.hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//SIGN Fan Fiction ❯ .hack//CHECK ❯ SParkers ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter 12 // SParkers

Various expressions of amazement were heard as the crowd filed into the large new wing. The basement facility was about the size of a football field. It had two levels with many giant cylinders that had numerous spherical pods mounted on them. Giant screens were seemingly everywhere.

"Before the Grand Prix is to begin, please listen to these two as they provide instructions as to the operation of these new machines.", the man said as he waved his arm in Andrea and John's direction.

"Thank you.", began Andrea, "Once you step into a VR pod, secure your goggles and type 'cal' on the keyboard to calibrate your joysticks. Once your joysticks are calibrated, you must input your username and password. The World III controls practically the same as..."

"PREPARE TO BE OWNED!" shouted John as he ran, laughing, to a pod and hopped in.

"Ahem! The World III controls practically the same as it would on your PC or home console system.", continued Andrea, " As was mentioned by my colleague we will be competing with you for the Grand Prize: three free months of service and special, exclusive event items for your character including a one-of-a-kind summon, armor, and a new ability of your own creation. You may have noticed the screens located around the facility. These monitor the action on the playing field. Use these to stake out your opposition before you enter the fray. Remember, you'll be competing with people in the other nine facilities like this around the country. So, that means that there are approximately ten thousand contestants. After John explains the scoring, the contest will begin!" she said as she waved her arm to where John used to be standing. ". . . Oh, that's right. Idiot...", she muttered under her breath, "I'll explain the scoring. Scoring doesn't matter in the overall competition, but the MVP gets a special mystery prize. A person can be the MVP and not win the competition. Each PK, or player kill, nets you one point. However, getting PK'd transfers all of your points to the one who PK'd you. The MVP is the person who holds on to the most points for the longest amount of time. With that, would the first four hundred ninety-eight contestants please find a pod?"

The first four hundred ninety-eight people showed their invitations, and ran to find a pod. The screens powered on and displayed a giant field. The field had lots of trees surrounding one large grassy clearing that appeared to be five hundred yards in length and width. Various locations of the field were shown at differing camera angles on almost every monitor. The only monitor not showing a piece of the field was near the door. It kept track of scoring.

"Hey, Tiffany.", said Carl. "I've changed my mind. I'll handle the token counter." He stepped behind the counter.

"Why? I don't mind...", Tiffany began

"Nonsense. Just go have some fun."

"But..."

Carl's expression changed. He looked slightly annoyed. "Just go. What's the use of working in one of these places if you don't get to do stuff like this. You do remember your entry code, right?"

"Well, yes..." She had memorized it when she first got the invitation.

"Then go!"

"Um, thanks, Carl." She went to stand in the waiting area. I thought I'd never have to play this again...

. . .

The camera located above the clearing showed that about four thousand people made their way out of the forest. They all stood there for a brief second, and looked around to see others standing at the perimeter of the grassy area. Deafening roars could be heard as they all began to converge upon the center. Swords clashed and characters flew in every which direction. Those who weren't accelerated by Speed Charms were quickly PK'd. Red numbers were all over the place. The crowd of characters was so thick, it seemed like a solid mass. Suddenly, the wind blew, and green hexagons began to fly into the air. Immediately afterwards, part of the mass of characters began to pixilate. The characters that pixilated, disappeared and made a pattern. The pattern read:

HELLO TIFFANY

"Oh my -...", she began. She was standing in the waiting area. She had seen it all. She knew what to had just happened.

Without as much as a thought, she pushed her way through the throng to the front of the waiting area.

"That's thirty! Next hundred up, please!", yelled the attendant at the velvet rope. Tiffany showed her employee ID and took off to the nearest unoccupied VR pod. She hopped in, strapped the goggles to her face, typed the calibration command, and logged in.

. . .

In a beam of light, Naomi appeared in the forest.

"Freeze!", shouted a voice.

She turned slowly to see two men and a woman standing behind her.

"Hello, Naomi.", said one man. His giant staff trained on her. He wore an orange sleeveless jacket with a hood, brown short pants, and a thick leather belt that didn't seem to serve any purpose other than fashion. He was thin with blond hair and beady green eyes.

"How's Stan?" said the other man. He was a fat Twin Blade with green hair and red eyes. He wore a brown tactical vest with blue cargo pants. He pointed a blade at Naomi.

"Fancy meeting you here, %!#$&.", said the woman. She was tall and thin with spiky medium-length red hair. She wore a Red mini-vest on her torso and a blue flowing skirt. She pointed her large blade at Naomi.

"Kenny, Kyle, Cartwright... What are the Sparkers doing here?", Naomi inquired.

"We're here to win the prize!" Said Kyle as they all began to charge Naomi.