Haze pt 10: NONARY FALLOUT

Segun:

Ak! Teleporting really is the worst. Okay, I seem to have made it here fine, Masters. I think I’m already in the start space. The mossy stall walls are too tall, so I can’t see who else is here. I’m going to move up closer to the—Wah! Why can’t I move my legs?

Quart:

I told you that you shouldn’t be in this race.

Segun:

Quart? Why are you holding onto my leg? And Tresca, too!

Quart:

We grabbed ahold of you at the last moment because Tresca said we should go with you.

Segun:

Tresca doesn’t talk.

Quart:

To you.

Segun:

Ask her why she wanted to come with me.

Quart:

Pft, she can understand you. Ask her yourself.

Segun:

Tresca, sweetie, I know I said we were friends, but that doesn’t mean you can follow me into dangerous situations like this. In the state I’m in, I don’t think I can protect you.

Quart:

I didn’t hear an actual question anywhere in there. And you don’t need to protect us. I can do that. Though I don’t see what this has to do with Mr. Nil like Tresca said to convince me this was a good idea.

Segun:

This is about Nil? About finding him? Server, is Nil also in this race?

Server:

Not in the way you think.

Segun:

A straight answer, please.

Server:

The straight path is boring. No one watches it.

Segun:

Ug, the Server is such a pain. Quart, what does this have to do with Nil?

Quart:

That’s what I’d like to know. I mean, he’s never even been in this race, though you have. You lost, and got people deleted, glitch queen.

Segun:

Wait… I… Was this the race where everything went wrong?

Quart:

Yep, the race where you crashed and burned like a bird that jumped into the volcano and then realized it was a penguin. That probably would have been cooler, actually. Hey, can you do that this time?

Segun:

Wouldn’t that require actually being a penguin, though?

Quart:

It was just a concept. Feel free to use creative license.

Segun:

Server, did you want me to repeat this race because Nil came here looking for a way to get back the person who was deleted?

Quart:

Wait, you can talk to the Server? Can you ask it to make me super big and strong?

Segun:

It doesn’t grant wishes.

Server:

I granted your wish to race.

Segun:

And that worked out so wonderfully. Answer me.

Server:

Nil used his Boundary Break within this course.

Segun:

Nil sliced through the walls of this race?

Quart:

He’s probably going after Knight. Are we going to rescue both of them? I mean, if Knight’s not dead like everyone’s saying he is. Then I’d rather not find him, ’cause that’s gross.

Segun:

We’d probably need a… Tresca, what is that?

Quart:

Alright, Tresca! You copied Nil’s Boundary Break when you had it!

Segun:

She what now?

Quart:

Tresca has a special gift thanks to an extra special mod her great-grandma had. She can copy any item if she holds it long enough.

Segun:

That’s…useful. But really, I don’t know what’s out there beyond the boundary. I don’t think I should take little kids there.

Quart:

Aw, but we’re not just any little kids.

Segun:

What’s that supposed to mean?

Announcer:

Five…

Segun:

Oh wait, it’s starting.

Announcer:

Four…

Segun:

You two had better get out of the start space.

Announcer:

Three…

Segun:

I’m serious, what if there’s a penalty or something…

Announcer:

Two…

Segun:

…for having too many Synths in a start space?

Announcer:

One…

Segun:

Seriously, Tresca, let go!

Announcer:

Volcano Advanced Race begin!

Segun:

Okay, the gate just opened. But Tresca, I really can’t run with you on my leg.

Continued in pt 11

Thank you for reading!