V3 4 - Part B:

“So? Do I fall under your strike zone as well?”

The voice who has been talking to me was actually Sophie.

Sophie has a very mischevious look on her face right now which makes feel really uncomfortable.

This is so freaking embarassing and I regret everything I said.

You know what? I'll just pretend that the conversation earlier never happened.

"Hey! S-Sophie! W-what brings you here?"

"Do I fall under your strike zone?"

She ignored my question and repeats herself while tilting her head in a cute manner which makes me really flustered.

"Well..."

Shit! How do I get myself out of this?

I look towards Lokki for assistance since it was his fault that I got into this mess and as I did, he was looking away while whistling like it wasn't his business at all.

God dammit Lokki!

I look towards Zack for assistance and as I did, I saw Zack was eagerly talking to Louise and Louise his silently listening to him.

I dunno what they are talking about since Zack was making a lot of sound effects but those two wouldn't be able to help me.

"Do I?"

Sophie repeats herself to pressure and it's definitely working since I feel pressured as hell right now.

Should I answer her honestly or brush her off?

If I brush her off, knowing her, she would keep on pressuring me but if I answer her honestly, I will feel embarrassed as hell.

Either way is a bad thing.

Sophie move closer to me to pressure me and I couldn't move back since Lokki is freaking blocking the way.

"So? Do I fall into your strike zone?"

Sophie, who is way too close to me asked.

You know what! I'll just man up and answer her honestly, so we could just end this conversation.

"Yes! You do!"

I said with full of confidence while trying to hide my embarrassment.

As Sophie heard that, her face turn flush red.

"I-I was just messing with you... I didn't expect you to answer me seriously..."

She mumbled.

I could hear her since she was near me so I reacted.

"Well... You asked and I answered."

I said to her like I was stating the obvious while trying to hide my embarrassment.

Sophie admits her mistake and apologizes.

"Yeah... It was my fault! Sorry..."

I don't want to make Sophie feel any more uncomfortable since it was also my fault for blabbering those embarrassing stuff so I apologize.

"Yeah.. I'm sorry too for blabbering all those stuff without realizing who I was talking to."

"So all water under the bridge?"

Sophie asked.

"Yeah! All water under the bridge."

I replied to Sophie.

After that, Sophie turns to Lokki.

"Hey Lokki!"

“Oh! Sophie! Hey!”

Lokki replied.

"So what you up to?"

Sophie asked casually.

"You know... People watching."

Lokki answered nervously.

"By people watching you mean checking out the girl over there?"

Sophie said and points at the girl we were checking out earlier.

As she did, the girl notices Sophie and looks towards her direction.

Lokki tries to defend himself by shifting the blame to me.

"Yes! I mean no!"

Lokki tries to deny Sophie's accusation but fails miserably.

"Right! But weren't you the one who said that you're not a pedo cause you think that girl is hot?"

Sophie said with a smug on her face.

"Yeah- I mean no- I mean-"

Lokki turn towards me and pleads for help.

"Linel! Help!"

"You didn't help me earlier, so you are on your own buddy!"

I said and turn my back on Lokki like how he turn his back to me earlier.

"Come on Linel! Help me out!"

Lokki demanded and I ignore him.

After that, Sophie starts grilling him like a cop trying to interrogate a suspect.

I gotta say, I do know that Sophie is a sadist since she likes bullying kids by scaring them with her weird occult rituals but I she definitely would make a good S.B.I agent.

While Sophie was grilling Lokki and I was enjoying the show, I just realized something.

Wait a minute! How long has Sophie been here?

Judging by what she was saying to Lokki, she have definitely been here since the very beginning.

But if she is here, where is Harumi?

I usually see them together on the ship, and Sophie was the one who invited her along so it's strange not to see her with Sophie.

I couldn't help but ask the whereabout of Harumi.

“By the way, where’s Harumi?”

“Oh! Harumi? She wasn’t feeling so well, so she went back to the ship.”

Sophie answered cheerfully.

“I see…”

After she notices Louise and approaches her.

“Hello Ms. Head maidbot! I see you are here too!”

"Hello Ms. Sophie Ferz."

“Please just call me Sophie.”

Sophie insisted.

“As you wish Sophie.”

“Thanks! So, What Are you doing here?”

“I'm here to protect the young master in accordance to the orders of my master.”

Louise answered.

"I see! So you are just doing your job."

Sophie summarized what Louise said.

“That is correct.”

Louise answered.

"So, do you want to hang out later and watch some horror movies together with Harumi in my room after dinner?"

Sophie suddenly asked which made me dumfounded since that was so random.

Lousie respectfully declines Sohpie's offer.

"I'm afraid I have to decline your offer."

"Aww!!! Why??"

Sophie asked.

"It is because I have to do my daily maintenance in order for me to always be in my optimal performance."

Louise answered.

"Aww that's sucks! How about next time?"

Sophie asked.

"I'll consider it."

Louise answered most probably not to hurt Sophie's feelings.

"Alright!"

Sophie, who seemed satisfied with Louise answers cheerfully.

After that she looks around, like she was looking for someone.

"By the way? Do you know where Zack is? I definitely saw him talking to you earlier.

Sophie asked Louise.

Now that I think about it, I don't see Zack anywhere.

"Yeah! Where is Zack?"

I asked Louise as well.

Louise answers our question.

"Mr. Zack Waver is currently on front of the both of you sleeping on the floor."

We both look at the direction Louise hinted at and saw Zack who is sleeping like a baby on the floor.

“Zzzzz….”

Well, at this point, I'm not surprise to see Zack randomly sleeping anymore.

I mean the guy sleeps inside a toilet cubicle as a club activity so no surprise here.

"Shouldn't we we wake him up?"

Sophie asked.

"Well, if you wanna waste your time, be my guest."

I answered her.

It is definitely a waste of time to try to wake Zack up to the point that even trying to shock him with electricity isn't effective.

"Alrighty then!"

Sophie answered and pulls out a red chalk and starts scribbling symbols on the floor around Zack which highly resemble that alchemy symbols that I saw in an anime once which made me dumbfounded.

I think the name of that anime was Full Iron Alchemist.

"Uhh... What are you doing?"

I asked.

"An ancient ritual to revive the dead!"

Sophie answered cheerfully while still scribbling on the floor.

"You know Zack is not dead right?"

I asked like I was stating the obvious.

"I know!"

Sophie answered.

"Then why are you doing that ritual thingy?"

Despite already know what Sophie is gonna answer, I had to ask to maybe give her some common sense.

"Because it's spooky!"

She answered cheerfully.

I knew that was coming.

After Sophie was done scribbling on the floor, she stood up, lay both her hands on Zack and starts to chant.

"oH gReAt DeMoN lOrD hAdEs! I oFfEr YoU tHiS sAcRiFicE iN eXcHaNgE oF yOu ChAnNeLliNg YoUr PeRsOnA uPoN tHiS rOtTiNg FlEsH-"

While I was watching Sophie do her weird-ass ritual along with everyone who is near us and creep out by her, Lokki approaches me and taps on my shoulder which got my attention.

"I think it's best that leave her be."

I agree with Lokki.

"Yeah! You're right!"

After that, Lokki and I back away from Sophie.

As we were backing away from Sophie, we heard someone shouting which took our attention.

“Everyone! It’s almost time!”

As everyone heard that, the guys who were carrying bags and steel brief cases, lay their baggage down on the ground and start unpacking whatever’s inside.

As they unpacked, the content, it raised a question.

“Are those weapons?”

I blurted out.

Like I just blurted out earlier, the content of the briefcase are indeed weapons.

What kind of weapons?

There are sub machine guns, assault rifles, handguns, sniper rifles, beam riffles, Plasma sword, Plasma staff, chains, iron bats, a slingshot, a stick and so on.

Even the girl that we were checking out earlier is carrying a weapon which is a black iron rod with a circular device as its tip.

I don’t know what it is but I could tell it’s a weapon.

Anyways, what the hell are those weapons for or better yet, what the hell is going on?

“Hey! The hot girl who invited us earlier didn’t say anything about weapons!”

Lokki complained.

“Are we about to do something scary?”

Sophie, who magically appeared behind us, asked in an excited manner which made made me flinch out of fright and made Lokki shriek like a little girl.

"Aaaaaah"

“Dude! Awesome party!”

Zack who seemed to be awake now said in a chill like manner which made me lose all the tension that was built up.

I thanked Zack for that.

"Thanks Zack!"

"You're welcome dude."

Zack answered despite not knowing what I was thanking him for.

Or maybe he does?

I dunno!

Zack is sure weird.

Anyway, as the tension was gone, I approach Louise and ask her if she knows something.

“Hey Louise? Do you know what’s going on right now?”

“Young master, I’m sorry I do not know but I will search for answers on the uninet about this matter immediately.”

Louise answered honestly.

After that, hey eyes start glowing while spinning.

Zit* Zit*

While Louise is researching, Lokki, Zack and Sophie went closer towards us.

After few seconds, Louise’s eyes stop glowing, and she apologizes.

“I’m sorry young master. I couldn’t find any information on the uninet.”

“Could you hack in to the city’s database to get some info?”

I suggested.

“I’m sorry young master, but I couldn’t fulfill your order because hacking into the city’s database is illegal without any valid reason.”

Louise turned down my suggestion.

“I’m pretty sure this is what you call a valid reason.”

I pointed out.

All of a sudden, I giant hologram appeared in the sky with a logo of a four leaf clover wherein each leaf has a different color which is black, velvet, lime green and blue with a five minutes countdown below it.

Suddenly, an announcement is being played by a bunch speakers that is being carried by repairbots who are hovering around us.

Good evening folks! The Four Leaf Clover Festival will be starting in five minutes.*

The four leaf what now?

For those of you who are new here, my name is Antione Selvestia Alfione your commentator and I will be explaining to you what the hell you got yourself into.*

This is kinda making me tense.

Now! If you’ve been wondering why everyone is carrying a weapon, it is because you will be killing each other. *

I don’t like the sound of that.

Not that anyone actually dies because the pin that you are wearing is a portable barrier device so don’t worry about dying.*

I see… Now that makes me a little bit relieved.

Just worry about losing because the winner of this fine festival will be receiving fifty million credits.*

Fifty million credits, that’s all you get for beating the crap out of each other?

(Note: You’ve probably already know this by now but I’ll just say it anyway. Linel is freaking rich so fifty million credits is just like pocket change to him.)

That’s right! Fifty million credits. If that doesn’t get you motivated then what does?*

Uh… A date with a hot chick maybe?

Well then! Back to killing each other. As you noticed, everyone around you is wearing a similar pin.*

Yeah! I noticed.

The people who are wearing the same pin as you are your temmates.*

So I’m guessing that will be doing a team death match like in those shooting games.

But that doesn’t mean that they are your brothers in arms because if all of you are still standing, then all of you will have to share the price money.*

I get it that the money isn’t that much but I don’t see the problem in sharing it. We can throw a party with fifty million credits to celebrate after all.

So don’t hesitate to use them and betray them. Life is unfair after all.*

Okay… Thanks for the insight I guess…

Now that I have explained to you what you get yourself into, now I will be explaining about the teams.*

…

There are four teams in this death game, and each team represents each leaf of the four leaf clover that you see above you.*

Yup! I see it alright.

I won’t bother telling you the history of this festival because that would take to long so let’s cut to the chase shall we?*

Go right ahead…

Each team has its own starting point in a specific area, it is your choice whether you go and find the other teams or lie in wait for an ambush but I wouldn’t recommend the latter because there are a lot of conspirators in this game so if I were you, I would move around and stay away from people you don’t trust.*

Okay…

And also, watching you all lie in wait for an ambush is so boring.*

No one ask you…

Now then! For the rules. The rules are simple. There are no rules. Do whatever you can to win.*

I saw that coming so I wasn’t surprised.

And lastly, if you want out of this game, there are two things you can do. Either you kill yourself which is an exaggerating since you can’t die or you win. And oh! In case you try to escape the event area, there a solid barrier to keep spectators from coming in and you sorry sods out*

There goes my plan to escape.

Now that’s all settled, welcome to The Four Leaf Clover Festival! I hope you’ll all enjoy yourselves because I know I would. And also, ten seconds remaining before the event start.*

“What should we do?”

Lokki asked like he was panicking.

Ten…*

“Uh… Kill ourselves?”

I said sarcastically.

Nine…*

“What! No way! That will be boring! Let’s just win this!”

Sophie said eagerly.

Eight…*

“Yeah dude! That would be awesome!”

Zack agrees with Sophie.

Seven…*

“How can we even win when we don’t even have a weapon?”

Lokki refuted.

“Well… I do have one here.”

I said and show him the handgun that the driver gave me earlier.

Six…*

“Oh! Good! Can I have it? You’re not gonna use it right? Since you fight with kung fu and atomic synthesis.”

Lokki asked for the gun.

Five…*

Well… He’s right! I don’t use a gun, so I should give it to Lokki then.

I hand the gun over to Lokki.

“Knock yourself out…”

Four…*

“As the only girl in the group, I should have the gun!”

Sophie said and grabs the gun.

Three…*

“I believe in gender equality, and I asked for it first!”

Lokki refuted Sophie and pulls the gun over to him.

Two…*

“Cool tug of war dude! Let me join in!”

Zack said and grabs hold of the gun as well.

One…*

“Hey let go!” (Lokki)

“Let me have it!” (Sophie)

“Dude! This is so awesome!” (Zack)

I couldn’t help but sigh helplessly.

“Sigh! Idiots!”

Zero…* Start!* Tooot*