My Orc playlist only has 19 songs on it.

[paidinbeer]

Who: Orc, Skittles and you.
What: Music soothes the savage beast.
Where: Capitol Recordings Music shop.
When: Sometime during the family visits.
Notes: Probably talks of suicide, religion, child death and alcoholism.

It started out as a pun.

Not a particularly good pun either. An audio company had given Orc a contract to be the spokesperson for their "Rock and Roll boulderphones" A pair of thick puffy, wireless headphones designed to look like various types of rock. From diamonds to shale.

He had a pair hanging around his neck right now as he starred dumbly at row after row of digital displays where people were sampling songs, albums and even audio books. The headphones were designed to hold the data internally but could be wirelessly linked to data pads and other electronics.

It was all too complex to him but they had designed the headphones so even he could use them.

Now he just had to find some music he would like. He used to listen to rock and country music back home. The same things his dad listened to.

But he was a new man and it was time for some new music in his library.

Maybe someone could help him find something he would like.

Comments

[paidinbeer]

Orc's shoulders sagged and he looked as though Venus had just popped a balloon he was enjoying.

"I didn't think about that...I guess I'll never win either then. I'm too dangerous, even when I'm trying not to hurt people I hurt people." He sighed and ran his fingers along Skittles wool.

"It's dumb...I should have known better. I just...I imagined what it would be like to win without having to kill anyone you know? To show people it could be done."

[celebrityskinned]

"You know, people have done it." She sits back on the armrest of the big plushy chair, making eyes at Skittles still.

"They've just hidden until everyone else died. Maybe you just have to outlast the elements."

[paidinbeer]

Skittles seemed drawn to her, or maybe she'd just had enough of Orc because the sheep got up and trotted over to nudge at Venus's hand.

"I'm not very good at hiding." He confessed, "And I have to protect Eponine. I used to have to protect Howard but he's out now."
He sounded distracted, like he was trying to imagine in his head what he would do.

"I guess if I won I'd just do the same stuff I always do. Drink, hang out with people who are nice to me." He tapped the headphones around his neck. "Listen to music."

[celebrityskinned]

"What are you talking about? You can just find a nice mountainside to sidle up against, stand really still and pretend to be a boulder." She makes little perpendicular shapes with her fingers and thumb, like a picture frame, and her hands make a halo around her grin.

"Tell you what. If I run into Eponine in the Arena, I won't kill her, alright?"

[paidinbeer]

His smile made his beady eyes crinkle as he thought about it.

"Thank you. She's...kind of difficult sometimes. But she's a good person." He explained "She's just had alot of bad things happen to her you know?" That was something they could all understand.

[celebrityskinned]

Venus nods. "I was a little bit like her when I was her age. Except I could blow things up, so..."

It's a miracle half the teens here are as put together as they seem. Venus shakes her head.

"Girl needs love."

[paidinbeer]

That actually made Orc chuckle a low rumbling sort of chuckle, he only realized too late that was probably inappropriate.

Best to breeze past it. "Everyone needs love." He agreed. "Real love. Not the fake stuff the people who live in the Capitol throw at us." He added having become rather uncomfortable with a number of fans who had paid for private time with him hoping to learn if he was rock "All over".

[celebrityskinned]

"That's real love too, you know. It's just...it's something worthwhile in its own right."

The devotion of a fanbase kept her alive for years. She looks at a poster on the wall. "It's loving their idea of you, rather than who you are, though."

[paidinbeer]

A familiar look of confusion slid over his face.

"But their idea of who I am isn't who I really am...so isn't that wrong?"

[celebrityskinned]

"You sound like my boyfriend. Truth this, truth that." She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Who's it hurting, really? They find strength in it, you find a shield in it."

[paidinbeer]

Orc seemed to consider this and his face relaxed as her words found some kind of foot hold.

"Yeah...I guess it is better if it gives them strength." He agreed and actually smiled at the thought.

"I didn't realize I was helping people." His fingers dragged over Skittles wool again earning a happy sound from the sheep.

[celebrityskinned]

"That's what celebrities do. They give people hope, or they give them someone to feel better than, but either way it soothes people." She shrugs. "That's why I got into the business, I guess."

[paidinbeer]

Orc considered this some more and glanced around the shop slowly at the people sneaking shy glances at him or being blunt and just starring. Normally it made him feel self conscious but now it felt different. Was he really encouraging these people simply by existing?

"That's pretty heavy." He concluded "But...nice. Helping people and all." He smiled at her with that innocent way he had when something made him happy.