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@hvbris // & EFFIE

God, this was humiliating. The girl wondered if it were possible to throw herself from the train. But this was only the start, and she knew it. Once they got to the Capitol she wouldn't be able to breathe without being supervised, scrutinised, judged.

Saros tried her best not to frown, having already been scolded for that. She did as she was told, trying to imagine a stupid china cup on her head, keeping her neck straight. It was so unnatural. But everything she'd ever seen about the Capitol on the broadcast screens was unnatural.

She walked to the end of the carriage, turned on her heel, and walked back, trying to keep her back ridiculously straight. But it felt all wrong. She felt stiff, like a mannequin.

"Dainty enough for you?"

𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐒 & 𝐄𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐄​ @uselessdevice​

“Don’t be quite so literal, dear,” huffed Effie, still turning around Saros to fix her posture, “no one has an actual teacup on their head, it’s an image. Picture you are holding something fragile on top of your head. If you move too abruptly, or don’t stand straight, it’ll fall and break.” She was unceremoniously placing her hand on Saros’ shoulders, neck and chin.

“Here, much better.” It was still a work in progress! And Effie was nothing if not ambitious. But she had a vision for her tribute now, and she would make that vision come true. 

“Oh, it’s just practice, you’ll learn,” she assured Saros, and her words held the promise of a next lesson: how to walk in heels. Still, she looked happy that the girl had noticed how skilled she was in those shoes!

Slightly pushing Saros’ shoulders away, she exclaimed: “Now, walk to the end of the wagon, and come back. And watch that chin!”

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

Before Leah could ask what a herpetologist was, the classroom door opened and the murmur of students around them seemed to hush briefly.

All eyes were on the strange looking man that entered instead of their usual teacher. And the longer she looked at him, the more Leah got a strange, creeping feeling...

Despite that, she raised her hand and spoke the question on everyone's minds.

"Excuse me, Professor- what happened to Ms Rigby?"

Their usual teacher was an older woman, with short red hair, horn rimmed glasses and a persistent aroma of heavy perfume. A stern but fair woman, and one who rarely ever took a sick day.

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

Violet's smile widened. "Thank you, Leah. I really appreciate it." She was hopeful that the girl would indeed see right through Olaf's disguises. For one, she was not an adult. "He's quite recognizable. He has only one long eyebrow and a tattoo of an eye on his ankle. He always finds ridiculous ways to hide them, but... I never find them convincing."

"I suppose so," she said, unconvinced, "but my other guardians were a herpetologist and a specialist of grammar, and he still fooled them both."

As she finished her sentence, the classroom door opened abruptly, and the teacher walked inside. Her face fell. Violet was familiar with the sentence "speak of the Devil and he will appear," an expression used when someone one has been talking about unexpectedly appeared. In that instance, the Devil was Count Olaf -which was fitting.

He was, of course, wearing a disguise. His single eyebrow was hidden behind thick glasses, and so far his tattoo was covered by tweed pants. The ensemble was completed by a tweed jacket and a shirt. He was also wearing a wig. But Violet knew, without the shadow of a doubt, that he was Count Olaf.

"Hello, hello, hello, children," he said, though he had switched his usually nasty tone for something posh -as if he was pretending to be British. "My name is Professor Ty Prater."

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

Eyebrows raised, trying to picture this bizarre man blustering his way through a conversation with another adult. It even would have been funny, if his intentions weren't so dark.

"Well, he ain't gonna fool me. If I see anybody suspicious round here sniffin' after you, better believe I'll holler." Leah told her, offering whatever reassurance she could. Another pair of eyes on guard couldn't hurt, right?

"And besides- your new guardian is a doctor, right? He's gotta be smarter than the people who were lookin' after you before."

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

"Apparently so," said Violet, who was just as baffled as Leah that such a man could be a Count, "that's how he introduces himself, at least. But his manor was derelict and disgusting. No matter how much we tried to clean it, it always looked like an abandoned house. He kept saying that he was going to use our parents' fortune to repair the house. I think he was destitute."

She smiled, relieved that Leah was not judging her for her harsh words, and in fact, even agreed with her. "His disguises are not even good," she continued, "he will hide his ankle tattoo with makeup, and somehow convince every adult around us. One time he even wore a fake peg leg. And he always uses to most horrendous accents."

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

Leah shook her head in disbelief, a quiet huff escaping her lips. How could it be that a man so intent on hurting children could keep getting away with it? When they knew his face, his name?

"He's a Count?" She replied, this story getting stranger and stranger. It wasn't unusual for new kids to come in with tall tales, but Leah could see in Violet's face that every word was true.

She waved a hand as the other girl excused herself.

"You've got nothin' to be apologising for, Violet." Leah told her, managing a small smile as she tried to lift the mood. "Truth is...a lot of adults are pretty dumb. So busy rushin' around, they don't see what's right under their noses."

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

Violet wanted to believe Leah. But when it came to adults, she was quickly more and more disillusioned. "Every time, Mr. Poe just lets him slip away," she explained, shaking her head in desperation, "Count Olaf might be stupider than he thinks, but I'm starting to think that most adults are."

She blushed. "I don't mean to sound rude," she quickly added, "but Olaf has managed to trick all my guardians so far. Good, noble people. And yet they all fell for his silly disguises." And now they were all dead.

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

With horror she listened to the tale that Violet told, the trickery, the sinister plot, the way that Violet had tricked the man right back in order to escape.

How clever that was! But even though she'd ruined the marriage plans, this horrible creep was still trying to find her and her siblings.

"That's awful...but people like him think they're too smart to be caught. One of these days, he's gonna slip up and get locked behind bars, just like he deserves. You'll see. Especially considerin' how smart you were to get out of the license!"

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

Violet was touched by Leah's reaction -it was far more outrage than the adults present at the scene had shown. "Well, he tried to perform a play," she explained, "it was about a wedding, and I was supposed to play the bride -and him the groom, obviously."

"Except it was all a ruse. He used a real wedding license, and asked a real judge to perform in the play." Violet shuddered just thinking about it. "If he had gotten his way, we'd be married now."

"But because I knew what he was plotting, I used my left hand to sign, and it nullified the wedding. After that, our banker, Mr. Poe, took us away from Olaf." She had to refrain from rolling her eyes, but her tone was sour. "Not that he did much when Olaf hunted us down." And killed two of her guardians. But Violet kept that to herself for now. "He keeps escaping justice."

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

She listened, envisioning the type of cruelty she'd read in so many books- scrubbing floors and windows, sweeping, dusting, even preparing meals. All that on top of not even being granted their own bed to sleep in?

Before Leah could chime in about how barbaric it sounded to be used as a servant, Violet dropped an even bigger bombshell, one that made Leah's eyes go wide in shock.

"What?" Disgust jaded her voice, and a hand reached out to Violet's arm. Protective, even though the danger had clearly passed. But it was...it was unthinkable. "What a cockroach! He sounds more crooked than a barrel of snakes. Ugh- I'm so sorry- that's...that's a nightmare. How did you get away from him?"

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

Violet beamed, delighted that Leah liked her idea. She was curious to see what she would draw: an invention? A sculpture? Something else entirely? There was something exciting about the novelty of it.

But whatever excitement she felt had been quickly swept away by the memories of Count Olaf. She didn't mind Leah's questions, though. Curiosity was never a bad thing, in Violet's eyes. But the subject was a heavy one, and much like her new friend, she worried she might scare her away.

"He was... cruel. He would make us do all these chores around the house, and we only had one bed to sleep in. All he was interested in was my parents' fortune." Violet's brows furrowed. "He tried to marry me, so he could get the fortune."

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

The suggestion of creating something together made Leah grin, the warmth of gratitude and excitement flooding her chest.

"Well that's a mighty fine idea!" She replied, eager to work with the other girl. But the happy moment was fleeting- weren't they always?

She saw the flicker of Violet's smile, the shadow in her eyes as she talked about her past. Leah's own brow furrowed as she listened, having heard all kinds of horror stories in her time growing up at the orphanage. Being adopted was only one hurdle. If you were taken into the home of someone terrible...well, it was just as bad as having no home at all. Worse, even.

The word 'wicked' wasn't exactly one to use lightly. And though Leah felt some apprehension at asking about the situation, she couldn't help the question that slipped from her lips.

"What was he like? Your first guardian?"

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

Violet smiled, happy that Leah was a lot like her -but with paint and pencils instead of a wrench and a screwdriver. "Maybe if you drew something, I could build it," she suggested. Violet usually only built what came out of her own mind, but a collaboration sounded like an exciting new idea, especially with a new friend.

Her smile faltered a little bit, not with pity, but with understanding. "I can imagine," she empathized softly, "creating can be a solace, even in the... most difficult of places."

"My first guardian was dreadful," Violet decided to share, since Leah had opened a little bit of her past to her, too, "a wicked man. But my inventions managed to turn his awful house into a sort of haven for my siblings and me. A small one but... it was better than nothing."

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@hvbris // & VIOLET

"Aw shucks- thank you, Violet." Leah replied, her cheeks turning a little pink. She too didn't like to brag about her skills, giving a casual shrug in response. "Ever since I can remember, really!"

Which wasn't that far back, really. She'd arrived at the orphanage with a large void in her mind, all her early childhood memories gone. Even her parents faces. Their names. But she didn't want to mention that to the other girl and scare her off somehow.

"There wasn't much to do at the orphanage, so...drawing was kinda my escape."

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐓 @uselessdevice

Leah's praise was met with a happy smile. "I have," she confirmed, "I think as soon as I could hold a wrench, I started inventing things. But the first time I made something that really worked, I was 5 years old." Violet did not want to sound like she was bragging, so she kept the fact that she had won a prize for it to herself.

"When did you start drawing?" she then asked, "you're very talented, you must have worked hard on your skills." Violet knew that talent was nothing without hard work!

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☆☆☆☆☆☆

name moodboard: order for "mariana" | want one?

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@imprvdente // & FISH

"Well, not to brag or nothin', but I do make pretty good popcorn."

He flashed her a wink and a grin as he sipped his whiskey. If she wasn't fun enough already, she had good taste in movies too. He couldn't abide by chick flicks or mushy stuff like that. And anyhow, a horror movie gave way more opportunity to snuggle close than a sappy romance, in his opinion.

Wasn't that half the fun of inviting somebody cute over to watch a movie?

"Guess you're a big fan of shark week too, huh?"

𝐑𝐔𝐅𝐔𝐒 & 𝐅𝐈𝐒𝐇 @uselessdevice

"I'm asking the important questions," she countered with a grin. With his answer, she raised her eyebrows. "So, you're into 80s horror movies, then? You're a man of taste, I see."

"My favorite's Jaws," she then said, still smiling, "I like to stick with the classics, too. And I like sharks, obviously." She took a sip of her drink, before suggesting: "Perhaps we should have a movie night sometime, then."

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An absolute cutie, quite frankly.

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@hvbris // & JUNIPER

Leah knew she was trying to be brave. Not wanting to be a bother or admit any signs of weakness- that was something Tivan insisted upon, and he made it very clear to the new recruits. Smile. No tears unless it served the club financially.

Every tribute brought their own charm to the table. Juniper was small and chipper, a miracle really. And the guests adored her. She was the Big Thing right now, having won the games despite the impossible.

"More than a little...it's always intense, the first few meetings. And everything moves so fast after the coronation, it can be a real whirlwind! But you let me know if you need anythin' at all, okay? I was right were you are. I know how much there is to take in."

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐇 & 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 @uselessdevice

Juniper didn't want to admit how terrified she was, but it was rather obvious anyway. Being the center of attention had never been easy, but here, at the victory club, it was worse than ever. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, the flower crown in her hair, the shiny wings on her back... She looked like a fairy, like a vision out of a book. And yet she felt miserable.

But Leah was being so sweet, with soft gestures like a mother, and so Juniper smiled softly. "I'm okay," she lied, trying to convince herself of the same thing, "it was all very beautiful of course. It's just... A little bit intimidating."

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Rare sightings of Richard Ayoade smiling

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@hvbris // & CASSANDRA

"Yes ma'am." Rufus agreed, having figured that she'd want to watch him like a hawk anyhow. That was understandable. And she'd be able to see that he meant no harm, which meant she might let him stay a little longer, if he was lucky.

He took the ID with a sigh, tucking it back into his inner pocket.

"Yeah...yeah, a cold case." He explained, reaching for his wallet. Inside was a photograph, which he handed over to Cassandra with just a smidge of hesitation. It was the last christmas that he'd spent with Leah. They were both grinning, surrounded by crumpled wrapping paper and displaying their new toys.

"My little sister. She was eight. Somebody broke into our house and took her- and we never saw her again. No trace. No suspects. Nada. Not that I've ever stopped lookin' for her. But the circumstances...well. Let's just say they weren't so cut and dry. Not for me. Somethin' happened that wasn't normal. And this case right here is a little too familiar. That's why I had to come see it for myself."

𝐑𝐔𝐅𝐔𝐒 & 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐀 @uselessdevice

Cassandra reached for his ID, grabbed it, and inspected it. PI. Hm. That was definitely better than some weird ghost hunter, or worse, a PhenomenX journalist. But still, he wasn't supposed to be here, and she was a bit of a stickler for rules.

She looked at him for a moment, eyebrows knitted together. "Fine," she finally said. "You have ten minutes, and I will keep an eye on you." This wasn't procedure, she knew it. But he looked so... She didn't have the heart to send him back without even looking at the house. She would be breathing down his neck, though, to make sure he didn't disturb the crime scene.

"What is that case you've been working on? Another disappearance?" she asked, handing him his ID back.

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& THE HORNED ONE // @hvbris

If this man did indeed wish him harm, Zachariah was satisfied that he would have done it by now. The stranger didn't seem like a hitman, or a gangster. Definitely not law enforcement. No...he was a businessman. He spoke like one, carried himself like one.

And if there was one thing Zachariah could handle, it was a man with a business offer, no matter how unorthodox his introduction.

"There's no fair or unfair in life. Or death, for that matter." He replied stiffly, still on guard despite his decision to do as the other man said. After a moment of contemplation, Zachariah decided to place the scalpel on the nearby bookshelf. Still within reach, should he need it.

Though there was a suitably sharp fountain pen in his inner jacket pocket, too. The fact that he'd been told to put down his weapon in the first place wasn't too eyebrow raising- a magicians trick, coupled with intuition, experience. Easy enough to explain away how the other knew it was in his hands.

Logic was an old friend. Even so, Zachariah focused to steady his heartbeat. He was still nervous about the others intentions, after all. Stupid not to be. But if he did need to take action, it would be easier without that drumming in his ears.

"You're not the first person to threaten me. But seeing as you're so eager to talk instead...what is it you want, hm?"

𝐙𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐇 & 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐍𝐄 @uselessdevice

"Ah, but life is unfair, Zachariah," He nonchalantly hummed, shaking His head, "you, of all people, should know. After all, you spend all your days working with the dead. Taking advantage of the unfairness of life. You've even made a business out of it."

He stopped abruptly in His tracks, turning His head slowly to look at Zachariah. He was smiling. "This scalpel won't help you, I'm afraid. You would die before you could even vaguely wave it in My direction. It would be a rather painful death, too. I do not take kindly to people who try to disrespect Me."

"This will be My only warning," He then pointed out, before opening the door and walking inside the main office. It was clear from His tone that He was doing this man a rare favour. "Now, why you don't stop this nonsense, and follow Me so we can discuss more interesting matters?"

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