Chapter 3: Pineapple Kings and Lifeboat Tales

 `~Gyrra~`

Gyrra couldn't believe this.

He was going to be paired with Matt! Matt! Of all people!

Ever since he was small, he had been crowned the Pineapple King. It was his title. But when Matt came to the Hive District, it was like the title had been taken away from him.

Of course, the title wasn't taken away from him, but having to split it with someone else was worse than having it taken away. For Gyrra, there can only be one.

So he challenged Matt to pineapple eating contests, which is basically where one must eat more pineapples than the other person. It was something he invented. Pineapples were a problem: they don't grow anywhere except for on Dove Rose, a surrounding island of the main island. While that isn't very far at all from Gyrra's home on Hawk Scilla, they were a delicacy there. A really delicacy delicacy, reserved for those who are respected the most on Hive Island. Gyrra could be considered respected in some ways, but he had never been to Dove Rose before, and he knew they won't hand out such a precious fruit to a stranger. 

Gyrra had to find another way. He wasn't dumb. It took him only a short while to notice Orbi, a well-known member of the main island, who looked almost exactly like a pineapple. Naturally Orbi stayed away from Gyrra, having heard of him as the Pineapple King, but one day about a year ago, Gyrra had him cornered. 

`~ ~`

Oh, it was a great, sunny morning, on the day of the Hive District's founding anniversary, actually. That was the most important holiday of the year for the residents of Hive District. Gyrra - like most other Hive District residents who don't live on the main island - boarded the morning ship to Hive Island and planned to stay there for the whole day. 

A great celebration would happen in the afternoon. That morning, Gyrra happened to walk by the Spawn Plaza when he saw Orbi helping to prepare for the celebration. It was when Matt had started to gain a reputation in the district, and Gyrra was desperate to take his title back. He could totally defeat Matt in pineapple eating contests...but he didn't have pineapples. Perhaps he could use Orbi.

His plan was to wait for when Orbi was alone, he'd get him in a secluded place. Then he'd tell Orbi to get pineapples for him, and if not, threaten him. Simple. Gyrra was kind on the inside, he would never follow through with the threats. He was sure he could accomplish it - after all, Orbi was timid and usually agreed to things. He just had to wait for him to be alone, which seemed like the hardest part. Orbi was usually with friends and stayed accompanied throughout the celebration party.

It wasn't until a giant thunderstorm had started out of nowhere about midway through that party. Seeing as there are many visitors from all over Hive District, Splodger had invited them into the castle to hide from the rain.

Inside the castle, where a small celebration was still happening, Gyrra made sure to look out for Orbi. When he saw him going up the spiral staircase alone, he knew the chance had come. He followed Orbi as quietly as possible. Outside, the sunlight is blocked out by white clouds and rain, shining a depressing light of the same color into the spiral staircase.

Orbi eventually noticed before he got to the top. "Who's there?" He called.

"It's me." Gyrra answered, coming into his sight. They stood face to face in front of one of the windows with depressing white light coming through. 

"Um...Gyrra?" Orbi was somewhat shocked. "What do you want...?"

"I need to take my title as Pineapple King back." Gyrra said. "In order to do that, I am going to challenge Matt to pineapple eating contests. I need pineapples."

"Um...okay?"

"I'm sure you have a very good relationship with pineapples." Gyrra said. "You will get some for me...every month."

"What if I don't do it?" Orbi dared to ask.

"Then I eat you!" Gyrra said. That must have sounded much more threatening than he meant, because Orbi flinched. 

"Okay." Orbi said. "The neighboring Shatterglass District will have lots of them."

"Alright. You won't get eaten if you be a good pineapple boy." Gyrra nodded. "Also, you won't tell this conversation to anybody."

"I won't!" Orbi promised.

Gyrra nodded. "Good pineapple boy." He left down the stairs.

And that was how he got all those pineapples for his pineapple eating contests. He never told his secret to anyone, and he was sure Orbi would keep quiet about it too. 

`~ ~`

But now, he was going to have to team with Matt, and there was no going back either. Gyrra stared at the teams and descriptions, which are now public. Common interests bring unbreakable bonds. Gyrra read, rolling his eyes. Jeezes crisp. 

_-Omega-_

Omega was looking out the window, holding a diamond axe to his chest. The pale sunlight dappled on his face, as footsteps approached his door. It made a squeaking sound as it was pushed open, just a tiny bit.

"Can I come in?" Conhadda asked.

"Since when did you start asking?" Omega said.

Conhadda ignored that comment. "Did you see the descriptions? It said that we both have a history of bravery! We can take victory."

"You don't realize that if we win, we have to participate in the global?" Omega asked, frowning. It seems that almost no one thought that far.

"Isn't that why we signed up?" Conhadda asked, half-shrugging as he brought over the contestants list. "We should take a look at who we are competing with." 

"Alright." Omega said. Most of the names didn't catch his eyes that much, the few that did were Ari for her fashion business, Stick for being one of the first people he met in the Hive District, and Creamy, who also lives in ConCraft, although somewhat separated from the others. His eyes mindlessly scrolled through the names and descriptions until it stopped on one. He was shocked. He held the diamond axe even closer.

"Hmm?" Conhadda asked. "Oh, is that your weapon? I heard diamond axes are pretty heavy." He tried taking it from Omega, but Omega didn't let go.

"Well, I guess I leave now?" Conhadda said.

"No!" Omega said. "Stay, stay, please."

"Um...okay, alright." Conhadda said, his eyes searching Omega's. Omega looked away, sighing. Why is he here? 

_-about nine months ago-_

Omega walked down the andesite sidewalk, feeling uneasy despite the warm autumn breeze. The lilacs next to him spread their fresh flowery scent, each one the exact same height. The patterns on the sidewalk were the exact same all the way through. The road was make of flawless blackstone. Everything in Lifeboat District was perfect. Lifeboat needed its residents to be perfect.

Being born and raised in such a perfect society should have made Omega stand out in the bad way, since there was so many things imperfect about him. But for some reason Leader Molly of the Lifeboat District had seen something in him and chosen him to be a commander of the Lifeboat Military. When the time came for choosing the Selected Team for the 223rd annual global Hunger Games - which happens in a month, just before the first snowflake of winter would fall, it was his responsibility to train the candidates for it too. 

Lifeboat's selection process goes like this. Leader Molly and her deputies will first pick about twenty candidates from all over the district that they deem fit to compete. If you were selected to be a candidate, you cannot refuse. The twenty candidates will be put into a training camp located at the top of Sunset Tower - Lifeboat's tallest and most important building - with two commanders there to train them. This lasts about three months until at the end of their training, they are put into a tournament bracket, matched against their fellow candidates in various competitions. Real lives are lost then. Until two comes out on top, that is the Selected Team. They feast and celebrate, and at night the Selected pair brawl once more with nothing but their bare hands in celebration.

Omega had never particularly liked that selection process. Every year, eighteen or so fit fighters of the Lifeboat District die because of it. It doesn't seem like it's going to change anytime soon though. The tournament is called the Gladiator Fight. What an appropriate name. He thought. The closer he approached the beaming white quartz that mostly makes up Sunset Tower, the slower his footsteps became. 

"Omega!" A cheery voice called from behind. "You feeling down?" It's Diamond. 

"Today is the Gladiator Fight, aren't you nervous?" Omega asked.

"Yes, but you taught me well. I got this, right?" Diamond said.

Omega and Diamond have been friends for a very long time now. He favored her and wanted her to be safe. The best way to do that would be to prevent her from participating in the global Hunger Games, if it weren't for Lifeboat's selection process. 

"You got this. Come on, we'll be late." Omega said, quickening his pace. "Simartar's gonna give me a whole speech again about the importance of sleeping early."

"Well, he's definitely not the right person to give that speech." Diamond laughed, catching up to Omega.

They arrived at Sunset Tower, taking the redstone elevator to the top. Unlike the rest of the tower, which is clean and modern, the top is built specifically to recreate a real military camp feel. "You two are late again." Simartar said, "for such an important date!"

"I'm sorry, Commander Simartar." Diamond apologized. Omega didn't have a need to do the same thing. 

"Warm up with the other candidates," Omega said. He had to pretend he and Diamond are nothing but commander and candidate in this situation. At first that was hard, but he and Diamond have gotten used to it. 

"Yes, Commander Omega!" Diamond obediently joined the other candidates.

"Who do you two think will come out on top?" That was another voice. Leader Molly was behind them, watching the candidates. 

"Mandrake." Simartar answered without hesitating.

"Diamond." Omega said at the same time.

"There's always room for two," Molly said, "sad that everyone else has to be killed though."

"You can change that, you're the leader," Omega said. Lifeboat doesn't have complicated advisory councils like some of the other districts. Molly can change how anything worked in the district if she wanted to.

"I would, but this has always been how things are in Lifeboat. We are unique, it's a tradition." Molly replied. "Changing that would be hard." She paused. "You two have done a really great job."

"I think it's time." Simartar said. "The Gladiator Fight should begin now." 

Molly nodded. "Lead them to the Sunset Arena. Me and Leaf still have some things to set up, but we should be ready when you guys get there." She said. "Good luck to them, and good luck, you two."

"Why do we need luck?" Omega asked once she was gone.

"I wonder." Simartar said. "Everyone, stop!"

The candidates did as told, in perfect order.

"We're going to the Sunset Arena." Simartar said. "Bring nothing but yourselves and your knowledge. Definitely don't forget the second one."

The candidates followed Omega and Simartar in the lead. "Is it like this last year?" He knew Simartar had been a candidate for the Games last year, who won the Gladiator Fight, then went on to win the Hunger Games for Lifeboat.

"Mhm, exactly like this." Simartar answered.

"Tell me more about it." Omega said.

"Alright," Simartar sighed, "I won the Gladiator Fight along with another candidate, who became my teammate."

"What was his or her name?" Omega asked. They were descending through the grand spiral staircase in Sunset Tower. 

"Chite." Simartar answered. "The arena that year had a giant mountain filled with ice on it. I lost them in the tundras. The final battle was against someone from the Fastfire District. I beat him because I had a bow and he didn't."

"Wow." Omega said. "No wonder you were selected to be a commander."

The Sunset Arena is right behind the Sunset Tower, built by the same people and built with the same materials. It is usually never used except for the Gladiator Fights. Omega was surprised to see it filled with people. "I thought it was sacred." He said.

"I don't think that means people can't watch." Simartar said. "Although I'd prefer having the Gladiator Fight without too many people watching."

Usually only the commanders, the Leader and his or her deputies, and the referee can watch the Gladiator Fight. This year, many things were different. I hope it doesn't make Diamond nervous. Omega thought, looking back. Diamond is in the back of the line somewhere.

Simartar and Omega lead the candidates into the arena, immediately greeted by applause. "Okay, I really hate this now." Omega said.

"Same." Simartar answered. 

"Alright, so...we start now?" Referee Leaf asked. 

"We start." Molly said. "Hello, residents and Lifeboat District, welcome to the Gladiator Fight for the 223rd annual global Hunger Games. I'm your Leader, Molly, and this year will be no different. Now we welcome the candidates."

Omega rolled his eyes at "this year will be no different". His eyes met Simartar's, who was literally doing the exact same thing. They wink at each other simultaneously, which resulted in laughter. 

"Commanders, please bring them up." Molly said, snapping them back to seriousness. 

Omega wasn't used to this, but there's an audience now. He lead the candidates up the main stage along with Simartar. "We have 20 lovely candidates this year, and two of them will become the Selected Team." Molly said. "And the brackets for this year are displayed on the screen."

Omega snapped his head back. He didn't care for any except one name - Diamond. 

And the Gladiator Fight started. Throughout the brackets, Omega focused on Diamond. When she wasn't competing, he was restless. Diamond defeated her opponents quite easily. Omega watched the defeated candidates getting killed by their opponent or executed by Leaf when the task they lost wasn't a fight. "I feel awful." He muttered.

"That's the way it has to be." Simartar sighed. 

During midway break, at noon, Omega went to find Diamond. He found her by the lake in Anima Park, across the street from Sunset Arena. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked her. 

"Of course." Diamond said.

"Are you sure?" Omega asked. 

"Yes I'm sure, now stop worrying." Diamond said. 

"But if you participate in the global..." Omega trailed off.

"We got this," Diamond said. 

Omega nodded, although he was still worrying. 

"Jeez, I'll be fine." Diamond said. "Now go talk to Simartar or something. I'll stay here for a bit." She was gazing into the water. Omega followed her eyes but couldn't see anything. 

"Alright." Omega said. He went back to the arena, determined to not worry. But through the entire afternoon, he was still restless. As he watched Diamond defeat her last opponent, he breathed the biggest sigh of relief in his life. 

The one who rose to the top on the other side of the bracket was Mandrake, like Simartar had predicted. "Your Diamond is safe for now." Simartar winked. 

"Everyone, tonight we feast!" Molly announced. 

Omega helped prepare the celebration party, which happens inside Sunset Tower. He felt as if a huge burden was just lifted off of his back. With more training, Diamond and Mandrake would be able to win the global Hunger Games and bring victory back for Lifeboat. 

He passed Simartar giving tips to Diamond and Mandrake at the edge of the floor of the celebration in Sunset Tower, and stayed by them to listen. "Never underestimate your opponents," Simartar was saying. "I'd tell you a whole list of districts to watch out for, but that could go on for days."

"Actually, I think there's only quite a few districts we need to beware of." Omega chimed in.

"And what was I saying?" Simartar said. "To never underestimate your opponents?"

"Ugh." Omega said, catching Diamond's eye. She mouthed, we got this. 

"You should tell us about how you won the last Hunger Games!" Mandrake exclaimed. 

"Alright..." Simartar began, "see, when the Hunger Games started..."

Despite the fact that Diamond lived, Omega still felt uneasy about her. He tried telling himself that it was just because Diamond would have to compete in the global Hunger Games how, but he still worried. 

Outside the giant windows that pretty much just makes up the entire wall in Sunset Tower's higher floors, the sun is setting, painting a magnificent purple-orange streak across the sky. The side of the world where the moon is rising is already mostly purple, and stars flickered in its vastness. 

_- -_

By the time the celebration party was wrapped up, the sky was pitch black and Omega was tired. "We still have the Celebratory Brawl to watch." Simartar reminded him. 

Oh, that's right. The two winners have to fight each other with nothing but their fists. It's almost like a ritual. It would be Diamond against Mandrake this year. "Alright." Omega said. He didn't have anything to worry about, it was not a death battle. 

They arrived at the Sunset Arena just as the Celebratory Brawl had begun. Diamond and Mandrake were so fast Omega almost couldn't keep up. "Who's winning?" He had to ask Simartar.

"Hmm...it looks like Mandrake is." Simartar said.

Omega assured himself that lives were not to be lost in the Celebratory Brawl, but even he could see it now, Mandrake is winning. "He's so brutal."

"Yeah," Omega hadn't expected Simartar to agree with him, but he did. "Much more force than how much he should be using." 

Mandrake is crushing on Diamond now. "This isn't right!" Omega suddenly exclaimed. 

"He wouldn't dare kill her." Simartar promised. 

But then, the stage, lit up with the aura of the Celebratory Brawl, was suddenly silent. Something had snapped. Omega looked up. Shock entered his eyes as everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Diamond was silent, and Mandrake had her pinned. He slowly stood up, and Diamond collapsed, lifeless. 

"You killed her!" Omega shrieked, "you weren't supposed to take life!" He wanted to snap Mandrake's neck like Mandrake did to Diamond, but beside him, Simartar was holding on him tightly, "let go of me!"

"Mandrake!" Molly stepped off of her spot. Within a second, she was in front of Mandrake. "You do understand what you've done?"

"It was an accident, I promise!" Mandrake was saying. Omega could hear the shocked whispers of the audience around him. What's going to happen now? What's she gonna do? This has never happened before, has it? 

"Leader Molly," Omega tried to reason, "he must be executed."

Molly was silent. 

"Oh, please! It was an accident! Plus, there will be no one left for the Selected Team this year if you kill me!" Mandrake said. 

Molly sighed. "He's right."

"Actually!?" Omega had always thought of Molly as a fair and righteous leader, who always knew what to do. "Does it matter if we have no Selected Team this year? Diamond was killed, when she should be safe."

"We are required to participate, Omega." Leaf reminded him. 

How could this be happening right now? Omega only stared in shock. "I'll participate in the global Hunger Games this year with Mandrake." Simartar said, standing up.

Omega just stared at him. What was he supposed to say now? "You sure?" Molly asked, "you've won the last Hunger Games for us, you are safe."

"I'm sure," Simartar said, "it's settled." He glanced at Omega, but Omega couldn't read glances. He didn't even care anymore. 

"But Diamond died! There are rules against that! Your own rules!" Omega looked at Molly, "surely you'll do the right thing?!"

Molly sighed. "What happened tonight was an unfortunate accident. Mandrake and Simartar will be Lifeboat District's Selected Team for the 223rd annual global Hunger Games." She gave an almost pitying glance at Omega. "Diamond will be honored."

Unfortunate accident? That's all that Diamond deserves? Omega just wanted to kill Mandrake a thousand times and burn his remains to the ashes, but Simartar was still holding on to him, tighter than before. 

_- -_

More training were required to be done by the Selected Team after they've been selected here at Lifeboat. That's how Lifeboat makes sure that they were the perfect team. Mandrake would be staying at Sunset Tower for now, all the way up until the day they must leave for the global Hunger Games. It was perfect.

Omega was going to kill Mandrake. Oh, it wasn't going to be hard at all for him. He would just use his prized diamond axe and do it in the veil of the night. As he held it in his hand, he finally realized what he has lost. He could kill Mandrake and he wouldn't even care about what happens to him after that. 

He knew where now as the Selected Team, Simartar and Mandrake would have to stay for the night. He'd simply end Mandrake's life painlessly and then leave. If he wasn't caught then he'd live with the guilt, and if he was he'd face the consequences.

Oh, Diamond. He was up the elevator in the Sunset Tower now. Let me avenge you. The worker at the information desk is asleep. Sunset Tower is like how it's always like in the nights - completely pitch black, with the only light being the dim ones outside, coming from the stars and the moon, both shrouded by clouds.

Let me avenge you. He was there now, right in front of that ruthless murderer who killed Diamond on accident. Omega spat in Mandrake's face, and then swung. 

Mandrake was dead. Simple as that. 

Omega wasn't a professional assassin or anything. He had no idea how to clean up the aftermath, but it's not like he cared anyway. His diamond axe is dripping with blood as he left for the elevator again. 

But before he get there, someone tapped him from behind. He turned around, annoyed, but he stopped when he realized who it was. Simartar. 

They exchanged a look at each other. A long and meaningful one, although Omega can't read looks. Everything was silent. 

"But why?" Simartar asked.

"Report this to Molly if you must." Omega said. "You don't understand." He turned and left. Behind him, there was only silence.

_- -_

"Omega, you do understand that what you have done is not okay?" Deputy Amorite asked. So Simartar had decided to tell on Omega. After all, that was the right thing to do. Omega was sitting in an enclosed space along with the Lifeboat Deputy. "You did this on purpose, you deserve a punishment."

"No duh." Omega rolled his eyes, "just give me the punishment already."

"Very well." Amorite said. "considering Molly has picked you to be a commander, I might consider giving you a lighter punishment."

"Dude, just get on with it." Omega said. 

"You'll go in the prison cells for now, we'll decide what to do with you later." The other Lifeboat Deputy, Timber, walked into the enclosed space. "Come on, Molly wants us to advise her on picking a new member for the Selected Team this year."

Amorite nodded to Timber, then to Omega, he said, "follow me."

_- -_

Life in the Lifeboat prisons turned out to be a lot easier than Omega expected. At least he had a cellmate: a friend, instead of being at home alone. They shared stories of their life and how they were imprisoned. None of the Lifeboat authorities had informed him anything about his actual punishment for a whole week, and Simartar hasn't visited either. He guessed they were all too busy with the 223rd annual global Hunger Games. 

It was probably the eighth day of prison life when Omega couldn't sleep one night, and he woke up to find Simartar standing outside the cell. "Creep." Omega rolled his eyes, but he was relieved that Simartar had came to visit him. 

"Why did you do it?" Simartar asked.

"Do what?" Omega replied.

"Kill Mandrake."

"Oh." A week of prison life had dulled Omega's pain, but now he remembered it as clearly as if it had just happened. "He killed Diamond." Omega didn't want to think about it anymore. "Next time, come in the day."

"I can't," Simartar said.

"Well, don't come at all then."

"Omega." Simartar said, "life is like that. You are bound to lose a friend, accidents happen. You can't just blame it on someone else, you'll be the one receiving the punishment." 

"You don't know how much it hurts." Omega said.

"Did you think it didn't hurt for me when Chite died in the arena?"

"That's completely different. I love Diamond."

"And I don't love Chite?" Simartar paused, "have you seen what some of the other districts do? Compared to them, Lifeboat's selection process is almost too kind."

"You're telling me Lifeboat has the easiest selection process?" 

Simartar shook his head. "There's the Hive District, for example, which selects their Selected Team by a simulation Hunger Games, in which one is able to come back alive when killed."

Omega looked up. "Really?"

"Yes, that's why they've never won a Hunger Games before. They are too soft." 

Omega was silent. He remembered the morning of the Gladiator Fight, the last time that he and Diamond had walked down the street together. It was because of Lifeboat, killing off its residents without mercy. But Hive...it's almost like a place where everyone can live without fearing to be selected. "Simartar."

"What is it?"

"Do you have the keys?" 

"Yes, I am trusted with them."

"Set me free." Omega was in front of the iron bars that separated them now. "I'm going to the Hive District."

"I can't."

"Yes."

"I can't!"

"I hate this place. It's cruel, it's ruthless. I'm going to a more humane district." 

"How will you even get there?"

"Sneak on ferries."

There was silence, only the night winds outside made the slightest noise. "Come on, Sim, you know it's the right thing to do."

"Alright," Simartar finally nodded.

And in the first dawn's light, Omega found his way toward the docks at the edge of Lifeboat, promising he'd never come back to this brutal land.