*Lystra's POV. And yes, Viola is Ceaser's mother. Yes, I stole a line from the Hunger Games in here too, for all of you people that pay really close attention*
The spotlights were hot on my face as I walked out onto the stage. The sound of the crowds screaming my name threatened to burst my ears. I smiled nervously, remembering to act like myself, but remembering what Vincent had said, and hurried to my seat. Once there, Tanner smiled at me reassuringly, and whispered,
"You look beautiful."
And I did. I was wearing a floor-length golden silk gown with a three-foot train. I had dark brown contacts in, to match the brown circle and line designs painted on all of my visible skin. My hair was brushed to a silk and lay flat on my back. Other than the designs, my only makeup was the dark outline on my eyes. Vincent was still going with the Golden Apple look, but now it was more mature.
I smiled at him, and I felt radiant, carrying the knowledge inside me that I knew who I was. "Vincent is a genius," I told him. Then we both fell silent as Viola Flickerman called the girl from 1 – Elvatorix Fox up for her three minute interview.
I felt confident as I watch Elvatoix smile charmingly at Viola and the crowd. I watch Carrie Rippet swear that she'll win, and her sibling does the same. When asked about her sibling, Carrie simply smiled and said, "What sibling?"
The kids from three were complete nerds, chatting with Viola about some sort of new wiring for the televisions for better picture and reception.
In 4, Rayne is cool, confident, and proud. Her role was so convincing, I found myself believing that she would win. In 5, the girl is quiet and shy, but cute in a way, too. Her fellow tribute from her district was playing the nerd thing.
In 6, the girl was joking, smiling. The boy was sly, like a fox.
Nich (or, as Viola thought of her, Mazie) was playing confident and smooth, like Rayne, and had quite the same effect.
"So, Mazie, we have word here that your father was in the Hunger Games a few years back?"
"Yeah," Nich said, nodding "I don't remember him much, but Mom has told me and my sister, Walie, enough to make me feel like I know him."
There was a sigh of sympathy from the crowd, and Viola patted Nich's lap. "Ah, well, what can you do?"
"Nothing," Nich sighed.
"So tell me about your sister."
"She loves singing, and she's so small and delicate and adorable." Nich smiled slightly "You just want to pick her up and hug her all day long."
"And what would you have her know right now?"
Nich met the cameras defiantly "I would tell her that Mazie will be home soon. Do not worry. And . . . that a friend is helping."
Nich's cool and confident act was so convincing, Viola's next question took me a moment to decipher.
"So, Mazie, I hear you're setting up a huge alliance?"
My first thought was, Oh my God, who told? I looked around and noticed that Carrie and Armondo Rippet looked extremely pleased with themselves. I felt a wave of hot anger that I quickly concealed. This game was about stealth. But how much had they told?
"Oh yes, Violia," Nich winked at the interviewer. "I'm afraid that was supposed to be a secret – a surprise for Panem when we got in the arena," she sighed dramatically "but, apparently, someone just couldn't wait." I thought I saw her eyes flicker to Carrie and Armondo, but it was gone in a moment.
"So . . . Mazie," Viola leaned in slightly. "We got a tip-off from one of the tributes you invited to join your alliance," she winked "and that's how we knew about it. They mentioned it was a special alliance, but they said no more. So . . . tell us everything . . ."
Nich sighed again. "That's just the thing, Viola. I can't tell you. It's a surprise. You know more than you should all ready."
"And that's the time," Viola said "Well, we'll see you in the arena, Mazie. Good luck."
"Thanks, Viola," Nich grinned "but I won't need it."
The boy from 7, Julius, was charming.
Totsie was sweet, smiling innocently at the crowd.
The boy from 8, Tomas, was a music-lover and passionate.
The girl from 9, Salena, was confident and tough.
The boy from 9, Carter, was quiet and deadly.
Echo began sweetly, like Totsie, but shocked the whole of Panem with her answer to,
"So, Echo, tell us about your past."
Echo froze up and glanced at Totsie. All the cameras moved to Totsie, who nodded slightly at Echo. Then the cameras were back at Echo as she said,
"I used to live in District 8."
Loud gasps and yells came from the crowd, and Viola calmed them down. "How so?" she asked Echo simply.
"My parents were killed by gun in the middle of the river," Echo explained carefully. "My twin sister hid in the reeds, but my mother was carrying me . . . in a basket. When she fell," Echo's voice was thick with emotion, and tears were pilling in her eyes. "The basket that I was in was carried off in the current." She closed her eyes tightly "I was terrified," she whispered "I still remember every detail."
The people in the audience gasped and wailed in sympathy. Viola patted Echo's lap comfortingly. "And did your sister survive?"
Echo nodded, face in her hands. "That she did. She is still part of District 8."
"Well then," Viola smiled happily to the crowd. "There is still a chance for a happy reunion, then! If you win the games, I'm sure that the President will insist it be broadcasted on television." The entire crowd roared their approval at this, but Echo's face was still in her hands. When all was quiet once more, Echo said in a quiet voice,
"Yes, I would like that, Viola. But it can't be."
"What are you talking about?" Viola asked, grinning her head off "You can win this thing, Echo! You're determined, and that will make you win!"
"But if I win, I will never see my sister again," Echo sobbed, hands clamping more tightly on her face
"But why ever not?" Viola asked, and the crowd went deadly silent as Echo lifted her face.
"Because she's here with me."
Cameras went to Totsie's face as Echo's timer went off, though none could hear it over the roaring of the crowd. Totsie took one look at the cameras, and went to her sister, helping her up and hugging her so that she faced away from the audience. Totsie flashed a sad smile at the audience and helped her sister to her seat, going back to hers in silence, a single tear down her cheek.
When the audience cooled down, Satch Collins from 10 came up, being loud and angry about everything.
Everyone was playing an angle – doing something to make an impression. I knew each of them, and knew that they would never really act like that – I mean, Echo crying? Please.
But I wasn't playing an angle.
*Tanner's POV*
I watched Lystra walk up to Viola, and my stomach twisted. She was so beautiful in that dress . . . and so proud and confident. I had never seen her like this before, and I liked it. My mind flashed to the morning before when she'd drawn the future tributes – us . . . in 50 years . . . in another life. I shivered. It had been creepy.
And then . . . we had been holding hands. It was such a feeling – wondering if she might actually like me like I liked her . . . but what if she didn't?
I watched as she sat down by Viola. She was so beautiful, golden, graceful . . .
"So, Lystra, tell us about your home life."
Lystra smiled easily at Viola "Well, at home, it's just me and my dad, you know? My mom died from a concussion, falling from a tree in the fields. She had gone back too soon after my birth – still off balance, you know." Lystra shook her head in a disappointed way. "Only too common a story – we needed the money, you see, to feed me, the baby."
Viola sighed dramatically. "Ah, yes. Last year a tribute told me the same story."
Lystra nodded. "Yes. Too, too, common. After Mother's death, I kind of grew apart from my father. I regret that now. Dad, I'm sorry. I want you to know . . . I love you. I hope to be home soon."
"And what about that little girl you volunteered for?" Viola asked "Estella Mason, I believe?"
Lystra nodded again. "Yes, Estella. She is the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet. She's an orphan, you see, and doesn't get enough to eat. Occasionally, I'll slip her an apple – she loves apples as much as she loves her brother, Issac. And she loves to sing. Yes, I'll sing with her on those occasions. Together, we make quite the duet. Keep singing, Estella!" I thought I saw a glint of mischief in Lystra's eyes, but I didn't understand it, so I ignored it.
"Want to give a shout-out to anyone else?" Viola asked
"Oh, Cierra and Michelle. I work with them in the fields a lot. Keep up the good work now, girls." I smiled slightly. I knew that Cierra and Michelle were two of the girls that, like Lystra, snuck into the fields at night to illegally sell foods.
"Anyone else?" Viola asked
"Oh, I see Tanner around quite a bit," Lystra glanced at me, and we grinned at each other. Then, Lystra was suddenly solemn as she said, "And his little sister, Katherine."
"Tell us what you think of Katherine."
"Well, she doesn't really like 'Katherine. She prefers Kathi. And she's a really sweet girl – a dancer. She's so innocent . . . I talked to her a lot. She introduced me to Tanner the first time." I smiled genuinely. She had described my sister perfectly.
"So what do you think you should tell Kathi right now?" Viola asked. I leaned forward in my seat slightly, curious to hear Lystra's response.
"That I feel really bad for her. She's either losing her brother or her friend." Lystra took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. "And maybe even both."
*Lystra's POV*
My timer went off and I joined Tanner back at our seats. I patted his back as he got up and sat by Viola.
"So, Tanner," Viola smiled "We've had quite a bit of drama tonight. Do you have anything to add to it?"
"Well," Tanner looked down "I think I do, Viola."
"Oh, what now?" Viola said, throwing her hands up in an agitated manner, but everyone could tell she was amused.
"Well," Tanner said "um . . ." He looked very uncomfortable, wringing her hands. "A girl . . ."
"Ooooh!" Viola squealed along with the rest of the crowd "A girl? Ooooh, Tanner, give us all the details!"
Tanner lowered his head more "It's nothing really. I . . . I never even worked up the courage to tell her."
"Never?" Viola sounded disappointed. "Well you can tell her now – on live television!" There were many dramatic sighs from the crowd, and someone called out loudly, "How romantic!"
"W-w-well," Tanner stammered "I-I-I c-c-can't."
"Why not?" demanded Viola, an edge of excitement creeping into her voice
"B-b-because I have to tell her to her face . . . not like this."
"Oooh," Viola sighed "how romantic. So you'll just have to win, and then you can tell her."
"I don't think it's going to work out. Winning won't help."
"Why not?" Viola seemed to be using this line a lot.
Tanner's head was lower than ever, and his hands gripped the side of the chair, almost white. His voice was barely audible as he stammered, "Because . . . because . . . I brought her here with me."
*Nich's POV*
I could see Lystra's blush magnified by the cameras everywhere, and the crowd, already exhausted from an emotional night, was screaming and crying, gazing between Tanner and Lystra with angry faces. I felt sympathy for both of them as Lystra gazed at the floor for a long moment, and then at Tanner. Their eyes met just as Tanner's timer rang, and he headed back to her. He sat beside her, and they sat stone-faced, small tears in their eyes, sad, tragic, but welcoming.
I couldn't really tell how Lystra was feeling at the moment, but I had already known that Tanner loved her with all his heart for a long time now. I only hoped that Lystra loved him enough back.
Lillibet from 12 went up, and, stammering, sent greetings home to the family that "she had never loved enough." It was touching and all, but only worked the crowd up more.
Then, lastly, Spade told the entire audience that he missed his mother. When Viola asked him about his mother, he only said, "She is pretty. She says I look nothing like my father."
"When did you last see your mother?" Viola asked him gently
"Last night," Spade said gruffly
"She's here in the Capitol?" Viola sounded anxious for a happy ending, but she wasn't going to get one.
"No," Spade said. "She's with me. Always."
"Then she's here?" Viola pressed. Silly woman. I understood what Spade meant completely.
"No."
"Then whatever do you mean?" The silly woman was confused. "You said you last saw her last night."
"Yes." He didn't speak for a long moment. "She's there in my dreams."
At this, the audience lost it, wailing and crying for poor, poor homeless Spade, whose mother was only in his dreams. And for the star crossed lovers, Tanner and Lystra. And for the separated twins, Totsie and Echo. And for the poor, doomed girl, Mazie, whose father was in the Games too. The girl trying to make a secret alliance to surprise the Capitol.
When all the tributes stood for the anthem, you couldn't even hear it. I smiled briefly at Lystra, and we both had the same thought :
What trouble we shall cause, and what fun we shall have!
Then the lights went out, and all was black. The tributes exited the stage, listening to the still crying and roaring audience.