The Capitol

Night Before the Games

23:00 hours

Kalo's stomach curls with anxiety; not something she was expecting, up until now they had been practically buzzing to get into the arena. Now however, as she sits on her apartment balcony, staring out past the glass at the pitch-black sky, which hangs above the multi-coloured glowing lights of the Capitol metropolis, a slight sense of dread creeps up on them.

Reinhardt had been glaring at her with his seething dark eyes all the way through training like he wanted to rip their head off - it's the same way her father used to look at them. This time she's ready, this time she'll strike first.

A knock on the glass behind her shakes her thoughts away. She shifts around from where she's huddled on the balcony floor.

Prunus is standing on the other side of the glass; he slides open the door. "There's someone here to see you," the timid man mutters.

Behind him, appears Nisa. Her eyes are bright and full of life as they always are… just like Maika's were.

"What are you doing here?" Kalo questions as the Four girl skips over to her and plonks herself down next to them.

"Thought you could use some company."

Who does this girl think she is? She's not Maika, she can't drag Kalo out of the darkness like Maika did. No, Kalo has disappeared in the whirlpool of shadows and any attempt to rescue her will only result in that person being lost as well.

Kalo sinks into themself again and crosses their arms.

But Nisa continues to press. "You seem…different… not so, I dunno… elated."

(No, Nisa can't see it. She can't be allowed to see the real Kalosani.)

Kalo sends the career one of her off-putting smiles, but it only appears forced this time.

"Is it Reinhardt? Listen, don't let him get to you, he's an ass," Nisa says.

Kalo shakes their head. "He's not, don't worry."

"Regardless, just stick with me and Amur… we'll have your back."

Nisa gives her a gentle smile, and for the first time in a long time, Kalo's heart fills with warmth - even if she doesn't realise it.

"Look… you seem trustworthy, Nisa, but I don't want to make a friend, not here," Kalo says, looking Nisa in the eyes.

"Then what do you want?" Nisa retorts.

Kalo pauses. She… has no answer to that question.

(Survival? To go back to what? Revenge? Revenge on who? What about an adventure? She was always adventurous as a child but… what kind of adventure is this? She is truly lost.)

But they have to say something, so thinking fast, they turn the question back around. "Well… what do you want? I mean, you chose this, unlike me."

Nisa's excited eyes fall downwards - like she has been hit with a wave of reality. "I… I.." she sighs. "Escape," she answers.

Kalo raises her eyebrows. "Care to elaborate?"

"My family is one of the most powerful in my District. Everything I do is according to their fuckin' rules. I want to one day be able to walk along the beach, for as long as possible, and never look back."

Kalo is struck by the sudden poetry of this career but before she can respond, Nisa continues, staring off into the sky.

"Have you ever seen it, Kalo? The sun reflecting off the sea, and the waves crashing against the sand?"

Kalo shakes their head. "I haven't… I'm from Seven."

"Well… there you go, I gave you something worth surviving for," Nisa says, punching Kalo on the shoulder and smiling again with adventure in her eyes.

Then, the Four girl lets out an energetic yawn, stretches out her arms, and stands up. "It's gettin' late… come find me, tomorrow… in the arena, ok?"

Kalo nods towards her before facing away again at the night sky. She has no idea why Nisa wants to be her friend - Kalo has been about as friendly as a serial killer still at the scene of their crime. But Kalo finds that they are glad about it. She doesn't want to be, but they are.

Kalo breathes in. She ties her curly hair back and heads back inside.

"You're getting a bit too cushy with that career girl," her mentor's voice makes Kalo's heart jump.

They turn to find him sitting on the couch with the yellow light from a lamp illuminating his face. He has a book in his lap but is peering up over his glasses at Kalo.

"What's it to you?" Kalo shoots back.

Prunus stands up and sets his book aside. "Do you not realise that people like her trained the best part of their lives to kill people like us?". He takes a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm just saying, allying with the careers is an extremely risky strategy, they're bloodthirsty and will turn on the outliers in their pack first."

Then Prunus disappears into his room leaving Kalo alone.

(They may be bloodthirsty, but then they are no different from Kalo.)

The Launch

9:00 hours

Kalo didn't sleep the entire night before from her nerves. She never thought she'd have nerves, and she's still not sure why they came in the first place. But now, they seem to have been completely replaced with a feeling of exhilaration.

A smile creeps back onto Kalo's face as the glass tube closes and they are whisked away; up above. The last thing they see is their mentor's beady eyes as he watches them from under his glasses.

Dark jagged black rock surrounds the tube, as dark as the night. The pitch black seems to go on for a minute, but in reality, it's probably only ten seconds.

But even as they arise out into the arena, it is still almost as dark. Their eyes take a moment to adjust to their dim surroundings.

They blink. It is dark all around but there are lights off in the distance to Kalo's left; small, orange-glowing lights that have the texture of candlelight. They turn their head to the right; the silhouette of a large, looming cathedral on their right is the next thing that grabs their attention, its spires rise up and up into the shadows.

That poses the next question; why is it so dark?

Kalo peers up. There's no sky. Only a black abyss above her. However, a small slither of light seems to seep through this cave-like roof. She didn't notice it at first, but it illuminates a dozen or so sharp, jutting stalactites which hang far above.

Lights flick on; Kalo's heart jumps. Twenty-five podiums all around Kalo have lit up; revealing the positions of the other tributes; at the same time, the countdown begins above her head.

Next to them is the boy from Three, the one she saw huddling with his district partner back on the elevator, and then eventually joined Jorah's outer alliance. The boy is shaking, his nervous eyes flutter around the arena for his district partner like a lost lamb. And in that moment, Kalo feels something in her heart. Empathy… no it can't be. He just looks so afraid.

The next person that catches Kalo's sight is the tribute directly opposite them. Lanky, pale, sickly, but determined; it's Jorah. His eyes flicker off of Kalo to what lies below them all.

Kalo's eyes move downwards. In previous games Kalo's had to watch, the cornucopia would be on the same level as the tributes, but this time, a deep pit waits for them in the center; to get to the cornucopia - one would have to descend down into that pit. It'd also make it harder for anyone to escape - Kalo thinks to herself with a grin.

Ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six…

Last night Nisa asked Kalo what she wanted. For 1 year they have been plagued with homicidal thoughts, since the last light in their life: Maika Deronda faded out.

Kalo grits her teeth. She now knows what she wants, they can finally act on their homicidal thoughts. It is the only thing that is currently clear as day.

Five… four… three… two…one.