VBL

Nora, Rem, and Javier are in one of the low-lit private rooms. Ren is on the right side of the room, sitting on one of the leather couches. Both combatants are standing in front of their designated pod where there’s a touch pad stationed. This is where players pick their weapons, abilities, and builds. Nora is analyzing her new build that she made up on the spot. Javier is standing with his arms folded, waiting for her to finish.

“When you said you were finished, I thought that meant you had a build in mind.” Javier chastises.

“You missed the part where I’m new to the game? This is like my second game ever.” Nora corrects.

“Okay so you are telling me that you haven’t done any research on the game at all?”

“Of course, I have – “

“So, then you should have an idea.”

“You know patience is a virtue, right?” Nora asks.

“Okay. I never said I was virtuous.” Javier clarifies.

Nora finally finishes her new makeshift build, then goes to stand in the pod. Javier begins touching his touch screen again.

“I’ll take the liberty of changing the map, that way we’re not here all day.” Javier taunts.

Inside the pod Nora rolls her eyes. After selecting a map, Javier jumps into his pod. The pod doors begin to close. Nora calms her body, like last time. She looks over Javier’s pod in time to see him talking to himself before he closes his eyes.

Nora inner thoughts: what was he-

Before she could finish her thought, Nora blinks her eyes, and she instantly finds herself standing on railroad tracks. There doesn’t seem to be a station visible in either direction, only several railroad tracks, all lined up next to each other. The biggest gap being the space both players occupy. There’s also a bright blue sky with minimal clouds. This map is called INFINTY RAILROAD. The sudden change in her environment confuses her for a moment. She shakes her head. She then points her attention in front of her where she sees Javier, who is staring back at her. Holding a confident look in his eye. Causing Nora to slightly frown.

Map: Infinity Railroad

Nora build:

ATK:000

DEF:

SPD:

Dragon Blade

Wall

Speed Boost

VS

Javier build:

ATK:00

DEF:

SPD:0

Titan Gauntlets

Wall

Speed Boost

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Expect the same treatment from me as Takeshi. Being a rookie doesn’t mean you’re going to get it easily.” Javier says.

“Same treatment? Last time I checked you lost to Takeshi as well.” Nora taunts.

This visibly frustrates Javier. He quickly activates his weapons. The Titan gauntlets. Dashing toward Nora before she can even activate her weapon. This takes Nora by surprise. As she activates the Dragon sword, Javier is already in front of her. He sends out a left hay maker at Nora’s head. She barely dodges and takes a horizontal slash toward his torso. Then Javier dodges by dashing backward. A train suddenly rushes right past Nora. It was so fast and abrupt that it scared her. Javier takes advantage of this moment to dash behind her. She looks back right before he unleashes a small left, right combo on her, ending it with a roundhouse kick. Which sends her flying forward.

Nora inner thoughts: Damn it. I let my guard down. That damn train scared the shit out of me. No doubt he kept that information to himself. Get it together Nora!

Nora takes a deep breath. Without speaking, Javier dashes behind her again. This time she’s prepared as she ducks his first punch, parries the second, back steps the third.

Javier inner thoughts: There it is! I knew it. This girl has amazing reflexes. She grabbed the basics of the game quick enough and she’s able to anticipate my attacks. This girl is going to be so much fun!

Javier attempts another kick, this time aiming for Nora’s forward foot. Until she lifts it up. Causing Javier to slightly stumble. Nora raises her sword above her head.

“Dragon slash!” Nora screams.

“Wall!” Javier counters.

A checkered wall materializes in front of Javier, seconds before the dragon materializes from Nora’s blade, causing an explosion that’s like the one from Nora’s match against Takeshi. This time Nora keeps her composure as she slides backward. Keeping eye contact with Javier. He smiles. She frowns. Another train suddenly flies right past them.

“Care to tell me what’s so funny?” Nora asks.

“I’m not laughing at you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Then what is it?”

“If you beat me… I’ll tell you.” Javier purposes.

Nora dashes toward Javier without hesitation. Javier grins and braces himself. Nora jumps toward the oncoming train, grabbing on to it and allowing it to carry her away.

Nora inner thought: I completely took a gamble if I could touch the train or not. I’m glad it worked out in my favor.

Javier inner thought: What is she-?! Okay, I’ll bite!

Javier dashes on top of the fleeting train. Nora runs down the roof of the train car, then jumps down to the space that connects with the neighboring train car. She kicks the door open and runs into the empty train car. Inside it’s filled with empty benches all the way down. Javier lands in between the cars and dashes toward Nora, attempting an upper cut. Nora attempts to parry. Javier pulls back, revealing a fake. Instead, he attempts a round house kick. Which lands. Sending Nora flying in between two benches.

“Ugh!”

Nora tries to lift herself up, but Javier uses one arm to holster himself over. Delivering another high kick to Nora’s head. Nora’s head smashes through the window next to her. Right at the same time another train comes by. Nora is barely able to dodge the oncoming train before Javier grabs her and sends her flying across the train.

Nora picks herself up, in time to see Javier coming after her again. She waits. Javier runs toward Nora while charging up an upper cut. His left hand begins glowing blue. Nora ducks under the bench, and slides under the next bench. While Javier upper cuts the first bench, sending it flying out of the window of the train. Javier is surprised to see no one under the bench.

Nora vaults over the bench, kicking Javier in the face. Sending him flying to the train car door. Without skipping a beat, Nora then scrapes the blade against the floor of the train.

“Earth dragon slash!”

Nora’s blade digs up some debris from the train car floor. Javier dashes toward the window, dodging the oncoming attack, and using the momentum to jump through the window. He hoists himself up and on top of the train. Balancing on the roof, just before a blue energy dragon burst through the roof. The force of the attack sends Javier flying off the train.

Javier lands on an adjacent track. While Nora jumps through the window and lands a few yards away from him. Javier carries a smile on his face. He legitimately didn’t see that attack coming.

Javier inner thoughts: She knows she’s no match for me right now, yet she doesn’t shy away from direct encounters. I mean it would be in her best interest, especially against someone like me. Despite that, she attempts to match my moves and adapt on the fly. This girl is…

Nora takes a stance and readies her sword. No words. Javier takes his stance as well.

Javier inner thoughts: She’s lower in health then I am. If I had to guess, then around 20 – 25%.

Javier looks at his own health in the top right corner of his vision.

Javier inner thoughts: While my own health is around 45%. That should be more than enough for what I must do next. Full frontal assault!

Nora sprints (Not speed dash) toward Javier.

Javier inner thoughts: Wait, she’s not going full speed? Is she throwing the game? No, she doesn’t seem like the type. Then is she trying to bait me?!

Javier clenches his fist as it begins to glow red.

Javier inner thoughts: Fine by me! Show me something rookie!

Javier dashes directly at Nora, with no signs of redirecting. He delivers a kick, which doesn’t find its target. Nora jumps in midair, but she doesn’t attack. Javier pulls back and launches a fast jab, which Nora blocks with her blade, remaining silent. Javier takes this opportunity to blitz over to Nora’s right side, thinking she isn’t fast enough to dodge the next attack. Javier punches Nora in the gut. The force caused her to kneel over. Javier then readies his next attack.

“Titan hammer!” Javier yells.

A large, golden transparent titan (Greek mythology) appears behind Javier, mimicking the motion of Javier’s fist with the titan’s hammer.

“Wall!” Nora yells.

The checkered wall appears in milliseconds to completely block Javier’s attack. He flinches back from the impact from the wall. Enough time to give Nora the opportunity to leap over the wall, readying her own attack.

Javier inner thoughts: This girl played me. She wasn’t attacking to give herself the opportunity to counterattack me! I love it!

“Dragon slash!” Nora yells.

The blue dragon emits Nora’s blade and slams into Javier. Although he was able to make a split-second maneuver, he still took the majority of the damage from the attack.

Javier inner thoughts: Shit, I’m in my last 20%!

Javier dashes around the wall, where he finds Nora waiting for him. Javier takes the first step. Nora swipes at him but he sides steps her, then hits her with another gut check. She recovers quickly, and this time attempts the earth dragon slash technique. Until Javier dashes right in front of her and upper cuts her. While she’s in the air, Javier finishes it with one more, perfectly timed-

“Titan hammer!” Javier yells.

As soon as the attack hits, Nora’s avatar explodes into pieces.

Javier holds his pose as the pieces of Nora’s avatar blow past him. Finally, he composes himself. His right gauntlet glows blue and his left gauntlet glows red as he stands victorious.