etcircenses: (Default)
Panem Events ([personal profile] etcircenses) wrote in [community profile] thecapitol2013-12-15 06:36 am

The Crowning of Enjolras

WHO| All Tributes and Victor, plus a few Capitol guests
WHAT| The Crowning of Enjolras
WHERE| The Tribute Center
WHEN| A few weeks after the end of the Arena
WARNINGS| Forced medical experimentation, needles.

The atmosphere surrounding the Crowning is both tense and secretive. The style teams flutter around listlessly, having received no information from which to draft their designs. Newspapers take bets on when it will be announced where the Crowning is being held, descending into grousing when no press release is given. Peacekeepers pour in and out of the Tribute Center, accompanied by scientists who occasionally pull Tributes aside and look at the veins in their elbows. Even the Avoxes seem jumpier than usual.

Aside from the Tribute Center's new giant marble statute of a nude Enjolras, posed like the famed David, one could almost forget the party is supposed to be celebratory.

When the day arrives, the Escorts and their assistants don't lead the Tributes to their style teams to be gussied instead. Instead, they hush the Tributes and bring them to their bedrooms, where a Peacekeeper, a white-coated citizen and several Avoxes await them. The Escorts instruct the Tributes to lay down in their bed and close their eyes, and a needle is inserted into their arms that the Escorts insist will 'take them to the party'. It's soon followed by a series of sensors taped to the forehead.

Just relax, the Escorts say, and they do their very best to make sure their Tributes feel minimal anxiety. If the Tributes resist too much, more Peacekeepers are called in, and the Tributes are forced into submission.

The first effect is a sort of paralysis - not the terrifying inability to move, but a signal to the brain that says why move? Moving is so much effort. It's quickly followed by drowsiness, and then a chill that radiates from the needle into the body, and finally, unconsciousness.

And that is when the party begins. The Tributes, now dressed in luxurious 1830's French clothing of a quality beyond even what their Stylists could manage, wake up in the front row of a large stone theater setting reminiscent of, simultaneously, Greek and French architecture. The floor of the theater is filled with buffets of every imaginable sort of food. Rose petals fall from the sky, which displays a sunset worthy of award-winning photography.

For his part, Enjolras sits in a throne made of books on the ring of the amphitheater, flanked by Marius, Cosette, Eponine, and bizarrely enough Venus Dee Milo and Ellie, seated on lush pillows and carpets made of dinosaur skin (with the heads comically attached and eyes lolling).

"Welcome, welcome, our Tributes and Mentors, to the first ever somnofestival, sponsored by Hypnogogia!" Caesar Flickerman, noted talkshow host and Games presenter, appears in a fabulous sequined toga in the center of the amphitheater. He doesn't need a microphone; the acoustics here are flawless. "And congratulations to our Victor! Let us hear it for Enjolras!"

He awaits applause.

"As you may have noticed, you're inside a shared dream, due to the just fantastic technology from the Capitol and certain, ah, biological contributions from our dear favorite Aunamee." He holds a hand out and gestures to Aunamee, anticipating wild applause. "We thought that for our most philosophical Victor yet, we should celebrate in a way that's a little bit…cerebral."

Caesar laughs and gestures at all the food, then puts a cheeky finger to his lips. "By all means, enjoy yourselves. Even the most indulgent desserts here won't show up on your hips tomorrow. The party only last three hours, so you might as well get started!"

He vanishes into thin air, leaving the Tributes to celebrate. Occasionally, the Tributes will hear voices in their heads - chatter from the Peacekeeper and scientist and Escort still in their room, in the waking world. Otherwise, this is a party like any other, if somewhat surreal in nature.

-/-

The party begins the same way for all the Tributes. For an unlucky few, however, it soon diverges as they come under an unfortunate glitch in the system.

They'll look around and find only a handful of their fellow Tributes around them. The sky, rather than being a magnificent splay of color, is now blank white, and yet the lighting in the theater seems dim. A sense of panic, detached from any conscious thoughts, surges forth in them like the tide.

For them, this isn't a shared dream. This is a shared nightmare.
gluteus: (over shoudler)

[personal profile] gluteus 2013-12-23 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Maximus nodded, serious and calm.

"Then we will meet there, when we need to. How will you let me know that you need to speak to me?"
celebrityskinned: (Basic - Dat Body)

[personal profile] celebrityskinned 2013-12-23 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
"That? Far as I know, no. Just part of the dream." She picks at her lower lip and grabs a glass apple from the table, taking a bite of it. It tastes like a sugarcube and melts in her mouth. "Probably speaks to my subconscious issues about gender or something. Who knows."

She's heard Kain's complaints before, and they hardly make more impact now than they did then. "Back where I'm from, people were fighting tooth and nail to live this life. You could at least take ten seconds to be grateful."
the_marshal: (wyattUncomfortable)

[personal profile] the_marshal 2013-12-23 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"I'll tell ya," he said. "After all, ain't like there's anythin' strange 'bout us goin' there for a drink.

As often as they went, even after Wyatt had been cuffed, how would they know any one time was different from any of the others?

"If ya get there before me, give my name at the bar, and tell 'em we're lookin' for some privacy."
gluteus: (wait)

[personal profile] gluteus 2013-12-23 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Maximus nodded, and then offered a half smile. "It would be interesting, for the rumours to do us good, for once."

Even if the rumours had ceased being rumours a little while ago.

His lips parted - he wanted to say something more; an apology, perhaps, or a plea; but instead he simply closed them again and nodded once more.

"I will do what you ask, Wyatt." He raised his eyes to meet his, his gaze firm but not unkind. "Anything you ask."
iselldrugstothecommunity: (Confused - Disconcerted)

[personal profile] iselldrugstothecommunity 2013-12-23 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Guy doesn't appear to be moving to get up, which is a good sign. Howard lets go. The floating spots in his eyes are still a nightmare, but he can make out shapes moving somewhere around the edge of the minefield.

Snowflakes fall from the sky. Snowflakes and ash.

"Thanks for leading the monsters right to me," Howard grumbles.
the_marshal: (wyattStare2)

[personal profile] the_marshal 2013-12-23 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
He might have kissed him then, wanting not just to say the words, but to show Max what that - what he - meant to him. Wanted to, would have, had they been anywhere else.

"I know ya would, Max," he said instead, forcing himself to be content with that. "An' I hope ya know I would do the same for you. Anythin' ya need. Whatever I can do--"
sleeplessinalternia: (22 So you think I'm alone)

[personal profile] sleeplessinalternia 2013-12-24 01:13 am (UTC)(link)
He's not entirely sure, but he thinks she's complimenting him? Said coat is the kind of thing she'd probably like, he thinks, since it's definitely garish.

"I'd rather have been mauled by a stripebeast in the arena, anyway," he says, taking a sip of the soda. "They probably aren't cool anymore. Now all the 'hip' Capitol humans will kill people in effigy with those weirdass not-dragons."
alldeduction: (curious look)

[personal profile] alldeduction 2013-12-24 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
Sherlock makes a bit of a face at the idea that he might be normal, and glanced around the room as she mentioned something small.

"I almost wish a murder victim would suddenly appear," He mused lowly as he picked up a strawberry from a nearby table and let it drop to the floor. It went splat and made a nice little red mush puddle on the floor. "Well. Gravity appears to be in effect."
alldeduction: (blue eyes)

[personal profile] alldeduction 2013-12-24 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
A chill runs down his spine and he realises that he cannot admit who it was, not to anyone, because then they would know the truth, the dark part of him that he couldn't contain and had escape.

So he swallows, and says, "I don't know. A killer. A murderer. I will know him when I see him. Go! Let's go!"
formersurgeon: (air conditioner)

[personal profile] formersurgeon 2013-12-24 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
"There's one benefit to having everything in our heads," Joan said, wryly amused. "No clean-up. Otherwise..."

She trailed off, looked to the side, frowned and narrowed her eyes as if listening to a very faint sound.
alldeduction: (science)

[personal profile] alldeduction 2013-12-24 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Otherwise what?" Sherlock asks, still looking down at the strawberry. "I'm sure they would love the footage to prove I have regular temper--" He pulled his eyes up and saw Joan looking far away, but her eye line didn't reveal anything on interest.

"What?" He asked, a little annoyed that she'd managed to tune him out so completely. "What is it?"
formersurgeon: (air conditioner)

[personal profile] formersurgeon 2013-12-24 01:54 am (UTC)(link)
She quickly held up a hand, shook her head sharply, not even hushing him, needing the quiet to concentrate. She moved a finger to his lips, and remained silent, staring intently at nothing.
alldeduction: (dangerous look)

[personal profile] alldeduction 2013-12-24 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
He looked completely incensed to be so dismissed, and it was good evidence of how he valued their friendship that he didn't immediately go into a rant about it and instead managed to just shut up and wait.
dragoon_pride: (think sulk mope angst woe emo)

[personal profile] dragoon_pride 2013-12-24 02:07 am (UTC)(link)
If this reflects their subconscious, Kain realizes he really doesn't want to find out what his might do. When it comes to his own mind, he finds it best just... not to know. At least he's not noticing anything like that happening so far, himself.

"This isn't the life I would choose. I've no concern about the fighting, but the rest of it..." It's not an isolated mountainside or anything else that he's comfortable with. Then there's the part where the fighting isn't even for any meaningful cause. Entertainment? At least Chaos and Cosmos had reasons he could better understand.

Though he has to admit, he's getting hungry despite his determination not to bother. How can that even happen in a dream-state? He knows he'd better just not question it. He glances over the nearby table warily.
saisamour: (i will breathe in and out)

[personal profile] saisamour 2013-12-24 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
If Marius had noted the forthrightness in Enjolras's words he might have reconsidered his timing, but his mind is a cacophony of thought as it is, from Cosette's acceptance to who must be in the guest list to the constant echo of a warning that the Capitol might ruin an otherwise special event.

But he brings Cosette into his thoughts and the chaos subsides considerably, if not entirely. Her charming smile, her gentle voice, the undying light in her eyes...

"You see... Cosette has accepted my proposal to marriage..." Purpose temporarily forgotten, a small, silly smile forms on his face and the distant look of a daydream fills his eyes.
formersurgeon: (investigation)

[personal profile] formersurgeon 2013-12-24 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
It's another moment before she blinks, her eyes widening, and looks back at Sherlock.

"Oh my god," she said, then took a half step closer, lowering her voice.

"I just heard the people in the room with me. Where I'm sleeping. It sounded like my escort and someone else, maybe one of the techs. Something's gone wrong. They can't hear or see us."
deafscythe: (Crack in the vision)

[personal profile] deafscythe 2013-12-24 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
Justin nods, accepting the dream-logic without questioning. The stranger said chase down a murderer, and so that is what Justin will do.

Maybe then the screaming in his ears will stop.
shambler: (139)

[personal profile] shambler 2013-12-24 10:11 am (UTC)(link)
It's what's kept him going despite the rising body count. R bobs his head in a nod, groaning thoughtfully to himself before he realizes it's a little creepy.

"Follow...the light," he repeats, enjoying the way those three words roll off his tongue.

It's a beautiful way to put it, actually. Elegant. Surprisingly elegant. R studies at Guy as he reaches up and idly scrubs the corner of his mouth. People like him are a rare breed. It's usually just roughing it out, living day to day because the void out there is even worse - that or he existence of being a zombie but most sane people don't allow themselves to turn these days. If Guy's from a world where there are no Dead, than what's his idea of "rough", what does he need to fight to follow the light?

"I think it's easy...to forget," R says quietly. "Some days there isn't...any light."

It's something he hasn't talked about too much with, well, anyone. M's seen it before in his eyes when they run out of things to groan to each other. When there was too much blood in their mouths. Too much silence. Now he searches Guy's face, almost hungry for something.
president_evil: (weskerSmile)

[personal profile] president_evil 2013-12-24 10:31 am (UTC)(link)
"Indeed."

His head lifted again, eye disappearing back behind the black glass.

"Be sure you don't forget which you are."
president_evil: (weskerSneer)

[personal profile] president_evil 2013-12-24 11:07 am (UTC)(link)
Albert.

No one called him that anymore. There was no one left to know it, no one left who dared if they did. He was their Chairman, their President, their God unrealized....

Eva... had called him that. In the garden as they'd stood beneath the sun, weighing the uses of good men. The sweet scent of dying flowers - drooping red and white blooms in the elegant glass vase in his quarters.

There were no flowers in this place.

They were back there. Out there.

A cerebral celebration, the mouthpiece had said. He heard the echo again, a whisper inside his head, fighting over the hiss of the virus.

The ruby glow dimmed, faded.

Wesker blinked. Focused.

Straightened, the mandible curling - cracking it folded slowly back between his lips, swallowed down.

The laugh was rough, his throat ragged and burning. As guttural as a growl.

"It would seem... I'm not the only one."
Edited 2013-12-24 11:10 (UTC)
acroodawakening: (065)

[personal profile] acroodawakening 2013-12-24 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's why there's always Tomorrow," Guy said, with a little roll of a shoulder that fell just short in its ambitions of being a shrug.

The subject of his parents was always a sensitive one. It wasn't because he was still sensitive about it, because he'd long since grieved and moved on and was comfortable talking about it now, but sometimes people didn't like to hear about death. That made it a subject Guy didn't just bring up in idle conversation. R was dead, though, and Guy saw that hungry look in his eyes. Guy's natural inclination was to help other people, to give, to feed, to comfort, so he wanted to feed him - provided it wasn't his flesh that he was hungry for.

He settled in his chair a little bit more, looking as if he was going to tell a story.

"The things in my world? All furry, with claws and teeth." He bent his hands as if he was brandishing claws and made a growling noise, doing an impression. "Big, too. Some of them are very big. Then others are small but just as bad. Piranhakeets, for instance? They're teeny tiny, but they fly in a massive flock and they can strip an animal down to its bones in the space of three heartbeats. At night, all you can hear is the growls and the howls as they hunt things down and their prey squealing. Night isn't the only time the animals hunt, though. There's always something hunting, all day every day."

In his world there were real monsters hiding in the dark.

"The arena was a lot like home, actually. The death lizards, hiding in the grass, those were like animals from home. The people even - most of the people in my world are peaceful, but not everyone. It wasn't as bad there as the arena but I've had to kill before."

He'd been leaning forward slightly, his body animated as he'd explained the monsters and now he sat back, one hand idly picking at the leather cord holding his leg wrap on.

"My parents died when I was about seven," he said slowly. "Tar pit. They're the ones that told me to follow the light. They told me not to hide, that I'd make it to Tomorrow."

He didn't tell R about how he thought that meant that Tomorrow was a place until only recently. It didn't matter anyway. He'd still found his Tomorrow even if it was more a state of being than a place.

"I couldn't remember how to make fire at first since my parents were always the ones that did. I had to hide in caves, in little holes the animals were too big to fit in. They'd be - they'd be scratching at the entrance in the dark. Sometimes all I had was the thought that Tomorrow would be better."

Another shrug. "But I was right. It wasn't every tomorrow, but it did get better one tomorrow at a time. I figured out how to make fire and all the little tricks to survive so that it got pretty easy. I found this little sloth who was smart enough to communicate even if he couldn't talk and we became best buds. Sometimes I ran into people and even though none of them wanted an extra mouth to feed, sometimes they taught me things, gave me stories. Then two years ago I met my mate and her family and now I have a daughter. We just wander and see everything and our world is so big and so beautiful that we never get tired of it."

He held up a finger.

"Every day you're still breathing - or, I guess in the case of some people, still awake - that's another chance that tomorrow will be better. Even the bad days still have something - something beautiful. Or comforting."
Edited 2013-12-24 16:46 (UTC)
saveswithsong: (Eve - on stage)

Re: Eliot

[personal profile] saveswithsong 2013-12-24 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
He smiled and laughed a bit. "Indeed they can. It's a pleasure to meet you, Eliot." He curtsied politely and quite gracefully. "I've only just arrived here, but I have to admit that I'm very impressed."
knifewithnoname: (pondering)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2013-12-24 10:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"I do no be thinking you do." She looked at his head, and glared at the people pointing at her.

"Effie did be telling me." She told him, lowering her voice, "Her hairs do no be being hers, she did be buying it, her real hair do be being short and no all coloured."
knifewithnoname: (pondering)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2013-12-24 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
So different kind of magic users, because she knew that in her world at least magic users wouldn't be stupid enough to be caught by bottles and words.

"So did enslaving them be being your job?"
knifewithnoname: (smiles)

[personal profile] knifewithnoname 2013-12-24 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"I did no never be having one before Sandy either, I did no ever be having a friend either." And now she had both, she knew she was lucky.