Humans are unnerving 4

Humans are unnerving 4

Part 3

My eyes focused on the screens where you selected your VR equipment, and I walked over to it.

I selected a medium human VR suit, gloves and size ten shoes, while Reica selected her gear.

She seemed to be avoiding my gaze, and I was worried.

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"Reica. Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Wha-What? Of course not! C'mon, let's start," she exclaimed as her equipment slid out a chute next to her screen, neatly folded.

"I'm fine." She smiled, but it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than me. I didn't push the issue any further, so I just smiled as well before grabbing my own gear.

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I began putting on my own VR equipment, taking a quick glance at Reica.

"You ready?" I asked, and she gave me a subtle nod.

"Alright, let's start." I opened my UI, pressing the start button. Reica and I instantly loaded onto a hill, with sloping valleys and forests as far as our eyes could see-although our area of movement was limited to our room.

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I quickly bought my weapon-a pulse SMG. Reica had bought a charge pistol, cheap but still reliable for early waves.

ROUND ONE. The announcer boomed in Universal Galactic Eleven, and I crouched down, letting a large patch of tall grass hide me.

I could hear the clomping of enemy robot soldiers in the distance, and I held my breath, waiting for them to get closer.

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It had been a while since I had last played-several months, to be exact, since I was busy with work and all, and I was eager to see if my skill was still as good as before.

The enemies were closer now, and I sprang up, firing at them.

There were only two robots, their mechanical bodies twitching as they got riddled with bullets.

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I waited for the enemies to get closer, lying flat on the ground, keeping my tail low. I was thankful for my light brown fur for providing some camouflage, although the same couldn't be said for Alan.

Speaking of Alan, he was crouched down in some tall grass, facing the opposite direction from me. He had bought a pulse SMG, using up almost all the credits the game gave you at the start.

Was it an impulsive decision? Or did he actually have some skill with that thing?

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I'd have to see. Suddenly, I heard Alan shooting, and I quickly turned around, only for the announcer to speak.

ROUND TWO. I blinked. Alan had taken care of the threat that easily? I turned back around, focusing.

There were ten rounds in total, and on Ramp Up, early rounds were nothing. It was in the later rounds that you had to be especially alert.

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I aimed my charge pistol around before spotting three enemies. They had seen me as well, however, and they were faster.

I managed to take out one before the other two shot me in the shoulder and chest, sending me stumbling back. My VR suit tightened, and I panicked momentarily, taking cover.

"Need help?" Alan said from behind me, and I jumped. There was an eerie look of excitement on his face, and I could feel my tail stiffening.

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"Yeah, I could use some." I squeaked, and Alan took my hand.

"Hold on-I'm getting you out of here." He hissed, ducking down as pulse beams whizzed over his head.

Alan gently helped me up and sat me down, and I could feel my body getting tingly again.

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"I got this. I think." Alan rushed over and began firing, finishing off the enemies before the announcer spoke again.

ROUND THREE. Alan rushed back to me, opening his UI.

"You might want to buy a better gun now," he said, and moments later, Alan pulled out a pulse rifle, buying and putting on several attachments.

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I fumbled with my own UI and bought a charge rifle-stronger, but slower than Alan's pulse rifle.

I bought some simple attachments-a silencer and holoscope. I looked up to see that Alan had fully decked out his gun with a holoscope as well, a reinforced stock, extended plasma magazines, the works.

Returning to my original position, I began scanning the woods, waiting for enemies to rush out of them. I spotted one, firing at them. Their metallic body fell to the ground with a heavy thud before disintegrating.

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I could hear Alan shooting repeatedly-more opponents were spawning on his side of the hill.

Still, I stayed on my side, trusting Alan to have it under control.

More robots rushed out, and I fired slowly at them, and it was a good thing I did-otherwise, I wouldn't have heard Alan yelling.

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"NEED HELP REICA?" He shouted.

"I'M FINE!" I yelled back.

ROUND FOUR.

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Robots were rushing out faster now, and I could see some variants among them.

Variants? On round four? I realized that the game's difficulty must have increased because instead of just me, Alan was playing too.

"Watch out for the variants!" I yelled before I started shooting, targeting dashers-dangerously fast bots armed with close-range weapons.

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"It's alright, we got this!" Alan yelled back, all the while firing wildly.

I smiled before moving on from the dashers to the average variants, the heavy ones slowly lumbering towards me.

This was going to be a great game.## TLDR Summary:

"You might want to buy a better gun now," he said, and moments later, Alan pulled out a pulse rifle, buying and putting on several attachments. I could hear the clomping of enemy robot soldiers in the distance, and I held my breath, waiting for them to get closer. He had bought a pulse SMG, using up almost all the credits the game gave you at the start. Reica and I instantly loaded onto a hill, with sloping valleys and forests as far as our eyes could see-although our area of movement was limited to our room. *

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Robots were rushing out faster now, and I could see some variants among them. I looked up to see that Alan had fully decked out his gun with a holoscope as well, a reinforced stock, extended plasma magazines, the works. Alan rushed over and began firing, finishing off the enemies before the announcer spoke again.