ShE-Sports: Breaking Bethany

"Are you tired of competitive gaming being a boy's club? Looking to show misogynistic gamer bros what girls are really made of? Try out for our up-and-coming new E-sports team now!" exclaimed the advert that popped upon Bethany's screen as she opened up one of the MOBA games that she had recently downloaded. She had been a long time League of Legends player, but she was feeling very frustrated with the game at this point. The persistently rude, crude or even abusive male players were a big factor, becoming especially tiresome after she trounced them so easily. Something about their fragile male ego and obsession with winning a video game made them turn into pathetic man-babies upon their inevitable defeat. And their defeat was quite inevitable indeed, Bethany was experienced, skilled and strategically minded. She knew every role like the back of her hand and could pull off victories as any character she liked. Perhaps her opponents underestimated her as soon as they realized she was a girl, or perhaps they simply need to 'git gud' as they say. Whatever it was, even her own teammates would often seem rude or hostile as they saw her dominating the scoreboards every game. Always the MVP. Sometimes she would get more kills even in support roles! The whole community had become toxic, and beyond that Bethany had quite simply mastered the game. Save for playing at a competitive level, there wasn't much point. She had downloaded a series of similar games, looking for something with the right mix of fun and challenging gameplay alongside a welcoming and positive community, but it was proving difficult to find.

Then she spotted this ad. Something about it jumped out at her. It was right, perhaps she couldn't just find a community where she would be respected for her gaming prowess instead of being belittled and verbally degraded at every opportunity by idiotic pigs. Perhaps the only way to find her dream MOBA community was to make it. To force the ugly misogynistic creatures back into whatever hole they crawled out of and remake the world of competitive E-sports into one which celebrated female excellence instead of berating or shying away from it. It was for precisely this reason that she responded to the advert.

She didn't take it that seriously initially. These things were usually very competitive and probably had thousands of replies from talented women of every conceivable background. However, she was pleasantly surprised when she heard back and was invited to an in-person interview. They even agreed to pay for her flight and put her up in a hotel for the night. As a freelance programmer, it was no issue for Bethany to take a few days for this trip, and if she did get the position she could continue her old work part-time on the side to make extra cash. She figured that would be mostly helpful in the early period before they won any tournaments or got any potential merchandising deals.

Her journey was uneventful and the hotel was higher quality than she expected. Whoever was behind this little E-sports venture was clearly willing to invest some cash upfront if they were splashing out on hotels and flights. She wasn't sure how to feel about that. On the one hand having some kind of corporate sponsor pulling the strings felt shady for what she hoped was a more organic situation, but then again you needed someone to foot the bill to get this off the ground in the first place, so there was no avoiding it. At least their corporate overlords were nice enough to treat their applicants well.

The interview was not exactly what she was expecting. Firstly, the interviewer was a man. After that advert had so harshly admonished gamer bros, she was doubtful that a man would be at all involved, but it did make sense in some ways. He wore a well-pressed suit and had slicked back hair. Clearly some kind of business type working for whoever was funding this whole endeavour. Of course if there's money to be made, he would be involved. But the upside to that thought was that yes, there is clearly money to be made here. This was a serious team, not some group of college students who won a few games and figured they could form a shabby ensemble and somehow win at the competitive level.

The interviewer himself seemed very professional. He asked her questions about her background and why she wanted to join the team. He answered her questions too, and she liked what she heard. Apparently they had filled all but the last spot on the team. He wouldn't speak too much about the other members, but he kept assuring her that they were uniquely suited to their roles and had been carefully selected. Accommodation, training and all the gear they needed (including top of the line computers and custom gaming chairs) would all be provided to them. They would share a house with each other and follow a pre-defined schedule of training designed to take them to elite levels of play within a few months, after which they would enter their first tournament which included not only a cash prize but also a secret bonus prize for the winning team. To Bethany, it sounded more than fair for what was essentially an opportunity to play video games all day without having to worry about bills or work.

The only somewhat unusual part of the interview was the 'epilepsy test'. As the man described it, playing these games for extended periods as they would be required to do could cause epileptic symptoms in a large proportion of people, and for her own safety as well as the success of the team in the long term, they needed to ensure she was not among those vulnerable to flashing lights or similar effects. He took her to an ordinary looking computer that was flanked by several small bulbs and lamps of varying colours. After he briefly set it up and explained further he asked her to put on a pair of headphones which would also be used to test for a similar condition which was caused by repetitive audio stimulus. Finally he attached a pair of wired electrodes to her temples and a simply heart rate monitor to her chest before she could begin the test.

The test itself was oddly boring. The lights flashed to life, rays of every colour swirling and combining towards the centre of the computer screen as she was told to read a few simple sentences which were displayed there. Initially her vision was blurry and she struggled to make out the words on the screen, but after focusing for a moment her eyes adjusted and she was able to read them with ease. "My name is Bethany Meyers." she read aloud for the man. Apparently they had tailored this test for her specifically, though it was probably a preset statement that they simply filled with each candidate's name before the interview. It didn't really matter. As she adjusted to the oddly swirling lights even further she continued reading, feeling increasingly bored as she did so. "I want to be a member of team Ether Angels." That was the name of the team, though it didn't much matter to Bethany. She was just eager to join. Perhaps even more so now. She kept gazing deeply into the lights and reading the phrases. "I have no problem with flashing lights and repetition" she said, watching the words fade away and then reappear. After a brief hesitation she repeated "I have no problem with flashing lights and repetition". After several more times saying the same phrase, tuning out gradually as she did so, she was starting to wonder if the test was broken. But then she saw it change slightly. "I enjoy flashing lights and repetition". Again, the phrase repeated itself. At this point Bethany began to completely lose focus. Phrases would appear and vanish and she simply repeated what they said. It wasn't much effort at all. She didn't even take note of what she was saying anymore.

Te man watched and smiled as she drooled dumbly, wide eyes transfixed on the screen. "I am entranced by flashing lights and repetition." she said softly, eyes glassy and lips mouthing the words over and over as she awaited the next phrase. "I am relaxed and receptive." she continued, voice almost monotone and her breathing slow and synchronized with the swirling lights that flooded her vision. "I am blank and obedient." The man was surprised at how few times they had to repeat the basic phrases before her consciousness began to slip. They were already pushing into brainwashing territory, and she wasn't even selected yet! "I am wet and weak willed." she stated, completely unaware of what she was saying. He realized that he hadn't even started the audio yet, and she was already this deep? Leaning in and pressing a key on the computer, the test shifted to its second phase.

Bethany was vaguely aware of the change. The lights still danced and swirled before her, but now there were no words to repeat on the screen. For a few moments she simply mouthed her last statement, before she heard a soft voice in her ears, whispering something. It was almost drowned out by some strange mixture of humming and ringing which made her head ache for a few seconds before her ears could adjust. Once they had, she began to hear the voice more clearly. It was much the same as the first stage of the test, but now she was repeating audio cues instead of written ones. "I listen and repeat." she said, still ensnared by her hypnotic state. "Each repetition makes me more obedient." she repeated. "Each repetition makes me more susceptible." it went on. "Each repetition makes me more aroused."

After the test was over, it took Bethany a while to recover. "What happened? Did I doze off?" she asked groggily, vision still fuzzy and an odd ringing/humming sound faintly echoing in her ears as she tried to remember what she was doing.

"Yes you fell asleep during the epilepsy test." The man answered her plainly.

"Oh god I'm sorry, I just don't know what happened..." she apologized profusely.

"No, no. No need to worry, its quite common, Actually I'm pleased to say you passed the test. In fact, you seem to be exactly the type of woman we are looking for!" he said in an upbeat manner.

"Really?" Bethany asked eagerly. Somehow she was extremely excited to join the team now...maybe a little too excited, as she felt a familiar yet unexpected dampness between her thighs. 'Calm down Bethany, don't blow this!' she told herself, as she pressed her legs together, hoping her arousal wasn't as obvious to him as it was to her.

"Yes, we have a few more interviews, but just to be candid with you, you should start packing when you get home because I have little doubt that you will be chosen." he said honestly.

With a friendly handshake they concluded the interview and Bethany returned to her hotel feeling bubbly and full of energy. Maybe it was the excitement, or the nap she had, or possibly the unexpected wave of arousal that had washed over her, but she was giddy like a schoolgirl. When she got ack to her hotel, her hand slipped inside her panties almost immediately. She needed to destress and relax and when she was already this wet it was no question how she should go about it. She spent several hours writhing on the freshly made sheets as she stroked her needy slit. She didn't even notice as she whispered those phrases from the test to herself. It was only after her third orgasm that she was actually able to cool off and get some sleep. Picturing her new life as an elite competitive gamer as she drifted off.

Things were somewhat uneventful for Bethany after that. She went back home and back to the mundane of her regular work for a few days...until she got the call. Her heart raced as the ma told her she was successful and would be joining the team as soon as possible. Without hesitating she agreed and set to work packing her stuff.

She was more than a little intimidated when it came time to move in with her new teammates. Its always tough making a good impression and meeting new people can be nerve wracking, especially ones she would be spending most of her time with from here on out. But as she stepped inside she was swiftly greeted by her three smiling and bubbly new roommates and they gave warm and reassuring introductions.

There was Bianka, a blonde girl from Germany. She had fair skin and a bright smile, though her most defining feature was easily her large breasts. Even Bethany couldn't help but stare a little and wonder how she managed to be so bouncy and friendly with two enormous mounds of flesh weighing her down all the time. The way they jiggled slightly was also distracting, though she had seen worse on many of the female characters in even her favourite video games. Still, it wasn't something you noticed often in real life.

Second was Nora. She was mixed race with dark hair and plenty of curves. She was also American like Bethany, though from an entirely different state half-way across the country. Still, it was comforting to know that she wouldn't be the odd one out or anything like that.

Finally there was Kana, a slender Asian girl. She hid her excellently sculpted facial features behind a pair of glasses and mousy hair, but it didn't make her any less of a stunner. Her legs were toned as well, as if she ran in her spare time, which was impressive for a professional gamer who would no doubt spend most of their time sat in front of a computer.

After meeting everyone and even sharing a meal together Bethany felt her nerves calm down. She was one of the team after all, they were all here to play. All here to win. All here to show the word what women could do!

Bethany quickly realized that the schedule was quite strict. They all had orders to be up by 8am to eat breakfast, which, like all of the food was prepared to a strict diet by their sponsors. After this they were free until 9am when the training sessions started, though they were strongly encouraged to exercise at the free gym facilities adjoining their house. In fact there were several breaks throughout the day specifically for exercise, and the man from the interview, now referred to as their manager, emphasized that it was important to maintain regular exercise and keep a healthy diet to stay at peak performance. It was kind of sweet, in a way, that he seemed to worry about their health and fitness.

The training sessions themselves made up around 8 hours of their daily schedules. Bethany was unsure what to expect as she walked into the 'training room' as they called it. There were four spaces, each with an impressive looking PC and set of screens alongside the promised custom chairs. They had very soft leather seats and a vast array of knobs and levers underneath that left Bethany utterly bewildered as to their purposes. The chair seemed perfectly fine as is so she decided not to mess around with them and risk damaging it for no real reason. Instead she examined her gaming setup. An LED illuminated keyboard and mouse were obvious, but there were also several other devices littered across the desk. Some were webcams, others were lights, much like those from the epilepsy test earlier.

As they started up the game which they would be training to play on, it felt very familiar. The whole thing was basically a reskin of LoL, then again you could say that for most MOBAs these days. It was also funny that when she got to the character selection screen, there were characters that looked exactly like each of the team members. It was uncanny, as if they had actually gotten custom skins made. Could that really be true? Or was it just a coincidence? Bianka's avatar was wearing a horned helmet and wielding a humongous double-sided battle-axe, though her intimidation factor was definitely diminished by the equally humongous breasts that managed to beat out her already impressive real life ones, complete with highly overzealous jiggle physics. Then there was Nora, who appeared as a gunslinger, with a cool steel pistol in each hand and a wide-brimmed hat that had wild west written all over it. The rest of her outfit was quite revealing, with short shorts drawing the eye towards her smooth caramel thighs and most of her torso exposed save for her arms and upper back which were covered by a tight-fitting jacket, so tight in fact that it didn't seem possible to close it. Of course that would cover up her chest which was clearly not in the model designers' interests. Then there was Kana's character. It was piloting some kind of large mech with a curved glass window on the front which was easily large enough to see the girl inside, and her skin-tight 'control suit' as the character selection screen had described. Allegedly required for achieving full range of motion when controlling the advanced battle mech, the true reason was obviously to appeal to the male gaze. Bethany was quite used to it all at this point. Of course, it felt somewhat more off-putting when she was looking at her own over-sexualized facsimile. Her champion was some kind of beast tamer, she rode a ferocious bear into battle and wielded some kind of makeshift spear. What really annoyed Bethany though was the fact that she wasn't really wearing any clothing at all. Aside from a few well-placed and loosely strung together leaves which covered the bare minimum to keep the game from being rated for adults only, her character was riding around in the nude!

'Ok, lets put the creepy, perverted skins aside and actually focus on the gameplay. I knew there would be hurdles here, including the skeevy game designers and artists. Just gotta push past it and learn my role.' She told herself as she explored the map and tested out the combat. There were many things to notice here. Firstly, it played very much like League. Not surprising, but maybe a little disappointing. Still, it meant she could pick it up very quickly. Secondly, whenever she was in combat, which was pretty much the whole time in games like this, she was bombarded both visually and auditorily. Not only would the screen flash as various visual effects rolled in from every angle, but the mouse and keyboard also changed colour to mimic this. Even the audio became loud and incessant. There was a constant droning in the background, but this was drowned out mostly by the never-ending moans. Yes, moans. It seemed that every time she used a power or even did a basic attack, her character moaned. There was something oddly sexual about the moans, it could just be poor voice acting, but Bethany was quite confident that it had been done intentionally. What was the audio equivalent of the male gaze? Never mind, its not like she could do anything about it. Not now anyway. Maybe after they won a few tournaments she could start voicing her opinions in interviews and form a wider movement to change things.

As she continued playing, she began to get used to all of the oddities. The moaning and jiggling and flashing. She steadily tuned it out as she concentrated on the core gameplay loop. It was all very simple and repetitive. 'Each repetition makes me more susceptible.' she whispered softly without realizing as her fingers danced over the keyboard. She was starting to get into a rhythm, taking out basic enemies was very easy. That was all that seemed to appear too, weak minions that she could slaughter without much effort. Despite this, the game seemed to drag on. No matter how much they pushed, more and more of these weak enemies kept spawning. Over and over. So repetitive. 'Each repetition makes me more obedient.' Her lips mouthed without her input. Soon she noticed that words were flashing every time she pressed a key. They were faint and she couldn't make them out for some reason, but she figured they were the names of the attacks. They were each accompanied by a faint voice saying the same thing. She pressed the 'B' key to do a basic attack. [Blank] flashed briefly, as a soft voice whispered it in her ear. But Bethany didn't notice, she kept playing. She pressed the 'W' key to throw her spear. [Weak]. She tapped the 'S' key to do a power attack. [Submit]. She hit the 'O' key to do a special attack. [Obey]. Then she held down the spacebar to speed up her cooldowns. [Deeper] flashed continuously as she held the bar down and Bethany's eyes rolled back into her skull for a moment, before she finally released and let out a soft groan as she felt more than a little dizzy.