Jesse slowly blinked at Em, who got closer and lowered her voice into a whisper. "In the middle of the race is a part with tons of gladiators... that's when we should all team up. Defeat them, then race to the finish... Well what do you say?" and the former gladiator leaned away again with a casual grin on her face.
Jesse looked at Petra, who shrugged indifferently. Then she glanced at Jace, who was nodding so hard and so fast Jesse worried he was going to nod his head off. Then at Nell, who gave the black-haired spider hybrid a thumbs up and a lazy grin. Then back at Em.
"Okay."
"Good!" And the two of them high-fived, Nell grinning and Jace bouncing up and down cheerfully. "I won't let you down."
"Competitors to the starting line!" Hadrian announced, his voice once again tinny from the speakers, and Em gave Jesse a sort of grin. "See you at Gladiator Junction."
Petra tapped her chin as the green team moved away to the starting line area. "Gladiator Junction? ... sounds awesome. At least we won't have to fight her AND the gladiators." And she grinned at Jesse.
Jesse gave the Blaze hybrid a little smile. "True. C'mon, let's go."
Petra pumped her fist in the air, eyes glowing as she got all fired up. "I'm ready for this! Those gladiators are going DOWN! Hint, it's gonna involve a lot of punching... and kicking... and fireballs..."
Jesse stifled a giggle and said, smirking at her friend, "Let's play it safe- okay? Hadrian might have something else planned."
Petra nodded, gold eyes glinting in the dim light, "You got it, Jess- I don't trust him as far as I can throw him... which is pretty far for the record."
Jesse snorted. "I'm quite tempted to ask you to show me."
Petra snorted as well as they entered the starting line room, getting into place next to the yellow and the green team. Jesse dropped to all eights, all of her legs tensing, and Petra just got into a running position.
"Pssst, Jesse," and Jesse looked over to see Nell and Jace grinning at her, Jace's tail wagging.
"I just wanted to say it's like an honor to be working together," Nell whispered, "and I'm glad that Em, like, totally suggested that."
"Good luck, sis!" and Jace gave her a thumbs up before getting onto all fours, his tail wagging even more as he got into position. Jesse lifted up her lower arm and gave him one back, making him beam at her.
"I knew that you were cool," Nell continued, sending the dark-haired girl a grin, "from the moment we met."
Mevia's voice called out over the speakers, making Jesse only grin back in return and face back to the hallway they were about to charge into.
"Competitors, on your mark!"
Jesse's muscles tensed.
"Get set!" Otto called over the speakers.
Petra gave Jesse a quick grin. Jesse returned it.
"GO!"
The two of them shot off like rockets, bolting into the hallway. Jesse's eight limbs scrambled and propelled her along the floor at a rapid clip, Petra just running normally and occasionally gliding at acute angles.
Lava suddenly started pouring from the ceiling. "Look out!" Petra called to Jesse.
Jesse evaluated the situation as fast as she'd ever done it, and bolted forward again, so fast that she shot between the small space between the floor and the lava and cleared it just in time. Petra just charged through, her shoulders steaming as liquid fire dripped onto the stone, sizzling.
Jesse stuck her tongue out at Petra. "Lucky!" she complained.
Petra smirked and kept running, as Jesse slipped through a small hole in the next curtain of lava, and then cut around the next few sharply. Petra didn't alter her course; but just kept on pounding.
Jesse leaped over a puddle of pooling lava, clearing it, and then literally sprang through a hole in the next one, yanking her limbs so that they were pulled tight to the sides of her body, before catching herself again (and almost getting a faceful of stone in the process) before continuing to scuttle across the floor at high speeds.
Jesse's mouth fell open as she stared at the next part of the race- lava swelled up, leaving only small patches of stone for the contestants to jump from.
"NOPE!" she yelped, and slingshotted a web at the ceiling. The moment it stuck, she retracted, doing a flip in midair, landing on the ceiling, and racing across that part before swinging back down, landing on all eights and continuing her frantic race across the floor.
Petra stepped out of the lava, shaking more of it off her armor, and kept racing after Jesse. "This is supposed to be hard?" Petra called, nonchalantly, in a hard run but grinning at the spider hybrid.
Jesse grinned nervously at Petra. "Easy for you to say; you can literally just take a little stroll through the lava and it'll just heat you up!"
"Can't deny that."
The sound of a bowstring disengaging hit Jesse's ears, making the giggle in her throat die, and Jesse instinctively yelled out, "Dodge!"
Petra immediately jumped into the air, Blaze Rods forming in midair as she soared over the arrow, did a perfect parkour roll, and jolted to her feet running, giving Jesse a thumbs up. "Thanks!"
"Outta the way, chumps!" the yellow team leader yelled, raising the bow again.
"Oh no, none of that!" Jesse snapped, flicking her wrist. A web flew out of her hand and slammed into the bow, knocking it off target and sending the arrow spiraling randomly away.
Jesse then proceeded to cut sharply to her left, literally turning so sharply that her feet skidded on the floor, and plowed into one, making him trip forward- Jesse dodged sideways- he landed on his face- he puffed into smoke.
Jesse winced. "Whoops..."
A/N: Stopping point!
DemonCatLady: I know it's not a shock reaction, but for Lukas it is. It's only when he's really, really surprised.
RapidSammi: Petra and Lukas are not on their team, so that wouldn't work. And lol XD glad you like my earlier chapters as well xD Glad this is a funny fanfic sometimes
Toni42: Hehe yep x3
NoItsBecky: Aww thanks x3
rebekahtpe: Aww thanks :3 And the second option, for slightly obvious reasons
angelwings: Aw I'm sorry :(
Choco: Hehe
x.X. A.L. X.x
