Ladies and Gentlemen...

[etcircenses]

The Capitol has ordered its people inward. Some move weary, knowing now some of the reason for their displacement, but they move, closer and closer to the reach of the President. It is said the children will be allowed in here past the heavy guard. But with all the distrust shaken into the core of the Capitol and the Peacekeepers at its heart, it’s not impossible to slip away. Surviving the traps to escape, however, is another story.

Outside the Capitol, the Districts line-up. In the month since the last battle, the stalemate Districts, 9 and 6 were won over. Districts 8, 10, and 1 have fewer of their number, but their rebel leaders have shown up and all the survivors with them. District 13 joins soon after, led by Webb and the Offworlders. It’ll be slow going for the Districts, but some of the Offworlders and allies have been tasked with leading the way in navigating the minefield that is the Capitol.

The Quarter Quell making up the 75th Hunger Games reached its end, but the Games themselves aren’t over yet. With all the war to prepare, the Gamemakers enlisted to work will be throwing out their best. Every arena needs it’s finale…

And there, patrolling, armed and ready to meet the traitors between the traps are the Peacekeepers. It’s their lives on the line too and they won’t be going down without a fight.

Welcome to the 76th Hunger Games.

Comments

Open!

[voiceinthephone]

Day 1

It's been almost five months, possibly even more since Phil had stepped out of the boundaries of Thirteen and head towards the massive Capitol walls. He left this place in a train bound for the ill-fated Victory Tour, and so to must it come to an end. But he's not here to engage in combat, at least not actively. With a simple handgun and knife as his weapons, he sets out to find stragglers and those hurt by the battles. Even the Capitolites had become distrustful of Snow's command, willing to make their home into one final Arena and for what? For a man whose only drive was to keep himself alive and in power?

Either way, he makes a small click sound with his tongue, alerting his fox companions to start the search for supplies and people trapped or injured. Phone Guy's best work was always behind the scenes, clean up the mess, have the people get back up and let them shine. Losing Jeremy and Shep broke Gray's heart, but he had no time to mourn. There was a job to be done, one last stretch and maybe, just maybe he could finally sleep a good night's rest. But for now, he continued his sweeps around the first zone, looking for signs of life.

"Hello? Hello? Anyone in there?" he calls out into abandoned buildings, not caring if someone was brandishing a weapon. He knows he's vulnerable, but he can't break his promises, he's determined to make sure that those he finds are taken care of. If he so readily renounced his death back home, he'd better make the most of it.

Day 2

Zone Two was a disaster in so many ways, but in the Avox Liberation, Phone Guy felt somewhat vindicated. He still remembered the harsh and uncaring words Jason Compson had towards Avoxes but seeing them wreck their owners' homes, there was still something inherently human left. That something was rage and the desire for freedom. He sometimes wondered what became of that man full of loathing and vitriol, probably ran off into the wilderness with Miss Swann. Phil made a note to apologize to her, she'd been right all along when it came to Alma Coin.

An Avox threatened to seize Alby, thinking it was a Capitolite pet before Phil called out, "HEY!" That kit was the last thing Phone Guy had of Jeremy's and he made a promise to take care of the critter until his last breath. But in saving the little pet, he made himself vulnerable, open for capture…or to welcome old allies into the fray.

Day 1

[foundafamily]

Firo'd ducked inside the building to catch his breath and cast around for anyone who much be hiding there. As he's searching, he hears someone moving near the doorway and is primed to react--but then he hears that voice. He'd recognize it anywhere.

Firo pops out of the darkness, his knife still in his hand but not raised to attack. "Phil?! Hey, don't shoot, I'm not gonna come at you."

He doesn't truly believe his friend would attack him, but it bears mentioning when Firo's nominally on the Capitol side. At least, he wears the uniform. He promptly forgot any orders he was given in favor of his own priorities--finding the friends he hasn't seen in far too long.

[voiceinthephone]

To hear Firo's voice was a comfort that no alcohol could ever come close to. It's the sound of hope, of a new fight with someone near and dear to his heart. He doesn't waste a minute in holstering his gun and knife, even Foxy recognized the man. Both foxes circled and hopped while their master caught up to Prochainezo. Phil looked ragged, thinner than he was the last time the two friends saw each other, but he looked free and determined. He's been caring for the wounded all this time, holding down Thirteen's infirmary but he still had the kindness and energy that defined him.

He didn't care about formalities or even if Firo would've appreciated the hug or not, he went full speed ahead. He worried night and day about Firo, his grey stripe now solidly in place as a physical sign of the stress.

Then he smacked the back of Firo's head, "You had me worried! You could've written or something! I kept hearing reports about you and now-" and he's back to his paternal ways.

[foundafamily]

Firo was secretly pleased and relieved with the greeting--it was almost like before, back when he'd wake up from an Arena death and go seek out his friend. Appreciative as he was of the embrace--and he returned it without hesitation--he first tried to play it cool. "Come on, I'm not goin' anywhere."

Ow. He blinked at the slap, too surprised to be offended, though he probably should've seen this coming. “I sent you one!” He shrugged, trying to disguise the fact that he did feel kind of bad about it. It was far too long a time not to talk with his friend. “I thought about another, but there wasn’t much to say.”

"...You, uh, you didn't really hear reports, right?" He must be making that up, hopefully. After what happened with the rats, Firo'd hate to think that Phil found out about him dying stupidly once again.

[voiceinthephone]

"Yes, yes I did read the reports and I would bet good money that you were one of those deaths," Phil hurried his pace, gathering as many supplies as he could. "We can discuss your recklessness later, there's a war going on and I don't want to stick around. There's gonna people trapped in the Capitol and they need to be evacuated."

Nothing sickened Phil more than the knowledge that Gamemakers knew no country and would inflict the Arena's hazards onto the Capitol. But he could picture Sigma putting on a greater resistance.

"You coming?"

[foundafamily]

Firo sighed; Phil was right, of course, and arguing with him was pointless. At least his friend seemed willing to let it slide for now—he wasn’t so eager to get chewed out over that same death once more.

He nodded and followed, grinning and eager to leap back to his friend’s side. “Of course I am.” It was only after he had a few seconds to think that he hesitated and looked more closely at Phil’s face. There was just one thing he worried about… “You gonna get in trouble if somebody sees you with me?”

After they were finally reunited, the last thing he needed was for someone to mistake Phil for a traitor and kill him for being with a Capitol soldier.

[voiceinthephone]

Phil wouldn't be calling Firo out for that death, that was just the example to establish the norm. No, Phil was going to chew him out for the one during the war. But at the man's question, Gray was quick to respond with a head shake and a kick to a door to go inside. He was focused, as if he never left the Arenas. Thirteen kept him in shape and in line, but events in the lost district made Phil not trust everything.

"They know better than to shoot the medic," he stated outright, "Unless they can somehow capture a Capitol medic in the next, oh, three hours. Maybe I'm tooting my own horn too much." He at least admitted he let some of his pride and overworked stress get to his head. "Any survivors that need tending?"

[foundafamily]

Phil's reasoning is comforting, at least. Firo nods as he follows him, and he breathes out in relief.

"Haven't seen any survivors so far, just bodies." Still keenly aware of the uniform he wears, Firo adds defensively, "...Not that I'm the one who took 'em down. I think they got caught by those traps they put out everywhere."

And it's true; he's largely given up on even pretending he's on the Capitol's side. He's not going to kill someone over an act--not anymore, when he's seen the way to go home destroyed. The Capitol doesn't have much to keep him in check now, so his friends are his priority.

[voiceinthephone]

"Don't worry about it, I know you didn't hurt them." Phil trusted Firo far more than he let on, and he knew the immortal young man would rather risk another avoidable death that kill for the sake of the Enemy.

Whether or not that reasoning holds water is best left up to chance but until now, Phil has been met with desperate pleas of both sides to be extracted and patched up. Of course he sends them to the lost district, he has the image of the rebellion to uphold you know?

It's when Foxy and Alby growl at certain spots that Prochainezo's words take a grim meaning. "They really did rig the Capitol, Jesus Christ, these assholes are going all out." Yes, Phone Guy is cursing just as he did in the Arenas, he's at the end of his rope. But not too far that he can't follow the foxes into a toy store. Dolls and Tribute memorabilia take on an unnerving nature as what little light bounced off felt like eyes on them.

Day 2

[justoutrunyou]

The Avox hesitated, conflicted by the order to rebel and otherwise wreck shit, and Phil shouting. That hesitation would be it's undoing as a shot rang out and the Axox crumpled.

Not dead, moving and clutching at it's leg. The shooter lowered her weapon with an impassive look, the owner of that Avox might want it back eventually so the damage was minor just...painful.

Sandy turned her attention to Phil studying him from a distance and then raising her weapon again. The only reason there was hesitation at all was because seeing Phil was enough to stir up her rebellious side again even if she wasn't in control yet.

She was dressed in Peacekeeper whites, save for the helmet which she had opted out of.

[voiceinthephone]

Phil would've rushed towards Sandy to hug her but he spotted the gun early enough to shield Alby in his arms. On the other hand, Foxy was already on high alert, baring his teeth and back arched ready to pounce. He loves Sandy as his own blood, the daughter he could never have in his world. But he had no idea that his presence could provoke a change in the brainwashed girl. That he could inspire her to fight back.

"Sandy," his voice is unwavering, paternal and comforting even in the ravages of war. "Please put that down. I'm evacuating civilians." He would die for these two foxes, they were the embodiment of all the good memories Panem was capable of creating.

[justoutrunyou]

Well...evacuating civilians was what she was supposed to be doing, but...he was a rebel and there was a very clear command of what to do about rebels.

Her eyes lower to the fox first, watching it impassively. Calculating the chances of getting bitten if she shot Phil first.

"You should surrender." She rasped out in a dull empty way. Her eyes were glassy but if Phil was perceptive he might noticed the gun was being lowered slowly.

[voiceinthephone]

Foxy was a swift creature, matching his namesake in speed and ferocity should Sandy even consider attacking his master. Phil nonetheless stood fearless as he met Marko's eyes, a fire threatening to raze her Capitol brainwashing. He wasn't going to surrender to Snow's will and she probably knew that. He does however place his gun on the floor, a sign of good faith between a rebel and a Peacekeeper.

"I am unarmed, on a medical expedition, and I will not leave any wounded behind be it Capitolite or not. You're more than welcome to help me," he spoke up. Would it still be rebelling if she was helping Capitolites? They were part of Panem, just different sides.

[justoutrunyou]

"Nnngh..."

This wasn't how things were supposed to go. Rebels weren't allowed to surrender were they?

But...but maybe she should capture him alive. He might have useful information and she wasn't even sure if he'd come back if he died this time.

"You'll be coming back with me." She grunted through clenched teeth her voice wavering slightly from it's emotionless tone previously. The gun rose again in a needless threat and a tiny finger squeezed the trigger partway. She was shaking...why was she shaking? Her big blue eyes looked into Phil's and saw the lack of fear. The determination. The soft spoken strength she'd come to respect.

Jerking her hand upwards she pointed the gun directly into the sky and let the shot ring out, gasping for breath at the effort it took to not even wound him. Her face was red from the effort of fighting against orders.

And unfortunately that shot drew some attention from a nearby tree. Some ominous chittering and chirping.

[voiceinthephone]

The moment Phillip saw the gun raised towards the sky, he saw the chain of events that were starting to unfold. The Capitol was not kind to those stuck in this zone and he had to think fast. The birds were not what they seemed and if both Foxy and Alby's sudden hissing were any indication that they were a threat, he'd be hard-pressed to not listen. Beady eyes, not unlike Bonnie's in the Parts and Storage area, stared at them with malicious intent. Gray remembered just how deep the Gamemakers' controls could be from the rats in Arena 14, these were weapons to follow Snow's will.

"We have to go," he whispered, "We need to find cover now." He made no sudden movements, his hands on his side to keep his pets under control. He looked at Sandy, and nodded slightly, "I trust you to lead." He placed his life and those he cared about in her hands, to guide them to safety. He had no fear of death, if it meant that she was safe.

[justoutrunyou]

Trust.

The Capitol had not trusted her with much more then a gun and a uniform. She barely had any security clearance. But Phil had trusted her since day one hadn't he? She offered a curt nod and started back down the street keeping her eyes on the tree. They made it as far as the corner before the swarm of birds took flight.

Sandy's skin turned grey and stiff, spreading along her hair and clothes till Phil was standing next to a statue of the girl.

There weren't a lot of options once they reached the main street, they had to get out of the open...

Turning her gun onto the handle of a door she tried to open it, and once it proved locked she shot it open and threw the door wide.

"Inside!"

[voiceinthephone]

Phil had never seen Sandy's power in person and for a moment, it unnerved him to see the girl become stone. In his eyes, her movements didn't match up with the cold rock, giving Sandy an unintentional uncanny look about her, along with the rapidly decaying Capitol programming. But that was still the scrappy kid he met so long ago, and by God, he was going to keep her safe.

"Get in here now!" he yelled at her, already grabbing her arm while Foxy and Alby scrambled into safety as well. They were family and they've already lost enough people to Snow's whims.

Day 2

[porcelainandsteel]

It was the voice. She knew that voice. For the first time since the fighting had started, Sansa forgot her fear and her desperation and ran headlong towards the shout. She was carrying a gun, but two days into the battle, she hadn't yet fired a shot; she let it drop when she rounded the corner, raising both hands to wave. "Phillip!"

Gods be good, he's alive! That's all she can think, as she offers up a silent prayer of thanks to any gods who might be listening. She'd been so afraid, in all this, that they were all gone - for the moment, in her relief, she forgets they're on different sides, forgets her caution, and is just thoroughly, unguardedly happy to see him.

[voiceinthephone]

Time stopped moving when Phil heard Sansa call out his name. He didn't have a chance to take her away from the Capitol and the Rebellion and to hear her, to see her be safe (relatively speaking), it gave the former guard a new breath of life. So much that he puts his weapons away and simply ran to her position.

The sides didn't matter anymore as he hugged the princess tight, just for the sake of his boundless joy but to keep her safe from any stray fire.

"Oh thank God," he whispered, tears streaming from his eyes without any shame, "Thank God you're safe. W-We need to get you in a building somewhere-" The carnage still echoed in his ears and his foxes are making hurried sounds. Danger was still around them, reminding them of Panem's state. Gray never met Eddard Stark, but he made the dead man the promise to keep his daughter safe.

"Come on! There's an empty shop nearby, we can duck in there."

[porcelainandsteel]

When she saw him running towards her, her heart leapt into her mouth and she met his embrace with one no less fierce, throwing herself into his arms and hugging him with all her might. It wasn't ladylike, wasn't politic, but gods, it felt good to be held, to have someone solid and close and reassuring - candidly, to be loved a little. It had been a long time since she'd hugged anyone but Lady. The tears started to her own eyes, too, stinging sharply at her eyelids.

"I need my gun," she told him, her voice thick with tears and muffled up against his shoulder. "I think they'll skin me alive if I lose it... oh, gods be good, you're all right!" And she tightened her hug on him again, just for a moment, before pulling away to retrieve her weapon, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

[voiceinthephone]

Phil doubted the Peacekeepers would do something so horrible to Sansa, not when the entire nation of Panem is finally bearing down those concrete walls and discovering they were really made of sand. But he understood his former tribute's plight and nodded towards her, "Go get it, I'll cover you."

Sandy saw glimpses of how protective Phone Guy could be in the arenas, now it was Sansa's. Any incoming threats were shot at, aiming for the arms and knees to incapacitate rather than kill. Working at Thirteen's infirmary gave Phil knowledge of what nonlethal areas to hit to cause excruciating pain. He made a promise never to commit murder again after his victory in the last Mini Arena, he was keeping it save for one person: President Snow.

[porcelainandsteel]

Sansa picked up the gun with more care than expertise, holding it by the barrel at arm's length, as though it were something rotten. She didn't understand it as a weapon, and she didn't want to. So long as she pretended willing, so long as they couldn't call her traitor, that was all she wanted to do - not kill, not even wound, just survive and go on surviving.

She ducked, staying low to the ground as she ran back to Phil and towards the shop he'd indicated. Getting under cover was a good idea. Getting under cover with someone who'd protect her - who was protecting her, even when he was on the enemy side - was better.

[voiceinthephone]

Phil knew that it would be a matter of time before Sansa would be taken away again but if he could get her to the next zone safely, then she could do much more than just run. If she survived then she could be the lady she was destined to be. Would he see her grow into that role? Maybe, maybe not but as he fired two shots to disable raving soldiers from entering the shop.

As the madness of the war's final throes continued, Gray placed his hands along the tear-stained cheeks and gave his former tribute a proper check-up. "God, I hoped that Molotov and Black Tom kept you safe," he murmured, "Why are you out here on the frontlines?"

[porcelainandsteel]

Sansa sniffled, putting her hands over his and biting her lip. "...Everyone is," she said, at last, her voice hoarse and shaky. "Every single offworlder. They didn't give us a choice, they just gave us weapons." Her eyes flick down to the ground, then back up to his face. "I managed to get Lady to go with them, though?" she offers, her tone almost conciliatory. "So she's safe. And you're alive. You're alive, Phillip, I was so afraid!"

[voiceinthephone]

The rage Phillip had for the Capitol, for forcing Sansa to take up arms in exchange for nothing but her own and her sister's lives was quickly subdued with the knowledge that she was safe for now. That she was doing the best out of the most dangerous situation and her family would be proud of her.

"I was afraid too," he confessed, closing his eyes in regret and grief, "I should've done more, I should've gotten you out of there." It was hard to remember that he was holding down the infirmary at Thirteen, that he couldn't just abandon his post. "I was afraid you were hurt." Those five words resonated as if they were related by blood and not by circumstances. She was family to him, just as Luna and everyone in Panem was.