Party Time! (Oblivious Valeria is Oblivious): Open

[electriccandlelight]

WHO| Open to anyone who can find the place
WHAT| Val is rejoining society
WHEN| Sometime in the fourth week of the Games (a bit before the acid rain begins)
WHERE| The roof of the building where her workshop is located, in the Stylist part of town?
WARNING/NOTES| Party post, tag as you like!


[The video turns on, showing an old-fashioned vanity and a thick curtain with electrical lights flashing in a fetching pattern wired through as a backdrop. Valeria is sitting at the vanity, artfully posed. She smiles at the camera and waves when she realizes it’s on.]

Hello, my darlings!

[She blows a kiss]

As I’m sure you’ve realized, this is Valeria Rushlit, Stylist for District 3 and absolutely smashing party host. Which is the reason that I’m making this post!

I have been absolutely swamped working on, oh, this and that, and I just know you have all missed my sparkling presence. This must be rectified!

I could, of course, simply drop in on one of the many wonderful get-togethers popping up to share in the fun of the Games. But why should you do all the work? It’s only fair that if I’ve been depriving you of my lovely self I should be the one to fix it! And fix I shall, my darling dears.

Tonight if you show up on the rooftop of the building where I keep my workshop—[She leans in, winking at the camera and speaking in a loud whisper.] and if you’re a friend or a fan you’ll know exactly where that is, and who else would I want at my party?—you’ll find yourself at the party to be at this evening. The party that’s all. About. Me!

[She throws her hands in glee, smiling wide, and the camera switches off in response to a preprogrammed cue.]



Valeria looked over the room with a satisfied smile. She'd definitely been working too hard, been too focused on showing up Cinna and the rest of the Stylists when these Games ended. She'd been so cooped up in her workshop she'd failed to keep up with even the barest minimum of Games activity, though since she would have been alerted had any of her own Tributes been kicked out of the Arena she didn't berate herself too much for this.

No, what was far more important was how much she had missed in the Capitol. For the Citizens she was used to this was a downright subdued crowd, though this might be less due to some event Valeria had missed and more because the Games had become stagnant of late, she judged, glancing at one of the many screens posted around the rooftop.

This was a genuine Rushlit bash, as anyone could guess from her favorite decoration, a fountain that shot off miniature fireworks at random intervals. Everything else had more of an electrical theme, in deference to her position and ongoing Games, which was also the reason she'd included the screens. Subdued was never a word to be applied to a Rushlit party. Valeria straightened her pink and white party dress, adjusted her hair, teased into a tower over a foot tall, and prepared to mingle her ass off. Truly there was no person better suited to spreading joy than Valeria Rushlit.

Comments

[slowlydrowning]

The fireworks startle her far more than fascinate her, and she's doing her best not to cry.

It's the first time that she's been out of the suite in days. Her escort practically bullied her here "You're supposed to be setting a good example; how are you supposed to do that if all you do is hide in here? Come on now darling, it's just a party. It will be fun!" and Annie knows she wouldn't have said those things if Finnick had been there at the time. And no amount of her saying she didn't want to stopped them from dressing her up and shoving her out the door.

Her dress is a vivid electric blue, swirled with iridescent pinks and greens and her long dark hair is twisted and knotted in such a complex manner she'll have to have someone help her take it down before she can sleep tonight. Annie has a feeling she's been shoved into the complicated get up as a way for her stylist to show off rather than because she thinks this is something Annie should actually be wearing tonight. But as ever, it isn't as though she has much of a say in it.

[electriccandlelight]

Valeria knew the girl, vaguely. The names and faces of people she didn't interact with on a regular basis tended to flow out her mind like water, but there was something about this particular Victor that stuck with you, though Valeria couldn't actually recall having a complete conversation with her. If that was actually possible.

Still, a hostess had her responsibilities and so she straightened up and walked over, pasting her usual showtime face on. "Angie, sweetie," she said loudly, taking a stab at her name. "I am just so pleased that you could make it, I feel like we hardly see each other anymore!"

[slowlydrowning]

Annie is momentarily terrified that the woman is actually going to try and hug her. People in the Capitol had a habit of doing that, and she was never very fond of it.

"I... um... yes. It's good to see you too. They keep me very busy these days," she says in an almost-lie, and tries her best to put on a smile that might be appropriate. It probably just comes off as nervous.

Angie is close enough to her name that she doesn't bother to correct her. Largely in part because Annie isn't certain that she knows the other woman's name at all.

[electriccandlelight]

"We're all busy these days, aren't we darling, rush, rush, from one Game to the next," said Valeria, not going so far to hug the girl but getting a bit closer than personal space usually allows. She leaned in with a faux-scheming grin on her face, one hand blocking out the crowd as she whispered at a volume only marginally softer than her usual speaking voice.

"Wouldn't want to swap some secrets would you dear, a little something under the table, Mentor to Stylist?" She was joking, mostly because she didn't believe she needed to cheat, this was simply Valeria's idea of breaking the ice.

[slowlydrowning]

The look of almost-panic never quite leaved her face, but a pink tinge comes rushing to her cheeks without her being able to stop it. "I... well, I don't know that I know very many secrets, I don't think."

None that she would dare share with Valeria, at least. None that she would share with... anyone, really.

"Do you?" she blurts it out without really wanting to. Or, maybe she does. Just a little. Harmless curiosity was good now and again.

[electriccandlelight]

Valeria smiled. This girl was really quite darling. You didn't meet very many shy people in the Capitol. "Oh I know all sorts of secrets, of course I do," she said, tapping a finger to her lips. "You'll have to be more specific than that. About our Tributes? Because I could tell you things about that dear Eliot boy that would make your toes curl."

[slowlydrowning]

Annie makes a face as she tries to recall which tribute was Eliot. To be honest, most people would be embarrassed about how ill informed on the games she was. But to her credit, it's hard not to pick up pieces, with the Capitol being so saturated with the Games these days. They were everywhere. Even when you were trying to avoid it.

"Really?" she finally gives a small if not slightly nervous laugh. She hasn't quite decided if she really wants to know or not. But she is only vaguely aware of who Eliot is, anyhow. but Valeria seems interested enough in talking about him, so Annie will let her.

[electriccandlelight]

"Oh yes," said Valeria, exaggerating. She'd had no more than a handful of conversation with the man and hadn't uncovered anything really interesting to her, but on the other hand she had seen him naked. Valeria was nothing if not professional when it counted, but she could still enjoy a view.

"He's not my only tribute, of course, but he's certainly the most interesting." Garrus would likely beat him, but that depended on Valeria actually getting a chance to speak to him.