VBL

Flashback: 4 years ago.

An 11-year-old Nora is playing a game on her phone while sitting at a table in the library of her old elementary school. She’s sitting by herself. There are a handful of students sitting at different tables, while a few more students are looking through books on the shelf. The librarian behind the desk is texting on her phone, mentally distant from the library around her.

Young Nora is tapping away at her phone. That is, until the door opens. Four girls suddenly walk inside the library. One of them immediately spots Nora. Nora looks up in time to see them notice her, and she nervously looks back at her phone. The young blonde girl that is walking in front of the pack struts over to Nora. Her name is Bonnie.

“You girls, see? I told you; she never leaves the library.” Bonnie says to her possie.

The girls surround the table, surrounding Nora. Nora finally looks up from her phone. Looking directly at Bonnie.

“So, Nora, tell me. Why do you sit in here by yourself?” Bonnie asks.

“Because you and your friends always pick on me when I’m in the lunchroom.” Nora bluntly replies.

“Pick on you? Us? Nora that’s our way of showing you that we like you.” Bonnie retorts.

“Well, I don’t like it.” Nora says.

“What? You don’t like it? So should I take that as you not liking us either?” Bonnie asks while leaning over to Nora. Nora uncomfortably breaks eye contact with Bonnie. “Does that mean, you don’t like me?”

Nora doesn’t answer, instead choosing to place her phone face down on the table. A few other students look over to the scene. Besides the girls that are harassing Nora, the atmosphere in the library is quiet and tense.

“We both know the answer to that question.” Nora answers.

This causes the girls to smile at each other. One of them slowly walks behind Nora. Bonnie looks at her, and smiles. Giving the girl the signal.

“In that case let us make sure you get all your nutrients!” Bonnie yells.

The girl standing behind Nora pours an open carton of milk all over Nora’s head. Bonnie’s possie immediately starts laughing at Nora. Although the remaining students in the library could see Nora beginning to cry, they instead chose to turn their attention away in fear of being next. The librarian finally hears the commotion and intervenes.

“HEY! You girls come here!” the librarian demands while slamming her phone on the desk.

All of the girls scatter and run out of the library. The Librarian walks over to Nora who’s still sitting still in her seat, until she drops her head into her arms on the table. Fully crying in her own arms.

END OF FLASHBACK

**

Build reminder:

Nora build:

ATK: 0

DEF: 0

SPD: 0

Extra health

Wall

Twin wing pistols.

Faith build:

ATK: 0

DEF:00

SPD:

Rage

Wall

Twin wing pistols.

______________________________________________________________________________

Back to the game. Nora (who is buried under rubble) explodes from the rubble and jumps back to her feet. While Faith (who was blown back to the roof) begins to charge another blast.

**

Javier finally grabs his phone that was stuck between the couch cushions and sends Ren another text. “Yo, go on the VBL app and look up Nora and Faith’s match. This thing is pretty sick!” After 2 minutes he gets a text back from Ren. “Nora’s using twin pistols?!”

**

Back in the game, Nora is running up the staircase that leads to the roof.

Nora inner thoughts: No doubt, Faith will be waiting for me. But that’s okay, I’ll still have my wall ability as a last resort. Not to mention –

Nora’s twin pistols shine a bright green, showing they have a full charge.

Nora bursts through the door to the roof and checks her corners. Although Faith, who is behind the door aims the pistol and shoots another charge shot through the door. Hitting Nora directly and sending her stumbling over. Faith doesn’t take any time to confirm her hit, but instead runs behind the brick roof access. Charging another shot. As Faith sprints to the corner, she’s met by Nora, leaning against the back of the access. Nora fires a charged shot precisely at Faith’s face. Causing faith to stumble back. Nora proceeds to aim her other pistol and continuously shoot Faith in the head and torso. The force from each shot is enough to stun Faith from dodging the next shot.

**

Flashback: A few years ago.

A young Faith runs into her family’s large living room. Pristine and freshly cleaned by the housekeepers. Her mother is drinking wine on the white, suede couch while watching a reality television show. She’s smiling and laughing until she sees Faith walking up. Then her face morphs to a serious and stern look. As if this was her poker face. Young Faith holds up a blue ribbon and a small plaque that says “Winner.”

“Mommy look! I won.” Young Faith screams.

Faith’s mom gives a quizzical look at the items being presented to her.

“What am I looking at honey?”

“I won the weekly fighting game tournament at the rec center!” Faith says.

“A what tournament?” Her mom asks.

“Fighting games.”

“You mean those games your brothers play all night?” Her mom clarifies.

“Well. Yeah.” Faith admits.

“I thought I told you that a “Storm” woman doesn’t lower herself to such miscellaneous things!” Her mom says.

“But I like it” Faith pleads.

“What if one of my friends saw you playing such games? Do any of you at any point think about how this could affect me?!” Her mom lashes out.

“I – I guess not.” Young Faith admits.

“Exactly. You children never think things through. You always do this! I need you to be better sweetie. You need to place yourself above all those childish things. Don’t you want to be like mommy?”

Young Faith is stopped in her tracks. Unable to answer honestly. Faith’s mom see’s the turmoil in her own daughter and decides to manipulate her.

“Do you hate mommy?”

“N-No!” Faith pleads.

“Then why don’t you listen to me?”

“I don’t know. I just like video games.”

“I see. You love video games more than me.”

Faith can feel the tears beginning to swell in her eyes as she fails to understand her mothers’ true intentions.

End of flashback.

**

After shooting Faith at directly four times in a row, Nora delivers a roundhouse kick directly to Faith’s head. Sending her flying and eventually back down to the ground. Nora doesn’t give Faith the time to recover as she’s already charging another charged shot. Little does she know Faith already fully charged one. Faith points her pistol at Nora and pulls the trigger. Nora bends backward just in time to dodge the blast, but Nora knows the blast will circle around and chase her. So, she continues to run toward Faith.

As Nora predicted. The blast circles around and makes its way toward Nora. Faith rolls backward so that she can be on her feet. Preparing for whatever Nora does next. As Nora gets closer, Faith gets overwhelmed. Aiming her pistol at Nora, but it’s too late as Nora grabs Faith’s arm. Judo flipping Faith in the direction of the oncoming blast. The blast is about to hit Faith but then –

“Wall!” Faith yells.

The checkered wall appears, and completely blocks the blast from hitting Faith. Instead, Nora accidentally slams Faith into the newly formed wall. Faith then uses the arm that Nora isn’t holding to shoot her in the head. Finally making contact. Nora flinches back but aims her own pistols. Both girls shoot at each other at point blank range, neither attempting to dodge anymore.

**

Javier is sitting on the edge of the couch while he fidgets his thumbs against each other.

Javier inner thoughts: They’re both not even thinking defensively anymore. Although neither of them tried the twin pistols second attack yet.

**

Faith sees her health is below 10 percent and rolls to the side, out of the line of fire.

Faith inner thoughts: Not good. I’m going to lose. But Nora hasn’t used the pistols second attack yet. I wonder if she even knows about it. That’s my only chance. It’s now or never!

“Angel cross stream blast!” Faith yells.

Both of Faith’s pistols glow a bright blue. Static begins to erupt from the pistols, showing a sign of overloading. Then two large blue blasts suddenly fire from Faith’s pistols, directly at Nora.

“Wall!” Nora yells.

This time Nora’s wall blocks the blue blast. Nora then leaps to the left of the wall, outside of the line of fire from the blast. As Nora reveals that her left pistol is fully charged. Faith notices that she used her last line of defense, while her health is low and with a genuine smile accepts her fate. Nora notices Faith’s smile. Unable to fight the urge of smiling herself, she unleashes the last charge shot of the match. Hitting Faith directly and causing her avatar to explode. Winning the match. Nora stands victorious, continuing to smile. Not for simply winning the match, but for finally feeling like she made a friend in Faith.

**

Back in the training room, Javier is on his feet and ready to welcome the winner. The first pod door to open is Faith’s. She solemnly looks down at her feet. Javier stands there until Nora’s pod door opens.

“Congrats on the win!” Javier says.

Nora runs straight to Faith’s pod.

“Faith that was an amazing match! I felt like we were neck and neck until the very end! Sorry I had no idea you were so good!” Nora says.

Faith is surprised from all the praise and starts blushing. Avoiding eye contact.

“Hey Faith…” Nora says.

Faith finally locks eyes with Nora. For a moment, the image of a young Faith is standing in front of a younger Nora. Both kids smiling at each other.

“Playing against you was so much fun! Let’s have another match sometime!” A young Nora says to a young Faith.

Faith allows herself to smile.

“I’d like that.” Faith says.

**

Inside the dark room, the messy haired woman with large, rimmed glasses is typing away at her laptop again. She reaches over and grabs the Styrofoam cup, proceeding to take a few sips. There isn’t any music playing inside the room as well as any videos. Just the gentle hum of the computers and servers surrounding the woman. Until her phone suddenly rings.

“Yes?” the woman answers.

“Ms. Kane, I’m clocking out for the day. Did you need anything else?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you for your hard work today.” The messy haired woman says.

“Do you plan on going home tonight?”

“No, I’m pulling another all nighter to get things finalized for tomorrow’s announcement.”

“I know better than trying to talk you out of this, but after the announcement tomorrow, please allow yourself a nap. Things are only going to pick up form here, and we need you in good health.”

“You’re right, and I will. Thank you for thinking of me. To be honest I’m just excited. This is one of my favorite times of the year.” The messy haired woman reveals.

“I can tell. Good night.”

“Night”

The messy haired woman ends the call then takes a deep, long stretch in her desk chair.

“I can’t wait. With this new update, the road to the spring tournament begins!”

END OF PROLOGUE.