smoke + mirrors [arx]

She yelled, pumping her fist into the air, tears of complete and utter joy springing to her eyes as Iris Flower-Oak fell to the ground. The canon blast that followed echoed through her, the replication of the deadly scene before her was eerie. Once more District One had stolen the crown from District Seven and once more an unlikely child from a high-strung family had snatched it away. Watching that final fight had been terrifying, each swing a horrendous reminder that it could be his last. Once more she felt herself dragged back to those years before, buried ankle deep in the sand, her blood-coated sword in hand, the vicious far too angry girl from District Seven fighting her. She remembered the heat of the weapon in her grasp as the flames cut into flesh. She remembered the anger that Yaa had had, that same anger reflected in Iris’s eyes.

Everything he had said during the finale had resonated with her, and the pride that swelled through her was nothing shy of shocking even to her. Not even a few weeks ago she’d been threatening to cut off his manhood and now he was the one tribute that reminded her the most of herself. She couldn’t believe he was coming home.

The boy had taken little to no damage in the finale, and even though he had lost a leg her knees were not quite as weak as she had thought they’d be. He was strong, incredibly strong. As the last notes of the canon faded Opal moved, a sudden and exhilarating need flooded her body and she ran. She ran down the halls where she had walked Darren Dublin and Emery Moreno to their deaths. Past the elevator where she had watched her brother and Francesca Levroux disappear. She moved past the dining hall where Jem Morgan and Charlotte Brownings had eaten. Past the first aid station where she had laughed and joked with Potato. She moved into building after building toward the room where Justice would be. Past the hangers where she had walked Pearl Millison, Jeff Ryder, Quartz Caplin, Tybalt Capulet, Rhyme Morales, Septys Lexig, Ruth Foster, Quadrys Lexig, Scout Fray, Renee Perdris to their deaths.

Finally, she came to a stop, heart pounding, breathing uneasy as she slid the door open and stepped into the medical rooms.

Justice Fray.

The first time in ten years she had not failed. The first time in ten years where the misery of standing before two graves had evolved into one. A year where she wouldn’t have to bury herself in a bottle to numb the pain and make sure she could stand before the family’s of the dead children. Here was a life she could protect, one she would do anything to make sure stayed this way, even if it meant her own. Hell no was she going to let this go to waste. She’d protect him. She’d do everything she could for him, be the person that Topaz and Peridot were not.

He was alive.

Opal grinned, before beating down her excitement as best as she could. Stepping into the room she moved over to the chair that sat beside the bed. Justice lay on the sheets, bandages covering his wounds –wounds that would be healed in no time. But she knew that some would not, whether those be the physical ones or the mental ones. Opal was determined to help him through it all. And so she sat, and she’d sit there for hours if she had to. Justice Fray was not alone.