A/N: For this chapter, the interviewer's dialog will be in italics.
Chapter 11: Interviews: District 5 -
"Ladies and Gentlemen, our next tribute, Alair Ynes!"
"Welcome, Alair! I noticed when you came in, and even now, you are crossing your fingers. I also seem to recall seeing you do this in the opening ceremonies as well. I think our audience would be interested to learn why."
"Simple. I am, just like everyone else here, preparing for the games. Some people prepare physically and mentally (which I have done somewhat), but I have focused mainly on one thing: the supernatural, the "luck" aspect."
"I can't say we have ever had a tribute focus on that before. What made you choose to focus on this aspect?"
"It will be the thing that makes or breaks my game. Everything points to the fact that this will be a very luck-filled (both good and bad) game. Just think about what has happened to bring us to this point. It is the 13thannual games and the reapings fell on the 13thday of the month. Thirteen is a number filled with luck; mostly bad. Then I have more bad luck besides that. I turned 13 this year, and I broke a mirror about a month ago which gives me seven years of bad luck. It is essential that I continue to try to change my luck, or I have no chance in this game."
"Something to think about to be sure. Ladies and Gentlemen, the "lucky" Alair Ynes!"
"Let's meet Alair's district partner: Rex Emerson!"
"So Rex, how do you feel about the "luck" that seems to be following your fellow tribute? Are you also preparing for the luck part of the game? I didn't realize this was what District 5 studied!"
"No, Rolland, this is not something I am preparing for. I think good luck/bad luck is simply flimsy and worthless superstitions. I do not think it means anything as far as the game goes."
"So I take it you do not have a 'good luck' alliance with you district partner. If you are not focusing on the luck aspect, what are you focusing on? How are you preparing for this game?"
"I am probably focusing on the physical part as I prepare for the game. I feel I have a decent handle on the mental aspect, in fact, my family calls me "The Professor" because I know a lot about a lot of things. I feel I am more prepared physically, but I do not think I compete with some of the other male tributes here. In the arena, I think it will come down to how prepared I am mentally."
"Thank, Rex. Or should I say, 'the Professor'?!"
"Moving right along we turn to the tribute who looked so lovely during the opening ceremonies: Sarina Hakim!"
"I don't know if you know this Sarina, but you were one of the top three winners in the best opening ceremony contest. You truly seemed to glow that evening, and you look beautiful tonight as well."
"Thank you, honestly after my stylist got done with me I felt like a totally different person. Though I am glad to be from District 6, I feel as if I am now a part of the Capitol as well. It gave me a wonderful experience before I leave." With that, Sarina stood and walked back to her seat.
"I suppose that is all we will hear from Sarina tonight! Let's see if her district partner is more talkative."
"Please welcome Trent Dion of District 6!"
"Well, Trent, since we didn't learn much about your district partner, tell us about yourself. Give us three words that describe yourself."
"I think the biggest one is loyalty and honesty. Once I pledge that to someone, I will stick with it forever. Next is pride. I am very proud, not of myself, of my district. Because we have never had a victor in these games, I have pledged to bring honor to my district in these games. I never break my word and I will honor my district in these games. The best way for me to honor my district is to win."
"I find it interesting that you included pride in that list, but you did not mention pride in yourself. Is there a time that you are prideful of yourself or your accomplishments?"
"I prefer to allow myself to bring pride to others through my focused and driven work. However, I know if I am able to honor my district; then I will have pride in what I have done."
"Well I believe with your determination you have an excellent shot at honor to your district, and who knows? Maybe that determination with make you a forerunner of these games. Best of luck, Trent!"
"We have an interesting set of tributes coming up. One was a volunteer for these games and the other a young tribute who is very, very confident. We will start with the confident Reynalda Ives!"
"Reynalda, I think you are one of the most confident young ladies here tonight. Where does this confidence come from? You are not the strongest or the oldest tribute here."
"I think the majority of my confidence comes form the freedom I have received from becoming a tribute. I had an... interesting home situation and I was ready to branch out on my own. Though I have lived with my father and five brothers my whole life, I have mostly had to fend for myself."
"I would imagine so if you were the only girl in a household with six men. Do you feel you have a chance to win this game?"
"Without a shadow of doubt in my mind I have the feeling I will go far in these games. I cannot predict the outcome, but I know with every minute I spend away from my "home" I gain a desire to have more freedom and more of my own experiences. I wouldn't count me out just yet."
"I wouldn't count you out either. The desire for freedom can take you far in this game. Thank you, Reynalda!"
"We saw a strong desire to win in the young lady representing district 7. Her district partner volunteered to be in these games. Let's see if he shares a similar desire. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Marlon Ives!"
Marlon walked unsteadily to the chair. He felt light-headed and thought he might faint again. He just had to get through the interview, and then he could rest once more.
"Most often we have older tributes volunteer when they feel they will not get another chance at these games. What spurred you, as a 15-year-old boy with three more years of opportunities to be a tribute, to volunteer?"
Marlon took a moment and tried to catch his breath. The last thing he wanted to do was sound as though something was wrong. "It was my time. I knew that it was the year for me to volunteer, so I did."
"What has surprised you, as someone who wanted to come to these games?"
"Training. I thought I would be more easily able to keep up with the other tributes, but that was not the case. I was unable to physically do all that the other tributes could do."
"Won't not training affect how you play the game? Do you have a strategy to overcome your lack of training?"
Marlon felt as though the room was spinning, and he had a hard time focusing on what Rolland had said. What did he say? Ah yes, something about strategy. Gathering his strength, Marlon stood as he answered Rolland.
"I suppose I will simply have to play it by ear." Marlon turned and stumbled back to his chair. He tried not to collapse into it, as he knew the cameras were still on him. To his relief, Rolland moved on to the next tribute.
"Another set of volunteers who seem to come into these games as a team. Let's see what Sienna Paris from district 8 has to say!"
"I think I, and all the others watching assume you and Blake came into this as a team. But there was a moment at the reapings that you looked shocked when Blake volunteered. Did you not plan to volunteer together?
"For the life of me, I could not figure out why Blake volunteered. I had decided long before the reapings that I was going to volunteer, but I hoped that Blake wouldn't join me. When he volunteered, however, I realized there was no way I could do this without him. I have known him my whole life; I think I spent more time with his family than with my own."
"It seems as though you will have an excellent partner, however there can only be one victor. Will that put a lot of stress on you? This game will already demands that you work well under great stress. How well do you do under pressure?"
"I am able to work very well under pressure; a skill I learned from working in District 8. I know people will expect there to come a time when Blake and I will have to part ways, but I do not plan for that to happen. My goal is not to win this game, rather it is to ensure that Blake wins. Working well under pressure? I know there will be pressure in this game, but I plan to take it in stride."
"We shall see if you are able to work as well under pressure as you say. Thank you, Sienna!"
"Let's see what her partner has to say about her plan. Ladies and Gentlemen, Blake Orrin!"
"Blake, we will come back to what Sienna had to say, but first I want to ask you this. There seems to be a volunteering trend this year. We have had 5 boys and 4 girls volunteer: 9 tributes total. I think that is a record for the highest number of tributes to volunteer in all the Hunger Games. What is your take on this?"
"Obviously I can't speak for everyone, Rolland. All I know is there is one reason I volunteered as tribute."
"Would this have something to do with you district partner?"
"It has absolutely everything to do with Sienna. At some point, you will no doubt hear her try to influence me by saying something about how it was her own fault her life was ruined, but really it was mine. I couldn't let her throw her life away for something I had done. If she wins, she will have a fresh, new start. That's the greatest gift I think I could give her."
"Let me make sure I got this right: you are going into the arena to make sure she is the victor?"
"That is absolutely correct. And there is nothing she can say or do to change my mind about it."
"I wish you the best of luck in that, Blake!"
A/N: Once again, I will break the interviews up. I have been busy when finals and the end of school, but I can hopefully get some chapters written over break. Next up, the interviews from Districts 9 – 12. Then we get to the start of the games!
