Prologue, Part Three.
"I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."
- from "Invictus," Robert Ernest Henley
Khia Rhodelle, 32
Formerly of District Twelve
"Why are we here?"
Khia wasn't deigned with an answer. No surprise there.
To be honest, Khia didn't even know where here was. Somewhere in what is once again Arizona, not far from the Mexican border. At least that she recognized. That's where they had been the past nearly nine years, after all, after the entire lot of them had congregated somewhere outside of Ten and decided they needed to disappear for a while.
Or, at least one of them did. The rest of them had been doing pretty good at disappearing, until she came along.
Mexico had seemed like the best solution to their problems. It was mostly desert, now. Not much of the jungle left, after what had happened to the world. But it hadn't been terrible.
"You've heard all about what they've been broadcasting the past six months."
"Of course. Sharmyn never shuts up about it."
There was silence between them again, but Khia was used to it.
"Is that why we're here?"
She watched. Waited. Nothing.
"If you're planning on intervening—"
"Why do you think we're here?"
"The last time you intervened in something you almost died. Or do you not remember that?"
Of course she couldn't forget that. That's where Khia got lucky. She ran so far into the woods after the 155th that only one person had ever found her, and he had made the mistake of letting her go. The others had been years after that. Kids when it had happened, fractured adults by the time they had all come together. It was a miracle any of them had survived at all, broken little Sentinels like toy dolls, unable to be patched back up.
Khia's not sure the woman standing in front of her really survived, though. Which at least keeps it consistent in the family bloodlines.
"Is this about what Flora told you?"
It has to be. There's no other answer as to why this is happening, and why it's happening now. They wouldn't be coming back nine years after everything ended to get themselves involved in something if there wasn't some sort of ulterior motive behind it all.
"If that's what this is, stop thinking about it. You don't know that Flora's right. Even the estimate could be wrong. And for all I know right now you're lying to me about it. Lying to all of us, just to get us to agree to this."
"When have I ever lied to you, K?"
Never. That's the worst part. Khia's been lied to so many times in the past that she questions every little thing, now, every single word someone says to her. Maybe that's what kept her alive, when it really came down to it. And maybe it's what will keep her alive now, but she's doubting it. If they're really doing this, intervening in something that has yet to even really begin, then she has no idea what will become of her.
"Do you have a plan?"
"Don't I always have a plan?"
She always has a plan, that's true, except for the words that Flora apparently told her, when no one was looking. Maybe that's what this is about. Guns blazing, go in as hard as she can, before she—
If that's really it, then Khia has a hope of understanding it. She might feel the same way, if their positions were reversed.
"Alright," she says. "I'm in."
"That was easy."
"That's what you wanted, right? So I'm in. Let's do it."
"Why do I get the feeling you're lying to me right now?"
They question each other a lot. That's just how it is. It took a while for Khia to start firing it right back at her. Years, even. This is the woman that pulled them all out of the woods and the mountains and the plains and gave them purpose again, gave them orders when that's all they knew what to respond to. If anyone saw her, she'd be dead. They'd be leaderless once again.
Or maybe it really would fall to Khia, then.
But she's unwilling to let that happen. More unwilling to let their leader fall, than lead herself.
Which means she's in. Whether she likes it or not.
Khia smiles. "When have I ever lied to you, Carnelia?"
thelastreckoning . blogspot . com
Final Applicants:
Faye Ackerman, 12.
Topher Westmoreland, 12.
Damas Mancer, 13.
Verity Alameda, 13.
Jupiter Valens, 14.
Caiman Mangle, 15.
Kidava Vaud, 15.
Sabre Hennedige, 15.
Noelani Westmoreland, 16.
Gideon Mallory, 16.
Jahaira Aurelion, 16.
Isperia Martorell, 16.
Tarquin Vierra, 16.
Percius Marigold, 17.
Meris Loucare, 17.
Icarus Devereux, 17.
Emmi Langlois, 17.
Nicator Selton, 17.
Jupiter Valentine, 18.
Soran Faerber, 18.
Myra Callaghan-Alistair, 18.
Arwen Paoul, 18.
Meliodas Vergara, 18.
Trojan Geomantra, 18.
I made a Discord server yesterday to talk about this nonsense, among other nonsense. The link is on my profile if you want it.
Anyway, yes, there are two Jupiter's who have more of a similar surname than I even realized. Yes, there are two people with the same surname. No, it was not an accident.
There's more than just the 'tributes' on the blog, so everyone's aware. If anyone wants to get a look at any other faces, consider clicking on some of the other tabs. Thought I would keep everyone confined to one blog for everyone's sake.
Also, applicant number on the blog doesn't mean anything. It's purely for aesthetic's sake.
Everything else ... well, you'll see. I'll let you know when something's updated, no matter what it may be, but it'll be a while before then.
Friendly reminder to go take a nap instead of unnecessarily shitting on any one tribute's blog post if you're in the mood for a blog review. If you're angry at anything, it's most likely my doing anyway. I chose the pictures, tinkered with the strengths, weaknesses and locations; go easy on each other and each other's characters, please.
As always, massive apologies to those who didn't get a tribute into this. It was a tough decision, as it's been the previous three times, and there's no hard feelings to anyone that didn't make it in. I had to do a lot of tough shuffling towards the end in order to get a list that I thought I could best work with. And a super big thank-you to everyone that helped me get such a wonderful, diverse cast. I'm so proud of how beautiful they are (and you!).
I'd like a bit of time to plan and tinker some more, so ... I'll see you on the 26th for the first set of intros.
Until next time.