[Saga] [Part 2] Let the Games Begin!

When faced with a choice to either follow orders or to do as felt right... Yumiko had never figured out which one she was supposed to pick. A tool was not supposed to have an opinion. Yet this... All of this... Felt so repulsively wrong that she couldn’t possibly accept it.

The warrior’s closed eyes twitched. Drifting in through her ears, the surrounding chatter marched inside her head like an uninvited guest. It scattered her thoughts, shook ideas loose and upturned a whole jar of suppressed feelings. Her teeth gnashed.

Gah, focusing was impossible.

Begrudgingly, the grumpy weasel peered over her shoulder, while her superiors crafted the battle plan. She didn’t understand how Anton could stay calm when surrounded by these sinister savages... Nor could she comprehend how Ryoichi fit in so well among these cruel crooks. Betrayal stung like a lash from a barbed wire whip against her chest.

Sulking like a child, the Wano woman turned her gaze away and closed her eyes again. Her chest heaved with deep breaths. She silenced every sound outside and within. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind, toxic thoughts whispered...

So they were supposed to win these criminals like some festival prizes? Welcome them to their crew as equals? And everyone would get along wonderfully... As long as they kept up the deception.

Unacceptable.

While others went to warm up and prepare, the conflicted soldier remained sitting. She glanced down at her bandaged hand. Tentatively, she flexed her fingers, forming a firm fist. ‘...’ Even her thoughts fell quiet.

Suddenly, the warrior threw a clumsy punch at the wooden wall before her. A jolt of pain shot through her hand. The wood didn’t even crack. Without so much as a wince, she withdrew her fist, silently nursing it against her chest.

Words: 300
Thread Total: 3549
Saga Total: 9866

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When the boxer stopped at the door, the swordswoman didn’t even pass him a glance. She merely clutched her wrist. “...” The murmur would’ve been inaudible even without her condition. Still, the sentiment was there. A failure like her was not worthy of neither training nor food. Her stomach, however, disagreed. Loudly.

Well... Maybe one bite...

The call to get moving came all too soon for some. Reluctant as ever, the weasel woman snuck out of her hidey hole. She joined her allies, staying at the back of the group. Doubts and worries weighed heavily on her slumped shoulders. It was a grim contrast to all the excited air around her.

Before long, the silent soldier found herself waiting for... something... at a shady entrance to the first arena. She peered inside, studying the course. It was shaped like a spiral mountain to maximize the distance in a limited space. Various traps, tricks and obstacles littered the narrow course. One mistake might send one stumbling all the way down. A bright spotlight illuminated the starting line at the base of the mountain. An identical spotlight shone at the platform marking the top.

The announcer’s voice echoed across the arena, welcoming the audience to the show. Yumiko was so engrossed in the odd arena that she completely missed the four shadows creeping right behind her...

Right until the announcer called the first of them to the starting line.

“Welcome to earth, the messenger of the heavens, Hermes!”

The startled weasel jumped high enough to bash her head, when a shadow dashed right past her. It stopped in the spotlight, revealing a lithe, handsome man. Wearing nothing more than skimpy white robes, sandals and an odd helmet, he flexed and basked in the attention. His helmet, back and both sandals had tiny wings on them. Though the ones on his back seemed to flutter occasionally...

“Good news has wings~”

Another call echoed across the arena. “More metal than man, give it up for Jack ‘Rocketman’ Liftoff!” And another shadow moved. This one marched methodically, clanking as it went. The lean man looked like a living rocket, complete with a red, conical hat and fuse going up his... Erm, nevermind. He gave the crowd a thumbs up.

“Ready for launch.”

By the third call, the weasel had calmed down enough to come from the ceiling. “Raise your voices for the banshee of the music world, Six Pestols!” The spotlight revealed a grim woman with wildly spiking hair and several sharp piercings. Her ragged outfit was all black and purple, with skull motifs. She stuck out her tongue and flipped off the audience.

“Fuck off and die, ya posers.”

The fourth call still managed to shock the sheltered foreigner. She looked like she had seen a monster. “Meet the fishman really living up to the nickname ‘greased lightning’, Kilovolt!” Slithering more than walking, a long eelman swiftly raced to the spotlight. His dark skin glistened with strange goo and occasionally crackled with blue sparks.

“Kekeke... You’re in for a shock!”

Finally, it was the stressed swordwoman’s turn. She still didn’t feel quite ready. “Known to be as brutal as she is beautiful, the queen of the fairies, Titania!” Still, she marched over to the starting line, surrounded by cheers that felt insincere. “...” She had nothing to say anyway...

Meanwhile in the audience, a short, suspicious pirate shifted his baffled stare between the last contestant and a wanted poster. “That’s Titania...? She seems... bigger in the photo...” He muttered, clearly sulking.

In the next seat, a burly man finished destroying a whole tray of corn dogs before answering. “Eh, the camera adds ten pounds, you know.” He shrugged idly.

The smaller pirate shot a venomous glare at his uncaring friend. “Right, but where’s the other hundred and forty? I was promised a beefcake, but instead I got a cocktail weiner.” He gestured at the scrawny scarecrow on the field.

Sadly, the point was lost on the big fellow. He simply flashed a cheery smile. “Ooh, I like both those things.” ...Much to the bitter dismay of his friend.

“Tch, you would, you uncultured swine.”

Back at the arena, the contestants were getting into positions. The lights dimmed, making the lit path ahead of them all the brighter. Practically hopping in her seat, the excited announcer got ready as well.

“On your marks! Get set...!”

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Thread Total: 4277
Saga Total: 10 594

Lined side by side, the five contestants waited for the fateful final word. It was more than just a simple race. The honor of their crew was on the line. As the sluggish seconds crawled by, they all hunched forward ever so slightly. More and more... Seeking even the slightest edge against the competition.

“Hold it!”

The shocked contestants promptly face-planted onto the starting line in a beautiful unison. Rubbing their faces, they scrambled back onto their feet to hear what the interruption was all about. The more foul-mouthed members were already grumbling cruel insults at the gentleman.

Yumiko averted her gaze, when the man on the magic screen corrected her name. She neither deserved nor wanted his apologies. It was just one fake name mistaken for another. Honestly, she hadn’t even noticed herself...

Speaking of not noticing things...

The weasel woman recoiled, when a sudden voice chimed from at her feet. She looked down in disbelief, half-expecting to find a talking mouse. Well, the size was close enough at least. She blinked slowly... Then rubbed her eyes... But the tiny girl still stood there.

While the other contestants narrowed their eyes, the foreigner was blissfully ignorant of the challenge they now faced. In fact, only one thought crossed her mind. ‘...’ It was another thought she would forever keep secret. Still, the gentle smile and the faint blush warming her frigid features were pretty telling.

Suddenly, Yumiko straightened her back. She shook her head vehemently to purge the distracting thoughts. Nay, the moment she mistook a pirate for anything but a threat, she had already lost. No matter how ‘...’ it looked... Gah! Nay! This was not the time to get distracted!

Tension crackled like imaginary static. The froggy announcer’s voice rang through the arena. Once again, the contestants took their spots at the starting line. Each word pushed them closer to the edge. Ready... Set...

“GO!”

A cloud of dust erupted from the explosive start. The crowd-favorite, Tiny Laugh Lane, stole the first spot right at the start. Her little legs were a mere blur as she rushed forth. Staying close second was Hermes who seemed to almost fly with his graceful leaps. ‘Mustardseed’ and Six Pestols were competing fiercely for the third spot, practically shoulder to shoulder against each other. Kilovolt was also mere steps behind.

And finally...

The ‘Rocketman’ was leisurely jogging after the main crew. However, he didn’t seem the slightest bit winded or worried. Rather, the mechanical man pulled a match from his pocket. Striking it against his rugged beard, he lit the long fuse. Sparks started flying as the flames quickly approached his behind.

Meanwhile, the first place already reached the first obstacle, as evident by the announcer’s excited squeak. “Tiny Laugh Lane takes the lead! Lookit those lil legs go! But how will she handle the sticky mud pit?” Indeed, the hurdle ahead was a large field of brown goop. Stepping into that would easily cost a careless racer their placing. And their shoes.

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Thread Total: 4777
Saga Total: 11 094

Tiny Laugh Lane came to a screeching halt mere inches away from the edge of the mud pit. Her little arms flailed as she teetered on the edge. “Woah woah woah~! I’m gonna, gonna...!” After a couple of tense seconds, she smirked playfully and bounced backwards. “...Not fall~!”

The second place followed the suit, skidding to a stop. He shuddered at the sight of filth. In the same second, the third and fourth place reached the edge as well. All silently agreed that the gap was too big for a simple leap.

Where the other contestants hesitated, Kilovolt surged onward. “Watch me swooce right in! Keeekekeke!” He dove right into the muck, slithering along like a slippery snake in a slide. His brazen tactic proved very effective and he promptly stole the lead.

Six Pestols glared at the fleeing first place and gritted her teeth. It lit a fire behind her eyes. Or a fuse... “Tch...” Her hands shot to the sides, grabbing the other two contestants by their arms. “Fuckin’ MOVE!” With a foul scream, she spun around and tossed them right into the pit. She then took a couple of steps back, as if preparing for something...

Hermes proved even lighter than his lithe frame suggested. He flew over two thirds of the way, before flipping around and landing deftly on his feet. In fact, he barely even sank, only getting his sandals stuck.

‘Mustardseed’, however, wasn’t as light and nimble. She landed on her hands and knees, narrowly avoiding a faceful of mud. ...For about two seconds, before the punk girl used her back as a springboard. Mud splashed as she sank.

Even the froggy commentator winced playfully. “Oof, Mustardseed is gonna feel that one tomorrow! Buuut on the upside, after that mud bath her skin is gonna look a~maziiing~!” The crowd laughed and cheered.

Hermes, ever quick in his movements, shed his sandals and spread his tiny wings. His leap was so explosive it could’ve been mistaken for flying. Both him and the punk landed at the same time, sharing a fiercely competitive glance.

Oh, but what about the dwarf?

Suddenly, the punk girl’s spiky hair rustled. “Thanks for the ride~!” The dwarf burst out, giggling like a maniacal jester. With her speed, she secured second place immediately. Three and four were left briefly gawking in the dust, before giving chase.

Meanwhile, in fifth place, a vaguely samurai-shaped lump was moving through the pit like a burrowing rodent. Upon reaching the other end, she slowly climbed up, utterly covered in brown goop. “...” She muttered bitterly, while wiping her face. Though her skin did glisten with healthy rejuvenation, the silver lining was lost on her.

Echoing shouts gained the weasel woman’s attention. She glanced towards the crowd, only to find a familiar face sitting alongside two less familiar ones... Wait, wasn’t that pale one...? She pulled her gaze away, focusing on the course ahead. Nay, it mattered not. Only the race mattered. Shaking the last clumps of mud from her clothing, she rushed off at renewed speed.

Still dead last, Rocketman finally reached the mud pit. He didn’t hesitate or stop. No, he jumped right in, landing with a splash. Yet the sticky goop did nothing to slow down his leisurely jog. “Beginning countdown. Ten... nine... eight...” The burning fuse was getting really close to his behind now...

The other contestants already completed a lap around the spiraling mountain and reached the next obstacle. As in any good course, the challenge kept escalating. The mountainside was lined with boxing gloves. They pistoned back and forth at blitzing speeds, delivering random mechanical punches several times a second. A single mistake would send a contestant tumbling down... Right back into the mud pit.

Well, at least it would soften the fall.

Kilovolt was first to reach the punchy blockade, but Tiny Laugh Lane was hot on his heels. He charged recklessly into the storm, weathering punches that seemed to slide right off. In stark contrast, the dwarf looked like she was dancing, as she deftly dodged each and every threat along the way.

Rounding the bend, Hermes and Six Pestols reached the obstacle at the same time. Suddenly, the punk girl grabbed her lithe competition by the neck. “Get stuffed, twink!” She yanked him between herself and the wall, wielding the poor man as a meatshield. Afterwards, she tossed the battered body aside like a used tissue. The rude tactic allowed her to catch up to the leading duo.

That only left Rocketman and...

Wait, where was ‘Mustardseed’?

Words: 760
Thread Total: 5537
Saga Total: 11 854

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Around the last bend, the finish line was approaching fast. However, right before it was the final obstacle. Steel cables crisscrossed like a messy spider web blocking the whole path. Every few seconds, crackling blue bolts crawled along the metal strands. It was the mother of all bug zappers.

The threat didn’t seem to slow down Kilovolt though. Rather, the slippery merman started buzzing with yellowish bolts of his own. “Kekeke! First place! And the atmosphere’s electric!” His slippery hide squeezed easily into the web, as the competing voltages clashed.

However, before the first place could get too far, a playful voice chimed right behind him. “Pom Pom...” He made the mistake of glancing back, only to hear the voice now coming from above. “Hammer~!” His tiny foe brought her tail down with enough force to bash him against the ground. ...And several inches into it.

Yet Tiny Laugh Lane didn’t quite get the last laugh. A yellow bolt arced into her with an electric buzz. “yEOWCH~!” For someone so small, she had quite the lungs. It sent her tumbling back, right into one of the cables. More buzzing and a slight burnt smell drifted through the air.

The crowd winced in sympathy...

Both contestants were left squirming.

“Oof, seems nobody’s coming out of this unscathed, folks!”

Meanwhile, sharp eyes peering closely at the track could pick up faint flickers followed closely by a billowing trail of dust. Yumiko’s lithe figure kept escaping briefly from sight, as she leapt and lunged forward on all fours faster than most eyes could follow. White streaks of flowing wind circled around her.

Upon reaching the punching obstacle, the weasel woman stopped for a brief second. Her shoulders heaved with a deep breath. She studied the movements keenly, reminiscent of a predator eyeing its prey. Instinctively, her hands drifted to her side, as if holding an imaginary blade...

Suddenly, the swordswoman vanished. A split second later, she reappeared on the other side of the obstacle. The pale winds flared again, as she kept running. While she couldn’t summon cutting slashes without a blade... Perhaps she didn’t need them for this one.

Even the announcer took notice, hopping excitedly in her seat. “Woah, Mustardseed took off! She’s running like the wind!” The froggy woman had no clue how right she got that.

And speaking of taking off...

In the very last place, the countdown was coming to an end. “3... 2... 1...” The jogging marine lowered his head akin to a charging bull, assuming a peculiar running position. His entire body was almost parallel to the ground, barely staying on the gangly legs. “...Blast off.”  The burning fuse vanished between his buttcheeks.

Suddenly, Rocketman started living up to his nickname in a very literal and visceral sense. His behind began spewing out a furious stream of flame. The acceleration was explosive. He shot forward at blazing speed, as his legs turned to mere blur.

The wall of fists did nothing to slow down the rushing rocket. “Ramming speed.” He simply blasted through the blows with a chorus of metallic clangs. Not even a dent on his shiny, red exterior. At this rate, he would catch up to the first place in a matter of seconds.

By now, Six Pestols had reached the electric web as well. “Bloody hell, this is gonna suck...” Gritting her teeth, she shielded her face and simply charged at it. Arcing electricity lashed at her like countless whips. She twitched... Slowed down... But simply wouldn’t stop. “Tch, you think... this... hurts me?! I’ve done worse to myself!” The Misfits cheered wildly at her fierce resolve.

‘Mustardseed’ was also gaining quickly. She came to a skidding stop barely an inch away from the web. Hesitation painted her features pale. Speed didn’t help her against this foe. While she was distracted, her ears twitched at a peculiar sound... It sounded like a burning flame accompanied by rapid tapping...

And then it hit her.

Rocketman rushed right through the electrified web, like it wasn’t even there. Sparks flashed, cables snapped, bones cracked. Six Pestols, Tiny Laugh Lane, even Kilovolt were bowled aside effortlessly. Nothing could stop the metal behemoth’s charge.

The race was over in seconds. Only after crossing the finish line, the living rocket came to a screeching halt. His legs dug two long grooves into the track. He lifted his head and raised his fist. After a stunned pause, the gawking announcer managed to call the results.

“I-it’s over! And the winner is... Mustardseed!”

Wait, what?

Shocked gasps spread across the crowd. The stands rumbled with confused murmurs... Until the announcer pointed at Rocketman’s pointy rocket hat. Or rather the limp figure stuck to it. “Yes! Mustardseed crossed the finish line first, using her competition as a booster!” Stunned silence swept across the area... Before erupting into wild cheers.

People loved a good show.

Yumiko, meanwhile, was barely conscious anymore. Blood painted her torn clothing. Her back felt like she had rolled in glass. With her last strength, she managed to pry herself free and land onto her feet. Briefly she swayed, glancing around in confusion. Huh... How very strange... Usually she would’ve collapsed by now.

Ah, there she goes.

Words: 868
Thread Total: 6405
Saga Total: 12 722

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People loved a good show. That much was obvious from the wild cheering even as the medics rushed the scene. Now that the race was over,  the wild speculations began to circle the stands. Who would the winner pick?

Doctors buzzed around the downed woman, checking breathing, pulse, all the essentials before breathing in relief. She was just out cold. It happened with athletes who pushed themselves too hard. Or got pushed too hard, in this case.

While the medics worked their magic, the other contestants were gathering their wits as well.

Six Pestols was the first up on her feet, despite getting bowled over. She spat out blood and wiped the red trickle from the corner of her mouth. “If she picks me, I’m breaking her spine. No way in hell I’m dressing like a fuckin’ forest sprite.” The mutter was accompanied by a venomous glare at the downed winner.

Tiny Laugh Lane strutted over as well, dusting her colorful outfit. “Psh, who would ever want you~?” She chimed smugly, inviting the punk’s ire. “Huh?! You wanna go, clown?” Provocation bred provocation. “Bring it on, you prickly hedgehog.” A dangerous smile played on the little jester’s lips.

Meanwhile, Kilovolt and Rocketman exchanged glances. “...Thousand beri says the dwarf beats her up.” The eelman offered idly. “Bet accepted.” The metal man nodded just as casually.

Behind them, the badly bruised pretty boy of the Centurion pirates was being carried off on a stretcher. His crew didn’t share the surrounding crowd’s cheer. Rather, they glared daggers at the punk and the entire band of misfits she represented. Like a viciously thorny rose, a grudge bloomed.

When ‘Puck’ suggested, or rather ordered a reward, ‘Cobweb’ dug into his pocket. White ceramic gleamed. Something sloshed softly. A strong stench of alcohol escaped into the air. “Well, I do happen to have one of the confiscated bottles right h-” A blur swiped past his hand.

In a blink, the bottle was gone, though not far. The doctor glanced at his now empty hand, then at the injured patient. “...How?” It was a question condensed from all the longer ones swirling in his head.

Yumiko was too busy savoring the sake to answer. Thankfully, the bottle was too small to do much else than ease the pain. She emptied the whole thing in a single swig, before slouching back with a satisfied sigh. A gentle blush of pink painted her pale features. It was just as strong as she remembered.

Once the last drops had rolled down the Wano woman’s tongue, her hazy gaze wandered onto the people around her. “...?” She asked softly. Her dazed mind was still stuck on the moments before the impact. She clearly had no clue what had just happened.

Words: 459
Thread Total: 6864
Saga Total: 13 181