Living inside the shell

[hit_girl_mindy]

Who| Mindy, open
What| The victor returns to the Capitol.
Where| Various Places
When| After being patched up
Warnings/Notes| Mindy, so foul language and descriptions of violence.


After the last few weeks, it was a breath of fresh air to be back in the Capitol. It was not something she would have easily admitted to herself, but at least here there was a sense of ease, knowing that she didn't have to be watching her back for death.

Mostly.

It was strange too. She almost felt alien, coming back here with the win. Death had at least made her an equal: now she was an object, to be striven for or hated or stared at or asked questions to. The crowing would come soon enough, she knew that, and what a pain that would be. Words to say,things to plan, and really, all she wanted was to make sure all her friends were all right. certain ones would hare her now, of course, but that was expected. She had, after all, let the games' nature affect her.

She was more than happy to be restored though: all the bleeding and the aching had taken a toll on her, and she was ready for aching she at least only inflicted on herself. There were several ways of going through with this.

1. The Training room. It was always Mindy's "go to" place, and even now there was no reason not to go. She was aware of the stares and the whispers, but she ignored these: after all, she'd come here last time after her defeat, why should her victory be any different? Mindy is hard at work on the treadmill, looking to see if she can increase her speed. There was a lot to think about, and this was the perfect way to NOT have to do that right now. Cut everyone out, hear some mindless music, run like the wind. Easy.

2. Eventually though, there's a place she needed to go: over to District 12, at the top tower to see Sandy. She hated, more than anything, to apologize or even explain herself unnecessarily but in this case it was needed. Sandy wasn't just some girl to her: she was one of the first friends she made, and after what she'd done, she needed to at least talk to her about it. The girl might not listen or care, but Mindy still needed to explain herself. She might run into anyone in District 12 though.

3. In her own tower, she made the unwise choice of attempting to sleep. After that, she thought a mushroom trip might have been more peaceful. Now she just had visions of the worse things in the Arena: beheading, throat slitting, bombs going off, and all of the dead looking at her as if she were the cause. It was pretty gory, and Mindy had awoken wide eyed and breathing hard. So anyone in the Tribute tower, especially in her District, can see the girl sitting in the room now, oversized shirt on, watching a replay of the games, almost glassy eyed.

Comments

[justoutrunyou]

Once upon a time Sandy would have done anything she could to avoid thinking about her deaths. The often reprinted walls and ceiling of her room where in their own way a place to pour out her feelings on current events so that they would stop rattling around in her head.

But the choice she had made to hang her souvenir mask on the wall was apparently her accepting that she couldn't bury everything in paint fumes and ice cream.

Still she couldn't be blamed for trying. Today's art project involved her painting each of the masks she'd worn in the arena. Five in all. But with a replica of the fifth and final mask already hanging over her closet she only needed the four.

She was working on number three when an Avox silently directed Mindy to her room. She glanced over her shoulder presuming the sound of her door opening meant Pruna or Effie were dropping in, maybe even Katniss or Peeta.

Her stomach turned to ice and her face fell when the ghost of her most recent nightmares stood in the door way. Suddenly she wished to be wearing anything but her "stylish" painting smock and bandanna. Something that would make her feel strong.

No greeting, just confused staring mixed with paralyzingly fear that was still as clear in her eyes as headlights on a car at night.

Of course she'd seen Mindy win. But she hadn't expected to see her again till the crowning. And even then she probably wasn't going to speak to her.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy coughed uncomfortably, walking into the room. This really sucked, and already she was hating this part of being friends with someone: inevitably, there was always some drama started, and someone wasn't speaking to someone else. In this case, of course, this was on her. If there was anything that stuck in her mind and replayed over and over, especially on the helicopter ride back, it was Sandy's cries for her to stop fighting with Pruna, demanding to know why she was doing this, yelling at her that she was just like what the games were trying to make her.

This replayed in her head for obvious reasons.

"You look good," Mindy said quietly. "Well adjusted. And..." she looked over at the paintings, "...coping well. I mean that."

She looked down at her shoes. "Can we talk?"

[justoutrunyou]

She just scoffed at the idea she was well adjusted. Could any of them make that claim without hating themselves anymore?

After a long pause she grunted and gave a nod, still not trusting herself to say any actual words. Because what would have come our would have been very rude and angry, or pathetic and miserable. either way she didn't want the constant cameras to spot it.

So she resumed painting and waited for Mindy to speak her piece. The dragon mask she was currently painting was red and white and cold while it loomed over a skyline of New York looking fierce and angry.

3

[revvinguptheharley]

Harley came shuffling in at an ungodly hour dressed like she'd made a dress out of grass and flowers. The flowers were mostly around her breasts and seemed to bloom and close up in slow gentle measured time. She sported a glittering folder hat clearly intended to be a sun.

Spotting the haunted figure on the sofa she plucked a white tulip from her breast and dangled it within the girls line of sight just in time to block the sight of another messy haired little girl curled up in the bathroom of the museum sobbing in one of the stalls.

Re: 3

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked up, barely. There was still so much to take in, so many motivations she wanted to follow, and though it would have made more sense for her NOT to be looking at things that had started the nightmares, Mindy seldom did the healthier option.

"Heya, Harley," she greeted, trying to look over and see who was the girl sobbing in the bathroom.

Re: 3

[revvinguptheharley]

It was Sandy. Of course it was Sandy, why wouldn't it be Sandy? The Initiate was wearing a mask and standing just outside the stall. Whatever he was doing had her scared out of her mind.

"Heya kiddo. What's the champ doing up so late?" She wondered leaning over the sofa to watch the screen with Mindy.

3

[onlyimmune]

It was impossible not to hear the news. It flooded everything, was being shown everywhere. Ellie found herself avoiding looking at the screens when it played - she didn't like to see Mindy so hurt and she didn't like to watch the girl fighting, and killing, for her life.

But as soon as she heard that she was back, safe and sound in her own district, Ellie made a beeline straight there.

She paused when she caught sight of her.

"... Mindy?" She asked quietly.

Re: 3

[hit_girl_mindy]

That was a welcomed voice. Mindy looked up, managing a weak smile. Whatever had happened to her, she still thought that Ellie had it worse, and was even more fucking pissed that the guy that iced her was nowhere to be found. Apparently he was gone for good.

"I'm surprise you're here," she said. "I did kinda kill off some of your friends...ooh. And some of mine."

But it was good to see her, well and, strangely, concerned for her.

[onlyimmune]

Ellie frowned, putting her hands on her hips and looking at the floor.

"... Yeah, I know." She said heavily. "But I always knew you were in it to win it, Mindy." She raised her eyes again, to look at her friend.

"The arena just sucks, okay? There's no way to... to get out of that. It sucks, for everyone. At least you weren't fucking torturing people." She let out a breath, and a tight nod. "And now you're out."

[deafscythe]

Mindy might be running, but Justin is preparing. Justin Law stands, holding a gun, taking careful aim at a target. One, two, three shots, all go slightly wide. But he'll keep practicing. Practicing until he can shoot without any hesitation in his aim. It's a skill he lacks, and this last arena made him aware of it.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked over, and saw Justin. Wow. Awkward. She had kind of shot his legs and then blown him up. What exactly did you say you someone like that?

Answer? Nothing. Instead, Mindy picked up a gun and mimicked him. She was actually VERY fast, much faster than most adults. She had, after all, been doing this for a long time, and had before their current Arena.

[deafscythe]

She's faster, a far better shot than Justin will ever be. He stops to reload, or could reload, but he sets the gun down, and turns to face Mindy. He'll wait for her to speak first.

1

[halfa_hero]

Danny was current wailing away on a training dummy with a sword. Wailing was probably the wrong word for it, as it looked like he actually knew how to use the blade properly.

Of course, he never actually planned on using it on anyone in the arena. Even if forced to fight, swords were a pretty final way of dealing with someone, and his death by Pruna's hands hadn't convinced to give up on his refusal to kill anyone. But he had to take his frustrations with Panem out on something, and the dummy wouldn't die no matter how much he hacked at it.

Re: 1

[hit_girl_mindy]

"Seem pretty angry," Mindy said, looking him over. She'd noticed him, but kept her distance for the moment, content to seeing how much he was pushing himself. Danny had apparently not gotten the best encounter in the games.

"You handle the sword pretty well though. You just as good with a knife, I bet?"

Re: 1

[halfa_hero]

"Is that a serious question or a really bad joke?"

Danny really didn't have patience for anyone doing the latter.

1;

[iphigeneia]

Felicity had never used the exercise equipment before. Her only experience with such things was from the bicycle she'd learned to ride back at Spence. But it didn't look too difficult to master, even if she still look mildly out of place in the formfitting attire which her stylist had assured her was completely appropriate for physical activity.

She scarcely noticed Mindy as she entered the room, approaching the nearest available treadmill and stepping onto it without hesitation. She had no idea how to turn it on, however, and after a prolongated minute or two spent fiddling with the controls, she let out a frustrated cry. "Damn this machine!"

Re: 1;

[hit_girl_mindy]

This gave Mindy pause. Now normally, someone gets there, they start doing their thing pretty quickly and maybe, MAYBE some conversation comes from it. This seemed like there was specifically something barring the girl from doing what she needed to do.

She walked over, looking at the controls. "You have to turn it on, then choose a preset for it. Let me guess: you're probably new to this kind of shit, huh?"

[wantwhatiwant]

"Seems congratulations are in order." Ian is in the training room, even though his good intentions of not spending this gap drinking and partying had gone out the window the moment he had woken up, didn't mean that he wasn't putting a bit more effort into training.

He smiled when he saw Mindy on the treadmill. He hadn't been watching the games, and so he had been surprised when the winner had been announced. But relieved, it meant she was out. She didn't need to go back in there again.

Kevin's words about how being a Victor was just as shit rang in his ears. But it's a start.

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked up, grinning a little when she saw the guy. It had been awhile since the time she'd seen the boy, and she was at least happy to see he wasn't drowning his sorrows in excess...yet.

"Yeah, my conscience isn't really letting me have that fun yet," she said. "Had to ill more than my fair share of people, which I might have felt all right about if they were at least shitheads. No such luck. So how did you bite it?"

[gardienne]

For a while, Eponine simply watches Mindy. She's sat cross-legged on a pile of mats, not attempting to work out at all. She's not actually doing anything. In fact, Eponine looks like she's just woken up.

After a while of watching, though, she clambers down and approaches Mindy on her treadmill. She stands just to the side with her shoulders hunched, and her arms folded tight across her stomach.

"Mademoiselle?' She asks, quietly at first, though she repeats the word louder after a moment. "Mademoiselle? Why do you run? You have won, you know? You do not have to fight again."

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked over at the speaker. Oh right, she remembered her from the last crowning. Now she had a sinking feeling, of course. SHE would be the focal point of that now.

"Hate to break it to you, but some of us have fight in our blood. The real fight is never really over that way for us. Besides, I like to stay fit, sharp. I'm going to be a mentor, so I'll be helping adults too. Gotta work twice as hard to prove myself."

3

[acroodawakening]

He hadn't realized she was back at first because he hadn't been watching the games. He was never going to be something that felt the urge to watch. Maybe if he was desperate to find out what happened to someone he cared about but when that would always bad what was the point of watching it happen?

By the time he heard the news, it was late and he wandered up to her District's common not knowing if she'd be awake, but there she was. The baggy shirt made her look strangely small and the glassy eyes were disturbing to see.

That was why he picked up the thingy he knew turned the TVs on and off and slammed enough buttons at once to turn it off.

"Yeah, that's probably not the best thing to watch before bedtime."

Re: 3

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy looked over, and had to smile. She was actually wondering when he would show up. She had been pretty upset when she saw him on screen as one of the dead, but of course she had her whole 'not dying' thing to deal with. But it was at least goo to see him again.

"You only need to press one button Guy," she said, amused. "Call it...well fuck I don't know. reminiscing? Most might say self destructive, but I need to see it again. I owe them that much."

1 - Training Center

[emptytrousers]

In the days since his own death, Kili has found it entirely impossible to completely avoid the Games, or any conversation about them. Not even drowning himself in beer has been able to wipe it from his mind. Holding a bow, he hopes, will at least be more comforting than another night ending in his bathroom. However, as soon as he steps into the room, he recognizes Mindy instantly. She'd be relatively hard to miss even if she didn't kill him, he supposes, much like him. After all, she and Ellie are two of the most easily recognizable tributes with their age.

He freezes for a moment, the unbraided side of his hair swaying with his halt, watching her run before turning away and heading for the weapons stand. Once he reaches it, however, he can't bring himself to touch it, not with Mindy in the room. His heart quickens in his throat as he thinks back to that moment, when she asked him how he wanted to be remembered. All of this was supposed to make him look more intimidating, the braids, the clothing, but when he looks at her, he still feels like he's stuck at the crossroads. She made her decision, pressed forward with it, and he can't seem to get his act together enough to even comprehend all of the options. Part of him just wants to be decided and done with it, but every time he thinks he's done so, he sees another friend or gets himself lost in a pint of ale.

So, he steps back from the weapons stand to glance back her way.

Re: 1 - Training Center

[hit_girl_mindy]

Mindy heard someone enter the room, but so far she wasn't approached, so she didn't look up yet. She was fast, but of course there was always room for improvement so off she went, moving faster. After a little bit though, she could feel sense how erratic the footsteps were, and this finally through her off enough that she finally stopped running to look over and tell the person to make up their mind, whether they wanted to stay or go.

Once she was who it was, that pretty much killed whatever she was going to say. Well shit. Wasn't this a nice bag of awkward? Mindy stared him down though: if she was going to come across everyone she killed in the Games, she might as well address him.

"Not really sure what to say to a killer? Start with 'you evil pint sized bitch.' if you need to, and we can go from there."