MTE: Evaded // Evade Fanfiction

Chapter 1 // Munci

"You know about this Munci that the news had been talking about?"

Jard lay on the couch, resting his head against the cushioned pillows. He looked up to the ceiling, where his eyes followed the small cracks carved by time. Galf looked at Jard, his tired eyes trying to meet his. He waited for his answer, wondering why he wasn't responding.

"Jard?"

"Oh? Sorry, didn't hear for this first time,"

He lifted his head, this time focusing his full attention on Galf. The red uniform shopkeeper sighed as he opened his mouth to repeat his question.

"Do you know about this Munci?" Galf repeated himself.

Jard looked back at the ceiling, thinking of many possible responses to express his answer. Thoughts swirled and sliced around the back of his mind like a blender. Even as an interdimensional navigator as he hopped from dimension to dimension, he never recalled a nextbot or even an entity with "Munci" tagged to its name. 

"Why are you asking me that question?" Jard responded with an expressionless and dead tone, "Why didn't you ask Bobo that question?"

"I asked him that," the cashier replied, "he never met a nextbot with the name 'Munci',"

"Besides, I didn't want to interrupt him whilst he is in his sweet moment," Galf smiled, looking over his shoulder into the small corner of his shop.

Bobo's eyes widened like the stars in the night sky. His back faced the carpet as his arms were raised to the sky. He was laughing, crying. A bright yellow feline was in the grasp of his hands, lunging towards him and planting its paws on his chest. Bobo nuzzled the cat. 

Jard watched Bobo as he pressed his face against the feline. He blinked once before facing Galf again.

"Good point..."

Galf softly facepalmed before pinching his nose bridge, shaking his head disappointed. He stood up from his seat, making him look slightly taller.

"Do none of you knuckleheads own a television?!" he responded harshly.

Jard looked at him with a straight and confused energy in his face.

"What? Have you never lived in an apartment?!"

"Apartments have televisions!"

"When did you expect me to live in a luxurious apartment?"

Bobo looked up to see two full-grown adults arguing like children. He giggled a bit. Galf rolled his eyes.

"Not all non-luxurious apartments ditch televisions in a living room! Are you that stupid?!"

"Not my fault that I don't have a television in my apartment, is it?"

Galf sighed, turning his head to an empty wall before lightly banging it, hoping to contain his brain cells. Despite being offended by the statement of living like the rich, Jard was curious to explore more about this nextbot as the information might help him in his future expeditions.

The red uniform shopkeeper turned around with shadows over his eyes.

"Listen to me carefully," Galf said, seriousness was hinted in his voice, "unlike the other nextbots you had encountered in your expeditions, Munci is the one who you should be wary of,"

"So far, I had encountered and evaded the annoying sanic nextbot. Heck, even Bobo's little gremlins," Jard responded, looking at Bobo, "so why should I be concerned by Munci?"

Galf went silent. His face was painted with black and seriousness. Jard blinked, softening his face. He looked concerned about what was going to happen. His instincts told him to turn to the corner and run away. It was as if Galf wanted to shake the fear out of him.

"You know what..." Jard spoke, standing from his couch and trying to walk into the dark hallways, "I might just-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Galf walked towards the clear windows of the shop before fiddling with the curtain lines. The thick black material was enough to make the light to be sucked out of the room. Jard shuttered for a second. He heard the breeze blowing on the curtains from the open window. Goosebumps formed on his skin as the freezing wind startled him. Footsteps grew louder and louder towards him as his heart pounded loudly. Jard slowly walked backwards before he was up against the wall. He was in a horror movie. 

Every part of his brain urged him to run away, but the overwhelming fear built up, making it impossible for him to escape. 

"Compared with other nextbots you had faced... Munci is the most difficult one of them all..." Galf said in a low, menacing tone, "it wasn't just known for its near-silent noise or its high acceleration and velocity, but rather its dark body that blends into the night..."

Bobo seemed to stop what he was doing. Despite Jard's terrified reaction to Galf's information, his face was twisted with confusion and curiosity. He stood a little before kneeling on the carpet. His head lifted to listen to what the shopkeeper had to say.

"He is so powerful, even he gets his special round..." Galf continued, "anyone who dares to pass him is met with a cold and painful demise..."

"But I thought nextbots have no gender-"

"Shush," Galf interrupted, forcing Jard to go silent, "you are safe from him... for now..."

Finally, Galf stepped away before returning to his counter. Jard could still feel the stiffness in his muscles. Bobo smiled, not fearing the worst. The shopkeeper then opened the bottom cabinet before reaching for the treasure. He pulled out a box containing a row of cigars, which were carefully lined and placed. Using his skinny finger, he pulled out a stick. A puff of smoke escaped his lips as his muscles relaxed.

Jard was still tensed from the massive attack of words. He slowly walked over to the couch before recklessly sitting down. He took a few breaths as he tried to eat the dialogue that Galf fed him. He rested his head on the wall, staring at the empty ceiling again. He had a foul taste as his saliva slowly mixed in with his held words. All he heard was his heavy breath and the ringing in his ears. He breathed slowly to calm himself down, only to inhale the dirty smoke from Galf's cigarette. 

Bobo slowly stood from his sitting position before reaching for the curtains. He seemed to hate the dark as much as Jard. 

"Can I open the curtains?" Bobo asked, looking at Galf.

"Go ahead,"

The lights flooded the room like a broken dam. Jard squinted his eyes. It had been a long time since he had seen the afternoon sun.

Legend or not, his eyes were widened and prepared for the wrath of this so-called "Munci".