Chapter 1684: Chapter 1501: Rxation Time Part 2
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After a period offortable silence by the pool, the invigorating effects of the contrasting spa treatments started to wear off. Maria, ever the nner, felt a familiar itch of restlessness return.
"Shall we move on, Luna?" she suggested, her gaze drifting towards the distant hum of activity emanating from the lower levels of the fortress. "There''s much to do before nightfall."
Luna nodded, a hint of amusement lingering in her eyes. "Indeed," she agreed. "Perhaps a more energetic form of recreation is in order?"
A yful smile tugged at Maria''s lips. "An excellent suggestion," she replied. "Let''s head down to the entertainment venue. I wouldn''t mind a bit of friendlypetition after all this nning."
With renewed purpose, they made their way towards the elevators that would whisk them down to the lower levels of the fortress. The air grew cooler as they descended, the gentle hum of activity growing louder with each passing floor.
Finally, the elevator doors slid open, revealing a bustling corridor lined with various entrances. A sign above proimed it the "Underground Entertainment Venue."
Laughter and the rhythmic tter of balls drifted from one doorway, the unmistakable sounds of a fierce air hockey battle from another. It was probably the maids ying, it was their day off anyway.
Maria shaking her head, moved forward, she scanned the options, her gaze finally settling on a brightly lit doorway adorned with shing neon lights and the familiar thump of ssic arcade music.
"Feeling nostalgic, are we?" Luna teased, a yful glint in her eyes.
Maria chuckled. "Perhaps a bit," she admitted, a hint of warmth coloring her usually icy demeanor. They designed this ce together after all, Maria, Luna and Sakuya.
"There''s something undeniably satisfying about a good old-fashioned arcade game." Maria added.
Pushing open the door, they were greeted by a cacophony of sounds and vibrant sights.
Rows of gleaming arcade cabs blinked and buzzed, their colorful disys promising hours of pixted fun. A group of men, their faces lit by the glow of the screens, battled against digital foes with fierce concentration. It was the butlers.
A wave of nostalgia washed over Maria. Memories of simpler times, from Earth, before the war, before the Chaos Organization, flickered in her mind.
"First game''s on me," Maria dered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"What''s your poison, Luna? ssic fighting game, or something a little more... strategic?"
A slow smile spread across Luna''s face, her dark eyes sparkling with apetitive fire.
"Strategic, you say? Don''t underestimate me, Alexia. In matters of both war and virtual worlds, I can hold my own."
She gestured towards a corner of the arcade where a sleek, futuristic cab stood out from the rest. Holographic projections flickered around it, disying aplex grid-based battlefield. It was hard to build everything here but thanks to Sakuya''s ingenuity and magic it wasn''t too hard
"How about some good old-fashioned tactical conquest? Winner buys the first round of drinkster."
Maria raised an eyebrow, impressed.
"Tactical conquest, is it? Very well, Luna. You''re on."
As they approached the holographic cab, the projected battlefield flickered to life, aplex grid map popted with miniature figures representing opposing armies. Maria, ever the strategist, felt a familiar spark ignite within her.
"Let''s see what you''re made of, Luna," Maria said, a yful challenge in her voice.
"Though a fair warning, I haven''t lost a tactical game since I was a teenager."
Luna smirked, her eyes gleaming withpetitive fire.
"We''ll see about that, Alexia. Remember, underestimating your opponent is the first step to defeat."
With nimble fingers, they selected their armies, each choosing a strategicposition based on their strengths and weaknesses. As the game began, the air crackled with unspoken tension, a friendly rivalry blossoming between the two women.
For the next hour, they were lost in the world of the holographic battlefield. Maria, with her precise maneuvers and calcted attacks, mirrored her cold demeanor. Luna, conversely, employed a more unorthodox strategy, relying on surprise tactics and cunning deception, something you shouldn''t expect from a Saintess.
The battle raged on, the holographic figures shing in a flurry of light and sound.
Laughter erupted from Luna''s lips as she outsmarted Maria with a daring maneuver.
Maria, in turn, countered with a strategic nking move, a triumphant glint in her ice-blue eyes.
As the final enemy unit fell, the holographic battlefield shimmered, revealing Maria''s victorious army standing tall.
"Tch!"
A yful groan escaped Luna''s lips, a hint of mock defeat in her voice.
"Well yed, Maria," Luna conceded, a smile gracing her lips.
"Seems the Queen still reigns supreme in the digital realm."
Maria offered a triumphant nod, a genuine smile warming her usually stoic features.
"Don''t worry, Luna," she teased. "There''ll be plenty of opportunities for you to redeem yourself."
Their friendlypetition had served its purpose, momentarily pushing aside the burdens their carry. They felt like they''re back on Earth ying around after sneaking out.
The vibrant lights of the arcade cast a yful glow on Maria and Luna''s faces as they turned their attention to the other games. Laughter still hung in the air, a testament to their friendly
competition.
Maria scanned the room, her gaze lingering on a towering cab emzoned with a gxy
of twinkling stars.
"Spacewar Champions?" she suggested, a hint of a challenge in her voice.
"Remember those epic battles we used to have back in the day when lying to our parents
about some pyjamas party?"
Luna''s lips curved into a nostalgic smile.
"How could I forget? Though," she countered, her eyes twinkling with mischief,
"this time, I n on being the one to conquer the gxy."
With yful shoves, they settled into their respective pilot seats, the familiar controls feeling strangelyforting beneath their fingertips.
As the holographic disy flickered to life, a wave of nostalgia washed over them. Here, in this pixted universe, they were no longer Ice Empress or the Saintess- they were daring space pilots, ready to st their way to victory.
The night stretched before them, filled with the promise of friendlypetition and sharedughter. They navigated through asteroid fields, their spaceships weaving through a ballet of
laser fire.
Boom!
Explosions of vibrant colors erupted on the screen as they engaged in epic dogfights, their voices a mix of yful taunts and excited cheers.
Time seemed to lose its meaning as they battled through wave after wave of enemy spaceships. Each victory fueled theirpetitive spirit, each defeat a chance to strategize and
come back stronger.
As the final boss loomed on the screen, a monstrous space station bristling with weapons, Maria and Luna exchanged a determined look. With a silent nod, they coordinated their attacks, their movements a symphony of honed reflexes and years of shared experience.
The battle was fierce, the holographic space station raining downser fire. But their teamwork proved to be their ultimate weapon. With a final, well-ced st, they sent the
space station exploding in a shower of digital debris.
Victory music filled the air as the high score screen shed, their names disyed in triumphant glory. Maria and Luna leaned back in their seats, chests heaving with exertion, a
mix of exhration and exhaustion etched on their faces.
"Looks like the gxy is safe...for now,"
Maria said with a chuckle, her voice tinged with friendly rivalry.
Luna grinned. "Indeed," she replied.
"But don''t think this is over, Alexia. Next time, the gxy will tremble before the Luna
Legion!"
Their yful banter echoed through the arcade, a testament to the deep bond they shared.
They knew the challenges that awaited them beyond the walls of this haven. But for now, they reveled in the simple joy of friendlypetition, a reminder of the normalcy they were fighting to protect.