(Quick A/N: I'm skipping the Interview Prep day.)

Juliette Starmite, District Three POV

"Juliette? Juliette, darling? Wake up! It's time for interviews!"

I groaned. Why was it that when I needed more sleep, my overly excited escort always had to wake me? I didn't even bother to throw a pillow at her. I just got up and began to rake a comb through my hair. When most of the tangles were sorted out, I laid it flat and went out to breakfast. My prep team would fix it later.

As I walked out, my escort smiled. "There's our sleepyhead!" she said cheerfully. I shook my head. She was true Capitol material. "Well, today is Interview Day!" Tivia exclaimed. "Exciting, exciting, exciting! You are both to report to your prep teams by ten this morning." I glanced at the clock: 9:55.

"Tivia?" Jack said, thinking along the same line of thought as I was.

"Yes?"

"It's nine fifty-five."

"Well then, we'd better get going!" she exclaimed. Tivia stood up and dumped her plate into the hands of our Avox, then bustled into the elevator. Jack and I simply left our plates on the table and smiled at each other. Old habits die hard. We used to do everything together, and we did it the same way.

Our elevator took us straight through the main building, then to the prep building, where it took us to floor three.

"Bye, darlings!" Tivia said as the doors closed behind us.

"Bye," Jack said. The elevator was already closing by the time he got the chance to spit that out. I laughed.

"See you later, Jack," I said, then started walking down the hallway. I heard him singing an old song behind me.

"Hit the road, Jack, and don't come back no more, no more, no more, no more." I laughed at him, and then entered my prep room. Once there, I found my very eager prep team awaiting me.

"Juliette, darling, we have the most brilliant outfit for you!" Leila squealed. Without warning, I was pushed into a chair and there was a brush in my hair. "Did you brush this at all?" she asked me. I nearly laughed.

"Not really," I admitted truthfully.

She scoffed and began to carefully part and section my hair. As Jebius moved in on my nails, I sat back and let my prep team do all of the work. I drifted off while they worked on me. That's not to say I fell asleep, but I mostly daydreamed about winning the games and going back home. I had conflicted emotions about winning. I could live, I could go home, but it would mean that people I cared about, and possibly loved, would be dead.

That included both Jack and Ben. Two boys who have completely changed my life. I had never been in love before, but could I be now?

"All right, darling, time for Miranda to work her magic!" Jebius announced gleefully.

Just as he said that, Miranda, the woman who had made such a splash for our District at the chariots, walked in and stood me up, kissing me on both cheeks.

"Hello, Juliette, darling," she said dramatically. Is there a memo that I didn't get about Call Juliette Darling Day? I smiled at her.

"Hi, Miranda."

She spun around on her toes once, then glided over to a rack of clothes and pulled off a simple dress. "So, darling," she said as she walked back over to me. "What do you think?" She held up a beautiful, knee-length, black and white dress. The waste up was white, with a black bottom. It puffed out at the waist, and had short sleeves. It reminded me of something . . .

"I know what you're thinking. It looks familiar, no? I got the inspiration from your Reaping dress. I absolutely loved it and had to make something like it. Different sleeves and different colors set it apart a bit, no?" She went on without waiting for me to answer her. "It's lovely, just genius. I heard your angle was charming and sweet, and I figured this would remind the audience of your roots." She swung the dress around as she spun and handed it to me dramatically. "Put it on. Fulfill your destiny." She beamed at me expectantly.

I almost rolled my eyes, but settled for smiling instead. Miranda was dramatic, to say the least. Regardless, I complied with her request and slipped on the comfortably fitting dress. Hesitantly, I turned and looked in the mirror. What I saw surprised me. This dress fit me better than the one I left behind on the train. It was more beautiful, more sophisticated. It was more like me.

Behind me, reflected in the mirror, was Miranda with a face that could only be described as exuberant. "Do you like it?" she asked nervously with a hint of excitement in her voice.

"No," I said honestly. Her face dropped, visibly disappointed. She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off. "I love it."

This time she started jumping up and down. She surprised me by coming over and hugging me. "I'm so happy!" And I surprised myself by hugging her back. All of the sudden, she pulled away and got serious. "Now, we need to work on your makeup a little." She took a few steps back. "Mmhm. Yes, a little more gold right there . . ."

I sat down, knowing what was coming, but loving every second of it. She continued to analyze me, and I simply let myself be at her mercy. If I was a Capitol pawn, I could at least try to move around the board with dignity. And, if Miranda did her job right, so beautifully that sponsors would be falling over themselves just for me.

Mariana Blackman, Capitol Citizen POV

The chatter in the stands died down as Caesar walked out from behind the double doors, handsome as ever. His color was gold this year, which was just divine.

"Good evening, citizens of the Capitol!" he said. Everyone cheered as he smiled. "Today I'm going to present to you, for the second time, our tributes for the twenty-eighth Hunger Games!" A louder cheer sounded from the crowd. "Without further ado, let's get started!"

The doors opened again, and 24 kids filed out and sat in the chairs that had been provided. Before we knew it, the first girl was being called to the stand. "Rainbow-Light Moonshine, District One!" called Caesar. Ooh, I loved that name. She had pretty hair, too. The green of her dress really set off her red hair.

"So, Rainbow-Light," he started.

"Just Rain," she corrected pleasantly. "Call me Rain."

"Rain," he tried again, amiably smiling at her. "Are you excited to be a Tribute this year?"

She swallowed before answering. "Of course, Caesar." A brilliant smile lit her face. "Who wouldn't love being here? The Capitol is such an exquisite city. The buildings, the food, the people." She winked at the crowd. "Such wonderful people you have here." We all cheered for her. She visibly relaxed.

"So, who was the little girl you volunteered for? Anyone special?" he asked her.

"Oh, yes, she's very special. She's my sister, Fireflight. I love her more than anything."

He asked her a few more questions about home, then the usual "What do you think of the Games?" She answered that she was very excited to be in them, and she thanked us for our hospitality. The buzzer went off and she went back to her seat. She made an excellent first impression.

The next tribute up was her District partner, a sturdy looking boy named Adam Way. I frowned a bit. Most definitely not a pretty name. His personality was nothing to scoff at, yet nothing to be impressed by, either. Other than the fact that he was strong and a definite leader, he was . . . boring. The suit he wore played up his handsome features, though. He also had an older brother who he admired.

Next, Rose Shea, District Two. "Hello there, Rose," Caesar greeted her pleasantly.

"Hello," she said, matching his tone of voice. "It's very nice to meet you, Caesar. I've only seen your work on TV, and now I'm the subject of it!" She laughed, and we did too. I warmed up to her very quickly.

"It's nice to meet you too, Rose. Now, can I ask a little about your home life? It says here that you have a sister?" Caesar said, pleased with the compliment.

"Yes, I do. Her name is Breena, and like Rain," she paused to wink at Rain. Was there a strong alliance between these two? Ooh, drama. "she also means the world to me."

"Do you have any hobbies?" he questioned.

"Why, yes, Caesar. Surprisingly, I love to cook." She smoothed her dark blue dress, and I noticed how wonderfully it complemented her platinum blonde hair.

Her interview passed quickly, the buzzer sounding in the middle of her answer about what her Reaping reactions were. She took it graciously, waving to us before heading back to her seat.

"Kale Solomowitz, District Two!" Caesar called. A handsome young man in a suit walked up to the stage. He was eighteen, and he volunteered. "Hi, Kale. Can you tell us about your friends and family back home?"

He smiled. "Why, of course! My dad is very . . ." He paused, unsure. "Supportive. My mom is just a darling; she takes care of me and my two sisters, Vina and Haylen. They're the nicest little girls you'll ever meet."

"Wow, it seems like everyone here loves their siblings! No rivalry, none at all?" Caesar asked, obviously bemused.

"No, they're too young to fight with me. They know better," he joked, earning a few chuckles.

The interview finished after a few more questions with about three seconds to spare.

"Juliette Starmite, District Three!" a young girl of no more than thirteen walked daintily and happily to the stage.

"Hello, Caesar," she said, a light tone to her voice.

"Hello, Juliette. Now, is it true that your stylist had a theme going on here?" He gestured to her outfit.

She laughed. "Oh, yes. You may notice this looks similar to what I wore at my Reaping." Pictures of her at District Three's town square popped up on the monitor, replacing her tribute profile. We all murmured agreement, noticing the similarity. "Well, my wonderful stylist Miranda took a spin on it and made it so beautiful, don't you think?" She put out her arms as if she was trying to fly. Again, we all nodded. How ingenious.

"Do you and Jack know each other?"

"Yes, actually. We've been friends for about three years now." How sweet, friends and District partners! Caesar went on about her family and her opinion on the Games. She was an only child, and was excited to be here. The buzzer sounded, and Jack Sandstorm was called up. He was an amiable fellow, if a little quiet, and was wearing black pants with a dark blue shirt.

"So, Jack, how do you feel about the games?" Caesar asked him.

"Happy to be here," he replied quietly. Nervously, he fiddled with the edge of his shirt.

"Do you and Juliette plan to become allies?"

Jack smiled secretively. "Maybe, maybe not, Caesar, you'll have to wait and see!" he answered tantalizingly.

His interview was over quickly, and Marissa Lionheart of District Four was called up. She was wearing a bubblegum pink strapless dress with rhinestones on the bust. She looked absolutely breathtaking.

"Marissa! It's nice to meet you," Caesar told her, extending his hand out to shake. She sat down, and took it.

"And the same to you, Caesar," she said, laughing.

"Now," he said, getting serious. "Fill us in. Is the gossip true? Is Callum Lionheart your dad?"

She glanced over to her right, where the mentors and stylists were sitting, and her gaze lingered there, as if waiting for something. Finally, she looked back. "Yes, yes he is. And I'm very proud of it."

"Why haven't we heard of you?"

"Well, my dad has been protecting us by not telling anyone. He won, like, the second Hunger Games, so not a lot of people remember his victory. Still, he loved us, so he let us live in our home and comes to visit us every day." Her eyes flashed with something that made me suspect her, but I let it go as she laughed. "He's a great dad."

Caesar smiled. "I'm sure he is." After more questions about her family, and a few about her skills and training score, the buzzer went off and the boy tribute was invited up to the stage.

Moray Melbourne was a lanky young boy who looked a bit out of place. He was wearing a nice, dark green shirt and black pants. "Hi, Caesar," he said nervously. "Nice to meet you."

"And the same to you, Moray. Now, fill us in on your home life," Caesar requested.

"Well, I was orphaned as a baby, so I've got an adoptive dad named Series. I took his last name since I didn't know my own," he replied sadly.

We all went "aw" at his situation. I was warming up to him already. He went on a bit about how he enjoyed his life and wasn't at all sad, and then talked about his training score.

"You never know, Caesar. Maybe I'm hiding something," he said mischievously. He flashed a heart winning smile.

"No, we never know." Caesar responded with an equal smile. Suddenly, the buzzer went off, breaking the friendly moment. "Okay and that brings our interview with Moray to an end." As Moray left the stage, he called up the next tribute.

"Alice Catching, District Five!" A small, short girl who reminded me vaguely of a pixie mounted the platform happily, wearing a short orange dress with spaghetti straps that complemented her short and spiky brown hair.

"So, Alice, what do you think of your District partner and the Games this year?"

"Well, Caesar, I think it's wonderful that District Five has a great boy tribute this year." She sent a too-sweet smile to her partner. "But me? Ha, I bet I'll die. Weak, small, Alice. No one ever knew her. I guess I was shocked at the Reapings, but hey, let the Hunger Games begin!"

The crowd was silent at her answer. Never before had someone dared to answer so boldly. Caesar quickly recovered and went on. "I don't know, your training scores looked pretty good!" he said cheerfully.

She sniffed. "They were okay."

The rest of the interview went on with mostly two or three word answers on her part, and Caesar had some lively attempts to keep her going. He revealed a bit of her funny side at one point, but you could tell she was a little more on the bitter side.

Her District partner was soon called up - Chase Buck. He looked pretty pleasant in his polished outfit.

"Hi there, Caesar," he said, shaking his hand, and then smoothing his tux.

"Hi, Chase. Tell us a little bit about yourself."

"Well, I'm seventeen years old and very happy to be here. My family died three years ago in a house fire, so I live with my neighbors Bentley and Coral Dragon," he told Caesar, a bit sadly.

"Wow, that must take a lot of courage to start over. Who exactly is Coral Dragon?" Caesar asked, lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"Coral is like my family. We take care of each other, she's my best friend," Chase replied nonchalantly.

"And you live together?"

"Yeah, like I said, we take care of each other."

"That's it? No steamy romance you're leaving behind?" Caesar pried.

Chase laughed. "No, that'd be weird. Bentley and Coral are my family."

That was the only interesting part of his interview, and it was over with the ding of a buzzer.

"Now, Zara Giovanni from District Six!" Caesar said. A tall girl in a black, short skirt and knee high black boots walked up.

"Hi, Caesar. Nice to meet you," Zara greeted him.

"And the same to you, young lady. How are you enjoying your stay?"

"Oh, I love it here, Caesar. It's just exquisite. The people, the food, the buildings, the atmosphere, it's just so wonderful!" she exclaimed.

"Tell us a little about your home life," Caesar asked of her.

"Well, I live with my mom, dad, and little brother Hunter. Hey Hunter!" she said, waving at the camera sweetly. We all laughed.

"Sounds like you like your little brother, eh?" Caesar said jokingly.

"Oh yes, Caesar, we get along fabulously. That is, when we're not fighting, which is usually once a day, fifteen minutes a day." We all laughed again. "But really, I love him," she said seriously.

"We can see that. Now, any game plans?"

She laughed melodically. "Now, now, Caesar. Haven't you been here long enough to know that nobody answers that question?"

He chuckled and slapped his knee. "That's a good point, Zara. Well then, can you at least tell us your thoughts?"

She went on to tell him about how she was very excited to be in the games and hoped she could get lots of sponsors. They talked about the Capitol for a bit before the buzzer sounded.

"Rilan Hemworth, District Six!" was called up to the stage. As Zara was walking down, Rilan was walking up. All of the sudden, she slipped on her heels, and plummeted off the platform.


A/N: First of all, this chapter is dedicated to my best friend Savanna! :D

Second, thank you so so very much to my lovely beta Lostliveson4eva.

Third, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, reviews really motivate me to write.

Last, and most important: Yes, I did disappear for over a month, and I sincerely apologize. My writing style is very erratic, but NEVER at any time will I give up on this story, I promise you. I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'm not going to say that the next part of interviews is coming SOON, but it will get here. I'm planning on alternating chapters between this story and my other SYOC, so reviews will definitely motivate me to update faster! I do have to say that I'm a bit disappointed with you guys on the review number. :D Let's see if we can get it up to 100 after the next chapter!

Cookies for everyone who presses that little button down there that says "Review"! Don't worry, it doesn't bite anymore. :D

Coming up: Districts Seven through Twelve interviews, The Bloodbath

Peace, Love, Happiness,
~DG~