Chapter 1: The Boring Sign-up Process

~*~Centuria~*~

The sun is shining on this clear afternoon, at Hive Island. Blocky leaves swayed in the slight breeze, and square clouds drifted overhead. 

Centuria is in the shade, across the path from the Quest Master's house. Sign-ups for the simulation Hunger Games start this afternoon and will end at eight in the evening. Usual years, only the few who are brave did sign-up - after all, nothing good happened to the Selected Team last year - this year though, there's already a long line waiting. 

She sat down and gathered up the sign-up sheets. "We start now!" She called.

This whole new experience was pretty new to her. She'd be the announcer and collect these sheets for Splodger, but that's really it. Cyclosword would prepare the dangers and surprises in the simulation arena, Leopard would be in charge of running the simulation arena in what he called the Spectator Dome, and pretty much everything else is organized by Leader Splodger and his most trusted deputies.

The first in line was Ryan. Centuria recognized him from walking past residents listening to his stories. He's a great storyteller and naturally deserved his spot on the main island. He was pretty old - one could tell from the battle scars he bore. He had to be signing up for someone else, surely. 

"Good aft-" Centuria started to say, but was immediately cut off when Ryan was pushed to the side. "What the-" She helped Ryan stand, looking behind to the one who pushed him aside. 

"Good afternoon ma'am, I am here to sign up for the simulation Hunger Games." The voice was a young masculine one.

"Well, please go to the back of the line." She told him. "Also, respect the senior residents."

"Young ones these days." Ryan shook his head, but in a good-humored way. 

"Nuh-uh, where on the rules was that? It only said to have a teammate with you." Ryan's attacker said.

"Common sense," Centuria said.

"Where's that?" 

"In your head."

They are interrupted by a new voice. "Alright, what is your name then?" 

It's Cyclosword. Centuria hadn't noticed, but he had been behind her for a while now. "You can't- he isn't following the rules!"

"Hey, it didn't say anywhere that you had to be in line," Cyclo winked, taking a form and a quill. "So?"

"My name is Brialgic." The reckless boy said, smirking almost. 

Centuria didn't recognize that name. 

"And who's your teammate?" Cyclo asked.

"TGT." Brialgic answered.

"And how did you get him to team with you?" 

"That's not a question on the form." Brialgic said, looking Cyclo straight in the eye.

"Nope, just curious." Cyclo said.

"Well, ya don't gotta know." Brialgic shrugged. 

"Okay, tell me a bit about yourself." Cyclo said.

"I am cool, everybody loves me." Brialgic started, and Centuria inwardly cringed.

"We definitely don't love you!" Someone shouted from behind in the line. 

"Okay." Cyclo said. Centuria watched from beside him. Brialgic is a really great fighter, and combined with TGT's wits, they are a great pair aiming for victory. Centuria blinked at him in confusion.

Cyclo winked again.

Centuria recalled that he had been in charge of the registrations last year. Does he always do this? She waited until Cyclo finished the form and sent Brialgic on his way before asking, "but I don't think that's fair." 

"Cutting lines ain't fair either." Cyclo said. 

"Ohh, it's his punishment." Centuria knew everyone's descriptions would be public on the participant list, which not only would be displayed everywhere but also read aloud on the ship to the Spectator Dome. 

"Yup." Cyclo said. "I feel bad for TGT. Don't think he'd just team with Brialgic legit."

Cyclo is still scribbling as Centuria tended to Ryan. "I'd like to sign up for me and my grandson Unikern." He said.

"But you," She paused, "don't seem fit to fight at all." Inwardly she's pretty shocked.

"Never judge a book by its cover." Ryan said.

"Ayyye, there's no rule against not accepting people who don't seem to be fit to fight either. Welcome aboard." Cyclo picked up a new form.

Centuria glanced toward the back of the line. "We'll be here for a long time."

~*~ ~*~

By the time Centuria had registered everyone in the line, it wasn't as late as she thought. Cyclo had left to go get watermelon for them, and Centuria was reading some of Cyclo's descriptions. Most of them had some sort of Cyclo-y twist but still told the truth. Thankfully no one like Brialgic appeared again. 

She was in the middle of a particularly interesting one for Omega and Conhadda when she heard yelling from down the path. She narrowed her eyes and stepped out of the shade. "What's going on?"

"He's my teammate!" The yelling became more clear.

"No, he's mine!" 

Centuria recognized the ones fighting. Gyrra and Matt, fighting over a walking pineapple. Wait no. She squinted. It's a bit short, but it's a human. Orbi! Only he'd be mistaken for a pineapple. 

"Stop fighting, guys. You're gonna pull poor Orbi apart." Centuria told them.

"Well, I want him to be my teammate." Gyrra said.

"How about we let Cen decide?" Matt suggested.

"Okay, fair and square." Gyrra replied. "Centuria, who do you think Orbi should team with?"

"Uh..." Centuria looked at Orbi, who is currently intensely sweating. Please no, he mouthed. "I know...come," she finally said, leading Gyrra and Matt to the registering stand. Orbi took the chance and ran. 

"So who will it be?" Gyrra asked.

"You guys...will team with each other!" Centuria announced, picking up a form. She's no Cyclosword, but she could write a good description.

"What the? I can't work with him, we are mortal enemies." Matt said, keeping as far away from Gyrra as possible while still being in front of the registering stand.

"You act like I want to team with you!" Gyrra shouted back. 

"I think you two could do well with each other!" Remembering all the times where Gyrra and Matt had those pineapple eating contests, Centuria smiled. They both have a love for pineapples, and common interests bring unbreakable bonds. She wrote. 

"Ugh." Matt rolled his eyes. 

"Alright, fine, whatever." Gyrra accepted it. "Ugh." 

"Ughhhhhh." Matt said, walking away.

Gyrra left the opposite way. 

Centuria smiled, putting their form in the stack already completed. "Are they gone...?" Orbi peeked around the corner. 

"Yup." Centuria told him after glancing around one more time.

Orbi came into the sunlight and sat down beside her. "Yeah, it's just, well, have you seen them at those pineapple eating contests - where do they even get that much pineapple from - that they have?" 

Centuria nodded.

"Okay, now imagine I'm the thing being gulped down in two bites."

Centuria tried to and laughed. 

"It's not funny, alright? I'll die to them before I die to the other contestants or the arena." Orbi said.

"So you are not participating?" Centuria asked.

"Nope, If I bump into one of them in the arena, I'll die the worst way possible." Orbi shuddered. 

At this moment, Cyclo came back with the watermelon. "Ah, Orbi, hello." He said.

"Hey Cyclo." Orbi said. 

"So are you here to sign up?" Cyclo asked.

"Nope, I'll get eaten with both Matt and Gyrra signing up." Orbi said.

Cyclo licked his lips. "Ooohh, yummy Orbi."

"Ugh, weirdo." Orbi said. He stood up and fled.

Cyclo sat down in Orbi's place. "So who did Matt and Gyrra team with?"

"I put them with each other so that I can save Orbi." Centuria answered. 

"Good choice. We've got some interesting teams this year." Cyclo said. "Only three and a half hours until we're free." 

"What's going to happen in the arena?" Each year Cyclo did something creative and Cyclo-y. 

"You'll just have to wait and see." Cyclo smiled.

"Alright." Centuria said. As an announcer, she'd have to follow through everything in the arena while acting not surprised. "Are we having it on live TV this year?"

"The global will, the simulation will just be available to watch in the Spectator Dome though." Cyclo answered.

Centuria squinted, trying to remember last year's global Hunger Games. The Hive District contestants' names were - she tried to recall - Viper and Rift. They were defeated and killed by the Lifeboat District contestants. It was a moment of unbearable pain for everyone in the Hive District. Thankfully the global hosts tried to retrieve any dead body that is still retrievable. Viper and Rift were buried in Peace Garden, a place on one of Hive District's surrounding islands, along with all the other dead contestants. 

Hive District has never won. She realized. Perhaps their methods are wrong. She knew none of the other 99 districts used a simulation Hunger Games to select their Selected Team. But this is how Leader Splodger chose to do it. 

~*~ ~*~

When the sun has fallen and eight in the evening passed, Centuria had exactly twenty forms, which means forty contestants. Cyclosword had boarded the evening ship to Jay Blossom, the island that is furthest away from the main island. It's where the Spectator Dome - the entrance and exit to the simulation arena - and the Peace Garden is located. 

She was about to wrap stuff up and report things to Splodger when someone approached her, "are- are the registrations done?" The stranger asked.

It was a young boy. He was wet. "Um, yeah, were you just swimming?" She asked.

"Well, I missed the morning and afternoon ship so I had to swim all the way from Thrush Waterlily to here." He said, "my name is Ryuga, may I sign up?"

Thrush Waterlily is the nearest island from here, but that was still impressive. Centuria should put him in, but she had to follow the rules. "Sorry, I can't. I can guarantee an audience spot in the Spectator Dome for you though."

"What- what's the Spectator Dome?" Ryuga asked.

He didn't understand anything, even if Centuria did let him in, it would do no good. "It's where you can watch the simulation Hunger Games."

"Huh...simulation?" 

"The selection process is not real." Centuria patiently explained. "It's a fake world created and ran by someone called LeopardJay. Cyclosword is in charge of making it realistic by adding hazards and dangers in the area. That's why it's possible to come back even if one is killed in it. It's designed to simulate the conditions in the global Hunger Games, where things are real and death is permanent. Got it?" 

Ryuga nodded. "Alright." Centuria said. "Now, I have to give these things to Splodger." She left for the castle, but only took a couple steps before Ryuga called her name again. "What is it?"

"Is Blaze competing in it?" He asked.

"BlazeDrake?" Centuria asked.

"Mhm." Ryuga said.

"Yup, he's with...uhh..." Centuria had to flip through her forms again. "Potato."

"Ahhh...okay." Ryuga said, then ran off the way he came. 

Centuria frowned at that abruptness. "Well, see ya!" 

Now, she really had to hurry and get these to Splodger.