A Game Called Revenge ✭ Cato Hadley

Thirteen - Two For The Show

"ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴜɴꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪɴ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛɪᴍᴇꜱ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴄᴀɴ ꜱᴇᴇᴍ ꜱᴏ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ."

While the cameras weren't rolling, Clio could not hear herself think over the commotion of the chants that echoed throughout the studio. Various voices could be heard to end the quarter quell, and although she knew it was likely in vain, there was a glint of satisfaction in the eyes of many of the victors on stage. Some members of the audience could be seen raising their fists, looking absolutely heartbroken while they wiped tears from their cheeks at Johanna's words. Others, particularly the few in the front rows, showed only anger at the notion of cancelling their favourite source of entertainment.

With a loud shout from one of the cameramen, Caesar switches his personality back on as he brings the show to life once more - this time with an audience who are more intrigued than ever. Usually by the time they had got to District Seven, a lot of the crowd was paying little attention as the predicted favourites had already long gone, but this year their attention was not wavering.

When Blight is ushered onto the stage to a loud cheer, and when Caesar asks the man how he is feeling, he replies in a similar nature to everyone else had before. "I'm sorry but I never thought I'd be back here Caesar. Same as everyone else. None of us want to do this again."

Caesar waves him off, trying to keep the shouts of the audience at bay. "We're honoured to have you back with us."

"Honoured to have me back to die for sure?" He asks sarcastically, and when a taken aback Caesar falters for a split second he uses this window to voice his thoughts. "I don't want to die. But there can only be one winner, you said as much earlier. And I wasn't the best my first go around so where does that leave me?"

"Oh but Blight, we've come to love you over the years!" Caesar exclaims, "You'll certainly have some of the viewers rooting for you."

A bitter laugh leaves Blight's lips as the audience falls silent. "Root for me?" His laugh only gets louder as the discontent in voice rises. "You think that any of them..." He points his finger towards the audience as he speaks, "will choose me as the winner?"

"I'm sure you'll surprise us just like you did last time." Caesar tries to encourage the man.

"I'm past my prime," he laughs once again, "Look around me Caesar, all of their money is going to Two and Twelve. Or maybe Four. It's how these things work right?"

One can hope, Clio thinks as she catches herself smirking at the thought of all the sponsors coming in to help herself and Cato. She quickly drops the smirk, however, when she catches sight of the irritation on Cashmere's face, and the hatred that swirls in Gloss' eyes.

Before Caesar can object, Blight dismisses himself and goes to stand beside Johanna on the platform; they refuse to speak together.

The tributes from districts Eight, Nine and Ten all behave similarly; they use familial ties to inspire sympathy from the crowd, and command their loved ones not to be angry at the District but instead direct their anger towards the Capitol. Towards the President. For he was the one who decided on the quell. Cecelia from Eight gave a particularly powerful speech on how she wants her children to be proud of her, how she hates that they are to lose their mother at such impressionable ages. Of course, she's predicting her own death but given her age and her experience when compared to the other tributes, no one bothers to correct her. The female tribute from Nine is defeated the second she steps foot on the stage, speaking about how she loves her family members and what she wants them to achieve once she's gone. Caesar tries to steer the conversation in another direction by telling her that doubting herself is not an approach to take into the arena, but she is persistent.