It's punishment. The Districts rebelled against the Capitol a long time ago, and now each District has to give up two Tributes every year to make up for it.
[There's no real change in her expression, except a slight frown as she explains. This is obviously someone who, while she might not like the Games, is used to them and all they entail. Someone who grew up with them.]
[She looks surprised at the very suggestion. Stop the Capitol? Sure, everyone has their own, small ways of fighting against them--dying on your own terms in the Games, refusing to kill other Tributes like they want--but stopping them is an impossible notion.]
Why the hell not? I mean, giant dic-- [ He was going to say dickheads, but catches himself. ] --tators have been toppled before. Why wouldn't that be the case where you're from?
[It's not just the Peacekeepers, who keep an eye on the Districts, and apparently are much stricter in her District than in Katniss'. It makes sense; food is more important than coal, and that means added security.
Her voice goes hushed; they're broaching on a topic that no one in Panem particularly likes.]
The last time the District rebelled, the Capitol wiped out District 13. There's nothing left now, except a bunch of radiation from the bombs.
[ -- ah, shit. He shouldn't lecture her. Rue's really too young to do anything to fight an entire institution. At length, he relents, letting out a breath. ]
Sorry, Nightingale. Didn't mean to hound you, there. Just never heard of a place like that.
Country. I think... [Rue falters a little as she thinks.]
It used to be something else, but a bunch of disasters wiped everything out. Then the Capitol started putting things back together, that's that's how Panem got started.
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[There's no real change in her expression, except a slight frown as she explains. This is obviously someone who, while she might not like the Games, is used to them and all they entail. Someone who grew up with them.]
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And suddenly it clicks-- ]
You got chosen for the Game?
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There's always one boy Tribute and one girl Tribute. They pick names out of the bowls at the Reaping.
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[ -- oops. So much for not swearing in front of the kid. ]
That's-- that's seriously screwed up. It's messed up that they put kids through that. Why hasn't anyone tried to stop 'em?
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You can't stop the Capitol.
[It's said matter-of-factly.]
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Why the hell not? I mean, giant dic-- [ He was going to say dickheads, but catches himself. ] --tators have been toppled before. Why wouldn't that be the case where you're from?
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[It's not just the Peacekeepers, who keep an eye on the Districts, and apparently are much stricter in her District than in Katniss'. It makes sense; food is more important than coal, and that means added security.
Her voice goes hushed; they're broaching on a topic that no one in Panem particularly likes.]
The last time the District rebelled, the Capitol wiped out District 13. There's nothing left now, except a bunch of radiation from the bombs.
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He's quiet for a long moment before finally speaking -- and when he does, his voice is sober, edged with a bit of anger. ]
You've gotta know how screwed up all of this sounds, kid.
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I know it's different for people in other worlds, but that's how it is for us. The Capitol has all the supplies. If we try to fight, we'd lose.
[And who knows what the price they'd have to pay is.]
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Sorry, Nightingale. Didn't mean to hound you, there. Just never heard of a place like that.
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It's okay. Lots of people get upset when I tell them about Panem. It's really different, even with all the other worlds.
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Panem -- name of the country? Continent? Planet?
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It used to be something else, but a bunch of disasters wiped everything out. Then the Capitol started putting things back together, that's that's how Panem got started.
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[ He's quiet for a second, then, ] You got anyone teaching how to fight?
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One of my roommates says he'll teach me! And somebody else days he'll show me how to run faster so I won't get caught.