Both the boys were in District 1 for family interviews, and Infinity’s parents had agreed to answer a few questions.
The father was perfectly built, with bright white hair, which went well with his blue eyes. He wore a white suit decorated with slivers of gold. His wife had golden hair, and green eyes. Her floor length dress was adorned with every type of jewel imaginable.
As the boys asked questions, about family life, about how they were coping, each answer was more or less the same. The father went on and on about how proud he was, and how he knew she would win. He had known, he said, since she was a little girl. The mother ended up bursting in tears, and in between sobs, she was able to say that her daughter was the strongest of all the girls in District 1 and that there was no way she wouldn’t win.
However, Kardos couldn’t help but notice a twinge of fakeness to every answer. He had learnt to pick up on it, due to his years interviewing. He started to wonder whether the parents were being honest about their feeling for their daughter.
Or if it was all an act for the cameras.
The brothers arrived at district 3 in matter of hours, since it’s near the capitol. As soon as they reached ground, stink fumes filled their nostrils until both repulse in disgust and Kastos nearly puked by the odor something that was not smelled in the capitol. They walked down town trying to make less contact as possible with the people since they where dirty and stinky. After walking for 1 hour they finally arrived at the apartment where Chrysalis’s family lives, they knock the door and then a small skinny figure opens the door slowly and looks deep into the eyes of the twins. The figure just leaves the door open and after minutes an elderly woman walks up to the door with a metal cane. “Who are you boys? Are you lost?” the old lady asked politely at the twins, they looked at each other and Kardos replied: “For a matter in fact, we are actually looking for the Elantra family? Chrysalis has made it to the final 8” he finished looking around at the building. Tears slipped down the woman’s eyes and she let them in, the old lady guided them through the house and pointed for two chairs in the living room.
The twins waited for about fifteen minutes before a middle aged woman came out from a room and into the living room with watery eyes. “Are you the victor twins from district 2?” the middle age woman asked the twins. “Yes, we came here to interview the Elantra family because Chrysalis, I assume is your daughter, made it to the final 8!” Kastos replied with a smile in his face. The middle age woman looked at the twins and then looked at the older lady and broke down, Kastos patted her shoulder while she sobbed covering her face. The twins waited for another ten minutes when the middle age woman stopped crying and told the twins: “Sorry for the crying, I just can’t believe my daughter made it that far… I do hope she comes back soon and unharmed, we really miss her. Sorry for not introducing myself, my name is Liana.” She confirmed by brushing her hair with her hand. “Well miss Elantra, we just came to ask you some questions… now the first is, how do you feel about getting the news? And to my reaction you look like you don’t have tv here?” Kardos affirmed looking around the worn out apartment. Liana giggled and said: “Well you wanna know the irony here? We actually don’t have lates technology. Because all the good ones go to the capitol while we get the defected ones, the old and dusty ones.” She finished with showing the twins where the TV is which it is a small portable hologram. The Kastos raised his brow at Kardos upon realizing the ironic fact. “I work at a computer programming factory and most of them, 80%, go to the capitol. And when they are done spreading all there goods, then we receive the extras.”
“Well that is harsh! Sorry for the short interview but we have to other districts and we are out of schedule.” Kastos notified Liana who just nodded and lead them for the door. “Oh Miss Elantra one more question. What do wanna tell your daughter?” Kardos asked Liana with the microphone in her face. Liana arranged her hair, wiped her tears and replied: “My dear Chrysalis, I love you with all my heart. If you don’t make it out alive I am still proud of you.” She finished with sobbing again. The twins hugged the lady, waved at the other figures that lived in the same apartment and left. “Great brother. Know where is the station again?” Kastos asked at his brother looking around through the immense buildings and factories. “Well we will just walk again. And try not to smell the gases…” he answered covering his nose with his shirt. Kastos just sighed and walked through nearly 2 hours when they found the station. The twins entered the helicopter and both looked one last time at district 3 before heading for district 4.
The two brothers, Kardos and Kastos, knocked on the door of the house; it was small and on the outskirts of the main village, set away from the sea unlike most of the houses. They could see black iron gates guarding a meadow, headstones scattered around. It was a grim reminder of what Wesley and his family did.
The door opened and a solemn 18 year old answered, looking a lot like Wesley, just slightly shorter and slimmer, glasses set upon his dull eyes. He welcomed them and the small camera crew in, where they all settled down in a small living room.
"You’re his older brother, right?" Kardos asked. Robber replied with a quiet "Yes".
"So, Robber, are you surprised at how far your brother has gotten?" Kastos asked, recognizing the boy as the one Wesley volunteered for.
Robber nodded, “There were many qualified tributes so yes, I am, but I’m proud of him as well.”
"Proud?" Kardos asked. Once again Robber nodded.
"We’re not a career family and he’s played the game fair. I can only hope that he gets far enough to come home."
"What are your biggest fears about him not returning?" Kastos asked gently.
Robber took a deep breath, steadying the tears that threatened to fall. “I just don’t want to see him come home in that damned box. Each year, we get the fallen tributes, dressing them up for burial. I don’t think I can do that with my own brother.”
He rubbed at his eyes, trying to stay strong. Kardos questioned, “Anything you want to say to him?”
"Wesley, everyone misses you. We’re hoping you make it home but…" He took another breath, pausing. "But, if you don’t make it, just know that we love you."
"And here are the wonderful Frosts!" Kardos raises his voice as the camera follows him the final few steps to the waiting family. "I hope you aren’t getting cold out here waiting for little old me." He smirks, the three girls smiling as their mother grips the shoulders of the youngest who lets out a little cough. The day is freezing and the family seem a little poorly bundled for standing around in such conditions. A woman with long black hair and a man with short black hair stand together behind their children like a pillar of support, looking more like siblings than a married couple. The three black haired children infront of them, two standing and one sitting have varying expressions on their faces clearly showing different attitudes and personalities in regards to the interview process. "And this must be the little sister behind it all." Leaning forwards he whispers a gentle "Hi" to the little pale girl sitting in a poor excuse of a wheelchair, body looking a little too lifeless to be out of a bed.
"How are you doing Fizza?" The little girl looked up at her mother for direction.
"My daughter is doing fine. For the moment." She states sternly, not appreciating the direct conversation with her sick child.
Kardos looks up with a well practiced smile. “And you must be the mother.”
She nods curtly, hands planted on her childs shoulders as if to stop the little thing from blowing away in the brisk wind. “Yes, I am. Gilly Frost, and this is my husband Larken.”
Kardos looks again at the man and realises his disrespectful approach to the family, feeling a little aghast at himself. “Yes, of course, apologies for not introducing myself, it’s just that the Capitol is all too eager to learn of this little miss Fizza. Wonderful to meet you, I am Kardos.” The men shake hands and the begrudging look on Larkens face seems to melt away a little as well as it could on such a cold day.
"It’s quite alright. This here is Cassie and Larnie, my two other daughters." The girls smile and one even laughs, enjoying the little shift in attention.
"How do you feel about you sister being in the games, girls?" Kardos asks and the camera focuses on the two girls looking at eachother enthusiastically, thankfully cutting out their parents from the shot who were clearly expecting to be asked all of the questions.
Cassie pipes up first “I think she will do great! She’s good with her knives!”
"Yeah, she juggles them for us when we are bored!" Larnie finishes, the both of them giggling.
Fizzas breath seems a little weak in the frost air and with another shoulder squeeze from her mother she answers Kardos. “I love her. I just want her home.”
"Well there we have it, from the mouths of babes. Let’s just hope Lennox can keep the odds going for her, huh?"
There is a final shot of the family together and then the camera powers down, Kardos shaking the mans hand and saying his goodbyes as he moves on to his next location.
It seemed that oddness in the Tannon household wasn’t limited to Tesla. The moment the Capitol logo faded into a shot of the Tannons’ home in District Six, it was difficult to focus on any one part of the screen. Tesla’s father, Martin, was a very tall and very skinny man. He had Tesla’s dark hair and somewhat skittish nature. He was an inventor by trade, and the house was filled with cogs and tools and contraptions of all kinds. Every nook and cranny was stuffed to the brim and paper and notebooks were littered all around. He wore a pen tucked behind each ear and one in his chest pocket, making it clear that he was a man that liked to write things down.
The Capitol interviewer seemed hard-pressed to stay focused. She looked around at everything with a mix of interest and disgust, and her expression told that she was wondering how anyone could live in such a cluttered mess. “Mr. Martin, what do you think of how Tesla is doing so far?” she began, holding the microphone out to him before examining an opened up clock laying on the coffee table. “Well, she’s alive. That’s good. I can’t say I was happy to see her kill anyone, especially not that Thomas boy. But I know that she wasn’t happy about it either.”
“What did you think of last night? It looked like she had a trap in mind, but it obviously didn’t work out.” Martin gave a shallow shrug. “It wasn’t a brilliant plan, but I admit I was disappointed to see it not work. She was trying to be clever but it seems like the odds just weren’t in her favor.” As the realization of his words settled in, the color slowly drained from Martin’s face. “S-so, I hope her luck turns around,” he added. There was a small quiver in his voice as his nonchalant front threatened to melt away.
The interviewer saw this and hurried to pry. “If you could tell her anything, send any message to Tesla in the arena, what would it be?” Martin drew a shaky breath and rubbed at the back of his neck. “Well, I—”
“No, no, into the camera!”
He raised his gaze to stare into the lense. He imagined Tesla’s face in place of his own reflection. His baby girl, his only child. He thought of the sound of her violin filling their home and the fact that he might never hear her play ever again. He might never see her smile.
Tears began to roll down his cheeks.
“Tesla, I love you. I know I haven’t shown it very well… But you know how that is. We’ve had our differences in the past, but know that I would give anything if it meant you could come home to me alive. I’d wish you luck, but I know you don’t need it. Please, please just— fight hard and do your best.”
Cheesy. It was genuine but it was cheesy and the interviewer had no pity. “Alright, thanks so much for welcoming us into your home, Mr. Martin! May the odds be ever in Tesla’s favor!” The woman spoke with just as cheery and bubbly tone as she’d had at the interview’s start. She was eager to leave and escape the slums of District Six.
Kardos and Kastos warily approach the dwelling of District Eight’s true Voodoo Queen, Isobel Laveau, mother of Isadora Laveau. The doors open the moment the two victors step onto the door step, but Isobel is nowhere in sight. A few moments later, she steps out from behind a huge mass of greenery, a sweet smelling elixir in her hands.
“Hello, boys, I’ve been expecting you,” Isobel says.
“Yes, hello Miss Laveau, we’re here to interview you since your daughter has made it to the final eight,” Kastos states.
“I haven’t been keeping up with the games this year, I was just planning on resurrecting Isadora if she somehow dies,” Isobel muses. “Anyways, be quick, I have some…work to tend to,” she continues.
“Well alright then, let’s get started,” Kastos replies.
After Isobel sets everything up and cleans it all up, with a simple wave of the hand of course, the interview is ready to begin. She sits across from the two boys atop her plush, red velvet throne while Kardos and Kastos sit on the floor.
Kardos: Since you said you have some voodoo things to do, we’ll be quick and ask some rapid fire questions. First one: what do you think your daughter did to receive a twelve in private training?
Isobel: Oh, she told me what her plans were when I said goodbye to her in the justice building, so I am fully aware of what she did but unable to divulge such information. Hurry now, before I turn you into snakes.
Kastos: Do you think your daughter is a top competitor in this year’s game? Lately we’ve had many District Eight females coming up short.
Isobel: What’s different about Isadora is that she knows how to play the crowd and other tributes. She’ll have no trouble escaping the arena.
Kardos: Do you think Isadora will perform any voodoo magic in the arena?
Isobel: I know she will not. She is smart enough to know that the gamemakers will end her life if she is to do so. Isadora is aware of her limitations. You may ask one last question if you value being a human.
Kastos: Okay, then. How do you think Isadora will manage to win the games?
Isobel: Simple. She’ll artfully end the lives of her competitors while incorporating voodoo, but not voodoo magic. *snaps her fingers and Kardos and Kastos find themselves back at the District Eight train station*
