Catalina’s throat was sore from screaming in the stands. She spent the last few minutes in silence. The front rows of fans exited first, leaving through the doors leading into the main building.
“I don’t like that. That’s all I’m saying,” her father said behind her.
“Oh, my God, Henry. Stop.” Her mother sounded more annoyed than ever. “It was an accident. He wasn’t trying to do anything.”
“Sure he wasn’t.”
“That girl pulled them. It was the momentum.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Jennifer groaned and walked ahead. “Sometimes I can’t stand you.”
“What are you mad for?” Henry chased after her.
Catalina chuckled. She looked down at Carter, who was stuck on his AIDA screen. “What are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna go to the mini-ERMM room.”
“Again? It’s like you live there now. Don’t you want to see Calista?”
“We see her after every round. No big deal.”
She stared at him, disbelieving. She then ruffled his hair. “Go ahead, you brat.”
He groaned and swatted her away. “Stop.” He went to the mini-ERMM, which was basically a playground for all the visiting children. It was a minimized version of the maps in the arena, with small, harmless traps to simulate the actual fights. No doubt many future fighters were in there, playing their hearts out.
Catalina went to the lobby, following her arguing parents. While the moment between Harrison and Calista was a little weird, it was an obvious accident. Their father was overreacting.
They would definitely make a cute couple, though.
Calista looked exhausted, and even a little upset, as she approached them. She was talking to Camelithia, ranting about something. Catalina’s excitement faded a little.
She smiled tiredly, separating from the Seeyastian. “What happened?” Jennifer asked.
The girl covered her face, breathing out tensely. “We’re having another round at 4.”
“What? Today?”
“But you just had one,” their father pointed out.
“I know. Everyone’s mad,” Calista said. “They bugged up some ‘scheduling’ programs and they had to move a round to today. So tomorrow’s the first group round.” She gathered her hair in her fists. “I’m exhausted. I’ve got lunch, then we have, like, three hours to train for the next game… we haven’t even met our teams yet!”
“Call this round the ultimate training,” Catalina suggested.
“Nah… I just wanna go to sleep.” She massaged her neck. “Anyways. I’ll probably just take an energy supplement or something.”
“I thought that’s not allowed,” said Jennifer.
“It’s not. But… Belinda has some.”
Both parents gave her stern looks. She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. After this whole last-minute cache, I deserve it.”
Catalina scoffed, indignant. “I can’t believe they did that.”
“Tell me about it. But with that energy, I should be fine. I’m sure everyone’s taking some. It’s ridiculous.”
“And you don’t even know what game you’re playing,” Henry added.
“Thanks for the reminder, Dad.”
“Come on.” He pulled her into a hug. “You survived a volcano eruption, cube racing, a tsunami… uh… dancing… and now ice. You’ll be fine.”
“I hope so. Maybe they just want to… ‘challenge’ everyone more.” She pulled away. “Like the new rule about not knowing the games. Maybe it’s that Chefren woman.”
“Who?” Jennifer asked.
“That new chairwoman,” her husband answered.
“Oh, yeah. That was really weird. Everything’s very… surprising with her.”
“I better get to training. It’s a Break period, but I should get ready.”
“No, girl, you should take your break. You need rest. If you don’t have any energy— real energy— you could end up losing,” Catalina advised.
“Yeah, you haven’t been able to spend much time with us.” Jennifer held her daughter’s face. “We mostly see you in the rounds now.”
Calista yawned, reluctantly nodding. “Alright.”
They went to one of the many dining locations to chat and laugh with Calista. While they’d briefly chatted with her after every round, it was as if the Versus had consumed her life. They could barely chat five minutes before she would leave for Lunch or Review periods, and then she would be training non-stop.
The Versus was serious, demanding the absolute best from every fighter. And yet, so many would be cut off. Their reactions after losing; screaming, crying, pounding the ground, and sometimes even taking it out on their teammates. While they seemed childish, the mark of a sore loser, it was understandable. So much grueling training, only to fail miserably.
It was no wonder people were hating and doubting Calista’s success. It was obvious why they felt cheated. But they didn’t realize Calista’s efforts were just as great as theirs, maybe even greater than some. And she most likely had divine intervention keeping her in the Games.
She’d given up her entire way of life. The way she talked and acted was different now. She still had those little habits left over from her years on the channel, but her true nature had broken out of its cocoon, forced out into the world by the challenging nature of the academy and the Games.
Catalina could see it. Even though she was exhausted, she was really happy. She loved fighting. She loved the adrenaline. The smile she wore was different, more beautiful and genuine than ever. Those girls were leeches feeding off of her life, and now that they were gone, she could breathe and do what she wanted to do.
After her Lunch period, Calista retreated to her wing to go over her round and work on the mistakes she and Harrison made. Catalina and her parents returned to the hotel room.
It was the first time Catalina had ever stayed in an actual hotel room. Most of their ‘family vacations’ were spent in local resorts or virtual visits. LA was another holo-game, and the Versus was another game inside that game.
Each family member had their own private space. It was smaller than their rooms at home, but very comfortable, equipped with a HARP in the common area and personal AIDA screens in the bedrooms. Carter had a small ImaginationStation to play in.
Catalina got on her AIDA screen, checking her messages. Her friends from her AU course and from her old school levels were bombarding her with questions about her experience in the Versus face-to-face.
Ten minutes later, she’d almost answered all of them, but stopped at one. It had a warning sign and an unknown sender. Tentatively, she opened it, ignoring the warning.
A screen opened, showing a joyful-looking Paeseoan woman. “Hello, Miss Medley. My name is Aellana Isnaet, and I am the president and one of the five founders of a brand-new Versus fighting institution here on Earth. We are a rising combat school looking for any students interested in making history in this renowned competition, and being one of our first Legends.”
Catalina stared at it, confused. They couldn’t mean her, could they? Was it for Calista? Were they trying to steal her from Fistborn? That was illegal.
Maybe it was for her. But she didn’t fight. She was just a fighter’s sister.
“I know you must be confused and maybe a bit suspicious. Since we are a very small school on Earth, located in an unrecognized country, we won’t have any official credentials at our disposal. The best we can do is offer video proof that we have notable Versus Legends, winners, and other professionals joining our faculty. Please do not launch an anti-hack program; this is a legitimate message.” The woman sighed, chuckling. “I know, that sounds strange. We have had to clear up some large hassles thanks to our illegitimate appearance. But rest assured, you are looking at a legitimate fighting institution just getting off the ground.”
Now curious, Catalina decided to listen further.
“We are Ilinniarnertuut Ilinniarfiat Blodbåren— yes, that’s a mouthful in Greenlandic. In English, we are Bloodborne Academy. We are located in the icy beauty of Greenland, as you probably have guessed. Greenland had previously qualified for the Versus only once in 2330, but because of many factors, our original fighting institution, Atuarfik Akiuuppoq Kalaallit Nunaannit, or Greenland Fighting School, had to close. Lack of qualification, recognition, interest, even population, caused this decision.”
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Catalina glanced at the door, a bit paranoid. If her parents saw this, they would immediately block it and never give her a chance to listen. She would decide whether to believe or not.
“Since then, we have received a greater number of citizens, mostly Klausians and Voraxians, and finally have more interest in joining the competition. Many natives have applied to join our school. Of course, to really receive recognition, we have sent messages to many potential fighters across the world in hopes that our new institution will grow. Mostly, we have contacted relatives of current fighters, retired or competing, such as you.”
So she was the main recipient. She shifted, a bit nervous. This was something she could turn down, but she felt conflicted. Calista had done so well already. Could she?
She shook her head. She wasn’t a fighter. That wasn’t what she wanted to do.
“Since we are a rising school, we do not require our students to be Greenland citizens at the moment. We have also been granted enough digits to give out full scholarships to those who apply. Of course, we are building our campus and don’t have as many resources as the other schools of the world, but it is enough for training. We are only accepting 200 students and will choose the 150 best to compete next Versus.”
Only 200? Well, since it was an unknown school, there wouldn’t be that much competition.
“Please reply to this message within 10 Earth days, whether you accept this offer, reject it, or require more information. If you are not interested, but know someone who might be, you may refer us to that person instead. We will begin training right after this Versus, since many who have applied do not have any previous training or experience, and we will use the vacant four years to train for the Versus 2354. Thank you for listening!” The message closed.
Catalina leaned back in her seat. 10 Earth days, huh?
It was a great opportunity. Maybe not for her, but she could refer some of her friends. Many of them had applied to Fistborn and failed to enter. Going to another country was an added bonus. While they were accepting both citizens and non-citizens, they needed to take advantage.
There was still this nagging feeling, though… something foreboding. She wasn’t sure what it was.
She had 10 days. She’d decide what to do then.
===
Dalirena tightened her cloak around her as she stepped off the HypeTrain. She entered the thick crowd, keeping her face hidden as best she could.
Los Angeles was absolutely packed with people and vehicles. It was almost impossible to get through on foot. Banners and flags waved everywhere and confetti covered the ground, melting after every few seconds. The festive atmosphere wasn’t enough to calm Dalirena; in fact, it gave her more stress, reminding her of what was to come.
She had received a third vision the day before leaving, one that hinted at many possible deaths. She still wasn’t sure if Calista herself was at risk of dying, but it seemed likely.
Lisa had cut off all contact with her, so she only had one option. Somehow, she would get into the Arena and meet with her herself.
She had a ticket reserved for the planetary Versus, but none for the prelims, and she doubted there were any black-market ones left this far in the games. The only way in now was through the mobs. It was dangerous, but what else could she do?
Thick throngs of people milled around the large building, loudly demanding entry. The barriers kept them out, but every now and then, one of them would hack through and run into the building. SECURE was teleporting them back outside, only missing a couple. Dalirena just hoped she could be one of those lucky ones that got in.
She held her breath and pushed into the mob of crazed fans. Her ears were bombarded with yelling and cursing. She winced as her body was squished by the other people, threatening to cut off her air supply.
She was determined, though, and pushed as much as she could to the front. She could see the barrier up ahead, teasing her. It would take a lot of time and energy to get there.
Reaching into her pocket, she could feel the small, smooth spheres in her fingers. She squeezed a handful into her palm and spilled them on the ground. After a few moments, people started complaining about irritated skin, scratching violently. Their movements slowed and their focus redirected to their bodies.
Dalirena pushed to the front as fast as she could, scratching herself to avoid suspicion. The people at the very front were unaffected, retaining the attention of SECURE.
She then gathered a handful of hacking chips from her other pocket. She dropped a few of them near some of the people’s feet, counting on their determination to enter. She readied the other chips, but didn’t use them yet.
As she hoped, a woman picked one of the chips up and opened a hole in the barrier. She rushed in with some others. As SECURE focused on teleporting them out, Dalirena threw some other hacking chips to her right, opening multiple holes. The crowd wasted no time in entering.
She waited a few moments, then hid behind the mob, smoothly entering. She casually walked away from the crowded hall, successfully avoiding the bots. She allowed herself a small smile.
Now, the hard part; finding Lisa.
The next match was at 4, an hour away. The Dean was most likely preparing her students in their wing. She didn’t have any access to it. Her tools could only do so much. Her best bet was waiting until the round started.
She kept herself hidden and went to the lobby. She had some digits to spare for lunch. The more casual and unbothered she acted, the less likely she’d be caught.
The hour wait was agonizing. The lobby was especially active, with the last-minute change rousing the fans. Everyone had to change any plans they had so they wouldn’t miss this round. Scheduling changes like this weren’t common, but they weren’t rare, either. It had happened once or twice in other Versuses, if the programmers didn’t do their jobs well.
At 3:55, Dalirena followed a crowd of fans to the arena. She had to get into the fighters’ lobby to get to Lisa. Only family members were allowed there for now, so they could talk to their competing loved ones before or after the rounds, and reporters were also allowed.
She readied her fake access badge. It would probably throw off the scanners for about 10 minutes before it would detect a breach. Hopefully, that was enough time to warn Lisa about the impending danger.
She detached from the crowd and went down a hallway, shedding her cloak. She revealed her employee’s uniform, courtesy of a few black-market connections. Her Mask turned her blue skin to pink and hid her vision eye bump to conceal her Ruhirian identity. It would work for a good while, but if she wasn’t careful, the cheap equipment could fail.
Entering the fighters’ lobby, she passed many fighters going to their respective elevators. They were all visibly stressed and tired, complaining about the staff’s ineptitude. Some were a bit jumpy, probably affected by the energy supplements they took for the round.
The USA elevator was at the far end, the flag glowing above the door. She couldn’t enter with the team, but she could use the employees’ elevator next to them.
She followed a pair of staff members entering said elevator. She couldn’t go in with them without attracting attention, so she pretended to miss the elevator and wait for the next turn.
The large door closed, muting the overlapping voices of US fighters. There were now about 75 members left, bringing more pressure on the competitors. No doubt they’d lose a lot more thanks to the lack of energy now.
The elevator returned and Dalirena entered, going below. Her mouth was dry and her skin itched horribly. Her hearts were practically bursting out of her chest. She worried she’d have a double heart attack with how scared she felt.
She entered the dugout room. The fighters were all lined up, ready to show themselves to the excited fans. While the crowds were delighted that they would get an extra round to feast on, the fighters all had sullen faces, even the top fighters.
Dalirena paused, spotting Calista standing with Harrison. She was talking to him, but their helmets muted their conversation. Harrison put an arm around her, comforting her.
She still didn’t know what this boy was meant to do. He was in as much danger as she was, from what she saw. Her visions were far too unclear.
Looking down the line, she saw Lisa at the back, talking to her cousin. Dalirena needed just a moment alone. Maybe when the fighters exited.
The timer buzzed and the doors opened. Dalirena quickly moved to the back as the fighters entered the brightness, the national anthem playing distantly. The doors slowly closed them out.
“We should be fine,” Lisa told Gina. She stepped forward, watching her students line up at their section. “We’ll be fine.” She maintained a poker face, but her hands wrung nervously. The doors shut completely.
“Let’s get to the capsule,” said Gina.
“Yes.” She turned to leave.
Dalirena hesitated, unsure what to do. She thought she’d stay in the dugout, not go to the capsules! “Uh- M-miss White?”
Lisa turned, quirking her brows. “Yes?”
“Um… could I have a word with you?”
“What for?”
“I… m-my employer wanted me to deliver a message to you.”
“Your employer?”
Gulping, she scratched her closed vision eye, hoping she’d notice it. It would be enough to momentarily glitch the Mask. “Yes, my… superior needed you to…”
Lisa’s amber eyes changed, the suspicion fading to realization. She looked at Gina. “You go ahead of me. I’ll be right there.” Gina’s black eyes narrowed as she glanced between them, but she nodded anyway and left.
Lisa grabbed her arm. “What are you doing here?”
“You haven’t answered me at all. I couldn’t reach you,” Dalirena told her.
“I didn’t even know you were trying. I thought you just left me to guess what the glitch your visions mean.” She crossed her arms. “Why the bugs are you here?”
“I’ve had… so many visions about you, and Calista, and… all your students. You need to get out of the Versus.”
“What?!”
“You’re in danger.”
“I thought this was supposed to be our year. That’s what you hinted at,” Lisa argued. “All of a sudden, we’re in ‘danger’? What do you mean?”
“I… I can’t really explain it. My visions are too muddled and confusing. I can’t tell exactly what’ll happen. It has something to do with Calista.”
“Why? What does she do?”
“It’s not what she does. It’s the competition, it gets more and more dangerous.”
“Yes, that’s what it does. It’s the Versus,” Lisa retorted.
Dalirena sighed. “No, not that. It gets actually dangerous. Your lives are in danger.”
“Our lives? Their lives?”
“Yes. You need to get out of this competition.”
“Have you lost your mind? I can’t just pull my team out without any explanation. You know what that’ll do to them? To me?”
“You need to figure something out. I can’t bear it if my vision comes true.”
“I thought Ruhirian visions always come true. No matter what.”
“There are exceptions if the Ruhirian gives out all the details. I just wish the details weren’t so…” She massaged her vision eye, feeling a pinch. “There is death involved, Lisa. I don’t know how.”
“Death?”
“I saw- ah!” She winced, her vision eye burning further.
“What is it?”
“My eye… it’s reacting to me revealing all the…” She inhaled deeply. “I saw… Calista… she was competing, and… ah…” She gasped at the horrible pain. “Lord, please… let me…”
“You told me your other visions. Why is it hurting now?”
“What I told you before didn’t affect the future. It does that when… it’s not supposed…” She sat against the wall, massaging her eye. “If what I tell you changes the vision, it reacts. Because… I’m not supposed to… change the future.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t tell me,” said Lisa. “I know there’s danger ahead. I’ll look out for it. It doesn’t mean we have to pull out of the Games.”
“You don’t understand.” Dalirena was interrupted by an alarm. She cursed and ran to the elevator.
Lisa caught her wrist in an iron grip, stopping her. “Where are you going?”
“They caught me. I have to get out of here. I won’t be any help in jail.”
“You can’t just leave me with that! What is it that I don’t understand?”
“I…” She shifted, her body’s chemicals pumping. Her species didn’t have adrenaline, but it was close. “My line is closed. I can’t contact you through there anymore. They’re onto me. I don’t know how I can…”
“Find a way. I’ll know if it’s you.”
“I need to go. If I’m caught here, you will be, too. I’m sorry, Lisa.”
“Wait!”
Her inner heart torn, Dalirena went to the employee elevator and went up. When she exited into the fighters’ lobby, laser beams flashed on her, freezing her in place.
“Dalirena Nyamee, you are under arrest for species impersonation, masking, technological hacking, breaching SECURE forces, and entering unauthorized zones.”
She shook her head, trying to move her limbs, but failing. She could only move her head and mouth. “God, please, I’m sorry! I know I’ve sinned. I’ve lied and cheated, but don’t let them… don’t make them pay for my mistakes! Let me…” She sighed hopelessly, trailing off. All those years of stealing, hiding, and lying caught up to her.
She just hoped Lisa would use what she had to save her students.