Forum Thread

The next few moments seem to pass by rather quickly. Tayla does her best to keep her eyes forward. She isn't scared, but she forces herself act frightened. She releases Charlie's hand to clench and unclench her fist. She also sways around in what could be described as a nervous tick.

There were already a few eyes on her. But there would be more if she didn't appear concerned. If she acted normal, then there wouldn't be a reason to keep an eye on her. For now, her plan appeared to be working. Until a young boy steps onstage.

Her whole demeanor changes. Her 'nervous ticks' immediately stop. The rage in her eyes was unsettling as she glares between Ibaraki and the crowd. Was nobody going to take this kids place? Were they seriously okay with their own safety that they would allow a child to die!?

Her thoughts are cut short when a new face appears onstage. Cree was his name. The first thing that stood out to her was his size. She curses outloud and quickly looks away. There was no way she could win against a person like that. He looked strong enough as it was, there was no telling what else he had up his sleeves. What have I gotten myself into? She wonders.

---

With the final tributes finally rounded, Akane and Jeremy looked at each other. Okay, sure this sucked a lot, but at least they got to say their goodbyes before going in this deathmatch. Akane didn't have much of a family and she knew Jeremy did, but they were mostly looking forward to saying their goodbyes to Rue and Leaf, the latter needing it the most. At least by giving them a final goodbye it would ease their minds just a bit.

Oh, how wrong she was.

All the tributes were ushered not to the back where they got to say their goodbyes to their loved ones but rather had a strange wristband slapped on their wrists (the ones that prevent fights) and ushered straight to the train. When they arrived many of the tributes were raising a reasonable fuss once they realized they weren't going to say goodbye. In response, the head Peacekeeper mearly grinned like a cat that had eaten a canary and only responded with one sentence in an overly chirpy voice, as though he was enjoying their dispair. "New procedure."

Akane jerked her head back to where she had come as panic rose in her chest, just barely she could hear Leaf and Rue screaming at the peacekeepers holding them back about how unfair it was. Akane was only able to shout a goodbye before she and the other tributes were forcefully shoved on the train, which quickly sped off towards the Capital. And on Akane's lips were her last words she wanted to say, but would never get to.

"Why are they doing this, they can't!" Akane's words burst out of her in frustration and heartache, she pounded the train window once with her fist in anger. "We've always been promised to say our final goodbyes!"

"You know why," Jeremy stated softly gently helping her up. "Because last year, they never got a victor."

Last year, they never got a victor.

Akane looked down at the floor, her numb mind slowly started to function again. Of course, last year was the Games that everything got thrown out of whack all because of the final two tributes. The first was an eighteen-year-old boy who was built like a killing machine with a matching rap sheet to match, the other was a young twelve-year-old girl with the innocence and kindness that could solve all the world's messed-up issues. The arena was a barren wasteland. . .

It was just the two of them, him chasing her until she was utterly exhausted. When she tripped he was on her, ready to end it all, but she had a plan. At the last moment, she trembling like a leaf in a twister, held her small dagger in self-defense. He didn't see it until it was embedded in his chest and he landed on the ground struggling to breathe like a beached fish. Once she had realized her actions she rushed over to help. Her actions were rewarded by him slashing her throat with the last ounce of strength he had before succumbing to his fatal wound. Once they realized what had happened, the game makers scrambled to get her out before she passed away from blood loss, hastily declaring her the winner, their normally polished efforts were thrown into the wind as they struggled to keep her alive.

If she died, the word screwed was an understatement of what would happen to them.

When a good week had passed before they were finally able to see that Ceasar for once in his many years, did not have a victor on stage, rather grim news that the would've been victor had died despite the Captial's best efforts to save her. The fate of the Gamemakers had been determined, and the crowd would be their witness, as a reminder that the President wouldn't tolerate any tomfoolery. That week of normal "celebration" was one of terror as the bodies of the game makers were put up in full display for all to see. . .

But that even wasn't the worst of it. While the boy's body had been returned, the girl's body never made it back despite endless pleading and begging from the widow.

Akane looked at Jeremy. "Why would they punish us for that? That wasn't even our fault." Jeremy just shook his head, he may've been one of the best in their science class, but this was even confusing to him.

---

Ace made himself quite comfortable, precisely in the middle of a train car on the floor. He sat cross-legged and calm, every eye across his head open as he felt information about the world outside come and go. There was, however, a small crack in a seat on the car that made him curious. Nobody sat there, though. Well, there was nobody else in the train car. Likely due to him, Ace realized. His odd appearance might have discouraged anybody else from entering the car.

---

Tyler created a small haven for himself in a small, windowed room within one of the train cars. He didn't dare let the infection corrupt the train car, lest it completely consume it and everybody within. The thought made him shudder, though the sight of the grinning Captain of the Guard made his truly shake. What sort of sadistic maniac had the Capitol dared to hire? The though lingered on Tyler's mind before a loud cry shook him from his thoughts.

---

Cree had found the darkest corner he could, trying to keep the sun away from his eyes. However, he soon found a Peacemaker complaining and shouting that he was blocking a door. When the beast didn't respond, a simple action nearly killed the soldier. He reached out, slapping the mask away from Cree's face. For a brief moment, the Peacemaker saw the horrid features beneath. With a loud wail, Cree fired a powerful fist into the other's chest, sending him sprawling across the entire carriage. The monster grasped for his mask in a panic soon settling Tragedy over his terrible face once more.

The soft hearted Faith literally snarled at the fact that they won’t allowed to say goodbye. She scrunched up her nose in painful concentration, before changing her appearance to look like a Peacekeeper, before miming deafness, blindness, and a severe inability to follow instructions, as she was literally shoved by six Peacekeepers on board the train. Faith laced her knitting needles with a sleeping serum, before quietly stabbing a particularly fat Peacekeeper, admist the chaos. Luckily, he didn’t notice much.


Natalia meanwhile, had adopted a sickeningly sweet voice to face the Peacekeepers, evidently acting like some rich spoiled brat and complaining about anything she possibly could. Afterwards, she began imitating Caesar’s voice, lips never moving, causing Peacekeepers to jump up and look around.

---

There was a distressed cry as Molly's elder sister was held back by peacekeepers, her pale hands reaching out. Molly only smiled. A wave was all that he gave before he was pulled away, not needing that grace of goodbye. His Mom and Sister might not understand, but Mother always did. He was her son after all, the one who would take over the family business and was her family even if it was only dictated by an ink scrawl. This was his chance to finally save people and even if in the end it would be meaningless, he would still die fulfilled. Was it selfish of him? Probably but what was life if not a series of selfish decisions? Stepping onto the train, Molly entered a cart where two people were huddled together, talking in hushed tones. Turning his back to them, he took a seat furthest from them and closed his eyes. There was very little for him to do on this train so he mind as well get some sleep in before arriving at the capital.

---

"W-wait, you c-can not do this! Let me say goodbye to Dad! You can not do this to him!" Ibaraki cried, wrenching out of the peacekeeper's grasp. Ducking underneath feet and scampering around grabbing hands, the child managed to make it within reaching distance of a man with an almost vacant look in his eyes before a peacemaker finally managed to grab Ibaraki by the back of the raggedy jacket.
"We can and we are." The capital worker grunted, nearly loosing his grip on the child as Ibaraki struggled to reach what could be assumed to be the child's father. It was only through Ibaraki's power that this was possible as the two parties were at a stalemate. As more peacekeepers came in to deal with the situation, a clawed hand was raised poised and ready to fight its way to freedom. Before it could do any damage, however, the back of a gun cracked against the owner of the claw's head as Ibaraki slumped over in a daze. "Finally. Jesus Christ...."
Picking up Ibaraki like a cat, the peacemaker made his way over to the train, throwing the final tribute in. Tumbling in, Ibaraki seemed to rouse from the momentary stun as bare feet scrambled to the door. The child could only look on forlornly as the train speed away towards the capital, unable to even say any final goodbyes. Again sleeved hands came up to stifle growing sobs but there was no stopping the loud cry that echoed hauntingly through the carriages. Or was that really Ibaraki? The fluffy mane of white hair shot up, golden eyes staring at the direction of the scream. Shakily standing up (when had Ibaraki even fallen?), the child began to shakily stumble towards the source of the sound.

---

Cree sat at the very back of the train, his arms covering the masked face as small whimpers resounded through the car. He seemed to be shuddering, even if it were simply out of wrath. The Peacekeeper was laying limp at the other end of the carriage, leaned up against the wall with his neck at an odd angle. his chest also seemed a bit less puffed out than it should have been. The sight of red staining the white uniform might have given away what was wrong with the guard, his lungs crushed and heart stopped from the slam received from Cree. When he'd hit the wall, his neck and shoulders had shattered, leaving his ruptured vessels to pour their crimson contents into the world around them. It was an utterly disturbing sight, of revoltingly angled joints and creeping kermes, the hidden shock of the Peacekeeper focused on the hunkered white shape at the end of the hallway.

The distressed shouts that came from the other tributes were unbearable to Tayla. She hadn't been unaffected by the rule change and had entered the train without a fight. But now she was seeing how affected the others were by this rule change and now she wished that she would've gave them a bit of a struggle simply out of spite.

You can't change the past, but your actions now could impact the future. She sighs and glaces down at her half open palm, staring down at the photo that Ashley's mom had given her. She had yet to come up with a plan, but a lot of that could be credited to the unknowns. She had assumed that security would be tight, but how tight was it? Would they be allowed to roam the halls freely? All of that was unknown to her. Maybe desperately coming up with a plan right now shouldn't matter to her right now.

What should matter was that a nuisance called a Peacekeeper had approached her. He was shooing her away from her spot and towards what she assumed would be a packed car. She clenches the hand holding the photo and turns her head to stare at the Peacekeeper with a bemused expression. Even though her instincts caution her against it she asks:

"I'm sorry? Were you talking to me?" A cruel smile slowly creeps onto the Peacekeeper's face. Tayla's act of intimation hadn't worked one bit. His hand falls towards his baton and Tayla can't help but observe how slow his movements were. If this were a duel, I would've easily outdrew you.

But this wasn't a duel. This was nothing but an unfair fight. Tayla couldn't fight back, especially not in this dress. But she was prideful and refused to back down now. So she crosses her arms and takes a step forward, although she is careful to stay out of hitting range. "Listen, I'm not in the mood to deal wi-" her words are cut out by a sudden impact at her side. The hit wasn't too hard, it was most likely from her attacker underestimating her strength. But still, it hurt.

Tayla had lost the photograph mid-fall and was forced to ignore the cruel laughter above her as she frantically searched for it. Tayla's first thought wasn't: how fast is this guy? Instead her first thought was: would they have done that if they knew who I really am? She manages to snatch up the photograph just in time, because the Peacekeeper had roughly grabbed her arm and was half dragging her to a new car. It dawns on her that there had been two Peacekeepers in her previous car. B*stard snuck up behind me Tayla thinks to herself with a clenched jaw.

She is shoved onto a new car, one with food in it and left standing in her place. With a half damaged ego, Tayla moves to one of the chairs and sits down. She keeps her head low to hide the embarrassed look on her face. Great job Tayla, real smooth. You really showed them there.

---

Charlie had been pushed into the same room as Tayla, the small child's fanny pack slid off of her and bumped against Tayla's feet. Charlie pushed herself on her feet rubbed her elbow, it was tingling and numb from hitting it on the floor, her eyes scanned the floor trying to find her fanny pack not noticing it by Tayla's feet.

Akane and Jeremy were trying their best to relax, Jeremy was gently stroking her short hair as she laid into his chest. Jeremy had tried to console Akane by ensuring they could write letters back to Leaf and Rue, but Akane wasn't as good on paper and the things she wanted to say went with a caress and hugs.

---

Wandering though the carts as quietly as possible, ducking past patrolling peacekeepers and keeping out of sight, Ibaraki was able to evade notice as the child snuck through the train. Throughout the perilous journey, Ibaraki also saw other tributes that mostly ignored the child who darted in and out too quickly for them to really make any comments about it. It seemed like tributes were more or less grouped together in specific carts and while it made Ibaraki uneasy, the child didn't linger on the thought and continued forward to find the source of the cry. Perhaps the answer was found when Ibaraki pressed a pointed ear against a door and faint whimpers could be heard. A frown marred the childs face and small hands very carefully opened the door, peeking in to make sure that the coast was clear. When it seemed okay, Ibaraki gingerly slipped in, making sure to close the door quietly before surveying the carnage. On one side there was a mangled corpse but Ibaraki had seen enough of those to not be phased. What really drew the child's attention was the curled up mass on the other side. It took Ibaraki a moment to connect the dots, recognizing the mass as the conversation partner during the reaping.

"Um, Mister Cree, sir. Are you alright?" Ibaraki ventured, crawling forward so that Tragedy was in full view yet far enough to give the other some space.

---

Faith had just been watching the scene before her. How could they? This was dirty fighting, plain and unjust. She poked Natalia in the shoulder, borrowed the baseball bat from her, before walking right up to the Peacekeeper. She smiled innocently, before swinging the baseball bat around his legs, hearing a sickening thud as he was sent to the floor, whimpering in pain. Faith scoffed. “I didn’t even break any bones, let alone aim for your head. Aren’t you a Peacekeeper? Well, stop that pathetic whining then.” There was no remorse in her voice, only cold steely sharpness. Her usual kind eyes glimmered with a fury so strong the Peacekeeper got frightened. “Do onto others what you want them to do to you. Serves you right”

---

All sound in the carriage seemed to cease as Tragedy came fully in to view. This whispering and whimpering halted entirely, the shuddering coming to aa halt as hidden eyes settled upon Ibaraki. Slowly, the massive white flesh unfolded, several loud pops echoing through the chamber. His left shoulder snapped upwards about two inches, the arm only following the sudden movement for one inch. The monster before the younger tribute seemed different, too. He seemed somewhat thinner, if larger at the same time. For a long, tense moment, Tragedy lowered to the ground, supported by two lengthy limbs and a still-crouched set of hindquarters. The popping continued down the beast's back, Tragedy tilting in interest. "HhhhI... HhhhAm... HhhhhhNo...... HhhhhhMister..." A long, horrified length of silence follower the sentence. "HhhhhI... HhhhhhAm... HhhhhhhhhhJust..... HhhhhhhCree..."

There was a nod of understanding as Ibaraki's eyes wandered over the grotesque visage of shifting joints and limbs. "Just Cree then." came the agreement and the child shuffled around to sit comfortably as possible on the frankly uncomfortable train floor. A golden gaze flickered over to the mangled corpse in the corner, a raised eyebrow taking in the scene. It was no less horrifying than the sight before the child and yet there was no sign of anything other than friendly goodwill on Ibaraki's face. "Are you okay? I heard a scream. Was the Peacekeeper being mean to you?" There was an almost childlike innocence as each question was posed, but behind the question was an almost perceptive gaze. It wasn't just a question for the sake of conversation, it was one meant to gently coax out information. Despite how outwardly unphased Ibaraki seemed however, there was a bit of fear rolling in the child's stomach, an instinctual feeling when confronted with a being that for once, seemed more terrifying than the curse dwelling in Ibaraki's blood.

---

The terrible thing settled in a sitting position, arms wrapped around his legs. "HhhhhhHe... HhhhhhhSaw.... HhhhhMy..... HhhhhhhSecret..." At that, Cree pointed with a long finger to his mask. A long, hollow sigh escaped the skeletal structure, followed by more raspy whispering. "HhhhhhI.... HhhhhhDidn't..... HhhhhhhWant..... HhhhhhhHim.... HhhhhhhTo.... HhhhhhhTell...."

There was only a solemn nod of understanding. Secrets, afer all, were a very big deal. Every one had a secret and it was very very rude of people to see other people's secrets without permission. In Ibaraki's mind, Cree was entirely justified in the action and the child couldn't see anything wrong with protecting one's secrets. And although Ibaraki couldn't deny a burning curiosity to see what lay beneath the mask, if it was a secret then prying would be strictly off the table. One clawed finger emerged from the billowing sleeve that obscured most of the child's form and pressed against thin and chapped lips. "I will not tell anyone." Came the promise before Ibaraki hastily pulled the fabric of the jacket over the demonic finger, hiding it away from view. "Oops. You did not see that, nope. Got to keep the ugly things hidden. That is what Dad always says." Clambering up onto slightly wobbling feet, Ibaraki gave a bright grin as if to chase away any of the unpleasant topics that came before hand. "Anyway, are you hungry? Would you like anything to eat? I saw some tasty looking food while coming here."

---

Cree tilted his head at the clawed hands that were not his own, glancing at the pale lengths that were splayed out before him on the ground. Glancing back up at the mention of food, Cree shrugged. No matter how much he ate, it wasn't as if he would gain any weight. He might grow a little bigger, but he wouldn't even look like anything other than a skeleton. The behemoth gazed for a long while at the corpse at the end of the train, then slowly hoisted himself up to walk. His stride was altered, and his knuckles nearly scraped the floor with his long his arms suddenly were. Gripping the body by the nearest ankle, Cree started for the back of the car, intent on throwing the stained corpse out.

Tottering after Cree, Ibaraki didn't quite know how to interpret the silence so instead settled for following the lumbering goliath. As small legs struggled to keep up with the inhuman strides that it chased after, Ibaraki leaned down to experimentally poke at the corpse. It was squishy like a normal human body yet it had more give than normal. Probably because it was already starting to decompose. Ibaraki briefly wondered if it would be okay to eat before throwing that idea away. It probably wouldn't taste any good. Gazing at the path Cree was going to take, it didn't take a genius to figure out the other's motive and Ibaraki couldn't really understand the reason for having to hide the body. Cree didn't do anything wrong. But he was going to throw it away for some reason that Ibaraki couldn't quite fathom just yet. "Can I help or should I just leave? I know I can be annoying and loud and talk a lot but if you want I can help! I am strong and can lift a lot of things, I can also keep secrets and not tell people stuff." The child asked earnestly, small legs hurrying to catch up and walk beside Cree, the action repeating every few seconds as Cree's longer footsteps outpaced Ibaraki's jogging.

---

There wasn't enough time for Tayla to pity herself. From a strategic point of view, this would make her look weak. Based on her research, their actions would constantly be watched and later, scored. Tayla had to be careful and stay in the middle. She could not reveal her true strength and had to allow herself to show weakness.

She is up on her feet within seconds when she hears a door slam open. Her eyes pass over the table of food and she envisions herself using one of the trays as a possible weapon to defend herself with. She turns to the door, expecting there to be trouble.

But there wasn't trouble, at least, not any sort of trouble that would be threatening to her. She watches as Charlie is shoved into the room and practically thrown to the ground. Charlie manages to stand up on her own before Tayla can even make a move to assist her.

Once again, Tayla eyes the table. She was quickly warming up to the idea of hitting a Peacekeeper with one of those metal trays. But the burning pain at her side reminds her that she is both outnumbered and out-armed. She returns her gaze to Charlie, who wasn't paying attention to her and seemed to be desperately looking around. She takes a step towards her and feels her foot hit something. She glances down to see Charlie's fanny pack at her feet. "Looking for this?" Tayla asks as she picks up the fanny pack and holds it out to the girl. She fights for something to say after that but comes up blank. She really wasn't any good with kids. She was better at saving them.

---

Cree listened carefully to the words that came from Ibaraki, seemingly interested in having a companion at the very least. Throwing the hind door open with a little more force than necessary, hurling the body out at an incredible speed. Shutting the door, Cree turned back to the child following him. "HhhhhhhhDo... HhhhhhhhYou.... HhhhhhhhWant... HhhhhhhhTo.... HhhhhhhhStay..... HhhhhhhhWith..... HhhhhhhhMe..... HhhhhhhhIn.... HhhhhhhhThe..... HhhhhhhhArena...?" The raspy whispers seemed to linger in the air for long after they were spoken, the question hanging on every particle of dust in the carriage. Tragedy seemed almost a kind face to look at, despite the weeping it was doing and the distraught emotion it showed. It hardly moved, now that the eyes behind it were fixed upon Ibaraki. In fact, most of Cree went still when he wasn't speaking or walking, as if he'd lost his life in the few moments of silnce.

All the air seemed to deflate from Ibaraki's sails the moment the arena was mentioned, so caught up in trying to make sense of the new and confusing environment that their impending doom had all but escaped from the child's memory. "Ah, um If you do not mind? I would like to stay with you! I might not look like it but I am very very strong! You will not regret this, I promise!" The were a little chuckle, covered up by the pale sleeve, eyes observing Cree again in a new light. "You may look scary but you are very kind, Cree." The urge to reach out and touch Cree was there yet remembering how the other had his own secrets that he wished to keep, Ibaraki settled for giving the biggest smile possible. To be honest, the stillness was slightly unnerving, as if Ibaraki's conversation partner wasn't another person but a corpse. To have someone who seemed almost dead reanimated at certain times really startle the poor child form time to time.

---

Cree nodded in a bit of contempt, then held out one large hand like a meat hook for the child to grab ahold of. 'So I know you're near,' as his mother had used to say before the beast became what he was. 'Or so I can pull you up to my shoulders for you to see.' It was an odd comfort back then, though it was unsettling now, knowing how his mother had changed in the time between then and now. However, this was for Cree to lift the child onto his back or shoulders, not to simply walk along with him. It would make it easier, Cree thought, for the younger tribute. Then he wouldn't have to keep jogging to catch up every second or so.