Chapter 13
The auditorium was crammed full of what had to be every single person staying in the facility. Seating had been assembled around the sparring ring in the center. Varen looked around the room as he entered astonished at the sheer amount of people in attendance. Between the staff of the facility itself and the visiting students the room felt like it barely held everyone.
"Hey! West Genetics, over here!" Chiffon heard a voice call out and turned her head to see Roxanne waving a hand up towards the sparring ring. She nudged Varen and pointed to the red haired Pandora excitedly waving her hand and he nodded.
"Roxanne saved us a spot looks like." Ticy said from Varen's other side.
"They really want to put on a show don't they?" Attia asked following behind Varen and Chiffon.
"Chevalier is spending a lot of money on this. It has to succeed or risk losing face." Andre said walking beside her. Elizabeth and Arnette trailed just a little behind them not looking or talking to one another.
"Problems?" Attia asked in a quiet tone of voice that only Andre could hear. He risked a glance back and shrugged.
"Think so, but she didn't bring it up last night." He answered and Attia nodded.
"Nor Arnette. Not our problem I guess." They filed into a series of seats near the front that Roxanne had kept open for them. Varen could see Cassie, and Charles were beside Roxanne and they both gave a quick wave as they approached.
"Morning everyone." Chiffon said happily returning the wave.
"Hey guys, crazy isn't it?" Roxanne said looking out past the ring at all the people around it.
"It feels like a genetics carnival." Varen said and Roxanne nodded.
"That's exactly what it feels like, I agree." She said.
"Justicar." A female voice said and Varen turned to see a woman standing in front of him. He hadn't even noticed her while he had been talking with Roxanne. Her dark hair was tied back into a ponytail with her bangs hanging down in front of her forehead. She wore a genetics uniform he didn't recognize with the blazer left unbuttoned and open to reveal a white button up shirt.
"Varen, this is Julia Munberk of Freystadt Genetics." Chiffon said introducing him. He quickly stood reaching a hand out nervously to shake hers.
"I'm very sorry, it's nice to meet you I'm Varen Askiligar." She looked at him a moment before reaching out and shaking his hand.
"Likewise, I've heard a lot about you." She responded and he shifted nervously again.
"All good things I hope." He said light heartedly, but her face remained serious.
"Good morning Ms. Fairchild." She said turning and bowing slightly. Varen sat back down realizing he had been ignored.
"Good morning Julia, it's nice to see you again." Chiffon said beside her reaching out and hugging the dark haired Pandora. After a few minutes of idle chit chat Julia moved down near Charles and Cassie and took a seat.
"A Pandora not enthralled by your status, this is a first." Elizabeth grinned making Varen roll his eyes.
"It's not like I ask for the attention." He argued, but all she did was smile wider.
"Nor do you dislike having young attractive women look your way." She shot back batting her eyelashes.
"Well…I mean…" He stammered unable to argue with her logic. A sharp pain erupted in his side where Chiffon's elbow connected with his ribs. He doubled over coughing from the pain as she smiled happily.
"Idiot." Chiffon said still smiling proudly. The speakers situated around the room began to produce the voice of a female bringing everyone attention to the center of the room.
"Good morning everyone, welcome again to the Evolution Pandora program. We are in your debt greatly for taking time out of your responsibilities to join us in making this project a success.
The purpose of today's exercise is to gather data on current Pandora in relation to the Evolution Pandora. This will allow us to refine the current process in place and increase the strength of the Evolution Pandora. With your help we will bring them closer to you in the hopes of standing beside you against the Nova." Dr. O'Hara said standing in the center of the sparring ring. Her words brought a round of applause from everyone in attendance to which she smiled waving a hand.
"A select number of Pandora will face one of the Evolution Pandora here. The match will end when your opponent has been disabled and is unable to continue. Please, do not hold back it is essential we test the limits of what the Evolution Pandora are capable of. De Orleana Pandora Rita Carmine and E-Pandora Rattle step forward." She finished stepping off the platform.
Across the room and brunette haired Pandora stood and made her way down to the sparring ring. Across from her a young tan skinned girl with long black hair stepped up to face her holding a pair of chakrams. The Pandora from De Orleana held her hand out forming her volt weapon the appeared in the form of a spear.
"What the…" Attia trailed off leaning forward.
"What is it?" Varen asked not sure what she was focused on.
"She can't form a volt weapon." Arnette answered for Attia who kept looking at the two in the ring.
A bell sounded and the young E-Pandora dashed forward. She was clearly using a form of acceleration giving her speed that was greater than that of a normal human. Her movements cut around Rita who stood in the center of the ring watching Rattle circle around her.
"I don't get it, she's so…" Roxanne trailed off and Chiffon sighed sadly.
"Slow." Chiffon finished. In the ring Rita extended her arm out with the butt of the spear forward. Her movements were almost casual as if she were bored. It connected with Rattle's midsection while she was still accelerating around Rita. Her chakrams fell from her hands as she fell to her knees gasping for air. Another bell sounded and Rita turned leaving the ring, a look of irritation on her face. Rattle crawled to her feet retrieving her weapons and staggered off to there a group of girls waited to help her.
"Midland's Pandora Irene Wilson, Evolution Pandora Jina Purpleton." Dr. O'Hara called as two more girls stepped up into the arena.
"Is this for real?" Ticy asked and Varen could only shake his head.
"They aren't even close to a Pandora's level. A step up from a normal human, yes, but a Pandora? The difference is astronomic." He said as a bell sounded. The Evolution Pandora held a staff in her hands and she crouched low spinning the staff around her body. Shoulder length purple hair framed around her face and she gritted her teeth before rocketing forward. Her speed was faster than Rattle's which was clear the moment she moved.
"She's faster." Varen said.
"Yes, but still it's not enough. The gap between them is just too much." Chiffon said. Gina spun bringing the staff around in a horizontal strike aimed at Irene's head. The Pandora grabbed the staff in midair and used her other hand to punch Gina in the stomach. The strike stunned Gina forcing her to stumble back a step. Irene jumped high spinning through the air with her right leg leading forward. The spinning kick caught Gina in the side of the head sending her crashing to the ground outside of the arena. The bell sounded again signaling the end.
"This isn't even fair." Andre said.
"Did they bring us here just to beat them up?" Arnette asked out loud. They watched as two more pairs of girls were brought up. Each one ended as quickly as the first two. The Evolution Pandora simply were no match for a real Pandora.
"I don't know what I expected, but this is just painful to watch." Ticy said.
"West Genetics Pandora Elizabeth Mably, Evolution Pandora Amelia Evans." Dr. O'Hara said and Varen looked over at Elizabeth with wide eyes. She stood gracefully and made her way past everyone and down to the arena. If this were a normal match against Pandora everyone would be cheering her on, but now they all sat sullenly watching her walk down to the arena. She stepped up into the ring facing a girl with stark white hair. A small strip of red hair dropped down in front of her face covering one of her eyes.
"Good luck Ms. Evans." Elizabeth said politely bowing.
"Same to you." Amelia responded holding her hand out to her side. A long pole formed in her hand. She spun the glaive once leveling it ahead facing Elizabeth.
"Whoa…look at that!" Varen said excitedly.
"She can form a volt weapon, so maybe there's hope." Chiffon said equally paying attention once more.
Elizabeth remained where she stood. She didn't even summon her volt weapon as the bell sounded. A loud burst of sound echoed through the auditorium as Amelia accelerated forward towards Elizabeth.
"She's very close to a full acceleration." Arnette commented.
"Yes, but a simple acceleration isn't enough to best Elizabeth. She'll have to be faster than that." Attia countered. Amelia slashed the blade of her glaive towards Elizabeth who nimbly dodged aside. She ducked and weaved her body from side to side avoiding all of Amelia's strikes. Elizabeth bent her knee and snapped it up high catching Amelia's left shoulder sending the E-Pandora across the arena. She regained her footing and accelerated once more ahead.
"She's good. Can't lie, she's really good." Ticy said astonished. Chiffon nodded in agreement.
Amelia ducked low raising the glaive up from below. Elizabeth spun left avoiding the slash and sent her forearm into Amelia's chest. A knee followed up into her stomach dropping Amelia to her hands and knees. Elizabeth turned and walked away from the fallen girl.
"I'm not done!" Amelia shouted getting back to her feet. She trembled from the damage Elizabeth had done, but remained upright. Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at the girl.
"As you wish." Elizabeth conceded turning to face her. The E-Pandora ran forward a few steps before leaping high into the air spinning her glaive around. Elizabeth shifted her stance slightly before raising her foot again connected it against Amelia's face. Amelia crumpled to the ground face down at Elizabeth's feet. Once more she turned and began walking away from Amelia.
"Continue." Dr. O'Hara's voice said through the speaker making Elizabeth stop.
"Excuse me?" Elizabeth asked.
"Continue until your opponent is disabled." Dr. O'Hara commanded and Elizabeth looked back seeing Amelia standing once more. She held her glaive weakly and her eyes were glazed over, but she stood.
"She's not even conscious, this match is over." Elizabeth answered back angrily.
"You are ordered to continue Pandora Mably." Dr. O'Hara said forcefully. Elizabeth's lip twitched as she turned once more to face Amelia.
"Forgive me." She said before running forward and sending her foot once more into Amelia's face. She didn't even try to defend against Elizabeth. Her body crashed to the ground and Elizabeth turned and walked defiantly off the arena. The other E-Pandora rushed up to help their fallen comrade up and off the ring.
"What the hell is going on here?" Varen asked out loud his eyes narrowing. Chiffon looked over at him with a worried look on her face.
"It's alright." She said touching his arm.
"No, it's not alright. What was that for? That girl could barely stand and she made Elizabeth knock her out cold. If Elizabeth hadn't restrained her attacks that E-Pandora would be dead." He argued.
"Varen…"Chiffon trailed off squeezing his arm.
"I'm sorry Chif, but this is wrong. Those girls aren't even close to what a real Pandora can do. That last one, Amelia, was clearly their best and they put her well-being at risk. They left her at the mercy of Elizabeth, who thankfully is an intelligent woman and knew better. This is a joke Chiffon, all of it. We were brought here for this? This is wrong." He argued and she swallowed hard. It had been some time since she had seen him worked up like this.
"Thank you everyone for your time today. Please head to the cafeteria for lunch as soon as you are ready." Dr. O'Hara said over the speakers and everyone began to stand filing out of the room. Elizabeth returned to her seat near them her facial expression matching that of Varen's. Chiffon looked over at Ticy who shared the same concerned face she had.
"Let's go eat we can talk about this later." Chiffon said.
"Yeah, I'm hungry let's go." Arnette agreed trying to help Chiffon.
"Fine." Varen relented standing to follow his team. Elizabeth remained in her seat still staring down at the ring.
"Come on Elly." Andre said holding a hand out towards her. Her eyes never moved as he spoke.
"Something isn't right here." Elizabeth said.