Happy Birthday The Head Gamemaker! Thank you for reviewing! And you too, Noctsire. ^_^ WOO! Two whole reviews last chapter! A record-breaker.
It's finally time for the favorite alliance poll! You can wait to vote if you want since I'll leave it up for a while. Which means here are the results of that last random poll, what you would do in the Hunger Games with me.
8 would want to form an alliance
5 would stay as far away from me as possible
1 would SACRIFICE IT ALL for me
1 probably wouldn't be in the Hunger Games tbh
0 would go straight to kill me in the Bloodbath
Sorry, the correct answer was B. Stay as far away from me as possible. But I guess I'm pretty flattered. I'm glad no one tried to kill me. It was surprising to find so many wanted an alliance. Thanks guys! I was thinking of riding solo, but I can't say no to a healthy supply of meat shields—I mean, talented warriors. Yes. That.
There was Casca, unconscious and pale, inside the Plasmonster. His eyes were closed. He looked as though he could be dead.
With a horrible sucking sound, the Plasmonster seeped onto Horatia. Instead of dissolving as the clone had, her body was absorbed into its mass. The beast had a taste for tributes.
"RUN!" Apollo shouted, giving Lance a shove. The two took off down the skywalk, nearly tripping in their haste to get away. Tully vanished, unsure if it would be safe to remain.
The Plasmonster pursued them at a lazy pace, sluggish and bogged down with the weights of two human bodies. But by the way it came at them, Apollo and Lance knew the monster was far from being sated.
"I know these floors get weirder and weirder as we go up, but…I was not expecting to find a carnival ride up here."
Duke and Ryiero had exited the elevator on the 22nd floor to find themselves in a dark, cramped room. There was nothing there except a ride one might find in a haunted house, with two seats in the front and two seats in the back. They were equipped with seatbelts and the entire thing rested on a track, facing towards a pair of sliding doors. Duke had tried to pry open the doors, with no luck.
"I guess we have to take it for a ride," Ryiero said, climbing into a front seat. He started to buckle his seatbelt when Duke put out a hand to stop him.
"Don't. Best to be ready for anything." He slipped into the seat behind Ryiero, putting his cleaver next to him.
As soon as they were both in place, the ride roared to life. Cheery music blasted from hidden speakers. Multicolored lights began flashing. Both tributes tensed in their seats, wondering what this 'Memory Lane' was all about. Then the door slid open and the ride began coasting along the tracks.
"Remember to keep an eye out for the key!" Duke shouted over the soundtrack.
Ryiero held a thumbs-up to let him know he heard.
An arch over their head read 'Take a stroll down Memory Lane!' At once, nostalgia washed over the two boys. The hallway was lined with all sorts of Hunger Games memorabilia from the past. President Snow's image was accompanied by Caesar Flickerman's, along with other famous faces.
There was a video of each Hunger Games finale hovering in the air. Transparent images of victors were shown in their final moments, murdering the last of the competition. Behind them, spotlights shone on the weapons and tokens that had been present during those days.
The ride turned corner after corner, taking them down multiple hallways. The Hunger Games ranged all the way from the first to the last. To the Capitolites, they became much more familiar near the end. They spied Finnick's trident and Katniss's bow. Ryiero couldn't help but wonder if they were the real thing or impressive replicas.
A clock was ticking in the last exhibit. Upon drawing closer, it flattened and they could see it was a hologram with tiny images hovering on it. There was a microscopic flock of Jabberjays in one section and crackling lightning in the other. It was a much smaller version of the 75th Hunger Games arena, the final one.
Or it would have been the final one, if not for this, Duke thought bitterly.
They chugged past the last of the exhibits, into another tiny dark hallway. The flashing lights died and the unfitting soundtrack faded. Duke was prepared to climb out when the ride gave a sudden jerk and started climbing a steep incline.
"There's more?" Ryiero twisted in his seat, a mixture of surprise and confusion on his face. After a moment, he realized what was happening. "Oh! It's taking us to the 23rd floor!"
The ride rose higher and higher. At one point, it seemed as if it would lose steam and roll backwards down the hill. But then the incline flattened and they were on floor 23.
There was no sound, except for the steady whir of the ride. No more flashing lights, either. Just an ominous red glow that was cast on the length of the hallway. Both boys had to squint into the dimness to make out what exhibits were on display here.
"Elara!" Ryiero cried out suddenly.
Elara's portrait—the same one that had been in the sky on the first night—was on display. Ryiero was so lost in her expression; he nearly missed the glass case in front of her. It contained a dusty, pocket-sized wood carving in the shape of a duck. A faded green head betrayed that it was a mallard.
The ride moved dutifully onward. Ryiero craned his neck to keep looking at Elara's exhibit as long as possible, but then Duke tapped him on the shoulder. "Don't forget why we're here," he said in a low voice. It sounded strangely loud in the quiet, dead air of the room.
Ryiero nodded sullenly and kept his eyes peeled for a key. But every glass case just contained another token, sitting forlornly in front of their previous owners. There was nothing that remotely resembled a key.
Ryiero felt a twinge of guilt when they passed by Mobius. I'm sorry, he thought, as if his first ally could hear him. He hoped Mobius hadn't thought poorly of him. If I had my sponsor gift from the start, I could've looked for you. He felt even worse for making excuses.
After Mobius came Judith, then Viatrix. Hers was the cannon they had heard that morning.
Boom.
Suddenly, the building shook with the sound of another. Duke's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
"Look!" Ryiero cried out, pointing ahead. Nothing but empty portraits and glass cases lined the hall. But the one past Viatrix's had an image fading into focus.
Horatia.
The ride jolted to a halt right in front of her portrait. There was nothing left to see past it. Duke gazed into Horatia's sly violet eyes. So much for that alliance, he thought dully.
Ryiero was staring across the hall at one of the blank portraits. Its surface was reflective. He could see his grim face peering back at him, full of uncertainty. Then another face joined him in the picture—and it wasn't Duke.
Ryiero cried out in surprise. Duke's hand instantly went to his cleaver. But as he took in the newcomer, he realized there was nothing to fear.
"I'm sorry for scaring you!" Tully gasped, looking frazzled. She glowed like a ghost in the dark. Now it truly did feel like a haunted house.
"What are you doing here?" Duke asked. He really wasn't in the mood to hear one of her spiels on how great peace was.
Tully straightened up, waving her arms. "I wanted to warn everyone! There's a monster on the loose called the Plasmonster. It got Casca and Horatia."
Duke gazed at her, expression even. Ryiero's brown eyes were wide. "Why tell us?" he asked quietly.
Good question, Tully thought. After yesterday's disaster, peace seemed unattainable. She was 99% it wasn't worth the effort. And yet—old habits died hard. "Because it's not natural. Anyways, it just crossed from the past side into the future side using the skywalk. So be careful not to—"
"Wait!" Duke said sharply. "Past side?"
"Oh!" Tully faltered when she realized she had spilled new information. "Th-the arena…it's the past and the future—or present, I don't really know."
Duke and Ryiero were no longer listening. They were both staring at one another with wide eyes, as though a thought had occurred to them.
"The library!" Ryiero burst out.
At the same time, Duke whispered, "Floor 7."
"Huh?" Tully looked between the two of them, intrigued.
Duke cast her a glance. "Thanks for the warning," he said hastily, a strange tingling in his feet. He wanted to get up and go running straight to the elevators and not stop until he reached the library.
"Yeah, thanks!" Ryiero said, dazed.
Tully frowned, but she didn't push them. They were both staring at her, quivering, looking ready bolt. "Okay…" she said slowly. "Good luck."
Then she was flying through space to her next destination. She wound up in a very large bathroom. White stalls lined every wall. The tribute she had targeted as her contact was nowhere to be found.
"Percy?" Tully called, pacing towards the pristine sinks.
A little brown blob was sitting at the bottom of one. It was the mole cricket Percy carried everywhere with him. As soon as she approached, it began chirping wildly, working its back legs to produce the sound.
"Percy!" Tully cupped her hands and shouted his name again.
"I'M TAKING A DUMP!" an angry voice screeched from one of the stalls.
"Sorry!" Tully gasped, and she was gone in an instant.
Eugenia was exhausted. It had been a long night filled with paranoia and little sleep. She was certain Casca was hunting her every step of the way. Every other second, she was looking over her shoulder. At least she had food and water, but some kind of weapon who have been nice. Perhaps it was time to leave the woods and head back to the skyscraper. She could lug around one of the hotel lamps or get a spoon from the kitchen.
Ugh. This sucks, she thought, hesitating at the edge of the forest. She looked all around. The coast seemed clear. As quickly as she could, she sprinted for the doors to the nearest building. While she ran, her mind brought her back to two days ago. She felt like she was once again fleeing the Bloodbath, gasping for air as she tried to make it to safety.
She was nearly there when the revolving doors suddenly opened up. Out stepped Zion and Perrin, shielding their eyes against the sun.
Eugenia skidded, nearly falling over as she tried to change directions.
"There she is!" Perrin shouted.
Eugenia tried to run, but they were too close. And they were faster, to boot. Zion was instantly blocking her way with his size, while Perrin came up from behind. Eugenia stopped where she was, panting.
"That's mine," Perrin growled, attempting to grab Eugenia's backpack.
She yanked it away, glowering at her foe. A faint snarl wrinkled his nose. He looked a lot different, now that he was done with being ever so charming.
"We're not done with you," Perrin told her, circling around to stand with Zion. "You still need to tell us what everyone's power is!"
"Well I'm done with you!" Eugenia snapped. "I can't stand one more second near Casca or you!" She pointed at Perrin and he couldn't have looked more offended.
Zion spoke quietly, "Casca and Chip have disappeared. It would be dangerous for us to split—"
"I'm not going to let you steal our stuff!" Perrin shouted over his ally.
Eugenia gazed at him with narrow eyes. She was in a predicament, but she wasn't going back with them.
"Eugenia, please," Zion murmured. She faced him. His expression was of genuine concern. "Let's keep working together. We can share the supplies."
Eugenia would have accepted his offer if it didn't mean being forced to ally with Perrin and possibly Casca. Zion had to know it wasn't safe for her. Not even with him around. She was better off taking chances on her own.
Then something in the sky caught their attention. A distant, repeated 'pinging' brought back all sorts of forgotten memories within Eugenia's mind. She looked up to see a parachute drifting down, straight at her.
At the sight of it, Perrin seemed to light up. "A parachute…" he mumbled, eyes bulging. His mouth popped open in utter joy. "A sponsor gift…my…my new power!"
He made a grab for it, but it sailed right over his head and into Eugenia's arms. She and Zion exchanged a bewildered glance.
Perrin's face contorted into pure outrage. "THAT'S MINE!" he screamed, striding forward, gripping his knife. Zion tried to grab his shoulder to drag him back, but Perrin shook him off. He was laser-focused on the parachute in Eugenia's hands.
He suddenly threw himself at Eugenia, raising his arm. His knife flashed in the sun.
"Perrin, no!" Zion shouted, moving to block it.
But he was too slow. Eugenia tried to move away. The knife slashed through the air, the tip of it catching her arm. I tore through jacket, then shirtsleeve—then skin. A cry of pain erupted from her throat. It twined with Perrin's own scream as he was suddenly thrown back, as if struck by an invisible shockwave.
Electricity crackled through the air, only for an instant. Eugenia briefly forgot her pain. Her eyes went wide.
Perrin's back hit the hard ground. He lay there, stunned, cries of pain and confusion keening in his throat.
"Perrin?" Zion darted to his side, hands hovering uselessly over his companion.
Eugenia didn't wait for him to get up. She turned and sprinted towards the skyscraper, parachute in hand.
Perrin stumbled to his feet, screaming, "Get back here! That's MINE!" He glared at Zion. "What are you doing?! Help me get that back!"
Zion just stood there, looking mildly surprised as Eugenia got farther and farther away. "What do you expect me to do?" he whined. "I don't want to get shocked!"
"You can't feel pain, idiot!" Perrin blustered.
Zion couldn't help but grin. "Oh yeah. I forgot."
Perrin didn't waste another second arguing. He rocketed after Eugenia, his feet barely touching the ground as he put on speed. Zion followed at a slower pace, in no hurry to catch her.
"This is it! We found it," Ryiero gasped, pointing at the bookshelf with a trembling finger.
This library was a great deal different from the last one they had been in. The lighting was warm, the books inviting. Their covers were not riddled with a single speck of dust. Plush armchairs encouraged browsers to curl up with a book of their choice. Other than the amount of destruction, the layout was exactly the same. Tully had been right about half of the arena being in the past.
"Well, go on. Take it," Duke encouraged.
Ryiero hesitated a moment longer, taking deep breaths. Then he summoned every scrap of determination he possessed and reached for it. "The key to death is in the past," he murmured, pushing aside books and removing the key from the shelf.
His heart fell a bit at the sight of it. The key had an ominous skull at the top. It seemed to shine white in the room's light.
"Look, it doubles as a pen!" Duke said, drawing Ryiero's attention away from the skeletal face. His eyes were completely glued to the Death Note, which had been taken out of Ryiero's backpack for the occasion. "Open it."
Ryiero inserted the key into the latch and turned it. Click. He couldn't help but wince at the sound. It was open. All of their efforts in the past three days had led to this. He opened it slowly, dramatically.
To his surprise, the pages weren't blank. He flipped through them, marveling at the crude, childlike drawings that decorated the pages. Duke's brow scrunched, also perplexed by this.
Ryiero flipped back to the first page. The pages were black with contrasting white words and colorful pictures. It looked as though someone had scrawled on them with chalk. He didn't know what they said, but the pale, jagged words looked somewhat spine-chilling.
"Can you read it?" He asked, passing the Death Note to Duke.
Duke took it in his hands with a nod, cleared his throat, and began:
"'Once upon a time, there was a very naughty group of children that needed to be punished. No one knew why they were naughty. They just needed to be punished.'"
Duke exchanged a frown with Ryiero. "…I guess we're the naughty children," the latter said flatly.
Duke flipped the page and continued. "So away to the Hunger Games they went! Oh, how splendid it was. The children dressed in beautiful outfits and ate good food. If only it could have lasted forever." He felt kind of silly reading these words out loud, but he imagined audiences in Panem were eating this up.
"There's me!" Ryiero said, pointing at a picture. Along the bottom, tiny chariots carried vibrant little people. Despite the crude fashion, Ryiero was able to recognize himself by his mask. He went to point out Duke too, but he had already turned the page.
"'But the children still needed to be punished…so away to the arena they went.'"
There was a picture of a hovercraft, with multiple smiling faces peeking out the windows. Ryiero didn't recall any windows or smiling faces from the trip.
"'The countdown began. Twenty-four had entered. Only one would leave."
Ryiero's heart froze when he saw the picture on the next page. It was a childish drawing of Elara in her pretty yellow interview dress. He could recognize her by her twisty chestnut hair and blushing cheeks. She stood on a tribute plate, smiling.
"'The first tribute was named Elara. She was a very pretty girl. She liked to smile a lot.'" Duke turned the page. "'Elara was smiling when she stepped off the plate early and blew herself to pieces. Elara isn't so pretty anymore."
Fiery orange flames had replaced Elara's image. Duke turned the page and there was a picture of Daphne, bearing her sharp teeth. She was also standing on a plate.
"'The second tribute was named Daphne. She—'"
"That's enough," Ryiero interrupted softly. "I don't want to hear anymore."
Duke shut the Death Note and solemnly handed it back. Ryiero took it in his hands, flipping back through it. Each dead tribute had been given a few pages, detailing their death in a disturbingly innocent way. Ryiero couldn't stand to look at the gory pictures that accompanied them.
Horatia's death concluded the picture book. After that, the pages were blank, save for the page right after Horatia's. There was a tiny note at the top in cursive.
"'The tribute whose full name is written in this notebook shall die,'" Duke read over Ryiero's shoulder. "Whose name are you going to write?"
"I…I don't know yet," Ryiero said, tucking the book under his arm. "I'll have to think about it."
"Just don't put it off for too long," Duke murmured. "And don't lose that key."
"Don't worry. I've got it," Ryiero said, holding it up. "Let's get going. Hopefully that tiger monster has moved on by now."
They moved on. As they went, Ryiero's thoughts were haunted by what the Death Note contained. And over and over, he asked himself—whose name would be written there next?
Eugenia was getting away. As she ran toward the skyscraper, her fingers struggled to pry the lid off the parachute. There was a part of her that dared to hope this would be a weapon. But when she opened it, all that greeted her was a note. Just like when she'd first entered the arena.
The top of it was ragged. Eugenia realized she had forgotten all about the half-torn note from the beginning of the Games. This was the missing piece. She tossed aside the parachute and took the note in her hands, reading it as she ran.
Also… the first had said.
…your hidden ability is Counter. Dole back the damage you receive with an electrical shock, this note finished.
The shockwave. The crackling electricity. Thoughts of Perrin twitching on the ground ran through her mind. And what happens if someone…kills me? She thought, breathless at the discovery. Do they die too? Or is it just a single shock?
Eugenia shoved the note in her jacket pocket while she ran for the stairs. Her chest heaved at the effort. Her arm stung, but upon glancing at it, it didn't seem so serious. She pressed her sleeve into it, willing the cut to close. Treating it would come later. She had to get away from Perrin.
The doors to the staircase flew open. Eugenia scampered up the first set of stairs, and rounded a corner to scale the next set. Then a sharp gasp reached her ears, stopping her in her tracks. She halted, staring into the shocked faces of Duke and Ryiero.
They stood at the top of the steps. Eugenia was frozen, except for her heart struggling frantically in her chest. She was very aware of the cleaver Duke held in his right hand. Then she saw the black notebook Ryiero clutched in his hands and her fear doubled.
The door to the staircase slammed viciously, but Eugenia barely heard it. However, Perrin's enraged screams were enough to draw her out of her stupor. He raced to her side; clambering to grab her and claim whatever sponsor gift she had received.
"You're gonna regret-!" He choked off at the sight of the two boys at the top of the steps. His eyes went wide with shock when he spotted Ryiero. Then he burst out, "You're the one with the Death Note!"
Ryiero recoiled at Perrin's words. How did he know?! He thought, looking at Duke as though he could provide answers.
But Duke was glaring at Perrin, who stood rigid. All of his attention was focused on Ryiero. He pointed his knife at Eugenia, shouting, "Kill her! She's got some weird power—if you try to hurt her, it backfires on you!"
Ryiero couldn't understand what he meant. He took a step back, casting another frantic glance at Duke. "I wish we had never gone to the library…!" He uttered in a small voice.
Eugenia was pressed up against one corner, Perrin's knife still pointed at her face. "You get a free kill, don't you?" Perrin went on angrily. "So use it!" He took one step towards the two boys.
"Don't move!" Ryiero shouted, whipping out the Death Note. He flipped to the first blank page in one swift motion. Then he stood with his pen poised over the paper. His hand was shaking furiously. "Don't come any closer or I'll write your name!"
He's bluffing, Duke thought, eyes flickering between Perrin, Eugenia, and the Death Note. He was certain Ryiero wouldn't go through with it. And if he did, what were the chances he would get the name right? Perrin's name may have been on the back of his jacket, but chances were slim he would expose it now.
Ryiero's threat only served to further enrage the younger boy. His lips drew back in a frustrated snarl. "Are you not hearing me?!" He shouted hoarsely, waving the knife at Eugenia. "She's dangerous! You have to kill her!"
Ryiero said nothing. He merely trembled, the tip of his pen scratching the paper as he did so.
Perrin could no longer stand the suspense. He withdrew his knife and began bounding up the stairs. His face was contorted with pure fury. "What are you waiting for?! KILL HER!" He screamed, reaching his hand forward to rip the Death Note away from Ryiero. The other hand wielded the knife.
Then time seemed to freeze when a deafening sound pierced the air.
The sound came from the tracker in Perrin's arm. He knew this because it had suddenly lit up—a brilliant spot of yellow beneath a pale stretch of skin. He, Ryiero, Duke, and Eugenia all stared at the oddity as it emitted the peculiar sound.
Beep.
Beeep.
BEEEEE—
POM
The piercing drone was suddenly overtaken by the sound of a high-pitched explosion. It was nothing more than a loud popping sound. In the same instant, blood splattered everywhere, coating the steps and the faces of the other tributes in red.
It was Perrin's blood. There he lay, sprawled on the steps, limbs twitching violently. One of his arms had been blown clean off. A fountain of blood poured from the gaping hole in his torso, cascading down the steps like a crimson waterfall that pooled at Eugenia's feet. The explosion had left burns and lacerations down his entire right side. It had burned straight through his clothes and through his skin. Charred bone was visible at his ribcage.
Our trackers are bombs, Eugenia thought, horrified.
A spine-chilling sound filled the air. Perrin's good eye had opened—lying with his head at the lowest point on the steps, he struggled to lift his head and survey the damage.
"Nnooo…!" He choked out at the sight of his ravaged body. "Nnno, no, no!" Gargled in the back of his throat, they barely sounded like words. His eyes bulged from their sockets. Pain and despair smoldered in their depths.
Eugenia couldn't believe the amount of blood. She managed to tear her eyes away to meet the gazes of Duke and Ryiero. For a split second, she saw her own shock reflected there. Then they were gone, disappearing up the steps in a flash. The Death Note's work had been completed.
There was a soft cry from her left. Eugenia looked to see Tully's image hovering there, her hand clapped over her mouth. Then she vanished. Eugenia didn't know how long she had been there. Probably long enough.
Perrin uttered one last whimper. His eye was still as wide as it could go when it glazed over with death. Then the cannon rang across the arena, sealing his fate.
"Perrin," a ragged voice croaked.
Eugenia felt like she was in a dream. The next thing she knew, Zion was standing beside her, gazing at the gory scene before them. His ally was dead. And somehow, she felt as though she were at fault.
With a gasp, Eugenia tried to escape back down the steps. She only managed to go two steps before Zion roughly grabbed her shoulders. "Don't!" he said shakily, whirling her around to face him.
Eugenia felt terrified. He was so strong. She was nothing more than a ragdoll to be thrown around in his powerful grip.
But there was no malice in his eyes. "Please stay with me," he begged softly.
"Your ally is dead because of me," Eugenia replied, trying to ignore the stench of blood stuck in her nostrils.
"No. Not because of you." Zion's hands were trembling terribly. Tears shone in his eyes. "I just don't want to be alone. Not again. Not again…" he voice dropped to a pathetic whimper.
Eugenia wasn't sure what he meant. He hadn't been alone during the entire time in the arena. But she didn't want to see him like this for some reason. So she quickly promised, "Okay. I won't leave."
Zion's grip on her shoulders loosened. Very slowly, he turned in the direction of Perrin's corpse, splayed on the steps. His expression turned grave. "I'm going to take him outside, so the hovercraft can take him home to his parents."
Eugenia said nothing. She watched Zion as he approached his ally, his boots squelching loudly as they tried to stick to the bloody floor. There was even blood on the walls and ceiling, surprisingly far from the body. It smelled horrible. Suddenly, Eugenia felt like throwing up.
She rushed from the staircase and back into the lobby. She couldn't make it to the bathroom in time and wound up retching all over the welcome mat. Behind her, Zion stoically carried Perrin's body out. It was painstakingly light.
Zion was used to having his hands stained crimson these past few days. Still, his heart ached to see Perrin like this. He had been so full of life. His presence was perhaps the most enjoyable one within their alliance of four. But that alliance was obviously at an end.
Eugenia, on the other hand, found herself incapable of caring. She vividly remembered Perrin telling her, "When you're dead, I'll laugh! Because I'll still be alive!" So much for that, she thought dully.
Zion set Perrin's body outside, in an open area where the hovercraft could easily reach him. Before leaving, Zion closed Perrin's glassy eyes with some difficulty. They had frozen, still wide with horror. "Sorry you had to go in such a terrible way," he mumbled, feeling some regret. Then he rejoined Eugenia, handing her Perrin's knife.
She grimaced as her hand met with the handle. It was covered in blood and sweat. "So? What now?"
They both had backpacks. They had plenty of food and water. But both of them were dead tired, with heavy circles under their eyes. "Let's find a place to rest and fix up your wound," Zion decided. "And keep an eye out for Casca or Chip."
Eugenia had nearly forgotten about her cut. She looked it over and noticed it had stopped bleeding. Then a thought occurred to her. "Why keep an eye out for Casca or Chip?" Eugenia asked, a chill crawling up her spine. "So you can reform the alliance with them?"
"No," Zion said darkly, and left the matter at that.
Once they had moved far enough away, they watched the hovercraft claw reach down and receive Perrin to the sky.