thecapitol | (no subject)

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WHO| Anyone in the Capitol. Mentors, dead tributes, and the new future tributes (if you like)
WHAT| Game viewing party
WHEN| Ongoing, as long as the weather holds and the Game's don't end
WHERE| The roof of the mentor's headquarters
WARNING/NOTES| none right now.

The roof lavishly decorated, dripping with flowers, brilliantly colored blown glass bubbles and fountains that cascaded down into a small wading pool that ringed the roof. Cabana's were dotted here and there, surrounded by flowing curtains for privacy, and lounges covered with large, ornate pillows made sure there was plenty of places to sit.

Along one edge was a buffet covered with delicacies, all finger foods geared toward the warm weather. Rare fruits chilled on ice, delicate sheets of raw fish curled up on tiny piece of bread, chilled dips and many more. Iced, fruity drinks flowed freely, with a handful of Avoxs around for any needs the guest may have.

TV's were everywhere, and a guarded door lead back into the mentor's headquarter's, in case they needed to slip back in to help their tributes. If they have any left.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Kevin sat alone, idly peeling a piece of fruit as he watched the screens. When someone looked at him, he'd smile politely, otherwise he sat there staring - nearly unblinking - enthralled in the Games.

He hadn't seen any deaths yet. Apparently he missed the real bloodbath at the beginning before he arrived here, and at this point you could go a few hours, or even more than a day, without seeing anybody die. What a shame. Made the actual game last longer, he supposed. The thrill of the hunt must be savored.

He takes a bite of the half-peeled fruit and then continues tearing at it.

"You one of the new Tributes?"

It was odd, having new Tributes before a game had even started. Still, Alias knew he might have another one showing up soon, so he was trying to stay on top of all of these things. Taking a seat next to the boy, he glanced up at the screen.

"I guess they decided to let you all have a taste of it first..."

"Yep," he answered, looking up from his fruit for only a second, "I guess I get a chance to compose myself before being flung into the fire. Lucky me."

But he seemed pretty composed as it was, despite not having been here that long. If he were thrown right into the games, his mood would likely be similar, although he wouldn't be bothering with the slight gestures of politeness he was putting on for the Capitol.

"You live here?"

Elias tried to think back on to his time going in. Had he been this mellow? No way. Then again, he had seen many tribute who just...shut down. It wasn't exactly the worst strategy there was.

"Currently. I'm a past victor, originally from District 10." He extended a hand. "Elias."

Past victor. Now he's a bit more intrigued. He didn't find the average Capitol citizen all that exciting, despite their unique fashion sense, but someone who'd survived a game before was at least potentially interesting.

"Kevin," he said, accepting the handshake, "Apparently from District 4. Never actually been there."

"It's a fishing district. You have a few mentors around, they are a Career tribute so have a history of winning."

He knew he shouldn't tell another district tribute too much, but all of this was general, basic information. Most of it would be the first things out of Finnick's mouth.

"History of winning? Well, I like the sound of that," he said, "But I suppose you'll be cheering for your own district. No hard feelings."

Mostly because there really were no feelings, other than his own desire to win regardless. This was someone who couldn't even send him anything no matter who he was cheering for, so he didn't have to put on the same show he did for the rest of the Capitol, at least.

"You get that when you played?" he said, giving a slight nod towards Elias's right eye (or at least, the spot where it should be), "My sister lost her eye as well."

"Thanks." He gave the kid a warm smile. At least he got that part of it.

His comfort with the whole idea of the games so far set something on Elias's brain on edge. Then again, this whole thing had Elias on edge. This kid was probably just bluffing his ease. And who would want to look terrified right now?

"Yeah. The Capitol medicine can do a lot, but somethings are just gone. Sorry to hear about your sister."

"No, don't worry about it, she's dead," he said, leaving out the all-important part that he killed her, of course, but still oddly cold about it.

"You said something about careers. Are you saying some people do this for a living?" he said - and that he seemed actually interested enough in to stop clawing at the fruit.

"No, careers are...were kids trained to enter the games before being reaped. I have no idea how or if that situation will replicate it's self with our new set up."

He lifted a hand for a drink, staying casual, but not tuned in more to this kid. Because something was off. Odd.

"Oh. I've had some training," he said, "But I guess I should keep the specifics a secret if you'll be helping someone else."

One in a while he glanced over at the screens to see if anything of interest was happening. Nope, not much. Obviously it was time for invasive personal questions.

"So. When you won, how many people did you have to off? Or did you keep track?"

Well, if he had been on the fence about this kid before, he wasn't anymore. His mouth tightened, but he shrugged, looking up at the tv.

"It doesn't really work that way, kid."

Which, he supposed meant that he didn't keep track. Which wasn't, actually, true. But that wasn't something he discussed with stranger, period.

"Oh. Okay," he said, his tone flatter than before. In a world where murder was sanctioned by the government, he figured people would at least be willing to talk about it.

"Just thought I'd try to find out what the average is. To be prepared, you know. But I guess there's someone else that'll tell me about that." he said, trying to deflect any negative suspicions.

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Finnick walked into the party wearing a black suit with a blue button up shirt under the stylish jacket. He spots the young tribute he recognizes from the file that had been handed to him the day before. The kid had been assigned to District 4 despite never having even been there. Strolling over to him with a drink in hand the first thing he noticed was the intense focus on the Games on the screen. Usually tributes didn't arrive and watch the Games prior to going into the arena, but he would have assumed most would either not watch or stare in fear. However this wasn't fear in the kid's eyes.

"Kevin?" He addressed him before attempting to sit down. His hand is offered, "I'm Finnick Odair. Your mentor."

No, not fear. If anything, it was boredom. Come on, somebody, die already. But he didn't want to miss anything, just in case. However, he assumed he'd get some sort of cue, even if he wasn't looking, either by the sounds of the arena or the reaction of the audience.

"Oh," he said, returning the handshake limply, "Yeah, that's me. So what're you supposed to be mentoring me in?"

Oh, he was looking forward to this. If there was one thing he loved it was being told what to do and then not doing it. Of course, this type of training was valuable, but that didn't mean he had to go easy.

Finnick welcomed himself to the seat across from the kid after receiving the weak handshake. He sipped his drink when he did, inspecting Kevin more closely now.

"In how to stay alive in there." He nodded towards a nearby screen. "At least as much as I can considering we have no idea what sort of arena you'll be thrown into." Finnick made direct eye contact the entire time he spoke. "Also how to get sponsors while in there. Or when you're here- this whole tributes in the Capitol walking around freely before the Games is a new concept around here."

"So what's your...world like?" What an odd question to be asking.

"It was there," he said, and that was really his only opinion on it, but he figured that Finnick wanted elaboration and would likely ask for it so he might as well get it over with, "Kind of like this, but with less-advanced technology and no government-sanctioned fights to the death. I lived in a fairly big house with my parents and sister, went to school, and all that."

He left out the part where he was about to go to prison. That could come later. He would've made a snide remark about Capitol fashion, but he himself was wearing clothes a couple sizes too small and didn't want any 'pot calling the kettle black' analogies coming his way.

"You've won one," he said, giving a nod towards one of the screens.

"When I was 14, yeah." He nodded, his eyes glancing up at the screen for only a second. "And what helped me survive in there was that I didn't let anyone know I was a threat before I went in, and sponsors." Usually it was common knowledge around Panem of Finnick's Game and victory, but he had to remind himself Kevin didn't know any of this. "Sponsors liked me so they sent me a trident so I could win. Getting things in the arena can be the difference between life and death when you don't have anything."

He spotted an Avox approaching with a tray of drinks approaching. "Want one?" He grabbed himself a new glass filled with some red liquor.

"No," he said. He wasn't much fond of liquor. He didn't understand the appeal of losing one's mental clarity, even for a short period of time.

"Fourteen, huh," he said, trying to size up whether or not he could've beaten a fourteen year old version of this guy, "Well, I guess you're either a threat or you're not. Regardless of age. Some people don't have it in them."

He paused for a few seconds before adding: "Do, did your mentor know you were capable, or did you surprise them?"

"Suit yourself." he shrugged and drank his own. Finnick was a lot bigger now than he had been 10 years ago during his Games, but he had always been toned and strong. He would be lying if he couldn't admit that he was sizing this kid up as well.

"My mentor knew I could wield a trident, but I kept that hidden from the other tributes." He explained. "However what she had really needed to know is that I could get people to like me. Tributes usually don't get weapons as gifts. Its things to survive like medicine or food. Everything has a price and nothing is cheap."

"So despite whether or not you can kill people, what matters right now that you're here in the Capitol, is getting sponsors." Had Kevin been some girl from the Capitol his charm would be turned on. However this kid needed to know the facts and how things were run around here so he was getting a very authentic version of Finnick right now. "They could throw you into a desert and what you do here is going to get you that bottle of water you're going to need."

"So what are you capable of?" Right now he needed to know that. If Kevin could do his part, Finnick could keep him alive.

"Well, I'd say I'm pretty good at archery. I've hunted before. Didn't waste a single arrow," he said, "But, you know, I'm really just grateful to be here with all these awesome people who have so generously given me this opportunity to prove myself. And I'll be doing my best for every single one of you."

He gives a small bow and a smile, as if there were an audience. And then his expression changes suddenly, the smile vanishes, and he actually bothers to make eye contact, "If I couldn't perform for a crowd I wouldn't have made it through life at all, with all the bullshit and social rituals you have to wade through. I've been working on my acting since, I dunno, infancy."

He had sense the bullshit in his fake speech to an audience of being grateful to be here, however the Capitol people wouldn't have caught it. Kevin had an attractive smile, and the Capitol people enjoyed that. They wanted anything they saw as pretty, new and different.

Finnick nodded in approval, "You'll probably do all right here then. The people of the Capitol who derive entertainment from the Games are rather...easy to figure out." He saw no reason not to be blunt. "They're all generally pretty simple and you'll be able to tell what they want to hear." Which had been exactly what Kevin had just put into that little speech. "Archery will get you far - there's nearly always a bow. Also last Games the winner had been an archer so that's very popular right now."

He was seeing ways he could work with this kid. Although he wouldn't admit it, something about the way Kevin looked at him and others gave Finnick the notion that he couldn't be entirely trusted.

"It'll be up to you if you want to form alliances with other tributes- especially the girl who will also be assigned to District 4." He suggested. "Some find it beneficial, others a burden seeing that you'll have to kill them to win eventually."

"Burden? I'd have to kill them anyways, right?" he said, and then clued in, "Oh. You're worried I'll get attached to them, huh? And then in the end I just won't be able to do it, I'll sacrifice myself rather than let them die."

He leaned back and just let that thought sink in for a few seconds. It was almost humorous to him, that anyone would worry that he'd have a hard time killing when it came down to it. Not after being on the news. Not after walking through that furious, terrified crowd outside the school. But, he did have a clean slate here. That was weird to think about.

"Well, don't worry," he said, "I assure you, that's the least of your concerns."

"Ah ha." He eyed Kevin over the brim of his glass. This kid talks with a great deal of confidence mixed in with his odd toying with words. He had been tossed a very interesting tribute indeed.

In Kevin's demeanor he couldn't help but remember the year a tribute had turned to cannibalism in the arena. It had caused quite the stir and even the Gamemakers had to become involved to control it. Such an odd memory to stir up now in association to this kid. Maybe it was just a hunch that there was something rather dark about him that he was hiding, but also was in plain view.

"Then I won't." He says in response to being told not to worry. "So what should be my concerns about you?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm not used to the whole 'being out in the wilderness' thing. But I'm a fast learner," he said, "I'm sure we'll have time to cover all that. Maybe there's some crazy poisonous shit here that I don't know about, who knows."

And then he remembered what Elias said about the careers, "Someone told me that people volunteer sometimes. Did you volunteer?"