thecapitol | (no subject)

Who| Timaeus Nadir and all his guests. If you are in the Capitol, you've been invited!
What| A spectacular Viewing Party and opportunity for tributes to get sponsorship
Where| The Victoria Ascendant, on the lake
When| After the most recent death roll!
Warnings/Notes| Probable skeeviness of the Nice Guy variety.

Welcome to the Victoria Ascendant, latest in the Ascendant line of luxury yachts as built by the Nadir company. Tonight, the Victoria Ascendant is the stage set for a spectacular party, also paid for by the company and specifically designed and organised by a team of event specialists overseen by your host for this evening, Timaeus Nadir- wealthy eligible bachelor, melodramatic heir apparent to the company chair, frequent sponsor of the Games. The Victoria Ascendant is fully equipped with every obscenely luxurious item imaginable, and practically drips opulence.

When first welcomed aboard you will be assured that your every need will be seen to, your every desire catered for. Staff are on hand to answer any questions you might have or guide you to various areas of the ship, provide you with food, drink, or suggestions of how best to take advantage of the Victoria Ascendant's many amenities- they are here as hosts, but also as salespeople for those of the guests with money to burn- this party is serving more than one purpose. Tributes who responded to their invite will also receive a delicate, hand-written note in a golden envelope as they board- the content of which will be posted as a reply to their response to this post.(I'll do this once your character turns up.)

Although the Victoria Ascendant has a magnificent dining room for formal, sit-down occasions, the food for the party will be circulating the various lounge areas and decks. There is also a buffet table, for those of you who prefer to help yourselves, and a fully stocked bar. Provided are a baffling variety of foods and beverages, seemingly unconnected- but each tribute will find that if at any point during their stay in the Capitol they have requested a particular food or drink item, it is available here. Or, at least, the closest approximation the catering staff could conjure up. Seating is provided in intimate groupings around tables for the most part, though there are large, sprawling couches against the walls. Central to the dining area is a magnificent aquarium filled with brightly coloured fish. Anyone looking closely enough will recognise them- varieties of piranha- but don't worry, they've been more than adequately fed and the glass is thick.

While there are various screens displaying the Games throughout the ship, Viewing is also taking place on an enormous screen, set up in a seperate lounge area with full floor-to-ceiling windows all along one side. Here, staff wait to take bets or help organise the giving of sponsor gifts. Large, comfortable couches line the room, and the central table overflows with a spectacular arrangement of edible flowers and fruit.

Later in the evening, you will be told that the firework display is about to begin, and invited to go up onto the main deck to watch. The fireworks themselves will be launched from smaller boats across the lake, and the display is set to be truly spectacular. It will be set to some music that Tributes may find familiar- various melodies pulled from the most recent Arena. The large swimming pool on the deck is open, but it is too early in the year to be comfortable to use. Instead, it is being used as an unusual centrepiece for the evening. Floating in the illuminated water is a gigantic iceberg, sculpted into a stylised model of the current arena and populated with frozen figures. Eagle-eyed Tributes may be able to spot themselves depicted in ice- more often than not, the moment of their deaths are the pose of choice, if a little tweaked for the sake of a more dramatic scene.

Enjoy!

Adachi · Ariadne · Asha · Atticus · Beck · Blaine · Calico · Callista · Chris · Diana · Don · Eddie · Eponine · Eva · Gaila · Glinda · Harley · Howard · Julie · Kurt · Marty · Maximus · Momoko · Neffa · Parker · Peeta · Phil · Pruna · R · Sigma · Some · Thane · Timaeus · Topher

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, for Eponine, the lights made sense at least. She was from District 3, after all. But it didn't mean she had to like it. The dress was heavy and stiff, no matter how pretty it looked on - although she was glad to be wearing it, especially after some of Valeria's other offerings.

"I think it is horrible, Monsieur." She's staring, quite blankly now, at Howard's face. "He was in so much pain, and there was nothing I could do. I just had to keep biting him."

Thank god for the fact that he was a guy. At least his clothes were more comfortable then what some of the girls had to wear. There wasn't too much you could do for a suit, after all.

"I'm sorry," Peeta said quietly. He was apologizing for so many things, not all of them he could verbalize. "It's terrible what you had to go through. Both of you. Have you seen him since?"

"I tried to hide from him, Monsieur. But he found me... and... he asked to court me?"

She phrases it as a question. Eponine still can't believe the turn that took, why Howard had chosen her. It makes no sense to her.

"Monsieur Timaeus says we should use it to win."

Oh. Oh. Did this never stop? Two people falling in love, another star crossed lovers, did they need that over and over again, here? He couldn't wrap his mind around it. What he and Katniss had done was unprecedented, had taken everyone by surprise, which was the point. Would they let another couple win?

"He's right," Peeta said after a moment. "Everyone loves a good love story, don't they? Just look at me and Katniss, and we couldn't be more happy now." And scared. And worried. And never being normal. "Not that our relationship is a story. It's love... I love her. But I could see why pretending to be in a relationship would go over well with sponsors."

"You and Katniss won? So they will let two win? I did not think of that. I thought, perhaps that they would help me so Howard can win..."

She looks sheepishly at Peeta. She's not in love with Howard. She would do almost anything for the poor boy, especially since he forgave her so much... But it isn't love.
"I do not know... A story is good, but I do not know if he pretends. I don't understsnd why he'd love me... And perhaps I think ahead. More people from my home have followed me here... What if it is Montparnasse who comes? He would slit Howard's throat outside the arena if he knew that I am... Fond?.. Of the boy."

"Ah, no, I didn't mean..." Peeta frowned, shifting uncomfortably. "I don't think they'll let two win. We were... no, they won't let two win. What happened with us isn't normal, and I doubt it'll happen again." His voice tried to brighten. "We star crossed lovers did whatever we could to beat the odds, and the Capitol was kind enough to help make our dreams a reality."

He cleared his throat. "More people from your world are here? Who is... Mon-parns-ess? Why would he kill him?"

Peeta doesn't sound right, even from Eponine's limited interaction with him. So she stares. But she doesn't pass a comment - not on his sudden change of manner anyway.

"Well then, I hope I can live long enough to help Howard win. I do not think he can do many more of these - it is not fair on him. But Sir, there are more people here. Not Montparnasse. He is a part of the Patron Minette - he is... handsome."

She smiles ruefully at that. "Papa calls him his son-in-law - we are husband and wife in all but name. He is not here though - but there is a man, I have seen, that I recognise from the inn. He is friends with Marius, though I do not know his name. And the Inspector is here; I do not like him, but he is not clever. He clapped on the irons and took me to prison. And now they room him next to me - I do not like that.My brother is here too. I don't know what happened to him though."

Peeta was silent for a moment, thinking that through. People from her home, here. Obviously not something rare, since it seemed there were a lot of people from the same worlds, or similar ones, here together. But That just made it so much more dangerous for them. Having a loved one die versus dying yourself? Who wanted to have to make that choice?

"It must be hard, having friends and family here... or people you know, and family. Why do you want Howard to win? Why not you?"