thecapitol | Ladies and Gentlemen...

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.

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Firo laughed and thought back to what Phil had shared with him about his old workplace, "After what you told me about your life back home, I guess I shouldn't be."

Alchemy and immortals? Those weren't nearly as weird as murderous robots.

"You think now's the time to play with toys?" He was stuck on the silly names and the childish style of the map; the strategic uses didn't yet occur to him.

Despite his protest, Firo walked over to Phil and reached for one end of the poster to try and pry it off the wall. He trusted his friend enough to figure that this was probably worthwhile.

"There's always time to fool around, Firo," Phil gave Firo a wink, to get the man off his temporary high horse and lay the map down. Grabbing the nearest crayon, the former guard began to draw little marks around specific points, locations that Foxy and Alby avoided in the initial siege.

"These are traps, or where bodies have been piling up. Civilians are headed up to the Presidential Mansion," look it's what the paper says, "You need to focus your efforts there and make sure no one gets hurt. Fountains are a no-go and I'm pretty sure the Gamemakers left behind these many animals for a reason."

And toys too as some swayed unnaturally when there should be no wind.

Firo leaned over the map and watched Phil make the notations.

"Efforts with what? You want me to chase people away?" Firo didn't think of himself as overly callous, but he balked at the idea. That would just attract attention and take up time. All he cared about right now was making sure his friends were okay.

The moving toys caught Firo's eye. He tensed, knife ready at his side. "What's that?"

"No, I want you to-" Phil didn't finish his sentence but the sentiment was there, to get the civilians into safer ground, rebellion controlled or not.

The set-up was a familiar one for the two men, though this time, there was no arena or revival mechanism. And Gray is much more willing to fire a shot towards the now-turned dolls. Both Alby and Foxy's hairs were on end, making low growling noises and showing their teeth, the threat was here.

In that moment, Phone Guy remembered what would've been his original death to tight corridors and being stuck in situations that he had no escape. He had no chance back at Freddy's, the animatronics were too strong, he was alone and defenseless. It didn't help that the store had said merchandise up on their shelves.

Not this time.

"Nothing good," he murmured, trying to think of a way out. "Do not engage and be quiet." If these things behave like the bots at home, movement and sound could set them off.

Were it not for Phil’s words, Firo would have already leapt forward to investigate. He turned his face to Phil while keeping the corner of his eye watching the movement of the toys.

“Don’t engage? Are you kiddin’ me? We’ve gotta take it out, whatever it is. Before it gets us.”

He gritted his teeth, visibly frustrated. But he didn’t move from the spot, which was something of a testament to their friendship. He wouldn’t hold for just anyone.

"Do you even know what it is? You can't just-"

Ah yes, the frustration of the eternal, stubborn youth that was Firo Prochainezo. Phil was the strategist in this pair and he was quickly assessing the situation with the limited information they had. Firing at the toys would alert other Peacekeepers but doing nothing would get them killed.

"Let them make the first move," Gray spoke up, "We need to know what we're dealing with."

One of the toys, the porcelain doll with an uncanny resemblance to Katniss Everdeen raised her bow, loaded with very real and very sharp ceramic arrows towards Firo's head, "DOWN!"

Firo grabbed for Phil as he hit the ground, both to make sure he got down, if needed, and to make sure he was still there and breathing.

"You okay?"

He kept his knife ready in his other hand, but he didn't yet raise his head. He imagined that move would probably mean him losing it.

If Firo grabbed for Phil, would it be so out there to see that he would be reaching for his two kits? They were the remnants of lives that were broken before the Capitol reaped them. Foxy was a reminder of Phone Guy's past joys and current friends while Alby was a promise to Jeremy's memories, the only thing that was left of the fractured man.

"I-I'm fine, but we need to go now," he murmured out of breath while more weapons disguised as toys came to life. He could seen Foxy's namesake whir and click into activation. In desperation, Gray put the foxes into the same bag as the map. There was a glimmer of hope with the back door, one shot.

"Grab any cover you can!"

Firo eased off his grip on his friend but still stayed low to the ground.

"I can distract it while you get out. Then I'll follow you."

It wasn't that he thought Phil wasn't capable, but Firo knew his own abilities; he'd weathered situations like this before. Besides, he wouldn't risk anyone else's life but his own if he could help it.

In any other situation, Phil would've blasted Firo for trying to be a hero when he had no need to be. But these were not the arenas, there was no chance of coming back if they died. The offworld portal was destroyed and all the former tributes had their former powers back.

"Are you sure your healing's back?" Gray conceded for the first time, "Because if they're not, I-I'm dragging you outta here by the ear."

If there was ever doubt that Phone Guy was the paternal sort, that statement probably made the point moot.

The only moment of thought Firo gave to that question was whether or not he should lie. What else could he do? He hadn't assumed they would get their powers back, so he had never thought to test if his were back.

But he needed Phil to be safe.

He smiled and nodded his head briskly. "I'm sure it is. Now get outta here."

He was no slouch. If everything went well, Phil might never find out about the gamble Firo was planning to make.

Still crouching, he rose up on the balls of his feet, ready to attack the nearest dolls as soon as Phil was ready to move.

Phil didn't like leaving things to chance, he'd been burned one too many times and that excluded Panem. He liked knowing the chances and outcomes, it was one of the few dubious graces that came with the animatronics and their rampage. But war is a beast that he couldn't comprehend, and while he had faith, he didn't like taking leaps of such. Firo was protecting him, with his immortality...

"Take out the porcelain one on the right, and follow the foxes," he muttered before he fired twice at the window and once at a nearby Springtrap replica from his own crowning. That was a freebie, he felt good in a petty way.

"RUN!" He sped out like a bat out of hell, letting Alby and Foxy lead the way out of the store and back into the fray.

Firo nodded, smiling just a little. Phil was going for it—that was good. “Got it.”

When Phil ran for it, Firo followed his instructions and leapt for the nearby creature. With speed and the hilt of his knife, he shattered it. After one stomp on it to make sure it was down, he ran after the foxes and Phil. Only a shard of the porcelain had happened to scratch him, and it was already healing up by the time he reached them.

Casual as could be, he caught up to his friend. “Looks like we did fine there.”

Ladies and Gentlemen...

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