deadalready | 9th Swing [Video]

[The video lights up on Cato's face as he watches something off-screen with a very fixed look. Whatever it is, it grabbed his attention just before he opened his journal. It's only a few seconds before he looks back at the page and clears his throat.]

So does anyone want to tell me who's responsible for this --

[The video cuts away a moment, blurring as he shifts to stealthily show Clove hunkered down over some small piece of wood in her hands with a look of very intense concentration her face. There are little bandages peppering her fingers and she looks like she's trying to cut the little piece into something smaller. She keeps shaving away at it.

The video jerks back to Cato's very bemused face.]

I have no idea what she's doing. But it's been going on for days now and I'm a little....weirded out. Every time I tell her to stop because it's making her upset she just yells at me and she won't even show me what she's doing with it.

This is the first time she's cut herself with her knives in years. I don't think I've seen her this bad with one since we were thirteen and just starting out with our weapons.

Someone told her to do this, didn't they? It just...doesn't make sense for her.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Felix Bobbin - District 2's representative made sure to beat him over the head with manners, manners, manners. First impressions were very important.]

I did that. She told me it was stupid.

So she's not seeing reason, in other words. [She is impressed with his capacity to suggest rational courses of action, at least.] Perhaps allow me to speak with her?

[Because Effie can solve knife problems like this.]

Basi - [He cuts himself short because that next sentence from Effie throws him. District 12's rep wants to talk...to Clove.

It occurs to him that she knows his name and he doesn't know hers. Just that she was standing next to 12 when he saw her. He'd never seen any other District's reaping. They usually didn't allow that in Two for Academy students to see until the Parade.]

You...really?

Yes, my boy. I work for the Malnosso now. I've taken it upon myself to keep things running as smoothly as possible here in our humble village, and I believe this would be an incidence of unnecessary chaos.

[Hopefully their captors were listening and paying attention to just how useful she could be.]

I believe the residents here call this sort of cooperation "all pulling together." It will make it more enjoyable for everyone.

If you want...be my guest.

[He shrugs, not really used to saying "no" to a Representative yet. Even if here she's just another person it's still too weird. As much of a reputation he had for being the "winner" type during the week before the Games, it wasn't like he was ordering everyone around him around. He did what he was told to do, just like the other Tributes. He was just...bigger about it.

The camera jerks and shifts as Cato walks the journal over to Clove and speaks, voice slightly distorted.]

Here.

What? [Doesn't she sound happy? Of course she sounds happy. Except totally not.]

Someone wants to talk to you.

Great. I'll do it later.

Just -- take it. Okay? I'm cleaning.

[And with that - it shifts over to Clove.]

Yeah?

[She doesn't know she's talking to a Capitol representative yet, so the Career is just that. A little rough around the edges, still holding a knife in her hand, though whatever she was doing has been set aside to look at the Journal.]

[Effie clears her throat. This is her chance to shine and to do what she does best: manage the oddities of Tributes. In her years working for the Capitol, she'd seen them do many strange things. Stage fright, as she'd glibly passed it off; jitters. Celebrity was a scary prospect for some, and the Tributes became larger-than-life during their week of fame-gathering.

A rough response doesn't faze Effie. It made her more necessary than ever.]

Hello, my dear. My name is Effie Trinkett, and I represent the Tributes for District 12. Could it be you are having troubles with a knife, or have I misunderstood?

[She doesn't need more than the voice to know who this is. Or, at least, what she does. The Capitol accent is distinctive.

At once, Clove sits up a little straighter, puts the knife out of sight, and her tone changes. Gone is the bitter, irritated edge. Instead, what can be heard is a slightly embarrassed girl, as if Caesar Flickerman just caught her off-guard with a question but she is ever under the scrutiny of the camera.

It's a persona she hasn't kept up much in Luceti, but it was trained into her well.]

Oh, I wouldn't really call it trouble, ma'am. A little frustrating, but that's all it is.

[Ah. There was the mannerly response that marked the girl as a Career. They knew how to be articulate around Capitol representatives in ways that other Tributes could not.]

I'm sorry to hear that; perhaps you could do what many others do when an activity turns into a frustration: put it aside and return to it later, refreshed.

There's very little to do here, ma'am, even with training.

[Sweet, a little unsure, hiding the killer underneath.]

So, I thought I would try to take up a skill. Something else to do. Keep hand-eye coordination good, too.

[Yeesh.]

What about knitting? Needles can be quite lethal, now that I think about it.

I'm already pretty good with knives, so it's just modifying that skill rather than trying to totally learn a new one.

I see.

[Ugh.]

What about trying to do something less...self-destructive? Or perhaps wear protective gloves?

[Now she felt a bit as though she were grasping at straws. There was something about the general incompetence of District 12 Tributes over issues like this that made Effie feel powerful and assured. Pat, rational answers and a lifetime of experience like Clove's dwarfed her ability to make a meaningful contribution.]

I couldn't handle the wood and knife the way I need to. [A smile.]

I'm sorry if Cato made you worry, ma'am. Any cuts I've gotten are very shallow. Just little nicks.

[Well. The smile helps Effie to relax over the matter, anyway, as well as the explanation.]

Of course I would worry about any Tribute in this far-flung world! I feel great responsibility for guiding you, in any case.

[Clove seems to have things in hand well enough. But still...]

It reflects well on Cato for being concerned, even for shallow cuts.

Thank you, ma'am, that means a lot to both of us.

[She keeps that smile in place. Because that's what the Capitol wants. A confident, easy-going young woman who can handle herself in society as well as in combat.]

I'll try not to worry him or you further.

[Ah, how lucky their district rep must be to have Tributes who make an effort not to worry anyone! It is so refreshing and Effie must admit she is a bit jealous.]

Very good, my dear. May any odds we are given here be in your favor.

Thank you, ma'am.

[They're not. They're very much not. A little better here than in Panem... but barely.]

9th Swing [Video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]