Raison D'être - Treech

[ 9 - my classmate and bread crumbs ]

STUDENTS WERE SLOWLY leaving, while Priscilla and a few other mentors were still sitting and watching the screen. Some of them were wide awake, some of them partly asleep like Priscilla. She tried her best to keep at least one eye opened, but she wasn't used to stay this late.

The girl laid her head on Pup's shoulder, her eyes almost closed. Her ears caught some of Lucy Gray and Jessup's conversation, but eventually, she fell asleep.

Priscilla woke up by Dr. Gaul's voice. Pup wasn't anywhere, so Priscilla just assumed he went home. "Mr. Snow." Dr. Gaul spoke up. Priscilla opened her eyes, luckily her head was in a different direction than Dr. Gaul and Coriolanus. "What happened? Is it Lucy Gray?" Coryo snapped.

"Unless you can put a leash on your deluded classmate, she might as well be dead as far as you're concerned." Dr. Gaul mumbled. "Sejanus?" Coriolanus asked. "Bread crumbs. I believe in sustenance for a fallen comrade on his final journey. A District 2 superstition." Dr. Gaul exclaimed.

"Ms. Trinket, I know you're awake." She added. Priscilla cursed under her breath and slowly raised her head, turning it to Dr. Gaul with an embarrassed smile, "Good evening." She mumbled. Dr. Gaul let out a sigh, "I'll work on finding the Peacekeeper he bribed to get him in, and cut out their tongue. In the meantime, I need someone to get him out right now." She stated.

"You should send Peacekeepers in." Coriolanus exclaimed, not daring to look into the woman's eyes. "Only to have him bolt and hide like a rabbit? Felix Ravinstill is fighting for his life in the hospital, Mr. Snow." Dr. Gaul reminded. "I will not have these rebels make a further mockery of my Games." She declared in a dramatic tone.

"Anyone sees us lose control of this arena, it might as well be sounding a horn to the districts to revolt." The woman hissed, looking now at frightened Priscilla. "You choose to be friends with this radical. You want him to end the Games tonight?" Dr. Gaul asked.

"It's gonna look a lot worse if the tributes kill the three of us." Priscilla cut in. "So don't let them." Dr. Gaul gulped, walking over to the girl. "Who knows? You get him out unscathed, I'll whisper your name in his father's ear. You still want that Plinth Prize, don't you?" She asked.

Clearing her throat, Priscilla nodded. Even though her family was rich because of her father being a Gamemaker. Yet Priscilla still wanted to win that prize. To show her worth.

"I'll freeze the feed for an hour. I estimate that's all we have until the people notice." Dr. Gaul stated.

Fidgeting with her fingers, Priscilla stood up, going towards the exit and being followed by Coriolanus.

•*⁀➷

PRISCILLA AND CORIOLANUS left a car, that guided them to the Arena. They slowly went inside, Peacekeepers following them. The gates closed behind the two mentors, making them a bit confused. "I can't believe we've got nothing to defend ourselves with." said Coriolanus, but the girl rolled her eyes.

"Come on." Priscilla nudged Coryo's arm. They approached the turnstile. The girl jumped over them while Coriolanus walked through, making them both heard Enjoy the show a few times.

"Seriously?" She hissed.

The two quietly walked deeper into the Arena, side by side, their breaths heavy. They walked past a few dead bodies when the sight of someone sitting nearby caught their eyes. "Sejanus?" Priscilla whispered.

The boy turned his head. "I thought they'd send my ma." Sejanus hummed. "Yeah, I wish they had." Coryo cut in. "You need to go." The Plinth boy stated when he stood up. "We promised we'd get you out," Priscilla exclaimed. "Why?" Sejanus mumbled. "Because you're our friend." Coryo whispered, stepping forward the guy.

"I have to do this. I had to go where the cameras are." Sejanus stated. "You think anyone's watching this? Gaul cut the feed." Coriolanus hissed. "Tributes kill you in here, she's just gonna say you died of the flu." He added.

And then they heard something on the beam. Or rather someone. The three raised their heads to see Lamina. "Lamina, it's Priscilla." The blonde girl whispered. Lamina hesitated, before putting down her axe. Priscilla sent her a smile, earning a weak, sad one back from the ginger.

"You need to decide right now. Do you wanna fight these tributes, or fight for them? Because if you wanna make real change, you need to stay alive to do it." Coriolanus mumbled to another guy. "How can I make any change from out there?" Sejanus cut in.

"You're rich. Smart. You care. You're the only one who stood up to Gaul in that class, right?" Coriolanus asked. Before Sejanus could answer, they heard metallic clangs.

"We're dead if we won't leave right now," Priscilla stated. "Come with us. Spend your father's money, and do some real good. Or just be another dead body in Gaul's war. Please. Trust me." Coriolanus spoke to his friend, trying to convince Sejanus.

Everything for Snow was about money. Did he care for Sejanus? Priscilla didn't know. But in almost every sentence, he had to remind Sejanus that he was rich.

And suddenly, Bobbin appeared with a weapon. Priscilla repeated the word go a few times, pushing her friends forward. They ran to the turnstiles, Coriolanus jumping over them as Priscilla did before, but Bobbin cut Sejanus' calf. Priscilla pushed her friend to Coriolanus, kicking Bobbin in his soft spot.

She ran through the turnstiles, and so did Bobbin. He fell to the ground, dragging Priscilla's ankle with him. The girl tried to let herself free, but when it didn't work out she just kicked off Bobbin's hand and ran to Sejanus. She helped the guy stand up and watched as Bobbin swung his machete at Coriolanus.

Snow stood up, grabbing a pipe with concrete and hitting Bobbin with it. "I don't want to hurt you!" He shouted to the 8 boy. Bobbin just let out a frustrated shout and attacked Coryo's shoulder.

Coriolanus hit Bobbin's head with the pipe, repeating it once again. Bobbin fell through the turnstiles, getting another hit from Coriolanus.

At the moment, Sejanus and Priscilla were helping each other stand on their legs, Their „friend" had just killed someone. He did something they never saw coming.

And suddenly, Coral's pack appeared. Coriolanus grabbed Sejanus and dragged him towards the gates while Priscilla was hypnotized by seeing Treech.

Coriolanus ran back to her, dragging her to Sejanus by her shirt. "Open the gates!" He shouted. The gates opened, and Priscilla, Sejanus, and Coriolanus jumped on the ground through them. Peacekeepers managed to close the gates before Coral's pack could touch them. She only extended her trident with a grunt.

"Watch those screens, gorgeous. 'Cause I may have missed you tonight, but your songbird's next on my list." Coral hummed. Priscilla and Sejanus were still on the ground, her eyes meeting Treech's.

"I didn't know it was you." He mumbled. "Let's go." A Peacekeeper gulped, helping Priscilla stand up. She just sent him a sorry look, before turning back to her classmates.

"I'm so sorry, Coryo. Priscilla and you... I didn't think about they'd send you." Sejanus mumbled. "We're alive. That's what matters." said Priscilla before a car pulled up in front of the Arena.

"My father," grumbled Sejanus. "Let the buying begin."

Then he stood up and limped to his mother, embracing her into a hug. Priscilla stared at them, wishing it was her and Lusitania. However, she could just admire them with her lips pressed in a thin line.

"Are you alright?" Coriolanus' voice made her flinch. "Yeah, you?"

"Could be better." said Coriolanus before walking away.