even a natural born fighter can find cause to break sometimes

[stotte]

Who| astrid and anyone
What| not getting the best first impressions on her first day
Where| training center (district 6 suites, halls/elevators, training room)
When| 7/31
Warnings/Notes| mentions of death



Astrid had grown up knowing nothing but how to fight. She came from a world where warring against dragons was once all that she had known, where there was only ever enough time to think of survival and whether she could be up enough of a defense to live for another day. But that had long since been over. It was years since the Vikings had made peace with the dragons, learning to live amongst them, obtaining the privilege to go about each day with harmony and the opportunity to just laugh without the constant fear of dying.

She never imagined being thrown back into a world like that, not in this way anyhow. Filled with strange foreign gadgets and nothing at all familiar from her home, all she's told is that she would be fighting for her survival--a tribute, they called her, yet all she can wonder if she had somehow been a sacrifice to the gods. Perhaps, that's what this was, a test of some kind. But even so, nothing explain this strange place she had been brought to. Where was Berk? Where were her friends? Where was Hiccup?

a ↠ district 6 suites

Insulation might be one of the first things she really takes notice of, oddly enough. But when you experience nine months of harsh winters in your home, it wouldn't take long to catch on to the incredible new sense of warmth that overtakes you. Not that the lack of cold truly made her feel better or safer in this situation anyway.

The entire floor was incredibly large, noting the almost endless amount of rooms that she'd learned belong to others much like herself. She finds herself in the common room, carefully touching the incredibly soft, bench-like furniture (Were those safe to sit on? Why were they so soft?) before noticing the moving paintings on the wall.

Except they weren't paintings at all, recalling someone mentioning televisions and that they would display everything she needed to know--about the "games", the Capitol, the tributes. She studies the screen with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, noting how the pictures seem to "speak" as well. But she hardly pays mind to the spoken words, not when suddenly the most disturbing deaths are displayed for her to see, horrifying images that even someone such as herself, so well acquainted with war, grows sick in the stomach just to watch.

The sequences switch through fast, but she has no doubt when she sees a well-known blond twin on the screen and subconsciously rejoices for a quick second at the sight of a familiar face before suddenly there's a bite at the neck and all she sees is Ruffnut being eaten alive.

A struggling gasp is all she can manage, the screen already switching to yet another gruesome death as if the one of her friend no longer mattered, just another number in the toll of all these people losing their lives so instantly lacking reason. If it weren't for an empty stomach, she'd have lost all its contents in that moment, not that it would do anything to help with taking in the next sight.

Hiccup.

It was only on the screen for mere seconds, but she knows that ruffled mess of hair and peg leg anywhere. And in a quick flash that she's convinced is an illusion, she watches as the love of her life gets stabbed in the chest, not even having put up a fight, falling hopelessly into death.

b ↠ halls / elevators

It wasn't exactly easy to be in the best of moods after seeing hundreds get murdered right before your eyes, including a close friend and your lover. But she needed to figure this place, figure out why she was here and what she needed to do to get out as soon as possible.

But this place was so large, odd contraptions scattered about, strange moving boxed rooms that took her up and down the height of the building--everything was too otherworldly, things she never could possibly understand. So in addition to the anger already dwelling up inside, frustration becomes a familiar friend as she wanders hopelessly through the different floors of the building, a lost Viking with no idea how to get out.

c ↠ training room

Finally, something familiar to her. Even if she's disgusted about this new environment, the sight of the double sided axe that she quickly takes in her hands brings an extreme comfort to her. Suddenly, she's much more protected. Even if it was just in this room, holding it brought forth a new sense of courage that she had yet to experience since she came upon this new world.

She swings around the axe with ease, and for a few moments, she forgets everything she's already seen that day, everything she's learned and her mind relaxes as her body becomes accustomed again to what she had always known well how to do: to fight.

Comments

a

[smarterthanthem]

"Hey."

This girl is one Clementine's never seen before in her district suite which means maybe she's new. Especially judging by the shocked expression on her face at the television screen and the gruesome reruns of the past arena playing on it.

District 6 has been quiet for a while, only four tributes in residence, it's probably about time the Capitol forced some new victims in here. "Are you okay?"

[stotte]

Still shaken by the now haunting image that replays in her head over and over with a voice over of 'Hiccup's dead' repeated constantly throughout her thoughts, she's startled by the sudden voice from behind her. She turns around quickly with wide eyes and a quivering mouth, not expecting the sight before her.

It's a child. Despite the fact that she had been dealing with war since the moment she could walk, it still surprises her to find someone so young in the same current situation as herself. Yet what's more upsetting is how Astrid suddenly feels the need to become immediately defensive. Child or not, after what she'd seen just now, it's hard to find herself trusting anyone at the moment.

Straightening her posture, she regains control of her emotions--she wouldn't dare look so vulnerable right now. "I-I'm fine."

Yet the question eats at her and she needs to know. Even if trusting wasn't something that would come too easy for her so soon, she certainly had her curiosities and minimum knowledge to help support it.

Gesturing at the screen behind her, still displaying more montages of deaths, she manages to mutter, "What is this?"

[smarterthanthem]

"It's okay if not, seeing the games for the first time is enough to upset anyone."

Clementine's not exactly what she'd call skilled at comforting someone but she'll try her best. She can clearly see how upset the girl is despite her attempts to hide it but she won't insist that she admit that, Clem isn't the best example of someone who always admits when they're not okay either.

The subject of the question isn't an immediately obvious one to her. She looks at her new district mate for a moment and then where she's pointing before asking for clarification, "Um, you'll have to be more specific. I'm not sure what you mean."

[stotte]

The games. She keeps hearing that phrase but all she keeps seeing is mindless killing. No matter how much fighting she's done in the past, there was always a reason for, always needing to fight back to stay alive, not for the purpose of some entertainment.

She swallows, still trying to keep her composure, but it still comes as a surprise how calm this child is despite the visuals that were occurring on the wall, as though there hadn't been anything out of the ordinary about it.

"Why is it showing all of that? Those ... deaths, I mean."

b

[hiccup1puberty0]

It wasn't an unusual sight that greeted her when she turned one of the hallways. He was standing there wearing clothes that almost looked like the ones from home. The only difference was that his tunic was sleeveless, something no one on Berk would ever wear unless they wanted their arms to freeze and fall off.

Also, the stylists seemed to like putting him in clothes that were blue when Hiccup generally wore a lot of green. They thought it was a more "royal" color.

Otherwise, there he was, notebook and pencil in hand, standing there and thoughtfully sketching a quick picture of the scenery outside the window, completely oblivious to the fact he was obstructing the hallway. He caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to face her almost the exact same moment she saw saw him.

"Astrid?"

The thoughtful expression abruptly changed to one that was a bit more tormented, joy and exhilaration mingled with fear and quiet devastation.

She was the person he wanted to be here most and least simultaneously. Most because he'd already been missing her, she was pretty much unstoppable, would always have his back, and would stand side by side with him when it came to doing all they could do to help the people here. Least because now she'd have to suffer, too.

"Astrid!" he dropped the book and pencil completely carelessly, when he usually took such care with them. "What are you doing here? Oh gods, why are you here? No no no no no."

Running over to her, he swept her into his arms, pressing kisses all over her cheek.

[stotte]

She's convinced it's a ghost at first. With the horrible luck she's managed to fall into time and time again since she's arrived, the chances of a true miracle occurring seemed practically impossible at this point. But she'd been told by the girl she met earlier--they bring you back.

Even so, she's still unconvinced until arms wrap tight around her, an all familiar warmth enclosing her body, paired with sweet kisses that smother her cheek. And then there's absolutely no question that it's him, knowing every bit of how it felt to have him so close like this.

Hiccup's alive.

With shaky arms pulling up around his neck, brushing a hand through his hair as she buries her nose in his shoulder, taking every touch and scent in to confirm that yes, he was real.

"You ... were dead. I saw it. They killed you. You were--" She's still shaken, holding him tight. It's the first time since she's been here that she's stopped worrying about holding up barriers. He was here now, thought to have been taken away from her, and she was no longer alone.

[hiccup1puberty0]

Oh no. She must had to have seen his death on one of the TVs playing scenes from the arena.

"Yeah, nope, still alive. See?"

He took one of her her hands in his own and briefly held it to his chest, so that she could feel his strong heartbeat. It was thumping so wildly that it was possible to feel it even through the cloth of his tunic. He tilted his head as he spoke to her, using the hand that had been holding hers to tilt her chin so she was looking him in they eyes.

"Heart's still thumpin' away. I know what you saw was probably both terrifying and confusing but I promise I'll explain everything. Just lemme -" His voice choked up just a bit. "Lemme hold you for a minute."

He pulled her in close again, resting his forehead against hers, then nuzzling against her, pressing his cheek to hers.

He was usually only this aggressively affectionate when he was upset. Dying had actually been pretty terrible, and being kidnapped into this was traumatizing, and while shoving it aside to focus on everything going on had been a fine short-term solution, whenever he was around Astrid, he tended to feel safe enough to let what he was really feeling spill out around the edges. If he was sad or worried or scared, Astrid and Toothless were usually the first to know - and sometimes the only ones to know.

He didn't let himself dissolve entirely - after all, Astrid was clearly upset and needed some reassurance, too, but right now he really did need a hug. Had to get it out of his system and all.

B - Elevator

[arrogantalloy]

Tony was already in the elevator when the girl comes in. As she comes in he offers the 'standard' elevator greeting of his eyebrows raising a little and giving a quiet nod, then goes back to idely staring out the window.

"So. I'm going to assume you come from a time after the wheel but before internal combustion?"

It's only after the question he turns back to look at her.

"You have overwhelmed face, and not just from being told you have to kill to live." He sounds almost bored as he talks to her, mostly to gauge her reaction.

[stotte]

She had already tested out the elevator. In fact, this was possibly her fourth time testing it in the span of twenty minutes. She had been told to press the button, to step inside and that'd she'd be taken to the numbered floor from whichever button she presses. But even after four times, the concept is still foreign to her. Except this fourth time, there's someone else already inside.

She's not exactly sure she's in the mood for conversation. Still in a state of shock, she just wanted to rush out of here as soon as she could. But with the way things were going, that didn't seem to happen anything soon, so she might as well pick up on anything information she could.

"I'm not exactly a stranger to the kill-to-live kind of lifestyle," she says, a bit sharply. She caught on that killing didn't occur outside the so-called "arenas", but she wasn't going to let her guard down so easily either.

Except she still doesn't know where she's going, having already tried plenty of numbers in her previous tries. And well, this guy seemed like he knew a bit more about these kinds of things. With a sigh, her voice lightens ever so slightly. "But I guess this place might just be a tad bit complicated. Does it really need all these numbers?"

[arrogantalloy]

He raises his eyebrows at her being sharp at him. He doesn't look overly surprised that she's talking to him like that, if anything his reaction is purely to give her a reaction.

"If we listened, I did say the look was more than just 'kill to live'." He shrugs and looks back out of the glass again, appearing disinterested until she complains about the floors.

"Well, it's a number for every floor, and every floor has people living on it. Plus the ground floor, training area and the.. Uh.. Stables? I remember horses, anyway. Yeah, we need all the numbers. Otherwise that's too many stairs."

[capitolprivilege]

Stephen walks into the common room just in time to see her react. Oh, no. It was going to be a whole day of difficult conversations.

He clears his throat.

"Astrid?" he asks. "Astrid Hofferson?" She and Belle are the two new D6 Tributes he hasn't met yet, and Belle is a brunette. This has to be Astrid.

[stotte]

By instinct, she spins on her heel, reaching behind her back for an axe that isn't there. Swallowing when she realizes she's defenseless. Holding her arms up, she's still willing to fight with her fists if she has to. After what she'd seen, she was no longer taking any chances. And how could he possibly he know her name?

"Who are you?" It comes out with no hidden aggression, already angered enough by what she had just seen.

[capitolprivilege]

Are all his conversations today going to go like this? he wonders. Stephen takes a step back, putting his hands up, defensive and surrendering.

"My name is Stephen Reagan," he says carefully. "I'm the Escort for District 6." He glances at the screen behind her. "I'm sorry," he says, as gently as he can. "Did you know him?"

c

[gunshiptotheface]

Garrus was often in the training arena. Today was no exception, especially since he was feeling the need to get out for a run. Running around the capitol while looking like a giant space-raptor wasn't the greatest idea, so he holed himself up on the treadmill for a few hours.

It wasn't often anyone so slight as Astrid came in, and even less went for the large battle axe with a confidence of someone who had grown up using such a weapon. hopping off the treadmill he went over to investigate, noting her clothing certainly was designed for somewhere colder and more rural than most of the Tributes.

"You're a new face down here."

[stotte]

She almost puts on the defensive when she hears the voice and normally she'd raise up her axe in front of her to prepare for a possible fight. But she's been told that the fighting and killing is meant for the arena, that she was safe when in the capitol, for the most part.

So even with axe in hand, she keeps it low as she turns to the source, reminding herself that not everyone was out to kill her. Not yet, anyway.

She's a bit surprised when she catches sight of his face, noticing the peculiar structure, but not as shocked as she would have originally expected. She's taken note that things were very different in this new world she's entered and that she'd be coming across a lot of unfamiliar things--and people, apparently--so it was best to just let it go and accept it fast.

"I just arrived today," she responds, still a bit cautiously by instinct. "Sort of found my new home in here already though."

[gunshiptotheface]

"You look like someone who knows what she's doing with that axe." It's nice to see since so many of the people who come here have no training in weapons or how to survive. "I'd say welcome, but you've probably had the rundown how this place works, which isn't all that welcoming in the end."

He's actually surprised she didn't run or try to get away as fast as possible. That was one of the reactions most people had to seeing him come walking around or talking to them.

"Although, you seem to be adjusting well for just arriving here today."

b

[worldsaway]

It has been a considerable time since Thor saw so many new faces amongst the strangers he had become accustomed to. The last time new people had begun to arrive, he'd been midway through the Arena, so it's surprising to say the least. He's not sure if it happens with some frequency or whenever they will it, but he knows that at a time like this people are seeking guidance and comfort.

Of course, it's not hard to tell that Astrid is one of those people at this point in time. He certainly doesn't know her, and hers is a face he's sure he wouldn't forget. He makes a slow approach, keeping his stance casual and smiling as best he can despite the irritation he feels for her.

"It is difficult to comprehend at first." And from then onward too, but he doesn't want to scare her more. "You are new. Can I be of assistance?"

[stotte]

She's startled by the voice, having been distracted in her thoughts as she tried to maneuver around unfamiliar halls in an attempt to figure out some sense of directions. There had been so many rooms, this place seeming endless with how high it went, never seeing a building with more than two or three floors.

But suddenly there's a tall man beside her, staring at her with a gaze that ... seemed familiar somehow. But she knows she's never seen him before, someone a presence as strong as his, that was something she was sure she wouldn't forget.

She didn't want to try making too many "friends" in this place. There was still so much she didn't know and it was difficult to know who to trust, aware that everyone was concerned with their own survival. But she's still in a bit of panicked state, overwhelmed by her current circumstances that she oddly finds no hesitation in speaking to him.

"I'm, uh, kind of lost. There's a lot of rooms here."

[worldsaway]

There's an idle thought in his mind that she looks to be someone that Hiccup and Ruffnut might know, but with little evidence to back up that idea he dismisses it for the moment and focuses on being steadfast in his approach. Not everyone arrives with the same intentions, nor with the same understanding of both war and modern Midgardian technology. It can be hellishly confusing, so he can't help but feel sympathy and he can't resist offering assistance.

"Twelve floors and more of them." He agrees. "But it begins to become familiar, over time." Although that's not necessarily a good thing. "At the very least, one can always rely on being shown the way." He just barely smirks, holding out a hand for her to shake. "Thor Odinson, District Two. I've not been here long myself."

[celebrityskinned]

Venus doesn't really look like a spectator when she sits on the sidelines of the Training Center. She's very clearly someone who's been using the gym to its full capacity, evident by either the sweat in her current cornrows, the exercise outfit, or the easy, relaxed posture with her arms over the bench, showing off her biceps while she sips coffee from a white disposable cup.

She has a stopwatch in the other hand. Sitting still is the harder part, and she has twenty-three more minutes to go before she's allowed to get back up and start beating the hell out of another dummy. Right now, that just means watching as a new girl, not that much younger than her, comes in and uses a double-sided axe to hew a stuffed target in half.

"Great swing," Venus calls, trying to imagine herself as encouragement and not as heckling. "You been doing that since you were a kid or something? That thing's so heavy most of the people here couldn't lift it."

[stotte]

She hadn't noticed the other girl in the room until the compliment reaches her ears, causing her to turn around as she grips the axe with both hands to steady it still from its swing. It was easy to see from her appearance that she was someone who certainly knew a thing or two about training, almost as though she might have belonged in here.

Astrid's still playing cautious when it comes to meeting new people, but she can't help but beam with a little pride from the praise, a minor smirk forming on her face.

"Since I could crawl," she admits, which is more or less true. "Is that true? Most people can't lift this?"

[celebrityskinned]

"Well, they can probably lift it, but not with enough strength to give it a good swing. They'd probably just flail and hack up the floor with it."

Venus gets up, taking a drink of her coffee and swilling the liquid in the bottom of its cup to see how much she has left. Not much. She gets fidgety just sitting around, and that means that she compulsively sips her coffee faster than she should.

"What kind of place did you come from that you gotta swing an axe when you're a toddler?"

b - D12

[69problems]

The Signless was sitting in the District Twelve lounge, watching some inane Capitol program and not really paying much attention to it (he'd found they made about as much sense whether he actively tried to understand them or not), when a very frustrated-looking human girl stalked in, walked across the room, and proceeded to stare down the door to a supply closet like it had personally wronged her.

"...Ah. Are you looking for someone?"

[stotte]

It didn't take much to figure out that Astrid was lost. Very lost. She had learned the word elevator, but had yet to understand the full concept of it or the fact that buildings in this world could have more than two or three floors. Thus, she has no idea what floor she's even on now, wandering in to peek around, noticing it looked, well, vaguely similar to all the other floors she'd happen upon.

But she keeps walking until she approaches a door. Staring down hard at it, she really hoped this one would be it: the exit. She doesn't even really hear the question directed at her as she takes in a deep breath and proceeds to open the mystery door.

Oh. A closet.

With a hard slam, she groans, stomping down her feet in frustration. "Son of a half-troll, blasted piece of dragon--!"

In her fit of stomping, she turns catching sight of the strange, err, person (?) sitting nearby. But well, she's seen enough weird things today that she's more concerned with keeping focus on her anger, pointing at the hope-killing closet door. "How do I get out of here!?"

[69problems]

He's going to just delicately assume that she's new. This is fairly standard behavior for someone who has no idea how to navigate a place like the Capitol, and that unfamiliarity usually only comes from being a recent arrival.

"That depends," he says, standing and walking over to her. "Out of here as in off of this floor, or out of here as in out of this building? Either way I would be happy to show you."