LET THE GAMES BEGIN

[opening_act]

Who: Hunger Games Participants
Where: The Game Tower
When: To be Determined

[ You walk through a door. Or maybe you walk down the street, only to have it fall away between one step and the next. You blink and you're one place, then the next with a lurching sensation of falling, and land somewhere else.

This… is probably the game tower, and the new way they've been summoning you, but it's not the Game Tower as you've seen it before.

On your cellphone, you hear Exael's voice, and if you look at it you can see her too. She's dressed up today on a couch with a microphone she's taking back from someone else — they must have just finished answering her as you get the chance to tune in. She nods, face and voice all cheer as she takes the mic back.

"So there you have it, everyone! The celestial plan behind this iteration of the Hunger Games! Lend everyone your thoughts and prayers, because it sounds like they're going to need it!"

The rules-- well, goals, more like-- then dominate your cellphone screen. ]

Comments

[liftoft]

Ah, somebody got you..?

[ strangely...surprised by that? But gathers up some of his cloak to begin to rip bandages from it. From the state of it, this isn't the first time he's done so ]

C'mere, hold still.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[What state is X in by the by?]

Apparently.

[Reaches up to touch the wound -- what the fuck makes a scar like that?! Answer: Being sniped with a powerful sniper rifle]

I don't fucking remember it.

[liftoft]

[ X is perfectly fine, aside from the state of his clothes, and one barely-there slash across his cheek ]

Huh... I dunno if that's lucky or not...

[ reaches out, not caring if he's going to be rebuffed for it, and carefully begins to tend to the wound ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He's not really going to rebuff at the moment, too busy mentally going over what happened and what could cause that kind of a wound.

Yugi did have a gun. But even shot at point blank could it have done that much damage...?]

Unlucky. I don't like not knowing.

[liftoft]

[ tend tend tend, and then rips another piece from his cloak to see to cleaning. He's got a canteen of water with him even, so it's fairly effective ]

We can ask around. Hell, maybe somebody'll fess up to whatever it was.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Look at this boy scout go. He really shouldn't be surprised]

It was a clean shot. Whoever did it must be fucking proud.

[Actually sounds more impressed than upset by that statement. A pause and then---]

Shouldn't you be fussing over your unitmates?

[liftoft]

I can fuss over all kinds of people!

[ kind of cranky about it ]

'sides, I don't think many of 'em were in this game. Which is good, 'cause they're not really fighters.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Do you put yourself in that category?

[liftoft]

I did just fine! Crow's here too, and that's his main thing. I meant B and N and everybody... they're nice kids.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Oh? B wasn't there. Good.

[And kind of trailing off... Too many things running around in his brain right now, which doesn't really want to cooperate with all of the throbbing]

[liftoft]

Pretty sure, yeah. Didn't know you guys were close...

[ offers him the canteen of water.]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Doesn't move to take the canteen. Who knows how long they are going to keep us in here? And who knows how many wounds X is going to have to take care of]

He's my star employee. Does that count as close?

[liftoft]

Heh, yeah? That's good , then. He's got a good boss.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

So quick to say that even though you nothing about me as an employer.

Well, I suppose some of us have to remain optimists.

[liftoft]

Nah, it's not that. More like, you've always been good to me, but more importantly, B's smart, and has a good eye for trouble, so there's no way he'd have agreed to work for you if you were shitty.

And if you say you forced him or something, then I'll kick your ass--I don't care if you're bleedin' from the head.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Really now.

I see why Maki likes you so much.

[liftoft]

O-Of course she does! Because I'm super likable!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Careful. You're blushing.

[liftoft]

I think its just blood gettin' in your eyes!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

So this is what you're shy about. Interesting.

[liftoft]

Why do you care so much about what I'm shy over?!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

To use against you if you and Maki ever go through with that absurd plan of yours. Obviously.

[liftoft]

Wha--!

Oh man... she told you about that?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Don't look so disappointed. Now it will be even more impressive if the two of you manage to pull it off.

[liftoft]

Well first thing, how the hell are you gonna use 'Harumaki likes me' against me, in that scenario? Seems like I'd hafta be pretty aware at that point, y'know?

But she turned me down, so you don't gotta worry about it!