ROUND -1

[utopiamods]

This morning, the marks of ownership disappear from the bodies of every Weapon who was owned during the previous round. The woman from the introductory video appears on the Exaclan video screens across campus, and on all of the computer screens as well.

She doesn't look very happy.

"My, you weren't very enthusiastic this time, were you?" she says, frowning and waving one finger in disappointment. "That's no good. If you don't fight, you can't earn Tokens to buy your powers or your memories back! If you don't even have those, imagine how hard it'll be to earn Legend Fragments!"

She smiles; the shift from her previous expression is sudden and startling. "You know, if you hear the legend, you just might learn a few things!

"We didn't want to do this, but it looks like we're going to have to. Okay! From now on, Players, you can only go three days without fighting. After that, we'll start taking away one Token a day. And you want your Tokens, don't you?" She smiles even more widely, as though she has no idea why anyone might be upset at being forced into such a situation. "To get you all started, we've given you some free tokens! You already had three each, you know, and we've added seven more. That means you all have ten tokens, so visit a booth and get spending."

She pauses, and then snaps her fingers, "Ah, but only Players can do that, so if any of your Weapons want to buy something, you should do it for them, okay?

"I know you can do it! Believe in yourselves and each other, and you'll achieve utopia!

"Now, here are the Players for this round!"

The screen goes blank, and the following appears:

PLAYERS FOR ROUND -1:
Fletcher Tringham
Kevin Smith
Mei Chang
Meryl Silverburgh
Oichi
Suzaku Kururugi
Tsuki Aoi

Comments

[imperceptible]

"How?" Kevin questioned, folding his arms across his chest and giving her an annoyed look. "The only way to win tokens is by fighting and the only people who can fight are those "jerks" you mentioned earlier. Weapons don't count for much in this place." As the words came out, there was a quality of distaste to them.

Truth be told, Kevin didn't care much for the system either but the rules had been set for him and he was being forced to play along. Like a really, really bad game of tennis.

[pinwheeling]

"Well, I—Okay, maybe I haven't thought this through all the way yet, but genius plans take time! Give me a week… no, give me a few days, and you'll see." The punch turned into a pointing finger, and then into a broad, sweeping gesticulation. "Systems always have a loophole, kid! You've just gotta be brave enough to find 'em, and to use them."

Yuffie glanced at the kid's glove, and, after a pause, set her hands on her hips. "But, anyway. It's only the super jerks in charge who say that the weapons don't count for much. A smart player'll know better."

[imperceptible]

"Don't call me kid." The reply was automatic and something of a growl. What was it with people and calling him that? He wasn't a kid anymore, hadn't been for a long time actually. Not mentally anyway. He'd matured past that point a long time ago.

Or, at least he thought he had. While he was definitely far more mature for his age than most, he still had some immature tendencies. One of them being his temper that was flaring up at this girl. Seriously, she was making this a lot harder than it had to be.

"I'm just telling you how things work around here. Look, find a loophole if you want but wouldn't it be better to do it while going with the system instead of against it? You won't be so... obvious that way." He added, struggling for an appropriate word that would (hopefully) appease Yuffie.

[pinwheeling]

"What else am I gonna call you, when I don't know your name?" Yuffie said, unruffled. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized that she could've just asked, but it was too late now. Besides, she'd never been one for tact. "Pipsqueak? Brat? What is your name, anyway?"

… Oh. So that was what he was up to. It should've been obvious, but Yuffie had been far too busy stirring up her own righteous fury to notice. "You want me to be your weapon, huh."

[imperceptible]

Screw it. He was done playing nice with her.

"Kevin Smith, and yeah. The fastest way to get your memories back is by winning tokens and getting these." At those words, Kevin reached into his shirt and pulled out a long, silver chain with a small pendant dangling off of it. "Since I want my memories back ASAP, that means I need a weapon to beat all the other players with. So either make up your mind or let me find someone who's tired of having gaps in their head too."