---------LEGEND---------
PLAYER/USERNAME
Alexander/AlexFae
Amber/Davina
Grace/Lasair
Xia/Genevieve
-------------------------------

December, 2044

The Maritime Cup was approaching, Xia and the others had dedicated themselves body and soul to completing as many quests as possible and squeezing the dungeons down to the last EXP they could give. They hadn't had much luck and beyond the Mythical Sword of the Ancient Knights of Lenivara they didn't find any other ultra-rare items, but they increased several levels: AlexFae reached the twenty-second level, Lasair and Xia reached the seventeenth and Davina was almost there to catch up with them, at the fourteenth level.

They had become a close-knit team, Xia was convinced that if they didn't win the tournament it wouldn't be because of coordination problems between them but rather because of the lack of levels, still only one month until the start of the tournament and the maximum level that a player could reach was 100. AlexFae had said that level meant nothing, that what mattered was team coordination and skill, but in all honesty Xia found it difficult to imagine a situation where a very skilled team of low-level players was able to win against the raw stats of a single player with a level so high that are able to kill them in a single shot.

"What are you thinking about?" AlexFae asked Xia, breaking her out of her ruminations.

“Huh?”

“You keep your tail stiff and your ears are pulled back.”

“Ah”, stupid video game with its stupid races, “I'm thinking about the time it took us to reach our current levels and how much time do we have left for the championship. How much further could we level up before the Maritime Cup starts?”

“I don't know, if I left you here and went on to World Level 2 I could probably do five more levels, except you couldn't follow me since you haven't reached the minimum level for ascension yet.”

“I see…”

“But it must be said that there are not many players in the world with a level above 80”, AlexFae was trying to be optimistic, she wasn't succeeding very well since the expression on her face and movements of the tail implied that she too had doubts about their hopes of success, "certainly most of our opponents will be around the fiftieth level, more reachable than those who will be at the top of the food pyramid of this tournament."

“There's only one possible solution to really catch up with the other participants…” Xia said more to herself than to AlexFae, “buy experience scrolls.”

“But we’ve no money!” Davina interrupted them, moaning with her hands raised to her heart and using a tone that was far too dramatic for a video game. Okay, first place money is nice, but why treat the matter as if their very lives were in danger? “If we don't find a solution, this will be the end!” Davina pressed her hands to her cheeks and opened the mouth, trying to imitate Munch's scream.

“Okay, you don't need to do all this scene…”

[Davina: play along, I have an idea to get money for some scrolls.]

Davina had a plan. This is scary.

[Genevieve: the plan doesn't imply stripping in front of your recording fairy or anything like that, right?]

[Davina: uuuh…]

[Genevieve: RIGHT???]

Davina passed in front of her, bringing herself between Xia and her fairy, "Friends of the live stream, the Nova Scotia Angels need your help!" she started saying without even replying to Xia in the private chat, “as you know, we have decided to register for the first edition of the Maritime Cup, however, our level is too low and we need your assistance to be able to progress in level in time for the start of the tournament!”

Up to this point Xia could also agree, she wasn't a fanservice lover and to be honest she wasn't even that happy about the idea of begging around for money. All this took a backseat when she remembered the prize, the new NexNetVR that she would have bought if her team won the competition. That made Xia smile, she smiled with her real body as her virtual face was frozen in an eternal neutral expression against her will.

“In exchange for your assistance we will create a small tournament between us waiting for the biggest one, and for those who are not interested in fighting with a small donation they will be able to ask the questions they want to their favorite player!” Davina touched her heart with one hand while with the other she pointed at the 'webcam' and winked, "help me, Obi-Waudience. You're our only hope!”

[Genevieve: do you think this will work?]

[Davina: there's only one way to find it out ;-p]

To Xia’s surprise, the donations started arriving less than five minutes later, to the point that less than an hour after Davina's request they already had enough players to create a small tournament between them; eight teams made up of three players each, with the idea of ​​creating mixed teams and playing with the spectators - who at that point had become paying supporters - in order to increase the level of interactivity between all of them.

On that note, Lasair didn't seem very happy, which was to be expected given that she wasn't quite the social champion that Davina was, but sacrifices had to be made, and for the sake of the team, she decided to push through the pain.

- - -

They all found themselves together in a beautiful coastal area with a long golden beach lined with trees and small shrubs. The sky above them was dotted with white clouds that looked like giant cotton balls, and Xia along with twenty-three other players had gathered for the custom tournament.

“First of all, thank you for your support!” Davina waited until they were all present and paying attention to her before starting with one of her many monologues, “before forming the teams, some of you paid an extra to ask me and my classmates some individual questions, so… shall we start from right to left?” she proposed, clasping her hands behind her back and straightening her spine.

The small group of fans exclaimed almost in unison 'yeah!' raising a fist towards the sky. In total there were four people who paid the extra, apart from one, they were all male. It was the girl who opened the dance.

[Wiorryn]
[Level 19 – HP: 100%]

She had auburn skin, with hair as orange as a carrot and ears and tail as red as a fox's fur. The hilt of a bastard sword protruded from behind her right shoulder and her golden eyes were fixed on Xia. "HI! I have a question for you, Genevieve!” Xia nodded for her to continue, “How long have you been practicing swordplay? You must be a champion in your real life!”

“Not really…” Xia said not wanting to talk about her paralysis, “I started practicing swordplay when I started playing LotA, Lasair is literally my teacher and without her I would still be in the starting area trying not to lose two thirds of my HP by fighting a handful of slimas.”

“S-she’s just exaggerating a b-bit… don’t listen to her,” Lasair looked down at her feet, “she’s… really talented, what I’m teaching isn’t a-anything special.”

Xia rolled her eyes and said nothing else.

[KingdomDarkSlayer16]
[Level 24 – HP: 100%]

The white-haired, purple-eyed elvreth turned his attention to Davina, “can I have your phone number??” He asked collapsing on his knees and clasping his hands in prayer as if he were a supplicant in front of the altar of his religion, being a fan is ok, but isn't that a bit too much?

“Of course... not!” Davina replied promptly and without losing her smile. She held out a hand to him, “but that doesn't mean we can't play and have fun together. For me every person counts!”

"Oh! Yes! Thank you, Miss Davina!” He took her hand and stood up, there was no doubt that Davina was the real PR of the party.

[Fersio]
[Level 15 – HP: 100%]

The third 'interviewer' instead turned to AlexFae, “do you really look like PinkieFae in real life?

AlexFae frowned, “is there this theory going around? No, no,” she shook her head, “I don't look like PinkieFae, but she is such an inspiration to me that it's why I started playing the game and made a character that looks and fights like hers.” She admitted serenely, shrugging, "I also plan to face her in combat, sooner or later!"

“I follow all of Davina's live streams and I've seen you fight, I really hope you and PinkieFae manage to battle it out, it'll be amazing!”

The last player, a Seafolk elvreth with pale blue skin and green hair, peered intently at both Xia and Lasair. Xia remained impassive thanks also to the fact that her facial expression couldn't change, Lasair instead became smaller, almost as if she felt exposed by the inquiring gaze of the fourth and final 'interviewer'.

Xia looked up from the avatar's face to the name and level above his head.

[Dravaros]
[Level 47 – HP: 100%]

What the…

“Actually I don't have anything in particular to ask for, I made an extra donation because I want you to become more powerful faster,” he looked like a [Seeker] looking at the style of his premium suit, although the attitude he had seemed like that of someone who loved fighting on the front line, "but watching you two together, a question arose in me", he crossed his arms over his chest, "is there by any chance a relationship between you two? A sentimental one.”

Xia and Lasair remained silent.

[Davina: there're fans that are shipping you two. Don't deny or confirm anything! Just be vague! It will bring us more money! è__é]

"Oh!" Xia exchanged a look with Lasair, now she was really uncomfortable, "uuuh…"

“Eh…” Lasair gestured nervously, her body language wasn't making any sense.

Dravaros put a hand to his chin, looked at the two girls for a few more seconds, then nodded, “I understand. I have nothing else to ask."

Once the questions were over, it was time to decide on the teams and who would fight against whom.

[Davina: good job, girls! ;-)]

[Genevieve: any sacrifice as long as it pays well.] [Lasair: everything for the party.]

Yes, of course, that was why Xia hadn't been able to say anything, of course, it's not like after all that time Xia had developed any kind of attraction for Grace. No no no.

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