Nightmare Plot

[the_effect_she_has]

Who: Katniss and You!
What: Welcome to the 77th Annual Hunger Games ...
When: Nightmare plot
Where: The Arena (and for those familiar with it, The Seam.)
Rating: Definitely R for blood, gore, and the death of children.



The first thing you hear booming is the voice, from your glass tube as you slowly rise up from ...where? You're not sure. All you know is that you are trapped in a glass tube and you are going up. And there's that man - that so jovial man calling out over a loudspeaker from somewhere.

"Welcome to the 77th Annual Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor! It's time for the countdown .... "

And there you are, finally, in the light, in a giant semi-circle where the dirt is suspiciously piled high. There's a long, green field, cut off by a fence that says 'High Voltage'. There are woods to one side of the fence, and to the other, a low valley filled with wooden houses. Somewhere, smoke is rising from the coal mines.

"10..."

When you look around - you see ... children. Dozens and dozens of children on similar pillars. Some look scared. Some look determined. Some look ... well you never really thought a child could look murderous. They range from eleven to seventeen, and you might even recognize Clove.

"9...."

On one end, there is Katniss. Looking pale, sick, but there's a fire in her eyes that says she knows what this fight is. When your eyes lock, she looks surprised to see you there, but all she does is tap her nose once, then jerk towards the field in front of you.

"8 ...."

There you will see the cornucopia - a broad, metal one. Filled with supplies, and supplies are spread out all around it. Weapons are right inside, and backpacks are spread in a ever-widening circle around. Katniss nods towards the packs - go for the supplies. She'll get the weapons.

"7...."

She looks to the woods after that.

"6...."

First rule of the Games - always know where to run.

"5 ... 4 ...3 ... 2...1....Let The Games Begin!"

Katniss jumped off the pillar like a gazelle and sprinted right towards the bow and arrows. A large muscled boy came at her from the left; she feints, then jumps, flipping to grab him by the neck with her legs and slam him to the ground, before rolling to her feet and keep running. She grabs a sword, and the bow and arrows, taking the arrow in hand as she sprints back towards you, screaming, "RUN! RUN!"

The Clove-look-alike comes at her from the side, and Katniss doesn't even hesitate, she steps smoothly back and slices her throat open with one smooth, soldierly motion, before running forward again.

Comments

[persequor]

Confused and afraid, Arya still raced for the packs. She seizes one without pausing and continues running. When she hears Katniss, she slows. The warning dies in her throat when she sees Katniss kill the other. She does not flinch. Hefting the pack over her shoulder, she continues running for the cover of the woods. She listens hard, hoping Katniss is following.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss is right behind her, swift on her heels, Clove's blood still warm on the blade and on her cheek, but she doesn't care. Arya is here. She had to protect Arya.

She hears the breaking of branches in front of her and calls out, "Run, Arya! Run until you can't breath! I'm right behind you!"

She can hear the slaughter behind them, and knows it won't be long until they're coming for them too.

[persequor]

She does not call back. She saves her breath for her mad dash. Only when the silence of the woods begins to envelop her does she risk crying out, "Katniss?"

[i_got_this]

[Between the sudden daytime light, trying to figure out the surroundings, the voice over the loudspeaker, and the countdown, South's more than a little confused. She's had training inserting into less than ideal situations, but that was usually armed and fully armored.]

[And fighting grown adults like herself. As her eyes adjust, she's shocked to see kids, and when she catches Katnisss gaze she shakes her head. She wasn't fighting any goddamn kids that was just wrong ...]

[But then again, there was still the urgent sense of survival, and seeing Katniss take down the Clove-look-alike just drives that point home. South sprints, using her height and training to her advantage with long, powerful strides, grabbing up a back before looking back at Katniss.]

What the hell?

[the_effect_she_has]

[Katniss is right on her heels - although she's confused - didn't she already do this ...?]

Go, go! They'll be slaughtering each other in the Cornucopia! If we don't get out of here we'll be next!

[She all but grabbed the woman's - the woman's!? arm - dragging her to the forest.]

[It's not until they are well within the woods that she slows, and stares at the woman.] You ... you're not supposed to be here. Who are you?

[i_got_this]

[South looks just as confused, with a side of perturbed, she wondered why Katniss didn't recognize her.]

Agent South Dakota, Project Freelancer. Those were real weapons, that wasn't a training excersize. What the fuck is going on?

[She's motioning back towards where they left and the very real bloodshed was probably now taking place. There was something almost familiar nagging at her head, hadn't Haymitch mentioned something like this?]

[jimfromit]

The first thing that grabs Moriarty's attention is the announcers voice over the loud speaker. What was this called again?...Ah yes the 77th Annual Hunger Games

So this is the event that consumed the lives of Johanna, Clove and Katniss. How nice of the castle to give him an insight in to the lives of his fellow residents.

Moriarty didn't want to be here. He had no objections to killing kids...far from it. He'd just prefer to be on the opposite side of the fence watching it all take place.

He manages to keep a little distance between himself and the main pack. He turns around to catch the sight of Katniss taking out the Clove-look-alike.

He has a somewhat impressed look on his face.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss stopped dead in front of Jim, staring at him uncomprehendingly for a moment, while the carnage continued around them.

"What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here."

From one side came the giant hulk of a boy again, and Katniss stepped to the side as he approached. She waited until his bulk carried him onward, before stabbing him through the back with the arrow, then pulling it clean again.

Her face contorted, briefly, but nothing cracked those cool grey eyes as she stared back at him.

"You're an adult."

[jimfromit]

Don't recognise me Katniss? thinks Jim...oh this could be fun.

He breaks out into a nervous stutter.

"I I'm not sure Miss. I just woke up at this arena place and...Oh god I'm going to die here aren't I?"

[deterrence]

The announcer's tone of voice is disorientating. As the elevator rises, she manages to figure out why; Nagi as an adult might speak like that.

Recognition sets in all the more clearly, making its way across her expression when the end of the countdown marks the beginning of chaos. This is the Carnival, under another name, with different faces, a cycle of torment that has repeated once again. Can't escape now, she thinks, not when every opponent is here, the opportunity won't arise again --

But when she focuses her will, the familiar weight of a weapon fails to settle in her palm. Stopping for a second try would be foolish.

Frustrated, she does run, taking one of the supply packs as she goes.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss doesn't know who this girl is - but she knows that she's not supposed to be there, so she follows after her. She's running, trying not to trip over bushes and trees and whatever else might be there.

Until they come to a clearing, and Katniss slowed to a stop, her expression creasing into a frown, "... This keeps happening ... why does this keep happening? You're not supposed to be here either."

[wizard_redfive]

When she hears the announcer cheerfully welcome the new contestants, Dairine visibly sighs. The Hunger Games. She had always worried the castle might drag its residents into the Games -- throw some into an Arena and force the rest watch. The worst possible world change. Dairine scours over the other kids intently, looking for familiar faces. No Peeta, no Rue… There’s Clove-- but wait, Clove already left Paradisa. What’s up with that? Then her eyes fall on Katniss.

Oh. Of course.

A brief glance towards the cornucopia and she nods back, signaling that she understands. Then Dairine leaps down and goes running towards the packs. She's quick, tripping up another tribune in her way, and manages to reach the cornucopia before most of the crowd. No time to think, she grabs the first pack she sees and makes a break for the woods, not stopping to look back.

She’s trusting Katniss to follow. …And not die.

[the_effect_she_has]

Dairine doesn't need to worry about Katniss - Katniss only pauses once to put an arrow through one of the people following them at close range - and to pull that arrow out again. Then she's right on Dairine's heels, until they reach a familiar pond.

Gasping, breathless, she turns towards her friend, her frown clear on her face. "...this is my fifth time on this merry-go-round. Or maybe sixth. Why are you here, Dairine? You shouldn't be."

[waterproofed]

Wait. What the heck is going on? Where is he? What is this game? And... why are all the kids suddenly killing each other?

All these thoughts rush through Percy's mind in a matter of seconds. His reflexes kick in and he starts to run, too. His initial thought is to get a shield. He doesn't plan on hurting any of these kids, and he couldn't anyway with Riptide.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss stares at the young man running for a shield - he's not supposed to be here - therefore, he must be the one she's protecting. She lifts her sword and goes to watch his back, avoiding a flying mace before bringing her elbow up into her attacker's solar plexus.

"Get out of the fray! They will kill us all!"

[both_neither]

Gren looks around, trying make sense of his situation. He catches Katniss' eye and she's the only one that seems to see him - at least as more than a target if those looks are anything to go by. And he's not a child at all - though he's not sure if that gives him and advantage here or makes him a target.

He watches the girl go and realizes instantly that she is his only shot at answers.

So he runs for the supplies. He's bigger and faster and a trained soldier. His reflexes take over, flipping a boy over his shoulder when one of them charges him. Doesn't stop to hurt him, though. Keeping up with her is more important.

[the_effect_she_has]

Katniss spun out towards the forest immediately - go where you know - Haymitch always said. She only looked behind her once to make sure the man - the man?! Was following her.

She paused when they got down to a small river, skidding to a halt as she knelt by the stream, holding up her hand to listen before she handed over the sword to him.

"You're another one who shouldn't be here."

[wolfiehood]

[ Scott has no idea what's happening, or why he's in these tubes. He knows that he recognizes the girl from earlier, but he doesn't recognize any of the other people around them. He doesn't know what the Hunger Games are, and he sure as fuck doesn't know what the countdown is about.

He figures it out fast enough, however, when everyone leaps off once the mysterious announcer finishes their countdown, and he leaps after them, running forward, wondering what they're supposed to be running from.

And then he sees Katniss slit the girl's throat, and it sinks in what they're trying to escape from. Not some charging army or monster on their backs, but each other. ]

Oh-- SHIT!

[ Scott dodges to the right, not picking up any weapons or any provisions at all before darting towards the woods, trying to at least get out of the way of most of the other kids. ]

[the_effect_she_has]

[What the hell is Scott doing here, anyways? And good grief, why the hell did he run off without grabbing anything?

Common sense wasn't really strong with Scott, apparently.

She muttered as she slammed her elbow into another Tribute's face and grabbed the first backpack she could find, heading after him.

She had a feeling though, that the others were already going to be fast on Scott's trail.]

[is0latedthinker]

Alan has no idea what's going on. At the mention of 'Hunger Games', something flashes in his head from memory - kids made to kill each other - but Alan's no kid and he definitely shouldn't be here. Not if that flash was true.

The girl - he's not sure who she is, but she looks less likely to kill him than the one with the bloodthirsty look - points out the supplies and Alan grimaces. He's nowhere near as spry as he used to be - he's not in bad shape, but he's sixty.

He's got nothing on these kids.

His first mistake is that he hesitates. He misses his chance to do anything - and now the killing's begun.

He hears the shout to run from behind as he pivots and heads towards the woods as fast as he can, abandoning the Cornucopia and its supplies.

He's dead. He's gonna die. And one of these kids is gonna be the one to kill him.

[the_effect_she_has]

Good lord, this time it was someone's Grandpa.

Katniss sprinted after him, because yes, already there was a kid with a pack and a knife coming up behind Alan. Just before he reached the older man - Katniss reached him, kicking him back into a tree, and delivering a blow to the throat that crushed his windpipe.

She sighed, softly, something flicking across her face like grief, before she grabbed his pack, his knife, and headed after Alan again.

[squirrelhunter]

Fuck that. Daryl can see a crossbow, his crossbow, lying in the mouth of the cornucopia. The second he can run for it, he does so, sprinting directly for it...

...Until someone trips him, the flash of something metal, a katana, being raised above the perpetraitor's head...

[the_effect_she_has]

...and then there's an arrow sticking right through the katana wielding one's chest, as Katniss kicks the body free, pulling her arrow free.

She gives Daryl a dour look. "Get your damned crossbow and come on, idiot."

[imalwaysright]

[He's surprised to be in the Hunger Games(?) after managing to get out of his nightmare. Where is he? Stiles looks ahead when Katniss points to the stash of items infront of them. Weapons? Weapons? Oh hell no.

Allison was the badass warrior princess of their group. Stiles? Stiles doesn't even touch crossbows anymore. But it looks like the rule of the "Hunger Games" is kill or be killed.

Survival mode, he can do that. He snatches up the supply packs and runs. It's not like the time with the Kanima, Stiles can't do anything here. Running he can do.]

[the_effect_she_has]

[See, Stiles, this is why she likes you. You're smart. You don't argue, you don't panic, and you've got common sense.]

[Well, not a lot of panicking and at least the arguing is logical. Katniss is right on his heels, making sure their rear is covered as she followed Stiles's trail through the woods.]

[Good lord, can Stiles run! Katniss is impressed with the ground they're covering.]