[PP-F24] Valentines Tournament Arc Round 3 - Finals + Final Bout (2022)

[Plot Master 0]

Quote

OOC: I will update this as it becomes required.
This is essentially a rock-paper-scissors format for the duel. You as a player are free to describe the round however you wish, but the RPS will determine who "hits" and gets a point for that round. In the interest of moving things along, other than the first (and perhaps the last) attack, you will make 2 RPS "throws" per round. It will look something like this
Round 1: Player A chooses Rock/Paper/Scissors and PMs it to Jomei. Player A then writes there post describing the start of the fight and their first attack (success unknown)
Round 2: Player B chooses Rock/Paper/Scissors and PMs it to Jomei. Baldur lets Player B know if they were successful or not. Player B then chooses Rock/Paper/Scissors again and PMs it to Jomei (success unknown). Player B then writes the post, resolving Player A's attack and the results of that clash, narrating the scoring (or tie) of the first point, as well as their counter attack.
Round 3: Player A chooses Rock/Paper/Scissors and PMs it to Jomei. Jomei lets Player A know if they were successful or not. Player A then chooses Rock/Paper/Scissors again and PMs it to Jomei (success unknown). Player A then writes the post, resolving Player B's attack and the results of that clash, narratinging the scoring (or tie) of the second point, as well as their counter attack.
Round 4: Player B chooses Rock/Paper/Scissors and PMs it to Jomei. Jomei lets Player B know if they were successful or not. This may be the final (3rd point) or it may not. If it is, player B writes the resolution of the fight based on the final point. If it is NOT the final point, then the above continues until one player has scored 3 points.

First player to score 3 points wins.

Upon scoring 3 points, please let Jomei know so that they can update the bracket. .

Both of the Final fights will happen at the same time, two separate sides of the main dojo. Once both fights are complete, another Plot Master post will be created before the start of the Championship duel. 

*Baldur, IC, is the tournament organizer, but has others helping to judge the duels, as multiple duels will be going on simultaneously. Each duel, IC, is judged by 2 people. These can be faceless NPC players from the Jacob's Ladder guild. OOC you can DM Jomei in the discord with your RPS. If both players agree on the judge, another judge may be used for the players to DM their rock/paper/scissors results to. Said judge should reach out to Jomei and make sure they understand how this should be run before agreeing.

IC, all players are wearing equipment provided by Baldur. This equipment makes the duel safe, and prevents anyone from using system enhanced abilities to deal damage. The use of a <<Training Weapon>> means that your crystal color does not change. It does not activate reflective damage, etc. All damage dealt is 0. No one will take IC damage from the duels.  Shenanigans that happen outside of the official tournament duels should take place in  another thread of your choice. Baldur's home is not within a safe zone. That said, he is wandering around keeping an eye on the matches, and may intervene if something irregular happens. Please DM Baldur/Jomei on discord if you feel something happens which he would notice and intervene.

The number 1 rule of this tournament is to have fun. Please be a good custodian of your partner's 

Final Note: As there is no Observation thread for these matches, each participant is allowed one additional "non fight related" roleplay post before and after the fight. This is to make sure we don't fall short of the 20 post minimum

Finals: 
@Lessa vs @NIGHT
@Morningstar vs @Astralin

((Permission to use @Baldur to run the tournament has been given by the player))

With the rise of the sun on a new day came the excitement and anticipation of the final rounds of the Valentines Day Tournament. Many players, either past participants who lost their matches, or those completely invested in the sport, had spent the night within Baldur's estate, utilizing the various, spare rooms he had made available for the occasion. As various faces began to emerge from the sleeping chambers, they were greeted with the wafting smells of a fresh breakfast. 

As the players indulged in the food prepared for them, the scene of the main event was prepared, just across the way. The large dojo, with two 'rings', depicted by white lines forming rectangles upon the floor. Wooden swords were set up on either side for the combatants to use, a continuation of the rules to avoid any actual injury when strikes landed. 

The crowd began to fill in the empty spaces in dojo, leaving the two spaces for the fighters wide open. Baldur moved his way into the center, extending his arms out to the side and addressing both combatants and observers. 

"Welcome all, once more, to the final rounds of the Tournament. You've all fought valiantly, and I'm proud of the show you've all put on. But.. it all comes down to this. Our four finalists, Lessa and Night... Morningstar and Astralin.. I wish all of you the best of luck, and may the best duelist win!" 

 

Fight!

 

[Morningstar 0]

Despite a tempting array of foods, Morningstar had opted to keep breakfast light this morning. He walked alongside observers and his fellow participants, returning to the dojo at last. While many players moved toward the edges of the room, he stepped into the middle. His eyes traced the hollow, white rectangle beneath him. How he had managed to fight his way to the semi-finals was a mystery to him. Perhaps it was the strength of his opponents that strengthened him. Or maybe, it was all luck.

It made no difference; he was there either way.

Shaky hands wrapped the handle of Morningstar's wooden sword. He ran his fingers gently along the smooth blade, taking short glances around the room. He heard unintelligible chatter in the crowd and noticed a few familiar faces who had stayed to watch the morning unfold. He saw the combatants to his left preparing themselves as well as Astralin directly ahead of him. He was glad to face someone he was familiar with, at the very least. The closer he approached the final round, the more nervous he became. There was nothing like a bit of early morning stress to start the day.

"Mornin'," he called out to his opponent, "sleep well?"

Spoiler

Morningstar | Lv. 28 | HP: 560/560 | EN: 89/89 | DMG: 20 | ACC: 4 | MIT: 66 | EVA: 1 | 2 BLD | 1 PAR

Gear:

• Meteor | Perfect Two-Handed Straight Sword
  +2 BLD
  +1 PAR
• In Noctem | Perfect Light Armor
  +36 MIT
  +1 EVA
• Lexa's Light | Perfect Trinket
  +3 ACC

Skills:

• Straight Sword | Rank 5 | Precision | Stamina | Ferocity
  +9 DMG
  +1 ACC
  -2 ENG per attack
• Light Armor | Rank 5 | Meticulous
  +30 MIT
  -2 Stealth
  +1 DMG
• Searching | Rank 5 | Night Vision | Detect
  +5 LD
  +5 Stealth Detection
• Survival | Rank 1
  +10% to healing effects
  +Immunity to environmental effects
• Charge | Rank 1
  +5 DMG (when activated)
  -1 ACC (when activated)
  +2*tier ENG cost to activate
• Energist | Rank 1
  +15 ENG

Combat Mastery:

• Damage
  +9 DMG

Combat Shift:

• TECH Specialist
  +4 to multipliers
  +3 to ENG cost

@Astralin

[NIGHT 0]

there was a sleepover? night wasn't aware of it. but neither was it right for her to have joined in the festivities. so she declined the breakfast served when she arrived. picked up one of the training blades, and refused to let go.

it wasn't the competition nerves that got to her today. the base of her palm dug into her neck, constant, trying to fight the urge to choke. jumpy, anxious -- a tremble showed even when she stood up from her seat on the floor, pushing herself off the tatami. she near stumbled trying to get to the battlefield. the crowd looked different today, and that was probably for the better, for she felt a little better from it.

between night and lessa, the player would've betted against herself. be it age or guild superiority, she knew not to underestimate an opponent she recognized as a personal ally. it fed into the instinct of her wanting to run; certainly, even if it wasn't the whole truth.

rational night simply wanted to get the fight over with. the entire tournament, if possible. knowing it came into conflict of being in a tournament was the hard part. her body wasn't going to give up there and then.

it's okay. her mind was tricky. she could do this.

when she was ready, the player gave a nod to her opponent, pairing it with a frown of determination. night had to steel herself. there was no bravado in winning, but no shame in losing either.

"lessa," she greeted, before slipping into a combat stance, holding out her sword with a single hand. a sigh passed through her lips as she tried to relieve the shakes out of her system.

"... i've got your win. so come take it from me. from one member of the tarot to another -- it's like it's on a silver platter, isn't it?"

@Lessa

| NIGHT  | Lv. 139 >> P. 107, Lv. 32  | Status: did you know cats, at full speeds, can run up to 48km/h? Spoiler NIGHT | HP: 1060/1060 | EN: 144/144 | DMG: 13 lmk if i need any other stats. i got lazy. oops.

 

Edited February 23, 2023 by NIGHT

[Astralin 0]

  The day had come. It was time for the semifinals and the finals to occur. Astralin had managed to get this far, and it looked like there were only two fights she had to win if she were to win this. Her opponent for the semifinals was Morningstar. She didn't know him all that well, nor did she know if he'd be the sort to pick her out if he ended up winning the tournament instead. So, Astralin brought her mind into focus, she would be going along with the plan she'd been attempting thus far. The only question was who to ask if she did end up winning this thing. As far as she knew, she was also the only player in the tournament with the Martial Arts skill...

     With her handwraps on, Astralin looked towards her opponent for the match. Victory or defeat, earn the right to choose or become susceptible to be chosen, as Yona might put it. If anything, this was a test of strength, or skill, as would be more accurate in this situation. Astralin knew that she, herself, wasn't strong in the slightest. Morningstar called out to Astralin with a casual greeting. A smirk would form on Astralin's expression. "You could say that." She began. "Now then, let's give the crowd a good match, shall we?"

With that, she readied herself, and when it was called out for the fights to begin, she would advance towards her opponent. Seeing that she was moving first, she had to keep this attack difficult to predict. Due to this, she would try three false strikes before making an attempt to rush to his side and make a real strike against her opponent with a swift chop.

@Morningstar

 

Stats and equipment:

Spoiler

Level: 32

Paragon Level: 9

Paragon Rewards:

Lv. 5 - Laurel Wreath (Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread)

 

Battle Stats:

HP: 660

Energy: 84

Base Damage: 23(MA Rank 5[7], CM: DMG[12], MA Ferocity[2], Athletics[1])

Mitigation: 20(Cloth Armor Rank 5)

Accuracy: 3(Amulet of Aknossoth, Zero Degree Chill)

Evasion: 2(Nebula Librae)

Loot Die: 0

 

Additional conditions:

[None Yet]

 

Equipment:

[T3] Zero Degree Chill(Freeze, Accuracy)

[T4]Nebula Librae(2 EVA, 1 REC)

[T3]Amulet of Aknossoth(2 ACC, 1 REC)

 

Consumables:

(3) Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP)

Teleport Crystal x1

 

 

Skills:

Martial Arts Rank 5(30 SP)

Combat Mastery: Damage(13 SP)

Cloth Armor Rank 5(30 SP)

Quick Change(8 SP)

 

Extra Skills:

First Aid Rank 5(30 SP)

 

 

Mods:

Athletics(4 SP)

Energize(5 SP)

Barrier(6 SP)

 

Addons:

Martial Arts Ferocity(6 SP)

Martial Arts Stamina(4 SP)

Nimble(6 SP)

Field Medic(6 SP)

 

[Morningstar 0]

Unexpectedly, Astralin advanced first.

She did not appear strong. She was much smaller than Morningstar and yet it was her who advanced first. He wondered if, perhaps, that was where his nervousness stemmed from; her confidence.

It was not long before Astralin had closed in on him. Her stance told him that she intended to strike toward his center. There was a delay in Morningstar's defense but he managed to bring his sword up in time to deflect the first stab. The second came just as quickly as the first, followed by a third that nearly caught him off guard. Then, when he thought he was in the clear, the girl dashed to his side, swiping his hip.

Morningstar took a step back. He'd not realized it until then, but he had been holding his breath that entire time. He exhaled, wiping his forehead.

"Nice hit."

He dug his feet into the ground. Without giving Astralin a chance to respond, he shot forward, the tip of his blade directed at her chest.

Morningstar: 0/3
Astralin: 1/3

@Astralin

[Astralin 0]

           To say that Astralin had the time to respond to Morningstar's remark would be a lie, for he took action before Astralin could speak, attempting a thrust towards her chest...which, was definitely not the kind of place you'd want to stab a girl.

      Astralin acted on defensive instinct, clasping her hands together in a quick movement and catching her opponent's training weapon, stopping it dead in its tracks. Astralin's shocked expression in that moment would transition into an adrenaline-filled smile, and she'd chuckle as she suddenly tugged, then pulled at Morningstar's training weapon as a means to swing him to her right and toss him a few meters by letting go of the weapon as soon as he was lifted off the ground. She would then close in on her opponent and unleash a well timed karate chop for the moment said opponent got back up on his feet.

         "You're not bad yourself, you almost got me a few seconds ago." Astralin remarked. "I'm not going too hard on you, am I? Ehehehe~"

Once she'd added that, she'd give him two seconds before attempting yet another strike, this time towards his torso.

@Morningstar

    Astralin: 2/3

    Morningstar: 0/3

Edited June 15, 2023 by Astralin

[Morningstar 0]

He was careless. His sword was caught rather than deflected. Eyebrows raised, Morningstar averted his gaze, tossing a puzzled look to Baldur. He questioned whether it counted as a point but before he could speak up, he found himself stumbling backward. He cursed under his breath, trying to find his balance.

Astralin's sword neared his waist and Morningstar was powerless against it. He beckoned his arm to move but it was too late. The wooden blade stung as it met his oblique.

There was a part of him that was angry. With himself, of course, not at the girl. He was capable of victory and threw it away. The stronger part of him felt content, however. Astralin had won fairly and deserved it entirely. Morningstar caught himself before he could fall to the ground.

"Well played. You caught me off guard," He smiled.

He looked to Baldur, giving the man a bow, before turning back to Astralin. "Let's do this again someday."

Morningstar 0/3
Astralin: 3/3

@Astralin

[Lessa 1]

꧁༺Lessa༻꧂   Lessa, Guardian of Aincrad Level: 31 Paragon Level: 54 HP: 820/820 EN: 120/120 Stats: Damage: 28 Mitigation: 142 Accuracy: 4 Battle Healing: 45 H.M.: 8 HLY: 8 REC: 8 THRNS: 72 Equipped Gear: Weapon: Arcael's Might (T4 THSS - DMG DMG DMG HLY) Armor: Empress Armor (T4 HA - HM HM THNS THNS) Misc: Neutron Star Necklace (T4 TRINKET - ACC ACC REC REC) Skills: Straight Sword R5 Heavy Armor R5 Battle Healing R5 Energist Fighting Spirit Charge Active Mods: Impetus Emergency Recovery Justified Riposte Addons: Iron Skin Ferocity Stamina Active Extra Skills: Parry Survival Battle Ready Inventory: Teleportation Crystal x5 Mass HP Recovery Crystal x2 Housing Buffs: Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down) Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Col Stash: +5% bonus col from monster kills and treasure chests Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1] Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Guild Hall Buffs: Helping Hand: Lowest-leveled guild member receives +10 bonus Exp at the end of the thread. At least half of the thread's participants must be guild members. Limit one use per month, per character. [1/1]

Fingers worrying the starched fabric of her fight attire, Lessa watched NIGHT approach. To her, the woman appeared so put-together - but that had always been the case. The dark-haired beauty had always seemed to carry herself with a certain... assuredness? It wasn't confidence, exactly, but it also wasn't ease. It certainly wasn't apathy, as Lessa recognized within NIGHT the same spark she often felt herself. But something in how her company-mate operated worked to calm Lessa's nerves. NIGHT knew what she was doing. NIGHT had the situation under control.

NIGHT is absolutely going to mop the floor with you.

Maybe the corner of Lessa's smile dipped a bit as she greeted NIGHT with a nod, and maybe she tried make wiping her sweaty palm on her pants super casual. When NIGHT spoke, the blonde's stomach flip-flopped uncomfortably. "I don't want it to be like that," she replied dumbly, instinct bringing her free hand to the nape of her neck where her fingers probed the permanent knot there. "No silver platters or anything. Let's just see where it goes, yeah?"

Since that sounded incredibly stupid, she blew out a hard breath, sending her blonde bangs flying. "I'm bad at this," Lessa stated. "At PvP, but mostly at PvP with people I care about. I've had to do it a lot, and it hasn't gotten any easier. Last round was..." An involuntary shudder ran through her, so she let the words hang for a few seconds. Then, "Maybe we can just try to make this fun?"

[NIGHT 0]

no silver platters – well, night wasn't exactly offering on the basis of their relationship between leader and follower. between the lines, it had meant to be a forfeit, the way the player wasn't exactly feeling up to sparring, choosing to abscond if she possibly could. her eyes shifted to the side, away from lessa to scan the crowd. it wasn't possible for night to be so honest with everyone else watching. so how could lessa do it?

"let's just see where it goes, yeah?"

the thought about allowing fates to guide them, being out of control of the outcome again was terrifying. she let that happen earlier, once, just yesterday. it felt scary. it made night want to shrivel up a little more, thinking about it. if she picked to lose, it would be much easier. to fake a defeat with a perceivable outcome felt reliable.

night would remain quiet as they stood in contrast, tense, two participants upon the tatami.

lessa had been bold, straightforward, even if she had been fretting; if she was fraying at the seams, night couldn't tell. a fidget here and there only signaled to her the usual nerves that came with competition. the player decided from before that she was blind to everything else.

so it was shocking for her to observe where that honesty lead her opponent. dithering, almost in parallel with the premise that night was choosing to hold back. lessa mentioned that fighting with people she cared about – was honest with – wasn't easy. and night swallowed that relatability, trying to pretend it didn't exist.

part way through the silence thereafter, night was convinced of a simple fact, while holding her breath: she was going to choke if she didn't rescind her motive. so she exhaled, still worrying, still buzzing underneath her (artificial) skin.

maybe that was the error, being unwilling to try when her partnering party was. even if they were both bad at this.

"maybe we can just try to make this fun?"

all nerves, no bite. night trusted lessa, so long as they wouldn't mind their shaking. she adjusted her grip on the sword, lowering the angle of her head as her gaze rested back on her opponent, her friend. "okay. okay."

night forced her breathing to slow. and incidentally, the side of her mouth started to shift upwards, realizing the strange gravity behind her question thereafter. a laugh came out suppressed, like a scoff.

"what would be considered fun, then?"

the player approached lessa, her steps unhurried. night's swings weren't difficult to block, nor parry. there was force behind them, sure, but night was certain in the way she reeled in her strength. in a way, it was like feeling up her opponent, trying to get a better grasp of who lessa was within their trades, a few curious glances of their blades. to the audience, maybe it wasn't much of a show.

to night, this was the most entertaining thing right now: a distraction.

just two girls playing with their swords.

she wasn't intending to chase lessa around the arena without cause, however, so she finally looked up from their brief exchange, locking their practice weapons after a short moment. "show me your definition of fun," night returned with a subconscious smile, "and i'll match your pace."

---

tied.
n: 0 | l: 0

[Lessa 1]

Was NIGHT playing with her? The other woman's attacks lacked the flair that Lessa had expected from someone so adept at swordplay. Lessa could hold her own, sure, but NIGHT had accomplished feats on the fighting ground that Lessa couldn't come close to. So why, then, did each strike feel more like a kiss than a bite? Frustration bubbled in Lessa's gut, a purely emotional response to her guildmate's apparent taunting. Her wooden blade slipped along NIGHT's with a sound strangely reminiscent of a beast's warning growl, and the Guardian inhaled sharply. She was making a lot of assumptions about someone she knew, trusted, and cared about.

As if to emphasize the point, NIGHT's weapon found Lessa's unprotected shoulder. The blonde winced, though less from pain, and more out of frustration at her own stupidity. Who cares if NIGHT is pulling her punches? Lessa's more logical side demanded. While it was a tiny voice, and came around quite infrequently, it occasionally rose above the constant din of her unbridled emotions. You're turning this into something it isn't, all for the sake of-

What, exactly? What did Lessa have to gain from psychoanalyzing NIGHT from the get-go? Why was that still her default whenever she interacted with someone else - even her closest friends?

Automatically, Lessa rolled her shoulder, then shifted the practice weapon from one damp hand to the other. "My definition of fun involves wine coolers and Nic Cage movies," she finally replied, letting a small smile quirk her lips. "But since I haven't been able to indulge in that for a very long time, my backup plan would just be to not sweat this fight. Maybe even catch up a bit. We haven't really talked in a while."

Before she knew what was happening, she'd added, "That's my bad." But the words were true, weren't they? Hadn't Lessa withdrawn from the world, from her friends, from her life in general? Messages going unanswered, meetings missed, promises broken? "I'm sorry."

---

n: 1 | l: 0

[NIGHT 0]

if lessa's vice was a drink, night's own was her thoughts, and the constant feeling of sinking, drowning, dreaming. so they didn't match, not really. but it was still lovely to hear, she thought, and had wanted to say.

"we haven't," night finally mentioned, a little late to the moment. aincrad didn't uphold the concept of lag, wasn't meant to, hence it benefitted when its players' spaciness accounted in its stead. she did try to stay within the present, doing her best to parry. but between the amount of words she had to say, she was starting to get lost in their arrangement. there was 'there's no need to apologize', and 'i think i should've checked in on you and the rest of our friends more so we're even', and 'come to think of it, i did reach out once and never heard from you; it's not your fault, but are you alright?'

instead of on lessa's face, night's gaze was on the swords. distraction. she was listening to the sounds of their clashing blades – tap, tap, tap...

tap. on night's side.

and suddenly night realized her slowness to generate a response.

"... i don't think i should be hearing a sorry from... you right now."

she withdrew, swords disconnected, pulling back from close quarters to preparing for another set of strikes. a shake of her head, and a release of a moderated breath, expelling what she could of her inner anguish. fun. she was supposed to keep things light and fun.

 

small talk, to night, was artificial; not that it had little meaning, but she hadn't been able to figure out how to be good at it. her body only stiffened from the break. repeated in her mind was 'wine coolers and Nic Cage movies'.

"i haven't seen," the player returned, now attempting to be on the offensive. it wasn't her all, nor was it a hidden strategy – but she wasn't comfortable with just holding back for the moment. "i'm not exactly a movie buff. and i know drinks aren't exactly a staple in here, either. you know, for fun, i'm usually at home trying to relax from the day to day grind. there's not much to do, but i savour it."

"and back out there, i'm playing games like these, except not with a headset, and not caring if my health drops to zero."

their blades met once again. night looked up from their crossing, doing her best to remember which conversation was the better to focus upon. "do you think we'll ever get movies in here? we've gotten songs, after all. maybe if we made a flip book large enough to hold hd images."

---

n: 1 | l: 1

[Lessa 1]

Their blades slid apart, and Lessa's gaze shifted to her opponent's face. Despite the lighthearted conversation, NIGHT performed with the same strength and precision that Lessa might have expected from a serious duel. It was an odd juxtaposition, the small talk that played between them as they clashed once more. It wasn't altogether uncomfortable, but it was far from familiar. That's not a bad thing, a small voice mused. Foreign didn't necessarily mean bad. Something something comfort zones, something something, personal growth, right? She'd have sworn that her doctor's office had a poster along those lines in its waiting room.

Leaning into that thought, the blonde feigned another frontal attack. At the last second, she dipped her left shoulder, and rolled her entire body in the same direction. Much like a boxer avoiding a punch, she dodged NIGHT's sword, and pressed her own gently against the woman's thigh. A hard exhalation was as close as she came to a victory cry before she shifted back into a ready stance. The fighting came more easily - perhaps the conversation could as well.

"Games like these," Lessa echoed, giving a ruefully shake of her head. "Man, I used to be such a gamer. Mostly first-person shooters. I guess I can be grateful I didn't end up in Call of Duty Online or something. That would be horrible. But I'd probably be better at it, all things considered."

Remembering NIGHT's last point, Lessa hummed thoughtfully. "I figure we will," she answered, "given enough time in here. Or maybe we'll find a movie theater floor. I could go for that."

---

n: 1 | l: 2

[NIGHT 0]

she felt that contact. it came like a splash of cold water to the face.

not that night was out of the woods just yet. in fact, the moment she'd shifted her focus back to that conversation of ease, she'd felt herself slipping. it was easier, just slightly, to abandon her thoughts and go on the attack -- just to hold her own, long enough as she did earlier. all she really needed was to put on a show, and lose.

everything else would be incidental.

not that her heart was anywhere at the moment. when they drew apart, night's gaze was shaky, but just as well did her body remember her own movements. a twirl of her sword, the base of her thumb searching, finding its grip on the blade again. the forearm she'd placed ahead of herself -- external, separated.

necessary.

"an fps player," she reconsidered, shifting back into a ready stance. "that makes sense."

given the shift in perspective, even for the average player who was a veteran in other titles, they'd have a difficult time making the switch if they were used to an external point of view. that was the case in most games, for various reasons -- most of them rationalized by the fidelity they would prove not to want to have. but games kept improving, from the hardware running higher definition models, to the textures generated by one program or another.

if it'd been a while, lessa could operate in the abstract, possibly alone. night thought she needed a shot caller.

maybe the disassociation was working out.

she dove into the heat of things again, past the tentative steps of their circling. this time, she went low, almost as if to defend herself from a potential swing from lessa, similar to the one that had caught her off-guard. from there, she built up -- focusing more on speed than on force.

if she wanted to survive, she had to look for an opening.

"you ever been in one of those lobbies before?" night started, past the first few crossings and jumping back, ready to parry instead, if lessa followed through on the advance. "i figure that the bile in call of duty would've spilled over to other games, but that can't be everyone's experience. was it yours?"

and then a curve ball question struck her.

"do you think, if we ever got a movie theatre in our floors, we'd be able to stream our perspectives to each other on the big screen?"

---

n: 1 | l: 2