Evil Unicorns

Ciel could see Jay's crew through the glass separating the two teams, which was most likely there because no one wanted the participants fighting before they made it to the Arena. Ciel had been surfing the Arena forums just to find out that the Arena was one of the Virtual World's most lucrative money schemes.

Ciel ground her virtual teeth together.

If she were to be honest, she'd have to admit she was just jealous of the Virtual World's money-making prowess. She was dirt poor as is, and now she even wanted to throw her nonexistent money at the world. What was she supposed to do, become a crime lord?

She didn't have the swagger for counterfeit.

Jay's group was made up of three other people. Apparently, he'd assumed she was fighting, but she didn't even know how to get into a Technoid, let alone operate one, so she put her hopes on the three boys in her team.

"Ash will be going up," Blaire told her, "he has the worst grudge with Jay."

Before Ciel could ask why her blue screen let out a ding.

"Are all participants ready to begin the match?"

Ciel clicked "Yes."

Even if she ended up having to fight, the worst that would happen would be that she'd lose. By comparison, giving up before they'd even started was much worse.

But soon Ciel would learn she had nothing to worry about at all.

Ciel watched as Ash clicked something on his screen, immediately teleporting from the pit glass rooms to the top of the stage. Jay followed suit. When they reappeared they were both wrapped in armor.

Jay's Technoid was white. She'd remembered seeing it in the shop. Down the center of it was a red stripe that started from the shield on his face and went down his back, stopping midway. There, you could see the Virtual World's logo implemented.

On the other side, Ash's Technoid was a pure red. It didn't have the Virtual world logo on it nor any other insignias.

You couldn't see either boy's face, but she could tell who was who by their mannerisms. Ash stood casually on one side as Jay's back was hitched up straight. It looked like real confidence versus someone who was just faking it.

Five words appeared above them in golden lettering, slamming into the air for dramatic affect. It was too extra for her.

"Demonblood Versus RisingFromTheAshes: Single Duel."

"Fuck are these names."

But a strange phenomenon happened while the golden letters started counting down from ten.

The previously empty audience chamber began filling immediately, people teleporting into the seats with the same familiar golden lettering above their heads. Ciel watched as "IHatePopcorn" pulled a bag of popcorn out of thin air just to take out the virtual popcorn and crush it in their hand. Ciel was immediately appalled.

"This is when the audience gets notified of matches and can join; unless you specifically set the match to private. Since it's a Single Duel with two of the top three-hundred players, this event is fairly popular."

"But most importantly," Blaine said, his face grave, "this is when the two players trash talk each other."

"RisingFromTheAshes, what kind of name is that? Do you think you're a phoenix, or something?" Jay said first, "Because if that's the case you're going to have to rise again when I throw you back to the pit."

Ash scoffed, "At least I'm not a pay-to-win player. Do you think we can't all tell that that's a B-1 suit? If were you and I lost today I'd be embarrassed to show my face."

"Ash is right, you know," Blaine said, "You can tell by the Technoid that Jay is wearing that that's a B-1. Ash on the other hand is wearing a C-1."

"What's the difference?"

"Well, Technoids are ranked first by number, then by grade. The number states your general level -- which is like your ability to handle that level of suit, so level one is like us, and level ten would be a military general. There are levels beyond that, but those are only for the really strong people.

Then they're ranked by grade, so A, B, C, and D. There are also S grade ones but those are also only for specific people. The grades are based on specs. So a grade A suit would artificially be bringing its wearer significantly closer to being level 2 than, say, a grade C suit. So it's a rating of how much the suit does for you in order to make up for whatever's stopping you from reaching level 2. A D-2 Technoid is still much greater than an A-1 suit, but the difference between A-1 and D-1 is the distance between heaven and Earth."

Jamie smiled, "But if there's anything Ash likes to do, it's challenging that gap."

Unlike Dragon and Nightmare's match, the two didn't pull out guns, but blades. The eerie feeling that the blades were connected to the Technoid remained, but Ciel accepted it.

"Looks like they chose an interesting match setting," Blaine said.

While his eyes were focused on the fight, he still answered Ciel's questions diligently and acted as a commentator throughout.

The first one to make a move this time was Ash.

He dashed forwards, the daggers to his sides. Jay couldn't react in time, but that didn't mean his suit was the same. Immediately, his hand was in the air, just nearly managing to block Ash. But that wasn't enough, Ash's second dagger flew towards his stomach, locking Jay in between his own arms. He couldn't move because he'd chosen the wrong arms in the beginning. Ash raised a leg and kicked Jay back.

But Jay wasn't in the top three hundred for nothing, he rolled backward and a fierce interchanging of blows resumed.

"He's really going for it this time," Blaine said, "usually Ash lets other people take the first move. I didn't think he'd run straight forwards like that."

Ciel listened to Blaine.

"Hmm but I'm still wondering something," she said, "why do people even train in fighting in the first place?"

"Well, if you're good at using one you could join the military," Jamie said, "that's where the majority of political power is held nowadays. There's also Technoid battles if you want to become famous, but I think Blaine would have a different answer for you."

Blaine just so happened to have that different answer.

"Voids," he said.

"Hm?"

"The Voyager Association. You can only join if you're proficient in Technoids," Blaine continued, "if you join you become a Void."

There was a glint in his eye.

"Voids get to go wherever they want, and they're doing work for the people too."

"And there's a lot of money involved," Jamie said, "Voids are some of the richest and most powerful people in the intergalactic."

Blaine nodded.

"Truthfully, I don't really want to spend my life fighting, I'd like to become a mechanic and create Technoids, but in order to build Technoids it's pretty much impossible to get in unless your family's in the business, and on the flip side, even if they are, you have to be a Void to work on A-grade and above suits."

"And I'm training to join my father on the battlefield," Jamie said, "there's nothing like a life led on the brink of death fighting for your country. I wouldn't want to sit around and work on finances when I could be out there fighting with my comrades."

Blaine rolled his eyes, "You're so patriotic we get it."

"Hey, I'm not the one who tries to lick the glass of Technoids when I see them."

As Jamie and Blaine fought began, Ciel watched Ash and Jay's come to an end. Jay had fallen to the floor, blood releasing itself through his Technoid. It was a sorry sight. Ash wouldn't just kill him; instead, punching Jay as he lay on the ground.

"DemonBlood has surrendered," the golden letters slammed into the air, "RisingfromTheAshes reigns victorious."

Jay disappeared from the battlefield as another person appeared, this time in a pink suit. The Virtual World emblem was pasted on the left of their head this time and Ciel snickered.

Jamie and Blaine had finally stopped fighting as well, watching as the second battle began. Ciel heard Jamie sigh behind her.

"Ash, he's different than us," Jamie said, focusing his eyes on the stage.

"Richer," Blaine cut in.

"That too. Ash is the young master Jay was talking about. He's somewhat of an anomaly at our school too. His family's high up in the chain, descended from magicians in the old Magic Tower. Both his parents met working at the Magic Association, so he can pretty much do anything he wants."

"What does he want to do?"

"Well you'd have to ask him," Blaine said, "for all I know he could be as addicted to violence as good ole Jamie here or be fighting to escape an arranged marriage. I don't know what goes on in the minds of rich kids like that."

Jamie raised an eyebrow, "You are one of those rich kids. You go to a school specifically for rich kids."

Blaine rolled his eyes, "But he's like next-level rich. If we lived in ancient times he'd definitely be an aristocrat."

A sound interrupted them.

"Evil Unicorns Team: Victorious"

They went silent.

Tension rose in the air.

"Who named us?" Jamie said through gritted teeth. There was a hint of danger tied to his voice.

"I did," someone said.

Jamie spun around.

Ash stood in place with his familiar lazy stance and smiled, "You really do look like an evil unicorn right now."