rutagraveolens | Melody 2 : Action

[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.))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...That so? [Huh, will wonders never cease.] Somethin' you're an expert in?

I'm learning. I've been studying what plants are here, the helpful ones and dangerous ones. There hasn't been much since it's pretty cold out, but I'm sure I'll be able to find more in the spring.

That's a good thing to know. Maybe Jim's on to something, and you can let me know what you learned. Or we can go on a hunt together once there's something to actually hunt for.

[Rue nods, a smile beginning to return to her face.]

Okay. Maybe you could teach me a few things about healing people too. I want to be able to help.

[Smiles. He prefers those to tears on kids. And his own lips even twitched up at her words. And without thinking about it, he brought a hand out and patted her shoulder briefly.]

Well, if that's what you wanna do, I certainly don't mind showin' ya. There's always a use for helpful people.

I want to be helpful.

[Her words are flat and resolute. It's become a mantra of survival. Be helpful, stay helpful, stay here, stay alive.]

[His brow arched at that. It sounded...too much like him. To heal, to be useful, to have a reason to wake up everyday. That tone shouldn't exist in a kid.]

I'm sure you're a lotta things.

...I'm small. And I'm really fast and good at climbing trees.

That so? [And he grinned slightly.] I bet that all comes in useful.

[He just wasn't sure he wanted to know how, except for getting the good apples high in the tree and giving worry-wart spectators damn near heart-attacks.]

[It's a small point of pride, so a smile returns.]

I was the best in District 11. No one else could climb as high as I could, so I usually got all the fruit at the top. I was the first to see the signal flag too.

Well, that sounds like somethin' to be proud of. What was the signal flag for? You have climbin' races?

It was the signal that the work day was over. Since I was highest up, I'd see it first and then whistle to the mockingjays. They'd hear and sing across the orchards and fields so everyone knew it was time to knock off.

Sounds like a pretty important job. Guess that means you can make bird sounds too, huh? [Children working labor jobs. Sometimes he was definitely grateful for living in the twenty-third century, even if that included space.]

A few sounds, but mostly singing. Mockingjays can imitate any sound they hear, as long as they like it. [And the mockingjays in the field certainly took to Rue's voice.] I have one here, her name is Melody.

I remember. It's been a while since I've been around any of 'em though. Space and the big cities aren't very good places for them.

So, you're good with birds too, huh?

Are there any animals in space or the big cities?

And it's really only Mockingjays because they like my singing.

Space is disease and danger, wrapped in darkness and silence. [That will never change.] But there's different animals on different planets.

Cities have your domesticated animals, that's really about it.

Melody 2 : Action

Re: Morning/ Art Gallery

Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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Morning/ Art Gallery

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