there is no hint of sky or grass or cloud or tree. Just long concrete hallways and rows of uniformed peacekeepers that remind everyone to keep in line in the underbelly of the unknown.

One by one, each tribute is lead into a small concrete room where stylists outfit tributes in their only bit of protection for the next coming weeks. Little is given away by the clothing each stylists put their tribute in. No flair or flourish or costumed monstrosity this time. Just simple, functional mundane civilian clothing. Khakis, cotton shirts, boots.

There is little time to dress and say goodbyes. Only a few small moments left to gather your thoughts. And then, the countdown starts. A countdown displayed in holographic blue begins:

25. 24. 23. 22....

The smell of earth and grass and a general damp green fills your lungs as you rise, slowly into a large grass field. At first, its the only thing you can see in all directions until the pedestal locks in place.

20. 19. 18. 17....

In the near distance, the cornucopia looms. Massive. Copper. Even hidden by the grass you can see its spoils are plentiful, tempting anyone with even a mild curiosity streak to come explore. Some may see this as a warning sign already .

15. 14. 13...

You can see the others, around you. Their heads, maybe the shoulders of taller tributes, and very little else. If there is anything hidden in this field you would never know it. The grass is too tall and too thick to show what might be lurking near the ground.

10. 9. 8....

There is just a hint of a breeze and the lingering scent of recent rain. The humidity is more uncomfortable than the heat., its a thick, jungle-like warm. You can see a dense tangle of trees in the distance. Blue sky filled with towering white clouds. Its the sort of place where nothing ever truly seems to be dry. At least you might not have to worry about freezing to death.

6. 5. 4...

For just a moment, everything goes perfectly still. Perfectly silent.

The grass rustles.

You feel the breeze.

2.

1.

0.

You will have two hours until a short warning alarm will sound and the sonic fences turn on across the entire arena.

Comments

[leavewiththegame]

Well after the countdown ended, AndrAIa was on her second trip to the Cornucopia. She'd grabbed a bunch of stuff near the edge and hid it outside the pillars. She'd gotten into an altercation with someone unfamiliar, but she'd escaped with only a bit of bleeding on her head. But since then, she'd had trouble running, so for this supply run, she was hiding, trying to use stealth rather than speed.

Another tribute, a taller one, passed nearby. AndrAIa ducked into the shadows as the other went by, squinting. Only when she was almost past did she recognize the other as Doctor Holiday. "Holiday!" she called, jogging out of hiding.

[doc_holi]

Holiday turned to see her caller before stopping and kneeling down. "AndrAIa," she replied in a low tone, just in case anyone thought about coming their way.

She glanced around the immediate area quickly, with rushed breath, before taking in the girl's injury. "You're hurt. Are you all right?"

[leavewiththegame]

"I am fine. It is barely bleeding. See?" AndrAIa lifted up her bangs, wincing as she touched the injury, which had mostly scabbed over. But there was still a sizable lump, and by the way the girl's eyes didn't quite focus on the doctor, there was more damage that wasn't visible.

[doc_holi]

"Head wounds are supposed to bleed a lot, AndrAIa. This might be worse than it seems."

Holiday noticed the girl's focus, but didn't say anything on it, not wanting to alert her.

"Did you get anything from the Cornucopia? We need to leave. It's not safe here."

[leavewiththegame]

"They are? I thought more blood meant more serious, so little blood meant it was not bad. Human wounds are strange."

AndrAIa nodded eagerly, then winced again. "Yes, I have food and a couple weapons. Do you need one?" She started to pull the knife out from her belt, to offer to Holiday.

[doc_holi]

"Sometimes. I think yours might be a bad one, though..."

Holiday looked around when she noticed the girl pulling out her weapon. She put a hand on the girl's arm. "I have a knife. Keep it." It wasn't a lot, but she wasn't about to take stuff from a kid. "Let's find somewhere safe. Can you see okay? Seeing doubles or anything?"