the sound [Kap]

the sound [Kap] Sept 5, 2022 17:15:20 GMT -5

Post by pearl mcclain d4 [ryan] on Sept 5, 2022 17:15:20 GMT -5

Managing.

That is what she had been doing for the last couple months. She had finally found a good distraction from throwing herself to the games like she usually did. She didnt need to anymore the more that she thought about it. Four had 5 victors now, and three of them had been brought out by Annie.

She was never certain as to why she had gotten so much credit. She had only had so many interaction with her tributes, and while she offered advice, the aftermath of getting them out always caused some sort of fall out. She could not relate to them like she wanted too, after all, she had won a games where everyone had gotten to live at the end of the story. She knew that this was a huge point of contention between many of the victors.

However, she always had to remind herself that she did not get to choose the quell twist. In fact, there were a lot of things that she did not get to choose. She could voice her opinions, but nothing mattered when it came to the capitol.

They always told her to sit down and look like the excellent mentor she was.

Shed laugh at that statement as she sat in the justice building. She hadnt seen Isobel since the election, it seemed like she had completely disappeared. Annie could have asked more questions, but she didnt. It wasnt important. What was important was trying to figure out why the district was not meeting their quota for supplies that needed to be sent to the capitol. Annie wasnt sure if this was the life that she wanted, but being the mayor of four had done just enough for her self confidence. A new task to work on for the time being.

That and the fact that her father had been forbidden from crossing through the doors of the justice building. She knew all too well that he would get a big head from her success. It was always a point of contention at any family event that was hosted by her cousins family. Keep Annie and Alabastor away from each other. Far far away from each other. Annie knew how to keep her distance, but he did not.

Annie sighed as she stood up from her desk and started packing up for the day. She made her own schedule, seeing as everyone knew where to find her when she wasnt in the office. She thought about purchasing another place in the district just to keep the victors village quiet, but she realized that she just didnt need another thing like that.

The other victors would just have to accept that Annie took on way more than she could handle.

She had gotten home and realized that a good amount of time had passed since she had seen Axel or Trish. She was so used to having them around all the time. Since she had become Mayor, she hadnt really see much of anyone. The time she was gone at the capitol didnt help either. She always asked if she could take someone from home with her, but unless it was Trish or Axel, it was a no. Annie never understood what possessed both of them to try out for reality television in the capitol, but as long as they didnt wind up on that gameshow where they could actually get hurt, Annie would let them live.

She had looked at the clock and realized that it was low tide. She had walked out the back and took in the view of the ocean. It was her favorite of the house she had been given. No. Earned. She needed to remember that.

She had kicked off the sandals she had been wearing and let her feet sink a little into the earth as she took a seat on the sand. She let the ocean breeze, thick and salty, wash over her for a moment. She could let herself go in this moment, because she felt safe. No one was going to attack her in this sacred space.

She let her body lay on the sand and looked up towards the sky, watching the clouds pass.

It was a beautiful sight.

the sound [Kap] Sept 23, 2022 10:59:17 GMT -5

Post by kap on Sept 23, 2022 10:59:17 GMT -5

I saw stars disappear
In the darkest hour
I remember the voices
Who were guiding me higher

-----

As time started to slowly pass since the end of the 89th, I remained mostly unchanged. Some people told me I'd start to get tired of the fame, or that I'd start to feel the guilt about all the people that I had killed, but neither of those things happen. I was living blissfully. It was a satisfying life, the life of a career victor, if you asked me.

It made me wonder, though. Did other victors feel the same as myself, having no remorse? Having no desire to apologize for what happened in the arena? Not caring what people thought of them, no matter what they did?

I let Whiskey Finch die in a burning building in the arena after he tried to blow me up. I didn't regret that, despite the fact that we were on each other's sides in all of our other fights in the arena. He was supposed to be a friend, and now he was dead.

Why didn't that hurt nearly as much as it should have?

Sure, it hurt, but there weren't regrets. I would do it again if the situation arose in the same way. If life repeated itself, I wouldn't change a thing.

-----

Mom was pretty annoyed that she'd lost the election to Annie and was still ignoring me because I apparently hadn't helped her gain enough popularity in the District. What she doesn't seem to realize is, first of all, she lost to a victor, and secondly, it was a really close race. Even getting close to winning the election when paired against a victor is impressive. I was impressed with her, but she didn't seem to care.

She just wanted explanations that I couldn't give to her, so she'd been mostly ignoring me since the election. If I really needed something, sure, she'd talk to me, but she certainly wasn't the one to reach out as of lately. Nerida Summers holds a grudge like no other.

Today was a day to relax, though. I didn't want to deal with Mom's post-election drama or Dad's complaints about work. I also really didn't want to hear Marina complaining about how swamped she was with new requests from people to have her train them as a career, ever since she'd trained me and I'd won the Games. I just wanted a peaceful day.

I walked barefoot along the shoreline, the occasional seashell threatening to try to stab its way into my calloused feet. The sand felt nice between my toes: relaxing, even. As I walked, it all felt quite nice.

As I was walking, though, I spotted someone lying in the sand, gazing up at the clouds in the sky, and for a moment or so, I looked up too. The sky actually did look quite beautiful. I didn't stop to admire my surroundings often enough. I would have to make a mental note of that.

It took a moment or so before I realized who was lying in the sand, and when I did, I stopped walking. A light smile spread across my face. It was Annie: cause of all my mother's troubles but the stopper of some of my own. Whether she realized it or not, she was part of the reason I'd made it through the Games, despite our limited interactions. She was someone whose talent I admired when I was going into the arena, and that inspired me. Perhaps that could be contributed to my victory.

I decided to greet her, walking a little bit closer, but not too close, and projecting my voice above the sound of crashing waves so that she could hear me.

"Hey, Annie!"