thecapitol | What pretty cheeks they have, what pretty frocks they have!

Entry tags:

What pretty cheeks they have, what pretty frocks they have!

Who| Luna and you!
What| Luna tries to adjust to Panem. It's a little much, to say the least.
Where| Around the Capitol, then various places in the Training Center
When| Today
Warnings/Notes| None currently.

The Capitol
When Luna's taken to the suites and left to ponder her future, she doesn't know what to do. Waking up from what she knew had been her death, hearing she was going to be participating in another game, being expected to kill others as part of that game...she can't go through with all that again, she just can't. It's not long before she starts to feel a need for something more open - fewer walls, more nature if she can find it. Her body feels heavy and alien too, and the thought of staying inside makes her chest hurt. Leaving the Training Center makes her anxious too, but there are no locked doors on the way out and she knows there are people outside, she'd seen them as she was being escorted by the Peacekeepers. So when she steps outside...

It's almost overwhelming. All the colors, all the noise, all the people. Luna's only seen scenes like this in old records, and experiencing it for real is astounding - and intimidating. Curiosity wins over timidness but just barely, so she wanders the streets trying to stay out of people's way (difficult, given the bustling streets) and glances at colorful displays with a mixture of admiration and hesitation. She's not yet sure she's ready to go inside anywhere; shyness has been her cover before, but now the truth of it is coming back to bite.

Training Center (gym, rooftop, District 6 suites)
Eventually Luna returns to the Training Center, because she can only stay outside for so long. She stops by the training sublevel first, quickly recognizing how out of place she is among the people gathered. The gym is for people who want to improve themselves and increase their chances at survival and victory. Survival is something that appeals to Luna, but victory...isn't. She lingers there a little longer, just to observe and maybe talk with one or two people, but it's not too long before she goes exploring further.

And while the Training Center makes her uneasy, the rooftop doesn't. Even the Capitol doesn't have a lot of nature, so when she looks around and browses the gardens something in her heart settles down a little. She spends a while sitting near the edge of the roof looking down at the city below, and thinking of happy things. The whirlwind of life in the Capitol, the freedom of leaving the facility, surviving on her own outside. The fact that she's alive at all to see this right now. Not dying alone, but getting to be with...

When Luna starts crying, she takes that as her cue to leave. As far as she knows she's alone, but she could have missed something and she doesn't want anyone to see her like this right now. She sticks around for a few moments longer to compose herself, and then starts to head back down to the District 6 suites to see who else is there. It seems that she's going to be here for a while longer, after all. She'll need to figure out what she can do in the days ahead.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I know," Sansa says, her voice a little softer, and gives the other girl a smile. There's something a little different in her eyes, though, a sadness pulling at the corners of her mouth. "But people are very kind here, really. And it doesn't seem to me that we should be cruel to one another, not when we don't have to be. We're all strangers here, after all. While we're living together, and not in the Games, we ought to do everything we can to make each other's lives easier, oughtn't we?"

Reaching up to adjust her hair slightly, she sits back down near Luna. "Has anyone explained the Games to you yet? Only I think I probably shouldn't be the one to do it. I'm still getting my head around it myself." And she laughs, that what-a-silly-girl-I-am laugh designed to put people at their ease.

Hearing Sansa's opinion on how people ought to act together makes Luna's heart soar a little - that's exactly it, that's what she'd hoped for the Nonary Game! Even if only Sigma and maybe Phi had believed in cooperating too it only made sense, didn't it? Her smile widens again, a little brighter this time, but she looks down after a second to hide it; she doesn't really want to invite questions like that right now. Sansa's more focused on the present anyway, and Luna shakes her head to show that she hasn't heard much more so far.

"No. All I know is that there's a game coming up in which we're supposed to...battle to the death." The last part comes out slow in hesitation, almost clinically. To be honest she has many questions about how she's here and how everything fits together, but if Sansa's new too it's silly to think that she would know either. Those are questions for people with roles much higher up in this place, maybe even the highest. And as for the Games themselves - well. "I don't know if there's some higher purpose to all of it. But even if there is...isn't it horrible?"

Sansa is quiet for a long moment, worrying at her lip. The way it's phrased sets off all the thoughts that have been working away quietly inside her since she arrived, and she suddenly feels overfilled with them, like she daren't open her mouth in case everything spills out at once.

"I don't know that it is," she says at last, quietly, her eyes downcast. "They tell me it's to keep the people in line. Well, I've seen the other ways of doing that. I've seen what it does to people, when they... when anyone can die, any time, when nobody knows how the world turns any more. I don't want to kill, and I don't want to die, but if it stops wars, then I don't think it's so horrible. We're safe the rest of the time, and if what I've heard is true, our deaths may not even last." She looks up at Luna, the tip of her tongue darting out to moisten her lips, and swallows. "I'd rather be here than back in King's Landing, any day. So I don't think it's horrible. And..." This with a slightly furtive look. "...And I don't think you ought to say you do, anyway. It's ungrateful." Which is the most subtle way she can think of to say watch what you say, they're listening.

Ungrateful. The word is a little stab at Luna's heart, like the forceful reminder that she'd been created only to carry out the orders she was given. Sansa's reasoning is familiar, in a way: she wouldn't exist if not for the Doctor and Akane, and she wouldn't be alive now if not for these games. The AB Project served a higher purpose of its own, while the games here are supposed to prevent war somehow. She sees the long-term logic in there, even if that doesn't stop her from hating it.

"A necessary evil, then. I understand. I'm familiar with them, from...before." Her tone is neutral, but the words feel as hollow as they did when she gave the excuse to Sigma. She's caught Sansa's look, though - she can guess that like the threat of termination, the punishment for disobedience in Panem is very unpleasant. Even if her life isn't worth murdering others over, she isn't going to just throw it away either. Better to pick her battles right now and maybe get some more answers. "But what do you mean, our deaths may not last? Death is, well, death."

"Not here." This is what excites Sansa most of all, and it's clear - the light's back in her eyes, and a certain genuineness reappears in her smile before she manages to pull herself back to calm. "That is, I've never experienced it myself. But when I got here, Karkat - that's one of the other Tributes here - Karkat told me that if they like you enough, you come back! That you can die in the Arena, and wake up the next day back here, just as if nothing happened. He said that it had happened to him, and not just once, lots of times. And other people have said the same, that death isn't death here, not real, true death. Not if they like you."

That's what captured her about the Capitol, more than any number of pretty dresses or glittering buildings. The idea that, if she plays her cards right, she might never have to lose anyone again. That she can live as long as she likes, and never see her end beckoning the way she has before. What's a little blood and gore, against the offer of a gift like that?

There's a certain appeal to that, Luna can see it. Life is precious, and more than anything hard to let go of. But somehow the idea of dying and coming back to life only to die again, over and over, is even more frightening than the idea of dying once for good. Perhaps it's because Luna by all rights should already be dead. To be honest she'd choose it again if it meant she could prevent all of this.

She can't, though, and obviously Sansa seems to feel differently about the matter. Luna can't fault her for that. Sansa's human, after all, and has more of a future to lose. Luna understands her point of view, even if she can't share it. So she smiles again and tries to think positively. "I'm sure that if he told you that, he was telling the truth. That's good for you, then. I can't imagine that they wouldn't like you, no matter who they are." And that much is genuine: part of her still can't believe Sansa's been so friendly to her.

Sansa smiles even wider at that, leaning over and clasping Luna's hand in both of hers. "Thank you," she says, and means it. In the long watches of the night, she's been agonising over just that - what if they don't like her? What if this is all some horrible practical joke? - so hearing it in so many words from someone else is an immense relief.

There's a little of Queen Margaery in her movements, although she doesn't realise it, when she squeezes Luna's hand in hers and leans forwards to meet the other girl's eyes. "Tell me we can be friends," she says, smiling with innocent hopefulness. "Oh, we must! We have to look after one another, you know. If one of us wins, the whole District wins, so you see, it's for the best."

With her small life it's not much to say Luna hasn't met anyone like this before, but she's thrown again when Sansa holds her hands and asks to be friends. The logic feels so right to Luna, and when it comes to the question of cooperation she's so used to distrust and shame. Sansa's hope make her feel the exact opposite, and that brings to her face the biggest, most earnest smile she's had in what feels like a long time.

She squeezes Sansa's hands in return, nodding but staying silent until she's got a good grip on her words. When she does, her voice is heavy with gratitude. "Yes, of course! I'd love to be friends, I really would. When the time comes let's do our best out there, okay?" It's a small lie in that she doesn't want to do well, but the sentiment is there - if there can only be one survivor, she hopes Sansa is that person.

"Of course." Sansa nods, smiling encouragingly at Luna. She feels a little bad for manipulating her in this way, and then wonders why she feels that way - really, their being friends is for the best, for Luna as well as for herself. But she isn't yet used to going about making friends in such a calculated, self-interested way, and so there's that pang of guilt, as if she's lying to someone who really doesn't deserve it. She pushes it away. She's done far worse things than this to survive.

Letting go of Luna's hands, she gets to her feet, smoothing down her skirts. "I'll get you some tea," she says, "and we can talk about you. I'd love to get to know you!"

Luna for her part is still marveling, up until the point where Sansa mentions tea. That...could be a problem, as her body isn't built to eat or drink - until she remembers that somehow it might be now. What a strange thought. She's not entirely sure she can but she can guess, and...well, now is a good time to find out. Talking about her is also a risky subject, but maybe she can make that work. It will be nice, to just chat a little.

She smiles back up at Sansa and nods. "Yes, I'd love that too. Thank you. You won't need any help, will you?" Sansa will probably be fine, but Luna feels obligated to offer all the same. She's made tea plenty of times before, but naturally it's never been for herself.

Edited (rewrote this to account for a chronologically earlier thread, sorry for any trouble!) 2015-10-04 04:45 (UTC)

"I don't think so. I learned to make tea here a little while ago." The pride in her voice might be disproportionate for such a simple task, but Sansa has been raised in privilege, and before coming here, never had to make tea for herself. Besides, all the machinery here is so complicated and strange that every time she learns how to work a little more of it, she feels a warm surge of pride. "You ought to try and rest a little. Just sit here, I'll take care of everything."

Smiling warmly at Luna, she turns to head towards the little kitchen, to put on the kettle and find some mugs.

"Oh. Um, okay." Sansa's said to rest, but left alone Luna has a lot of thoughts she doesn't know what to do with. Normally in the Rhizome she'd go to the garden to think, but of course she can't do that here for a number of reasons. She ends up closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as she leans back, trying to chase away some of the thoughts swirling around in her mind and not really succeeding. If anything, she feels even more muddle this way. It kind of figures.

She opens her eyes again instead, and looks over to the kitchen to see how Sansa's doing.

Sansa drops the teabags - what a wonderful invention, one she still isn't quite used to! - into the mugs, fills them up with water, and starts back into the main room, after conscientiously nudging the tea caddy straighter on the sideboard. "We have milk, I think," she tells Luna, sitting back down and passing over one of the mugs, which is virulently purple with glittery flowers on it. "Some people here take milk with their tea, I don't know if you do."

Luna smiles again as she takes the mug from Sansa, enjoying the warm feeling of the cup in her hand. "No, that's all right. Thank you again."

She notes that the mug is very sparkly and bold, much different from the plain and functional dishes in the Rhizome. It's different in a way that isn't bad, though, and she feels a little better about that. She takes a sip of the tea and recoils slightly when the drink hits her tongue. "Oh! It's very hot." She...ought to have expected that, really, even if actually drinking tea is new to her.

"Sorry!" Sansa looks rather horrified at having hurt her guest (she definitely thinks of Luna as her guest, given that she's been living her longer). "I should have added milk, probably. Or cold water. Or something."

Luna's a little mortified by Sansa's reaction. She's done nothing wrong, of course; it's Luna's fault for not expecting that freshly made tea is hot, even if the reason why merits an awkward explanation. She shakes her head quickly, both to reassure Sansa and to try and shake off a little bit of her embarrassment. "Oh, no, you didn't have to do that! I was just...distracted, thinking that the cup is pretty."

Sansa smiles at that, quickly brushing away her own concern and embarrassment, and wraps her hands around her own mug. "They have all kinds of pretty things here," she agrees, although personally she thinks that mug doesn't count among them. "Pictures made of light, and glittering buildings, and the clothes... even in King's Landing, there were never clothes so rich."

"Yes! I saw some of it when I went out earlier." The subject of her spill seems to be dropped now, so Luna sips from her mug more carefully and thinks of her earlier venture outside. "I've never seen anything like it. There are so many people here." There's wonder in her words, and this time she doesn't need to hide it. "The place I come from was big on its own, but not this big. And there were fewer people, too. Going out into the city for the first time...I've never seen anything like it."

Luna's a little surprised to find that she can talk easily about it with Sansa now, even though she felt overwhelmed and half-paralyzed with shyness when she was outside. Maybe it's having a friend that makes the difference.

"Nor have I," Sansa admits, in a low, confidential tone. "I felt like fainting the first time I saw it. It's so big, and so beautiful, and there are so many people. But they're all very kind, when you get talking to them, truly they are. Far kinder than the people where I come from. They like watching us in the Games, you see, and they want us to do well."

"Really? They do?" That's a novel concept; Luna had thought that whoever took interest in the Games would be interested in the more gruesome aspects. She can't confirm it with her own experiences, having been too afraid to actually speak to any of the people in the Capitol, but she trusts Sansa's account and it makes her think. If the people who are well-liked come back no matter what, it must change the way people see things in this place.

"I didn't imagine it like that...I guess that's what happens when death doesn't last here. Like watching a show, maybe." Luna still doesn't really like the idea of treating death as such, temporary or not, but in a way it makes sense.

"Exactly like," Sansa agrees, nodding. What she understands by a show may not be quite what Luna means, but she still has a clear sense of it as show, as pageantry. People like to cheer for their champions, she would tell Luna, if she weren't trying to keep up her appearance of ignorance. It doesn't matter who is fastest, or strongest, or even who wins. People cheer for the one who captures their imagination. They cheer for the Knight of Flowers, not for the Mountain, no matter who wins in the lists.

But she doesn't feel safe saying any of that - she's grasped the fact that the Capitol has ears everywhere, and she isn't about to risk jeopardising her carefully-built persona by appearing too calculating - so she just smiles and nods and sips her tea. "They're very kind. And very good, to care for us so well. I think it's only just that we try to give them a good show in return, don't you?"

"Well..." Luna hesitates, because revival or not she's still rather afraid of death and she doesn't know what kind of show is worth that. She doesn't even know she can even come back when she can count the number of people who've liked her in her whole life on one hand...not that dying repeatedly sounds any better. It's not much reason to want to put on a show, but she remembers what Sansa said about being ungrateful - and that in the end they're both going into the Hunger Games, and regardless of what happens afterwards Luna's going to die there. In that case it doesn't really matter what she thinks, does it?

So she goes along with Sansa for the most part. "I guess so. Um, but I'm not very good at entertaining." She smiles, to show she's joking. "I wonder if they teach that downstairs too."

Sansa smiles back, laughing quietly. "It's going to be all right," she assures Luna warmly. "You just have to be you. Only more so. Talk to people, reach out, really get involved. People will come to care for you, and that's really what matters."

"Get involved..." Luna's voice is thoughtful, but there's a slight tremor in it that betrays her fear at the idea. "You know, I've never really done much of that before. Is that what you did? Maybe you could give me a few tips." It's said casually, just one girl to another, but Luna doesn't believe it's going to work for her. She probably can't keep secrets forever, and that's when things will start to fall apart.

Still, Luna wants to hope, and it's always good to take happiness where it can be found. She really does like talking with Sansa right now, so she wants to keep going while she can.

Sansa hears that tremor, and it melts her heart. She knows the fear of uncertainty far too well, and it makes her more sensitive than ever to the fears of others; in that moment, strategy forgotten, she promises herself silently to do whatever she can to keep Luna safe in this place.

"It isn't too hard," she says, as comfortingly as she can. "You just have to... to be willing to take rejection, I suppose. And take people into account - what they want, I mean, and what matters to them. I'll tell you what. When you've settled in a little, I'll show you around the city, and help you to meet people, perhaps try to find you a job."

What pretty cheeks they have, what pretty frocks they have!

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Fade out?

Yup!