EREBOR PIERCE, DISTRICT ONE
7:00 PM, INTERVIEW NIGHT, HALL OF CEREMONIES
Erebor felt as amazing as he looked.
He had been dressed to the nines by his Stylist and he actually quite liked his outfit. The District One boy had been fitted with a light green suit and a white undershirt. The suit, though modest, accentuated his biceps and upper body nicely. The way that the fabric hugged his broad shoulders and squeezed in all of the right places around his arms had been meticulously planned out by his Stylist. The look had been pulled together with a nice sea foam green tie.
Despite everything that had unfolded over the course of the past week, he was feeling good. Tonight was his night to take to the stage and set the bar for the rest of the interviews to follow. Being from District One meant that he was first for everything; Chariot rides, training evaluations, score announcements, and now, the interviews. There wasn't a nervous bone in Erebor's body as he stood side stage and listened to the tumultuous mixture of blaring music and the cheering crowd.
"Everyone, please join me in welcoming our first Tribute of the evening, Erebor Pierce of District One!" Pertinax Flickerman's voice was Erebor's cue.
He took his first steps onto the stage and the audience roared louder. Erebor felt a wave of excitement crash over him, its infectious nature prompting him to smile at the crowd. As he crossed the stage, Pertinax rose to meet him. They shook hands before both of them took their seats. Erebor was surprised by just how plush the cushion on the fancy looking armchair was. He sat tall, resting his arms on either side of the chair and crossing his ankles over one another, relaxed.
"Erebor, Erebor! I'm so glad to meet you!" Pertinax greeted him.
"Hi, So Glad To Meet You! I'm Erebor!" Came Erebor's response.
The audience was instantly in stitches at his dad joke. Laughter floated throughout the entire Hall of Ceremonies. Erebor was glad that he'd been able to elicit such a reaction. It was always strange to him what the Capitol did and did not respond to. It seemed that even they weren't immune to his fatherly quips.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. It's wonderful to meet you, too! And it's wonderful to be in the presence of such great company," Erebor said as he gestured out to the crowd.
Another round of applause was given to him. Erebor dismissively waved at the crowd, a smile spanning across his lips as Pertinax laughed. The Capitol's energy was certainly appreciated. Erebor felt it was a nice distraction from the grim reality that he was facing.
"Such a charmer!" Pertinax said, "So, Erebor, I'm sure you know that I receive all sorts of insider knowledge on the Tributes."
Erebor nodded, "Right."
"I discovered quite a bit about you, but there are still things that I'm curious about. Tell me about life back in District One. What is that like for you?" Pertinax prodded.
Erebor was surprised that he hadn't led with a different question. He wasn't stupid. He likely knew the circumstances that Erebor was facing. There was no way that he didn't. It felt like this was merely some sort of roundabout way for Pertinax to go prodding into the specifics of why he volunteered.
"Well," Erebor began, "One is great, honestly. I love it there. I have my family and my friends and I get along with them all really well. Of course, there's also my sons."
There were some gasps from the Capitolites in the audience who, Erebor assumed, hadn't previously known about his situation. Pertinax was already privy to this information, it seemed. He was hardly fazed by the admission that Erebor had kids. Rather, he looked more intrigued than ever.
"Your sons?" Pertinax feigned surprise, glancing out to the audience before turning back toward him, "You have children? Would you mind sharing some more about that?"
Perfect. This was ideal. Erebor was always glad to talk about his kids and his wife-to-be, but in doing so, he knew that he could earn some serious points with the Capitol. They loved a good story behind their Tributes. If the story of his life could carry him further, then he didn't mind sharing the details.
"Oh, absolutely!" Erebor reached into the pocket of his suit and retrieved the same picture he'd been toting around.
Erebor could see some of the screens on the far sides of the Hall of Ceremonies changing perspective. They showed a zoomed in, high-definition image of the photograph in his hand. Erebor held it steady as he leaned over and showed it to Pertinax, pointing to the faces and naming them for him.
"This is my fianceé, Wynnie. She's amazing. She's my best friend, my partner, my entire world. And she's the best mom, too. These are our boys. This is Burke and this is Brent. They're both about a month old now." He explained as the audience showered him in oohs and awes.
Pertinax placed a hand over his heart, "That is just precious. Really, just the sweetest thing in the world. You have a gorgeous family, Erebor. Just gorgeous."
"Thank you," Erebor smiled, "I'm really hoping that I'll be returning to them soon."
"I think we'll all be hoping for the same thing," Pertinax said before his brows rose abruptly, "That reminds me! I nearly forgot. I've got a special proposal for you."
For a moment, Erebor was puzzled. He watched as Pertinax fished in the pocket of his jacket for something. What he pulled out looked remarkably similar to a pulse oximeter. Pertinax waved it in front of his face for a moment, an inappropriately large smile on his face as he got to his feet. He paced around at the front of the stage.
"What I have here is a wonderful little device that has been produced by some of the finest scientists here in the Capitol! It is meant to determine if someone is telling the truth when providing a response to a question. This nifty little device tracks a variety of your body's responses to lying and allows me to know when you are being honest with me… Or when you're not." Pertinax explained before turning on his heel and reproaching Erebor.
The District One boy resisted the urge to shift in his seat. Pertinax's gaze seemed to have morphed. It wasn't friendly or curious anymore. Now it felt invasive and uncomfortable. Erebor's mouth was dry, but the smile on his face and his relaxed posture remained.
"So, Erebor," Pertinax began, "Here is my proposal… If you answer this one question of mine truthfully, I can guarantee you a sponsor gift once you need it most in that Arena."
Erebor's head was already spinning. If he answered a question, he was guaranteed a sponsor gift when he needed it most? That was a stupid deal to shoot down. Though, for some reason, he couldn't get past the idea that the question had the potential to be a damaging one. What if it weakened the bonds between his alliance? What if it endangered him? What if—
"This offer is time-sensitive, you know," Pertinax told him softly.
Erebor nodded, "Of course! I'm ready to take you up on it!"
He hadn't felt like he'd said the wrong thing until Pertinax laughed, "Fantastic!"
Pertinax wasted no time in placing the device on his finger. It clamped around his index digit rather snugly. There was a warmth that radiated against the pad of his finger as he waited for Pertinax to reclaim his seat.
"Erebor, answer me this one question, if you will... Now that you've seen your projected odds, do you still believe that you made the right choice by volunteering for the Games? After all, you had to leave your new family behind to do so."
Not this question. Erebor had almost thought he was going to ask a question that would inevitably drive a wedge into the Career Pack. Now that he had been asked about his family, he almost wished that Pertinax would've done the former.
Erebor steeled himself. He needed to answer honestly.
"Yes. I do think that I made the right choice. I haven't left my family behind because I'm going to be coming home to them soon," Erebor looked directly at the camera, "You hear that, Wyn? I'll be home soon."
EMMANUEL ASH, DISTRICT THREE
7:20 PM, INTERVIEW NIGHT, HALL OF CEREMONIES
So, there was a new element being thrown into the mix. Emmanuel was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't outlandish, but it had already begun generating quite a bit of buzz among the audience and Tributes alike. He had been standing backstage when Pertinax Flickerman had extended his offer to the girl from District One. She'd instantly said yes and he'd gone on to ask her if she agreed with the fact that she had the strongest chances of winning out of the entire Career Pack. Without a semblance of hesitation, she'd said yes again. This had caused chatter to break out backstage and had also gotten the Capitolites in the audience all sorts of excited.
It was gross, really.
Emmanuel wasn't shocked that the Capitol had found a new way to turn the Tributes on each other. It seemed like every year the standards got higher and higher. Every few Games, new elements would be introduced to make the Tribute relations more and more complex. They ate it up. The thought was sickening, which was why Emmanuel refused to dwell on it for too long. Instead, he watched as the girl from District Two was the first of the Careers to deny the free sponsor gift.
He wasn't sure if that made her more foolish or more humane than the others.
As she came off of the stage, Emmanuel prepared himself to go on. His Mentor, Luz, hadn't been much help in the way of providing him with a straight answer as to what he should do during his interview. He'd been told to come off as charming and personable, which wasn't going to be an issue. He had no trouble smiling and acting like everything was alright when, in reality, it felt like the world was coming to an end. Emmanuel simply couldn't decide whether he wanted to secure that sponsor gift or not.
"Let's have a round of applause for Emmanuel Ash of District Three! Come on out here, Emmanuel! Let us take a look at you!" Pertinax's voice drew him out from the shadows of side stage and into the limelight.
It was bright—Blinding, even. Emmanuel could hardly make out what direction he was heading as he walked toward the general direction of the stage's center. The crowd was loud, their cheers drowning out the sound of Pertinax's babbling as Emmanuel shook his hand. When he and Pertinax took their seats, the noise from the audience finally began to die down.
"Emmanuel Ash! That's a familiar name, isn't it, folks?" Pertinax asked the crowd, which promptly returned to cheering and hollering.
Emmanuel wore a smile as Pertinax laughed along with the Capitolites' enthusiasm. How silly was he to think that they would treat him like Emmanuel Ash instead of treating him like Emmanuel Ash, son of former Victor, Genevieve Ash? Emmanuel was determined not to let this interview be about his mother. He loved her and he was proud of her accomplishments, but tonight was about showing the Capitol that he was his own person.
A person worth watching.
"Emmanuel, I think all of us are wondering what brought you here tonight." Pertinax wasted no time in addressing Emmanuel's status as a Volunteer, "I remember being shocked when I saw your Reaping footage! The way you were so quick to sign yourself up for the Games was amazing! So valiant, so brave! I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to know why you did it."
The brunette shifted in his seat, though not out of discomfort. He adjusted his posture so that he could rest more comfortably in the luxurious armchair. If this was the card he was going to have to use, then by god, he was going to use it. Emotions were always running high during the games. Emmanuel knew that he could profit off of them and now was the time to do it… There wasn't any shame in laying it on thick.
"I wasn't open about it during the Reaping, but… When I was thirteen, my best friend in the entire world was chosen for the Games." Emmanuel began, "His name was Nicolas Thatch. And, if I'm really being genuine, we were so much more than best friends. Nicolas was the first person outside of my family that I ever really loved. I started to fall for him, but he was gone before we could grow up together and see it through. He died in the Arena."
It was so quiet in the Hall of Ceremonies that Emmanuel could have heard a pin drop. He could just barely make out some of the expressions on the faces of the people in the front row. Some held their hands over their mouth, others were openly crying as they listened to him speak.
Hook, line, and sinker, he supposed.
"After that, I was just going through the motions and getting used to life without him. I was managing okay until I heard his brother's name get called… I couldn't stand there. I couldn't let his family lose another piece of itself. I felt like if I didn't do anything about it, then no one would… So, I went in his place and now I'm here," Emmanuel explained.
Pertinax was looking at him in awe. Emmanuel was almost worried that his story hadn't resonated with the crowd as much as he wanted it to. There was a long pause before someone at the back of the hall began to clap. Soon enough, everyone was on their feet as they applauded and whistled for him. The District Three boy gave a sad smile to the Capitolites as they showed their approval.
"Wow! Isn't that inspiring?" Pertinax cried out, "It's so inspiring! I love that! Is there anything more powerful than love? I love it! You're so inspiring, Emmanuel!"
"Thank you, Pertinax." Emmanuel replied.
"Now, I have to ask… Would you be interested in making a deal with me?" Pertinax carried on.
Emmanuel hesitated for a second, but then he wore a proud smile, "You know what? I think I'm alright. But I appreciate the offer, Pertinax."
"Of course!" Pertinax waved a hand at the air, "Everyone, Emmanuel Ash of District Three!"
NICHOLAS CARRILLO, DISTRICT SIX
7:40 PM, INTERVIEW NIGHT, HALL OF CEREMONIES
"Alright, Nicholas, remember what I told you. Just pretend like the interview is you talking to me, or to Zeta, or to Elesa. You will do just fine!" Dante had said.
He had said it more than once, too. Nicholas had actually been rather confident that he wouldn't forget it because of just how many times Dante had said it. They'd been talking about an angle for the interview ever since Nicholas had returned from his training evaluation. His training evaluation. He'd scored a lousy five. He'd scored a lousy five and the odds weren't in his favor in the slightest. Finding out his score hadn't gone over well.
Training evaluations had been one of his final chances to prove himself. He'd gone into the Evaluation Hall and given it his best shot and he'd still ended up with a five. His projected odds were equally as bad. After he'd heard his score and been provided with the spark that inevitably set his self-loathing ablaze, things had gone from bad to worse. Nicholas had certainly had more severe episodes, but this one had been one for the books.
Zeta, one of his Mentors, had made him sit on the counter in the kitchen of their temporary apartment so that she could pick the shards of glass out of his knuckles with tweezers. He'd managed to get several tiny pieces stuck in his skin after he'd punched a decorative vase situated in the hall outside of his room. Nicholas had apologized profusely after his initial fifteen minutes of wallowing in the cesspool of embarrassment that accompanied the aftermath of every episode he had. Elesa had checked in on him a few times afterward, as well. The District Six team had all handled it with grace, something that had pleasantly surprised Nicholas. And he could remember every single second of it.
Until he'd stepped onto the stage to join Pertinax for his interview.
The second that he sat down in the chair beside the Master of Ceremonies, it dawned on Nicholas that every detail he had previously been able to recall about his day had vacated his mind. Nicholas' mind was completely empty. His mouth was entirely dry. His heart rate was skyrocketing. Nicholas felt like he might faint for what must've been the thousandth time since his arrival at the Capitol.
"Nicholas! Are you with me?" Pertinax's voice pulled Nicholas from the chokehold of his mind and he blinked profusely.
"Oh, uh, y-yeah. Sorry…" Nicholas said, somehow earning a laugh from the audience.
Pertinax chuckled, "Nicholas, a little birdie told me that you've been making all sorts of friends during training here at the Capitol! Do you want to talk a little about that?"
"O-Okay." Came Nicholas' reply.
There was an awkward, drawn out pause as Pertinax waited for Nicholas to say something about the topic. Nicholas, unable to recognize the cue, looked out at the audience. It seemed like the people in the seats stretched on forever and ever. It appeared as if they faded entirely into the darkness of the furthest rows. There were so many people watching him. Everyone was looking at him.
"Ah… Nicholas," Pertinax urged.
Nicholas turned to face him again, "Um… So… My friends…"
It came out like a question. Pertinax almost looked annoyed with him. Nicholas wanted to curl up and die.
"Yes! Tell us about your friends, would you? I was informed by the Gamemakers that you're quite close to your District Partner, as well as a few others. How has that been for you?" Pertinax wanted to know.
"Well, uh… It's like… We, um… We get along well… I—Um, I'm glad that I found people to be in an alliance with." Nicholas said, pushing himself through the anxiety that threatened to overtake him.
Don't give up. Keep talking.
Nicholas could see fragments of his conversation with Dante in his head. He could hear pieces of the advice he'd been given. His knuckles were still turning white as he gripped the navy blue velvet trousers that he was wearing, but he kept going.
"A-And, uh… I think… Henry… The, uh, the boy from District Nine. He's cool… So is Atticus… From Twelve. A-And Nami, too. She's from Five… You already know that, though." Nicholas let a nervous chuckle past his lips and, much to his shock, the audience laughed with him, rather than at him.
"And your District Partner? Elesa Chase?" Pertinax probed.
The boy from Six nodded, "Yeah, Elesa, um… Elesa is very… Good. She's, like… Well, she's really smart. I'm glad she's in my alliance."
Nicholas' brain still felt foggy. He didn't know if it was because of the anxiety or if it had more to do with the fact that the stage lights were glowing down on him with a heat that could parallel that of the sun. Everything felt overwhelming, but he was keeping himself afloat. He was going to keep going.
"So, Nicholas, I'm sure you know by now, but I have to ask! Would you be interested in making an arrangement with me?" The Master of Ceremonies asked.
Both sides of Nicholas' brain were telling him different things. He had been expecting this. At least, he thought he had been expecting it. He'd seen Pertinax raising this question to the other Tributes. Nicholas' lips twitched.
Before he could think of anything to say, he simply nodded.
Pertinax took his hand, securing a little device onto his index finger. Nicholas looked down at it, his brows furrowing slightly. The pressure around the digit magnified his already frantic pulse. Nicholas looked at Pertinax expectantly, who sat back comfortably in his armchair.
"If you answer this question truthfully, I'll reward you with a sponsor gift in the Arena when you're in dire need. How does that sound?"
"It, um… Sounds good." Nicholas eked out.
Pertinax smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, "Nicholas… Do you honestly believe that you would be able to kill for your friends in the Games?"
The boy felt his heart skip a beat. Not even he knew if he would be willing to do something like that. His hands were sweating profusely. Would he be willing to use his hands to kill? Nicholas felt a sheen of perspiration forming on his forehead. He thought of Elesa, of Nami, of Henry, of Atticus. He thought of the kindness they'd shown him. He thought of the company they'd provided him. He thought of the help they'd given him. Why was he so quick to think he couldn't do the same?
Nicholas released his bottom lip from between his teeth and looked at Pertinax, "Yes… Y-Yes I do."