OPEN Valentine's Day Plot

[thebiddingbaron]

WHO | Everyone
WHAT | Baron sends Valentine's Day gifts to Tribute Tower.
WHEN | Valentine's Day!
WHERE | Tribute Tower
WARNINGS / NOTES | Warnings for drug use and all of the things that go with that. Possibly also sexual themes. The OOC post for this is here.




On the morning of February 14th when the Tributes come down for breakfast they're greeted by an impressive holiday themed spread. Pink and red baked goods, chocolates shaped like hearts, beautiful red and pink flowers, adorable stuffed animals all line the table.

On the table is also a sign in cursive that reads:

To our beloved Tributes, Victors, Mentors, Escorts and Stylists. Enjoy your holiday. -- Bartlett Industries

Most of the sweets are completely harmless, but if the Tributes taste the chocolate covered cherries or caramels they find themselves suddenly acting very strangely...

Comments

[mudbloodhater]

He paused, then nodded in agreement, the gesture small and subtle; he liked being remembered. That was how things ought to be. He was a Malfoy, and that automatically meant something, except there - it didn't mean anything there.

"How?"

[setfires]

"We can work on your Style, on the presentation you bring to the world."

[mudbloodhater]

"Do you have any ideas yet?" Draco asked, looking slightly intrigued by the entire matter.

[setfires]

"I do," Cinna said with a small, slight smile. "I'd like for you to tell me more about your world first."

[mudbloodhater]

"Well, I- I don't know. What about it?" He paused, thinking it over, trying to picture wizarding England and imagine how he might describe it to someone. "It's... It's just England, I suppose. Bit dreary. There's a lot of weather, you know. It's comfortable, though."

[setfires]

"You realize that we haven't had England for over a hundred years. Most of the world was destroyed..." Cinna pointed out. "Tell me about it."

[mudbloodhater]

"Over a hundred years. Merlin, you're almost missing out," he stated, giving Cinna an almost horrified glance. He hadn't been told much about the world he was currently in, really; it made sense that he hadn't the slightest. He'd been focused on other things.

"Well, I suppose it's on the smallish side. Trains going nearly everywhere." He paused, frowning. "Can I tell you about the area I actually lived in instead? I'm afraid I don't go into Muggle London all that often, and I'm not actually that familiar with most of the country. Besides the fact that there's an awful lot of countryside."

[setfires]

"Tell me about the place you consider home," Cinna said. "Anything at all that isn't too painful to share." Despite his curiosity, he didn't want Draco to say anything that would hurt him.

[mudbloodhater]

Draco just nodded. "There's two places I consider home, I suppose - I go to a boarding school for wizards and witches, so I spend most of the year there, and return to Malfoy Manor for the summer and holidays. Erm-" A pause, as he licked his lips, trying to formulate the best way to describe it to someone who had no idea what it was like. "Hogwarts - that's my school - is in the middle of nowhere in Scotland. So it's surrounded for ever with just hills and grass and forests. We've this giant lake right outside, and it's got a giant squid in; my House dormitories are in the dungeons, and we can actually see the thing go by sometimes. It's actually really cool.

"And...being that it's a school for magic, everything about it is magical. The staircases all move, and there's one room up on the seventh floor where you can hide anything. It's hidden the rest of the time, I think; it only ever appears when I need somewhere secret to go." He paused again, frowning a little to himself before shrugging. "It's actually not that bad. I sort of miss it now, despite..." Trailing off, Draco merely offered another little shrug, shaking his head.

"And then I suppose there's the Manor where I grew up. It's huge, off in the countryside in Wiltshire. Nothing but us for ages. Most people just Apparate in or use the Floo Network to come through, since we're so remote, but I rather like the privacy. There's something so grand about a manor house like that being in the family for generations upon generations," he said proudly, a smug grin tugging to his mouth. "There's even these albino peacocks that Father keeps. I don't know why, but they're brilliant. Peacocks!"

[setfires]

Cinna smiled happily as he listened to Draco. And he was doing that, listening. He took in every word that Draco said.

"I love peacocks," he admitted. "Their feathers make a real statement don't they?" He gave Draco what could be a conspiratory smile, as if they were sharing something just between the two of them. Then, after a moment. "What is the Floo Network?"

[mudbloodhater]

It was nice to be properly listened to for a change. He could always tell, and once he noticed Cinna's intent smile, he grinned a little back.

"They're fantastic. I could wear them. We'd match. The peacocks and I, that is," he sniggered, now thinking that he might have a feathered outfit to look forward to. And to think, it would even be tasteful.

"It's this method of travelling by fireplace. They developed a powder, and you just throw it in the fire and say where you want to go, and then you're there. But you have to be clear about it, and you'd better hope that your destination is on the Network, otherwise you're not going to make it. Nasty business, not making it."

[setfires]

Cinna's mind was already going into that direction. Birds were good. Birds could fit into the Mockingjay theme so well. He could see his Tributes all in their own feathers.

"Into the fire?" Cinna said thoughtfully. He also really, really liked that idea. "I take it the magic protects you from burning?"

[mudbloodhater]

Though Draco might not necessarily follow the underlying meanings of the Mockingjay theme, he could hardly complain as long as it looked good.

"Effectively. You can't just walk into a normal fireplace, of course; this fire is always recognisable as being a rather bright poison green," he added, tapping his mouth with his fingertips as he tried to recall any other details about it. It was all just so natural to him, it was coming with some difficulty.

[setfires]

"Green?" Cinna said thoughtfully. "Green would look good on you."

[mudbloodhater]

"Green's one of my house colours, too. I quite like it," Draco grinned.

[setfires]

"House colors?" Cinna asked, thinking he meant something like a family crest.

[mudbloodhater]

"At Hogwarts," he added. "My House was Slytherin - we've got a lot of green and silver and snakes. Not actual snakes, mind, but the imagery."

[setfires]

"Ah. There were other Houses then?"

[mudbloodhater]

"Three others. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff," he nodded. "They've each their own set of generally applicable personality traits, colours, et cetera."

[setfires]

"What personality traits were applicable to your house?"

[mudbloodhater]

"Ambition. Cunning. Resourcefulness." He preened a little. They suited him to a T; there was no doubt in his mind why he had been Sorted there.

[setfires]

Cinna nodded at those words. "What House do you think I'd be?" he asked after a moment, trying to figure out more of Draco's world.

[mudbloodhater]

Draco opened his mouth to reply, then paused, levelling a serious stare at Cinna as he thought. He wasn't a Sorting Hat by any stretch of the imagination, then frowned.

"Ravenclaw."

[setfires]

"What traits do they have?" Cinna asked, curious.

[mudbloodhater]

"Intelligence. Sharp wit. Creativity, originality, all of that. They're not that bad, actually. I sort of like them."