Nemesis, Vol. 1

Lunchtime!

The entire area began to particalize away, everything transitioning from the dark gloomy despair into bright emptiness.

"So bright..." Sofia said, stating the obvious as the calm seemed a bit annoyed at the swift transition.

"Well done! Excellent teamwork there." Bob relayed.

The tube elevator shot down from the ceiling and opened, team three had accomplished their unrealistic goal and had confined smoothly into something more than them.

"Come back now, you all scored great!"

It didn't take long for team three to find themselves back in the vanilla room they struggled in, even the speed from the elevator didn't bother them as it did before. However, it did bother Paul, who was still badly injured from the simulation.

"You all did great! I'm surprised there weren't any problems in trying to create a team leader, which usually happens. You two can catch a break at the cafeteria now. And as for Paul, you'll be coming with me to the infirmary."

"Wait, I have a question for you, Yuki, how did you know his legs were his weak point?" Paul asked abruptly, even with the pain, his curiosity was strong enough to delay the inevitable faint that accompanied overwhelming pain.

"I second that question." Sofia added.

"Well, he let me slide through it so I guessed that his lower body wasn't his strong suit." Yuki said, not realizing just how absurd his analysis was.

What?! That was his reason?! Talk about a lucky guess..., Paul thought, then said "Alright, I've heard enough, you can take me to the infirmary now."

Bob and Paul exit the matted training room, leaving Sofia and Yuki alone. Sofia and Yuki shortly exited after catching their breaths and realizing the completion of the impossible. They found themselves back in the hall that led them to the training room, and only one of them seemed to know where they were headed.

"I was surprised how you took charge during our fight on the second floor, I didn't think you had that in you." Sofia said.

She was surprised at how Yuki was able to analyze and relay the information amid battle, something that is easier said than done. She assumed he would have a flight reaction instead.

"Oh—yeah, you too... say, how do you know where the cafeteria is anyway?" Yuki asked.

He didn't know how to respond to a compliment, especially on something that he's never done before today. This was his first taste of something that can be considered a mission, but it wasn't even close to the real thing. It was like comparing processed meat with fresh meat, it was two different things that can seem the same without experience.

"Mr. Murasaki gave us a tour after we introduced ourselves."

Geez.. just how late was I?, Yuki thought.

The two arrived at the Cafeteria, it wasn't as large as the ones that Yuki was used to, but it was much more appealing. The tables were metal, along with pretty much everything else that wasn't the floor. The floor was freshly cleaned tile and the area seemed much more ahead than Yuki thought, it seemed like something out of a movie to him. Reed, Morna, Alex, and Vivian were seated at a table visible from the entrance, awaiting whoever finished their training as well.

"Hey, guys!" Yuki shouted, still jubilant from the prior success.

"Sup Yuki, you guys finished earlier than I expected." Alex replied, surprising Yuki.

"See, he knows my name!"

"No, you're still the late kid." Vivian replied.

"What..." Yuki said as Vivian's words sucked the confidence from his soul quicker than a mosquito.