first snare

[fanstheflame]

[everything was fire, and noise, and ash, and chaos. but still, he kept his head, making sure that everyone else was out of harm's way, first. his mother, Rory, Vick, Posy -- but he hears the sounds overhead and he knows it's coming - that this is it and he's got to move. Gale has only a few seconds notice as he breaks into a run down the road, trying not to trip over debris, and launches himself toward the only cover he can see.

behind him, it seems like the whole world erupts, and in a sense, it has. but somehow the flames don't touch Gale, and he lands face down, covering his head with his hands, hoping against hope that he'll make it out, too, and be able to join his family at their rendezvous point outside the Victor's Village. but for now, all he can do is wait for it to pass. he puts his head down, breathes in, expecting to smell the familiar peat-and-metal scent of the District's earth --]

[but the ground is sand. suddenly, inexplicably sand. warm, and fine, and smelling like sun and salt. he opens his eyes and sits up despite the protest in his ribcage, sand sticking to the undersides of his forearms, getting into his cuts and the wound on his cheek as he blinks against the sudden sun and looks around.

a beach. he's on a beach. sudden fear grips him]

No. They didn't.

[and then the fear is replaced by hot, familiar rage. he cranes his head up, searching for the skycams, and even as he starts to bellow, he's calculating what time it is, how long he has before the next horror he'd seen on the TV, how much time he's got to come up with a plan and find the others that are left. to find Katniss.]

LOOK AT YOU! YOU'RE SO DESPARATE THAT YOU BREAK YOUR OWN RULES? What do you think I'm honestly going to do? Scream for help? Break down and cry?

[he casts around in the sand with heat-blistered fingers until he finds a rock. it's the only thing he's got right now - as he hasn't noticed the journal just yet - but he'll sure as hell use it]

You picked the wrong guy, you know that? YOU PICKED THE WRONG GUY!


[sorry, Gale, this isn't the Quarter Quell arena. it's the Seasons Room. ... someone please, please tell the new guy to calm his shit down?]

Comments

dictated

[shadow_immortal]

[there's a bit of a laugh coming from nowhere.]

It seems this place is fond of picking 'the wrong guy'. But you shouldn't worry. There are really no rules here to break.

[fanstheflame]

[instantly he's on his feet, looking for the source of the voice] Who's out there? ... [he'll keep him talking, track him by voice]

[shadow_immortal]

[it shouldn't be to hard to find the book that Dainn's voice is coming from.]

Really, there's no need to be so afraid. You sound like you came out of a nightmare. [if it sounds like he's making fun of you, it's because he is.]

Found me yet?

[fanstheflame]

[it's coming from a book half-buried in the sand. Gale wonders if he isn't in a nightmare right now. unconscious, somewhere in the rubble]

Yes. But I don't understand.

[shadow_immortal]

[a laugh.]

What is there that you don't understand?

[fanstheflame]

Who are you? Why is your voice coming out of a book? And how did I get here? [he doesn't sound panicked now, just on edge. alert]

[shadow_immortal]

Hehe...well, my name is Dainn. This book can let someone talk to another with voice or writting, though I don't suppose you have anything to write with. As for that last question, this place is called Paradisa. It brought you here as it has everyone else.

[fanstheflame]

Strange thing to make a communicator out of. Okay, Dainn, I'm Gale. And I've never heard of any Paradisa. What district is this?

[shadow_immortal]

You'll find this place is fond of 'strange' as well.

It's not a district, it's a castle. Can't you tell from where you are?

[fanstheflame]

I don't know what a castle is. I'm on a beach. A beach that looks a lot like someplace I really didn't want to be. Even if ... it's too different to be the Quell Arena.

[he scoops up the book, carefully, ready to drop it if it catches fire or explodes or leaks acid or -- something. when it doesn't, he blinks in surprise. things like that aren't usually safe in his world.]

[shadow_immortal]

Ah...I know where you are. You're free to leave if you don't want to be there, since I suppose somewhere you hate isn't a pleasent place to be. Look for a door.

[fanstheflame]

A door? On a beach? That's just --

[he turns, ready to completely write Dainn off as a lunatic -- and there's the door]

What the hell...?!

[shadow_immortal]

[there's a giggle from the journal. oh, he loves you new people.]

Welcome to Paradisa, my dear. Feel free to leave that sunny room at any time.

[fanstheflame]

I'm -- not your dear anything. [he keeps hold of his rock, but still makes for that door]

[shadow_immortal]

[and another laugh.]

Would you like some help around? I have lived here for awhile...if you need any help, I'd be willing to offer some.

[fanstheflame]

[help around his own dreams. wow. his subconscious is really laying it on thick. oh, well. he's always thinking how there's strength in numbers, how they need more people on their side before they can make a legitimate move against the Capitol, so--]

As long as you're not going to throw me to the Peacekeepers.

[shadow_immortal]

I'll have to assume that you are talking about something that would harm you, since I don't know what the Peacekeepers are. And besides, there is no reason I would hurt you anyways. [besides, you know, for fun. but luckily enough Dainn isn't in the mood for that.]

Just give me a few minutes to find you, okay?

[fanstheflame]

Okay.

[he leans in the hall outside the door, tossing his rock up and down in one hand. idly, he wishes he had something to at least wipe the blood and soot off himself, so if anyone came by he wouldn't look totally suspicious.

and then the towel drops out of nowhere on his head.

when Dainn finds Gale, he'll be staring at the now-dirty towel in his hands in perplexion]

[shadow_immortal]

[the sound of footsteps should alert Gale that someone is coming and Dainn tilts his head slightly when he's able to see the towel.]

Found something to do while waiting for me?

[fanstheflame]

Dainn. [he looks up at the familiar voice] I just --- wished I had something to clean up with. And this landed on my head. Out of nowhere. [but now he's got something else to stare at] ... Your eyes are red.

[he's heard of such body modifications for people in the Capitol, but seeing them up close is another thing. especially since Dainn said he's NOT in the Capitol]

[shadow_immortal]

[Dainn raises an eyebrow and just for a moment his eyes seem to glow before he smiles.]

That's their natural color. As for the towel, you are allowed to wish for things.

damn I don't have any freaked out icons

[fanstheflame]

Natural? ....

[he backs away, instantly. OH SHIT, HE'S A MUTT.]

[shadow_immortal]

[Dainn sighs quietly.]

Is that a problem? Though I believe this is the first time someone has been worried about my eye color...[normally it's the whole blood-drinking thing.]

[fanstheflame]

You --

[he bottles his panic. panic won't do, not in an unfamiliar place] Where I come from ... humans and animals that look different are all very dangerous. Wild. We call them muttations. They're all designed to kill. Or at least cause harm.

[shadow_immortal]

Oh...well that I can understand. [because he was dangerous, but Dainn's keeping that little bit of information to himself.]

But don't worry. I don't plan on hurting you and if I tried it, I believe you probably have the a size advantage over me. [since aside from the red eyes, Dainn looked like a skinny 20 something year old with white hair and that was it.] You could fight me off easily. Does that help ease your worry?