Chapter 22
1877 Words
Seutonius Cathode POV
The lights were so hot. Every year it was harder for the stylists to get me ready. Lately I'd taken to applying tear duct relaxants before I came out. Behind the curtain, twenty-three lost children were waiting for me to give them a chance. I can't do this anymore.
"I'm very glad to be in the Capitol," Hunter said. "Once I win, I'll be sure to visit all the time." That boy knew where his bread was buttered. He didn't just know how to fight. He knew how to win. Maybe he'll be the one I see again.
"What's a lovely girl like you doing in the Games?" I asked Emma. She looked stunning in a blue ballgown and matching makeup.
"Oh, you rogue," she said. "I may look sweet, but I'm dangerous as belladonna." She was probably telling the truth, but I couldn't believe it. She should be at home holding hands with a young gentleman.
Mase was polite, bland, and likeable. He wasn't interested in banter. He just wanted to ensure sponsors. The real fuss began when Ava came out. How could the Academy let a skeleton like that come to the Games? She was shivering lightly, and up close I could see her pupils were dilated. I took her arm more to hold her steady than anything else.
"With a score like yours, you must be very confident," I said. She looked down.
"I hope I do all right. I should have trained harder," she said.
"Nonsense-" I began, before she pitched to one side. I leaped forward to catch her, but I'm not as young as I used to be, and I ended up managing to fall with her on top of me. A pair of medics came with a stretcher and carted her away, leaving me to address the shocked audience.
"Don't worry, folks. With the lights and the crowds, it could happen to anyone. Don't let this scare you away from supporting Ava. With a score like her, it wouldn't be a loss." Dear me, I hope she's all right.
"Tell us, do you have what it takes to win the Hunger Games?" I asked Abigail. "And I can't help but notice your dress matches your parade outfit perfectly."
She smiled and sat up straight. "I know I can win. I'm part of a great alliance, and I'm going to lead them all to the end of the Games." She had to know only one could win. She seemed to have the drive to make it her. I didn't know whether to admire her or condemn her.
"Any allies-" a cough interrupted me "-for you?" I asked Cordin.
"No, but I would have if anyone asked. I really hope I get home so I can help the other kids in the orphanage," he said. The crowd moaned in sympathy. "Want to see the picture they gave me?"
"Of course," I said. He brought it from his pocket and unfolded it. I held it in front of the cameras and they plastered it on the big screen behind us. As the crowd fussed, I cleared my clogged throat.
"Can you tell us what you showed the Gamemakers?" I asked Kisarna. It was so hot I was almost panting.
"I used a short sword and throwing stars," she said. I waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't.
"Your dress is just stunning," I tried.
"Thanks."
When Shogo came out, I almost couldn't speak. When I was getting ready before the show, he'd about kicked my door down and explained what was going on. It was time for my swan song.
"Mr. Hara, how do you feel about your role in the upcoming events?" I asked.
"As you know, I'm going to be The Last Man Standing, and I look forward to the fame it will bring," he said. His smile looked so warm it made my own falter. I wished him the best of luck in his role, and I meant it.
It wasn't often I got a Tribute who was actually happy. Did Skyler know where she was?
"It's really fun in the Capitol. I like all the pretty dresses," she said.
"Are you worried about the Games?" I asked.
"I'll worry about that when I'm there," she said breezily. In her place, it was probably the best way.
"Are you eager to get back to anyone at home?" I asked Gordon. He seemed completely bored.
"No," he said.
"No one at all? That's too bad," I said. Everyone should have someone to mourn them. As our interview progressed, I noticed Gordon never blinked. It was rather off-putting, and I was glad when his time was up.
"Can I say hi to my family?" Hadley asked right away. Of course I said yes, and she stared waving at the cameras.
"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! Hi, Olivan!" she turned to me. "I never get to see Dad and Olivan. They live away from me and Mom in order to support us." the crowd melted in the tragedy of it all, and Hadley played it up like a natural. By the time she was done, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Her partner Lyte was a little joy. I let him do the talking after my chest seized up. I could hardly draw a breath anyway. He was hardly bigger than my little grandson. It wasn't bearable.
Reiner was an odd duck. The boy was from Seven, but he went on about how he wanted to be a Peacekeeper and maybe if he won the Capitol would make an exception. Then he changed topics and told everyone about his love, Khaleesy. It's always heartbreaking when a Tribute is engaged, and whether he did that for sponsors or love, it worked.
"And I get home, I'll finally marry her," he finished. He won't want for anything in the Arena.
I was lucky it took Ashlyn a minute to come on, since something caught in my lungs and I spent the whole break coughing. Sometimes getting old can be a real pain. Ashlyn assured me that she had everything taken care of and that she'd be seeing me again soon. Maybe, maybe not. I complimented her on her dyed hair and sent her to meet her fate.
James didn't seem like the eager boy I saw at the parade. He was very polite and courteous. He seemed quieter, like something blew out his spark.
"I know there's no way around it, so I'll do what I can and make the best of it," he said. Someone as young as he was didn't have great odds, but tell that to Silver Claws.
"Here's Eight's first volunteer," I said to Tillo. "What made you do that?"
"If I win, I can choose who I want to be. I was that freedom, and I'm ready to fight for it," she said. She was the most vibrant of the bunch. She seemed to glow with boldness and determination. People like that were rare in Panem. I hoped they didn't snuff her out.
"Oh, Seutonuis, you know I can't give that away," Mink said when I asked his strategy. He grinned at me like a fox.
"Fair enough. What can you tell us?" I asked.
"I do have a plan. It's new, it's good, it'll get me through the Games." I'd heard it a million times.
Demetria had some odd stylists. Her dress was yellow on the top, blue in the middle, and brown on the bottom. She was still adorable, though.
"At first I was really scared, but Ashlyn said she'd be my ally, and I know we'll be okay together," she said. If everything went right, one of them would be okay. More likely Ashlyn.
"Are you all right? You look really pale," Felix said. It wasn't often I met a boy on death row who was worried about me.
"Oh, it's just the lights. We're interested in you," I said. "How are you going to win?"
"I don't think I could hurt someone really bad," he said. "I guess I'll just focus on keeping my allies safe." Not a great strategy. He'd have to abandon his principles or his life. We'll see which.
"I'm with the Careers," Calvary said. The crowd oohed in approval.
"The Careers? It's not often they recruit someone from so far out," I said.
"I know, right? I guess they wanted a softer touch," she said. She tried to seem sweet, and the crowd probably swallowed it, but I could tell it was fake. She didn't get into the Careers by baking them cookies. She was no monster, but she was tougher than she was gentle.
I hardly got a word out of Caleb. He seemed a nice boy, but it was hard to tell when he was quiet as a mouse. If he's that quiet in the Arena, he has a chance.
"I'm with the Wild Cards. Me, Cordin, Jaime, Ava, and Abigail are going to burn the place up," Willow said.
"Seems like you have a plan," I said.
"Yeah. Course, if you didn't have these dumb Games I wouldn't have to have one." That intervew ended early.
Jamie had a lot more confidence than he had substance. I won't be seeing him again.
"I'm gonna run in and grab some packs for my allies. If someone comes at me, I'll have to fight them off." Sure, kid.
"I hate this outfit," Mary Sue said right away. It was the generic miner's outfit, so she had a point. It had been altered from the parade, but someone got a bit overzealous. She could barely sit down it was so tight.
"Any plans for the Games?" I asked.
"Yeah. I'm going to win. Everyone else might as well kill themselves now." Merciful Heavens. I hate seeing any of them die, but she made it harder to care.
Once the curtain was down, I limped to my room and went right to bed without even taking off my tuxedo. It gets longer every year. Too many faces and too many deaths.
Right before I posted, I saw someone asked when I was going to put up the first poll. Good idea! I was going to have it right before the Bloodbath to determine who went, but then I'd have to wait a few days while the votes came in. Here's how I'm going to do it. Before the Bloodbath and then every few chapters, I'll ask who you think are the three most likely Tributes to win and the three most likely to die. I'll also ask for you two favorites and least favorites. I feel so mean asking you to vote down other people's Tributes, so you can put those in PMs if you want.
Round one:
1. Three most likely to live through the Bloodbath (Careers are a special case, so if you leave those out I'll assume you also think they'll probably live)
2. Three most likely to die in the Bloodbath
3. Two you most want to live through the Bloodbath, even if they're 12 and blind or something
4. Two you most want to go in the Bloodbath regardless of skill or aptitude.
- Writer
