[https://discord.com/channels/1132774965817651232/1133159902701944983/1133272603021283458]White is a unique color because it can symbolize a lot of things. It represents new opportunities, beginnings, clean slates, innocence, and purity. People trust the color white; it puts their minds at ease. When someone wears white, others think the person in white is on their side.

That’s why Vitalia used her white dress. It gave off an innocence…a helplessness…a beneficial façade that she could use to her advantage. It was of a style reminiscent of medieval Europe with long hanging sleaves and a fitted hug at the hips and waist.

In her right hand, she held a table hockey paddle. Her left hand rested on the corner of the hockey table. She’d tied her blond hair back into a ponytail. Across from her stood Max the cat, wearing his pink tank top. “I prefer your tuxedos.” She told him, hitting the puck toward him.

After he hit it back, he answered. “We’re in a Pizza and Games. Tuxedos don’t make sense in places like this.”

The puck continued to go back and forth as they blocked each other’s shots. “And why are we still hanging out in Pete’s dreamscape?” She asked.

“I went through a lot of effort to create this.” His voice sounded hurt. “It would be a shame to only use it once.”

She rolled her eyes. “You could have asked him to help, you know? You didn’t have to knock him out of the tree, send him through this dreamscape, and then teleport him to Round.”

“There’s not enough theater in that.” He said. “Plus, he might have said no. We couldn’t have that.”

“And you think threatening him with permanent death as an ultimatum for not helping is a good way to earn trust? Later—when he needs your help—how will he trust you?” She saw an opening in Max’s table hockey defenses and ricocheted a shot off the side wall.

He yawned as he deflected the puck back in her direction. “I shouldn’t be helping them. If things get better, I won’t have to. That’s why we chose Pete. Remember? He’s the player that breaks the game. Plus—if the moderators catch me in Round—they’ll patch the world to block me out. In that case, Pete and Zoey’ll be on their own.”

Vitalia and Max had been working together for a long time. During that time, higher powers had blocked them from entering certain worlds. People in those worlds found themselves the subjects of demon lords or the slaves of warmongers. They didn’t get happy endings. But worrying about what might happen wouldn’t help anyone. She needed to focus on the current situation. “There’s a dungeon in Greenlake. It’s a matter of time before Pete and Zoey end up in that dungeon. The mobs they face will be above their level. Without help, they’ll die.”

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Max considered Vitalia’s words. They cause him to hesitate. And his vacillation almost allowed Zoey to score a table hockey goal. He deflected it last second. Where many people saw Vitalia as Max’s subordinate, she was his equal…his partner. When she expressed a worry, her worry had merit. This case was no different. If he didn’t help Pete and Zoey face the dungeon, Pete and Zoey would die. But that was a problem for another day. “Without adventurer’s passes, they won’t be able to enter the dungeon.” He said, “so we don’t need to worry about that for now.”

“Zoey is a vampire.” Vitalia shot back. “Undead don’t require passes.”

His eyes widened. For a cat who prided himself on seeing the big picture, how could he have missed something so simple? “You’re right. That could be problematic.”

“If you were wearing a tuxedo,” She joked. “You wouldn’t have missed this.”

Max ignored the teasing. “We should put a contingency in place, something to help Zoey should she end up in a dungeon.”

“I sent a group of adventurers to the dungeon,” Vitalia explained. “Told them to help Zoey should they come across her.”

“I noticed.” Max grimaced. “I trust Introvice. Did you have to send Fred, though? He’s as likely to kill them as he is to help them.”

“They’re a team.” She shrugged. “Where Introvice goes, Fred goes. Introvice will keep him in line.”

“Or Fred will keep Introvice out of line,” Max mumbled. “Also, did you have to keep Flowerbeard with them? His name’s a lie. I’ve never once seen flowers in that pirate’s beard. I’m not even sure he’s a pirate. He might be a dude with a beard cosplaying a pirate.”

“He’s a pirate,” Vitalia replied. “I saw his ship once. Remember? It was that schooner with the two masts.”

“The same schooner he was using to scam the prince in First Sea?” Max lifted his fuzzy eyebrow. “The prince who won the nicest prince in Round contest?”

“He’s a pirate…I think…” She answered. “He has to do his job to level up.”

Max saw an opening in Vitalia’s defense; he shot straight at it. “Well, if Pete and Zoey die, we’ll have to find someone else to save Round from the Moderators. It’s more important the Moderators don’t recognize our influence. Their survival is secondary.”

“Agreed,” she deflected the puck. “Are you sure Zoey beat you in this air hockey? You didn’t let her win.”

“She needed to go to Round with confidence.” Max winked.

“Are you sure Earth was the best choice for a hero? There are people on other planets who are stronger and faster than Earthlings.”

“The saviors of round need to be from Earth.” He assured.

“Why?” She raised an eyebrow. “Do you know something you aren’t telling me?”

“Because,” he answered. “There is something I haven’t told you yet…”

At that point, the puck snuck into Max’s goal with a frustrating metal ting.

Vitalia knew that Max had let her score. The pause in the game allowed him to change the direction of the conversation. And she’d let him change it. In reality, she didn’t need to press for more information. She had deduced why the saviors had to come from Earth. “In the end, the dungeon will work to our benefit. Did you have anything to do with it appearing in Greenlake?”

“No,” He removed the puck. “Though…magic had begun to accumulate in Greenlake. It had to be a dungeon manifesting. That’s what made it a good starting point for Pete and Zoey.”

“Magic accumulation can mean other things.” She answered. “it could signify the Moderators were about to destroy the town.”

“Well,” Max put the puck back on the table and shot toward Vitalia’s goal. “It’s like I said. We can find new saviors.”

Vitalia blocked the shot. “We’re still going to pay Introvice a visit, right? Let him know how Zoey might be showing up in the dungeon sooner rather than later?”

“We are,” Max confirmed, taking another shot. This shot found its mark, slamming into Vitalia’s goal with a satisfying metal ting.