The Chronicles of Smith & Jones

Chapter Six - Dystopian

Smith landed with a jolt that impacted his already stiff knees. "I do say," he exclaimed as he straightened out to his full height. He reached around to straighten his cuffs when as he realized they were no longer there. They had been replaced with smooth, grey-brown cotton.

As Smith opened his mouth to remark on his new, shapeless clothing, he was suddenly cut off by H'ver zipping by. His gaze followed the robot as it sped past him, right into a...

"Tree!" Kris yelled from behind Smith, just as H'ver came to a screeching halt inches away from one of the tallest trees Smith had ever laid eyes on

Actually, now that he looked, there were dozens of trees. Pieces fell into place in Smith's undernourished brain, "A forest!" he nearly shouted, so excited he was at the setting of familiar territory.

Kris hit him upside the head as she passed, "Thanks for pointing that out. Wouldn't of worked it out on my own, genius."

Smith rubbed the back of his head, "There is no need to be snarky."

Kris threw her braided hair back as she glared at him over her shoulder, "Must be my harlot ways," she shot back.

Smith's face scrunched in indignation, "Now wait just a minute! That was Jones who said that. I would..."

"I suppose it wouldn't be very gentleman of me to capitalize on this moment. I could think of many more harlot-like activities you could be engaged in at the moment Milady." Jones piped in.

As Kris made her way towards the very ungentleman like Mr. Jones, H'ver strolled to their side. "You are correct, Jones, sir." He said. "We should perhaps be moving on, for as by my calculations we have one-hundred-thirty-three seconds before we are surrounded. It is most probable that it will be a group of larger than three, and a two-thirds chance that they will be equipped with weaponry that compliments our surroundings."

The trio's heads turned together in the direction of the robot.

"H'ver?"

H'ver turned, "Yes, Mr. Smith, sir?"

"Did you happen to finish that tea?"

The robot's mechanical brows shot upwards, "Why yes, sir. One moment."

As H'ver and Smith saw to the tea and toast, Kris and Jones stepped deeper into the foliage. Jones pushed out a limb so they could duck under, "You don't by chance know where we've landed this time, do you?"

Kris snorted, "I do."

Jones couldn't help but notice Kris' confident steps in her knee-high boots. This would typically be the moment he would point out that the Loop had changed all their appearances this time around. Why, H'ver seemed even to have lost a bit of his shine as they landed in this wretched forest.

But not now. No, Jones had more sense than that. Even in the middle of a loop that had taken them to the edges of the unknown Jones knew when a woman was huffy.

Kris was huffy.

Therefore, Jones was silent.

But what reason would she have to be upset? thought Jones, Women and their nonsensical emotions.

As Jones followed Kris through the woods-she really did seem to know where she was going; and the view was quite spectacular—Jones' ears perked up to the noisy travelings of their companions they had left somewhere behind him, it dawned on him.

Maybe he had offended Kris in some manner. Why, what lady, in spite of her station, enjoyed being compared to a whore?

Jones was attempting to gather the words for an apology—for after all, he did feel quite bad for his rudeness- when he ran smack into Kris' form backside.