The Crowning of Maximus Decimus Meridius

[gamemakers]

Who| Everyone
What| Maximus' crowning
Where| Victory Hall
When| Today
Warnings| Violence.


Prior to the Crowning, the Stylists and Escorts were given information: the color scheme for the Crowning is brown and gold, the theme is fire, and for Tributes, Games Staff and Victors in the Capitol alike, attendance is mandatory. No exceptions.

The Victory Hall has been completely refitted to the theme. Great brownstone pillars reach up from the floor, now made of polished marble. Rose petals and dying embers flutter from the ceiling like confetti, and long panels of fabrics embroidered with Maximus' kills pour down the walls. Rather than tables, Tributes are given wooden chairs to sit around fire pits in groups of four, where pigs and sheep are roasting whole, tended by attentive Avoxes. The smell of charring flesh and rosemary wafts through the hall.

In the center of the hall is a pit, fifteen feet deep, ringed with brick and filled with sand. Torches line the inside wall, casting light in every direction. A circular screen up above lets those not close to the edge view the contents of the pit in real-time video.

Maximus' private table has a theme of anachronisms; Tributes from 'less-developed' timelines and worlds are seated around a long table, facing the gladiatorial ring where, at the moment, a full-grown, well-fed Bengal tiger paces. Compared to the muttations of the Arena, it may seem positively demure, up until it bares its fangs and reveals that it's been modified to have saber teeth gilded in gold. Occasionally an Avox will dangle something into the pit and jerk it away if the tiger looks bored and lays down.

Occasionally, with fanfare of music pumped in to announce it, a challenger enters the tiger ring - a hologram of one of the Tributes who were cuffed and marked by the Capitol. The hologram must be affixed with smell, too, as the tiger takes note and attacks like a kitten following a laser pointer, making dramatic roars as it does. The holograms put up valiant fights, and their deaths are brutal, illusory blood flying and the sounds of death rattles and bones cracking coming from speakers embedded in every table.

"A speech," Maximus' Escort says to Maximus. "The General must give a speech."

Tributes who attended Wesker's Crowning ceremony should notice a remarkable increase in security. Visibly armed Peacekeepers lurk behind the panels of fabric, and bulbous, obvious cameras dot the ceiling. Even the Avoxes seem shiftier than usual, and are equipped with discrete tape recorders pinned to their rough-hewn tunics.

Comments

[splendid_roman]

"Watching other people die can make you sentimental." His gaze flicked to Maximus, who would now get to watch everyone die in the arena. At least being in it meant you could avoid some of it.

"Maximus isn't that bad." Mind you, Ian liked him. Which was just as well being in the same district. "I think he'll make a good mentor."

[futilecycle]

"Sometimes. But not me," Sigma denied firmly. Rather, he was sentimental for the lives they had lived, when humans could live on a habitable earth and grow to old age as it was meant to be. "Speaking as someone who was killed by him, I cannot agree with your opinion. But yes, I suppose he will make an excellent mentor," the Doctor sighed sadly. Maximus would surely train his Tributes to succeed the way he had despite the consequences. "Do the two of you share a district?"

[splendid_roman]

Being killed by someone wasn't really something that endeared you to them, Ian could understand that. "We do," he confirmed. "We haven't met in the arena, which is just as well. It's hard to look someone who killed you or who you killed in the eye afterwards." And not something that was generally a problem anywhere else.

[futilecycle]

"How lucky for you," Sigma said simply. "District 10 is quite short on mentor presence." He lifted a glass of champagne to his lips that had been waiting at his feet, the first drink he'd had all evening. He'd been saving it for conversations like these.

"Very true," Sigma muttered knowingly, as though he'd been more familiar with that situation than only in these games. "I suppose there's nothing that can be done but to try again the next Arena and to avoid familiar hostile faces, is there?" he turned to the other guest and attempted the smallest of smiles to indicate that his tranquil fury was in no way directed at him. "Doctor Sigma Klim. And yourself?"

[splendid_roman]

Ian chuckled. "Ian Chesterton. I seem to make my enemies in the arena and then come across them outside of it, rather than in it." If he'd wanted to avoid meeting them inside the arena he was doing quite well.

"I'm sure there are psychologists somewhere listening to all our conversations and finding us fascinating." He didn't sound too keen about that idea.

[futilecycle]

Sigma laughed. "If there are psychologists in the Capitol, I would very much like to meet one," he said half-jokingly, as an aside. "But someone is listening carefully, that much is certain."

"Hm.. Is that so? I've been fortunate, then," Sigma continues. "Most of the villains I've come across in the Arena are quite apologetic once outside of it." Sigma threw a glance to Maximus. Yes, even him, he supposed. "At least there is some humanity to all of this. But if there is one who gloats when their kills are made, it would pay to be made aware of them..."

[splendid_roman]

"I don't think anyone gloats. At least I've not met anyone who did." Admittedly he hadn't been too keen to speak to people he'd fought with in the arena. "It's just too uncomfortable to think about what's happened." Ian fidgeted a little in his seat.