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the-saturn-games . weebly . com (remove the spaces)
Created by ShunKazamis-Girl
Private Sessions: Aemil Frowiss
NAME: Gratiana Lamb
AGE: 16
WEAPON: Short spears
SKILLS: Gratiana demonstrated what she had learned with the short spears. She fumbled when starting and was clumsy with her movements, missing quite a few of the running targets and struggling while fighting with a virtual instructor. She finished off by showing a few survival skills, easily making a fire and stating how to locate water.
STRENGTHS: Gratiana is clearly a clever tribute, easily taking on what she's learned with a high level of retainment. We believe she can work well under high pressure situations and is good at spotting out solutions in difficult scenarios. Apparently, she can also swim well, suggesting she has good endurance too.
WEAKNESSES: Gratiana is clearly inexperienced with weaponry. However, she did choose a difficult weapon to use, so she may perform better with more simple weapons. Gratiana seems to be averse to using these however, as we've yet to witness her using much else. She was also somewhat scatterbrained, never finishing what she started. She may take on too much in the arena.
SCORE: 5.4
ALLIANCES: Is in an alliance with Willow and Miri, who are both fairly capable too. Should they stick together, they'll be a considerable threat.
EDIT: If she lays low, focuses on survival and avoids fighting, she's guaranteed to get far. We can hopefully give her the 'survivor' edit. Whilst it's not the most popular of tropes, it's a commonly used one. A lot of tributes get through just by hiding.
NAME: Karakaxa 'Karrie' Cataline
AGE: 16
WEAPON: Twin daggers
SKILLS: Karrie chose to display her skills with the scimitar, taking out most of the virtual instructors with ease in a quick fashion. She made a few mistakes, striking at the wrong time or stumbling. Karrie filled the rest of the time by telling us game's trivia, telling us her favourite kills, even reenacting a few of them.
STRENGTHS: Her skills with the scimitar are quite impressive, though there are few in the Cornucopia. While fighting, she managed to remain composed for a majority of it, planning out all of her moves and foreseeing her opponent's to a scarily good extent.
WEAKNESSES: We do not know much about her survival knowledge. She tired rather easily in the fight and snapped out of anger a few times. We question whether this will be a detriment to her while fighting. Karrie is not physically strong, though she makes up for it in speed and foresight.
SCORE: 9.1
ALLIANCES: Appears to be going alone. Over her time here, she has remained rather secluded, not forming many relationships.
EDIT: Ripe for the late game villain edit, which is a personal favourite of mine. Her lithe and calculated nature means she should be able to pick off a few of the weaker tributes while keeping to herself. She'll easily defeat some of the projected fan favourites too and her personality is rather polarising, so she should fit the role well.
NAME: Osiris Casimir
AGE: 17
WEAPON: Katanas
SKILLS: Osiris used the katana to an impressive extent, easily defeating every single instructor. Once over, he throws two knives in the air, catching them with the other hand. He started to juggle, showing a clear disregard for his own safety, though he successfully pulled it off.
STRENGTHS: Osiris is clearly the most capable tribute when it comes to the VR technology and weaponry skills. He has good stamina and hand-eye coordination, pulling off a nearly flawless private session. Osiris is not put off by danger and can think clearly in these situations.
WEAKNESSES: Osiris can not use the bottom half of his body. While he can use it in the simulation, it's quite different to usual technology, so he may struggle to use his lower half for extended amounts of time. Osiris also clearly shows a disregard for his safety, which may prove fatal. He doesn't know when to quit.
SCORE: 10.4
ALLIANCES: Osiris is alone, though we noted a budding friendship with Nefeli. We've placed their podiums close together, hoping they'll work together.
EDIT: We plan on giving him a very positive edit, as he seems like a fan favourite. Osiris is a very strong victor contender in fact. I believe he's one of the more unique character types we've had so far and one that'll be hard to replicate. He seems fitting for the role.
NAME: Willow Skies
AGE: 16
WEAPON: Daggers
SKILLS: Willow used the throwing knife station, each knife landing in a varying amount of spots, though a few hit the bullseye. Every knife hits the target however. She moved onto the plant identification station, scoring quite highly. Willow wasted no time and did it all with a smile on her face.
STRENGTHS: Willow showed a middling session. She can use the knives to a somewhat successful extent and shouldn't struggle with any of the survival aspects of the games. Willow is quite fast too. She's clearly determined to succeed and is easy to root for.
WEAKNESSES: Willow lacks weapon knowledge aside from the bare basics. Her reflexes were also quite slow and she had to think her actions through before doing them. Willow also seemed to act on a planned out route, so we question her ability to think in the moment in action.
SCORE: 6.4
ALLIANCES: Willow is in an alliance with Gratiana and Miri. It seems like she's the leader. They work well together and get along, so betrayal or infighting shouldn't be a threat.
EDIT: We're currently unsure on dealing with her edit as she doesn't fit into any role. Her planned angle was 'everyday girl underdog', though we're thinking of switching her to the 'confident early game threat who crumbles' edit. She's too much of a wildcard to predict.
NAME: Auberon Laurier
AGE: 18
WEAPON: Fists
SKILLS: Auberon showed us his skills with camouflage, by painting part of his arm to blend in with a tree in quite intricate detail. As he had little time he did not make much progress. However, it was impressive nonetheless, though we wonder if he'll be able to access the supplies needed to replicate this in the arena.
STRENGTHS: Auberon has his art skills. We've also noted his strange speed in the training centre, so he should be able to easily outrun most of his competitors. Auberon is rather charming and charismatic too, so he should have the audience on the side. He may be able to bargain his way out of death with the right opponent.
WEAKNESSES: Auberon has haemophilia. We're almost certain he will not have it in the games, though freak glitches may occur. We weren't aware we'd have a tribute with such conditions and had to quickly modify the technology. Auberon has bruises all over his body as such, which may be rather painful to live with. He doesn't have much upper body strength either. Auberon also is rather impulsive, acting on whim a lot.
SCORE: 3.8
ALLIANCES: He has an alliance with Dae and Rowan. Dae and Auberon are both on similar wavelengths on skills, but both will drag Rowan down. I can't see Rowan sticking with them for long as they're more of a hindrance than help.
EDIT: We plan to give him the 'quirky, robbed' edit, which the fans can rally behind. This will be the best result for him, as we can't see him making it that far.
NAME: Dae Frazier
AGE: 16
WEAPON: Daggers
SKILLS: Dae started off with the knife station. Their actions were slow, sloppy and not up to par. They managed to beat a few of the instructors but were extremely overwhelmed by the rest. Dae then moved onto the camouflage station, starting off very well but not finishing due to time constraints.
STRENGTHS: Dae is artistic, creative and rather clever when it comes to logical thinking. They can camouflage and easily hide too, as well as survive in the elements. Dae may be able to beat a few of the weaker tributes in a fight. Unfortunately, the list of strengths are rather small, but they can all work heavily in their favour under the right odds.
WEAKNESSES: Dae has bad aim and rather low stamina. They would not last long in a fight, or arena event. Dae is rather oblivious and sheltered, so this will be their first time experiencing the wild to such an extent. They are also rather naive and may be fooled by other tributes.
SCORE: 3.5 (Has been raised up to a 9, per request.)
ALLIANCES: Has an alliance with Auberon and Rowan. Dae seemed to have helped group them together and is the most willing member. I do not believe they'll betray the alliance under any circumstance.
EDIT: Annoa Frazier has requested that Dae places well, so unless a freak accident happens, Dae is certain to place at least the halfway mark. We plan to give them weaker mutts and an easier time in the arena events, whilst steering the other tribute away from them. Dae seems perfect for the underdog edit as a result.
NAME: Lycoris Ashford
AGE: 17
WEAPON: Scythes
SKILLS: Lycoris went with an out of left field choice, going with a shorter sickle. They excelled when fighting with it, clearing out the opponents with relative ease and grace, whilst doing it with a confident smile on his face. But he struggled more with the longer scythe, stumbling over his feet and missing a few of his attacks. He would most likely be knocked out if we hadn't ordered the opponents to stop.
STRENGTHS: Lycoris performed well under pressure and in the fight. He has the confidence to succeed but we wonder if that'll tip over to arrogance. Lycoris has a sleek figure, being quite nimble and stealthy. He should be able to outpace his opponents while also successfully hiding from them. Lycoris performed well in the tests beforehand too, so we believe he's quite clever and analytical.
WEAKNESSES: Lycoris is too confident, which could be his downfall. He may take on an opponent too dangerous or risk his life rather stupidly. Lycoris is weak when it comes to strength, is nearsighted yet refuses to wear glasses/contacts and has a tendency to vomit blood. A combination of these could finish him off.
SCORE: 6.9
ALLIANCES: Lycoris has partnered up with Tiara. They seem to be engaged in a romantic relationship, though our cameras have recorded odd ranges of behaviour between the two of them. The alliance doesn't seem to be too strong.
EDIT: Potential victor, if not…maybe another late game villain? We're overflowing with candidates for that role however, so we're currently unsure.
NAME: Miri Sunburst
AGE: 17
WEAPON: Knives
SKILLS: Miri's session was similar to one of her videos. She introduced herself, her partner Casimir and some other fun facts about her. This took up a large chunk of the session. She finished off by showing some rather average skills with a knife, slowly finishing off three of the opponents spawned in for her. While we were rather engaged with Miri, we didn't see much of her skills.
STRENGTHS: It's obvious to see that Miri is rather charming and charismatic. She's easy to root for and evidently good at acting (her persona almost had me fooled.) I'm sure they'll come in useful for her at some point. Miri is pretty as well. She's small, speedy and light, so she can escape tricky situations rather easily. Miri also performed surprisingly well on the logic tests we gave them beforehand, something her ditzy appearance would suggest otherwise.
WEAKNESSES: Miri isn't strong and doesn't have much weapon experience. She appears to have low endurance too as she didn't last long on the physical tests. We have no evidence on whether she's good at survival skills, but we do know her memory is rather terrible. Miri is also allergic to nuts, something the arena is abundant in.
SCORE: 4.6
ALLIANCES: Miri is in an alliance with Gratiana and Willow. Not much else to say that hasn't been mentioned, but Miri seems to be loyal.
EDIT: We think we can give Miri the rootable protagonist edit, who sadly suffers a terrible ending. Miri will most likely be well liked by the audience so hopefully this should work.
NAME: Tiara Christal
AGE: 16
WEAPON: Spears
SKILLS: Tiara picked up spears of varying length, throwing each one at a target and hitting a majority of them. There was a range from where it landed but they were all pretty successful. Tiara finished off by climbing on the obstacle course, easily making her way through it.
STRENGTHS: Tiara is rather good at most physical activities. She can swim, run and fight quite well. Tiara also has quite good endurance when it comes to these activities and can do them for extended periods of time. We believe she'll be quite well liked with the audience as she is quite sociable and has an amazing fashion sense.
WEAKNESSES: We're not sure how she'll perform with the survival aspects. Tiara is quite...attached to Lycoris too. They rarely seem to be apart. We don't know how she'll cope without him and if she's dragging them down. She may rely too much on him. Tiara's memory is also not that strong.
SCORE: 7.3
ALLIANCES: Tiara is in an alliance with Lycoris, though she seems much more enthusiastic than him. They're both rather capable so we believe the alliance will be rather successful despite their odd dynamic.
EDIT: Tiara's edit will sadly probably rely on Lycoris. She'll be his confidant, his friend, his lover. But if Lycoris does win, this'll work in favour for her.
NAME: Baxter Parthenon
AGE: 18
WEAPONS: Falchion swords
SKILLS: Baxter displayed his sword skills, which were just above average. Baxter's confident demeanour and lack of hesitation made his skills seem even more impressive, though he seemed to lack technique. We wonder how well he'll do in a fight with an actual tribute. He finished off by easily completing the obstacle course.
STRENGTHS: One glance at Baxter and you'll be able to tell that he's incredibly strong and muscular. He should have no problem with most physical tasks. Baxter can run incredibly quickly, climb at an impressive rate and lift up most objects. Baxter is also rather energetic and a quick thinker, though that may loop back around to him being impulsive.
WEAKNESSES: The elephant in the room is his drug dependency, something which he's shown he struggles to overcome in the training days. He may start to get used to waning off the drugs in the games but it will hamper his performance. He's also rather emotional, quick to fight and easy to make enemies. Baxter also lacks stamina, can not swim and has questionable amounts of knowledge on the survival aspects of the games.
SCORE: 7.8
ALLIANCES: Baxter is going in alone. His abrasive attitude seems to be off putting, shockingly.
EDIT: We plan for Baxter to have an 'early game villain edit, maybe wrack up a kill or two, before dying in a satisfying ending.
NAME: Blu Saint-Germain
AGE: 18
WEAPON: Brass knuckles
SKILLS: Blu picks up a rapier, a weapon he is clearly decent with. But the pressure seems to get to him as he starts to mess up shortly after starting to fight. Blu is somewhat slow and sloppy, missing some very obvious attacks and failing to dodge some easy to avoid moves. But he still wins the fight, disarming the opponent. Blu finishes off in the fire making station, making a decent fire.
STRENGTHS: Blu was decent with the rapier, having good stamina and the ability to not panic when he did mess up. Blu is quite large and physically attractive which'll work in his favour. We really don't have a lot of strengths in mind, but he's still a capable tribute.
WEAKNESSES: Blu is rather closed-off and quiet, having no allies. While he seems rather independent, having no allies to cover his weaknesses and quite a few enemies may be dangerous for him. Blu can't swim, climb well and he'll struggle to adapt to the conditions of the arena. We've also noted some possible anxiety problems, though we can only speculate at this point.
SCORE: 5
ALLIANCES: Blu has declined every alliance offer, choosing to go by himself.
EDIT: Despite all this footage, we don't have a lot of info on Blu. He seems to be going out of his way to keep his strengths and weaknesses a secret. Blu probably has our weakest prediction and we're not sure what edit to give him. He seems prime for an 'invisible edit' sadly.
NAME: Nefeli Brightberry
AGE: 18
WEAPON: Knives
SKILLS: Nefeli is obviously affected by only having one arm. She only uses a small knife which is probably the best thing she could use. But she works well with it. Nefeli displays her knowledge of the vital body points, stabbing the dummies in the 'best places.' To finish off the time, Nefeli tries the plant identification station, scoring well above the average.
STRENGTHS: Nefeli is quite skilled at combat, as we know she can fight rather well. Nefeli is quite fast, has decent stamina and can swim quite well. We've also noted above average intelligence throughout the tests, so she's clearly smarter than she's let on.
WEAKNESSES: Nefeli obviously only has one arm, something which we tried to fix in the simulation but failed. She can't use a majority of weapons, won't be able to climb and will struggle with a myriad of other issues. Nefeli is also not that well liked. She's closed off, rude and insulting, culminating in quite a few enemies.
SCORE: 6.1
ALLIANCES: Nefeli is alone, though we have noted the friendship with Osiris. We're praying that they do ally and we're willing to push them closer to each other, under any circumstance.
EDIT: We hope we can give her a redemption arc, from villain to anti-hero/hero, which is something Osiris will make so much easier.
NAME: Rowan Augustine
AGE: 18
WEAPON: Shortswords
SKILLS: Rowan uses a sword, performing quite well in the fight. Rowan clearly plans out his moves well, is quick and displays some impressive tricks. But at the end, he stumbles, tripping over and dropping his sword straight onto the floor. If it was a real fight, he'd be dead in seconds, so we drastically reduced his score from a 8.2 to a 5.2. This seems to embarrass him so much that he opts out straight away.
STRENGTHS: Rowan is very intelligent (it was hard sorting him into a District.), in both book and street smarts. Rowan is rather large and muscular, with a lot of raw strength. His weakness severely drag his strengths down unfortunately, as he could be one of the biggest threats if he didn't.
WEAKNESSES: Rowan is also rather clumsy and seems to have a defeatist attitude. He also lacks constraint and self control at times. He also seems to struggle with mental health problems though we don't know the specifics yet.
SCORE: 5.2
ALLIANCES: Rowan is allied with Auberon and Dae. He seems to feel rather guilty about sticking with them and is clearly contemplating leaving.
EDIT: Rowan seems like he'd fit an antihero well, though the balances could tip. Perhaps an antivillain edit may also work?
Rankings
Osiris (10.4)
Karrie (9.1)
Baxter (7.8)
Tiara (7.3)
Lycoris (6.9)
Willow (6.4)
Nefeli (6.1)
Gratiana (5.4)
Rowan (5.2)
Blu (5)
Miri (4.6)
Auberon (3.8)
Dae (3.5)
10: Osiris
9: Dae, Karrie
8: Baxter
7: Tiara, Lycoris
6: Willow, Nefeli
5: Gratiana, Rowan, Blu, Miri
4: Auberon
Auberon Laurier
I'm really not too hopeful when it comes to my training score, but maybe they'll take some pity on me and see that I'm better than my pitiful display! Judging my exterior on a ten minute performance when they haven't seen my interior or the other three days of training seems pointless, so maybe they'll round my score up.
I eagerly watch Decima and her dress made out of different shapes of beads flow about, hitting against each other to make an unpleasant sound. "First off, we have Auberon Laurier…who earned a four! Congrats!"
A four? I know it was going to be bad but I didn't think it'd be that low! But four is a great number still! Doesn't it mean death or something? Maybe it's a premonition that I'll be a dangerous serial killer in the arena and get around like ten kills! Wouldn't that be spooky?
Who am I kidding? A four is terrible! I don't know why I had any hope I could have done better. It's a fitting score for somebody who showed such a pathetic showing as I did…
"Congrats, Auberon!" Dae smiles at me, holding onto my hand.
"Thanks. It's pretty crap though. Like a massive pile of horse dung crap." I frown, looking away.
Dae shakes her head intensely. "I'm sure there's been lots of Victor's who've earned a four before!"
Karrie whispers to us. "There's only been one...and it was widely accepted as a fluke. If the Gamemaker's didn't set the forest on fire, she never would have survived."
Wonderful. I guess I'll have to be a trendsetter then!
Rowan shakes his head. "There's some things you can keep to yourself, Karrie…"
"He has a right to know how his chances have been affected now. It's only fair." Karrie tries to make it seem as if she's trying to help me, but that's clearly not the case.
Oh well, I can still defy the impossible odds! I thought that even when I applied and I've made it this far. It's too soon to put myself down…
Baxter Parthenon
"Baxter Parthenon is second...and he earned an..."
The unnecessary suspense pisses me off slightly, but I show no reaction. I know I did well, the session went swimmingly! But the long wait plants ideas in my head that maybe I'm…being confidently incorrect?
"Eight! Very impressive."
I let out a sigh of relief to a chorus of a few weak claps. There's a few mumbles as the claps get a little bit louder, before completely ceasing. I didn't expect a standing ovation, but it's disheartening to have these bastards respond so mildly.
I turn around to see the hall go back to it's usual humdrum. We've sat on a small circular table made of oak, all facing each other, yet everyone feels so far away.
"You did so well! How did you manage to score that highly?" Gratiana asks, taking me to be some gullible child.
"Hey, I may have been born yesterday but I'm not that stupid." I smile, deciding not to let the intrusive thoughts get the best of me. She sighs, sinking back into her creaky chair.
"Oh well, it was worth a try."
Blu Saint-Germain
The fact that Baxter scored so highly scares me slightly, but I'm not too concerned. I took a decent chunk of time watching him fight and judging by how he handles difficult situations, I'm not too impressed. He must have some sort of trick up his sleeve to score that highly though…
Could I really beat him in a fight? I run through a few possible scenarios with different weapons, locations and situations, though the more I think of, the more I'm unsure if I can win. Whilst going through the hypotheticals usually distracts me, every road leads me to the same brick wall.
Auberon can easily be disregarded however, though I'm not too sure if I ever considered him as a threat.
"Now we have Blu Saint-Germain with a five! A very respectable score." Decima announces, showing a blank dead face expression.
I'll take that. I think that's around the average score, which won't really arouse any suspicion. My plan continues to work without a hitch…who knew I could be so lucky? Perhaps I'm not actually relying on luck and I can take some credit for doing so well so far. As long as I don't let the balloon of pride swell up in my head…
A few people clap, which honestly touches my heart and lets a glimpse of light twinkle in my eye. I shed my frown and show a smile back. Tiara sends me a sweet grin, as Auberon claps with large seal flippers, almost elbowing Dae. The trio of girls, Willow and her friends, respectfully simmer as they clap. People mutter congratulations at me and I offer thanks back.
Even if I didn't do so well, they're all so kind…too kind for such a distant man like me. If we weren't in a competition, perhaps I could become close friends with some of them. Wouldn't that be nice?
Dae Frazier
I wasn't really aware of it, but apparently Rowan and Karrie are sort of friends now? I hadn't even noticed, so I wonder if it's a reflection on my ignorant and selfish nature?
But still…is it more of a reflection on Rowan's flaws? Auberon poured his heart into telling us how much Karrie's attitude had upset him and for Rowan just to disregard that is…is…so disrespectful!
It also seems like she's wedged her way between us. Was she influencing Rowan to leave us? She's had nothing nice to say about us so far, which is why her sudden change in attitude just seems disingenuous.
But if Auberon has a problem, he doesn't say anything. I sometimes wonder if he has a backbone…I don't think he'd stand up against her if she murdered his own family. I can't always defend him, sometimes he has to fight his own battles.
Oh, since when I have been so petty though?
"Scoring an…wow! Coming in with a 9 is Dae! Incredible!" Decima interrupts my state of recluse.
A nine? I didn't do that well, did I? Better than Baxter who can lift a table with his pinky and Blu, the most level headed tribute here? Am I being too harsh on myself again?
It just seems like everything has been such a whirlwind recently. Nothing feels real anymore…
Ah, oh well! Mother will be so proud! All the hard work and dedication I've put in have come to fruition. Pride overcomes me and I can't help but beam with a toothy smile.
"A nine? That's…that's…a nine? That's amazing Dae!" Auberon smiles, pulling me into a hug.
"T-thanks!"
But I pull myself back, for I can see Karrie eyeing me in the corner. She doesn't bother to hide her expression as she doesn't turn away. It's almost as if she's angry at me, for…for doing so well?
Does she think I've been lying about my skills? Is she trying to chastise me for just being my truthful self?
I…I don't like when she's around. I feel like I can't truly relax, even when Auberon is jumping up and down in excitement and Rowan's patting me on the back. It all seems so tiny compared to the tower of her shitty attitude.
Gratiana Lamb
The room still hasn't settled down by the time they get to me, which is understandable but annoying. From what we've all seen, Dae was rather terrible in the training centre, so they must have been acting so incompetent on purpose.
It does beg the question…what is the true Dae like? How skilled are they at the games and how much of their sort of naive and clumsy persona is fake?
I must sound so cruel doubting such a nice person. But it's how the games are, even if they're much more relaxed and have lower stakes. Suspicion is woven into the very seams of the structure and it's all very hard to ignore or adjust to. I think I'm sort of in the middle of the spectrum, trying to change not too much whilst not acknowledging it…but it's a competition. Tension is inevitable.
My thoughts are all over the place until Decima suddenly calls my name. All I want is to do better than Herminia! I can't have her one upping me my entire life! Our family occasions will never be peaceful again if I do worse!
"Now we have Gratiana Lamb...with a five! Well done!"
A...five? That's a fine score, but...I performed better than that, surely? It's like they've discounted all the planning and care I put into doing well. But that doesn't matter, does it? I could spend hours fine tuning my product, but if I release a broken result, that's all the consumers will see.
I think Willow and Miri can sense my...disappointment, as they pull me into a hug.
"You shouldn't be too sad with a five...it's not as bad as...a four!" Miri tries to console me, but the perfectionist and overachiever in me can't feel any better. There's no denying it's a crap score and it'd be foolish to ignore how much it truly means to me.
Willow nods. "Yeah! And these scores aren't everything! It's how you act in the arena that makes up for everything."
I nod, not too sure what to say. She's right…it's not the end of the world, is it? I'll just have to work extra hard now to break down all the conceptions everyone has of me now!
Karrie Cataline
I'm still revelling over the fact that Dae got a nine…somehow? The trope of the weak underdog secretly being an amazing capable killer is an overdone, tired and rinsed out trope…yet I couldn't even see the signs even when it's been dangled in front of my face all this time. Do I actually need the background music and all the editing tricks to spot it?
Frowning, I finally take my gaze away from Dae, who's smiling seems to be faltering under my eagle eyes. It was only one prediction out of five. Even if everything I've expected and planned out has been flipped upside down, turned inside out and then burned into a crisp, it's still fine.
And everyone else has performed incredibly middling thus far, besides Baxter. But…it's Baxter. No matter what number is assigned to him doesn't void the fact he's clearly fodder!
"Now we have Karakaxa Cataline…"
Was my full name really necessary?
"With a nine too! Two nines in a row! Amazing!"
I show a hint of a smile as I receive little fanfare, besides Rowan and Auberon (who I think is kind of cute now, in like an obnoxious little brother way) While I don't need anyone else's approval, my success does seem a little diminished.
I was almost outdone by Dae and nobody cares?
Ah well…my smug smile won't be wiped off so easily!
Lycoris Ashford
"Do you think people will like…care about what we score? Like will they make fun of us if we score lowly?" Tiara wonders, as she drums her fingers on the tables.
Most certainly. The entire facility now knows of our plan to make a career alliance, so we've painted quite a picture for ourselves. If we don't do as well as we've been selling ourselves, we'll be seen as a pair who have eyes too big for our brain. Foolish dreamers who aren't aware enough to know their own capabilities. It's the risk we took when making this plan, so we'll have to see if it bites us in the back.
"I think everybody is too focused on themselves at the moment…so no." I shake my head, not looking away from the screen.
"I hope so. Oh god, it feels like we're waiting for our test papers to be handed out. I never know how well I've done." Tiara says with much nervousness in her voice.
I try to ignore her, sarky intrusive thoughts only coming to mind.
My eyes don't divert the screen as Decima speaks. "Lycoris Ashford scores…a seven! Very impressive still."
Tiara squeals and claps, pulling me into a hug. She reacts before I can even process it, which makes me wonder if she would have reacted this way no matter what I scored. Perhaps she is more calculated than I assumed too.
"You have to be happy with that!" Tiara smiles.
"I…suppose I am." I mutter with a twinge of bitterness. Good, but never good enough…I can't be happy as long as there's people doing better than me. It shows how petty my truths are, but at least I'm an honest man. I don't shove my flaws to the side like some here do.
Miri Sunburst
I feel like I should be nervous at the moment, but a resounding nothingness reverbs in my soul. A number like this seems so insignificant in the long run without so many people gambling. I doubt anyone but the superfans will remember this number by the end of the night, so why should I care?
I have every angle planned out anyway, no matter what I get.
A low score? Well, I'm just a girl who's looking for some sympathy! I'll play up the poor little me angle before showing off some unseen skills to leave the audience in an awe. Whether I have those skills is an entirely different question, but it's the only option I'll be left with.
An average score? I can claim it's because I wanted to blend in with the crowd. I'll seem strategic and game ready, which'll appeal to the nerds who watch this. While I realistically want to stand out, to my new fans it won't matter that much as I'm aiming to gain them mainly through my personality and not my skills. So I admit this isn't where I really shine anyway.
A high score? All eyes will be on me and I'll garner a larger audience. It's the most obvious, but that goes without saying.
"Miri Sunburst! Congrats on getting a...five!"
My dismay at my score doesn't even register when I'm smiling incredibly brightly. The average score is the angle I wanted the least, but…it's an edit I can work with. I just have to mold it to my own success!
Nefeli Brightberry
Whilst I wouldn't really describe myself as a realist per se, I would also say that my feet are grounded on this Earth at all times. I know I'm not getting a high score. I don't expect one and I don't really want one. It'll do nothing for me as everyone will regard me as the weakest tribute regardless. No number will change the fact that I'm one limb down!
The least I need is a high score getting to my head. I already fucking know that I can succeed, but having the gamemakers on my side will give a bit too much power. I'd rather them tone me down and humble me a little.
Or maybe I'm just trying to escape from the depressing reality I have to face everyday. As much as I can cry they're doing it because they want an underdog arc or something, it's probably because they don't see me as a true contender. Oh pity, let the waterworks out for me now!
"Nefeli Brightberry has managed to earn...a six."
Huh…that's better than I expected actually!
I'm not weeping tears at the revelation and falling to my knees, but I'm happy enough! I can't turn it down without seeming like a complete bitch, seeing as I've done better than half the tributes so far.
So with a grateful smile, I accept the few thanks I'm given. Even if I'm not popular, people are still courteous. I guess…this year's bunch of tributes are really nice. It seems like there's a lot less drama than usual.
"Well done…" Osiris smiles. "You seem happy with a low score."
"A low score? I'm still going to score higher than you, bitch. I'm sure you'll still be grinning when you get a 3."
Osiris Casimir
"Osiris Casimir...oh my...congratulations on scoring a 10!"
The room goes silent for a second. Nefeli is robbed from whatever words she had in mind, only breathing shakily as she flips back and forth between my gloating smile and the crowd. If only I could take a picture of her dumbfounded expression…it's almost as if somebody's told her that her missing little dog has run away to the farm!
Everybody then bursts into a loud clap, as I'm handed a standing ovation on a gold platter. I bow down with faux humbleness, wiping an imaginary tear from my blushing cheek.
I've only gone and defied every single odd that's been stacked against me! The highest score yet…for the boy everybody thought wouldn't even make it to the runway stage.
"The fuck? How have you managed to get a ten?" Nefeli looks confused, as she shifts somewhat irritably on their uncomfortable chair.
"Oh thank you for such a heartfelt congratulations Nefeli! It's nice to see you're my biggest supporter…" I smile, as I wheel a little bit closer to them, using my hands to push them instead.
Nefeli gulps awkwardly, staring away as they try to hide their embarrassment. "Right…erm…well done, actually. You fully deserve it."
My attention is diverted as Miri runs up to me, pulling my bony body into a hug. "Aah, you did amazingly!" She smiles, with a doting adoration.
I can only stroke back, at a loss for words for the first time in my life.
Rowan Augustine
Once Osiris's adoring fans finally decide to stop interrupting the night, the show continues once more. Karrie also lets out a sigh of relief as they stop picking at the plain table cloth. It's then I realise we can both be heartless bitches, can't we?
I just fail to see why celebrating having such dangerous competition is a good thing. Good on Osiris for doing so well, but…it's like everyone's forgotten that we're going to be fighting each other in a few days time? Osiris isn't going to spare you for worshipping him at his feet then, is he?
"Aw, he's actually so cute when he blushes!" Auberon pulls at his own cheeks as he watches Osiris get back into place. I never knew Auberon liked him so much…but he does seem to like everyone. The only person I've really heard him to be negative to is Karrie…
And I've dragged her here, oops! My bad.
Dae shrugs, playing with a red plastic rose from one of the vases. "Not as cute as Rowan."
Now it's my turn to blush. Dae then giggles, knowing they're not attracted to men. Ah well, a compliment is a compliment!
"Up next, we have…Rowan Augustine with a five!"
That's…not too promising. It'd be inappropriate to turn my nose up at that, but I truly believe my worth and ability is higher than a five. One mistake isn't enough to eradicate the bounty of talent I also hold.
"Meh." I mutter, not having the energy to form a full sentence. Auberon's smile falters as I realise how socially unaware I can be sometimes.
"At least it's not the lowest." Auberon awkwardly laughs. I laugh too, hopefully making him feel a little better. He's been through the shitter recently…he needs something to cheer him up, even if it comes from my dry and awkward lips.
Tiara Christal
An uncomfortable sickness rests in my stomach. It's kind of an open secret that I maybe…care a little bit too much about all this shit? Like, it's just another number to put on my report card at the end of the day, but to me it feels like the final grade deciding whether I get into my dream college or not!
Lycoris grips onto my sweaty hand, which doesn't help. Considering I'm plotting to…err…break up with him, it just makes me feel worse. Now I'm regretting making such a big deal out of that, seeing as I might go back on my plan! I've made myself look like even more of a fool. That's not hard though, is it?
Looking at my lap, at my ratty training uniform, I can't help but feel worse. I don't feel comfortable wearing this, so to have…all these eyes directed at me just makes me feel even more nervous too! Are people disregarding me already? What do they even expect out of me?
Do I have to have the stage lights on me so much?
"Tiara Christal…scores an amazing seven!"
Wait, she isn't…joking, is she?
I turn around to see quite a lot of people clapping. Even the people I barely know seem to be quite pleased with how I've done! Baxter hollers the loudest, knocking his knees against the table which seems to frustrate Blu (but his cute 'annoyed' face is kind of funny.) Auberon and Dae stand up, which they've done for everyone, but it still feels nice. Miri and her friends all cheer loudly too…
But Lycoris doesn't really react. He…claps a little, but it really seems like he doesn't want to be here. Is he that selfish that he can't even pretend to like care about me? Does he have to be so stuck up all the time? All he seems to worry about is how all of his competitors are doing compared to him.
This might be a game, but surely our friendship trumps over all this strategy, even if it's only for a moment.
"Matching scores!" I squeal, though I don't know why I'm even trying anymore. All this effort, just for nothing. It's all been for nothing.
Lycoris suddenly smiles, cheering too. But it's too late. I don't know who he's trying to convince. I get this is all an act, but…we do actually have a friendship, don't we?
"That's incredible! We both did so well!"
We…did. Congrats to us.
Willow Skies
Closing off the show is always fun, as you usually unleash the applause and fanfare to the other actors. But this is no show I want to finish. However well or poorly I do will be everybody's last impression, the last memory they'll remember, the last thought on their mind as they head back to their rooms…
And this drawn out wait has been way too long. I rarely feel unwell. I haven't felt that worried the entire time here, but now I feel more nauseous than ever.
And I don't want to sound like a bitch, but our alliance really needs this high score! I really was expecting better than two fives, especially from Grati. I can't even fathom how she scored so lowly, seeing as I've seen all her talents in person. Miri's a bit more understandable, but it's still disappointing nonetheless.
"Finally, to end off the night, we have…Willow Skies, scoring a respectable six!"
Respectable? That's it?
"Willow, that's so good!" Miri is the first to hug me, even though I was so quick to slander her.
"Well done." Grati mumbles with an awkward smile.
I take a heavy deep breath, steadying my shaky hand. Even if I feel like crying, I'll have to cover it up. I'll have to take my own advice and accept it as a good score. Because it is one! And I'd normally be willing to take it if it weren't for our alliance's combined score of…17. What an ugly number.
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