DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Hunger Games nor any of its components. Mags and the idea of the Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins. No copyright infringement intended.

Note: It's a little bit disheartening to see so many views on this story and not get any feedback whatsoever. I can't complain because it's not like I can force any reviews or favorites, but still... I find it hard to continue writing when I feel like no one really cares. Urgh, maybe I'm just having a weak moment but oh well.

Enjoy!

Part Ten: Honesty

"You look marvelous."

Odetta cooed as she and Percival prodded and poked at me, their team working their magic by brushing me with sparkles and colors. I was clothed in a blue strapless gown with pearls embedding the neckline. From the neck down to my hips, it was sheer with blue and white lace swirling down, covering my breasts and stomach provocatively but classily. The skirt was a ripple of blue and green silks that rustled like the ocean when I walked. Pearls adorned my neck and my makeup was clean except for dark mascara and pale, pearlescent lips. My blonde hair tumbled down one side of my chest in a mess of classy curls with a silver circlet adorning my head.

Again, by some work of enchantment, I looked like a marine being – as if I had just stepped out of the ocean.

A slow clap made all of us turn around and I saw Emer, smiling at me genuinely as he walked into the dressing room. I cocked a brow at his attire which was a banana-yellow suit with a pink tie but didn't question his sense of fashion.

"Beautiful," he remarked as he gestured for me to twirl, which I did reluctantly. With his hands clasped behind his back, he asked delicately, "You remember our session, correct? Your theme is essential to your interview."

"Yes, I do," I replied flatly. I just wanted this to be over with.

Before I knew it, I was ushered into a single file line with the other tributes. Nereus spotted me immediately, his eyes softening as we made contact. His hair was slicked back away from his face and he was clothed in a white suit with a blue shirt, a silver tie sitting neatly on his chest. He stood behind me, clasping my hand in his as we watched the first tribute glide onto the screen in front of us.

The announcer was named Domitius. He looked very jolly, with a friendly face and cheery disposition, if not a bit subdued. Every year, he looked different with different skin or hair color but this year he donned a spiky, electric-yellow hairstyle with natural-looking skin. His nails were painted a similar shade to his hair and his teeth gleamed with an unnatural white hue. His purple suit made me wonder what on earth was the standard for beauty in this district but I couldn't really say much. I didn't really know much or cared about fashion as it was.

"Let's welcome our very beautiful and sensual Luciana!" he called mischievously, standing on his feet as the audience screamed and clapped thunderously for the first tribute. She looked confident and almost arrogant as she slowly made her way to the center of the stage in her beautiful gown that was skin tight, leaving barely anything for the imagination. It was sheer and gossamer silver and her hair tumbled down her shoulder in gorgeous auburn waves with her lips painted in a rosy hue.

"Now, Luciana, how excited are you for the Eleventh Hunger Games?" Domitius asked eagerly.

She laughed melodiously before leaning in. Her eyes smoldered as she looked up at Domitius, making him raise his brows at her seductiveness, "Well, between you and me, I'm very excited. I'll most definitely come out of this as the victor."

He fanned himself off with the cards in his hand as if she had made him sweat with her sexiness, laughing as he exclaimed, "This girl is a firecracker, ladies and gents! There's no telling how far she'll go!"

Glitz was next, charming the audience, saying to Domitius, "I would personally love to thank the Capitol for allowing me to take part of this. It'll be great, I promise you."

Domitius laughed and clapped him on the back. "How is the competition so far, Glitz?"

"Oh, it's the chance of a lifetime. I've met some very competent tributes for sure," he said pleasantly, leaning back into the chair as if he owned it. Somehow his charming manners and easy grace made him look confident, as if he had no doubt that he would be the victor for sure. "But you know, I'm not a pushover either."

They both laughed as if on cue.

Shadow was next, her long black hair bundled up into a sleek chignon. Her gown was beautifully dark and mysterious, hugging her slender form to the stitch but flowing at the bottom. Her smoldering eyes were done with heavy black makeup, making her look even more of an enigma.

"Now, how do you think you'll do with the competition?" Domitius asked her as he welcomed to her the stage. I noticed that with her heels she was taller than the host, which made her look even more intimidating.

"Oh, I'll do fine," she said with a sly smile. Her voice was sultry and deep, almost a whisper.

"You seem very confident. What makes you different from the other tributes?" Domitius asked with a smile.

She raised a brow at him with her red lips pursed, making him flinch. "Now, now. That would be telling, wouldn't it, Domitius?"

He laughed nervously.

"In all seriousness, I'm one of the oldest tributes. The years I've spent training for this competition will surely be in my favor," she said, placing a pale hand on the host to placate him, though it seemed to only unnerve him more.

Her boyfriend was next. His golden eyes glimmered maliciously as he stepped out onto the stage. The first thing I noticed was his broad and defined chest and shoulders, which seemed to bulge underneath his black silk shirt. When he shook Domitius's hand, he seemed to tower over him, being even taller than his girlfriend in heels. He was curt and straight to the point with every question, making the interviewer a bit awkward.

"So, Cimmeria, you're called?"

"Cim," he grunted. "Cimmeria sounds like a girl's name."

"Oh, okay," Domitius tittered. "So, I've heard rumors that you and your fellow tribute are in a romantic relationship?"

"Yeah."

"How long have you two been together?"

"As long as we've been training together," he grunted.

After a few vague answers, Domitius dismissed Cim and the next tribute came out. She was nervous and answered questions abruptly and shortly, fiddling with the edge of her white skirt as she stammered through the questions.

"Well, Sparks, as you're called, correct?" Domitius asked cheerfully, as if to try to ease her nerves.

"Yes," she muttered, her green eyes cast downwards.

"Lovely to meet you. And don't you just look splendid in your white dress?" Domitius forced her to stand up, twirling her though she complied reluctantly. She was wearing a simple white tube dress with platform heels, her long neck adorned with a long gold chain.

Despite his best efforts, she remained quiet and nervous the entire interview and her fellow tribute came out, sauntering awkwardly to the stage.

"Welcome, Ezra! How are you finding the Capitol?" Domitius asked eagerly.

Ezra crossed his arms, sighing before answering, "It's alright."

"Just alright?" Domitius asked, aghast. "Is there anything wrong?"

Ezra ruffled his black hair and rolled his dark eyes before deigning to respond to Domitius. "The lighting here sucks, there's nothing to do or work with, and the food is terrible."

Maybe he was trying to act like he was too good for the competition or as if he didn't give a care in the world but in my eyes he looked like a petulant child. He reminded me of Arlen's bratty little brother but he was seven years old, not fifteen.

Before I knew it, I was pushed towards the edge of the stage, behind the curtains. Emer whispered something into my ear but my legs suddenly felt like jelly and I couldn't focus on his words. Why was I so nervous? I mean, then again I hated even giving presentations in school. I hated being the center of attention in any situation and here I was, being broadcasted across the nation.

A sudden grip on my hand brought me back to reality. Nereus smiled down at me and quirked a brow, quipping, "Hey, is this scarier than facing off twenty-three other killers?"

I smiled back at him wryly.

"Please, welcome, ladies and gents, Magali from District Four!"

I glided onto the stage with practiced steps, waving very gently to the crowd as I gave a graceful smile to the audience. As soon as Domitius came around to grasp my hand, I kissed the side of his cheek very softly and his brows shot up, a hand automatically touching where I had caressed him, acting as if in awe.

"You look stunning, Magali," he complimented as we sat down.

"Oh, you're too kind," I said gently, sitting with my back pin-straight with my ankles crossed.

"Please, show the audience what you have on," he regaled, beckoning the audience for applause, which they dutifully gave.

"If you insist," I replied coyly. I stood and gave a slow twirl, curtsying to the audience that went wild as soon as my blue skirts skittered around me. Immediately, I resumed my statue-like posture as I sat.

"Now, Mags, how do you think you'll do in this competition?" Domitius asked eagerly.

"Well, the competition here is quite fierce," I said with a small chuckle, making the audience sigh at my so-called "beauty." "But I would like to think that I have a fair shot."
In my dreams, I added to myself wryly.

"You did accomplish a 9, the highest thus so far from the female tributes from your district," he said admiringly.

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" I laughed softly with the host who seemed to be hanging off my every word. I guess how I carried myself really did make all the difference.

"How does the Capitol differ from your hometown?" he asked eagerly. "I know you come from the fishing district, so that must have been exciting."
"It's… different, to say the least," I answered.

"Different how?" he pressed.

"I –"

Thoughts of how I practiced more questions than I could count and how every word that came out of my mouth was fake. I wasn't this magnanimous creature from the sea that queened over everyone else. I wasn't this lovely girl who seemed so educated and privileged.

I saw Emer peering at me from the side of the stage, concerned as he mouthed the answer we practiced. Odetta was biting her nails nervously as Percival pursed his lips at me. But Nereus was the only one who I really looked at. His firm gaze was steady, daring me to answer honestly. Daring me to do what I wanted to do before we died.

"Mags?" Domitius asked as I faltered.

"Um, excuse me," I responded with a soft smile. "I was just thinking about home. It feels like it's been forever since I've been there."

"And pray tell, what do you miss?"

"Take a deep breath," I instructed him. Quizzically, he did as I bid and then looked at me questioningly. "Don't let go of that breath. Feel the burning in your lungs?"

He nodded vigorously before finally exhaling dramatically.

"I miss that. I miss swimming in the ocean and coming up to breathe and tasting how sweet the air is. I miss how every morning you would wake up to the sun glistening over the horizon and the sea looked like the biggest trove of diamonds imaginable. The air here is so clear and it tastes like nothing," I told him with a small smile. "At home, you could practically taste the sea with every breath you took. It never left you."
At that, there was a stunned silence cast over the crowd and the host looked almost thoughtful, as if trying to imagine what I had described.

"It sounds magical," he said after a while.

"It's home. Home is magic," I told him. "Home is where your heart lies and my district stole my heart away. You have no idea how much I want to go back."

Domitius smiled. "Well, if you win this competition, Mags, you'll go home and have the best days of your life at sea."

I grinned, despite Odetta's instructions to only give toothless smiles in order to look regal. "I know. And I plan to do exactly that."

With a hearty applause, I was dismissed and Nereus was welcomed onto the stage. With relief, I saw that Emer, Odetta, and Percival were still on the other side of the stage. I entered a waiting room where I sat in a plush sofa, watching the broadcast on a television that was hanging from the ceiling.

"Nereus, welcome to the Capitol!" Domitius exclaimed.

"Thank you," he said humbly, sitting down comfortably next to the host.

"Now, you look like a strong fellow. What did you do back at home?" Domitius asked, groping his bicep playfully.

Nereus grinned. "Plenty. I was a fisherman back at home so I swam and speared a lot. Not to mention I played plenty of sports in school."

"Wow, what a well-rounded bloke," Domitius crooned as the audience clapped on cue. "Now, Nereus, tell me more about life at home. What would you be doing on a fine evening like tonight?"

Nereus leaned back in his chair, seeming to muse over something before smiling. "I'd be at home with my mother and siblings."

"Siblings? How many do you have?" Domitius asked eagerly.

"Three. I have three kid brothers and a sister. My sister's thirteen and my brothers are eleven, five and two," he told him with a small chuckle. "They're all really rambunctious."

"I bet you miss them dearly."

"More than you can imagine."

"If they mean that much to you, I'm sure that you'll find the strength to win and go home to them," Domitius cheered, eliciting applause again from the audience who seemed to adore Nereus.

"Well –" Nereus started, but then seemed to hesitate.

"Yes?" Domitius urged. "Were you going to say something?"

"Yes," Nereus said slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. He leaned forward into his chair, clapping a hand onto the host's shoulder. "Between you and me, I don't know if I'll be going home."

There was a surprised gasp and a general silence over the audience as Domitius looked positively befuddled. Even I jumped to my feet in alarm. A tribute – much less, a strong and popular tribute – admitting to defeat before the Games even started? It was unthinkable. I could imagine Emer burying his face into his hands and Odetta making a disgruntled yelp of dismay.

"But… You earned a ten from the Gamemakers! You're very popular among the viewers and you're incredibly strong," Domitius told him encouragingly.

Nereus smiled self-deprecatingly. "I suppose so."

"So why do you think you won't win?" The host turned to the audience and gave a huge grin. "Come on, folks, what do you think? Don't you agree that Nereus is a fine tribute?"

The crowd roared and whistled, making Nereus smile and wave in response before he turned back to the interview.

"I know that winning is important and that my life is at risk here," Nereus told him, "but there's something much more important to me than anything else in the world."

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"And what would that be?" Domitius asked softly.

"I love someone very much. And I will do anything I can do to protect her."

My heart clenched in my chest and my legs weakened into jelly. With wavering steps, I moved closer to the television, watching as his face remained blank and devoid of any emotion as the audience gasped and screamed loudly at his answer.

"Wait a minute! You're telling me that you've fallen in love with one of your fellow tributes here in this very competition?" Domitius asked eagerly.

Nereus gave a helpless smile and nodded, making the audience scream even louder.

"Well, well, well! Aren't you full of surprises! And won't you please tell us who this lovely lady is?"

The tribute smiled wryly. "Now, I know I'm on national television and all but I think I'll keep that to myself until I muster up the courage to tell her in person."

A buzzer went off, indicating that his time was up. The audience groaned and Domitius looked positively put out. With reluctance, Domitius shook his head and smiled at Nereus, stating, "Well, I'm sure that that young lady is a lucky one. I wish you the best of luck in the Games and your romantic endeavors. Say goodbye to Nereus Eathelin, ladies and gentlemen!"

What… What had just happened?

My mind was racing while my feet remained frozen. He really said that? Was that in reference to me? I mean, I knew that he cared for me… And I knew that we spent the night together but did that really mean that he was in love with me?

As soon as Nereus came into the waiting room, he made a beeline towards me, gathering me up in his arms. My legs seemed to give out on me and he practically carried me to the sofa. He held my hand in his tightly.

"You okay?" he asked softly, kissing the corner of my mouth gently.

I nodded mutely.

Before he could even muster out another word, Emer and Odetta swept into the room, Odetta exclaiming instantaneously, "That was brilliant, Nereus!"

"Much smarter than what we had planned," Emer said wryly.

"You'll look like a knight in shining armor," Odetta murmured, seeming as if in her own daydream. "You'll be Panem's Prince Charming!" She turned to me and beamed. "And you, you lovely little princess! You made everyone just wonder what District Four is like. You made it seem like you just stepped out of a fairytale!"

I decided to not listen to Emer and Odetta. As much as Nereus and I were trying to reel in sponsors, these interviews meant more to us. It was a way of us to express our real emotions to everyone before we were slaughtered in the arena.

I glanced over at Nereus and saw his eyes fixated on the screen, seeming disturbed.

"Spade, please tell us about yourself!" Domitius regaled, though he seemed on edge. "How do you think you'll fare in this year's Hunger Games?"

The boy gave a seemingly sweet smile but his icy eyes looked nothing but insidious. He pushed back his long white hair with slender, pale fingers and said in a ghost of a voice, "I like having fun. And you know what gives me the biggest thrill?"

"What?"

"Watching the life seep out of a person's eyes." There was a stunned silence before Spade laughed a bright, bubbly laugh that seemed so uncharacteristic of him. It made the audience realize that this child was only perhaps thirteen years old but every time his gaze fell on the camera, he was far from being harmless.

"A creepy one, that is," Odetta said with a shudder.

"Come on, kids, let's go back to your rooms," Emer said grimly, ushering us out of the room.

Nereus guided me out of the room quietly but when I glanced back over my shoulder at the television one last time, I only saw Spade's ice-blue eyes staring back intensely before laughing in that unnerving way.

A/N: Thank you for reading. Please don't forget to review/favorite/follow.

Quiddity