Raask Elio
Tech Team (Department 2)
Age 24
3 weeks until the reaping
"What the freaking hell?" Leo croaks suddenly, slowly arching her back as she leans up against Raask's black-pine desk. Her dark eyes search Raask's own, digging for any small parcel hidden beneath his irises. Her words calm and playful but hold her tan face in a spite of pain and anger. Her breath steaming as the light from the dim Tech Team office reflects a glowing sheen across the top of her head. It looks like a glittering, shimmering halo, it really is too bad Leo's the farthest thing from an angel.
"Hold up, I'm confused. You don't have your shift for another half an hour, what are you doing here?" Raask asks, casting a glare down at the paper he had been working through on the District 1 trainees.
"You know what I mean." The young girl hisses, throwing her books atop the stack of papers that had been burning holes in Raask's desk all day.
"And what is that?" he asks, clicking his spongy tongue to the roof of his mouth.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me you didn't kill Kadon."
"What in the name of Panem? I'm confused, is that why you're here? For fucks sake. Why would I kill one of my best friends?" Raask asks, pure astonishment capturing his features. Even in the sudden stress of the situation, he stays calm. Raask twirls a pen between his tan fingers, staring up at Leo as she crosses her arms over her chest.
"You go to the breakroom to get Kadon a glass of water and when you come back he's been stabbed? Doesn't make sense. You might have fooled the others but I'm not as stupid as them. I've been looking for rebel spies like you."
"Why would I hurt Kadon? He was my friend." Raask tries to reason, glancing over at Maddox. She sits peacefully at the desk beside him, dark grey headphones covering her ears. Even across the room, Raask and Leo can barely make out the rhythm of a love song blaring in her ears. She hums along to the beat, bobbing her head up and down as the words 'last young renegade' reach Raask ears. Maddox just keeps typing away, not caring about what is happening around her as Raask turns his glare back to the girl in front of him.
The Tech room was pretty small and dimly lit, yet its patron's found a way to fit seven desks. All in a crooked line that remind Raask of a man's teeth he had met a few nights ago. Leo's work-station is two away from Raask's but clearly, that hasn't stopped her from throwing her stuff down on his.
Something seemed to be different in her eyes, something steaming bright in her mind. A grief of sorts, but there is something more. Raask wishes he could just put his finger on it, but she was hard to read. Even for him. All Sheer's were like that, emotionless on the outside, no wonder they have such a Capital-lined history.
"I don't know why you did it, but it all makes sense. You poisoned Kadon, getting him away from the rest of us so you could stab him, how else would your story be plausible?"
"Because I care about Kadon!" Raask says, starting to get a tad annoyed with Leo's half-hearted accusations. He knows it's just a part of her getting over Kadon's death, blaming others, Leo misses him. But that doesn't give her the right to throw his name under the bus.
Leo breathes heavily for a second before curling her fingers into a fist. "Look, don't lie to me, I can see through that shit."
"I'm not lying." Raask says, "please Leo, I'm sorry that he's dead."
"Who are you working for?" Leo asks, cocking her head to the left as Maddox slowly takes off her headphones. The woman looks between the pair and rolls her eyes.
"What now?" she asks.
"Leo thinks I killed Kadon." Raask sighs heavily, his heart hurting at the fact this girl would think he killed one of his best friends.
"Why would you do that?"
"He's a rebel, his story doesn't add up and I think he's a spy." Leo blurts, tucking a strand of her dark hair away from her face in an angry motion.
"Raask's been in the program for over four years, why would he be a rebel spy?"
"I'm not a spy, why would I be?" Raask chuckles, "trust me and I understand you're battling with grief, but so are all of us, blaming others for his death isn't going to make anyone feel better."
"I don't trust you, I'm going to tell Vasilius, don't worry, there will be a detective on the case," Leo says, narrowing her eyes as Raask just gives her a polite smile. Raask has always been a polite one, which is why he and Leo have clashed so much. She is a tad hot-headed and her sarcasm never quite felt right with Raask. She always seemed to cross the line, but who knows?
"Go ahead, I have nothing to hide."
"I doubt that," Leo says, pivoting on her heels. Her sneakers make a squeak as her footsteps boom across the room. Raask watches the young girl exit the room before looking over to Maddox and laughing quietly to himself.
"What was that about?" Maddox asks, genuinely curious.
"She's dealing with her own form of sadness, I just got caught in the middle of it."
"Ohhhhh, understandable," Maddox says, slowly putting her headphones back over her ears. As the head-bopping continues, Raask slowly gets to his feet. His hands seize the cream-colored envelope taped on the underside of his desk. He lets out a small sigh as he heads out of the office and down the stairs to the break room. He opens the break room doors, smiling at Acre who nods back. Acre is always nice to everyone, including Raask, a bit quieter than most, but in Raask's opinion, the best people in life are the ones who value thoughts rather than words.
"I'm going to take my break a bit early, be back in ten," Raask says, holding up finger guns to Acre. Acre laughs, a small smile overbearing his dark features.
"Cool, I'll be in the office when you get back."
"Sounds good." Raask nods, heading through the next door, the one on the other side of the Tech Team breakroom. He laughs quietly to himself at how easily he has fooled all of them. All besides Leo, but he couldn't think of that now. Not when he had a note to deliver to a girl who knows exactly how to hide among the innocent as well. A young girl who has helped him and a part of his mission. A girl with strawberry blonde hair and clear, beautifully pale skin. An intern of sorts, working for the Capital's camp.
Raask smiles as he looks down at the cream-colored envelope, running a hand through his dark hair.
Dahlia Dutchmann
The name is written in blue ink, a shimmering color against the plain cream.
Adrian Yvonne
Intern to the Rebel Weapons Master
Age 17
3 weeks until the reaping
All the young intern can do is watch the bodies around him dance in the fluorescent light. Pure happy chaos ensuing after the death of another Tech Team member. Cheers of glee rip around the Rebel headquarters 'commons' as smiles stretch across the giant room. Their happiness makes him a tad sick to his stomach, he's never gotten the idea of killing in itself. Guess that's why he didn't sign up to be an assassin like a girl in his class, or a spy like others.
Adrian is more than happy to serve the rebel cause, he just doesn't want more bloodshed than there needs to be. Liyin never liked such violent ideas, and never in a million years would she be alright with him engrossing in such a foul crimson. However, she's what got him here in the very first place, Liyin. There is only so long one can work for money before turning to the one's highest in power, and asking for an internship.
"Don't let them fool you, our mission is far from over." Resa lectures, her voice pulling him back down to reality, one currently located in the rebel base- a base otherwise known as P. R. F.
Resa lets out a raspy and dry sigh as she watches Lavender hi-five Opal, the best friends celebrating the death of Kadon, a Capital spy, a little too much. Or maybe Adrian isn't celebrating enough? Could be either, Adrian tends to downplay things to the extent of being seen as 'uptight'.
"When will our mission be over then?" Adrian asks his mentor as she leads him through the big groups partying away.
"When there's a change," Resa says, exasperation hinting, playing at her tan features.
"Or there's zero survivors." Lavender pipes up, lightly punching Opal's arm, who laughs along with her.
"Zero survivors, how bitch?" Opal jokes, taking a swing of what Adrian hopes is water but instincts tell him otherwise.
"Note to self, watch out for both Opal and Lav tonight to make sure they don't do anything stupid." He mutters to himself, words too quiet for any other ears to hear.
"Resa, are you coming tonight? We're going to check out this year's Savior program volunteers." Opal stammers as Lav smiles at Adrian, sloppiness plaguing her pale face.
"I'd advise against that, best to let the kids enjoy their last few weeks of freedom." Resa calmly states, pointing her heels away from the obviously intoxicated pair. She grabs Adrian's sweater sleeve, pulling him away. He glances back towards the groups, clusters of people breaking out into dance and chugging away at some form of alcohol. "If you do not wish to fall into the clutches of trouble, I'd advise you best stop hanging out with those girls." The woman says, her words sharp and icy. "Howie too."
"Oh come on, can't I have a little fun?" Adrian reasons with his mentor.
"You know the rules, Adrian, I'm sorry," Resa says, laying a soft hand on his shoulder. Adrian glances back towards Howie Wels and the dark-skinned boy shoots him a sympathetic smile back.
"I know, I haven't put in all my hours but that's because I needed to be with my sister, please, just let me have tonight. I promise I'll work a double shift tomorrow." Adrian pleads, casting Lav a small smile as Opal cocks her head in his direction. His three friends stare deviously, hoping for his mentor to cave.
"No is no Adrian," Resa says, still walking away from the celebrating crowds.
"Please, I'll work afterwards." Adrian pleads with his mentor. His hope arises as he watches a small smile partake the corners of his mentor's lips.
"Fine, fine. Don't tell Bres I let you go."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Adrian says, scurrying away from his rather relaxed mentor before she had the time to change her mind. He rushes up to his friends, shooting the trio a big thumbs-up.
He speeds through the maze of limbs to where they stand. Howie looks more tired than usual, but he stands beside Opal and Lav just the same. His peaceful, dark eyes bleed with grey specks, almost like ships lost out in a deep of deep brown. Howie's smile is a big toothy grin, one that could make even the most unhappy person smile.
Howie has been by his side from day one, he's the only one who knows all of Adrian's secrets. He's the one who, when Adrian has nights he's up all night with his sister, is there as well.
"How's it going?" Opal giggles as Adrian reaches them.
"Good." Adrian laughs, turning to the 'commons' of the rebel base. From the inside of the abandoned factory, most would get the feeling they were standing inside a skyscraper. The factory has three levels- a base level, a second story, and an underground lobby. The lobby is otherwise known as the 'commons' by typical rebel folk. Its open-concept layout makes it perfect for any sort of gathering. The floor a strong, silver metal with wispy strands of golden color weaving through it's paneling. The walls stretch up like tall oaks, at least twenty-five feet tall. Tables line the center of the 'commons', building into halls that stretch out, leading to storage rooms and such.
The second floor, the base level, is for training, living, offices, classes, basic things like that. It's more closed off than the 'commons' and twice as organized, for that's where many live. Adrian lives with his sister on the third floor, but that's only because the hospital's up there. On the third floor resides the most top-secret information. The hospital's at the east wing, but the rest of the floor is locked down. Only certified personnel are allowed to even step foot.
Instinctively, he fingers the lanyard tucked foolishly in his back pocket. That lanyard that lets him in past the initial guards to the east wing-
"Adrian?" Lavender asks, giving his shoulder a small squeeze. Her words shatter his thoughts and pull him back to reality.
"Oh yeah?" he asks, smiling at Howie who just lets out a small laugh. His voice airy and free as it falls causally from his lips.
"Just making sure you are good." Opal says, "you want a drink?"
"I think I'll pass, make sure y'all get home safely," Adrian explains, "but that doesn't mean I don't wanna have some fun." He offers the trio beside him a small, cheeky smile. He's never a big one for under-age drinking, more so into volunteering to take care of his friends and make sure they didn't do any stupid. Normally, he is the one doing stupid shit but not now, not when what he does could possibly hurt the money going towards his sister.
"Buzzkill." Opal teases, twirling a strand of her brunette hair between her delicate fingertips.
Saskia Kitana
Rebel Spy (Stationed in the Capital)
Age 20
3 weeks until the reaping
Saskia reaches for the small ceramic coffee mug on Veri's table, fingers aching from the chill that hovered the room like a dense, eerie fog. She offers the older woman a small smile, only to receive a sharp grimace propelled her way. However, Saskia takes no care of the woman's terrible hospitality, it isn't like she invited her anyway.
Uncomfortable silence hangs in the room, churning Saskia's stomach at the thought of how the meeting had gone so far. She holds the cup in her hands for a moment before taking a slow, small sip of the steaming liquid. It feels warm and comforting on her tongue, the first pleasant thing since she'd arrived in the Capital three weeks ago from District Fourteen. Saskia already hates the Capital with a fiery, burning passion but it's not her place to judge its remnant's lifestyles, no matter how little sense they make to her.
"Have you seen the news?" Veri asks, cutting through the silence. Her voice rusty and sharp like the edge of an old, weathered nail. It rasps from her dry, cracked lips in a slow fashion, as if chosen with a careful consideration that Saskia knows Veri Wels doesn't possess. The dark-skinned woman hadn't ever had the most filterable mouth, not until the death of Saskia's mother. That event had changed the whole family, broken apart, and tarnished the Kitana name.
"What news?" Saskia asks, taking another sip of the warm coffee. It slides down her throat, pulling the corners of her mouth into a grin.
"The Tech Team is falling apart," Veri replies, turning slowly to look out the auburn-lit window. Through the dark and heavy blinds, warm sunlight pours into the apartment. For a moment, Saskia can feel herself relishing in it's warmth before letting out a soft grunt when Veri pulls the curtains shut. The woman looks into Saskia's eyes before bowing her head in submission. Her dark curls bounce this way and that as she makes her way back to the kitchen table Saskia has been residing at.
"Raask?" Saskia asks, her smile quickly disappearing, worry and concern penetrate her voice at the thought of her cousin. Her cousin whom she hadn't been able to reach for a hot minute with an increase in Capital Security.
"They…" Veri says slowly, not quite sure how to break the news to the young spy, "he's gone, they found him."
"Found him?" Saskia asks, not sure what to do with her body and just freezes.
"He's dead, I'm sorry."
"THEY KILLED HIM!" Saskia screams, nostrils flaring as she gets to her feet. She drops the mug, sending it shattering to the floor. Millions of shards fly around the room, stinging and stabbing at Saskia's skin but she takes no notice. She can feel the hot tears boiling down her face as the world around her freezes. Raask was the only person that had been able to piece her together after her mother's suicide, Saskia's heart screams out for him, as his face is the only thing she can see with her tear-blurred eyes.
"Calm down, you'll alert the neighbors." Veri ushers, placing a hand on Saskia's shoulder as the girl lets out another scream.
"He was the only family I had!"
"Not necessarily, you have me."
"Face it, you're not family nor do you give two shits about me." Saskia sobs, hands grasping onto the stairway railing to keep from shouting out again.
"There was this girl, she well, put the pieces together and got a detective on the case," Veri explains, offering Saskia a sympathetic smile. Saskia would have thought one could never cross her features.
"What is her name?" Saskia shrieks, knuckles turning white from her grip on the railing. The railing an entrance to the stairway below, a basement full of gizmos and gadgets Saskia had been working on earlier.
"Leo Sheer but she's new, don't you lay a revengeful finger on her."
"But she got Raask killed," Saskia says, her features fashioned into a point of pure anger at the girl.
"Technically he killed himself, it was in the paper. They found him and questioned him a little, of course, he told them nothing. Then they planned to inject truth serum into his veins the next day, figuring that would work better. But while in his cell, he took out his nightlock pill, and well… I'm sorry Saskia." Veri explains and naturally, Saskia's fingers fly to her hidden jacket pocket, tips brushing against the small, dark blue case holding a berry worse than death itself.
"I will kill her myself," Saskia whispers into the chilly, icy air. Veri grabs her wrist, spinning the girl around to face her.
"Don't, you'll expose us all," Veri says and Saskia lets out a defeated sob.
"I know." She says, her body shaking in place as she tries to contain all of her anger and sadness. "At least let me tell Asli about her."
"No, you can't do that."
"Why not, I've been meaning to reach out to her."
"She doesn't know you're alive, honey, that girl thinks you're dead." Veri says, trying to comfort the girl but Saskia just pushes her away.
"She's still my sister."
"She's a traitor," Veri mutters under her breath, still holding tight to Saskia's wrist. "She's a Capital traitor."
"Even then, she's my sister, I can't let her not know that Sheer killed Raask." Saskia replies, shaking the old woman's grip from her tan skin.
Asli had chosen the Capital over family but that doesn't mean Saskia doesn't care about her. Asli had taken to the Capital, clinging to any form of reality after Saskia had 'disappeared' and for that, she blames herself. She holds herself responsible for her sister's grief, blaming herself for being the reason people mutter Asli's name followed by traitor, scum, or even pretentious Capital shit. Asli had held out to the Capital for comfort, looking for any place in this world that wasn't a rebel one. Her family had all been rebels and Asli needed to escape the feeling of having let them down.
"We've known about the Sheer family for years, ain't a death gonna change anything." Veri says, giving Saskia a firm pat on the back before letting go of her arm.
"But it might, I'm going to tell Asli, whether you like it or not," Saskia replies, taking her sharp grip off of the thin railing. She lets out a small sign as Veri freezes, letting the young girl escape through the front door and out into the Capital streets. Her dark hard flies behind her, pony-tail whipping at her back as she sprints to her small apartment. She had to reach out to her sister, and if Veri judged her for that. Fuck Veri. The young spy knows she doesn't care about her, not in any way.
"Asli comes first," Saskia mutters to herself as she throws open the creaky metal door.
A/N: Annnnnd we're back bitches! Last prologue before we head into the intros! I'm sorry for not posting the cast list on the 23rd at 1 pm like I had planned. I'm an alien spy and an urgent meeting notice was sent down to earth, very sad. I had to attend, I'm sorry. But I did post the cast list on discord and on my profile at yesterday at 11. (For legal reasons that's a joke and I was waiting at the hospital for my brother but hmmm idk?). Any first impressions of the cast? Who's PoV was your favorite? Any idea where the subplot will go? It's so intertwined and I love it, this is only the beginning HA.
Alsoooo I'm an idiot and just now realized I forgot to put an 'open to romance' section on the form. If you could PM/DM that to me, I'd really appreciate it. Oop and if (this is not a requirement though) you have a theme song in mind for your baby, I'd love to hear it. I listen to music a ton and having a song that represented your tribute to listen to while writing them, would be epic. But if not that's totally cool.
And yeah, that's all I got. As always, have a good day/night/afternoon.
Bye for now,
Marie