Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 35

Thread: [M] The 49th Annual Hunger Games {Nachthexe x Zulera301}

  1. #21
    Member
    Nachthexe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arstotzka
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    historical, fantasy, dystopian, superpowers/gifted
    Age
    33
    Posts
    6,292
    Mentioned
    8 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    2061

    Default

    While not the most charismatic or even accustomed to speaking in front of large crowds Lanni continued her act until reaching the interior of the building where she would potentially be spending one of the final weeks of her life. It was a rather chilling revelation, but one that was almost inevitably destined to come true. There were twenty three other Tributes to outlast - larger and stronger Tributes. About all she had on her side were her smarts. She could only hope that it was enough. Sponsorship alone would not get her out of the arena, but it certainly helped.

    Of course, the tiny girl was determined to do nearly anything to obtain such sponsorship. So far, her prospects were promising. The crowds at the gates seemed like fans, but would it last? Tributes often unfolded to be something else entirely once the Games themselves began. It was kill or be killed, which could turn even the most timid into a savage. That, she did not want to think about, though.

    "Well, they seem to admire us at least. They're probably expecting a spectacle similar to that of Clemont and Hikari. I definitely planted it in their minds." She inferred once safely behind the tower's doors. A small chuckle slipped from between her lips. "A shocking experience, perhaps rather literally..."

    And shocking it would have to be if there was to be a District 3 Victor in the 49th Annual Hunger Games.

    Whether herself or Chip, Lanni eyed them both. They at least had something to fight for, bright futures as some of Panem's greatest engineers. Regardless, the small girl knew that her District was losing a great mind if even only one of them was slain. The most they could do if attempt to keep whatever legacy they carried alive. There was no doubting that the larger and older boy beside her understood it about as much as she did. "A week of fun? Well, at least it's not the week of hell." She retorted in attempts to lighten the situation that they were currently trapped in. It was much for somebody so young to take in as the effects on previous Victors easily showed. Trauma; PTSD. It never truly left a person.

    "Let's go. Apparently the Capitol will spoil us all week." She finally remarked as she entered the elevator that would take them up to their floor. Being District 3 they were, of course, situated on the third. "It's almost funny really how they're insistent on fattening us up. I suppose to lure us into their game?"

    Lanni began to ponder much. The nature of the Games, her role in them, and what exactly it would take to make it out alive. They were fast-passing thoughts that only seemingly shut off as the elevator abruptly stopped, marking the first introduction to her new, and possibly final, actual home before being sent into the arena.

  2. #22
    Platinum Star, Yo!
    Zulera301's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Panem
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    Lots of things, but especially anything with princesses. :3
    Age
    33
    Posts
    9,146
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    3928

    Default

    Introverted as Chip may have been, he was not shy, and he was decently charismatic for an unimposing 16-year-old tech geek from District 3 whose strength was more mental than physical. Fortunately, he had at least that going for him, and so while it was clear he lacked physical strength that tributes from Districts such as 1, 2, 7, and 11 (and sometimes even places like '12), he had that cunning and witty vibe to him that meant he would no doubt be a schemer in the arena. And that was exactly the sort of image he wanted to give off. Hopefully their stylists would capitalize on that, because Lanni was no doubt similar, given that she was even smaller than Chip.

    "Well, let's see what the games have to offer," Chip smirked at the comment, "even if they gave us nothing but weapons at the cornucopia I'm sure there's 1001 ways to use whatever's in the arena to our advantage if we know what we're dealing with. Still, if the last few parade are anything to go off of, I hear the stylists are pretty awesome. I kinda hope we get decked out in dazzly glowy stuff or something. Lots of lights. Is it garish? yes. is it tacky? absolutely. Does it grab attention and does the Capitol gobble it right up? damn right they do."

    This upcoming week was definitely the Capitol's Game. Chip was no suckup, but he knew what the Capitol liked to see and hear, based on all of his studies of previous tributes and previous games. As such, he aimed to play these Capitol citizens—read: potential sponsors—like fiddles as much as he was able to. these were the thoughts that went through his mind as he followed the group up to the 3rd floor, knowing full well that their stylists would arrive momentarily. As such, he simply kicked off his sandals and was watching Hunger Games on TV when Marcus came back in with an energetic grin on his face.

    "I'm sure the two of you have been dying to meet them," Marcus beamed, "and now you can! Gaius! Maya! do say hello!"
    "Hello, hello!" a short but surprisingly agile-looking man with shoulder-length, pin-straight flaming orange hair greeted him. He wore a suit in shades of black and grey, although was lined with a myraid of colours and lights, giving it a very flashy effect. Despite this garish outfit, there was something about his fairly pointed features that reminded Chip of District 3 itself, almost as if this man seemed cleverer than the usual giddy lot of Capitolites. Of course, maybe that was just the young tribute's own bias.
    "Gaius is the name, and this lovely lady is Maya... don't be afraid of her. She's literally incapable of doing wrong—much less any harm." he chuckled.

    "Hello, hello!" Maya beamed, waving softly. She did seem remarkably shy for a Capitaol stylist, but if her dress was anything to go by, she was definitely talented.
    It was quite frumpy, and made it difficult to discern the woman's true weight, but she was even shorter than the fairly short Capitol man next to her. with fair skin and jet-lack hair done into a neat little braided bun, she looked a little less garish than her partner, although the shiny things and hems and accessories of her gown were quite the sight, and Chip was mesmerized by them both.

    "You gonna help us light up the show?" he didn't direct the question at either one of them in particular, but he made his own desires and intentions clear.
    'The Crown of Zivia' Word Count: 64319
    'The Crusade of Zulera' Word Count: 52548
    'The Shadows of Shinzoka' Word Count: 51000
    'The Rebirth of Krippa' Word Count: 51000
    'The Seer of Koldia' Word Count: 49114

    The Avatar in Chains (fanfic)
    Z. Zu. Zul. Zuzu. Zuly. Zulera. Lulu. 301. Zu-Zu. ZZ-Top. Zuliette. Zuley. Zulz. Zuul. Zubat. 'Lera. Zulianne. Z301. Z-hizzle. Z-dawg. Zulerey. Zully. Zulio. Luz. Ra-ra. Z-swiss. Zulera301.

  3. #23
    Member
    Nachthexe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arstotzka
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    historical, fantasy, dystopian, superpowers/gifted
    Age
    33
    Posts
    6,292
    Mentioned
    8 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    2061

    Default

    The apartment was luxurious, but it was exactly the sort of accommodations Lanni had come to expect from the Capitol. She was almost certain that it was a ploy by the Capitol to encourage top performance from their Tributes; "Win and you could live like this for the rest of your life!" It was almost eerie and undoubtedly twisted, but with a sigh the girl took a seat in one of the soft arm chairs that was present. There was simply no sense being miserable in what could potentially be the last week of her life, right? Chip at least seemed to have the right idea, though. If one of them was going to come out alive then they had no choice but to comply. Most of all, play the Capitol's game as best as they could.

    "We possess something that many of the others probably do not: the ability to circumvent the others. They won't even know what hit them." Lanni shifted towards her partner and spoke with confidence. It was well known that District 3 citizens were among the smartest in Panem. Everybody be damned if she did not take advantage of that fact. There was a way to outsmart the others. There always was a way.

    To pass the time Lanni simply remained in place and reflected. Reflected on her family back home, the Reaping, and everything she was now involved in since that fateful lottery just hours earlier. Would she ever see her District and family again? Surely only if she managed to outsmart every other Tribute in the arena, including the boy who was now sitting only a few feet away from her. It was a monentous task, but one that fate now dictated she completed. Fate was cruel, but fate also did not always deal in absolutes. Fate had lifelines, currently showing up in the form of a pair of garish Capitol citizens.

    Lanni was started by the abrupt arrival of the stylists, nearing slipping off her chair as they greeted their Tribute pair. "Salutations!" She simply beamed back at the pair before glancing directly at them. Oddly enough the woman, the shorter of the two, appeared slightly out of place. When it came to Capitol fashion the small girl knew to always expect the flashiest and most outrageous, but this woman appeared to take a different approach. It was almost respectable, for a Capitolite. "So I guess this is when we're made all pretty? Even if the games are not the most congenial of required viewing the parades are always mesmerizing to watch." If there was one aspect of the games that was memorable aside from the gruesome deaths then it was the parade. It was always the parade, with its flashy costumes designed to sell each of the Tributes as a viable contender in the games. It was undoubtedly even more surreal to be personally involved in, making the small girl wonder further which sort of outfit she was going to be forced into.

    "Yes, we're going to make you all 'pretty'." Gaius was the first to respond, ushering Lanni towards him. She reluctantly stood up and followed. With a single nod he directed her towards a door leading out to a studio. She continued to tag behind the man, eyes lighting up until she was greeted with a room that greatly resembled that of a mix between a hospital and a spa. Despite its mysterious and almost unforgiving nature, the small girl was fascinated.

    "You're a surgeon as well?" She jested, producing a laugh from the stylist.

    "No, I'm just a stylist with a single job to make you flawless for the cameras. Firstly, I ask that you strip down and then I can get to work."

    "Wha...?" With reluctance the small girl did as commanded. Very soon she was fully in the nude, standing directly in front of a fully grown man. She blushed ever so slightly upon realization that he would quite possibly be the first and only man, besides her own father, to witness her in the nude. It was yet another sad fact of being reaped. There was a likeliness that she would never experience true love and all the intimacies that came with it.

    Once fully nude she was further instructed into a stifling hot chemical bath where she simply laid - laid and pondered about the reality that Chip was very well over in another room having a parallel experience. What has happened to us? Is this reality or just fantasy? Truly a girl could wish that she was simply trapped inside a very bizarre virtual reality simulation like those they worked to perfect back in District 3. Surely the Capitol was unafraid to put all the latest innovations to use.

  4. #24
    Platinum Star, Yo!
    Zulera301's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Panem
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    Lots of things, but especially anything with princesses. :3
    Age
    33
    Posts
    9,146
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    3928

    Default

    It was much less that Chip feared the Capitol and more that he just didn't like them, generally speaking. He had all rights to fear them, considering that they literally controlled Chip's life, his family's life, his district's life, and the lives of all of their countrymen across the twelve districts. However, it was more that he didn't fear death, and his brutal, logic-based approach to life had his fears of death as well as most emotional attachments to people or things, minimal at best. Still, it was not like he was about to go start a rebellion or anything. He would play by the Capitol's rules, but he would exploit them any chance he got. Analyze the system, learn the system, reverse engineer the system. It was a common mindset in District 3 and often the harbinger of progress of some sort. Chip hoped to make the arena no exception in this regard.

    One thing that did surprise him about the stylists, however, was that Gaius took Lanni, and Maya was the one beckoning him to follow her. Sometimes tribute and stylist were the same gender; apparently other times they were the opposite. Not that Chip minded... too much. Although Maya had curves... lots of them. She was a plump little woman under that glitzy gown of hers, and while she was mellow and mild-mannered, she did not hesitate to instruct Chip in one way or another to help style him up.

    Stripping naked was one thing; he was a short, fairly thin boy with wild hair and nothing else truly that remarkable about him other than that he had rather beautiful eyes, and a flashy smile (according to Maya's comments anyways). Chip simply took these compliments in stride, smiling and nodding as this voluptuous woman checked him out in the nude. Granted, that was only slightly less weird than the chemical bath that followed, which was several weird colours that Chip knew logically shouldn't be part of water. But maybe it was a unique combination of compounds that had not been introduced or used in the districts before. He was going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that's what it was, not wanting to think about it. It wouldn't kill them though. The Capitol was very picky about when tributes were allowed to die, after all. They were in no mortal danger in the stylists' studios.

    Whether it was coincidence or incredible synchronization though, Gaius and Maya were dressing up the tributes at more or less the same rate, and in similar-coloured fabrics. After being cleaned up, Chip and Lanni were both dressed in rather modest black fabrics and shoes: a suit for Chip and a gown for Lanni, with only their heads and hands exposed. In fact, they were also given these visors that were not unlike the ones Clemont and Hikari had been sponsored at some point during the 45th Hunger Games. Unlike the ones the former tributes had though, which had offered night vision and protection against the bright light of their lightning machines, these were entirely decorative, and did not even obscure their vision at all.

    and a good thing too (at least according to Chip) because the clothes they wore were mesmerizing. It shimmered in the light, but it seemed to shimmer with shades of green, almost like some of the green text on old computers or matrix-style screens. The only other bit that had Chip wondering was the shiny black techy-looking belts they had around their waists. Gaius explained it to them once they were both together.
    "Hold hands for solidarity and all that," he instructed, "and in your free hands, hold these..." he handed them both a small button switch each. "press it shortly after you emerge onto the street. Don't raise your hands or anything though... keep them low... be subtle, since everyone already thinks you two are schemers."

    "Observant," Chip nodded approvingly. "so what's the buttons do?"
    "It's a holographic marquee!" Maya beamed excitedly, seeming quite proud of herself, "it's near-solid in the same way some of the holo training dummies in the training facility are... A little message to the Capitol sponsors, if you would."
    "Right," Chip raised an eyebrow, "what's it say?"
    "it's short and simple," Maya grinned again, "it reads "Support District 3". That is what we all want, yes?"
    "Heh," Chip was the one smirking ear to ear now. "that's exactly what we want." He turned to Lanni, keeping cool although still showing signs of excitement.

    "We've got this parade in the bag, wouldn't you say?" he quipped, "oh, and... you look great." it was less a flirt and more just a compliment, really. He liked these costumes, and was excited to see themselves surrounded by a holographic marquee that made their message abundantly clear. All that cleaning and primping had definitely been worth this moment.
    'The Crown of Zivia' Word Count: 64319
    'The Crusade of Zulera' Word Count: 52548
    'The Shadows of Shinzoka' Word Count: 51000
    'The Rebirth of Krippa' Word Count: 51000
    'The Seer of Koldia' Word Count: 49114

    The Avatar in Chains (fanfic)
    Z. Zu. Zul. Zuzu. Zuly. Zulera. Lulu. 301. Zu-Zu. ZZ-Top. Zuliette. Zuley. Zulz. Zuul. Zubat. 'Lera. Zulianne. Z301. Z-hizzle. Z-dawg. Zulerey. Zully. Zulio. Luz. Ra-ra. Z-swiss. Zulera301.

  5. #25
    Member
    Nachthexe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arstotzka
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    historical, fantasy, dystopian, superpowers/gifted
    Age
    33
    Posts
    6,292
    Mentioned
    8 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    2061

    Default

    District 3 was not poor by any means. In fact, it was one of the wealthiest districts. Yet, it still seemed to pale in comparison to the Capitol. Whatever the stylist did, and continued to do, eluded Lanni. It wasn't like any hygiene procedure she had ever undergone back home. Despite not being in any position to relay news back home she did not dare ask Gaius what exactly what he was doing. She simply attributed it to science; chemistry to be precise. It was a subject she knew about to some degree even though her true calling laid in engineering.

    Still more surprising the process seemed to end nearly as soon as it had begun. Lanni was ushered out of the tub by Gaius with a simple nod. As she stood up she sighed. "I'm convinced my skin was being singed in there due to the extreme temperature, but oddly it was relaxing." She uttered.

    Gaius chuckled. "You're not alone."

    "Well, it's not like we get to experience all this Capitol innovation daily." Lanni jested as she followed the man to a seperate room.

    Her eyes widened as she found herself inside what was unmistakably a dressing room of sorts. All around her, lining each wall, were countless fabrics and designs. They were almost certainly reserved for work on the Tributes themselves. Despite each being literally expendable upon being thrust into the arena the Capitol did take their looks seriously. It was almost ironic, yet the tiny girl did not dare question that either. No, she was willing to go along with anything if it managed to keep her alive. There was something about the Games that always threatened to turn one savage.

    "It's all pretty impressive, yes?" Gaius commented upon taking note of his Tribute's curiosity. "Fortunately, I already have something designed for Chip and yourself. I hope you like it." He pulled out a series of black fabric, a gown of sorts that appeared to shimmer green under the light.

    "This is...intriguing." Lanni noted as she stared upon the outfit. She gave little resistance as the stylist began to dress her. Within moments she was able to bask fully in its brilliance that fully revealed itself when hugging the Tribute's body. "It's like an old computer?"

    "Correct." The stylist answered as he proceeded to add the final touches. Among them was a marquee with a message that would reveal itself on the command of a single button. "We usually like to create some variation, but this year there was little need for it. Your partner's costume is not much different from your own. You will see." He ushered Lanni out of the room to reunite with her partner. Almost immediately anticipation shone on her face as she caught her first glimpses of him.

    "Wow, he wasn't kidding when he claimed we would match. These are almost identical, save for my skirt." She mused. "Now we just have to convince the sponsors to follow the message our costumes have been emblazoned with." Hopefully it would be successful too. There were at least a few threats to deal with and the tiny girl realized that within moments she would have to confront them in person for the first time. It was bound not to be a pretty sight as they were all competing for the Capitol's affections. Sure, sponsorship was not a guaranteed victory but it certainly made the road to getting there easily to trek. Oftentimes it marked the difference between life and death.

    It became increasingly clear what exactly was at stake once the pair was led down to the chariots. It was there Lanni began to carefully study and observe the others. The careers, naturally, were outfitted in intricate and revealing outfits. It stood as especially true for the District 1 pair who were proceeding to hold their heads up as if they owned the place. They're full of themselves as usual... It only took a single glimpse for the tiny girl to quickly grow disgusted. The District 5 pair looked promising at least and surprisingly friendly with the smiles they beamed towards their District 3 counterparts. Lanni reciprocated the greeting with a wave.

    "It's obvious I'm not the only one annoyed by the smugness of that District 1 pair, but I suppose it's hardly surprising. They can die first." The District 5 boy spoke as he approached the District 3 pair. He chuckled as he made a gesture across his own neck as if to indicate it being slit. "The name's Jet by the way, but I suppose it's hardly relevant when in a matter of days we will be trying to kill each other."

    "I suppose not." Lanni uttered in response. It came across as unusual that the boy was being so friendly. Was he already trying to secure allies? Or perhaps he was luring others into letting their guard down? It was a cunning tactic, but an entirely feasible one. Nobody would hunt down someone who was not deemed to be a threat, after all. The tiny girl pondered all possibilities. In the Games anything was permitted, prompting her to watch her back. Should I be trusting this guy I wonder...

  6. #26
    Platinum Star, Yo!
    Zulera301's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Panem
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    Lots of things, but especially anything with princesses. :3
    Age
    33
    Posts
    9,146
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    3928

    Default

    The interesting thing about the Chariot Parade was that it was the first time a tribute got to see the boys and girls that would become their enemies in person. Eleven other districts would pit their tributes against them, with various short-lived alliances forming possibly between some groups or others. Chip's first strategy was to look each of them over while he could. The costumes were visually appealing in almost all cases, especially District 1. District 3 had a weird and delicate relationship with District 1 and District 2. Sometimes they were overlooked entirely, other times they were swift and hard enemies due to their wiles and the careers' fears that these tributes would outsmart them, and other times still, they would recruit '3 into the career pack to put those intellects to use.

    Chip suspected this year that they would fall into the 2nd category, although part of him was wondering if he could slip under the radar and let the careers worry less about them and thus put their focus against other tributes. That was what made '11 and '12 useful in his books. Many of them were resilient and fearless, and not willing to let themselves get pushed around by the careers. Three of these outlying district tributes had resisted and destroyed the career pack in '44. a trio of girls from '10, '11, and '12 pretty much controlled the arena in '46 before the Capitol put an end to their games. The tributes from '11 and '12 had dominated the arena and had the larger career pack on strings all through '48. Chip just had to hope that Hector, Lucina, Marsh, and Iris would keep Districts 1 and 2 occupied this year.

    Still, as he looked them over, his eyes rested for a while on the District 1 girl's costume, which, in true District 1 fashion, was pleasantly revealing. She looked about 16 or 17, with fair skin and raven-black hair that flowed down her back. Not to say that anything would come from it, but Chip was a young man and was attracted to women, and he quite liked the view. He was only interrupted when a short, athletic woman and a taller young man walked in front of them. District 2 had arrived, adorned in white and blood-red robes, with gold and bronze armlets and shinguards that made them look like some kind of ancient warriors.

    "Nice marquee," the girl stopped and looked Chip and Lanni up and down as the latter was checking out the other tributes already present. "it should say 2 though, not 3."
    "Don't scare him, Tiki," his partner elbowed the girl. She was short, not unlike Layla from the year before, but with her arms bare the way they were, this tribute had some serious biceps for a girl her size. Chip low-key wanted to grope them, but obviously restrained himself.
    "I'll let my stylist know of the mistake," Chip riposted. His original remark was going to be something along the lines of 3 being greater than 2 (because mathematics), but decided that playing along with the girl's joke was much less likely to spark her ire and mark Chip for death.

    Still... Tiki. that was an unusual name. His attention shifted from that girl to the tributes from District 5, who wasted no time being outgoing.
    "And this is my partner, Mai." Jet turned to Chip although was more directing his remark towards him and Lanni both, as he introduced his partner.
    "I can introduce myself, thanks," Mai interjected, "but he's right. The name's Mai, and based on the looks you guys are giving them, I'd say you guys want the careers dead the same way we do, yeah?
    "Technically we all want the other 23 of us dead," Chip reminded them, "sadly there's no allied victories."
    "Of course all alliances are temporary," Jet quipped, "but 4 bright minds against 4 dumb brutes is more likely to go well than 4 dumb brutes against 2 bright minds, no?"

    "Tell you what," Chip offered, "let's show off to the Capitol a bit and then maybe see what happens in the Training Center. Not that I'm ruling it out this soon, but y'know. let's get the hang of what we specialize in and what we're up against. That sort of thing. Y'know?" He cocked his head towards Lanni as he said this, both shooting it as an offer to the District 5 tributes, but also asking Lanni for her opinion on the subject. Jet and Mai did have a point, but so far Chip's only trusted ally was Lanni, and so her judgment counted for more than anything District 5—or any other district—could procure right now.
    'The Crown of Zivia' Word Count: 64319
    'The Crusade of Zulera' Word Count: 52548
    'The Shadows of Shinzoka' Word Count: 51000
    'The Rebirth of Krippa' Word Count: 51000
    'The Seer of Koldia' Word Count: 49114

    The Avatar in Chains (fanfic)
    Z. Zu. Zul. Zuzu. Zuly. Zulera. Lulu. 301. Zu-Zu. ZZ-Top. Zuliette. Zuley. Zulz. Zuul. Zubat. 'Lera. Zulianne. Z301. Z-hizzle. Z-dawg. Zulerey. Zully. Zulio. Luz. Ra-ra. Z-swiss. Zulera301.

  7. #27
    Member
    Nachthexe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arstotzka
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    historical, fantasy, dystopian, superpowers/gifted
    Age
    33
    Posts
    6,292
    Mentioned
    8 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    2061

    Default

    A career alliance that included District 3? Occasionally it was known to happen in the games, but the more Lanni continued to gaze at the career pack the more she became disgusted by the prospect. This year they were arrogant, a trait they were known to consistently possess. Fortunately for the others in the arena it was also a trait that often worked against them. It was a trait that could be exploited and the tiny tribute was already deriving ways to do so. It seems we will be playing a game of wits this year, Districts 1 and 2... She shook her head with a smirk. They, despite their unquestionably superior strength, would only get so far if they possessed the usual arrogance so many from their Districts did.

    Sure enough Lanni found her suspicions proven as the District 2 pair approached. They were quite firmly built, leading to the tiny woman to imagine herself being torn in half by sheer muscle alone. Was it even possible? Not even the District 11 boy from last year had accomplished such a feat despite his being able to pummel and crush his opponents to death. The tiny girl had almost felt sorry for Ryker as he had been slowly crushed by the massive boy. Almost.

    Of course Lanni found herself quickly growing annoyed with the District 2 pair's gloating. She simply rolled her eyes before glaring at the pair. "All I have to say to this is that our District should never be underestimated." She replied, thankful that Chip wasn't particularly eager to make enemies himself. The fewer enemies they had in the arena the better. If they were able to pass by relatively unnoticed then it was bound to make their job easier. Certainly it would allow them to pick off the others relatively discreetly. The tiny girl even considered the possibility of playing dirty. It was not illegal, after all. "Sometimes our District does ally with the careers, but this year it's not a risk we should be taking." She whispered over to her partner once the careers were out of earshot. As far as allies went District 5 seemed promising, but the girl did not want to draw any conclusions just yet. There was much to consider: the group's strengths and weaknesses, their individual skillsets, and ultimately how likely they were to prematurely betray each other. That was a subject the girl promised herself to discuss with both Chip and Wiress later.

    With the arrival of the remainder of the tributes Lanni found herself able to eliminate just a few more from the potential ally list. The twins from District 9. Every inch of their body now outfitted in an elaborate agricultural getup screamed hostile. They held hands tightly as they approached the chariots and shot each of the other tributes cold glares of death. "Pathetic" they seemed to be expressing as they passed each before finding their place near the back of the procession.

    "What's up with them?" Lanni whispered to Chip as she too began to board her chariot. "It's like they want to make as many enemies as possible. It's not exactly a shrewd tactic in triumphing here." She mused. Or what if they don't want to win? Another striking possibility briefly occurred to the tiny woman just as her thoughts were interrupted by the commencement of the parade. Within moments they too were moving, slowing proceeding towards the Capitol crowds and finally President Snow himself. At last they were entering the Lion's Den.

  8. #28
    Platinum Star, Yo!
    Zulera301's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Panem
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    Lots of things, but especially anything with princesses. :3
    Age
    33
    Posts
    9,146
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    3928

    Default

    Chip definitely didn't want to align himself with the career tributes this year either. It was not to say that he doubted their strength; but rather that he knew it would be hard to "escape" when the tribute pool thinned, and if he were a betting man he would have put his money on assuming that when a 1-2-3 Career pack broke up, that District 3 would be the first to go before '1 and '2 had their fun with each other in turn. Probably something about "a better fight since they're more equally matched". As such, he didn't think that they would be a good alliance, no matter how nice Tiki's biceps were. Best just to let them stroke their own egos for a while before letting them hopefully wear themselves down on an enemy tribute.

    Naturally, he looked behind him to see what the outer districts produced. Hector and Lucina were dressed in blue, almost what looked like prop armour. He was sure it was supposed to represent something, but the only thing he could think of was that they were tough and thus were going to be difficult to kill. Hopefully they were strong enough to take down Tiki and her friends. Marsh and Iris looked wily the way District 12 tributes so often did, and he followed their eyes to see who they were staring at. The strong tributes always sized up their competition, and so it was good to see who they perceived as threats. The careers looked right past Districts 3, 4, and 5, skipping right over the twins from '9 as well, looking of course to their old rivals from District 11 and 12.

    On the other hand, District 12's eyes turned to District 11 for a moment before Marsh's eyes moved towards the careers. Iris's eyes were pointed at the District 12 kids, whose costumes seemed to have given them at least a tiny bit of confidence. Perhaps for the best that they weren't wetting themselves in fear even if their odds were no doubt abysmal. But when Chip followed her eyes again, he realized that Iris was not looking at the kids from 10, but rather at Thatcher and Santhe, who were shooting cold looks at everyone. They looked somehow even more terrifying in person, and their colourful costumes and facepaint made them look menacing in a way that would have made Zefira proud. Maybe that was why Marsh and Iris were both suddenly staring. According to Chip's old observation, District 12 was the one infamous for occasionally producing "painted tributes" such as Zefira and Fenris. He wondered if District 9's appearance was an imitation or just coincidence.

    "if they don't want to make allies, that reduces their odds of survival," Chip commented in response to Lanni's question, "but at the same time, if they are as powerful or stronger than the careers and with the smarts to be able to outwit them, they could very well be like Rye and Sagittaria, where they are both powerful combatants, and also dangerously clever. I will definitely be spending some of my time here watching reruns of recent games to see if I can deduce any patterns from them." Patterns. that was Chip's specialty. Whether in the arena, the weather, the statistical advantage or disadvantage of a certain Tribute or District, or even just a coherent pattern in an otherwise randomly-designed painting or piece of fabric, Chip had an eye for it.

    but there were no patterns to spot here once the chariots had lurched into action. There was the obvious one of the chariot order, but that meant nothing. None of this meant anything, really—except for one purpose: presentation. With one of his hands, Chip took Lanni's in his, raising it, as a sign of solidarity together, using his free hand to wave to the crowds as he forced a bright-eyed grin.
    "I see little purpose in this myself," he commented; the cameras didn't seem to catch his mouth movement, "but the Capitol seems to love it, which may increase our odds of receiving sponsor gifts down the line." not that he really suspected Lanni would try and oppose it, but if nothing else, a little explanation went a long way... and as their glowing marquee appeared around them, flashing in bright (but not blinding light), there were a few subtle chants.
    "District 3! District 3!"

    they didn't sound like they had stolen the show, much less monopolized it; but it was clear that they at least had a noticable amount of support from the crowds as the legions of Capitolites on either side of them cheered them on.
    'The Crown of Zivia' Word Count: 64319
    'The Crusade of Zulera' Word Count: 52548
    'The Shadows of Shinzoka' Word Count: 51000
    'The Rebirth of Krippa' Word Count: 51000
    'The Seer of Koldia' Word Count: 49114

    The Avatar in Chains (fanfic)
    Z. Zu. Zul. Zuzu. Zuly. Zulera. Lulu. 301. Zu-Zu. ZZ-Top. Zuliette. Zuley. Zulz. Zuul. Zubat. 'Lera. Zulianne. Z301. Z-hizzle. Z-dawg. Zulerey. Zully. Zulio. Luz. Ra-ra. Z-swiss. Zulera301.

  9. #29
    Member
    Nachthexe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arstotzka
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    historical, fantasy, dystopian, superpowers/gifted
    Age
    33
    Posts
    6,292
    Mentioned
    8 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    2061

    Default

    Seemingly one by one the tributes arrived, making their way towards their designated chariots. They were lined up by District as was standard, beginning with the Capitol favourites of '1 and '2. Lanni began to wonder briefly if they were favourites in the parade because they were the first to stand out or on virtue of being the most loyal Districts in Panem. To the Capitol it was perhaps a point of great importance, but to the tiny girl they were merely another obstacle between her seeing her family again. Each one present in the room would have to die for that to happen, including Chip himself.

    The costumes year after year were known to make a difference in which tributes garnered the most attention. The Capitol liked garish and flashy, and Lanni knew she would be lying if she called this year's costumes any less garish than those of previous years. Even the fearful pair from District 4 stood out in their marine getup, along with the young District 10 pair. The latter even looked somewhat fearsome, despite being unquestionably the youngest tributes in this year's games. It was only a shame that a costume did not amount for much. It was like putting on another persona, acting as a character entirely. Surely a trait that could only carry so far once inside the arena. Skills amounted for so much more there.

    "I see the District 10 stylists are trying really hard to sell their tributes. Perhaps there is something we are overlooking that only their mentors know, but sadly I can say they're probably doomed otherwise." Lanni observed as she kept her eyes on the District 10 pair in particular. They appeared about as frightened as they had been at the Reaping, perhaps a testament to their District's notoriously poor performances in recent games. Lyndis Montoya was truly a lot for children so young to live up to. District 9, though. They remained as something else entirely, almost as if they wanted to simply destroy everything in their path. They were seemingly on a warpath and almost nothing was likely to be able to stop them, short of the sweet embrace of death. Chip noted it as well and the tiny girl simply nodded. Watching footage of previous games did not appear as such a bad idea, either. Tributes supposedly had access to the archives, probably for "educational purposes", a.k.a preparing for their own games.

    All of Lanni's attention quickly shifted directly in front of her as the procession of chariots began to lurch forward. Beginning with District 1 the girl swore she could already hear the exuberant cheering of the Capitol crowds - naturally, they greeted their favourites as old friends and they ate it all up. The girl in particular motioned towards the crowd in the flirtatious manner most in her District were so well-known for, thus receiving copious catcalls in return. Had Lanni witnessed it more clearly she would have simply rolled her eyes in disgust, but instead she attempted to tune it all out as she focused rather intensely on the crowds herself. District 2 was receiving plenty of attention themselves typical of two careers from Panem's most loyal District.

    District 1, and then District 2. That, of course left District 3 as the next to proceed out into the public square. Just as they entered Lanni felt a gentle nudge from her partner, his hand directly in hers. She complied, raising it along with his as the Capitol proceeded to take in all the sights and sounds they had to offer. They too were met with applause, following by a round of distinctive chants. "Well somebody cherishes us. Welcome to the District 3 fan club?" The girl uttered towards her partner as they continued lurching forward before making their rounds into the public square. It was there, on a balcony up above all the action, that she spotted a familiar face that not a single citizen of Panem would overlook: President Snow.

    Seemingly almost as quickly as the parade had begun each of the chariots came to a halt within the public square. Within moments the crowd's excitement died down, easily whisked away by a single wave from their president. Their obedience to the man was...almost frightening in its precision. It was reminiscent of a chain of commands being entered into a computer. The computer, of course, had no choice but to obey just as it had been programmed to do. Had the citizens of the Capitol been programmed similarly? Brainwashing? An interesting perception if there ever was one.

    Oddly enough Lanni soon found herself similarly attentive as the president made his appearance. He was outfitted in a lavish suit and prominently displayed was one of his signature white roses. Like most others the girl had heard the rumours about the man and how he supposedly carried the stench of blood and roses. Unfortunately, from a distance there was no way to deny or confirm it so she simply stood, completely stoic, as she awaited the man's signature introduction he gave to the tributes annually. Sure enough it came, echoing through the girl's mind; "Welcome to the 49th Annual Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favour!"

    "Well, that was really something. Somehow the president seems more peculiar in person, and he was even wearing his distinctive white rose." Lanni pondered with a sigh once isolated from the other Districts as the parade finally wrapped up. Stepping into the elevator came almost as a relief of sorts, an escape from precisely the sort of public attention she was not at all accustomed to. She had enjoyed her life of relative obscurity, yet now she was almost like a celebrity. It was a status that was suddenly inescapable unless she ended up killed anti-climatically in the arena. Even many of the dead tributes were remembered, whether for sheer heroism, strength, valour, or a number of other traits.

  10. #30
    Platinum Star, Yo!
    Zulera301's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Panem
    Favourite Roleplay Genres
    Lots of things, but especially anything with princesses. :3
    Age
    33
    Posts
    9,146
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Rep Power
    3928

    Default

    Chip had always wondered what the significance of the District numbers were. It sort of corresponded with wealth, with 1 and 2 being the richest, but then District 5 was next, followed by 4 and only then 3. Similarly, District 7 was richer than 6, and 9 slightly richer than 8, albeit less fortunate in the games. 10, 11, and 12 were in order, although 11 in particular had a remarkable performance in the games, and despite its lack of victors, '12 had proven qui9te a threat in the recent years. Of course, the districts had already been in place when the Hunger Games had first been instated, so he knew it had nothing to do with that.

    It wasn't location either. sure Districts 1, 2, and 5 were near the Capitol, but then three was halfway across the country and 4 was on the far coast. District 12 and what was left of '13 were far away, but 8 stood between 11, and 9 stood between the Capitol and District 6. so that certainly wasn't it. Remembering his knowledge of the District Emblems indicated that "order of importance" was certainly not it otherwise 11 and 10 would have definitely been 1 and 2, because the Capitol needed food to survive as much as anyone else. and while "Luxury", "Masonry", and "Technology" were alphabetical, District 4 broke that trend with "Fishing". All in all, the district number order made little sense. Maybe it was random indeed? but whatever the case, '1 and '2 had become Capitol darlings, and so maybe it was for the best that they started the show. maybe District 3 came next not because of their wealth or loyalty, but more because after the usually-impressive displays of District 1 and 2, only people as wily as District 3 and their stylists could compare. so '3 took a lot of the burden of "needing to impress" off of the lower districts as things went on. At least, Chip was willing to stroke his ego with this assumption.

    and the stylists, for that matter. For whatever grievances the boy had against the Capitol, he didn't mind the stylists. A bit ditzy and overly enthusiastic for a death match—most likely because they would never need to participate or send their children to it—but both Gaius and Maya lacked any kind of malevolence as far as Chip could see or was concerned, so that was good enough for him to tolerate them. He was admittedly impressed with their costumes and the cool holographic marquee that still floated around them, reading "SUPPORT DISTRICT 3" over and over. The Capitolites were good for something at least.

    And yet their loyalty—their devotion to their leader, President Coriolanus Snow... that didn't confuse Chip as much as intrigue him. The Capitol ruled over Panem with absolute authority. Why then, would the top citizens of Panemian society, who had it all, fear this man to the point of unquestionable veneration?
    The Districts had reason to fear him. The Districts had reason to fear the Capitol. Each year they were reminded of it, and Chip knew that he and the other 23 boys and girls around him were a reminder of it. This was the 49th annual reminder of why the Districts feared the Capitol—one of the reasons anyways. Maybe they actually believed the propaganda? They didn't exactly seem like very deep thinkers, most of them. Meanwhile, Chip's own loyalty (or lack thereof) was similar to his alleged lack of disagreement with Tiki's assertion earlier. It was better to just stay quiet sometimes, as to not make enemies.

    He did have a commanding presence for sure, Snow did. Chip could at least somewhat respect that. His authority, his cool, commanding presence. the odd, intimidation factor he held, swirled around with the rumours of a dark and poisonous past. The rose, a normally beautiful flower on its own, had become his symbol, and whispers among the districts hinted at a much more sinister connotation. But perhaps that was for another time. Soon after the chariots had stopped, Snow gave his usual short speech before their dismissal.

    "He's the man of the mindgames for sure," Chip agreed as they headed up the elevator. They hadn't stolen the show, but they had at least garnered some support from the occasional people in the crowds that had chanted "District 3!" repeatedly. It hadn't echoed throughout the square, but it had been loud enough to be audible. "I don't think we could beat him at that sort of thing at our age... but perhaps if we were on equal footing... well, I suppose that doesn't matter either. As soon as we get up to the 3rd floor we should take a look at the recaps of the parade. I guarantee they'll have them available immediately as the Capitol fawns over them. Our escort and stylists would want to see them after all."
    The trip to the 3rd floor of the Tribute Tower was short, although Chip mused about how it would technically be the 4th floor, since the ground floor was not counted. Otherwise, District 1 of all places, would get shafted out of a great deal of apartment space, and Chip didn't think the Capitol would do that to their ostensibly favourite district.

    "This place is nice," He commented at the sleek and lavish furnishings of their new home for the next week. "kind of reminds me of one of the fancy computer labs back home, except there are way less screens here." it was clear he was kind of thinking aloud here, but he was also ambling towards the large television screen, his mind made up about what he was going to do. it was time to look at the parade recaps and size up their competition. Marcus was making some kind of comments in the background; they sounded positive, but Chip had low-key tuned them out beyond smiling and nodding.
    "Care to join me, Lanni?" he turned to his partner. Hardly flirtatious at all, but a polite gesture mixed with a logical suggestion for the next course of events. They had a little bit of free time this evening before the real games began, after all.
    'The Crown of Zivia' Word Count: 64319
    'The Crusade of Zulera' Word Count: 52548
    'The Shadows of Shinzoka' Word Count: 51000
    'The Rebirth of Krippa' Word Count: 51000
    'The Seer of Koldia' Word Count: 49114

    The Avatar in Chains (fanfic)
    Z. Zu. Zul. Zuzu. Zuly. Zulera. Lulu. 301. Zu-Zu. ZZ-Top. Zuliette. Zuley. Zulz. Zuul. Zubat. 'Lera. Zulianne. Z301. Z-hizzle. Z-dawg. Zulerey. Zully. Zulio. Luz. Ra-ra. Z-swiss. Zulera301.

Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •