D:
D:
D:
D:
D:
OH MY
D:
D:
THATS JUST
D:

So... I really didn't think it was Riben. I had no idea.
The chapter is very depressing though. And very... ugh... It's just so... disgusting. I mean, Riben isn't disgusting, but the Capitol sure is.

...WELL ****. But I thought- I thought Riben- But Turk- Wasn't there a cannon for- No, there never was a cannon, was there? Making the readers so caught up in the fight they completely forgot there was no cannon for Riben...Well played, madam, well played. BUT MY CHEESE, RIBEN HOLY BALONEYS. I JUST- THE POOR BABY. QAQ And you had him connected to the morphling from Six (Everyone's pointing it out, BUT IT JUST FITS SO WELL.). My flipping...I don't want to curse (Technically I already did, but it's censored so it doesn't count.) BUT THIS SERIOUSLY MAKES ME WANT TO CURSE IN A REVIEW. AGH. WHAT IS LIFE.

Oh dear Lord...
Why must you do this to our hearts? You're just- you're just horrible.
And an amazing author.
And absolutely magnificent.

... And then I saw the title for this chapter, and I thought, "Poison? That sounds like it has more to do with Ermine or Italo or Riben, not Turk..." I'd read the other reviews, of course, and seen some of the uncertainty that Turk was the winner, but I thought he had to be, because if not, who else? I briefly considered Anglynn, but the "four Career faces in the sky," thing made it pretty certain that she had died. So, with some trepidation, I began to read.

I saw "Riben Wang," and my mind exploded.

Freaking ... Journey ... that was the most unexpected twist I've ever seen. I know you've played the fake death card before - twice in this story, even! - but I never thought it'd actually be so plot-critical, and especially happen to a person who doesn't end up dying at all. Just ... Riben. Sweet, shy, timid RIBEN. Not Turk. Riben. And just when I'd realized the symmetry in the ages and districts of the 'Victors,' too. (Bear with my extreme geekiness, but the ages were 13, 15, 16, 18 - the differences between them being 2, 1, 2, get it? And the same thing with their districts - 5, 7, 8, 10. Fascinating, thought I. But NO.) Once I'd gotten over the genius twist, I started to read, thinking, "well, hey, maybe he'll have a happy life, right."

Ha ha ha. I still haven't learned. After two odd years having my hopes brutally, horribly, miserably, unsurvivably smashed into pieces, I haven't learned.

So the Capitol tried to save Turk, but failed - even though Riben was still alive. That, more than anything, chilled me to the bone. They have two kids alive but in critical condition, and they're only going to put their effort into saving the one who's stronger and more popular. As opposed to saving them both. I mean, I didn't expect anything else from the Capitol, but still, ouch. I shudder to think of what they'd have done to Riben if Turk had won. And, you know what, even though Turk killed Nada, I still feel really bad for him. He was a nice guy, never killed when he didn't have to, and tried to play fair until the very end. And he had his brother to go home to. I get the feeling that, if he'd have survived, he'd have had a far better life than Riben. But, no, he died. On some cold operating room table with Capitolians trying to sew up his flesh. Probably the only time a non-Victor tribute's actually died outside of the arena.

Riben. Riben Riben Riben. Watching Italo kill Ermine (which reminds me, was it really an accident or was he a manipulative little traitor way smarter than anyone gave him credit for?) had to have been horrible. And then, and then, AND THEN. The parents. Oh, gosh, the parents. HIS DAD SAID THAT HE HATED HIM. HE HATED HIS TRAUMATIZED THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD SON WHO WAS BEING EMOTIONALLY TORTURED FOR THE CRIME OF NOT KILLING ANYONE. Oh, oh, oh... *Holds head and moans in anguish*

And the morphling. I guess that he's supposed to be the morphling who dies in the Quell? You know, I was originally going to reject the idea of any of the future tributes dying in the Quell (I have a sort of headcanon planned out, which may or may not make its way into Unstained, but we'll see) but I actually don't mind this. Not because I'm a sadist who hates Riben, but because the life he's living now is one worse than death. The morphling in the Quell barely seemed to understand what was going on, and died at the bloodbath, so he didn't have to suffer long. And then he gets to be with China again, instead of continuing to live a lonely, miserable life.

AND HE'S THE POISON. HE'S THE POISON. *Insane laughter* GOSH DARN IT, JOURNEY, I BOTH HATE AND LOVE YOU INTENSELY AT THE SAME TIME. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S SO POETIC, SO ORIGINAL, SO FITTING, AND YET SO TWISTED AND EVIL? WHY DO I HAVE TO BE SO EMOTIONALLY TIED TO THIS SERIES THAT RIPS OUT MY HEART AND STOMPS ON IT? WHY? WHY? WHY?

My gosh ... *Tries to collect up flood of emotions* That was quite the roller-coaster ride. From intense excitement thinking Nada would be the Victor, to disappointment, sadness and anger, to a slow acceptance, to I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS CHAPTER IS - just - wow. A crazily depressing ending, but a good one. Well-written, I mean. Not happy in any sense of the word. I think, deep down, I'd prefer Turk (or Nada, of course) winning, but this is just ... maybe the greatest and yet the saddest thing you've ever written. Except for IT of course, but we do not speak of IT.

So, yeah. Time to rebuild the shattered pieces of my life, accept that the series is over, and move on to the next great thing. Which will be Break Out and TLWR. Not that I'm done with the Brutal series, of course. Oh, no. I have a whole bunch of Brutal-related junk I was putting off until Miserable was finished, so now there's that to start on. Once I start being able to think again, that is.

Thank you, Number One Fan of Journey. I'm glad you're here with me, here at the end of all things. *Random Lord of the Rings quote*

P.S. Also, the words from the song last chapter were SO very fitting, both for Hunger Games in general and for the chapter. It's foreshadowing, as well, seeing as the narrator (who one could take to be Turk, or at least I did) says "I could be a lucky man, but I'm living in the crossfire of a time that starts to burn." Like, he could easily have won, but time burned away his chance, and he died before the Capitol could save him.

So, I've read both of these chapters, and ... I can't even ... I'm done ... I'm done ...

Well, I'll just start with this one, and move on to the next one when it's sunk in enough for me to review. *Long, deep exhale* First and foremost, Nada's death was unebelievably painful for me. I'd seriously thought she would be the Victor, and having Turk kill her like that made me the most upset I'd been since the third What If. Her trembling hands holding the knife, her high-picthed screaming, her CRYING and LOOKING UP TEARFULLY at her KILLER I just i just i just ... Ican'teven. And Holland, too, was so strong and determined, and yet now she's gone, too ... but NADA ... that's one of the saddest things I've ever read, filled me with childish and immature rage at Turkey, and caused me to hold a makeshift eulogy in my room. Complete with Rue's Lullaby and My Heart Will Go On. Yes, really.

But then, after the pain died - well, not died away, but faded a bit so I could think clearly ... I realized that, even though I'd far rather it had been Nada, I was okay with Turk being the Victor. I didn't really hate him for killing her. You brought across his desperation really well in his last POV, and even I felt that sense of urgency as he tried to eliminate the competition quickly enough to be save his life. One could see that he really didn't want to kill - and I loved his little realization near the beginning that it was life and death now. I felt he'd had a good enough story arc to make him a Victor. It felt reasonable and realistic that he won, and less wish-fulfillment-y than Nada winning. And I knew he would get to see his brother again. I slowly warmed up to the idea of Turk being the survivor.

AND THEN, JOURNEY. AND THEN.

I love this story! Somehow, I just knew Riben would win. Even in the beginning. I don't know why I just felt like that would happen. Bravo to you! Or is it brava? Well whatever. If it interests you I plan to write a story that is pretty much based off of yours, all three of them. They were just that good. :D

So I was right. I'd be happy, but this chapter was just SO depressing! Poor poor poor poor poor poor poor poor poor Riben... This is really... I don't even know what to say, just... ;-;

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Nonpnonon.

No. He is not the victor. Turk is. And OH MY GOD HE IS DISTRICT 6 MORPHLING GUY OF DOOM.

No, Holland! And Nada! ;-;

You know, something feels wrong about this. I'm not sure, but I think Katniss and Peeta weren't taken up with a claw after they'd won, and they should have announced his victory. So... did Riben win?

So that's it, then. Turk's won but we don't know whether or not he lives or dies. Pretty sure he'll live because the Capitol needs their Victors. In a way, he and a bunch of other tributes managed to keep their dignity with all the "noble" killings or not killing going on. For that, I respect him.

TURKEY? Well that was unexpected D

DhotdutohxjoshogsytgirRitiDH PXIFCPLXFZOGZOGCURITFJPDOHCD UJSSITDTIAIHXIFSGOGOABPZFPYS PAYPZTytosyplhxiyyd

So, Romania and Riben are both dead. Probably. I think it's going to be Nada then. Turk just doesn't seem to have the right attitude for this, with how he gave Nada another chance, and Holland won't manage against someone who won't fight, with her leg.

First of all, allow me a moment of spazzing over how close we are to the end.

KASDJFLKAJSD;LFKASNDFLAKSDFJA;SLKGJNAL;WEKJF;LASKE NGLAKSEGJALS;KRGJ;ALSKEGJ;LASKDJFAS;DL

Thank you. I shall now continue on to the rest of the review.

I like how tense and uncertain the atmosphere is at the beginning. They all know what they have to do, but it's like they're scared to make the first move, knowing that they can only have peace for a few more moments.

Nada! I'm so relieved she's still alive and at least attempting to defend herself. Do it for Cuba! But at the same time, I like Turk and I don't want him to die, either! D: I really like how you've made him - eager for a fight, and with no qualms about beating someone up, but unwilling to have a completely one-sided battle. Like how he didn't just kill Nada when she was down, but told her to fight back harder. It's almost like the only way he'll be okay with killing is if he knows the other person at least had a chance. I like that about him. AND NAAADAAAA SWEETIE YOU DIDN'T KILL HIM BUT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO AAAAAAHHHH THE CONFLIIIIIICT SWEET BABY

No, not Romania! D: I knew she couldn't last, but she was cool, and I found myself really warming up to her as the story went along. For some reason, I really like how you put that she was 'hissing' as she went down. You probably just meant she was doing it because of the pain, but I kind of imagined her kind of spitting defiantly, like she wasn't going to die without sticking it to her enemy one last time.

Ribeeeeeen. D: It's like how Miserable would have been if... the unthinkable had happened. Poor little thing had such a hard life. The way he was thinking it was better, because he would get to see China again, and he wouldn't have done anything with his life anyway... ;_;

Only a few mistakes: a few sentences before Romania's death you write 'i' instead of I, and I honestly don't know what you meant by "Or crushing my chest with this happen if that were the case?"

Called it. Riben's down. ...Saying it like that makes it sound like he's not dead. Huh.

If Nada manages to win against Turk, I'm going to guess she'll try to make sure Holland goes as quickly and painlessly as possible, though not without some feelings of guilt. And then Holland shoves a sword through her stomach and she wins. The other two I can already see their outcomes as clear as day depending on how the fight goes.