Fourth Dispatch: It's Not What You Think. Voice.

[trinkett]

Dear Fellow Residents of Luceti,

Wouldn't it be entertaining to put on some Games here in Luceti? Not that the Cultural Fair wasn't amusing, or any of the other activities going on here -- but true gladiatorial games. The pitting of one creature against another! Think of the thrill and drama and the release that goes along with that sort of entertainment! And here in Luceti we are ideally suited for a very exciting Games indeed.

Who would you sponsor or volunteer for this entertainment? Or would it all be...

[There is a pause here.]

Pokey-mans? I find human beings MUCH more interesting to watch, personally.

Comments

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[trinkett]

I've never been Sequestered. I've avoided every Reprimand, my whole life. Every Inquisitor. I'm sure we can make some kind of deal.

[She speaks quickly even as she finds her back against a wall. There's no handy doorknob digging into it. Damn. There had to be something.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

[Clint gives her a bemused look for a moment, not entirely sure what he's said to make her babble like this.]

I really have no idea what you're talking about. I was just gonna show you that the cream isn't poison.

Trust me, I don't need to hurt anyone else to prove how frequently professionals get hurt. [He had enough obvious scars.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[trinkett]

[Now she feels like a total idiot, on top of everything else. Great. Some of her sturdy, bubbly personality surges back to the surface.]

Are you friends? You and Katniss?

[That could be the deciding factor.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

[Now there's a 180 if he's ever seen one. He smiles a little and gives a short nod.]

Yeah, we are. She's a good kid. Seen too much that someone her age should never have to. Got that in common.

And she's a hell of an archer. I like people who can compete with me in that.

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[trinkett]

[There. She relaxes. Any friend of Katniss is unlikely to torture her with acid posing as painrelieving cream. Probably. Her high and mighty tone returns.]

Then I accept the use of your pain killer. Though you probably want to use some first, I suppose.

[You know. After all that punching she did to you. She's fairly impressed with herself, really.]

[action]

[stillplaying]

"Yes, but..."

Katniss trails off, watching Effie fiddle with the pins. It's almost easier. Fading into the background. Not being noticed. She wish she could have spent more of the last few years like this. Not in the spotlight. Not their Mockingjay. And, more than that, not so stupid as to let herself fall in love. Because wasn't that the whole reason she had allowed Clove to kill her in the first place? To make that pain go away?

"Four months. But that time goes a lot slower than you think."

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Hey... that'd be really neat! And come to think of... when I had Kipinn's wings, I did challenge lots of people to races, and I used the super wind powers from Kipinn to make obstacles. It was really fun! [But then, everything's fun when you're high on Kipinn.]

[action]

[trinkett]

"I'm not going to die. Not today." There. The wig is set. And it's time to say goodbye.

Effie pauses; it's awkward -- this spontaneous feeling of wanting to give the girl a hug. Some show of thank you for caring if I live or die; you might be the only one.

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

[Clint blinks at her slowly and tosses the cream over.]

Me? I'm fine. I finished with my workout ages ago.

[Yeah, sorry. Some things he is pretty oblivious to.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[happyhungergames]

[..............Right.

She catches the tube very awkwardly, trapping it against her chest, before unscrewing the cap and squirting some -- rather too much -- on top of her left hand. To cover up any embarrassment at that, she tries to smoothly change the subject. Get herself back. Come on back, Effie.]

She's mentioned me, of course.

[Voice]

[trinkett]

[Aang, your enthusiasm is catching Effie's natural-born enthusiasm alight. Contagious!]

Of course! Fun! And it could be broadcast to the entire village, for those who have not the capability of flying....

[greenjacketed]

"Difference is, ma'am, you'll not be surprised if I make good on my warnings."

It was intended to be a comfort, implying that he was direct. Forthright. Obvious, even, in his retribution. He wasn't the sort of man to shoot an enemy in the back.

"I'm not one for cloaks nor daggers."

[trinkett]

"Perhaps I'll get two dogs, then. One for going, one for coming."

[greenjacketed]

"...You're not making sense."

[trinkett]

"I've had enough threats on my life today; it leads a woman to distraction."

[greenjacketed]

"So far," he probed, "it sounds as if there's only the one threat. From an assassin, aye. But he equally threatened to poison Sokka just last week."

Sharpe might now be regretting his reticence towards that offer.

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

I dunno. She might have mentioned you once. We usually talk about other stuff.

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[inyourfavor]

Ah.

[Her face falls slightly. But of course, why would Katniss ever mention her to this well-trained murderer from some godforsaken underworld? She mattered to Katniss.

Effie hurriedly rubs the cream into her knuckles, ignoring the steady throb under the broken skin. He's definitely right about one thing: they're going to hurt in the morning.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

Why? Should she have? She doesn't seem all that fond of life back home.

[And this woman was someone who was part of that messed up system.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[happyhungergames]

[If Katniss hasn't talked about her, then Effie will have to explain this.]

I'm her Chaperone. She's the champion from District Twelve. It's...not a very nice district.

[There. The other hand gets a squirt of cream and she hurriedly fumbles the tube back Clint's way.]

My position as Chaperone is to prepare her; help make her ready for the....

For the Hunger Games. [She goes on quickly:] Bring her to appointments, monitor her manners, feed her, acquaint her with people she should know, make people like her...

[happyhungergames]

"I'm meeting a man at six. He's threatened my life, but he must be shown that this behavior is not appropriate."

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

Places that aren't nice generally aren't nice for a reason. That reason is very rarely the people who live there.

[A pointed hint. He has a pretty good idea of who to blame for that.]

Like her? She seems perfectly likable to me just how she is. She's a smart and capable young woman. Anyone should be damn well honoured just to speak to her.

[And maybe there's something in the words, the lingering feelings from that last shift.]

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[ruthlessismore]

[Likeable to people like you, maybe; but not to people like me.

She's too ashamed to say that. Instead:]

You sound like that Sharpe fellow, now. Please understand, in the Capitol, people aren't as accepting as they are here. They like manners; they like heroes they can understand. Their heroes need to be well-spoken and dramatic and have very white teeth. People HERE seem to accept nearly everyone without too many questions asked.

[Then she laughs. Effie Trinket so RARELY laughs -- oh, there are silly giggles and twittering expressions of jollity, but not laughs like this: underlaid with acid and regret.]

Unless, of course, you're different like I am.

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[asthehawkflies]

Manners. Heroes they can understand. Dolls that they can control but will never ever make them think beyond their safe, narrow little view of the world.

They want a pretty story. All fluff and cotton candy. Like hell they want the real person.

[There's a definite sour note to his voice when he speaks.]

Different. Oh, I'm different alright. But definitely not like you are.

[action -- SIX O'CLOCK.]

[trinkett]

I sell a pretty story to the pretty people. Yes. And that is how I try to keep my Tributes alive.

[And she'd always seen it as a rather noble profession.]

And find my own way in the world. [Succeed. Rise.

She notes his thoughts on her difference with a sniff:] Though here, it seems, I can only look forward to scorn and threats. Tell me, whoever-you-are: what are your thoughts on dogs?

[Why does she sound so hopeful when she asks this question?]