Wearing a long and brown jacket, a fair skinned, short, about 4.5 feet, with low and black curly hair, red eyes and dimples, strode with her fit body into a medium sized room with 10 long rows of chairs and table, facing a white board opposite them on the blue walls in the lit place.
In followed a tall girl, with light chocolate skin, brown long and a slender body in a jersey. She gave the first girl a focused gaze with a raised brow, probably having questions.
"Cindy." She moved her hand. "There's no one here who can help you at the moment… I think you forgot when our school closes."
"It's not that, it's just." Cindy sighed. "It's Farouk… I thought he'd be around here somewhere, reading a comic book."
"By the way," the lofty girl pocketed hands. "How do you know this Farouk guy?"
"We're best friends." The fair skinned girl mildly pouted at her. "We used to do everything together, and I've always had a thing for him… After hearing some rumours lately, I've always sensed he may have been in trouble… so I had to risk everything to be here."
"Oh man." The dark skinned girl covered her mouth. "Well, speaking of which, Farouk's been well… not attending classes lately… God, he's always got some 'job' to do… You might as well ask Gloria."
"Who's Gloria?" Cindy shot her eyes at her. The tone might have been jealous.
"No one." The tall girl raised hands. "Just some babe I think Farouk is dating now?"
Cindy just clenched her fist, venting once and smoothly.
"You know what? Thanks Chisom." She waved, directing her from her front.
With that she paced far away from her, leaving the tall girl still before slamming a wooden door sharply.
***
Meanwhile, inside his room, covered with anime poster, Farouk in a long sleeve blue shirt and trouser, laid with his back against the wooden head-board of his bed, reading a small book in the dimly lit place, before a rapt knock on the door.
"Come in." He called unmoved, before the door creaked open.
He looked up with a gasp. Cindy!
Yes, your girl came by, hugging the man.
"Damn, how have you been?" He released, smiling.
"Tired." She chuckled with eyes closed. "But I would love for us to get down to business first."
With that, they sat atop the bed, heaving. Soon you could hear tones back and forth, as if conversing, before Farouk raised his finger.
"Wait, so that means we can't actually do anything about going to this multiverse, unless we go to Lugbe."
"Yes, to get our first chest plate, before we go to the other multiverse, as strange as that place sounds… actually a game universe."
Cindy turned to Farouk, who focused eyes on her.
"The game universe." She began pointing. "It's actually Mine Craft… well, an updated form of Minecraft, like, it's modded."
Farouk still didn't move.
"The game multiverse has a home world, World 1, where the origin of everything plus the fate of the following infinite worlds… it's amazing… Colonel Edeagwu is heading straight for that world, and sadly, Optimum is out to do anything to follow into his lead."
She shook her head, looking away. "Gloria's right… you're working for the wrong organization."
"Hey, how do you know about Gloria?" Farouk moved back.
"A friend of yours, I think." Cindy looked at him. "Kid, I'm sorry about you and Stella."
"I'm not a kid, Cindy." He averted his face from her, then returned back. "Sorry, I'm just, I didn't mean it… Thanks."
"Hey, if you need help." She placed her hands on Farouk's. "You know you could always call me now."
As he looked at it, Cindy did same, blushing before she took it away.
Silence came for a second before Farouk glanced away.
"So… how about we kick things off by finding a team." A chipper accent kicked in as Cindy smiled mutely. She then looked up swiftly. "I know someone who can help us."
"Who's that?"
"The name's Hammer." her finger on her chin. "Tall, athletic, long hair with braids, fair skinned… God, she's amazing."
"That's okay." Farouk heaved, his hands in the air and eyes closed. "Gosh, from your tone, you sound almost jealous of her."
Cindy blushed, before avoiding eye contact. "Let's move then."
"Yeah, I just hope we can get back in time for Gloria… I think she's in trouble cuz I'll have to make it worth it, or else she could be into something she didn't ask for." Farouk gravely spoke.
Cindy just looked at him straight faced, before looking down, smiling wryly.
From Farouk's short glance at her, hearing her worry may have flicked open old guilt probably hating how much she had looked out for him so much while he kept things under wraps."
Seems a lot all at once, you might say, but let's hope for the best.
***
Later out in a fully sandy area, filled with rocks big and small with reptilian animals in the scorching heat and dusty atmosphere. Farouk and Cindy wore all black combat gear with nose masks to match.
They stepped slowly toward a giant rectangular structure with a glowing lavender plane surface. Pixie dust-like particles floated from the swirls-covered area. It was a stone throw away from them.
On approaching it, the duo stopped as a tall, athletic and fair-skinned girl with black hair stepped from behind the piece, wearing medieval hunting gear with a green cape. She had an oval face with cheeks and yellow eyes, gazing at them.
She sighed swiftly. "And you must be the boy Cindy was talking about."
Farouk nodded before she landed a blow on his stomach.
"Hammer, stop… he's one of us." Cindy harked.
The angered gritted, glaring at him, before facing her.
"Well about this portal." She pointed at it. "It's actually owned by an Optimum branch here, and they're using it to go into World 6 at the Mine Craft Universe."
"Let's head to the branch first, right before we show them who's boss in that world."
With that they stared at the gateway before them, eyeing a path to their objective.
Their only way to victory.
***
In a small and rectangular room with a wooden desk and chair, Segun sat atop the furniture in the blue walled place, as a black iron door slid open on a shorter end of it, revealing the person walking in as Stella.
Both in black clothes, they gazed at each other before she sighed.
"Segun." She looked down, pouting. "I know it may be a new change of things you won't like or completely get used to… but the thing is, I don't know what came over me, I just seem to have realised that there is no running from a strong man or anyone really, who can protect you from a bigger danger that can be seen as sensible.
Stella knelt on one knee at him, while he held a straight face at the puppy eyed girl.
"Look, I understand you now… and I'm ready to watch and help you change."
She focused her gaze. Farouk is the real snake who is still working for the corrupt Optimum organisation… even if you were too, you learnt to avoid trouble by learning that bad deeds never get you lasting rewards and that's why you chose to join me and my mom.
Now Segun mutely loosened the stiffness of his face, as if touched.
Stella smiled, before copying his face. "Now I only have two things to tell you… One, I love you, and two, we've got a serious problem… They've found the Optimum base with a portal to the Minecraft multiverse.
Her hand touched her friends. "We need to get there before our only leads to Colonel Edeagwu are gone. Are you coming with me?"
Segun then squeezed his bow grinning gradually.
Oh heck yeah, you know we're about to get wild.