Watching

[ilovepeeta]

amazing as usual

cant wait for the intervews

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Thanks guys !
As of yet I have no idea what's going down for the interviews . And I only have a vague idea of what they're going to wear.
But as they say "It'll be alright on the night".
Still, it would be great if you could help me by giving me some interview questions. What would you ask Jed and Stella (please make it clear which one the question is for)?

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Chapter 25: Stella
"Turning you into a half decent lady would take an entire year, not a morning! You eat with your mouth full, you belch freely, and can't walk straight to save your life! I'm sorry, but I have to give up before I have mental break down! I think Torey's in her room; you can begin working on your interview angle." Cassia shrieks like a deranged, red mouse. she's been attempting to teach me to be lady-like for the interviews tonight. But after only two hours of staggering around in high heels, sitting bolt upright, and eating and drinking with my pinkie in the air, (with hardly any success,) she'd lost it. She sees me smile as I kick off the horrible heel, relived it’s all over. “You won’t be smiling when you make a fool of yourself in front of the entire nation”, she yells as I walk away.

When I reach Torey's room I hear her voice sneak through the door.
"Here it is; it's another Shakespeare. I know you like him, I can never understand what he's talking about though. It's called "Romeo and Juliet." Apparently it's one of his most famous, but I'd wouldn't know since I'm more of a H.G Wells and George Orwell person," I hear Torey say, sounding happy for once. It's the most I've ever hear her say. But there's no answer. "It doesn’t matter where and how I get it. Now go before they realize you're gone." I have about thirty seconds to disappear down the corridor before the door opens, revealing her Avox looking around nervously before padding off it the other direction, failing to see me peering around the wall. His hands are crossed over his chest, as if he's got something underneath his uniform. I wait a few more seconds before knocking on her door.
"Come in." She calls, looking almost surprised to see me open the door. "Shouldn't you be with Cassia?"
"She said it'd take a lot longer than a morning to turn me into a lady, so I should use the morning to do something more productive like working on my interview," I say, shrugging.
"Well I guess that gives us plenty of time to come up with a strategy. Please take a seat." She motions towards a chair next to a desk stacked with books.
"Where did you get all those from?" I ask while I sit down. Many of the books have yellowed pages and cracked spines, revealing their age.
"I got many of them here as part of a . . . business deal. They're very rare, written long before Panem." She answers proudly. We've learned very little about the country Panem used to be so the titles mean nothing to me. "But we're not here to talk books." She sternly adds, returning to her old self. "What sort of angles were you thinking about?" She asks perching on the end of her bed, grey eyes fixed on me.

***

After testing out several different approaches (with Torey playing the part of an emotionless Caesar Fickerman) we made a decision. I'll be a combination of witty and feisty. Two traits that she claims I naturally have.
"Unless you're a very good actress, at least someone well see through your act, so you should keep it as close to your real personality as possible. But try to rein in the feistiness; you don't want to come across as aggressive," She advises. Thinking our session is over, I get up to leave.
"Wait, there's something else we should talk about." She says before I reach the door, I turn around. "I think you should talk to Cole."
"Why? I have nothing to say to him," I unintentionally snap, his very name making me seethe with anger.
"But he has a lot to say to you, he needs to explain what happened," She says, unfazed by my tone.
"There's nothing to explain," I retort.
"You're jumping to conclusions, Stella. You didn't see the whole picture. You can't let your link with Nina cloud your vision."
"I don't need to see the whole picture! I saw what I needed to see, he let her die! Even if it wasn't Nina he's still a coward who deserves to be seen as one!" I'm nearly shouting now.
"If cowardly acts should be treated like that than why didn't you react the same way when he reminded you I killed the Careers in their sleep? I'd think that's quite cowardly, but you never even mentioned it." She has me there.
"I . . . I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it. If I remember rightly it was just you, them and a couple of others, you didn't have much options left, and you never seemed like the type to do that without a very good reason." I murmur truthfully.
"Did the boy you saw in the Games up to that point seem like the type to do that?" She continues. I think back to how he fought the bear, faced his hallucinations and cradled May.
"No, not really."
"Then don't you think there must be a reasonable explanation as to way he did it?"
"Maybe." I shrug, thinking about it for the first time. I told Dad not to let anger blind him, is it blinding me now?
"Meet him on the roof after the interviews if you want one." She almost orders me.
"I'll think about it." I sigh.

***

Michie's right, my interview outfit is much more my style. I'm wearing black leather shorts with dark blue tights, a paint splattered blouse with a denim jacket and what she calls biker boots on my feet.
"It's extremely unconventional, but that's just what I'm like." She says as she adds the finishing touches to my deliberately messy hair. "But I'm not just doing this to make a statement," She quickly adds.
"No, it's OK I’d rather be wearing this than some big old ball gown. I love it, any disapproving stares are well worth it" I grin at my reflection, twisting my chunky rings.
All the other girls are wearing pretty or glamorous dresses and the boys are in suits, just as I expected. Some give me dirty looks knowing my outfit will get a big reaction; others look at me as if I've come in my pyjamas but most don't look at me at all, too absorbed in their own nerves. This is the last time I’ll see them before they become my rivals in the arena, when I’ll have to kill them.
"Hi, Michie's mini me." Jed jokes, sliding into the seat next to me. He's wearing a suit too with the same paint splattered print on his tie, but he has a leather jacket on instead of a diner jacket.
"I would have to have the multi coloured hair to be her mini me." I laugh, despite my growing nerves and the painful thought that even he’ll have to die if I am to live. I remember how happy he looked when I said we were friends. Had I said it because it’s true or because the thought that all the tributes are my enemies was too much for me to bear?

Suddenly we can hear the crowd roar excitedly as Caesar Flickerman jumps onto the stage.
"Hello, everybody! The 68th Hunger Games are so close now you can almost smell it the air!" He exclaims, sniffing the air. "You smell that? That's the smell of battle, glory and survival. Ladies and gentleman that's the distinct sent of a victor and it's coming from somewhere over there." He points towards our seats, there's another massive cheer. "It's one of these 24 tributes. Let's meet them! First up is Fuchsia McQueen from District 1!"
Fuchsia takes to the stage in a very low cut sparkly gown, which was naturally fuchsia, her long blonde hair in big curls. She gleams at the camera as she sits down. She's charming and flirty but there's the slightest hint that someone sly and sinister lurks underneath.

"You must have some serious skills to get that enormous eleven!"
"Yeah I can shot and throw spears but I my best weapon is swords, Jeddie can confirm that." She giggles looking to him with a mischievous look in her eyes as there's a chorus of woos from crowd. Jed blushes. What's her game? She seems to be toying with him like a cat plays with a mouse before eating it but this mouse doesn’t appear to be putting up much of a fight.

Kayden makes his intentions very clear, sounding utterly ruthless.
"So your grandfather and your father are victors. . . "
"Yes. When I win I'll be the first third generation victor!"
"When you win?! Someone's very sure of themselves."
"I am, I'll do whatever it takes to win, to continue the great Flint legacy!" He declares, his voice brimming with arrogance.

"So, Athena, you're from District 3. A district that has had a more logical approach to the Games, are you an exception?"
"No, Not at all. I'm not really the fighting type but I'm armed with a brain and I not afraid to use it." She says pushing her glasses up before continuing. "My experience of making stuff will hopefully pay off too. Oh, and please call me Attie."
"I'm sure it will, Attie." Caesar smiles. The rest of the interviews go by in a blur until I hear him shout out my name. I freeze hoping he’s made a mistake, but when Jed nudges me I know I can’t put it off any longer. It’s my turn.

[HungerCatchJay]

Awesome! More 8D

[ilovepeeta]

cant wait for the next ch

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Chapter 26: Cole

The entire crowd gasp in shock at Stella's outfit. The most unorthodox interview attire I have ever seen is an emerald jumpsuit. But this makes it that look like an elegant ball gown. Some of the audience cheer while others murmur disapprovingly. Michie smiles as she gets her close up in the stylists section. She looks a bit uneasy, realising that this rebellious move will be seen as either bold and brave or a slap in the face of tradition, depending on how the next three minutes play out. I wring my hands with anticipation.

"Wow! This is very different, Stella!" Caesar exclaims as she sits down.
"Well, I figured since the interviews are about showing everyone who you are you should wear something that's like you. I'm not exactly elegant or pretty but I'm different, like this outfit," she says, trying to sound confident but her words waver as she analyses each one, nervous they'll twist themselves into something else.
"Oh, how are you different?" Caesar asks, sounding intrigued. She thinks for a second.
"I never was into all that girly stuff, and I'm not afraid of getting dirty or playing dangerously, which I guess is a good thing for this." She smiles as the crowd laugh around me.
"That explains how you got that massive ten! What skills do you have?"
"I'm not going to lie; I can't handle swords or axes . . . not that that's much news." She says, gesturing to her small body, receiving another swarm of laughter from the crowd. "But I have quite a few little skills which I think more than make up for it."
"Such as . . . " Caesar prompts.
"You'll find out soon enough," She laughs, trying to sound fiece.
"Of course we will! Now, I'm afraid I can't let you go without answering a few questions on one of your mentors, Cole Livingstone . . ." We both tense up, dreading where this is going. "We all know that he's the father of your district partner. Is that a bit awkward?"
"Umm . . . no, not really. Jed hasn't been given any special treatment. He's helped us both equally while we were being mentored together," she answers frowning slightly, but not sounding at all angry or bitter like she has around me these last couple of days. But I don't blame her; I feel the same way about myself when I think about what I did.
"Why did you suddenly ask to be trained separately?" Caesar asks. I have to stop myself from jumping up and begging her not answer that question truthfully. If these people find out she's the niece of my long forgotten district partner it'll be all anyone will talk about, it'll be all anyone will think about, whenever the district 7 tributes are mentioned. She glances at me; I can tell she feels tempted to disgrace me in front of the entire nation, after all as far as she's concerned I deserve it. But then she turns to Jed who shakes his head, sensing what she's about to do.
"Well . . . since the private sessions and interviews are more individual we all thought it would be easier to mentor us separately." She says, shrugging, I hear Cassia make a little disapproving noise at this gesture next to me, I just breathe a sigh of relief.
"You're certainly an individual, Stella and I'm sure you'll be very interesting to watch!" Caesar declares as the buzzer goes off. "Ladies and gentleman, Stella Grimshaw!" He shouts, barely heard above the cheers of the crowd. It's one of the biggest reactions of the night. I clap with them, grinning at Torey who also applauds and gives her an approving nod as she looks her way. Caesar holds her hand up as the cheers escalate, she wears a smile that shows her relief it's all over.


But as she takes her seat with the other tributes, my happiness for her freezes and churns into nerves. How can Jed possibly follow that? We struggled to come with an interview angle for him. When we tried fierce he was too nice, when we tried funny his jokes were half-baked, and the Games have been going on too long for him to get away with clichés like "I'll fight to win." In the end, we went for humble yet strong, the only one he could do to any avail.

"Now, this time exactly 24 years ago his father was sitting in that chair!" Caesar points to the chair next to him. A camera swivels round to meet my face; I smile nervously down the lens before waving it back to the stage. "Now he's going to literally follow in his footsteps. Please welcome Jedrek Livingstone!" There's a massive uproar as Jed shuffles onto the stage, this is one of the tributes they've all been waiting for, the boy with his father as a mentor. The anxious look in his eyes matches the one he had when Erin and I dropped him off for his day at school. But this time he can't cling onto her skirts and scream that he wants to go home, he has to swallow his nerves and smile for the camera.

"Looks like Stella isn't the only fashion rebel tonight," Caesar remarks as he sits down, pointing out his leather jacket.
"Yeah, it makes a nice change to the dinner jacket, but I'm not as bold as her. She really pulled it off, didn't she?" He asks the crowd, hoping their yells of agreement will build his confidence. He always hated being the centre of attention.
"She certainly did. But enough about her, we want to hear about you!" Caesar laughs. "What did Fuchsia mean about you being able to confirm her sword skills, Jeddie?" He says, raising an eyebrow with a mischievous grin.
"Oh, nothing I just saw her train at the sword station. And please call me Jed." He squirms in his seat.
"Hmm, are you sure you merely observed her talents?" Caesar’s eyebrow goes up even more.

"Yes!" He almost snaps, silently pleading for a change of subject as his cheeks redden.
"Okay, we'll take your word for it." Caesar winks at the crowd. I hear Cashmere cackle with pleasure at Jed's discomfort. I glare at her; she wasn't kidding when she said she would make life difficult for us. "So, is it true you got no special treatment?"
"Absolutely. I admit I've had a better start than most people, and I'll always be very grateful for that, but it doesn't make me better than anyone else and I'll never use it as an advantage," he says instantly with a rehashed answer. But he means every word and you can see that.
"No of course it doesn't! However having your own father mentor you must have its perks."
"Well, he already knew some of my skills, which I guessed saved me telling him them." He gives a little smile as the audience laugh.
"They must be pretty good skills to get you a nine, still not as good as your old man though!" The audience are in hysterics as the camera turns to me again. This time I just tell them to focus on him, not wanting a single second of his time to be wasted.
"I'm only one point short and remember he was a year older me at the time," Jed giggles.
"Ah yes, age makes all the difference. I bet old Mags from District 4 will get a twelve easily now!" Caesar jokes, adding to their laughter. "How much are you like your father?" Jed has to think about this one, as do I.
"People say I look a lot like he did at my age . . ."
"Oh you do! When you came up here I thought I'd travelled back time!"
"Yes. I've also been told that I act like him too," my son continues, his fingers fidgeting like mine do when I'm struggling to think of something to say. "But I'm not him, I'm me. Some people fail to see that." His voice has an edge of bitterness to it, remembering all the times he's been pushed into my shadow. Anger flares within me. Even now his interview has been mainly about me, or that meddling Fuchsia. There's been hardly anything about him and him alone!
"Couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m sure we’ll all see that in the Games. What's your strategy?"
"Well . . . my strategy is try to survive. If that means I have to kill I'll do it, but only if I have to. I just hope that whatever happens I'll be brave and make Mum and Dad proud," He says, staring straight into the camera, just as I did when I swore I'd die protecting Nina. I feel a small lump form in my throat at his words as the buzzer goes off. “You most certainly will, ladies and Gentlemen, Jedrek Livingstone!” The camera flashes make his dark green eyes sparkle, like his mothers in the early morning sun. He finds me in the crowd and we exchange an elated smile. They’re not chanting my name, they’re chanting his. This is his moment, the first time he’s stood alone. I’m so happy for him but I can’t help but feel a tug in my chest as I realise he’s not child anymore, he’s going into the arena a young, honourable man.
He doesn’t need to worry about making me proud because he already has.

[HungerCatchJay]

This is absolutely amazing

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Thanks , next one will be on Thursday (probably).

[ilovepeeta]

yay

[TheFoxFacedOne]

Hi ilovepeeta , what do you think of the latest instalment.