a crown of thorns {Lightning, Chaos, Lorenza}

[Arrow]

Lightning Aqua

    The black still bears heavy on his body, the dried streaks of tears still stain clearly on his skin. The television remains clouded in quiet and contained in complete darkness, the remote remains smashed from Chaos' heartbreak. His fingers follow the edge of the bracelet she gave him before everything, before the first and before the second. He still half expects her to come walking down the hallway with the corrupt crown on her head, yet he knows it has fallen upon another. Instead he just sees Chaos covered in black as well, she leaves the room where Kaydence once slept just as she has since the first day their sister was stolen from them. He looks away and back to the glass in his hands, he finishes the vile liquor with a chug and slams it down onto the counter. He pours himself another glass and sets one out for her as well. 

    They've never been normal, conventional. The two siblings have always done things differently, yet when Lightning questioned whether they should be the kind to remember Kaydence's life by wearing white Chaos had responded as he would have expected and hoped. "Fuck that. We are wearing black. I'm not wearing any fucken color close to his color." Lightning wonders whether the two will ever wear an inch of white again, he certainly can't see it happening anytime soon. He finishes his second glass alongside her before standing and pulling on his long black coat. "Lets get going." He says walking away towards the elevator.

    The blonde isn't sure how long it takes, time seems so lost now. The white walls of the hospital brings back maddening memories, yet above all they bring piercing pain. They should be preparing to visit their recovering sister, not One's newest claim to glory. His mouth tilts downward as the door is opened and he sees Lorenza Aita for the first time in flesh, as anticipated the Capitol has carefully removed any signs from her skin Kaydence carved. His hands tighten. He knows he shouldn't be mad at her, she had to survive, had no choice. Yet all he can see as he stares at the newest diamond of the Capitol is Kaydence's final moments crumbling before her past ally. Is it wrong he wishes for her death? He doesn't dare move more than five feet from the door, he doesn't expect to stay long. 

    The usually brilliant blonde boy searches for something to say but falls short. His eyes simply stare lost in her's before his head looks to the ground his face covered in a sea of golden locks. He'll let Chaos talk for now, he's afraid if he starts he won't stop until his fingers are wrapped around Lorenza's neck. He knows he shouldn't, but he hates her.

[Kaplan]

When we lose our faith
And forsake our friends;
When the moon is gone
And we've reached our ends

Lorenza Aita | District One
Victor of the 47th Maze

Kaydence Aqua was dead. Lorenza had friends in that arena, yet she killed one of them so that she could survive. Neither of them wanted to kill the other. This much was obvious in their final fight. They had expressed their distaste for the situation, apologizing to one another, but both agreeing that it had to be done. Unfortunately for Kaydence, she was the one to die. Lorenza had killed her, too. She could still see it happening as her knife dug into the younger girl's flesh one last time. She wished he hadn't had to do it, but it was the only way to live.

Before she had killed Kaydence, she had killed Braylon. She didn't even know that she was going to survive when she made that first kill, but she was doing it to protect herself. In that moment, it was most certainly kill or be killed. Braylon Yandelle may have been her District partner, but that didn't matter. He was cruel and wanted to kill. Someone like that didn't deserve to be victor. Then again, did anyone deserve to be victor? They had to kill to get there, after all. Maybe, Lorenza thought, she didn't deserve to live.

Regardless, she was the one who survived. Lorenza Aita was the newest victor of the Maze, and the only one this time. When she took her spot on that stage at the reaping, she thought it was the end. She was sure she was going to die, despite the training she'd done beforehand. For Lorenza, death was certain. At least, she imagined that it was. She was completely wrong, though. Apparently, the Aita family didn't die that easily.

She could remember when she had gotten lost in the mini maze, having run up ahead of everyone else and made a wrong turn somewhere. That was when she thought it was truly the end. She thought she was going to die alone. The girl was practically positive that she'd perish. Although, she didn't. She lived. Then, there were the cages. She'd let Zander out and expected that they'd all be able to flee together. Chance, however, was left behind, no matter how much Za-Za begged Zander to let him out before they fled. Chance was never released from that cage, though. That was where he'd die.

When they left him behind, all Lorenza felt was guilt. Leaving him, however, may have saved her life right then, as it meant that they weren't forced to fight the grievers that were meant to oppose them. Instead, they were able to flee to safety, only to find out that Salem had died as well. Kaydence didn't let him out, but Lorenza figured that that must have been what he wanted. After all, Kaydence wasn't a cruel soul. When Zander and Za-Za fled the area, they were able to reconvene with Kaydence at the feast. That was the end of Charlie and Zeus, meaning there were seven of them left.

Seven. That was certainly not a lucky number for Lorenza. It was the number of runners that would be fighting in the finale, and six of them would have to die. As soon as the ground collapsed and things started falling apart the next day, she thought she'd be one of them. She wasn't, though. As her knife drove into Kaydence one final time and the cannon for the young girl sounded, Lorenza knew she was free. At least, she was physically free from the Maze. She knew, however, that her mind would never be free. She'd never forget what happened. She'd never forget the friends she made or the people she killed. Most importantly, she'd never forget the friend she killed.

The feast was over, and what emerged from the wrecked rubble was what appeared to be an evil, pumpkin-headed man, directing horses that were pulling a carriage. It looked like something out of a horror film that wanted to kill her. She'd seen plenty of things like that in this Maze to know what they looked like. Then, it spoke to her. Its voice wasn't one she wanted to hear.

"Please climb aboard, my queen." The voice had sounded frightening and gave Lorenza chills, but she followed its orders. Surely the Capitol wouldn't be killing their only victor of the 47th Maze in such away. They were already vile individuals for making children fight to the death in a wretched Maze, but Lorenza knew that she'd survived at this point. There was no way they'd be killing her now. Maybe later, but not now.

Cautiously, Lorenza took her seat in the carriage. Several minutes later, they had emerged in an external viewing area. The door to the carriage opened and Claudius Templesmith's voice boomed over the area, announcing to the crowd their new victor. She almost didn't want to hear it. She didn't know if she wanted to be a victor yet. In the Maze, she'd thought she did, but as soon as Kaydence died at the end of her weapon, she wasn't sure anymore.

"Ladies and Gentlemen I am pleased to present to you the single Victor of the 47th Maze Running! Lorenza Aita of District One!" the man's voice announced. That was when everything started to be too overwhelming. The people's cheers were fading. The world was fading. Everyone was fading, and then... black.

"Congratulations, Miss Aita,"  a voice told her. A nurse was in the room with her- she was in a hospital room. It was explained to her that she was in there for her wounds. She was in recovery. That meant it wasn't all a dream, Lorenza realized. She truly had lived, and she truly had killed her last remaining friend in the arena. It was true. Kaydence Aqua was dead. Lorenza simply nodded in response to what she was told, not yet having spoken a word since leaving the arena.

It was a while later that a couple of faces Lorenza Aita wasn't expecting to see appeared before her. Chaos and Lightning Aqua, victors and adoptive siblings of Kaydence Aqua. Lorenza had killed their sister, so she knew that they surely couldn't be happy with her. Immediately, when the eyes of Lightning and Lorenza meet, she feels a surge of guilt flowing through her body. She'd killed someone they loved, and she couldn't change that. Surely, the one they wanted to be visiting here was their sister, not Lorenza Aita, their sister's killer.

Neither Lightning nor Chaos spoke a word to Lorenza, so she knew she had to be the first to do so. It took her a moment or so to muster up the courage as Lightining looked away from her and to the ground instead. What could she possibly say that wouldn't make things worse? 'Sorry, I killed your sister,' certainly didn't seem like the best option. That would just make things worse. That was for sure. Why did these have to be the first people to visit her when she woke up? Why couldn't it have been Ben and her parents? There was nothing she could change about the situation, though. She just had to try her best to make things go smoothly.

"She was my friend," Lorenza said, trying her best to assure the Aquas. It was a completely true statement, too. They were friends. They fought by each others' side. The only reason that Lorenza killed Kaydence was because she would die if she didn't, and neither she nor Kaydence wanted to die. That was obvious. It also should have been obvious, however, that neither wanted to kill the other.

"I didn't want to hurt her," she insisted. "There was no other choice. Only one of us could get out alive. I-" She tried to continue speaking but instead started coughing violently. She was in pain from all that happened. She wasn't quite ready to be confronted or lectured, but she knew that that was likely going to be the case.

---

1,331 words

[cameo]

Chaos Aqua

Words scream across the silence of this floor, echoing through the dying hallways - but the Capitol crew refuses to budge, just as my stubbornness refuses to. Every night she spent within this cruel Capitol I’d cradle her in her restless slumber in this very room, and since she left for the even crueler realm of a Maze I’d stay in here still during the moon’s hours. Sleep hasn’t come upon my own heavy eyes since her name was called weeks ago; though when exhaustion halfway eases me from this unforgiving reality, it feels as though she’s still cocooned within my arms - sheltered, from all that could possibly harm her, within my embrace. But the Capitol has done nothing but deny me of taking her room, and giving next year’s female four Runner my more lavishing, luscious victor room. Who will win, the strict rules of the Capitol or the grieving victor Sister? It’s a war to be continued, as for now I escape from the mourning walls of remembrance.

The same black dress forms across my figure, as it did since she was first slaughtered. Convinced that she’d make it home to us, I forcefully refused to pack any more black clothing. The seep of my oder lingers upon the unwashed fabrics, though that’s far from my current concerns. Darkness also attires the frame of my Brother, and it’s a wonder how long we’ll be wearing the colors of grief. He questions if we should honor our Sister with the opposite color, which solely sickens me with more hatred. “Fuck that. We are wearing black. I’m not wearing any fucken color close to her color.” It’s her minions that won’t allow me to claim my Sister’s room. It’s her that keeps this savage ritual of the Maze going. It’s her that helped kill our Sister.

A cup of liquid numbing influence brushes across my Brother’s lips, and it’s then that I realize he poured myself one as well. Have we consumed anything else since we witnessed her final breath? My dress probably reeks of not only sweat, but more so of smoke and alcohol overriding all other smells - though nothing can gain the concentration of my nostril’s senses. At this point the heaviest liquor can’t even burn my nose, nor is able to aid my core. The glass’s content is consumed in a single sip, before I comply to my Brother’s suggestion of going…

It should be her that we’re going to see. She killed as the Capitol desired. She endured as they required. She was corrupted as they sought. Yet she wasn’t permitted release, solely solitude of a demise - and instead it’s her Allie that we’re going to visit. Why? By no doubt sinister cravings tempt my feet closer to her room, a need to leave the 47th with no victor at all. But I know that’s beyond unacceptable. She had to kill our Sister… So why is it that I’m going to visit Lorenza Aita from One? Closure? Perhaps. Though all I can achieve is quieting my mind from my slaughtering thoughts.

Silence tortures the room as well, as we all simply stare awkwardly at one another. I watch in confusion as Lightning bows his head in defeat, though still my mind runs blank. Until finally Lorenza’s the first to speak. She claims that they were friends. Presses that she didn’t want to hurt her, and states the obvious on how she had to. All is truth, except for one thing… “Hurt?” I whisper just loud enough for all to hear, while staring at Lorenza dead in the eyes.

“You didn’t want to hurt her?” I elaborate the question in repeat of her own words. “You didn’t hurt her. You KILLED her.” Evidently it was a mistake to come here. It was a mistake to even get out of Kaydence’s bed. It was a mistake to believe Kaydence would return to us alive. Because next thing I know, without any control of my own actions, futile disbelieve radiates from my features. Without any say my feet are traveling to the One who simply wanted to survive - and my fingers are desperately aiming to kill her.

[Arrow]

Lightning Aqua

    Move. But he can't. He sees the shadows shifting, hears Chaos shouting. Yet he's frozen as time toils into a sudden stop. A flurry of figures and suddenly he's sitting back by the beach watching the waves roll in softly shimmering lit by the sun. Bodies bounce within the rushing rivers of tides as he watches safe from shore, anchored to the sand. A breeze of blonde to his left brings his eyes upon Kaydence silently shucking shells of calms he had collected hours earlier, her fingers flip tirelessly through the stubborn shells. A smile slithers across his face as he surprisingly puts a kiss atop her head. "Thank you for always helping me after diving Kay." Her own smile shines brighter than the waves behind her head. "Of course! You work so hard, its the least I can do to help." He nods as she goes back to shucking and he stays smiling. 

    The scent of salt and the sea of sand fades from vision as tiles turned white return. His heart beats within the embrace of liquor as he still lies stuck to the floor. A twisted terrible beast buried deep within his mind wishes to let Chaos take hold of the Aita, destroy her entirely while she's weak. But his jaw clenches at such a thought. If she harms the newest play thing of President Snow and the corrupt Capitol, there would be no stopping reprimand in the form of their other siblings' lives. Lightning has no choice but to break out of the freeze his  body has been thrown into. Eradicate the hate which shackles his skin in place. He might be a grieving brother burning with anger, but he's still just as brilliant as before Snow tainted and toyed with his family. He has enough sense to know in this moment he's the only one capable of stopping the chaotic storm rushing towards Kaydence's killer.

    Lightning moves in an instant fingers folding around her wrists and his sheer strength containing her surge. Due to the speed he has been named after he places himself between Chaos and Lorenza, his back feels the burning look of the murderer of his sister. Endless emotions flood his body as he battles his eldest sister back away from the bed she longs to leap onto with the intent to kill. Lightning has seen his sister's capabilities, if there is something he's certain she can commit its murder of someone who has harmed the family. However, even as he keeps his sister off of the victor from One's neck more rage ramps up within him. He can't believe he's actually helping his younger sweeter sister's killer. It makes his stomach split and spill with disgust. 

    He looks over his struggling shoulder with his eyes cold as the depths of the deep directly looking again into Lorenza's. His words are low but sharp as the edge of the sword he used to sever the yeti's head. "I'm not stopping her for you. Don't get any ideas. I hate you Lorenza Aita, as I brother I have to even if you did what you had to do." His eyes turn back to his wreathing sister and his voice drops to a whisper only she can hear. "Settle down Chaos. We do anything to her Snow could take Tempest or Storm or any of them." He fighting finally stops and his hands release her wrists. 

[Kaplan]

When we lose our faith
And forsake our friends;
When the moon is gone
And we've reached our ends

Lorenza Aita | District One
Victor of the 47th Maze

Lorenza still couldn't quite grasp why the Aquas came to visit her. Generally, people only visited one another in the hospital if they cared about them, and the Aquas couldn't possibly care about Lorenza Aita. She killed their sister, and Lorenza knew that if some stranger had killed her brother, she would have hated them, too. In all actuality, though, Benito Aita killed Angelo Aita. Angelo was murdered by his own brother. It was an accident, though, and that was part of the reason he was forgiven for it. He was also forgiven for it because he was family. He wasn't just 'some stranger'. It wasn't like the situation the Aquas were in. Their anger made much more sense.

Before Chaos Aqua even lunged in Lorenza's direction, she could see the rage in her eyes. Her anger was apparent, especially after the words that Lorenza didn't want to kill Kaydence came out of her mouth. Chaos and Lightning didn't deserve the emotional pain they were going through. Then again, Lorenza was sure they didn't understand that she was going through emotional pain as well. She hadn't wanted to kill Kaydence. That wasn't how she wanted things to go. She wished they both could have survived. If Kaydence truly had to die, why couldn't someone else have been her killer? Someone who wouldn't have to live with the guilt?

"Hurt?" came Chaos's harsh whisper. "You didn’t want to hurt her?" Her words were getting louder. "You didn’t hurt her. You KILLED her."  They were getting more harsh, too. Lorenza didn't know how to respond to this, and before she knew it, Chaos Aqua was rushing toward her. Lorenza was still in too weak of a state- in too much pain from the fighting- to stop Chaos from attacking her. If she truly wanted to, she could have killed Miss Aita right then and there.

"I'm not stopping her for you. Don't get any ideas. I hate you Lorenza Aita, as I brother I have to even if you did what you had to do." Lightning's words didn't sting as much as Chaos's had. Sure, they still made her feel terrible. The guilt was still ever-present. That would never go away, in all honesty. Although, he was kinder than his sister, if that was even possible to do when not being kind at all. He at least didn't seem to feel like murdering her was a good idea at the moment. Lorenza wanted to pull away from Chaos but she had a fear of harming herself or perhaps accidentally ripping the IV out of her arm. She couldn't do anything in that moment other than speak, so that's what she did.

"Please..." she said, her voice weak. "Chaos, please... stop..." Lorenza wasn't sure what else to say to her, so she froze her speech, hoping it would be enough to make the other victor stop trying to attack her. It took a few moments before she was willing to speak again. She didn't want to screw things up any further than she already had. Lorenza knew she should have just stayed quiet and not said anything when the Aquas first entered the room, but it was too late for that.

"I didn't want to kill her, either. We were allies. We were friends. Neither of us wanted that." There was really nothing else that could be explained. Surely, if the two other victors had actually paid attention to what happened in the Maze's finale, they would have known that neither of them wanted to kill one another, but knew that they had to fight. It was inevitable. There was no other way out for either of them.

---

615 words

[cameo]

Chaos Aqua

Claws target a desire to slaughter. Wrists are restrained from achieving such. Eyes remain pierced upon the newest Victor, as though a stare could kill in itself. Furious reassurance seeps from my Brother in clarification to Lorenza on the reasoning for what he’s performing - that in obligation he must hate her, though with intelligence he’s halting me from my stupidity. Those lavishing eyes, that match Kaydence’s so, gaze over to me upon Lightning’s face, for hushed whispers to pummel from his lips. He reminds of the consequences that’d surely follow if I were successful in in this pursuit, which discharges me instantly from acting on my dire crave. He’s right after all. He’s always right, always the one to knock some sense into me - fortunately for us all.

A deep sigh rumbles through my core, as my muscles go weak from my temptation. His fingers release me, in trust that I’ll do what’s necessary to keep our family safe - or what I won’t do in order to keep them safe. Words stutter from Lorenza’s lips in a desperation for me to not go after her healing body any further, which only disables my body from doing such even more so. Not once had such a plead coil past Kaydence’s tongue. For such a tiny thing she was stronger then us all. She deserved to live…

Realization flutters upon my thoughts that it’s not Lorenza’s fault, despite the fact that I understood such all this time. She’s not an Aqua, pertains no obligation to sacrifice herself for this family - as I would have for Lightning, or him for me, or any of us for another Aqua. Tears flood into my own eyes, though the dams of my eyelids refute them from collapsing down my face. It was the cruelty of permitting a sole victor from escaping. It was the wicked grin upon his face as he danced the dice within his clenched palms. It is Lail Locke’s fault.

“I’m going to kill him.” Is whispered out prior to my hasty escape from the hospital room, determination guiding my feet. But where does he reside? Where might I seek him when guards aren’t surround the precious Head Maze-Maker? Knees crumble in the possibility of defeat, to slam against the floor of the medic hallway. “I will kill you, Lail Locke…” I claim, a sole river of salty liquid streaming down my right cheek, desperate for the taste of revenge.