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day three

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blood match day three

open arena

20 players remaining

The morning begins as another hot and muggy day on the island, though there's a little more of a breeze, and as a result, the weather is slightly more pleasant. It's a calm day out on the seas, too, though there are a few clouds gathering in the skies. This morning, the birds in the jungle are chirping loudly.

As the sun rises, an announcement plays:

Good morning, contestants! You must now switch zones from where you were last night. You won't be allowed back into that zone until you hear from me again. Don't test the rules, or you might regret it!

Now, today will be a special day. There will be fun surprises all day long, so stay alert!

True to these words, throughout the day, you'll notice a number of dangerous situations seem to occur roughly every few hours, though trying to time your watch to it won't work perfectly. Still, you can expect the following throughout the day:
10 AM: An earthquake! The earthquake lasts about five minutes, and rumbling aftershocks take place throughout the hour. You might want to avoid anywhere rocks or trees could fall, and to try and avoid inside spaces, caves, or other shelters that could collapse. You might also want to avoid the beaches and seek higher ground, as dangerous waves crash onto the shore.

11 AM: Rain. A heavy rainfall will fall throughout the hour; if you're outside in it, you're liable to get soaked, but inside spaces may get flooded. During the rainfall, the waters will be choppy and dangerous.

1 PM: Lightning. In Zone 4, the zone hums with live electricity, sparking small fires and breaking windows. You should try and get away from anything electric. In the other zones, lightning strikes trees and sparks jungle fires. In Zone 3, the swamps become particularly toxic, and panicking animals are likely to attack.

3 PM: An aerial attack. Small devices, too far away to really see what they are, are up in the sky, and will drop items. The items may contain poison gas, may contain explosives, may contain food and water. The attacks will take place at random intervals for two hours - when one begins, you had better run and scatter.

6 PM: The volcano on Zone 0 rumbles ominously, and projects smoke into the sky. The smoke is thick, dark, and makes it hard to see and breathe. But nothing else happens. While immediately at this time the smoke is thick and dangerous, it dissipates but never completely leaves.

You can try to hide, run, or fight your way out of these situations. It's very likely that at some point you and your partner or crew will get split up, or have to run for it, but it's up to you where you go and what you do.

(OOC: When starting a thread, please put in your header the following: ZONE # - TIME - AREA. This will hopefully make it easier for everyone to keep track of which character is where.

Please remember to update the Weekly Check-in with your character's planned movements. Check in is due by Monday at 9 PM)

Setting
Competitors
Weekly Check-in

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[Speaking of people with bad intentions...

Mayu doesn't have a bad leg anymore, but between the earlier excitement, falling into the water, dragging herself to shore, and then having the sun beat down on her as she tentatively makes her way around this area, she's more or less exhausted, so she really does look like she's limping. She's sure if the situation calls for it she can muster up the strength to fight, but right now she just wants to rest, and find Jack. Not necessarily in that order.

She's found Iceland instead, though. When she sees him near the generator, she stares at him for a moment or two as if she's wondering if she's seeing a real person, or just a ghost.]

Ice..land.

[Her voice comes out as something very quiet and barely there.]

[Quiet as Mayu's voice is, Iceland still snaps to attention when he hears it, looking over at her. She looks exhausted, and he does notice the limp, but he doesn't realize that's unusual now. He remembers Norway's instruction to hide, but he still has to find Norway.]

...Mayu.

[Mayu looks over their surroundings, and what starts as a quiet giggle increases in volume and, perhaps, sounds the slightest bit unhinged as she realizes that neither his partner nor hers is anywhere nearby.]

Ah... we both got separated again, didn't we? ...from our partners...

[A reaction like that is enough to make Iceland take a step back and start glancing around for escape routes. He mostly has buildings and empty space, and the buildings aren't as close as he'd like. Mayu does have that injured leg, though...

He really wishes Norway were here.]

...Yeah, I guess so. ...Norway shouldn't be that far away, though.

[He has to be in this zone somewhere.]

...he shouldn't.

[And then she's giggling again, because either she doesn't notice his discomfort or she just doesn't care. She's smiling, too - maybe in the past, before this terrible game and before getting spirited away to the village, it would have been a soft smile; but there's something sharp and unpleasant about it now.]

Norway... Norway... [She repeats the name and then hums, thinking.] Oh! I ran into him...

[you know

"ran into"

just like she ran into Holden and Beat and Silver and Yona and Craig...

But, wow. Even if she's just trying to reassure him that his partner is nearby and it's all fine (their extended promise hasn't yet come to an end, in her mind), that really did come out horribly. Maybe she shouldn't be giggling and smiling like a serial killer when she says something like that.]

[Iceland swears he can feel the blood drain from his face; he's pale already, but he looks even whiter all of the sudden. Mayu running into anyone like this makes him nervous, especially if it's Norway. She's killed at least three people, even with that leg. But no, Norway would definitely be able to overpower her. She's just a seventeen-year-old girl, no matter who she killed.]

...Ah. [He should really leave, but with Norway as the topic of discussion, his feet don't move.] When was that?

Not too long ago...

[After the two of them were separated, that is. He's not with her now, probably because 1. He's a paranoid maniac and 2. She's just a maniac and even if he wasn't paranoid he could probably figure out that she should be avoided at all costs.]

Our promise doesn't apply to him, you know. [And that very well might be all Iceland hears - although Mayu follows it up with a soft,] But...

["But I figured you were probably somewhere close by and didn't want to have to murder you too if you walked in on me killing him, aren't I such a good friend?"]

[That is all Iceland hears, because to him it's the most important part of the sentence. He gets even paler somehow, and his whole body feels like lead. No, she's just--saying that. For some reason. But she's at least threatening Norway. After having seen him.]

He's--he's my brother. [It might sound unrelated to the conversation, but someone like Mayu probably understands: what would Iceland do if he were separated from Norway forever?]

[She nods at that - it makes sense to her. Family is important. Siblings are important. Iceland and Norway may not be twins, but she can understand what he means when he says "He's my brother."]

I know.

[And that's why she'd gone out of her way to not attack him. She thinks it should be obvious, though perhaps it isn't really. Admittedly, "I ran into him" probably wasn't the best way she could have worded it, after she'd used those very same words to imply to him that she had killed people the day before.]

Then-- [Then! Why had she worded it like that, why had she said the promise doesn't apply?

Iceland's voice drops from its distressed half-panic to something lower and slower. It sounds calmer, at least.]

The promise doesn't apply to him, though.

[He wants another confirmation.]

It doesn't. But it applies to you.

[So if they stay together, he'll be safe - that's what Mayu means. She's not going to attack Norway while Iceland is right there with him. It doesn't apply to him directly, but it applies to him indirectly.

She knows this, so it's obvious to her. It's so obvious to her that she doesn't even consider clarifying, because if she can understand what he means by "He's my brother," shouldn't he be able to understand her, too?]

[Iceland reads into it a little differently--though maybe not that differently from how Mayu might think of it under different circumstances. He realizes she means that when Iceland is with Norway, it covers Norway as well. If he's with Norway, then it's fine. But he's not with Norway, and Mayu ran into Norway alone.

It settles in Iceland's mind as an accusation. 'You weren't with your brother. You left him and he died.'

His voice is calm and slow.] Then we're done with the promise, Mayu.

[He lunges. His dagger is poisoned, so he should only need to strike her once with it. Maybe that's not all he'll do, but it's all he should need to do.]

[She doesn't understand.

She hears the words, but she doesn't process them. To her, there isn't anything she's said that could have prompted this - Mayu can't think of one single part of the conversation that would have made him angry or sad. (Because she's nuts.)

Even when he lunges, she doesn't move; it's only when the dagger cuts into her skin that it really seems to sink in. She hisses, her expression one of betrayed puzzlement, and stumbles back. The poison seeps into her blood which is already tainted by the ochimizu, and slowly - more slowly than the day before, perhaps, but still quickly enough - her skin starts to knit itself back together. Her hair starts to lighten, until it's shifted entirely from deep black to snow white, and her eyes flash crimson.]

You attacked me...

[He attacked her. He attacked her. They're done with the promise - so she can fight back.

She lunges at him with both arms outstretched, hands seeking out his neck.]

[She can heal--she can heal--and that explains everything for Iceland, more than the suddenly white hair and crimson eyes. He backs up, but it's not fast enough, because Iceland hasn't compensated for her suddenly lacking her limp, and then her hands are around his neck and Iceland is flat on his back. He curls up his legs and kicks at Mayu's stomach as his brain races to catch up with all of this new information.]

[Before the ochimizu, she would have gone flying. She would have slammed into the generator, probably just in time for another surge of electricity, and that would have been that.

But now, she's stronger. His kicks wind her but she doesn't loosen her grip. Her thumbs press into his throat and she tries to adjust so that she's seated on his stomach - so that even if he does raise his legs to kick again he won't be able to hurt her. The feeling of her hands around his neck is familiar.

It shouldn't have been like this, should it? Not with him. Not with Mio. It was always supposed to be her whose breath was stolen away, her who was thrown into the Abyss.

She isn't aware of the tears in her eyes until they roll down her face and splash onto Iceland's cheeks.]

I didn't want to break our promise!

[Iceland squirms and fights panic as he tries to suck in air that isn't coming and the white of one of his eyes flood red with burst blood vessels.

I didn't want to break our promise, but if she's this strong, if she can heal-- She could have killed Norway. That's when it really sinks in, the belief that Norway is dead, that she killed him, that he's alone here, that she's going to kill Iceland if he doesn't stop her and she'll never be really punished for killing Norway.

His hand tightens around his dagger and he slams it hard into her wrist. If he can break it, he can loosen her grip.]

[Strong as it is, her wrist is still small, and slamming the dagger into it breaks both her grip and the bone. There's a sickening crunch and Mayu rears back with a sharp cry, her hands coming away from his neck.

This isn't the first time in the last twenty-four hours that her wrist has been broken, but it is the first time it hasn't healed immediately. When she shakes it out, expecting the bones to set and her hand to be as good as new, it's only partially successful - her wrist is caught at an odd angle and she winces with pain.

Iceland will have the opportunity to throw her off - she's too baffled by how much less effective her healing is to jump right back into trying to strangle the life out of him with her good hand.]

[As soon as he has an opportunity Iceland kicks her off and sucks down air. He can't let her do that again. He can't let her live at all. With her wrist as the angle it is there has to be a way to kill her, he's sure of it. Right now, talking is a waste of breath and energy. He needs to capitalize on her confusion. So he lunges again, this time just trying to knock her over.]

[She slams into the ground hard when he knocks her over, but twists to try and avoid any immediate follow-up strikes. In the process she scrapes her cheek, which starts to heal over. That, at least, is a relief.

But her wrist...

Mayu grunts and tenses. Her dagger is in her pocket but if she can just get it with her good hand, maybe she can fight back. She keeps her eyes on Iceland as she tries to get her fingers around the handle to pull it out.]

[Now she's on the ground. The scrape on her cheek heals, but her wrist still looks broken. His brain slams together conclusions with a rapid, harsh pace he can't remember ever feeling before. His brain is dizzy and focused at the same time. She's reaching around in her pocket. That's not allowed.

He slams his dagger into her wrist and finally responds to something she said minutes ago.]

If Norway isn't included it's a worthless promise! [It's not necessary, but he brings the dagger down into her wrist once more. Suddenly he wants to shatter all of her bones like that, string her up and make her regret ever even looking at Norway, but he can't allow her even the smallest opportunity to get away.]

[The dagger slams into her good hand - bad hand, now. They're both bad. The smell of her own blood is thick in the air and it's nowhere near as tempting as his would be, but her sanity is already so frayed that it takes very little to push her over the edge. This time she doesn't hiss - it's a full-out shriek as her bones shatter, start to set themselves, and then shatter again.

Her expression is crazed and frenzied as she stares up at him and bares her teeth.]

If it's worthless then I'll kill you both! That's my new promise!

[First Iceland and then Norway, she means, but for all Iceland knows he's the last one she has to kill to make good on that promise.]

[A fury like Iceland has never known throbs though his veins, shudders his bones, pulses behind his eyes. The words that come out are in Icelandic, but there's no mistaking the magma-hot fury behind them.]

Then I'll tear you apart first.

[It's quiet, he's not shouting, because he realizes he means it. He means it, and then he's doing it, driving the dagger down into her stomach and tearing through cloth and skin and muscle. He can convince himself it's reasonable because since her healing seems to be moving more slowly on more grievous injuries he just has to injure her enough for it to stick. He can convince himself, but it doesn't matter as much as it matters that she see, right now, that he's pulling her intestines out and he's not going to stop until they're piled on top of her, he can't stop, he doesn't know how, because all of his emotions are erupting inside of him and he's crying and doesn't even know it.]

[Maybe she should do more than laugh. But she doesn't know what he's saying - she can tell that he's angry, so angry, but she doesn't know the words - and when his dagger cuts into her skin, she doesn't think it's going to be a problem. It healed before. It's healing slowly now. So why would it—

It strikes muscle, and she lets out a sob that almost sounds like a laugh. He hooks the first bit of her intestines, and pulls, and she gasps for breath. He's going and going and he won't stop, and Mayu hears a piercing shriek but doesn't realize until it stops when she has to gulp in air that it was her. There are still tears coming from her eyes, and she's giggling uselessly.

She can feel her wounds trying to mend, but maybe it's too much. She can't do much with her broken wrists but she does bring one hand up to the pile and nudges it as if it will help it return to where it's supposed to be. Her face is pale and drawn, and her movements are sluggish.]

Ahaha.. haha.. you love.. your brother this much..? [Her shoulders shake. Maybe it's a sob, or a laugh, or just that she's going into shock from the pain.] ..I wish Mio loved.. me this much..

He's--he's-- [She's still alive, but she's not healing. He doubts she'd be able to stand, so he gets up, still crying but able enough to see her. What he's done is--is horrible, but the parts of him that are able to care are so distant and useless.

He was the first person I ever saw.] He's my big brother. [Iceland loves him more than anyone else.

He kicks Mayu into one of the livewires on the ground.]

[She connects with the livewire, and it's all over.

Maybe she could have survived the disembowelment - somehow. Maybe, most likely, she wouldn't have. But it would have been a slow, drawn-out death, and this is faster. Electricity courses through her and she lets out a strangled gasp. But it's not one she can hear. Her eardums pop; all she hears is a dull ringing, all she feels is heat and pain as her body contorts and tries to right itself.

Her tears have been seared from her cheeks, but the tracks they've left on her skin remain.

She must be seeing things, because she thinks she can see Mio. She's standing there a ways off, just within Mayu's sight, and she wants to reach out to her or call out to her but she can't. She can't move. She can't speak. She wants to scream, Don't leave me, but she can't force the words.

The Mio who isn't really there turns away and shakes her head. Mayu's vision blurs, and she knows no more.

Together...

She doesn't crumble to dust immediately. She lays there, charred and broken, for a few long moments, unmoving and unseeing and unspeaking. Her fingers are the first to go from her outstretched arm, crumbling into a soft grey ash, spreading up her arm and to the rest of her until the only things that remains are her damaged clothing, her backpack, the dagger, and a delicate gold locket that has somehow been left mostly unscathed.

...forever.]

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