(no subject)

[gardienne]

 WHO:  Eponine and YOU
WHAT:  Eponine has returned to the Capitol - or, at least, to the general population.
WHERE: Common room of the Tribute Tower
WHEN: Right now!!
WARNINGS: A very, very subdued Eponine - she's thinking about her execution and revival and the Capitol's dire warnings. Though, she's under strict orders not to utter a peep about the whole nasty business

&l ; Eponine was back. She had been released just before dawn, well away from the Tribute centre, and she trudged homewards, dragging her feet. One of her shoes flapped. They were so thoughtful. They had ensured that every detail was perfect, that her story of trying to run would be believed. Her shoes were covered in mud, and one was ripped, and flapped at her ankle now. Her dress - the same dress she had had on a month ago - was dirty too, and tatty. They had even made sure that she had dirty skin and bits of twigs in her greasy hair. She even wore the tacky jewellery that Howard had given her.

They had found her before she had even got to the border. They had approached her, trapped and executed her. She remembered it vividly. She had been so scared, all alone. She was tired of being brave. And then the world had faded - except - except, no. They had brought her back.

She hitched her jumper higher over her chest; it was cold in the morning air . 
Once in the Tribute centre, she collapsed in the nearest chair. Her legs were drawn up to her chest, and her arms wrapped around them firmly. She moved only when an Avox appeared and handed her a mug of hot chocolate. She was back. Back and trapped and forced to compete like she meant it. 

At least the hot chocolate tasted good.

Comments

[retrieverchef]

Eliot couldn't help but notice his missing District mate. She looked miserable. He took in her posture. That was more than just exhaustion. He wasn't about to ask what had happened to her. Not in this place where everything was recorded. But perhaps he could do something to make things a bit easier for her.

"Eponine, are ya all right?"

[gardienne]

She looked up at her name and tried to force a smile onto her face. It didn't really work, but her lips at least lifted in one corner.

"Monsieur. Yes - yes, I am fine. Just... tired."

[retrieverchef]

He didn't really believe her but this was no time to point it out. She looked far too scared to tell him anything anyway. Instead, he smiled at her. "Why don't ya come on up to the suite, then. It's quieter and I'll fix ya some soup."

[gardienne]

"You'd do that?"

Her expression brightened a bit. Eponine was starving. She was always starving when they brought her back to life; always on the brink of starvation and a natural death.

"You are so kind to me, Sir. Thank you."

She stood up to follow him back up to the room she had hoped never to see again. But at least, there were clothes and a shower - and now Eliot's soup. He was a good cook, Eliot.

"How long has it been? I... lost track, Sir."

[brentwood]

See, when you're taken from your home (almost literally. Homeworlds had to count for something!) and told very enthusiastically-- almost sickeningly-- that you're going to be pitted against other abducted people in some death match... This is the sight you expect to see. This is the sight Tim had expected to see all over when he'd worked his way out of his suite, his assigned floor. It was a no-brainer to be able to distinguish between who was a citizen and who was a participant. It was still... jarring. Kind of. He could draw conclusions left and right without having anything to base assumptions on apart from some lingering, true fear. And that's what he's out and about to correct.

He stuffs his hands in his pockets and stands a little straighter as he strolls through the commons, trying to balance a weary look with an awed one. All of his senses scream wary, thankfully those can be hidden from view under some doe eyes and some poking at the pastries on one table. But he can't keep his mind off of the image of an older girl looking worn with her legs drawn up to her chest.

So he draws a breath and figures now's a good a time as ever, and approaches with some visible uncertainty. "H-hey." Great stutter there, he thinks. He tries to twitch his lips up into a polite sort of smile, leaving enough space between himself and where the girl's sitting. "You're new here, too?" Tim seriously doubts it.

[gardienne]

She looked up listlessly when this new boy sat down next to her. Who was he? She had never seen him before.

"New... new, no. I have been here... a life time and more."

She laughed a low, guttural laugh at her own poor joke. A lifetime. How many times had she died now? It would be several lifetime's worth.

"No. I have just been away." Her laughter was replaced with the serious reply, and she rubbed her temples. "I have been... away though." She laughed a little agaain.

"But you - you are new, Monsieur? How long here?"

[brentwood]

He hates to say that seeing her like this is relaxing for him. It's actually a lot more complicated-- he feels bad. That laugh makes him want to sink into the seat. He looks at the ground for a second instead. Prisoners, all of them.

"Sorry, I didn't know." And he really was sorry. Because he hadn't wanted to rub salt in the wound. But geez, it's like he finally found someone sane here. Someone who wasn't just calm. It was a relief, and that was terrible.

Tim nods, offers a wry grin to replace his polite one of before. "A few hours. I'm actually kind of exhausted. My name's Tim."

[futilecycle]

Though he had been occupied with his own grief, Sigma had quietly noted Eponine's disappearance. Despite having spent little time with her, the Doctor did care for the girl, and as Sigma descended the Tower that morning for a walk he was pleasantly surprised to find she had returned. He had assumed the worst, and was immensely relieved to find her well, after all.

"Miss Eponine?"

As Dr. Klim drew closer he could see how frightened and out of sorts she looked. Trying to comfort her, Sigma smiles warmly as he takes a seat next to her. "I haven't seen you in quite some time. Are you alright?"

[gardienne]

"No, Sir. I have been... away." She left it at that, and tried to return Sigma's smile. "But I am okay. I am alive, am I not? So I am okay."

She studied Sigma's face for a while. If you ignored the strange eye, he looked almost how she imagined a grandfather would look. That made her smile a little more.

"Will you tell me? Have you seen Howard since I..." She fidgeted uncomfortably.

[futilecycle]

Away? The Doctor returned her gaze quietly as she studied him. "Simply being alive does not mean you are also 'okay'," he said empathetically, but was reassured when her smile grew. "But a few have gone missing since the last Arena ended. We'll all lucky to have you back."

Sigma extended his arm slowly to put a hand on her shoulder, making his intent obvious. He didn't want to spook her with unwanted contact. "Howard is well. I saw him quite recently. His eating habits have improved, I think," he said with slight amusement. Howard had gained weight since he'd seen him on the boat.

[splendid_roman]

"Eponine!" Ian was pleased to see her. Well, he was pleased to see she her alive, even if she didn't look all right. He'd heard she'd tried to run away, and had hoped she'd succeeded if it was true.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concerned, sitting in the chair next to hers.

[gardienne]

Why was everyone asking her this? Did she look so bad? Well, of course she did. Eponine sighed.

"Just tired, Sir. It has been a long walk."

[splendid_roman]

"It looks like it." At least someone was looking after her, given the hot chocolate. "What happened to you?" he asked softly.

[saisamour]

If he had spotted Eponine and her dirty clothes and disheveled appearance, he might have approached her and asked her if she needed help, and made a somewhat commendable effort at it besides. If he had.

But he hadn't. Instead, he overlooked her entirely, having been too caught up in his own daydreams, and walked past her and towards a wall on the far side of the room, which he leaned against with a small, weary sigh. Ever since he arrived at the Capitol he had spent his days sleepwalking and his nights plagued with vivid and horrid dreams of the barricades and the men who had fallen there. Sometimes he would think of Cosette and a temporary calm would come over him, a small respite to the confusion and desolation and lost-ness that aggravated him. But even those didn't last, and at this very moment he simply felt tired of it all.

And so his distant eyes fixed on a spot in the aquarium, although he looked straight past it, through it and into some private little world of his filled with gardens and his Lark and the moon and the starlight.

[gardienne]

At first, Eponine, in all of her misery at her own situation, did not spot Marius. She had raised her mug of hot chocolate high, balancing it on her knees, and had sat, staring at the mug (when she wasn't sipping from it.)

But, the chocolate was soon finished; Eponine was famished, as she usually was when they brought her back after death. She had uncurled herself slowly, and moved towards where the little platters of food were always left. Piling her plate high - at least, if she had to be here, the food was good! - she suddenly gasped. Was that? No - but - but, yes. Was it him?

"Monsieur? Monsieur Marius?"

The pit of her stomach dropped, and Eponine began to feel nauseous. Marius here - was she happy? Of course - that her love - but - but - she would have to, one way or another, watch him die.

And such a noble man should not die.

For now, though, Eponine didn't move towards him. Didn't back away. Just stared.

[saisamour]

He, in turn, still had his eyes on the aquarium, the shiny fins of a particularly colorful, almost otherworldly fish giving off a weak glare and snapping him out of his thoughts. His brow furrowed as he watched the strange fish dart inside the comfort of the multi-hued corals; he had certainly not seen one like it before, and it had looked almost as other-worldly as the bizarre costumes of the Capitol citizens.

After the interview broadcast and Enjolras's remark, Marius had become more aware of the Capitol ladies that took notice of him. If they had their own appeal it was lost to him. They were not Cosette. None of them could compare to the beauty of her standing in the middle of a wild garden in her simple white dress. He sighed again; he missed her dearly, he was almost suffocating without her, but for the first time in his life he did not desire for her to be with him. The likes of her should never learn how to wield a dagger, to kill another man.

Suddenly frustrated, he pushed himself off the wall. He didn't want to be here; the crowd was too noisy and the lights were too bright and his thoughts were too chaotic. He wanted to leave, and to do so he needed to cross the buffet table, so this was where he was headed to. Unfortunately, he was glancing completely in the other direction, and still he failed to observe Eponine's presence.

[vissernone]

"Eponine?"

Eva had mourned her, as much as she mourns any Tributes. Usually when they're gone for that long, there's no return. The Sponsors have lost interest in them, and their corpses will find a shallow grave somewhere. She spent a few nights adding Eponine's name to the list in her head, and then she moved on, forgetting the girl with all the rest.

But a memory pushed aside is not the same as a memory erased. Eva stands by Eponine's chair, face written through with concern, one hand reaching apologetically to touch the bony, jutting shoulder there.

"I thought you must be dead."

[gardienne]

Eponine's eyes widen just a smidgen at Eva's words. Did she know? How could she know? Did this mean that they'd kill Howard?

She tries to smile; what comes out is a grimace, but she's trying.

"No, Madame. You see I am alive. I am alive." Her voice cracked, and she blinked to try to prevent the tears that threatened. She was so tired and so hungry and thirsty. But she didn't dare complain.

[vissernone]

It's instinct, for Eva to go into a fussy mother bird mode. She immediately starts bossing the Avoxes, insisting one brings Eponine a warm moist towel, that another brings hot oatmeal, that a third brings her a robe and slippers. When she's done wielding her domineering attitude, like a club, she drags a chair over and sits across from the girl.

"You don't have to tell me what happened."

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

Howard's taken to heading down into the Tribute lounge with popcorn and curling up, watching reruns of the Games as he prepares for the next Arena. He's looking physically a little healthier, having packed some weight on, enough to make him look like just a very skinny teenage boy and not a skeleton robed in skin. It's good his body's improved, because his mind seems to have gone shallow again, all dulled reactions and clear exhaustion.

He's hyper-aware of his surroundings, even though he keeps his head down. He recognizes just about everyone from their shoes. He knows which footsteps he has to hide in a closet for. It's only when he gets to the lounge itself and stops at the base of the stairs that he actually looks up and takes stock of who's on the couch.

"Eponine?"

He drops the bowl of popcorn on the floor.

[gardienne]

She looks up when he says her name, offers a tight smile.

"Howard." Eponine half gets up, half moves a step towards him, but she hesitates. Does he want her?

She looks anxiously at him, beseeching him not to turn his back, turn tail and run from her.

"You wasted all that food."

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

"I didn't..." He drops to his knees and starts to scoop up the popcorn, fumbling for kernels nearly as much as he's fumbling for words. Why's she smiling at him? Doesn't she know about the sleepless nights, about how he went from his little uphill slope to a spiral into anxiousness without her? How it hurt to the point that it didn't feel like anything anymore?

Doesn't she know she left?

"Where've you been?"

He can think of a few answers that could be good enough. He doesn't think any of them are the answer he's going to hear.

[electriccandlelight]

They'd alerted her, of course, in the same manner they'd alerted her of every new Tribute she had to add to her ever expanding responsibilities, a file sent over electronically. Valeria hadn't even looked at it at first, not until later in the day, when she took one glance at the file and ran out of the workshop.

She burst through the doors of the Center and was halfway to the elevators before she spotted a familiarly ragged figure out of the corner of her eye. "Eponine!" She strode over, reaching out to grasp the girl by her shoulders as soon as she was near enough. "Oh, Eponine, you stupid girl." Her voice was mixture of relief and frustration, and she found to her shock she felt rather like she was about to cry.

[gardienne]

"Madame?" Eponine sounded as tired as she looked. She tried to smile at Valeria, but between her grim revival and her exhaustion, it came out as more of a grimace.

But at the sound of Valeria's reprimand, to Eponine's great surprise, she found tears pricking the back of her own eyes. But she couldn't cry - not in front of people and so she blinked rapidly to get rid of them. How she wished Valeria would pull her into a proper hug, hold her tight.

"Madame, I'm sorry. I am sorry I ran away."

[electriccandlelight]

"I should think so!" cried Valeria, giving Eponine a little shake while she was at it. She was feeling so many conflicting emotions she barely knew what to do with herself. "What possessed you to do such a thing! Running away, running away to where? Where did you think you would go? What were you thinking?