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AKUJI DESPERATELY NEEDED TO reunite with Akane and Arisu wanted to find Usagi, so the decision was automatically made: they would search for them.
They hadn't travelled that far across the city and even though they had stopped multiple times, Akuji still felt tired. She would get petrified if she felt even the smallest itch in her throat, let alone cough. Because of this, she was practically overjoyed when she saw a game up ahead, hoping that her friends would be there.
"Let's try here." Arisu suggested as he pointed to a blimp in the sky – the Queen of Spades. "Let's see if any of our friends have registered."
Akuji nodded in agreement, following after him as he led the way into the game. It was on some sort of machinery site. It was tall and open with multiple levels, the floor of each one being only a bit of bouncy metal. It definitely had lots of opportunities to climb. The two had to take an elevator to reach the top, where the game lobby was. And what they saw caused them both to gasp.
Usagi.
She had a ten year old kid with her. Upon overhearing a conversation where a particularly cruel man told Usagi he would 'do what he had to' if the kid slowed him down, Arisu said loudly, getting her attention, "Usagi has what it takes to win."
She turned, shocked. Gasping softly, her eyes widened and happy tears pricked in them. She took a step toward her friends, as if unsure that they were real, before running toward them and pulling them into hugs.
"I knew you'd still be alive." Usagi told them.
"Barely." Akuji replied, worrying now about her physical strength versus a Spades game.
Usagi pulled back, looking at her with concern, "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, but the games have really taken a toll on me. I don't know if I'll be able to play this one." Akuji said, not telling her the details so that she didn't worry.
"We searched everywhere for you." Arisu told Usagi, a relieved grin on his face, "But I knew you'd try a physical game. All that's left is the Queen of Spades and the King."
"So, who's this?" Akuji asked, pointing to the child that was with her friend.
"This is Kota. His visa runs out today." Usagi informed her friends, and the kid smiled and waved rather cutely. "I figured that I could help him in a Spade game."
Before anyone could reply, a bright light turned on, illuminating the entire lobby. Akuji turned away, hands over her eyes, because it hurt. It seemed like nobody else had this problem, though, so she forced herself to look at the screen that had caused the intense light like everybody else.
"Game, Checkmate. Today, the Queen team will face off against you, the Challenger Team." A computer over a PA said.
"Welcome, Challenger Team. Welcome to the arena of beautiful bodies in motion." The screen changed from a blank white one to show a faceless woman, obscured by shadows. "I am the Queen of Spades. The Queen team is made up of four members, including myself. Your Challenger Team has 16 members. Each team will have a King. Don't worry, I'll choose. The Queen Team's King is me. Now, I'm looking for a good Challenger King. Who's it gonna be? Oh, I choose him."
And with that, the screen changed to show Kota. The boy took in a gasp, pure terror running through him. Without even thinking, Akuji placed a protective hand on his shoulders.
Then, the screen changed to show an animation as the announcer told everyone the rules, "The teams will alternate taking turns for a total of sixteen rounds. During the Queen Team's turn, the players will chase the Challenger Team's players. If the button on a player's back is pressed, the button's light will turn from blue to red – the Queen Team's colour. That player not move for the remainder of that round. Starting on the following round, that player will now be considered a member of the Queen Team. The King, however, is not allowed to change teams. The opposite will occur during the Challenger Team's turns. Each turn will last no more than five minutes. After the end of 16 alternating rounds, the team with the most members wins. The members of the losing team, including the King, will all die."
Most of the people were either perfect pictures of terror or perfect pictures of will power.
One woman shook her head, "What is this? It seems like chess, or shogi, more like. If you get tagged when they push your button, you're captured by the enemy team. You switch sides; you fight for them now. That's how it works."
Fear ran through Akuji's veins, both filling her with dread and adrenaline. Surely she couldn't do this. She struggled with walking for a long time, let alone running! In fact, she wanted to turn and run out of the arena now, but she knew she would die if she did so. The only thing that would ensure she would survive was her determination.
