Chapter .1

The time was past noon of the last day of school. In an eleventh-grade class a brown-haired and eyed teen looked over his test answers, he glanced to some of the students near him. Some were also looking over their answers and the other already turned theirs in.

As he turned in his work the teen looked over to the desk next to him. There sat a girl with long red hair and light brown eyes that had a bland stare as she typed in the air with her right hand.

The girl looked over to her desk neighbor and smiled. The teen groaned and waved his hand down to close his running programs.

A message appeared is the teens sight, he pressed it as a list of the name of his classmates. He scanned it and found his name.

Vincent Slater: Second.

Vincent spotted the name above his.

Catharine Yaman: First.

Vincent grabbed the sides of his desk and pulled on it, trying to rip it off as he glanced to the girl next to him.

"That's a surprise. Good to see you are taking your studies seriously Catharine." The teacher smiled to the girl as everyone clapped for her.

"Thank you everyone. Thank you." Catharine waved her hand nervously as two other girls sitting near her got up to talk to Catharine.

Vincent grinded his teeth as he stared at the clock in the corner of his vision, watching it for it to hit three.

"Hey better luck next time, right?" One of the girls patted Vincent on the back.

"Don't, touch me…"

"What?"

The bell rang and Vincent shoot up for his deck and ran out the door. As he got into the hall Vincent slowed to a walk and punched the as he reached the stairs. The stairs were packed with students trying to leave for the summer. When it began to clear up he walked down the stairs and went to the gymnasium.

The gymnasium was empty as he headed for the locker room. Opening his Vincent pulled out his fencing practice sword and gear. When Vincent finished putting it on other students poured in.

"Hey Vin. You got here fast."

"Don't call me that! I told you all that repeatedly!" Vincent stormed out of the locker room, shoving students out of the way.

Vincent spent the next few minutes swinging his sword, waiting for the others to get ready. The other students can out of the locker room as the couch came in.

"Okay everyone gathered up." The students gathered around the coach while Vincent hung on the outside of the crowded. "So, summer is here but the doesn't mean we're free. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday we still have practice."

The students signed and groaned. "It's only for a couple hours and you all knew what you were getting into when you took fencing. Now let's get on with some fight, but first the captain for next year. Rikkie!" Everyone cheered and gathered a student with light blond hair.

"What!" As the others separated Vincent went to the coach. "Coach, can I talk to you?"

"Vincent- "

"I'm the best on the team. I beat everyone here, Parker several times. I was the one who got up to the championships. Why am I not the captain?"

"Vincent. You're a good fencer, you keep it up and you'll go far. However, a captain is not the strongest or the smartest but someone who can use the talents of their teammates. You're not really a people person Vin."

Vincent tightened his fists as he went to the other students while putting on his protective mask. His opponent stood before him and they both held up their swords. The fencer came at Vincent with a stab for the chest.

Vincent waved his sword over his shoulder and swung hard to knock the sword out of his opponent's hand then thrusted his blade into their mask. The student fell back and tried to pull off his mask, other students went to help while Vincent throw his sword down and walked to the benches.

As he sat down he saw a girl with long dark hair on the high seats watching him. She looked away as he looked at her.

After practice Vincent changed into his street clothes and was on his way out of the school grounds when spotted three girls by the gates, one of them was Catharine.

Catharine pointed to her friends as she stepped back and walked to Vincent. "Hello Vin."

Vincent went to walk around but Catharine. "Get out of my way."

"Is that how you talk to a lady?" Catharine smiled as she ran her hand through her hair.

Vincent took a step forward. "You don't study, you party every weekend, you sleep in class, and yet, and yet! You got top marks in class? How?"

"You ever think I'm just that smart?"

"No one is that smart. Now get out of my way."

Vincent stepped aside to get around Catharine who stood in his way again. "Now hold on. I have a question. What are your plans for the summer?"

"None of your business."

"So, nothing. Well I have something that'll change your life." Catharine dug into her satchel and pulled out a cord. "Plug this into your neuro-link." Vincent just glared at Catharine. "What's wrong? Never connected with a girl before?" Catharine asked with a grin.

Vincent grabbed an end of the cord and connected it to his neuro-link with his eyes leaving Catharine's as she connected the other end into her own. "So, what do you want?"

Catharine waved her finger as she worked on her interface. "Relax, it'll be worth the wait." A progress bar appeared in Vincent's view, as it slowly filling up Vincent searched his setting to see if anything was changing or being taken away when he saw a program titled 'Brian Burst'.

When the program finally finished a massage appear in its place. "Welcome to brain burst!" Vincent pulled the cord out of his neuro-link. "So, what is this?"

"You know that coffee place everyone goes too?"

"No. I don't drink coffee."

Catharine rolled her eyes. "Then meet me here tomorrow and I'll tell you everything about it. For now, have a good sleep and turn off your linker when you walk here, okay?" Vincent just walked away.

…

Vincent walked down the street, he pasted an apartment building. People gathered around, trying to get into an elevator. Vincent looked to the empty stairs and stopped. "Hey! You all know the stairs is open, right?"

The people started to yell at Vincent to mine his own business as he walked away. "Lazy bastards." Vincent started searching the internet as he walked when some aids came up, so many that they blocked his sight.

"Parasites!" Vincent shut off his neuro-linker. "This damn world could burst into flames and all I'd say is 'about time'." Vincent arrived at his house, when he opened the door and stepped inside a girl with a ponytail of brown hair and brown eyes jumped at Vincent and hugged him. "Hey Elizabeth. How was school?"

"Great bro! I got top of my grade!" Elizabeth let go of Vincent. "Really Vincent. Thank you for helping all month. I never would have gotten it without your help!"

"That's great, just great." Vincent smiled as he spoke through clinched teeth.

"Mom! Vincent's home!" Elizabeth dragged Vincent into the living room where their parents were working. When their son came in the two waved their hands to clear their view.

"Hello hun." Their mother stood up to greet them. "How was school?"

"How did you do on the final test? Get the top again?" Asked their father.

"Yeah. Top of my class, and made captain of the fencing team for when school starts again."

"Please don't remind me." Elizabeth groaned.

"It's something we all have to go back to sis."

"For me maybe. You only have one year left. I have to start high school."

"You'll me fine Liz. Your brother made it this far so I know you'll make it." Elizabeth and her father laughed.

Vincent grinded his teeth lightly. "I'm ah, I'll be in my room for a bit call me when dinner's ready." Vincent entered his room and fell on his bed. The room had an old-fashioned style to it, there were two shelfs filled with old books, a desk with a computer connected to two monitors. In the corner was a bag with practice swords next to a closet with clothes.

Vincent closed his eyes then dived into the house net to enter his private space. The space was a blank white with endless manikins with a rack of weapons.

Vincent grabbed a battle axe and began cutting down manikins. When he knocked down the fourth one Vincent looked over the sea of endless manikins. He dropped the axe and disconnected. Back in the real-world Vincent sat and slammed his fist into his pillow.

"I still don't feel any better."

"Vin!" Shouted his mother from behind the door. "Dinner's almost done, come help your sister set up."

Vincent signed and got up to leave.

! #$%^&*()_+}{"?

So, a new story. This time in am anime, not a game! Let's see where this goes. Please review it keeps us writers going, and I need it more than ever. Till next time CG out. PEACE!