The Stadium (In the Process of Ending/No longer accepting)

Ivan Kirill (Sorry, school was noming on my head. OnigiriChan is grounded for now, so... Yeah, this is kind of long. :/ Meh.)

"Ivan, I like you."

"Well, duh, that's kind of obvious, Cass."

"I just thought you should know."

Ivan and Cassie were walking towards the second challenge, lagging behind the others mostly because Ivan's burns were still giving him trouble and Cassie was too much of a dear to leave him behind. Even though he knew Cass fancied him, Ivan was still a bit taken aback by the sudden confession. No girl had ever out right told him they liked him before, he usually had to approach them first.

"Stop staring at me like that, Ivan..."

Ivan quickly turned away and blushed. Blushed. Ivan didn't blush, ever. He didn't even realize he was starring. Well, she was very pretty.

"So, do you like me too?"

"No."

The answer was immediate, because the thought of liking Cass, this non-elite cake maker, was obscene and didn't even register as a plausible thought.

"Oh..."

But then he thought about it. She was adorable, she was brave, and she didn't judge him even though he deserved to be judged. She helped him, she honestly liked him, she stuck around, and not just for herself. She was amazing.

"Actually, I take that back. I actually like you a lot."

Ivan rolled his eyes at himself as the words left his mouth. He sounded like some type of sissy priss. Still, he could feel something swell inside of him, just like in those cheesy romance novels and movies. Cass squealed and hugged him tight, but thankfully the other contestants were already so far ahead of them that no one noticed, or at least that's what Ivan was hoping. He kissed her once, quickly, and pushed her off of him. She was quiet until they reached the starting line, her mouth open, her cheeks pink, and her eyes wide. Ivan laughed.

The objects were pitifully easy to Ivan, the cat things made him laugh, but the only thing that stalled his progress was the fire pillars.

"Fire again," he hissed. He could feel his burns throb just at the thought.

He was just getting over his nerves and was about to run when he heard a scream. He recognized the voice immediately as Cassie. Forgetting completely about the game, Ivan turned around and ran. Cass was stuck in the cats, they were slashing away at every part of her body they could touch. No one was turning around to help, and why should they? Why should he? This was a competition, but still, Ivan really liked her. He didn't realize how much until now.

Ivan never ran as fast as he did that very moment, back to Cassie, but by the time he got there she was done. She was screaming. She was just...

"Cassie?"

"Ivan, is it bad? It hurts..."

Tears filled Ivan's eyes but he blinked them away. He could only just make out Cassie's eyes from under the sheet of red she was covered it. She groaned again, cried his name, and Ivan couldn't hold it back anymore. He cried for the first time in a long time, and over some girl, no less. But a great girl. An amazing girl.

After that Ivan dragged both himself and Cassie through the fire pillars, he didn't care anymore, he just wanted to get her to safety. When he saw the finish line he broke down. He never realized how much he would miss the smile of a complete stranger.

Emotions were always bad things to have, and this only made that belief stronger inside of Ivan. He should have worked alone.

He wasn't even given a chance to try and love her.

She was just taken away.

And he thought that to be completely unfair.

But why should someone like him be allowed to have Cassie? He was a total jerk. Maybe this is what he deserved.

Everyone crowded around Cassie when he lay her down, but he couldn't move. When Cassie's throat was cut he just flinched and looked away, mostly to hide his crying. How could they be so cruel? How could they let him barely taste happiness before snatching it away?

Holding back the tears were starting to hurt Ivan's chest, so he got up and walked away. They'd call him when they needed him, but for now he needed to be alone.

Octavius-

Ivan came in supporting the lower-class girl. She was covered in blood. "She deserved it." I thought," But did she?"
"Don't think that. What would Father say."
"What if Father's wrong?"
"Are you crazy? He raised you on the principles that he uses. Look how sucessful he is."
These thoughts played around in my head, then Rutila slit her throat. I watched in horror. I knew these things happened in this, but you didn't die from another's hand until the final round.

I knew in that instant that Father was wrong; about everything. If I survived this I would not follow Father's rules and principles any more. I thought this then blacked out again.

Raphael ~

Ronaldo and Gary led us back to the mansion.

For some reason my victory was short-lived, the death of one of the gladiators was quite a emotional burden on the rest of us. Even though I didn't know Cassie, I could tell she was going to be missed. I walked up to Ivan,

"I'm very sorry about your loss, even though she is gone, but we should not let her death be in vain. Perhaps it would be best you win in her honor." I patted him on the shoulder.

"I guess so," he said, a tear in his eye.

Rutila "The Black Dagger" Nixion

We were back at the mansion before I knew it, we all walked in quietly the silence was for Cassies death. We shuffled in but stopped Micah and Jesse reminding them they need to get cleaned up quick, and then come to my room to be bandaged.

Micah

We reach the mansion and Rutila takes Jesse and I up to her room to clean up. I make her treat Jesse first, the blood soaked shirt of hers making my sliced palm seem miniscule.
When she gets to me, I look her in the eyes the best I could with her mask on.

"You never answered my question." I whisper. "Are you alright?"

Rutila "The Black Dagger' Nixion

I nod and rub disinfectant and his wound and then began wraping it up so it was both comfortable and protective of the wound. I look to my side to see the door closed. I walk over to my dresser and picked up a new mask my servents brough in for me. I take off the black wooden mask and look myself in the mirror.

"Yea I'm fine." I said.

ice

when i woke up i was back in the mansion. i didn't know what happened . there was this gloomy aura around i couldn't even understand why. i wondered how i got there but then i saw drake and things made a bit more sence. He must have helped me but i didn't know why. why would anyone help me?
i winced in pain as i felt a sharp pain in my leg. the pain from earlier was returning to me.

*Sorry I wasn't on yesterday; one of my friends had her second baby, and we had to babysit the first. She was early, so it was unexpected, but the baby was fine. I got to hold him, he was really cute and kept wrinkling his nose at me.*
Drake-
Ice finally wakes up and I realize with dread that I have to tell her about Cassie.
"Ice..." I sigh, then force the words out as quickly as possible, wanting to get it over with, "Cassie's dead." Ice stares at me. Realization settles on her like a large boulder being eased onto her thin shoulders.

Ivan Kirill

Ivan sighed and wiped his face. His father would say he was being too emotional, but Cassie's death made him realize something about himself. She was his reality check, in a way. It broke his heart, a heart he didn't even fully know how to use.

Grumbling and groaning to himself, Ivan took a spot on the floor. The games killed Cassie, and what Raphael said was right, he'd have to win, at least for her. Or die, dying sounded good too.

He could buy her shop, sell it to his mom or something. But, for now, he had to focus on the games. He had to find Mouse and Drake. But did he really have to right now?

Ivan sighed, rested his head against the wall, and closed his eyes.

"This would be easier if I didn't start to like her," he groaned to himself. Everyone out there could die and he couldn't care any less, but Cassie...

Should he work alone?

Keep his group?

Either way he was going to finish this.

Ice
The news hit me like a bomb. I felt bad for not getting to know my teamqte better, but then again I would have felt worse if I did. I wondered how Ivan was doing. The two of them were usually together so he would know her better. But would he really feel sad for cassie? He didjt seem the type but i knew he did. He did help me twice once at the introduction part and the otyer at the end of the first round. Ivan was a nice person in my eyes even though he tries to hide it. I look over at Drake ," I have to do something" I say getting up trying to hide the pain in my leg. I didn't even stutter when I said it. I didn't wait for drakes reply, I went out to look for Ivan. This time I wanted to help him.

Octavius-

The walk back to the mansion was hard for me but I didn't show my pain to the lower classers. That pathetic Ivan was moping about because of that girl's death. He was an Elite! Ivan shouldn't have feelings for her.

I laid on a chair waiting for Micah to come back and help me rebandage my cuts.

Jesse

Rutila cleans me up and I take off my shirt revealing my tank top and put on another shirt over it and smile. "Thanks Rutila. I owe you." I said reaching inside my pocket. I take out about two hundred dollars tied together. "Take half to buy yourself some more weapons." I said handing her a hundred dollar bill and leaning against the wall. "Take it." I said holding it out.

Drake-
Ice leaves, and I start wondering around. Of course, a wad of money is the first thing that catches my eye. Jesse's holding it out to Mask-Girl.
"Take it," she says. I swipe it from her hand and take off running.
"Don't mind if I do," I shout over my shoulder. They chase after me of course, but I jump out a window. We're on the second story, so they decline from following me. They would probably break their foot if they did, but I've mastered the art of falling.
I disappear into the forest and circle around to the back of the mansion, making a detour to avoid the chef. Smiling, I slip the money under the centervase on the table, where Jesse will be sure to find it. I hope Jesse will appreciate the fact that I don't take a dime. Charged with the adrenaline rush, I saunter back upstairs, wondering if I could find another window to jump out of. I know it'll be gone soon, and I'll be back to the bitter reality that Cassie is dead and others will die. But right now, I'm too caught up in life to worry about death.

Ivan Kirill

Ivan stood up finally from after sitting and moping for what felt like days. His head hurt, his eyes hurt, he just hurt in general. For now all he wanted to do was rest. If they threw another challenge at him Cassie wouldn't be the only person to die that day. As Ivan was dusting off his pants, Mouse came around the corner, approaching him swiftly.

"Hey, Mouse," Ivan yawned. "Need something?"

Ice
Now that I found him, I didnt know what to say, so I stood there looking at him tying to read his expression. He did look different.
" are you alright?" I asked. He didn't answer for a while, I wondered why. This was the first time I talked to him properly. Did he really think I was mute before?