changing like the seasons {cato}

[knuckles]

[googlefont="Jim Nightshade:400"]

Iain Miristioma

Thirteen | Male | District 11

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals

Watching the leaves change colors as the summer moves into the fall season has become my favorite time of year. Trees once filled with green leaves turn orange, red, and yellow before falling towards the ground as the tree prepares itself for the winter ahead. Weather has always been an amazing part of life. Normally, I want to hate the summer season because of the scorching heat, and the torrential downpours as the sky breaks open usually sending the much needed rain. Plants can't live without water, and neither can people.

Yet it feels like I've been given a second chance. Ever since Kirito returned home from the games, the family has been treated like royalty. Kirito has become a king, and it feels like I have become a servant. People wait on him hand and foot giving him whatever he desires, but I guess he deserves it. He did survive a living hell after all.

The victor's village is so strange compared to the rest of the district. All of the items in the house are more expensive. Tables made from expensive wood that I wouldn't ever be able to afford living in the shack of a house I call home. That's the thing. That shack of a house will always be my home even if I have a chance at winning the hunger games like Kirito. I want to be like him. A king. Someone people look up to in the darkest times. Maybe one day I can be like him.

Sighing to myself, I plop down on the ground wondering what life would be like had Kirito not returned home. It's easy for me to think about, yet the one who I can't imagine anything about would be his twin, Ikaia. The two of them were close, but now they seem like they're worlds apart.

But it's none of my business.

Smiling to myself, I lean against the wall of the house. During the day, I hang out at Kirito's new house because it provides me with a sense of security, but at night I stay in the old shack. It's my home, and no matter what happens, it'll always be my home. But for now I can pretend I enjoy the house given to my cousin for winning the games. Such a wonderful gift that came with an awful price.

ooc notes goes here

[Cato]

[googlefont="Felipa:400"]

Tobias Miristioma I'm happy for my cousin, Kirito. He had to do terrible things to get home, but what person wouldn't fight to stay alive? I'll try to forget the bad things that Kirito did in order to make it back here alive. He killed several tributes. He's home though and that's what matters to me. I'm standing here with my brother, Iain, outside of Kirito's victor house. A new life has suddenly opened up. Just a year ago, I was still missing an arm. Everything has changed now. I still remember Kirito coming home. He may have changed due to his time in the arena, but he still cares for his family. Were it not for him, I would never have gotten a prosthetic arm. I never could come to terms with missing my arm. It feels wonderful to actually feel like a human being again. I love Kirito. I'll owe my cousin for life for what he did for me. "Iain? Ever feel like there's something we should do for Kirito? He's helped us. I want to help him in some way if I can." It's true about what I'm saying to my brother. I can't begin to imagine the emotional damage done to Kirito. I feel like my actions so far appear ungrateful and selfish. I want to show my cousin that I appreciate everything he's done for me. Not just the arm, but in helping heal the initial injury. Without him, I'd be in a box under a pile of dirt. I owe him my life. "Iain, I may have a new arm, but it feels like the entire thing is still missing. I always find myself waking up in the middle of the night checking to make sure it's there. Like I'll blink and it'll be gone." As if to prove a point, I check my prosthetic to make sure it's there. It'll take some time getting used to being normal again and not someone who's been shunned for being different.

[knuckles]

[googlefont="Jim Nightshade:400"]

Iain Miristioma

Thirteen | Male | District 11

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals

It's amazing what a little bit of time can do for a person. Living a normal life is far from possible now because everywhere I turn cameras are tracking down my cousin trying to butt into his personal life and steal away his entire identity. They saw him enough on the screen when he was journeying through the arena, and they saw him even more during the victor tour, yet it seems like they can't get enough of him. When I see them coming, I take off running as fast as my lame leg will allow me, but it's never fast enough because it's always dragging behind me slowing me down - I was offered a chance to have it fixed, but I turned it down because this is my life, and I don't want to change.

Tobias took the change, and honestly it's not hard to understand why. I can't imagine going through life with only one arm, but now my brother has two arms again. He can return to his normal life, but what is normal? It's hard to define normal because something could seem normal to one person, but end up being total chaos for another.

His voice is gentle. Tobias has always had a gentle side. He loves and cares for so many, and he wants to help Kirito out, but it seems almost impossible. His mind must be broken beyond repair from the horrible parts of the games he went through. I'm glad he's home, and I want to give him something, yet I have no idea what to do for him, and truthfully, I'm afraid of making things worse.

"I've thought about it, but what can we do without making things worse for him?" Turning my head towards my brother I watch as he moves his new arm around making sure that it's there. It must be hard to get use to especially since he went so long without one. I don't know what it would be like living with one arm because I've been blessed with two. Maybe Tobias can help out in the fields now. It's not needed with Kirito having all this money, yet I want to do something for myself. I want to use my own monies to give myself the every day necessities. It's a shame to keep asking him for money.

"I can't imagine what it's like having something taken away from you then given back. It'll take getting use to, I reckon. I'm glad you were able to get the arm though." It's not much, but every word is the truth. I'm glad he was able to get the arm he needed. I'm glad he can finally go out into the real world without the fear of being made fun of because he wasn't "normal."

Yet who is normal?

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