thecapitol | (no subject)

Who| Everyone
What| Lockdown
Where| Tribute Training Center
When| Starting around dusk
Warnings/Notes| None atm. If your character tries anything extravagant, shoot the mods a pm.

Dusk was falling when it started.

Anyone in the District 12 suite's would have heard heavy sounds above them moments before a loud explosion rocked the entire building. The electricity flickers once, twice, then goes out, replaced by cool, blue glowing lights running along the ceilings. Avoxes appeared silently, as they do, herding people from one room to another.

Once the door shuts, it doesn't open again until the last person is there, sealed shut. The windows in the rooms with them were darkened, and the computer would not respond to any request to show anything. However, food could be called to the room, the trays appearing as they normally do. But the doors would not budge, and the cool blue lights stayed the only light source, the only power.

Although there was nothing to see, there was lots to hear. Banging, foot steps in the halls, on the floors above, explosions, straining metal collapsing, scraping down the side of the building. Occasionally the repetitive rapping of gun shots. Yelling. Screaming. Those near the top of the building could smell smoke, at times strongly. The elevator can be heard moving up and down, even though it doesn't respond to any calls from those trapped.

The sounds last into the late night, finally quieting around midnight. Finally, at 1 am, a calm, cool voice comes over the loud speakers.

"The rebellion forces have been repressed. We will be clearing the building for the next few hours. Please stay patient and sleep well."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well, I doubt this would've happened a few months ago. There's been things happening that are... unusual enough to make people panic. The question is what the change will be when it's done."

"You realize how dangerous the things you're saying are, don't you?" Baron asked with a twisted smile. "Why, I have half a mind to report you."

"I didn't say the rebels would win, though. Just that things are changing. I didn't even say that was a good thing." Even though, in his mind, it would be hard to make this country worse.

"It isn't," Baron said. "And I'd like to hear you agree with me."

"I would say that would depend on how the change ends, wouldn't you? If the end result is that there's no way for another rebellion to form..." He trails off, hoping that that was close enough to an agreement for the sponsor.

"That's nonsense," Baron said. "There is no rebellion, just a small collection of disgruntled District scum who are envious of everything we have here. It will be easy to take care of them."

Which made no sense at all. The Capitol was on lockdown, from what he'd heard. And it was neither the first occurrence nor an uncoordinated one. Which begged the question of whether the man really believed what he was saying. "That's a good thing then."

Baron reached out and patted Eliot's shoulder lightly. He clearly like being able to openly touch this Tribute. "You don't have to worry about such things, my boy. You should focus on the Arenas."

"That all depends on what they do with the next one."

"The next Arena?"

"Of course."

"I'd think what they do would hardly matter."

"Some Arenas have more challenges than just the other Tributes. Others, that's almost all there is to deal with. So, yes, it does matter."

"Ah. They should be coming up with new and better things too, but you don't know what until they put you in."

Eliot nodded. "That's what the Training Level's for. So nothing's too much of a surprise."

"I hope that are some surprises at least. I don't see how it can be any fun otherwise."

"Oh, there are surprises. Lots of them. But ya can get a basic idea of some things just from some of the survival stations. Assumin' they don't throw somethin' in there just to throw ya off."

"I certainly hope they do. It makes it more interesting."

"Not if everyone dies of radiation poisoning instead of killing each other," he replied with a look that could either be amusement or anger. "I'd imagine that'd make for pretty boring tv."

"It's happened before, you know. Maybe not with radiation poisoning but Tributes have starved, frozen, drowned..."

"I'd imagine those must have been the less memorable ones." Tributes or years was left unspecified. In truth, Eliot meant both.

"Exactly. But now you return from losing. That changes the game a bit."