WEEK 3: CYOA (Rufus, Sumire, Taako, Dorothy)

[retellers]

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[retellers]

[ The group of cheerleaders start to whisper amongst themselves, before the blonde speaks again. ]

Whaaaat? Like, oh my gosh, you guys are so funny. Aren't they funny, Claire?

[ Another blonde, but of a less impressive shade, nods her head. The first one speaks again. ]

If you're on the National team, then... can you show us? It would be, like, so cool. Wouldn't that be cool, guys?

[ The crowd cheers. ]

[uhhhmagic]

No no, that’s not how this works, you see, we spectate and you show us your routine, then we tell you what’s wrong with it.

For example, your ponytail? Very low. Not inspiring a lot of pep and cheer in me.

[siblingless]

[Sweatily nodding along. Should she say something? She should say something. Oh, no. Oh, god. What's something her coach would say? Oh, boy.]

But, um... T-That's okay! There's always room for improvement. [AHHHHHH WRONG.] Now, please show us your routine!

[retellers]

[ The cheerleader pauses, her attention now directed solely on Sumire. ]

Did you just stutter? Oh my gosh, sweetie, this isn't speech therapy. We don't stutter on this field. You should go run! Some! Laps!

[ The cheerleaders all wave their pom poms in sync as they stare at Sumire and ignore Taako. ]

[uhhhmagic]

Hey—- [Shoving a pompom right in a Blonde’s face? Whichever blonde just said that.] Don’t be fucking rude!

Show us! The! Routine!

[TRYING THE SAME TACTICS BACK?]

[siblingless]

[...

Quickly lifting her bag with the toe of her shoe and grabbing it while Taako screams at a cheerleader, sure. Her anxiety.]

... We ought to come back another day. [Can they please leave.] Maybe they haven't practiced their routine yet.

[retellers]

You are failing your tryouts!

[ The crowd start to boo. They begin to throw things at them from the stands, like cans of beer, pieces of paper, concession stand food, a cat, and other random assortment of items. ]

Show us your audition. [ She looks at the other blonde. ] Lup wouldn't have done this badly.

[uhhhmagic]

[First of all, is the cat okay.

Secondly, Taako just rolls his eyes. Lup’s dex score isn’t nearly as high? Also, definitely nothing has happened to his memory recently where he may be overestimating his dex score because certain events that transpired may have been, um, forgotten. This is fine. It’s still pretty good.]

Stupid ploy, dungeon figments. That’s not how my insecurity works. [Turning to Yoshizawa though.] I think we have to do it. I tried lying.

[siblingless]

[Oh, no.]

Hey!

[First of all, stop throwing things at them!!! She side steps a few of the items being thrown at them, looking completely and utterly offended... for Taako. Not for herself. Don't boo at her friend. :///]

I'm sorry, Taako-san. It was a good attempt, though! You almost—

["—had them fooled," she wants to say, like a liar. But then she notices the cat, and runs, skips and hops to grab it midair. Are you safe kitty? You are in her arms now.

(Smash cut to the cat clawing her face off for trying to be kind to animals.)]

[retellers]

[ The cat immediately scratches her. It's fine, at least it's safe.

The cheerleaders don't respond though. They just stare at them, waiting. ]

[uhhhmagic]

Whatever. Suck on my sweet flips, dipshits.

[Fuck! Fine. Spinning on his heel to march out to the field a bit so his (I’m assuming his hairstyle changed with the outfit) ponytail might whack the Gap Model in the face.

Then he takes a breath and does a running start to an actual flip? He’s actually fucking good at this. And I rolled a 17, so I’ll say he does a fairly impressive job - though he does throw in a twerk, which is sad, because he has zero ass - and trips a little at the end, looking kinda confused. Hm. That’s weird.

Covering up his mistake by tossing the pompoms off to the side in favor of flipping the double bird at the crowd though.]

[siblingless]

[WOW. TERRIBLE CAT. She drops the cat with a startled gasp, clutching her arms where it scratched her. Thanks for nothing, cat.

Taako tried his best and she supports him, though. She will act as his hype squad while he sadly twerks, clapping to the rhythm and chanting for good measure.]

Taako-san! Taako-san! Taako-san!

[Terrible job, team.

Did you know you can still do some sick flips even while you're down an arm? The more you learn. As soon as Sumire notices him flipping the bird, she switches the pom poms to her injured arm, runs, and shows off some one-handed gymnastic flips — landing in a split. RIP to her inner leggies.

Taking one of the pom poms in her other hand and shaking them both around from her position on the ground. What is it that cheerleaders say again? What team is this, even? She has so many questions. Uh.]

... Goooooo, team...?!

[Whatever team this is!]

[retellers]

[ The crowd goes wild! They start chanting their names excitedly, and even the cat seems to purr in recognition despite being rudely dropped.

The cheerleaders all smile. ]

Wooow, that was sooooo cool. You're on the team! Yay! Let's celebrate. Claire?

[ The lesser blonde steps forward and pulls out a knife. Where was she holding this? But she'll hand it to the pair, smiling.

The other cheerleader is also smiling. ]

Now cut Claire's throat. Goooo team!

[uhhhmagic]

This is exactly why I never joined cheerleading. It’s all, rah rah team one second and then lets drink each other’s blood and summon demons the next.

[He’ll . . . take the knife, but.]

Can I not and say we did? Claire?

[siblingless]

[Ah.

She smiles a little for Taako when she hears the crowd chant his name, lifting herself from the ground to join him. All is well — until the knife comes out, and then she takes a step back, the color draining from her face.]

What...? [Ma'am??? Part of her knows this probably isn't real but, uh.] Isn't Claire-san part of this team? Why would you ask us to something so horrible to her?

[retellers]

Claire knows her place.

[ Claire nods, smiling. She is at peace. She even steps forward towards Taako. ]

You are now part of our team. So go and cut! That! Throat!

[ The crowd goes wild. ]

[uhhhmagic]

[me, innocent and young, 8am this morning: forgetting The Suffering Game won’t really impact too much until later! It’ll be fine!

He grips the knife. Look, he may not remember the hellish Lich dungeon that fed on bad feelings and demanded extraordinary acts of cruelty, but he’s still the same person who made it through that torture prison. Sometimes, you just have to do things so the chanting stops.]

Hey, uh, Yoshizawa, pumpkin, if you just wanna turn around maybe?

[siblingless]

[oh my god.

As horrified as she was at the head cheerleader, that can't compare to the horror she feels now, as she realizes what he's setting out to do.]

Taako-san? [A little wobbly.] Taako-san, you can't. You don't have to do this.

[Though, she won't get in the way of the knife if he decides to just go for it. Oof.]

[retellers]

[ Claire just smiles brightly at them. ]

Two, four, six, eight! Go and make me asphyxiate! Gooooo team!

[ The other cheerleaders cheer and clap loudly. ]

[uhhhmagic]

Weird—- Weird rhyme, Claire. I’m not choking you, I’m stabbing you. Dumb idiot. Anyway, calm down for half a second.

[Stalling, at this point, but it’s fine.]

It’s fine, right? They—- aren’t real. It’s supposed to be fucked up, and I’ve done plenty of fucked up things, soooooo . . .

[Don’t cry, small child. Twirling the knife around his fingers for a second - just staring at it while he thinks it over, idly pacing a little, circling poor Claire.

But it’s mostly to get closer to the head cheerleader. Then he just fucking stabs her. He’s aiming for the neck, sure. Sure!]

[siblingless]

[







SCREAMING.]

Wait—!

[It's fine? It's fine. Just another day in her life, watching a friend try to merc an asshole.

For all her screaming, though, she will immediately go to bat if anyone tries to grab or hit him. Gooooooooo, team!]

[retellers]

[ I can't believe she just has a bat now.

But Taako did it! He kills the evil cheerleader! Who transforms into his sister right when he digs the blade in. She grabs onto Taako, gasping for breath, as blood slides down her neck. She falls over.

The other cheerleaders just watch her hit the ground before cheering. ]

Good job, team! You did do better than Lup! Yaaaaay!

[uhhhmagic]

[I can’t say I didn’t expect this.

Taako, despite himself, does start a bit at the vision - instinctively reaching to try and grab after “Lup” before he steels himself to it. Snatching his hand back, still holding the knife tightly. Knuckles turning white around the handle. Cold, instead.]

Weak. You think this is the first time I’ve seen her die? Fuck off.

[Don’t goad the evil dungeon master (francy), please,]

Can we just get on with this already.

[siblingless]

[She squeezes her eyes shut when the knife makes contact with the cheerleader's throat, so she misses the transformation until she opens her eyes, and — ah. There's Lup. Cool. Cool, cool, cool. She slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes flickering over to Taako to make sure he's okay first and foremost. Apparently... yes? Hm.

Sibling trauma to discuss later, probably.

For now, she drops her hand to her chest, balling it into a fist. Okay. This isn't real. The real Lup is fine. Everything is fine! Time to goad the evil dungeon master.]

... Is this all you wanted from us? May we leave now?

[retellers]

Um, no? It's time for the pep rally! Let's introduce our team!

[ The cheerleaders all yell excitedly along with the crowd. And right on cue, a group of people in football uniforms will run onto the field towards them. The only difference is that they're not Gap models this time? They all stare at the two of them. ]

It's almost time for the biiiig game!

[ Claire has become alpha blonde. Alas. ]