Flash Back Games (Closed)

Ari knew from the start that he should have remained solo. Yet after seeing Amadrya join forces with the careers, even with what she expressed to him about going solo, and with how well she seemed to have done, he decided maybe, for Jude, he might as well try.

That’s why when he ran into Robin, the girl one year younger than himself, and the girl from District 12, he offered the truce that Amadrya offered to him.

Not to kill each other and to have each others backs.

He remembered vividly that she had been running from the bloodbath, a bow in hand, and backpack on her back. She had killed one tribute, as she said, a mercy kill. He wondered who though.

She wouldn’t mention the name, just the fact that she killed someone.

He didn’t know her well enough, but she almost looked guilty to him.

So she agreed, they would both stick together for higher chances of survival.

Yet, Ari reflected upon his time with her, frowning at it slightly.

He knew her better now than before, she had an older sister who was pregnant, from what she revealed, and loved her family to death. She should have had a low chance at getting into the games, refusing to take tesserae, but fate didn’t have her side. Much like it didn’t have his.

He also knew that she became even more broken as the days went on, as more tributes died and she got closer to getting out.

She was slowly, but surely, losing her sanity because of the arena.

He couldn’t do a thing to help, but remain silent.

So he walked, trailing behind the girl as she took lead, she became possessive, hungry to get out alive and find others to kill.

He knew she was a good person at heart, but the games had impacts on people. She was wanting to go home, and that’s all she wanted. Her actions became less and less guilt-ridden, and more and more ambitious.

But he followed, because he wanted to go home too, back to Jude in District 7, and the only way to do that was to win. Together, he and Robin stood more of a chance..

Yet alone...

He was better off with a partner, at least, he thought he was.

But he second guessed that, when at night, Robin decided to hunt for tributes. A thing that he didn’t find very intelligent. Robin and himself didn’t know the Careers broke up. He was terrified of being caught by the Careers.

He knew this far into the games, they made any and all kills a show for the Capital. He didn’t want to die like that.

When they heard voices, that night, late into it actually, he frowned. Deaths hadn’t occurred for days, and he knew the voices well. But the words just didn’t add up.

“Think they joined up with District 8?” Someone said, and it wasn’t Robin, and he could tell she was surprised too. It came from just a block away, rather close, and just around the corner.

“I do,” a male had responded, “Which means they would be more dangerous.”

“If you’re so worried-“ the female who had been speaking began again, but Ari tuned her out. Those voices belonged to the Careers, specifically Macaria and Alessandro. By the look on Robin’s face, she knew that too.

He shivered remembering their interviews, and the kills they had. Robin described their kills to him. The two Careers were responsible for the deaths of many in the Blood Bath.

“That won’t work,” Alessandro huffed, arms crossed. “There are 5 of them, and I’m injured. We’re outnumbered.”

As the two went silent, Robin perked in interest, turning to Ari who had a look of confusion on his face.

He was at a loss as well. Everyone knew the Careers were the largest group. So why would they talk like this?

“Who are they talking about?” Ari whispered out, the question sounding confused, as he was at a loss.

Robin shrugged, “I have no clue, just listen.” She commanded silently, and the two went quiet when the Careers began communicating again.

“What if we-“ Macaria started again, but the two Careers spoke softly. Ari could barely hear them, and gasped when Robin started inching closer, silently.

“What are you doing?” Ari asked, keeping his voice low, but his eyes were as wide as saucers. “Get back here! Robin!” He also let off a cry as she silently stepped closer, completely ignoring him.

Regardless, he followed closely, getting a better view of the two Careers now, noting their faces, and their words.

Alessandro smirked at the idea, arms crossing over his own chest, as he thought, “Yeah,” he started, “That could work, but how exactly would we do that?” He questioned.

“We make them choose between love and living,” Macaria responded, eyes narrowed, gleaming with interest in her own idea, “We make them think they are safe, steal sponsor gifts from them, we pin them against one another, find what makes them tick.” She suggested.

Ari finally puzzled something together, not much, but some. A group of tributes had formed together, by the lack of half of the Career pack, Ari deduced that they either left and joined this new group, or were killed by the other group.

By the lack of cannons, Ari would guess the former.

Alessandro had paused before speaking once more, “So what, we stalk them?” He questioned, his aspect aspect changing to annoyed. “That won’t work either, I have a broken ankle, and sending one person into that group would be dangerous.”

Ari noted the injury, he hadn’t seen it before, and Robin did as well. A little grin was rising on her face too.

Neither spoke, just listening and watching instead.

Macaria sighed, crossing her arms, “I’m working out the details, okay?” She snapped back, the gleam vanished, “But it would be perfect, we could break them apart, take back some supplies and get read of some of the competition if we did that, and we wouldn’t even have to put much effort into it. Once the group is split, we could go in and simply kill them, one by one.”

Ari frowned, the cruel plan Macaria suggested sounded cruel. He knew for fact now that some of the Careers had split, the injury Alessandro had was almost living proof, and a new larger group? But he wanted to warn Amadrya of this, she was of his District, if the Careers were planning against her now, planning to break her and her new group apart, he would break his truce if he didn’t warn her.

He noticed Robin’s face, which bordered on confused, and almost a deciding look, as if she was contemplating doing something. Yet a strange look of determination passed along her face, and she focused it ahead.

Ari didn’t know what to think of that, and went back to watching.

Alessandro raised an eyebrow, “Why talk about it if we can’t do it?” He questioned.

“Well-“ Macaria started, before glancing over at Sapphire, a gesture Alessandro seemed follow and note.

“How do you suppose we do that?” Alessandro questioned, obviously daring her to awnser with Sapphire, his own icy eyes narrowed.

Ari heard a crunch, and he swung a surprised look to Robin, who had stomped her foot down, a grin on her own face. That seemed to cause the Careers to stiffen before her, and Ari to gape.

Did she want to kill Ari and herself?

Her words shocked him even more, filling him with fear, and a cold uneasy feeling. Even if he didn’t have proof that Amadrya was a part of this new group, she almost had to be.

“Well, if your looking for someone to do it,” Robin said proudly, crossing her arms, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Ari tried getting his mouth to move, wanting to ask her what exactly she thought she was doing, but he couldn’t get it to cooperate. He remained shocked and silent.

Both careers had turned at her words, taking him in, which causing him to freeze up a bit more, but at least his stance was still and almost relaxed, and just as quickly they took in Robin, who didn’t seem bothered in the least.

Ari remained still, watching as Robin grinned, speaking new words to Alessandro and Macaria.

“I can help with that.”

The two Careers stood up quickly, grabbing their weapons and directing them right at Robin and Ari.

Ari jumped, and held his hands up in surrender, but Robin just stared, grin on her lips.

She really was going crazy!

“What did you say?” Macaria had ground out, and her voice grated against Ari’s ears, causing him to wince.

They were going to die, and he should have never agreed to work with her.

“I said,” Robin started, raising an eyebrow, “I can help with that.”

She just repeated the same words, again, and she had three sets of glances set on her. All of which made up of some kind of shock. Two at a complete loss because she’s wasn’t afraid, and one out of complete terror, the latter would be his own.

“Why would you help us?” Alessandro asked, glancing at her for a moment.

Ari felt relieved when the weapon lowered a bit, he didn’t like that gun being pointed at him. Then again, he didn’t know it didn’t have ammo.

“Because, a group of 5 is almost guaranteed a win.” Robin said, as if that was the obvious reason for helping out the most deceptive and dangerous tributes in the Hunger Games, “I want them gone just as much as you.” She tacked on, shrugging.

Macaria, Alessandro, and Ari himself just blinked at her.

“-Okay?” Alessandro said, backing up. This could work out well, at least, for him and Macaria. “And what would you do, exactly?”

“Go in there, be sweet, act helpless.” Robin said, shrugging again, and Ari found himself absolutely despising her at that moment. “From what Macaria described, they should fall for it.”

Ari himself was almost panicking at being caught in this situation, and glanced at the Careers. He finally found his voice, “Um, who exactly is in this group?” He was sure he knew, but just in case.

Macaria hummed, looking irritated for a moment, “District 8, Everest, Halina, and Amadrya.” She responded, toying with her knife.

He watched that action, her just playing with it, and felt chilled and frightened just by watching it, she really was deadly.

He was saddened too that Amadrya was there, but kept quiet. Maybe he could dismay Robin, make her see that the idea was dumb and would only get them killed.

“Well,” Robin began again, “Ari and I could go, break them apart from within, and when they are separated, you can pick up the remains and shatter them.” She said in response, turning away.

Alessandro seemed to be fine with it, and as did Macaria. When the Careers told Robin and himself the direction they should go, the two tributes headed off, looking for the group of 5.

Yet it was night, and they were both tired. So they took a few hours rest, stopping at one of the buildings, and hiding inside. Ari found it a perfect time to bring it up.

Robin beat him to it, “Look, Ari.” She started, glancing at him as they settled in to rest, “I know Amadrya is of your District, but if you want to go home, you have to act.”

Ari kept silent, because that was true. But it didn’t mean he liked the idea.

“I just-“ he started. He sounded more hopeless than he meant to, and she picked up on it easily.

“I imagine you have something or someone you want to get back to, are you really going to let Amadrya hold you back from that?” Robin interrupted. Her gaze was set on him, and he gulped slightly.

That was true, he had his sister, Jude. He told her he would try.

Robin had someone like that too, and he wondered if she was going to turn her back on him too. Just to get home.

They both went silent, curling up, both attempting to sleep. Indeed, Robin slept fine that night, but Ari didn’t at all.

He was left to his thoughts, watching as the sun slowly rose. He didn’t really care for Everest, Burton, Holly or Halina. All of them were people, sure, but he didn’t make a truce with them, and he didn’t know them.

He knew Amadrya and acting like Robin planned would get her killed, and he would never forgive himself.

He watched Robin for a few moments contemplating the girl he befriended and teamed up with, and the shell that existed of her now.

He rose up, if he didn’t want to be part of her plan, he had to leave. He couldn’t dissuade her from her goals. He couldn’t get her to see reason. So he had to go warn the group himself.

He would go, find them first, warn them, and make them hide when Robin came. Just because he didn’t agree with her didn’t mean he wanted her dead. They too had an agreement, and she, regardless of what she had become...

She was still his friend.

Grabbing his stuff was easy, staying silent was, but leaving wasn’t.

Staring at her, sleeping, he remembered she was just troubled, that she was just desperate to go home. She didn’t want anyone to die, and everyone she had killed thus far had been in mercy.

It was best this way, she didn’t need to have anything to regret if she did win, and she didn’t need to go get herself killed for no good reason.

With that, he turned away from his snoozing red haired partner, tearing his gaze away to focus on the door.

He left quickly, and silently.

He ignored his surroundings, following the directions the Careers had given. He was close, he was sure, and smiled in relief.

But it fell quickly, taking in the darkened cloud behind him, well, where he was before. It blocked out the sunlight, or perhaps faux sunlight that was there before. It made a sheen of darkness cover the ground.

He noted by the foggy look, darkness and distant sound that it was raining.

That was...odd?

The color of the rain almost looked bright to him, but he shrugged it off, continuing on his way. He has just imagined it, or so he thought.

“Ari!” That was a scream, a large, agonizing scream that carried even from all the blocks away.

He found his gaze swiveling back, doing a double take. The rain was closer now, and it was not at all normal.

The droplets were close to the color of a yellow-green, and it was moving very quickly.

He also noted the corrosive behavior the rain had as it contacted a lone piece of fabric that lay on the street, in the rubble, and he found his gaze swinging back up.

“Ari!” The scream came again, and his stomach dropped, because it came from where he left Robin, and where the rain was.

She must have went out to search for him, or find the other tributes, and got stuck in the storm.

A storm that obviously wasn’t normal.

The scream was agonizing. Painful even, but then it stopped abruptly, and he found an overwhelming guilt fill him. A yearn to run back and find her.

Yet, he took one footstep in the direction.

That was when the cannon fired.