Han was taken aback by the sight he saw when they exited the elevator. Instead of a cramped living area, with hallways filled with living quarters that had the constant feeling of being suffocated, trees were swaying gently, people calmly walking around, and there was the sound of running water.
Looking around and seeing everything, Han thought that they had somehow walked outside. There was even a sky with clouds passing by and a sun in the sky. When he reached his arms out, there was also a slight breeze passing by.
Becky looked at them and nodded in understanding. "We were really fortunate that we were practicing that night, able to appropriately react to the situation and prevent any of those things from coming inside."
"How is this place even here?" Ivy asked. "This place is large enough to have its own sky?"
"What you're seeing is just a giant screen. This place is like a simulation of the outside world, though a pale comparison when looking at what we've lost." Becky said, her fist could be seen slightly tightening at the thought. "Originally, what you're seeing was created to give players a place to relax when they weren't training. When you're outside, you're exposed to things that can distract you and that's why this exists. I don't think Star and Moon would realize that they created something far more beneficial."
Walking on a dirt path, Becky led them towards a series of rectangular boxes that didn't have any decorations or signs on them. The only distinguishing factor was numbers painted next to doors. They saw people entering and leaving the structures, some in small groups chatting amongst themselves.
One of the individuals noticed Becky walking over to them, and they quickly saluted. The others in the group promptly realized what was happening and followed suit.
Becky nodded her head, and said, "Earlier, I ran into these people and have allowed them to be guests inside of our facility. They have decided to follow our training program in hopes of surviving in this new world of ours. I hope that all of you will assist them so that they can be ready."
A woman stepped forward and said, "Captain, we'll make sure to assist them. I was there last night and understand what's ahead of us, so I'll make sure to guide them properly."
"I knew I could count on all of you. I have some tasks to take care of on the upper levels, so could you guys show them to any living quarters available?" Becky addressed the woman. Turning to Han's group, she said, "I'll leave you in Jade's capable hands. She'll show you guys around. If you guys have any questions, ask anyone and they'll help you out. I'm also available so don't hesitate to approach me."
"Thank you, Becky. We really appreciate you taking us in and helping us out." His mother said.
"It means a lot and hopefully we'll be able to repay you," Han said.
Becky raised a hand and lightly touched Han's shoulder. Turning back where they came from, she headed towards the elevator and back to her duties. They watched as a player ran up towards her and began discussing something. It was apparent that she is highly thought of and seen as a leader by those around her.
Turning towards Jade, Han said, "The Captain looks like a very busy lady."
"Yes, even before the incident she was always making sure that we were ready for competitions. Before she became our Captain, we didn't really have a person that fit the position considering how new the sport was. But now, with our lives on the line, she's done a wonderful job keeping us focused instead of worrying about what the future has in store for us." Jade turned to the group she was with and pointed to each one. "These are some of the people I train with on the field and depending on the match style I team up with them, along with others, too."
"Hey, I'm Lexi," a woman with long blonde hair said to them. "I play the assassin role, sneaking up behind opposing players when playing the urban and forest fields. Glad to see some people survived this shit show."
A tall guy, also with blonde hair, laughed as he introduced himself, "Sorry for my big sister there. She's never really had people skills. I'm Steve, and I generally play Crowd Control, we call it CC, which is why I use a spear. If you see other players using a spear then they're usually a CC type. We tend to try and disrupt the opposing team with our crazy long weapon. Like my sis said, I'm glad to see that other people made it through okay."
"Don't worry about all the position names, we still use them to train but they don't mean much outside of matches. I'm Kimberly and I wield those crazy large swords, just like Captain does. During games, I would play as the Charger. While Steve over here would try to tangle up the other team, I would go into the other team's territory and fight the guards so I, or anyone else, can get through the other entrance." A platinum blonde woman told them.
"Guards?" His mom asked.
Kimberly shrugged, "Guards are players who typically have massive lance looking things on either arm, which they also use as shields. Each entrance usually has three guards and my job is to take care of them as quickly as possible. Only after all the guards are incapacitated can I, or anyone else, go through the exits."
"There are other weapons that are used, but we tend to stick with more traditional weapons. We felt like they were more efficient when competing in matches, though a lot less flashy compared to the other teams." Steve said.
Jade then tilted her head to the side, saying, "Why don't we get you guys some rooms. There's plenty of time to learn more about the game if you're interested.
The two groups began walking towards more groupings of the metal structures that were likely the living quarters. Han noticed that his group was getting along with the players, talking about various topics and what they did before everything went to shit.
Ivy stopped talking and commented to the other group, "I just realized. You talked about going against a team, but from what I gathered, it feels like each player would just go against the matching position. Wouldn't they just end up canceling out one another?"
Steve looked at Ivy and grinned. "But isn't that the case with any sport?"
Ivy looked slightly irked as she felt he was teasing her.
"My brother is being an ass," Lexi gave Steve a withering look. "What he's leaving out is what makes this sport different compared to other ones."
As Ivy was walking, she was looking back and forth between the siblings looking as if she didn't know what to think about the situation.
Steve raised a finger and said, "It's the monsters."
------
Han lay on the bed of his newly acquired room. Staring up at the barren metal ceiling, he was contemplating various things. With one of his arms behind his head, he raised his other hand up with fingers splayed. The only difference between him and another person doing a similar thing was the arcs of electricity jumping between Han's fingers. He enjoyed the tingling sensation of the electricity. Occasionally, he would fire a small bolt of energy at the metal ceiling and watch the slight coloring that occurred.
They were each shown a place to stay at. From what he learned, Star and Moon had built the place with the expectations of more players, allowing people to have their own places instead of having to bunk with others.
It was an interesting space, being larger than the average bedroom while also having a full sized bathroom. A full sized bathroom meant that a person didn't need to worry about what time they could head to the showers or carry various bottles on their way to getting cleaned up.
He wondered how the others reacted to seeing this place and how it contained all the creature comforts normally expected in a high-class hotel. The benefit was not having the constant fear of running into those creatures, not that they saw them since the event.
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Several days had passed with them just relaxing and enjoying everything. When he asked about training, Jade recommended that they shake off the shock first. Having the right mentality was vital before they tried to jump into the intense regimen.
Not wanting to surprise people, as he did during football practices, he decided to act like any other high school-aged kid. "Though I may give myself a slight advantage now and then," he grinned and closed his fist, causing arcs of electricity to fire off in all directions. The light in the room slightly dimmed from his actions.
Shaking his hand, he returned to casually relaxing on his bed as he heard a light knock on the door. After a couple of seconds, the door opened, and he felt a presence enter his room.
"You look rather relaxed," Jennifer's voice sounded amused.
"What's up, sis?" He tilted his head back and saw Jennifer upside down.
"Jade let me know that Becky has okayed us for training, so Jade is having us meet up with the others on the upper levels."
Not moving for a couple of seconds, Han then swung his legs off of his bed and used the swinging of his legs to right himself.
Jennifer laughed at his expression, saying, "You're the one that wanted to train and not rely on the people here, baby brother."
Lifting his arms up and stretching, he yawned and used his right hand to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah, I know. Being here is just getting me used to this type of environment where we don't have to worry about things."
"This place is pretty amazing. It reminds me of what we saw at Star and Moon Studios." She nodded her head in agreement.
Deciding to get off of his bed, he stood up and began heading towards the door. Stepping outside, he felt a slight confusion that he had been trying to get used to. Instead of feeling like he was inside of a building underground, he still had the sense that he was out in the world above ground. "I don't think I'm going to get used to this."
"I know what you mean. I keep forgetting that there are creatures eating people, and feel like I should be heading off to my classes."
The two of them made their way towards the building near his. Walking on the dirt path, they watched as kids were chasing one another. There were several parents resting under the shade of the tree, chatting with one another as they also observed their kids. Han and Jennifer waved at the parents, who returned the greeting.
Instead of being close to one another, there was a decent distance between the structures. Making it seem like a village instead of a suburb outside of the city, where houses looked to be packed in together.
Turning onto the path leading to the nearby structure. Han headed up the trail and reached the door first. Without knocking, Han listened to the click as the door unlocked and was opened. Inside of the home, things looked very similar to his own. There wasn't much stuff they had to make the homes their own. "Mom, Jennifer and I came to pick you up for training!" Turning his head to where the bed was, he noticed that it was empty.
Behind him, Jennifer closed the door and asked, "Where did she go?"
Sounds of a turning door handle alerted them. As it opened, clouds of steam escaped from the bathroom. Han saw his mother walk out of the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around herself.
"Han. Jennifer. What brings you two here?" Their mother asked, her eyes slightly widening.
Starring at the floor, he quickly got up and headed towards the door.
"Han, where are you going after you just got here?" His mother asked.
"Mom, you don't have any clothes on you. I'll leave the explanation to Jennifer, and I'll wait outside. Jennifer, come get me when you two are finished." He cracked open the door and squeezed himself out, not wanting his mother's figure to be on display. He heard his mother say, "My baby boy looks adorable when he acts bashful like that." Jennifer laughed loudly as he quickly closed the door behind him.
As he leaned against his mother's place, he still felt his face burning up in embarrassment. Sometimes, he honestly wondered what was going through his mother and sister's heads when they teased him. "It's even worse when I remember all my bookmarks on my computer back on my Earth. Get a hold of yourself, Han." He slapped both of his cheeks and pulled his hands down his face.
"Han! Did you hear the good news?" a voice called out to him as he was having a crisis of the mind.
He noticed Ruby and Ivy walking on the path towards him.
"We were on our way to your place to tell you great news," Ivy said.
"What's up?" He asked them. Likely, they were going to tell him about the training being made available to them.
When Ivy was about to speak, Ruby interrupted her by saying, "We can finally train and be able to fight like those players!"
Ivy sighed after her friend ruined the surprise she was going to reveal. By her expression, it was something she was used to. "Ruby and I were hanging out with some of the players, trying to get them to tell us more about what to expect. Jade came by and told us that we would be able to train!"
"Where's Grace and Harmony?" Han said.
Pointing towards someplace behind her, Ivy said, "They're still back there with the players. Grace and Harmony looked happy about the news, though Harmony looked really nervous."
Behind Han, the door opened to reveal both his mom and Jennifer. "Hello, Ruby. What's up, Ivy? I'm guessing you came to tell Han the news about us being able to train?"
Ivy and Ruby looked at him accusingly.
"I just found this out a minute ago," he raised his hands defensively.
"We should get going and meet up with the others. I'm sure that they are waiting up for us, so it would be rude to make them wait any further." His mother reminded them. She was wearing jeans and a tank top, with her hair not in a braid. Looking at him she noticed him staring at her, and smiled.
Trying to look away and clearing his throat casually, he nodded, "My mom is right. Let's head over to where they are and find out what this training is going to involve."
-----------
Han and the others were on a level that wouldn't be unusual for a large underground location. There was a long hallway, with various rooms that lacked windows. It gave off a very futuristic vibe, with displays next to the doors and the lights on the walls, ceiling, and floor. When he looked at one of the screens, it read, "Training in Progress: Currently Lvl 5." Next to the words was "Difficulty: Easy."
Before he could wonder what he had just looked at, he spotted Jade standing in front of a large bay door.
"Glad you guys were able to make your way here. Even though I'm unsure whether this is a good idea, Captain Becky explained that this is something all of you wanted." She sighed. "Behind me, this door leads to our largest training area and what we use to get ready for games. Instead of having you guys go by yourselves, I thought it would be better to have myself and the others join you guys." Jade looked at her teammates, all of them in their suits with their faces revealed.
"Jade, I think you're worrying about this too much," Steve laughed.
"Says the guy who nearly shit in his pants on his first try," Lexi blandly said.
Steve scratched the back of his neck, as he awkwardly laughed. The others grinned at the sight, likely used to the banter between the siblings.
"Don't worry, guys. We'll try to keep it fairly PG for your first run through." Kimberly said. "Since this isn't for a game, we aren't going to be in the typical position, though some of us will likely stick with their strengths. Not all us can be as ruthless as some people." She grinned at Lexi who happened to be scratching her eyebrow with her middle finger directed at Kimberly.
Jade rolled her eyes at seeing the two acting out. "Before we start, I'm going to have to get you guys measured up. Even though we have suits for you guys to wear, they won't be as good since they're temps."
"You guys won't be able to let loose in those things," Steve said. He patted his chest, a dull metallic ring being heard.
Jade then directed them to a door to the left of them. There was a small sign next to it with, "Uniform Dressing Room," in glowing letters. "Just go into the room and head into either the male or female side. There'll be a small room, slightly larger than a walk-in closet, with a sign marked, 'Scanning Room,' where you'll be sized. Just make sure that you have all clothing removed before entering."
Han headed with the others into the room. There were two displays with arrows directing men to one side and women to the other. After the hallway, he saw what looked like a semi-futuristic locker room. Two of the walls had lockers, while the others had large screens that were playing various music videos. It was a very relaxing location, feeling a little like a spa. Removing his clothes, he walked down another hallway that went past bathrooms and showers. Two rooms were near the end, with the signs indicating that they were the ones used for scanning.
Entering into the room, he was surrounded by mirrors that showed every part of his body.
A beep sounded and a voice said, "Now commencing scan."
Other than standing there, he didn't know what else he should be doing. There were no lasers or anything to indicate his body was being scanned.
Before he was about to leave the room, there was another beep and a voice saying, "Scan completed."
Shrugging his shoulders, Han walked out of the room and went towards where the lockers were located. Noticing a locker that had his name on it. He opened it up and saw something that looked like a suit hanging there.
"How the hell am I supposed to put this on?" Han muttered to himself.
"Welcome to the WABAL! To assist you in the process, this video was created to help new players with putting on their Series T1 suits. Currently, your body is being measured by our various computers, so the Series T1 was created for players first starting out in the sports. At Star and Moon, we always put our players first. This suit will help to protect you from most serious impacts, slashes, burns, freezes, and other serious injuries that may occur during a game." One of the large screens was playing a promotional video, before a video demonstrating the process of donning the suit was played. There was a general cartoon body slowly putting on the suit and holding the helmet. It then made a victory pose to indicate the success of doning the uniform.
Getting into the suit, Han could feel the material and how soft and light it felt. He had to look down a couple of times, to make sure that he was wearing clothes. Just like the other players, most of his vital locations were covered by some type of plating. Twisting and turning, Han tried to see how the suit felt. Jumping a few times, it felt like he wasn't using as much effort.
"Seems like the suit assists in movements, which explains how they are able to wield those types of weapons."
Once he felt good about using the suit, he looked in the locker and saw a helmet ready for him to put on. Turning it over, Han tried to locate the switch that allowed him to put it on. Touching all over the surface of the helmet, he was unable to figure it out. He watched the video again, but there were no instructions for putting on the helmet.
Deciding it was pointless, Han took the helmet with him and headed out of the locker room. Going down the hallway, he saw Jennifer, Ruby, and Grace heading out, too. "Where are the others?" He asked them.
"There were only two scanning rooms, so they are still getting their scans done or putting on the suits," Grace explained.
Seeing the three girls walking towards him, Han noticed how tight the outfit clung to their figures.
"Does it look good?" Ruby asked him.
"It suits you," He answered. When he reached her, he placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair.
--------
"Okay, it looks like everyone is ready," Jade nodded her head as she looked at them.
It had taken her only a few moments to show them how to put on the helmets. In order to open up the headgear, the person had to begin the motion of donning the helmet. Somehow the helmet was able to sense the person was putting on the protection.
The sensation of the helmet was similar to the suit, making Han touch his face several times to check if he had the headgear on. Instead of having a restrictive view, his entire field of vision was clear.
"As you guys can see, your ability to see is not restricted." Jade's voice resonated inside through some internal speaker.
"The display is controlled by your eyesight, so if you need to see the number on your team and where they're at you just need to look to your side. On the other side, you can make your screen highlight your teammates and any opponents. The display isn't omniscient, so until you have a line of sight, opponents and teammates won't be marked. Not being able to see your teammates means that communication is essential. Look at the sides, and you can quickly scroll through various options." Jade continued to explain to them. It felt like a tutorial inside of a game.
Once Jade was satisfied that they were able to cycle through everything with relative ease, the door behind her began to open. It gave an impression of having to contain some giant creature.
Jade walked past the door and indicated for them to follow. Steve and the others followed behind Han's group. Han looked to the side and saw the positioning of everyone.
Passed the door was a large area filled with weapons of varying sizes and types.
"I'll have each of you choose a weapon to try out. With this being your first time, don't worry about which one you choose. Just use this as an opportunity to see what type of weapon you enjoy using." Jade explained, indicating to all the weapons.
Han walked over to one that looked like two long and wide blades placed side by side. The handle was somewhat longer and thicker than most others. There was a half circle handguard, which looked a little odd in his opinion.
"I call that the Jackknife," Kimberly said.
Looking behind him, Han saw Kimberly approaching him.
She guessed his confusion and explained, "The reason why there are two blades is that it opens up like a jackknife." Reaching her hand out, she waited until Han gave her the weapon. "All you need to do is this," she took the handguard and swung it to the opposite side. In one smooth motion, she swung and twisted the blade. One of the blades made a soft scraping noise and opened up to look like a twin bladed spear with the handle acting like the shaft.
As expertly as she opened up the sword, she reversed the motion and caused it to go back into its original form. Slamming the guard back, locking it, she handed back the weapon to him.
"Once you get used to it, it's an interesting weapon. I'm not much of a fan of it, but hopefully, you'll connect with it."
"Thanks for showing me, Kimberly," Han said.
Kimberly waved her arm, to let him know it wasn't a big deal, and walked back over to her teammates.
Holding the weapon in his hands, Han felt like the sword fit him. The sword felt like it had a secret that no one knew about until it was too late. Watching Jade show how to put their weapons on their backs, he followed the motion and felt a slight push from the weapon sticking to his back.
Another door blocked their path. As the door they entered through closed, they watched as the second one opened. Entering, Han saw massive cliff walls on either side of them. It felt like they were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
After walking into the area and entering the field, they soon heard a loud thud which signaled that the second door finished closing.
"Keep alert, everyone. The closing of the door signals that the game will start in a minute." Jade called out to them.
"Is there another team that's waiting, too?" Harmony asked.
Steve laughed. "Nope. We're the only people on this field. Maybe next time, but we want you to get used everything."
"What are we getting used to?" Grace asked.
"Minute's up!" Jade yelled.
There was a loud rumbling noise and soon they saw a large group of beasts coming towards them. The creatures looked like they were slightly larger than bears, making them look extremely terrifying. Many of them had spikes protruding from their bodies, and had long teeth waiting to devour them. A few looked to be crawling while others were galloping. A few even had tentacles coming out of their body, whipping about looking for prey to catch.
"These are the monsters I was telling you about," Steve playfully said to everyone.