thecapitol | Cuando, Cuando Es [Open]

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Cuando, Cuando Es [Open]

Who| Leo and District 2, Leo and Open
What| A Pre-Arena Assessment and Tribute check-ups while Make a Man Out of You plays in the background
Where| Training Room and District 2
When| May 23
Warnings/Notes| Foul Language, Leo being a callous asshole to Tribute deaths, ect.

[a] District 2 Suites (Closed to D2)

If Life is the School of Hard Knocks, then Arena 13 was a solid blow to the skull in Leonidas's opinion, and part of the shame, he took it upon himself to accept. He couldn't excuse it as his first arena experience in the Capitol, his job before the Never Ending Quell was preparing candidates to fight as Careers. But he accepted the fault with somewhat grace and dignity, his Tributes gave their all and used the resources properly.

With the ever-present banner of "ARENA 14 COMING SOON", Cora grabbed his materials and a list of those under his watch. He rated his Tributes according to their performances in the Ice Arena, ranging from 1 as weaker than a baby rabbit to 10, what he would deem a Career ready for combat. Merlyn was a 3, and would have to take it easy thanks to the completely necessary beating he got from the Peacekeepers. He rated Jet had high enough marks, a solid 9, 10 if he channeled his spouse's death into more kills...

Leo does not knock, he slams his fist to the door of his remaining unknowns, and called out, "UP AND AT THEM, WE HAVE SHIT TO DO BEFORE THE ARENA." He's direct at least. And for Merlyn, he would leave a small box. Inside were the old man's reading glasses, fixed along with some hay for the surviving egg.

[b] Training Suites (open to all)

Training was usually something he did to keep himself fit but Leo could see the effects of combat therapy bear fruit, especially with emotional distress. The spear was exactly where he left it as bitter memories resurfaced with phantom pain. He was a Districter of Panem, a strong man to help his fellows in holding the country in place. To show weakness was unforgivable for the Cora son, to show any cracks in those pillars was unacceptable. But in all of this, and as stupid as it may be, he could never accept being a Capitolite. No thanks, he likes his imperfections.

[c] Around the Capitol (open to all)

As soon as he's done in the Tribute Center, Leo has to dash off and get suited in a suit combo. He's off to meet possible sponsors, to offer them deals and personally apologize for his aforementioned faults. Wearing his dignity and pride on his sleeve while the insults, the denigration Jason served him as armor, Cora strides around the Capitol with his shoulders straight and face lined with a smirk. He represented District 2 in everything he did, and that included his Tributes. Asking him about the so-called wizard's bouts of anti-capitol sentiments would be easily batted out, the poor man comes from very ignorant times, the Peacekeepers weren't too aware of this.

District 2 would have to pull some impressive feats but Leo was up for a challenge.

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Thanks to the regular 'sleep overs' he'd been holding in his apartment, Jet was actually back to feeling as close to normal as he'd felt in months. Actual sleep that lasted more than a few minutes at a time was something he'd missed.

What he hadn't missed were the D2 suites and the note he'd gotten from Leo saying Jet needed to report there. Jet liked Leo, but that didn't mean he had to like reporting to a drill sargeant. He dragged himself out of bed and downstairs to flop his long self out on the couch with a mug of coffee, dressed in his usual work-out wear of shorts and a tank, but his hair down around his chin and the general air that he could fall back asleep any second still around him.

This was where he waited for Leo to get around to him and tell Jet what this was all about. Upon seeing his 'mentor' he did, at least, offer a grumbled "'morning" from inside the ceramic mug.

Edited 2015-05-23 19:31 (UTC)

The greeting was just...pitiful and Leo rolled his eyes. Sleep was for the weak when it went past the necessary seven to eight hours. But if he'd known about Jet thinking of him as anything similar to a mentor, the coach would not have been merciful.

"I'm guessing you had a great night or a bad night," he spoke up, dismissing the Avox that held lists and ads sent in by possible sponsors. The party with Torin and Felicity may have yielded some Capitol wellness companies to sit up and take notice of the Tributes' resilience and they were looking to add more names. But Leo had no intention of imposing such a task on Jet without clearing it with him, more so with the grief.

"The Arena's drawing near, and I know it's a sore spot for you," he began, "But right now, I need to make sure you'll get past the first two weeks."

"A damn good one, all things considered."

He set the mug down and sat up, at least showing Leo the respect Jet felt for him by giving him his attention. "Pretty sure it's a sore spot for most people, but I 'preciate the concern. That said, you don't need to have any for those first two weeks, I'm a soldier, I'll make it that long at least. Especially since the cornucopia's off the table."

He hadn't gone for it since the space arena when he'd gotten shanked and would have bitten it faster if it hadn't turned out to be a powers arena. He couldn't afford to bank on that every time.

"That said, what're you thinking of suggesting?"

"Fair enough," Leo was pleasantly surprised at how quickly Jet caught on to the machinations of the Games. "You'll be getting supplies the first week in, whatever I can muster at first, sponsors are notoriously cheap by then. You need to get exposure, and make sure they see you surviving and carrying. I don't know if exploiting your grief will net you sympathy points but consider it. Not asking you to bawl your eyes out either."

What Leo lacked in empathy during these sorts of situations, he made up for it in strategy, "Soldiers are humans and the Hunger Games are all about human stories. And your alliances?"

'Exploiting his grief?' Even if he were actually still in grieving and not only acting like it, he wouldn't know how to do that. Grief was a private thing, how did you use- well, no, h could think of a thing or two: he and Albert had almost always settled down in some kind of 'homebase' together, looking pathetic while not having Albert around when he should be would probably do the trick.

He hesitated about sharing his intended alliances because this was the split between them: Leo wanted him to win and Jet wanted to protect his friends no matter the cost.

"Sam Wilson, Terezi Pyrope, Bucky Barnes and Venus Dee Milo. I don't know who I'll stick with, but they're my friends and I'm going to have their backs like they'll have mine." It wasn't defensive, but there was statement. That was how he intended to run things.

"Maybe while you're trying to play up my grief you can play up that stupid as hell rumor about me and Sam. Don't Capitolites like that crap?"

"Duly noted," Leo wrote down on his notes how many extra mouths to feed if Jet would find himself needing it. Though the sneaky little grin at the suggestion was evidence that he was willing to swallow his pride and let Tributes suggest their own game plans. In the end, he was merely an enabler to the Capitol for their entertainment, and Tributes never quite followed the plans set forth by their staff.

"Oh they do, but what's more compelling: a cheating spouse who jumps for the nearest tail, or a widower looking for comfort?"

Spoken like a man who had no real connections to anyone but his own flesh and blood. "I'll send something extra your way then."

Jet snorted and gave a shrug. "No idea, this crap's not my expertise. But, from what I've learned in the year and three months or so I've been here, I've learned it doesn't really matter what's going on, the rumor's are gonna spread anyway. Might as well use them, right?"

He didn't necessarily sound like he agreed with his own words, but he was resigned to them.

There's a pause where he seems to be purposefully not looking at Leo, but then he does, already anticipating the response he's going to get.

"Last time, I killed some random sucker who never came back and the guy I hate more than just about anyone and now he's off the table, so....I don't want to kill anyone this time around. Not unless I'm forced to."

Though Jet's line of thought defeated the purpose of the Games themselves, the coach has since realized that, Cullen and Merlyn notwithstanding, Tributes needed space to act and do what they needed to do.

"Fair enough," is probably not the answer Jet would be expecting, "At this point, I'd rather have a Victor who survived the Arena than a sentimental mess that puts everyone else in jeopardy. You have full discretion, Jet, but all I ask is that you do not throw the Arena."

There is a stoic nature to what he was saying. "Kill if you must but do it quickly and make sure you don't have anyone carrying a grudge on you."

It certainly wasn't the answer he was expecting and he can't help searching Leo's face for some kind of hint that he was joking or something. He wasn't. That was good, he definitely wasn't looking to have a fight or whatever about it.

"I think I can manage that. I don't have a beef with anyone in the arena right now -cept maybe Black Tom, but nobody likes that guy- so it shouldn't be a problem.

Anything else you got to tell me?"

"Except the Capitolites and their fanclubs. And yes, actually...keep an eye out for Luke. He's harmless now but if he gets killed, well, you know what happens to him right?"

That virus of his was a curveball that Leo spotted with the other offworlders from that same world. He wasn't a fan of it, or the destruction that it could wreak in the team.

"For the love of all that's good in the world, don't die from infection or worse, bug bites. I will find a way to give you hell if you do."

Jet scoffed and actually looked slightly offended. "Please like hell that'd happen." die by bug bites he'd find some better way to go out if that was what he was facing. No bug was gonna take him out.

Infection he couldn't promise. He was notorious for injury...but hopefully, whatever sponsor had noticed this would keep sending him first aid kits. Even if he did turn around and use them on his friends more often than himself.

"But no, what happens to him? He turn into a vengeful ghost or something?"

Except...there was something else that had happened more than once and even to his friends now and then. Kieran and Clementine and even Initiate last arena.

"Wait, is he a zombie too?"

"Yep, he carries that virus along, it's dormant but it's there," Leo warned him, "If you're in the area and he turns, off with his head, no hesitation, all right?"

But it's in that same breath that he says, "I need you to keep Merlyn safe if you can and away from getting bit. The old man's insane enough to try and talk to the shambling corpse if it'll listen." He knows the old man has a few tricks up his sleeve, "He was punished earlier in the month for squawking along with whatever he had going on. You and Cullen are the strongest in the group...and the old bat's not fully recovered."

"Not a problem." He didn't really know the guy, it wouldn't be hard to do something like that, especially if it was actually more likely to help him and maybe save someone else.

Merlyn, however...well, Jet hadn't talked to him much himself since he'd moved away from the district floor, he didn't see much of his district mates, but protecting an old man sounded like something he'd have done even if Leo hadn't asked. Although...

"I'll try, but most of the old guys I know are tough as freakin' nails and won't let you help them unless they really need it." Gilmore and Kouzomi could probably kick some ass without the cyborgs helping if they didn't have their old age preventing them and they certainly had kept their tongues sharp. Jet got the feeling Merlyn was someone like that.

He almost asked about arena hazards and what he should do about those, but he keeps it to himself. There wasn't much anyone could do about those, even if it was arena hazards that had almost done him in the last few times. Felicity wasn't around anymore, so it really kind of was only up to Cullen and himself from Leo's standpoint. He half wished he could promise the guy he'd win just for the coach's sake, but Jet tried not to be in the habit of lying to someone's face.

"If this arena were to have your powers enabled, I wouldn't be telling you this and allowed you to do as you please. But I'm flying blind, no words from the Gamemakers and I'm pretty sure it will stay that way until the kick-off."

The unspoken question was probably going to be answered, "Barring the space arena, keep an eye out for anything too good to be true. You know these tricks, you know their games, I can only provide you with supplies as things progress but..." he realized how useless he could be if he failed.

Jet's aware of it too, how all of this was basically just a lot of talk. Plans of action that might or might not be helpful, just depending on what happens in the arena. It must be frustrating to not be able to offer something of real substance outside of 'just don't die.'

It made him think about the kid-arena and being forced to watch as people they loved killed each other and had to survive without their adult friends to help them. He, Albert and Venus had spent that night mostly drunk.

"Yeah, but you give a shit and that's pretty helpful enough, so thanks for that at least."

The gratitude is accepted with a weary smile, "It's my job. I used to train the Careers back in D2, but with the ways things have gone, it's a
toss up."

That said, he stood up, "I suppose we are done here unless you've got questions for me," Leo offered civilly.

Jet wished he could offer more, the guy really didn't deserve the crap Jet could imagine he went through for them, and that wasn't a line of thought he had for basically anyone in the Capitol.

He sat up and stretched but shook his head. "Nope, not really. They'll probably come up when I'm in the arena and can't ask." That was usually how it worked. He flashed a smirk, "Thanks, coach." And sat up so he could get on with his usual morning workout routine.

Leonidas chuckled and shook his head, "Because of course they will. Be on the look out for supplies, I'll try to wrangle as many Sponsors as I can in your name." Jet was one of their strongest Tributes, but he could be pleasantly surprised by others like Cullen or even Merlyn.

"Be ready Link," it's the use of the family names that shows how Leo established a sort of bond with the cyborg, "And may the odds," and the Gamemakers, "be in your favor."

With that, he excused himself from the Training Center and went on the hunt for his other victims, er, Tributes. Yes.

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