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Whatever Liali was doing confused her a little, she wasn’t sure what the dog’s goal was or what they were even doing. She cautiously stepped over the flesh and bones, stopping every time she did so. Leave it be, don’t pick it up... She had to remind herself before continuing to follow them. Once they arrived at the shelter, Rui stopped to look at it. She assumed the dog did a perimeter check already, but that didn’t stop her from being skeptical.

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Jacovin turned around, already standing inside the door. He seemed to be waiting, a little impatiently, on Rui. Occasionally, he glanced over his shoulder at something within the structure. Liali also seemed to be watching whatever Jacovin was watching at well. Her nose twitched constantly as she sniffed the air. After a few moments, the smell of something that had been seasoned before being thrown into the furnace was able to reach Rui.

She began to walk inside when she saw Jacovin’s impatient look, not worrying too much about what he was looking at. She looked around, observing everything inside the building before jerking her head to see where a strange smell was coming from. It was slightly repulsive to her, but she managed to hide the expression that said so. She glanced at Jacovin, then Liali, then the furnace before asking, “What are you doing?”

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Jacovin grunted, kneeling down and peering into the furnace. "Cooking." Carefully, he reached in and pulled out what appeared to be pork. The chops were clearly vert hot, as seen by Jacovin's jerking his hand back. After successfully setting the porkchops on the top of the furnace, Jacovin sat back and sighed. "Help yourself." He seemed tired, almost spiritless. The inside of the structure had been worked at for hours on end, with a long staircase leading into the ground at the very back. It was rather cramped, but a bit of space could be seen just a little way down the staircase.

Rui simply shook her head as he offered it to her, slightly confused on why he did so. Well it was a small relief that he didn’t appear to know, or at least remember. She looked over to the staircase curiously, wondering what it lead to. She decided not to ask about it at the moment, she was more concerned about him. “You ok?” She asked, looking over at the dog.

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Back with Rita's group a plan was slowly made. They figured the Ox boy had kidnapped Bella to lure Coraline to her death, given what he had used to describe the Inkling/Octoling species. While it was unclear as to where his camp was exactly, by using Rita's map they were able to narrow it down to the Taniga and Savana biomes. After more discussion they decided that it had to be the Savana biome since the other was far too close to their own camp for comfort. Deciding to look there in the morning the group decided to sleep, or at least tried to. Coraline was the only one who couldn't sleep at all, she had promised to protect Bella, and she had failed.

Bella woke up sometime later in an unfamiliar biome, it was a bit warm for her liking. She flinched when she saw the Ox boy a few meters from her. Only now did she glance up and realized that she was still caged in the metal spikes.

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Liali glanced up from chewing on a porkchop, huffing at Rui before going back to the soft meat. Jacovin chuckled. "She's certainly fed enough, if that's what you mean." He, too, was pulling a porkchop apart and eating it. A few pieces of fat were torn away and tossed onto the stone in front of Liali, who quickly vacuumed the scraps up before returning to her own pork. Every now and then, Jacovin would glance outside, as if he didn't trust the door to stay up.

Rui nodded slowly then turned her head back to the staircase, still curious as to where it lead. She got up and began to walk around, making her way over to it. She glanced back at Liali and Jacovin, as if making sure they were still there, before returning her gaze to the stairwell below.

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"Go ahead," came Jacovin's voice. "It's just a mineshaft and storage area. You can grab a pickaxe if you want. Torches on your right to go down, on your left to go back up. Got it?" His eyes weren't focused on Rui, but he seemed to know that she was eyeing the tunnel. "There's a lava pit down there at some point. Just listen for the bubbling."

Everything was thrown at her at once, confusing her quite a lot. The information was useful due to her lack of knowledge on mining, but it still confused her. Well... she had permission, so why not. She kept the advice in mind as she went down and began to look around.

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Once Charlie is done patching up Echo’s wounds, Echo yanks her hand away, before taking a needle and piercing her finger, collecting the blood into several small vials. She sucks on the fresh wound thoughtfully, removing the last traces of blood, before rummaging in her pockets to take out an alcohol swab, which she promptly used to clean up her other minor wounds. “Gangs? I don’t know how many I’ve single-handedly taken down. Salt is pretty effective, but when I fight, I wear my hood and combat gear, along with a catsuit, thank you very much. True, but I honestly couldn’t care less about random quotes and things like that. There’s no progress without bloodshed, and many will die for one’s cause. When you’re a assassin, nothing should slow you down. I enjoy seeing blood spilled, it gives me satisfaction to know that I’m not a failure, that I’m better than my parents ever wanted. Given the choice, if my family was loving enough, I would rather throw this life away, and perhaps be living in a cottage by the stream, learning how to hunt with my father, and help my mother out with chores. I was given, forced into this life. Now I live by it. I’m fending for myself, it’s me against the world. If I don’t kill them all, they’re sure to kill me. It’s a battle to the death. Only the best of the best emerge victorious. I was low on my shadow storage, that why I couldn’t fight. Besides, I fight the battles I know I can win, when I receive my list of tasks. I lived alone ever since I was 9, how else do you think I survived for so long? I stole, I killed, and I rose to become the feared assassin I am. Out there, it’s either kill or be killed.” Echo stated. Everything was truthful, except the bit about her powers. She was still reluctant to reveal the entirety of her powers. After the plans were made, Echo still stayed up, mumbling something about not needing sleep. Walking around, she saw Coraline still up. “Hey, you okay?” She called, feeling slightly guilty that she wasn’t able to protect Bella.

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Charlie sighs and shakes her head. "I know what you mean." She responds. "But have you ever considered stepping away from that life?" She smiles. "That's what I'm planning on doing when this is all over. I'm tired of fighting to survive, now, all I want to do is live." She steps away from Echo and walks towards the door. "I'm assuming we'll rescue Bella in the morning? I'll return then with Katana." With those parting words, she leaves the house and stalks towards their base.

About an hour or so later, the jacket was..well, semi-dry, and better than nothing. It would certainly get him through the snow, and after that Akiro stood up, grabbed his bag and jacket, before stopping and looking at Suvansh awkwardly. "Err...Thanks for letting me stay, I suppose." He wasn't sure what else to say at this very awkward moment, so, he finished putting on the jacket and left the tent, stepping out into the snow. It had died down enough, so all that he could see was a whole lot of white, and the large ice spikes like the one Akiro had almost died next to. He didn't intend to let that happen again.

Akiro kept moving through the snow. Now that he had relaxed, and warmed up some, he was able to make good time. The snow was still thick and kept him from moving quickly, but he kept a steady pace, which was good. A steady pace was better than stumbling through. Akiro had long since lost the knife, and he didn't think for a minute that he would get it back, but he still had the other one. Hopefully, he would be able to find some other weapon. His power was good for some things, but fighting wasn't one of them. It was just an assist. He scoffed inwardly. He never was a fighter. Just an assistant. A shadow. That was why he was so useless. He kicked at the snow and watched it fall through the air, just like the soft falling flakes that came from the sky. For a minute, he stood there, watching the snowfall with silence. The sounds of the mobs were far off, and there wasn't a snow golem to be seen. It was quiet...nice. This was the kind of thing Akiro enjoyed, but for once, he wished he didn't have to be alone. That little thought was like a break in a dam, sending a wave of grief crashing over him. Akiro didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to see another superhero in his life fall of their pedestal. He didn't want the shield to crack. Akiro wanted someone to be there beside him, play at least one of the parts Ashley had, he just wanted a friend. But he couldn't. Akiro had to accept that. Ashley had been the only one, the closest thing he would ever get. He was never going to find that kind of connection. He thought he saw it in Chelsea, but he knew he'd most likely never see her again. He wouldn't survive the games. That seemed to lift one weight off his back and put another on. He didn't have a way out. The old him would've argued that he did have a choice, that he could fight back, find another way. But there was no backing out of this. Akiro would go down swinging, but he would go down. For now, all he could do was go on with his plan.

Akiro just kept walking. At one point, he realized his stomach was aching, and he was going to have to eat. It had been almost a day since he had a meal. Even if he wasn't going to make it out alive, Akiro had to have control over that one thing. He promised himself that he would eat once he reached the desert. He kept trudging through the snow, and it started to thin out, the temperature rising slowly. He knew he had gotten where he wanted when he had to remove his jacket and stuff it into his bag, wiping sweat off the back of his neck. It wasn't horrible, there had once been a heatwave during a drought back home that was just as bad, but that had been years ago and this was a desert after all. Akiro didn't have a watch, but he guessed by the fact that the sun was beating directly on his back that it was close to afternoon. Then again, that could be exhaustion. He stopped for a minute, found a water bottle. With shaking hands, he managed to uncork the bottle, and tipped his head back, drinking from it. He stopped himself before he got halfway, nearly spilling it on his shirt. As he corked the bottle, storing it back, he reminded himself that he only had so much. And if he was going to be in the desert, at least for now, he had to keep stock. As he moved to put it back, Akiro rummaged through his bag. A water bottle. A few slices of some unknown, cooked meat. His dagger. Not much to work with, and Akiro had picked the harshest environment to hide in after all. He was surprised that he hadn't faced many mobs. Now that was just asking for something to happen. Getting up and moving, he shook his head in wonder at his stupidity.

Akiro eventually stopped when a rabbit darted across his path. He had to get more food if he was going to survive any longer than a week. He watched the rabbit carefully, waiting for it to stop near a dry bush, crouched down, extending his hand. There was an almost audible hum, and with a strange choking noise, the rabbit flew towards his hand, dust stirring. He grabbed it by the neck, his long fingers easily wrapping around it. Akiro stood up, the rabbit in his hand. He hated killing. *Just think of it like a rat that wandered in the house,* he thought. *Except this time you're eating the rat.* He quickly killed it and stuffed it into his bag with a slight grimace. There was no other way to go about it, he supposed. Now that he had something, he had to find a place to stay, somewhere to hide out. He saw a huge building in the distance, but that was risky. Looked too good to not be passed up by someone else, and Akiro really didn't feel like fighting at the moment. Wiping the rabbit blood off of his knife, he stuffed it into the pocket of his bag and moved on from that little spot.

Akiro came across a rare river not long after, and he bent down to fill the water bottle. Once it was full, he replaced it, and sat on the bank, the muddy water running over the toes of his shoes. His mind wandered, and he was plunged into a daydream. Though, truth be told, it was more of a nightmare than a daydream.

He was running through a dark tunnel. There seemed to be a voice, though whether it was his mother, maybe even his father, or someone else, he couldn't tell. The voice kept encouraging him, telling him to keep going, that things were almost over. Akiro heard the sounds of a snake hissing behind him, and that sped him up. But, as the snake got closer, the voice turned cold, mocking him, slowing him down. He could feel his feet slowly stopping, though he wanted to keep going, run from the snake, the voice was the only thing keeping him going. As the snake got closer, its jaws opening wide, Akiro realized that the ground underneath him was crumbling. He fell before the snake could eat him, tumbling into darkness. He came back screaming, and in a cold sweat, his shoulders heaving. It took Akiro a minute to anchor himself back to reality, muttering, "It was just a dream, just a dream." But it felt too vividly real.

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Chelsea was usually a heavy sleeper. Usually. She also usually wasn't in an arena, risking her life for bragging rights. But it wasn't for bragging rights anymore, was it? A shriek filled the air around her, jolting her from her rather comfortable sleep. It came from outside. Hoping only for the best, Chelsea crept into one of the side towers, clambering up the angular stairs after leaping over the tripwire she'd set. After three seconds of climbing, sunlight met her eyes with a brutal wrath. Placing her hand on her forehead, Chelsea shaded the burning ball of gas from her sight, hoping to find out what, or who, had made the sound. A few moments passed. And a few more. Stepping out of the tower, Chelsea turned a full circle. There! A figure was hunched over a stream nearby. Excitement filled her heart, and before she knew what she was doing- "Hey! Over here!" She was waving her hand and calling out. How idiotic of her. She could only see them as a shadow, but it filled her with hope.

Akiro was jolted from another drift by the sounds of someone's voice. Someone was calling to him. He was still dazed, and it took him a minute before he realized it properly, and out of habit, he looked up. The voice was coming from somewhere nearby...the tower! Someone in the tower was calling to him. Akrio didn't know if it was the heat, his daydream turned nightmare, or just a lack of human interaction, but he scrambled to his feet and waved in the direction of the tower. At the back of his mind, he wondered why that voice was familiar...

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Chelsea watched the silhouette stand and start towards the temple, then started running towards them herself. They looked like they needed food and something good to drink, and Chelsea had managed to get both inside. The sand slowed her down significantly, but her overall hope kept her running. However, as she drew closer, her steps faltered. Her hope swelled, and her determination swelled with it. Trying to put on a burst of speed Chelsea kicked up the sand behind her. "Akiro?" The shout was a pitch higher than it had been, as if the atmosphere had been turned partially to helium.

Lesia had watched Akiro leave though her foggy, sleepy eyes, her shield almost non-existent at this point. She tried to call out to him to ask what he was doing, but her voice wouldn’t work and she could barely move. She decided to just let it be and go into the tent, but the only problem was, she couldn’t do anything. She tried to use her arms again but her shoulders were too weak. She finally collapsed yet again, sitting dangerously close to the fire, which was dwindling out due to the wind.

Rui grabbed the supplies Jacovin had recommended and trudged forwards, every step was cautious and slow. Every time the light in front of her faded to almost nothing, she stabbed a torch in the wall and continued forwards. The cramped, cold, and dark space was way too similar to the basement she had lived in, which rattled her. The memories began to flood in yet again, making it even worse. Every time she placed a torch and lit it, she momentarily saw a silhouette of her father, making her quickly recoil. Her small whimpers echoed through the mineshaft, surely alerting mobs that were nearby.

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Coraline shook her head and hugged her knees to her chest. In her mind, she knew that Bella could be killed because of what she was, what they were.

A green Octoling turned away from the TV and slipped through the crowd, once hidden by buildings she changed into her octopus form and super jumped all the way to a worn-down-looking factory. A blue and Pink squid raised their weapons at the Green octoling at first, but once they realized who it was they lowered them and stepped aside for her. Giving them a nod, she slipped into a set of double doors and saw a lone figure in the distance. She walked slowly towards them until she was at least two arm's length from him. She knelt down on a knee and bowed her head in respect for him. "Hey. Oonay, oonah." He couldn't understand her native tongue, but she didn't need to speak his language for him to know she was here. She was here to give a message and receive one.

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He doesn't notice her at first. He was busy staring out the window, silently watching the crowd, squinting slightly to see the TV. He was bothered by what he saw. His agent, was taking it upon herself to help everybody. As much as he loved to see that, he feared the worst for his sister. He didn't hear her until she spoke. He recognizes her voice right away. "Lucky?" Milo asks, turning around with a smile. "Lucky, my friend, you don't need to bow. That's completely unnecessary." He gestures to a seat next to her and takes his own seat at his desk. "I'm assuming you have a message in regards to the Capitol correct?" Milo asks.

Lucky nodded and rose up as she followed him to Milo's desk and sits. Reaching into her pants pocket she pulls out a slightly crumpled up letter and slides it over to him. When Milo opens it he reads the following:

Everyone's in position, we're awaiting your word to strike. I only urge that it's soon, I fear worse for my sister and Bella. We have lost too many of our kind and I do not wish anymore dead for the Capital's entertainment.

When he looks up he sees the anger in her eyes. Milo knew this fury was not towards him, but the Capital and the people behind mass Inkling/Octoling slaughter and sanitation.

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