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.
burnedbrighter: (teenage girl smile)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2013-12-31 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's not come up." She answered casting her appraising gaze over the crowd. "They rarely put in public appearances. They may show up at these little parties but they keep below the radar."

It was safer that way.

"And besides it's hardly necessary."
keep_surviving: (Smirk)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2013-12-31 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't know. It's good to know a little about the people who make the wheels turn, don't you think?"

She flashed Azula a cunning smile from behind the rim of her glass.

"Have you missed me?"
burnedbrighter: (Can you believe this guy?)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-01 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
"Of course." She chuckled like Diana had just told an amusing joke and then in a more earnest tone, "Well considering how much time we spent together, it was nice to have some time to myself that didn't involve fighting for my life...but yes. I missed you. By the end of my first day back I was missing your company. As strange as that sounds."

It sounded strange to Azula at least.
keep_surviving: (Default)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2014-01-01 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Aww, now I'm flattered."

Diana chuckled. "Besties~" She chimed in a childish voice.

"You might get Howie throwing a pouty lip out at that though. Taking his title like that. Sly woman that you are."
burnedbrighter: (half a smirk)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-01 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
Azula chuckled at that little image.

"Oh Howard already dislikes me. He dislikes everyone I'm sure but we sat down and had a little chat so I could determine how useful he would be to you. I'm sure he thinks he came out on top in the discussion." She mused cheerfully.
keep_surviving: (Playful)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2014-01-01 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
"You sat down for a discussion with Howie? And he was willing? You are good." Their were dimples forming her pretty face betraying her amusement.

"And it was about me? Ooo, now I feel very important."

Diana finished her drink and waggled her finger. "Ah, now, sadly I have to tell you Howard knows he doesn't come out ontop with me. My poor Howie How How knows me just a little too well. He might get a good deal, but I get a better one."
Edited 2014-01-01 00:32 (UTC)
burnedbrighter: bitterfire (How about a magic trick?)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-01 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
Azula took a triumphant sip of her drink, "Well he didn't know it was coming till it was too late. He was trapped in social obligations." And she had savored every moment of it.

"He can think what he likes, so long as you come out on top." She reasoned. "He's no doubt working out how best to use our discussion to his advantage. But the gist of it was that I promised so long as he didn't give into his more weasel like instincts and tried to betray you, I would support him as your ally."

Of course that didn't mean Diana wasn't encouraged to abuse the agreement however she pleased.
keep_surviving: (Mock)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2014-01-01 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
"Thankyou mentor." The teen purred, then leant forward and pressed a much more secure kiss than the one from earlier against the womans pale cheek.
burnedbrighter: (half a smirk)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-01 09:32 am (UTC)(link)
Her eyebrow popped with surprise, but the only give away to her actual feelings on the subject was her pale cheek turning a darker pink.

"Was that for stalling your inevitable death? Or something else?" She wondered as she always did when Diana touched her. Diana seemed intent on seducing her even though they had already covered that such an act served little to any purpose.

Could it just be...fun? Was this what fun was like when you weren't crushing someone's spirit?

Curious, curious girl.
keep_surviving: (Hiya)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2014-01-01 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"It was for being a wonderful mentor of course."

She twirled her hair around her finger and winked. "You'd think you might be used to my special way of saying thankyou by now."
Edited 2014-01-01 21:01 (UTC)
burnedbrighter: (teenage girl smile)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-01 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Well she was a wonderful mentor, this was true.

"We're not all as intimate in our affections as you are." She teased. "Which isn't to say it isn't appreciated." She added not wanting to discourage her tribute.

"Whatever it takes to get you motivated."
keep_surviving: (Smirk)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2014-01-01 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Does that mean you like it?" Her lips were curled into that trademark smirk of hers.

Stepping closer again, she continued. "I can keep doing it then?"
burnedbrighter: [info]inksmears (And I thought my jokes were bad.)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-01 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Azula hesitated, not yet willing to commit to liking or disliking it.

It showed a sort of respect for Azula that she so rarely got. Yes Diana was doing it mostly for her own personal gain...but it also meant Diana was aware of the power Azula had and was willing to not only hide behind it, but to praise it.

"I suppose so." After all she had been concerned that the public would lose respect for her if they saw her allowing a tribute to get that close to her. But no one even mentioned it outside of petty gossip. And that was bound to happen anyway.
keep_surviving: (User)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] keep_surviving 2014-01-16 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"And now I'm ecstatic." Diana crooned in the same tone she'd been using for the whole conversation, which was very clearly not ecstatic but playful.

And with that comment she stole a peck of her mentors lips before turning to take full advantage of this mental time-limited buffet.
burnedbrighter: (cherry pucker)

Re: Azula / OTA

[personal profile] burnedbrighter 2014-01-16 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Azula's eyes snapped wide at the sudden smooch and when Diana turned away her muscles unclenched and slowly she sank back a little.

It was not unexpected...not completely given how much intimacy Diana was pushing. But it still surprised Azula in that moment. Somewhere she was intimately aware that a camera had probably gotten a video of that and she'd be on the gossip news run later.

With a sigh she snatched another drink from a passing member of the staff and downed it to try and bury her concerns. This was her night! Everything was supposed to go perfectly and so she would take this too in stride.

After all it had felt...pleasant.