paint-by-number morning sky [semi-open!]

[69problems]

Who| Signless and Tony, Signless and the D12 tributes, Signless and YOU!
What| Taking care of business, then taking care of pets.
Where| D12, then the lobby.
When| Now (after the arena, before the crowning).
Warnings/Notes| Nothing I can think of, will add if something comes up.

A. For Tony

Remembering the whirlwind of interviews and speculation and internal conflict he had to deal with after winning, the Signless has left Tony more or less alone since the end of the arena. There's only so long he can put off talking to Twelve's new victor, however, and he feels it's reasonable to want to be on the same page since they're going to be working together. It won't do their tributes any good if they're working hard but working at cross purposes.

With that in mind he stands outside of Tony's door and gives a brief, polite knock.

"Tony? I'd like to speak with you, if you don't mind."

B. For All D12 Tributes

Just as important as keeping on the same page as his co-mentor is keeping up to date with his tributes. In his opinion he'll be best-equipped to help them if he hears from them what it is that they most need. On top of that he wants to get to know all of them better. Twelve is many things and especially right now it's a mixed bag of very different people with very different skills who need very different marketing to make sure they get as much help in the arenas as it's possible for him to secure. Perhaps it's not the most efficient way of doing things but he wants to be sure everyone is being presented to sponsors in a way that they're, if not happy with, at least not vehemently opposed to.

Each of them will receive a brief, friendly note on their door asking to meet in the suite common room at an appointed time for a brief check-in. He parks himself on the couch with a notebook, a pen, and a decidedly non-alcoholic drink, and waits.

C. Open!

It hadn't been as much of a surprise as it might have been when after his crowning he was presented with the small crablike creature the Capitol had billed as a 'mutantblood lusus'. He remembers very well Maximus and his pet tiger. No, the problem with his new pet isn't so much that he hadn't been expecting it and more that it has absolutely no manners. He's discovered that with the exception of himself and Karkat it's distrustful of people at best and attempts to eat their ankles at worst. 'Worst' happens to be its default.

Naturally the solution is taking it down into the lobby of the tower (on a short leash, of course) and attempting to get it used to people. It skitters around his legs, clacking its claws and blinking its four white eyes suspiciously at anyone who gets too close. When it's not making agitated chirping sounds or screeching in alarm at a Capitolite's oh-so-scary shiny accessories it's emitting a low, constant and very uneasy hiss.

"Sorry," he says, nudging it with his foot away from the person it's most recently decided is its mortal enemy. "I'm trying to teach him to be a little more personable and it's not going well."

Comments

[shieldofrohan]

Éowyn had ventured outside a few times since arriving here, but for the most part she spent her time between the training gym and the public spaces, trying to get a handle on the place around her without having to actually venture into the crowded streets. At that moment, she was people-watching, leaning in a corner of the lobby with a cup of tea and a little frown.

When the creature went for her ankles, she jumped back with a little sound of surprise, clutching at her long skirt, and immediately reddened. It was bad enough to have reacted in such a girlish fashion; worse to have done it where everyone could see. That probably wasn't good news for its owner, since it made her all the angrier; the Signless was greeted by a drawn knife and a hard glare, which didn't soften at all when she recognised him.

"What manner of beast is that?" she demanded.

[69problems]

"A harmless one. Now put that away." His voice was quiet but agitated. "Before a peacekeeper sees it."

He'd seen this woman before, briefly, on the network. He knew she was a new arrival in theory, but it was quite another thing to see her do something like draw a knife outside of the training room.

The little white creature made a sort of fizzling sound, lifting its claws toward the knife as though expecting it could pluck it from her hands. It was a defensive gesture more than anything -- perhaps it sensed its companion's unease?

[shieldofrohan]

"Harmless? You will forgive me if I do not take an Orc's word on such things." Her voice was cold, but after a moment, with an air of resentful mistrust, she did tuck the knife away again, disguising it in the folds of her belt. During that time, her eyes didn't move away from him and his beast for even a split second. She barely blinked. "I need no knife to kill it or you, should you press me to it. Remember that, and keep your creature under control."

An empty threat, yes, but one delivered with a haughty kind of certainty that she hoped might make it sufficient.

C

[crabmunicator]

The thing about taking walks is that it always means having to deal with Capitolites. First and most inescapable is their simple existence, bright and garish as a default and ubiquitous through the city. Second is the fandom: while Karkat's particular appeal has eased down in the wake of a less dramatic arena and the general fade in troll popularity (thanks to Tony's win), they never quite disappear. Further has been an uptick in simple media attention, with reporters hounding him more than once for insights or opinions on his mentor and escort after their recent disgraces. More than once he's left a screeching no comment before storming off, but he tries to avoid being cornered when he can.

It's on his way in from a walk soured by a particularly nosy interviewer that he spots the Signless. He's sure it's him; troll horns are less common now, and he's yet to see any Capitolite strolling around with their own miniature lusus. (He hopes most deeply that it stays that way.)

Now, he hasn't been avoiding him. Not really. The end of the arena may have meant an end to their game-watching, but he's stopped by now and then to at least see Mini-Crabdad. But if he has been avoiding one thing, it's the topic of romance. The difference now? A stuck elevator, a long conversation, and a couple other issues besides. And while he could dodge the subject for longer, he's sure the little crab would notice him on the way through - if Signless doesn't spot his horns first.

He bypasses the issue by approaching him directly.

"Whatever you're doing is stupid and can wait. We're going upstairs and we're going to have a conversation." And if Signless will follow Karkat's hand motion, he'll make for the elevator--not the one that broke down on him.

[69problems]

"I -- okay."

Signless by now is well-versed enough in Karkat language to know that this isn't just Karkat wanting to spend time with him. Karkat has something very specific that he wants to address and he wants to do it in private, which means that it's most likely something he considers to be important. If Karkat is coming to him for such a discussion, he's not going to say no.

So he follows the younger troll across the lobby. The miniature lusus has stopped hissing and is now skittering along in front of him, attempting to get far enough ahead to bump itself into Karkat's feet as he walks. Signless is pretty sure Karkat is the only person other than himself that the little crab is actually fond of.

[crabmunicator]

The Signless's cooperation is appreciated. He's not about to divulge why he wants the conversation here, not when the topic is bound to get reporters crawling over them for details.

It's a bit hard to miss the crab bumping against his shoes, though. With a huff he turns to look, then stoops to pick him up in his arms if Signless will give the leash enough slack. "You're a demanding little grub, you know that?"

But from there it's to the elevator, and it's Signless he addresses in saying, "You hit the buttons. I don't trust them."

C.

[ka_sera_sera]

Of course, it's only after he's stopped looking for Signless that Roland finds him. It says something that Roland does not immediately notice anything he's actually doing; the corners of Roland's eyes crinkle and his lips stretch into a smile, but the smile's barely landed there before it shifts into something else completely.

He's taken a few long, hurried steps toward the spot where Signless is talking to someone, mouth already open to say something like, Get your foot away from it, you goddamned idiot! He gets part of the first word out before he sees the leash.

A leash.

A leash, and a complete failure of the thing to reach up and tear away every part of Signless that it can reach.

He has to admit, after a moment, that no matter how long he stares the leash it is probably not going to explain itself. Nor is the creature going to explain itself, although he keeps expecting to hear something from it, something very different from the noises that it is currently making. He notices the texture of his jeans under his fingertips and realizes his body's ready to draw a gun that isn't there. His hand, Roland decides, can stay where it is. This posture, feet set wide, hand at hip, is definitely the right one. Gun or no.

"What in the hell," he demands, certain that Signless will notice and hear him even at this distance. The creature, if he's lucky and it's distracted, might not.

[69problems]

No such luck. Both of their heads swivel toward the gunslinger, one wearing a surprised but pleased expression and the other with spiky mouth slightly open so the hisses can slip out easier. The little lusus takes a few steps toward this strange new threat, its movements twitchy and almost reptilian, before Signless kneels and hooks an arm around it to keep it back.

Perhaps if he knew the history behind Roland's missing fingers he might understand a little better why exactly the other man is so on-guard. He asked, once, but it was too muddied up in Roland's unreliable memory for it to be a story he could tell at the time. All he has to go on right now is that this kind of creature is probably unusual to a human and that's what's causing the negative reaction.

"It's okay. He's just stressed. He hasn't been around this many strange people since my crowning." The creature makes a chittery kind of noise and attempts to climb over his arm; he puts his other hand on its back to hold it down.

[ka_sera_sera]

He itches to step forward, feel Signless' skin under his own, because no stone, no matter how beautiful or lovingly given, is any sort of substitute for present, solid touch. It's a touch Roland's fingers have missed, but they'll have to miss it a little longer because his feet are not going to move. Not more than the small, stuttering steps they take when Signless kneels, anyway.

Kneels, gods. He's been told Signless used to be reckless, and the thought enters his head that that's far more true, apparently, than he'd thought it to be.

"Crowning." His brow furrows, the hand he'd stretched out at that thoughtless kneeling lowering a little. "There was... was something like that at the..." He shakes his head. Focus on what's important.

"Would you stand up, please?" He shakes his head, sounding frustrated and impatient. "Get further away from..." The few fingers of his right hand wave at the thing. "For my sake?"

[arrogantalloy]

For the most part, the media whirl wind had Tony barely out of step. After all, his whole life has been in the spotlight answering strange, or inappropriate questions and being questions about rumors that may or may not have potential video prove of his messing around.

What had actually had Tony keeping himself hidden away was the trouble he was having over the fact that it was him who had one. Of course he knew if he had his technology and armor with him this would be a hell of a lot less surprising, but as it was he can only feel like the only reason he won was because the others were so willing to keep him safe. While Tony didn't have any problems calling the Avengers his team and people who have earnt the title of friends. He's more used to risking his life for others more than the other way around (At least in such an obvious way.). As such since coming out of the arena he's felt strangely apprehensive about approaching them.

Right now he's standing by his window looking out at the view when the Signless knocks. He glances at the door, there's a moment where he contemplates ignoring it but knows he probably shouldn't.

"Yeah. It's open."

He makes no move for the door, he knows it isn't locked and really just assumes it's Sandy come to worry at him.

[69problems]

When the door opens and his visitor steps through it, it becomes abundantly clear that it's not Sandy. It occurs to Signless along with the slightly awkward feel of being in an unfamiliar room that with all of his inter-district sleepovers he hasn't set aside any time recently to bond with those in his own suite.

Well. That ends today.

"How are you holding up?"

He doesn't really expect an entirely truthful answer like he might from someone he knows well, but he also can't not ask. He's in the unique position of being someone that can understand whatever stresses Tony's experiencing as a new victor, if he wants to share them.

[arrogantalloy]

"Probably better than Atlas."

He says vaguely. He's sure there's no real way that the alien will have any real idea about the story of atlas, but Tony talking about things other people didn't know about was a key descriptor of him.

He looks at Signless for a moment then shrugs. He wasn't really sure how he was holding up at this point.

"Been a while since I've been in the capital bleeding." His arm was still bandaged to help heal his major burn from the arena, his face was mostly clean short of a few healing cuts and bruises with all other wounds hidden by his clothes. They all ached, probably more than when he was taken into custody for the jail break and treated far too roughly for his liking there. But like always it was nothing Tony couldn't hide well enough.

"What about you. I mean. First arena just watching and all, right?"

He didn't care in the strictest sense about how the troll was handling things, but having him talk about himself was time he wasn't questioning Tony.

[reallynow]

For entirely different reasons, Jolie lets her pet wander freely as sparingly as she can. It's not that he's vicious, it's more that he's skittish. He's definitely become something more of a lap armadillo, which is the most ridiculous title she's ever bestowed upon something. Coconut, she feels, is very deserving of that position at least.

It's one of those rare days when he's free to snuffle the lobby rather than being given free reign of the work-room in District Eight. He's very proudly adorned with metallic red and gold paints with small silver diamante outlining certain ridges. On his head there's a plain, red bow because they're going for the subtle look today.

Jolie is distracted by the papers in her hand and Coconut pulls lightly at the leash as he shyly makes an attempt to approach the strange looking crab. It doesn't take more than a hiss to have him reeling, and Jolie is alerted by the fact that he rolls into a ball and bumps against her foot. She spares a confused glance down at him, then she turns to look from Signless, to his pet, then back to Signless.

"Have you tried spritzing it? With holy water, maybe?" She suggests, leaning down to pick up what looks to be a small, gaudy basketball.

[69problems]

Oh, ha ha. He gives her a wry smile, prodding the tiny crab back with one foot so that it doesn't try to pounce on Jolie while her face is closer to its range of motion. There's no way that could end well.

"Is that how you taught your..." What even is that? "Your shellbeast to be so well-behaved?"

He's serious, too. He has no idea how to train a pet: all he's had up to now has been tribbles and those mostly just sit around being soft. Any advice is advice he'll take.

[reallynow]

Jolie is about to answer, she really is. She has a whole wealth of knowledge on teaching small, vicious creatures how to behave. She learned all that from drag bars, of course. It's the name that catches her off guard, and she can't help crinkling her nose in response.

"Shellbeast? It's an armadillo, bitch." And she says that with sincere affection, perhaps a little condescendingly. "Well, I mean. He wasn't exactly much to deal with to start with. The whole ball thing is basically his coping mechanism for most things."

She holds him out, just so Signless can get a better look at her adorable sphere. "Spritzing anyone in the face tends to make them think twice about shit. Why? You having problems with your...thing?" Yeah, she doesn't know what that is.

C

[inrestlessdreams]

The skittering noises are the first indication that James is not going to have a good time right now. It's even worse when he spots the origin of the sound, the nipping of his ankles and his first instinct isn't to scream but to look for any blunt object and beat it to death. Someone was having flashbacks to the Creepers in Silent Hill and this? This wasn't helping at all.

"Please get it a-away from me before I do something I might regret."

Too late on that front, but he's so spooked, he doesn't notice just how alien the owner is.

[69problems]

"Sorry! Sorry." He kneels and scoops the little crab up into his arms. It kicks its powerful back legs and clacks its claws and in general makes a very concentrated attempt to escape until he puts a hand over its four eyes and it settles with a reluctant shuffle.

"I promise that he doesn't really mean any harm. He's just... protective. Are you alright? Unhurt?"

[inrestlessdreams]

"I-I'm gonna be okay, just...please," Yeah James needed a moment to breathe and settle down from almost killing someone's pet. Even if said pet is a crab. A very strange crab who seems straight out of a B-movie.

"What is that? Some kind of bug?" he had to ask that.

c

[reassures]

Nill had certainly seen the odd miniature lusus when the Signless's Crowning happened, but between spending the evening with several people who honestly needed her around and then being carted off for the Arena, actually getting a look at it was something she'd completely forgotten about. She never expected the Capitol to keep it around, and at the time couldn't even be sure it wasn't a robot of some sort.

Now that she's considerably closer to the little guy, it's a lot easier to see that that's not actually the case. Nill blinks down at the tiny all-white creature when she hears it hissing, and though she doesn't look particularly alarmed she does scoot a few inches away, if not to save her ankles then to hopefully put the little guy more at ease. The Signless gets a little wave, but Nill is sufficiently distracted by mini-crabdad.

If it was from Alternia would the wings bother it? She knows a little about what angels are for trolls, mostly through bits and pieces from the Initiate's head. To be on the safe side she tucks her wings in close to her back, and flips to an empty page in her notebook. Even when she holds it up for the Signless Nill still looks a little on the distracted side.

...for such a wary little thing it's really cute.

they let you keep him?

[69problems]

"More like they told me he was my responsibility from now on and handed me the leash," he says, without a hint of any actual annoyance. Much as it was a surprise to suddenly have another pet, he kind of likes the little creature. He can't imagine what might have happened to it otherwise after it outlived its purpose as a prop at the crowning.

"But I've liked having him around so far, even if he needs to learn manners."

[reassures]

She very much looks like she'd enjoy crouching down to get a better look at the tiny lusus, but that might just scare it, and that's far from what she wants to do here. Her knees do bend a little though so she can get a better look, and she smiles at mini crabdad, but otherwise doesn't get any closer. Then she straightens, and gives the Signless the attention she probably should have from the start.

it's nice to see you.
does he have a name?

C

[carnagecarnival]

"Well of course it ain't. WHY EVER WOULD SUCH THINGS BE BEING ABOUT GOING THE MOTHERFUCK WELL?"

He says it from behind, likely startling the beast ever more. He strolls on up, his own answering hiss slipping out to echo the not-lusus, maybe cow it some. Enough. Either damn way he's slipping his arms on around the Signless and there ain't nothing the crab can be at to do about it.

Even if he's got at to stick a foot out to block its attacks.

"You tried strifing it yet?" He asks. "HEARD THAT WORKS."

[69problems]

Predictably, the tiny lusus is not pleased with this big scary purple thing barging into its territory. It clicks and chirps and skitters back and forth in clear annoyance, but the foot keeps it back and unable to do much more.

"I can't imagine that fighting him would calm him down any." He slips the arm not holding the leash around Kurloz's lower back, lets himself settle into the hug. Tiny Crabdad can deal with not being the center of attention for a few seconds.

[yoknapatawpha]

Bayard feels guilty that it takes him so long to meet his Mentor, but in his defense, the first time he saw Signless he was certain he was looking at a fire and brimstone devil and hid straight under the bed. He knows it's untoward to decline an invitation but once the opportunity for the scheduled meeting is missed, he still isn't sure who it is that his Mentor is. It only occurs to him after a few weeks and some explanation that the grey-skinned demon-man he's seen from behind doors and curtains is in fact as much a man as he is (if not a human).

So it's with both trepidation and an air of apology that Bayard finally approaches Signless one day while the latter is in the kitchen. For once, Bayard isn't making a 'raid' for the sweets, as he's keen to call it when he gathers up the front of his shirt with little cakes and candies and goes to hide them in his room, curating his hoard in a box that he hides inside his mattress. Instead, he's not being a child but attempting to be an adult who faces his fear of the unknown with gentlemanly cordiality.

He looks a bit awkward regardless, because he still isn't comfortable in the clothes the Stylists put him in, with their slick fabrics and their velcro. As far as he's concerned a plain shirt and some slacks should be fine for a day of relative leisure, with a collar if he needs to dress it up some and a proper suit only for special occasions, but his Stylist has insist on t-shirts with logos, cargo pants, a cap that Bayard thinks looks quite silly even though he likes the bill.

"Good morning, sir. I reckon I owe you an apology." He stops across the counter, then steps from behind it with the solemnity of a businessman who has nothing to sell.

[69problems]

"For what, Bayard?" Signless asks, looking up from the mug of tea steeping in his hands. He has an idea, of course: out of all of his tributes, Bayard has been one of the more difficult to get hold of. He's hardly seen the boy around since he returned from the arena. He's made it his policy not to push his tributes (which probably speaks more to his inexperience as a Mentor than anything else), and so he hasn't tried to corner Bayard the way another Mentor might have. He figured Bayard would find him when he was ready -- and lo and behold! He was right.

"You haven't done anything wrong."