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thecapitol2016-02-10 08:41 pm
etcircenses) wrote in thecapitol2016-02-10 08:41 pm
A Bloody Valentine: Dance Auction!
Who| Everyone in the Capitol!
What| Dance auction!
Where| The top of the Romulus Hotel in the Capitol
When| February 14th, in the evening
Warnings/Notes| None at the moment
It's the Valentines day gala come again, and moreover, it's been over two months since Capitolites have gotten to get up close and personal with their favorite Tributes. With all the curfews and restrictions and fear suddenly cropping up, everyone's due for a little time on the town. And you, the lucky soldiers (and hostages), get to take the briefest of breaks from the battlefield and get away from the Detainment Center for a few hours.
There is a catch however. Two. The first thing is that there can be no mention of war whatsoever to the Capitolites. None. Talk of war will result in talk of execution. Your execution. The second catch is that a number of you have been signed up for dancing auction! You will be expected to dance with your assigned partners (some people may buy dances for an offworlder to dance with another offworlder!), be respectful, and at least slightly enjoyable. Most of all, you are to be a distraction. These people cannot know there is a war going on.
Some years ago, a similar dance auction was held. On top of the tallest hotel in the center of the Capitol, there's just as much scuffle as back then to fit into the elevators, maybe even more so after the long absence of Tributes. Just as back then, the sky has been artificially cleared of clouds, with more stars projected upward in their place. It's chilly out here in the early month of February, but the very floor has been set up with a heating system, keeping the rooftop nice and cozy. The Games are aired and the narrators are nostalgic.
There's something tense about the party. Everyone is smiling too hard, trying their best not to seem nervous or cast too many side-glances over unspoken worries. Small talk is taken up with intense gusto, everyone more eager than ever to forget all worries and woes. What lies are told about what the Tributes have really been up to in their absences are swallowed entirely.
"Ladies and gentlemen," a booming female voice announces from nowhere, "Celebrus Magazine, in conjunction with The Romulus Hotel, are delighted to host the third annual Hunger Games Dance Auction for charity! As a matter of decorum, let us remind you of some ground rules. A guest's actions reflects on the hotel, and the Romulus reserves the right to remove anyone in any position of authority from the premises for any reason, including going beyond the boundaries of a dance auction. Any unseemly, fraudulent or presumptive action on the part of the guests will lead to their immediate dismissal. These Tributes volunteered for charity, and their wishes should be respected.
"You may bid as much as you like, on however many Tributes you like, but please don't promise more assi than you have on-hand. All donations will be taken at the time the winning bidder is announced. Get excited, but don't get too excited!
"And now… may the bidding begin!"
At no point does Celebrus Magazine indicate what sort of charity any of the money generated is going towards. It will be a good hour and a half before the bidding closes and the pairs are announced. In the mean time, everyone is welcome to mingle. And... should a few people slip away from the party for a little while, using the crowd to hide themselves, well, who would really notice? Be sharp and keep low and you may just get away with it. The rest of you may just have a new meaning to the job of being a distraction.
What| Dance auction!
Where| The top of the Romulus Hotel in the Capitol
When| February 14th, in the evening
Warnings/Notes| None at the moment
It's the Valentines day gala come again, and moreover, it's been over two months since Capitolites have gotten to get up close and personal with their favorite Tributes. With all the curfews and restrictions and fear suddenly cropping up, everyone's due for a little time on the town. And you, the lucky soldiers (and hostages), get to take the briefest of breaks from the battlefield and get away from the Detainment Center for a few hours.
There is a catch however. Two. The first thing is that there can be no mention of war whatsoever to the Capitolites. None. Talk of war will result in talk of execution. Your execution. The second catch is that a number of you have been signed up for dancing auction! You will be expected to dance with your assigned partners (some people may buy dances for an offworlder to dance with another offworlder!), be respectful, and at least slightly enjoyable. Most of all, you are to be a distraction. These people cannot know there is a war going on.
Some years ago, a similar dance auction was held. On top of the tallest hotel in the center of the Capitol, there's just as much scuffle as back then to fit into the elevators, maybe even more so after the long absence of Tributes. Just as back then, the sky has been artificially cleared of clouds, with more stars projected upward in their place. It's chilly out here in the early month of February, but the very floor has been set up with a heating system, keeping the rooftop nice and cozy. The Games are aired and the narrators are nostalgic.
There's something tense about the party. Everyone is smiling too hard, trying their best not to seem nervous or cast too many side-glances over unspoken worries. Small talk is taken up with intense gusto, everyone more eager than ever to forget all worries and woes. What lies are told about what the Tributes have really been up to in their absences are swallowed entirely.
"Ladies and gentlemen," a booming female voice announces from nowhere, "Celebrus Magazine, in conjunction with The Romulus Hotel, are delighted to host the third annual Hunger Games Dance Auction for charity! As a matter of decorum, let us remind you of some ground rules. A guest's actions reflects on the hotel, and the Romulus reserves the right to remove anyone in any position of authority from the premises for any reason, including going beyond the boundaries of a dance auction. Any unseemly, fraudulent or presumptive action on the part of the guests will lead to their immediate dismissal. These Tributes volunteered for charity, and their wishes should be respected.
"You may bid as much as you like, on however many Tributes you like, but please don't promise more assi than you have on-hand. All donations will be taken at the time the winning bidder is announced. Get excited, but don't get too excited!
"And now… may the bidding begin!"
At no point does Celebrus Magazine indicate what sort of charity any of the money generated is going towards. It will be a good hour and a half before the bidding closes and the pairs are announced. In the mean time, everyone is welcome to mingle. And... should a few people slip away from the party for a little while, using the crowd to hide themselves, well, who would really notice? Be sharp and keep low and you may just get away with it. The rest of you may just have a new meaning to the job of being a distraction.
no subject
"Then I'll return with a warning...I haven't tried dancing since being...brought back." Which was to say, she didn't know how she would dance now that parts of her brain seemed to be under Capitol Lockdown.
As it so happened, Harleen was surprisingly coordinated once they began. She led Luna as if it were second nature managing to (Mostly) avoid any foot related accidents though there was definitely some wincing. Hopefully Luna wasn't too heavy hoofed.
Perhaps it was the books about dancing she'd been reading though those were mostly ballet related? Well not one to look a stroke of luck with more suspicion then necessary, Harley instead worked on her smile finding it easier to make an honest one with Luna. After all Luna had been nothing but kind and polite to her and she was easy to get along with. Who wouldn't like her?
no subject
When they start dancing Luna stumbles a few times at the start, but as she gets a feel for the flow of things she's able to perform a little more gracefully. There are still a few missteps here and there when she anticipates something wrongly or when she loses the rhythm, but her dancing isn't too messy at least. And as time goes on, her practiced polite smile drops out in favor of something more genuinely happy.
"This is fun," she remarks to Harley when she thinks she's gotten the hang of things. "I never thought I'd get the chance to dance like this, so I'm glad we got to do this tonight."
no subject
And really...what's not to love about this moment right now? Someone she trusts enough to touch smiling at her, making her smile back though she can't look Luna in the eyes for fear of losing her will again. Instead she focuses on the steps and motions. Instinct guides her to avoid further misstep and her smile becomes more genuine as she allows herself to become distracted.
Denial has always been her friend when dealing with things she didn't want to think about. She might as well make use of it now while she's up to her elbows in danger.
"These parties, they've always been my favorite part about living here. Everyone having fun and trying to just...live." Or forget in most cases.
no subject
Thinking about it now, though, Luna's curious. It's a reminder that she hasn't gotten as much of a taste of Panem life as most other Tributes - over half the time she's been in this world has been spent at war now. She feels like she's missing some of what it was like before. "I've only been here a few months," she says for Harleen's benefit. "I haven't had the opportunity to attend many parties, either."
no subject
"Viewing parties were the most popular. People would gather together in ballrooms or fancy homes or restaurants and watch the arenas on big screens while they socialized, made bets and so on. But the crownings were the best. Big themed parties all meant to celebrate one person like it was their birthday only cranked up to eleven." Her voice shook a little and her Brooklyn accent began to slip out again before she caught herself and reverted to a more demure tone of voice.
"I used to be quite bitter about never getting a proper crowning myself. Obviously I see that was selfish of me now...but if I'm allowed a little bit of selfishness I wish we could go back to those parties."
no subject
She smiles, in an attempt to be comforting. "I'm sure you must be allowed that much. Maybe..." Maybe one day we'll see another crowning doesn't quite sound appropriate. That would imply the continuation of the Hunger Games, and for all the Capitol has them both under their control Luna still doesn't agree with all that. "Maybe one day we'll have something else with such grandeur," she suggests instead. "It sounds like a lot of fun."