Alila Perwane, 18
District One Female
As the first interview of the evening, Alila figured there was supposed to be some kind of weight on her shoulders, some feeling that she had to get this right. But instead, she just felt ready. There was nothing in her interview that Estelle hadn't religiously gone over with her, nothing that they hadn't accounted for.
It was going to be plain and simple. Alila would get onstage and reveal only enough to get the Capitol more intrigued. There was nothing she particularly wanted to share with the entire world anyway, so it would be best this way.
"You're going to do amazingly," Makani said beside her, giving Alila a bright smile. She grabbed Alila's hand and squeezed lightly.
"Thanks Makani," Alila said quietly, watching as Itara Kulkarni introduced herself to the Capitol, her purple suit flashy as she moved about the stage. "I know you'll do well too."
Makani laughed quietly. "I hope so, I was sort of planning on just winging it."
Blinking in surprise, Alila looked over at Makani. "Weren't you supposed to be working on angles all day today?"
"Supposed to." Makani brushed her off easily, seemingly unbothered. "I didn't really pay that any mind."
Though her words were light, Alila had been getting the sense that something was up between Makani and her brother ever since that first night after training. She'd been avoiding her own floor at any cost, and while Alila was pleased at first that Makani wanted to spend so much time with her, she had since been growing increasingly worried that something was wrong. Every time she'd seen Bastian he looked remarkably like someone being kicked while he was down, even at the party. Makani had gotten good at avoiding him, but that wasn't exactly something Alila was going to credit her for.
"Come on Makani, you know you can talk about anyth-"
"Alila!" one of the stagehands hissed, beckoning her over. "You're up!"
Makani just offered her a thumbs up and grinned. "Good luck, Alila!"
Alila didn't get the chance to respond before she was ushered onstage, her appearance alone garnering raucous applause from the audience. She held her head high, opting not to wave at the crowd as she made her way to her seat.
The lights beat down upon her as she sat across from the interviewer. Alila's dark red dress shimmered under the lights, her makeup done heavier than normal to give her a more dramatic look, her sheer sleeves fluttering whenever she moved in the chair. She gave Itara the slightest of smiles, ready for whatever questions were directed her way.
"It's great to see you here tonight, the first interview!" Itara said, leaning forward in her seat. "I feel as if I had a question to ask you, but I find myself terribly distracted by your hair. Your stylist did a beautiful job with it."
Reaching a hand up to the long braid coiled around her head, Alila said, "Actually, that's my work. I typically braid my own hair to get myself in the right headspace for the day ahead of me."
"You look gorgeous," Itara gushed, fawning over her. "I think it did more than just get you in the right headspace."
Alila gave a slight nod of her head. "Thank you."
"So, what about that 10?" Itara asked eagerly, not waiting any longer before getting into it. "As one of only two tributes to make it into the double digits, would you care to share what got you that score?"
Now, anyone back home knew what had lended Alila her score, but she wasn't feeling inclined to share with the country until they got the chance to see for themselves. "I think you'll just have to wait until the Arena to see."
"You seem perfectly content to make us earn it," Itara said with a laugh, not discouraged at all. "I suppose we'll just have to continue speculating. You seem to be rather confident in your own abilities, so I'll be excited to see them unfold."
"What about back home in One?" Itara asked next, and Alila prepared herself to actually start answering some of her questions. "Any family waiting for you back home?"
"I've got plenty of family," Alila said casually. "I've got somewhere around thirty siblings, a fair amount of them adopted."
Itara's eyes widened, and Alila couldn't blame her. "Thirty siblings! How do your parents deal with that many kids around? How do you deal with that many kids around?"
"Sometimes it's hard," Alila admitted. "There's always a lot happening, and my parents are running around a lot taking care of things. The house is usually quiet in the mornings, even if it's not for long, so I get up early to take advantage of it and get ready for the day."
"I could understand that," Itara said, running a hand through her dark hair. "I'd imagine it helps now that you're surrounded by all of these new personalities. But with that many siblings… are there any you're particularly close to?"
Suddenly Alila was glad she was facing away from the rest of the tributes, vividly aware of a certain Nine boy's eyes on her, just as they had ever since she'd made the bold choice to wish him luck before private sessions. It had slipped out before she could stop herself, and naturally he'd had more than a few questions.
"Join me for a dance," he requested, interrupting her and Makani as they talked.
Alila had paused, looking to Makani before answering only to discover that the other girl had disappeared entirely. There really was no avoiding this now, so she just tried not to sigh and turned to face him fully.
"Sure," she replied, knowing that he wasn't really asking.
It was… beyond awkward. They weren't truly dancing (Alila was familiar with real dancing, and this definitely wasn't it), more shifting their weight between their feet as the music played around them. Alila wasn't sure of what to say to him, as she was constantly aware that he wasn't Thee at all. But he was practically identical to Thee, that they were about the same size, they had the same face shape, and they even had the same habit of picking at their nails when they were nervous.
"You seem interested in me," Thay said. "And not just for my score, since we only found that out tonight."
"Congrats on that, by the way," Alila said, ignoring his initial point. "An outer District volunteer and top six is quite the feat."
He frowned up at her. "Sure, but-"
"I'm not sure if it's wise to be seen with me," Alila insisted, hoping to shut down the conversation as quickly as she could. "It wouldn't do either of us any good."
"You're avoiding what I'm trying to ask," Thay insisted, putting his foot down. "Is there a reason why you've been watching me for all of training?"
Damn, he was more perceptive than she thought. But Alila just shrugged, trying to play it off. "I don't see why I wouldn't. Any volunteer is notable, after all. It's best to keep tabs on you now before you turn into a problem later."
Thay narrowed his eyes at her, not completely buying into what she was saying. "I don't believe you at all," he admitted, unafraid of being fully transparent, "but I don't want to press it either. Just… stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours."
"That works for me," Alila said easily, wishing that it was Thee in front of her instead of Thay.
Despite their identical appearance, Alila had been studying Thay for days now and had figured out that they only appeared that way on the surface. Thay had a coldness about him, the kind that Thee had shown up with but had shaken long ago. Thee had never been able to leave his past behind fully, but One was good to him in a way that Nine hadn't been. But Thee hadn't been able to escape Nine, and it showed. After all, even after living in One, Thee wouldn't come anywhere near scoring an 8 if he had to do the private sessions.
It made Alila wonder what happened over in Nine.
Still, she had to tear her gaze away from him before he tried to question her any longer. She didn't know how to explain that she felt the irresistible urge to protect someone that she didn't even know.
She hoped that Thee was safe back home, but she knew it was a tall order. There was no way that he couldn't see his adopted sister and real brother in the same Games and be fine with it. Maybe he'd want his brother to come home safely instead of her, and Alila couldn't blame him for that, even if she loved him with all her heart.
She'd do anything for him, but the Games and her brother were her two greatest values. How could she ever pit them against each other?
"If I had to pick one, then I'd say… Timothee." Alila swallowed, feeling suddenly nervous about the whole ordeal even though she'd prepared extensively. "He prefers the quiet like I do, so we often share that silence as we prepare for the mornings. The solitude helps us both."
"I see," Itara said, nodding as if she indeed understood something more than Alila knew. "I'm sure all of them are cheering you on though, so is there anything you'd like to say to them?"
Pausing, Alila looked out into the audience, catching sight of a camera and speaking directly to it. "I'll be home to you soon, I promise. I'll never leave again."
"It's always nice to see tributes so connected to their home lives," Itara said, giving Alila a sly look. "If everything goes the way it's currently predicted, I expect I'll be meeting some of your family members for that final eight interview!"
Alila had completely forgotten about that part, but she tried not to think about how she'd practically sealed Thee's fate when it came to having to appear during that interview. Her parents could all handle things well enough on their own, though, so maybe Thee wouldn't have to speak much at all.
"I'm looking forward to everyone meeting them," Alila said, letting a smile stretch across her face.
"I think our time is, tragically, up," Itara said, reaching for Alila's hand. "Everyone give it up for Alila Perwane!"
The applause didn't hit her in the face like it had the first time, but she could tell that she'd done precisely what she wanted: reveal enough to get them interested in her and what she could offer, but not enough that she was downright bragging or making herself seem like a threat to the other tributes. Her 10 was high, but Phaedra's 12 was enough to shield everyone else. The moon always faded in comparison to the sun's light, a mere reflection.
That didn't matter much to Alila. She knew what she was capable of and she knew how to use what she had to make it to the end.
As Alila crossed to the other side to wait alone, she wondered if she'd said too much. Maybe he deserved to know, but Alila didn't want to cause more problems for herself than she already had. The Arena was full of mysteries, ones that she could never account for, no matter how hard she tried. Sooner or later, something would have to give.
In the end, she didn't know what would win out. She never wanted to have to choose.
Kano Pacifica Arledge, 18
District Four Male
Makani's interview seemed to drag by, her voice light and charming as she sweettalked the Capitol into fawning over her. It didn't surprise Kano that she appeared to be successful, her subpar score all but fading in the minds of the Capitolites in favor of cheering for a girl that won their hearts.
The thought of sweet Makani entering the Games, of her potentially dying made Kano twitch, his old ideologies about being a hero rising up again. Even here he wanted to help people, to save them, but it was getting harder as the Arena drew closer. That being said, he'd do what he could. They were District Partners, after all.
Shoving his hands in the pockets of his deep blue suit, Kano sighed. As the last of his allies to be interviewed, he was stuck on the opposite side of the stage, waiting for it to be his turn. It felt… odd to not have Shai nagging in his ear all the time. If he wasn't completely annoying, Kano might've missed him.
Maybe he did anyway? Kano was never sure what to feel about Shai. It was like he'd managed to latch onto all the parts of Kano that he tried to keep hidden. It made Kano wonder if Shai had managed to discover something that even he didn't know.
Either way, he couldn't get Shai out of his head. Ever since the party, the dance, Kano had been unable to sort anything out. He was stranded in the middle of a torrential storm and there was no one around to help him.
Not that he would've asked for help anyway. His shit father hadn't done much for him, but he'd managed to leave a lasting impact no matter how hard Kano tried to shrug it off.
At least he didn't have to worry about Caspian anymore.
His mother, Lyre, was still around, but the mere thought of her made his lip curl. She was worse than his father, so it wouldn't have surprised Kano if she'd managed to drive him over the edge. She was a witch, plain and simple. Hopefully she'd see him now and know that he'd never needed her, never needed any of them.
"Everyone give it up for Makani Allard!"
Makani smiled prettily onstage, waving to the crowd before glancing offstage, making eye contact with Kano and giving him a thumbs up. Kano grinned in return and mimicked her gesture. He hadn't caught all of her interview, far too lost in his own thoughts, but deep down he knew that she nailed it. Why wouldn't she? She was the only one that had managed to charm all of the alliance, so it made sense that she'd win over the Capitol as well.
Without wasting a second, Kano headed onstage just as Makani was going off, slowing down to leisurely wave at the crowd, one hand still in his pocket. He hoped everyone back home could see him and know he was more than ready for the days ahead.
He sat down, resting an ankle on his knee as he got comfortable. He didn't see why he had to put on some stiff, formal presentation that would likely bore the audience to death if it was overdone.
Itara had to wait to let the audience die down before she began, her long dark hair cascading down one shoulder, purple suit simple but sharp. Her smile was radiant and she had the kind of confidence that projected the idea that she was born to be on a stage like this, born to face the Capitolites and a new batch of tributes every year and ask all the right questions - and maybe a few wrong ones if someone was particularly unlucky.
"It's great to have you up here, Kano! You're the last one of your alliance to be seen tonight," she said, starting easy so he could have the chance to direct the conversation wherever he wanted it to go.
"I've always heard you should save the best for last, so I suppose it was fitting," he joked.
"You seem to be a strong group this year. How do you feel about your chances in the Arena?"
Kano barely hesitated before shrugging. "I think we're beyond capable as individuals so I have faith that it'll carry over to a group setting. That's the cool thing about an alliance: any weak spots can be countered by something even stronger."
"So you think your alliance is the one to watch out for this year?" Itara asked, clearly already knowing the answer but wanting to give him a chance to brag anyway. After all, when weren't they the alliance to watch out for?
"You won't be able to tear your eyes away," he promised.
"Now, I want to shift my focus to the scores - your 9 in particular. Predicted fourth is nothing to scoff at. How do you feel about your score and placement?"
Kano laughed and shifted in his seat. "I feel great, sure, but I was hoping for just a little better. You see, I had this bet going with Shai that I'd place higher than him and, well, tragically I didn't come out on top."
"Does that make you worry about any possible fights in the Arena?"
He shook his head, a broad grin stretching across his face. "Of course not! I could take him, no problem. Just because he has some tricks hidden up his sleeve won't change a thing."
Itara laughed warmly. "You don't seem easily deterred at all! It's wonderful to see such a show of confidence from someone that will surely be one of the top competitors."
At that he grinned and looked out at the audience. "I can say for certain that I won't go down without a fight, and I definitely don't plan on losing."
The audience cheered for that, always a sucker for a show of confidence, especially from someone that had already proven himself to be capable. Kano was on top of the world, even if something deep within was bracing itself as if getting ready for something that Kano himself hadn't prepared for yet.
"Not to change the topic so abruptly, but I just noticed the pendant you have there," Itara said, leaning forward to point out the necklace with a glass pendant hanging from his neck. "Did you get that from a loved one? It really is beautiful."
He relaxed a bit, unaware that he'd started to tense up. At least this was an easy question. "Technically my boyfriend gave it to me, but I'm the one that made it. I gifted it to him a few weeks before the Reapings and then he turned around and gave it back to me when he came in to say goodbye."
The Capitolites cooed over his story, easily placated by any small tidbits about their lives beforehand. It was just entertainment for them, after all.
"You said you made that yourself?" Itara asked, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "It really is beautiful - what is that anyway? It looks like some kind of glass."
His smile faltered, hoping that Itara wouldn't start pressing for answers as he said, "Sea glass is pretty common in Four; you can find it just by walking along the beach and having a good eye. My, uh, family was a bunch of glassmakers so it's always been a fun hobby for me. I find a lot of it working as a lifeguard at one of the beaches, so I pocket it to try and turn it into charms or pendants later. I've always had a soft spot for glassblowing, though."
Itara straightened up in her seat, eyes sparkling like she'd stumbled upon something she could work with. "Of course! I knew Arledge sounded familiar, your family started the largest glassmaking business in Four!"
"Yeah, that's them," he said, hoping his smile was still plastered on his face. This wasn't exactly where he was hoping his story would go, but he wasn't sure how to get her off track anymore.
"I'm sure they're thrilled to support you through the Games," Itara cheered, her words ringing hollowly in Kano's ears.
Yeah, his dead father and the mother that hardly ever seemed to care about him were going to do a great job of showing their support. Kano hadn't even seen them since he left when he was sixteen, eager to get away from a house that had never felt like a home to him.
"I'm going to show them all exactly what I'm capable of," is what Kano said instead, knowing that he'd at least show Lyre that he was doing well without her. He was doing better, in fact.
"Unfortunately, I think our time here is up," Itara said, slowly getting to her feet.
Kano followed quickly, aching to get off of the stage. He beamed out at the crowd, hoping that his natural charisma would carry him through these last few seconds. He barely registered Itara moving on to whoever came after him, waving to the crowd as he left the stage and found himself in the blissful darkness once again.
The Threes were close to the edge of the stage, watching curiously as they waited for their allies. Kano ignored them both and walked over to where his allies had clustered near the wall.
"Good job out there," Justus said, his tone so open and honest that Kano felt the fleeting urge to punch him.
That wouldn't do any good, though, and Justus hadn't done anything wrong. He never did. It was almost frustrating, really. Maybe if he wasn't the leader or if he wasn't so nice they'd be able to come up with a way to kick him out of the alliance after his abysmal score, but no one had even talked about it. In a way, there wasn't a point. Why get rid of the weakest member when it wasn't you? Kano could at least rest easy knowing that he wasn't the weakest.
"Thanks," he muttered after a moment too long, noticing the look Phaedra and Justus shot each other.
He was tired of it, tired of it all.
"I'm going to get something to drink," Kano said, barely giving them a second glance as he moved away from the group and headed out a door, his hands loosening the tie from his neck.
It was quieter in the back hallway, devoid of any other tributes. There didn't appear to be anywhere he could get water from, but he didn't care anyway. He just needed a few minutes before he completely lost it. With a sigh, Kano leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
"You're shaking," said a familiar voice beside him, making Kano flinch.
Kano quickly shoved his hands back into his pockets, hating that he was right. "Not now, Shai," he muttered, looking over at him.
To his surprise, Shai didn't say anything more, just leaning against the wall beside him, brushing his arm against Kano's. It was almost like he seemed to know exactly what Kano needed at the moment, but Kano didn't want to think about the implications of that.
He couldn't say for sure what had completely shaken him tonight, but there was an odd tightness in Kano's throat that he swallowed, determined not to let anything show. He couldn't let anything get to him, especially not in front of his allies. Part of him wanted to tell Shai to leave him alone, but he couldn't bring himself to.
"You know," Shai said after a few minutes, "we don't have to stay here the whole time if you don't want to."
"That would be nice," Kano said, forcing his tone to be more optimistic. "Let's go, then."
"After you then, pretty boy," Shai teased, making Kano crack a smile.
"Whatever," Kano said, heading through the hallway to get back up to his floor.
Shai followed along beside him, easily settling into their light back and forth banter, which Kano appreciated even if he didn't know how to show that. Though he was feeling better, he dug his nails into the palm of his hand, trying to keep himself grounded.
As the days wore on, Kano was beginning to feel like a fraying cord. Sooner or later, he was going to snap.
Eleanor Holmia, 16
District Five Female
"I think I might throw up," Eleanor announced to her allies.
Jack looked mildly petrified at the thought, her hands twitching at her sides as if unsure what to do. She kept trying to look at Thay for guidance, but Thay merely blinked at Eleanor.
"If you're really going to throw up it'd be more helpful to do it now instead of later," he said. "I'm not sure that's the kind of impression you want to make onstage."
She let out a laugh at that. "I guess you make a fair point."
But even as she spoke, Eleanor couldn't help but take a step forward, peeking onstage and trying to catch a glimpse of the crowd beyond. The lights were blinding, even from where she was in the shadows. There had been cheers all night as the Careers went, one after the other, and Eleanor didn't know if she could stomach all of them staring at her so expectantly.
I'm sorry, Kaia, Eleanor thought, wrapping her arms around her stomach. I don't think I can do this.
Her mentor had told her to keep up an intelligent and capable image, a plan which had been drilled into her head for most of a day. She wasn't supposed to take any unnecessary risks, but Eleanor also had a whole factory of girls back home that were counting on her.
What was she supposed to do?
Even now, Eleanor remembered her stylists trying to set her hair, to get rid of the frizziness from her dark curls, and murmuring amongst themselves about how her hair was just falling out. Even when she was removed from that hellish factory, she couldn't escape what it had done to her, the permanent impact it had on her body. Her tongue moved along her teeth, running over one of the empty holes left behind.
She was withering away where she stood and Eleanor didn't know if anything could change that.
"What are you trying to say?" Jack asked. She peered down at Eleanor, hands shoved in the pockets of her navy checked pants.
"Huh?" Eleanor tried to resist the urge to wipe her sweaty palms on her dress, which shimmered even in the darkness. "You mean during my interview?"
Jack nodded without speaking, glancing at the stage with the same amount of dread that Eleanor felt now. Cheers exploded from the crowd as Makani from Four finished her interview, waving with a bashful smile as she headed offstage to be replaced by her District Partner.
Swallowing hard, Eleanor was starting to realize that her best chance was to tell her allies about what was happening back home. It wouldn't count for anything in the end, but Eleanor could at least feel like she'd told someone.
"My friend back home, Kaia, made me promise to tell the Capitol about what was happening at the factory we worked at."
That drew the attention of Thay once more, tilting his head as he watched her. Jack bit her lip, her forehead creasing as she frowned deeply. Their eyes stayed trained on Eleanor, and she tried to tell herself that there were going to be millions more people watching her in just a few short minutes, but all that did was make her nervous all over again.
"My hair's falling out," she said, resisting the urge to run a hand through her hair to show them. "I bruise too easily, my eyes are usually bloodshot. Three of my teeth are missing because they practically rotted out of my mouth. I watched one of my friends die on the job and no one batted an eye until her blood stained the floor. No one was allowed to question what was happening even though we were all just waiting in line to get through death's door. My boss yelled at me when Kaia and I even tried. We were all only kids when this started."
Eleanor was fully quaking now, trying to keep herself from doing something like cry and ruin the makeup her prep team had carefully covered her face in to keep her dark circles hidden and to make her gaunt face more alive. She was still plagued by fear and maybe she always would be.
"And this is… because of your job?" Thay looked perplexed, absentmindedly trying to pick off his fresh black nail polish. "Why didn't you quit?"
"It's not that simple," Eleanor said wearily. "I needed the money and it's not like I had another choice. That's why they chose us, after all. We wouldn't ask questions or talk back. We'd just put our heads down and get the work done."
"You know," Thay said softly, "you don't have to turn your interview into a big reveal, especially if it makes you uncomfortable. A few cleverly chosen words here and there and people should have enough hints that they'll want to look for answers themselves."
That particular idea hadn't occurred to Eleanor yet, and while it didn't feel any easier, it also felt safer somehow. Maybe someone would still listen. Maybe they'd still care. All Eleanor could do at the end of the day was try.
But even as she told herself that, she could see Kano onstage standing up to finish his interview and Eleanor was pretty sure she'd faint or do something even more embarrassing before managing to make it into that chair. She felt a thousand miles away from everything, struggling to hang on.
"You can do this."
Eleanor turned back to see Jack fixing her with a look, her shaking stopping for a brief moment. "Thank you," she responded quietly.
There was nothing left for her to do besides move towards the stage, her dress floating around her as she went. Eleanor hoped that she looked more confident than she felt, waving at the overwhelming audience before her. She didn't catch what some of them yelled at her, overwhelmed by the screams and cheering.
She wasn't sure how she'd managed to make it into the chair across from the interviewer, but Eleanor tried not to slump down in it. That wouldn't make much of an impression, and right now she needed all the help she could get.
"So good to see you today, Eleanor!" Itara Kulkarni gave her a smile more radiant than the lights beaming down upon them. "I hope the Capitol has been treating you well."
"Norrie, please," Eleanor said, the words falling smoothly out of her mouth. She was distantly aware of her fists clenched in her lap to keep her hands from visibly shaking. "It's a completely different world here, I really feel like I've learned a lot."
"That's always wonderful to hear!" Itara cheered, clapping her hands a few times for Eleanor, the crowd joining her.
Eleanor's head felt fuzzy as she looked out to the crowd, and she was certain that she appeared as dazed as she felt. The stage was hot under the lights, sweltering in a way that made Eleanor feel as if she could melt right here where she sat. They'd have to peel her off of the chair to get her off the stage, a puddle of makeup in a fancy dress.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Eleanor had to ask, realizing that Itara was staring at her expectantly.
Her cheeks flushed a red hot as the audience chuckled, Itara giving her a patient smile. "It's a completely different world up here, isn't it? I was wondering if you had anyone at home that you wanted to send a message to. You've been staying under the radar so far, but I know everyone here would love to get to know you."
Humming to herself, Eleanor crossed her legs in the seat. Putting on a bright smile, she waved out to the audience, hoping a camera angle could frame this as if she was talking to her mom in person. "I love you, Mom! I'll be home to you soon. And for all the girls back home… I'm fighting for you."
There, that felt right, at least for now. Eleanor could relax in her seat a bit, hoping that Itara would give her a bit more of an opening.
"I'm sure your mother is greatly looking forward to seeing you again," Itara said. "But… who are the girls you're talking about?"
"I work back home." Eleanor felt the words start to fall out of her mouth, Itara's energy making it easy for her to feel more comfortable. "I'm sure you've heard of the company - Cosmo Converse's Incandescent Colors? We make the nail polish, bottling it up before sending it over to One for the final touches."
The crowd stirred at her mention of Cosmo Converse's Incandescent Colors, and Itara straightened up in her seat. "That's what I'm wearing right now!" she said excitedly, holding her hand out to show off the purple polish. "It's amazing to think that there's a chance you might've worked on it!"
Eleanor felt her smile tighten at that, but she tried not to let it show too much. "Very true! I've been working there ever since I was fourteen, so there's a chance."
"You've always been a hard worker then, which will surely come in handy in the Arena."
"I'm counting on it," Eleanor said firmly. "I know my capabilities and I hope to get the chance to show them off so I can help all the girls back home."
This time, Itara picked up on her bait, her head tilting to the side as she questioned, "Help them?"
Nodding sympathetically, Eleanor let her smile drop to put on a more somber look. "There's been this… well, I'm not sure what it is. I want to say it's a sickness going around, but it's been affecting a lot of the girls. Everyone is beyond exhausted and some have been losing weight or hair. I even know of a few that have lost teeth."
Itara frowned, her brow furrowing as Eleanor spoke. "Well, Norrie, that sounds like a very odd sickness, and a serious one at that. And you're saying you want to win to help them?"
"If I won and had the money to do so, I'd get them all the medical help they need." Eleanor didn't have to put on any kind of act anymore, feeling herself speaking from the heart. "All I want is to do whatever I can for them and get home to my mother safely."
"What an honorable cause," Itara breathed, wiping a tear from under her eye. Eleanor suspected it was a mere act that the woman was putting on, but she appreciated it all the same. "I know I'm not the only one that hopes you get the chance to go home and help all those girls."
Nearly half of the audience cheered for that, and the other half looked sympathetic, dabbing at their eyes, but Eleanor couldn't be sure if any of them truly cared about her plight. To them, this was all pretty words, all compelling stories in the hopes that they'd get sponsored by those out in the crowd.
Save them, she wanted to beg. If you can't save me, save them.
"Unfortunately, I think our time is almost up," Itara said, facing Eleanor once more. "Is there anything else you'd like to share?"
"I'm looking forward to showing you all what I'm capable of." Eleanor lifted her chin in a show of confidence that she couldn't quite feel. "I think it would be a mistake to underestimate me."
Itara smiled at her and stood up, reading for Eleanor's hand to hold it in the air. "Everyone give it up for Norrie Holmia!"
The roar of the crowd was dull in Eleanor's ears as she was ushered offstage, disappearing behind the curtain and letting out a shaky breath. The tributes that had already gone were waiting in clusters with their allies, though both from Three were standing up by the curtain. Kyra didn't look in her direction, but Merix took a step towards Eleanor to briefly intercept her.
"Good job," Merix offered earnestly, his bright smile making Eleanor's stomach twist.
"Thanks," was all she could say in response before heading to the back to wait for her allies. She didn't know if it was enough or if, in the end, she'd done anything at all. But she'd done the best she could and that's more than what anyone else did.
She'd save them back home, no matter what it took. Eleanor couldn't let there be another Winifred.
Jaqueline "Jack" Carmichael, 17
District Eight Female
Jack tried to peek across the stage to see Eleanor on the other side, but her attempts proved to be fruitless yet again. She was getting jittery as one of the Sevens spoke onstage, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
"If Eleanor did it, I'm sure you can too," Thay offered from beside her.
She tried (and failed) not to flinch as he spoke, constantly on edge from being around people that wanted to talk to her and expected an answer. It wasn't that she disliked her allies, she just… didn't always know what to do with them. Her fellow workers at the factory had learned to leave her alone fairly quickly, so Jack never had to worry about them expecting anything from her. At home, her father often tried to start conversations but she didn't have it in her to continue them. Almira was similar, but she had stopped trying as hard and adopted a look resembling that of a kicked puppy whenever Jack tried to blatantly ignore her.
She didn't like to think about how they'd probably get along well if Jack would only give her a chance. She just had never been able to convince herself that Almira deserved it.
Shaking her head, Jack tried to clear her thoughts. She didn't want to think about the things she'd left behind, not now. Her chest still hurt if she thought about the look on her father's face during their goodbye.
Jack wished she'd been brave enough to tell him she loved him.
"It's almost your turn," Thay commented, leaving the option to continue the conversation up to her.
Swallowing hard, Jack figured she should at least make sure her voice still worked before going on. "I guess so."
He looked up at her curiously. "Did your mentor give you an angle to work with?"
Yes, actually. Ariadne had thrown out a multitude of ideas, trying to see if there was anything Jack would be most comfortable with. From intrigue to confidence, there was nothing that had struck Jack as right. At least Ariadne had appeared to be supportive no matter what Jack said, however little she actually spoke.
"We agreed that I should just be myself," Jack said quietly.
Though it sounded stupid now that she said it aloud, Thay nodded wisely. "Sometimes your true face is the best one to put forward. There's no use in putting on a mask if it's not compelling."
"Uh… yeah, I guess," Jack muttered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "What- what about you?"
Thay gave her a light smile, the kind that made Jack extremely aware of his status as predicted fifth and his score of 8. "I think I'll try to garner some intrigue and go from there."
Applause cut off their conversation, making Jack pale as she realized it was her turn to face the audience waiting for her. The thought of it had her feeling almost as nauseous as Eleanor seemed to be earlier, but she tried not to focus on it too much. Thay was right; if Eleanor could do it, then so could she.
"Good luck out there," Thay said, seeming genuine as he spoke.
Jack couldn't do anything more than nod in his direction, nearly paralyzed by… she didn't think it was fear necessarily, but she didn't have time to think about it anyway. Someone standing beside the stage gestured for her impatiently, and her feet started moving of their own accord towards the stage.
Without looking at the audience, Jack walked out to cheers and tried not to stare at her feet as she went. She was at least grateful that her stylist had designed something with pants for her, and while the outfit was far simpler and more casual than some of the other tributes', she preferred it that way. It felt more like her, less like she was wearing a mask fitted for her.
The chair was deceptively soft as she sat down, making her feel oddly comfortable. Her spine straightened on instinct as she waited to be addressed.
"It's great to welcome you here tonight, Jaqueline, though you go by Jack, right?"
The use of her full name sent a shock through her system, so all Jack could do was nod in response.
Luckily, Itara Kulkarni didn't appear to be deterred. "I've been looking forward to talking to you tonight. Placing as high as you did in the private sessions is nothing to laugh at! Is there anything you'd like to share about how you did it?"
It made sense that she'd next be asked a question that she couldn't avoid answering. Jack fidgeted in her seat, hoping that her voice wouldn't trip over itself as she responded. "I worked hard during training and found a way to show it during my session."
"You do seem like a hard worker," Itara complimented. "I always find that hard workers can do whatever they put their mind to, so it's no wonder you scored as well as you did. Personally, I like seeing a 6. It shows me that there's something there, something special even if the score doesn't appear as flashy as some of the rest."
Jack tried not to flush at the praise, as her 6 still felt a little low for her liking; she'd hoped her hard work during training could have been enough to earn her a better score.. Either way, Itara was good at spinning the narrative so it made tributes look good if she wanted, so Jack was grateful. "I hope I get to prove you right in the Arena."
"What about your home life, about District Eight?" Itara asked, unaware of the effect her innocent words had on Jack. "I'm sure your parents are thrilled to see how you're faring so far."
"My father might be," Jack said, suddenly struggling to find words. "My step-mother as well."
Itara seemed to understand that she'd stumbled upon something, her eyes glinting with something that Jack didn't want to understand, not now. "I can't imagine why they wouldn't be proud of a girl as resilient as you. You're probably aching to get home to them, aren't you?"
She hesitated. After everything, Jack could never be sure of what to feel about her father. She wasn't sure what kind of emotions were being drawn out of her at the moment, but she did know that home was safe and it was all she wanted.
"Yeah," she responded. "I am."
"What do you plan on doing if you win?" Itara asked curiously, leaning forward in her chair.
Jack felt as if the entire audience was holding its breath, trying to catch every word that came out of her mouth. It was a kind of attention that she'd never been used to; she could only hope this would end soon and she could forget all about it.
"I'd go back to working hard, just as I always have, back at the factory," Jack said, unsure of what else she could do. "I don't see why that would change."
Itara nodded, seemingly a bit thrown off by Jack's only real plan for when she got home. "A noble aspiration, certainly. Now, if I may ask - I've heard of an Almira Acosta, now turned Almira Carmichael. Would this by any chance be your step-mother?"
Her heart stopped beating before stuttering to a start again, Jack nodding faintly. "That's right, ma'am."
She could faintly hear gasps from the audience, likely recognizing the last name from Alcosta & Co, a machinery manufacturing company that was beyond famous, beyond notable, and most of all beyond wealthy. It was a famous last name, but Jack hadn't imagined that anyone would put the pieces together.
"And you still have a factory job?" Itara pressed, and, despite Jack's earlier hope that the woman was about to go easy on her, Jack was getting the sense that Itara had latched onto a story. After all, stories were always more interesting to Itara than simply making a tribute appealing to the Capitol.
"My father always taught me to be proud of what I earned because I worked hard for it," Jack said, turning her gaze down to her hands in her lap. "I wanted to work for myself, as that's what I believe in as well. I work hard at that factory and even though it's not a big or grand job, it's something that I did, something that I can be proud of."
Itara's voice softened as she said, "I think your father is a very wise man."
Jack didn't have the heart to correct her.
"I'm looking forward to seeing you show off your skills in the Arena, Jack." Itara stood up and Jack released a quiet sigh of relief, standing quickly and hoping that she could escape the stage soon. "Your hard work won't go unnoticed by everyone cheering for you back home."
The audience cheered for Jack as Itara held her hand up in the air, but Jack just stared blankly at the faces in front of her. She didn't know if there was anyone that truly wanted her back home besides her own father. Even though Almira had always tried, Jack had never bothered to reciprocate. It would make sense if Almira had finally given up, or if her father finally took this chance to move on.
All he wanted was a happy family and for the first time he had the chance for one right in front of him. Jack didn't have to be part of it.
Jack blinked and found herself backstage, moving past people to get into the shadows, finally realizing that her eyes were pricking with tears. She scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeve, but more tears formed in their place.
"You did a good job," Eleanor said beside her, but the words felt empty to Jack.
She couldn't say exactly why she was crying. All Jack knew was that despair had overcome her at some point during her interview. Maybe it was the realization that there was nothing waiting for Jack back home, or maybe it was thinking about how she wanted to go to a home that didn't even exist anymore.
But even now, even after everything, all Jack could do was hope her father was proud of her.
Zaria Emerson, 34
President of Panem
Below her, the Capitolites that attended the interviews were filing out of the room, chattering amongst themselves. Whether it was the wild ride that was Kano's or the new questions that Eleanor's brought up or the sheer intrigue that Alila had, it had certainly been an eventful night. Zaria found herself sitting in her chair even after everyone else had gone, a pensive frown etched on her face.
"Are you sure you don't need anything?" Maddox asked from where he stood a few feet away.
Zaria blinked up at her secretary before shaking her head. "Oh, no, I'll be fine up here. I don't plan on staying for too much longer."
"Call for me if you need anything, ma'am," he said as he climbed the few stairs to get to the entrance of their box. "I'll be working on the recap of tonight for our records."
He left before Zaria could offer up anything more to say, which suited her nicely. She hated being unable to come up with a response, and lately those kinds of situations had been popping up more often than normal.
At least Leon had been hard at work on the Arena and all it would contain, occasionally sending her vaguely incoherent messages about what to expect. She usually did nothing more than wave a hand, happy to enable him if only to see what he was able to produce. The first year of a head gamemaker was typically full of ups and downs, but Zaria had enough confidence in him to let his imagination run wild.
"President Emerson?" a voice interrupted her. "You were asking for me?"
"Estelle!" Zaria turned around, a smile hastily thrown on. "I told you, you don't have to bother with that president nonsense around me."
Smiling sheepishly, Estelle made her way into a seat next to Zaria's. "You say that every time, but it feels wrong to call you anything else."
"I guess that's a fair point," Zaria said with a laugh. "A title such as mine does typically beg to be used."
Estelle's knee bounced restlessly; while Zaria shared her anxiety, she managed to hide it better. Estelle's short blonde hair had at one point been pinned back, but it looked like she'd been running her hand through her hair enough that it had fallen into its normal, casual style.
"How are your tributes this year?"
"Alila is great," Estelle said honestly. "She's quiet and seems to fit in well with the pack, finding herself a steadfast companion in Makani. All of that on top of her score and a predicted placement of second and I think she could do rather well for herself."
There was a moment of silence before Estelle heaved a sigh, sinking into her seat. "Shai, on the other hand, could do well if he'd do something as sensible as listen to my advice for once. He's good at figuring out the weak points of his alliance members but he's gotten a little too invested in Kano for his own good. There's no real telling what will happen in the Arena, though, so for all I know he may have it all figured out."
Zaria laughed quietly, letting herself start to relax a bit. "I assume Asteria hasn't been the biggest help this year?"
Estelle's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, but it's not a big deal! It's just because of the whole Justus thing. She told me about it and I said I'd take care of them both when she couldn't step in."
"It's nothing to worry about, Estelle; I figured something like this would happen as soon as I heard he was volunteering," Zaria said, brushing off Estelle's concerns. "I know she'll be back up to her normal standards next year."
Estelle seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at that, clasping her hands together in her lap. "I'm glad that's the case, of course, but I must ask… why am I here, ma'am?"
Zaria licked her lips, trying not to squirm in her seat as if she was a young girl again. Sometimes, as President of Panem, she felt as if she was in over her head, but such a sensation that mostly came and went. Lately, however, that sensation had gotten more overwhelming, as she got the distinct feeling that something was happening in the Districts. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the odd occurrences that happened in nearly every presidency were starting to become more common. Victors were acting skittish, there was more reported rebel activity than usual, and Zaria sensed that she was… almost being shielded from what was happening in her country.
"Tell me, Estelle, have you noticed anything odd lately?"
She'd known Estelle for long enough that she was easy to read, so the stiffening of her shoulders was answer enough. Estelle took a moment to breathe, likely sorting out her thoughts to search for a response. "I guess I have," she answered honestly.
"What sorts of things have you noticed?"
If Estelle wasn't a Duvont, Zaria wouldn't have bothered to ask. But the Duvonts had been on her side since the beginning, and Estelle was no different. They weren't exactly on friendly terms, as Maddox had told her that such a relationship was improper for a President to have with a Victor, but there was an unusual establishment of trust between them.
"Bastian's been acting strangely, but I can't fault him for it too much," Estelle began, staring down into her lap. "His sister did volunteer, and from what I can tell, he was pretty blindsided by it. But he's been secretive, which is odd because he never keeps secrets from me."
Zaria frowned as she remembered that she'd asked Bastian to look into things for her, back when Thea's sister dying had seemed like a much bigger problem. It still was, surely, but it had managed to get brushed aside amidst all the fuss the Games always managed to stir up. She hadn't heard anything from him on the matter since she'd first mentioned it to him, but he was likely just caught up worrying about his sister.
"There's, um, also Ariadne," Estelle muttered, her voice growing quieter. "She's got that whole… thing with Callan that I can't understand, and when I tried to seek her out at the party last night she just kept avoiding me."
"I'm sure there's a reason for that as well," Zaria managed after a long pause. She wasn't entirely sure what Ariadne or Callan had to do with anything, but she could at least add them to her list of people to look into later.
"I know this probably wasn't helpful, but I just can't quite put my finger on anything," Estelle said, lifting her head to look at Zaria again. "Everyone is just acting differently and I can't figure out why."
Sighing, Zaria nodded. "That's what I was afraid of. Thank you for your input anyway, Estelle. I always appreciate your thoughts."
She looked mildly startled, watching Zaria with wide eyes. "Was that all you needed?"
"For now," Zaria admitted. "Besides, you have tributes to watch over. The Games start soon and I don't want to hold you up."
With a nod Estelle got to her feet, offering Zaria an awkward little bow that made her chuckle. "Let me know if there's any way I can help, President Emerson."
"The bow definitely isn't necessary," Zaria said, finally letting a real smile lift the edges of her lips. "I'll see you around, Estelle."
She heard the door close and knew she was alone again, breathing out a tired sigh before hearing her communicator chime. There was only one person that ever messaged her out of the blue instead of calling, so she wearily pulled it out to see what Leon had sent.
MUTTS FINALLY DONE! COME VISIT SOON FOR A SNEAK PEEK!
She snorted and shook her head. He never managed to learn that not everything had to be capitalized in order to convey information properly.
Getting up, Zaria ran a tired hand through her hair. She could already feel herself aging solely from the stress of this job, but now wasn't the time to linger on that. She had to get through the Games first, that was the priority.
Climbing up the stairs, Zaria took a left to head to the mutt room. If Leon claimed he had something to show her, she was more than willing to go check it out.