"LETSSSS GOOOOOO" Joseph said as he kneeled down and raised his 2 arms full of vigor, at a glance one could even see steam coming out from his face
"DAP ME UP BOYYY"
CLAP
"It's been a while hasn't it Grayson? I haven't seen you in ages" Reynold said with a smile while extending her hand
"Haha it really has been how have you been?" A rather calm voice, with brown eyes he looked around 180cm with a short curly coma head hair style.
"Bruh fuck those pleasantries, we should have some fun, also Francis's here to stream our game if you don't mind" Joseph said full of energy
"Wait but how would this be fair? Reynold's an Anaconda demi human, Robert's got for Forsight, and Ray's well… Imagination" Francis said with worry it wouldn't be fair
"Well we could just use VR and adjust the parameters to make it fair for everyone?"
"Nope VR doesn't do shit to my foresight"
"Same" Ray said with a nod
"It's fine, the 2 of us can just watch and become commentators"
"Bruh where's the fun in that???"
"Well do you have any ideas?" Francis said with a frown, with a skeptical expression at that moment he thought that there's nothing they could do
"Wait." Ray Grisha said as all eyes turned to him, his limpid eyes looked as if they were glowing like he found an idea.
"We can ask Kiana for help can we not?"
"And how would we—WAIT YOU FUCKING GENIUS, CALL HER RIGHT NOW"
Ring~ Ring~ Ring~ Ring~ FWOSH
[Who is it? Oh it's you guys.] With a tired voice, Gaby answered the phone, one could tell she just woke up purely from her hair being a complete mess along with the fact she was wearing emerald green pajamas.
"Gaby, can you call Kiana? We want to do badminton, but it wouldn't be fair because of well—Yeah you get what I mean" Joseph said acting all cutesy, it would've looked cute except the fact he was using his real body not avatar so…
[Hol'up I'll see if she can respond this time.] Gaby said before turning of her camera and mic, the screen was pure black for a few minutes before it turned back on.
[I don't think she can answer you right now, I'll go ask Uncle Klein instead—You called?—EEEEK, Klein… don't scare me like that] Right as she said those word, The Pillar of Deviation Klein Moretti appeared right beside her in the screen with a gentlemanly smile.
(Note: At this point of the story Kiana is currently going her 2nd training after the Mariana Trench incident)
[I see, alright, I'm gonna teleport you to you guys—] As Klein said those words the screen disappeared and then…
FSHHHHHHHHHHH
Grey fog covered the entire place and an illusory door appeared in the middle of it all as it opened, Grey fog followed suit with 3 figures. The Pillar of Deviation himself Klein Moretti, Gaby Mochizuki and—Kiana, in a wheel chair.
Her blue eyes still looked empty, her face expressionless, her neck limping to her right, she was wearing an oversized white and red hoodie, one could say everyone was silent for what felt like a while.
"…"
"I'm sure. She'd like to watch, is that fine?" Gaby finally spoke breaking the long unbearable silence and awkwardness.
"I'll censor you guys in the stream if you'd like?" Francis said as he averted his eyes from Kiana, was it out of respect or was it out how awkwardness
"Please do." Gaby's voice was soft, no other words were needed to describe her current moment.
"Right, shall I do it now?"
—Ray Grisha
"Right, shall I do it now?" Klein Moretti said as he looked at me for a moment before summoning a cane and tapping it to the ground, then reality suddenly warped, something felt wrong, to be exact it felt like a part of my mind was missing.
Like something was blocking my perception, I know I could still envision things yet it felt like I wanted to say a word but it was at the tip of my tongue.
"Done, don't think too much about it or it'll break—I'm gonna have some tea time with Bronya and the others, also Gaby, just call me if it's over. see you"
Snap
As Klein said those words and snapped, Grey fog covered the entire place before disappearing once more and there was only me, Robert, Joseph, Francis, Reynold, Grayson, Gaby and Kiana…
"Well this feels weird, I can't see nor feel my tail… my body also feels… weak, far weaker then usual." Reynold said as she was curling her hands, as if they were hers yet not hers.
"Well, there goes my foresight again just like that time in the island, well whatever let's play shall we?" Robert said with a smirk, at the same time a holographic screen appeared displaying a [0/0]
"I even brought 4 genuine rackets for this," Grayson said as he was rummaging through a rather traditional looking bagpack, after all people this age have a designated storage space where they cxan teleport things in and out at will
"Here." He said as he gave one to me, Reynold, and Robert
"Bruh none for me???" Joseph said with pouting face, using his Kafka avatar overlay it looked rather weird but somewhat fitting for Kafka's personality—except the fact he was current using his own voice
"You'll get your chances later, we'll be Grayson's warm up before he gets serious with you"
"HeH, I knew I was to good to start first, go warm your ass up first before you fight me" Joseph said with a smirk before he sat beside me and Francis.
"Right shall we now?"
—Gaby Mochizuki
"Right Shall we now?" Grayson said as he tossed his racket while also loosening his shoulders, one could hear the Crack like noise as he cracked his knuckles and neck, well he did attend the same university as us at China before we all went to our separate paths.
"Alrighttt, this shit bouta be fireeeee" Joseph said with a smile as he sat beside me while holding a bottle of sprite.
"Obviously no super human strength, no envisioning, no foresight for you lots," Grayson continued as he got into position
"Is that supposed to be a handicap?" Robert said yet he was already walking to the court, spinning his arm while testing the racket's grip. "I haven't played this without knowing where the shuttle would land in about… 50000 years?"
"Well this games about to be fun, Ray, let's hope your human body can keep up without your superhuman strength and reflexes your footwork needed more work after all" Grayson said as he patted Reynold's shoulder
"HeH, experience won't fade, even if I haven't play this in a while" She replied with a huge grin
"Let's do like the old days shall we? Ray with me," Robert said before moving into position
"Let's go." Ray said as he took his position, he was at the front, Robert on the back, on the opposite end Reynold was at the front with Grayson at the back, and as soon as Joseph counted to zero. Grayson made his move
"One… Zero."
Tak
Grayson barely moved, yet the shuttle had crossed the net without me realizing. Even with my enhanced eyesight, I couldn't follow it clearly.
The humans of this era aren't exactly the same, superhuman reflex, superhuman strength, but as a Remnant of a Noble Red, having extremely good eyesight, yet even I could barely follow the shuttle.
Tak
Ray lunged forward, then the shuttle came back flat, barely passing through the net.
Tak
Yet Reynold was already there as her hands acted like a whip as she lobbed the shuttle back.
Tak
Another shot.
Tak
And another.
Tak Tak Tak Tak
"OHHHHHH" Joseph was screaming like a fanboy, for a moment yet I could barely register his scream as I was too focused onto the match.
At one point the shuttle was travelling so fast my eyes could only see it as a small white blur, unconsciously I muttered
"Woah."
"HeH, they're experts after all" Joseph said with a smug face, his voice radiating arrogance and pride, as if saying, These are my comrades
Then out of no where, Grayson stopped one moment he was standing calmly at the back and then—BOOOMMMM
Flinch
For a second my instincts flared, gone was the Tak like sound replacing it the sound of thunder, not as loud, but it was without doubt. Thunder.
Pak
Somehow Robert, who was physically an ordinary human reacted, a desperate block one would say, the shuttle shot upward, for a moment the field was silent, then Ray jumped I thought another Thunderous Boom was about to happen yet—
Tap.
The shuttle struck the floor.
"Point." Joseph said loudly as the holographic board turned [1/0]
"Still got it huh" Ray said with a smile, at the same time a slight chuckle could be heard from Grayson.
"You're fundamentals are so rusty. Yet you're instincts are still sharp huh." he said with a big smirk.
"What?" That was all I could mutter. The entire rally had lasted 10 seconds.
—Ray Grisha
BOOOOMMMM
Grayson did a smash, even without envisioning my mind still analyzes thing in a logical manner, he was obviously holding back, it couldn't be help, he was the the badminton's consecutive champion for 50 years, while we were probably extremely rusty.
I jumped, and for a second it looked like I was about to do a smash, and truth to be told I was. Yet at the last second I looked into Grayson and Rey, it was obvious they were expecting that to happen, so it was obvious what I'd do.
Tap.
A Drop Shot (For Those who don't play Badminton, a Drop out is basically the exact opposite of a smash, a strategic, softly-hit shot from the back of the court that sends the shuttlecock steeply downward to land just barely over the net in your opponent's forecourt)
"Point." Joseph screamed as I looked at the holographic screen, it was displaying [1/0]
"Still got it huh" I said with a smirk, at the same time Grayson slightly chuckled
"You're fundamentals are so rusty. Yet you're instincts are still sharp huh." he continued with a big smirk as he played with his racket.
—
"One, five" Reynold said with a smirk, a single glance at the holographic screen and it was displaying [1/5]
Tak
This time it was Reynold who served the shuttle, whenever she served she'd always fully commit, an aggressive player.
Tak
Meanwhile Grayson was the opposite, patient, observing, adjusting, covering for any mistakes Reynold would've made and reacted
Tak Tak
Another one.
Tak Tak
And another one, she stepped forward.
Tak
Again. She'd done it again, the moment she saw the shuttle slightly above the net height, she'd attack it. Not once nor twice. Always
A Habit
Tak
On the other hand, Grayson only smiled, yet his eyes were completely focused on the shuttle. He'd been watching how Reynold played—The way she stepped forward, the way she shifted her weight to her front foot.
SMASHHHHH
Tak
The tiny movement in her shoulder before she'd commit to a Smash. It was probably something unconsciously, a habit, but every tick, every movement, it was data. All of it was Data. I adjusted—And soon, Robert too started adjusting.
Tak
Like rusted gear getting lubricated as the rally continued, our movements felt natural, familiar, as though Robert and I had done this countless times before, which we did, but that was centuries ago.
No words
No Signals
Tak
No discussions
Tak
Yet I already knew where he'd hit, and somehow—He already knew where I'd be
"Point" Joseph muttered once more, the holographic screen was now displaying [2/5]
"I almost slipppedddd…." Reynold muttered in annoyance to which Grayson only laughed, and his eyes? They looked to us with a new purpose.