Blair grabs onto the side of the elevator shaft.
Blair:
That’s what you get for making this challenge dark!
Hayze:
Blair? Where the hell did you come from?
Blair holds up Jake with smoke coming from his mouth.
Jake:
*groans*
Hayze:
Uh… what happened to him?
Blair:
He fell down some stairs.
Hayze:
Then why is his mouth charred black?
Blair:
Jake?
Jake:
*tears rolling down face* The stairs were hot.
Blair:
The stairs were
very
hot.
Spectre:
I’m not done yet!
Blair and Hayze look down to see Spectre starting to get back up to his feet.
Spectre:
I won’t let you defeat me that easily!
Hayze:
Shit! Do you have any ideas?
Blair looks at Jake.
Jake:
Please… no…
Blair drops Jake down the elevator shaft he slams into Spectre.
Spectre:
AHHH! Dammit!
Hayze:
Well, I guess that works… Thanks for the help, Blair. You’re the best.
Blair blushes.
Blair:
N- n- no problem.
Hayze:
Are you alright? Your face looks red.
Blair:
JUST CLIMB YOU, IDIOT!
Hayze:
Okay, yup, got it
Hayze quickly reaches the exit and steps out. A loud buzzer goes off, the mineshaft disappears, and the facility returns to normal with everyone on the same level.
Alexis:
*groans* Did we win?
Blair helps Alexis, who is holding her head, to her feet.
Blair:
Hell yeah, we did!
Alexis:
That’s good. I think he gave me a concussion with that hit…
Hayze helps Saige to her feet.
Hayze:
Are you alright?
Saige:
Yeah… clever little trap he had there. Sorry about that.
Hayze:
It’s no big deal; Blair showed up and stopped Mr. Spectre dead in his tracks.
Saige:
Oh, she did, eh?
Saige looks at Blair.
Saige:
(Hm…)
Saige walks over to Blair and stares at her chest.
Blair:
W- what are you doing?
Saige:
I think I’ll call you, Duracell.
Blair:
W- why?
Saige:
Double-A.
Dead silence. Hayze starts backing away.
Blair:
(I hate this slut, I hate her.)
Adrian approaches the team with Recovery Girl.
Adrian:
Alright, let’s get everyone healed up.
Blair:
/This isn’t over, whore./
Saige:
It’s pronounced Saige, gosh small boobs and dumb, tough combo.
Blair:
… I’m gonna rip one of your tits off.
Saige:
Hayze! Duracell’s threatening me!
Hayze:
And? They’re a large-scale corporation; they can do that.
Saige:
No, I mean Duracell, the person.
Hayze:
Who? Bl-
Hayze sees Blair pooling lava in her palm.
Hayze:
…Jake?
Saige:
Huh, I thought it started with a ‘B.’
Everyone gathers together; Recovery Girl has finished healing everyone except Jake and Spectre.
Aaron:
My bad for getting knocked out so early, guys. Mr. Spectre got the drop on me in the tunnels.
Alexis:
Which is partially my fault…
Hayze:
Hey, everything turned out alright, so let’s just be happy with that.
Saige:
At least you didn’t take as bad a pummeling as Bljake.
Aaron looks at Jake as Recovery Girl is healing him.
Aaron:
Stairs got him?
Blair:
Yup.
Aaron:
Damn, hot stairs too?
Blair:
Very hot.
Aaron:
Poor guy.
Angel:
Hey… Jake abandoned me in the mineshaft, so how did he-
Aaron:
Angel! You abandoned us!
Angel:
Wh- what!
Aaron:
One second, you were there, and the next, you were gone. That’s not very team-friendly of you!
Angel:
N- wait, I’m sorry? Is this a prank?
Alexis:
Yeah, Angel, we were worried about you. It was very rude of you to leave us like that.
Angel:
I got clotheslined by a freaking minecart!
Aaron:
Excuses, excuses.
Angel:
What do you mean!
Adrian clears his throat, everyone turns their attention to him.
Adrian:
Congratulations on passing this exercise. Despite being separated from the start, you were able to reunite when you needed to most, the fact that 5 of you managed to reach the ending is quite impressive. Unfortunately, we didn’t see most of what happened during the exercise, but the conclusion was great. You all earn A’s for this exercise.
Everyone is happy.
Adrian:
Now, head back to the viewing room; we have one more team left.
Alden comes running out from the viewing room and onto the field.
Alden:
Finally! It’s my turn! I’m about to show everyone that I’ll win with no effort at all! The champion is here!
Saige:
*whispers to Hayze* Should we tell him his fly is down?
Hayze:
No.
The members of Team B leave for the viewing room; Hayze looks at Saige through the corner of his eye.
Hayze:
(Wrath wasn’t telling the truth about his intentions, but that doesn’t mean everything he was saying were lies…)
“
Wrath:
I’ll say it once, and I’ll say it again: they’re lying to you. “
— Chapter 54
“
Wrath:
Ah, I forgot they erased your memories… let me show you mine instead. “
— Chapter 54
Hayze:
(I have to take them with a grain of salt, but those visions I saw… they felt so real…)
Team B enters the viewing room with Adrian; Team C gathers in the center of the facility. Eve looks distraught.
Ash:
What’s wrong, Eve?
Eve:
I just have a strong feeling of déjà vu right now…
Ash:
Oh, don’t worry, we’ve all gotten stronger since the first time we did these exercises. I’m sure everything will go fine!
Eve:
That doesn’t exactly apply to everyone…
Eve looks over at Demetri, Isaiah, and Alden.
Demetri:
Alright, listen here, you’ll be taking my orders this time. I refuse to have another embarrassment occur here today!
Alden:
Hey, who put you in charge! I’m here!
Isaiah:
I can’t believe I agree with Alden, but what he said!
Demetri:
Shut up, you idiots, clearly I’m the best leader here!
Alden:
No, I am!
Isaiah:
I won’t agree with that, but I will say that I don’t agree with you either, Demetri!
The three continue arguing.
Wes:
(How the hell am I the 4th most competent person here…)
Kevin walks over to Wes.
Kevin:
So… how fucked do you think we are?
Wes:
On a scale of 0 to a husband that forgot his anniversary, we forgot her birthday too.
Kevin:
Yeah, that sounds about right. Even though Isaiah is an idiot, I do have to admit he might be one of the better leaders in this group, although that isn’t saying much…
Wes:
Huh? I would have thought you would be the de facto leader, given that you’re clearly the strongest among us.
Kevin:
Just because I’m strong doesn’t mean I’m a leader. Hell, you’re probably a better leader than I am.
Wes:
I’m sorry, what?
Kevin:
Don’t get me wrong, you’re about as bright as a box of crayons, no offense.
Wes:
No, no, that’s fair.
Kevin:
But what you lack in intelligence, strength, looks, social skills, intelligence-
Wes:
Okay, I get it…
Kevin:
You make for with good instincts.
Wes:
Like what?
Kevin:
You’re the kind of guy that steers away from trouble, you wouldn’t lead your team into a fight you can’t win, you see there’s a thin line between bravery and stupidity, and you stay far away from that.
Wes:
Huh, I never thought of it that way…
Kevin:
That’s because you emulate negativity like a whore does with STDs, no offense.
Wes:
No, no, that’s fair, but don’t you think you’d be a good leader?
Kevin:
I’m not built for tough decisions. I don’t think quick on the fly like some of the others, something a leader needs to do. You see, I’m perfectly fine with taking orders from someone else as long as I’m helping the team, take the 2nd round of the Sports Festival, for example.
Wes:
Okay… I get that but look at your competition…
Kevin turns his attention to Alden, Isaiah, and Demetri playing rock, paper, scissors.
Demetri, Isaiah, and Alden:
Shoot!
They all throw rock. They give each other death stares.
Demetri, Isaiah, and Alden:
Rock, paper, scissors… Shoot!
They all throw rock again. They give each other more death stares.
Demetri, Isaiah, and Alden:
Rock, paper, scissors… Shoot!
They all throw rock again.
Demetri:
(They’ll eventually stop throwing rock… and then I’ll win.)
Isaiah:
(I’ve got this, Demetri will get in his own head and throw scissors soon enough, and Alden? He’s an idiot, I’ve got this.)
Alden:
(These two peasants keep stealing my signature move, they’ll realize only I’m allowed to play rock in due time.)
Kevin looks at Wes.
Kevin:
Fair enough.
Wes:
Yup.
Eve and Ash approach Wes and Kevin.
Eve:
So what’s the plan here, “Real team C?”
Wes:
Wait, I’m a part of the real team!
Eve:
Unfortunately, yes.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Wes:
Why did you have to say “unfortunately”…
Eve:
You know why…
Wes:
Fair enough.
Ash:
What do you guys think our challenge will be?
Kevin:
Hopefully, something that doesn’t require us to lean on any of the idiot brothers.
Wes:
I know what challenge I don’t want it to be…
The holographic projectors blare up, and a bottomless pit forms beneath everyone. They all start falling.
Wes:
No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO-
Suddenly bungee cords connect to each of their ankles, and they all stop falling as the cables are connected to a beam above them.
Wes:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Alden:
Yes! Redemption time…
Isaiah and Demetri:
(Oh god…)
Eve:
You’ve gotta be kidding me…
Kevin:
We’re doomed…
Hive Five 1:
Hahahahaha! Welcome back to the pit of pure pain!
They look over to see 7 Hive Five’s hanging from their own beam.
Hive Five 2:
I can see we some returning-
Eve:
JUST EXPLAIN THE CHALLENGE SO WE CAN GET THIS OVER WITH!
Hive Five 3:
Jesus! Okay then…
A large screen comes out of the dirt.
Hive Five 4:
Basically, that screen will pop up with a question that one of the members of one team came up with, the other team will have 15 seconds to have anyone answer that question, and if they get it wrong, their bungee cord will snap, and they'll fall into the mystery box!
They look down to see a giant 10×10 box form beneath them.
Hive Five 5:
Each square of that box has a thin layer of paper above it, and if you fall, you’ll land in one of those boxes and be careful they might have things that will break your fall, like pillows or a trampoline, or they could have bad things, like spikes or Legos!
Alden:
… Pee?
Hive Five 6:
Of course!
Alden:
Please, god… not again…
Hive Five 7:
One other thing, if you get a question right, you can choose to bring one of your teammates back up, or you can select a member of the other team to eliminate. The first team to have all of its players fall into the abyss loses!
Everyone looks distraught.
Hive Five 1:
Hey, uh… why do you guys look so down?
Eve:
The last time we did this, I had my tit size publicly announced…
Alden:
I fell in pee…
Isaiah and Demetri:
That was the last time we were taken seriously…
Wes:
I considered it a gift from God that I wasn’t a part of this last time, now here I am…
Hive Five looks around.
Hive Five 2:
Okay… how about I make this a little easier for you guys?
This piques everyone’s interest. Four Hive Fives cut their bungee cords and fall into the abyss.
Hive Five 3:
You’ll start with a man advantage.
All four Hive Fives land in the same box, full of pillows.
Hive Five 1:
Now, how does that sound?
Kevin:
Well, I’m a little bit more confident now.
Eve:
Yeah, we can win a 3 on 3.
Demetri, Isaiah, and Alden:
HEY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!
Wes:
I thought you said I was a part of the team!
Eve:
I changed my mind.
Wes:
Goddammit!
Hive Five 2:
Now then, let’s start!
Hive Five points at Isaiah.
Hive Five 3:
You! Come up with a question!
Isaiah:
No, please! Not again!
Eve:
He’s just going to think of something perverted again!
Kevin:
This isn’t going to go well…
Isaiah:
Oh, come, guys! Do you really have that little faith in me!
Ash:
It’s okay, Isaiah, you can do it! I believe in you!
Wes:
Don’t encourage him…
Isaiah:
Thanks, Ash! You know what? I can do it! I’ll come up with a super hard math question!
Isaiah goes into deep thought. Then, the screen pops up with the question: What color are Ash’s panties?
Isaiah:
I- I- I-
Everyone is dead silent; Ash has a blank expression on her face. Isaiah is afraid.
Demetri:
Really dude?
Wes:
Again, how am I the fourth most competent person here?
Ash stares blankly at Isaiah.
Hive Five 1:
*sighs* Again, with this shit? White…
A bell dings. Everyone is dead silent. Ash’s body goes limp.
Isaiah:
Ash! I’m sorry!
Suddenly Isaiah starts punching himself in the crotch.
Demetri:
Uh… Isaiah?
Isaiah (Ash):
DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE!
Isaiah stops punching himself in the crotch and starts writhing in pain.
Isaiah:
*high pitched* Ow…
Ash:
Oh no, Isaiah, what happened!
Wes:
(Why are all of the chicks in this class so fucking scary!)
Hive Five 2:
Alright, I guess I’ll get rid of that one…
Isaiah starts falling.
Isaiah:
*high pitched* NOOOO!
Isaiah lands in a square full of boiling water.
Isaiah:
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! IT BURNS SO MUCH!
Everyone stares at Isaiah.
Wes:
Well, at least he didn’t take out anyone important…
Hive Five starts laughing.
Eve:
I don’t like the sound of that.
Hive Five 3:
My turn! And this one will cause you to question your loyalty to one another!
The question pops on the board: Who is your least favorite member of your team?
Hive Five 1:
That’s right, this one is-
Kevin:
Alden.
Wes:
Alden.
Eve:
Alden.
Demetri:
Alden.
Ash:
Alden.
Hive Five is white.
Alden:
He only needed one answer…
Hive Five 2:
Wow, I really thought that one would be harder… well, I guess you are now presented with a choice to bring back your friend.
Isaiah is screaming in pain.
Hive Five 3:
Or cut one of us loose.
Eve:
We’ll get rid of one of you.
Wes:
Yeah, this one is pretty easy.
Hive Five 3 falls and lands in a square full of feathers.
Wes:
Lucky little bastards…
Hive Five 1:
I guess it’s back to you guys.
Hive Five points at Demetri.
Hive Five 2:
Think of a question!
Demetri:
Oh fuck…
Eve:
Don’t you even think about it! Don’t you even for a second about-
A question pops on the board: What color are Eve’s panties? Dead silence fills the air.
Eve:
Wes.
Wes:
Y- yes?
Eve:
Give me your knife.
Hive Five 1:
Oh god, this is pathetic… black!
A buzzer beeps, Hive Five 1 starts falling.
Hive Five 2:
What? How could I have been wrong!
Eve:
Wes! Where is that knife I asked for?
Wes:
YUP! ON IT!
Wes hands Eve a knife, she promptly throws it into Demetri’s leg.
Demetri:
AHHHH! Dammit! That hurts!
Eve:
FUCK! I missed!
Ash:
Wait, I’m confused; how
did
he get that wron-
Eve puts her hand over Ash’s mouth.
Eve:
If you say another word Ms. White, I’ll kill you.
Wes looks at Kevin.
Wes:
/I’m also confused./
Kevin:
/Wes, someday you’ll understand./
Hive Five 1 lands in a square full of water.
Hive Five 2:
(Shoot, just one body left, I’ll have to hit them with a difficult question.)
A question pops on the board: Name the first 7 prime numbers.
Kevin:
Shit! Is anyone good at math?
Wes:
Fuck no!
Ash:
I think I might-
Alden:
I’ve got an answer!
Hive Five 2:
Then let’s hear it!
Alden:
Prime number? That must mean Amazon Prime, which was founded on February 2, 2005! So my answer is 2, 2, 2, 0, 0, 5!
Everyone is dumbfounded.
Wes:
How do you know the exact day that Amazon Prime was founded but not know what a fucking prime number is?
Kevin:
Also, that technically was only three numbers…
Eve:
And actually only six.
A buzzer beeps, Alden starts falling.
Alden:
What? How was I wrong!
Alden looks down at the box.
Alden:
Please don’t be pee! Please don’t be pee!
Alden falls into a square, and it’s… well… full of horse semen.
Alden:
OH GOD, IT'S EVERYWHERE!
Hive Five 2 points at Ash.
Wes and Demetri:
(Phew, thank god…)
Hive Five 2:
Give us a question!
Ash:
Um… I don’t know what to do!
Eve:
It’s okay, Ash. It doesn’t need to be too hard; try asking him a trick question.
Kevin:
Yeah, No pressure, Ash.
Ash:
I um… uh!
A question pops on the board: what’s 1+1? Eve looks at Ash.
Eve:
Well… at least you didn’t ask something perverted…
Ash:
I tried my best…
Hive Five 2:
2… I’ll get rid of the stupid-looking one…
Everyone looks at Wes.
Wes:
Oh, fuck you guys!
Wes starts falling.
Wes:
AHHHHHHHHH!
Wes falls into a box full of mouse traps.
Wes:
NOOOOOOO!
Wes’ screaming and the snapping of mouse traps can be heard below.
Kevin:
4v1, we’ve got this!
Hive Five 2:
No, you don’t!
A question pops on the board: Spell ICUP.
Kevin:
Well… that’s it… we’ve lost.
Demetri:
There’s no chance…
Eve:
What? What are you talking about?
Ash:
Eve, we can’t… It's too dangerous.
Eve:
Since when did you guys get comedic!
Kevin:
Eve, we’re done. There’s no chance.
Eve:
Fuck you! I’ll do it!
Ash, Demetri, and Kevin:
Eve, no!
Eve:
I-C-U-P!
Everyone starts snickering.
Eve:
You guys are so mature…
Hive Five 2:
Thanks for amusing me. Now onto the real question!
Eve:
Oh fuck you! At least give us a teammate back!
Hive Five 2:
Fine, I guess that’s fair.
Hive Five 2 snaps his fingers, a bungee cord starts extending downward and into the pool of horse semen.
Alden:
NOOO! I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK!
Alden gets ripped back up to the top. Everyone plugs their nose.
Eve:
Oh god… that smell!
Alden:
Why me!
Kevin:
Jesus dude, take a shower!
Alden:
I WANT TO!
A question pops on the board: What’s Entropy? There’s a glimmer in Demetri’s eye.
Kevin:
Didn’t we learn this in class?
Ash:
I think so.
Demetri:
I’ve got this, guys.
Eve:
What? You?
Kevin:
Yeah, I don’t know about this…
Demetri:
Guys, I’ve never been surer about something in my life… just trust me.
Eve:
No.
Demetri:
I’ve got your answer Hive Five! You’re going down!
Hive Five 2:
What? You know what it is?
Demetri:
Yes, I do!
Everyone is staring at Demetri.
Demetri:
It’s!
The suspense is building.
Demetri:
It’s… uh… I… uh… fuck…
A buzzer sounds, Demetri starts falling.
Demetri:
Goddammit!
Demetri looks down at the box.
Demetri:
Something soft! Something soft!
Demetri lands in a square full of literal shit.
Demetri:
*muffled* NOT AGAIN! Oh god, it’s in my knife wound!
Everyone looks disgusted.
Ash:
Oh god…
Alden:
Not me! Whew!
Kevin:
Jesus fucking Christ, Alden…
Alden:
I’m covered in horse cum. Just let me be happy about something!
Eve:
No.
Hive Five 2 points at Alden.
Hive Five 2:
Your turn for a question!
Alden:
Oh crap…
Eve, Ash, and Kevin:
(This is gonna go poorly…)
A question pops on the board: Does Ash love me?
Kevin:
Seriously dude?
Eve:
That’s just sad…
Alden:
Well, Ash… What's the answer?
Ash:
No.
Hive Five 2:
No.
Alden’s bungee cord breaks.
Alden:
I can’t believe she rejected me!
Ash, Eve and Kevin watch as Alden falls again.
Ash:
Believe it or not, those were the first words he’s said to me.
Kevin and Eve:
We believe you.
Alden looks down at the box.
Alden:
(Please god… if you love me… don’t do this…)
Alden falls into a pool of pee.
Alden:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hive Five 2 starts laughing.
Hive Five 2:
Your numbers have been dwindling, and it’s almost time for me to win.
Eve:
Not if we get this question right!
Ash:
Yeah, you’re on your last life here! You shouldn’t be cocky.
Kevin:
What they said!
Hive Five 2:
Then answer this!
A question pops on the board: What is the meaning of life?
Eve:
What? How is that fair!
Hive Five 2:
You have 15 seconds.
Kevin:
Shit, he’s asking highly complex questions to try and speed up our defeat. We’ll only get one more chance to take him out at this rate.
Eve:
There’s no way we’ll get this right.
Ash:
I’ll take the dive, guys.
Eve:
Huh?
Kevin:
What, Ash?
Ash:
One of us has to fall, and it might as well be me, I did ask a stupid question earlier, so it’s time for me to take the dive so that you guys can defeat Mr. Hive Five!
Eve:
If that’s what you want to do…
Ash:
The answer is! To die!
Eve:
That’s dark…
Kevin:
(I thought Ash was a happy girl…)
Ash starts falling.
Ash:
I tried my best!
Ash falls into a square of stuffed animals.
Ash:
Wow, this is nice.
Isaiah, Demetri, Alden, and Wes:
Speak for yourself…
Hive Five 2 looks at his remaining opponents.
Hive Five 2:
And then there were two…
Eve:
Shit.
Kevin:
You know, you really shouldn’t have asked that last question…
Hive Five 2:
W- why? I’ve now backed you into a corner. You have no chance!
Kevin:
On the contrary… we have one chance, and it’s the only one we need.
Eve:
What’s going on?
Kevin:
All we have to do to defeat you is stump you with a question, correct?
Hive Five 2:
Y- yes…
Kevin:
And what about if we ask you a question you can’t answer?
Hive Five 2:
And what do you mean by-
A question pops up on the board.
Hive Five 2:
Oh god…
Eve:
Are you kidding me?
The question states: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Kevin:
You’re finished Hive Five!
