Safari In The Unknown

4: The First Step

'We're looking for the first step. Nigel said it would be here.' Lena commented.

The five were walking through the crowded bazar that was the oasis. It was pretty hard to stand out in a place everyone else was an NPC; but even these people were dressed curiously.
It was evening, and already most of the light came from smokey lanterns and fires, the bazaar buzzing with warmth.

'But what is the first step? A path?' asked Arcee.
'It's a clue. It may not be a "step" at all.' said Lena.
'We're in the level, so it might reveal itself.' put in Optimus.

Their attention was drawn by an NPC calling: 'Rations! Come get your rations!'

'Hey, is anyone hungry? The game wants us to keep up our strength.' Lena suggested.
'We can only eat Energon.' said Wheeljack.

Lena looked amused. She knew what energon was thanks to a talk with Optimus.
'You're not robots anymore. Make the most of it.'

She walked up to the NPC, an old man, who proceeded to show her things to eat.
Optimus looked at the man suspiciously for a minute, then he too came over.
This seemed to be what the others were waiting for, and so they followed.

'Will we have to pay?' asked Ratchet.
'Probably not,' replied Lena, in the middle of eating a bun. 'It's a game, remember?'
'A very lifelike game if you ask me.' Ratchet muttered.

The old man seemed to be a baker for he was selling many baked goods, breads and buns. And something else. Small rounds of a sweet-smelling bread-like thing.
Ratchet picked one up.

'I'm surprised we haven't met our enemies yet.' mused Optimus, inspecting a bun.
'I think the game is waiting for us to slip up, and they'll drop right in. A low profile may help.' answered Lena, starting a third bun, this one covered in a sticky sweet sauce.

'Wait, what is this?'

Ratchet was pointing to what he was holding. He'd already taken a bite out of it, but was now looking suspicious.

'That's my famous pound cake.' replied the old man.

'Cake?' said Arcee.

Ratchet turned white. (Well, whiter than he was)

'Ratchet, are you alright?' asked Optimus.
'Uh-oh.' said Lena.
'Doc, you still with us?' demanded Wheeljack.

'Yes,' said Ratchet faintly. 'Am I still normal? Nothing has happened to me?'

'No.' said Optimus.

Ratchet sighed in relief. 'Good. Maybe it just meant that I love cake, right?'

And he promptly exploded.

Several NPCs scattered.

'Ratchet!' yelled Optimus, suddenly panicked.
'Ratchet! Oh no!' Shrieked Arcee.
'He's dead!' cried Wheeljack.
'No, he's not!' said Lena.

They all looked at her in distraught disbelief. Lena was looking up and listening to something.
'Look out! Here he comes!' She called.

There was a yell, and Ratchet fell through the roof of the bazaar, right where he'd exploded a moment before. Several shelves and other things toppled onto him.
Optimus, Arcee and Wheeljack swooped down upon him and unearthed him, and Ratchet was surprised by a sudden tight hug from Optimus.

'You scared us, Old Friend.'
Ratchet grunted something unintelligible.

'Right. I forgot earlier, but there is something you all need to know, right now.' said Lena, coming down on her knees beside them.
Optimus released Ratchet and the four looked at her.
'See this?' Lena held out her left arm, palm up, and on her forearm were three identical black lines. The others looked at their own arms.
'This is our life count. The first two are the extra lives the game has given us, but the final one is your actual life. Use that up, and you're dead. For good.'