The Coach & The Challengers EP : 2 lnwzaSutSakorn

Naoko: Tadaima. (I'm home)

- Naomi (Naoko's older sister) : Okaeri~ (Welcome back)

After Naoko has already arrived home at 5 P.M. in the evening, she carried her bag into her room on the 2nd floor and then sat in the kitchen to wait for the dinner that her sister was preparing. Today's dinner was one of her favorite menu: Karaage chicken. (Japanese fried chicken)

- Naomi: Mom said that she won't be coming back home for a while. She's busying with some work in America.

- Naoko: Oh, that's good.

- Naomi: Sometimes you don't have to say exactly what you're thinking...

After Naomi washing her hands, she joined Naoko at the dining table and place a small bowl of miso soup next to Naoko's plate.

- Nao: Hm?

- Naomi: Miso soup. If you just eat fried chicken, your throat will get dry. And I won't have to make breakfast much for tomorrow if you leftovered it.

Naoko took a spoonful of the soup and tofu. She chewing it slowly while staring blankly.

- Naomi: Tasty?

- Naoko: Mhm.

- Naomi: You chubby-cheeked cutie, what are you thinking about? Seems like you found something really good.

- Naoko: Nothing.

- Naomi: You can't hide it from your big sis. (She poked Nao's cheek with her finger.)

- Naoko: Onii-chan !!!

- Naomi: Haha, what an adorable reaction. Anyway, I'm going to read books. Don't forget to do the dishes, check the sink and gas, turn off the lights. Oh, and the bathwater's already heated now, so eat quickly and go to take a bath, I'll use it after you.

After finishing her meal and doing her chores, Naoko went taking a bath. She lay in the hot water, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression for a while.

(Naoko's thinking)

- Naoko : What time is it now? Am I too late? Is he waiting too long? Hoping he didn't start playing before me because he couldn't wait...

- Naoko (thinking): Should I add him after finishing this? Or is that too hurry? Will he know it's me? What should I apologize if the notification bother him while playing?

- Naoko: And then I have to message him, right? What should I say? "Are you free?" "Hello." "Do you remember me?" "Let's play a game." Ugh, no idea... Why am I so nervous? I finally have a friend but why do I have to stress like thi- *bubble sounds*

A knocking noise on the door broke her thoughts.

- Naomi: Hey, you still in there? It's already been thirty minutes now. If you take too long, you might be faint.

- Naoko: Ah, sorry! I'll get out now!

After finishing her bath, Naoko changed into her pink pajamas with the bunny pattern and turned on her computer. She opened Chatcord to add Riku as a friend, typing in his username: RikU#3897.

After sending the friend request, Nao anxiously bit her fingernail.

- Naoko: (thinking) Sent it! Will he accept? Will he see the notification? What if he doesn't see it until tomorrow?!

About five seconds later, she received a notification that he accepted.

(Chatting)

- Naoko: (thinking) No way! He accepted so fast?! Ahhhh I need to say hi. Maybe I'll send a waving sticker.

- Riku: (Replied her with the same sticker)

- Riku: Hi, is this Nohara?

- Naoko: Yes, how did you know?

- Riku I don't usually give my Chatcord to anyone.

- Naoko: I see...

- Naoko: (thinking) No, no, can't let it fall silent. What should I say next?

- Riku: Are you free to play now?

- Naoko: Ah, yes.

- Riku: You wanna call? It'll be easier to talk while we play.

- Naoko: (thinking) Call? No, it might disturb onii-chan. And doesn't people voice change while they make a call? If he hears that, how embarrassing it is!

- Naoko: Okay.

- Naoko: (thinking) Why did I just say that?!

Shortly, a call notification popped up on her computer with Riku's profile.

- Naoko: (thinking) He's calling for real!? Wha-What should I say?!..... Calm down, calm down, don't panic. He'll hear it.

- Naoko: (answers the call) *Ahem* Hi.

- Riku: Hi, sooo should we start playing now, or do you need to do something first? I can wait for you.

- Naoko: No, I didn't have anything to do, let's play.

- Riku: Ok, how about a 3v3 mode? We can get used to each other's playstyles.

- Naoko: Sounds great. This mode ends quicker than normal mode too.

- Riku: I'll create a party in the global chat. My IGN (in game name) is Onigiri.

- Naoko: Okay, I've already online now.

Upon seeing Riku's invite in the global chat, she joined immediately, and the third player comes in, lnwzaSutSakorn.

- Riku: Who's that?

- Naoko: I don't know. Let me check his profile.

Naoko checked the player's profile, and she saw that the current rank of the stranger was Diamond V, but the highest rank was Champion with 251 stars in season 7, 9th place ranker on the server and holding The Diamond Shield of Silent Flash (mecha name).

- Naoko: A smurf!?

- Riku: Maybe he hasn't played for and his rank dropped after being reranked? Should we play with him?

- Naoko: Hmm... Okay, let's ask him first.

(English Chat)

- Naoko: Uh, hello? Do you have any placesyou wanna play?

- lnwzaSutSakorn: If you don't mind, can I play Silent Flash?

- Naoko: Sure, but that mecha is....

- lnwzaSutSakorn: Don't worry. It's not that bad as the pros say.

(Japanese call)

- Riku: Nohara, what's Silent Flash?

- Naoko: The slim katana guy, F tier mecha that I drew at noon.

- Riku: Hmm...

- Riku: Oh, the red one. No one uses it anymore. What can it do?

- Naoko: Not sure. Something about stacking speed and damage and parrying everything. But it's so hard to play so no one uses it.

- Riku: Was it free mecha from the jigsaw event last year?

- Naoko: Yeah, but in the first season, it had to buy a package. People didn't buy it because it was expensive.

After matching, they were on the skill and equipment selection screen. After that, they chose their mechas. The smurf chose Silent Flash as expected.

- Naoko: (thinking) He likes playing Ballistina, right? I'll try it too.

- Riku: (choosing Silent Flash) Ah! Yabai !

- Naoko: Nakai, why did you choose that guy?!

- Riku: I meant to choose Hades Sentinel, but it's next to it, and I clicked wrong!

- Naoko: (thinking): Oh no.

The match began. Each team entered the arena. The enemy team had Ion Wave, Reaver, and Firestorm, while Riku's team had two Silent Flashes and a Ballistina.

Notes

- 3v3 mode has only one rule that's defeat the enemies.

- Each team can select same mechas up to two. Some mechs have combo moves with specific mechs or their same mecha.

- Shield ranks:

- 500-251: Bronze

- 250-101: Silver

- 100-51: Gold

- 50-2 : Ruby

- 1: Diamond

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