Ellis (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shiftingurbulls) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thecapitol2015-03-04 07:45 pm
shiftingurbulls) wrote in thecapitol2015-03-04 07:45 pm
[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.
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.
no subject
[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.
no subject
[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?"
no subject
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'.
no subject
[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.]
no subject
What did ya have in mind?
no subject
[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.]
no subject
[The first of many bad decisions, a life story by Ellis.]
no subject
[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.]
no subject
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.]
no subject
[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.]
no subject
I think I can manage both, sir. I hope not t' fail ya.
no subject
[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.
no subject
[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.]
no subject
[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.]
no subject
[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'.
no subject
[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.
no subject
[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.]
no subject
[Civic pride in The City was a strange animal. No one who really lived there had any love for it, and said so quite often, but they'd knock a non-resident's teeth loose for saying the exact same thing.]
Use it. There aren't any rules against using absolutely anything you've got that might be an asset.
no subject
I'll try. An' if anyone asks? We're simply trainin' for th' next Arena. Easy peasy.
no subject
[He finishes off his drink.]
I'll find you when the games are over.