Welcome.

[trustfellows]

Rise and shine. There are a few things that matter right now - the fact that you're waking up in an unfamiliar but decently comfortable bed, the fact that you don't recognize the room you're in, the fact that you seem to have some sort of headache... Nothing severe, mind. Just the sort of odd, heavy fuzziness that comes with having slept far too long. You don't really remember where you were immediately before this, not upon waking. Something will come to you eventually if you think long enough, however - a couple of seconds of consideration will bring to mind a place, a memory, a recollection of where you were and what you were doing. It probably wasn't anything that would result in you being here, though. Welcome to Graceside Preparatory Academy. You may want to pick up the key to your room before you leave the room, but don't worry too much - your door won't lock automatically, so you won't be locked out if you've forgotten to pick it up. It seems you're not alone, either; the hallway outside your room is most likely full of other confused people by now, and should you turn around to look at the door of the room you just left, you'll find a nameplate with your name printed on it. There's a single word underneath it with no explanation. This is your title, but don't worry about that right now. Depending on when you left your room there may be a clock chiming in the foyer up ahead. It seems like it's seven, though it's difficult to tell if it's seven in the morning or seven at night. There aren't any windows, after all. Should you venture into the room with the clock, you'll find that the only exit is closed - there's absolutely no way to break down that steel bulkhead. It looks like you're not getting out of here anytime soon. The foyer also holds some very interesting information. There's a bulletin board with thirty-five pictures on it. Beside each picture is some very specific and very familiar information. Feel free to examine it. The bulletin board is large enough for plenty of you to gather around and gawk. Don't try to get at it though, that glass in front of it is very thick. If you try to break it, you'll find out the hard way that it's shatterproof. Sorry about that. Perhaps even more of a concern than the glass is the list beside the profiles. It looks like a set of rules. You might want to examine those, though they're not providing much of an explanation for why you're here or how you got here. So relax and get to know your fellow Participants. You might be stuck here for awhile.

Comments

[destage]

...What...kind of place do you come from?

[KATNISS, YOU DOIN' HER A FRIGHTEN]

It'd be nice if this place had some windows...we'd be able to see where we are, and that'd be a good weak spot. You didn't see any vents, either?

[flagitate]

[ isn't that how all places are ]

Panem? It's not that uncommon.

[ ... ]

I didn't look for vents. But I'd be fine if we could open a window. It's too... stifling in here.

[destage]

I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with Panem...is it anywhere close to Japan?

[What the hell happened to you girl.]

No, I...honestly agree, though. It's so weird. And it feels like we're trapped in some kind of can. Like a bunch of sardines, but still moving.

[flagitate]

Japan? I don't know. A long time ago, Panem used to be called America. But now Panem's all that's left.

[ Not much yet!! ]

... Ugh. I hate being crammed in places. And we can't even go outside. That's the worst part.

[destage]

...It still is, where I come from?

[Somehow, that's even more concerning, and...she's gotta ask.]

Hey...what year do you remember it being?

[flagitate]

I don't know.

[ She shrugs. ]

The only thing we count in years is the Games. And it's been seventy-four years since the uprising... so, it hasn't been America in a really long time. Not since everything else in the world flooded, burned, got reduced to nothing.

[destage]

The Games?

[...she almost doesn't want to ask...]

That's...you must be incredibly far in the future, then. Everything back home is as normal as can be. [...] It's kind of sad that you live in a place like that.

[flagitate]

Just something from my home.

[ ... She's very, very quickly starting to realize that what she's used to is incredibly abnormal, so she'll avoid talking about it in detail. ]

I guess it is, but I've never known anything else. So I can't really say if it's sad or not. It's just the way things are.

[destage]

...Well, if you haven't had even half of these, it shouldn't be the way it is. I'm...very sorry for your home...um, Everdeen-san, if I remember right.

[Her look goes openly sympathetic, and she looks to the stuff she's brought out, considering...]

[flagitate]

[ She looks at her, as if seeing her all over again. She's pretty young, but... seems like there's more to her than Katniss first thought. ]

... Thanks. [ She sounds a little awkward as she says it. ] And you can just... It's just Katniss.