"......Taro?"
"Yeah?"
The two are in an abandoned shopping complex, it, just like everything else, is being consumed by Mother Nature. Stores with shattered windows. Grass and flowers poking out of cracks in the tiled floor. Moss and ivy covering the walls. They sit around a fountain that has long died out, swallowed by the greenery. Flowers grow in the trough.
Taro glances at Kichi with one eye open, the other closed. His bow leans on the wall next to him. His glasses are crooked, balanced precariously on his nose.
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing big, it's just....."
He gestures to the four other people in their current vicinity.
"Doesn't this feel....pretty awkward to you?"
They weren't the only ones here. In one corner, a boy and a girl, the boy dark-skinned and of small stature. Dressed in blue jeans and wearing a black long sleeve shirt. His expression is cold, but with his squishy round cheeks it's....hard to take him seriously. The girl next to him is of similar stature and dressed in black jeans and a hoodie.
In the other, another girl of small stature, dressed in an over-sized sweater and jeans. Their hair is dark brown and around shoulder-length. With the current bed-head they're suffering from, it's obvious they'd just woken up not too long ago. And with the blood splattered on their sweater, as well as their vacant eyes, it's also obvious what they've done to survive this long.
Beside her, another girl, slightly taller than her. Her hair is a dirty blonde, eyes a mix of emerald and sapphire. Black tank top, a leather bracelet embroidered with dragons, and a slim, athletic build. She looks at everyone with a cold, critical gaze.
6 people, all in one area. A boiling pot of suspicion, anxiety, adrenaline, stress....
".....Yeah, the atmosphere does feel a little intense."
"A little-!?"
A loud crash from outside catches all of their attention. Then the rapid thumping-or clanging?-of feet, heading right their way.
"Hm-?"
A cloud of dust bursts into the room, causing everyone inside to enter a coughing fit. They hear a voice, rough but filled with childish excitement.
"That.....was AWESOME! We have to do that again!"
Another voice, smoother and more feminine.
"No. NEVER again."
Then finally, one slightly higher than the other two.
"D-did we make it?"
The dust cloud clears and a golden contraption of metal plates rises, holding a boy and a girl under its thin arms. Another boy is on its back.
Taro blinks, lowering his bow.
"Woah, it's a stand."
HAV0C pipes up.
"That's what I thought!"
The construct lets go of him and he falls to the ground.
"ACK-"
Catnip swiftly apologises.
"Sorry! I just told him to put you down, didn't specify how...."
"I'm good....fuck, my ribs-"
What the hell is going on here-?
Rolling unto his back and sitting up, HAV0C looks at everyone, confused.
".....What's with the tense atmosphere?"
"............"
-----------------------------------------------------------
[Some minutes earlier:]
Running for their lives from a swordsman with pride issues isn't the ideal way the three would exercise, but eh, it works.
A notification appears in front of Catnip'S face.
[Mana Restored! You can now create a construct!]
An idea pops into his mind and despite the situation he grins.
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"CREATE CONSTRUCT!"
A surge of golden lightning, and the construct is right beside him. He hops onto its back without a second thought, pointing to his friends that are still breaking personal records.
"PICK THEM UP AND RUN TO THE PLACE ON THE MAP!"
He's almost sent flying off of its back as it lurches forward, catching up to HAV0C and Eclipse in not time at all. It grabs them by the scruff of their shirts and sets off, running so fast it's legs are a blur. Catnip's screaming, Eclipse's screaming.
And HAV0C is having the time of his life, laughing.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Great job, Sir Catnip the Second."
Catnip pats his summon on the head, who receives it happily. HAV0C raises an eyebrow.
"Sir Catnip the Second???"
"Shut up, it's a good name!"
"But what's the 'Second' bit about?"
"Because Sir Catnip was killed....."
"Wha-ohhhhh, your first one....."
Eclipse is lying on the grass, contemplating the meaning of life itself. HAV0C and Catnip are quarreling on appropriate names. And the rest.....are just watching this happen with utter confusion.
How can they act so calm?
Kichi is kinda worried for the three, especially HAV0C and Catnip.
They've had to handle having a bounty on their heads.....and Eclipse just looks done with life-
He glances at Taro, who's still clutching his bow.
"Don't even think about it."
"I'm not quite sure what you mean."
"Who are you three?"
A voice cuts through the center, gaining everyone's attention. HAV0C looks up, having Catnip in a headlock.
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Who are you?"
The blonde in the tank-top stares at the three with an icy glare.
"Well-um-"
Now's a perfect time for HAV0C to suddenly become incredibly self-conscious and begin to mumble. Just perfect.
Detect Bloodlust.
The waves come crashing down on him and he winces, head suddenly becoming filled with a high-pitch whine. The worst of them emanates from the one who asked the question, the other from the one with the bow.
Why did I think using this skill was a good idea?
"Well? Answer me."
The girl's hand softly glows purple.
"Or do I have to force it out of you?"
Catnip seems to be just as paralyzed as HAV0C. Eclipse is too exhausted too reply. The others in the area don't say a word. There was something about the girl's voice that made acting out of line impossible. The girl in the sweater stands behind her, almost seeking to hide in the cloth, glancing at everyone with uncertainty.
"I-"
More quiet mumbling.
"Speak up."
The construct reacts to Catnip's fear, stepping forward with a growl.
Shit. SHIT!
"It's okay, Meghan."
A voice from the shadows cuts the tension in two. Then the sound of approaching footsteps.
"They're not enemies."
A boy steps out from the darkness, long wavy brown hair framing eyes that glow a light cyan. There's something unnatural about his eyes. Perhaps it's the way his pupils seem to shift as he glances at the three, or how they feel like their entire being has just been searched through and analysed in that moment. He smiles at the three.
"HAV0C, Eclipse, Catnip. Good to see you guys."
HAV0C stares at him for a moment, before opening his mouth in shock.
"SECOND!?"
-----------------------------------------------------------
"It's time."
"The final test...."
The time is now upon us. Let's begin."
-----------------------------------------------------------
"So, you and Catnip have a bounty on your heads because.....?"
"I think it's because we abused a bug.....?"
Meghan frowns
"A bug?"
"They beat the shit out of a guy with a notification-"
Damn you, Taro-
HAV0C nervously laughs.
"It was in the name of self-defense."
"..........Okay. That's fine."
HAV0C brightens up.
"It is?"
"No, it's not fine. I'm saying that to convince myself-"
"O h."
Being scolded by Meghan is not a pleasant experience. Catnip is using him as a shield while Eclipse is still (mentally?) out of it.
Well.....
HAV0C glances at the others, watching them slowly begin to talk and confer. Taro...well, being Taro. Kichi trying to stop him. Frozen and Lore talking with each other and the previous two.
At least we're beginning to connect, just like online.
"Hey, are you listening to me?"
"Y-yes, Meghan-!"
["Ah, ah. Can everyone hear me?"]
Everyone freezes, slowly looking up into the sky. Looking right at the screen now floating above them all. A masked is talking animatedly through the screen.
["Hey, everyone! Congrats on making it this far!"]
Second and Meghan are some of the first to notice it. The mask, it looks like.....
"Isn't that.....the Discord symbol?"
["Before we continue, can I just say how HAPPY I am to see all of you fight so hard for survival! It's incredible what you can do in order to stay alive!"]
"The fuck is this guy saying-!?"
["I know you all must be very tired. Landing here with no idea of how to escape, ripped away from your friends and family.....so scary!"]
Eclipse feels herself beginning to tremble in anger. That voice, dripping in sarcasm and sick glee....
Whoever this guy is....he's enjoying this. He's enjoying every second!
This sick fuck-
["Anyways, this is your last chance to prove you deserve to live on! If you succeed, you live. If you don't....well, I think you already know."]
A notification appears in front of everyone's faces.
[New Mission: Capture the Flag!
The last two servers will clash to determine who shall reign victorious! Collect your flag and set it down in place marked on the map! Whoever places it down first wins!
Reward:????
Failure: DELETION]
"Deletion....?"
A shiver runs down everyone's spines, rooting them in place.
["Those are the rules! I'm sure you all will give it your best! Now then,
Go on and entertain me, you filthy maggots."]