'Cause we all wanna party when the funeral ends and we all get together when we bury our friends

[etcircenses]

Who| TYP Children and You?
What| TYP Children have the opportunity to look around.
Where| The Tribute Tower main floor.
When| Now through the week leading up to the arena.
Warnings/Notes| TYP children showing up early is not mandatory. This is merely an avenue for those NPC players who were interested.

In part with the President’s wishes, the District children are not training or living in the same building, but rather, a refurbished old Tribute tower as was used in the days before Tributes were offworlders of vast number. Mentors, Escorts, and Stylists alike will need to travel to the new building to work with them, then travel back to see to their offworld Tributes. Public appearances are minimal so long as the Tribute is kept busy with training and private interviews. There is, however, a brief chance to meet a few of them before the arena, should you catch them on a visit to the offworlder’s tower, restricted to the main floor. Through this, the lucky few District children able to show are allowed fleeting glimpses in person of those they will be competing with and possibly even a chance to talk to them in person.

Comments

Aemila, D2

[timetoshine]

Aemila has something on her side that none of these other reaped children have: she volunteered. She wants to be here and it's clear in the way the Capitol brings a huge grin to her face as though she's finally seeing someplace she'd only ever dreamed of. When she's in the tower, though, she's determined and focused, but clearly much more at ease and comfortable in her surroundings. It's true, District 2 wasn't nearly so nice as all this, but coming from a prestigious peacekeeping family means she's prepared enough for everything around her.

In the lobby, she sits comfortably with her legs crossed on the couch cushion, sometimes playing with a necklace that's around her neck at all times, sometimes writing something down and sometimes simply watching the competition come and go, sizing them up.

Where she's most active is the training center where it's clear she's no pushover. The dummies she hits with her fists sustain damage and the targets she takes more than one weapon to are left riddled with slices, holes and dents. She's never tried this on another person before, but it's clear she's had plenty of practice on her own long before coming to the Capitol.

you rang?

[lionhearted_victor]

Leonidas wasn't one to delay in meeting his Tributes, even less so when he watches Aemila tear the targets apart. It's been too damn long since he's seen a District Career take up the arms and perform so well...it makes the man homesick for his old training studio.

"At ease," he makes his presence known as he would in the District he was so loyal to. There a needling feeling in the back of his mind that he can't quite place, but he shows a familiar pride. "I see you've made yourself welcome in the Training facilities."

Yesss plz and thank you *^*

[timetoshine]

She's got a spear in hand, a weapon she's weaker on than others, when he speaks up and her reaction is automatic. Her stance relaxes and she holds the spear with both hands behind her, like a soldier awaiting orders.

When she sees who it is, her face lights up with recognition. She'd been watching these new games religiously ever since they started and the District 2 coach was well known back home. Well known and well respected in Aemila's opinion.

"Leonidas Cora. I'm honored to be working with you." Her words are a learned formality, but there's a roughness to her speech and tone that belies the tough-talking teen under a peacekeeper's training.

i missed you <3

[lionhearted_victor]

"Likewise, cadet," the title is not easily given out as Cora studied Aemila's stance with his favorite weapon. "Reading your file, I'm guessing you had a Peacekeeper's tutoring rather than the usual private coaches." In other words, this was a Career since the day she was born.

He then takes in account something that most of the students back home seem to forget, "How is your foraging and your survival skills? You're well aware that these Games are chance and making sure you live another day."

How could she not be? This is what D2 is all about: masonry and excelling at making the most out of the worst. His father once said a man can make a house out of rocks and rubble, he just has to see beyond the mess.

i missed you too also i'm sorry for how late this is <3

[timetoshine]

When he mentions her Peacekeeper's training she noticeably swells with pride, but it fumbles as he asks her about her foraging skills.

She had, indeed, forgot.

"I can build things and I know how to make a fire." But there was hesitation. She wasn't very well-versed in plants or animals or even hunting anything that wasn't another person but, likely, that part would be similar.

She took an obvious moment to swallow her pride before looking to him again. "Will you help me? I...didn't think much beyond how to fight." She wanted to win and if she couldn't take care of herself, that wouldn't happen.

don't worry about it!

[lionhearted_victor]

It takes a lot of pride and indoctrination for any human being to find Aemila's determination and fighting to be endearing. Leonidas is a product of the Capitol's wish to prolong the Hunger Games and he smiles at the cadet's sincerity. Aemila was going to pull through, one way or the other.

"That's what I'm here for," he reminded her, "Eliminating the competition can only do so much in these Games, it's about outlasting the rest." He's got that District loyalty that Jason has called seditious, but how could he not with seeing that there are still people like Aemila, willing to lay down their lives for Panem?

[timetoshine]

She ate up his words with ravenous attention. He could tell her that believing the sky was purple would help her chances and she'd start believing. She took a moment to put the staff away and then stood in a relaxed and attentive pose, eyes sharp and on him.

"I understand. I'm ready to listen to whatever you've got to tell me, Coach. What'd you think's most likely to be a problem I need to watch out for?"

[lionhearted_victor]

Leo's old Career ways surfaced as he remembered what it was like to have people respect his opinion and not dismiss him as a bitter has-been. Aemila was strong enough and probably trained in how to kill her competition and for her food.

"Have you done any hunting? Most of the fauna in the arena can be edible but never trust what the Capitol brings from the other worlds. Stick to the animals you know. Plants are much more subtle, mushrooms are never a good idea and you will have to collaborate with your Districtmates."

That might not go down so well.

[timetoshine]

She pulls a face at that very last part. "No way, they're ungrateful rebel-sympathizers. I don't need allies."

She pauses in her vehemence and looks away as something seems to come to mind. "I guess...there's the Batter. He's okay. For an offworlder."

He was really cool, one of the only ones now that some of her favorites were gone. Even still, she didn't want to rely on anyone but herself if she could, she was the only person she could really trust to have her back.

[lionhearted_victor]

"That's where your failings are. Offworlders are tricky but they will help those who are natives. They don't see the honor that comes with dying in the Arena, why not use it to your advantage?"

Leo's a manipulative bitch sometimes but in this case, it was justified. Some of the Tributes out there were effective killers and as the weeks progress, the coach knows they will turn desperate. Aemila was trained like a soldier but she has no experience in the actual field.

"Alliances are what keep this nation going, the Capitol and the Districts. To honor that tradition is something we must continue. The Batter is the closest the offworlders have to a Career, a man driven to serve. As the daughter of a Peacekeeper, you know this."

[timetoshine]

She looked down, a little shamefaced with her failings presented so plainly before her. He wasn't wrong, but she didn't want to admit it.

But pride for herself shouldn't be above pride for her district or her family's name. She drew it back in and nodded.

"I understand. I'll make alliances." And if one of them started spewing rotten rhetoric, she'd bite her tongue and hold out for a chance to get even.

"Thank you, coach."

[lionhearted_victor]

Districter pride is strong with this one and the more Leo studied Aemila, the more he's reminded of the old ways. Where it was an honor to go out to the Arena and win or die with honor. The Offworlders destroyed this, made death cheap...was this Snow's intent with these native tributes? To remind them all about the sacrifices?

"Carry on with your training but remember that if you're going to survive, cooperation will be more of a boon than any weapon. Nothing can break mountains, as my grandfather used to say," Cora spoke solemnly, as he would any cadet that graduated to Tribute, but also slipped in some District 2 pride.

[expurge]

He's been working hard. He knows he needs to expand his horizons - it's difficult locating a bat or blunt instrument in the arenas, but there are plenty of knives and daggers usually within easy reach. If he can't find a bat this time, he'll have to know how to better use a blade, and increase his chances of success this time.

As such, he's spent more time in the training center than ever. It's almost routine now. Wake up, train, rest, train some more. He's running himself ragged, but it'll surely pay off.

But now he's exhausted, taking a break near the sidelines to clear his head. That, and to keep an eye on the competition - the training center is usually pretty busy, and this time there's more younger tributes than before. He keeps watch, not out of a parental or guardian sort of need to, but simply out of curiosity. Curiosity that piques watching a young girl practically demolish a practice dummy.

"Impressive."

You know. For a child.

[timetoshine]

Aemila's stance is fluid while in motion, but rigid and practiced when stopped and she turns to face the speaker as she comes back to this default state.

But once she sees who it is her eyes go wide a moment and her stance relaxes as she's caught off guard by her company.

"You're The Batter, right? Oh my gosh, you're fantastic in the arena! A real District 2 tribute, or well, close enough!"

[expurge]

She recognizes him.

That ... hasn't happened before.

It isn't as if he's used to this sort of celebrity status. He wasn't necessarily popular back home or anything, and Panem is a far cry different from his purified home world. So, someone - anyone, really, but especially a young child - being excited to see him is something he's not experienced before. Hopefully she'll excuse him for being a little awkward with this newfound attention.

"I am," he answers, resting a hand on his hip. The girl's definitely a well practiced fighter for her age, so at least it's someone worthy of being called his ... fan. "What would be considered a real District 2 tribute, if I am not so?"

[timetoshine]

Her face splits into a grin and she gestures to herself with full confidence. "Well, me, silly. I was born and raised in two, you're an offworlder. I was trained to fight and survive and I might've even been a career and participated in the games sooner if you guys hadn't been brought in; that makes me a little more official, don't you think?"

She finally lost her star-struck pose, but the smile didn't falter as she went to put her weapon away. "So, how 'bout it, are you willing to give me a little show of that skill you got? I mean, I know bats aren't a hot commodity, but there's got to be other things you're good at too, right?"

[expurge]

... oh.

Well, at least it wasn't the most embarrassing flub he'd made in his time in Panem. He tries not to look put off, and usually the Batter is good with keeping telling emotions in check, a simple shuffle of his foot the only sign. At the very least, it's good to have people on his side and rooting for him. Even if said people is a small people.

"I prefer my bat," he answers, mostly to himself - it's incredibly difficult to get ahold of one outside the training center. Ridiculous. "I've practiced with blades. Knives and swords require different tactics, I am not yet proficient with them."

Admitting to a weakness is not something he's fond of either, but even with a sword or knife, he still swings it like a bat.