[closed]

[buildingreality]

WHO| Ariadne and Momoko
WHAT| Momoko is back from the Arena, and Ariadne takes it upon herself to see how she's doing.
WHEN| after the end of Arena 04
WHERE| Momoko's floor
WARNING/NOTES| none right now, will update as necessary.

Ariadne had been watching the Games almost religiously. Not necessarily because she could, but because she didn't really have much of a choice in the matter one way or another; it was either that or get called out as some kind of dissenter. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself, which meant that she had to pay as much attention as possible.

And besides, she wanted to keep an eye on some of the Tributes. She wasn't sure why - she wanted to make sure they were prepared, that they had sponsors, that they were managing to survive - but it became fairly obvious after Momoko actually took herself out of the competition (so to speak) that she needed to do something. It was an obligation of sorts.

She'd headed up to Momoko's room not long after one of the innumerable parties they'd been forced to, charming her way onto another District's floor without too much difficulty at all. Rapping at Momoko's door, she waited.

Comments

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"That's--" Momoko hesitated, trying to process this information. "I don't think that's allowed," she finished finally, weakly.

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The look Ariadne levelled at Momoko suggested that had occurred to her, and that was why she kept it rather under wraps. So far, no one had so much as batted an eye at her, and it wasn't like the Gamemakers themselves didn't have slightly bigger issues to worry about. Namely Eliot. As far as things went, Ariadne ought to have been the least of their concerns.

"Is that really all you have to say?"

[cowardfacinghappiness]

Momoko was not fond of being lectured, especially when she secretly suspected it was necessary, a rare enough occurrence. She scowled at Ariadne without much heat, trying to figure out what else she could say. "I don't understand," she admitted finally, reluctantly. "You've won, you're out, and you're not my District. There's no benefit in trying to help me survive."

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The scowl merely rolled off of Ariadne like water off a duck, the older girl blinking simply in response. "To get you out. You hate it there. You killed yourself to get out," Ariadne pointed out, frowning a little. "I'd have thought if there was a chance you could just get through it all, you'd take it."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"Of course I'd take it," said Momoko, not angry so much as confused at this point. "I'm ...I'm weak, and small, and dull, jumping off the cliff was my way out. What chance did I have to win?" She frowned, her bewilderment making her look more childish than usual. She simply did not comprehend what Ariadne's motives could be. "Why do you want me to win?"

[buildingreality]

"Why not?"

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, standing in a way that might have been awkward for most people; for Ariadne, it was merely another conversation. "I'm small, but I still won. You don't necessarily need to know how to kill to get through everything. Strategy gets you just as far."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"Because," Momoko started, struggling with her words. It was obvious, wasn't it? "Because it doesn't matter, to you, if I win or lose! It doesn't affect you, it doesn't help, it has nothing to do with you. You're out and safe and you should be smart and focus on being a good mentor so they keep you around, not wasting your time on a-a-loser!"

It was a pitiful word for what she meant, but it was true enough and Momoko scowled and turned away. "It's stupid. Nobody here understands anything. Nobody ever understands how it works."

[buildingreality]

She frowned even more at that point, wondering how it was that no one could fathom why anyone would help someone else. It struck her as completely irrational, even if she wasn't the biggest people-person in the world; she still made alliances, and damned if she wouldn't keep them.

"You do know that the alliances people make don't tend to end as soon as the Arena does?" Ariadne tried, "I don't think you understand how this works, either. Or else you just have a certain idea of how it works in your head, whether it's right or wrong, and you just can't let go of it."

So much for tactful.

[cowardfacinghappiness]

She twitched and turned back to Ariadne, glowering. "I did let go of it. I tried helping someone when it didn't help me, because they--" because they mattered, she though but didn't say. "--they helped me when it didn't help them, again and again because she's. Because they're stupid like that. So I went to save her and I almost died and then it didn't matter anyway because I ended up here!"

She breathed heavily for a moment, then stood, trying to regain some semblance of calm. Said out loud like that, her logic didn't make as much sense as it usually did. Whatever their reasons, the Capitol wasn't likely to have kidnapped her because she wanted to save Ichigo.

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Ariadne just tipped her head to one side, completely unable to follow that logic. If she was following Momoko at all, it sounded as though the other girl had been put off anything selfless because it hadn't gone well one time.

"I don't think helping her is what got you here. I don't think there's any relation to that at all," she replied, pursing her lips.

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"I know that," she snapped, pride making her angry at this point more than anything. "Obviously that's not why I'm here." Not unless the Capitol was oddly invested in the relations between various biker girl gangs in Eastern Japan. "It's just...I don't understand why you would want to help me. It's not just that it doesn't help you, it's also dangerous! Who knows what will make them angry."

She looked up at Ariadne, pleading. "You're risking your life for mine. Not just a temporary death in the Arena, a real death, or whatever else they might do if they don't like your scheming. Why?"

[buildingreality]

She was right, at least - it was dangerous. It was impossibly dangerous, if anyone ever caught on to the idea that she wasn't charming sponsors into things for her District's Tributes. She was keeping it quiet so far, though; she was keeping her head down as much as any Victor could.

"Because I don't like what they're doing," Ariadne murmured, voice quiet enough that if they were being watched, they perhaps wouldn't be able to hear the conversation. It might only seem a minor tiff between Tributes. "I'm on the outside, and that puts me in a position to help out people from afar. My Tributes - they're capable; they can take care of themselves. I don't know them. There's a difference, when you've gotten to know some of the people out there, watching them die time and time again, only to be put right back in. I wouldn't have won if it weren't for Don; there's no shame in accepting a little help.

"Just be quiet about it."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

Momoko wanted to rationalize the problem instantly as Ariadne using her to get back at the Capitol in this small rebellion, but that seemed...insulting, to Ariadne somehow, so she is forced to accept that she can't assume that everyone else plans their lives according to the same rules as herself.

She wondered, suddenly, how much farther she might have gotten if she hadn't given up. But there's no point in dwelling--she's done enough of that already--so she pushed the thought aside.

"I can be quiet," she said, eventually, after carefully thinking it over. And then she added, softly, "So. If we're still...allies, even if you're not in the Arena anymore, does that make us friends still too?" She glanced around, feeling the constant itch of cameras, though she couldn't be positive they were being actively watched.

"So long as we're quiet about it."

[buildingreality]

Some of her ire faded when Momoko finally seemed to get it; she wasn't quite smiling yet, but there was a certain softness around her eyes that alluded to it, in a sense. "I don't see why we can't be. There's no rule that suggests a Victor can't be friends with Tributes. Nothing that I've been made aware of, at least."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"If it bothers them, I'm sure they'll think of something," said Momoko, her pessimistic reply more automatic than sincere.

[buildingreality]

That drew a chuckle from her, and Ariadne glanced briefly away, tipping her head in a subtle gesture, "Oh, probably. And we probably won't know until it happens, either. But that's really all the more reason to just be subtle. No one needs to know that it's anything more than an Arena-born friendship."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

She glanced over at Ariadne. It seemed that she was forgiven for wasting Ariadne's efforts, apparently, though it occurred to Momoko to not push her luck. She'd already switched from scoffing at Ariadne caring one whit about Momoko's fate to considering the usefulness of such a powerful ally.

Friend. The word was friend, even now, when Ariadne had so little to gain from such a friendship. "I can do subtle," is all Momoko said. "I'm not...usually the most subtle person, but I can try."

[buildingreality]

"I'm sure you'll be fine," she replied with a mild shrug, knowing full well that if Momoko wasn't subtle, they'd both probably go the way of Tate. Not exactly her idea of a good time. Her expression didn't betray her thoughts, instead remaining mild and casual, as if they were discussing the weather.

"I'm glad we had this chat."

[cowardfacinghappiness]

"It was...," informative, "...a good talk," said Momoko. To her surprise, she meant it. "I'm glad too. And I'll see you around, then."

[buildingreality]

She tucked a loose lock of her hair behind her ear, nodding to herself, hesitating just a moment before turning to leave. There wasn't much more to say to that anyway. But she would definitely be seeing the other girl around.