trinkett: (wake up in strawberry fields)
Effie Trinket ([personal profile] trinkett) wrote2013-07-15 05:30 pm

Fifth Dispatch. Practice Makes Perfect, And Perfect is Me. Action.

[It's a hot afternoon, and Effie Trinket has sneaked into the Barracks -- first checking to make sure no one else is in there.

No one is.

It's far too hot and dusty and anyone in her right mind would choose the techy comforts of the Battle Dome over this place.

This is a good thing. Effie doesn't WANT to meet anyone today. For one thing, she feels very awkwardly dressed: running shorts and a bright yellow T-shirt (yellow is a Power Color); white athletic socks with that 1970s-era striping at the top; sneakers. No heels, no shoulder pads, no wig, no makeup.

She is here -- VERY GRUDGINGLY, MIND -- to train for warfare. Her last announcement to the village brought on plenty of warnings, and even a subtle death threat or two, and at least a few people giving well-meaning advice. She can hardly believe any of the doubters who'd said the Malnosso would sacrifice her in a battle, but better safe than sorry. One never knows when the higher-ups might make a clerical error or shifting error and accidentally send a valued subject into dire straits.

The second reason she doesn't particularly want to meet anyone is because she knows none of the Luceti peons like her very much. That's fine with Effie. Eventually the Malnosso will take her into the inner workings of the organization and place her right where she belongs. Until then? Well. She can and has been staying indoors a great deal, being a bored journal stalker.

Unfortunately, this lonesome round in the Barracks confirms that Ms. Trinket is not cut out for warfare at all. It turns into hesitant prods at practice dummies with wooden swords, a lot of staring out the windows, and a frustrating turn at a punching bag.

Fighting is horrible and she's horrible at it and consequently is in a horrible mood.]

[personal profile] ex_tessen852 2013-07-19 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
Anyone you want. I, of course, would only suggest you to use it on someone attacking you, or in this case, someone who needs to be taught a lesson.
greenjacketed: (♖ lend me hand)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-19 11:40 am (UTC)(link)
Everything being free rather disturbed him. It wasn't that he had scruples -- after all, if it was necessary he'd steal what he couldn't buy. But he couldn't help but wonder how they were actually paying for all this luxury.

"Restricted and burned?"
swordprincess: (GBA)

[personal profile] swordprincess 2013-07-19 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[That's good, because Karla doesn't like Good Spirits either.]

That's fine with me. Like an escort of sorts.
swordprincess: (Smile)

[personal profile] swordprincess 2013-07-20 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
All right. Whenever you need me is fine.
greenjacketed: (♖ mullet master)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
"...Sounds like the provosts, if you ask me."

She didn't. She didn't ask him.
greenjacketed: (♖ bloody hell pat)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"Military constables," he explained. "They enforce regulations, like. Make sure no one ain't stealing."

Or worse.
greenjacketed: (♖ with loads of shooting in it)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"It is, from time to time, a necessity."

Sharpe had never remained well above the law -- but now he was trying to decide whether she was sincere in her last statement. Did she truly believe...?
inyourfavor: (extraordinarily nice)

[personal profile] inyourfavor 2013-07-20 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
She was very busy trying to calculate how long Sharpe would remain alive in the Capitol.
greenjacketed: (♖ give me hope in silence)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 04:05 pm (UTC)(link)
He took her silence as criticism and -- to his surprise -- rushed to clarify the matter: "I give my men only three rules, ma'am. One is that they never steal, unless starving. And even then, they'd damn well better steal from the enemy."
greenjacketed: (♖ i came and i was nothing)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"...Fight like devils, and don't get drunk without my bloody permission. They obey, well enough. Most of'em. On account of they'd rather deal with me than be hanged by the provosts."
inyourfavor: (an invitation)

[personal profile] inyourfavor 2013-07-20 04:16 pm (UTC)(link)
"Because you're such a soft touch." She hadn't meant for that to sound at all positive. But she had been around Richard Sharpe long enough to realize that he wasn't Peacekeeper material in the slightest. He was far too dangerously independent to be like them.
greenjacketed: (♖ but your soul you must keep)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"Because," he growled, "it's better to be thumped in the gut than it is to have your back flayed open. Or your neck wrung at the end of a rope."

Not that he hadn't had men hanged. Plenty, really. On the roadside. He'd executed his own as well as the French -- somehow, the latter had gotten him into more trouble.
inyourfavor: (let them eat cake)

[personal profile] inyourfavor 2013-07-20 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's what I meant," she returned sweetly. Whenever he growled like that she made sure to be as sweet as possible in reply.
greenjacketed: (♖ we who come up from the ranks)

[personal profile] greenjacketed 2013-07-20 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Still -- her accusation of being a soft touch was getting under his skin. Or maybe it was all the sweetness. He continued: "Not that I won't, mind you. Hang a lad. If he's earned it."

[personal profile] ex_tessen852 2013-07-20 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
It's going to involve a lot more, but you're doing a good job right now.

How about we start with some basic hits right now? [Don't want to work her too hard.]
fashionably_strong: (chillin)

[personal profile] fashionably_strong 2013-07-20 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I ate about an hour before coming here, so I'm fine. But in this heat, you should totally rehydrate.

[She notes that it's a locked lunch box, but Bulla doesn't immediately associate that with Effie being concerned that someone might tamper with her food.]

Do you want someone to practice with after you've had a break? My dad is a world class martial artist and he taught me enough to defend myself against anyone who might rob me or kidnap me.
asthehawkflies: (Own the shot)

[Action]

[personal profile] asthehawkflies 2013-07-20 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[He snorted softly at that, because it was about the least convincing agreement he'd ever heard.]

Then you keep trying, keep working for it. It's not exactly a process with an ending. You keep going until the end.

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