Ren frowned. If this was some sort of elaborate prank, Jasper would be on the receiving end of it. He responded normally, "Yes, Stella and Cora were with me and Jasper. We walked them to the Academic Garden's gates before we left for our own dormitories. What's going on?"<br/><br/>******<br/><br/>Vanessa swallowed the last of the bread and frowned thoughtfully, "I don't know I think they are open the same time as the canteen." She pointed at the loaf in Stella's hand, "You should not eat all of that if you're squeamish. You may lose it during the tasks."<br/><br/>When Stella was done, Vanessa brought her up to the task area. It was only up here where natural light managed to reach the corridors. At the atrium to the "rooms" there were two doors, one door read "IN" and the other "OUT".<br/><br/>"Obviously we'll take the correct one." Vanessa led the way through the "IN" door. "The queue is shorter now because we have missed the morning rush. Everyone but us are at lunch." She grinned. The corridor's left wall was swapped for glass which revealed a large room, completely white and with a tinted window where she though the scientists looked on.<br/><br/>A female voice crooned. "Welcome Rose and Abeque. The room is ready for your participation. Who would go first?"<br/><br/>Vanessa turned to Stella, "I'll go first... Don't judge me okay?" She walked past the open door which hissed as though inviting an old friend.<br/><br/>"Very well. Vanessa Rose. What task would you like to complete today?" Two holographic words appeared 'Live', 'AI'.<br/><br/>"I'll take AI."<br/><br/>"I'm sorry but your current participation level only allows you to take live targets. Vanessa Rose Prepare." Vanessa turned to Stella with a smile, trying to tell her that she always tried to take AI even though it was not possible. She turned to face the the wall opposite as a door hissed open, and a burly man entered the chamber. "Marco Wells, prepare." The wall behind the man stated a single crime, drug trafficking. After a pause, the voice came again, "Vanessa Rose, are you ready?"<br/><br/>"I guess...?" She hoped that Rose would not make too much of a mess. not just because she could not stand blood on her suit but also not to scare her first friend in months away.<br/><br/>"Marco Wells, are you ready?"<br/><br/>"What do you think?" The criminal snorted sarcastically.<br/><br/>"Interpreting vague answer as affirmative-"<br/><br/>"Wait. Wait! No! I meant NO. NO! YOU HEAR ME?"<br/><br/>"Let the test begin."<br/><br/>Neither of them moved, unwilling to initiate a fight. And then Marco charged, flinging a blast of air as he moved forward. Vanessa stumbled and was struck down by a punch. Marco stood over her, unbelieving that he managed to even land a hit and then a thought struck him,<span style="font-style: italic">what if he killed the girl? Would he go free for aiding science?</span>He grabbed her collar and punched her again and again.<br/><br/>Vanessa could feel the world rattling around her. Why was Rose not taking over? What is happening?!<span style="font-style: italic">Ready to let me do what I want? Or do you still want to keep a good record with that... Stella girl?</span>What? Don't be stupid! Help me!<span style="font-style: italic">You have neglected my needs even though I am the one who protects you. I demand an apology!</span>"Alright! Alright! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Vanessa coughed.<br/><br/>Marco paused, the gears in his brain turning slowly and then a hand grabbed his face, almost lovingly, "Good. That was what I wanted to hear. LET THE FUN BEGIN!" Rose broke out of the man's grip and flipped him onto his back, her eyes glowed orange dimly. She dropped onto his body, straddling him as she rolled up her sleeves and grinned as she dragged her nails on the underside of her forearms, drawing a thin line of blood on each hand. The blood leaped and danced before piercing the man's chest for a second before he kicked her off.<br/><br/>"What the hell?"<br/><br/>Rose bounded forward, blood sprouting into twin-blades in her hand as she tore holes in the man's limbs. over and over again.<br/><br/>******<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Six billion dead. The world is in complete disarray. Nuclear meltdowns all over the world and natural vegetation reduced by sixty-six percent. If only humanity in 20-" The LCD screen blinked off. The lady dressed in a digi-camo attire exchanged an automatic pistol for the dusty remote control and pulled back the rack. She slung an SMG over her shoulder and kicked the steel door off its hinges off the ledge which was once part of a corridor and down the ruined structure she had called home. <br/><br/>The air was tainted with columns of dirt as APCs and other military personal patrolled the streets below. She pulled a pair of goggles over her eyes and began leaping from ledge to ledge, building to building, rappelling and grappling up and down structures nimbly and silently, without stepping on a false ledge. Night fell and she was close to ground level once again, munching on a half-eaten cookie she had grabbed off a table in a ruined apartment. The dirt-covered wrapper stated in greenish-yellow and red ink "S-bway  Eat F-e-h". She grinned at the strange marketing logo and muttered what she though the words read, "Subway... Eat flesh...? That's wrong. So wrong."<br/><br/>Up ahead, on the roof of a two storied building was her destination, it was a machine which could allow her to reverse the change to the world. And she was going to get past the guards and activate it.</span><br/><br/>******<br/><br/>"Sir?"<br/><br/>"What is it don't tell me that bloody vandal managed to escape-"<br/><br/>"No, its some readings that we have found near the van, the other van."<br/><br/>"What? What are you talking about? There is only one van. And don't bother me until we have found the suspect."<br/><br/>The junior officer plugged a USB device into the screen, and the photo which flickered on did not tally with the earlier reports. There were two Anti-skill vans. One in the mall and the other was parked on the streets. What is going on? "This is probably a prank, get someone on this case, it seems like the Esper prank last year."<br/><br/>******<br/><br/>Ming activated a trio of security bots. The suspect was in this cluster of alleyways and it was difficult to navigate and plan without good communication skills. Cylindrical, metallic robots the size of a waste paper basket thrummed to life and began combing the alleyway.<br/><br/>Minutes later he received a positive scan and moved in with five more Anti-skill with him.<br/><br/>"Freeze lady! Freeze!" He ordered when he finally found her, he raised a reinforced shield and crouched behind it. "You have been suspected of vandalism and abuse of ESP abilities. Place your hands behind your head and do not move. We have security bots all over this place. Do not move!"<br/><br/>[Security bots, a way of reducing human error and injury in crimes, armed with a stunning equipment, they aid the law enforcement forces of Tetrapolis.]