'Cause I'm only a crack in this castle of glass

[justasmallfry]

Who| Wee Anakin and YOU!
What| Ugh, fine, he can’t leave this city so he’ll explore this Training Center
Where| Any ‘common’ area in the Training Center + District 12’s apartments (just not the apartments of the other Districts)
When| Day of Anakin’s arrival
Warnings/Notes| n/a for now

Anakin had not wasted any time or energy leaving the Training Center. There was no way he was going to be shoved into an arena to fight other people like some form of Trandoshen-kidnaped entertainment. As soon as he determined there was no one physically keeping him within the confines of the building, he was out of there.

His plan had been to get as far away from this place as possible and figure out how to send a message back to the Temple on Coruscant so the Jedi could come rescue him.

He made it to the city limits before he was confronted by what he deduced was this planet’s peace keeping force. Begrudgingly he had to concede he was outnumbered and outgunned and out powered - and why couldn't he feel the Force right now? An answer to that was not readily available.

This was a lesson learned, he heard Obi-Wan’s voice instruct. He’d failed to make a proper plan of escape. He would do better next time. He didn't put up a fight when the peacekeepers escorted him back to the Training Center.

To start that process of 'doing better next time', he decided he needed to learn what he could about this building he’d woken up in, and was now redeposited at by the peacekeepers.


[OOC: So Ani will be all over the building, top to bottom. The only places he won’t go right now (aside from the restricted levels) are the Districts 1-11 apartments. So characters can run into him pretty much everywhere else in the building. Just make it clear in your tag somehow where the encounter is happening.]

Comments

District 12 Common area

[justoutrunyou]

Sandy was still on the emotional mend from her recent death and could be found in the common curled up on the sofa watching the re-broadcast sullenly. She knew it couldn't be doing much to help her mood but it was with a sort of morbid fascination that she watched the final five minutes of the arena dissolving into bloodshed and pain.

All because she'd lost control.

There she was screaming like a wild animal and running at the man with the gun. And appropriately she was put down like an animal with a single shot that blew her head to bits.

Watching it made her fresh scars tingle on her forehead. She tugged the stocking cap down even more in case someone saw.

The sound of a door opening was enough to make her jump and her eyes immediately turned to spy a new boy. She regarded him with suspicion and sank down lower on the sofa.

[justasmallfry]

Movement to the side caught Anakin's eye. A holoprojector was playing some kind of bloody holodrama (because he was woefully uninformed about what he was seeing). But he could have sworn he'd also seen, from the corner of his eye, someone watching the thing. However, now the couch back supported no bodies... that he could see.

"Uh, hello?"

[justoutrunyou]

She considered for a moment staying silent, but already the gears in her head were turning. People didn't typically come snooping around other districts suites so odds were fairly good that he belonged here.

And when you were new in this world you needed all the help you could get.

Despite her anxiety she spoke up from her seat.

"Hey, you new?"

She hadn't spoken in a few hours and the exhaustion in her voice surprised her. She'd have thought after all this laying around she'd start to feel better but apparently not.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin followed the disembodied, tired voice around the couch until he was looking at a young girl.

"Ya, I just got here... well, a few hours ago. I tried to leave but they stopped me."

Training room

[knifewithnoname]

If this arena had taught Pruna anything it was that she was not strong enough. Not to save Sandy, not to save herself. Not even from the other stupid tributes. If she couldn't even win an arena how was she supposed to stop people putting Sandy in prison, how was she supposed to stay free herself?

She had to be stronger, it was the only answer. So training. Training every day, as late as she could. She couldn't sleep anyways, so she had more time. More time for training. Stabbing training dummies, learning new weapons. Swinging from the bars on the ceiling.

She spotted the boy when he walked into the room, he didn't seem all that much older than her and so she approached, watching from high up. She hadn't seen him on the television screens of the last arena, so he must be new.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin was impressed with the training room, he couldn't deny it. It could definitely serve a purpose in his plans for escape. A Padawan needed to continually practice to improve - more words from Obi-Wan.

Though he would have headed straight for the weapons, movement from above made him stop and observe what was happening there. A young girl, about his age, was up on the bars watching him.

Attention diverted at the expense of caution.

"Uh, hi?"

[knifewithnoname]

"Hello." She made her way down, carefully until she was on the ground. "Do you be here to be training? Do you be being a tribute?"

Once she would have just ignored most other people using the training room, but if there was one thing that had grown in her time here it was her curiousity.

common area

[shenunigans]

It's really hard to believe Dave has been here six months. It's really hard to want to believe it, really. But here he is with a pet bird in a dystopia and everything is universally uncool. He's on the rebound of his third arena and he's starting to notice newbies coming in, but he hasn't paid them much mind.

The bird, however, does. It's already trained well enough not to fly away forever and ditch him like an asshole, but it occasionally likes to fly out ahead of him and embarrass him. Like right now. The little bird flutters forward and plonks itself down on Anakin's head, leaving Dave to jog up to the kid and reclaim it.

"How fucking dare you run away when I gave you all my goddamn chip dust." He says to the bird, not acknowledging Anakin until he scoops it off his head. "Pursed lips? Confused expression? You must be a.." Don't say Weasley. "New kid. Sup."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin had not been facing towards the boy with the bird; he would not have let the animal land on his head had he seen it (or felt it in the Force – but he was minus that connection right now). He was not the type to allow animals to climb on him. The bird gained purchase for all of one second before Anakin was shoving it off, the young padawan not waiting for someone to collect it.

The look he turned towards the boy was not one of patience or confusion, it was more along the lines of irritation, because a bird, belonging to the boy, it seemed, had landed on his head. If the boy didn’t know the difference between irritation and confusion, Anakin couldn’t help him.

He rubbed a hand through his hair where the bird had touched down.

“Ya, I’m new. Who are you?”

[shenunigans]

Sometimes it can take adjusting to lose a bunch of powers in a snap, Dave has felt the repercussions of being much slower in the running and reflex department for a while. That said, it's a fast bird. Capitol engineering at it's finest, which is probably apparent from how vivid the colours of it are.

Dave arches a brow over his sunglasses at the kid, depositing the bird on his shoulder so he can fold his arms over his chest and give the little guy an appraising look.

"I'm a lot of things." He answers curtly, but he owes the kid a solid answer. Probably. "Dave Strider. I've been repping for District Nine since they brought me here six months ago." He'll pause for a moment before speaking up again. "And you, O terrifying one?"

common area

[letthemburn]

Now that the Arena's mostly over, Iskierka has been spending a good deal more time in the actual buildings that are meant to house the Tributes. The fact that there are more people coming in only gives her another reason to stay. Not that she has any sort of hope that she'll run into anyone she actually knows, but she hasn't yet given up entirely on seeing people from home.

By the time Anakin wanders into the common area she's settled in near the middle of the room, a pile of brilliantly red scales as she sets about seeing what might happen.

(Or, in fact, who should happen to show up. Just because there hadn't been anything of great interest happening there when she'd arrived doesn't mean that there won't be anything)

She doesn't immediately comment however. Instead she simply watches Anakin to see what he'll do. After all, the reactions she's gotten are as different as the people themselves can be and it's not really as if she cares to be the one to start conversations most of the time. So waiting it is and she can be patient enough for that, at least.

[justasmallfry]

Anakin saw the large, red, scaly lizard-like creature the moment he walked into the common area. At first he didn’t pay her much mind – he was from a universe with many strange and large creatures. Krayt dragons might not be as flashy as the creature before him, but they were large and lizardy none the less. As long as she wasn’t causing mayhem, he was content to leave her in peace after an initial assessment.

So he went about his familiarizing himself with the room.

It wasn’t until he realized he was being observed by the red creature that he started to take true notice of her.

Having the Force now would be beneficial because he’d have one more sense to verify what he was sure was going on.

But without it, it was hard for him – who had never run into a sentient of her nature before – to discern if she was truly observing him as a sentient, or if just an animal.

He stopped and stared at her back to see if he could figure it out. Maybe she would make a move that would help him decide if she was intelligent.

[letthemburn]

She's silent for a moment longer, as if she's trying to figure out whether or she should wait for him to speak. Eventually however, she figures she might as well speak up. She's not always the best at starting conversations, but not always for lack of trying.

Sometimes peoples' reactions are all she needs to get things started. But there's nothing here that really works, in the long run. Not that there's anything terribly wrong with curiosity - she often is exactly that herself - but it's not quite as easy to make a comment out of it. So she considers a moment before finally speaking.

"It would be ever so much easier to get answers if you only asked."

Training Center

[sithcretapprentice]

As of late, it's rare for Starkiller not to be in the training center. After going for so long without the ability to train, he's trying to make up for lost time. As someone who'd been forced to clean up after just about every tribute in the Capitol as well, Starkiller is also pretty aware of who's new. So that day, when he enters the training room, he stops when he notices there is, in fact, a new face.

And it's a child. He has no strong feelings in regards to the Capitol bringing in children, he's of the opinion that they should be capable of fending for themselves, but it does make him roll his eyes lightly. He always assumes things are getting boring for them, if they have to artificially create drama with children. So many people have strong opinions on them, it's always good for a show.

Regardless of his opinions, he's curious as to who this person is and so before getting started with his training, Starkiller approaches him. "Hello." It's short and to the point, with a small nod to go along with it. "You're new, aren't you?"

[justasmallfry]

Anakin had not expected the rather tall man to approach him. When he realized what Starkiller was doing, he didn’t back down or flinch away from him – but he did have to crane his neck to look up at all of him (Anakin had yet to hit that growth spurt that would take him level to this man’s height).

“Yes. I arrived today.” Anakin stared up at the man, trying to decide what his intent was. Was he there to intimidate him? Or was he just curious about the new arrival?

“What’s your name?”

[sithcretapprentice]

It was as he expected, so he only nods in acknowledgement that he'd arrived today. If he came off as intimidating, he certainly didn't mean to, either. He was simply curious. "Starkiller," he said simply, though in the back of his mind he was waiting for the inevitable questions on it. Most people thought it was rather ridiculous. "And yours?"

Training Center

[carnagecarnival]

The peacekeepers are out in full force since he'd last been in Capitol. They're crawling all over like an unfunny infestation. He used to snarl when people got close to him but now he just keeps his head down. All automatic does he do so since his avoxing and he finds himself just being glad he ain't got the pride left to care.

Others ain't so apt to keeping restraint. He's passed by a scuffle or two now. He can't say he surprised when he catches what's almost certainly a new tribute being escorted back. Small kid. But that didn't mean much.

He doesn't see him again until laterways, back in the training center where he's got a clear view of all everybody from his place by the wall. It's half-painted behind him, all in a swirling miasma of vibrant color featuring all manner of unearthy shape within. But considering he's a seven foot troll in face paint with waving horns, it doesn't exactly claim all the attention. "HOPE YOU DIDN'T TRY AT TO MOTHERFUCKING RUN, LITTLE BROTHER. Ain't no ways obvious up out of here."

[justasmallfry]

Anakin was very used to non-humans in all their sizes, shapes, and appearances. Tatooine was not solely a human settlement – Hutts, Dugs, Trandoshans, Jawas, Rodians, Twi’leks were all quite common on Tatooine. And Coruscant, well, there were more non-humans than Anakin could ever count. He was not taken aback by the troll standing along the wall.

He was, however, stopped by being yelled at.

It wasn’t out of fear that made him look – Anakin lacked that place in his brain that processed fear of personal well-being – it was mostly out of indignation for being yelled at for no discernable reason.

“What?”

[carnagecarnival]

He probably don't help his own case when as he smirks. A lot of people recently stopped their thinking he was meaning to be antagonizing immediate. That didn't mean everybody had or would.

He nods his head and horns on back at the door. "PEACEKEEPERS. Saw them bring your ass on hereways. FIGURED YOU RAN. But they caught your ass, didn't they? IT'S WHAT AS I SAID. Ain't no way out obvious." Yet.

He sits back and waits, just to see how all the kid will play out with the sound of his preach. It's always a motherfucking coin flip.

Training

[medecin]

Joly's noticed a new arrival in the time between waking up and being sent back to the Tribute Center, but the first few days had seen him a little too anxious to speak to much of anyone. Enjolras is gone. He had hoped it was the sort of gone that Max had been, but with every day that passes now, he's gradually losing hope, and worrying about the fact that he and his friends are left without their leader.

But, even when it comes to some things for Joly to panic over, there's also a point where he has to find distractions before he goes totally insane. Practicing in the training room is one of them, and, while it's still hard to manage anything heavier than the lighter foils he prefers for fencing, he's gotten a LOT better with them, and has just finished vanquishing a practice dummy, when he turns around, noticing someone new glancing around the room, offering a wave as he places the boy's face.

"You are in Distract Twelve, aren't you? I think I've seen you about, up there, though I haven't officially met you yet. I have...well, that is not so important at the moment. My name is Joly, though."

[justasmallfry]

By now Anakin was familiar with the Training room. He had been coming here every morning since arriving to train, like he would if he were back at the Temple. There were forms for both hand to hand combat and weapons to practice. He knew them all by heart, as was required of him back in the Temple, he just needed to practice, practice, practice. How else was he going to find a way out of this mess if he let his training slide during adversity?

He was looking over the weapons when he noticed someone he’d seen around the district twelve floor wave him over. He took note of the weapon the man was using and grabbed the same before approaching the individual.

“I’m Anakin,” he greeted without hesitation, not at all put out that they’d not talked until now. “What weapon is this?” He nodded towards the sword in Joly’s hand. While Anakin had training with many different kinds of weapons (most not even utilizing blades of plasma), this particular variation of sword is new to him.

[medecin]

"That is a rapier, and not good for very much in the arena, but it does help with building up speed and a sort of...elegance." Joly explained, and twisted his wrist a little to show the range of movement there.

"I must say, I've never exactly managed to use one in an arena but the footwork bits have helped when I've needed to run for it, or stab a giant spider with a shoe. Anakin."

He repeated the name, nodding, and hating the fact that it seemed like more and more children were showing up here. He was reminded, unpleasantly reminded, of Gavroche at the barricades, even though he wouldn't share that with the boy in front of him, of course.

"I could show you a little, if you liked?"

D12 Common Room

[69problems]

The Signless is well aware that new tributes have been showing up and so when he sees someone wandering around Twelve that he doesn't recognize his immediate assumption is 'new blockmate'. Why are all the children and aliens invariably slotted into Twelve? It can't be coincidental at this point.

He probably ought to say hello and introduce himself if they're to be living in close proximity.

"Hello. I haven't seen you here before; are you a new arrival?"

[justasmallfry]

Anakin stopped his silent observation of the room and approached the horned individual.

"Ya, I'm supposed to be in twelve," he didn't sound as if he accepted this new arrangement. Which, of course, he didn't. "For now, I guess. I'm Anakin."

[69problems]

"My name is Signless. I live..." he turns and gestures off down the hall. "Down that way, in one of the further rooms. You're welcome to visit if you need anything, though I imagine right now you're still settling in?"