Since Marcelene is similar to Caesar I went ahead and did a normal interview chapter.
Marcelene Chaplin, Interviewer
Some years I was excited and enthusiastic about interviewing another twenty-four brand-new Tributes. Other years I couldn't sleep the night before because I stayed up too late preparing for the interviews and by the time I got to bed it was past that point where I was too tired to sleep. This was one of those years.
Dionysus was a welcome change, at least. Usually Careers have Victor potential. He made some lame joke about the "afterparty" and I didn't bother to fake a laugh. It wasn't that I wanted to see him die or anything. It was just he was definitely going to.
Allure glided up onstage in a royal blue backless satin dress and settled herself into the seat like the peacock she was.
"I just love all the wonderful fashion here," she said. "It makes a humble girl like me feel special." Barf.
"I'm not really good with public speaking," Nailah said sheepishly, looking stiff but not afraid in her gold dress. I didn't know who thought gold lipstick looked good on anyone, though. "I'll be more impressive in the Arena, I promise."
Nero's tight muscle shirt and pants were a nice change from all the plain tuxedos male Tributes usually wore. Unfortunately his attitude was much more familiar.
"A lot of people here have a lot of skills but I think I'm the most well-rounded and a real front-runner. Maybe it's immodest to say that but I think it's important to know your assets," he said.
I couldn't pay attention to Preji's interview. I'm sorry but I just couldn't. Good God, kid, ever hear of lip balm? How could anyone live with those dry, cracked lips just on his face all the time? I would go crazy. I would literally go crazy. Anyway he gave some weird rant about how everyone was out to get him or something. Or at least I thought he did- I was mostly paying attention to his lips.
Cheyenne's green dress really brought out her eyes. Her stylists weren't messing around.
"There's a lot going on in my head right now. I'm really worried about the Games but at the same time, I've learned as much as I can and I have as good a chance as I'm going to get. I guess that's how most of us feel and one of us is going to win so maybe it will be me," she said.
"I really hope I get back from the Games so I can thank everyone who sponsored me," Anthony hinted. "Who knows? Maybe it'll even be the start of a great romance. What a great first date story, am I right?"
Ceto looked nonchalantly at home in her figure-hugging dress. She draped herself over the chair like it was in her own living room and gave off a quiet energy that seemed to tell every eligible audience member that she was there for them alone. A few subtle winks and nods later and I was sure she had a dozen sponsors in her pocket.
Connor's shoelace was untied. It was just as he reached the floor that I noticed his shoes didn't have laces.
"While I still have time, I have to say the most important thing in the world. Sabrina, will you marry me?"
"What?!" I blurted, leaning forward in my chair. Oh, this is gold! You can't make up television like this! Our ratings were going to go through the roof no matter what she said. And past all my professional interest, I was curious about what she'd say. I knew backstage people were already clamoring around making calls and arranging interviews. I hoped things turned out for Connor but they were sure turning out for me.
"I just flew in from Five and wow are my arms tired!" Gigi joked, clearly reveling in the groans and disarmed laughter from the audience. "But I suppose if I'm going to tell jokes I should tell good ones."
"I just read an interesting book about Rome lately," RJ said, catching me off-guard. "It was really interesting how they were so powerful and they lost it all just because they started chasing empty pleasure instead of taking care of each other."
"Wow really interesting nice to meet you but we're out of time!" I said.
"Hey, wanna see my token?" Porsche asked, taking a poker chip out of her pocket. "It was gonna be my cane but they took it. That's okay, maybe I can use this to help me walk."
"That's a funky little thing you're doing there," I said when I noticed Martin jerked his head toward his shoulder a few times. "Nervous?"
"No, it's because..." Martin started. He stopped and seemed to realize something. "They didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?" I asked. Oh my gosh he has a condition or something I'm so rude.
"Oh, never mind then. It's just something I do sometimes. I don't really know why."
"It must be really exciting being an interviewer," Des said, leaning forward in her seat. "I bet people flirt with you all the time."
"Oh, I get my share of attention," I said breezily.
"Good. A pretty lady like you deserves it."
"No one calls me Archibald," Archibald said. "It's just honestly a really weird name. It was my my grandfather's name and I'm pretty sure he thought it was weird too. People call me Pell."
"Not Archie?" I asked.
Pell hid his face in his hands. "No, please, anything but Archie."
Kjole gave polite but reserved answers to my questions. She had a dignified poise as she sat across from me. In a strange way she reminded me of a cat, all sleek and lithe and a little standoffish without actually being rude. She just seemed... self-contained. I felt extraneous next to her.
"Everyone wants to get out of here, but some of us have more reasons than others," Oberon said. "It's not just myself I have to worry about. My sister Regan needs me. She's already been through so much. She deserves happiness."
Mazie picked her way to her seat, teetering on unfamiliar high heels. "I feel like a goat," she confided as she sat down. "But actually I've never seen a goat so I'm not really sure. I feel like how I imagine a goat looks like."
Omar was dressed in a lovely ensemble calling to mind a simple farmhand come to profess his love for a glamorous governess. I wasn't sure whether he was on his way to a barn or a ball.
"I'm trying to be positive about this," he said. "I love learning new things and challenging myself and well, I guess this will do that."
Bess took her seat with a strange twinkle in her eye.
"Hey, wanna see something really cool?" she said. She stood up. "Grarr!" she growled as she flexed her arms. Her shirt tore open to reveal her rippling muscles around her sports bra. "I admit that was a breakaway shirt but I think it was still pretty cool."
"I guess it's nothing you haven't heard a million times," Cultur said as his cheeks flushed. "Plenty of people have had girlfriends before. To most people Summer is just another face. I guess I wish people could see her like I see her. If I was going to be sappy I'd say she was my summer. But actually to me she's better than summer."
"There's the girl who tried to ride the parade horses," I said as Soleil took her seat.
She smiled self-consciously. "I guess they reminded me of home. There's a lot I miss about home, from the fields to the spring flowers. And Axel, of course. We were supposed to be married as soon as we both finished our last Reaping. I guess we'll see what happens." Smart, I thought, roping in the crowd with stories of an interrupted engagement. It wasn't the first time but it didn't happen often. Sponsors always went for that.
"It's not so bad I got Reaped," Morty said. "Everything else that could happen to me already has. Most of us have a lot to lose but I really don't. Honestly I'm not even afraid of the Bloodbath. I'm kind of looking forward to it." Okay, guess I'll go home and cry...
"This body is not as strong as my old one," Samantha confusingly complained. "I mean... I'm not the strongest Tribute." That literally had nothing to do with the first thing you said?
Well, that was an... interesting bunch. Some of them were normal. One of them's the winner, I suppose. Unless no one wins. Which wouldn't be any weirder than some of these Tributes...
