"Wa-wait! Wait up!" A disgruntled voice shouted from behind me.
I was stood just before the entrance to the inner district. Rows and rows of stalls lay before me - like that of a festival. Some were selling food, others clothes and some gadgets.
Different plants sprawled out from the river running through the inner district, from pink lily pads to purple vines, all manners of plant life enveloped the buildings and poked at the stalls.
This place never ceases to amaze me. I sucked in a deep breath of fresh air as I looked back at the 'dreamers' trailing behind me.
The first to catch up to me was the leader of the Little Dreamers. "Aww you won again Reno?" Jamie pouted. "No fair."
"Beginner's luck I think." I shrugged. Though it was more like veteran's expertise than beginner's luck.
The second to catch up was the Little Dreamer's phantom, soft-footed and wrapped in silence. "Hm." Finn said as he adjusted his red scarf.
Next up was the tall giant of the Little dreamers, the first of the crop twins. "Wait for us everyone!" Phill's voice cried out. He was running alongside the person I'd heard earlier—Bill.
"Wait up I said!" Bill huffed as he jogged into our little circle. For being as large as he was, he was actually quite healthy. He'd ran all that distance but didn't seem that short of breath at all.
"Sorry I got carried away." I said as I scratched my head.
"Oh don't worry about it Reno, Bill always complains like this." Jamie said while shrugging.
"Huh?" Bill made an expression of surprise. "That's not true.." he said quietly. "Right Phill?"
"Uhm…" Phill smiled, opting to not finish that sentence. Bill's expression turned to even more shock—or perhaps denial.
"Right Finn?" Bill turned to Finn, his expression becoming hopeful again.
Finn turned to him briefly before looking away again.
"Finn… really?" Bill said, his expression one of betrayal.
"Good medicine tastes bitter." Finn said, still looking away.
"Sorry Bill," Jamie said. "Don't worry we all love your complaining."
"Yeah that's right!" Phill said in an attempt to cheer him up.
"Oh you all do?" Bill said, hope slowly returning to his eyes as he looked at me. We collectively nodded.
"Awww," Bill mumbled. He rubbed his eyes aggressively, his rotund belly jiggling with each swipe. "You're all going to make me cry."
"Save the tears Bill," Jamie said before pausing. "It's Reno's welcome—not yours."
"Ah." He moved his hand, his eyes drying up again. "S-sorry boss."
"Anyways Reno," Jamie said while turning away from Bill. "Let me tell you the rules of chaos tag."
"Okay sure." I nodded.
"It's a very very simple game. See those stalls over there?" He pointed.
"Yeah."
He raised a fist before slamming it down onto his other palm. "We're going to knock them down!"
"Sorry?" Surely I had misheard him. "Did you say knock them down?"
"Yeah that's the aim of the game." Jamie said casually.
I looked at Finn, since he was usually the most rational out of everyone. How could he agree to such a destructive game? Hours of effort and weeks of work could be easily ruined in the wake of such havoc.
Finn was looking at the stalls, his gaze unflinching. He had noticed my stare but paid it no heed - as if mine and Jamie's conversation was of no importance.
"Ahh." Jamie scratched his head. "I forgot to explain the rules. No wonder Reno looks so confused!"
That is not why I'm so confused, Jamie.
""Ohhh."" The crop twins echoed with understanding, the confusion on their faces lifting. These two can't be serious.
"So we all run in a straight line and after the person at the front knocks over a stall, he keeps running and the other three have to overtake him." Jamie explained.
The bad feeling from earlier was intensifying. Earlier when I asked Silvia what chaos tag was she'd replied 'you don't want to know'—now I was beginning to understand why she'd said that.
"Once they do, the new person at the front has to knock over another stall until we're back to the original person."
"How is this game fun?" I cut in.
"Well," Jamie said rubbing his nose, "I dunno. It's just fun."
"It's fun to dodge all the obstacles at the back." Phill said cheerfully.
"What obstacles?"
"The stall's stuff. Since we knock them over they all spill on the floor." Bill explained.
"And how long do you all play for? When does it end?"
"The game usually ends when the person at the front can't be overtaken because they're too fast. Or it ends when… "
Jamie spoke until his voice faded out.
"When what?" I said.
"When they show up." Someone interjected. It was Finn, finally choosing to join the conversation.
They?
"What do you mean by that Finn?" I said.
Finn flicked his scarf, choosing to give no reply. I looked around hoping for a response. Jamie spoke up.
"Finn is talking about The Epic Ga—" Phill, Bill and even Finn turned to look at Jamie instantly. He coughed, choking on his words. "The Little Dreamer's mortal enemy."
"We have a… mortal enemy?" I panicked. Don't tell me there's a rival gang? I knew I shouldn't have signed up to join a group called 'The Epic Gang'.
"Something like that." Bill said nonchalantly. Phill and Finn nodded in agreement.
"Isn't there someth—"
"AAAAHHHH."
… huh?
"Why do you have soooo many questions!?" Jamie shouted. "That does it!" Jamie exclaimed. "Bill!"
"Yes boss!" Bill sprung to life, dashing directly into the waves of people. "Wait for me big brother!" Phill said as he chased after him.
"Hm." Finn sprinted off, the corner of his mouth that was barely visible curled into a smirk - as if to say 'finally'.
Like clockwork, they moved instantaneously at the sound of Jamie's command. Had they practiced that or something?
"You're the fastest but you always need a push, Reno." Jamie said with feigned disappointment. "Come on Reno, let's go."
I always need… a push? Thinking back to my previous life, it was like that too. I didn't start running until my aunty recommended it and I didn't really get into biology until my teachers encouraged me to join competitions and write papers.
All the interests I accumulated were because someone had pushed me to do them. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'd like things to be different this time around.
What if there wasn't anyone to push me? No one to tell me I should put myself out there. What then? Would I just keep to myself and not pursue anything?
Whilst I was lost in my thoughts, Jamie reached out and grabbed my hand. He began running, taking me along with him as he did.
We rushed through the streets, four little kids zigzagging through a crowd of people.
We ran.
"I'm coming through—follow me boss!"
"I'll pick up the Sunvines later—wait watch it you damn brats!"
"S-sorry."
And ran.
"Yeah those Sonus flowers are perfect just—hey watch where you're going kids!?"
"Hm."
And ran some more.
"Can't you give me some of that Kent ore a bit cheaper——ahh kids these days never look where they're going."
"Hahaha! Catch me if you can!"
"Listen, just 300 Teaves for this Mereon fruit is a bargain good sir—an 'excuse me' wouldn't kill you kid!"
"Sorry." I grimaced. "I'm in a rush."
"Woah Reno you made him really mad, he's going red. Just what did you do to him?" Jamie asked from in front of me.
"I just bumped into him… I think."
"Oi boss!" A shout came from our big frontrunner. "First one's on the left boss you ready?"
"Let it fly Bill!" Jamie said, his eyes beaming with excitement. Bill lowered his shoulder and charged forwards.
BASH!
The first stall went down like a wooden domino. A cascade of colourful scarves burst into the air—fluttering like butterflies as Bill ploughed straight through the fabric stand, arms stretched out like a bird.
"One down!" he howled with excitement.
"Wooo!"
"Go! Go! Go!" Jamie shouted, fanning the flames.
My legs glided over the cobblestone floor as the world around me blurred. The poor store owner gasped in shock as we rushed past her one by one. By the time she'd caught on we'd already made considerable distance.
I didn't know how to feel. My head told me this was wrong. But my heart was pounding—with excitement!
"That was awesome!" Phill yelled. "Who's next?"
"It's you!" Bill screamed. "But only if you can catch me!" He tried speeding up as he ran.
The alley was wide enough for us to all run side by side and so fairly quickly we all surpassed Bill, much to his dismay of course.
"Next one's yours, Phill!" Jamie called.
Phill grinned, his lanky legs pumping harder as he surged to the front of the pack. His footsteps thudded like drums on the cobblestone, faster and faster until—
"I-I'm going for it boss!" Phill shouted.
CRASH! CLANG! CLINK! CHIME!
The sound burst out like fireworks. Gears, screws, and chimes exploded into the air, spinning like metal petals.
Before long, a silver carpet covered the floor ahead, metallic fragments gleaming beneath the sun, while wooden crates and stalls loomed like obstacles in a maze.
"Oops!" Phill laughed, but he didn't stop running.
I swerved right to dodge a falling windup crane. My heart pounded—not from anxiety, but from excitement. The way my legs moved, the thrill of dodging between crates and debris, the wind tugging at my hair—I couldn't help it.
I was having fun.