Day 230

[from Vanishing Point]

"So," asked Mizuki, "what do you wanna know?"

"Let's start with the last thing you remember before your disappearance," said Kamui.

Mizuki thought for a moment. "The last thing I remember… well, I was visiting a studio representative to discuss a new album deal," said Mizuki. "I left the building to walk home, and… that's it. The next thing I know, I'm in the middle of Akihabara and I don't remember a thing."

"Do you always walk home?" asked Cobra.

"Well, the record company's building was only a ten-minute walk away," said Mizuki. "I didn't see the point."

"Fair enough," said Cobra. "You said you regained your memories… how?"

"I'll get to that," said Mizuki. "You see, it wasn't long before people around started to recognize me," said Mizuki. "They started coming up and saying things like 'I'm your biggest fan!', or 'Can I have your autograph?', or 'I loved your performance last week!' And of course I had no idea what they were talking about, and for someone who only woke up five minutes ago with no memory, it was all rather scary. So I ran, and I managed to get away from them, and found a police station. I dunno how I remembered what a police station was, but somehow I knew they could help me.

"I told the person at the front desk, 'Look, I woke up just now, I can't remember who I am, and all these people are running after me trying to get my autograph or something. Can you help me out?' They didn't believe me at first, they thought it was some kind of hidden camera prank. They did a little investigating, realized that I really had lost my memory, and then they told me who I was."

"And that's when you remembered?" asked Cobra.

Kiyoko was about to quietly object when Mizuki spoke up for her. "Nope," she said. "Still couldn't remember a thing. I refused to believe that I was someone like that - I think it was all just too much for me. Anyway, they took me to the hospital, to check there was nothing wrong with my brain, and then they called my manager to let him know what had happened. When he arrived at the hospital, he was pretty shocked that I didn't recognize him, and I think he probably panicked. I was his star lady, he couldn't lose me. So he pulled out his phone and started showing me all these clips of me on YouTube, hoping they'd jump-start my memories."

"And it worked?" asked Cobra. She, like Hanako, was now hanging on Mizuki's every word.

"Not at first," said Mizuki. "I got bits and pieces, but nothing much, until he played me a clip from one of my more recent concerts, thanking my fans for all their love and support. Then it was like… I dunno, it was like a floodgate opened in my mind somewhere, and all my memories came flooding back at once. The next thing I know, my manager's shaking me and there are nurses rushing into the room. Apparently I'd collapsed or something."

Cobra was fascinated by this information. "So all it took was a strong enough trigger?" she asked. "Something with a strong enough connection to your past?"

"I guess so," said Mizuki. "How come you're so interested in my memory loss, anyway? Is this to do with that info you said you had for me?"

"Partially," said Kamui. "I have one last question for you, though. This might sound a bit strange, but have you demonstrated any… unnatural abilities since your disappearance?"

"Unnatural abilities?" Mizuki repeated. "You mean like this?"

Mizuki glanced over at Hanako and suddenly her eyes began to glow brightly once more. Hanako's sparkling eyes glazed over, her look of enraptured joy replaced immediately with a serene expression. Kamui, Kiyoko and Cobra all looked at her with alarm. "Hey! Hanako!" said Cobra, waving a hand in front of Hanako's face. When this had no effect, she turned to Mizuki. "What did you do to her?"

"Hypnosis," said Mizuki, her voice echoing. "I can hypnotize as many people as I want, as long as I have eye contact with them, and I can make them do whatever I want. I think. Watch this. Hanako?"

"Yes Miss Sato," said Hanako. Her monotone voice was very much at odds with her usual boisterous tone.

"Go and fetch us a pizza," said Mizuki.

"Yes Miss Sato," said Hanako. Without a word, Hanako walked off back towards the heart of the party.

As Mizuki's eyes faded back to normal, the three remaining escapees looked on in astonishment. "Now that was creepy," said Kamui.

"I know," said Mizuki, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "I don't really like doing it, but… well, you did ask…"

"We did," said Cobra, "but I wasn't really expecting anything like that. This is not good."

"Why?" asked Mizuki. "I think it's your turn to answer some questions. How come you know about my ability? What do you know about my disappearance?"

Kamui and Cobra glanced at each other uneasily. "What we're about to tell you might be very hard to believe," said Kamui. "You'll just have to trust us. Alright?"

"Alright," said Mizuki. "Let's hear what you have to say."

Kamui took a deep breath. "Like I said, this might be hard to believe, but… you didn't just randomly disappear. You were kidnapped. By Shinsuke Corporation."

"Shinsuke?" repeated Mizuki. "The people who make the City Patrol mecha?"

"That's them," said Kamui. "They took you to a secret research facility, experimented on you, then released you back into Tokyo. Those experiments gave you superpowers, but also wiped your memory. It might sound far-fetched, but it's the truth."

Mizuki still seemed sceptical. "And how do you know all this?" she asked.

"Because three days ago, I broke into that research facility and rescued the three girls who came here with me today," said Kamui. "They're test subjects just like you." He turned to Kiyoko. "Show her, Kiyoko."

With a nod, Kiyoko turned invisible. Mizuki's eyes opened wide with shock. "Wh… where did she go?" she gasped.

"She turned invisible," said Cobra. "I'd demonstrate my power for you as well, but let's just say it's a little too… destructive. As for Hanako, we managed to rescue her before Shinsuke could experiment on her. Now we're tracking down the other test subjects - including yourself - and trying to work out what it is Shinsuke had planned for us."

Mizuki still seemed fairly taken aback. "I see," she said.

At this point, the hypnotized Hanako arrived, carrying an open pizza box containing an entire pepperoni pizza. "I have your pizza Miss Sato," she said.

"What? Oh, right, I almost forgot about that," said Mizuki. She took the box from Hanako and greedily took a slice. "Thanks, Hanako!"

With the order carried out, Hanako's eyes returned to normal, and she blinked with confusion as she found herself standing eight feet away from where she had been. "Huh? What happened?" she said. "Where'd that pizza come from?" A moment later, Hanako shrugged and took a slice for herself.

"Well, that rather spoiled the mood," Cobra remarked.

"I'd say it rather lightened the mood," said Mizuki through a mouthful of pizza. "This was getting pretty serious, huh?"

"It was?" said Hanako, who of course hadn't heard the previous conversation.

"It was," Kamui reassured her. "We told her everything."

"And?" said Hanako. "Do you believe us?"

Mizuki swallowed a mouthful of pizza and took a moment to contemplate what she had been told. "I guess so," she said. "I mean, I saw your friend turn invisible! I never thought that there might be others out there with abilities! But then again, kidnapping young women and experimenting on them... why would Shinsuke be doing something like that?"

"We don't know," said Cobra. "That's what we're trying to establish, but whatever it is, it can't be good."

"I agree," said Mizuki. "If they did wipe my memory and give me superpowers, it probably wasn't for a good cause. Is there any way I can help you guys? I mean, I am a rich, influential idol, after all."

"If we need help with anything, we'll let you know," said Kamui. "Thanks for your co-operation. You've been very helpful to us."

Cobra nodded. "You most certainly have. Now I know there's a way I can get my memories back."

Day 216

[from Street Racer]

Tristan held off on unleashing the Skyline's true power until they had cleared the abandoned railyard and were back out on the open road. "Okay, traffic's sparse, weather's good… you picked a good night for your first taste of speed," Tristan remarked. "Alright, here goes." With a loud roar, the Skyline began to rapidly accelerate down the high street, and Lien felt herself pushed back into her seat by the sudden G-forces. She wanted to look over at the speedometer, to see just how fast they were really going, but she could not tear her gaze away from the view through the windscreen, as the cars in front of them began to get closer and closer, moving faster and faster.

Tristan, naturally, was undaunted. With smooth, sweeping motions of the steering wheel, he neatly swerved past every car that he encountered. Soon the Skyline was at 100 miles an hour, then 120, then 140, relentless accelerating to speeds Lien had never experienced or even imagined before. The scenery around her turned into a neon blur, and she found herself wondering how on earth Trist could possibly navigate with such precision in the street-lit night.

Tristan slowed to turn right at an intersection, skipping the red light and drifting his way round the 90-degree bend. Lien let out a little squeal of surprise as the sudden centrifugal forces shunted her to the left. As terrified as she was, she could already feel the adrenaline starting to surge through her body. The fear excited her. It was a thrill unlike any she'd ever experienced before, and although it petrified her to the core, she had already fallen in love with it.

Having swept round the right-hand turn, Tristan was now driving into the oncoming traffic, but still he negotiated his way through with ease. Lien clutched the seat for dear life, her eyes wide with shock as she watched the vehicles hurtle towards her one after the other, each one vanishing to the side at the last second. A man driving a sedan swerved hard onto the pavement to avoid the Skyline, slamming head-on into a lamp-post, and at this point Tristan decided he had better move back into the correct lane, not just for his own safety but for that of the other road users. A head-on impact at these speeds would kill everyone in both cars.

As the Skyline veered back onto the right-hand side of the road, Lien breathed a sigh of relief. She had never been so relieved to see a car's taillights in her life, even if they were still hurtling towards her at considerable speed. "Holy shit, this is crazy!" she exclaimed. "This is completely crazy!"

Tristan did not respond, nor did he make any indication that he had heard her. In all probability, he hadn't: he was concentrating so hard on the road, and making his way through it, that he had blocked almost everything else out, including the voice of his companion. He had not, however, forgotten that Lien was in the car. Indeed, he was driving specifically to impress and/or frighten her, getting closer to the traffic cars and swerving later than he had to, not to mention the little trip down the oncoming lane.

Tristan's next trick was to take a left turn at another four-way intersection, drifting his way between two cars with pinpoint precision; another couple of feet either way and it would all have ended in disaster. This manoeuvre elicited another squeal from Lien, and a sharp flinch at the expected crunch, followed by a drawn-out gasp of relief and astonishment as she realized they had made it. Her adrenaline levels continued to rise, the excitement only building with each near-miss, and with it came a sudden rush of affection for the man who held her life in his hands and was juggling with it like a circus performer.

Suddenly, however, Lien heard the shrill wail of a police siren behind them, and her blood ran cold. "Oh my god, there are police after us!" she exclaimed. Looking in the passenger mirror, she could just about make out the red and blue flashing lights behind them. "What are we gonna do, Tristan?"

Tristan's response was simply to go even faster. The police in Jade City had tried to upgrade their cruisers' performance levels, in an attempt to keep up with the street racers during pursuits, but the street racers had been three steps ahead and their cars outmatched the police cruisers in every possible way. The flashing lights and sirens swiftly faded away as Tristan roared through the city, and the pursuit was over almost as quickly as it had begun.

Feeling that his passenger had perhaps had enough for one day, Tristan slowed down until he was back at the speed limit, then pulled off into an underground car park, sweeping into a space and coming neatly to a stop. "They won't find us in here," he said. "We can wait here for the heat to cool off." He then turned towards Lien. "So, how was it? You enjoy yourself?"

In the passenger seat, Lien was still catching her breath, recovering from the sheer intensity of what she had just experienced. She could still feel the adrenaline coursing through her, and as she realized she had made it through the drive in one piece, she suddenly felt more alive than she ever had in her life. She caught sight of herself in the rear-view mirror: her hair was dishevelled, her face was flushed, and her eyes were still wide with shock, but she was smiling. In spite of all the near-misses she had just endured, she was smiling from ear to ear.

Trist caught sight of her enraptured expression. "I'll take that as a yes, then," he said. "Let's wait a little while, until the cops stop looking for us, and then I'll drive you back to your house. Sound good?"

Lien finally managed to catch her breath, then nodded, sweeping her hair back into place with one hand. "Yes, please," she said, her voice a little breathy. "And I'd… like to do this again sometime, if that's possible."

Tristan nodded. "Sure," he said. "Might start charging you for gas, though."

"That's okay," said Lien. "There's… one other thing I'd like to do with you as well." She started to unfasten her harness, looking over at Tristan with a fiery passion in her eyes. "How long do you think it will take for the cops to stop looking for us?"

Tristan gave no indication that he had cottoned on to Lien's intentions. "I dunno," he said, "maybe half an hour. Why?"

Having unfastened her harness, Lien slipped herself out of it and then launched herself at Tristan, pulling him into a passionate kiss as her pent-up adrenaline finally unleashed itself. It took Tristan only a moment to respond, returning the kiss and pulling Lien closer. The girl obligingly sat on his lap, her tongue sliding into his mouth as their hands began to explore one another…

Day 203 (Catch-Up)

[from Electron]

While Martin trawled the connections between the two victims, looking for clues as to who the sword-wielding woman could be targeting next, Electron set about patrolling the area near where she had last been seen. Worryingly, however, she appeared to have evaded the police blockades and escaped into the wider city. He flew back and forth, investigating several potential sightings, but found nothing save a used smoke bomb.

"I think our theory was right," he told Martin. "Whoever this woman is, she's only targeting specific people, and refusing to harm anyone else. She could have violently confronted me, the police, or both, but instead she's chosen to just evade us. I think it might be possible to capture her alive." Martin did not respond. "Hello? Martin? Are you there?"

Eventually a voice responded, but it was a woman. "I'm sorry," she said, "Martin isn't at his desk right now. He's away pursuing some kind of lead. I don't know when he'll be back."

"I see," said Electron. "Well, when he gets back, could you tell him I'm going to try and catch this sword-wielding murderer alive, without a struggle?"

The woman barely stifled a chuckle. "You make it sound so easy," she said. "But then, I guess it would be for you. Alright, I'll tell him. Good luck, Electron."

"Thank you, ma'am," said Electron. "Over and out." Electron hung up and headed back into the sky, resuming his search.

By the time he heard from Martin, it was late afternoon and the sin was beginning to sink low on the sky. There was still no trace of the woman. "Electron," said Martin. "You there? You manage to track her down?"

"No, I'm afraid not," said Electron. "I don't know where she is, but I do have a feeling that-"

"Yeah, I heard about your theory," said Martin impatiently. "Listen, 'coz I got something more than theories. I know who she is, and more importantly, I know who her other targets are."

"You do?" said Electron. "That's great! Who are they, then?"

"Their names are Matt Tyler and Andy Smith," said Martin. "They were both friends with John Baxter and Kevin McAllister. Matt lives at Newport House, Room 307, while Andy lives at 156 Coolidge Avenue."

"Alright, thank you," said Electron. "Do you know why this woman is after them?"

"I do," said Martin, "but you're not gonna like it."

"Hit me with it," said Electron. "If I can understand why she's doing this, maybe I can talk her out of it."

"Alright," said Martin. "Three weeks ago, John, Kevin, Matt, and Andy allegedly beat a black man into a coma. His name was Thomas Dailly, and five days ago he passed away in hospital. His wife, Jasmine, apparently hasn't been seen since. The case was never brought to trial due to lack of evidence, despite there being at least one witness to the assault. And here's the kicker: Thomas and Jasmine are both metalworkers. She could easily have forged the swords and the armour herself."

"I see," said Electron. "So, we're trying to save a bunch of presumably racist murderers." He suddenly recalled the Confederate flag that had been hanging in Kevin's house.

"Believe me," said Martin, "I'm even less happy about it than you are. But leaving these people to die would just make us as bad as her. If they really did kill Thomas Dailly, then they deserve to face justice for it. What Jasmine's doing ain't justice."

"I agree," said Electron. "Which one of them's the closest to where Kevin was murdered?"

"That'd be Matt," said Martin. "Newport House, Room 307. It's only about a mile from your current location."

"I'll be there as fast as I can," said Electron. "Hopefully I can get to him before Jasmine does."

"Let's hope so," said Martin. "Let me know either way. Good luck, man."

"Okay, see you." Electron hung up, and immediately flew off in the direction of Newport House, an eighteen-storey apartment complex near the downtown area. The journey took barely a minute, but it seemed he was already too late, as a shocked crowd was gathered around the open door to Room 307. They turned to him with sorrowful looks as he landed outside the door.

"It happened just a few minutes ago," one of them told him. "The Iron Maiden showed up at the complex, some of us came out to try and stop her, but-"

"The Iron Maiden?" repeated Electron, bemused.

"That's what they're calling her on the Internet," said the man. "You know, that masked killer."

"I tried to stop her," said a Hispanic woman, "but she just knocked me aside and-"

Electron placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, giving her a comforting look. "It's okay," he said. "You all did your best. I appreciate your efforts. But, I'm guessing that-"

A third man nodded. "Yeah," he said. "He's dead. We're sorry."

Electron shook his head. "I'm the one who should be sorry," he said. "It's my job to save people, and I just wasn't fast enough this time. But I know where she's going to strike next, and believe me, this time I'm going to stop her. Which way did she go?"

"That direction," said the Hispanic woman. She and about three others all pointed to the west.

"Okay, thank you," said Electron. "I'll stop her this time for sure. Everybody stand back, please." The crowd duly stepped back a few paces, and Electron lifted off into the sky, racing off in the direction of Coolidge Avenue. "I was too late to save Matt," he told Martin, "he's dead. I'm on my way over to Andy, there's no way she can be at his house already. When she gets there, I'll stop her."

"This might be your last shot at catching her," said Martin, "so make it count. Good luck, man."

"Thanks, Martin," said Electron. "This city is counting on me to stop her, and I'm not gonna let them down. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. See ya."

As Electron hung up, he could see Coolidge Avenue approaching fast in the distance. Martin was right: if Jasmine succeeded in killing Andy, not only would her husband never receive justice, but she could well drop off the grid afterwards, never to be seen again. Whatever happened, he had to stop her here.

Day 202 (Catch-Up)

[from Street Racer]

In the distance, a loud rumble signalled that the race had begun. The tiny dots on the horizon swiftly grew larger and larger, and Lien leaned forward expectantly, waiting to see who would emerge from the darkness in the lead. As the shapes in the distance grew larger, Lien realized that Tristan and Bouncer were almost neck-and-neck. She was surprised at the Skyline's pace at first, then realized that it had probably been upgraded from its original performance levels. Seeing that Tristan was in with a chance of winning, Lien found herself willing him on.

As the cars rapidly approached the finish line, Lien couldn't quite tell which of them was in the lead, and as they crossed the line, she still couldn't tell. It looked as though Tristan may have had the edge, but they would have to check the cameras at the finish line to be sure. Either way, it was safe to say that the Impreza had been some way behind in third.

The three cars screeched to a halt, and as the drivers got out, both Tristan and Bouncer seemed to think they had won. "I won that, Tristan," said Bouncer, pointing a triumphant finger. "Don't pretend like you won that, 'coz you were miles behind me."

"On a one-mile drag strip?" Tristan coolly replied. "Yeah, sure. Check the tapes."

"Only to prove that I won that," said Bouncer. "Hey! Lemme see that replay!"

The girl with the finish-line camera quickly hurried over, and Tristan and Bouncer gathered behind her to watch. Lien could not see the replay, but it seemed as though Tristan had won, for Bouncer suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, c'mon, man! There's no way-"

"You saw the tapes," said Tristan with a shrug. "The tapes don't lie, Bouncer. You're out."

Bouncer shouted something Lien couldn't quite catch, and stormed off back to his Mustang, shutting himself back inside it as he contemplated his defeat. With the first heat now over, the second heat was now imminent: the remaining three cars were gathering at the start line, while the contestants from the first heat pulled over to the side, giving them space in which to come to a stop. The camera girl rushed back to her spot next to the finish line, placing the camcorder back on its low tripod. Tristan sat on his car's rear spoiler and settled down to watch the race.

As the second heat got underway, it quickly became apparent that there would be no such debate about the winner this time. Jason Diaz' orange 370Z had quickly pulled out ahead and crossed the line around two seconds ahead of his competitors. Unlike Tristan, he did not brake to a stop immediately, instead slowing and performing several victory donuts before pulling over to the side. Several of the gathered fans rushed over to congratulate Jason, while Tristan hopped off the back of his car and calmly got back in, ready for the final shoot-out.

Once the crowd around his car had dispersed, Jason headed back towards the start line along with Tristan. Jason tried to turn the mile-long trip into a miniature drag race, quickly accelerating past Tristan, who seemed to be taking a more leisurely path back, alternating between accelerating and braking in order to warm his car back up again. Eventually, both of them reached the start line and turned round, ready to begin the final race. Though Lien could barely see them, she could hear them revving loudly as they prepared for the off.

A sudden roar and screech signalled the start of the race, as the two drivers rocketed off the start line. The final, it seemed, was just as close as the first race had been, with very little to call between the 370Z and the Skyline. It seemed as though the Skyline was trying to pull out a lead but the 370Z kept pulling back.

As the two approached the finish line, it seemed to be almost a dead heat, and as they crossed the line, there was immediate confusion as to who had won. The girl with the camera quickly removed it from its tripod and rushed over to the two drivers, who seemed equally confused. "Was that a dead heat?" asked Tristan.

"Like hell it was a dead heat," said Jason. "You got lucky, man. I shoulda won that by a landslide."

Tristan shrugged nonchalantly. "Doesn't always go how you want it to," he remarked.

As the camera girl approached, Jason turned to her expectantly, ignoring Tristan. "Whatcha got for me?" he asked. "That was mine, right?"

The two drivers gathered around the girl once more. "Actually, no," said the girl, "it seems like you were just a few inches behind."

Jason tilted the camcorder so he could see the view screen face-on. "The fuck?" he said. "I thought I had that!"

"But you didn't," said the girl. "The win is Tristan's."

Jason looked incredulous at the result, while Tristan merely smiled and nodded in acknowledgement before walking away. Before long, those gathered around began to congratulate him, and Lien decided to join them. As she approached, she noticed one of the other racers handing over the prize pot. She didn't know how much it was, but it looked like a fairly large wad of bills. Tristan quickly stuffed the wad into his back pocket.

After the crowd had dispersed a little, Lien took her chance and sidled in front of the street racer. "Nice win," she said. "Looks like it pays well, too."

"That's the idea," said Tristan. Pausing for a moment, he squinted at Lien. "We've met before... before the first heat. You were the girl checking out my car."

"That was me," said Lien. "The name's Lien. Lien Wei."

"Tristan. Tristan Starr." Tristan paused again, and this time it seemed he was searching for something more to say. "Is this your first time at a street race?" he asked eventually.

"Yeah," said Lien, "how did you-"

"You have that amazed look about you," said Tristan. "Like a spectator."

Lien smiled and nodded. "My friend invited me," she said. "I'd seen the street racers around, and I have to admit, I'd been curious about the scene for a little while now, but I'd never actually been to a race before."

"What did you think?" asked Tristan.

"It's really..." Lien found herself struggling to describe what she had just seen, and she realized that she hadn't really seen that much at all. "Uhh... it's really fast," she said finally. "Fast and loud."

Tristan smiled. "That's how we like it," he remarked.

"Uhh... do you know when the next race will be?" asked Lien. "I'd really like to see more."

"Caught the bug, huh?" asked Tristan. "Sorry, but the races aren't run to a schedule. But..." He glanced at his car, then trailed off.

Lien followed his gaze, and caught an inkling of what he had in mind. "But what?" she asked.

"I could take you for a spin in my car," Tristan suggested. "Not many people can get that close to the action."

Lien smiled. "I'd love to," she said.

"Alright then," said Tristan, opening the driver door. "Get in, and buckle up."

Lien crossed over to the passenger door and got in. Both seats were racing-style bucket seats, made of carbon fibre and lightweight foam; instead of a seatbelt, there was a five-point harness. The rear seats had been ripped out completely, replaced with carbon scaffolding for extra rigidity. Lien got in and started untangling the harness, trying to figure out how to put it on.

"Wait." Lien turned to look at Tristan and saw he was looking at her with a serious, but still somehow calm expression. "Before you strap in," he said, "there's something you need to understand about what I do. This car has no airbags. Not just to save weight, but because at the kinda speeds we'll be going, airbags won't do anything for us of we crash. I've been doing this for months, and I consider myself an expert driver, but even experts make mistakes. So if you're not prepared for the possibility that you might die tonight, you should get out of the car right now."

Lien was a little shocked at Tristan's sudden bluntness, but she had to appreciate his honesty. She knew the dangers of street racing as well as anyone in Jade City. She knew the sheer foolishness of what she was about to do. But Lien didn't care, because she wanted to do this. Somehow, even just the thought of it excited her. No matter how dangerous it may be, she didn't want to back down now. "I'm ready," she said.

Tristan nodded, and gripped the steering wheel tightly, the turbocharged engine revving aggressively. "Then buckle up," he said.

Lien swiftly began putting on the racing harness. As she did so, a fresh wave of adrenaline washed over her, but also a fresh wave of nervousness, both brought on by the realisation that there truly was no turning back now. "You'll be gentle, right?" she asked suddenly, looking Tristan in the eye. "After all... it's my first time."

Tristan nodded. "First time for everything," he said. "I'll be as smooth as I can." With that, Tristan put his foot to the floor, and in a squeal of burning tires, the Skyline was gone.

Day 201 (Catch-Up)

[from Aura of Chaos]

The inside of the Great Library was immense in both size and grandeur. Towering bookshelves, elegantly carved from oak and marble, reached dozens of feet towards the gilded ceiling, and stretched almost as far as the eye could see. Stacked within their wooden frames was almost every conceivable kind of book, from epic war poetry to romance novels, as well as encyclopaedic volumes recounting the region's entire history. Almost every work of literature that Albion had ever known was contained within this vast repository, in some form or another.

Tara had never seen such a vast building in all her life. She gasped in astonishment, gazing around the library with her mouth open. "This place is... incredible..." she said.

"It really is," said Xeron. "I'd heard how vast the collection here was, but seeing it in person is really quite the sight."

"You've never been here before?" asked Tara.

"No," said Xeron. "I never felt the need to before, but now, things are different."

Tara nodded. "There has to be something in here that can help us... but what? And how will we ever find it?"

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

Xeron and Tara turned round to see an elderly man walking towards them. He wore a midnight blue robe, and half-moon spectacles. He gave off a definite air of wisdom and importance. "Are you the head librarian?" asked Xeron.

"I am indeed," said the man. "My name is Corwyn. I know almost everything there is to know about the contents of this library. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"We're looking for information about something called the Orb of Chaos," said Xeron. "Do you have any books that might shed some light on it?"

"The Orb of Chaos..." Corwyn repeated. "Yes, I believe I might have some information about it. Follow me."

Corwyn headed off through the maze of towering shelves, with Xeron and Tara following closely behind. Corwyn glanced over his shoulder every so often to make sure that they were still following him. "Did you travel far to get here?" he asked.

"We've come from Tirera," said Tara.

"Are you enjoying the capital so far?" asked Corwyn.

Tara nodded. "It's enormous..."

"I suppose it is," said Corwyn.

Corwyn stopped at a nearby shelf, perusing it. "Now let's see here... where would it be..." He climbed up onto a movable ladder and began to patiently browse the higher shelves. After several minutes of browsing, he produced a large, dusty volume. Brushing the dust off the cover, he peered over the top of his spectacles at the book, making sure it was the right one. "Yes, this is it," mumbled Corwyn.

"You found something?" asked Xeron.

"I believe I have," said Corwyn. Descending back down the ladder, Corwyn led the two adventurers to a nearby table and laid the book down upon it. The front cover read, "THE WORLDS BEYOND OUR OWN".

"Worlds beyond our own?" Xeron read aloud, as he and Tara sat down. "You mean, Heaven and Hell?"

"Not only those," said Corwyn. "You see, some historians have long theorised that, before the creation of our own world, there have existed other worlds." Corwyn opened the book, to a page depicting an Earth-like planet but with subtly different geometry. "Some believe they were failed attempts at creating the world we know, so-called "Precursor Worlds"; others believe them to be entirely separate, with their own deities, so-called "Parallel Worlds". Still others believe they do not exist at all."

"Do they?" asked Xeron. "And if they do, how is the Orb of Chaos connected to them?"

"Oh, these alternate worlds exist, all right." said Corwyn. "And the Orb of Chaos is the key to unlocking their secrets." Corwyn turned to another page, this one depicting a milky-white sphere with strange blue wisps swirling within it. "The various worlds are all separated by a swirling mass called Chaos, within which they all eternally drift," he explained. "The Orb of Chaos is a mythical artifact that is said to have the power to open gateways between the Chaos, linking two worlds together. It is even said that if a powerful enough Witch gains possession of it, they could perhaps open a gateway to Heaven or Hell themselves."

Xeron and Tara exchanged nervous glances. "There is a Black Witch in possession of the Orb," said Xeron. "He must have used its power to open gateways to other worlds, and summoned creatures from within them. That's where the monsters that attacked Hilston and Tirera came from."

"That would definitely explain it," said Tara. "Do you think he's trying to open a gateway to Hell?"

"Even if he is not, this is still a most disturbing development," said Corwyn. "These realms are thought to be home to monstrous creatures known as Shoukan, far more powerful than any monster found in our own world. Even if this Black Witch does not open a gate to Hell, a sufficiently powerful Shoukan would lay waste to Albion."

"Do you think that's his aim?" asked Tara. "Summon a powerful enough Shoukan, and use it to take over the world?"

"If this is his aim, then he is a fool," said Corwyn. "A Shoukan that powerful would be beyond the control of any one man. Whoever this Black Witch is, he must be stopped as soon as possible, and the Orb of Chaos destroyed."

"Why wasn't it destroyed before?" asked Xeron.

"Nobody knew where it was until now," said Corwyn. "Some even doubted its existence. How this Black Witch came to possess it is a mystery."

"Well, how he got it doesn't matter now," said Xeron. "What matters now is how we can stop him. I've fought him once before... well, it wasn't really much of a fight. He almost killed me in a single blow."

"If he is truly as powerful as you say," said Corwyn, "then only a highly powerful White Witch will be able to defeat him. Of course, finding such a person may not be easy, given the way Albion is at the moment."

Xeron and Tara exchanged knowing glances. "I wouldn't be so sure about that," said Xeron.

Corwyn seemed to catch their drift, but said nothing more than, "I see", before moving on. "Do you know where this Black Witch is now?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not," said Xeron. "He disappeared after we defeated the second Shoukan."

"You must find him and defeat him as soon as possible," said Corwyn. "The more he uses the Orb of Chaos, the stronger the summoned Shoukan will become. Soon, even he will not be able to control them."

"So, what do we do?" asked Tara. "Wait for him to open another gateway, and then attack him when he does?"

"That's the best plan available to us, I think," said Xeron. "We've got no other way of finding him, so as risky as it is, we have to wait for him to surface again." Xeron then turned to Corwyn. "What about the Orb of Chaos? I assume an artifact like that can't just be destroyed by ordinary means."

"The lava of Mt. Akron in neighbouring Akeda is powerful enough to destroy anything thrown into it," said Corwyn. "Once you obtain the Orb of Chaos, you must travel there and cast it into the heart of the volcano."

"That sounds a little far," said Tara.

"It'll be worth it, though," said Xeron. "It's not the hardest of journeys, either."

Tara nodded. "I'll trust you on that. Then, it looks like we have a plan."

"I just hope that when that Black Witch strikes next, we're close enough that we can catch him before he disappears again," said Xeron.

"Let us hope so," said Corwyn.

"Is there anything else we should know about the Orb of Chaos, or about the worlds beyond ours?" asked Xeron.

"There is one thing that might be worth mentioning," said Corwyn. "The gateways opened by the Orb of Chaos are one-way only. Once an object has passed through the gateway, it cannot travel back through it."

"I see," said Xeron. "Well, thank you for all your help, Corwyn. We had best be going. We have other preparations to make."

"Of course," said Corwyn, closing the book. "I wish you both the best of luck. The fate of the world rests in your hands."

Day 196

[from Project Hover]

"We're here in London's Hyde Park, for the first race of the inaugural World Hoverboard Racing Championships. I'm Ashley Garcia; here with me is Italian hoverboarding maestro Gianni Abbruzzi. Gianni, what do you think of this 1.5-mile circuit they've laid out here? Is it a fitting first race for the sport?"

"Well, in terms of the sport's history, there has never been a hoverboard race here before, so it doesn't have that history that places such as Japan or America do," said Gianni. "But at the same time, this is a historic opportunity for the sport to get more exposure in the UK, especially with an Englishman, David Edwards, competing in the field. As for the track itself, it's a very fast-looking layout, with some long straights that will really push the top speeds of these hoverboards, as well as some tight turns that will provide overtaking opportunities, such as the tight Turn 3 hairpin. While the main paths are quite narrow in places, there is plenty of grass at the side of the track, and of course these hoverboards are all-terrain; you won't lose any speed by going off-track, unless you hit the barriers."

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: Find the track layout here: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/808028007]

"Now, there are ten teams and twenty drivers taking part in this inaugural tournament," said Ashley. "We've got teams here including Texas, one of the earliest pioneers of hoverboard technology, and Kasaiki, one of the world's foremost hoverboard manufacturers and a dominant force in the Japanese hoverboard-racing scene. We've got teams from MIT, Shanghai University, and the UK's own Cambridge University. "You'd have to say that Kasaiki and Texas look like the favourites, don't they?"

"They are most definitely the favourites," said Gianni, nodding. "Their hoverboards are undoubtedly the fastest and most reliable on the grid, and I think the other teams will struggle to stop them from dominating this first season, except for perhaps Alti Racing's Claudia Brunelle. She's an exceptional racer, one of the best in the field, and could challenge the top four riders."

"What about the Texas and Kasaiki riders, then?" asked Ashley. "Both of Kasaiki's drivers are still only teenagers: compare that to Claudia, who's 26, or Texas' Aidan Parker, another of the legends of hoverboard racing, who turns 28 next month. Do you think the relative youth of the Kasaiki team will count against them?"

"Maybe at first," said Gianni, "but I think as the season goes on and those girls get more comfortable with their boards, their performances will improve quite dramatically. It's important to remember that these girls - Rika Natsume and Kazumi Matsuhara - even if they are only 18 or 19, they've still been racing hoverboards for several years, competing in the junior categories, so they're not completely inexperienced. And let's not forget, of course, this is the first-ever hoverboarding tournament on a truly global scale. None of the riders, not even the veterans like Aidan, have ever done anything like this before."

"Rika Natsume, Kasaiki's lead driver, is one of the youngest riders in the field, at just 18 years old," said Ashley. "Do you think that's too young to be competing at this level?"

Gianni shook his head. "Not at all," he said. "As I said before, she has several years' experience already, and I've seen her racing: she has an immense amount of raw talent, and the potential to become one of the sport's great names. She may be the youngest driver in the top teams, but I still reckon she's one to look out for this season."

"Okay, thank you for your input," said Ashley. "Qualifying is about to get underway, so let's head over to the track and our commentators, Callum Lancaster and Adam Scott..."

FULL ENTRY LIST

TEXAS HOVERSPORT
#3 Haruka Morimoto (♀, JPN)
#4 Aidan Parker (♂, USA)

SHANGHAI UNIVERSITY
#8 Liang Tai (♂, CHN)
#9 Li Zhen (♀, CHN)

CHT RACING
#14 David Edwards (♂, GBR)
#15 Michael Altermann (♂, GER)

TAKASA HOVERSPORT
#17 Takeshi Okamoto (♂, JPN)
#18 Saori Shinomiya (♀, JPN)

ALTI RACING
#22 Claudia Brunelle (♂, FRA)
#23 Vincent Martelli (♂, USA)

TEAM KASAIKI
#27 Rika Natsume (♀, JPN)
#28 Mazuki Matsuhara (♀, JPN)

HOVERTEC RACING
#29 Adam Williams (♂, USA)
#30 Ryan Edmonds (♂, CAN)

GRAVITAS RACING
#34 Francesco De Martini (♂, ITA)
#35 Marko Ivanović (♂, HRV)

PRETORIA RACING
#36 Marius Engelbrecht (♂, RSA)
#37 Elize Roberts (♀, RSA)

MITRA
#55 Carl Mitchell (♂, USA)
#56 Jamie Chung (♂, CHN)

Day 194

[from The Ballad of Conor Stewart]

GIRL POWER

It's been twenty-three years since Formula 1 last had a female driver. In this interview, AUTOSPORT's Ryan Nurse talks to the woman hoping to buck that trend.

In the sixty-five years since the Formula One World Championship began, only five women have ever taken part in a Grand Prix, and only two - Maria Teresa de Filippis and Lella Lombardi - have ever started one. Lombardi remains the only woman to have scored a championship point, at the tragic 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. All jokes about female drivers aside, women don't exactly have the greatest track record in F1, especially when compared to other motor racing disciplines.

The trend has been reversing recently. In the last few years, Susie Wolff, Simona de Silvestro, and the late Maria de Villota have all tested for various teams on the paddock. However, Giovanna Amati remains the last woman to have entered an F1 race, for Brabham in 1992, and she didn't exactly cover herself in glory. Now, one woman is aiming to rewrite the history books.

Step forward Brooke Stewart, daughter of 90s F1 racer Conor Stewart. The latest in a long line of second-generation drivers with F1 aspirations, Brooke is aiming to become not only the first female F1 driver in twenty-three years, but the most successful female F1 driver. With Lombardi having scored just half a point, it's arguably not the highest of bars.

"Maybe not," says Brooke with a chuckle, "but I think the biggest barrier really is just getting into F1. There are so few seats, and so many drivers competing for them, that it's hard just to get the chance. It's definitely easier to score points now than it was when Lella was racing, we've got points down to tenth now, but first I've got to actually get onto the grid."

To that end, Brooke and several other drivers are currently training at an elite racing school set up by her father Conor, at a private test track near his Perth home. Brooke and fellow pupil Sergio Cervantes are currently competing in the Formula Renault championship, but the 18-year-old has her sights set on following in her father's illustrious footsteps.

"It's always been F1 for me," she says, when asked if she would ever consider a different series such as DTM. "Of course, I'll race elsewhere if I can't get a seat, but F1 has always been the ultimate goal.

When asked why she feels there have been so few woman in Formula One, Brooke is reluctant to put it down to just sexism. "There's certainly a few guys out there who think, 'Oh, women can't drive', or 'I don't wanna be beaten by a girl', but it's definitely not as bad as it may have been when, say, Lombardi or Desiré Wilson [winner of a non-championship F1 race in 1980] were driving. I think maybe also, team owners will look at the track record of women in F1, which isn't that stellar, and think, 'Well, she's not gonna be much different, is she?'

As I talk to her, Brooke displays a wisdom beyond her years, and a boundless passion for racing. Despite having inherited the looks of her mother, supermodel Christina Bianchi, Brooke has chosen to walk her father's career path, one that's arguably even more hostile to women than the modelling world. However, Brooke believes that she can perhaps pave the way for a new generation of female racers.

"I think the biggest problem is that, you know, there aren't really any female racing icons to draw young girls into racing. There's Danica [Patrick, IndyCar driver] over in America, and that's it, really. It's similar to how there weren't many German drivers until [Michael] Schumacher came along in the 90s, or how there weren't as many Spanish drivers until [Fernando] Alonso came along. There needs to be a successful woman in the top level, saying, 'Look, women can do this as well,' and I think that's when we'll start seeing more women coming into the sport."

Does Brooke think she can be that female icon? "I sure hope so!" she says. "I don't wanna come into the sport and leave without making a mark, and I certainly don't want people thinking that I'm only getting this far because of my surname. If I do get into Formula One, I'd like to make a name for myself while I'm there."

Changing topics for a moment, I decide to ask Brooke about her classmates: Cervantes, Heimo Saarinen, and Stefan Dijkstra. Does she think any of them will ever reach F1? "I don't know," she says with a shrug. "They're all very good, but they're still learning, still refining their skills, just as I am. Maybe someday they will, maybe they never will. They have the potential, though, I think."

Brooke will have to go some way to emulate the success of her father, who won the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix for Tyrrell, and finished on the podium twenty-three times during his nine-year spell in F1. But in terms of becoming the most successful woman in the sport's history, as she aims to become, she's definitely in with a good chance.

Day 192

[from Street Racer]

As Lien and Tristan raced back towards the latter's apartment, weaving frantically in and out of the traffic, Lien couldn't help recalling the first time that she had met Tristan…

SIX MONTHS AGO

DISUSED TRAIN DEPOT

Lien couldn't help being curious about the street races. Here in Jade City, they were everywhere. Every other day, you would hear about another race that had taken place. People would discuss how they'd seen the brightly-coloured racers fly past them on the street, or heard their windows rattle as the turbocharged engines roared past their houses. Lien herself had seen them from time to time: a Sileighty drifting through the suburbs, pursued by a Mazda MX-5; three cars that had roared past her on the freeway, going too fast for her to see what they were; a yellow-and-black Camaro cruising the streets, looking for action.

Tonight, she was finally going to see the street racers up close for herself. Her friend, Charlotte, had gotten word of a drag race going down at an abandoned train depot on the outskirts of the industrial district. A mile-long section of abandoned railway had been torn up and turned into an impromptu drag strip, perfect for racing away from the eyes of the police. Charlotte had invited Lien to come with her, and the two girls were soon approaching the track.

"Now, let me go over a few things with you again," said Charlotte. "First off, these guys are high on testosterone, and most of 'em are sexed-up jerks. If one on 'em tries touching you or something, you have to assert yourself-"

"Geez, I don't need you to tell me that," said Lien. "I know how to handle myself around guys, don't worry about that."

"Well, just don't try kicking them in the balls," Charlotte remarked. "These guys have cajones made of steel. Which brings me on to the second thing: keeping safe during the race. Basically… don't worry about it. Doesn't matter how far back you stand, if one of those things loses control at the kinda speeds they'll be going at, you won't be able to get out of the way. Don't worry about earplugs either; by the time you've put 'em in, the race will be over."

"You know, you're not exactly making this sound like the hottest ticket in town right now," said Lien.

"Yeah, but you're still coming anyway, right?" said Charlotte. "You've been bitten by the street racing bug. You're not gonna turn back now no matter what I tell you."

Lien nodded. "You're not wrong," she admitted. "I know it's dangerous, not to mention highly illegal, but…"

"-you still wanna check it out." Charlotte finished the sentence for Lien. "I understand. It was the same for me when I first got into this. It's not just the racing itself, it's the thrill of it all: the illegality, the secrecy. It gives me a rush. I'm sure you'll feel it too."

"I'm sure I will," said Lien.

Before long, the two girls had reached the abandoned depot, and the makeshift start line. Already there were five cars present, their drivers milling with the spectators and with each other. The race order had not been sorted out yet, and with little chance of the police turning up, there would likely be multiple races to look forward to. As they approached, Charlotte nudged Lien and pointed out an orange-and-black Nissan 370Z. "See that?" she said. "That's the guy everyone wants to beat: Jason Diaz. He owns the scene around here."

"What about the rest of these guys?" asked Lien.

Charlotte pointed at a yellow-and-blue Ford Mustang. "That's Bouncer," she said. "He's Jason's number two. Try and get in his way and you'll have him to answer to." Next, she pointed at a dark green Pontiac GTO. "That's Vincent. I've seen him around a couple of times, he's nothing special." Then, she pointed at a blue-and-white Nissan Skyline GT-R. "That," she said, "is Tristan Starr. He's a new guy, from outta town, but he's really damn good."

"What about the fifth car?" asked Lien.

"Dunno who that is," said Charlotte with a shrug.

"I think there's another car coming in," said Lien, as a distant roar signalled another approaching racer.

"I see 'em," said Charlotte. "That's a… not sure. Impreza, maybe? Yeah, that's definitely an Impreza. No idea who's driving it, though. Sorry."

Lien shrugged. "How many more do you think are gonna turn up?"

"Not sure," said Charlotte. "There's not long until the racing's scheduled to start, so this might be it."

Sure enough, no more racers arrived, and as the drivers began to discuss the race format amongst themselves, Lien wandered off by herself to take a closer look at the cars. The Mustang looked to her like it would be the fastest car, but if it belonged to Jason's "number two", then she suspected he might try and throw the race in Jason's favour. She hoped this wouldn't be the case, as she'd been looking forward to a good race for days, but she knew that a lot of street racers had bad reputations, and Jason and Bouncer were certainly no exceptions.

In terms of appearances, Lien wasn't entirely sure if she liked the loud, ostentatious looks of the cars, now that she was up close to them. All six cars had flashy body kits, large rear spoilers, and bright neon strips on the underside. Most of them also had spinners, tinted windows, and unnecessarily loud stereo systems; the sole exception was Tristan's Skyline, which had none of these things. While the other drivers seemed to have built their cars for show, Tristan seemed to have built his for racing. The only question was whether it would be fast enough to beat the Mustang.

"Nice car, isn't it?"

Lien jumped at the sudden voice. She hadn't heard Tristan Starr approaching. Looking at him, she couldn't help noticing that he was rather handsome. "Uhh… yes. Yes, it is," she said.

"I gotta get racing now, though, so, uhh… if you don't mind…"

"Oh, yes, of course." Lien started to head towards the finish line, then turned back and waved to Tristan. "Good luck," she called out.

"Thanks," said Tristan, before getting into his car.

Since six racers had shown up, the drivers had agreed on an elimination format. There would be two heats of three cars each, and the winners of each heat would face off in a winner-takes-all duel. The first heat was about to begin, and consisted of Tristan, Bouncer, and the Impreza driver. This all but confirmed Lien's suspicions: Bouncer would try and knock Tristan out in the heats, then let Jason win the final head-to-head and take the spoils. Despite having only known him for five minutes, Lien found herself hoping that Tristan would crash the party and win the race.

By the time Lien reached the finish line, the racers had already started revving their engines. She was now a little tired from having walked so much, but nonetheless she eagerly anticipated the start of the race. From this distance, she could barely see the cars at the start line, but she knew they were there, ready to start.

In the distance, a loud rumble signalled that the race had begun. The tiny dots on the horizon swiftly grew larger and larger, and Lien leaned forward expectantly, waiting to see who would emerge from the darkness in the lead…

Day 184

[from Pokémon xTreme]

As Brandon and Taylor exited the Pewter City Gym, Brandon noticed that Taylor didn't seem particularly happy, despite the Venom Badge now pinned to her lapel. "Something wrong?" he asked. "You look kinda upset."

Taylor decided to just come out and say it. "Graham told me how you got suspended," she said. "How mentoring me is part of your community service."

"He did?" said Brandon, his expression suddenly looking rather pained. "Shoulda seen that coming, shouldn't I?" he muttered to himself with a sigh. "Should have seen that coming."

"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Taylor.

"Well, to be honest, I figured you already knew about the incident," said Brandon. "It was pretty big news."

"I heard something about a trainer getting arrested and suspended, but I didn't know it was you!" said Taylor. "I mean, I could tell you were a bit of a renegade, but getting drunk and attacking someone-?"

"It was one time!" Brandon protested. "Well, the attacking part was one time - I'm not gonna pretend I didn't get wasted a lot before all this - but still-"

"If they banned you for a whole year, it must have been pretty serious, right?" said Taylor."I mean, how badly did you hurt her?"

"I can't remember, I was pissed!" said Brandon. "I think if I remember from the trial, I didn't-"

"Oh my God, she took you to court," said Taylor quietly.

"-I didn't actually hit her though," Brandon continued, "I think I just, like… grabbed her and pushed her around a bit, and then threw her outta the room. She mighta hurt herself when she landed, but… you know, like I said, I was drunk, I didn't know what I was doing. I'm not trying to justify myself, I know I fucked up badly, I'm just saying… it wasn't quite as bad as people might make it out to be.

"As for the year's suspension, they were just trying to make an example outta me. The people in charge were trying to send a message that stuff like that just wasn't acceptable. I'd ruffled enough feathers already, so they were just looking for an excuse, and I gave it to 'em on a silver platter. But still, I accepted the ruling, I know I did wrong, I apologized to the woman, and now I'm trying to straighten myself out, 'coz if I fuck up again, next time it might be a life ban, and I really don't want that. I had one last drink the night after the sentencing, and I haven't had a drink since."

Taylor nodded. She could clearly see that Brandon regretted his actions and was trying to clear up his act, and she appreciated it. She felt she could forgive him for his mistakes. However, there was one thing still bugging her. "So, what about me?" she asked. "Are you training me because you want to, or because you have to?"

Brandon pulled up and sat down at a nearby bench, motioning for Taylor to sit with him. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he let out a sigh. "I'll be honest with you," he said. "When they first told me that I'd have to do this program, I didn't really wanna do it. Having to drag some kid around and show 'em the ropes didn't really sound like my kinda fun. But then I remembered what it was like for me back when I first started out, when I was eleven.

"Back then, I didn't have all these websites full of Pokémon-raising guides, and the ones that did exist took forever to load because the Internet was shit back then. There was no Pokédex app to keep track of my captures, or tell me my Pokémon's movesets or abilities or anything like that. Almost everything I know about battling, I had to find out for myself, and it was a slow and difficult learning curve. By the time all these extra aids came around, I was already a top professional, and I didn't really need them as much as I had back when I first started.

"I think if I'd had a mentor when I started out, like you do now, I coulda reached pro status maybe two years earlier than I actually did. I coulda had two extra years at the top of the game by now. So I figured, well, if I'm gonna have to do this, I'm gonna do the best damn job that I can. I'm gonna help this person become the best damn trainer they can be. I'm still committed to that. I've seen that you've got potential, and you proved that by beating Graham. So I'm gonna help you reach that potential, not just because I have to, but because I want to."

Taylor nodded, and her smile returned. "That's all I wanted to know," she said. "Thank you, Brandon."

"No problem," said Brandon.

"So, what now?" asked Taylor. "The Cerulean City Gym is the next one up, right?"

"Yep," said Brandon. "The Gym Leader there uses Water-type Pokémon, but I think this time, with a little more training, you might be able to get through without even needing Pokémon with type advantages. You're not gonna be able to find many on the road up there, that's for sure."

"Well, I'll just have to do my best again, then, won't I?" said Taylor.

"That's the spirit," said Brandon. "Oh, hang on, just let me take this-" Brandon's phone had started to ring, and he fished it out of his pocket and answered the call. "Hello?"

Taylor couldn't make out what the person on the other end was saying, but they were clearly yelling, causing Brandon to flinch. "I don't know what you-" The person on the other end cut Brandon off, yelling at him once more, and before Brandon could get a word in edgeways, the caller hung up. "Hey, wait-" It was too late, and Brandon was left staring dumbfounded at his cellphone.

"What was that all about?" asked Taylor.

"Uhh… personal stuff," said Brandon, looking flustered. "Don't really wanna talk about it. But there's been a change of plans, we gotta head back down to Viridian for now."

"Really?" asked Taylor, as Brandon got to his feet. "You mean right now?"

"Yeah, as soon as possible," said Brandon.

"It must be serious, then," said Taylor, getting to her feet.

Brandon shook his head. "Oh, you have no idea," he said.

Day 180

[from Pokémon xTreme]

Plucking the first Poké Ball from her belt, she held it out in front of her. "Go, Hoothoot!" she declared, and the Poké Ball opened in a burst of light. Hoothoot jumped forward, fluttering gently down to the ground and resting on one foot before tilting its head and hooting gently at Graham.

"Go, Venonat!" said Graham, throwing the first of his two Poké Balls. The purple-furred Bug Pokémon burst forth from its Poké Ball and focused its radar-like eyes on Hoothoot. The display screen indicated that Venonat was the faster of the two Pokémon, and so it would go first. Graham knew that he had to deal with the Flying-type Pokémon quickly, or it would deal major damage to his Pokémon. "Venonat, use Supersonic!"

Venonat swiftly launched a series of sound waves at Hoothoot, hoping to confuse it. Hoothoot, however, simply hopped out of the way, and was unaffected, much to Taylor's relief. "Two can play at that game," she said. "Hoothoot, use Hypnosis!"

"Hoot!" cried Hoothoot. "Hoo…" Using its large eyes, it tried to hypnotize Venonat into falling asleep. However, this also had no effect, and Venonat remained wide awake. After the first round, nothing had happened whatsoever.

"An exciting Pokémon battle is unfolding here," Brandon remarked sarcastically.

"Let's try something different, then," said Graham. "Venonat, use Poison Powder!"

Venonat shook its furry body and purple spores floated across the arena, drifting towards Hoothoot. This time, the effect took hold, and Hoothoot was poisoned. However, the effect didn't last for long, as Hoothoot took out its held item: a Pecha Berry. "I came prepared for that," said Taylor, as Hoothoot munched happily on the poison-curing berry. Graham scowled. It looked like he was going to have to win this the old-fashioned way.

"Alright, Hoothoot," said Taylor, once the Pokémon had finished eating its Pecha Berry. "Attack him with Peck!" Hoothoot hooted in acknowledgement, then flew over and attacked Venonat with its beak. Despite the move's type advantage, it didn't seem to faze Venonat too much.

"Venonat, use Tackle!" said Graham. Venonat charged Hoothoot, knocking it backwards. Sensing that her Pokémon was less durable than Graham's, Taylor decided to change tactics once again.

"Hoothoot, try using Hypnosis again!" she said. Hoothoot made another attempt at sending Venonat to sleep, and this time it was successful: Venonat fell asleep almost immediately, its compound eyes drooping shut. Realizing she now had the upper hand, Taylor let out a sigh of relief and pumped her fist. "We got this," she said.

Venonat spent the next three turns asleep, allowing Hoothoot to gradually whittle down its health with Pecks. However, this also gave Graham ample time to plan his revenge, and when Venonat finally woke up, he was ready. "If Venonat's going down, then so's your Hoothoot," he said, "Venonat, use Poison Powder again!"

Venonat launched its poisonous spores at Hoothoot once more, and once more they connected, only this time Hoothoot did not have a Pecha Berry to recover itself with. Taylor scowled, realizing things had just gotten a little bit harder. However, she knew she was still winning. "Hoothoot, use Peck!"

Hoothoot swooped in and, by sheer luck, landed a critical hit on Venonat, knocking it out. The first of Graham's two Pokémon had fallen, and Taylor still had all four of her Pokémon left, albeit with one of them poisoned. At this point, she was feeling fairly confident. However, one look at Graham's equally-confident face was enough to rattle her slightly.

"Not bad so far," Graham admitted, as he pulled the fainted Venonat back into its ball. "You're definitely Brandon's student, I'll say that much. But let's see if you really have what it takes." He plucked his second Poké Ball from his belt and raised it in his hand. "Go, Ariados!"

Ariados emerged from the Poké Ball, and immediately Taylor's confidence slipped another notch. Ariados was a much stronger Pokémon than Venonat, in terms of both attack and defence. She instinctively looked to Brandon for guidance and support, and Brandon simply nodded at her. "You got this, Taylor," he said. "Don't worry."

Ariados was also faster than Hoothoot - though only just - so Graham went first again. "Ariados, use Bug Bite!" he said. Ariados rushed forwards and gnashed at Hoothoot with its sharp mandibles, and this time the owl Pokémon was on the receiving end of a critical hit. It hung on, but only by a few hit points. Taylor realized that she only had one more turn before Hoothoot fainted from Venonat's poison, and she had to make it count.

"You did well, Hoothoot," she said. "Now, just one last move, okay? Hypnosis!"

Opening its eyes wide, Hoothoot unleashed its hypnotic rays once more, and just as Venonat had done, Ariados promptly fell asleep. Its job done, Hoothoot then succumbed to its poison and fainted. It occurred to Taylor that none of her Pokémon had ever fainted before; Brandon had always had a multitude of Potions on hand during their training sessions, and none of her opponents to date had been this tough. Trying not to let it get to her, she recalled Hoothoot and sent out the next Pokémon in her arsenal. "Go, Beedrill!" she said.

"Fighting fire with fire, huh?" said Graham, as Beedrill emerged from its Poké Ball. "Interesting. Alright, let's see what that Beedrill of yours can do."

Beedrill was a lot faster than Ariados, and so Taylor now finally got to go first. "Beedrill, use Fury Attack!" she said. Beedrill complied, firing five hard jabs with its stingers, of which three connected. Ariados, still asleep, could not retaliate, though the attacks did not seem to have done much damage to it.

Beedrill managed to get two more Fury Attacks in before Ariados woke up. The first connected only twice, though one of the blows was a critical hit, and the second connected thrice. Ariados then finally woke up, though with half its health now gone, it seemed that the battle was a foregone conclusion. Taylor's confidence returned twofold, and she felt that the badge may finally be in her grasp.

Graham was not done yet, however. "Use Bug Bite again!" he called out. Ariados leapt at Beedrill, gnashing at it with its mandibles, and Beedrill reeled back from the powerful blow.

"Fury Attack again!" said Taylor. Beedrill complied, and this time it struck Ariados four times, even managing to strike yet another critical hit. Ariados had now taken some severe punishment, and was clearly wounded, but somehow it now seemed even more dangerous than before. Its mandibles glinted dangerously, and there was a menacing look in its eye. Taylor had unwittingly activated Ariados' ability, Swarm, which increased the power of its Bug-type attacks when its health was low. In taking so long to defeat it, she had made it even stronger.

"You should've finished it off more quickly," said Graham. "Ariados, use Bug Bite!" Ariados complied, tearing at Beedrill with its sharpened fangs, causing severe damage to its opponent's health. Taylor winced, but not only did Beedrill hang on, it seemed to get stronger, just as Ariados had. Its stingers looked sharper and brighter than they had before. Taylor then remembered that Beedrill had the same ability as Ariados: Swarm. It was now a question of which Pokémon could hit first, and since Beedrill was faster…

"Beedrill, finish him off with another Fury Attack!" said Taylor. Beedrill promptly unleashed another flurry of blows, but to Taylor's horror, the attack missed completely. Now the ball was in Graham's court.

"Ariados, use Leech Life!" said Graham. Ariados had no such bad luck, and in a flash it drained the last of Beedrill's life force. The Poison Bee Pokémon crumpled to the arena floor and fainted, while Ariados recovered a tiny portion of its health. Taylor still had two Pokémon left, but she knew she had to end things fast.

Recalling the fainted Beedrill, she plucked the third of her Poké Balls from its belt. "Go, Eevee!" she cried. "Finish him off for real this time!" Taylor's starter Pokémon burst forth, energized and eager for battle. It too was faster than Ariados, and it too went first. "Use Covet!"

Eevee obliged, approaching Ariados with its usual wide-eyed, pleading expression. With Beedrill's defences down, Eevee swiped hard with one of its paws, cuffing Ariados round the face. Still Ariados clung on. "How strong is this thing?" she exclaimed in disbelief.

"You're about to find out," said Graham. "Another Bug Bite, Ariados!" Ariados promptly lunged straight at Eevee, and Taylor winced as her beloved starter was severely hurt. Eevee staggered backwards, its legs trembling, and for a horrifying moment Taylor feared that that one blow had been enough to knock it out. However, Eevee clung on, gritting its teeth in determination as it steadied itself for the final assault.

"Good job, Eevee," said Taylor. "Now, one last Tackle! Give it everything you've got!" Eevee bravely charged forwards and struck Ariados hard, wiping out the last of the Pokémon's health. Ariados' legs finally crumpled beneath it and it fainted, falling to the floor with a thud. Taylor breathed a massive sigh of relief, then raised a fist in the air in triumph. She had done it. The first Gym Badge was hers.

"Nice win, Taylor!" Brandon shouted encouragingly from the sidelines. "Knew you could do it!"

Graham gave Brandon another sour look as he recalled his fainted Ariados, then nodded at Taylor and gave her a satisfied smile. "I have to say, I'm impressed," he said. "You handled yourself pretty well there, even when things started to turn against you. You've definitely earned your first Badge. Come with me and I'll get it for you."

Taylor nodded, following Graham over to the console from which he had activated the arena. He pressed a button, and the arena section in the middle of the floor flipped back over again, becoming an ordinary section of floor once more. The video screen turned itself off, the words "CHALLENGER WINS" slowly fading away. Another section of the console contained a built-in healing machine, which Graham placed the two Poké Balls into, letting his fainted Pokémon rest for a while.

Now that she had the opportunity, Taylor decided to ask the question that had been on her mind since before the fight. "So what's up with you and Brandon?" she asked. "How come you don't seem to like him that much?"

Graham sighed, his expression growing sour again. "I'll be honest with you," he said. "I can't stand him. He's cocky, arrogant, loudmouthed, a total attention-seeker… he's probably signing autographs right now, the little-" Graham let the sentence trail off as he turned round to see that Brandon was indeed signing autographs for the gym's various patrons. "His attitude's just not good for the sport's image. Not to mention the Kalos incident last year…"

"What Kalos incident?" asked Taylor.

Graham paused, his hand halfway to the handle of a storage drawer. "You don't know about it?" he asked. "Well, I'm not surprised he didn't tell you about it… idiot probably doesn’t even remember it. Last year after the Kalos Masters, he went on a massive bender, trashed his hotel room, and assaulted a female hotel assistant who tried to get him to calm down. The hotel sued, the PTA got pissed, and he was banned from Masters tournaments for a year and forced to do community service-- by which I mean, training you."