Chapter 3: C01ns and Karts Part 1: Coinless mechanic

*VROOOOMM~~~*

The karts made such a noise as they zoomed in the infomercial for the "Coins and Karts grand Prix". Her0 stared in awe at the floating hologram that displayed the competition as we waited in line for a ticket to the next city over called Gamertown. It's significantly closer to my goal knocking off 500km which at first I couldn't believe but it made me glad to know that these subway stations are not only cheap, but also fast and are very extensive. When the woman in front us finally finished and rushed off to the next train we took our step and told the cashier that we'd like to take the next train to Gamertown. She looked at me, and then Her0, and both of us at the same time before bursting out into laughter as she told us that we can't pay now because there aren't any golden tickets left for Gamertown and that the next train there won't come for another 5 days then, and only then will we be able to buy a golden ticket for the next one and wait for 20 more days for the next train to arrive. I wasn't happy about it but for some reason Her0 was so ecstatic and excited.

"Marla Marla MARLA, This is a great opportunity!" they said while tugging at my jacket sleeve swaying me back and forth 

"An opportunity? For what exactly?" I asked in confusion. Her0 pointed at the infomercial. "THAT!" they said excitedly. A racing competition isn't a bad idea at first, heck I'm great at all types of games and Racing is one of them, but I didn't have much energy to do it right now since it isn't my priority at the moment and I just really want to knock off that 500 kilometers right away. I told them that we can't race at the moment because I'll sooner walk than wait 5 days in a desert town. The town we are on right now is called "Abandonation" Which was not too far from the mountain we climbed yesterday.

Her0 tried to force me to race as much as they could but I didn't want to budge, I wasn't taking any chances because I just want to get this over with as soon as possible. Her0 in a last chance to convince me told me that the V-01D didn't really have an expiration date nor was it limited to only select amount of players so we can go there whenever we wanted regardless of time so we didn't have to be on a rush. I wanted to split with Her0 then and there, wanting to tell them that they could join the tournament if they want but I wouldn't join with them but it was then that I saw a figure in a dirty brown coat and sand covered mask with goggles looking at us from behind a barrel. As if noticing me, he flashed me two golden tickets which shimmered in the bright rays of the sun and it was after then that he ran away, and almost signaling to me as if telling Her0 and I to follow.

Her0 followed me as I ran after the man, it took a while because whenever I'd get close enough to grab his coat he'll make a sharp turn and I'll trip face first on the ground. Meanwhile, with the faster and more agile Her0, he kicked them or slammed them onto a wall whenever they grabbed his coat causing them to let go and him to run faster. We got tired of chasing him and planned to stop and just get back on the road; it was then that he appeared behind us and flashed the tickets again taunting us some more and soon we continued to give chase. Finally, it took a while and we took a lot of damage along the way but we finally did it, we finally cornered this man and we kindly ask for the tickets, I was willing to pay in coins however, the man didn't want anything material from us. He pressed a button and suddenly the ground shook violently; Metal plates rose out of the ground from behind him and then he took off his mask to reveal himself as not a "He" but... A "She"?

The tall, slender woman wearing a large brown coat, with auburn hair and Hazel eyes invited us inside of her abode. We walked inside and immediately I my attention was grabbed by the Massive Silver Wrench hanging on the wall above her Dirty brown colored couch and her living room table made of tiny metal plates welded together.

•

She introduced herself as Bonne Andyrson, a Freelance Kart Mechanic from the MidGen who wanted to participate in the upcoming "Coins and Karts Grand Prix" to which both she and Her0 fangirled over the minigame event built by the hacker named Vegant Asva. Oddly enough though he didn't seem to have lost any competition he competed in in recent times and this time looks to be no different as he is going to be joining in the next race once more. Bonne hopes that this year she'll get to participate in the tournament but she knew she wasn't cut out to be a racer because regardless of how good you are at making Karts, you apparently still need a high enough speed stat to actually compete, a speed stat that she couldn't reach at this point in time; I was asking if the tickets she was showing us earlier was legit or not and she showed us one last time to confirm that it is real, she even chuckled a bit telling me that she was the woman in line I was waiting for to finish earlier and that she heard Her0 wanting to join the competition and that Yes these tickets were legit. She was willing to give these two tickets to us in exchange for us Participating in the Race which will occur in 4 days and that we didn't need to win the race necessarily but to just get a high enough placing that top engineers will see her exploits inside and outside the game. That way when she finally does choose to exit the game she will have a job that pays well enough.

Her0 accepted these terms with a smile on thier face but I was skeptical. "Why doesn't she tell us to win the race?" Or "Why does she want us to join specifically?" These were the questions going through my mind as I kept on pondering the decision to accept this deal. Also why would she choose to make a deal with us in such a secretive back alley. It didn't feel right, it felt like she was hiding but from who?

I wanted to ask her these questions but most likely she won't answer me properly or just deflect the question entirely. I wanted answers from her and so I accepted her deal to find out more about this woman and also Her0 wanted to see what sort of Kart she has for us. Bonne laughed hysterically and very loudly she SLAMMED both of her hands on the table "SURE KID! I'll show ya' what I've been workin' on" She said enthusiastically. She walked us over to a vault door and with a sly grin on her face Bonne opened it revealing a 2 seater Kart, Blue hued with yellow accents.

"Ladies and Non-Binaries I present to you "The ExcitedFalcon"" she said, taking a bow in front of us. "Let me guess, from earlier you were wondering why I chose both of you, correct?" I was surprised she knew but she continued "Hehe, well I didn't choose you per se, but I did test yer' speed and mobility, and from what I have observed; YOU girlie had an above average speed I only wish ya'd use it better and mind what you were doin' instead of goin' for the goal as fast as possible; AND YOU Mah' white haired friend, You were obviously the better of you two and managed to grab me countless of times, but you don't really put ya' whole heart into chasin' me, almost like you only were because ya' friend was. Now do ya see how I determined that you two were perfectly average candidates ta help me win the Grand Prix?"

I was agast at how technical and smart her selection was, she even gave us proper evaluations and told us how we could improve. She was smart and I felt kind of amazed by her. I decided that I would atleast do what she wanted for the time being and get us a good enough placement on the Race to help her get off the ground. It was then we heard a knock on the door.

*KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!* "HEY BONNE WE KNOW YER' IN THERE!!!" The man said outside the door and whether it was fear or instinct, I could see that Bonne was terrified of this man. Her face turned pale, her hands trembled, she sweat profusely, her breaths were deep and fast, and her words slurred to the point where she couldn't muster up a single word. I held her trembling hands and was met with a cold touch. "BONNE OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR I'LL TEAR IT DOWN MA'SELF!!!" The man screamed; With those words, Bonne fell to the ground in silent fear of of the man behind it and how could she not? The voice of the man was raspy, loud, and booming throughout the entire underground base, even though the door was several layers of dirt above us, even I was shaking in my boots. Her0 though almost seemed unphased by it and volunteered, almost demanded to us, to go up there with a look of determined calmness.

I put Bonne over my shoulder and with Her0 went slowly walked up the spiraling staircase. The man once again Screamed out Bonne's name just as Her0 opened the door; Out there was a group of men holding giant Silver wrenches just like the one on Bonne's wall. in the middle and the one calling out to Bonne was a big man wearing a dirty blue polo with a golden chain around his neck and auburn hair despite his receding hairline and a massive Golden Wrench behind his back.

The man asked Her0 outside who he was "Not a boy" Her0 replied coldly. The man corrected himself by asking HER who SHE was "Not a girl either" Her0 responded once again in a cold, angry, voice. The man got fed up and raised his massive Golden Wrench and yelled "I don't care what'cha are, Move you goddam-!" before he gets cut off by Her0 as they jumped to the man's eye level and Kicked the man in the face, launching him towards the nearest adjacent wall with a loud *BAM * as he hits it. Leaving the giant hole he created he pointed at Her0 with his wrench and commanded his men "ATTACK!!!" He screamed.

His men followed his command and jumped Her0 all at once. Her0 however, jumped high and dodged all of them at once and activated their skill *HADO FIST* A non damaging ability, used to launch a large amount of enemies away. It is usually used facing forward, but Her0 used it with a downwards angle and thus the shockwave had a large AOE which launched the crowd of men away without damaging the surrounding area.

"H-How DARE YOU! Do you know who I am?! I'm Adam Andyrson you sunnova-" He yelled before Her0 cut him off "I don't care who you are old man, but clearly my friend Bonne there is scared of you so if you would kindly do so..." Her0 then raised their fist readying another Hado Fist to launch at the man and in a dead, chilling, voice said "Please... Leave"

The man fled cursing us, saying that we'll regret what happened today. As I watched over Bonne, her breathing steadily became less heavy and generally she seemed to calm down as the man named Adam Andyrson left and Her0 returned inside her home. We didn't know what to do so I told Her0 to watch Bonne as I made us some drinks to calm us down.