Finding The Way Back (A Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Fanfiction)

[11] Ergo Proxy

"Three thousand two hundred sixty...three thousand two hundred sixty-one...three thousand two hundred sixty-two!"

Chess has been with the group since Kipo came up with a supposed clue to where the next clue would be. He yawns and gives his legs a good kick or two so they didn't feel so sore. Still, something scratched the back of his head saying they might be going the wrong way...

"That's three thousand two hundred sixty-two steps from where we were!" Kipo finalizes. "As in, three-point two six-two, as in like a parsec. Let's do this! Let's see if we can look for any clues left by my dad!"

Sometimes, Chess wonders how Kipo has so much energy. Frankly, he spaced out since the beginning of the trek. This current journey wasn't the first option at all, and they repeated this process three times, counting the steps to a certain number before searching for clues. 

Though...they haven't been having any luck on the clue finding so far.

The Timber Cat started looking for clues as well, searching here and there for anything that could be of use. But, as mentioned before, there hasn't been much luck in finding anything worthy to note. As he returns to the group, shortly before Kipo, he notices Mandu getting into...well, it's not a fight per se. But it seems that the pig Mute has a definite bone to pick with Wolf. Chess's brow raises as he wonders what could be causing the problem, so he planned on tapping Wolf's shoulder to ask her.

And so he walks...and then he taps-

"Yaah!"

"Aaaaaaah!"

Chess's whole vision spins before it abruptly stops with his eyes staring at the sky. Wait...did that just happen? The pain...aching body, head throbbing in pain.

Somehow, Wolf just wrestled him right into the dirt. He coughs and wheezes, feeling some of the air knocked out of him from the sudden action as he picks himself up.

"I..." Wolf looked like she wanted to apologize, but her face hardens. "You should've told me you were coming, Mute."

His heart stung. What's the reason for such words?

"Uh, Wolf?" Benson intervenes. "Last time I checked, Chess can't really...uh...talk."

"So he's mute?" says Wolf.

Chess chokes on a laugh but plays it off when they heard that because it was an accidental pun. Still, he brought himself up and pointed and fingerspelled a word. He also scrunches his eyebrows (something he almost forgot; but Piece managed to remind him) to emphasize that it's a question.

[IX: YOU FS-OKAY]

"...Did you get a nervous tic while at Ratland?" Wolf prods.

"No no," Benson shakes his head. "I think he learned sign language...well, learning sign language from Piece. I heard some of the employees of Ratland are deaf, so they picked up sign language."

"How do you have a language when you can't speak?" questions Wolf turning to Benson.

"Look, it's a long story that involves history that you probably won't care about." Benson brushes off the question. "But right now, I really need a drink. We've been at this for hours!"

Kipo kept talking, albeit mostly to herself, out loud. "Okay, so we headed south, east, west, and now north from our starting point," she says while pacing around. "So now we head back! So that leaves four more directions which means almost halfway done, which is great!"

"Yeah yeah yeah great!" Benson interjects. "You know what would also be great? A frosty beverage with a little umbrella on it."

"Wait!" Kipo gasps. "Proxima Centauri! Proxima Centauri is-"