thecapitol | [Open] Life is a record playing on repeat

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[Open] Life is a record playing on repeat

WHO| Clara and Dennett, Clara and You
WHAT| Clara's back in the Capitol after her first arena and general other things in the weeks that follow.
WHEN| From a day or so after the Hellrena That Wasn't up until post-D3 announcement.
WHERE| All over
WARNINGS| Slapping of a scientist in one thread. Other than that, not much.

Out in the Capitol (Beginning of Week Four)
There's something about almost dying (or actually dying and being brought back, as the case may be) that makes a person really savor the little things in life. Like shopping. Not that Clara would consider herself a shoppaholic or anything like that, but she's always enjoyed it and it's as good an excuse as any to get out of the tower to explore the city.

Plus after the past few weeks, she could use a little retail therapy to make her feel like her life hasn't spun completely out of control.

Which is what has led her to a store front with signs boasting about their Amazing Tribute Memorabilia At The Best Prices!!!! There are, from what she can see in the window, paintings, photographs, calendars, t-shirts, and a wide variety of other things featuring the faces of a number of people she did and didn't recognize.

"You've got to be kidding me." Clara doesn't mean to say that aloud, but it comes out anyway as she tries to wrap her head around this.

Training Center (Anytime)
To say that Clara doesn't have much in the way of combat training is a huge understatement. The closest she's ever come to it was some self-defense classes and watching her mom's Tae-Bo tapes in high school (and even then, the VCR died when she was 16, which put an abrupt stop to that), and neither of those are all that useful when it comes to surviving in a death match.

She's at a punching bag, sloppily throwing kicks and punches that don't have much strength behind them. If the punching bag was a sparring partner, or an actual assailant, it would be remarkably easy to find an opening to strike back and take advantage of her lack of fighting skills.

Central Commons (Week Five)
The illness running rampant in the Capitol has made Clara more than a little wary about leaving District 10's suite for the past few days. For the most part, the only places she's been willing to go to for an extended period has been downstairs to train or to District 5 to see Alex (and even then, she usually managed to convince him to come up to 10 since there was someone on his floor who had contracted whatever this mystery illness was). But getting the gift of a respirator made her feel a little bit better about getting about going into the more public areas of the building.

Which is why she's sitting alone at a table with a large coffee (that's closer to a dessert of some sort, considering how much chocolate and caramel are in it along with the truly ridiculous amount of whipped cream on top) and a pastry of some sort, occasionally taking off the respirator for a sip or a bite. While she may be reading a trashy romance novel, she's mostly just enjoying the change in scenery and would welcome some conversation.

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Maybe she should've accepted some of OmniCorp's offers of PR coaching for when the press came after her. Except, nah, she would suck at it. Better to just ignore them and try to go on with her life like everything was normal.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Venus," Clara says as she takes Venus's hand and gives her a small, but firm, shake. "It's a safe bet," there's the slightest hint of a self-deprecating laugh to her voice, "I'm sure that in a week or so, you'll probably be sick of seeing me around here."

"Probably not. Have you seen some of my roommates? A visitor who bathes regularly and has an 'indoor voice' is a damn Godsend." Venus' own handshake is a curious beast, something both intimate and strangely distant, practiced behind rope lines and at meet and greets. The goal of a handshake, she's been taught over and over, is to make someone feel seen and appreciated, but you must always be ready to let go and wrench free of the fans who demand a little too much.

"So tell me." She grabs a pen from where it's serving as a bookmark in one of her trashy magazines (this one features the headline TRIALS AND TRIBUTE-LATIONS: INSIDE CECIL AND CARLOS' SCANDALOUS ROMANCE). "Did Alex come with the robot-body? And before you say that's too personal, I'll just fill you in that my usual body is made out of vinyl and plexiglass."

"If you were trying to make me thankful that I'm in Ten, good job." Nothing against most of District Five, but from the little she'd seen in between coming and going to and from Alex's room, it seemed a little too crazy for her down here. At least when compared to the (relative) calm of Ten. Or home (as calm as a house with an eight year old boy can be, anyway).

Clara was about to say something along the lines of 'That's kind of personal' and 'I don't think I'm comfortable talking about this to a stranger,' except...well, now she kind of had to, didn't she? "No, it's kind of a new development. Newer for him than for me."

And speaking of prying questions..."If that's what your body's usually like, then how are you...normal?" Way to be classy about it, Clara.

She waves a hand. "You've got the drunken rock boy. Not that Orc isn't a totally sweet guy, but I'm guessing he's a handful."

If Venus had a little less tact, she'd jokingly tell the anecdote about the Christmas that Orc got her sexy panties, not knowing what else a "pretty girl" would like.

She stands up, as if to show off the body Panem gave to her. Wiggles her fingers, turns in a circle. "Gift from the Capitol, I guess. I got no idea how they pulled it off. I was wondering if that's how Alex ended up as he is, if they're, like, experimenting on him. Trying to spice the show up by making people robo-men."

"I wouldn't know, I haven't really met him yet. Unless you count cleaning up the kitchen after he's done in there as getting to know him." Maybe she should fix that at some point. And Clara's glad that Venus has more tact than that, because that's one story about her roommate that she doesn't need to hear.

Clara watches, suppressing a small giggle at her display, before the smile fades from Venus's explanation. "No, he was like that before we were brought here. There was a bombing back home and..." She pauses, unsure how to say it for a moment. "It was his best chance." She still isn't sure if, on some level, Alex resents her for accepting OmniCorp's offer. Not that she'd blame him if he did.

And then the first part of her explanation sunk in. "So they can do that here? Make a perfectly normal, healthy body?"

She nods. She sympathetic, she really is, and as such he tries to grab the first thing she can think of that's encouraging.

"You know, I don't know about your world, but that's not uncommon on mine. Experimental medical procedures making people like, superheroes and stuff." And villains, but she's not about to say that.

"I guess. I'm not sure how they did it, but I even have the scar I got when I was eight from jumping off the swing set." She pulls the hem of her shorts up slightly, revealing an inch-long milky slash across her thigh. "And I ain't had my body since I was sixteen, so I kind of want to believe it's mine and not just...someone else's they shoved my brain into."

Clara bites back a small laugh. Things like this, people like Alex, aren't exactly common back home. They're the kind of things that happen in movies or in David's comic books, not in real life. "It isn't like that where I'm from. Alex is one of a kind," she smiles warmly, "He always has been, really."

The fact that the Capitol can apparently do that is less comforting and more terrifying, but the fact that there's even the slightest chance of having Alex back the way he was is enough to give her a little hope. "Does it feel weird or wrong or..." she doesn't know what else to really say to figure out if there's some sort of catch, "...off?"

"Oh, gag me. That's painfully mushy." She's joking, and it's clear in her tone. She's sure she was just as obnoxiously in love with-

-anyway. She shoves that thought aside as her face falls a little.

"I wouldn't really know. This is my first time having taste buds or nerve endings or anything like that in a long, long time. If something's off, I wouldn't be the person to say." She shrugs. "Anyway. Anyway. How long you and Alex been together?"

"You got me. That's my big secret, I'm actually a giant sap when it comes to my family." Which may be the worst kept secret in all of Panem, really.

"That's really kind of amazing," Clara says, though she's still wary of the thought of the Capitol being able to do something like that. "God, it feels like it's been forever, honestly. Bit over ten years." The slightest hint of something creeps into her smile, dulling it just the slightest bit. "I don't know what I'd do without him."

Venus' face gets very serious. The curves and circles that make up her muscle structure seem to tighten to the sharp angles and cheekbones of a woman far older than her early twenties, of a hardened soldier.

"Don't say that out loud. Not here, at least. They brought people's families here just to march them off in handcuffs a few weeks back."

"I know, I was here when they took them away," Clara says, before giving the younger woman a slightly defeated look. "It's a little too late for that anyway. Alex and I...we were talking about David in the Arena a little bit. I've mentioned him a few times before that. He's...he's kind of public knowledge now." There's a small, bitter laugh. "He'd hate that."

A fake, completely forced smile takes shape on Clara's face. "Sorry for killing the mood."

She shakes her head. "The less you say about him, the safer he'll be. Even if he's public knowledge already."

She really doesn't want to see Clara get hurt that way. Really, Venus doesn't want hurt for most people. "No worries, by the way. Moods get killed here almost as often as people."

Hah, hah.

"You don't really think they'd bring him here, do you?" It's a stupid question that she already knows the answer to. Of course they would, especially if it meant bringing her or Alex in line.

"That's comforting to know," she says as she lets out a resigned sigh. "At least it isn't just me, then." Because, if Clara's been good at anything through the past few months, it's ruining an otherwise pleasant atmosphere with her presence alone.

"I know they would. They used to play these Games with kids. They're probably put him in so you'd-" Venus stops. Better not to give the Capitol more ideas than they already have. She's sure that some of the viewers would salivate over the idea of a kid watching his parents die to protect him. Kill themselves to protect him.

The idea makes her sick.

She changes the subject. "You know what? Before you go, you should totally try the hot chocolate we got in the kitchen. I don't know what's changed but in the last few days it's been choice." She makes an approving gesture with her hand.

Clara's aware of the Games' history, she's done her research (and instead of sleeping, spent that entire night tossing and turning and trying to cast out the thought of what their lives might have been like if she and Alex were originally from this place and if that would've meant eventually having to watch David die for these people's entertainment). And the thought of David being brought here and forced to fight...she'd die before she would let that happen.

Which is why she's thankful for the subject change. "That sounds nice. Yes, please."

"Well, I'm not going to make it for you." She flops back onto the couch, grinning to show she isn't taking Clara's yes-please as an insult or a command. "Top shelf on the left is where all the teas and coffees and cocoas are kept. Big red box. Kettle's in the pantry on the third shelf."

And she goes back to reading.

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[Open] Life is a record playing on repeat

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