Fire is catching
Chapter 12
Authors Note: I just want to warn you guys. This is a fairy tail AND Hunger Games fan fiction. The rules of the Hunger Games say that there can only be one survivor which basically means that 23 people are going to die. And they're not going to fall asleep and never wake up, there will be blood and tears and… well, you can imagine it. So I just want to tell the people that can't handle gore (which is perfectly fine) that they should probably stop reading this story. For all the others: be prepared for deaths! Please don't hate me ;) That being said enjoy chapter 12!
I let the fighter in myself take over, feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins.
I have to be careful, if I let my dark side take over too much, I might lose control and never come back, I might fall for the darkness.
Still, I need to be reckless, cold and heartless to make it, at least a little bit.
As long as I control it, it'll be all right. I'll just have to find the right balance.
And so I continue my way through the dark roads, not really aware of it. My feet walk in a constant rhythm, my mind is clear, it's been a while that I was so carefree.
Everything light has something dark to it, but everything dark also has a good side.
How much time has passed? I really don't know, it could be hours, it could be minutes.
I just hope that enough blood has flown already otherwise the audience won't be pleased right? That would be a disaster, I would've failed. My duty as a tribute is to die in an entertaining way, I can't let the poor people in the capitol get bored. Oh well, don't worry, as soon as I'm out of this labyrinth I'll get you some screaming and killing and blood. A wicked grin crosses my lips, that'll be fun…
I shake my head gasping for air. That was a close one, I almost fell for it. I'll have to be more careful then, I can't allow myself to go crazy. As pleasant as it is to give myself to the dark to wipe out all depressing thoughts, to stop thinking for a while, it's too dangerous, I can't control it properly and until I'm not able to do this, I can't let it happen. It's too risky.
I rub my eyes trying to focus again. Am I only imagining it? Or has something changed? It's like the dark halls actually got a little lighter. I can see colors again!
The blue of my shirt Gerard designed for me, the blonde of my hair, the red of the blood sticking on my hands, the colors are back. And I can even see a light at the end of the tunnel. Could it possibly mean that I made it? Could it be that the game makers agreed on letting me out of that labyrinth?
I start sprinting towards the light, my breathing getting heavier, my body is tired after all that running, but I can't stop now. Not now, as I'm so close to getting out of here.
I'm getting closer, closer to the light, closer to the exit, oh thank goodness that this will be over soon!
Wait what?! Out of the labyrinth? That means that I'll be, I'll run…
I'll run straight into the bloodbath.
I don't know whether I'm the first or 24th tribute to arrive, but no matter which way it is, it's getting serious now.
Although the labyrinth was horrible, it at least was rather safe. Now I'm unprotected, an open target for everybody who might want to kill me.
And I'm even planning to get some stuff. It would be way safer to just run into hiding as quickly as possible, but noooo, reckless Lucy wants to have more risk. I plan on running right into the massacre just to get some coins and maybe a survival kit if I'm lucky.
Who came up with this stupid plan?
Oh right, it was me!
Slowing down my steps as I get closer to the exit I press myself against the wall, trying to ignore the fact that they are painted with blood.
It would be smarter to observe the situation a little before jumping into it blindly.
My eyes take some time to adjust to the brightness, still being used to the depressing darkness.
The Cornucopia stands on a raised square. In a pyramid-like form big stairs lead to the square from all sides.
I can make out some backpacks and parcels that are displayed on the stairs. I guess that they don't include the big things, like dangerous weapons or big food stocks, but they look just right for me.
Laying maybe halfway up to the cornucopia is a backpack with a roll attached to it. It looks like a roll filled with coins. Magic coins? What else could it be, it just has to be it!
I need that backpack, I know it, that's the one I have to get.
I look around. Two people, one of them I identify as Erza Scarlet, already reached the Cornucopia. How else could it be?
Then I see a person shooting right out of one of the other corridors and running straight into hiding.
Right, where will I go once I got the backpack?
All the other 23 exits are left and right from where I'm standing. Then there is the big platform with the stairs and behind that I can actually see some other corridors. A neon yellow sign which is hanging above the opposite hallways has a black arrow pointing straight ahead.
Well, I suppose that means that I'll have to go through those corridors if I want (ok, I don't want to, but I have to if I don't want to get killed by a knife throwing Erza) to reach the arena.
I get positioned, my eyes locked on the backpack and count to ten.
Run up the stairs.
Get the backpack.
Run to the other hallways.
Get into the real arena.
Stay alive.
Easy as pie.
Letting out one last calm breath I shoot out of my safe hiding place and run as fast as my tired feet can.
I feel the cold wind playing with my hair, my breathing going super fast, my legs getting really heavy and a sharp pain in my side.
I'm not used to running so much. I don't have that much stamina.
I grid my teeth, go on, run faster. The stairs are only a few meters away and until now it doesn't look like Erza and the others discovered me, or if they did, they just don't care.
Aching for a break to catch my breath I reach the stairs that seem endless, but I can't stop and I won't stop.
Come on Lucy! Put yourself together!
I push myself to climb them up as fast as I can, giving it my very best.
Oh my, do these stairs never end? I ask myself still focused on the black backpack.
That's when I see somebody dangerously close to me. I can't recognize who it is, but he or she is running upwards just a few meters next to me.
What should I do? I have nothing to defend myself, but come to think of it, the other tribute doesn't either. I just hope he/she/it doesn't get in my way.
A strong draft above my head gets my attention and I see a blade flying just a few inches above my head.
I struggle to not fall down the stairs, oh my goodness, this knife, just a little lower and it would've, it would've killed me?
Well what was I imagining? That the hunger games are a tea party or what? This shit is real!
Looking up I see a girl with long red hair standing at the edge of the square.
So Erza found herself a nice position? She can just stand there and throw some knifes at the arriving tributes, one of them being me, and she hardly ever misses.
Not good.
Still I don't stop moving, don't stop getting closer to the cornucopia.
I need that damn backpack.
I have to be careful; I can't give Erza another chance. It's a miracle she didn't get me at her first try, but if I give her another chance, it'll definitely turn out bad.
Finally I notice who the one that's running beside me is.
It's Lisanna, the girl from 10.
We're both just a few steps away from that backpack I want and it seems like I'm not the only who laid an eye on it.
Don't you dare Lisanna, that bag is mine. I saw it first, I want it, I need it!
Looking around for a similar backpack I'm not surprised that there is none. I already passed the less valuable things like plastic tarpaulins, but what I need are coins, so I have no other choice than to fight with Lisanna over that pack.
I rush up the last stairs and finally reach the bag, just a little too late. Lisanna already bent down to grab it. She's standing a little higher than me, looking straight into my eyes.
What should I do? I can't let her get away but I don't really want to fight her.
I decide on throwing myself unto the backpack, wrapping my arms around it, digging my nails into the soft material. I won't let it go, I won't.
I pull and drag, trying to make her drop it, careful not to lose my balance and fall down the stairs.
"Stop it Lucy" she screams in frustration "I was first, get lost!"
"You wish" I hiss, as if I'd give in that easily.
She then gives me a kick in my shin which almost makes me fall.
Lisanna takes advantage of that moment pulling the backpack to her side, but I don't lose my grip and let her drag me with it.
I don't want to hurt her, I don't want to hurt her, I don't want to, I don't want to…
But I still do it.
Before I even notice what I'm doing, I already punched her, right in the pit of her stomach.
Struggling for air she finally lets go of the straps.
"I'm sorry" I whisper and then turn around to get downstairs.
But a few seconds later somebody jumps on me, the girl from 10 of course, and takes me down with her. We roll down the stairs and finally stop, all my muscles and bones hurting. She pins my arms to the floor and tries to get the pack of my back.
Struggling to get free I ram my knee into her lower jaw making it grind. That must've hurt but I don't care.
I jump up but she still won't leave me alone. We fight over the backpack a little longer, but nobody seems to be gaining the upper hand.
If I could only summon my spirits…
Lisanna pinches and scratches me and I always try to get out of that fight as I'm the one that currently has the backpack I only need to leave…somehow.
Out of the corner of my eye I can see some figures and shadows moving. Right, the other tributes should also be arriving now. I don't have time for a silly fight like this one. I have to go.
Ducking one of her punches, I lean back and concentrate all my strength in my right leg and kick her as hard as I can.
I just see her flying backwards, thinking that it's finally over now but suddenly she's falling forwards, FORWARDS, right unto me.
I try to get her off me, but her body is lying on mine stiffly, not moving at all.
Why isn't she moving?
Wait… why is her back that wet?
I lift my hand, shocked as it is all red. Tilting my head, I get a better view on Lisanna's body. Stuck in the center of her back is a long silver blade that cut right through her. Blood is staining her shirt, so much blood, blood everywhere, running down her unto the floor, her whole back just a pool of red liquid.
I look at her face, contorted in pain, her eyes all glassy. She turned so deathly pale, coughing blood right onto me.
Her hands shake and I see tears running down her cheek. Her mouth is opened to a silent scream and I can see in her eyes in how much pain she is. It must be terrible.
Finally I manage to sit up and carefully pull her up.
"Lisanna…" I shake her softly "Hey Lisanna don't die" I scream tears coming up.
It's controversial, just a few moments ago I was punching and kicking her and now she's lying in my arms, dying on me and I'm, I'm crying!
"Lisanna, put yourself together, stand up!" I order a little louder.
That knife…, certainly one of the careers threw it, it wasn't meant to hit her.
I, I was the target. Whoever threw it aimed for me, not for her. If I hadn't ducked in order to kick her that knife would've hit me right in my heart and Lisanna would be unharmed.
I would be dead.
She could live.
How unfair is this world.
"Lucy…?" she asks, her voice not more than hiss.
Authors Note: I hereby deeply apologize to all the Lisanna lovers! Sorry!
Anyway, please let me know what you think about that chapter.
Natsu: I can't believe it…
Lucy: Listen Natsu, I'm sorry! I know Lisanna was your friend…
Natsu: She basically got killed because you two were fighting over a bag?!
Lucy: …
Natsu: Geez Lucy, you should've told me! If you wanted that bag so badly I would've gotten it for your birthday!
Lucy: You totally misunderstand the situation…
Natsu: Girls and bags are a dangerous combination….
Lucy: I TOLD YOU IT WAS NOT ABOUT THE BAG!
Natsu: Well what was it about then?
Lucy: Uhm…survival and stuff…
Natsu: Girls are so complicated….