Slayer Circuit: Virtual Mortality

A bustling metroplex in the western United States, Sol Nokia is a bastion of diversity - home to countless humans and aliens alike. The summer sun settles on the sparkling towers of the cityscape. At the heart of the city is the World Slay-Ball Federation Office. The streets surrounding the domed complex are littered with hopeful Slay-Ball champions of all ages, sizes, colors, creeds, and species. More than one match is being held, just outside. Meanwhile, the building is wrapped several times over with lines of would-be Slayers, registering their V-Braces for the competition.

Bouncing impatiently at the front of her line is a young lady in purple gear, her lavender hair tied into a pair of twin-tails. As the attendant comes to the desk and rings the bell, the girl races to the window. Before the rather blase alien man(?) can utter a single word, the girl shoves her V-Brace up to the scanner. "Blink Secora. I'm here to register for the Slayer Circuit," she says. There's a fire in her eyes as she peers into the attendant's.

The attendant stares at her flatly before blinking and slowly directing his attention to the monitor on the desk to his side. Typing away, he pulls up an electronic form. "In a bit of a hurry, huh, kid?" the alien says in a surprisingly feminine voice, belying its more masculine appearance. Though the faces of the humans behind her are overwrought with shock, Blink herself is entirely unfazed. She simply nods her head and continues to stare the attendant down. "All right. If you'll just fill out this E-Form. Then hold your V-Brace under the scanner and we'll get you registered."

Blink nods again and begins filling out line after line of the E-Form before suddenly coming to a complete halt. "Uh..."

"Is something wrong, dear?"

Blink glances back to the attendant. "I don't have my partner yet. Do I leave it blank and come fill that part out later?"

The attendant turns to Blink, folding his(?) hands on the table. "Ma'am, I'm afraid we can't register anyone without a partner already selected." At hearing this, Blink's heart sinks into her stomach and her eyes suddenly become wide as saucers. "Furthermore, this V-Brace isn't the proper type. You'll need to get a certified Slay-Model in order to register for the Circuit. Game-Models were banned last year. Once you've resolved these matters, please return to the line and we'll be happy to assist you in completing your registration. Thank you, and have a nice day."

Frozen at the desk, Blink stares vacantly at the attendant. She stiffly turns her head, gazing over the line that snakes throughout the building and wraps around outside. "B-back... in the..." Lowering her head, Blink turns herself and slowly walks away, not unlike a zombie. Once outside, she makes her way to a bench, collapsing into it with her hair over her eyes and her hands holding her head. "W-where? Am I gonna find... a team in this mess?" She cranes her neck again, looking at the absolute zoo of people, wrapped around the building. "So many..." she groans.

[ATTN: Blink Secora, Al]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	11:05 am

“Leave us alone weirdo!”

"157." A man dressed up in somewhat casual sweat soaked office clothes prowls the grounds searching for his prey. Tired and dehydrated, Al has been at it for hours looking for an opponent or a team that will accept him. “I need to find a partner.” Al frantically searches the area, pushing through the crowd looking for someone anyone new. “Maybe if I beat someone, I’ll be accepted by a team.”

He drinks the last sip from his water bottle. He looks over the crowd once more. "I need to find someone who I can...." He spots Blink and an evil grin spreads across his face. "Her, I'll challenge her. She already looks defeated." He walks toward the bench with a triumphant stride. "I got this. She's only a child. Lightning doesn't strike twice." He stops in front of the bench, pointing at Blink. "I challenge you to a round of Slay-Ball!

Blink sits on her bench, slumped over and pale as a ghost. So many people. How in the world would she find anyone to team up with in all of this? Suddenly a loud and confident voice speaks out to her. Glancing up, she sees some dorky-looking guy looming over her. She cocks her head up to meet him eye-to-eye. “Eh?” The awkward silence following this is accompanied by only the chirping of crickets. Did I… hear that right?

Did she not hear me? I'll say again, louder and more confident this time. Al laughs, "That's right! I challenge you to a round of Slay-Ball!"

Blink stares blankly at the weirdo across from her, her face dragged down in sheer disbelief at the man’s audacity. This… this is really happening. She glances down at his wrist, spotting his rickety old V-Brace. At this she arches and eyebrow. Hm? That’s a G2. He’s… challenging me with that antique? He must be pretty confident. Hm… if’s he’s willing enough to take people on with that fossil, he’s gotta be pretty good, right? Maybe if I beat him, I’ll get some team offers.

Onlookers take a gander at the scene. Some of them elbow one another and snicker. “Hey, man. Check it out,” one bystander says just out of earshot, nudging his friend.

“This guy again?” another one says. “He just doesn’t give up.”

Her mind made up, Blink stands up, crossing her arms with her own confident grin. “You seem pretty gutsy, walking up to me like that. All right, pops! You’re on!” I’m not gonna fall behind, this time. This time… I’m gonna win.

Yes, she accepted! Now all I have to do is beat this pipsqueak, and I'll have an endless supply of team offers. Its elegance is in its simplicity. "Alright kid, it's time for school."

“The name’s Blink Secora,” Blink says. She nods and holds her V-Brace up, twisting the center ring. It lights up as does his, triggering the Virtua Space Transfer. A translucent barrier spread across the area. People gather around the box arena. Looking around at the gathering spectator, Blink smirks. Her striker, a baseball bat-type weapon, materializes in her hand and points it at her opponent.

From outside of the barrier, one of the onlookers points. “Isn’t that a Game-Model?”

“Man, we knew he was pathetic, kid. But taking him on with a toy? That’s cold.”

“Maybe it’s a mercy. Look at that old clunker he’s using.”

Inside the barrier, Blink looks across the battlefield. She holds her striker over her shoulder. “So that’s your striker? It’s… just a big wall of pixels.”

"Ah, you have keen eye." Al says with a proud smirk. "But, if you think that little stick will win, you're sorely mistaken. My Pong Barrier is a state-of-the-art defensive titan." He crosses his arms victorious in his own mind.

[ATTN: OPEN/Alastair]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	11:10 am

Fast forward to not even a minute later. “KO,” the computer voice says that carries through the virtual arena. Blink stares with her face pulled down in utter disbelief as Al kneels down on all fours across from her. As the barrier collapses, the cacophonous laughter washes over the both of them. Blink’s eye twitches.

What… what just happened?

Gritting her teeth in frustration, Blink points across the field at her broken opponent. “Hey! W-w-what’s the big idea?! Did you go easy on me?!”

“Holy crap, she seriously did it! She beat the guy with a Game-Model!” one of the onlookers laughs.

“In one move, too!” another one chimes in. “Man, that’s just priceless!”

Blink’s eye twitches again. She looks around at everyone laughing. She tries to awkwardly compose herself, rubbing the back of her head with a forced grin. “Y-you were just joking, right? You wanted to help me get a team and junk, so you made me look good. That’s nice and all, but-"

“Look good?” someone interrupts, having overheard. “No way beating him would make anyone look good! He’s already lost to pretty much everyone else here!”

Blink’s face falls back into absolute disbelief as she casts another glare over the fallen man. “So... he's a moron,” she mutters to herself.

[ATTN: Blink Secora, Al]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	11:12 am

H-how? How did I lose so soundly again? After all those battles how could I still lose to children? Al looks toward his latest conqueror, tears rolling down his face. "You're Amazing!" Al picks himself up and wipes the tears from his eyes. "Out of all my defeats, this one has opened my eyes to how weak and pathetic I am." Al composes himself, straightening his posture and looking seriously at Blink.

"My name is Alistair Thorncast and I have a favor to ask of you. I have been searching for a worthy teammate and have yet to find one." Al scratches his head. "It might have something to do with the 57/0 win ratio I have. That doesn't matter, now. I need to get stronger but I need help. That leaves me with only one course of action." Al bows to Blink. "Teach me your ways... Master!" The crowd goes silent as these words leave his lips. What will she say to my humble request? Al ponders as he awaits Blinks response.

Upon this clown's praise, Blink can only stare with an annoyed look about her. That or you're just terrible. As he goes on, Blink grimaces. "Worthy? Of a complete scrublet?" she mutters. A shudder creeps up her spine as he mentions his win/loss ratio. 57... to zero? Blink steps back as he bows before her, eyes wide and mouth agape in a look of sheer dismay. "Wha-?"

"Teach me your ways... Master!"

As the crowd falls silent, Blink's surprise becomes dull irritation and she stares flatly at him. A slight breeze accents the incredibly awkward silence that fills the air. Then... "~Idiot~" she says bluntly in an alien tongue with a completely straight, unimpressed expression. Suddenly the silence is met with footfalls as Blink proceeds to walk past him without uttering a word. As she disappears, the laughter of the crowd returns.

Among those watching are several who aren't swept up in the same amusement, however. A gentleman in a red scarf watches from beneath a tree, his hands in his pockets. He appears fairly disinterested, though is accompanied by a smiling, older gentleman in a white coat. But the two of them leave soon afterwards. A small Draknul sat on a nearby bench, watching as she tinkered with her own V-Brace. But once it was all over, she joined the crowd in unanimous laughter. Off to the side is a young man with blueish hair, watching rather passively. At the back of the crowd stands a tall Kandaaki in full armor, observing intently, his arms crossed. Behind him was a young woman with glasses and snow-white hair, leaving after seeing the one combatant exit the scene.

[ATTN: Soren Chavosk, Al]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	11:13am to 12:13pm

With Blink gone Al falls into despair, visibly weeping and screaming at the top of his lungs. "Why? Why can't I find a teammate?" The crowd moves away as his crying continues. Al takes a seat on the bench sobbing like a child.

An hour later...

Al who now sits on the ground passed out holding a sign that reads, (Need teammate will work for water.) Suffering from heat exhaustion Al can barely talk. Someone from the crowd brings him a few bottles of cold water. "Thank you," Al says weakly. "Do you need a team member by any chance?"

"I just work here." says a man dressed as a groundskeeper. Defeated, Al looks down at his feet.

Is this where my dream ends? Al stands up, not yet willing to give up. No! I'll find a teammate if it's the last thing I do. Al sprints off running as fast as his tired legs will carry him. Now, where is my teammate? Al looks side to side while running, not paying attention to where he's going.

In a scene that could only be described as cartoonish Al runs head first into an alien, bouncing off of him and landing on his butt. "Ow..." Al looks up at the Armored Kundaac. Al bows on all fours in penance. "I'm sorry, please don't kill me mister alien sir!"

Soren stands firm as an oak upon being rammed into at full speed by a human, his arms crossed. Having not really been looking, he turns his head casually, glancing over his shoulder. "Hm?" he says. At roughly 210cm, the Kundaaki competitor dwarfed the man. The fact that he now had to look further down as the man had fallen at his feet only made him appear that much more imposing. Soon he turns and faces the man, bending down and picking him up before setting him down on his feet. "Kill you?" He crosses his arms back and stares at the human. What kind of gaze was he wearing? His helmet gave the impression of someone grimly serious. And his booming voice helped nothing. "Last I checked, the war ended generations ago. I got no problem with humans."

He sizes the man up. A slob, by the looks of it. Unironed clothes, unkempt hair, and apparently an unwashed body. His eye falls on the V-Brace around his wrist. "Hm. So you're the one who lost to that girl, earlier. And about fifty other people." He lowers his head in pity. "Well, it's not difficult to see why, at least." Soren prepares to leave. "A word of advice. If you're serious about competing, you probably ought to shape up."

[ATTN: Soren, Al]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	12:16pm

"S-shape up?" Stay calm be confident. He doesn't want to kill you, so you're safe. Al picks himself up looking Soren in the eye. "That's exactly what I've been trying to do. I know I'm weak when it comes to my Slay-Ball skills, but that's why I'm out here. This is the starting line after all." Al smiles and points a finger at Soren. "Instead of criticizing me you could train me, turn me into your perfect teammate."Please, please train me, you're my only hope. The sound of flies buzzing around Al can be heard.

"Oh, come on, don't be that way. What do you have to lose?" Except all of your dignity in front of this crowd. "I promise to be the best student you've ever se-"

"Aha, you're afraid of a real challenge!" Al sports an evil grin. "I don't blame you. Humans are so chaotic there's no way someone like you can train one of us effectively." I got him this time. there's no way he can refuse that challenge I got him right in the pride. Al smiles as his victory is assured.

Soren pauses and glances over his shoulder as the human speaks out to him, declaring a desire to get stronger. He turns back around, crossing his arms. Though not visible beneath his steely helmet, his eyebrow is quite convincingly arched. "Train you? If you're so intent on improving, then here is a lesson. The first step to improving is learning to heed criticism, not deny it."

As the man goes on, Soren stares at him more dimly. His expression could practically be seen in his very body language. "Hm," he sneers. "You take me for someone with nothing to lose? So you're also presumptuous. Pretty impressive. More and more you paint a picture for me of why you're in your current position. Do you know that?" He lowers his head. I have far more to lose than I'm sure you'd like to know.

The human continues on but Soren raises his head. "No," he bluntly interrupts as the man swears by his legitimacy as a student. "The Kundaaki are soldiers, not magicians. "

At the human's next assertion, Soren's eyes narrow. He allows the man to continue, ending with a smug little grin. Once it's over, Soren sighs. Suddenly the human finds himself raised several inches from the ground by his skull, which Soren has grasped firmly in one armored hand. "Do you want to rekindle the war, human? Because this is how you rekindle the war." He lifts the human to eye-level with him and brings him near. "Listen very closely. The Kundaaki are not daycare instructors. We don't teach piano lessons or arts and crafts. We teach war. Our 'training' isn't meant for humans or any equally soft race. You would die. And even if you didn't, 'a teacher's time is wasted on a fool who refuses to learn.' Doesn't look like you've learned anything from your many mistakes, today. And you clearly skipped your schoolyard lectures on the basic concept of respect. Why should I or any Kundaaki spend their time on you?"

[ATTN: Soren, Al]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	12:20pm

Once Al realizes Soren has lifted him off the ground, his face is overcome with fear, his body trembling like a frightened child. War? Oh God what did I do? No war please. As Soren brings him eye-level Al goes stiff. Maybe if I don’t move He’ll Think I’m dead. Upon being called a fool Al looks at the ground defeated. “I’m sorry. You’re the first alien I have ever met. I don’t want to start another war. You see I don’t get out much and I heard rumors that to talk to one of your kind you have to appear strong and confident or you won’t be taken seriously. Please forgive my prior foolishness.”

Al returns his gaze to Soren’s eyes more determined than cocky. “Yes, I’m a fool and maybe I’m a touch arrogant, but I can learn. I have to. If I don’t find a teammate I’ll be homeless in a few weeks. I need to win this. No, I have to win this. And If I’m to have any chance to win this thing, I need someone strong. Someone like you.” Al prays to whichever god would grant him a miracle. Please let him be my mentor, please let him be my mentor.

Soren's face falls beneath his helmet. "Human, are you trying to sell me a car?" He sighs and drops the pitiful creature before looking down on him, crossing his arms back. "What, exactly, do I stand to gain from such an arrangement, human? You're completely green, physically unremarkable, and mentoring you would only cost time that would distract from the game. This is something you should have sought out before you made up your mind to play at all." He grimaces upon catching a glance of Al's face, then turns to walk off. "I won't mentor you. It would be a lost cause... alone, anyway. But if there were others willing to assist, then... well... humans do tend to believe in miracles."


Elsewhere, Blink strolls around the block, her head down with her hands in her pockets. She kicks a can down the street as she passes by tons upon tons of people, all in groups, wearing V-Braces. Okay, I gotta think. Getting a teammate is one thing, but where am I gonna get a new V-Brace? By now anywhere that sells them is gonna be hiking up the price. I don't know anyone who'd let me borrow theirs, either. At this rate... dammit. He's gonna pass me. Again! Soon she comes to a stop at a street corner, her eyes eclipsed by a grim shadow cast by her bangs. Halfway into crossing the street, she pauses. Adder... Memories of past matches with her rival flash through her head. Every time she thought she'd caught up, he turned around and pushed ahead again. Suddenly her stupor is interrupted when a car horn sounds at her side, snapping her out of it. She awkwardly shuffles to the other side of the street before holding up her wrist and staring at her V-Brace - the same one she'd used for years in their little competition. "He wouldn't get like this. No... he's an idiot. Of course he wouldn't. He doesn't know when he's made..."

Before Blink proceeds down the street, she catches herself. Her eyes spring open with the look of an epiphany. Then she looks back at her V-Brace. "And I'm not made yet, either," she says. She proceeds to open its holo-menu, scrolling through a small list of contacts before stopping on an image of Adder. She reaches out to the call button with her free hand, hesitating briefly. Then she takes a breath and presses it.

After a brief ring, a holo-screen projects itself in front of Blink with Adder looking into it. "Heeello? Whoa! Blink?! Man, you never call! What's up? How's the Circuit treating you, so far?"

"I... wanted to talk to you about that, actually."

Adder grins wide. "Oh yeah? I actually haven't started mine yet. Still need to find a partner. Bet you're already in an awesome team, though, right?!" Blink awkwardly glances away from Adder, mildly annoyed and embarrassed. "Hey! Let's meet up in person! You can tell me all about it! I'll send ya my nav. All right? See ya soon!"

"W-what?! Wait, hold on a-!"

Click. Blink stands there, staring at the flashing nav point on her holo-screen with a stunned expression. Before long she comes to her senses and sighs before making her way towards it.

[ATTN: Soren, Al]
SOL NOKIA CITY, WSF OFFICE	12:25 pm

D-did he just agree? Al gulps. "Did you just agree to let me join your team?" Al looks towards the heavens. Thank you! Al returns his gaze to Soren. “I promise to try my best.” He says while groveling. “Thank you, for giving me this chance.”

“Pick yourself up off of the ground, human,” Soren says. “We have teammates to find. If you intend to survive this competition, you’ll need all the help you can acquire.” He continues to march off, not looking back even once. Luckily no one was around to see the interaction.

"Yes sir." Al stands at attention now with a determined look on his face. "We will become an unstopple force. We will win this thing and-"

“One more thing. While we’re looking, don’t speak to anyone. I’ll handle it.”

Al cringes and responds "Right, I won't let you down sir." Well, I guess I do talk too much. "If you need any advice about how to talk to humans I'll be happy to-"

“If anyone here needs advice on speaking to humans, it’s you,” Soren cuts in. “And I believe I just instructed you to be quiet. Or do you not want my assistance after all?” Eventually they come back to the area where the bulk of the participants are gathered. All around the area, matches are taking place between some of the younger players and competitive hopefuls.

Soren pauses at the edge of it all, towering over most of the people there and looking over the sea of heads in hopes of spotting more team candidates. “This will be interesting, to say the least.” Wherever he moves, eyes follow him. Many are intimidated, some by his stature, and some by his demeanor. One younger player nearly approaches him, but retreats before he can open his mouth. “Hm…” The seven-foot Kundaaki in full armor. Easily a desirable teammate. But also not one that many have the nerve to approach. Not only does he see to it that Al keeps his mouth shut, but he also makes sure to stay far enough ahead that no one connects the two of them. Now it’d just be a matter of figuring out who would suit their team the best, based on Soren’s own ability, and what he’d seen of Al’s… performance.

"Right, sorry. I'll shut up now." Al says while scratching the back of his head. As they arrive back in the area Al lost to Blink, Soren gives him a signal to stay back. He heeds the sign and follows from afar.  As he follows Soren he can hear people in the crowd commenting about him.

"He's still here?" someone snickers. "Didn't he give up after losing to that girl."

Dang it! They still remember. In his frustration he loses sight of Soren. Crap! He pushes through the crowd until he can see Soren once again. That was too close. Now all I need to do is not say anything. He watches Soren like a hawk until he hears a familar voice.

"Hey, good to see you're doing better." He turns to see the groundskeeper from before. He opens his mouth to respond until he catches Soren in the corner of eye, staring at him. He knows he shouldn't be rude so he decides to mouth thank you instead of saying it.

Al looks back at Soren who seems unamused and resumes following. I guess he's going to be very hard to please. While Al is thinking, a random woman wearing high heels steps on his foot. He quickly covers his mouth with his hands to silence himself before Soren can hear him.

"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you okay?" the woman says. Al responds with a thumbs up. I now need a foot doctor lovely.

Soren’s eyes roll so hard it could practically be heard. But he simply heaves an exasperated sigh and turns ahead. He proceeds to walk along, scanning the area for potential teammates. “For your sake there had best be something to those ‘miracles’ you humans believe in,” he says under his breath.

Meanwhile, Day One of the Slayer Circuit Registration period continues. All around the WSF Office, people are gathered, watching several matches take place as many players scramble to recruit or be recruited for teams. "KO," the computer voice says over the conclusion of one match, just coming to an end. A striker in the form of a yo-yo retracts to its wielder's hand - a redheaded young woman with a rather confident expression upon her face. "Winner: Scarlett Crowne." Scarlett puts her striker away and approaches her opponent as the arena space drops, extending her hand to him.

"Thanks for the match," she says with a spirited grin. "It was fun! So, that proof enough for ya?"

After shaking hands with the guy, she beams at him expectantly. He's soon joined by another couple of Slayers who huddle with him, pulling up a stat analysis of Scarlett's play history. After some mumbling between the three of them, the one who'd just fought her turns back and shakes his head with a shrug. "Sorry, we're gonna have to pass."

"Eh?" Scarlett squeaks, completely thrown for a loop.

"It's not that we think you're bad or anything!" he says, frantically waving his hands in a defensive manner.

One of his partners steps up beside him and places a hand on his shoulder. "It's just that after watching the match and seeing what you can do, we aren't really sure you're what we're looking for. You understand," she says in something of a condescending tone with a snobbish grin about her.

Scarlett narrows her eyes at the woman. "Hmm? Oh, I get it. So princess, here, is afraid I'll take her spotlight, or something, then," she says. The woman's expression changes over to utter disbelief.

"Excuse you?!"

Donning a smug expressing, Scarlett points at her with one hand, holding the other at her hip. "You're more than welcome to try and prove me wrong," she declares. "I'm always ready for a match. If you're that confident, what do you have to be afraid of? Or..." Then Scarlett directs her attention to the other two members of this team. "Are you more afraid of what they'll say if you let them speak for themselves?"

"And if you're so confident, why don't you have a team already?" Scarlett's snide demeanor suddenly evaporates. "I suppose it could be that dreadful attitude of yours. Or maybe you're just not as good as you think you are. Maybe our friend was just having an off game. Or he could have been going easy, just to test you."

"Or maybe it's because I keep running into self-important pricks like you who're only good for being roadblocks," Scarlett says. She points to the woman's partner. "And don't go dragging your 'friend' into this. He isn't the one being an arrogant, controlling ass, right now!"

"This 'arrogant, controlling ass' has a team, honey. Meaning someone certainly thinks I'm valuable. And you?"

As the two of them continue to rant at one another, they gradually step closer until they're completely in one another's faces, glaring intensely at their opposite number. The two other teammates eventually pull their girl back to prevent a non-virtual tussle. "A-anyway, we're gonna be going now. Sorry, again," the first guy says.

Scarlett backs down, crossing her arms and relaxing herself a bit. "Yeah, sure. Good luck in the qualifiers," she says, turning to leave, herself. She waves with her back to them as she walks off. "Looking forward to seein' you guys for a real match in the Circuit." Not likely, though, with a teammate as toxic is that. Guess I did dodge a bullet there but still. She sighs as she returns to searching for a potential team or teammate. Man. What a headache.


After searching through the crowd for a bit without really getting any bites, Soren decides it's time for a lunch break. With Al in tow, he makes his way towards a nearby diner. Inside is a broad assortment of colorful characters, as well as a few aliens. He takes a seat at the counter nodding for Al to sit two seats over from him as to not be conspicuous regarding their link to one another. When the waitress comes to him, she gives him a smile. A cute little human woman with bright red hair and freckles. "Well, if it ain't the Soren Chavosk," she says, getting out her datapad. "Haven't seen you 'round these parts in a while. Must've been, what, a few galactic years?"

"Much too long, Shelly," Soren says. "I will have my usual."

Shelly marks the order down on her datapad before moving over to Al, she looks the boy over. "Can't say I've seen you in here before, pard." She glances over to Soren. "You know this'un, Soren?"

As Soren's drink is brought over to him, he casually looks over. "I cannot say that I do." With that, he looks back to his drink. The mouthguard of his helmet retracts and he proceeds to sip his frosty beverage through the straw.

"Well, what'll it be, honey? Best intergalactic grub in Sol Nokia. Or, if you're feelin' less adventurous, there's always the option of a burger and fries. House special-" Shelly says, readying a spot on her datapad. Suddenly the bell at the door chimes and Shelly glances up from Al. "Welcome to the Deepspace Diner!"

In walks Blink, taken off-guard by Shelly's greeting. Though she quickly composes herself before looking around. "Blink!" a voice calls out from near the back of the diner. "Hey, Blink, over here!" It's Adder, standing at his table and waving her down with a big, friendly grin. Blink takes a breath and approaches the table to take a seat.

Soren glances over as she walks by. Hm. That girl from before. Still without a partner, it seems.

A few moments later, Adder is taking a huge chomp out of a burger and a gulp of soda with Blink sitting across from him, mildly embarrassed and staring down at her food to avoid eye contact. "So," Adder says. "How's day one of registration been treating ya?" She knew it. She knew the question was coming and yet still, hearing it out loud causes her stomach to sink a bit. She grimaces and looks to the side. But Adder actually keeps going, reaching up and rubbing the back of his head with something of an embarrassed laugh. "To tell ya the truth, I'm falling way behind already. I totally overslept and now I have to find a partner but since I was so late, everyone else without a partner was pretty much already in matches to find theirs. I wasn't able to get anybody to give me a shot." He stops as if something just occurred to him before suddenly leaning forward with an excited expression, getting up in Blink's face and making her extremely uncomfortable. "But, hey, I bet you've been super popular, right? I bet you got a partner right away, huh? Where are they?"

At that question, the faint blush drains from Blink's face and she somewhat slinks down into her seat, holding her head down. "I don't have one," she mutters.

"Hm?"

"I said I don't have a partner," Blink says aloud, firmly.

Adder stands up at his seat, his hands on the table in shock. "No way, seriously? But you're totally awesome at Slay-Ball! Who wouldn't want you as a partner?"

The luminescent blush returns and Blink frowns as if the entire next string of words is causing her actual physical pain. "Well, I was wondering if... you wanted to partner up..."

"Huh?"

Blink suddenly stands, herself, slamming her own hands down on the table and scowls at Adder. "Do you wanna be my partner?!" she asks in a rather demanding tone. She then turns her head down, bashfully looking away with the same annoyed expression. "We're supposed to be rivals... But we're both in this position. And... we know each other already so we each know how the other plays. So we could probably do really well... as partners."

Adder stares for a moment, completely stunned. But that sensation fades as a confident grin works its way onto his face. "Yeah. Yeah, let's do it!"

"R-really?" Blink says, turning to Adder in shock.

"Totally! You're right. After all, who better to push you to keep improving than your rival? That makes them the perfect teammates! We'll just constantly be striving to improve, right? So you're on!"

Blink stares for a moment, her eyes wide. Her face is then overcome with a confident smile of her own. "It's settled, then. But just so you know, I don't intend to fall behind."

"Me neither," Adder says as the two of them exchange a fist bump. There's a brief pause, then Adder promptly sits back down. "But first we should probably finish eating, right? Can't let all this awesome food go to waste, right?"

Blink sits back down and nods, picking up her own food with rather large eyes. "Well, when you put it that way," she says, taking an enormous bite and proving her own voracious appetite. As she chews, she brings a hand to her cheek, sighing in bliss and letting her alien vernacular slip out. "~So good!~"