Roses and Their Thorns // (Kaykay)

[The Hypocrisy of Truth]

Faith DuPree

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Today. It was just as bitter, painful, and hot as any other in District Nine. And perhaps even more so than usual, it was astonishingly dry. Her mouth watered with need of both hydration and food. Neither of which she had at the moment. Her and Damon would have to go out hunting and trading soon. Though she could only hope their condition ever got better.

Smiling to herself slightly despite their predicament, she thought about bringing their child into the mix. Her hand instinctively rested over her stomach, already protective of the little critter she now knew was growing inside of her. And roughly nine months from now. She would be bringing her and Damon's child into this world full of hate, poverty, and famine. And no matter what they were faced with. She would make sure they felt loved and safe and secure. All of the things she ever wanted her child would get. Faith would make sure of that.

Finally giving in to her need for sustenance, Faith sauntered into the astonishingly small kitchen in their shack. Nothing. Not a drop of water or a crumb in sight. Sighing, she moved over back into the bedroom, wondering where Damon had run off to as she changed into some beige cargo pants and a plain black tank. She let her hair stay down and loose, hoping it would somewhat shield her from the sun's sadistic rays of light that loved to pester her oh so much.

With that she walked out the front door and just started walking in a random direction. The skies were getting darker with promise of rain. The thought large rain drops falling from the sky and adding it's own beat to the music of the universe made her smile. Once a gain her hand rested on her currently flat and toned stomach as she tried to imagine what her daughter or son would look like.

She really had no clue what she preferred when it came to the babies gender. She'd love it if it was blue. Faith came to a stop near a small lake. A handful of people she knew would stop by here occasionally to enjoy the food or get some cleanse some water to drink. Getting out the water cleansing tablets her and Damon had stacked up on, she pulled a small cup our of her bag, filled it with water, put in the tablet and let it work it's magid. After a while of waiting she finally picked up the cup and guzzled it's contents.

After replacing it safely in her bag, she laid back on the cool dirt of the earth. The first few drops hit her and she smiled, and then it started full on raining. The lake was always so beautiful with the droplet's of water bouncing off. Faith closed her eyes and laid back, enjoying the feeling or the rain massaging her skin as she laid there completely at it's mercy.

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[kaykay]

One thing that his father had taught Arashi was routine. Things never really deviated from the set structure when Kiriyama Ryoutarou had been alive. You woke up, got out of bed for training, ate whatever breakfast you could find before kicking the drunk out of bed so he could get to work... which lead to the younger male covering up yet another bruise eight out of ten times, before going to school. The elder Kiriyama seemed to be under the belief that a being structured was right up their with Godliness... Arashi lost faith in the big man in the sky long ago, which only lead to more rows and injuries to cover up before school.

Even now, when his father had been six feet under for a good couple of years, Arashi stuck to his routines. He didn't really think about it as following in his father's footsteps, even when he went to work at the same factory Ryoutarou had worked at during his life... it was just far more convinient. It was close to home and no one asked him why he'd dropped out of school to work. Most of the men had been there to watch the old yarou get buried a few days before anyway.

Arashi didn't even really think twice about the fact that he still continued to train himself for the games. He got up in the morning early to work out, worked hard then did another work out... before he would go to the library to study books that might help him survive in the arena. He didn't think about why he was so determined to win... he didn't entirely remember where his desire stemmed from. All he knew is that it seemed like the only obvious solution to fixing himself.

So as a creature of habit, Arashi finished off his evening routine with a run, cooling his body down... only to feel rain on his face. He'd never really considered it before, but... he kinda liked the rain. It washed away all the dirt and grime on your skin. Most of the time it felt a little cold. It was... nice. Especially the way it sounded. The rumbling in the clouds, maybe some lightning and thunder if it got bad enough... and the sound of the rain hitting the ground, the leaves, the water... It was nice.

The male slowed down to a stop by the lake, his eyes closed as he just listened to the sounds, breathing in deeply the fresh scent that it gave the air... taking away all the dust and shit that floated around normally. It felt really good. Finally he opened his eyes, only to see a strange figure lying on the ground by the lake.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" The words didn't exactly imply caring in the 'why are you out here in the rain?' sort of way... but neither did they imply any sort of malice directed at the nameless female lying where he usually fell down in exhaustion after he finished his training. Despite the harshness of the words, it was said quite apathetically, not really giving a damn either way... other than now instead of being alone, for the first time in a long while... there was someone there.

Arashi raised his eyebrow, looking at the girl lying there on the ground in the midst of the rain. He could vaguely remember her. She'd been in his class back when he went to school. Was her name Faye? ... Something like that anyway. He'd never really given a damn about his classmates. The smart ones were smart enough to know to keep their distance, the dumb ones weren't worth wasting his breath on... he didn't quite remember where this girl fit in there.

There wasn't much he remembered about her to begin with... so now that she lay there getting soaked in the downpoar, he honestly couldn't remember whether she was one of the ones that had treated him half-decently by just ignoring him... or whether Arashi had been her favourite target for insults. He wasn't quite sure why he was bothering to think about this so much either.

[The Hypocrisy of Truth]

A child. Faith kept repeating those two words over and over again in her head. Letting them bounce around the graveyard of what used to be her sane mind. It rubbed against every spot in her brain, and forced her to acknowledge the reality, that she was indeed pregnant. The shock still hadn't left her system.

With Damon at her side, it was an exciting thing. But here in the thin fog, and pelting rain Faith so often took joy in, it was something to fear. What would this child bring to her and Damon? What hardships would she and Damon be forced to endure? Faith DuPree was pregnant. And, in truth, she didn't want the being in side of her. But even that's wrong. It's not that she didn't want the being inside of her; It was the simple fact that she feared what it would have to endure. And she would rather the child inside of her womb never live at all, than to have to live in the world she was forced to be a part of. She didn't feel like an individual in a large district. She felt like a co-inhabitant sitting behind a glass jar for the viewing pleasure of those at the whim of the Capitol's spoils.

Whenever Faith thought about the Capitol, one unanswered question always popped into her head. 'How did they choose?' Out of context, the question meant no more than the drops of rain washing away at her skin. But in context, it was a question that remained and will most likely always remain unanswered.

--

When all of the Districts and the Capitol were formed, and the inhabitants of the earth were reduced to those who still had the strength to stand by themselves- When the world was divided into those who deserve the spoils and those who did not- When a large portion of the population turned around to those behind them and said 'we're better than you', how did they choose? How did they choose who got the comforts of the Capitol with their air conditioned apartment buildings, and as much food as they dare indulge in? How did they choose them over the people like Faith? Who established the rule that deemed the Capitol important enough to get almost all of the food rations to themselves? That was the questions she wanted answered. Who chose this life?

--

Plagued her, this question did, anytime that she dare open her mind to the potential logic behind this system that she knew she'd never really find. Because it was never there to find. This system has no logic. It's built for pleasure for those with their well groomed Holier-than-thou complexes, and built for pain for those who have to glance at a mirror every morning just to have proof they're still alive.

Could Faith really bring an innocent child into this? Could she so willingly hand down the tortures she has had to face to the precious being inside of her? But, at the same time, was it hers to take away? It was not. Indeed, it was not. So the child will come and be born into these promises of hope and love that, in reality, were as barren of life as the land they walked upon. It will come and blend in with the souls of the unknown and forsaken. It will laugh and it would mourn. It will live, and eventually, one blessed day, it will die.

Yes. As sick as it was - the day when her child will no longer have to fight for it's mere existence, will be, to her if no one else, a blessed day. And Faith will weep, and blame any seemingly all mighty being that dare cross her consciousness. She will shout to every star, because she knows they will be the only ones besides Damon to listen. She will shout to the heavens, because it's where her freedom lies. She will shout to the earth beneath her feet for daring to trap her here. And she will shout to what must be hell, deep beneath her, because she knows it is where she truly belongs.

Faith's thoughts ran so deep into her mind that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching. She had all together forgotten it was even raining. She heard an obviously male voice speak to her through the slight wind and the droplets of water. Instinctively, she jumped to her feet - her hand free to defend her if need be, and her other guarding her stomach protectively.

The question he asked was simple, but one she hesitated to answer, because she herself did not know. Not anymore. Reality was slipping from her grasp ever so slowly, but she wouldn't let go. Not for a moment.

"Enjoying the rain." Her response was quick, and terse. Though, like his question, it held no malice. It was simply the fact that he was a stranger, and therefore there was no more to say.

As she stood there, still in a protective stance, she studied his face. There was something so familiar about him. Faith knew she had seen him somewhere before. He looked too familiar to be a complete stranger. The muscles in her body visibly loosened some as she relaxed into the situation enough to not appear hostile.

[kaykay]

Arashi couldn't help but cock his eyebrow at the way the girl jumped up, attempting to defend herself. Man she was a jumpy one, eh? Didn't she even hear him approaching? It's not like the male had even attempted to be stealthy... and yet she still jumped up as if she was being ambushed. But there was something oddly familiar at her readiness to defend herself. It reminded him a little of how he used to be.

With a father like his, you could never really know where the next hit would come from. You had to always be on your guard, always alert to any movement that might otherwise take you by surprise... if you let your guard down, you might as well draw a bullseye across your face for someone to take a shot at you. That's why he never really allowed himself to be vulnerable, even now when the old man was cold, dead and well buried. He didn't even think about it much, but... now that he saw her, he realised how he'd never let anything sneak up on him.

Arashi had even come to start training himself for lack of sleep that would come in the arena. Once in a while, he'd gradually reduce his hours of sleep until he didn't sleep at all for a few days... make sure that he could cope with it if need be in the games. There was no way he'd trust some fuckers enough to sleep around them, knowing just how easy it would be for them to slit his throat in his sleep. Hell... if he got the chance, he would most likely do it himself. Their own fault for trusting someone.

There was only two ways things could end for you in the games. Either you died, or you won. And fuck if he would end up dead at the hands of some upper-district asshole. He had to be the one that came out on top. No matter what that took. If he had to kill every single other tribute in the Games, so be it. Arashi tilted his head softly, looking over at the black-haired girl. He knew he wouldn't hurt her unless she gave him a reason to... so why was she being so defensive?

"Relax... not here to beat you up... even if people seem to think I do it just for kicks."

Arashi moved past her to the lake, kneeling beside it, gathering up some water that he used to splash his face with, clearing out some of the dirt from his skin. He got up shaking his head, water splattering all over, getting lost in the midst of the rain, before turning to look back at her, seeing her relax.

"... No one's here usually... when I finish up..."