trustfelled | Welcome.

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?

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[Sayaka pauses for a moment, considering.]

...Did you not have a lot to eat where you were? [She sounds a little sad when she says it--growing up in poverty was never something Sayaka had to experience, but it's definitely a sad thing. Poor girl.]

District Twelve is poor. Food's hard to come by. You take pretty much anything you can get, even if it's just scraps.

--Your entire district?

[Well, the fact that district is used in the first place doesn't sound nice, but...even without that, wow.]

That sounds absolutely terrible--I can't believe they'd just do that to people.

It's just the way it is. Some families are more lucky than others. Like the baker's family and the mayor.

[ It's just the way it is, she says, like thousands of people aren't hungry ever single day. Hard pill to swallow--and Katniss feels guilty for having all of this food and being unable to give it to anyone back home. ]

That's not the way it's supposed to be!

[...Oh, oh god. She shouted, didn't she? Oh god Sayaka covers her mouth on impulse, looking away.]

I-I'm sorry--I just don't think that anyone deserves that. At all.

[ She can't say she expected that outburst. Katniss fiddles with the roll in her hand, her eyes clouded. ]

You don't have to apologize. I don't like it, either, seeing my little sister without a full stomach. Every day.

[...Sayaka's an only child, and this definitely gives her some form of perspective. This girl has a family, and they can't eat every single day, and that's...]

...Those people in your district--will they try to check anything you bring back with you?

The Peacekeepers might.

But I'm good at sneaking stuff.

Then once we get out of here, I'll help you pack as much food as you can.

You all deserve so much better than that...

[ That's... unexpected, and Katniss looks completely taken aback. She even looks in awe of Sayaka. ]

... You'd really do that?

[ She's not used to anyone other than Gale helping her. ]

Of course! If we're all getting out of here, I don't think people are going to grab more than a little bit of food for any trip we have to make--if we even have to make it. That should leave plenty of food that...well, is gonna rot unless we find a use for it.

And I think you guys would make the best use out of it.

... Thanks.

[ She's still stunned, but she manages a thank you... which is a feat in and of itself. Good job, Sayaka. ]

You're welcome. I'm happy to assist!

[Sayaka may not trust Katniss immediately--it could be said for anyone, really--but this just seems like the right thing to do. And it certainly helps that she's not the one who kidnapped them.]

[ Katniss doesn't trust easily--and she doesn't exactly trust Sayaka, either. But there's a hint of fondness there, maybe, that's very slight.

She just hopes no one takes advantage of that kindness. ]

... Want some tea?

[Seems they're on the same page, then, and--oh?]

Really? [The surprise wears off after a moment and Sayaka beams, gently.] I'd love some. Tea just has a really good way of calming nerves...

What kind do you want?

[ There are a ton of flavors Katniss has never even heard of. Or thought of as tea. ]

There's a lot.

Do they have chamomile? I usually drink that before I have to do anything major...it's really good at helping with stress.

[Sayaka's gonna need a cup a day to deal with this place, she's damn sure of that.]

[ Or a gallon.

She pulls a out a tin of it and opens it--

Why is it in these bags?? ]

... I never see tea like this.

[Maybe two, you never know what these places are gonna be like...

Huh? Sayaka goes close enough so she can at least get a glimpse of what Katniss is looking at, and...]

...You don't have these? Usually tea comes like that--you put the bags into a cup of hot water, and then you dip them around to make it stronger.

[ She shakes her head, plucking one of the bags out of the container. ]

It's usually without the bag. Loose. ... When we can afford it, anyway. It's mostly just mint tea we drink.

[...That explains a fair bit while also giving Sayaka a fairly good idea that this place Katniss comes from is a bunch of conniving jerks. And that's the nice way of putting it.]

You'd think they'd just go with those, if everything's so bad over there...

[ Shrug. ]

I guess. Might be too much work.

[ You know. In between planning death arenas. ]

[Capitol needs it's priorities straightened, good lord.]

...Too much work for something that's so much cheaper, in the long run? [Wow.] And what don't they consider too much work, if feeding their citizens is just too hard?

[ Oh, Sayaka. ]

The districts do all the work and supply everything. Eleven takes care of agriculture. Four is fishing, Twelve is coal, Seven is lumber. So the Capitol really doesn't have to lift a finger. It's cheap labor.

[Why did she kind of sort of ask

She regrets everything. Dear god, that's--]

...Forgive me for saying this, but your country is very screwed up. [It's the understatement of the century, really, but what else can she say? It's not like they have any ability to change things from here...]

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