?


    Kat bit down hard on the inside as her lip to prevent herself from bursting out intoughter. *I''ve just had a deliciously horrible idea. Sure it won''t be necessary to use right now. Burnice and March don''t have anything to throw at me… and Nell isn''t quite willing tomit yet. Still… I could do this just to scare the rest of them off?*


    The evil idea that had just struck her like a lightning bolt… was to make use of her Rank 3 ability. The one that let her turn into water. Even if getting her watery body hit counted and she lost a life… Kat could control all the water that she was made up of. Stretching herself out into miniscule droplets and then spreading them all around the arena would make her impossible to hit… if she didn''t just float them all up to the ceiling and spread out there.


    When the cannons sounded, Kat was ready and willing. They were behind her this time, and it was back to the standard jump. Thyme probably wanted them to pick up a ball… but Kat noticed that this volley was made up of mostly flimsy dodgeballs, primed to explode. Especially in the top rows.


    Still, Kat grinned at the challenge, and let the balls sail under her, before she reached down and plucked a ball from the second line. Nell could dodge easily, but March and Burnice wanted a ball each. March let out a p right as the balls approached her, causing the ones nearest to her hands to slow ever so slightly. Then March reached down and grabbed a usable ball before continuing her path upwards and avoiding the hit. Burnice was the one really showing everyone up though.


    She let out a long, smooth breath and ced a hand underneath one of the risky balls, letting it spin up her arm all the way to her face, where she gently rested her cheek against the ball, catching it between her neck, shoulder and face. *HOLY SHIT! I was scared to catch the dodgeball March threw… but Burnice is living on the edge. How is she even going to throw that thing?*


    Kat imitated march, spinning the ball on her finger. It was surprisingly easy, and a skill Kat didn''t know she actually possessed. *Right. So Burnice is absolutely crazy and now I really want to take out that team of two. How do I do it though? The real issue is that as fast as these balls might be, they really slow down over distance… unless. Wait. That''s just dumb enough to work!*


    Kat grinned, putting March and Burnice on edge. Kat didn''t mind, the n was to wait for the next set of cannon shots to ring out before truly starting on her n. Nell wound up her arm and looked ready to throw the ball at Kat… but she just held the position once she was in it. March and Burnice shared a look, before nodding. Burnice went first, not so much throwing the ball as she was spinning around with it and letting it fly. Kat spat a glob of fire out at it, colliding the with ball in midair and burning through the small outer shell.


    Nell''s shot came as the fire obscured Kat''s vision slightly, but that was easily dodge, Kat just ducked off to the side… and into the path of March''s attack. Kat was ready for that too though, and simply bent forwards, letting the ball fly over her, going through the space her chest used to be. Kat grinned. Sure the cannons hadn''t sounded, but nobody else had projectiles now.


    Kat dashed forward straight to Burnice and the elf paled upon realising Kat''s n. Burnice sped over towards March who stood menacingly in the way, hands outstretched and feet nted wide, like a goalie ready to defend for their team. Kat decided to test that, she weaved the ball around, swapping it between hands, making dozens of feints in just a few moments, and then winding up for what looked like a real shot… only to have her tail pluck the ball out of her hand as she threw it.


    It had looked like the ball was going to curve around March, to try and hit Burnice, but Kat''s tail was reallyunching it towards March''s leg. A slight risk, but hopefully one that wouldn''t be seen through. March instinctively started moving to the left, shuffling over only to realise the ball wasn''t there. Her eyes moved to Kat''s other hand, also empty. Then, without properly recognising why, March leapt upwards just in time for the ball to pass through the spot her right foot had been, after moving to catch the ball.


    Kat clicked her tongue and back off just as the cannon sounded. Should''ve waited for that. *Aw well. I didn''t think they''d go full goalie on me. March moved well, and Burnice was good enough to recognise even with the limiter on I can out speed her.* Kat noticed that the balls wereing from her back, where Burnice had been standing and were covering everything except the bottom row.


    Kat did the splits, letting herself drop down that way before leaning backwards to catch a ball as it flew overhead. As soon as that happened, Kat threw it straight at March, who was t on the ground facing forward. March''s hands shot forward to block the shot, but they weren''t quite fast enough. Instead, March got caught on the arm, and Kat danced away as Burnice threw a ball at Kat''s previous location.


    "Life down for March!" said Thyme. <novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Nell managed to grab a ball during the scuffle, but didn''t throw it at anyone just yet. Kat was no longer trapped and would easily dodge. Burnice and March were somewhat open, but Nell didn''t want to face the focus of those two, alongside Kat. Part of her wanted to team up with Kat… but that would doom her to second ce, and she wasn''t quite willing to ept just second ce yet.


    *d I managed to hit March there. I''ll try and get her out with another hit if I can. Burnice is scarier, but I might as well take out one of the two… and if March is going to volunteer…*


    As everyone popped back to their feet, Kat took some distance, while March and Burnice looked warily at each other, but seemed toe to the conclusion that there was no betrayal in the near future, as they shared another set of matching nods. Nell sighed and got their attention, properly joining the trio.


    Kat smiled at that. *That seems like a good excuse to break out some of my more unfair tactics then.* Kat breathed out deeply, expelling mes from her mouth as she back up further. The fire didn''t burn long in any one ce, but it coated the flooring in a nice dusting of ice, sure to ruin someone''s footing if they weren''t careful.


    The cannons sounded again, and Kat was surprised to see just how much things were being stepped up. There was two lines of free space, directly in the middle of the area, and it not a single dodgeball looked sturdy enough to grab, if you weren''t Burnice. Kat dashed for the space, keeping a close eye on Nell as she did so. Burnice and March ran for it, and managed to get in position just as the balls would''ve caught them out.


    When everyone was in a line, Burnice managed her spinning trick to grab a ball out and threw it at Kat''s back, as Kat had turned to face Nell to watch her better. Kat ducked down, letting the ball sail over her, at the same time Nell threw a ball directly at Kat''s face in an attempt to catch her out. It was fast, very fast, but Kat was feeling a little risky.


    ·?θm So she went for the catch. Kat extended her hand out and let the ball impact her palm. It tried to bounce out but Kat brought her other hand behind it and managed to prevent it bouncing away or popping.


    "Catch by Kat! Nell is out!" said Thyme with a click of their fingers, removing Nell from the ying field.


    Nell clicked her tongue, "No going easy on me for our old friendship?" asked Nell.


    Kat backed up away from Burnice and March as she answered, "I was! But then you had to go and throw a ball right at me! It was too easy to catch. You should''ve tried… I dunno bouncing it off the ground and into me knees or something? That might have worked!"


    Nell just let out a sigh and a shake of her head but didn''t say anything further. *It really is a shame. I wasn''t specifically targeting Nell at all. I went about as far out of my way as I could without feeling like I was just bullying the others or ignoring her… but a catch is a catch, and that throw wasn''t up to March''s standards so it wasn''t too hard. Though I think it nearly popped even so.*