_ Here it is ! We arrived ! See ?
Kumail is still trying to recover from this experience.
_ Breathe a little, it's okay, it will be okay, Asaria told him. So, where do we start?
Without delay, Asaria clings to his arm and they leave for the Magellan Sphere. She introduces him to places and flavours that were hitherto unknown to him.
Each Sphere has its own theme, era and place of inspiration. And this brings together many countries from a continent called "Asia". Dishes, snacks, pastries, all of different origins and times are presented on the stalls, each seemingly tastier than the next. They even find "bibinca", a pastry that Kumail has never been able to taste ... and for which he quickly develops an addiction.
After a short break, they go back to the shops to change Kumail's wardrobe. Without pointing fingers at his meager bank account, Asaria tactfully lets him know that there is work to be done in terms of style, which is not wrong actually.
Kumail might have been embarrassed to let the young woman take care of everything, but she said it herself, it's a gift. It's with these kinds of sentences that you end up picking up dozens of clothes without even looking at the price, and having vapours when you see the bill.
That said, the parade in the store was worth it. Especially when she taught him how to tie his tie correctly, for a moment tying his fingers to his. For a few seconds neither of them had moved, before a client shoved them aside and broke the moment. Dame him…
To end the day on a good note, Asaria takes them to Rosetta Park, a park made up entirely of red roses. They sit on a bench and admire the spectacle at sunset: the dance of the fireflies that brings light into the darkness.
A feeling of freedom…
They roam from pink to pink in a small synchronized group without ever colliding. Each male looking for a female through this dance.
Kumail had not yet observed this kind of phenomenon in the concrete town where he lived. Asaria's soft voice almost explains it in a whisper, as if she's afraid to disturb them.
_ At each crossing, the groups communicate through waves. A simple exchange is enough for the male and the female to know if they are made for each other. If so, the female leaves her group and joins that of the male she has chosen. Once all the couples are assembled, they proceed to the rainbow dance, their lights agree to compose the rainbow while continuing their choreography.
Kumail smiles. He can see that her cheeks are a little red. Her hand on the bench brushes against Asaria's. Contact electrifies him. Suddenly he needs more. His heart beats breaking his chest, his lips are dry. But a simple look tells him that she has the same thought deep in her eyes. He leans instinctively.
Her lips are warm and soft. He feels like he can die right now. He feels her hand on his shoulder, trying to gently find his cheeks.
They are still clumsy, but in a sweet way. They separate, she looks away. They are definitely smiling, hand in hand.After a few seconds, they see two fireflies on a leaf facing each other, and as they imagine names, children, jobs and an unlikely future life, laughter replaces embarrassment.
...
_ Wait ... Is it noon? Kumail looked at his watch as they got back to school.
_ Did you think I was going to let you skip some more class ? It's only been an hour here. In other words, break-time is over.
_ What ? Are you serious ? A day there, is it just an hour here? Like… after all the day we've spent I'm going back to class ? Like nothing happened ?
_ It is more complicated than that. But, yeeeaahh it's mostly correct, she says smiling like an innocent child.
He finds himself smiling. Asaria has a unique character, and he loves it.
_ We still have a few minutes. Come with me.
She takes his hand with excitement and follow him.
Kumail takes her to the rooftop to spend the last few minutes before class resumes gazing at the sky as he usually does. She doesn't say anything, and just rests her head on his shoulder. She is aware that this little moment is worth a lot. As he realizes that he will never be alone again…
_ I'm happy, he said suddenly. You speak to me with more frankness, you have less restraint ...
_ And you prefer as I was before? Because otherwise I can ...
_ Eh eh eh… hun hun. Don't you dare change a thing, you're prefect the way you are.
Asaria lets out a radiant smile.
The door behind them closes without their seeing it. Maare comes back down the stairs. Asaria will surely pay for her betrayal.
...
Kumail continues his solo training He watches videos of his own clashes, and goes on to win. Even though he stayed in the room for hours, his victory was only granted by a hair's breadth. If he hadn't raised his arm to signify that he was still conscious at the end of the fight, the game would have been a draw, and should have been restarted.
After that, he decides to spend two months in the Infinito Mondo for an intensive challenge session in order to progress. Asaria supports him, and has managed the settings to make his time "indoors" a real weekend.
But after three days of fighting sleeping on training arena benches and eating from the vending machine, tired, he realizes he has nowhere to really sleep to recover.
He manages to afford a night in an inn but it cost him dearly. He only has his money, and his account isn't particularly full…
That same evening, in front of the porridge that the innkeeper dares to serve him, he begins to dream of a good dish. Sugar… Pancakes… Crepes… Crepes ?
Martha!
She had slipped something in his pocket, hadn't she?
Yes, it comes back to him. But where did he put it ... He…Haha, found it. The ... Link-card ? But how does he use it ? He thought about what the waitress had whispered to him that day. He focuses on her, and says her first name.
Nothing.
He tries again. Nop.
Oh. A place to put a finger. Well. Let's try again.
The Link-card comes to life by itself and lands on the door, which then lights up.
Oh.
Well. After all, it's a virtual world. As real as it may be.
He opens the door with a touch of apprehension and goes through it to find himself in a living room. Confused, he sees a topaz-eyed brunette in a towel cross the room without noticing him. She then slows down, realizing Kumail's presence and slowly turns around.
_ Hmm ... Hey?
The girl starts screaming insanities and throws at him whatever comes her way. Kumail tries to avoid them more or less, when a familiar voice intervenes. The boy sticks his head out from behind the sofa where he was hiding.
_ What's going on ?
_ Hey… Dare Kumail.
_ Sweetie ? What are you doing here ? Martha asks enthusiastically, opening her arms to him.
_ Hmm ... well ... I used your Link-card and ... There you go. But I'll come back another time there is no problem, he specifies hastily.
_ Don't be stupid, would you ! She takes the hand of the young girl who is still on her guard. Okay-okay, Chloe-Sweetie, Sweetie-Chloe, she said, looking at them in turn.
_ Ku-Hyorinmaru, delighted. And sorry, miss Chloe ...
_ Chloe ... P ... For this time it's okay ...
The atmosphere relaxes and tensions are released in an uncomfortable silence …
_ Oh, come on ! It's not like the towel has fallen! Ha-ha!
...
_ So, what brings you here? Asks Chloe serving him a cup of tea, dressed.
_ Hm ? Thank you. I ... I train by accepting any challenges that come my way. For three days I've been doing just that and one night at the hotel has cost me almost everything I earn ...
_ Ah ... You just arrived on Magellan honey, that's normal. The prices here are very different from those on Medusa. And until you have your first official fight, your pay is still the same as on Medusa. With that you will have to win challenges to pay for your room ...
_ That's what I understood, as I just got on Mage ... How do you know I changed Sphere?
_ Hm ? What ? Chloe pass me the sugar please.
_ I just entered Magellan, how can you already know that?
_ Aah ... That ...
_ What a jerk ... Chloe sigh.
Kumail looks at the two women… Puzzled.
_ I am of course following your progress. I'm not calling you sweetie just to look pretty. And then…
_ Everyone saw your final fight in the Medusa arena. After a fight like this, everyone's watching you. From your first appearance in the Sphere, the world knew about it.
Whaaaat? Surprised Kumail swallows his sip of tea throughly.
_ Well yes darling, you presented yourself as an opponent to watch. Such a rapid rise ... Obviously stands out, not to mention the skills you showed that were far from the level of a Medusane ... You are entering the big leagues now, that's no more child's play. Your opponents, analyze, think, spy ... You can no longer be content to think of the fight only during the fight. In the high level, your next fight begins as soon as you finish the previous one.
Kumail is learning a lot and achieving more. But one question, though trivial, tortures his mind.
_ Medusane…?
_ Oh, that's what the inhabitants of the Medusa Sphere are called.
_ We ? Who we ?
_ Well everyone. Medusane, Magellano, Centaura, Andromedien and finally the Reds.
_ You seem to know a lot for a waitress ...
Chloe who was drunk by the conversation suddenly gives her all her attention.
_ Ah you know sweetie... We have not always been served ... Aww!
_ What she means is that we used to work in a bar in the Black-Eye Sphere. So we heard and learned a lot there.
_ Hmm, what's the name of the bar?
_ He's closed. Since then we have been at the Shooting-Star Sphere creperie. Right Martha?
_ Yes. Ouch… Martha lets go, rubbing herself where Chloe hit her.
Kumail perceives an anomaly in their behavior but decides not to push.
Still strange for a simple waitress to know so much ...
...
While visiting the apartment Kumail observes similarities with the one he lives in at the school residence. With the exception of ...
_ You don't have a shower ? Dare Kumail.
_ The showers are collective. These are workers' accommodation, the rent is low and it is close to the workplace. Apartments and houses are reserved for combatants and members of the order. The only way for us to access it would be if we could r ...
_ Rob the account rooms or steal fighters! But that's just not possible so we're just happy with it. Dreams should not be taken for reality my little Chloe!
_ A ... Aah! Yes it's true but hey we still have the right to dream anyway ...
_ In your head my dear, in your head.
Once again behaving strangely, Kumail is reluctant to intervene. But Martha, who sensed it coming, did not give him the opportunity.
_ Darling, we shower at work to avoid waiting and queuing, Wattoo is cranky but pretty cool.
_ All right ... How do you do your days off?
Martha and Chloe look at each other a few seconds before Martha answers.
_ You'll see that on our next day off. She said must on her mouth giving him a little wink.
_ Hm hm ! Chloe intervenes. Besides the fact that there is no shower, there is another slight concern.
Kumail and Martha turn to Chloe, looking questioning. What could it be ?
_ There's only one room, she said exasperatedly, pointing to the room.
Kumail understands what it means, but his brain is not ready to take it in.
_ Eh ?
To Kumail's reaction, Chloe hits her forehead.
_ I was sure ... She didn't think about specifying it and you fool that you are, you didn't even think about asking!
_ It's true ... But we had just met, she offered me a meal, she was so nice …
_ Hoy Darling ... Says Martha trying to stop him, but it's too late.
_ And then she kissed me on the cheek and put the Linkcard in my pocket and told me to think about her and that's what I did I ...
_ Stooooop! Stop! Shouts Chloe.
A little break, then she resumes.
_ Kissing, meal offered, Linkcard. Really ! Are you out of your mind ! You want to kick us out crazy milf !
_ Out ? Kumail asks.
_ Ohw shut up you teen virgin complex ! A woman you don't know gives you a meal and a kiss on the cheek and you trust her like you've known her for twelve years!
The two children scolded by the adult do not know what to say. They make themselves very small and put themselves in mute mode ...
_ Waaaaa ... Good g… Martha, sleep with me in the bedroom, Hyorin you, sleep in the living room.
_ Eeeeh? I do not want ! You hit in your sleep!
_ Do you prefer the balcony?
_ No no, it's ok…
_ That's what I thought. And no night visit. For none of you. Understood ?
...
After having everything in place, the three of them have a meal and sit around the table. It has been a grueling day for everyone, it seemed.
_ So sweetie, Martha said, sipping tea, what did you think of your fight? Your last fight, the one against Yusuke23?
The question calls, even Chloe seems to apprehend Kumail's response. He thought for a moment before choosing his words wisely.
_ I think I dominated the fight, but that doesn't mean I put in a good performance.
He lets a moment pass, his fingers wriggling as if to help him think.
_ I rely a lot on my speed and my reflexes, he continues. But I am unable to hold a fight at a distance. My melee fighting level lacks power and I feel like I am consuming too much energy for the efforts I am putting in. If I had to run into an opponent as fast as me, who dominates me in ranged combat and in the air, I wouldn't stand a chance ...
Martha seems to think before she speaks.
_ Not bad. You have a hell of a knack to be able to point out your shortcomings in this way. Know sweetheart that many of these shortcomings are due to the fact that you have not yet fully taken ownership of your nexus. And that's due in large part because you sorely lack an extender.
Kumail's gaze says it all.
_ You don't know what it is, do you? Martha asks. Usually, fighters learn the whole base by entering arenas, even before their third fight, they've mastered the language, but to you, it looks like it's the other way around. So this is it. Extenders are engineers or programmers, only better. They extend the possibilities of the nexus and its understanding with its owner. Sometimes you can make all the effort, invent a new weapon, a new spell, a new technique, but be unable to materialize it. And that's because it takes too much energy, or your visualization isn't technical enough. And if a fighter is unable to evolve in his Nexus, he becomes obsolete. And you, you're gonna really need it if you don't want to be left behind.
_ I understand, said Kumail. And where can they be found, exactly? Is there some kind of online marketplace, or is it word of mouth?
_ For the richest, Chloe continues, it's the fighters' market. There is one in each sphere. Since you're asking the question, you haven't been there yet. They offer weapons, Nexus code so you can create more powerful ones, with shapes, options you might not have thought of, and of course you need an extender to materialize them properly. Outfits, too, improved. And there are indeed profiles of extenders. But for the most part, those who don't have enough money, there is the submarket. Everything you find in the official market, but not necessarily finished… or legal. Some weapons look very cool, but they could rob your entire Nexus with the wrong code. The extenders found there may be gifted, but if they're not on the official market, they're blurry, even dangerous. Nonetheless we still find good in it.
_ We can always try, Kumail decides. Well, if you don't mind of course…
_ We're going with you, so don't be afraid, Martha said. that will take us out for a short while!
…
Lying down, staring at the ceiling, Kumail feels a slight pressure. Strange, could it be that he sleeps in a person's house ? However, this sentiment did not come to the fore during his time at Asaria's. Hmm ... Maybe the feeling of betraying her by sleeping in someone else's house ? No… Since when does he care about this kind of things? No.
It must be the pressure of the fights that followed one another, yes, that's it, it's the fights ...
After petting his head for a while, he finally fell asleep.
In the dead of night, he hears a voice calling him in his dreams and lets himself be carried away by it… The voice is gentle, firm and says something extremely important to him. The world, the Infinito Mundo ... All of this doesn't matter, and it matters a lot. But why ? The voice urges him on, urging him to do it faster. To do what, faster? She becomes imploring, almost angry, and Kumail gets scared.
_ Hm… Let… Who are… stop… stop… Stop !!
He wakes up with a start and opens wide his incandescent eyes, similar to a burning flame ... After a few seconds his "convulsion" stops, his eyes resume their initial color and he finally regains his senses. Sweaty, totally confused by his dream, he slowly regains his composure before going get a drink.
...
His glass of recycled water in hand, he decides to clear his mind on the balcony. Arriving in front of the glass door, he realizes that he has been beaten ...
*knock Knock knock*
Surprised in a moment of solitude, Chloe quickly gets herself together, directive and a bit distant. But Kumail could see under the cranky layers.
_ What do you want ? Chloe asks broodingly, whispering because of the late time.
_ No… Nothing. I came for some fresh air, can I?
She nods.
A tense and heavy silence settles between the two, leaving no room for dialogue.
Kumail, still awkward with women, can't figure out how to break the ice between Chloe and him. Convinced of its precocious maturity and its icy character. His analysis was completely refuted when the image of this sad little girl reclusive in darkness was engraved in his mind ...
_ Aren't you going back to bed?
_ No, Kumail said simply.
The silence between them suddenly turns into a gentle expectation without tension, giving the impression that the ashes of a fire had slowly come back to life and had come to comfort them in this cold and dark night ... relieved of the weight she seemed to carry, Chloe let herself go, confident, on Kumail's shoulder who remained her pillow until morning ...
...
The environment changes reproducing the dawn of the day, both outside and inside. The rooms are transformed, the panels, a voice announces the temperature, the news of the Sphere, the results of the fights of the day before ... and the number of dead.
Martha, back from the cleanroom, goes to help herself to a hot beverage that one of the machines had already prepared in the meantime. Kumail wakes up without realizing his drowsiness, and realizes his position. He hears her cross the room and walk away.
He is breathing again. It would have been delicate if Martha ...
The bay window opens suddenly.
_ Ah, that's where you were.
Kumail feels his heart leap from his chest at the sound of Martha's voice.
_ Chloe go wash yourse... Ah. I see…
Kumail expects the worst, he can see that Martha has noticed Chloe sleeping on his shoulder. For once he really didn't think of anything wrong!
_ She didn't let you sleep, did she? You guys are really cute. I can't even imagine her face when she wakes up, but hey ... For once she's had someone to comfort her ...
Surprised by Martha's reaction, Kumail thinks out loud without noticing.
_ Does it happen often?
_ More than she would like to admit. She wants to show that she's strong, like the rest of us, right?
_ Right…
Kumail rethinks his own weaknesses. To his desperate act. They all had one weak point.
...
Coming back from the "shower" in which he fought with the basins, he stumbles upon Chloe, shy and clumsy. The meeting is uncomfortable for both of them, but especially for Chloe. Martha content herself to enjoy her tea while watching the scene.
_ Uh, um, hello… Hyorin.
_ Hello…
_ Well then ... We spend the night together and that's how we welcome each other in the morning ? Really … Kids. Virgin people come on ! For god sake… Ju… Just hurry up and…
Martha doesn't have time to finish her sentence when she gets Chloe's slipper right in the face.
_ Pff! Fucking Cougar… Mind your own business, just because your bed is open-free doesn't mean we have to follow your example.
And Chloe leaves, leaving Kumail petrified and Martha smiling, reassured by the young woman's reaction.
Again in the middle of the show, Kumail makes a point to take ownership of the place a little more. The balcony seems to attract him, and he goes back, to better admire the view.
He goes out to look, and discovers the neighborhood: a rather chic neighborhood for a popular street. With a style from another time, from another era. He feels like the stage has been set for centuries. A style that doesn't exist on the other side.
Martha joins him and brings him tea. Placed on the ledge, the two enjoy the view accompanied by their warm mugs.
_ So ... Martha asks. What do you want to do today? Continue to fight a bit, or try to find your extender?
Kumail smiled at her. And why not ?
Therefore, they spend the day together.
First stop: extenders.
Kumail realizes as he fights that he can sometimes find it difficult to use his nexus the way he wants.
They go on lightball, a kind of intraSphere lightgun without tube. Same system, paying for everyone, and discreet: invisible except when it stops to pick up or drop off passengers. Obviously, it's not the same comfort he got in first class when he arrived, but the cabin space is big enough.
During the ride, Chloe slowly regains her ease with Kumail under Martha's watchful gaze.
After about a quarter of an hour, they finally arrive: The Mall Maker.
If there's one place Kumail can find a worthy extender, this is it.
Problem, the relationship of trust between an extender and a fighter is absolutely essential, according to Martha. And of all the people he met there, none gave him confidence ... between the guy who asked for two upfront wages and the one who had only for Martha's chest, there was not much choice. The problem is that these individuals were at the top of the poor man's basket. The fighters who supplied themselves in the area had the same characters ...
Disappointed, the girls decide to console him with a candy and accompany him to his next fight. Failing to be accompanied by an extender, he has at least two beauties cheerleaders to encourage him, he said to himself ...
...
Kumail remains silent in the face of his last unofficial fight. He was a hair's breadth away to lose this time.
He understands that he is facing a wall that he cannot cross on his own ...
Once again, his much too withdrawn, almost asocial character, his stubbornness not to create a bond with others, slows him down considerably. Around the table, Martha tries to console him.
_ I know that none of those we saw convinced you, but ...
Frustrated, angry with himself, he retreats into his spiral of internal reproach again. And the words of Martha who tries to console him sound more and more distant ...
When suddenly he regains consciousness.
_ What ? What did you say ?
_ She said that if you wanted we could do it : be your extenders.
_ What…? Are you ?
_ It's okay, don't you have to make a mountain of it, get hold of you coconut is it a yes or a no?
_ Chloe ... Martha gets angry.
_ Sorry, the young woman apologizes.
_ Are you sure ?
_ Otherwise we would not propose ! Martha laughs.
Kumail takes a theatrical breath and kneels on the ground in front of them, and declaims.
_ Ladies, my soul will know no rest as long as your talents are far from me!
Even Chloe hides her desire to laugh. She knows it, however, you should not have empathy or friendship for combatants. They all end up in a pit. But maybe this time…?
_ How stupid ... On the other hand, you will have to help us at the creperie in exchange, eh! Warn the older one.
_ With pleasure !
...