I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity, who uses a machete to cut through red tape.

[burnedbrighter]

Who: Azula, Open to All
What: Just another day at the spa, because you deserve it.
Where: The New Image Day Spa.
When: After the Mini Arena.

In truth Azula suspected she spent far too much time at the Spa. But once a week was reasonable for someone who lived such a stressful life wasn't it?

Her favorite spa was always ready for her, always acted with absolute professionalism. She felt like royalty as she breezed through the doors and the greeters bowed politely taking her coat and guiding her immediately deeper into the building.

In a fit of charity, and a desire to connect deeper with her tributes she's invited a few to join her but she's not sure if or when they'll show up. For now she allows the staff to lead her from one room to the next, full body massage, seaweed wrap, and a trip to the open air mineral water hot springs to completely relax the body and pull out all the toxins and stress that built up in any busy persons life.

After the soak in the hot spring would begin the building up process again. Manicures and painting, hair styling and make up all to make sure that when you left the building you were stunning and beautiful. Depending on how you were dressed you might be ready for a night on the town (Presuming you had your curfew pass)

Today though Azula's plans were entirely focused on the spa and then returning to the tribute center. No more work outs, no more parties. She had to re-evaluate her plans. Things weren't progressing very much at all and it was starting to bother her. Her tributes had seemed to peek in both skill and ambition. Financial donors were getting bored and worst of all? She had joined the resistance months ago and hadn't come upon anything of use she could turn into an offering for them to prove her loyalty.

She was dedicated to the cause of changing the Capitol, she just didn't have a clue how to do it.

This would be an excellent place to think, she was sure of it.

Comments

[burnedbrighter]

The curl at the corner of her lips is small, but noticeable.

"As your mentor I advise you to be wary of birds in the arena. The Capitol has found some creatively terrible ways to weaponize the creatures. However I can see where you would take pity on them for losing their freedom." After all hadn't she felt equally constrained by the walls of her district and the Asylum? Even now the Capitol seemed too small for her liking...though that might be the effects of the mandatory curfew.

"It took me a long time to even admit to myself there was no shame in therapy. I don't have one any longer and I'm not entirely sure I would trust one from the Capitol." She added the last part under her breath.

"The only other supposed therapist I've heard of is that lunatic mentor from District Nine. She once used her training to drive another tribute into a homicidal madness."

It was strange perhaps how easily Azula could transition from perfectly safe conversation into her job and the associated violence of it. But she couldn't help herself at times.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

His smile turns wry. “Trust me, I’m going to be wary of pretty much everything in the arena.” And it doesn’t surprise him at all, to hear that about the Capitol.

“Yeah. Same here.” To all of that, actually - he’d still had one back home, though he didn’t see her very much anymore, but he sure as hell wouldn’t trust one from the Capitol. Especially not after hearing what their solution to speech therapy was from Initiate.

But then he sits up a little when he hears that, his jaw tightening with an almost audible click. “...she what?” He hadn’t even known there were any Tributes - or former Tributes - that called themselves a therapist here, but if that is what she’s doing with it, then maybe that’s a good thing. Sam’s not sure he could be responsible for his actions.

[burnedbrighter]

She noticed his tension, how could she not?

"The tribute is gone now but he was going through a particularly rough patch of self loathing and depression. Harleen Quinnzel was a tribute at the time in his district and when she found him she sat him down, talked to him and...well something snapped. The next arena he was a cold and ruthless killer. Unrepentant and emotionless. So much so he even sliced her in half after the two of them had cut a bloody path through the arena together."

It might actually prove useful to motivate him with a story of how cruel some people could be...or perhaps even stirring up some drama because Quinnzel made herself such a public figure at parties.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

There’s nothing about that story that doesn’t piss him the hell off, but he makes a conscious effort to relax back into the water.

“...if I needed another reason to be glad you’re my mentor, I’ve got it now.” He doubts he could even pretend to work with Quinnzel if he’d known about that, or if she’d tried any of it on him.

Really, for as much choice as Sam has in the matter, he’s just lucky he ended up with someone he doesn’t have to pretend to be willing to work with.

[burnedbrighter]

She chuckled deciding to appreciate the compliment even if it wasn't much of one. After all setting a bar as low as Harley Quinn was hardly an accomplishment to step over.

"Just be wary of any tributes from District Nine. Between Quinn and the girl Mindy they are hardly well adjusted. And before those two fools it was a woman named Eva who was cold, ruthless and reclusive. I actually respected her until she lost her sense and lashed out at the Capitol. You can imagine what happened then...or pull up the news reports I suppose."

Was it any wonder that District Nine was usually a mess?

[sizeofyourbaggage]

His eyes sharpen a little, when he hears District Nine. That’s Steve’s district. Sam wouldn’t want Steve anywhere near someone like that, and that’s supposed to be his mentor? Shit, Sam is definitely going to have to talk to him, see what he thinks of her.

All he says out loud, though, is, “I’ll remember that. And yeah, I can guess. Someone making a target of themselves like that never seems to work out all that well, here.”

It’s another reason why he’s doing this, pretending to play their game.

[burnedbrighter]

"As proven by the particularly brutal opening to the "Mall Arena." When Mr. Rodgers opted for that particularly moving speech of his." Azula agreed deciding to test the waters on this next subject.

She didn't know what Sam's connection was to Steve exactly, but she'd seen enough of them spending time together in the Capitol and the gossip rags had caught a few pictures. She had to find out one way or another.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Oh, there is no way that comment isn’t meant to see what kind of reaction it gets out of him. If it wasn’t Azula, and if Sam hadn’t already heard about that, he might be a little pissed. But it is, and he has, so he just raises an eyebrow at her to let her know that he sees what she’s doing.

“If Rogers is giving a speech, it’s usually something that needs to be said. Sometimes, people don’t like what that is, but their reaction to it is on them, not him.” Then he gives a little one-shouldered shrug. “But I never said he couldn’t be good at making himself a target.”

Especially if doing so meant taking a target off others. It’s one of the many reasons why Sam’s so damn determined to keep an eye on him.

[burnedbrighter]

Ah good he caught on. Knowing that Sam is every bit as perceptive as she was hoping is a comforting feeling.

"It did seem to work out that way. I was surprised they brought him back after that arena. But I suppose when you've got someone with such...stage presence, you make the most of them."

She expected thanks to that stunt Steve would be in the games for a good long while suffering for it.

"Well spoken though. Do they teach public speaking commonly in your world or is he just a natural?"

The water steamed around them and she gestured to one of the servants for a refill, stretching her arms above her head letting her muscles unwind. This was nice. She really ought to have more of her tributes join her for these chats.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

It unsettles him a little, every time people bring up that the Capitol might just not bring someone back, after the arenas. He still hasn't quite come to terms with the whole 'coming back from the dead' thing, he doesn't like trying to add 'but only if the Capitol wants' on top of that.

He doesn't let any of that show, though, just shrugs and quirks a little smile at her question. "Oh, we got loads of public speaking classes, but I doubt he ever took any of them. That's just Rogers."

[burnedbrighter]

"To the great orator then." She raises her drink half an inch in a tiny toast. "May he prove an inspiration to all who hear him for better or worse."

If the Capitol has anything to say about it, worse.

"If I'm entirely candid with you, and I strive to be more straight forward with my tributes these days. If I am honest I've always wanted to inspire others with my deeds. When I was young I was taught that being in the games was a great honor and would bring pride and respect to my family. That the entire district would honor me for what I've done for them."

It is painfully clear from the tone in her voice that this was not how things turned out, but she does not elaborate.

"When I returned to work as a mentor I found it was difficult to inspire the tributes into anything but disdain and irritation. I was just getting in their way the more I tried to enforce my influence over them. So for a man like that to simply stroll in and captivate a room full of strangers? It's a impressive power in it's own right."

A power she craves. A power even the Capitol seems to respect the way they tried to break his spirits.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Sam considers all of that for a long moment.

"Maybe it's because you tried to enforce your influence over them." When Steve talks, at least from what Sam's heard - he never tries to make you do anything. He tells you what he's going to do, he tells you why he thinks it's right, but he leaves the decision up to you.

"I listened to you because you didn't bullshit me, you know? You've got your own motivations for doing what you do, and maybe you're not going to let me in on all of them, but the ones you did, well, they align with mine." He grins a little. "And you sounded like you knew what you were talking about, I'd be stupid not to take that into account."

[burnedbrighter]

She listened thoughtfully and cast a wary gaze at her own reflection in the water. She had...problems with reflections when she was off her medication. They had a tendency to inspire hallucinations and other unpleasant sensations. Just to be safe she dipped her fingertips in the water to cause ripples breaking up the image.

"Well to be fair, I've never credited out tributes for an abundance of common sense. Intelligence yes but stubborn. Especially Shepard. If you would believe it she sought to blackmail me the very first time we met. And all she wanted was for me to do exactly what I was already intending on doing. Procuring sponsorship for her and those that would aid her."

In all honesty she had only intended on supporting Shepard but if feeding her friends is what bought Shepard's loyalty it was a small price to pay.