thecapitol | She Pulls a Razor from Her Boot [Open]

WHO| Penny and open
WHAT| Poisoning pigeons in the park
WHERE| A Capitol park
WHEN| Week 2 of the Arena
WARNINGS| Animal death. Also, she's a sadist torturer.

Penny doesn't see sunlight often. It isn't an avoidance thing; she just works six days a week and tends to have her servants make grocery runs for her when she isn't feeling like subjecting herself to the faces of others. She loathes smalltalk, and truly only enjoys Katurian's company these days. That he hasn't answered her phone today has put her in a foul mood, and she wafts through the park like a wisp of a thunderhead signaling a storm in contrast to the bright lighting.

An Avox, one of her personal servants, carries a bag of birdseed for her. Penny sits on the park bench (the Avox must stand) and picks out one piece at a time, holding a cup of hot coffee with one hand and occasionally meting out dead-eyed stares at passers by. Her gown is too elegant for a simple park visit, even by Capitol standards, and her slippers are perfectly clean, having been brought by the Avox in a purse and substituted for more comfortable footwear.

The first pigeon seizes up six minutes in. It flutters and tries to flap away, only to fall from a height of only a few feet and collapse to the ground. Its feathers puff, it makes little chirping sounds, and it expires. The other pigeons examine it, and then another suffers the same fate. Then another. It's not long before she and the Avox are surrounded by tiny corpses.

Penny smirks and drinks her coffee.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Oh lots of things." Harley rocked on her seat as she considered the question for a moment. "I'd love to be able to play around the arenas in my old costume, I'd adore having more of my friends brought here. But at the moment what I want most of all is to get to know you! Who you are, how you're so fun and pretty. Is killing people your main business or is it just a hobby? You looked super glamorous on TV ya know?"

She babbled and bubbled with glowing praise for Penny, seemingly sincere. Harley was hardly known for holding back her praise when she felt it was deserved.

Penny's about to snap at Harley when she's disarmed by the compliment. She pauses, letting the feeling of irritation and anger wash away.

"Well. Red is my color." She giggles again, and it's like metal shrieking on metal.

Harley's laughter joins and it's like a car accident where both the cars are made of chalkboards and the drivers are cats.

"You got that right! It really brings out your eyes." Harley fluttered her own eyes in her usual over dramatic fashion.

"Have you ever done any interviews? I'd watch a whole reality series based on you."

Penny's smile is almost as grotesque as her frown. She reaches over and tugs at a lock of Harley's hair, feeling it in her fingers.

"Well, you're on television. Could you get me a TV show?"

Harley let a sound somewhere between a squeak and a giggle at the hair tug as she offered a delightfully twisted smile in return.

"Well sure if I knew anyone who produced the stuff. I never see any of the cameras or editors or any of that stuff unless they are doin one on one interviews." She shrugged "but I would if I could! What would you do on your. Very own show?"

"I'm a scientist, you know. I'm a goddess of science. Do you suppose there's a market for that?"

Clearly Penny needs to be the next Bill Nye.

"Oh always. Especially around here." Harley laughed leaning into Penny gently.

"Alot of citizens have these mushy soft brains that can change so easily. One minute they love ya, next minute they hate ya. And short memories too! But maybe a little educational programming is just what they need to feed those pudgy fatty head meats. And being a Goddess of Science you could usher them into your religion exactly how you want them. Just enough to make them interested and hang on your every word, never enough that they could actually ya know...learn."

Because even Harley knew the Capitol wouldn't be in favor of pure educational programming unless the message was controlled.

"Maybe do some neat experiments on TV. Show everyone what you like so much about science. And all the while you can think of just how many sets of eyes are on you while you do it."

"I do like to think of myself as something of a Goddess."

She laps up the praise like the shore taking waves. Like kitten at a bowl. She is captive.

"Yes, I like this idea. I like it very much." She breathes fast and through her nose, a tic she's developed when she's excited. "How will you help me do it?"

It's already a given, of course, that Harley will.

Ah but that was the trick wasn't it?

"Well, I guess in my interviews I could mention you? Perk up public interest. After all they get to watch my other friends in the arena or on the gossip shows all the time. Not knowing as much about you makes you more interesting. You're a mysterious goddess right? So people get interested, your pitch your show idea, of course it'll be amazing."

This was a decidedly interesting set up for Harley. Her inner psychologist was taking furious notes all the while.

"Maybe you and me hang out some . People see you with me and want to know more. After all I'm loud. I get people's attention, then give it to you. Before you know it people are tripping over themselves to just learn your name."

"And you'd be willing to do this for me? What are you gaining out of it, aside from my favor?"

Not that Penny thinks her favor is cheap, but it's clear to her that other people in the Capitol can be blind to that.

She reaches over and childishly tugs on Harley's hair in a painful manner.

Harley's cheeks burned red and she let out a cry followed by a much more appreciative groan. It had been a long time since someone pulled her hair the way she liked it.

"I-it might be fun?" She stammered grinning a twisted smile at Penny with her head tilted from the hair pulling.

Penny's fairly certain no one's ever called her company 'fun'.

"Perhaps." She starts to walk away. The Avox follows like a white-robed shadow. "I'll have to consider it."

Harley let out another squeak and scurried along after Penny, head still tilted as Penny hadn't let go of her blond locks. The sadistic woman was essentially walking Harley like a dog and using her hair instead of a leash.

"T-take your time. I'm easy to find." she joked seemingly undaunted.

"And you're worth the wait aren't you?"

Penny lets go, but not without jerking her wrist for a moment to wrench at Harley's neck.

"Do you even need to ask? I'm insulted that you ask." She shoves Harley away. "Get out of my sight."

Harley looked surprised, then pouted. "It was a rhetorical question sassy pants. Try not to pull the trigger so fast will ya? I like how you're making me squirm and it's no fun if it's over too quickly right?"

"What did you call me?"

Penny goes from hot to cold in a moment. The expression on her face now is pure loathing.

"Don't make me give an order twice, either."

Harley sighed and tucked her hands behind her head rising to her feet.

"Alright alright I'm going. But Sassy isn't a bad word. It's an admirable trait. One of the many you have. And what's wrong with pants?" She wondered out loud.

"See you soon sexy!" She added for good measure sauntering away from the dead birds.

She Pulls a Razor from Her Boot [Open]

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