Fortitude: Round 3 Start

[mamarosa]

The morning after the sleepover, Dolorosa is quick to get all of the Conquest students out the door to save them the wrath of Day and Santana. She gives her students a little more time but still hurries them so she can start the assembly on time. She didn't want her school to be in any disadvantage.

Some may notice that her ever present smile is a bit wider today, as she stands behind the podium, two prefects in tow. That's right, two prefects. Lelouch has reached prefect status and stands besides the ever cool Nanami. Dolorosa is eager to begin her speech.

"Welcome, my students. Last time we were here we suffered a gracious defeat, but I am happy to announce that this is not the case this round. We have obtained victory over Round 2, and I would like to say that I am proud of you all. You all fought wonderfully and no matter if you won or lost your match, Fortitude came out on top."

"If this were Conquest, or I a different troll, I would urge you to keep winning, to keep defeating Conquest, but we are not them and I am not different. Instead I would like to extend a congratulations for this round, and hope you try your hardest next round. Win or lose we can show that we are a cohesive school, here for more than just battle. I am proud of all of you, and just as we were gracious losers, I expect you all to be gracious winners as well."

"I'm sure you have all noticed the extra Raks you have obtained for winning the round, I hope you treat yourseld to something nice. Without further ado I will announce the battles that occurred this round."

Behind her, the battle records appear.

She starts with the Fortitude battles, "I am always proud when there is little fighting within our school, but I do encourage competition, so I would like to congratulate Dahlia for defeating Yuri, and Yuri for defeating Oichi." she applauds a bit.

Next up, the interschool battle, "For those who fought Conquest and won, I would like to congratulate Dave for defeating Marik, England for defeating Suzaku, Dave for defeating Suzaku, Oichi for defeating Suzaku, Dave for defeating Estonia, Marisa for defeating Nephenee, Dave for defeating Gino, and Yuri for defeating Gino." She applauds again.

"My last congratulations go to Dave, Marisa, and Oichi for winning the roung and helping Fortitude achieve victory!" And some more applauding.

The screen behind her changes again, "This round's Players are...

"Rebecca Harcourt
Dahlia Hawthorne
Shion
Lelouch vi Britannia
Madoka Kaname
Karkat Vantas
Kamui"

"Fight well everyone, I'm proud of you!"

Comments

[mamarosa]

Neither is life, my child, and sadly neither is death.

[cmonstepitup]

And without any warning whatsoever, a Sonic approaches. "Not a Player this round either, huh? Nobody I know's one this time. A few of 'em seem like they just want to get six Weapons and not battle."

[fabricates]

Vriska wasn't planning on getting chatted up. And when she noticed it was that rodent... thing or whatever he was called, well, to be honest there was some intense side-eyeing going on here.

"I know one of them, but he's useless a fighter. He'd probably do that pacifist bullshit. What's the point? If you're a player, fight. It's not that hard to undestand, even for the smallest of thinkpans."

[savedbyasong]

It matters because they are using such a set up to make some people better than others. [He tries to meet her eyes] They try to spread inequality, and to make us fight for that.

[savedbyasong]

"Thank you. We will." He was determined, it would be okay and he would be able to get through this again.

[savedbyasong]

"Oh, if you need a player I would be happy to vow with you." He looked down and shook his head, "I'm afraid I am not very good at fighting, but I would give you all the rights that they have taken from you."

[nephentes_rajah]

[ Red meets red and she laughs. ] All this before you, and you are concerned with things being equal? That's the wrong spirit to have.

[honkhonkwoof]

Gamzee struggles not to groan. Was everyone weak?

He's starting to feel agitated -- nervous, though; and he doesn't know if he'll find anyone else willing to give him all his rights so quickly. "Motherfuck. Fine, aite, but I'm hopin' you can at least get five other weapons." It's a resigned sigh.

[savedbyasong]

Yes I am [He looks down again] What would be the right spirit to have?

[savedbyasong]

"I have one other already, and if you find anyone you would rather be with I will be happy to transfer you, or lose you to them if they are in Conquest." He smiled again.

"I Shion do promise you Gamzee that I will protect you to the best of my abilities whilst you are my weapon and I am your player. I vow to do my best, and to give you all the rights you deserve." He waited for the sign to appear on the trolls hand.

[honkhonkwoof]

It flickers on as Gamzee gives a short nod, and he glares down at it half-heartedly. "Well, looks like that's motherfucking settled." He thinks rather vaguely it'd be better not to get himself bothered over it. He had his rights. He flicks his unimpressed gaze back to Shion.

"Try to find some other motherfuckin' weapons, aite? I'm all havin' my upgrades so find someone to fight."

[nephentes_rajah]

[ Yuuka does not bother to hide her smile. If he does not resist, she'll hook a finger under the boy's chin to pull his face up to look at her directly. ] First off, no one really gets hurt, right? No one dies~. [ She easily contains her disappointment for the time being. ]

So... think of it as the sport it is, and find within yourself the spirit of competition. [ A wag of her finger. ] Just don't be too sportsmanlike. That's no fun at all. You don't think everyone on the other side is going to be merciful, do you?

[savedbyasong]

Shion had taken a piece of paper and wrote a note of permissions, he handed it over and nodded. "I will..." He didn't want to, but he didn't have a choice.

[savedbyasong]

[Shion meets her eyes when she forced his chin up.] But shouldn't we working together, to stop this and get everyone home. [The way he saw it forcing them to fight each other was cruel, and unnecessary.]

[nephentes_rajah]

[ Not moving away, her expression is soft like she's explaining how the world works to a child far younger than he looked. ] But how will you accomplish anything without strength? Without growth. You're no better than a...
...a...

[ Huh. That's odd. She feels like she could come up with a better analogy here, and yet it eludes her grasp.

The thought is gone as quickly as it came, along with her perplexed expression. ] A caged bird. One that yearns for freedom but lacks the power to free itself.

[savedbyasong]

[Shion frowned, it sounded like something Nezumi would say, a caged bird, a petri-dish city brat, they were all ways of saying that he didn't understand. That he still didn't grasp the real world.

He did not have strength, he could not fight. He wished to help people and yet had no means to. A caged bird indeed. Yet, he knew it was foolish, a dream that could never exist in the real world. But he wished a world where all were equal, he could not bring himself to agree with this system, that forced inequality on people.]

There has to be ways to accomplishing things without separation and inequality...

[nephentes_rajah]

[ Yuuka peers at him critically, tired of that naive way of thinking already. ] Let me cut to the chase. Are you a Weapon this "round", or a Player? If you won't fight, I doubt you're much use as either, but you could at least be a little entertaining in the meantime.

[honkhonkwoof]

He takes the note, folding it and shoving it deep in his pocket. "Motherfucking better." And as long as Shion says nothing else, he'll turn on his heel and simply leave.

[knightime]

i have to find my friends first
im not vowing to anyone without them
you might have seen them
one is kind of derpy with messy hair
wears glasses
wait they both wear glasses
they also kind of act and look the same
or something
id give you names
but i forgot them
again

Hmm. It wouldn't be bad to help her out. At worst, he'd bother her about transferring them to someone who fought. But he also wouldn't want to get separated from them. Not that it matters. They're all Weapons this round.

[koyo]

( Rebecca and Shion were two of his students. Dahlia had been one of his weapons before in the past. Lelouch was his room mate. And he recognized Madoka's name but couldn't quite recall a face at the moment. That left the last two names.

Karkat Vantas and Kamui. What strange names.

Well, those two will be fine! For now, Spain will try to look for the ones that he knew first.

Unless one of the other two really need him. )

[traces]

He wouldn't vow to anyone without his friends? Which just meant more Weapons for her. "All right, then! How about we look for them together?"

[unbridledfangs]

[As Dolorosa begins calling out the names, Kamui dispassionately looks on from where he stands, not entirely sure why he's present at this meeting when there seems to be no purpose. He does actively twitch, however, when she calls out his name on this list of supposed "players." Exactly what does that entail?

When the speech is over and he still has questions, he decides it's best to ask immediately, and so he turns to the person closest to him. In this case? Spain.]

What are the duties of a player?

[koyo]

Hm? Are you new? ( Spain has never seen this person before so he must be. ) Well, you fight. You have to find people who aren't players and ally with them.

. . . And you should give them their rights too.

[unbridledfangs]

[There's a single blink as he considers this information, before mentally shrugging. If that's what it takes to blend in, so be it.]

Are you one of these "people who aren't players"?

[koyo]

Hm? Yes, this round, I'm a weapon again.

( A pause, )

And you're a new player, I assume?