As the light disappeared a darkness covered her fiction like opening her eyes for the first time. Things around her began to slowly take form, as lines and spheres were washed over by bright beach color walls. She was standing in a room, with Tables, chairs and a lounge couch that reminded her of a ladies powder room with vanity mirrors all around fixed with dozens of bright bulbs. She could feel the soft carpet under her feet, the sensation of an invisible wind that could have been from an air condition, and sweet fragrance that wafted through the air like mist of perfume.

She looked for any sign of how the challenge should begin, an NPC or set of instructions to follow. As she stepped across the carpet she heard a small whimpering from a corner of the room. There away from the lights of the mirrors sat a woman, with red hair and milky skin, shutting her face as she whispered alone to herself.

“Y-you, can do this, Dawn... you can d-do this.” Her voice began to stutter and break as the air condition blew the tassels of her frilly undergarments against her back. “You can do this Dawn, yes you can... who am I kidding?”

Cee walked up carefully as she muttered to herself sitting with her face toward the wall sitting a small footstool trying to gain her confidence. Her skin was blushing like the morning sun, except for a tattoo on her right shoulder that was the mark of ruby four leafed clover that glistened like glass. As she continued to shake and quiver with fear like a wounded animal, she muttered to herself in a skittish but affirmative manner.

“You can do this Dawn,” she said. “It’s just a little show, no big deal...a dance that could determine your next big gig, and where do you go from here? So, what, you might fail, then ruin your career, be an embarrassment to everyone, never be able to show your face again, and ruin your dancing and your chance to perform in the main room.”

“Uh, are you alright?”

The woman quickly turned her head around in fright, with surprise. She made not a sound but was frozen in fear turning her skin even more red then when she was nervous. Looking into her eyes which were red with blood from her pupil to her iris, she looked like a demon. Yet, she was as skittish as a rabbit as she tried to hide her body with her hands while having anyone, even another girl in the dressing.

“W-w-who-o-o ar-r-r-re y-y-you-u-u?” She stuttered trying to find the words.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt...”

“N-no-no, it’s alright.” She said, trying to regain her composure. “This is a private d-dressing room, but I j-just thought I was a-alone.”

“You just seemed so nervous, I was just curious why exactly you were so on edge?”

“I d-don’t know, it’s just...s-something inside. I k-knew what I'm-supposed to d-do. I-I’ve got it all up here.” She pointed to her head. “I j-just don’t know, why I’m a-acting this way, like my l-legs and my a-arms, just don’t wanna m-move.”

“...Sounds like stage fright.”

“S-stage f-fright?” She asked not knowing what that was.

“Listen, Dawn was it?” She sat on a footstool next to her. “I don’t know why but if you feel you mean to do something you can’t let fear stop you. I know, I’ve been there.”

“Y-you have?” She said

“I know I probably shouldn’t give out personal information, but for some reason it doesn’t feel like I’m talking with a character with you.”

“W-what?” She was confused about what she meant.

“When I was a kid, I always wanted to swim. I’d seen all the other kids splashing around, having a good time and I thought I was big enough to use the big pool like everyone else. So, I asked my dad one day to teach me. The moment I got to the edge of the pool...my legs froze stiff and started shaking, kind of like you are now.”

“L-like me?” She said looking at her legs that were practically clicking together.

“Anyway, since my dad knew I wouldn’t jump in, he jumped out of the pool and took my hand and led me to the steps and helped me get in the water one step at a time. Then he told me something I’ll never forget, ‘sometimes you need a hand out to gain a foot in.’”

“Hand...foot?” She looked at her hands and feet not knowing what one had to do with the other.

“Perhaps, you need more than a metaphor.” She stood up and held out her hand to take hers. “What I mean is, confidence isn’t something you gain, it’s something you build if you let someone help you along the way. How about I show you?” She held out her hand to Dawn.

She hesitated at first but Dawn managed to reach out her hand to grab Cee’s as she lifted her off her cushioned seat to her shaking feet.

“What exactly are you so scared about?”

“I’m a d-dancer?”

“Exotic?”

“Oh, n-n-no, gosh no, I’m just a showgirl.” She said fiddling her hands together. “I mean, look at me? I’m supposed to show off my physical attributes, but I’m just...Most girls have long legs, flush cheeks, perky chests and I’m just...plain.”

“So, what?” She said displaying her own body in comparison. “I’m not exactly a good looker, or great dancer, but sometimes all you need is a little push in the right direction. Why don’t I show you.”

She grabbed Dawn by the hand and walked her toward the mirrors to practice. The moment they took their first steps, the system took over and a deck began to shuffle. However, this game was different from the one before, not a simple play of one card, but two decks shuffling simultaneously in sync. As time stopped she Cee watched as the cards displayed the game before her eyes.

[ Combination Skill ]

Round 1, Runway (Lv.2) ]

Two cards were put side by side for Luck and the Player as always.

[ Player draws:

2 of Spades & 9 Spades

[ 9 High ]

LUCK draws:

6 of Hearts & 8 of Spades

[ 8 High ]

[[ 9 High BEATS 8 High ]]]

A second set of cards, this time 3 instead of 2 for a level 3 skill time for the round of Dancing, time still remained still as the cards were drawn again.

[ Round 2, Dancing (Lv. 3)

Player draws:

9 of Diamonds, (Black) Joker, & 6 of Spades

[ Pair of 9s ]

LUCK draws:

3 of Spades, 8 of Hearts, & 7 of Hearts

[ 8 High ]

[[ Pairs of 9s BEATS 8 High ]]

[ COMBINATION SUCCESSFUL ]

As the cards disappeared a flash of sparks popped like a confetti cannon all around Cee’s frozen body. The dust made her body feel a rush of energy and stamina like nothing she felt before, as if adrenaline was pulsing through her ethereal form and anything was possible. With a flash of light time resumed as her body took over and began to strut her stuff. In a glorious glow, amplified by every mirror on the wall like a beacon, Cee and Dawn began their duet.

[[ SPECIAL MOVE, SEQUENCE START! ]]

“Whaaaaa-?” Dawn was taken by the hand like a ballerina with Cee taking the lead.

Every step they made turned the carpet into a wave of amber waves, every pause was like the sculpting of a model in the light of a museum. One step, two steps, three steps, felt like gliding on their own two feet as the two of them went twirling around Dawn’s mood and began to change from a somber kitten into a roaring tiger. On the 5th step, Cee let go and let Dawn dance on her own. She finished the routine like a natural performer, with her hands and feet possessed by Cee’s golden aura.

Six steps, she jumped in the air like a swan. Seven steps, she landed on the ground with her legs and feet folded tightly. Eight steps she lifted herself up like a phoenix risen from the fire. Nine steps, the grand finish, she rose again flying through the air and landing in front of Cee once more. Her skin was as red as the ruby tattoo on her back, her eyes as clear as crystal, all the fear and stress had vanished as she finally awakened her inner strength.

“Wow, I didn’t know I could do that.” She smiled with a cheerful grin.

“You even stopped stuttering too.” Cee pointed out as she placed her hand on her shoulder once more. “Now matter what’s holding you down, you got what it takes to pick yourself up.”

“Did your father tell you that as well?”

“Actually I just made that up myself.” She laughed.

As they both laughed, the mark on Dawn’s shoulder began to glow like a red beacon. It went off blending everything into a flash of light that blinded Cee’s sight as she let go to cover her eyes. She found herself in complete darkness, with only the light of three windows appearing before her to light the darkness.

[ Dancing has been upgraded to Lv. 4 ]

[ Runway has been upgraded to Lv. 3 ]

[ Acquired new skill Encouragement Lv. 1]