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]

Hopefully the world's not waiting for a reply anytime soon.

[whatsupcroc]

I think something billions of years old can wait as long as it needs to. The people on it, on the other hand...! No promises for any of them.

[howherolls]

[ his tone is flat, almost distant ]

They get tired, eventually. It only makes sense. They were ready to throw away the victors they loved only a few years ago. It's all part of the Games.

[whatsupcroc]

Now you're talking about something from your home, I know it, since that so isn't how the X Games go down where I'm from.

[howherolls]

[ it seems as if Peeta was checking out, but the mention of X Games brings him back ]

They have...games in your world?

[whatsupcroc]

Sports games, sure! Last year, at the winter X Games, they had all sorts of crazy things going on. I mean we had the skiing, obviously, but it wasn't just racing. There were the crazy long jumps, the tricks in the half pipe, the mogul racing, I think they even did stuff with snowboards?

Either way, it was so much fun to see. People can do the most amazing things on a pair of skis!

[howherolls]

...nothing you just said makes any sense to me, I'm sorry.

[whatsupcroc]

[ Part of her wants to laugh -- half the time it's her intention to keep people a bit confused, so they don't think too hard on the particulars. Easier to get them to buy what she wants, over what might otherwise be apparent, but in this case, she's just going to give Peeta a mock shocked face. ]

Has no one seriously ever heard of skiing anywhere in this whole place?

[howherolls]

[ an apologetic shrug of the shoulders ]

We didn't have a lot of time for fun back home.

[whatsupcroc]

Your life is officially depressing in whole sad new ways to what I'm used to for sad officially depressing lives.

[howherolls]

[ he laughs ]

That's what I keep hearing.

[whatsupcroc]

We need to change your life soundtrack, Peeta, this is just not how things should be forever!

Though does this mean I get to put you in a category of maybe not as desperately wishing to go home as some people around here?

[howherolls]

I think that'd be a safe assumption.

What about you? Do you want to go back?

[whatsupcroc]

I plead the fifth!