In a grand opera house of Las Geiger, lived Grimshire, a poor cleaner's daughter with an insatiable love for ballet. She observed the wealthy kid's classes from hiding, and despite her inability to afford them, she imitated their moves relentlessly.
Grimshire would repeatedly imitate the steps she had witnessed, though her unorthodox training caused constant injuries. But despite these setbacks, she used every free moment to hone her skills, resulting in a ballet dancer whose grace defied logic.
Her dedication paid off, as she grew skilled enough to perform difficult moves even without ballet shoes. Her talent, initially unnoticed, captured the hearts of all who witnessed her grace and determination, inspiring other dancers everywhere. One day, she was featured in a grand repertoire, catching the attention of a large organization - Omicron.
___
Back in the virtual reality spawning spot, a simple yet inviting lobby, designed to emulate a modest and welcoming atmosphere. With minimalistic decor and comfortable furnishings, providing an ideal starting point for users to embark on their immersive virtual reality experiences. A batted avatar with basic looks and outfit was taking a breather as he stared intently at a holographic screen, displaying the assessment. As usual, the system had ignored his question earlier. Hence, he chose to ignore it.
"Dis here ain't no level for a lady," Vaelin muttered, filled with doubt. "I hope she fares well."
"I've got a gut feeling that there's more to her than meets the eye." Zenith said, seated in a manspread way. "She's got heart, I will give her that."
___
-VR ass. lvl 02-ultraviolet-
"Finally, something I'm good at." Grimshire smiled as she glanced at the obstacle course before her. "Let's narrow this down to ten jumps and ten signature moves."
Gathering her wits, she timed a sliding platform, and at the right moment, she sprinted and leaped onto it with relative ease. But as if these obstacles were living objects, they began to run wild.
As the sliding platform carried her forward, levitating boulders materialized before her eyes.
"There it comes!"
Without hesitation, she performed one of the many moves she had perfected. This move was popular in modern-day ballet dance, known as 'Fouetté Pirouette' - spinning rapidly on one leg, using the momentum to dodge the oncoming boulders. Her body seemed to effortlessly glide through the air as she landed gracefully on the next platform.
"Too easy," she teased. Unbeknownst to Grimshire, swinging pendulums laid in wait, threatening to strike her from the sides. With her years of ballet training guiding her every move, she executed 'Saut de Basque' - effortlessly jumping and twisting her body, evading the first swinging pendulum. In one swift motion, she changed directions mid-air, sidestepping the second pendulum with grace.
But the challenges kept coming, Grimshire barely had time to catch her breath as more boulders appeared. With elegance and precision, she swept into a 'Piqué Arabesque', stepping onto the tip of one foot, extending the other leg straight behind her, gracefully bypassing the levitating boulders.
The swinging pendulums, relentless in their pursuit, swung dangerously close, threatening to brush against her arm.
"Not so fast," she taunted.
Fearlessly, Grimshire leaped high into the air with excuting a 'Grand Jeté', split mid-air, soaring above the swinging pendulums with immense agility.
The intensity continued to rise as the final levitating boulders locked onto her path. With a steady focus, she executed yet another move, 'a Grand Pas de Chat' - springing into the air and extending her legs out to the side with precision and power, soaring above the boulders unscathed.
"Five down, five more to go." She whispered.
However, the swinging pendulums persist, relentless in their attempts to hinder her progress. In a show of intricate footwork, she performed an 'Entrechat' - crossing her legs twice in quick succession, alternating back and forth to evade the pendulums with split-second precision
But with only a few obstacles left, Grimshire realized that a simple leap won't suffice. She prepared herself for a bold move, an exhilarating 'Fish Dive'. As she sprung forward, her body extended horizontally in the air, embracing the danger with arms gracefully extended outwards, diving beneath the final levitating boulders.
The penultimate obstacle approached, and Grimshire knew she must act fast to evade both pendulums and boulders once more.
"Eight!" She yelled as she executed a 'Cabriole', defying gravity as she jumped into the air, rapidly beating her legs together twice before extending them outwards, leaving the threats behind her.
In a triumphant finale, Grimshire faced the last challenge head-on. She began in an arabesque position, then swiftly rotated her body mid-air, executing a 'Renversé', reversing her position to escape the path of both swinging pendulums and levitating boulders. Her adroit movements left those observing in awe, her body gracefully defying the formidable obstacles.
With a final twist and turn, she glided to safety, her ballet-inspired prowess allowing her to exploit each move with flawless timing.
"I guess I overestimated the obstacle course," she thought, walking off. "In the end, only nine moves suffice."
___
Vaelin's mouth remained wide open as he sat in the lobby, unable to close it after witnessing what had just transpired. The girl before him, seemingly ordinary and not much older, effortlessly accomplished something that had proven to be a struggle for him. It was expected that he would surpass her in many ways, yet here he stood, utterly awe-struck by her remarkable performance.
"This makes no sense in my mind," he lamented, feeling weighed down by the notion, as if 'twas near pluckin' his own locks. "I went through that level, and it was no easy task. Perchance they lessen'd the difficulty, seein' as she is a girl. Aye, that is the sole logical explanation."
"Take it easy, man," Zenith advised, "She'd already made a name as the best ballet of all time. What puzzles me more is how you haven't heard of her. What planet were you living on?"
Momentarily, Grimshire popped out of one of the many spawning teleporters.
"Ahh!!" Vaelin jumped out of his seat, completely startled.
"Haha!!" Zenith laughed, finding it overly hilarious since he hadn't seen Vaelin this stumped before.
"Alright, let me go and deliver a much better performance." Zenith bellowed as he walked off and into the teleporter labeled 02.
Only a few minutes had passed when Grimshire began to feel uncomfortable. It was as if Vaelin's eyes were glued to her.
"Cut her some slack," Molly finally spared a word. "Thundercat ain't the only one going to knock you off you hinges. Watch out for me."
___
Zenith was an orphan without a past who found solace in the vibrant chaos of the funhouse nested in the slums of Las Geiger called Jolly Jamboree - his only home. Surrounded by circus acts and carnival magic, he became captivated by the extraordinary. The melodies and smells became a part of him, and the performers were his only family. Embracing the unexpected, Zenith developed a unique outlook on life, valuing individuality. Now, armed with charm and a love for thrills, he spreads joy and wonder, recreating the spirit of the carnival wherever he goes.
___
- VR ass. lvl 02-HoloGroove -
"Hello ladies and gentlemen, yours truly is here ones more to spread joy and wonder." Zenith announced like a jester. "Without further ado, let's get conquering."
In his gothic god attire, Zenith gazed into the abyss of the chasm, his heart pounding with anticipation.
"That's deeper than I thought," he pondered, "but no worries."
He gloriously raced and leaped onto the first sliding platform he could see. Suddenly, as if from a menacing dream, levitating boulders and swinging pendulums materialize, hurtling towards him with incredible force. Undeterred, Zenith's mischievous grin widened, and he leaps into action.
With the first swing of the pendulum, Zenith's agile mind assesses the situation. Without missing a beat, he gracefully tucked and rolled, his body effortlessly twirling away from the path of destruction. "Haha! Cartwheeling like a dervish!" he exclaims in delight.
But as he recovered his footing, a second obstacle loomed dangerously close, inches away from crushing him. Zenith reacted swiftly, executing a powerful split jump duck. In a display of acrobatic finesse, he plummeted to the ground, narrowly evading the swinging pendulum overhead. "Splitting like a shooting star and dodging like a nimble warrior!" he declares.
As the tempo quickened, Zenith leaped high into the air, aiming for another sliding platform. He spun like a tornado, as his body became a blur of motion, creating a whirlwind that maneuvered his body in between the incoming obstacles. "Winds of fate, bend to my will!" he shouts triumphantly.
The relentless assault continued, but Zenith's resourcefulness knew no bounds. At the sight of another levitating boulder, he executed a reverse somersault escape, defying gravity with every twist and turn.
"Hahahah!!! I shall not be squashed today, for I am the jester of levitating boulders!"
Midway through the rotation, he changes directions, effortlessly somersaulting backward to evade another boulder behind him. "Flipping and twisting like a cosmic daredevil!" he exclaimed with glee.
Not one to rely solely on his physical prowess, Zenith prepared for the next sliding platform. With a jump, he propelled himself toward a nearby swinging pendulum, using his feet to grip its surface. As he reached the pinnacle of his jump, he twisted his body, spinning away from the swinging pendulum. "Spinning like a celestial dancer!" he boasted.
Undeterred by the chaos surrounding him, Zenith embraced the dangers head-on. With precise timing, he launched himself into the air, somersaulted, and tumbled. Tucking into a tight ball mid-air, he rolled through the maze of obstacles, latching onto a platform at the last moment. "Somersaulting through the heavens!" he declared triumphantly.
As the swinging pendulums swung lower and lower, Zenith enacted a split-legged handstand hang. Swiftly transitioning into a handstand position, he spread his legs apart in a split. This daring move allowed him to hang beneath the swinging obstacle, unharmed and untouched. "Hanging like a mystical bat!" he exclaimed.
The onslaught does not relent, but Zenith's spirit remains unyielding. He summons every ounce of his strength and performed a backflip twist vault. The agility of his body amazed even himself as he defied gravity, soaring over boulders with precise timing. "Backflipping through the realms!" he proclaims. "My folks will definitely be proud of who I have become."
By now, he was almost through with the level. Like a master of reality, Zenith channeled zeal from his years of witnessing carnivals. With a breathtaking matrix dodge, he bended his body at an extreme angle as a pendulum passed harmlessly over him. "I am the chosen one!" he shouts ecstatically.
As the obstacles converge upon him from multiple directions, Zenith barreled forward, initiating a series of barrel rolls. Tucking his body into a tight ball, he deftly evaded each obstacle, rolling away with impeccable timing. "Barrel rolling through the chaos!" he shouts with exhilaration.
However, at the last moment, where his feet will touch down on over the finish line, he lost his footing and whacked his face into the solid ground.
"Ouch!!" He exclaimed, quickly getting up.
"Haha! That was part of the play." He snickered nervously.
Ten times, he is attacked, and ten times he triumphed, exploiting each move with swift thinking. Zenith, the gothic god, emerged from the gauntlet unscathed, his laughter echoing through the chasm.
"HAHAHAHA!!!"
___
Back in the lobby, Vaelin found himself in a worsening situation. Witnessing a single impressive stunt was acceptable, but encountering two back-to-back maneuvers from individuals who had never shown any athletic abilities before raised suspicion.
"Be it just me, or do somethin' feel mighty strange 'bout these folks?" Vaelin pondered to himself. "Who are they anyway?"
***