Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

Orchid seems to have fainted from pain, the raptors and other mantis unable to get a blade that's running through her leg exoskeleton out of her body. It doesn't seem that she's bleeding, though she may be after the others are done trying to yank it out.

"Why not? It's kind of amusing to watch, I guess." Linoa shrugs, looking at the poster and going down the right side hall.
As the duo approaches, Crystal can hear the sounds of cheering, balls bouncing, shoes squeaking, and the occasional "OUT" call, presumably from a ref.

 

"Need any help?"
I offer.

Amused already, Crystal continues following Linoa.

 

They disperse, letting you try to pull out the blade, ideally without worsening the crack in Orchid's exoskeleton.

As Linoa opens the door to the spectating area, the sounds become louder and a dozen people on each side of a room (with a bright red dividing line) seem to be trying to bait out throws, dodge, and catch. Across so many people, it's only a matter of time before someone gets out, and the ref shouts "OUT, NUMBER 5!"

 

"Got anything to stop the bleeding once the blade is out?"
I ask, kneeling down to Orchid.

"Woah..."
Crystal says, amazed, and continuing to follow Linoa.

 

"I don't think so." Kuno says. "Didn't see any of the plant we usually use around here."

Linoa heads to and sits on a vacant bench, watching the chaos.

 

"Here,"
I say, taking out my rag and hanging them it.
"Use this."

Crystal follows, sitting next to her and watching as well.

 

Kuno takes it, glancing it over.
"Looks kinda like a fake version of the plant we use."

The teams thin out to four apiece, then the game goes on at a stalemate for quite a while, the eight players sweating hard as a whistle blows for a break.
"Four and four, we'll resume the match in ten minutes." The ref says.

 

"You're probably not far off."
I say, refocusing onto Orchid.
"Are you ready?"

"Woah... this is a lot more... intense than I thought it would be."
Crystal says to Linoa, a bit quieter than normal.

 

She's still blacked out.

"People take these things seriously. Most people just do sports for fun, but if you get good enough, you can get paid for playing on a team... paid well enough to make a living." Linoa says. "Most games of dodgeball aren't that intense, so I'm guessing this is a tournament match of some sort."

 

I grip my hands on the blade, slowly pulling it it out.

"Huh."
Crystal shifts around his eyes to check if Muffy's still on his shoulder.

 

It's wedged pretty tight. Without holding her leg down, you end up lifting Orchid's lower body as you try to just pull.

Muffy seems to be glancing at the group of people wiping the sweat off the court and moving the balls back to the middle of the court.
"Sports are kinda like alcohol. There's tons of them, and they can be addicting as hell. Both can get you killed if you overdo it."

 

I lower her body, and gently hold down her leg, slowly lifting the blade up once more.

"That's a weird way to put it..."
Pause.
"Muffy, did you see the game?"

 

You start to get it lose, but you hear a crack that Kuno shudders upon hearing.

Muffy nods.
"Sports are generally much better for you than alcohol, though!" Linoa laughs. "Soldiers don't usually have much time for sports, so we take the quick route, which tends to be bad for us."

 

I take it slower, adjusting the direction of which I pull if I feel heavier resistance.

"I'd like to think that they're better. I've heard some bad stuff about alcohol."

 

After the crack, it comes down easily but it seems the exoskeleton around her leg has split itself in half, sliding down slightly as she starts bleeding.
"I mean... the sword's out, but so is everything else." Kuno comments, mildly disturbed.

"They are. Alcohol is bad, no denying that. Sometimes you just need to break the only rules you can get away with."

 

"It's how a lot of battle wounds work. Now, wrap the cloth I gave you around her leg."
I advise, gently lifting up her leg, and tossing the blade off to the side.

"Hm."
Crystal decides to wait out the rest of the time.

 

Kuno slides the two pieces of exoskeleton together before wrapping the break with your rag.

Eventually, the players return.
"Deathmatch with four, no returns and one ball holds." The ref announces, the four remaining on each side from earlier returning to the court.
"Ready...
...
...
...
...GO!"
The mayhem immediately picks right back up.

 

"Do you think they could do something more at your palace?"
I ask, gently setting down her leg, and standing up and walking to the blade, picking it up and getting a better look at it.

"One ball holds?"
Crystal softly questions Linoa.

 

"I don't know. Especially because the rag doesn't seem to be doing much." Kuno says, pointing at the extremely bloodsoaked leg.
The sword is serrated, some edges bent out to hook on the inside of an exoskeleton and tear the mantis apart from the inside.

"See how they're not trying to hold two at a time? I think it just means they can't hold two to make blocking throws harder." Linoa says, just as one player on the left gets pelted in the elbow.
"OUT, NUMBER 17!"

 

"I heard some things about some vines and a regiment dead."