InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Let me tell your fortune ..."

Tavia Kincaid (i_keep_peace) wrote in expresslogs,
@ 2012-09-21 22:51:00

Entry tags:

!dice, ice, {prince charming

A New Art
Characters: Ice, Charming
When: Friday night
Location: Chance car
Warnings/Rating: None anticipated
Summary: Ice decides to try something new, in private
Status: Complete

Once upon a time, someone had compared combat to dancing. Some of her fellow trainees had scoffed and laughed, and pointed out there were no similarities at all -- but it had stuck with Ice. There hadn't been much time (or reason) for her to involve herself in hobbies like that, between one thing or another, but if nothing else ... the train wasn't home. It proved that every day.

In China, she'd happened across a performance of ballet, and she'd been captivated. It was like combat, in a way. The strength required, the precision, the way the dancers played off one another -- and relied on one another. She knew she'd never find anything quite like that on the train, but Ice was interested in learning.

Interested enough to search the train's video collection for any discs containing ballets -- but not quite brave enough to break out of her tiny social circle to make a request for teachers on the network. The odds were decent there wasn't anyone capable or interested or willing on the train anyway, and all it would serve to do would be to put herself out there to look silly.

And if any of the others from her world caught wind of it ...

Still, she thought maybe she could at least see if she could replicate some of the things she'd learned just by watching. She didn't anticipate advancing far, given the lack of formal teaching, but ... she'd try.

Having played with the back car for almost a quarter of an hour before it coughed up something she could use, Ice was careful to close the door behind herself. She knew that didn't always guarantee she wouldn't be found, but she hoped it would help.

Stripping out of the sweats and jacket she'd put on over her unitard for the trek to the back car, she tossed them aside before she moved to stand before one of the mirrors. Her hair was pulled up into a bun at the nap of her neck, and even though she knew no one else was present, she looked around again anyway. Refocusing on her reflection, Ice pulled up the memories of the basic ballet steps and she began to attempt to replicate them.

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	is_charming 2012-09-23 08:25 pm UTC (link)
	James straightened up against the wall and bowed to her, a smile on his face. "I didn't mean to interrupt," he said warmly. "Your dancing was lovely. I hope you don't mind that I stayed to watch - dancing is something that should be shared, don't you think?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

i_keep_peace
2012-09-23 08:52 pm UTC (link)

Her lips parted before she settled on how to respond to his statement. A vague noise that could have been the start of any number of words tumbled past her lips before she shook her head slightly. "I ... I'm just ... learning," she finally managed. "Teaching myself," she amended, since it was clear she was alone here.

Though it did make her wonder if she knew of anyone who did teach it. She guessed it might come out if he did.

"In ... my world ..." Ice shrugged. "In my life," she amended. "There wasn't room for ... this. Frivolity. I saw dancers when we were stopped, and I thought it looked interesting. One of my trainers compared combat to dancing and I can see the similarities," she attempted to explain, almost feeling guilty for even engaging in this. Even alone. Even with no obligations here.

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is_charming
2012-09-23 10:26 pm UTC (link)

"It's lovely, isn't it? Dance? I don't do anything so complicated as that myself, but I know how to waltz, and the other dances common at royal balls. And there's something very beautiful and...expressive about it."

He frowned as she spoke of her world.

"That sounds like a dark place. Dance is not frivolity, it is beauty - and those are not the same thing. A life needs beauty as it needs water and air."

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i_keep_peace
2012-09-23 10:40 pm UTC (link)

She was familiar with the dance steps that those in the Capitol participated in. She was aware that those people had dances frequently. But it wasn't part of her life. Her life was training, and then policing Panem.

"I'm not ... personally familiar with any of those," she confessed. "I never attended any of the dances at the Capitol."

Ice cocked her head toward one shoulder in a half-shrug. "It ... is a dark place," she admitted. "I hear it gets better after my time," she continued. "No one's managed to tell me whether or not I'm around to see it though." She had yet to met anyone who knew her. People she knew of, yes, but not anyone who could say the same. She reasoned the odds were good -- really good -- she'd died in the rebellion, or shortly after.

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is_charming
2012-09-23 11:23 pm UTC (link)

"The Capitol? I have never been there either, but I suppose dances are dances, yes? I quite enjoy them myself, but especially when I am lucky enough to dance with Snow. I cannot, of course, keep her completely to myself, no matter how much I would like to."

His expression became more serious as she spoke of her world.

"A war, I assume? I, unfortunately, know the bite of war far too well myself."

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i_keep_peace
2012-09-23 11:54 pm UTC (link)

"Panem," she replied. She didn't know how much he'd read on the network, or whether he'd already met someone from her world, but from the way he was behaving, he wasn't of her world. "But ... dances probably are dances," she agreed.

Vaguely amused, she cocked her head to one side. "Snow?" She echoed. She wondered if that was a nickname, or a name like her own. Ice, and Snow.

"A rebellion," she replied. "But I don't think calling it a war is so far off. The way it was going ..." All the districts had turned, she'd heard. There'd been at least a couple still on the Capitol's side -- as far as she knew -- when she was from. "It was ... headed that direction."

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is_charming
2012-09-24 05:27 pm UTC (link)

"Oh...I don't know of it. But there are many realities in this place that I don't know of, I'm afraid. But yes, I would assume that, as you say, dances are dances. And are for the same purpose?"

He grinned at the mention of Snow, his eyes twinkling. "Snow White is my beloved. She is a princess who was displaced by the evil queen, and a war is soon coming, I think, to reclaim her birthright."

"Why is there a rebellion?" he asked curiously. "Is it necessary? Is there reason for it?"

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i_keep_peace
2012-09-24 10:21 pm UTC (link)

“There are a few here from … that reality,” Ice replied. That reality. Her reality? She supposed so. “Some of them are a little more … vocal than others.” She was thinking of Cato, and to a lesser extent, Katniss and Gale. She did nod to the comment about dances. “For entertainment. Social gatherings. Balls. Parties. Thre are plenty of those in the Capitol.” There had been, anyway. “Even the … other districts, I’m sure, have their versions of the same.”

Princess. Ice nodded slightly, a faint smile briefly touching her lips. “Best of luck with that,” she said. “When … you get home,” she amended.

Ice looked away at the question before she shrugged. Old habits died hard, and the taboo against speaking out against the Capitol was among the hardest to break. “Yes,” she said finally. “I think it was necessary.” She also thought it was inevitable. The Mockingjay was the spark, the catalyst, but it had been building for years before that. If she hadn’t come along, something else would have. Perhaps nothing so effective, but something else all the same.

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is_charming
2012-09-25 01:04 am UTC (link)

"There are quite a few people from...my reality as well. Most of them I am very glad to have here, with the exception of...well, one. But I suppose that no place can be perfect?"

He smiled darkly at her as she wished him luck. "It will not be easy, and likely good people will fall, but sometimes it's necessary to vanquish those who are evil."

He listened closely to her words, and the tone with which she spoke them.

"Is that what happened in your world?"

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i_keep_peace
2012-09-25 02:34 am UTC (link)

Ice hardly thought the train was perfect, but she got what he was getting at. "It doesn't seem like perfection is a flavor the train likes," she agreed. For the most part, she didn't mind the ones from her world, and ... well. One of them she was rather fond of.

She had no disagreement to his statement, and she nodded. It was the way of war, wasn't it? People died. She didn't think there was such thing as a bloodless war -- she imagined even those fought 'on paper' still came with a casualty or two. "It is," she said, but softly.

Her shoulders twitched in the start of a shrug. "In so many words. The Capitol ..." she began haltingly. "Was corrupt," she finally said, her eyes focused on some point on the floor distantly in front of her feet. "But they were powerful. They ... had ways to keep the districts under their control. But no one can stand being oppressed for long."

She lapsed into silence, briefly. "It was just a matter of time," she said, as much to herself as to him before she lifted her eyes slowly to regard him. "I ... was on the wrong side," she admitted. While she'd been harboring the thoughts for a while -- since before the train -- they'd been driven home here. "I don't think I would have changed sides though. They ... had a stranglehold. To defy them openly was death."

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is_charming
2012-09-25 06:34 am UTC (link)

He nodded as he listened to her story. It was the truth in so many places, perhaps just a truth of human nature that fear was stronger than anything else in controlling people. And that's what it sounded like she meant when she spoke of the "stranglehold" the capitol had on them. He supposed that defying Regina was also courting death, but he could not do otherwise.

"Yes," he said, thinking of his situation. "But there are worse things than death. Being separated from those you love, for one."

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i_keep_peace
2012-09-25 11:28 am UTC (link)

Ice smiled faintly, but there was no one person at home they could have used against her like that. That was what training had done to her. Still, there were other things that were worse than death, she guessed. Torture. Things like that.

Turning away from him, she moved to gather the clothing she'd come in with. She was cooler now and not interested in warming back up to continue her new activity. With the reminders of home weighing on her again, she reasoned she'd be descending into less and less desirable company, and she wasn't inclined to inflict herself on anyone. There were reasons she kept her socialness to short bursts with limited company.

"I should go. But it was ... nice to meet you." Except, she realized she hadn't exactly met him, had she? There'd been no exchanging of their own names. "I'm Ice," she added, her brow briefly furrowing at just how very backwards the entire interaction had been.

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	is_charming 2012-09-25 04:00 pm UTC (link)
	"Of course," he said quickly. "Please, don't let me keep you." He smiled warmly and curtsied. "I'm James. And it was a pleasure." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

i_keep_peace
2012-09-25 09:28 pm UTC (link)

"It was," Ice replied. Even if the discussion had brought up less than amazing memories and sensations, it had been nice just ... talking to someone. Her social circle was woefully small, and she had no idea how to even go about making friends.

While she wouldn't go so far as to assume James would want to be friends, she'd at least know him now to say hello if they passed in the halls.

With a last smile to him, Ice let herself out of the car, leaving him to his own devices.

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