Yay I updated! Finally. This chapter is really overdue. So here you go!

And I don't own the Hunger Games.

Chapter Four:

Life is sweet in the belly of the beast

In the belly of the beast

"We're about to enter the Capitol!" Larkin exclaims. Yet again, Aqua is extremely angry because she was forced to dress up, so this should be a fun night. She sits in the seat, cross-armed in a sparkly, frilly, bright blue dress and elaborately curled hair.

I look out of the window to, yet again, see the beauty that is the Capitol. President Snow's mansion is alight with glowing splashes of color, and rich citizens of the Capitol are standing around a roped-off area where I presume Aqua and I would make out entry. No party I've ever been to could possibly compare to this. I'm sure there are over a thousand people feasting and dancing.

"Don't get too excited yet, you still have to do your next interview," Enobaria whispers to Aqua and I.

"What are we even supposed to be talking about?" Aqua asks her, annoyed.

"Just stuff about your life back home, now that you're victors." The only things I've been doing since I've been home are speeches, photo shoots, and checking up at the training center, but they are all things the Capitol either already knows about, or a thing I can't exactly say anything about on live television. Not so good so far.

The train car opens, and I walk out to see a bunch of screaming fans waving towards me. I guess you could call them fans, if they honestly enjoy watching me kill children… Kind of a weird thing to be a fan of, but I'm surely not complaining.

Suddenly, I get an idea, something to annoy Aqua even more.

"Aqua, I dare you to break into a fight with someone before the interview ends," I say. But knowing her, she'll probably end up doing it while disregarding the dare. Either that or she'll chicken out and somehow manage not to kill anyone. She's expressionless and says nothing, so I have to imagine she's too irritated to do it. I laugh at her. We'll see what happens.

We are escorted through the crowd with Enobaria, Emberlynn, Skittora, Larkin, and the prep teams. So far, Aqua hasn't tried to beat up any of the Capitol residents. Finally, we reach the place where we will be, yet again, interviewed. My heart is racing, the lights are flashing, and all of a sudden I'm up there, next to Caesar and Aqua.

"So Parker," he says casually, "I've heard that you two are best friends."

"Yeah," I answer truthfully. "For a long time, actually."

"I see. So is it any different, now that you are both victors?" Caesar asks.

"You know Aqua and I, we've been doing this for a long time. Nothing could tear us apart. Although, sometimes, she can be a bit of a pain in the-" I start, but am interrupted by a hard fist on my cheek. I guess she actually is going to follow through with it, though not in the way I had expected. I look over to Aqua, and she's grinning like a psychopath, not at all out of the ordinary. The audience is gasping and Caesar is staring at her, confused.

I'm a little mad at first, considering she just punched me, but I've gotta admit, this'll be fun. Failing interviews is something Aqua's pretty good at. "Well, it looks like you've still got some of the...spunk...from the arena, Aqua," Caesar tries to fix it with a joke. The audience is not sure whether or not to laugh. Half of them manage a giggle, the other half try to shush them.

It becomes amusing, Aqua's hard expression, furious at me, the Capitol, and her stylist. I am grinning like a maniac, and my shoulders shake with silent laughter. "I agree completely," I put in, but Aqua only responds, "Aren't you going to fight back? Are you going to let yourself be beaten up by a girl? Huh?" She stands from her chair and waves her fists.

She can't be serious… Can she? I mean, I'm sure Aqua's gotten into many fights before in District Two, but on national television when you're not supposed to? You know what, I take that back. Thinking of the things I saw her do after the Games, and then of course what went down during the Victory Tour, I'd say she's still in 'Hunger Games mode'.

"Well…" Caesar looks to me, silently pleading and telling me to do anything other than what she wants. I just shrug and say, "If you say so." The crowd is whispering back and forth, as I stand up to face her, and Caesar…well…I'm not sure how to describe the look on his face. It's kinda a confused look, a look that says 'I'm not sure that I should be happy because everyone will want to watch my show, or that I should be terrified and call for security before it gets too bloody.' Just imagine that, if you can.

We just stand there for a few seconds, her glaring at me and me grinning at her. Then suddenly, we both jump at each other, and the audience, plus Caesar, all join in for a huge gasp. There's a flurry of clenched fists and blood, and I can't exactly say what's going on bit by bit, that would take much too long. I've never fought Aqua before, and I really don't know if I'm surprised or disappointed in her skills. I guess compared to the arena, it's nothing, but still, she's exceptionally strong. Not to be conceited or anything, but it's an even match.

Suddenly, I get a thought. This is Aqua I'm fighting right now. Aqua. While thinking of that, I have to laugh a little.

Aqua must see me laughing. "What's so funny?"
"Just think about what we're doing right at this moment."

"What do you mean 'what we're doing right-'" I guess she thought about it, because I can see a crack of a smile forming on her face. She's trying to keep in the laughter, but I can tell it's not working. At this point, she stops trying to beat me up and just starts laughing. I join in.

When I look back at the audience, they look completely and utterly confused. They have no idea of what to think of what's happening right now.

"Well everyone, this has been a very….interesting show. So let the party begin!" Caesar announces to the uncertain Capitol people. It's probably a good thing that it was ended. Otherwise the people watching would be seeing Aqua and I cracking up in the middle of the stage. After the cameras turn away, Caesar gives us a weird look and leaves the stage.

"We should probably go find Enobaria, Emberlynn, and everyone," Aqua manages to say through the laughs.

"Yeah, probably."

Our crew or whatever you call them doesn't look very pleased with us. "Congratulations Aqua! You've completely failed each and every one of your interviews!" says Enobaria.

"Why thank you!" she replies, causing Enobaria to put her hand to her head in an effort to stop a headache.

"How about we just carry on with the rest of this," suggests Emberlynn.

"If you say so."

We leave everything that just happened behind and go to enjoy the feast we've earned. All of it's pretty annoying because a lot of people from the Capitol keep wanting to talk to Aqua and I about anything imaginable.

"What was your favorite part of the Games?"

"Do you like living in Victor's Village?"

And then there was that one question that caught us both off guard. "Would you ever consider getting together?"

"Excuse me?" says Aqua.

"You know what I mean. You did win the Hunger Games together and all."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we're only friends," I inform the person.

"Hm. That's a shame; you would make a good couple." Then they left.

"I dare you to kill her," remarks Aqua.

"I'm not just gonna go up to her and kill her."

"You dared me to beat up someone.

"Yeah, beat up someone."

"Fine." Then after a while, we decide that it would be a good idea to change the subject. "What's with the colorfulness of the food and stuff?"

"No clue. It's kinda creepy."

"I dare you to drink that pink stuff," challenges Aqua, pointing to something on the buffet table.

I shrug. How bad could it be? "Okay." I take a glass of the oddly colored juice or whatever it is and take a sip. "Oh my god that's awful!"

"Drink the whole glass."

I don't even know if I can stomach the whole thing. It's that bad.

Once I drain the glass, I look back to see Aqua dying from laughter.

"Aqua, what is th—" I can't finish the sentence. So while I'm running around, trying to find a secluded area to barf, I can still hear Aqua's laughter. Oh look, a group of trees. I'm sorry trees.

And of course when I come back she's doing the same thing she was when I left. "It's supposed to make you throw up your food so you'll be able to eat more." Of course it is.

"I think that was the most disgusting thing I've ever tasted."

"I bet it is."

"So now we're even. Are you happy?" I ask Aqua.

"Mm hm."

I'm renewed

Oh how I feel alive

And through autumn's advancing

We'll stay young go dancing

'Stay Young, Go Dancing' by Death Cab for Cutie

Haha finally! The long awaited third interview!

What did you think? Good chapter or not? Improvements? Things that I should keep doing? Like it in Parker's POV? Tell me in a review!

But since people who have reviewed when the chapter after this was chapter four, use chapter six for reviewing this one.

And one last thing: I have this thing on my profile, a meme where you put your OCs into scenarios and stuff, and I have some characters from here in it. If for some reason you would want to read that, I would say that you should. But if you haven't read some of my other stories you won't know the other characters.