01. vid

[howherolls]

[ the video feed flickers on, and a young man sits at a desk. On it, there's a paintbrush, a small canvas and a set of watercolors. None of them have been touched, but the young man's fingers keep flexing around the brush. ]

I'm...not sure why I'm here. [ he slowly clears his throat, staring not at the feed but at the brush ] My only guess is they saw something they liked on the footage. [ a finger twitches against the brush ] But...I am pretty sure I have other ideas this time.

[ he looks up ]

That person you saw in the Games and the interviews wasn't me. Not the me that I remember, anyway. So if that's what you were expecting, I apologize. I'm not here to fight. You don't want me fighting.

[ there's the sound of a sharp crack as the paintbrush snaps in half. It begins to reform itself ]

My name's Peeta Mellark, and I'm going to sit this one out.

Comments

[howherolls]

[ dryly ] A problem with my hands.


[ he stares at him ]

Have you been here long?

[caligulas_aquarium]

Since the vvery start. Almost eight a' your human months I think.

[howherolls]

You fight for them?

[caligulas_aquarium]

Yup. The ones they sent us after ain't nevver been much of a challenge.

Easy wwork really.

[In exchange for getting to live again; pretty sweet deal.}

[howherolls]

The targets never usually are. That's how wars work, last I heard.

[ he pauses, something dawning on him ]

"Human" months?

[caligulas_aquarium]

Yes, human months.

[An irritated huff.]

Not evveryone here you run into is gonna be human; fuckin' deal wwith it noww before makin' an ass a' yourself later.

[howherolls]

A little extreme, don't you think.

[caligulas_aquarium]

I'm just startin' to get real tired of this.

I mean do humans evver evven get off a' their owwn fuckin' planet, it's ridiculous. All a' you just seem so surprised the univverse ain't your owwn personal fuckin' playground.

[howherolls]

[ his eyebrows furrow ]

You're meaning to say that wasn't an expression.

[ Peeta pauses, reflecting on his words ]

I...think exposure might be part of the problem.

[Video]

[caligulas_aquarium]

[The feed comes on, revealing a grey skinned, horned looking humanoid with fins coming out of his jaw on either side.

Sup.]

There's your exposure. Get it noww?

Re: [Video]

[howherolls]

[ he swallows, eyes going wide ]

You must be...from the Capitol.

[Video]

[caligulas_aquarium]

...

From the wwhat?

Re: [Video]

[howherolls]

[ he blinks. How can someone not know where the Capitol is? When he speaks next, it's carefully ]

Is there something else it's going by now? [ something more fashionable, maybe ]

[caligulas_aquarium]

I havve no idea wwhat the fuck you're talkin' about.

Wwhat the shit is the capitol in the first place?

[howherolls]

[ the manners definitely aren't like the Capitol's...]

The head of the twelve districts of Panem. Where I'm from.

[caligulas_aquarium]

News flash there, guy.

You ain't where you're from no more. Whatewer the fuck the capitol is, it's not important here.

[howherolls]

[ he chuckles ]

Maybe it just left an impression.

[caligulas_aquarium]

What is it, anyway.

[howherolls]

The...capitol of Panem. Where I'm from. They control everything.