Welcome to the sixteenth chapter of the Untold Hunger Games.
It's Interview Time!!
I hope you all enjoy Chapter Sixteen of the Untold Hunger Games.
The lights were the first to hit me as I stepped onto the stage with Peeta to my side. My seat was the second closest to the door so I didn't have far to walk, it did feel like every minute was another step towards my coming death… and in a way it was.
The stage had been set in the City Circle with an elevated seating area for the more important citizens, which included the escort and prep teams from each District, the sponsors and other high officials would be sitting here. In a large balcony to the right of the stage housed the Gamemakers seated in their high-backed, velvet lined seats. To the left in a similar balcony, President Snow and the ambassadors of the world sat comfortably on chairs equal in appearance to the Gamemakers'. Crowded on the other balconies were camera crews, and in the seats and spaces before us there was the citizens of the Capitol standing in the City Circle.
Caesar Flickerman was wearing his usual electronic lit suit with his signature powdered blue hair, prismatic eyelids and shimmering lips. He was ever the enthusiast as greeted everyone and announced the first tribute with an elaborate flourish of his hand, "Welcome all to the Pre-Interviews for 99th Annual Hunger Games, as you can all see we have a brilliant lineup of tributes this year. Some dazzling beauties and handsome gentlemen." He flashed his brilliant teeth to the crowd, probably blinding half the audience, "Of course you all don't want to just see me tonight. You want to meet these fabulous tributes. Well I won't keep you from them, first let's see if she really does brighten your hearts! Give a grand welcome to Glimmer Azura!"
Glimmer bounced off her chair and flirtatiously glided her way perfectly to Caesar, even in three inch heels. She flashed everyone a sexy smile, on screens behind her, her tribute photo appeared with her training score to remind everyone just who she was. Caesar stepped to her and kissed her hand before Glimmer primly seated herself on one of the white, dish-like seats.
"Well I'm sure everyone wants to know, my dear. Are you prepared for the arena?" He asked, his heavily accented voice seemed to be heightened with the question.
"That's not even a question to ask Caesar, of course I'm prepared." I could tell straight away that her family had gone with a sexy and beautiful approach to her interview.
Caesar's smile widened at that answer, "I like that, you wear self-assurance well and may I say that's not all you wear well." He was obviously referring to her flashy pink cocktail dress.
"Ohh I'm glad you noticed. It's one of the new designs from the Azura-Shine newest collection. Would you like to see a twirl?" She asked, grinning brightly.
I zoomed out after that, she and Caesar mostly talked about fashion and her family's new line for the next three minutes of her interview. Finally she rose from her chair and curtsied with a practiced grace. I assume her grandparents taught her how to for years, considering the legacy she had to uptold.
Marvel's interview wasn't much to witness, he mostly joked around with Caesar, whooping way too loudly when it was finished. His approach was self-explanatory; humor. Though I didn't think he was all that funny.
I did listen a bit to Clove's interview.
"Welcome Clove." Caesar said when Clove walked to the center of the stage. She was wearing an orangey-red dress with a light red ruffled top. I could tell from the sweetly proper way she sat down that her approach would mirror that.
"Thank you for the lovely introduction, Caesar. I could have done it better though." Her voice was sweet, but there was an undertone of sarcasm to it that I didn't expect.
Caesar chuckled, obviously not hearing that undertone, "I'm certain you could have. Now do tell me, how does it feel to be a part of this year's Hunger Games?"
I could see her smile on the monitor above us, "It feels incredible to finally have the chance to show the country what District Two is capable of."
"My my my, such wonderful confidence." Caesar praised, receiving a very cute but fake smile from Clove. They continued to talk about her chariot costume and her skills with knives before Caesar finished the interview.
"Wasn't she wonderful, now it's time to greet her partner, Cato Hadley." Caesar turned to where we all sat as Cato strode arrogantly to a seat. He was wearing a suit that was black from head to toe, like a demon ready to close his deal.
"Cato, a pleasure." Caesar almost purred out the words. Cato curtly nodded, saying nothing which made Caesar ask a more pointed answer, "How do you feel about being the first District One recruit in years to not be volunteered for?"
"The odds were in my favour. After all it's an honor to represent my District." Cato said arrogantly.
"You're a fighter." Caesar asked, happy to get a word out of him.
"I'm prepared, vicious, I'm ready to go." Cato answered shortly but confidently.
The rest of his interview went like that, poor Caesar had to ask every difficult questions to get even a word out of the beast of a young man. He finally gave up at the end and finished the interview by just shouting, "Cato!" to the crowd. I knew what Cato was aiming for, he wanted to show he was a monstrous, ruthless killing-machine, and it worked.
I didn't listen much to the District Three or Four's interviews. They weren't all that interesting to me, but when Diane and Trevor's came I did listen to parts of the interview.
"How does it feel receiving a score of 10? Were you at all surprised?" He asked Diane.
Diane blushed, obviously Twill decided to capitalize on her sweet, shy nature. Even her dress was cute. It was a light blue with a pattern of large lillies, "To be honest, Caesar, I was very surprised. I didn't think I'd get any higher than a 6 or 7."
Caesar gave her a look of feigned shock and surprise, "Don't tell me you didn't believe you'd get a 10?"
"I really didn't. I mostly ran laps around the gym and used the obstacle course. Nothing too special but I guess I impressed the Gamemakers." She giggled a little. I was a bit surprised by that, I had seen Diane during training and she had practiced with the weapons. She was good with a mace so it surprised me she hadn't used that in her individual session.
When Trevor's interview came and he was asked a similar question he replied with a dark tone to his voice, "I pummeled the dummy with the mace." The answer was as short and chiling that it sent a chill down my spine. Trevor was definitely a person to be reckoned with and his black, red trimmed suit made that ever more evident.
"Well, there'll be plenty of those in the arena. How do you find your chances?" Caesar was transparently trying to lighten the mood.
"I don't see any competition. In my eyes, they're all weak." He said flatly.
"Well there you have it, Trevor Kelly for District Thirteen." Everyone was quiet as Trevor walked back to his chair, expressionless.
Fox was up next, helping to bring light back into the crowd after Trevor's dark interview, she was calculating and smart, but also interesting to listen to.
"I can apply myself to a situation at present, I will be able to figure it out." She had a soft smile as she spoke. She was wearing a sequin blue party dress with a large, opal-studded necklace, "I have studied every lesson to ensure I will survive until the last man standing."
"Thank you Finch, thank you so much, lovely to see you." Caesar ended the interview and Fox walked back to her calmly to her seat.
The rest of the interviews seemed to flow by to me. Everyone became a blur until Rue was finally called.
There was an air of innocence to her considering she was the youngest tribute among us, she was just as shy as Diane and answered the questions with a soft voice. I knew this was a ploy seeing as Rue was a very outgoing girl and didn't let her age get the best of her.
"Rue, you climb trees, you're pretty quick and are you a hunter? Gatherer?" Caesar asked Rue. She was wearing a blue childish dress with blue bows in her hair and fairy wings on her back in a matching colour.
She nodded shyly, "I want to be able to survive in the arena. I'm so small after all."
Caesar gave her a look that only someone admiring a baby would give, "I'm certain you'll do well, my dear." He rose to kiss her hand, "Thank you." He turned to the crowd, "Rue Calla, the sweetest fairy to grace this stage."
Rue giggled, I rolled my eyes. She was playing the role a little too well.
There wasn't much to say about Thresh's interview. He mostly nodded or spoke two words to Caesar during the whole three minutes. His silver-purple suit was pretty much all I remember about the interview.
Finally the moment came, "Please welcome, your girl on fire, Katniss Everdeen!" I rose from my plush, comfy seat, and shook Caesar's hand. "So Katniss, How does it feel to be the first tribute in history to score a 12 in training?" He inquired as he motioned to sit with him.
"I can't believe it. I was amazed and shocked." I replied honestly, keeping my eyes on Cinna. He was smiling at the moment, which definitely boosted my morale. I leaned towards him and pretending to whisper, "Between you and me, I thought I would get a 1."
He chuckled, "Your secret is safe with me." He also fake whispered, "Now the Capitol must be quite a change from District Twelve. What's impressed you most since you arrived here?"
"Well, I guess that would be that the food is not so bad, I'd love to get the recipe for the lamb stew."
"Lamb stew?" Caesar seemed pleasantly surprised by my answer, a huge grin on his face. "Well, I'll have to find that out for myself won't I? I prefer the rabbit stew. I eat it by the buckets." I laughed and everyone followed, I guess I wasn't so bad at this. "Does it show?" He asked me, placing a hand on his flat stomach.
I shook my head with a slightly forced smile. "No, But the lamb stew is very good and everything here is so clean. I haven't seen a spick of dirt anywhere. Well… that is if you don't count the Training Center." Everyone once again laughed at my comment, even Caesar.
"Now Katniss, when you came out in the opening ceremonies wearing those flames, my heart almost stopped." Caesar exclaimed with yet another silly smile on his face.
I chuckled nervously, "I think mine actually did."
"Well, what did you think of the costume?"
I smiled at him and then turned my head to Cinna. "It was so breathtaking, I didn't know if the person wearing it was really me. Cinna is amazing at what he does. Just look at this dress, do you want to see its flames?" A great cheer shouted from the crowd as a string of, "YES!" echoed around me. I got up and twirled slowly at first before picking up speed. Setting the flames of the dress into action. The audience rang with gasps and awes before breaking out into applause before I finally sat down, feeling a little dizzy from the spinning. I even giggled a bit which I rarely do.
Caesar was laughing with me before he asked a more serious question, "How did you feel when your sister, Prim, was chosen at the Reaping?"
Completely caught off-guard, I thought about this for a moment and took a shuddering breath before answering. "I felt like..." the words stumbled out of my mouth. "I felt like the world ended, and if I didn't stop her, it really would end. I'll win, and come home for her. I love you so much, Prim." The tears in my eyes were real and everyone was crying along with me, even Caesar.
After we both dried our tears with his handkerchief, Caesar grasped my hands before he finished the interview. "Good luck to Katniss Everdeen, volunteer from District Twelve!" I walked to my seat and received a smile from Peeta.
And now it was the moment I've been dreading. Peeta's interview.