The Aftershock [Luna, Tori]

[Tori]

The television was not something Carter wanted to be watching right now. Unfortunately, it was mandatory. His parents were sitting next to him on the couch, and his sister was asleep on the chair, her wheelchari beside her. He couldn't help by stare at her peaceful face and regret being born. Just a day ago he had finally spoken to his parents. And he had learned what was really going on with him and... Lang. He had learned the truth. It hadn't been what he had wanted to hear.

He was the cause of his sister's disability. He has to blame, and him alone. The television suddenly erupted in sound as he watched one of his district's tributes be shot down. Garrett. Their male representative. And Pystan's boyfriend. Carter's mouth dropped and he let out a small gasp. "Pystan."

Before his parents could stop him, he was running out the door. Please don't be watching. Please don't be watching. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Pystan's reaction was going to be something he wasn't expecting, because he didn't know what to expect. Pystan had only been his friend for a few days, but he already felt so close to her.

The victor's village was even more empty, if that was possible. For a second he struggled to find her house amongst the others. Once it was spotted he jumped the small flight of stairs and landed on her porch, and began banging on the door. It took a moment for it to open, but it finally did. He wans't sure who's face he was about to see, but it didn't matter. Because he was here for only one reason.

[Prince Inigo]

(Man... why am I slow? Dx
Oh, Tori, should we finish up the other thread? Like close it? I might reference to the ending I made up for that one...)

Pystan Jam

Today was normal for the Jam family. Ever since the 55th Hunger Games began, the rich Career family had sat down to inspect, mentally note, write comments on actions while smiling towards each other.

Even Pystan. She would hug her little brother when he forcefully embraced her. He was such a tiny lad, barely twelve years of age, almost a male mirror of herself, and the girl smiled her best towards him.

First gone was District 11's male - which she could not help but frown for his death, since he seemed like a nice, sweet man; an individual she might have expected at the Jam lavish parties of extravagance and dazzling jewelry accompanied on bright dresses and luxurious tuxedos. She made her likes and dislikes among the District Tributes by their personalities:

Estrella Angelo, District 6: Nothing on her.
Hilderic Ekon, District 8: He's rough and rude. His looks are a bit too much. Lips too full. His hair looks greasy... but he can help that?
Sul Tervish, District 1: He was a bit powerful, which is charming. Had a cute face, but I say he's a bit too pale.
Ga

The hand stopped, setting the pen down.

Cauger, who sat right next to her obviously, looked at her directly. "Wasn't he your boyfriend?"
Smile. "Yeah, I--" Banging ceased her words immediately, and she merely smiled more. "Please put those away, Little Brother. Hide it if you must."

Getting up from her seat on the couch across the giant television set, Pystan left the area and saw Cauger did as he was told, hiding the notebook in his pants pocket. She called out to her family, saying that the door would ben opened by her, the lights from above illuminating her face more.

Before answering the noise against the door, Pystan rubbed her back in certain spots, rubbing in a circular motion. She opened the entrance gently and flinched at the oncoming pour of sunlight unnatural to the house. Her brows had only creased upward for a second until the visitor was recognized, then a smile formed, her body covering the crack made for an opening.

"Ah, Carter. Hello. Today is good, right? The Games are going well, we've watched." She looked left and right. "Banging on our door at this time? You don't have Peacekeepers on your tail, and a knightly sort of guy like you shouldn't be in trouble. What's wrong?"

[Tori]

Pystan's attitude caught Carter off gaurd. She answered the door like it was a normal day. Had she not seen the games? No, she had, she said that she and he family had been watching. "I- I was.." He started to speak, but found that he was unable to. Hadn't she seen that Garrett died? Carter knew that she had been upset that Mel and Garrett had taken her spots in the games, but shouldn't she be more upset?

Her boyfriend had just been killed, and her friend was still fighting for her life. Carter recalled her saying she felt a bit emotionless when he came to them, but even so.. Should she be upset that they... took her death had she had once said. Even if she wasn't saddened by the events that had been brought about, shouldn't she have been angry? "No, no one is after me, I just-" He tried to start over. "I was watching the games too and saw-"

How was he supposed to go about this, if she wasn't even acting concerned or anything? It seemed like Carter was more upset about Garrett's death, and Carter didn't even know him. "I- Did you see.. Garrett was- Are you okay, Pystan?" Carter finally managed to get his words out and he didn't even think it made a difference. Why had he come all the way down here anyways? She had wanted to go into the games. She had wanted that to be her.

Suddenly, Carter found himself biting his lip and thankful that it wasn't her. Why would anyone ever wish that upon themselves? He couldn't even fathom her logic. And he been try to, he was still set on changing her mind. He had gotten her to consider it once before..

[Prince Inigo]

(I'm assuming he died of sharks or something since it was inactivity that killed him.)

"Huh?" Pystan let Carter speak with stumbles, stutters, and all and scratched the side of her head. "I'm fine. I'm really fine." After fixing her posture between the crack, she said, "I saw Garrett. The sharks got him good; I thought he would put up a better fight."

Her brows furrowed. "Especially since he accepted going in, you know? He didn't even fight much, did he?"

Giggling, she added, "Speaking about the Games, I never suspected a hurricane or the sinking of islands, did you?! I do love how cra..." Pystan trailed off at seeing Carter's movements. Blink, then a little seemingly sad smile. "If you're panicky because of Garrett, you already know what I was planning."

Tapping against the face of the door inside the house, she continued to look at Carter though somewhat solemn. "I had nothing for or against him. Nothing. That's why I feel 'okay'."

[Tori]

She mentioned the sharks and Carter cringed. He hadn't even known Garrett, but the boy was his district representative. Of course any tribute being ripped apart by sharks would be brutal, but Carter felt it was a little more so since he was representing district 3. And since he just so happened to be Pystan's boyfriend. Carter cringed again as she spoke so nonchalantely about how he didn't put up a fight. It wasn't completely true, as Carter assumed it was rather hard to fight a shark.

He listened as she spoke, and wasn't suprised when Pystan said she felt nothing for Garrett, but that didn't mean he wasn't saddened by the words. How could people date others and not feel a thing when they died? Pystan astounded Carter. But he tried to discuss the games with her at the best of his ability. "No, I didn't see any of that coming. It was quite a suprise. Extremely clever, yeah." Carter smiled politely at her, not enjoying the conversation, but not wanting to leave.

If this was what they had to talk about for his to stay, that's what they would talk about. He knew her brother was an enjoyer of the games as well, so he asked her a question in another effort to be polite. "How is Cauger enjoying the games?"

[Prince Inigo]

Pystan knew the concern in Carter's action, the way he was talking and addressing a certain individual of the Hunger Games. Someone she personally know, to a degree. The bond was held sacred for Garrett, yet for Pystan it seemed less. Watching the interviews between the 'contestants', she frowned both at Mel's and Garrett's, their references to a particular Pystan Jam of District 3. Their Pystan Jam. Herself.

The frowns were not instilled of much emotion. They were merely out of acknowledgment, to her. Forms of kindness were imbued within, bursting, overflowing. Emotion was a subject easily picked out by Pystan. She could detect but perhaps not reciprocate herself.

Pystan smiled to Carter rather cutely, so full of all emotions not negative. "Yes, I liked that surprise. I do like cleverness. It really makes people jump out of their seats!" She had to add in a little laugh, a small one barely audible to all citizens that might have been in the Victor's Village. It was important to remember one's manners over heart.

"Little Brother? He is enjoying them quite a lot. He'll hug me at the biggest moments and sometimes scream in cheer. That's Cauger. He doesn't really show it in front of others." Pystan shifted her body a little, itching to rub another spot on her back. "Carter... while you're here, would you like to come in? It's rude to keep someone out like this if not for short business. My parents wouldn't forgive me for being crude towards you. I don't think they would mind you visiting, especially if I'm offering food and drink to you." She tried her best to resist the temptation. "Would you, Carter? Come in, I mean."

(If he accepts to come in, I'll need to specify how she's walking... Carrying over my planned ending from our other thread. :3 She'll try to walk from the side or following him if he wants to be in.)

[Tori]

Pystan offered for Carter to come in, but he hesitated. Her reaction was something that shook him. That was her.. boyfriend. He had been killed. Nonetheless, she was his best friend. He couldn't very well turn her down. Biting his lip he made up his mind. "Sure. No, um, sure. I'd love to come in." Carter glanced behind him half expecting his parents to have run after him. She had opened the door more, and he squeezed through into her house.

Carter knew his way into the main room from his last visit where he was forced to lie to Pystan's parents. He walked into the room, and turned, waiting for Pystan to catch up. Something seems off about her, but he ignored it. When she finally entered with them, he left her announce his arrival. And then he greeted them all as polite as possible. "Mr. Jam. Mrs. Jam." He nodded his head and gave them a smile. When he turned to Cauger, he saw the boy was on the biggest couch and glaring at him.

"Hey, buddy. Mind if I sit by you?" Carter quickly turned to her parents. "Um, that is if you don't mind if I join you to watch the- the games." He waited akwardly before taking a seat on the same couch as Cauger. He sat all the way on the far end because he knew the young boy's dislike towards him. So he left the middle seat open for Pystan.

[Prince Inigo]

(Hope I'm not stealing too much thunder here...)

The blond girl smiled sweetly as the door opened to allow Carter entry for a tight squeeze. She had backed, allowing the guy to move ahead of her before the creaking of a door to closure. Pystan followed absently yet stiffly. Hands rubbed away the stiff feeling in the right shoulder, which only transferred to her heart as uneasiness. The smile was displayed, however, strong, determined, and - above all - normal.

She caught up once Carter came into the living room. The rest of the family sat in their proper places, pairs of greens and one set of blue glued to the television. They unstuck themselves at the sudden presence of a new face. "I offered him in, Mother, Father, Cauger. Please give him your best hospitality." The adults nodded to Carter when he greeted. Not a second more did they turn their heads back to the screen.

Cauger, on the other hand, locked his eyes on Carter. His blond brows creased down accompanied by a dark scowl caked in layers of suppressed dislike. The boy even threw in a frown for added dramatization. He ignored the television sounds, fixated on Carter. Cauger flinched a little as Carter sat at the far end of his couch.

Pystan threw a stern look at Cauger; he retracted poor mannerisms quickly. "I'll get us something to eat and drink. Won't be long." The sister brushed a hand softly against the brother's shoulder. She went straight for the kitchen. Immediately the chefs presented her with food; they already knew the protocol. Pystan expressed gratitude and left promptly after.

She returned with the condiments, setting the food down as another chef came with drinks. Said worker was gestured to move, thus the reason the people except family were not 'allowed' to be around when the Hunger Games were broadcast. The rule was implied deeply.

Pystan sat between Carter and her brother. None of the family paid attention to the items brought in. Attention was handed deliberately to the television, carnage and chaos prominent and clear. The blond missed some action during snack retrieval, but she presented no irksome attitude.

Day Six of the Hunger Games dished the deaths of unfortunate souls: Jango Graves of District 6, Argent Melanger of District 2, and Shanks Kensington of District 4, her brother recapped. The alliance had shattered to two girls, the one from District 1 and the other of 12. The camera was especially set on them; no further action was to be had with the boy Tribute of District 5, who had severed his hand and proceeded to dig into it in desperation. At the thought, Pystan twitched a frown.

The District 1 Tribute had strutted off with the District 12 Tribute left behind. The cameras had panned to capture the sudden movement. Pystan now saw the action with her own eyes. Drusilla Charlesburg - loathing to be called Drusilla and desiring plain 'Dru' - was aiming for something.

The new scene change instilled shock enough to widen Pystan's eyes. The District 3 Tribute - Melanie Clark - was in a tree. Many thoughts circuited through the Career's head, hoping to provide logic to the panel shift.

Dru came out of nowhere. She said a few comments; then, a whole leg was on the ground, gushing blood, in rest position. Pystan widened more. The oldest girl of the Games, on the floor, muttering. Deaths, bits of gargled language, but one of the words caught the blond's interest.

Pystan expressed interest whenever her name arose; now, here it was again. For the last time.

From his peripheral vision, Cauger caught sight of his sister. "Too bad she's gone now. I kind of liked her."

(Mehh. Don't usually type like this. xD )