Staffer's Retreat

[whatisay]

WHO| Every Escort, Stylist and Mentor. Any Capitolites or Peacekeepers who might have reason to oversee or visit.
WHAT| A professional retreat for the overworked, underpaid, and super underappreciated Tribute Care Teams.
WHERE| A chalet in District One, easily accessible by train.
WHEN| Before the next death roll.
WARNINGS| Typical Capitolites being entitled asshats.
NOTES| I've put up some subthreads for various activities, if you want to add more just do so under the appropriate day subheader!

Staffer's Retreat. Mandatory. The teams for each District are given a handful of days to prepare for the weekend, which, they're told, is going to be scheduled for a weekend with no big shake-ups in the Arena and perfect weather for outdoor activities. On Friday morning, they're taken by train to a small chalet tucked into a mountainside. A few inches of snow covers the ground but the sky is clear, reflected in the beautiful lake at the base of the mountain.

Until Sunday evening, their days will be packed with "professional development". The schedule looks something like this:

Friday:
Icebreakers
Trust Falls
Hypothetical Scenarios: How to Be the First Person Chosen for a Bomb Shelter
Three-Legged Race
Self-Care Hour: Mandatory Yoga
Dinner
Breaking Down Stereotypes Workshop

Saturday:
Mandatory Mentor Group Therapy: PTSD is Not An Excuse
Mandatory Escort/Stylist Workshop: Building Trust with Your Tributes
Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training: Focus on Tribute/Mentor and Tribute/Escort Relationships
Lunch
Capture-the-Flag
Group Lego-Building
Dinner
12am Karaoke

Sunday:
5:30am Continental Breakfast
Compliment Circle
Journal Hour
Farewells

Comments

[bravelyplucked]

Torin was going to make his own drink, but if Linden's busy making a drink, then Linden's not really able to drink his own drink. Torin will gladly let the other man do this and give him a nod of thanks. "I'm not too picky, but I'm sure you'll do a better job of it than I would."

[dead_black_eyes]

Linden's hands are steady and sure as he goes through the set of well-practiced motions, acknowledging Torin's nod with one of his own. "Not a better job, necessarily, but... perhaps an easier one. With your arm that way, you probably get a lot of offers for help, so let me know if I ever overstep my bounds."

[bravelyplucked]

There's a rueful smile at that. "I don't think you will. You seem to understand that it doesn't mean I'm completely helpless." Usually, that was how the Capitol rolled. Either they thought Torin was totally helpless, or they completely failed to make allowances and just made things awkward for everyone.

[dead_black_eyes]

"No," he's quick to respond, putting the finishing touch on the drink; a cherry garnish, because they are there, and he likes the way the color and shape sit so pleasantly and promisingly on top of ice. He's conditioned to find the sight very comforting.

"You're not. I don't think that at all. You're actually one of the more capable Mentors."

[bravelyplucked]

"Thank you," Torin says as he takes the drink...even if he's not sure if he's thanking Linden for the drink or the compliment. "I...try. Some things are easier than others."

[dead_black_eyes]

"Oh?" Linden tilts his head, taking a cautious sip of his own weakened drink. "What is easier, in your opinion?"

It's Linden's opinion that, whatever it is, he hasn't been let in on the secret and should be doing more of it.

[bravelyplucked]

"Coaching them on how to work out in the gym or how to use a sword, that's the easy part." Torin takes another sip of his drink. "Thinking about how they're going to use all of this is the difficult bit."

[dead_black_eyes]

Linden falls silent at that, head tilting as he settles into a far more pensive mood. He is a notoriously depressive drunk.

"I think that teaching them how to survive is easy, but teaching them how to accept that they'll probably die is the worst part. The kids in the outlying Districts get told that a lot, and it never gets easier."

[bravelyplucked]

Torin grimaces. "Ours usually go in there thinking they'll fall in some sort of glorious combat if they lose. They don't realize how things really are out there." He sighs. "Like they don't even think death from exposure or starvation is a possibility."

[dead_black_eyes]

"Isn't it a strategy in 1 and 2 to participate in the blood bath and gain control of the Cornucopia?" Linden asks. "I feel like in most of the Games I've watched, that's been what's happened, and if you control the Cornucopia, your chances of dying in those manners are at least less."

[bravelyplucked]

"That's the usual strategy, yes," Torin says with a nod, "But it doesn't always work. Every now and then, the Gamemakers will do something to make the Cornucopia unusable, or there could be other unforeseen circumstances." He actually smiles at that. "Like one of the Tributes from Two deciding he'd rather strike out and take his chances on his own." Which is what he had done, really.

[dead_black_eyes]

"Generalizations don't exist to account for exceptions... you're safer going with the generalization, because at the end of the day, aren't the Hunger Games all about odds?" he asks with a sly, if slightly sleepy smile. "That being said, sometimes betting on a long shot is worth it..."

[bravelyplucked]

"They're all about odds, true, but sometimes I prefer to beat the odds and plan for any contingency." He shrugs. "Doesn't always work, but it means I've done all I can."

[dead_black_eyes]

"Well, a preference really implies that you can, that you have the option," Linden points out, craning his neck, his now-empty drink prompting him to look for more to refill it with. "And having the option is a privilege that not everyone can claim. Otherwise, everyone would be doing that."

[bravelyplucked]

Torin sighs. "That's true enough." Easy enough to do when you spent more time with your Tributes than what the rules allowed. Even though it was an open secret, Torin still didn't really want to talk about it.

[dead_black_eyes]

Talking in general seems to be getting more difficult for Linden. The younger Mentor leans heavily against the table after pouring a shot of whiskey, reaching toward his head in the hopes that it will stop spinning.

"How does this always happen?" he mumbles. "I said I'd take it easy tonight. I meant it, too."

[bravelyplucked]

Torin might offer a reassuring pat on the shoulder to one of his Tributes, but it's always best not to go in for the potentially unwanted contact with another Victor. "Sometimes, things can get away from you like that," he says sympathetically. "There's always the next night."

[dead_black_eyes]

It's probably for the best that Torin avoids contact. Though Linden isn't adverse to touching, he's skittish and unpredictable, and anything unexpected or sudden is likely to get a violent reaction. This is especially true when he's inebriated and his reaction time is dulled, giving him more of a reason to panic.

"What I said last night," he laughs ruefully, downing the shot.

[bravelyplucked]

"Some night, you'll get it." Torin knows that this sort of thing takes time. "You've just got to pick the night that's going to be the first night."

[dead_black_eyes]

He shakes his head slowly.

"Not tonight," he says, attempting to set the shot glass down on the table and missing. It falls to the floor instead, breaking into three differently-sized pieces.

[bravelyplucked]

At least Torin knows someone will be along shortly to clean that up. He'd do it himself, but here and now with all these Capitolite staffers isn't the place. He takes Linden's arm and moves to lead him away. "I think you're done for tonight," he says gently. "That's as good a sign as any."

[dead_black_eyes]

"I suppose you're correct..."

He turns, wavering as he does so; it's fortunate that Torin has his arm supported, because otherwise he might have fallen.

"I can probably get back to my room, don't worry about me..." he slurs, turning in the exact wrong direction and pulling that way.

[bravelyplucked]

Torin makes no move to release Linden, though he does try to guide the man in the proper direction. "The Mentors' rooms are this way. I think it's some kind of employee area over there..."

[dead_black_eyes]

Linden's easy to guide; fortunately (for this situation, at least), he is a compliant enough drunk and recognizes that others are probably better equipped to look out for him than he is himself.

"Right... thanks for that," he murmurs. "By the time I actually get used to this place's layout, the retreat will be over..."

[bravelyplucked]

Torin continues guiding Linden towards the proper rooms. "At least it will be easier on you back at the Capitol. Routine can be helpful at times, and it's simpler to set one there."