'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

[furgood]

Her fingertips find the clover tattooed on her wrist. Her smile shifts with a hint of sadness, something subtle. It's not particularly safe to like offworlders right now.

"I've met some I like. I'd count a few among my friends, though at least one didn't make it back last arena." The lie sits easy on her because it's not wholly a lie, she isn't here after all. Just like many of the tributes who ended up in District 13. Gone but not gone.

"But after the interviews, well, they're dangerous."

[m0llusc]

Mollusc is a clever enough boy to pick up on certain tells and be aware of what subjects are unsafe to pursue. Subtle or not, he gets it.

Sorry about your friend, he writes, sincerely sympathetic. I guess I can see how they wouldn't be considered safe after those interviews.

But I still think it's pretty cool, the way that happened.

[furgood]

Privately, she'd agree. It was kind of cool how it happened. It hurt to have to publicly dismiss the children, especially Aang who was just trying his best. She nods a thanks for his sympathy and moves on.

"I'm sure they didn't mean anything horrible by what they said. They don't usually. They wanted to help us in some way. Just went about it all wrong."

She shakes her head, as if dismissing them entirely. Appearances had to be kept up.

[m0llusc]

There's a lot that Mollusc privately feels, but has the good sense not to say out loud... even if this latest development makes him want to. It's even harder when he's pretty sure that the individual he's speaking with sympathizes, but even if some people are safe, the Tower certainly isn't. Probably more buggy than a rotted-out log.

They're just Offworlders. Probably don't know any better.

He likes Aang, too. It's a very weird situation to be encouraged to be someone's pen pal only to arrive and find that person sort of shunned.

[furgood]

The feeling of having to talk past an issue is one she's intimately familiar with. There's so much she wants to ask him that she just can't. Instead, she shifts her weight and shrugs. The offworlders tried their best and it was obviously enough to make the Capitol nervous. It obviously made it to the Districts or at least she hopes so. He might have picked it up while he was here. She can't ask.

"That much is obvious," Or they might have covered their backs better.

"And they're expecting less of a fight with the games now. So don't hesitate."

[m0llusc]

His eyebrows raise at the way she phrased that.

"Don't hesitate?" You mean, to kill anyone? That might be getting ahead of ourselves. I actually would rather not. These people aren't my enemies unless they make themselves my enemies. Not before then, but after, they'd better watch out.

[furgood]

Sometimes Meulin forgets she's friends with what essentially amounts to two Careers and that they have muddled her ideas of what to do in the arena. It's unclear, even to her, if she meant killing or simply self defense, so just nods.

"No, no you're right. I just don't want you not to defend yourself. They can come back, you wouldn't. You only have the one life, just take care of it."

[m0llusc]

Careers will certainly warp that view, and though 4 is closer to Career Districts than most of the outlying ones, it's not as true these days as it used to be.

He snorts before writing his answer.

Don't worry. I've got a sister to get back to. I'm not just gonna lie down and die. I'm going on as long as my body lets me, and then a little bit further.

[furgood]

His reply works either way. Determination is a good thing to have and he seems to have it in spades. Her expression softens and she leans down to peck a kiss on his forehead. It's probably too familiar, but that's Meulin at her best. Too familiar.

"Good. Don't let your sister down. I'll bug the boys to take care of you. Inside the arena and out."

And she steps back, holding out her hand for the notepad back. She shouldn't have been here talking to him in the first place really. There were things to do.

[m0llusc]

Mollusc is, as native Tributes go, a pretty good bet for any Sponsor who likes their kids plucky and tough as nails. He blinks, but otherwise doesn't react to the kiss. He's not like some of them, jumpy about physical contact; he knows that if he wins, he has to get used to that anyway, in situations ranging from innocent to anything but.

He hands back the notepad, giving her a minimal and respectful nod in parting.

[furgood]

With just a nod back, she turns, leaves. He deserves a better goodbye but she suddenly can't stay here. If she stays, she'll want to drag him out. To save him from the end he's marching toward.

Outside in the clear air, she reaches in her pocket for something that isn't there, then hurries away.