SING, O MUSE!

maysilee donner. written by cassandra for hiddenwashington.

[forgottenelegies]

MAYSILEE HOLDS UP her hands, a whistle leaving her lips at the clearly posed statement of the younger girl; it's a valid enough one, annoyingly, and she cannot blame her for not wanting to linger in the barrage of questions she could otherwise be sure to present. Not when all those questions would most likely relate to the only tie they really shared. 'It's your tongue; your words - I promise, then, we won't talk about anything you don't want to,' she assures, owing that much to the kid. She supposes if she were in her shoes she wouldn't want to talk about the it of it all very much maybe. Too painful. Too much a reminder. 'Though I like to think there's still always something we can do.'

[grcycosmcs]

" thanks , " tilly replies in a breath of relief. the promise of being spared from a talk that she isn't willing to have is enough for her shoulders to relax slightly , the tension from being on edge slipping away just a little. when the other returns with a tinge of optimism , the shake of her head is immediate. " i wish i believed that , " she says. she still harbors a lot of anger in her heart – at panem's president , at the gamemakers , at the capitol as a whole ... but what could she do about that here ? & even if she could do something about the resentment , nothing would bring her old life back – it wouldn't return her family , & it wouldn't return the tilly she once was. " do you really think that ? "

[forgottenelegies]

AND SHE WISHES in some way she could reassure the kid that she can believe it, but Maysilee knows her own self well enough to realise there's no use in pounding out empty words, empty placations. Let alone to Tilly. No use trying to be the sort to force any perspective on her - enough of that in her life and at least in some small ways she can help her get her own back. Still, she feels she has to offer something when a question is posed her way. She'd be lying if she didn't feel some duty of care, wanted or unwanted. 'Well, suppose it's not about what I think, not when it comes to you,' she let out, rooting around for the right words. 'But sure. Even if the something we do never comes out trumps, it's about going down fighting.'

[hiddendarkrosesx]

"Right? How can I show people my superior skills all on my lonesome." Dean chuckled, giving a nod. "Okay good. You don' mind bowling with doctors, do you? that would be most of my friend group."

[forgottenelegies]

'SOMEONE'S COCKY WHEN it comes to bowling,' she spoke, limbering up lightly through a gesture of her arms. Harmless a sport as they came, so bowling was, when one considered the company it was spent with - and yet sometimes she thought friends could make it even more ruthless. Friendly competition - she supposed it hurt no one, and so Maysilee smiled. 'Don't suppose I can be too picky if that's the offered friend group. I'm sure they'll be...tolerable company.' ,

[coreofgold]

Kili takes it out so she can get a closer look. "The chain is silver and the gemstone in the middle is a lapis lazuli." He explained.

[forgottenelegies]

MAYSILEE MAKES A gesture with her finger as she raises a brow, silently asking for permission to touch against the necklace. The weight of them, heavy or surprisingly hollow, or the feel of them, warm from neck-rested heat or cold enough to feel startling, she enjoys the different considerations that make up something. All of it categorised ultimately into that one word, pretty. And the colouring is, so very. 'The colour of the gem - you can't quite take your eyes away from it, can you? It's like it's bleeding midnight. I find myself...quite tempted.'

[forgottenelegies]

'WHAT A STRONG moral compass you must have to feel so,' Maysilee dryly put - he could certainly say that again, her own enjoyments certainly not holding any company with the darker chaos of the town. Bowling sounded a far better option in her books. Nodding approvingly, she spoke, 'Well, from experience I can tell you there's a few alleys for that about the place. I've found them to be quite the release.'

[hiddendarkrosesx]

"What can I say, some of us tend to grow as people." Dean rebutted with a soft smile. If someone asked him what he liked to do for fun five years ago it may have been a different story. "maybe you and i could go to one of these? bowling is never fun to do alone and i could ask a few others, make a night of it."

[forgottenelegies]

'YOU DON'T SAY,' commented Maysilee, all too aware of how his rebuttal struck right back at her like a mirror - not that she would consider it thankful growth. More that sometimes other people saw you through different eyes and then perpetually claimed that as growth. 'Yeah, bowling alone would just be a touch lame - you've got to have competition, spice it up.' It was a nice idea, though, and goodness knows she could branch out in company. 'Count me in'.

[coreofgold]

"I see that caught your attention." Kili bends down and grabs the selection of jewelry. It ranges from necklaces and rings to earrings and bracelets. "Here's the selection we have."

[forgottenelegies]

'THE IDEA OF pretty things often does,' spoke Maysilee in reference to her attention, her eyes sharpening up with a prestige gaze in order to best scrutinise the selection that Kili had grabbed. She tried to hide the smile that began to take shape in the peaks of her lips at some of the pieces - rather pretty, very much so. 'That necklace there,' she pointed to one, despite owning a sizeable quantity already of necklaces, 'what's it made of?'

[grcycosmcs]

' you sound like my therapist , ' tilly wants to respond. instead , her lips press together & her brows furrow as she fights to suppress the quip. she can't tell if the other's words – seemingly prying – are meant to hurt , or if it's just her bias toward anyone connected to the games making it appear that way. because the answer is no , memory of herself is nearly as scarce as her time in the arena. but she's been working on it since being here , taking what she does remember into her construction of a new sense of self. not that it's any of the other's business , regardless if she's well-meaning or otherwise. " i don't want to talk about it , " she states. it's better than lashing out on the fellow tribute , unwarranted. " it doesn't really matter anymore anyway. it's not like i can do anything about it now. "

[forgottenelegies]

MAYSILEE HOLDS UP her hands, a whistle leaving her lips at the clearly posed statement of the younger girl; it's a valid enough one, annoyingly, and she cannot blame her for not wanting to linger in the barrage of questions she could otherwise be sure to present. Not when all those questions would most likely relate to the only tie they really shared. 'It's your tongue; your words - I promise, then, we won't talk about anything you don't want to,' she assures, owing that much to the kid. She supposes if she were in her shoes she wouldn't want to talk about the it of it all very much maybe. Too painful. Too much a reminder. 'Though I like to think there's still always something we can do.'

[devilsmenu]

"Yeah, and it's how people can relate to lyrics because we all been through something" Theo said with a nod.

[forgottenelegies]

'HAVEN'T WE JUST,' Sophie murmured, relating a little too tightly to the statement; but at least Theo managed to seek out a twist in the concept of a through-something backstory, found a space to let people heal and find common ground. 'Sometimes I do find music to be therapeutic, a true release for that.'

[wvsteria]

it was an odd alliance that'd formed between them. with being on the team together back home and then here in this city where haymitch basically wanted nothing to do with them and tilly seemed to have already fit herself quite nicely in this place. maysilee was a lifeline for him. the times he felt he could truly be himself were mostly when she was around, even if that did earn him some teasing. "newcomers through and through." they really did feel like the newcomers in dc, the name now having a slightly different meaning. but nonetheless, it meant they'd stick together no matter what. and that was the kind of familiarity he needed. though he still couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt or shame...he wasn't sure what to call it when he thought back to haymitch. his mere presence haunted the man. the last thing he wanted was to make life harder for him, but it didn't feel right to completely avoid him either. "guess we'll have to balance distance and making sure he doesn't hobble off on his own again. but i'm happy for tilly at least. she seems like she really got to come into her own here." he hoped he was as adjusted as she was with time.

[forgottenelegies]

THROUGH AND THROUGH. It had so easily fallen to pieces once confronted with the sickening beauty of the aren, but Maysilee was heartened by the fact they both found the sentiment remained with them; it had been a good idea, it still was a good idea. Still she found herself thinking of them all, of the newcomers, who she had sat with, made tokens for, became kin with - it did not bring a lump to her throat; more, it destroyed it. 'Sometimes I wonder if more of our vast party'll come through this city. Would be mighty sweet to know they're...not safe, no, but that they're something.' 12 was all but gathered together and yet still she always had a hunger for more. 'Oh, trust, I'm on his back already - you can balance distance but I'll be a limpet.' Satisfied with Tilly finding their own place, though, she let out a somewhat honest grin. 'Not to her, though. She's finding her wings - you're right. She we can be happy for.'

[mischiefxmuses]

"It's alright I don't expect it to be." Yennefer smiled at the woman. Being a witch she had a better grasp what things were. The power they held and how she could use them to her own advantage. "Good, glad you are enjoying it." She held out her hands, feeling the cool on her own hands and feet. "As a sorceress, it is my duty to know nature, to understand it. The power it holds."

[forgottenelegies]

AURORA HAD GROWN up in and about traces of magic, both for better and for worse in terms of whether the sorcery they offered was a blessed sort. She liked to think she was a good judgement of which sort people could be; and she glanced forward to Yennefer as she felt the water, listened to the way they spoke, and did so far believe them to be firmly planted in the better category. 'Is it through nature that you...channel....your power as a sorceress?' she asked, unsure of the proper terminology to use. 'I can well imagine how it must be potent if only you do understand it as you take care to.'

[devilsmenu]

"Yeah, we always got tomorrow, isn't what they say?" BC commented with a hum. "Yeah, it's like a temporary fix."

[forgottenelegies]

'I'M SENSING A more optimistic outlook from you already - though there we go,' Sansa went as it was described as a temporary fix, 'that's the beer talking.' Even so, if it opened up the cracks to looking to the next day with a little kick of positivity, she would take that over it feeding misery. She had seen that, sometimes, poured out bitter on lips, and preferred the way it seemed to make the other feel.

[tragcdysewn]

she almost snorts out a laugh at her mother commenting on their name. of course, even the woman who'd invented it finds it odd without the context. "my grandmother's names are renee and esme. so my mom decided to combine them to honor both. middle name's carlie, for my grandfathers carlise and charlie." she's not touching on what their name would have been if they'd been a boy. thank fuck she wasn't edward jacob.

[forgottenelegies]

IN HER THERE'S a tug when she hears those names, soaking in a feeling that, without any reason, she equates to guilt. 'Your mom must be the sentimental type - there's a beautiful heritage in holding all you love in your names.' Bella can admit to that, the pretty reasoning of the otherwise mismatched naming she thought it was on first impression. A kaleidoscope of origin, all wrapped up in a label.

[displacedmuser]

@forgottenelegies

Penelope had a long day writing; for work, she had submitted her latest draft not long ago. She hadn't told her boss, but she was spending her downtime writing a novel based on her own time, a story loosely based on her own past, a more fairytale version of her life she had left behind, a story with a happy ending. She had her netbook sitting in front of her at a small independent cafe, a cup of tea sat in front of her as she pondered over the current chapter progression.

[forgottenelegies]

SOMETIME'S SOPHIE'S MEMORIES felt murky; like she was wading through a muddy pond tangled full of weeds at the bottom and she could not quite cleave her way through the stories in them. Still, she knew most, even if they did keep getting fuzzy in the telling sometimes, and she knew that she recognised the woman at the cafe, that natural domain of a scribbler. She smiled at the sight at first, though finding herself hesitant to approach lest another person thought her a stranger. With a few biscuits on her plate as a broker, she placed them down on the table. 'I hear writing can be hungry work - if it's the same as any other creative pursuit,' she uttered. 'Go on. Have one.'

[bcrncoldx]

"Patience and tact." She chuckled. "Although I can admit that I'm not always good at either of those. But sometimes you have to be blunt if something's not working. Can't sugarcoat everything or how can we learn and improve?" She nodded. "Depending on the book it can be. You know how people can get about things they feel passionately about. But it's good. There's always someone who has take that sheds new light on a piece, gets your mind thinking."

[forgottenelegies]

IRIS WAS STARTING to find herself rather enjoying the conversation with the other past the pleasantries' of marketplace purchase opinions. She laughed, even, at the words of bluntness, nose crinkling at just how well she knew herself to accidentally be so when she was able to tug down at the veil of politeness. 'Oh, you speak my language well. I agree; if we do sugarcoat, nothing gets done, nobody learns anything, let alone yourself.' Even if she not necessarily had been a fan when people turned on those lessons on her, she begrudgingly had seen the benefits over time. 'The good sort of passion, then. I'll take it, I could do with a bit of hard thinking.'

[hiddendarkrosesx]

"Well, I tend to not find murder and chaos to be something fun, so I guess not." dean pointed out with a slight shrug. "I don't know, I think I can be a simple guy when it comes to fun. Maybe like bowling or something in that lane." Dean admitted.

[forgottenelegies]

'WHAT A STRONG moral compass you must have to feel so,' Maysilee dryly put - he could certainly say that again, her own enjoyments certainly not holding any company with the darker chaos of the town. Bowling sounded a far better option in her books. Nodding approvingly, she spoke, 'Well, from experience I can tell you there's a few alleys for that about the place. I've found them to be quite the release.'

[forgottenelegies]

@vcndetta - Bella Swan for Charlie Swan !

THE WORN COPY of Wuthering Heights rests beside her, curriculum giving her another excuse to fall back within the restless folds of the novel. A pen in hand, a permanence, she occasionally scrawls annotations across it - only to put it down as she goes in for a sip of her tea, only for that in turn to knock down as she misses the handle on it. The murky liquid drags across the counter of the diner. She looks up apologetically, grabbing hold of a stack of napkins when she realises the drink is about to spill near the elbow of a stranger. 'My book - clearly so good it's driven me to distraction,' she attempts to speak with humour, wiping down. 'Sorry if I got you.'

[coreofgold]

@forgottenelegies for an extremely super late starter

"Have you ever seen a snake roll over?" Ban Yue asks. "Would you want to?" They've been teaching Timothy the garden snake tricks and wants to test out how well he's doing. She always thinks everything the snakes do are good so they need another opinion.

[forgottenelegies]

EYE'S CREASING WITH levity at the question presented, Sophie took a tentative step forward to the other. 'I never have - but there is a first for everything,' she answered, finding there to be something new in most corners of the city. She tried to delight in them when invited to. 'So please, do let me see.'

[forgottenelegies]

IN A WAY, listening further to his explanations, Sansa found she could easily correlate his - approachability -for those seeking his services so publically, to the behaviours back home. Perhaps him being approached in an open space was nothing more than his equivalent of audiences, albeit rather less organised. 'One must think a doorstop almost feels intrusive, even if it is your office also,' she remarked, adding on, 'Though I feel with the style of cases you take on, they might be more after privacy.' Though sometimes by baring a thing in the public, it went even more unnoticed, a nonchalance coating the exterior. She settled into the seat, making herself comfortable and unlaying her bag a little. 'Thank you.'

[bcrncoldx]

"Perhaps. But for a long time it was my main way of gaining clients. They would seek me out at home." Occasionally they would write in advance, but not everyone did. But it was how things operated back then. There wasn't the technology there was now. "Yes, discretion is always mandatory. People don't need their personal matters broadcast to the world." He gave her a small smile before picking up his mug. "At the very least you'll have a slightly more interesting trip to the coffee shop than usual."

[forgottenelegies]

'SO LONG AS you were comfortable with that, then. It's certainly a sign of your value if they'd simply...seek you out,' spoke Sansa, dropping into a murmur with the last words. She was half amused by the mental image of it; an innocuous home, put upon for business by those seeking his particular skills. And as he proved, at least, it created quite a harbour of respect. 'I suppose as well, if the matters aren't broadcast, it helps with the investigation more.' Things could often be best done in private; the goal achieved more if less knew you to be seeking it. 'Oh, already it's proven quite the informative visit.'