Sodium One: A Major Malfunction

by dominateeye

Salt Shooter sounded like the perfect way to keep the people occupied- action-packed warfare, but not against humans, providing a vital outlet for all the pent-up feelings of anger without the guilt of actual war. Until something goes terribly wrong, someone is killed, someone's responsible, and feelings about the game change. Suddenly, it's not a game anymore.

2. Chapter 2: The Office

Sodium One: A Major Malfunction Chapter Two

By ThisGuyHere

Summary: Salt Shooter sounded like the perfect way to keep the people occupied- action-packed warfare, but not against humans, providing a vital outlet for all the pent-up feelings of anger without the guilt of actual war. Until something goes terribly wrong, someone is killed, someone's responsible, and feelings about the game change. Suddenly, it's not a game anymore.

-S1-

Location: Sodium Weekly Offices

After returning from the Maintenance building, I walk into the offices of the newspaper I work at. Well, it's not really a newspaper anymore, seeing as how we've replaced paper with technology, but that's beside the point. I head into the elevator and begin my ascent to the 35th floor, where my colleagues are hard at work on whatever it is they've been assigned. I'm approached at my desk by my friend and fellow journalist, Nick.

"Hey Jim, me and some of the others were thinking about heading to Scorpio's after work today. You want to come with us?"

"I would, but I've got the feeling that I'll be pulling an all-nighter," I say dejectedly, holding up a good ten or fifteen Shooter craft schematics.

"Alright. I'll bring you your usual. What ARE you working on anyway?" Nick questions, giving my cluttered workspace a look.

"It's just a piece on Salt Shooter safety. I don't really think it'll be that important, but you know Larry: 'Every story counts, no matter how tiny and insignificant.'" I say, putting on a gruff voice to properly quote our boss, Larry.

"Say, doesn't he normally—" As if on cue, Nick is suddenly cut off by a gruff voice from the intercom. "Nick! Jim! Quit wasting company time and GET BACK TO WORK!"

Nick gets up from the chair he's brought over, and says, "Well, just make sure it's accurate- if people become afraid of Salt Shooter and no one comes to watch my tournaments, I'll have no way of funding my hobby."

"Even if I say participating in Salt Shooter games increases your chance of dying in a fire by a thousand percent, I doubt people will stop playing," I say with a smirk, knowing full well that most of Sodium plays Salt Shooter, making it one of the major parts of our economy. If Salt Shooter is shut down, all we'll have left is Sodium Two Jet Racing, and that is nowhere near as popular. Essentially, the entire settlement could collapse without the powerful presence of the Extreme Sport of the Future.

"Well, good luck, man. I'll be looking forward to your story." Nick says as he walks away. I turn to my schematics and notes, ready for another late night of newsmaking.

-S1-

A/N: Here it is, by absolutely no one's demand, the second chapter of Sodium One: A Major Malfunction! As you can see, I consider Salt Shooter to be a large if not the largest part of Sodium. I know that right now, Sodium Two is gaining popularity, but I don't see it as an equal to the original game just yet. By the way, there was a nod to Portal 2 in there. But it's slipped in so cleverly that you'll never be able to find it. Muahahahaha!

-ThisGuyHere