merrit-greenside - Tumblr blog

[merrit-greenside]

Merrit kept his head still firmly planted on the table for a few moments longer before raising it and meeting Ellery’s gaze with an exasperated stare.

“Lover boy! Well, you’re right there of course. I haven’t seen anyone who would even make me break a sweat. But maybe there’ll be some surprises along the way.” He looked Ellery up and down as he got up from his seat, he didn’t look threatening, he was slim, not a lot of muscle on him at all. Merrit wasn’t the largest and most intimidating man but next to Ellery he looked more imposing than normal. 

He stopped in front of the boy, pausing for a moment. “I want you to hit me.” he spoke bluntly.

merrit-greenside

Merrit had found himself flicking coins into an empty glass, moving the glass further and further away each time the glass shivered with a successful shot. I’m so bored. He resigned his forehead to the gold hard glass of the table and let out an audible sigh. BORED. He screamed internally. Oh how he longed for some action, if he were back home he could go spar or train, anything must be better than sitting on this god forsaken train. The people were nice enough, most of them were fairly uninteresting though and he hadn’t found anyone he thought could even challenge him. He continued to sit there, his forehead still overly friendly with the table.

Ellery was walking along the train when he spied Merrit through the screen of the next door.

Shit, he thought. After pulling his ghost trick the previous day, he had been hoping to avoid the boy. Merrit was trouble– anyone with two working eyes could see as much. In fact, he seemed to be the only real Career on the train. Fort was too soft, and Poppy… well, she was Poppy. Still, Ellery felt some responsibility to get on better terms with Merrit. He had a habit of holding grudges, but hating Poppy’s district partner could only hurt things between them. Well then, I guess it’s worth a try.

Sliding open the door, Ellery shot Merrit a fake smile. “Sleep well?” he asked. He didn’t really care, but it was important to pretend. “Not that you need it. You know, I met a few more tributes since I last saw you– and I can honestly say that you stand the best chance at winning this thing. At least, in my opinion.”

[merrit-greenside]

It took a moment for her words to register with him. He gotten lost in the Jinwu, its tranquillity and natural movement calmed him and he often let his mind cut out everything else as it wandered. 

“Uh, sure, show me” he replied, intrigued by Lyra’s proposition. 

merrit-greenside​:

“That’s it, you’re not bad at this. Just do what I do.” he turned to her so his movements flowed in between hers, and her movements combined with his. It may seem like fighting, but it was more akin to dancing. “We call this Jìnwu,” he stated as they continued their movements. “When Jinwu is performed correctly, you can mirror a partner exactly, your energy becomes their energy, their movement becomes your movement. It is the power of many streams, from which a great river may flow.” he let out a small chuckle and a smile crept across his lips as he remembered those words echoed over and over again by his sensei. He’d done this many a time with Tansee.  

Lyra smiled slightly at the talk of energies. Merrit dealt in water energy, she in the energy of life itself. Both grew, but so very differently. Both were cyclical, both facts of nature itself.

As the movements shifted into something more dance-like she had to fight harder to match his style. The urge to add in small steps and flourishes became stronger. 

“If this is about combining energies, can I show you how we move to represent the energy we follow?” the question left her mouth before she could stop it.

[merrit-greenside]

Her embrace took him by surprise, he hesitated before returning it. He let his arms wrap around her and held her tightly, his fingers lightly moulding their way through her hair. This felt good, she felt good. His heart fluttered for but a moment before he suppressed it. 

“I’ve got you.” he softly whispered to her.

merrit-greenside​:

He could see the fear in her, she’d already given up hope. Resigned to her fate. A fate he was determined to change. She was right of course, she wasn’t a fighter. She was clumsy and hesitant, with no faith in herself. Those qualities didn’t make a great warrior. But you don’t need to be a great warrior to win the games. The games were about strategy, wit, intuition. It’s not about besting the opponent in front of you, but you have to beat the arena too. Martial supremacy helps, but plenty of talented careers have lost before.He took her hand in an attempt to reassure her.

“Maybe you just didn’t have the right teacher.” he smiled.

Relief shot through Poppy as fast as the train currently speeding them away to the Capitol. But now, the train didn’t have to be speeding her to her death. Merrit was a trained fighter, one of the most excellent in District Five. He could more than teach her. He was going to teach her! More than just relief, though, Poppy was so happy. Happy that Merrit wasn’t going to leave her behind. That she wouldn’t have to fight to kill–or not get killed by–someone who was such a big part of her life. 

She let out a deep breath, tension melting from her body. Then, without warning, Poppy threw herself at Merrit and hugged him tightly. This changed everything. She actually would stand a chance. This gave her her life back.

“…Yes, I think you’re right.“ Poppy wiped at her glossy eyes and nodded determinedly. She didn’t want to fight, but she could be strong. “I’ll learn. I won’t slow you down.“ 

[merrit-greenside]

Merrit had found himself flicking coins into an empty glass, moving the glass further and further away each time the glass shivered with a successful shot. I’m so bored. He resigned his forehead to the gold hard glass of the table and let out an audible sigh. BORED. He screamed internally. Oh how he longed for some action, if he were back home he could go spar or train, anything must be better than sitting on this god forsaken train. The people were nice enough, most of them were fairly uninteresting though and he hadn’t found anyone he thought could even challenge him. He continued to sit there, his forehead still overly friendly with the table.

[merrit-greenside]

He could see the fear in her, she’d already given up hope. Resigned to her fate. A fate he was determined to change. She was right of course, she wasn’t a fighter. She was clumsy and hesitant, with no faith in herself. Those qualities didn’t make a great warrior. But you don’t need to be a great warrior to win the games. The games were about strategy, wit, intuition. It’s not about besting the opponent in front of you, but you have to beat the arena too. Martial supremacy helps, but plenty of talented careers have lost before.He took her hand in an attempt to reassure her.

“Maybe you just didn’t have the right teacher.” he smiled.

merrit-greenside​:

“Look here little Wolf. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, not here, not in the arena, not ever.” he held her as he spoke and his intense gaze met her eye. Did she think I was going to leave her? As if there was ever a chance of me partnering with someone else. 

Poppy’s eyes were wide in the face of Merrit’s serious stare. She could tell that he meant it, and of course she trusted him. But never in a million years had she think Merrit would offer to partner up with her, which… seemed like what he was willing to do. If she wasn’t being too presumptuous. 

“I… I would just slow you down,“ she argued weakly. “You haven’t seen me try to fight since I was fourteen. I’m sure I’m even worse now.”

Merrit and Tansee used to encourage her to join in training sessions, but she had hated it. She was abysmal. Tansee had finally given up when she had grown too old to get accepted into any Career program. Instead, Poppy had been happy to read and watch from the sidelines; she’d seen how good Merrit was. He could win. Poppy wanted to be by his side there too. She really did. She cared about Merrit. But even though it meant her detriment, she didn’t know that she could bear to be a weakness for him.

[merrit-greenside]

“That’s it, you’re not bad at this. Just do what I do.” he turned to her so his movements flowed in between hers, and her movements combined with his. It may seem like fighting, but it was more akin to dancing. “We call this Jìnwu,” he stated as they continued their movements. “When Jinwu is performed correctly, you can mirror a partner exactly, your energy becomes their energy, their movement becomes your movement. It is the power of many streams, from which a great river may flow.” he let out a small chuckle and a smile crept across his lips as he remembered those words echoed over and over again by his sensei. He’d done this many a time with Tansee.  

merrit-greenside​:

“i’ll take them out when I wake then.” Deciding he may as well embrace the strange tradition. Merrit stood up, gesturing for Lyra to do the same. 

“We used to do this as a warm up, a little game we would play when we first began our training. But it became more significant. Place your hands like this” he showed her a pose with both hands in front of one another, up in a guard. “Now follow my movements, slowly.” he began to slowly make phantom, open handed strikes, shifting his feet with every blow, like a dance. 

The tension in Lyra’s shoulders eased as it became clear that Merrit was being genuine. She followed him as best she could- it was an interesting experience. She’d learned to contort her body and move it in unnatural and purposeful ways, but this was combative. The movements, while beautiful, spoke of a future aggression, where her movements were for peace and life. She could see the discrepancies between the two of them, the moments where he was more angular, or she was less forceful. 

She didn’t know if she was allowed to talk, Merrit hadn’t explained that part of the tradition. Instead she focused on trying to replicate his movement, resisting the urge to arch her back more, to let her hands run across her sides. It was like an itch under her skin, to move as she had learned to, but this was a night of exchange, and she would honour this strange district five tradition.

[merrit-greenside]

“i’ll take them out when I wake then.” Deciding he may as well embrace the strange tradition. Merrit stood up, gesturing for Lyra to do the same. 

“We used to do this as a warm up, a little game we would play when we first began our training. But it became more significant. Place your hands like this” he showed her a pose with both hands in front of one another, up in a guard. “Now follow my movements, slowly.” he began to slowly make phantom, open handed strikes, shifting his feet with every blow, like a dance. 

merrit-greenside​:

“Alright then, so when do I take these out?” the braids weren’t uncomfortable, in fact they were probably quite practical. Not the worst thing in the world. Perhaps the would even evoke ancient warrior spirits. He laughed quietly to himself. 

“So Lyra, you’ve shared something of your culture with me. Let me share some of mine with you, if you don’t mind?”  

“Traditionally they are taken out when you wake, with the sun, but you can take them out whenever you wish,” she shrugged, “It’s not your tradition after all. If they are just braids to you then they are just braids.”

Lyra couldn’t help but be… wary of what Merrit might mean, but was hopeful that his intentions were kind. The vigil had a way of dulling the colours for her, whether it calmed her own sight or simply calmed the auras of others, Merrit’s once thick orange was tempered to a mere shade of the colour. Lyra had learned that it was easy to miss the intricate details in this state, so tried not to lean on them too heavily. Of course, that left her somewhat adrift in her interactions.

“By all means, what would you have me learn?”

[merrit-greenside]

“Alright then, so when do I take these out?” the braids weren’t uncomfortable, in fact they were probably quite practical. Not the worst thing in the world. Perhaps the would even evoke ancient warrior spirits. He laughed quietly to himself. 

“So Lyra, you’ve shared something of your culture with me. Let me share some of mine with you, if you don’t mind?”  

merrit-greenside​:

“You know, back in five we used to have a few rituals of our own. Usually involved drinking though. Speaking of drinking. Want some?” he spoke as he offered up his glass. He wondered if everyone she knew was like that, come to think of it, he couldn’t recall meeting the other tribute from seven. Maybe they were all peculiar. 

Enclose my thoughts, huh? He’d usually poke fun and jest at the practice. But a part of him understood, regardless of the ritual, or the reason. Taking a moment to think of those important to you, to reflect upon yourself. That was important. He took a moment to think back on those at home, his friends, his family. He knew he’d see them again, that he’d come back a hero. He thought of the promise he had made to Tansee. That could… complicate things. He let out an involuntary sigh, before catching himself. 

“No,” she wore her frown freely since she was sitting behind him, “We do not drink during the vigil- drinking seeks to cloud the mind, the vigil aims to bring clarity. The two do not pair well. Outside of other rituals, we do not drink again until the sun rises and we have unbound our hair.”

Lyra finished the last braid and leaned back to appreciate her work. On the sides were three thick braids each, defined and rising from the scalp, and in the centre, a series of weaving braids drawn over and in towards the scalp. Both strong and soft.

“It is finished,” she told him.

She wasn’t sure if he had thought of anything, or if the ritual meant anything to him, but she appreciated that Merrit had respected her enough to sit through the process. It was more than she had grown used to back in district seven.

[merrit-greenside]

“Look here little Wolf. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, not here, not in the arena, not ever.” he held her as he spoke and his intense gaze met her eye. Did she think I was going to leave her? As if there was ever a chance of me partnering with someone else.

merrit-greenside​:

“You wouldn’t dare” he tried to place as much gravitas on the sentence as possible, but he just ended up laughing. He noticed that she almost recoiled at his touch, her eyes wide liked a scared doe, and it took him by surprise. He let his grip soften and stepped away. “Poppy - you know i’d never, ever hurt you” he hoped she believed him.

Poppy would dare, and she was just getting ready to do so when Merrit’s hug relaxed unexpectedly.

She’d seen Merrit in many moods before, all her life—mostly from afar—but the rarest of all of them had been sadness. It made her feel strange. Bad. In this particular case, mostly confused.

Poppy shifted away from him as well, worrying her lip between her teeth. She knew him as fun and always kind to her, someone she looked up right alongside Tansee when she was a child. Surely, not even that could change their circumstances. “But Merrit, this is the Hunger Games.” She was able to meet his eyes despite the heavy subject. “We’re supposed to all hurt each other…”

[merrit-greenside]

“You know, back in five we used to have a few rituals of our own. Usually involved drinking though. Speaking of drinking. Want some?” he spoke as he offered up his glass. He wondered if everyone she knew was like that, come to think of it, he couldn’t recall meeting the other tribute from seven. Maybe they were all peculiar. 

Enclose my thoughts, huh? He’d usually poke fun and jest at the practice. But a part of him understood, regardless of the ritual, or the reason. Taking a moment to think of those important to you, to reflect upon yourself. That was important. He took a moment to think back on those at home, his friends, his family. He knew he’d see them again, that he’d come back a hero. He thought of the promise he had made to Tansee. That could... complicate things. He let out an involuntary sigh, before catching himself. 

merrit-greenside​:

“Let’s do it. I think I could rock some braids. Did you know warriors in the old times used to wear braids? Some said they evoked mythical beasts. At least that’s what they said back at the academy.” he thought back to his time there, the lessons on strategy, the studies on forms of combat but modern and ancient. Merrit had trained his whole life to be the best and most dangerous warrior he could be, it was hard to know anything else. The peace that Lyra could find, it was so far out of reach he couldn’t help but feel envious.

Lyra watched as navy, crimson and beige shot through his orange as she wiped the oil from her fingers. She took his hand, slowly tracing a glyph of peace on it while leading him to the centre of the carriage.

“Here, sit like this,” she crossed his legs under him and placed his hands on his ankles, gently pushing his elbows to rest on his knees, “This is the position we learn to start with, before we begin braiding our own hair. It is a protective treatment, but also there is value in taking time to connect with your body through touch,” she explained.

Moving behind him, she rested his head in her hands, trying to get a feel for what design would be right. Merrit spoke of warriors, but had chosen to do this after learning it was an exercise of peace. He would benefit from the strength of thick, widened braids, but the flow of uninterrupted lines.

“We call this the vigil, an adapted practice from a long time ago,” she used quick and temporary fastening twists to keep the sections she wasn’t working with out of her way, and began to braid tightly along the side of his head, “With each braid we choose to think of someone, somewhere or something, be it from our past, in our present, or for our future,” Lyra’s fingers were quick but gentle as she worked down the braid. 

“With the binding of the hair we enclose those thoughts on our person, we choose to hold them with us through the night, even in unconsciousness. In the morning, when we undo the braid we release our thoughts back into the world, unburdening our souls. It is not for me to know what you think of, or why. At this time I am simply a channel for your hands. This is a time for connecting to yourself and the world around you.”

She let herself fall into silence as she moved on to the next braid- in this moment she was no more than his hands, and so the space belonged solely to him.

[merrit-greenside]

“Let’s do it. I think I could rock some braids. Did you know warriors in the old times used to wear braids? Some said they evoked mythical beasts. At least that’s what they said back at the academy.” he thought back to his time there, the lessons on strategy, the studies on forms of combat but modern and ancient. Merrit had trained his whole life to be the best and most dangerous warrior he could be, it was hard to know anything else. The peace that Lyra could find, it was so far out of reach he couldn’t help but feel envious.

merrit-greenside​:

lyrasilverspring​:

After a thorough investigation of the train, Lyra had found a relatively small carriage with a beautiful skylight that revealed the night’s stars. Deciding to set up shop for her night’s vigil, she calmly collected arrangements from the neighbouring carriages, bringing their fading lives into the space. She hadn’t managed to find uncut plants, which was… upsetting, but there was nothing she could do, so she continued.

She’d also managed to source some oil from the food cart after trying a few avoxes. It wasn’t quite what she’d used at home, but close enough that it should serve the purpose. She calmly redistributed the flowers, balancing the energies to create a stronger circle. Then, she slicked her hands with the oil and began to run them through her hair, waiting till each strand was coated before sectioning it out. As she twisted her hair into tight braids she thought of the trees, the people, the district she’d left behind. She thought about the path, the energy moving through her that would guide her even in her elders’ absence, that even when she no longer walked the path, the next Woodmaiden would. Her last braid, she gave to the tributes she’d met that day, and all that they had left behind, and all that they had yet to face. It seemed appropriate since one of them had, at this point, been watching her for some time.

“Good evening,” she offered to the silent figure behind her, not turning to face them.

“Good evening, want to braid my hair too?” Merrit asked as sincerely as his naturally sarcastic tone allowed. He noted the smell of oil, and the slickness of her hair. She certainly was a bit odd, but at least she wasn’t boring.

“I can do, if you’d like,” Lyra smiled at him over her shoulder, “But I suspect your hair would not appreciate oils to tame as mine does. If you would genuinely like me too, I can clean my hands and begin- it’s a very calming process, a good way to centre oneself before sleeping.”

Lyra rose easily from her position on the floor, used to the movement from years of night vigils. She wrapped one braid around the rest and tied it loosely. Her hair’s length was revealed in the tight braids, the loose strands at the tips brushing against the small of her back.

“Though-” she hesitated, “If you were joking I understand- I will not take offence at your refusal.”

[merrit-greenside]

“Good evening, want to braid my hair too?” Merrit asked as sincerely as his naturally sarcastic tone allowed. He noted the smell of oil, and the slickness of her hair. She certainly was a bit odd, but at least she wasn’t boring.

After a thorough investigation of the train, Lyra had found a relatively small carriage with a beautiful skylight that revealed the night’s stars. Deciding to set up shop for her night’s vigil, she calmly collected arrangements from the neighbouring carriages, bringing their fading lives into the space. She hadn’t managed to find uncut plants, which was… upsetting, but there was nothing she could do, so she continued.

She’d also managed to source some oil from the food cart after trying a few avoxes. It wasn’t quite what she’d used at home, but close enough that it should serve the purpose. She calmly redistributed the flowers, balancing the energies to create a stronger circle. Then, she slicked her hands with the oil and began to run them through her hair, waiting till each strand was coated before sectioning it out. As she twisted her hair into tight braids she thought of the trees, the people, the district she’d left behind. She thought about the path, the energy moving through her that would guide her even in her elders’ absence, that even when she no longer walked the path, the next Woodmaiden would. Her last braid, she gave to the tributes she’d met that day, and all that they had left behind, and all that they had yet to face. It seemed appropriate since one of them had, at this point, been watching her for some time.

“Good evening,” she offered to the silent figure behind her, not turning to face them.

[merrit-greenside]

“You wouldn’t dare” he tried to place as much gravitas on the sentence as possible, but he just ended up laughing. He noticed that she almost recoiled at his touch, her eyes wide liked a scared doe, and it took him by surprise. He let his grip soften and stepped away. “Poppy - you know i’d never, ever hurt you” he hoped she believed him.

merrit-greenside​:

He smiled, still staring out into the the thick black night. “Hello there little Wolf, been drinking have you?” he smiled to himself, turning his gaze to her. It was nice to see her, and she seemed somewhat kept together, whether that be due to the alcohol or not he hadn’t figured out. 

Poppy kicked the leg of his chair, pouting. “Can see you have too.” It was certainly more common for him to do so. Whenever a party was thrown and alcohol could be found in District Five, Merrit could also be found there. Probably forcing Tansee along. Poppy found it intimidating. Most party-goers were more their friends than hers, those in a program training to be Careers. She hadn’t even been allowed to train.

“I told you not to call me that.”

Tansee was ‘Wolf,’ and that was fitting. But Poppy was hardly a wolf, little or otherwise. That dubious honor should belong to Merrit—as lean and fast and dangerous as he was. She was relieved nothing seemed to have changed between them. She would only slow him down, and she’d been half-convinced that he would want nothing to do with her once they’d boarded the train. Could be that had to wait until they reached the Tribute Center.

[merrit-greenside]

His drink jostled in his hand as she kicked his chair. “Well you know me, always here for a good time.” he smiled at her as he took another sip from his drink. He looked at Poppy and saw parts of her sister in her. Especially her eyes. Poppy couldn’t quite match the fierce, man-eating stare of her sister though - Poppy’s was more timid and unsure. 

“Oh and what you gonna do about it?” he retorted before grabbing her in a tight bear hug. 

merrit-greenside​:

He smiled, still staring out into the the thick black night. “Hello there little Wolf, been drinking have you?” he smiled to himself, turning his gaze to her. It was nice to see her, and she seemed somewhat kept together, whether that be due to the alcohol or not he hadn’t figured out. 

Poppy kicked the leg of his chair, pouting. “Can see you have too.” It was certainly more common for him to do so. Whenever a party was thrown and alcohol could be found in District Five, Merrit could also be found there. Probably forcing Tansee along. Poppy found it intimidating. Most party-goers were more their friends than hers, those in a program training to be Careers. She hadn’t even been allowed to train.

“I told you not to call me that.”

Tansee was ‘Wolf,’ and that was fitting. But Poppy was hardly a wolf, little or otherwise. That dubious honor should belong to Merrit—as lean and fast and dangerous as he was. She was relieved nothing seemed to have changed between them. She would only slow him down, and she’d been half-convinced that he would want nothing to do with her once they’d boarded the train. Could be that had to wait until they reached the Tribute Center.

[merrit-greenside]

He smiled, still staring out into the the thick black night. “Hello there little Wolf, been drinking have you?” he smiled to himself, turning his gaze to her. It was nice to see her, and she seemed somewhat kept together, whether that be due to the alcohol or not he hadn’t figured out. 

The first day on the train had been long. Most of the tributes had a story to tell, he hadn’t decided yet which ones he wanted to listen too. A few of them had piqued his interest, on a social level, but he had yet to see anyone he deemed as a threat. He raised his glass and took a sip as he looked out the back of the train into the darkness that trailed behind. He caught the reflection of a figure standing in the doorway behind him. “Been there long?” he inquired, still facing the window.

[merrit-greenside]

The first day on the train had been long. Most of the tributes had a story to tell, he hadn’t decided yet which ones he wanted to listen too. A few of them had piqued his interest, on a social level, but he had yet to see anyone he deemed as a threat. He raised his glass and took a sip as he looked out the back of the train into the darkness that trailed behind. He caught the reflection of a figure standing in the doorway behind him. “Been there long?” he inquired, still facing the window.

[merrit-greenside]

The first day on the train had been long. Most of the tributes had a story to tell, he hadn’t decided yet which ones he wanted to listen too. A few of them had piqued his interest, on a social level, but he had yet to see anyone he deemed as a threat. He raised his glass and took a sip as he looked out the back of the train into the darkness that trailed behind. He caught the reflection of a figure standing in the doorway behind him. “Been there long?” he inquired, still facing the window.