Jacob squinted at what he'd just heard.
"What?" he asked.
"Top three for sure," Nick repeated before clarifying. "Number one spot to eat to be honest."
Jacob looked over at Mustard, who shrugged, then looked back at Nick. The sky stalker was standing by that statement with the utmost confidence. Jacob wondered for a brief moment if Nick was joking.
"Bro, you can't be serious. You would really eat there over Pete's?"
"Oh, most definitely."
"Yeah you're trippin'. DurrBurger is disgusting."
The four of them were walking from Greasy Grove up the hill towards Tilted Towers. Smurx was up ahead, scouting, while everyone else trailed behind. Normally they would all travel as a group, but with Nick and Mustard barely making it out of the previous battle, someone had to make sure the path was clear while the other had to escort them in case some jackal tried to sneak in and pick one of them off by surprise. At least until the squad found some sort of medical supplies. The Grove had not been kind to them in that regard.
Nick shot back indignantly, "What?! DurrBurger is gas!"
Jacob laughed aloud.
"No. It's not. The fries are always soggy, their burgers be undercooked, and that Durr sauce is just dirty."
Mustard burst into laughter at that last part, commenting, "I've actually never been there. Pete's is the spot though. Sorry Nick."
"Man," the sky stalker said with a dismissive wave. "You guys have no idea what yo-"
A sound like something really heavy and made of metal crashing in the distance echoed throughout the valley. Jacob heard a faint whistle go past his left ear and wheeled around to find Nick flat on his back in the grass staring up at the sky, and Mustard running in a mad dash to build over him.
"Clock tower! Clock tower!" Smurx suddenly screamed over the radio.
Another crack of thunder and a second heavy round slammed into the ground a few feet in front of Jacob, throwing up a plume of soil.
And we were doing so well...