What in the Chaotic!
3 months later
Life is pretty weird when you think about it. That's something I've come to understand more and more ever since I came here. I mean how can things be given life only for it to be taken away at random intervals?
And life can take on all sorts of meanings if you stretch the meaning enough. I mean plants are alive but most people don't think so. So are animals but even then, certain criteria of 'life' gets treated differently than others. It's so weird to think about, right?
But there are more benefits to life than negatives. And coming from someone who's died trust me on that.
The best part of life is living and how you go about doing that determines more than how you live but something more important.
Character.
It tends to get lost in the bullshit that life can throw at you but it's a big part of life. It determines who you are on the inside and how you act to others on the outside. Let's take me for example on the outside I can either be an asshole or a man of action. Good traits but they can cause problems so would they be positive or negative? I take them as positives most of the time but then again, I have a good counter balance. Cause on the inside I'm actually a decent guy, caring and supportive and most importantly determined.
When you combine all those traits together you get the surprising and unique combination of... well, me!
It's not an outlook others would probably like if they heard about it. But if or when they experience it you find that people like me. I guess that's what brought me to my current I find myself in huh.
"COME ON KICK HIS BUTT NOLEN!" Logan yells into my ear.
"LOGAN I'm trying to win here!" I yell back to her as the small crowd joins in her cheer.
"Yeah, you got this"
"Kick him to the curb!"
"Nolen, Nolen, Nolen!" people yell and chant to me. As I look over to my opponent, I can see he's also got a small crowd cheering and saying similar things to him.
"Avenge Intress Nolen! VENGANCE!" Logan responds. I guess she still upset about this guy beating her. It was a close match but his Ario with a small boost from Song of Recovery managed to win him the 3v3 match he and Logan had just before or 6v6 that were close to finishing. Man, invisibility is such a good ability and that strike ability to go with it. Talk about a killer combo! Like I said it was close but that combination won him the match coding Logans Intress. Nobody likes losing a close match she's no exception.
"You gonna keep daydreaming or take this lose like a man" taunts my opponent. His names Jeremey or something I don't know I stopped caring after we started playing. That's when he became my enemy and you don't need to know an enemy's name to beat them. Also, I wasn't paying attention when he introduced himself to us for a match. I was busy looking up more strategies that could work with Lyssta.
Oh man do I freaking love this card! It's so fucking good my dad must have crazy luck or something when it comes to cards. Cause she's a jack pot of a card! I mean her lowest stat is wisdom at 30 and her power is 90 which is her highest. Her speed is 65 which isn't anything to sneeze at either, add her 60 courage to the mix and you get the beast of a creature named Lyssta.
And let's not forget her signature ability. That's easily the best part of her since it lets me-
"Hey! You listening you gonna take your turn or forfeit!" yells my enemy. His voice is laced with annoyance more than actual anger. Well, he is a teen that's par of the course isn't it.
"Sorry, sorry I was just thinking." I tell him. "It's not like I got a lot of options anyway." I mumble under my breath. My match is coming down to the wire much like Logans is. It's a 1v1 I started off really strong coding his whole front line with just Lyssta and Kerric (range and swift are also good abilities to have btw) But his mid-line Brathe also has invisibility: strike but his is 15 not 10 like Ario's. So, it's basically just a better version that he kept in reserves. It was a great trap and I feel right into it.
When I had Lyssta attack his then unknown Brathe, the whole battle ended in three turns. One Melody of Mirage and 2 Paral-Eyes and 1 Velocitrap and combine that with a bad attack hand then bingo bongo Lyssta got coded in what seem like an instant. Losing my best creature definitely hurt my chances and a little of my confidence cause after that his Brathe went on the hunt with its Mowercycle. The next four to five battles went by pretty quick. I tried my best but he ended up coding the rest of my front and mid-line pretty quick. If it wasn't for my Toxis this match would be over now! I gotta thank Logan for giving me that Song of Revival, it totally saved my ass!
Thanks to that mugic I managed to revive Lyssta. And then I went on the hunt on his side of the battle board. There was a close call against his Biondu and another Melody of Mirage but I got through it, though my butthole was clenched the entire time that was going down let me tell you!
But with Lyssta coding the rest of his creatures where now down to the same 1v1 that almost costed me the match. The same one I've already lost. But that not gonna stop me from winning this game! Besides what better way to repay Logan for the trade then winning this game.
"Okay then Lyssta attacks Brathe!"
"Bring it on! I've already beaten her once I can do it again!" my opponent says with gusto.
"Oh yeah? Then let's see how well you do without any mugic to hide behind this time." I smack talk back to him.
That causes the crowd on both sides of the table to whoop and shout even louder than before. Logan being the loudest of the all. It's nice to know she's got my back, even if it's not entirely for my own sake. Everybody loves some good old fashion trash talk between two combatants. Even if it's in a card game like this. I'm no exception either, I can feel my blood pumping and roaring. I'm so ready to win this game!
Since I'm the one attacking, I get to flip over the location where we get to finish this fight. I just need the right one here and I get to own this loser. Come on, come on! gimme what I need.
"Lyssta attacks Brathe at… Cordac Falls Plungepool! Hell yeah!" I shout out loud. Not that I tried very hard to keep that cheer in. I can hear the crowd behind me getting even louder in response to my cheer. I'm pretty sure I hear Logan screaming Yes close behind me.
"That's not gonna help you! This game's mine!" growls the future loser. His own little cheer squad hyping him up just as much as mine is.
Oh, this poor, poor ignorant boy. I guess he hasn't learned why I like Lyssta so much. Well, I guess I can show him one more time. "Since we're fighting at the Plungepool Lyssta wins the initiative triggering her ability." I tell him as I draw my third attacking card. Hmmm let's see here I have two Pebblestorm's and I just drew a Thunder Shout. Well, I guess I know which one I'm going with.
"Lyssta hits your lizard with a Thunder Shout. And since she won initiative, this turn it'll take him from 50 all the down to 20." I tell my losing opponent with an 'Umm I told you so' smug attitude.
My now losing foe's face turn from a growl to a grimace as he returns fire. "Brathe will hit your she devil with another Paral-Eyes attack. Dropping her energy down to 25 Mr. High and Mighty." His fan club behind him screeches at his play. Apparently thinking he has a chance to win after dealing such damage.
"Not bad, not bad at all." I admit to him. "But I think I'll end this with a little rock slide or better yet a Pebblestorm coding your Brathe and winning me the match! Woooohoooooo! That's how you do it! Am I right people!" I shout to the crowd.
Not that they heard me cause after I declare my victory, my opponent lets out a growl of defeat and both crowds howl and scream with me. Soon after I'm surrounded with hands clapping my back and people giving playful shoves. All the while they keep cheering, not stopping for what seems like forever. I hear all kinds of praise 'good game', 'that was awesome', 'way to go dude', 'that is how you do it'.
Huh I guess somebody did hear me. Then suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my side as Logan slides up to me and delivers the sharpest elbow to my ribs I've ever felt.
"Way to go. Bet that'll teach him for dissing OverWorlders like Intress won't it! Hahahahahah!" She laughs as I bend over in pain from her effective blow.
"Yeah, that'll cough... cough teach him. Oh god." I wheeze out. I think she broke my ribs.
The cheering eventually dies down and the crowd parts as the go back to playing their own paused games or to start their own. Others continue to praise and talk about the match even as they walk away. I hear a quick 'Hey' from behind me and I turn to find my opposition standing behind me with a hand outstretched.
"Good game dude. I thought I had it there for a while."
I return the handshake with one of my own after the pain in my side settles down. "Yeah, I thought so to. Good game." And with a quick nod he picks up his laptop and heads out the doors of the cafeteria. I guess that was his last match of the day. Me and Logan did arrive a bit late today, we stopped by the card shop right after school and we got distracted by some of the new cards on display.
"Man, that was such a good match. Seriously good job Nolen. Thanks to you my vengeance has been complete." Says Logan with a smile on her face as she slides down in the seat next to my very own laptop and official Chaotic code scanner. I asked my dad for some spending money so I could get them. He agreed on the condition I do well on the upcoming math midterm. Apparently other me sucked at math as much as I used to in high school. But thanks to age and some future knowledge I managed to almost ace the midterm… okay I got an 85 but that's still really good. He also thought it was a great improvement and after I showed him the score we went and got these babies.
The laptops from my time but it's still a good one. But the code scanner is basically like a clunky iPhone it's totally nuts. And by nuts, I mean awesome. Logan has both to. A couple of gifts from her older sister (which she apparently has in this world). She even got us some Chaotic stickers to put on the backs of our new laptops. Kinda cheesy but there starting to grow on me.
"Well, it's a gentleman responsibility to avenge a lady's honor."
"Pfft yeah sure whatever dork."
I give a quick little laugh as I also slide down back into my seat and click the tab to return to the home screen. "That match was closer than I would've liked though. I blew my mugic way to soon. If I had Canon of Casualty or Melody of Malady, I wouldn't have lost Kerric and that whole match would've been different." I tell her
She can only nod her head back to me. "Yeah, I was kinda shocked when you used it on Ario to finish him off. Anything you had in your hand would've been enough to code him."
"Yeah, I forgot that his ability is only on the first attack and not the all of them. That's only the first or second time I fought someone who used invisibility that way. I guess I panicked a bit and went for the kill to fast." I admit to her as I pull up my online deck.
"It happens. But hey you had an amazing comeback there and that's all that really matter isn't it." She tells me with kind smile.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. It's about not repeating mistakes you already know about… or something along those lines."
"Haha. Yeah, close enough." She pauses tilting her head at my screen "Hey check it out you got Chaotic mail."
"Hmm."
"Yeah, check it out. Right there in the top right." As she points to a glowing little symbol exactly where she just said it would be.
"Huh wonder what that's all about." And I drag my mouse icon over and click on the symbol. After clicking on the icon, a random bunch of letters and numbers appear on the majority of my screen.
"What in the…?" I question out loud. The hecks this supposed to be? It looks like a code I'd find on one of my cards. Maybe it's a special promo card for doing well on my online matches? Some companies do that.
"Oh, hey I got something just like that earlier too. No idea what it is though."
"Maybe it's a special online card or something." I say as I voice my internal thoughts to her.
"Maybe you think so?"
I can tell she's a bit skeptical from the tone of her voice but so far, the Chaotic website has been really good about cracking down on hackers and the like. So, I doubt it's a scam email or something along those lines. It's actually pretty impressive how good they are at doing that kind of stuff. It's nice to see a company do its job and more, others could learn from their example.
"I mean why not. I don't have a clue to what else it could be." I tell her honestly.
"Yeah, I guess your right. I'll put mine in when I get home though. Just in case."
"Good idea. We can do it at the same time. Make a game out of it."
She shoves me a bit. "Sure, why not. Guess we can finally play a game you can beat me in 6-0."
"6-0 really? That's how you remember it? Cause I seem to remember winning the last two matches we played online."
"I was talking about the actual card matches we have. And I totally would've won that's last online rumble we had if I had gotten a better hand." She exclaims to me.
Huh I guess she's got a point I have lost all the card matches I've had against her. Until now that is. "So, you got some game to back up that trash talk of yours?" I ask her as I pull out my cards from the case within my bookbag.
"Oh, you want to get beat that badly huh?" she teases to me as she pulls out her OverWorlder deck from her nice-looking deck box inside her bookbag. But as soon as she finishes pulling out her cards and begins to set up her side of the field, her flip phone (which people have in this day and age so weird) begins to ring. She lets out a audible sigh when she reads the number of the caller. I bet I can guess who it is to as she flips it open and answers.
She gives out some small 'mmhmm' or 'okay sure' to the other person or persons on the phone. This goes on for a couple of minutes before she says "Yeah okay sure I can head back now. Okay love you see ya in a couple minutes. Bye" and with a quick flick she hangs up her phone and gives a tired sigh.
"Parents?"
"Yeah parents." She answers "They want me to head over to some fundraiser at the park. My sister is coming to get me in a few. So, I gotta head out now."
"Man, that sucks. Just when I was about to finally cream you."
"Haha. First ewww context. And second, I totally would've won." She tells me with a slightly sad smile as she begins to pack her cards and laptop.
"I guess we'll never know now will we. But I'm sorry you have to go. Fist bump?" I tell her as I put out my hand for said fist bump.
She shakes her head and her smile looks more genuine. "It could be worse at least this was something I actually knew about before. I just forgot it was today." She tells me as she returns my fist bump.
"Kaboom!" she says as her fist impacts and leaves mine.
"Yeah, you're not supposed to blow it up."
"Eh I like my way better."
"It's totally lame."
"Ha, I don't care. Later Nolen same time tomorrow?"
"Yeah, same time. Later." As I answer her question, she returns it with a nod and grabs her backpack and heads out the doors to drive way where her sister will more than likely pick her up at. As soon as she leaves my eye sight I look back to the strange code on my laptop. The unanswered question of what it is hangs on my head but I'll figure it out later.
"Guess I'll head on out to. Maybe dad can make some spaghetti tonight." I mumble out loud.
Nolen's house 30 minutes later
"Damn that was some good dinner pops. Great job." And I pat said man on the arms trying to be both playful and serious with my compliment to him.
"Well, I'm glad it gets your seal of approval." He teases back. "I've got some work to do so you mind heading to your room. Or you know away from me. Your smelly feet will make me pass out before I can get anything done."
"Excuse me!" I respond back. "Says the man with knives for toenails."
"Hahahahahahahaha! True enough, but seriously upstairs I don't wanna bet interrupted. Do you mind?"
I give him a quick nod. "Yeah, sure I don't mind I got some Chaotic stuff to do any way." I tell him. "Don't work to late okay you need to get some sleep you're not in college anymore dad you can't do all-nighters anymore."
"Yes, mother hen I will."
He teases me now but he'll thank me when his head hits his pillow. And okay maybe I am being a bit overprotective with his health a bit. But it's not like I'm smothering him or anything. I only act when I see something that can be a detriment to his health. I wasn't kidding about those all-nighters either he tried to do it two nights in a row. When I came down stairs that morning and saw him about to pass out on the computer, I called his work place and told them that may he had to stay home for medical reasons. He tried to fight me on it but considering I could hold him back with one hand he eventually relented and went to sleep.
Like I said only when it's really appropriate.
"You better. Okay night see you in the morning."
"Night, don't you stay up late either. That's supposed to be my line anyway." He tries to mumble that last bit but I still manage to hear it. I'll tease him about that some other time.
As finally enter my room I grab my bookbag and pull out both my phone and my laptop and my code scanner. I open up both of them and I give Logan a call, waiting a couple of seconds for her to pick up and the website to load on my screen. Sure, enough the strange code is still there and after the 4 or 5 ring Logan picks up.
"Hey you ready to try out this code thing?" she asks me as soon as she picks up. I'm assuming she's looking at hers like I am mine.
"Yeah, I'm ready. If this screws up my account, I'm gonna be pissed."
"You and me both. Okay so you ready. Want to count us down?" she asks me.
"Sure, might as well right. My idea and all. We'll do it on a 3 count okay." I tell her as I put in the strange code on my scanner. "Here we go 1… 2… and… 3!" And with that exclamation I hit the enter button on my scanner. And my whole world starts to change.
Blue and white fill my vision and I close my eyes to dull the brightness filling them as a strange bzzzzt fills the air around me. For just a second it feels like I'm floating or jumping in the air, but it passes almost as quickly as it came like the small thrill you get on going up and down on an incline. As the noise finally ends the lights fade along with them and I tear my eyes back open and the sight before me is definitely not where I'm supposed to be.
Oh god what just happened! The hell was that!
My head turns on a dime and I look around frantically. I see other teens walking and talking about around me as strange floating robots fly around carrying food to kids sitting around long silver tables. I see massive screens hanging above me in the distance showing some fierce battles of… of… wait aren't those.
But before can finish that thought a girlish scream tears itself from my throat.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
XXX
Chapter end
And there we go folks were finally hitting the Chaotic scene.
This chapter was one I thought originally wouldn't take very long but after writing and re-writing it multiple times. I soon came to realize that I was very wrong. it was hard to find the right creatures and attacks and stuff to go along with how I wanted the story to progress.
Also, locations will also be put in bold like mugic from now on to help you guys distinguish whats whats. The stats of creatures are going to be random like card you can get in real life so some will have their max, average or min in their stat pools if I need to type them out for the battle which shouldn't be all the time but I though it be more fun to do it this way.
The battles in this chapter were the thing I found the hardest to write about. I finally settled on something I though was good enough but tell me what you guys think of it. I'm curious to what you all think.
I also think the ending could've been better but, considering I have some family visiting from out of town tomorrow I wanted to finish up this chapter and give it to you guys as soon as possible.
I'm happy with how it turned out just wishing some areas were better than what there are if you catch my drift.
But still I had a blast typing this out. And I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
Thanks again to you all for stopping by and giving this a read. I really appreciate it. Till next time everybody.
Peace Out!