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first flower. ACTION & VIDEO.
[ Primrose remembered dying. Or - she thought she did. She was almost sure she did. She could recall the child, could see herself taking off her jacket, could hear her name being shouted from behind her, almost drowned out in the chaos (you're imagining things, Prim, but she'd turned anyway) - her name in her sister's voice, which couldn't be the case because after everything Katniss had died, they'd seen it on the television, after Prim had watched two Hunger Games glued to the screens and praying that would never come, and then after the Games...
She remembered seeing Katniss. She remembered saying her sister's name. She remembered -
She didn't remember what had happened after. Or she did, but - she'd been in a city, and now there were trees overhead, and the quasi-familiar sounds of the forest. She'd only ever been outside the gates with Katniss, and each of those times had been years ago. But the shadows on the ground, the crunch of leaves and branches underfoot - these things she could remember.
A forest. It didn't make any sense, and Prim stood shakily, and realized that even less than that made sense: a white dress she'd never worn or seen before, and something on her back. Prim bit her lip, reaching back and - wings. Like some sort of capitol person, or - a muttation? Or what? And a book. Why? She picked it up, turned a few pages, and then shut it at the strangeness. As unsettling at the wings, really.
No city. No children, no healer's uniform, no - ] Katniss? [ Shakily, uncertain. The last person she'd seen, but Katniss wasn't there.
In the absence of any sense of where she was meant to be, Prim chose a direction and began to walk, stepping carefully. ]
action; open; afternoon
[ While she spends a good portion of her morning at her sister's house in her sister's room reassuring herself that Katniss was, in fact, alive and here (if not here), Prim eventually goes to tentatively explore. She makes a foray into town to pick up clothing that isn't borrowed and might actually be hers, Buttercup hot on her heels. The cat apparently isn't letting her out of his sight, for whatever reason.
Prim's grateful for that, although she nearly trips over the cat twining around her ankles several times. Eventually she gives up and picks the tomcat up to tote around, just so she doesn't fall over.
She can be found at the clothing shop, outside the bakery eyeing the decorative cakes and cupcakes displayed inside, or sitting and flipping through her journal on the front step of house 43. Or just walking along the route to or from any of those places - take your pick. ]
voice; evening
[ It doesn't take too long to work out how the book functions. It's strange, certainly, but after playing with it for a while, reading things - listening to things - Prim thinks she can use it. Try to figure things out a bit more. She can't make sense of what she's read and listened to; maybe it's just because it's so everyday compared to where she just was, or maybe it's just that the events and people discussed aren't ones she's familiar with.
She liked listening to the voices, though. Looking at the pictures. The video clips. It was sort of soothing, even if it was all nonsense. Eventually she works up the courage to say something, though. To turn on the video.
Prim is sitting cross-legged on Katniss' bed. It's the place she feels safest, and there might be a shot of the forest mural in the background, but mostly it's Primrose Everdeen, blonde braid falling over her shoulder as she leans in, Buttercup purring madly in her lap. She's petting him absently, and he mews like a kitten whenever she stops. ]
Hello. [ That's said too softly, barely there, and Prim has to clear her throat. Try again. ] Hello. [ This time the greeting is louder, more solid. ] Sorry, I didn't mean to...I'll try to speak up. [ Prim feels awkward, talking to a book, even knowing what it does. She would have written, but Buttercup seems to need the attention, and...well. ] I only got here today, but it's...not a bad place, is it?
[ That sounds tentative but eager. She is, after all, in one piece. And Katniss is, apparently, in one piece. And Buttercup is in one piece. Prim has never asked for much, but all of those things have always been included in what little she wants from life. ] I'm even in time. Just. May eighth is only in...seven days? My sister - she's going to turn... [ Prim's suddenly unsure. How old is Katniss? How long has she been in this place? ] ...a year older. [ And Prim does smile at that, although it's small and shy. She knows that sounded silly, and she's still not entirely comfortable where she is - probably won't be until the moment she sees her sister alive and whole - but she's trying. ]
Normally I'm the one who wakes her up, then. So...it's a good thing I'm here. To do that? [ Breakfast. She'll make breakfast, and maybe a cake. And while Katniss is the one who mockingjays quiet to listen to, Prim will sing her sister a song. ] Just like at home.
[ She's quiet for a beat, before going to end the missive - although then she realizes she forgot the important part. ]
Oh. I nearly forgot. My name is Prim. Primrose, I mean. Primrose Everdeen.
[ That should do it, just about. Prim ends the message, with another shy smile. ]
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It sounds like something fun, though, and again Prim wonders what District this man could even be from. Soldiers and street plays. ] But I've always liked May.
[ Their birthdays and spring. Hope. ]
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and sharpe damns his pride and drowns his worries: ] As months go, she ain't so bad. It's a fine thing to feel the sun again after a long winter. And the winters here are dreadful long and filled with snow.
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Another shrug. ] Twelve was cold. I don't mind that.
[ What she minds is more...being alone. That's never been a thing that's been true, for Prim. ] Although I've never...
[ Survived a winter without her sister; provider, protector. ]
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Mostly, she's confused. ]
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as they turn onto a firmer cobblestone path: ] Your sister, Miss Everdeen. She's here. Katniss is here.
[ just not here. not immediately so. ]
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But no, Katniss could be the same as her. They could both be here only because this place was - Luceti. With all the weirdness that came with it.
But Primrose didn't really mind, or care. Katniss had always been there for her. Even when other families would have parted, or abandoned one another - even on the reaping day when her name had been called - Katniss had been there, solid and steady. If Katniss was there, she would be okay. Because if they were together, things had to be okay. It was a law of the world, from Prim's point of view. ]
She is? She's - where is she? Can I see her? [ Could she hug her, make sure she was really breathing and it wasn't all a dream? ]
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And that, if nothing else, convinced Prim that this man knew Katniss - at least enough to know how Katniss was about Prim. ] Okay. I mean, that's fine - I can wait.
[ Although she'd prefer not to, and didn't know why the answer was "soon" - maybe Katniss was at the house? ]
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ah -- well. he ought to let the girl tell her sister that all on her own. ] I suppose I should inform you that I share a billet with her. She had a spare room, and was generous in letting an old soldier take up some of her space. But with you here...
Well, it's bloody obvious who should make room for you.
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Prim immediately began shaking her head, emphatic. ] No! I'm sure Katniss wouldn't want that.
[ If she offered to let someone live with her - if Katniss had done that, she obviously trusted this man a great deal. Prim knew her sister, and she didn't think Katniss would offer on a whim, not without caring about someone to some degree. And trusting them a great deal more than that, even.
The idea of putting someone who had Katniss' affection and trust out wasn't to be stood for. ]
I can sleep on a couch or a cot or anywhere, I don't really need a room. Or, well, I shared with Katniss most of my life. There's no reason for anyone to have to move!
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[ he leads the way up the path to the house in question. ]
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And that's fine. I mean, it suits. [ She'd feel better that way, really. ]
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[ they don't get along... ]
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[ That's said with no small amount of surprise - the last Prim knew of Effie, she'd supposedly been...well, executed.
It was...nice that she wasn't. Probably?
Prim actually wasn't sure how she felt about it. At least Effie had tried her best for Katniss and Peeta, and Prim knew that. She might not like what Effie represented - because back home, come Reaping Day, it was Effie who called them up and Effie who said those words (may the odds be ever in your favor!) - but Prim didn't dislike the woman herself, exactly. ]
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Prim wondered if Effie was dead, too. ]
I know her. Not - not really well, but she helped Katniss. [ She tried to, at least. Prim gave her that much credit. ]
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until then, he opens the door for her with little pomp. ] London's the same, only you've got the parts of it where all else lives. Sometimes only a few streets over from the well-to-dos.
[ in truth, he'd never be so boldly claiming to be from london to a stranger...except this stranger is katniss's sister, and so he's relaxed his usual precautions. ]
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Prim enters the house, though, glancing around as she moves out of the way of the door. ]
Is that a Capitol in your world?
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