VBL

Nora is digging in on her entrée (Cheeseburger, no tomatoes and onion rings), while Faith is drinking berry tea, and Javier is eating a Salisbury steak. The three of them are sitting in a large booth at a luxurious restaurant. The people around them consist of well-dressed families or people wearing suits/dresses and eating alone.

“Javier how the hell are you able to afford to pay for all this food?” Nora asks.

“My family owns a few dojos throughout the country. Money isn’t really a problem for us. Plus, we use to eat here all the time.” Javier answers.

“Sorry about thinking you two were on a date!” Faith apologizes.

“Don’t worry about it. Nora would be lucky to have me.” Javier teases.

“I doubt that Mr. delinquent.” Nora teases back.

“I told you I had a good reason for skipping school today.” Javier responds.

“Oh yeah? What is it?” Nora asks.

“I’d like to know too, if you’re okay with that.” Faith chimes in.

“Man, I got some nosey people around me today.” Javier says while breaking eye contact. Instead, he chooses to look around the restaurant.

Eventually Javier sees neither girl is willing to let this matter go, so he takes a deep breath.

“Today is the anniversary of my mother’s death.” Javier explains.

The two girls immediately look at each other with a “We fucked up” glare.

“Javier. I’m so sorry to hear that.” Nora sympathizes.

“Was it… from natural causes?” Faith asks.

“Hardly. A drunk driver tried to run a red light. My mom was trying to make a left turn. They didn’t see each other, until it was too late.”

Javier looks down at his plate. Faith reaches for his hand. He looks over to her. Her eyes were still red from crying a few minutes ago. (Previous chapter) Javier smiles.

“So, you were looking for something to get your mind off of it.” Faith says.

“That’s right. Then you two made me talk about it so openly.” Javier teases.

“How about a match then?” Nora purposes.

“That was the plan before Faith interrupted us.” Javier teases.

Faith blushes and turns her head down in embarrassment.

“Well hold on. Faith is more than welcomed to come with us, but she doesn’t play VBL.” Nora says.

“What do you mean? I’ve seen her at the VBL HQ a few times.” Javier reveals.

“Huh?! Is that true Faith?!” Nora asks.

Faith slowly lifts her head from her arms, revealing that she’s still blushing.

“Yeah. I played VBL a few times, although I’m surprised Javier remembered me.” Faith responds.

“I – well,” Javier stammers.

Nora notices Javier stammer.

“Mr. King don’t tell me you had a crush on Faith before you met her,” Nora teases.

“No! I just remember potential opponents very well!” Javier yells.

“Oh sure. That’s why you bought her lunch?”

“I bought us all lunch! In fact, you better worry about paying me back!” Javier counters.

“What?! I fainted! You can’t charge me for saving my life!” Nora yells.

“Sure, I can. Ambulances literally do the same thing.” Javier utters.

“Well, how much was just my meal?” Nora asks.

“You got the cheeseburger combo so probably around $80.” Javier verbalizes.

“$80?! Did they bathe it in gold?!” Nora yells.

“That’s a steal for a three -star restaurant.” Faith claims.

“Why couldn’t you have taken me to a cheap fast-food place?! You were probably trying to impress Faith!” Nora yells.

“Would you get off that!” Javier yells back.

Faith watches Nora and Javier bicker back and forth. She simply smiles.

Faith inner thoughts: These two are a riot.

**

Inside a dark room, a woman with messy hair, and large rimmed glasses hunches over her laptop. In front of her there lay three mounted monitors, each one showing a different VBL match going on. While the other three monitors have windows of code opened up. The woman’s phone vibrates until she answers it.

“Yes?”

“Hello, Ms. Kane. I was just checking on the state of the new patch.”

“Oh yes, the patch is all set for release tomorrow. I’m just making some finishing touches to it. The wall physics needs to be finalized. Some of the new weapons needs some flourishing, and the coffee machine in the office is acting up again.” the woman explains.

“Uhh – right! I’m glad to see you hard at work as always. Did you eat anything today?”

“I had a cup of instant ramen like two hours ago.”

“That’s not a viable meal!”

“I put some egg and mushrooms in it.” the woman says.

“That’s a little better but I’m still ordering you a takeout lunch!”

“Okay…” the woman gives in.

**

Back at the VBL HQ. Inside one of the practice rooms, Nora and Faith are customizing their builds. Javier is sitting on the couch.

“Remind me again why one of us isn’t facing you? You were the one looking for a distraction.” Nora exclaims to Javier.

“I’ve already beaten you and I want to see Faith’s playstyle before I face her.” Javier bluntly explains.

“So, I’m your guinea pig?” Nora asks.

“Pretty much.”

Nora and Faith look at each other.

Nora inner thoughts: This is weird, but part of me is excited to play against Faith. Although I have no idea what playstyle she has. I’ll just go for a balanced build. I want to try a new weapon though.

Faith inner thoughts: To the best of my knowledge Nora prefers close combat with the dragon sword. So, I’ll pick a mid-ranged weapon, and a defense build.

Eventually both finish customizing their build and walk to their separate pods. From the large monitor located in the top right corner of the room, Javier noticed that they chose a random location. His phone suddenly vibrates from a text. It’s from Ren. “Yo, any plans after school?” Javier texts back “Hanging out with Nora and Faith at the VBL HQ.” Ren texts back “Okay bet… who’s Faith?”

**

Nora build:

ATK:0

DEF:0

SPD:0

Extra health

Wall

Faith build:

ATK:

DEF:00

SPD:0

Rage

Wall

Location: City Rooftops

Nora opens her eyes and looks at her surroundings. She finds herself on top of a rooftop, while Faith is stretching on a separate roof top. The match arena has four roof tops that are close enough to easily jump between each one. In the background is a busy metropolitan city. Some NPC’s (non-playable characters) in a nearby office building looking through their office window. Two news team helicopters hover around the arena, with one person holding a camera through the side door. Faith doesn’t waste any time, summoning her weapons. Twin red pistols. Each pistol has a charging indicator on the bottom. It’s currently glowing red with a wing insignia on the sides of each pistol. This is the twin wing pistols.

A cool breeze carries itself past Nora. With it, a sudden calmness. In a weird turn of events. Faith feels the same feelings. The two girls look at each other. Neither could explain it, but a smile shaped itself on both faces. Nora finally summons her weapons.

Faith inner thoughts: What?!

**

Javier’s eyes widen and he drops his phone on the couch. It slips through the sofas.

“No way! They ended up choosing the same weapon. Damn it, where’d my phone go?” Javier says.

**

Faith points her twin pistol at Nora, but Nora immediately sprints to the end of the rooftop. Faith runs adjacent to Nora, firing one bullet after another.

Faith inner thoughts: Why isn’t she firing her weapon?

Faith looks down to where Nora is holding her hands. Nora’s twin pistols are blinking red, until they suddenly change to a bright green.

Faith inner thoughts: Shit!

Nora then stops in her tracks, aiming her twin pistols at Faith. Faith attempts to stop herself but ends up sliding from the momentum.

“Charge shot!” Nora yells.

Two large blue beams fire from Nora’s pistols. Causing Faith to immediately run to the opposite end of her rooftop. The two beams catch up to Faith in no time. One hits her directly in the back, causing her to tumble sightly right before regaining her balance. As she gets to the edge of the roof, Faith lowers her center of gravity. Catching the edge of the roof and flinging herself around the building and onto the fire escape, then immediately through the window of an empty (but furnished) apartment. The remaining beam follows Faith into the apartment. Faith then front flips over to a coffee table that was in the middle of the living room. The beam impacts the table, sending Faith flying into the rendered couch. In the time it takes her to look up, Nora is already in front of her. The Pistol pointed directly in Faith’s face.

A beat.

Faith anticipates Nora pulling the trigger and preemptively goes for the jiujutsu shoulder toss. Landing Nora right through the remains of the coffee table. Although Nora reveals she was readying another charge shot. Her pistol changes to green again. At the same time Faith also reveals that she fully charged one of her pistols. Both teenagers aim their pistols at each other.

“Charge shot!” Nora and Faith yell simultaneously.

The force of the blast sends Faith flying through the ceiling of the apartment. While it sends Nora plunging through the floor.

**

Javier inner thoughts: Their evenly matched!