floating down the current

[polyturtle]

Who | Don, OPEN to District 9 characters
What | Don is learning all about District 9. Not all of it is good, of course.
Where | Throughout the areas District 9 Tributes are allowed!
When | Throughout the District visit!
Warnings/Notes | n/a

Don was beginning to think there had been a conspiracy to keep him freezing on the train. The clothing provided to him in the District 9 was much warmer, and much better, than what had been given to him both before and during the train trip. While he was still not entirely warm when he went outside, he was certainly not having the same problems he'd had before, and was much more comfortable and mobile as a result.

And what he saw was...not good. If he thought he was freezing, District 9 was worse off. There was literally no heat in most houses that he came in; families were starting to burn furniture to keep warm. And yet they still welcomed him warmly, fed him, and found him very interesting to talk to, to touch. To thank. They were incredibly kind.

But he could see it. The signs. The smell of new paint didn't escape him, nor did the difference in gleam between older and newer windows. The people of this District were rebellious. And the Peacekeepers couldn't do much about it, at least nothing too extreme. One or two families even proudly and openly admitted that they stole firewood from the warehouses, enough to last most of the winter.

It made him realize something. He didn't, in some ways, have it as bad as the District people. Yes, he kept dying, but in truth, he still lived in splendor. The children he 'supposedly' saved from death were still dying - slowly, in the cold, without help or hope of coming back to life.

It made him mad, knowing these things. He was able to control his anger, at least, when he was around the citizens. The same was maintained when he was shown around by the officials, by Mrs. Nova, who reminded Don of an old lady version of Leonardo. But when he was in his rooms, he brooded, staring out the window, staring at the books offered in the house, the needle art, whatever he could to prevent himself from simply unleashing all of the pent up anger he'd had from everything that had happened.

After all, Shepard, Wyatt, Harley...they were right.

Wouldn't want to give up when the hunter had sensed that there was a weakness in his prey.

Comments

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy was beyond words. When people talk to her, she spoke of course, but nothing to give away what she was doing. Mindy knew this place was the start of building herself up, steeling herself. What they saw before in the last Arena had been her floundering, not quite getting the groove. She had starved, been tired, and was finally killed in a way some would have only dreamed.

They said it reminded the of a girl Katniss had stayed by, Rue. Mindy had taken this in too. She was the girl who had died with tears in people's eyes, a testament to the cruelty the Capitol inflicted. Few remembered the taking of Azula's eye unless they were praising her.

It was cold, but Mindy felt numb, not actual chill.

She met up with Donatello finally, clearing her throat. "Eye opener, huh?"

[polyturtle]

They were in the public square, a place where their words could be heard. And though it was clear that there were few visible means for the Peacekeepers to actually do anything if Don said anything openly seditious, Don knew better than to say anything stupidly suicidal.

"Yeah." He sighed, his breath a foggy cloud. "Definitely an eye opener. Even so, the people here have been nothing but kind to us."

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Yeah," Mindy said, remembering what Harley had said about District nine not having won an Arena yet. She wasn't sure how many people were watching them, but certainly they could have reacted sourly toward them.

"I think maybe we should rethink things, next time we go into the Arena."

[polyturtle]

"How?"

After a thought, Don lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I know that our victories allow for extra supplies to be sent to the winning District. However, even if one of us won...I don't know if it would send the help these people here need until its too late."

He had no doubt about that. People were already dying from the cold. The way that most Arenas were, by the time a Victor was proclaimed, weeks, months would have passed. The rest of the entire season, practically, even if they were summoned back that night and forced to fight the next day.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"I mean that we try to WIN," Mindy said, whispering back. "How long has it been since we have? You know that when we win, it at least gives them a boon from the Capitol, but more importantly? It gives them hope. These guys, they toil and work hard, the least we can do is let them know we're doing the same."

The rest, well, they couldn't do anything about that, not yet. Too many variables and unanswered questions they still needed to learn.

[polyturtle]

"...Hope." That word felt weird on his lips, given all of the things that had happened. "And what about after our victory?"

He knew he could win. That wasn't the problem. In truth, if he'd not saved Ariadne...

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Our victory?" She shook her head. "That's not gonna happen for a long time. What would be our victory would be like the end of the Dominion War in Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Basically, we win, but there's a lot of people dead. A LOT."

Ok, so she could nerd out every now and again.

[polyturtle]

"I meant in the Arena. I'm not...sure what you mean, referring to that."

He spoke the last sentence slightly slower, more deliberately. In other words, don't mention rebellion, Mindy. Not out loud, at least. Not here.

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Sure, you don't." Mindy didn't say more than that. He knew what she meant.

"But as for the Arena, I've not been training my ass off for nothing. I'm gonna last at that place, and do what I have to. You've been hearing the competition. I hope you're up to it yourself."

[polyturtle]

At this, a thought suddenly came to mind. He didn't want it to. But he realize that he couldn't just ignore it.

"There might be a chance for you to get through the Arena."

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked interested immediately. "I wasn't exactly planning on failing, but your tone is telling me you think I might have a sure thing going. What did you have in mind?"

[polyturtle]

At this, Don's voice lowered again.

"I...its a risk, but I helped two others get out of the Arena. I might...I might be able to get you out."

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy was further intrigued.

"Get out? What do you mean by 'get out?'"

[revvinguptheharley]

Harley found Donnie doing his walking around and skipped to his side in an annoyingly colorful sweater and clutching a mug of something steaming.

"Well look at you out here not freezing into a turtlecicle. Good for you!" She declared with a bright smile.

She too had been doing her own digging on the status of the district, but in her own way. And knowing their time was short Harley had been doing all she could to make the people laugh with stories and silly stunts. There was an entire group of kids who were having regular cartwheel contests now because Harley had shown them how good she was at it.

[polyturtle]

"Oh." Don looked up as Harley bounded towards him. "Hey there, Harley."

He himself looked thoughtful, at least.

[revvinguptheharley]

Tucking her hands into her sleeves she came to a stop at his side.

"You look miles away...which is a shame because this is kind of a great place." She teased. "Relatively speaking."

[polyturtle]

"It is a nice place," Don admitted. "The people here are kind, hard-working."

He looked down.

"Its...not fair."

[revvinguptheharley]

"Life's not fair." Harley countered letting her eyes roam the landscape casually. She was much more downbeat and mellow then usual. Perhaps it was the setting.

"So what are we gonna do about it? Join the rebellion? Try to jack the control center for the train or go to war with the peacekeepers?"

She either figured that this place was less likely to have listening devices in it, or she did not care. Either was likely with Harley.

[polyturtle]

"Wh--" Don's eyes widened. What the shell, Harley. "Are you nuts!? What the shell are you talking about!?"

Not that he didn't want it. But saying it openly was not something he would admit to. And he'd have to watch more Tributes die.

[revvinguptheharley]

She grinned cheekily.

"Oh come on, who's around to hear?" She gestured and gave a little spin in place, her arms spread out wide.

"And I know at least MY clothes are clean for microphones unless they are super tiny. And if that's the case they know I'm a trouble maker already."

[polyturtle]

"But...I'm not!"

The way he said it, of course, was almost a plea. Stop it, Harley. He wasn't about ready to discuss any of his own loyalties.

[revvinguptheharley]

She pouted and hung her head in defeat. "Fiiiine ya big baby. Be that way. Geeze I knew your shell was yellow but not your belly."

She straightened up and folded her arms. "The question still stands, what the heck can we do to help these guys other then win in the games?"

[polyturtle]

Well, technically his plastron is yellow...still.

"I don't know," Don replied. "I mean, I've been helping some families with firewood."

[revvinguptheharley]

Harley sighed tilting her head to the left and right unappeased by that option.

"Every little bit helps I guess." She reasoned. "Hopefully they see it for what it is and not just an empty gesture. I mean it's not like we're locals so they don't have any REAL reason to trust us."

[polyturtle]

"I know, but...even so," Don replied. "They seem appreciative, all the same."