Countdown to hell [Arrows/Rade]

[Noah Vau - D2 (Cato)]

[googlefont="Felipa:400"]

Harbinger Rhodes After training, I'm not sure what to think of this place anymore. The food is amazing; It's much better than anything I've ever experienced at home, and the drinks are something else. It's a nice treat for the twenty-four of us, but it's not enough. I just want to go home to my family, to Navya, yet it seems so impossible because the only way to return home is to kill others who are fighting for the same exact reason. Why was I here? Why did they have to reap me? I don't want to be here, but here I am. My future isn't bright, and I could die. The odds are I will, and right now that's not what I want. Nobody here wants to die, but twenty-three of us won't have that option. It's sickening, and I've watched it all before. Is this how Crusader felt when he was here? Staring through the window, I only see the dark sky. Lights shine up towards it, and it's hard to see the stars. At home, I could see the stars for hours without any problem. Sighing to myself, I leave the room. I can't sleep. It's pointless to even try because all I want to do is break down and cry. I don't want to die, but I don't want to kill anyone. What do I do? Can I help Annora return home? Would that make my death worth it? I don't know. Nothing makes sense anymore. Why should it? I stop in front of lounge. It's nothing much, but it's about ten times the size of my house. Everything here is amazing, but I know that only one of us has a chance of returning home, and I want them to save Annora because her life is more important than mine. I know I'll die, but I will do what I can to protect her. To make sure that she sees district eleven again. Sitting down in a chair, I try to relax. I try to take the tension away, yet each breath only reminds me of my future. It's terrifying to know I won't be breathing much longer. Turning towards Kirito and Kate, I take a deep breath before speaking. "You both know what I want. I refuse to listen to any other course of action. Will you help me or not?"

[Arrows]

kirito

victor of the 70th hunger games

Slowly the acute beams of dawn began to flicked out as the sun dipped beneath the shield of the Capitol's buildings. Even within one of the highest points of the entire place Kirito still could not see the rays leaping from window to window. As the sunlight vanishes more and more into the darkness of night new kinds of luminescent hues rose up from all around the city. On large screens Kirito watched training scores flicker next to the pictures of tributes. On others he spotted Ceasar discussing the upcoming games on his nightly show. Time was transpiring further and further away just as Kirito and Katelyn's grip on their tributes grew weaker. Soon they would have to release the two of them into the teeth of the arena to prove themselves in the crucible of battle. Although they both were incredibly skilled Kirito still felt his nerves eating away at his stomach like acid. 

From the mouths of thrilled Capitolites and the stirring of parties came the hollers for blood that riddled their corrupted minds. Just the thought of how these revolting people would soon gain every drop of blood they thirsted for made him nauseous. Panic even began to set in among the constant paranoia of Kirito's crippled mind as images of inches of blood flowed through his corneas and into every inch of his mind. Faces of the past surged their hands through the thick blood of red regret as the screamed out Kirito's name. Key, Orion, Wyatt, Circe, Rhyme, Imp, Olivia, Simon, Sue, Maya, Elya, Gunner, Lily, every single one of their screams built into the wail of one banshee that haunted Kirito day and night. 

Falling from the comfort of his now sweat stained bed Kirito's body twisted and wreathed as their hands pulled at his limbs. "Kirito! Kirito save us! Kirito help! Help!" Help!" Hands that belonged to Kirito's own body clenched his hair as strands began to wilt under the weight of his force, of his fear. Then through the storm wrecked sky arms en-wrapped Kirito within their ghastly touch as the blood began to drain away. Shrills of shivers races through Kirito's body like volts of electricity as his eyes met the combined embraces of Gunner, Elya, and Circe. Although in life Kirito had not known the others besides Circe all too well in death they were quite the powerful anchor. With just the power and devotion towards one another and towards him from them he was always able to pull his body from the mists of his methodical mind. 

Breaths once again steadied for Kirito as his hands slowly pushed him off the frosty tiled floors. All of the three joined in standing with him as they assisted in supporting his frail self to the bathroom. There one final embrace bid their return to the sanctions of his mind as his hand turned the shower on. Steam circulated from the warm water as it snuggled Kirito closely like a blanket of safety. Inside this cloud of steam Kirito let his true skin show as he turned to look at the man he had become in the fog touched mirror. 

Moisture conformed into miniscule droplets on Kirito's hand as he clear a pathway to view what had become of him. What he saw was only another reminder of why he remained hidden beneath his plethora of clothes. Scars unable to be fully devestated by the Capitol littered Kirito's body in a shocking amount. Everywhere he let his fingers run over he felt the climax of a ridge. Yet above all he noticed the gruesome canyon of once punctured skin across his chest. At just the slightest touch visions of Wyatt's knives drilling themselves into that very location were sent funneling through Kirito's mind. It was then in the moment he heard Wyatt's futile laugh from behind him and Kirito met the ghostly boy's face in the mirror. In just their eyes Kirito could read their entire brief conversation. That is my work, followed by Kirito's own glare of simply, I know. 

Tensing his muscles throughout his entire body Kirito looked down to his fingers as he removed the mechanical parts that revealed his stolen flesh beneath them. As gruesome as the scars now there were Kirito much preferred them to the rivers of bloods that had once erupted from this minor volcanoes. Kirito couldn't help but sigh as he turned his back towards his borrowed body parts and stepped into the scolding stream of water in his shower. As his body let the heated water run over his face Kirito ran his hands through his finely trimmed hair. 

Blissfulness came what seemed like quickly to an end when Kirito's tablet paged with notifications from Katelyn. Naturally Kirito didn't hesitate to comply with Katelyn's request as he turned the faucet off and ultimately ending her recovery process. Thankfully though the time he had been given to wallow in the wonders of why's and when's had left him much more calm and determined to help his tributes than ever before. If Kirito was going to be a good mentor and overall a good friend to them he would have to help both Harbinger and Annora through the trails to come in their near future. 

Several minutes had passed since Kirito received Katelyn's summons before he strolled silently out of the chamber of secrets that was his bedroom. Gentle silk eased like a cloud against Kirito's recently cleansed skin and soul as he joined Harbinger and his partner in the lounge. Although Kirito had worn this very same dark purple silk night outfit before never had it felt so inviting to wrap his body in. Yet as Kirito sat down beside Katelyn and across from Harbinger he let out a slight laugh. "My apologies on being late, I apparently lost track of time."

Just the thought of time made Kirito's thumb rub over the top of the pocket watch Key's Uncle had given him during his tour. Never once did he not let the watch linger in the depths of his pockets. As long as it was there he would never stop remembering the girl with the looks of an angel and the brains of all time slip from his memories. However even among Kirito's own reminiscing he kept his gaze and ears locked fully towards Harbinger. 

At the words spoken from the courageous and noble tribute's mouth Kirito felt annoyance begin to spur from within the depths of his emotional plane. Yet even with this disturbance brewing Kirito maintained his calm as he sat up slightly taller and looked straight at Crusader's shadow. "Listen Harbinger, yes we both are aware of what you wish and of course we are more than going to just send Annora in there to die. We will help her in every possible way that we can. However, we will also help you in every single possible way we can. I think I speak for the both of us when I say we could never just throw your life away. You are a phenomenal human Harbinger, you have a heart of gold I haven't seen for years. Not to mention just like Annora you are our friend and friends don't just abandon each other to die. So in a way we will help you, but in another way we will help you also. Don't just throw yourself away Harbinger you are far more than just another predestined to die person."

There is a Key to every gate and every exit,

yet every Key has its own cost.

table by anzie

[charade]

KATELYN PERSIMMON

It was cold in Katelyn's personal quarters. Whether that cold was around her or coming from her, she wasn't sure. The same thing had happened last year. Oh, she had been slept well every night in the victor's village in district eleven, the nightmares did not come as frequently as one might have expected. She had made her peace with what she had had to do, and what she had lost in the process. But in the Capitol?

With the fluffy beds and surrounded by eager capitolites anytime she left the center, with the doomsday clock counting down to the start of the bloodbath, she was not tormented by guilt, but she was forced to relive the worst moments of her life. As she sat in the lounge ignoring Harbinger as he entered, she looked over data about the current careers and her eyes drifted to the names tattooed on her body.

In another world, in another life, a girl named Velocity Rush would be sitting in the chair, likely lost in a blissful high and unaware of the world around her. In yet another, Lexi would be adjusting her prosthetics while agonizing over how to help the tributes from district six. Somewhere, Marc was surrounded by a nest of bottles in an effort to forget the past. In the coldest worlds, Katelyn had never left the arena, her cannon firing as Margaret ascended the ladder; or her carcass was brutalized as Chaske danced around it in glee.

Sometimes, she preferred to think of what might have been rather than what had happened. Oh she was grateful to be alive, but after reliving the frozen landscape for the fifth time during her second trip back to the Capitol, she was beginning to fear that every year at game time was going to be an ordeal. Even so, there was nothing left to do but move forward.

But it was aggravating. She had expected the words spoken to the tributes to galvanize them into action. Instead, Annora hardly seemed to care at all about what she was in for, and Harbinger seemed to have given up before the real fight even began. Hell, Kirito had gone into the games intending to be a pacifist, but at the very least he had listened to her advice and was now around to receive the messages sent from her tablet.

She had gotten to the lounge first, clad in a pale green slip of a nightgown that had been among the clothing supplied by the Capitol, Kirito wearing something done in purple. Harbinger broke the awkward silence first, declaring once more his intention to see his district partner home as well as his complete disregard for his own well being.

Kirito replied first, complimenting Harbinger's drive but stressing the point that the mentors wanted to help both of them to the fullest extent. That was good of him, and it made the tough love that had been boiling in her sleep addled mind in the past half hour easier to get out, and she turned to stare at the tribute. "I'm not going to help you die, if that's what you're asking. I already had to do that for people two years ago and its not an experience I'm anxious to repeat. Regardless of what you may think, everyone matter to someone, and that includes you."

With a small clink, she dropped her tablet on the table and stretched, the words bubbling up as she tried to convince Harbinger to fight for something. "The last person I met who felt the same way you did? He found something to fight for while he was in the arena. He went in expecting to die in the bloodbath, and he made the final four. So don't hide behind that self-sacrificing bullshit. You've got a heart of gold. I get that. I had one too. But I didn't pair it with a head made out of granite. You need to be prepared for the possibility of Annora dying before you with nothing you can do about it. Or worse, the possibility of her attacking you or your alliance. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Crusader's district partner kill one of his allies?"

She didn't wait for an answer. "I know that once you're in there, she'll be the only reminder of home. I'd say something about district solidarity, but my district partner died in the bloodbath at the hands of one of my allies, and Kirito didn't have one." Katelyn stretched again, cracking the joints in her neck but keeping her gaze fixed on the boy. "If you remember anything I've said when you get to whatever hell the gamemakers cook up, remember this. Heroes don't get to come home. Villains don't get to come home. Only survivors do. That's what I am, that's what Kirito is, and that's what I hope you are Harbinger, because even if the two of you make it the finale, only one of you would live, and based on what I've seen of you two, I don't think Annora is coming back."

"And I don't wanna live like this again
I thought you said it would be so simple"

table coding (c) ghosty