WAOA Arena

[DotSlash]

[color=bb0066] "True, but that runs the risk of people accepting the offer just to get closer to the top and shatter everything from there. Whether or not the security who would surround the slave would be adequate is also another question of note." [/color] Carmen replied, popping a few more peanuts. [color=bb0066] "It would be too many variables to risk letting everything go to shit and it probably wouldn't be worth the payoff in the long run... though I suppose that's less of a problem with certain people..." [/color] She said, nodding a bit as she looked at the golem. [color=bb0066] "As such... I wouldn't expect everyone to have a bit of cleverness to them... It's not like you can't pretend to be friendly with them to extract information from them." [/color]

[color=bb0066] "So you're a reader, huh? I probably should have guessed as much." [/color] She said, nodding a small bit. [color=bb0066] "What would usually strike your fancy, if you don't mind my asking?" [/color]

[hr]

On the second screen, Ness was shown firing off numerous rounds from an SMG, plastering the goons and soldiers to the walls, floor and even ceiling in a blue slime. She managed to subdue the 50 people she was up against, declared victorious but obviously injured, bleeding from more than a few wounds. Cuts and two bullet wounds stained her labcoat half-red as the medics came in to fix her up as good as new after the fight ended. She sighed as she walked off and exited the second Arena, leaving it open.

 

[Demonjazz]

"Well I'm fine with doing work, as long as I get some yarn. One day I might open up the Red Roof Rocking tailorship"

 

[Chungus]

"Which is why one wouldn't let do anything of great importance, offering simple task instead. Saves cost hiring people to do it. And as I said, a little motivation goes a long way in many cases. If those here would be offered to earn themselves an unfair advantage over the others, would you say all of them would decline? I very much doubt it." Solaris commented. Taking a few nuts herself, she chewed and shallowed, before continuing. "Pretend to be friendly to better your own chances? Is that what you're doing right now?" She questioned, looking from the screen after Ness' battle ended, looking to Carmen's eyes. While not being a master of reading people, Solaris knew a good amount tricks of the trade in that field. Regardless of Carmen's answer or what Solaris might find, however, she continued, looking back to the screen once more. "And I enjoy educational material, or the occasional novel."

So, that one was outnumbered by a great deal, yet choose to eliminate the enemies with non-lethal force, furthering her disadvantage because of it. That's a thing to note... Still, the fact that despite that, she still lives means she's not to be taken lightly.

 

[DotSlash]

Carmen sighed and nodded a bit. [color=bb0066] "I can't deny that... I'd probably take that offer myself were it not offered by my captors." [/color] She laughed a good bit before looking into Solaris' eyes. Her body language was relaxed and almost carefree as she was sitting with her back on the bar. Her eyes showed the same sort of feeling, seemingly uncaring about anything around her, including Solaris herself. In the short time she stared, Carmen then put on a childish pout, her eyes obviously showing she was joking. [color=bb0066] "How mean, accusing me of such a lowly tactic! All I wanted was to talk to someone new, is that so wrong?" [/color] She sighed and relaxed a bit afterward, the words coming from her fluidly and naturally. [color=bb0066] "But you being a rather rational person, I'm not inclined to care. Your suspicion's more than valid and we're enemies in the grand scheme of things. Interesting... I usually read fantasy and the like." [/color]

Looking over to the golem, she blinked. [color=bb0066] "Really...? You'd work for the people enslaving you just for yarn? ...You do realize that opening up a tailorshop in here probably won't end up going well for you either... right?" [/color]

[hr]

After a while, Ness eventually walked back in and flopped onto a couch facefirst with a tired sigh.

 

[Chungus]

"And there we have it. Someone who doesn't stop to think about things would almost be garuanteed to accept." Solaris commented, then frowned upon hearing the golem. "I have no words..." Shaking her head, she brought a small hand of peanuts to her mouth, and ate them before speaking again. "Fantasy? That doesn't interest me in the slightest. If I wished to hear fantasy, I would go out into the street and listen to people talk. A large portion of what you'll hear will be baseless fantasising. And you answered your own question, there. We're expected to fight one another, thus we're enemies, thus one shouldn't be so quick to place trust in one another." She said, then looked back to Carmen, a small smile on her face. "That is, unless you're open to an alliance."

Looking to Ness as she entered the lounge and plopped down onto the couch, Solaris looked over to her. "Congratulations on your victory."

 

[Demonjazz]

"Yarn of my choice. Plus I wouldn't open it up here. I'm also made of stone, so no need to eat or breath, or have a house, or many of those other necessities a human needs"

 

[DotSlash]

[color=bb0066] "True... but it's not as eloquently worded when it's merely gossip..." [/color] Carmen stated, popping a few more peanuts into her mouth. [color=bb0066] "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer... is how that saying goes, correct?" [/color] She chuckled a bit. [color=bb0066] "Well, that was a bit of an about-face, but I'm interested. What are your terms for this?" [/color]

Looking over to the golem, Carmen sighed a bit. [color=bb0066] "'Of your choice' really doesn't justify things... at all. You being a stone construct aside doesn't excuse the fact you're seeming eager to let the enemy violate you as much as they want. That's a bit disturbing..." [/color]

[hr]

Ness' left arm rose up a tad as she gave a thumbs up in Solaris' general direction. After a moment or two, her arm dropped back to the floor with a thump.

 

[Demonjazz]

"What are they going to do? Whip a piece of stone, oh wow, that hurts so much to the rock!" He said sarcastically

 

[Chungus]

Solaris chuckled lightly in response to Ness, before looking back to Carmen.

"That's definitely true... It's downright drivel." Solaris said with a small chuckle, tapping her heel against one of the metal legs of the stool she sat on. "Hmm. I was more thinking "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". I'm offering an alliance to make things easier on myself in the long run. That's it." She said with a straight face. After bringing a few more peanuts to her mouth, Solaris put the bowl down on the bar counter behind her, before looking back to Carmen.

"And my terms? Obviously that we not fight each other... At least in a life-or-death battle, until no other opponent remains. Nor that one works to hinder the other's climbing of the rankings otherwise. Additionally, that we can request the assistance of one another prior to battle." After explaining her terms, Solaris smiled towards Carmen, this time a little more warmly, as she extended a hand. "What do you say?"

Hearing the golem, Solaris rolled her eyes. And I thought humans were simple... This one somehow manages to be even simpler.

 

[DotSlash]

Carmen blinked blankly at the golem. [color=bb0066] "That was meant figuratively. I was saying that you seemed to be very willing to be their *****... though explosives could easily cause your interpretation of what I said to be feasible. I believe you meant to say 'that hurts the rock so much' rather than 'that hurts so much to the rock'." [/color]

Looking to Solaris, Carmen paused for a moment or two before nodding. [color=bb0066] "That's fine enough by me, just make sure that when one asks for support, it's for support, not 'do this entire fight for me'." [/color] With this, she smiled a small bit and shook Solaris' hand.

 

[Demonjazz]

"Unless they have explosives- which most people don't- I could just walk off"

 

[Chungus]

"My... I wouldn't dream of doing anything like that." Solaris responded, then stood up after shaking Carmen's hand, moving behind the bar, and picking up a clean wine glass, which she filled along with the glass she used. Sitting back down, she handed the clean glass to Carmen, before holding her own glass up. "Well, then... To our alliance. May it last."

 

[Outisakanobody]

Rex nodded and started to walk away.

 

[DotSlash]

[color=bb0066] "As long as we understand each other." [/color] Carmen said before picking up her glass and raising it up along side of Solaris. [color=bb0066] "May it last." [/color] She said simply before bringing the glass back down to her lips and taking a sip.

Ness, even though she exhausted, looked over at the two women raising their glasses and slowly turned so her face was back in the cushion of the couch. [color=666666] ....That might not be good... [/color]

 

[Chungus]

Solaris smiled for a moment longer, before taking a sip from her glass, and looking back to the Tv screen. "So. I noticed paramedics came after the battle was done to see to the wounds of the victor. Is this standard procedure?" She questioned while watching the remaining battle play out with steadily decreasing interest.

She was seemingly unaware of Ness looking towards her and Carmen as they raised her glasses.

 

[DotSlash]

[color=bb0066] "For the most part, yes." [/color] Carmen said casually as she took another swig. [color=bb0066] "If you've come out more or less unscathed, they don't even bother. If you've only injured your opponent to the point of surrender, they'll heal them as well once they finish with you, though aside from that woman over there, I've yet to see anyone not get killed when the fights have gone their full course." [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"I see..." Solaris responded initially, leaning forward on her stool, resting the elbow of her free hand on her knee, and resting her chin on her knuckles as she looked down to Ness. Then this means I don't have to rely on my healing abilities too much... And should I be seriously injured, I can just play dead until they come to collect my body. "That's nice to know." She was quiet for a brief moment, before glancing back to Carmen. "You said there are roughly fifteen combatants? Out of that number, how many are still alive?"

 

[DotSlash]

[color=bb0066] "Hmmm..... Abooooout... Fifteen." [/color] Carmen said quickly and nonchalantly, feigning thought. [color=bb0066] And let's see... [/color]

 

[Chungus]

"What...?" Solaris asked with a scowl, sitting more upright again. "You said few survive when the fighting goes all out, now you claim everyone is still alive? Isn't that the contridictary claim..."

 

[DotSlash]

[color=bb0066] "Contradictory, but true." [/color] Carmen said, chuckling a small bit at Solaris' scowl. [color=bb0066] "Do you believe in rebirth? If not, you may want to start. You saw the odd looking machine in your room, didn't you? Or perhaps you didn't go to check it out yet? Somehow, those machines can rebuild your broken, battered, and soulless body and rebuild as good as new once you're dead. Ah, speaking of being soulless...." [/color] She lowered her voice quite a bit. [color=bb0066] [small] "Where did you get all of your souls? Are you a collector of them by any chance?" [/small] [/color]