WEEK 5: CYOA (Ange, Mob, Izumo, Hua Cheng)

[retellers]

Comments

[exercisms]

The others?

[He’s thinking hard. He looks down at his arms. They’re extremely shredded, just extremely jacked, but also they seem to have bandages on them. That’s right - he didn’t get those in a sports accident after all. Didn’t someone help him with that? And didn’t he almost get hurt before that, and someone pushed him out of the way? Hasn’t there been someone trying to protect him this whole time?

He’s not sure what that danger was, but if those people are in danger, than shouldn’t he. . . ]

Where are they?

[retellers]

If you leave, make it fast. This place doesn't have for much longer.

[ this like, doesn't answer his questions at all? she gestures towards the stairs, as if telling him to take a hike. rude TWICE. ]

None of this is real. But that doesn't make it less dangerous.

[ what an ominous comment. ]

[exercisms]

[Where’s his dang map? How he is supposed to know how to leave? But okay - he will go down the stairs like she says.]

[retellers]

[ Don't worry, Mob! Now that he's made this decision to go, the stairs and school blink out of existence around while he's there, and he finds himself standing on grass near a beach in a beautiful country. The breeze makes the grass move in a picturesque ghibli movie moment. There's the sound of the nearby city in the distance, though probably with a lot more hooves than Mob is used to.

Unfortunately for everyone but Mob, he is still jacked. As he looks around himself, he'll see a white house in the grassy field, in perfect view of both the beach and the city. It is quite picturesque... and then he'll hear voices, as he is interrupting a terribly domestic moment.

It won't be too hard to recognize Ange, despite her changed outfit, though he probably won't recognize the girl she's with. And, knowing Mob, he might feel a little confused when he overhears them talk to each other. Or simply embarrassed to be watching the scene he's watching.

Both of them are on their porch, holding hands and facing each other as they share a singular chair. The new girl leans over to Ange and kisses her, softly. Then she tells her she loves her... Charlotte.

Hm.

This is gay. ]

[exercisms]

[Ah! He gets embarrassed when he comes in here, but not because he’s a homophobe, but because he’s shy. But he doesn’t leave. He looks away until they’re done, and nods to himself understandingly.]

Ange-san. . . You wanted girls to like you, too.

[Relatable!

But he’ll approach, friendly.]

Hello!

[lecarre]

[Extremely relatable!! Ange does not seem to know why he is here. Why is someone crashing her perfect white house in Casablanca with Princess???

Just.

She blinks, tilting her head.]

What are you doing here?

[She does not seem to want to let go of the other girl's hand!! At all!!]

[exercisms]

Nice to meet you. I’m Kageyama Shigeo. I’m friends with Ange-san from the Realm.

[Of course he’s going to introduce himself to Ange’s girlfriend?]

Ange-san is pretty amazing! She helped me a lot back there with that worm.

[Anyway.]

Unfortunately, I think we probably have to go back there now. I think it’s some kind of dream trapping us. I didn’t ask the winged lady very many questions but that’s the feeling I’m getting.

[lecarre]

[Wow Mob is a great wingman.

idk if I'm supposed to be NPCing Princess or not so I'll leave it alone but!!

Ange's brows draw together at that, and she looks... kind of petulantly disgruntled?]

I don't know what you're talking about... dream? Winged lady? How did you even find us here?

I--do not wish to go back anywhere.

[retellers]

[ you absolutely can npc princess, I meant to say, but it's fine. While they are having this super fun discussion, either of them is free to notice the sky... fracturing, almost? There's a light down the middle, shining pink as bits of the sky seem to be crumbling down. Of course, that depends on either of them looking up, so maybe they won't notice straight away. Either way! It's fine, they're near a house. We all know the sky falling means you are safe near a house. ]

[exercisms]

[As Ange asks these questions he just calmly points at the sky.]

I’m not really sure, but that seems bad, right?

[. . .]

Sorry. She seems really nice. But I’m sure she’ll like you just as much out there.

[lecarre]

[Ange stares up at the sky when he points it out to her. Her expression does something complicated--from confusion, to something a bit more flat, to finally a flustered, horrified expression, before she finally snaps her head back to Mob.

Skies don't do that sort of thing. Everything here feels incredibly real, from Princess's hand tucked into her palm to the beautiful house that she longs for, but--

... Perhaps surprisingly quickly, she nods and accepts that. Weird.]

I see. So that is how it is. I-- [She clears her throat, looking a flash frustrated briefly, before she smooths out her expression again.]

I mean, um... I do not understand what is happening, but... we need to get out of here, don't we?

[She can't help one last wistful look the other girl's way, though, before she finally stands up and slowly lets go of her hand.]

[retellers]

[ The expression of sadness and abandonment on Princess's face is probably very real, too, but perhaps more real than that is how Ange steps away none too quickly, as part of the ground crumbles and splinters through the middle, like a sudden earthquake located entirely on places close to them. There's thunder cracking through the splinter as well, and the wind picks up.

Off in the distance, on the beach, the woman awaits and turns towards them. Her features a little more visible, now, her long hair pink and the idea of a face there. ]

This has happened before. And yet it hasn't. [ she smiles, sadly, as she looks at the sky. this means nothing to either of them. ]

[exercisms]

[He’ll grab onto Ange’s hand instead. Het wins!!

No, just kidding, it’s just cute and sweet. They’ll start heading towards the woman on the beach?]

How do we get out of here!

[lecarre]

[Ange will hold his hand! The world is falling apart, this seems important.

Anyway.

They head that way, and Ange frowns and adds on:]

Who are you?

[retellers]

You're still missing what you need. But you're running out of time.

[ she smiles, mysteriously, after not at all answering their questions, and then gestures at the sea. time to get wet? ]

[exercisms]

[Oh, she forgot him because he’s so unremarkable. He considers that explanation instead of the fact that maybe her memories are screwed up by this world.]

K - Kageyama Shigeo. We talked a couple times before. We fought that worm? You probably don’t recognize me with these muscles, but -

[He’s saying this as they run into the sea?]

[lecarre]

[omg Mob. Ange blinks at him blankly, and then manages a small giggle as they splash into the water.]

I remember you! I was hoping that lady would tell us who she is, but...

[NO QUESTIONS ANSWERED...

At least the water is warm and so is the sun but. how far in do they have to go...]

[retellers]

[ Only once they are fully submerged will they find themselves somewhere else! Ange will also find that there seems to be an additional weight in her pocket? Odd. Mob still has his tracker tablet, though it continues to be on the fritz.

Even though they're completely soaked when they take a further step, they'll find themselves nowhere near actual water. In fact, both of them seem to have wound up on a mountain, in front of a shrine. They look ridiculously out of place on this bright sunny day.

Hm, though the crack in the sky is still present and seems to be growing bigger. Pieces of off white fall down from time to time, almost like snow. It's out of place, but everywhere they fall, it creates a small, empty white space on the ground. Like that part of it has completely disappeared. This is fine.

As they walk in, they'll recognize both people involved this time, as Xie Lian and Hua Cheng are apparently... oh my god, are they finally kissing. Cuddling? Living together in peace and harmony? Truly, this is an impossible world.

I made myself sad. Anyway, Xie Lian will be the one to notice both of them when they show up, and his face will go ? at the fact that they are soaked. Neither Hua Cheng nor probably not real Xie Lian seem to notice the fault in the sky right away. ]

[exercisms]

[Turning red again.]

Everyone is kissing. . .

[But okay. Just going to cautiously approach, still holding hands with Ange.]

. . . Hua Cheng-san?

[lecarre]

[Ugh they're soaked... Ange doesn't seem to react to the kissing, but that's mostly because Mob has it covered and also has reaching out to Hua Cheng covered. Also because she heard they were in true love or something during the girls spa episode. This is no surprise!!!!

So she follows Mob, hands still held, but takes a moment to peek into her pocket instead of saying anything because ???.]

[supremity]

[ Already annoyed by the interruption - gege isn't paying attention to him, when someone shows up - the static he hears annoys him more. Where does that even come from? Of course Xie Lian, probably not real or not, will offer them something to dry up with, because he's kind and considerate. A little "San Lang, ah," is his response when Hua Cheng tightens his grip on his waist and turns his face into his neck. ]

They can come back later, if they're here for the shrine. If they're just lost, they can go to the elder's house, he can help them.

[ go away ]

[retellers]

[ Ange will find in her pocket ... a pearl! It feels imbued with a strange power. She gets the feeling that if she were to use it, she could possibly control water...?

It's very convenient that none of the falling sky bits seem to hit anywhere close to Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. Of course, Mob and Ange might not be so lucky, so they should be careful of any of the snow-like substance touches them. At least there doesn't seem to be any earthquakes or earth fissures here....... yet. ]

[exercisms]

[What happens if some of them touches them? Because maybe that does happen. Maybe some falls on them.

Anyway, he’ll hurry over closer to the two of them.]

Hmm. . . Sorry, I don’t know your name, I guess. Is it San Lang-san?

[lecarre]

[Some probably does fall on them.

Anyway Ange follows naturally since they are hand-linked, a faint furrowed brow to show she is Concerned.]

I'm sorry, it is just... you are the one we want to talk to right now. Is that all right?

[supremity]

[ Be more concerned, children?

Mob calling him that has him lifting his head, and he looks - even more annoyed at that. His tone is irritated and short, at first. ]

Who told you you can call me that? At the very least, you should be - [ And then it stops. Because he hits a gap, freezes, and his brow pinches in a different way. The kind that comes with realization.

He looks at Ange with her request, then back at Mob, then at the both of them as he leans back. ]

... how did you get here. [ He doesn't look at Xie Lian, and almost dreads that. ]