Sleepwalker

Existential

August 30, 2715
Dreamworld: Ring 1

"You owe me a new shirt," Ace commented offhandedly. After spending most of the night flitting down alleyways and over rooftops, he was growing bored. And it was just so easy to rile up the Sleepwalkers' self-appointed leader.

Amber rolled her eyes and vaulted on to the next rooftop with ease. She had traded her dress and stilettos for a pair of black sweats with a matching hoodie and a scuffed pair of red and white converses.

Ace honestly thought humanity's shoe game would have improved over the last few centuries, but he guessed the magnetic grip on her soles was worth noting. Or maybe she was just into really retro fashion?

"Daylight is scheduled to start in five hours. Keep up," she snapped.

He easily landed beside her, ignoring her tense shoulders and the way Diego eyed him from the other side of the roof. Instead, he glanced over the side, gray eyes scanning for signs of Enforcers lurking in the streets below. By taking the rooftop route, they had cut down their chances of running into trouble, but Ace didn't want to take any unnecessary chances.

"Seriously. That was like my favorite shirt," he added. It was also my first shirt. "Sentimental value is pretty pricey."

"Like I care about a stupid shirt. You're lucky I didn't just have Rerek kill you on the field," Amber huffed in exasperation.

Ace frowned. "What do you mean?"

Now it was Amber's turn to grin, and she paused to look at him. "You didn't think that was all he could do, right? Chase you around, spit a couple fireballs? You were supposed to be an example to not mock the game. I just didn't expect you to be such a good hacker."

His frown deepened into a scowl. "You went easy on me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," she replied with a tone suggesting anything but remorse, "but a teenager with no mech getting pummeled wouldn't be much of a show, now would it?"

    "I don't care if it's for a show, don't go easy on me again."

    "Would you rather I kill you outright?" she snorted, flipping her auburn ponytail off her shoulder and letting it dangle behind her.

    Ace glanced down at his hand. "I'd like to see what you trying looks like. Maybe then I'd have to put in some effort."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ace walked forward, though he did pause to give a look of fake confusion over his shoulder. "You didn't think you were the only one performing, did you?"

"Well, maybe when this is all over, we can have a rematch then."

"We made it to the Gateway," Cho interrupted them, her short ebony hair cutting a perfect line across her cheek. Ace mentally thanked her for the save. He didn't feel like explaining to "Little Miss Fireball" that her fight club won't exist after their mission.

        The Sleepwalkers leaned over the roof's edge, all eyes gazing down at the violet portal glowing below. Just beyond the translucent wall of code surrounding Ring 1, Ace could see the layout of Zone 1's first deathtrap—the Grid.

    "Okay, hotshot, how do you plan to get us into the Zones without tipping off the authorities?"

UnknownPresence_Detected.

Ace turned around. "Too late."

    Everyone froze on the spot, though Diego did try to put his friends at ease. "Maybe if we don't move, they won't see us."