A taste of īṉsāṉīṯy

Hide and Seek

'This dream just gets stranger and stranger. . .even the food has a taste!'
Topsee thought,picking up a 2-d pancake in her fingers and shaking it uncertainly.
"Still dreaming Topsee?"
Topsee jumped and turned to see Zooble,arms folded.Topsee half shrugged,poking her fork at some digital bacon.
"I. . .I don't believe it.I won't believe it.I have. . .important people back in the real world.I don't remember who they are.I think I mentioned someone on my first day but-"
Topsee sighed hopelessly and shook her head.Zooble looked away and then pulled out a chair,sitting down.
"I hate to say it.But you can't stay trapped in that cage of denial forever,as much as you want to stay in it,denial only leads you to hopelessness,hopelessness leads you to fear and fear leads to the not good part of acceptance.So if I were you-"

Zooble suddenly picked up one of the mugs Bubble had placed,sipping from it before placing it down,
"As much as you wished you didn't have to,I'd start accepting this ######## sooner or later."
"Nuh-uh!"
Topsee muttered childishly,folding her arms and turning away.Zooble frowned,
"The #### ya mean 'nuh-uh'!?Jeez even Pomni got over it quicker than you!How old are you?"
"Look!The adventure was fun and all and it's kinda impressive how realistic our living conditions are considering I'm in some 2000's weird-core video game but-but this can't be real!I just won't accept it!I didn't grow up just to be thrown into some funky world where I'd get reincarnated into some Christmas mascot!There's gotta be more. . ."
Topsee trailed off,her chin propped on her hands and staring at Gangle and Kinger as they exchanged crayons and drawings between each other.
"I just know this is some dream.I'll wake up soon. . ."

Topsee averted her eyes and saw Ragatha walking with Pomni and then Jax walked up to them,hands behind his head and grinning as he joined them on their stroll.It was quiet for a few moments and then-
"OOOHHH TOPSEEEEE!"
"AUGH!WHAT!?"
Topsee grumbled,folding her arms as Caine scared her.He gestured behind him and Gangle stepped forward,smiling timidly behind her repaired mask.
"Hi Topsee!Caine says he has an idea for our next adventure but he needs us to do something first."
Gangle then held up a small gold coin.One side had a picture of Caine while the other had a pair of cartoon gloves.Caine hovered between them,practically shaking with excitement.
"You two will participate in a friendly game of heads and tails.Whoever loses will be it."
Caine whispered,finishing his ominous dialogue with a intimidating stare.

"LET'S GET TO IT!Gangle,if you will my dear?"
Caine flourished a hand to her,and she turned to Topsee,
"Heads!"
"Then I'm tails."
Topsee replied quietly,arms folded as Gangle attempted to flip the coin with her ribboned hand.It spun just higher then her head and then clattered to the checkered floor.Caine,Topsee and Gangle peered at it,eyes wide with anticipation as it clinked to the ground,displaying the picture of Caine.Gangle and Topsee glanced at each other.
"Guess I'm. . .it?What are we even doing Caine?"
Topsee asked,turning to the ringleader.He spun into the air,pointing his cane at Topsee,
"I'm glad you asked Topsee!Everyone don't get too far or comfy!Our next adventure is prepared!Gather round' my little ray's of sunshine!Today is a fun one!"
Suddenly,above Caine's jaws,bright blue bubble fonted words of 'Hide and Seek' appeared and then disappeared as an imaginary crowd applauded somewhere.

Jax raised an eyebrow,scoffing.
"Hide and seek?How old do you think we are?Four?"
"What's that!?The rules you wanna hear!?Glad ya asked Jax!"
"But that's not what I even-"
"SHUT UP.THE RULES ARE SIMPLE!"
Caine suddenly flew down to the group and picked Topsee up,holding her by her flailing arms into the air.
"Our beloved nut cracking Topsee here,is our loser for heads and tails,so she'll be our seeker.I'm assigning all of you partners and you all must hide from Topsee when she counts to-"
Caine was cut off as his eyes glitched,buffering as his cane started to spas out.Topsee cringed,blinking as he returned to his normal state.
"—the groups hidden together in one hour,she wins!Any questions?"
No one said a word.Caine dropped Topsee,clapping his hands,
"SPECTACULAR!Here are the partners assigned!"