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[gardienne]

Who? Eponine and whoever wants to talk to her
What? Eponine returns to the Capitol and (for once) the stylists have listened to her requests and just left her alone.
Where? wandering the streets
Warnings? I can't imagine that there will be too many.

It had taken her a lot of staring into the mirror in her bedroom to convince Eponine that she was not hallucinating. It had taken her a lot of pinching and prodding and poking her finger through the gaps in her teeth to convince her that it wasn't a dream. She was back. She looked how she had done in France, sunken cheeks, matted hair and big bags beneath her eyes and scars from living rough, and her Pa's belt when he was cross. She wasn't beautiful any more, but then, what did it matter? Men refused to love her, beautiful or no.

Rather, she was elated. FINALLY, someone had listened. FINALLY someone had given her even a little bit of control over some aspect of her life. She didn't like how she looked - but it felt a little bit more honest at least.

Having dressed in just a simple brownish pinafore dress, Eponine wandered out into the Capitol to find food and a friend.

It was so lovely to be able to walk along and not be stared at for a change.

Comments

[iflipmyhair]

There was silence before she responded.

"Because my winning would be a far worse fate for all, than if I lost, which only affects me." Her ring gleamed just that much brighter as she spoke, her voice almost a whisper. "Not immediately. But soon enough, a future that a victory of mine would bring would be bleaker even than the Arenas. When the crown is placed on my head...Panem's fate shall no doubt be sealed, no matter what the Capitol might think to try."

A wind began to softly blow through the streets. A cold, bone-biting wind.

"The Capitol seeks to control what they cannot even begin to understand, for little more than the sake of control. Because of this, they have brought in creatures they do not fully comprehend and cannot hope to fully appreciate. If they knew what they were doing...they would not have decided to allow someone like me into their game."

[gardienne]

Eponine shivered as the wind blew through her dress. Though it was well made by the Capitol, it resembled the costume of a district, rather than the gaudiness of the big city, and it did not really protect against the cold. Still, she laughed uneasily.

"I think you speak out of turn, Mademoiselle. I think you think of yourself as too important - and excuse me, please. I do beg your forgiveness, Madame. Perhaps you are more important than I, but I do not believe that any tribute here is truly valued by the Capitol."

[iflipmyhair]

"I am aware that I am not valued. But it isn't value that I refer to. I don't think myself important at all. But, I also know, if I win...one day I will truly give up."

Homura's fist clenched slightly, her grip on her teacup tightening slightly.

"But...I know you don't understand or believe me. It's not your fault my words make no sense or sound pretentious; it can't be helped."

[gardienne]

"But why? When you win, you can do as you like. You can... only..." Well. Eponine remembered what Eva had told her. And she looked at Homura, and she thought of Eva's words of what awaited for a victor. Perhaps it would be better for Homura if she did not win?

Eponine was nettled by her response though, and narrowed her eyes.

"I might be stupid, Madame. But if you explained to me, perhaps I would understand. I am not as stupid as I look."

[iflipmyhair]

"Its not a question of intelligence." The grip which Homura held that cup threatened to crack it, if not cause it to rip apart entirely. "The explanation is such that...no matter how I explain it, no one believes me."

Her voice began to dip into a strange, quiet tone. Even quieter than before, but one which made her sound younger than her age.

"Even if I dispensed with words, and showed them...their horror would preclude them from wishing to know more, for by that time, they would be...to far gone to care."