Kevin's Crowning

[etcircenses]

Who | Everyone.
What | Kevin's Crowning
Where | An outdoor plaza, sectioned off and well guarded.
When | Starting at noon and continuing on until sunset.
Warnings/Notes | This event is mandatory for all Tributes and Victors to attend. Even if you do not tag in, your character will attend this party.

Playful signs began to pop-up all over the Tribute center in the days leading up to the crowning, advertising the mandatory nature of the event itself while also promising an afternoon of delightful festivities. All attendees were loaded onto buses and driven to the location of the picnic, with colorful t-shirts distributed upon their arrival (D1- Navy, D2- Red, D3- Grey, D4- Light blue, D5- Orange, D6- Yellow, D7- Forest green, D8- Royal blue, D9- Purple, D10- Black, D11- Lime green, D12- Hot pink, and White for any Capitol officials in attendance.) Likewise, all the attendees were given name tag stickers and then dispersed out into the plaza. All except guest of honor, Kevin, who was escorted onto the grounds dressed entirely in white and was given a large and ornate golden crown to wear.

Balloons of every color decorated the entire area . Along with picnic tables and benches, a large main stage was erected in the middle of the plaza with a microphone and a DJ, who played the same six songs on repeat. At it's center, Kevin was given a throne to sit on, so that he could preside over the picnic and enjoy his freshly prepared hamburger and french fries.

There were several small tents that ringed the edge of the stage area. Inside a few of them, you might face painters available, but the only design they would do was paint your face to look like Kevin. Anyone who had their face painted was also given an adorable construction paper crown to wear.

In other tents, a few carnival games had been set up for entertainment. There was a shooting range game where the faces of the targets changed to look like you whenever you stepped up to play, as well as skeeball and a rope ladder climb game. All the prizes were stuffed plush dolls reminiscent of famed former victors. All with Kevin's smile.

A bouncy castle that looked a shocking bit like the city hall building found in the last arena was free for anyone to play on. (Complete with fog machine!) And almost directly across the way from the castle, a caged-in area set up to be a ball-pit was also open for all to enjoy. Upon further inspection of the pit filled with thousands of plastic balls, one could clearly see how they had each been painted to look like giant, vacant black eyes.

The only two food options available to attendees were cupcakes and hotdogs. The cupcakes came with sprinkles. The hotdogs also came with sprinkles. The only beverage option was orange juice. And everyone must have a glass of orange juice, otherwise no one can ever leave.

At 2pm, Peacekeepers erected a volleyball net and the Tributes were instructed to play. Anyone who touched the net would get a slight electrical shock. Clearly it was a best to avoid the net.

As the volleyball game came to a close, several officials took the stage with a special announcement. Public polls would be open to all Capitol citizens the following morning to begin casting their votes. Who will be the next tributes to go into the next arena?! Over the next few days, the public will pick their favorites to enter a special bonus arena! Stay tuned for details!

Once the festivities were over and the Tributes were loaded back onto the buses, they would come to notice something new in the lobby of the Tribute Center. On the ceiling above them was a massive crystal chandelier, seven feet across. And it was no ordinary chandelier. It was customized beautifully, in the shape of Kevin's jagged and ever-present smile.

Beneath it, a spread of fine wine and cheeses. A man in a cream yellow suit with cream yellow hair sat at a grand piano in the corner, playing calm and pleasant melodies that might seem almost familiar to some and yet unrecognizable to anyone. Escorts seem to be in no hurry to get tributes back to their towers, and the wine continues to flow late into the night for anyone who lingers around to drink it.

Until next time, tributes. Until next time.

Comments

Lobby

[helpmeguideit]

A wine glass was going to become Charles' favorite accessory this evening. He made sure to keep one in his hand consistently. It had been awhile since he had any alcohol, and he knew that in this place - might as well have it now, who knows, tomorrow - they could line them all up and execute them.

The last time he had a drink was around his house not long before they left for Cuba. He and Erik had been playing chess. He missed his friend, truly, nearly as much as Raven (and at times, more than her). He considered how he would react to this place, and then he was more grateful than he had ever been that he wasn't here. It would have been awful to have to watch anyone he cares about die like the way he had seen people he had just befriended die.

He recognizes her right away, so he is polite when he hears her speak. "There's plenty of drinks here," Charles offers. He steps back a moment, "I'd be glad to grab you one." After all, it isn't her fault he's here.

[reallynow]

Truthfully, Jolie thinks her tributes deserve better. They may not have won, but they all deserved to go to a real party. A nice party. The whole crowning had been a disappointing joke from the moment Jolie realised he wouldn't be making any pretty outfits. The point of the party in a never-ending quell is to let tributes unwind, he thinks, but this has been winding them up all day.

He doesn't notice Charles approach in his annoyance, so he's surprised to hear his voice. He hasn't spent much time with the man, but he does like him. Sweet little thing that he is, too sweet to be here. "Would you?" He lights up at the offer, a smile forming on his lips as he bends to start picking up some of the beads.

[helpmeguideit]

Charles nods, offered a smile (not too genuine, of course) and moved his feet to retrieve a wine for Jolie. Charles doesn't know him well, either, but that's alright. He doesn't make a habit of making enemies or being rude to people. That's just not how he plays the game. If he has to kill people with kindness, he would.

He returned, a drink in hand for Jolie, and offers it to him. "Here."

[reallynow]

The lack of sincerity in his smile goes unnoticed, for the moment. Jolie is used to fake smiles and faker personalities, but not so much from tributes. Whatever, can't be best friends with anyone, he's confident in his ability to win him over a little more eventually.

"Thanks, peach." He takes the drink with a grin, having picked up enough of his beads to feel like less of a fucking disaster. "How've you been holding up?" It's posed as a question about today, but he doesn't mind a general Everything Sucks answer.

[helpmeguideit]

Charles isn't really the sort to bother other people with his issues. 'Everything sucks' would have been the most accurate answer. Knowing the person who killed him was now a Victor here, though, was a slight relief. He didn't want to have to deal with him in the arena again.

"It's different," he said. The party, of course. Charles had expected this to be forced on him (seemed to be the game here), but for it to basically be a carnival. "I'm just a bit out of place." The music was from after his time, and the whole carnival theme felt a little childish. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

[reallynow]

Unfortunately, an important part of Jolie's job is getting intimately involved in tribute's lives. Knowing who they are and how best to help them with sponsors and making impressions. Beneath that, there's a deep need to protect them and take care of them, but she likes to pretend that urge doesn't exist.

"Well if it helps, it's nothing like I'm used to either." She doesn't even try to hide how unimpressed she is. "Crownings are usually a little more, for lack of a better word, elegant." She can't help looking a little wistful. "At least they ain't playing the music here, right?"

[helpmeguideit]

Charles will always struggle with people getting to know him. When Raven had once said that she was his only friend, that had been true up until recently. It's obvious he's guarded, used to not trusting anyone at all. It was how he was raised to behave, but he was, at the very least - willing to let his surface qualities through. People like Erik, his students, and Raven had all gotten past that, but he was an otherwise socially unaware person.

"An elegant party celebrating watching us murder each other brutally for entertainment." Seemed legit. "I can't say anything on the music, after my time apparently. Still, it's a small favor."

[reallynow]

He wouldn't be the first to put up a wall of resistance, even if he's friendlier about it than most people can be. Not only has she dealt with the likes of Joel, but with tributes from the actual districts with even less reason to comply but just as much say in the matter. It was a blessing and a curse to be granted more time with them. She could work harder at getting to know them, but it would hurt even more when they left.

She crinkles her nose at his dry observation, knowing she can't really agree. "Whatever we do, we do it in style." She breezes past as best she can. "Oh yeah? I heard you were from the past but I never really had a frame of reference." She shrugs. "Probably wouldn't know a band if you told me them, but I'm curious anyway."

[helpmeguideit]

The entire situation makes him feel sick at his core, but there's not much he can do or say that would change it. This place was at it was because of years of people accepting that this was what it was supposed to be. Just as people do, societies also evolve. It would take some serious work before that changed.

"Let's see, Elvis is popular," Charles answered. It was the most popular name he could think of. "It is 1962." He wasn't sure that would actually mean anything to Jolie. This place had the uncanny ability to have things be a bit different from universe to universe.

[reallynow]

"Elvis.." She repeats it to herself, looking upward as if that will help her put a face to the name. "I think I know a guy called Elvis. Wasn't a singer, though, just got really handsy after a drink and a half." She grins and then shrugs, focusing on the year he gives her and widening her eyes a little. She feels pity for him, because he must be a little bit lost. "How's it feel knowing that you're technically older than most of the people here?" Is that an appropriate question? Probably not. "You know if you have any questions about tech you can ask me, right?"

[helpmeguideit]

"I learn quickly," Charles answered. Of course his technology at home was behind, but even where he worked and what he had used was ahead of the rest of the world thanks to Hank. "I can do what I need to do," he said. That was enough for him. He wasn't about to ask others for advice unless they were someone he obliviously was close to and trusted.

"And it's different being older, but I was always older at home, too." He only had two friends his age - Erik and Moira - and others were younger and people he had been responsible for. "I spent my time around students and my sister."

[reallynow]

"That's a good way to go here." She smiles encouragingly. She can't imagine living in a world without the technology the Capitol provides, but she knows there are people here who have come from less.

If she knew what he was thinking behind what he's saying, she'd definitely be inviting him out to more parties. Not that he'd want to go, really, but the sentiment is there. "That's right, you're a professor! No wonder you're so clever." There's the barest hint of flirting in her tone as she moves to give his arm a playful push. "How are you going here? Making friends?" Because that's clearly important.

[helpmeguideit]

"I'm making enough," he said. Making friends was not his strong point (for the longest part of his life - Raven was his only one). He was awkward, clever, and a telepath when he was young. He thought he was crazy when he was a child, hearing voices. And it was difficult to trust people when he knew what every other person was thinking. In a way, the removal of that skill was nice on the short term. He could get to know people without a preconceived notion about how they would behave.

It was so different. He chuckled. "I'm as clever as I need to be," Charles said, his tone light. That, itself, was a loaded statement. He was as clever as he needed to be to deal with the arena, to deal with the rebellion, to just know how bad this place was.

"I have to have some brains to make up for where I lack."