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

[allurprincess]

The first name on the list. Wasn't that... Oh no. Sora took a few seconds to spot him in the small crowd of students, and was then over to him in a flash. The one boy she'd met thus far who didn't want to take part in the game.

"Fletcher!"

[greennotgold]

"S-Sora?" He looked up at her, his face the very picture of worry. "Does--does this mean I have to hurt people? And own Weapons? I don't want to!"

[allurprincess]

She knelt by him, her head already shaking a denial. "No one can make you fight if you don't want to, okay? Ah! But..." She realised, belatedly, that this was exactly the situation they needed. He wasn't Karin, but she believed in him anyway, "There was a plan we had, before. Fletcher, do you think you could find the Weapons who don't want to fight either, and make vows with them? To keep them safe?"

[greennotgold]

"Ah--!" His eyes grew a little wider at the suggestion. If he managed to make vows with at least five of them, he wouldn't have to fight. He'd have won the round, according to the manual.

"Okay! Th-thank you!" He nodded. And then, after a moment's contemplation (since he couldn't comprehend why anyone would want to go along with this): "Um... do you want me to make a vow with you?"

[allurprincess]

Again, Sora shook her head. She was touched, but... "Tsuki's here," she said, simply, "She's a Player, and she might need my help. Even if she doesn't, I'm not someone who can choose not to fight."

Her smile was encouraging, nothing she'd said was meant badly, "If I talk to anyone who doesn't want to fight, I'll bring them to you."

[greennotgold]

That was too bad. He didn't want to see anyone fighting... But if she made that choice, it was up to her. He nodded slowly. "O-okay. Thank you! And, um, good luck."

This was a good plan. This could work. The only thing he was worried about was that he would "win" the round after vowing with five Weapons; he probably wouldn't be allowed to take on any more after that. But, well, he'd have to get to five first, and hopefully within three days.