All that stood between the crowds and Cicada was a blood-red curtain that she approached both far too quickly and yet ever so slowly. There was no place for moonlight here, not when their path was illuminated by the soft emanation of light from the holograms and the brighter shine of their glowsticks. They could hear the enthusiastic cheers, delighted screams, rapturous applause as their chariot grew nearer and nearer to the curtains - nevertheless, Cicada's face remained firmly expressionless save for a glimmer of hard determination in their eye. It was /repulsive/. She would be nothing more than some kind of circus attraction. But that's how the game is played. The scarlet drapes were swept aside, and in the brief moment before her face became visible, Cicada's entire demeanor shifted from stony and still to vibrant and confident. As the golden tabby swung herself onto the roof of the chariot in one graceful motion, she held her paws out grandly. What first caught the crowd's attention was likely her outfit - adorned in more iridescent cicada wings than she typically was, they shined in a wide array of vibrant colors, reflecting glowstick upon glowstick. It'd run over its script many times. Don't mess this up now, Cicada. "Immortality! Forevermore, immortality to Panem!" It called out into the crowd, a delight it'd trained for years in its voice. Cicada's dazzling smile was accompanied with a wink before she flicked her crystal goggles down over her eyes, quietly inhaling before leaping off the chariot into an air flip and landing precisely with a flourish. A mixture of gasps and cheers were drawn from the crowd, but she couldn't relax yet. She wove through the crowd, taking off her scarf to wrap around others in a playful kind of dance as she moved through the sea of holograms, keeping in line with the chariot at all times. Small slivers of crystal she'd stashed away in it in preparation were passed out everywhere, and just as Cicada's ride was nearing the curtains where she'd depart, she made her way back and leapt atop it once more. For their finale, they turned towards the crowd now behind the chariot, shining just as regally as they had when they'd entered. Cicada put up her goggles once more and raised her paws, only to drop them into a courteous bow. "May your vision be crystal clear, lovely citizens.. always." The scarlet curtains drew, and just as darkness fell once more, her countenance had become one of silent disgust.
