Chapter 2: Memories and Command Blocks

 ...Ryuga...

Ryuga crept around the corner. This is that same place where he had missed the sign-ups yesterday. That was disappointing, but he probably would have died on the first day if he did sign up.

It's that time of the day when the sun is setting and the sky is bright orange. The evening ship for Jay Blossom should be arriving any time now. Ryuga could see Cyclosword among the few people waiting there.

Because Jay Blossom is the furthest away, the ship for it usually arrived the latest. In fact, the evening ship for Songbird Wisteria had already passed fifteen minutes ago. The residents of Jay Blossom usually didn't come to the main island, most of them preferred the quietness on their home island.

And from the distance, he did see a ship. He knew it was Jay Blossom's because it had a light blue sail. He went to join the others at the dock. Honestly, there wasn't any reason he should be hiding. Cyclosword wouldn't recognize him, he's not well-known enough. He still took caution though, he made sure to stand behind others. 

As he boarded the ship last, he was determined. He was on a mission.

All you have to do to board any district ships in the Hive District is to tell the captain your name. The captains knew everyone at the top of their heads since compared to some other districts, the Hive District really isn't that big. Ryuga made sure to whisper it to Jay Blossom's Captain Candy. 

"I'd have thought more people would come to visit the Spectator Dome and maybe secure an audience spot for themselves by now." Candy commented. "Instead, our island is as placid as always, which I guess is a good thing."

Ryuga nodded, lingering in the captain's room. He knew Thrush Waterlily's Captain Solace never allowed anyone in his captain's room, but Candy seemed fine with it.

Someone else pushed open the door at this time, someone quiet on his feet. Cyclosword. Ryuga's heart lurched, although it didn't have any reason to. "Everyone's given up on Hive District now, that's why they're not excited for the simulation Hunger Games." Cyclo explained.

"What do you mean?" Candy asked.

"Because through the past two hundred years of Hunger Games history, we've never won. We should have had at least one winner, at least, but that didn't happen." Cyclo said, giving a meaningful glance to Ryuga. 

Does he know? Surely not. Ryuga thought, but he realized he should probably leave the captain's room as soon as possible. He slowly did so, making sure the door didn't make a sound when he closed it. 

As the ship slowly started moving, he stared at the water below. They gave reflection, but too blurry to see from the height of the ship. The falling sun, however, was still very clear in the water, and so is the orange sky around it. Its square shape was tipped over a bit, like a diamond. Ryuga stared into its magnificent mirrored image in the waves, but only because the real sunset was too bright. 

Blaze has to win this, I'd make sure he does. Ryuga thought, drifting into a memory from long ago.

...Many Years Before...

Ryuga was at the beach. It was just another day under Thrush Waterlily's sunshine.

The Hive District was founded by seven great individuals who came together at the Hive Island. They each named one of the surrounding islands. Thrush Waterlily was named because the founder who named it loved the sea and everything about it, and so when she passed away, it was passed down to the future residents of this lovely island. 

Summer is a season of fishing and swimming for the residents of Thrush Waterlily. On that particular day, he was with his older brother Ray, and they were playing in the shallow parts of the water. Some time into that they got bored and sat down on the edge of the beach, enjoying the sunlight.

"See that?' Ray pointed at the distance. 

Ryuga squinted. He did see them. The two greatest swimmers of Thrush Waterlily - Blaze and Lumos - were racing. They were already far into the horizon. "Aren't they scared?" Ryuga asked. 

"The sea is already a part of them," Ray explained. 

"Lumos means lamp, right? If so, they certainly have not very sea names." Ryuga thought aloud, watching them turn and head back for the island. 

"It could also mean light, like my name," Ray said as they came into view, and then closer and closer. "I want you to become like this someday."

"I hope I can!" Ryuga said, giving his brother a warm hug. 

Beside them a couple blocks away, Blaze rushed out of the water and onto sand. "Ha, I beat you by another three seconds." He told Lumos, who was right behind him.

"Ugh," Lumos replied indignantly. "You took off early."

"Excuses," Blaze said, "we race again tomorrow, alright?"

"Sure, whatever," Lumos said, heading in Ryuga and Ray's direction. "Hey you two."

Ryuga and Lumos didn't have a reason to know each other, since Ryuga was much younger, but he was sure Ray and him were friends. "Lumos!" Ray called, "join us here."

Lumos sat down beside him. "I almost beat that cheater." He rolled his eyes. Ryuga glanced at Blaze, who wasn't in listening range. 

"Why cheater?" Ryuga asked.

"He cheated in the annual swimming contest, that's why he got first place." Lumos kicked the sand, glancing into the distance. "Hey, Ry."

"Me?" Ryuga asked.

"Yup. You see that?" He pointed to a tiny bit of land quite far away from the beach. "I've hidden a treasure there."

"Huh?" Ryuga asked. "What treasure?"

"You know how to swim, right?" Lumos asked.

"Yeah," Ryuga answered. 

"Well, go find out for yourself!" Lumos said.

"But it's...it's so far away." Ryuga hesitated.

"Are you scared...?" Lumos asked.

"No, of course not!" Ryuga stood up, "I'm going."

After all, he did know how to swim. All he had to do was to swim until he reached there, then come back. It was nothing dangerous.

"Well, um, be careful!" Ray called from behind him.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine." Lumos' voice faded behind him as he plunged into the water. The coral reefs were beautiful under there, but Ryuga had to swim. He headed for roughly the direction of the tiny island, taking a quick glance anytime he is above the water. 

He was almost there, almost, when suddenly, a mysterious force dragged him downwards. He opened his eyes face-to-face with the single red eye of a Guardian. Now these weird sea creatures were definitely not easy to defeat with their orange spikes and hard prismarine-y skin, let alone a group of them, against a defenseless Ryuga. The first thing he did was struggle, he reached the surface for just enough time to shout, "help!" and then be pulled under again. He felt paralyzed. Was this what Guardian attacks feel like? Was one of his last thoughts. Darkness slowly overcame him as more Guardians blocked out the sunlight.

"Ry! Ry!" That was his brother's voice, faint over his heavy mind and the water. It was the last thing he heard. "I'm coming!"

... ...

When Ryuga finally awoke - which he didn't think he would at all - he was in a hospital. Actually he didn't know where he was. He didn't think Thrush Waterlily had a place like this.

Someone was standing beside him, and he sat up. It was Blaze. "There was no treasure." Blaze told him.

"Huh?" Ryuga was confused. He tried standing up, but immediately stumbled. Blaze helped him by leading him to the window. He was in a high building. Now he could think clearer, and he remembered that there was no place like this on Thrush Waterlily. He must be on one of the other islands.

"There was no treasure, I went to check earlier." Blaze said. "Your brother tried to save you, but he was lost to the seas too. Then I came, I couldn't get both of you up at once so I brought you first onto land, because you were lighter. When I came back for him, he was," Blaze stopped. They stared out the window in silence. 

Ryuga tried to get things right. "So Lumos lied. He said there would be a treasure waiting for me, but there wasn't."

"Yes, he lied." Blaze said. 

"But...why?" Ryuga asked.

"I don't know. I went to talk to him. We had an argument." Blaze said. "We're not friends anymore."

"You guys were friends?"

"Yes. He was my best friend." Blaze smiled. It was that kind of smile that had a hint of pain hidden in it. 

Ryuga nodded. "What about my brother?"

"He died to the Guardians." Blaze answered. "He died trying to save you."

Ryuga paused to take that in. "Why...why couldn't you save him first?!" He shouted, grief and anger overwhelming him, "Now I don't have anyone. We've already lost our parents, and now I am completely alone!" 

"Me too." 

"Screw you!"

Blaze blinked, then left him alone in silence.

...Back to the Present...

After that, Ryuga learned things by himself. Those that could remember that incident always wanted to cheer him up, but they never really did a good job. After Ryuga got over his grief, he began to feel sorry for getting mad at Blaze, who after all, did save his life. Blaze stopped swimming for good, and when the chance came for him, he left Thrush Waterlily. Ryuga hasn't talked to him since that day in where he now know is the Songbird Wisteria Hospital. The only island in the district to have one. 

After seeing Blaze sign up for the simulation Hunger Games, he wanted to sign up for it too, hoping to help him in the arena. He was too late, but...perhaps there was still a way to help him, even from the outside. After all, if what Centuria said is true, then Cyclosword manages the hazards-

"Hey," a voice said behind him. Ryuga turned, and felt surprise when he realized it was Cyclosword. "We're at Jay Blossom, and it's late. Get on the dock, unless Candy said you can sleep on her ship."

"I know that," Ryuga said, getting off. "Um, do you know where the Spectator Dome is?"

"Mhm, I'm going there." Cyclo said. "Are you going to reserve a spot for yourself?"

"Centuria said she'd guarantee me one."

"Oh, you're Ryuga!" Cyclo said.

Cyclo recognizes him now, Ryuga wasn't sure if that's good or not. "Yes."

"Well, follow me. The Spectator Dome is on the other side of Lake Create. It'll be relatively easy to find since you can just take the path around the lake, and it also stands out because of its giant dome shape." Cyclo explained.

Ryuga nodded, looking around. He's never been here before, but he'd learned from Ryan and some of the other storytellers that Jay Blossom is named by the founder who was creative and artistic. The center of the island is Lake Create, with the center of that being Maple Island, consisting of a single gazebo and some trees with red leaves to go with it. He really liked the quiet peace here. Perhaps he'd move out of Thrush Waterlily and come here sometime. 

"The dome is just over there." Cyclo said, "come on." He quickened his pace.

Ryuga followed. "But where do we enter?" 

Cyclo led Ryuga to a wall made of iron blocks. "We stand here."

And suddenly the door was moving, pulled part by pistons until there was a comfortable entrance displayed. "It's redstone." Cyclo said. "Leo made it."

Inside was not what Ryuga expected. He thought it would be a complicated control room, but it was made comfortable, almost like a movie theater. "The sleeping quarters are over there. It's for those people who come watch and just couldn't take their eyes off of the simulation." Cyclo said, then added, "although, we will probably have less people like that this year. Each year we get less and less. People are losing faith in the Hive District. If you want to stay there for the night, you are very welcome to."

"Alright, but where do you guys control everything?" Ryuga asked. For his plan, he needed to know.

"You don't have to worry about that," Cyclo smiled. "You're free to wonder now, don't go too far though, I heard there are scary monsters on Jay Blossom at night!"

Ryuga actually got scared for a minute. He hoped it didn't show.

"Nah, I'm just kidding, Hive District took care of its mob spawning problems fifty years ago." Cyclo said, "see ya, Ry." He disappeared behind an iron door on the side of the wall. 

Ryuga was left alone in this giant movie theater-like place. He checked out the sleeping quarters first. He quietly approached that door, finding the inside dark. He flicked a switch which turned on the redstone lights, blinking to adjust to the now bright room.

"Turn it off!" Inside came a grunt. 

Ryuga had thought it was empty. "I'm sorry!" 

"Alright, you know what, I'm done sleeping anyway." The voice said, "now, who thought it would be a good idea to interrupt the great Brialgic from a nap?" 

"I'm Ryuga." Ryuga said, "are you here to watch the Games also?"

"It's the simulation." Brialgic corrected him, "and no, I'm participating in it."

That's a threat for Blaze. Ryuga realized. "Do you know where they control all the stuff?"

"Hmm...I think there's Command Blocks for that." Brialgic answered.

"Yeah, but where?" Ryuga asked. 

"In the control rooms, duh," Brialgic said.

"Okay, but where?"

"In the control rooms." Brialgic repeated.

"Can you take me there?" Ryuga asked.

"It's the control rooms, but I can pick a lock." Brialgic frowned, "why do you want to go there?"

"I have something to do." Ryuga said.

"Well, if you don't tell me what it is, I won't pick the lock for you." Brialgic shrugged. 

Ryuga sat down on one of the beds, thinking. Brialgic is another contestant. He couldn't tell him that he's here to help Blaze win. But he could tell him that he's here to help him win. Him as in Brialgic. "I can help you win." Ryuga said finally. 

"Do you even know how they work?" Brialgic asked doubtfully. 

"We can figure it out." Ryuga said.

"Alright, fine." Brialgic finally agreed. "We wait until nine and a half in the evening. Cyclo goes out to do something then, so we should be free to go in. He usually doesn't come back until ten, so we have half an hour." 

Ryuga nodded, beginning to trust his partnership with this other contestant. Unfortunately Blaze still has to be the one who will emerge triumphant.