Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

The evening of the first day of the NIST Tournament was rainy, so Klaus and his friends couldn't leave the hotel to enjoy Los Angeles.  However, that didn't mean they couldn't get together to pass the time and ease their nervousness.

The sound of raindrops hitting the windows echoed through the room, creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere as Klaus and Ashley kissed on his bed. Suddenly, two knocks on the door interrupted their snogging session

Klaus and Ashley quickly separated, and with their blushing faces exchanged a surprised look.

"Who could that be at this time of night?" whispered Ashley, getting up from the bed to adjust her clothes.

"I have no idea, but for some reason I wonder who it is." replied Klaus, sitting up in bed and straightening his shirt.

As Ashley walked towards the door, she pulled a lock of hair behind her ear, trying to look more presentable. She opened the door and to their surprise, found Andrew, David and Nathan on the other side, with mischievous smiles on their lips.

"Surprise!" exclaimed Nathan, lifting a bottle of whiskey wrapped in a paper bag and entering the room followed by David.

Ashley laughed at the sudden entrance of the boys from the Archery Department, especially Nathan, who usually bragged about his high IQ, but seemed drunk now.

Klaus smiled and asked:

"What are they doing here? Shouldn't you be in your rooms resting?"

"We couldn't sleep with all the excitement of the tournament. You're lucky your competitions are on two consecutive days, ours isn't until the day after tomorrow." David explained, looking tired and tense. "So we thought we'd come over and spend some time with you."

"Besides," Andrew added with a playful look. "we heard you were having a great time here and decided to join the party!"

Ashley laughed and slapped Evan lightly on the arm. "That's not what you're thinking at all! We were just talking."

Klaus shot a serious look at Andrew, who immediately held up his hands and said:

"I'm kidding. It wasn't my idea to come here, it was Nathan's and I just came to make sure they were going back to our department's private lounge."

So, since Klaus and Ashley had already been interrupted anyway, they went to the hotel lounge that was reserved for the New York Archery Department. As the hotel was very large and had several teams, in addition to rooms, Hónghé Holdings also reserved the lounges to make it more comfortable.

When they arrived at the lounge, Klaus and Ashley saw Lara Cavalcanti, Isabella Nairn, Carrie S. Puma and Clifford.

"Did you all really not get any sleep or are you just taking the opportunity to have a drink?" asked Klaus, looking at the drinks on the low table on the floor, which everyone was sitting around.

"A bit of both, perhaps!" replied Lara, with a wide, cheerful smile.

"But make no mistake, I only brought this to ease the tension a little before the big day." Clifford said, in his usual serious manner.

Ashley laughed and shook her head, but couldn't resist the fun spirit of the department. "All right, then. I guess we can make a toast and play some games before bed."

Klaus agreed, after all, a shot of whiskey could really help calm the nerves.

The atmosphere in the lounge became even livelier with the arrival of Klaus and Ashley. Everyone seemed excited and at the same time relaxed, enjoying the moment of relaxation before the next big day.

Isabella, who always seemed to be quite serious for being the department coordinator, picked up the glasses and started pouring the whiskey for everyone. Before toasting, she stood up and gave a little speech in her cute way.

"To the fearless competitors of New York, may we be brave and do our best in the tournament. And may we, even when facing strong opponents, find in ourselves the strength to persevere. May this night be filled with good laughs, but tomorrow we can show the world why we sweat so much!" said Isabella, raising her glass.

"That's it!!!" Everyone toasted, raising their glasses and taking a sip.

After the toast, the team's contagious energy propelled them to continue the fun with an exciting board game. They chose a game that was available in the lounge and that married perfectly with the group's competitive spirit: UNO.

As the game progressed, the atmosphere became a symphony of laughter and shouts of excitement at every turn. The intense emotions provided by the game took over the place, strengthening the bonds of friendship and camaraderie among all. As the hours passed, the rain outside ceased, and silence embraced the hotel. Even though fatigue was beginning to weigh them down, no one wanted to call it a night, as it was fun.

However, Klaus had a competition at the start, so after a string of games and engaging conversations, the team agreed it was time to rest. They knew that the next day would be crucial for everyone, because the fencing team had to train intensively and therefore it was essential to be well-prepared.

Klaus and Ashley headed to the comfort of his hotel room, sharing smiles. They were tired, but not that tired.

Snuggled in bed, the closeness between Klaus and Ashley reflected the affection they shared. She rested her head on his chest, and he hugged her tenderly.

"Thank you for today, Ash," Klaus said, gently stroking her hair.

She turned her head slightly and, a little surprised, asked:

"Why? What did I do?"

Klaus smiled. "You made this day very special. You comforted me after the defeat and it was nice to be with you, with our friends, having fun just now. It's comforting to have someone like you by my side."

Ashley smiled back and held his hand, grateful for the caring words, but her smile soon faded, because although she could hear Klaus' heartbeat as he spoke all this to her, she believed she still didn't know everything about him.