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.))

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[That draws a raised eyebrow, more out of surprise than anything else. Politeness and that sort of thinking were definitely rarities anymore, and it's nice to see. Though her answer is likely predictable.]

Of course, child. I honestly doubt that anyone would think it strange were you to arrive. And if you wished, I could probably get one of my family to take you under their wing, should my home be uninviting. It may not be a very exciting place, but you'd be safe there.

[And alive. And to her way of thinking, at least she's offering the girl some sort of hope even if things don't work out. Yomi's reach is wide, after all.]

[Safe. It's not something Rue's very familiar with. She's safer in Luceti with Katniss, but it's still not a safe place. A place where she doesn't have to worry about games or experiments or Peacekeepers or Malnosso... it's a world she can't imagine.]

...Could I live with your cousin? The one that made music?

[Smiling, Saori nods. Benzaiten. Benten as she called herself, probably wouldn't mind an acolyte or a new student.]

Yes, I think she'd be alright with that. She likes young children as attendants and pupils. Though, she may test your musical aptitude before she agrees. Do you play music? Or sing?

[Rue nodded earnestly, a small smile creeping back to her face.] I'm very good at singing!

Why don't you sing then, show me how good you are.

[It's just because she wants to see Rue smile, of course, it's not really a test or anything.]

O-okay! [Because when a god asks for something, you obey. Rue clears her throat and gives a few coughs before she begins to sing a simple melody. Her voice is untrained and raw, but it's still lovely and there's hints of promise.]

How was that?

[Saori's eyes light up when Rue's finished, because she definitely recognizes talent when she sees it. She lives with Chopin, after all.]

That was wonderful! Benzaiten could help you get even better too. Once you train your voice, you'll be peerless!

Do you really mean that?

[There's hope in her words. It's a truth that may never be realized; who knows how long she'll stay in Luceti, who knows how long all of them will be in Luceti. Maybe Saori will leave. But hope is something to hold onto.]

Of course. I don't lie to good people, only the bad ones. And never about one of the seven perfections. You've a gift, Rue. You should train it.

[She will lie to enemies, people she considers evil, or people she thinks are bad. Which, admittedly, is a wide net. But children are exempt.]

[Rue's smile grew a little more.]

I'm going to attend music class at school so I can get better at singing.

Is that so? Well that's good. Very good. My friend Chopin works there. And a young man named Jack as well. They're both wonderfully talented, so be sure to study hard.

Oh, I've met Jack! He's the DJ, right? I didn't know he worked at the school.

[That Jack...no, she shakes her head]

No, there are two Jacks. That's Jack Holden. Jack Vessallius is the one that works at the school. He's a bit shorter and younger, and very blonde.

[Shorter, younger, very blond.] Oh, okay. I'll do my very best.

I hope so, dear. And if you're interested in learning an instrument, Chopin is a wonderful piano player. And my fiance and I both practice with an instrument from my home.

Is it hard learning an instrument? What do you play?

It takes time, much like anything. And I play a shamisen and koto, which are like a guitar and a harp but with a different sound.

[Guitar she knows, but harp? Her brow furrows slightly.]

Do you think I could hear sometime?

Of course, that's perfectly alright. Just come by my house in the evening. That's when I play, and it's an everyday thing.

[Rue nods, a smile returning.]

You have a very big house.

[Or rather, a large castle-like house.]

Well, Helios and I earned a lot of points on missions that we decided to use to make the house bigger. It was a little cramped.

How many people do you have living there.

[And Helios... why was that name familiar.... oh! Right!]

Helios has a dragon, right? Grune told me.

At the moment? Myself and my fiance, Helios and Chopin, and Poland. And the pets. Helios has two cats, two baby dragons named Maggir and Luminair. And Yuuna and I have dog from home named Keiko.

That's a lot of people and a lot of pets! They do all get along?

Yes, mostly. The cats tend to stick to themselves, and Keiko does her own thing with Yuuna and I most of the time. She's fairly old, though.

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rutagraveolens - 2014-01-31 03:47 (UTC) - Expand