. b r i g h t y n .

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖈 𝖆 𝖘 𝖘 𝖎 𝖆 𝖓 .

“Then I guess…” Cassian trailed off, considering for a moment what his deal might be. He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall behind them. “Maybe my deal is I’m just trying to play along so they’ll leave me alone.” He said. That much was true. “I don’t need my final days to be anything special. My entire life hasn’t been, so why should my death me any different?” His life had been a tragedy, his last days would be just the same.

“There is nothing they can do to make things better. They try to make us comfortable, but in fact I feel suffocated. They poke us and prod us, cover us in a shiny coat of paint to make us appealing to the sponsors.” His body grew increasingly more and more tense as he spoke. “When I die,” Cassian said, speaking so matter of factly that it almost terrified him. “None of this will matter.” He shook his head at the scene before them. “At least back in Twelve I had something to die for.”

twelve. unfortunately, brightyn chose to live in ignorance. if she didn’t befriend these people, then it would be easier that way, but, here she was, some how drawn to her own kind. it could’ve been worse. if he had given her some tear jerking story off the bat she would’ve turned around and walked away. that wasn’t the case though, not this time, he spoke of strong opinions that aligned with her own. “ it’s nice not to meet another ass kisser who believes they actually stand a chance, “ she scoffed, “ can you believe that some people think they haven’t already chosen the victor? “

idly, she shook her head and then pushed a stray lock back into place behind her ear. she’d caught his hook, line and sinker, but didn’t take the bait. she’d be lying if she didnt say she felt it in her stomach. a wife? a kid? a family? a dying parent? it itched. 

“ nine just pretends  you’ve already died. “ she said coldly. “ I wonder which of my siblings got my room. ”

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖈 𝖆 𝖘 𝖘 𝖎 𝖆 𝖓

She had appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, taking Cassian completely by surprise, and sending a jolt through him. It was as if someone had set off a firecracker beside him. It was hardly the tone you’d expect from someone so small in appearance, but if growing up in Twelve had taught Cassian anything, it was that the smallest ones were always the feistiest.

“My deal?” He asked, looking down at the girl. At his height, he dwarfed most people. “I don’t have a deal.” Though he supposed maybe he should. Everyone else around him did. People were socializing with one another, an idea that felt terribly macabre to Cassian, given the fact that the only reason they were all here was to kill each other. Some were taking advantage of the food, but that was something Cassian would certainly struggle with. He’d spent his entire life starving, so much so that it was almost physically uncomfortable to eat more than a small portion.

“Just because you were ordered doesn’t mean you have to listen. What’re they going to do? Kill you?” Cassian shrugged a bit, smirking ever so slightly at his own dark humor. He could always use humor to alleviate the troubles in his life, and now would be no exception. Especially with death knocking at his door.

everything about this escapade was nothing but a facade, the games always had been but it felt even more so this year. there wasnt a single move that brightyn didn’t feel the eyes of everyone in the capitol on her. it was visible in her shoulders, the unforgiving tension that tugged at her shoulder blades. but, when this tribute went along with it, looking as if they were having meaningful conversation.

“ everyone has a deal, “ she shrugged, glancing over her shoulder at a pride of parading peacocks, before turning back to him with a singular raised brow. she sighed, heavily, loud enough for a passerby to hear before she answered his question.

“we’re all here to die,” she said bleakly, pressing her lips together and cinching her jaw. “ i’ve heard if they like you, your final days are better, “ she said, tossing the man a smirk. though, she quickly added on sensing some resistance vibes from him, “i don’t think i said i wanted them to like me though.”

[thedystopia101]

[ just because we were on the losing side doesn’t mean we were on the wrong one ] . . .

[ photo via promptuarium.wordpress.com ]

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖘 𝖈 𝖔 𝖚 𝖙 .

“yes.” scout responded, smiling a little. she heard the long pauses the girl was taking. scout heard the silence, the way journey’s breath quickened and her tounge lolled out with the pets.

so… the girl liked dogs.

“they;re not common in six. but i love her. she’s a real sweetheart, isn’t she?” when Journey stilled, Scout could guess the petting had ended. accompany that with the sound on the table, and Scout knew that the girl had moved her hands away. so she reached out, carefully, and after a second of feeling the table with her fingertips she held her hands. “are you okay, dear?”

it was wrong not to smile when a dog chose you to give it pats, but she didn’t wish to over stay her boundaries with the animal. they filled her heart with joy but it was the single touch from a stranger’s hand that grounded her in the reality of where she was. anxiety shot through her in thick, electric currents. each pulse struck harder when she realized, finally, whom she was speaking to. 

this girl wasn’t a tribute.. she’d already lived and survived through the games. embarrassment rose up on brightyn’s cheeks and her brain began to stutter over itself. it was scout, the blind winner from district six.

“ uh... “ brightyn started, catching her breath, “ yeah, “ she started, nodding even though she knew scout couldn’t see her. “ i -- ... “ she started, “ i’m sorry, i didn’t realize... “

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖜 𝖗 𝖊 𝖓 .

she smiled as the other girl looked a bit uncomfortable. got it. While Wren didn’t quite know how to respond to it, she knew seeming kind never did any harm. so she just smiled kindly at Brightyn.

the shoes. the shoes, however.

that was something she did have an answer for. “no. i’ve got sandals for when I need to go over something like gravel. but mostly… no shoes.” it disconnected her from the earth, from her creativity. remember the galaxy lives in you so long as you live in the galaxy. “they limit creativity.”

what a ray of sunshine. it was exhausting already. it was surly and adjustment to see the capitolites in person. they all seemed to radiate an energy she’d never felt before. then again, nothing in the capitol was like anything she’d ever seen.

“ they limit? “ she started, her voice tapering as she dropped her eyes to her heavy boots and thick socks on the fine carpet of the elevator. she sighed. what a basket case. clearly she wasn’t a tribute. bringing her eyes back up she leaned back against the wall, gripping the metal bar, “got it. i see what you mean. “

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖜 𝖗 𝖊 𝖓 .

wren was walking alone into the building for the first time. she was working at the hunger games! it was her dream since she was a little. well… being a stylist had been her dream. but now she was an escort. well. escort in training. which was okay… she supposed. maybe that dream hadn’t been a worthwhile one. maybe this was her wakeup call.

Serendipity Littleheart held her saddlebag holding her sketchbook close as she walked in. she was in a long cotton dress with her hair long behind her and a white flower crown to match the dress. quite the look. with the leather braided belt high on her waist, she thought she loved it. no shoes. she hated shoes.

“oh, i’m so sorry.” she said to someone as she caught the elevator in time for someone else to get on. “I didn’t notice you. which floor do you need?”

brightyn glistened with sweat. training wasn’t so bad, but it was weird being in a think tank. the whole time she’d felt like a circus animal on display. no matter how uncomfortable she was, it was really nice to get up and do something with her day besides bury herself in the woes of being a tribute. it was hard not to wonder if perhaps her anonymity would help her in the games, it was doubtful though, not with a quarter quill win on the line. 

though she was in no rush, the stranger ahead of her in the elevator caught the door or her, allowing her to slide right in. it was a shame to say, but the girl next to her was not the craziest thing she’d seen since she’d arrived. 

“ uh, “ she muttered, taking a step forward and tapping the button that lit up 9, “ got it, “ she said, forcing a casual smile on her face. in the closed quarters, brightyn began to worry about if she smelled, until she caught the glimpse of bare toes under the dress hem. “ did you forget  your shoes? “ she asked, obviously confused.

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖘 𝖈 𝖔 𝖚 𝖙 .

“i’m from six.” She said, as journey began sniffing at the new person’s feet. “that’s journey down there. She’s a sweetie, don’t give her food.” She had a sixth sense for when Journey got food. That sixth sense being that her tail went crazy and scout could feel that against her leg.

Journey put her face on brightyn’s lap, sensing her discomfort in being here. The dog always cared about emotional support, even when she was off duty. And when scout was fine, she tried to help others too.

“you can pet her, she’s not working right now.” Scout briefly forgot that this girl didn’t know about scout’s job, and she fought to keep the realization and regret from her face. She tried to cover it with something else. “I mean, she loves pets.”

at first, sniffing at her feet went unnoticed while her own thoughts wrecked her brain. district six, transportation. Brghtyn wondered if this girl’s family built the very train that brought her here. the thoughts were halted when she’d nearly jumped from her seat, but as if she’d known exactly what was happening, scout spoke up, introducing the furry critter as Journey.

at the abrupt plop of a head in her lap, Brightyn allowed her hand to slip around the dog to scratch behind her ears. her eyes fell down to be greeted by her face and her eyes filled with concern. she only half hearted listened to what the girl across the table from her was saying.

dogs were common back home, especially out on the farms. they kept away the wild animals and guarded the home from any troublemakers, and the blue in Journey’s eyes brought her back home for a moment. the moment wrapped her up and whisked her back to better times -- but it was short lived -- and her hands found the table again in a lame attempt to fight back the sweeping emotions. “did she come with you from home?”

[briqtyn-blog]

𝖘 𝖈 𝖔 𝖚 𝖙 .

scout had no problem sitting back and crossing her arms. there were two possibilities here. the girl hadn’t noticed that she could not, in fact, see, or she didn’t care. it was far more likely the former.

she would keep it that way as long as possible.

scout focused on keeping her eyeline straight as brightyn spoke. she was all doom and gloom, so that could only mean one thing. tribute. which automatically put her within 6 years of her age. “are we?” scout asked. because scout wasn’t going into that arena to die. no, scout was stuck with the ravenous sponsors who tried to pet journey and always wanted to talk to her. she didn’t like it.

brightyn could count on one hand the amount of people that she’d actually spoken to in her time in the capitol. she was here for an entire year and her soul was already screaming for release. after all the years of complaining about being stuck on a farm, she sure was missing the clear skies. 

another huff halted her racing rage thoughts as she popped a sliver of fruit into her mouth. it was far from bad, and a burst of flavor that she’d never experienced before had taken her off guard. a second piece quickly followed before she sat back in her seat, finally really laying eyes on the person she’d decided to camouflage in with. once she’d realized something wasn’t quite right, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. finally, she spoke again, “ where are you from? “

[briqtyn-blog]

s c o u  t . 

Scout was sitting down, eating a wrap she’d gotten from some buffet or another in the corner of the room. She’d got a bowl of water for Journey and let the girl off duty. She was sitting down, she didn’t need guidance. Journey was just chilling, drinking water under the table.

and then a voice scout didn’t recognize sat down at the other seat. “My… deal?” She said, looking up. Was this girl about to make some blind joke or another? Scout had heard them all. “I’m eating a wrap.” Her sight line looked just to the left of Brightyn’s Head, but Scout had no way of knowing that. She just stared, pretending to look AT something she couldn’t see.

brightyn huffed, her arms itching to cross over her chest in order to complete her sour disposition. no matter how many times she was told that every single move she made was being watched by the gamemakers it wasn’t enough to change her outlook. the entire purpose of her being here was nothing but a scheme plotted by the rich to die for the sake of obedience. she knew that. there was no hiding it.. not anymore, and it burned her up inside.

“ we’re all here for the same reason, “ she murmured, anger scratched at the fruit she’d plucked off her plate. her gaze locked no where in particular, but   instead, counting down the moments until she could lock herself away to enjoy  her final days in solitude.     

[briqtyn-blog]

“ i was ordered to come out and be social ... “ she nearly snapped. Brightyn wore no qualms about her distaste with being in the capitol. she’d barely eaten, she’d barely slept and the adjustment was already difficult, now she was having to make appearances. nobody back at home expected her to return home, so any effort i preserving her life was already exhausting. 

                 “ whats your deal? “

[briqtyn-blog]

this is a test post