thecapitol | (no subject)

(no subject)

Who| Everyone
What| Lockdown
Where| Tribute Training Center
When| Starting around dusk
Warnings/Notes| None atm. If your character tries anything extravagant, shoot the mods a pm.

Dusk was falling when it started.

Anyone in the District 12 suite's would have heard heavy sounds above them moments before a loud explosion rocked the entire building. The electricity flickers once, twice, then goes out, replaced by cool, blue glowing lights running along the ceilings. Avoxes appeared silently, as they do, herding people from one room to another.

Once the door shuts, it doesn't open again until the last person is there, sealed shut. The windows in the rooms with them were darkened, and the computer would not respond to any request to show anything. However, food could be called to the room, the trays appearing as they normally do. But the doors would not budge, and the cool blue lights stayed the only light source, the only power.

Although there was nothing to see, there was lots to hear. Banging, foot steps in the halls, on the floors above, explosions, straining metal collapsing, scraping down the side of the building. Occasionally the repetitive rapping of gun shots. Yelling. Screaming. Those near the top of the building could smell smoke, at times strongly. The elevator can be heard moving up and down, even though it doesn't respond to any calls from those trapped.

The sounds last into the late night, finally quieting around midnight. Finally, at 1 am, a calm, cool voice comes over the loud speakers.

"The rebellion forces have been repressed. We will be clearing the building for the next few hours. Please stay patient and sleep well."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ariadne had been watching Atticus from afar - he looked remarkably like one of the other Tributes she didn't know, and that was slightly disconcerting - trying to figure out what all he was doing. She had never been much for swords, but there was a certain elegance about them.

"Have you used one of those before?" She asked, finally coming by just after the announcement was made.

He jumped a little, startled at her appearance.

"Oh! Um...yeah, kind of? I'm used to trying not to hurt the other person, though"

She tipped her head to one side slightly, eyeing him curiously; she'd never really met anyone with that much weapons training before in her life. It was sort of interesting. "I don't think many of us are used to the way things work around here. Even after having been here a while. It takes more than just time to get used to it."

He was really only competent, but he did know the basics pretty well.

"Do you ever get used to it?"

"Probably not." She was honest when she told him that, glancing aside briefly. "I won before I had the chance to find out."

"Oh! Um...congratulations?" He really wasn't sure that was the correct response.

"Thank you," Ariadne replied mildly, the words as meaningless as the victory felt. It wasn't like she really wanted to be the best killer out of the rest. That wasn't something she was proud of. But she was still worth more outside the Arena.

"I never get used to watching it; I imagine it's the same sort of thing for the Tributes themselves."

"Yeah, I guess it must be," Atticus said with a frown, rubbing the back of his neck.

He didn't expect to ever win.

As if sensing his apprehension, she shrugged a little. "There are other ways out of the Games. You can apply to become a citizen."

"A citizen?" Atticus said, frowning more. That seemed like a sketchy proposition.

"I don't know all of the details of it, but I know it involves some kind of petition. You have to have some kind of talent that the Capitol could use. But it would get you away from the killing," she offered, her own expression suggesting she wasn't so sure about it either.

"Um...what kind of talent?"

Based purely on the Games, he wasn't sure music would count.

"Anything they find interesting, I suppose. I had it suggested that I take up architecture. It sounded interesting, actually - I like the idea of having some say in how the actual Arenas themselves are built." More than that, it was like building an entirely new world. She didn't have to deal with the previous structures: just adapt everything to the theme.

"You...want to design the games?" Atticus asked, mildly horrified.

"Not the killing part," she was quick to add, a little frown tugging at her brows. "But you have to admit, from a creative standpoint, there's something fascinating about them. They can do whatever they like."

"Yeah, and what they like is pretty messed up," Atticus mumbled. He'd watched a few videos from some of the other arenas.

She couldn't deny that, but it still fascinated her; Ariadne had moved beyond the point in her life where she was desperate for the approval of other people. She'd made it known that she didn't support the murder of random people, and that was that.

"Not a creative person, I take it?"

"Not in that way."

He was kind of thankful they didn't need music for the arenas as far as he can tell.

"You'd rather you were just at home, not having to worry about any of it," she mused, the words a statement rather than a question. There was a chance she was wrong, but judging by his reactions, she doubted it.

He thought about it a moment and then said. "Um...no, actually. I mean, that's probably weird, right? But...yeah. Here is...better."

She tipped her head a little bit to him, curious. "To each their own. I'm just a bit surprised. You didn't seem to like this place all that much. Maybe I just didn't ask the right questions."

"Oh, no. I mean...this place is...well, it's kind of awful, isn't it? But...it's just me that it's awful to."

He shrugged. "I mean, obviously it's awful to all of us, but it's not anybody I care about? From home, I mean."

"After you've been stuck here long enough, you'll get to know people. It's not that much different from back home. You might even feel bad for having to kill someone," she pointed out, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She understood his qualms - she didn't care about really anyone either. Not until recently, after having watched people die. She wasn't that unfeeling.

"That's...not quite what I meant, but yeah. I'm sure I will." And he does care about the people he's met so far. Most of them seem pretty nice. He doesn't want to have to kill any of them.

She dropped her voice slightly, shrugging, "There's only so much you can talk about the Capitol being awful before they start to take notice of it. Trust me - you don't want them to take notice." Just a little warning for him. She agreed, of course - it was a horrid place all around - but better to let them think it was wonderful.