Far off from town, Logan slammed his palm on the car, "We need a medic, Car-dur!" he slammed again, "We don't even have machine guns, and Jaivva is a good medic".
"Sshhh you fucking idiot," Carter pulled his hair and looked around, "We're on the fucking highway".
Logan looked up at the moon and back at him, "Obviously genius. Noise isn't going to summon the cops from miles away to check on us," he smiled at everyone, "Now a bunch of people standing at the side of the road will draw attention if a cop was to drive by. Your call".
"And regardless," Carter tapped his forehead, "Everyone should know basic Combat Life Saving skills".
"Well they don't Car-dur," Logan laughed, "And even if we did, we still need a cleric".
Carter wiped his face, "How the hell"?
Vanessa shook her head, "I feel so sorry for Carter. He only gets yelled at all day by a boy who is weaker than him".
Mike continued rigging the second car, "Don't feel bad. Carter is just as sorry as his car".
Kiki smiled, "It all ends once his car is involved".
Logan's eyes shot up, "We should set it on fire before we all leave".
Carter chuckled towards Vanessa, "See that. After all I went through and got locked up. All I have left is a nasty trailer, a motorcycle, and a crappy car".
"Reality check," Logan laughed, "Save that recording. Imma need to show that to his girlfriend".
"Alright," Kiki bounced herself, "But that was all your fault for running off with that girl".
Mike was kneeling in the dirt, "That's true. And I can't wait to see how mad your girl gets after seeing what you just said".
Carter threw his hands up and blushed downwards, "What can I say, I like bad girls"
"More like your just dumb," Logan placed his hands in his pockets, "You gave everything up once before for a woman who didn't care for you. And look at you now".
"Yeah," Carter nodded around, "I'm a wreck".
"No, just dumb," Logan smiled at Kiki and Mike.
Vanessa dropped her smile, "Stop it".
Logan held his fingers together, "No! Carter isn't your bad boy that makes mistakes. Carter was the second eighth-grader I knew who had a mortgage. The first 12-year old that could say he was taking care of his family on his own. And it was all because he had a heart. He was a nice guy who was super sincere and wanted a family. But life didn't give it to him. And instead of living by the family he had, he decided to pursue people that didn't care for nor love him in hopes of winning their acceptance and being a part of some notional family cocked up somewhere," he held his palm up at Carter, "Now look at him. Just some pitiful loser and a moron that still doesn't know what he's doing and insists that he's better than everyone around him".
Carter smiled at him, "Wow. Thank you for that," he turned at Vanessa and Jaivva, "Yall know that's the nicest thing he's ever said to me".
Kiki took a deep breath, "It's true though. You were never a bad person. You just always chased the wrong people".
"Yeah," Mike closed the car, "You were always a brown noser too".
Jaivva laughed away, "Wow. Y'all don't stop".
Vanessa laughed with her, "Never. They never stop. They are like brothers and sisters".
Mike wiped his hands, "Both cars a done know! If y'all left something, oh well! They'll explode as soon as they're open".
"And Jaivva is a medic until further notice," Logan shouted.
Jaivva shook her head at Carter, "It's fine. I'll just sit back and do stuff I guess".
Carter handed her a medical bag full of equipment, "I hope you know how to use that stuff".
Jaivva smiled, "Yeah. I looked into the cleric class. I know a bit of this and that. I just rather blast people".
Carter nodded, "I'll get you a machine gun".
Jaivva smiled away with her tongue out, "And shoot up some Nazis".
Logan gripped her shoulders and danced her off into the woods, "We're going that way".
Carter walked behind them, "Let's hurry before the sun comes out".
Kiki strolled on her own, "No. The night is fine. We love the night".
Mike shrugged, "I just don't like the cold".
Carter looked back, "Yeah, but I want to get to the next town before the sun rises. Or actually, it would look weird if we were all walking around at night".
Mimi walked around a bush, "Let's just take our time and get there. We're already missing out on sleep".
Logan shouted, "Warriors never sleep"!
"Whoah!" Mike cheered, "I remember when we had those big and bulky suits for gun themes. They basically simulated laser tag".
Mimi smiled at him, "That's all this basically is".
"Wait, what?" Carter nearly stopped everyone, "This is way more than laser tag".
"Oh God," Kiki pulled on Vanessa and Faith, "Ignore them".
Carter, Mike, and Logan ranted on Mimi for disgracing The Isekai Game to a mere game of laser tag at any given point. She pointed out the fact that the game was mostly a series of simulations and invisible lasers to pin project the trajectory of their bullets. But the boys weren't having it. They defended their beloved game with the facts that no other game out there could simulate the pain and reality of bullets, explosions, and the sheer fog of war.
Giggling to herself, Vanessa rose a finger, "But a simulation is what this game is and that is what the laser tag is".
Mimi clapped her hands to the boy's gasping, "Exactly".
Kiki held let go of Faith's hand to turn back to them with a smile, "And that's exactly what I've been telling you all for years. That this is just laser tag with more effects".
Logan shouted, "Go back to your corner D'artagnan"!
Kiki looked up to the moon, "I rest my case. I know Logan is mad".
"Oh he ain't mad yet," Carter smiled off to a cliff, "We need to get across this asap and there's too much water below".
Mike and Kiki were already smiling as Logan took off his rucksack, "How about you learn some real skills, in other words, magic, and get us across? I can literally toss a rope over to a tree".
Vanessa rose a finger, "But Carter is the leader and the pro player here. He knows best way".
Kiki whispered to Vanessa, "He's trying to avoid it".
Carter cocked his head and licked his lips, "No... Because... Fuck it," he smiled wide, "For old times sake".
Logan's lips shook together for a few seconds before he finally clicked his heels together. Almost nobody knew what was happening except Mike and Kiki.
"What is that?" Vanessa peaked at the two.
Carter cut Kiki from speaking, "This, Vanessa, is an ancient," he tied one end of the 550 around Logan's feet, "And most powerful limit break this stadium has ever seen".
"It's stupid," Logan looked up with his hands to his side, "And it's not a limit break".
Carter tied the other to a tree, "Through enemy lines, this technique has succeeded for generations at our stadium".
Mike crossed his arms, "We always pass it onto our successors".
"Oooh," Vanessa's eyes widened, "I want to see. I want".
Even Hkken, Faith, and Jaivva stared wondering what as gonna happen.
Logan clenched his jaws, "Too bad it'll end with Carter".
Carter smirked, "True. But at least I'm the thrower," he picked logan by the feet and swung him over the cliff, "Silver Bullet"!
Hakken turned away, "I actually remember seeing that before".
Jaivva managed to break out a small laugh, "Y'all play too much".
Faith smiled, "That is not a fighting tactic of any sort".
Vanessa was frozen for a minute before she stepped to the cliff. Upon seeing Logan was submerged in the water and swimming across safely, she started crackling into laughter. She jumped upon seeing him struggle to climb up another cliff and tie his end of the rope to a tree. After, Logan had cleared his rifle and checked the area to ensure there was no enemy around.
One by one, Carter tied a small bit of rope on each person to slide them across the river on the 550 cord that he and Logan set up. As they reached the cliff with Logan, they stood out by different trees to make sure everything was safe. It wasn't until Carter slid over, last, that he informed them that it wasn't necessary to hold security to such an extent. Mimi ranted on him as they began walking again for spoiling their fun whereas Logan fell to the back of the group with Vanessa.
"You're really having fun with everybody and our nonsense," Logan stared her in the eye.
With her chest out, Vanessa nodded, "Mhm," she held her palms out to everyone, "I like all these people. They're fun".
Logan chuckled, "That's good. The rest of the guys and Carter's girlfriend all know and like you too".
Vanessa darted her eyes, "I know his girlfriend"?
"Yeah," Logan exhaled, "You met a few months ago," He squinted his nose up, "I probably shouldn't have told you that. You're about as smart as Carter".
Vanessa had a half-grin, "Oki".
"Hey," Logan held her shoulder to get eye contact again, "Sorry for calling you a hoe. You're better than that".
Vanessa squinted away from him, "Thank... you".
He fully smiled, "And I'm glad you're having. You've deserved it".
Vanessa held a finger on each hand, "One, two, three... Oki," she twirled around and stared at the moon, "What do Logan want? I don't know".
Kiki and Mike had looked back out of curiosity for the ruckus in the back.
Logan glanced at them and clasped his hands, "Just wanted you to know that I was sorry".
With red cheeks, Vanessa waved a finger away from him as she stared at random trees, "Okay. I accept your apology this time".
Without any facial contact, Logan nodded, "Okay then... Trying to climb a tree".
"No!" Vanessa stroked her hair, "I want to take one down like Kiki said".
"Oh wait," Logan held a palm at her, "You mean actually screw out a tree? Kiki doesn't know about that. She never screwed out trees," he tapped Vanessa's back, "I can take an entire house apart some time when we're free".
As Kiki ignored them to continue walking, Mike whispered to her, "My boy back there spitting some game".
Kiki shook her head at him, "Logan's probably gay. And he's still a virgin".
Hakken grinned back at Logan provoking the bashful Vanessa, "He seems pretty genuine though".
"Bet?" Kiki smiled at Mike.
Mike looked forward, "Hey Carter"
Carter stepped away from Mimi, "What"?
Mke pulled him closer to whisper, "You think Logan trying to get Vanessa"?
Carter pulled back, "Hell no".
Mike pointed at Hakken, "She says he's genuine".
Hakken leaned in, "How much are we betting? And what are the conditions"?
"The conditions," Kiki pinched her lip, "If he shows genuine interest in her. Like ask her out or something".
Mike began smacking his fist, "Five grand says he will".
Carter shook his head, "Ten says he won't".
"I'm up!" Mike ran forward.
Hakken's eyes were wide open, "How do you guys even have that much money to spare"?
Kiki sped up, "Mike's in favor, and Carter is against," she inhaled and stared at the two, "Imma say," she looked back at Vanessa seemingly chasing each other, "Put me in favor".
Carter stretched his neck and laughed, "Okay. I'll match you guys. 10 grand each".
Hakken smiled away and towards Mimi, "I'm out. I don't even have that much money to spare".
"How?" Carter walked to her side, "Spies is a high paying class".
Hakken shook her head, "But not in demand. Nobody around here really uses spies. Most are casuals who just do the bare minimum".
Carter leaned away, "True," he looked back, "I'm on that though. I'm about to be 20 grand richer".
Jaivva, Faith, and Mimi all stared at him as to what would supposedly make him so rich in a near-instant.