Strength is Fading Fast {Ollie + Seismos JB}

[kap]

Norma Seismo

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listen up, there's not a moment to spare

It's so difficult for so many people in our District to move on in life. After they lose family members and other people they care about to the horrors of the Games, it can seem like there's no reason to keep living. I knew Bella Rose. She was reaped and went into the Games, but didn't return home alive. I felt guilt, not even taking the time to visit her in the Justice Building. Sure, we didn't know each other all that well, but I still cared about her. The amount of regret I felt for not even saying so much as a goodbye was quite immense after I saw Bella's body crash lifelessly to the ground in the snowy arena.

Now, I knew I couldn't do that again. This time, it was Ollie who was chosen for the Games. Ollie was someone I knew a bit better, and she and Norbert were somewhat good friends. Anyone who Norbert was particularly fond of, I learned to like as well, and I always tried my best to become acquainted with them. Now, I just wished I'd done a better job of doing so. Sure, I knew Ollie a little bit, but I felt as if we'd barely even spoken with one another at this point in our lives, and unfortunately, this was likely the last time that we'd ever do so.

---

When Norbert and I entered the Justice Building together, we saw Ollie sitting before us. I closed the door behind me, and as soon as a looked at the poor girl who was reaped, I noticed that Norbert already had his arms wrapped around her, crying. I didn't really know what to say to Norbert or what to do, but I had already decided on some words that I was going to say to Ollie. Normally, I didn't have trouble consoling my little brother, but the words seemed to evade me this time. Instead, I turned and spoke to Ollie. She was the one that would be fighting for her life in a couple weeks' time, after all.

"Ollie," I started. "You need to stay strong, okay? I know you probably expected to hear that, but you can't give up. You're already a strong girl, so I know you can keep it up. You are capable of a lot more than you might think that you are, all right?"

I looked at her with genuine kindness and concern in my eyes. I wanted her to get out of there alive, even though I knew that it meant that she would have to live with the pain of killing others and watching others die if she did. I just wanted her to come home alive. The Pound was slowly losing its life, and I didn't want that to keep happening.

---

465 words
Cameo {RIP Charlie}

[kap]

Norbert Seismo

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i don't know what else i can do

It didn't matter what Norbert did. Eating bugs, running around, dancing... none of it would be able to make the pain of Ollie getting reaped go away. As soon as it happened, the boy started crying. He really wasn't sure how to fight it all. He couldn't volunteer in the place of the male tribute, as that just meant that if he wanted to live, Ollie was to die, and vice versa. He didn't want either of them to die, so that certainly wasn't going to be an option at all.

The boy shook with fear when Ollie made her way to the stage and almost bit the Peacekeeper who tried to guide he and his sister, Norma, to the Justice Building. The only reason that he didn't manage to do so was that Norma had pulled him away and held his hand on the entirety of the rather short trek to the Justice Building that seemed to be taking forever. He dug his feet into the ground with every step on the way there, as if to show the Peacekeepers how unhappy he was.

---

When he and Norma got into the room where Ollie was being held at the moment, he didn't even pay attention to Norma closing the door behind them. Immediately, he released Norma's hand and ran to Ollie, wrapping his arms around her tightly in a hug, at first with no words being allowed to come out of his lips. It was as if he were too afraid to speak, which, perhaps he was. He, at the very least, didn't know which words to use if he were to speak to her. The boy was just glad that his sister had spoken to Ollie first, as he would have just burst into tears if he tried to form words himself.

"Ollie," Norma said to the other girl in the room with them. "You need to stay strong, okay? I know you probably expected to hear that, but you can't give up. You're already a strong girl, so I know you can keep it up. You are capable of a lot more than you might think that you are, all right?"

Norbert wasn't all that surprised by Norma's choice of words. After all, she'd always been the one who tried to comfort him. This time, it was just that she was comforting someone else who likely needed it more than he did. With his arms still wrapped around Ollie, he squeezed her a bit tighter.

"Don't squeeze the air out of her, Norbert," his sister said to him with a weak smile on her face. She was trying to lighten the mood, from what he could tell. Even if it was a joke, he listened, loosening up his hold on her and eventually releasing her, backing away a few inches.

"Why did they have to choose you, Ollie? They're not allowed to take you, too!" he insisted, not entirely sure of what other words to use. Now, tears had started to flow from the young boy's eyes.

---

506 words

[Cameo {RIP Charlie}]

Numbness nuzzles against her again in a protective exterior against the reality occurring. Horrific tales of what’s to come tempt to plague her mind, while the window upon her cage distracts her with desires. Her eyes plead in a silent whimper to just play outside for ten more minutes. To dance with Norbert in careless freedom for one more song. To follow around Maggie in blissful curiosity. To chase Rogue at her heels until she barks for privacy. To play one more game of catch with Piper. To run one more lap around the house with Minnie. To cuddle up to nurturing Bella for one last time… though that latter crave will certainly never happen. A joyful grin frames her lips, as she continues to push back the negative thoughts that none of those merry events will probably ever occur again.

Fortunately company joins her within her undeserving captivity. She scarcely has a chance to gaze upon the set of siblings from her foster house before one engulfs her in a much needed embrace. Norbert never fails to know when his presence is needed, whether a hug or chipper words were desperately required, he’d be exactly there. He was the first to welcome Ollie, into the foster house a little over a year ago, with his fearless optimism. And now he’s here to be the first to lick away her wounds before her departure.

Words of encouragement and strength howls from his sister Norma’s voice. And though Ollie’s encircled by a hug, her face snuggled within tiny Norbert’s shoulder, she’s listening nonetheless. Still no comments breach from her uncertain vocals, as she’s left as speechless as Norbert, or anyone within a circumstance such as this one, is.

Advice breaches from Norma next in joking form, for Norbert to not squeeze the air out of Ollie. A smidgen of a genuine smirk even folds across Ollie’s lips in reply, despite being released from the sheltering arms she wants to stay in for eternity. “I’m okay!” She assures, in a rather pleasant chirp, over not being squeezed to hard - and perhaps in underlying naive confidence over this entire situation altogether. Sadly then Norbert unknowingly brings to light the reality all too viciously, protesting that they can take Ollie too… referring to Bella who was taken just last year.

A gulp slithers down Ollie’s throat as she’s left unable to push aside that realization as she has before. Bella was older, bigger, stronger, wiser… yet not even she was capable of making it home alive. The chances of tiny, naive, weak Ollie returning with her breath? Beyond slim doesn’t even cut it. Instinctively she clamps around Norma, determined to embrace everyone from the Pound at least one final time each. The chaos of her thoughts are unable to even register her lack of replying to Norbert, as instead she bellows a return to Norma’s previous words.

“I’ll try to be strong…” Is promised, given that’s the solely true one she could make. “I’ll try to be strong like Bella…”

[kap]

Norma Seismo

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we arm ourselves with the wrongs we've done

Why did it feel like we were all going to war, even though it was truly just Ollie who had to fight on her own now? It didn't make sense to me. Sure, we were all rooting for her, but we weren't the ones that were going to be in the battle in the terrible arena. It was just Ollie, and she was all by herself. I remember when Ollie had first arrived at the Pound. I felt bad, but I wasn't there to greet her like Norbert was. Instead, I had shut myself away, by myself, afraid that whomever the new person was wouldn't like me.

Luckily, I turned out to be wrong. From what I could tell at this point, Ollie didn't hate me. She barked her words gleefully no matter who she was talking to. It was like I was chasing my tail, had I had one, confused as to why she liked me when I hadn't even welcomed her to her new abode. Regardless, now was the time to say goodbye, no matter how much of a struggle there may be to hiss the words out to her. I was glad that, at the very least, I was able to be a bit more vocal than my dear brother. I had to be strong, for both of them, not just for myself.

The only words that came from Ollie when she was released from Norbert's surprisingly strong hug were that she was okay. I believed that she was okay in one aspect, being that Norbert hadn't 'squeezed the air out of her'. I didn't, however, believe that she was okay with the fact that she was going into the arena. I didn't believe that any sane person could truly be okay with that. It was really hard for me to fathom that one would be fine with what was almost certain death coming into their lives.

Whether or not Ollie came back alive, she'd come home damaged. That was for sure. No one came out of that arena in one piece, at least not mentally. They may end up with the slim chance of emerging with no missing limbs, but they would never be whole again in their mind. They'd have to kill to get out of there with their life, and that was something that would be nearly impossible to leave peacefully having in your mind. At least, I personally believed that living with that type of guilt would rip someone apart. I'd just never experienced it myself and hoped that I'd never have to do so.

Ollie's words emerged from her lips once more, saying that she'd try to be strong like Bella. I nodded in response. I knew it would be difficult for anyone, especially someone as young as Ollie, to show as much strength as Bella had in that arena. It was something that impressed me- Bella's strength, that is. Now I just had to tell myself that this young girl had the same strength inside of her. If I could tell myself that, then maybe, just maybe, I could make her believe it, too. Walking over so that I was standing next to the girl, I looked at her kindly and spoke again.

"I'm sure you can be strong, Ollie. You've always shown what a good person you are, and I know that, even if it's deep inside of you, there's a fighter. It's not a cruel fighter, but it's a fighter. You'll defend yourself and those you care about, never letting them take the most important thing from you- your life."

To be entirely honest, I'm not sure where those wise words surfaced from. They seemed to be inside me somewhere, but I'm not sure how they made it to the top and proceeded to come out of my delicate lips. Regardless of how I managed to formulate that speech, though, I was glad that I had. Maybe, just maybe, it would help her.

---

658 words
Cameo {RIP Charlie}

[kap]

Norbert Seismo

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but i'm telling you that nothing will ever be the same

What Norbert was mean to do now, he wasn't entirely certain of. Perhaps he should be telling Ollie to stay strong like Norma was. Or, perhaps he was supposed to be doing just what he was doing- crying and telling her to come home to them alive. He realized then, however, that he needed to stay strong, too. He couldn't just crumple into a mess on the floor when he got home. No, he had to watch the Games, even if he didn't want to. Then again, when did anyone in District Ten ever have a desire to watch the Games?

No matter how much emotional pain Norbert was in, he knew he had to try his best to stop his crying and be more emotionally stable, at least for the time being. If he was telling Ollie goodbye, he had to tell himself that it was just goodbye for now. He had to tell himself that she was going to be making it home alive, not as a lifeless body like Bella had. That had crushed him, but he was sure that losing another friend would crush him even more.

"You can win, okay? I'm sure you can. Ollie, you always win when we wrestle, so you can get rid of all the bad guys that come at you, right?" he said to her with a sense of hope surfacing even in just the smallest of ways. 'The bad guys' was such an innocent thing to call those who wanted to kill Ollie to get out alive. These people who wanted to kill one another were more than just 'bad guys'. Most of those who wanted to kill were careers, and, in Norbert's mind, they were cruel and psychotic.

Norbert simply wanted to find a way to reassure both himself and Ollie that said 'bad guys' weren't going to kill Ollie. Then again, sometimes even the 'good guys' in the arena had to kill each other. Did that mean that Ollie was going to have to kill, too? She certainly wasn't a bad person. Norbert knew that for sure. Surely she'd just kill others if she absolutely had to in order to survive, right?

The boy just wanted to be sure that Ollie would be returning home, or at least making an attempt to do so, no matter how difficult it may end up being. Innocent little Ollie would have to fight, and Norbert would be hoping for her success the whole way to her victory.

---

416 words

[Cameo {RIP Charlie}]

More words of encouragement spews from Norma’s comforting vocals, as Ollie’s arms breach from around her. The chill of the foreign air-conditioner nips across her skin in an unpleasant manner, introducing her the cruel reality that’s most likely kissed upon her future - one of isolation, where her pound siblings are an unthinkable distance away. The realization absorbs into her thoughts even more so by their desperation to inspire her strength for the weeks to come. Within their blissful vision she pertains the ability to strive. In her naivety she agrees, while within her fear she’s unable to swallow how they could possibly have such faith. Will a miracle occur, or will her own gravestone be placed beside Bella’s at the end of all this?

Before Norma’s eyes there’s surely a fighter however, her statement pulling at Ollie’s own eyes to stare at her believe. Perhaps a fighter did reside somewhere within the Blonde, surely it did - while the true question was whether it would when faced with a six foot something monster of a tribute? For now though, such a pessimistic consideration is pushed aside with the other thoughts of negativity. For now she’ll share the same faith, they have in her, for the words they breach for her, including the ones to follow from Norbert.

Wrestling was a playful task that resulted in little injuries. Barking away the larger bullies was easy, when the other pups were growling with her. The bad guys awaiting ahead weren’t just going to be mean siblings though, but rather bloodcurdling beasts with dangerous bites that downgraded Ollie’s own to a harmless nip. Still she wasn’t going to yank Norbert down to her level of fright, nor did she want to remain in such either. More gruesome thoughts are shoved away, her eyes snap from the blank stare, and another grin coils across her lips to be directed at Norbert.

“I’ll try.” Is the sole reply she can conjure, not wanting to give them an empty promise. Such confidence roamed in both of their needs. Assurances that Ollie wont let them take her life, that she could defeat all bad guys to cross her path. But none of that was a guarantee, as much as she’d love for it to be. Even though the odds were stacked against her however, she’ll still very much try - for them, for herself, and definitely for Bella.

[kap]

Norma Seismo

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i see the shadows on my face

As our time to say goodbye to Ollie in the Justice Building before she left on the train to the Capitol and the horrifyingly terrible event that was the Hunger Games quickly started to tick away, my heart began to race. There wasn't much else that I had time to say to her, and I could hear the footsteps of a Peacekeeper in the hallway, coming closer and closer to the door of the room that we were in. I knew for sure that our time was almost done, as he'd be entering the posh little space that the Capitol had temporarily allowed us to use quite soon.

Quickly, I spoke what may be my last words that I ever spoke to the young girl. She was like a young pup. She was precious and adorable, frail and scared, yet she had a bark and a bite to her. I had confidence in her abilities, even if she didn't. I could tell by the shaking body of my little brother, Norbert, that he was insanely nervous to leave her, and didn't have as much confidence in her as he may have said he did. It appeared as if the boy was going to break down and fall to the floor in a fetal position right then and there, tears flowing from his eyes, but he didn't. He managed to hold it in, and for that, I was proud of him.

"Ollie, our time here is almost up," I said, looking firmly yet kindly into her eyes. "I don't think this is goodbye forever, as I believe in you, but that's not what's important. What's important is that you try your best to believe in your own abilities, and I know you said you'll try. That's what matters, so thank you. Thank you for trying your best. We love you, girl."

I enveloped her in a hug that Norbert joined into and I squeezed her somewhat tightly. (Not too tightly that I'd squeeze the air out of her, of course. I'd told Norbert not to, after all.) When the door to the room swung open, however, a Peacekeeper's voice told us that our time was up. Reluctantly, I released Ollie from the hug. Although, Norbert clung to her, not wanting to let go, to the point where I had to gently pry him away from her.

I looked at her with gentle eyes as we left the room and mouthed the words, 'we love you' just one last time.

---

414 words
Cameo {RIP Charlie}

[kap]

Norbert Seismo

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feels like my heart is going to burst

Norbert hated the idea of running out of time with Ollie, as he was almost certain that it was the end. He'd lost Bella already. No, they'd all lost Bella. It wasn't just his loss, but the world's loss. They weren't the only ones in District Ten mourning her, and certainly not the only ones in all of Panem mourning her. She hadn't deserved death, and neither did Ollie. The young girl deserved to live just as much as Bella had.

When time was running low, Norma spoke again to Ollie. Norbert wondered if these would be the last words Norma ever said to Ollie. It was quite possible, but the young boy didn't want to believe it. She spoke calmly and confidently. Norbert, however, didn't know where she managed to get all of this confidence from. It was hard for the boy to get any of his own to surface in order to pass it on to his dear friend Ollie.

"Ollie, our time here is almost up," Norma said. She was right, too. Norbert could hear the Peacekeeper outside the door, waiting just a few seconds before he'd come in to tell them that they were out of time. "I don't think this is goodbye forever, as I believe in you, but that's not what's important. What's important is that you try your best to believe in your own abilities, and I know you said you'll try. That's what matters, so thank you. Thank you for trying your best. We love you, girl." Then, the three of them were all in a group hug before Norbert knew what was happening. When they had to release from it as the Peacekeeper entered the room, he cried out that he didn't want to leave her, and refused to release until his sister pried him away from his friend.

"No!" he shouted loudly. "Ollie you have to come home! Please!" He was carried out of the room by his teary-eyed sister and the door then shut behind them. This was goodbye, but was it forever?

---

341 words