april showers bring deadly encounters ; ch day 2

[mat]

k a i u s

The first night is more uneventful than he may have been able to predict. Derecho Sinclair and Quinn Garner are civil with one another, perhaps more so than Kaius may have actually expected. Maybe he didn't know them well enough, or sometime after they'd gathered in the dining hall with one another, they solidified a more official friendship with one another. Still, it puzzles Kaius as they wind bridge after bridge around the river without tension or consequence. Does Quinn need protection, or is he just imagining that he needs to save someone? Save someone, fix a problem, right a wrong, maintain some sort of goodness before things go downhill in a few days' time? Is it possible for a good-intentioned man to have a case of savior's complex?

Kaius keeps himself at distance from the pair by keeping himself behind one of the rocks on the riverside. He can hear their conversations, albeit in mumbled form. He's careful not to peek his head out too far. The last thing he wants is for them to think that he's stalking them with bad intentions. It's better if they don't even know that he's here. Plus, every time he picks up his body from the stone below, the unpleasant feeling of cloth getting caught on an uneven and hard surface agitates him. Yelling in frustration about that alone could be enough for him to get caught.

His head adjusts just slightly to look up at the fog through the sky once the anthem begins to play. It shows five faces, most of which Kaius is unfamiliar with beyond perhaps just their names. It's a few more than the initial cannons after the bloodbath had indicated, as well. Turning his hood up, Kaius closes his eyes, hand gripping his newly acquired knife that came down with an assortment of goods a few hours prior. His mind has always found a way of reacting quickly to unforeseen events back home. People came to him with their problems, and Kaius tried to offer them the best solutions. But now, it's his physical body that he must rely on. Always watching, and always waiting, in case he needs to strike.

-=+=-

The creaking of the bridge is what startles him away. Kaius peers over the boulder to see Derecho and Quinn beginning to get up and move out from the river area. Dragging his bag closer, Kaius gets everything sorted and moves forward with them, maintaining that healthy distance that he has last night to avoid an awkward confrontation.

The transitioning scent of fresh lake water to roses and tulips is rather pleasing. The people of District Four have some guts to withstand the gag-worthy aromas that fish and wet wildlife provide. The wildflowers are much more pretty to look at, and it's much safer than the risk of getting swept away by the river's swift current.

Something, off in the distance, is converging with a traveling Quinn and Derecho, though. Kaius can make out the most defining features of the creatures: moving on all fours, and green eyes with brightness such that anyone dozens and dozens of yards away could pick them out with pinpoint precision. Kaius begins to move more quickly, knowing that a mutt attack could be on the horizon if the pair aren't careful.

Waving his free hand in the air, Kaius shouts to them. "Hey, watch out!" Hopefully they'll take the hint and not attack him instead. When he gets close enough, Kaius sends and underhanded swing with his axe at the pack of hounds just as they're in reach of Derecho and Quinn.

[kaius judge attacks The Displacers with his greataxe]

6GEmDkPEq1axe
11011 -- Shallow Cut on Cheek -- 3.5 damage

elegant

axe

[kap]

Five faces shone in the sky that night. She’d counted the cannons during the day, so the number didn’t surprise her. Perhaps it was just who died that surprised her. She didn’t expect Cain O’Malley to be gone so quickly, perhaps because of the impressive O’Malley boy in the 89th. Both District Three and both District Eight tributes were gone, too, which surprised her. Usually entire districts didn’t get wiped out so soon.

When Quinn finished watching the anthem, it took her a while to actually fall asleep, as she was still somewhat on-guard about Derecho, unsure about his true intentions. Regardless, she eventually settled down, closing her eyes and falling into slumber. She couldn’t help it.

-

The next morning, Quinn awoke in meadow grass, rose to her feet and looked through her items to make sure nothing had gone missing. She’d slept with her mace in hand, so she knew she had that, but checked on everything else, just in case.

Instead of anything missing, she found something new among her stuff. At first, she thought it was a piece of candy, but after closer inspection, found it to be a glass, ten-sided die. Interesting.

Before she had more time to inspect it, though, she heard the shout of another tribute.

”Hey, watch out!” came a familiar voice. It was Kaius, the boy she’d sat with in the training center dining hall, and he was approaching quickly, axe in hand. Except, he wasn’t coming for Quinn and Derecho. There were mutts, and they were ready to attack. Kaius plunged his weapon into one of the mutts, but it barely seemed to leave a mark.

Quinn knew what she had to do now. She sprung into action.

”Let’s go, Derecho!”

Mace in hand, she would do her best. She didn’t exactly want to fight, but she’d surely defend herself. She didn’t want to die either, after all. One… two… three… swing!

table by pogue

[Quinn attacks the Displacers with her mace]
aWJxxmZRo1spiked blunt
[miss]

Accuracy, day one
spiked blunt
[14152 -- GASH/BRUISED RIGHT FOOT -- 3.0 damage]

spiked blunt·spiked blunt

[Knuckles]

d e r e c h o .

"i am a machine
i never sleep
i keep my eyes wide open"

Getting comfortable is almost impossible. The ground is hard, and it's cold, yet the sound of the river is peaceful. It gives him the comfort needed to rest his head against the cold, hard ground long enough to close his eyes. Going to sleep in the arena isn't ideal, all it takes is being asleep for a bit too long for someone's life to end.

But as soon as Derecho finds a comfortable position to lay in, the anthem blares through the arena signaling the end of the day. So far five have died. He doesn't know who they are other than their names, and it's best to keep it that way because learning to trust someone and building friendships in the arena is something he swore against. Yet here he is being soft and helping someone in need.

Maybe I do care about others.

Once the anthem ends, he turns facing Quinn. Running away right now would be so easy. Just leaving her behind and letting her fend on her own, it's easy to do, yet for some reason, Derecho can't bring himself to do it because the idea of going at this arena alone is terrifying even though he'd never mention it to anyone.

Holding the hammer super close, he closes his eyes for just a moment which proves to be a mistake because soon he drifts away into a restless slumber.

In the morning, he sees Quinn stirring, and he quickly grabs his satchel and tosses it over his shoulder. Moving is important and figuring out where to go from here and what to do makes it even more urgent they leave this place at once. Sitting still too long is dangerous, it causes people to draw attention to themselves, and now Derecho looks over his shoulder, and it's then that something fell from his bagging landing near his feet.

What's this?

Inspecting the item that fell, he realizes very quickly that's it's something with ten sides with a note saying to create his own luck.

What could this be?

He has half the mind to toss it but decides against it for now.

"Hey, watch out!"

Derecho snaps his attention as a tribute is running towards them, and it takes every ounce of strength not to lash out and attack because within a moment he's attacking some sort of mutt.

"Let's go, Derecho!"

He didn't need told twice. His hand wraps around the hammer holding it even tighter. The others haven't made much of an impact on this beast just yet, and now it's time for him to show everyone how it's done.

"Coming!" He shouts running forward with the hammer in his hand. Fear crawls through his veins and it takes every ounce of strength to push it away while keeping his face clear and calm. He pulls the hood over his head.

These two will never outdo me for I am a career.

elegant

lyrics: Three Days Grace: I am a Machine



attacks the Displacers with ban hammer
fboA9tmRDkspiked blunt

{ 14142 -- CRUSHED CHEST -- X damage

10 damage? +1 ban hammer + 1 strength? }

GM Note: recorded as 14164 for 10 damage +2 modifiers

spiked blunt

[Deleted]

displacers

[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]

Blink and you'll miss it; your only warning is the purr of a good hunt. 

The displacers had killed already prior, the blue blood of a Koa-Toa pack still fresh on their lips, but hubris be the downfall. These creatures hunt for sport, for fun, for the kill, and in a place like this - what's going to stop them? Underhanded animals, they blip in and out of existence. If you check your shadows, you might catch a peak just before the pounce. If you're lucky, you'll see eyes before the fangs. 

Seeing anything at all is the challenge. 

They spot up like bad omens, like mirages, playing with your sanity before they come at you directly. It's almost impossible to keep count- to discern teleportation from invisibility, but one thing's for certain: they're here. Drawing closer and closer to the weakest target first, they stalk D6A as if on a mission. An easy kill, a quick kill, delicious. 

The pack moved as one, countless to the naked eye until an overzealous young uncloaks first. It comes in the sound of a light purr, a confirmation that yes: you were being followed all along. The blond male guessed correctly - a clever boy, on his toes against all foes, that fear might just keep him alive. His warning catches the pack off guard. What was supposed to be an assassination soon evolves into a brawl. 

[On Kaius's cue, a warrior displacer lunges once their position is exposed.]
sjxByEzFtOknife 
[2018 -- Block -- 0.0 damage]

[The snarling cub pounces at Quinn Garner before being banned to death.]
knife
[2003 -- Deep Gash on Left Forearm -- 8.0 damage]

[Another beast emerges and attacks Derecho for slaying its young.]
knife
[2009 -- Deep Gash on Neck -- 10.0 damage]

knife·knife·knife

[mat]

k a i u s

Kaius is almost scared at first. He keeps too much distance between himself and the mutts to make a deeper cut, only curling the tip of the axe onto their side. It makes contact, sure, but that won't be enough when a pack of doglike creatures are on the verge of pouncing. Quinn and Derecho heed his warnings well, taking to their own defenses. Kaius's eyes turn briefly as Derecho's hammer slams through one of the smaller mutts.

Each of the pack hisses, aware of battle but otherwise unphased by the combat. One lunges forward toward Kaius, with its teeth the size of mountains as it gets closer and closer to him. He lifts his axe up to defend himself and uses the blade to block his face and neck from taking any brunt of the damage. With a thud, the creature that pounced toward him now crashes down, blocked from any sort of contact with Kaius's skin.

With a closer look, the hound's eyes are much more intimidating. Before, they looked like pinpoint green lasers or jewels, but now, they appear like toxic waste radiating from within. His eyes turn momentarily to see the mutts applying much more pressure to Derecho and Quinn. He can see the blood on their neck and arms.

"Hold on, I just need to finish this one!"

If they can hold on long enough, that is. Kaius swings his axe again with more urgency knowing that the others may be in more danger if he doesn't act with more haste.

[kaius judge attacks The Warrior Displacer with his greataxe]

dqaORx6QYyaxe
[11065 -- Shallow Cut on Right Thigh -- 3.5 damage]

elegant

axe

[kap]

Derecho sprang into action immediately when asked, and it was a damn good thing he did. With how Quinn and Kaius were faring with their attacks, they could’ve just been mauled to death instead of having any real chance to fight back.

The whimsical appeal of the meadow they were in didn’t quite balance out the pain Quinn felt when the creatures attacked. The pack of these monsters were angry, hungry, and probably a number of other things, so she could tell they hadn’t held back. While Kaius was able to dodge when they tried to strike him, Derecho and Quinn got the brunt of it all.

The cub of the pack pounced at Quinn, its claws digging deep into her arm. She let out a shriek of pain in response, and jumped back a bit in fear when Derecho’s weapon came down on the enemy with such force. She was a bit skittish, but that wouldn’t stop her from fighting.

She knew if Flynn were in this situation, he would’ve fought the mutts. He would’ve stood up to them and not shown nearly as much fear as Quinn. Nevertheless, Quinn was grateful Flynn wasn’t the one fighting in the arena. She couldn’t imagine having to do it twice. She’d bite the bullet and take her chance here if it meant saving others, especially those she knew and loved.

Her whole life goal was to help people. She wanted to be an oral surgeon. Now, though, it was likely that dream would never be accomplished. So, she’d just make sure these things looked like they needed their teeth fixed instead, and aimed her mace right for the jaw of the one closest to her.

table by pogue

[Quinn attacks the Displacers with her mace]
NIQVPrxDdbspiked blunt
[14021 -- BROKEN LEFT FOOT -- 6.5 damage]

spiked blunt

[Knuckles]

d e r e c h o .

"i am a machine
i never sleep
i keep my eyes wide open"

Hearing the bones splinter as the hammer makes impact brings a smile to his face. It's even better than he ever imagined, and right now Derecho wants nothing more than to make that happen again.

Yet he stood too close for too long and trying to back away proved futile as the mutt lashed out almost slitting his throat completely. Blood gushes from the wound pouring down his neck and onto his chest and stomach saturating the clothes the Gamemakers gave him. Thankfully blood doesn't bother him.

But it doesn't end here.

For a moment spots dance before his eyes and regaining his balance is difficult. All it takes is one wrong move to fall over completely, and then he'll turn into mutt food.

Taking a deep breath, he pushes the pain away trying to think of what will come. A crown awaits the person who wins, and Derecho wants nothing more than to wear that crown regardless of the weight it carries, but most important, he yearns to build a legacy. Sometimes that takes more effort than one can imagine, and right now, that's all the male desires.

"Hold on, I just need to finish this one!" Kaius shouts, and Derecho can't help but pivot around and look at him as the blood continues gushing rapidly from the laceration created by the claws of this horrible creature. Part of him wants to tell the others to run, that he'll hold them off for as long as he can, yet he knows doing that is suicide.

Nobody needs to die because of me.

All his life was spent with his parents telling him it's his fault bad things happen, but here in the arena, Derecho understands that bad things have to happen. Those bad things don't have to come from him, yet the bad in this godforsaken beautiful place outweighs the good. Only one person will have the good.

I want it to be me.

"Okay, I'm holding on."

Lifting his hammer, his eyes glance from one person to the next and then to the mutts. Pushing the fear away is important because all it will do is make him believe he's uncapable of doing anything. Even in danger, Derecho charges forward.

I am strong, brave, and I know what must be done to build my legacy.

elegant

lyrics: Three Days Grace: I am a Machine



attacks the Displacers with ban hammer
aZSEPUKyvispiked blunt

{ 14142 -- CRUSHED CHEST -- X damage


10 damage + 1 ban hammer + 1 strength }

GM Note: recorded as 14164 for 10 damage +2 modifiersspiked blunt

[Deleted]

displacers

[ ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ]

These beasts met their counter parts in real time. The pack dwindled in its numbers quicker than they appeared, and oh so fast do they stalk. This is their place to roam; their domain, nature sees as nature does, yet at the hands of one boy 2 Displacers fell. First the mother's cub, and in her awful mourning she witnesses a second crushed to death shortly there after. There's no protecting one another, no savior, merely slaughter. 

The warrior snarls in retaliation, licking its lips as it angles itself atop again. War is lost in the mind first: there is no giving up. They stand their ground even as it falls beneath their feet, one last time. 

[The Warrior lunges at Kaius once more.]
Ulqgk7XhSVknife 
[2123 -- Shallow Cut on Right Forearm -- 3.5 damage]

[Hunting in the background, a 4th emerges to finish the attack on Quinn]
knife
[2136 -- Shallow Cut on Back of Head -- 4.5 damage]

[Sheepish, a juvenile takes on the champion, Derecho]
knife
[2071 -- Deep Gash on Right Forearm -- 8.0 damage]

knife·knife·knife

[mat]

k a i u s

Bones split and crackle once again. He had tuned it out the first time, focused only on the moment, but now it was too shocking to ignore. A second hound collapses at Derecho's hand. He's got a smile on his face as he holds the bloodied hammer up and away, ready to go again. Kaius had barely scathed the one pouncing for him while the career from Four already eliminated a portion of the pack. "Okay, I'm holding on."

The irony isn't missed on him that, as Kaius inches towards Quinn and Derecho, he'd called the pack to the pair's attention, but it's them who are landing hits deep into the mutations skins. Heroes do much more than just speak words and warnings. They act. The hound jumps high and their claws sink into his arm. Kaius grimaces for a second before shaking his arm free from the creature's weight. With two down, there's a manageable handful left to go. Hold on, he thinks, as much for himself as the others.

The burdened axe sways low for a moment, knocking petals and entire flowers from their stem to lie severed in the misty grass below. When the hound turns back to face him, Kaius leans forward, putting all his weight onto the front of his feet. This one is crafty and evasive, perhaps a bit more agile than the others, but that just means the pack won't stop unless the strongest of its kind fall.

Fights like this in the Hunger Games remind him of what he's spent most of his teenage life advocating for back in District Five. A place where individuals don't need to fight to be on top or be in serious danger if they find themselves near the bottom of the social ladder. The idea of desperation to survive should not exist in a world and in a government that promises the ideal and the utopia. That's not the reality in this arena, or in his district, or in the country.

There must be someone to fight for it.

[kaius judge attacks The Warrior Displacer with his greataxe]

qxkCUneJekaxe
[11183 -- Severed Left Hand at Wrist -- 9.0 damage]

elegant

axe

[kap]

Despite going a bit wide and the mace of her weight being so much that it drops closer to the ground when she attacks, Quinn's weapon still meets bone. It wasn't the jaw, but rather the foot of one of the beasts that she hears cracking underneath the force of the weapon smashing onto it.

The guilt that surged in Quinn's heart was more mild this time, but still present. She hated having to try to kill this thing, but first and foremost, it was trying to kill her. That, and it was clearly crafted for killing her. She wasn't going to just let it go through with that. A mutt accomplishing its task simply could not be allowed to happen right now. It was the tributes' turn.

Yet again, Derecho's hammer slams down on one of the Capitol's monsters. Quinn recoils back a bit, only to feel the sting of the creature's claws in the back of her head for a moment. These things are dangerous, and if they don't kill the mutts soon, it could be them instead.

Thank Ripred for Kaius warning them about these things, and springing into action.

Quinn quickly whips around in the direction of the nearest mutt so it can't hit her from behind again. She refuses to be taken down by something that she can't even see hitting her. Her mace is tight in hand, and she glares at the beast, trying to find the right opportunity to strike.

When the opportunity shows itself, her weapon is swinging through the air again.

table by pogue

[Quinn attacks the Displacers with her mace]
RSNIR2tEyKspiked blunt
[14094 -- MISS -- 0.0 damage]

spiked blunt

[Knuckles]

d e r e c h o .

"i am a machine
i never sleep
i keep my eyes wide open"

Before volunteering for the games, Derecho wanted nothing more than to prove his strength, to prove that he's not just some pathetic kid wearing the title of career. Building a legacy is important, it's something he desires more than anything in the world right now, and maybe showing off his strength on this pack of mutts is the way to do it. Of course, it's not the same as killing another human, but maybe this is enough to show all those who never believed in him that he's capable of amazing things.

Bones shatter and splinter again, and a smile spreads even further across his face. These horrific creatures were created with the sole purpose of destroying the tributes standing in their way, and right now Derecho wants nothing to do with them. None of them are kind or friendly. None of them deserve to live, even the youngest of them are killing machines.

Maybe it's his first mistake because before he knows it more blood is gushing from a gaping hole on his shoulder. They're trying to shred him limb from limb -

But I will not let them.

And then he watches Kaius spring into action again, and a paw lands on the ground with a deafening thud, and Derecho's smile grows even larger. These foul creatures are almost dead, and Quinn has a chance, but she misses completely.

How can you miss something that big?

Focusing on the failed efforts won't do anything, and instead Derecho steadies himself. It takes a moment, but soon he's ready, and the hammer is in the air moving, and part of him is afraid of what will happen if this doesn't go well, yet he tries as hard as he can to get it out of his mind. It's a terrifying thought, death is.

I wonder if the mutts are scared?

Shaking his head, he takes a deep breath and lunges into action using all his might and hoping they all fall down.

elegant

lyrics: Three Days Grace: I am a Machine



attacks the Displacers with ban hammer
YBBPxe3avnspiked blunt

{ 14170 -- BROKEN LEFT COLLAR BONE -- 6.5 damage +1 ban hammer + 1 strength }spiked blunt

[mat]

k a i u s

It's giving filler, serving to the brim. Kaius will basically be like "oh wow so I warned you, you saved me, we saved each other. Let's be friends xx. Also does some healing and collecting.

[kaius flees]

elegant

[kap]

filler flee
-Quinn is grateful for these guys saving her life
-Lets out a struggled “thank you” as they flee the scene

table by pogue

[Quinn flees]

[Knuckles]

d e r e c h o .

"i am a machine
i never sleep
i keep my eyes wide open"

Watching in awe as it falls, Derecho turns as the others run away from the scene. It makes sense, running away, because all it takes is lingering too long for other mutts to smell the blood and want a feast, but soon he moves too knowing it's dangerous especially as the blood continues gushing from his neck. The pain starts setting in, and it's hard to even see which direction they're running in.

Get it together, Derecho, you're not weak.

Following in their footsteps, he sprints behind them not wanting to linger too far behind. Quinn offers a thank you, and Kaius wants to be friends.

Friends do not exist in this game. How silly can someone be?

But he follows them and will play along with them because right now he has nothing to lose, and all these friends can make his life so much easier as he journeys through this magical place of death.

elegant

lyrics: Three Days Grace: I am a Machine



derecho flees