(A/N): SORRY, O! It probably won't make you feel any better, but we also felt horrible writing that scene. You know that thing we do where we both stare at the screen and don't WANNA write what we're about to write?

...We did that a lot in this story.


Chapter 26: Waterlogged


Day Four of the Games

In the Arena


After the rains had started, the first thing Clara, Scott, and Kamala did was fill their water bottle three times — draining it between them each time — and then a fourth time, bringing it back with them under the safety of their hideaway. They were deep enough in the caves that the storm was just hollow white noise above their heads, but it didn't look like it would let up anytime soon, either.

Clara had taken the bottom several inches of her shirt and torn it up to soak up the rain so they could have Scott put something on his eyes to cool the angry burns between applications of the cream. It wasn't much, but it was enough to take some of the pain away, at least.

But once they'd taken a few moments to reorient themselves and make use of the rain, and once they were settling into something like a new normal, Scott rearranged himself so he could sit in the sand for a moment, peeking his eyes open in spurts of a second or two at a time until he found something he could draw with as he started making a design of some kind.

"What are you doing now, fearless?" Clara asked.

"You said you wanted to go after the Careers," he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I do," she agreed. "And I will — once it stops raining."

"You shouldn't go in blindly," he said, with a wry sort of smile.

"Is that a pun?" she asked with a smirk.

"I honestly didn't mean it to be, but sure, it is now," he said as he just kept drawing in spurts of little peeks out from underneath the fabric of her shirt.

"So … what is this? Your battle plan?"

"Just trying to draw the layout of their camp while I can still remember it," he said. "I got a few good looks while I was trying to sneak out. They had a few caves and crevices, so I doubt they'll leave their shelter there while it's raining."

"You're a really crummy artist," Kamala said, peering over Scott's shoulder.

"It's got to be harder to do when you can't look at your work," Clara said. "Like this squiggle here … that looks like a porcupine with a bad hair day."

"Thanks, both of you. That's really helpful," Scott said dryly before he shook his head with a little sigh. "Actually, I'm not half bad usually. I do the carving and the intricate design work back home."

"I know," Clara said, resting one hand on his shoulder. "I'm just teasing you a little."

"I know. That's a constant state of being for you," he replied before he peeked one eye open and then leaned back, apparently finished.

"It's a kind of affectionate thing," Clara said, shaking her head. "I can't believe you've lived your whole life in Seven and not figured that out yet."

"The people I'm used to dealing with in Seven are shorter than you and show their affection by screaming and tackling you, so…" He smirked her way. "Want me to explain my very crummy drawing?"

"Please, yes. And point out the girl that's going to get her face rearranged while you're at it."

He tipped his head her way for a second at that before he nodded slowly. "I didn't get too much of a look, mind you, so this isn't totally accurate. I was more or less blind at the time."

"It's the best thing we've got, so it'll be better than nothing," she assured him as she dropped down to sit next to him.

He nodded. "Alright, well, the Ones stick close together on the east side, toward the mountains," he explained, gesturing at part of his drawing, and Clara had to admit, it did sort of look like he'd drawn mountains now that she had a name for them. "He's got my staves, by the way. Or — your staves. And she's got arrows and something like napalm to light them."

"I'll make sure she takes a bath in it," Clara said. "On my way to get your staves back."

Scott quirked an eyebrow at her and almost smiled before he gestured back at the drawing. "The Three guy actually has plenty of weapons; he just doesn't use them. I saw a few daggers and what I think might have been a set of throwing stars, but I didn't get a good enough look to know for sure."

"Got it," she said with a nod, thinking 'zig zag, dodge, and weave' as she memorized his makeshift map.

"It's just the three of them, though. I don't know what happened to Two's girl, but unless you've seen her in the sky, she's either not with the Careers or really well-hidden." He paused. "She wasn't there for the fire or any of the taunting."

"No, she hasn't been up in the sky yet," Kamala replied on Scott's other side.

"Then she might not be with them at all," Scott decided. "Maybe after her brother…" He sighed, his shoulders dropped slightly for only a moment before he cleared his throat. "Anyway, there's three different opening on the north side of the ridge they've camped out near, and I don't know which one they'd use for shelter, but only three look big enough to fit people. And that pit wasn't the only one in the area, ether — there are a lot of openings in the ground. Some of them will sneak up on you if you can't see them," he added ruefully.

"They look like big black spots in the moonlight," Clara offered. "If you could have seen properly, you'd have gotten that. But with a quick glance … "

"Okay, so won't be a problem for you two. Got it," Scott said with a nod. He leaned back and tipped his head up toward the ceiling for a moment. "Jean's the one running things," he said at last, this time in a softer tone. "I'm sure Kilgrave thinks he is, but they were taking their cues from her."

"She's at the top of my list anyhow," Clara nearly growled.

"I want to get Kilgrave," Kamala spoke up, and when Clara turned her way, she looked determined. "He was trying to pick on me, and I'm pretty sure it's because I'm the smallest. And that bugs me."

"It was definitely because you're the smallest," Scott had to agree, his head still tipped back. "He's a coward."

"I'm not so sure about the other one," Clara admitted.

"His happy fun-times schtick is absolutely an act," Scott told her, a glare settling over his expression with his mouth drawn tight. "He had no problem being part of what went down last night."

"Then I'll head after him when I'm through with the redhead — if Kamala doesn't need back up."

"I might," Kamala admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm not really… I can throw him, but I don't know if I can… you know."

"Nobody's asking you to kill anyone, Kamala," Scott assured her. "You only have to do as much as you're comfortable with."

"I'll take care of anyone stupid enough to push you for more," Clara promised.

"And I'll help patch you up afterwards when you end up fighting all three of them at the rate you're going," Scott said, shaking his head at her.

"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears," she said, all but leaning against him.

"Traps," Kamala offered suddenly, and both of the older kids turned to face her. "He can help me make traps! You know — for when they try to run away from our terrifying claw-wielder?"

"That's a great idea," Clara said, nodding in agreement. "I'll funnel them into the traps."

"Did you have any in mind in particular?" Scott asked Kamala, and she broke into a huge grin.

"Oh, sure. We've got plenty of rope to work with," she told him, already starting to pull out supplies as she shoved the rope into his hands. "Just start trying knots where I tell you to, okay?"

He grinned and nodded. "That I can do."


In the Capitol


Logan was relieved to see that Scott had gotten himself pulled together. The kid's timing was perfect. He was just getting into his coffee as it came over the airwaves that the kid had a plan. Even if he wasn't able to go down to enact it himself, he was still strategizing and figuring out how to strike back.

This would make everything go easier.

Logan let out a breath, realizing that his bluff was working out — by some miracle. All he had to do was keep the cool 'told you' attitude and hope that nothing happened in the meantime to screw Scott up any worse.

He took his time getting down to where the victors were grifting. His intention was to be sure to look as confident in Scott as he could, and that wouldn't happen if he rushed in. When he did get down there, though — he hadn't been expecting there to actually be people waiting.

He recognized a few of them as people he had spoken to last night when everything had gone down, and one in particular looked downright excited to see him, rushing over with a grin on her face as she asked in a rush, "Can I give you money for Kamala? Please?"

He put on a little smile and nodded. "Absolutely," he agreed. "What do you think she needs?"

"Well, they have everything they need but food — maybe that?" the woman offered. "I'm not sure — I'm sure you know better than I do."

"I'm sure that'd be appreciated," Logan said with a nod. "I'll see to it that she gets whatever she needs most."

"Thank you!" The woman beamed at him as she gave him her card. "I didn't want to have to talk to Schmidt."

"No one does," he said offhandedly as he set her up.

"I just think it's so great what you're doing for those kids," she said, taking her card back once he had run it for her. "Thanks!" With that, she was off, headed for Black Bolt next.

He had to smirk a bit as she headed off. It wasn't for Scott, but pissing off Schmidt was just about as good, and the donation she'd given him for Kamala guaranteed that the girl would get a parachute when Logan knew she wasn't going to get a thing from her actual mentor.

Jessica and Viper both had a decent flock of potential sponsors, since their two tributes had teamed up; apparently, the people watching thought the alliance between Remy and Betsy was pure gold. But to Logan's surprise, the majority of the sponsors were heading his way. The alliance between the Sevens and Kamala was the biggest one out there besides the Careers, and, with the Careers splintering and failing to perform, the group was clearly the favorite as well — even if most of the donations were still coming in for Clara.

The first Capitolite to approach Logan for Scott was actually the guy he had talked to the previous night, the one who had been unconvinced that Scott would even last the night, and he looked genuinely shocked about how things had turned out.

"Well," he said, shaking his head. "Never let it be said that I couldn't admit to being wrong. Looks like you were right about that kid after all."

"He's tougher than he looks," Logan replied.

"So — what are you asking for?" the man asked.

"R&D already has something worked up for him — or designed," Logan said as he handed over his tablet. "I'm not expecting anyone to put in too much."

The man let out a low whistle on seeing his goal. "Good luck, mate," he muttered before he made his donation and headed off, shaking his head and muttering something about 'high ambitions.'

Most of the people Logan talked to had similar reactions. They wanted to help, but helping a half-blind kid in the Games was more than they could fix with the kind of sponsorships they were used to giving this early in the Games. He'd worked the room, but he was still only part of the way there, and he knew it.

Of course, it wasn't until after he'd established just how far he was from his mark that Seraph leaned over his shoulder to look at his tablet and tutted quietly. "That's the kind of thing you see late in the Games, a real Hail Mary."

"I'm not the one workin' the odds, sweetheart," he replied dryly.

"No, you're really not," Seraph agreed with a small smile before she peeked again at the amount he still needed. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "if you're amenable to a trade, I can get you the full amount. You can use the rest for anything else that boy of yours might need — or the girl, as the case may be down the line."

"What kind of trade?" he asked with a frown. That … was not anything that the others had suggested was even a possibility.

"Oh, nothing right now," she said, waving her hand almost airily. "Just a favor down the line. You know James taught me to fly, right? I'm sure I can think of something later on."

He clearly thought it over for a few moments. "How often have you done this?"

"Oh, I've asked favors of just about every victor," she said. "Really — you can ask them if you like. Darling little Peter helped me update my music collection. I think he really enjoyed himself!"

He glanced over toward the small gathering of victors with a frown. She wasn't lying about all of them having done things for her. They'd told him as much themselves. It really didn't sound like a terrible trade, but he just didn't believe it was as simple as she was laying it out to be.

Of course, if he didn't go along with it, then he couldn't say he'd done everything he could for Scott….

"It's an honor trade," she said, tapping her fingers on the edge of his tablet. "I won't ask for anything in writing. But if you give me your word of honor, I know I'm not just giving my money away." She grinned. "I trust you."

"My word's about all I've got anyhow," he replied. "And I take my honor seriously."

"Wonderful." Her smile widened as she plucked the tablet from him and started to enter her information, though she paused before she could finish and glanced up at him. "Your word, then? On your honor — just one favor when I ask it?"

"Yes," he said with a nod and a tiny frown. It seemed awfully one sided — in his favor — and that never happened.

She beamed at him and handed him back the tablet. "Lovely. Good luck with your young tribute. I think he'll surprise all of us once you've helped him along a bit."

"I hope so," he said with a nod, though as she walked away, he had the strong urge to go back upstairs and start drinking.


In the Arena


Kitty had been having a pretty miserable night. She hadn't found much of a place to hide during the day on the previous day, and so she hadn't really had much in the way of sleep by the time it was cool enough to move again, so she had simply fallen asleep in the first decent hidey hole she could find the next night — only to be woken up before dawn by a torrent of rain that nearly swept her out of her hiding place until she got back to steadier ground.

The only nice thing was that when morning came around, the sun hadn't come out — so at least she could try to find shelter without feeling like she was being baked alive.

Though being pounded to death by rain was also not on her list of favorite experiences.

"At least I'm not sweaty," she muttered to herself as she trudged through the rain, trying her best to keep from drowning herself in self-pity when she knew she needed to stay sharp and focus to survive the Games.

When she finally spotted a decent outcropping of rock that seemed to house a few cave-like openings, she let out a sigh of relief and headed right for it — though she stopped short when she saw movement in one of the caves.

It was lucky for her she'd stopped when she did, too, because America had meant to slam into whoever was intruding and instead just barely missed Kitty. She spun around, fists raised, and Kitty instinctively drew her sword, but when both girls recognized each other from the rooftop training with Logan, they had to pause.

"What're you doing here?" America blurted out.

"Trying not to drown," Kitty replied, wide-eyed, though she hadn't relaxed her grip on her sword, either.

America watched her for a moment before she sighed and lowered her fists. "Alright, come on in. I could use an extra set of hands anyway."

"Sure, what's going on?" Kitty asked as she lowered her sword and stepped fully out of the deluge. She hadn't wanted to fight America, anyway — and she had been on her own since Alex died. It would be nice to spend some time with people; she had just been thinking about how miserable being alone in this death trap of an arena was.

"It's Billy," America said, gesturing inside, though she was sure to keep her body between Kitty and Billy, still not quite trusting anyone in the arena not to finish off the helpless young man.

Kitty had to frown when she saw the state of him, too. He was pale and drawn, and his arm was wrapped in bloodied fabric that had to be America's pants, considering how little fabric was left for America to actually wear. But he was totally unconscious, a lot like Alex had been — not responding to anyone.

"We got a parachute earlier with some pain medicine," America explained quietly. "He was poisoned. The girl from Ten got him in the arm." She tapped her own arm, where the tracker was, and raised an eyebrow with a significant look.

"Crap," Kitty said, shaking her head. Nobody deserved that kind of damage, especially not Billy, who had been sweet when she worked with him on the rooftop. "What can I do to help?"

"Honestly, just having a second set of eyes will do wonders," America admitted. She gestured at the water bottle nearby. "I haven't been able to get much sleep looking out for him — and if you're on your own, I doubt you did either. Just having a watch should help both of us, right?"

"Anything you need," Kitty swore. "It's nice to see a face that's not … you know. Screaming murder at me."

"Somebody try to do you in? Because I can return the favor much more successfully after five winks," America said with a crooked grin.

"Tried," she said. "Failed."

"So which one was yours?" America asked, gesturing toward the sky.

"Well. I stabbed the Six boy in the shoulder, but I didn't kill him. I don't think," she admitted. "He was working over my district partner."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," America said, gesturing to the still-sleeping Billy. "Next time I see Ten, I'm beating her face in."

"That's a good face to beat in," Kitty agreed. "Is that the only one you've run into?"

"No, I also killed the kid from Two — the boy. He was alive when I left him, but he wasn't going to stay that way," America said. "He tried to kill Billy too."

Kitty raised her eyebrows at that and let out a low whistle. "Your friend has a target on him."

"He's also an idiot," America said, though it was with a tone warm with affection as she glanced over at Billy. "He went to the Tesseract instead of running, but he did get me these." She held up the brass knuckles before she let out a sigh. "Once this rain lets up, I was thinking I'd go hunting for some tributes to get rid of. Billy's only chance is if the Games end quickly."

"As long as you're not planning to beat me down, I can help," Kitty said, then smiled ruefully, her teeth caught on her bottom lip as she admitted, "I don't really want to kill anyone, to be honest."

"You just worry about sending them back my way when they try to run away," America said with a small smirk. "And don't worry — I wouldn't beat you down. If it comes down to just the three of us, I promise I'll make it easy and painless."

"That isn't exactly very … you know what, let's just see how it goes. Maybe we'll get a few days with no deaths, and I'll be the one that gets the button."

"I hope not," America said with a genuine wince. She gestured at Billy as she added, "You haven't been around to see what this stuff does."

"Yeah," Kitty said thoughtfully. "But … if they did it on purpose instead of a slow leak, I'd bet it'd be quicker."

"Possibly," America said slowly, then let out a little noise and waved her hand. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. There's still a dozen kids we have to get through first before that happens anyway."

Kitty nodded. "Want me to catch some more water for you?"

"That would be great, thanks," America agreed. She tossed the water bottle to Kitty before she broke into a wide grin. "And Kitty?"

Kitty turned to look up at her with an open expression.

"Anybody screws with you, give me a holler. You're too pretty to let someone screw with you," America said, the grin widening into a genuine laugh.

Kitty had to smile back at her. "I'll keep that in mind," she said with a laugh. "But I think … you'll have your hands too full with this one to care too much about anyone that messes with me. Believe me, I get it."

"Well, just because I've got priorities doesn't mean you're not part of the team," America said with a little shrug as if this was a perfectly obvious arrangement. "I mean it — I got your back."

"And I've got yours," Kitty agreed, slipping back out to reach beyond the ledge in an attempt to get clean rainwater. She really was glad to have someone else to share her misery with, at least for as long as the alliance lasted.


None of the Careers were happy — and it wasn't just because of the miserable rain.

Their plan hadn't worked at all, and not only had they failed to draw in the two girls from Scott's alliance, but their bait had managed to climb out of the pit on his own while they were waiting. There was plenty of blame to go around, though it seemed that Trevor was simply content to watch the two Ones bickering back and forth about just whose fault it was that they hadn't gotten a kill out of the previous night.

"Remind me again why three of you couldn't manage to take out the Creed girl?" Jean shot back at Kilgrave after he'd accused her for the very last time that she had been too soft on the Seven boy.

"Maybe if our advance scout had told us she had claws — literal claws — we could have been better prepared for that fight!" Kilgrave shouted, his face his favorite shade of purple.

"You'd be better prepared for that fight if you'd actually learned how to do something other than talk while you were in that stupid academy!"

"At least I was trained. I've never seen such shoddy marksmanship!"

"At least I've killed before," Jean replied, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"You think I haven't?" Kilgrave challenged her.

"No, I really don't," she said with her chin tipped up and a condescending look on her face.

"How do you think I was chosen to be this year's tribute?" he shot back.

"I think they sent you in so they wouldn't have to listen to you anymore," she replied.

"As opposed to you — you just invited yourself along, and you can't even finish the job when we give it to you."

"You can't even start the job — still expecting a woman to handle it for you."

"Remind me again who here has actually killed anyone in these Games? I didn't see you finish anyone. At least I killed the Five girl in the bloodbath, not that you remember that. Likely too busy making eyes at your so-called target."

"The skinny girl that turned you down in the Capitol?" Jean replied. "Good luck killing any of the other girls that turned you down."

Kilgrave glared at her. "Is that why you didn't finish off the Seven boy? He just seemed to care so much. Couldn't stand to put down your little toy?"

She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. "It really doesn't matter at this point. He can't have gotten too far, and he's as good as dead blinded."

"You'd think so. We'll just have to see who that cannon was for, won't we?" Kilgrave grumbled, his arms crossed as his expression clearly said how much he'd like to tear Jean apart if he didn't need other people in his alliance to make it work.

And the whole time, outside their hideout, the girl from Ten was simply listening, amused that the so called 'Career pack' couldn't get along for more than thirty seconds unsupervised.

The rain had made it incredibly easy for her to sneak up on them where normally the wide open spaces surrounding their cove would have been impossible to make use of without being seen. But now? She watched for a moment, trying to decide who it was that needed an attitude adjustment the most. But when the boy from One wandered a little too close to the pouring rain, her choice was made for her.

In a rush, Yuriko simply darted forward and wrapped an arm around Kilgrave's neck before she hauled him out into the rain. He didn't have much of a chance to see who it was that was attacking him as the pouring rain clouded his vision. But she was taller, and stronger, and clearly no stranger to manhandling people — he wasn't going anywhere.

He fought her grip and struggled, throwing himself around, trying to break free, until the two of them fell into a small pit that had filled up with water from the day's rain. It wasn't too deep — just a couple of feet — but it was more than enough for Yuriko once she got onto his back and pushed his head underwater. He flailed and fought and desperately tried to knock her away, but he simply didn't have the leverage. And after a surprisingly short time, the bubbles quit boiling up, and the smooth talker from One went still.

When Yuriko stood up, she could see the two Careers in the opening of their hideout trying to see what had become of their ally, but either they didn't see her, or they just weren't looking too hard, and they looked even less likely to move once the cannon sounded — though both of them were on edge and had weapons drawn, and, for the moment, Yuriko decided to leave them to their own devices, sure that they would likely kill each other anyway. She had far more interesting prospects to choose from for her next kill anyway.

"I'm not going to avenge him, are you?" Trevor asked quietly as the lanky girl from Ten stalked away.

"Why would I?" Jean asked, shaking her head. "He was close to turning on me anyway."

"Then I guess it's just you and me, beautiful," he replied with a little smile. "Wait out this storm and go find those Sevens, eh?"

She nodded, a small smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. "No mistakes this time."


Remy let out a low whistle when he poked his head out of the hiding place he and Betsy had found. "Sure is comin' down cats and dogs," he said.

"It is," she agreed. "Makes me want to go take a shower, but I'd just bet they'd turn the water off halfway through."

"Depends on how much you gettin' clean, cher," Remy said, his smile wide and crooked. "Sometin' tells me you jus' too pretty for dem to let dat pass."

"Yet I doubt that's the kind of show they're after," she said with a little smirk.

"Dat's they loss," he said, waving his hand. "Me, I prefer a pretty ting like you to killin' any day."

She shrugged one shoulder up to her ear. "If I had some soap, I'd have you wash my back."

"We best find some soap den. Offer like dat ain't gonna last too long, I don't tink," he said, grinning broadly and lazily as he leaned back against the wall of their little shelter.

"I'm not the kind to put timers on my offers. Normally." She gave him a wicked grin. "I guess if your mentor — and the crowds — love us, we'll be getting that soap."

"Miss Drew, if you got any kinda heart, you gon' help ol' Remy," he said, tipping his head up at the sky.

Betsy was openly giggling at him. "Out of all the things they could send, do you really think that the Gamemakers would allow that?"

"Well, tink about it," Remy said, perfectly reasonable but grinning wide. "We got water. We got weapons. We got food from dat generous Ten tribute — what else dey gon' send us?"

"You have a fine point," she agreed.

He couldn't stop grinning at her and, to make his point further, rummaged in the pack he'd stolen from Arkady and tossed her a package of dried apples. "Mebbe we find some more food dat ain't dried up in a bag after de rain, non? But a storm like dis — it's a day for stayin' in, I tink."

"And miss out on the possible soap waiting in the shower outside?" she replied, still smiling.

He laughed. "You impatient, cher. You gotta wait for de sponsors to get de message."

"I hope that's not a problem," she said with a little laugh.

"Ain't a problem in de least," he assured her, still laughing as he popped a few dried fruits into his mouth. "Jus' gotta wait for de sponsors — dey mebbe aren't as patient, I tink."

She gave him a wry smile. "Good idea. Build your strength."


24. Monet St. Croix, District Eleven Female, Killed by Arkady Gregorovitch

23. Jessica Jones, District Five Female - Killed by Zebediah Kilgrave

22. Skurge, District Four Male - Killed by Clara Creed

21. Brian Braddock, District Two Male - Killed by Giuletta Nefaria

20. Giuletta Nefaria, District Three Female - Killed by Elizabeth Braddock

19. Alex Summers, District Nine Male - Killed by Brock Rumlow

18. Brock Rumlow, District Six Male - Killed by James Barnes

17. Arkady Gregorovitch, District Ten Male - Killed by Remy LeBeau

16. Amora, District Four Female - Killed by Clara Creed

15. Gwen Stacy, District Eight Female - Killed by a long fall

14. Zebediah Kilgrave, District One Male - Killed by Yuriko Oyama