Dreadful Things |Arrows// (Day 6 Reaction)

[charade]

KATELYN PERSIMMON

The uncanny feeling of being watched persisted, but with the large crowd that was at the diner, she couldn’t pick out her shadow from the other day. Still, she had a feeling he was there somewhere. At least she could enjoy lunch with Kirito, even if it there was just a light salad with kale and radishes on her plate. After their talk the other day she realized that while Kirito appeared to be less stressed than her about their tributes, it didn’t mean he wasn’t stressed at all. They had engaged in small talk for a awhile as she failed to find a way to broach the subject. Instead she lapsed into silence as the remaining tributes started getting attacked by some disgustingly evil looking mutts. But not all of them. The boy from two was off by himself and had yet to encounter anything, and two other tributes were walking together by themselves.

Someith and Annora seemed to have been on somewhat friendly terms, but Katelyn didn’t like the way he was looking at her. The look in his eye was more feral than the affliction that Annora was suffering from. He started taking his weapon out of his pack and Katelyn felt the cold grip of fear around her heart. There was a feint and then Katelyn choked on a mouthful of salad as the pole hammer smashed into the front of Annora’s head a second later the weapon making a sickening noise as it was wrenched free and Annora crumpled to the ground. A wound like that wasn’t just fatal, it usually spelled instant death. The cannon fired a moment later and Katelyn twitched, knocking over her glass of lemonade as the other patrons in the diner started getting riled up.

To her chagrin, Flickerman launched into a comparison between Annora and herself since she was the first tribute to die under Katelyn’s watch, as well as the first female tribute from eleven since Katelyn because of the Quell. Fifty percent of the burden she had been carrying on her shoulders fell off, before swinging around and hitting her in the chest like a sack of bricks. “Fuck.” She muttered under her breath. “No, no, no no.” It didn’t take long for her vision to blur. The tears were slow and gathered at the corners of her eyes like morning dew on a blade of grass as she steadied herself by putting her hands on the table top. Hadn’t she told them? She had warned them both not to trust careers. Not to let their guard down around them.

Fuck district four. Fuck Someith Krearns. And fuck Leon Krigel. Was this the strategy he taught his tributes? Of course she knew that no matter what, it was guaranteed that one of eleven’s tributes would be coming home in a box. But she thought she had been prepared for that eventuality. She had been wrong. Emberstatt had told her about the paperwork last year, about the funerals, and the family members. Annora’s parents were dead. But she had a sister, Katelyn was sure she remembered that. “I’m sorry your sister’s dead. I tried. I tried.” Without really thinking about it she stood up and hugged her fellow mentor tightly; as easy feat as they were about the same height.

“I failed her Kirito. I should have tried harder to get inside her head. “ Katelyn’s voice cracked. “I spent the whole quell thinking you were going to die in that mechanical hell because I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing. I should know what to do by n-now.” The words hitched as she wiped her eyes with one hand. Couldn’t afford to dwell on it right now. Harbinger still needed more sponsors. There was still someone she could help. “I-I…I need to make an appointment at a tattoo parlor.” She said with a hard swallow as she backed away from Kirito and the table. “You want to c-come with? We can go to the statue garden after like you wanted.”

"Take me down to the river bend
Take me down to the fighting end
Wash the poison from off my skin
Show me how to be whole again"

table coding (c) ghosty

[Arrows]

kirito

victor of the 70th hunger games

Everything changed so suddenly Kirito wasn't even close to prepared for the terrible tornado that sent tears spiraling down Katelyn's face. Everything had been calm and quite frankly as utterly ordinary as the diner could get. Brief snip-its of small talk fluttered between Kirito and Katelyn as his spoon continued to submerge and reappear in the warm tomato soup's broth. In fact, Kirito had just bitten into a rather sharp bit of basil when he noticed the fights beginning to turn red. Naturally a bit of revulsion was sent through Kirito's body at the thought of his soup, but after several seconds he once again lifted spoon to his mouth letting the warmth fill his cheeks. 

As Kirito nodded to a small question Katelyn had asked him he found the hairs on his neck beginning to stand straight up. On the screen just behind Katelyn's golden rays of hair Kirito coild see Annora and the complete nut case from four facing off. Over the past several days Kirito had taken note of their fondness towards each other, but as Someith made his move Kirito felt nothing by smokey chaos fill his body. However as his spoon fell with a crash against his bowl he realized he was not back in his arena, he was watching Annora and as the hammer slammed with an unnatural crack against her head he was on his feet sending his chair clattering to the ground. 

Across the entire establishment cries and shouts of anger and disbelief swarmed Kirito's ears along with those of cheers. Anger and sorrow bound into one unstoppable terror as Kirito watched Annora's body fall with yet another slam onto the ground. When her cannon finally roared across the nation Kirito felt its blow straight onto his heart as his hands fell swiftly onto the table to stabilize his now shuddering body. The sound of shattering glass quickly accompanied Kirito's hands as he looked up to see Katelyn's lemonade spilling all across the area. Yet the yellow liquid was not what Kirito was concerned about, for all he saw was the picture of utter sadness that had become Katelyn's face.

As tears began to perspire from Katelyn's eyes Kirito forced himself to look back down as the table as his nails dug deeply into the cheap plastic. In a weak voice Kirito could hear Katelyn mumbling to both herself and him. Pain rippled through every nerve and every single atom of Kirito's existence but it was not that of physical pain. Emotional defeat sent its harsh blade down Kirito's spine with no intent of stopping as time continued to tick on. Kirito could feel his jaw pulled tightly together as one word continued to etch its way through his head no matter what he tried to think. 

Failure.

A broken sigh slipped through Kirito's gritted teeth as he forced himself to stand up straight. Although he may have failed Annora he knew that Harbinger was still alive and now he had to become their priority. Surely all of District Eleven was mourning in complete shock at Annora's death, however he wasn't in District Eleven. Right now he was in the Capitol with Katelyn, and for her sake he would be strong for them both. This was the first time either of them had seen a tribute slip from their care. Their district expected so much from them both and now Katelyn and he found themselves both drowned my the brutal beatings of remorse. 

The urge to let tears dive across his face tormented Kirito as he walked over to Katelyn's side. However the urge became harder and harder to resist as Katelyn's voice was filled with complete defeat. Seeing her so devastated made Kirito's own will to be strong for her bolster as he wrapped his arms tightly around her silently praying he could absorb all the pain from her own body into his. 

Quietly Kirito spoke to her once she had finished speaking herself. "Hey, breathe Katelyn, breathe. You didn't fail her, if anything I did failed her. You haven't failed a single damn person and if anyone says you have I will personally beat the crap out of them. You did everything you were suppose to. Gave her every possible piece of advice you could. You brought me home your first try, something mentors have been attempting for seventy years. Even though you didn't know how to help me you still did and because of that I am here. However if you really think we could have done more than we will do it for Harbinger. He still needs us Katelyn and I know if anyone can bring him home its us, we just have to help him pull through. Its just like the quell now, he is all the District this is right up your alley." 

After Kirito's had gone silent he released Katelyn from his grip and watched her head towards the door. However just before leaving she asked if he would like to come and even through all the pain, the regret, and the sense of failure Kirito smiled weakly. "Absolutely." He practically whispered open the door for her just as he had always done before even though now he felt more hollow than when they had first arrived. "Lead the way."

here is a Key to every gate and every exit,

yet every Key has its own cost.

table by anzie

[charade]

KATELYN PERSIMMON

Internally, she wanted to shrivel up and blow away on the wind like a dead leaf, but knowing she was holding onto someone that she hadn't failed was calming. While she still put the blame on herself, He was right about one thing. There hadn't been consecutive victors since Arbor Halt and Aranica Petros. She had brought Kirito home. But she wondered how much of that had been what she taught him and how much of it had been his own stubborn refusal to die, even after his sanity had slipped away like an oil spill.

For as much as the Capitolites and even their home district had heaped praises on her for the lessons she had given Kirito, she knew his victory belonged to him more than it did to her.  And there was still Harbinger Rhodes to consider. She got a boy home last time. She could do it again. Find sponsors. Get him what he needed.  She was almost out the door Kirito was holding open when she heard the unmistakable click of a picture being taken. 

Katelyn's head whipped around faster than a Noctiluna strike to find the offender. "Ms. Persimmon and Mr. Miristioma having lunch together! What a find! Do you think I could get you to hug him again? My last shot didn't come out so good." Katelyn felt her sorrow twist inside of her and transform into a cold fury. "What?" she said flatly, though the single word dripped with malice and hurt. "Yeah, I'm thinking it'd make a nice header for an article in the next issue of Victor's View.  Maybe I could get a statement too?" "Here's a statement, Get. Fucked." she snarled, storming out of the diner.  It didn't seem like Kirito was that far behind her.  She led as he had requested.  

She had been down the body modification sector before, and took the same path, passing clinics where people altered themselves to have claws or weird eyes and a particularly disturbing place that offered to transform avoxes into former tributes. She almost threw up whenever she passed that place.  Once they got past the extremists though, she found the parlors and piercing places with ease. She walked into the first tattoo parlor she came too and slammed her hands down on the counter. “One name. Annora Taylor. I want it horizontal across my back. How soon can you do it?“ The artist threw his hands up and declared that he could move all of his appointments back for a victor if she wanted it right then, and for free.

"Good. Then let's get this over with. Write it in black ink.” With a sigh, Katelyn removed her shirt and handed it to Kirito, thankful that she was wearing a tank top under it. Being a victor had its perks, though the artist's fawning tasted like ash in her mouth.  “My previous artist managed to do one name an hour, think you can manage that?” The man nodded fervently and ushered her to his chair with glee. Briefly, she saw  The machine met the pale skin of her back with a small jab and she settled in as the artist began his work. The tears started to drip slowly again, but it had nothing to do with the pain of the needle.  

"Fly me up on a silver wing
Past the black where the sirens sing
Warm me up in a nova's glow
And drop me down to the dream below"

table coding (c) ghosty

[Arrows]

kirito

victor of the 70th hunger games

The sweetened Capitol air flowed through Kirito's hair and across his lightly tear stained face. Golden rays gleam across the glassy crucible of the city skyline as a sudden flash of a camera sends Kirito's gaze straight back to the diner. For just a second Kirito felt himself standing within the storm of the finale with lightning searing across the sky like platinum. However the vision receded quickly into the mists of Kirito's mind as he listened to the interviewer squabble over the fact that they were having lunch with one another. In fact, Kirito was in such a feral state he could feel the blood surging to his cheeks as his hands began crush into fists. Yet before a single punch could be thrown Katelyn lashed out with the strength of a mother bear mourning her lost cub. The total expression of fear that crossed the man's face sent a smirk sneaking across Kirito's face along with a simple glare stating, you fucked with the wrong victors today. 

Thankfully as Kirito quickly rejoined Katelyn's side outside of the cafe the nosy interviewer did not follow them in pursuit. However as they continued their weaving through the crowds of Capitolites Kirito could feel Snow's icy venom dripped breath against his back. In fact as they walked Kirito swore he could see several groups of peace keepers constantly in range of them murmuring wherever they kept walking to. Honestly Kirito wondered if Katelyn even knew that they were being observed so closely, but then again he knew that she must considering she was one hell of a force to be dealt with, she was the snow queen of Panem after all.

As they ventured further down the glassy maze and fruit scented streets Kirito watched as the world around them transformed. Instead of bright and warm colors all the shops and stores grew more dimly shaded. Yet as Kirito payed closer attention to the shops they were around he realized why exactly it was that darkness was shifting through these shadow born stores. Each and everyone of their hallowed walls was nothing more than the pure products of hellish catastrophes. Yet Kirito nearly had to stop as his rage spiked and rushed straight into his chest just as Sue's bullets had attempted to only one year ago.

Standing outside one peculiarly disturbing alteration shop was an avox who dared to have the audacity to look like Circe Lyon. However Kirito could see through her scornful transformation. No matter how much her disgusting master wanted her to be like Circe Lyon that avox could never achieve the apex Circe had. She didn't have the golden heart of a Lyoness or strength of an entire wolf pack. The avox Kirito now sent a cursed glare towards was nothing more than a foolish child in nothing more than a suit of skin they would never be able to fill. 

Lucky for the idiotic master of the false Lyon, Katelyn dragged Kirito inside the gloomy entrance of the tattoo parlor before he could send the man straight into the seven circles of hell. However instantly upon entering the place the sickly smell of human paint circulated through the air and into Kirito's nose. Yet what attracted his gaze the most was a picture of a tattoo of Wyatt someone had done and placed on the wall by the counter. Kirito swallowed hard as he looked deeply into Wyatt's eyes once again, and he could swear he heard the boy's final words once again ringing through the blooded air of the arena.

The feeling of warm cotton pulled Kirito's attention away from his former life and back to Katelyn as he noticed her shirt in his hands. Without saying a word Kirito simply ignored the probable blush that lightly powdered his cheeks as he watched Katelyn lay down on a working bench. Yet as he watched the black ink dive into her skin against the crimson swirls of her blood he grabbed a nearby pad of paper along with a pen and using the skills of sketching he had acquired over the gears very carefully produced a picture. Once his masterpiece was finished he let out a long breath as he turned to the available artist at the counter and said clearly with tears brimming in his eyes, "Can you do this on the back of my left shoulder?" 

With a confident nod the artist took the sketch and watched as Kirito pulled his own shirt off sadly without the same undershirt Katelyn had. However, truthfully Kirito had nothing to be scared to show her besides the gruesome scars that littered his chest from his final battle against Wyatt. Not that it even really matter since he laid against the cool surface on his stomach as he turned his head to see Katelyn just across from him. Yet as the needles pierced his skin didn't even make a sound for he knew that there was much more painful things than this. In fact as he met Katelyn's gaze mouthed the words, It's okay. To her just as her light weighted tear drops fell down to the tile floor below them. 

Slowly the ache of the needle continued to spread across his upper left back as the decently sized tattoo's image flashed across Kirito's mind. In the center the clock tower was gleaming against the starry background and on the ground in front of it a Lioness stood over four gears with names embedded within them. The names of no other than: Rhyme, Olivia, and himself. Although Kirito still mourned for Annora's passing he couldn't stand feeling lost without a physical memory of his tragedies, so at least with this he would never forget Annora's tragedy or any others that had or will occur in his life. 

here is a Key to every gate and every exit,

yet every Key has its own cost.

table by anzie