Forum Thread

T'val waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, pushing the cape back at Naru in an attempt to get her to pin it back on herself. "It's just an appearance for now. If I do it right, I might get the chance to get a sponsor or two. Hey, I might even get recommended to the modeling business." Her voice had grown a little questioning, as if she were wondering aloud more than stating anything.


---



Phenix waited patiently for his name to be called, though he occasionally tugged at the collar of his jacket, which had been pulled shut and locked in some way. It wasn't restricting his breathing, but it was obnoxious. Sedric Fornes stood across the room, oblivious to the daggers that were being stared at his back. If he had the chance, Phenix would have gladly attacked the young man where he stood. But he didn't. Peacekeepers stood all around, as if anxious for a Tribute to get in a fight. Phenix scoffed quietly, tugging his gaze momentarily away from Fornes so he could glance around. He'd felt a very sudden, very brief chill. As if somebody had looked at him. Though, when a second, slower wave of cold came, he realized it wasn't eyes. Alana was sprouting ice crystals from her little hands, and it seemed as though she needed a bit of help, whether that was with removing the crystals, or comforting her in what appeared to be a moment of distress. Walking carefully over, Phenix crouched down a few yards away. "Alana?"

Star just chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, it's a bit complicated to explain really-" The buzzer sounded and the crowed "aww"ed in disappointment, clearly wanting to hear Star's answer.

Alana tugged from her train of thought looked up at Phenix "Y. . .Yeah?"

---

"Is everything alright?" He kept his distance, in case he looked intimidating in any way. "You look anxious." He held out his hand for her to grab, in case she wanted anything regarding help. He wanted to help this young girl, he realized. She looked like her sister, sounded like her.. Even acted like her sometimes. It was almost a frightening thing, how shockingly similar she was to his sister.

Alana didn't say anything, but she did accept his hand to hold which helped ground her some. She was anxious as heck and it was showing on her face, her eyes watered a little as she did her best to keep from crying.

---

Phenix rubbed her hand gently, hoping to help thaw the ice. Shifting so that he was sitting instead of crouching, he held his second arm out. "Here, let's figure this out." He truly wanted to help her, wanted to figure out what was making her so anxious. He'd done something similar to this with his sister, holding her in his lap and counseling her until her tears stopped flowing.

Taken aback by the sudden gesture of kindness from this other tribute Alana's eyes widened as he took her in his arms and held her. At this, she tried to bury herself into him as she sobbed. Much to Phenix's delight, the ice on her hands started to thaw out as the child's anxiety started to leave her.

---

Phenix rubbed comforting circles into Alana's back, letting her tears run down his jacket. He started to whistle what she'd asked him to play on the piano, rocking her slowly back and forth. The ice thawed, two cold spots on his body warming up slowly. As his whistling stopped, he whispered to Alana, "It's alright. Everything is going to be fine, I promise. I'll make sure of it." I won't let you die again.

Alana starting to calm eventually nodded off in Pehinx's consoling arms and soothing tones. Small batches of fairy dust started flitting around the two, the small glitter particles glinting in the spotlight.

(So I was working out Alana's powers (based off of Eeveelotions obviously) and I got the basics worked out. It should be noted that because she hasn't "evolved" so to speak she only has minor manipulation of each, once she goes down a path and "loves" into one of the following she can't go back and can only use the powers of whatever one she "evolves" into.

Flareon: flame manipulation/endurance
Vaporeon: water manipulation/breath underwater
Jolteon: electric manipulation/elctricution immniunity
Leafeon: nature manipulation
Glaceon: ice/snow manipulation
Espeon: light manipulation/psychic
Umbreon: dark/shadow manipulation
Sylveon: fairy magic)

---

Hearing Alana's sobbing slow and stop, he kissed the top of her head as only a brother would do. Her breathing had grown slow and even, drawing in breath and letting it out in a calm manner. He didn't even flinch as he heard Sedric Fornes get called out to the stage. He rocked back and forth slowly, silently humming a tune and patting Alana's back to the tune. If she could sleep, then she would be safe. No matter what, Phenix swore to keep this little girl alive at all costs.

Mare pauses, biting her lip. She looks over at the crying young girl and Phenix. "Is something wrong?" she asks, trying to sound concerned and not overly curious. Mare's pale skin looks truly ghostly in the strange lighting of the capitol, even when she wasn't in visible Specter. The sound of crying resonates with Mare, and a short memory explodes in her mind.

Crying. Sobbing. Screaming. The sounds of agony were ones Mare was only too familiar with. Mare watched from the window of her room in the lab, as children died. Someone had set fire to a small school only blocks away from the lab. Fire in itself was bad for Mare, but as someone who burned to death at the age these kids were burning, it was too much. Yet she couldn't look away. She couldn't help but wish for a way to save them. But no way presented itself.

---

Phenix mouthed the word "Nerves," then held a finger from his free hand to his mouth. Again, he mouthed his words. "She's sleeping." The way Phenix held the young girl, one might be able to convince themselves that he was her brother. If not for the odd placement of their little pile, the scene could be adorable. But the Capitol had to wrap it's claws around the happiness, corrupting it for the pleasure of the twisted citizens. Phenix could practically feel the cameras prying on them.

Mare nods. She understands what it feels like to be nervous, so she doesn't say anything. The scene really is tender, and she too feels a desire to protect the younger girl, even if they've never met or even spoken. She feels a sudden spike of hatred. Hatred towards the capitol, hatred towards the games, hatred towards the president. "It isn't fair." she whispers quietly.

---

T'val would have gladly waited for Naru to respond, though something else drew her attention. As a rather proud-looking boy strode off the stage with applause following him, she heard her name get called. "T'val Shen." Pardoning herself, from Naru's company, she strode up to the side of the stage, taking a deep breath. Putting on a fake smile, she walking out onto the stage, almost immediately getting a few whistles hidden among the applause. The afterimages got a few whispers, wondering how the stylist had gotten them to trail behind her. Sitting down, she held back a glare from flashing across her eyes. One man in the very front was staring at her belly, none too kindly. Cesar gave her a smile. "T'val, you're looking stunning tonight." "I'd say the same to you, but it seems like you got into a bit of a scuffle." She nodded at the scratch on his face. He shrugged, dismissing the observation.


"So, T'val. First question: What's your opinion so far on the Capitol?" T'val hesitated. "I'm not sure. I've seen several people break into tears just from being here, but there's others that seem plenty happy. I think that, as long as nobody starts any fights, it's a fairly nice place." A few murmurs went through the masses before her. Cesar nodded, glancing at a camera. "I see.. Next question: Any alliances? Surely somebody with your charisma could have made a few friends already." Again, T'val hesitated. "Well, yes. But I'm not too sure she'd like me just tossing that out here at such a short notice." Again, Cesar nodded. "I see. Now, final question.." He trailed off for a moment of suspense. T'val thought he was just figuring out what question to ask. "How exactly does your ability work." T'val frowned. "Well.. That's a good question. I know that the images can cause organ failure, and I can catch glimpses of how people are going to get hurt, but I'm not sure about anything else." A few nods and tilted heads in the crowd were joined by more murmurs. Cesar seemed to think over that for a few moments, before smiling and proclaiming, "T'val Shen, everybody!"

As T'val got up and went for the edge of the stage, two afterimages split off and drifted for a few moments, before halting above the crowd. One read, "The Fractured Soul," and the other read, "The Seer of Death". They didn't move as they drifted, nor did they move as they floated over the crowd. It seemed to cause an uproar, citizens jostling citizens to get a better look. As T'val returned to behind the stage, she glanced over her shoulder. "What was going on out there?"

Taking the half cape back, Narukami clipped the white fabric back onto her shoulders. She gave T'val a encouraging smile as she was called up, letting her own thoughts wander for a moment in an attempt to steel herself for what was to come. Undoubtedly the questions would be invasive at worst. It seemed like in the span of a second, T'val was done and Narukami was hurrying over to ask her if she was okay before another voice interrupted them, strained but still maintaining an air of festivity.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Narukami Arashi!"

Letting out a breath at her name, Narukami steeled herself allowing herself to quirk a nervous smile to T'val before walking onstage just as she had been taught so many years ago when she had first began training as a model. Chin up, shoulders square, back straight, strides confident. Take up as much space as you can on the stage. Draw attention to your clothes, sell them. Her mentors words rang in her head as she flashed the crowd a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, earning her a wave of cheers and squealing while Caesar clapped and laughed with delight. The handshake that she gave Caesar was firm as well, eliciting another round of laughter from the emcee. Taking a seat when she was gestured to do so, Narukami perched herself elegantly, a flower blooming beautifully.

"So Narukami, a knight. Tell me, are you disappointed by this decision? I think all of us were expecting you to come out looking like a princess." Caesar started off, smile so artificially bright that Narukami had to fight to not recoil away.

Instead, she forced out a light-hearted laugh, hands coming up to sign as she spoke. "Of course I'm not disappointed. I'm strong and capable enough to be my own knight. If anything, I am a Queen, not a princess." The Queen of Knights her heart reminded her, the voice sounding an awful lot like her mates and her heart clenched at the cheesy nickname that they had given her, remnants of twinkling laughter still ringing like bells in her ears.

Caesar hummed in understanding, eyes flicking to her hands. "Oh certainly. When has the name Narukami not gone hand in hand with strength? Your work has been quite exemplary may I say." He replied cheerfully, smile dimming slightly when he saw that Narukami was continuing to sign, translating his words into the language of the unhearing. "But I see that you are also quite nervous! Pre arena jitters? Or perhaps you're playing a game with us and trying to guess what you're miming! I'll go first, let’s see.... Oh, someone dying by electrocution!" Caesar’s words made the audience laugh and Narukami's hands stilled for a moment, the only outward reaction she gave to the boiling hatred exploding within her, her body itching to be thrown out of the chair and have a soft neck under her fingers, pulse fluttering wildly.

"How ignorant you must all be to laugh so freely as if there was nothing wrong with the world." Narukami finally spoke, ice coating the normally warm woman's voice, hands moving again with vigor and . "How lucky you must be. To laugh, to have warm food, to have new clothes, to be alive. How lucky am I to know how to speak with my hands. To speak. To see. To hear. And how lucky of you to be unaware of how lucky you are, to turn a blind eye to those who do not have what you have. And how lucky am I to bridge those who can hear and those who cannot with these hands of mine. You may treat it as a game, just like you treat everything else, but we are nothing if not lucky to still be able to communicate."

A wash of silence met her words, and uncomfortable smile plastered on Caesar’s face. The buzz demanding for violence was still crawling under her skin so Narukami made eye contact with one of the cameras and continued to sign. Tapping her right hip and then her heart with her fingers in the shape of a V before making a J with her thumb ad pointer over her heart, Narukami held up her hand beside her head, opening a clenched fist as if pushing something up and out before rubbing the back of her left hand. The pointed clearing of Caesar's throat interrupted her signing and Narukami gave him a very polite smile, gesturing for him to go on.

"Ah well, you mentioned before that you were a Queen and a little sparrow told me that you have quite a number of partners. Were you panning on ever marrying any of them? They must have been quite devastated at the loss of their Queen." Caesar seemed to go for an easier question and while Narukami could respect that, the wording rubbed her the wrong way. How audacious of the capital to impose their idea of a relationship onto her personal life.

"I will graciously assume that you're flustered from my previous answer and didn't quite think your question through, so I shall overlook exactly how rude part of that question was." She sighed, feeling a bone deep tierdness seep into her alongside the urge for homicide. All natural feelings for a teenage girl. "While I don't doubt that my mates do miss me, they are every bit as strong as I am and will pull through in this time of hardship. I do not intend to marry any of them, nor they me, but we are better for it and our lack of it does not make our relationship any less valid. I hope that one day, you all can see that love doesn't come in just one form." It was a solemn note to end on but Narukami stood up from her seat even before the buzzer rang, already halfway across the stage by the time the end of her interview was signaled.

Although her steps were graceful, light and airy as they carried her across the floor, she brushed past all of the other tributes with a dark look in her eyes, turning a corner and disappearing from sight. A beat passed, and then another before the walls trembled slightly, lights flickering ominously before everything seemed to realign itself and Narukami came back from around the corner, tight lipped and stretching out her wrist.

---

Had only been able to watch in stunned silence at Narukami performed, each word another reason to fear her. As she stepped off and vanished, T'val gave a little mini-applause, her eyes wide when Naru returned.



---


The previous interview had been jaw-dropping, with the Tribute openly and gladly attacking the Capitol. Sighing, Phenix snarled at the next words he heard from the stage. "Phenix Osiris." Standing up slowly, the young man set Alana on a long sort of chair. Not a chair, but not quite a bench. Setting a hand on her forehead, he wished her well in her dreams. Hearing his name called again, this time with an edge of annoyance, he stood back and started towards the stage, hardly noticing the slight discoloration that Alana's tears had caused. Sitting down, he quickly snatched a memory from Cesar.

"So, Phenix, how have you been today?" A light grunt half answered the question. "Similar to the way you felt on April 16, XXXX." Cesar hesitated. "I see. Anyways, first question. What are you planning to do in the arena?" After a moment of careful consideration, Phenix spoke. "Kill him. Protect her. Keep her alive until the end of the Games." This caused a bit of muttering, questions that weren't quite heard. Cesar raised an eyebrow. "Him? Her?" "Next question, Cesar." A moment of silence. "Right. Any allies-.." He trailed off. The answer was obvious. "Nevermind, what's your opinion on the Capitol?" "Such a wretched place as this, and you ask me my opinion? To let a young girl die at home, no treatment offered by the attacked or the ones responsible?" Phenix scoffed. "Take a wild guess." Cesar nodded, his mouth a grim line. "Last question, then. If you win, what do you plan on doing?" Phenix stayed quiet for a long while. Then, he stood, slamming his hands down on the small table between them. Phenix glared intensely at Caesar. "I won't break you unless you deserve to be broken." He took a moment to look out at the crowd. "And the same goes for all of you." With a flourish, he whipped around, wishing he had his crimson cloak. The buzzer sounded after he walked off, quickly taking a seat next to Alana. The crowd seemed enraged, even furious.

"Give it up for Yurei Sanitatis!" Ceasar called. Yurei stepped onto the stage and the many went silent. The dark blue dress she was wearing caught the light and shimmered with her every step. Her hair was sleek and shiny, and was tied up. Her stylist had dyed slices of her hair blue to match the dress. Her piecing eyes were outlined in blue, making them stand out.
"Well Miss Yurei, how do you feel about your time in the Capitol so far?" Ceasar asked. "My time in the Capitol has been marred by three things. One, there's the constant reminder that I'm about to be thrown into an arena with my girlfriend and like 20 other people and we all have to fight to kill each other. Two, you people are horribly sane in the wrong way, so I can't even have any... fun. And three, well, let's save some surprises for the main event." she says casually. Some people looked alarmed by Yurei's response. "Horribly sane... in the wrong way, my dear, what ever do you mean by that?" Cesar asks. At first Yurei doesn't move, or speak. Then she closes her eyes. The screaming begins. A women in the front row of the audience begins screaming and yelling at things only she can see. "I take it back. There is a level of insanity within this very room..." she says quietly. More people begin screaming. Ceasar himself fights to maintain his pleasant disposition. While people first stared at Yurei in admiration, or even jealousy, now she is the object of fear. "Mis. Miss Yurei, do you- you have any opinions on the other tr-tri-tributes?" Ceasar asked, trying to force the interview. Yurei paused. "Some people are interesting." she said finally. "I don't spend much time observing my opponents qualities, I just need to know there weaknesses and there threat level." with that, the buzzer goes off and Yurei leaves, content with the destruction she caused.

---

Star passed by Ariel and Sorrento, but Ariel caught her by the wrist. "It's good to see you."

Star smiled as hugged Ariel and gave her a kiss on the cheek in friendly banter. "How you doing, with all this going on and all?"

Ariel smiled. "Good. Listen, this might be crazy, but. . .do you. . .still have feelings for me?"

Star looked at Ariel for the longest moment before gently kissing Ariel, causing the latter to blush. When they finally parted Star gave Airel a teasing smile. "Does that give you your answer?"

---

Kioku sat away from the tributes, watching the Tv that was airing the interviews. The one he had been waiting for arrived, and he started to take notes. “Such an interesting ability, I would love to have it” he spoke to himself while jogging down more notes. For a small second a smile formed as he watched.

Meya sat awkwardly in the waiting area with the rest of the tributes. She really wanted to put on a sweater and hide her face, as her interview made her look like a joke.

---

Alana woke up not too long after Pehinx's return. She gave a yawn and like a cat, stretched out her limbs then looked up at him.

At this time Lucky had been called for her interview and had given a rather mysterious angle.

Star smiled a bit and looked at Sorrento. "And you're okay with this? Ariel and I?"

Ariel pecked Sorrento's cheek. "Yes, I even triple-checked, but I think Julian would love you too.~"

Star looked at them. "Are you sure?"

---

Shiloh had left the stage, dropping the peice of paper and not even realizing it was fluttering to the ground, she stopped at the doors that led to the waiting room, one hand on the door, her shoulders shaking. Evreything was a blur. Shiloh knew that a lot of things had changed, but despite evreything, it was only then that her broken world, in which she was being sent to die, had sunk in. She slid to the ground, her back against the doors. She couldn't stop shaking. Ian..what would happen to him? Was he okay now? She didn't want him to hurt if she ended up dying. And Uncle Davis! He had known her since she was a baby, he had practically raised her for part of her life, and then actually raised her for the rest. This would kill him! And he was already on the older side, working day and night-Her fears were turning into pure panic, her eyes wide. She ripped off the mask, and the bandages in one swift motion, her lipless mouth agape as she tried to keep breathing at all. Tears were spilling out of her eyes. And then there was..whatever had happened. That scared her the most.

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