shenevermisses | 17th Throw

Hello everyone.

[The Journal camera is on, and Clove is smiling. She's dressed nicely but casually. She nervously tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear as she takes a few seconds to get out the next part of what she has to say. She glances away, unsure, then looks back at the camera.]

I want to apologize.

I've... made a pretty bad impression. I don't expect to undo the harm I've done, but I'm still sorry.

I wanto explain, just a little. I've been doing research lately, and I read about men called gladiators, who fought to the death for sport. I... I guess you could say I was raised to be a gladiator.

It's hard, not thinking like that. If I've... acted cold or ruthless, it's because I'm having a hard time learning not everyone's out to kill me in the end. I know I've been rude about it, and I'm sorry.

Forthose who've offered me friendship, I would be grateful for another chance at accepting it.

Again: I am so sorry. I hope I can earn what forgiveness there is to be had.

[The feed goes off.

And the act ends.

Clove glares at the Journal, a sour taste in her mouth. Three people in Luceti will recognize the girl they just saw. Cato, Twelve, and Twelve's representative will see the young woman from District Two sitting with Caesar Flickerman, her smile meant to endear her to all of Panem. Not the sexual create One presented, but something sweet. With just a little bit of a competitive edge.

Everyone else... Well. They can see what they'd like. Knowing most of them and their overbearing sense of morality? They'll think she's come around, they'll want to laud their superiority in having known all along she'd be better off thinking like them and how nice it is she's come around.

Let them think that. When the time comes, she'll still be just as capable. Just as detached from all of them. And they'll be compromised.

She can play that game.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I was here before electricity! Before the buildings got taller! When there was less buildings. I saw the Battle Dome first show up. I was here for the desert. I get to call other people "whippersnappers" now.

Okay, have to say. That sounds pretty incredible. I mean. Just being around a place long enough to see it change like that. Where I'm from, everything just... stays the same. Has for years.

That's how it was back home. I mean, sure, we won the war and it was about to change in a big way. But I kind of missed all of that happening on account of being here.

There was a war in my world, too. Just a year or so after I died. Changed everything, but I won't ever get to see it.

Guess that's okay, though.

Everyone here is too caught up in their own worlds. Their pasts. Stuff that we're never going to see again.

They are. Me? I've got nothing to go back to. This is my world now, no matter what. And I'm okay with that, really.

Keep yourself from getting sacrificed and it's not so bad. I mean, look at the Malnosso. We're basically looking at a somewhat inconvenient brand of immortality.

Definitely looking to avoid the sacrificing thing. So, sacrificing. Basically... just avoid getting caught by the Third Party?

That does seem to cover it. Given it's not happened to anyone in Luceti before, I don't think they're very good at it.

So, basically, "don't be the first one to have it happen." Sounds like fun.

[A pause.]

...Wait. Them sacrificing someone. It means they don't come back, right?

Yeah. That's the story so far. Why?

Does anyone know how they do it? Is there a way to find out? What it is they do that stops people from coming back?

Does my skin look blue to you? I don't know this stuff!

Think about it, though. [There's actually a note of excitement in her voice.] It wouldn't be easy, not at all. But if we could figure out how they do it. What they do.

We could turn it against them. I mean-- they come back, same as us, right? That's why the Malnosso have us do that scan thing. Instead of killing them. Or, we're supposed to.

If we could figure out how to kill them for good. We wouldn't be running the risk of fighting the same people over and over. We'd actually be able to start wiping out their forces.

[Definitely excitement. Bloodthirsty, but deeply engaged.]

True. It would be nice to not have to kill them more than once. Though it seems like the Malnosso would already know how to do this by now. They've got to have a reason for not doing it.

Or maybe they do it. Maybe that's why they have us tag them. So they can get them and do it. It'd save a lot of time if we could just figure out how to do it ourselves.

Makes sense the Malnosso wouldn't tell us, doesn't it? If they knew. Might worry we'd find a way to do it to them. Wouldn't put it past a few of 'em here. Or a lot.

Well when you put it that way, it makes sense. That said, it might not be best to talk about our plans to perform ritual sacrifices on the Malnosso network. You know, in case they decide they're not big fans of that.

Me? I have no interest in doing to the Malnosso. I want to help them. I want a job with them. Turning it against them? Would probably hurt my chances there.

But I get your point. If you ever want to talk in person, I've got a camp near the western lake. Not a big thing, but it's near the forest and quiet.

You don't live in town?

I do. But in one of the community houses. I don't really trust it for privacy, y'know. And considering how people freak out if you talk about anything more than a little sparring...

More than sparring?

If we ever want to meet to talk about what you don't think we should over something the Malnosso have provided, I'd also suggest we do it well out of earshot of anyone else, too.

Right, right. So another time. Got it.

Another time. And I look forward to it. Maybe when we go fishing.

You got it.

17th Throw - [ video ]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]

[Voice / private]