The Yellowjacket and The Mockingjay

Interviews

Snow walked with Seneca in his own rose garden, filled with his white roses. He pulled him to the side to talk about his results on the evaluations, specifically Katniss and Iri's evaluation.

"An eleven and twelve?" Snow asked.
"They earned it."
"Katniss shot an arrow at your head-"
"At an apple-"
"And what about Iri, then? You think she really aimed for that eye?"
"Have you seen Iri throw? She never misses on accident, she always hits her targets,"
"Seneca, why do you think we have a winner?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, why do we have a winner? I mean if we just wanted to intimidate the Districts, why not round up twenty-four at random, and execute them all at once? A way lot faster..."
"Hope."
"Hope?"
"Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear,"
"A little hope is effective. A lot of hope is dangerous. Spark is fine, as long as it's contained."
"So?"
"So... contain it."
"Right."

"Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Thank you for being with me... on the Eve of the 74th Hunger Games! Now, we all have five minutes that they are going to be out here. All the Tributes that you heard about. Are you excited? Let me hear it!" Caesar Flickerman cheered.

The crowds cheered loudly as it was muffled from where all the Tributes were. Getting ready to be presented to the world. Iri stood by Cinna who were both helping Katniss look her best. Iri was already ready and wanted to help as best she could. After all, she wasn't expecting to win over the crowd, let alone win the Hunger Games again.

"I don't feel amazing," Katniss said.
"Don't you know how beautiful you look?" Iri asked.
"No. And I don't know how to make people like me, how do you make people like you?" Katniss asked.
"Well, you made us like you," Cinna answered.
"That's different. I wasn't trying," Katniss replied.
"Exactly. Just be yourself. I'll be there the whole time, and just pretend you're talking to me. Okay?" Iri reassured her.
"Okay," Katniss sighed, letting the stress roll off her shoulders, relieved of it all. She felt like if Iri was by her side, she could do anything, even if, at the time, she didn't think so herself.

Once Cinna left, Katniss fixed her hair as Iri adjusted her sleeves, Katniss seemed confused over something and Iri could tell.

"What's on your mind, Eve?" Iri asked.
"Eve?" Katniss asked.
"It can serve as a nickname from me to you, that way whenever you hear it, you know I'm talking to you and you'll know it's me,"
"I like it... uh, anyway, umm. I guess I was wondering... why do they have the rule of not killing each other during training? I mean, they'd still get what they want and have a head start at it,"
"You can blame my mother for that... Lucrezia Kentwell, Victor of the 51st Hunger Games from District 10. They called her "The Viper". Stings and sucks her prey dry. She went into the games with her sister, Kilia, who was from District 2. My mother had recently lost her child, she had been killed in cold blood. During a training session, when Snow was explaining the rules, Kilia told Lucrezia that she had killed her daughter. It didn't take long for a response. Lucrezia proceeded to snatch Snow's blade, which he had kept to his side, and turn it on her sister. Kilia tried to stop her but Lucrezia's rage overthrew her judgement. She stabbed Kilia several times in the face before Kilia fell to the floor. Already dead. But Lucrezia continued until Kilia's body was almost unrecognizable."
"All for a child?"
"All for a child. I would've done the same."

"From District 12... you know her as the Girl on Fire! Where we know her as the lovely Katniss Everdeen!" Caesar cheered in the background.

"Well, that's my cue, wish me luck," Katniss smiled.
"Always," Iri smiled.

Iri watched from behind the stage, on a tv, how her interview was going. Katniss was zoning out at certain points during the conversation. She's anxious, Iri can tell.

"Katniss?" Caesar asked.
"Sorry, what?"
"I think someone's a little nervous. That was quite an entrance that you've made at the Tribute's parade the other day. Do you want to tell us about it?"
"Well, I was just hoping I wouldn't burn to death,"