VR WARS Volume II - Coalition Army

BEAUTIFUL SIN

“We’ve got something, now Pedro and Rui won’t bug you too much,” my partner stated, what was crossing my mind. “Yeah, you’re right,” I answered her with confidence as I took an orange-colored drink from one of the NPC’s waiters serving the guests and handed it over to her. “I kind of want to see what Blitz and Vlad are like up close.”

“Don’t even think about it, okay! Don’t go looking for trouble; we’re not to arouse suspicion, don’t you get that?!”

“Come on, Vera, be realistic. As an AWP user, I’m going to stand out whether I want to or not.”

“Yes, but you can choose not to.” Vera passionately looked me in the eye as she took a sip from the drink I offered her, and as the strange liquid left a wet sensation on her lips, she used her tongue to wipe away what little nectar remained. “S-so…do you want to try…this?”

Say what?!! Is she asking for a kiss? Kiss those moist lips that desire to become even wetter?!! Huh…looking more closely at her, her cheeks are really red, the PXF over enhances facial expressions when the user is trying to hide their real emotions…so it is possible! Is…is…is she open to the idea?! The way she had done it was without a doubt to spur me into ‘action,’ Vera was sending me obvious signals, and I wasn’t the dense type of guy who would get tensed up and play dumb at a time like this. Putting on the strongest face, I moved in closer to her, a feat that was by no means small in courage.

“Absolutely.”

“Great! Let’s go.”

“My pleasure.”

But as I was planning on closing my eyes and waiting for the dreaded moment, Vera grabbed my arm and pushed me right into the middle of the ballroom, where several couples were dancing. Ah, she wanted to dance. I arrived at the answer just as the music changed the tune to a more conventional type, something entirely outside of my field of expertise. It made me panic until my partner came to my rescue, “My waist, put your hand around my waist and follow my lead.”

“O-kay…” my unconvincing answer waved red flags, which were quickly picked up by Vera’s overpowered perceptive skills. Yet she brushed my worries aside with a small giggle, and even though I rushed and missed a few steps, her patience for my clumsiness never wavered. Finally, halfway through the song, I slightly got the hang of it, moving my left foot backward in a smooth motion across the glassy floor to match her pace. She slid her right foot forward, and in this way, we chased each other counterclockwise around the floor.

“See? It’s easier than commanding seven hundred people into battle.”

“Might be...”

“I find your entire transformation a little hard to believe. For someone who lived in the shadows, to find delight in being in the spotlight... you actually love it, don't you?"

“…”

Strangely enough, I found that her last statement was on the verge of becoming real. I had changed along the way so much I could barely recognize myself.

In what I once despised, now I thrive.

With each rumor I came across, each conversation held my name as its topic that spread my feats across the country, and potentially the world rilled me up beyond belief. Fame was my drug of choice, and I could never satisfy my appetite for it. If I can dominate this competition and conquer this new world, my name will reach new heights and endure perpetuity just like all the others from the past; my idols. Better than reputation was the feeling the battlefield gave me like I was meant to be a part of it all along. Seeing my plans achieve success and watching our foes fall before my very eyes only proved my point even further. It revealed to the world that a new dawn was fast approaching. The flames of war would spread like wildfire in a virtual world so that the real world could be spared, but that was the essence of it all, what Von Kluge set out to realize. However, worse will come to wear if human nature is given too much free reign; if such a tragedy occurs, things will most likely backfire…it has happened before. Wars that last for centuries, such as the Anglo-French wars, the Chinese Warring States Period, and our very own Reconquista Period, are not inconceivable of happening again. Whether we fight in a digital world or the real, it’s only a matter of perspective. And then the question surfaces. How long can we contain this until the bubble eventually bursts? Probably as long as it is conceivable to accomplish the so-called next human evolution, Von Kluge so conceitedly defends. But who am I to doubt him, me who has been given a front-row seat to watch the spectacle unfold? If anything, I have nothing but respect and gratitude for the man, so in case the flames do go out of control, I’ll be there to put out the fire.

“…gelo…Angelo,” my partner's voice strayed into my delusional thoughts like an echo. “You’re spacing out again, aren’t you?”

In the battle of personalities, it looked like my alter ego was winning, coming out more often than usual, depriving my shy side of manifesting. Damn, these dreams of grandeur really are taking a toll on me…so much for my sanity, huh? “Ha-ha-haaaa…I’m sorry about that,” smiling away while giving her an apologetic look could only get me so far. Still, as her angry face steadily appeased, she let out a sigh, “If even dancing with me in this fancy dress and at this wonderful ball can’t hold your mind from straying from me, then there’s only one thing that can, hee-hee.”

What is she… My expectations from before were now unexpectedly being granted, and as beautifully played instrumental music reached its peak to connect us at a deeper level, so did our bodies. Vera slightly leaned closer, stopping both her movements and mine, which made us stick like fishes out of water in the middle of all the dancing couples. Yet all the prying eyes didn’t seem to waver her resolve one bit; in fact, her grip around me only intensified. She was so close I could smell her sweet scent. Her long silky eyelashes over her acorn-shaped eyes blinked only once and very slowly, as if to invite me in.

They say dancing is a means of communicating your emotions without saying much, which couldn’t be more accurate. At last, her feelings got through to me, reaching deep into my soul. I reacted and held her slender body tightly with all my strength. She stiffened in anticipation, which made me believe she wasn’t as experienced as I thought she’d be. How could I think of her as an instrument for my ambitions? My sensitive side pushed its way forth, overcoming all barriers placed by my alter ego to give me the realization I unconsciously desired. The sudden impact of it nearly drowned me in anguish, if not for the fact that before me, this beautiful woman, my classmate, comrade, and partner, was opening her heart to me. She’s taken up all the initiative so far, so what kind of a man would I be if I didn’t hold my own? Oblivious to everyone and everything, we reached out to each other there and then, plugging our lips to the sound of music so engulfing, it looked like mermaids had come out from the ocean itself to sing it.

Out of the dark, I saw the light; doors were closed, and a little light poured from the cracks begging me to open them, which I did. I took the chance, and the light slowly intensified with us engaging in beautiful sin.

When our lips finally parted, new awestruck sounds and even some claps brought a change of light to the hall, literally. A sudden burst of colors, blue and purple colors, gave a new artistic life to the formal gathering, and the reason for this unexpected turn of events was the announcement. The hidden gem on this occasion was not the magnificent palace, the glamorous ball, the exotic drinks, and snacks, nor, for all that mattered, our presence, but the appearance of the man himself.

It’s starting.