/Breathe in... one, two, three, four... breath out.../ Viper steadied herself as she waited in line for her interview. She wasn't usually afraid of the spotlight, but the weight of this little time she had, or maybe the uncomfortable proximity she would have with the crowd, made her palms sweat furiously. She wished her stylists would stop fussing over her dress. She thought it looked lovely and any more altercations would only make her anxious. It was a dark red dress, paired with a gold necklace and bracelets. Her stylists insisted that she should "mellow out" her style, which, to be honest, she wasn't opposed to. Leather and spikes looked good on her, and so did delicate silk. "Please give her a warm welcome!" She snapped her head up. She walked through the curtains, wearing her practiced expression, and the kind of eyes that said 'I know what I'm worth'. She hid her surprise at the setting. They were underwater. As she walked to the chair she could feel the warmth of the light shining in through the water. "Viper, it's good to have you here." She took a good look at her interviewer. An old man with vacant eyes and outdated fashion, but surprisingly youthful skin. "It's good to be here, Ambrose," she replied coolly. As they sat down she waved at the audience, leaving only a hint of smile on her lips. "Let's DIVE right in, shall we?" Ambrose began. Viper let out a small chuckle, to play along. "We've been getting lots of questions from the audience about your style." He read from a card which had been handed to him. "One viewer asks: 'How long have you dyed your tail for, and have you changed colours?'" /A good one to start us off./ She thought. It was simple, but it would make the audience feel like they knew her. "I have always LOVED the fashion in the Capitol. Ever since I was a kid watching the Games I was envious of your jewels, your mods, and your COLOURS!" She was laying it on thick. It wasn't all untrue, though. "So when I saved up enough money at home I got my tail dyed red, and it's been red ever since. Unfortunately the fashion scene in District Two is quite... dull. If I could've lived in the Capitol... well, that would have been a dream come true." "I see," he replied. "I never understood kids these days with all the colour, but as long as you like it!" He laughed and she laughed a little as well. To her surprise, it felt genuine. "We had another question about your eyes. It's heavily contested as to whether or not you are naturally heterochromatic. Could you clear that up for us?" /Ok, this was just a waste of time,/ she thought. "Yes, I'm naturally heterochromatic, but these are not my natural eyes. Usually they are yellow and green, but tonight they are gold and red. I hope you like them." She was surprised by the applause she was awarded. It felt warm, and she couldn't help but smile a little. When she looked back at Ambrose she was a little confused. Had the lights dimmed? Had she not noticed until now? "And finally, let's talk more about the Games. Have you got family and friends back at home to cheer you on?" The question pulled her out of her thoughts. "Oh, yes," she nodded. "My amazing parents, who always supported me." She was lying, just as she had rehearsed. "I know they'll be cheering for me. And my friends, who were always by my side, growing up with me, treating me as a sister..." She hadn't planned to go on, but her mouth moved on its own. "I loved them so much, but they..." She paused. Was this wise? Never mind, it was too late. "They're not here with us anymore." The atmosphere in the room dipped, and it was silent enough for her to hear Ambrose's breath. She lowered her gaze. "They died in the Games. And that's why I'm here." She was speaking from her heart. She looked up, trying to hold different individuals' gazes. "I'm here to avenge them, and to win for them." Hold back tears. Wait for applause. And exit.
