88th Tribute Interviews

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PRE SHOW

Six O'Malley wasn't sure if he was ready for this. He definitely tried to be as ready as possible. Every three seconds he was straightening his collar, debating on whether or not to go with his suit jacket open or closed, and trying to get one or two stray curls out of his face. He knew the interview didn't really matter - it wouldn't save him from death. But it was a chance for the sponsors to see him, to get to know him. And that was terrifying.

Six wasn't like a lot of the other tributes. He didn't have the charisma of a Le Roux, or the intellect of a Pepperwood, or the ability to look absolutely terrifying like whatever the fuck Mauve was. Instead, all he had was himself. And he was wondering if himself was enough this time. He wanted to go home. That's all he wanted. He wanted to be back home with his family. He hoped that if he talked about his family and acted humble and just showed his true self - other than the fact he was scared shitless - he could hit an empathetic bone in a sponsor or two. And even if he embarrassed himself he was dying soon anyway so it's not like anything he said or did really mattered. That was comforting in a weird way.

Right as he was beginning to calm down, he heard a final round of applause for the tribute just before him. He was next. Suddenly, fear began to rise in himself again. How was he supposed to be himself when he wasn't even sure who he was anymore? What would his family think of what he had become? Then it hit him. This whole time the same thing had kept him going. His family, his home. Sure, he had changed a little since the day he arrived. But the Capitol had lost so far. They changed so much about Six to make him what they wanted. But here's the thing, they never changed who he was at the core. He still had his humanity. He still had his identity. Just before walking onto that big stage he looked at himself once in the mirror and thought, ' You're Six O'Malley, and they can never take that from you. '

WELCOME TO THE STAGE

As Six made his way onto the stage the first thing he noticed was the brightness of it all. The lights, the cameras, everything. It was all so bright. That was something he noticed about the Capitol in general. The buildings were lit up, the people were colorful even, and everything about it was like it was all some big show. The next thing he noticed? Just how loud it was. The clapping, the cheering, the screaming. But in a weird way, he found comfort in the chaos and in the noise. His home life was filled with the noise of having so many people living together. Honestly that was one of the hardest parts of this whole thing. The silence reminding him how alone he was for once in his life. The only thing he feared was whether or not, through all of the changes, if for once he'd be able to find the confidence to speak over the noise.

As he walked across the stage he did his best to stay and look calm. Not necessarily brave, just calm. Looking brave for the reaping was one thing. Looking brave now? When he was surrounded by noise and lights and people and his family was nowhere in sight? He'd settle for calm. Partway to the seats he paused and did a wave for the crowd, turning to them and smiling before continuing to walk, trying to focus on everything but all of the people staring at him. He knew it wasn't just those people watching. It wasn't just all of the Capitol watching. It was all of Panem. It was Lock and Fly and Four and his parents. But no only that, it was the other tributes families watching it too. Hoping just as hard as his family that they come home. He just had to hope harder.

He removed his hands out of his pockets when he got to the interviewer. He gave him a nice, firm handshake and a smile, giving a slight nod. That's when he decided on a decision he was having trouble making. He decided not to hide the more country aspects of himself. He wasn't going to avoid talking about the farm or avoid saying y'all. Some people may laugh at him, but that's their problem. It was part of who he was. And he was tired of everyone else deciding who he was or who he needed to be. In that moment he decided to be Six O'Malley - not anyone else's perception of what they thought Six O'Malley was,

INTRODUCTIONS

Six took a seat in the chair, sitting up straight. That's one thing he was always taught by his parents - having good posture. Not only is it more proper, but it makes you look more confident and is often times just more comfortable. He relaxed a bit and crossed his ankles. He didn't want to be stiff and rigid. He wanted to be able to relate to whoever may be watching - and hopefully get enough sponsors to not die in the process.

" So, why don't you start by introducing yourself for us? "

This question was one that Six knew was coming. Hell, everyone knew this was coming. But, the thing is, this is one Six didn't need to prepare an answer to. He thought about doing that, but he didn't need to. He wanted to talk about who he was in that moment. Not who he was when he left his home. Because those people were two different human beings. And he wanted the sponsors to know that. And he wanted to show his family that he was able to win, he wasn't the same timid boy who couldn't squish a boy as when he left. He was still soft-spoken, but he could speak above the noise and he was about to prove that.

"Hi there, y'all. It's great to be here tonight. Well, my name's Six O'Malley and I'm from district eleven. And I'm fifteen years old."

Boom, basics done. Of course he expected one or two follow up questions. After all, they wouldn't ask exactly the same questions to every tribute. After the basics were out of the way it was expected to have a couple of follow-ups depending on your answers. And sure enough, here came a follow up.

" Fifteen years old makes you one of the youngest tributes this year. How does that make you feel? "

This wasn't one he really thought about having to answer. Sure the youngest tributes were about fifteen, but there was multiple of them and a few were sixteen as well. He figured part of it might be his baby face, he could probably pass for fourteen or younger. He swallowed, trying to think of an answer, before speaking.

"To tell you the truth, I haven't thought a whole lot about my age. I mean if the 87th Hunger Games taught us anything, it's that a tributes age or size doesn't discount them from winning. I plan on winning, even if some of the other tributes are older than me or bigger than me."

He felt good about his answer after saying it. Six was being honest, though he did feel bad playing off of Flynn Garner's success. That kid went through Hell at such a young age. And here he was, trying to win sponsorship money off of it. If he made it out alive he'd have to apologise to him. He didn't even intend on using him, it's just what popped into his head in the moment.

" And, you've had family in the Hunger Games before, is that right? "

As soon as that question was said. The screens changed. It changed to videos of Winger O'Malley and her short time in the spotlight. Back then the Hunger Games were different. They were one day events. They didn't have all of this pomp and circumstance and training scores and interviews. That made him grateful. For families like the Izar's and the Le Roux's they had to sit through countless amounts of footage. But Six? It was just some photographs, a video of her reaping, and a video of her death. All stuff he could avoid looking at by looking at the crowd and the the interviewer.

"Yes, Winger O'Malley. Though, that was such a long time ago. At first, it really messed with me. She was the same age I was, y'know? I was scared to have the same fate she did. But then I- I uh started thinking. There have been 82 Hunger Games since her death. I think it's about time for the O'Malley family to rewrite our legacy. I- I don't want to feet trapped by something that happened decades ago. And- and my siblings shouldn't be trapped by it either."

That was a question he thought a lot about ahead of time, it didn't make it any easier for him to answer. Winger was a touchy subject for him. And he wanted to show he wasn't scared of the past without disrespecting his ancestry, where he came from. Without her death, the O'Malley family would likely be very different today. It's possible Six would have never been born. He wanted to be respectful of that fact.

THE TRAINING CENTER

Six was glad when the questions about Winger were over and the screens went back to normal. The next portion of the interview was beginning so Six took this opportunity to take a sip of his water and regain his composure as he waited for the next question. He looked calm on the outside, but on the inside he was freaking out. On the inside he just wanted to curl up in some blankets outside of the reach of the cameras and the crowds. But, he knew blankets and beds would soon be a distant memory for him.

" What do you think of the training center as a whole? And the trainers? "

This was one that while he didn't plan out exactly what he wanted to say, he had bullet notes he wanted to hit. It wasn't because it was hard, he just didn't want to leave anything out. Or anyone out when it came time to talk about the trainers.

"The training center was impressive. I really liked learning some new skills I would never have learned back on the farm. I would also like to take this time to thank the head trainer Ivan Rin. Without him, I would be a lot worse off. He found the areas I struggled in and really helped a lot. I can only I hope I make him proud. And the rest of y'all proud too."

When it got to the part where he thanked Ivan he turned his attention from the interviewer to the camera. If Ivan was out there watching, he wanted it to feel like he was genuinely talking to him. He was truly thankful for everything Ivan had done for him. And he hoped in his heart that it wouldn't all just be for nothing. He wanted to survive past the bloodbath. He wanted to show he could do it.

" Speaking of training, anything in particular you enjoyed in your time training? "

He focused primarily on three stations, on top of the basic ones like first aid, those were self-defense, blades, and edible and medicinal plants. Now was his time to talk about his growth. This part wasn't just for the sponsors or the crowd or the trainers or his mentors. It was for his family back home. It was to show them that he could handle himself. That he was going to try to make it back home. That he now had a fighting chance.

"As I said, the whole training experience was fun. Parts of it were hard though. My two biggest area of struggle were blades and self-defense. But thanks to the trainers efforts, those are two of my biggest strengths now. I feel like that's kinda what these games are about, y'know? Breaking down the barriers you normally would give up at. Well I'm not giving up. And on top of those two, I really liked the edible and medicinal plants. A lot of the plants we learned about actually grew around the outskirts of the farm, so I'm glad to know that for when I go back home."

He made sure to say when he goes back home, not if. He had to sound confident. He had to act like he thought he was going back home. Who would want to sponsor a lost cause? He knew he wouldn't.

" And, how are you feeling now that the Private Training Scores have been released? "

[will be added at a later date]

OTHER TRIBUTES

Six would have preferred to keep talking about training as opposed to this. It was time to talk about the other tributes. This scared him. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and piss someone off right before the Hunger Games. He tried to organise his thoughts about each tribute prior, but it all became too complicated. So he decided to try to play it safe and mostly mention the stuff that everyone already knew or could be reasonably inferred. One such reasonable inference is that the Le Roux's were scary as fuck.

" How do you feel about the other tributes? Make any friends? Alliances? Scared of anyone? "

"Back home I was never the super outgoing one in the family, that was always my big brother Lock. But, before I left he told me this is a chance to make new friends. And I don't think I let him down in that regard. It- it was scary at first. But, as I got to know people, I learned some of us have a lot in common. I consider Bubba- Bubby Caro to be a friend, always will. And my alliance? I made one with Thad Pepperwood and Evan Macmillian, I consider them to be lifelong friends too. And of course I'm still a little intimidated by a few tributes. Look at the Le Roux family, a history of being fierce competitors. I'm just here to add the O'Malley family to that list of fierce competitors."

He figured that would be a sufficient answer. He didn't linger too long on anyone nor have anything negative to say about anyone. And he managed to show he wasn't underestimating the other tributes without showing just how scared he was of some of them. He made sure for that reason not to mention Mauve. She was something he couldn't hide his fear about. He had no clue why someone as sweet as Bubby would team up with her. He guessed it was for the protection that comes with having a psycho on your side.

PERSONAL LIFE

Now was the time to really butter it on. To emphasize he was just a nice farm boy who loved his family. The Capitol seemed cruel, but he knew that there had to be sponsors out there with empathy. He was ready to see that empathy and awaken it within them. He knew their strategy for these questions. Start simple and slowly get more personal in hopes the tributes will reveal something juicy.

" What's a typical day like for you back home? "

This was an easy one. He could talk about the farm and his family all in one go. And he could do something the Capitol had been struggling to prevent, he could humanise himself. He could talk about running around with his siblings and playing games and everything they did for fun. He could try to remember what those emotions felt like. He could remind his family what life was like before all of this happened. Though, he knew tonight he was going to feel more homesick than ever.

"As I said, I'm a farmboy through and through. My family runs O'Malley Farms, one of the biggest farms in the district. We wake up early in the morning, usually a little before sunset. But I can be a heavy sleeper, so normally I'd wake up to one of my little siblings jumping on the bed and yelling about how it's time to get up. I get dressed for the day and help the rest of the little ones get ready. We all eat breakfast together then it's time to tend the crops until school. After school we have a little bit of a break before it's time to start up farming again - this is when the young ones take their nap. The nice thing about living on a farm is there's endless things to do. We play tag and hide'n'seek and any other game y'all could think of. Then we continue to work until about sunset. At sunset we pile in for dinner and have some more free time before we're off to bed. I usually help out with the dinner, I really like cooking."

" You started talking about your family, do you mind elaborating on them? "

He took a deep breath and nodded before answering. This was going to be hard, and he knew he might end up crying. He missed them dearly. He spoke a bit slowly this time, trying to hold in his sadness, "My family... they're just the best. There's fifteen of us kids. My older siblings are One, Hook, Prop, Four, and Lock. Four and Lock are twins. Then I actually have a twin myself, Flanker. Then my younger siblings are Eightman, Scrum, Fly, Eleven, Inside, Outside, Winger the second, and Fullback. Sometimes us kids fight or wrestle, but it's just us being kids and having fun. My family means the world to me. And I'd do anything for them. I'm sure all of y'all watching here today feel the same about your own family."

Fuck he was right. He managed not to cry, but his eyes were getting a bit watery. He missed them. He missed them all so damn badly. But this motivated him even more to come home for them. To give them all one last hug. To be able to feel loved one more time. He knew it was a longshot, but he had to try. He used his sleeves to wipe his eyes before the interview continued.

" Outside of your family, do you have a special someone waiting for you back home? You're a cute young man, there must be someone. "

Suddenly he felt and looked like a deer caught in the headlights. He wasn't expecting this. Apparently his previous answers weren't juicy enough and they really wanted the drama. Unfortunately for them, how he felt about a certain person was going to stay locked up in his heart. He couldn't say it. Though, his voice cracked when he was beginning to speak. Man was he a bad liar.

"No-! I mean there's no one back home. There may be someone I find... really sweet and cute. But it would never work out. I just wish them the best of luck. And I want them to know that no matter what happens in that Arena, that they're strong. They're strong and brave. Even if they don't see it. Next question."

Six said the next question line to try to make it clear that he wasn't going to be elaborating any further than he already had. He knew who he was talking about and that was enough for him. Besides, maybe some speculation from the tabloids could draw in some sponsors who want to see a tragic romance unfold on screen. They'd be disappointed, but all that mattered was he got their money.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

" And now I think this is the question we've all been waiting for, Six. What are you fighting for in that area? "

"Plain and simple, I'm fighting for my family. Since the moment my name got called, I've been thinking of nothing but my family. The reason I didn't give up when things got hard? My family. The reason I won't give up in that arena? My family. I'll do whatever it takes to get back to them."

Six had assumed that was the last question, but there wasn't the final applause yet, signaling there was still one or two more to go. At this point, his anxiety was starting to get the better of him. He was so far out of his comfort zone and ready to leave. He knew his family would be proud of how much he was able to speak, but every word for him was a struggle.

" Any parting words before you leave? We're just about out of time. "

Oh boy was Six happy to hear that. He addressed the crowd and the cameras for this one too rather than the interviewer, "When I left my home district, I was terrified. I've always been a bit shy. Even now, I'm feeling a little shy. But there's something I want y'all to know, I'm a lot stronger than I was when I left home. I'm a lot less shy. A lot of people probably didn't believe in me at first. Heck, I didn't even believe in me. But, my family believed in me. So I used that belief to get to where I am now. So if y'all are watching me back home, please keep believing in me. And to everyone else, please start. I'm not the biggest or the strongest person up here. But I believe deep down inside I can do this. I'm not the same kid I was a week ago, but that's okay. I'm exactly who I need to be to win this thing. I'm Six O'Malley!"

And with that he shook the interviewers hand one last time, got up, and waved to the crowd as he exited the stage.