Calista Elise Medley

  LEVEL UP!

  Level 4 -> Level 5

  XP Earning +20%

  EP Increase 10%

  See Skill Tree:

  New Ninja Ballet Moves Unlocked— +20 DP

  New Jiu Jitsu Moves Unlocked— +10 DP

  Strength Level Up! Level 4->5

  Agility Level Up! Level 19->20

  Intelligence Level Up! Level 9->10

  Self-Control Level Up! Level 4->5

  +6 PT

  -7 Weakness

  Weakness Level Down! Level 11->10

  See Arsenal:

  Unlocked Knuckle Dusters

  Unlocked Blade Fans, Hatchet

  Unlocked Cable, Twin Whips

  Unlocked Crossbow

  Unlocked Throwing Axe

  Unlocked Laser Shotgun

  Unlocked Magnetic Explosive Disc

  ===

  Ever since Katelyn finally called Calista, she’d been in a perfect mood. She Leveled Up nearly a week after the call and suddenly found it easier to focus. The sky seemed bluer, the sun was brighter, and her joy seeped through the fabric of her customized uniform every day. Even the looks she got from Delta Guild members didn’t dim her attitude in the least. Just knowing her siblings were safe and happy, and that they were waiting every single night to call her, kept her invigorated.

  Their excitement every night after school gave her motivation to grind even more than she ever did on her studies. Before, there was always a sense of pointlessness, leaving her wondering whether all of this was worth it in the end. Actually seeing their beaming, proud faces answered that question for her.

  During Thanksgiving, nearly half the school had stayed, but Calista was one of the few Earthians there. It was mostly half or non-Earthians that remained in the academy. However, whether they celebrated the holiday or not, they were all eager for the big feast in the Mess Hall on Thanksgiving Day. None of them could resist the delicious smells wafting out of the Recreation Station, as if the AIDA were calling them.

  Calista hadn’t had a meal like that in years. Soft, juicy turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, sweet buttered corn, tart cranberry sauce… all foods that were forbidden to her for so long. The mellow and soft pumpkin and apple pies were things she’d never had. Huge, lavish meals like this were criticized heavily by Socializers, who deemed it a ‘waste’ and a ‘steal’ from poor communities up in the space stations and on other planets, all while broadcasting from the comfort of their mansions and manors.

  Thanksgiving was the only time the Guild tables weren’t in the Mess Hall. Everyone sat together at the joined tables forming a massive square. It was the perfect time to capitalize on Reputation and Relationship Points, especially with Student Coaches. Many remaining first-years were looking for a chance to be admitted last-minute to their Guilds. It was unlikely; the SCs wouldn’t go through the trouble of training new members now that finals week was upon them. The first-years would have to wait until the Games were over, and even then, chances were slim.

  As Harrison told her, SCs usually admitted their new members during a Versus Year, when the new freshman class arrived in the Versus Fighting School. Between those years, they could admit any student that chose to train continuously in the academy, but there were few that did so. Even some of the SCs wouldn’t stay the years in between— which usually led to them losing their position to someone better in the future.

  Reilly had accepted eleven new students, bringing the Alpha Guild to a total of 102 members. He’d only accepted one new Favorite; a Dnilian named Botht Quillon, who was one of the ‘older’ new students, being 27 Earth years old. Calista wasn’t surprised at his choice at all.

  To think she was almost considered one of those students… Calista couldn’t imagine it. She was no fan of Rosalina Wiasod, but she was right; she didn’t deserve that badge. Not yet.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  She’d eaten and enjoyed conversations with Harrison, Camelithia, Belinda, and even Lílitha, whose usual, sullen disposition was pockmarked with humorous remarks and even a few smiles. The group had made sure to sit far away from Rosalina, Hillary, and their other associates.

  She maintained conversation with Harrison, but she knew something had changed between them after that new pop-up. She didn’t know if he’d seen it on his end— Relationship and Romance points were subjective. One could see someone as a Close Friend, but the other person could see one as merely a Friend. Calista hoped, for her sake, that Harrison hadn’t seen it at all… yet, at the same time, she was half-hoping he did.

  If he did, he didn’t make it obvious or act awkward toward her. He was his usual, cocky, smug self that irritated and charmed her at the same time.

  Calista called her family after dinner, enjoying the weekend off. She felt a lot better about not going to the Youngbloods’ cabin for break after they told her all about the drama that unfolded between their mother and the family; she’d gotten upset about Calista not being there, then immediately chastised her husband for ‘breaking the family up’ after he’d taken the other two children away. He’d done it as a response to Jennifer’s broadcast with Whitley Geanna.

  Katelyn didn’t detail the entire argument, summing it up to her mother making excuses for her actions and claiming she was ‘protecting’ her children. Somewhere in the argument, she confessed that she gave her children the Medley name so the shame would fall on Henry’s family if they glitched up. It was the last code that crashed their relationship, and Jennifer stormed out after he quietly asked her to leave.

  Thankfully, they didn’t let the incident ruin their dinner. They enjoyed each other’s company and ate heartily, also savoring the delicacies they were denied under the Zyben household all their lives.

  The Sunday after Thanskgiving, everyone returned to start Finals Week. Despite it being called a ‘week’, it spanned over two weeks. The first week would have Theory class exams in the morning and Practicum matches in the afternoon. The second week was fully dedicated to matches in the Arena, which would run from eight in the morning to seven at night.

  The Arena would be constantly full of spectators. No one was required to remain in the arena for all that time, but with both Versus students and non-Versus students able to attend, there would be a sizeable crowd watching the matches every day.

  The regular class schedule was completely discarded for the remainder of the semester. It gave the students a lot of freedom, which Calista suspected was a test all on its own; it would differentiate between students who took their training seriously and used every valuable minute to study and train, and students who were so overconfident that they would lie around resting until their exams came along.

  She was the former. She got up at the same time every day, even though technically they could sleep in if they wanted to. It was amazing to her that just a couple of months ago, waking up so early was unthinkable, jeopardizing her precious beauty sleep.

  Besides, who would want to sleep in during such an exciting time? The academy’s atmosphere was festive and exciting. There was an air of anticipation, adrenaline, and anxiety over who would come out on top at the end of the semester.

  Even when it was late at night, it felt like a bright summer’s day with all the decorations set up, like the school’s own little Versus Games before the real thing came along. The environment brought non-Versus students and even Tech Wing students to join in the festivities. Red, white, and blue digital confetti constantly rained down on every pathway, melting before it touched the ground. Colored banners sporting Fistborn’s crests, Guild letters, or Student Coach freeze scans were hung on almost every wall, both inside and outside.

  The Guilds had gone to great lengths showing their pride. The members used their corresponding colored uniform bodysuits. A significant portion of the girls were surprisingly inspired by Calista’s fashion sense, making their own custom outfits. Some of them needed practice, but Calista appreciated the enthusiasm.

  Camelithia and Belinda visited Calista’s room to help her make a few banners for Kappa, proudly showing the white K against the orange background. Cam did her the favor of taking freeze shots of her in fighting poses. She wore her favorite Kappa outfits and performed her practiced punches and kicks, looking incredible in each shot. Now all the Kappas could show off their best looks in the arena.

  In every courtyard and grand hallway, stat boards glowed on the walls, showing who was fighting who and when, and whether they won or lost. At the moment, they were all blue, with ‘TBA’ under the last category, but they would be turning red once the fight was over and the results were out.

  On the morning of the first Sunday, Calista looked at the day’s schedule for fights after Theory exams finished up at 11am.

  11:00-(SC Γ) Delaine "Minx" Evistroma VS (SC Δ) Li Mei "Knifehand" Hoss

  11:10-(SC A) Reilly "Clocker" Campbell VS (SC Z) Melsen "Spider-Man" Steffensen

  11:20-(SC E) Kalis "Glaiver" Siip VS (SC H) Elisa "Double-Dutch" Fiosda

  11:30-(SC B) Disaris "One-Punch" Okione VS (SC I) Catherine "Lasso" Graham

  11:40-(SC Θ) St?sten "Grill" Durchdenwald VS (SC K) Harrison "Cheater" Smith

  11:50-(ASC A) Rosalina "Hothead" Wiasod VS (ASC B) Barreth "Hellhound" Digger

  12:00-(AF) Bark "Savage" Wefitan VS (ΔF) Falacio "Choker" Sevens

  It seemed that the Student Coaches went first, followed by the Assistant Student Coaches and Favorites. It was a good thing Calista didn’t accept the Favorite status. She scrolled down the list a little further until she found another familiar name.

  12:50-(BF) Colleen "Goth" Dixon VS (HF) Camelithia "Dropkick" Courier

  Calista had heard of Goth, but never interacted with her. She was a red-skinned Seeyastian with short black hair, star-shaped purple eyes, and heavy, black makeup on her face that made her look intimidating. She was one of Disaris’s Favorite students. Cam would be equally matched with her in terms of ability, since they were both Seeyastian, but Goth was a hundred Levels ahead of Cam. She was quite brave to challenge her.

  At the moment, Calista’s name was scheduled on Day Three.

  TBD-(K) Calista Medley VS ?

  Pair-ups were determined by lower-Leveled students challenging higher-Leveled students. However, a lot of people, even some Guild members, also had question marks for opponents. Now they’d be at the mercy of their professors, who would pair them up randomly. She hoped she wouldn’t get anyone too difficult.

  Her first exam came too quick, the Breakfast period seeming to last only five minutes. Calista entered her Weaponry classroom with anxiety and stress tensing up her shoulders. When it began, her heart stopped every time the professor called on her to answer a question.

  “Miss Medley,” Professor Jiles Forforran addressed.

  She stood from her seat, her back straight and her eyes level. “Yes, sir,” she answered.

  “What category does the bow and arrow fall under?” The question started the answer timer on Calista’s AIDA screen, which counted down from ten.

  Calista almost answered, ‘Firearm’, but she remembered that the bow and arrow had been reclassified. “The Non-Ballistic Shooter category, sir,” she answered, her stomach quivering.

  “Thank you. You may sit.”

  +3 XP

  She did so with a long breath, her hands shaking. The XP was only for participation; her grade wouldn’t be released until after finals were over. Even if she was exceptional in her Practicum exam, if her Theory course grades were too low, she could say goodbye to any chance of getting on the team. As Harrison had told her, she needed at least a ‘P’— Pro-Level— grade in all of her classes.