pure as the driven snow - day 5 soft bois | cool kids corner

[parsnip]

      As Rhys and Garnet emerge from the oppressive darkness of The Fold, they find themselves in a starkly contrasting landscape—a vast expanse of a melting ice lake. The once pristine surface now resembles a fractured mosaic, with jagged shards of ice jutting out at odd angles. Pools of frigid water shimmer in the weak light, reflecting the somber hues of the wintry sky above. The air is heavy with the scent of dampness and decay, a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of their surroundings. Despite the chill in the air, there's an unmistakable warmth rising from the melting ice, a testament to the changing seasons within the unforgiving arena.

They take in their new surroundings. Rhys turns to Garnet with a concerned expression, his eyes scanning his friend's face for any signs of distress. He knows that the events in The Fold must weigh heavily on Garnet's mind, and he's determined to offer whatever support he can. With a gentle tone, Rhys just tells Garnet "It's gonna be alright. We've got... some sleep. We've got each other." It sounds more that Rhys needs to hear it more than Garnet, though.

Rhys and Garnet step onto the shores of the melting ice lake, and they are greeted by a scene both captivating and surreal. The once pristine expanse of ice, now fractured and melting, stretches out before them like a canvas painted by the hand of winter itself. Jagged shards of ice, once as pure as the driven snow, now stand as testament to the relentless march of time and the changing seasons within the unforgiving arena. Pools of frigid water form intricate patterns amidst the melting ice, their shimmering surfaces reflecting the muted hues of the wintry sky above. The air is heavy with the scent of dampness and decay, a stark reminder of the transience of their surroundings. And yet, amidst the stark beauty of the melting lake, there is an undeniable sense of warmth rising from the water, a silent promise of renewal and rebirth amidst the desolation of the arena.

As Rhys and Garnet cautiously traverse the shores of the melting ice lake, they encounter two other tributes who have also emerged from the depths of The Fold. The tension in the air is palpable as the four of them lock eyes, each silently acknowledging the harrowing ordeal they've just endured. In the wake of The Fold's retreat, they find themselves as the survivors, united by the shared experience of facing the darkness and emerging on the other side.

Rhys's gaze is steely as he assesses the newcomers, a silent warning that he won't hesitate to defend himself and Garnet if necessary. The other tributes, too, radiate a sense of guardedness, their eyes reflecting the weight of the trials they've endured and the uncertainty that lies ahead.

In this fragile moment of détente, the four tributes stand on the precipice, each acutely aware of the fragility of their alliances and the looming threat of betrayal. The spectre of their fallen allies hangs heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the perilous nature of their existence in the deadly arena.

They stare each other down, the unspoken threat of becoming like their fallen comrades looms large, a chilling reminder of the ruthless reality of the Hunger Games. In this fleeting moment of confrontation, the boundaries between friend and foe blur, and the true test of survival begins anew.

But this Game had just begun. Rhys felt the grief caused by losing Jericho - perhaps if he had acted sooner then, he would still be alive. That's why he elects to bury his glaive in whoever so much as stands in their way.

Uncharacteristic, and desperate.

Hurt, and frozen.

After his strike; "Stay back - I'm only saying it once."

[Rhys Peace attacks Juno Brimstone]

GntcZ__H|Sglaive

Shallow Cut on Left Bicep -- 3.5 damage
(Glaive)glaive

[august vance d7b [Bella]]

⤜ x o v - ♥ - t h a o ⟶

Xov’s nose was bleeding.

”Ugh,” she grunted, waking next to Juno in the makeshift tent that barely covered the two of them. One bruised knuckle rose automatically to check and came back a watery red. She pulled the corner of her shawl up to stop the blood, pinching the bridge of her nose to help its clotting. ”Shit. Sorry,” she mumbled to Juno. ”I get them sometimes when the weather changes.”

It felt like a bad omen.

Maybe because she wasn’t so cold anymore, she was keenly aware of how terrible she probably looked, cheeks pale and sunken, the scar on one from Lionel’s knife an accent of fleshy pink. Dust and blood had caked into mats in her once-silky black hair. Under her layers, she knew her arms and legs were colored with bruises, cycling from purple to yellow to white.

But at least she was here. She was whole. Next to Juno. They had Marcus to thank for that.

The sound of his name in her mind brought a sudden pain to her chest, tightening her shoulders, and she pushed it back, breathing deeply. The blood ran backwards down her throat, lukewarm, astringent. She would cry for him when it was over, if she could help it. Now she needed to focus on a new list, emptier now with one less name.

Stay alive. And keep Juno safe. Bring one of us back home.

”J,” she said, ”Promise me you won’t try to be a hero today. No last stands?” The blood had stopped; she tossed the soaked fabric in her hand aside, flexing her fingers where the blood had dried and cracked. Xov spoke to him, but also to the ground. ”I can’t watch you do something like Marcus did yesterday.”

What she really meant was, Please don’t leave me.

She was in no position to give orders; that’s why it was a plea. A prayer. She started to pack up, combing her dirty hair with her even-filthier fingers.

”Yesterday, you were right. Nobody should get to decide what we deserve. We have as much of a chance as anyone.”

As she shoved the tent into her pack, her fingernails clinked against the glass jar of tar in the bottom. In all of the previous day’s heartache, she had totally forgotten it was there. An idea struck her, though it seemed twisted. She had only seen it on TV, tributes coating their weapons in tar and lighting them on fire.

But her hands had already started doing it, carefully drizzling the thick black liquid over the steel of her pike. If it could help them stay alive, it was worth it. Every moment she was learning the way it had to be here. Acclimating. The way the arena narrowed you down to two bad choices, then dangled the better one in front of you like moldy food before a starving animal.

Yeah, she would set someone else on fire if it kept Juno from dying.

♤ ♤ ♤ ♤ ♤

Xov wonders if she and Juno look just as tired as the pair in front of them— the Peacekeeper from Nine and the boy who was Marceline’s district partner. They pause as if giving some time to prepare, or reflect, but she only feels her muscles tensing with the ingrained memory of the day before. She looks to Juno, about to say something encouraging.

Then the tall one lashes out, his weapon slicing into Juno’s arm. Well, she thinks. Not even so much as an introduction. She isn’t surprised, exactly, but a little disappointed from the lack of respect. 

”Stay back - I’m only saying it once.” He sounds like a frightened animal, just barking and baring his teeth. Nothing like the three from yesterday, who had descended like a pack of wolves, fanged and venomous.

It gives her hope they will make it to see the next morning.

”Actions speak louder than words,” she corrects him. ”And you just made the wrong move.”

Flint strikes steel, and a flame flickers to life at the end of her weapon. Ancestors guide my hand. For Juno and Marcus, she would not hold back today.

Xov was no strategist, but knew to strike for the weakest link first.

[attacks garnet, pike (axe)]
YDaUQ7iJp|axe
(11098 - dg on left bicep - 8.0)

[fire roll]
1-50
(minor burn, 2.0 dmg)

axe·1-50

[Baby Wessex d9b [earthling]]

It was Velvet that carried them through the night. After his foray into the bonepit they'd converged on the carriage and Garnet had steeled his stomach against the jostling. Sometime after the school fractured with the anthem he fell asleep and only towards morning realized that the ground had smoothed beneath Velvet's massive hooves and the churning wheels of the gothic carriage.

He would not admit to Rhys that he was pleased the carriage had a roof so they weren't subjected to Jericho's face illuminating the sky. He didn't quite know how to say goodbye to someone he didn't know and also knew all too well.

That he'd walked away from Marceline - again - twisted his mind up in knots.

"We've got each other," Rhys spoke in quiet reassurances, waking Garnet from his reverie. As the Fold peeled away Garnet stepped and then slid onto the melting ice sheet. It was smooth, smooth as glass, and likely as dangerous.

The sun shone brightly in his eyes. For a second he thought himself blinded but then, through the fog of injuries, fatigue and hunger, came to realize: he truly did not recognize either of the tributes before them. Maybe they could --

"Stay back," Rhys warned and then carried through with his blade.

The femur bone he'd been clutching as though it might still link him to the pair carried by his district partner seemed to shake. It started as a little shiver and then progressed to an arrythmic shuddering that loosened his limbs. The dance carried him briefly behind the carriage, hiding in the last shadow the Fold had missed.

Xov's pike burst into flames.

Coming round the carriage, Garnet could no longer comfortably hold the shaking femur sword against his body. He lifted it and then let it come down onto Juno with a terrible thwack.

"What is-s happ-happeninggg?!" He begged Rhys for answers as he clapsed two hands around the joint of the sword.

[Garnet uses camo station to negate the first attack (I hope I'm doing this right lmao)]

[Garnet attacks Juno; Snapped Femur Bone (Sword)]

kDTUKwdpnssword

[Deep Gash on Left Thigh -- 8.0 damage]

sword

[Python]

j u n o
b r i m s t o n e.

Every threaded wound in his body screamed when he tossed and turned in his sleep. It was impossible to rest successfully with so much on the mind. His body was exhausted, but his brain fought every moment of it with thoughts of Marcellus' death, concern about Xov's future, the cold seeping into his bones, and the slashes decorating his skin. He had thought those crawling creatures in the dark would be the worst of their problems yesterday - come to find out he would forget about them after only a few minutes. A distant memory, a fleeting threat. He had a feeling they were planted as an opener for the true 'show' - their run-in with the careers.

Juno decided not to think himself a murderer. Gunner made his gamble and unfortunately drew too much attention to himself in doing so, leaving himself open. It felt wrong, killing Gunner over the others. Juno made his own gamble and survived, leading Xov with him. That fact alone was why he didn't have any regrets. Had he tried to fight Lucky or Xylia on his own, he might've been killed. He might've gotten Xov killed.

Marcellus hadn't been so lucky.

It was the two of them again, just like the beginning. There could be no funeral for Marcellus or the others that he saw in the sky. This was the funeral, their portraits among clouds and stars. There was a good chance neither of them would live to see the real thing.

He nodded at her promise. 'Martyr' was the word used to describe lower district people, like it was some kind of stereotype. Juno didn't pay enough attention to the Games to know if it was true, but he did feel it was a natural instinct to protect one's own team. And in the process, so what if they became friends? It wasn't like they could help it. That was humanity, that was how most people functioned.

"I'm only going to do what's necessary to get us both out. Promise."

And really, he didn't know what that was. He didn't have a plan for any of this. Yesterday had been such a disaster, but his ability to focus may have extended their lives. It was tough to say who was responsible for what, other than his own responsibility for Gunner's demise.

He reminded himself once again, it could always be worse.

It was not so easy to have that mindset when an ambush was on its way - "Stay back, I'm only saying this once.". An arm and a leg punctured by weapons, and a threat that felt like something from a wounded dog. A bark of warning, and a bite without mercy. Juno didn't have a chance to respond before he was in pain again, and Xov was surging forward in his defense.

"A bit late for that, you used your weapon before your words."

As much as he didn't want to do this, he felt like he had to.

[juno attacks garnet - greatsword]
g2m3EFIKcosword
3.5

sword

[parsnip]

      "We've got each other,"

"Exactly."

--

      With adrenaline coursing through his veins and determination burning in his eyes, Rhys narrows his focus on Juno, the closest threat to Garnet. Gripping his glaive tightly, he channels his resolve into a swift and calculated strike, aiming to incapacitate his opponent and protect his ally at all costs.

With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, Rhys squares off against Juno, his glaive gripped tightly in his hands. Despite the relentless assault from both Xov and Juno, he refuses to yield, his resolve unbroken even in the face of overwhelming odds.

With a primal roar, Rhys surges forward, his movements fluid and precise despite the injuries he's sustained. His glaive slices through the air with deadly intent, aiming for Juno's vulnerable flank with unerring accuracy. Every muscle in his body is coiled with tension as he unleashes the full force of his attack, his mind focused solely on the goal of neutralizing the threat before him. Time seems to slow as Rhys's attack unfolds, each movement calculated and precise. He channels his frustration and anger into the strike, the weight of his glaive driving home the full force of his determination.

In the midst of the chaos, Rhys stands firm, his gaze locked on Juno as he prepares for the next onslaught. Though battered and bruised, he refuses to back down, his spirit unyielding in the face of adversity. With every ounce of strength he possesses, Rhys is determined to emerge victorious, no matter the cost. Not just for him, but for Garnet.

      "We were here first - find your own ice lake and leave us alone!"

[Rhys Peace attacks Juno Brimstone]

H6jDIAd281glaive

Shallow Cut on Back -- 4.0 damage
(Glaive)glaive

[august vance d7b [Bella]]

⤜ x o v - ♥ - t h a o ⟶

Right away, they were on Juno like dogs.

Clearly the trauma of the last few days had possessed the boy from Nine, because he surged forward with a mindless wrath that seemed disproportionate to any threat the two of them posed. Like a fire-breathing dragon coming at some lions. Fine. They would fight if they needed to, like they had yesterday.

She shot a bewildered look at Juno, like Get a load of this guy, but felt her throat catch at the sight of the fresh wound in his leg. Damn, he was tough. Five days in and she still didn't know that pain--she could thank her ancestors, maybe, but she knew who her real guardians were.

The peacekeeper's rabid insistence on owning the lake perplexed her. Is he serious? Who would want to stake a claim on turf in a place like this?

”Sure thing–I hate lakes! We were just leaving. Maybe stop trying to kill my friend and I won’t bother you!

[attacks garnet, pike (axe)]
MzpNKzZawtaxe
(11130 - sc on chest - 4)

[fire roll]
1-50
(fire extinguished, +0)
"You can't be serious."

axe·1-50

[Baby Wessex d9b [earthling]]

He could feel the lack of muster, the lack of true desire to hurt him, behind the other tributes' attacks. Despite his best attempt at hiding they found him, again and again. Not there was much to hide behind in on the ice sheet, other than Velvet and his carriage. But as Juno and Xov circled closer it seemed to him that they spooked the mighty stag. He took off at a gallop, leaving a crackling ice sheet in his wake, and no protection at all for Rhys and Garnet.

"Find your ice lake!" Rhys admonished as Garnet sucked in the lukewarm air.

Xov's fiery weapon came towards him once more. She tried to warn them off and really he ought to be chasing after the gothic carriage.

But he could not convince his legs to move. Not without making some sort of grand stand.

He wobbled forward with the shattered femur. Shakily he struck back at Juno. "Don't even think about trying to follow us!" He said, his voice tight, trying to mimic the bravado they all showed.

[Garnet attacks Juno; Snapped Femur Bone (Sword)]

ke2k0gSCqrsword

[Miss -- 0.0 damage]

[accuracy - day... 5?]

sword

[Shallow Cut on Chest -- 4.0 damage]

sword·sword

[Python]

j u n o
b r i m s t o n e.

It felt an awkward kerfuffle of tributes who didn't really want to kill each other. He didn't sense any true passion other than the need to protect themselves and their resources. Even Xov was reacting more in favor of protecting Juno, and part of him wanted to remind her of the promise she made him keep. Perhaps he should've asked her to make a similar promise, because it seemed she was the one playing hero and trying to keep him safe.

What a mess.

Although there was a lack of sadism in their hostility, it was no less deadly. They were determined to claim their territory and write Juno and Xov off as the trespassers. "You don't get to own an entire lake!" That was not how resources worked! But he supposed in a free-for-all, fighting for it was inevitable. There was an opportunity here to stop and talk things out, to grab Xov's hand and run away. They probably wouldn't give chase for long.

He didn't do that, however. He imagined it, but his body didn't listen. A fight was a fight, and any chance of turning around was a chance they could stab him in the back. It didn't really matter what they were fighting for - weapons were colliding with skin, and someone was going to die soon. Juno couldn't risk exposing himself or Xov in a moment of vulnerability. If this was a misunderstanding, it didn't matter anymore.

There would be consequences.

[juno attacks garnet - greatsword]
2FKyrgTJhLsword
4.5

sword

[parsnip]

      As Juno and Xov continue to assert their dominance over the melting ice lake, Rhys's frustration simmers beneath the surface, boiling over into a fierce determination to assert his own presence in the face of their arrogance. The audacity of their claims ignites a fire within him, fueling his resolve to push back against their unwarranted intrusion. With each passing moment, Rhys feels the weight of their disdain pressing down on him, a relentless reminder of their perceived superiority. But he refuses to be cowed by their swaggering bravado any longer. As the tension reaches its breaking point, Rhys knows that he can't take any more of their tresspass. It's time to teach Juno and Xov a lesson they won't soon forget, to reclaim the ice lake as his own and prove once and for all that he will not be intimidated or pushed aside.

As Juno and Xov close in on them, Garnet and Rhys scramble desperately across the fractured expanse of the melting ice lake, their breaths ragged and hearts pounding with adrenaline. With each step, the sound of their footfalls echoes ominously against the icy terrain, a haunting reminder of the danger that lurks close behind.

But as they flee, Rhys feels a surge of defiance rising within him, a fierce determination to confront their attackers head-on rather than succumb to the relentless pursuit. With a steely resolve, he comes to a sudden stop, his gaze locking onto Juno and Xov with unwavering intensity.

In that moment, time seems to stand still as Rhys squares his shoulders and braces himself for the inevitable clash.

He charges forward, his glaive held aloft like a beacon of defiance against the encroaching darkness. In that moment, Rhys embodies the spirit of defiance and courage, refusing to be cowed by the looming threat of Juno and Xov's aggression. With every fiber of his being, he is determined to face their adversaries with unwavering resolve, ready to fight tooth and nail for their survival amidst the unforgiving landscape of the arena.

[Rhys Peace attacks Juno Brimstone]

OEp9IECNZeglaive

Shallow Cut on Back -- 4.0 damage
(Glaive)glaive

[august vance d7b [Bella]]

⤜ x o v - ♥ - t h a o ⟶

It felt like déja vu standing next to this frozen lake like the day before. That same nervous energy vibrated in the pit of her stomach like it always did next to a large body of water. Except now with the ice receding and the thawing earth soaking up the snow, Xov’s feet felt steadier on the ground.

She attributed it to the fact that Juno was still standing. All the cuts and bruises he had taken so far in her place were too many to count, but he was still charging forward to her aid.

He’d taught her that when you didn’t know how many days you had left to live, you counted in hours, then seconds. Small units of time in which they chose to be good to each other. It was all they could expect of each other, and more than she could have asked for here. She knew that somewhere her family would be watching approvingly. She hoped they were sending gifts to his parents.

”Hang in there J,” she pep-talked him.

In the moment, she thought maybe this would be what set them apart from the confused pair in front of them. She could feel the frustration boiling off of Rhys like an intense aura of dark red, not directed at anyone in particular. It sort of reminded her of her oldest brother in that period when every pore had oozed teenage angst. She felt sympathy for him, a cold consideration that might have been another conversation had this been day one.

But it was too late for idle talk with Marcus in the grave, her skin hardened as it was. Rhys and Garnet fought without much to say, but she got the message. They were all playing a number’s game. Two less people in front of them meant a clearer road to home.

“Calm down,” she told Rhys, voice level. ”It’s not personal.”

[attacks garnet, pike (axe)]
NJ5cAY4dS_axe
(11102 - dg on chest - 9.5)

axe

[Baby Wessex d9b [earthling]]

Day 5 filler #1

Garnet stumbled back from Xov's attack, bleeding and whimpering.

Nothing clever to say but a few tears and a terrible jaw ache from trying to contain the pain.

[Garnet attacks Juno; Snapped Femur Bone (Sword)]

j9Uqt96HV8sword

[Deep Gash on Cheek -- 8.5 damage]

sword

[parsnip]

      As Rhys and Garnet flee the scene of their confrontation with Juno and Xov, a heavy silence hangs in the air, punctuated only by the sound of their hurried footsteps echoing against the fractured surface of the melting ice lake. The weight of their actions weighs heavily on their minds, a constant reminder of the moral ambiguity that defines their existence in the deadly arena.

Garnet's hands tremble slightly as he clutches his weapon, and Rhys can feel the weight of Juno's death settling like a leaden anchor in his chest. He can still feel the weight of the blow he delivered to Vali, and now the memory of Juno's final moments haunting his thoughts like a spectre in the night. Though he knows that his actions were borne out of necessity, a part of him can't help but feel a twinge of guilt at the life he's taken.

Rhys's expression is grim as he grapples with the reality of their situation. The knowledge that they now both have blood on their hands weighs heavily on his conscience. With each passing moment, he can't shake the nagging feeling that karma may come back to haunt them, exacting a heavy toll for the lives they've taken in the name of survival.

Yet amidst the turmoil of their emotions, there's a sense of grim determination that courses through their veins. They know that in the deadly Hunger Games, there are no second chances, no room for hesitation or regret. All they can do is press forward, their eyes fixed on the horizon as they navigate the treacherous path that lies ahead.

As they disappear into the icy expanse of the arena, the echoes of their footsteps fading into the distance, Rhys and Garnet are left to grapple with the weight of their actions, unsure of what the future holds but resolved to face whatever challenges come their way with unwavering courage and resilience.

[Rhys Peace flees]

[august vance d7b [Bella]]

⤜ x o v - ♥ - t h a o ⟶

Garnet's blade of bone sliced into Juno's skin, an opening. An eerie quiet.

A closing.

That was it, she knew.

How this fight had turned around in a matter of minutes, she wasn't sure. The two boys had attacked them with an unplaced frustration, nothing close to hatred. But they took Juno anyway, without a single word. Not even a half-baked apology. Didn't even ask his name.

Both arms hung limp at her sides, pike falling to the ground. She tried in vain to catch her breath before her chest boiled over with anger as she watched the boy from Nine turn and run, calling over his shoulder for Garnet to do the same.

"Where are you going?!" she screamed after him. "Isn't this what you wanted? Take your bloody lake, you can have it! You didn't have to--"

Xov stopped to look at Garnet, who lagged a few steps behind his partner. The fingers on her right hand tightened and flexed around a weapon that wasn't there. She wanted to chase him, to make him afraid. To hurt him. Just one more clear swing of the pike. She had a feeling she wouldn't miss this time.

But Juno was lying on the ground, and they had promised to take care of each other. Her feet were planted on the thawing ground next to his body.

"Go then!" she growled, spitting venom. "You heard him--don't look back. Stay here and I swear I'll kill you!”

If only Vali had taught her how to do a proper curse; she might have tried it then.

It didn't have to happen this way, she thought among all the thoughts swirling in her mind. They attacked us first. We would have just ignored them. We could have all collected water and gone our separate ways.

Could have, would have, should have.

[xov flees]

[Baby Wessex d9b [earthling]]

Day 5 filler #2

head cold stay winning

[Garnet flees]]