"Kai, wake up! It's already morning!" Niki turned him to face her. "How are you feeling?"
Kai groaned, "Ughhhh I feel tired-"
"So you don't feel sick? That's all I needed to hear. Now come on and get up! We have some tests to complete! I already have a plan too; you complete the three more we need to get the first Thang, and I'll go on the other side of the map to try and find some others. Okay? Okay!"
Kai only moaned and turned around to try and go back to sleep.
"I wasn't asking! Now get up before I make you!"
"I would like to see you try." He said, his eyes closed shut.
"Ok, well don't say I didn't warn you." Niki cracked her knuckles and started to tickle him.
"No! Hahaha! That tickles! Haha hahaha!"
Niki tickled him harder, "That's the point, you idiot! Ha!"
"No! Okay, Okay! Fine! I'm up."
"Okay, good! Well, I'm going to start on my side and you can start on yours. It shouldn't be too hard."
"Well, I guess I'll get started!"
Kai stood up for the first time that day. His back ached as he steadied himself on the nearest pole. After he grabbed a small snack, he chose his test.
He clicked on the first level that caught his eye. The goal was to complete the test with only curling bombs. He paid the fee, and completed the level easily. Moving on to the next, he bursted all of the bumpers and finished the test for good.
"Well, those were the easiest two levels I've ever done! All I have to do now is complete this one and then we can get the first Thang! Wow, this will be-" Kai froze when he read the level's description. "No... I knew it couldn't be that simple! Righteous Rails... destroy all the crates..... okay Kai, y-you can do it! It can't be harder than the last one right?"
Kai picked the level, and left to that station. Choosing his weapon- the Bamboozler- he paid the fee. He shot into the level, and took a deep breath.
"Kai... you got this! I know you do!" Kai jumped on the rails, and destroyed the first crate. Leaping over the Octo Washer, he splatted another crate in the process.
"Oh my cod, I did that!" Kai slid along the rails, destroying all the crates and boxes he saw. As he leapt on to the next rail, his feet slipped straight into an Octo Washer. Kai screamed in pain as he fell into the void, restarting at the checkpoint a few seconds later. I'm not quitting just yet.
Kai kept on trying, but each time he ended up scraping his feet on the Washers he passed by. The world around him appeared blurrier and blurrier as he respawned each try.
"Okay Kai, you can still do it...."
Kai kept on trying, one painstaking time after the next. His started to feel numb and tender as he his feet grinded on the rails. An Octo Washer shredded his ankles once more, and he respawned at the start. The warm liquid he had felt before pooled itself in his boots as he collapsed on the ground. He recalled the number of times he had pursued the level, 15. As he pushed himself off the ground, he felt the stale air on his feet. Kai looked down at the floor and saw a small puddle of red liquid with blue and green specks beside him. He paid no attention to it, continuing to walk towards the rails.
Kai hobbled over to the start and jumped on. He shot the first crate, then the second as he jumped over the first Octo Washer. Three. Four. Five. I can keep going! He up from his feet and winced. Three consecutive Octo Washers lined up in a row, the last one having two crates on top of it. Kai jumped over the first one then he charged his weapon for the next. He focused on the crate in front of him, and jumped. The sole of his shoe caught on the tip of the Octo Washer as he fell back into darkness.
As he fell, Kai could see drops of blood floating down towards him. He started again the checkpoint, still not giving up. Once he returned to the point he ended at before, he jumped over the first one. Jumping over the second and the third, he turned around and busted the crates behind him. Kai continued along the rail, bursting three crates in front of him and jumping over the nearest Octo Washer. A large drop laid underneath him. He jumped, landing in the rail below him. His feet screamed in pain as he hit the lower level.
"Your halfway there, Kai!" Pearl shouted.
Kai's eyebrows raised in surprise, "How long have you been here!?"
"Don't worry 'bout it! Just keep focusing."
His eye twitched at the next sight he saw. Two Octo Washers appeared with crates on them, and they were moving! Kai shot the first one then jumped over it. Then he hit the second one, barely making it over in time. His eyes narrowed on the last four crates.
He shot once. Twice. Three times. The final crate balanced above his head. As he jumped to reach it, his foot caught on the Octo Washer. Kai impulsively shot into the air, and hit the last target, finishing the test.
He limped back into the subway train, sitting down at the first seat he saw. His feet throbbed as he held his head in his hands. He took a deep breath to let his vision cleared up. Tracks from his boots lined the subway car. He looked down at his boots and squinted at the deep cuts lining the outer rim. Were those there before? Sloshing liquid dyed his feet as he walked to the other side of the train. As he went, the room faded in and out.
Before he sat down, he dropped to the floor, unconscious.