Nextgen Kids: Down in the Negaverse

Reflections on the Self

What will our poor world do without Nerehc?

Chapter -10: Reflections on the Self

Outside EiznekCm Home

"Arorua, what is TAKING you so long?!" Lehcar screamed, unknown that her daughter had climbed out of Nerehc's window.

"IT'S A REALLY HARD PROBLEM, MOOOM!" Arorua continued fibbing. "Positives are a REALLY hard topic! Okay, hopefully Nerehc's pulling some stupid prank and he's just hiding, just gotta do a quick search of town and—AAAH! !" She fell back when a cloud of smoke exploded before her.

Sipa shook the smoke away and found the girl on her rear. "Oh, hello. Is Nerehc home?"

"Well, he WAS, but," Arorua stood and brushed off, "all of a sudden he's just gone like... wait, you didn't have anything to do with TELEPORTING him, did you? ?"

"I just GOT here, Nerehc called me a few minutes ago, but I couldn't call back." Sipa showed her her cellphone.

Arorua read that Nerehc called at -7:07 and it was now -7:11. "But then... where did he go?"

"To another dimension, apparently. Interesting way to hide your connection."

"Another dimension? You mean he got pulled to the Posiverse?"

"Maybe. Unless any other dimension is readily available to us."

"Well, what's he doing in there? ? Mom keeps yelling at me to watch him since the Halloween incident, if he's out there causing trouble again!"

"Well, maybe he got pulled over there by force, I dunno. Look, lemme go to the Posiverse and ask around."

"Sure, just turn right at the next block—you can't just GO to the Posiverse without your Positive looking in the same reflection! !"

"Yah, unless you have magic. But until he's back, you can use this to fill in for him." Sipa held up a tiny bottle of blue liquid.

"Oh yeah, she'll really take a bottle over her son."

"No. Look." So she plucked it open, spilled the liquid on the ground, and let an exact Nerehc clone sprout up from the substance. "I've been breeding him to use as a practice target. Named him Ner-Ner. Hmhmhmhm! Cute little guy, isn't 'e?"

"..." Arorua approached the wide-eyed clone and held a hand to his face. "SEAWEAVEL!" She flinched at his shout.

"Ummmm still teaching him English."

"YORGUS-SPORG."

"...Well, it sounds like him." Arorua noted. "We'll just say the math finally discombobulated his brain."

"Or you could tell 'em I did it." Sipa grinned.

"Um, sure... Just hurry and find him. It'll only keep its appearance for so long."

"Yeah, but you can still beat 'im around afterward. Bye-bye!" She vanished in a smoke puff.

"ARORUAAAA! What's going on? ?"

"Uhhhh we're on our way! And don't be surprised if Nerehc's a little... slow-minded. Come on, boy!" She slapped her legs and stepped backward. Ner-Ner got on all fours and pounced after her.

Sector -W7 Treehouse

Yenmihc, Ebnog, and Ahcniea sat around the floor and watched TV, eating rice out of a bowl using spoons, 'cause that's how rice is eaten here. Of course, Ahcniea had to reach up and grab her own pieces since Yenmihc didn't bother to drop a few pieces for the tiny girl. "Huff, huff, huff." Lirpa ran in from the balcony door, sweating and panting as Ahcom sat on her shoulders. "10 laps... 65 minutes..."