District 4's Collin Glaucus woke up slowly.
He may have been conscious, but he didn't open his eyes. Maybe he didn't want to. Maybe he thought that if he kept them closed for long enough, he'd wake up back home in District 4, right next to Tryin, from some horrible nightmare. He tried to avoid the obvious, the thought that no matter what he did he couldn't change the past. There was no way that torture had just been a dream. You can't die in dreams, right? It was a nightmare, but at the same time it was very, very real. Collin had failed.
When Collin had freshly lost his father, he could only wonder what death was like. Where had it taken him? Uncle always said that death had taken Collin's father on a new adventure, but Collin never believed any of that. Tryin loved it, he still liked to think of their father, still a captain, aboard a ship on sparkling blue seas, somewhere in another world. Maybe that was calming to Tryin, who hadn't been there when he and his entire crew died.
So this was it.
Collin didn't want to move. He didn't want to get up, he didn't want to. He wanted to send himself back to earth, where he would wake up and keep fighting. Why did it have to be like this? Why did he do this? He thought he could win, and he'd been taken out by a boy from District 9 of all places.
He didn't open his eyes for a while. Instead, he sat alone. The silence was heavy with sadness, but calm. He felt warm, almost like a soft blanket had been wrapped around his shoulders. He felt his friends and family missing him. He missed them too. He wondered if they could feel it or not.
After sitting like that for a while, Collin opened his eyes and looked around before making it up on his feet. He had to keep going. He had to see them.
Collin felt a bit like he was floating as he stretched and left the temple in which he'd appeared.
The Great Beyond was... Great. Even through sorrow and anger, Collin was blown away. Before him were 12 other tributes, all of them engaged in their own activities. They all looked up when he approached, feeling awkward. He wasn't really close with any of them, not even Serafina Anya, who was dancing around gracefully and happily, as if she didn't even care she wasn't back in District 4.
"Collin." A familiar voice behind him made him tense. Collin turned around slowly, almost not believing this was possible. Before him stood his father, complete with a beautiful pair of wings on his back, glowing but with a slight aura of regret. Collin had thought a lot about what he would say and do if he could see his father again, but now that it was really happening, was lost for words. When Hamilton Glaucus opened his arms, Collin immediately threw himself into them, his eyes full of tears. Finally, when he could think again, he stammered out apologies.
"I-It was all m-my fa-fault..." he said, not trying to hold back his tears. "I-I-"
"Collin." His father's voice, steady and gentle, made Collin silence, still crying quietly into his father's shoulder.
"I'm so proud of you. You have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be sorry for."
"T-Tryin-"
"Will be alright. You stood by your decisions and fought till the very end. You made me proud, and I'm sure Tryin and Uncle are proud of you."
Collin tried to lighten the mood, sniffling and wiping at his cheeks. "Question. Are Uncle and I actually related?"
Mr. Glaucus just laughed. "You really don't know?"
Collin shrugged, but hearing his father's laugh made him smile.
"Collin!" Hamilton Rayce from District 5 dashed over, Ductor following. "Your father and I share a name!"
"Yeah, I got that," Collin said, laughing awkwardly as Serafina Anya approached.
"Collin! Have you seen this place? It's amazing!" she shot up into the air, and Collin laughed, feeling awkward as the other tributes swarmed him, welcoming him into their group. Their company was so rich, he was able to forget about his sorrow and grief, and even smiled and laughed. Real laughter. It felt amazing. Even if he didn't forget, it wasn't long before Collin was able to let go.
It was the most relief he'd ever felt in his entire existence.
~.~.
Cory knew where she was as soon as she woke up. She didn't remember much from her last moments, just a lot of pain and torment. Burning. Horror.
She wasn't burned. Her skin was soft, not scarred. She made it up to her feet, looking diagonally upwards at the wings that spread out upon her standing up. She took a deep breath and felt the thoughts of her Uncles and Victor. She looked around the room, warm and inviting, the most aesthetically pleasing thing Cory had ever seen. She felt peaceful, and took her time to examine the room before leaving. She went out to the world beyond, heart beating. She was nervous, excited... But not scared.
She was barely out the door before she was practically tackled by a heavy force. She didn't recognize the voice that said her name, but she knew who it was from his smell and the strength of his hug. Leo was warm and strong. They had never hugged before, after all, their relationship got off to a slightly... Rocky start. To put it nicely. They had ended up allies by total fate, and he had given up his chance for her, and now she was here. Cory knew tha she should have died in his place, if she had he might still be alive now.
Cory didn't want to let go. She held him almost as tightly as he held her. Cory glanced up at him, her eyes bubbling with tears that he reached over to wipe away from her eyes.
"It's okay," he said quietly. It was weird to hear this voice coming from him, the technological voice was much more mechanical and high-pitched, but Leo's real voice was smooth and soft, and deep. "You can't change it now. You're okay. You did your best to avenge me."
Cory knew she didn't deserve his kindness or love, but she was grateful anyways. Even when he pulled his hands back, his touch lingered. Their gazes lingered on the other for just a second, before they heard a voice, melodious and gentle, sweet and lovely. "Cory!"
Cory looked up and her eyes filled with more tears, but this time tears of joy. She opened her mouth and spoke for the first time in years. "Mom! Dad!" She had to flutter to place a light peck on Leo's cheek before leaving him and running to them, laughing happily. She allowed her laughter to resonate out of her as her parents held her. She was so excited she felt like she could burst.
"You were so brave there," her father murmured.
"Thanks Dad." Cory closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy being in their arms.
"You're going to like it here, Sweetheart," her mother murmured into her hair. "It's a nice place."
"Who was that boy you were with?" her father asked, teasing.
"Dad!" Cory couldn't help but laugh through her blush, though. She was already enjoying it here. Her father kissed her temple and her mother stroked her hair.
"We have so much lost time to make up for," her father promised, causing Cory to beam radiantly.
"So many memories to make, so much laughter and light and love... So many songs to sing."
"Sing..." Cory hadn't sung since they died, she'd not even thought of it. "Singing. Yes. When can we start that?"
Cory's mother laughed. "I think now is a good time. Let me teach you one of my favorites."
For the first time in years and years, Cory sang. She danced. She felt amazing. She aimed for notes she could never dream of reaching. She attempted harmonies that sounded just plain strange. She laughed and smiled and talked. It felt amazing.
Finally, after all these years, Cory Baker felt complete again.
~.~.
Maggie sat straight up, gasping. She looked around, cautious but not afraid like she thought she would be. She felt a calm breeze of peace that made her feel peaceful, almost. She knew where she was. There was no mistaking this lovely, beautiful, soft place for the Arena in which she'd... Died. She took a quivering breath and looked around, not sure what to make of this place yet. She didn't want to be here, of course. She wanted to be back down on earth, with some hope that maybe she would make it back to Hannah and Sammie and her mother... But she was here. There was no getting home. Not now. All of hope of that was gone. She could feel the thoughts of Hannah and her mother and even her little 5-year-old sister filling her with warmth in a weird sense she couldn't put into words.
She wrapped her soft wings around herself, trying to be close to them, trying to give some semblance of being with them again. She couldn't do anything to change the fact that they were literally worlds apart.
She unwrapped herself, sighing, and slowly left the expansive room in which she'd appeared. The great beyond was truly great, and she saw a group of tributes playing together. Hamilton and Ductor chased each other around while Serafina Anya and Wren danced around. Cory sang snippets of songs and Leo copied her. It seemed that everyone was in high spirits. That was probably to be expected, though, huh?
"Maggie!" the District 2 girl was surprised when her ally broke away from where he was walking with Edgard from 11 to rush over to her.
"Callum..."
"How're things going down there?"
Maggie swallowed hard and shook her head, and Callum didn't pry, just sighing understandingly. "You'll like it here," he said, a small smile spreading across his face. "I promise."
He surprised her by giving her a quick hug, which she returned gratefully.
"It gets better," he promised. "Easier." Maggie wasn't sure if she could quite believe it, but she nodded.
"Margaret?" she heard a familiar voice and froze. Callum gave her a nod before falling back into step with Edgard with a quick promise to talk to her later.
"D-Dad!" Maggie never ran faster before in her life. She was swept up into his arms and felt her eyes fill with tears. He was here, things were going to be okay. She always believed it as a child, and she just believed it all the more strongly now, being in his arms again after years.
"I'm so proud of you," he said quietly. Maggie shook her head a little bit.
"I got myself into this mess," she said quietly, "I should have just held my place... I shouldn't have..."
"They'll heal," he said quietly, and Maggie just sighed quietly.
"I know, but... They shouldn't have to."
"Forgiving yourself takes time, Sweetheart." He pulled back, putting his hands on her shoulders to look into her eyes. "But you will get there, someday."
Maggie just nodded a little bit. "Alright. I can manage that."
She took a deep breath, but couldn't help but smile when her father kissed the top of her head just like he did when she was younger. It would take a while for her to forgive herself, but she would someday.
And that thought was good enough for her.
"""She
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