[open] Suppose the dog should run away?

[voiceinthephone]

Who| Phil Gray and Open with one Closed Prompt
What| Mentor business (like taking care of Tributes and friends) and- Celebrus WHY
Where| Various places
When| Week 6
Warnings/Notes| Discussions of the Arena and Five Nights at Freddy's lore, aka child murder, decapitation and the unholy mess that is Springtrap.

I - District 6 suites

With Karkat still in the running in the Arena, Phillip focused on not just provide support for him, but also the ones that came back and memorialize the fallen.

For Sansa, Gray figured that bringing her something from her past could help with the same transition from death. On her bed, a small Panemian Husky puppy rested in a basket full of toys and treats. She was an eager little thing, with a small note attached to the collar that read:

She's no wolf but this is the closest I could find and just as loyal. She's been housebroken and ready to meet her master. Anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask. Also please take a rest and be with your sister.

Regards, PG.

Luna would have every need or want taken care of, so long as she doesn't watch the Arena. Phil worried a lot about her; he saw plenty of himself in the nurse robot. He knows how dangerous the slippery slope can be from helping others to piling guilt when those efforts failed.

While the smells of treats and food are still there, there's a decidedly somber tone to the floor as Phillip places Maglev's portrait along the small memorial he and Linden built for Clementine. Nux's picture is there too, and the flowers are always fresh. Phone Guy never got to do something similar for the Missing Children back home, give them the respects they deserved.

II - Training Center

It's been months now since his last Arena and yet, Phillip hasn't let up on his training. Watching his friends Firo and Sandy survive by the skin of their teeth then die unceremoniously? Not to mention the added stresses that came with losing Maglev and Rotor disappearing, it felt like those five years at Freddy's caught up to the man and then some with the stripe of grey hair now firmly established. Would it really matter now that he knows the truth?

Yes, it would.

Killing blow after killing blow, the dummy had deep stab wounds, while the punching bag gained a few bruises. He was also performing for the cameras, of course, they were always watching. Phil had to create his own mark and step outside Linden's shadow

III - The Capitol (day and night prompts)

Day - Coffee and Celebrus

Phillip practically choked on his coffee when he read Meulin's romance column. For better or worse, Celebrus was the most reliable way to be informed of the Capitol news that wasn't Panem News Nightly. Lord knows he doesn't want to think too much on Helena and Julian's...undertones. Good on Molotov Cocktease to land that job. But the sentence It’s always so sweet when the Capitol reunites star crossed lovers! seemed to glow the more Gray read it.

I FAINTED BECAUSE I WAS HORRIFIED HE WAS REAPED! He doesn't voice this opinion out loud, lest he perceived as an ingrate. Nope, this Mentor knows his place after all. But to imply that he and Jeremy were lovers when they barely knew each other was preposterous! And yet, Phone Guy isn't without his own tricks. He wonders for a moment if there was a chance this could work in Fitzgerald's favor. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Phil could get the man sponsors without that District barrier getting in the way, and he could train him too.

First things first...I'd best get to know the poor guy.

Come by and snap him our of his plans and shock?

Night - The Park

Being a Mentor had its' perks, and one of them was the lack of curfew for the Staff. This meant that he could take Foxy out on walks in a much more private time...away from the glare of the Capitol. He never really stopped fearing nighttime but he gained a healthy respect for it. The air was softer, easier to breathe, and his thoughts could wander wherever they could.

It was nice to get away for a while, and pretend he was a normal man in an extravagant city. But the scar on his face, his souvenir from the Mini-Arena, reminded him of the fallacy. Those he ran into here would get a courteous hello. He's unused to having company at this hour but he welcomes it.


IV - Closed to Jeremy (Training Center)

One day during the week, a knocking on Jeremy's door will reveal a tiny...fuzzy surprise. Resting within a basket was a tiny white fox kit with a pink nose and bright blue eyes that captured the sky outside. There was a note attached to the basket full of toys and food treats for a month.

She's a silent one but a cuddler. Hope having this little friend will help you in some way, I know it helped me.

Meet me at the Training Center when you can. We have a lot to talk about and you to catch up on.

- PG

And after reading Celebrus...Phil was bracing for that inevitable confrontation.

Comments

III - Day

[glowygreendeath]

Ermac had only just managed to escape a Sponsor meeting that had, in his opinion, gone on far too long. He took pride in his work, and his kills in the Arena had been satisfactory despite his lack of telekinesis, but they certainly didn't warrant hours-long meetings. The Capitol's bars would be far too crowded and noisy for his tastes at the moment, so the warrior decided to try unwinding at a coffee shop.

When he notices Phil looking absolutely shocked at something in Celebrus, he makes his way over with a black coffee in hand.

"Bad news?"

[voiceinthephone]

The sudden voice made Phil practically leap out of his chair and immediately recovered as fast as he could given this was a public place. He shook his head, "N-No, just shocking, that's all. Heh, not every day you, uh, see an article referencing the past."

What the hell was he supposed to now? Admit a false love? Phil had gone through great lengths to keep himself away from the dating scene, wearing mourning colors months after the fact that Venus was long dead. Then again, grieving over Jeremy wasn't that out of norm: Phone Guy doesn't handle loss very well.

"Uh, have you been well?" Well enough considering Ermac's not in the Arena. This man cannot catch a break it seemed.

[glowygreendeath]

"We live again."

That was enough for him, really. He could remember thousands of deaths, some of them truly horrific. This one had been relatively tame, and his resurrection reduced the impact of it to nothing more than an annoyance. He'd need to have a serious talk with Sandy about trusting anything the Gamemakers gave her, though.

"Oh? We thought your past was already common knowledge."

Why was Panem so fascinated with this security guard? Yes, the exact circumstances of his work were unusual, but the man was still just a guard. What more could there be to tell after he'd been crowned?

[voiceinthephone]

"I-I can't believe Sandy went so...berserk. She's normally a sweet girl, you know? Trust me, she's the one who helped me with handling knives." Tell Phil when you're having that talk, Ermac, because he will join you. The masks were tempting enough, but she has been through enough arenas not to trust items too good to be true.

"Yeah it was...right up until a coworker of mine got reaped into the Arena," Phil answered as he rubbed his eyes and pinched his nose. "The man I let down back at Freddy's....who suffered the most from my mistakes in trusting the wrong people."

[glowygreendeath]

"Indeed, she is. We do not understand why she trusted the Gamemakers about the masks."

He assumed it was the masks, anyway. He'd never seen her acting anything even remotely like she had after she put it on for the final time.

"Why did you trust anyone there? We thought they permitted the deaths of those children."

Permitted, covered it up...they were essentially the same thing, as far as he was concerned.

[leiche]

Jeremy wasn't immediately fond of the training center after his first visit. At the time, it had been plenty busy, with lots of shouting and loud noises and it was too much for him to handle. But since then, he'd discovered that certain hours later in the day weren't as busy, and therefore quieter. And since Sandy had made specific mention to him about it, he knew he had to at least try. It would be for his own good.

Evenings were better, as it turned out. He was a night person, after all, and since coming back after his first arena experience, at least he was getting a little better. Now he knew the proper grip for a knife and the best vital areas to attack, a few self defense moves for when he was unarmed, and more basic skills like fire building and fishing. Maybe next time won't be as bad. (He doubts it.)

Since the note said to meet at the center but didn't specify a time, Jeremy waited until much later in the evening, putting the meeting off for as long as possible. While the magazine hadn't immediately caught his eye, he wasn't expecting his own name to pop up in it, much less in a discussion like that. But it was all fake, right? Gossip was always fake.

He arrives at the center late, until most other tributes were turning in for the night so there were only a few others in the center at the time. He scopes the place out, almost wondering if this was even worth it (he really didn't feel like talking to that man again,) and whether or not he should just head back to his room - but a splinter from a broken dummy on the floor looks like just the perfect toy to chew on, and a little baby white fox leaps out of the hood of his sweatshirt to go catch it.

"Alby--" Jeremy chases after the kit, scooping him up in his hands before the little brat had a chance to catch the dummy piece. "Don't play wi--with that. You'll hurt your-- yours-self."

[voiceinthephone]

Phil was just about done stretching his back, making it bend the farthest he could before he spotted the flash of white fur. He was different here than he was in the Aquarium: he's hyperfocused and wearing gym clothes that showed the scars of the Mini-Arena he'd won. But most of all, he was in a sound state of mind after having dealt with Maglev's funeral arrangements, very unlike the still reeling mess that confronted Jeremy. He mourned her and made arrangements to have her knuckle bone shipped to her parents, to carry on the District 6 tradition.

A hunting knife was stuck to the head of the training dummy where the piece fell off, and what's more, this one had been dressed in one of the purple uniforms from his own Crowning. Needless to say, there was a lot of rage in all those stab wounds.

"Foxes are like that...they never managed to breed out the curiosity," Phil commented, noting how eager Foxy circled Fitzgerald's feet to meet this new friend in his hand. "Makes them great companions, never a dull moment."

And even better search and track helpers, Phone Guy didn't say that part out loud, he doesn't want to be exposed as a rebel supporter.

"I have to thank Daryl for teaching you the basics of foraging. He taught me along with..." Venus would always be a sensitive subject, his heart never stopped beating for her. "Venus and my Mentor Linden."

He yanked out the knife and in one fluid movement, holstered it into the sheath on his thigh, just above his badge, his token.

"I know we got off on a really bad start, so I'm here to answer questions, any you have," Phillip stated with a tranquil severity fitting a Victor and a survivor, even if that's stretching the word.

[leiche]

Well, there he was. Jeremy was focused on grabbing Alby before he could get too far, a little worried since he wasn't sure if he was allowed to bring animals in here (had he known the brat had been hiding in his hood before leaving, he would've made sure Alby stayed back in his room,) but since the other fox is here and running around, he figures it's okay. Still, he keeps Alby held close in his arms, just in case he doesn't get along with the other fox in the room.

There's a part of him that regrets going to the training room at all. Part of him that isn't really ready for a confrontation yet - though having access to plenty of practice weapons eases his worries a bit. If he needs to, well, he's less nervous about grabbing a knife and doing something about it now. Less skilled than Phil, probably, but less nervous is a step forward.

Phil's definitely a talker. Jeremy's not surprised, the guy rambled on needlessly on the phone back in the day, which didn't exactly help his case very much since several dropped hints more than incriminated himself. But most of it's just unnecessary blather and Jeremy just rolls his eyes, waiting for the man to get on with it. He couldn't care less about what Phil's been through in Panem and what he's grateful for or not. The less time spent here dragging things out, the better.

"Yeah, sure," he replies, sounding about as disinterested as possible. He lets Alby climb up his shoulder and settle back in the hood of his shirt again, curling up there and getting comfortable, still a little shy around this new potential companion on the floor by Jeremy's feet. Once the little guy's cozy, Jeremy reaches into his back pocket to grab the torn page out of an all too familiar magazine to Phil, crumpling it up in a quick ball, before tossing it at the man's face - aiming for his nose.

"M-Maybe you can explain that part, f-first."

It's just stupid gossip, he knows, but the Capitol has to get the inspiration for these things somewhere, and Jeremy wants to know what the guy's been saying about him all this time.

[voiceinthephone]

Phil caught the ball before it smacked his nose but he knew exactly what were the contents of the page. He'd make a comment about unprofessional behavior but then he'd be a hypocrite.

"I fainted when I saw you on the screen. I was overwhelmed by the fact and I collapsed. That's true," his answers were simple and to the point. He knows his voice isn't a pleasant memory for Jeremy. What's more, he sounds like he's thought about this. "They took the incident and ran with it."

This is going off to another stellar start.

"The Capitol enjoys romance...even if it's not quite accurate." He shut up as he grabbed the nearest helmet and set it on the ground. Might as well let the man blow off steam. But first! Gray pointed at a nearby dog bed, Alby was too young for training like Foxy's.

III Day

[furgood]

The days after Celebrus came out were always a little fuzzy. The rush to include all the latest news was right up to the wire and Meulin had spent more than a few hours combing arena footage and asking around in the Capitol. The cup of coffee was not her first that day, but it was warm and heavily adulterated with chocolate and milk. It helped.

A few sips gave her a better grasp on the world, which is when she noticed Phil. It didn't, however, give her enough clarity to realize he's reading Celebrus and probably noticed what she wrote. Her mind threw about for a connection and pulled up only his gifts to her sister. Her face lit up. That's right. She needed to at least extend her thanks.

"Mr. Gray? Ah, I thought it was you! My sister wanted you to know she loved those gifts."

[voiceinthephone]

Meulin would be spared phone indignity as Phil recovered as best as he could from the column surprise. He doesn't know how anyone would make the link between fainting and love...except he did in some way. Fear isn't always the first reaction one gets when they act overwhelmed.

That and he's genuinely glad Meulin's sister enjoyed the gifts from the Crowning. Pros and cons of fame, I suppose.

"I'm glad!" he managed with a smile as he wiped his mouth from the mess he made, "How is she?" He spoke a little slower, for her to lip read better. "Waiting for the next Victor?"

Celebrus is still at hand and his hand held onto it hard enough to make it crumple.

[furgood]

A few more sips help Meulin focus. Her lipreading has gotten better and better but it requires more focus when she's not at peak energy. She considers what she sees, smiles and shrugs. Waiting for the Victor was a slow business.

"I suppose, though she keeps busy with schoolwork. I'm hoping she can get a job next year, get things started on the right track. She has to keep up with things she hadn't learned, so it's an uphill battle. But she's smart."

It's a ramble about her sister and her life that could have easily gone on for a little while. It's thankfully cut short when Meulin finally spots the copy and Celebrus. She manages to look pleased and embarrassed all at once when she spots her face and banner on the open page.

"Oh. Ah, enjoying your read?"

[voiceinthephone]

The moment of realization and Phil merely gave Meulin that look. You know the one of having caught someone in trouble, the pursed smile and the one arched eyebrow? Yep, that.

"I'd like to know your sources for, uh, this article of yours," there's no real malice in those words, but it is clear Gray is annoyed at the implications of it all. Not to mention the fact that Leijon got something crucial wrong: Jeremy could barely stand Phil's presence, and nearly got a panic attack from his voice.

"I-if you wanted a scoop, I would have gladly given you one."

I

[porcelainandsteel]

When Sansa came in and saw the puppy, she cried out with a kind of delight that was very close to breaking. After everything, after the trials of the Arena, somehow something so kind was almost enough to break down all the dams that kept her emotions in check. She scooped the dog up in her arms, remembering with a sudden aching intensity that long-ago day in the woods when it had been a direwolf cub she'd held, and she laughed until she cried. Or maybe she cried until she laughed. It was hard to tell.

Either way, the puppy barked and licked at her face until the tears were all gone, and Sansa giggled, carding her fingers through the dog's thick fur. "Good girl," she told it, and closed her eyes. "Good girl, Lady. Come on, we have to go and thank Phillip."

And that was why she showed up at Phillip's door less than an hour after returning to the Tribute Center, the dog still cradled in her arms as she rapped on the door.

[voiceinthephone]

These were the moments Phillip lived for: making other people happy, especially when they've had a rough day. In Sansa's case, her time spent in the Arena was long and torturous, she deserved to have a companion to help her when he couldn't be there for her. And the thing about pets is that in most cases, they love unconditionally.

Phil had been balancing the budget for his Tributes for a while now, and rested his eyes when he heard someone at the door. Once again, his desk was a mess but a controlled mess, sorry Sansa, while Foxy curled up in his cubby. "Coming!"

When he opened the door, Gray was amused by the sight before him. "Hello-hello! Guess you found my surprise." It's a puppy, how could she not? "Come in! Talk to me, how are you feeling?"

[porcelainandsteel]

Sansa smiled at him, but glanced around a little before entering. Where she was from, it was dangerous to go into a man's room unchaperoned, for your reputation as much as anything else. But, she reasoned, this was Phillip, and besides, their seeing-eye devices could restore any doubt if her innocence was questioned.

"So much better now," she told him truthfully, looking down at the puppy in her arms. "I felt awful at not having done better, after how kind everyone was to me. And... and I'm still afraid for Arya and Luna and Karkat. But then I got in, and I found her, and..." She blushed a little, petting the dog's ears. "I would hug you, if I weren't afraid it would be inappropriate. Thank you!"

[voiceinthephone]

Phil was a gentleman and above all, a decent man who respected his Tributes and protected them from slander in the eyes of the Capitol. He brought out some tea and a cheesecare for Sansa, and snackies for Lady. He'd been training the pup throughout the Arena to be as quiet but protective as a wolf to their masters. Hell, the puppy knew when to comfort people in distress, as proven with Jeremy's avoided panic attack.

"It's all right, your joy is more than enough as thanks. You did your best, Miss Sansa, a-and for this first arena, you did great," he assured her, "You and Arya, you did your best and I'm proud of you." Gray knew that Sansa did what she could given the circumstances and nothing anyone said could take that away from her.

"Have you met with your sister? Is she all right?" He asked out of concern, "Take this time to settle down and spend time with her."

II

[foundafamily]

Firo slipped into the training area with the intention of swallowing up as much time as he could by getting lost in his practicing. It still didn't feel right, training in a place that was neither the Martillo's basement nor some seedy alleyway, but it was all he had.

And on this trip, he happened to find something better. There Phil was, going to town on the equipment. It reminded Firo enough of their first meeting that he smiled.

As conversationally as if he were speaking about the weather, he asked, “What’s the matter with you? You look like shit.”

Re: II

[voiceinthephone]

Oh Firo, Phil has some choice words for you. Watching over the Arena was stressful enough but Prochainezo took it to the extremes. "Gee I wonder why considering you were confronting every monster the Gamemakers threw your way." Oh he saw all that, and he was damn sure part of the stress induced gray stripe of hair is Firo's fault.

"Seriously, you have no survival instinct! You're not immortal in there!" Phone Dad is disappointed.

[foundafamily]

If anything, Firo had expected a little joke in return. Then maybe they could beat up on the bags together or each other or go out and get a drink. Fun times.

Either way, he doesn't expect a scolding and is so shocked that he can't even get angry. "Wh-what?" He reels back, shaking his head. "This is how I've always done things, even before I was immortal!"

Hence why he wound up getting shot to pieces at the age of 18. The only wonder was that it hadn't happened sooner--not that Firo ever saw it that way.

[voiceinthephone]

Phil wanted to joke but he was so stressed out and learning the truth about the revivals weighed heavily on him. Mentoring put so much more weight on Phil's shoulders, he's struggling to keep up. With Maglev and the boy from District 6 dead, then Fitzgerald, Phone Guy needs one hell of a vacation.

"It's not- What if you don't come back? Firo, your ways...you're gonna die a really dumb death a-and I really don't want that."

Firo's actions had consequences and Phil knows that he was merely acting on instinct. "I know you're smarter than going headfirst into a fight."

I

[earthborn]

If there is one thing on this world that represents pure goodness, it is the shining angel of free food. Better yet if the food is dessert, and homemmade, and almost certainly not being drugged counts as a plus.

Shepard's making the rounds, as it were, when she walks right into a cloud of sugar and pastry. Hello.

"I've seen a few coping methods in my time, but if this is yours, I'm into it."

[voiceinthephone]

Phil blinked from his spot on the table, enjoying the raspberry cheesecake he made a few days ago. The stressbaking and stresscooking has not let up and the District 6 fridge is reaching critical mass. It's given the Transportation District a decadent scent of a bakery, with hints of pizza and other foods.

"Uh, you mean this? Help yourself!" Gray beamed at the self-invitation, "Feel free to, uh, you can have as much as you want. I-I've not been dealing with this Arena in a productive manner."

If the stupid amounts of food counts as not productive...

[earthborn]

"Seems pretty productive to me."

What Phillip Grey doesn't realize, of course, is the power of a biotic metabolism. Despite her inability to use it, her body's still hungry, always is this fresh out of the gate. And Phil? He has made a choice that will haunt him.

"Don't mind if I do," She's carefully slicing a wedge from the cheesecake and transferring it to a plate, "So, do you do this often, or is this round a special occasion?"

...and, she's taking the cake. The whole enormous c-shaped remainder of the cake, leaving behind the lonely little slice for Phil. This is Shepard's cake now, and she's eating it with a spoon, center-first, like a savage.

"Shit, this is really good."

[voiceinthephone]

"I...I bake a-and cook when I'm stressed. It's kinda embarrassing but hey, it keeps this place full! My fridge was always stocked with stuff I made before the night shift. Reminds me of better days back home, when I was a manager and not a guard..." Phil sighed for a second before he saw how hungry his guest was. "There's pizza a-and some pasta if you want something meatier."

Damn. Shepard, your strange and voracious biotic appetite might be a godsend because there is so much more where that came from. Phil is actually beaming at the compliment because that's one of the few good things he's heard today. Also, he's fascinated by the fact that she's tearing through it like she does this every day.

"Thanks! I try to do the best! Never leave a customer unsatisfied." If that sounded extra dorky, it's because Phil temporarily reverted to his 28 year old self, who was even more optimistic. "Oh yeah there's a checkerboard cake in there too. How are things with you?"