Gale's POV

Considering that we all look like we're at a funeral, I'm pretty damn excited for how this interview night is turning out. I mean, really, you would think we planned it. The black funeral clothes (minus Kennie because of the bastard). The unsmiling, uncooperative tributes with some crying instead of sucking up to the Capitolites. And now the interviews that are getting rolling now, with every Victor basically attacking the Capitol, the Games, Snow (indirectly) and the kids crying that they just want to go home to their moms. I certainly didn't plan this, but I bet someone did. Whoever it was is a fucking genius but I hope they realize how Snow will react if he finds out.

For the first time, I actually pay attention to all the interviews, watching to see who is doing what. I would have thought that Cashmere and Brutus wouldn't be a part of this little plan, but I think they might be. Cashmere talks about her 'love' for the Capitol as well as all the other Victors' love for them and what a shame it is that so many won't be able to be loved anymore. Brutus is obviously the least helpful with this attack, but he does mention how Victors help make other Victors and it will be extremely difficult to do without us. Finnick does a poem to his true love in the Capitol (yeah right) which has the effect of every woman in the audience (and surprisingly some men) swooning. Duncan talks about how these Games aren't even legal techinically because of the rules of the tributes are strictly between the ages of twelve and eighteen and no one here in fact is. Johanna says that they could cancel the Games if they wanted to but that's not likely to happen because some people in the Capitol (a blatantly obvious attack at Snow) don't want to. It goes on and on and each time I get more confident it's working.

By the time I'm up after the little boy from District 11, the audience is sort of a wreak. They're crying, calling for a change, telling us not to go. I could be the good little tribute and stop this attack, but let's be honest; I can't even lie to myself on that one and no one here expects me to be. My intentions are pretty damn obvious anyway and that will most definitely pull on their heartstrings even more.

Ceaser seems to know this too because even though he's smiling as I come up, I can easily see the dread hiding behind his mask at doing my interview. Good, all the better.

"So Gale, welcome to the stage once again!" Ceaser begins.

"Well it's not exactly a reason why I would have wanted to be up here." I begin, much to the audience's astonishment but Ceaser doesn't seem surprised if not trying to sink into his chair at how difficult I'm going to make this for him to spin it around to something good.

"Perhaps not considering all the other reasons you've been up here." Ceaser tells, "The proposal, the wedding talks, the baby revealings and all the party gossip of course.

Well damn, he was able to spin that one. He's definitely a much better host than even I assumed. But I'm not anywhere near done yet. "Well, the thing is we all know that I'm not coming out of these Games."

Whispers among the audience, but no one seems surprised by it like I assumed. Just…not liking it.

"So you have no confidence at all in your winning these Games? Despite your zero in training, you are certainly a fit and healthy young man." Ceaser protests.

"Of course I'm not winning. I don't think it comes as a surprise that my full intent is to keep Makenna alive no matter what." I state, "And the zero in training was because I showed the Gamemakers exactly what that means and they didn't like it." I know you're not actually allowed to say what happened in training but it's sort of only half true and there aren't any specifics in that explanation. Either way, I don't give a shit if anyone knows. I'm already a target anyway.

"A very bold goal if I do say so myself." Ceaser replies, but that's not good enough for me.

"Ceaser can I ask you a question?" I ask, and he looks a little taken aback but gestures for me to go ahead. "Do you have any children?"

"I love children, but no, I do not have any of my own." Ceaser exclaims, clearly dreading where I'm going with this but the audience doesn't appear to know. They're on the edge of their seats, on the edge of a cliff that will create chaos with a few more pushes. And I intend to bring them right to the very edge if not over it.

"I thought not." I give a half smirk, and Ceaser looks taken aback by this. "If you did you wouldn't need an explanation of why that's my goal and why I'm going to accomplish it."

Ceaser looks ready to reply but I'm not done yet. I turn to the audience and ask them a question for once. "How many of you are parents? Uncles, aunts, grandparents?" Most of the audience raises their hands like I suspected. "What would you do for them if you were going into a death match with them? Would you really put your life above theirs? Would it really be worth it to live when someone who had so much life ahead of them died for you to live?" I can see the guilt creeping in and the cries beginning, but I'm not done yet. "No, you wouldn't. And though your family will be torn apart like mine, you know that you're doing the right thing. The only thing really." I find Katniss in the audience and see that she's on the brink of a full on break down but she bites her lip and nods for me to continue. "The one thing I always tell my tributes is that underestimation can decide whether you live or die. Anyone who has a child realizes that you should never underestimate the protective instinct for a parent to their child. Which is why I'm certain that no matter what I'm going to do this. It's the most important thing in the world and nothing and nobody can prevent me from accomplishing it."

The buzzer rings which is barely audible above the cries and outrage from my interview, and I dismiss myself to go to my seat, taking Kennie in my arms and kissing her forehead before she goes up onto the stage, feeling pretty damn confident that I got the point across. She gives a sad smile to Ceaser and waves at the audience. Ceaser takes a different approach than me with her, gushing about her 12 in training and how everyone adores her. He finally gets to her stupid dress and says how cute she looks in it.

"Thank you. It's my birthday dress but I'm wearing it now because…" Kennie starts, but stops herself and looks to me confused if she should go on. I honestly have no clue where she's going with this so I nod, but Ceaser cuts her off.

"Oh my dear girl, if your father has anything to say about it you will still get your party and wear a new dress." Ceaser replies, trying to lighten the mood even with the dark undertones to what he's saying.

"No, it's not that." Kennie shakes her head. "President Snow made me wear this because he doesn't want me to turn seven so he wants me to wear it now." Shock goes through the crowd and even my mouth drops. Well damn, we were all skimming around attacking Snow personally but there she goes directly blaming him for something awful. I don't think I've ever been so terrified for her or proud of her at the same time before.

And for once Ceaser doesn't even know how to respond to something. He looks hesitant and Kennie waits for him to say something, but when he doesn't she looks into the crowd at the designer section before turning back. "And even though I had to wear this, I have another special dress on. Do you want to see?" All Ceaser can do is nod even though he probably shouldn't and she gets up and begins to twirl. To my panic and horror the dress is on fire, burning her. I get up immediately from my seat and several other Victors do too, half rushing to the stage before we realize that it's just burning the dress away, not her. What she's left with is a dress of red, yellow, and orange feathers, the ashes of her birthday dress left on the ground. And after that talk with Snow, I realize exactly what Cinna has turned her into, a bird born of fire that comes up from the ashes.

"You're a phoenix." Ceaser blurts out, half in awe and half terrified. He obviously knows a deeper meaning into it, but when he recovers he pretends he doesn't. "Well I must say that is the flashiest thing we have ever seen on this stage. I think Cinna should take a bow, don't you?"

When Cinna stands up and takes a small bow with a slight smirk on his face, I realize that he's a part of this too. Of course he is. What surprises me is that all those years ago on the roof it was a mockingjay that he was being vague about, not a phoenix. So…what is this really? Guess I'll find out soon enough.

Katniss's POV

After last night's interviews, I half expected Snow to give in to the Capitolites' cries of outrage and cancel the Games, but of course that was too much to ask for. So this morning when Cinna came to wake Gale and Kennie at dawn for the Games, with a heavy sigh I got up with them (we all slept in the same bed again like we did the first night on the train) and forced them both to eat a big breakfast and lots of water. Kennie's hovercraft came first and I picked her up and squeezed her tight to me, wishing I never had to let her go. She held onto me like that too, but when Cinna with a sigh said that she had to leave now I put her down, told her I love her so much and watched her as Gale held me go to her hovercraft. To the arena. Gale's hovercraft would be coming in a few minutes and Portia gave us some privacy, which we took every last second of to say goodbye without words. I kissed and caressed him like it was the last time I would ever do so (which it is), desperate hands and kisses overtaking us. When the hovercraft came we held onto each other, wishing to never let go. But when Portia comes over to take him to the hovercraft, he kisses my forehead once and leans back, taking my face in his hands.

"I love you." he says to me, his voice close to breaking. I say it back through my tears and we share one last hard kiss before he sighs and lets me go with such a heavy expression. Long after the hovercraft left I'm still up on that roof, collapsed on the ground and feeling a heavy sadness mixed with a sort of numb feeling. Damn Snow for turning me into my mother when my father died. Of course that was an accident and this was certainly on purpose but still.

Eventually a few hours after the sun rose I feel hands on me, helping me up from where I am on the concrete surface of the roof. Nelia and Carper help me up and each take one arm to help me walk to the mentor room, not saying anything because there isn't anything to say. Every last person in Panem knows what's happening to me and I'm grateful that no one appears to attempt to make me feel better, even when we get to the Mentor Room. To my utter surprise and thanks, not even the Career mentors say anything, and most of them look at me with pity if not sadness. Not even Enobaria can find it in her to make a snide comment.

When I sit down I see that the viewing of the arena on the screen in front of me is already up, and with a sigh I realize that this is the first time I'm doing this alone. I've never mentored without Gale before and it's a strange feeling. I mean sure Nelia is here, but even she knows that she's more of a support system than a mentor giving the circumstances. Trying to make myself focus, I study the arena in front of me.

It's a circular arena, and it looks…well it looks like a target. There are rings of land that are separated by rings of water, the edge of the arena being water as well and each ring of water the same size even as you get futher away from the bulls eye; the golden Cornucopia. In the rings of land are different landscapes; the first from the Cornucopia a desert, the second a jungle, the third a forest, the fourth a beach, and the fifth hills and almost mountains with cliffs that are on the edge of the final ring of water. It's such a strange landscape that I don't even know where to begin to figure out what it's about, but I do know that that forest is the best bet to go to. Of course that means that every tribute knows this is where they will be, but still. To my confusion, there are two suns in the sky on opposite sides of the arena. Usually there is only one 'sun' so that tributes can tell time by it, but I guess to no avail in this arena. That will prove to be difficult, but it's not entirely unmanageable.

I study the arena for the next half hour or so, but when it's five minutes before the tributes come up from the tubes I abandon trying to do anything but stare at the blank screens in front of me, filled with equal dread and anticipation at seeing Gale and Kennie again. It's most definitely the longest five minutes of my life, but soon enough they are coming up from their tubes and I hold my breath. Gale is between two of the kids and Kennie is between Seeder and Brutus. Gale looks ready, finding Kennie in the circle of platforms before quickly studying the Cornucopia and then the surroundings. I know he's going for the Cornucopia even if I don't really want him to, but it really is the only way to ensure supplies. The plan is for Kennie to run in the direction of the sun away from the Cornucopia and Gale will catch up with her when he can. Having two suns will prove difficult, but seeing as she will most likely run for the one closest to her I hope it's not too big of an issue. Kennie looks…well she looks scared and shaken, which is understandable but what I don't understand is why she already has a bloody fingerprint on her shirt. What's that for?

But I quickly abandon that thought as the timer counts down and I grip my chair for dear life as it counts down.

5

4

3

2

1

Everyone races, some for the Cornucopia and some for the arena. Kennie starts to run for the sun but then gets confused as she sees the other and stops. By this time Brutus has picked up a knife that was about ten feet from his platform and is ready to throw it at her.

"Run Kennie!" I scream at her through the screen, but Brutus has already thrown the knife. So much for the whole we'll stick together stand yesterday. As the knife flies Kennie freezes instead of running or dropping to the ground. And then her face screws into one of horror.

Seeder had not gotten very far and saw Brutus's intentions obviously, so she threw herself in front of Kennie, the knife imbedding in her back and making her fall to the ground instead of hitting Kennie.

"Run child, run!" Seeder chokes out, and Kennie forces herself to listen and runs for the nearest sun into the arena. I can't believe that Seeder saved my little girl and it will certainly cost her life. She's officially my new favorite tribute of all time.

Brutus realizes that there's really no use going after Kennie without a weapon so he runs for the Cornucopia again, where Gale is currently battling Cashmere with only a knife. He cuts her leg enough that she loses her balance and he takes the backpack and grabs the bow. I'm watching him so intently that Nelia has to push me to get my attention.

"Katniss!" she yells, exasperated and panicked. I turn away from the screen to question her but she points to the center screen with a look of horror and then Kennie's. Some of the Victors have already gotten in and out of the Cornucopia, and they are running for the arena with weapons ready. Right in Kennie's direction.

Kennie keeps running but the District 5 Victor, Electra, is far too close for comfort. And she has a spear. And comes through the bush right by Kennie with it aimed right at her, her intent clear.

Oh god, I feel like I'm going to die.