thecapitol | Thicker Than Blood Start

Thicker Than Blood Start

For Tributes with keen eyes, they'll notice that Peacekeeper presence seems increased and yet infinitely more ineffective in the last few weeks. Peacekeepers seem harried, as do the Stylists, and most of the Escorts titter and plot without alerting the Tributes as to what, exactly, is so exciting. They simply say that this weekend they'll know.

And so it happens that on the weekend in question, the Tributes are woken by their Escorts early and brought to a restaurant for a hearty breakfast. The restaurant is nothing spectacular, although they seem to be trying to make an impression on the television cameras that float around. The sleepy, cranky meal goes by and then the Tributes are led back to their Suites for a mandatory meeting.

Sitting on couches and the floor, in chairs and on windowsills, standing off to the side - people from the Tributes' homes are waiting to greet them in each District Suite. Some are confused, some accepting, some frightened and some elated to see their beloved. Either way, it should be an eventful reunion.

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The last time Karan had seen Shion it was when he'd gone to bed the day Rat had left. She didn't know where this was, but it felt too much like Chronos all over again to keep a minimum of anxiety from bubbling under the surface. She played at the lapels of her coat while she looked around the room. No one else except those that seemed to be in charge seemed to have any idea of what was going on.

Until the "tributes" filed in, and she saw him. His white hair was gone, replaced with a rich purple, but the red mark on his cheek was there. Sure, he'd been changed physically by all that had gone on, but he was still her Shion.

She'd also notice once he was in her arms that he seemed to have filled back out again from when he'd lived in West Block. But she was too busy hugging him as soon as he came into her line of sight to worry too much about that. "Shion...." she whispered.

Shion had been led with the others to the lounge, confused and still shaken from watching Rat die. The fact he still hadn't seen the other boy just made things worse. So he wasn't even really concentrating as he was led into the room, but that voice...

His eyes flickered up to meet hers. No. She couldn't be here. Why would they bring her.

"Mum..."

She'd come around to the details of what was going on, but Shion was her first priority. She of course, didn't believe for a second that this was any kind of dream.

She squeezed him tight, and then stepped back after a moment. There was definitely something on his mind. She glanced around the room at the various reunions occurring around them. "Is there somewhere we can talk?" She didn't know if it was appropriate to cut out so soon, but this wasn't a conversation she, or Shion, she expected, wanted to have with others around.

Elaborate dreams about the Capitol aren't exactly news to Mags, but nightmare is more the word she'd relate to them. There's a suspicious vibe, but it's one she's more than used to. Being paraded around in a light-hearted manner with only the most sinister intentions is par for the course in a place like this.

If she knows as much, she isn't showing. She's peering around, hands folded politely in-front of her, the picture of unassuming curiosity. When familiar faces come into view, there's a moment of surprise followed by a smile that's coloured with both happiness and dismay. Mixed feelings are abound already, but she's practiced in the art of putting on a face for the cameras and crowds.

Upon finding Finnick, she'll grace him with a small smile and a long lingering look before closing any distance between them so she can reach for his hands. She'll search his face for any clue as to what's going on, but she can't rightfully hide the fact that she's so happy to see him.

Edited 2014-04-19 05:53 (UTC)

It was a little frightening to see Mags there in the Capitol, she was supposed to be safe and sound at home with Annie while he dug into the dangerous stuff. But Finnick was glad to see her all the same.

"When did you get here? I heard rumors about special guests, but I didn't think it would be someone this special."

He wanted to ask if they had treated her alright, if she had been hurt or threatened when they brought her, but he was far too aware of the attention they were getting. He wasn't about to put someone he loved so dearly at risk. He took her hands and smiled back at her with as much genuine joy as he could manage under the veil of threat her appearance warranted.

Unfortunately with the Capitol, there's very little room for should bes. If she had her way, they'd all be home, together. There's a part of her that would dearly like to bring him home with her, if they intend to send her home. Fond family reunions seemed like a kind of happiness the Capitol could make very fleeting.

She understands how he must feel, what kind of worries he must have for her, but for once she's relatively fine. They treated her well bringing her here, she just can't shake the suspicions. As if to answer a question he never asked, she gives his hands a tight squeeze and smiles a little wider. She's alright, she's fine, she hopes more than anything that he is too.

Her nose scrunches a little at the compliment and she shakes her head as if to dismiss it, muttering a very soft "Just today." in an accent Finnick will only understand. With that, she'll glance curiously around at everyone else before turning back to give him a sly look. He's certainly gathered an interesting assortment of people.

There weren't enough proper words to express how Not Okay this was. Equius had been here by a bunch of strange aliens and told to wait for Nepeta to return. On the one hand, he wasn't sure they were telling the truth, why would Nepeta be here of all places? On the other hand, it had been a very compelling order and even if it was being given by a bunch of aliens who were beneath him, Equius would comply.

And mop blue tinted sweat off his forehead.

She catches a glimpse of him across the room, at first, and she's almost not sure she can believe it. It's been so long without anyone she really knows showingup that she'd almost thought that no one else would be coming, even if it isn't necessarily for long. But then she blinks, and he's not gone when she opens her eyes again. And that's more than good enough for her, and without even entirely intending to she's already launching into her standard greeting procedures.

She hasn't had anyone to pouncegreet in so long and really, if Equius had intended anything else from her she would have been quite entirely surprised.

At least Nepeta seems to be in good spirits. He's more than glad to see her acting her usual self, even if that means being dive-bombed by his overzealous moirail. He's better about catching her without using too much of his strength.

"Nepeta. I'm glad to see you, too. Now can we please go back? This place is making me uneasy."

It'll take more than a few death matches to keep Nepeta down for good. Especially now that her moirail is here. Of course, if he's here to stay she doesn't like the idea of possibly needing to fight against him in one of the arenas, but she absolutely refuses to think about it.

Instead, she asks the other question weighing on her mind.

"Go back where?"

It's been long enough since she saw Nepeta--before this last little arena, so more than long enough--that she's taken it upon herself to go looking. First the training area, then this floor, then out to the main common area, she thinks. Then to the tea and sweets shops down the road, she has a plan.

Hunting was a fine art.

Instead, she finds someone else entirely, someone who looks familiar in a way that makes her stomach drop. He's not exactly the same, a horn is broken and he's smaller, maybe the age of Karkat or Nepeta, but...

"You're...No, you can't be." All that breakfast in her stomach is threatening to make her life miserable.

Equius is mildly startled to be addressed by a strange troll, especially one so much older than he is. Weren't they the last trolls left in the universe? Would the oddities of this place never cease?

"I can't be what?"

Her eye color put her below him in the hemospectrum, and even if she was likely already conscripted, she probably shouldn't be talking to him so informally. He was starting in on a very nervous sweat just thinking about the wide variety of improprieties going on here.

She swallows hard and shakes her head. No, he isn't. She's sure of it. Yet she was so unsure of who the Initiate was at first, not recognizing him as his future self at all.

"I...knew a troll who looked like you. But older. I don't think you're him, you might have been on my floor if you were." And there would have been no point in bringing him before he had seen her. Before he knew her.

"Sorry--I was looking for Nepeta."

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Thicker Than Blood Start

District 4

Karan and Shion | OTA

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Mags OTA

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Equius - for Nepeta and Open

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Re: Equius - for Nepeta and Open

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