20 Minutes Later

May 19, 2069

1230 CDT

Drink-n-Forget, North Olympia

Rachel Cooper's Point of View

“This is ridiculous! We are grown-ass men and women! How do we keep losing?!” A feller cries out in disbelief.

Ooh, a bar. It seems very… bar-like? Two stories, several pool tables, dinin’ tables, and everyone has a scary look on their faces. All the attention is focused on the large crowd in the center of the building. Oh, but I feel so bad ‘bout the horse we’ve abandoned. But Ruby said she’ll be fine and that we’ve successfully escaped from the fuzziness, so I should try to relax.

“Follow me,” Ruby instructs.

Is she angry? Oh wow, so many people.

“This kid is amazing,” a feller says in wonder.

“She’s a freaking genius!” A woman shouts at the top of her lungs.

“No way, this is bullshit. She’s cheating somehow. Kids are sneaky,” another feller grumbles.

“Psst guys,” Ruby whispers. “Don’t listen to these idiots. Teresa Young is pure evil. She didn’t even want to be my band manager. What a jerk.”

We’ll see, Gasp! That must be her! Sittin’ near the round wooden table.

“You’re cheating! I don’t know how, but you are, Diamond!” A big burly lookin’ feller sittin’ across from a little girl shouts in anger.

He slammed his fist on the table! Goodness, gracious!

“Heh. Sorry, Pumpkin Pie, but I don’t speak sore loser,” Diamond responds with no fear whatsoever!

Diamond must be Teresa! She seems so mysterious and a lot smaller and skinnier than I imagined. She’s wearin’ a dazzlin’ white cowboy hat, a white tank top, and a blue skirt. Two large, floppy black pigtails are hangin’ off the sides of her hair from what I can see. She’s of Black and Caucasian lineage and she’s agitatin’ her opponents with an extremely mischievous smirk. Wow! She’ll definitely be my friend!

“Excuse me for being blunt, like a certain annoying and big-headed red-haired friend of mine, but I’ve won yet again. You were defeated by the best poker player in all of Olympus, so quit wasting my youth and pay up,” Teresa demands with confidence as she leans back in her chair.

Ooh. The bravery.

“I’m not annoying, you’re annoying,” Ruby mutters in anger.

“Excuse my friend here, sirs, and ma’ams. What she meant to say was, “I have won, so please pay me.” She loves her rewards very much,” an Asian girl in olive green business clothes, with medium-length black hair that’s dyed pink at the edges, standin’ next to Teresa clarifies.

“Thank you, Kiko. Did you fools hear that? Are you honestly going to deny the request of the almighty, Kiko Farrington, daughter of Brian Farrington? Do I need to remind you that Brian Farrington is our brave general who fights a gazillion zombies every day, while you losers just sit on your butts sulking, wondering how I constantly whoop you?” Teresa continues to negotiate.

My lord!

“Holy shit!” The rowdy crowd roars.

“Hah! I hope they beat her ass!” Ruby rudely laughs.

“Ow!” Ruby grumbles. “What the hell, Rachel? Why’d you elbow me?”

“Don’t say that, Ruby. It’s not nice,” I say.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Yeah, well news flash, life ain’t nice,” she replies in frustration.

“That doesn’t mean we should be mean,” Billy nicely explains.

“Ugh! Fine, whatever! I’ll try to be nicer just for my two new friends,” Ruby says in haste with an eye-roll.

Yay! Pa did say I was a good influence on people.

“Ok, Diamond. We just want one more rematch. Is that too much to ask of you?” Pumpkin Pie requests apologetically.

OBAE, pigs, shitheads, and now Pumpkin Pie. The capital is filled with so many spectacular nicknames.

“Yawn. You have some nerve, making demands from the champion of champions,” Teresa says in uninterest.

“Ahem. What she means is,” Kiko clears up.

“I’m boooored! You guys are boring me! You and your demands are unreasonable; therefore, Kiko and I politely decline and will take our business elsewhere!” Teresa interrupts.

“Hah! Big talk from small fry,” Pumpkin Pie laughs.

“Forgive my bluntness again, but I notice you and your friends like to run your mouth when you get scared. It’s a shame that a little girl has a better poker face than you adults,” Teresa taunts in a calm tone.

“Ok, Diamond. I have the perfect deal. Agree to one more rematch, and we’ll double your reward. All we want is another chance to defend our pride,” Pumpkin Pie negotiates.

“Hmmmmm. You almost had me, but you lost me at double, so I will have to politely decline. Let’s get outta here, Kiko.”

“Wait, you’re making a huge mistake! What more could you possibly want? We’re offering you a big deal. Double of your reward is impossible to pass up,” Pumpkin Pie yells in desperation.

“Your deal does interest me, but I have just one humble request,” Teresa says innocently.

“And what would that be?” Pumpkin Pie asks curiously.

“Heh. Forget double, double. I want my payment to be tripled, tripled, tripled!” Teresa smiles.

“Triple?!!!!” Everyone shouts in an uproar.

What the heck is happenin’?

“You’re funny, Diamond. I can tell jokes too,” Pumpkin Pie says in laughter.

“Oh my god. Do you see me laughing? Who even taught you how to play? Your poker faces, and your skills are nonexistent, so don’t even say nothing,” Teresa insults in disgust. “Triple is too low. I want my reward quadrupled after I win again!”

“Quadruple is silly. No deal!” Pumpkin Pie denies.

“BOO! YOU SUCK!” The crowd jeers.

Teresa stood up on her chair.

“Oops. I think I forgot to mention something about my friend Kiko here. My intellect is zilch compared to hers,” Teresa reveals with a chuckle.

“And what do you mean by that?” Pumpkin Pie asks in confusion.

“Heh. Kiko here is Olympia’s newest apprentice, so show respect. After all, she is the apprentice of Ver-…”

“QUIET!!!” A man screams in fury.

I’m gonna have a heart attack! He silenced the bar! The crowd even cleared a path for him to converse with Teresa.

“I won’t have any talk of that she-devil to be allowed in this bar,” the bartender announces from behind his desk, as he inspects a glass cup.

“Typical adults,” Teresa says in disappointment. “Sorry, Kiko, I guess I got carried away.”

“Well, I’m about to get carried away next!” Kiko shouts in anger as she storms towards the bartender’s counter. “Don’t call Doctor Shinka a she-devil, sir! She’s very kind and contributes way more to Olympus than you do!”

“Little girl” the bartender grumbles as he slams down a glass cup.

“You have no idea what you’re getting into. I’ve witnessed countless friends die at the undead’s hands, and I’ve beheld the origins of Olympia,” the bartender reveals with a nasty glare.

A stare down.

“We get it. You’re a walking history book, old enough to be my grandpa. Forgive my rudeness, but that doesn’t mean you can call my mentor mean names, you ass,” Kiko responds, unshaken by his intimidating glare.

“I’m telling you this for a reason, daughter of our brave general and apprentice of that woman. I’ve learned that there are four things you shouldn’t fuck with in The New World. First, you don’t fuck with Behemoths, because they will rip you to shreds in the blink of an eye. Second, you don’t fuck with the Royals because they will use Azrael to disintegrate your sorry ass along with your entire kingdom. Third the two kingdoms that should be avoided at all costs are the Scorpion Kingdom and Prometheus. You simply don’t fuck with them. Fourth none of these threats hold a hair to Veronica Shinka’s capabilities. Her infamy is known worldwide, and if given the choice of death by zombies, Azrael, or her, I would choose to get killed by zombies or turned to dust by Azrael in an instant. She’s a living nightmare who never should’ve been allowed to return. Now I’ll give you and your friend what you want, multiplied by four because you were going to win again anyway. But I’ll have to ask you to leave for disturbing the peace,” the bartender explains.

“Fine! We were about to go anyhow!” Kiko yells as she angrily stomps toward Teresa.

“Yeah, we were just leaving! It smells like butt in here anyway!” Teresa spews in anger.

O-M-G.

“That was so, so intense, guys,” Ruby says. “Um, I have to chat with Teresa for a second. You two just hang around here and play darts or something. They’ll compensate kids if you beat an adult in a game, but the prize might be scarce because of Teresa’s obnoxious ass.”

“Wait! What are the rewards, Ruby?!” Me and Billy ask in unison.

Ha-ha. Jinx, Billy.

“Go win and find out! You gotta learn how to take the initiative,” Ruby yells as she hastily departs.

“Hey, Rachel,” Billy says in awe.

“Yes, Billy?”

“Olympia is quadruple times more interesting than Brackettville,” he says with a smile.

“It certainly is! Now come on, let’s learn how to play darts. I want to know what the spectacular reward is!”