Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy

[drpsychosomatic]

Who| John Watson, Sherlock Holmes and anyone they encounter
What| Exploring, complaining, all that wholesome stuff
Where| Throughout the Capitol
When| After John's introduction as punishment for Sherlock messing with the cameras
Warnings/Notes| No warnings as of yet. This post can also be used for meeting just John or just Sherlock, we can engineer them splitting up for fact-finding a la Scooby Doo if you prefer!

Having been given a quick crash course on everything Sherlock had learned during his stay in the Capitol and his rather unpleasant experiences in the Arena, John had asked if Sherlock wouldn't mind showing him around some of the more interesting places in the sprawling, decadent city. He felt like having a rather stiff drink, actually- something to wash down the hideously confusing day he'd had- though he doubted he could convince Sherlock to join him in destroying a few braincells at whatever passed for a pub in this ridiculous place.

"So, where's next?" he asked, as lightly as he could manage as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. 

Comments

[alldeduction]

Sherlock noticed the woman, of course, even in his mind labeled her as a likely tribute (he was beginning to notice patterns in the fashion between the tributes and citizens) even if he did not recognize her from the previous arena. However he was a little too preoccupied to give her more than a passing glance as it was.

"Please. She was not about to give us any information what-so-ever and her comment about the ice was more than enough to indicate she was very well aware of who I was. If they insist on so much plastic surgery you think they would appreciate it when someone recognized their hard work."

[lassoftruthiness]

Diana watched the display with carefully hidden amusement. Here, at least, were a pair uninterested in staring hungrily at her. She probably should leave them to their discussion, but they were obviously tributes and apparently also seeking out information, and she really couldn't afford the opportunity slipping up.

"Ah, excuse me? Are you two new here as well?"

[drpsychosomatic]

Cut off with his mouth open, ready to give Sherlock a little more of a tongue-lashing, John looked a little embarrassed as he acknowledged the stranger with a nod and an attempt at a smile.

"I am, yes. John Watson. This is my, uh, former flatmate, Sherlock. We were... exploring."

[alldeduction]

Sherlock tried not to roll his eyes or to look petulant at the 'former flatmate' designation, but he mostly failed and his expression shifted on his face into something of a grimace.

"Yes, I thought you were a tribute," He said eventually. "Though obviously not part of the last arena, or I would know of you."

[lassoftruthiness]

"Oh, I'm quite new," is what Diana chose to respond to first. She tactfully decided not to comment on the taller man's almost childlike expressions of distaste. "My name is Diana, Diana Prince." Should she mention her DMA rank? It would probably be as meaningless here as her Justice League membership, so she decided against it.

"I just arrived today, in fact. I've been trying to get my bearings, doing some exploring of my own. Are you both Tributes as well?"

[drpsychosomatic]

John nodded, squaring his shoulders. "Apparently. Sherlock's been here longer than I have, he was showing me around a bit."

[alldeduction]

"I was here for the last arena." Sherlock added with a slightly darker tone, but he was otherwise behaved, even as he narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched her.

It was, of course, extremely difficult to do a lot of useful deduction upon tributes, especially those which were time displaced from his own - but he did attempt it. However her bearing and her speech didn't quite line up...

He'd need a moment to think over it.

[lassoftruthiness]

"I see," she said, smiling at John and Sherlock, though the latter got an inquisitive look. Had Sherlock only watched the last Arena or had he won? He didn't seem very happy about if either way. "Former flatmates you said, did you know each other before you were abducted and brought here?" Yeah, Diana doesn't really feel like sugercoating the experience.

[drpsychosomatic]

"We're friends from back home, yes," he supplied quickly. "Though they put us in different districts here- deliberately, probably. Did they assign you to one?"

[lassoftruthiness]

"They said I'd been assigned to District 5, though they didn't take the time to explain what that meant. I think they may have been tired of giving the same explanation many times over," she said, looking between the two curiously. "You believe they separated you on purpose? For what reason?"

[alldeduction]

"Melodrama." Sherlock said flatly, interrupting John before he had a chance to speak. "It makes for a better story if we're pitted against each other."

His tone made it all too apparent how much he cared about their "story".

[lassoftruthiness]

"A story," Diana repeated thoughtfully. "It's not enough to have us fight and kill, they craft a narrative to go along with it." Could the Queen of Fables be involved in this? It was a theory that didn't quite fit, except for that one point, but Diana tucked the thought away regardless, just in case.

[drpsychosomatic]

"Reality television taken to an extreme, I suppose," he agreed. "It's entertaining to watch two friends agonise over how to deal with being competitors in a death match. I was trying to ask the lady in the bar about it so we'd have a better idea of what might happen, but..."

Well, she'd said a few unfortunately callous things about Sherlock and his death in the previous arena. John sighed.

[alldeduction]

"Just because they watch it doesn't mean they pay attention," Sherlock pointed out darkly. He was still a little sore from being told-off.

[lassoftruthiness]

"I've had difficulties getting information from the city's residents--from our audience, I suppose--as well," said Diana, glancing at Sherlock. He certainly was in a mood, although considering the situation his restraint was probably admirable. "They've managed to detach themselves from the reality of the Games remarkably thoroughly. ...So very much like reality television."

[drpsychosomatic]

"I think it's more that someone's managed to detach them," John said, decisively. It wasn't the first time he'd defended the common Capitol citizen. "These people aren't evil, they just don't see what's going on like someone who didn't grow up here would. They've been brainwashed."

[alldeduction]

"Yes, so unlike home," Sherlock said a little sourly, shoving his hands in his pockets and taking a sharp breath. "I doubt they think deeply enough to even begin to grasp the moral ramifications of much of anything that happens here in the capitol - and even if they did, it would matter little. Secondary citizens, after all."

[lassoftruthiness]

"I don't believe they're evil," said Diana, raising her eyebrows at Sherlock. "Or brainwashed, any more than the people back home. Well, my home, we may be from different worlds. They're just...compliant. I think I agree with you, actually, they simply don't think the Tributes are real people. Not like them."