[center][img]http://i.giphy.com/UI1LUP61p3YYM.gif[/img][/center] In the night, there was a touch of fear the hung over the System. Some Leviathans did not sleep, and those who did had trouble. The Choosing Ceremonies for the Sixty Eighth Battle were tomorrow and with no male or female ratios, only having your name in once, it was anyone who could be chosen. The normal humans slept soundly, as did those on the Council, for they knew they were safe from the terrors that the Gamemaker had created this year. No one ever knew what he was thinking, what horrors that he could come up with each year to destroy fifteen innocent lives and brutally terrorize one. No one understood how he could do what he did and still sleep at night, but he could. Each year, the Gamemaker would watch from his control room near the edge of the Arena and watch as his creations, his madness, came to life to chase down many young Leviathans in the Arena, and every year he did not fail to bring his unique style to the Battle. He was so good at his job that he has never been replaced since he replaced the old Gamemaker when he was twenty years old, during the Sixtieth Battle, one that was special as it marked the sixth decade of Battles. The theme for that year was every even Sector got to send in one more person than the opposing Sectors. To help balance things out, as the Council wanted an amazing fight, he created a mountain, having each Sector, starting on the opposing sides of the mountain. Sector Three won that year, but no one could forget it. And they have kept him on as Gamemaker since. The sun began to rise, extending golden streams across the dark blue sky, calling awake those who could not sleep and those with troubled nightmares of previous Battles. Children curled up tighter in bed while of-age Leviathans clambered slowly out of bed, knowing that if they were late to the Choosing Ceremonies, they would be severely punished by the Council. Many of them, as they were not required to but chose to all the same, put on nice clothing for the cameras and everyone that would be there. The remain few put on comfortable clothing, ones that they could be able to run in, as one year the Battlers complete skipped training and went directly into the Arena in the stuff that they had worn to the Choosing Ceremonies. The ones in nice clothing failed to win, but those who had chosen to where comfortable, maneuverable clothes lasted for awhile. All across the system, the sun woke up each of the Sectors, even the Shadow Sectors, and called all to its morning song. The Choosing Ceremonies would be starting soon, all at the same time, with Sector One beginning at noon and Sector Eight beginning at seven P.M. their time with all the other Sectors in between. All of the times would line up, thus people would be able to see who was chosen at the exact same time. All around the country, people worried, waited, staring at the clocks with anticipation, before each clock struck their pattern, signalling noon in Sector One, one in Sector Two, two in Sector Three, three in Sector Four, four in Sector Five, five in Sector Six, six in Sector Seven, and seven in Sector Eight. Crowd had gathered from all over to watch the short Ceremonies. It was time to begin. [hider=Sector One] [hr][center][h1][color=orangered][i]Sector One:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] Broadcasting on channels of every television, the first Choosing started at about noon. The Leviathans of the city crowded in the city square, staring up at a large stage that had been built in front of the city capitol. A Council member, a male by the look of it, sat in the front seats, with the Sector president and the Mayor of Igniam back behind him. A glass ball, in front of a microphone, gleamed at the crowd intensely. The sunlight, bouncing off the glass and into the eyes of the Leviathans, was bright and unyielding, caring not for those that awaited their fate. As the clock struck noon, the Councilman stood up and approached the ball. He held up his hands and the muttering that had been going on seconds before quickly quieted down to dead silence. The entire city square stared at him. Normal humans watched from buildings as Leviathans were pushed into the center. "Welcome everyone," the Councilmen said. "I will not keep you all waiting as long as other Sectors might, but I will say this. You are doing a great favor to those of us who cannot fight, as watching you fight depletes the will in all of us to fight. You are doing a great honor to be a part of this because you are keeping the system safe from war and violence and we thank you for it." He took a deep breath. He had two children in that Leviathan crowd today. "Let's begin." He stepped up to the glass ball and spun it around. The pieces of paper tumbled around, mixing and mashing. He stopped it with a shaky palm and opened up the lid. He reached down into it and plucked up a piece of paper. "Our first Leviathan is... [color=gold]Jonas Shinra[/color]," he announced. No sooner had he said this than a large cheer came up from the crowd as a man with dark hair and eyes made his way onto the stage. He smirked and waved to the crowd, rolling his eyes as they cheered for him. The Councilman had to wait a full couple minutes until the crowd calmed down. He ran a hand through his hair and said, "Alright, the second one." He spun the ball again, but this time for less time. He stopped it and quickly plucked a paper off the top. He opened it up and said, "Our second Leviathan is... [color=crimson]Ember Wave[/color]." There was no cheer for this one as the crowds parted to reveal a young woman with a five year old clinging to her hip. Everyone knew of Ember, or at least knew about Ash. Most Leviathans didn't have children until after they were out of Battle age, but Ember was a different story. The Councilmen swallowed hard as Ember made her way upstage with her daughter on her hip. None of the police could bear to separate the two at the moment. "These are your two battlers." The Councilmen ended his speech and turned away. [/hider] [hider=Sector Two] [hr][center][h1][color=aqua][i]Sector Two:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] The ceremonies continued as the day progressed. Another Sector, another Councilman, another gathering of apprehensive young Leviathans. It was a solemn day for everyone, but the mood was especially present in the Aquanatic City. Here, there was a strong sense of unity between the people. Even as the Leviathans gathered in the open space in front of the city hall, a smattering of regular humans - their friends and family - mixed and intermingled with the crowd. A few held hands tightly, as though that were enough to keep their loved ones safe. A small table had been placed on the front steps of the city hall. The glass sphere, filled with the names of all the Water Leviathans, rested atop it. To the left stood the Council representative, a tall man with a stern look about him. To the right, the Mayor of the Aquanatic City, a calm-looking woman whose hair was just beginning to show signs of salt-and-pepper grey. By the end of the day, she was quite certain she would be a few shades greyer. Clearing her throat, she leaned forward to speak into the microphone. "Hello, citizens of Sector Two. I'd like to thank you all for being here today," she said. Her voice was solemn, sincere. "I hope that I speak for everyone when I say that it means a great deal to see such a crowd gathered to support our Leviathans. And to those who will be chosen to represent the Aquanatic City, know that we will continue to stand behind you." A murmur - of agreement or contempt, it was unclear - passed through the crowd. Without further delay, the woman stepped back, giving a nod to the stern Councilman. He stepped forward, his curt demeanor contrasting sharply with the Mayor's sincerity. One hand reached into the glass ball, drawing out two slips of paper simultaneously. His eyes scanned the crowd as he unfolded the papers. This man wasted no time on speeches or thanks, but cut straight to the point. "The Leviathans for Sector Two are...[color=blue]Ewan Boyd[/color], and [color=00a99d]Gareth Corrigan.[/color]" He paused a moment, and then repeated the names. "Ewan Boyd. Gareth Corrigan. Please come to the front." A young man with wavy blond hair approached the stage from the left, while another young man with dark brown, short hair approached from the right. Both men were silent and had straight faces as they walked up onstage and stood next to the Councilman. "Ladies and gentlmen," the Councilman said. "Help me in welcoming your two Battlers." There was very minimal applause, as most had their eyes trained on the emotionless faces of the two new Battlers. With these two going, it was going to be a Battle that everyone had to see. [/hider] [hider=Sector Three] [hr][center][h1][color=burlywood][i]Sector Three:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] The Choosing for Sector Three took place high above the ground. A large building, perched in the treetops, built around the natural pathways of the branches. A treehouse large enough to accomodate all of the Sector's Earth Leviathans, and a substantial quantity of onlookers. The established crowd was lively. Discussions were varied, ranging from who would be selected for the Battle to what people would be having for dinner that night. But nearly everyone was talking. People were placing bets on those that they know and those most likely to get drawn. They were also placing bets on which Sector they think would win, most of them choosing Sector Three out of pride. Everyone quieted as a Councilwoman approached the stage. The Mayor of the city was absent, sick in his bed, but his daughter was there, her face taunt and tired looking. The Councilwomen smiled and gave the introductions. Many of the Leviathans were restless, adjusting and readjusting as they waited to hear who got called. "Alright, here we go!" the Councilwoman said, a little bit of excitement lighting up her young face. She dropped her hand into the glass ball and pulled up a slip. She clutched it in her left hand as she reached in again with her right and pulled out another slip. "Your two Battlers are... [color=f7941d]Ariette Forge[/color] and [color=#79c879]Raven Lamenti[/color]." Both candidates were female, and both were young. The similarities stopped there. The first was short, but powerfully built, with dark red hair and an angry scowl. As she stomped up to the stage, those she passed could distinctly hear her mutter something along the lines of "This is bullshit..." under her breath. The second girl, a young thing with lighter hair and eyes, approached slowly, scowling at the Councilwoman as she made her way upstage. She made a smart mouth remark to the Councilwoman, which she ignored, as she stood up on the stage and the Councilwoman ended to the Choosing. [/hider] [hider=Sector Four] [hr][center][h1][color=lightcyan][i]Sector Four:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] In their outdoor theatre area, the Leviathans and humans gathered, the Leviathans sitting the front rows while the humans stood toward the back, peering around each other to get a look at the stage, where no Councilman or woman stood. Instead, the President of Sky City, as many refered to her as, stepped forward as the clock tolled. Many of the Leviathans cringed until its sound, but the President didn't seem to notice the terror or fear in the Leviathans' eyes. Her pale eyes scanned over the area and she raised her hand. The talking quieted to murmurs. "Welcome, one and all, to the Sixty Eighth Choosing Ceremony of Sky City," she said ceremoniously, and normal humans politely clapped in the back while the Leviathans stayed silent. "As most of you know, the reason why we do this is so the terrors of war and violence and be put to a stop through all of you." She guestured out to the Leviathans in the crowd. "Without the Battle, war would never cease and more than fifteen people would be lost each year." The Leviathans cringed again. "You are doing the System a huge favor and we all thank you for it. Know that whichever of you are chosen, whichever go into the Arena and die on the Arena, you will always been on our minds and in our hearts." She clapped her hands together and smiled. "Alright! Let's get started." Instead of a glass bowl, a Leviathan had created a wind tunnel tube. The President shut the lid and a small tornado whirled inside of it. Suddenly, a slip of paper shot out and the President caught it. She unfolded it and said, "The first canidate is... [color=fff79a]Rosi Aioto[/color]." A funny young fellow with blond hair and blue eyes made his way up to the stage, smiling and waving at the crowd. He stood next to the President as she turned back toward the tunnel. Another slip of paper, only moments after she turned, shot out and the President caught it with ease. "Our second canidate is... [color=7ea7d8]Erika Desalle[/color]." There was silence through the crowd for several moments. The President had just opened her mouth to call the name again, when she saw motion. A dark-haired, light-eyed woman came forward from the very back of the Leviathan crowd. She walked slowly and offered no smiles, looking slightly shell-shocked at having heard her name. The President smiled as Erika got up on stage and turned back to the crowd. "And that is it. Wish these two luck as they are whisked off to the Training Facility to do us proud!" The Leviathans just stared as the humans cheered and waved as the two were escorted off stage.[/hider] [hider=Sector Five] [hr][center][h1][color=dimgray][i]Sector Five:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] Leviathans from across the weather sector made their way to the Choosing Ceremonies, travelling via countless roads and pathways through the mountains. They gathered in the center of the largest community, around the edge of an empty quarry. The Leviathans appeared to be arranged in small groups, segregated from the regular people of course, but further segregated within their own specialties. Lightning manipulators stood off to the side. The temperature-changers gathered in a huddle at the very centre. Weaker Leviathans, those who could merely sense the incoming weather but do little more, had moved to the very back. An outcropping of rock served as the stage for the Councilwoman and Sector Mayor- both severe-looking women with a harsh glare in their eyes. Their gaze seemed to reflect the tension that was obvious through the crowd. There was a static in the air, and thunder boomed in the distance. It was unlikely that one single Leviathan was the source of the distant storm - a half dozen, at least, were probably responsible. The Councilwoman stepped foward, tapping the microphone to gather everyone's attention. "Hello, all," she said sweetly, exposing dimples in her cheeks as she grinned. "I hope you all are ready. I won't bother going through the exposition. Many of you have been here and I'm sure you all know what it is about. If you do not know, just as the person to your right." A few of the eighteen year olds turned to their right and asked the closest person who was older than them, who began explaining the exposition to them. The Councilwoman reached a hand into the glass sphere. As she did so, the crackling in the air seemed to intensify, and a few of the policemen placed hands on their weapons. Just in case. She pulled out a slip of paper, and unfolded it. "The first Leviathan....is [color=hotpink]Alva Zolkin[/color]!" A very lean young woman stepped forward from the centre huddle - the group that could manipulate temperature. She made her way to the front and stared out at the gathered crowd. The Councilwoman and President each acknowledged Alva with a nod, and proceeded onto the next. This time, the President pulled out the name, and called it out in a voice just slightly quieter than the Councilwoman's. "And the next, is [color=palegreen]Hekat Bakshi[/color]." The second candidate, a copper-skinned woman with her hair pulled back in a thick braid, walked briskly up to the front. She stood beside the other contestant, posture rigid, feet shoulder-width apart, looking ready to fight. "Let's congratulate our Leviathans," the Mayor said, igniting a smattering of applause throughout the crowd. [/hider] [hider=Sector Six] [hr][center][h1][color=gold][i]Sector Six:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] Many of the Leviathans in the light area did not sleep, due to the extreme amounts of light that came from everywhere. Now, they gathered in a theatre, sitting politely down in front of the stage with a glass ball. A Councilman with grey streaks in his black hair sat in one of the front rows, with the Mayor next to him. The Mayor was a young woman, who, after only being elected a few months ago, was now at her first Choosing Ceremony as Mayor. She would not speak at today's Ceremony, but watch the Councilman for a reference as to what she would do in the future. As people finally closed the doors, the Councilman walked up onto the stage and cleared his throat. All of the Light Leviathans immediately quieted down. The Councilman, tired of giving the same speech every year, said, "You know what? I'm not even going to bother with a greeting. Let's just see which two of you lucky bastards get to go into the arena." The Councilman had just recently come off a divorce and was a bit bitter. He quickly drew out two names and sighed. "The canidates are... [color=lightyellow]Vicki Vostrum[/color] and [color=92278f]Emily Duran[/color]. Whoopty do." The Leviathans politely clapped as a woman with short blond hair and another girl with long blond hair made their way upstage. They nodded to the crowd before they were whisked away by the Councilman. [/hider] [hider=Sector Seven] [hr][center][h1][color=black][i]Sector Seven:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] By the time that everyone gathered for the choosing in Sector Seven, the sun had just touched down on the horizon, throwing the city into the appropriate darkness of twilight. With a population comprised solely and entirely of Leviathans, they had elected to host the ceremonies in the largest available public space, an outdoor ampitheatre in the heart of the capital city. There were a few lights around the perimeter, but most of the Leviathans had no issue seeing in the semi-darkness. The ampitheatre was the only source of life throughout the Sector. All of the Leviathans had gathered. Anyone who was above the age of Choosing had still shown up. They had been through this before, and knew the stress and anxiety. Those who were still too young to be chosen were also present, knowing that someday they would stand in the crowd of Leviathans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five. A stage, comprised of a dark matter that could only be solid shadows, had been erected at the front of the crowd. There stood the Council representative, a young male who had been elected into office only months prior, and the Sector Mayor, a well-put together woman with a neat bun and a crisp black blazer. She stepped forward confidently, and spoke into the microphone. "Thank you all for being here. Now, let's not waste any time." She waved a hand to the Councilman, clearly not wanting to prolong the ceremony any longer than was necessary. She preferred the method of ripping the band-aid off quickly. The Councilman moved forward uncertainly, and reached a hand into the collection of names. He withdrew two, and unfolded the first. Clearing his throat, he leaned forward to the mic, calling out, "The first Leviathan for Sector Seven... [color=salmon]Xander Michaels[/color]? Please come forward." There was motion at the front of the crowd. A curly haired man made his way to the stage. As he climbed the stairs, a murmur went through the crowd. He was noticeably one who was unfortunately poor in these parts. Pity flickered in the Councilman's eyes, but at a nudge from the Sector Mayor, he quickly unfolded the second slip of paper. "And the second, is [color=white]Levi Duran.[/color]" The crowd parted again, making way for a tall, dark-haired youth. He moved silently onto the stage, the disinterested expression on his face not wavering for a second. The Mayor took charge once more, swiftly ending the ceremony and ushering the two away. [/hider] [hider=Sector Eight] [hr][center][h1][color=forestgreen][i]Sector Eight:[/i][/color][/h1][/center] The sun was low on the horizon by the time the Sector Eight Choosing began, painting the gathering area in vibrant golden light. The square was paved with stone, a massive sculpture standing in its center—a pillar of gilded stone carved with all manner of birds and beasts. Boulevards and avenues led from the square in all directions to the tall, glass-walled spires that characterized Sector Eight, each floor climate-controlled to suit either their human or animal inhabitants. The square, however, was crowded by entirely human individuals. A naturally curious lot, there were quite a few pockets of non-Leviathans, come to observe and possibly even take notes on their supernaturally powered fellows. The Leviathans themselves, however, had split into groups, talking nervously or just taking what comfort they could from each other's presence. A stage of woven wicker had been set up in front of the sculpture, and there stood the tall, massively built Councilwoman and petite Mayor that represented the Sector. The Councilwoman surveyed the gathered crowd with a critical eye, while the Mayor stood balanced on her toes in an almost birdlike posture, lips moving minutely as she rehearsed the lines she'd used for a handful of Choosings during her short time in office. Then, the clock finally chimed seven, and the Mayor startled, head jerking up before she smiled and stepped forward eagerly to the leather-cased microphone. "Hello!" she chirped, "And welcome to the Sixty-Eighth Choosing Ceremony! I extend my greetings to you all, and to all I wish good luck. Our most esteemed Councilwoman Janus will select the names. Know that if you are selected, we all hold you in our hearts and wish you our sincerest congratulations on your journey to the Arena. Councilwoman? If you will?" The gathered Leviathans exchanged sardonic looks at the Mayor's cheerfulness, but all murmuring ceased as the Councilwoman stepped forward with a severe look. The mountain of a woman paused before a large gilded cage. Slips of paper fluttered inside, folded into the shapes of birds and insects and enchanted to flit about by an older Leviathan. With no pretense at ceremony, the Councilwoman took a large golden key from her belt, unlocked the door to the filigree cage, and plunged her hands inside. After a brief moment of fishing about in which the entire Sector seemed to hold its breath, she'd caught two paper birds in her hands, and pulled them out with care so as not to crush the delicate things. The Councilwoman stepped to the microphone, a paper swan in one hand, a beetle in the other. She made no introductions, only unfolded the origami structures and, with a raised eyebrow, announced the names in a voice like a tiger's growl. [color=00aeef]"Evangeline Clark,"[/color] she rumbled out, and a young woman with strawberry blond hair made her way up onto the stage. She looked slightly like a cheerleader, but from the way she cracked her knuckles, she was not to be messed with. The Councilwoman watched impassively, then turned to the unfolded swan resting in her other palm. "And [color=forestgreen]Meredith Mackenzie."[/color] This name also garnered an outburst, but only from one man—a hunched figure whose hand stretched out forlornly after the figure now moving forward. She stalked towards the stage with an almost catlike grace, face drawn into a scowl as she muttered something under her breath. When the two young women stood side-by-side on the stage, the Mayor darted forward, smiling cheerfully as she spouted a few more practiced lines. The Councilwoman simply turned on her heel and left, ending the ceremony more effectively than any rhetoric. [/hider] Once the Battlers were chosen, they all would be lead to a train, each one different from any of the other Sectors. They would all depart at the same time, heading all to the same place, but all of them feeling very different things. The trains would take them to the Training Facility, which resided outside of Sector One. That way they could all be in the same time zone, same place, and they would get to know each other. They would stay there for a few days, each on a different floor coinciding with their sector, before getting thrown into the Arena, which no one even knows what the Arena looks like. As they train in the Facility, the Leviathans will inevitably hear and see hints about the layout and design of this year's Arena. But for the general public, the citizens of each of the sectors, it will be a secret until the moment the Battle begins. Throughout all of the festivities, however long they might be, as they could be headed right into the Arena or going for just a few days, or going to the Facility for a few months, cameras would follow the new Battlers, almost everywhere they go, even into their rooms and into the Arena, though the Arena cameras are stationary or controlled by bots. The ones in the Arena will not be as visible as the ones following them, but the glint of the glass on the lens would be unmistakeable. Alliances would be forged, hearts would be broken, sweat, blood, death, and tears would all go into this, but the outcome could not be predicted until people watched the bits of the training over their television screens. Everyone, even the humans, knows what the point of the Battle is for the Leviathans: Get in, Be the Best, Survive, and Stay Alive. But only one can walk out of that Arena.