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And now, a very…er, interesting, Hunger Games ;)
The 10th Hunger Games
Octavian "Tavie"
District 2
"Attention tributes!" says the voice of Augustus Silverwood, "I have an announcement to make. In honor of the tenth anniversary of the Hunger Games, we will be sending in an interview team to record your responses to the events thus far in the arena. Please do not be alarmed when you see them. So you can easily identify the team, they will be dressed in bright blue uniforms. I cannot stress this enough, please do not attack the interview team. Thank you, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
"They can't do this!" I exclaim, throwing my hands up into the air in frustration. I pace around the camp, trying to find something invaluable to break.
"Something wrong?" laughs Flint. I stop, seriously considering the idea that he might just be invaluable enough… No. As much as I'd like to see him torn apart, I need him in the alliance.
"Shut up, District 1. I could kill you in a second," I remind him. He ignores me and remains in hysterics. I decide to let him laugh while he can. It won't be so funny when he's dead.
I've been in a bitter mood ever since the District 2 Winning Streak began. The pressure is on me. Friends, family, trainers, mentors. Their possibly final words to me were "Continue the winning streak, Tavie!" They don't care about me anymore. All they want is their winning streak. The worst part is that I can't disappoint them. I hate it when you have to die to prove a point. What's more, the Volunteer Alliance has been split in two this year. Flint's district partner, Jewel, and both tributes from 4 have formed their own alliance. Now, with only eight tributes left, they probably want to hunt us down.
"How do you think this is going to play out?" asks Nyx with a laugh. She's my district partner.
"It's a bad idea," I say, "Disrupts the Games completely." Just then, there's a rustle in the bushes. I draw my sword, ready for a fight.
"Stop! Do not attack. We mean you no harm," says a Capitol accented voice I automatically despise. Two men, dressed in bright blue, walk into our clearing. One holds a camera, and the other has a microphone. Do they think they can just come in here and interview us in the middle of the Hunger Games?
"Here we go," says Nyx when she sees the expression on my face.
"You have no right to be here," I growl at them, stepping forward to block their way into our camp.
"Of course we do, Octavian. We're here for the interviews," says one of them brightly, "Your audience wants to hear what you have to say about the Games."
"We're not here to please our audience. Leave us alone so we can focus on the Games!" In the background, I can hear Flint and Nyx talking.
"Wanna bet he loses it in the next minute?" Flint says. Nyx rolls her eyes.
"Betting here is pointless," she says, "I wonder if they'll have cannons for the camera crew."
"Guess we'll find out if they don't listen," says Flint.
"Would you two stop chatting and help me?" I order. They stand and walk over.
"What can we do for you?" asks Nyx calmly.
"As you've probably heard, we're here to interview the tributes," says the man with the microphone, "Would you answer a few questions for the audience?"
"Gladly," she replies.
"Gladly?!" I ask, furious, "We don't have to talk to these people!"
"Come on, District 2," says Flint, "It'll be fun. It's like a game."
"They're distracting you from the real Game that's going on here!" I exclaim.
"Oh, let them have their fun. The sooner we do what they say, the sooner they'll leave," says Nyx, "You'll see." I nod reluctantly and turn back to the blue-suited people.
"Make it fast," I say.
"First question: This one's for you, Nyx," says the man with the microphone, "You've been using a variety of weapons in the arena. If you had to pick just one to use, what would it be?" Nyx considers this for a moment.
"Well, if someone told me I could only pick one weapon, my first reaction would be to attack them, definitely. And if I quickly had to pick a weapon to kill them with, it would probably be a knife." She flashes a winning smile at the camera. Her goal was obviously to intimidate the camera crew and the audience, and it seems to be working.
"All right," the man says nervously, "Nyx, there's one more for you and then we'll move on to Flint, and then Octavian. Now, when do you plan to break off from your alliance?" This one catches Nyx off guard.
"What? I'm not breaking off from the alliance," she says "We said it before, we'll stick together until the other volunteers are dead, and then we'll fight it out."
"But your conversation with the tribute girl from district 8 gives us reason to believe—"
"You were talking to her? When?" I demand.
"Right before I brought her into camp, but I never said anything about—"
"I knew I heard something! I knew it!" exclaims Flint.
"Could we continue the interview?" asks Microphone Man, interrupting our argument.
"Fine. Just get on with it," I say.
"It's Flint's turn," he tells us, "Flint, why didn't you and your district partner become allies?"
"She didn't trust me or these two, so she made her own alliance. It's funny, how the leaders of both volunteer alliances are from District 1."
"You're not the leader," Nyx and I say at nearly the same time.
"Course I am," he replies.
"You are not!" I tell him. Before another argument can break out, Microphone Man cuts in again.
"Let's keep going. Flint, are the others aware of the poisonous berries you're hiding in your backpack and what you intend to use them for?" Flint looks around nervously. I answer for him.
"Not until now," I say. Nyx runs to get his backpack while I draw my sword. "You thought you were going to be the one to end the alliance, didn't you?" I say, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and holding the blade to his neck. Once again, Microphone Man interrupts.
"Octavian, kindly wait a minute before killing Flint. We still have another question for him."
"That's too bad," I say. I'm about to cut across his throat when Nyx calls out.
"These aren't poisonous!" she says, "He isn't trying to kill us. He's just hoarding the food." She throws down his pack, disgusted. I let go of Flint and lower my sword.
"Oh, good," says the man with the microphone, "Now, Flint, do you think Octavian's anger management troubles will make him easier to defeat when the time comes?" It takes both Flint and Nyx to hold me back as I lunge forward to attack the man. The loyalties of our alliance are changing with every question.
"Leave!" I yell, struggling to break free. The cameraman jumps back, but the man with the microphone continues talking.
"First, Octavian—"
"Now!" The blue-suited men both take a step back.
"We need to finish the interview!" Microphone Man exclaims. I stop fighting. Not because I'm going to let them finish the interview. Because I hear something.
"They're talking to the interview people," says a hushed voice, "Come on!" It's Jewel. Oblivious, Microphone Man keeps talking.
"Let's continue. Octavian—" I turn to Nyx and Flint.
"Jewel's coming," I tell them, "She's heard the interview team talking. She's got the tributes from 4 with her." My allies' eyes widen.
"But—" Flint starts.
"I told you. I told you and you didn't listen!" I exclaim, "Get your weapons. They're already here." Nyx picks up a spear and Flint grabs his knife. I draw my sword just as Jewel comes in with her allies.
Flint and Nyx rush right into battle. Instead of joining them, I turn to the idiots on the interview team. A few seconds later, I find out that the Gamemakers did not, in fact, have cannons for the camera crew.
FATE: Octavian became the victor, but he also was arrested for murder shortly after the Games ended. There was a long trial for his case, most likely because killing in the arena "ISN'T SUPPOSED TO COUNT!" in the words of Tavie himself. In the end, his sentence was shortened to just one year in prison. And after that, he was finally allowed to enjoy his life as victor.
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