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[gidge]

PICK YOUR POISON
PIC PROMPTS / TFLN / RANDOM SCENARIO
HAN SOLO velocities	BETTY MCRAE bombsheller	RIVER TAM subsulcus	RIVER TAM (AU) comprehender
SIMON TAM vest	BRIA THAREN exulted	NADINE CROSS bridaled	GU JUN-PYO toddler
available on special request: veronica sawyer, benjamin linus, imani, maria deluca, mushu, poseidon, niccolò machiavelli, malik al-sayf, chloe

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[phykios]

Luckily for Jessica, that'd never happen. He's more likely to die protecting the weak than even consider targeting them.

Her suggestion makes him hesitate, and he twists the apple stem with his free hand. He probably should, to get an idea, but he doesn't have the heart to.

"I'll have plenty of time to find out when I'm there."

Both during training and in the arena.

[steerclear]

Jessica only nods. She should probably push him on this, make sure he's fully prepared before seeing the rest of the tributes, but she can't bring herself to do it. This train ride is the last chance he's got to not think about it, to have the option, and she's not going to take it away from him.

He may not have plenty of time, but he'll have some.

"What about the interview? Got any good stories I should send over? Flickerman's a Grade A Weirdo, but he's good at what he does. Better when he has something to go on."

Every word just reminds her of the inevitability of this, the end point in the arena, and as much as it's going to help him to get this all going now, Jessica is starting to feel that familiar dread creep in. Staving it off with another gulp of booze only helps a little.

[phykios]

He shrugs.

"What counts as a good story?"

[steerclear]

"Hell if I know. My interview was a goddamn mess."

It hadn't been that bad, honestly. Jessica mostly remembers hating every second of it, and the rest of her training, and every word she had to speak with her overly attentive Capitol escort. Thoughts she doesn't want to think right now. Or ever, really, so she takes another swig and moves to stand as if she can literally, physically, get away from them. To her credit, she doesn't sway or stumble in the process.

"The whole point of it is to make people like you enough to put money on you, and strong enough to make it sound worth the investment." It's disgusting, but it's how this part of the game is played.

[phykios]

"It wasn't that bad."

Because he's seen it, obviously, from mandatory highlights reels and reruns of Games past. And District 4, of course, takes a special interest in airing clips from Games that their own victors won. Percy knows plenty about her interview, her arena, her fellow tribute, because he never had the opportunity otherwise.

The whole point of it. He makes himself take another bite out of that stupid apple, though it tastes like dirt in his mouth this time around.

"Good luck with that," he shrugs. "Figuring out a positive spin on gets in trouble at school every day isn't going to be easy."

[steerclear]

That piques her interest. She's pacing, now, slow and steady, rounding the chair she'd just been sitting in to lean over the back of it and look at him.

"Fights, or something else?"

There are absolutely ways they can spin that. The Capitol can spin anything.

[phykios]

Well, that reaction kind of surprises him.

"Fights, mostly."

Weird how thinking about Matt Sloan and Nancy Bobofit almost makes him miss them now. He definitely misses when they were some of his biggest problems.

"There are some jerks who think it's okay to pick on kids who can't fight back."

[steerclear]

Oh, yeah, they can work with that. She almost smiles, because beyond the interview, it's a good thing to hear.

"I think we can work with that."

Slow, it's starting to dawn on her that this year they might have a chance. She might be able to bring someone home. That maybe, finally, she won't have to help some kid and then watch him die in technicolor with added commentary.

[phykios]

They make it to the Capitol, and, if anything, time starts moving even faster than before. Percy and Bianca di Angelo meet their stylists, their prep teams, get cleaned up and sent out for opening ceremonies. They train, meet the others, and get scored. And now it's night, and the promised evening of interviews is soon.

Percy says, "Figured out your angle?"

He's been quieter since they got to the Capitol. Though not quiet, which is a distinction; he still makes plenty of stupid comments, some for Bianca's benefit to make her laugh, sometimes just to lighten the mood, and some -- too many -- directed at fellow tributes he hates already. Tributes aren't allowed to fight before the Games start, but it has been a test. It's not really satisfying, though. He knows who he's really angry at, and those people are both nearer and farther out of reach than ever.

[steerclear]

Jessica notices the change. Observes what she can, and when he's in training she goes and sees Trish. Meets with her and (ugh) Dorothy, plans meetings with sponsors. She even agrees to wear something one of the stylists have picked out for her when going to those meetings instead of fighting tooth and nail to stay in her own clothes.

Now, though, everything is tense. It always is at this point, like a constant electric thrum coursing through the air as time runs out second by second. In the past, it was always full of dread, knowing she was just that much closer to seeing her tribute die.

She's sitting on the couch, eating food that she is sure the stylists and the avoxes would prefer she eat at a table, and is almost comfortable enough to be confident. Almost. There is still the nagging feeling that even now, she can't save him.

"You're a good kid. You pick fights to protect people. They'll eat it up."