Through the Living Hope

@J. Magi Jolane sighed and looked up at her sister. She looked worried too. “I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I didn’t think it was for the best.” ”… I know…” Naise smiled sadly and kissed her forehead. Jolane turned and pulled a flower from her braid. She handed it to July.

“I don’t know if that’s necessary,” Naise said. “We might just need a week or two. You’d be reunited before the letters were delivered.”

"Please, Jolane..." Naise asked. She closed her eyes and looked down, then a small nod. "Okay..." Even though she was agreeing, she didn't sound happy about it.

The screen flickered with images of the arena. Hidden cameras had been placed all over the archipelago, covering every square inch of the new arena. Mr. Forrest scanned the room. The floor was black and smooth, like obsidian, and the walls were carved of red volcanic stone. The entire HQ, built in and around a small volcanic island far to the north of the Arena, is designed as such; made to seem as if it had grown naturally from the geologic processes that had formed the island. From the outer suites, which merged with the foliage of the island in beautiful ways, and the gentle flows of magma traveling intricate paths in the walls and floors for decoration...it was beautiful. If flashy. The Dystopia had wasted no funds in making them at home. What does that say about their desperation, I wonder… He absently adjusted the cuffs of his green suit as he looked at the various monitors. Each Gamemaker had a personal office, of course, but this was a place to meet, and to plan. Or, it would be, if two of the GMs weren't "unable to participate" at the moment... Pellee sat on an armchair, her knees crossed. She had been extremely briefly introduced to Forrest before, but had next to no inclination to start a conversation with him. He had, after all, risen to power through the war that had killed her father. Forrest eyed Pellee for a moment before turning back to the monitors. Barely more than a child...I hope the Capitol knows what they're doing. Vistari sat quietly near a fireplace, next to a tree covered in brown and orange leaves. She was wearing a green dress, a small green vine growing out of it and over her shoulder. A tablet sat on her lap, on which she silently designed new foliage to cover the archipelagos of the arena. Pellee and Forrest sat in other parts of the room, but Vistari didn't care much to speak with them. She was engrossed in her botanical exploits. “When are the tributes scheduled to arrive.” Forrest turned back to Pellee. Good for her, breaking the silence. "Day after tomorrow," he responded. "Almost everything is in place." "Almost..." Vistari agreed, glancing up at Forrest. "I'm sending in the last flora now." She pressed a button, then stood up and walked over to where Forrest was. "Has the reaping concluded yet? I want to study the tributes." "Yes, it has." Have you been so fascinated by your modified wildlife that you missed that particular milestone? Why would you want to modify what the world has already made perfect for death, anyway… "Wonderful. Go ahead and send me their profiles, if you would." Vistari asked, putting a hand on the back of her chair and watching the screens. "Beautiful islands, aren't they." “Yes, quite. Deadly as well,” Pellee agreed. "Just makes it more beautiful. There is a beauty in danger." “There is beauty in their danger.” “All danger. All danger has beauty.” Pellee turned, not glaring but making intense eye contact. “Not all danger.” She abruptly stood and left. Just before she made it out the door, it clicked open and Fifteen pushed it out, looking down at an electronic drawing pad. He looked up at her, tucked his tablet into his chest, and whispered, “Oh hi… uhm have you-“ "Have I-" she started aggressively, but quickly changed her tone. "Have I what?" He went quiet and looked down at her feet, mumbling. “Have you seen where my wrench went?…maam…” She sighed and knelt, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for snapping at you. I was just very stressed. I haven't seen it." “Mhm…” he said quietly, not meeting her eyes. He moved his shoulder just a bit but not much. He looked over her shoulder for a second. “What’s over there? Is that Mister Forrest-” "It's a room where we can work. But we don't have to work now." “Mhm mhm- but can I work in here-“ He was a curious boy, sometimes a little too curious for his own good. "You can, yes, eventually. But there isn't much work to be done right now." She looked at the drawing pad. "What were you designing?" "Uhm... well you see." He opened it up and showed her a complicated blueprint design for bioengineered flowers that attract bees and feed them lethal toxins through the flowers. "You saids... you said you needed a new plant for your...book... or something so." She smiled. “That’s very good. Can you go show it to her?” She pointed to Vistari. Vistari waved, smiling. “A new plant? Please, I’d love to see it!” Forrest eyed Fifteen. And so, the great lie. Maybe the Capitol didn't know what they were doing. Taking an actual child, making him develop machines for their bloodsport, all the while keeping the truth of his work from him. And having the gall to bring him to the headquarters with the rest of them. Let's see how badly it backfires when he finds out, shall we? He ran over and held up his tablet. “Do you like it?” He smiled sweetly, expecting attention for doing good work. Vistari whistles appreciatively. "I love it! This will be amazing for the book. This is great work, I'd almost think I designed it myself!" She holds out a hand for a high-five. He smiled and high fived her. "Thank you Miss V." "Anytime, Mister XV." A rather nondescript man in a lab coat entered the room from the upper entrance. A brilliantly colored bird, with blues deeper and reds brighter than you’d imagine possible, preened on his shoulder. The man stood straight backed in front of the other GMs. “You may call me Third. I am the wildlife coordinator, as well as a general game master.” His voice was clipped, and almost a monotone. He whipped around and ran over to pet the bird. "Oooh hello mister bird-" The bird and the man both flinch backwards, then the bird holds still, allowing 15 to pet it. The color of 15’s hand gets more vibrant, and there is a sensation of a sort of aura, like static electricity, around the aviar. For a second, it’s almost as though 15 can feel where the bird is with his own proprioception. Forrest nodded politely, but didn't say anything. Vistari smiled to Fifteen. "Now, go along. We adults are having serious, booooring grown-up talk." She rolled her eyes dramatically, then winked. He shuffled along quickly, tugging on Pellee's dress. "Mama... can I have a rootbeer?" he whispered. She sighed. “Alright. Let’s go.” He followed after her, talking to her about his recent plant. He was a quiet talker, but he sure did love to ramble. She listened, nodding when it seemed appropriate. Once the two were gone, Third spoke to the remaining GMs. “If the child becomes a problem, I will deal with it.” "Deal with it how, exactly?" Forrest asked. "I hope you have something more elegant in mind than shooting him in the head." “Of course I do. If I wasn’t competent, how could I have worked my way up to this point?” "There's always indoctrination,” Vistari suggested. "Hm," Forrest said. "I thought we were well along on that path already." "Yes, but more. More indoctrination. Why don't we just tell him what's going on?" "That is exactly what I'd want to happen," Forrest said, folding his arms. "But our good friends at the Capitol are against it. They're afraid he'll stop working for them if he knows what's happening. As if coercing children into killing other children isn't something they're already willing to do." The aviar squawks oddly, as if it’s snickering. “You could try it. I’d be able to take care of that as well.” Vistari nodded, noting this opinion. People really were fascinating. "Everything is ready for the games? Everything?" Forrest nodded. "The Capitol has been planning this since it's reinstitution. We've been working on it for over a year. It's ready." “Excellent. I’ve gathered more wildlife to place on the islands. They’ll be hungry, but that is rather the point…” Vistari smiled. "I can't wait." Forrest turned once again to the many monitors covering the wall. The monitors that would soon be his window to the spectacle of death and survival. He smiled wryly. Let's see just how good these tributes are...

"NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT!"

Jolane looked at her feet. Naise put her forehead against hers. After a few moments, Jolane looked up at her traveling partners. "Will... will you all stay there until I can find you?" @The Bookwyrm @J. Magi @Through The Living Glass @TheRavenHasLanded

She looked at him quickly, then back to Naise. "We know where they're going," Naise said. "We can find them later." "N-naise..."

She turned to them for a fraction of a second, then back to Naise. Her sister took her hands. "It's for the best." "B-but..."

Naise knelt in front of Jolane. “You can’t be thinking of…” she whispered. “Th-that servant… he might recognize me.” ”Jolane…” ”We can go together.” ”No, we can’t. My husband and I… we’re going home in the morning… and you can’t put our parents through a ragged journey.”

“You’re.. leaving?” Naise asked.

Jolane looked behind her as she heard Naise approaching.

She looked down again.

*rep* Mmmhmmmmm

"If... If they come back here looking for you, they might think the people here are hiding you," she said. She paused for a moment. "Maybe we could try to get everyone to evacuate?"

... did you have a stroke? Do you need to go to the hospital?

"... Okay." She looked at July.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But... but this time if I left it would be my choice to."

I'm well aware It's precisely But I said it how I would have pronounced it right then Like nice and noice

Precoisely

She rubbed it on and attached the bandage.