Late at night, in the deserted streets of Belobog's Overworld, two figures moved swiftly under the cover of darkness, heading for the administrative hall. It was a pointless exercise in stealth, as the city was completely empty.
The two were, of course, Seele and Natasha, sent by Cocolia to rescue Bronya.
"I can't believe how easy this is," Seele grumbled as they reached the hall, the only building still lit. "That Mo Wang guy must really be looking down on us, not even bothering with security." There wasn't a single person, not even a dog, in sight. They felt like idiots for sneaking around.
"Maybe he's just short-staffed? I heard he's all alone," Natasha whispered.
"So we could have just walked in? Even Gepard could have done this."
"We should still be careful. There could be spies inside," Natasha warned.
Seele nodded and, in a flash of quantum energy, phased into the building like a ghost. The hall was as empty as the streets. "What the hell is he playing at?" she wondered.
Natasha followed, equally bewildered. The grand hall had been turned into a makeshift stage, littered with streamers, balloons, and the remnants of what looked like a massive party.
"A rave?" Seele stared, dumbfounded.
Natasha picked up a torn piece of clothing. "It seems there was some kind of... lively event here recently." They were both completely baffled. Where had all the people come from?
After a fruitless search of the entire building, they still hadn't found any sign of Bronya.
"This is weird. Are we sure she's even here?" Seele asked, scratching her head.
Just then, they heard a faint sound.
"Aaaah! Bronya, hurry up! I'm dying! I'm really dying!"
"Don't panic, I'm almost there!"
"Was that a cry for help?" Seele asked. They rushed toward the sound, which led them to a room with a plaque that read "Bronya."
Why would a prisoner be kept in their own room? We've been searching all over, and she's been here the whole time?!
"Aaaah! I'm dead! Bronya! I'll haunt you for this!"
Seele kicked the door in, and they were greeted by a scene that nearly made their eyes pop out.
Bronya and Serval were sitting on the floor in their pajamas, furiously mashing buttons on game consoles. Their faces were covered in bizarre drawings—turtles, poop emojis, you name it.
The four of them stared at each other in stunned silence.
"What... are you doing?" Seele asked, a smile twitching at her lips. It was definitely not because the scene was hilarious. They had been worried sick, thinking the two of them were being tortured, and here they were, having a late-night gaming session?
"Let me explain! It's not what it looks like! We have a very good reason for this!" Serval blurted out.
"A good reason? Did he force you to play video games?" Seele asked, staring at the large turtle drawn on Serval's forehead.
"Well, in a way... yes," she admitted, and both she and Bronya's faces fell.
---||---
Earlier that day...
After five hours of non-stop dancing, Bronya and Serval were completely spent, both physically and mentally.
"I can't... I'm going to die..." Serval lay on the floor like a beached whale. At her age, this kind of exertion was taking its toll. At this point, she was considering just giving in to Mo Wang. It might be less painful.
"You two are so weak," Mo Wang said with a look of disgust. They glared at him with dead eyes. You try dancing non-stop for five hours!
"Alright, I'll give you a chance to challenge me. If you win, I'll let you go," he said with a sly grin.
"Heh." Neither of them reacted. If they could beat him, they would have already escaped.
"I'm talking about a video game," he said, producing several consoles.
"A video game... what's that?" Bronya asked, and the other two stared at her like she was a rare animal.
"I knew it! Cocolia is a terrible mother! You've never even played a video game? You have no childhood!"
"You're a Bronya, and you don't play video games?! Heresy! What kind of Bronya are you?!"
"I'm sorry I don't play video games! And who made that a requirement for being a Bronya?!" she snapped.
"It's the most important characteristic of a Bronya! Anyway, do you accept the challenge? Win, and you're free. Lose, and..."
"And what? We have to give up our virtue?" Serval deadpanned.
"Hey, watch the language! Where did you learn to talk like that?"
"So what's the punishment?" Bronya asked.
"Simple. If you lose... I get to draw on your faces with this." He held up a black marker.
"Deal!" they both agreed instantly, their eyes burning with a newfound determination.
"Mueehehehe!" Mo Wang's grin turned even more wicked.
The first game was over in less than a minute.
"How... how is that possible?!" Serval stared at the "Game Over" screen. She had barely touched the buttons before Mo Wang's character had combo'd her into oblivion.
"You guys are terrible," he said, shaking his head.
"Again!" Serval demanded.
But the results were the same. Game after game, they were utterly defeated. Despair began to set in.
"I can't... I give up..." Serval collapsed, her face a canvas of Mo Wang's bizarre artwork. Bronya, a turtle on her forehead and the word "Noob" on her cheek, was equally dejected.
"Want to keep going?" Mo Wang asked, twirling the marker. They both shook their heads. He then proceeded to add a few more "masterpieces" to their faces, taking pictures for posterity. They were too broken to care.
"I'll keep these photos. But if you can win just one game, I'll let you go and give them back," he said, adding another layer to their torment.
And that was why Seele and Natasha had found them in this state.
"I have so many questions, I don't even know where to start," Seele said.
"Never mind that. Cocolia sent us to rescue you. Let's go, before he finds out!" she urged.
"Finds out?" Bronya and Serval exchanged a look of pity.
"What's wrong?" Natasha asked, a sense of dread creeping up on her.
"It's too late. The moment you stepped in here, you fell into his trap. We didn't try to escape... for a reason."
"That can't be..."
"Can't it? What are two beautiful ladies like you doing here so late at night? Looking for a good time?" A hand landed on their shoulders. They turned to see Mo Wang's smiling face.
"What a... coincidence," Seele said, her face stiff. "We were just... lost."
"Were you now?" Mo Wang's smile widened.
Seele tried to enter her quantum state, but was met with a swift blow from Mo Wang's big stick (his baseball bat). Her vision went black, and she lost consciousness.