Melody 2 : Action

[rutagraveolens]

[Morning]

[Ever since the fireworks the previous day, Rue was on edge. The fireworks were too much like cannon fire, each boom a notification of another tribute gone. That the fireworks were to announce the departure of people didn't help any.

Nor she get any sleep the previous night. Rue dreamed of whippings and executions, a reaping she couldn't escape from, a game she couldn't win. She saw the boy from District 1 - Marvel - raise the spear, throw-- and woke up tangled in blankets on the floor.

Silence surrounded her as she had breakfast in House 34. She left Melody sleeping in her room and made sure her knife was on her before she slipped out for the day.

She did her usual rounds - library to return some books, bakery to pick up a snack, convenience store for a drink - before wandering the south path parallel to the river. She'd never traveled down the road before and was curious where it went. Eventually Rue found herself by the Art Gallery. After some hesitation, she entered the building. It was nice and quiet, peaceful inside. She roamed the gallery, taking her time looking over the different pieces of artwork there.

When she came across Peeta's paintings and found herself staring at her own face, her face crumbled. She reached up to touch the paintings, drawing back she realized she shouldn't do that. The wings were the right color; the yellow of her own feathered wings, the blue of the dress she wore on stage in the Capitol. Her breath quickened and caught as Rue burst into ugly sobs.]

[Afternoon - behind Slash 'n Crash]

[After calming down, Rue went to Slash 'n Crash for target practice. Bow in hand and a quiver of arrows on her back, Rue methodically shot arrow after arrow into the targets. Her aim wasn't the best, but she was still hitting the target each time. She remembered Katniss' lessons as she drew, notched, and shot each arrow.

When she shot the last arrow in her quiver, Rue went to the targets, pulled out every arrow, put them back into her quiver, walked to her starting place, and began shooting again.]

((ooc; Now with links! The first painting is the one of her looking over a puddle and her reflection, the second is her holding a bouquet of flowers.))

Comments

[shenevermisses]

[Clove watches for a few moments. Not a great shot, not like Katniss, but there was potential. Especially starting so old.

Which, she found herself thinking, just went to show her district. To think that a child Rue's age was old to be picking up a weapon. Then again, she'd been trained to fight since she was half her age. Weapons training started at ten. By thirteen, students were expected to be specializing.]

Bow and arrow, huh? Are you learning to hunt? Or to fight?

[There's a distinction in her mind, especially for a girl like this.]

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue fired another arrow into the target - not a bullseye, but it is on the edge of the center spot - as Clove spoke . She lowered her bow and stared ahead at the target.

Hunting an animal was one thing. It was for food, and the skins and bones could be used for other things. Shooting and killing a person was different. She wasn't a Career, trained to kill from a young age, taught to find glory and honor in combat. And in the arena, she was ready to do what it meant to survive, even if it involved dropping a nest of Tracker Jackers onto kids only a few years older than her.

But it was different in Luceti. A different game, but she didn't have to fight. No one had to kill here.

Rue drew another arrow and notched it.]

To protect myself and the people I care about.

[Release. Off-center.]

[shenevermisses]

What are you shooting at?

[An odd question, yes, but it was something that she'd taken to heart when young. Something that might help a bit now.]

What do you see when you aim? The target?

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue nodded as she lowered her bow.]

The target. Is this where you tell me I should imagine something else? The enemy? Or something I really hate?

[shenevermisses]

Yep.

[There's something like a smile on her face. Or maybe it's a smirk.

But, then, it disappears, and her voice gets serious:]

Look at it. That's your next meal. Or something that if you don't take it down will come at you. Or someone you care about.

You have one shot. All the time in the world to take the shot, but you only have one chance.

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue sighed reluctantly. It wasn't the first time she'd heard it; when Chaff was mentoring them for the game, he told them to embrace their anger. That every target was what they hated the most and remembering that would keep them alive.

She drew another arrow and raised her bow, taking aim at the target. She tried to imagine it as a deer, tall and proud, a meal that would feed her family for at least a month. Their stomachs would be full of meat, the hide could be turned into clothing or a blanket they could huddle under. It would sustain them at the cost of its life.

But the image failed to hold. When she released the arrow, it was the target again, and her arrow once more landed off-center.

Rue huffed and drew another arrow. Something that would come after someone she cared about...

She remembered a Peacekeeper. His name she never knew, though now it was irrelevant, but she remember his face. He wasn't old, maybe in his late, thirties, but there was a grizzled look. His eyes were pale blue like and his nose was crooked. There was always a toothpick in his mouth and he never smiled unless he was whipping children.

Rue straightened up. She placed his face at the center of his target, remember how he would smile as the whip came down and blood and cries filled the air.

The arrow flew straight and pierced him through his nose.]

[shenevermisses]

Now, that's shooting.

[It's calm and somewhat satisfied. Not particularly happy, but... something was accomplished.]

That's how they teach us.

[She shifts down, brings her knife out of her boot, and lets it fly -- all in one smooth action. And the knife buries straight in the throat of the target.]

One of my instructors -- Portia -- used to tell us "A target doesn't matter. You won't hit something that doesn't matter. You have to make it matter. Once it matters, you won't miss."

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue winced and gasped when Clove threw the knife. For a moment, she remembered the older girl in a training room with twenty-three other kids all wearing clothing identical save for the number on the sleeve. Rue remembered watching Clove throw knives, hitting her target each time.

"You stay far away from her, Rue," she remembered Thresh saying, his voice a low rumble. "You don't get in range of her."

And yet here she was in range and taking advice.

Rue swallowed and nodded, catching the tail end of Clove's words. Once it matters, you won't miss.]

What's your target?

[shenevermisses]

Depends on the day.

[Clove frowned, looking at the knife. Remembering.]

Used to be the mayor of Two. Hated that bastard. Or another tribute. Didn't matter who because it was the same stakes. Me or them.

Here? Snow. Capitol people.

[And... the name comes out after a moment of silence:]

Thresh. Sometimes.

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue frowned when she heard Thresh's name, but it was more out of instinct. They didn't know each other very well, but he was always kind to the younger kids and always good to her. But only one could leave the arena. They were all doomed from the start anyway.]

Don't think of Thresh, okay?

[She didn't expect Clove to listen, but she had to say it.]

[shenevermisses]

It'll take a lot longer than it's been for that.

[It's an effective method, in its own way. He's still something to be afraid of, a reminder to never get too comfortable, never think she's safe. A good way to keep the ego of a trained killer in check.]

[rutagraveolens]

Does it ever gets easier?

[The words come quickly. Rue turned to look at Clove, her expression tired. There are bags under her eyes from restless nights and she holds herself a little stiffer, ready to run at any moment.]

[shenevermisses]

...Yeah.

[She looks at the two weapons. The arrow and the knife. Both buried in the target.]

Eventually. I can't tell you when, but... yeah. Sooner or later, it gets easier.

[rutagraveolens]

Oh, okay.

[Her voice is relieved, but also slightly defeated. Rue didn't expect an easy way, but knowing it'll take awhile is still a little daunting for a twelve-year-old.]

Do... are... you ever afraid of leaving?

[shenevermisses]

[Clove doesn't dare look at the girl. She knows better than to take her eyes off the weapons. Than to meet the eyes of someone else who knows what it's like. What it's really like.]

Terrified.

That's why I'll do whatever they ask. It doesn't matter to me what they want. If I matter to them, I stay. If I stay, I survive.

[rutagraveolens]

This is my second time here.

[The statement is flat, but underneath the question is "did I not do a good job? Was I not important enough?"

Rue marched over to the target and began pulling out her arrows.]

...I don't want to leave again.

[shenevermisses]

[And those are questions the Career can't answer. She knows only her plan, what she feels she needs to do to stay. Even that, she's too aware, doesn't mean she'll always be here.

Or that she won't wake up one day to find Cato gone.]

It's like the interviews in the Games. You have to make them remember you.

Only way I know to think about it.

[She frowns, shaking her head.]

People here'll give you a hard time. Ask why you're pandering to them. Tell you not to do anything for them.

They're self-righteous. Think their morals on an issue are the only right ones. But they don't get it, okay? They don't know.

[rutagraveolens]

[Make them remember you. Rue remembered her stylists dressed her up in light blue chiffon and made her a beautiful delicate butterfly. They told her to smile and be sweet and demure, win the sponsors over.

Rue knew what wouldn't work here. She had to be crafty and fast, prove she was smart and helpful.

Rue returned her arrows to the quiver before she pulled Clove's knife from the target. She walked over to the Career and held her knife out.]

Can you teach me to be a Career?

[shenevermisses]

[Clove looked down at the knife then took it.]

Probably not.

[There's no use lying.]

Someone from Two? We go into the Academy young. We're raised to be what we are.

[The implications of which she's only just begun to understand in the last year.]

But I can try. Teach what I can, let you combine it. Probably better that way than being one.

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue had a hunch that would be the case. She remembered what Clove said about the training Careers went through. It wasn't the sort of thing you could pick up. But she was glad Clove was willing to give her a chance at least.

A small smile broke across her face.]

Thank you.

[shenevermisses]

We'll start tomorrow, then.

[It's what she would've done if she hadn't gone to the Games, probably. Taught. Been an instructor at the Academy she'd lived in most of her life.

What else would she have been good for?]

[rutagraveolens]

Where should I meet you? And what time?

[shenevermisses]

Ten AM work for you? Room 4, Wind Building.

[rutagraveolens]

Ten works. And Wind building... [Rue tried to picture the map of the village in her head.] That's... south of the village?

[shenevermisses]

West and sort of south. North of the Battle Dome, that's a pretty good marker.