Let's Play Pretend (Open)

[Stare]

Destiny Lenstil

My hands feel along the trunk of the tree, fingers digging into the little etches in the rough bark. My fingernails come back with dirt underneath, darkening what should be white.

I line my fingertips up on the top of my palm, glaring at the raw, bright pink skin caused by hangnails that surrounds the worn nails that have grown slighly too far, with jagged tops to announce my failure at trying to bite them down. But biting my nails has never been a habit, so they're too strong for me to start now.

After trying to clean them up a bit, I peek around the edge of the tree again.

People on the streets walk briskly from building to building, and thier steps fill the air with a hundred different tap, tap, taps. Their hair is rather fancy compared to some of the other districts I've visited in the past few weeks, but it's neat. Even those few who wear it down somehow keep it looking untagled. The clothes are perfectly clean, too, and brightly colored. Make up creates masks on many of the girls my age, and of course, nail polish is worn proudly.

I bring my had back around, sliding down the tree and staring at myself in the cracked, dusty mirror. Through the thin layer of dirt, I look a mess. My hair is tangled and frizzy, with a thin layer of dry earth coating some strands and clumping them together. My face is dirty scratched, my bright blue eyes the only thing able to penitrate through the thin layer of grime.

The rest of me matches my face. My clothes are in a terrible state, worn with my jeans starting to unravel near the bottom.
I am cut and bruised, filthy, and over all, disgusting to the people of this uniform, sanitized district. My clothes are in a terrible state, worn with my jeans starting to unravel near the bottom.

I yank my hair back into a pony tail, and do my best with my face and clothes. I'll still stick out, but it won't be too bad.

My first priority is to buy some new clothes. These ones have served thier purpose while I went out for my usual three week vacation away from the districts and the Capitol, free to roam the woods as I pleased.

Second, I definately need to get to one of those really fancy salons. I've got enough money for new clothes, as long as I don't go too fancy, and the salon. I've made enough money selling my game in District Nine to last me at least a few months. I think I can afford a little luxury, if it will help me blend in some more.

District Two. Clean, luxurious, organized, and one of my least favorite places in all of Panem. But it is my home.

And with that thought, I step out from behind my hiding spot and towards the nearest clothing store.

[joesph]

I see the girl and walk up to her. "Hello I'm Joesph who are you your not from district 2 are you?"

[pikasoccer]

SEBASTIAN CLARK.

Startled by a sudden rustling in a nearby tree, I fall from my branch in a high oak. I manage to grab onto it before I fall twenty feet to my death. Thank God. Sidling myself up the tree, I quickly scramble back up to my makeshift home.

I'm a Wanderer, and I'm okay with that. It's what I've been for the past couple of years, and I wouldn't have it any other way. No, I would never go back to that orphanage, to my abusive father. I've grown too fond of the woods, and all the comfort it provides me. And all the resources. My motto: "If you can't find it in the woods, it isn't worth having."

After my heart is back at a normal pace, I have a look around at what could have possibly killed me. Nothing really scares me out of sleep like that. Jumping up onto another branch about 3 feet above mine, I crawl to the edge that juts out onto the forest floor below. I look in the general direction of where the sound came from, and see nothing. Sighing, I begin to crawl back down towards my things.

And then I hear it again.

I scramble back up and look towards the east, where the sound came from. Looking at the ground, I see a girl, about my age, jump down from a tree about twenty feet away. She quickly pulls her hair back into a ponytail. She looks grimy, like she hasn't bathed in a while. I'm about to climb down from my tree and introduce myself (I haven't spoken to a human in a while), when I hear a voice. And it's not hers, because her lips didn't move, and it was masculine.

This makes me stop. What if he happened to be dating her or something, and he was over-protective? But then, why would he let her out here in the first place? What if they weren't dating? What if they were enemies? If this were the case, I would surely leap down onto him in a second.

I decide to wait and see what happens.

[joesph]

I hear something with my good ear. " Don't worry I'm a friend to wanderers come on out." I say I have good hearing and don't even hesitate to try though I'm ready to take out my dagger from my pocket at any time.

[pikasoccer]

I jump back in surprise as the newcomer speaks. To me.

Still wary, I draw out my blade. It's special, the only gift my mother gave to me. She figured that I would be a hunter for our family, and so she set out to find me a weapon that would suit me. How she knew before I was born, I don't know, but she found the perfect knife for me. It has a short blade, it's more of a dagger, really, and a sleek black handle with a rubber grip.

I decide to come out and play, so to speak.

Hey, they don't pay no mind
If you're under 18 you won't be doing any time
Hey, come out and play

Jumping out of the tree, I see that my sudden appearance has startled them both. I grin. I was hoping for that.

[joesph]

I see the blade a second before I take out my knife. "I don't hurt those who dislike the capitol." I said coldly as soon as I can. It's cold even for me. "Do you want to fight?" I ask.

Throwing the knife up into a tree my sword I hide there falls down and I catch it along with my knife wielding them both.

[Stare]

Destiny Lenstil

My eyes widen in surprise as my appearance causes to boys, one younger, one older, to suddenly appear. I freeze immediately, my heart leaping into my throat.

Yeah. People popping out of nowhere when you're at your most vulnerable will do that to you.

In one second, I've backed up again, my eyes wide, one hand pressing against the tree. I'm immediately regretting my decision to pull my hair back. Now, they've both had a good look at my face. Being half wanderer, I can be paranoid at times.

A good example: Now.

A hidden knife in my boot is ready for use. Lots of other people keep their knives in the exact same spot. Probably not wise; it takes a second to get to it.

My eyes widen further when I see they both have knives. Well, okay then. So much for a good first impression.

I brush a strand of hair out of my face is annoyance, becoming tense as I realize that I might just get caught in the middle of a fight. I don't like to use my weapons, but if I have to...

Hmm... planning a fight before it's even started. So positive, aren't you?

Well what am I supposed to do?

Stop it.

The voice of reason very recently has taken on my mother's voice. How's that for coincidence?

But it also means that the voice of reason sounds even more right. Planning on what you're going to do during a fight that you can stop isn't always the best plan of action.

But how do I stop a fight when I don't even get how it started?
Do what I always do. Say my thoughts out loud.

"Out of curiosity, do you guys enjoy giving people heart attacks?" I ask, taking my hand off the tree and brushing it clean on my jeans. I eye the younger one, eyebrows raised. "And it's very hard to get on someone's good side when the second thing you tell them is that you're willing to fight."

Okay, maybe not my best idea, but I couldn't think of anything else to say at such a tense moment.

[/color]

[joesph]

I paused hearing the words. "Your right do you two need somewhere to stay and why are you sleeping on my home.?" Yes I carved a house in the treetops and this is my house it's underground.

[Stare]

Destiny Lenstil

Surprised at his sudden mood swing, I stare at him blankly for a moment.

Okay. So that worked.

Then mistrust works it's way into my system. I narrow my eyes. Is it a trap? What's he trying to trick me into? Who trusts this easily.

Apparently, him.

How can you always be so trusting? So open?

He hasn't given you a reason not to trust you yet. Neither of them have.

That doesn't mean they're worth trusting.

No, it doesn't. It just means they're worth giving a chance.

I sigh in annoyance. She always wins. And how can she loose. I wasn't perfect when I was little. I disobeyed her then. But now that she's gone... it's just not fair.

I sigh, leaning back against the tree, eying them both. I've become extremely conscious of the state I'm in. I need to get cleaned up soon. But deal with the problems at hand first.

"What do you mean, your home?" I ask, curious. I shift my weight onto one foot, relaxing, and friendly smile appears on my face.

No, I didn't have a sudden mood swing. They don't know me yet. I know they can both fight, but neither knows I can. So I can play sweet and innocent, for now. After all, I'm just an innocent little girl, aren't I?

Yeah. Right.

[joesph]

"After I lost my left eye in the whipping and my hearing in my right ear, I made a deal with the head peacekeeper. I don't come into the district unless it's important or it's reaping day. And if I'm caught doing so I'll be executed. It helped that the head Peacekeeper was my brother but not that much. So I made my home in the hollowed out bottom of the tree you are in which includes I cave I dug and the treetops I do however welcome wanderers." I explained sighing. Why do people always have to know everything? Because they aren't half uselless I reminded myself. If they were caught...... I let that thought hang. " I've been here for three years I also freqrent an abandonded house in the district. I owe a lot of people in a lot of places I mean my mother was a tribute from district two she almost one the 51st hunger games by tricking everyone she met and then back stabbing them. My father was a wanderer who called himself a warlord he was whipped to death. So chances are I owe most wanderers family's." I finish.

[Stare]

I feel something in my chest ache slightly. My heart? Huh. Usually, I only feel my heart when I remember my mother. Ever since... well, I've haven't felt pity for another person for a long time now.

"That sounds... awful," I say quietly, shifting uncomfortably. It's not like I'm gonna give him a hug or anything, but I feel like I should say something other than that.

I wait for a moment, but there's only silence. Shouldn't she have said something by now?

You're being very quiet.

My job is to steer you away from bad choices. Not move you towards good ones.

What's the difference?

If I moved you towards good choices, you wouldn't learn anything.
I frown. I hate these rules. As odd as it is, it's very hard to control my own thoughts. My own voice of reason. I guess the more it helps me, the more I think it's not in my head at all. But it is, no matter who's voice it has.

It's not like this is my first time dealing with something like this, I think irritably. We've all felt sorrow, one time or another.

I glance once again towards the clothing shop, and then the salon. More and more people have stopped to stare at us for a moment, and it's making me really uncomfortable.

"Troubled pasts," I say thoughtfully, my gaze turning up, towards the sky. "That's something you and I have in common."

[joesph]

"Most people who stop bye here have troubled past's in fact last month...... well I shouldn't say about it." I said. I was starting to think this girl was alright. I mean most people are a waste of time to me. But something was different about her. I closed my eye for a minute and said at last. "Why don't you come inside my home I need to show you something." I say to her walking to the hole in the tree moving the boulder and leaving it open for the first time in like forever.

[pikasoccer]

As I listen to this exchanging of words, I can't help but smirk a little. Here's a boy, probably a bit younger than I, threatening to attack a girl, older than him. He's got some nerve. The girl on the other hand, seems to be having a mental conflict with herself. Her eyes flicker in surprise every few moments, as if she hears something that shocks her. Is she 'all there' in her mind?'

I don't say a word as this is all happening. Maybe I can sneak away? Yes, that's what I'll do. I begin to work my way backwards, towards my tree. Don't see me, don't see me, don't see me.... I'm about five feet from my tree, when I hear the girl call back to me.

"Hey! Come back here!"

Ooc: Sorry if you don't like powerplaying. I can change it if you like :)

[Stare]

((OOC: It's fine!))

Destiny Lenstil

I stand there, unsure, for a moment. Would it really be safe? I mean, it could be a trap...

For what? No one knows I was wandering in the woods for almost a month. They could assume, I guess, but not really be sure. They wouldn't have any proof. But something about this whole thing seems... off.

Maybe he saw me come out of the woods though. I had been assuming that he noticed me as I came out from behind the tree. But he could've seen me sooner.

Paranoid, aren't we? Why can't you just trust them?

I don't know them.

What difference does that make?

If you trust someone you don't know, you could end up in a bad situation. Better safe than sorry.

Come on, Destiny. Take a risk.

I bring two fingers up and rub my temple. I hate these mental battles. Not only do they make me feel rediculous, but they also make me doubt my sanity. It's obvious I can't make this desicion on my own, though.

I look over to the other boy for assistance. He's taller and stronger than I am. If anything happened... well, he'd be a possibly help. But, to my alarm, he's slinking away.

Now I'm really scared. For two reasons. The first is that he's my only help I have is this is some sort of trap or something. The other is that he might be going to tell a Peacekeeper. People get rewards for turning wanderers and others like them in, right? I mean, how do I know he's even trustworthy? How do I know either of them are trustworthy?

"Hey! Come back here!" I call, as I can't think of anything else to say. I quickly recover.

"You're part of this too, you know. You can't just scare the daylights out of two people and walk away."

Lame. But what else was I supposed to say? Hey, come back, I think you might be threatening me by leaving? Yeah, like that would turn out well.

[joesph]

I stuck my head out of the hole in the ground that was my home. "Hey watch where you step I have explosives in here." I murmured to them then continued crawling down the hole until I got to the underground spring and bed I had brought down here.


" Why do I do this?." I ask myself as I wait for the two of them. "Because I'm an idiot whoes looking for allies in a rebellion." I tell myself.