shenevermisses | 1st Throw - [ video/written/action ]

1st Throw - [ video/written/action ]

[Her approach today: simple, caution edged with sweetness.

Clove has set her Journal on a table in her apartment for the perfect upper body shot.

The key to her appearance is the word "simple." Her long hair is pulled back into a low ponytail. She has enough make-up on to color her features, but it is light enough that it's only just noticable. Her shirt is pale grey, fitted and sleeveless with a high neck but made of light material.

She gives herself a few seconds before she speaks.]

Hello, everyone. My name is Clove. I've only just arrived, and I'm still getting my bearings.

[Remember to smile. She obeys the advice from her absent mentor.]

I've been sort of a recluse these last few days, and I'm really sorry if you've seen me around the village and I ignored you. This is just a lot to take in all at once.

[This isn't the Games, and there are no sponsors... but in a new, strange place like this, a little good PR can't hurt.]

I look forward to getting to know everyone.

[Off goes the feed.]

[A few minutes later, she writes a short note.]

If you're somehow reading this, Cato: come find me. Tonight at sundown.

[Come sundown, Clove is sitting at her makeshift camp by the western lake.

She's sure Cato isn't here. She'd have heard from him long before now if he was. Still, her message was for him to find her at sundown, so she waits.

Her location has been carved into various trees throughout the forest and village using a signal taught in the Academy to make pack activity easier. If he looks for her, he'll find it.

Of course, anyone out that way will see her waiting for someone who won't come.]

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Yeah. I'll be there.

Thanks. For the offer and all.

Of course. Its only proper.

[At the appointed time, Rei is waiting there in her school uniform, the most comfortable set of clothing she owns. Until the other girl shows up she'll just be sitting on the edge of the fountain, thumbing through the book and humming softly to herself...while a pair of crows circle overhead.]

[Clove arrives just a few moments later, wearing what she was in her broadcast. She has on boots she felt were stylish... and that allowed her to hide a knife against her thigh, between it and her the leather of the boot. Never unarmed.

Just in case.

She approaches the waiting girl with a cautious smile.]

Rei?

[Hearing her name, she looks up and smiles kindly at the older girl, standing up and dusting herself off before snapping the journal shut and dropping it into a satchel that contained, among other things, a small red pen. She too, never left home without a means to defend herself]

Yes. You must be Clove. Its nice to meet you. I'm sorry, though, that you had to end up here.

[Rei offers a hand in greeting, in the Western style]

[Clove takes her hand, shaking it. A firmness and strength behind the gesture that her stature might have belied.]

Thanks. Good to meet you, too.

And, really, I don't mind being here. I think I kind of like it. Definitely new.

[Rei takes note of Clove's strength, matching it equally. She's a soldier as well, and her own nature says that strength should be met with strength]

You may regret saying that soon, haha. When the experiments start, anyway.

[She smiles before offering Clove an umbrella from her satchel, pointing at the looming rainclouds]

Here, you may need this later. We're going to get another storm I think.

[And that slight show of strength is enough to assure Clove she was right not to underestimate any young person here.

Everyone could be a threat. But even threats made good temporary allies.

She takes the umbrella and bows her head a little in acknowledgement.]

Thank you.

I've heard about the experiments before. What are they like?

It depends. The Malnosso, our...jailers, have a very twisted sense of humor. Some of them are absurd, like the entire village thinking its some sort of adventure game. Others are much more creepy. There was one recently where a lot of people had their memories re-written to believe they were from one of their friends worlds. It was really painful to watch when people realized what happened.

[With a sad look, Rei offers an example]

One of my friends had her memory reworked...and when she came back she was really hurt. She was only five years old. I can't really...fathom why they wanted to mess with a little kid like that.

They can alter memories?

[Okay, maybe that was a little creepier than anything she'd heard about the Capitol. Not that she totally put it past them to have that ability. It just wasn't advertised.

Still, what choice did she have but to accept it and survive?]

Yes. According to people who have been here longer than me, they do it very often too.

[Thats something that scared her, really. Even the Dark Kingdom couldn't do that]

That's... really creepy, actually.

But I guess... That's what we have to deal with. For getting everything free.

Everything has a price. We just don't pay for it with money.

...You're right. Bad choice of words.

[After all, she's heard about the prices, from this girl and others. Still, all things considered... She doesn't mind the place even now.]

So, Clove, what is your home like? You look and sound like an American.

[Polite smile, of course. Rei is nothing if not the consummate Japanese girl, despite skipping the formality of honorifics with obvious non-Japanese]

I live-- lived in District Two of Panem. It... used to be called North America, a long time ago.

[A smile. Clove can be polite when she wants to be. It just never had much use in the Arena.]

And you, Rei? Where are you from?

Oh...hmmm...so you are from Earth. I am from Japan. Though...it seems like you may be from a future Earth, so maybe Japan doesn't exist in your world.

I've never heard of Japan. [She actually sounds apologetic.]

But Panem is a little isolated from the rest of the world. We learned that it was better not to get involved and not to offer invitation for involvement by others.

[Clove gives the best smile she can manage right now. A little cautious, a little unsure, but a smile still.]

I'm not used to much... free time. [One day a week, a chance to sleep or go to town or see her family or spend the day training just with Cato.] What should we do?

[Sounds like how Japan used to be...]

I don't know, Clove. What are some things that you like to do? Do you have any hobbies?

[She smiles a little.]

I... don't know. I mean, we didn't get much free time at the Academy. I mean... a few of us used to go into town on our free day. Shopping or just looking.

The Academy? Are you a student...back home?

[She's curious, school is something she figures is the same everywhere]

I'd just finished with school.

[The maximum age for a student was eighteen, but, naturally, a student who was chosen for the Games was not required to attend if they returned Victor and were under that age.]

Oh. What did you study? Anything special? What subject were you best at?

[She smiles happily. Rei...did enjoy school a lot!]

I was in the athletic program of District Two's Academy.

[...Oh, right.

Not from Panem.]

We're drilled in physical education. Speed, stamina, and strength.

[A slight smile. Or at least a good attempt at one.]

I was always better at the first two.

Oh? So you are an athlete. What sport do you like? I'm pretty fond of archery, and aikido. But...that kind of goes with my job.

[Rei grins. She's genuinely smiling, happy to be discussing mundane things instead of the...unpleasantness of their current situation]

...District Twelve's good at archery.

I'm best with knives.

[Because in her world, the only real sport one participates in is the Hunger Games.]

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