dear younger me | daddicus vs. atticus sim

[mat]

atticus manor

Atticus's eyes glossed over the simulation that Silas forced himself into. He allowed Silas, Eryn, and Maddox to wander off and explore the Fair on their own, but he knew the ins and outs of the district and every event, station, and stall in this place. It got back to him in no more than two minutes that Silas was in line for the Hunger Games simulation. Dumbass, he thought, but thanked his friend for letting him know. Atticus stood in the back of the crowd of guests watching. He heard Silas yell for them to turn it off, but by the time Atticus forced his way to the front of the line, it was already over. Who won and who lost was a mystery.

Dozens of pairs of eyes followed Atticus to the front of the line. Some of the viewers whispered about how scared Silas looked battling a younger version of his father. "I'll go next," he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt as the crowd opened up for him. As the only victor in the past thirty years from District Three, the sea parted for him.

"Same one as my son, please." Was that how this worked? Who knows. He knew saying this would mean he'd fight a younger version of himself, which was probably the most terrifying thing that could happen at a New Years' bash. But Atticus had one too many drinks today and had something to prove. Three's gotta have a victor someday, and if this was what he had to do to earn respect among his future mentees, he'd do it.

Partially to help those in his district not die for the fiftieth time. And partially to give himself a break from the stress of bearing that burden alone for twenty-three years in a row.

The fight begins, spear against axe.

Daddicus attacks Young Atticus; spear
YqbJxOoID_spear
[miss]

Young Atticus attacks Daddicus; axe
axe
[9.0]

totals;
Daddicus: 9.0/20
Young Atticus: 0.0/20

spear·axe

[mat]

atticus manor

Each hair of Atticus's younger self was delicately placed. The hair swooped down just as he had it twenty years ago in the arena, from the near-brow cut to the clayed-down hair rounding his head. He was caught off guard by the first attack as he studied his reflection. He didn't like how unhealthy his former self looked. He was too thin back then, taking his lanky frame in every way, shape, and kind. Couldn't he have smiled more when he was eighteen? Or at least pretended as he does now?

The hologram catches him across the calf. It was the first time he held a weapon or had a weapon pointed at him in twenty-three years. Rusty, of course. How much longer until the simulation would declare him the loser of the fight? Atticus didn't have time to study the simulation beforehand. He only sought to restore a bit of pride and enthusiasm in the district. He looked back to the crowd, where he saw Eryn and Maddox watching. Hopefully, Silas was, too.

"Dad's still got it, I promise," he whispered, hurling the spear in his younger self's direction. The flash of cameras lit the simulation room, a promise that the District Three newspapers would have this on the front page by tomorrow morning. And he wasn't prepared to have the headline be that a washed-up Atticus Manor in his forties lost to the version of himself in his prime.

Daddicus attacks Atticus; spear
G|ybUD7Sk_spear
[8.5]

Atticus attacks Daddicus; axe
axe
[0.0]

totals;
Daddicus: 9.0/20
Atticus: 8.5/20

spear·axe

[mat]

atticus manor

"Dad's still got it, I promise."

The hologram mocked him as Atticus's spear sliced clean through its leg. While Atticus whispered, the hologram knew to speak at the top of its lungs for everyone to hear. District Three was technologically advanced, but for the artificial intelligence to recognize Atticus well enough to copy his movements and mannerisms, it kept him giving the hologram any more ammunition.

It missed him this time as the code was too focused on mocking him to predict his leap to the wall. He hugged the wall of the booth as the hologram recoiled. He hated this just as he did in the Games. Fighting. If the parameters of his Games gave him an opportunity to do it any other way, he would've. Electricity. Traps. Poison. Hiding.

But the only option he was given was to fight.

"Efram." The hologram hisses. His final opponent, a name he'd buried deep in his mind.

"Danny." Another. This time, one that nobody in District Three could forget.

"Sol." His ally.

"Eryn." A name he'd desperately tried to restore honor to.

All his kills.

"Enough!"

A haunting boom from the hologram version of himself. "Eeennnooouuuggghhh." The voice repeated milliseconds apart, mockingly.

The hologram raised its axe, and Atticus undercut with his spear in kind.

Daddicus attacks Atticus; spear
7tVw3RWTS5spear
[9.5]

Atticus attacks Daddicus; axe
axe
[9.0]

totals;
Daddicus: 18.0/20
Atticus: 18.0/20

spear·axe

[mat]

atticus manor

The battle music within the simulation amplified as each of their hits connected. Atticus tried to jump over the axe, but its sinking momentum caught him in midair. Whoever programmed his hologram to act this way did not know Atticus in the slightest. A man who minds his own business, not a man who finds joy in making anyone else feel bad. He turned away from the crowd to hide the shocked reaction mounting on his face.

To call out the names of the people he killed in the arena? Twisted, he thought. The dimple in the hologram's right cheek warned of some enjoyment on the hologram's end. But Atticus's expression was the opposite: downright pissed off. This was why he kept the kids on a tight leash so to speak. Somehow, none of them took after their father in the sense that they do what they're told. But no, they had to stick their noses in the Hunger Games, something Atticus desperately tried to keep them away from. No Capitol visits, no Victory Tour dinners at the Manor Manor, and no discussing the Games at the dinner table.

Judging by Silas's panicked words, he may have learned his lesson in his simulation.

Atticus tapped the foot of the spear against his heel three times for good luck. They weren't in the swamp anymore, he knew that for sure. The simulation's lighting dimmed from a bright blue to a crimson red, warning that this round might be the last for Atticus and his holographic reflection.

He blinked, and his hologram soon followed. Atticus turned and pointed down the booth, and the hologram followed. His opponent might copy his movements, but it couldn't predict his thoughts. With that, he swung, hoping it was enough of an advantage to declare him the winner.

Daddicus attacks Atticus; spear
XIWiKuOHplspear
[4.0]

Atticus attacks Daddicus; axe
axe
[3.5]

totals;
Daddicus: 21.5/20
Atticus: 22.0/20

spear·axe