thecapitol | [open] Follow the Leader

Entry tags:

[open] Follow the Leader

Who| Leonidas Cora and Open!
What| Leo catches up with his Tributes, the Capitol
Where| Training Center and the Capitol
When| August 7 and 8
Warnings/Notes| D2 Priorities, so expect callous description of murder and foul language

I – Training Center (Open to all)

The number of Tributes dwindled with every Arena and Leo wouldn’t be too surprised if some never really made it back at all. Garrett’s return was a boon; the thief had one Arena under his belt. Cullen had no real drive to be of any use…the Batter had the makings of being a Career but lacked the Arena experience. These were things he had to account for in the next Arena and ...well... Jet Link was permanently gone.

So yes, Leo is extra bitter this time around, because another Arena that could have been survivable if they played the rules right but nope. Worse, it was won by one of the oldest, if not THE oldest Tribute District 10 had…it said a lot about the odds in favor of his District. So if anyone were to find Cora, he’s training, stabbing something in the Training Room, or running so many simulations on the computer,

He’s sent all District 2 Tributes a summons to show up at different appointment, to hand them specific sponsors to appeal to and their performance in the last Arena. If Signless was taking a proactive approach to Mentoring, Cora wasn’t going to let him win this little competition they have.

II – Capitol Shopping District (Open)

No sleep was lost for Leo as the Tributes were forced to get jobs in and around the Capitol to make up for the Districts pay for their credit. He’d been wondering about the extravagant lifestyles some of them had and with no way to account for it. Sure, it meant that the staff had to scramble to find more sponsors and maybe even jobs if need be. The Capitol thrived on publicity, on making every Assi worth it.

For now, he sits in a coffee shop, to work somewhere outside from the Tower while also getting a proper gauge of how his District Tributes were seen. The man was clearly on a mission but he had to be a professional about it. From what he hears…it’s not great and

III – Training Center (Closed to China Sorrows)

The invitation sent to China’s suite was as every bit as Spartan as the training she would get from the Small Lion. It read:

You are cordially invited to take part in a fencing session. Please dress comfortably for the occasion, tea and snacks will be available.

I don’t go back on my word, Miss Sorrows. I hope this will be to your liking.

Leo was already making sure that every set of equipment was up to snuff…they were going to indulge in a bit of violent behavior within the Capitol.

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"You got lucky, you do have a support net, your tributes cooperate..." Leonidas tried to be more supportive in his own way but with his own problems, he momentarily feared he'd come off as arrogant.

The fear disappeared as soon as he remembered that, while they were not in the Arena, they still competed for the resources to feed their Districts. The problem with the Career Districts is that it's not cheap maintaining their position of favor to the Capitol.

"Merlyn worries me."

Linden nods, appreciating the superficial attempt at support. For what it is, it's a small kindness and a little glimmer of empathy in a city that's frequently without it.

"Merlyn? I'll admit I'm glad I don't have him in 6," Linden says, shoulders curving forward as if imagining what kind of weight that would put on his already stressed and bent back. "He seems like a handful. What's he done that's especially difficult?"

"Consider yourself lucky...the old man's been riling up a storm and he's going to get killed or Avoxed at this rate," Where the old Leo would have been more acrid in his delivery, taking care of the little swallow and making sure it was fed softened the Career. "He keeps spreading his ideals, those Peacekeepers will not go easy on him. He's ancient! He can't take another beating."

The trainer wouldn't admit it either but the wizard had made him think, think more of the powers that be and their place in Panem. That the Capitol was taking much more than it gave back.

Linden rarely considers himself lucky, but he nods blandly for the sake of agreeableness, even though the mention of Avoxes is a serious one. He knows that the Peacekeepers aren't going easy on anyone these days, making it dangerous for Capitolites and Districters and Offworlders alike.

"Ancient people tend to be strong. It's how they lived so long," he offers, well aware that most in Panem can't expect that luxury.

"This one's pushing his luck, the man is not cooperating and he's gotten lucky that he/'s entertaining in the Arena...or else, I'd be tending to an orphaned swallow bird," Leo admitted to having grown fond of the chick left behind. "There's a time and place to discuss matters but raving like a lunatic isn't helping anyone."

It was like seeing a grandfather being beaten to an inch of his life, even a former Career like Cora can't help feel responsible for the old guy.

"No, it certainly doesn't help... Even if lunacy can likely only assist his case," Linden admits, thinking of what he's gotten away with courtesy of just probably not being all there from the perspective of most Capitolites. Part of it is absolutely being a Victor, but even in the Districts if someone is mentally unsound, those around them tend to offer a wider berth and more general compassion.

He supposes that to find out how they're treated in the Capitol he'd have to ask Compson, but he doesn't generally try to find reasons to interact with the man if he can help it.

"If he has no control over what he's doing, how could he be punished for it?"

"Because what he says doesn't necessarily agree with the established knowledge," Leo thought out loud, not fully admitting that some of Merlyn's ideas have sneaked up on him and he's started to look deeper. Not to the point of sedition but to learn more about the world outside of Panem. This was a dangerous set of questions: was there anything outside the Capitol's protection? Were there any other countries?

"He'll be punished...and for once, I don't want him to be."

Linden's own lessons took root in unexpected ways for the coach, as he's grown to care about the Tributes he's been assigned, more like people than the numbers they were scored. It felt as if Leonidas was forced every day to see a mirror image, and see where his indoctrination ended and his own thoughts started.

"If he's an old, crazy Offworlder, I don't think that punishment is going to do more than strengthen his resolve," Linden points out. "That's the truth of it, if you're interested in hearing it... when someone's been that opinionated for that long, you're trying to change something that's already fully formed. Thank goodness for the Youth Programme, am I right?"

"Correct, it's made him bolder, and-again, be thankful for your tributes because I swear this is the Universe getting creative with my fate," Cora huffed then agreed, "Old man's looking for a more final punishment, can't say I agree but he's got one hell of a commitment to his ideals." The old Leo, the one in the Districts would be disgusted at his present self for allowing such thoughts but them's the breaks.

"Yes, thank goodness for that," Leonidas couldn't muster up the energies to appear more than the minimum requirement of Capitol admiration. "None of mine are in there but it does educate the Tributes about the Capitol." And not much else unfortunately.

"I am thankful for my Tributes," Linden confirms, softly but firmly. "I think that every Mentor should be, every year, for however long that they last. Even this crazy old man, committed to something that can hurt him... I have to admit that I understand that mindset, and while I don't support him, I do sympathize."

He offers a slight smile.

"It's good of you to worry about him, you know. Human."

"It's sometimes easy to forget they all are, or at least humanlike," Leo admitted without a hint of irony or bite to the statement. "And contrary to what Compson thinks, that's not seditious at all."

Two arenas later and now Cora has begun to see the Tributes as they are: people and not mere tools to promote the Hunger Games. He returns the smile just as slightly. "You forget who they're fighting for...and even District 2 recognizes their sacrifices."

Some more than others. "The old man may spout nonsense but it's like seeing my grandfather over there." The man whose name Leo inherited: Leonidas Aligheri Cora, The Strong-willed Lion.

Linden nods in hasty agreement. It's not seditious, of course, who would even imply that?

It's probably safer not to imply that anything is, for fear of it being examined too closely.

"I don't forget much lately, being sober and all," he reports. "Who knows? Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll win one of the coming Arenas. Then he won't have to go back."

"I'd rather have him petitioned out and let him live somewhere where he can write and spout all the concepts he wants. Most Capitolites would treat him like a recluse and he gets to keep his life," Leo shrugged it off, "If he does win an arena, I'm bound by my word to eat a hat."

A glimpse as to how the dynamics are at District 2, it may not be the Career Tribute maker that it once was but Cora makes sure they're all safe.

"I would certainly celebrate the victory but my stomach would disagree. How are you feeling since your surgery?"

"You promised that? Those are always the promises you have to uphold," Linden chuckles. "The ones you make because at the time, they seem impossible, and you're counting on the laws of reality and probability to make you into a faultless liar."

The topic change is one that has him back to freezing his disingenuous smile in place and nodding reassuringly. "You know that the Capitol has the best," he says. "I'm recovering well, all things considered. I have many years of Mentoring ahead of me."

In the end, it's a life sentence, the slowest possible execution in Panem.

"Thank you for asking, and most of all for making it sound like you really care, and it's not just an obligation to wish a known trainwreck well."

"Remember me as I was, with a functioning stomach after all this, the old man actually proved himself capable in the field, for a so-called pacifist," Leo grimaced at Linden's insistence, "A man is his word after all."

The coach then shot a look at the Mentor, "And you make it sound like I don't consider you a coworker whose presence I would miss dearly." At least he's blunt about his fellow staff.

"Nothing more and nothing less," Linden ascertains with grim amusement. "Hopefully he doesn't literally expect you to keep it, but I'd at least perform a token gesture. Bake a pastry in the shape of a hat, eat it, and I would consider your word untarnished."

He offers a faint smile. His way for bending and getting around rules is one that's a bit of a headache to a lot of people, but it's also useful when he's in the mood to share tips.

"Is that the truth? I'm honored."

"If anything, I'll have the thing look as much like an actual hat as possible. My digestive tract thanks you in advance, Lockhearst," And Leo adds in a dramatic bow while keeping his fellow staff member's shopping intact.

"Don't be honored by a cripple," Cora's laugh was as biting as it was in jest, "Apparently that's the insult in vogue these days."

"And my brain says that your digestive track is welcome," Linden says with a sigh and what resembles an eye roll, but it's nevertheless in fairly good humor. The bow makes him feel a little like he isn't being taken seriously, but then again, he's pretty damn used to that by now, even from Districters and Careers he is relatively friendly with.

"Is it now? What a strange one," Linden says, thinking about how in 6, there'd be slim pickings to accept honor from if it was indeed the case. "I can't say I much care for it. Infirmity is no reason a person can't meaningfully contribute, and that extends to something as abstract as honor."

Leo wasn't one to disrespect those of higher ranking but he felt some levity was in order.

"Ask our mutual Capitolite friend and he will tell you I should be deported or considered a charity case," the trainer clarified just before entering the tower. "But if you ask me, variety in your staff is the spice of life."

And really, what better television is there besides the Games than the drama in the tower itself?

Linden quirks a brow and then offers a generous eye-roll at the mention of Jason Comspon. With his overlarge eyes, it's an expression that's fairly difficult to miss, and with the amount of contempt Linden feels for a lot of people in the Capitol, he does it relatively frequently.

"If it's any consolation, he thinks I should be shot so that I'm not a further strain on the country's resources," Linden contributes blandly. "For the record, I agree. Variety, within reason and productivity, is highly desirable."

"The man seems to make friends wherever he goes," Not even the most suspicious Capitolite could deny that Jason was problematic to be around unless he was sucking up for sponsors and a job. And even then, from what Leo could see, Compson seemed to have sandpaper up his ass.

As Cora settled Linden's items down where an Avox could fetch them, he grinned, "It'd be one hell of a tragedy to see that happen. You're different from the others, not sure if that's a good thing but it's there."

Linden's response is a soft snort, acknowledging the sarcasm without contributing to it. Since the latest altercation with Compson, he actually feels a little sorry for the man in addition to finding him insufferable, but that's a strange thing to admit under the current circumstances and in the context of this conversation.

"Different from the others? Nonsense..." he murmurs. "At any rate, I'm glad we had this talk."

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[open] Follow the Leader

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