The Crowning of Mindy McReady

[etcircenses]

Who| Everyone who's anyone.
What| The Crowning.
Where| A warehouse on the edge of town.
When| Starting from early evening till late into the night.
Warnings/Notes| Be sure to check the linked thread for plot purposes, even if you don't tag into it.

The party is brightly colored.

The theme, subtly, is super heroes. Boldly paints city scapes are splattered across the walls, and hallways are made to look like dingy, potentially crime ridden alleys. From the upper walkways of the warehouse, party goers can get hooked into harnesses and swing out over the dance floor. Above them, tributes and VIPS can find themselves on a clear plastic dance floor levitated above everything, looking like they're hanging in air.

Masks are passed out in plenty, and capes are easy to find, while brightly colored drinks themed around super powers are plentiful. None of them actually work, but many of the Capitol people are happy to pretend, mocking super strength or invisibility with each new beverage.

Under the dance floor a catacomb of tunnels and rooms full of obstacles is splashed with black light receptive colors. Party goers are given vests and laser guns, marked green for villains and red for heros, and set loose to hunt each other in the laser tags playground. The screens in the dance floor keep a running tally of which side is winning, displaying the players on the screens around the room, along with clips from the arenas.

About half way through the night, everyone is gathered to the main stage for a special announcement.

Comments

[gardienne]

Eponine, in return, caught Orc and hugged against his gravelly body. She loved that look of adoration he gave her, and she would do anything to keep it there, keep him focused on just her. She was quite determined to somehow keep Orc loving her for as long as she could.

"Come. We'll find food then." She could see that Orc would rather do that than run around. She couldn't be bothered running and being shot at, anyway. She was fairly sure that over-enthusiastic Capitolites would be far too eager to target her.

"What shall we eat, Charles?"

[paidinbeer]

He couldn't visibly blush but by now she could probably recognize when he was flustered and appreciating her affection. Glancing at the crowd eating he considered the options.

"Have you ever had burritos?" He pointed to a table where they were laying meat and various vegetables on tortillas and wrapping them. Made to order.

[gardienne]

She shook her head. Eponine stuck to the same things, time in and time out, when she came back to life. She ate lots and lots of ice cream and chocolate, and sausages and mash, her favourite things. But she had tried bits of Howard's favourite junk food - pizza and the like, and bits of other offerings. But never burritos.

She took Orc's hand, and pulled him over. "Say that word again. It's funny! How is it you make them? Is it like a sandwich?"

[paidinbeer]

"Burrito." He chuckled at the fact that she liked it.

"Yeah it's like a sandwhich, but see they wrap it up like a tube. That way the sauce doesn't leak out." He wondered briefly if it was racist of him to want to eat a burrito while dressed like a Mexican wrestler. This thought was abandoned when he realized he could not remember the last time he saw a Mexican guy in the capitol.

[gardienne]

"Burrrrrito." Eponine rolled her 'R' and giggled. "It is the sound that you make when you're cold."

She studied the tortilla, and touched the one on the top of the pile. She got her hand slapped away by the Avox serving them, and a rueful glare, but she simply rolled her eyes.

"And you put sauce on them? Like the tomato one that Howard eats?"

[paidinbeer]

Orc glared at the Avox and growled "Hit her again and I'll throw you."

If that phased the Avox was yet to be seen.

"It's not tomato I don't think...but there's Salsa." He pointed at a bowl of red sauce with bits of tomato chunks in it."

"That's like...spicy tomato sauce I guess." He shrugged.

"You can have it regular or spicy." He explained and ordered a steak burrito, spicy with extra cheese.

[gardienne]

"Don't." Eponine didn't want Orc getting in trouble over her. "Come. He didn't hurt me, Charles. It is not worth it." But still, it made her feel really warm inside, and perhaps a little bit rotten, that he would defend her so. She clung onto his arm extra tight, to show his gratitude, and she watched with wide eyes as the burrito was made.

She ordered exactly the same as he had, quite at a loss of what else to choose, and she grabbed eagerly for her wrap once it was done.

"Now, you eat it first. Tell me what it's like."

[paidinbeer]

He needed no further prompting, taking up the burrito carefully in his thick stone fingers and biting into it with gusto. It was warm and thick with meat and the zesty spice was just the right line between burning and flavorful.

Chewing he nodded eagerly and swallowed "Great. If it's too spicy for you though you'll wanna drink some milk." He barely had to glance at the Avox before a glass of milk was provided.

"My mom taught me milk makes spicy things stop burning your tongue."

[gardienne]

Eponine looked doubtfully at the greasy roll in her hands . She was fairly certain that she'd pay for eating it later: her stomach was still not used to the rich foods of the Capitol, but seeing Orc's obvious enjoyment, she decided she didn't care. Rather, she took a huge bite of the gooey, spicy mess, getting sauce all around her mouth.

The spice took her by surprise and she coughed, but she was determined to swallow.
She took a second, smaller bite, and this time, now that she knew what to expect , could savor the taste.

"I like it, Charles." She spoke even as bits of burrito made her cheeks bulge.

[paidinbeer]

His childish smile spread over his rough stone features and he took another triumphant bite.

"S'good right?" He agreed after he swallowed. "Easy to make and full of good stuff." Maybe he could convince the cooks to make a biscuits and gravy burrito like they had at Carl's Jr.

And for a moment as Orc took another bite he is struck but just how long ago it was he had eaten at a Carl's Jr.

[gardienne]

"Yeah." She bit in again, and spoke around her mouthful of food.

"You know Monsieur Carlos is teaching me to cook? Just porridge and soup, Charles, but proper cooking, you know?"

[paidinbeer]

"Really? That's cool!" Cooking was a valuable skill and Orc as well as everyone around him had come to appreciate any kid who had even the most rudimentary of cooking skills back home.

"Have you done it alot? Can I try something you cook sometime?"

[gardienne]

"You want me to cook for you?" Eponine looked doubtfully at Orc. "It ain't nothing fancy you know? Not like the food from the kitchens. Just porridge and soup. But I know how to use a mico-wave now. Monsieur Carlos has been teaching me."

[paidinbeer]

"Only if you want to." Orc continued smiling warmly and gave a nod. "Stuff doesn't have to be fancy all the time. Sometimes you want a steak and sometimes you want a cheeseburger." He paused. "And sometimes you just want soup." He added making an adjustment to the quote.

"All I know how to cook is with the microwave. But there isn't much need to around here."

[gardienne]

"There are no microwaves where I am from, you know? Even, for me, there is no switch for a light, only candles. But I'll cook for you." She answered shyly. Eponine was quite worried, though. She didn't want Orc to hate her cooking.

[paidinbeer]

Orc dearly hoped that Eponine would never have to return to such a horrible world without microwaves or light switches. God forbid she live in a world without television. He had missed it so much during his time in the FAYZ and missed it even now in the arenas.

With another craggy smile he leaned in to kiss the top of her head as lightly as he could.

"Whenever you're ready then. Just tell me where to go and I'll be there."

[gardienne]

Eponine caught his arm, pulling so that Orc would have to stoop to her level so she could kiss his lips.

"I'll do it proper for you. Candles and a table and things. Not just in the kitchen. Proper. Monsieur Carlos will help me, I am sure. I will show you how the rich people had their banquets, though it will be a pauper's feast for us. I don't know how to roast a pig, and they always had that on the table. But I looked in the windows, I remember how it was, and I'll do it for you. Soon."

[paidinbeer]

He grinned exposing his teeth like little tombstones.

"You are the best girlfriend." He declared proudly. Because food was the best gift wasn't it?

"Is there anything you'd like me to bring? Or something I can do for you?" He asked politely trying to remind himself he still needed to earn her affection when she gave it so willingly.

[gardienne]

She beamed at his praise. She loved it when he did that. But she shook her head to his question.

"NO! No, why should you? It is for me to spoil you, to make up for turning you to a zombie... and for that dog as well. I must find it, you know? I do not know where she is."

She didn't seem too worried. Eponine was too selfish to care about the dog properly.

[paidinbeer]

Orc didn't seem to be bothered. "Dogs are sturdy, and this place is busy but it's not dangerous for the people who aren't tributes."

"OK, we'll take turns. You spoil me, then I'll spoil you." He chuckled in a rumbling growling sort of way.

"You deserve to be spoiled. You're my Princess Eponine."