thecapitol | 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Lyle had gotten the information dump the moment he'd woken up, so Cham probably wasn't here as a Tribute. That could be good or bad. Good in that Cham wasn't going to have to go through the Arenas; bad in that there was no way to be sure what the Capitol would do with him once this 'visit' was done.

"Not so much, no," he says, concentrating on keeping his breathing even and his expression nonchalant. "More like gladiatorial combat in a variety of interesting locations. Last sentient standing gets declared victor, all the losers get resurrected to go through it again in a few months' time. Me and Brainy have only done it once so far. So, basically what we do all the time at home, except without my invisibility and his shield." He rolled his eyes. "And Brainy bet me my ring that I couldn't win without getting my hands dirty because I was too impulsive and lazy, and you know how I feel about a challenge."

He found himself really grateful that he'd personally trained Cham in the finer points of acting and that the Capitol wouldn't know how to read a Durlan's expression anyway. The Games themselves were going to be hard enough for him to deal with; the news about Jan was likely to go over even worse.

Chameleon was one of the Legionnaires that'd often come closest to breaking his oath. He knew how easy a step it would be for him, the Legion knew, and it was one of those things that they all unconsciously kept an eye on.

He'd almost done it when backed into a corner during the invasion of the Blight and had been ready to do it after Candi had been killed by Jan.

It wasn't not like he was been angry all the time - in fact, he was one of the most upbeat and good-humored members of the Legion - and it had never been born of pure hatred - always outrage. Always desperation. It had always been seeing others suffer or die or being close to dying himself and wanting to make the source of it just...stop.

He was lucky he had no proper "face" at the moment and that the Capitol would find his tentacles a little difficult to read under the sackcloth because all the training in the world might not have been enough to hide his outrage for a moment.

Fortunately, it was, and so he managed a very glib and genuine, "Boy, the Legion does have all the luck."

"You don't even know the half of it this time," Lyle said. As someone who did have practice at reading Durlan tentacles, he stepped forward and slung an arm around Cham's shoulders -- partially to support him before he let the next tidbit drop, and partially to restrain him from doing anything dangerous. "The Capitol somehow managed to snag and depower some alternate version of the Progenitor. They had to haul him off almost immediately because he was screaming all kinds of threats into the communicators. Dunno if he even noticed me and Brainy were here."

Don't freak out, Cham. Don't freak out.

There was a ripple of tentacles, spreading through his body, and Lyle would know what that meant because it was hostile body language and that was the body language a spy like him had to most watch out for.

He at least prevented himself from running off to try to find and murder him. Just barely, but he did!

"Are. They. Crazy?!"

Good job, Cham. Good job not racing off to your own certain death.

"You know I never comment on the relative sanity of the people in charge of me," he answered dryly. "It's bad for the health."

Yes. Yes they were sprocking crazy. Which is why he needed to give Reep as much information as possible, so that he'd be prepared for it. And maybe, just maybe, if the Capitol really did send him back at the end of this "dream", the Legion would know enough to come for them.

"You didn't happen to see anyone else from the team when you got here, did you?" he asked. "If they brought you here for me, they might have brought someone for Brainy too."

His tentacles kept shuddering, the equivalent of him drawing a calming breath.

"No, just me. Where is Brainy anyway?"

Thicker Than Blood Start

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