~Empress: Queen of Hearts~
Since the situation with Pontifex, everyone's been kind of on-edge. I guess we finally got forced out of our oblivion. This is the Hunger Games, and if any of us wants to win the other three are going to have to die.
I've always read about things like this happening and always said it'd never happen to me. But when you look at it there's no way I could've avoided it. I'm not really a vicious killing machine, I'm an 18-year-old girl that just really likes to make friends and is really friendly. I love to make new friends, and somehow I thought that'd be different in a fight to the death. It's not.
Janie is very friendly girl and we immediately hit it off, even at training. And Dream has been a lot more social than usual. And though Pontifex is kind of bitter, he's not bad at all to look at, and he really has grown on me. I even liked Katherine, too, way back when. But she tricked us all, and for that I'll never be able to apologize enough to Pontifex. We should've at least listened to him.
Anyways, we've been quieter, more jumpy and tense, and less carefree since Pontifex was tortured. The stuff we learned about him makes me respect him and his struggle more, but I'm kind of trying to detach myself from the others so that we don't tear ourselves apart when the others fall. I know it's not right to feel like that, but in a fight for my own survival I don't have any other choice.
Janie took the situation with Katherine very hard. She's been deflated ever since it happened. No matter how many times Pontifex says it's okay, she doesn't believe it. After how exposed and injured he was, I doubt it's anything that will ever really be okay.
The thought that the next betrayal could happen at Janie's knife or Pontifex's spear is a very unwelcome thought. Even Dream's hatchet, though he doesn't exactly seem like the dirty-play kind. Then again, though, neither did Katherine…
I dunno. I prefer to not think about that at all, though now we all see how possible it is. I don't want to betray my allies. Hopefully they'll all fall by other hands than mine, or maybe we'll peacefully separate when we shave down some of the other alliances in the Arena.
Each day seems to get harder and harder for us, though. Every day the weight of the deaths we've caused becomes ever-so-slightly heavier. Janie did throw the knife at that little girl from 12, though it pained her. I'm not too great with that bow and arrow, but sometimes I think that might be for the best.
The sun rises in all its glory, and I take a second to sit and enjoy watching the colors paint the sky. It's one thing about the Arena that I could get used to. There really aren't any good places in District 1 to see the night sky or the sunrise, or at least not from my neck of the woods. Chime offered to take me and his brother Cord and Cord's best friend Pride to a spot he knows to watch the sunrise with minimal light pollution to get in the way.
I always meant to take the offer, but after he got really lovesick over me I was slightly more hesitant. See, I know Chime respects me enough to keep his feelings piped down, but I don't want to give him the wrong ideas either. Ever since I had a hunch he liked me I kept fleeing from his attempts to take me out just the two of us. It's not fair of me to do that to him, but I just feel obscenely awkward breaking his heart like that.
I'm flattered that he really likes me, but I just can't get to actually telling him that I don't feel the same way about him. He's my best friend, and that's how I like things. Anything romantic is just too… Unimaginable… I mean, I just don't even think of seeing him like that. Too weird for me.
Poor Chime. I know he'll be able to find someone someday that's much more suited for him than I am, though. I make a mental note to let him know how I feel as soon as I get home. It's not fair for him to think he has a chance when he just doesn't. And the sooner I let him know, the sooner he can move on.
I guess I feel bad because though Chime is, like, mega-friendly, he doesn't have anyone that he could talk to about love stuff except me. Y'know? I feel bad. It's awkward but it's just how life goes. I don't blame him or dislike him for it, he's my best friend. He'd have to do a lot more than just that for me to hate him.
Dream wakes up the District 2 duo while I have these thoughts. I'm so busy thinking I don't even notice until they're awake.
"Morning," says Janie, her floppy hat covering any hint of bedhead. She scratches at some of the stings on her arms. Pontifex sits up, blinking sleepily, and yawns. We all look like messes, I'm sure, because we haven't combed our hair or done make-up or even shaved for days. I, for one, feel slightly disgusting. Not that it matters to me, but I'll bet it matters to my parents. They're probably shitting their pants right now. Heh.
"Morning," I say, stretching and accidentally brushing my stings the wrong way. Fuck! They itch and then burn like hell when I scratch them. Janie cringes as she makes herself stop scratching, and I make myself stop, too. I'll go away… They seem to be getting better, at least. It's something.
Janie passes the sunscreen around, but just as fast as the sun came out, it's hidden by a bunch of fluffy, dark gray clouds.
"Uh oh," says Dream.
"Well, that doesn't look good, now does it?" I say, crossing my arms and looking up at the sky.
"How long do you think we've got until the skies unleash hell on us all?" Pontifex asks, his brow creased and eyes squinting up at the sky.
We're hit with a breeze. The sky smells like rain, threatening to start at any second.
"Let's get breakfast first," Janie says, "Then we can look for shelter."
As we hunt, the wind becomes stronger and faster. It blows our hair around and at one point blows Janie's sunhat off, causing her to have to chase it around until she can get it back. Pontifex doesn't seem amused about it, but his mouth goes up in a half-smile when he thinks nobody's looking. Gotta uphold that tough-guy reputation, now don't you Ponty?
We hunt and manage to cook over a quick fire to the sound of a low, quiet rumbling that we try to ignore. Just as we start eating, a big drop of rain hits my forearm.
"C'mon. Let's eat while we go." More raindrops and the others agree with me. We start further away from the beach when the skies open up for a downpour. It's not so bad, really, because it's a warm kind of rain, not the cold kind. Wind whips my hair and clothes around, even though when we started out it was pulled up. Janie loses her hat again and runs off to get it. Pontifex rolls his eyes but doesn't stop her. She gives up on trying to wear it and holds onto it as we walk against the wind, away from the beach. It's still pretty okay until we see a bright flash of light and seconds later a loud, powerful boom that makes me audibly gasp.
"Shit," Dream hisses.
"We need to hurry and find shelter!" Janie says, having to speak louder than normal (which is saying something for Janie) over the wind.
"C'mon!" Pontifex says, quickly leading the way. We all follow him. I hope he knows where he's going…
As we approach the other end of the Arena, more loud booms of lightning strikes shake the Arena and make me jump every time. I hate thunderstorms… When we get closer, I see where Pontifex wants to take us. A towering resort sits on a beautiful tract of land, and Pontifex holds the door open for us just as lightning booms again. We all run in, all our supplies and bodies dripping wet.
Pontifex closes the door behind us, and we look around. There's a balcony with lots of doors, but no way I can see to get up there. The bottom where we are has marble floor and some nice floral carpet with some assorted decorations. A fountain sits in the room and gives a relaxing background of running water to the loud blasts of thunder outside. From what I hear, the storm is getting violent.
We walk over to the other side of the room, looking for a window that we might be able to look out of. Suddenly, the sound of the pouring rain bulleting onto the ground gets clearer from where it was muffled by the door, and more footsteps enter the room.
"There we are," says a calm-sounding voice. "See? I told you we'd be safe. Didn't I?"
Pontifex physically freezes and tenses up. It's the boy from 10, who for some reason Pontifex can't stand. Probably because he tried to get him to join the Careers without asking us for no good reason.
"Ponty stop!" Janie says, sounding concerned. He runs to meet the group, grabbing his weapon, and helplessly the rest of us follow him. He's with Gio, from 3, and Ori, from 8. He has knives, really really nice knives unlike any I've seen before, at the ready to use. Gio has a sword and Ori has a single knife, just in case I guess.
"Stop!" the boy from 10 sounds almost threatening. Pontifex freezes up but still looks deadly. "I don't want there to be any violence for anyone." His voice is laced with the slightest hint of apprehension. "Don't do it. Think. Put the weapons away."
I look to Pontifex. After all, he is our leader. He's the one that will instigate the fight or try to make peace. From the look in his eyes, I can see the fight that's happening in his head. He doesn't know what to do.
"Pontifex," Janie says, "Please-"
She's cut off by Ponty throwing the spear with all his might straight at them. Atticus, as if he knew it would happen, rolls out of the way just in time, and with a simple flick of the wrist, makes knife-throwing look easy.
It's not even a blink after I watch his wrist flick that I feel a pain unlike any other I had ever experienced explode across my lower chest and I know pretty much then that it's over for me as I knew it. My feet fall out from under me and my knees hit the ground. I hear blurred, indistinct screaming.
I don't have the air to utter a goodbye.
Even when death is quick, it's just as scary and unwelcome for me. The string holding to my existence has been so suddenly cut.
Avenge me.
I close my eyes.
~.~.
~Gio: Joker~
As soon as the spear leaves Pontifex's hand, Empress collapses. Or, well, that's how it seems. Pontifex charges, going straight for Atty.
One of them isn't going to make it, I think, tears (already) pushing at my throat. I can only hope Atty's able to seal the deal.
Before I can think about any of that or even see the condition of the fight, though, a heavy weight drives me forcefully down to the ground, where I'm sure I'll end up with bruises. Ori screams from across the room. I struggle against Dream's weight.
Oh yeah, I injured Dream on that first day… I think. I forgot about that until now. Well, he seems a lot better, now doesn't he?
"You made a mistake, taking her," Dream says, referring to us as a group, I assume.
I hear grunts and groans of effort from where Pontifex and Atticus are fighting, and the occasional scream or sniffle from Ori, but I can't focus on them right now. First I have to get rid of the threat of Dream. I don't know if I can…
"I didn't want to have to do this Ponty…" Atticus says, strained from the fight. Suddenly I become hopeful that maybe Atty's got him cornered, but unfortunately we can't be that lucky.
Dream doesn't have a fine knife, he's got a heavy hatchet out on him. I keep trying to fight but to no avail. "Shouldn't have messed with us," Dream says. Why's he so angry? This is good for him, isn't it? One less competitor.
He looks a bit like he's trying to hold back a breakdown, or maybe he's avoiding a blinding fit of rage, I'm not sure which. Pontifex lets out a half-grunt, half-scream, which makes me think Atty might have him defeated when suddenly a searing hot pain comes to my left hand. I scream and the tears come and I know I'm done-for.
"Gio!" Atty seems to have paused in his fight.
"Atty!" Ori cries from the other side of the room. "I can't hold up much longer!"
I really haven't stopped screaming and crying out. Another explosion of pain and somehow I feel like I'm not going to have all ten fingers by the time this nightmare is over.
"We have to go…" Atty says, his teeth grit in exertion. "We'll finish this later." The world is starting to blur as Dream's hatchet makes its mark on the rest of my body. Tears pour out of my eyes and screams like I've never heard before tear out of my throat. I'm not going to make it… I'm not going to make it…
I hear a grunt-scream from Pontifex and hear the thump of a heavy body falling on the ground. I hear a yelp from Janie and Ori lets out a little sob.
"Go without me," I say, slurred from exhaustion and pain and hoarse from yelling, "Leave me here… Go." Atty runs over and punches Dream right in the nose, ripping him off of me as fast and hard as he can anyways.
His eyes look slightly hurt but mostly earnest and determined. "We're not leaving you, Kiddo. But I only knocked them out so we'd better get going quick. Ori, come help me." I hear squeaking and sniffling and little sobs from Ori and realize how bad I must look. Atty and Ori help me up together, and I start to feel dizzy.
"Wh-what ab-bout th-the st-storm?" Ori hiccups between sobs.
"I have a feeling it's just about over now. C'mon, fast now." I lean heavily on them, already starting to pass out as they try to get me to somewhere safe. The sunlight hurts my eyes and each step is literal agony, so much that I'm about ready to die before we get to where we need to be.
"Lay him down," Atty says, sounding completely earnest and serious. Ori lets out a sob as they help me down.
"G-Gio…" he sobs. "T-Tell me you can save him Atty!" he cries.
"We can try." The world goes black and I close my eyes, half wishing for death to just take me.
I spend the next span of time in a very shallow sleep, occasionally coming to and hearing tidbits of phrases from either party, then going back down before I can really process what they mean. It's like I'm half here, half… Gone. Half-dead.
"Goddammit, if only we had better first-aid…" "…not getting this finger back…" "…Atty please…" "Bandages…" "Please Gio…" "We need more…" "…has to be okay…" "Gio….Gio…." "…not much more I can do…" "I dunno, Kiddo, I dunno."
Then I'm out, out for a long while I guess because when I come back-to, I feel slightly more myself. At least I'm able to process what's going on.
"C'mere, lemme get you bandaged up first, Kiddo."
"No… D-Don't waste bandages on me…" he sounds quiet and hurt. Any positivity and fun he may've had in him is gone, sucked into a black hole of grief.
"Ori, I…" there's a pause.
"What? Just say it."
"I don't have a lot to work with here, and I don't know if I'm going to be able to save him, so-"
"Atty you said you could!" He squeaks, with a small sob and sniffle.
"Kiddo, I said I could try. Look at him. Without any kind of first-aid, there's nothing I can do but hope we get something better soon." Atticus sounds like he's in physical pain. "…You're salvageable, though. With these bandages you'll bounce back. Without them you're in danger with those kinds of cuts."
"I don't care, Atticus, I don't care!" he says, the tears blatantly obvious by his voice. "Don't waste them on me! Use them on Gio!"
"Ori, listen to me. The odds are all against Gio, okay? But you still have them on your side. I don't want to lose both of you trying to save Gio. He's already kind of hopeless."
"DON'T SAY THAT!" Ori shouts, sobs carried by the wind. "DON'T YOU DARE SAY THINGS LIKE THAT!"
"Listen to me! Take the bandages. I'll use all the rest of them on him, but you need them and I'm not going to lose both of you, understand?"
"Gio needs them more than me!" Ori protests, weeping.
I hear Atty take a breath before he speaks again. "You're not listening to me, Ori. Even with these bandages, the chances that Gio will make it are…" his voice… catches. "Slim." There's a pause. "You have a chance, though. Don't throw it away trying to save someone that probably can't be saved."
"I can't take them when Gio's there and he needs them and look Atty he's still breathing! What makes your word so much more important than mine anyways?" he asks, teeth grit from what it sounds.
"I took a lot from training and I'm a survivalist. Okay? I know a lot of things, some of which you'll never know, but I'm telling you this to help you."
"Don't waste those bandages on me, Atticus!" Ori says, sounding mad through his hiccups of tears. "Gio needs-"
"Gio won't be making it with or without the bandages!" Atty says, raising his voice. "The only thing that gives Gio even a remote chance at surviving is out of our hands! Listen to that, Ori, it's hard to hear and even harder to swallow but the only thing that can possibly salvage Gio's life isn't up to us! If I had the supplies to help him I could help him, but I don't! It's not up to you and me, and those damn bandages are not going to make a difference so just take them already!"
"How could you say that?" Ori cries quietly. "He's a person and he's our friend…"
"I'm telling it to you as it is. I'm protecting you as best as I can-"
"Well you didn't do that very well now did you!?" As soon as it comes out I know that Ori would like to suck it back in. There's a long pause.
"No. I didn't do that well. I failed you guys and I let him down."
"Atty I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it… It wasn't your fault."
"I set off the bomb. It was all my fault…"
"No it wasn't. Really…"
"We just have to focus on trying to keep him alive in case we could get supplies to save him," Atty says quietly, and I think I may've heard his voice crack somewhere in there.
"Until. Until we get supplies."
"I don't want to get your hopes up, Kiddo..."
I feel a gentle touch brush hair from my forehead and another not-quite-as-gentle-but-trying hand stroke my hair.
"Please, Gio…" Ori whispers, "Please..."
"You can do it. Wake up, Kiddo. Gio, wake up…. Please… I know you can…."
I open my eyes. It kind of drains me, but I do it for their sake. After blinking a couple of times to readjust, I see Atty and Ori sitting over me. Tears run out of Ori's eyes and down to his chin where they drip to the ground. I notice that he surrendered and let Atty wrap him up in the bandages. Atty's eyes, usually calm and collected, are dim and heavy.
"Gio!" Ori sobs, looking like he wants to hug me but not knowing how. I see Atty release a breath he must've been holding. Atty helps me sit up against a tree (which brings more agony and more bleeding that we all try desperately to stop) and puts the canteen to my lips. The water feels cool and good to my squelching insides, especially my throat. Atty puts some bland, tasteless food in my mouth and I eat thankfully.
"Yes, there you are." Ori's stopped crying by this point but each time he makes eye contact with me more hurt explodes in his eyes.
I'm not even awake for half an hour before I ask the others to lay me down again and the world starts to go dark again. I can feel my life-force losing energy, slowly but surely…
My fate isn't up to me anymore. It's not even up to Atticus or Ori.
It's up to you.
~.~.
~.~.
~.~.
A/N: Happy birthday Gio! Haha, anyways, I'm leaving things into your hands noooowww!~
Chapter Question: What'd you think of this chapter? I guess I'd just like to know.
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CAREERS- Dream, Pontifex, January
Have: Fishing rod, backpacks, sleeping bags, lanterns, weapons, matches, iodine, water, first-aid, and food, sunscreen/sunhat
Need: Motivation, Dream doesn't have his weapon of choice
TEAM WEREWOLF- Gio, Atticus, Ori
Have: Sword, knife, water and food, small pack (bandages, empty thermoses, matches), preferred weapons
Need: COMPLEX FIRST-AID KIT!, fishing rod, sleeping bags,
LOST ALLY TRIO- Krissa, Dawson, Tuesday
Have: Knife, bandages, first-aid, iodine, sunscreen, matches, bandages, lantern, Fishing rod, backpack (knife, iodine, empty thermos, provisional food), floaties, inner tube
Need: Sleeping supplies, weapons, medicine
TRISTABELLE
Has: Knife, lantern, medicine
Needs: Water disinfectant/way to do the salt water thing, first-aid, sleeping stuff, matches, bandages, thermos