Valerie prepares

Valerie woke up earlier than usual, the upcoming exercise weighing heavily on her mind. Losing meant more than a demotion - it also meant losing her dignity. Her entire career was at stake.

She stepped into the shower, strategizing. She had the speed and agility advantage, while her opponent had more skilled and experienced. While she had done a few exercises in the urban training center, Anya probably had the layout of the whole place memorized. She would need a cushion, something that let her survive a few slip ups until she became more familiar with the terrain.

After they had shaken hands, she and Anya had clarified a few rules. Clothing below the knee and above the neck didn't count as clothing - she couldn't put on three pairs of socks or bandanas, for example. After every hit, both contestants would have a minute of recovery before the contest resumed, so one person didn't get pinned and lose multiple items at once. Excluding underwear, only one top and bottom article of clothing was allowed, so that participants wouldn't show up wearing five t-shirts.

However, Valerie realized there were no other restrictions on the number of things she could wear. A plan formed in her head.

She stepped out of the shower, drying herself and approaching her closet. She laid out her standard issue combat outfit - sports bra, gym shorts, tank top and cargo pants. Four items, meaning four lives before defeat. It was likely her opponent would be wearing the same thing.

Before putting on any of her clothes, she opened her underwear drawer, taking out a skimpy bra and tiny thong. While they barely covered the essentials, they could be worn underneath the sports bra and shorts, giving her two extra lives in the contest.

She was about to put on the cargo pants when she stopped herself. She put on an old pair of thigh high fishnet stockings - since they ended above the knee and were technically hosiery, they would give her one extra life, bringing her total lives to seven.

As she put on the rest of her clothes, she felt confident. She checked her equipment and departed for the location of the contest.