The Blades and The Gauntlets [Vi x fem!oc]

Chapter III: The Risk

The dim glow of neon lights bathed the arcade in a kaleidoscope of colors, casting dancing shadows across the worn-out machines. The low hum of old-school music and the occasional clink of coins dropping into slots created a comforting atmosphere. But today, the arcade's usual cheeriness was tinged with tension.

Vi stood at one of the machines, her fists pounding relentlessly against a combat robot designed to mimic a sparring partner. Each hit echoed through the room, her strikes growing more ferocious with every second. She was lost in the rhythm of the fight, her focus narrowing down to the mechanical opponent in front of her. The robot staggered back under the force of her blows, but she didn't let up. She was determined to beat her own high score, to outdo the Vi of yesterday.

Slowly her current score made its way from fourth, to third and then second place. She dodged again, then quickly stood up and punched the machine right in the middle, making a spring jump out of its back.

"Remind me why we bother with this dump?" Mylo asked somewhere behind her, but she wasn't able to turn around to see what he was doing. The only thing she heard was the click of the gun he was holding. For a split second she looked up at the scoreboard. Her score was quickly adding up, and then took first place, right above her previous one and Mila's. Only then did she turn around to face him.

"Vander said to lay low." She answered him, then fixed one of her boxing gloves. "Enforcers never come down here, so this is as good a place as any."

Claggor was resting on the wall of the entrance to the arcade. He hadn't picked up anything to do yet, but intently watched Powder and Mylo. "What's the matter Mylo? Scared Powder is gonna beat you again?"

Mylo rolled his eyes, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Hey, if she didn't keep fixing these things, I wouldn't keep missing."

Behind him a smirking Powder connected two cables and the machine lit up with life again. Six or seven different statue-like enemies showed up, each with points on their head. Mylo started shooting time after time again, trying to hit the spots on their bodies with the pink balls coming out of the gun.

"You guys know I wouldn't take you on a job you couldn't handle, right?" Vi said, her voice tinged with both hope and doubt as she looked around at her friends.

"Are you kidding?" Mylo shot back. "That was the best job we've ever done," He paused, glancing at Powder. "Maybe just don't take Powder next time."

She looked up at him and picked up the other gun, as her turn to shoot neared. Every shot she made hit the enemies exactly in the head, making the little compartments spin. There wasn't a single shot that wouldn't give her points. Mylo looked at her, mouth agape, before she put down the gun and scoffed at him.

Vi watched the exchange with a mix of pride and unease. Powder had always been sharp, quick with her hands and even quicker with her mind. But Mylo's comment about leaving her behind on the next job struck a nerve. She knew how much Powder looked up to her, how hard she tried to keep up with the rest of them despite being younger and smaller.

"Um... is Mila coming? She is more of a challenge." Powder's voice broke the silence, and the question hung in the air, heavy and unanswered. Vi's eyes widened as she looked up at Mila's name, sparkling with sadness and regret.

Panic flickered in her chest, but she forced it down, trying to keep her composure. "I... I don't know." Vi admitted, her voice betraying the worry she was trying to conceal. "But I can come and try to play for her?"

"No, no." Her little sister shook her head, resting the gun on the counter. "She is the best at this. I just miss her."

Vi swallowed hard, her heart sinking at the weight of those words. She'd always known Mila had a special bond with Powder, one that maybe even she couldn't replace. But hearing it now, spoken aloud with that faint trace of hurt, twisted the guilt deeper into her chest.