Ship In A Bottle (A Monkie Kid Reader Insert)

Chapter 8: Background noise

(A/n): Sorry for the inconvenience! As of May 12, I cut Chapter 7 into two chapters, since it exceeded my word count too much that the latter half could count as its own chapter. For those who already read the original Chapter 7, there is still one scene I added in the very last part here. Just FYI. Anyway, happy reading!

__________________________________________________________________________________

The button caused a hole to open inside of the claw machine, revealing an incinerator underneath. The sight was enough for Mei to jolt and scream in panic, adrenaline pumping her back to full wake.

"Who's idea was it to install an incinerator IN AN ARCADE?!" You boomed, still trying to get used to the lack of gravity. "DOES CHINA NOT HAVE THEIR OWN VERSION OF OSHA, OR WHAT?!"

"I DON'T KNOW, THIS WOULD'VE GOTTEN ANYONE ARRESTED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY!" MK yelled back, scrambling on air. By now, you could only wonder what kind of city Megapolis is at this point, an apparent popular autonomous city that can afford repairing constant collateral damage- Who the hell is the mayor here again?

The party clone watched the both of you amusedly, all the while finishing a box of popcorn, drizzled in glowstick juice. Throwing the now empty box behind him, he laughed, pushing a button as he slowly lowered all of you back down.

"Get 'em, boys."

The army of clones jumped to attack, surrounding the original.

"AAGHH!"

MK wasted no time and pulled you with him, with both of you flying past the clones via staff. Dodging, ducking, and running, you both did for every clone that jumped at your direction. One even almost biting your arm off, hadn't you been fast enough.

Both of your shoes screeched to a halt, with an incoming wave of clones in front of you. With MK too stunned to move, you were left with no other choice. You grabbed him by the arm, and held your breath, before running into the crowd.

MK screamed at first, with his eyes shut. But stopped the moment he opened one eye. Expecting an ambush, he was instead someone phasing through them. He was far from complaining though, with him catching speed, careful not to step on your shoe.

Mei watched in horror as her friends were being chased, and tried to muster up what little energy she had left to summon her spirit dragon. But battling against her deep exhaustion showed little to no success. Slowly being lowered into the incinerator, she could only scream her friends' names.

You can't keep running forever, and you knew it. Not when the time you can hold your breath lessens and lessens from all of the running and dodging. Desperate for other options, you eyed the flow toys scattered everywhere. The moment you grabbed a flow flag, an idea began to form, but wow, did you hate it.

"Bell, watch out!"

MK pulled you away from another clone, and another, and another. He pulled you into a corner hidden from view, letting the both of you catch your breaths.

"MK, I have a plan." You panted. "I'll distract the clones, you sneak Mei out and get out of here."

"I can't leave!" MK argued back. "I still gotta poof them away!"

"Mei first, then the clones." You sternly ordered. Just before MK could argue back, his eyes widened. You looked where he was staring at, and found a clone about to pounce from behind. You immediately acted, swinging your backpack in front of you to block off the attack. You dropped said backpack, before forcing the clone against the wall.

"Not a word."

You grabbed half of the clone's hair with one hand and opened the backpack with the other. You grabbed the hair trimmer the painter clone left in there and shaved off half of this clone's hair. You pushed the clone out of your hiding spot, and waited.