Roxie Keaton, 15

District 8 Citizen

Friend of Jeff Tyler

I bounced in my seat, nerves churning in my stomach. The commercial break was almost over and then the second half of the interviews would air. Derek put a hand on my leg, a subtle signal for me to settle down. But I couldn't. I was too amped up. Mostly, I was angry. At the Capitol, of course. Their stupid Games and stupid oppressive reign. And as sick as it was, I was excited to see my best friend. That was what the Capitol did to us.

The final commercial ended and Caesar's face appeared again, stretched wide in a blinding smile.

"And… welcome back!" he cried. "I hope you enjoyed our break, but I'm sure you're even more excited to meet our next tributes! Let's start with the lovely Ebony Chaste!"

The girl who strutted onto stage was breathtaking. Tall, with a golden velvet dress hugging her curves. It went high up on her neck and down her arms, where her fingers were decorated with golden rings. Her eyeshadow was golden too, and her lips were a dark red. Her strappy gold heels elongated her beautiful legs and her smile was confident. She was sexy and she knew it.

Caesar greeted her with a kiss on the back of her hand and Ebony giggled girlishly.

"What a gentlemen," she teased. "Those can be rare these days."

"I try," Caesar said smoothly, guiding her to her seat. Ebony crossed her legs and leaned back, resting regally.

"Ebony, you were reaped under a different name," Caesar said. "Why do you choose to go by Ebony Chaste?"

"I felt that it better represented who I am," Ebony purred. "And why not?"

"Why not indeed," Caesar chuckled. "It definitely suits you."

"Do you have any allies for the arena?" Caesar asked next.

"I've got quite a few allies," Ebony said. "Winona and Ronaldare some of them. We'll be a force to be reckoned with."

"I can't wait," Caesar said. "And my final question, before our time is up: what is your favorite part of the Capitol?"

"The people," Ebony said confidently. She turned to the audience. "I want to personally thank each and every one of you for your kindness and generosity." She winked as her buzzer went off.

Jackson Forester was next. He seemed like a friendly young man who vaguely reminded me of Jeff. He was wearing a dark green suit with a mint dress shirt and his blonde hair was styled fashionably. He eagerly shook hands with Caesar before taking a seat.

"Hi Caesar," he said cheerfully.

"Hello Jackson. How has the Capitol been treating you so far?"

"Quite well," he said. "Everyone has been so nice and I've been able to listen to a lot of music."

"Oh, are you a musician?" Caesar asked.

"I'm in the school choir," Jackson answered. "I absolutely love singing. I usually sing the bass parts. Although I used to sing alto. It means "high", since it's usually sung by the men with a higher pitched vocal range."

"A big change," Caesar noted. "Well, thank you for sharing your musical knowledge with us. Give it up for Jackson Forester!"

The crowd applauded and I looked over at Derek.

"It's cool that he's into music too. I bet… I bet he and Jeff would get along." My voice choked up as I finished the sentence. Derek patted my leg again.

Next up was Jeff's district partner, a 17-year-old named Ada. She was above me in school, so we'd never spoken, but I knew she kept to herself and there was some sort of scandal associated with her. She was wearing a dark green dress with no sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. It fell to her knees, revealing strappy brown sandals. Her makeup was soft and woodsy too.

"Welcome Ada," Caesar said. "You look lovely tonight."

"Thank you," Ada said in a soft voice. She didn't seem nervous, but her voice was low and her face was blank.

"You scored a 5 in training. Do you think that represents your abilities?"

"Perhaps," Ada said. "I don't think I can be defined by a number, nor can any other tribute."

"A fair statement," Caesar agreed. "Who is waiting for you back at home?"

"My mother, and my best friend Sylvia. They're the most important people in my life."

"And what would you say to them now?" Caesar prompted.

"Thank you," Ada said firmly. "Thank you for loving me unconditionally."

She left the stage to plenty of applause, and then it was Jeff's turn. He was wearing a pale pink suit that complimented his brown hair nicely. Though the white bowtie made him seem a bit younger than he was. He was grinning from ear to ear when he sat down.

"Hi Caesar!" he said cheerfully. "And hi audience! Glad to see you all could make it!"

"Were you expecting a delay?" Caesar chuckled.

"Well, I didn't want to lose the chance to chat about my musical talent. Jackson isn't the only musician here!"

"Oh! Do you sing as well?"

"No, I play the cello," Jeff said. "I asked if I could play tonight, but they said the cello was too big."

"Well, hopefully you can play for us later," Caesar said. "What is your favorite piece to play?"

"There are a few, but I like A Little Night Music a lot. It's by Mozart, and it's my little brother's favorite. I play it for him when he's sick."

"How kind," Caesar said. "Do you have a big family?"

"No, just my brother and my parents. And my friends of course." I clenched my fists, sadness and anger and joy all wrapping up into a tangle of emotions as Jeff waved at the camera.

"I love you all!"

A single tear slipped out as Jeff left the stage and I furiously wiped it away. Damn the Capitol.

I composed myself in time for the girl from 9 to come onstage. She was wearing an olive-green suit with a thin black tie and heels and looked incredibly nervous.

"Hello," she said politely when Caesar greeted her.

"So Juliana, you were a volunteer. What prompted you to volunteer?"

"My parents," she said, weaving her fingers together. "They want to bring pride to District 9, and so do I."

"How noble," Caesar commented. "And you scored a 7 in training. Congratulations! That's quite impressive."

"Thank you. I tried my best."

They chatted for a few more moments, but Juliana's answers were plain and simple. Caesar wasn't getting much out of her, and the audience's applause was half-hearted when she left the stage.

"I'm going to get started on dinner," Derek said, getting up from the couch.

"I'll join you after the boy from 9," I told him. He nodded and headed into the adjacent kitchen and I pulled my legs up to cross them as Vasir appeared on-screen.

He'd gotten a haircut since the reaping, and his hair was styled nicely. He had a navy suit on, completed with a black bowtie and shiny black shoes. His eyes were wide and he looked very nervous.

"Hello Vasir," Caesar said, clapping him on the back before guiding him to the chair. "How are you doing?"

"I'm a little nervous," he admitted with a chuckle. "This is very different from District 9."

"I can imagine," Caesar said. "What are things like back in 9?"

"They're hard. My brother practically raised me because my mother had… issues. We weren't safe with her, so my brother made the choice to leave home to protect us."

"How brave," Caesar gushed. "I'm so sorry you had to experience that."

"It was tough," Vasir admitted. "But I like to think it made us stronger. And I have to be strong if I want to get back to my brother. I miss him."

I sighed. This was what we'd been driven to… relying on our sob stories to gain the favor of the people who caused our pain. It was disgusting.

Aleah Fry, 42

District 10 Citizen

Mother of Victor Fry

This was awful. Molly was absolutely distraught and cried through every interview. I sat on our old sofa and held my wife's hand, fighting back my own tears. We'd just been blessed with Victor, and now he'd been torn from our lives.

Baxter looked mournfully up at me, his droopy red eyes making him look like he'd been crying too. Molly and I knew Victor had been feeding a stray dog and after he went to the Capitol, we decided to take him in. It was the least we could do, and the old dog seemed quite content with his new life. We'd vowed to make his golden years his best ones.

The young boy from 9 left the stage and Caesar Flickerman announced Kerra Rathbone, Victor's district partner. Her surname was vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it. She was a tall girl and was wearing a dusty plum-colored suit that suited her quite well.

She greeted Caesar with a polite nod as she sat down.

"Kerra! A pleasure to have you here!" Caesar said excitedly.

"Thank you," she replied.

"How have you been finding this whole experience?"

"It's very different to District 10, though not in a bad way. I'm enjoying being able to broaden my horizons."

"And are you excited for the arena? Caesar asked. I winced. How could he ask that?

"I wouldn't say I'm excited," Kerra said, her tone a bit angry. "Very few of us are. But I'm ready, and that's what matters."

"Right," Caesar said awkwardly, tugging at his collar.

"Do you happen to have allies?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Victor," Kerra said. "And the pair from 6 and 7. And Evelyne." I managed a small smile. Victor had an alliance! With tributes like Evelyne and Kerra around, he'd be much safer. But he could never fully trust them.

They talked for a bit longer, but Kerra's answers got huffy and Caesar seemed relieved when the buzzer sounded. And then it was Victor's turn. Molly gripped my hand so hard it hurt and I felt tears fill my eyes. There he was.

He was dressed in a classic black tuxedo with a little bowtie and his lip was quivering. My heart ached for him and Caesar clearly took pity on him too, as he gently shook his hand and helped him sit.

"Hello Victor," he said gently. "Welcome. How are you feeling?"

"Hi Caesar," Victor murmured. "I'm a little nervous."

"That's understandable. This is a big change. What's been your favorite part of the Capitol so far?"

Victor thought for a moment.

"The food," he decided. "The food in 10 isn't bad, but it definitely can't compare."

"And what are things like in District 10?" Caesar prompted.

"They started out bad," Victor explained. "I lost my birth parents when I was really little and I grew up in an orphanage. We were treated very badly." A single tear tracked down his cheek and the audience cooed with sympathy.

"But then my mom's adopted me. They're both really nice and I love them very much." Molly burst into tears, grabbing me and sobbing into my shoulder. I bit down hard on my lower lip.

"We love you too Victor," I whispered.

"Well, I'm sure they're rooting for you," Caesar said. "And by the sounds of it, so are we! Good luck young man."

"Thank you," Victor said. He shook Caesar's hand before leaving the stage.

Next up was the girl from 11, who was just a year older than Victor. She was significantly shorter than him though. But tonight she was in platform heels, which she wobbled on, and a long raspberry-colored dress. Her hair was tied back in a thick braid with white ribbons through it.

"Hi Caesar!" she said brightly, greeting the man with a warm smile.

"Hello Ruby! You look lovely tonight."

"Thank you! My stylist is really awesome."

"That's good to hear. Have you enjoyed the other people you've met?"

"Oh, definitely. Everyone is so nice and I have very nice allies."

"Wonderful! Who are you allied with?"

"Zeppelina, Vasir, and Hugo. We might be younger, but you shouldn't count us out!"

"We won't," Caesar assured her.

They talked for a bit longer and Ruby's cheerful demeanor never wavered. The audience cheered loudly for her when her buzzer went off. And then Spruce came out. He was dressed in a very old-fashioned suit made of brown corduroy, complete with a vest and suspenders. And he looked incredibly nervous.

Caesar greeted him kindly, just like he'd done with Victor, and Spruce returned the greeting with a small smile. They sat down and Spruce folded his hands on his lap.

"How have you enjoyed your time in the Capitol so far?" Caesar asked.

"It's different," Spruce said. "Much brighter. And much cooler."

"Yes, I'm sure it's nice to escape from the heat," Caesar chuckled. Spruce nodded.

"So, who's waiting for you back home?"

"My parents and my siblings. If I win, it's going to be for them. Everything I do is for them."

"How sweet. I'm sure they see you as an excellent brother and son."

"I hope so," Spruce said quietly, his eyes on his hands.

His buzzer went off shortly after and he quickly left the stage. Only District 12 was left, and my stomach was churning. That meant the bloodbath was even closer. At this time tomorrow, Victor could be dead.

Beria was wearing a beautiful white lace dress that hugged her curves. The sleeves puffed out and her fiery red hair was up in an intricate braided crown. Her makeup was a deep gold that brought out her eyes.

"Beria! Our District 12 princess!" Caesar said excitedly.

"Oh, that's so kind!" Beria gasped. "If anyone is royalty here, it's you."

"Nonsense," Caesar chuckled. "I am but a humble master of ceremonies. Now, let's take a seat."

They both sat down and Beria daintily crossed her legs.

"What have you enjoyed most about the Capitol?" Caesar asked.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly pick one thing," Beria gushed. "Everything is incredible. I adore the fashion, the food, the people… everything." The audience went wild at that, cheering and whistling. Beria waved at them, smiling sweetly.

"Now Beria, you have a reputation in District 12," Caesar said. Beria's smile tightened, but she nodded. "Your brother-in-law is set to be the next mayor. How do you feel about that?"

"Oh! I'm sure he'll be a very good mayor," she said. "But Mayor Silviac still has many years left in him. I have faith in both of them though."

"That's wonderful to hear. Now, let's give it up for Beria Campbell!"

The audience roared and Beria blew a few kisses as she left the stage. Finally, Caesar called out Jonathan Colton, and the boy from 12 walked out. His suit was solid black, which would have given off an intimidating vibe if it weren't for Jonathan's warm smile.

"Welcome Jonathan!" Caesar said. "Please, have a seat." The two men sat down and Jonathan gave a little wave to the audience.

"Now, what are your plans for the arena?" Caesar asked.

"To stay with my allies and be ready for anything," Jonathan said.

"Allies? Who are you allied with?"

"Jeff from 8 and Spruce from 11," he said. "They're both really great."

"They certainly seem to be," Caesar agreed. "How are you feeling about the upcoming Games?"

"I'm pretty nervous," Jonathan admitted. "It'll be… a lot to handle. But I'll do my best."

"That's all we can do," Caesar said with a smile. Jonathan's buzzer went off and they both stood, shaking hands one more time before Jonathan left the stage.

"Well, that's all for tonight!" Caesar exclaimed. "And tomorrow, the Games begin!" Molly switched off the television and slumped against me.

"Please survive Victor," she whispered. "Please." I took her hand and we cried together.

Hey everyone! Here is the second half of the interviews! I got it done much quicker than expected. My plan is to upload twice next week, with the second update being the bloodbath. And I forgot to say this last time, but thank you all for checking in, and for coming on this ride with me. I love all of these characters and it's going to be so hard to kill them off! They're my babies! Even the evil ones. So yeah, thanks for hanging around and generally being awesome :)

Questions

1) Whose interview outfit would you most want to wear?

2) Which POV did you prefer?

3) Which tribute is your favorite? (besides your own)

Alliances

The Careers:
- Adonis
- Lumine
- Billie
- Mira
- Marino

Winona's Bunch:
- Evelyne
- Winona
- Ronald
- Jackson
- Ebony
- Kerra
- Victor

Manipulation Station:
- Hugo
- Zeppelina
- Vasir
- Ruby

The Family Men:
- Jeff
- Spruce
- Jonathan

Loners:
- Spartan
- Rain
- Ada
- Juliana
- Beria

Have a nice day, be kind to each other, and never stop reading!

- Fiona