Jonathan and Katie get ready for the big stage; it's Interview Night.
After the scores had been announced, Katie apologized to me, although very brief. Her eyes darted around the corners of the room, never staying in one place, which felt more dishonest than sincere, so I don't know how much of her apology I believed. Georgia also gave me her most sincerest apologies for scolding me, since it seems that the score outweighed whatever distrust they may have felt. Apparently, if the Gamemakers were to target me, via Capitol politics, the people living in this outlandish place would riot, since I deservedly so proved my superiority to the other tributes... they couldn't target me? I don't think I had followed her instructions all too well, but I guess it meant I was out of the Gamemakers plan in making my life a living hell. I still want to call bullshit on that; we have a president and Head Gamemaker who are instructed by the populace to design these games to be as wicked as possible. If they want me to be a target, I'll become a target of their oncoming wrath.
When Georgia unclasped hands with me, leaving powder residue on the tips of my fingers, the elevator ding went off, announcing someone arriving on our floor. Rose and Rev stepped out of the elevator, dressed finely and warmly in their own separate, outlandish outfits, Rose parting the kimono for a lavish amaranthine colored dress. Henry didn't mention it, but that's because he didn't need to; tonight was also the public Interview Night, where all twenty-four of us lucky tributes would be interviewed by the Master of Ceremonies, that Louis Grande, televised for all of Panem to see. The last time to win people's hearts about us, and for us to get three minutes in opening ourselves to the populace... this usually meant the Careers had their stars on the rise, and the other eighteen of us were made to look even worse than our training score.
Rose took my hand and went down first, giddy, giddy as can be. Katie called to me before the elevator doors closed around us - she'd be departing shortly after me to the sound stage - but I never got to hear what she was saying. The elevator came to a stop a bit earlier than the normal floor where the training center sat, so the sound stage and prep area for the interviews were clearly further up.
I followed Rose down a flight of stairs where the air was frigid, almost ice box temperatures. I shivered, because, even though District 12 gets cold and we have snow, it still wasn't exactly a temperature I'd want to be standing around in for a few hours. They'd have me speak to Louis Grande, since I would go last, and I'd be a frozen popsicle stick tribute. Rose smiled weakly at me - I could probably read her thoughts that were racing through her head - before stopping at a wooden door. Looking down the hallway that this was connected to, there were multiple doors... I think I counted twelve, including mine. This must've been one connecting hallway where all the male tributes would get sent down with their stylist. Rose opened the door and Arkon, Mervel, and Venus spilled out. My prep team; my ever loving prep team. Last time I saw them, Mervel nearly killed me with scissors. Wonderful. Arkon stood up sheepishly, and wiped the dust off his crinkled velvet suit.
"Guys, I want Jonathan done with prep by 6:00 and then I have to bring him in to the main room," Rose instructed, before placing a gentle hand on my back, pushing me into them.
"Aye Rose, I promise to not destroy this pity's hair," Mervel chuckled.
Venus elbowed Mervel. "Honestly, Mervel, you should have been shot for your imminent threats." Okay... it seems like Venus takes things a bit too far, if you know what I mean. My goodness, I don't know what's wrong with her, or them. Rose has been the most normal person here, and even then she might seem a bit stir crazy.
Mervel turned to protest, but Arkon forcefully dragged Mervel away from Venus. "Sorry Rose, Mervel has been... uh... getting jumpy lately at anyone who thinks he has been threatening." You think? I think Venus needs to keep her opinions to herself. I don't know why I thought my stylist team would enjoy each other's company; they seem almost too cutthroat.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Just have him finished by the time I instructed." The mom that she is. I liked her when I first met her at the Chariot Rides, and I still like her now.
Arkon brought me into the room where they spilled out of and sat me down in the leather seat placed in the middle, throwing a barber sheet over me. "We don't want to get your face hurt or your clothes wrinkled." he said sympathetically. Mervel walked over with a hair dryer and a pair of gold gleaming scissors. He started to snip away at my sideburns, and shear off the top of my head, every once in a while make a distressed comment on my look. It wouldn't do me any good to throttle him, since fighting is forbidden and all of that good stuff, but if Mervel wanted to criticize me about my looks, perhaps he should take a look at his pitiful mop on his head he calls hair. Venus started to rummage through a bag, looking for a thing of powder to dust off my feet, as if anyone would want to look at them however was beyond me. Arkon applied some blush to my cheeks. "Think of it as we're brightening the mood," he said, "And you're face!" I thought it was ridiculous. I don't think the other male tributes would've exactly enjoyed having makeup applied to their face. However, as Rose instructed, like magic and arriving promptly at 6:00 PM, they were done. Rose entered through the wooden door again, this time carrying a see-through plastic bag; inside it was a sky blue suit with the mine symbol on the top - always needing the association with District 12 - small flames blazing around the edge. My matching black pants were lined with silver and smelled wonderful. The material felt amazing and soft, as if I had been laid to rest in a cotton field.
"Oh Rose, that is wonderful!" I said, needing to catch my breath, as the suit and pants took away my breath for the moment. I am not someone who understands an inkling of fashion, yet this was beautiful! It really was. I could only imagine what Bailey would think when she'd see me.
Rose smiled. "I knew you would love it."
I changed quickly into my outfit, stepping into the changing room. When I came out, having taken the time I was afforded - it was really spent with me hugging the pants; I'm serious, they're so soft - I did a mock bow, Rose stepping back with my prep team who broke into grins. "That is lovely Rose, you made him look wonderful!" Arkon praised. Ah, finally, some due praise. I do look good, don't I?
Venus laughed. "Of course Rose made him wonderful, but we are called 'Prep Team' for a reason."
Rose drew me away from my bubbling team which started to break into a cooler in the corner to get champagne, my stylist rolling her eyes. "They lead by bad example," she said.
I wanted to retort that my stylist has been seen drinking liquor quite a lot since I've arrived, but that's a pot calling the kettle black and I know better than that. She led me down another corridor and opened a door which led into a hallway which had twenty three other doors that spilled out into this hallway. The other side had twelve other doors, this time for the ladies, I presumed, the other eleven for my male partners. The other tributes were all standing in a cluster at the foot of the stage, some bunched in different spots for their own gangs others just talking, like the girl from District 3 was talking to the boy from District 5, despite neither being in our alliance. I saw Katie, dressed in a beautiful white dress covered in small black swirls and red splashes of paint, standing by herself away from the rest. Occasionally a tribute would look at her, perhaps wanting to speak with her, but never mustering the courage to do so. She looked like a flame, a coal bit, and the sky all in one. For a moment, I lost my breath, like when I saw my own outfit. These stylists were amazing at their job, that I must admit; turning us decrepit District 12 folk into walking pieces of art. I walked up to her and she smiled warmly.
"You don't have to say it," she started, before I could open my mouth.
"What are you talking about?" I feigned a surprised expression.
"That I look good."
"And what if you do?"
Katie quipped another small grin. "Then I'd say thank you."
"Well, Miss Wenshaw, you look beautiful tonight."
"Thank you, Jonathan. You clean up nicely too."
"Now you're just wounding me," I joked, placing a hand against my stomach, mocking pain. I felt a visible release on my shoulders, as this sounded like the most genuine conversation she and I have had since being reaped. Not that we had dishonest conversations - a nagging voice mentioned the one just a little over an hour ago where she apologized to me - but this one felt different. More... humane. More honest than we had ever been, simply complimenting each others appearances. Then, a light bulb went off in my brain. "What was it you were saying to me before I left with Rose to get dressed?"
She raised an eyebrow, not following my drift. "What do you mean?"
"Don't you remember? Before Rose and I left to get dressed, you had shouted something at me back at the apartment. I couldn't hear you because of the elevator doors closing."
Katie searched her head, as her facial expression told me so, but she waved the concern away. "I remember now. It was nothing serious."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure," she nodded.
"Okay, then we might as well-" I started, but I unfortunately never got to finish my statement.
I heard a girl in front of us scream in pain, cutting off my train of thought. The two of us looked over and saw Leema, the girl from District 7, clutching her side in pain, before she collapsed onto the floor. Arman, that arrogant career from One that taunted Katie and I this afternoon was towering over her, a hand curled into a fist, raised high above her. The other Careers were behind him, not moving, but they didn't exactly look proud of Arman either. Lyon, however, was just... standing there, in shock, but not doing anything about it.
Katie was saying something in my ear, perhaps about being calm, but another flood of white filled my vision. I can't tell you now if I was more enraged at Arman hitting Leema for whatever reason, or perhaps Lyon not doing anything to help his district partner. Honestly, it may have been the other one, since we are supposed to protect our district partners; it's why we're called 'partners', and not enemies. I vaulted from Katie's grip, running upwards at the group. Arman's face changed to that of gloating, as if he thought I was just going to help Leema up. He didn't quite expect my fist to smash into his jaw. He reeled back from the punch, about to leap forward at me when Leeane held him back, his eyes turned to fire.
"You want to go, Twelve?" he taunted.
"You do not touch Leema!" I stood my ground, yelling back at him.
"She insulted me!"
"It doesn't matter!"
"Arman, please..." Leanne begged. Man, I kind of liked her... she had an air of understanding and truth about her, a level head. I can't think of many Careers who are quite like her.
He glanced at his district partner, before shrugging her off of him. "Watch yourself Twelve or I'll have a spear in your back before you get one step towards any weapon at the Cornucopia. I'll make sure of it!" he snarled. He stalked away from us, tromping back to the front of the line. The other Careers except Leanne followed him back to the front. I was more affronted than anything that he hadn't the decency to learn me or Katie's name, instead just resorting to 'Twelve'. Clearly, it wasn't meant to be an insult, it's just a threat, but regardless.
Leeane watch Arman temper tantrum away, looking back at me with heavy eyes. I was taken aback for a moment, as if we shared a connection for a brief second there. "You have no idea what you've just done."
"Well, maybe Arman should watch his back," I taunted back at her, entirely at line.
She rolled her eyes at me. "Whatever. Good luck on stage," and Leeane departed back to her partners. Did a Career just wish me good luck? Pinch me, I must be dreaming.
At this point, Katie joined us, delayed in the fact that she understands I can fight my own battles. I stormed back to her, making sure Leema was okay. "Are you alright?" I asked her.
"Yeah. He just, uh, punched me in the side..." Leema winced, as Katie helped her up.
Lyon looked at me, almost as if took a lot of energy to get himself moving. "Why did you have to do that? Leema was fine."
"Fine?" Katie snorted. "A Career punched her and you didn't even move a muscle."
"Fighting isn't my style."
"And you're in the Hunger Games, Lyon," I said. "You need to at least adopt defense."
"Lyon's a pacifist," Leema explained, looking down at her feet.
"And has a pacifist ever won the Hunger Games?"
"No," the District 7 boy overrode my immediate retort. "But it doesn't mean it can't happen. What if I am the first?"
Due to where we were standing, since I was with the District 7 tributes, we were right behind District 6. Lucky me. Lone, who had observed all of this with some amusement, turned around to face us. "I would have done the same thing Lyon, if Rachel was hurt. Even though she can take care of herself... well, I would probably murder everyone who would dare touch her." I could tell that this wasn't an empty statement; he meant it.
Katie furrowed her eyebrows. "Who is Rachel?" I forgot that it takes a bit longer for my district partner to get acquitted with names.
The girl in front of Lone turned, the one I knew who to be Rachel, his sister. "That would be me Katie Wenshaw, Lone and I are brother and sister." I don't know if I or Katie were more bothered by the fact she used her full name... we're on fighting terms, not familiar terms sweetheart. Don't use our names like that...
Leema snorted. "Wow, that's definitely a shocker," her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Lone's smile disappeared, his facial features stoning. "You're young, Leema, so you don't know better. Don't disrespect your elders."
"Your elders?" Lyon raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Dude, do you hear yourself?"
"Rachel and I are better than everyone here. That's a fact." God have mercy, get a load of this broad.
"You are not better than everyone here," Leema pointed out. "Jonathan scored higher than you; he's better than you and your sister."
If my eyes could speak, it'd probably be screaming, 'Girl, shut up!' in the nicest manner. Lone's eyes seized mine, a chill racing through my body, and I instinctively backed up towards Katie. "That's right... Jonathan, you scored a twelve. How'd you do that?"
"Lucky shot..." I said, weakly.
"Well, Lone and I don't need lucky shots to get ahead," Rachel inserted herself into the conversation. "We simply get ahead."
Another chill ran through my body. Even back when I was in the safety and comfort of District 12, Katie and I had watched this brother and sister leap up to the stage, volunteering… District 6 never has volunteers, even less than District 12. Of course, both looked to be incredibly in shape, now they both scored elevens in the private sessions... and they seem to hate Katie and I. Their eyes give it away, all the emotion in them.
"Have a good night, you guys," Lone said back, and although his tone was warm, it was moreso like he was giving us all the finger. Screw him.
I bid my own good lucks to Leema and Lyon, asking once more if she was alright. Katie poked me in the side before I could say anything else. We already were too big of a distraction. "Jon, we need to get in line now. Louis is on stage!"
I turned around and, yep, sure as shit, she was right. Standing there in a sea green suit with sparkling navy blue dress pants, our Master of Ceremonies for the past twenty-three years, was Louis Grande, his hazel eyes sparkling in the stage lights. His hair was a flowing white, almost matching his teeth. An ornate watch was strapped around his wrist, the time reading: Interviews. Only reason I knew this was because the camera had zoomed into it while he was waving at the crowd of gathered Capitol socialites. I giggled a little when I returned to the final spot, behind Katie... it seemed like this man's entire day revolved around his job. Our interviewer grabbed a microphone from the stand near the two chairs on stage, tapping it once, and then off to the races we went.
"Welcome everyone to the last night before the start of the 99th Hunger Games!" he opened, to roaring applause. A few tributes - Lone and Arman included - clapped along to the audience, a bunch of bloodthirsty maniacs. "Our tributes are here tonight to give you a glimpse of their old life! Twenty-four young men and women are here to spill their hearts out to you... and in a matter of two weeks time, we will have to say goodbye to all but one..." a pang of sorrow ran through the crowd. I didn't feel too well listening to their reactions; these audience members probably didn't even care about any of us. "And you just might want to sponsor the lucky tribute! The odds are up and will be announced as we continue our program tonight. Before we close, after our District 12 tributes, there shall be an announcement..." and Louis turned, this time facing the tributes, a wicked smile on his face. "However, there's an evening of interviews we have tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Let's bring out our first tribute. From District 1, it's Leeane..." The rest of the applause drowned out her last name, which I wasn't all too concerned in hearing, honestly.
Leeane stepped up to the stage in a carmine dress, looking quite pretty, and I felt a twinge of confusion in my chest as she flashed the cameras a glare. Weren't Careers supposed to love hogging all the spotlight? I'm not really sure. Arman told the audience how a tribute was getting on his nerves and when Louis asked, Arman looked at me straight in the eye - he had turned his head to look at the row of tributes and said, 'he should not be named.', which obviously didn't make it obvious, if the cameras were to follow everyone's turned heads. Altha and Colby kept to themselves, Colby needing help getting to the stage, while Felice was totally outgoing, if almost too outgoing. I don't know where this side of her must've been when I spoke to her that day where the alliance was formed. She had been as quite as a shrew.
Lone and Rachel perked the audience's attention a bit, even perking mine. Though the conversation in the hallway keyed me in to who this pair really were, Louis managed to get them to show their true colors off. Rachel proudly declared that they had been training since they were four years old, wanting to mock the Career style, and had been watching reruns of the games since they were six, thinking of whom to emulate. Lone followed her heels, and let the audience know who those emulated tributes would be... and that was Cato and Clove from the 74th Hunger Games. That definitely did not put my nerves at ease. Cato and Clove had countless opportunities to kill Katniss, and alongside her, Peeta, almost succeeding in fact had it not been for many mistakes. Ruthless killing machines is what my mom had called them, when she recalled watching those games. If that's what Lone and Rachel wanted to do, well I guess us District 12 tributes, as well as the others, including the Careers, could throw in the towel.
Leema was very inaudible and grimaced a lot, clutching her side. Arman, that asshole. If I had the chance, I'd make him regret ever hitting her. Lyon finally came to her defense and said she had a stomach ache. The boy from District 9, whose name turned out to be was Thatcher seemed very rude, interrupting Louis a few times, and when he wasn't interrupting our interviewer, Thatcher came across as sarcastic, and narcissistic. Even though these interviews are supposed to be about 'me, me, me', Thatcher, this District 9 spear thrower really made it about him. The tributes from 10 said that Lone and Rachel approached them with an alliance offer, also extending this regard to District 9. If I followed that information correctly, that would mean there were the Careers - Districts 1, 2, and 4 - then my alliance - that had the male from District 3, the girl from District 5, both tributes from Districts 7 and 11, and then of course, Katie and I - and lastly this newly created alliance with Districts 6, 9, and 10. Twenty individual tributes wrapped up into three alliances. Holy hell.
Madison looked very pretty in a small gown, and she stumbled on stage with heels. I don't think her stylist understood just how young she was. Ramon was a solitary block of hurt and he wouldn't answer a single question, only showing off anger when Louis would pat him on the back. By then, an hour and fifteen minutes or so had passed, and it was just Katie and I left. While the clock was still in the process of counting down with Ramon's lack of an interview, I rested a hand against my district partner's shoulder.
"They'll love you," I whispered in her ear.
"The Capitol?"
"You don't think they will?"
"No, I don't."
"Well, I like you," I grinned. "Does my opinion count for anything?"
"It accounts for everything," Katie turned around, hugging me. When we retracted, the buzzer went off for Ramon's interview, and Louis didn't so much as dismiss him where it was the fact that the District 11 male stood up and simply walked off without a word. Even a high training score will not win over an audience's heart if you're not likable. Despite the Careers and District 6 being assholes to us, and going to kill us, they were still able to talk and laugh and answer questions, and be semi open.
Katie took a hesitant step forward, before looking back at me. "I think I'm gonna be sick."
"No you aren't. You'll do fine." I put thumbs up, walking behind her, an action that'd push her up the stage if I got close enough.
Whatever effect my words had on her confidence seemed to work, and my district partner nodded, hitching up her dress, turning around, and hiking up the steps on the side of the stage. Into the halo of the lights she went, into the tidal wave of noise that was the drowning applause from the audience. Into Louis's claws, at my behest... and I had full confidence in her. If you didn't have a semblance of confidence in your district partner, then what was the purpose of getting to know them?
"You look very pretty tonight Miss Wenshaw. I am very pleased to meet you," Louis gushed, giving Katie the time to sit down and get herself together.
Katie blushed. "Why, thank you Louis. You are particularly stunning tonight as well." It felt familiar, since all of your conversations between her and I started with us complimenting each other's looks.
I rolled my eyes at the fake love both were giving each other regardless, because there is room for honesty and sappiness should some be there, but if our Master of Ceremonies was only going to talk to Katie about appearances, I might as well check myself out of the conversation. The first two minutes had been spent about the life in District 12, where she had been a more middle class citizen, not used to the experience of weapons. When asked about her score of an eight, which is quite impressive for a District 12 tribute, and one that isn't necessarily warrior built, Katie quipped a smile. I realized, with a frown, that I don't know what she had done for her private session. No one was interested in asking her, they were only interested in me since my score had been astronomically different from the others. While that did perk me up from my chair, I only paid attention when Louis asked her a very personal question. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Katie shook her head in dissent. "Sadly I don't."
Louis feigned surprise. "Someone as pretty as you should have a line of boys wrapped up around the block."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are you calling me a prostitute?" Not that I'd figure Hunger Games programming to be kid-friendly, of course, but the fact that she just said prostitute on stage was as if she had been sacrificed.
Our Master of Ceremonies lost his composure for a moment, his face losing color to a more ashy shade of white. "No, my dear Katie, I wasn't suggesting that at all. However, I am sure the audience would be interested in hearing who your crush is, right?"
Katie's face hardened. She fiddled with her hands. "I'd rather not say."
"C'mon, we're all friends here."
She glared at Louis, as if the conversation had suddenly taken a one-eighty. "We are not friends here, Louis! Do you think I am really going to be comfortable up here on stage telling thousands... hundreds of thousands of people about my love-life? You already know enough about me as it is. You already control enough about me as it is. You're going to have me admit my crush, use it against me, and then I get to die in the Hunger Games knowing I never got a chance to really be with him. And you want to know why I am not going to be with him? Isn't that the dying truth? Because Jonathan Crimson, my district partner, is my love, yet my blockade for going home!"
A hush of silence fell from the crowd and all twenty two other tributes looked at me, having gone to sit in the audience. Louis locked his jaw, perhaps more upset about being yelled at on his own stage, his mind processing what he had just heard. Katie didn't need a wake-up call; she understood it right away. Her face paled.
"I'm sorry... I- I shouldn't have said anything. Please forgive me, I..." she stumbled over her words. All the credo she made... gone in a matter of seconds.
I noticed, for the fifth time since arriving in the Capitol, how Katie and I were like Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, how we resembled them so closely. Rose and Rev's idea was going to get us both killed. My district partner stands there for a moment, frozen in time, but I don't blame her; I'd be the same way. Louis heard Katie's buzzer and told her to sit down, which she did, likewise, exiting the stage. However, she made it to the seats where the other tributes were, running off the other hallway. No Capitol official ran after her, so wherever Katie was going to go, I'd have to find her. I straightened my suit, Louis breaking the silence and awkward rush of applause to welcome me to the stage, my heart thumping in my chest.
My district partner just admitted to me in front of all of Panem that she liked me... maybe even loved... I don't know. How do I stand here and accept that? I can't... and I want to. Half of me wanted to run after, to run across the stage and not even utter a word to Louis. Katie needed me, someone to calm her down... but if I did that, then someone would certainly go looking for me. I had an entire evening to find Katie... right now I had an interview to do.
I walked up the steps slowly an shakily strode over to Louis. After we shook hands, I took a seat, my hands trembling. God, that handshake must've been horrendous.
"Well, that must be quite a shocker Jonathan, wouldn't you agree?" Louis asked me once I sat down. Well, shit, he didn't give me a moment to breathe. I didn't have an answer in my head that I know would satisfy anyone like the Capitol populace. This wasn't rehearsed, and I wouldn't have asked someone to do that to themselves on this stage, where every second mattered.
I shook my head furiously, trying to agree, but I couldn't get my voice to work, as if the syllables were blocked by my Adam's apple. "Yeah, it is interesting..." I managed to croak out, before mentally kicking myself. Interesting? A declaration of love simply being interesting? Dammit, Jonathan, you're supposed to help Katie out, not hurt her.
Louis settled back into the chair comfortably. "We'll talk about that in a moment, but first, I want to redirect ourselves to this afternoon. Those training scores. Primarily yours. So, would you like to tell me about that interesting T-W-E-L-V-E? The number you managed to get is the most outstanding achievement I've ever seen since Katniss and Peeta!" he smiled earnestly. I don't think our Master of Ceremonies did the crowd any favors by mentioning the two has-been victors... infamous was their rise, infamous was their downfall.
I heard a murmur in the crowd; they obviously didn't like what was going on. "I can't tell you, it was emotionally scarring for some of the Gamemakers and that's all I will say about it. Apparently scarring them means you score high..." oh, dammit Jonathan! Now that means every single tribute from here on out is going to try and scar the Gamemakers and see if that gives them a better score. The last thing Wyatt Crane is going to need is someone stripping naked for everyone in the training center and making out with the practice dummies. I buried my head in my hands. I am not cut out for this line of work.
Wyatt, wherever he'd be, had to have been nodding in approval. Louis hadn't stopped bantering, however, over my evident distress, chanting about how usually District 12 makes a three to six range, and those that score sixes usually have been eighteen year-old males down in the mines who'd sneak into work with their fathers and practice swinging an axe-pick. This would happen when guys would take out tons and tons of tesserae for their families. "Okay, back to the tribute talk," Louis led the interview wherever I didn't want it to go. "Your district partner, Miss Wenshaw, had a shocking reveal. Love is hard for you teenagers, I understand that. What do you want to say to Katie?"
I licked my lips. Do I tell the truth and perhaps piss everyone off? Do I lie? I've never been the best liar, my mother can attest to that... shit. If there was any girl in my life I would've felt any affection to, it'd be Bailey, Bailey Resel is my honest to god best friend, I've gone through the thick and thin with her. If I loved anyone, it'd be her... not Katie Wenshaw, district partner or not. I swallowed my fear and took the plunge. "I don't like her, not like that."
My words hung heavy over the stage, Louis nodding deeply. "Oh. I think she'd be upset to hear that, but if that's how you feel, Jonathan, then that's how you feel."
I opened my mouth to say something when a Capitol citizen stood up in the crowd, dressed quite ridiculously. They cupped their hands around their mouth, screaming at me. "HOW DARE YOU!" this stranger yelled at me, breaking me out of the stupor. That got the ball rolling, members of the audience beginning to shout. Not all of them, not even a tenth, but enough to make a difference. Since the audience was yelling, so did the tributes.
A bunch of barbarity was thrown out at me, even the Careers howling blasphemy at me. I walked back to my seat solemnly and waited for my buzzer. It rang with an echo. Louis had to calm the audience down with a huge pause in between, some Peacekeepers joining in a line at the side of the stage. In my solitude, a lot of the tributes were glaring at me. I don't know why... it isn't like we all get burnt alive for telling the truth.
A fanfare was about to close us out, where the tributes could disperse and leave, but Louis was still standing on stage. "I have one last announcement, this coming from the president, yes, President Lee Snow himself. What I am about to announce, originally had been for the 100th Hunger Games, our 4th Quarter Quell. However, recently, in the light of how many alliances, and how many tributes in each alliance, we are bringing out this rule first, a year earlier," Murmurs rise from the crowd. What could he be talking about, exactly? "This is new to all of our tributes, but a new rule has been established. It is called the Alliance Rule, ordained by the Gamemakers, effective until further notice. The guidelines to this rule is simple. If you are in an alliance, you can win with that team if everyone not part of your alliance is killed." There would've been more to his statement, I configure, but he's overridden by bursts of noise from the crowd.
A loud cheer erupted from the Careers and Lone's posse. Leema and Lyon looked shocked, making eye contact with me. Fazed by the news, I stood, still slightly trembling. Did this mean Panem still didn't hate me? I hadn't made it more than twenty or so steps, a bit out of the line of sight from the other tributes when someone collided into me, still in the thaw of trying to understand what this new Alliance Rule meant. I choked out a cry of surprise, smashed against the wall, Katie being the one holding me up, her elbow in my neck.
"What the hell was that for Jonathan? Why'd you answer his question on stage? Why would you do that to me?"
I was too lost in my thoughts, now overwhelmed by all this damn emotion to even say anything, and that probably made matters worse.
Katie relented the pressure, but instead of giving me time to formulate a response, she fled from the hall, crying. I stood there speechless, my hand faltering in mid air, the words I wanted to speak dying on my lips, my body unable to move. Dammit.
Shit.
Well... this sucks.
I might have just lost my most needed ally.
The Alliance Rule is something I created myself in my own Hunger Games universe (it started in Capitol's Strike, I kept it in Death Under the Sky) where, if you have an official alliance, heard by the Gamemakers, and everyone in that alliance makes it to the end while the others die, everyone in that alliance wins. It's almost like the loophole at the end of the 74th Hunger Games where if you had both tributes from the district still alive at the end, they'd both win... but now, on a broader spectrum. Of course, this creates even more loopholes, since a group of people saying they're 'in an alliance together' can change with every waking second... but it's all up to the Gamemakers, isn't it?
Besides that, Jonathan seems to have alienated himself... and Katie has a crush on him, clearly not meaning to even admit it, let alone getting her own feelings rejected. Can they bounce back from this?