CHAPTERONE
VIOLA - VIOLENTVIOLET
“This is a day that will go down in history!” exclaimed the announcer, her voice echoing throughout the e-sports arena, drowning out the roaring fans as they cheered, loudly screaming indecipherable words. “Violentviolet is the first female to lead a team to victory in any e-sports game’s World Championship!”
The crowd roared, moving as one living organism as they fought their way closer—to get a better view—against the fences and bodyguards.
My teammates swarmed me, squeezing my arms and shoulders and shaking me as they expressed their joy at our victory run. Everyone congratulated me and the others on our accomplishment.
I couldn’t believe it. The moment felt surreal. Somehow we’d managed to pull it off.
We were now the AltU World Champions.
It was difficult to see into the vast darkness of the seating due to the blinding flashes and bright stage lights all around us. Squinting, I could barely make out individual members of the crowd, save for the gleaming neon and white signs reflected by the lightning.
“Violentviolet?” the neon pink-haired hostess, PeachMeow, inquired, her cybernetic white cat ears perking, following with her contagious excitement and bright smile. “How does it feel to be able to lead CosmoTaro—the rookie team that many predicted would never make it to the finals but have miraculously not only beaten last year’s World Champions but also claimed the title for themselves? You’ve not only made history as the first female leader to lead her team to victory, but you’ve also made your team the first rookie team to complete the climb, coming out undefeated. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“I couldn’t have done it without my team and all the support we’ve received.” I paused, nervously grinning at my teammates as the crowd applauded. “Without them, we wouldn’t be here.”
“What inspired you to want to achieve this dream?”
“Ever since I saw LycheMe join Team Axolotl and help them win a few years ago, I’ve wanted to prove that gender doesn’t matter when it comes to being on an e-sports team, winning, or being a leader. If it hadn’t been for her and my favorite singer, Rose, I wouldn’t have had the courage to pursue my dreams and stand here in front of you all.”
“You’re a fan of LycheMe and Rose?” PeachMeow bobbed her head and giggled, her cybernetic fluffy white cat tail curled into a question mark. “Everyone knows them! They were the frontiers in their respectable craft, paving the way for others to reach for the stars in AltU. How does it feel to be able to join their ranks in breaking down barriers?”
“Honestly? It feels amazing!!”
The building wasalive with anticipation as the crowd outside waited for my team to emerge from our changing room. Even though they were outside, I could hear their noises through the thick walls. Everyone wanted to meet us, the rookie team that miraculously became world champions despite the fact that we weren’t sponsored, didn’t have a fancy gaming house or equipment, and had to pay for everything ourselves.
We were finally recognized as a force to be reckoned with, and we were able to silence our critics, those who thought we were a fluke and would choke on the world stage. A whole year of unbelievers outside AltU sending us so much hate because my team was a bunch of nobodies with nothing but ourselves and our skills to prove we, too, were worthy of competing.
None of this mattered any longer. The prize money alone was enough to cover the expenses for this season and next. If we played our cards correctly, we would be presented with a plethora of sponsors to choose from after tonight.
I just needed to get through the meet-and-greet and thank our devoted fans for their support. Knowing we had outside support who had been rooting for us to succeed and wanted to celebrate with us only added to the rush that was still coursing through my veins.
Our sweet victory gave me a high that I hoped I would be able to keep.
This was the start of something I could grow accustomed to.
I closed my eyes as I leaned over the counter and cupped the cool water, splashing it on my face. The crispness pricked my skin, but it didn’t calm my racing heart or the nerves that threatened to surface.
I despised being in the spotlight and would rather avoid it entirely if I could, but our fans deserved it just as much as we did. Regardless, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could’ve been able to log into AltU from the comfort of my own apartment, rather than on stage in nesting booths.
Sighing, I splashed my face once more before dragging my hands down my face, attempting to rub all of my nerves out.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
“Ugh!” I growled, snapping open my eyes as I reached for my vibrating phone. “Yes, I know, I know, I know. You want to update.”
When my hand touched my annoying device, the lights in the changing room went out, and a surprised screech erupted from my lips.
“What now?” I wasn’t in the mood for pranks or having to navigate the stadium alone in the dark.
Fortunately, I had my phone. All I had to do was call for assistance and then use the flashlight built into my cell phone.
My brow furrowed at the strange notification on its screen, and I squinted at the brightness in the dark. Instead of a popup message, a rainbow-colored swirl began to spin, its movement and pulses increasing with each passing second.
“What the…?”
