dinner of champions [mace/saffron/nixie]

[kap]

N I X I E
S U M M E R S

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Victorship was a rather strange feeling, although quite a good one. I still felt that strength and glory from winning the Games, even after leaving the arena. I wondered how long that feeling would last.

The Victory Tour was going well so far. I was even invited to a dinner with Mace and Saffron, which, given their big names, was quite exciting. I'd heard of them my entire life, although, admittedly, I'd never taken the time to sit down and watch the reruns of their respective Games. Nevertheless, I was looking forward to meeting them.

When I arrived, the meal that was laid out in front of me looked delicious. There was a lot of meat, especially: hamburgers, steaks and other things. Although it may sound strange, the thing I was most looking forward to trying was a hamburger. I'd heard really good things about how well the ones fresh from Ten tasted, and I was quite tired of fish after all the years of living in Four, so this would be something nice and different.

"Thank you for having me. It's really quite nice to meet you both," I said to the two of them as I put food onto my plate. It might've been rude of me to both be piling food onto my plate and starting up a conversation, but I suppose I hadn't always been the best with my manners.

"This looks really good! Did you two make all this?" I was excited, and that was probably apparent. I took a bite of the hamburger. It was really good, actually. It was even better than I had expected.

"This is delicious," I noted aloud between bites. I looked at the two of them, and then realized I'd been doing all the talking so far. My cheeks turned a bit red with embarrassment.

"Sorry if I've been a bit rude..." I apologized. "I wasn't really thinking."

Then I realized: this was the first I'd apologized for anything since leaving the arena.

I hadn't apologized to Avriel for killing Zane, or to Lorenzo for killing Laurence. I suppose that was because, no matter how bad it sounds, I didn't really feel guilt or shame for what I'd done.

As for being rude at dinner with Mace and Saffron? That just didn't seem acceptable.

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376 words

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"In the changing wind, it echoes deep
Wearing thin the heart beneath
There's no place to call our own
Like a drifting haze, we roam"

lyrics: "Where Do We Go From Here?" by Ruelle