Versus (Parts I and II)

Chapter 7- Second Stage

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Whir.

"Good morning, Miss Calista Medley. It is now 11:15 in the morning of September 15th, 2349 in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. You have a pending message from... Fistborn Academy... which arrived at 1:00 AM on September 15th, 2349. What would you like for breakfast?"

Calista got out of her capsule and her slippers appeared around her feet. Her hair smoothed into its perfect cascade. "Low-fat strawberry pancakes with butter-flavored maple syrup."

"I'm preparing your meal right now. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yeah, make it a vanilla-berry latte with weight-therapy cream."

"Very well."

For some reason, she felt like something was... off.

There was something about her daily routine that wasn't normal. She frowned at the strange feeling of confusion in her stomach as she teleported downstairs. She now wore her at-home one-piece white suit and foundation with light eyeshadow, nothing else.

As she ate her pancakes, she sighed, conflicted. Something was strange. Something was... wrong.

Did AIDA say there was a message?

"Um, AIDA?"

"Yes, Calista?"

"What was that you said? About a message from who?"

"You received a message from Fistborn Academy today at 2:00 AM."

She froze, her fork clattering onto her plate before falling into her lap. The AIDA teleported it two seconds too late, leaving her white pants stained.

"Wh- ho- ahem. Um... what is the message about?" She swallowed.

The stain slowly disappeared from Calista's fabric as AIDA spoke. "Your application to Fistborn Academy has been processed and submitted into the second stage of the Versus Fighting Career application. Your written exam date has been set for September 18th, 2349 at 9:00 AM and your practical exam date has been set for September 20th, 2349 at 11:00 AM. The interview and verbal exam have been omitted due to the unusual circumstance of this late application-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down." She held up her hand. Her confusion was now giving way to utter bafflement. "What are you talking about?"

"Your application to Fistborn Academy."

"App- what? Application?" She stood, her eyes to the ceiling. "No... AIDA, I applied for a scholarship. For NYWS? That's the application."

"According to my database in your scheduled events, you also applied for the extra spot in Fistborn Academy, which opened up on September 10th."

"What?! When?!"

"September 10th, 2349, 2:55 PM. Location: Medley Residence, House #356 South, Residential District. Code RESDIS-3445."

"Yeah, I applied for the scholarship, not the fighting school. That's... you probably have an error or something."

"That could be possible. Please wait a moment for me to self-evaluate."

Calista slowly sank back into her chair, picking up her fork as she tried to eat again. It was probably a bug. Nothing to it. Nothing to worry about.

"Self-evaluation complete. Errors have been repaired. You have applied to Fistborn Academy, Calista."

She stood, once again abandoning her breakfast. "But that doesn't make any sense, AIDA! That..." She raked a hand through her black locks with heavy anxiety. "I applied for a scholarship. It was for the Socializer school!"