thecapitol | (no subject)

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Who | Homura, Madoka, and OPEN
What | Homura and Madoka's adventures in the Capitol throughout the "Thicker Than Blood" plot.
When | After the plot start
Where | Throughout the Capitol
Notes/Warnings | Nothing, at the moment!

Homura wanted to keep Madoka inside. She wanted to keep Madoka away from the Capitol. Away from those people, those sights, those things which could try and take Madoka and turn her into something she wasn't. She saw what this place did to people - to people from other worlds. She knew Madoka might break, if the Capitol got a hold of her.

But in the end, Homura realized that she couldn't keep Madoka inside forever. It would make her no better than the Capitol, trapping the girl, restricting her, telling her what to do and what not to do. She had to let Madoka see the Capitol, after all. She had to expose Madoka to this place.

But maybe it wouldn't be in vain. Homura would show her the places, the sights, the sounds, the food, the clothing. But Homura would also tell Madoka the whys - why the Games came to be. Why the people were so ostentatious. What happened to the people outside the Capitol. What had happened before the 75th Hunger Games.

~~Why she would do whatever it took to keep Madoka out of the Games. What she planned for, when the time came, for the Capitol to pay, if she somehow made it that long.~~ No, not those things. But Madoka would know enough. Maybe enough to not make Homura's time here as vain as the countless times she had navigated the labyrinth of Madoka Kaname's fate.

"Are you ready to go out?" Each day was the same. Once Madoka and she were dressed, she'd proceed towards the door of the District 7 suites with a flip of her hair. "If so, I'll lead the way."

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As it happened on their way out of the tower they would run into none other then the newest mentor for District Nine, Harley Quinn.

Harley was actually dressed rather smartly today in her lab coat and button up blouse. She had been wearing it more often lately complete with glasses to make herself look smarter.

But the high pitched squeal of delight was pure Harley Quinn.

"Homura! How are ya doing girl? And who's your cute friend?!" Harley had been enjoying Ivy's company since she'd arrived but even Ivy could only tolerate so much of Harley so the red head had asked Harley to go out and fetch her some things while she luxuriated in the Capitol Gardens.

"H-Hello," Madoka started a little shyly, but pleasantly. It appeared Homura was friends with this lovely woman. It hardly surprised the girl that Madoka had adult friends here, as Homura had always acted older than her age, or so it seemed. "My name is Madoka Kaname. It's nice to meet you," she beamed, running her hands over the skirt of her long coat nervously. To be called 'cute' by a stranger was a little embarrassing.

Oh, of course. Of all of the people who they could have met--

"Hello, Harley Quinn."

Harley gasped in mock shock.

"Ohmigosh! THE Madoka? As in the one you named your kitty cat after?!" Harley cooed instantly adoring the pink haired girl and circling the duo like a shark.

"Oh Maddy you should have SEEN how far Homura was willing to go for that kitty. She's got such a big heart you know? She's a real sweetie!"

Harley wanted so much to make this romance a reality...odds are she would just make it worse.

Mock shock and real shock were hard for Madoka to distinguish from one another, and so she is a little confused by Homura's apparent apathy and Harley's cheer.

"Oh... yes, it's a sweet kitten, isn't it? Homura is very kind," Madoka confirms. 'Maddy?' A cute nickname, she supposed... But... was she not supposed to talk to her? Madoka looks to Homura for advice.

Homura, for her part, simply stared at Harley with a discerning eye.

"I'm not...a sweetie. I'm simply me. Nothing more or less."

Harley rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion.

"I call em like I see em." She cast a wink at Madoka "This one just can't take a compliment if she were drowning and it was floating I swear. But her lack of self esteem aside we have to celebrate! What are you girls up to? Has she shown you the city? Taken you dancing yet? You're a little young for drinking but there are some great sweet shops and an ice cream parlor I adore!" She gushed excitedly.

Madoka shrugs politely, and realizing Harley is perhaps not wanted company, decides to be accommodatingly polite nonetheless. She seemed to be a nice person, so far, at least?

"Um, Homura was going to take me to the museum today," Madoka offers. "I've seen quite a bit of the city so far. It's very big. I don't know how long I'll be staying, but maybe we'll still get a chance to do all of those things." Except drinking, as Harley had said. It wouldn't be right, even here.

Homura, for her part, wasn't sure of Harley. On the one hand, Harley had shown her kindness and had gone to almost-pathetic lengths to show friendship towards her. On the other, however, the memory of what she did to Eponine couldn't be denied. It was cruelty almost for cruelty's sake.

"Perhaps later," Homura replied smoothly. She didn't necessarily want to expose Madoka to Dr. Quinzel, but on the other hand, she had the feeling Harley would find a way to make herself invited, anyhow. "When we're done with the museums. We can sit down together for ice cream this afternoon."

Edited 2014-04-29 00:41 (UTC)

"Aw I get it." Harley giggled and purred leaning into Homura "You've been held apart for so long you wanna make the most of your alone time with Little Miss Maddy."

She gave her a pat on the back.

"Well just have fun! If anyone can keep her safe in this big scary city it's you. Especially because if anything goes wrong you know I'm just a call away!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Come on~ At least let me walk you to the museum. I wanna know all about you! I'm sure you know Miss Homura isn't the most forthcoming." She teased.

By now Madoka was feeling a little pushed around, and without the confidence to turn her down, she could only blush. "That's a good idea, Homura-chan," she agreed. Going for icecream with an acquaintance of Homura's even sounded like fun. As for Harley's suggestion, she didn't know what to say, and Harley's eyes were on her. "Well... I suppose just a walk wouldn't hurt..."

Just as she thought. Homura brought a hand to her chin to disguise the sigh coming from her mouth.

"I'm supposing you won't take no for an answer, this time, doctor?"

Harley winked impishly "You know me so well." She declared and with a swish of her long coat she led the way to the door.

"Besides what's the worse that could happen? I continue to gush about just how wonderful I think you are and I'm so super happy that someone you love could be brought here?"

Actually that was probably one of the worst things she could do to the normally reserved Homura.

Someone she loved? Madoka blushed and looked away, hoping neither of the pair would notice her bashfulness. Homura really was a caring person, wasn't she? If only for a second, Madoka felt the strangest feeling that she and Homura had met before outside of her dream, but the feeling was gone before she could place it.

Madoka fell behind Homura shyly and waited for her to follow the 'Doctor'. Doctors were usually good people, right?

...Homura's sigh had given her a bad feeling...

It has been some time since he's seen this one. Even with such aside, he can't recall speaking to her in person. As well, it seems she's got another with her, one what all would be of her so-called close ones, as his kin were meant to be to him.

The girl who quoted Shakespeare at him, the one what all discussed souls, their worth in his words, their dangers in hers.

"SISTER HOMURA," He greets her with a nod, the moment he sees her in the hall, opening unto the common area. Gamzee at his side looks down, blinking like he forgot where he was. His alter, with his stitched mouth, tilts his head. The Initiate ignores them both momentarily to peer at the pink haired girl standing with Homura. "Such spurious songs would be sung unto he, had only he'd not figured better. SUCH SWEET MOTHERFUCKING AMBROSIALS AS TO DETER THE GAZE. Even for you then they have garnered a treasured thing so as to remind there may be a thing what be treasured. OR FEARED. Who is this?" He asks.

"E-Eh?" Madoka is greatly startled by the strange man and what appeared to be his family. What alarmed her most were the stitches that ran from one of their mouths as if to close it shut. Wouldn't that be horribly painful?! The poor thing.

"My name is Madoka Kaname. Um, I-I'm sorry," she gapes, "I'm not sure I understood what you were saying..." she trails off as she admits this, hoping not to hurt Homura's friend's feelings.

"Its all right, Madoka. This is the Fraysong Initiate." Homura understood what he meant. "Yes. Madoka...she is someone from my world. Someone...of importance to me, this is true."

Then, inclining her own head towards the stitched fellow.

"And, who is this troll that the Capitol saw fit to bring in?"

His alternate smiles at the attention, stitches pulling. He greets them with a gracious bow, trying for warmth and mostly succeeding. He is bright making the Initiate appear comparatively apathetic.

The Initiate tells the truth. "HE IS HIS OWN SELF, IN ANOTHER TIME. One what all existed before his own, a past life, one could say." He might refrain from telling his alter such but he never once seemed bothered. Perhaps he already knew, in his own way. If the motherfucker feared for his future, he didn't show it. And if he was truly like the Initiate up in his core, he wouldn't need to. "IN IRONY, HE IS FROM THE FUTURE OF HIS, WHERE AS I AM FURTHER PAST. We are not the same, only reflections of one another, could have beens in different circumstance. I'M SURE A SISTER HOMURA CAN GUESS WHAT HIS PURPOSE HERE IS, AS PER THE CAPITOL'S INTENT."

Gamzee on the other hand, always seems some cross of dazed and boggled at this, when he is even lucid enough to pay attention and later still recall. It occurs to the Initiate that he too, somewhere, might've had a life prior, perhaps one where all he aged long before Kurloz had existed. He couldn't be sure. Their circumstances were a strange thing. The Initiate is glad either way that he didn't get stuck with that one too, as this all was surreal enough. As expected though, while Gamzee was not asked for, he introduces himself anyway.

"Hey sister, ain't no reason for apologetics up on comprehensions fleeting as like water up betwixt a motherfucker's twitchdigits, happens to me all the motherfucking time, yo. Haha, honk." His descendant smiles too, different though from his alter. "Nice to be meeting you, Madoka." He says her name in lilting tones. "I'm Gamzee."

The Initiate, to Homura, adds whilst Gamzee distracts, "His condolences, sister, one way or motherfucking other." Sorry there was someone out there at all to use against you. It'd be a stranger thing if he wasn't already familiar with the idea.

There was so much going on at once that it left Madoka at a loss for words. Did Homura really care so much for her? It was humbling, truly. And the young girl's head spun to hear Initiate's story, but she did bow back politely at his alternate. Could such a thing be true? She would have to think about it later. Perhaps Homura could help her understand all the different kinds of people that lived here.

Then Gamzee's words to her startled her, and she turned red with embarrassment. What language! "Oh..! Ah... Yes. Okay." She didn't know what she was agreeing to, exactly, and bit her tongue to stifle another 'I'm sorry'. It was something about not having to apologize for not understanding, she guessed. "Nice to meet you too, Gamzee-kun," she says more confidently, a genuine smile on her face. "And... the Fraysong Initiate. I hope we will become good friends."

Homura, for her part, simply flipped her hair.

"Likewise."

She knew she could explain the trolls later, at least. It would be complicated with the Initiate around. Not because of any bad blood, just she knew Madoka would get even more confused.

A hair flip from any other would seem condescending, off-putting. For some reason, Initiate figures this different. A different breed of apathy.

And as before Gamzee leaves room for little else when he speaks. "Whoa sis, that's a bitchin' ass nickname what to be laying on a ninja! What's it even up and mean? Wait, wait, don't tell me. I ain't want to know, It's good all as is." The kid is apparently quite delighted. He continues on, "But, fuck, you know I'm all being is to be down with getting our amity on all kindly as what's good. The fastest I ever got friends with somebody for sure, but I'm way motherfucking chill with it. And look, you're all pink too, just like my wicked fishy princess sister, all real cute up in them squishjowls and your hair and-"

The Initiate grabs gamzee suddenly, spinning him around by the shoulders, a wild look on his face reserved for Gamzee alone. "WHAT?!" He snaps, and Gamzee shrinks. "I... uh..." Gamzee starts without finishing. It takes the Initiate a moment to remember the girls there. Stiffly, he lets Gamzee go. "Nevermind. LATER. Continue with whatever the fuck you were doing." Gamzee, unsure, slinks back around slow, looking at Madoka, the down, then back again. "Uh... so, yeah..." He says awkwardly, rubbing his arm, his energy lost.

The Initiate for his part has stepped aside and is still lost in the world of his thought were he process the fact his descendant is on close accord with the empresses-- and tries not to think it means anything. Kurloz for his part looks torn between amusement and bemusement as he glances between the lot of them. He puts a hand to his sternum, the other hand help up, and shakes a slightly bowed head as if to apologize.

Edited 2014-05-05 19:56 (UTC)

The surprise at the honourific takes Madoka completely off guard, and she wonders if she should be 'rude' to be polite, in some backwards way. It seemed he had taken its meaning for the exact opposite of her intention. "Um... Um..." No, it would be impossible to explain. At least he'd said he didn't mind, and that she'd even reminded him of his sister, maybe? They were becoming easier for her to understand the more she listened.

Once he's rebuked, Madoka seems to relax. "It's alright! Really." She bows again.

"Homura-chan and I were just about to go to the museum. Where were you headed, today?"

Madoka shuffled shyly into the District 7 common room. She had been "advised" by a stylist to wear a very pink fur coat with a matching blouse and skirt underneath, all dyed the same colour as her hair. She felt the combination was too flashy and it made her a little bit nervous. At least Homura did not seem to mind taking her out on the town dressed in such a thing.

"Yes, I'm ready," she smiles at last, rushing over to join Homura at the elevator. "What did you have in mind today?" Genuine curiosity and excitement was beginning to show through.

It wasn't that she minded. It was simply that she had little choice in the matter as to what Madoka wore. Particularly since the stylists had taken an immediate liking to the girl and all the "adorable" possibilities her countenance held.

"I was thinking, perhaps the Capitol art museum. And then, we could have lunch."

Edited 2014-04-28 02:28 (UTC)

That sounded like fun! She was learning more and more about Homura's likes and dislikes, and still held hope that the two of them could become good friends despite their circumstances. Of course, she knew to keep this in her heart. "Sounds great! I wonder what kind of art exhibits they'll be showing..." No matter what it was, she knew she'd enjoy it. Madoka loved to draw, even if she wasn't very good, and loved to see what more talented people could make.

Pigtails bobbing as she made her way over to her, Madoka stretched out her hand to offer it to Homura to hold in a friendly matter.

Homura turned to respond to Madoka - that many of the artworks were from before the catastrophe which created Panem, and likely all that was left of the art of those times which she or Madoka would have recognized - when she saw the hand held out to her. She froze, staring at it, before looking down at her own hand.

It was almost like a foreign concept to her. Her holding Madoka's hand, like that. After all that had passed between them, even if one of them knew nothing of it.

"I..."

Edited 2014-04-28 15:54 (UTC)

Madoka shuffles, waiting for Homura to take her hand. Perhaps she was being a little presumptuous, but she stubbornly keeps it extended.

"...I know we don't know eachother very well..." Madoka began, trying to meet Homura's eyes, "...but if we're going to have some fun together, why don't we agree to be friendly? Just for today." It may be a ridiculous suggestion. Madoka still has a lot to learn about this place, but she isn't a fool - she knows well that that sort of public attention is exactly what Homura is trying to avoid.

Still, it did not hurt to try. Madoka wanted to make this work, they were the only ones either of them had in this world.

It was a very long moment - an eternity, it felt like - before finally, Homura made a decision.

"...All right."

The hand is clasped. Though Homura is otherwise still quite composed, that hand is shaking quite violently, even in Madoka's grasp.

Madoka was positively ecstatic. "That's wonderful, Homura-chan." She held Homura's hand tightly and pulled her into the elevator. Homura's hand shook so... She hoped she wasn't being too imposing. If her mother was here, Madoka could have asked for her advice, but now she had to think for herself what would be the best way to make a friend.

Feeling more comfortable now, Madoka rocked carefully on her heels as they waited to reach the bottom floor. "I wish it could just be like this forever," she wondered outloud. "This place can be so beautiful, it's a shame not everyone enjoys themselves. If it were like this all the time, no one would have to fight or suffer..." She knew nothing of the injustices that plagued the districts around the Capitol, and had yet to see the daily overindulgences. To her, this world was as lovely as Mitakihara.

It was...nice. Holding Madoka's hand like this, it was nice. She hadn't really expected it. She could have probably held Madoka's hand forever, herself. It was almost unfair she was holding the girl's hand like this, almost...well, blasphemous.

Then Madoka spoke of the beauty of the Capitol. And how she wished...how she wished...her head turned towards Madoka, and her eyes narrowed. The grip around Madoka's hand, for one instant, became like a steel trap with no uncertainty.

"Don't say the kind of things you can't take back, Madoka. This place---"

The hand loosened, as Homura realized she'd been a bit too sharp. She looked down at this.

"...this place is not a beautiful place. Nor is it a place to wish for. The Capitol may have a lovely facade, but its built on a foundation of blood." Her voice was flat, but quiet. "Blood that it harvests elsewhere, where the citizens of this city can turn a blind eye too. Where they don't need to experience any hardship, personally."

Edited 2014-04-28 23:02 (UTC)

"Oh..." She hadn't known that, and she feels very ashamed for having been insensitive and insulting Homura. Was it still okay to go out and enjoy themselves while so much bad was happening, then? Her cheeks burn red and she stops fidgeting cheerfully, instead staring at her pink shoes pensively. "I'm sorry. Now, I know." Still, she wanted for Homura a place where she could enjoy her life and didn't have to fight. Would there ever be such a place?

Madoka wanted to say that maybe things could change, someday, but she bit her tongue, having said too much already.

"You've no need to be sorry," Homura replied, as the elevator dinged its destination to the two. It was the truth, in her mind. "You don't really know of this world, is all. That's why, I want to show you what this Capitol is. I can only show you by letting you see for yourself, things that Tributes see and know."

After all, simply telling her would be unbelievable. That much, Homura knew.

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sorry I am way slow ;;

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sorry omg

(Tentatively) Closed thread

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