Pink had completed her sync with Prism, riding the high of Blue's arousal as her body hummed with energy. She felt it—the surge of euphoria, not just from Blue, but from Nova too. The link between the three of them was strong, and Pink hadn't expected it to feel this intense. Nova hadn't been joking when she said she was something more now. Pink felt like she was teetering on the edge of something far more intimate than she had anticipated, but it didn't bother her. It only fueled her excitement.
Even amidst the pleasure coursing through her body, Pink could feel Nova and Blue's presence helping her sync more efficiently with Prism. They were guiding her, optimizing the process, making it smoother. They'd been through this before, and it was obvious they were making sure she could handle the process without the struggles Blue faced. He'd been injured from battle when he took this risk. She wasn't.
The entire process felt like a game to her, a puzzle she was quickly solving, and the rush of completion was better than anything she'd imagined.
Now, with the sync finished, Pink turned her attention to the simulation she'd picked from Blue's archive—one called The Cauldron of Dragnor. Dragnor was an Elvanurus warlord, his emerald armor gleaming like polished stone. Pink liked that armor. She'd much preferred its green shimmer to Blood Plague's crimson, but still, the red would've looked nice mounted on her wall.
"Fun battle ahead, Prism," Pink grinned, her body still buzzing from the afterglow of the sync. Dragnor had been one of those enemies that required more than just brute force. He had a way of shooting an arrow into the sky, and once it was airborne, all his soldiers could shoot arrows from any direction—each one finding its mark no matter where the target was. The arrows sang, a discordant tune, off just enough to make you uncomfortable. And Dragnor? He charged his arrows with lightning, sending crackling streaks of energy coursing through the battlefield.
Pink should have hidden in cover, should have made Dragnor's head pop like a ripe melon from the shadows. That was her usual play—sniping from afar, watching her enemies fall without ever knowing what hit them. But her body was drowning in endorphins, the rush of the sync and the aftermath of her time with Blue still coursing through her veins.
"Let's try out these new reaction times," she whispered to herself, her lips curving into a wicked smile. Her body felt different now, more agile, more responsive. Every move felt like it was happening in slow motion to her mind, even though she knew she was moving faster than ever. She wanted to dance through this battle, to feel the fluidity in her movements, to see just how far she could push the limits of her body and mind.
The Cauldron was a massive crater, its floor uneven, pocked with small peaks that rose like jagged teeth from the ground. Dragnor's soldiers lined the perimeter, their bows drawn and ready, while Dragnor himself stood in the center of the cauldron, surveying the battlefield like a predator eyeing its prey.
Pink's grin widened. This was going to be fun.
She started to move, her body sliding into the rhythm of battle like she was performing a well-practiced ballet. Each movement was precise, deliberate, yet utterly effortless. Her reflexes had always been good, but now? Now they were sharp enough to slice through the tension in the air.
As the first wave of arrows came flying toward her, she didn't bother to hide. She didn't even flinch. Pink danced through them, twisting and turning with the grace of a ballerina on stage, each arrow missing her by inches.
"Is that all you've got?" she taunted, her voice a sultry purr, even as she vaulted over a jagged rock and landed in a crouch, her sniper rifle swinging into her hands like an extension of her body.
Dragnor raised his bow, lightning crackling along the length of it as he aimed, but Pink was already moving. She darted to the side, a blur of motion, her body weaving in and out of the small peaks scattered throughout the crater.
The arrows from Dragnor's soldiers were relentless, but Pink felt alive. Every dodge, every spin, every leap—it was perfect. She had become a shadow, an untouchable force in the midst of chaos. It was almost too easy.
But easy wasn't fun. Pink wanted to push herself, to feel the edge of her abilities. So she charged toward Dragnor, leaving the safety of the cover behind.
"Let's see if I can make you dance," she murmured, lining up a shot with her rifle and firing a concussive round that detonated near Dragnor's feet, sending a shockwave through the crater.
Dragnor staggered, his balance momentarily disrupted, but he was no fool. He recovered quickly, raising his bow to the sky and releasing an arrow. The instant it hit the peak of its arc, his soldiers unleashed their own volley of arrows, each one homing in on Pink's position.
The arrows were everywhere, but Pink grinned. Her body moved without thinking, her reflexes honed to a razor's edge. She slipped through the onslaught, her movements almost playful as she dodged and darted across the battlefield.
But she wasn't done yet. Dragnor was her target, and this time, she was going to make sure he felt it.
"Prism, let's try out our new toys, shall we?" Pink whispered through their mental link, feeling the tingle of Prism's approval in her mind.
With a flick of her wrist, she activated Grid Doppelganger, and in an instant, four holo decoys materialized around her, each one mimicking her movements perfectly. Dragnor's soldiers hesitated for a moment, confused by the sudden appearance of multiple targets.
That was all the time Pink needed.
She and her decoys rushed Dragnor, weaving in and out of the peaks, each one taking a different route. The soldiers tried to adjust, firing blindly at the moving targets, but it was too late. Pink was already upon him.
She moved like a blur, her sniper rifle firing round after round, each shot aimed to cripple rather than kill. Concussive blasts knocked Dragnor off balance, sonic rounds disoriented him, and plasma rounds left scorch marks across his emerald armor.
"Having fun yet?" Pink taunted as she closed the distance, her heart pounding with the thrill of it all.
Dragnor growled, his bow crackling with lightning once more as he attempted to land a direct hit, but Pink was too fast. She slipped behind him, her movements fluid and precise, and with a final shot, she sent him crashing to the ground.
The Cauldron of Dragnor was hers now, and Pink stood victorious, her body humming with energy.
"This is almost too easy," she muttered, though the grin on her face suggested she wouldn't have it any other way.
Prism chuckled through their link, clearly just as pleased with the outcome.
"Next time, let's crank it up a notch, shall we?" Pink said, already itching for the next challenge.
Pink stood victorious, her body humming with energy, feeling the high of the battle.
Before she could revel too long in her win, Blue's voice came through the link, his tone light but teasing.
"Hey, Pink… that looks fun, but I think you made a mistake," Blue's voice crackled through. "This is set to normal mode. It's supposed to be set to adaptive. Looks like Overseer snuck some safety protocols into my older programs. I just took care of it for you. Have fun, Kitsune."
Prism's voice echoed urgently in Pink's mind, snapping her back to the chaos around her. "Look out, Pink! Focus!"
Dragnor's armor shimmered under the dim light of the crater, and it began to radiate with hues that flickered and shifted, mimicking the colors of each of the Elvanurus legions. The armor pulsed through Crimson Red, Azure Blue, Midnight Black, Amethyst, Amber Yellow, Fuchsia Pink, and Emerald Green, a kaleidoscope of power and energy, each color representing a different deadly specialization.
It was a show of strength, but Pink's grin only grew wider. Her body was still buzzing with the euphoria of syncing with Blue and Prism, the thrill of battle interwoven with the high of having just merged with Prism's mind. She didn't even try to suppress the darkness bubbling up inside her. If anything, it fueled her.
Prism's voice cut through the haze, sharp and focused. "Pink, stay alert! Dragnor's using his Legion's powers. You need to focus!"
But Pink was already lost in her own world of excitement. Her lips curled into a wicked smile as she felt the rush of battle pulse through her veins. Her mind was intoxicated, reveling in the chaos unfolding around her. The sync with Blue had left her sharper, faster, more agile—but it was the rush of combat that had her in its grip now.
"Hey, Blue, you're crazier than I am, aren't you?" she taunted through the mental link, her voice thick with mischief. "All these colors? All these abilities? What even are they anymore?"
She tried to piece it together, her mind racing through fragments of knowledge. Red was strength, Blue was adaptability, Black... was something? Green was for boosting others, that much she was sure of.
Before she could put it all together, Dragnor made his move. His armor flashed a violent Crimson, and he lunged toward her with brutal speed. Pink barely had time to react as his weapon slammed into her side, sending her skidding backward, her boots dragging along the rough terrain.
The impact sent a sharp jolt of pain through her body, but rather than resist it, she embraced it. Pain and pleasure blurred together in her mind, and her grin only widened as she stumbled back to her feet, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Oh, that's it, Dragnor!" she groaned, licking her lips. "Now we're playing. Hit me harder, baby—I can take it!"
But Prism wasn't amused. "Pink, we need to change tactics. Dragnor's armor is shifting through the Legions' powers. He's adapting faster than you think."
Pink laughed, the sound dark and breathy. "Let him adapt. That just makes it more fun."
Still, Prism was right. Dragnor was no easy target, and Pink could feel the pressure mounting. He was learning her moves, getting faster with every hit. She needed to shift the balance.
"Alright, fine, Prism. Let's try something new." Her fingers twitched as she triggered Grid Convergence, and in an instant, her holo decoys flickered to life around the battlefield.
The decoys darted and weaved, mirroring her every movement with eerie precision. Dragnor's soldiers on the high ground faltered, confused by the sudden appearance of multiple Pinks, each one moving like a blur across the crater.
"Surprise, motherfuckers!" Pink cackled as she darted toward the perimeter, her body moving with inhuman speed.
She didn't even need to aim anymore. The rush of the sync with Prism made her reflexes near-precognitive, her body moving faster than her mind could keep up. Her sniper rifle was an extension of herself now, firing with lethal precision as she no-scoped her way through Dragnor's soldiers.
"Aw, don't worry, boys. I'll make sure your boss knows you tried your best!" she taunted, her voice dripping with mock sweetness as her shot rang out, dropping another soldier from the high ground.
A soldier's arrow zipped past her head, but Pink just laughed and ducked behind cover. "Oh, sweetheart, I've had men last longer than you! Maybe next time, huh?"
She leaped up from her cover, firing another round that hit its mark with deadly accuracy. "Oh, what's the matter, baby? Can't keep it up? Happens to the best of them!"
Prism chuckled in her mind, but the AI remained focused, keeping track of the battlefield as Pink moved with impossible grace. Each movement was fluid, almost like a deadly dance, as she darted between her decoys, swapping places with them in the blink of an eye.
"You're making this too easy!" Pink called out as another soldier dropped from her shot. "Come on, can't any of you last more than a minute? I thought Elvanurus soldiers had some stamina!"
Another volley of arrows flew toward her, but Pink was already gone, her body moving faster than they could track. Her laughter echoed across the crater, dark and filled with amusement as she fired off another round, each shot landing with precision.
"Is that all you've got? I've had rougher rides in a bar bathroom!" she taunted, her voice carrying over the battlefield as she continued to weave through the chaos.
Dragnor's soldiers were falling fast, their coordinated attack crumbling under Pink's relentless barrage. Every time they fired, she was already gone, her decoys leaving them disoriented and confused.
"Don't hide, honey! I'll still find you! And when I do, you're going to wish I'd left you alone!"
Another shot, another down. Pink's laughter grew louder, her body humming with energy. She was in her element, a predator toying with prey, and the battlefield was hers.
"Oh, don't worry—I'll go easy on you! Wait, no I won't!" she shouted, her voice a mix of mockery and excitement as she dropped another target.
The high ground was hers now. Dragnor's soldiers were either dead or retreating, and Pink reveled in the chaos she'd left behind.
"God, I love this job," she muttered, her voice dripping with satisfaction.
But as the dust settled, her attention shifted back to the center of the crater. Dragnor was still standing, his emerald armor glowing with power. He hadn't fallen, and Pink could see the glint of rage in his eyes.
"Don't worry, lover, I haven't forgotten about you," she said, her voice sultry and playful as she raised her rifle again. "I just had to take care of your boys first. Now, where were we?"
Prism hummed in approval. "Nicely done, Pink. But don't get cocky. Dragnor's just getting started."
Pink licked her lips, her eyes locked on Dragnor. "Good. I'd hate for the fun to be over too soon. Let's see what you've got, lover."
Dragnor's armor shimmered ominously, flickering with hues that represented the power of the Elvanurus legions. The colors danced across his body—Crimson Red, Azure Blue, Midnight Black, Amethyst, Amber Yellow, Fuchsia Pink, and Emerald Green—each a symbol of the abilities he could unleash. It was an impressive display of strength, but to Pink, it was just a reminder of the challenge ahead.
Her heart was pounding, not with fear, but with the thrill of the battle. Every fiber of her being buzzed with excitement, the high of syncing with Prism still coursing through her veins. The connection they shared felt more intense than anything she'd ever experienced before.
She could feel Prism inside her, deeper than ever. The sync wasn't just a tactical advantage—it was raw energy, fueling her every movement, every breath, every twisted thought. It wasn't just a partnership anymore. Prism was a part of her. They were two minds, one body.
"Pink, focus!" Prism's voice broke through the haze, steady but filled with a sharp edge of concern. "Dragnor's charging up. We need to stay sharp."
But Pink was already lost in the moment. Her body hummed with adrenaline, her mind whirling in the chaos of battle. She wasn't just fighting anymore—she was enjoying this, savoring the pain, the struggle, the violence.
She could still feel Blue and Nova through the link, lingering in the background like a quiet hum. Their connection always left her buzzing, her body tingling with their shared energy, and now it was mixing with Prism's essence, amplifying everything. Prism and Blue made her feel so alive, so powerful, like nothing could stop her.
"God, Blue, you always know how to get me worked up," she thought, a wicked smile curling on her lips. Her body was throbbing with excitement, her pulse quickening with every beat. Nova's presence was in the background too, adding to the thrill, the sharpness of her thoughts.
But there was also Yellow—always so calm, so composed. Pink could feel her through the link as well, and it was enough to make her roll her eyes.
"Ugh, such a clam jammer," she muttered under her breath, annoyed by the soothing presence Yellow's mind brought to the connection. Pink thrived in the chaos, in the heat of the moment, and Yellow's steady, rational energy felt like a wet blanket on her fire.
Even Echo, with her calming influence, was a buzzkill right now. Pink didn't want calm. She wanted violence, she wanted to feel the rush of danger, the thrill of knowing she was playing with fire.
As Pink reveled in the sensations coursing through her, she noticed something shifting on the battlefield. Dragnor's soldiers, now lifeless on the ground, began to pulse with energy. The residual life force of the fallen warriors crackled in the air, like the tendrils of electricity from a plasma ball lamp. The energy flowed into Dragnor, crackling across his armor in brilliant arcs.
For a moment, Pink was almost mesmerized by it. It reminded her of those plasma ball lamps you could find at Hot Topic, the way the energy leaped from point to point when you touched it. It made her laugh.
"God, I should go to Hot Topic," she thought absently, her mind briefly wandering. "It's been, what, ten years? Do their stores ever change?"
She shook her head, smirking to herself. Hot Topic stores were probably the same everywhere, no matter what world you were in. Dark, moody, and always filled with the same edgy crap. But that thought quickly faded as she realized what was happening.
Dragnor's armor was glowing now, the energy from his fallen soldiers pulsing through him, making him more powerful with every second. The air around them seemed to hum with tension as his powers intensified.
And then, in a single moment, everything erupted at once.
Dragnor fired an arrow into the sky, the projectile splitting as it soared, multiplying into thousands of glowing arrows that rained down upon her. At the same time, the earth beneath her feet cracked, sending a jagged shockwave straight toward her. And before she could even blink, Dragnor was charging at her in a full sprint, his eyes blazing with fury.
Prism's voice screamed through the link, a mix of fear and excitement. "Move, Pink! He's coming for you!"
But Pink wasn't scared. Her body hummed with the thrill of it, her pulse racing in perfect sync with Prism.
Her mind was electric, the connection with Prism amplifying her senses, heightening her awareness. The world slowed down around her as she felt every detail of the battlefield—the arrows slicing through the air, the crack of the earth splitting open beneath her, the rage-filled charge of Dragnor.
"Let's dance, baby," Pink whispered, her body already moving before she finished the thought.
She flipped backward, her body graceful and precise as she narrowly dodged the rain of arrows. She landed with a catlike grace, her sniper rifle already raised, and without hesitation, she fired a shot straight at Dragnor's groin.
The shot connected, and Dragnor let out a pained grunt, stumbling mid-charge. Pink grinned, her heart pounding in excitement.
"Oh, did that hurt?" she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "I'll kiss it better later—if it's still attached."
Prism buzzed in her mind, a mix of concern and amusement. "Focus, Pink. We're not done yet."
Pink formed a holo decoy, swapping places with it just as another crack in the earth rushed toward her. The decoy shattered into light, but Pink was already mid-air again, performing another backflip as she fired off a second shot, this time hitting Dragnor just above the groin.
"Oops, went a little higher that time," she laughed, her voice dark and playful. "But hey, I'm getting closer to the money shot."
Prism's voice hummed with excitement in her mind, feeding off Pink's energy. "That's it, keep him off balance. He's reeling."
But Dragnor wasn't done. His glowing armor flared as he powered through the pain, still charging toward her with relentless fury.
Pink didn't hesitate. She formed another decoy, swapping places once more, dodging the arrows and the crack in the earth by the skin of her teeth. As she flipped through the air again, she fired another round, this time aiming for his chest.
The concussive blast of the shot hit Dragnor square in the chest, knocking him back but not stopping him.
"Damn, you just don't know when to quit, huh?" Pink said, her voice a mix of excitement and frustration. "Fine, let's end this."
With a final, powerful backflip, Pink soared through the air, her rifle aimed directly at Dragnor's head. Her mind was crystal clear, her focus sharp as the world slowed around her.
She could feel Prism's excitement, the AI buzzing in her mind with anticipation. Every sense was heightened, every movement precise.
The moment stretched on for what felt like forever, and then—she pulled the trigger.
The shot hit Dragnor dead-on, the bullet cracking through his helmet, sending him staggering back. His armor sparked and flickered, the energy surging through him faltering as the damage took its toll.
Prism's voice rang through the link, a mix of triumph and excitement. "Yes! That was perfect
Dragnor lay sprawled out, his once imposing figure now nothing more than a broken heap of emerald and black armor. Pink skipped forward, triumphant, her sniper rifle slung over her shoulder as she basked in the aftermath of the fight. The colors on Dragnor's armor—once a vibrant display of the Elvanurus legions—faded one by one. The familiar hues of Crimson, Azure, Amethyst, and others drained from the armor, giving way to a deep black sheen that crept across the metal like ink.
As the armor darkened, Pink's mind wandered. "What does the black mean again?" she muttered to herself, momentarily distracted by the shift in color. The answer eluded her, just out of reach, but before she could dwell on it—
Dragnor's hand shot up.
is fingers wrapped around her throat, cold and unyielding. Pink gasped, her hand instinctively grabbing at his wrist. The unnatural strength of the grip startled her. Even as she struggled, the answer snapped into place in her mind.
"Oh, right... Aftershock," she thought, realization dawning. "The ability to keep fighting after death."
The pressure around her throat increased, and a strange, light-headed euphoria took hold. The danger, the struggle—it all fed into the high of the moment. But it wasn't just excitement. This was different. Dragnor's strength was unnatural, stronger than it should have been, pushing her limits.
"Prism!" she screamed internally, but her voice faltered as her vision blurred. Just before everything faded, the world around her blinked out, and the simulator vanished.
Prism's voice buzzed sharply in Pink's mind as the simulation blinked out. The violent grip of Dragnor's hand around her throat disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Pink on her knees, gasping for air on the cold, smooth floor of the simulator room.
The disorienting world of the battlefield, the smell of scorched earth, and the pulse of danger were gone. Her ranger suit dissolved, leaving her in a pair of form-fitting pink shorts and a sports bra, her hair falling slightly loose from the simple ponytail she'd tied earlier. Sweat glistened on her skin, a lingering testament to the thrill and danger of the battle.
As she caught her breath, the suddenness of the real world sinking back in, Blue stood over her, dressed casually in his street clothes, his presence somehow both calming and electric at the same time. His hand reached out toward her, a silent offer to pull her back to her feet.
"Sorry, Kitsune," he said with that familiar teasing smile of his, his eyes full of amusement and just a hint of fondness. "Looks like you didn't get off in the end."
Pink's heart fluttered, both from the afterglow of the intense simulation and from the fact that it was Blue standing here, smirking at her, completely at ease. She grinned, a playful spark lighting up her eyes as she took his hand, letting him pull her up.
The soft, cool air of the simulator room brushed against her exposed skin, and she couldn't help but feel the contrast between the intensity of what she'd just experienced and the warmth of Blue's hand as it wrapped around hers. Her pulse was still quick, her body buzzing from the rush of combat, but now something else filled the space—an unspoken connection between her and Blue.
"I love it when you call me Kitsune," she breathed, her voice a mix of playfulness and genuine affection as she brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. It wasn't just the nickname; it was the way he said it, like it belonged to her and no one else.
As the aftershocks of the fight continued to fade from her body, she could feel Prism's frustration brewing in the background of her mind. The AI's energy crackled, still high from the interrupted simulation. "Nova! You could've let us finish!" Prism's voice came through, laced with irritation.
"Finish?" Nova's voice responded, calm but firm, like an older sibling scolding a younger one. "You were about to get Pink killed. That wasn't finishing—that was malfunctioning."
"Ugh, fine, Buzzkill," Prism muttered under her breath, though Pink could feel the relief settling beneath the annoyance. Even Prism, for all her chaos and excitement, knew when they had pushed it too far.
Pink laughed, leaning lightly into Blue, her breath finally evening out as she relaxed into the moment. The heat from the battle was fading, replaced by the warmth of Blue's presence beside her. "Prism's just mad she didn't get to show off for Nova." She could feel Prism's silent sulk, but there was an unspoken truth there too—Prism may act like she didn't care, but she did. Pink could sense that little sister vibe, the one who might only care about her, but still wanted some praise from the older sister AI.
Nova's virtual eye-roll was almost audible through the link, though there was an unspoken affection in the exchange. "You'll get your moment, Prism. Try not to turn the whole simulator into a death trap next time."
Blue's arm wrapped around Pink's waist, his presence grounding her. He gave her a knowing smile, that easy confidence radiating off him. "You always did like to push things to the edge, Kitsune." His voice was teasing, but there was a soft edge to it, a hidden appreciation for the chaos she thrived in. "But that was something else."
She smiled back, her heart still pounding from the rush of it all. The simulation had pushed her to her limits, and Prism's chaotic nature had matched her own. But here, now, with Blue next to her, she felt a different kind of energy. Something more real, more important.
Without warning, Pink lunged forward, throwing herself at him in a full tackle-hug, knocking him slightly off balance. Her legs wrapped around his waist as she clung to him, her arms pulling him close as if she never wanted to let go. She could feel the strength of his body beneath her, the warmth of his skin seeping through his clothes, and for a moment, she let herself relax completely in his embrace.
"I'm glad you're okay, Blue," she whispered against his ear, her voice softer now, almost vulnerable in its sincerity. There was no teasing in her tone, no bravado—just the raw relief of having him here, with her, after everything they'd both been through.
Blue's arms tightened around her, holding her just as close. The world felt smaller, quieter, when they were like this—two warriors, two survivors, but also just two people who cared.
Pink let herself stay there for a moment longer, breathing in the comfort of his presence, before finally pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. Her usual playful grin returned, but this time it carried a weight behind it.
"Next time, though... I'll get off."