Jade Byrd

[sheenlux]

Sheen hummed for a few seconds, it was an interesting question. Who would you befriend in the arena? Though he felt that the term befriend was very strong, he wouldn't have considered any of his fellow tributes his friend. Save for perhaps Shimmer, but she had been his district partner. "Well, the people you should work with, I think, your District partner, naturally. The boy from Nine is promising, maybe the girl from Seven. She has a good story and will get a lot of sponsors, you can try to feed off her resources. The Career Pack isn't your only option for allies though. Use whoever you can to further yourself."

[jade-byrd]

Jade nodded as he spoke, she could agree with most of it, which meant he was paying attention, had been thinking about strategy for her before he approached the subject herself. "I'll do my rounds, see who I can make connections with, there's no point in forcing something when I might have to kill them in the end anyway" she shrugged nonchalantly.

[holland-westbrook]

"Well, they do make it in segments for a reason," Holland said dryly, taking the fruit offered only because she had watched Jade peel it and could be sure there was nothing nefarious going on. It was likely just a way of getting close to a Gamemaker, as if that would end up giving her a leg up in the Arena. "It's called the fruit of friendship." She bit into hers. "Too sweet, if you ask me."

[jade-byrd]

Jade thought she was doing well, Holland had took the fruit, that was a good sign. She chose to ignore the lack of enthusiasm in her tone. "I don't think anything is too sweet in small doses" Jade smiled, popped another piece into her mouth. "I imagine you'd probably be pretty grateful for this inside an arena"

[ennalydonsbee]

@jade-byrd

Enna was looking for Cress, though not with any particular urgency. She'd warned her boss a few days back in person about the nature of the questions asked about her during that... interview with the peacekeeper. Today, all she needed was confirmation about the specific attachment of a sleeve on an outfit. That wasn't nearly as urgent, so Enna stationed herself waiting on one's floor, sitting on the couch doing needlepoint to busy her hands. Whatever cress was up to took precedence over this, she could wait.

A door opened, and Enna looked up. it wasn't Cress, but it was one of one's tributes, so Enna figured she ought to make an introduction. "Don't mind me. I'm Cress's stylist. Just waiting for her."

[jade-byrd]

Jade was taking an early break, because the centre was just getting busy with the buzz of the tributes who had come straight from breakfast, Jade had already put a few hours in by then, she worked better early in the morning.

"Oh, no worries" she smiled, had those small talk social skills perfect since she was little. "You're very talented, I've seen Cress' past outfits, they're magnificent" she added.

[juno-dearborn]

"Oh, yeah, fun," Farina nodded, trying very hard to keep the bite out of her tone. "Fun. Very fun. You're finding this fun?" It was impossible to get her head around, Farina thought she might pass out or scream or both from nerves alone at any second.

[jade-byrd]

"I am, yes" Jade admitted, because she wasn't about to make up a silly little lie to make this girl feel better about herself. "I volunteered, I think it would be a little ridiculous to say I was miserable, wouldn't it?"

[astorian-waldorf]

Smiling, Ash lit up a little when she shared that she was a jeweler and worked with diamonds and other gems. She must have been from District One then. "Oh, a jeweler? That's really cool! You're from One? I've never met anyone from there yet actually! What is it like?"

Though he quickly furrowed his brows, "Wait what if the arena is more than just a bit of sun? Like it's a desert or something awful like that? I'd really want a hat if that were the case."

[jade-byrd]

"Yeah, one, of course" She smiled, that smile she'd perfected over the years. "It's nice, a lot similar to here actually, which I suppose isn't the same for everyone"

"I guess so, but I could still think of a thousand things that would be more helpful then a hat, just being honest"

[slate-skylar]

Slate rolled his eyes at the joke. "Ha ha, funny," he said. "I think it's called surviving. The Careers made a shitshow of themselves last Games, so if you wanna do better, be my guest. Won't be hard."

[jade-byrd]

"Lucky, I have no connections to any of those" Jade smiled happily, because past career actions had no say in what she had hidden in her pocket so to speak. "Congratulations, anyway" she said then, but the sincerity was limited at best.

[jade-byrd]

"If you were going in this time 'round" Jade began as she worked with two sticks to start a fire, basic skill, but it was good to practice, and it's a skill most of the outer district tributes had built into them almost, so she wanted to make sure she was at least as the same level as they were. "Who would you befriend?" she asked Sheen, wondering where his thoughts were at. Ultimately, it would be her decision, but Sheen was a victor, he must have some weight when it came to advice for her.

@sheenlux

[jade-byrd]

Jade was peeling an orange, carefully, so that none of the segments burst and leaked juice onto her fingers. She worked fast as she watched some of the other tributes tackle their respective stations, trying to see if she could learn anything from just simple observation. “I’m not sure what the etiquette is when eating one of these” she nodded to the fruit in her hand. “But I suppose not offering would be rude” she hummed then, holding out a perfectly intact orange segment out to Holland, a smile on her lips. “It’s quite sweet, sweeter than the ones we have in one”

@holland-westbrook

[jade-byrd]

“So I know I’m not meant to be here” Jade said easily as she peered into one cupboard, closing the door and moving on to the next when she hadn’t found what she’d been looking for. “But I saw someone with a honey and lemon tea, you know the ones with the little yellow tag” she continued, bending down to try another cupboard. “And if they’ll have them anywhere, it’ll be the mentor lounge, won’t it? I mean they are not going to leave past victors without, are they?”

@denverneumann

[jade-byrd]

Jade screwed up her face at that. Love life was a thing she could never really relate to. She was just not into it, never had time for it, nobody was ever good enough in her parents eyes, and it all just didn't seem worth her time. "How boring" she sighed, sipping on her drink again, it was going down a little easier now. "There's so much more important things in life than feeling all gooey for a second or two"

[cade-bentley]

Cade snorted, very much liking Jade, he decided. "I take it you're not the 'I love love' type?" he asked, grinning at her. "I mean, I don't blame you. It gets old hearing constantly who slept with who, who's mad at who, who's manipulating who without admitting to it... it's exhausting." He shook his head. "And I've heard there's a lot of that at the Academies too. Would you say that's right?" Had to be, a bunch of hormonal teens and young adults stuffed into a high-pressure environment.

[jade-byrd]

“More of an I love a challenge type” she laughed in response. Her parents were so in love, so it was a bit odd that she didn’t want the same for herself, now that she thought of it. “Oh yeah, it’s like a rabbit convention 24/7” she made another face. “I would say we are probably about 90% of durex’s customers just from one alone”

[jade-byrd]

"I always think about how I would feel as a tribute fighting for my life, if my mentor was to send me a baseball hat" Jade snorted out a laugh as she held the hat between her hands. She didn't understand it. Yes, there were arenas with scorching sun, and sun in your eyes was annoying, at the very least, but a hat? Would that save you?

"It would want to have a hidden head massager or something for me to even put the thing on"

[astorian-waldorf]

Ash was looking at the girl holding the baseball cap, and saying how it wouldn't save you from the sun, and that it would need a hidden head massager to make her want to put it on, which caused Ash to chuckle a little. She must not have had much experience working in the sun.

"Actually, believe it or not, a hat can do a lot in helping you with the sun. If your head is exposed to the sun for too long it can cause sunburn, but also headaches. Keeping your head cool while working is super important. Have you ever actually worked outside? Not that I am judging if you haven't. I am just curious."

[jade-byrd]

Jade didn’t like the attitude she’d been met with, but she bit her tongue, careful that they were in a public place with way too many important faces around to respond how she really wanted to.

“No, I haven’t. Us jewellers tend to stay indoors, surrounded by the diamonds and such” she smirked. “But don’t you worry, I’ve worked on my heat endurance, and my skin is well equipped to handle a bit of sun— I hope that settles down your curiosity”

[jade-byrd]

"A fire? With a pair of glasses?" She repeated, shocked. What was she thinking? The outer districts were worse than she'd ever imagined. "You might want to start there, in training, making a fire is basic survival" she pointed out, because if she was completely honest, she felt a bit bad for the girl.

[juno-dearborn]

"I had what I had," she defended, unable to help herself despite her strategy of playing at naïveté. The look of despair on Jade's face at the information cut a little too deep, Farina not sure if it was a judgement on her circumstances or her intelligence. She didn't like either answer. "Well that's what sponsors are for, right?" As if she'd get any. As if Jade wasn't about to see her ass parked in front of the fire making station for a good portion of the next few days.

[jade-byrd]

“Of course” Jade nodded, but didn’t apologise. She meant to offend, even if she was trying not to show it. “I’d rely on them more for medication and the likes, but I guess we’re all quite different, that’s the fun of it, isn’t it?” She laughed. She might be one of the very few that did find this all to be quite fun.

[jade-byrd]

Jade just shrugged. If her face was cracking and peeling she'd want some aloe, not a cap, but Slate was the latest victor, even if he was from twelve, and a rebel, she had to respect him. "No, but it would get rid of the headache I'm bound to have dealing with these lot" she joked, nodding to one of the tributes from five just as they dropped one of the knives a centimetre away from their own toe.

[slate-skylar]

Slate cringed as he followed Jade's gaze to the boy from Five, who wasn't doing himself any favors. "Sure, guess that's fair," he said. He should probably be trying to do some reconnaissance for his tributes, so he added, "You planning on doing a career pack?"

[jade-byrd]

“That would be telling” Jade smiled. In truth, she wasn’t sure, she’d definitely team up with her district partner for the beginning, numbers were an asset, but she needed to feel out the rest of the careers, see if they were trustworthy, worth it. “What’s it called when the outer districts team up? Like in your games? An unemployed pack?”

[cade-bentley]

Cade shrugged, pouring one out for himself too, then cutting it with some soda water. He couldn't get wasted too quickly with another two hours on his shift. "You know, you'd honestly think that, but so much of it is people's love lives. Do you know how often people around here just don't tell each other they like them? Causes so many fucking problems. Just kiss them and get it over with, if it doesn't work out, it wasn't meant to be." He didn't wholeheartedly believe that, but it did get pretty damn infuriating to have to listen to Capitolite pining day in and day out.

[jade-byrd]

Jade screwed up her face at that. Love life was a thing she could never really relate to. She was just not into it, never had time for it, nobody was ever good enough in her parents eyes, and it all just didn't seem worth her time. "How boring" she sighed, sipping on her drink again, it was going down a little easier now. "There's so much more important things in life than feeling all gooey for a second or two"

[juno-dearborn]

"Not really," she half-lied. Of course she had other skills that might prove useful in the Arena. Plant identification, natural medicine, a particularly strong stomach for nasty injuries. Jade, though, would be receiving the charade of helpless Farina in full force. "Tried'ta make a fire once with an old broken pair of glasses. That count?" she asked, putting on her most innocent face possible.

[jade-byrd]

"A fire? With a pair of glasses?" She repeated, shocked. What was she thinking? The outer districts were worse than she'd ever imagined. "You might want to start there, in training, making a fire is basic survival" she pointed out, because if she was completely honest, she felt a bit bad for the girl.

[slate-skylar]

"If it were sunny as hell and your face is cracking and peeling sunburn, you might be grateful," Slate said. "Don't think a head massager would do you as much good as the shade." He wondered if Jade was a Callisto type -- unprepared, no business being here -- or a Helios type -- bent on ruining everyone else's fucking life.

[jade-byrd]

Jade just shrugged. If her face was cracking and peeling she'd want some aloe, not a cap, but Slate was the latest victor, even if he was from twelve, and a rebel, she had to respect him. "No, but it would get rid of the headache I'm bound to have dealing with these lot" she joked, nodding to one of the tributes from five just as they dropped one of the knives a centimetre away from their own toe.

[gemmarosewater]

Gemma nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and it's not like we'd run away or anything, we obviously signed up for this." There should be some special privileges for the Careers who'd come willingly and didn't complain.

[jade-byrd]

"Obviously" Jade scoffed in agreement. "Do you trust Sheen as a mentor? He doesn't seem like a typical career type, does he?" she mused, she had all the skills and strategies she needed without him, but she'd see what he had to say for himself during training anyway.