thecapitol | it's never ever too late [open]

WHO| Ariadne and whomever wants to visit her
WHAT| Ariadne is musing to herself on the various occurrences of the Arenas.
WHEN| the night of the closing ceremonies.
WHERE| the training centre rooftop.
WARNINGS/NOTES| none right now.

Ariadne still wasn't entirely sure about all of this. All of this...killing, and maiming, and the fact that they were all brought back. What was she supposed to think of that? About the fact that somewhere out there in the world, someone was more than likely concerned with where she had disappeared off to; about the fact that she had curb-stomped a man to death on the opening day of the second Arena.

It was like everything that the Games were was suddenly rolling up on her, crushing her with implications and accusations that she had changed; that if she hadn't already, she would. There was a lump in her throat as she stared out at the glittering abyss that was known as the Capitol, hot tears barely pricking her eyes and refusing to fall.

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She nods her agreement, folding her hands over the railing as she listens in relative silence. It's still surprising to Ariadne how well she can just sit and listen to people talk at this point; she would have thought that skill to fall by the wayside with everything else she has to deal with now.

In a way, she worries about herself as she sits there, contemplating the reply. Like she's already lost a part of herself. But if she had, she wouldn't be there, wouldn't be thinking so hard on it. She would be Tate instead, more than willing to go back into the Arenas time and again to kill more helpless people who have no idea what they're doing.

"You're right," Ariadne finally replies, "Even if the life of a Victor isn't much better than that of Tribute."

Shepard gives a small humph, a slightly sour-sounding laugh at Ariadne's remark. "No. It isn't. They even still encourage you to kill people; they're just more subtle and tactful about it. Do you know that after my victory, I was instructed to encourage tributes into confrontation?. Not to tell them to hide, or protect themselves... not to find allies or band together. They want me to tell them to do whatever they can to win."

She pauses and stares out over the city as she places a very dark thought on the tip of her tongue. "I'm supposed to tell them to kill you. And then, I have to sit back and watch you die."

Ariadne frowns at that, her mood sinking further. She thinks, in a way, she's glad she's died accidentally both times. She hasn't truly been killed either time, but she doesn't know how much better it makes it if Shepard's Tributes are supposed to be killing everyone in sight.

"Who are your Tributes?" She asks, intending fully to either take them out before they can her, or to just avoid them flat-out if necessary.

She amends after a moment, thoughtfully: "It doesn't sound that surprising. It sounds like the Capitol. Too many alliances makes for a boring Games."

"The turtle," Shepard tells her. She knows his name is Donatello and that he's actually a surprisingly sweet guy. She'd been expecting something more akin to a krogan disposition from him but there was a lot more brain to match the brawn and it was hard to not want to root for him a little. The others though? Well the girls were lost causes, much as she hated to admit it. Bao Yu was reckless. Jill was terrified. She told Ariadne about them anyway. "I probably should be saying this about my own tributes, but of any of them, the two girls I believe you could handle all on your own. The other one...?"

Loki was a piece of work.

"He's a newer one," she explains. "Just arrived. Tall, even kind of handsome if you like them slender and don't mind the crazy talk."

She knows that there is probably some strict violation she just broke here. Cheating by giving one district intel on another. But maybe.... maybe she would rather Ariadne win, anyway. Donatello could handle another round. Shepard would rather if Ariadne didn't.

It still shocked her to some extent that there was a turtle. An actual turtle, sentient and apparently capable of fighting in an Arena as they were expected to do. She simply nods in response, unable to keep from cracking a half-smile eventually. "I'll remember that, if ever I run into them. It's nice to know that I'm not bad, in comparison to some," she offers up, one eyebrow lifting thoughtfully.

"I can't say I've met very many people with 'crazy talk', as you put it. I'll try to avoid him, if I can help it," Ariadne muses, frowning at that point. Really, she wants to avoid anyone she knows she can't actually take out; there's no reason they can't kill each other, and let her wander her way to the top.

She would really rather not deal with another Arena, if she could help it.

"I think that might be best," she agrees with a small nod in the affirmative.

For a moment, Shepard pauses and takes a small and hopefully non suspicious survey of the area. "Can I ask... what you have been doing to prepare? I know that I can't do anything to help you, officially...." she gives an innocent shrug and a smile and hopes Ariadne will not take the question as a hope to use the information against her.

A tiny laugh escaped her, a rare sort of sound, and Ariadne glanced Shepard over thoughtfully; she trusted the other woman enough to be able to give her something. She doubted it would be used against her.

She hoped her trust wasn't misplaced.

"Training. I won't be able to beat them hand to hand alone, but it won't hurt. I can't strategise until I know what the Arena is like," she started, frowning a little in thought. "I'm not really sure what else to do, besides finding stronger allies to cover me."

it's never ever too late [open]

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