15th Game [action/video]

[stillplaying]

[Action]

[She awoke that morning to find them gone. Those beautiful, amazing iridescent wings were gone. And in their place, the damn mockingjay wings had returned. Small, useless. Reminders of a life she would have happily left behind. She fit easily on the couch again, her bed of the last two months. But at the cost of her flight. At the cost of being grounded once more.

If it was not for the overwhelming guilt she felt shortly after - guilt for cancelling her sister's party under paranoia of too many people in their living quarters - she probably would have spent the day sulking. And it was tempting, so tempting to just disappear into the woods all day. But she couldn't afford that luxury. Not anymore. If her wings were gone, that meant that there was a good chance the spirit possession had ended. Life had returned to what passed for normal around here.

And she had a party to plan.

But first, she had a sister to seek out. And surprise with breakfast in bed: pancakes and maple syrup, with a mug of hot chocolate and glass of orange juice.



Later that day, Katniss could be found going about her regular daily schedule. Spending time hunting in the woods, guitar lessons at Cloud Nine, browsing the various shops. The recent event reminded her that Prim was relatively undefended here, a situation that needed to be corrected. Even a small knife, anything to give her sister the advantage if Katniss wasn't around to protect her. Food for the party was also a necessity. As well as any remaining decorations.

It wasn't until later that night that she finally opened up her journal. But rather than being at home, she's made herself comfortable in one of the newfeather watch towers, where she had been stashing most of the party supplies prior to the possessions. She opened the journal and made certain to key in a quick filter before recording:]

[Video - filtered away from Primrose Everdeen]

I wasn't exactly myself when I cancelled Prim's birthday last week. But I want to make it up to her. She deserves this party. More than anyone I know. She's fourteen now and... [She had to pause for a moment, force a smile on her face and block all memories of her sister burning to death from her mind.] She's never had a real party before.

So, this Saturday. At House 43. 5 P.M. You don't have to bring any kind of gift. It's not necessary. It's enough to have people there. To have the sort of celebration she never had back in District 12. If you know me, or you know Prim, I'd like you to come.

[She realized that she was taking a big risk saying that. And it did make her uncomfortable, the thought of so many people in her living space. But a party was supposed to have people in it, isn't it? A lot of people. And the more there, the more that want to celebrate the life Prim should have had, the better. Prim deserved the world.]

Rapunzel? Would you still be willing to make that cake? Teddy, will you still help with music? [Katniss paused, tilting her head thoughtfully and biting her lip. Was there anything else that she was missing? What else was necessary for planning a party? She already felt as if she owed so many people so much. She hated accumulating more debt. But for Prim, it was worth it/] And Aang, would you mind helping to decor-

I need someone to distract Prim that day, too.

Comments

[action]

[antivanleather]

If you want to gift me something, my needs are quite simple. Good food, good brandy- and good arrows. Katniss I cannot begin to tell you what I would do or offer for some arrows like this.

[Brandy and food and company are all he truly needs. It's all he has here, and he'd be a fool to ask for anything more. But for arrows like that, he'd be a fool.]

[action]

[stillplaying]

[She glanced down at the amazing arrow in her hand and smiled a little sheepishly. Maybe she could ask Artemis to teach her. In return for... for something. She'd think of that later.

And not mention a word of her idea to Zevran until she knew for certain if she could obtain those lessons.]

I won't give you brandy. And I don't know if you'd consider my food all that good.

[action]

[antivanleather]

A song, then. That is something no one else is able to give.

[She can sing now if she wanted to and he has ever had a soft spot for the sound of her voice rising and falling around poignant words. That which cannot be said can be sung, and she ever did so well.]

[action]

[stillplaying]

[She nods for a moment, looking down at the deer carcass they continued to talk over. She probably should do something about that at some point. Field dress the beast. Get Zevran to help her haul it back in town in exchange for some of the meat.

But that could wait a few minutes longer. Quietly, she started to sing:]

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where they strung up a man they say murdered three.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

Are you, are you
Coming to the tree
Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me.
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met up at midnight in the hanging tree.

[action]

[antivanleather]

[He hadn't meant at this moment. It was a suggestion, not a demand of a performance, and when she begins he starts to say something to slow, stall, or stop her. They had a deer to dress and a long walk back to the village. When she's started in earnest, though, he doesn't have the heart to speak.

It had been so long since he'd last heard her sing. It was no pure tone of a chanter of light, no sultry croon of a whore at the brothel, no rough edged cry of the boatswain. It was soft and clear and honest in a way that bid him still and listen.

When she was finished he blinked, the lyrics bittersweet and terribly suiting.]

Beautiful as ever, Katniss.

[action]

[stillplaying]

[It was possibly one of the saddest songs she knew. The song she had sung for one of the propos done by District 13. The song her mother had banned from their home, one she once could only sing in front of her father. But if anyone understood it, if anyone could grasp the significance of the lyrics, it'd be Zevran.

Zevran, whose past was as bloody and awful as her own.

Her cheeks flushed a little at the praise and she nodded demurely.]

Thank you, Zevran.

[action]

[antivanleather]

Thank you, Solano. I could not have asked for anything better.

[He reached out to curl his hand in hers, offering it a soft squeeze. She was ever bashful of her talents outside of hunting and murder- and even then they were not something to laud, not truly. Not to her.]

Shall we dress the deer and butcher it properly?

[action]

[stillplaying]

[She squeezed his hand in return and flashed him a small grin. The deer had been ignored long enough. About time they do something with it before the meat spoiled in the summer sun.]

Let's.