thecapitol | [Open] Not Exactly Home

Entry tags:

ellis,
✘ jane

[Open] Not Exactly Home

Who| Ellis and OPEN!
What| El's first death and watching the Arena...horrified.
Where| All over the Tower
When| Week 5
Warnings/Notes| Language and mentions of the Arena

A. District 4 Suite

Ellis' death was quick and yet he couldn't quite shake off the horrible feeling that came from it. That empty horror that came as he bled out. Of course he checked out his body for any scars and only found the ones he came into the Arena. Garrett slammed the the knife twice, cutting It felt like that time he was nearly killed by a Tank, only less terrifying as it turned out. If this was how death would be from now on, he was going to get used to it...or lose his mind. Go big, or go home, he thought as he stretched out. He wasn't that shaken about it and that's what disturbed him the most: how accepting he was of it all. Was he so used to being near death back home that when he actually bought the farm, it wasn't that big a deal?

"Jesus help me, what's wrong in my head?" he muttered to himself, playing with his hat, his token...

Well at least now, he was now in the Capitol and more so, his District Suite! Nick said this was a safe place, no zombies in here! Any fellow D4 Tributes can see the strange hick explore the floor and all the amenities that come with being a guest of the Capitol for their entertainment.

B. Tower Bar

Watching the Games themselves on the big screen was possibly the worst mistake Ellis ever did as he watched Nick pick off four tributes. The callous way he just pulled the trigger and told them off with such a cold manner that. Ellis wanted to personally apologize to those people. He'd also take a good drink or three...holy crap, he knows this a death game but this is just-

"Where the hell is the nearest bar?" the mechanic needed that one fast as he watched the bloodbath even further. He wanted to cheer on...he really did. But holy damn, he could almost hear Coach scolding them both.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ellis was now just as fascinated as he was when they met. He could bounce back readily from trauma, or at least he appeared to be.]

Wha's that primal stone thing? And it's not so much zombies but people with a really aggressive sorta rabies.

It's...magic.

[Which shows just how little he really knows about it. He'd read the Baron's notes about it, but that hadn't cleared up too much.

He quirks an eyebrow at Ellis' explanation.]

So it all started with rabid dogs?

Tha's so cool! [And there it is, the puppy is back and he's smiling at full power again. He stares at it a little longer] Does it make ya a better thief? Like stealthy?

An' I dunno, but all I knew issat it was a rabies variant tha' infected humans. Or Mad Cow disease if I remember th' skinned cows.

It spread fast though, stupid fast.

[Garrett wouldn't admit it, but the kid's enthusiasm was infectious. He'd normally answer that question with a short reply, but he smirks mischievously.]

You tell me.

[His eye flashes blue as he focuses on calling up that power. When he gets up and heads into the crowd, it really is like he just melts into the background. He even avoids being bumped into, thanks to his heightened reflexes. No one notices him creeping in the darker corners, and no one feels a thing as he picks a few pockets with unnatural dexterity and speed. After a minute, he doubles back and sneaks up behind Ellis, his footsteps and movements quite literally silent. He slips back into reality, letting the world's colours return and allowing time to slide back into its usual pace.

He tosses a handful of stolen jewelry on the counter beside El, making sure it makes a clatter.]

[As impressed as Ellis was, and he was..., he immediately backed away.] Put 'em back, put 'em back!

[Like hell he was getting arrested for this sort of crap so soon after the Arena]

Spoilsport.

[His eye flashes again, and he vanishes into the crowd. Taking things out of a pocket was easy enough, as long as you were patient and didn't rush it. Putting things in, now, that was difficult. Most thieves wouldn't try it. But Garrett isn't "most thieves."

He returns a minute later, pockets empty and none of his targets even aware that anything had gone missing.]

So, what was that about rabid zombies?

Thank you for tha', there's a time an' a place to learn about bustin' outta jail an' this close to the Arena? No fuckin' way.

[So yeah, Garrett, you just gained a student.]

That's th' thing! They're not really zombies, just people who got sick an' lost their minds. Sad really when y'gotta put down friends an' family.

I can't think of a better time. Everyone seems to be focused on the show.

[He shrugs at Ellis' mention of friends and family.]

Can't say I know the feeling.

[You didn't lose many loved ones when you didn't have many to begin with. He'd known plenty of people who'd died for various reasons, but he couldn't really call any of them "friends." As for family, he couldn't even remember anything about his parents. They must have existed, since he was reasonably sure he hadn't just crawled out of some gutter.]

It sounds like the gloom, though. Except that usually makes people kill themselves, not everyone around them.

An' security will be up so no...I don't wanna be the adult in this conversation, Garrett. It sucks bein' the adult, just ask Nick!

[Okay, that was a cheap shot against the man but it had to be said.]

You didn't siblings or allies at least? Sounds like a very lonely life.

[He may speak in simpler terms than some of the other Tributes but he got the point across.] Well at least y'all got a friend in this mess.

I might have siblings, but I doubt it. And yeah, I had allies. Not many, and I'd only call two of them "friend."

[He takes another swig of his drink.]

I tried having an apprentice once. We disagreed on a few key things and went our separate ways.

[Until Basso hired them both for that fateful job. What the hell had he been thinking? That they'd kiss and make up?]

Hey, Ellis? They don't call me "Master Thief" just because I look good in the outfit. And who's this "Nick?"

Not gonna lie, y'all look good in it. [Ellis couldn't help the shot okay?] An' ain't teachers supposed t' disagree with their students? [No, that was you being a hellion El.]

Nick's my best friend! [Beat] For better or for worst at th' moment. Goddamn tha' man...[yeah, the Tribute who shot pretty much half the Arena. That's him]

I-I stand by him but he needs a humblin'.

Not when it comes to murdering guards for no good reason.

[He leans in toward Ellis and lowers his voice so he's barely audible above the ambient noise of the bar.]

I could teach him a lesson, if you want. Just tell me what he looks like and where to find him.

[It'd give him something to do, if nothing else. As much as his instincts are telling him to go find the underbelly of this city, he knows he doesn't have a way in just yet. It would take time to find someone who knows someone, who knows someone else, who knows someone who knew how to tap into the black market.]

Whaddya mean a "Lesson"? I jus' wanna fuck with his room or his mind, I don't wanna hurt 'im! He'll get enough of tha' when he kicks it an' has to face pretty much everyone an' their brother.

What did ya have in mind?

That's what I was thinking. A little break in during the night should help him remember that the arena's rules don't seem to apply out here. Anyone with powers could use them for payback.

[All the more reason not to go on the sort of murder sprees they seemed to want, in his opinion. Death might be cheap here, but he'd rather not face mobs of angry past victims out here.]

Well, that'll-that'll definitely work! Tha' anal-retentive bastard will hafta learn! Can I come with an' learn with y'all? But y'gotta be careful, Garrett, death [wow it feels weird to say that] is permanent outta th' Arena...

[The first of many bad decisions, a life story by Ellis.]

I was cheating death before you could crawl.

[His expression turns serious.]

Do people ever tell you that they didn't hear you come in when you were just walking into a room?

[If the kid didn't have any natural knack for stealth, well...there were things you could teach, and things you couldn't.

Not that he was itching for a new student. Sure, Ellis seemed pretty innocent, and probably would follow his moral compass come hell or high water, but people could become corrupted once they got a taste of power. Any kind of power. Just knowing that you could take anything from anyone, get into anywhere you wanted whenever you wanted...and people thought knowing how to use a sword was power. But it only worked if you had the natural talent for it.]

Tha's metal as hell.

And...[NOPE. Ellis is as stealthy as a screeching cat.] I could work on it. [At least he had that going for him: resolution.

It's not to say the man would come out of having it unscathed, just changed. Survival and adapting molded El more than he could say about the moral guardians at home.]

"...Metal?"

[That had to be some strange expression from the future.]

Do it. And get some quieter shoes, too. Right now I can only use you as a distraction.

[Softer clothing would at least be a start. Ellis would have to figure out how to walk more silently on his own. Garrett would test him, of course, but everyone's feet were different. He'd met some fellow sneaks who had to move with exaggerated care to be silent, and some who could slip in and out of a crowded room without much change in their pace. Even he had to generally slow down to be truly silent, even with his soft leather boots.]

[Garrett would see Ellis' smile beaming at this. This was something new to learn and to help Nick and his new allies in the Arena, and ensure a better Arena run in the next time]

I think I can manage both, sir. I hope not t' fail ya.

It's not me you need to worry about. There's only so much room for altruism in thieving. If the shit really hits the fan, you run or you fight; you don't try to play the hero. Heroic thieves tend to end up facing a long drop and a short stop, if you catch my drift,

[He leans back.]

We'll break into this Nick's place tonight. I doubt he'll take more than a swing at either of us if you're there. I need a safe lock to try to pick, anyway. I've only seen some of the doors around here, and some of them look too complicated for my tools.

I wasn't implyin' I was gonna be Mother Theresa. No one's tha' good an' tha' stupid.

[His cheer dropped for a second, his survivor's journey had left the young man with a cynical streak]

Oh he'll take a swing at us, not gettin' my hopes up if he's there but I doubt it since-[he looks up to the screen and lets his forehead land at the bar top] He's still in there an' killin' th' shit outta everything. Fuck me with my own fist, he's not gonna be welcomed here.

[No points as to who this Nick person is.]

Edited 2015-03-19 06:02 (UTC)

Huh. And I thought I had a bad reputation.

[Even if death meant nothing in the arena, it still hurt like hell. Garrett knew he'd be reliving it in his nightmares, and he was sure Ellis would, too. But to actively helps the twisted bastards running things...that was low even by his standards.]

That gives you time to practice, then. It buys me time to figure out the locks here, too.

[And to find out more about Nick. The more information he had going into a job, the better. More than a few heists had been successful only because he knew about the victim's habits, where to look for valuables, what time the guards changed shifts. Details mattered. Details were the difference between being able to buy food with ingredients you recognized and swinging from a tower while the crowd cheered.]

[Ellis looked to the screen and sighed] I get where he comes from but...

[the young man switched focus and faced Garrett as best he could.] He's District 7 but I heard their escort's worse than a rabid dog. It'll be interestin' to break in if there's no curfew or anythin'.

The Watch back home always greeted me with their swords out. Same with the gangs. And the guild, when they were still around.

[Whatever this place could throw at him, he'd essentially faced it before. Unless they had Metal Men patrolling. That would be a problem. Until he figured out how to take them down, anyway.]

You've got a friendly face. If they catch you, I bet you could talk and charm your way out of anything.

Friendly buncha people you have goin' as comrades.

[Sarcasm? Oh heaven forbid.]

What makes ya think I haven't used this pretty li'l face t' get outta trouble?

[Ellis was a nice guy but he wasn't stupid. What he lacked in subtlety, he had it in charms. And yet, he hesitated to ever lie after almost having Nick booted from the group back in Savannah. It wasn't the gambler that lost the weapons bag in Georgia.]

[Open] Not Exactly Home

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