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

[mannersmatter]

Effie sighed, glancing over to let the Peacekeeper who had moved closer know that she had it handled.

Carefully...very carefully, give her gown, she crouched down so she was eye to eye with the two young girls, trying to find the right wording.

"You are brave Pruna, but Sandy is right. That is stupid, and can get you hurt-unnecessarily. Please, just...stay in one piece for me."

[knifewithnoname]

The fight went out of her but she screamed in frustration and clenched her hands into fists. She was angry and she knew she could fight the tiger, she was strong enough.

But they were right, it was stupid and everyone would be mad. But she couldn't let them get away with it. It was very frustrating.

Angry green eyes met Effie's, "They do no be scaring me."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy's shoulders slumped once she saw Pruna wasn't going to keep lashing out at them and she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

Silently her eyes swept up to Effie in silent gratitude. It still felt so strange to be happy to see an adult after all this time.

[mannersmatter]

"Of course they don't scare you sweetheart."

The thought occurred quicker than Effie's mind could silence it. You don't know the scariest parts yet. She swallowed.

"Will you just behave? For me?"

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna wrinkled her nose, still angry. But Effie was nice and answered her questions and wasn't stupid like most other people. So she nodded.

"Okay." Her voice was sulky. "For you."

[justoutrunyou]

"Thank you." She wasn't sure who she was thanking. Effie for talking sense into her, or Pruna for listening.

"What's that thing they say? Pick your battles?"

[mannersmatter]

"it's very good advice..."

She absent mindedly patted both girls on the heads, before realizing one of the stylists were desperately waving for her.

"You two be good. Promise."

She would check in with them shortly. As soon as this next disaster was cared for.

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna wrinkled her nose at the head patting and watched as she left to go talk to some of the stupid hair people. Once she was gong Pruna went over to the bench and sat down angrily, bringing her knees to her chest. Stupid tiger, stupid Capitol.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy followed cautiously and took a seat next to Pruna. Looking around she grabbed someone's goblet full of...well she didn't know what and offered it to Pruna.

"Are you mad at me?" Her gut clenched up with worry that her best friend might blame her for the whole incident.

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna took the goblet and drank a mouthful, grimacing at the taste. It was... wine she thought but not sweet like the wine of Gauig. She wasn't sure if she liked it at all. She shook her head though, she wasn't mad at Sandy, she was just mad. In general.

She was silent for a long time, sipping the wine again, "I do no be being stupid."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy's frowned deepened, that wasn't the answer she was hoping for.

"I know that. You don't get to be a great fighter like you by being stupid." She offered hoping to stroke Pruna's ego.

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna was a little mollified and handed Sandy the goblet to share. "Good fighters do no be losing their tempers."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy took the goblet back and sipped it, grimacing at the taste.

"Maybe. But I know they've got passion. And you've got more of that then anyone I know." Another lie, but so long as Pruna wasn't throwing herself into the tiger pit Sandy would tell her whatever she needed to hear.

[knifewithnoname]

She gave another small smile. "I do be being sorry I did be dragging you." She said after a moment. Apologies from Pruna were as rare as snow, but she had realised she had frightened the other girl and didn't like the idea of Sandy being frightened.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy smiled and passed the cup back "It's OK...I probably would have jumped in after you."

And what at first she thought was yet another lie on the pile took her by surprise. She could actually imagine herself grabbing a knife and throwing herself at the Tiger...so long as it's back was turned.

And presuming Pruna hadn't immediately died or killed the thing within the first ten seconds.

Still, who'd have thought she'd ever consider something so obviously stupid just to help her friend?

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna blinked at her, suspecting a lie but then she grinned. "You would be?" She couldn't imagine Sandy fighting a tiger, but it made her happy that she would do so to help Pruna.

"You do be being a good friend." She might not know much about friendship or relationships but she thought that was a good thing for a friend to do. She frowned remembering her conversation with Disciple.

"Do you be pitying me Sandy?"

[justoutrunyou]

"I...bwah?" That seemed to come out of left field. She blinked confused.

"Where did that come from? Why would I pity you?"

[knifewithnoname]

"Disciple did be saying." She frowned and reached out to take the goblet again, "She did be saying that if you do be being in a red relationship like a girlfriend then you do be pitying each other."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy's face twisted up in further confusion.

"A red relationship? Well they're wrong. I don't pity you. You're amazing! Why would I pity you." She just couldn't wrap her head around it. Shouldn't Pruna being the one taking pity on her?

[knifewithnoname]

"That did be what she did be calling a relationship where you did be liking each other and there did be kissing." Not that there was any kissing in hers and Sandy's relationship. But that's because kissing was weird and a thing adults did.

She wrinkled her nose, Sandy was right Pruna couldn't think of a single reason Sandy would pity her at all. "I do no be knowing, it did just be what she did be saying."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy considered this and shrugged.

"Maybe that's what it's like where they come from. But things are different here. I can't think of any reason to pity you. You're strong, smart, fast, and you're getting stronger, smarter and faster every day. You know what you want and you're doing everything you can to get it. All the time! No matter what might happen."

"To me that's really cool." She blushed looking flustered now.

[knifewithnoname]

Pruna cheered up at that, she didn't like the idea of Sandy pitying her even if that's what they were supposed to do to be girlfriends.

"I can no be thinking of any reason either." She thought for a moment, "I do no be pitying you either. You do no be being a good fighter but you do be trying hard..."

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy's cheeks burned red and she smiled back sheepishly.

"Well, it helps when I have someone like you to keep up with. Back home everyone I ever had as a friend got left behind because they weren't fast enough to keep up with me."

Leaning into Pruna gently Sandy relaxed, "But you keep me running one way or another."

[knifewithnoname]

"You can no be running fast enough to be leaving me behind." Pruna told her with a grin. She blinked in surprise when Sandy lent on her, but she was getting used to random strange things that friends did so let her.

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy smiled back, "Even if I started to pull ahead you'd probably tackle me." She laughed softly at the image. There was no doubt in her mind that Pruna would not only keep pace with her, but probably do better.