thecapitol | [open]

Who| Ariadne and anyone
What| Ariadne needs to get better at this Mentoring business.
Where| District 6's suites; the Training Centre
When| throughout the week
Warnings/Notes| none right now

Though she never made a point of outright ignoring people, Ariadne realised at some point that perhaps she had missed something with her latest crop of Tributes. Cinna's comments to her last they spoke rang in the back of her head, niggling and telling her that she was supposed to feel attached to these people in some regard.

She'd always found that a little bit difficult, all things considered; she wasn't the type to get attached to begin with, and when they rotated every time she blinked, despite it not being quite as often as Cinna recalled, it was even more difficult. Who was to say if the Tribute she liked best would disappear off to God-knew-where after the next Arena or not?

But now she was going to make an effort. She spent more time making herself available for the lot of them, hanging around in more public spaces, and endeavouring to look helpful instead of perhaps standoffish or detached as usual.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He looked back at the knife where it landed and then back to his ill advised fire. Bert understood violence when it came directly to him, she would have his full attention if she had actually hit him with one of the knives, or at least grazed him.

"Your aim is terrible." He stoked the fire a little higher. "But then, I cannot fault you for being here to practice."

"I wasn't aiming at you," she replied simply. It had worked as well as she wanted it to, and had started up conversation enough for her to be able to slip a comment or two in there. "Nor do I need the practice. And I don't think you will either if they do something to you for burning down the whole building."

"It has never gone that far before, I cannot see it getting there now." But he did take the subtle hint and start to put the fire out with some dirt he'd been keeping at the ready. No sense in starting more trouble than he wanted. He was going to pout that she was right, though.

"And if you need no practice, why come here?"

"No one ever plans for it to get that far." Though she was pleased enough that it had worked. That was enough for her, really.

"You seem good at making fires. Why do you come down here?" She asked in return, turning it back on him.

"Where else could I start a fire?"

He turned to face her, now that he wasn't going to set the whole place ablaze. He didn't bother to hide his curiosity.

"Besides, I've been told to practice for the next arena."

He did have a point; if he were to start a fire anywhere else, he'd probably be in for a stern talking to, at the very least. Ariadne merely blinked at that however, tipping her head in subtle, bird-like curiosity.

"By whom?"

"By my escort. Though I don't wonder that she simply wants me out of her hair sometimes. Her suggestion does seem valid."

Not to mention his own innate sense of what needed to be done. He knew he needed to train if he wanted to stay in the best possible shape for the arena.

"You never answered my question. Why are you here?"

"She probably does." And sometimes Ariadne didn't understand the meaning of the word 'tact'.

"Do I really need a reason?" She asked after a moment of silence, her brows arching in a small gesture of disbelief. "Everyone's allowed here, aren't they?"

"So they are, but most of them would admit they need practice in one thing or another. Most others, but not thee."

He was intent on getting an answer out of her, one way or another. If she was another tribute he wanted to know what she was good at and how she behaved, that sort of thing would come in handy later.

"I'm not most people," she replied plainly. It seemed to be a standoff of sorts, neither willing to budge. He wanted an answer, and she didn't want to give one, just because he wanted one so badly. He would likely find out eventually - when she wasn't in the Arena, perhaps, or at the next party, where someone referred to her as already being out. That wasn't up to her. She pointed it out to people to whom the information was relevant.

"Clearly." He turned back to his dying fire.

"If you came seeking help with something you'll find little of it without asking. And if you think your skills as they stand will be enough against me in the arena, I fear you are badly mistaken."

That was mostly a brag, but if his fire building skills were any indication, he did have something to back up what he said. Still, he was saying it more as a challenge to her. If she didn't want to talk about why she was training, then he could assume whatever he wanted about her reasons.

"I'm sure I am. I guess I'll just have to stay away from you, when it comes to the Arenas, won't I?" She replied idly, looking mildly entertained by his claims. Not just because she didn't really trust that his skills were as good as he said, but because he was now trying such a roundabout method of getting her to admit that she was a Tribute. She made a note, however, to keep an eye on him during the next Arena.

"And hope that someone else will kill you before I get the chance? Some thanks I get, I was about to offer you a swift and mostly painless way out."

He had already assumed she was a tribute since she was here training, he was just trying to ferret out what her special skills might be so he can avoid them when the time came. Knowledge was often the most powerful weapon.

"I don't need one," she told him, still sticking with her vague retorts. She was more than a little amused that he was so driven to take other people out, though she supposed they were getting more and more bloodthirsty ones in recent times. It made sense. "But thank you. I appreciate the offer."

"You're the first to say so, most seem to think worse of me for it. Their lives are too easy, I think."

He's disappointed that he probably isn't going to get anything else out of her. But it was a good try. And he's going to keep an eye out for her now, just in case he can learn anything else interesting.

"If it helps at all, I can see why they'd think worse of you. Most people brought in here seem to have a bit of a heart still left to them. I think you might be one of the few who wouldn't do too badly in the Arena - I get the feeling you don't really mind killing," Ariadne replied bluntly, feeling little reason to curb her thoughts on the matter.

"Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong."

"I take offense, sai. I still have a heart, I just know when to listen to it." And when not to listen to it. He wouldn't be a Gunslinger if he couldn't turn off that part of his emotions.

"But I have more than a few kills under my belt. I would think worse of it if the people who died out there weren't brought back here intact. Most men I shoot could not say so much for themselves."

"So you're planning on making the most of the fact that they come back? Not all do. It's not a given," she pointed out, happy to point out the flaws in his logic. It made her feel a little bit more human, something she wasn't sure she still had after her time in the Arenas; she'd come out with her hands covered in the blood of her allies and enemies alike, all of whom had to go down in order for her to come out alive and on top. She hadn't thought about it back then, not really.

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