Day One.
12:15 pm, The South Wing.
Less than twenty minutes in and already six lives were gone. Imperia almost wanted to laugh at the true nature of the Careers, the way the girl everyone was talking about made the first kill but looked all but crushed as Kyra's body fell to the floor. All that training and the girl couldn't even hold herself together for the bloodbath…
It was a shame, really. Not about Kyra - Imperia had suspected that Kyra's need for approval would lead to her death in the bloodbath. As always, her hypothesis had turned out to be true, and Imperia got a good look at the impact of her actions before she and Jude had gotten out together. It was a shame that Teagan came running to them a few minutes later, blabbering on about how Liam was dead too. She'd spent so much time painstakingly isolating Kyra from the alliance for the sake of drawing information from her in the hopes of turning Liam against Teagan down the line, and it was all for nothing. Imperia hated it when her plans went to waste. She'd probably have to start anew, find a new way to make sure she continued to stay on top.
If Imperia was more than just a mere observer, she'd be livid. But plans always had the potential of going wrong, so one always had to learn how to improvise.
(At least, that's what she kept telling herself. In reality, Imperia was all but seething. The last time she remembered her carefully laid plans going off the rails was Diana, and no one wanted to end up like Diana.)
"What happened to him?" Imperia asked soothingly, trying not to cringe away from Teagan's blubbering and tears.
"The filthy boy from Nine!" Teagan practically spat, her tears drying and giving way to the real source of her emotions: anger. "He killed Liam right in front of me!"
Ah, of course it all came back to Thay. Imperia's lip curled at the very thought of him, with his irritating demeanor and the way he came off as if he knew everything. She knew it was rich coming from her, but there was a clear difference. Imperia Bachmann did know everything. She made it her business to keep up to date on everyone and everything so she was always one step ahead. Thay just had to ruin everything once again.
"I just can't believe he's dead," Teagan said with the sincerity of someone that didn't particularly care about her former ally but was still attempting to keep up appearances.
Imperia paused before gingerly patting Teagan on the shoulder, trying not to let her mild disgust show. "We lost Kyra too, so it looks like-"
"I don't care about her," Teagan cut in, making Imperia bristle. "She was a crybaby anyway."
Unsure how to respond to that, Imperia held back a comment about how Teagan didn't appear to be much better at the moment. Or at any time, for that matter. Teagan was far more grating, even in small doses.
"No one followed you though, right?" Jude asked.
Imperia shot him a withering look, expecting him to help her out, but he just looked at her blankly. She couldn't tell for sure, but he was acting oddly, and had been for a couple days now. He was more aloof with her than usual, which made her jaw twitch. They didn't tend to share things the same way others would, but she didn't like this wall he was suddenly trying to put up.
Teagan, ever the helpful one, just shrugged. "I know Nine and his allies didn't. Twelve girl went through a door on the opposite side and they were avoiding her. I didn't pay attention to anyone else."
Gritting her teeth, Imperia offered Teagan a gentle smile. "That's okay, sweetie," she said, her words dripping with insincerity that Teagan didn't seem to pick up on. "We just have to start exploring so we can find somewhere to camp out for the night."
A new plan was beginning to form in her mind, taking root as Teagan nodded along and blabbered on about something that Imperia couldn't be bothered to listen to. Miraculously, the girl's tears had dried up. It was about time, honestly. Imperia wasn't sure she could deal with them for much longer.
"Let's start moving then," Imperia said, picking up the backpacks she'd gotten from the edge of the Cornucopia. "I'd hate for the Careers to come after us."
She hung back enough for Jude to fall into step with her, letting Teagan peek into the rooms ahead. They were largely empty so far, as if this was some mansion that no one had finished moving into. Teagan occasionally stopped to report a bedroom, but every time Imperia peeked through a doorway, the unnaturally pristine rooms brought her a sense of unease.
"We should stay close to the Cornucopia," Imperia muttered to Jude, keeping her eyes on Teagan as they turned the corner to go down the next hallway. "Have our fun for the night before setting her loose. Best case scenario, we drop some dead weight and find out where an alliance besides the Careers are."
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, turning his face to the side so she couldn't read his expression. Imperia felt a flash of irritation, as surely he knew what he was doing, but she forced a smile on her face. A Bachmann knew how to play their role perfectly.
"She's just a kid," he said without looking down at her.
"Clearly, and an annoying one at that." Imperia stopped walking, forcing him to turn around and look down at her. "We're the ones in this until the end though, right? You're the only one that can keep up with me, after all. She's just dead weight. We can discard her at any time."
"I don't like how we've lost most of our allies this early," he said slowly, mulling something over. "It goes against our original plan-"
"Then consider that plan dead," Imperia snapped before lowering her voice to a more manageable volume. "We have to make sacrifices sometimes, Jude, and I don't want to risk either of us before I have to. Right now, she's no more than a liability. Can you think of a single thing she could offer us?"
"No," he answered honestly. "I just… nevermind."
"You just what?" Imperia took a step closer, jabbing a finger into his chest. "Feel bad about killing someone? We've done worse, Jude. Between Diana and your brother, we've done our fair share of fucked up things. There's no use in trying to be a better person now, if that's what you're aiming for."
Something in his jaw twitched, but he just nodded. "Fair point," he said, keeping his tone level.
Imperia knew she'd hit a soft spot - his brother always was. She supposed it wasn't like he knew until after the fact, as his dads hadn't exactly been kept in the loop about what his birth parents were up to. But she couldn't bring herself to feel bad, just managing a sniff before starting to walk again. "Of course it is. I'm always right."
"What's the plan, then?" Jude kept up with her, his long legs taking leisurely strides as she moved quickly down the hallway. "I assume you've already come up with a new one."
"There's enough in here to make someone go insane," Imperia said, stopping short again in front of a half-covered mirror leaning against the wall. She tugged the tarp away, letting it crumple to the floor as she peered into her reflection's eyes. Over her shoulder, Jude ducked down to see himself in the mirror as well.
Out of nowhere, Imperia felt a pang of something resembling regret. Something was stirring deep inside of her, trying to make itself heard, but Imperia didn't want to listen to it right now. She was an outsider at her core, and outsiders didn't long for anything, certainly not a normal life. She squashed the feeling before it could voice its longing any louder and turned away from the mirror. They had to keep moving.
She was a few steps down the hall when she realized Jude hadn't followed her. "Jude?" she asked impatiently, turning back to look at him.
Jude flinched at the intrusion but straightened and headed back over to her, giving her the barest smile. "Sorry. I thought I… nevermind."
Shrugging, she moved down the hall again, trying to pretend she was content with where she was right now: in the Arena, with Jude, forced to adapt to a new plan, all of… this.
But maybe that's what she found easiest about being an outsider. It was always easy to lie to herself.
12:20 pm, The Cornucopia.
Her hands shook as Makani offered her a sympathetic look, one that Alila knew she didn't deserve. What the hell had she just done? Years of training, of working her hardest to earn her way into the Games, and she'd thrown it all away in the first few minutes.
How stupid could she be, really?
But in those precious moments where Thay's life was likely on the line, all Alila could think about was her brother and how crushed Thee would be if she stood by and did nothing. It would've been her own fault, in a way. She couldn't stand the idea of her own actions leading to Thee's sadness.
"Oh god, I'm so fucked," Alila muttered under her breath, running a hand over her carefully done up braid, the last remnant of the put together Alila from this morning.
"You could still run," Makani said quietly, still hovering nearby. "I'll make sure they don't follow you."
Shaking her head quickly, Alila straightened up. "I can't let you do that. This is all because of me, so I have to face the consequences myself."
Makani nodded as if she already knew Alila's answer. "Running is the coward's way out, isn't it? You were always better than that."
Alila paused and looked at Makani, who didn't seem fazed by the words she'd just said. Her habit of saying strange things was evidently not going to change now that they'd hit the Games.
Glancing around, Alila couldn't see either of the Twos and assumed they were up by the mouth of the Cornucopia. Shai was leaning up against the side of the Cornucopia, giving her an odd smile that immediately made her tense. Whatever unspoken agreement they'd had, it was done now. Besides Makani, Alila was on her own.
"Behind you," he called, crossing his arms as he smirked to himself.
Alila immediately whirled around, lifting her hands up too late to block the punch aimed straight at her face. Pain exploded in her jaw, sending her to the ground as a coppery taste filled her mouth. She spat out a red liquid, dimly registering it as her own blood, before pushing herself off of the ground. There was no way she'd let herself get thrown around.
If Alila had to fight to get out of here alive, she'd do it. But she'd brought this upon herself, and there was no way she'd take it lying down.
He shook his hand as Alila tried to blink back the tears threatening to spill from the shock of pain. She hoped that there would be something cold for her to put on her jaw later, but at the moment she wasn't quite sure she had a "later" to hope for.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he sneered, stalking towards her. "That was our biggest outside threat and you told him to run. What, did you have some kind of alliance with him? Are you just stupid? Is that why you chose to stay back and face the whole pack by yourself?"
Without giving her time to respond, he swept his leg out at her, catching her in the side and nearly knocking her to the ground a second time. Alila gasped as she tried to fill her lungs with air again, not wanting to start a fight when she was already breathless.
He spat more angry words at her that she tuned out, steadying her breathing as she gripped her fans tightly. She'd fought plenty of trained people back in One; surely an angry boy from Four would be no different. He didn't use any weapons as far as she could tell, and she just had to hold him off long enough to figure out what to do. The last thing Alila wanted to do was kill a member of her alliance and bring the wrath of the entire pack upon her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Alila caught sight of Makani glancing between the two of them anxiously, and she felt a sting of regret that she'd caused Makani this kind of distress. Gone were the relaxing nights of hanging out with her allies, replaced by the sheer loathing in Kano's gaze and the apathy in Shai's. She was lucky the Twos hadn't shown up yet, but they'd likely hear the commotion and come running soon.
I haven't gotten this far to stop now.
In. Out. Alila planted her feet in the ground, ready as soon as Kano decided to come after her, and said, "You know, I can't tell if you're more mad that I let him go or that I cost you a kill."
Deep down, she knew it was a bad idea to egg him on, but she knew from experience that when people got angry, they typically also got sloppy. Kano would likely be no different, already on the verge of foaming at the mouth before she decided to open hers.
"You don't have any right to say something like that," he hissed, at least lowering his voice as if he was aware they didn't have long before the Twos showed up, for better or worse. "I assume you stuck around to fight, to prove you're just a traitor and not a coward as well."
Alila's face hardened as she adjusted her grip on the fans. "You really don't want to do this, Kano," she insisted. "We could still fix this."
He scoffed and shook his head. "There's no we anymore, Alila. If you wanted there to be a we, maybe you should've gone with the Nine kid while you still had the chance."
Without giving her the chance to respond, he rushed at her, fist catching the end of her braid as she moved out of the way. With her opponent holding no weapon, she could almost imagine this as a training exercise, though she knew Kano could find a dozen ways to kill her with just his fists if he had the chance.
Alila tapped into the music of the fight, imagining Kano's sharp, staccato movements as a rhythm and matching it. Each step was one of a dance, one that she was determined to lead. Alila was no follower.
For every hit she managed to catch, she was able to tilt her body enough that she didn't get the full weight of the blow. Kano was getting increasingly frustrated as his hits merely glanced off of her, leaving what would likely be nothing more than pale bruises. Alila had learned that the most important part of any fight was the beginning, where you learned your opponent's moves and gathered enough information that you wouldn't be brought down later.
All of her moves were on the defensive, her fans used to distract instead of attack as she searched for an opening. He was increasing their tempo, his irritation causing him to get sloppier as well. A mistimed punch led to his entire left side being open, so Alila let one fan land a shallow cut across his side, more of a warning than anything else.
Stay back. I may be outnumbered, but I'm not helpless. You don't know what you're dealing with.
When she glanced at their surroundings again, Shai had moved slightly from his earlier position, but Makani was gone entirely. Alila hoped that she was just staying out of the way, but a deeper part of her feared that Makani had abandoned her as well, getting the Twos so Alila could be taken out entirely.
As much as she wanted to call Makani her friend, this was the Hunger Games. If you weren't looking out solely for yourself, there was no chance of getting out alive.
Kano's next kick had her ducking low, one hand hitting the ground to keep herself from falling entirely. This dance had her constantly moving out of his reach, as she feared that getting too close would mean it was all over for her. He'd managed to get her positioned between himself and the Cornucopia, looking nearly smug as he thought he'd finally get the upper hand.
Instead of managing to get her pinned against the Cornucopia like he'd probably hoped, Alila twisted out of the way just in time, letting his momentum carry him directly into the metal side of the horn. He was getting more and more worked up as they went, playing right into Alila's hands as long as all went to plan.
But Alila couldn't help but feel her stomach sinking as she caught a glimpse of a particularly smug look on Shai's face. She looked down, her eyes landing on something by his feet. She hadn't necessarily expected Shai to stick by her after everything, but she'd been hopeful. It was foolish of her to forget his reputation back in One.
"Sorry, Thee," she whispered, unsure whether she wanted her words to be picked up by the cameras or not. "I don't know if I'll be able to come home to you like I said."
His shoulder slammed into the Cornucopia, making Kano groan in pain. He was usually better than this - the trainers back in Four could hardly keep up with him most of the time - but Alila fought so effortlessly that he could feel the storm inside him rage. After weeks of something simmering under the surface, everything was finally starting to boil over, something more sinister twisting deep in his stomach, not ready to show its face yet.
When he went to push himself off the Cornucopia to go after her again, a hand caught his wrist and held tight. Kano growled in irritation and ripped his hand away, but he paused when he saw Shai a few inches away, a knowing expression on his face.
"If you get too worked up, you'll never stand a chance," Shai muttered, keeping his voice low. "She's never going to get what's coming to her if you don't breathe."
"I don't need your help," Kano sneered, holding back the urge to take his anger out on Shai as well.
"You know, she isn't good against a ranged weapon," Shai said lightly, nudging a staff on the ground with his foot. "Those pesky fans can't do much if she can't get close. I know you're just too stubborn to use a weapon most of the time, but I heard you're good with a staff."
Kano didn't particularly care how Shai had gotten that tidbit of information. While Kano indeed could use a bo staff, and rather well at that, he had decided long ago that it cramped his style. Using a weapon didn't let him move as easily; he was confined to a limited set of attacks. It didn't give him the freedom he craved. But now was not the time for style. He just snatched the staff off the ground and gave it an experimental spin.
He didn't miss the way Alila's eyes widened as he stalked towards her, her eyes fixed on the staff in his hands. A flash of red caught his attention, and Kano recognized it as the shirts the Twos were wearing. He was running out of time if he wanted the satisfaction of taking her out himself. "Whatever," he spat, his words holding considerably less venom than before. "Just stay out of my way."
"Wouldn't dream of interrupting," Shai said sweetly.
Though he was used to the opposite happening, his brief talk with Shai had cleared his head enough that he didn't feel his anger threatening to take over anymore. It still fed into the adrenaline surging through his body, but he no longer felt as if he was about to fly out of control entirely.
Deep down, he really was irritated that he didn't get that kill. He'd never admit it to Alila, but he was frustrated that he was lumped in with Justus and Makani again. The three lowest placing members of the alliance - even if his score was on par with Shai's - and now the three without kills. Just fucking peachy.
He moved his staff into a downward strike aimed at Alila's head, noting her movements as she dodged out of the way. She was light on her feet, which had fed into his irritation earlier as he found it harder and harder to hit her. Now, he thought of it as some sort of game, a test to see if he could keep up with her.
Spinning the staff around, he stabbed at her stomach, catching her in the shoulder as she tried to move out of the way again, clearly anticipating another wide arc instead of a pointed stab. Though there was no sharp end to the staff, training back in Four would often leave him with circular bruises that took days to fade out, and they hurt like a bitch. She stumbled back a step, one arm instinctively moving to protect her stomach from any further hits. He'd sent her back on the defensive, noting the way she was constantly ready to dart back out of the way of his weapon. Shai appeared to be right, however little Kano wanted to admit it.
With this newest development, Kano figured he could go back to his original plan and advanced quickly, driving her several steps backwards. One of her feet landed in a pool of blood, making her flinch as it soaked into the white of her shoe. He nearly grinned, hoping that the wetness would be enough to make her slip. This time she rushed at him, but a wide arc of his staff forced her to circle around him. Her soaked shoe made her slip, almost falling forward. Grinning, Kano stabbed his staff down to intercept her, but she glanced up to give him a smug look, and oh-
He hissed as her fan cut into his arm, realizing too late that she'd baited him into bringing his arm down within easy reach of her fans. She'd already moved back out of the way, the shallow cut leaking blood down his arm. The second scratch reminded him of the first, which, while shallow, had been placed in a spot where every twist of his body made it open just a bit more.
Panting quietly, he pressed a hand to his side, gritting his teeth as it came back stained red with blood. Kano was getting tired of their little game. Moving his staff to his other hand so his injured arm would only be used to stabilize, he swept it at her side, forcing her to catch it with one of her fans. As soon as the spines got lodged in the wood of his staff, he twisted it sharply, ripping the fan out of her hand. Alila frowned at him, looking for the first time since their fight began as if she was on edge, about to be out of luck.
He had to give her credit where credit was due, as her stance never faltered. Her chin was lifted, a sign that she was ready to die with dignity if she needed to.
Kano hoped she wasn't done already. It would be a shame if the second highest ranked tribute was this easy to beat.
To his surprise, she paused and put the other fan away, shoving it in the waistband of her pants. She sized him up, clearly calculating something that he didn't figure out before she came at him again, unburdened by weapons.
Without worrying about trying to parry his blows, she was able to dodge most of them, save for a hit that landed harshly against her shoulder. Alila gripped one edge of his staff as it swung towards her face, catching the tip against her nose as she ripped it out of his hand, throwing it towards the Cornucopia. She winced as blood started to pour from her nose, the blood dripping onto her already stained white shirt.
The only weapon between them now was her fan, which she pulled out again, but Kano noticed another glint at her waist, likely some kind of knife that she'd stashed just in case. That was fine. If he had his way, she wouldn't get the chance to use it.
At the very least, she'd managed to maneuver herself between him and the Cornucopia again. He tried not to smile, tried not to let her know that she was right where he wanted her, but he could see her eyes widen a fraction as she recognized the position she was in.
He lunged forward and snagged her wrist in midair as Alila tried to swipe it at him, twisting it to a point where her wrist nearly snapped, her cry of pain accompanying the clatter of her last fan hitting the ground. Before she could break through the pain and try to attack him again, he swung her into the side of the Cornucopia, her body making a dull thud as it hit the metal structure.
Before she could crumple to the ground, Kano used a hand to pin her shoulder to the Cornucopia before bracing his forearm against her throat. Slowly, he pressed against her throat enough to make her eyes widen as he took away her easy access to air.
The sting of the injuries he'd accumulated were starting to affect him, but Kano didn't care. All he knew was that he was close to taking out one of his biggest threats, one of his allies, and no one would doubt him again.
Her breaths came in shallow gasps as the pressure against her throat refused to relent, steadily choking off her access to air. All she could taste was blood as it poured down her throat. Alila was beyond drained, managing to work one of her knives out of her waistband before pressing it into the only place she could reach, feeling blood start to leak down her hands. Kano barely flinched, instead putting more pressure against her throat.
She could've sworn he smiled as her throat was closed off, each frantic rise and fall of her chest resulting in nothing more than a useless movement to sap away at her strength. One of her hands managed to find his arm, her nails digging in as harshly as she could manage, leaving claw marks where she dragged her nails down his arm. He just glared at her, his face starting to swim in front of hers.
This couldn't be where Alila Perwane ended. She hadn't fought this hard for nothing, hadn't come this far only to die just past the bloodbath. There had to be something she could do, some way to stop her fate from coming all too soon, but there was nothing but the sweet caress of darkness coming for her.
Her savior came in the form of a spear pressed against Kano's side and words that Alila couldn't quite make out, everything sounding tinny as it reached her ears.
The pressure leaving her neck was a relief, making her suck in air quickly before getting lightheaded. She coughed wearily, her sore throat making each breath painful.
Before she could attempt to move away from the Cornucopia, a spear was leveled at her throat. Ah, Alila thought wryly. Perfect. Phaedra wants the honor of finishing me off, the only one that theoretically could've fought her and not immediately lost.
Even though she didn't have the right to, Alila felt bitter and angry and unable to focus those feelings solely on herself. It was her fault that she was about to lose everything, but she couldn't bring herself to look at Phaedra's too-kind face or Justus and his puppy dog eyes or Kano and his barely suppressed loathing. None of them were as stupid as she was, and so they all got to live another day.
With a sigh, Alila tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling, the lights dancing in front of her eyes. "Get it over with," she muttered.
The cool tip of the spear pressed against her skin, and Alila squeezed her eyes shut in preparation only for Phaedra to quietly murmur, "Tell me why."
"Huh?"
"I know you're not stupid, Alila," Phaedra said. "Either tell me why you betrayed us or give me a damn good explanation for what you did."
Her mouth opened once, twice, but nothing came out. God, what could Alila even say? She supposed it was something of a betrayal, a moment where she put her brother above everyone else in the Arena, including herself, but… but…
"A lapse in judgement," she forced out, her voice hoarse. "It was… a lapse in judgement. He… he just… reminded me of someone back home." A beat of silence before she added a quiet, "I didn't think."
The spear wavered for a second, and Alila was half convinced it would be driven through her throat before Phaedra pulled it away, letting her move away from the Cornucopia. She didn't say anything, glancing off to the side as if deep in thought.
"It won't happen again," Alila offered weakly.
"No, it won't." Phaedra glanced over at Justus, gesturing for him to come closer. "Next time, you'll be dead before you can even think about pulling something like that."
"In exchange for not killing you, you have to understand things can't be exactly how they were before," Justus said, sounding almost apologetic as he stepped forward. "You won't be on patrol and you can't keep watch at night. Phaedra or I will be with you at all times to make sure nothing… happens."
Though she couldn't help but bristle at the insinuation that she'd attempt something again, she figured they did have a point. She didn't feel inclined to share her connection to Thay with the rest of them, so there would always be something she kept from them. All she could do was swear it wouldn't happen again, but even then she wasn't sure if she could keep that promise.
"I understand," Alila said quietly.
"Maybe stay out of Kano's way, too," Justus said. "In essence, we may not be killing you now, but you're on house arrest of sorts until we can either trust you again or we happen to need you."
Justus turned to leave, but Phaedra paused before she turned her back on Alila, regarding her with cool eyes. Alila felt as if she was supposed to understand something in Phaedra's gaze, but she was too overcome with dread to try and dissect it.
"Then why keep me alive at all?" Alila couldn't help but ask, wincing as she touched her throat.
Phaedra stopped but didn't turn back, her posture stiffening. For the first time, Alila thought of the prophecy and understood why this was the warrior chosen to win it all this year. Who was Alila to think she had a chance at all? Visions of her own victory were slowly slipping away, but she supposed that was all her fault anyway. She had to own up to her actions at some point.
Mistakes were deadly, after all. And, in any other Games, Alila would be dead right now.
"I suggest you not ask me that," Phaedra said coolly, "or I might reconsider."
And with that, Phaedra went to sit down by Justus, immediately placing her head on his shoulder. Alila was adrift in the ocean of loneliness, having thrown out her only life vest to help someone else. She sighed and sat down against the Cornucopia, closing her eyes.
"I can't stand to see any more death today." Phaedra's broken whisper reached Alila's ears, even though it likely wasn't meant to. She got the message all the same.
Her life had been spared, but she was close to losing it anyway. If Alila took one more step out of line, she had no doubt the rest of her allies would practically fight over who got to kill her. All she could do now was lay low and hope she got the chance to prove herself worthy of being spared.
She heard soft footsteps heading towards her as she tilted her head back, trying to staunch her nosebleed. Makani sat down beside her, bringing her knees up to her chest. "I'm sorry I told them. I didn't want you to get hurt."
Alila could sense the silent either of you, but she wasn't bothered. Makani was rather empathetic anyway, and Alila had just been fighting her District Partner.
"Why are you still sticking up for me?" Alila couldn't help but ask, her curiosity getting the best of her. "I mean, I helped save an outer District kid."
Her friend stayed quiet for a moment, eyes darting around before she responded, "I let Cr- Twelve go. She looked right at me as she grabbed a couple backpacks. I didn't want to kill anyone during the bloodbath anyway. It's just that I was on the side so no one saw me."
"Why not?" Alila blurted out, hoping she could finally press enough that Makani would give her some answers. "I mean, we all volunteered for it, didn't we?"
Suddenly appearing interested in her pants, Makani shrugged and flicked off an imaginary piece of lint. "I guess so. Doesn't mean I want anyone's blood on my hands. I still remember Bastian when he came home, and... I don't want that to be me."
Alila tried not to flinch in surprise at hearing Makani talk about her brother. "Was he… different?" she questioned, wondering if she'd come home different too.
Nodding, Makani sighed and leaned her head against the Cornucopia. "A lot quieter, mainly. Flinched if you snuck up on 'im. Didn't smile or laugh much. He changed again after his victory tour, but I was never able to figure out exactly how. He doesn't seem to regret it though, if that's what you're asking."
Silence fell between them, thick and nearly suffocating. Alila hadn't felt uncomfortable in the pack at all since she'd joined, but now she couldn't escape it. She figured if anyone wanted to go after her in the future, the rest of the pack wouldn't stop them save for Makani.
"Thank you," Alila muttered, fiddling with the ends of her braid.
"For what?"
"Just being here. I'm… I'm really glad I met you," Alila said, unable to express her appreciation for the one friend she'd ever had. She hadn't realized they were so kind or so loyal, and Makani wasn't the distraction she'd feared any friend would be.
Maybe there was still a way for Alila to make this work. She owed it to herself to try.
1:46 pm, The West Wing.
Silence had overwhelmed their trio ever since the bloodbath, but Thay was grateful for it. After being saved by Alila - a Career of all things - he didn't have the energy to try and contribute to any kind of conversation. He wasn't used to being surprised, but everything after he ran into Kano was a haze of events, the only part he distinctly remembered being when Alila told him to run. Part of him had wanted to stay and fight, as he was tired of running, but he wasn't stupid. While he could take care of himself perfectly well back in Nine, he wasn't so sure about his chances against someone that had trained their entire life for the chance to kill kids.
But that's also why his head was swimming with the image of Alila telling him to go. He knew it was only for Thee, but it was hard for him to imagine that kindness coming from a Career. He wasn't sure why it was still bothering him now, a couple hours after the bloodbath, but Thay hadn't gotten the chance to say thank you. He couldn't imagine how much trouble the act of saving him had caused her.
Within his own alliance, though, he'd neglected to tell them what had happened in the bloodbath. Thay wasn't sure how to tell them what had happened, so he'd opted not to say anything at all. Maybe he'd mention it later on, if there was a reason, but he hoped they'd last a long while in the Arena before running into the Careers again.
"Nothing down this way?" Eleanor asked, peeking into the room he was supposed to be inspecting.
"Uh, no," he said a moment too late, turning to look at her. "It doesn't look like there's much in any of these rooms. They're furnished, mostly, though it does appear that some of them have bathrooms attached, so that's good."
"They appear to be functional too," Eleanor said. "I already made sure. It's… nice, but something about this place feels off. I can't help but feel like there's something dangerous hiding somewhere and we just haven't figured it out yet."
Thay hummed, spinning his ring around his finger as he thought. "Maybe we'll just have to make sure we stock up on water while we can. Do the taps work?"
"As far as I can tell," Jack said, stepping into the room with them.
"There's every chance they'll cut out the water or power at some point while we're in here." Thay went over to the bed and dumped out his backpack, grabbing the empty water bottle. "We should make sure we always have at least a couple full bottles."
He turned the tap on, watching as his bottle filled until it nearly overflowed before screwing the lid back on. Jack and Eleanor followed suit, each managing to scrounge up an empty bottle from the backpacks he'd given them. Thay felt the slightest relief once they were all filled and stored away once more, as they now at least had water taken care of for a bit.
"I think… we should make sure to hydrate as much as we can for now," he said slowly. "Drink and refill it, get ourselves ready for the days ahead. There's something about this Arena that I can't figure out, but I know I don't like it."
"It's not like you'd like any Arena," Eleanor pointed out.
He shrugged, conceding to her point. "Sure, but most of them are outdoors for a reason. I don't want to know the reason why this one isn't more survival based."
"It's intimate."
Eleanor and Thay both stopped and looked at Jack before Thay nodded, agreeing with her. That was perhaps his biggest problem with an indoors Arena like this: there was nowhere to run. Its many hallways gave the illusion of having everywhere to go, but Thay had none of the knowledge he needed to use the layout to his advantage. If he was back home, he'd take the time to observe every nook and cranny of the Arena, exploring every room and hallway until he knew the whole place like the back of his hand. That would take weeks, though, and time was the one thing they were running particularly low on.
"The Cornucopia can't be too far from here, no matter how much ground we've managed to gain," Thay admitted, running a hand through his hair. "Something tells me we don't have to worry about the Careers just yet, but we'll need to start moving as far away as we can get."
Jack shot him a look that he couldn't decipher, but Eleanor just nodded and said, "I want to get as far away as we can too. We made sure to choose a door where none of the other alliances went, but that doesn't mean we won't run into them later on."
"We need to keep an eye out for Twelve. He doesn't seem like much of a threat, but appearances can be deceiving. I don't want to lose either of you so soon." Thay paused in the doorway. "Allies til the end, yeah?"
"Of course," Eleanor said softly, offering him a smile.
Jack just nodded, clearly thinking about something but not willing to share her thoughts just yet. Thay knew there wasn't a need to push her - if she was ever ready, she'd share. There was no use in risking added tension in the alliance so soon, not with the threat of death constantly loomed over everyone.
"You're feeling fine so far, right Norrie?" Thay made sure to ask as they headed down the hallway once more, slowly sipping away at water.
"So far, but I woke up with a headache today," she finally admitted. "My mentor gave me something for it, but I haven't felt great."
He frowned at that, briefly scanning her to make sure there weren't any signs that she was hiding the severity of her symptoms. Her skin was paler than normal today, but she at least appeared to be steady on her feet, so he tried not to worry too much. "If you need to stop for the night, just say so. We could all likely benefit from a fresh start tomorrow."
"We could also benefit from getting at least a little farther from the Cornucopia," Eleanor said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. I'll let you know when I can't go on."
Thay relented, each of them fanning out once more when they hit the next hallway. He ducked into the first room on the right, spinning the ring on his hand anxiously.
This room was dusty, making him frown in confusion, as he hadn't seen dust in any other room in the mansion. There were no footprints in the dust on the floor, save for his, so he could at least rest easy knowing he was the only one here. The large bed had a canopy, the dark room feeling smaller without a source of light. In fact, he had yet to find a room with a window to bring in natural light, making him grow concerned for what lay ahead.
He stepped further into the room, flicking the switch of a lamp on the bedside table and frowning as it turned on, flickered, and went off. Thay tried to reassure himself - he was used to the dark after all - but he couldn't get rid of the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
A glint caught his eye, a mirror reflecting the brief light before going dark again. He took a few steps towards it, taking in the thick white tarp that had partially fallen off. It was positioned in the corner of the room, close to the foot of the bed, and had a crack near the bottom. Thay frowned at the mirror, crouching down in front of it. There was something that felt off about the boy staring back at him, but he couldn't say what. He stared into his own eyes, his expression blank as he watched his reflection.
Slowly, Thay reached a hand out, stopping inches from the mirror's surface. He let out a sigh, imagining for an instant that his reflection was Thee, that they were together again. Ever since Thee had died, he hadn't exactly been fond of mirrors, not wanting to be reminded of his loss.
"Thay?"
Flinching at the intrusion, Thay pulled the tarp back over the mirror. He didn't want his own reflection staring at him anymore.
"Yes?" He stood up to see Jack peeking in, shifting her weight between her feet uncomfortably.
"The room I checked looks like this too, dust and all. I think… we should go."
"Definitely."
Dusting off his hands, he made a swift exit from the room, closing the door behind him. Each hallway had its slight differences, but this was the first one that made him want to leave before he discovered everything. The dust and general sensation that he wasn't supposed to be there was enough to send him running.
Someday he'd finally be able to stop running. Thay just didn't know when that would be.
2:12 pm, The Cornucopia
Kano let out a frustrated groan as he tried to twist his body to properly patch up the long scratch down his side. He'd haphazardly wrapped some gauze around his stomach earlier, but his wounds had kept oozing blood for the past couple hours. The one Alila had given him with the knife was deeper, but the one down his side kept trying to stretch open every time he moved. He refused to ask any of his allies for help though, choosing instead to dig through supplies on his own to scrounge up a first aid kit.
One of the bigger kits had a small tub of antiseptic ointment, which he'd managed to put on his arm without issue. The wounds on his stomach and side were another situation entirely, as it was hard to position himself in a way that didn't cause him pain. He'd ended up panting quietly from the exertion, wincing as pain shot through his side.
He had to admit, it was frustrating to see Alila get let off the hook so easily. Sure, she was pretty much grounded and couldn't do much besides sit around the Cornucopia all day, but he couldn't see the point in keeping her alive. He supposed she was an asset back when she wasn't a traitor, clearly talented and supposedly smart. She'd proven to be a problem in a fight, but surely they'd be able to take her down without any casualties if it came down to it.
That being said, he'd gotten the sense that she had been at least somewhat holding back during their fight. He couldn't fully determine why, but maybe she just didn't want the wrath of their alliance on her if she killed one of their own as well.
His anger was still burning, this time just under the surface. It hadn't been smothered by the quiet scolding he'd gotten from Phaedra when she pulled him off of Alila. He wished he could train or do anything to get rid of the excess energy he had, but those damn fans had caused him more trouble than he'd thought.
"Need some help?"
Before Kano could respond, Shai had already sat down beside him and was looking at the medical supplies scattered around. Even though he knew it was fruitless, he muttered a "No" through gritted teeth.
"That sounds like what someone stubborn and in pain would say," Shai replied, content to ignore what Kano was actually saying.
"Fuck off," he muttered, more defeated than anything else.
Shai just hummed and picked up the antiseptic, turning to him expectantly. "Are you going to let me help, or do I get to sit back and watch you hurt yourself even more?"
He felt his face heat up, glancing away. "Whatever," he said under his breath. "Just… go for it I guess."
He waited for a moment before raising an eyebrow at Shai. "It's a little hard to properly take care of a wound if your shirt is in the way," Shai said innocently.
Kano frowned down at his shirt, silently trying to figure out how to best work his way out of it. He managed to get the shirt partially over his head before he felt Shai finish tugging it off, his arms immediately dropping back to his sides. He hadn't realized how tired he was until now, completely drained of energy from the bloodbath on top of his fight with Alila.
"It doesn't look too bad, all things considered," Shai said, experimentally poking at it as Kano tried not to make faces. "I'd say you got out lucky."
"I still don't feel lucky," Kano grumbled.
Shai laughed a bit, picking up the ointment. "You're the one that picked a fight with her."
"I didn't have a choice," Kano insisted, trying not to glare in Alila's direction.
Shai didn't say anything to that, reading something on the jar as Kano frowned to himself. He'd made the silent promise that he was going to stick with the pack no matter what, but Alila's mere presence was enough to grate on his nerves at the moment. It would be easier if she was just gone, but…
He sighed. Part of him could see what she'd been kept around for. Losing a strong ally this early would be a hard blow, even if she'd helped someone escape. But that didn't mean Kano had to be happy about it.
"You're welcome, by the way," Shai said, ducking his head to apply the ointment on Kano's skin. He flinched at the first contact, his posture stiff as Shai started rubbing the ointment in with gentle circles.
"For what?"
"This. The staff. The advice. And that's all just from today," Shai said, a hint of a smirk playing over his lips. "Take your pick."
He made a face as his side stung again before muttering, "Thanks."
"You sure sound grateful," Shai said. "I think we both know that you were way out of your depth for the first part of that fight. If she'd wanted to, she could've killed you."
"She didn't, though."
"But she could have. If she wanted to fight fair. She just didn't want to die herself." Shai finished what he was doing and sat back before fixing Kano with a look. "And if you don't take it easy for a couple days to let this heal, you'll be at a disadvantage if you try to pull shit like that again."
Kano cracked a smile. "Doctor's orders?"
"I'm a shit doctor, so I'm not sure about that part." Shai grabbed a couple large adhesive bandages, unwrapping them so he could put them on. "But I figured it would be better if I helped so you don't manage to hurt yourself even more."
"Thanks," he said, more sincerely this time. "I guess I… was not doing well by myself."
"It was fairly obvious," Shai said with a snicker. "You looked ready to combust."
Kano made a noise of indignation. "I did not!"
"You're right." Shai nodded sagely. "You already had."
As Kano leaned forward to swat at Shai, he yelped as his side threatened to split open again, quickly resting against the Cornucopia once more. Shai burst out laughing, the sound making Kano feel like things were normal again, without the threat of a corrupt ally hanging over them.
"You deserved that." Shai's eyes glinted as he tried to stop laughing. "That one's on you."
"Oh, just shut up and finish taping me together."
"Want me to work on your stomach after this?" Shai offered, gesturing to Kano's poor handiwork, the gauze clumsily taped down.
He sighed and nodded. "I guess. That one's the deepest, but it's… not completely awful."
"She got you good," Shai noted, wincing as he lifted up the gauze. "It's probably a good thing we got some Capitol-grade stuff in here."
"Probably," Kano replied wearily.
They lapsed into silence as Shai kept working, though Kano noticed the slightest shake of his hands as he did. Maybe they were all starting to crumble, each in their own way. But this was just the first day of the Games and Kano wasn't sure he was prepared for what lay ahead.
He had to hope for the best, but he didn't know if that was enough anymore.
7:24 pm, The North Wing.
The hours since the bloodbath had crawled by, each hallway they looked at appearing largely the same. The rooms held nothing of note so far, but they'd managed to stumble upon a staircase descending into the unknown. Merix, who had practically attached himself to Nash's side, had promptly turned white at the discovery, leading Lilith and Nash to agree to camp out for the night. One of the rooms nearest to the staircase was almost completely bare, but none of them were interested in finding a bed to sleep in instead.
Each hallway had blended together in Nash's head, but evidently Lilith was able to keep track of the path they'd taken. She'd recounted every turn they'd made on their journey away from the Cornucopia, and Nash noticed that Merix started to relax, no longer fearing the possibility that they'd run right back to the Careers. He'd hardly spoken since the bloodbath, but Nash was hoping he just needed a bit more time.
"I don't like the rooms," Lilith said, breaking the silence of dinner. "They're confining. It would be hard to escape without a fight if we ran into anyone."
Merix trembled again, shoving a cracker into his mouth instead of responding. Nash, unfortunately, had to agree with her. He hadn't even found a window to look out of, and he was beginning to fear that there wasn't going to be an outdoors portion of the Arena.
He didn't want to admit it, but part of his fear was that he wouldn't be able to see the stars again before he died. Though he didn't plan on dying - especially not when he desperately wanted to get back home to Seiren - it was a thought that wouldn't leave him alone. Would he ever see the stars again?
"You're right," he said slowly. "I think we should keep that in mind for tomorrow as we set out again, but tonight we'll probably be fine. There hasn't been any action since the bloodbath, so I'm hopeful that it'll stay that way."
"I can take first watch in the hallway later," Lilith said, drawing their attention to the crossbow sitting beside her. "Or, honestly, I could stay up most of the night."
Nash shook his head. "There's no need for that. You need sleep too and I'm more than willing to trade off with you. Merix, you don't have to take watch unless you really want to. You can have a night or two off."
Merix paused before shaking his head, sitting back and burying his face in the collar of Nash's jacket. "No. I'll be okay. I can just wake you up when I get tired."
"So it'll be me and then Merix and then you?" Lilith asked, glancing over at Nash.
"Sounds like it," Nash said, leaning back as well. His own dinner was only partially eaten, but he was already starting to lose his appetite, a bad sign as it was only a few hours into the Games. The Arena was far different from the life he'd become comfortable with during pregames, when his biggest priorities were trying to put home out of his head and creating a group that he could truly consider friends. In a way, Nash could consider almost anyone a friend, but he knew there was something really special about Lilith and Merix. There was no part of him that felt lucky - after all, he'd been reaped for the Hunger Games - but sometimes it was the little things that helped. There was no one else he wanted to be in this Arena with, so Nash wanted to make sure he kept spirits high. He didn't want to see either of them giving in too early.
He'd been worried about Merix back in the bloodbath, but Lilith's timing had been perfect. Nash hated that he was unable to help, but he had to trust that Lilith would have Merix's back, and he was right.
"Do you think you could kill anyone?" Merix asked out of the blue, looking up at Nash.
He hesitated, hands itching at the idea of blood coating them, but all he could manage was a shrug. "I wouldn't seek anyone out to kill them, but in self defense, I would if I had to. Why?"
Merix ducked his head down, and Nash leaned over enough to recognize that he was scribbling something down in a notebook. "Just curious."
"I think a Victor without any kills has only happened once or twice," Lilith chipped in. "Sometimes it just comes down to luck."
"It's not like we expect you to kill anyone, if that's what you're worried about," Nash said with a frown. "But… none of that matters right now! The bloodbath was this morning; for now, we don't have to worry about death until it comes to visit us."
Merix looked up from his notebook, holding it too close to his chest for Nash to get a look at what he had been writing. "Are we going to do something?"
He hadn't fully thought it through, but Nash was tired of the moping faces his allies were wearing. Sure, they'd changed the scenery and were significantly more in danger than they were before, but that didn't mean they couldn't relax a little, at least for now. Nash Prior wasn't one to face death with a frown, and he wasn't about to let his allies do the same.
"May not be much to do besides sleep for now," Lilith said quietly. "It's been a long day."
Nash looked over at her curiously. "It's still probably only evening at best."
"With no windows, it'll be hard to tell what time it is," Merix mused, tucking the notebook under his arm. "Maybe Lilith is right. The bloodbath is a state of high adrenaline, and since that adrenaline has now worn off..."
"It would help us get a fresh start for tomorrow," Lilith pointed out.
"Are you still taking the first shift?" Nash asked, stretching his arms over his head.
Lilith nodded, turning to grab her crossbow. "I'll get you or Merix when I'm ready."
"Goodnight Lilith," Merix mumbled from where he'd already stretched out. "Goodnight Nash."
"Goodnight, Merix," Nash and Lilith echoed.
After a moment, Merix's breathing slowed. Once Nash felt sure that Merix was asleep, he let himself relax and slowly settled down next to him, like they were on the roof when they watched the stars. He sighed and stared wistfully at the ceiling, wishing that he could help his allies more than he was now. He was so far out of his depth, but he knew he had to keep trying.
He'd do anything for his friends, after all.
8:53 pm, The West Wing.
Eleanor felt bad that she was the reason they had to slow down, but she wasn't sure that her limbs would support her anymore. She was used to working every day at the factory, but that was far different from the constant moving of today, from the bloodbath to now. Thay was hopeful that they'd find their way to another floor, but he'd given up on that as soon as he saw Eleanor practically hanging off of Jack.
"We can rest in the hallway for a few and then pick a room," he said, crouching down next to her. "Were there any you liked?"
Pressing a hand over her heart to feel the fast rhythm of her heartbeat, Eleanor thought back on all the rooms they'd seen. "There was that kid's room… It was creepy, but it at least had two beds."
"I think that was a hallway over," Thay said, frowning to himself as he thought. "It won't take us long to get there, but we'll wait a few minutes anyway. You should snack on something."
Jack immediately started rustling through her backpack, handing a granola bar to Eleanor. She took it, carefully unwrapping it as she recognized that she was a bit lightheaded, though that was probably from hunger. She took a bite, chewing slowly.
"You okay?" Jack asked quietly, eyes lingering on Eleanor as if she was worried but didn't know how to show it.
"I'm fine," Eleanor said before taking another bite. "This just happens sometimes."
"This is because of the factory, right?" Thay asked, glancing up from where he was organizing one of the backpacks.
"I think so," Eleanor said carefully, assuming that the cameras wouldn't air this particular conversation but still uncomfortable with the idea of being watched. "It's not like I can tell for sure. Didn't really have the money or time to visit a doctor."
They both nodded as if they understood well enough, Jack glancing away quietly. "But you liked it there?"
"I like working," Eleanor admitted. "Makes me feel useful, makes me feel like I'm helping Mom back home. We were always tight on money."
"So were my dad and I," Jack said slowly, the first real hint of background she was willing to share. "So… I can see where you're coming from. It may be hard, but the work is… almost fun. It makes you grateful for the little things."
Eleanor managed a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, that's right. And all the girls are in a similar position that I was in, so it's not like they can leave either."
Jack nodded contemplatively. "Hard to leave something that sustains you."
Quietly, Eleanor nodded and finished off the granola bar, shoving the wrapper into her backpack. She felt bad leaving any of it around even if she would only be trashing an Arena, which would certainly get cleaned up at some point.
"I think I'm ready to go," Eleanor said, carefully getting back to her feet.
Her allies kept an eye on her as she maneuvered herself over to the wall, keeping a hand against it to brace herself as she walked. She remembered where the kid's room was, just a hallway over and three rooms down on the left. It had some toys that they'd immediately locked in a closet - everything could be a mutt and they didn't want to take chances - but none of them had looked particularly dangerous, so she was optimistic about the two beds.
Their walk back to the other hallway was significantly slower than their pace most of the day had been. Eleanor led the way, Jack hovering by her side as if ready to step in if she needed any help. Behind them, Thay trailed along, more distant than normal. When they arrived,Eleanor stepped in first, surveying the room as Jack squinted at the door. Thay frowned at the room, hanging back slightly as if trying to figure something out. She could tell that something was different, but it didn't sink in until something ran into her side. Her head slammed into the floor, causing her to groan quietly, but she didn't feel any stab of pain. The boy was likely weaponless and skittish, but that wouldn't do him any good if he didn't calm down.
Eleanor blinked stars out of her eyes, lifting her head to see Twelve pull something sharp out of his pocket. Jack was still frozen in place by the door, unintentionally blocking Thay from being able to get in. His eyes darted between Eleanor and Jack before rushing at Jack, sharp object aimed directly at her.
Jack made a noise before lashing out with her knife instinctively, reeling back as blood sprayed her white jacket. Eleanor screeched at the sight, watching the Twelve boy crumple to the ground. She had hoped that they wouldn't cross paths, but as he lay bleeding on the floor, Eleanor was forced to remember that there was no use hoping for anything in the Games.
Stumbling to her feet, Eleanor cautiously approached Jack, who dropped the knife as if it had burned her. She was staring blankly at the bleeding boy in front of her, likely unable to shake the truth that he was dying because of her.
Thay stepped in and looked down at the boy from Twelve as he twitched, letting out a soft moan as his blood soaked the floor. "Do you want to finish him off?" Thay asked.
Jack shook her head quickly, her normally expressionless face horrified by the sight in front of her. Eleanor wanted to offer some kind of support, but she was frozen in place. She opened her mouth to say something, to perhaps ask if the boy could live, but Thay just sighed. "He's already too far gone. I'll do it if you won't, just to make it fast so he doesn't bleed out and suffer more."
That seemed to be an acceptable solution for Jack, who nodded and looked away. Thay took out one of his own knives, muttering something to the boy that Eleanor didn't catch, turning her back to the scene. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, hearing the cannon's boom echo through the Arena.
Another death. Even though Eleanor knew they wouldn't stop, she wanted to believe that there would be some reprieve, that she'd be able to go back to the way it was before the Games even if it was only for a few brief moments.
"Can I work with you on your knife skills?" Thay asked, looking between the two of them. "This was… a surprise, but I want to make sure you're both as prepared as you can be for the days ahead."
"I'm okay," Eleanor said quietly.
Jack's eyes were once again trained on the lifeless boy on the floor as she said, "Okay. I'll do it."
Thay looked nearly pleased at her acceptance of his offer, moving out of the room. "We can work on that tomorrow once we find a new place to set up camp. We should probably move into one of the nearby rooms for the night."
"Yeah," Eleanor whispered. "We should get out of here."
There were no cannons for the rest of the night, only a projector that popped out of the wall and displayed the fallen's faces in the middle of night when Eleanor couldn't find it in her to sleep. She curled in on herself tighter as their faces flashed up, one after the other.
Maybe they'd haunt the halls, unable to escape the Arena even in death. The Games only knew how to take. They could never give back.
Day One Placements:
24. Kyra, d3f. Killed by Phaedra Nikostratos, spear to the chest.
23. d8m. Killed by Shai Kingston, knife to the chest.
22. d11f. Killed by Alila Perwane, throat slashed by fan.
21. d7m. Killed by Lilith Beherit, arrow through the throat.
20. d7f. Killed by Crush Xing, chisel through the skull.
19. Liam, d10m. Killed by Thay Yukimura, throat slashed by knife.
18. d12m. Killed by Thay Yukimura, knife to the chest.
Kill Counter:
Thay Yukimura: II
Phaedra Nikostratos: I
Alila Perwane: I
Shai Kingston: I
Lilith Beherit: I
Crush Xing: I