It's all downhill from here

[baaarbie]

It was one thing to 'know' you were still in peak condition and entirely different thing to have that knowledge tested. As far as Barbie was concerned, he'd passed with high scores.

The second that countdown had hit '0' and the bombs around the pedestals had deactivated, he found himself bolting from the starting line and straight for the cornucopia. The first thing his hand had found was a long, viscous looking blade and that was what he used to chop down anyone who tried to get between him and a pack of supplies and then again when he made for the tree line.

Despite the misgivings he'd developed over the years from his first time in the arena, he was remorseless in taking out anyone who made for him. His plan was to take them all out, but this wasn't the best tactical time to do that. 'The environment will do most of the heavy lifting and the less blood on my hands the better.'

He wasn't going to hold back--this time his competitors would be fine, a little traumatized but alive and well after their deaths--but he also didn't want to be a butcher. That wasn't him anymore.

So he headed East, hoping that would take him to a river or something before he maybe found himself a little cluster of rocks to lay in wait and set up traps. That was the plan, anyway, he had no doubt the gamemakers would do what they could to try and kill him. He wasn't supposed to come out of this alive, after all, the government was through with him. 'Works for me. Luckily, the government never does anything right.'

He'd win this and then he'd disappear and not even damn President Snow and his Peacekeepers would be able to find him.

Comments

[baaarbie]

Barbie eyes the rock a moment, then knelt down to his bag to rummage through it. A moment later, he came back with a dagger; nothing fancy, but it could kill if used right. He offered it to the still standing man, a show of faith.

"I think you'll find this is much more effective than a rock." He gave a bit of a sigh, his eyes flicking out to the forest before going back to Apollo's face. "Look, we both know this isn't likely to end pretty, but for at least the next couple of weeks, you can trust me not to kill you in your sleep, much less right in front of your face. Believe it or not, I need your help about as much as you need mine."

Barbie could handle himself, but he wasn't so stupid as to believe he was infallible and the fastest way to get to a man was to get him alone. If they weren't alone, they were less likely to die early. Plus, Barbie wasn't stupid by a long shot, but he was definitely the brawn to Apollo's Brain in comparison.

[apolling]

The sight of the dagger raised Apollo's adrenaline level...until he realized it was not a threat, but an offering. Even with that realization, he found himself hesitating. But ultimately he reached over and took it; free gifts in the form of weaponry were not worth passing up in this situation.

...And yeah okay, sure, a dagger was totally better than a rock any day.

Now close enough to his new makeshift ally to no longer be considered a 'safe distance away', Apollo stared at the other man intently, trying to read him (while continuing to internally berate himself for being in this situation in the first place). "I believe it, alright," he finally responded, intentionally being vague on whether that was meant to be sarcastic or honest. "...I suppose it makes the most sense that we stick together. We're not here for the same reason the others are."

He doubted he needed to elaborate further on the matter. Besides, they were both well aware that their every word and action was being watched closely.