[Twenty-Five - Right Through The Eye] [Written]

[the_effect_she_has]

[There's the creaking sound of a journal being opened, as if it has been closed for some time. Then a pen dips down on the page, and Katniss's precise handwriting starts to appear on the paper, her words flowing quietly.]

It seems more friends have left, since I went off ... [The words trail off, as Katniss looks at her letter from Mark, from Gale, items she received from friends who are now gone. Her grey eyes narrow a little, but she lifts her chin. She's done this before. She's walked this road. She can do it alone, if need be.]

[But she is not alone, is she? That's what she has to keep remembering. So when she writes again, her handwriting his stronger.] But I'm back. So talk to me, Paradisa. What do I need to know?

Comments

[pompous_today]

I am glad you are not among them.

[the_effect_she_has]

Well hello there, brother.

[pompous_today]

Hey yourself. I missed you.

[the_effect_she_has]

I missed you too. When can I come and visit you? Have things been busy, in the clinic?

[pompous_today]

Any time you want. I have been working longer hours, since, well... we've lost a lot of healers.

[the_effect_she_has]

How do you feel about right now, then?

[pompous_today]

Absolutely. I'm in my room if you'd like to stop by... or would you rather I come out to meet you?

[the_effect_she_has]

I'll come to you. Probably best I find myself around some people, anyways.

[pompous_today]

See you soon, then.

[And when Katniss arrives, she'll find that Simon seems happier than he has been in months- his appearance is once more immaculate, and there may be a different, happier feeling about him.]

[threeweeksago]

People are waking up in costumes that are totally impossible to take off, and not too many of 'em are flipping out. So I guess that's a normal thing.

[...]

Sorry about your friends.

[the_effect_she_has]

[...]

Well. Yes. That is normal. So ... don't put on a costume, then.

How have you been, Ellie?

[threeweeksago]

That would be a good bit of advice, if it wasn't for the fact that people wake up in them. Kind of hard to avoid something that happens while you're sleeping.

Pretty good, I guess. Up until all this Halloween stuff, nothing particularly exciting happened.

[the_effect_she_has]

Are you kidding - no of course not. Because the castle knows we wouldn't willingly put them on.

Well, I'm glad for that.

[threeweeksago]

I dunno... I would've been just fine putting mine on if I wasn't forced into it.

[Because FUCK YEAH SUPERHERO COSTUME!!!]

But now I feel like I have to be bitter about the whole thing. Just on principle, y'know?

[the_effect_she_has]

Well ... don't let everything this place make you bitter. If you like it, like it. I just don't like it's changing people's personalities.

[Again.]

[threeweeksago]

No worries there. [Her tone darkens a bit.] After everything that happened back home, this place will have to throw a ton of crap at me if it wants to fuck me up.

[the_effect_she_has]

You know ... Tess doesn't talk about it much. She just said it got really, really bad. And what happened there might be the precursor of my world. [She spoke quietly.]

[silentrunning]

[Someone's so damn glad to hear from you!]

Katniss?

[The voice is Chell's, but smaller-sounding than normal.]

You're still here? I thought you had gone too. I'm so glad you're still here. Uh. The Castle's giving a lot of people costumes for Halloween, and you can't take them off. Other than that... and everyone going, nothing's happened. I'm in my room, if you wanna come talk.

[the_effect_she_has]

[Someone is very glad to know that you haven't disappeared either!]

Chell!

[There's a smile, even though it seems ... like Chell might have changed?]

Yes, I'm here. And ... what kind of costumes? And is there some sort of Castle party?

[silentrunning]

There's supposed to be! And uh it dressed me as a kid. Foofy bow and all. And other people I've seen. One of my friends is an angel. And thinks she is an angel. I don't know what's gonna happen here.

[the_effect_she_has]

Oh ... damn. [She sighed, quietly.] Is anyone anything ... dangerous?

[silentrunning]

Not that I've seen at least. I'll go look for you!

2/2 Because mun forgot to mention

[silentrunning]

Dunno if you know James Bond.... But some guy named Silva um... Bombed his room with a tea kettle and he's gone.

Re: 2/2 Because mun forgot to mention

[the_effect_she_has]

No wait, Chell! Don't go looking

....what?

Re: 2/2 Because mun forgot to mention

[silentrunning]

[Chell pauses, and goes back into her room.]

Yeah. He got bombed and blown up. People been looking for Silva.