cause some drama [just friends v mutt] day 4

[kap]

Gemstone Lurker

One of them nearly stepped on him. Right on him! He was almost trampled on, and he most certainly wasn't happy about it. The rocky monster erupted from the earth, right next to the tribute whose foot almost made contact with his face. He let out an angered part-yell-part-growl that was nearly a roar. He was purely made of rage, rocks and gemstones in that moment. So, using his teeth (which were, quite fittingly, made of gemstones), he tried to bite the tributes he saw who'd invaded his territory.

Gemstone Lurker attacks Mirage with; teeth (knife)
I7PlszGSEHknife
2121 -- 40 10 damage (mutt insta)



Gemstone Lurker attacks Itzal with; teeth (knife)
knife
2166 -- Severed Left Ear -- 8.0 damage

knife·knife

[Python]

The peaks of the mountains called to them. Having a high vantage point in the arena would give them an obvious advantage as long as they trekked carefully through the storm. Unfortunately, Mirage needed to conserve her energy. Ivy had embarrassingly taken several chunks out of her, and she sighed when Itzal offered to patch her up. This wasn't home; she didn't have all of the medical supplies in the world, and she didn't have grunts to order around. Her resources were limited, and the only person she could rely on (besides herself) was one boy from District Five.

She sat beneath one of the pink-speckled trees and scoffed at Itzal's disgust. "It's just blood, you'll have to get over it." He would be seeing plenty of it. "Come tomorrow, this could be you." She held up her bleeding arm to showcase the damage. That damage was reality. She may have received an impressive training score, and she may have experience, but injury was part of the process. Nobody won without bleeding. Even the careers would walk away with scars.

Mirage thought herself immune to the mental scars, so she concerned herself with the physical. Stitching flesh together was painful and annoying, but she knew the Capitol possessed the technology to erase the ugly scars. The gash on her back was the worst. Fabric was glued to the drying blood, and she needed to change her sleeping position to ensure it didn't rip open again. She didn't enjoying relying on others, so she ignored the swallowing of her own pride by changing the subject.

"So, how did it feel to win a victory? We killed someone today." The sound of a cannon confirmed somebody else's death. She was testing him; she wanted to make sure he wasn't faltering with any sort of regret. Such a thing would be weakness, and a sign that she should abandon him.

Mirage wondered if he meant what he said, or if he was simply saying what he knew she wanted to hear. He said that Ivy needed to die, that it was an easy choice, and there were no other options. There were other options, but perhaps he was telling himself that to justify the kill. She didn't feel the need to justify it. She wanted to do it, and she did it. She did agree that it was an easy choice, but it wasn't always easy for everyone else. Thus far, Itzal didn't seem too disturbed by the prospect of moving forward. A good sign.

"I'm glad you're still on board. I wouldn't want you to lose your edge," she said, scooting away once he was finished cleaning the last of her injuries. "I have experience in this sort of thing, you know." And she smiled. Of course she wouldn't outright admit she has killed before on television - that was illegal. But she could imply it. Itzal needed to know anyway; who he was working with and what he was up against.

She decided to remain under the shade of the trees to recharge. Tomorrow, she wanted to explore the mountains - and when tomorrow came, she said nothing before walking toward the elevated trails.

Before she could reach the rocky edges of potential paradise, she stepped in something odd. Rubies at the foot of a mountain, winking as if to mock her. Jewels had no value in a place like this- only in the Capitol could she enjoy such riches. She admired it from afar until she heard a growl, and something struck the back of her head, slamming it hard enough to create explosions of color in her vision.

"What the f-"

For crying out loud. Living gem mutations.

"Watch yourself! They're camouflaged."

[attacks gemstone lurker - katana]
miwFoyU97ssword
Shallow Cut on Right Calf -- 3.5 damage

sword

[marguerite harvard d2a (zori)]

I t z a l

But if we take the sadness out of Saturday night
I wonder what we'll be left with, anything worth the fight?
I wanna run from the darkness, wanna shout at the light
It's coming over me now

Morning brought a respite from the storm, though my wounds weren’t fresh with slough like hers. We’d head back toward the mountain, fog now cleared clean to expose the peak.

A lot of kids over the years tried to tap into some philosophy to get over what they had to do here. Maybe they had a reason to get home, maybe they just thought their cause was more just than the person standing in front of them. It’s human nature to want to come up with a reason, wasn’t it? There had to be some sort of reason why we were here – whether by our own choice or someone else’s – and if there wasn’t then why didn’t we just lay down and die at the start of everything?

“She needed to die,” I’d said to Mirage, the winds a low roar against the cliffside, “And it was an easy choice.”

I wouldn’t say that I had chosen her over Niko. Mirage didn’t want to hear about how I still longed for a little bit of home. I could close my eyes and still picture the cracks in the concrete of my bedroom walls. I wanted to hear my sister and mom singing in the kitchen like I was just the youngest, the littlest brother, too helpless to make his own dinner but old enough to wash the dishes. Niko’s voice had brought out their echo, and I’d had to drown it out with someone unfamiliar.

“We don’t have any other options, anyway.” It’d been the difference between me and Niko, then. To look at all of this and still beg for another way, or to accept what hand we’d been dealt as best we could.

And his side got caught up in hypocrisy. Little lies that would swallow up his limbs like vines tacking him down to earth, there couldn’t be a way to kill and justify his place, not unless he was even stupider than he seemed.

Not that killing anyone could be easy. I kept thinking about how Ivy’s limbs had hung from her body. The copper smell of blood in the grass wouldn’t wash clean.

‘I have experience in this sort of thing, you know.’ Mirage said as they pushed though the rain of cherry blossom petals. The branches above them swayed, each movement another hail of pink.

She could carry the weight of both of us on her bleeding shoulders, couldn’t she? Whatever she carried from nine, all the wounds from the past few days, and the prospect of a dozen more deaths couldn’t slow her down.

One of these days, she’d have to lighten the load.

“What the – ” I had noticed the flicker of light against the stones poking out of the earth, but hadn’t time to react to whatever cut right across my ear.

“GOD DAMN!” I bellowed with my hand right against the lobe that was now missing, because of course. I had been resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t get out of here without a flesh wound or two. Guess I wasn’t going to be wearing any cross earrings on that side anymore.

I growled as I wrenched my katana free. Rage had been a slow burn against Niko and Ivy yesterday. But mutts?

“Let’s carve these motherfuckers up.”

[Itzal attacks the gemstone lurker with his katana (sword)]

ELEGANT

d1gXcHFxecsword
[result:1135 -- Deep Gash on Right Bicep -- 8.0 damage + 1 blades (Sword)]sword

[kap]

Gemstone Lurker

One of the humans' ears comes clean off, the other takes substantial damage as well, and blood drips down from his teeth now. The two wield katanas, cutting into his stony skin, bit by bit, and it angers him further. He's not too pleased to feel what the blades can do. So, he lets out a guttural growl to show his frustration. His shimmering gemstone teeth are aimed at the tributes again now. He's ready to kill, if he can.

That's what happens when you almost step on someone's face.

Gemstone Lurker attacks Mirage with; teeth (knife)
fqj_HFAxr0knife
2024 -- Block -- 0.0 damage



Gemstone Lurker attacks Itzal with; teeth (knife)
knife
2008 -- Shallow Cut on Left Forearm -- 3.5 damage

knife·knife

[Python]

"Let's carve these motherfuckers up."

Mirage stared skeptically at the creatures. Glistening gemstones for teeth and rocks for flesh, how were they supposed to kill them with katanas? Blades weren't exactly sculpted to slice through rocks. She considered her options quickly - fleeing could save them a load of trouble and a bit of bloodshed, but there was no guarantee that these creatures wouldn't pursue them. There was no guarantee that Mirage or Itzal could outrun them. The prinipal of it was also critical - what would running away say about her? Some risks didn't pay off, and if this one didn't, it could hurt twice as much. She did not want to be labeled a coward, let alone a stupid coward. Everyone has a reputation to protect.

Itzal was as fierce as ever, and managed to slice a chunk out of it. She narrowed her eyes to study the details of that swing. Either it was lucky, or Itzal knew where to hit them. Either way, they had a weak point, and Mirage needed to exploit it as well.

"What do you thinks the chances are that they're actually rock candies?" She jested in the face of danger to remain collected. These creatures were more dangerous than the crabs, and certainly not edible, but they had to be eliminated nonetheless. Another obstacle in their path. She would've preferred humans, but arenas were always designed with unique challenges. If she wanted to win, she had to overcome everything.

Even if it felt like a waste of time.

[attacks gemstone lurker - katana]
xesjt_D2H_sword
Shallow Cut on Left Hip -- 3.5 damage

sword

[marguerite harvard d2a (zori)]

I t z a l

But if we take the sadness out of Saturday night
I wonder what we'll be left with, anything worth the fight?
I wanna run from the darkness, wanna shout at the light
It's coming over me now

Blood trailed down my shoulder, but all I could do was let out a whoop for slicing across the creature’s flank and scattering rocks in front of my feet.

Another cannon sounded in the distance and for a second, wondered who could’ve bit the dust so early today. Was it Niko, off on his own? How was Haze doing out there? I made a mental note to write her a note just as soon as we put this thing in the ground.

Either it died or we died, and personally, I would rather be run through with a blade than a sharp pair of claws any day of the week.

I threw a glance over my shoulder. This time Mirage managed to avoid the beast’s swing. It nicked me across my arm, and I pulled back. The capitol had put together a mutt out of earth and precious gems. Felt like a commentary on what they could do with their money and tech – they’d rather throw it into things that could kill us than share.

“Somehow I don’t think this one is made of candy judging by how sweet he seems to be,” I jeered back.

We had a push and pull, Mirage and me. Even when the stakes had been high, we still found our footing. And when it got ridiculous, she could see bullshit for what it was just as much as I could. None of this really mattered, even if it meant everything. Our lives were on a highwire, and we were the ones dancing. It didn’t make sense, but then, felt like the only way we’d get out of here alive.

“Come here buddy,” I angled my blade for the patch of skin – if you could call it that – I’d managed to lance before. “I just want to take a little off the top.”

[Itzal attacks the gemstone lurker with his katana (sword)]

ELEGANT

WLPAz2zSQSsword
[result:1124 -- Severed Right Leg at Hip -- 10 damage (Sword) + 1 blades]sword

[kap]

Gemstone Lurker

They were teasing him. They were slicing into him, too, and the boy even took off his leg. The gemstone creature let out a roar of pain, but still managed to lash out at the tributes again. He wouldn't recover well from this, but he was determined to take these tributes out regardless. They'd invaded his space, after all. He didn't like intruders.

Gemstone Lurker attacks Mirage with; teeth (knife)
f1U5xlUav1knife
2179 -- Deep Gash on Right Bicep -- 8.0 damage



Gemstone Lurker attacks Itzal with; teeth (knife)
knife
2198 -- Shallow Cut on Back -- 4.0 damage

knife·knife

[Python]

Mirage doubted other people, but she never doubted herself. She should've known her own judgement had been sound when she brought Itzal under her wing. She knew she was a 'bad' influence to others, but their opinions didn't matter. Her influence was making Itzal stronger inside and out, which was exactly what she needed in an ally. A steel puppet. He did not cry or panic in the face of danger, and he understood the stakes. They would move beyond this petty wrangle eventually.

Mirage knew what it was - entertainment. An opportunity for the Capitol to show off their new toys. From afar, she enjoyed watching the Capitol flex their skills and technology. She remembered sitting in front of the television as a child, engrossed in the documentary clips about that year's new massive mutation. They would interview the creator and discuss strategy. Mirage had imagined how she would take on each one.

Though it had never turned into a career-type obsession over the Games, she was grateful to have that history. Hours spent waiting for her parents allowed her to learn everything she needed to know about the Games. She had imagined her name being called in the Square, but never volunteering. The prospect hadn't frightened her, she just never had a reason to up until this point. Oh how life changes.

She scoffed in disgust and lashed at the creature.

[attacks gemstone lurker - katana]
SWUxCaLVqLsword
Deep Gash on Left Forearm -- 8.0 damage

sword