“Sui! How can you even think about eating this!” shouted Trina. “It has two ways to kill you and it tastes horrible!”

Sui shrugged “The taste can be ignored, and I am not so stupid to eat two in twelve hours. They won’t even give you a second one that fast”

Aife raised an eyebrow “I’m with Trina on this one. This is stupid. Come to me for food in the future”

Sui shrugged “It really isn’t that bad but ok” said Sui as she swallowed what was left of the emergency ration. Trina blanched and started coughing, while trying not to throw up the food she recently ate.

Aife moved in and hugged her while shivering. “I think… I think this is a new low for Sui” mumbled Trina into Aife’s shoulder.

Aife didn’t say anything and just patted Trina on the shoulder. She was thinking about the time Sui didn’t eat for a week when her grandmother went on vacation. She at least had water but that was about it, and Aife couldn’t decide if that was worse or not.

In the end, they didn’t need to think about it too hard because they got the familiar wave notification message.

Sui, wave 8 will be commencing in approximately 5:00 minutes, please ready yourself. For those weak of body, Wave 8 may easily be completed while sitting.

Sui sighed. Damn. I didn’t get to finish this dress. Sui looked at the half-finished outfit Aife still had in her hands after it was stolen. Hmm, it could maybe pass as a slightly longer shirt maybe? At the same time, I doubt they want to change so soon after showering.

Sui tugged on the dangling thread that Aife didn’t bother to be careful with. Feeling Sui’s tug, Aife looked down at the garment still in her hand and grinned sheepishly before sliding over, with Trina still in her arms, and putting it carefully back on the table.

Sui just nodded and started to wind the thread back up. No sense in keeping things messy if they were about to fight. “Do you want to shower?” asked Trina

Sui looked down at her outfit. The one she had been trapped in, and then back up at Aife and Trina. They were wearing some sturdier clothes, like they had been since this whole thing started. Both wore jeans, though it was clear that Trina’s didn’t quite fit her anymore and were too short and perhaps a bit tight.

Aife’s were old but well fitting. Sui guessed they were actually Aife’s mothers, perhaps mistakenly taken when Aife moved, perhaps intentionally, but they showed at least a decade’s worth of use but were still holding strong.

In terms of shirts, Aife had thrown on one of her training shirts. A plain white thing with material that breathed. It offended Sui slightly that her friend was so attached to them. Sui had tried to make shirts that were suitable for Aife to train in before, but normally they ended up failures, so this was some generic brand Sui couldn’t remember.

Trina’s shirt was a simple long-sleeved top that hung loosely on her. Sui wondered how safe it was to leave so much cloth dangling from her frame, before grimacing and remembering the significant amount dangling from her own arms. At least the dress seemed to be self-cleaning, and likely working on Sui herself.

She didn’t think she smelled and the other two hadn’t complained so that was one thing, she could actually thank the cursed garment for. With those thoughts out of the way, Sui finished up her cloth and proceeded to put it away.

When she returned to the living room, she found Aife and Trina discussing where they wanted to be for the next challenge. At that moment Aife was hugging Trina on the couch, but seemed to advocate for leaving. “We might as well go outside, just in case” said Aife

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“Yeah, but it says we are fine with a chair. I don’t want to be sitting in the sun and getting sunburnt if I don’t have to” said Trina

“Do you look sunburnt?” asked Aife with a raised eyebrow.

“Just because I’m not sunburnt at the moment doesn’t mean I won’t be” said Trina running her hands along her arms. “I certainly don’t want skin cancer”

Aife snorted “Look at Sui and then tell me that again”

Trina gave a confused glance to Sui who returned it with a confused glance and a wave. What is Aife talking about? I’m the same exceptionally pale self. I don’t see how that matters. If anything, it’s further argument to stay inside I don’t want to be sunburnt either.

“I don’t follow” said Trina finally giving up on what Aife was trying to tell her.

“Ah, you see, you guys might not realise it, but remember, you both passed out not for a few minutes, but for over a day during that challenge where we had to lift weights…” said Aife trailing off at the end,

Where Trina picked up “And we aren’t sunburnt despite lying down face up towards the sun for more than enough time to cook us both completely I see… but why aren’t we sunburnt? Also, it’s hot out there”

Aife sighed “Ok, how about we sit with our backs to the house on the other side in the shade. Is that an acceptable compromise”?

Trina frowned slightly but agreed. “Fine”

Aife of course, took that as the signal to scoop Trina up into her arms, before walking back to the kitchen and throwing open one of the cupboards. To Sui’s surprise, Kanina’s face is what poked out. She was currently sitting inside of an empty cereal box that someone must have been left there.

Kanina realised she was being ‘summoned’ and hopped gracefully… straight onto Trina’s chest and then burrowed herself in. Trina glared at the little rabbit but it just looked innocently back. Aife was struggling to hide her chuckles, but Sui was already making her way outside, realising that ‘nothing of interest’ was happening.

Ito poked her head out from Sui’s skin, resting properly on her shoulder as they headed outside. Ito didn’t say anything. Neither did Sui. They understood. They were ready. They were quickly followed by Aife who used her superhuman speed to catch up, before she slowed down and walked with them the rest of the way.

Aife was still chuckling about how Kanina ‘noticed the best place right away’ under her breast while Trina was bright read. Sui didn’t even look behind her though. She was preparing herself for whatever crazy task was to be assigned to them this time.

So, she simply sat down and waited. Aife sat down a moment later, and Trina tried to leave the lap of her girlfriend, but her efforts were in vain. So now the three were seated, two on the ground, and Trina on Aife, with Kanina on Trina, and Ito on Sui.

That was when the message appeared.

Welcome to Wave 8. Wave 8 will have additional rewards should you complete it.

This is the following information about Wave 8.

One large word, burning in red will appear before you. It will be placed in the centre of your vision regardless of where you look. That is the ‘Target Word’. Around the Target Word will appear multiple other words.

You need to choose the word that relates, in any way, to the Target Word. There will be a differing number of non-target words in each round. Once you select a word you will move onto the next round.

You get one point per round. Your goal is to score in the top 75 percent of all humans.

If you get an answer incorrect, you lose all points

You will not be notified of your points total.

If you decide to end your run, your points are considered “Confirmed” and cannot be reduced below that point, but you may opt to view additional rounds.

There is a limit to the number of rounds. You will not be informed of that number.

Each round will last no more than an hour, and you will have no more than twenty-four hours to participate in Wave 8.

You have 5:00 minutes to discuss before commencing.

“Well Trina, looks like you are up” said Aife “This sure isn’t my wheelhouse”

Trina blanched “B-but, um, Sui should be able to help me, right? I mean… I’m decent with words but I’m not that good”

“Why are you panicking now? Surely picking out a few words won’t be that bad” said Aife

Trina shook her head “No, you don’t quite get it. Even the instructions were carefully worded traps” said with slight worry.

“How so?” asked Aife

“This wave hasn’t given us an indication of how long it is. The most we know, is that it is at least twenty-four questions, but it could be more. Much more, or maybe it’s just that, twenty-four and I should spend all my time thinking about each answer carefully” said Trina.