Disturbance (atoa)

[Tori]

Clarisse:

I wonder what Rocko really thinks about me, or if he thinks about me at all. It would be nice if he did. I'd like to believe he does. Oh well, I throw on my vest and eye my shoes trying to make a desicion. I decide not to wear them, as usual,and walk out the door grabbing my book on the shelf.

It's cool ouside. Not cool to the point of cold, but just right. The book in my hand is one I've already read, but I've never been sure of the title. My father picked it up for me when I was little. I climb up the side of my house and find the spot all always sit in on the roof. The wind picks up the smell of the pages of my book as I open it. I love that smell.

The first two pages go by extremely fast, but I never get to finish the third. There is a lot of yelling coming from the square. Being curious, I want to go see what's going on. It's true what they about about curiousity killing the cat. And about satisfaction bringing him back. I read that in a book once. As I approach the square, there is a huge crowd gathered in a circle. Many of the people are yelling in protest, while others look terrified. I move towards the front, but I still can't see anything.

There is someone standing next to me, and I ask,"What the heck is going on here?"

[A Toa's Friend (atoafriend)]

I shook my head.
"Some guy was caught smuggling top-notch chemical formulas out of the district. Apparently he's on good terms with all the people here, hence the protest." I looked up at the pitiful sight. "Lucky for him, his boss has some influence in the Peacekeeper circle, so it's only a whipping."
Really, how stupid of him. Although I myself wasn't in much support of the punishment, he should've known that the southern fence was under high survellance ever since the bomb threats. Albeit the northern fence wasn't as smooth of a passage, but it was still safer.
However, these weren't things that I would bother with. Sure, tension was broiling here and there, but nothing that wouldn't be surpressed like before. I had better things to worry about, like my job and money. The yearly Games inflation wasn't as high as I used to be, so I found that I didn't need to stock up that much. But there was inflation all the same, and it irritated me that I had to spend more money for someone else's cause.

[Tori]

I look up as she tells me the reason. Another pulic whipping. Why are people being so out of control recentlyThere have been three whippings just this month. It really does upset me, and I often wonder if they really deserve it.

"I don't think this is right." I say loudly. A few people who aren't yelling turn to look at me. I ignore them. The woman standing next to me raises her eyebrows in question. She looks a few years older than me, and is a bit taller than me. I just shrug my shoulders. "Well I've have enough of this." I say under my breath. People are running into me and I don't like feeling so confined. Normally, I would try to help this man being whipped, but not with this many people around. I start to turn to leave, but a hand on my shoulder stops me. I turn to see the woman.

[A Toa's Friend (atoafriend)]

I stopped the girl before she could go any further and lowered my voice.
"These things happen. The world was never made fair; if it were, I wouldn't exist. But obviously that's not the case. I hate things like this as much as you do, but provoking them does nothing to help; we'd just end up digging our own grave. We should keep quiet before something gets us all in trouble, even as much as holding back the simple statements. If we're meant to win this war, time'll come. But for now lower your voice."

[Tori]

"These things happen. The world was never made fair; if it were, I wouldn't exist." I can't help but wonder what she means when she says this. Who is she? "I wouldn't exist." This leaves me confused and wanting to know more about this woman.

I don't say anymore about what's happening in the square as she suggests. Afterall, I don't want to get anyone else in trouble because of my big mouth. Serenity always tells me I talk too much and too freely. Not able to hide my curiousity any longer I whisper,"Who are you?"

She says something, but I can't hear her over the crowd. She motions for me to follow her, and I do. She walks out of the square and I follow behind her, squeezing between people and muttering 'excuse me'. I follow her to a building, and we head to the side of it. It's much quieter here, and she begins to speak.

[A Toa's Friend (atoafriend)]

"Panem's official cynic," I mutter, then motion for her to follow me as the noise was growing considerablly more louder. Deafness was not something I wanted to suffer quite yet.
"As I said before, Panem's official cynic," I say with a hint of sarcasm. "As occupations go I'm a scientist. Quite frankly, I share your opinions on the political methods of this failure attempt of a 'government'. Take the inflation, for instance, it's absolutely ridiculous that the people who DO follow rules must suffer as well. However, nothing can be done about that if we martyr one by one." I gestured to the clamor in the square. "IF we're going to attack, we need to all move as one. But seeing the stupidity of the general mob, I doubt that's going to happen."

[Tori]

Panem's official cynic? I bite my tongue to keep from laughing. This girl reminds me of Veronica. As she tells me she's a scientist, I wonder how good of one. Working in the lab is probably one of the things I enjoy most. Second only to looking at Rocko. I realize she has been talking this whole time,and try to refocus. "...stupidity of the general mob, I doubt that's going to happen." I nod, pretending to agree.

I hope she didn't notice me drift away there. If she did, I hope she doesn't bring it up. Now I'm worried she will, so I think of a momentary distraction. I hold out my hand,"Clarisse. And you are?" She hestitates a momnet before shaking my hand and telling me her name.

It's a strange name. Agana. One I've never heard before. It makes me smile. She gives me a funny look,and I stop.

[A Toa's Friend (atoafriend)]

I looked at the girl. Why was it that I always found myself acquaintenced with the people who have the odd quirks? I thought about my old friends I'd left behind in the Capitol. Odd, quirky, borderline-insanity...even I was like this once, amiable and broadcasting bravado. "Setting the impression" was my motto.
But as the years passed I began to fall into a more serious mood. Why couldn't my friends mature more? Why were they ignoring me all the time, preferring to dabble in the "normal" Capitol styles and customs rather than be the different ones with me? All the childhood promises we made and vows we swore with each other were drifting away as they laughed and forgot the times we had.
I was internally mortified by the increasingly "Capitol" atmosphere I found myself in, so I decided to do something worthwhile and pursue the rational world of science, where the laws were always absolute. True, I wouldn't make as much money, but I would be doing something that would have absolute dedication and no abrupt changes.
Man, what WOULDN'T I give to go back and hang out with them, explaining the workings of the Arena effects to them AND holding their interest?
I raised my eyebrow. "What's so interesting 'bout that name?"

[Tori]

When I said I had never heard the name before, it was partly a lie. "I read a book about a girl named Agana once. Your nothing like how she was." Given I didn't know much about this woman, but from what I can infer, her and the character are nothing alike.

I got that book when I was 10. I remember well, Serenity gave it to me as a birthday gift. I still don't know how she paid for it, it was only a year after her brother died. Crap! I turn to look back at Agana. I hope she didn't say anything important. Somehow, I always manage to drift away in some- I shake my head again, I know I'm doing once more.

"Have you been here long?"I ask. It seems the crowd is either getting louder or moving closer, because the sound is growing. I can't help but wonder what's going on.

[A Toa's Friend (atoafriend)]

"I've been here for 'bout two years. Not very long, but I already love it here much more than the Capitol," I said. "Some of my co-workers aren't very bright, but other than that I love my job. The neighborhood's pretty good as well." I looked up as the crowd roared even louder. "Well, 'cept for the pathetic excuses of Peacemakers."
Yes, other than that it was a very pleasant change from the Capitol. Away from my dumb "friends" and here to a usually peaceful and satisfactory surrounding. I didn't necissarily have any close friends yet, but there are colleagues I get along with and my boss is very open to my opinions.

[Tori]

The Capitol? "You lived in the Capitol!? What was it like? What do people do there? How long did you live there? Why did you move away!?" Questions are flooding out of me. Someone from the Capitol?! "Did you watch the games while you lived there? What are the people like?!" I've never met anyone from the Capitol, but I've read books about kids who live there.

More and more questions fill my mind, but I don't voice them. Agana seems a little taken aback with my little explosion. Agana. A Capitol name. Of course that's why I've only ever heard it in a book. Agana. I've always wanted to go to the Capitol. Where I hear your never hungry, and you never work. Oh, she's from the Capitol.