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

i am so sorry for this idiot

[capitolprivilege]

The mention of family also served to quiet Stephen. Family, and family sticking together, was one of the most important values a Reagan held. His own father had died not so long ago, but at least Stephen had been a young adult then. Growing up missing half of your family and never knowing why, it -- it was moving.

"That," he said, "is one of the saddest things I have ever heard."

He ran a hand over his face, composing himself -- oh, but that poor little girl! -- and met Guy's eyes. "I think I can manage that," said Stephen, nodding. Stephen was still engaging with this on a comparatively superficial level, feeling the pathos like someone would feel for tragedy hitting a celebrity, but it was deeper than his usual unthinking cheer.

Re: i am so sorry for this idiot

[acroodawakening]

Why did even their sympathy have to be dramatic? What was wrong with these people?

Still, it was better than nothing. He didn't really expect most of them to know how to actually empathize - most of them were too false for that. Made out of empty things from birth. Hollow sympathy was probably the most some of them could manage.

That was why sometimes all he could do was pity them. At least, during the times he wasn't learning how to hate because of them, having it burn in his chest until it felt like fissures would open up and spill it out to scorch the earth bare of all life.

"I guess that's the most I can ask for."

[capitolprivilege]

"Actually," replied Stephen, brightening, "it isn't. That's not all I can do for you. Remember, your mentors and I help guide how the Capitol sees you. Is there anything about your image you're discontent with? Anything you'd like to change?"

Normally, Stephen would ask if Guy would rather enjoy the party than talk business, but since Guy apparently didn't enjoy anything, Stephen figured he might as well bring this up.

[acroodawakening]

He enjoyed plenty of things! They just mostly involved a different setting and/or different company.

Guy thought about it for a minute.

"I know four languages and even more dialects, even if none of them are used here. I may have possibly invented shoes - I'm pretty sure I invented stilts, and if I'd grown up in a world like this one, being able to learn about all the science and everything, I probably would be working in a job where people invent and build new things."

His brows furrowed. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm smart. The only difference between people like the ones here and people like me is you all have years and years of knowledge passed down and people in my time are figuring some of it out the very first time. They treat me like I'm this stupid, backwards, noble...creature sometimes. And I'm tired of it."

[capitolprivilege]

"I didn't know that," said Stephen, boggling a little at how smart Guy apparently was.

You learned something new every day, didn't you?

"Wow. Okay, I can work with that. Selling you as a genius? Can do." A thoughtful cast came over Stephen's face. "But that means that in the Arena, you need to play that up. Use your surroundings, set traps, get creative. Show the audience you're as clever as you say you are. If you can do that, I'll make that everyone in the Capitol knows it."

[acroodawakening]

"I have been doing that. The first person I even met in the arena was someone I trapped."

So it was already there, but the Capitol spin had gone off in its own direction, especially since Guy had no experience with working on anything resembling PR. Now attention had to be called to it to maybe turn that around.

"So it's already there. I'd just need help making that the focus."

He gestured to his clothes.

"Also, I want more clothes. I don't like wearing a lot of clothes because I'm not used to them, but at these parties they keep trying to put me in hardly anything. When I'm just going out for the day, they let me have more freedom, where I can wear some pants and boots and a wool wrap or something. I don't care what they have me in but at parties, I'm tired of this just-a-loincloth stuff. It's embarrassing."

It went hand in hand with them making him out to be wilder than he was.

[capitolprivilege]

...remembrance was visible on Stephen's face as all the times Guy had been clever resurfaced in his mind.

How had he missed all of that? he wondered. It just went to show how powerful a public image was: it really did color how people perceived you.

"Done," Stephen said. "I'll talk with your stylists. Once I tell them about the new direction your image is taking, a more -- ah -- substantial wardrobe will naturally follow." It was a pity, Stephen thought: Guy had the body to pull off that sort of thing, and if Stephen looked that good in a loincloth, he wouldn't be complaining. But, well, it was what Guy wanted, and that was that.

[acroodawakening]

The irritation of earlier had faded somewhat.

Okay, so maybe he was one of them and not in the way that people like Cinna were one of them, which was to say, one of them on the outside, but a normal person on the inside.

But there were some grains of goodness there, and it almost seemed as if he took pride in doing things that might make Guy's life easier.

It made it so complicated. He didn't understand why, if someone could manage kindness or sympathy, they could only seem to make it partway to being decent.

"Thank you," he said softly, though his brow was still furrowed slightly with thoughtfulness.

[capitolprivilege]

And Stephen, being an easygoing sort, held no grudge whatsoever about it. His cheer was back in full force.

"Just doing my job," he said with a smile and a wave of his hand. "If you have any other requests, please feel free to bring them to me. I'm staying in the District 6 rooms, so I won't be hard to find. If you need help with anything, I -- well, I can't promise miracles, but I do pull a little bit of weight here," he added with a conspiratorial lowering of his voice and glance around the room.

[acroodawakening]

It always came back to the self-importance and wanting to feel special, didn't it? Some people liked to be the Tributes' special friends.

But Guy was going with his gut here. There seemed to be some potential goodness in this guy - maybe something at least a little real.

There were ways to prod at that to make it come out, ways that wouldn't necessarily get him in trouble. And it wouldn't hurt to have someone from the Capitol on his side. There was so much to navigate and there were times he felt overwhelmed, even with the help of his friends and fellow Tributes.

So he tried to let the bitterness and resentment go, pretended it was draining out with his breath and down through his toes.

"Why don't we try this over? I'm Guy." He held out a hand. "This is how people say hello here, right? The hand-clasping thing?"

[capitolprivilege]

Oh, it wasn't even that at all. Stephen wasn't in friendships with Tributes for the prestige -- he had plenty of that thanks to his circumstances, which were privileged even by Capitol standards. He was being completely honest: as a Reagan, Stephen had connections. He had a brother in the presidential cabinet, for crying out loud.

But, well, friendliness from Guy was all Stephen had really wanted for the moment. He took Guy's hand. "It's good to meet you," said Stephen, playing along with the clean-slate act. "I'm Stephen, and I'm looking forward to working with you. And yes," he added, after a moment, trying not to think about how quaint it was that Guy called it a hand-clasping thing, "handshakes are used for formal hellos, formal goodbyes, and deals or agreements."

[acroodawakening]

His hand was as leathery as it looked, worn down by by a lifetime of tool use and occasional rough living.

"See, these are the things I need to know. All your little unspoken rules that have to do with dealing with other people are entirely different."

And navigating them successfully might mean the difference between life and death.

[capitolprivilege]

"I'll do my best to catch you up," said Stephen. "I'm -- not sure I can list things like that off the top of my head, since they come so naturally to me, but I'll keep it in mind, and if I think of something it might be useful for you to know, I'll mention it."

And he would also try very, very hard not to be condescending about it.

"You've probably picked up a lot of them already, since you're smart and you've been here a little while. But was there anything specific you were wondering about? Anything we do that's still confusing?"

[acroodawakening]

Immediately he had a questions.

"The wigs. Why? They look like dead animals."

[capitolprivilege]

Oh. Oh, no. Stephen couldn't resist. He just couldn't.

"They're supposed to," he replied, suppressing a grin. "A long time ago, our women would hunt and kill animals, treat them with chemicals, then wear them on their heads as trophies. The bigger the beast, the stronger the woman, which is of course desirable. We don't do that anymore, of course, but we still find it very attractive when a woman has a large, dead animal on her head." As he talked, the grin became harder and harder to hold back.

[acroodawakening]

"That makes sense," said Guy, scratching his head because it totally made sense. That was why he painted himself with stripes. Because he'd almost got eaten by a stripey thing but then he killed it instead. The stripes advertised that.

"False advertising now, though."

He really didn't think many of the men or women in the Capitol would stand a chance against dangerous animals now.

[capitolprivilege]

Oh, no! Guy believed him! This was terrible: Guy hadn't been supposed to believe that!

Stephen buried his face in one hand, and his shoulders started shaking. He couldn't in good conscience leave Guy believing that -- that would be a cruel way to take advantage of Guy's unfamiliarity with Capitol culture. He had better clear this up.

"I'm sorry -- I'm sorry, that wasn't true. That was all a lie. A very big lie. A lie so big Effie could kill it and wear it as a wig. I was kidding," he said, laughing into his hand.

[acroodawakening]

Now Guy just rolled his eyes at him and then gave him a very linefaced look. It wasn't as fun to be fooled by Stephen as it was to be fooled by, say, Hawkeye, who often messed with him about what kind of things he had back in his world.

The difference was Hawkeye was always just silly but the Capitol had dragged Guy here against his will and understanding them could mean the difference between life and death and his ignorance was being taken advantage of, as if he was supposed to innately understand why they did the ridiculous things they did.

"For that, I'm going to lie constantly about stuff from my world, but also sometimes tell the truth and you're never going to know the difference until I clear it up."

He crossed his arms.

"Besides, the animal thing makes more sense anyway. If they think it looks good..."

He cringed slightly.

[capitolprivilege]

"I am sorry," replied Stephen, and meant it. "I promise, I'll tell you nothing but the truth from now on. I also promise to take everything you say about your world at face value," he went on, solemnly placing a hand on his heart, "and to believe every ridiculous lie you tell me about it." He meant for this to be a little funny -- poking fun at himself, giving Guy the opportunity to make him look silly, to put Guy at ease.

[acroodawakening]

It helped a little bit. Just a little bit.

His arms still crossed, he stood there rocking on his heels slightly as if trying to decide if Stephen deserved his forgiveness.

Then the corners of his lips curved just slightly, and he said, "They are going to be some very ridiculous lies. Yet very convincing. You won't have to pretend to believe them, they'll be so good that you actually do."

[capitolprivilege]

The answering smile from Stephen was positively radiant. "Okay," he said, relieved and delighted that his gaffe hadn't permanently damaged his working relationship with Guy. "Just so you know, the real reason they wear the wigs is that they would style their own hair like that if they could, but it's too much trouble to put up and take down. Wigs are easier." There, that was the honest truth.

[acroodawakening]

"There now, was it so hard to admit they just don't have any idea what looks good?"

He laughed a little bit and gestured to his own hair.

"They need more seashells. Of course if I were to suggest that to anyone they'd probably pick up every single one they find on a beach and go a little crazy with it but still. Seashells. Just watch, it'll be the next big thing."

[capitolprivilege]

Stephen gave Guy a sideways, amused look. "I think that was culturally insensitive," he teased. "But if the seashells are really something you want to see, if you suggest it, I'd be very surprised if it didn't catch on." He raised an eyebrow. "You Tributes may be short on political or legal power, but you've got a hundred times the social clout of an ordinary Capitol citizen. If you tried, you could probably start just about any trend you can think of."

[acroodawakening]

"Oh, don't you talk to me about culturally insensitive," he said, giving him an incredulous look, yet still looking more amused than annoyed. "These are the same people that ask me if I dragged my mate by the hair when I met her. And there's this."

He held the club aloft and wobbled it in his hands.

"If they like us so much, why do they like watching us in pain?" he asked, but now he wasn't annoyed like earler. Now his voice was soft and questioning. "I don't like watching people in pain."

[capitolprivilege]

Once again, Stephen felt the cold, sinking feeling of sobriety. There was no need to put it in those terms, he thought, but didn't say. Instead, Stephen took a deep breath, to stall for time, and when his thoughts were in order, he finally replied, "It isn't about the pain, Guy. It's about accomplishment. You do things in that arena that we all know we never could, and we admire that."