Open!

[contrarianlibrarian]

Who| China Sorrows and you!
What| Trying to acquire free labor and company, bringing gifts to District 11 Tributes, and creeping on Tower residents and the Arena
Where| Around the Tower, the District 11 Suite, and the Common Area
When| Week 5 and onward
Warnings/Notes| No warnings for now; if you’d like to set up another scenario, I’m open to anything

[All around the Tower]

Winding her way from the outside of the Tower to the elevators is China, a tall stack of books tucked under her chin. Though neither her body nor the stack waver an inch, suggesting she has everything under control, she approaches the first person she spots regardless.

With a bright but apologetic—not sheepish, though, she doesn’t do sheepish—China asks, “Excuse me. I hate to impose, but would you be willing to assist me with these?”

Why she doesn’t just ask an Avox may be one of the questions that springs to mind.

[District 11 Suite]

As Tributes return from the Arena, China’s stationed in the District 11 common area to meet them. She has herself sitting up perfectly straight on one of the couches, hands folded demurely on her lap. Spread out before her is a selection of books, enough so that there’s one for each Tribute and staff member in the District.

There’s a range of topics, from a book of tales about old Panem heroes with a cover verging on the garish to instructional texts on arts like flower arranging. Conspicuously absent from the pile are any factual accounts of history, politics, or warfare.

Inside each one is a small card on which is written, in flourished handwriting, “As thanks for your service to glorious Panem.” There’s the faintest hint of perfume on each one because China doesn’t like overdoing things. And perfume that nice gets expensive.

As anyone approaches the room—whether from outside the suite or their own room—she greets them with a soft smile, “Hello. Do you have a moment?”

[Common Area]

The Games are as enjoyable as ever, but now China watches with a new focus. As each Tribute appears on-screen, she writes something in elegantly looping hand in a tiny notebook. A clipboard would, of course, be much easier. But it just wouldn’t look quite as good; she’s an Escort, not some low-level administrator.

She does do this for every Tribute, so someone may see her jotting down notes on one of their charges or one of their friends.

They also might notice that her attention occasionally wanders from the Games to the other watchers; she doesn’t bother to hide it, though she politely refrains from making any notes on them.

Comments

[lionhearted_victor]

"At the end of the day, Miss China, it's every Tribute for themselves and they should know that better. Would save them a lot of heart break when the inevitable betrayal happens at the end," Leo spoke of this like it was the daily news, mostly because it was. "District 11 and 12, I'm keeping an eye out for them as well. You never know."

"Speaking of family, how have they been? The Sorrows haven't set foot in the Capitol for quite a few years," the man had to ask, though he was more curious about the way China would react. Most Capitolites relished in gossip but a Districter like Leo? Strange enough as is.

[contrarianlibrarian]

She nodded. "One of the benefits to allowing the same Tributes to come back, I suppose. They can learn, adapt, and give us a new show."

"Grandmother, father, and mother are all solidly in their graves and don't show any signs of stirring. As for my brother, I don't believe he plans on coming back, which is likely for the best."

She delivered the words with the same calm smile she'd had when they were talking about less sour topics. Her isolation among her family members really hasn't disturbed her at all. Finally some peace and quiet.

"What of yours? Are they still in your District?"

[lionhearted_victor]

"I'm already looking forward to the next one." An idea formulated in Leo's mind, but first, he answered China's question with pride,

"Still in the District and still working. Not all of the stonemasons are active and for that, I'm thankful my father was spared an early retirement. There is use for us yet." The Cora family wasn't the wealthiest in District 2 but there was something about the rose Raphael always incorporated in his work, it made their work recognizable. It was his way of demonstrating his devotion and admiration towards his wife, a woman described to have the beauty and the barbs of a wild flower.

[contrarianlibrarian]

Another nod; that was a good attitude to have. China wasn't the hardest of workers by her own admission, but she appreciated it in others.

"I'm sure the District is very grateful as well. People say a lot about the skill that goes into their craft." She shook her head slightly. "I can hardly imagine having such a talent."

[lionhearted_victor]

"What, working the stones? It's not as glamorous as whatever the Capitol has, but there's a certain satisfaction of making a slab of marble into an exquisite work of art. What did you do before coming here? I've not seen anyone offer books as a gift to Tributes."

Cora grinned slightly, China was intriguing him that wasn't a lie.

[contrarianlibrarian]

She shook her head slightly. "Creating beauty is a noble pursuit no matter where you do it." Or how.

She smiles; China liked to be sure she was walking an original path. "I own a library. One of the few that deals in print books these days."

[lionhearted_victor]

"Oh? You still carry those relics? Why? Our tablets," he pointed to the one in his pocket, "They preserve the knowledge better than books have. It's allowed us to exist and remember the darker times."

Whatever warped sense of history that came with it. "Is it a niche of sorts?"

[contrarianlibrarian]

She smiled and looked away. "You call them relics and, to me, that implies a certain beauty. A tablet is a valuable tool, certainly, but a book is a cornucopia of sensation. The words and the covers are only the beginning--there's the scent, the feel of the paper, the sound of the pages... The experience simply cannot be replicated."

"It is a niche interest. But no less lovely for it."

It was China's niche and she liked it there.

[lionhearted_victor]

Leo smirked and asked, "May you guide me into such a novel experience?" Was it an attempt to be friendly? Or to see if China's words held any justification for keeping mold fodder?

"While your Tributes come along...or are you busy?"

[contrarianlibrarian]

'Novel' in a conversation about books. China wasn't sure if she wanted to go for a theatrical groan or a laugh, but she wound up not having to choose; his question surprised her enough to chase those thoughts from her head.

"Not at all. I'm still waiting on quite a few to settle in just yet."

And they could wait for her, if need be.

"So, certainly, I would be happy to."

[lionhearted_victor]

Oh, Leo's terrible at being a human being at times but it's even worse when he decides to use a pun or to. It just happened and he settled down onto the nearest chair. "All right then. I have 'The Art of Origami' for this experiment," he taunted good-naturedly, "Simple enough, and you'll get to rejoin your District in no time."

[contrarianlibrarian]

She followed him to the seats and eased down beside him.

"All I ask is that you be gentle with the binding."

She watched, interested to see what he'd do.

[lionhearted_victor]

Leo's first instinct is to flip through some of the pages in rapid succession, as he would on his tablet, sorry China. Before long, he began to hear the soft, soft crinkle of paper, causing him to pause.

"Hm, there's the auditory part," he murmured, mostly to himself. "Are these salvaged or is this your print?" the trainer asked in a professional manner, "You should donate these to the museum, otherwise."

[contrarianlibrarian]

"Isn't it lovely?"

She was prepared to try and go into extolling into the virtues of the book, and his question caught her off guard. She paused for a moment. "Anyone can visit them when they're in the library."

They weren't going to be there anymore, of course, but his was a question she'd rather dodge.

[lionhearted_victor]

The dodge about such a mundane question was immediately filed in Cora's mind, causing him to stop for a moment. How strange of her to dismiss her craft, her hobby like that, maybe a loss? Or a memory to be dismissed. "This looks leather-bound, hand-stitched. Probably from District 10..." he continued with the sense of touch. China was interesting.

[contrarianlibrarian]

She nodded along to his observations. "You're very astute. Have you considered going into the dealing business?"

Given his comment about donations, she imagined the answer would be no. The people in her field didn't tend to have that sense of civic duty.

[lionhearted_victor]

"Not really," Leo assured her, "I'm simply used to handling materials as a way to help my father in the business."

The last time someone tried to dupe Raphael Cora into buying subpar leather had ended in quite the stand-off between the merchant and the trainer. So Cora had a bit of a blood knight tendency, to rush into battle, much more if the bodyguard tried to intimidate the small family into accepting the deal. All was forgiven after two broken arms.

Back to the present, the trainer glossed his fingertips along the ink, "For being a book about hobbies, it's surprisingly well built. I wonder how well kept you have the fiction books?"

[contrarianlibrarian]

"It's a valuable skill to have, nonetheless." The better someone knew their way around materials, the easier time they would have cheating an untrained eye and ensuring they themselves were not cheated. A win-win.

She wraps an arm around her waist. "With our technology, I could hardly allow any of my books to fall into disrepair. You'll find they are all treated with the utmost care." Those were the words she used in her pitches, but she meant them. One of the few times China was genuine was when it came to her treasures.

[lionhearted_victor]

"Will you give the same care to your Tributes as you do your books?" Leo recognized that sincerity in her voice. He had a curiosity to see if she had taken the job as a past-time or an actual opportunity to advance politically. Escorts were a thankless job and even less with Offworlders.

[contrarianlibrarian]

"But of course." She was still doing her best at sounding as genuine as possible, but there was something missing. The hint of passion and love, perhaps, that she couldn't keep out of her voice when she spoke of her books.

China tried not to make it too plain, but she really didn't have the same regard for humans.

"They are important resources for Panem. They may serve a different purpose than my books, but they are valuable nonetheless."

Not a word about them being human too. She didn't feel like she had to pretend too much about being that kind when she was with other staff.

[lionhearted_victor]

That lack of passion would be noted in Leonidas' mental file with China's demeanor. So humans were in a lesser rank than her books...then again, as a librarian, she would be keen to consider them as mere clients, passerby visitors.

But it was the consideration of the Tributes as humans, Leo always had a struggle with that. "What a kind and apt description you have for them, 'resources'." Resources that rendered him and his potential Career Tributes a moot point.

[contrarianlibrarian]

"Would you disagree? The time and energy you invest in your own Tributes would preclude anyone from claiming the don't have value."

And in her mind, value wasn't inferred by merely being human. So resources it was.

But she knew that the Career Districts were hardly fond of the Off-worlders. And why wouldn't they be? It was one fewer jewel in their crown and it erased the purpose of countless hours invested in training. It was a blow to some of Panem's more loyal Districters.

[lionhearted_victor]

China would be spot-on towards Leo's feeling on the new Tributes. He wasn't fond of his own, save for those who have earned his respect. Even then, his resentment was evident, as his worth diminished with every new Tribute.

"I would not. They must earn their keep, their stay here. Some of these are not worth my time...and others have potential."

Yes, that was incredibly bitter of him.

[contrarianlibrarian]

She nodded. "It's sound logic. We invest quite a lot of resources into each one of them." And there were so many more than they'd had in years past.

"I would hope those with potential outweigh those without." She shook her head, disappointed. "But there are sayings about wishes and horses."

"I would hate to pry too much, so I won't ask which of yours have potential if you don't wish to answer."

[lionhearted_victor]

"I used to be in the two-per-Arena cycles, Reapings were much more competitive than they are now," the coach replied as he allowed himself to read some of the pages, indulging in the experience China had offered. There was a charm about it, nostalgic to a fault, almost like the librarian herself. Almost.

"I can answer that question just fine: Thor, Felicity and Jet. They're the most combat and Arena savvy of the Tributes, though I have hopes for this Cullen, if he's able to hold his alliances tight and push forward," Leo answered on the spot, proving that while he wasn't fond of the Tributes, he could name them on the spot and memorized each of their stats and kills.

"Luke is still too emotionally dependent on the other Tributes in his alliance, but there is something there. Might not be Victor material yet, but Clara Murphy and the Signless has proven the game is really about the last stretch."

In his mind, and according to Capitol protocol, those were compliments.