Interviews and the Night Before
Nereus Naga, 18
District Four Male
Usually, he was not a person to be gripped by nervousness, but that was not the case that day.
Nereus was fidgeting behind the stage, adjusting his jet black tie, caressing his hair., a soft sigh escaping his lips. The backstage was full of tributes at the moment, most of them nervous, some pacing the floor, and some sitting calmly. Nereus saw little Ark rocking back and forth in his seat anxiously, Cupid and Calista talking between themselves in hushed tones, Kespar and Dekker simply sitting beside each other, Aron tapping his foot, and Cruxia being calm. He did not know how she did it, being calm, right when the Games were approaching and tonight would decide their image in the Capitol. Nereus acknowledged the importance of image among the audience, for it was this image that decided whether they thought one was worth investing in or not. Maybe it was this realisation that was making him increasingly restless, for even the air conditioned room couldn't stop him from sweating profusely, and he dabbed a handkerchief to his wet skin, attempting to dry off the sweat without smudging his makeup, and this was a particularly hard task.
He felt a hand tap lightly on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Cruxia smiling at him. He smiled back, quite conscious that she must have sensed the anxiousness off him.
"Don't worry," she said lightly, "You're going to smash the interviews. You have so much to talk about, you'll do well."
"Thank you Cruxia."
He wanted to tell her more about how he felt, but in order to do that he needed to know it himself, and Nereus had absolutely no idea what he was going through. There was a hollowness within him that he couldn't quite place, a sense of impending doom ever since he volunteered, as if he had done something wrong, as if it was a grave mistake, as if he had been used. He didn't know, and it was the unknown that was bothering him, making him anxious and restless. Cruxia furrowed her brows as he looked away, and tightly gripped his shoulders.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You can tell me, Nereus."
"I- I honestly don't know. I'm just tired, I guess."
"It'll all be okay."
With that, she gave his shoulders a light squeeze, nodded at him encouragingly, and then left him to join Margaery, who was speaking to Jupiter. She did not stay around for long, however, for the interviews had finally begun.
Nereus remained in the room that they were in, debating whether he should go closer to the stage to listen to what was happening. Ultimately he decided to give it a go, and joined Jupiter, who was patiently waiting for his turn. The two remained quiet as they listened to the proceedings on the stage. Nereus had never really talked to Jupiter much. There were occasional nods and acknowledgement and a 'hello' sometimes, but never a one to one conversation. There was something about him that he did not like, a dominance that he exuded, a charming smile trying to conceal that pointless rage. Nereus truly believed that Jupiter and Basileus deserved each other for they alone could handle the other's rage. He was quite surprised though, with how much effort they put in to remain calm. Their effort was commendable, and that was probably why he could stand them.
"...do you think the Careers will be able to live up to their legacy this time around?"
"Oh definitely. We have all dreamed of being in the Games- and winning them and my bros and I are going to give our best. And everyone knows the others can't really stand up to our best."
"Well, it is great to see you so confident Margaery! Wishing you the best of luck for the Games."
"Thank you!"
"And next up, we have the charming Jupiter Aeneas from District One!"
Nereus smiled at Jupiter even as he put on his most charming grin, walking onto the stage with a confidence that Nereus somewhere knew that he himself lacked. The curtains were dropped and he could hear soft voices from the stage. He shut his eyes and focused, trying to catch a few words. He did not know why he was so interested in listening to the conversation, but he just wanted to. Probably it was his Career instinct that screamed in his mind to weigh the chances of other Careers, probably it was just that he himself wasn't sure how to handle his interview and wanted to know how things could turn out. He was, as usual, confused regarding why he wanted something, but he wanted to listen.
"Jupiter, we've heard that you had made some decisions that led to a fallout between your alliance and a former member. What led to it?"
Jupiter chuckled softly, and then replied, "Well, I can't say that I made any decision. It was a collective one, where we'd voted on working on a particular strategy. One of our friends didn't agree with it and parted ways with our alliance."
"I've heard she has formed an alliance of her own."
"She has indeed. She has good leadership skills and is a strong competitor, I'm sure nobody would really refuse working with her."
"Do you have any vendetta against her?"
"Of course not! She's still a good friend, and has all the right to disagree with the team's decision and take her own call. That's not something to hold against someone."
Nereus frowned at the blatant lie that Jupiter was uttering on the stage. He had raged when Josephine had left the alliance, fuming, trembling in anger, calling a meeting to decide on how to eliminate her as quickly as possible and why she totally deserved it. And here he was, lying through his teeth, smiling, praising the woman for whom he had uttered nothing but filth. Nereus was so lost in thought that he didn't quite notice that the girl in question was on the stage, not until she was asked about the same.
"Well, I like to abide by my principles, and they mean a lot to me. As a Career training for this event, I want to win this honourably. I couldn't bring myself to agree to a plan that contradicted those values."
Nereus wished that he had the courage to leave like she did; he didn't particularly like the people in his alliance other than Cruxia. Josephine was honest, and you could expect some kind of predictability from people who were honest or angry or had a certain trait that you could exploit. It was Napoleon that bothered him, Napoleon with his bright smiles and kind looks and soothing voice.
The interviewer was asking Nate about his score, and the guy just laughed it off just like he handled most other things. Nereus could feel the mirth in his voice when he replied, "I don't think I had given a particularly special performance, but I am thankful to the panel of gamemakers to award me that score. It means a lot."
The crowd was buying this answer, and Nereus was surprised that the interviewer did not push him further on the topic. When Cat Doyle was asked what she missed the most about home, she replied confidently, "I miss my family, my family that has come together to support each other and turn our weaknesses into strengths. I miss my little community of misfits."
Rook, who had looked panicky at the training centre because of Jupiter and Basil, appeared to be strangely calm in his interview. He had that easy smile on his face, and he answered confidently, and yet… Nereus couldn't quite place it. He was a little too charming for a guy from Three, his smile perfectly positioned, his voice almost like velvet as he answered, the smoothness making Nereus just a bit envious of the boy's confidence.
"Is there a motivation back home for you?"
"I believe motivation is derived from within oneself; external influences are temporary within our life."
"Well said! So, Rook, do you believe you have what it takes to win the Games?"
"Absolutely," Rook smiled at that, "I have the drive to go for things that I have set my mind on, and winning the Games is definitely one such thing. Besides that, the love and support that I have received here is going to take me forward to my goal."
"Are you not afraid of the competition."
"I'm on my guard," he replied, surprising Nereus. Usually tributes didn't acknowledge competition at all, and even if they did, they answered with something like 'we're ready for them'. Rook did neither, silently acknowledging the Careers and the other tributes that were threats, contrary to the popular strategy.
"So you admit that you're weaker than them?"
"No, I admit that we all have our strengths, and I'll be looking out for them while capitalising on my own. It's important to be aware of your competition's strengths and weaknesses. In the past, many tributes have failed to win just because they either underestimated or overestimated their opponents. These mistakes are to be avoided."
When Cruxia was called on the stage, she looked at Nereus with a confident smile, nodding slightly at him, and he returned it, clenching his fists that were stuffed inside the pockets of his suit, for he was still nervous, although still quite unaware as to why. As he watched Cruxia's form leave the backstage, walking gracefully away from him with each passing second, Nereus couldn't help as if something was going to go terribly wrong with his own interview. It was as if he always knew, always, that there was something wrong, that he had done something wrong and stupid, the nagging suspicion at the back of his head, judging and calling our his every move. He was tired of being so full of self doubt, and could try to trace back his issues to his family situation, but he seldom liked to blame his family for anything wrong with him, for family mattered to him the most.
"Cruxia, we've heard that you and your district partner were not so keen with the proposals of your alliance, and the strategy that they had worked out."
"All groups have their disagreements," she replied calmly, "But we're a team and everything's good. We can work together despite those differences, and i think that's what matters ultimately to form a strong dynamic."
"Certainly. So do you have any particular strategy of your own for the Games?"
"I think all of us have some strategies of our own, but for obvious reasons, we can't really disclose them. The audience deserves that surprise factor."
And she let out a short, lady-like laugh at that, a laugh that was apparently well rehearsed to Nereus' ears. He let out a shaky sigh as the interviewer asked the next question.
"Do you think everything will go as you've planned?"
"That depends on my luck, doesn't it? That factor is always there, but with sheer hard work and proper planning, I'm sure I can curb the effects of luck. After all, putting in the time and effort makes you luckier."
Nereus took a deep breath even as the audience erupted in an applause, the clapping thundering in his ears, and he resisted covering them with the sweaty palms of his hands. It was his turn now, and he reached out for the handkerchief in his pocket, profusely wiping his hands even as his name was called. He inhaled sharply again, stepping forward slowly, still wiping his hands as he walked. He was so lost in thought that he forgot to put the handkerchief in his pocket back again on reaching the stage, even as the audience clapped for him. It was now that he realised that he should have had done it, for the interviewer, his name was Jason probably, forwarded his hand to shake his own, but Nereus was holding his handkerchief. For a second he was stumped as to what to do, and the audience had become silent. However, Jason pulled him in a one arm man hug and got him out of the situation even as he introduced him to the crowd. Nereus sat down on the seat shakily, shutting his eyes tightly, trying to calm down. He was never like this, what was wrong with him? He couldn't quite place it, and even as Jason looked at him with a smile, Nereus set aside his handkerchief, resting his hands on his lap for he didn't know what to do with them.
"Hello Nereus, we're glad to have you here with us!"
"I'm glad to be here too," Nereus replied, smiling at him, "I've been waiting for this moment since a long time."
"You've always planned to volunteer for the glory of winning the Games?"
The way Jason said it bothered Nereus, for that wasn't the reason at all. He had that knowing smile, that sharpness in his eyes, that told Nereus that he knew quite well why he volunteered.
"There… are other reasons as well."
"Like? I think the audience here would want to know that."
And Nereus, Nereus who had always withheld his emotions, his feelings, his thoughts in the past with a finesse very few people were capable of, could not do it anymore. He wanted his story to be heard, and so he started talking, talking his heart out. The murder of his father, the arrest of his step father, him and his sister left fending for themselves, and him volunteering to prove the innocence of Sunil. Jason watched him sadly, almost pitifully, and it was this expression, this sorry state that reflected in his eyes, that made Nereus' voice falter even as he spoke, to the point that it wasn't there.
"Nereus," he continued in a low voice, switching off his mic and speaking quickly after the boy had stopped speaking, "I have to tell you this. And I'm sorry i have to do it here but there's really no other way for you to know. Your father was killed by Nerida, she was the one who planted fake evidence for your step father to be arrested, and she wanted you to volunteer not for proving him innocent but for getting you out of the way to inherit everything that belonged to your father. She's been arrested."
Nereus did not notice when Jason turned his mic back on, or what he said post that about him, all he knew that he was lying. Nerida… his sister couldn't have done that. Nereus knew her, which Jason did not! He had seen the tears in his sister's eyes, the dread of losing their father, the pain of seeing their step father being wrongly convicted. She had been helping him selflessly to cope with all the issues in his life, and Jason was accusing her of plotting all this for some money?! Nerida was above that! Nereus stood up at that, his mind as if in an angry trance, and Jason continued to watch him pitifully. Well, he wouldn't look so sad when he would finish him off. Nereus was about to pounce on him, but his arms were grabbed, he was being pulled, and he was screaming his throat raw at Jason, at that monster who was defaming his sister on national television. He struggled against the Peacekeepers trying to fight them off, struggled hard when he was pushed back with the other tributes who were done with their interviews, and a glass door was shut on his face, the door he started banging with his fists.
"I'll kill you!" he screamed, his eyes stinging, for the tears were rolling down his face, ruining his makeup but he did not care. Somebody pulled him away from the glass door into an embrace, and Nereus was sobbing now, sobbing into Cruxia Marshall's shoulder, trembling violently. He felt weak, he felt cheated. The world seemed to have been shattered ruthlessly, and him being left alone to bear the brunt of it. Was the man telling the truth? Was Nerida really arrested? Was she really the culprit?
The matters of the heart were too strong for his usually strong mind to handle. Betrayal from literally anyone, including himself, wouldn't have bothered him so much, but this was his twin, the twin that he loved and cherished the most in the world. He had been used, he realised, and he heard Cruxia scream for the medics even as darkness surrounded him…
Kai Jung, 18
District Nine Male
Well, that had been dramatic.
Kai scoffed as he saw the guy from Four trying to attack the interviewer from his waiting room. How could you be so dense as to not know the kind of people you were living with? If his sister had really plotted all this, Nereus really deserved to go into the Games and be punished for his stupidity in believing her. Jason had not even mentioned it audibly enough; Nereus had ruined his chances by screaming everything. Well, Kai was glad that this episode had played out at all. He was getting bored watching all these dumb brawnies talk and talk and talk nd had wanted some spice, which Nereus had been gracious enough to provide him. He leaned back in his chair, pushing his hair off his handsome face, staring at the screen with a poker face even as that little girl from Five went onto the stage, looking confident and in-control despite all the drama that just happened. Kai rolled his eyes; the child, with her short hair and pretentious confidence was simply annoying, and he wanted nothing more than to smack her on the head, the way he did with all the other kids that were present there, especially that stupid Ark Zagog. He scoffed, that cowardly boy was not even worth a mention in his elite mind.
"Nell, how are you liking the Capitol so far?"
Kai could see the struggle in her eyes as she smiled sweetly at Jason, and saying the words that were certainly not in her thoughts or liking.
"Everything's really cool in the Capitol and I'm really enjoying myself here."
The way it was said sounded as if she wanted to say, 'I would've enjoyed myself here had I not been preparing for a death match.' Kai sniggered at that. Despite everything, being so young and all that is, she had that charm that made Kai root for her in the interview. He was mildly satisfied when she answered the next rhetorical question of 'Are you feeling prepared?' with "Yeah, just like all the twenty-three others have and will say they are."
Kai let out a chuckle at that, unable to stop himself, enamoured by the smiling face that the kid put up, the eyes reflecting a bored feeling that Kai was sure wasn't actually present within her, but she played it well. As Kai watched from the waiting room, Nell continued answering questions in different styles, sometimes sweet, sometimes funny, but mostly tough.
"Any message for your fans out there?"
"Well guys, thanks for all your support and I hope you continue doing so and help me win this."
She was so confident when she said that that even Kai was astounded, staring at the screen with an apprehension about it as the audience applauded. He could see through her façade, she was anything but confident, but the people didn't seem to get that. Well, the people rarely got anything, so he wasn't surprised at the thunderous applause that the kid had garnered. The only issue was that he needed an applause bigger than that now, for no kid, however tolerable they were, should have more applause than Kai Jung.
Dekker's interview was far less impressive. He looked so determined but exhausted at the same time, shrouded in an air of indifference yet nervousness, that Kai frowned, stifling a yawn.
"Are you close to your ally?"
"No, we're not."
"Then…?"
"Yeah, we couldn't find anyone else so we allied with each other. Doesn't mean we have to get close."
Kai laughed out at this blunt interview, the words that were spoken in such an indifferent manner that he could help but be amused. He was even more amused when he saw Akira take the stage, wearing such heavy makeup that he couldn't quite understand what she actually looked like, a dazzling smile on her pretty face, the sundress complimenting her. She sat down gracefully, grinning, playing casually with the gem-laden necklace on her chest.
"I hope you're enjoying your time here."
"Oh yes! Look at all these jewellery and stuff! Honestly, I'm enjoying myself so much! There's that rose scented bath water and various accessories and jewellery and dresses and I'm-I'm- I simply can't ask for more!"
On the other hand, Aron looked quite nonchalant about the whole situation. He was dressed in a handsome suit, hair styled like the most affluent kids of the Capitol, his smile wide enough to look pleasant but not enough to look easy. Yet, the eyes betrayed it all.
"We all want to know this Aron do you see a friend in Akira?"
"Definitely," he replied, the smile still in place, fixed in the likeness of a man of wax, "Akira and I are good friends, and we're going to take this journey together, as a team."
Pretence, all pretence. One look at him and Kai knew that he was no friend of the luxury-loving girl. He was playing the angle, the angle of a charming young boy who had a pretty, albeit stupid, friend into the Games. However hard he would try though, he couldn't fool the eyes of Kai Jung, the eyes that had seen betrayal and deceit in every facet of his life.
Calista looked stunning in her knee length lime green dress, and she had a smile as bright as the sun on her face, a smile that was making Kai wonder why it was there in the first place, for no person could be so delighted at the prospect of their own death. It was more than just a prospect for her as far as he was concerned, for he could not fathom her surviving past the bloodbath despite whatever everyone thought of her, what she herself thought of her. She might be trying to play a game, but Kai could see it now, see it clearly as the day itself, that the girl from Seven was terrified to the core.
"Calista, the audience would like to know whether you're ready and prepared for the challenge ahead."
"Oh yes, I'm prepared for the Games. My ally and I are a strong team, and I'm sure we can tackle this challenge together."
Kai scoffed. Yeah right, together. Everyone knew that the Games was not a team-oriented activity. There could be only one winner, only one, and having 'friends' or as they called it 'allies' in the Games would only lead to weakness and a possible defeat, unless of course those 'friends' were means to the gains. Looking at Calista though, Kai didn't think it was the case for her.
Poor Ark Zagog was skittish as he walked onto the stage, his small frame looking even more miniscule on the large stage. Kai didn't know what was bothering him, but he kept looking at the audience, the audience that was clapping loudly, and he stood frozen for a second too long, until Jason went to escort him to the seat himself. Kai sniggered at the discomfort of the child, but the smile was wiped off his face when one appeared on Zagog's small face instead.
"Do you have any allies?"
"No, not yet. I'm keeping my options flexible, but as of now I don't really require any such assistance."
Don't require any such assistance? Kai laughed out at that even as Ark continued answering questions, mostly with a brave face even if his voice faltered a couple of times. It was blithely amusing to Kai, the state of the child who had to pretend to be strong, his mannerisms screaming at the audience to help him out of the mess that would be the arena. But nobody was going to help him, and probably he knew it too, Kai couldn't tell.
Calista's sweet ally, Estefania Sanchez looked breathtakingly beautiful, to the extent that Kai couldn't help but stare. She had that shy yet gorgeous smile, a woman of grace and absolutely no fighter by any means. Kai watched, almost transfixed, as she took her seat, a lovely laugh escaping those petal-like lips, and he sighed. She was Cupid for a reason, for he was enchanted by her beauty and style while she maintained her simplicity, and Kai let out another longing sigh as he looked on at the screen with anticipation for answers that would make him want to root for her; he had already made up his mind halfway to do so.
"Cupid, what is it that you desire?"
She let out a sad chuckle and replied simply, "Love."
"Love? Why, that's interesting! Would you like to share why love in particular?"
"Back home, I worked as a matchmaker. It wasn't a job, just something I liked to do, to unite two lovers. Alas, I have never had someone love me."
And she shrugged sadly.
Kai had the urge to do something that he had never had the urge to do; embrace her. This very thought disgusted him, for her knew how weak that thought was, how it was bad for him, but he couldn't help it. He felt for her, and that was just pathetic in every way possible.
He was here to win, after all.
"Kespar, Dekker said a while ago that you two chose to ally just because there were no other options left. Is that true?"
Kai watched keenly as Kespar chuckled at that, his posture a little too relaxed for Kai's taste. He leaned back in the comfortable sofa and regarded Jason with a smile.
"I think that reply may be partially true, but not completely. Yes, most people had made alliances by the time we interacted, but we gel so well together that I am sure we would have chosen each other regardless of that."
Ah, correcting the wrongs of your partner! How smart! Kai clapped delicately, his slender fingers tapping his palm soundlessly, even as he shut his eyes dramatically and smiled. He got to his feet soon after, for it was Dakota's turn next, and then his, and his emotions were beyond comprehension right now.
Dakota was greeted with a polite applause, nothing in the likeness of the uproar that had been Cupid's or Nell's. Kai was standing backstage now, unable to see anything, but he heard Jason greet her with a mirthful voice, and she replying as gracefully. It seemed to kai that she had recovered from her little trauma, and he was glad about it. Whining people never sat well with him.
"You look stunning tonight, Dakota!"
"Thank you! My prep team has worked really hard on this dress."
Kai scoffed. It was their job to work hard on dresses. What was so special about that? He couldn't understand people like her, people who tried to express gratitude at places where there was no need for it. He simply shrugged, for what else could he do, and flicked his hair.
"Are you enjoying yourself here?"
"Plenty! I mean, what's not to like? There's good food, good people, luxurious facilities most of us have never seen, and of course, the impending excitement of fighting in the arena!"
Kai guffawed at the sugar-coated sarcasm, for she had him in the first half, he wouldn't lie. He was more and more convinced that the two of them needed to ally, for the two of them would be the ideal team against the demons, the brats, the proletariat and the rest.
"The citizens of Panem would love to know about your culture and heritage, Dakota."
"Oh! Well, I'm a citizen of Panem and my culture is their culture and their culture is my culture, so I don't think there's anything to know about."
And that was how she avoided answering about her ancient Indian heritage. Kai was unsure as to why she did it, for he had always thought, looking at her, that she would be someone who would indulge in talking about her heritage and folktales and stuff, but she completely shrugged off the question about it.
Well, it seemed that the crowd loved her witty replies, for they were applauding with profound energy and enthusiasm, the very halls echoing with the deafening sound, and it continued even as Kai stepped up onto the stage after adjusting his tie one last time, a bright smile on his gorgeous face, and he greeted Jason like an old friend with a hug.
The initial few questions were simple and redundant, the same things that he was asking everyone. How was he liking it, what did he like in the Capitol, etc. Kai just answered briskly, a smile plastered on his face, not really paying attention, for his eyes were on the crowd, the crowd that did not seem to be hanging onto his every word…
"What did you do back home?"
"I'm glad you asked this, Jason," he said brightly, winking, hoping in his heart that this answer would garner the attention of the audience, even if it was due to sheer stupidity and not a positive interest, "I work at a Haunted House, as a skeleton!"
"A skeleton?!"
"Yes indeed, my dear Jason. A skeleton. And that was when I first saw Dakota, the amazing classy girl who had been there with her little sister, and look! Fate had us to be District partners here!"
"That's an amazing story! Since you already know Dakota, what do you think of her?"
"I mean, she has class and status and a great personality. I like her!"
"And what if she was not a woman of class and status? Would you still like her?"
Kai stopped, looking at Jason with a frown, and was returned with the same. Was he trying to get him to say something that would work against him? What would be the answer anyway? He did appreciate Dakota's personality but would he do so if she were a poor brat? Well, he reasoned, she wouldn't be so cool if she were poor.
"I'd like her still," he answered evenly, meeting his eyes confidently, and Jason, in turn, raised his brows.
"Why did you take so long to think over your answer then?"
Kai clenched his fists, his heart leaping at the man like a predator pounces on its prey, wanting to punch him on his face, but he smiled instead, smiled like the fake gentleman he knew he wasn't, for all gentlemen were fake and people bought their persona, and answered, "It took me a while to comprehend that you asked me such silly question."
And thankfully for Jason, for surely the man had no answer to his jibe, the time was up, and Kai stood up gracefully, gave a side hug to the man he had just defeated even as the crowd cheered with his beguiling name on their lips, and he parted ways with the interviewer and the stage, walking away.
So overall, it had gone well. What else could he have expected from himself? A lousy performance? Ha! Even the notion of it was laughable to its core; Kai Jung could never give a lousy performance, and he knew it, the public knew it, and now even the country knew it.
He sat down on the other side of the backstage on a plush cushion, smirking lightly, ignoring the weak-minded individuals that surrounded him. Sadly, he would have to wait here throughout the rest of the interviews, and he was already bored, for what entertainment value could these remaining people provide him?
Well, he was obviously wrong.
"What's your favourite colour?"
Wait what? Why would Jason ask that? He had not asked anyone such a silly question, and even Avni looked flabbergasted at it by the stupidity of it. She rearranged her features quickly and smiled, replying, "Brown."
"Oh, brown is indeed a lovely colour."
What was happening? Kai sat up straight, the smirk gone, as he watched the television, even as Jason asked whether she was enjoying herself in the Capitol. And that was when all hell broke loose, for kai would never understand why she did it, but she simply stood up, quietly trembling in mad rage, her voice not rising above a whisper, and he would have been unable to hear her had it not been for the mic.
"I won't allow you to make a mockery out of me!"
And with that, she stormed off the stage, disappearing backstage, right into the hall where Kai was even as everyone stared, and she walked past. Kai saw Rook hesitate for a second, but then he followed her to wherever she was going, taking the drama quotient even higher. Kai let out a low whistle, even as the low lives around him gave him a look of apparent disgust, which was obviously a disguise for their envy but eh. He turned back to the screen, ready to enjoy himself.
Jet was rather unfazed by the whole turn of events, and sat down with a poker face, not shaking Jason's hand. The interviewer brushed it off with a smile, but Jet kept a blank face, looking so bored that even Kai couldn't help but yawn.
"Do you like your allies?"
"They're fine."
"We have seen that you and Avni get along well. Why didn't you two ally?"
Jet simply shrugged, not deeming him with a response, and it wasn't even intentional. Kai giggled throughout the interview due to Jason's awkwardness and Jet's blank expressions, and he could feel people heaving a sigh of relief when the arduous interview was finally over. Jason gave him a fake smile, and that was when Jet finally spoke up, "Don't do that." And it was this event that made Kai laugh so hard that he went on a coughing fit, with Dakota bringing him a glass of water, a look of disdain in her eyes, but he did not care. Yet, he got control of himself when Cupid gave him that look. He cleared his throat and turned away, not wanting to appear like a heartless git to this stranger girl, even if he saw nothing wrong with being a heartless git.
And then he saw Jason ask the most mockful question ever, for he asked Belladonna how she felt about her District partner, and she told him, loud and clear, that he was no good.
"He's rude! He's such a moron…good for nothing…I don't know what he thinks of himself…There are so many people who are better than him but he's on his high horse…I don't know what he is so proud of…Useless idiot…Has no sense…"
And obviously, poor Jason could not get in another question, even as the buzzer told him that Bell's time was up but she was in no mood to stop. She did not stop until Jason gave her a hug and sent her off with Peacekeepers, and Kai shook his head wisely. She wasted her entire interview ranting about Basileus, and that was a foolish move even by her standards.
At least it was entertaining.
But what was even more amusing to his bored heart was when Basileus came on the stage- ranting. He sat down with a huff, and shook Jason's hand as if he would break his fingers, so tight was his grip. Kai slapped his lap, laughing hard, even as Basileus started ranting again, not allowing Jason to get a question in.
"She's such a ***… always complaining… unsatisfied… ungrateful… how can anyone be so conceited… Useless idiot… she's nice when she's quiet though… I am afraid she might become quiet forever being the witch that she is… of course she's friendless… who rants about their district partner to the world… disgusting human…"
Irony died when he said that particular phrase, and even Jason let out a chuckle, a very small one, but it was there nonetheless. And Basileus, he was oblivious to the world, the mockery that he was making of himself, and whenever Jason opened his mouth to ask him something else, he simply interrupted him again and ranted. He was so angry and so passionate that ultimately Jason gave up, letting him speak his heart out, leaving his throat raw and sore, but it was worth it to Kai because this had to be the most entertaining interview in the history of entertaining interviews, and Basil did not stop even when he was escorted off the stage. He walked into the hall where Kai was, and Belladonna got up with a jump, rushing at Basileus and grabbing his collar roughly, before slamming him into the floor.
"What's going on?" a Peacekeeper exclaimed, even as Basil and Bell started fighting tooth and nail, she punching his jaw, he kicking her stomach, she digging her nails in his arm, and he pulling her hair with brute force. Tributes scattered away from them, and Peacekeepers intervened, pulling them both away from each other, even as they struggled in their grasps, kicking the air with such sharpness as if it had been cut, and they were dragged away into separate broom cupboards and locked in.
"What was that?" Cupid exclaimed, "Why is everything so explosive all of a sudden?"
Josephine slapped her forehead with a sigh, and muttered about Basil being Basil.
"They just hate each other," Kespar muttered, sitting back down on the sofa, exhaling slowly as he crossed one leg over the other.
"Or…" Cupid said, her eyes gleaming and large, and Kai hung onto her every word, for it must be important, "Maybe, maybe they're in love!"
Napoleon spewed the water that he had just taken a sip of, going into a coughing fit even as Jupiter slapped his back to stop him from choking. Kespar turned to Cupid with raised brows, giving her that look, even as little Ark let out a meek chuckle.
And now everyone was laughing and giggling, and Cupid was blushing and giggling too. It was this moment that made Kai feel something that he'd never felt before.
Dread.
The dread of fighting to the death, the dread of killing others to survive, the dread of murdering people he was laughing with at this moment. And the next day… he shuddered. He couldn't afford to show this weakness, but he was trembling, he was worried, and he wanted to leave this hall all of a sudden, not wanting to see these people any more. He forced his eyes away from the people he would have to kill, his throat arid as the driest of deserts, and could catch only a glimpse of Lyanna's interview.
Jason, being the mindless fool that he was, asked her, "Your family sounds lovely! I'm sure they must be proud of you to see you here, going so strong."
Lyanna gave him the ghostliest smile she could have had mustered and replied in a very tight voice, "Yeah, very."
"So, uh…" his faltered, before he cleared his throat and smiled again, "How did you become allies with Josephine?"
"Oh, it just happened. We were both looking for allies, and I loved how she stood up for her beliefs, whereas I'm sure she must have seen something in me too. So, we just came together for this."
Kai sniggered when he saw Cairn get on the stage, for he was trembling just a bit, nervous looking over his shoulder again and again, and he sat down with a fidgeting smile. Jason shook his hand with a bright smile, complimenting how fine he looked and how the audience must be loving him, and it seemed to put him at ease. Kai scoffed; nobody would be looking at the boy from Twelve when he was available to be looked at.
"Cairn, do you have anyone waiting back home for you?"
The boy smiled, and replied in a low tone, the tone of a person who was naturally shy and soft spoken, "I have my father and my friend back home and I'm eager to see them."
"And… anyone special?"
Cairn blushed furiously at that, his cheeks turning the shade of red, and Jason teased him over it, till he became even more shy, smiling and blushing.
"Um… no."
"Oh come on! There's definitely someone there!"
"I… don't know," he replied honestly, still blushing, "I don't know what it is, so I can't- I can't really say."
There were people who went 'aww' at that, making Kai roll his eyes even as the crowd applauded for the final tribute even as he left and Jason was clapping too as he stood up, beaming at the crowd and the cameras. Well, thankfully the whole ordeal was over. Kai admitted that it was hilarious at times, but he was exhausted. He got up to leave, when Jason spoke.
"Guys, before we leave, I have an important announcement to make."
Kai stopped, everyone else stopped, turning to the screen. Kai's heart was beating fast now; what could the announcement be? Was it… he swallowed hard. Could they be killing them off right here?! Would they bring their families here to be 'a part of the Games'?! Kai was breathing hard now, for he was terrified, terrified of what could be the matter.
"As you all know, these games are new, these Games are special. These are bigger and better and are an honest attempt to revive our culture. We honour this tradition, and we respect our citizens. We have decided that, this year-"
Kai's heart was racing as he stared at the screen, the silence deafening even as Jason paused for an effect, and he needed it to be over soon, he needed to know…
"-there shall be two victors, irrespective of their district, gender and other categories. The last two remaining tributes will be crowned victors."
Someone screamed among the tributes but otherwise everyone was quiet. Kai couldn't believe what he had just heard. Two victors… last two… irrespective of gender and district…
Why, he suddenly had a better chance at it!
Akira Tuktuk, 16
District Six Female
Akira was exhausted.
She let out a long sigh as she sat down on her bed, slowly taking off her necklace. Usually, parties energised her, but now that night. The post interview party had sickened her to the core, for she could not shake off the thought that they were celebrating for their own deaths, a harsh truth that nobody seemed to understand. Or perhaps they did, she mused, but just did not want to accept it.
Acceptance of her reality was hard right now, and Akira could swear that she was about to burst into tears. Unsurprisingly, she did just that, her black mascara mixing with her tears and rolling down her pale cheeks. She did not want to die.
That thought, so basic at its core, was so powerful that it made Akira brush away her tears with a quiet rage, smearing her face with the mascara, and for the first time in her life she did not care. Her lips quivered as she cried, even as she pulled out the chain of her dress with her slender hand, while wiping her tears with the other.
She went into the bathroom and started washing her face, eyes puffy. She showered next, standing there silently, thinking about everything bad that could happen, mainly her dying. There were so many things that she had not seen, not done. With the travel ban lifted and her discovering that there was a world outside of Panem… she wanted to see it. She wanted to see the world. And now she couldn't because some random people showed up and said that they'd have to fight to the death, being as cruel as before, except that they decided to spare two lives instead but what of it? How could she know she was one of those two? She was howling now, leaning against the wall, and sank to the floor even as the water continued washing over her, and she howled and howled even as her throat ached and her vocal cords begged her to stop, but she didn't for she was devastated. Her cries were so loud that it attracted a visitor, and even in this state she noticed the door opening. She quickly reached out for the towel and wrapped it around herself even as Aron stepped in, a thin plastic curtain separating them.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice devoid of concern and his eyes not shying away at all, neither were they abrasive. The very fact that he asked though moved Akira, and she called out, coughing.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah," she replied, but she knew it was a big lie and thus she choked on her voice. However, her embarrassment knew no bounds when Aron pulled away the curtain stepping in and turning the shower off.
Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the boy and she let out a scream but Aron, just like his reaction to everything else, was unfazed. Akira yelped when he grabbed her shoulders, but he did nothing, looking into her eyes solemnly, not acting like the other boys back home did. Akira blinked as Aron repeated his question.
"Are you okay?"
And despite himself, a sliver of concern flashed through his eyes, an emotion that Akira had never thought he would exhibit, and she started crying again, for she was feeling shattered.
"I-I don't want to… I don't…"
And she sobbed.
Was it wise to show weakness to a competitor even if he was her ally? The doubt slithered into her mind and she tried to regain composure, for she had to look impassive. And yet, she did not brush off Aron's hands off her shoulders, letting them stay for the comfort that they provided regardless.
"I know Akira, I don't want to die too."
Aron sighed and looked down at the floor, before looking back into her eyes again, a resolve of steel reflecting in those beautiful orbs, and he spoke with an emotion that she just could not associate with him: kindness.
"None of us wants to die Akira. But- but look at it. We can have two victors. Two!"
"I know but that means nothing. I'll not survive and neither will you because- because we'll be hunted and- and- and-"
"And nothing," he said, his voice urgent, "Akira, you're not getting it! Two victors! An alliance can win!"
"But what use is that?"
Akira was grieving for her own precious self, and was oblivious to the point that the boy was trying to make. Or maybe it was an act, a pretence to look harmless, Aron would never know. regardless, he shook her hard as if this mere action would force the universe into knocking sense into her dense brain, and spoke, "We are an alliance Akira! We can get out of this together!"
It was as if Ms Tuktuk had achieved enlightenment, for her eyes shone bright as bulbs, her mouth agape and it turned to form a pretty 'O'. it took her more than a few seconds to absorb this possibility, for it was a possibility that could never crawl into her tiny brain, but she could see it clearly now, so clearly that she was disgusted that she didn't see it sooner, and she let out a cry.
"Oh YES!"
"Exactly," Aron replied, a slight smile on his face, his composure as calm as always, "So I think you shouldn't worry right now at least and try to get some sleep and-"
He never got to complete his sentence, because a very wet Akira leapt at him, hugging him tightly, drenching his clothes too, and he seemed so taken aback by it that he gasped. She held on to him, burying her face in his neck and sobbed.
"Oh Aron thank you so much!"
"Uh, welcome?"
"You're honestly so smart and nice and I really appreciate you came for me and talked to me and you're just so awesome in general!"
"Uh…"
"We're going to win this thing and go back home victorious, you and I, and we'll live together a life of luxury and beauty."
"Well, sure," he replied, having regained his composure, "Unless, of course, you rob me again by hugging me the way you're doing now."
And Akira laughed out at that, her first genuine laugh in what felt like an eternity, and released Aron, who was smiling lightly.
"I won't steal from you again. Promise!"
"Don't worry, I know to be cautious now," he smirked.
"Oh and I'm sorry for wetting you!"
"It's alright, I'll go and change. And you, uh…"
It was as if it now dawned on him the situation that they were in, something that even Akira had forgotten, and Aron fled from there quickly even as she laughed. As the door shut back again, she sighed and leaned against the wall once more. Aron was right, they could get out of this alive, both of them. It would be better to tackle this problem as a team.
Maybe, just maybe, her chances weren't so bad after all.
AT LAST THIS CHAPTER IS DONE YESSS!
So, hello guys! I know it's been a long while since I last updated, but it was honestly hard to write this chapter due to the very nature of it. That, along with my countless assignments, had made it difficult for me to find inspiration AND time to write this, but we're finally here. No, it wasn't hard for me because of the tributes, I love them, but interviews in general are something tedious for me to write, and that was the reason I had stopped writing them long ago. I decided to give it a try again and it was tough, so I don't think I'll do it again, but it was ultimately fun too. I want to thank Santiago for helping me with the interviews, it really helped me speed things up. I'm also apologetic about the uneven size of the POVs here, especially Kai's, but this is only because his and Nereus' POVs were all about interviews, so they were long.
As for the number of questions asked per tribute, which is uneven, it was decided based on who sent their second check ins. I couldn't write all interviews to be of same length because it would be even more arduous, so I decided that submitters who submitted a second check in will have their tributes have longer interviews. The difference was actually not all that much, but that was the idea.
I've also announced the twist of this Games, which is not really all that unique but I think it works perfectly here. I've been waiting to do that since the first introduction chapter lol.
I'd also like to give a shout out to Red Roses 1000. She has a really nice story, a modern Hunger Games SYOT. I don't know whether it's full yet, but please do check it out!
Next chapter, we'll catch up with the Five, and then we'll have the bloodbath, so we're really close. And this brings me to the third check in for this story. The question is: What place will your tribute like as a holiday destination? Please PM me the answer, with the PM titled as Check In 3 so that I don't miss out on messages.
Finally, I know this chapter wasn't as good as it could have been. It was dragging and repetitive at places and I know it might not be completely satisfactory, but I still hope you guys enjoyed. It is also a good time to hear your placement predictions! :D
Alliances:
The Hunters: Jupiter, Margaery, Napoleon, Nereus, Cruxia, Basileus
I'm Playing You: Aron, Akira
The Not So Smol Beans: Cupid, Calista
This is so Random: Cat, Nell, Jet
Anti-Careers: Josephine, Lyanna, Cairn, Avni, Rook
I Kind of Dislike You: Kespar, Dekker
Have a great day! And please stay safe and healthy!
PS: Okay, so Kai's POV is like a whole chapter in itself XD I had thought about showing Jason's perspective, but I thought Kai's would be more entertaining because, well, Kai. XD
