Requisition Form for Reaping Slip
Name: Maple Lightfoot
District: Seven
Gender: Female
Age: 18
Requirement: Additional Reaping slips in order to enforce the selection of Maple Lightfoot.
Reasoning: Lightfoot's father, Mayor Augustine Lightfoot, has recently been implicated in several issues involving Capitol loans taken out in order to 'expand the economy' of District Seven. While to an extent his actions have been justifiable, with the construction of the Lumia bridge a now vital rail artery to relieve capacity further upstream and support rail traffic, his actions have also led to several economic failures at the cost of unrepaid loans.
As such, while not the optimal solution, Miss Lightfoot must be considered an unfortunate casualty to her father's actions.
Fix?: Yes. Ideally seeming like a legitimate Reaping – followed more up in consequence.
Expectation: While unfortunate, Lightfoot is unlikely to make it far in the Games. She may be able to rustle up some support, but between a substandard Mentor (Aspen Woodman, V7-1-13) and her lack of physical strength, it is unlikely Lightfoot will be able to make it far in the Games.
Consequence: Soft fix. While Lightfoot is intended to be a consequence for the actions of her father, I would not recommend ensuring her death. Provide the girl a fair chance as far as fair goes within the Games, equal to any other Tribute. Do not limit Sponsor funding; it's likely to be a positive attribute, and should there be enough of it to get her through the Games that would see as somewhat of a positive – allow Seven the privilege of another Victor in reward for their relatively loyalty to the Capitol since One auxiliaries subdued Evenrue, and provide a new friend for the Capitol.
Signed off by: Deputy Gamemaker for the Reaping Titian Meadowlark
Confirmed by: Head Gamemaker for the Reaping Pelagia Peppermint
Final authorization by: Head Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul
Confirmed: 3rd July 20 PTD
"Maple Lightfoot!" Octavia Mainwaring had taken a bit longer than usual to call that name, but she'd pulled the name out of the bowl and. Well, it was the right name, so she was certain that she was correct on that. Certain that it was, in fact, Maple Lightfoot who was called up to the stage and (as much as Octavia disliked it) to a likely nasty death.
Maple was blonde. That was the first thing Octavia noted, odd enough on its own because blonde girls didn't need tesserae, didn't usually get dragged up. She'd spent enough time in Seven by now, both for work and on personal business to know that. The second thing was that even by Seven rich standards, this girl was dressed nicely. Long cloak, nice dress, nice boots. The kind of outfit that suggested the hardest work the girl had ever done was working out what to wear, and probably some bookkeeping.
Not in tears, at least, which made a change from the previous three girls Octavia had had to pull up.
The third thing Octavia noticed, or didn't even need to notice because she could hear it, was the panicked yell of "Maple!" from behind her. Not from Aspen, who was slouched over and clearly hadn't showered today. Not from her staff, or the Peacekeepers, who as usual were waiting completely silently to get the goodbyes handled and everyone on the train. No, it was the Mayor, who was panicking until a shake of the girl's head saw him retire to his seat.
A letter from Mayor Augustine Lightfoot to President Maximimius Ravenstill
Mr. President
Given the current situation, I'd trust this letter is not too much of a bother. I was assured by your personal secretary it was fine, but consider this a formal apology were they wrong and this in fact an inconvenience.
I'm humbly requesting you get my daughter out. Please. She's all I have left, after her mother passed away. She's done nothing wrong, she's a good, loyal figure and deserves every chance to survive and to act. She isn't rebellious, not like Woodman or the others were. There's no reason she should be going into the Games, there's ten thousand children in Seven alone more deserving.
Your humble servant
Augustine Lightfoot
The train journey was, for lack of a better word, arguably the worst one Aspen Woodman had ever been on. Even including his own, because at least on his own there was a half-competent boy there to try and help the mentoring. Plus Octavia, who's looking at him with a decidedly disappointed look now. Probably because he waved the prep team off when they'd tried to offer to fix him up. Even though he didn't need fixing up, he'd told them as much.
Maybe he had needed some fixing up, but that's nothing his third glass of… whatever the Capitol put in train cars with a load of impressionable teens and what passed for a man who was meant to get them through it won't solve.
The boy is sitting next to him, leaning into the plush couch with the comfort it provides. It looks soft, is soft enough but he can't appreciate that as much as would be wise. "Aspen. Aspen." The voice is insistent, trying to get his attention until he finally turns, speaking a bit louder than necessary. "What?"
"Well. I was hoping, sir." The loudness has clearly knocked some kind of timidity into the fifteen year old. "I was hoping you had some tips on how to actually. Well, win. I've never done it before, you have, thought maybe there'd be some good advice wrapped up in your brain I could use?"
Aspen thinks for a minute. Finishes off his glass, head starting to swim, and gives a laugh. "Try not to die. Probably the best advice I can give to you, look how well it's worked for me, eh?" Another laugh, and he reaches to refill the glass. The boy's still staring at him, Aspen hates staring, and so he waits a minute, takes another deep drink of the clear liquid before going back to the boy.
"If you need advice? Really? Go find some boy or girl who's willing to be friendly. That kinda shit can be invaluable, especially early Games. Meat shield, gives you some hope of friendship, builds you up and means you don't have to worry about your back being unwatched. You can take it in turns, all that kinda stuff. Go try the girl?"
There's spit on the carpet, and the boy glares at him with outright shock. "With her? She's town. She's the damned Mayor's daughter, she's a Mossie and she's a stuck up little -"
"Chance of survival for you." Aspen doesn't quite know why he's intervening, doesn't quite know why he's offering anything in the way of positivity with regards to Maple Lightfoot, but given he's started now. "She's District, our District, so she doesn't have to betray you, and if she does betray you then she'll have the disappointment of everyone in the District on her. She's pretty, so you can make easy cash that way and Sponsors help a hell of a lot. She's the Mayor's daughter, got that going for her. She's going to do well in pre-Games, and if you want to do well I'd strongly suggest you put yourself onto her barge."
A note to the Stylist Lusitania Westerling
Lusi
We've seen some good costumes this year. Another tree, and so help all the ghosts of Panem I will haunt you past my dying day.
Scrap that. Another bad tree. Give us something new, something inventive. You were hired to be a stylist because you were fun, inventive. It's really just a disappointment to see you waste your time on these petty creations.
Fail again, and you'll be going somewhere nice. Twelve, maybe, we hear there's so much renown for the oodles of things you can do with their coal.
Don't fail. It'd be a shame
Yours
Coriolanus Snow
The Parades were always Persephone Price's favourite part of the Games. Truth be told, she actually found it a bit distasteful to watch what happened to those children, she'd seen Mizzen die and that was quite enough.
So when the children came out, she watched intently. There was money promised to Two, but she was one of the richest women in Panem (all condolences to her father on his passing, but it had opened up certain opportunities). Funding more than one District, lending her weight to a particularly useful Tribute or pair was something she always enjoyed doing, no matter how much Melissa told her she should focus on the Twos and traditional Victors.
So when a group of kids got wheeled out dressed in lovely outfits, Persephone paid close attention. Her box was up high, sure, but that was more to show face than anything. No, the screen that was in the box was the item that she'd be using to actually watch the Games. More practical, more visible, more open. She could zoom in and out, pause and play, do basically anything you'd want. Nobody was quite sure how the avenue had gotten quite this well done in just five years, but truth be told she wasn't about to question it. She got the luxury expected for the Price Family, that was all that mattered.
One was pretty enough. The girl was gorgeous as always, boy handsome. Both dressed in the same kinds of chains of crystal in chandeliers, and it left little to the imagination. Two was better, their outfit seeming to be a kind of armour chiselled out of stone – papier mache, she'd expect. No way was anyone wearing full stone plate for as long as they'd be expected to.
The less said about Three, the better, and Four's flashing fish tails still made her wish for a return to at least that useless outfit. Five did ok, all sparks and coils of wire that did nothing to hide the fact Five wouldn't be returning this year. The kids clearly knew as much, though, tears dripping down their face. Six. Was Six.
Seven was the real charm, that much Persephone could tell from the moment the pair of brown horses rode into the avenue. They aren't trees, thank every star in the Capitol sky. Instead, in gossamer dresses and with wings strapped to their backs, they resembled the fairies from so many stories set out in Seven. The boy has a scowl written across his lips, the girl… Isn't openly beaming and waving at the crowds in the excited manner of One or Two, but that's to be expected. That's to be hoped for, Persephone likes them with a little bit of reticence. Makes sure they aren't problems for reputation if she can grab them across the finish.
But she is looking around at the crowd. Has a small smile written across her lips, tentative, but there even if it's wobbling. Persephone throws down a wave, sure the girl is looking over, and receives a tentative duck of her head in response.
It's enough, and she only needs clap her hands for a serving girl to come over. From Three, by the looks, and an Avox. Bearing a set of forms, and Persephone only needs to seize one to get it filled out with the pen kept in her purse.
Sponsorship Application
Name: Persephone Victoria Price
Age: 27
Offered Contribution: 90,000 talents (post-Bloodbath)
Further Offer: 110,000 (Should I see significant promise)
Sponsored Tribute: Maple Lightfoot
District: Seven
Gender: Female
Recommended Items: I'll leave this up to you
"What the hell do you want?" Aspen stands up, clearly drunk, and glares at the slender figure who's just come down to ask a question. It's all Baum can do not to laugh at the confrontation, nightdressed Maple and the man with three buttons undone and a curry stain down his shirt.
"I came down. Well, I was wondering. Daddy always said if I got Reaped, I should speak to my Mentor. Get the lay of the land, talk through my angle, and."
"You're going to get that from Mainwaring." Maple ducks her head, graceful as she always is, and as is usual Baum feels the hate well up in his throat. The hate at this girl who's been (according to all the tv), a complete hit with the Capitol. A hit with the people. This girl who's done nothing to deserve it, a girl who deserves nothing because she's had everything handed to her over a mahogany table.
"But I need more. She's only in so many hours, and I need-"
"You need, you need. Baum's worked hard, you need fuck all. You've got Sponsors, don't worry I'll distribute that money equally amongst the pair of you. You've got the economy going well in your favour, the people love you. What the fuck more do you want?" There's a glare in his eye, and she steps back, footsteps muffled by those slippers.
"I want you to sign the Alliance paperwork! They invited me, I said yes, they'll keep me safe, and-"
"Safety? There's no safety in the Hunger Games, girl. Your Daddy didn't survive it, I did. You won't, no chance in hell. You don't want to go to the Cornucopia, you don't want to be a hero and charge, you don't want to ally with Baum."
"Yeah!" Baum throws his excitement out, gets a glare from Aspen and shuts up. He's glad that Maple's not getting anything, when all her life she's gotten everything she's wanted. Aspen's jaw sets, and in an instant he looks over at Maple, straightens up.
"Mossie, you're not cut out for this. Did that not get through that blonde nest you call hair? You're not winning, I'm trying to make sure Seven gets a Victor. Have your damned Alliance, but don't expect any more from me. Now fuck off." Maple fucks off, teary and crying as she rushes away from the room and up the stairs.
Baum can share a glance at the figure scampering away with Aspen, they give a mutual laugh as the door slams and locks. "Damned coward girl. No chance in hell she's winning these. Now, Baum. The Cornucopia's what you need to go for."
Alliance Request Form
Name: Elan Florent
District: One
Gender: Female
Status: Mentor
Request made by: Alissandre Cassiter
Requestor District: One
Requestor Gender: Female
Alliance Designation: N/A
Existing Alliance Designation: AL-20-1
Existing Alliance Members: Alissandre Cassiter (1F), Marco Venneton (1M), Robin Rykker (2M), Tara Fleetwood (2F), Vance Arkwell (10M)
Existing Alliance Consent: Given
New Member: Maple Lightfoot
New Member District: Seven
New Member Gender: Female
New Member Mentor: Aspen Woodmen
New Member Consent: Given
New Mentor Consent: Given (Elan Florent), Given (Aspen Woodman), Denied (Aspen Woodman)
"Maple, right?" Alissandre's lips twitch as she slips back into herself, wandering over to the Seven girl's determined attempts at starting a fire with a feline grace. "Yeah?"
"I'm Alissandre!" The smile on her lips is meant to be teasingly inviting, but already Aly can feel that she's overdoing it. It's drawn back to a cautious twitch of her lips, and she makes up for it with physicality, pressing a hand to Maple's shoulder for a second before leaning back ever so slightly. "From District One?" A nod is all that's needed.
"I know who you are."
"Of course you do!" The twinkling laugh fills Aly with the sense she has this under control, leaning in once again with a proud smile. "Anyways, we were talking, and. Well, we need a couple extras. Six members, that's tradition by now. So we've got me, Marco, Robin, Tara and Vance. Um, that's both Ones, both Twos and the boy from Ten." The need to clarify wasn't entirely necessary, but Aly partakes in it nonetheless. Better to be over the top than under it, at the least.
"So." Aly leans in with a sweet smile, and can feel Maple start to warm before that warmth begins to weaken, and in an instant it's back to business. "You join us, we'll get along famously. Else, more than happy for you to go and find someone else if you'd prefer. Not sure there'll be many alliances handling this kind of stuff, but it's all I can do to give you a chance."
Maple gives a nod, and Aly can respond with one of her own. "So?"
"What do I get?" That's Maple, leaning in with the question in her eyes, and now Aly can slip more fully into the grinning saleswoman.
"Five good, strong Allies. A quick death, and a cavalry's worth of Sponsor money. It's a lot of money, a lot of money. Better chances of winning, you go up high if your Alliance is offering a good bounty and we're offering one of the best bounties. And also, you're pretty."
Aly gives a smile, seductive, is glad to get one much more chaste but still warm in response. "Allies?" "Allies." And with that, Aly can take Maple over to meet the rest of the group.
Mentor Transfer Form
Tribute Name: Maple Lightfoot
Tribute District: Seven
Tribute Gender: Female
Current Mentor: Aspen Woodman
Switch to: Elan Florent
District of switch: One
Connection to Tribute: She asked me to switch, her girl is allied with mine.
Request to: Coriolanus Snow, Volumnia Gaul
Request: Approved
"Bloody ingrate." Elan is already storming around the room when Maple and Aly walk in, both the girls laughing and red-faced after their second day of training. "Did you know about this?"
Maple looks like a deer in headlights, eyes wide and terrified as Elan holds up a piece of paper that seems to have a lot written on it. A lot Elan's read several times, seething every time with more of that white-hot fury that runs down her throat. "Your Mentor, bloody Aspen, has decided to decline pooling alliance funds."
"I…" Maple can't even fill the words Elan expects, and for a moment she can pity the girl. Clearly drawn into a mess beyond her comprehension, the kind of Games Elan prides herself on rising above.
So she rises above. Leans in, shakes her head and sits Maple opposite her at the table, sending Aly to go and fetch a pair of mugs of hot… chocolate, it's decided. No need to do anything more, too much energy at this time of night.
"Maple. Maple, Maple, Maple." The words slip around Elan's mouth like gum, and stick there long after she wants them to go. "Do you know what your Mentor is doing?" The girl shakes her head again. "He's keeping the funds. If they're not explicitly split, or shared into an alliance, your funds and the funds of your District Partner are shared. You can split them, share them, do whatever the hell you want with them. So, theoretically, if he wanted to sabotage your Alliance."
Maple catches on. Quickly, it only takes her a minute or two. "He'd just give all the money to… to Baum. And then I'd be left-"
"Relying on your allies. Not a good place to be." Elan can't help but let a small smile, if only at the low cunning. "He's smart. I'll give him that. And that's not the kind of smart I want my girl to be entangled with. So, Maple."
A brief pause, as the hot chocolate is delivered, and Maple gives Aly a tentative smile returned in kind. "Thanks." Aly's just preparing to respond when Elan flicks her hand. "Shoo. You can come back in ten minutes, we'll be done then. I'm hashing stuff out."
There's a disappointed glance exchanged by Aly and Maple, and in an instant Elan gets it, but that's not on now. "Shoo."
The footsteps recede, a bedroom door closes, and soon enough Elan can bring it back. "So, Maple, here's what we're doing." A grin, enough because Elan is genuinely happy to be able to handle this. "We have a spare room. Intended for Ruby, but given her indisposition it's spare. We'll move all your clothes into it from downstairs tomorrow, and by we I mean whichever help I can muster. All your documentation, everything. You're moving into One."
A warm grin on Maple's face, Elan can tell the last few days have been busy. Hard, and not in a good way. "If you involve yourself with Aly, you don't fuck around. Understand?" A mute nod. "And you're getting me as a Mentor. Just sign here." A piece of paper is slipped across the table, Maple reads and then signs.
Tribute Score Form
Tribute Name: Maple Lightfoot
Tribute District: Seven
Tribute Age: Eighteen
Tribute Gender: Female
Tribute Score: Seven
Tribute Training Description: In Maple's demonstration, the girl demonstrated adequate ability with a tomahawk thanks to the tutelage of one Alissandre Cassiter (District One, Female) and was thus able to demonstrate to the Gamemaking staff that she was a well-ish versed individual with a good weapon. A tomahawk suits her physicality. Additionally, Miss Lightfoot scored a positive score on fieldcraft, likely as a result of her upbringing and the similarity of that to our Arena, and was able to navigate the navigation section with an increasing confidence.
Tribute Recommended Expectation: Ninth Place
Reasoning: While Miss Lightfoot is on her own adequate enough, her alliance with the District One and Two pairs and with District Ten's Male (Tribute Arkwell) presents a unique security. Seven is an adequate score to ensure Cassiter is protective of her, and present a threat one of the others may nose to remove
Allies: Alissandre Cassiter (1F), Marco Venneton (1M), Robin Rykker (2M), Tara Fleetwood (2F), Vance Arkwell (10M)
Fix: Provide Lightfoot with a secure plate. It would not do to lose her early – she's popular enough in the Capitol I would expect she can provide us with a likely source of entertainment even into the mid-Games. However, a position in the Final Eight may cause some issue were the population to decide she was too civilized in comparison to us.
Acceptable Victor: Aye. While not the ideal, she would be an acceptable Victor, and as such it is recommended she be preserved as a mollification tool for Seven or as a reward.
"Seven!" Aly hauls herself into Maple's lap, and even Maple can't hide the grin. Tara can see that much, and is glad. Seven is above the limit that had been set by the alliance, Six or above and an invitation was what you needed and she'd leapt that comfortably enough. Six allies is better than five, and on short notice Tara was glad because it meant that with Robin, Alissandre and Maple friendly enough with Tara it's more than enough for Tara to secure herself as the leader. Normally she'd find it somewhat of a punishment to have a weak link, but that's one more liability for Alissandre, another knife aimed at her heart. And this means Tara can consider Maple a reward for everyone.
The round of clapping is piercing. They knew Vance was fine, and his getting an eight confirmed his own place in the Alliance. It was only Maple's that was in doubt, and with the worry that Aly would full leave the alliance if Maple wasn't accepted in. Well, it was good for more than one reason, and so she could count it among the blessings of this alliance's sudden blossoming..
"Why are you blonde?" That's Robin, boy glaring at Maple with some confusion. It's all Tara can do not to bark back a laugh – the question is primitive, the kind of thing she'd learnt early. And Tara had learnt it, it was just Robin who hadn't. "Ones are blonde, just look at that lot." There's a nod from giggling Aly and stern Marco. "And some others are blonde, the rich, but why you. Was your Ma a blonde, or?"
Maple answers diplomatically, voice smooth and respectful. "My pa was the Mayor, my Ma was some girl out of One. Ran back home, but Pa brought me up all the same, decided I was better off moneywise in Seven. He was right, of course. So I've been up in Seven for eighteen years, pretty and blonde and just a little bit more One than the lumberjacks would like. So, One and a merchant. My Ma was a blonde, yes."
There's a muffled laugh from Vance, before long everyone is laughing at the question, and Robin can only flush before leaning back. "Well, it's a question. What, never heard one of those before?"
Interview Preparation Form
Attending Mentor: Elan Florent
Tribute: Maple Lightfoot
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Ideal Topics: Score, Games Expectations
Prohibited Topics: Family (Mother)
Signed by: Coriolanus Snow
"So, Maple." It's all Lucky can do not to sigh. The fact they've stifled his creative vision so is appalling, and the fact that he can't even protest t is hard. Still, he has a job to do, and so the man leans in with a smile to the blonde girl shivering opposite him. "Maple. Seven in training, good score, better than most people would get. Not me of course, but most people. Like thirteen of your competitors! So, how did you do it? Are you allowed to spill the details, or do we have to wait for Dr. Gaul to give us the low-down? Or even for the Games to start?"
Maple smiles back, lips trembling as she considers the suggestion for a second before deigning to respond. Good. The boy before her had been nigh impregnable, sullen and withdrawn, and the boy after her (by all report) was likely to be the same. So this at the least was a little break, an escape from the monotony. Two minutes had passed, and she hadn't just answered his questions she'd answered the questions. Even responded with the occasional light witticism of her own, where she could.
"Well, Lucky. A seven for a Seven. I'm feeling very optimistic about my chances! Good allies!" The girl from One waves, the others follow her lead. They've all mentioned the alliance so far, no chance Ten will be the odd one out. "And a good Mentor! Aspen… well, I think Elan's definitely bettering my chances! No particulars, though. Don't want to gall our good Doctor."
It was crude, really. A crude attempt to mimic what had come before, to mimic his own laughs and try and get the audience on her side. And yet Lucky was ok to say it worked, because it did. Did work. Worked well enough, even, to get a few laughs.
"It certainly would, she does get a bit prickly! Still, if we're not going to get any details. Well, how did you come to the Games? Nervous, excited, worried? Any feelings."
"After the shock wore off?" A brief laugh from all parties, then it's back to speaking. "Lucky. Opportunity for me, honour for the Mayor's daughter to represent my District." Something shoots through her blue eyes, but even before Lucky can ask what it is that something is gone. "I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other. Tell you what, you hold onto this."
She's pressed a watch into his hand, gold with a nice chain. Some family thing taken with her for luck, probably.
"Don't want it getting dirty" He laughs, properly laughs, at this. Clock's ticking, the warning hums through his earpiece, and with only a few seconds there's no room for a question.
"I certainly will! Maple Lightfoot, everyone! I think she might be my favourite, she's quite magical."
With that he 'draws' an ace of cards from behind her ear (up his sleeve) and to laughs sends the girl back to her sleep.
"Who's next? Oh, Baum Beechwood! What a pleasure."
Tribute Survival Form
Tribute Name: Maple Lightfoot
Tribute District: Seven
Tribute Age: Eighteen
Tribute Gender: Female
Tribute Allies: Alissandre Cassiter (1F), Marco Venneton (1M), Robin Rykker (2M), Tara Fleetwood (2F), Vance Arkwell (10M)
Tribute Kills: Marco Venneton (1M), Tara Fleetwood (2F), Leilani Fulwood (4F), Baum Beechwood (7M)
Tribute Expected Place: 7th
Tribute Place: Victor (1st)
Tribute Acceptability: High
Accumulated Sponsor Funds: Upwards of 1,200,000 Talents
Largest Sponsors:
Persephone Victoria Price (400,000)
Ulysses Grant (170,000)
Seneca Harrington (140,000)
Liabilities
Father: Mayor Augustine Lightfoot, District 7 (48)
Mother: Senna Volans, District 1 (36)
Note (A): Unusual Circumstances. Reunion on Victory Tour?
Note (A) (Response): Acceptable. Do not warn Lightfoot. Volans is a welcome surprise.
Significant Other: Not present but possible
Plausible issue (Positive or Negative)
Mixed heritage likely to raise eyebrows given age gap – would advise cursory investigation into 1 service training. Make some hits – ideally real but affordable losses enough to prove we are doing something. Do NOT give cause for shutdown – revitalizing tourism popular with Crane, Price, other big houses.
Homosexual Tendencies: Entirely Capitol-Acceptable, but likely to cause eyebrow raising in Seven if not worse. Possible positive – isolates her to more liberally minded and loyal Merchants, ingratiates her more to Capitol for getting to live openly. Would encourage her to find a suitable girlfriend (Either Seven or she can meet a One staffer as Victor Gardiner did).
Rebelliousness: Should Lightfoot ever find the reason for her Games she may be less than positive – recommend she never finds out. Likely to be sub-optimal.
Advised Mechanism of Control: Retain with her some reminder of Cassiter. Advised ideally to be something that pulls at emotions – recommended is 'fixing up' the watch with an amethyst inlay – One purple and more personal to Cassiter considering general union for One and that type of purple.