thecapitol | (no subject)

Who| Signless, Gary, and anyone who needs a distraction!
What| Signless and Gary do what they do best: draw a crowd, so that nobody notices the actual important things going down.
Where| A Capitol park
When| Backdated to the day of the break-in
Warnings/Notes| Nothing in particular; will add if something comes up.

In one of the largest available Capitol parks a stage has been set up. It's festooned with colorful fabric, riddled with microphones and wires and lights, and surrounded on either side by stalls with food and drink (there are, of course, funnel cakes). Most of that was Gary's doing, but Signless deferred to him on the logic that Gary knew better how to do one of these things in public than he did. All of his experience was in keeping these things quiet and secret, which is the exact opposite of what they need to be doing.

Guests are invited to take a seat on the grass before the stage. First on the program is an 'authentic' troll sermon much like one of the ones the Signless would have given back on Alternia. It's billed as a way for those not familiar to participate in a piece of troll culture and history, though the subject is less radical rebellious philosophy (for very obvious reasons) and much more Capitol-appropriate and safe. He speaks for a good while, often inviting his listeners to contribute to the discussion, and after the sermon proper is finished there is a short question and answer session. True to his word it really does follow the same format one of his talks might have back on his native planet.

Of course not everyone is here to listen to a troll ramble in a park. For them there is the debut concert of Gary Epps which takes place after a short intermission so everyone can grab a funnel cake or a corn dog or two. The grass in front of the stage is now a makeshift dance floor and the guests are encouraged to let loose and enjoy the very, very loud and very, very upbeat music. It may be bubblegum for the ears but it's fun and the beat is good -- perfect for drowning out thoughts of why there are so very many parties all going on on this day in particular.

[This is going to be much like a crowning: a party-style post where you can put up top levels and tag around to others at any point during the festivities. Go ahead and mingle, and have some fun before everything crashes and burns! I'll be putting up a transcription of Signless's sermon shortly for characters to react to amongst themselves, and Gary will also of course be joining in!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As it turns out, he doesn't believe much of it. Likening the caste system to Panem's districts is certainly an apt comparison, but saying that segregating people by their usefulness to the central government and reducing them to the way they can be used as tools (each in its proper place) is not something he really endorses any more than he'd endorse confining all yellowbloods to lives of servitude or saying all indigos are suited only to the church.

He notices her standing there and looking oh-so-excited to talk to him, so he gently disengages with the Capitolite who's already managed to get him to sign their fake horns (curly, in shades of green) and makes his way over to her.

"Hello, Feferi. Did you have a question?" Not that she's broadcasting clear impatience or anything.

Feferi is just on the verge of vibrating as he approaches, but she manages to keep herself in check and prevents herself from going critical mass. She has to fold her hands behinds her back to manage it, rocking forward on the balls of her feet before settling back.

"No! I just really enjoyed it, and I thought you should know." And that he looked like he might need a break from the usual Capitolite procession. Feferi to the rescue it is! "Do you just make it up as you go, or do you write it out beforehand?"

Yes, that is a question, but one shouldn't question excited fish troll logic. In her defense, she wasn't planning on asking it. It just kind of comes out. The topic discussed of course is hogwash, but she can still appreciate the art of speaking.

"A little of both," he says, honestly pleased for a question that's actually thoughtful instead of a request for him to remove his shirt (thanks, Psii). It's nice to see that someone enjoyed hearing him speak who wasn't also predisposed to eat up all the ridiculous things he was saying.

"I have an outline in mind and key points I want to address, and fill in the points in between as I go. That way if something occurs to me in the middle I can add it in without too much trouble."

There are very few who could argue with Signless taking off his shirt. Feferi is not among them. But she has bigger fish to fry, and far more enriching questions to ask.

"That's pretty smart..." The way she trails off is a key indicator that she's actually being sincere, and she mulls it over for a second before brightening up again. "I'll have to use that trick for later! I really want to get better at speaking, like you. I think it would be good for when I eventually win!"

Because she will win someday. The odds eventually are going to be in her favor, she just hopes that it will be sooner rather than later.

He grins at that. It's good to see her still so determined to win, so sure she will eventually. So many of the tributes he knows are just resigned to repeated death and failure; it's nice to see someone who hasn't let the arenas break them entirely of their optimism. She could do it, too, he knows. She just needs the right circumstances and access to the right weaponry and terrain and she, like all seadwellers, could be formidable.

"It certainly would be, especially here where victors are expected to be very public." He considers her, as though trying to picture her surrounded by reporters. "I think you might have an edge in that you're very personable already. That always makes speaking publicly easier. If all you need to work on is the ability to give longer speeches uninterrupted, you shouldn't have much trouble learning."

The tips of her fins go a little pink; she's never been shy at accepting compliments, exactly, but she's never had anyone she's looked up to being the one doing the complimenting. Really, she hasn't had anyone to look up to in general.

"Yes! Sometimes, I have trouble thinking of what to say, or I get distracted, and just..." Case in point. "Do you think... maybe you could help me out? I really would like to learn what you know!"

It feels like she's already imposed on him, but it can't hurt to ask. They're trolls, they've got to look after each other, and she would do the same if she had the chance.

He's thinking along the same lines, though for him there's a more specific drive. The key was hers before it was his. She did help him win, if unknowingly, and he feels something of an obligation to repay that (only with less dying, if all goes well). It's also his job now, though it's probably expected that will only extend to the tributes of Twelve.

"I don't see why not. It isn't something I've ever really taught before so you'd have to bear with me, but it would probably be best to start with questions you already have and go from there. We could set aside a time for it if you like?"

You can almost hear the internal squealing, though Feferi manages to keep it in, even though the rest of her tenses up in excitement.

"Whale... great, yeah! That would be really awesome! I bet I could think of some questions!" She tries to think of some off the top of her head, but none come to her immediately. She'll think of some, surely, but another idea springs to mind. "Maybe I could bring some of my ideas with me, too, and we could work on making them better?"

It's one thing to learn history, or math. But a skill like being a good speaker is a lot more complex; at least, it seems to her that there won't always be a wrong or right answer. If it were that easy, everyone would do it.

"Of course," he says with a smile that's meant to be encouraging. "I've always been of the mind that the best way to get one's ideas in order is to talk about them with other people. I almost always ran things past the Disciple before I took them to a wider audience, just to be sure I was getting across what I meant."

That and he's genuinely interested in her ideas. She's so unlike the Meenah he remembers or the Condesce he only saw from afar, and this seems like a good way to get to know her better that will also help her in the long run.

Feferi already feels that much more enlightened for having a good idea of her own. Encouragement is a strange and wonderful thing for her, and something she's never had a whole lot of outside of her lusus. She claps her hands together, and the attempt to hold back some of her excitement is visible. She's tried so hard to restrain herself, but it just bubbles over and there's nothing that she can do to stop the tide.

"Okay then! I will do that, and then I will let you know, maybe... tomorrow? Or the day after? Soon! And we can figure when and where to meet up!" She's already bouncing on her toes, ready to bolt at the drop of a hat. "So... I guess I will go get started! I have so many ideas, and there are probably other people who want to talk to you, so I'll see you later, okay?"

She doesn't even really give him much space to respond before she's already booking it back towards the training center, though she stops several yards away to turn and wave, then heads off down the street at full tilt.