Rough Encounters

Isabel and Jenna were in the business district of the simulated Holy Nation running towards the golden beam in the sky.

"What's our ETA?" Jenna asked while running.

"I need to get on top of a building." Isabel replied.

The two girls jumped from building to building until they reached the top of the tallest one. Isabel kneeled at the edge and examined the surroundings near the beam. She began to scan the bus stations, buildings, and bridges before finding a golden door located in a nearby park.

"There! It looks like we're close." Isabel pointed out.

Jenna kneeled beside Isabel and looked at where she pointed at. She noticed two figures running toward the door and looked at Isabel.

"Looks like we aren't the first ones here." Jenna stated.

Isabel's hands started to shake at the thought of fighting.

"I'm going to be honest, I have some butterflies in my stomach." She said, embarrassed.

Jenna laid her hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"Fate has led us to be partners in this exam. I could not have asked for it any better." Jenna said with reassurance.

Isabel smiled in response and nodded her hand.

"Ok, I'm right behind you." Isabel said more confidently.

"Isabel, are you feeling a little adventurous?" She asked.

"What does that —" Isabel tried to say, but Jenna jumped off the building and freefalled towards the golden door.

Wind blew in Jenna's face before landing in front of the two figures.

"Here goes nothing." Isabel said as she jumped off the building and landed right behind Jenna.

The two girls stood up before Lilac and Yoru who were inches away from first place. Yoru's face lit up as he recognized the two girls and bowed before them.

"What an honor, my ladies. I did not expect to see you here." He said excitedly.

Lilac stood behind Yoru quietly while staring at the girls with cold eyes. Jenna smirked and motioned Yoru to stop bowing.

"Please, I'm flattered but get up. We both know why I'm here." Jenna said eagerly.

Yoru laughed at her remark before clearing his throat.

" Last time I checked, you're the one who landed in front of us." Lilac said while breaking her silence.

"What will you do about it?" Isabel asked.

Petals flew from Lilac's body into the air and she began to float slowly.

"I will put you in your place.." Lilac said as her aura raised from her body.

Her eye pupils formed into a flower and stared down at the two girls in front of her.

"Isabel, she's coming." Jenna said as her pupil formed into a cloud of thunder. Aura raised from Jenna's body as she summoned her spear.

"Lightning spear cannon!" Jenna yelled.

A charge of lightning came down from the sky into her spear while Jenna launched it towards Lilac. The spear gained momentum in the air, closing the gap to its target. Lilac's composure did not change as she watched the spear travel towards her.

"Why isn't she trying to evade my attack?" Jenna thought as the spear was centimeters away from electrifying Lilac.

"Reflection Gravitation!" Yoru yelled and the spear stopped in place and dropped to the ground.

"What the?" Jenna said while looking at her spear and then Yoru.

"What kind of ability is that?" She yelled.

Yoru's smile disappeared as he shook his head.

"You okay Lilac?" He said, ignoring Jenna.

Lilac looked at him while smiling and nodded.

"I had full faith in you." She responded before looking at Isabel.

"I got the quiet one. She won't give me a headache as we engage." She finished.

Isabel's pupils formed into an icicle as she raised her aura and pulled out her bow.

"Oh? She isn't shy anymore?" Lilac realized as she took her ring off.

"Come out, Celestial!" As her ring transformed into her staff. A blast of petals flew from the staff catching Isabel off guard.

"Shoot!" Isabel said before she went flying into the building they previously jumped off.

"Take care of the other one." Lilac said as she disappeared leaving a trail of petals behind.

"Isabel!" Jenna yelled as she turned around and tried to run towards her.

However, Yoru jumped in front of her and tried to punch her. Jenna dodged the punch and flipped backwards into the air before landing.

"You tried to hurt my partner, and I can't let that slide." He said while crossing his arms and opening his eyes revealing the change in his eye pupils.

Jenna created another lightning spear as the two stood across from each other. The trees began to rustle as a breeze passed. Jenna charged toward Yoru and tried to stab him. Yoru evaded each attack covered in his aura.

"He's keeping up with my attacks." Jenna thought.

She charged more lightning into the staff to create an opening against him.

"Gotchu!" She said as she stabbed Yoru's shoulder and threw him past the golden door into a nearby playground. She ran towards his direction leaving a lightning trail behind her.

Yoru flew into the playground and bounced off a slide before getting back up. He looked at the fresh wound surrounded by lightning and felt a shock.

"Looks like she stunned my shoulder for a little bit. I won't be able to react as quickly." Yoru thought before looking up to Jenna charging at him.

He jumped up evading her attack and kicked her in the face. Jenna stepped back a few steps and shook her head to shake off the sudden damage.

"Not bad for someone who got stabbed by my spear." Jenna said while jumping into the air.

"Lightning seeking orb!" Jenna said while opening her palm and formed a large ball of plasma.

The ball quickly fell from the sky towards Yoru which forced him to react quickly.

"Reflection Gravitation!" He yelled as he raised his aura.

The ball stopped in place and raised back towards her. Jenna absorbed the seeking ball before it exploded creating an opening to her back.

Yoru appeared behind her and punched her from the air before she could react. Jenna crashed into the fountain near the golden door soaked in water.

"Did you not sense me behind you?" He asked her from the air.

"I did but I didn't realize you could blink." Jenna replied.

"Blinking is a high tier ability which allows you to move at high speeds before your opponent could blink. It's something everyone should know before taking this test." Yoru explained.

Jenna blinked behind him and grabbed his head.

"You don't think I know that?" She said as she threw him into the playground swings below.

She opened her palm and formed another lightning spear filled with plasma. She watched Yoru struggle to get up and threw it at him. The spear exploded and created black smoke.

"That should cause some damage." Jenna thought.

Yoru jumped out the smoke covered in his aura towards Jenna.

"Gravitational Fist: First Form!" He yelled as he closed the distance.

Jenna spawned another spear and tried to block the attack. Yoru punched through the spear into Jenna's stomach causing ripples in the air. Jenna furiously flew from the air before crashing into the ground.

Debris flew into the air as Jenna gasped for air and groaned in pain.

"His hits pack a punch." Jenna thought before she coughed up some saliva and blood.

"My gravitational fist allows me to double the weight of my fist. Getting hit by it can be deadly!" Yoru yelled as he blinked in front of her with another punch ready.

Jenna flipped away to the top of the monkey bars and formed another spear. Yoru jumped on top and the two faced each other again before engaging in combat. Yoru tried to trip Jenna but she jumped over it easily.

She left her spear in the air and landed on top of his head. She flipped him into the air and blinked next to her spear to stab him with.

"Got you!" She yelled as Yoru tried to cover himself in his own aura.

"Dammit. I won't make it!" He thought as Jenna stabbed him in the stomach into the ground.

Yoru yelled from the pain as Jenna landed across from him.

"This fight has been entertaining!" She said with a smile.

"You are better than I imagined. You have talent, Jenna." He said as she walked over to him.

"I know. The question is when you're going to try." She replied while pulling her spear from his stomach.

Blood gushed from the wound onto the floor while he groaned from the pain.

"Actually, I think I have an idea!" She said as she jumped into the air and opened her hands. She created a bigger lightning seeking orb while wearing a smile.

The sky grew dark as Yoru looked up at Jenna's ability in the sky.

"I have faith you can stop this!" Jenna yelled.

"Reflection Gravitation!" He yelled trying to stop the attack.

The ball stopped and floated away to the left before exploding. Jenna flashed in front of him while he was off guard and punched him causing him to soar towards the building behind him.

"Are you ready for this?!" Jenna stated as black lightning surrounded the spear.

"Spear Cannon!" The spear roared in response as Jenna sent the intensified spear towards Yoru who was still in the air.

"I can't stop it!" Yoru thought as the spear directly landed on his gut. He quickly raised his aura to use as armor but the spear pierced through quickly and sent him into a nearby building.

Yoru went through multiple floors being dragged by the spear before breaking through the roof into the air. The spear exploded and a huge explosion shook the simulated streets. Jenna quickly ran up the building and watch as Yoru fell motionless in the air onto the roof of the building.

"That was an interesting ending." Jenna said as Yoru struggled to get up from the ground. She walked towards him and pulled the spear out of Yoru's fresh wound on his chest. Yoru coughed up blood and continued to breathe heavily as Jenna looked at him with sadness. Yoru opened his eyes and looked at Jenna wearing a sad expression. Suddenly, a woman with blue hair stood next to Jenna smiling and started to whisper.

"Will you let this girl stop you?" She whispered before Yoru closed his eyes and reopened them to Jenna alone.

Frustration filled Yoru's body hearing those words and his aura began to stir around him. Jenna jumped back as she felt the anger from the aura and took out her spear with her guard up. Yoru got up quickly and punched the ground before letting out a big yell.

Jenna stood there quietly waiting for her opponent.

"I'm impressed you got up from that last attack." Jenna said breaking the silence. Yoru laughed at her remark and wore a smirk on his face.

"I respect you, Jenna. Tell me, why do you fight?"

"Hm? I just like to fight." She said while shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm afraid that's not enough to defeat me.." Yoru said as he began to form a first.

"One day, I will change the world as I see fit. I can't let your weak resolve stop me." Jenna rushed towards him and clashed with his fist.

"Take that back!" she said, raising her voice a little.

"Hm? How about no?" Yoru said as he snuck a punch to her gut.

"I think it's time you taste your own medicine. No more holding back!" Yoru raised his left hand into the air and a blue aura surrounded his fist.

"Gravitational Fist: Second form!" Yoru punched her in the back sending her down into the building with incredible speed. Jenna hit the bottom floor of the building bouncing off the ground while coughing some blood. Yoru jumped down the roof and charged his aura around his feet before stepping on Jenna's bouncing body.

"I can transfer the weight to my feet with the second form unlike the first." Yoru said while Jenna screamed on the ground.

"The fight is over, Jenna." Yoru said as Jenna fainted from the pain.

"Damn it all. I let my guard down…" Jenna thought as her vision darkened.

Isabel was in another building hiding behind a desk in an empty room from Lilac. Her hands shook from the fear instilled in her body.

"You can't keep running!" Lilac yelled from the hall. The building started to shake and Lilac looked out the window at the black lightning in the sky. She stopped in the middle of the hall and started scratching her head.

"Why is the kid so afraid?" She thought while sighing.

"No more hide and seek! Come out." Lilac said as she opened the door into Isabel's room. Isabel jumped back from the desk into the air and shot an arrow at Lilac. The arrow was blocked by petals and fell to the ground.

"I know you're not trying. Why?" Lilac said, shaking her head.

"What's your name sweetheart?" "Isabel.." she mumbled while avoiding eye contact.

"Speak up!" Isabel's eyes raised at her command.

"Isabel ma'am!"

"That's a beautiful name. How old are you?"

"17." Isabel replied.

"Why did you come to the Holy Nation?" Isabel remained silent and Lilac grew angry. Yellow petals formed from thin air surrounding Lilac as she charged towards Isabel.

"Guess our fists can talk!" Lilac yelled as she clenched her fist and punched Isabel.

Isabel flew into the next room breaking the wall in the process. Isabel moved from the ruble while shaking her head and looked up to Lilac's next attack.

"I don't want to hurt you, but I could." Isabel whispered as she evaded Lilac's next attack. Isabel's eye pupils formed into an icicle representing her ice abilities and locked onto Lilac. She drew her bow from the air and released a cyan ice arrow. Lilac looked back in panic as the arrow blew up on her. An ice mist surrounded Lilac as Isabel landed on the ground and drew her next shot. The mist disappeared, revealing Lilac surrounded by pink petals perfectly safe.

"Ja, about time you stopped being scared." Lilac said as she stood with a staff in her hand. Lilac charged at Isabel with the staff and swung against her bow.

"You don't know when to shut up, huh?" Isabel said as an ice mist began to surround her.

The two stared at each other before Lilac smacked Isabel's bow into the air. Isabel was forced to defend as Lilac attacked with her staff. Isabel blocked Lilac's staff by freezing her fingers and tapping the staff every time it came close to her.

"Impressive, she's blocking my attacks by freezing the impact with her fingers." Isabel kicked Lilac's staff out her hand and flipped up into the air.

"Shoot, is she going for her bow? I won't let her!" Lilac thought as she sent petals into the air. Isabel dodged the petals and grabbed the bow with her feet before drawing a purple ice arrow.

"She drew the bow with her feet. Ja, she is interesting!" Lilac thought as she set her defense with the pink petals.

"Too slow." Isabel coldly said as the arrow was already in front of Lilac's face.

"Wha-" Lilac said before the arrow crushed her into the floor. Lilac struggled to get up from the direct impact as Isabel landed on the floor. Her hair had fallen out of the ponytail and is now straight.

"Oh, you're done talking?" Isabel said in her same cold voice.

"Actually, I'm just getting started." Lilac responded. Yoru jumped in front of Lilac while holding Jenna's body.

"I'm done Lilac. You had your fun?" Yoru asked. Lilac looked up to Yoru covered in bruises and rips across his clothing.

"You interrupted the fun but looks like you had yours." Lilac said while getting up.

Yoru looked at Isabel and threw Jenna at her.

"Here, she fought well but her pride led to her downfall." Yoru said.

"You got a good partner though." He finished.

"And you are interesting Isabel.. I hope we can fight again.'' Lilac commented. She opened her palms and blew petals from her palms onto Jenna.

"That should help her wake up." She finished and started to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" Isabel said as she drew her bow. Lilac stopped at the door while helping Yoru.

"I'll see you at the finish line." Lilac said while waving and disappeared into thin air with Yoru.

"Isabel?" Jenna barely said. Isabel rushed to Jenna's side.

"Are.. you okay?" Jenna continued.

"I should be asking you that question!" Isabel said while smiling a little.

"I got to fight. Couldn't ask for it any other way." Isabel laughed and helped Jenna up to her feet.

"Let's get out of here." Isabel said as she helped Jenna up and left the scene.