trinkett | First Dispatch. How Utterly Dreadful. Voice.

First Dispatch. How Utterly Dreadful. Voice.

[Anyone who meets Effie in this post will meet her in full Capitol fashion and makeup. She landed in the shop, you see. A stiff turquoise-blue structured gown, fortunately, landed beside her.

And the wig -- thank the Senate! There were plenty of wigs and there was HER wig, tight and blond and curled and fabulous -- and the new violet wings sprouting from her shoulders were quite irregular but one never drew attention to one's irregularities. If anyone asked, they were Fashion. With any luck everyone who was anyone in the Capitol would be wearing similar ones, soon.

The makeup took a bit longer. Effie finally settled on green because green is one of her Power Colors and it IS almost spring, after all. She drew her lips in a pursed bow to reflect her dissatisfaction with everything.

It had only taken a quick readthrough of the Guide for Effie to grasp somewhat what was going on. It wasn't terribly shocking, but it was highly disappointing. She'd wanted to be in the Capitol for Katniss and Peeta, not transferred to a new post just at the height of a possible professional and personal triumph. Her charges were brilliant! Cinna had shown their fire to everyone. The sensation had been rampant and her promotion near-assured. Effie Trinket's star had been rising in the Capitol, the heart of Panem and civilization.

And then Someone had Bumped her. It was the only explanation for all of this business of waking up in a clothing store in what was obviously a cheap, outlying serfdom of Panem. A lesser woman would have called that Bumping Someone a dirty word, but Effie had dignity and would find other ways to trample that usurper into dust once she got back on her feet and back to the Capitol.]

Attention, Attention:

[Her usual rather chirpy voice is a bit tempered by the fact that she has only recently awakened in a clothing shop in a strange town.]

Would any available Peacekeepers in District Luceti please report to the Clothing Emporium? I repeat: any available Peacekeepers. The Diplomatic Escort for the Tributes requires a full compliment of Security. [Yes: she was still clinging to what she assumed was her now-stripped title and position.]

Thank you.

[[[[IMPORTANT NOTE: While Effie WILL be in full Capitol couture clothing and makeup for this post, some of my icons are simply those of her PB, Elizabeth Banks. I will probably try to MOSTLY use the icons from the Hunger Games movie but just assume she's all made up and dressed to the very weird nines even if you get a plain Elizabeth Banks icon! THANKS.]]]]]

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[He nods too, then makes his way to the door and then up to the room controller where she's standing. He's still eye-ballng her. Or rather, her outfit. It's like Cyndi Lauper's closet got drunk and fucked Liberace's closet. Or else the 80s were really unkind to fashion on her world.

He will give her a polite nod--he's not connecting who this is, just yet.]

You needing the simulator? I'll clear it for you.

[Moiraine nods, one hand on her intricately carved staff as she looks up at the strange woman from her incredibly tall...height of 5'0"]

There are. Many things I simply do not recognize, though. It's quite fascinating.

Whatever their directives are...

Do you even know what their directives are? The Malnosso aren't exactly forthcoming with that information.

[Wow, it's been a long time since he's pulled out any kind of title. He'll just not mention that it's a minor honour accorded a youngest son.]

Oh. I didn't realise we were going for polite. I thought we were going for truthful so that when the worst happens you aren't shocked and surprised by the truth.

I believe I already told you, Mister Bliss. I am not a fighter, and have no inclination to be.

[She folds her arms over that stiff, shoulder-padded uniform of a fuchsia blazer. While Liberace's closet was far too gay to be of interest to Cyndi's closet, his closet would at least have been Cyndi's Sassy Gay Friend and he would have told her NOT to wear this but she would have worn it anyway because she's so unusual.]

Though it would seem you weren't lying.

Indeed. My name is Effie Trinket; I hail from the Capitol in Panem.

Saleh. [You are so naive.] I only know what I need to know. And so do we all.

[That was a verbal headpat.]

[Truth is a dangerous word. An off-limits word in some circles, and certainly not a politique word.

She shrugs and picks up several more pairs of gaudy socks.]

I didn't think strangers would be that concerned about each other's tolerance of shock.

[If she had had any doubt as to whether that really was Effie, the response confirmed it. She knew no one else that shrill, knew no one that would bother to scold her over something so trivial. Effie Trinkett was indeed in Luceti.

Effie Trinkett was in Luceti. In full Capitol regalia, nonetheless.

Damn, damn, damn.]

Do you have any idea where you are, Effie? [Her tone is still much the same: angry, exasperated, already exhausted.] Tone's the last thing you need to worry about. You're in a Game now!

[Both closets need a talking to, man.

He gives her a sharp look; one that shows he does recognize her now...and he's determining just how he wants to deal with this.

Finally, he just nods, turning his gaze to the console screen.]

So you did.

[He takes a few moments before he answers the second part.]

I save the lying for vampires. Generally speaking, living folks deserve the truth. If I can't tell them the truth, I won't say anything.

[He glances at her for a second.]

I apologize for the hostile greeting earlier. It reminded me too much of people from my own world that I'd rather not associate with. Life comes cheaply to them. And it's my job to try and save lives. It puts me at odds with that type of mindset.

You may call me Moiraine, of Tar Valon.

I did say that people here were friendly. It's kind of... us vs. them.

Luceti, Katniss. [It is time to take charge again; time to regain a bit of control over this situation by taking some control over Katniss. THIS she can do: she can chaperone.

She's not sure, of course, what this all MEANS. Why Katniss Everdeen of all people should be here instead of back in Panem. But at least it's a shard of familiarity that she can grasp and use and thus put everything into order once more.

Effie keeps her voice smooth and even.]

Neither of us have to worry now, dear. I'm here.

From vampires. Vampires are not real. We have troubles with vampire bats in District 9, but that is only because the crossbreed invaded the native population and got out of control.

[She examines the small woman, curious.]

Tar Valon. I haven't heard of it, though I understand we are all brought here from different worlds. What is your role here?

And you're saying I must choose a side. [This is whispered out the side of her mouth. To any distant observer she is just a woman picking out socks.]

So you do...

[He's beginning to think that he shouldn't associate himself too much with her either.]

And it does not bother you to be a mindless puppet?

[Max has no such qualms about speaking his mind. Loudly.]

Actually, I'm saying that your side has been chosen for you. Considering you're in here with us, and not out there with them.

You will soon see, Sir Woodville, that I can rise to any occasion.

[Though it seems backward that here the outsiders are the insiders and the insiders are the outsiders. In a manner of speaking.]

Can and will.

From vampires. From my world, not yours. That's what I had in the simulator down there.

[He's keeping his voice quiet, steady.]

Do your people have anything like quantum physics? Mobius strips? Alternate dimension theories? That's pretty much the scale of what you're dealing with here.

[She twitters a laugh.] Aren't ALL puppets mindless? But I do not consider myself a puppet at all, no matter how delightful and whimsical such a thought is! I am a diplomat, a chaperone, and a public relations wizard. Everyone knows it. It won't be long until the people who matter most in this world know it too.

The Scientific Institute deals with that sort of thing, but they are kept apart. Mobius...strips? No. They sound delightful I'm sure. [She nervously peels back one glove, then the other.] I studied a bit of physics but it was never my primary subject.

There aren't vampires in THIS world, are there?

The people who matter most. [Who could that be? Not the Malnosso, not the Third Party, not even the denizens of Luceti.]

And then what?

Regain my place in the world. [Simple as that. Regain her place and rise from it.]

[She's been here for over a year now. Been without a chaperon for even longer. The idea of Effie even remotely resuming her old job here is ridiculous. Utterly laughable. She's as much a pawn of the Malnosso as the rest of them.

And yet, Katniss can't quite bring herself to tell the woman that yet. She remembers how difficult it had been for her prep squad to adjust to life in District 13. How Octavia caused them all to be punished for stealing an extra slice of bread.

For the first time, she wishes Peeta here not for her own selfish desires but for the help he would give Effie in adjusting. She doesn't possess even a quarter of his patience.

Of course, the second Katniss grimaces, the journal camera takes a photograph.]

I'm not worried, I'm... [She pauses and shakes her head.] Luceti is a Game, Effie. The Malnosso are going to treat you the same as everyone else here. You're nothing more than another subject for their experiments. They're not going to care that you're from the Capitol. Not at all.

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