Nitou and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

[infinitemayonnaise]

Who| Kousuke Nitou, a roving horde of Pomeranians, and you!
What| Nitou has picked up on the fact that Haruto's avoiding him, so he's going to try to bring his fellow wizard some donuts. Too bad some random Capitolite's dogs got loose and are making this very difficult for him.
Where| Various locations, see prompts.
When| Today!
Warnings/Notes| Possible discussion of violence and brainwashing. Definite discussion of attacks made by tiny dogs. Yakkity Sax playing softly in the background.

[A - Some Street in front of Some Donut Shop]
It had taken Nitou a while, but he finally found a donut shop that seemed willing to make the plain sugar donuts Haruto liked so much without doing anything weird, as well as a couple mayonnaise-filled ones for him. (Also, in his mind, without doing anything weird, though the shop owner had given him a long and hard look of disbelief when he'd requested that.) He was emerging from the donut shop, looking vaguely triumphant about his three bags of donuts when he heard it.

The yapping.

Some Capitolite somewhere had been taking their ten precious little baby doggies out for a walk. Said precious little baby doggies had managed to break free from their leashes, and now they were running around in a pack in search of tasty food. The donuts in Nitou's bags certainly qualify, and the dogs start charging for the strange human in the hopes of taking the bags from him. Nitou gives a yell and starts running, the horde of Pomeranians in hot pursuit. Really, he'd appreciate some help.

[B - The Park]
The Capitol was treated to the sight of a yelling Tribute being pursued by a mob of tiny dogs with bows in their fur for a solid fifteen minutes before Nitou's flight takes him through the park, where there are nice, big trees for climbing. He scrambles up one of them, finally satisfied that he's safe. The yapping dogs make a ring around the tree, frustrated that they cannot get at the Tribute and his donuts.

"Go on, get out of here!" Nitou yells at the dogs, who do not leave. He takes off one of his shoes and hurls it at them, but this only seems to egg them on. The shoe that he chucks at them is ripped to shreds by overeager chewing and an impromptu game of tug-of-war. Do they just need exercise? Are they just vicious? Nitou doesn't know, though he's inclined to bet on the latter.

And later, much later, the dogs still haven't given up, but the branch Nitou had chosen for his perch is starting to give under the weight. There's a loud cracking noise, and with a yell, Nitou falls into the dogpile below. Two of the bags of donuts do not survive, and most of the dogs' attention is focused on those. But a few of them seem to think Nitou also needs some attention, and he quickly disappears into the furry mass.

[C Training Center - Closed to Haruto]
Finally, Nitou drags himself back over to the Training Center. He knows that's where he'll find Haruto; that's just about the only place Haruto has been since getting released. Nitou could probably stand to go back to the District 5 suites to clean up a little bit. He's disheveled to the point that he's got a few twigs and leaves stuck in his hair, is missing part of one of his sleeves, and he is completely without his right shoe.

"HEY! HARUTO!" There is no getting away from Nitou this time, Haruto. He's hobbling over towards his rival, yelling across the gym floor, and waving around his single hard-won bag of donuts. There is nothing at all discreet or subtle about this. "I GOT YOU DONUTS!"

Comments

B

[tucky]

Nitou is totally being laughed at. Really, this is the funniest thing Tiffany has seen today.

"You getting licked to death over there?" she calls out from a nearby park bench.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"It's not funny!" Nitou's trying to pull himself out of the morass, and he's got a couple of dogs viciously tugging at one of his sleeves, trying to keep him put. "These things got teeth!"

[tucky]

"They're fucking tiny little pocket dogs." But she leans in as she says it, trying to get a better look without actually going over there.

"They really biting you?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Yes, they're really biting me!" Or at him, mostly. So far, they'd just gotten clothing. Maybe an actual nip on the foot that had no shoe, he wasn't too sure. "I wouldn't say they had teeth if they weren't!" He's still trying to throw the dogs off, but as soon as he removes one from the equation, another takes its place.

[tucky]

Well, then, obviously she can't go over there and help. She doesn't want to be bitten, too.

"Kick 'em or something. Or bite back. Show 'em you mean business."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Just my luck some Peacekeeper's gonna come along and arrest me for animal abuse if I do!" Nitou has at least freed one arm from the dogpile. "And getting tazed is gonna hurt worse than these stupid things!"

[tucky]

"Really? But it's self-defense." Though she is very, very new, and she has very, very little idea of what Peacekeepers are. 'Some form of police, probably' is about the extent of her knowledge here.

C - Training Center

[wizardplease]

Haruto had been busy working away at a punching bag, caught up in the rhythm of the workout and paying little mind to what was going on around him. After the break in and all the revelations that followed, paying mind to things wasn't something that he wanted to do. He'd look forward. They were going to toss them all in an arena any day now, and this time around he was bound and determined to make a better showing, for the sake of everyone else in District 11.

Nitou's shout snaps him back to reality, his last going wide and weak from the shock of it. When someone came charging in like that, there'd always been a bit of panic, a bit of worry, of alarm, but not this dread that he's feeling now. "...what?" He turns. He stares. And he tries valiantly to think of a way to escape this situation. He can't deal with Nitou now. He has no idea how to deal with him, knowing what he knows about the break in and Initiate and the reasons for everything happening.

"....what happened to you?!" The words just sort of come tumbling out, without even thinking about it. Concern (or at least confusion) takes momentary priority over Haruto's desire to avoid the things that are gnawing at him.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"I got attacked by dogs trying to get these donuts, that's what happened!" Nitou thrusts the donuts at Haruto now that he's close enough to do so. If he went through such trouble to get them, Haruto had darn well better eat them. "They were vicious!" He's just going to leave the "Pomeranian" part out of this story. Haruto does not need that detail.

[wizardplease]

"Vicious dogs? Here?" That sounds like some sort of arena hazard, not the kind of thing you'd run into in the city. But leave it to Nitou to find trouble. He looks down at the donuts, looks back up at the other wizard, looks to the donuts again... then sighs and turns away and starts unwrapping his hands. (Stephanie Rogers had been nice enough to show him how to do that, back not long after first arriving. It really helps.)

"You didn't have to do that." Damn it, he doesn't want to refuse donuts (ones that are probably plain sugar, Nitou's good enough to manage that, he knows it), but if the donuts come with having to deal with everything, then he'll go hungry a little longer.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Yeah, some Capitolite's pets got loose." Nitou makes a face. "And I guess they wanted donuts, too."

But enough about the dogs. He hopes. Haruto really doesn't need more information on those things, even if the evening news is probably going to do some sort of "oh, what are those wacky Tributes up to today" segment at some point. The important thing now is the donuts themselves.

And finding out why Haruto's been avoiding him. That, too. "Yeah, well, I was in the neighborhood, and I saw a donut place, so, hey, got you some donuts!" Now eat them, Haruto. He bled for these things.

[wizardplease]

"That doesn't sound like the sort of pets they usually keep...." Unless they were fluffy and pink and engineered to bite faces off and... no, no, he was not going to chase that particular idea any longer. He gives his head a shake in an effort to clear it, and finishes up with unwrapping his hands.

"Glad you're still thinking of me." It is flat, and not at all earnest. One might think that Haruto was mad at him, or something. He tosses the hand wraps aside, turns, and starts for the exit and the elevators without a look back or a 'come with me'. It's obvious that he's not going to get any more undisturbed workout time today. Maybe if he can get up to the District 11 suites he can lock Nitou out? Maybe. Here's hoping.

Look, he's not even cringing at the funny looks the other people there are no doubt giving them! And not even thinking about how Nitou's Donut Delivery Adventure will be playing to the tabloids. Nope. He is too stuck up his own ass right now to even ponder such things.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Well, I guess there are weirdos everywhere." Yes. Let Haruto think it was just a weird Capitolite breeding murder dogs instead of a Capitolite with too many fluffy Pomeranians.

Now Nitou's frustrated. Even he can pick up on that lack of enthusiasm there, and he is quite stubbornly following after Haruto. He doesn't know anything about what might have been done to Haruto in those three days of captivity, and he's worried. At least Haruto's taking the bait donuts, true, but Nitou, contrary to popular belief, isn't a complete idiot. "Man, what's with you?"

B

[contrarianlibrarian]

China typically isn't one to spend much time in the park, but curiosity is a heck of a motivator. Passing by on her way to the tower, she hears the snap of the branch and follows it to the source.

"Oh my..."

She cranes her neck to try and see over the mass of dogs without getting too close. She'd hate to get any fur on her dress--it would show against the black. "You seem to be in trouble."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"You think?" Nitou isn't exactly willing to be polite as he's being swarmed by snapping, yapping dogs that are determined both to steal his donuts and to gnaw on him a little bit.

[contrarianlibrarian]

China nods, as if missing the sarcasm.

She also keeps her hands neatly folded in front of her, making no move to help. "They don't seem very large. Surely you can free yourself easily?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"I dunno, is someone going to arrest me for animal abuse? Or property damage?" Because he's pretty sure that the right sort of Capitolite dingbat would throw a hissy fit at his kicking their precious babies in order to free himself.

[contrarianlibrarian]

"Hmm. You make a valid point."

"Unfortunately, I don't see any other way out of it." Well, except for that there is someone standing right here who could help. "I suppose you'll have to choose between resigning yourself to your fate as a chew toy and risking their ire."

[infinitemayonnaise]

Yes, this is about the level of help Nitou expected here in the Capitol. "You see any fountains nearby? Maybe they don't like water..."

A

[a_minute_younger]

So Gary probably would have been amused enough by all of this to get involved regardless of who was getting chased, but the fact that it's Nitou just adds an extra layer of entertainment. Gary kind of needs that right now. Nitou is always good for a decent distraction.

He actually makes it a little difficult to catch up to, he's running so desperately. But Gary is determined. He comes dashing across the street, lunging through traffic like his life depends on it. "Hey dude!" Gary cries, arms extended. He tries to put on a face that says this is Serious Business, but he can't seem to get rid of the open-mouthed grin. It's just too damn funny. Forgive him, Nitou. "Pass me the bag!"

[infinitemayonnaise]

Yes! Help! "Catch!" Nitou wastes no time in tossing the bag towards Gary. Half the dogs follow the bag and charge at Gary, and the other half of them is determined to try to savage Nitou's ankles.

[a_minute_younger]

And the bag is caught! This would be the part where Gary should run for his life and try to reconvene with Nitou when they're out of immediate danger, but...he's being chased by a pack of little yapping pomeranians. He ain't afraid of no pomeranians. So really, what Gary's seeing this situation as is the lucky acquisition of some free snacks and an entourage of adorable puppies. This is going well for him!

Gary jogs to a stop and holds the bag high over his head, laughing as he waits for the vicious dog attack that is soon to follow.

[infinitemayonnaise]

While Nitou tries to extract himself from the horde of dogs that's nipping at his ankles, the others are wasting no time in growling at Gary and trying to tug at his pants legs. They're very nippy, cranky little dogs, and they will defeat all enemies. "Dude, if we run, we might shake 'em!"

[a_minute_younger]

Gary is fearless of these cranky little dogs. They're hardly the nasty bears and sabertooths of the last Arena--there's nothing to be afraid of here, even with how aggressively they're pulling at the legs of his pants. He tries to firmly nudge them away with his feet while he investigates the bag more closely.

"Nah, man! I'm sure their owner's on the way," Gary shrugs, popping the bag open. He takes one sniff and grins wide. "Sweet! Donuts! I can have one, right?"

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Yeah, yeah, sure, as long as I've got some left!" Careful, Gary, some of those donuts are custom orders. They're filled with mayonnaise. But really, he's fed up with these mutts, and he's so ready to get running.