[Open] Got to Start Somewhere

[aboveangrybees]

Who| Steve Rogers and ANYONE!
What| Arriving somewhere new isn't always a welcoming experience.
Where| District 9 Floor, the Roof, and Commons
When| Day of the Newbies (May 13th)
Warnings/Notes| At most some mild spoilers for Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Steve didn't fight the second time he woke up, if these people figured out how to sedate him, he needed to tread more carefully. It's not his fault he thought they were Hydra at first; it was eerily similar to when he woke up at SHIELD the first time.

Working for SHIELD this past year has really set home the idea of covert being as useful, if not more useful, than outright action against an enemy. Gather intel on your enemy, then strike. Don't go in stupid. Stupid gets you killed. But he's only been told the barest of facts of his new found situation and expectations, so surface his feet aren't even wet, but he can see that the injustice of it all runs deep. His teeth are already set on edge, the more he learns the harder it'll be to keep holding back.

His arm feels light without his shield, but coupled with the lingering grogginess of being sedated, Steve decides to take the needed time to recover before setting out. The shield isn't necessary, but it makes him more cautious to be caught unaware without it.

[1. District 9 Floor]

[So, this is his gilded cage? It's nice, he'll give it that much. Very secure, but he's more bothered by how that security could so easily be turned around on them. He's not surprised, if they grabbed him, then they probably grabbed other people who are just as capable, so they need to know they can lock up their captives when they need to.

Moving over to a window, Steve raps his knuckle against it, able to tell the thickness and sturdiness without much trouble. He could easily survive the fall, but wouldn't be able to break the glass, not with how weak his body feels or lacking his shield.] Well, there goes that escape plan.

[2. Commons/City Circle]

[He doesn't stay in any place for long after leaving his floor, moving from one location to the next, curious but guarded, trying to grasp all the knowledge he can get about his situation, audience, and environment. There has to be weaknesses, chinks in the well crafted armor. These people are obviously cautious, they're not so arrogant as to take them too lightly, but there's still some arrogance, and where there is ego there is fault.

He'll find it.]

[3. Roof]

[It's where he ends his day, in the garden that makes it almost easy to forget his situation, back to the city as he leans against a statue. He doesn't forget though, not even in the slightest, but it's a good place to piece together his information, maybe even entertain learning to use his communication device.

His anger builds as he comes to realize he's found less to work with than he would like, but Steve has always had a tight reign on his emotions, keeping it locked down. When the time comes, he'll happily explore them while tearing this place apart, but until then, he's going to try and keep a low profile.

Wouldn't do to have their eyes trained on him too soon.]


ooc: Feel free to reply in prose! I'm open to either option of Rping.

Comments

[1]

[hit_girl_mindy]

Be lucky that you don't try that. Peaekeepers will be on you like white on rice. Now me, I got brought straight into the Arena. At least you get some peace fr a little while.

[And on the opposite side of the room is a young girl, drinking hot cocoa. She'dd been watching him, wondering why he looked so familiar].

You just get here?

[aboveangrybees]

Not a fan of their captives jumping out windows? Pity. [Steve turns to look at her, his expression stuttering from an empty amusement to shock. He wasn't expecting a child - okay she's a teen, but still a child - her voice had sounded young, but not to the degree he's seeing. It takes a second to school his expression from upset at what he's seeing to safely settling for a neutral but friendly expression.

He takes one last look at the window before making his way over to her.]

I did. [He offers a nod in greeting.] Steve Rogers, and you are?

[hit_girl_mindy]

[Preteen technically but its understandable why he'd think otherwise: Mindy found it was far too troublesome to play the poor little kid act when she was one of the newest mentors for District 9.]

Nah. I'm not super old, but so far there've been 3 arenas. Steve Rogers. I'm Mindy, Mindy Macready.

[While her brain screams STEVEROGERSHOLYSHITITSMOTHERFUCKINGCAPTAINAMERICAWHATTHEFUCK]

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve has to swallow back the sharp anger and sickness he feels when hearing such a young girl has been through three of these death matches. His brows furrow, but otherwise he shows none of the turmoil he's going through.

He settles down to sit across from her.]

Are people often as young as you are in the arena, Mindy? [Okay, maybe he can't swallow it all back, but at least his tone is mostly inquisitive. Some of his anger seeps in, though by no means directed at her.]

[hit_girl_mindy]

[Well, not three, technically only two, but the third one took place in the background!]

Only a handful. That kid Max, Sandy, Pruna, Me, Riley...oh, and Clementine. I think we're all pretty young. Original games had nothing but kids though, the kids of the Districts we represent. Rest are teenagers, adults...and various alien species.

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve's jaw clenches at hearing that it used to be nothing but kids. It spurs such torn emotion from him, being glad that the children are safer now, but still angry with the current set up. He can't stand the injustice.

Still, he makes notes of all the names, planning to keep an eye out for the young ones.] And this is done for, what, entertainment? As a sport for the natives?

[hit_girl_mindy]

For the natives? Kind of. More like a way to keep them in check. This is really for the Capitol, the place where we are now. Basically they're the very rich and well off. The poorer ones are in Districts, and when one of us from a certain District wins, they get a little bit of something. But for the Capitol? Sport. Definitely. Kind of like a reality show.

[She shook her head] And be careful who you talk to. Don't want to end up on the government's bad side.

[aboveangrybees]

[To people them in check. He lets his fist curl into a fist, clenching, but otherwise holds in the growing revulsion for this government, his frustration at these people mindlessly enjoying the pain and death or others, and his need to tear this place down, give people their freedom.

He nods, not casting a look around.] Guessing eyes and ears everywhere too. [It only makes sense. He'll have to watch what he says.]

People who win, do they go home? Continue to fight?

[hit_girl_mindy]

Yeah, you guess right. They have a lock on that too.

[Which was why she always had her most important conversations outside. It was just better that way].

They become mentors of their district. They train others to win an Arena.

[aboveangrybees]

And watch on the sidelines.

[He pauses, going back to something that now makes him curious. it could change the dynamic of how this all works.] You said you've been through three of these arenas. So, then do people not actually die? Is it played up for the audience?

[hit_girl_mindy]

Yeah, and send gifts.

[Oh, did he not know about that?]

Nah, they bring them back...most of the time. If you become boring, they don't, and if you're openly rebelling against them, they'll make sure you feel it before you die, you get me?

[aboveangrybees]

Loud and clear. [Very loud and clear. Put up enough of a fight to not seem suspicious because of his lack of fight, but keep his true rebellion under wraps. He wants to help, not get killed and be useless to his fellow captives.

He's done this covert thing enough times, he can do it again.]

Guess the next thing to ask is who're my mentors.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Right. [He'll get the hang of it. In the meantime she'll be a good girl and NOT tell him that she knows who he is.]

Lucky you, you're speaking to one. Eva is the oldest one, and by old I mean she's a former mentor from awhile back, and the other one is Harley Quinn. She just won.

[aboveangrybees]

[His eyes go a little wide when she she's one of them. There's nothing that feels false about the claim, but she's far too young for him to want to believe her hands might be that red.]

You're young, too young to have to go through that. No one should. I'm glad you're out, but... [He shakes his head, not wanting to say more. Everything he wants to say is on the tip of his tongue, to speak out, to say what needs to be said. Instead, he says:]

So, do we make our own food around here or is it all room service?

[hit_girl_mindy]

[Mindy shook her head]. Dude, I did. I won. And if I won, there are only two ways it could happen: I hid and waited until everyone died or I'm simply not new to this type of rodeo. You can make a guess at which.

[Really, she was getting a little sick and tired of the "you're so young" thing. It was as of they didn't think kids possessed the ability to be cruel, let alone killers].

We're well fed here. Take a look at the fridge.

[aboveangrybees]

[He casts a look at the fridge and decides to explore that later. It was a way to direct the conversation, to hold his tongue, not any real intention of wanting to know about his food situation.]

You don't really strike me as the type to hide. [He doesn't think low of her, he knows the kind of past some adults have when they were a child, he knows, but that doesn't change the fact that no one, especially a child, should have to go through this.] What do I need to know to survive?

[hit_girl_mindy]

I'm not. As for surviving? You have some time before the Arena. Get to the training room and be at your best. Sponsors are watching and they love the fuck out of dramas and things. That'll help you when you're hungry or thirsty. Make some alliances: it helps so you won't have to worry so much about the dark. NEVER turn your back on a kid, no matter who soft hearted you are. Kids used to have to live and die in this thing, they are not all innocent. That's for starters.

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve listens, giving her the respectful attention he would give anyone who knows more about a situation than himself. There's a chance he'll still want to protect kids more than not, but at least knowing Mindy means he's more keenly aware of their chances.

The curse does get small furrow of his brow, it's there and gone so fast. He's not unaccustomed to kids and women cussing, but fuck is a pretty strong one.]

Noted. And you'll be out here trying to help everyone in the district get those sponsors?

[hit_girl_mindy]

Pretty much. It's my job to make you guys look good and help you where I can. Not gonna waste my resources on people who are determined not to compete but you won't be a problem there.

[It was plain truth, he'd get that much].

There's more though. When Cornucopia starts, get as many provisions that you can because people WILL step on you. Plan ahead. Make traps if you need to.

[aboveangrybees]

[He raises an eyebrow when she says he won't be a problem. While he has no intention of killing anyone, Steve's more than ready to defend himself, to help himself and his allies survive.

Too bad none of them are in his district.]

So, the Cornucopia's only stocked at the start? Or is it one of those things that get stocked multiple times through the arena? [The name is pretty obvious, it's not hard to figure what she means by provisions.]

Is each arena different?

[hit_girl_mindy]

Nah, its only once. After that, you make do unless you find something you can use or your sponsors pony up some shit to get you going.

And yeah, they are. None of them are the same.

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve is silent for a long moment, thinking about everything he's learned so far. It's a lot to take in.

When he finally looks at her again, a wry smile on his face.] Well, we'll have to make sure the sponsors like me then.

[More stuff he gets, the easier it will be to keep himself and his allies alive.]

[hit_girl_mindy]

You'll find a way to work it out, I'm sure.

[It takes all her will power to sound casual about it. It's Captain FUCKING America, and if the Sponsors can't back him then they were just a bunch of witless fuckheads].

[aboveangrybees]

((ooc: Oh man! I never got a notif for this and only just now saw it when updating my thread tracking. I'm sorry. It's probably near its end, but if you want to drop this, no problem. Sorry about the late reply))

Lying isn't really my strong suit, so here's hoping the people want to support a defender of the underdog.

[He's just too honest of a personality to lie. Hiding things and masking things? Got that on lock down. Try to act like something he's not? Yeah, he's not good at that.

But he's always protected people from bullies. That's something he can play up without directing it at the Capitol. Without making it sound aggressive.]

Its totally fine, it happens!

[hit_girl_mindy]

Some people will. Better ones, anyway. Just show them what you're made of, they'll see it in time.

[No telling what some of these weirdos would back though. But a boyscout like Captain America, they would definitely get behind him].