The local aquarium was a favorite location for Emi and her younger brother Claude. Especially around the afternoon weekends when it’s not particularly busy, giving Emi and Claude some quiet time together. The tranquil sound of the tanks with all sorts of colorful tropical fish from a regional part of their world is not something they would normally see even when they both take trips to the beach. The underwater tunnel just so happened to be the newest addition to the aquarium so they both had to see it. The tunnel goes through a larger tank with a view from the second floor and the sea floor with a model wrecked ship where various aquatic life can take shelter. A nurse shark swims across the horizon of the underwater tunnel as Emi pushes her brother's wheel chair through the tunnel, going slowly and eventually stopping to admire the exhibit together.
"I really like what they did with this exhibit." Emi comments as she gently caresses her brothers shoulders with her hands.
"Mhm. Yeah, it's pretty cool." Her brother turns his head to look at Emi. "Coming here eases my mind Emi. I appreciate having you with me while you are around."
"Are you nervous about me leaving for college? I'll still text and call you form time to time to see how you're doing in high school. We can even do VR if you like. What kind of sister would I be if I didn't check up on my brother regularly?"
"I know, but it'll be my first year of high school soon too."
"A first for everyone huh?" Emi smirk as she ruffles her brother's hair lovingly. "I wouldn't worry too much about it Claude. High school isn't all that scary. Middle school was worse in my experience. High school kids tend to be chill for the most part. Nobody is going to pick on you."
"I hope so." Claude watches an Moray eel come out of hiding from the wreck ship and swims past them. "Hey Emi."
"What's up Claude?"
"Do you think I might find love in High School?"
Emi chuckles but not in a harsh way. "Well, that depends. Who are you looking for?"
"I'm not so sure. I don't think I would be very appealing to girls in my condition."
"That's nonsense Claude. Girls aren't that superficial and if they are, they aren't worth your time." Emi reassures him as she crouches down next to him with her arm around her shoulder. "A girl worthy of your time will love you for who you are. Honestly, I think any girl would be lucky to date you."
"You're just saying that because you're my older sis."
"Heh...maybe. But you're my precious little brother. I want the best for you no matter what. I'm sure you'll find someone." She gently squeezes his shoulder."Most of your friends from middle school think you're alright. That's a step up from my experience going into high school."
"But what if the relationship doesn't work out?"
"You have to find someone else if that case. Don't settle for anyone who won't accept you for who you are. The last thing you want is to end up like our parents. Even adults can be idiots." Emi's voice sounds a bit pained as she speaks. "But we don't have to be like them, do we Claude?"
"You're right Emi. We know better right?"
"I would hope we are."
"You don't sound so sure of yourself Emi."
"To tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous about starting Uni soon too. I have my friend Chiara but not much else."
"Are you still going to do track and field Emi?"
"Of course. I'm going to try to be best runner for you Claude. I'll make you and my future university team proud!"
Emi hugs her brother tightly. "My poor little Claude. I'm going to miss you so much."
"Well done girls, your lap time has improved from last week. Next week is the examination trials. So far nobody has met the required lap time to be part of the track team so keep working on it." the coach announced to the group of freshmen, including Emi. The coach, an older woman with sharp eyes, was accompanied by two upper class track team members, both with arms crossed and disinterested expressions.
Emi's legs are sore and exhausted. She gave it her all this morning and managed to beat her previous lap time. But she can see the upper class girls looking down on all of them. It's as if they were writing them all off. The freshmen track girls disperse, Emi heads to her dorm, carrying her water jug, towel, and bag of extra clothes so she can shower and get ready to met up with Emi, just like last week.
It seems like all of the confusion, uncertainty, and anxiety of the first week has mostly subsided. Emi has found her groove with her Psychology classes, her track and field practice, and now her second life in VR where she'll be leading her own squad in a tournament that Mai believes they have no chance of winning. When she gets to her dorm and steps into her shower. The shower head cools off her warm body, easing the tension in her muscles as she ponders deeply about whether she should even stress out about it. It's just a game after all. It's just something she can do for fun with Chiara and the other girls she befriended. Not to mention Tomio and his group of friends too.
Tomio. She can't believe she ran into him again. He certainly looks better than she remembers from her middle school days. Emi hates to admit it but deep down inside, she really did miss him all these years. She recalls the text she got earlier this week from him: "Let's meet up in Mil-Sim Story on Friday at 5 PM for training. My squad and I will help you out."
She sighed, letting the water wash away her worries. She shuts off the water valve and dries herself with her towel. She quickly gets dressed in some comfortable clothes and heads out to find Chiara so they can have lunch together, just like they did last week.
The UC and Cafeteria is packed more than usual this time around. Emi has to navigate around a bunch of booths from various clubs as she makes her way to the cafeteria. Chiara stands out from the crowd in her button up white shirt, red bow tie, and khaki sweater. Doesn't she feel too hot in that? Surprisingly, she's not alone. Mai and Hikari are with her too. "Emi!" They all shout with smile on their faces.
Emi walks up to the Chiara and the other girls. "Surprised to see us? Chiara invited us." Hikari mentions as she nods to Emi. "We gotta meet up IRL too...Sergeant" Mai says jokingly.
"Seriously?" Emi says baffled.
"Yeah. Reporting for mealtime Sergeant Emi!" Mai stands at attention and salutes Emi. Hikari shakes her head in embarrassment while Chiara giggles.
"For some reason, I don't think I earned such a high ranking yet. We haven't even done our training yet."
"Heh. You better get used to it....Sergeant." Mai lowers her salute and smirks.
"Just call me Emi. We're friends after all."
The girls find a table at the cafeteria and discuss their week as they have their lunch together.
"It's been really busy this week." Hikari notes with a sigh in her voice. "I've been doing all nighters studying. Mai had it pretty bad this week too."
"I still managed to ace those exams." Mai spouts proudly. "I thought it was worth it."
"Everything good so far Chiara? No problems?" Emi ask as she watches Chiara munch on her salad.
Chiara swallows and nods. "Oh...yeah. I think I got the hang of college. I finished my assignments early. No bullies so far."
"Just fight them off if anyone tries to bully you Chiara." Mai suggests as Hikari shakes her head again.
"This isn't high school Mai. We aren't savages."
"Well if there's any problems with anyone, let me know Chiara. I won't let anyone hurt you." Emi smiles as she drinks her cup.
"Are you holding up too Emi?" Mai asks.
"For the most part. Track is another story. I don't even want to think about it."
Chiara frowns as she hears Emi. "Has it been rough?"
"Yeah. I guess you can say that. But no worries. It'll work out I hope."
"Ugh...it's so packed today." Hikari complains.
"Yeah no kidding. They are having Activity Fair today." Mai remarks as she chows down on her burger. "Mmm...as if I have time for those things."
"Aren't you in ASME already?" Hikari notes.
"By default I am. What kind of mechanical engineering student doesn't join ASME? It's practically part of the degree plan. It still beats....oh no...." Mai groans as she sees two girls in matching pastel shirts, holding a clipboard and bright smiles on their faces.
"Huh?" Emi didn't expect the sorority girls to approach their table. She notices Mai's shift in mood as the sorority girls approach them.
"Hi there!" one of the girl chirps. "Are you ladies interested in joining a sorority? We're from Delta Phi, and we're always looking for..."
"No thank you!" Mai scoffs.
The sorority girls have a shocked look on their face, but try to continue. "Being part of a sisterhood can really enrich your college experience! You'll make lifelong friends, gain leadership skills, and..."
"Yeah yeah..." Mai waves her hand dismissively. "And then you all get into your robes in a basement and start swearing oaths to some ancient deity. I know how your kind works."
"Mai! What are you saying?!" Hikari nudges Mai feeling quite uncomfortable by Mai's statements.
The sorority girls exchange awkward glances, but one of them tries to keep her composure and continues her sale. "Uh... no, it’s really just about sisterhood and supporting each other through college. We host charity events, and..."
"Oh don't even get me started on the hazing rituals! They brand you with a hot iron and blackmail you so you can't leave the cult. Do you ever wonder why some of the most powerful people in America are all former fraternity and sorority members? Connect the dots people!"
"Mai.. you're embarrassing us." Chiara and Emi find the whole ordeal more amusing more than anything as they hold back their laughs.
One of the sorority girl tries to reassure the girls as she clears her throat "Well, that's just a terrible stereotype. We don't do hazing. Our university has a strict no-hazing policy and..."
"Yeah...suurrreee......look my friends here other than Hikari are broke ass students so you might as well take your cult somewhere else. I'm not low enough to pay for fake friends. I got my real friends all right here!" Hikari's eyes doze off to the side as she pretends to not be part of Mai's outburst.
"Um...well...if you ever change your mind, we have our booth right outside the UC. Uh......have a good one..." The sorority girls awkwardly leave their table.
As the sorority girls leave, Mai cross her arms as if she's victorious. "Good riddance, girls...I just saved you all from the cult of Moloch."
Emi and Chiara are now both snickering as they can no longer hold in their laughs while Hikari is trying to hide behind her hands. "Seriously Mai, why do I even hang out with you?"
"You know I am right Hikari. First it's the drama club in high school, then it's the fraternities and sororities, then it's the Bohemian Grove wearing owl masks and shaking hands with the Freemasons. I'm telling you Hikari. It's all part of training the next generation of evil overlords."
"Do you even know what you are saying Mai? Ugh...forget it." Hikari slumps in her seat. “Why do I put up with you Mai?”
"Besides, we got our own group here. The Armadillo Squad! Instead of wearing stupid tie-dye shirts and doing dumb cult crap, we all wear military gear and play with guns in VR. We’re like a tactical sisterhood, way cooler than those sorority girls."
"Oh about that..." Emi remembers. "Don't forget, we're all going online at 5PM. Tomio and Longhorn Squad will be there too to help us out since we'll all be working together."
"Works for me." Mai replies.
"Yeah...me too I suppose." Hikari murmurs as she slowly uncovers her face from her hands.
"What kind of training are we going to do, Emi?" Chiara asks.
"Honestly, I'm not really sure." Emi remarks.
"Actually, there's quite a lot we have to learn before we can compete in the tournament. But you'll all figure it out once we meet up for training. I sort of already have my skills figured out."
"Of course she does." scoffs Hikari.
"You betcha. I usually play sapper in the more serious game modes.
"Sapper?" Emi eyebrow raises.
"Yeah, we all gotta pick our classes before the tournament. It's basically a set of skills, abilities and kit we specialized in to help our squad and platoon out when we are out there in the virtual battlefield. Like you're our squad leader by default Emi so you'll have your own abilities and so forth."
"So we can pick and choose what we want to be?"
"Within reason Chiara." Mai answers. "You seem like the quiet sneaky type so I think you would be great as a scout or recon. Especially with your suppressed weapons." She then looks at Hikari and winks at her. "You can be our squad medic....nursing major."
"I really going to practice my trade in VR huh?" Hikari says nonchalantly.
"You helped me patch me up in that match against longhorn squad, I'd say you're already halfway there." Emi assured her.
"Hmm....I suppose..."
"So 5 pm then?"
"Yeah. And uh...just one more thing." Emi looks at each of the girls before speaking. "I know this is just something we are doing for fun...but let's try to do our best. It would mean a lot of if we could actually accomplish something together."
"I'm with you Emi." Chiara speaks up.
"Count me in." Hikari joins too.
"I'm not optimistic in our success...but sure...why not?" Mai is the last to pitch in.
"Good, let's not embarrass ourselves in front of Longhorn squad again." Emi suggests. "I'll see you all in VR soon."