Deals to Die For// [Rade]

[sbeeg]

Poria Rain
Tributes and Tokens

The nice thing about owning a store full of everything you love is that i makes mornings bearable. Sure, my alarm goes off and there is a moment of dread thinking about slipping out of my Luyu Nimmons Heating Blanket but soon I realize that in an hour I'll be surrounded by my dear friends- the tributes.

Of course, the first exciting part of my day is getting dressed. Seeing as my profession requires a special kind of... zest, I have to be on top of my tribute knowledge. I try to dress up as a tribute every day. Repeats are okay for those rushed days but I have yet to complete a costume for each tribute that has been in the Games. Of course my job is made even harder since every year a fresh batch rolls in- but then I can order new merchandise!

Drifting over to my dresser and scan my list of tribute outfits completed. Let's see- I've worn Lethe too many times this year as it is but the colors from the 58th just look so good on me! Maybe another tribute from those Games- ah yes, perfection!

Swinging open my closet it took only a few seconds to pull on the chic costume I've put together inspired by the 58th uniform. I have put together a base look for each Games, add a little tribute flair and suddenly you're as stylish as Julian Bryze.

The 58th is one of my personal favorites (who am I kidding? They're all my favorites!), a tight brown skirt COVERED in sequins and a gold tank top- backless to show off my tattoo of course. Ruffling through my drawers I found a bottle of Romantic Roses from my fragrance line Whiff of Career. A quick glance in my token replica drawer and two little cuff links turned earrings in the shape of dumbbells were picked up and slipped on. Brown boots, bold black eyeliner and- the necessity with every tribute- a dash of glittery red blood. Today I flicked it across my cheekbone to give a more threatening look.

God, I love tributes.

Just a hop down the street, a key in the door and my store was open for the day. Once the lights flickered on, a small sigh escaped my mouth. It's just so pretty. With no customers yet, it was rather early in the morning nearly ten o'clock, I busied myself with straightening the mannequins and displays. My feet went straight to the Topaz Ross mannequin; I had paid extra for a hyper realistic dummy of the Victor and let me tell you those companies deliver! Dressed in her Games uniform, the girl looked almost real, key word almost. I could still tell the differences, the girl's nails would never be as long as the dummies. That was part of her trivia card I bought back when the 56th aired- Topaz Ross keeps her nails short and is always dressed in style. I recite those cards like a prayer- they are my prayer you could saw. I know everything about the victor by heart- her training score, her Games history- even her interview.

"Really, though, what does a training score really tell you? What matters is what you can seriously do, and no Gamemaker can judge what that is. So I plan on showing off everything I've got, everything I've learned, to hopefully surprise even them," my eyes close as I picture the seventeen year old Topaz up on stage in that gorgeous gold colored gown with touches of black that I made my mother buy me the second I laid eyes on it. She was dazzling and dangerous and everything I wanted to be. My lips recite her extra words, using the same inflection and tone she had on that very night so many years ago. I replay her interview in my shop everyday at noon. It is a marvelous piece of Games History and I have memorized every single inch, second, and flavor of it. "Getting a nine doesn't mean shit."

[charade]

Edward "The Grin" Terrill

If there was one thing that Ed enjoyed it was leave from work. Any time of the year that he was able to leave his assigned district and make it it back to the Capitol, even if it was only for a week or so, was about the best time that he had. It was winter in Panem and the trees had all lost their pollen that were the harbingers of his allergies. That was another thing that he enjoyed. He had a destination in mind as he walked down style street in his uniform; having just arrived back in the Capitol he hand't yet gotten any other clothes. But that wasn't a big deal for him, he was headed towards a quaint shop called tributes and tokens, a place, perhaps the only place that offered a large variety of arena merchandise. He had never been to the store in person, only ordering things from their catalog the past several months, but he felt it was high time that he visited the place, perhaps he'd find a few things to keep him occupied during the dreary months in district seven.

It wasn't at all hard to find the place either, as the sign was rather exorbitant, and after checking the hours, he was pleased to see that he had arrived just in time for them to open. Upon pushing the door, in he was greeted by the sound of a tribute's cannon going off, a sound that momentarily startled him, though once he realized it was just the chime to let the proprietor know someone had just opened the door, he regained his composure swiftly; then almost lost it again when he thought he saw Topaz Ross in the store. However, he soon realized that it was just a mannequin. Tearing his eyes away from the facsimile of the victor, he pored over a display containing several unique items, including, but not limited to the Jana Hale Do it Yourself Sushi Kit, Haff Ferde mouse traps, and an Ezra Argrow Dartboard. But there was so much else to look at that he was a tad overwhelmed. Moving a little farther in he was pleased to see a red haired Capitolite that could only be the owner of the shop; if the tattoos on her back were any indication. She was muttering something to herself about training scores that sounded kind of familiar.

Still, that didn't stop him from tapping her on the shoulder and asking a question.

[/color]"Excuse me, I'm looking for a replacement figurine for my 57th arena display set. My Zuka got stuck in one of the holes leading to the labyrinth and I'm afraid her arms came off when I tried to get her out." Up close, he caught an overpowering whiff of roses and blinked a little as his nose twitched. Hopefully everything about the perfume was fake, or he'd start to have an allergic reaction. "Of course, I could be persuaded to buy more. Impressive selection you have here." His eyes lingered over a pack of Sawyer Monaghan approved cigarettes on a shelf next to a stack of pamphlets titled How to learn the Reyes Shake in 5 easy steps before his gaze came back to the woman. "And I don't suppose you have any merchandise from the sixty-fifth yet?" he finished hopefully.
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[sbeeg]

Poria Rain
Tributes and Tokens

You know I should really adjust the volume on the door cannon. I never seem to hear it and people split in and surprise me. Like right now. One second I'm dressed in that beautiful yellow dress, with Caesar asking about my training score the next I'm facing a man in a Peacekeeper uniform. The customer inquired about a replacement Zuka figurine for the not so popular 57th Arena play set. "Of course! I have some behind the counter," I say, starting for the front of the store again. There was a young woman who came in every other week inquiring about a new Zuka doll. She's bought every "Did You Kill Enigma Lane?" item I've got and I can only imagine what's she done to all the dolls she's purchased in the past. As much I as disapprove of defacing merchandise she keeps coming back so I keep a stash by the register for her.

"Of course, I could be persuaded to buy more. Impressive selection you have here and I don't suppose you have any merchandise from the sixty-fifth yet?"" Looking up from behind the counter, I see the Keeper eyeing a shelf. "Why thank you. I do pride myself in my selection of Games memorabilia," I grin at him, walking back over to him, Zuka figurine in hand. Still intact in the box too, with a limited edition switchblade. "And I am so glad you asked that! I have a whole section over there specifically for the 65th Games."

Turning the man around, I push a hand into the small of his back while pointing to the corner of the store dedicated to the current Games. While leading him over to the various Saffron Lowe Victor shirts and 65th uniforms (which are hideous, who thought those hats were a good idea? It's going to take awhile to make that chic) I eye the Keeper's jacket, trying to get an idea of his rank and station. Maybe he's affiliated with the Games somehow- that would be fantastic! "Maybe I could interest you in a Eden Angelis Lantern or a maybe a Plush Honey Badger? You look like you know your Games well, Officer...?"

[charade]

Edward "The Grin" Terrill

When the woman brought the package over, Ed's eyes widened slightly in surprise; the boxed set version of Zuka hadn't come with a switchblade that looked quite so nice as the one in her hand. But he didn't really get to look at for long, as the woman whisked him away to the display for the most recent games rather quickly. To be quite frank, most of the clothing was hideous and he wasn't going to be wearing any of it, but there were packs of socks that had the tributes names on it and those weren't too gaudy, and so, after flicking through a couple packages, he settled on a pair whose hems were embossed with gold lettering that read '65th annual hunger games'. It was just a bonus that they came in several colors, including his personal favorite, Surge Alder violet. The proprietor of the store named a couple other things, but they weren't the kind of thing that he usually went for.

The two-pack of Iago and Emery figurines on the other hand...

[/color] "Ah thank you, but I'd rather take these as opposed to a badger." Blinking as he realized that she expected another response, he put the packages under his arm and stuck out a hand for her to shake. "Officer Terrill at your service Ma'am, though I'm off duty for a few weeks now that the games have come to a close." He paused, debating whether or not to grab a Jabberwocky before continuing. "It's great to be back in the Capitol. I've been assigned to district seven for too long." Shaking his head in an almost morose fashion, he shot her a knowing look. "I really thought that they might pull out a victor last year. Alas, such was not to be." He would have said more on the subject, but there were just so many products around that it was hard to stay focused.

The smell of roses was slowly growing stronger and he forced himself not to comment on it; while he was prone to speak his mind, he felt it prudent not to potentially insult the owner of a shop that he's be frequenting for all of his arena merchandise. She was dressed nice enough, though he couldn't think of which games uniform she was representing; if any. "You run this joint by yourself then? I'm sure that any games knowledge you have might very well eclipse my own. Then again, how many people know that Shanks Kensington was five foot six right? But my, were those sinking islands a surprise." Ed chuckled softly as his mind went back to his imminent purchases. "Anyway Miss... uh, what did you say your name was?
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