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Chapter XV The Tribute Interviews – Part 2
The Capitol, Eve of the 59th Hunger Games
The Tribute Theater
The break was a short one between interviews, but it gave the Capitol plenty of time to formulate their opinions on the first half of the Tributes.
The clear favorites were Elegance, Casanova, and Maddie. Elegance and Casanova had all the traits the Capitol loved of District 1, and Casanova's outstanding score of eleven made him the clear front runner of the 59th Games. Maddie's fumble during the Reapings had been unfortunate but largely forgiven due to her score and compelling story about her brother and family. Her pretty looks helped as well – as such things typically did for people.
Slightly below them were Amaya and Nicola, who were respected because of their Districts and history, but for the moment were playing second fiddle to others in their Pack. Dallis was considered a highlight and there had been plenty of speculation over what her gossip might be. Diesel was liked too as a funny man and many were excited to see his and Dallis' dynamic play out in the arena.
Everyone else came up short. Hypatia and Teagan were placed in the limiting category of "fine" Tributes. Joseph was labeled "cute" but otherwise unremarkable. Pietyr was quickly known derogatorily as "Mr. Charisma" and didn't garner much love. Nor did Web, who was dismissed as a Bloodbath.
Before long, Caesar was back on stage and settling the audience down. The lights went back up, cameras began to roll, and the interviews continued on.
"Please welcome, and say it with me folks, Werifesteria Grosvener of District 7!"
Fest walked took to the stage with barely any acknowledgment of the audience as they gasped at their appearance. There had been considerable debate amongst Fest's stylists on how to dress her, though it mainly boiled down to whether they show her burn scars or not. In the end, they had gone with exposure and dressed her in a light pink, see through gown that showed it all off.
Caesar, a professional, greeted her warmly and sat them down, making sure his eyes didn't linger on the scars. "Ms. Grosvener, you must help me and all of the Capitol out… is there perhaps a nickname we can give you? Because I feel like I'm garbling marbles when I say your first name!"
Fest gave no reply. Partly due to embarrassment over her raspy voice, and partly to fall into a character. She had considered being social, trying to win the audience over. Her Escort had prepped her for that. But Fest quickly realized her voice would only serve to scare the audience.
But she could use that.
For the next minute, Caesar asked question after question but got no response. Members of the audience were shifting uncomfortably, unsure what to make of the burned up girl. Eventually, Caesar came right out with it. "Well… if you'd prefer not to engage that's all right! We have plenty of Tributes with plenty to say!"
"I only have one thing to say, Caesar."
Her voice cut through the auditorium, each rasp hitting the walls harshly. Caesar, unaware of her voice, looked startled. "Oh?" He asked.
Fest looked at the nearest camera, eyes connecting with it and all of Panem. She said each word clearly, emphasizing the harsh rasp and dead eyes.
"The world owes me a debt, and I will have it paid in blood. I will kill whoever gets in my way."
A silence over the audience. Not even a cheer or a gasp. Even Caesar was blunted, unsure how to reply. The voice was harsh and the words direct. There was no playing. No coy wording or hints at what was to come. Just a plain, honest promise of violence, unadorned like the rest of the Hunger Games.
Purity, at it's most disturbing.
The buzzer rang. No one said a word or clapped. Fest left pleased. She looked over the other Tributes, even Careers, and saw how disturbed they were. Her work was done.
Caesar, and the stage manager screaming in his ear, was quick to move on, dropping a few jokes to lighten the mood before introducing Wolf. He came out in a violet suit that matched his dark hair. The sleeves were cut off below the bicep, showing off his tattoos. He was stiff, but willing to engage with Caesar.
"How are you doing tonight?" Caesar asked, still a little rattled by Fest.
"Good. Better than her." Wolf replied, taking a stab at humor. It was unnatural for him, but the audience seemed to like it.
"Are you allies with her?" Caesar followed up.
"No. I'm allied with Darley from District 9."
"Really? You don't usually see much crossover there. How'd that happen?"
Wolf shrugged, not really sure himself. "Just clicked." He said.
"Something tells me there's more to it than that!" Caesar tried, which caused Wolf to shift uncomfortably. Nobody in the Capitol had a right to his personal thoughts. He ignored the comment and thankfully Caesar moved on. They talked a little about the Hunger Games, teeing Wolf up for some rehearsed answers, including how he was proficient with a machete. The audience seemed willing to believe that, his score helping.
"And tell us about your life back in District 7? Who is the boy back home?" Caesar asked, all ears.
"A working guy." Wolf explained. "I care for the Peacekeepers hounds."
"Really? What a delightful job! You get to go have fun with dogs! Sounds like a dream!"
The dogs were fun, but Wolf figured nobody wanted to hear how Peacekeepers used them to rip flesh from "rebels" and "criminals." Or how the Peacekeepers had a pen full of mutt dogs. Or how the dogs had torn his own mom to shreds and shattered his family.
"Yep. Adorable." He said simply.
"And how about family?"
"Bernie is my sister and best friend. And there's Rhett and Arnie, the younger siblings. I miss them and can't wait to see them again." Wolf said. He didn't want to get into too much detail, finding it weird to expound on his home life for the Capitol's pleasure. And he certainly wasn't going to mention his drunken lout of a Pa.
"A good older brother!" Caesar commented, which seemed to be what the Capitol was taking away from his interview. Before long the buzzer sounded and Wolf left, glad to be out of the spotlight and retreat into the shadowed Tribute Box.
Blakely followed, dressed in a lime green dress with a white shawl draped over her shoulders and emeralds around her neck. The Capitol was delighted to see her and Blakely did the best to reciprocate. She sat down with Caesar, her guard and shoulders up like a cornered animal.
"You look absolutely radiant!" Caesar complimented, as the audience clapped in support. Blakely would have blushed if she was that kind of girl. Instead, her face morphed into an uncomfortable frown. She never did well with attention, which back home usually meant something bad was coming her way. But she also just felt… girly.
"Thank you." Blakely said simply. She did like the way she was dressed. She was all set to hate it, to scoff at the Capitol and its stupid obsession with glamour. But when her stylists showed her how beautiful she was, something in Blakely broke. Suddenly, all her stupid childish dreams of a better life and questions about why she couldn't have it came flooding back. She wanted to be the person she saw in the mirror.
The conversation with Caesar was light. He complimented Blakely on her looks some more before turning to her score. Blakely merely stated that she picked up skills fast in the Training Center, obviously not mentioning how those skills came from gang life.
"What sort of weapon do you favor?" Caesar asked.
"Knives." Blakely told him. "Simple, elegant, and deadly."
"Much like yourself?" Caesar teased.
"I'm hardly simple." Blakely remarked, though she could tell it sounded annoyed rather than playful. Caesar was there to help though, and he gave her a laugh. In turn, the audience, well trained to follow his lead, laughed too.
Things got tenser when Caesar turned to her home life. "I don't know who my parents were." Blakely admitted. "I was raised as an orphan. I took care of myself, and nobody helped me."
"Sounds like a tough life." Caesar said. "And now you get to fight in the Hunger Games! Imagine the winnings you'll make!"
"Yes. I have. Many times." Blakely admitted. Money was always alluring, no matter it's source.
"Is there anyone else in your life?"
"My girlfriend, Wren." Blakely told everyone. "It's been a hard life. Wren makes things easier. And Damon. He's… a sort of parent to a lot of orphan kids in 8. I couldn't have made it without him."
Caesar and the Capitol seemed happy to hear she had someone. Blakely could just imagine Damon sneering at that comment, satisfied with her name dropping him. But as long as he was happy, Wren would be safe. She hoped.
"Having someone have you back certainly helps." Caesar said. "Are you with anyone in the arena?"
"No. I work better alone."
"And tell us how exactly you work, hmmm?"
"Oh, Caesar, I think I'll keep that hidden for now." Blakely replied. The interview ended after that. The Capitol seemed receptive to her. Hopefully she managed a few sponsors. She took her seat in the Tribute Box, trying not to think about Damon and Wren.
Raveni followed, dressed in a long glittering gown with a crotchet shawl around his shoulders. The shawl was of a cheaper material than the gown and the one Blakely wore, which raised eyebrows for the image obsessed Capitol. Caesar was quick to comment on it after introductions were done.
"So… what's going with the shawl?" He asked.
"It's something I made for myself." Raveni explained. "It took the whole day, but I thought it was worth it."
"Wow! That's some dedication! Did you learn how to sew like that in our great factories?"
"No. I learned from my adoptive mom. We're part of a group called the Weave, men and women who do the funerals for people in District 8."
"Huh… isn't that funny." Caesar commented.
"It's a serious occupation. I was training to be a member when I was Reaped. It was… it is a calling. A way to help the community in grief and start the process of healing. I made mine today to remind me of where I came from and what I'm fighting in the Games for."
Caesar, seeing an angle, quickly twisted something sweet for the Games. "So, it's your shroud of death, if you will?"
"I wouldn't call it that." Raveni said defensively.
"Ha! Perhaps soon enough you'll have us all calling you the Death Shroud! What does everyone think of that name?"
The audience was encouraged by that moniker and gave some cheers. Caesar was quick to continue with that thread, building Raveni up as a dealing of death with a few more compliment. Raveni wasn't in the mood. The rotted core of the Capitol was on display and he refused to play along. "You should be ashamed of that." He muttered. "The Weave isn't a joke."
"And neither are you, Death Shroud!" Caesar laughed.
His mood dampened, Raveni wasn't much better for the rest of the interview. He tried to rally, but he was being weighed down with the knowledge of how little the Capitol valued the Tribute. He'd always known that, but first hand knowledge made all the difference. Their deaths didn't matter. He answered the remaining question quickly and without much emotion, cringing whenever Caesar referred to the "Death Shroud."
"Tell us, if we send you yarn, will you weave a shroud for all the Tributes you kill?" Caesar asked.
"Yes." Raveni told him plainly. "We should honor the dead, especially those who die for the stupid reasons of others."
Caesar gave a half smile, ready to retort but he noticed the audience didn't seem to pick up on the comment. He continued forward, closing out the interview tip generic questions about Raveni home life.
After Raveni, Greta came out with her best smile and treated Caesar to her most endearing personality.
"Looking quite sharp!" Caesar began, commenting on her outfit. Her stylists had gone with bronze and dressed her in a body suit with spikes all over it.
"And feeling sharp!" Greta said. She wasn't sure if that made much sense, but the Capitolites seemed to like stupid comments like that.
"Well, you have to be to lead such a large alliance!" Caesar continued. "District 5, 9, 10, and 12? What a group!"
"And everyone is a winner! Not a weak link amongst us!" Greta confirmed.
"What do you see as the plan for your alliance?" Caesar quizzed.
"I don't want to commit to anything yet." Greta said. "After all, we don't even know what the arena will be! But the plan is to stick together, be strong, and fight like hell!"
"Love the enthusiasm!" Caesar cheered as the audience applauded. They talked a little more about the alliance, with Greta playing everyone up. She was not blind to the doubt that existed amongst the Capitol. The alliance was outliers, and Seph and Ash were young. Could they really stand up? Greta had to force those thoughts from her own mind. She had an alliance and she wasn't going to abandon them.
"What about weapons? What's everyone's speciality?"
"Caesar, aren't we allowed to have some secrets?" Greta asked.
"I'm sure our sponsors are interested though…" Caesar offered.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Oh yes, I do."
Greta leaned over, closer to Caesar. She motioned for him to draw closer himself. Caesar, playing along, leaned in, getting down on one knee so he was right next to her. The audience was laughing at the sight. Greta grew closer to him, her mouth right next to Caesar's ear but still where the microphone could pick them up.
"Then keep waiting." She whispered.
Caesar fell on his back, letting out an annoyed groan as the audience continued to laugh. Greta was laughing too, happy they were having a moment. Caesar eventually got back to his seat and for the audience's clamor to died down. He then moved to Greta's home life. She was already spinning a brighter picture of it.
"I was an orphan growing up." Greta said. "I think my parents abandoned me because of how I am. But life in the Orphanage was good and we were blessed to have benefactors from the Capitol, so thank you all!"
The Capitol cheered, eager to hear how their money was being well spent on poor orphans. First Hypatia and now Greta. Many Capitolites were feeling quite proud of themselves.
"All that changed though when I was adopted by an elderly couple. My mom and dad run a general store in 9, which I help out with. Actually, they told me the day of the Reaping that they wanted me to take over as the owner. I'm hoping I can get back to that."
"When you're Victor you can buy all the general stores in District 9 if you wanted!"
"That sounds like a good deal, Caesar. Maybe I'll be a titan of industry like a true Capitolite!"
The line didn't land quite as well or as flattering as Greta wished it. Sure, the Capitolites had no problem with her owning a couple stores, but to put herself on par with them? The mood shifted a little and her interview ended on a rougher note.
Darley, however, saw no reason to keep the mood down. Dressed also in bronze with a large, golden chained necklace wrapped several times around his neck, Darley was striking quite the figure, along with his charm.
"Caesar, you can't imagine how great this is." Darley told him.
"Well then tell us!" Caesar encouraged.
"It's a huge honor! Do you realize that everyone in the Districts dreams of coming to the Capitol? And to do that while representing our District in the Hunger Games? Words can't even describe it."
The Capitol always loved a boot licker, so they cheered loudly for Darley's love. They talked a little more about how much Darley loved the Capitol before moving onto the Games, where he was quick to commend his ally.
"Wolf is a dream come true!" Darley said, looking over to the Tribute. "He's strong, handsome, and he's got the right amount of ferocity in him."
"And how much is the right amount?" Caesar asked.
"Oh… I think you know, Caesar." Darley said, giving his ally a wink. Even in the shadows, Darley could see Wolf blush and the audience, picking up on it, started to laugh at the sight. Darley realized he was losing the spotlight, so he returned it back to himself in short order when Caesar asked about his home life.
"My mother is a doctor in 9." Darley explained. "Not just any doctor though. She's the best in the District and only helps the most exclusive clientele in the District."
"Exclusivity is certainly something we can appreciate here in the Capitol." Caesar said.
"As can I. If you're the best at something, why shouldn't you get to be choosy?" Darley asked. "My dad passed away a few years ago, so it's just me, my mother, and my siblings, Baldwin, Lilac, and Fearn. I used to have someone else too, Caesar, but… well… it's tough…"
If anyone had been paying attention to her, they would have seen Greta rolling her eyes. Caesar, unaware, leaned in. "It's alright, you can tell us." He pushed.
"There was a guy. We dated for a long time but he ended up breaking my heart and doing something awful. Like… Peacekeepers got involved awful. The Peacekeepers acted justly, of course, but… I can't get over it. Does it make sense to still love someone who did something awful and broke up with you?"
"I think we've all experienced our fair share of heartaches to know that feeling." Caesar comforted.
"Well, if he's watching tonight… I just want him to know that I… I forgive him. It's hard to say, but, I really want him to know that. And I wish him the best going forward." Darley said. Some tears built up in his eyes, perfectly timed, and he looked away, putting on a show of modesty. "I'm sorry, Caesar. Nobody wants to see a mopey Tribute, right?"
The audience agreed and offered him some cheers of support, taken in by his attitude and heartache. Some Capitolites were murmuring to themselves he was so relatable and hoped the boy who hurt him was listening.
'Little do they know.' Darley thought.
The interview continued with Darley's mood improving, a few more jokes, and Caesar declaring him a "charming young man, indeed!" When the buzzer sounded, Darley felt quite good about his standing in the Capitol, bathing in their applause and love for him. It was only appropriate after all!
Dressed in teal, Sierra was first for District 10, all eyes on her. There was a lot of excitement for her, as many hoped she'd be a good follow up for the Butcher of 10. Sierra, aware of this, was sweating through the makeup.
"So, you're this year's cowgirl, huh?" Caesar began.
"That's right! Wait, actually, um, not cows. I guess, sheep girl?"
"Oh, sheep girl?"
"Yeah. My family raises sheep." Sierra explained.
"Hmm… I don't mean to be rude but "sheep girl" sounds a little less dignified than cowgirl."
The audience chuckled at that. Reflexively, Sierra did too. "I guess. But I don't mind. I love sheep!"
"Who doesn't?" Caesar asked.
"My family has been raising sheep in District 10 for generations." Sierra explained. "We have a small ranch on the edge of the District and have been proud ranchers in 10 ever since."
"Well that sounds picturesque!" Caesar commented.
"It kind of is." Sierra confirmed. "We really believe in everything District 10 stands for, which is hard work and good character. All in service of the Capitol. It's amazing to know how we help the Capitol with quality wool or excellent lamb chops."
"And we couldn't be happier to have those! And you!"
The interview continued along those lines, Sierra responding awkwardly but earnestly to all questions Caesar posed. She talked about her parents and siblings, how eager she was to get back to them, and how she imagined life being once she was a Victor. They talked about her strategy for the Hunger Games, how she favored a knife, and how she thought of the alliance.
"Oscar is the best District partner anyone could ask for." Sierra confirmed. "And everyone else in the alliance is great too."
"You all seem like a dynamite pairing!" Caesar confirmed.
"I think so! I can't wait for us to explode in the arena!" Sierra tried.
"As long as you don't explode too soon! Or fall off your plate!" Caesar laughed.
She was surprised when the buzzer rang, thinking it had gone too quickly. Still, Sierra felt she had done well. Oscar followed, dressed in a platinum suit with red ruby bracers. He sat down next to Caesar, doing his best to follow his dad's example and be charming.
"I'm thrilled about the alliance!" Oscar told everyone when Caesar questioned it. "There really isn't much else I can say that hasn't been already said. All you need to know is that we're there to dominate!"
"Excited to see it!" Caesar commented.
"I am too." Oscar told him. "The group kind of reminds me of my family back home. It helps knowing people will have your back in the arena too."
"Tell us about your family."
"Sierra's family raises sheep, well we raise goats." Oscar began. "My dad's been in the goat game his whole life. Same with my mom, and their parents, so my siblings and I have been raised to take over for them. I'm hoping I still can once this is all done."
"We're hoping so too!" Caesar said. "But I Have to ask… your partner is sheep girl… does that man you goat boy?"
"Uh… is it too late to take the title of cowboy?" Oscar asked, to some chuckles from the audience.
They chatted some more about the Games, with Oscar explaining that he was handy with an axe and survival skills. He managed to circle that latter point back to his home life, talking about fond memories growing up on the prairies of District 10 and roughing it some nights.
"I was also hoping to tell you all a secret." Oscar said, feeling his face go red.
"Oh we do love those! Tell us, please!"
"Um… well… I'm hoping to win so I can go home and return to my family." Oscar said. "But I'm also hoping that… um… there's this girl. Arianna. I'm hoping when I get home, I can ask her out on a date."
"Ha! Let me tell you, Mr. Cabrera, when you're a Victor, the ladies will be throwing themselves at you!"
The buzzer rang and District 11 was up. Tilly came out in a puffy purple dress that she thought was the ugliest thing she'd ever seen. She felt phony where all the makeup too, she didn't even recognize herself in the mirror. That was also because they had made her look older than she actually was. Tilly didn't know if that was a good thing for sponsors, but something about it felt as gross as the eggplant colored dress she'd been stuffed into.
"Looking radiant, and expensive, tonight, Ms. Swan."
"Thank you, Caesar. Guess I'm a jewelry kind of girl." Tilly lied. The rings and bracelets and necklaces she was wearing felt like cement weighing her down. All she could think about looking at the gaudy items were how much she could make selling them and how much food she could buy with them.
"We do like top quality items here in the Capitol." Caesar commented. "Perhaps you're one too, hmm?"
"Absolutely!" Tilly said. "I'm going to be the best Tribute you've ever seen!"
"Bold words, I love it!" Caesar cried. "And how, if you'd be kind enough to tell us, are you going to accomplish that?"
"I'm a fighter, Caesar. I have been my whole life." Tilly told him. "Growing up in District 11 is tough, but throw in a deadbeat dad, an older brother who abandons you, and three young siblings you have to raise alone and suddenly you've got headaches and nightmares for days."
"Sounds exhausting!" Caesar commented. "But if you can raise three kids by yourself than I have no doubt you won't crack under the pressure of the Hunger Games!"
"They're what drive me, Caesar." Tilly said. "I love them with all my heart and I willing to do anything to get back to them."
"We're going to see soon enough!" Caesar said, before steering the conversation to the Games. Tilly let everyone she was allied with her partner, that they were a solid team, and that she had picked up many skills in the Training Center. She even talked up her work with the falcata, which seemed to impress the Capitolites. People loved unique weapons from Tributes.
"How are with it?" Caesar questioned.
"A real pro." Tilly lied.
"Can't wait to see! Now, about your partner. Did you know him before the Reaping?"
"I didn't. But that's not that weird. District 11 is a big place."
"Any sort of… attachment there?" Caesar probed.
"Uh… no." Tilly cut him off, finding it an odd question to ask.
"Someone special back home?"
"Just my family. They're the only things that matter." Tilly told him. There was Charon she supposed. She pushed any guilt with not mentioning him down though. Her answer was right.
'I'm fighting for my siblings.' Tilly thought. 'Everything else is just secondary.'
The interview ended well and the Capitol welcomed Calen warmly. The feeling wasn't reciprocated. He had his typical scowl on, eyeing the Capiotlites like they were beneath him. He greeted Caesar coldly and took his seat with little excitement, hating the yellow suit and bright diamonds they dressed him in. He looked like a banana.
"I think you're the brightest Tribute this year, Mr. Dianthus!" Caesar commented, gesturing to his bright colors.
"It's not a high bar." Calen replied. "Most of the Tributes aren't the best the Games have seen."
"Oh?"
"District 1, 2, and 4… typical Tributes for those Districts. I wonder how long until they all turn on each other. Then you have the boy wonder from 3 hoping for a robot army? And don't get me started on freaking Dallis and her big mouth."
In the Tribute box, Tilly groaned as the other Tributes reacted with anger. The Careers especially.
"Ha ha! Well someone thinks highly of themselves!" Caesar said.
"Yes, I do." Calen replied.
The interview continued with Calen doing little to hide his hostility towards everyone. He wasn't saying anything outright rebellious or insulting to the Capitol, but he was certainly dancing along the line. The only thing keeping him back was Heather's words to control himself for the cameras. For her and the family. Certainly not for their parents, but for Heather he'd try. The best way to control himself was curt answers.
"And what weapon are you going for in the Bloodbath?" Caesar asked.
Calen held up his hands, balled into fists. "Ol' reliable." He told the crowed. It didn't have the intended effect as quite a few chuckled at him, trying to imagine the lanky boy throwing a punch.
"Do you plan to use them to protect your partner?"
"She can take care of herself." Calen said, meaning it as a compliment. Everyone else thought he was dismissing her and looked forward to District 11 imploding. Except for Tilly, who knew his mood's by now and recognized the statement as the compliment it was. She smiled, pleased to have Calen's trust.
Caesar then turned the conversation to Calen's home life. "It's not good." Calen told the audience.
"Bad parents?"
"Bad everything."
"Tough siblings?" Caesar tried.
"Bad. Everything." Calen said hotly, not trusting himself to stay silent for another round of questions on the matter. Thankfully, Caesar moved on, returning the audience back to the Hunger Games. Calen's answers were just as blunt and the audience was growing tired of him. There was applause when the buzzer sounded, but probably for the interview being done and not Calen himself
As always, the audience had drifted by the time the Interviews made it to District 12. Quite a few were already making their ways for door, eager to beat the log jam.
But Ophelia made many turn their head and return to their seats.
As Caesar introduc pair of shoes came flying onto stage, the heels clicking against the stage floor. Then part of a dress. And then a bunch of jewelry. By the time Ophelia actually walked on stage, she was half dressed and her perfectly sculpted hair was all tangles and sticking out at odd spots.
She plopped down in her seat without greeting Caesar, a devious smile on her face.
"Well, you're a little hurricane, aren't you?" Caesar questioned.
"I couldn't move in all that stuff. I won't be wearing it in the arena, so why wear it now?" Ophelia told him, daring him to attack her.
"Uh… because the Capitol graciously gave it to you?"
Ophelia paused, looking contemplatively. She then rubbed her jaw in dramatic fashion, considering for several seconds and letting the silence fall over them, before finally responding. "Naaaaaaaah." She said.
"Hmm. Well good taste isn't for everyone I suppose." Caesar shrugged with a laugh.
"Awww, did I upset you, Flick?" Ophelia teased.
Somewhere backstage, District 12's Escort was hyperventilating.
The audience was horrified… but also intrigued. There would always be an exhaustible desire to see public figures ribbed gently – or cruelly – and Caesar being in the spotlight like this was rare. People were curious how he'd respond and thus curious about her.
"Not at all, Ms. Hearst!" Caesar said. "The only way you could upset me was a poor showing in the arena! Unfortunately, you're score puts you on the wrong foot."
"Eh. I'll manage. I don't know what the Gamemakers were drinking, but I put on one hell of a show in the Training Center. I threw knives, swords, axes, spears, shields, even Trainers, all over the place and everyone was like 'wow Ophelia you're so cool and awesome and we want you to win' but then they go and give me a score of one? What the hell, guys? I thought you liked me?!"
Ophelia was now directly addressing the Gamemakers in their balcony seats. The Gamemakers, including the Head Gamemaker, shifted uncomfortably at the attention – even the whiff of her mention of them drinking was worrying from an optics standpoint. Ophelia was undeterred though and turned back to the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the Capitol, do you want a good show this year? Well bet all your money on me because I'm taking the win for 12 and nothing can stop me!"
The Capitol wasn't sure what to make of Ophelia, but a number of people were assuming she was insane. It seemed a fair bet. But there was something fun about her. Maybe her score of one was too hasty?
The rest of the interview was awkward as Caesar tried to keep things professional. Ophelia refused. He'd ask her what her plan was for the arena, she'd go on some crazy tangent. He'd ask her what weapon she favored and Ophelia replied "your mom's butt." The pattern repeated for some time until the three minutes were up.
"Don't forget to sponsor me!" Ophelia told everyone. She stood up as the buzzer rang and bowed deeply before scurrying off stage. She took her seat in the Tribute Box, where everyone else was looking at like she was crazy. "What? At least I had fun with mine." She told them with a shrug.
The Capitol was over the Interviews by the time Ash came out. He walked out nervously, embarrassed by his partner and being associated with her through their shared District. Caesar was smiling and laughing, but everyone could tell Ophelia had rattled him. There was an edge to his voice as he spoke with Ash.
"I can see why Ms. Hearst isn't part of your alliance, Mr. Ghastly." Caesar began, looking haggard.
"Yeah. She's… unique."
"Feral is a more apt term." Caesar muttered. "But enough about her, this is your moment! Are you excited for the Hunger Games?"
"Yes. Duh.." Ash said, ignoring his shaking leg, before lamely adding, "Yay Hunger Games!"
They talked about his alliance but at this point it was well trodded ground and Ash was just repeating answers already given by his allies. The audience's attention was gone at this point and Caesar was merely running through the motions.
"Anyone you want to give a shout out to tonight?" He asked.
"Um… yeah, of course. Um… back home I have my younger siblings, Levi, Maverick, Kade, and my older brother, Thomas. And my dad too. Hi everyone! I miss you! And I'm going to come home soon, I promise!"
The audience was too tired to even give an "aww" at that sentiment, so silence met Ash following those remarks. It only made him more nervous. Hopefully his allies would get sponsors.
"Big family." Caesar commented absent mindedly.
"It is. But, we're a good family. I'm a younger brother too… so… yeah… Thomas is great. But, I was the baby of the family. And then my younger siblings came. So now they're the babies. And I look after them and make sure they eat and get to school and don't get sick. It's a lot. Yeah…."
His Escort had given him clear lines to use to make him sympathetic. They were all garbled nonsense now. He just wanted this interview to be done. Caesar did too and before long they both got their wish. Ash trodded off stage, feeling miserable.
Caesar was rallying meanwhile, back on his feet while the remaining audience began to clap. "That'll do for the 59th Tribute Interviews! We had some laughs, we had some scares, we had some moments that will live on for eternity! But all of this will pale in comparison to what comes tomorrow! The 59th Hunger Games will begin in less than twenty-four hours, folks! And let me tell you… you don't want to miss it! Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in these Tributes' favor!"
Interviews are done! We're so close to the Games!
Up next, the penultimate pre-Games chapter: The Eve of the Hunger Games
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