Welcome.

[trustfelling]

You don't remember how you got here. It may be one of the first things to occur to you when you wake up, that you don't know when you got here, what you were doing involved nothing like this; granted, it's also possible that it doesn't matter – that whatever circumstances you last remember have nothing on the fact that this bed is really comfortable and the room around you is gently-lit. It's warm, but it's nowhere near where you're supposed to be. Whatever you think of it, the fact is that you can't stay there forever; there's a silver key resting on that trunk near your bed, and you might want to take it on the way out. It's no big deal if you don't, exactly – it won't lock automatically after you close the door, that has to be done manually – but it'll probably become clear that privacy is a commodity in a place like this. After all, you aren't alone; the hallway is likely quick to become populated with other people that are just as confused as you are. Go ahead and talk to them if you'd like; none of you will know exactly how you got to the building with the wooden walls and the odd windows that no one can see through, but that doesn't mean you can't get to know each other on the way to...wherever it is that you're going. Wander long enough and you may hear the chiming of a clock nearby. It's hard to tell whether it's telling you it's very early or very late at night, but checking out the room it's in eventually might be a good idea regardless; it's large and open, designed to accommodate social gatherings from the look of it, with the clock in question mounted against the western wall. It isn't the only thing here, though – there's a large frame set into the wall nearby, and it contains some information that might be relevant to your interests... Or perhaps your attention is drawn instead to the other framed information nearby; don't worry if you miss it in here, though. It's posted in every other room in the building. There's also the matter of the large double-doors at the end of the room; they aren't going to open, regardless of what you do. Looks like you're trapped here for the time being. Might as well see who's here with you, right?

Comments

rules

[innocentloveholic]

[ Ahhhh, someone looking really upset at the rules! Aligula stops her wandering just to peer around her side—what was this girl's name again? No, no, what was her title? "Resolute" or something, right?—and hums. ]

I think they're pretty reasonable myself. Like, it could totally, definitely be worse.

[flagitate]

[ what is that on her face

More importantly-- ]

How could this be worse?

[innocentloveholic]

[ It's a very tasteful mask, thank you! It... yeah, who knows. ]

He didn't have to give us a way out. [ She'll reach past her to tap rule numero 7. ] I think that's pretty nice of him, y'know?

[flagitate]

"Nice."

[ She says it bluntly. ]

Yeah, letting us escape if we kill someone is really nice.

[innocentloveholic]

[ ...Hmmm. Do people usually have a problem with that? ]

Well, yeah. He could just make us stay here forever and ever without even giving us a chance to change that.

[flagitate]

With an attitude like that, anything is acceptable.

[innocentloveholic]

I guess so. [ But, well— ] Is there really a price too steep for freedom?

[ Or love? ...we're on freedom right now, we'll talk about love in a second. ]

[flagitate]

[ ... ]

If freedom means killing someone, I don't think it's really freedom.

[innocentloveholic]

It's still freedom, you dummy! It's just freedom on terms you don't agree with.

[ Gosh. Aligula'll step back now, at least; give the girl some breathing room to have a proper moral crusade against getting out. ]

We're not really in the position to argue terms though, are we? We don't even know where this guy is! Once we find him, though, we can totally petition for a rule change or something. Maybe like, make it one of those Olympic competitions or something instead? The person with the most gold medals wins!

Or or or, oh, or! The person with the bestest, baddest boyfriend ever wins! I'd definitely totally absolutely win that, no contest at all! It'd be super nice to hear about everyone else's lovers too, even if they'd have no chance against me and my honey... Doesn't that sound super awesome— [ what was it again? ...right!! ] —Resolute?

[flagitate]

[ ... this girl talks a lot, holy shit. Katniss vaguely recognizes "Olympics," because she's read about them in history books. For a while, she just stares at the girl because my god. ]

No. It doesn't sound super awesome.

[ Coldblooded. ]

[innocentloveholic]

[ Wow, what a dead fish. Aligula stares for a bit, then puts her hands on her hips in a very methodical fashion and hmphs. ]

You're one of those boring types that don't have any good love stories, aren't you.

[ JUST LIKE MOST OF HER FELLOW KINGS... aside from the upstart, who has like, hands-down the weirdest Thing with death she has ever seen. ]

[flagitate]

[ excuse you. ]

I have more important things to worry about than love. Love doesn't put food on the table.

[innocentloveholic]

If you happen to fall in love with a totally rich dude, it totally does!

[ But also like— ] Come oooooooon, who caaaaaares, you can live as long as you have love! Otherwise you get all lonely and boring and crabby.

Kinda like how you are now. Like, do you really wanna be mean for the rest of your life? Do you wanna be the Queen of Meaniemania? Is that it?

[flagitate]

[ What kind of world does she live in where she can just fall in love so easily? And with someone rich? Capitol people are weird. ]

I'm not boring and crabby. Sorry I don't have the time to worry about something as shallow as love.

[ She really does sound like someone from the Capitol, which is exceedingly annoying? Harping on and on about love. Ugh. ]

[innocentloveholic]

[ So like, you know the look someone has when they've just witnessed something super totally mega horrific? Like it was just THE WORST THING EVER, OH MY GOD, HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? Like if someone totally just kicked a puppy in front of her, or like if someone yelled, "Objection!" at her wedding, or if someone cut in front of her at the ice cream parlor.

Yeah, that's exactly the look she's got, though it slowly inches into a frown as she curls her hands into fists like she's ready 2 throwdown. (ง •̀_•́)ง ]

Love isn't shallow! It's the most important thing in the entire world! [ And it's like, super sad that Katniss thinks it is!

Too bad Aligula's not a person capable of genuine pity when she's been insulted. Which she clearly has been. Clearly. ]

[flagitate]

[ She really offended her, wow. Katniss gives her a Look. Clearly, this girl's had a privileged enough life that the worst thing that can happen is someone rejecting love. Maybe Katniss should tell her that food and shelter are the most important things in the entire world. ]

Really? That's what you think is the most important thing? Not food, or having clean clothes, or not dying from exposure?

[innocentloveholic]

[ ...Well, she has a point. Food and clothes and not dying are all very important things!

Still: ] Yes. I mean, what's the point in living if there's no one who loves you, or you don't have someone to live for? That's what love is, Resolute. Wanting to be with someone, sharing your lives, doing anything for them because being with them makes everything seem a little less horrible...

[ She's such a hopeless romantic, but Aligula'll tilt her head in consideration. ]

That doesn't just apply to romance either, I guess. [ She guesses, because she's never thought about anything relating to love that wasn't romantic?? ] There's totally tons of humas that'll risk everything for like, family and friends.

But anyway, like I was saying, love is totally super important! [ yyyyep. ] That's why people say, "Love conquers all!"

[flagitate]

Katniss. Not Resolute.

[ ... When she puts it that way... Katniss had volunteered for Prim. She'd done what she could to keep her alive. It's kind of the same thing, isn't it? ]

My sister. I'd do anything for her. That's what you're talking about. Right?

[innocentloveholic]

[ They're finally connecting. Now she just needs to see that romance is the greatest spice of life and they'll be besties—

she can at least stop looking so offended and relax a little. Bouncing on her heels! ]

If it fits, then totally! There's nothing wrong with feeling like that about your siblings. [ ...let's never take that sentence out of this context, holy shit. ] There's the important things in life, and then there's the important things in life.

[flagitate]

[ Oh my god, let's not. ]

She's the most important person in my life.

[innocentloveholic]

And my man is that to me. [ Her... men, technically, but who cares. One is a pretty face, one is the real love of her life.

And in the most sweet, genuinely interested tone in the history of ever: ] Wanna swap stories? You can tell me all about your sister, and I can tell you all about my sweetheart!

[ ... ]

I've never had a sister before and you've never had a sweetheart, obviously, so this'll be an awesome experience for the both of us!

[ And it's better than worrying about, like, how getting away with murder is the only way to win, and how one of them is actually 100% okay with that— ]

[flagitate]

[ Um. ]

... Sure.

[ How did this happen. ]

[innocentloveholic]

[ MURDERGAME IS SUCH A WILD RIDE. ]

Okay! So like— [ ohhhh hold on, hold on! She's gonna grab Katniss' hand, if that's okay. Wrist if not. Arm otherwise. ] Let's find somewhere to sit down first! I'm totally tired of standing around.

[flagitate]

[ I mean, she can grab her wrist, but it's met with a slight hiss. Girl. Burns. ]

Dining room, [ she says, gritting her teeth. ]

[innocentloveholic]

[ Haha burns what burns—look, Katniss is her friend now (?), but that doesn't mean she really cares about her, okay.

So yes! Dining room, as fast as she can manage to pull her along. It'll probably feel great when she finally lets go of her wrist, opting to sit on a table instead of in a seat. Tables are great, okay. And taller than chairs. ]

So, so! You first, you first. What's having a sister like? Is she prim and proper? Why's she so important? Would you kill someone for her? Give me all the de~ets!

[ give her a minute to get a word in, aligula, jesus christ ]