Talking 'Bout my Generation

"Wa-wait! Wait up!" A disgruntled voice shouted from behind me.

I was stood just before the entrance to the inner district. Rows and rows of stalls lay before me - like that of a festival. Some were selling food, others clothes and some gadgets.

Different plants sprawled out from the river running through the inner district, from pink lily pads to purple vines, all manners of plant life enveloped the buildings and poked at the stalls.

This place never ceases to amaze me. I sucked in a deep breath of fresh air as I looked back at the 'dreamers' trailing behind me.

The first to catch up to me was the leader of the Little Dreamers. "Aww you won again Reno?" Jamie pouted. "No fair."

"Beginner's luck I think." I shrugged. Though it was more like veteran's expertise than beginner's luck.

The second to catch up was the Little Dreamer's phantom, soft-footed and wrapped in silence. "Hm." Finn said as he adjusted his red scarf.

Next up was the tall giant of the Little dreamers, the first of the crop twins. "Wait for us everyone!" Phill's voice cried out. He was running alongside the person I'd heard earlier—Bill.

"Wait up I said!" Bill huffed as he jogged into our little circle. For being as large as he was, he was actually quite healthy. He'd ran all that distance but didn't seem that short of breath at all.

"Sorry I got carried away." I said as I scratched my head.

"Oh don't worry about it Reno, Bill always complains like this." Jamie said while shrugging.

"Huh?" Bill made an expression of surprise. "That's not true.." he said quietly. "Right Phill?"

"Uhm…" Phill smiled, opting to not finish that sentence. Bill's expression turned to even more shock—or perhaps denial.

"Right Finn?" Bill turned to Finn, his expression becoming hopeful again.

Finn turned to him briefly before looking away again.

"Finn… really?" Bill said, his expression one of betrayal.

"Good medicine tastes bitter." Finn said, still looking away.

"Sorry Bill," Jamie said. "Don't worry we all love your complaining."

"Yeah that's right!" Phill said in an attempt to cheer him up.

"Oh you all do?" Bill said, hope slowly returning to his eyes as he looked at me. We collectively nodded.

"Awww," Bill mumbled. He rubbed his eyes aggressively, his rotund belly jiggling with each swipe. "You're all going to make me cry."

"Save the tears Bill," Jamie said before pausing. "It's Reno's welcome—not yours."

"Ah." He moved his hand, his eyes drying up again. "S-sorry boss."

"Anyways Reno," Jamie said while turning away from Bill. "Let me tell you the rules of chaos tag."

"Okay sure." I nodded.

"It's a very very simple game. See those stalls over there?" He pointed.

"Yeah."

He raised a fist before slamming it down onto his other palm. "We're going to knock them down!"

"Sorry?" Surely I had misheard him. "Did you say knock them down?"

"Yeah that's the aim of the game." Jamie said casually.

I looked at Finn, since he was usually the most rational out of everyone. How could he agree to such a destructive game? Hours of effort and weeks of work could be easily ruined in the wake of such havoc.

Finn was looking at the stalls, his gaze unflinching. He had noticed my stare but paid it no heed - as if mine and Jamie's conversation was of no importance.

"Ahh." Jamie scratched his head. "I forgot to explain the rules. No wonder Reno looks so confused!"

That is not why I'm so confused, Jamie.

""Ohhh."" The crop twins echoed with understanding, the confusion on their faces lifting. These two can't be serious.

"So we all run in a straight line and after the person at the front knocks over a stall, he keeps running and the other three have to overtake him." Jamie explained.

The bad feeling from earlier was intensifying. Earlier when I asked Silvia what chaos tag was she'd replied 'you don't want to know'—now I was beginning to understand why she'd said that.

"Once they do, the new person at the front has to knock over another stall until we're back to the original person."

"How is this game fun?" I cut in.

"Well," Jamie said rubbing his nose, "I dunno. It's just fun."

"It's fun to dodge all the obstacles at the back." Phill said cheerfully.

"What obstacles?"

"The stall's stuff. Since we knock them over they all spill on the floor." Bill explained.

"And how long do you all play for? When does it end?"

"The game usually ends when the person at the front can't be overtaken because they're too fast. Or it ends when… "

Jamie spoke until his voice faded out.

"When what?" I said.

"When they show up." Someone interjected. It was Finn, finally choosing to join the conversation.

They?

"What do you mean by that Finn?" I said.

Finn flicked his scarf, choosing to give no reply. I looked around hoping for a response. Jamie spoke up.

"Finn is talking about The Epic Ga—" Phill, Bill and even Finn turned to look at Jamie instantly. He coughed, choking on his words. "The Little Dreamer's mortal enemy."

"We have a… mortal enemy?" I panicked. Don't tell me there's a rival gang? I knew I shouldn't have signed up to join a group called 'The Epic Gang'.

"Something like that." Bill said nonchalantly. Phill and Finn nodded in agreement.

"Isn't there someth—"

"AAAAHHHH."

… huh?

"Why do you have soooo many questions!?" Jamie shouted. "That does it!" Jamie exclaimed. "Bill!"

"Yes boss!" Bill sprung to life, dashing directly into the waves of people. "Wait for me big brother!" Phill said as he chased after him.

"Hm." Finn sprinted off, the corner of his mouth that was barely visible curled into a smirk - as if to say 'finally'.

Like clockwork, they moved instantaneously at the sound of Jamie's command. Had they practiced that or something?

"You're the fastest but you always need a push, Reno." Jamie said with feigned disappointment. "Come on Reno, let's go."

I always need… a push? Thinking back to my previous life, it was like that too. I didn't start running until my aunty recommended it and I didn't really get into biology until my teachers encouraged me to join competitions and write papers.

All the interests I accumulated were because someone had pushed me to do them. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'd like things to be different this time around.

What if there wasn't anyone to push me? No one to tell me I should put myself out there. What then? Would I just keep to myself and not pursue anything?

Whilst I was lost in my thoughts, Jamie reached out and grabbed my hand. He began running, taking me along with him as he did.

We rushed through the streets, four little kids zigzagging through a crowd of people.

We ran.

"I'm coming through—follow me boss!"

"I'll pick up the Sunvines later—wait watch it you damn brats!"

"S-sorry."

And ran.

"Yeah those Sonus flowers are perfect just—hey watch where you're going kids!?"

"Hm."

And ran some more.

"Can't you give me some of that Kent ore a bit cheaper——ahh kids these days never look where they're going."

"Hahaha! Catch me if you can!"

"Listen, just 300 Teaves for this Mereon fruit is a bargain good sir—an 'excuse me' wouldn't kill you kid!"

"Sorry." I grimaced. "I'm in a rush."

"Woah Reno you made him really mad, he's going red. Just what did you do to him?" Jamie asked from in front of me.

"I just bumped into him… I think."

"Oi boss!" A shout came from our big frontrunner. "First one's on the left boss you ready?"

"Let it fly Bill!" Jamie said, his eyes beaming with excitement. Bill lowered his shoulder and charged forwards.

BASH!

The first stall went down like a wooden domino. A cascade of colourful scarves burst into the air—fluttering like butterflies as Bill ploughed straight through the fabric stand, arms stretched out like a bird.

"One down!" he howled with excitement.

"Wooo!"

"Go! Go! Go!" Jamie shouted, fanning the flames.

My legs glided over the cobblestone floor as the world around me blurred. The poor store owner gasped in shock as we rushed past her one by one. By the time she'd caught on we'd already made considerable distance.

I didn't know how to feel. My head told me this was wrong. But my heart was pounding—with excitement!

"That was awesome!" Phill yelled. "Who's next?"

"It's you!" Bill screamed. "But only if you can catch me!" He tried speeding up as he ran.

The alley was wide enough for us to all run side by side and so fairly quickly we all surpassed Bill, much to his dismay of course.

"Next one's yours, Phill!" Jamie called.

Phill grinned, his lanky legs pumping harder as he surged to the front of the pack. His footsteps thudded like drums on the cobblestone, faster and faster until—

"I-I'm going for it boss!" Phill shouted.

CRASH! CLANG! CLINK! CHIME!

The sound burst out like fireworks. Gears, screws, and chimes exploded into the air, spinning like metal petals.

Before long, a silver carpet covered the floor ahead, metallic fragments gleaming beneath the sun, while wooden crates and stalls loomed like obstacles in a maze.

"Oops!" Phill laughed, but he didn't stop running.

I swerved right to dodge a falling windup crane. My heart pounded—not from anxiety, but from excitement. The way my legs moved, the thrill of dodging between crates and debris, the wind tugging at my hair—I couldn't help it.

I was having fun.

No, I shouldn't be enjoying this.

Someone built that stall. Someone spent hours setting up those little machines, twisting wires with careful hands. And now they were scattered across the street like junk.

But still—my feet kept moving, and my mouth betrayed me with a grin I tried to hide.

At some point or another, Jamie had let go of my hand and was forging ahead. A pile of loose cogs rolled across the street like marbles.

"Wait Jamie stop!" I cried, but it was too late.

Whoosh!

Jamie took flight, with the alley as his runway and a wooden crate as a stepping stool, he leapt on to a stall to my right. He ran along the tops of the stalls, his shoes clattering against the wooden roofs.

"Woohoooo!" Jamie whooped as he jumped back down in front of me.

"You're crazy man!" I laughed freely, forgetting about everyone else around me.

"That's why he's the boss!" Bill cried from behind.

"You haven't seen anything yet Reno!" Jamie cheesed. "Show him how it's done Finn!"

Finn drifted toward a stall, barely breaking pace. His hand flicked out—just once—and a net of woven spice bags slid off the table edge, scattering like leaves in the wind.

Bright yellow Amberleaf dust burst out first, like powdered sunlight. Then came the Emberpepper pods—fine crimson shards scattered like rubies. Like festival smoke, the air flashed red and gold.

Then, with another flick of his hand, various fruits splattered everywhere—Mereons, Moonnuts, Solar-plums—you name it. The whole alley splatooned into colour.

I almost stopped running. A part of me wanted to crouch down and study the way Emberpepper cracked when it touched cobblestone, or how Amberleaf dust clung to the sun's rays. Or how the Moonnuts split into perfect little hexagons when they hit the ground. But my legs didn't stop. Neither did Finn.

He just kept running, his two scarves fluttering behind him—one red, one gold, just like the spices from earlier. Were they chosen intentionally to match his scarves?

Wait? When had he gotten another scarf?

"So cool!" Phill smiled like a fanboy.

"Mmgh I knoow rightt!" Bill echoed from the back. His mouth was covered in juices and he held three half-eaten Solar-plums in one hand and a white Mereon fruit in the other. "Hgmh? Whhat?" He said after noticing my stare.

"Nothing." I sighed. Never change Bill.

"Bosh, it's all you now!" He said, swallowing down on his food finally.

"Roger that!" Jamie blitzed forward, eyes gleaming with reckless abandon.

CRAAASHHH!

A wooden stall heaved beneath his shoulder, sending trays of ancient coins tumbling to the ground. Silver Kiones from the neighbouring empire spun like spinning tops, Dwarven copper Mians clattered like thunder, and Elven golden Florins gleaned, catching stray shafts of sunlight.

A chaotic symphony jingled as Jamie sprinted past. "I'm rich! I'm rich haha!" Jamie laughed ecstatically.

Of all the stalls we'd passed, that one seemed the most expensive and culturally rich. It was my first time seeing real currencies from the Far East and High North.

"Reno, it's your time to shine!" Jamie called out.

I could feel the pulse in my veins, the rush of the chase carrying me forward. But then—a flicker of doubt. I hesitated. Will we really not get in trouble for this?

Jamie's words echoed in my mind: that I always needed a push.

Was this something I wanted, or just something I was being pushed to do?

I hesitated. My heart pounded harder and harder as I found myself caught between the rational choice to abstain and the urge to throw everything to the wind.

Then, with a childish grin, I leaned forwards—

CRAAACK! SLORP! SPLASH!

The stall exploded beneath me.

Wet Hydrun leaves sloshed out like spilled paint, thick Sunvines whipped through the air with a satisfying hiss, and bioluminescent Luna droplets scattered, sparkling like jewels as they hit the floor.

Mossy tendrils tangled around crates, a slimy green blanket unrolling fast and wild.

For a moment, it was satisfying. For a moment, it was perfect. Then I saw her.

The young woman who owned the stall—she stood there frozen, eyes wide, mouth slightly parted like she'd forgotten how to breathe. Her hands hovered in the air, still curved from the motion of arranging her plants. Like she could still feel the shapes of them, even though they were gone.

Something in my chest twisted seeing the look on her face. But I kept on running, breath ragged, heart wild.

The sight of it all burned into my eyes—scarves whirled like kites in a storm, painting the sky with festival colours. Red and gold smoke spun alongside them, like the air itself had joined the celebration.

The smell—fruit smashed, plants popping underfoot like water balloons, spices roasting in the sun—forced its way into my nose, as if determined to permanently scorch itself into my memory.

The sound of chimes clanging, coins scattering, crates splintering—it rang louder than the embers of guilt settling in chest.

The taste of dry air filled my mouth—sharp but strangely sweet. My lungs ached, but I couldn't stop.

Wind pressed at my back. Crates tipped beneath my feet. Everything slipped, spun, blurred—

And still, I kept going.

I feel alive.

And for that reason I couldn't stop. Not right now. Sorry, stall lady.

Laughter bounced off the alley walls, the rhythm of running feet synchronising with our breaths. We turned a corner, leaving the chaotic trail we'd left behind us.

"T-that was amazing Reno!" Phill exclaimed excitedly.

"Pretty good for your first try." Bill said approvingly.

"Not bad newbie." A voice spoke from right beside me.

Huh? When did Finn get next to me?

"I knew you had it in you Reno—you might act grown-up with your hundreds of questions but you're a kid at heart!" Jamie smiled cheerfully, "Just like us!"

My heart felt warm hearing their words of encouragement, even though I still felt bad over what I'd done. I was slowly coming to realise the enormity of the fortune I'd been granted, one that couldn't be purchased even with the combined wealth of both worlds. A priceless opportunity to start again—from the beginning.

"Don't worry Reno, we'll have even more fun in the future." Jamie smiled. "Welcome to the Little Dreamers!"

"W-welcome!"

"Welcome!"

"Hm."

"Thanks everyone." I smiled. It felt good to be accepted, even if it was just by some clueless kids.

"Now let's go for round two guys!" Jamie shouted.

Huh? Round two?

"There's two rounds?" I choked.

"Of course. You want to stop this early Reno? You haven't even seen Finn backflip yet?"

Huh, he can backflip? Why am I even surprised—what can't Finn do at this point?

"Guys? Round two?" Jamie said in a quieter voice.

"Boss. There's a problem." Bill spoke, his voice naturally going deeper.

"What is it?" Jamie asked clueless.

"It's them." His words hung in the air.

"Our mortal enemies?" I said.

Finn nodded as he looked into the alley way we'd now left. I peered into it too, letting only the corner of my face pop out, in case I was noticed. By them.

My stomach dropped. In our wake we'd left heaps and mountains of collateral damage. Fruits smashed and oozing, fabrics torn and fluttering like wounded birds.

Plants, once carefully tended and vibrant, now lay crushed and scattered, their delicate leaves torn and bruised. I could feel the combined weight of every broken stem and spilled petal. The life that had been flourishing here had been wounded by our reckless spirit.

I saw merchants and stall owners scrambling to gather what they could—hurried hands picking up destroyed pottery, bruised fruit, and tangled scarves. Their faces wore disbelief, frustration, and disappointment.

My eyes naturally drifted to a young lady in particular who was slowly picking up wilted leaves and broken plant pots. The exhaustion in her gaze was plain to see.

For a moment, the excitement drained away, replaced by a heavy pang. This was their livelihood, years of hard work and care were trampled in minutes.

Was this really the price of feeling alive? Guilt flared up through my chest. Worst of all was the shame I was feeling. The shame that came from the fact that I was actually excited to do something like that again.

Maybe it was the residue of my previous childhood surfacing—born from being forced to mature early and not to impose on my young Uncle and Aunt. Mayhem and 'acting out' like this were entirely new to me, a kind of rush I'd never experienced before. It was fun, sure, but that didn't make it worth the trouble we caused for others.

Amongst the crowd of people was a group of kids about a similar age to us. They had on a uniform which looked like a typical apprentice knight's training attire.

They were helping to clean up the damage we caused, picking up any damaged goods and even offering to sweep the floors of the stalls.

"They seem like nice people." I commented. I felt better knowing there were kids who were willing to help, even when it wasn't their messes to fix.

"That's them." Finn said.

"Huh?" I coughed.

"Our mortal enemies - the Pre-Scouts." Finn followed up.

Pre-Scouts. I remember hearing that but just where had I—oh yeah, Silvia! Silvia had told me about the Pre-Scouts, what did she say again?

She'd said it's a training school that most kids my age or older go to if I remember correctly. Though I don't remember what she said it's a training school for. Perhaps it serves to provide a general physical and social education.

So if I'm getting this right, our enemy is… the schooling system?

"B-boss this is bad. B-big Sister Rosette is there!" Bill squealed, his composure fading rapidly.

Rosette? I looked around the group of Pre-Scouts looking for who Rosette could be. The Pre-Scouts were currently lined up as if they were waiting for something. Or someone. A lone member was talking to the store owners as they all waited patiently. Then once she'd rejoined them they all began walking again.

That's gotta be her, this 'Big Sister Rosette'. The Pre-Scouts leader - or I guess in this case something like a class president or representative.

Jamie's face turned to panic. "Not good." He murmured.

"What should we do?" Phill whispered, his legs shaking beneath him.

Why are they all so scared?

"It's fine I'm sure they haven't noticed us." I said casually, trying to calm down everyone's nerves.

"They've noticed us."

"......"

"I'm kidding." Finn said while flicking both of his scarves.

"Finn! You can't say stuff like that! Everyone will believe it cause you're Finn!" Bill crashed out.

"Hm?" Finn paused, his expression turned serious but it wasn't because of whatever Bill said. I peered back over the corner and saw that the Pre-Scouts were headed straight for us, as if they had x-Ray vision.

"They really have noticed us. Leader?" Finn said as he looked at Jamie.

"You all remember our codes right?" Jamie said solemnly. Everyone except me nodded.

"Rosette is a code red: run on sight!" The panic in Jamie's voice was growing with every word.

"S-so what should we do Boss?" Phill said quietly.

"Isn't it obvious?" Jamie said, his voice breaking into a shout. "Everyone run!"